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Pirates of Equestria | Interlude 2: Drag Me Down | "Well, it's settled... yup. Hanging out at a coffee shop is way less fun than hanging out at a bar."
Interlude 2
"Come on!"
"No," Gjero replied once again, not moving an inch.
"But I'm huuuungrrryyyyy!"
"Then buy a fucking sandwich and leave me alone." Gjero didn't curse often, but damn, this girl was warranting it.
"But the place I want to go to charges four bits for a sub, and I only have three. If you're gonna be a dick, could you at least spot me a bit?"
"Can't," he said, honestly. "All I have is credit. If you want to risk being tackled by the entire royal guard, I'll give you my PIN number."
Vera, being the good-humored pony she was, began to laugh, but stopped herself as she saw Gjero's stoic face. "You... you serious?"
Gjero sighed without moving his head. "About what?"
Vera cocked her head in curiosity. "...You would... trust your PIN number with me?"
Although thoroughly baffled by her question, he remained still. "...Uh, yes. Like it or not, I know I don't, we're in this together, and if I can't trust you with something as trivial as money, then this operation is doomed to fail."
He's being nice... in his own dickish way. Vera tried not to grin too stupidly. It's kinda cute in a dumb, uptight, puckered up asshole kind of way. "...Maybe you're not such a dick after all."
"Thanks. Like, a lot," Gjero said in a very snark way. Vera honestly couldn't tell if he was serious or not. The wording sounded sarcastic though.
"...Come with me," Vera insisted, this time more solemnly. "C'mon."
"No," Gjero responded once again. The girl wouldn't let up. "Your parents ever tell you no means no?"
"I wouldn't know." She laughed with a smirk on her face. "They weren't exactly 'round. Looney was the closest thing I had to a mom."
Gjero almost choked on... well nothing, really. He hadn't eaten anything since tuesday, which was four days ago. In fact, this short conversation had been the most times Gjero had opened his mouth in the past four months. "I'm... sorry."
"It's fine... I mean, I had a pretty legit childhood." Vera turned away and started playing with her hooves. "It all worked out for the best, I suppose."
Gjero kept his head straight as eyed the small, dull-colored unicorn blankly staring at the floor. A pang of sympathy shot through him as he thought of his mother.
"Hey," he said, getting Vera's attention. "I'll go with you. I have to eat anyway."
Vera lit up, but didn't know how to respond. After a couple of seconds, she bore a confident smile. "He-he-hell yea! I'm gonna show ya the ropes of behaving an actual person! We gonna go get ya in some trouble! Live mofo, live."
"Maybe I'll just stay..."
"Or we can just go to The Half-and-Talon and get a sub, hehe." Vera punched Gjero in the shoulder. "Jeez, unpucker your asshole, doucheface."
The perky griffin that stood under the porch just stared at Gjero for a short time, before dropping the newspaper she was holding and putting on a huge grin. She waved her talon back and forth and appeared to be giggling softly. Gjero didn't know how to respond. First, he craned his neck to look behind him. After noticing nobody waving back at her, he turned to face her and awkwardly waved back. She stretched her grin out as acknowledgement and went on her merry way.
"The people here are very... neighborly," Gjero remarked. He lowered his voice as he added, "And feathery."
"What," Vera chuckled as she squinted at her partner. "Never been to the Griffin district?"
"Well..." Gjero searched his mind for any past encounters with the feline/avian streets. "I think I supervised some guards protecting the Princess' tea party. That was the extent, however."
"Weak, man, weak. C'mon Gjero, don't you ever go out?"
"I have more important things to take care of, as should you Captain Datzkowitz," Gjero snapped, still keeping stiff. Vera frowned at the mention of her last name.
"Seriously, relax that anus, bro." There was another silence, something Vera had gotten used to by dealing with the Day Watch captain. She had to lead all the conversations. She even felt as if she were talking to herself sometimes and Gjero just took up space. She ignored that feeling. "Hey, the reason why I go here is 'cause I know the owner, so she may want to talk to ya."
"Oh? Why?" Gjero asked, not budging his constant strides and still looking straight ahead. Vera wondered if his face was stuck squinting because of that scowl he was always wearing.
"Well by 'know', I mean 'we've been friends since we were kids'. So... yeah."
"Hmph," Gjero grunted. Vera was amazed how he was able to do that without moving his stomach. She noticed he walked without moving most body, only key parts in his knees and flanks. The muscles on his rump flexed fluidly in motion to his... well toned thighs.
Woah, slow down you hormonal-crazed teenager that happens to be thirty-two, you're better than that.
Gjero spotted another griffin waving at him, another girl and probably of adolescence. She was carrying books in her arm. He waved back, this time more naturally. "This is creeping me out."
Vera laughed as she hit him in the shoulder. "Oh c'mon, chillax. Listen, there's just a thing with griffins and the Royal guard; they really like us for some reason. I have no idea why." She put a hoof to her chin (which baffled Gjero as he tried to understand how it was possible for her to walk and do that at the same time). "Actually, I heard Aielira say something about it being they respectin' us for not being all corrupt or somethin'. Though that should really be a given
Hmm, Gjero thought. They don't treat the Legion that way... The Legion and the Guard were completely separate branches in the Equestrian military. Actually, one could argue that the Royal Guard isn't even part of the military and is more like a police force, even though both parties go through very similar training. The thing was, Luna governed the Guard and Celestia used governed the military. But, ever since she was attacked by that damned Light, she appointed exemplary Generals to control it for her. Come to think of it, that's around the time that talk of rebellion went around Equestria... but that was silenced quickly, and rightly so.
Wait a second. "Aielira? The hell kind of name is that?"
Vera double backed and raised an eyebrow. "What? I thought it was a pretty average name, but what do I know? Hey, look, we're here, you can ask her yourself."
The building was made up of four very large glass pane windows framed by decorative maple-brown wood. The windows were littered with small advertisements vibrantly colored with fluorescent blue and green paint boasting prices and deals. The roasting smell of coffee briliantly accompanied the sweet smell of creamer with a subtle hint of various cold meats and vegetables that went perfectly with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked bread. All these smells seemingly pointed toward the giant sign above the entire set up reading "THE HALF-AND-TALON".
"Hmm."
"...That's it? Hmm? This place is fucking amazing and you spew out the poetry HMM?" Vera scoffed and flipped her short hair towards Gjero.
"What? It's not particularly impressive. It... is rather nice, though. The unimpressiveness compliments the small shop."
"That's much better."
"Yo, yo, YO! Ay-Lee-Rah! How's it shakin' hot stuff?!"
Gjero, again, had to resist face-hoofing. I swear to CELESTIA.
"Please don't do that, Vera, you'll scare away the guests. The least you could do is not use outdated lingo."
The Day Watch captain's jaw dropped in spite of himself. The soft voice came from a large feathered beast standing in the middle of the room, who was cleaning a mug with a rag. She had dark blue eyes and a slender neck, which was uncommon for griffins. Her feathers we slightly longer than other griffins Gjero had seen and peaked off her head at a higher angle and arced over her eyes. There was darker feathers around her eyes, which Gjero hadn't noticed about griffins until this one. He noted how elegant they were. Everything about these creatures was elegant.
There was one thing that was odd about her. She kept craning and cocking her head and neck around slightly while she was looking at Gjero. Her tail was flailing around quicker than the other griffins, and in a more haphazard pattern. She was also tapping her foot. As Gjero was examining her, she walked up to him (rather quickly) and motioned to the store. "Welcome to the Half-and-Talon Mr. Day Watch guard pony, I hope you enjoy yourself. We don't get many ponies here, but your kind is very welcome, and the ones that do come don't complain."
Gjero looked around the small shop and inhaled softly. There were several small tables with three chairs each, some of them occupied with griffins either chatting or smiling at the two Watch captains standing at the front door. The bar was occupied by several griffins her and there as well, some of them working on some sort of paperwork or sipping coffee. Along the glossy tiled floor lay a couple of soft furnishings, a sofa, two (imitation, of course) leather armchairs, and a recliner. A fittingly large coffee table sat in the center of them. All of these were vacant, however, as the griffins preferred the practicality of the wood furnishings.
"Hmm."
"Oh shit, Gjero made an audible noise, you know he fucking likes this place," Vera sarcastically mused. Gjero payed no attention to her as he looked at the griffin. After a second or two, she became uncomfortable.
"You're a griffin."
Aielira rubbed the back of her neck and turned both directions in a matter of seconds. "Uhh, yeah, if I got this biology thing right. What's up?"
"You didn't tell me she was a griffin," Gjero remarked, turning towards his partner. Vera shrugged.
"Thought you might have been able to assume it. I mean, we're in the griffin district, her name was Aielira, and the shop's called the Half-and-Talon." The night watch captain shrugged with her eyes closed as she shook her head. "It's kinda obvious."
"Oh, so you two know each other?" Aliera interjected, tensing and relaxing her talons repeatedly. After her question, she started tapping her hip rapidly.
"Unfortunately."
Aielira chuckled loudly and stuck her arm forward. "I'm Aielira Crosshright. Don't bother trying to pronounce my last name." As her talon floated, she squeezed each finger in succession and alternated in anticipation of Gjero's hoof. He sorta just... looked at it. "Uhh..."
"Dude, shake it." Vera elbowed him in the chest, which wasn't very effective due to the armor.
"What?" Puzzled, Gjero turned to the griffin once more. He realized what the suspended talon was for. "Oh, apologies. I didn't understand what you wanted. I'm new to the whole opposable thumb thing. My name is Captain Gjero Hoofinghamm," Gjero said, shaking the griffin's hand
"No problem. Hey, did you say Captain?"
"Yes, I am the Day Watch Captain," he clarified, trying not to smile.
Aielira instantly lit up "He-hey! We have both Watch captains here? Nice, what an honor!" Aielira motioned towards the furniture in the middle of the room. "Come, sit, first meal's on the house."
Gjero expressed his thanks in subtle astonishment as he walked over to the recliner.
"No fair! He gets free food?" Vera complained, pouting. Aielira simply nodded and flew next to Gjero, taking out her pencil and twirling it in her fingers.
"Whatcha want? Pork sandwich? Chicken sub?" Aielira asked, tapping her foot once again. The Pegasus simply recoiled with a look of horror and disgust on his face. His waiter laughed uncontrollably. "Calm your tits, just joking. You can't even digest the stuff, you poor boy. How 'bout a hay and dandelion sandwich?"
"Uhh," Gjero grunted, still recovering from the carnivorous comedy. "Yeah, that sounds good."
"Kay-kay. Be right back, guys." And with that, Aielira flew off with order in hand. The purple unicorn accompanying the Day Watch Captain sat on the sofa beside him.
Gjero sighed heavily before turning to Vera and staring at her in disapproval. "Your friend is very... quick."
Shifting in her seat to reach over to the recliner, Vera punched Gjero in the unarmored part of his foreleg... which actually hurt the captain quite a bit, though he showed no sign of this. "Dude, shut up," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "She has real bad Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. She can't help it."
Gjero widened his eyes in utter shock. "ADHD...? Doesn't she... take medication for it?"
She shook her head slowly. "No... she was too afraid of becoming dependant on it, so she's never taken any." Vera sighed before settling back in her seat. "It won't bother her if ya mention the fidgeting, but I don't think ya should really."
"Don't worry," he assured, waving a hoof. "I won't." Gjero stared ahead at the glass windows occupying most of the wall in front of him, contemplating his little adventure thus far. There were many questions itching at him that he wanted to ask Vera, though he couldn't fathom why he was even remotely interested. But... "Hey," he started, despite himself. "How do you know her? Aielira I mean."
Vera was surprised at the question. She didn't expect him to want to know anything about her, much less her friends. He probably wants to know just for Aielira's sake. Yeah... that little ADHD thing must've struck a chord. "She was my foster mother's birth daughter. We met when I was twelve, and I took off to the Academy as soon as I was eighteen, so we were good friends for six years. We got back in touch as soon as I graduated."
"You're foster mother was a griffin?" Intrigued, Gjero followed up with another question. "And... I thought you said Princess Luna was like a mother to you."
"She was more of a mentor really," Vera clarified while scratching the back of her head. "But she was always there, so..."
"I see," Gjero interrupted, motioning her off. "I know of a woman that was like that to Princess Celestia as well. It didn't end too well for her, but she always valued the friendship she shared with that unicorn. I didn't know her personally, but she up and disappeared before I could." After his little speech, Gjero cleared his throat. "As for the griffin?"
Vera, at first, looked at him in great puzzlement, but remembered what he had asked first. "Oh yeah. Well when someone's put for adoption or foster care, any species is eligible to care for any other species, there is no discrimination that governs that. It's a matter of what the adopter wants. It's actually fairly common."
"...I didn't know that"
"You don't know anything outside your dumb armor, do you?"
"Watchya guys talking about?" Another voice said from the direction of the kitchen. Gjero opened his mouth to answer, but Vera beat him to it.
"Your sex life. We're saying it's like your sandwiches, dry and old."
Gjero honestly couldn't believe what the unicorn had just said to his friend. He honestly wanted to smack her upside the head, but that wouldn't be very gentlecolt, would it? Plus the rules, the rules.
Aielira simply shrugged off the insult and laughed. "Nice, bitch. Too bad you haven't gotten laid in like, an eternity. Gjero, your sandwich."
The pegasus came out of his straight posture to grab the plate and thank the griffin once again. She waved it off.
The Night Watch captain pouted and turned the other way with her nose scrunched and in the air. "I'll have you know I could get a guy right quick if I wanted to! It's just that I'm not a complete slut unlike some people in this shop. I'll get a guy when I meet a not douchey one."
"Oh I'm the slut?" Aielira shot back, her smirk growing wider with every word. "I'm not the one that wandered around a bar for two hours throwing myself at every drunken bastard looking for some 'room and board'."
"Hey I was drunk at the time; what was your excuse when you danced on top the coffee table like burlesque was going out of style." Vera came back pointing her hoof towards Aielira every other word. "Besides, I'm not a slut, Gjero can vouch. I haven't made a pass at him at all the two weeks we've been living together." She smiled in the direction of her partner while trying to make him back her up. "Ain't that right, Gjero?" There was no response.
"Uhh... Gjero?" Gjero sat in a slump, his mouth slightly open, and his eye's widened in astonishment. And... he was just looking at his sandwich. A flower petal was hanging out of his mouth halfway, and the lettuce in the bread was slowly slipping out. After a couple of seconds, Vera expressed concern. "Dude, ya okay, man?"
"Huh?" Gjero finally looked up and saw the two women he was with looking at him with great unease. He looked back down at the sandwich and to the girls. His brain finally clicking, he wiped the petal off his mouth bashfully. "Uh, yeah... it's just, this sandwich is really good." He was still distant from his surroundings, and wondered why it tasted as wonderfully as it did. Was it really the quality of the food or was it because he hadn't had anything other than bread and water for the longest time. It didn't seem too long to him, but now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember the last time he had anything that contained flavor. It hit him really hard.
"Heh, looks like Mr. Straightface likes my food," Aielira gloated with a slight blush. She was rubbing the back of her head and looking in another direction. "So what'd you like about it, the hay, the flowers, maybe just the wa-... wait a second." Aielira jumped back with newfound enthusiasm and flailed her wrist with a finger pointed outward. "What do you mean you two are living together?!"
Gjero was too absorbed in his food to respond, and Vera just laughed anxiously. "Hehehe, it's a long story."
So, it turns out Aielira was actually a pleasant person to speak to. I honestly didn't expect that from one of Captain Datzkowitz's friends, but I guess anything's possible. I'll be completely truthful with you here, Princess. I hadn't been too happy with the current circumstances so far, and I can only take so much Datzkowitz in one day. I've been putting up with it for you, and you only, Princess. I don't mean to rush Your Highness, but the sooner I can get back to my regular work the better. I won't neglect the severity of the task you have given me, but I won't lie, it's not pleasant. After meeting that griffin, I guess I'll be able to stand it for the time being. As for the Half-and-Talon... I'm going there tomorrow with Captain Datzkowitz again for lunch. I shouldn't really, it's just going to feed that unicorn's ego, but that food... I never had something that good. I'm, at the very least, interested what other foods that woman and her shop can make. It kills me a little inside abandoning my post like that, but I can't help myself after the Night Captain showed me it.
Gjero turned away from his desk, sighing, and looking at the snoozing dull grey unicorn. Her mouth was wide open, but her snoring was incredibly soft, almost inaudible. Her legs were strewn about the entire bed, and her blankets only covered portions of her smaller-than-average body. Gjero gazed at her for a while, his thoughts dissipating into silence. She tossed and turned suddenly to achieve a more comfortable position, and it knocked Gjero out of his reverie. He sighed.
I seriously don't understand why this girl acts in such a way that should be reserved for household pets. I've never seen anything like it; it's disgusting. I'm afraid her behavior is diminishing my ability to carry out my duties... and she doesn't even care. I swear, that girl is going to drag me down with her.
"Princess, have you seen Gjero anywhere? It's been a couple weeks and I haven't even spotted him walking down the hall. I usually take orders from him..."
"Oh yes... you see, Gjero's been on a bit of a... business leave, if you will. He will not be back for quite a while. I apologize for the secrecy, but it's a very sensitive issue."
"Oh...that blows- Er, I mean it's... uhh... unfortunate. You see, we are great friends, Celestia."
"Quite. He has told me quite a bit about you, the uh, few times he does talk, haha. It's mostly flattering, it seems you are one of the few mares he respects."
"Really? That's actually surprising, he doesn't really act like it."
"You know him, when it comes to work and honor he's as sharp as a blade, but he really has the emotional capacity as a wooden chair. Not to mention he's as dense as gelatin."
"Hehehe, I guess so! Well... I suppose I'll leave then."
"...You know, I said I couldn't tell you what it is Gjero's doing, but I can tell you where he is."
"Wha... really?!"
"Mhmm."
"Well I guess I'm finally going to get a chance to use all those vacation days I've piled up!"
"Wait... what?"
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's not so much Vera hasn't made a pass at Gjero, so much as he would get pissed off if she tried. No author's commentary again, sorry! There's just not much to add. |
Pirates of Equestria | Old Tomes and Tapestries | "Changes made, chances lost. Everyone gets the opportunity but no one profits. What of it if another life disappears when it makes mine so much easier?"
Chapter 8
"This is as far as a boat can take us."
The wind whistled; it was the only sound that accompanied the audible silence. Patch craned his neck and looked at his faithful companion, Fluttershy, and saw what he expected. A grim expression on a stoic pegasus. It was an expression she wore often, but the impact was felt even more so now. After a long, drawn out pause, the yellow pegasus sighed and hung her head.
"I know. Ponyville is a landlubber city. I've lived there almost my whole life until I met you... Captain."
The pegasus clenched her teeth in anger. Her expression was a mystery; her hair covered her eyes and Patch could not see them. "...Heh. Never thought I'd be here again. It almost seems like yesterday the damn Legion burned my house down."
"...I feel the same way sometimes." Patch shuffled his legs, as his face became blank. "Just be glad you didn't lose anyone like I did."
Fluttershy recognized this as Patch's way of trying to cheer her up, to draw away the self pity and direct it onto himself. Needless to say it wasn't working.
Because he doesn't know. There was a lot of things Fluttershy hadn't told Patch, and the fact she lost all her critters in the fire was one of them. Hell, he doesn't even know that's my talent: the critters.
"Fu'Shy?" Cap'n asked after no response. Fluttershy continued to ignore him without meaning to.
"We need to brief. Fu'Shy, you get whoever you trust to aid you on this mission. You have complete control, savvy?"
"Aye."
The whole room was quiet. Patch sat behind his desk in his usual spot while Fluttershy leaned on his desk with her legs crossed and her head turned towards the line up. The line consisted of Pinkie Pie, Vex, and Private Gavin respectably. Pinkie Pie noted a couple of things. One, Fluttershy looked amazing in that little suggestive pose she was in. Two, she wondered if Fluttershy was doing it on purpose. And three...
"What's Gavin doing here?" Pinkie asked, breaking the awkward silence. For a couple of seconds, Fluttershy just stared at Gavin until he turned away anxiously to break the eye contact. She smiled, rather out of place.
"He's here because he's the only unicorn I trust to carry out the task I have set forth. He may not look much, and you may not know him too well, but I can tell you right now he wouldn't betray any promise he may ever make. And he's made a promise to help us when he joined. He's a very good man."
Pinkie turned to look at the pirate who was staring at the floor sheepishly. He didn't say a word.
"Oh... alright then."
The Private, finally acting, faced the pink pony. "Wait," his low and humble tone of voice rising above the tension. "How did you know my name? We've never met."
"Yes we did!" Pinke reassured. Gavin's eyes darted around nervously, afraid he had insensitively forgotten a past conversation. "Remember, you bumped into me in the hall and apologized before picking up the guitar you were carrying, even though I was the one running through."
Gavin's heart rate decreased, but he was still puzzled. "But, we never spoke... How did you know-"
"Private," Fluttershy snapped to shut him up. He flinched and rose a hoof meekly. The pegasus smiled softly to assure she wasn't angry with him, but just wanted his attention. "It's better not to ask how she knows. Believe me I tried."
Gavin's swept to the right hair shook a little as he chuckled to himself. He closed his one eye that was visible underneath his hair and nodded his head. Fluttershy aimed to begin the briefing but Pinkie interrupted once again.
"What about Vex? What's she doing here?"
Vex started to boil, but Fluttershy spoke up before she could do anything rash. "Because I like her, dumbass."
Vex's mind went blank at the sudden compliment before she laughed heartedly and slapped Pinkie upside the head. "Damn straight."
"Okay, can I get started before we get any more shitty comments?" The yellow pegasus looked around the room for anyone stupid enough to speak up. Luckily no one did. "Great, thanks. Now, our mission is to find a white, purple-maned unicorn named Rarity, or any information on her whereabouts. And her stupid shit of an assistant, a purple baby dragon named Spike."
Vex looked surprised. "A dra-?"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP! Enough exposition, you can ask him when we find him, cocksucker!" FLuttershy slammed her hoof on the table to which the entire company recoiled, even Patch. He realized how set she was on finding her friend. Vex came under a similar realization, but completely ignored it as she mouthed Fuck You flatly. The pegasus ignored the sentiment.
"Alright, this is how we are going to go about it. Me and Pinks will check out a small boutique that was owned by the subject about ten years ago. We'll raid the place and search for clues there. If that fails, we'll ask around to see if we can get any info on her." On a roll, Fluttershy turned away from Pinkie Pie to the others. "Gavin? You and Patch... you're going to the local library."
"Woah, woah, woah!" Patch interjected, thrusting his forehooves back and forth. "Library? I love you Fu'Shy, but the one thing you can't make me do is go to a fucking library."
Love? Fluttershy mentally shook her head to clear it and slowly faced the captain. "Don't worry, you won't have to read a word." She sighed and lowered her head. A soft smile appeared on her face, but it had more sorrow than a frown could ever manage. "So much for no exposition, huh? I need you two to go to the library because... well, there was a woman that lived there once, that was a great friend of both me and Rarity. She was kind of a bookworm, but also very naive. Her little dragon ASSistant abandoned her to go after his love, even though it probably would never go well. Around seven years ago she disappeared after sending a letter to her mentor and friends, a letter which clearly implied... that she was going to kill herself. However, there is a chance she's still alive, and even if she isn't I want to find out what happened to her and if necessary give her a proper funeral. The thing is, I don't think she would have carried something like that out without first fabricating a contingency plan to explain why she did it. That's why I want you to go there, to look for some sort of clue, some sort of message she left behind."
"Uhh, Ma'am?" Everyone instantly turned to Gavin who immediately started to sweat and shrink. It was kind of hard for a stallion of Private's height to shrink, but somehow, he managed to do it.
Since he was so polite with it, Fluttershy let the interruption slide. "Yeah?"
"Why am I going with the Captain? Why am I going at all?"
Smiling, Fluttershy trotted over to Gavin's side and put a hoof on his shoulder. "Because Twilight was a very powerful and intelligent magic user. Her message may be inscribed on something arcane. And, like I said, you are the only unicorn on this ship I trust to be confidential."
Gavin didn't know how to respond to the kindness he received from Fluttershy, so he demeaned himself more. "But I'm weak when it comes to magic! I-I'll just get in the way."
"Rarity was weak at magic too," Fluttershy claimed, even though she wasn't really sure. "And she was the only unicorn beside the Princesses that she trusted with any personal information. If she did use magic, you'll be able to find anything as long as you search hard enough."
Private eyed around the room. Fluttershy still had her uplifting smile, Pinkie was grinning wide enough to make her jaw fall off, Patch had his confident smirk, and Vex was just watching the door, bored out of her mind. "...Okay." he finally said, making Fluttershy let go of the breath she hadn't realized she was holding in.
"It's settled then, we go immediately."
"Eh, aren't you forgetting someone?" Vex coined, a scowl growing upon her face.
"Vex, you're going to be a floater in case anyone gets in trouble. We'll report to you where we're going, what we've found, and when we plan on making a move to a new location. We'll talk to you before any of us go anywhere that we think a lead is taking us. If we aren't in the place we were or said we were going, you'll immediately go to the other group and notify them. Understand?"
"Tch." The noise that exited Vex's throat was more confirmation than it was incredulous
sarcasm.
"Fu'Shy," Patch started, his voice rising up over his previously silent agreement. He had his hind legs resting on the table in front of him and his forelegs folded over his chest. "I'm not one to argue with you, but it doesn't bother you that Gavin and I are looking for clues on your long lost friend that we never knew?"
Fluttershy bore a confident smile while stepping towards her captain. Laughing, she waved off the problem. "Why would I? You two are friends just as much as they were. I love you all."
Invigorated, Patch shot up and thrusted his hoof in the air. "Well then, lets get this shit started!"
The road to Ponyville was long and particularly boring. The reason Patch left Porkshire was to avoid the quiet uneventfulness of rural life, but here he was getting right back into it. Still, it didn't have all the shittiness that his hometown had. At least the people didn't have that god awful accent.
All the horizon contained was endless green hills with a streak of dirt cutting through it like a crack in a windshield. There was an incredibly generic looking forest off to the right just sitting there like it was content with the dull stereotypical background and going off on its business as a forest would.
Not even a damned animal to catch my focus. I mean, there's just shit all to think about.
Gavin was quiet the entire trip, but he had a peaceful smile on which Patch figured was his likeness for the silent countryside. He liked the guy, but one had to admit, Gavin was a bit on the annoyingly perfect pacifist side. Then again, that was why he liked him. Vex, Fu'Shy, Miss Pie, I hope you guys are having more fun than I am right now.
"So this Twilight chick... who is she again?" Vex asked from Pinkie Pie's back. At first it looked a little unnatural for a griffin to be laying on a pony's back like that, but after a while it almost seemed appropriate given Vex's size. Vex was laying on her back with her arms behind her head which was propped up on Pinkie's incredibly poofy hair. Her left leg and tail was hanging off Pinkie's back, but not so far it hit the ground. Pinkie was just unbothered by the whole thing; Fluttershy commended her strength.
"She was the pupil of Princess Celestia and one of my best friends," Fluttershy began, ignoring the obvious hypocrisy of her previous outburst involving exposition. "A purple unicorn. Incredibly powerful, but a bit antisocial. At least until she met us."
"Virgin?" Vex quipped, smiling and opening one eyelid.
Fluttershy let loose a small chuckle. "Yeah, most likely."
"Twilight was never one for those kinds of parties," Pinkie chipped in humorously. Vex became red at the thought.
"What about this... Rarity?"
Fluttershy sighed and raised her voice, irritated. "What is this, fucking Jeopardy?" Her two companions ignored the fact she had mistaken the rules of that game. "Another one of my good friends. A white unicorn. Prissy as FUCK." She put a hoof on her chin and looked the other direction. "Uhh, pretty much all I need to say unless you want the boring details of her dreams and ambitions and shit." She gave time for her two friends to finish their childish chuckles. "I guess she was hot as balls, but I'm not into that so I wouldn't know."
Pinkie tripped over a hoof, recovered, then tripped over two more, nearly knocking Vex off her back. She spat out some gibberish before apologizing to her carrier griffin. Vex waved it off, which made Fluttershy a bit curious.
"Hey... you two are getting along quite well. Normally, Vex would've cut the head off a person who nearly dropped her, much less agree to ride along on their back."
"Unlike everyone else on the god-forsaken ship, Pinks here isn't a fucking tool." She looked at her talons with a dull expression. "Though she is batshit insane." Vex looked away and whispered to herself. "She isn't a pirate."
"We're almost there. Vex, you should go tell Patch."
"Oi," Patch quipped, elbowing Gavin to get his attention. "Is that Ponyville?"
"I'd assume so, Fluttershy said it was the only town here for miles."
"Heh," Patch chuckled, sighing and lowering his head to the ground. "How the hell did Fu'Shy convince me to go to a library?"
"The way she explained it means it shouldn't be too difficult. I doubt a unicorn with Twilight Sparkle's reputation wouldn't be able to forge a plan to reunite with her friends." After giving his two bits, he faced Patch and grinned from ear to ear. "Besides, I like reading!"
Geez, if Gav was anymore sweet it would be sickening. Patch thought of the first time he met Gavin, that lonely soul drinking himself into a coma. It was hard to believe he would even consider drinking, let alone being a member of the Legion, or worse, becoming a pirate. He remembered sitting next to the lonely unicorn and buying himself a drink, slyly picking up a conversation with the lonely pony.
"Well, you look fucked up. Mortgage?" Patch asked as subtly as he possibly could. The lonely pony stared into his drink. Sorrow filled his eyes as he gripped the glass tighter and tighter. Patch eyed the lonely pony's Legion coat incredulously.
"Leave me alone. I lost... her." The lonely pony closed his eyes, trying to suppress the tears he had grown accustomed to as of late.
"Her... dude, it's not too bad. Plenty of fish in the piss pool." Patch was quite proud of his utter butcher of the common cliche. Not that it was far off from reality. "She might even take you back."
Gavin took his glass and threw it to the ground in rage. He snared at Patch eye-to-eye as he yelled. "She's dead you idiot. They killed her!"
Patch quickly wiped the smirk of his face. He had a suspicion he meant she was dead, but he had to be sure. Patch found it difficult to feel sympathy with the lonely pony, considering his attire. In spite, he decided to let him have it. "It's your fault."
At this point, the entire bar was staring at the two ponies in the room; they had been making quite a scene. Patch continued with his harsh criticism. "You're the one who joined the Legion. You brought this on yourself with your self-righteous patriotism. As far as I'm concerned, you got what you deserved."
The lonely pony stared at Patch with a blank expression. Tears swelled in his eyes as his anguish turned to rage. He exploded. "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE LEGION! I... I didn't want to... to b-be..." The lonely pony was shaking, gritting his teeth more and more. His eyes widened and strained, and his pupils focused into little black beads. "Its not my fault! It's their fault! IT'S THEIR FAULT!" The lonely pony lunged towards the astonished stallion sitting next to him. A hoof flew towards his face and the audience gasped.
"Captain," Gavin shouted, snapping Patch out of his daydream. "Look who's here." Patch looked up to see Vex smoothly hovering towards the ground and touching down. She blew upwards in a pathetically vain attempt to get the feathers out of her face.
"Pinks and Fluttershit are nearing the boutique now. And I suppose..." Vex scanned the immediate area and stopped as she saw the large house-tree Fluttershy had described. It was only a couple hundred yard away. Satisfied, she turned back towards the two stallions. "You're nearing the library."
"Quite." Patch responded before starting towards the large tree structure. "Gonna tag along?"
"Sure as shit." Vex put her arm around Gavin and smiled. "Sup Gav?"
Gavin chuckled nervously and buckled slightly. "Hehe, nothing."
"It's been awhile..." Fluttershy picked up a piece of purple fabric before putting it to her face and smelling it softly. "I can't believe this place hasn't been touched in over eight years."
"Everything's exactly the same," Pinkie chimed in seriously before chuckling and waving her hooves in Fluttershy's face. "Creeeeepy, OoooooooooOoOOOOooo....!"
Fluttershy scowled and hit the back of Pinkie's head once again, causing her to frown and rub the back of her mane. Fluttershy sighed and stepped in the direction of the light switch. Flipping it on was like directly triggering the memories of events long since passed to come flooding back in front of her eyes. Memories of laughing, support, dumb spa treatments... good memories.
The room was disheveled, as to be expected. Fabrics of all colors and shapes was layered out in the boutique as if a bull came raging through the small store. Although Rarity often kept a mess in her store, it almost felt wrong to see it in such a state. Inhabited and... dead. Wait...
"Why is this place such a mess?" Fluttershy asked, puzzled. Really? Why was it?
"Uhhh, duhhh, standard apocalyptic rules. It need to be a mess." Pinkie gave her a mocking look, because the answer was so obvious. Fluttershy simply stared at her with half closed eyes, unamused with her response."
"No, think, dipshit." Fluttershy motioned in a broad gesture, referring to all the room. "Rarity was a bit unorganized, but if she was going to leave this place forever, the least she would do is clean up. This place is not clean."
"You're right," she confirmed, scanning the room again. She offered a theory. "You think it was looters?"
"Looters?" Fluttershy laughed incredulously. "In Ponyville?"
"Well..." Pinkie's eyes widened in realization. She creeped over to Fluttershy and whispered. "You think she's still here."
"No, don't be an idiot," she scolded before walking forward a couple steps. "But... I think she came back when we were all gone. At least, for a while."
"I guess that would explain the mess now," Pinkie deduced. "When she left the second time, she must've been in a hurry."
"Or she stopped caring more likely," Fluttershy added. "Think about it; there was nothing left for her here. No friends, no business."
"Well that's... depressing."
"Duh." Fluttershy started to search the room more closely. "Get with the times, mare."
"God, I hate that old book smell." Patch was trying really hard to not inhale. "It's like a combination of paste and dust."
"Well that's probably what it is, dipshit," Vex quipped, flipping through some of the pages. Vex didn't exactly fancy books, but she didn't absolutely despise them like Patch did. "I don't know what you're complaining about. You use books all the time in that little office of yours."
"Hey, it's called the 'Captain's Quarters' for starters. Secondly, I use those books as location reference or for deciphering." Patch poked at a book on the ground with his hoof. "I don't see how anyone could read for fun. Euugh."
"Look, remember what Flutterfuck said." Vex saw a small journal hidden in the back of a drawer and picked it up. She flipped through a couple of pages and... saw some weird shit. Perturbed, she looked at the cover and read the title. "Fanfics," Vex read. She immediately tossed it to the side and rubbed her hand on her chest disgusted, as if to clean it. Suddenly, she eyed the nearest bookshelf. This is ironic somehow. "Gav, you've been quiet. Flutterpoo said that you should feel something 'cause you're a unicorn or some shit."
Gavin had his head in a book, and was quiet for a few seconds before looking at Vex, clueless. "What?"
"Let's just go upstairs," Vex scoffed.
"HOLY SHIT!"
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Pinkie and Fluttershy had just opened a large closet when two skeletons fell out, startling the two companions.
"Oh my cheese," Pinkie said, poking one of the skulls. "Are they dead?"
"Jeez, Pinkie, I'm not fucking sure," Fluttershy retorted sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and investigated. "Whoever they were, they've been dead for a while."
"You think it's... Rarity?" Pinkie asked with hesitance.
Fluttershy was unperturbed. She knew for a fact it wasn't. "No. Who would she have been killed with other than spike? There's no reason there would be two ponies here, and we know Spike would have given his life to protect her."
Pinkie slowly turned to her friend, concerned. "Fluttershy?"
"What?"
She traced her hoof on the ground. "What you said about Spike... did you mean that?"
Fluttersigh. "No... I'm just angry, okay? After spending so much time with her, I couldn't see how he could just leave, to chase a crush that would never come to fruition."
"Y'know," Pinkie offered, putting her hoof on her yellow friend's shoulders. "It probably wasn't easy for him either."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. He was getting older too, I guess, he wasn't going to stay with Twilight." Suddenly, Fluttershy lit up with an astonishing discovery. "Wait a minute!"
"I think a minute's too long. Maybe half a minute. Or a couple of sec-" Fluttershy shoved her hoof in Pinkie's mouth, continuing as if she wasn't interrupted by the pink menace.
"We've established that Spike and Rare came back to the boutique. Plus, these bodies decayed without arousing suspicion, considering everything was undisturbed. What's the only way for bodies to decay without stinking up the entire neighborhood? Fire. That means Spike had the firepower and balls to actually kill these guys. So, he's nearing adulthood. Adult dragons need an enclosed space and large territories with enough space to gather treasure. If we know they were here, and we know Spike's mature enough, then the only place around here that fits that description is..."
"OOH OOH! I KNOW! That mountain that had the snoring dragon that was trying to get everyone lung cancer!"
"Exactly. If they're not dead they're probably there!" Fluttershy motioned for Pinkie to follow her outside the door. "C'mon, let's go wait for Vex outside."
"Savor this, Gav. This is the last time you'll be in a woman's bedroom."
"Ehhh..." Gavin spouted. He didn't want to retort, but he didn't want to be silent either. What come of it was that weird groan. Vex laughed.
"You're right," Patch substituted for his lanky unicorn friend. "They'll all run to his, hehe." Patch slammed his leg on Gavin's back, laughing supportingly. Gavin did nothing but blush.
"Hey, what's this piece of paper?" Gavin cheerfully reached for it, eager for the subject change. His vision suddenly blanked. He lost all feeling.
The rest of the gang slowly stepped towards him. "...Gav?" He stood completely still, his mouth wide open, the note hanging from it. Vex checked his eyes to see his pupils enlarged a couple sizes. He was like a statue.
"Gav. Gav!" Patch waved his foreleg in his face. There was no reaction from the unicorn. "Hm. This might be an issue."
"AHAHHHHA WHAT WHAT?!?!?" Gavin turned his head to only face complete darkness. He couldn't tell if he was suspended in this space or if he was standing on something solid. His heartbeat overwhelmed his hearing, and his breathing echoed on nothing. It was a very strange thing to hear. He thought he was alone. Until... a speck.
A little speck. Pinkish purple. With some deep lavender. Gavin had to squint to see it. Seeing it as a sign of life, he tried to move towards it. At first, he thought the attempt was in vain, as he couldn't feel himself moving. But the speck became larger, and larger. It was closing in.
Gavin took a few steps back. The creature before him, it was the last thing he expected. A mare. A unicorn mare. A pretty one at that. She stared at him a few moments, and then she spoke.
"Well," she said. "I certainly didn't expect someone like you to be here." |
Pirates of Equestria | Aged Color Flames | "Dwelling is a word that should only be in our physical vocabulary, not in our emotional one."
Chapter 9
"What's a policeman doing here?" The mare asked, pointing out Gavin's blue hat. "Is there an investigation in my library?"
"Huh?" Gavin looked beside him a bit before smiling and holding his hat. "O-oh this. I-I'm not an officer, this was my dad's hat. My uh, my stepdad's hat." He couldn't shake this nervous feeling he had, like he wasn't worthy to be talking to this woman. "Oh! My name is, uh, Private Gavino. But you can call me Gavin."
"Private?" The mare questioned, baffled. She lit up as she deduced another possibility in her head. "So you must be military then?"
"W-well actually, Private is my first name, it's not a title. I was in the military though, but that was awhile ago."
"Hmm." The mare inspected the stallion in front of her skeptically, trying to take in any subtle details that would discredit his introduction. Satisfied with her findings, she cheerfully smiled and tilted her head. "Hello Private Gavin! My name is Twilight Sparkle, nice to meet you."
"Twilight?" Just the mare I was looking for! "I knew it!" Gavin jumped for joy, which made Twilight take an apprehensive step back. "I-I was here to find you!"
"Really..." Twilight scowled and began to build up magic in her horn. She was a bit surprised to see he didn't even notice the impending offensive maneuver .
"Yeah, you're friends are looking for you." Gavin smiled wider than he had all month. He was so happy this was actually going well. Something wasn't blowing up in his face like it usually did.
At mention of her friends, Twilight eased off her attack. Her mouth agape and her pupils wide, she stammered. "My... Friends? They... they're looking for me? They came back?!"
Tears started to swell up around the purple unicorn's eyes. Gavin's heart sunk. How is she going to react when she hears there's only two out of five? "Well... two of them. Fluttershy and... uh... Pinkie... Pie." Woah, Gavin almost forgot the pink one's name. Sad, considering she knew his name just by bumbling into him in the hall.
"That's more than enough!" she reassured the indigo pony, giving him a tight hug. Gavin was a bit unprepared for the sudden contact and was a bit dumbfounded for a couple of moments. He warmed up, and returned the hug. Twilight realized how sudden the informality was and backed off, her cheeks ablaze. She noticed how... at peace the man before her stood, even though his face showed signs of terribly sad experiences. It was affectionately mystical in its own contradiction.
"Ahem," he coughed, rubbing his head and looking away. "So uh, you gonna come... uh with me! That is, to err, see your friends! And stuff..."
Adorably awkward as well, Twilight noted. The humor of Gavin's antics wore off quickly, however, as she prepared her answer. Her smile faded, and she stared into the abyss. "I can't," she said solemnly.
Gavin's hope died along with muscle support for his shoulders. His heart became so heavy he had to sit. "Why not..."
"This isn't the real me. The real me is out there," she explained, more tears falling down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand."
"That parchment you picked up... it contained a very small amount of my soul. A tiny, incredibly insignificant part, that only shaved about a minute off my lifespan. Since I am so small, I am a purely abstract form of the real Twilight. I am the basics of her personality and emotions. The real me knew what I would be like... it was a failsafe because... the real me isn't in the right mind at the moment." She looked at the man in front of him, who simply sat and listened with intrigue. "I was put here as a note. A note with sentience to discern who was allowed to read her message with impunity. The ultimate security measure."
"You have to decide if I'm worthy?" Gavin was absolutely puzzled, but Twilight shook her head.
"That was decided as soon as you touched the paper. My soul encountered yours. If your soul was approved, you'd be able to contact me. If your soul was indifferent, if you picked up the note on accident, or for a different reason than finding me, nothing would've happened. If your soul was disapproved, the note would have been destroyed immediately. Apparently, you were approved by Twilight's soul, and you were allowed to speak with her sentience." She made a faint smile. "Or part of it, which is me."
"So," Gavin asked. "Does the real you know of this conversation? Is she experiencing it?"
"If she was okay she would be, yes. She'd be fully aware. But she's not okay. She knows this is happening, but she ignores it, she doesn't know what to make of it."
"But..." Gavin was unsure if his next question was stupid or not. "You're still alive, right?"
"Mhmm," she confirmed. "If she were killed I'd know. I wouldn't disappear, but trust me, I'd know" Twilight shivered at the thought.
"So then what about me?" Gavin asked, starting to feel concern. "Am I just a part of the real me's soul?"
"Nope," she answered reassuringly. "You're the whole shebang. In the real world you're body is most likely completely motionless. You're not dead, don't worry, you're just an empty shell. Like a computer without its processor."
"What now then?" Gavin asked. "What will you have me do?"
Twilight nodded, now with determination. It showed on her whole body, in a similar fashion that Fluttershy had in the mission briefing earlier. "Right then. I was put here by the real Twilight to inform whoever was able to see this to tell them I'm in trouble. And I'm a very dangerous person, for the things I know, the things I might do, and the things that people will want to make me do. I was too out of it, apparently, when I left this note to help myself. It must have been my subconscious that made me do this. Anyway I need you to find me. If my friends reunited with me... I know it'd help."
"Do you know where the real you is?"
"Not entirely. My connection with the real me is weak since I'm so crazy. All I know is that I'm in the Farwall Bog that is close to the east coast of Equestria. You can't miss it on a map." She now showed concern. "It is a very dense jungle filled with dangerous animals and an environment that's just as deadly. Be careful."
"Don't worry, certainly won't be the last dangerous thing I do," Gavin joked, then more seriously added, "And besides, I have friends that'll help."
"Good. And by the way I honestly have no idea what the hell I'm doing there, the real me doesn't think in coherent sentences any more. I could be the most dangerous thing there. Good luck, the fate of many lives hang in the balance." Twilight sighed with the faint smile she had never faltering. She put both hooves on Gavin's shoulders. "I'm going to send you back to your body. I just want to ask of one thing. Can you take this parchment back to the real me? If you do that, this part of my soul will be returned and this conversation will go to her memory as if she experienced it herself. I want to remember you Gavin, it got really lonely here."
Gavin felt his cheeks getting hotter. "S-sure t-thing." Just like that, something hit him. "Wait if I have this note, can't I see you again? To uh, keep you company?"
Twilight hung her head with the largest frown on her face. "I don't think so. If you are really in distress and need me, my soul may deem you worth it to see me again in this form. Remember, soul and sentience are two different things that act as one. If it were up to me I'd love you to come and visit, but..." She looked at Gavin one last time. "I don't think that's gonna happen."
She sniffed, then he was gone.
"Is he okay?"
Gavin felt groggy, He could feel his eyes were open but he couldn't really see. Everything was too blurred together to discern any type of viable object.
"I don't know, he's just standing here."
Everything was blue, Gavin decided. Blue with accents of brown. His ears felt as though someone was taking corks out of them.
"You think he's okay, because he looks dead."
The lines in his vision slowly became sharper as his eyes focused on the mysterious entity directly in front of him. It was a pony. Somebody he knew. Who would be this close to him?
Waking up, Gavin realized it was Patch in front of him with their snouts nearly touching. Patch had both legs on Gavin's shoulders and was looking straight into his eyes with intrigue. At first, Gavin didn't know what to make of it, but as his thoughts returned he just wanted one thing; to get the hell away.
"GEH." Gavin shoved Patch, at which the captain stumbled backwards into some nearby bookshelves, knocking over some books in the process. That kind of distance between him and another man made Gavin REALLY uncomfortable, and it felt like Patch was going to go snow white on him at any moment.
Vex understood why Gavin was so anxious instantly, and thought about it. It would be interesting to say the least. For Gavin to passionately fall in Patch's arms, unsure and submissive. Or maybe Patch would be the submissive one. Patch is so strong and confident, but where it counted Gavin was emotionally stronger. Gavin was Patch's shoulder to cry on. He'd go down and...
"Vex? Earth to Vex." Patch was waving his leg in front of the griffin. "Why is your face so red?"
"NOTHING, OKAY?! JUST CHILL THE FUCK OUT!" She recoiled and covered her face with her talons.
"Steady! Calm down, jeez." The pirate captain spread a nervous smile. "I just hadn't heard a vulgar and sarcastic quip in a little while and I got scared." Patch decided to turn and face the newly awoken unicorn before Vex could retort. "So, what happened to you there Gavin? You were out for like seven minutes, I was about to call for some help."
"Yeah... uh... you're not gonna believe this, but... I just spoke to Twilight."
"WUT."
"Seriously?" The captain asked incredulously, raising one eyebrow and skeptically tilting his head to the side.
"Yeah, that note had some sort of charm on it." Gavin tried to abridge the crazy event he had just experienced, piecing together the details. "She... somehow gave a piece of her existence to that lone note to tell anyone interested in finding her where she was."
"Really, now?" Patch asked, this time with more legitimacy in his voice. "You sure?"
"Yes." The definiteness in voice rang clear. "I'm positive."
"Well that makes my job easy!" The captain yelled in joy, jarring his two friends with the ease of his acceptance. "Vex, you tell the others we completed the mission and are heading back to the boat."
"Aye-aye, la capitán," Vex confirmed, half serious. "You want me to go with?"
"Not unless you want to." Captain Patch wrapped his foreleg around the Private, acting exhausted. "C'mon Gavin, let's go, I'm tired of this fucking library."
Oh, so that's why he's so eager to agree with my story.
Two small dots waving at Vex is what greeted her while flying to the trashed boutique. A pink and yellow one standing at the front entrance, both sickeningly happy. "Ugh," Vex spat, facing her once stoic commander in chief. "What happened to you?"
"I think we know where Rarity and Spike are," she relayed, visibly trying to hide her elation (which was a strange sight for the pegasus). "We're going to... that... mountain... over there."
"Wow," said Vex incredulously, "You don't even know the name of the fucking mountain, no wonder we had to go Canterlot then here just to find a stupid pompous bitch."
"Well I don't think the mountain has a name, alright?" Fluttershy's cheeks turned red through her yellow fur as she looked away with a scowl. "Me and Pinkie have been there before, it won't be any trouble getting there."
"Whatever. Look, I'm here to tell you Gav and Patch found out where your unicorn friend is hiding. They're going back to the ship."
"They found Twilight?!" Pinkie chirped out loud, signaling everypony around them turn and give them strange looks. Out of the corner of her eye, Fluttershy believed to see a flash of a familiar red coat, but she shrugged it off.
"Sorta yeah, just shut up already, Pinks, sheesh."
"This is good," Fluttershy interjected, happy to hear the news. "If we can find rare, we'd be making some good time."
"It'd be a good idea to not get too optimistic," Vex warned. "C'mon, I'll come with ya guys."
The trail up to the familiar cave had been surprisingly uneventful. Nothing really stood in their way. Fluttershy remembered the last time she went up this trail. A rock-a-lanch, huge drops, dragons, oh my. It just felt weird that things were going good for once. By now a sword would have been swung at her face or something would have blown up, but no, they knew where Rare and Spike was and they had avoided any attention from the Legion so far.
And now the three companions found themselves at the mouth of a very large cave, one that shook Pinkie and Fluttershy to the core with nostalgia. Vex kinda just stood there bored, though.
Through sudden inspiration, Vex smiled. "You two going to go cave exploring or what?"
Pinkie Pie opened her mouth to say something, but Fluttershy trotted past her and said, "Shut up, Vex."
Pinkie Pie kept her mouth open and her face frozen for few seconds before deflating and following her yellow pegasus friend. Vex followed suit.
Fluttershy would have investigated the surroundings, but unfortunately the cave was extremely dark. She didn't remember the cave being dark, but it wasn't really something she called attention to. Still, it was unnerving.
"You think Spike and Rarity are really here?" Pinkie whispered in Fluttershy's ear. Although this was the thousandth time Pinkie had asked her that question, Fluttershy let it slide, them being in the cave that they supposedly resided in.
"I don't know... maybe." Fluttershy turned to warn her pink friend. "Just try not to make any no-"
"HHHHEEEEEEYYYYYYY!" Pinkie screamed at the top of her lungs. Her voice was raspy and almost sounded like an old woman had yelled. The sudden outburst warranted a small startled jump from the crew, and a subsequent slap to the back of the head from Vex. Fluttershy fumed.
"You idiot," she whispered as loud as she could. "Are you trying to get us all--"
Bomph! A soft sound and the yellow pony was gone with a flash of purple.
"Oh, shit, Fluttershy?!" Vex yelled, stepping forward. She instinctively reached for a gun that wasn't there, and cursed the fact she left them at the ship because 'normal people don't lug around six flintlocks'. Fucking Patch.
Fluttershy felt an intense weight crush her shoulders and thighs, and deducted that something was pinning her down, most likely with hostility. The weight lifted off of her left shoulder, and Fluttershy could only guess whatever had her down was about to claw her face off. As a reflex (this had actually happened before) she shifted her body to balance on her back and kicked forward with her hind legs. It successfully flung the creature off of her and into the nearest wall.
Or, so she thought. In an incredible display of dexterity, the creature flipped midair and dragged its claws along the floor to lose the momentum. As soon as it was stable it flung itself forwards again to Fluttershy. This time, the pegasus saw it coming and slid below the lunging monster and unsheathed her sword simultaneously. She tried to lunge at the monster, but it instinctively dashed backwards and dodged the attack, the blade nearly nicking its stomach. Fluttershy was surprised to see that the creature have bipedal capabilities, similar to the way Vex fired and carried her pistols.
The creature took another swing at the fully prepared Fluttershy, who flung herself to the side in order to dodge. She tried to take another swing in the opening, but missed as the creature kneeled down and practically limboed beneath the sword.
The fuck is this thing, a ninja?!
Now beneath the fighting pony, the creature wrapped its claws around Fluttershy's chest and tossed her to the side. Showing less dexterity than her opponent, Fluttershy rolled a couple times on the sharp ground before being able to stand back up. Sensing another attack, Fluttershy threw her forelegs forward, attempting catch her opponents palms. She was successful, and was rather shocked by the fact. Nearly instantaneously, she went forward and pushed with her entire body on the creature's claws, trying to overpower it. The creature, not expecting such strong contest from a pony, nearly buckled at first, but then pushed back at the pony. They were evenly strong.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" The male creature yelled, generating a spark of green flame from his mouth. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!
Wait! Is that?
"Spike?" Fluttershy asked in disbelief, almost getting knocked over from her sudden release of effort. The creatures eyes widened as he came over a similar realization. "F... Fluttershy?" The two long lost friends backed up in order to view the full character, unsure of what they were seeing.
This Spike certainly wasn't the one she had remembered; an innocent, slightly naive baby dragon who was as cute as he was a klutz. He had little to zero coordination, and was extremely dense. He was only about a third of the size of an average pony, small enough to actually ride on their backs. But this one... was big. Really big. Not as big as full grown adult dragons, mind you, but certainly bigger than a pony. He looked to be one and a half times larger than Fluttershy and wore a scrutinous, stoic stare with a scowl unlike any she'd ever seen, probably surpassing her's. His body had taken more angles around his thighs and arms, and the rounded spines that had occupied his head now were sharp and jagged, and trailed all the way to his incredibly wide tail, even on the pointed tip. The spine that protruded out on his forehead had been bent back, as be less intrusive. But the one thing that stood out among all the others? Wings. Glorious wings with the span triple of pegasi, stretched in and out accommodating his expressions. They were absolutely gorgeous.
Spike was equally puzzled with his old friend's appearance, what with her black streaked hair and dirty blue denim coat coupled with a stained white shirt. But that wasn't the thing that had Spike speechless. It was the fact that she handled a young adult dragon in a physical fight by herself. Her face was twisted with the experience of a dozen fights ranging from hooves to blades, and various scars decorated her face and legs. Truly a strange sight for anyone that had once well known Fluttershy.
"Alright, I can barely fucking see anything and no one's talking or fighting. Fluttershy did you die?" Vex was getting frustrated near the cave's entrance as she relayed her complaints.
"Who's that?" Spike's puzzled expression disappeared as he snarled toward the direction of the voice. The question was directed at Fluttershy. She put a hoof on Spike.
"A friend," she said, flatly. Content with the small detail, he hesitantly turned and aimed at something in the dark. He shot a single strand of green flame at this invisible target which lighted the walls with a thin line of fire, trailing beyond the cave's field of vision. The light the flame gave off glimmered off of the various gems peppering the walls, which were artificially embedded into walls in repeating patterns. The most light was coming off a large pile of gold doubloons coupled with more gems and some jewelry, all looking incredibly expensive. It was about the size of two ponies, by area and perimeter.
"Wooooaaaahhhh," The three mammals awed simultaneously. Spike felt a small glint of pride for his work. He turned to see the yellow mare again, and the sight made him come to senses on who was actually standing in front of him. The thought dawning over him, his arms lashed out and took fluttershy in a warm embrace. Although his face showed no sign of real emotion, his half masted eyes and somber voice was more than enough.
"Fluttershy... I thought you were... I thought you were dead."
Fluttershy, although caught off guard, was not surprised by the hug. Instead, she simply closed her eyes and squeezed him back. "Likewise. You know Pinkie's here too?"
Spike held her at arms length, astonished. "She is?" he asked. Fluttershy nodded in response. Spike turned back to his other visitors, a small griffin and...
"Pinkie!" Spike ran to her and hugged her too, to which Pinkie happily obliged. Spike looked at the griffin while holding Pinkie, with one eyebrow raised. "I have no idea who you are."
"Tch, I'm new, bitch," Vex deadpanned, crossing her arms and mimicking Spike's face.
"I love what you've done with the place, Spikey-wikey! It's actually looks hospitable!" Pinkie pointed out enthusiastically.
"Don't call me that." Spike spoke flatly with no emotion, making it clear he was serious. But the severity of his statement couldn't be deciphered because of his stoic outlook. Nonetheless, Pinkie nodded. After a second, he raised his eyebrow again, this time at Pinkie. "Wait, 'actually'?"
"Well, my first choice for a vacation house usually isn't a cave, Spike," Pinkie retorted. Spike tried to reply, but was interrupted by a voice deeper inside the cave.
"Spikey!" A snob-like voice whined. "What's all the ruckus about? Are you alright, I thought I heard some fighting?"
A figure, as white as snow emerged from one of the cave's forks. A white pony, with a purple, messy mane. It was so disheveled, it looked to be uncared for months, with the exception of an occasional wash. It was long, passing her knees, and was spread out all over her back. Dark blue eyes pierced the unkempt mane, and stared into the room. At the sight of the cave's entrance, she gasped and froze, unable to speak.
Dispite the entrance of a new pony, Fluttershy was the first to speak, absolutely flabbergasted. Through a squint, she asked, "Is that... Rarity?!" |
Pirates of Equestria | Familiar Faces | "Shit happens; things change."
Chapter 10
"Uh," was all Rarity could utter at the shock of seeing her two friends simply standing in the middle of her home. Her mouth hung open for a few seconds before imagining what it looked like to the others. In fact, she must look absolutely dreadful to them at the moment. Though she'd never let herself go, she had gotten rather careless with her appearance in terms of grooming and style. She remembered that Spike said that he actually liked the natural look better. Usually she'd take that with a grain of salt, as most men just say that so they wouldn't hurt their partner's feelings, but she was dealing with a dragon here and he sounded very serious. She remembered that night, he couldn't keep his claws off her...
Ah, who cares what I look like! Rarity thought, throwing caution to the wind. "Oh my god, Spike, look! Fluttershy! Pinkie Pie!"
"Vex." the griffin chimed in, getting strange looks from everyone. Rarity paid no mind.
"What on earth are you two doing here?" she asked, raising a hoof to her chest and rearing her head. Glancing at the new griffin, she nervously corrected herself. "Er... three."
"Nice to see you too, Rare," Fluttershy said smugly, flashing a smile full of indignant amusement. The gesture seemed out of character for her to Rarity. However, she paid it no mind as she waved her hoof frantically.
"I-I meant no insult, believe me! I just... I'm soo happy you're still breathing!" Rarity ran at a rather unladylike speed and style. She threw herself on Fluttershy, nuzzling her neck furiously. "I can't believe it! You came, you're actually here!"
Fluttershy wore the same awkward-yet-smug smile she had when Pinkie had done the same hug in Port Corral. She of course returned the sentiment, wrapping her foreleg around Rarity. That's when she noticed something... odd. Aside from her ungroomed fur and mane, Rarity's once smooth hugs were somehow... edgier. Her grip was tight and her legs were just that bit larger. As the hug drew out, Fluttershy found Rarity's entire body was curved differently, and the texture of her flawless skin was now rigid and coarse . It was all very strange for Fluttershy. Nevertheless, she continued her embrace with impunity.
After they finally let go, Fluttershy saw Rarity had started to cry much like Pinkie had. Quiet tears, absent of sobs, with a soft smile stretched along her face.
"Hugs?" Pinkie asked, stretching out her forehooves with a nervous smile and pleading eyes. Rarity laughed in spite of her tears.
"Of course Pinkie dear, I wouldn't have it any other way." Rarity squeezed Pinkie Pie tighter than she had Fluttershy, assuming she could handle it better than the delicate Fluttershy.
"Bleghh!" Pinkie exclaimed, having the wind squeezed out of her. Rarity retracted herself and apologized.
Rarity finally turned to the griffin. "And... Vex, was it? ...I suppose you want a hug as well?"
Vex immediately flushed at the thought, backing up and face becoming red. She waved her talons to keep the very good looking (in spite of disheveled appearances) white unicorn away. "N-naw, I don't need any, cave woman."
Rarity frowned at the name obviously meant to insult her, but Fluttershy spoke before she could backlash. "Rarity, what the hell spat you out? You look like you tried to fuck a boulder."
Vex repressed the urge to look at Spike and inform her that she may not be too far off.
Pinkie thought of Tom and blushed.
Spike... just stood there with an annoyed disposition.
Rarity was taken aback, utterly astonished at the vulgarity of the statement. "Fluttershy, why I'd never...! The profane nature of that statement... from you!"
Fluttershy, at first confused, lowered her ears and looked at Pinkie with an expression that just screamed 'whoops.' "Uh, sorry, Rare."
"Oh dear, I wasn't offended," Rarity assured, putting a tentative hoof on her shoulder. "I just didn't expect that from... you."
"I've changed," she warned, her expression changing back to that aggressive squint she constantly wore, sincere and humorless.
"Yeah," Pinkie confirmed, beaming. "Fluttershy's sexy now!"
Vex burst out with a loud chuckle, despite not knowing Fluttershy before her piracy. Rarity had a look of concern and uncertainty. The remark had also actually perturbed Spike, breaking his serous glare with a look of bemused shock. "She's kinda bad ass, I'll give her that," Vex added between immature giggles.
What brought Rarity's concern even further, was that Fluttershy shrank back with a bashful look of minute pride, like she was happy to be 'sexy' and 'bad ass', like she wasn't bothered by those words. She... liked the attention and compliments, Rarity noted with disgust. "Ladies!" she scolded.
Vex laughed even harder. "No ladies here. We got a cave woman, a drunk, a pirate, me, and Puff the Magic fucking Dragon." Vex stole a glance at the dragon, who became irritated at her, but not enough to act. All he did was bare his teeth and growl, which almost warrented another chortle from Vex. Weird, she had expected to be more anxious the first time she met a dragon, but here she was, beckoning him with insults. After a couple of seconds of brazen laughter from the pirate trio, they subsided as they saw Rarity gaping at them.
"Did you say... Pirate?" Rarity asked, frowning. Everyone's smile fell into a state of dumbfoundedness. Vex nervously breathed another chuckle as she rubbed the back of the feathers residing on her head.
"I let that slip a little too early," Vex stated, before looking at Fluttershy who now was absolutely pissed. "Didn't I?"
"Ya think?" Fluttershy deadpanned through disappointed indignation.
"Fluttershy?" Rarity asked slowly. "What's going on?" Rarity's judgmental gaze pierced Fluttershy's soul. Fluttershy kept her face straight in spite of this, ready to dismiss any of her friend's opinions of her occupation. Just because she won't approve won't stop her from doing what she loves, and she wouldn't care if she didn't understand the virtuous nature of her actions. In spite of her previous unmovable point of view on the situation, she sighed.
"Rarity... I'm a pirate, in case you haven't guessed." Rarity's accusing stare is what scared Fluttershy the most. "It was entirely my decision and... It isn't what you think, we don't do anything bad- well at least, not to people who don't deserve it."
"But you still rape and pillage." Rarity spoke flatly, disappointment seeping from her voice. She stated it as if it were indisputable fact. Her yellow friend tried to get angry, but all she could manage was stern irritation.
"No, we don't! At least... we don't rape, dear god we don't rape. In fact, rape was one of the reasons I joined the pirates; that horrible experience is what tore the line... I didn't want anyone else to go through what I did."
Pinkie Pie tried to gasp, but her throat was shut; she had no idea that Fluttershy had been.... Vex looked off to the side, away from her yellow friend in sympathy, to spare her the shame of a stare. She had heard the story long ago. Spike's blank expression somehow told his anger for whoever had done an act so horrid to the kind and meek Fluttershy. Rarity stood on her ideal, however.
"All the same, Fluttershy. I'm sorry for what happened, but that doesn't give you the right to take from others."
Spike was actually surprised at Rarity's cold argument. He widened his eyes and looked at her in bewilderment. "Rarity..." he said, his voice laden with sadness. Rarity closed her eyes in a huff and turned away from her dragon.
"No, Spike! It is unfortunate, and I'd rip the head off whoever did it, but it is no excuse to break the law so casually like that! I'm sorry Fluttershy, I love you but... that isn't something I approve of and that's that..."
Fluttershy sighed, more sad than irritated. But she didn't let go of her stand. "You're right, it isn't an excuse... But you don't understand the position I'm in. It was the Princesses' Legion! They're the ones that did that to me! They burned my home, my animals! I may be breaking the law, sure, but it's the price of fighting evil! C'mon, you remember ponyville, the old times, you're no stranger to that. It's the same thing as fighting Nightmare Moon, or Chrysalis, or King Assface, but just on a grander scale!"
Rarity avoided everyone's gaze and looked at the ground, cracks in her argument forming, however, she remained steadfast in her altercation. "I doubt the entire military is to blame for the act of only a few ponies... it still isn't right. You take from them. It's selfish."
Fluttershy smiled in the face of her debate this time, happy with her counter argument. Almost cocky, she spoke. "That's just it, they ARE responsible. You know what our crew consists of? People, pony or otherwise that got fucked over in different ways by the Legion. Our Captain's house was burned by them by order of a General he was good friends with. With his wife still inside. Klepto, a griffin, his entire family was murdered by them as collateral because he couldn't pay his taxes. Penny, a unicorn, she was brutally raped by an entire squadren of men in broad daylight and no one did a damned thing..."
Fluttershy continued to rant off the many ways the Legion practically held society by the balls, and how she had made it her mission to stop their ways, however ambitious it was. It fell on attentive and sensitive ears.
"Okay..." Rarity began as her friend finished. "I still... I don't know..."
"Look, Rare, it's not like we're bludgeoning every legionnaire we see and dumping his body in a ditch, we're conservative with anything fatal, and we treat dead with respect despite how much of an asshole they were." Fluttershy gave off another sigh and smiled with pleading eyes. "I may have changed, but my values are very much the same, okay?" It was her turn to put a hoof on the white unicorn's shoulder. "I'm just... stronger."
Rarity had tried her hardest not to smile, to not be moved by her friend's actions, but it snuck up on her, and her face cracked, just barely. She still wasn't certain of the pegasus' new lifestyle, but she trusted Fluttershy.
"What are you doing here?" Rarity asked again, this time as humble inquiry rather than shocked disbelief.
Fluttershy smiled confidently and gave a fierce nod before putting her other hoof on her friend's shoulders. "We need you Rare. Something big's going down and we need the elements to find out what and put a stop to it."
"I'm not going to be like you. I have no desire to be a pirate," she warned as matter of fact. Fluttershy grabbed Pinkie in a headlock, unaffected by the white mare's statement.
"It's okay, neither is Pinkie," she said, rubbing Pinkie's skull with her hoof roughly. "Aren't ya, Pinkie?"
Pinkie began giggling uncontrollably as a result of the proceeding noogie, and a little flustered at the contact of her oblivious friend. "Yes I am!"
Rarity couldn't help but smile at the sight of her two long lost friends get along so well despite their massive differences. Maybe she could be like that too, now that she has the chance again. "What does this help entail?"
"I don't even know," Fluttershy said, honestly, letting go of a now disappointed Pinkie Pie. "What we do know, is very little. We were hoping to figure it out along the way."
"Hmm..." Lost in thought, Rarity turned to Spike who had been remarkably quiet, save for a few dissatisfied looks at Rarity during her and Fluttershy's little debate. Rarity smiled meekly. "Up for a little adventure? We don't have to go if you don't want to."
"Honestly, I'd rather stay." Everyone in the room including Rarity had small looks of incredulous disbelief, but changed as Spike followed up. "But if it's really that important, how could I say no? Besides..." Spike trailed his claw around her mane, getting her hair out of her face, and stared in her eyes. Straight faced, as if it were the most important thing in the world, he finished with, "I'm the one that follows you." Rarity's eyes were half masted as she smiled, obviously wooed by Spike's simple sentiment. Fluttershy and Vex felt a little uncomfortable; they thought the two were about to start spontaneously going at it the way they were looking at each other. Vex cleared her throat anxiously.
Rarity got off the implications gracefully by fully ignoring the transpired events and referring to her guests. "Then it's settled," she said. "We'll come along as long as you tell us everything."
"Well we should get back to the ship before dark; we'll tell you on the way."
"A disembodied head?" Rarity recoiled in utter disgust, sticking her tongue out and wincing.
"I know, right?" Fluttershy replied, sharing a similar look.
The past half hour had been spent strolling down the mountain and getting Spike and Rarity up to speed. Pinkie had spent those thirty minutes just staring at Rarity, admiring her obvious physical improvements. Her shoulders were massive and the cuts of her muscles flexed with every step. It was strangely alluring and somehow made Rarity look even better than she used to. Stranger still, was that her messy mane actually complimented her muscles and made her look like a goddess. Pinkie had to refrain from drooling.
The group had discussed the strange parchment and its explosive tendencies with glowing lettering and promises of apocalypses, they introduced Vex who had been incredibly rude and insensitive the entire way down (Rarity quickly grew to despise her company), and talked about their Captain and how awesome he is. Pinkie Pie and even Vex talked up to him, so Rarity slowly became eager to meet his acquaintance. As their conversation finished, Fluttershy sought to strike up a new topic.
"So how about you two? Living in cave doesn't exactly sound appealing to the prim and proper Rarity."
Instantly, the two's disposition changed to anxious reluctance, as they tried to dodge the question physically by turning their heads and staring blankly into the sky. Needless to say, it was futile, they felt the puzzled stares of their friends... and Vex.
"Uhh," Rarity started awkwardly. "Stuff... happened."
Vex scoffed as she pointed out, "That was about as vague as Pinkie's sexuality."
Pinkie made some noise that involved some sort of choking whinnie. She nervously shifted her eyes as she noted that everyone luckily ignored her.
"Well... I... We just needed some time alone, you know? People aren't exactly approving of a dragon-pony relationship."
"Relationship?" Pinkie asked, puzzled. "You mean you two are...?"
Rarity raised a brow. "You mean you seriously didn't notice? I was wondering why you hadn't commented."
"So," Pinkie continued, her voice and tone of shock escalating with each word. "You two... you know... did stuff?!"
Fluttershy answered for her friend this time, equally bewildered by Pinkie's obliviousness. "Pinkie, they were living in a cave when we met them, what do you think they did all that time, play bridge?" Rarity's blush started to burn through her white coat, and she even became light headed. It's true, there never was never much to do other than... Spike. But it's not like they just constantly had intercourse, they would occasionally go for walks in the forest along a lake Spike now called his, they would work on the aesthetics of the cave and go gem hunting, they would build their...
"Dungeon!" Rarity blurted out suddenly, causing everyone to stop and stare at her. As her heart race slowed, she flushed even harder. "Spike and I would build a dungeon, you know, mazes in the cave, booby traps, all that good stuff. For uh... for... fun." Great. This might do more harm than good, Rarity noted as Spike gave her a look that plead for death. Everyone's gaze grew even more puzzled.
"A... Dungeon?"
"Just... for kicks?"
"Yeah," Rarity tried to finish, her voice wavering and unsure. "I mean... Spike's a dragon... I'm a pony... I'm 'his'... he protects what's his... he has treasure... it seemed... cliche... and funny... and uh... ironic, I guess."
"Uh..." Pinkie's voice rose up after an awkward silence. "Congratulations?"
Spike almost knocked himself out with a facepalm of that magnitude. Even he started to blush, his blood piercing his purple scales. "Look, can we talk about something else," he offered, rubbing the spines on the back of his head.
"Hey," Pinkie sang instantly, jumping on the chance to ask. "Where did you get the wings, you look great!"
Spike was now a red dragon. It didn't look good on him. "U...e...Ueh... ah... I... don't...?"
Rarity, also now becoming a red pony, tried to save him. "Spike... doesn't like... telling that... story?" If that excuse sounded sincere, her friends may have let the interrogation go. However, she phrased it as a question, and the integrity of her justification shattered like a wine glass. "Look," she plead, sounding a lot like her mate. "How about this, either of you tell me or Spike part of your story, and he'll tell you how he got his wings in excruciating detail." Spike gave Rarity a look that begged her to think of something else, but she just responded in a wink. That'll teach them. Spike knew what Rarity was planning and he did not like it. Not a bit. Still... it would be funny.
The carnivorous beasts that were Rarity's friends seemed satisfied with the trade, quickly trying to think of a story of their pasts that would satisfy the two. Rarity quickly added, "And it has to be meaningful! If I don't cry or am severely disappointed in you Spike won't say how he got his wings. Alright?"
Everyone murmured in reluctant agreement before sifting through the memories for an ample parable. Rarity and her dragon sighed.
As the distance between them and their beloved home town closed, the tension increased. Fluttershy had found it a bit weird that going back to the town hadn't yielded any particularly strong emotions other than nostalgia when they had first entered Ponyville, but now with Rarity and Spike walking along beside them, it felt different. Almost... wrong, somehow. Furthermore, Rarity's boutique was in Ponyville, just adding to memories of a time that would never again be the same. If Fluttershy had to see her cottage again... she doesn't think she'd be able to handle it. No doubt she'd throw up or go into fits of rage and depression. She would be put on the edge, and most likely get thrown off. And Spike? The library? I have no idea how the older, mature Spike would react. God I feel sorry for the guy.
Spike, sensing the feelings of foreboding anxiety, moved closer to Rarity and climbed on her back, wrapping his arm around her neck and allowing the other to hang in front of her. He positioned his head to be right next to her muzzle, a perfect place to listen to her soft breathing. He was just the right size to rest his hind paws on her haunches as his tail hung off her flank and dragged across the ground. His wings, even folded, was double the width of his partner. There he was, Rarity's guardian. It seemed to be his way of saying, 'although I live serve her, she's mine, and you won't touch her'. Fluttershy had turned to check up on the two, and couldn't believe her eyes. Rarity seemed completely unbothered, and even seemed more at ease with him there. She thought Pinkie was strong for being able to carry Vex fairly easily, Rarity wasn't even phased; she walked with the same saunter and acted as if absolutely nothing was on her back. Still gawking, Fluttershy asked, "Do you guys regularly do that?"
At first, Rarity and her partner looked questioningly at the yellow mare, both cocking their heads in unison. Rarity then bore a smile as she realized what her friend was referring to. "Oh, heh. Sorry, it's usually how we walk around I had forgotten it might be a tinge odd of a sight. Yes, we do. Don't worry, I can handle it."
"I can see that," she responded, giving another grin in return.
Pinkie snorted uncontrollably a couple of times, hitting the Pegasus in the shoulder. "Hehe, he's riding her." Fluttershy scoffed in irritation as she rolled her eyes, stopping when they hit the sky. She noticed for the first time that the sun had begun to set, dusk settling in place of the prior daylight. Now Fluttershy wanted to get through Ponyville even faster. Traveling by rivers and canals at night was very uncomfortable for the Pegasus. Especially now since they had that Legion ship trailing them. The more time they spent in ponyville, the more the young captain caught up. They were lucky they had confronted the legion in the large lake next to Canterlot, and next time they might not be so lucky.
The exhale that escaped Spike's nostrils rung across the barely lit streets, giving his friends a shudder on the outside, but warming their lungs on the inside. The same feeling one gets when they have a fever and are wrapped in a blanket, a feeling of dread and content, nostalgia and unease. No one could tell what the dragon was thinking, but the wistful sigh was more than enough a hint. The library sat before them, somehow being more menacing a sight than Celestia herself. Spike had been staring for the past twelve minutes, and everyone had remained silent out of respect for the purple dragon, and even more so to the purple unicorn that had disappeared so suddenly all those years ago. As the time elapsed became noticeable, Fluttershy craned her neck to look at Spike still on Rarity's back. "You know," she said. "We know where she is..."
Spike was quiet once more, at first showing no sign of acknowledgement. However, he then spoke, quietly and hoarsely. "Then we'll find her."
"Spike... she might be-"
"We'll find her." His voice final, and driven, Fluttershy shut up and turned back towards the library.
Maybe we will.
"Hey!"
Wait, woah, who's ruining our moment? Fluttershy thought in aggravation, facing the offender behind them. Spike had a look of absolute rage and disdain, taking the interruption as a personal insult. Rarity whispered some calming words to him, preventing a growl and softening his expression a small bit. before them stood six ponies: three earth ponies two unicorns and a pegasus, varying in color and size. There was only one woman there, and she had the most malicious scowl of all. All six wore red legion coats, the front earth pony sporting a couple of medals and a badge indicating his rank, some variation of a Sergeant. The leading pony bore a smile, an unsettling one.
"Well, well, well, wan't Ai right. Thrasher owes meh faive bits; y'are that yeller pirate wanted by all the Legion. Yah earned quite a name for yourself, pissed off the princess, ye did." His accent was as hard to understand as it was annoying for the pirates and friends. It was indiscernible, some bastardisation of an irish dialect. Fluttershy came to the conclusion it was forced, some odd attempt to feign whimsy and wisdom. Idiot. Out of nowhere, Rarity stepped forward, dragon in tow.
"I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding, sir. If you would allow, I'd like to discuss our situation here." Rarity was trying the diplomatic method, much to Fluttershy's chagrin.
"Heh, 'discuss.'" He scoffed at the notion. "Ai dun think a 'discussion ' is in order. As Ai see it 'ere, ye got another two pirates in ye party along with the big yeller one being the meat of the bounty."
"Big?" Fluttershy asked in irritated horror.
"Y'see in the Legion, tain't no pay difference 'tween dead'r'alive. And a body bag is just so easy t'store." He laughed, with the others backing it up with small chuckles.
Rarity, appalled, began to berate the Legionaries in her mind, but attempted to maintain a cool exterior. "Surely you can't be serious. If only-"
"Look, lady," he interrupted, losing his patience. "Ai know ye be trying to be all polite'n'stuff, going the diplo-macee route, but these guys already got the death sentence and Ai get to carry it out. Don't be thinkin' we gon' stop just because ye got a wee pet dragon on ye back tryin' t'intimidate us, makin' all those faces."
Rarity turned to see Spike's face constricting in wrath and anger, obviously trying to keep it to himself. She noticed his claws were digging as hard as they could into her chest without bringing injury. Done with her little check up she looked at the six ponies again, this time with incredulous apathy on her face.
"Also, bein' an accessory to a fugitive of this magnitude is automatic death. But that don't mean we can't have a little fun first, eh?" The lead pony's smile became absolutely wicked, reaching easily from ear to ear. Rarity noted with complete disgust that even the mare of the group lit up at the opportunity, naughty ideas already forming in her head. Atrocious.
"Well," Rarity said, flabbergasted. A yellow hoof was put up to Rarity's chest, attempting to prevent any involuntary action from the mare, and maybe even trying to protect her in the process. While stepping forward, Fluttershy frowned.
"Don't worry Rare, we got these fuckwads," she assured, drawing her sword. A fierce Vex got on her hind legs and positioned one of her talons near her face and the other near her stomach and formed fists with them, this being her preferred fighting stance, Although strange, it usually proved to be quite effective. Pinkie cowered behind Fluttershy, but still wore a determined and rather pissed expression.
Strangely, Rarity pretended as if her friend wasn't there, and pushed her aside like a bookshelf. She took a whopping four steps forward, effectively isolating herself from the rest of the group. Ignoring the baffled expressions her friends' (and Vex's) now bore, Rarity assured them that she would handle it. "So," she said, directing it at the opposing Legion ponies. "You want to have a little fun, huh?" Rarity rolled her shoulders and craned her neck once in both directions, each snapping at its threshold with an audible crack. "I guess I could provide a supply." She smiled as a finish to her threats, then gave a tout curtsey and reaching a hoof forward having it arc downwards at the wrist. "Would you be a gentleman and offer me this dance?"
These actions didn't help to break the pirates out of their dumbfounded state. Jaws were hitting the floor. Even more puzzling, Spike wasn't reacting at all, despite his protective disposition throughout their meeting at the cave.
The Sergeant smiled and decided to humor the white unicorn, and maybe try to humiliate her in the process. "Of course, m'lady," he spewed sarcastically, his voice oozing sickeningly from the back of his throat. He stepped forward and placed his hoof on Rarity's. That's when all hell broke loose.
It didn't even look like his hoof had made contact with hers before he was jerked forward at incredible speeds, now chest to chest in a split second. His face was now twisted with distilled horror as Rarity's smiling muzzle closed in on his. Her eye's were locked into his, her mind obviously filling with thoughts of hatred and pity. It looked like a move in the waltz, with Rarity leading. Both of their forelegs were outstretched in front of him. Like lightning, Rarity wrapped the same foreleg around his, leaving space at the knee, taking her other foreleg and propping it up against it. Her shoulder now rested on his chest, and provided leverage as she suddenly pulled with all her might. The bone gave way with almost no resistance.
As he screamed in distress, Spike hopped off of Rarity and stood his ground as two more earth ponies, running parallel to each other and Spike, charged with their swords in their mouths, the blades in opposite directions. Effortlessly, Spike grabbed both bases of the blades, closest to the hilt where the least amount of kinetic energy and momentum was, and slammed their heads together. Of course not being that damaging of a blow, Spike took advantage of their recovery time and dragged his hind claws from their legs down to their hooves. Their winces of pain caused them to let go of their weapons and forfeit them to Spike. The sudden disappearance of stability from the blades caused Spike to fall gracefully on his back. He then transitioned all his weight there, rearing his legs and coiling his body as much as he could. He flung forward, making his hind legs crash into the chests of the two ponies, the blow breaking some ribs and incapacitating them.
Leaving a sobbing Sergeant behind, Rarity prepared to defend herself from the approaching pegasus sailing on the wind, the mare of the group. Her face laden with confidence and angry determination, she sped like a bullet towards Rarity. At the last second, however, she curved sharply upwards into the sky, right before Rarity's eyes. She knew instantly what the mare was planning. Keeping her eyes in the sky she waited patiently for the incoming attack.
Spike sped towards the unicorn holding the flintlock, his wings spreading as he glided a few inches above the ground. Not expecting the sudden burst of speed, the gun discharged, the unicorn hoping to hit him in midst flight. Spike simply twirled in the air, unphased as the ball passed his torso, leaving him unscathed. He tackled the unicorn, rolled on the ground with him in his arms, and tossed him like a doll as he gained back his footing.
A dot got larger, more quickly, as the pegasus reached the ground at massive speeds in a vertical plummet towards earth. Rarity remained still as she squinted and concentrated on the mare. Closer, closer, closer. Rarity spotted a shimmer of the blade. Close enough. As if in slow motion, Rarity caught the blade by the blunt side mid-flight and spun it while it still occupied the Legion mare's mouth. Her eye's widened in horror as the blade completely missed the locked-on target and embedded itself into the ground. Fliifthgh was the sound it made as the dirt met the hilt of the sword. Luckily for the mare, she wasn't going fast enough to injure herself from the sudden stop. However, an acrobatic white unicorn spun gracefully on her left foreleg, and roundhouse-bucked the vulnerable pegasus with the weight of her entire body, her hind leg making contact with the back of the pegasus' head. This made the mare lose consciousness immediately as she was sent flying across the pavement a couple of yards before landing and tumbling across the floor and coming to a complete stop.
The two had finished their fight, Spike and Rarity. They dusted off their claws and hooves, before facing the final Legion member. A bright green unicorn, face filled with awe and dismay, jaw wide open, and visibly paling. Spike had walked up to Rarity once again, and their stares at the unicorn was apparent and smug. Spike was actually smiling for the first time since meeting his old friends. They quickly glanced at each other, and gave a final look to the unicorn as they both leaned forward.
"Boo," they spouted in unison.
The unicorn screamed bloody murder as he ran off, crying. After a couple of seconds, the pair began to laugh hysterically as they held each other. "Ahahaha! You see that guy? Classic!" Spike yelled in out of character glee.
"Ho, it's been awhile since our last fight. Nice to see we still got it!"
The duo laughed for a bit more before noting that their friends' expressions had remained unchanged. Shock, awe, and their jaws on the ground.
"What?" Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You..." Vex breathed, raising a talon and pointing towards the scene. "You beat the shit out of them..."
"All six of them." Fluttershy's head drooped with her mouth still open. "In like, ten seconds flat."
There was a slump sound behind the party; the sound of Pinkie Pie fainting and hitting her head on a rock the way down.
"I guess we did, didn't we?" Spike said bashfully, looking the other way, his usual demeanor returning.
"Just a second, guys." Rarity walked up to Fluttershy. "I still don't agree with your proposal that all Legion behave this way," she said firmly. "But... these guys were huge..." She tried to search for the right word.
"Dicks?" Vex finished, he voice incredulous.
"That's the word," Rarity cheerfully agreed. Her expression straightened. She trotted next to the ear of the crying pony with a broken leg on the ground. He wasn't completely pathetic, the tears weren't from crying necessarily, but were involuntary, being caused by the pain. Rarity grabbed his purple mane and shoved her muzzle next to his ear. She spoke quietly making her self very clear. "We had fun, didn't we? You finished a bit too early though, and I have to say, I'm a little disappointed."
The stallions eyes were wide and his pupils were dilated from the adrenaline of the pain. He was absolutely frightened. Rarity gently put a hoof on his broken leg to drive the point home. He winced in pain. "Now you listen here: if you ever do this again, it doesn't matter where you are or how you do it, I will find out about it, and find you, and rip off what makes you a man. I may be Lil Miss Rarity, but I promise I can be your worst nightmare if you get on my bad side. I won't stand for people like you. Neither will my friends. So remember this: next time you think about doing something atrocious for your own personal gain, remember me. Because if you don't, you won't have any limbs to get broken, understand?"
The stallion choked a bit before letting out a raspy, "Mhmm!"
"Good." She let go of his mane and faced her friends once again. She chuckled nervously. "I guess I owe you an explanation."
"Gee, ya think?" |
Pirates of Equestria | Fires of Redemption | "Like fire. Hellfire."
Chapter 11
This wasn't something Pipsqueak had looked forward to.
Well... scratch that. He hadn't seen the Princess so quickly following a visit before, so this was a luxury he would never be able to turn down. But honestly, he wished it was in better terms. Pipsqueak was here to inform the Princess of his failure. Although on the surface, it didn't sound so bad, but...
This is the first time I lost! And it wasn't even a loss either; the pirates were as good as defeated. The crew was as good as down and he had the captain in his grasp! Alas, their flyers pulled a fast one; something he should of saw coming. They were much too aggressive.
Time and time again had Pipsqueak spoke to the Princess, joyously but straight-faced as he formally recited the mission precedings and informed her of his success, after which he would strike up a conversation about her leading affairs. As a result, she always had a greeting smile on her face as a sign of trust as he walked in, ready to speak to the first normal pony she had since their last meeting. But that what was making this so difficult. He didn't want to betray that gorgeous and inviting smile she wore. He couldn't bare to see it deflate, to fade like the setting sun. Yet he had to... it was his duty. Pipsqueak began to reach for the door.
"Captain!"
The sudden cry from down the hall drew Pipsqueak's attention away from the door. it definitely wasn't the princess. The voice, while incredibly high pitched from panic, was masculine in nature. A Night Watch guard fumbled down towards the captain with a large winged animal in tow, pecking at him mercilessly. He tried in vain to defend himself from the violent pecks as it effortlessly floated around him and scratched him with its razor sharp talons. "Will you get this damned creature off me captain!"
Pipsqueak couldn't help but chuckle. As high of a regard he held of the Night Watch, he had to admit they were kind of assholes, certainly not deserving of their great occupational relationship with the princess. Pipsqueak decided he had enough and whistled. "Come 'ere boy, c'mon." The falcon instantly ceased its attack and eyed the captain, noticing him for the first time.
Pipsqueak gave two more short whistles as he held up his forearm for his companion. The falcon completely forgot about the guard pony and rocketed towards Pipsqueak's arm. The talons wrapped tightly around his leg, drawing some blood from the claws, but Pipsqueak remained unperturbed as he was used to the violent nature of his pet. The falcon pecked gently at Pipsqueak's face as he nuzzled the majestic beast back. "There ya go. Good boy, Vynn."
Vynn cooed lovingly and started to rub his master's face even more passionately. After a few moments, Pipsqueak retracted and motioned to his flanks, to which his pet instinctively flew to and perched on. The guard pony scoffed turned his head haughtily, as if that restored his butchered pride.
"Anything wrong at the vet?" Pipsqueak asked, skeptically raising a brow at the rude guard. He shook his head furiously.
"Tch, no, just like the other eighty-seven times you took that... thing there."
Pipsqueak really tried to contain his wit and keep gentle. Pipsqueak was technically his superior, and, although he would never let the power go to his head, he sometimes wanted to slap these attitude ridden Night Watch guards. "Good to know," he said through a fake smile and gritted teeth.
The guard pony didn't catch the subtle hint however, and pompously closed his eyes. "You should really put a leash on that thing."
"Maybe I should put you on one," Pipsqueak snapped with a monotone. That leash comment tore it. "As you were," he ordered.
"Whatever," the pony sighed, walking away. As he left, Pipsqueak sighed as well, his nerve slowly dwindling. This entire day had been emotionally draining. As much as he liked the princesses, he always had trouble dealing with authority. The fact he lets them down, after they do so much more for him and all pony kind, it really eats at him from the inside. Vynn cooed with concern as Pipsqueak gave him a reassuring nuzzle.
"Don't worry boy, I'm just a little nervous is all." Pipsqueak exhaled a mighty breath before inching towards the princess' door, stepping out of the small puddle of his blood caused by his pet. "Clawing me up didn't really help, you know." Vynn looked apologetic as he put one wing behind his head. Pipsqueak rolled his eyes and opened the door...
Luna sat at her desk that faced away from the door, against the wall, next to the balcony window, same as always. She didn't seem to notice Pipsqueak when he entered. As an afterthought, the captain realized he really should have knocked, but he found something oddly adorable about the princess working with her little quill scribbling away. He found his welcome to just stare at her without her knowing to be overstayed a little, and decided to knock. Was that a rim or something on her muzzle?
Knock, knock "Princess?"
Luna jumped from her seat and fumbled with her magic with the odd rims on her face. She opened a drawer in her desk and shoved the item in there with aggressive impunity. During her little episode she spilt her ink, accidentally threw all the papers on the ground, and knocked over her chair. After she was complete, she stood perfectly still for a few moments, smiled, and turned to face Pipsqueak as if nothing happened. "Ah, Captain Squeak, good to see you."
Pipsqueak wanted to laugh. He really, really did. It was just plain adorkable. Alas, laughing in the face of a Princess is usually considered rude. He was honestly surprised how well he was able to stifle his chuckle. "As you, Princess."
"You too, Vynn," the princess added with a petite chuckle. Vynn squacked in reply to the familiar voice.
"I trust you have favorable news," she asked, picking up the small mess she made. Pipsqueak looked the other way, ashamed and silent. Luna, after a few seconds, became concerned. "What's the matter, Captain Squeak?"
Pisqueak's ears sank below his neck as Vynn awkwardly stared out a window, fully aware of the tension forming. Slowly, assuredly, Pipsqueak's voice cracked out an answer. "I...I failed Celestia's assignment."
Luna nearly dropped everything she held with her magic, her expression sharpening to the shock. The room was silent, as neither party knew what to add. Luna could have cared less about the assignment, really... but Captain Squeak has never failed. That's why she picked him to be captain at that young age of eighteen. His ingenuity and intelligence was unmatched, he thought of every outcome, every option... yet here he stood, informing his princess of his failure.
The princess of the night did not mind, of course, but her concern lie in the child. He looked broken... defeated... a look she knew all too well. She felt his pain, and now she sought to ease it. "...Captain."
Here it comes, thought Pipsqueak. She's going to hate me.
"That is rather unfortunate. Why did you not simply inform my sister of this?"
Wut? Pipsqueak shifted his eyes, trying to find out who she was talking to. After figuring that, yes, she was still talking to him, he tried to sputter out an answer. "I-I, uhh... wanted... your... input?"
Luna then... Smiled? The hell...?
"This is good," Luna said striding to the room's doors and closing them fiercely.
"It is?" Pipsqueak asked, utterly confused.
"Yes, you see," the princess started, leaning towards Pipqueak's ear, causing his face to burn up a little. "My sister is not in the best of conditions at the moment. She has suffered so much loss in such a short amount of time, and I fear she may be on edge."
All bashfulness vanished as Pipsqueak became more attentive, his curiosity peaking. He rose the ear Luna was speaking into along with an eyebrow. Vynn mimicked his master's motions.
"She doesn't need more stressers, she needs rest. She must not concern herself of these matters, so..." Luna cut herself off, standing back up and speaking at normal volume. "Listen, Captain Squeak, I know that I have given you many orders along the years as my sister and your superiors have, and it cannot be ignored that I have been the major source of these tasks. But in thy current situation, and the situation of our country, I would like to make everything official. You will now only take direct orders from me, and no one else."
Pipsqueak's jaw nigh hit the floor. Was he dreaming? His face lit up like a child.
"I know you have served as an asset, a floater as you will, and have never gotten a proper title. So I hereby dub thee... Special Operations Lunar Unit Riptide." As she went through the motions, Luna really had to try not to squeal in glee. She had never done this before; it was exciting. Still, she kept her professional calm when the captain was in the room. "SOLUR." That sounds ridiculous.
"SOLUR?" Pipqueak wondered if Luna got the irony of calling her unit that. Probably. "Special Operations?" Pipsqueak was becoming faint. So, he becomes a secret agent, and he takes orders from Luna herself! It must have been a dream, a little colt's ultimate dream. Actually with Luna in the room, it was exactly like a dream he had when he was younger except in that dream there was more sweat.... "Are there other Special Ops units?"
Luna contemplated for a moment. "Yes, but they're all Celestia's, and as she doesn't get involved that often, they're not really doing much."
"But why me?" Pipsqueak asked.
"Well, think of it as a promotion."
"After I failed..." Pipsqueak's mood deflated along with his facial features.
"Foolish Squeak... Failure? Mistakes? It is how we learn, as a species. We make a mess, and then we clean it up, and make it more spotless then before. If you have never failed, you could never be perfect." Luna smiled at the captain with a hint of snark. "We adapt."
It didn't make sense, but in a way... it was logical. No matter how good one was, one could always get better. But there was one obvious contradiction that ate at Pipsqueak.
"But if I have to fail to become perfect, doesn't that make me imperfect already?"
Luna smiled her knowing smile with a bit of a sly saunter. "As it is, Squeak. It is impossible. I am not perfect, and neither is Celestia." As Pipsqueak's face contorted with astonishment at the blasphemous comment, Luna nervously added, "Don't tell anyone I said that."
Pipsqueak realized how troubling his face must've been and quickly corrected it. "Of course."
"Good." The adrenaline of the last moments of their conversation faded. Luna held firm now. Time to drop the bomb. "Now, Squeak... I want you to disregard all other orders except for mine."
Pipsqueak took a step back, nearly being blown back on his haunches. "Wh-What?"
"You're above anyone else now. You have my pardon. You will go to any lengths to detain or kill this pirate, any extreme. Collateral damage, while not encouraged, will be ignored. I trust you Squeak, this task is of the up most importance. These pirates and their plunders are important to my sister. You are second only to royalty in terms of freedom. Use it wisely."
Pipsqueak began to get really dizzy, and he could barely even stand anymore. His knees were wobbly and his breath was short. What the hell?! Does Luna even have the authority to be making these decisions? I thought Celestia could only do stuff like this. This feels like mutiny, or, or, rebellion!
But it was Luna. As quickly as Pipsqueak began to argue with himself, he stopped and quieted his thoughts. It was Luna. She makes the right decision. Pipsqueak flattened his posture with anew determination and gave a tight salute. "Yes. Yes Luna, I understand."
Luna, her posture now mimicking the captain's, nodded fiercely. "You will tell no one of this. If you get into any trouble with the law, notify me. I can help." A could breeze flew through the room and Luna's face darkened. "This is the only way we can help Celestia, Squeak. Things need to be in her favor for once... it has to help."
The young captain trailed his eyes off center, his focus fuzzing. It was always about her, Celestia. Luna could never smile when her sister was on her mind. If it wasn't business, it was concern. If it wasn't concern, it was frustration. As much of an enigma Princess Luna "the servant of the night" was, her sister hid under a much thicker veil. It was excellent for teaching a lesson or helping in her little gambits, but it also kept out anyone from ever reading her, or even being able to help. Half the time not even Luna knew of Celestia's emotional status, a warrant for even more concern. Pipsqueak hated Celestia for that.
Pipsqueak snapped out of his little daydream enough to realize he was staring at Luna's more... royal parts, and with his mouth wide open. His face nearly exploded from the burst of heat and he snapped his jaw shut as he looked directly up barely fast enough to escape Luna's wandering gaze.
"Good... now, Captain Squeak, have you checked on that man I informed you of?"
The young captain forgot his previous endeavor and faced the princess with dignity. "No ma'am, I was planning to look for him after our meeting."
"Quite alright, I can arrange a meeting with him for you. He is a... hard stallion to get a hold of."
Oh great. Another reason for Pipsqueak to be suspicious. He had no reason to complain though, he was forgived and even aided by the princess of the night. He'd take a bullet for her. "Thank you, Princess."
"I will send you the information through Vynn. Stay safe, Captain."
Pipsqueak nodded, but Vynn looked a little uneasy.
"As you."
The captain of the newly appointed Riptide trotted briskly through the castle halls, trying to remain calm and not look like a child running to a candy store. The image of a large and intimidating falcon on his back was helping him maintain some image, but he barely held out enough to just not get strange looks. Simply, he was excited.
So worried about how he appeared, he wasn't paying attention and bumbed into a large mare. Before he could reply, she exploded.
"Watch where you're going, Private!" She bellowed, disorienting the already shaken stallion.
"Uhh, uh, sorry, I'm... It's Capta-"
"Who the fuck do you think I am? You could be the king of Bulgaria, I could give less of a shit."
Pipsqueak wasn't sure how to react. Rubbing the point of impact, he looked up at the mare. She was wearing a rather nice blue, long-sleaved coat and had some really beautiful- if not pretty disheveled- hair on her mane. It was a mix of various candy colored tones that complemented her regal appearance and pink fur. She had lines under her eyes signifying a need for some sleep along with some crow's feet aside her head. Despite this, she looked very young, as the only reason for the mess was because of stress and her state of being. That's when Pipsqueak spotted something obvious: the mare had both wings and a horn.
"Princess Cadence!" Pipsqueak exclaimed in disbelief. She recoiled back with a look of shock and disgust after her name. Nevertheless, she remained coy.
"Yes, that is my name, thanks for reminding me."
Pipsqueak knew of Cadence's story, of her husband leaving her with no real explanation, and her sister commitng suicide, but he knew not of the details. In fact, he believed that she was still married, Shining Armor not bothering to get a divorce, or if he even wanted one. That beside, Cadence was one of the rare times a person with an attitude had a justified excuse to act like such a douche. "I... I humbly apologize Princess, I should look where I'm going."
"It'll be hard to do that with your nose in my ass." The sheer speed Cadence came out with her retorts was enough to drive any man into the ground with shame. But, Pipsqueak noticed something odd with her last comment that seemed to be apparent in all of them. A sort of softness that cushioned the blow of her insults. It was subtle, but there. Like she didn't mean to do harm with her replies. He wondered if anyone else noticed it.
"Yes ma'am, sorry ma'am." Pipsqueak quickly apologized, furthering Candence's already probably poor opinion of the Captain. She shook her head.
"As you were," she sighed with contempt. "Before you get lost in there, kiss ass." Cadence shuffled off, hopefully to sleep, and left Pipsqueak alone in the hall. After her brilliance was out of sight, Pipsqueak frowned and faced his pet.
"Poor woman," he said aside, patting Vynn's head.
Suddenly, as if scripted, Vynn's eyes glowed a deep blue that was a shade away from black, and his expression blanked. He seemed to stare past the captain as a black aura emanated from him and a ghostly sigh was heard. The smoke coming from Vynn's entire being conjoined at a single point in the air as it seemed to implode and bring a scroll into sight. It was from Luna. While he held that scroll in higher regards than most people he knew, he knew it wasn't of emergence, so he let it plop to the ground. His real concern lie in his pet.
Vynn looked uneasy and dazed, as he usually did after receiving a message from the princess. "Hey," Pipsqueak said softly. "You alright? Did it hurt?"
Vynn gave a small squawk and backed up, an obvious 'no'. "Then what's the matter? Nauseous?" Vynn looked even more uneasy, but squawked another 'no'. Pipsqueak sighed. "If only you could talk... you could tell me what you feel whenever the princess does this." Pipsqueak paused for a moment, unsure how to word the next question sensitively. "You know you don't have to do this? If you don't like it we can stop."
Vynn frantically squawked twice in protest and pecked his cheeks gently, reassuring him that it caused no discomfort for the falcon. He obviously did not want to be the reason the captain loses direct contact with the mare he had become so close to. Pipsqueak remained skeptical, but accepted Vynn's desires. "Okay, okay, fine. We'll keep doing it." He petted the falcon once again before bending over and grabbing the parchment with remnants of darkness still on it. He opened it and began to read.
This is weird. God, this is so weird.
Pipsqueak sat on one side of the small table with his head buried in a menu that really held none of his interest as he had been for the last hour and a half. He was on his fifth glass of water and remarkably didn't have to pee yet. It was all he really had going for him at the moment.
The same waiter with the mane style that had came and went forty years ago walked up to him once again, wearing an impatient and slightly frustrated look that was admittedly understandable. "Sir, what would you like today?" She asked, he voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Uhh... I'm still waiting... for someone." Pipsqueak could've played the sarcasm game right back, but he was simply too emabarassed to be cocky. Hell, the thought that the man he was waiting for might still show and everyone would laugh and point at the homosexuals in the corner after he'd been waiting for so long? That killed him on the inside. Of course the better part of reason told him that Ponies as a species had let go of such prejudices a couple dozen years ago, but the anxiety he was suffering coaxed him into believing anything. And even reason suffered under the fact that some of the more conservative ponies having trouble accepting griffin immigrants as of late, especially without Celestia's progressive propaganda that disappeared a couple years ago.
The waiter gave Pipsqueak a disappointed look as she went off to another table. It wasn't like she could kick him out; he was Legion. He gave a heavy sigh and smacked his face on the table. Of all the crimes that Pipsqueak thought he might be forced to do one day, loitering was not one of them. But in the middle of his thoughts a strange voice came across the table.
"So, the spiced salad looks good dun it? I dun know what d'you think?" The accent was very foreign and unusual, and the tone sharp and confident. Pipsqueak's head shot up with the force of a carriage crash. Sat before him was the last kind of person he expected. Because of the pony's mysterious ways Pipsqueak had expected an equally mysterious image. A dark pony perhaps, with a trench coat and a fedora that covered his eyes. A gruff voice, final but ominous, and word choice to match.
But this man? A small, harmless looking unicorn with fiery red and yellow mane and dark orange fur. The smile he wore was inviting, pleasant, and it was so wide he thought his face was going to explode. He was particularly young looking, almost like a colt. He was dirty, and the only thing that kept his mane out of his face was a red headband tied to the base of his hair. It looked uncared for for years. Despite probably really needing a shower, he had a nice smell on him, almost grainy and natural, like a forest. He was also very handsome, to the point where Pipsqueak almost questioned why he wasn't attracted to him before remembering his orientation. Altogether, he was very non-threatening, and just looked like a kind and impoverished little kid, like Charlie from the dumb chocolate factory book.
Pipsqueak questioned the legitimacy of this meeting. Could some pony really have snuffed out Pipsqueak's behavior and wanted a free meal? It seemed unreasonable, yes, but to Pipsqueak this man wasn't what he thought the Princess would put faith in. "Who are you? What are you doing?"
The man looked puzzled for a moment and blushed. "O-oh... I'm Drake, I... you aren't Pipsqueak? Oh man, I messed this up. Here I am trying to be all clever and charming and I end up going to the wrong table." Drake began to rub his dirty mane with a deepening blush.
There was a few outstanding things Pipsqueak noticed about the man. He was definitely foreign; Assian, just like on the dossier. His accent gave it away entirely, as it was pretty rare for donkeys from Assian to migrate to Equestria. His eyes were also narrower which was a trait common amongst natives there. Granted, Pipsqueak has never met a unicorn Assian before, but it seemed like features were shared. Speaking of eyes, Drake's were a brilliant yellow color that reflected light, changing to and from orange depending on the brightness of the light around them and objects close to him.
Pipsqueak replied quickly to not appear rude. "Oh no, you were correct, I was just double checking. You aren't exactly what I was..."
"Expecting? Yeah I get that a lot." Drake returned to his comfortable looking state and gave another heartwarming smile. "Especially from my parents, heh!" he joked, his body jerking on delivery.
Pipsqueak would have laughed, were it he was not so... intrigued. This man was strange and witty. He appeared to get anxious quickly but maintain a sort of cool in most situations. Pipsqueak had only known him for about half a minute but he could already tell Drake was unlike anyone he had ever met. He was unpredictable thus far, and Pipsqueak didn't think that was going to change anytime soon.
"...Drake. Uh... Blaze, is it?"
Pipsqueak expected some sort of witty comment from the stallion, but all he gave was a confirmatory "Mmhmm!"
"Blaze... I hope it's okay I call you by last name, military and all," Pipsqueak asked, waiting for a nod. Drake gave a reluctant one after frowning a little. "Why did you want to join the military all of the a sudden? Your record doesn't quite reflect that of a Navy man."
"Right..." Drake started, looking for words. "Well I'd like to describe myself as a bit of a... con-i-sewer, is the word? A man of many tastes. An odd ball maybe. And, I think I've dun everything possible a man can do without settling down and building a career. I've been a tailor, a baker, a candlestick maker- I've dun it all. All but... join a military."
Pipsqueak couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You want to join my ranks... out of curiosity?"
Drake obviously didn't catch Pipsqueak's cue of disapproval as he went on. "Yes!" He shot out his hoof, causing Pipsqueak to flinch uncomfortably. "Think about it; all of that experience, all of that knowledge! You'd be able to accomplish anything at a moments notice. And in a military, I'd learn the discipline and strategy to achieve anything in a combat setting!" Drake obviously noticed how riled up he was getting and how it looked to some glancing individuals, so he flushed and sank back to his chair. "Stuff like that."
Pipsqueak stared, jaw agape. Seriously? Just, seriously? It doesn't matter how useful he might be, he's ignorant and cocky as all hell!
Apparently, the orange pony had zero social cue skills, because he still didn't notice Pipsqueak's look of utter disbelief. He went on, leaning forward a bit. "But if I am to join you, there is a few conditions I want to go over."
The captain coughed, his eyes widening. "C-conditions?" He immediately regretted asking.
"Yes. For one, I dun want to associate with you or the Legion, so I want to be undocumented, as well I dun want to have a rank. I'm just a guest. Two, I need to be allowed to leave at any moment. I dun want to start a war just cause I disliked how things were moving."
Pipsqueak's look of flabbergast evolved to one of rage, his face boiling and his teeth gritting.
"Also, you may want to know that I smoke. A lot. So if you have any of those guys that get all anal about second-hoof, you may need to boot them."
That was the straw that paralyzed the camel for the rest of his life. "Who the hell do you think you are?!" Drake, to Pipsqueak's surprise, was taken aback by the captain's outburst. "You're like an hour late, put your hooves on the table, and make all these outrageous demands!" Pipsqueak slammed the table, spilling his glass of water and attracting even more attention from nearby dinner goers. Noticing the murmmers from the surrounding ponies, Pipsqueak cleared his throat and attempted to lower his blood pressure, something that failed miserably. He raised a hoof to his temples and rubbed. Hard.
"Look, you got some special attention from the princess because you're unique; I get that. But that doesn't mean you can strut around like you own the place." He tried to stay raitonal, to stay cool, and he emitted a really drawn out sigh. "Your... drawbacks can and will outweigh your possible advanteges."
Drake look confused, which the captain thought of as an impossible omen. Drake opened his mouth and pipsqueak prepared for the worse. "Was I being rude?" he asked, cocking his head innocently. Pipsqueak didn't know if it was sarcasm or snideness, but he didn't care. His head slammed against the table like it had minutes ago, and he gestured toward the door.
"Just, go. Just get the hell out of here."
Drake gasped an annoyingly shocked gasp. he sounded pretty disappointed, which almost made Pipsqueak feel bad.
Almost.
"But what? What did I do wr-"
"Just. Go." His voice true and final, Drake sighed in defeat. He was about to stand when a sudden explosion was heard. Pipsqueak head immediately shot back up, while Drake's expression hardened and he craned his neck. They came to realize it was not an explosion, but a gunshot, the unexpected nature of such a sound amplifying its impact. Some ponies screamed while some grabbed children and loved ones and shoved them under the table. Very few ponies tried to run, but they were stopped by the gunman, who now held an unspent flintlock pistol.
"Oi! Stop roit there!" It was a griffin, and he held the gun with his talons as they all do. He had a friend with him, that one holding a very nasty looking sword, one which Pipsqueak had never seen before. "Me an' my frien' are sick an' tired of this tripe!"
His friend, bringing a less stereotypical accent to the table, chimed in. "You all ponies are the fucking same! Treatin' us like were not decent enough to even eat like a civilized person."
"What the hell is going on?" whispered Pipsqueak, turning to Drake for direction.
"Hmm? You mean you dun know?" Drake asked with legitimate astonishment that infuriated Pipsqueak even more. "Oh, I guessed you missed it. Those birds got into an argument about discrimintaion against them in this place. I have no idea if its true, but attacking the ponies kinda seems... counter...intuitive, doesn't it?" Despite the fact Drake struggled with larger words, he sounded intelligent nonetheless. It was irritating for the captain, but that was the least of his concerns at the moment. It was also bothering he called the griffins 'birds', the term not exactly offensive but a little disrespective, in Pipsqueak's opinion.
Pipsqueak was glad he told Vynn to go home, he didn't want him to be in any danger.
"So, to pound the point home, you lot are gonna give up your dosh; and no complainin', lest ya take a musketball to the nob!"
Pipsqueak was so glad he lost most of his accent and slang now. It was so out of placenin Equestria. After he was done being glad about things, he prepared to get into a fight. He had his sword with him (Well, he always did), so that was the first thing he readied. He leaned into a postion where he could draw it at a moments notice. Of course the primary target would be the griffin with the firearm. Those pistols were unpredictable as they were unreliable; a shot could miss completely or drop you instantly, it was a matter of luck. Pipsqueak would much rather take his chances with the sword last, as that was driven more by skill. Unfortunately, it seemed the one with the sword started to move first, making rounds with everyone's bits while the pistol wielding griffin kept watch on everyone. This complicated things, since Pipsqueak would have to wait until he was close since he could squeeze off a shot if Pipsqueak just charged at him. Pipsqueak figured he could improvise somehow; he'd obviously have to take care of the sword griffin first, now.
The sword griffin eventually got to a pale violet mare with dark red hair. She was desperately searching for bits in her purse as he walked up to her. "Hey, what the fuck do you think this is, church? Cash, now. It ain't fucking optional." His tone stabbed at the air around her enough for the sword to not be necessary, but he reared it for effect nonetheless.
The mare was breaking, her voice high pitched and with gaps in it, and her body shaking like a foal in the winter. "I-I, I don't think, think I ha... have any money with me," Her voice climed an octave in fear. "I was going to pay with credit! I have... no!" She begun to hyperventalate and shake more profusely. She dropped her purse.
"Fucking liar!" he shouted, without warning. He took the large sword (which Pipsqueak now identified as some sort of really long carving knife) and place it under her chin. "You rich, stingy fucks! I know when you're fucking lying."
A voice that was almost alien came up from a place no one expected. Many probably thought one of their ears stopped working for a second or that the sound came from an echo off a wall, but it indeed came from an intervening individual. "Leave her alone, or I melt the lower half of your body along with that machete."
It occured to Pipsqueak that the voice actually came from a stallion next to him, who sounded oddly familiar. It took a few moments for him to comprehend that it was Drake's voice, leaving Pipsqueak dumbfounded. Drake just sat there with his eyes closed and a smug smile on his face, but with obvious anger swelling inside him. The reason why it jarred Pipsqueak so much was because he was about to interrupt and issue a similar threat as well, and he felt the words stolen from him as he opened his mouth. Granted, his statement would have involved more smartass and less melting, but the intention remained the same. Who did this guy think he was? He was also too distracted to acknowledge that the strange knife sword thing was called a machete.
"What the fuck did you just say? What in god's name did you just fucking say to me?!" The griffin blew a gasket and supposedly forgot about the mare he was just interrogating as he just lowered the machete as if he was just using it to point at a wall.
Obviously bringing his attention from the mare being Drake's intention, he continued to push the griffin's buttons, making Pipsqueak all the more catious to spring into action, even when the orange pony continued to act nonchalant. "Oh, come now, is cursing really necessary. I mean, you heard me, you filthy cow."
"You're going to eat those words!" The shout was coupled by an angry battle cry as the griffin leapt with the machete held over his head. Pipsqueak was sure that he was about to witness a pony get decapitated, but he was just too far to act in time. He reached for his sword, but he knew that he wouldn't get to the other side of the table in time.
But then...
As the griffin neared?
Blaze smiled deviously, and opened his eyes.
The light that suddenly emitted was almost blinding, and the heat radiated over Pipsqueak's entire being. The table and all the objects nearby, including Pipsqueak, were shot in all directions from the force. Anything combustable caught fire, and the crackling sound that accompanied such fire drowned out all other sounds in the establishment.
The griffin, who was the closest thing to the blast, flew to the other side of the eatery and into the table on the far side, smoke trailing his path. Pipsqueak thought a bomb had gone off at first, as he pushed debris off himself and wiped silt from his face, but as he saw Drake the truth became abundantly clear.
There Drake sat, still in his chair, still in the same state as he was before the blast. Only a tall cyclone of fire reaching from the ground to the ceiling surrounded him, revolving around him as if the origin and fuel source. His horn had a hellish, uncontrollable aura that was almost brighter than the fire. The energy was humbling, and he appeared to manipulate it at will. His smile seemed as devious as ever from the power he demonstrated, his hair flowing in the water-like torrent of flames. The fires seemed stern, but just. Fires that seemed to never intend to hurt an innocent being. Fires that were kind, but held steadfast in consequence.
Fires of Redemption.
Everyone marvled at the sight, forgetting the current situation and the danger they were in as they were fascinated beyond belief. Even the griffin that held the pistol lowered it in humble acknowledgement of its brilliance.
Pipsqueak was the first to snap back in reality, his focus changing to the armed assailant. He seemed to be snapping back too, raising his gun at the monstrous flames and scowling.
"Blaze!" Pipsqueak tried to warn, but it was too late. A gunshot rang. The musketball seemed to flow through the air in slow-motion even though in reality it traveled faster than their eyes could see. Everyone expected Drake to fall, for the flames to die.
But they were wrong. The bullet slowed in the air, and became red hot as it entered the tempest. It liquidated, amazingly, and plopped harmlessly on Drake's cheek (even though it was probably incredibly hot, the temperature was apparently not a problem). "Really?" Drake laughed, his first words since the display. "All you've got?"
Almost instantly, the flames choked out, revealing Drake's body to be completely unharmed but the ground and ceiling charred to black. When he stood, the chair turned to ash. He laughed full heartedly, almost gently. "Seriously though, I'll give you two a bit of a chance."
The machete wielding griffin growled and ran towards the orange pony. The one with the bad accent drew a knife since he had spent both of his pistols. The griffin swung his machete overhead to the ground. Drake managed to snake away from the blade, and planted his hindleg on the blunt side of the blade. The griffin didn't think fast enough to let go and count his losses with the weapon. Drake spun around in the air, a trail of fire following the end of his hoof, the actual fire from the kick hitting the griffin in the back of his head instead of his hind leg which only led the flames. The griffin was sent forwards at great speed and face planted onto the floor below.
Pipsqueak understood now. Drake didn't burn people, he used the fire as a blunt weapon somehow. It confused Pipsqueak a little bit; how did something immaterial like fire cause an impact?
It was at that time the other griffin reached Drake. He took a stab at him and Drake backed up, the blade missing his chest. it happed two more times before the griffin changed his grip on the knife in order to do an overhand stab, psycho-style. Drake unexpectedly dashed right into the grffin's face and raised a hoof to catch his arm, narrowly missing the knife's pointed end. A glowing red fire trailing his every move, Drake shot his free foreleg into the grffin's chest, his smile never fading. It seemed a simple hit, but a great blaze of flames spewed from the end of his hood, a great fireball, sending the griffin a few dozen feet straight through the windowed wall of the resturaunt.
The machete griffin (now unarmed) made an animalistic roar and charged the pony again. As the griffin prepared to claw him, Drake swept his hind leg down and tripped him, the grffin then sailed above the crouched pony. Well, halfway at least. In what almost looked like break dancing, Drake spun around and somehow connected his leg with the side of the griffin's torso, messing his flight and sending him in a 45 degree angle to the bar counter. He hit the ledge of the bar and tumbled down. Although he was in clear pain, he got up without a hitch, and planned to take his next charge. Drake was one step ahead. He inhaled deeply and yelled at the top of his lungs. What he said, no one knew, for his voice was drowned out by the wide stream of fire that came from his mouth. His breath was on fire! the roars and cracks of the fire resonated throughout the entire establishment, and the flames sped towards the astonished griffin.
Showing some intelligence, the griffin leapt and vaulted over the bar, taking shelter next to the various alcohols. The heat radiated all around him, reaching every part of his body. He gritted his teeth, preparing any moment to pat off any fires. As the smoke cleared his anger boiled. He grabbed a wine bottle and popped up, prepared to chuck it. As he rose... he saw a resturaunt of average albeit very scared looking ponies, the calm Drake nowhere in sight. Instinctively, he felt someone beside him. He lifted his talon fast enough to catch the hoof of the elusive pony, which... had no fire trailing from it? The griffin fell right into the trap. Drake puffed fire into his face from his mouth causing the griffin to scream and grab his eyes, still while holding the hoof but dropping the bottle. Drake curled and propped the griffin's arm over his shoulder and judo threw him. In the middle of his descent, Drake roundhouse bucked the upside-down, midair griffin. With the extra impact of fire, the griffin flew and landed head first into a case of liquors on the other end of the bar, propelling him through it and destroying the bar.
The one with the bad accent was probably long gone by now, huge gashes where the window glass cut him. And this one was out cold, broken bottles and glass teeming his face along with the first degree burns. ]
"Hey," Drake spoke out of the silence and lull of action. "Someone take care of that asshole, make sure he doesn't bleed out." Pipsqueak arched an eyebrow at hearing Drake's remark, the curse sounding very awkward and unnatural. He was not a man who cursed regularly, apparently.
Several ponies broke out of their reverie long enough to realize how bad of a condition the troublemaker griffin and family restraunt were in. Collateral damage was severe and glass wasn't as harmless as one expects. A pony or two with medical experience trotted towards the griffin half-heartedly, their apathy easily understood by the others. Meanwhile, the unicorn of fire casually walked up to the broken mare that had been shaken down. His face was softer than one would expect from someone who controlled fire and just beat the crap out of two armed griffins, but his voice had been saturated with sympathy and encouragement regardless. "Hello, you are okay?"
The mare looked down at the floor as Drake approached, unsure how to answer or thank him. The fantastic spectecle he created also did little to ease her nerves. After a few awkward (albeit adorable) moments, she nodded slowly. Her blush was deep enough to shine through her violet coat with ease. Drake smiled and kneeled. He put his hoof under her chin and lifted her muzzle gently, making her eyes meet his.
"You are sure? I would hate to have a beautiful mare such as yourself hurt in any way."
Pipsqueak had finally gotten up and dusted himself up, finding parts of his jacket covered covered with soot and char. Shaking his head, he began to walk to Drake and the mare that seemed to be so flustered she was about to pass out. Drake regarded her with respect as he helped her up, every move slow and thoughtful.
Pipsqueak wracked his brain as he approached the orange pony. Pipsqueak was absolutely sure that Drake's misguided personality and reasons for joining outweighed any potential usefulness that he had contained, but now, Pipsqueak wasn't so sure anymore. Not only was Drake extremely powerful, he seemed like a great guy, a fact that had of course went right over Pipsqueak's head. His motivations were ill spoken, but maybe that was the thing. He seemed unsure how to handle Pipsqueak when they met. Maybe this was his first time sharing with anypony what his desires were. It wasn't like Pipsqueak's reason for joining was that wholesome either, he just had the skills to hide his intentions under exaggerated patriotism. That certainly didn't make Pipsqueak a bad guy, and it obviouslly didn't make Drake one either.
As Pipsqueak stood before the hero, he had noticed that the mare had become a lot more comfortable and was giggling as Drake comforted her. It was apparent how much trauma she had suffered, but Drake's smiling face made her forget. Pipsqueak couldn't hold back a smile at the sight. Definately not a bad guy at all.
"Blaze," Pipsqueak said, getting the stallion's attention. His smile faded as he noticed the captain, not out of malice but sadness at his failed negotiation. Pipsqueak put the best indifferent look on his face he could, trying not to give to the pony's selfish demands and reasons. "I think..." Pipsqueak trailed off.
Blaze, now a little shocked to hear such a respectful tone from the Captain, cautiously lifted his ears. "Yes?" he asked.
Pipsqueak bit his lip as he really pushed the next few words out. "I may have been wrong about you. Maybe."
The stupid grin that spread across the face of the firey pony really made Pipsqueak struggle to keep his indifferent facade. He was crossed between screaming 'yes' while holding his hoofs and jumping up and down, or taking one of those shards of glass and shoving it up his-
""Okay, so- whoa what the hell? What tornado hit this place?" A canterlot Day Watch guard stepped in front of the restraunt, his stern expression changing into one of astonishment. He was trailed by a few other Day Watchers that showed much less emotion than the first did. He was their surperior, and they happened to be a little looser because of their status, although that didn't say much. The reason they were required to do so was because of their need to communicate more, while recruits only followed orders.
"WELL, that's my cue." Drake turned towards the mare. "Good evening, Marcy," He said, tipping an imaginary hat. Only then did Pipsqueak realize Drakes headband and burnt off... and that he must've asked that mare her name. "See you later, maybe."
Wait, what?
At first, Pipsqueak thought Drake had disappeared, before his saw his body rounding a corner incredibly fast. Pipqueak felt his eyes roll around his skull before he stopped his head from spinning. Drake was already gone. Pipsqueak had no time to think; he took off to follow. He passed the machate on the floor and stopped his pursuit as he eyed the really sharp and really, really cool looking giant knife thing. He decisively grabbed the machete out of the floor and dashed to the injured grffin, pushing inbetween the aiding medical personnel.
"I'll be taking that," he remarked, unbuckling the sheath around the griffin's back. He stuffed the machete inside and slung it around his own back, running as he buckled it onto himself. "He turned his head to the barely consious and bloody griffin as he ran and yelled, "You can have it back when you can handle sharp objects responsibly!"
"Wait!" he shouted, jumping over the beam that held the glass windowed wall that had previously occupied the space. He heard the nearby Day Watch leader bark some orders and take after the same pony. Pipsqueak could run- he had always prided himself in that. His light build and long legs helped, and nopony would argue that he was in good shape. He rounded a street corner first to barely catch a glimpse of the orange pony. He was heading into a connecting alley, presumably to hide. The Day Watchers didn't round fast enough to see Drake, so Pipsqueak presumed they now only followed him for directions. Not wanting to rat the guy out (he didn't know why) Pipsqueak took an early turn and stopped halfway down an adjacent alley. He kneeled down and panted heavily and tried to appear exhausted. The three Day Watchers passed him without a blink, suspecting Pipsqueak was simply too tired to continue. As soon as they were out of eyeshot, Pipsqueak dropped the act and composed himself. He backtracked to the previous street and headed down the apropriate alley.
The reason behind Drake's flee escaped Pipsqueak. Why? He knew what Drake did counted as vigilantism, considering he destroyed the place in the process. Still... in a court ruling, the jury would be sypathetic, and if he could get that violet mare to testify...
But then, he remembered Drake's apperance. Aside from smelling like pine cones (that was probably a result of the fire, Pipsqueak realized) the man was dirty and disheveled. And he started that fight with complete confidence. He held no jobs, and only did oddball tasks to get money...
He's a hobo! The revalation came suddenly. His eyes physically widened as he trotted down the path. He must be completely homeless! That makes sense. and if he joined us then he'd get free lodging as well. That's his only alterior motive? Hell, that doesn't seem so bad... It explains why he didn't want to be caught. He's always on the road, staying at any one place for too long might be annoying for him, and a court ruling would do that to anypony no matter how virtuous the cause. That also explained all those charges on his record, something that the captain had almost forgotten about. Pipsqueak reached the dead end the alley had led to and turned around. Biting his lip once again, he bluffed, "Oi, Blaze, I know you're here, come out."
It had become fairly hard to not notice that Drake was pretty horible when it came to anything social. He hadn't been able to tell Pipsqueak's bluff despite his demeanor telling his lies rather bluntly. "Hey Captain, thanks for not... ratting me out?" Drake voiced it as a question, unsure if the phrase was correct. Pipsqueak decided to not point it out, silently assuring him that he had said it right.
"After what you did, it's what you deserve, Blaze," Pipsqueak praised, subtly letting his approval known. He remained cautious in tone, however.
Drake frowned, to which Pipsqueak arched a brow. Drake noticed this (somehow despite clearly having no diplomatic and poor social skills) and elaborated. "Do really you have to call me Blaze?"
Pipsqueak chuckled slightly, the stallions antics growing on him surprisingly quickled. "Sorry, I don't like first names." Drake begrudgingly accepted. "Blaze... you can join."
Drake's disappointed face destroyed any trace of displeasure after hearing this news. Pipsqueak spoke before he could chip in, though. "But! I have a few demands for you too."
Drake cocked his head, slightly confused. "For one," he started. "Although I will allow everything you asked, I will not be giving you any special treatment. All your duties will be that of new recruits, despite not having a rank." He waited for a nod from the flame pony. He did so enthusiastically. "Also, you will be allowed to leave at any moment, but in doing so, I am allowed to boot you instantly, no questions asked." Drake contemplated this for a moment before deciding it was just as fair. "Finally..."
Pipsqueak's tone was onimous, and Drake broke a sweat, leaning in closely. "Open a damned window if you smoke below deck." Pipsqueak finished, smiling light heartedly. Drake, at first completely befuddled, shared his smile after the joke. Pipsqueak spit in his hoof and stretched it out. "Deal?"
Uneasily, Drake stuck out his hoof as well, refusing to spit. They bumped awkwardly. Drake wiped his hoof on a nearby wall while laughing nervously.
Geez, the guy envelops himself in fire, you'd think he'd be less timid, Pipsqueak mused.
"Good, good!" Drake shouted in joy, clapping his hooves together like a seal. "This'll be fun."
Pipsqueak looked at Drake like one would an adorable but stupid child. He could be such a suave sometimes, it was hard to believe he was such a dork other times. It's like he missed out on a few lessons on life. "Alright then, let me show you to my ship."
"Sure, lemme just get my bag!" Drake replied.
"Well be... quick about it?" Pipsqueak didn't even have time to rush Drake, as he just reached behind a trashcan for a slightly beat up, but very durable looking saddlebag. It was slightly larger than most and had a very dark green hue to it. Pipqueak arched another brow, this time wondering if he should ask him if he slept behind that trashcan before. Nah, He doesn't need to be bothered. "Oh yeah! One more thing," Pipsqueak remarked, facing Drake. He looked apprhensive.
"...What?"
"I don't actually have ranks on my ship. Just me, the Captain, my first mate Scoots, and the crew. So yeah, FYI."
Drake tripped and fell on his face.
"Sire, you caught the stallion red handed! You are the one that supplied the evidence, accused him, and even prosecuted him! WHY ARE YOU TESTIFYING FOR HIM?!"
The defendant's lawyer's pleas fell on deaf ears. A certain creature sat behind the pedestal with his legs kicked up on the top and his back leaning against the chair, much to the chargin of an exasperated judge. The defendant was crying hysterically at the prolonged lengthening of the trial, most likely working out how these shenannigans were going to lengthen his charges. Even the victim's family looked sorry for him.
It started as a simple littering case, but with the meddling of a certain man it had escalated to a money laundering, scamming, false advertisment, and somehow urinating in public. The trickster had a field day with that one. He had never seen a forensics team that annoyed.
Discord, the one and only, leaned across the the stand dramatically, donning a ridiculous suit and tie, wireframe glasses, and top hat. He looked like a lawyer that defended Willy Wonka on a regular basis. His hair was also politely slicked to the side, which no one voice but silently agreed was hilarious. "You don't know what this man is capable of! So much heroics!! So much bravery!!! Why, the other day I saw him giving candy to a young foal in the park! Anyone with good in their hearts can see the selflessness in those acts! Sure, he was wearing a trench coat and sunglasses, but regardless." Yup, six for six
Everyone eyed the accused suspiciously, either with disgust or indignation. The stallion just sobbed harder. Discord floated out of the stand and with a snap of his fingers, rid himself of his costume, returning to his normal draconequus state. "Well, my job's done here. Judge, if you don't mind, pass the torch." Discord floated up to the Judge's seat, drematically gripping the pedatal with his talons and holding the back of his paw against his forehead. "Carry on my legacy!" Discord cackled and flew even higher, this time inching towards the exit. "Au revoir, my little ponies!" Discord rocketed towards the large double doors leading outside. He abruptly stopped, wind or time seemingly having no effect on him. He stiffly turned his neck and shouted. "Also, search his basement. I hope one of you can pick strongbox locks!"
After hearing another pained sob from the defendant, Discord chuckled and fled. He touched down after a couple of streets and started to walk, bipedal style. His smile sly and his hands free, he shaped his hand and talons into guns, pointing at random ponies and griffins as he passed and winking. Most felt uneased at his attention and shyed away, while some smiled back at him and winked as well. No one ran like they had ten years ago, and Discord was unsure if he enjoyed that or not. He caused chaos just at his presense; everyone screamed and flipped out at the sight of him. But recently in the past couple of years, Discord had began to love the challenge. And there was something so attractive about that subtle chaos he could inflict, harmless little pranks and huge disturbances for the deserving. It was... nice, not what he had initially expected. Plus, the ones that smiled... they had reminded him of his first friend. Fluttershy.
Well maybe not FIRST, but...
Yes. He did mean first. He wasn't Discord before. He was Discord now, and Fluttershy was the only one who accepted that. And she was gone... Still...
Discord's thoughts were interrupted as he violently wretched into his talon. Ponies around him jumped, startled. A few began walking again shortly after, suspecting a joke. That was weird, Discord thought. Did I just... cough? Discord barely finished the thought before he coughed again, causing him to bend slightly. There was a hellish tickle in his throat and a burning in his lungs. He tried to compose himself again, but there was another cough. And another. And another. Soon, he was choking and sputtering as he coughed more and more into his talon. More ponies left, the same thought entering their head that this was all some sort of prank. Discord couldn't warn them that it wasn't, he was too busy vomiting the air in his lungs. Two ponies and a griffin were the only ones who kept watch, concern drawing on ther face. Although they were skeptical, they believed the god of chaos was really coming down with something.
Discord keeled over, loosing his balance. He couldn't think any more, only cough. And cough. And cough. Until finally something came up. Discord was relived at the escape of phlegm, at first. Until he looked at his talons.
"Hey, bud, you alright?" the griffin spoke up, trying to be casual.
Discord stared at his talon, dread overcoming him. He was shaking.
His talon was covered in blood. He had coughed up blood. "I coughed... up blood."
The griffin's eyes went wide. "Oh geezus. Shit, man, you should go to the doctor's."
Discord shook his head. Never before has anyone seen him this serious. "No, you don't get it. I'm a god. I'm immortal. Immortals don't get ill; they don't up chuck blood, they don't cough."
The griffin was nervous now. The foreboding way Discord calmly explained his situation was unnerving at best. "So... this is... bad?"
Discord nodded. "This is very, very bad."
"Sir, you want to what?!"
"I told you. I will be accompanying you for the time being. I am supersceeding control of your ship."
"General... you can't just... leave your post! You're commander in chief! We take all your orders from you."
"I am well aware of my job, Captain. And you will heed my orders." Divinrock slowly walked forwards with intent to pass the young stallion, but he stopped until he was side by side with the man. The captain closed his eyes as beads of apprehensive sweat rolled down his face. Divinrock smiled that cruel, cruel smile that had graced his face everytime he caused someone discomfort. He closed his eyes and bit the Captain's ear gently with his toungue squeezing out the gaps. The man shuttered with disgust as Divinrock trailed his right hoof down the captain's flanks. He whispered in his ear, taking care to put more effort in breathing his words. "And you know what happens when you don't," he finally threatened, a small chuckle escaping his lungs. The man, truly terrified, nodded subordingly. "Good."
General Divinrock turned the doorknob to the office and walked through, taking in the fresh morning air. He sighed dreamingly. "I'm coming, Patch. Ready or not~" |
Pirates of Equestria | The Cards You're Dealt | "Is this a handout undeserved, or a just reparation?"
Chapter 12
A navy blue pony walked out the establishment smiling and with a towel wrapped around his hair. Tussling with it a bit, he threw the towel into a outdoor hamper nearby without looking. It required no effort on his behalf, he'd been through enough for something like that to be considered trivial. He ran his foreleg through his mane to get the hair out of his eyes and succeeded quite well. Another blue pony, this one indigo and a lot more scrawny but tall, had a face of content indifference.
"Haha, a proper shower, finally. That was amazing." Patch rotated his shoulders in bliss, his muscles relaxed and comfortable.
"As far as showers go, yes, but did we really need to get a message too?" Gavin asked, a little uncomfortable. "Considering we shouldn't be out in the open so much? And those girls were..." He struggled to find the right words.
"Incredibly hot?" Patch finished, soliciting a blush from his friend.
"T-that's not..."
"Oh come on, even you gotta admit the whole 'spa twins' shtick was pretty sexy. It helped that they were actually twins."
Gavin looked at the ground, face red, and drew little circles in the dirt with his hoof. He actually grinned. "Yeah, I guess you're right, sir."
Patch laughed heartedly, slamming his hoof on Gavin's back, causing him to wince. "Heh, I even think the pink one fancied you. She practically jumped at the chance to make you squirm."
"Captain...!" Gavin looked so far down he could've sworn he was looking behind himself. Heat radiated from his cheeks like a warm dish.
"Nice to see you two doing something useful."
Patch jumped out of his skin, flinching away from the source of the voice. He saw a very annoyed Vex staring daggers into him whilst scowling in malign. Patch chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Heh, hey Vex."
"Listen, Cap'n, we got attacked by the Legion while you two got jerked by a couple spa ponies; that hardly seems fair."
Gavin could've sworn his face had reached boiling temperatures. Patch simply laughed, his nerves calmed. "You can go get a happy ending too real quick, if you want."
Vex's eyes widened at the thought, her face now emulating Gavin's. She covered her face with a talon before punching Patch in the arm awkwardly. "Shut up!" she said as he rubbed his foreleg and smiled. He noticed a yellow and a pink pony walking up from behind Vex, both looking very pleased. Fluttershy was the first to speak.
"Cap'n!" she barked, giving a tout solute. "Mission accomplished!" Patch beamed.
"Brilliant! This went quite well, don't you think?"
"Well, getting attacked by a legionnaire squad is a little less than attractive, if I do say so myself." A woman said. This was not a voice Patch recognized, and thus forced him to lean in with intrigue. Out walked an elegant if not rough around the edges unicorn with the neatest messy hair, if that made any sense. Her eyelids were half-mast and her posture drew attention to her carefully crafted figure. Her elegance was bolstered even more so by the slender dragon that was wrapped around her like an expensive and very stern looking coat. When she stopped in front of Patch she held out a hoof to her side and allowed the dragon to provide leverage to himself by placing his paw upon it. The chemistry was remarkable.
"Ahh," aired Patch, being one to react quickly. He swept his foreleg around to the side and bent down as a sign of respect, and bowed his head to the lady. "You must be this 'Miss Rarity' I've heard so much about. Pleased to meet your acquaintance, fair lady." Pinkie felt Fluttershy tense up a bit randomly, her famous stern scowl somehow appearing even more hard.
"Charmed, Captain," Rarity announced, smiling softly and closing her eyes. Finally a gentleman, she thought to herself as she curtsied. She noted how handsome the man was, his build proportional and symmetrical. His hair looked as clean as it was uncouth, and appeared to be soft enough to bundle yourself in. He looked as tough as nails, but had the added potential of being the gentlest lover and most sensitive of friends. He could take on anything, be it mountains or an army. A real man.
The boy behind him was... cute, but honestly uninteresting. He seemed to realize this and stayed out of the way. Patch eyed the giant purple dragon, a feat which wasn't too difficult to pull off. He winked while seeming quite unintimidated. "And you are... Spike, yes?" Spike nodded, keeping cautious. "It's a bit obvious you care for this woman. I respect that." The last thing Patch wanted was to walk on eggshells. "A lucky dragon, I must say."
The barrage of compliments and manners eased Spike's tension. He stared at Patch's outstretched hoof a few moments before tentatively reaching his claws out and 'shook' his hoof. He finally spoke. "Right," he said, not so much for conversation but to convey his approval. Or that he wasn't going to cleave the pony's head off as he turned away. That attitude may change, however, with what Patch was going to say next.
"I'm sorry to say that I'm not a fan of special treatment. If I allow you two to come with us you must earn your stay. It's only fair." Spike stare became intense once again, and he bore his teeth and growled. Rarity (rather hilariously) put her hoof on his snout which led him to scrunch up his nose in confusion.
"Oh come now, Spike. I wouldn't expect it any other way. How do you suppose we pay you?"
Patch blushed and waved his hooves in front of himself, the first time he had lost his cool. He had no idea that he implied what he thought, and he wasn't sure if the woman caught it or not. Either way... "Nonononono, no. I simply meant you have to help around the ship. Simple labor, sometimes only lasting an hour or so. Everyone does it. Except Vex." The griffin in question punched him in the shoulder again, displeased with his relay of that information. Rarity already didn't like her, she didn't need help. "I don't see Mr. Spike having trouble with that," he added.
Spike strangely became silent again. It's like he wasn't sure if he should trust Patch, but he found himself just liking the guy. It was altogether hard not to.
"Oh don't mind him," Rarity excused. "We haven't exactly been the most social of people the last few years."
Patch giggled at the implications. "I'm sure he didn't mind."
"No, no he didn't," she replied slyly, confirming what Patch suspected. As a side compliment she added "And neither did I."
Patch smiled at the coy mare and blushing dragon. Sure the pair was weird, but also cute in a way. Like pet tortoises or... destructive babies. Odd, why were those the first things he thought about?
"Hate to interrupt the circlejerk, but in case you guys forgot we have three unconscious legion ponies behind a bush somewhere and another running away like a pussy," Vex warned, earning an annoyed scoff from Rarity. She glared back at her in response. If she wasn't so damn sexy, Vex would've torn out her throat hours ago.
"Ah, of course. Miss Rarity, we can continue our conversation another time, but until then..." he bowed once again as a finish. Rarity nodded her head politely and began following Vex whom started to walk after her little comment. Fluttershy caught up to her side along with Pinkie, as the Captain and Gavin lagged behind.
"You were right, that captain of your's sure knows how to treat people," Rarity whispered, catching Fluttershy's attention. She just laughed knowingly.
"He isn't mine; he's all of ours."
Discord kept a controlled brisk pace and stared at the moving floor. He could've flown, but he needed to be alone with his thoughts. Okay, maybe this isn't so bad. Maybe I'm just overreacting. I mean, coughing up blood is normal, right? That's a pony habit, isn't it? And even if it isn't (which I know it isn't) who says it's an omen? I mean, a physical manifestation of a symbolic form that resembles the spiritual essence of an abstract idea, suddenly becoming ill with no possible means of so isn't that bad. Right? Maybe I just caught Bronchitis or Pneumonia. Yes, that's it. Discord had been so absorbed in his thoughts he walked straight into the side of Canterlot castle, grunting as feathers and flower petals flew in every direction and repelled him onto the floor. Rubbing his head, he looked up where he knew the throne room was and, with new conviction, rocketed towards the sky and into an adjacent window.
A Day Watch guard suddenly flinched and fumbled for his spear. After pointing it forward, he realised that it had turned into a very large pretzel stick. He instantly knew what would've caused such an occurrence. "Sir Discord, it's you."
Discord arched a frustrated eyebrow. "You confused me for the other god of chaos?"
The guard cleared his throat nervously and quickly apologised. "Er, sorry." Strange, Discord was usually so light hearted and relaxed. What was on his mind? "Do you wish to see the Princess?"
"No, I thought I would enjoy eating a donut while staring at an empty throne." Discord quipped sarcastically back. Becoming more annoyed, he fidgeted his hind paws while he contemplated just pushing the guard aside and walking in. But after recent events, he was wiser than that.
The guard cleared his throat and mentally berated himself for being so incompetent. "Right, sorry. The Princess does not want to be interrupted right now, but if you could wait I will send word that-"
Discord sighed. "Don't bother, just step aside. I will accept any punishment she may give to me; you're excused." He slithered past the befuddled guard and burst through the door to announce his presence. He didn't want a repeat of what happened the last time he startled Celestia. His wrist was still sore from that. Celestia, at first surprised, had her face fall into an annoyed scowl. "Hel-loooo, Celestia, dear."
"...What is it now, Discord? No I am not going to pass a law dictating that everyone has to wear galoshes." Celestia had no Idea how he got that one to pass the legislature.
"Oh, no, sweet Celestia, this isn't anything like that," Discord said while chuckling softly. "I simply want to have a... Private conversation with you," he said, slicking back his mane and winking. "It's been far too long since we had time to ourselves, honeybun." The Day watch bodyguards visibly tensed under the erotic implications, much to Discord's amusement. He wanted to burst out laughing in spite of the current circumstances.
Celestia sighed and rubbed her temples. She knew the way he acted when he had something important to say. He always wanted to dismiss the guards first. Deciding what he had to say might be worth listening to, she excused the guards. For Discord's sake, she didn't bother discrediting Discord's come-on. After they had left, she put her hoof to her cheek and leaned on it. "This better be important, Discord."
He innocently put a loose paw on his chest and recoiled in feign shock. "Why, whatever do you mean? I just want some quality time with your delicious self, princess."
Celestia groaned impatiently, rolling her eyes. She finished the spectacle by putting her hoof to her forehead. More and more over the past years, Discord noted solemnly, she has had less patience with me. For anything really. "Listen, Discord, I am not in the mood. Tell me what you need to or kindly get out."
He giggled, moving the paw on chest to his hips (or where his hips would be). "Always so grim Celestia," he said with a smile, almost distantly. Suddenly, Discord's mood sunk, as did his disposition, as he stared at the ground sadly. Celestia sat up at this, worried she may have said something to offend him. "Always so grim," he said again.
Celestia leaned in worriedly. "Discord?"
"I think something may be wrong," he said, a soft smile stretching across his face as he continued to stare at the ground.
"And what is that?" she asked, now truly concerned.
Instead of answering, Discord simply took to showing the mare. He stepped up, and revealed the talon he'd been hiding. Celestia gaped as she saw it, a griffin's talon, caked in dry blood. Astonished, she stuttered, "Wh-what happened?" A possibility clicked in her brain as she distanced herself and voiced more accusingly, "What did you do?"
Discord, at a loss for words, stared at her in a truly frightened and confused expression. Celestia had an epiphany. She slowly reared her head, now absolutely terrified. "Is this... your blood?" He nodded.
But that was impossible! He was an immortal just like she. He had no external wounds, so he must've coughed it out or something similar. If he was sick... could she get sick too? "How did this happen?" she pleaded.
Discord finally found his voice as he shrugged. "I dunno... I just doubled over and started to choke and, bum-bum blood on the talons." Celestia watched in horror as he retracted his talon.
"Do you think it has something to do with you becoming weaker?"
Discord winced, unhappy that the subject came up. It was kind of hard to not suspect a connection, but still, you think she would've considered that Discord was smart enough to think of that. He found himself trying not to get angry at the goddess. "No, it came from a specific source. Growing weaker... that feels different."
"..."
"..."
"Ahem, right. Listen, Discord, if you want to take it easy-"
Discord jumped back and floated in midair, a giant smile on his face. "Easy?! Are you joking? God of chaos and harbinger of everything fun? I don't get sick days!"
Celestia gaped at him in disbelief. After her initial shock, she frowned. "Discord this could be serious."
Discord sighed. "I know your grim, but I've forgotten just how grim you can be Celestia. Buck up, Tia, come on." He spread out his arms to each side and arched his brow and looked celestia with his left eye. Celestia cracked a small and cautious smile.
"Ta-ta, Tia, take care."
"Right Discord, right..."
Discord wore a bright grin as he flew out. One that betrayed the true anxiety he felt. She doesn't deserve this. Not after everything that's happened...
The ship Rarity had climbed aboard (precariously positioned in a river clearly not meant for large ships) was pleasant enough, but it was clearly a budget ship. It was sturdy, but clearly lacked any state of the art reinforcement or technology. She had followed the strange captain to his quarters along with Spike to arrange for her stay, and had passed many quirky characters that simply didn't look like they should have been pirates. Nervous, humble, and kind characters, who all had seemed to be pushed to the edge. It was something only Rarity could have noticed, subtle body language spilled their secrets and their hopes. It revealed their lost ambition that seemed to occupy everyone relevant to the captain. He himself passed subtle, but painfully explicit sorrow, along with the wistful drifting spirit the crew showed as well. The way to the Captain's Quarters was mostly silent, the only sounds coming from muttering crewmembers either impressed by Rarity's look and stature or admiration of the graceful and intimidating dragon on her back.
As Rarity entered the room along with Patch and Spike, something immediately caught her eye. A large cabinet with two large glass doors and six drawers in two columns of three occupied the left wall that blended with the rest of the ship. It was so inconspicuous it stood out to the attentive Rarity. Patch noticed her interest in the cabinet and regarded it.
"No," he said suddenly, sitting down at the desk in the middle of the Quarters. Rarity almost jumped at the abruptness of the gesture.
"Excuse me?" she asked innocently.
"I know what you were going to ask. It's locked for a reason." Patch leaned forward into the desk and nodded at the cabinet.
Rarity instantly knew what he meant by it, unlike spike who confusedly arched his eyescales. Rarity haughtily closed her eyes and decided not to pry... yet. "Is that so? Very well then."
Patch smiled and it seemed rather forced. His eyes were heavy and it became increasingly clear something was bothering him. The air seemed thicker all of the sudden, and Rarity's stare became ever more so scrutinizing. Patch wanted to turn away but his manners prevented him from doing so. Their first meeting was so pleasant... so why was it so hard now?
"...you two are getting a room in the Crew's quarters for yourselves. Second deck, third room." Patch hoped she would leave.
"Captain. What is the matter with you?" Rarity stepped forward slightly, her tone accusing. "There's something wrong. Is there something wrong with me?"
"N-..." Patch seemed to have to think about it. Resolutely, he finished. "No. No..."
"Then what's on your mind?" Rarity almost yelled that question. He knew why she was being so confrontational. Other than the fact she clearly didn't agree with piracy, she was also concerned the state of her friends. Recalling how Fluttershy was before she met him, Patch understood why that was. Apparently, Miss Pie was always crazy, however. "I know you're not okay. You're behaving... oddly." Spike had no idea what the hell was going on.
Patch went on the defensive, her accusing tone actually succeeding in making him uncomfortable. It frustrated him, and he almost blew up, but he achieved some control in time. "NO! No. Look you just-" Spike scowled at Patch signaling for him to calm down. Patch realized he had shot out of his chair during the outburst. He settled himself and finished quietly. "You just... you just remind me of her, okay? You look nothing like her, but... everything..."
The air was so thick Rarity was afraid they were going to drown in it. She took a step back, unable to find words. She stammered "I... I'm sorry. I didn't realize."
"Save it. Just leave. Welcome on my ship, Miss Rarity." He was done. He simply ignored her and pretended to work on his maps. Rarity accepted her defeat and left, the drama of the situation wading off the adrenaline of the short argument. Patch looked up and stopped her. "Your presence here is a privilege, remember that. You hurt anyone, and I assure you things will end badly and abruptly for you. Understood?" Before she closed the door, she shared one last word.
"Understood. Godspeed, Captain." She closed the door and just stood there, guilt clouding her consciousness. Spike looked at her, worried. She nuzzled him reassuringly, and prepared to walk away, but a voice made her freeze in place.
"No, she's fine. She just doesn't trust me ye- Shut up! I... I know, but ju- ugh," It was barely audible, but that was the Captain's voice all right. Who was he talking to? Maybe she was right not to trust him, he was odd... Nevertheless, Fluttershy had all her faith in him, so Rarity would have to give him a chance. Not before digging a little deeper first, of course.
"Oh Fluttershy!" Rarity called from across the deck. Fluttershy had been busy overseeing some of the cannon maintenance and the various ponies assigned to it. Pinkie Pie had proven to be very efficient at cannons, so she had gotten herself a regular job looking after them, but she had a tendency to stuff confetti in them when no one was looking. That was rather embarrassing at one point.
Fluttershy emptied her lungs quite audibly, not even trying to hide the fact she was irritated at the distraction. "Pinks, don't blow up anything or I will tear off your vagina, understand?" She put on an obviously forced smile and trotted over to Rarity, bouncing slightly with every step. "Yes dear? Whatever is it?" Her tone was a carbon copy of Rarity's usual snobbish accent and her voice seethed with ill intent.
Rarity narrowed her eyes, and Spike, still on her back, did the same. "Cute." She retorted, eliciting a victorious grin from the pegasus. "Look I wanted to speak to you about something."
Fluttershy looked positively bored as she monotoned, "Congratulations."
Rarity sighed and looked aside. "In private?"
"I'm not having sex with you," Fluttershy continued, her expression and tone unchanged. Rarity did a double take and reared her head.
"F-fluttershy will you--"
"Unless you want me to do it with Spike. That I might consider." Spike snorted suddenly as he almost fell off of Rarity. Shocked confusion adorned his features and he stood straight up on his mare, unsure of how to respond, if he should at all. It would never occur to him to be unfaithful to Rarity but... Fluttershy was actually pretty good looking.
"Fluttershy, enough. I just want to talk." Rarity was now beyond frustrated. Their reunion had been pleasant enough, why was she being so difficult now? Maybe she had some sort of telepathic link with the captain. That would explain why he was talking to himself.
"Fine, fine... we'll talk in the gallery." Fluttershy sighed once again, turning back towards the general direction of Pinkie Pie. "Pinks, you're in charge until I get back. I swear to the great griffin god if you so much as put a single goddamn streamer inside one of those cannons we'll be using you as ammo, got it?" She didn't wait for a response from the pink menace. She began walking to the gallery with white mare and dragon in tow.
"Cut to the chase or I'll cut your face. Oh, that rhymes, I should use that more often," Fluttershy held a mug filled with some honestly awful tasting rum in one hoof as she sat down at a table. Spike had finally gotten off of Rarity and took a seat next to her, who sat across from Fluttershy. The smell of crudely boiled poultry and cheap bread filled the enclosed space. Ponies of various sizes and type sat at different tables in the room, presumably done with their respective 'chores' and spent the entire day getting drunk and flirting with random crewmates. It was pretty noisy, too much so for Rarity's taste.
"I thought this was going to be a bit more... private," she commented, uneasily squinting and looking at a stallion who was nuzzling another uncomfortably low. Both of them seemed to be rather enjoying it.
"Rarity, we're on a boat. Aside from getting to third base in a supply closet, this is as private as it's going to get," Fluttershy quipped, circling her glass in the air and forming a little cyclone in the cup. She took a huge ungraceful glug of her drink before slamming it down on the table. Rarity sort of flinched back, disgusted. Spike remained the same. "You want some?" Rarity shook her head while Spike nodded nonchalantly. Fluttershy left and returned with another wooden mug filled with rum and gave it to the purple dragon, to which he nodded. "In... *gulp* all seriousness... No one is going to give a fuck what you say here, it's too loud to eavesdrop, and if anyone did, they'd be too drunk to remember it. Now what did you want to say."
"I wanted to talk to you about Pinkie Pie." Rarity coaxed the words out of her mouth with hesitance, careful not to step on any eggshells.
Fluttershy wasn't prepared. She stopped sipping her mug and stared intently at the white mare. "Pinks? What about her?"
"You mean you haven't noticed?" Rarity had assumed all she had to do was bring the mare up to start the discussion, but apparently it wasn't obvious enough.
"Notice what?" Fluttershy gave an aside glance. "Other than the usual Pinks shit there's really nothing out of the ordinary."
"Really?" Rarity asked, now more shocked. "Don't you think she's a bit... dull? Than usual, I mean."
The yellow Pegasus gave an unflattering snort. "She more annoying than I can remember. Of course I have changed quite a bit, so..."
"Fluttershy, think about it for a moment. Think back all those years ago and remember." Rarity lifted her chest up with her forehooves on the table and spoke sharply. Fluttershy began to get irritated of the condescending way Rarity demanded her, but ultimately decided to play along. "Think of all her antics," she said. "How hyperactive she was. She would hardly stay in one place for more than a second, and she seemed to defy all logic as she rode on her merry thoughts. She never spoke of the current situation and she followed her own set of rules. But look at her now."
Fluttershy opened her mouth to protest but no sound came out. Instead she trailed her gaze off of Rarity to the space around her in deep thought. Rarity was right. As the revelation soared through the yellow pegasus' mind came memories of Pinkie Pie, as she once was. She even seemed to be... literally a bit brighter back then.
"You see? Now she stands, at attention. She injures herself without control like a normal pony. She feels empathy more often, and she chips in on the conversation with relevance, although the usefulness of her input can be debated." Rarity finished with a whisper. "She doesn't act like Pinkie Pie anymore."
Fluttershy contemplated this for a moment, going over everything she had said, mulling over the possibilities. There was a definite change...
"Hold on, Rarity," Fluttershy loudly yelled, causing the ex-fashionista to jump slightly (and nearly punch her yellow friend). "What the hell does that mean, 'she doesn't act like Pinks anymore'?"
"Well, you certainly can't agree she's the same!" Rarity defended instinctively. Spike took a cautious sip of his rum, unable to think of any input.
"That doesn't mean that there's something wrong with her; so what if she's changed." Fluttershy got up as if to challenge the unicorn. "I changed too, does that make something wrong with me?"
"N-no! No, I just... Pinkie Pie is more subtle than you. I'm afraid that... it's not just change. With you, it's obvious you've gone through some ordeal..."
"And you think she hasn't either?" Fluttershy snapped back. "She did nearly get raped and killed when I found her. What do you think HAPPENED TO ME?!" Fluttershy shouted that last part louder than any previous part of their discussion, or anyone else's in the room for that matter.
It was a touchy subject, obviously, and it was new information for the unicorn.
"That's what I'm trying to say Fluttershy. You think something like that would have a greater impact than it has, but she seems right as rain! Bar a little difference in excitement and THAT's what scares me. It feels like she's faking her eagerness."
Fluttershy's face remained blank for a time, she was unable to rebuttal. She gave a great exhale and deflated in her seat. She closed her eyes and took a long sip of her rum with attitude frustrated at her failed argument. They all sat in silence.
"Don't make our enemies' job unnecessary." Spike suddenly said, startling the party. Fluttershy had almost forgotten he was there, and granted, he looked so different she sometimes ignored him thinking he was someone else. In a way he was. Rarity looked at him questioningly. He responded by giving a smile, something Fluttershy realized she hadn't seen him do yet. "A house pitted against itself cannot stand." He looked at fluttershy again and kept his smile on. "I share Fluttershy's concern, but we have to stand together, even when we're apart. We got to stop worrying about every little thing and deal with stuff as it comes. As long as we support Pinkie Pie with whatever she's going through it'll be fine."
Fluttershy forgot her frustration as she stared at the purple dragon. She felt her irritation melt away at the sight of the smiling dragon, remembering the little baby that preceded him. And she remembered everything. "I... I'd forgotten about you, Spike. About everyone."
Spike's smile was replaced by a quizzical arched eyescale. Fluttershy laughed and looked at her drink as she swirled it in the cup. "I won't make that mistake again, alright?"
"Well, Spike you did a great job at diffusing the tension," Rarity chuckled in her normal haughty tone (which kind of seemed out of place with her new build) and proceeded to cheerily speak to Fluttershy. "So what's next?"
"I dunno," Fluttershy replied honestly. She leaned back and took one last glug of rum. "We know the general location of Princess Twilight, but she's a bit far and the directions are really vague. None of us know where Applejack is, but knowing her, she probably has made quite a name for herself wherever she is, so I guess all we would need to do is ask around. But then there's Dash... It's weird, you'd think, with her skill, she'd be so famous even us ship dwellers would know about her..."
Spike dropped his mug, and his eyes widened to the point of covering his face. Rarity somehow became whiter, any pigments from her skin being lost at Fluttershy's last speculation. She reared her head and gagged a bit, unable to speak. Fluttershy opened an eyelid after a little silence and eyed the pony and dragon. They were so stunned, for some reason, that they had completely lost the will to talk. Fluttershy leaned forward, confused. "What?" she asked, concerned.
"Oh. Oh dear." Rarity finally wheezed. She sounded so... distant. "You don't know..."
Fluttershy got irritated again, but she didn't know why. It was a fear in the back of her throat, a fear that had no place being there. "I don't know WHAT?"
"Dear."
Sweat rolled down Fluttershy's face.
"Rainbow Dash... She's not with us anymore..."
And with that... Ponies change. |
Pirates of Equestria | Lying Beneath What Was | "I never felt so lost, like everyone was miles away. And yet somehow, I remained in the room."
Chapter 13
Silence. That's all that remained in the room. Tension filled the air, thick enough to wade through. A wooden mug clanked on the ground, the one previously in Fluttershy's hoof. Her muzzle remained blank, not exactly expressionless, but inexplicably stricken with horror. The utter disbelief radiated from her very being, and it began to be accompanied by anger. After what seemed like ages, the silence suddenly disappeared.
"No..."
Rarity jumped, startled by Fluttershy's voice. She had braced herself for it, but she still didn't see it coming. She was unaware what her friend's reaction would be. She spoke, but she did not hear her words as they escaped into the room. "Dear... I thought... I thought you knew."
"No..." Fluttershy shook her head in simple denial. It was as if she was refusing a service; it was casual. "No... I don't believe it."
Rarity winced, wounded by the difficulty of the moment. She felt as if she was salting a scar of Fluttershy. "Fl-"
"NO!" She yelled, so loud that all conversation around the three ceased muted immediately, probably because of Fluttershy's common scolding of the pirates. It was instinctual to stand at attention to the pegasus whenever she yelled, but now they were unsure of what to do. "NO! You're a FUCKING LIAR!" Fluttershy stood aggressively, knocking the table over. Rarity flinched as if she were about to be slapped, but she stood her ground, a lump forming in her throat. "You're FUCKING LYING!"
"Dear, please," Rarity tried to reason.
"No, no, bullshit! I don't FUCKING BELIEVE YOU!"
Spike clenched his fist and looked away, frustrated he wasn't able to do anything. After all that happened, after finally uniting... this had to happen.
"Fluttershy, please! I don't want to believe it either, but it's true. For a while now."
Fluttershy started to hyperventilate, and her eyes darted around the room. At a lower tone, she repeated, "No..." She fell on her knees. "No... What..." Fluttershy groaned a soul-wrenching sob, as tears ran down her eyes like loose sand. "What the fuck do we do now?" She gritted her teeth, sobbing again. She tried to stop, in vain. "What do I do now?"
Rarity looked cautiously at Spike, who avoided her gaze. She stepped towards Fluttershy tentatively, like she was navigating through a minefield. She put a hoof on the pegasus' shoulder, and exhaled. "We have to do what we've done so far, dear. We move on. She'd want us to."
Fluttershy tensed up in anger, and shot up to Rarity and put both hooves on her neck. "You don't fucking understand, Miss Rarity! I was counting on her! Everything was riding on the elements, THAT'S WHY I FOUND YOU. That's why I looked for you! But now?" She looked at the ground as she kept hold of her friend. She slumped to the ground. "There's nothing we can do. The world's fucked and there's nothing I can fucking do."
Fluttershy's sobs ended, and she sniffed. Tears stopped, already wasted on other things before in her life; menial things. "Then there was no goddamned point. There was no point. I could've left Pinks to her life after I saved her, and you could've just lived in that stupid ass cave all your life, fucking Spike over and over again until the end. That would have been better for you than dragging your asses out for no... no reason.
"And now what do we do, just sit and wait to die? What the fuck do we do..."
It had seemed the whole ship was quiet. No one spoke, no one dared say a thing. Rarity just stared at her yellow friend in a stunned silence. Everyone just stood. Until, shockingly, a talon came out of nowhere and grabbed ahold of Fluttershy's pink mane. She was jerked up violently, and having no time to react, was pulled into a feathery chest at ner mach-speeds. Fluttershy's eyes shot open, and she opened her mouth to yelp, but any attempt was muffled out by the feathers. The sight was alien and indistinguishable for a moment for Rarity, until much to her surprise, Vex had scooped up Fluttershy into her arms, giving her a big hug. Fluttershy's first reaction was to sock the griffin in the face, but as the situation sunk in, she embraced the griffin herself, relaxing her muscles and letting spare tears run down her face again. Vex's expression betrayed her friendly gesture, as she gave Rarity the most evil and burning glare a griffin could ever contort her face into. It was beyond her usual scowl, no, it was a wild and animalistic rage, the kind that is only quelled by blood, or so it seemed. Rarity looked away, ashamed, even though she knew it wasn't her fault.
"What the hell is going on here?" The first words spoken in a while came from the Captain himself, just having entered the room. As soon as he saw Fluttershy, murder consumed his eyes, and he began angrily trotting to the distressed Rarity. In a voice that intimidated everyone in the room, Patch snapped. "What the fuck did you do to her." It was spoken slowly, but sharply, and Rarity actually began to fear for her life, despite knowing he didn't stand a chance against her. Before limbs could be chopped off, Fluttershy spoke in a relatively calmed tone, although it wavered a little with her previous sobs.
"She didn't do anything, Patch." Fluttershy said sincerely, walking away from Vex and wiping away her tears. Both Patch and Vex froze a bit, forgetting their anger as she called out the Captain by name. Fluttershy sighed and faced Rarity once again, wiping her eyes. "How are we gonna break it to Pinks?"
Rarity reared her head a bit and arched a brow. "Doesn't she already know?"
"You'd think she'd tell me." Fluttershy replied, uttering a dry chuckle. "No. I don't think she knows. They were close."
There was a silence again, and no one dare look in another's eyes. Suddenly, Vex- of all people- chimed in. "I'll do it."
Spike stepped forward, pushing his unicorn aside. "Excuse me?"
"I'll tell her," she clarified, annoyed.
"Hah. No."
"Wot?" Vex, genuinely confused, first showed a sign of curiosity, but this was replaced by frustration and anger. "Why the fuck not?"
Spike stepped closer and fully raised himself on his hind legs, effectively towering over her two and a half times. Although she physically did not waver, she really regretted snapping as the dragon bared his teeth. "Like I'm going to trust a griffin we all barely know to a friend a decade old. Fat chance. Doesn't help you're a bitch."
Vex threw all instinct of self-preservation out the window and put a talon on Spike's chest. "What the fuck are you on about?! You haven't gave a shit 'bout her for more than a few years! I probably spoke to her more than you have, you big fucking purple dildo!"
Spike growled, but before he could get a shot off, Fluttershy came in between them. "Hey, Spike!" She had a hoof on his chest, a tentative one, and she stared into his eyes with the softness he knew her of. "...Let her do it."
Spike had been lured into a strange stupor by Fluttershy's now out-of-place solemn sincerity, but as she excused Vex he stuttered, "W-what? Why?"
"Look, I've known Vex for a while, and I know she can be a huge bitch..." Fluttershy took a moment to look back at Vex and smile innocently, to which Vex pouted. "...But she's one of the few I trust, okay? I've known her longer than I've known you guys." Spike's eyes were seething with protest, but his demeanor betrayed him. Fluttershy wasn't sure he was convinced, so she added one last thing. "Plus, they get along."
"Pinkie gets along with her?" Rarity suddenly blurted before thinking.
"Stranger things have happened," Vex quipped, before adding "You got a boyfriend, for example."
Spike gave another violent growl, and Fluttershy just sighed. "Look. Just... shut up. All of you. Everything just fell apart right now. I can't believe Dash is dead."
"Wait," Patch stepped forward, still solemn. "Dash... as in Rainbow Dash, the element of loyalty? She's dead?"
Fluttershy kept her head down and sniffed. "Yeah. Looks like none of this had a point, huh Cap'n?"
Patch's being told all his sympathies, all his understanding. His face contorted to that of a child watching a dog die. He was so sorry, but there was no way to convey just how. So he stayed silent and stared at his yellow pegasus, the one stomped on by life, with it kicking dirt in her face. This inability to help frustrated Patch to the point of tears, yet he did not cry. He couldn't. He just had to watch, and that was the only consolation he could provide; that someone cared.
Maybe it was enough.
...but it didn't feel like it. Patch broke down those barriers of helplessness and decided he was going to do something about it, even if he couldn't. With resolution, he smiled. "It wasn't for nothing, Fluttershy."
She looked up instinctively, as she did when she heard her full name from her Captain. After a while, she gave an empty smile. "I find that hard to believe Cap'n. We need all the elements, that's what that letter said."
"Who cares? We started this, and we have to finish this," Patch said. Aside, no one noticed except for a certain white unicorn that Vex's frown and scowl cracked, if only for a moment. She dropped her head down in order to hide this. This peaked Rarity's curiosity, as she had believed Vex to be as careless as she was rude. It must've been something about Patch or Fluttershy that had sparked compassion. What sort of ties did those three have?
"Captain, we have to be realistic!" Fluttershy yelled through the crust of dried tears. "There's no hope left, alright? And the last thing we need is false hope."
Rarity noticed her window, and interjected. "Not exactly, dear." Everyone turned to the ex-fashionista, all unexpecting her voice to rise in the conversation. Even Spike eyed her questioningly. "I mean, think about it; the elements are finicky things. Not even we, the beares, know the full extent of their properties and powers."
"What're you trying to say, Miss Rarity?" The question came from Patch, which was odd because he sounded very civil as he questioned her. Their previous altercation must've been forgotten somehow. Maybe because of how desperate he was to give Fluttershy hope? He would've accepted help from anyone, Rarity guessed. She never thought about it before, but it really was sweet how extensive he looked after her, and Vex by extension.
"I'm saying we don't know if there's another element of loyalty lying around somewhere. I remember Fluttershy saying that part of the letter was revealed when Mister Gavin happen to touch it. He obviously bears some elements of kindness within him which allowed him to do so. Maybe we could find someone capable of bearing the full element, enough to use it to help with these letters of yours."
"That's... interesting, Rare... but I don't think it's enough to go on," Fluttershy rebutted through a broken voice.
"Well think about it this way then..." Rarity cleared her throat, grinning. "Celestia and Luna were bearer of all six elements at one time. Then Celestia bore them herself after Luna's betrayal. Then she gave up the responsibility and allowed us to use them next. If Dash was killed, wouldn't that mean the element would be passed on like before, assuming it worked like a gift you were born with? I'm sure with enough searching, we could find somepony- er, someone- that exhibited the qualities of loyalty, or held the passed torch of it. Which means our mission can still be possible to complete."
Everyone just stared at the white unicorn mouths agape, unable to contradict her logic and reasoning. The only one who looked skeptical was Fluttershy. "I don't know, Rare... what if we risk it all and it ends up failing?"
"That can happen at anything you attempt at Fluttershy," Rarity said, a spark in her eye. "You still have to try. Besides, we're going to help Twilight, right. She has a book on the elements. We can cross-reference with that."
There was an unearthly silence as everyone stared at their yellow pegasus, waiting for her to speak. After what felt like an eternity, and it probably was, she finally scoffed and horribly attempted to hide a smile. "Dammit, Rare. Alright, fine, we'll keep on fighting." A slow, graceful turn to Patch was executed by the deeply scarred pony. "Isn't that right, Captain?"
He smiled, and so did Vex, this time not trying to hide it. There was obviously some sort of inside referential subject they shared, and Patch gave another vague statement. "Never stop fighting, amirite?" Fluttershy chuckled at this leaving the others rather confused. They let it slide however, as it seemed everything was finally lightening up. All that was left was to inform Pinkie Pie.
That was when something became awfully apparent. Everyone, everyone was staring at them. None of the friends had noticed that the entire gallery had been spectating this debate from the beginning, as soon as Fluttershy had started breaking down. They all had shut up at the time, completely quiet, concerned for their heartbroken leader. Now that everything was fine however, most just beamed, while others returned to their business, hope now pulsing within them. The entire party, discluding Patch, blushed, embarrassed at their aired dirty laundry. However, the outbursts were quite necessary as it eliminated having to inform everyone of the mission update.
Vex groaned loudly, annoying Rarity, and hid her blush with her talons as she always does. "Arrghh whatever, I'm going to break the news to Pinks... God knows it'll be less painful than... getting castrated."
"Well you must know what that feels like, huh, hun?" Rarity quipped slyly, rather an out of character comment as observed by Fluttershy.
"Erg, eh... w-.... ah fuck you." Vex gave up and walked away, sticking up her middle talon as she left, most of the party unsure of what the gesture meant.
Fluttershy leaned up against a wall while Patch followed and did the same. She gave one long exhale and rested her head on his neck, closing her eyes. "A storm of shit, really. That's what this is, aye?"
"Heh... aye." Patch replied, oddly comfortable. "You know, Fu'shy... I'm with ya 'til the end, and it doesn't matter what happens, you'll make the right decisions. You won't even have to try."
Rarity and Spike left for their room without a word.
"Fat chance, Cap'n. Sorry if I don't believe that." Quiet for a second. "But thanks... for everything really."
"Feels like only yesterday, doesn't it? That we sat like this." Patch put his foreleg around Fluttershy like it was nothing. It was anything risque or flirtatious... rather, it was so natural, like two friends with a mutual understanding. "Remember? Just yesterday."
"Maybe for you. You hadn't changed that much that day." Fluttershy said with a chuckle, sounding incredibly exhausted.
"Well I... I wouldn't say that exactly. Someone like you... well it was just what I needed, maybe. I don't know. Maybe."
And with that...
Ponies change.
Vex never thought that shit could get this hard. She once got shot in the ass with a musket ball and Patch had to scrape it out using his teeth, but Vex foresaw her task with being about as twice as awkward and as unbearingly painful. She had been standing outside of her and Pinks' room for a good ten minutes, just staring at the poorly constructed doorknob. The only actions she committed so far were a couple of uncommon sighs. Still, Vex felt bad for not telling Pinks the truth in the first place. All of this could have been avoided.
The one thing she refused to remember was considering rubbing the death of her friend in her face out of jealousy. There was no way she could continue living if she had actually done that.
Another thing was the actual deed in front of her. How would Pinks react? Would dhe lash out in anger like Fluttershy? Would she go into denial and refuse to believe Vex? The fear of breaking the pink pony haunted the griffin to the core. There was a coldness in her chest now, and her limbs felt light.
Now having to manually breathe, blink, and move, she slowly opened the door, absolutely terrified what was on the other side.
As the door swung fully open, the sight was chillingly tame. Pinkie Pie was cheerily humming as she rearranged some things in a small drawer, acknowledging Vex's presence with a high tuned "Hello~"
Vex had to sound out every syllable in her head before speaking a word. She had forgotten to properly talk. "H-hey... Pinks..."
All that was left in the room was Pinks' out of place humming. It infuriated the griffin to no end. This would have been a lot easier if the pink pony had been in a foul mood.
"Yeah, Vex?"
"There's something I gotta tell ya, man." Vex kept her voice level, trying not to lead Pinks suspicion. Vex thought it had failed horribly, and she winced as a result, but much to her surprise Pinkie Kept fiddling with the drawer. Vex realised that she needed the conversation to dip at some point, so she decided to just drop it and hope for the best. "It's not good."
To this, Pinkie stopped. She just stood with her hooves in the drawer, and did not move. Vex had mentally pictured a smile on Pinkie's face, but now it came apparent that Vex could not see her face. Vex was behind Pinkie, so her expression was a mystery to her. It became increasingly difficult to picture Pinkie's stupid grin.
"In fact, its... downright shit. Just absolute... shit." The air became thick for Vex, and Pinkie remained motionless.
"Is that so?" Pinkie still sounded cheerful, but her voice... resonated less, or something.
"Yeah... I," Vex cut herself off. "I'm sorry, first of all. Just... Sorry. For lying. I guess. I- I. I mean."
"Just get on with it." Pinkie's voice reached sub-zero temperatures.
"..." Can I say it? "..." Can I really do this? "..." No I can't. "Pinks..." But I guess that never stopped Patch. "Rainbow Dash... She's..."
"She died. A while ago."
"...."
"...."
"...Yeah." Pinkie's voice was strange. It sounded the same. "Yeah she did." Pinkie finally moved out of the drawer and trotted to the other side of the room, to a small chest that belonged to her. She opened it and took out a few things: balloons, streamers and random party favors, all while talking normally to Vex. "I mean I guess it makes sense and all. She was always doing dangerous stuff and all."
Vex wanted to back away, out the door, but she just couldn't. She looked at Pinkie with an increasingly frightened expression.
Pinkie continued taking out objects of the chest, more than enough than could possibly fit into it, as her voice became more strained. "You could really expect it to happen eventually considering her work. She would always do the really DANGEROUS tricks for her FUCKING wonderbolts, and they would NEVER pay attention to her." She began to laugh, strangely, as tears fell down her cheeks. "Because they would never accept someone as nice and honorable as Dash until she was older because IT WASN'T HER TIME OR SOMETHING," Pinkie's laugh and smile turned to dreadful tears and violent sobs. Vex turned away, unable to watch or walk away. "WHY COULDN'T THEY JUST LET HER JOIN EARLIER, I MEAN WHY NOT? OH GOD, WHY COULDN'T SHE- OH GOD, OH MY GOD, OH GOD, OH MY FUCKING GOD" She began thrashing her her hooves on her various party related things with a strength unmatched to what Vex has seen of her so far. Fragments of breakables flew through the air as she screamed and sobbed and screamed and sobbed. Vex had left her alone until she started whacking her face on the floor. Vex immediately flew towards her before she could seriously injure herself seriously. Vex put her arms around her and yelled into her ear.
"Hey! Hey! Stop it, stop! It's okay dammit! It's okay." Pinkie stopped thrashing and screaming and just... cried. She cried so loudly. It was only muffled by the feathers absorbing the tears. Vex couldn't believe she was going through this twice in one day... but it wasn't important. Pinkie Pie was important. Vex remained still for her friend for as long as she needed. Because when you got right down to it...
They were all in the same boat.
"I guess... I guess I kinda always knew. I mean... I never heard about it... but when something like that happens to a friend like Dash? You get this tingly feeling in the back of your mind. You want to ignore it, to just plow through the day like normal, but the tingle will always be there. A wound that'd never heal, y'know?" Pinks' head remained in the griffin's chest since the little incident, and it was about half an hour later. Vex didn't mind, for the first time that she could remember. She was just glad she could be there.
"Uh. Sure, I suppose." It still didn't make the whole scenario awkward and incredibly unfamiliar for Vex. Pinkie noticed once again how small the griffin was, only about an inch taller and just as big as the pony, if not a bit thinner. And those faded purple feathers that loosely covered her eyes seemed to be glossier than usual...
"Y'know... I've had a little crush on Fluttershy for a while." Pinkie chuckled for the first time in thirty minutes. Vex was so happy for a subject change.
"Yeah, heh. It's kinda obvious." Vex thought for a moment. "Well, just for me apparently. I don't think anyone else knows. I'm sure it won't take long for that prissy unicorn to find out, she has an annoying attention for detail."
"Yeah. I mean, normally Fluttershy's pretty average. Well she's pretty, but not like a goddess or anything. Back then, her cuteness and innocence was what gave her an advantage. But now... damn, she's a woman that can take charge."
Okay... okay this was getting a little weird for Vex now. Still, she didn't want to just leave. "Uhh... right..." Why does she have to be talking about Fluttershy that way? I mean Futtershy? Yuck. Why does she have to be talking like this at all?
"I like ponies that can take charge."
...Uhhhh. "...Uhhhh."
"Too bad Fluttershy looks like she's straight as an arrow." Pinkie gave another short laugh. The return of casualness of the talk eased Vex a little again, who resolved to leave in a few minutes.
"Of course..." Pinkie Pie reared her head and looked at Vex with big, starry eyes. Vex was a little confused now, what was she going on about now? "I guess it doesn't have to be a pony."
...WHhHhhHaAAaaaAA? "Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah. Pinks, where is this going?"
"I've only met a couple of griffins before. I never got the chance..."
"What does that have to do with cghk!" Vex was interrupted by Pinkie jamming her entire fucking muzzle down Vex's beak and ramming her tongue down her throat. Vex's immediate reaction was to claw the pony's heart out, but that was before the sensation of Pinkie's kiss came through.
It gave Vex pause, only because of the absolutely alienness of the feeling. Pinkie was... warm. Really, really warm. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Vex had spat before and saw other ponies spit, and it always looked gross, and cold. But... when the saliva and soft cotton that was the pony's mouth completely enclosed around her jagged beak, she achieved a state of absolute fiery intensity that would only be matched by walking in fire, but without the burning. Her tongue fought with Vex's slightly more angular one, and Vex became hopelessly mesmerized by the enriching experience. She forgot what was happening. She forgot where she was. That was, until Pinkie retracted.
At some point Vex closed her eyes, apparently, because she had to open them again. She saw Pinkie's face contorted with a combined expression of empathy and joy. "That was weird... a beak, heh. Uh... you're drooling."
"Whagh?" Vex hadn't exited her stupor yet, until she realized what Pinks had just said. "O-oh," She raised a talon and wiped her beak, taking a hanging string of saliva with it. "I uh... I just..."
"I'm sorry," Pinkie said, sparing her friend from the difficulty of making words. "I shouldn't have done that. I didn't give much warning and- oh, you're probably not even into ponies..." Pinkie Pie comically raised a hoof and beat her head with it. "Stupid, stupid, stupid..."
"What about you," Vex found herself blurting out. Pinkie Pie looked the other way, ashamed.
"It varies. Donkeys, zebras, mules, ponies, griffins, males, females... I'm just attracted sometimes, sometimes I'm not." She cleared her throat before adding softly, "Bunnies on one occasion..."
Bunnies? Vex thought in a moment of clarity. I'll... yeah just forget that. "Well... you're wrong about me."
"About what?" Pinkie asked innocently, cocking her head.
"Pinks, I..." Vex rubbed her head for a moment, unsure how to phrase it. She decided to just throw a brick. "I have a pony fetish."
Pinkie just sat there, dumbfounded. After a second or two, she started to laugh as if she told a joke. "Ohh, ho ho ho, you, you like ponies, but you're straight, I remember that little talk we had."
Vex finally blushed, the situation she was in being drawn way too out. There was no way to convey her feelings that didn't make her sound like a ponce. "No, Pinks. I... I swing both ways, dammit."
Pinkie was just confused now, looking at Vex like she was crazy. "Then what's stopping u-oooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh...." As she finally came to what Vex was saying, they both sat, awkwardly facing each other. "Then..." Pinkie lunged forward, taking Vex by surprise and making her yelp, only she didn't yelp as Pinkie already had her tongue back in her beak. This time, Vex became accustomed more quickly and held Pinkie's mane as they kissed. Vex also didn't close her eyes this time, for reasons she couldn't figure out. However she found Pinkie had her eyelids closed so she decided it must have been normal to do that. After a few minutes, Pinkie awkwardly ended the make out session and looked at the griffin with concern. "Umm... you're not...?"
"What?" Vex asked, delayed and emotionless. It took her a moment to comprehend what she was implying, and when she did, she became embarrassed. "Oh! I- uh. I don't exactly... know... how... to."
Pinkie instantly broke into a finally characteristic huge grin and squealed. "AHH! OH MAI GAWD, A VIRGIN!" Before Vex could even protest, she changed back to her previous demeanor and gave her griffin partner some bedroom eyes. "I guess I'll take the reigns then." She leaned Vex all the way on her back and began to chuckle.
"Uhh," was all Vex could manage through her accelerated heartbeat and nervous adrenaline. Pinkie began to kiss her again, not only on the mouth, but on her neck, on her chest, on her stomach, on her flanks, and finally...
Vex got the hang of it real quickly. |
Pirates of Equestria | Controlled Burn, Wild Blaze (PT 1) | "There's something about watching the campfire slowly crackle into inexistence, it's strive to survive slowly dwindling. Like the meaningless struggle of an old, sick man...."
Chapter 14
"Hello, how you are?"
Scootaloo paused at the strange voice behind her, seemingly directed towards her. She turned to a stallion about her height, which was saying something considering she was pretty damn short. Though at second glance, he was a bit taller. Her brain chugged a bit longer at the strange dark-orange pony's odd phrasing of the question, the meaning obvious but ultimately misworded. "Uh?"
"Scoots!" Scootaloo eagerly turned to the more familiar voice whom she had known for so long. She had to stop herself from smiling as she faced him.
"Hi, Pips," she said casually as she remembered just what she was doing before that orange unicorn popped out of nowhere. She took the polish rag back in her mouth (it tasted awful but such the life of a non-unicorn) and ran it across the handlebars of her newly acquired scooter. It was a dark grey scooter with an aluminum handle and bar. Very expensive looking.
"I'm sorry about mister social here," he apologized as he pushed a very confused Drake behind him. "He's uh... different.
"Hadn't noticed," she spat sarcastically. Drake beamed an ungodly smile.
"Thank you!" he relished at the 'compliment'.
Scootaloo finished just in time to allow herself to glance stupidly at Drake. She then looked back at Pipsqueak with an annoyed tell.
"Yeah," he answered at the implied question. "Anyways, his name is Drake Blaze, and he'll be accompanying us to-"
"Blah blah blahddly blah," Scootaloo finished for Pipsqueak "Listen, you give me this speech every time we get someone new. It's really unnecessary, you goof."
Pipsqueak's face became hot with shame. "N-no it's not, you're first mate! It's your job to know everyone." her crossed his forelegs with frustrated confidence. "Besides, this is that recruit that Luna told me about. He's got talent."
"Well, let me tell you right now, I'm not doing a good job at that whole knowing people thing." She turned back to the unicorn who was content with just observing as they spoke. It took him a moment to realize that the attention was on him; he visibly jumped. "What's small, dainty, and unintimidating got for us here?"
Drake was taken aback by the insult, who naively unexpecting such rowdy behavior from Scootaloo. Pipsqueak just chuckled nervously.
"Uhh, it might be best not to say things like that. He's really... uh... destructive." Pipsqueak turned to Drake, who really just didn't know how to provide any input.
"Uh huh. Right. Well, if we're done here, I got some business to attend to." She took a very odd looking metallic strap off her back and set it on a table next to the scooter. Different tools laid about, some in mid use. Drake couldn't make heads or tails what Scootaloo could be trying to do, despite his technical skills. He didn't have to ask, since Pipsqueak did it for him at that moment.
"What exactly are you doing?"
Scootaloo didn't bother turning back as she explained. "I'm trying to make it so I don't have fumble around with a damn strap whenever I want to use my scooter. Sometimes it would get caught in the wheels and I'd almost fall over."
Pipsqueak knew that by 'almost', she meant 'completely and catastrophically'.
"I'm fitting this strap so I could just snap my scooter into it and take it out as well, without the fasten being too easy to release. Otherwise it'd just fall off my back randomly."
"Yes, yes," Pipsqueak hummed with a half hearted hoof at his chin. "Or, or, you could just carry it around like a normal person," he droned as-a-matter-of-fact-ly.
Scootaloo sighed, knowing that he was joking but being too annoyed to care. "You and I both know why I can't do that."
"Know what?" Drake asked suddenly, his sharp accent extremely out of place.
"She usually doesn't use a sword, she uses that scooter as a weapon," Pipsqueak explained with a little smile on his face. He had to keep himself from laughing after seeing Drake's confused and shocked expression.
"You... ride them to death?" Drake asked quizzically. This caused Pipsqueak to lose all self control and start rolling on the floor, laughing.
"Ugh, come on, don't say it like that!" Scootaloo yelled, and involuntary blush forming. Drake just looked at Pipsqueak even more confused.
"What? What'd I say?"
Pipsqueak breathed in relief after he took his laughter under control. "No, no. In all seriousness, she's pretty good with her scooter. A bit of an understatement, really. Anything I say can't possibly do her technique justice."
"Hell, I'm the best." She turned back towards the two stallions. "My name's Scootaloo for a reason!" She put a pride hoof on her chest as she gloated. She couldn't believe how long it took her to find out the correlation between her name and talent as she remembered her idiotic childhood. She remembered the red scooter that took it's place on her flank and she relished in the old memories of her friends.
Recalling the room she was in, her demeanor instantly changed and she scowled at them both. "Now leave, it's too 'foreigner' in here." She shooed them off with one hoof as she turned her attention back at the workdesk. Drake had an air of indignation about him when Pipsqueak lightly punched him in the shoulder.
"Don't worry, she says that racist crap all the time; she doesn't mean it." He ushered himself and Drake out of the room.
"Pips," Scootaloo yelled without looking away. Drake continued to walk out the door as the captain doubled back. She sounded oddly... serious.
"Yeah?"
"That yellow pegasus..." she said slowly, a hoof still on the strap. She had stopped working.
"What? The one that kicked your ass?" He had hoped a joke would cut the tension that seemed to be forming. Disturbingly, she ignored it, and even admitted to it.
"Yeah... she seemed... familiar."
"I-," he attempted to answer, just as something struck him. He... found that he agreed with it. "Well... now that you mention it..."
"You too?" she asked, turning around, determination laden her face. It was a look she did not wear often. "Ponyville?" she added.
Pipsqueak nodded slowly. "Maybe... it's the only thing that'd make sense... I can't remember, though."
"Well..." Scootaloo went back to her work, her puzzlement completely disappearing from her body. "It's probably nothing anyway."
Pipsqueak could not forget that easily. He simply gazed out the window, his consciousness officially having left the room. "Yeah, probably nothing. Probably."
Pipsqueak clicked his tongue a couple of times and fished another piece of salmon from the pickled jar in his bag. He put his hoof up to Vynn, who was perched on a now fabric covered leg as to not injure the owner. He was tired of people asking why his leg was bleeding. Vynn greedily pecked the salmon from his hoof and finished by nuzzling his neck. Pipsqueak itched under his feathers as a return gesture. It really put a smile on his face. "You're gross for liking this stuff, y'know that? Jeez, these were alive before."
"Yo, Pips, check it out!" Pipsqueak turned just in time to see the small orange pegasus flashily rip a scooter from her back, unfold it, and slamming it on the ground, finishing by striking a pose. After letting everyone admire her poise for a bit, she quickly flung it on her back with a snapping noise, and it stuck. "Easy peasy."
"Wow, nice!" Pipsqueak complemented. He put on a smug face and added, "It'd be more impressive if it wasn't a friggin' scooter." Scootaloo gracefully rebutted with a presentation of her tongue."Wow," he retorted. "Elegant."
Drake oogled at the unique build of the walls and floor. He had never been on a military ship, and it seemed to have been built with the Equestrian princesses in mind. There was simple ornate designs running along the bottom corners of the ship in different shades of white and blue. Gold trimmings were common on edges, and some emblems of the sun and moon were painted in various places. Despite these designs, the ship was mostly practical, never sacrificing efficiency for looks, which impressed the Assian unicorn.
Drake was too busy admiring the environment to notice a peculiar brown earth walking straight towards him. He must've not been paying attention either, since the two collided rather clumsily. With a large thump, they collapsed to the ground. "Ohh, oh, sorry, sorry," Drake apologized first. He nimbly climbed to his hooves and offered one to the stallion.
The Doctor rubbed his head and prepared to apologize as well, while reaching for the unicorn's hoof. As soon as he saw Drake's face, he froze dead center.
"I should really watch where am I going!" Drake continued nervously, trying to stop himself from laughing too loudly. "I was too busy-"
"Who are you?" The Doctor interrupted with an odd gaze on his face. Suddenly, Drake choked on the tension. It had felt like he had been accused of something, somehow.
"Uhh, me? A-am I... Drake, Drake Blaze. I'm new here," Drake tried to answer casually. It wasn't easy with the way The Doctor was staring at him. He desperately tried to avert the gaze.
The Doctor stared, trying to see something he knew was there. The name Drake already rung a bell, but that's not what made him uneasy. There was something... there. Something he could not explain.
The Doctor, lost in thought, kept the gaze as he accepted Drake's hoof and pulled himself up. "There's something about you... something I can't quite put my finger on..."
"Finger?" Drake confusedly asked.
"What are you doing here?" The Doctor asked, this time more down-to-earth.
"O-oh, I... Am I helping this crew with the capture of some pirates," he enthusiastically cheered, before realizing his tone and cowering a bit. "I mean... I'm basically a mercenary... Not that I do that kind of thing normally!"
The Doctor tapped his hoof to his chin a few times, scrutinizing every aspect of the unicorn. Satisfied after a few uncomfortable moments, his attitude suddenly shifted, and he shook the Unicorn's hoof. "Absolutely, then. Welcome to the ship my boy!" He beamed and thrusted his foreleg to his shoulder. He then walked away without another word, leaving Drake completely flummoxed.
When he was out of earshot, The Doctor resumed his suspicious glare and stared at the ground. "That boy is dangerous... I'm sure of it." ... ... ...
...Hmmph... Vex stared at the ceiling for a bit, her mind fogged and her eyes heavy. She turned her head to the left and once to the right trying to muster the strength to move any more than that. The first part of her body to agree with her was her arms, so she covered her eyes with them, inhaling sharply. Something felt strange about her bed, but she could not point out why. There was this undeniable musty comfort emanating from the cot, the hints of a much needed respite post-experienced. Deciding that sitting like a lump in her bed wasn't the most productive thing to do with her day, and the fact her mouth was as dry as an eastern desert, she finally stretched all her limbs (giving extra attention to her wings) and prepared to climb out of her bed. She felt awesome today, despite wanting to stay in bed for some reason, so she shot out in confidence and outstretched her legs to catch the floor. Well she tried to, only to have them her wrists and shins hit something hard and causing herself to crash dumbly to the floor... if it not for it being the floor the thing her appendages had hit.
"The fuck?" she exclaimed groggily trying to gather her bearings and face the assumedly crooked bunk bed she had fallen out of. Disappointedly, she saw the beds in perfect condition, albeit with some messy sheets and misplaced pillows on the bottom bunk. The top bunk remained completely intact.
That was when the gears began to turn in the griffin's head. She must have slept in the bottom bunk last night. But why would she? She obviously liked the top bunk better, being naturally inclined to heights, and she always slept there. What made last night so special?
Oh. Oh god. Vex reached for her forehead to assure herself it was still screwed on to her body. She had realized that last night... her and Pinkie slept together. A billion thoughts and a couple of memories rushed through her head at once, but for some reason the one that screamed the loudest was "ESCAPE!"
Vex did a 180° and made a beeline to the door. She swung it open-
"HI VEX!"
THWACK! Vex instinctively sent her fist upward and it made contact with a pink muzzle. She noticed only afterwards that it was Pinkie Pie, and after an almost comedic wave of blood flew from the poor mare's nose. Pinkie held her nose afterwards and groaned.
"Owwwwwwww..."
Vex retracted her talons and covered her own beak in shock. "Oh, shit, sorry, crap!" Vex awkwardly reached for Pinkie's shoulders and led her into the room. She started fishing for something to stop the bleeding and settled for a large plain-looking sock that she could not recall owning. She put it up to Pinkie's nose while the mare held it in place. "Fuck, I didn't mean to do that, shit."
"It's okay, Vex. I should know better than to open doors to where I live." Although the phrasing sounded like she was being sarcastic, her tone was sincere, oddly enough. After a moment or two of silence, Pinkie gave Vex a pair of bedroom eyes. "This kinda reminds me of last night."
"WHAT?" Vex jumped back, dropping the bloody sock. "H-HOW?!" Vex frantically checked their positions to assure nothing perverse was happening. Pinkie caught the sock and held it up to her nose herself.
"Woah, Vex, calm down, this was nothing like last night." Somewhere, someone lost a bet saying that Pinkie would never tell anybody to calm down. "Do you even remember last night?"
"NO. Yes... sorta." Vex rubbed the back of her head nervously, her being shaken. Vex was slowly getting all her memories back from last night, the next always steamier than the last. Pinkie was utterly baffled for once in her life.
"Then what's wrong? Did you not... enjoy yourself?" Pinkie asked, frowning, more at Vex's expense than her self's.
"YES. No... well," Vex exhaled heavily, drooping her arms low and then raising her talons to rub her temples. She had enjoyed herself last night, very much so, and not without complete consent as well. But that wasn't the problem. "Pinkie, what happened last night... I just..." Vex suddenly exploded, causing Pinkie to jump and impulsively raised hooves in front of her muzzle in defense. "Shit, Pinkie, you just so god damned infuriating!"
Pinkie was actually taken aback, not expecting the sudden insult. Vex continued. "I mean, you're so fucking stupid and ignorant, it's like you don't give a shit!" Vex only then listened to what was coming out of her mouth and decided that this wasn't actually conveying what she was trying to say. "But... you're so damned cheerful all the time... and... you make people laugh. You made me feel like maybe... maybe I shouldn't such a fucking downer all the time."
Pinkie was just flabbergasted, unsure of what to say, her only rational thoughts involving her throbbing nose. Vex frustratingly held her head in her talons and squeezed. "Shit! What happened last night was... it was a mistake.. we need to break this off Pinkie... I don't... like you."
Pinkie cocked her head in one last act of confusion. Vex would've shot herself if she had her pistols. "I don't mean to sound like a cheap romance novel, but I don't like you that way, and I never will." Vex sighed and turned away, ready for the waterworks. But she was surprised to hear giggling. Fuck, did I break Pinkie Pie?
"Ooooooooohhhhhhhh, I see what this is about." Pinkie laughed some more which just continued to aggravate Vex. "Vex, you're not the first person I've had sex with and you certainly won't be the last." Vex's jaw dropped as she turned to face Pinkie once again. "Vex, I thought we both kinda did what we did just for fun. Not because of any feelings."
There was a foreign feeling silence in the room, one that couldn't have been more thick. At least for Vex. "O-oh. Then... I was just chewing on my damn foot for the past couple of minutes, huh?"
Pinkie giggled some more, switching to a cleaner spot on the sock. Another silence fell through, this time more comfortable to wade. "You know, I have to thank you Vex, for what you did."
Vex reared her head in a bemused manner. "Why? You're the one with all the... experience."
"That's not what I meant, Vex," Pinkie laughed in a strangely heavy tone. "I meant... well a lot of thing were going through my head last night, what with Dashie and all..." She sighed and rested her foreleg on the back of her neck. "I guess all I needed was a little affection, after everything... not that you were bad, of course."
"Yeah, whatever."
After another long, tension-free silence, Vex felt compelled to ask something. "So this is going to become a regular thing now, right?"
"Oh, absolutely," Pinkie quickly answered.
"Well you two are pretty late," Patch stated with a smug smirk as he leaned on the wheel of the ship.
"NOWE'RENOT, we'renotlate, are we Pinks HAHA?" Vex... very oddly answered. The captain kind of flinched unintentionally, mostly because of his experiences with Vex and her lack of behaving in such a way. Pinkie somehow completely ignored it.
"I didn't know we had a schedule, Captain."
"No, I kid, it's fine," he reassured, waving his hooves. "'Sides, can't see owt, er, anything under all this fog." Patch worriedly glanced at Vex, who seemed kinda on edge. "Are you okay, Vex?"
"Huh?" Vex blankly looked at Patch like a scared critter.
"She's fine, she just didn't get that much sleep last night," Pinkie answered for her, slyly eyeing the griffin. "And she had a bit of exercise this morning." Vex looked away, blush on her face.
Patch somehow bought it and chuckled, "Oh, well don't push yourself too hard, Vex."
"No promises," Pinkie interjected again, two for two on the innuendos.
"Captain," A voice came from the side, slightly obscured from the fog. "There shouldn't be this much fog, this is a relatively small body of water. And it's warm out."
"Calm down dear Fu'Shy, you worry too much," Patch said cooly, leaning even more casually on the wheel. "This is one of the few times we can all just take it easy, fog's too thick to navigate."
"That's exactly what's so fucking worrying. I can't relax when we're wanted by the entire damned legion. Especially that brown-eyed motherfucker, he's smart."
"Fu'Shy, relax. Even if they did get enough pegasi to form fog, which is a fucking lot, by the way, it's okay to lay back a bit before the ambush. I mean, there's no way to stop us walking into it now anyway."
Pinkie nasally interrupted with a chuckle. "Yeah, bitch, get that stick out yo asshole."
After everyone laughed a bit, Fluttershy rubbed her temples and sighed. "Shut up, Pinks."
Suddenly, the sky exploded, and the air around them melted. "Oh, FUCK!" No one was sure who yelled since everyone was too distracted by the blaze that had erupted on the right side of the deck.
"I fucking told you so!" Fluttershy immediately took off with some other pegasi to get water onto the fire. Vex exploded with rage as usual.
"What the HELL did they just hit us with?" She reached for her chest but disappointingly grasped her feathers. "Goddammit! I gotta get my fucking guns! Patch, you got this?"
"Aye, just hurry!"
Something hit the ship again and it sent Pinkie PIe flying.
"WAUUUAUAGHHHGHGG!" screamed Pinkie as she sailed across the ship. She landed face first into the railing on the other side.
"Holy shit!" Vex exclaimed, paused by the display.
"The fuck is that woman made out of?" Patch asked no one in particular. They went their separate ways, deciding to no longer acknowledge the pink mare's antics.
The ship was hit again, this time with something very large. It shook it enough to actually make the most savvy of sea legs tumble. Gathering his bearings, Patch raced to the source. He saw the front of another large ship, one that seemed very familiar. "Aww, shit! It's that damned kid! How the hell did he find us so quickly?"
"Captain!" Patch looked to the right and saw Pipsqueak rear his ugly head. He growled.
"Fuck you, kid!"
"I'd really rather not captain!" The sounds of fighting began to overshadow their voices. "Surrender is always an option, sir!"
"Maybe for you, kid!"
Pipsqueak's face contorted to solemn frustration. He knew it was going to end like this, but he always had hoped to avoid it. "Fine then, Patch. Have it your way." Pipsqueak rose his shiny new machete and cut the air in front of him. "NOW!"
At once, nearly half of Pipsqueak's ship leapt simultaneously, most of them landing flawlessly on Patch's vessel. Patch cursed under his breath. Fluttershy flew up to him. "Captain, I'm going to the other ship and see if I can get the captain!"
Gritting his teeth, he glanced at the other ship. The crew was very sparse on it, most of them having jumped. He nodded hesitantly. "Alright, but take a few pegasi with you."
"Aye-aye, Captain." She reared herself and took off, leaving Patch alone. He dashed through the fight that had now broken out, weaving himself through the dueling ponies. He kept his eyes on the ground, scanning every piece of exposed oak. He finally found what he sought.
"Miss Pie!" Pinkie Pie, who comically was face-first on the ground, showed that she was largely uninjured as she casually rose her head.
"Sup?" she asked, unconcerned. As endearing as it was, it frustrated Patch to no end.
"Go below deck and fetch Spike and Miss Rarity. Step on it!"
Pinkie saluted and smiled. "Yessir!"
"Fuckin-" Patch began to curse, but was interrupted by a large mass of pony.
"GGGRRRRAGGHH!" the stallion screamed as he took Patch down. Patch felt his lungs crush and the air rush out as they tumbled. Groaning, he bucked the stallion off, making sure to hit him in the stomach. Judging from the grunt he emitted, he had gotten the same treatment as the captain. He landed a few feet away.
"Ugh," the stallion grunted. "You hit hard..."
Patch immediately recognized the stallion as the captain of the other ship. He had not expected him to accompany his crew. Patch laughed breathlessly as he tried to regather his bearings. "That's what happens when you jump into me like an eager school girl." He nearly missed his hoofing as his knees struggled to support him without oxygen.
"Patch," Pipsqueak began, with unwanted informality. "We don't have to do this... If you surrender, we can avert all this violence."
"Just so I can be executed? Just so my crew don't get the amnesty they deserve. No." Patch avoided Pipsqueak's gaze. "What's your name, boy?"
Pipsqueak hesitated to answer. He gave Patch a strange look, one of uncertain trust. "Pipsqueak," he finally answered. "Why?"
"I just like to know the names of those who stand a chance." Patch frowned. "Pipsqueak, huh? Doesn't that bother you?"
"Does it matter?" Pipsqueak answered with confidence. "It's my name. My actions define me, not what anyone calls me."
Patch chuckled, legitimately impressed by the kid's answer. "Is that so? Well then, Captain Pipsqueak, looks like we got a fight ahead of us."
"If there's no other way," he admitted, pulling out his sword. At sight of it, Patch cocked his head.
"Where'd you get that machete?"
"Someone." Pipsqueak didn't bother with the details. "Why?"
Patch smiled and pulled out his own sword. "It's just a strange weapon to use, at least, for someone with position. That doesn't hinder its effectiveness." Patch crouched, ready for any advancement his opposition might have had. "It's also foreign."
"Well it seemed easy to use, and the craftsmanship was superior to the legion's sabers," Pipsqueak explained, half discovering it for himself right then. It bothered him a little that even Patch knew what the sword was when he didn't even know himself at first.
"Indeed... well then... TRY TO KEEP UP!" Patch dashed forward suddenly and delivered the first blow. Pipsqueak wasn't expecting the speed at which Patch advanced, since his large build hinted that he had a lack of agility. PIpsqueak quickly saw this was not the case. His large build also predictably revealed huge force behind his swings, as he nearly knocked Pipsqueaks machete out of his mouth before he even had a chance to retaliate. Patch had already prepped for another swing as Pipsqueak tried to recover. He only had enough time to duck below and dodge his next swing. Pipsqueak felt the air from Patch's scimitar slap him in the face. It even shaved off some his mane. Pipsqueak was in the perfect position to headbutt him in the chest, and did so with impunity. It caused Patch to gasp for air and drop his sword, but he reactively wrapped his hooves around Pipsqueak's neck and squeezed as hard as he could. Pipsqueak also gasped for air and dropped his machete just as the Pirate captain. Patch's awkward position prevented him from effectively strangling Pipsqueak, so he began to lift Pipsqueak by his muzzle. Pipsqueak had underestimated his strength of the pirate, as he was able to slowly lift him off his hooves and slam him down beside them.
Patch reared his hoof dramatically and prepared to clock him in the nose.
Dammit this is gonna hurt. Patch already started to swing his hoof when something stopped him. A large feathery mass came from nowhere and obscured his vision.
"Agh, THE FUCK!" He felt scars and peck wounds appear all over his face as he tried to back away and swat at what he assumed to be a bird of some kind. Pipsqueak quickly thanked his falcon for the intervention and reached for his machete. Quickly taking advantage of the occupied Patch, he charged toward his adversary with blade mid swing. He might have ended it there, but he suddenly blacked out for a moment and woke up a moment later, his ears ringing and his right cheek sore. He was collapsed off Patch's right side, who was trying to recuperate after his little adventure with Vynn. Stood next to him was that foul-mouthed griffin, rubbing her wrists, sporting the most subtle of smirks Pipsqueak had ever seen.
"Thanks, Vex." Patch said, exhaling.
She must've hit him damn hard for Pipsqueak to not even remember it happening. Pipsqueak struggled to retain his balance after his assisted fall, shaking his head to hopefully get rid of that ringing in his ears. "You're not gonna get the jump on me this time, asshole!"
"Isn't this how we met last time- Vex, was it?" Pipsqueak laughed, already winded. "What makes you think you'll win this time?"
"Six pistols, bitch. Each one loaded with ball o' lead with your name on it. I aim to kill this time."
Pipsqueak tried to mask his fear. She wasn't even trying to kill him last time? It sure felt like she did. She punched him in the left cheek last time and he could still feel pain each time he touched it. Even then, it was obvious they were both better fighters than he was, the only way he won last time was improvising. Unless something convenient happened right now, he won't stand a chance.
Out of nowhere, a pair of orange forearms wrapped around Vex's neck, and before she could even curse, the strange pony performed a flawless suplex and rammed the griffin's head straight into the deck.
"Vex!" Patch screamed as he watched in horror. The strange pony stepped away, and ran to Pipsqueak. He didn't speak, only nodding in the Captain's direction, and facing the pirates once more. Vex had began to sit up, holding the split skin that now held its place on her skull.
"Gahhh... Fuck..." she said, phasing in and out of consciousness.
"Sorry about that, pretty griffin lady!" Drake yelled, holding a meek hoof up. Vex was taken aback at the out of place compliment and was strangely offended.
"You son of a..." She tried to protest but found herself in too much pain.
"Are you ready to give in, Patch?" Pipsqueak asked again, this time backed by Drake.
"Fuck off," Patch spat, still kneeling by Vex. Pipsqueak frowned and turned to his friend.
"Blaze?" he asked.
"Yeah?" Drake beamed with enthusiasm
"Convince him."
Drake's face of enthusiasm fell when he understood what Pipsqueak meant. He turned absently at the two nearly hopeless pirates. They obviously wouldn't go quietly. Drake only took one step before the unexpected happened.
A purple mass rammed into the ship, shaking the entire thing, knocking everyone off balance. Drake could have sworn some pink blip flew over his head. An ungodly roar sounded from this purple creature, one that chilled Pipsqueak's sailors to the bones. As Drake stood, he couldn't bring himself to believe his ears. The sound of disbelief ringing from Pipsqueak was staggering.
"You've got to be shitting me! They have a fucking DRAGON?!"
Drake picked himself up and now couldn't believe his eyes. He was quickly running out of senses he could trust. Lo and behold, directly in front of him, there stood a very menacing, very surreal dragon. His position looked as if he was stalking prey, and he had one claw held out to swipe with. He bore large, ferocious teeth with fangs that looked like it could tear apart iron. He cautiously turned to Patch and quipped. "I see you're in need of some assistance."
"Yeah? No shit." Patch shot back, letting loose a small grin.
Spike stared daggers at the orange pony, who was surprisingly not that shaken at seeing a dragon. In fact, he seemed more fascinated by it.
"WOAH!" Drake oozed, making everyone to stare at him in disbelief. "A DRAGON! Hahaha! AWESOME." He giddily jumped and trotted in place with newfound energy. "Amazing, amazing! I mean, I've always wanted to meet a dragon, or at least know about them, but there's no books, there's nothing, and I've always, always, I mean, and now I get to fight one!" Drake's babbling really shook the entire dock's view of Drake. He seemed so dangerous at first, but now? "Ooh ooh! What's your name, huh?"
Spike jumped at the question, unprepared to be asked something so casually by the pony he was to face against. "Uhh... Spike."
"Ooh, hoo! You have to to tell me everything! How were you born? When were you born? What do you eat? Where do you eat? What-"
"Blaze!"
Drake, his grin still taking up half his face, cocked his head innocently at Pipsqueak. "Yes?"
"He's going to kill us," Pipsqueak deadpanned, pointing at Spike.
"Oh, hehe, 'course." Drake smiled sheepishly, and slammed his hoof down in an attempt to act rationally again. "Mr. Spike, I'm Drake Blaze. I wish we could've met in more friendly circumstances..." He eyed the two pirates, the ship's flag, and the assorted duels waging around them. "But you're defending Pirates. I can't condone that."
"Hmph," Spike grunted, lowering his head. There was something about this strange unicorn, something about his attitude, his confidence, that sent spike off. He wasn't cocky, but he had this unshakable conviction the set him apart from all the others. He wouldn't make the mistake of underestimating him. "I don't care for your approval."
Drake's mood deteriorated into a cold stare. He was silent for few moments. "So be it. Pipsqueak? Back up."
Pipsqueak did so without a word.
Slowly, heat formed Drake as the floor below him began to burn. Fire erupted in small areas in his vicinity, but nothing was charred or destroyed. The fire seemed to be contained, controlled. It erupted suddenly engulfing a small circle in flames in which Drake was the center. Spike backed up in confusion, and the two pirates on the ground left their mouths agape.
"That was certainly unexpected," Spike admitted, eyes wide. He returned to his battle stance shortly after.
Drake looked damned serious, which was certainly a change from his shaky start. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, it almost seemed like he was breathing in the fire. "Right then... this'll be an interesting conflict..." He reared himself, and ran. |
My Past Is Complicated | pre | "Hey Sunny," Mom said from behind me. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I just got ran over by a semi truck, it then backed up and ran me over again," I grumbled. "What the hay happened?"
"That Starlight stole your mark. Twilight is chasing her down," I twisted my head to look at Applejack pushing a glass of water my way. "Drink."
"Thanks," I pressed the glass to my lips and started drinking. I pressed myself back against mom. I don't know how I didn't feel her hooves around me. "I'm just gonna go back to sleep."
"Are you sure?" Mom asked. "You've been out for hours. We have your mark thingy." I perked up and looked at her.
"Where?" I asked. Maybe I could get it back on and quit feeling so shitty.
"In the jar. But a certain somebody won't let me break the jar and see if that works," Earth Lyra glared at Moondancer. Moondancer let out an exasperated sigh.
"As I've said, it's risky. While I'm not sure I trust Sunset Shimmer, I would hate to be in her hooves and lose my cutie mark. We are not breaking the jar," Moondancer snapped.
"I need to talk to you all," I muttered. Minuette rolled her eyes and pressed a hoof to my muzzle.
"We get your cutie mark back after Twilight gets back. Then, we talk. And it better be good." I felt mom's hooves squeeze around me tighter as I felt her head withdraw from my mane. Based on the nervous step back Minuette took alongside Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts, Mom was giving them a dirty look.
"Of course, any conversation with you must be good!" Lemon Hearts added hastily with a worried expression.
"I don't have the energy to do anything," I groaned as I laid on my bed curled in a ball. Mom insisted on laying with me so I currently had a foreleg resting on top of me while Derpy sat across from me in a chair reading a book. "I don't feel emphatic for anyone either. Empathy is like my thing! It must be connected to my cutie mark as well as my personality."
"Twilight should be back soon," Mom promised. "Don't worry. This will all be over soon."
"Don't say it like that. Makes me think I'm dying and I don't like that," I chuckled.
"Okay good point," Mom smiled.
"What do you think that Starlight meant by taking away something from Twilight?" Derpy asked worriedly. "She's a pretty crazy character."
"I have no idea. Twilight is a strong unicorn, almost as strong as me. Starlight won't get away with too much," I answered. I may have been exaggerated my magical strength to some ponies but it's true. I'm a little bit stronger than Twilight believe it or not. We did extensive tests when I visited last time before my friends and family came over and I blew Twilight away literally with all the magical tests she and Spike came up.
"I hope so Sunset," Derpy sighed. "It's been quite crazy day."
"Welcome to another day in Equestria," I joked. "We have magical monster attacks on Tuesday, world ending events on Friday. Take your pick." We all three laughed at that.
"What about monster team ups?" Mom asked with a grin.
"Oh those are a national holiday. Happen every other month," I winked with my own grin.
"Have you ever fought any monster?" Derpy asked.
"No unless you qualify the giant ant I found on my bed back in Canterlot near the castle. Which I did tell ponies to make me look better back then," I admitted. It mostly worked. Most asked for further details while others wholeheartedly believed me still to this day. Apparently a lot of ponies wanted to believe the princess' student was a super capable pony. It did help a lot with my image. I just took the story and well exaggerated. If others could do it and get praised for it, why couldn't I? It had made sense at the time. Now? Not so much.
"I'm serious. Have you?" Derpy focused on me with a serious expression.
"Do the sirens count?" I asked curiously. If not, then no.
"Not really. They are just harmless girls now as you said. Aren't they you're friends anyway?"
"Okay then no I haven't. And yeah they are. Sonata is awesome. She reminds a bit of you to be honest. Just a super wholesome shy girl."
"I'm still a bit scared of Adagio and Aria. They are intimidating. Especially after the hallway thing," Derpy admitted.
"What hallway thing?" Mom asked worriedly.
"I'll tell you later," I reassured her and she visibly relaxed. We fell into comfortable silence as Mom started stroking my mane. I oddly loved when she did that, in both worlds
"What was it like?" Mom suddenly asked.
"What was what like?" I asked.
"Getting your cutie mark removed."
"Oh uh you don't wanna know. Trust me." With a sigh, mom rolled me over till we made eye contact.
"You were clearly in pain and I want to know about it. So please tell me." I let out a sigh.
"Imagine getting a part of you forcibly removed like a tooth without any type of pain reliever. It was a burning feeling. I hope you never feel anything like it," I pressed my face into her neck.
"I wish it was me instead of you. It's my job to keep you safe. When I get my hands on that mare, I don't know what I will do." I let out a laugh.
"In this world, it's my job to keep you safe. In your world, you can keep me safe. And be easy on Starlight please." Mom gave me an incredulous look.
"How can you say that? She physically harmed you!" Mom demanded.
"It's what Twilight would do," I said simply. We stared at each for a moment before Mom sighed and nodded.
"Okay. But I'm still going to have a conversation with her."
"Okay that's fine. Just don't scare her too much," I begged. Derpy gave a cough as she pointed out the window.
"It's getting dark. Can I uh sleep with you two again?" Derpy turned red and I tilted my head curiously. She was doing that a lot. I was going to have to ask her about it tomorrow.
"Yeah." Derpy trotted over shakily as she jumped up next to me with surprising agility. We had decided that me being in the middle was the best way to get attention from both of them. Derpy and mom nuzzled me from both sides as I pulled a blanket over us with difficulty. I miss magic. I hope Twilight gets back soon.
"Goodnight you two."
"Goodnight." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter IX | I sighed as I pushed the book into it's spot on the shelf. I figured I might as well help clean up her spare library in the castle while I was here. Had nothing better to do but it would be nice if I had my magic. This must be how earth ponies feel.
"Sunset where are you?" Twilight called out as I finished putting the last book in it's spot.
"In here!" I called back as the library door swung open. Twilight trotted in with my cutie mark in her magic and a sheepish looking Starlight behind her. "Hey Twi."
"How are you feeling?" Twilight gave me a quick hug. My friends and former enemies all stood and watched.
"Like I got ran over repeatedly by a truck," I smirked. "How do we get my mark back?"
"Oh you uh just break the jar," Starlight said softly.
"That's what I've been saying this whole fucking time!" Earth Lyra exclaimed as she threw her hooves up in frustration. "But no, we had to use caution! Caution is bullshit!" We all let out a chuckle at that as Earth Lyra grabbed the jar and smashed it on the ground. My cutie mark floated in the air before it flew towards me as I floated in the air for some reason and a bright golden light filled the room, blinding us all.
"That's more like it," I sighed as I trotted excitedly in a circle, levitating random items near me. "I'm never taking advantage of my magic again."
"I bet," Twilight chuckled. "Starlight has something she wants to say." I looked over at her expectantly as she stepped forward shyly.
"I'm so sorry. For what I did. There's no excuse for it. I know there's nothing I can do to earn your forgiveness but I hope one day you will. And if you don't, I'll understand," Starlight sighed with her head drooped down. I made eye contact with Mom and we had a silent argument.
"It's okay," I trotted forward and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "If you really wish to earn my forgiveness, you can do what I did. I bent over backwards working to earn the forgiveness of the people I hurt. I created a faux Fall Formal for Lyra and Bon Bon for example."
"And that actually worked?" Starlight asked in confusion.
"It did," Earth Lyra wrapped a hoof around Bon Bon. "Sunset wasn't the greatest person but she always left me and the others alone for the most part. It was fun to see Cherry Crash get her ass beat though. Revenge is sweet."
"Sunset!" Mom glared at me. "When was that?"
"Oh uh freshman year," I admitted. "I don't remember what she did. I think she insulted me and I couldn't tolerate that."
"Yeah. Cherry got what she had coming. Especially after she cheated on me," Earth Lyra smirked coldly. "I wish I could have recorded it and watched it over for posterity. Me and Bonnie weren't even dating back then."
"I remember that," Derpy chuckled. "You guys were busy beating around the bush the whole time."
"Funny. I can think of someone else I know doing the same thing," Earth Lyra gave Derpy a smug smile. Derpy rolled her eyes and looked away.
"Can we talk?" Mom focused on Starlight. "I promise I won't be too hard on you."
"Uh sure?" Starlight muttered nervously. Twilight gestured to a nearby room and the three disappeared. I couldn't make out much. Mainly about her not even thinking about laying a hoof on my orange hair or nothing would stop Mom from going after her. I suppose that was not scaring her too much.
"So what now?" Bon Bon asked. "Can we go for a walk or something? I don't like being trapped inside." I gave a shrug and smiled.
"Yeah sure. I can teleport us around since my magic is back. Where to?" I asked curiously.
"Uh any suggestions Twilight?" Bon Bon asked. The mare was standing over the table as her cutie mark was floating on a part of Canterlot along with other of the Elements. I tilted my head at her flank as her cutie mark pulsed.
"Uh Twilight? Your flank is pulsing," Moondancer pointed out.
"Uh go to Sugarcube Corner I guess. Me and the others have a friendship problem to fix. Maybe you guys can watch the Cutie Mark Crusaders and make sure they don't burn the town down again. I think they were going to try getting their cutie mark again. We should be back in a few days. There isn't really a time frame for these sorts of things."
"Yeah my daughter is kinda crazy," Equestrian Lyra chuckled. We all stared her in shock.
"D-daughter?" Earth Lyra stammered.
"Yeah I have two. Scootaloo and Liza. Me and Bon Bon adopted them both," Equestrian Lyra explained. Earth Lyra and Bon Bon stared at each in shock.
"We have to talk about this at home."
"Definitely."
"How did this happen?" I asked curiously. Equestrian Lyra shrugged as she looked at me nervously.
"I found Scootaloo in the treehouse on the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. Me and Bons took her home and after a few weeks decided to adopt her. That was back when Tirek was running around so not long ago. I pressured Bons into adopting Liza so Scootaloo would have a sister," Equestrian Lyra explained. I was slightly worried about that. Maybe our worlds Scootaloo was homeless too. I'd have to investigate that further when I get back. I'd loop Rainbow into it but well Rainbow doesn't see clearly when it comes to the kid.
"Can we talk Sunset?" Derpy asked suddenly. I glanced over at the mare hopping on her feet nervously.
"Yeah sure. We will talk later Minuette and your friends. It's an important conversation."
"Yeah sure," Lemon Hearts said nervously. Me and Derpy started walking down the hall and up to the hallway with the rooms. Figured it was the quietest place to talk.
"What's up?" I asked as Derpy looked at me nervously. "You've been acting nervous around me and getting weirdly red faced all the time. What's up?"
"Ah to heck with it," Derpy sighed and kissed me. My eyes went wide slightly as I kissed back, running my hoof along the contours of her body and wing as I opened the door with my magic of a bedroom, pulling her inside with me. We kept kissing till a cough came from behind us. We hastily separated and spun around, staring at a wide eyed Vinyl and Octavia. We both turned bright red and rubbed the back of our heads.
"Hi?" |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter X | "So what do you three do?" I asked as I settled down on my haunches. We were settled in a tree house while I looked around at the posters.
"We work to get our cutie mark!" Sweetie Belle announced.
"Buck yeah!" Scootaloo shouted.
"Scootaloo! Language!" I admonished quickly. Her moms had asked me to make sure she didn't swear.
"Sorry."
"But yah. We work to get our cutie marks. One day!" Apple Bloom announced as she crossed off something on a board. "All these things on these posters are things we have tried."
"We typically have Liza and Dinky with us but they are busy today preparing for the vote at school. We are headed there soon," Sweetie Belle announced.
"Cutie Mark Crusaders!" A voice shouted as a little colt ran in. "I need your help!"
"What's up Pipsqueak?" Sweetie Belle asked as the three faced him.
"I'm running for Student Pony President and I wanted you three to be my campaign managers," Pipsqueak announced.
"Ooh campaign manager cutie marks! We've never tried that before!" Sweetie Belle grinned.
"How did we try Alligator Wrestlers before campaigning?" Scootaloo asked and I did a double take.
"I'm sorry what?" I asked in disbelief.
"Ah ain't sure," Apple Bloom ignored me as she stepped to Pipsqueak. "We will help yah!"
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle agreed as the three fillies gave each other a high hoof. I think that's what it is called. Sweetie Belle levitated the colt so he could join in and I gave a faint smile. That was kinda cute not gonna lie.
"This way yall!" Apple Bloom galloped and jumped out of the tree house with ease. Lyra had been shocked to find out how far and high ponies could jump.
"This should be entertaining," Bon Bon mused as I stood up to follow. Apparently the CMC needed us to watch them at all times or else the town would be gone according to Twilight.
"Yep," Octavia agreed.
"Our playground equipment took quite the beating during Princess Twilight's fight with Tirek. If you vote me for Student Pony President, I'll go straight to the school board and right this wrong!" Pipsqueak announced as we watched from the sidelines.
"Well I think that's a complete waste of the budget!" I glanced at a small filly with a tiara walking up with a silver filly with a spoon for a cutie mark.
"Oh boy. Here we go," Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.
"It's just like when Twist wanted to fix the broken window that Discord broke. She just wanted to fix it like a normal school house window." Bon Bon let out a soft growl and I looked over hesitantly.
"Even though that's not my sister as I know her, it still makes me mad." Lyra looked at her in shock.
"You didn't tell me you had a sister!" Lyra exclaimed. Bon Bon sighed.
"Yeah dad has custody of her so she's back in Trottingham. Maybe she will come visit."
"But you all know voting for me was the best choice because I convinced the school board to give that window visual appeal!" The filly pointed a hoof at a window and we all stared at a stained glass window depicting her.
"That is probably the most egotistical thing I have ever seen," I deadpanned.
"Think she's related to Rainbow Dash?" Vinyl asked. Lyra snorted a laugh and covered her mouth with a hoof.
"Course, it doesn't hurt her mom Spoiled Rich is president of the school board," Apple Bloom whispered.
"Exactly! Which is why when Diamond Tiara is voted Student Pony President, the school will be putting a statue of her in our schoolyard!" The grey filly announced.
"And here's more ego," Vinyl muttered.
"Silverspoon! That was my secret to share when I won!" Diamond Tiara yanked on her friends hair and I winced.
"I was just trying to help," Silverspoon muttered.
"I don't need that kind of help."
"Haven't we all had enough of Diamond Tiara!" Apple Bloom shouted.
"Do we really need a big statue of her?" Scootaloo asked.
"Especially where our playground equipment goes?" Sweetie Belle added as Apple Bloom gave Diamond Tiara a smug smile.
"A vote for Pip is a vote for the playground!" Pipsqueak announced as I helped levitate him on top of the horseshoe in the playground.
"A vote for Diamond Tiara is a vote for more Diamond Tiara!"
"It's time to make a change. This is our chance, don't be afraid to do what's right. He's it, vote for Pip! We got an opportunity to have fun again. A vote for Pip, and you can join the fight. It's time for a new leader. It's time to make a change. We're here to fight for what we believe. It's finally time we beat her and play a better game. Cause when we vote together. There's nothing that we can't achieve." We flinched a bit and Lyra stared at the three fillies.
"Does this happen often around here? Random musicals?" She asked me.
"Yep."
"I don't believe what I am hearing, I'm the only one you should be cheering. Pipsqueak? Try Pip's weak! Don't you think? But a diamond is perfection, it's natural selection. So your vote better be for me, not the weakest link!" Diamond Tiara growled.
"We'll let the votin decide!" Apple Bloom announced.
"Everypony has their little secrets," Diamond looked at all the fillies as she walked up to me. "I know you do." She gave me a wink as she traced a hoof along my foreleg. "A vote for me will help keep them safe. Like your creepy super strength! Or your mane extension. A little thing I won't mention or those freakish large teeth in your face!"
"And now we resorted to blackmail," Derpy sighed and shook her head.
"Come on ponies don't listen to her!" Apple Bloom shouted.
"Is she like the leader or something?" Lyra mused.
"You could say they spread it equally," a familiar voice chuckled and I spun around, finding myself face to face with the Equestrian version of my mom.
"Hello there me," Equestrian Cheerilee smiled at Mom. "I heard from the Princess there was another me running around from another world and well looks like she told the truth."
"That she did," Mom smiled back.
"You've gotta vote for change. It's time for a new leader. End all the tyranny. Vote now and we can beat her. It's now another day. And we believe in what's right. Our victory is in sight."
"Stop! Everypony who hasn't voted, listen up! Pip makes promises he can't keep. But I can do more. You could really use a new bookbag," Diamond Tiara smiled sweetly and I could easily see through the mask as she held out the bag to a yellow filly and yanked it away. "Cause I'll make things happen that none of you here can afford to do, like, ever! Wouldn't you like a little something sweet? Here's a parasol to hide you from the heat. Who says that I can't be nice? But first there's one thing, an itsy-bitsy little string and voting for me is the price!"
"I've a tiny suggestion that you should be aware. You could probably win this election If you show them all you rea-" Silverspoon started to sing.
"Wow she has a really beautiful singing voice," Octavia commented.
"I don't recall asking you to speak!" Diamond snapped.
"If that's how speak to your best friend, then I know who I'm voting for!" Sweetie Belle shouted after a few moments of stunned silence.
"We'll let honor win out against the tyranny and make a change that will last!" The young unicorn joined her two friends in singing. "It's finally time we beat her and play a better game cause when we vote together there's nothing that we can't achieve!" Equestrian Cheerilee trotted to the stairs of the school and watched the foals finishing their voting.
"School yard politics are crazy," Mom chuckled. "I remember when I was a kid and watching wild stuff."
"And the winner of the election is Pipsqueak!" Equestrian Cheerilee announced.
"I'd like to thank my campaign managers, the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Pip announced as he hugged the three fillies.
"Yes! Campaign cutie marks!" They shouted in unison and looked at their flanks.
"Guess didn't you do as good as you three thought blank flanks!" Diamond grinned coolly.
"I demand you recount!" Diamond Tiara shouted.
"Believe me Diamond Tiara Pip won," Equestrian Cheerilee said with a smug smile. I couldn't help but chuckle at her expression.
"I'll be the judge of that Miss Cheerilee!" Diamond Tiara grumbled as she trotted up the stairs.
"Does she seriously think she changed the votes?" Bon Bon asked in disbelief.
"What!" Diamond screamed as she shot out of the school. "One vote! Silverspoon! You didn't vote for me?"
"No I didn't."
"Ooh betrayal," Vinyl muttered.
"But why? You're my best friend!"
"Am I? Because I tried to help you win this thing and suddenly I couldn't even speak. You could have had a chance at winning this Diamond. Wanna know how? Sorry I'm not allowed to speak!" Silverspoon closed Diamonds open mouth with a hoof. The filly screamed and ran away.
"Wow," Lyra muttered. Silverspoon glanced over at us.
"What? I don't have to follow her drama anymore," Silverspoon announced as she trotted away.
"Good for her," Bon Bon smiled as the Crusaders trotted up to us.
"Hey Sunset?" Scootaloo said.
"Yeah kid?" I glanced at her.
"We were talking about going and checking on Diamond. Just because she's never cared about anypony else's feelings doesn't mean we shouldn't care about hers. Can you guys come with us?" I smiled at the fillies as my friends nodded encouragingly.
"Yeah let's go follow her." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XI | "Hey Sunset," Vinyl nudged me as we trotted through the town and followed the fillies. They knew the town better then and us and apparently knew where Diamond preferred to go.
"Yeah V?" I asked as we peeked around the corner of a house.
"About what me and Tavi saw the other night. You and Derpy a thing now?" Vinyl asked curiously. I quickly glanced around cast a spell, making a bubble around us. "Uh what the hell is this?"
"Only us can hear what goes on here. Nobody else can hear outside the bubble. Privacy reasons," I explained.
"Oh gotcha."
"So after we accidentally used your guys room to have a makeout session, we returned our room. We were so embarrassed we didn't talk the entire way. I never really thought about her that way mainly because I wasn't in the right mindset ya know? I was suicidal and depressed and wasn't in the right place to even be thinking about dating. But now I'm noticing all the little things about her that I like."
"Being in the right mindset is a very good think to have before you start dating anyone."
"I totally agree. But I mean we are dating now right? I mean I kissed her back. That does mean we are dating, doesn't it?" I asked the unicorn in front of me.
"Well did you ask her?" Vinyl asked pointedly. In the background, I could vaguely make out Diamond talking to some older mare and based on the expression on Diamond Tiaras face, it wasn't a friendly conversation. "Just because you kissed her back and for a good five minutes doesn't mean you are dating really. Either she has to ask you out or you have to ask her. Assuming isn't the best course of action."
"You're right," I sighed.
"Surprised you didn't see the signs that she liked you. She wasn't being very subtle about it." I raised an eyebrow and looked at her.
"Did she tell you she liked me?" I eagerly asked.
"Well no. She only told Lyra most likely because they are the oldest friends of the group. It was obvious she is into you though," Vinyl admitted. She adjusted her purple glasses and stared at me with her red eyes.
"Well it's obvious now. She kissed me."
"Then jump for it. We all support it. And I'm sure Cheerilee would too. She's probably seen the signs herself. She loves Derpy already. She's one of her favorite students after all along with you."
"Fair point. I'll talk to her," I sighed as I canceled my spell. "What we miss?"
"Not much," Lyra glanced over at us.
"It's bad enough you lost to that transplant from Trottingham but imagine if you lost to one of those blank flanks," the older mare waved to some ponies walking past. "As a rich pony, you must always think of your social standing. That starts here in Ponyville and spreads throughout Equestria. Don't ever forget that Diamond Tiara. Ever!" We all stared in shock and various levels of anger as Diamond Flinched
"Well now I know where it comes from," I grumbled. "I'm going to go say something to her."
"Listen here Spoiled Rich, you bucking entitled arrogant whore!" Equestrian Bon Bon stormed up to the two.
"Ya know what, I think she has it covered," I gulped.
"Wow Bon Bon," Lyra glanced at her girlfriend. "Your counterpart has a mouth on her." Earth Bon Bon turned a bright shade of red.
"Apparently she does."
"So you three just sit here all day and find out different ways to get your cutie mark?" Diamond asked as she stared at the posters on the wall.
"Well yeah," Apple Bloom agreed as Diamond turned around.
"You three are really lucky," Diamond admitted.
"We are?" They asked in shock in unison.
"Well yeah. You get to explore all these options before you're stuck with something you don't understand," Diamond explained as she looked at her own flank.
"But you've done that right?" Apple Bloom asked. We were spread out across the small clubhouse. With a bunch of mares, it made the once large tree house seem small. So I may or may not have used my magic to temporarily expand it.
"Oh but of course. Because I'm not at all confused about who I'm meant to be or what my role because I already got a cutie that's already on my flank!"
"Uh are ya sure about that?" Apple Bloom asked and I let out a snicker.
"Well that's a weird question to ask," Diamond scoffed.
"What was that face?" Lyra whispered.
"Why are we even here?" Diamond asked.
"Well we heard you yesterday and figured you wanted some company after your mom yelled at you and you lost your best friend," Sweetie Belle explained.
"Were you trying to get your cutie mark in spying? Is that on your little chart?" Diamond demanded.
"No! We were just worried about you," Scootaloo answered.
"Really?" Diamond asked with a startled expression.
"Cutie Mark Crusaders! I need your help again!" Pipsqueak shouted as he knocked on the door. Diamond rolled her eyes with a sigh as Sweetie Belle opened the door.
"What's up Pip?" Apple Bloom asked curiously.
"I went to the school board for the new playground equipment but there isn't enough money. So I went home but there wasn't nearly enough in my little piggy!" He shook a piggy bank and some random items fell out. I think that was a bubble gum wrapper but I'm not sure.
"Aww he's adorable," Bon Bon muttered.
"Don't worry Pip!" Sweetie placed a hoof on his back. "We will go to the school and figure it out for you!"
"Oh I have it all figured out. Our new president will get kicked out of office and I will get reinstated!" Diamond Tiara grinned as she jumped out of the treehouse.
"Oh here we go," Lyra muttered.
"Where is she going?" Scootaloo asked.
"Where do ya think?" Apple Bloom demanded as the two started chasing after her.
"Wait! I'm coming too!" Sweetie Belle shouted. I gave a sigh and looked at the others.
"We should probably follow them."
"Cutie Mark Crusaders, get out of my way. Those ponies need to know the truth and they'll hear it from me."
"Wow there's a lot of singing today," Vinyl muttered as we trotted after them. Being grown up ponies had it's benefits and we could just walk to keep up with them.
"Stop Diamond Tiara, this is not the way
You know you're better than this hostility."
"You don't even know me at all don't understand the meaning of my fall. What my family would think if I ever fail at anything. I'm a diamond that means you'll never break, no matter what be the cost of the path I take. Whatever I have to do to win in the end!"
"Stop, this is not the answer. Wait, and it's plainly seen. Listen, you can redeem yourself. But by helping others, not by being mean. We know you want friends who admire you. You want to be the star with all the power too. But there's a better way, there's a better way. There's so much more still left to learn about yourself. See the light that shines in you. We know you can be somepony else, you can stop right now and try another start. You'll finally free yourself from the dark. And see the light, and see the light of your cutie mark."
"How can they run backwards? That's impressive as hell!" Lyra exclaimed. "Here let me try!" She spun around and started galloping backwards before tripping and falling on her face. "Woah!"
"Maybe you will get it later," Bon Bon chuckled.
"Everypony, I have an announcement!" We all watched as the four fillies approached the crowd near Pipsqueak. This wasn't going to end well I had a feeling. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XII | "Diamond Tiara! Think about what your doin!" Apple Bloom shouted.
"Diamond Tiara!" The same mare who I think was called Spoiled Rich pushed her way through the crowd. "I came here for a school board meeting and this is what I see when we adjourn? My daughter associating with insignificant lowlifes!" I stomped a hoof on the ground and it cracked slightly under the force.
"You show some damn respect you stuck up bitch," I growled. "They have more of a life and a future than you ever will!"
"Sunset!" Mom admonished. "While I don't approve of the language, my daughter is right. You should show some more respect."
"I hate meddling ponies," Spoiled Rich grumbled. "Come along Diamond Tiara!"
"No mother!" Diamond retorted and we stared in surprise. I wasn't expecting that.
"Excuse me?" Spoiled spun around.
"These are the Cutie Mark Crusaders and they are my friends. They will get their marks when they find out their special talent and I guarantee it will be amazing! I decided I want what you don't have. Friends! You raised me my whole life to follow in your hoof steps and be a high horse but not any longer. Now will you please deliver this to father?" Diamond held out a piece of paper.
"Good shit. I wasn't a fan of the kid but I am now," Lyra smiled.
"Of course dear," Spoiled took the paper in her mouth and trotted off.
"I have to thank you Crusaders," Diamond faced the three. "Ever since I got my cutie mark, I've know my talent was getting others to do what I want. I just asked Father to buy the new playground equipment!" She winked at Pipsqueak and high hoofed him. "Bet you didn't see that coming, did you? Everything is going to work out just fine Mr. President!"
"We'll build a playground for all of us to enjoy. So full of games, there's enough for each girl and boy. I want to help and do everything that I can. I'm here to show you I changed. Listen up, here's the plan."
"When she isn't singing about blackmail, she's actually pretty good," I muttered as a wagon stopped at the school and I levitated the boxes out.
"Wow they work fast," Lyra mused.
"Probably paid them to."
"Bring it in! That's right, keep it coming! Hey there, you with the amazing strength. Can you help them move that merry-go-round across the lawn?" Diamond approached a filly. She quickly nodded and lifted it up with her back.
"Woah," Vinyl pushed her glasses up in shock. "Didn't expect that."
"Thank you so much! And you with the super teeth, we need you to help with that teeter-totter. You got it! That's the spirit! There's so much I can do, to help everypony else. I see the light that shines in me. I know I can be my better self. I can free the past. 'Cause now the future's bright for me. My cutie mark has set me free. To do what's right and be the pony I want to be. And be the pony I want to be!" Diamond lifted a board Silverspoon was hammering.
"We have a Diamond Tiara at our school right?" Bon Bon asked Mom.
"Yeah we do. Her mom is pretty much a witch," Mom confirmed as the two started opening boxes. I levitated a flag to a waiting green pegasus who stuck it in the top.
"Makes sense," I muttered. Once again another thing to check up on.
"So Crusaders ah was thinking."
"Dangerous for you," Scootaloo piped in and Apple Bloom glared at her.
"This is serious Scoots."
"Okay we're listening," Sweetie Belle quickly intervened.
"When we help others, they find out their special talent and their role in Equestria and that's so much more important than finding our marks. Don't yall agree?"
"I totally agree! I don't care if I ever get my mark as long as I'm with you three," Scootaloo smiled.
"Absolutely!" Sweetie Belle agreed.
"So what do you say Crusaders? Wanna focus on helping others now?" Apple Bloom asked. The three high hoofed each other.
"Yeah!" A swirling light surrounded three as they floated in the air.
"W-whats happening?" Octavia asked hesitantly. I smirked at the others nervous expressions and gave a knowing wink.
"Wait and see."
"W-what happened?" Apple Bloom rubbed her as the school ponies and Equestrian Cheerilee crowded around them.
"It's your cutie marks," Diamond said in awe. "They're amazing."
"We all got the same cutie marks!" They hugged each other and I maintained my smile.
"You knew that was happening?" Octavia asked me curiously.
"Yep. Reminds me of when I got my mark."
"We've been searching for out cutie mark for a while now. Trying to find out how we fit in. So many ways we've tried before
But we kept on trying more. Cause the Cutie Mark Crusaders don't give."
"Now we know what it took all along," Scootaloo sang.
"And our journey here is never really done," Sweetie Belle added.
"For it is more than just a mark. It's a place for us to start," Apple Bloom chimed in.
"An adventure that has only just begun.
We'll make our mark, show the world what we can do. We'll make our mark, helping fillies to break through to the ultimate reward of a cutie mark."
"Cutie Mark Crusaders, I've got something I need to say. I was headed down a path that was leadin' me astray. But now, I've changed my ideas. You helped me see I care. I'm gonna show the world how much I have to share. You've made your mark and showed me a better way. You've made your mark helped me see how I could change all I thought I ever knew of my cutie mark!" Diamond Tiara hoof bumped the three eagerly.
"All right, everypony! Get ready for the biggest cute-ceanera celebration ever!" Pinkie screamed. The others had gotten back early last night from their friendship problem thing. Apparently it was a crazy one according to Dash.
"How did we get here so fast?" Bon Bon asked.
"Time flies when you're having fun," Lyra winked.
"What's a cute-ceanera?" Mom asked me.
"It's a party fillies and colts get when they earn their cutie mark. Everypony gets one. Rich, poor, homeless. Nopony is left out. I had one."
"Oh, sugarcube, if Mom and Dad were here, they'd be so proud of ya," Applejack hugged her sister as her brother wiped away a tear.
"Never thought I'd see Big Mac cry," Vinyl mused.
"Oh thanks Applejack," Apple Bloom turned faintly red.
"Now go on and party with your pals!"
"I'm so proud of you little buddy. You've taught me a thing or two," Rainbow hoofbumped Scootaloo as Equestrian Lyra and Equestrian Bon Bon hugged the filly.
"You've inspired everypony around you
And you've inspired me too," Rarity held Sweetie Belle chin up with a hoof as the filly blushed.
"You've made your mark. Done Equestria so proud. You've made your mark, and we're here to sing it loud. For the ultimate reward of your cutie mark."
"This is insane," Lyra muttered. "So cutie marks just appear?"
"Yep! Only when you find what you're meant to do in Equestria!" I explained as we crowded around a table in Sugarcube Corner.
"Well, what do you think, Crusaders? Were these cutie marks totally worth waiting for or what?" Apple Bloom announced.
"Yeah! I can't wait to see who we're gonna help next!" Sweetie Belle agreed as she bit a cupcake.
"We started out just three Crusaders driven to see what we find in our hearts, discover our destiny. And here we are, best friends about to start it again. An adventure that never will end. We'll make our mark, helping fillies most in need. We'll make our mark so each one of them succeeds. Cause the ultimate reward is a cutie mark."
"Where to next?" I asked the others curiously.
"Where you grew up!" Mom suggested with a grin.
"I have dinner at Lyra's tomorrow night. We can go then," I promised. Hopefully I didn't get judged too much when I took them there.
"Sounds good."
"Pretty amazing right?" Equestrian Cheerilee asked as she stared at the CMC and wiped a tear away.
"Are you okay?" Mom asked.
"Yeah. It's just I watched these three grow up. I've known them practically their whole life. When I lost my daughter, they filled that hole. And now they got their cutie marks. They're growing up. And I can't help but wonder if my daughter would have had her mark by now. What she would be good at. It's hard to see this but at the same time I'm so proud of those three." Mom sighed and looked away as her counterpart absentmindedly rubbed her stomach with a hoof.
"Let's go get some tea," Mom suggested.
"Okay." Mom looked back at me as the two started to trot away.
"I'll meet you all back at the castle. Have fun and stay safe." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XIII | "So Derpy," Sunset settled into her bed and she rested her hooves behind her head. It was just us in the room because Cheerilee was in the main library talking with Twilight and the others.
"Yes Sunset?" My eyes flicked over to her nervously. I was resting on my own bed reading a book. Fluttershy recommended some nature books in Equestria. They had some pretty crazy creatures. It's insane how the ponies here have survived as long as they did.
"So about the other day when we kissed, what does that make us?" Sunset asked hesitantly. I had been waiting for this question to be honest.
"Well we're obviously dating aren't we? I mean I assumed that's what was going on since you kissed me back," I responded.
"I said the same to Vinyl and she told me assuming didn't really mean we were dating for some odd reason. I always thought it did but I can see how it can be misleading," Sunset rolled over and faced me.
"If we both assumed we were dating, then why have you been avoiding me these past couple days? It hurt my feelings," I asked. Sunset's face fell as she stood up and trotted over to my bed.
"Can I join you?" She asked cautiously. I shrugged and lifted the edge of the blanket with a hoof. She jumped on the bed and laid on her side next to me. "I didn't mean to hurt you trust me. I was busy thinking about all this. I should have been more open with you. But I want this."
"You really want me?" I gave her a skeptical look.
"Well duh."
"But why? I'm a retard with a messed up eye. Nobody would like that." Sunset pressed her hoof against my mouth before I could continue and she gave me a dirty look.
"Don't ever talk bad about yourself like that again. You are not a retard. You're a smart, beautiful young women." She removed her hoof and stared at me expectantly.
"Am I?" I asked softly. "I have a faint lisp, I'm afraid of the dark a tad bit and I'm clumsy." Sunset rolled her eyes and hugged me.
"You are yes. Screw what other people say about you," Sunset focused on me. "Only your friends and you are important. And family."
"Thanks Sunset."
"So since we both assumed we're dating, does that like make it official?" She asked after a few moments of silence.
"I suppose so. I haven't really dated much."
"Me neither," Sunset admitted and gave me a wicked look. "Since we're dating, wanna make out again?" I gave a quick nod and she pressed her muzzle against mine, pressing her tongue against my teeth and I opened my mouth to allow her tongue entry. At first it was an odd feeling but I have a feeling I'm going to get used to this very quickly.
"So Sunset," Equestrian Lyra sighed as her eyes flicked nervously to the unicorn mare. "You hurt us all. Especially when we tried to be your friend after you made that vine to ace your entry exam at Princess Celestia's school. You implied we weren't worth your time and were stupid." Minuette, Moondancer, Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine sat next to Lyra along with Bon Bons counterparts. I sat next to Sunset watching silently. Sunset had offered me to come along as her date.
"And Moondancers sister," Lemon Hearts chimed in as she stared at her plate. "What was said was completely uncalled for. We just wanted to be friends and you yelled at us like we were beneath you." Thankfully Equestrian Octavia was looking after Liza and Scootaloo for tonight so we all could talk.
"I know what I did and said was wrong. I never should have spoken to any of you that way. I know nothing I can do will ever truly make up for how I acted that day. I just hope one day you will forgive me and we can work to being friends like you all wanted," Sunset sighed as she held my hoof. "I'm trying to be a better person and a pony. Not just for my sake but for those around me."
"I didn't know Sunset for long. Only five years or maybe six but I can vouch for her. She's truly changed from what she was freshman year of highschool," I added as they all looked at me. "I trust her with my life. You can trust her. Just like Lyra, Bon Bon, Octavia and Vinyl. Hell, Cheerilee even adopted her."
"Wait really?" Minuette asked in surprise. "That mare is your mother?"
"She's one of them. My Equestrian mom is still out there in my hometown I think," Sunset admitted. "Cheerilee is one of the most important people in my life, alongside Derpy here."
"I never took you for bi or anything," Twinkleshine commented. Lyra gave a cough and looked away with red cheeks.
"I did," Lyra admitted. "Remember when you stole that alcohol once?"
"Uh yeah?" Sunset said. "I kissed a random mare and I didn't remember who it was. I still don't remember who."
"Yeah that was me," Lyra rubbed the back of her head. "We both got really drunk. I wasn't a huge fan of you back in school because of the obvious reasons but I wasn't about to turn down free booze." We all stared at her in shock.
"Should we tell our Lyra about this?" Sunset asked me.
"Absolutely not. If she and Bon Bon found out they would be confused as heck."
"Or try to invite me to a threesome," Sunset smirked. Equestrian Bon Bon turned a bright shade of red while her marefriend snickered.
"They better not. Besides, Bon Bon is super shy. She would never even bring up the topic to Lyra about it. And you better not be having sex."
"Fair point," Sunset admitted. "I'm not don't worry."
"We've decided to give you a chance," Moondancer announced. "As a token of our friendship, we give you this necklace. Originally it was for Lemon Hearts but she didn't like the red. I would get you a new one but all the shops are closed," She levitated a red necklace with a red gem and a zebras head etched in the middle in the air and gently place it around Sunset's neck. Sunset's eyes instantly flashed red but it happened so fast I wasn't sure I ever saw it. "We don't know what it is to be completely honest. We found it in a store sitting in the bottom of a box. The store owner didn't know what it was either."
"Never seen anything like it!" Lemon Hearts chimed in.
"For real. It was crazy cool," Twinkleshine smiled warmly at the two of us.
"I'm starving. Let's eat," Minuette grinned. "Do you need help bringing anything out Bon Bon?" The cream mare shook her head.
"You're my guests. I couldn't ask you all to help me. It's rude. But I can ask my marefriend. Come on Lyra." Lyra sighed and stood up.
"Coming love." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XIV | I sat on the train cars seat, admiring my necklace in a mirror. I never really cared about jewelry much before but I wasn't about to turn away a gift. I was really moody for some odd reason recently and I'm not sure why. Never to my friends or mom of course but random ponies yes.
"We're on trains a lot recently," Lyra commented as she stared excitedly at the countryside passing by rapidly. "I've never been on a train before till we came here."
"Really?" I turned and faced the unicorn. "It's the fast and most common way to travel here."
"What about flying?" Lyra asked. It was just me, her, Mom and Derpy awake. I was currently pressed between mom and Derpy. Vinyl and Octavia were asleep next to each other and Bon Bon was asleep on Lyra.
"Uh Lyra? I'm a unicorn, not a pegasus or an alicorn. I don't have wings," I reminded her as I pointed at my side.
"Okay fair but like what about blimps or airships?" She curiously inquired.
"We do have those but they're expensive and cramped. Unless there's massive ones but you should avoid those ones."
"Why's that? More expensive?"
"Griffins. It's very rare here in Equestria but they kidnap ponies. Ransom, sex trade stuff like that. Like I said, it's rare so don't worry."
"That's awful," Derpy shuddered. "Where are we going anyway?"
"Where I grew up. It's a bit of a strange place," I admitted. "Well not really. It's a farm town. Very small part of Equestria."
"You grew up on a farm?" Mom tilted her head to the side.
"No. I grew up in the town but I did sometimes volunteer and help out on some farms. I didn't really became the way I was until I moved to Canterlot and got a taste of being Celestia's student."
"What's it called?" Derpy asked.
"What's what called?" I asked in confusion with a raised eyebrow.
"The town we're going to currently," she clarified.
"Oh. Brushwind Village. Like I said it's a super small town. Not even on the maps anymore unfortunately according to the current ones I've studied at the castle before we left,"I nuzzled my girlfriend. Kinda crazy to think about how I have one now. I never expected to be in a relationship again after Flash. Not that he was a real relationship technically anyway.
"That's sad. What's in it?" She asked after nuzzling me back.
"Farms. Uh a fruit stand. A museum about the town. That's about it."
"So this should be a quick trip is what you're saying?" Lyra asked as she glanced back from her window watching. "That sucks."
"Potentially. I do know a spell where I can go back in time and relieve the memories. We don't have the ability to touch anything so we are safe from messing up the timeline accidentally. It's an unorthodox approach sure but it's a quick one. All I need is to touch something I owned as a kid. Which shouldn't be hard, I think the house is still there. My Equestrian mom might even still live in the town. I'm not sure. After I became Celestia's student, I didn't have time to send letters. It was just her and my brother after I left."
"That's cool. I'm totally down for that!" Lyra grinned eagerly. I rolled my eyes and grinned back. I knew she would be down for anything as long as she got to see me using my magic.
"Speaking of magic, you and Vinyl have gotten really good at teleporting and all other spells I taught you. I'm impressed." Lyra turned a faint shade of red at my compliments.
"Thanks Sunset."
"Do you plan on seeing your pony mom?" Mom asked me with a curious look as she straightened my mane.
"I'm not even sure she lives there anymore," I admitted. "I don't know. I honestly don't know."
"What happened here?" I said in awe. We all stood in the middle of my small hometown. It was half falling apart with some construction ponies working on some houses. "It looks like the pegasi let a tornado loose through here."
"Still insane to wrap my head around that you guys can control the weather," Vinyl muttered. "Must be freaking nice." I let out a chuckle at that.
"I know right. Let's go this way," I eagerly trotted down the dirt road. Man the memories I had on this road were insane. Walking home from elementary school with dad or mom. I learned how to levitate stuff right here near the river. "The house I grew up in should be this way still." I lead my friends, no not friends. Family is what they are now. I lead them down the dirt roads till we came up on a small house and I wiped a tear away hoping no one noticed.
"Are you good Sunny? You're crying," Bon Bon pointed out as Mom looked over with a worried expression. Might as be honest.
"I never thought I'd see this house again. So many memories here. Learning how to teleport and such. My dad died in this house," I admitted. "It hurts to see it falling apart."
"And for sale apparently," Vinyl commented.
"What?" I demanded as I glared at the sign jutting out of the ground. "Since when? I thought my brother owned it."
"Is that Sunset Shimmer?" I spun around and stared at two pegasi flapping their wings with shocked expressions.
"Helia? Peppermint?" I asked before I was tackled in a hug.
"Buck, man. It's been years!" Helia giggled.
"Damn right!" Peppermint Goldylinks grinned as she hugged me tightly. "You gonna introduce us Sun?" I pointed to each of my friends as I named them.
"That's Lyra, Bon Bon, Octavia, Vinyl, Mom and my marefriend Derpy."
"Pleased to meet you all," Helia giggled again as she waved eagerly to my friends.
"Are you here to see your mom?" Peppermint asked me. The way she said it made me tense up.
"Is something wrong with Ma?" I asked cautiously. My old friends faces fell as they looked at each other.
"She hasnt heard yet."
"Heard what?" I demanded.
"She's in the hospital. It uhm doesn't look good," Helia looked away. "We've been visiting her often."
"She misses you," Peppermint sighed sadly. Mom wrapped a hoof around me tightly in a hug as I processed this information.
"Take me and Sunset to her." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XV | "She's in there. We will give you all some space," Helia nodded in our direction as Sunset and Cheerilee entered the room. Helia and Peppermint trotted off talking, tossing nervous glances back Sunset's way.
A white unicorn mare with a fiery mane or what remained of one was laying in a hospital. For a magical world, hospitals weren't all that different from our worlds. Guess some things stay universal no matter where you go.
"Who is it?" She sounded surprisingly cheerful for someone who was dying. I hope I'm that cheerful when I'm on my death bed.
"Me," Sunset said simply as the mare forced herself to sit up, wearing a shocked face.
"Sunset? Is that really you?" She asked in awe.
"Yeah it's me. How ya feeling?" Sunset quickly sat down in a chair next to her.
"Like I got ran over by a wagon, it backed up and ran me over again," The two chuckled at that. "I never thought I'd see you again."
"Well I'm here now. For a good while. And I have some friends I'd like you to meet," Sunset nodded at us as the unicorn glanced over at us with a smile.
"Hello there," she gave a wave. "What are you names?"
"I'm Bon Bon," I smiled at her.
"Lyra."
"Octavia."
"Vinyl."
"Derpy."
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Hearths Warming."
"You're named after the holiday?" Lyra tilted her head to the side curiously.
"I was born on that day. My parents kinda took the easy way out," she admitted sheepishly.
"How much do you know about what happened?" Sunset asked quietly. "Did the Princess tell you much?"
"She told me everything. About you running to a different dimension I think she called it. I assume these are your friends from that dimension." Sunset looked away with a frown.
"I'm sorry for abandoning you. I'm a horrible daughter. Never should have done it. I should have stayed here in the town with you."
"Don't say that about yourself. Everypony makes mistakes. It's just part of being pony," Hearths Warming chided.
"Now I know where Sunset gets her optimism from," Derpy whispered.
"Oh and Derpy is my marefriend. I don't know why I'm saying that but I am," Sunset smiled as she held her hoof.
"About time," Lyra muttered with a smirk.
"So you know about me running to that other world. If I introduce you to someone, would you be angry if I said she adopted me?" Sunset asked cautiously. She let out a sigh of relief when her mom adamantly shook her head.
"I'd say I want to meet her."
"She's right next to me. Her name is Cheerilee," Sunset nodded to Cheerilee who had been watching quietly.
"Hello," the two quickly shook hooves. "I appreciate you looking after her for me. She can be a handful." The mare let out a cough into her foreleg. "Look after her for me please. No matter what."
"It's not a problem," Cheerilee chuckled. "She can be one at times yes. She has made my life so much better and I'm very happy she's in it. You have a wonderful daughter." Sunset turned a bright shade of red. "And I will, don't worry. You would have to kill me to separate me from Sunset."
"You're embarrassing me," she muttered.
"That's a mother's job," Hearths Warming smiled faintly. "Like the time you jumped through a cake at your fifth birthday party in an attempt to find the vanilla filling."
"I thought we agreed to never speak of that again," Sunset grumbled with a smile of her own.
"Please tell me you have a picture," Vinyl gave Sunset a mischievous smirk. "So we can keep it for posterity's sake."
"I hope she doesn't," Sunset glared at Vinyl.
"Actually I do," the mare shakily levitated a picture book as Sunset quickly helped levitate it down. "Thank you dear. My magic isn't what it used to be." Sunset looked away nervously before speaking.
"No problem. I will let them see this picture," Sunset grudgingly said as we crowded around the mare to look. And sure enough, there was a young Sunset with a pout in the middle of a cake. Me and Octavia let out awws while Derpy smiled. Vinyl and Lyra burst out laughing as Cheerilee peered over Sunset's head and patted her on the head.
"You looked adorable!" Derpy announced.
"Looked?" Sunset stared at her and feigned an offended look. "I'm not adorable anymore?"
"Adorable is for children. Beautiful is for grown ups," Derpy answered as Sunset turned red again.
"I guess I can accept that as a reasonable answer," Sunset smirked.
"I hope your life is a happy one Sunset," Hearths Warming coughed out. "Just like mine was."
"Is," Sunset automatically corrected her. "Your life is. You're gonna beat whatever this annoying illness this is. I got my stubbornness from you after all."
"No you definitely got that from your father. I'm not stubborn at all."
"No dad was the one with the arrogant streak when he was a kid," Sunset smirked.
"Ah yes he had both. I'm the inspirational one," the older mare proclaimed with a cocky grin. "I will stand by that forever."
"I agree with that one. You have inspired me a lot," Sunset admitted. "Where is my brother?" Sunset had a frustrated look on her face when she mentioned him. She had briefly told me alone that she was beyond pissed he wasn't here with their mom. She was just hiding it so her mom didn't see her angry which I honestly thought was sweet.
"Crystal Empire I believe. Either that or Canterlot. One of the two," her mom replied and stared at her seriously. "I'm very proud of you by the way. You're a gorgeous young mare."
"Thanks Mom," Sunset slowly rubbed her cheek against hers. "Means a lot to me." I gave a sigh as the two hugged.
"Let's go," I gently pulled on Lyra. "Cheerilee and Sunset need some mother daughter time right now."
"Why?" Lyra gave me a confused look as Octavia covered her mouth with a hoof. "You said we could stay till the end."
"It's over Lyra. She's gone," I said quietly. I nodded to the mare. She had long since gone quiet and there was a flat beeping sound.
"Mom?" Sunset muttered into her fur.
"Let's go. We can go get coffee everyone." Octavia gave a slow nod as she and Vinyl exited the room quietly. Octavia gave a final look at Sunset before making room for us to walk out.
"Are you sure we shouldn't be here for her? What if she needs us?" Derpy asked worriedly. I gave a last look into the room at Cheerilee hugging Sunset who was making muffled sounds from behind as i ushered Derpy and Lyra out.
"Yeah I'm sure." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XVI | "Ya know, never in my life did I think we would be attending a funeral of a pony we just met," Lyra commented as I tucked my legs under me.
"Yeah me neither. Sunsets pretty upset about it. It was nice of the Princess to make this hotel aware of our visit before hand and get is our own rooms," I sighed. "Aren't they cremating her so Sunset can keep the ashes? I thought that was what Sunset asked us to help set up."
Sunset was making the main arrangements with Cheerilee so we all offered to help with the other necessary arrangements so she didn't have to do it alone.
"Yeah she did," Lyra answered as she shoved her face in my mane. It was a bit to get used to having to call it a mane. Don't even get me started on having a tail or being naked essentially. I practically kept my tail pressed between my legs for a while to keep my private bits hidden till Sunset showed me the proper way to keep them hidden. Thank God for unicorn pony friends. "I've never seen her like this before."
"Have you noticed her eyes?" I asked. Lyra pulled her face out of my mane and looked at me curiously.
"As much as Sunset is my friend and I adore her, I prefer to look at your eyes. What about them?"
"They have a reddish tinge to them instead of her normal eye color. Derpy has noticed it too. It's weird."
"Huh," Lyra rubbed her chin with a hoof. "I haven't noticed that. Are you sure it isn't the light reflecting when she's looking at her necklace? That's my guess at least."
"Lyra, it only happens when she wears it. It could be some weather thing here but it does some a tad bit weird. She loves that thing according to Derpy and Cheerilee. She even sleeps with it on some nights according to Derpy."
"They're sleeping together now?" Lyra asked as she kissed my neck. "Moving pretty fast."
"Not like that you dirty minded girl. Like how we do," I gently pushed her side. "Ya know, cuddling and all."
"Oh okay," Lyra muttered as she kept kissing down my stomach.
"Seriously? We have a funeral to attend soon in a few days and you want to have sex?" I smirked at her as she froze.
"Well uh not if you don't want to. I mean we've done it multiple times as humans never as a pony. This is science," Lyra proclaimed with a smile of her own.
"Hm is that what we are calling it?" I rubbed a hoof against my chin in thought.
"Uh yes?" Lyra offered weakly. "We don't have to of course."
"Go for it. We haven't had alone time like this since we got here a week and half ago," I would be lying if I said I wasn't interested in this experiment to be honest. Lyra gave me a nod as she kissed me between my legs. "Oh god."
"Shush. We don't want the others hearing us." I bit my lip and nodded as Lyra's tongue slipped inside me. It was completely different from a human, felt more rough and longer. Plus wider.
"T-that's good Lyra. That's amazing," I stammered out as I rubbed her mane with a hoof. Suddenly the door swung open and Lyra's eyes widened before she shot up next to me, our faces burning red. She quickly covered us both up with our blanket as Octavia stared at us with a slowly growing blush.
"I uh hope I'm not interrupting anything," she mumbled. "But uh Sunset wants to see us all when she gets the ashes. It's near the diner in the town."
"You are," Lyra grumbled under her breath quiet enough that she wasn't heard. "I was just getting to the good part." I subtly nudged her with a hoof and shook my head slightly.
"You aren't interrupting anything," I smiled warmly. As much as I wanted to continue what we were doing, this was important also. "Did she say what was going on?"
"Not really. Just that she wanted us to be with her and her mom when she received the ashes. Apparently it's weird for unicorns to be cremated in Equestria. Most get put in family crypts in cemeteries," Octavia answered. "Pegasi get put in clouds or their ashes spread on them. Earth ponies just get buried or put in crypts too."
"Interesting. Is Twilight coming like Sunset said?" I asked.
"Yes," Octavia nodded. "She is bringing Starlight with her as well. Figured she could get her out of Ponyville for a bit and explore some of Equestria. Change of scenery and all. Sunset is surprisingly fine with it. She even encouraged her to bring Starlight."
"You know what I don't get? Is why Starlight only took her cutie mark and magic away. Not me, not Lyra and not Twilight's. Specifically Sunset," I rested my head against Lyra's.
"I can explain that one," Lyra commented. "Sunset told me that unicorns can naturally sense strong unicorns in a room. Sometimes they use it to find mates back like hundreds of years ago. I can sense how powerful Starlight is. Same with how strong Sunset and Twilight is. Me and Vinyl had a long conversation about trying to figure what the hell we were feeling when Sunset overheard us and explained it. She only took Sunset's because she was slightly stronger than Twilight and knew that it was going to be a problem. Hell, apparently they tested Starlight too and she's a bit stronger than Twilight when it comes to magic. Same level as Sunset."
"That's fascinating," I mused. "Can you lead the way Octavia? That way we don't have to risk getting lost." The grey mare nodded as she absentmindedly adjusted her bow.
"Yes. How do I look? This is an important occasion and it's of utmost importance that I look respectable," Octavia looked at us. Lyra rolled her eyes.
"Tavi, we are naked. You look respectful enough with your bow. Leave your mane how it is. Looks fine as it."
"Thank you Lyra. I did not mean to be Sunsetting as you and Vinyl so elegantly call it. I shall be outside your room," Octavia quickly stepped out.
"Well at least we don't got to get dressed like we would back home. Sunset wants a low-key thing with just her friends and mom she said," I said as we climbed out of our bed. Lyra nodded as she quickly brushed her hair.
"Yeah. We have something to finish later tonight as well. I intend on finishing what I started." Lyra gave me a mischievous smirk. My cheeks felt warm and i rolled my eyes. Lord help me.
"Alright I think I'm good."
"Me too," Lyra's eyes trailed up and down my body. I smirked and walked out of the room to a waiting Octavia. I love the attention I get from Lyra, let me tell you. In more ways than one. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XVII | I silently stood and waited as the unicorns in the other room finished up with the urn. My friends were standing quietly behind me with the exception of Derpy who had her wing resting on my back. Mom stood on my other side, nuzzling me slowly.
To say this was hard was an understatement. The universe is cruel and evil. It doesn't give a damn about us. Not a single one about any of us. Thankfully I had some good support. All my friends had helped me with this and spread the work out amongst each other equally. Lyra and Bon Bon gathered flowers. Derpy helped Vinyl and Octavia get Helia and Peppermint to keep the skies cloudy above town alongside comforting me. Starlight helped Twilight create a to do list for us all alongside meeting people but Starlight didn't really hit it off with anyone unfortunately.
"Miss Shimmer?" An ashy grey earth pony in a suit stepped out with a unicorn mare wearing a black dress. She levitated a white urn with a black stripe on the top and bottom with the initials HW in black cursive in the middle.
"Yes that's me," I said calmly as I could.
"You have our deepest condolences," the mare said sympathetically as she smiled warmly at me. As much as I wanted to believe they meant it, they most likely rehearsed it. "Your mother was an amazing mare."
"We wish you and your family the best," the stallion gave me a subtle nod. The mare levitated the urn to me and I slowly took it in my magic. I sighed and decided to play along.
"Thank you. It means a lot to us all," I forced a smile on my face. The two nodded before disappearing behind a closed door.
"How ya holdin up sugarcube?" Applejack asked quietly. I was kinda surprised the rest of the Element's accompanied Twilight here. I was even more surprised when Lemon Hearts, Moondancer, Twinkleshine and Minuette came. I didn't even expect that. I only really planned for two. Applejack apparently decided to leave her hat behind for the occasion.
"I'll be okay," I lied and her eyes narrowed slightly before she nodded.
"Alright. Ah'd love to stay longer but ah gotta back. It's been a nice few days with ya all," she nodded to my group.
"Thanks AJ," I sighed as she patted my back.
"If ya ever need anything at all, come and get me," Rainbow Dash flapped her wings above me. "We can go get drinks and hang out. Talk ya know."
"You got it," I smiled. Lemon Hearts and the others gave me nods. In Minuettes case she just hugged me as they left. They had their own jobs unfortunately they had to get back to.
"See you darling," Rarity patted my back as Fluttershy smiled at me before the two left with Pinkie dropping a present at my hooves before trotting away.
"Hey Sunset," Twilight nuzzled me. "I'm very sorry. Anything I can do?"
"Nah I'll be good. Thank you though Twi."
"Okay. I know this might be a bad time but can I leave Starlight here with you for a few days? Might be good for her to get away from Ponyville. She's been having trouble with the townsfolk."
"It's okay. Yeah sure," I sighed. "Not much for her to do here." Starlight was sitting quietly in the corner trying to make herself seem small.
"Between the two of us, she still feels guilty about what happened. I just want you to practically reassure her that it's okay," Twilight whispered in my ear. "Even if you don't, it's important to me."
"I'll try."
"You sure you're okay?" Derpy asked as we laid in the hotel bed. I was curled up on the bed with her hooves around me as I stared at the urn. Starlight was sitting in a chair reading a book quietly while mom was asleep in the other bed.
"I'm getting there," I admitted. I had cried out all my tears so now I was just pretty much lifeless and going on autopilot I guess. "It's hard to wrap my head around ya know? She was only in her fifties. Thought she had more time."
"I understand. You have all of us here though. I was surprised that many people came," Derpy said.
"Me and you both. I expected only Twilight, Starlight and Spike."
"Well you got em all. I'm happy they all came. Even your new friends from that school."
"Yeah. Hey Starlight?" The mare flinched and looked at me.
"Uhm yes?" She asked cautiously as her eyes flicked nervously between me, Derpy and moms sleeping form. "What's up?"
"Your hair looks nice. Who did it?" I asked curiously. "And why?" I had already knew the answer. I just wanted to hear it from her. Apparently she wanted a new manestyle to help show she's changing.
"Uh I wanted to prove I was changing so I got a different manestyle. The first thing on a step to redemption is changing your personal appearance. And I had Rarity do it."
"It looks very nice," Derpy smiled. "Suits you well."
"Why are you being so nice to me? I attacked you in front of your mom, marefriend and friends. I was awful." Me and Derpy sighed and made eye contact.
"Did Twilight tell you what I was?" I asked softly. Starlight looked away and gave a faint nod.
"She told me yes. Figured you would be a good influence to help me along my redemption."
"Typical Twilight," I rolled my eyes. "Always an optimist." Derpy flinched and I squeezed her tighter. I still can't believe I got as a lucky as I have. She was a damn good woman.
"You okay?" I asked cautiously. Hopefully I didn't do something wrong accidentally without knowing.
"Yeah I'm good. Just relieving the day that happened."
"It was a pretty bad day. For us all," I admitted.
"Do you guys want anything?" Starlight asked hesitantly. "I want to walk around town. Alone to think."
"Bring mom and Lyra. I saw some griffins around earlier and I got a bad feeling about them. Strength in numbers."
"Okay. We will be back soon " |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XVIII | Sunset gave me a kiss on the cheek as I pulled our blanket over the top of us. I may not have much experience with kissing but nor does she.
"Learning how to kiss together is kinda fun," I kissed her back nervously. I'm not really the greatest at this but nobody is good at something first try. She ran a hoof down the contour of my body along my wing and I sighed contently. Thank God for wings man. They were sensitive in the right way. She had surprisingly good control and never went below my wings. I don't know if many people would have that level of control when making out and touching their partner. I stroked her mane with a hoof as she eagerly kissed me back.
"That it is," Sunset agreed as we laid in bed. "Those three have been gone for a bit." They were gone for a while to be honest. Bon Bon had already dropped by and voiced her concern while Octavia was out searching with Vinyl. We were getting ready to go look ourselves.
"Probably found some sights to look at. Or they are talking. Starlight seems a bit depressed in my opinion," I admitted. She honestly reminded me of Sunset before the sirens and battle of the bands. Just super quiet and shy.
"I don't like it. We should go out and look for them. All the others are out looking I think. They can't have gotten too far. This is a small town and someone must have seen them."
"Okay let's go," I pushed the covers off us and climbed out of bed.
"Are you sure something happened? Seems quiet in town as usual," Vinyl commented as we looked around.
"Lyra has been gone for a while. She said it would take about thirty minutes tops," Bon Bon said. "It's been several hours."
"She's right," Octavia sighed as I looked up. "It's very strange. It's also quieter than it's been."
"Hey guys! Oh my fucking god," Lyra galloped up to us panting.
"Lyra! Where have you been?" Bon Bon demanded. Lyra held up a hoof as she caught her breath.
"Weird flying creatures. They took Starlight and Cheerilee! We tried to fight back but we got overpowered. I barely managed to get away to come find you guys," Lyra groaned and rubbed her side. "Got punched pretty hard." I looked at Sunset worriedly as she approached Lyra.
"Are you okay?" Sunset asked as she closed her eyes and an orange glow surrounded Lyra. "There. I cast a spell to help heal your injuries."
"Thanks," Lyra grunted as Bon Bon hugged her. "We were walking around a field when we saw this weird ship thing. Bunch of griffins I think they were called were around the ship when they noticed us."
"Take us to it," Sunset demanded as she levitated the necklace thingy on. "I've already lost one mother. I'm not about to lose another. Can this week get any fucking worse?" Vinyl gave a humorless chuckle.
"Don't tempt fate."
We all crouched behind a big bush and watched quietly as the griffins started filing onto a large airship.
"What's the plan?" Vinyl asked quietly, her eyes locked onto a large male griffin.
"Easy. We get ourselves captured." I stared at Sunset at how casually she said this like it was a walk in the park.
"And how do you expect us to get ourselves captured?" Bon Bon asked incredulously. Sunset scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"We are all young attractive mares. But I think they would be interested most in a sophisticated mare," Sunset smirked coldly.
"But who on earth would we send in?" Octavia asked as we all slowly looked at her. Her eyes slowly widened as she came to a realization. "You want me?"
"Well yeah. You're the best candidate," Sunset nodded encouragingly. Octavia took a deep breath.
"Okay I'll do it," Octavia stood up and trotted out to the open. "Hello there gentlemen!" Two of the creatures glanced back at her.
"There's one! Grab her. The boss will be happy," one gruffly said.
"Oh please grab me. I do need a tour guide," Octavia flipped her mane.
"Wow," I muttered in awe. "She's a good actor."
"Yep. Now we all walk out there," Sunset whispered loud enough for us to hear her. I gulped as we walked out into the open.
"Octavia where did you go?" Sunset asked in mock worry. The one creature had Octavia in his grasp as her partner stared at us with wide eyes.
"Well I'll be damned. More ponies. We might as take them all," he smiled as he approached Sunset. "Wanna go for an airship ride?" He patted Sunset on the head as she bared her teeth subtly. She obviously was not a fan of him touching her.
"Oh but of course!" Sunset smiled sweetly. "Me and my friends would love to explore Equestria from the sky from your lovely ship!"
"Right this way!" He gestured to the ramp. We all made eye contact and nodded to each other. I'll be damned if my girlfriends mom was going to be taken forever. Plus she was a really nice women. And we had Starlight to find as well. I'm hoping they just kidnap them and didn't kill them or worse.
Sunset glanced back at me and slowed her trot down to stand next to me. She brushed her flank against mine reassuringly and I turned a faint shade of red at the sudden contact.
"This is going to be fine. Don't you worry. We will be together as a group preferably the whole time," Sunset made sure no one was watching and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Just wait. We get mom out along with Starlight and we will be golden." The ramp shut behind us as the ship started taking off. I stumbled against Bon Bon and she instantly caught me before I fell.
"Separate them by race and put them in the cages!" One gruffly ordered as Bon Bon got yanked back with Octavia.
"Derpy!" Sunset called out as she was grouped with Lyra and Vinyl. Before I was dragged off, I heard what Sunset whispered as her eyes turned red and didn't change back. I was super worried now and a bit afraid.
"I'm going to kill them all," Sunset growled quietly. "Only creatures getting off this fucking thing is ponies." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XIX | "This fucking blows," I muttered as I paced back and forth in the cell. Octavia was curled up in a ball and looked up at me.
"That it is. Sunset and the other unicorns will be here to save us soon enough. I'm scared Bonnie." I knelt down next to her and gave her a reassuring hug.
"Listen, we are friends with an insanely loyal and strong unicorn. Sunset is gonna bust in here anytime soon, blow these bars off with her mom and and we all will get outta here," I grinned enthusiastically. "Where is Cheerilee anyway?"
"When you were asleep, I over heard the guards talking about how they took her and a unicorn to the top prison cells. What will happen to us?" Octavia asked nervously.
"Nothing bad. We are gonna be fine," I glanced around and grimaced at the filthy conditions. There was dirt and mud all over the place. "We have to get out of here and find the others. I'm tired of waiting now that I think about it."
"How? The gate is locked and we can't get out. We have no magic like Lyra or Sunset or Vinyl." I gave her a wink.
"Just you watch," I smiled and leaned against the bars. "Hello? Can I get anypony?" We gawked as a sky blue unicorn mare approached us. We didn't know ponies were working with the griffins.
"What do you want?" She demanded gruffly. "We told you to be quiet." I gave her a sultry smirk and lidded my eyes.
"Hey there gorgeous. You look pretty bucking good," I said sultrily. "Looks like we could have some fun together. Maybe we can even get my friend here and have us a lot of fun." The unicorn looked between us with narrowed eyes.
"I suppose we could," she pressed her head against the bars and made eye contact with me. "We could have a lot of fun." I reached out with my hooves and stroked her mane. I took a deep breath as she smiled. I'm not a violent person usually but extraordinary circumstances. I took another breath and slammed her head against the bars and she let out a muffled cry. I growled and kept slamming her head against the bars till she went limp.
"Is she dead?" Octavia asked nervously from the far side of the cell. I leaned down and listened.
"She's breathing. She's just knocked out," I reassured her as I hoofed around for the keys on the belt she wore. "Almost got it."
I finally got the keys with my hoof and yanked them close to me, ripping them off her belt.
"Good work," Octavia smiled as I struggled to unlock the gate from inside. "I've never heard you curse before like that."
"This isn't a normal situation," I grumbled as the door swung open. "We gotta keep these keys to unlock the others cells."
"What do we do with her?" Octavia glared down at the unconscious unicorn as we stepped over her and into the wooden hallway.
"Put her in the cell. It'll keep her from chasing after us," I decided. "I'm gonna look around. Hopefully we can get a map of this place."
"Good luck," Octavia grunted as she started dragging the mare. I rummaged through through some boxes.
"Magical inhibitor? The hell is this?" I muttered as I read a piece of paper and held a black piece of metal in my hoof. "Place over a unicorns horn and it disables their magic. Octavia! Bring her back here."
"Okay," Octavia panted as she dragged her back. "What are you going to do?" I held up the piece of metal. "Uh what is that?"
"Magical inhibitor. It disables a unicorns magic," I explained as I slid it on her horn. There was a key hole on it and I stared at the keys on my stolen key chain. I shrugged and locked it. "Huh guess the keys on here unlock them as well. I assume our friends and other prisoners if there is any have them on too so they don't use magic to resist."
"Fascinating," I helped Octavia drag the mare back into the cell and locked it shut. "Did you find a map?"
"No but based on the signs on the doors, we are on the second floor. Go check over there in those crates please," I pointed with a hoof as I kicked open one with my back hooves. Thank God for earth pony strength. Time to take advantage of that ability.
"Found one!" Octavia grinned as she held up a map. A groaning sound got our attention as we glanced back at the cell. The mare was starting to sit up and stared at us.
"You're awake. I have questions," I growled. "Where is Lyra and my friends?"
"I'm not telling you anything. Please get me out of here. I don't want this job I hate it. I have to do it," she begged and Octavia rolled her eyes.
"Likely story!" Octavia scoffed angrily. "Found some guard uniforms we can wear to blend in Bonnie." She pushed a blue vest my way with a black hawk or some bird on the front. A red bandana sat on top of the vest.
"Great thinking Tavi!" I clapped my hoof with hers.
"You'll never get through the others. They'll notice me missing," the mare grumbled. "My name is Fast Lane. I'm the fastest unicorn on this vessel." I let out a dry humorless chuckle.
"Not as fast as Sunset. You fucked up girl. One of the mares you kidnapped is a friend of Princess Twilight's and she's gonna do anything to get us all back. You messed up," I smiled. I glared at her angrily with Octavia watching the door as she put her clothes on. "I'm only going to ask once more. Where is Lyra?"
"And Vinyl," Octavia chimed in. "And Derpy. She's locked in a cell by herself because she's the only pegasus in our group. She must be terrified." I took in the mares nervous expression.
"Start talking. Now."
"I'll talk but you can't leave me here!" She begged.
"We won't," I lied. "Don't worry about a thing." I'll be damned if I let her out. She would attack us in a heart beat. Typically I don't support lying but this was a messed up situation and I had to do whatever it took. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XX | "Hey Sunset still think this week couldn't get any worse?" Vinyl asked as she laid on her back and stared at the ceiling. Sunset was counting to a thousand as she rolled her eyes at Vinyl. I sat on the ground watching the two.
"You were right. I guess this week can't get worse," Sunset admitted. I had to agree with that statement. I sighed as I tapped the black piece of metal on my horn. It was annoyingly cold.
"What the hell even is this?" I asked no one in particular.
"Magic inhibitor. Blocks you from using your magic. Things are a pain in the ass," Sunset explained with her eyes glued to the dirty ceiling. We sat in silence, each of us thinking.
"I'm scared," I finally admitted as the two glanced over at me. "I wanna go home. I want to sleep in my bed and be far away from this damn thing." Sunset sighed and quickly hugged me.
"It's okay. We will get out of this as soon as I find a way to break the inhibitor without damaging my horn or any of yours," Sunset said soothingly. "I really don't want to find out what a broken horn would translate to in the human world."
"Are you sure? Who will help us if you don't?" I subtly wiped a tear away and hoped they didn't see. "I hope Bon Bon and Derpy is okay. I convinced Bon Bon to come along."
"They will be fine," Vinyl promised as Sunset tightened her hug. "We will get out of this, do you understand me? You're the optimistic, hopeful one of the group along with Derpy."
"And what am I?" Sunset asked curiously. Vinyl shrugged after pausing to think.
"A bad bitch?" She suggested with a grin. I gave a small laugh at that and Sunset smirked.
"I'll accept that." A loud crashing sound made us glance up as a griffin came flying into the room and slammed hard against the wall. I looked into Sunset's bright red eyes.
"What the hell?" I muttered.
"Lyra!" A familiar pony with pink and blue curls galloped into the room along with a grey mare. She looked around frantically till her eyes fell on me. "Oh my God you're okay."
"Bon Bon? How did you get out?" I asked incredulously as she held a ring of keys in her mouth and unlocked our cell.
"She flirted with a guard till she got close and Bon Bon slammed the girls head against the bars repeatedly till she passed out and stole her keys," Octavia smirked. We all looked at her in awe. I knew Bon Bon wasn't the most aggressive out of us all.
"Damn girl," I whistled as I took in her blue vest and red bandana tied into her hair. "You look good. About to make me act up." Bon Bon turned a bright shade of red as she unlocked the inhibitor on my horn then Sunsets before moving to Vinyl.
"Down girl," Bon Bon giggled. "There's a time and a place." I rolled my eyes as I kissed her.
"I love you, you know that?" I said seriously as Vinyl hugged Octavia. "Don't ever forget that."
"I know," Bon Bon quickly kissed me back. "I'm awesome." We dropped onto four hooves and I bumped her flank with mine.
"Got that right. Who kicked the guard?" I asked curiously.
"Oh that was me," Octavia admitted sheepishly. "He was in my way. I may have kicked him a bit harder than necessary because he started asking us questions. When we joined the crew and what the bosses name was and such." We stared in stunned silence.
"You and Sunset share the rank of bad bitch along with Bon Bon now," Vinyl proclaimed. "Let's go and get the rest of our squad!"
"Not yet," Sunset approached the dazed guard and lifted him up with a red aura. "Where did you guys take Starlight and my mom?" He coughed and glared at her.
"I'll never talk," he grumbled. Sunset smiled coldly at him.
"Is that so? Let's make it official then," Sunset announced as a loud snapping sound filled the room and she dropped the griffin, his head twisted at an unnatural degree. We all stared in shock as Sunset casually stepped over him.
"Sunset!" Bon Bon admonished. Sunset paused and looked back at her. "We can't do that!"
"Why not?" Sunset challenged. "They could be willing to kill us. We have to use violence right now."
"She has a point," Vinyl admitted. "We have to defend ourselves."
"No. I'll protect you all. I'm the most skilled with magic at the moment. Especially offensive spells," Sunset said.
"You said my magic was getting better!" I shot back. Sunset sighed and nodded.
"It is. But you don't know any offensive spells. And I don't want you to have to live with anything violent," Sunset admitted. We all looked at each other and had a silent argument.
"Fine," I decided to be the spokesperson. "What's the plan?"
"Bon Bon and Octavia have guard uniforms on. What I propose is we pretend they are moving us wherever they took Starlight and Mom after we recover Derpy. We have to find out where she is first," Sunset announced. That did sound like a really good plan.
"That does sound logical," Octavia agreed readily, her eyes still locked on the still griffin. "What is it that Cheerilee is always saying?"
"Logic is the ultimate weapon," Sunset quickly said. "Now let's get moving. We have a few more ponies to rescue. We have to find out where she is firstly."
"We found a map. The unicorn paddock is on the lower level. Pegasus is on the first," Bon Bon waved a piece of paper as Sunset's face lit up. "We also overheard some guards saying that a unicorn mare and a earth pony mare were taken to the office up top. I bet ten dollars it's Starlight and Cheerilee they mentioned."
"You didn't have the kill the guard then," Vinyl commented. Sunset scoffed as she stepped into the doorway.
"I was going to kill him regardless if he knew anything or not." We all froze and looked at each other worriedly. This seemed off even for Sunset. I knew she was all about standing up for her family as she fondly started referring to us all but this seemed extreme.
"Let's go. I'm not leaving no one behind," Sunset looked at us. With a sigh, I stepped over the body along with the others and into the hallway as Sunset shut the door and locked it behind us with the keys Bon Bon had stolen. Time to get this shit show over with. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXI | "Keep going," Sunset whispered encouragingly to Bon Bon. "So far the guards haven't questioned it. According to your map, we are almost there right?"
"Right," Bon Bon whispered back as she glanced nervously around her.
"Don't look nervous. The guards might pick up on that. Give us a shove or something. Really look like you're getting off on the power like a royal guard who couldn't pass the pysch test," Sunset replied quietly.
"Okay. Keep moving piece of trash!" Bon Bon gave me a shove and I stumbled forward. A few of the griffins cheered and I rolled my eyes. Annoying fuckers.
"That's how you do it right there!" One of the griffins patted Bon Bon on the back. "Good work." Bon Bon winced at the force as she gave me another gentle push as we walked away up the stairs.
"Sorry Lyra. Didn't mean to push you that hard."
"It's fine. They believed it and that's the important thing." A loud beeping sound started going off.
"That's the alarm!" Sunset hissed. "Act is up! They must have checked our cells!" A few creatures turned and glared at us. Sunset took a step forward and blasted the lead one in the chest. "Does anyone else want to attempt to fill his horseshoes?"
"You just made the worst mistake of your life pony," one grumbled as they started to walk forward.
"I don't think so," Sunset commented casually as she slammed the two together repeatedly. "You guys talk too much. You should really go for a flight."
A loud snapping sound filled the room again as the shorter one gave a cry as his wings fell limply to his sides and Sunset launched him out the wooden wall. Peering through the hole, I could see we were thousands of feet in the air as his screams got more and more distant.
I would hate to be the one to find him. I would imagine it would be a nasty mess. Terminal velocity is a bitch. I'm quickly realizing I'm afraid of heights. Looking out the new hole in the wall makes me uncomfortable and wants to be sick.
"You're turn," Sunset faced the larger one and ducked as a claw came flying at her face. "You're slow."
"You're all gonna die," he glared at us with a crooked smile.
"Nah I don't think so," Vinyl chuckled humorlessly as Sunset tackled him and the two went rolling down the hall.
"For being the largest creature on the ship, he can't fight." Sunset let out an angry cry as he slashed her side with a claw and some blood started dripping out.
"Sunset!" I called out. She glanced back before ramming her horn into the griffins eye and he gave a loud scream.
Sunset continued stabbing him repeatedly as he kept screaming and squirming as she kept him firmly in place under her as red liquid started spilling across the floor. She finally stepped off him and gave him a swift kick to the side as she wiped some blood off her face with his shirt.
"Let's keep moving," Sunset muttered as she kept walking to the upper levels. We all looked at each other with wide eyes before following her.
Sunset stormed through the hallway as we quietly but quickly followed her so we didn't get left behind accidentally. She tossed a griffin aside into a spear who cried out in pain as she strode past him without a care in the world. Sunset stopped and looked both ways before her face lit up.
"Here it is!" She announced as we stared at a sign depicting a pegasus as she blasted the door off its hinges with her magic and she entered. "Derpy!"
I was the second one to entered and I expected to be nervous at the sight. I stared slackjawed at Derpy playing with a pink pegasus filly. Her fur was filthy and matted with various stains. The filly glanced over at us and stood up. I idly noticed she had no cutie mark.
"Sunset?" Derpy asked in awe as she glanced at her girlfriend and freezing at the blood. "You're hurt!"
"I'm fine. Stand back," Sunset ordered. Derpy quickly complied and pulled the filly back with her as Sunset blasted the bars apart. Derpy launched at Sunset and hugged her while the filly clambered out and looked at us warily.
"Hey there," Bon Bon knelt down in front of the filly. "Are you okay?"
"Golly miss I'm just terrified!" The filly hugged Bon Bon. "Those nasty griffins are pretty mean aren't they?" Bon Bon looked startled at the sudden contact before hugging her back.
"That they are," Sunset readily agreed before kissing Derpy. "Are you injured?"
"Am I injured?" Derpy asked incredulously. "Are you injured? You're bleeding and have blood on your hooves. What the hell happened?" I locked eyes with Sunset. Derpy was a super kind person and wasn't going to handle any of this well.
"I've killed half the crew. I've lost count. I'd say about thirty or so," Sunset admitted. "I stabbed one to death with my horn in the eye and various other parts of his body." Derpy stared at her in shock.
"You guys let her do this?" Derpy demanded as I approached the filly and stroked her mane and she gave me a smile that seemed off. Whoever decided to kidnap a filly for sex trafficking or whatever this was disgusted me. In my world, the person would get raked over the fucking coals for something like this and rightfully so in my eyes. I can't believe I'm about to say this but Sunset is way more justified in massacring the entire crew. Apparently it's her goal to make sure no one but else gets off this thing alive.
"They are trying to kill us first!" Sunset defended herself. "This is self defense." Derpy wrapped a wing around her as Sunset pressed her face into the wing and straightened the feathers and spat a few broken ones out. "Bring the filly with us. We have two more to find and we are getting off this damned thing."
"Golly I'm just making friends everywhere today aren't I?" The filly giggled as Bon Bon let her climb on her back. "Best day of my life!"
"What's your name anyway kid?" Vinyl asked curiously.
"Cozy Glow." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXII | "This is the last hallway before we find mom and Starlight," Sunset warned us quietly as I heard talking around the corner. "Just stay behind me." She tossed aside the griffin she had just finished beating to death with a bat and I stepped over the body.
"There's the prisoners!" A unicorn shouted. "Get them!" Two of the griffins charged at Sunset as she rolled her eyes, ripping some sheet metal off of either side of the hallway and slammed the two griffins together as they fell unconscious on the ground. The two unicorns glanced at each other before they started shooting their magic at her and Sunset levitated the pieces of metal in front of us. They did surprisingly well at absorbed magic lasers.
They kept firing till Sunset angrily flung one of the pieces of metal at a unicorn. His eyes widened in fear. His body fell to the ground as his head rolled in the opposite direction. Octavia pressed a hoof to her mouth and turned slightly green as she clearly resisted the urge to vomit. The other unicorn looked terrified as Sunset threw the other piece of metal and it slammed into his stomach and pinned him against the wall. His head fell forward and rested on the metal as a red liquid started spilling under him.
"Fall back!" A griffin screamed. "She's too strong!"
"Retreat!" Another screamed as they fled into a doorway and one started pulling a lever. Sunset growled and grabbed one with her magic and started pulling him back as a stone door started to close. His friend grabbed him and tried to pull him back as he gave a scream as the door slammed close and an arm fell on our side.
"Disgusting creatures," Cozy commented. Bon Bon glanced back.
"Cozy! Don't watch this!" She admonished. Sunset blasted the stone door open and pieces of rock flew into the wall. A griffin screamed as a large slab of rock crushed him against the floor.
The other griffins looked back in fear as they started to run away. Sunset glared at them coldly as she shot them in the back with lasers. One gave a scream as he faceplanted and another was flung against the wall and a piece of rock crushed him. Sunset levitated a spear and flung it towards an earth pony who was running away.
"Anyone who works with them dies too," Sunset snarled as she approached the earth pony who was pinned against the wall. "Who's in charge of this operation?"
"Never," the earth pony spat on Sunset and she glared at him furiously.
"Never is here," Sunset grasped the spear in a red aura.
"Wait!" Cozy shouted as she jumped off Bon Bon and approached the two. "Hello there sir. Surely you want to help a cute filly like? Just tell us what we wanna know." She batted her eyes and pouted at him. "We can help you get a better job."
"Really?" The pony asked in disbelief. "It's an Abyssinians. Name is FurBall."
"What a name," I muttered as Cozy Glow started to glow and a pink light blinded us all. Where her blank flank had been was a rook cutie mark.
"Thank you kindly sir," Cozy smiled as she hopped back on Bon Bon. "Kill him." We all stared at her in shock as Sunset shoved the spear further into his skin and he gave a scream as a loud crunching sound echoed.
"We are almost there."
I slowed down my trot to allow Derpy to catch up to me. My friend looked exhausted from the walking.
"Hey you okay?" I asked quietly.
"Yeah just tired. It's good to finally have my wings freed. Can you believe they kept a kid in here?" She muttered as the sounds of Sunset fighting reached our ears. I never really thought murder was good but I think this is a case where it is.
"It's pretty crazy. I'm worried about Sunset," I admitted as I watched the tail of our friend disappear around a corner and we galloped to catch up. I didn't mean for us to fall that far behind.
"Me and you both. She's never displayed this level of violence before. Even back in her evil days."
"Her amulet is glowing red too along with her eyes and her magic aura switched from golden orange to red. Can't be a coincidence," I pointed out. Derpy frowned as she pondered my words.
"You're right. We can talk to Twilight about it when we get back. Maybe she knows. Sunset wasn't wearing the amulet back at the funeral so Twilight and the others most likely don't know about it unless Moondancer said something." I ran into Octavia's flank accidentally before I could speak. I didn't realize we had stopped.
"Sorry Tavi." The mare brushed it off.
"No problem." Sunset kicked open the door and I let out a sigh of relief. Cheerilee was unconscious on the floor with a slight cut on her head while Starlight was knocked out on the other side of the room. My relief turned to fear when I noticed the griffins and a cat like creature in the room.
"Hi there," Sunset smiled. "Those two are coming with us. Who laid a claw on the earth pony?" Our eyes flicked to the cat who had blood on her claw and Sunset's eyes narrowed. "That was the worst mistake you've ever made in your pathetic existence." She levitated Cheerilee and Starlight out to us. I instantly knelt down and started examining Cheerilee while Vinyl checked on Starlight. Thankfully they only had a scratch each. "Lyra?"
"Yes Sunset?"I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Stay out here with the others and watch over mom and Starlight," Sunset closed the door behind her after she stepped in and I heard it lock shut.
"Are they okay?" Derpy asked. We all collectively flinched as a bunch of screaming started coming from the room followed by the sounds of lasers being fired and heavy items hitting the ground.
"Yeah they are fine." A griffin managed to unlock the door and fling it open with a terrified expression before a red glow surrounded him and he was yanked back inside as the door slammed shut. I heard a faint no being screamed before everything went quiet as the door opened and Sunset stepped out panting. We all took a nervous step back and gawked. She was covered in scratches and had red stains all over her fur.
"How is my mom?" Sunset asked after she caught her breath.
"She's fine," I muttered after I shook my shock off. Sunset let out a sigh of relief as she nuzzled her mom and levitated her onto her back, grunting as she took a step.
"Bon Bon? Can you carry Starlight?" Sunset asked. Bon Bon gave a quick nod as the mare was levitated onto her back. Bon Bon grunted herself as she took a step of her own.
"Octavia. Can you take Cozy Glow for me?" Bon Bon groaned out.
"I will," I stepped forward and groped Bon Bons mane. "Come on kid." The filly poked her head out and jumped on my back. The small hooves tickled a bit in all honesty. "What's the plan Sunset?"
"We get to the engine room," she started walking slowly.
"But why?" Vinyl asked.
"Easy. None of us can fly this flying death trap. So we're going to crash it into the fucking ground." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXIII | I chased after Sunset who was strolling down the hallway without a care in the world, blasting creatures left and right. I carefully avoided a blood stain on the ground, my group right behind me.
"So how exactly do you plan on crashing this thing without killing us all?" I asked as I glanced back. Lyra was helping Bon Bon with Cheerilee. Vinyl was doing the same with Octavia and Starlight. I had taken over carrying Cozy for Lyra.
"Easy. We jump before it crashes. I can use my magic to lower us to the ground before we leave ketchup stains behind," Sunset explained.
"But that doesn't tell us anything!" Lyra grunted. She took a slow step forward. "How do you plan on crash it though?"
"Easy Lyra. What powers all machines and aircraft?" Sunset smirked as she kicked a door open.
"Uh engines?"
"Bingo. We have coal powered engines in Equestria. I'm going to destroy the engines and eliminate the unicorns filling it with coal if there is any. Then it goes boom. They might even have parachutes on the top deck for emergencies like this."
"Ponies have parachutes?" Octavia raised an eyebrow.
"Well yeah. We have extreme sports here just like in your guys world. Plus earth ponies and unicorns like it," she answered as we kept trotting through the winding ship. Felt a giant freaking maze. We had to go up some stairs just to go down. Who on earth thought that was a good design?
"Interesting," Lyra mused as we got deeper into the ship. The deeper we got, the more pipes and machinery were noticeable.
"I've never gone parachuting. I've always used my magic to fly me around. Never saw a need nor a want to jump out of a perfectly good airship," Sunset commented. I had to agree with her on that. Heights could be scary at times. This was one such time.
"Well here we are I think," Starlight groaned and I glanced back. Lyra was helping her to her hooves. "Dear Celestia. My head is pounding."
"How much did you hear?" I asked curiously.
"Not much," she admitted as Sunset nudged the door open. We gawked at the massive coal engines in the large room. An few earth ponies were wiping sweat away and leaving black smudges in its place. A unicorn was levitating bags of coal and dumping them out. A pegasus was running on some machine with belts that I assumed help provide power in some way.
"Hello there," Sunset tapped the unicorn closest to us. He spun around and she smiled at him. His horn glowed red and started firing lasers to his fellow workers who fell with screams before Sunset tossed him over the edge. He gave a loud scream that got quieter as he disappeared into the dark void below the catwalks.
"How did you control his horn like that?" Lyra eagerly asked.
"Illegal spell I learned back when I was still Princess Celestia's student," she said simply as a red bubble surrounded us all. "Protective shield form any debris."
She closed her eyes as her glowed a brighter red and the engines started to collapse in on themselves and exploded, sending metal and fire flying throughout the room. A large hole in the side of the ship started sucking the black smoke out as the I could feel the ship start to tilt slightly.
"Holy shit!" Lyra shouted as she slammed against a wall. "I think we overstayed our welcome hours ago!" A unicorn gave a loud cry as he ran past on fire before falling over the edge. Another got sucked out of the hole. Thank God for the bubble. Kept us from flying out it too. I hope to God I never have to smell burning skin again. It was absolutely disgusting.
"You're right," Sunset agreed as her horn glowed once again and she teleported us to the top deck. I instantly shielded my eyes from the bright sun along with the others. "Let's get off this thing."
"Wait!" Bon Bon grabbed the keys out of Sunset's aura and galloped into the smoky hallway.
"Bon Bon!" Lyra shouted. "What are you doing?" Bon Bon didn't reply as Sunset started searching the top deck.
"Parachutes like I thought. Come here Vinyl and Octavia." The two grudgingly came over as Sunset quickly attached them to the black bags. "Pull the red cord and you'll be floating."
"Okay," Vinyl took a deep breath as the two peered over the edge. "Ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," Octavia took a breath of her own.
"Meet at the waters edge!" Sunset shouted to be heard over the wind as she pointed with a hoof to a large blue expanse that didn't seem close five seconds ago. The two nodded before jumping and I faintly heard Octavia scream and two small black dots floating in the sky. "You're next Lyra."
"Not without Bon Bon," Lyra shook her head as we watched the doorway.
"I'll stay and wait for her. Go!" Sunset snapped.
"No."
"I love you but God you're stubborn," Sunset grumbled. "Fine we will wait." We waited hopefully before a coughing cream earth pony came running through the door with a sky blue unicorn galloping behind her, leaving a bright blue blurr as she ran.
"Oh my God. What the fuck is wrong with you Bonnie?" The two hugged as Lyra glared angrily at her. "You could have died!"
"Sorry. I decided to go get the guard we locked in my cell out. She was nice to us," Bon Bon admitted as Sunset levitated three parachutes to them before turning to me.
"Ready Derpy?"
"Do I get a parachute too? What about Cheerilee?" I pointed at the still unconscious mare. "And Starlight?"
"Starlight already jumped. Same with Lyra and Bon Bon. As for Cheerilee, my mom. My responsibility. And you're a pegasus. You can fly."
"Oh right." I nervously glanced over the edge and jumped. "Jesus Christ!" I held Cozy in my hooves as we continued falling.
"Fly! Spread your wings for Lunas sake!" Cozy screamed.
"I can't!"
"How can you not fly when you're a grown pegasus mare?!" Cozy shouted.
"It's complicated!" I screamed back as we rapidly approached a large green field with trees decorating the left side and a large lake to the right. It would be pretty if we weren't screaming our heads off. I closed me and held Cozy closer.
"Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for my sins. I'm sorry about skipping out church recently. I'm sorry I stole Amethysts earrings that one year in middle school for picture day, amen!" I opened my eyes.
"Are you praying right now?!" She demanded.
"Yes!" A pair of hooves grabbed me from behind.
"Dang lady! You good?" The mare holding me asked.
"Yeah I think. Thanks for not letting me turn into ketchup." She let out a chuckle.
"Not a problem. What's ya name?" She asked with a warm smile.
"Derpy. You?"
"High Winds." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXIV | I stood on the edge of the field with High Winds and Cozy Glow, the three of us watching the burning airship careening towards the ground.
"Wonder what happened there. Were you and your daughter on there?" High Winds asked curiously. I gawked at her and shook my head.
"No she's not my daughter. Me and my friends were on there yeah. We were rescuing my girlfriends mom and a friend. We may have gone overboard," I admitted. "Cozy here was in the same cell as me."
"Ah," High Winds scuffed the ground with her hoof. "Pretty messed up how me and the other Wonderbolts can't do anything about the griffins unfortunately."
"The what?" I asked as I admired the lake we were standing at. High Winds gave me a confused look.
"The Wonderbolts? Super advanced flying team? I try to not flaunt me being a member unlike Fleetfoot or Wind Rider."
"Never heard of it," I admitted as I spun around. Bon Bon and Lyra were trotting up with exhausted expressions. The sky blue unicorn was behind them with a wide smile.
"Lyra! Bon Bon!" I hugged them as soon as they got close to me. "Pretty terrifying right?"
"Yeah," they agreed in unison.
"That was AWESOME!" The unicorn screamed. "Can we do it again? Please?" High Winds and Lyra let out a giggle as Starlight, Vinyl, Octavia and Sunset approached with an tired Cheerilee following. She must have woken up at one point.
"Maybe later," Lyra smirked.
"Never again," Vinyl groaned. "We are never doing that again. I feel like I'm gonna vomit."
"Mom said the same thing," Sunset chuckled. "She woke up strapped to my chest thousands of feet in the air screaming her head off." Cheerilee turned a bright shade of red as the pair hugged each other.
"We should run," Lyra commented with her eyes glued to the sky.
"Why?" Sunset asked as she followed Lyra's gaze. I gave a quick glance up and widened my eyes as the ship crashed into the lane with a loud explosion, sending water flying everywhere.
"Everypony for themselves!" High Winds giggled as she bolted. I decided that the strange pegasus was right and we all took off running.
"Jesus H Christ!" Vinyl shouted as we galloped away. I spared a glance back as the wave got closer and felt water spraying my wings. The wave landed on us and we went sprawling across the ground.
Lyra spewed out some water and Octavia spit out a small fish. I gave a low groan and pulled Cozy Glow close to me.
"Hey Sunset?" Octavia muttered. Sunset was hugging Cheerilee as the pair straightened their manes.
"Yeah Octavia?"
"I love you but we are never doing that again."
"Cozy Glow!" I shouted as I looked around. At some point, she had just straight up disappeared.
"Are you sure she didn't get swept away into the lake?" Octavia asked. A worried look crosses Lyra's face as we stood on the hill and looked down. I shook my head to their relief.
"She was with me in the sand," I answered. "High Winds is searching from the air. Sunset and Cheerilee are searching near the lake along with Starlight and Bon Bon."
"How does a filly just straight up disappear like that?" Vinyl wondered. That's a damn good question.
"That's the question we are all asking," Sunset replied as she slowly trotted up the hill. "We haven't seen her. There is probably a town nearby she could have gone to." That made the most sense. Or maybe I was hoping that's what happened.
"Plus, if there's a town there's a train station probably we can use to get home. I don't even know where the hell we are," Lyra scoffed.
"Do you know the way to Ponyville from here?" Sunset asked as High Winds dropped down behind me. "Where even are we for that matter?" High Winds frowned and rubbed her head.
"Cloudsdale is to the south. We are near Mareville. We're in the farm area of Equestria now. Most you're gonna find is small towns here and there," she explained. "You guys know Rainbow Dash or Twilight?" We all let out a chuckle.
"I'm Twilight's student," Sunset smirked. "We go a bit back."
"Same here," Starlight said quietly. "I live in her castle." High Winds smiled at us and gave a quick salute to my confusion.
"I answer to all forms of royalty and their students. Part of being a Wonderbolt. Technically we are a military force when necessary but we mostly do air shows. I can take you guys to Ponyville," she lowered her hoof. She fished a small gem out of her flight suit and tossed it on the ground before slamming a hoof into it.
"What was that?" Cheerilee asked her.
"It's a gem that alerts my teammates where I am. There's a unicorn in Ponyville we get them from sometime. Quite a nice invention. Very useful in the field," she smiled. "Soarin and Surprise got sent out here with me because some one filed a report with us and the guards about an airship on fire. They'll meet us in Ponyville while the royal guards do their thing here. Whatever it is they do."
"The royal guard is part police force, part military force," Sunset whispered in my ear when she saw my confused expression. "Celestia has a about half a million guards. Luna has a few thousand along with Cadence. Twilight has her own guard but she only has about sixty or fifty guards. Mainly there for show because some upper class ponies were bitching about all Princesses need their own guard. Twilight is against it but she's cool with them now."
"That sounds cool," I admitted.
"I'm a reserve member in Twilight's guard. Me and Spitfire helped train them along with Dash," High Winds nodded as she flapped her wings and did a loop above us.
"I wish I could do that," I admitted. She gave me a wink.
"I'll teach you in Ponyville. We can alert the Guards to be on the look out for Cozy when they get here."
"She couldn't have gotten far," Sunset smiled. "I can just teleport us all to town. Screw the train." Her horn glowed red and surrounded us in a bright light. Finally we could go to a town I felt comfortable in. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXV | "I'll never get used to that," I groaned and rubbed my head. Sunset gave a chuckle as she stood on her hooves. The others were making various groans and moans as they shakily stood up.
"Jesus Christ," Lyra grumbled. "I'm gonna feel that migraine for a few days."
"Ditto," Bon Bon agreed. She rubbed a hoof across her head and Lyra held a hoof to her mouth.
"Think I'm gonna vomit," she mumbled. I quickly stepped away. I love my friends and all but I don't wanna be vomited on. I've been vomited on enough when Dinky was a baby. Bon Bon rubbed her back with a hoof and a worried expression. Lyra slowly removed her hoof after a few tense seconds.
"I think I'm good," she admitted. "Thank fuck." Cheerilee stepped away from Sunset and stared at her.
"Sunset? Are you feeling okay? You have some weird stains on your hooves," Cheerilee pointed out. I glanced down at Sunset. I kinda thought that wave would have gotten all the blood all her but I guess it missed some spots.
"Never better," Sunset grinned as she looked around. "I've missed the castle. Good to be in a somewhat safe place."
"Hey Cheerilee?" I asked quietly. "Can we talk real quick?" The older mare glanced over at me and nodded. Lyra glanced at us as we walked over to a dark corner.
"What's up Derpy?" She asked curiously. "I assume this is about Sunset." I nodded quickly.
"It's scary how you always know when I'm about to voice my concerns about her," I sighed. "She killed the entire crew on that ship. To save you. We kinda think the necklace she's wearing is the cause. If she didn't kill them herself outright, they died when the ship crashed into the water." Cheerilees expression turned to shock as we looked over at Sunset talking with High Winds and playing with the red gem.
"We need Twilight."
We sat in the throne room with our hooves resting on the table, taking in the shocked faces of the others. Rarity and Fluttershy looked slightly green when I went into some details about how Sunset killed some of the griffins.
"She did what?" Applejack asked in awe. She didn't have a green face or anything or looked sick. She looked impressed along with Dash if anything.
"She killed every living creature on board," I repeated myself. "If it moved and wasn't a prisoner, she killed it. She stabbed a creature to death with her horn. Decapitated another with a piece of metal that she threw."
"And you think the amulet is the problem?" Twilight asked nervously.
"Yes. You weren't there. Her eyes are red now, her magic is red instead of golden orange and the gem was glowing everytime she killed. Trust me." Twilight held up a hoof to stop me as Moondancer looked nervously at Lemon Hearts.
"We believe you don't worry," Twilight reassured me.
"We didn't mean for any of this to happen! Really!" Lemon Hearts exclaimed.
"We're sorry," she and Moondancer said in unison.
"How can we help?" Minuette asked nervously.
"Well obviously we have to get the necklace off her. I want to do my research before we do. Just to be safe so we know there isn't any side effects of us just straight removing it," Twilight answered. "Lemon Hearts, you and the others keep an eye on Sunset. We need to keep her indoors. We and the rest of the Mane Six will go to Zecora. The gem had a zebra on it so I'm willing to bet she has to know something."
"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash pumped a hoof in the air. "We will get her back under control in no time."
"Why do we have to keep her indoors?" Earth Lyra asked curiously. "It's gonna be hard to do that without a good reason." Twilight let out a long sigh.
"You said as soon as she found out Cheerilee was in danger she went crazy and went on her killing rampage, right?" She asked.
"Uhm yeah?" Earth Bon Bon said. "You think it's connected, don't you?" Twilight let out another breath as she nodded.
"I do. Obviously the amulet is affecting how she reacts to thinks. If Cheerilee even falls or gets bumped into accidentally in public, it could send her flying into a murderous rage. I don't want to have to explain to the townsfolk or Celestia about why her former student massacred a whole town single handly! That would be a very bad look for us all. Plus ponies would die. From what you told us, the royal guard wouldn't stand a chance."
"Or the Wonderbolts," High Winds chimed in. She was wearing an uncharacteristically serious face. Her two teammates she had mentioned were in the room with the same serious faces. Surprise didn't seem like the type to ever take anything serious. I wonder if she and Pinkie are related with how random she can be. I remember Dash about had a heart attack when we walked in with three of her idols.
"She's right," Soarin agreed. "We also aren't gonna tell Spits or the others about this. We don't want it getting out. Especially since we know. It would look bad for us all, like the Princess said." Twilight turned a shade of red.
"You don't have to call me that Soarin. Twilight is fine," she mumbled and played with her mane. Both Lyra's and Surprise smirked at each other.
"This is probably the craziest thing I've ever seen!" Surprise grinned. "A whole 'nother world! Right at our hooftips. Are there doubles of us?"
"Uhm yes dear," Octavia admitted. "Spitfire is the soccer team captain. Our worlds Rainbow is the co captain along with Soarin." Twilight clapped her hooves together and we all glanced at her.
"Alright. We have our assigned tasks. Let's get to work!" She flapped her wings and hovered above us. "Let's hope we find something. If I'm right, that isn't Sunset anymore. That's a literal killing machine. And make sure Cheerilee stays in her view and doesn't get hurt at all."
"You got it," I nodded. "And keep her indoors."
"At all cost. Applejack, bring your rope before we come back. We might have to tie her down like we did with Dash that one time." Rainbow glared at her.
"I thought we agreed to never speak of that again." They started arguing before laughing as they flew out the room, the earth bound elements galloping after them. Me and the others? We went to find Sunset and pray she didn't get out. Thankfully Spike was distracting her. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXVI | "I'm bored," Sunset groaned. "We've been stuck inside for hours!" I let out a low chuckle as I kicked a ball to her and she idly kicked it back. I caught it with my wing and rolled it back and forth.
"I know. It's super warm out side and I wanna stay here with you!" I giggled. That wasn't a lie to be honest. I did want to stay with her. "We can cuddle in bed. High Winds, Soarin and Surprise said they will teach me how to fly tomorrow! Isn't that exciting?"
"Sounds awesome Derpy. Why exactly are we staying inside?" She raised an eyebrow as she laid down on the floor on her back and looked at me. "Not that I don't enjoy the time with you and mom of course but it looks like a beautiful day."
A grey cloud filled the sky and we listened to the thunder as lightning spread across the sky. Looks like Soarin and two mares named Raindrops and Cloudkicker were doing their job we had subtly asked them to do. Thank God this world the pegasi controlled the weather. The rain storm was part of our plan to help keep her inside.
"I take back everything I just said. It's absolutely miserable outside! Of all the days the pegasi chose to make it rain, they make it right now. And right after I opened my muzzle!" Sunset grumbled as she slid across the floor till we were staring at each other.
"You have very nice red eyes," I mumbled. She looked at me confused.
"Uh Derpy? My eyes are cyan. Not red."
"Oh right!" I giggled nervously. I didn't mean to let that slip. "Must be tired and mistook your hair for your eye color." Sunset smirked as she gave me a quick kiss.
"You should sleep then. I'll go get you some sleeping medicine from the shop," Sunset rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself up.
"No!" I jumped in front of her and blocked the door. She gave a flinch and stared at me.
"What?" She asked flatly.
"I uh want you to sleep with me! Not like the way Lyra and Bon Bon do, I mean like nap! Not that I wouldn't want to do what Lyra and Bon Bon do in the future with you but-hmph!" Sunset smirked and pressed her hoof to my mouth.
"Are you done?" She maintained her smirk. "I'm down to nap with you if that will help you. And if Mom wasn't here asleep, we could do other stuff if you really wanted." She winked at me and I turned a bright shade of red as she removed her hoof from my mouth.
"Oh," I mumbled as response as we climbed into our beds we had pushed together to make one large bed.
"So," Sunset propped her head up with a hoof. "Where's Twilight and the others?"
"Oh uh visiting some zebra named Zecora. Something about potion learning for Apple Bloom and borrowing some books. You know Twilight. Always learning and all," I chuckled. Sunset rolled her eyes with a laugh.
"Yeah that sounds like Twi. What ya wanna do now?"
"Uhm I don't know." Sunset leaned in close and smirked.
"I have a few ideas," she purred as she pressed her muzzle to mine and kissed me. I gave a content low moan as I kissed her back eagerly as she rubbed one of my wings eagerly with a hoof.
"That was amazing," I panted softly as she pulled back and smirked.
"I know," she winked as I tackled her and kissed her while her eyes widened. Typically she was the aggressive one with kissing. "You're eager today. What else are you gonna do?" She chuckled.
"Uh maybe this?" I mumbled nervously as I slid her hoof between my legs and shivered at the contact. She stared at me and kissed my nose.
"I think we should wait," she admitted as she pulled her hoof out from between my legs and I gasped quietly at the feeling.
"Okay," I turned slightly red. "I'm sorry for that." Sunset rolled her eyes and pressed her muzzle against mine once again and kissed me hard.
"Don't apologize for doing something like that. Sex is something that symbolizes trust between two. And I'm glad you trust me. I'm just not wanting to do that with my mom in the same room," she leaned in close and pressed her muzzle against my ear. "Especially since she's watching." I jumped and twisted my head around and stared at Cheerilee. She was smirking with a raised eyebrow and looked away.
"I'll act like I never saw that. Mainly because I never hope I ever see that again."
"Sorry," I mumbled as the door opened. Twilight stepped in and gave a grin.
"Cheerilee and Derpy? Can we talk in the library please?" She asked as she glanced at Sunset. "I'll borrow them for a few minutes and they will come right back."
"Yeah sure Twi. Not a problem," Sunset waved a hoof before kissing me as I slipped out of the bed and joined the two in the hallway.
"What's up?" I asked nervously.
"Not here," Twilight warned as she teleported us to the library. The others looked nervous as they glanced up.
"Whatcha find?" High Winds asked curiously.
"It took us a lot of searching. There's not many books on the amulet she's wearing so I don't blame Lemon Hearts or Moondancer for giving it to her."
"And?" Minuette raised an eyebrow.
"According to Zecora, there was a zebra dictator who wanted to rule all of Zebronia. When the zebras refused to support him, he slaughtered half the population. Hence why Zecora is the only zebras I know. They are very, very rare. The only way they managed defeat Malgus was by some zebra potion. They shoved his essence in a gemstone and it disappeared after the temple holding it was raided. The gem corrupts the user. It makes the user violent and have insane bloodlust," Twilight explained as she shut a book. "How that store owner got his hooves on it, I'll never know. Potentially related to one of the raiders and didn't know what he had. It needs to be returned to Zecora. It belongs to the zebras."
"So Sunset only murdered an entire ship because of the amulet," Equestrian Lyra commented. "How do we get it off her?"
"Easy," Applejack grinned and held up a rope. "We tie er down."
Sunset trotted into the library where I had asked her to meet me. The others were hidden in an invisibility spell and watching quietly.
"Hey Derpy," Sunset greeted me eagerly. "How's my pegasus queen?" I turned a bright shade of red.
"Me? A queen?" I squeaked. Sunset rolled her eyes and kissed me.
"Mine," she said simply. "Where are the others?"
"Right here," Earth Lyra commented as the spell was canceled and Applejack swung her rope above her head and grabbed Sunset's hindlegs, yanking her on her stomach.
"Oof!" She glared at Applejack. "What the hell is the big idea?" Applejack grunted as she hogtied her legs.
"Taking that amulet off ya!" She answered. Sunset snarled as she tried to bit her.
"Why?" She demanded. "It's mine! My property!"
"Because it's making you go around killing!" Rainbow Dash snapped. I pressed a hoof to my mouth as Sunset struggled and glared at us all.
"I'm going to kill you all for this betrayal. Paint the walls red with your blood!" She growled. "Starting with Applejack!" I jumped in front of her.
"Derpy don't!" Octavia shouted as I hugged Sunset.
"This isn't you Sunset. Take it off please. For me," I begged. "Please?" Sunset grunted as I hugged her tighter as I stared at her red furious eyes. I quickly closed my eyes as I felt one hoof wrap around me.
"Derpy? Why are you hugging me super tight like I'm going to die? And why am I tied up?" Sunset asked in confusion and I opened my eyes. Her eyes had reverted back to her blue color and the amulet was tossed aside.
"Untie her!" I demanded as Sunset groaned.
"I had the craziest dream. That I went on a murder spree and killed an entire ship of griffins and threatened to kill you all," Sunset looked around in confusion as Moondancer removed the bindings. "Mom!" She tackled Cheerilee in a hug.
"Hey Sunny," Cheerilee chuckled.
"I was terrified. Thought I lost ya. How did you get free? How are we back in Ponyville?" Sunset asked rapid-fire questions. "Why are three Wonderbolts here?"
"Do you not remember anything?" Earth Lyra asked curiously.
"Uh no?" Sunset scratched her head. "All I remember is you coming to get me and that's all I remember."
"Group meeting!" Rainbow Dash announced. "Sunset, wait right there."
"Uh okay?" We all huddled around Rainbow Dash.
"Alright gang. She obviously thinks it was a dream. I propose we let her keep thinking that," Rainbow whispered.
"Are ya insane?" Applejack hissed. "Lying is wrong!"
"It isn't lying," Earth Bon Bon admitted. "It's just letting her think something. She murdered a lot of creatures. It's best to let her keep think it's a dream. It could hurt her mentally if she knew the truth. Psychological trauma and all."
"She's right," Cheerilee admitted. "I'm her mother. Just let her keep thinking that. I don't want her to have any mental breakdowns if she knows the truth."
"I agree," Twilight admitted. "Mental health is important." We all sighed and nodded.
"Well that settles it," Applejack grumbled as we looked at Sunset. Cheerilee trotted up to Sunset.
"Bon Bon and Lyra came and saved me along with the Wonderbolts and Derpy. Vinyl and Octavia stayed behind and looked for royal guards for help," Cheerilee clarified as she and Sunset hugged. "It's okay now. It's all okay. It was just a bad dream."
"I was terrified. I thought you were gonna die," Sunset sniffed as she pressed her face into Cheerilee's fur. Twilight quickly levitated the amulet and locked it up in a box and hid it behind the table. Cheerilee nuzzled her and squeezed her tighter.
"I'm not going anywhere." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXVII | "My head hurts," I groaned and rubbed it with a hoof. "This is one of the worst pains I've ever felt." Mom let out a low chuckle.
"I know. Twilight left some medicine. Apparently it's your world's version of Tylenol?" She shrugged and slid the bottle over. I levitated the bottle to me and my eyes slightly. This was the strongest type of medicine you get here. Super freaking hard to get. Must be nice to be a princess, you get shit like this on the daily I bet.
"Yeah it is. Works quick," I unscrewed the cap and started drinking it eagerly. "What happened by the way? All you guys told me is my girlfriend and two of my family saved you and that the ship ended up crashing." Mom sighed and looked at me.
"Apparently the engine had a failure and it exploded shortly before they found me. It's how they got me out because the griffins were freaking out and trying to out the fires. Bon Bon, Lyra and Derpy willingly got themselves captured. Apparently Bon Bon knocked a guard out by herself and later saved her because she was nice to her from the getgo."
I let out a low impressed whistle. I knew Bon Bon wasn't the most violent of us all. If anything, I expected Lyra or Vinyl to have knocked some guards out. They probably did in all honesty.
"I guess I owe them a lot don't I?" I nuzzled and sighed contently when she did it back. I will never admit it to my friends because of my pride but I do love getting affection from mom and Derpy. It's a great feeling.
"We both do," Mom corrected with a grin.
"It just feels like the dream was super real. It's weird," I mumbled into her mane.
"Dreams can feel that way. Kind of annoying, isn't it?" I frowned slightly and nodded.
"Yeah it is."
"So you mentioned knowing a spell that would let us go in the past," Mom casually mentioned. "Something about your past and learning?" I quickly brightened up at the suggestion.
"Yes. Let me get the others."
"We are only gonna focus on my past in Canterlot. We have to get back home shortly. We won't have to worry about accidentally messing up the timeline by touching anything," I explained. Twilight tilted her head curiously.
"Can I come?" She asked curiously and I shrugged.
"Sure why not. Just let me explain everything. You're gonna see the Celestia I knew so don't expect the Celestia you know," I warned as Twilight slightly frowned before nodding. "Ready?"
I identified the voices of the others saying different versions of yes as Lyra was practically vibrating up and down. I swear that girl was going to make a hole in the castle floor. She could honestly be a pony jackhammer if she wanted. My horn glowed and a bright light filled the room.
"Woah," Vinyl muttered as she fixed her glasses. "That wasn't as painful as I expected." I let out a low chuckle.
"Going in the past isn't painful," I admitted.
"It looks so different!" Twilight looked around the Canterlot streets. "I haven't seen it look like this in years!" I trotted up to her and smiled.
"Yeah it's beautiful. These are my memories so it's gonna be going by fast so we can go home."
"Okay," Lyra muttered as we stared at a young me trotting up the road with her bags full of books and an arrogant smile. I winced and looked away. I remember this day like it was yesterday.
"Sunset Shimmer!" Minuette exclaimed as she galloped up with her friends. Young me sat down on a bench and started reading a book. "That vine you made was amazing!"
"Absolutely exquisite!" Twinkleshine pressed a hoof to her chest.
"Would you like to come have lunch with us?" Equestrian Lyra asked eagerly, her friends matching her expression.
"Hmpf! I have better things to do than socialize! I'm going to reread Advanced Elemental Magical Practices and then practice for my advanced summoning spells. What are you studying for? Nothing, that's what!" Young me exclaimed as she stood up and grabbed her books before trotting away.
"Well she wasn't very nice," Morning Roast muttered with a sad expression.
"She's right full of herself that's what," Lemon Hearts scoffed.
"Her loss. I'm awesome," Minuette grumbled.
"I remember this," Twilight looked at me. "They told me about this. I can't believe I forgot about it."
"Me too," I sighed. "I relieve this everyday. Ever since you hit me with a rainbow, I felt everyone's pain. The random fast food worker I insulted, the garbage man I was rude to. Minuette and the others. Derpy, Rainbow Dash everyone. I felt what they felt whenever I was rude or said something hurtful."
"Did Twilight chose that as a punishment?" Derpy inquired as she hugged me.
"Nah," I gave a bitter chuckle. "She had no control over that. Harmony is a real force in Equestria. I wasn't emphatic or kind so when the rainbow hit me, the Elements forced me to be emphatic and kind by feeling the pain I caused others." Twilight nodded her agreement as the scene suddenly changed to the castle.
"Where are we now?" Bon Bon asked curiously as we stood on the balcony of the castle.
"This is a few months later," I replied as the same young me trotted slowly to the balconies edge.
"Can I try raising the sun? Can I?" She asked eagerly as Celestia joined her. She closed her eyes and grunted as her horn glowed.
"You're not quite there yet Sunset. Maybe one day."
"Principal Celestia looking wild!" Lyra chuckled.
"She talks about you often," Twilight focused on me as I idly noticed young me and Celestia walking down a hallway. Apparently the scene changed again to later that night.
"I believe you. I'm not ready for that yet," I admitted.
"You need to make friends Sunset," Celestia sighed. "It will make you happy."
"But I'm happy when I do magic," young me pointed out.
"But why do you do magic?" Celestia pressed.
"To do good things."
"Is that the portal?" Derpy asked in curiosity as young me approached the portal Princess Celestia was standing in front of.
"Yes," I answered as we watched young me tentatively reach out with a hoof and touch it.
"Don't touch that!" Celestia chided. "It's for highly skilled students."
"I'm not a highly skilled student?" Young me asked with a hurt expression as she yanked her hoof back.
"That's not what I meant Sunset," Celestia sighed.
"Then what did you mean?"
"Just that you're not there yet. One day you will be. I assure you of that." Young me looked away.
"You always say that," she grumbled. "Why not now? I've aced my studies! I've learned spells other ponies couldn't even dream of! I'm ready and you're holding me back."
"I'm not holding you back."
"You're just afraid of my potential and that I may outshine you one day! I have great potential and you refuse to recognize it!" Young me snapped.
"I recognize it believe me. Now is the not the right time," she answered calmly. Young me spun around and trotted off.
"I'm going to my room." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXVIII | "The castle looks gorgeous," Octavia commented as we followed young me to the throne room where a guard pushed the door open.
"Hello Sunset. Sit down please," Celestia levitated a scroll to a waiting earth pony who trotted away with it. "You need to make friends."
"I'm fine by myself. I only need me," she scoffed and brushed a strand of her fiery mane. "Only making friends will distract me from my studies."
"I'm sorry but I don't believe that. You will make a friend," she said firmly.
"Is this an order?" Young me asked quietly.
"Yes. And I don't want you in the library until you bring me one friend you've made. That is all. You're dismissed," she turned her attention back to a different scroll.
"I knew she took a heavy hoofed approach with you but this is a bit much," Twilight mumbled.
"For real," Bon Bon agreed as she gave me a sympathetic look. "I know why you were a bit aggressive now."
"Same here," Octavia agreed as she wrapped a hoof around my neck. "You're a great friend now to us all."
"It gets worse from here," I warned as we followed young me out of the room and into the hallway.
"Make some friends she says. It'll be easy she says," young me scoffed. "I'll find a way to force a friendship so I can get back to the books."
"Did it work?" Mom asked curiously. I gave a low chuckle.
"Nope. Watch this."
"Will you be my friend Moondancer? After all, you would be friends with the princess' star pupil! I could get you some books and spells you wouldn't get anywhere else!" Young me smiled at the other mare.
"I don't think so," Moondancer commented as she shook her head. Young me frowned and glared at her.
"Why not? You don't have friends either." Young me spun around and her tail slapped Moondancer in the face as she trotted off. I had gotten in a bit of trouble for that one but I lied and said I didn't mean to hit her. In all honesty, I meant to do it.
"That was painful looking," Vinyl commented as Moondancer rubbed her cheek with a hoof.
"I imagine it was," I agreed.
"Oh boy. Back in the throne room," Derpy mumbled. We watched a young me hesitantly enter the room where Celestia was waiting.
"Have you made any friends yet my dear student?" Celestia asked curiously. Straight to the point as always.
"No I've been busy," young me lied. "School work and all." Celestia sighed and rubbed her head.
"Have you tried?" She asked pointedly as young me slammed a hoof on the ground.
"I have! I just can't make friends. It's not in the cards for me. Why isn't it working? I'm being nice! I offered to help Sea Swirl with her school work. Do you want to see me fail?"
"I don't think you could fail at friendship after all the spells you've done here," Celestia announced.
"How do ponies become friends?" Young me asked her. Celestia waved a hoof in the air.
"They just do. They hang out. They read books together. Go to the movies. They just be friends."
"That's real helpful," young me grumbled. "Can I go now please? I have to go on this pointless assignment you've assigned
Me."
"How can she even compare learning spells to making friends?" Bon Bon wondered. "Those aren't even remotely the same thing!"
"I'm sorry you went through this dear," Mom hugged me as we watched young me storm out of the room. "She was a bit rough on you."
"I deserved it," I admitted. "I was awful and demanding." Mom tightened her grip on me.
"Yes you were demanding but there was a better way of handling it then the way she did."
"I agree," Twilight admitted with wide eyes. "I've never knew she was like this all this time back then."
"Where does young Sunny go now?" Vinyl asked with a smirk.
"My house," I admitted.
"You had your own house?" Lyra grabbed my face and squished it between her hooves. I removed her hooves and smirked.
"Yes. Mom did a lot to help me out when she didn't have to. I always came from a poor family as you all know. Mom scraped the money to get me here and how did I repay her? By running away and being unappreciative as hell. I was an awful daughter. At least I apologized to her for it before she passed. I was awful. I never should left the town."
"Do not talk about yourself that way. Your mom told you that you were a great daughter and I agree with her one hundred percent. You weren't bad daughter," Mom chided.
"I guess."
"Wow this is a nice house. Not very spacious but it had a good view," Lyra commented as younger me stood on the balcony.
"How it all began if truth be told. I have a master plan. Took them by surprise, worked my way uphill. They looked into my eyes. I became invincible. No one can stop me for only I am in control," young me sang softly as the others stared at me. I turned a bright shade of red.
"I forgot I sang a evil song here," I admitted sheepishly.
"If you want me, you better contact my people. See my crown, I'll be queen. I love the endless worshipping. I am raw, a dinosaur but I will never be extinct. So don't mess with me, I'll shoot you down. Don't mess with me," Young me flipped a makeshift crown I vaguely remember making as a filly on her head.
"Show me love and affection, I'm the future ruler. It's best to keep me pleased. Imagine if you will, our meet on the block. I've got time to kill. So how about you bow down to me? It's been fun, but won't you please disappear? Something tells me that you can't further my career."
"So you do like affection!" Lyra smirked as she winked at me. "Knew it!"
"Shush."
"See my crown, I'll be queen. I love the endless worshipping. I am raw, a dinosaur but I will never be extinct. So don't mess with me, I'll shoot you down. Don't mess with me," young me gestured at the other houses below mine with a hoof slowly. "Cause all your heads are gonna roll. I've made your misery my goal. So if you want survival, kneel on my arrival. For this is how I will rule the world!"
"Thankfully you changed," Bon Bon shivered.
"No one can stop me, for only I am in control. And if you want me you'd better contact my people. See my crown, I'll be queen. I love the endless worshipping. I am raw, a dinosaur but I will never be extinct. So don't mess with me, I'll shoot you down. Don't mess with me," young me finished softly as she turned around and slammed the doors to the balcony shut leaving us on the balcony. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXIX | "Have I ever said you have a good singing voice?" Octavia asked as we settled down in the library, watching young me read a book about the portal and pull the dark black cloak tighter around herself.
"Yes all the time," I smirked. "Thank you."
"So what book were you reading?" Vinyl asked she glanced around the library. I inhaled a breath and looked at her.
"It was about the portal. More so where came from and what it did. I knew it went to a different world but I didn't know where or what it was like. I wanted to know more," I explained as the door opened. "We said some awful stuff to each other here so prepare yourselves."
I held my breath as Celestia and two royal guards walked in. The others looked curious at what was gonna happen with a mix of nervousness.
"What are you doing?" Celestia demanded. Young me stared up at her in shock.
"P-Princess Celestia?"
"I thought it made it clear you couldn't be here until you made friends!"
"I can't make friends! Nothing worked!" Young me shouted.
"You didn't even try!" Celestia shouted back as I approached her. The two guards lowered their spears and I could see Bon Bon gulp nervously.
"Those look pointy," she muttered.
"You're a hypocrite!" Young me shouted. "You have no friends! I hate you!" Princess Celestia recoiled as her eyes widened in shock as I watched myself teleport away, the black cloak falling to the ground. My friends stared at me as Twilight shivered.
"I'm sorry it went that way between you two. I never knew this happened," Twilight admitted as I gave a bitter laugh.
"It's not something she would tell you. I don't like talking about it."
"When I found you asleep on the floor in Cheerilees room, you said you're a hypocrite and you have no friends and I hate you," Lyra focused on me. "You were dreaming about this weren't you?"
"Yes," I admitted as I leaned against mom. "I was. It's not a good memory."
"I can see," Octavia muttered. "I don't think I can look at our principle the same after this."
"I agree," Bon Bon muttered as the scene changed once again and I tilted my head in confusion.
"I don't remember this," I muttered as Celestia knocked on the door of my house. My eyes slowly widened. "This must have been after I ran through the portal and she came to the house to talk to me. Probably a lecture."
"You were right," Celestia sniffed. "I don't know the first thing about friendship. I should have tried to understand you better. But maybe we can figure it out together-" she froze when the door opened slowly and we all stared at my empty house.
"I take back what I just said," Octavia sighed. "She made a good apology."
"I never knew she did this," I admitted sadly. I teleported us to the portal rooms hallway. "I know I'm not violent anymore so prepare yourselves."
"Uh why?" Twilight asked as we looked at the two guards. Young me stormed around the corner and yanked the spears away and tossed them behind her.
"Let me through please," she demanded.
"No. You aren't allowed access," one said stoically.
"I asked nicely," young me slammed the two together and tossed them against the wall, leaving them groaning. "Sweet Celestia! That might have been too much. I didn't want to kill or hurt you guys seriously. I just wanted to stun you for a bit. Are you okay?" She leaned over a guard with a nervous expression. The guard groaned and nodded as young me galloped to the portal and jumped through as the alarm started going off.
"At least you checked on them," Derpy laid a wing on my and quickly kissed my cheek.
"We never stood a chance!" A guard groaned as Princess Celestia galloped into the room.
"We're sorry!" The other moaned. Celestia sighed as she helped them up.
"It's alright. Don't apologize. You did your best," Celestia soothed. "Get yourselves to the medics and get checked out. Take a few days off." The guards nodded before shakily trotting off. Celestia sighed as she stepped to the portal and pressed her hoof to the portal. "Stay safe Sunset. Come back soon."
"I-I never knew she was this distraught about it," I mumbled. "I always thought she never cared."
"She was pretty saddened when you stole my crown. She told me and Cadence and the others that she had hoped you would come back and take your rightful place as her student. She didn't talk for a while afterwards Luna said. Just stayed in the house you lived in," Twilight admitted.
"Can you give me a book to talk to her when I go back home? I will think about it," I said. Twilight gave me a big smile.
"I'd love to."
"Well we have to go home now," I smiled at the assembled group of ponies. Lemon Hearts, Equestrian Lyra and Bon Bon, Minuette, Twinkleshine, Moondancer and Amethyst and the other elements. Starlight stood quietly off to the side. High Winds, Soarin and Surprise stood smiling.
"We will be back soon," Cheerilee smiled at her double. "We have a lot to discuss."
"That we do," she replied.
"Sunset look!" Derpy shouted as she did a loop in the air above my head. Thank God for tall ceilings. "I'm flying!"
"She took a bit but we got her going," Surprise smirked. "She is going to be a pretty decent flyer if she keeps at it when she comes back."
"I'm pretty damn proud," High Winds chuckled. "It's very nice to know you."
"Likewise!" Derpy landed on her hooves and high hoofed her. I approached the group of ponies I went to school with.
"Thanks you guys for giving me another chance," we did a group hug and I swear Amethyst was crush me to death.
"Not a problem," Minuette smirked. "Don't stay away for too long."
"I won't," I promised.
"Hurry back soon yall!" Applejack smiled.
"Wait!" Pinkie screamed. "I have something for you all that Earth Lyra wanted." She reached into her hair and pulled out a picture. We all crowed around it and I gave gasp.
"When did you take this?" I asked in awe. I levitated a picture of us all smiling in front of the castle.
"When you first got here," Rarity smiled. "Rainbow took it." I glanced at the rainbow maned pegasus wearing a smug grin.
"Thanks Dash." She gave me a wink.
"No problem." I trotted to the portal before I remembered something. I quickly galloped to Equestrian Lyra and Bon Bon and made a bubble around us.
"Hey Bon Bon?"
"Uh yeah?" She asked as she poked the bubble with a hoof.
"I know you're a special agent with SMILE. I accidentally looked at the files once in Celestias office. Your secret is safe with me Bon Bon." Her tense face instantly relaxed. "Or should I say Sweetie Drops."
"It's Bon Bon now," she smiled. "I like it better than Sweetie Drops to be honest." I gave a nod as I canceled the spell. Twilight was holding a book and a black box in her magic.
"Here's the book you requested. Celestia is made aware of your request and will be waiting for you to write her first. And here's the jewels for the sirens. Amethyst and Rarity were a great help. Sea Swirl helped a bit too," she gave me a hug as I took the items.
"Thanks Twi," I stepped back as Earth Bon Bon and Lyra stepped to the portal with the others and jumped through. "We will be back soon."
"Surprise! Get your head out of the portal please!" Soarin sighed as High Winds burst out laughing. Surprise stepped back and groaned and straightened her mane.
"Never do that," she moaned and sat down, resting against High Winds. I gave a wave as I closed my eyes and stepped through the portal, landing on top of a bunch of legs.
"Why do we always go through as a group?" Bon Bon groaned as she stood up. "Woah!" She shakily stood up and pressed a hand against the wall of the statue.
"As much as I love Equestria, I missed my legs," Octavia sighed. "My head hurts."
"Ditto!" Lyra and Bon Bon said in unison.
"Hey there Shimmer," I glanced behind me at Aria, Adagio and Sonata standing behind me with smiles.
"Hey you guys!" I grinned back and qaccepted Adagios stretched out hand as Sonata helped Mom up. "Got you guys your jewels so you can sing and come to Equestria sometime."
"Thanks Sunset,", Adagio smiled as I handed each of them the shiny red gems. "This means a lot to us."
"No problem. Twilight enchanted them so they are indestructible too. They can't get destroyed at all. They can't be stolen either. They'll automatically reappear wherever you left them in the house." Sonata gave me a tight hug that could rival Pinkies and Amethysts strength.
"I'm gonna go sleep this migraine off," Bon Bon moaned as she stumbled away. "I'll see you guys Monday at school."
"Same here," Vinyl mumbled. "I'm exhausted. That was a literal fucking trip over there. We got into hella shit."
"What did you all get into?" Aria asked with a raised eyebrow. Me and mom made eye contact and started laughing.
"It's a long story. How much time ya got?" I asked. The three sisters looked at each other.
"We got enough," Adagio announced.
"Good. Come to my house and we will go over everything." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXX | I slammed my head against the desk and groaned. The others sat at my table, writing. Sunset sipped her Sprite as she watched with a smirk. Lucky bastard. She was a fast writer. Maybe I could ask her to do my homework for me. I can't ask her to write my essay for me because she already spent an hour after school with us all writing.
"This sucks. Might be the most boring thing ever done," I grumbled. Vinyl glanced over at me before focusing back on her writing. "Why do we even have to write a report to Principle Celestia about our trip to Equestria, anyway?"
"Probably because the only reason she agreed to let us go to Equestria for a month while school was in session if we treated it as learning experience and wrote a paper documenting all we did and learned when we got back Lyra," Bon Bon replied with her eyes glued to her paper. Derpy was chewing on the end of her pencil as she sighed in boredom.
"Fair enough," I grumbled. I hated writing long essays like this. "Sunset, can you go get me a Sprite please?"
"Yeah sure," she stood up from the table. "I'll go talk to the sirens before I come back." I watched as she walked out of the classroom to make sure she was gone.
"So guys I was thinking," I began.
"Dangerous for you," Vinyl quipped with a smirk.
"Shush Vinyl. This is serious." Vinyl stared at me with a frown.
"We're listening," she said as she set her glasses on the table. "What's up Lyra?" The others glanced at me nervously.
"I was thinking we should omit some details of what we did in Equestria," I admitted.
"Do what?" Vinyl asked. I rolled my eyes in frustration.
"It means leave out," Octavia explained. I gave her a grateful smile.
"Oh. What were you thinking?"
"Let's see. In Equestria, we watched Sunset's Equestrian mom die in front of us. And then we got kidnapped. And then we watched Sunset go on a massive murder spree because of an ancient amulet lost to time. If we leave that in the report, then Celestia and Luna would probably never let us go back to Equestria again. They already lied to our parents about us going on a month long nature trip. If they find out what happened, they may never let us go back and I want to go back," I explained. A silence fell over us as we all looked at each other.
"She's right," Octavia admitted. "They would be asking a lot of questions about Sunset now if they knew."
"I agree," Cheerilee spoke up from her desk as her pen moved across her paper. Principal Celestia had wanted a report from her too. "I already planned on leaving it out. Technically, I was unconscious for most of the time during that situation so I didn't see any of it."
"See?" I pointed at Cheerilee with my pencil. "Even her mom agrees with us."
"Okay we're in," Bon Bon said. "But Sunset thinks it was a dream. How do we know she won't put her dream in her version of the report?" That was a good question. I didn't think about that.
"Well let's look at her paper," I decided. "Where the fuck is it?"
"Language Lyra please," Cheerilee said sternly. "We're in school." I turned a faint shade of red as Bon Bon giggled. I gave her a gentle shove before sighing.
"Sorry."
"It's okay. Just be careful who hears you," Cheerilee chuckled as she finished writing and stapled her papers together before putting it in a folder. "As for Sunset's paper, she already handed me it and I read it just in case. She didn't mention the kidnapping incident. Nor did she mention her biological mom dying. She did briefly touch on it but all she said was she lost someone close." I let out a sigh. It was still kinda affecting us all and we barely knew the women yet she was kind as hell to us all. Or mare I suppose I should say to be accurate.
"At least Sunset took all the pictures of her mom and belongings from her house," Bon Bon sighed and leaned against me. She had asked Twilight to put all the furniture and other stuff from her old house in her room in the castle for safekeeping. She brought all the pictures and other personal belongings of her mom here.
"Yeah. Some nights I find her just staring at pictures of her mom," Cheerilee admitted. "It sucks but all we can do is support her. Losing family never really goes away. You just learn to cope with it. Just give her time girls." We all looked at each other and sighed.
"We know," Derpy sighed. "Doesn't make it any easier." We all fell quiet and looked down sullenly.
"Hey Lyra," Sunset strode into the room. "I got you your Sprite you asked for," She paused and looked around in confusion. "Are you guys alright?" I took my Sprite and forced a smile.
"Yeah we are fine." Sunset quickly sat next to me and Derpy, giving her a quick kiss. I gave the pair a smirk.
"What are you plans after school guy?" Derpy asked quickly. She must have sensed I was about to say something and decided to intervene. She was getting good at that. Scarily good.
"Me and Tavi have a movie night tonight," Vinyl answered.
"Me and Bon Bon are going on a date. Just hanging out at my house but we both prefer simplicity some days. Unless it's our anniversary," I replied. "What about you?" More like we were gonna watch hella movies, make out and maybe some more physical activities but they didn't need to know about that.
"I don't know," Derpy admitted. "Can I come spend the night Miss Cheerilee?" Cheerilee gave a shrug and smiled.
"Of course. Let me call your dads class room and let him know," she answered as she picked up her classroom phone. "You're always welcome to my house. Just like all of the other girls my daughter is friends with." Derpy gave a massive grateful smile.
"Thank you." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXXI | "Oh my god!"
With a frustrated groan, I pushed myself out of bed and sighed. I pulled a bra and shirt on and ignored the jeans, opting to keep my pajamas on. I stepped to my door and flung it open, storming downstairs.
"Morning Sonata," I greeted my youngest sister as I stepped into the kitchen. Sonata was sitting at the table in the dining room with her taco pajama pants and a pink shirt, petting her cat.
"Hey Dagi!" She chirped as she grinned at me. "How are you?"
"Good, what about you?" I asked as I got my coffee cup down.
"Good. Petting Mr. Fluffles right now," she said as she held the orange cat up to her face and kissed him.
"What's Aria mad about?" I inquired. Sonata smirked and pointed at the TV. I glanced under it and saw it was unplugged. "She's mad because it's unplugged?"
"No. She thinks the cable box is broken and is calling Comcast right now. She doesn't know it's unplugged." I snorted and rolled my eyes.
"Listen here you two bit whore!" Aria shouted into the phone as she started walking into my vision. "The fucker ain't working!"
"Why haven't you told her it's unplugged?" I asked as I started filling the cup with coffee. Sonata gave a shrug and smiled.
"It's funny." I gave a sigh.
"God help me. How long has she been going on like this?"
"About forty minutes," Sunset said from the couch. I glanced over in confusion. I hadn't known she was here.
"Oh hey Sunset. Didn't know you were here. Do you want breakfast?" I asked as I started to open the fridge. Sunset waved me off.
"I had breakfast before I came over. Thank you though Adagio."
"No problem," I sat down and wrapped my hand around the cup and sipped my coffee. Coffee is probably my favorite beverage other than the occasional tea.
"I'll tell you one God damn thing bitch!" Aria fumed. "Send someone to fix this piece of shit or I will blast your ass!"
"This is certainly getting eventful," Sonata giggled. I rolled my eyes and gave her a disapproving frown.
"No that ain't a threat that's a promise. I will come down to your office and go off on you!" Aria shouted. "I'm in highschool, where in the wide world of Equestria would I get a gun?" Aria glanced over at me and waved. That girl is weird some days. "Hey sis."
"Hey Aria."
"No I wasn't talking to you bitch! I was talking to my sister. What do you mean it'll take three months to get it fixed? I've done everything! I've unplugged the box and plugged it back in, nothing works. I don't gotta calm down, I'm calm! I'm smiling lady," Aria forced a smile on her face and kept pacing back and forth.
"I thought she was getting anger management?" Sunset had her head laying off the arm rest and looked at me. "Now you're upside down!" I smiled and rolled my eyes.
"You and Sonata are so alike someday it's scary," I muttered. "She is taking anger management classes. She does get angry some days but she has been making great progress. Compared to a thousand years ago, this is tame." Sunset shivered and sat up, pressing her hand against her forehead.
"Woah dizzy. If this is tame, I'd hate to see her furious."
"Man fuck you!" Aria grumbled and tossed her phone on the couch. "Morning Adagio. Hey Sunset. Hey Sonata."
"Hey sis," Sonata hid a grin behind her hand as Sunset chuckled from the couch. I had a feeling she knew it was unplugged from the beginning too. "Having fun?"
"Not really no," Aria admitted as she sat down at the table. "The TV ain't working. Damn thing." Sonata and Sunset looked at each other and burst out laughing and I smirked faintly.
"That's funny," Sonata giggled.
"What are you all laughing at?" Aria asked with a raised eyebrow. I coughed out a laugh and pointed to the TV cord hanging out from the stand unplugged. "Oh my fucking god. Did you all know?"
"Yep," Sunset grinned. "You looked at the box but you never checked to see if the TV was plugged in! That's hilarious!" She laid down on her back and started laughing again.
"I can't stand you. Any of you for that matter," Aria shook her head and tried to hide her smile but we could all see it. "I hope they don't actually come out in three months and try to fix it. There's nothing to fix." I rolled my eyes and stood up.
"Alright get dressed. We have school in a bit. I'm surprised your mom allowed you to come on a school morning," I glanced at Sunset who gave a shrug in response.
"I told her I'd do the dishes and vacuum the house if she let me come over. Is it okay for me to tag along with you guys in the car?"
"Yeah of course. You can hang out with Sonata in the back seat," I said. "She would enjoy the company."
"Yay!" Sonata clapped eagerly. "We can play car games. Will we sit with Lyra and the others at lunch? Are they our besties yet?" Aria instantly frowned and looked away as me and Sunset shared an uncomfortable look. She had been asking that question since the Battle of the Bands.
"Uh not yet. Lyra is the only one who's verbally said she's nervous about you guys. You will have the most luck with Derpy or Vinyl," Sunset muttered. "I started with Derpy then Lyra."
"We will cross that bridge if we get there," I decided.
"At least they are a bit better than the Rainbooms. They can be a bit much," Aria admitted as she folded her arms. "Especially the pink one." Sunset let out a chuckle.
"Yeah Pinkie can be a handful. Trust me I know." I snorted and rolled my eyes.
"Talk about an understatement of the decade. She attacked us with cupcakes because and I quote, she wanted to give us food as a gift," Aria scoffed. Sunset smirked as Sonata sighed happily.
"They were good cupcakes!"
"They got in my hair!" I retorted. "I spent hours on my hair."
"Okay true," Sonata admitted before brightening up. "But Rarity fixed your hair later!"
"Okay true. Now please go get dressed you two." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXXII | "They want to what?" Rainbow asked with a slackjawed expression. "Seriously?"
"Hang out with us," I repeated myself with my arms folded across my chest. "And yes they do."
"Not that I'm saying no darling but why?" Rarity asked with a raised eyebrow. We were at Pinkie's side job getting milkshakes as usual at our normal table. This was our predecided meeting spot for a lot of things now. Especially since more than one band used the band room now. Trixie uses it, Flash does. Sometimes even Lyra and Octavia are practicing their lyre and cello together in it.
"Because they need more friends. And I expect you guys to be on your best behavior because I already said yes for you guys," I said sternly.
"Than why ask us?" Applejack asked. "If yah already decided to speak for us, what's our opinion matter?"
"She's right," Fluttershy said quietly. "You shouldn't speak for others without knowing how they feel."
"We will be nice. We aren't mean!" Pinkie exclaimed. I rolled my eyes and stared at them.
"So because I spoke for you guys, you won't let them hang out with us?" I raised an eyebrow. I know I may be a bit aggressive right now but I kinda started my time of the month and I'm not in a good mood.
"Woah now," Applejack held up a hand. "We ain't say that. Are ya feeling alright? You're kinda moody."
"Yeah I'm sorry. It's just you know girl troubles," I admitted as I drank some of my chocolate milkshake I had ordered. Fluttershy and Rarity gave me sympathetic looks while the others nodded.
"That explains it," Rarity said. "It'll pass dear. Don't worry."
"Freaking doesn't feel like it," I grumbled. Rarity reached across the table and squeezed my shoulder.
"We would love to hang out with your friends. My house tonight."
"So what is that you guys normally do at sleepovers?" Aria asked as she sat on the floor next to the door. Sonata was playing some video game with Rainbow and Rarity was doing Adagio's nails. "Not that I care but you know curiosity." We all smirked at each other. She did a pretty bad job at hiding her legitimate curiosity and the fact she did actually care.
"Well sometimes we play card games, video games, talk, watch movies. Or just random stuff," Applejack said from her spot on the bed.
"Or we eat cookies!" Pinkie screamed as she tossed an Oreo package on the bed.
"Or that."
"What do you guys do at sleepovers?" Rainbow asked as she tossed aside her controller and tried to hide her side of the screen saying lose while Sonatas said winner. The three sisters looked at each other before shrugging.
"We only ever had Sunset over. We usually ate pizza, watched a movie and that was it," Adagio admitted. "We didn't typically do sleepovers."
"Mainly we used to just focus on how to take over the world," Aria chimed in. "We never had time for sleepovers when you're a villain." All of the Rainbooms looked uncomfortable except me.
"Well!" Rarity spoke up and stood up, quickly heading to her closest. "Since I lost the dare last time, Rainbow is making me show my closet of shame!"
"Your what?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Her closest of sexual clothing," Rainbow grinned and rubbed her hands today eagerly. Fluttershy let out an eep and turned red.
"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity snapped with a blush of her own. "It's nothing like that! It's just a closet of old Halloween costumes I wore as a kid."
"Like the Lola Bunny one?" Applejack asked and burst out laughing. "Let me tell yah, if yah wore that now ya would have everyone on yah!"
"Is that what that was? I thought it was a Playboy bunny."
"I have never looked at those types of magazines Rainbow Dash," Rarity gave her a dirty look. "Hugh Hefner was demeaning to women."
"Not really," Rainbow Dash retorted. "He only had women in his magazines. He was a icon. He changed the whole view of the girl next door as more than a sex object. He supported feminism, encouraged women to pursue college degrees and be independent. He celebrated sex in a way that allowed men and women to be open about their sexualites and reversed notions about premarital sex. The whole topic of sex was taboo when Playboy first got made." We all sat quietly and watched the impromptu debate.
"Of course you would support premarital sex," Rarity scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"What is that supposed to mean? I'm a virgin just like you!" Rainbow exclaimed. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with sex before marriage. If two people wanna have a good time, who are you to stop them? You gonna walk in there and yank him out of her-"
"Alright let's not," Applejack quickly interrupted. "Just go and bring out some of your costumes and we will judge em." Rarity glared at Rainbow with a red face before disappearing into the closet, slamming it shut behind her.
"Wow," Aria said. "That was something." She tossed a piece of caramel popcorn into her mouth.
"We meet Hugh Hefner once," Adagio admitted. "Interesting human."
"He also donated money to-" Rainbow tried to say before Applejack interrupted her again.
"Ah know what you're about to say and don't," Applejack warned. "Rares is already mad at ya. Don't bring up politics into this or we will never have a quiet evenin'." Rainbow rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
"I wasn't going to bring up politics. I don't give a shit about them. I was going to say he donated money to animal shelters, mental health research and even funded the first rape kit but fine I won't say anything else." The door to the closet opened and Rarity stepped out. Adagio and Rainbows eyes widened as Aria spit out her pop, quickly covering her mouth.
"What the fuck?" I said as I stared at Rarity wearing a bunny suit. "I thought you were gonna show us ones you wore as a kid, not an adult!"
"W-wow Rarity," Applejack muttered. "Ah wasn't expecting this."
"Oh my," Fluttershy said softly with a bright red face.
"You look fuckable Rarity!" Pinkie shouted with a smirk.
"Pinkie Pie!" Applejack admonished. "Language!"
"What, Sunset cusses all the time and you never tell her to watch her mouth!" Pinkie pouted.
"Because Ah know she wouldn't care if Ah told her too!"
"Damn right," I agreed smugly as I tried and failed to not laugh at Rarity. Aria and Sonata quickly joined me along with Rainbow and Pinkie. "I-I gotta get a picture of this!"
"Normally I would say no but go for it," Rarity shrugged and placed an arm behind her head. We all instantly stopped laughing and stared at her in shock.
"Woah really?" Rainbow asked. "This doesn't seem like you."
"Agreed," me and Applejack said in unison. I shrugged and took the picture before saving it to my phone and setting it on the nightstand.
"Alright that's all you guys get to see mainly because it's the only one I have," Rarity stepped back into her closet and shut the door.
"Ah worry about that girl." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXXIII | "Next game!" Pinkie shouted. "Most embarrassing secret, go!"
"What if we don't have any secrets?" Fluttershy asked softly. Pinkie leaned over and patted her condescendingly on the head.
"Everyone has secrets silly! I'll go first. When I was five, I licked a snail!"
"Ew, what the fuck?" Aria asked with a disgusted face.
"That is disgusting Pinkie," Rainbow snickered. "When I was twelve, I got sprayed by a skunk but said it was the quiet kid because I was getting made fun of. I later admitted it was me but that's the only time I had a really embarrassing secret. Wait my grades!"
"You being stupid isn't a secret," Aria grumbled. Applejack hid a snicker behind her hand. Rainbow rolled her eyes and focused on the siren.
"What's your most embarrassing secret?"
"I don't have one," Aria said smugly.
"Bullshit!" Adagio snorted. Aria glared at her.
"She used to sing to her fishes when she had them!" Sonata giggled. Rainbow snickered and I smiled. I was happy they were getting along with each other. Maybe one day I could introduce all three friend groups and have a massive group.
"Sonata used to sleep with the pony plush of her," Aria grinned wickedly before glancing at Adagio. "Adagio crashed three cars when they were first invented and she told the insurance company she walked outside each time she bought a new car and found it like that."
"I thought we agreed to never speak of that again," Adagio grumbled.
"I thought we agreed to never bring up the fish thing so we are even." Pinkie pointed at me.
"Pony-chu, I chose you!" She shouted as Rainbow burst out laughing. I gave her a flat glare.
"Really? Fine, I uh still sleep with mom sometimes," I admitted sheepishly. Rainbow and Aria let out fake awws while Sonata and Pinkie giggled.
"You next Fluttershy."
"Oh uhm I'm afraid of public speaking," she hid behind her hair as we all fell silent and looked at each other.
"That's perfectly acceptable darling," Rarity hesitantly patted her on the back. "We all have our dark secrets." The door swung open and we all glanced at a visibly upset Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom.
"Are yall done yet?" Apple Bloom grumbled. "AJ promised to play video games with me."
"And Rarity promised to help me with a sewing project and hang out!" Sweetie Belle whined.
"And Rainbow said she would watch the new Daring Doo movie with us all today," Scootaloo snapped. The three older sisters looked at each other.
"Ah'm sorry sugarcube," Applejack said. "Ah'm busy with Sunset and mah other friends." Aria and Adagio raised an eyebrow as Sonata grinned.
"I'm busy with my friends Sweetie. I'm sure you will get it done," Rarity assured her sister as Sweetie glared at her.
"We can watch it later Scoots," Rainbow smiled at the younger girl. "It ain't going nowhere."
"You always say that," Scootaloo grumbled. "You said that last week. And the week before."
"Bitch," Sweetie Belle whispered angrily under her breath. "Never spends time with me." The only reason I heard her was because I was closest to door.
"Excuse me young lady," Raritys eyes narrowed. "What was that?" Sweetie Belles eyes widened and she looked to her friends for support.
"She said nothin!" Apple Bloom spoke up. "It was uh mah phone! Ringtone for Diamond Tiara!"
"Absolutely!" Scootaloo hastily added. Apple Bloom glared at me before glaring at her sister.
"When ya decide ah'm important, ya know where to find me. Yall know where to find us all," she declared. "Let's go yall. We can go to the movies. Ah got enough allowance saved up."
"It's late. Stay inside," Applejack said sternly.
"Ya ain't mah mom. Last time ah checked, our parents were dead Piggly Wiggly," Apple Bloom grumbled. We all went silent and stared at the two as Sweetie Belle slammed the door shut and the three stormed down the stairs.
"Well that happened," Aria commented.
"What the hell is a Piggly Wiggly?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. Applejack gulped and sighed.
"It was a nickname Ma and Pa gave me. Granny Smith called me it as a kid too," she admitted. "She crossed a line. Ah'll go talk to her when ah'm a bit more calm."
"Let's quit playing this game and uh do something else," Pinkie nervously suggested as she looked around. "Movies? Video games?"
"I'm gonna go find Sweetie Belle," Rarity stood up and Rainbow quickly followed her.
"Same here. And we will stop them if they try to leave," Rainbow stated as she looked at Applejack. "All of them."
"Thanks y'all," Applejack sighed. Rainbow gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before she and Rarity disappeared into the dark hallway.
"How often does that happen?" Sonata asked curiously as she tilted her head to the side.
"Not often," Fluttershy spoke up. "Sure they get angry like kids will do but never like that. The last time I saw Sweetie Belle that angry was when she sabotaged Raritys fashion line for Sapphire Shores that one time. And even then, she never swore at her."
"I thought only I heard her," I admitted.
"No we all did," Pinkie answered. "She's not the greatest at speaking quietly no matter how good she thinks she us."
"How was Equestria?" Applejack asked and everyone looked at me. "Have fun?" I took a deep breath before answering.
"It was a interesting time. A lot of stuff happened and I mean a lot of stuff. I don't have time to go over most of it with you guys but believe me when I say it got me and others closer than ever before," I answered.
"Who all went with you again?" Sonata asked curiously.
"Lyra, Bon Bon, Vinyl, Octavia, Derpy and Mom," I replied. "Next time, I plan on bringing them plus you three with. Equestria has changed a lot since you last saw it." Rainbow Dash and Rarity stepped inside the room.
"How diffirent?" Adagio asked.
"Like you wouldn't believe," I chuckled.
"We decided it was best to let them go to the movies. Big Mac is coming to get them and take them," Rainbow announced. "Apple Bloom is still here." Applejack let out a relieved sigh.
"Thanks yall. Ah'm gonna hit the hay. Good night." I was pretty tired too and based on the others expressions, they were too. I was ready to sleep.
"Good night AJ."
"Night Sunset." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXXIV | "It feels different around here recently," Lyra commented as we sat around our lunch table. "Can't put a finger on it."
I slid in between her and Derpy with my own tray. I alternated the days I sat with each group. Derpy being here did take priority over the Rainbooms so I sat here more often. If we had big enough tables, I'd sit both groups together so I didn't have to bounce around all the damn time. It certainly would make my life way easier.
"I agree," Derpy sighed as she looked around curiously. "Hey my unicorn." She kissed my cheek.
"Hey my pegasus," I kissed back as Lyra rolled her eyes.
"You guys have some weird ways of flirting," she commented as she tossed a cheez it in her mouth.
"You're one to talk," I retorted. "You call Bon Bon your little baker all the time."
"And she calls you her little musician," Derpy added with a grin.
"Okay fair enough," Lyra admitted. "You got me there." A girl with light turquoise skin with amber hair that had gold stripes in it sat on the empty end of our table on the fat side.
"Who's that?" Bon Bon whispered. I gave a shrug as we glanced at her.
"I don't know. She's been sitting there by herself for the past few months before we went to Equestria. Derpy has been trying to be her friend but she doesn't talk that much. She sits there, eats and leaves," I answered. "I think she used to be on the soccer team with me." The others had been surprised when I expressed in joining the soccer team. Even more when I ended up being one of the best players. Even Spitfire thought I was good. Plus, Soarin really liked me after I stood up for him that one time.
"Used to be?" Vinyl raised an eyebrow. "What happened there?"
"She and Dash allegedly had a falling out and Spitfire kicked her off the team. I wasn't there for that because I was sick that week but it was apparently important. Spitfire and Fleetfoot barely separated the two before fists were thrown," I explained.
"That's kinda worrying," Bon Bon admitted. "I've heard her speak before. It's rare but it happens."
"Hey there Piggly Wiggly!" A boy shouted as he walked past the Rainbooms table.
"What the hell is a piggly wiggly?" Lyra asked as we watched Applejack slump further into her seat with a bright red face.
"It's Applejacks nickname when she was a kid. I don't know how it became public knowledge," I answered as the two boys walked past our table laughing.
"Why piggly wiggly?" Vinyl asked curiously as we watched the cafeteria burst into laughter. Trixie and Lavender Lace were the ones laughing the hardest as Fuschia wiped a tear out of her eye. They were the Rainbooms biggest competition so it made sense they would laugh.
"I have no idea. Applejack said nothing about why she got it or how," I sighed as I pulled Derpy into a one armed hug. "You can still eat right?"
"Yes of course," Derpy smiled as she ate some of her pasta. I bit into my pear and sighed contently. Not only did I have one of my favorite people with me, I had my favorite fruit. I would never admit this to Applejack but pears are better than apples.
"Oh boy look at Strawberry Sunrise," Lyra hid a smile behind her flavored water. Sure enough, the girl was walking past the table with a smirk.
"Not only does the farm hand like the worst fruit ever but she's also called piggly wiggly!" Strawberry shouted with a giggle as she gave a grin Applejacks way. "Makes sense because she spends all her time with farm animals."
"I always did like her," Vinyl admitted. "She has a great taste in rock music. Same with her electronic music."
"Well you better get ready to fawn over her more because here she comes," Lyra pointed with a fork. Sure enough, the strawberry farmer was strolling up to us with a large grin.
"Great work Sunset. That was so funny of you!" She patted me on the back before smacking her knee in laughter. "Piggly Wiggly man that ain't ever gonna get old!" We all watched her walk away with confused expressions. The girl at the far end of the table got up with a empty lunch tray and walked away to the lunch line, dropping her tray off. She shot Rainbow and Spitfire an angry glare as she walked out of the room. I raised an eye brow when she sat down at Aria's table and the two started talking and laughing. I'd have to ask her about this later.
"Wnat was that about?" Derpy asked after a second. We all gave shrugs before resuming eating.
"I have no idea."
"So what do you wanna do now?" I asked Derpy as we laid in my bed hugging. I trailed a hand up and down her side slowly as I kissed her.
"I think this works," Derpy whispered after I pulled back from her. "You could bring me some water please."
"Okay," I kissed her on the forehead and stood up.
"Is Cheerilee home?" She suddenly asked before I opened the door.
"No. She's out getting groceries, why?" I gave her a confused look.
"Just curious. Thanks Sunny," she gave a nervous smile. I tilted my head to the side before I left the room and stepped to the kitchen. I got a cup down and filled it with water before turning the sink off and walking to my room.
"I got your water Derpy," I stared at her and turned red. "Uhm Derpy? You're uh naked?" Derpy turned bright red herself as she tossed her shirt aside and took the cup of water.
"I know. Let's go to bed and do more than sleep. After all, we are home alone," she cupped my cheek and kissed me. I took a nervous breath and nodded as I fumbled with the door and locked it.
"Okay. Only if you're sure about this."
"I am." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXXV | "Oh my god," Derpy mumbled as her body shook again. I gave her a final kiss before I slipped my fingers out of her and moved my face out from between her legs. "How haven't we done this at all yet?"
"I don't know," I admitted as I flopped on my back next to her, pulling a blanket over us both. "Uh was it alright?"
"Beyond alright! That was amazing," Derpy smiled and curled up closer next to me. I smiled back and wrapped an arm around her. Thank God mom was still out getting groceries. We weren't exactly quiet with what we got up to.
"It was really good. What made you want to?" I asked curiously. "Not that I regret us having sex or anything."
"I don't know. I feel comfortable around you. Besides, isn't it a thing two people do when comfortable around each other?" Derpy asked.
"I suppose yeah. It uh didn't hurt or anything did it?" I inquired nervously. The last thing I'd want to do was fuck this up. Heh, that was funny. Fuck this up and sex is called fucking. That sounded a bit funnier five seconds ago. Derpy gave a quick inhale.
"It didn't hurt at all. It was slightly awkward and uncomfortable at first but my mind soon focused more on the good feelings. Especially the orgasm," she answered with a smile as she propped her head up with a hand. "It's adorable you were worried."
"Well of course I was," I admitted. "I didn't want to hurt you."
"Your hair makes it look like you have a fiery halo," Derpy giggled as she played with my hair and I grinned at her wickedly.
"I think I have a new nickname for you." Derpy raised an eye brow as she planted a kiss on my neck.
"What's that?" She asked curiously.
"Screamer," I said simply and her face turned a bright shade of red. She rolled on top of me and started kissing down my chest. "Hey what are you doing?" Her head disappeared between my legs and I gasped as I felt a tongue touching my most private areas. I wasn't a stranger to oral sex and all given my history but it was completely different with Derpy. Felt way better with her than it did with some random stranger who paid me for it. Derpy popped her head up and I stared into her lust filled eyes with a startled look. I've never really imagined Derpy with that look, she always came across as innocent. I'm leaning how un innocent my girlfriend really is.
"It's your turn Sunset," she smirked at me. "We will see if I'm the only one getting nicknamed screamer today." She quickly returned to her tentative licking and I gave a startled gasp.
Doing it with her was so much better than anyone on the street.
"So how was your sleepover with the Rainbooms? And with Derpy?"" Lyra asked me as she started rocking her chair back and forth, sipping her milk shake. It had been a few days since the sleep over and about two weeks since we got back from Equestria.
"Good. It was entertaining," I smiled as I remembered the bunny suit Rarity showed us. Even though I had a picture, I didn't show the others because privacy. Me and Derpy looked at each other with red faces. "Heh Derpy's was fine."
"Beyond fine!" Derpy chuckled as I gave her a quick kiss.
"Damn right!" I smiled contently. Lyra looked like she wanted to ask for details but thank God for Vinyl and Octavia.
"Hey guys," Vinyl grinned as she sat down at our table with Octavia. Derpy was already sitting down next to me, Lyra and Bon Bon were sitting across from me. "We should honestly be part owners of Sugarcube Corner. We spend so much money here as is."
"Facts bro," Lyra chuckled. "Hey Bon Bon look outside. There's a bird."
"Ooh where?" Bon Bon twisted her head as Lyra quickly stole her girlfriends strawberry shake and took a super. She quickly set it down as Bon Bon looked back. "That was a pretty bird."
"Damn right," Lyra snickered as she sipped her vanilla shake. "What kind do ya think it was?" Bon Bon put her hand to her chin and rubbed it.
"I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe a dove?"
"Like the chocolate?" Bon Bon let out a frustrated sigh and rolled her eyes.
"No Lyra not like the chocolate. It's a white bird."
"Oh."
"It's been pretty crazy around school recently," Vinyl commented as she looked out the window with an arm around Octavia. "I haven't heard much but something about Rarity is online." Lyra giggled as she smirked.
"I saw. Bon Bon tried to smack my phone out of my hand for looking at it."
"Look at what?" I asked as me and Derpy looked at each other. Derpy knew about the picture of Rarity on my phone. I told her before hand so she didn't get mad and leave me for it. Rarity backed me up too thankfully.
"You haven't seen it?" Bon Bon tilted her head to the side. "Really?"
"Seen what?" Derpy asked. Bon Bon held up a finger as she pulled her phone out and slid it across the table. Me and Derpys jaws dropped as we stared. The picture of Rarity I had was posted online.
"But how?" I asked in shock. "Only I have this picture! I sure as hell didn't post it. And why does this account have my face on it?" Octavia grabbed the phone and looked at the post, a blush crossing her face.
"That's really weird," she agreed as she handed the phone to Vinyl. "I don't know."
"Wow. I never knew Rarity had something like that," she let out a low whistle. "Ow!" She rubbed the spot on her head where Octavia smacked her.
"You're supposed to be looking at the profile picture. Not Rarity being a lady you see on that one website," Octavia grumbled.
"Sorry sorry. But yeah that's weird."
"I have a bad feeling about this," I admitted. "A real bad feeling."
"Well whatever is going on we will help you solve!" Octavia announced with a smile. "We are family as you said in Equestria."
"She's right," Bon Bon squeezed my shoulder. "It's probably just a prank."
"Pretty lame prank and I know pranks," Lyra commented. "I'm the connoisseur of pranks."
"Lyra, connoisseur means to be like an expert in eating. How do you eat a prank?" Derpy asked pointedly.
"Oh. I didn't know that. I'm an expert prankster."
"She is pretty good," Bon Bon admitted. "I still need to get you and her back for the water prank when I first spent that night at your house."
"That was months ago," I pointed out. "You haven't forgotten that?"
"I never forget," Bon Bon shrugged with a smirk. I leaned to Lyra's ear.
"I thought she forgot," I whispered. Lyra nodded with a worried face.
"So did I."
I let out a sigh as I opened my locker. All day people had been making fun of Rarity and laughing at her. Even though I didn't post the picture, I felt awful for what she was going through. Lyra opened her locker and groaned. All my friends oddly enough had their lockers next to mine in a row.
"Crazy about the atmosphere here. I feel bad for Rarity," Lyra commented as she put a biology book away.
"I know right," I agreed.
"Sunset Shimmer!" Rarity shouted as Bon Bon and Octavia stuck their heads around their locker doors curiously. "How could you?" Rainbow Dash and Applejack were with her, both looking upset.
"What did she do?" Vinyl asked. Rarity had mascara running down her face.
"You know what she did!" Rarity shouted as a small crowd gathered around us. "She posted that awful picture of me!"
"You don't actually believe that, do you?" Octavia asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Only she had the picture!" Rarity exclaimed as the crowd started whispering amongst themselves. "Why Sunset? I've been made a laughingstock all day!"
"And you went after my grades!" Rainbow fumed. "That's beyond fucked up, dude!" At least point Lyra and the others had stepped next to my side.
"It wasn't me!" I shouted. "I wouldn't betray you girls like that."
"She's right," Octavia agreed with me. "She's a changed girl." Rainbow stepped forward and I was staring at the ground as my cheek burned.
"What the fuck?" Vinyl snapped as she and Lyra stepped forward with their hands balled into fists. Octavia let out a gasp as I tried to process the fact Rainbow had slapped me. The crowd let out a loud "Ooooh."
"What's the big idea?" Lyra growled. "What the hell is wrong with you? She did nothing to you!" I rubbed my cheek as felt Octavia help me up with Derpy and Bon Bon.
"You're blind Lyra. She will reveal your secrets too!" Rarity cried as more tears ran down her face. "I can't show my face anywhere!"
"While I am very sympathetic, you are the blind one dear," Octavia sighed. "Sunset wouldn't do this."
"You have to believe me," I begged. "Please."
"Stay away from us," Rainbow grumbled as she and the other two walked away from me. "We aren't friends anymore." I tried to follow them but Octavia grabbed my shoulder and gave me a reassuring squeeze.
"Let's get you out of here. We need to get you to your mom's room." I gave a nod as the others pulled me along and I wiped a tear away. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXXVI | "They did what?" Cheerilee slammed a hand down angrily on her desk. We all instinctively flinched and stepped back hesitantly. Sunset was sitting at desk with her head slammed against the top. We had seen Cheerilee angry when Starlight took Sunsets cutie mark but that level of anger paled in comparison to the enraged expression on her face.
"She uh slapped her," I nervously spoke up and Cheerilee stared at me. I hated being the bravest among us somedays.
"And ended their friendship apparently," Vinyl cautiously added.
"I'm going to call her mother and get her suspended. No, expelled! Arrested!" Cheerilee fumed angrily.
"Don't," Sunset sniffed. We all glanced at her in surprise.
"But Sunset she literally assaulted you," Bon Bon pointed out.
"In front of everyone," Derpy angrily added. Let me tell you right now, Derpy never gets angry. She never cusses. Angry Derpy is the worst threat this world has ever faced. I'd say she was as dangerous as Hitler and Stalin. Okay maybe not that bad but it's still pretty scary.
"What she did was fucked up," I grumbled and gave Cheerilee a nervous look. "Uh sorry."
"It's fine. I'll let it slide today mainly because that's a good word to describe this. We have to do something Sunset," Cheerilee focused on the orange haired girl. "This is wrong."
"No. Just let it go. It doesn't matter. I'll just go up to then and plead my innocence. They will believe me if I try hard enough," she wiped a tear away. "They are my friends."
"You're not going alone," I announced immediately. "I'm coming with. I may not fight much but I can hold my own if it comes down to it."
"Whatever," Sunset mumbled as she stumbled out of the room.
"I'll go with her," Derpy stood up. "Make sure the others don't do anything to her." I gave a nod as she took off running to catch up.
"We should go with. Derpy can't fight and as sweet as she is, you can't win with sweetness," Vinyl commented.
"I'm gonna have to burn some bridges first," Bon Bon announced.
"Me too," Octavia said with anger. We've never seen her angry so this was slightly concerning.
"Ditto!" Vinyl added her agreement as she folded her arms. I took off to find my friend and her girlfriend.
I stood in Bon Bons kitchen, surrounded by mixing bowls and batter. Octavia stood behind me helping mix batter. Bon Bon and Derpy were supervising us as we made cupcakes and brownies for a certain group of girls.
"So who exactly are these cupcakes for?" Derpy asked curiously. I gave her an evil grin as I kept stirring.
"The Rainbooms. For being such good friends," I said sarcastically.
"Are you really rewarding them for punching Sunset and abandoning her? This is messed up Lyra," Bon Bon glared at me. I gave her a wink.
"Oh don't worry. This isn't a reward nor traditional cupcakes. You'll see," I reassured her as I scooped some batter up with a finger.
"Lyra what are you-?" Bon Bon started to ask as I smeared the batter under my eyes.
"This is war." Derpy and Bon Bon looked at each other before giggling. After the day we had, hearing laughter from a few of my closest friends was a gift from God.
"Where is Vinyl?" Octavia asked curiously as she set a bowl down. "You and her haven't told us this plan of yours." I gave a mischievous grin at her.
"Oh you'll see. She's out at the store picking up some ingredients we need," I smirked as I poured the cupcake batter into a cupcake pan.
"We literally have everything we need in my kitchen Lyra. What more do you need?" Bon Bon gestured around us. "Look at this mess! It's like a tornado went through here!" I glanced around at the flour and batter tossed everywhere.
"Sorry. I will clean it up. Alone. It's my mess," I promised and rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. "Do you own those thingies that you can add filling to cupcakes after they are done baking love?"
"Uh yes?" Bon Bon raised an eyebrow as she opened a drawer and set them on the table. "This is a candy store after all. We have practically everything you need to bake or make candies here."
I gave a grateful nod as I grabbed a mitt and put the cupcakes in the oven. I gently closed and tossed the mitt on the counter. With a sigh, I grabbed a wash cloth and started cleaning.
"I was joking silly," Bon Bon kissed my cheek as I tossed some bags into the garbage can. "We will help clean up. I don't necessarily know your plan but we are in this together. As long as you don't poison them."
"Oh I won't poison them," I promised and held back a snicker. "You will see. And trust me, it's going to be amazing."
"Because that's not concerning or ominous at all," Derpy grumbled as she started sweeping the floor. "What are you doing Lyra?" Octavia glanced back as she started picking up some trash.
"I can't say," I answered with a wink. "It'll ruin the surprise and trust me, we don't want them finding out the surprise until it's too late." The door swung open as the girls gave me suspicious looks.
"Hey guys," Vinyl grinned as she set her backpack down. I set my wash cloth down and grinned back.
"Hey V! Did you get the final ingredients I asked for?"
"You bet!" Vinyls grin turned malicious as she set down a grocery bag down and set the items on the counter. The other girls gathered around and stared in shock.
"Lyra," Bon Bon said warningly. "Are we sure this is a good idea?"
"She's right," Octavia agreed. "Some of this stuff seems a bit out there and risky." I gave a malicious smile of my own.
"Oh I'm sure. The Rainbooms aren't gonna know what hit em until it's too late. They messed with the wrong group and girl today." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXXVII | "Are you sure about this Sunset?" I asked her cautiously as I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Not to discourage you but we are going into enemy territory. They aren't our friends in there. We are outnumbered if we go on there." I pointed to the unsuspecting Rainbooms.
"I know Vinyl," Sunset mumbled as I pulled into a one armed hug. "I have to do this, ya know? They are important to me, just like you guys are."
"I know. Did you bring your book?" I asked as she held up her notebook. She had been writing back and forth with Princess Twilight about what happened for advice. I read some of the passages and if I was stupid enough to have thought she was guilty, they were compelling enough to change my mind. Not that I thought she was behind this of course. None of us did. She was way more clever back then.
"Yes," Sunset sniffed. "Hey Vinyl?"
"Yeah Sunset?" We paused walking, my hand on the door.
"Thank you. For believing in me. Not just now but before battle of the bands you did. Thank you."
"Hey don't sweat it fam. It's what friends are for," I grinned at her. "Besides, you helped us a lot in Equestria. Even if you didn't, I'd still help you out."
"I appreciate it," she gave me a tired smile as I pushed the door open and we started walking up to the table.
"What are you doing here?" Rainbow demanded as the group shot us glares. I stared right back with an arm around Sunset as she shivered.
"I came to prove my innocence!" She said firmly in a way that instantly made me proud. She had been super down recently so her saying it that way impressed me. "Here look." She slid the book across the table as Rainbow stared at it.
"I suggest you read it," I said calmly. Applejack glanced at me before picking it up.
"You've been talking to the princess. So what?" She tossed the book to Rainbow.
"Did you read it?" Sunset asked hopefully. "I'm innocent!"
"All I see is a former friend bugging us when we said to leave us alone," Rainbow grumbled as she tossed the book at Sunset. I quickly stepped forward and caught it while glaring at Rainbow.
"I highly suggest you apologize to her and pull your head outta your ass," I demanded. "You all are stupid as fuck right now." Rainbow stood up and made eye contact with me.
"You're on the wrong side here Vinyl. Get out of here and go," Rainbow said quietly as Big Mac approached from a nearby table.
"Take you and your little account and go!" Big Mac snapped as Sunset flinched. I squeezed her tighter. Big Mac rarely spoke unless it was important.
"Let's go Sunset. We should get out of here," I whispered. Sunset nodded as she wiped a tear away.
"I can't believe you all!" She took off running and I watched her fling my car door open and sit down with her head in her hands. I glared at the others in front of me.
"I hope you're happy. You all disgust me. Especially you Applejack and Pinkie. Consider our business together over."
"B-but I can't host any parties without my DJ!" The pink girl stammered. "You are the main attraction to my parties!"
"Too bad," I said nonchalantly. "You are gonna give me a toxic reputation and I can't have that. Goodbye."
"Please wait!" Pinkie begged as her eyes turned misty.
"Hmm no," I announced before spinning on my feet and walking away, fishing my phone out of my pocket. "Hey Lyra it's me."
"Hey V. Shit didn't go to plan since you're calling me," Lyra said. She always knew how to hit a nail right on the head.
"You could say that," I admitted. "Bring the cupcakes tomorrow. It's time for plan B and possibly plan C. Things are only gonna get worse from here I think."
"You got it." I hung up and shoved my phone in my pocket before opening my car door. Sunset sat in the passenger seat shoving tears off her face and I gave her a sympathetic look.
"I'll take you home."
"So we are really are on our own here?" Bon Bon asked incredulously as we sat huddled in the library. Sunset was with her mom in her classroom. We decided the best thing for her was to stick close to her mom unless she was with one of us. I'm just ready for school to start so we can start retaliating. Sunset is too down in the dumps to take part. Hell, it takes us a few times saying her name to even get her attention.
"It looks that way," I sighed as I looked around the library warily. My prediction of things getting worse was unfortunately right. "It's not only the Rainbooms getting secrets exposed. It's everyone."
"And it's all getting pinned on Sunset," Octavia said bitterly.
"But why?" Derpy mumbled. "She changed!"
"We're surrounded by idiots that's why," Lyra scoffed angrily. "A bunch of fucking idiots."
"She's right," I sighed. "We are completely cut off. I cut off ties with Pinkie last night." The group stared at me incredulously.
"But she was your business partner!" Bon Bon exclaimed.
"Not no more," I folded my arms.
"I'm not even gonna bother with how weird that sentence sounds," Bon Bon grumbled. "So we use the cupcakes now?" Lyra gave a nod and pulled the baked goods out of her backpack in a plastic container.
"I'll give them to Fluttershy," Octavia announced. "She knows Vinyl is on Sunsets side. Same with Lyra and Derpy. It has to be me. She won't suspect a thing."
"Okay if you're sure," Lyra slid them to Octavia and she held them up in her hands. "But you don't have to. If you want me or Bon Bon to, we will."
"I got this." We all gave a nod as the warning bell rang.
"We all meet in Cheerilees room after school to go over our plans," Lyra said. "Good luck Octavia." The cello player gave a confident smile and waved as she walked away. Bon Bon tugged Lyra's hand as we started walking our separate ways.
"Let's go before we are late." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXXVIII | I spedwalk down the hallway, making sure to avoid the multiple arguing students. They were arguing over the most petty of things, like crushes being revealed and such. Stupid things really. I had zero interest in gossip but I was interested in finding my target. We had chosen Fluttershy because she was the most gullible of them all along with Pinkie. Typically I'd feel terrible for this but they treated Sunset poorly so all bets were off the table.
I passed Trixie and her two friends, the lavender one wiping away tears because of some embarrassing secret of hers away. Trixie and the other looked furious as they tried comforting her. I didn't get along well with Trixie. Granted I didn't know much about her but I did know she was very egotistical like a certain rainbow haired girl I knew. I still felt a pang of sympathy for the magician and her friend.
I saw a flash of pink hair and I grinned. She was alone with made this so much easier. We had planned ahead if she was with any of her friends to try again later. If she was with Pinkie we would try to get her to take the cupcakes instead. She's gullible too. We also made brownies but I accidentally left them with Lyra. Thankfully our lockers are all in a row so she had left them sitting in my locker.
"Fluttershy dear!" I called out as I finally caught up the girl. The shy girl turned around slowly and stared at me.
"Oh uhm hi Octavia," she whispered. "What's up?" I will admit, I always did like her. Not like that of course but you know what I mean. She used to be a walking model of kindness.
"Oh nothing," I gave a laugh. "I have a gift for you and the Rainbooms. I heard about the secret of yours that got revealed and I felt very sympathetic so me and Vinyl baked you these cupcakes! We also made brownies for the others if that's more their speed!"
Fluttershy stared at me curiously as she brushed a strand of pink hair out of her eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I can't believe Sunset found out about it. I only told Rainbow and the others. Well Rainbow knew because she was the one I kissed." I resisted the urge to defend Sunset when I thought of a better idea. A way to earn her trust for now.
"It was absolutely awful of her wasn't it?" I lied as she widened her eyes. "Such a fake friend."
"Yeah," Fluttershy shivered. "I will take these to the others. I appreciate it." She hesitantly took them and I smiled internally. I felt disgusted with what I said about Sunset but it got her to take them so I can apologize later. To Sunset, I mean not Fluttershy or the other members of her band. They deserve everything they got coming. I watched her walk away, with the plastic containers held firmly in a hand. With a smile, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.
"Hey, Lyra it's me. She took the container. Yes, both of them. Plans a go. See you at lunch." I shoved my phone in my pocket after hanging up and ran to class.
I carried my lunch tray with a second one balanced on top. I had offered to get Sunset her lunch today. We all agreed to rotate lunch duties so that way Cheerilee could keep an eye on Sunset just in case anyone tried to attack her. We all also agreed to eat in Cheerilees room from here on out till this thing blew over which hopefully was soon.
"Hey are you really British?" A random kid asked me. I paused and looked at him.
"Uh yes, yes I am. Why?" I asked curiously. He held up his phone for me to see and I grimaced.
Octavia isn't really British. I read the most recent anon a miss post and I rolled my eyes. That was the stupidest made up secret I ever heard.
"Yes I am British. I was born in Cambridge and emigrated to Canterlot. I left when I was five to attend school here," I grumbled as I started to walk past him. "Any other questions?"
"Do you smoke cigarettes? All British, smoke right?" He asked curiously. I spun around and glared at him, barely keeping the trays balanced.
"No I don't smoke cigarettes. Not all British do and I'm offended you would imply that we all do!" I scoffed. He held up a hand and stepped back.
"Jeez I was just asking about your country. Quit being a prick over it." I turned bright red and growled.
"Why you little bloody bugger!" I fumed. When mad, I sometimes used British insults. I didn't even bother to hear a response as I stormed out of the the lunch room and into the hallway. I stormed down the hallway as people moved out of my way. I shoved the door to Cheerilees room open with my back and stepped inside. "The nerve of some people!"
All my friends stopped eating and looked at me. Cheerilee paused her writing and glanced over with a raised eyebrow.
"Is this about the anon a miss post about you?" Vinyl asked as she took Sunsets tray and slid it to her. She gave a grateful nod and started eating. I had tried to find the most pony friendly diet I could find.
"Yup. Someone implied I smoke cigarettes!" I growled. "Absolutely revolting!"
"While I would love to go beat his brains out, me and Vinyl have to go to the band room!" Lyra finished inhaling her lunch and grabbed Vinyls hand.
"I do?" Vinyl asked as she spun her empty tray around on one corner. "Why?"
"Because I saw the Rainbooms going there to eat their lunches and I want to watch them eat the brownies and cupcakes! I wanna see their reaction let's go!" Lyra dragged Vinyl out the room and gave us a wave.
"What is she talking about?" Cheerilee asked us.
"Nothing!" Bon Bon hastily said as the teacher narrowed her eyes at us.
"Alright." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XXXIX | "Can you believe this?" Rainbow grumbled. She sat cross legged on the floor next to Pinkie's drum set, eating her lunch. "We've been laughed out of the lunch room! We lost our table to the egg heads!"
"Ah ain't got a problem with eatin in here," Applejack commented. "It's nice n quiet compared to the screaming war zone we call a cafeteria." She shoved some of her apple sauce in her mom as Pinkie half heartedly played the drums.
"This sucks," Pinkie mumbled. "I can't believe she up and turned on us. I thought we were besties forever! We had the music show coming after the Friendship Games we were looking forward to!" I squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.
"I'm sure this will get sorted out," I reassured her. She stared at me and tried to make her hair poofy. She sighed when she failed and slid off her drum sets seat.
"Thanks Flutters. I hope so."
"Ah don't get why she did it now," Applejack muttered dejectedly. "She had months to pull a stunt like this. Why now?"
"Who gives a damn about the why?" Rainbow grumbled. "All that matters is she turned her back on us. She's a traitor!"
"Hear, hear!" Rarity agreed as she crossed her legs." She is a no good backstabber!" I gave sigh as I laid on my back. I wanted to just hide in bed and cry.
"I have cupcakes and brownies," I mumbled. All eyes shifted to me and I wanted to hide.
"What?" Pinkie asked curiously. I held up the plastic containers for all to see.
"Can I have one?" Rainbow asked eagerly.
"They are for us all," I answered as I sat back up and opened them.
"Huh they smell mighty interesting," Applejack sniffed her cupcake.
"Let's all bit into ours at once!" Pinkie suggested as she held up a white cupcake.
"You're weird," Rainbow muttered as we all bit into the cupcakes we held. "What the fuck?"
"Ew! What on earth is this?" Rarity screamed and rushed to a trash can.
"Oh mah gawd!" Applejack spit hers into a napkin. "Mine had mustard in it!"
"Mine had fucking mayonnaise inside!" Rainbow gagged. "I hate mayonnaise!" I panted as my mouth immediately was on fire and I wanted to cry.
"Mine had egg salad!" Rarity shouted as she kept vomiting into the can. Pinkie was gagging on the floor.
"I had ranch for frosting," Pinkie moaned. I ran and grabbed Pinkie's chocolate milk from her lunch and started drinking.
"It won't stop burning!" I screamed as I felt tears running down my face. "My tongue is on fire! Help me!" Rainbow and Applejack stumbled to the feet and rushed to me.
"Get her more milk!" Rainbow shouted as Rarity tossed hers to Rainbow.
"Mine had different types of pepper!" I cried. "This is awful! I wanna cry more!" I hated peppers with a burning passion. I couldn't stand spicy foods.
"Drink this sugarcube," Applejack held the chocolate milk to my lips and I started drinking greedily.
"That helped a bit," I mumbled as I sat down and held my stomach. "I wanna vomit." Rainbow passed me a trashcan and thankfully it wasn't the one Rarity just got done vomiting in.
"That was hilarious!" We all glanced to the door and my eyes widened. Lyra and Vinyl were rolling on the floor laughing. Vinyl wiped a tear away and kept laughing.
"We got your asses!" Vinyl pointed at us. "Ahaha!"
"Oh jesus!" Lyra screamed. "That was fucking gold." She and Vinyl fist bumped as they shakily helped each other up to their feet.
"Great plan Lyra!" Vinyl burst out laughing again and doubled over with her hands on her knees. "Think we can get them to do it again so we can record it?"
"Go on!" Lyra leaned against a locker laughing. "Take another bite!"
"Try the brownies!" Vinyl encouraged. "There's a surprise in em!" We all glared at them and I wiped the tears away.
"That's so not okay!" Rarity shouted. "I hate egg salad! It's disgusting!" The two girls looked at each other and started laughing even harder.
"Vinyl I can't breath!" Lyra giggled. "I've been laughing too hard!"
"You messed with the wrong girls today!" Vinyl growled. "Don't ever fucking talk to Sunset again bitches." I gave a flinch at the language and shivered. Just because I was friends with Rainbow and Applejack doesn't mean I liked cussing.
"Seriously?" Rainbow fumed. "Get on the right side. Quit supporting a traitor. She will backstab you too. It's all she knows." Lyra and Vinyl gave each other a look.
"You should show some respect," Lyra said coldly. "That girl went through hell and back in Equestria for us. She saved us all more than once. She went through something I think one of you can relate to."
"Yeah!" Vinyl chimed in her support and flipped us all off. "You all are gullible and annoying. It was so easy to give Fluttershy those rigged cupcakes."
"See you losers around!" Lyra chuckled. "Don't ever come near me or Sunset or any of our group again." The two walked away as their laughter faded.
"Did you see their faces!?" Vinyls laugh echoed down the hall.
"Damn right!" Lyra exclaimed. "They were crying and vomiting oh my God!"
"What the fuck is wrong them?" Applejack grumbled furiously. "Fluttershy was cryin!"
"And Rarity was vomiting!" Rainbow snapped. Pinkie moaned as we all glanced over to her worriedly. She grabbed her stomach and moaned again.
"I gotta go to the bathroom!" She exclaimed as she rushed out of the room. "Not pee!"
"Did she eat the brownies?" I asked quietly. We all glanced around nervously as Rainbow picked up a empty container that had held the brownies.
"Yeah it looks like it." We heard Lyra and Vinyl laugh harder again as Pinkie ran crying down the hall.
"What did they do the brownies?" Rarity asked in confusion. Rainbows eyes widened as she dropped the container.
"They put laxatives in the brownies! Ew! Ex lax is evil!" |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XL | "Did it really go like that?" I asked with a smile as I laid on a bed with my head on Sunset's lap. She was laying on her back and idly stroking my hair with a blank expression.
"Yep!" Lyra grinned as she and Vinyl were playing blackjack on Sunset's carpet. "Rarity was vomiting, Fluttershy was crying. Rainbow and Applejack were really close to vomiting and Pinkie was groaning. She also ate the brownies!" Lyra and Vinyl laughed while they gave each a half five.
"That is disgusting," Octavia commented as she flipped through her magazine. "But funny."
"It's just me serving out justice the only way I know how!" Lyra proudly exclaimed. "Putting my skills as a prankster to putting bitches in their place." Bon Bon gave her a kiss on the forehead.
"I for one am I very proud of you for standing up for Sunset. Hopefully they don't retaliate against you or Vinyl," Bon Bon said. Vinyl and Lyra looked at each other and scoffed.
"Please," Vinyl scoffed. "They are so busy defending themselves against the other students they won't even be thinking about us. Unless they are secretly behind the account." A silence fell over us all as we all looked at each other.
"That....is plausible," I admitted. "It's hard to believe that Fluttershy would go through with it."
"Unless she doesn't know it's them," Lyra commented. "Rainbow does seem like she would be a manipulator."
"But Applejack?" Bon Bon asked. "That doesn't seem her style. It doesn't seem like anyone in her family's style either."
"Bon Bon is right," Sunset finally spoke up. It broke my heart to hear how resigned she was to all this. Based on the others expressions, they were thinking and feeling the same thing as me. "I don't think it's any of their family. It's probably some one still with a grudge. Probably Trixie or Cherry Crash. She's most likely angry still I beat her up freshman year. Or it could be her friend Mystery Mint."
"Was she the girl with the beret you threatened that one day when I was sitting under the staircase during freshman year before me and Lyra started dating?" Bon Bon inquired. I tilted my head in confusion. I hadn't heard this story before.
"No that was Watermelody. She might be mad about that too. She hated me before the battle of the bands," she muttered as she hugged me. "Can we stop talking about this? I just wanna cuddle my girlfriend while eating chocolate and spending time with my family."
"Yeah we will stop," Vinyl said. "Sorry Sunny."
"It's fine. We can talk about it later just now tonight. I hear about it all the time," she muttered. "It's frustrating and depressing."
"We know," Octavia mumbled as she joined in on me and Sunset's hug. We sat like that for a good amount of time while Lyra and Vinyl played card games with Bon Bon encouraging Lyra.
"Hey girls pizza is here," Cheerilee stepped in with two boxes in her hands. "I got a surprise for you Sunset too."
"What?" She looked up with bored expression. "I've had enough surprises this week as is."
Cheerilee sighed and sat down next to us with paper plates. I assume she had them under the boxes. She was a thoughtful women and I really liked her.
"Fine. Your aunts and cousin are coming next week to spend time with us," Cheerilee admitted. Sunset gave a rare smile and we all instantly brightened up at that. I hadn't seen that smile in a god knows when. It was the type of smile that automatically made a room seem brighter.
"When?" Sunset asked eagerly.
"Next Friday."
I sighed as I closed my locker and hoisted my backpack on my back. It had been a long freaking day. Dad had spent all day shadowing Sunset to make sure nothing happened. Of course she didn't know about that at all. She only knew Bon Bon was with her most of the day till Lyra took over for her part of the day.
I personally liked my turn for watching over her. I can't do much to protect her but she did say she felt safer with me there in general and that's important to me. Hell, I had sex with her. You can't get much more important than that to me.
"Hey you are Sunset's girlfriend right?" I glanced back at Cherry Crash staring at me.
"Uh yeah? Why?" I asked curiously as she gave me a shove and I fell on my ass. I gasped and rubbed the back of my head.
"Why?" I asked in fear as she stood over me.
"Because you're covering for her and I'm tired of it. You said I was fucking Mystery Mint! Get her to delete the account."
"I can't get her to delete something she isn't responsible for. Do whatever you want to me but I won't betray Sunset. You could learn a lot about staying loyal considering you cheated on Lyra," I growled.
"You little shit."
"Hey!" We both glanced back as Sunset punched Cherry in the jaw. "Leave her the fuck alone. You can do whatever you want to me. Punch me, kick me, slap me and insult me but you don't lay a fucking hand on her." Cherry was on her hands and knees gasping while blood dripped out of her mouth.
"I-I'm sorry. Just get rid of the account please!" Sunset gave her a swift kick in the stomach and Cherry gave a loud cry as she fell on her stomach. Sunset yanked her up and slammed her head against the lockers before tossing her to the ground and kicking her in the face. I watched with a slackjawed expression as Lyra and Bon Bon ran up and pulled me up to my feet.
"Are you okay?" Lyra frantically asked me. She and Bon Bon were running their hands up and down my body in what I assumed was an attempt to look for injuries. I gave a nod as Cheerilee and my dad were pulling Sunset off Cherry.
"What the fuck was that?" Bon Bon growled and I stared in shock. I never heard her cuss like that before. My two friends dragged me to Cheerilees classroom where Sunset and dad were with her mom along with Octavia and Vinyl. Sunset tackled me in a hug and gave me a kiss. I quickly kissed her back and winced at my back hurting. I'll need medication when I get home.
"I'm so sorry about that." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XLI | "You can't go around attacking students Sunset," I sat in front of Principal Celestia's desk. Mom sat next to me with Vice Principal Luna behind her with her arms crossed her chest. Mr. Whooves stood behind me. I actually really liked him. He was a nice guy and plus, we both liked science. He surprisingly liked me too and was supportive of me and Derpy. So was his wife Evening Tide.
"She was defending my daughter. She shouldn't be punished!"
"I agree!" Mom snapped. The two glared at their bosses and a silent argument happened.
"Fine," Celestia sighed. "It can't happen again or you will be suspended."
"There wouldn't be a next time if you expelled Cherry Crash years ago after she was caught smoking cigarettes in the bathroom. Imagine being good at your jobs. Can't be you two," Derpys dad whispered.
"Watch yourself," Luna warned. "Don't say anything you would regret." Derpys dad rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Sorry it won't happen again." I stood up and sighed.
"Now can I leave?" I muttered. "I want to go check on my potentially injured girlfriend please."
"Yeah you can go," Celestia said. "Just please come to us next time and bring Derpy or any of your group with you. We will solve the problem, I promise you."
"And what about anon a miss?" Mom asked pointedly. "My daughter is getting dragged through the mud, her girlfriend and friends are getting caught in the crossfire. I want results before I get the police involved. And that's a promise, not a threat."
"We have a few leads," Luna admitted and I looked over curiously.
"Like who?" Mom demanded.
"I can't say. You're her mom. Mr. Whooves is Derpys dad. Sunset is in the room. It's a conflict of interest," Celestia answered.
"We are both also teachers here. Our kids are students here. It's to keep them safe so can we know now?" Mom asked.
"Fine. Mystery Mint, Rainbow Dash, Scribble Dee and Starlight," Luna admitted. I stared in shock and rubbed my eyes. I didn't even know who the hell Starlight was. My fist hurt from punching Cherry repeatedly but I don't regret a damn thing. Fuck around with Derpy, you get knocked the fuck out. If murder was legal, I'd have gutted the whore for laying a finger on Derpy. And I knew she was a whore because of what Lyra told me about her. Especially since I walked in on Cherry one day last year in the bathroom with someone.
I'm not really violent unless you mess with important people in my life. Derpy is definitely one of those people.
"Can I go now?" I asked with a bored expression. I quickly lost all interest. The only thing that was on my mind was making sure Derpy was okay.
"Yes. Your girlfriend and friends are in my room. She's staying the night tonight so she's bringing spare clothes," Mom smiled as I edged out of the room. "I will be there shortly to take you guys home."
I shut the door behind me and started walking down the hall, trying to ignore the angry looks I was receiving. At first they thought it was funny when it was just the Rainbooms but when their own secrets for revealed, they all turned on me. I don't even get why they all believed it was me.
"Bitch," I heard someone mutter as I tried to make myself seem small.
"Can you believe she turned so easily on them? We should have seen this coming!" Watermelody whispered to Scribble Dee as I walked past the two. I hated this. I worked my ass to be trusted and now I was the enemy again. I just wanted to curl into a ball and cry. If I did that in front of the school, I'd get made fun of even more. I think the last time I cried in front of them was during the Fall Formal. That seemed like so long ago.
"Oh uh excuse me Trixie," I muttered. "Can I get past?" She and her two friends were blocking my path and I groaned internally. I just wanted to get to my mom's classroom.
"Be gone anon a miss!" Trixie shouted as she reached into her pocket and threw the same dust in my eyes. I braced my self for the burning sensation but nothing came. I didn't have enough time to ponder why or ask her. I took off to the bathroom as the hallway burst out in laughter.
"The failed magician strikes again!" Someone laughed as I kept running. I could barely see but I knew this school like the back of my hand. After all, I ran this school like an evil dictator. This school was like my castle at one point. I don't know what it is know.
"About time that bitch got stood up to!" Someone else shouted before laughing. Why does this always happen to me? Why does it always have to be Trixie and her cohorts making my life miserable? I always tried to stay out of their way, be nice when I come across them in the hallway. They sometimes were nice to me, sometimes they avoided me. Everyone has bad days so I don't blame them for avoiding me.
I was absolutely awful fo them when I was a bitch. Derpy would kill me if she knew I referred to myself as a bitch. She was completely against me insulting myself. Especially during this anon a miss incident but it was hard not to. I stepped inside the bathroom and immediately went to the sink. I had to get this shit off my face. If Lyra was here, she would make a dirty joke.
I paused and glanced behind me. My eyes slightly widened at Trixie standing there with Lavender Lace and Fuschia Blush.
"What are you three doing in here with me?" I asked nervously. Trixie snapped her fingers and her two friends went to the entrance of the bathroom with their backs to me.
"So no one sees what's about to happen." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XLII | I nervously stepped back and stared at Trixie with wide eyes.
"Please don't hurt me! I'm sorry people call you a failed magician! I know you're not a bad one. It wasn't me. You have to believe me!" I begged as Trixie stepped to me and raised a hand. I quickly closed my eyes and waited for a slap or punch. It shockingly never came and I opened my eyes. "A-are you hugging me?"
"She's fucking observant, isn't she?" Lavender snorted with a smirk as she kept standing guard. Trixie kept hugging me before stepping back with a warm smile.
"The Great and Powerful Trixie knows you are innocent!" She kept smiling at me. "And yes I was hugging you. Hugging is a sign of affection!" I gawked at her in shock. I didn't expect this. I expected to be jumped or slapped by Trixie.
"Y-you really know I'm not behind the account?" I stammered. Trixie rolled her eyes and placed a hand on my shoulder. She gave me a squeeze on the shoulder and nodded.
"Trixie trusts you. She watched you turn into a really good person. Same with her friends," Trixie announced. Fuschia glanced back with a reassuring smile.
"But you threw powder in my eyes and said be gone anon a miss," I said in confusion. Lavender grinned at me.
"It's called acting Sunset. We saw what happened to Derpy and were afraid it would happen to us if we had this conversation in the hallway in front of everyone," she explained as she crossed her arms. "Cherry crossed a line."
"It doesn't burn either like last time. Why?" I inquired. Trixie sighed and stepped to the sink, turning the water on.
"Trixie didn't realize it burned. She felt really bad she hurt you, so she and her friends searched tirelessly till they found a non burning disappearing powder!" The magician announced as she pulled a wash cloth out of her backpack and got it wet, starting to wash my face off. "Trixie and her friends want to meet you friends. Group meeting." I took a deep breath.
"Okay."
Lyra stood up instantly and hugged me. Vinyl and the others crowded around me.
"Oh my god you're okay!" Octavia announced. "We were afraid you got arrested for assault!"
"Is Derpy okay?" I asked nervously. Lyra gave me a grin.
"She's okay. She has a bruise on her back but that's it. She was worried about you more than herself," Lyra answered as my friends made way for Derpy. She shoved me against the wall and kissed me. I quickly returned it and sighed.
"I have some one who wants to meet you. Three people actually." The others looked at each other curiously and shrugged.
"Alright. Where are they?" Bon Bon asked.
"Come in now. It's okay!" I called out as Trixie, Lavender and Fuschia stepped in with smiles.
"Hello," Trixie waved with her trademark grin. "Trixie and her friends are here to be awesome and help Sunset!" My friends stared in shock at the three.
"I did not see that one coming," Bon Bon admitted after a moment of silence. Trixie gave her a smug smirk and placed a hand on her hip.
"Trixie is full of surprises, isn't she?" Trixie smirked. "Trixie is currently going on her Humble and Apologetic Trixie's Repentance Tour for the people she hurt! Starting with Sunset. Trixie was awful to her and she knows Sunset isn't behind anon a miss. Trixie and her friends want to help clear her name!"
"That's a long title," Vinyl commented as she pushed her glasses up, revealing her red eyes.
"It's a working title!" Trixie declared. Fuschia gave a chuckle.
"Yeah we are working on it. But yeah, we wanna help out any way we can. Sunset doesn't deserve this treatment from the other students."
"Okay I trust you if Sunset does," Derpy admitted. "She's my life. We don't really know what to do to prove her innocence. We've just been staying with her at all times on school property unless her mom or my dad is with her."
"We know. We've been watching while the three of us tried to figure out how to best approach her or Derpy," Lavender answered. She shut the door behind her and pulled the blinds down. Presumably so no one saw us all meeting. "After what that bitch did to Derpy, we knew we had to get creative on how we talked to Sunset. So we did acting."
"It was pretty good acting," I admitted as three girls sat down.
"We know we aren't the most trustworthy people after our actions at the battle of the bands," Fuschia admitted. "Especially me after I locked Sunset and the Raingoons in the stages basement so we could take their spot but we wanna be better also."
"Trixie and her powerful friends watched Sunset change into a great and powerful person of her own. She is awesome!" Trixie turned red and coughed. "She's a very inspiring leader."
"Agreed," Octavia chuckled as she stood up and started pacing back and forth. I watched as the others looked at each other and had a discussion purely based on facial expressions.
"Alright we will let you guys join us," Vinyl announced with a warm smile. "We need as much help as we can get. Especially after the Rainbooms because they are bitches."
"They always were," Fuschia grumbled as she glanced at the window.
"We thought it was just us who thought Sunset was innocent," Lyra admitted. "It's good to know there's more with brains in this damn school. Other than Sunset's mom and Derpy's dad of course."
"Yeah it's stupid how the school has became a war zone," Lavender snorted in anger. "When I find the fucker involved with this account, I'm gonna insult them."
"I really thought that was going somewhere else," I admitted.
"That's what she said," Lyra smirked. Lavender laughed and grinned at her.
"That was a really good one."
"Thanks. So what do we do now?" Lyra asked. Trixie stood up and held out a hand to me.
"Easy! We work together and find the real culprit." Her friends stood up and grinned at us eagerly. I had a feeling they were being honest and I trusted them now.
I reached out and accepted Trixie's outstretched hand and she pulled me up to my feet. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XLIII | With a frustrated sigh, I shoved a pair of arguing students aside so I could get through to my locker.
"Excuse you bitch. Don't you shove me!" One shouted at me and I slowly turned around, giving him a cold grin.
"I suggest you don't talk to me like that or things could get ugly for you." He rolled his eyes and groaned.
"I don't see your sisters around so they can't protect you." That was true, Adagio and Sonata were elsewhere at the moment but I didn't actually need either of their help in a fight. I can easily hold my own.
"It's adorable you think I need their assistance in a fight," I stepped forward and stroked his cheek. "Unfortunately for you, you're wrong." I quickly drove my knee into his stomach and he fell to the ground gasping. "Have a good day."
I kept walking to my locker and smirked as I put the combination in. This whole school was turned upside in a matter of a week. If I knew the chaos this school was capable of, I never would have agreed to attend. I'm only here because Adagio said we needed high school diplomas if we wanted to make it anywhere in this world now. At least Sunset trusted us when the others didn't.
I grimaced when I thought about her. We had been gone all week trying out our pendants in the mountains where we could be alone. Imagine our surprise, and anger of course, when we found out all this shit had gone down. I wasn't surprised the Rainbooms had betrayed her so quick. It seemed like something they would do.
For being a group that is all about friendship is magic and other shit, they aren't the greatest models of displaying it. Especially since they kicked Sunset out within the first day.
"Hey Aria," I glanced back at a turquoise girl with golden hair standing behind me with her arms crossed.
"Oh hey Lightning. How's it hanging?" I asked as I started tossing books inside.
"Been better," Lightning admitted. "I've been watching Sunset and her group like you guys asked of me. Pretty torn up about this thing."
"They abandoned her too? Seriously?" I raised an eyebrow. Lightning quickly held up a hand and shook her head.
"No they are on her side. Same with Trixie and her group I think because they have been sitting with her the past few days. It took me a while to find where they eat lunch at but I quickly found them in Miss Cheerilees room."
"Makes sense. It's probably the safest area for them. No one would dare do anything with Cheerilee in the room." That made sense why the typically cheerful teacher was furious looking around the school. Honestly, even I was nervous seeing that and that should tell you a lot considering I don't get nervous.
"Especially since Rainbow Dash slapped her in the hallway in front of everyone," Lightning casually said as she watched a teacher separating a fight. My head whipped over to glare at her.
"She did what?" I snapped. "The nerve of that walking pride flag."
"Yeah I wanted to do something but I was outnumbered at the time. I'll beat her skull in with a baseball bat next time," Lightning announced.
"Be careful who hears you say that," I warned as I pulled my phone out. "You're already in anger management for assault. Don't need you in a jail cell."
"True. What are you doin?" She leaned over my shoulder as I called my youngest sister.
"Hey Sonata. I got a plan but I need your help with it. Yes I will get you Taco Bell for lunch." Lightning snorted a laugh.
"Tacos are pretty amazing," she agreed.
"Thanks sis," I shoved my phone in my pocket and grinned at Lightning Dust. "Wanna help me get even?"
"How long are we gonna sit in this storage closet?" Adagio hissed. "My dress is getting dirty and it smells!" We were sitting in the janitor closet behind some boxes waiting for our prey. Lightning was tossing a ball up and down.
"Not long," I promised as I heard yelling. "Sounds like Sonata is keeping her end of the plan up." I was proud of her not gonna lie. I had told her she could back out if she wanted but she surprisingly refused. The door swung open and Sonata ran in.
"Here she comes," Sonata winked as she tossed a rainbow backpack on the floor and grabbed the key on a nearby box. The door opened again as Sonata hid near the door.
"I know you're in here!" Rainbow shouted. "I want my shit now!" I nodded to my friend and sister as we walked out to face.
"Hello Dash," Adagio smiled coldly. She spun around to face us as Sonata ran out the door. "Nice to see you again."
"Yeah yeah likewise. Why did Sonata take my backpack?" Rainbow demanded as I held up the bag.
"You mean this one?" I asked curiously. "You won't be needing it today." I tossed it aside. Rainbow glared at me as she picked it up and tried to open the door.
"Hey why won't this door open?" She demanded.
"Because Sonata is standing guard and locked it. You're stuck here with us three."
"There's only two of you?" Rainbow asked in confusion. I gestured for Lightning to come out and she stepped into the light with a cruel grin. "Lightning Dust? What are you doing with them?"
"Hey RD, I'm with my friends after you threw me aside. It's what you know best after all," Lightning shrugged. "How is Bitchfire?"
"Spitfire is fine," Rainbow snapped. "What's the point of this?"
"You hurt Sunset. You fucked up which means all is fair game now. She's one of us, she never was one of you. She spent hella time with you too and you threw her to the wolves," Adagio explained as she balled her fist.
"I'm not afraid of you!" Rainbow exclaimed. I gave a cruel smile of my own. I had to respect the false sense of bravery she was putting on. Unfortunately for her, me and my sister saw through it. I slammed my fist into my open palm as we stepped toward her.
"You will be." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XLIV | "So what now?" Lavender asked as we gathered around a small table in Sugarcube Corner. This was the best meeting place we could all agree on because it was in between all of our houses. Made sense to all gather here. I was just worried if the Rainbooms would come in. Or the Raingoons as Fuschia calls them. She has a deep seated hatred for them, even before anon a miss started.
"I'm not sure," Lyra admitted as she bit into a cookie. "We haven't done much. Sure the principals are investigating this but they aren't getting anywhere really."
"Mainly because they have a lot of students to investigate. Apparently Rainbow Dash is a suspect," Vinyl chimed in. "That's what Sunset overheard at least." We all looked at the fiery haired girl slumped over a notebook writing.
"What's she's doing?" Fuschia asked with a raised eyebrow. Lavender and Trixie shared a curious look as they watched Sunset scribbling in the book.
"Writing to Twilight," Bon Bon explained. "Anything she writes in that book ends up an identical copy back in Equestria. It's how they communicated after the fall formal."
"You mean the horse world?" Lavender inquired curiously.
"Pony. Not horse," Sunset said softly. She kept writing before closing the book and leaning back with her eyes closed in her seat.
"What were you telling her?" Fuschia asked. Sunset let out a breath.
"Talking to her about anon a miss. She's coming through the portal in about an hour with some mutual friends of ours. To say she's mad with Rainbow and the others would be an understatement of the year. I don't think I've seen her mad before."
"Is she even capable of being mad?" Vinyl chuckled. We all let out a laugh at that. Sunset gave a nod.
"She was furious when she was fighting Tirek if what Spike told me was true. She was very angry that day."
"Makes sense," Lyra admitted as the doors opened and two groups came walking in. We all glanced at the sirens along with the same girl from lunch come walking in, giving the Rainbooms dirty looks. We all gawked at the black eye on Rainbows face and the multiple bruises.
"Sunset!" Adagio waved at us as she and her sister came walking over. "We've been looking all over to talk to you!"
"Why what's up?" Sunset asked curiously. My eyes drifted down to their hands. Aria, Adagio and the mystery girl had bruises all over their hands.
"We just got back from our trip to the mountains when we heard about this anon a miss shit show. How ya holding up?" Aria asked as she gave Rainbow a cold smile and I had a faint idea of what happened.
"Pretty shit. I'm not okay," she admitted as I hugged her. "Thanks Derpy."
"This is Lightning Dust," Adagio nodded to the girl who gave us a nod of acknowledgement.
"I was trying to remember her name. Hey Lightning," Sunset waved shyly. The girl was joining Aria in glaring at Rainbow before she glanced back.
"Hey Sunset."
"I'd love to stay and chat but I have to get to the portal. Twilight is going to be here shortly and I promised I'd be there to greet her," Sunset announced. We all stood up with her, glaring at the Rainbooms who were watching us like hawks.
"We will tag along," Adagio announced as she stepped past the other group. "Hey Dash hope the eye heals quick." Aria and Lightning Dust laughed as we followed them outside.
We stood in front of the wondercolt statue, Sunset pacing back and forth checking her phone often. Lavender and Fuschia were playing a game on their phones while Trixie was talking to Lyra. Sonata was laying on top of the statue while Aria was laying in the grass snoring with Lightning and Adagio sitting next to her, balancing sticks on her head. The two often laughed when it looked like Aria was about to wake up.
"Who do you think she's bringing with her?" Vinyl asked as she was messing with a app on her phone and making music.
"I have no clue. Probably Spike or Starlight," I admitted. Apparently she didn't tell Sunset who was coming with her. That was slightly concerning.
"Nah it's not Starlight. She is busy with her friendship lessons with my worlds Applejack right now. Something about scrapbooking I think? I'm not sure. She also has to do something called chillaxing with Rainbow. Whatever the hell that is," Sunset shrugged as she placed her hands on her hips and stopped in front of the portal as Adagio joined her at it. The statues surface started to ripple as Twilight shot out of it. A yellow skinned girl, a blue one, a mint green girl, white one and a light yellow one joined her shortly after along with a cream skinned girl with pink and blue curls along with Spike.
"What the buck was that?" Minuette moaned as she pressed a hand to her head.
"I don't even know," Twinkleshine grumbled. "If someone could get their hoof off my plot, that would be greatly appreciated."
"Sorry!" Lemon Hearts exclaimed as she looked at her hands and screamed, scrambling backwards. "What in Luna's name happened to my hooves?" Moondancer glanced at her and screamed herself.
"What the hay is wrong with your body? Your mane and tail is gone!"
"So is yours!" Lemon Hearts shouted. The two clung to each other and screamed.
"My god," Fuschia muttered. "Gonna have a migraine after this." Twilight looked up and froze at Adagios out stretched hand as Equestrian Lyra and the others stared at us. Primarily at Sunset with shocked expressions on their faces.
"S-Sunset?" Minuette stammered. "Is that you?"
"Yep," Sunset admitted nervously as she helped them up. "It's me."
"I think I'm gonna vomit!" Equestrian Bon Bon commented. "Just give me a- blergh!" She painted the sidewalk half eaten hay fries and we all looked away in disgust, Octavia covering her mouth with a hand as she turned slightly green.
"Hey there Princess," Adagio purred as Sunset gave Twilight an encouraging nod. Twilight hesitantly took her hand and was pulled up. "Been a long time."
"It has. Where is the Rainbooms at?" Twilight demanded. I guess she was furious as Sunset had said based on her expression.
"Sugarcube Corner," I announced.
"Thank you Derpy. I'm gonna go have a conversation with them."
"Twilight wait!" Moondancer called out and the girl stopped walking. "Where are we gonna sleep? Is there a stable or something?"
"You can stay with me I guess," Sunset shrugged.
"And Twilight can stay with us!" Adagio announced.
"Are you sure?" Twilight asked cautiously. Adagio gave her a grin and waved her hand.
"Oh I insist." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XLV | "Are you absolutely sure they are in there still?" I asked as calmly as I could muster. Inside I was absolutely furious. We stood outside this worlds version of Sugarcube Corner.
"Yes," Derpy announced as my friends from Equestria were taking in the new environment around them. Equestrian Lyra was going crazy with everything around her. Both Bon Bons seemed to be getting a head ache from her. It didn't help this worlds Lyra was encouraging her I suppose. I typically would find it funny and a bit irritating but not now.
"Thank you. You guys can leave or stay outside. That is entirely up to you," I announced as I pushed the doors open and stepped inside, feeling the warm air. Mrs. Cake watched nervously as I approached the girls from behind and I could hear parts of their of conversation.
"Why was Trixie and her two friends with them?" Rarity wondered aloud.
"Who knows?" Pinkie shrugged. "It's obvious other people out there think she isn't the secret stealer."
"It's weird I admit. Hell if they threw their weight in with Sunset, that's what? A lot of people?" Applejack grunted as she bit into an apple.
"Lyra, Bon Bon, Vinyl, Octavia, Derpy, Aria, Adagio and Sonata. Add Trixie and her two friends, that's eleven people plus Sunset," Rainbow added a finger with her name as she groaned and held her side.
"Plus her mom and Derpy's parents," Fluttershy whispered as she gave Rainbow a concerned look. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah it's hurting from where I fell in the shower," she grumbled. "I'll be fine."
"Looks like ya took a mighty hard fall. A few hard falls," Applejack commented. "We should probably think about how we are gonna tell Twi about this."
"Yes how will you tell me about this?" I folded my arms as they spun in their seats and stared at me with wide eyes. Or one wide eye on Rainbows case. Her right one was black and closed.
"Twilight darling!" Rarity smiled warmly as she stood up. "You should have told us you were coming!" She opened her arms to presumably hug me and I stepped back, watching her face fall.
"Is everything okay? Ya here about Sunset, ain't ya?" Applejack asked. A wave of anger washed over me at how she said Sunset's name.
"Yes I am. And I'm here about how utterly stupid you all are!" I snapped.
"What?" Rainbow asked in shock. "What are you talking about, Twilight?"
"You know damn well what I am talking about! I know all about you guys and this account smearing Sunset's name!" I shouted. The girls flinched and looked at each other. While I was here last time, I picked up on a lot of earth words.
"She is the only one who could have done it darling!" Rarity said. I stepped forward and slapped her across the face, leaving a red mark on her cheek. It got deathly silent inside as everyone looked over and the other Rainbooms gasped.
"How dare you. I entrusted her to you girls! You promised me you would look after her! Not throw her away like yesterday's trash!" I fumed.
"But we-" Pinkie started to speak.
"Silence!" I shouted as my voice echoed. It typically wasn't that loud. "Do not interrupt me! You gave me your word you would look after her and teach her friendship yet the ones who fucking need it are you all. I've never been so disappointed in all my life! You disgust me in all honesty. My worlds Rainbow Dash wouldn't have done this. She would have worked her flank off to get to the truth and stayed loyal to her! My worlds Applejack would have seen she was telling the truth! My worlds Fluttershy would have been kind and given her the benefit of the doubt! My worlds Rarity would have been generous and helped her! My worlds Pinkie wouldn't have taken her happiness away! Do you know what happened to her in Equestria? She watched her mother die in front of her and you all pull this shit less than two weeks later? She needed you all! And not just Lyra and the others! The ones who promised to protect her! You are all so lucky she has friends in this world because if she didn't, I would have cut off all ties and made you deal with magical problems on your own because quite honestly I do not think you are worth saving. If I had known you would have done this to her at the fall formal, I wouldn't have left her in this world. I would have brought her straight back to Equestria and teached her friendship myself with your guys counterparts. They surely would have done a better job than you all did!" I shouted angrily. My ears got larger and my hair fell down my back.
"W-we didn't know that!" Applejack muttered as she looked away.
"It shouldn't have mattered if you fucking knew or not! She was your friend, not a God damn charity case yet all she told me was that is exactly what you treated her as! Not as a friend but a god damn parolee! And then you made jokes about her past to her face and yes I will admit I made a comment too but I regretted it instantly! I immediately apologized to her the moment I got the opportunity at that sleepover at Pinkie's! Yet none of you can even muster the fucking courage to walk up to her and say we fucked up. Because you are cowards! All of you!" My face was burning red hot. "I honestly can't even help you guys make it up to her for this. You girls are lucky that she is not Princess Celestias daughter because she would have raised hell. She is furious about this just as Princess Luna is. She wanted to come here herself and burn this world to the ground but I barely convinced to let me come instead! You're honestly very fucking lucky Luna is not her mom. She can be quite archaic and violent with her punishments when she gets angry like she is."
It stayed quiet as I took multiple deep breaths and took in Fluttershys crying as the others stared at me in fear, making themselves seem as small as they could. Mrs. Cake was hiding behind the register along with her husband.
"Do you have anything to say for yourselves? Speak now!" I demanded. They stared me with slackjaws and I rolled my eyes. "You guys are absolutely pathetic. Goodbye." I spun on my heels and stormed to the door. A man rushed to get out of my way as I shoved the doors open. Behind them stood Sunset, the sirens, my Equestrian friends and Sunset's friends. They all stared at me in shock with their jaws open wide. Aria and Adagio had their eyes open wide as Equestrian Lyra and Bon Bon reached out and closed each other's jaws. Lemon Hearts and Moondancer stepped back nervously as I started walking forward. "Let's go." I started walking away and faintly heard Aria speak up nervously.
"Watch out for the kind ones." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XLVI | "Dear Celestia," Equestrian Lyra mumbled into a pillow as she laid face down on the couch. "I've never seen Twilight angry before."
"Yeah me neither," Minuette mumbled back. "That was scary."
"Why was she so loud?" Trixie asked hesitantly. Me and all the other Equestrians in the room made eye contact.
"The Royal Canterlot Voice," I said simply. "Celestia used it a few times to get attention of her subjects. It's very rare it gets used. Twilight must have gotten angry enough to use it."
"Looked like she didn't even know she was using it," Equestrian Bon Bon commented as she stared at her hands. Twilight had already gone to the sirens house and I hope they weren't scaring her with their movie choices. Aria liked horror, Adagio liked soap operas and I'll let you decide what Sonata liked. And no, it isn't Taco Bell commercials though I can see her watching them for entertainment. Or because she was hungry. Either of those work to be honest.
"Yeah for real," Moondancer commented. She and Lemon Hearts sat on the floor staring at the TV remote. Moondancer squinted at it and pointed a finger at it.
"What the hell are you doing?" Vinyl asked with a smirk.
"Trying to use my magic to levitate whatever this is to me. I want to look at it," she said simply. "I'm assuming it's a tool for helping blind ponies based on the sensory buttons on it." I let out a rare giggle and stood up.
"You don't have magic here. You don't have a horn either. Thank God because that would be kinda creepy. And it's called a TV remote. It's not a sensory tool or whatever you think it is," I explained as I picked it up and gave it to her. Moondancer ran her fingers over the buttons and pressed one. She let out a cry and threw it at Minuette when the TV came on.
"Ow Moondancer! That hurt!" Minuette snapped as she rubbed her head. "How did the black void turn on?"
"It's called a TV, not a black void. She must have pressed the on button," Trixie explained as she leaned forward. "Trixie likes this show. She watches it in her free time. It's always fun watching the police catch the killer."
"Agreed," Earth Bon Bon smiled and shared a popcorn bowl with her double. "I never thought we would have anything in common Trixie."
"Trixie is full of surprises."
"How does a TV work?" Moondancer asked eagerly as she pushed her glasses up. "What does it stand for?"
"Television. A television basically consists of three parts. The TV camera that turns a picture and sound into a signal; the TV transmitter that sends the signal through the air; and the TV receiver, the TV set in the home that captures the signal and turns it back into picture and sound," I explained. "That's it in simple words. I'm sure there is books about it."
"Fascinating," Moondancer mused as I heard knocking.
"I'll get it," I announced. I walked to the door and peeped through the door. "Mom!" Mom walked into the room and looked out the window. Her face hardened and she narrowed her eyes.
"Sunset get in the room with the others now. I've had some things I wanted to say to these girls for a while now." I gave a nervous nod as I stepped in the living room.
"Who's here?" Vinyl asked curiously as she set her glasses on the table.
"The Raingoons," Fuschia fumed as she peered out the window. Mom flung the door open and glared at them.
"You girls have some nerve coming here like this. Get the hell off my property now!" Mom growled as we all looked at each other in shock. Derpy had been asleep next to me but quickly woke up.
"I don't think she can speak to us like that," Rarity mumbled nervously.
"I can speak to you however the fuck I want. You're on my property and we are outside of school. Typically I wouldn't use this language but you girls have made me so mad for the last time. I will only say this once and you better pray to God it doesn't come in one ear and go out the other. Stay the fuck away from my daughter. Stay the fuck away from me unless we are in school. I will not allow you to come onto this property and hurt my daughter one more time. Ever since this has started and you all abandoned her, she has been in her room bawling her eyes out over this and that hurts me deeply as her mother. So get the hell off my property now before I call the police and have you all arrested for trespassing. We always close that gate before we come inside and I watched Bon Bon close it. Now get the hell out of here!" Mom slammed the door shut angrily and locked it.
"Angry Cheerilee is scary too," Lavender whispered to me. "Is she always that protective of you?"
"Yeah she is," I admitted as we watched the Raingoons leaving. "She does her best to keep me safe. Especially now with anon a miss. I've never heard her cuss before though." Mom grumbled incoherent words as she stepped into the living room. We all stared at her and didn't say a word.
"They are gone," Mom reassured me. "I'm very sorry you all had to hear that. I'm just so angry about all this."
"It's okay mom," I smiled as we hugged. "Thank you. I didn't want to see them anyway. They would have wanted to scream at me anyway."
"They wanted to talk to Twilight. Rainbow just posted that on her Mystable account," Earth Lyra held up her phone and showed us all. "Idiots must have thought she was here. Honestly they are lucky she wasn't. She might have screamed at them again."
"Hey what's that?" Equestrian Lyra asked excitedly and pointed at the phone. "Is that a small tv?" Her counterpart let out a giggle.
"Nah it's called a phone. Come here and I'll show ya how to use it!" |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XLVII | "I can't believe we got screamed at by two people in the span of thirty minutes," I grumbled and took a step. It hurt like hell to walk after the beating I received from the two sirens and Lightning. I may have lied and said I hurt myself falling in the shower. The truth was my pride refused to admit what truly happened but I think my friends knew the truth.
"I think they are mad at us," Pinkie mumbled as she played with her straight hair. It had lost it's poofiness a long time ago since this started. We all stared dejectedly as we walked away. I can't believe I'm even thinking this but furious Twilight scares the hell out of me. Rarity was terrified of her after she slapped her. Hell I was scared Fluttershy or Pinkie was next. No matter how mad or scared I would have been, I wouldn't have hurt Twilight. I would have just yanked the two away from her.
"Ah think that's an understatement sugarcube," Applejack admitted. She had left her hat in the car. She sighed as she hugged Fluttershy and wiped a tear away. "It's gonna be okay. This will blow over and will get sorted out. Ah ain't sure how but it will."
"I left my shake at the shop," Rarity muttered with a shocked expression on her face. "I would go get it but what if Twilight is still there waiting for me? She scares me." We opened the doors to Rarity's car.
"I'll call my boss. I'll ask her to put ours in the fridge or freezer or something," Pinkie mumbled as we stepped inside Rarity's suv.
"I'm gonna sleep when I get home," I admitted and rested against the seat.
I jumped on my bed and laid down, resting my hands on my chest. I stared at the ceiling and closed my eyes, feeling sleep take me. I stood in a dark field and glanced around in confusion.
"Where the hell am I?" I muttered as something in the distance moved and I squinted. "Hello?"
"Hello there me," a voice said coldly behind me and I spun around to face whatever was behind me. I stared in shock and a mix of fear. I stared into the eyes of myself. She had rainbow hair with a white streak in it and magenta flakes in her gold eyes. Her green skin had blue specks in it.
"What are you?" I asked curiously.
"Easy. I'm you. Or well, the Element you represent of course. Not that you have been doing a really good job of displaying loyalty recently now have you?" She asked pointedly as she pointed at a chair. "Sit down. We have a lot to talk about. This isn't a request by the way. It's a fucking order."
With a frustrated sigh, I sat down across from her. She snapped her fingers and a table appeared between the two of us. It had a chess board on it and she moved her white pawn a spot on the board.
"So let's go over what we know shall we?" She smiled coldly as an invisible force moved a knight on my side of the board. "Sunset was a bitch. She got hit by the power of friendship and worked to better herself. She stood up to the sirens alongside you and the others even though you guys made fun of her past. And then the whole school accepted her. Am I right so far?"
"Uh yeah?" I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Where are you going with this?" She stood up suddenly and flipped the table and glared at me furiously.
"Then why the fuck would she betray you all huh? Why the fuck would throw away another friend group that she called a third family?" She shouted and punched me in the jaw. "Are you fucking stupid? Are you that stupid, Dash? She worked her ass to get where she is. All it took was a few posts and a few days for you to betray her." I rubbed my jaw in shock. Even if this was a dream, it felt like I gotten slugged in real life. I honestly hoped to God I couldn't get killed in the dream verse or whatever the fuck this was.
"It makes sense!" I finally said. "I can't think of anyone else! Who would be stupid enough to do this?" Loyalty scoffed and gave me a flat look.
"You should look closer in your own circle before you jump to conclusions. I'm just here to say goodbye one last time," she admitted. I stared at her and tilted my head.
"What the hell does that mean?" I demanded. "Goodbye? My own circle? What are you talking about?"
"You willingly betrayed your element. You pushed me away and I can't be with you anymore. You did this, not me. And it's time for you suffer the consequences," she said as the last bit of blue skin was completely taken off by green. The magenta eyes were golden and bright as the rainbow hair disappeared. It was replaced with green and white hair. "I hope my next bearer isn't as dumb as you. Maybe she will really understand how to stay loyal to those around her because you sure as fuck can't."
"Wait! What did you mean my own circle?" I shouted as she started to fade away. She gave me a sad smile and I started to see through her. "Help me please. I'm confused."
"Sorry Dash. I truly am but I can't help you anymore. You're on your own from now on. Be grateful Princess Luna isn't in your dreams. After all, the dream realm is hers no matter what world it is in," she announced before disappearing completely. My eyes opened quickly and I sat up panting in bed. My sheets were covered in sweat and I wiped a tear off my face. I had a bad feeling things were only going to yet worse from here on out. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XLVIII | I stepped into an orchard and picked one of the apples off the lowest branch I could reach. Buckets surrounded the trees that went on as far as I could see.
"Damn! We gotta up our game this season. Lot of apples to harvest!" I grumbled as I tossed the apple into. A fist connected to my jaw and I stumbled back into a full bucket and fell on my ass. "What the hell?"
I stared into the furious light purple eyes of me. She had green flakes in her eyes and her orange skin was mostly grey . Her orange hair had specks of blackish grey in it.
"Get up. I'm pissed at you!" She snapped or is it I snapped?
"Ah ain't even sure what ya are!" I said as I stood up and dusted my jeans off. "Why did ya hit me?"
"Because ah'm hoping to knock sense into ya ass that's why! Ah am the Element you once represented. Ah'll give a few moments to think on that before ah hit you again," she fumed and cracked her knuckles.
"Ah don't understand," I admitted. She swung and hit me in the jaw again. I staggered backwards till I was pressed against a tree.
"Do you think ah like doing this? This hurts me AJ! Ah don't like having to hit ya girl trust me. Ah can't think of any other way to help ya see the truth," Honesty growled and tossed her hat aside, wiping a tear away. "Girl you betrayed everything around ya. You betrayed yourself damn it!"
"What is this even about?" I demanded as I rubbed my aching jaw.
"Sunset," Honesty said simply as she punched me again. "You betrayed her. Simple as that. And you lied to her. You called her family. Your mom preached to you as a kid that family doesn't turn it's back on family."
"Ah ain't family with a snake in the grass! She hurt me too damnit! Do you think ah like this? If she had just admitted to being behind the account, ah would have taken her back in a heart beat! Ah don't care if the others did but ah woulda!" I replied.
"You're lucky ah know you're telling the truth with that last bit. At least you would have done that for her," Honesty admitted. "More than what you guys did for her. What would she gain from doing this AJ?"
"Ah don't know. Ah can't think of anyone else it could be. It ain't Rares or any of us. If Trixie wasn't jumping on board her train, ah would have guessed her. Even then this ain't Trixs style. She never did anything like this to anyone." Honesty gave me a flat look and wiped some blood off on her shirt.
"Seriously? So you automatically blame someone else? Have you guys ever stopped to think you helped make anon a miss? That you guys are partially to blame?" She asked pointedly.
"How would we be to blame? We ain't airing everyone's dirty laundry out for everyone to see!" I defended my self. I slumped down against the trees base. "Look. Ah don't know what to tell yah but ah have nothing left to say. Ah don't know what ya want from me!" Honesty gave a sigh and stood up.
"I tried. I'm sorry about this AJ. Hopefully the next bearer is more truthful with her self. Here's some advice, keep a close eye on those around you. Observe everything," her eyes turned completely purple as the last bits of green faded. Her hair turned black and skin became grey as the orange fell off. Almost like shell or something along those lines. She disappeared and I opened my eyes quickly, rubbing my eyes.
"What the hell was that?" I muttered to myself. Felt like a part of me left and wasn't going to be coming back.
I gave a sigh as I pushed the applesauce around my plate before I dipped a biscuit into it. The door swung open and Apple Bloom stumbled.
"Hey big sis!" She beamed at me happily. "Ya ready to go watch some movies and hang out?" I gave her a grin and rubbed her head. Ever since this thing started, me and Bloom had been spending a lot more time together. I missed it honestly. Me and her usually do everything together but I kinda got caught up in other obligations.
"You betcha!" I announced as I accepted the cup of coffee she handed me. Most people called me weird, but I preferred my coffee black. Mainly Rainbow is the one who called me weird. She doesn't even drink coffee that often. She prefers pop I think.
"Ah missed spending time with ya AJ," Apple Bloom admitted as she bit into some toast sitting at the plate I had made for her. I usually make her breakfast before I make my own whenever I know she's here in the house. If she's at her friends or anywhere else, I'll bring Granny or Big Mac breakfast. They used to do it for me all the time. "Are ya feeling alright? You seem pretty tired and out of it."
"Ah missed you too Bloom. I'm just tired is all," I admitted. "Ah had trouble sleeping last night. Ya know what ah mean. How you can't get back to sleep no matter how hard you try?" That dream from last night was still driving me crazy. My jaw still hurt for some reason. What kind of dream makes me feel pain?
"More than you know. It sucks. Ah usually just count to a thousand and ah fall asleep around one hundred and forty seven!" Apple Bloom said proudly as I fixed the bow in her hair. "Ah didn't even know ah could count that high! Pretty impressive, right?" I let out a long whistle and put my hat on.
"Got that right. Hurry up and eat your breakfast. It ain't gonna eat itself. If ya hurry up, ah might even let ya drive us down the dirt road for a bit!" Of course I didn't let her take the truck on the asphalt but dirt roads were fine for teaching her how to drive.
"Alright!" |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter XLIX | "My room looks oddly different," I mumbled to myself as I sat up in bed. I looked around with a raised eyebrow and sighed. I had my typical baking supplies all over my room and posters of cupcakes and cake on the walls along with pictures of my sisters and I. But it still seemed different in a way I couldn't describe. Like I wasn't alone.
I heard faint movement to my left and glanced over at it. I was hoping Limestone didn't accidentally let her pet lizard out again. As much as I liked Scales, I didn't like waking up with him on my face or chest. The wall shimmered and I poked it curiously and it rippled.
"Oh it's a dream!" I giggled and clapped my hands. A large cake appeared in front of me and I grinned.
"I don't think you should be happy when Sunset isn't. After all, you took her smile." I glanced back to the left and stared in fear as multiple clones of me started to melt out of the darkness.
"W-what the heck is that?" I mumbled as more and more clones started to appear. They all were repeating the same phrase.
"Why would you do that?" They kept getting closer and I pressed my hands to my head, covering my ears.
"Because I was scared!" I shouted. The clones froze and stared at me.
"So that's the reason? You were scared?" I looked forward and a copy of me stepped to me. She had blue hair among her pink curls and white skin with pink. Her eyes were mostly red. "Imagine how Sunset feels. She's literally been turned into a target and you did nothing to help her." The other clones disappeared as she waved her hand and she glared at me coldly.
"You wouldn't understand," I mumbled. "I thought all of the times we had together were fake. I love her for God's sake! I'm happy she and Derpy are happy don't get me wrong but still. I wanted that to be me, damn it! I wanted to be the one with her in Equestria. I wanted to be the one sharing a bed with her and yet here I am. Alone as always."
"I do understand because I am you. That's the stupidest thing ever. If you loved her, then you should have stuck with her. Because that's what people do. Instead you turned your back on her like the other former elements did."
"I was afraid of losing them. I was afraid of getting hurt by the other students. I'm not like Rainbow or Applejack or Sunset! I'm not brave. I'm not strong and I'm not a hero. I'm Pinkie Pie for crying out loud. I'm a coward who let's others take the lead. I always watch from the back and follow orders!" I shouted and wiped a tear away. "I'm not strong enough to stand up to anyone! I sure as heck didn't stand up to Gilda when she was bullying me and Fluttershy!"
"Sunset was afraid of losing you guys. She has been getting hurt these past few weeks and you've all watched," my clone countered angrily. "I honestly can't help you any further. You and I aren't the same anymore. It takes courage to stand up to friends."
"I don't have that! I'm not like the others. I'm the entertainment of the group, that's all!" I defended myself. "It's not easy being the laughingstock of everything twenty four seven!"
"Then change their opinion!" She shoved me off the bed and I fell with a thud on the floor. "Make them see you differently? You think Sunset just stood by and did nothing? Hell no. She bent over backwards for you and the rest of the school. Shows how much you all actually believed in her."
"I'm sorry! I'll figure it out myself. I'm not sure how though," I stood up and sighed. "My rear hurts."
"Sorry about that. I may have gone overboard," she admitted sheepishly as her hair turned blue. I took a nervous step back as her eyes turned red and the pink skin was completely white. "I'll see you around. You'll need me in the future."
"What does that mean?" I asked as she walked out of my room. I quickly chased after her and the hallway stretched on forever it seems. A dark hole opened under me and I screamed as I fell. I shot up in bed, panting and crying.
"Oh my god that was terrifying," I mumbled as I fearfully looked around my room. I really hated the idea of falling. It was the scariest thing. People laugh at you and all. And if you fall from high enough you will die and I like living. Living is good. If I was dead, I couldn't eat cake or cupcakes or share them with my friends. I haven't been giving out baked goods recently after the most recent anon a miss post said both me and Bon Bon had a feeder fetish whatever the heck that was. I was probably the most innocent of the group along with Fluttershy. The others still haven't told me what a feeder fetish was. I curled into a ball and cried.
"You girls looked awful! Are you sleeping well?" Rarity asked as I idly played the drums. What once was a happy activity for me rarely makes me happy anymore. Rainbow had dark bags under her eyes and Applejack looked utterly exhausted.
"I'm fine. Just tired is all," Rainbow mumbled. "Haven't been sleeping well these past few days."
"Ah'll be fine," Applejack muttered as she tossed a chocolate milk container into the can. "Two points." All eyes fell on me as they stared at me worriedly. I hadn't been talking since I got to school. I've been just avoiding everyone. I quickly stood up and threw my lunch away.
"I'll be back. I'm going to the bathroom. Don't wait for me guys. Totally not going to cry again." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter L | "So what do you girls wanna do now?" I asked curiously as my group strode through the mall. Fuschia and Octavia had surprisingly hit it off well while Trixie and I became close which none of us expected. Lavender and Vinyl were close as well. Twilight and Moondancer were at one of the libraries in town. Minuette and Equestrian Bon Bon were at a donut shop while Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts and my counterpart were with us. It was kinda funny watching people do double takes at two of me in the mall.
"I have no idea," Sunset admitted with a smile. She had an arm wrapped around Derpys waist and looked happier than I've seen her recently which is always good.
"We can go to the toy store!" Sonata giggled and jumped on her feet. I was the most distrusting of the sirens in all honesty of my group. Sonata was pretty cool and funny though. "They sell all sorts of stuff! Statues of mythological creatures and stuff. I love buying them for my collection."
"Uh sure?" Aria grumbled. "Me and Adagio can find something to do."
"Just don't spend all your allowance in one go," Adagio warned as she handed the young girl some money. "I'm serious Sonata."
"Okay Dagi," Sonata grumbled as she took the green bills and the older two wandered of, giving the youngest of the three a worried look before disappearing around the corner. Sonata led us through the mall, dodging people and service animals before stepping into a store I recognized.
"I come here all the time for comics and statues!" I exclaimed as a look of surprise crossed Sonata's face.
"Really? I do too. It's my favorite place on earth!" She paused in front of a display case. "Well second favorite place. Taco Bell holds a special place in my heart always."
I let out a chuckle as we all separated to do our own thing. Me and Sonata sat at a table and started play arguing about which Greek God was better while Derpy and Sunset sat down next to us and listened. Bon Bon and Vinyl were looking at instruments while Octavia and Trixies friends were talking near the cds. Lightning and the three Equestrians were discussing video games it looked like. This place sold it all honesty. It was amazing.
"Here comes trouble," Derpy mumbled as she stared behind me. Sunset got tense as I glanced back, instantly standing up. Applejack stood there and gave us a timid wave.
"H-hey yall," she said as Apple Bloom stepped out from behind her. As soon as she saw Sunset, she immediately got tense as the rest of my group converged on us. She looked she had a deer in the headlights look as she glanced at all of us. Her eyes widened when my double stood there next to me.
"What are you doing here?" Vinyl demanded as the two stared at each other.
"Bloom wanted ta check this here store out," Applejack said as her young sister walked away but kept an eye on us. Mainly Sunset. Vinyl balled her fists as the two maintained eye contact. Bon Bon and the others watched cautiously, evidently waiting to see how this would play out. I finally slammed a hand on the table and everyone jumped, quickly staring at me.
"You," I pointed at Applejack. "Come with me. I got a few bones to pick with you and this is too public a place to pick at them." Applejack gulped and nodded.
"Trixie is coming with," Trixie announced as her two friends nodded.
"Me too," Vinyl chimed in. I sighed and rolled my eyes in frustration.
"Fine but no throwing the first punch. I'm doing this to keep the peace, not start a fight," I warned as I stepped to the counter. "Hey Day Trader. Can I borrow the back office for a bit?"
He gave a nod as he opened a drawer in his desk, procuring a golden key and handing it to me. He didn't really talk much because of his lisp. He only really talked to me and Bon Bon. I gave him a grateful nod and gestured for the others to follow me. I led them down a hallway, unlocking a room and they all walked in. I closed the door behind us and quickly sat down at table, steepling my fingers.
"Sit," I gestured to a empty seat at the table across from. Trixie and the others stood behind me and glared at Applejack as she sat down nervously. "You know, when you aren't really good at something, most people tend to not do that or get better at it. I'm guessing you never tried to be good at lying."
"It wasn't a total lie," Applejack muttered. "We really did wanna check this store out. Ah knew Sunset and ya both liked mythology." I allowed a faint smile to tug at my lips.
"Well that's good for her but what do you want with us? Why even come up to us?" I asked curiously.
"Ah wanted to see Sunset," she admitted.
"Seriously?" Fuschia asked in anger. "After how you all treated her? Why should we allow you to see her?"
"Ah've been thinking about all of this. Ah sat down and thought long n hard about all this. She wasn't as stupid as this back then. She woulda been way more smart and hid it was her behind this," Applejack admitted.
"About time you pulled your head out of your ass. Must have taken a lot of lube," I commented. I ignored the shocked looks I received and stared at Applejack, leaning forward.
"Can ya tell Sunset ah wanna talk to her? Ah'll leave the store with Bloom and let her approach me," Applejack asked hesitantly as she put her hat back on.
"I'll let her know. But don't get all upset when she refuses. You all fucked up majorly here."
"Ah know. Thank ya kindly Lyra." We all made our way to the door and I held it open.
"Remember leave. Don't talk to Sunset. Don't even look at her," Lavender growled.
"Ah promise we won't." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LI | With a sigh, I flung my backpack onto my couch and collapsed next to it. I grabbed the TV remote off my slightly worn out stand stand and started flicking through channels. While my apartment may be on the older side and run down on the rough part of Canterlot, it was home.
My parents and I never really saw eye to eye, especially when they found out I wanted to be a magicians assistant. Don't even get me started when me, Trixie and Fuschia started The Illusions. I thought dad would have blown his head off in anger. They wanted me to go into business like they did. Business sounds boring. Magic sounded way cooler ever since a magician came to my seventh birthday party.
I still remember how me and Trixie met. Freshman year in the cafeteria. She was working on card tricks and had a small crowd of five or six people around her. That's also where I met Fuchsia. We had both been blown away by her card tricks. We've been friends ever since.
Say what you want about Trixie, but she's a good person. She had felt pretty bad she couldn't pay either of us for being in the band or helping with magic shows. Not that many people showed up but hey, it was fun and a good experience. We didn't care about the money. Sure, she wasn't always this way but people can change. Hell it got so bad once, me and Fuchsia debated going it alone and doing tricks as a two women show but Trixie had gave us properly the greatest apology I've ever seen. Fuchsia planned most of our shows while I mixed and created our fireworks. I will admit, most didn't go to plan but a majority did and that's what matters.
Anyway, after my parents found out about the whole magic show side business thing if we could call it that, they had been less than happy. So ya know, got a job as soon as I could and got legally emancipated as soon as was possible. Surprisingly the judge agreed and boom, I was living on my own and supporting myself. It's a great feeling really.
"Well this is boring," I mumbled to myself. "I wonder what Brawly is doing." I mainly kept to my small group so it was a freaking wonder I got a boyfriend. Especially one in Flash Sentrys band. One of the most liked people in the school. I will admit, I did find the anon a miss post calling him a horsefucker pretty funny. Maybe Fuchsia would be down to go hang out with him too. We haven't really hung out because we were working double and triple time to clear Sunset's name. I reached for my phone as I smoothed down my black leggings, brushing some dust off them.
"Hey Lav," Fuchsia's voice came from the other end. She sounded cheerful as usual.
"Hey you up to go hang out with Brawly? I got a key and everything after all." I glanced out the window at the setting sun over my little suv sitting on the street. I waited while I heard her humming in the background. She always hummed when thinking for some odd reason.
"Yeah I'm down. I'll be there in ten minutes to come get you."
I sighed as I brushed a strand of my blonde hair out of my eyes as I stepped out of my apartment, locking it with my key before continuing down the street. I quickly opened Fuchsia's car down and sat down.
"Hey thanks for picking me up." She smiled warmly as she turned her car back on. Why she turned it off, I'll never know.
"Hey no problem," she glanced both ways before going straight. "I needed some excitement." I gave a nod as a faint cough got my attention from the back seat smd I looked back. A girl with messy green hair and jeans sat with a striped sweater.
"Hey Wallflower!" I grinned at the girl. She flinched and stared at me in shock.
"Y-you can see me?" She asked quietly in awe. I tilted my head and gave her a confused look.
"Uh yeah? We both can," I said in confusion. "Why?"
"Nobody ever sees me," she mumbled and stared out the window.
"Well we can," Fuchsia reassured her as she glanced at her in the rear view mirror. I gave her a smile before turning back to look out the front windshield.
"I didn't know you were bringing your sister," I commented as Wallflower kept watching the trees and buildings out her window.
"Yeah sorry. I just wanted to get her out the house. I worry about her, you know? She spends so much time in her room with her plants and never goes outside unless it's to buy more plants or get gardening supplies. I caught her talking to her cactus the other day," Fuschia admitted as she kept driving.
"Interesting," I mumbled. I barely saw the green haired girl whenever I went over. She was so quiet she just snuck around all the time.
"If I didn't see her at dinner and when we had to go to school, I honestly wouldn't know I had a sister. She's scarily quiet," Fuchsia commented as we parked outside my boyfriends apartment. "Wanna come with Wally?" She pocketed the car keys and looked in the back seat.
"No thanks. I'm gonna be reading back here," Wallflower said quietly as she held up a gardening book. Me and Fuchsia looked at each other and shrugged as we opened the car doors and stepped outside. We quickly bounded up the stairs and I unlocked his front door, walking in.
"What is that noise?" Fuchsia asked with a confused face at the moaning coming from his room. I rolled my eyes and sighed.
"He's probably masturbating. Let me go in before you," I told her as I pushed open the door to his room. "Hey Brawly what's up-" I paused as he quickly covered himself as the girl in his bed fell off the side. "What the fuck?"
"Lav? What's going on?" Fuchsia peeked over my shoulder and her eyes widened. "Woah."
"What are you doing here?" Brawly Beats shouted. "You should have called!" My ears turned red as I felt anger wash over me.
"You cheating bitch! Who is that skank?" I demanded furiously as I stepped forward and yanked the blanket off her."Aqua Blossom, you whore!"
"I'm sorry!" She screamed. "Please don't hurt me!"
"Oh I'm gonna hurt you after I cut his dick off!" I fumed as I felt Fuchsia grab my shoulder. "What the fuck dude? Why cheat on me man? I gave you everything!"
"You've been gone for God knows how long doing God knows what!" He grumbled. "Just because you decided to not have sex until marriage or whatever doesn't mean I can't!"
"We've been helping Sunset prove her innocence!" I screamed. "Are you kidding me?" He scoffed and looked away.
"Oh that bitch. Fuck her. She ain't worth it." I would have slapped him if Fuchsia wasn't holding me back with a angry expression of her own.
"Let's go Lav. He ain't worth the jail time." I nodded as she pulled me back into his living room. I paused and yanked the key to my apartment off his car keys and shoved it in my packet. I quickly threw my key to his apartment on the counter and stormed off down the stairs after Fuchsia, slamming it behind me.
"Take me to Trixie's please." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LII | "So does Trixie have to go bury a body or does she get to stay at home?" Trixie asked me as I laid on her bed, tossing a soccer ball up and down in the air. I rolled my head to look at her as I let the ball bounce on the ground. Fuchsia stopped it with her foot before it rolled away.
"No he's not dead. Wish he was but I don't have the energy to kill him and Aqua," I grumbled. "Glad I never had sex with him."
"Me too," Fuchsia admitted as she picked up a rubiks cube and started playing with it. That girl was insanely good at solving them. Me and Trixie specifically bought her complex ones and she gets them done. "I don't even know why you dated him. He did have reputation to be a womanizer, Lav."
"I don't know!" I threw my hands up in frustration. "I thought I could change him given time. Plus he was nice to me."
"He was nice to you because he wanted to get you to drop your dress," Trixie grumbled. Fuchsia glared at her.
"Trixie!"
"What? It's true! Trixie could tell he was no good. She just didn't want to hurt Lavenders feelings."
"Thanks Trixie. I appreciate it. In a way, I knew he was only nice to me because of that. I guess I was stupid," I mumbled. Trixie rolled her eyes and wrapped an arm around me in a hug. I quickly leaned into it with a content sigh.
"None of Trixie's friends are stupid. Her friends are very smart people and she is glad to know them. You aren't to blame. He is to blame because he was manipulative and annoying," Trixie proclaimed. "You're not infallible after all."
"Big word for you," I smirked. Trixie rolled her eyes and gave me a gentle push.
"Shush. Trixie is glad you are joking again." The three of us had a unique way of talking to each other. Mine was making jokes about each of us, even me. Of course I knew to not cross a line. Fuchsia's way was just being quiet and listening while Trixie's was to get angry and try to punch her way through whatever was bothering us or her.
"I just don't know what to do. I've already blocked him and her on everything. I've already changed my relationship status to single. You girls got any advice?" I looked at them hopefully. The two looked surprised at my request. While Trixie was technically our leader in a way, I was the one who helped make a decent amount of decisions in the group. I also was the one who tried to solve her problems herself. But if Trixie and Sunset could change, so could I.
"Honestly yes," Trixie admitted as she pulled out her phone.
"Uh what are you doing?" I asked curiously. Trixie winked at me as she held the phone to her ear.
"Calling Lyra."
I sat in the music room in the basement of Lyra's house. We all three stared in surprise at the immense amount of instruments in the room. Ranging all the way from the piano Lyra and Bon Bon had used in the battle of the bands before we had defeated them to a harp to a bright red guitar on the wall. Octavia sat in a corner with a violin she was idly playing. Even when she wasn't trying, she did pretty good at it. Bon Bon was sitting at the piano as she pressed a few keys with a smile. Lyra stepped into the room with a frown, Vinyl right behind her.
"Hey guys. So I heard about your predicament," Lyra continued frowning as she pulled a chair next to us. "Firstly, I wanna say sorry. That's a shitty situation to be in. I know what it's like to be cheated on."
"What do you-?" Fuchsia started before she nodded. "Cherry Crash."
"Cherry Crash," Lyra agreed as a look of rare anger crossed her face. It was rare for the girl to get angry. Mad yes, angry no. "And I got the perfect solution to help you."
"What's that?" I asked eagerly. I was desperate at this point.
"We write a song and you sing it. If you're comfortable enough, we upload it to YouTube," Lyra answered, her frown becoming a smile.
"What?" I asked in confusion. "That's it?"
"Music is a great way to express your feelings," Lyra explained as she stood up and walked to the guitar. She handed it to Trixie who stared at it.
"Who's guitar is this?" Trixie asked curiously.
"Mine," Lyra said simply as she sat down next to Octavia, picking up a pen and paper.
"You can play the guitar?" I asked in awe. I had a whole newfound respect for her that keeps getting added to every day.
"Well duh. I'm a musician," Lyra said smugly. "I can play more than one instrument. I can play the lyre, piano, the harp, the violin, flute and guitar. Octavia can play the cello, harp, lyre, violin and trumpet. Vinyl can play the guitar and keyboard. Bon Bon plays the flute as well the piano. Derpy plays the drums and harmonica sometimes for fun."
"Most of us can play more than one instrument. Lyra knows a bit more than us because of her family's music background and her parents band. I only took the classes my mother demanded I take," Octavia chimed in. She set down her violin gently in it's case and closed it.
"That's super impressive," Fuchsia admitted with a smile. "Wish we could play more. All me and Lav know is the sampler and guitars. Trixie knows the guitar and drums."
"I-I don't sing!" I finally exclaimed nervously. They glanced over at me in confusion.
"Uh we heard you and Fuchsia doing back up vocals for Trixie's band," Lyra pointed out. "You have a good singing voice."
"Yeah!" Bon Bon chimed in. "You can sing very well."
"So are you in?" Lyra asked me eagerly as they all looked at me hopefully. I took a deep breath.
"Yeah sure." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LIII | "Alright so here," Bon Bon placed a piece of paper next to me before pulling up a chair with Fuchsia. "Me and Fuschia sat down and wrote these lyrics for you, her, Trixie to do. We sat thinking long and hard about the situation you got going on and came up with this song. We feel it fits you kinda. We circled your parts, Trixie's and Lyra's. Fuchsia is back up vocals for you three. I didn't know she wrote tricks up my sleeve so it's nice to have a fellow writer to help with this."
I picked up the paper and looked at my parts. I glanced at them in confusion.
"Why would Lyra want those lyrics as her part?" The two looked at each other and shrugged.
"We felt you wouldn't want the topic of sex in your lyrics considering what happened," Fuchsia admitted. Bon Bon nodded her agreement.
"We can change it if you wish."
"No it's fine," I said before taking a sip of water. I didn't really think we would ever get along with Lyra and Bon Bon. I thought they would have held a grudge against us for beating them in the battle of the bands but they surprisingly didn't. They had been mad at the time but I assume that was the heat of the moment plus the sirens influence. "I'm down."
"Perfect!" Bon Bon beamed at me. "After lunch, we'll go down to the studio in the basement."
"So typically we would have Derpy here to do the drums but Sunset's family is coming to visit so she's staying there to meet them. We can just use a drum sound effect online," Lyra explained as she adjusted the microphones to match our heights. "Are you sure you want this recorded and put online?"
"I'm sure. Besides, The Illusions haven't done a song in a long time," I reassured her and hoped my nervousness was hidden well. Octavia gave me a confused look.
"Don't you mean Trixie and The Illusions?" She asked. I shook my head with a smirk.
"After the battle of the bands, Trixie removed her name from the bands title to be more inclusive to me and Fuchsia," I explained.
"That's nice of her," Octavia mumbled in surprise. "Didn't see her doing that ever."
"Trixie is full of surprises," Trixie commented as she stood up with her guitar. "The Humble and Kind Trixie is supportive of her friends!"
"That she is," I chuckled and wrapped an arm around her in a hug before stepping to the mic nervously.
"Trixie can do the song solo if you wish," Trixie whispered and I shook my head.
"I got this."
"Okay," Trixie stepped back and Vinyl lifted her camera before giving me a nod and I took a deep breath.
"I miss the misery, I've been a mess since you stayed. I've been a wreck since you changed. Don't let me get in your way, I miss the lies and the pain. The fights that keep us awake. I'm tellin you, I miss the bad things, the way you hate me. I miss the screamin, the way that you blame me. Miss the phone calls when it's your fault. I miss the late nights, don't miss you at all. I like the kick in the face. And the things you do to me. I love the way that it hurts, I don't miss you, I miss the misery," I inhaled and saw Bon Bon giving me a reassuring grin.
"I've tried but I just can't take it. I'd rather fight than just fake it," Trixie grinned as she stepped forward for her part.
"Cause I like it rough," Fuchsia quickly interrupted. Apparently Trixie and Bon Bon had wanted her to have more parts so they gave some Trixie's parts to her.
"You know that I've had enough. I dare you to call my bluff. Can't take too much of a good thing. I'm telling you," Trixie continued.
"I miss the bad things, the way you hate me. I miss the screamin', the way that you blame me. Miss the phone calls when it's your fault, I miss the late nights, don't miss you at all. I like the kick in the face and the things you do to me. I love the way that it hurts. I don't miss you, I miss the misery." I will admit, I did miss me and the other Illusions singing together. Especially Trixie.
"Just know that I'll make you hurt," Trixie sang softly.
"I miss the lies and the pain, what you did to me," Fuchsia took over and the pair kept doing the swapping thing we agreed on as I watched.
"When you tell me, you'll make it worse."
"I'd rather fight all night than watch the TV."
"I hate that feelin' inside."
"You tell me how hard you'll try."
"But when we're at our worst I miss the misery," the two finished together as Lyra smirked and stepped to her microphone she had set up next to me. She had been surprisingly good at the guitar in the background with Trixie. I stared in shock and a bit of concern as her hair grew longer along with mine, Trixie's and Fuchsia's. I had no idea what the hell was happening.
"I miss the bad things, the way you hate me. I miss the screamin', the way that you blame me," Lyra surprisingly had a really good singing voice. I hadn't focused too much on it at the time but yeah I was surprised. "I miss the rough sex, leaves me a mess. I miss the feeling of pains in my chest. Miss the phone calls when it's your fault. I miss the late nights, don't miss you at all. I like the kick in the face. And the things you do to me. I love the way that it hurts. I don't miss you I miss the misery."
Vinyl waited a few seconds before she gave us a thumbs up and set her camera down. I sat down on a nearby chair and held my hair in my hand. Trixie and Fuchsia were looking at their own hair curiously.
"Uhm what happened?" I finally asked.
"I guess we ponied up," Lyra commented. "It's a term Sunset came up with for the Raingoons. They did it when they played music. Looks like we aren't that different in that regard."
"It looks gorgeous!" Octavia announced as she admired my longer blonde hair. I had to admit, it did look really nice. I stepped in front of the mirror and noticed my ears had changed shape too.
"How long will it stay like this?" Trixie asked curiously.
"It should go away in a few moments according to Sunset," Bon Bon replied as she and Vinyl looked at the video on the camera.
"What now?" Fuchsia asked.
"We pick a background for the video and upload it," Vinyl answered as she plugged the camera into her computer. "Now come here and let's pick one you three like."
We all crowded around and started browsing. I had a feeling that this was a pretty damn good start. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LIV | "Are you sure they will approve of me?" Derpy asked as she paced back and forth of the living room worriedly. I gave a frustrated sigh while Mom chuckled. Today was one of the few days I wasn't depressed over anon a miss. Mainly because of my family coming to visit.
"For the tenth or so time, yes they will," I grunted as Derpy paused and looked at me. "Was I this worried about meeting my aunts and cousin?"
"Yes," Mom said simply with a smile as she stood up and walked to the door, looking out the window. "Looks like they are here." I gave Derpy a smirk as she started sweating.
"Well time to see if I'm right. After all, they are gonna love you just as much as I love you," I said with a wink as Derpy turned bright red and started sputtering like a car trying to start and utterly failing to do so.
I crossed my legs as the front door opened and I heard excited yelling. A short carnation girl came running in the room and tackled me.
"Oof!" I grunted as I hugged her back. "Hey Ruby!"
"Hey my favorite cousin!" Ruby chirped with a grin.
"I'm your only cousin!" I exclaimed. "I hope at least. I don't think Aunt Cherry has been hiding a child of hers from us."
"God I hope not," Aunt Cherry grumbled with a smile as she entered the room. "I think I'd have a lot more questions than you guys would if that was the case."
"Hey kid!" Aunt Berry chuckled at her sister as she ruffled my hair. "Been a minute, hasn't it?" She gently pulled Ruby off me and I could finally breath. I sat up and nodded.
"That it has," I agreed. "Can't remember the last time I saw you guys."
"Battle of the bands," Aunt Berry supplied with a head nod. I tilted my head to the side in confusion.
"Uh you guys weren't there?" I pointed out in confusion.
"Actually we were. We didn't make it to the beginning and middle of the showcase but we showed up at the end. That was something right there," Aunt Cherry admitted as she took her boots off. Me and Derpy shared a surprised look.
"So you guys were-?"
"Under those three girls spell yes," Aunt Berry admitted as she sat on the couch next to me. "If we weren't there, we really wouldn't have believed Cheerilee." Now it was mom's turn to receive a shocked look from me.
"You told them?" I asked in confusion. "And they believed you? How?"
"Trust me, seeing what we saw made what she told us believable," Aunt Cherry chuckled as she gave me a serious look. "You are really from another world?"
"You're a unicorn?' Ruby asked me excitedly. I chuckled at how excited she was. She was practically vibrating a hole in the floor. Much like a certain mint green girl I knew.
"Uh yes?" I said cautiously.
"That is awesome!" Ruby shouted as she pumped a fist in the air. "My cousin is a mage! Let's go!" We all chuckled at her as Aunt Cherry glanced over at Derpy.
"Well hey there," Aunt Cherry smirked as she stood up and walked to her. "You must be Derpy."
"Uhm yes. Yes I am," Derpy said with surprising confidence. It sure was completely different from how she was acting ten minutes ago. "You're Cherry Berry, right?"
"Indeed I am. Heard a lot of good things about you." Aunt Berry gave me a wink along with a smug grin.
"Well looks like we found out what way you swing, now didn't we? I have someone I want you to meet as well," Aunt Berry grinned. "You can come in now!" A blue woman slowly walked in the room and gave me a timid wave. Me and Derpy shared a shocked look as she sat down.
"Meet my girlfriend Minuette," Aunt Berry grinned as the two hugged.
"Hi!" Earth Minuette smiled. Thank God her Equestrian counter part was with the other girls Twilight had brought over at the sirens house. I might be a rumor but according to Lemon Hearts, a certain someone had taken quite the interest in Twilight. "Heard a lot of good things about Sunset. Nice to finally meet you."
"Yeah likewise," I replied after a second. In all honesty, I didn't know much of anything about the older woman. "Why didn't I see you guys at the battle of the bands?"
"We wanted to talk to you but we kinda wanted to let you have fun with your friends," Aunt Berry admitted sheepishly as Ruby wandered around the house. "Hey Ruby. Why don't you ask your cousin if you can play with her Xbox upstairs? I'm sure she would love to let you." Instantly Ruby's eyes were level with mine.
"Can we please play some video games together? Please please please!" I chuckled at her begging and nodded.
"Yeah sure. I'm sure we can find something child appropriate for the two of us. You like minecraft?" I asked as we started to walk up the stairs.
"I love it. Me and mom and Minuette play it together all the time!" Ruby giggled as we entered my messy room. Thank God they hadn't got here when me and Derpy were having some adult alone time. That would be embarrassing. "We've beaten the Ender Dragon a dozen times!"
"Wow!" I gasped and feigned shock. I should get a acting job in all honesty. "That's pretty hard to do. You sound like you are way more experienced than I ever will be!" Ruby gave me a confident grin as the young girl sat down on my blue beanbag I had on the floor next to my bookshelf.
"I am! Mom says so, Minuette says so, Aunt Cherry and Aunt Cheerilee says so and you do too! So it must be true!" I turned the Xbox on and handed her the controller. I sat down on the floor next to her with a grin.
"Then show me!" |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LV | "So Derpy," Sunset's youngest aunt smiled at me. "How did you meet Sunset?"
"Oh uh after the fall formal," I answered. "Do you guys know about that too or?" Her two aunts looked at each other and nodded.
"Yeah we do," Cherry Berry admitted. "Cheerilee laid it all out on table after the battle of the bands. It doesn't change our opinion of Sunset by the way."
"Just makes us like her more," Berry Punch chimed in. "Not a lot of people would be able to get up after something like that and better themselves."
"Yeah and look at what happened to all her hard work," Cheerilee said bitterly. "She gets backstabbed by her so called friends." A dark look crossed her two sisters faces.
"Oh yeah I got opinions about that," Berry growled. Based on her facial expression, this wasn't the first time it had been brought up between the four. Minuette looked slightly annoyed too and she literally just met Sunset. I suppose she has a right to be mad too. Sunset is her girlfriends niece after all.
"Careful sister," Cherry warned as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ruby is still in the house." I glanced up the stairs and listened to the laughing coming from Sunset's room. It was a good sound to hear. Haven't heard Sunset legitimately laugh in ages.
"Trust me, being in the house with Berry when she first found out about this anon a miss thing was something. She was shouting swear words for about two hours or so. Luckily Ruby was in school," Minuette chuckled as she wrapped a hand around her tea cup.
"So how well do you know my niece?" Berry Punch focused on me as she sipped from her wine glass.
"Uh pretty well I'd say. I'm practically here all the time," I admitted with a red face. As long as I didn't say what we got up to most of the time, I should be good.
"Got plans to get married?" Berry smirked and I turned even redder.
"No!" I said quickly and she raised an eyebrow.
"What, my niece not good enough for you?" She smirked.
""I mean no not right now! I'm only eighteen! I love her don't get me wrong but we are both in high school and don't even have jobs yet or have college degrees or cars or houses or even drivers license!" I hastily said. Berry Punch held up a hand and I stopped.
"Relax kid. I was only teasing," she said with a smile. "You're good in my books. You wouldn't be liked by us if we didn't taunt you a little. Good natured teasing is healthy and all." I let out a breath and sighed.
"Oh okay," I said. "I haven't heard Sunset laugh in a while. I missed the sound."
"Me too," Cheerilee admitted. "It's good to hear. Ruby has a way of doing that to people. Why do you think Berry suggested Ruby ask Sunset if they could play video games?"
"I thought it was to tease me to be honest," I admitted.
"That too."
"Sunset still doesn't know how to drive?" Berry asked incredulously as Minuette smirked. "Seriously?"
"I've never shown her," Cheerilee admitted. "Maybe in a few days I will."
"At least Cherry isn't teaching her how to drive!" Minuette laughed. Cherry Berry shot her a dirty look.
"I'm a good driver!" She exclaimed indignantly. The three older women stared at her. "What?"
"When you were sixteen, you backed up on the shoulder of the highway because you missed your exit," Berry Punch said flatly.
"That was one time!"
"You also did it when you were twenty. The state trooper said he had never seen someone do something so dangerous in all his life."
"Can you believe he wanted to take me to jail for that?" Cherry Berry scoffed.
"He should have!" Minuette shot back. "I would have if I was him. You're lucky a car went flipping down the highway and he went to go help them." I watched as the four stared at each other before laughing.
"Uhm muffin?" I offered weakly and held up a basket.
"Yeah sure," Berry Punch shrugged and took one. Her eyes lit up and she swallowed hers. "Derpy, you have my full permission to marry Sunset if it means I get to have more muffins like this." I turned a bright shade of red for what felt like the fifth time this evening.
"Hey!" Cheerilee said as she took her own muffin. "Isn't it my job to give Sunset away?"
"Like slave trade?" Berry smirked at her. "Think that went out of style years ago sis."
"God you're a freak," Cherry Berry rolled her eyes. "I hope to God it isn't transmitted by air because if so we are all dead."
"Berrypunchitis," Berry whistled approvingly. "I like it. And if you got infected, it would just make you like me."
"That's a scary thought right there," Minuette chuckled. "I'd turn into a blanket hogger in bed."
"I do not hog the blanket! You do!" Berry Punch retorted as she stared at the blue woman.
"You'll have to excuse them," Cherry smirked as she watched the two continue their play argument. "They are like this all the time."
"Oh okay," I said. Cherry nodded as she focused back on Cheerilee.
"Does anyone else other than us and Derpy support Sunset?" She asked. Cheerilee inhaled and nodded.
"Yeah. Lyra and the others. Trixie and her band mates along with the sirens."
"The sirens?" Berry raised an eyebrow as she and Minuette calmed down. "What the hell is that?"
"The girls that had us all under their spell," I explained. "Sunset is friends with them and forgave them."
"See? Another reason why Sunset is awesome," Berry nodded. "Not many people would do that."
"Especially after what they said to her," I agreed as Berry narrowed her eyes.
"What did they say to her?" Me and Cheerilee made eye contact and I pulled out my phone, bringing up a saved video of Sunset confronting the sirens on her own that Vinyl had recorded in an attempt to break Octavia from the spell.
"You're never gonna get away with this," Sunset said firmly as the others watched my phone.
"Why? Because you didn't?" Adagio asked pointedly. "We know all about you,Sunset Shimmer. Turns out you got quite the reputation at Canterlot High."
"I've changed! I'm in a much better place!"
"Sitting in the wings while your friends have all the fun?" Aria asked.
"Oh yes. You girls are so tight. And yet, they didn't ask you to be in the group."
"Probably afraid no one would want to see them play if she was in the group."
"Too bad! So sad!"
"If it's any consolation at all, no one is even gonna remember you by the time were done," Adagio smirked as she and Sonata hip checked Sunset as they walked past her and I shut my phone off. Me and Cheerilee looked at each other as the three others sat with stunned faces as Berry chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Minuette asked in confusion. Berry grinned at her and leaned back on the couch.
"I have a bad ass niece." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LVI | "Hey Bons," I smirked at my girlfriend as I slid onto my bed. She was sitting on the bed writing in her notebook and occasionally chewing on the end of her pencil in thought which I found adorable. "What ya doin?"
"Writing a song," she answered. "It's for Sunset we can all sing. I have lines, you do, Derpy does, Vinyl does, Octavia does. Lightning and The Dazzlings do and so does The Illusions. If Sunset is in the mood for it, I have lines for her." She quickly erased some before writing again. I peeked over her shoulder.
"You find out who your friends are?" I read the title out loud and squeezed her shoulders as I read some of the lyrics and smiled. "I think it's a great song Bonnie."
"I got some of the stage designed too. Think you and the others are gonna like it," she grinned back.
"Woah hold on. Stage?" I asked curiously. "What are you talking about?"
"After we prove Sunset is innocent, I was thinking we could sing it in front of the school on the stage the Illusions won the battle of the bands on. Great outdoor setting and space. Enough seats for the whole school. It would really stick it the school and the Raingoons for how they treated her!" Bon Bon exclaimed as I relaxed onto the bed.
"I approve," I said as a smile grew on my face. "This is a great idea."
"Thanks Lyra," Bon Bon gave me a kiss and I gave her a sultry look.
"Now why don't you show me how grateful you actually are?" She smirked at me and tossed the notebook and climbed on top me. I gave her a quick kiss and slide my hand up her shirt.
"Someone's eager," Bon Bon teased.
"You have no idea."
"So what do you have us all here for?" Vinyl asked as we all sat in the breakroom of my job. Technically, it was Bon Bons job as well. Benefits of dating the owners daughter is you can get a job easier.
"I have an idea," I said. Trixie tilted her head to the side curiously. Lavender and Fuchsia looked at each other before focusing on me.
"Okay we are listening," Lavender answered as Octavia nodded her agreement. Bon Bon sat next to me as I pulled my phone out.
"Alright so the song we did talking about Lavenders ex got a lot of views right?" I showed them the video.
"Right," Lavender nodded with a grin. "Even a few people from Crystal Prep said it was good. Think their names were Lemon Zest and Coco Pommel. And this is Crystal Prep we are talking about. They never think anything someone from our school would."
"Stuck up pricks," I folded my arms and looked away. It was common knowledge our group hated the rival school with a burning passion. Well technically the whole school did, but minor detail. At least one thing united the school during this anon a miss shit.
"Trixie is confused," Trixie announced. "We did good as a group yes but where are you going with this?"
"Since we got a lot of views and music can send a message. It can say a lot of things. Feelings and such. So what I propose is we do the exact same thing we did. Except we get a little bit more personal this time," I explained.
"Yeah I'm still confused," Bon Bon said after a moment of silence. "You want to make another song about Brawly? He already is getting ridiculed by the school and Flash Sentry kicked him out of the group for what he did. How far do you wanna take this, Lyra?"
"Not that. I feel we got our point across on that lowlife scum. Bet his birth certificate is an apology letter from the condom factory." Lavender burst out laughing and high fived me.
"God I love you Lyra. You know the right stuff to say."
"Love ya too fam," I smirked as the room quieted down from laughing. Even Octavia had a smile on her face after that. "But no, I'm saying we make a song about a certain group. I don't think we truly have gotten our revenge."
"Trixie is listening." I knew she would be down for whatever I came up with.
"I'm surprised you three are down for whatever it takes to bring down the Raingoons," Vinyl commented as she tossed some caramel popcorn in her mouth. Bon Bon gave her a flat look.
"Please keep it clean in here. We don't need the city in here again complaining about us living upstairs." Vinyl gave her a thumbs up and Bon Bon nodded.
"We have modest goals in life," Trixie admitted. "Be the best magician's in all of Canterlot."
"Be the best magician's assistants!" Lavender chimed in with a smile.
"Crush the Raingoons under our purple and blue boots and be the best band at Canterlot High!" Fuchsia exclaimed with a clenched fist. "You know, modest goals." I rolled my eyes with a chuckle.
"So what do you have planned now Lyra?" Vinyl as she crossed her legs and pulled her glasses on top of her head.
"Easy. We make a diss song. Kinda like what we did before but take it all the way."
"A what?" Octavia asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It's a song to purposefully insult a person or a group of people. The point is to be as rude and insulting as possible," Vinyl explained.
"Yeah I uh don't think I'm insulting enough," Octavia admitted.
"Yeah me neither," Bon Bon agreed. "We can record you guys though. We're a group after all and we can still support you guys." We all looked at each other and nodded.
"Trixie is in," Trixie announced smugly as she and her other band mates stood up. "We will bring our lyrics if you guys bring yours. We should get the sirens involved. Strength in numbers." As much as I didn't want to work with those three girls, Trixie had a point. I let out a frustrated sigh.
"Fine." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LVII | I gave a smirk and crossed my legs, brushing some orange hair out of my eyes. Aria and Lightning Dust wore surprised expressions.
"So let me get this straight," Aria finally spoke. "You want us to do a diss track like we are NWA?" Octavia tilted her head to the side in confusion.
"Who?" She asked and Aria rolled her eyes.
"Jesus Christ. Kids these days," she grumbled. I snorted a laugh and sighed. "It's not important right now."
"Uhm okay," Octavia still looked confused and quickly shook her head. "So are you in? Vinyl plans to upload this one again to YouTube. Lyra wanted to insult the Rainbooms directly in musical form. I will leave the address to Lyra's house with Adagio," she handed me a piece of paper. "If you show up we will know you're interested. Arrivederci!"
She walked away with her lunch tray and Sunset's on top and we all looked at each. Sonata gave a faint muffled sound and I rolled my eyes in faint frustration.
"Sonata please swallow your food before trying to speak. You're gonna die one day if you don't," I rolled my eyes. Sonata nodded and I patiently waited.
"I say we do it! We can be like one of those old school groups and pull up with a glock on those bitches!" Sonata stood up on the table and crossed her arms after throwing up a sign. "Brap! Driveby motherfucker!" Aria hastily yanked her down and looked around her.
"Are you stupid?" She hissed. "Don't throw up random gang signs! Are you trying to get shot?"
"And we are not pulling up with a glock to anyone's house Sonata," I grumbled. Sonata brushed us and rolled her eyes.
"Stfu mf. You might not but Lightning will," Sonata said.
"Would you quit talking in acronyms please? This isn't a freaking text message. Just say the word," Aria rolled her eyes. Sonata opened her mouth.
"Don't," I cut off Sonata and she closed her mouth. "You're the youngest. You shouldn't be cussing anyway." The bell rang and my other two sisters stood up to go to their class, arguing the whole. I glanced at Lightning who was laughing and I rolled my eyes.
"Those two are gonna be the death of me one day."
I stared at a large white house and glanced at my other companions. They wore the same surprised faces that I'm sure I wore. I gave a shrug and entered the code Octavia had given us into the gate and pushed it opened after a few seconds.
"Lyra lives here?" Aria asked incredulously. "Damn." Lightning let out a whistle as we walked along the path.
"You know I'm not gay or bi, but I can pretend if it means I get to visit this place often," Lightning commented as the front door opened. Lyra stood there with her arms crossed and an unreadable expression.
"Come in," she said simply and stepped away from the door. I rolled my eyes as Sonata bounced through the door.
"Take your boots off at the door Sonata," I chided. "Don't trek mud through her house please." She let out a grumble and yanked them off before tossing them in a pile near the door.
"Thank you," Lyra said simply as she led us down the stairs into the basement. "We have instruments if you play. Or you guys can just do vocals like you did before." She pushed the basement door open and everyone stared at us as we quickly sat down. Sonata bounded up to Vinyl and the two started talking about God knows what.
"Hello again," Bon Bon nodded to us. "It's uh nice to see you again." She looked away uncomfortably.
"Indeed it is," I agreed. "So what do you all have planned again?" Lyra handed us a all sheets of paper and I raised an eyebrow.
"Who wrote these?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. Bon Bon and Lyra sheepishly raised their hands. "Wow. I can see Lyra writing these but not Bon Bon. Some of the language in here is very vulgar."
"What does that mean?" Lyra demanded as she leaned back in her chair. "I'm not all that vulgar!"
"I'm not even gonna bother to say some of these out loud right now. When do we get started, I have to make dinner for my sisters after this."
"Now but first I have something to say."
"Lyra now is not the time," Bon Bon said warningly. I held up a hand and she stopped talking as everyone stared.
"Let her talk," I said simply and leaned forward. "We are adults and can handle some criticism. Say what you have to say." Lyra nodded and clenched her fist.
"I don't trust you. Either of your sisters too. You tried to brain wash us into being probably slaves because of some adoration power trip you three were on," Lyra grumbled. "But Sunset trusts and likes you so that has to count for something. I may not like you three all that much right now, but that doesn't mean that can't change in the future. We don't have many people on our side right now as is."
"Are you done?" I asked and she gave a nod, sitting back down in her chair next to Bon Bon. "Okay. For starters, it's what we knew. After all, we had to survive too. We weren't able to eat physical food and survive off it for long like you guys can until recently. That's like trying to take a lion and leave it in a cage with a zebra and tell it to not kill the zebra."
"You can't get rid of instinct," Aria chimed in. "We've been alive for a thousand years. We've instigated some of the bloodiest revolutions in history. The revolutionary war, the French executing Louis the Sixteenth. Don't even get me started on Gettysburg. This is all we knew. You can't throw three sirens into a new world and not resort to their most basic way of survival." Lyra and Vinyl made eye contact before nodding.
"You have a point," Lyra admitted. "It makes sense."
"Now if that's out of the way, let's get to work." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LVIII | "Okay so how we want it is Lyra goes first, then Vinyl, then Aria, Adagio, Sonata, Trixie and her group, then Lightning," Earth Bon Bon explained as I adjusted my witches hat. Fuchsia sat next me and tossed her phone on the basements couch with a smile. Twilight was sitting on the floor with a book with Moondancer as Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine were trying to play a game on Earth Lyra's phone. Equestrian Lyra and Bon Bon were watching us curiously set up.
"The Great and Powerful Trixie understands," Trixie proclaimed with a grin. Earth Bon on Bon gave a satisfied nod and stepped back as she accepted the camera from Octavia. Octavia peered over her shoulder and gave a thumbs up.
"Who can stop us now? While the whole world bows, watch us share this crown. Every time you step in, we push you out. Who can stop us now? While the whole world bows. Try and bring us down, every time we step in, we push you out."
"You heard us before, but that was just a little sample. We're back for more, here to set the worst example. Murdered out, pitch black grin, still white skin. You know I'm hard to kill but real I'm moving in. I'm putting twenty two down while I'm puking up blood. You know I'm here to stay or fuck I'm gonna die young. Now my posses getting bigger and bigger, it's one eighty eight minus one you know the figure." I stared in surprise at Vinyl and smirked. I didn't expect someone so quiet to be so violent.
"I spew hate in every direction I spit
I'm tearin it down, everything you built. I already found my niche, bitches. Ain't never gonna stop this is it. This punk ass better go home or retire, with her mom. Cause its already too late to stop what I did. It hurts when I rip this mic up, slap you upside and call you my bitch, if you can't play the game fucker. Better stand outside it. You ain't never gonna have no fame again, both you and your boyfriend in bed. Look at these fuckers, how we beat them with just a touch of a pen. I could've smacked you hard, but I tapped you bitch and we wrote this song instead."
"Feel the wave of sound as it crashes down," Adagio stepped forward. "Ever since Sunset left, your band went to shit. There's no more Rainbooms, no more talent no more show business. You're a bunch of fucking jokes, if you get hurt feelings oh well."
"You're a spineless, pathetic lot, and you haven't got a single clue about anything. Secret stealer? Please, Pinkie Pie is getting too fat to be calling names. You hear the crowd, they know you're down. Your time is running out," Sonata sang coldly."We will break on through, now it's time to finish you." I've never seen the happy girl mad or insult anyone. It was a bit scary.
"You think you've got what it takes to go toe to toe? We've got more moves than you'll ever know. We own the stage, we're all the rage. You're from the past,we're from the Space Age! Come on, you're just making noise. Listen how our music destroys. Anything you throw at us, we're gonna throw back, just wait and see. Ya better believe we got tricks up our sleeves and we captivate, cause we're powerful and great."
"We're just here to bring you down a peg," I sang and Trixie gave me a reassuring grin. "By the time we're done, you're gonna beg."
"Don't mean to brag, don't mean to boast, but we're a six-course meal and you're just burnt toast. Think we're gonna ever give up? No, never, ever, ever, ever!" Fuchsia sang and I gave her a subtle approving nod.
"Do something, you couldn't fade me on your best day. The Wiz Kid's gone, that's why you get less attention. Still remember when your first song dropped. Skipped it to the chorus, the rest of y'all flopped. Whack ass lyrics, I mean garbage. Leaky like a faucet, your whole entourage.
Wish on a star? Bitch, you'll never make a million. Rest in peace alone. I wouldn't put a fuckin' flower on your gravestone if you died. I grew up by drivebys and gang signs so what the fuck you know about being in danger? Mad at all of us because all our songs are a fucking hit. To Rainbow Dash I'm mean but I'm not mad at the girl. Lyra just put me in the booth, I'm better and faster than her," Lightning smiled coldly as Earth Bon Bon stepped back to keep the athlete in frame. Or that's what I assumed was happening. Earth Bon Bon gave a nod as she pressed a button on the camera and set it down. The Equestrians or I think that's what they were called, gawked at our longer hair and pony ears. Well not Twilight I guess. She already knew about this.
"Well?" Earth Lyra grinned. "What do you all think?"
"I think it's a message no one is going to misunderstand," Aria smirked. "Especially for someone as thick headed as Rainbow Crash." Lightning chuckled at that and nodded her agreement.
"I definitely think that it's a really good shot at them. And we don't gotta worry about any retaliation either. First off, Fluttershy is too shy for that, Pinkie wouldn't either," Lightning commented.
"And Rarity would call it uncouth," Vinyl chimed in with a smirk. "And Applejack doesn't care enough about this type of thing."
"And Rainbow can't write any songs," Trixie added with a smile. "Sunset told Trixie that she and Fluttershy wrote all their songs for the band."
"So we won the war before it even started," Fuchsia said. "Feels good to finally talk bad about the Raingoons and get away with it."
"All we gotta do is pick backgrounds for each individual singer and we are done," Octavia announced as she sat down at the computer and we gathered around her, Equestrians included. |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LIX | I sighed and pulled the trench coat closer around me. Ever since the picture of me in that bunny suit got posted online, I haven't had a moments peace because of that accursed Sunset being a traitor. Not only are guys asking me to join them in bed for fun the females are too! Cherry Crash had been bugging me until Rainbow threatened to punch her face in. So I designed a trench coat to hide my identity. Complete with sunglasses and hat. Inspired by none other than Shadow Spade.
"Rarity!" Rainbow shouted as she ran up and grabbed my arm. "We have to go now!"
"I am not Rarity," I said softly in an attempt to make my voice sound different. "I'm uh Shmrarity! Her cousin from Vancouver!" Rainbow rolled her eyes in frustration.
"I know it's you I'm not stupid! You don't even have a Vancouver accent!" Rainbow snapped as she dragged me to the band room. She slammed the door shut behind me and threw my hat on the piano. "You don't even have a cousin in Vancouver!"
"Hey!" I glared at her. "Now people will know my identity!"
"We already know your identity Rarity! The whole school does! Who else would dress in a trench coat and hat and sunglasses like they just stepped out of a sixties mob novella?" Rainbow grumbled as she closed the blinds on the door. "There! Happy now?"
"Yes thank you. Now what is so important that you dragged me in here?" I demanded.
"Why she dragged us all in here is a better question." I glanced back and sighed in frustration. Applejack sat on the floor eating an apple while Pinkie and Fluttershy were sitting quietly on the floor. Pinkies hair had gone flat as usual for some reason and Fluttershy looked drained.
"Listen!" Rainbow snapped as I shifted my gaze back on her. "Trixie and the others made a diss track about us! I've been getting laughed at all day!"
"Ah can't believe ah'm gonna say this but Lightning Dust can rap," Applejack admitted as she tossed the eaten apple into the trash can. "Two points. Vinyl and Aria can rap surprisingly well too. Ah ain't expected that from Vinyl."
"That doesn't matter! We gotta shoot back!" Rainbow exclaimed. I had already seen the rock rap music video from Rainbow at least a dozen times. Can't believe they actually went to a street and sang in public.
"Shoot back?" Fluttershy whispered. "I don't think shooting anyone is nice or something we should do." Rainbow groaned and rolled her eyes.
"Not literally Shy. Make a song of our own!" Rainbow pointed out. I rubbed my forehead and started to feel a head ache forming. "In the music industry, letting a diss like what they did go without a answer back is a sign of cowardice! We don't want that reputation trust me."
"Ah don't care enough about that sorta thing Dash," Applejack commented as she placed her hat on her head. "When we started the Rainbooms, we started it to have fun not insult people."
"I agree," Fluttershy whispered. "It's not nice to be insult people."
"I'm not a member to go insulting people," Pinkie mumbled as she rolled a drum stick around next to her. "I don't like being a meanie."
"Same here," I proclaimed. "It's uncouth to go around and insult people." Rainbow stared at all of us in surprise before she nodded and slumped down.
"You guys are surprisingly right. But that doesn't mean I can't say they suck on Mystable. Any form of response is a good response right?" Rainbow pulled out her phone before she paused and stared at Applejack. "Wait, you listen to rap?"
"Nah. You and Pinkie play rap in the car around me all the time. Worst sounding music ah ever heard but yall like it so ah tolerate it," Applejack admitted. "Sunset liked some rap songs not much."
"I'm going home and going to sleep. Head hurts," I announced as Rainbow stared at her phone in thought.
I sat at my bench with a frustrated sigh, chewing on my pens end. It was a weird sort of thing I did when I couldn't think of clothing designs to draw. I pressed the tip of the pen against the paper and screamed when it moved on it's own.
"What in the world?" I shouted and stared at a small me that had been somehow drawn on the notepad. She had weird curly hair that didn't seem like something I'd ever draw myself with. Not that I was the best at drawing pictures. Designing and drawing were two different ball games. "What are you?"
"Well I was your element but that kinda crashed and burned so you know. We gotta talk about Sunset," Generosity announced as she sat down on the letter A in my name at the top of the note book.
"I have nothing to say about that traitor," I scoffed. "I would like to leave her in the past, thank you."
"You aren't stupid. Clearly you can see you're being railroaded," Generosity sighed. "You don't actually believe it was her, now do you?" I gave a sigh and glared at the drawing.
"It's the only logical conclusion," I explained. "This was just her style, have blackmail and post secrets. Cause chaos."
"You know, you shouldn't think that. After all, do you seriously think someone who had nothing for the longest would throw away a group that meant everything to her?" Generosity asked pointedly as a door opened on the paper.
"Wait you don't mean-?" I asked hesitantly.
"Funny, the most generous thing you ever did for her was call her a traitor." I shot up in bed and rubbed my head with a groan, my eyes flicking to the wine bottle hidden behind the trash can. I had a habit of drinking heavily from moms secret stash of wine when dealing with stressful situations. Or well, secret to her at least. I sighed and flopped back onto my bed.
"Maybe I had too much of that." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LX | "Well that went surprisingly well," I commented as I pressed my head against Lyra's neck and kissed it. "I'm surprised Rainbow only posted an insult about us being morons."
"That's all she said?" Lyra asked as she kissed my forehead before trailing them down my cheek to my neck. "That's kinda tame for her in all honesty."
"Well she uhm said more than just that," I admitted sheepishly. Lyra paused her kissing and stared at me curiously.
"Well, what else did she say?" Lyra asked.
"Uh maybe you should read it," I handed Lyra my phone.
"What? She says our song sucked and we can't sing! That song has a hundred and ninety thousand likes and views last time I checked damn it! And she said the writer sucked too!" Lyra kissed me. "You did great writing that song! I was very proud of you Bons." I turned a bright shade of red as I kissed back.
"Thanks LyLy. So what now?" I asked as I hugged her. Lyra gave me a mischievous grin that my inner self was screaming to not trust.
"Oh you'll see." Because that didn't sound ominous at all. I had a feeling I was in for a crazy day when she said that.
I groaned as I prepared for a long five minutes of holding a camera. We really should get a tripod so all we had to do was press a button and boom, I could sit back and enjoy my girlfriend singing with our friends. Maybe I'll talk to Lyra about it. Can't really solve a problem if she doesn't know it exists. It feels kinda weird to call the sirens my friend. The battle of the bands had just been a little while ago as is. Aria and Adagio sat down with Lyra and Vinyl and a random guy. Apparently he was Vinyls friend. Thunder Bolt I think she said.
"Alright so we are seriously doing another diss song?" Octavia asked with a raised eyebrow as she sat next to me. I gave a nod.
"She was pissed when Rainbow insulted my writing. And the fact that she insulted me and yours camera work," I answered as Lyra glanced over and smiled at me. I gave a wide smile back and sighed contently. It was kinda nice to have a partner who got mad at things like this.
"She's a good person," Octavia said.
"You're damn right," I agreed as I lifted up the camera. "We really need a tripod for this."
"Agreed." I waited until Lyra picked up her microphone before hitting record.
"Lights out, you're talking too loud. So just shut your mouth, who the fuck are you now? Lights out, can you feel it now? We're calling you out, who the fuck are you now?" Lyra sang and I closed my eyes. Lyra had a surprisingly soft singing voice considering what she is singing.
"Lifestyles of the young and the reckless checked in the real world that don't ask questions. Dodging 'em bullets like a fucked up western. Drag you on a rope till you're choked out senseless. We are crowned, we're the best around. Got an underground army, yeah, we're holding it down. We built our base and what we found. It takes blood and sweat and always moving a crowd. No skill when you've gone the fast way. Let me see you dance, run from the AK. Bullshitting, though I'm dropping names. Till you know what you do, it all sounds the same. A piece of advice, quit dropping mine. You'll be gone way before it even hits your time. Like a stripper in a cage making minimum wage. You'll be gone like a dollar bill hitting the stage," Aria sang angrily. Apparently Rainbow had went after her too and she was pissed.
"Lights out, you're talking too loud. So just shut your mouth, who the fuck are you now? Lights out, can you feel it now? We're calling you out, who the fuck are you now?"
"I'm gonna light your ass up cause you ain't got what it takes. You're riding my nuts, you can tell your friends how my dick tastes. Yeah, I'm shitfaced in all black, looking creepy. This shit is way too easy. I might give it to you quick, go straight to your throat. Or put the burner in your mouth and turn you into a ghost. All these people making music with nothing to show. Who doesn't have a band? Shit, I don't know. What kinda sane person drops her own friend? What kinda sane person boos a great band offstage? What kinda sane person drops a verse like this? These damn meds ain't working, I'm just too damn sick. Just you coming out here has got me provoked. Now I'mma cut your ass up like a line of coke. I'm gonna roll your crew up like a fat ass roach. And put you in my ashtray 'cause you just got smoked," Thunder Bolt sang just as mad as Aria. I was kinda impressed he could fake being angry.
"Lights out, you're talking too loud. So just shut your mouth, who the fuck are you now? Lights out, can you feel it now? We're calling you out, who the fuck are you now?" Lyra sang her part again.
"Another classic case, you crash and burn. And it's true, you're dead wrong. It's lights out, your last words. The world has turned its face, you'll never learn. And it's true, you're dead wrong. It's lights out, your last words. Walls closing in, they're falling down," Adagio sang before Lyra sang the final part for the song we had wrote together. It was a pretty fun past time for the two of us. I was still writing that one song for Sunset.
"Lights out, you're talking too loud. So just shut your mouth, who the fuck are you now? Lights out, can you feel it now? We're calling you out, who the fuck are you now? Lights out, can you feel it now? We're calling you out, who the fuck are you now? Lights out, you're talking too loud. Who the fuck are you now? Who the fuck are you now?" I took a deep breath. I covered the camera lens with my hand to make everything go black before singing my part.
"Lights out!" |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LXI | "So Dash," Applejack began smugly. "Ya gonna make Lyra mad again?" I stared at my slackjawed rainbow haired friend and giggled.
"No I don't think I will. Wanna know the weirdest thing?" Rainbow asked as she sipped her milkshake. I tried to ignore the loud people in the mall walking around us. I didn't like loud crowds but Rainbow wanted to try this shop.
"What's that darling?" Rarity asked as she read her book. I always found crime romance novels to be weird. Why would they go together?
"I don't hate her. I don't hate any of them in the song. I respected Lyra and Sunset's friends way before Sunset even came into the picture. I still do," Rainbow admitted. "I had hoped one day we could all be friends but it seems that ship has sailed. It's filled up with gas, left the harbor and is going out to sea."
"Ah think that's an understatement."
"I agree," I whisper as they glanced over at me. "Sonata even called Pinkie fat." Rainbow had shown us both videos and I wanted to hide when I heard the language used. Pinkie had just deflated even more when she had seen the video.
"Don't remind me," Rainbow shot Pinkie an apologetic look. She had burst into tears and ran off after Rainbow had shown us all it. Applejack and Rarity went in on Rainbow for that.
"It's okay," Pinkie mumbled as she scrolled on her phone. "According to anon a miss, Lyra doesn't believe in narwhals."
"What the fuck is a narwhal?" Rainbow asked. Rarity gave her a glare as she set her book down.
"It's an under sea unicorn," Rarity explained. Rainbow stared at her in confusion before snickering.
"Uh first off, under sea isn't the proper way to call it," Rainbow pointed out. "It's underwater. And secondly, we have Fluttershy here. She's the animal expert. We should let her tell us what it is."
"It's a medium-sized toothed whale that possesses a large tusk from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada and Russia. It is one of two living species of whale in the family Monodontidae, along with the beluga whale, and the only species in the genus Monodon. The narwhal males are distinguished by a long, straight, helical tusk," I clarified. "The narwhal tusk contains sensory capability and up to ten million nerve endings inside. Some narwhals have up to two tusks, while others have none. The spiraled tusk juts from the head and can grow as long at ten feet."
"Wait hold on," Rainbow stared at Pinkie. "Did you just say Lyra?"
"Uh yes?"
"Why would Sunset go after someone in her crew?" Rainbow asked pointedly. "Didn't Bon Bon, Octavia and Vinyl get posted about too?"
"Yeah they did," Applejack answered. "Ain't they in Sunset's little group too?"
"Yeah," Rarity confirmed. "They hang out all the time. Sunset is dating Derpy after all." I glanced at Pinkie and she shrunk down even more. I was the only one she told she had feelings for Sunset.
"That pissed me off when Cherry Crash shoved Derpy," Rainbow scoffed. "That would have been the one time I would have helped Sunset attack someone."
"You think they let her post about them?" Pinkie mumbled. We all paused and stared at her.
"I don't know," Rainbow admitted. "They are just like us with their own feelings after all. And no one likes to be made fun of or embarrassed."
"It is pretty weird," I agreed. "And if it is her, Derpy would have convinced her to stop. There's no posts about Derpy after all."
"Well Derpy is widely known as one of the kindest girls in school," Applejack pointed out. "No one would go after her because the retaliation by the others would be crazy. Especially after Sunset attacked Cherry Crash."
"I don't know," Rainbow muttered as she stared at her phone. "Something feels weird. Have you guys been having the same weird dreams where you talk to yourself and have trouble sleeping the next few days?"
"Yep," Applejack said.
"Yeah."
"Mhm." All eyes focused on me and I shook my head as Rainbow chuckled humorlessly.
"You're in for a trip."
"What makes you think Fluttershy will get them?" Rarity asked.
"If we all got them, the likelihood of her getting one is pretty damn high," Rainbow reasoned. That did make sense and made me slightly worried. That explained why the others looked exhausted these past few days. "Now enough depressing talk. Let's go do something fun. The arcade or something. Maybe catch a few movies."
"Maybe later," Applejack said. "Ah got work to do on the farm."
"I agreed to go sew with Sweetie Belle."
"I guess I can go play soccer with Scootaloo," Rainbow sighed. "Wanna come with Fluttershy?"
"Maybe another time. I have school work to do."
I smiled warmly at the birds flying around me. This was probably my favorite dream of all time. Just hanging out with a bunch of birds and other animals.
"Hello." I spun around and stared at a strangely colored me. Her yellow skin was mixed with grey and her pink hair had grey highlights in it.
"Uhm hi?" I mumbled as she smiled, sitting on a blanket.
"Sit down. Want some tea?" She offered warmly as I shrugged and sat down. "Excellent. Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you like Loyalty and Honesty did with their bearers. I am a pacifist after all and you are one of my favorite bearer. But that doesn't mean I'm not upset with you."
"About Sunset," I guessed and she nodded as she handed me a cup.
"Bingo. Why exactly do you think it's her?"
"I thought it was Rainbow Dash playing a prank at first," I admitted. She raised an eye brow and waved her hand.
"Go on."
"I guess I wanted it to be Sunset you know? Rainbow is one of my oldest friends and having to end my friendship with her would hurt me. I guess I just took the easier option in front of me," I admitted sadly. "Because if Rainbow had admitted to what she did, I probably would have ended our friendship." A hand was placed on my shoulder as she turned completely grey with blonde hair and golden eyes. She gave me a sad smile.
"I understand." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LXII | "This feels weird," Lyra told me as I helped her button her jacket back up. "Having to wear clothes and all twenty four seven. What happens if we don't wear any and walk down the street?"
"You get arrested to public indecency and nudity," I explained as the others looked nervous. The sirens had offered to house us for a bit while Sunset and her group were busy. Mainly because it would be a lot to explain to their worlds Minuette about why there was suddenly two of her.
"Damn. They don't play here," Minuette whistled. "Damn is a word they use right?"
"Yes. It's a low level cuss word," I explained as I finished buttoning Lyra's coat.
"Thanks Twi. These hands are way more complicated than I thought," Lyra shot her marefriend and other friends a smirk. "I told you all humans existed and you all never believed me. Twinkleshine even said I was crazy." The girl flinched and looked away.
"We're sorry," Moondancer commented. "You were right all along."
"And you're not crazy," Twinkleshine reassured her. "No more than Twilight here is when she is late on delivering a lesson to Celestia's students."
"She's right," I nodded before I realized what she had said. "Hey!" The others chuckled as my face turned red.
"So get any closer to finding anon a miss?" Bon Bon asked me curiously as she rolled her eyes as Lyra poked her repeatedly. "What Lyra?"
"Nothing just wanted to poke you."
"No I haven't," I let out a frustrated sigh that was shared by the others. I was a bit surprised the others in the room had wanted to come with and help me. Especially Minuette. She and Lemon Hearts had been the most vocal in voicing in their opinions about letting them come with.
"Didn't your guys daughter do something similar?" Minuette asked Lyra and Bon Bon. "With the two other little terrors?"
"Uh yeah," Lyra commented. "The foal free press issue. When it came out that Scootaloo was involved, Bon Bon spanked her with a hoof. And then it just got awkward when Scootaloo started liking it." We all looked at each other with uncomfortable expressions as it got quiet. Moondancer turned red as she coughed into her hand.
"Yeah that was a uncomfortable conversation," Bon Bon admitted with a red face. "I thought we had a few more years left with her and Liza before we gave them the sex talk."
"Poor Liza looked traumatized!" Lyra chuckled. "Poor filly."
"Yeah," Lemon Hearts chuckled. "But yeah I remember you guys telling me about that. I've never seen Bon Bon so mad or disappointed in all the time I knew her."
"Well yeah I was mad. She knew better than to air the towns dirty laundry," Bon Bon scoffed and I slowly faced her.
"What was that?"
"Uh what?" Bon Bon asked in confusion.
"What you just said. What was that?"
"Uh air the towns dirty laundry? I know you take things literally sometimes Princess but they didn't actually hang out ponies clothes." I quickly got up and darted for the door.
"Where are you going Twilight?" Twinkleshine asked me worriedly.
"Come on. We have to find Celestia."
"Are you sure about this?" Principal Celestia asked in confusion with her hands on her desk. "They cause trouble sometimes yes, but this is a bit extreme for them."
"Listen," Bon Bon stepped forward. "My daughter and her friends did the exact same thing in Equestria. We didn't think it was them until they came out about it publicly and apologized to the whole town. It made sense after why they left me and Lyra alone."
"She's right," Lyra announced as someone knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Principal Celestia called out and the door opened. A white women with brown hair stepped in with a gun on her hip and a badge on her belt. The words TARU spelled on the back of her shirt.
"What's a taru?" Minuette whispered as the woman glanced at her with a paper in her hand.
"It stands for Technical Assistance Response Unit. It consists of the planning unit, information and technology unit, crime analysis unit, and the national incident based crime reporting unit. We are responsible for ensuring the collection, processing and transcoding of digital evidence including video and cellphone data. We investigate cyber crimes," the woman explained. "We can trace any of the posts by tracking the ip addresses. Multiple of the posts came from computers here in the school." The other Equestrians looked at each other stunned.
"You can use magic to do that?" Minuette asked. The police officer gave her a confused look.
"Uh it's not magic. It's technology."
"But how does it work?" Moondancer pressed.
"Typically we would need to get a warrant to track an ip but Celestia and Luna gave us permission to track the ips. After all, this is school property and not the students private property. They technically have no privacy when they use school property," the officer answered. "Your phone number does not point out the exact details of your location. It is a different case if GPS is actively working or an application is providing the details. The concept of triangulation is used for this purpose. Three satellites determine your location roughly. They together determine the area of that device. If the crime is taking place on social media, these social media platforms provide the details as well." She handed the paper to Principle Celestia and her eyes narrowed as she picked up her phone.
"Luna come to my office," she set the phone down after a second. "Thanks Quick Response." The appropriately named officer sat down on a chair and brushed some hair off her dark blue pants as Vice Principal Luna stepped in.
"Hey sis what's up?" Luna asked my friends looked at each other hesitantly. Principal Celestia handed her the paper and she groaned. "Oh lord." Celestia picked up the phone again.
"Miss Cheerilee, bring Scootaloo Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to my office please. Thanks." We sat and waited as the moments passed. It felt like an hour until the door opened. Cheerilee lead in the three confused girls.
"What's up Principal Celestia?" Sweetie Belle asked cautiously as Celestia handed Cheerilee the paper as I peered over her shoulder. Cheerilee narrowed her eyes as her expression hardened.
"You three better start explaining. Now." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LXIII | "Well?" I tapped my foot impatiently and folded my arms. "Start talking. We don't have all day." The three girls were sitting in chairs across from Principal Celestias desk. Twilight and the other girls from her world stood next to her. Vice Principal Luna and I stood next to the seated police officer.
"We were jealous," Scootaloo admitted.
"Jealous? Of what?" I fumed and glared at her.
"Sunset and the others were stealing our sisters attention away from us. They barely hung out with us! Sunset this Sunset that. Never Sweetie Belle getting bragged about. Never Scootaloo getting bragged or Apple Bloom. Only Sunset!" Sweetie Belle shouted. "We had talked about shutting the account down."
"But then the other students started sending us secrets," Apple Bloom admitted.
"And by that point we were in over our head," Scootaloo sighed. "So we kept going."
"And framing my daughter," I snapped angrily.
"Do you know how serious this is?" Quick Response sighed. "People kill themselves over this. A girl in Canada hung herself over something like this after pictures of herself got posted online. She got physically assaulted because of the stuff posted online. Sound familiar?" The Equestrians stared at each other with stunned expressions. I forgot they didn't really deal with stuff like this. "If you were older and Sunset had killed herself, we would be having a completely different conversation that would end up with you three in handcuffs. I could take you girls in now for identity theft but no judge will sentence you for it. But they can assign you community service. If Sunset had killed herself, that would be a involuntarily manslaughter charge. That doesn't go away like a speeding ticket after a few months. That stays on your record for the rest of your life. That doesn't disappear. Every job you apply at will see that." Quick Response held up her pair of handcuffs by a finger and dangled them as the three girls eyes widened in fear.
"We are sorry," the three girls said in unison as Lyra stepped forward and hugged Scootaloo.
"Sorry she uh reminded me of my daughter," Lyra admitted sheepishly as she hastily stepped back. Scootaloo stared at her in confusion as she glanced at Twilight and slow look of realization crossed her face.
"Here's what gonna happen," Principal Celestia announced. "On Friday, you're gonna tell the whole school what you three did. You're gonna tell your family what you did. We are doing it on Friday so you girls will be safe from a justifiably angry student body."
"And after that you're gonna do whatever community service we need done around Canterlot," Quick Response added as she put her handcuffs back in the case on her belt. "You three are honestly very lucky that no one committed suicide during this. Otherwise this would be a much harder and longer conversation down at the precinct with your families."
"We are sorry," Scootaloo whispered as she looked at me.
"Don't apologize to me," I snapped. "Apologize to Sunset. Do you know how terrified I've been these past few weeks that I would come home and find her dead in the kitchen or in the tub or hanging from her ceiling fan in her room? Do you know how little sleep I've gotten these past weeks because I've been randomly checking on her throughout the night? You have no idea what you've done to me."
"You said students gave you girls secrets," Luna spoke up finally and gave them a hard glare. "Show us. Give us all their names and then on Friday, you will delete the account at your speech in front of everyone."
"And while you do that, I'm going to find my daughter and tell her this over," I announced.
"I'll make an announcement saying we will be revealing the real anon a miss friday," Celestia said as I stepped outside her office.
"Good."
I briskly walked down the hallway and students got out of my way. Probably because of my furious expression tends to scare people away. Mainly because I don't get angry like this. I spotted a mint green teen that I recognized very well.
"Lyra!" I shouted as everyone in the hallway froze and Lyra stepped back hesitantly. "Come with me. Have you seen Sunset?"
"Uh I saw her this morning with Trixie and Derpy but that was about it," Lyra said cautiously. "Why, what's up?"
"I'll tell you when no one is in the hallway," I looked around the busy hallway and everyone bolted. "Well, that problem quickly solved itself. We just found out the true identity of anon a miss." Lyra perked up and grinned.
"That's why you're so scary looking. Have I ever told you that you're scary when mad? Because you are. Who is it?"
"Tell no one. It'll get told Friday for the others to learn. It's Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle," I admitted as Lyra stared at me before she started laughing. "What's funny?"
"Oh that's fucking rich. It was their own sisters all along. Oh God I can't wait to see the looks on their faces after this," Lyra chuckled. "Let's go find Sunset."
We started searching up and down the hallways till we heard pounding and shouting. We both paused and glanced at each other before focusing on a licker.
"You don't think-" Lyra started to ask worriedly.
"I do," I grumbled as I opened the locker and we quickly stepped back. Sunset and Trixie came tumbling out of the locker and her magician's hat went flying across the floor as the two girls fell on each other. "Sunset?"
"Trixie?" Lyra asked as we knelt down to help the two up. "Who did this?"
"Rose Hearts and Tennis Match," Trixie said simply as Lyra put the hat on her head. "They were shoving Sunset inside so Trixie intervened and tried to stop them. They shoved me inside there with her." I quickly hugged the two and Trixie stared in shock before hesitantly hugging back along with Sunset eagerly shoving her head in my neck and I heard faint sniffling. I quickly rubbed the back of both of the girls heads.
"We got anon a miss." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LXIV | "So kid how do you feel?" Berry Punch asked with a grin as she wrapped an around Sunset. "This all over in a short few days."
"Thank god," Cherry muttered. "I went to bring Cheerilee lunch one day and thay school was a warzone. I overheard someone insult Sunset and I wanted to raise heck."
"Now it's just super tense," I added with a smile. "At least since Celestia's announcement, it's gotten quieter. Just one more day till we win." Derpy smiled and nodded as Berry pulled the car over on a dirt road.
"Uhm what are we doing?" Sunset asked in confusion as Berry put the car in back and opened her door.
"Cheerilee is gonna teach you how to drive," Berry announced as she walked to Sunset's door and opened it. "Out. You get the driver seat, she gets the passenger seat."
"Oh uh okay," Sunset mumbled as she and got out of the car. I stepped out of the car and sat in the passenger as Berry sat down in the back seat. "Feels like we just did a Chinese fire drill." I gave a chuckle as I put my seatbelt on.
"Alright so that is the shifter. Right now the car is in park. You have four gears in this car. Drive, reverse, park and neutral. Some cars have a manual option which means you shift gears on your own but this suv doesn't," I explained. "That pedal right there is the gas pedal. The other one is the brakes."
"Okay," Sunset said as she reached for the radio and I gently swatted her hand away.
"No radio. This way you can focus better on the road," I chided. "What's the first thing you do?"
"Uh swap places with you because I'm nervous about driving?" Sunset nervously laughed.
"Wrong. You got this. Put the seatbelt on firstly," I instructed and Sunset did so. "Put a foot on the brakes and shift the car into drive. Keep the foot pressed down on the brakes until I tell you to stop."
"Okay," Sunset said and complied as Ruby shoved her head between us.
"You can do this mage cousin!" She shouted and we all chuckled. Berry pulled her back and whispered in her ear and she solemnly nodded.
"Alright now gently rest a foot on the gas. When you do so, slowly turn out onto the road after you remove your foot off the brake pedal," I instructed. Sunset cautiously pulled onto the road and I clapped. "Great job! Now apply more pressure on the gas pedal." Sunset nodded and the car lurched forward and started speeding down the dirt road.
"Sunset!"
"I don't think I've been so terrified in all my life," I admitted and Berry chuckled. "Well other then when I was scared to find Sunset dead or close to death at home." Berry's smile disappeared and her face darkened.
"That didn't happen. Sunset is alive, she's a strong person. Sure she may have thought about it a few times but she never acted on it. When you go through something to this magnitude, bad thoughts are to be expected," Berry pointed out as she laid on my bed. "What you do with them is the important part."
"True. I didn't know Sunset had told you she was suicidal over this," I gave her a flat look. "You should have told me." Berry gave me a sheepish look and rubbed the back of her head.
"I know but she begged me not to. I really wanted to but I couldn't betray her trust like that. She told me because she knew I could relate given what happened to me and all," Berry explained.
"I didn't know you told her about that."
"Well yeah. It was when you guys came to visit for Christmas. We stayed up late, talking and getting to know each other. I figured it would help her knowing I got out of a stressful situation. Looks like I was right," she smirked. "I love being right."
"I love you," I chuckled. "You may be the youngest but you are definitely grown up." Berry rolled over and grinned at me.
"You're damn right. In fact, I think I should be the one in charge of the family instead of Cherry. I'm awesome and all," she announced smugly and winked. "We can overthrow her, me and you." I stared at her till we burst out laughing.
"Oh man that was good. Yeah no we aren't overthrowing Cherry," I snickered.
"I heard that!" She shouted up the stairs and we started laughing again.
"Oh man that was golden! You're right we can't. I may make jokes about her but I love her. And you of course," Berry admitted.
"That was pretty good," I agreed. "I love you too by the way." We fell into silence as I started reading my book. I couldn't wait for this anon a miss thing to be over. Felt like a long time coming in all honesty.
"Can I ask a weird question?" Berry suddenly asked and I put my book down.
"Yeah go for it. You don't even got to ask."
"If Sunset forgave them, would you forgive the Rainbooms?" Berry asked and I tensed up. Berry quickly held a hand up to stop me from talking. "Before you freak out, let me explain. Sunset has a past of forgiving people. She forgave the sirens. Sure, what they did isn't even close to this or as bad as this in my opinion but forgiveness is her personality. She does represent empathy she said. So who is to say she won't forgive the Rainbooms? It might not be right now but things change. People change their opinion." I took a deep breath and thought about my words. Berry started rubbing Ruby's hair as she slept and stared at me.
"I hate them right now. I've never hated anyone except our parents and the guy who you know. But if Sunset asked me to forgive them for her, I would. You know I cussed those girls out."
"Woah," Berry raised an eyebrow. "You never cuss. What did they do?"
"They showed up on my doorstep." Berry chuckled and rolled her eyes.
"Yeah that would do it." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LXV | I gave a sigh as I walked down the hall with a arm around Sunset as we walked to the auditorium where the CMC were going to confess. Students were giving us dirty looks but I gave them glares back. We had Sunset's friends with us along with my two sisters and niece.
"What do you think this special school meeting is for?" Lily whispered to Daisy.
"Maybe Sunset will apologize," Roseluck said hopefully.
"Hope so. She should after what she did," Daisy scoffed quickly as I gave them a glare. They all three paled at my glare and Derpy's disapproving look. Derpy had put her friendship with Roseluck on hold during anon a miss.
We entered the auditorium and worked our way to the stage. We quickly sat down on the chairs Celestia had made the cmc set up. Twilight folded her arms and regarded the students with cold indifference. I had specifically requested the Rainbooms get a first row seat and I gave them cold looks.
Sunset stared at them sadly and quickly shook her head. I gave her a reassuring hug with one arm and smiled. Earth Minuette and Equestrian Minuette made eye contact and froze. Both Lyra's and Bon Bons were sitting next to each other and talking, occasionally glancing out at the student. They were obviously enjoying the stunned looks they were receiving from the students.
"You got this," I whispered. Sunset gave a nod and stepped to microphone on the table set up and instantly people were booing and yelling insults. We all glared at them as I covered Ruby's ears so she didn't hear the words. I opened my mouth to speak but Twilight beat me to it.
"Silence!" She shouted and we all froze. So this was the feared Royal Canterlot Voice Sunset had spoken fearfully about. The Rainbooms flinched and looked away as students stared at her with mixed reactions of shock and fear. Sunset gave her a grateful nod.
"Hello. You all know who I am. These past few weeks I've been insulted, abused verbally and physically. I've been stuffed in a locker along with one of my friends Trixie. All because she tried to save me and she chose to suffer the same fate as me even when told to leave. I tried to tell you all that I wasn't anon a miss but no one believed. My friends abandoned one by one except for a certain few that I'd like to name. Both worlds Lyra, both Minuettes, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, Twilight, Moondancer, Octavia, Vinyl, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, Trixie, Lavender Lace, Fuchsia Blush. My mom, my family and the principals. Why would I make anon a miss? There's a lot you don't know about me. I was homeless for God sake!" Sunset shouted as shocked expressions crossed the students faces. "Cheerilee adopted me after she found me in a bush outside our school! Even when I was a bitch to her in her own house, she still gave me a chance! Do you know what I did for money? I was a prostitute on the freaking corner!"
Rarity turned slightly green as Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other. Fluttershy pressed a hand to her mouth as Pinkie slumped in her seat. Her friends behind her stared at her in shock as Derpy and Lyra looked to each other.
"Lyra you knew about that?" Earth Bon Bon hissed.
"Yes," Lyra admitted. "Me and Derpy both knew. We were in the car when Cheerilee caught her. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Sunset didn't give us permission."
"We will talk about this later," Bon Bon grumbled.
"I had to fight every day to survive!" Sunset continued her tirade. "In this world and in Equestria! I grew up poor in a farm town with nothing. I watched my mom die for God's sake. I had to steal so my mom and siblings could eat. If I had to, I'd do that everyday of the damn week! If I was really anon a miss, would I have done this?" She yanked up the sleeves of her shirt and I wanted to vomit at the sight of cut marks on her wrists. I pressed a hand to my mouth and felt tears in my eyes. Some were clearly old but a majority were new. Pinkie turned even paler as a loud gasp went through the crowd. "I thought I was forgiven after the battle of the bands. But clearly not since you all threw me aside like yesterday's trash. Like I meant nothing. I have nothing more to say. I just hope you all are happy with yourselves." She quickly sat back down between me and Cherry. I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead as Cherry squeezed her shoulders reassuringly.
"I'm very proud of you," Cherry whispered as Celestia stepped to the microphone.
"I have nothing more to add on what she said. I'm going to call the real anon a miss to stage. Can Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo please join us?" She asked and Rarity looked confused with Applejack.
"It can't be them!" Rainbow stood up. "They are just kids! They wouldn't ever do something like this!"
"It was us," Apple Bloom announced.
"We did it," Sweetie Belle admitted.
"We were jealous Sunset was spending so much time with our sisters and stealing her from us. So we created anon a miss to keep them away from each other. We wanted to delete the account but soon enough, other students started sending in secrets and we were in over our heads," Scootaloo sighed.
"Prove it's you!" Mystery Mint stood up and shouted.
"The password to the account is cmconetwothreefour. Numbers, not spelled out," Sweetie Belle clarified and looked down. It went dead silent as a few students pulled their phones out. It exploded as they started shouting at each other and the three girls.
"Fuck you!" Amethyst Star shouted angrily. She glared at Bright Ideas with a clenched fist as Dinky started pulling on her leg worriedly. "Don't you ever insult either of my sisters!"
"Amethyst!" Derpy snapped. "Dinky is sitting right next to you!"
"I stole Sunset's phone and sent the pictures to myself," Sweetie Belle admitted and Rarity turned angry red.
"Ah told them Applejacks nickname!" Apple Bloom announced as Applejack looked away. Rainbow stared at Scootaloo with a slackjawed expression.
"Scootaloo?" She asked quietly.
"I told them Rainbow was having trouble with her grades," Scootaloo looked down. Rainbow glared at her before looking away from her.
"It wasn't just these girls!" Luna snapped. "It was you all too. We want to see Bright Ideas, Blueberry Cake, Aqua Blossom and Rose Hearts after school. Those are just a few students who gave secrets about their friends!"
"Now Lyra and the others have something they want to say at the outside stage. You are all required to attend," Celestia announced.
We sat and watched as the students glared at each other and started shoving their way out.
I smiled as I sat down in my seat at the edge of the stage where the battle of the bands had concluded. Ruby sat on my lap as Berry and Cherry sat on either side of me. Minuette sat next to Berry and held her hand. I could see the Equestrian Minuette in the back of the seating with her Equestrian friends. Their worlds Lyra and Bon Bon sat with curious looks as they talked, looking around. The Rainbooms sat a few seats away looking dejected. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were sitting behind me. I nudged Ruby to look ahead as Earth Lyra stepped forward on the stage.
"Recently one of my best friends went through something nobody should ever go through. She was scorned, abused, assaulted repeatedly, insulted and framed for something she didn't do. Not only did she get a target on her back, but we did too. Her friends. Only a few of us stuck by her and that shouldn't have been the case. I for one am very glad I know Sunset and I am proud to call her my friend. So this is for her. Bon Bon wrote this," Lyra announced into her microphone.
Everyone quietly stared at her as she lifted her guitar and started playing it. Surprisingly, we had gotten the whole school here for this. How, I don't know. I expected a few to sneak out.
"Run your car off the side of the road, get stuck in a ditch way out in the middle of nowhere. Get yourself in a bind, lose the shirt off your back, need a floor, need a couch, need a bus fare," Lyra sang as her soft voice flowed over me.
"This is where the rubber meets the road," Bon Bon stepped forward and sang into her microphone.
"This is where the cream is gonna rise," Derpy sang into her microphone set next to her drum set as she played her instrument of choice.
"This is what you really didn't know," Vinyl sang as she stepped next to Bon Bon and Lyra.
"This is where the truth don't lie," Octavia sang as she stood next to the three standing girls and Derpy's drums.
"You'll find out who your friends are. Somebody's gonna drop everything, run out and crank up their car. Hit the gas, get there fast. Never stop to think "What's in it for me?" or "It's way too far." They just show on up with their big old heart. You'll find out who your friends are," the five girls sang in unison.
"Everybody wants to slap your back, wants to shake your hand when you're up on top of that mountain. But let one of those rocks give way, then you slide back down. Look up and see who's around then," Aria sang as she stepped forward from the wings on the opposite side of the stage.
"This ain't where the road comes to an end," Sonata sang as she joined her sister.
"This ain't where the bandwagon stops," Adagio sang as she stepped forward.
"This is just one of those times when," Twilight sang as she joined them.
"A lot of folks jump off," Lightning finished as she stepped forward into the light.
"You'll find out who your friends are. Somebody's gonna drop everything, run out and crank up their car. Hit the gas, get there fast. Never stop to think "What's in it for me?" or "It's way too far." They just show on up with their big old heart. You'll find out who your friends are," the ten girls sang in unison.
"When the water's high," Trixie sang as my eyes flicked up to look at her. She sat with her arms around Lavender and Fuchsia as the three sat on a suspended moon above the stage.
"When the weather's not so fair," Lavender sang as she smiled at the two girls next to her.
"When the well runs dry," Fuchsia sang with a warm smile.
"Who's gonna be there?" The three girls sang together. Ruby turned around and looked at me.
"I like Sunset's friends singing but when is her part? She gets to sing right?" Ruby asked impatiently. I chuckled and gently turned her head back to the stage.
"Right now," I reassured my niece. Sunset stepped out on the stage as she played her guitar.
"You'll find out who your friends are. Somebody's gonna drop everything, run out and crank up their car. Hit the gas, get there fast. Never stop to think "What's in it for me?" or "It's way too far." They just show on up with their big old heart. You'll find out who your friends are," the fourteen girls sang together as Berry and Cherry started grinning at Sunset. Minuette smiled and clapped softly.
"Run your car off the side of the road," Lyra and the four other girls on the middle of the stage sang.
"Get stuck in a ditch way out in the middle of nowhere," Aria and her group on the left side sang.
"Man, I've been there. Get yourself in a bind, lose the shirt off your back," Trixie and the girls sitting with her sang with in perfect unison with Sunset below them.
"Need a floor, need a couch, need a bus fare. Man, I've been there. Man, I've been there."
A firework exploded above the girls in what I instantly recognized as Sunset's cutie mark and face. Lavender gave a triumphant smile as I joined my sisters and Minuette in clapping. Berry smirked at me.
"Now that was my bad ass niece and her friends." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LXVI | I groaned softly to my self and brushed a strand of rainbow hair out of my eyes as I walked through the school. To my left and right were students screaming at each other and the occasional shoving. Better than them attacking Sunset at least. I know that sounds hypocritical now but it's the truth.
"Hey Dash," Applejack muttered as she stepped up next to me. "Ya feelin alright?"
"No God damn it I'm not!" I snapped and she flinched. "AJ I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm just frustrated."
"Ah know. Ah am too. Ya don't gotta explain," Applejack hugged me as we stepped into the band room. Fluttershy laid on her back crying along with Rarity. Pinkie laid on the top of the piano with a dead look in her eyes.
"Hey guys," I sighed and half heartedly greeted the other members of my group.
"Hello darling," Rarity sniffed and wiped her eyes.
"Can you believe she was homeless?" Pinkie asked with a flat tone of voice as we all stared at her. "Or a prostitute? We don't even know what it's like to be that desperate for money. And we wondered why she was so evil these past few years."
"If I could, I would go back in time and slap myself for being so stupid," Fluttershy wailed. "I hate this. We did this to her. Did you see her wrists?"
"Yes Fluttershy. We all saw them," I laid in between her and Rarity, placing an arm over them each. Rarity had a faint smell of wine on her clothes and I scrunched my nose in disgust and sadness. I guess she went back to old habits.
"I know Flutters," I sighed and kissed her forehead before kissing Raritys. "One way or another, we will make this right."
"We have to," Rarity agreed as I stood up and started to walk out the door.
"Where are ya goin sugarcube?" Applejack called out after me. I paused and looked back at her.
"Going to start making this right."
I sighed and took a deep breath as I knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Principal Celestia called out and I hesitantly pushed the door open. She glanced up and her eyes narrowed a bit. "What can I do for you Rainbow?" I stepped forward and placed a piece of paper on her desk.
"I uhm wanted to give you this," I mumbled. She picked up the paper and stared at me.
"And what is this?"
"It's uhm a list of people who hurt Sunset during anon a miss. Mystery Mint shoved her to the ground, Golden Hazel vandalized her locker with Watermelody. I uh punched Sunset in the face in the beginning when this first started," I admitted and wiped my eyes. Principal Celestia maintained eye contact before nodding.
"Thank you Rainbow. You do realize this gets you detention until you graduate right? I would notify the police but it's too late for that unfortunately." I made eye contact.
"I know."
I kept walking down the hall after leaving the office. She had called my parents and everything but I don't care. I did what I did, no one forced me. That was my own decision. A short orange girl with purple stepped in front of me and I groaned internally. I really didn't want to see Scootaloo right now.
"H-hey Rainbow," Scootaloo stammered. I stepped around her and kept walking. I was too mad to talk to her because I might say something I didn't mean and I didn't want to hurt her. No matter how mad I am at her, I didn't want to hurt her feelings like she did to Sunset. "Please! Just talk to me! I know what I did was wrong. Please don't leave me." I sighed and pushed the doors to the field open and kept walking, letting them slam shut behind me. I kept walking to the bleachers and sat down. Cloudkicker was running around the track with Flitter half heartedly. Blossomforth sat on the ground with a blank expression and a timer.
"Hey Dash." I glanced up and stared as Spitfire sat down with Soarin and Surprise. Misty Fly was playing soccer half heartedly with Fleetfoot and High Winds.
"Hey Spits. Hey Soarin. Hey Surprise," I mumbled as I propped my head up.
"You doing okay?" Surprise asked hesitantly. I shook my head slowly and her face fell.
"You know I knew she was innocent," Soarin announced suddenly. Spitfire subtly elbowed him. "Hey! After all, she was the first person on the team to stand up for me after Spitfire and Fleetfoot tried to replace me with you. She risked her spot on the team to stand up for me with you. You both did." I dropped my head into my hands and started crying.
"We fucked up dude. We fucked up so bad!" I lifted my head to take in their stunned faces. I never cry around my team. "I shoved the person who was the most emphatic person in my life away to the wolves without a fucking care in the world." Spitfire stared at me before slapping me.
"Spitfire!" Soarin snapped. "We know we all made a mistake but that doesn't mean have to hit each other!" I rubbed my sore cheek. That was gonna hurt for a few days but I deserved it for everything.
"Are you gonna sit here complaining and moaning about fucking up or are you gonna get up off your ass and do something about it?" Spitfire shouted. "Where's the famous Rainbow pride? The Rainbow I know wouldn't be sitting here. She would get up off her ass, get out there and make this right. Might I add, I thought she was behind it too. I have to work and make things right with her. And she was my teammate. We all should have been there as a team. Hell, Fleetfoot hated her after the cmc went after her." I wiped my tears away and hugged the three other soccer players. Spitfire groaned and pushed me off her after a few seconds.
"Get off me please. I don't do hugs often." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LXVII | I stood in front of the portal with my family and my friends, new and old. Twilight smiled at me as she gave me a hug.
"So this it the portal huh?" Berry asked as she stroked the statue. "Interesting."
"Yep!" I smiled as I smelled lavender shampoo radiating off of Twilight.
"Hopefully we meet again under less crazy and life threatening circumstances," Twilight said as I hugged her back. The other Equestrians shrugged and joined in the hug.
"You know, right after I get used to this body we are going back home," Moondancer grumbled. I let out a chuckle at that as we separated.
"You guys are always welcome here," I said. "After all, the sirens have enough rooms. I'm sure mom wouldn't mind letting you guys stay for a few days."
"Just tell me a few days before hand so I can make sure we don't have any other plans," Mom agreed.
"Bet," Equestrian Lyra said. "Did I use the word right?" Vinyl grinned and wrapped an arm around her.
"Yep!"
"Well well Princess. We really got to do this again sometime," Adagio purred as she stood next to Twilight. Twilight turned faintly red as I chuckled.
"Wait!" Earth Minuette exclaimed and stared at her double. "Is there a Berry Punch in Equestria?"
"Uh yeah. We are good friends," Equestrian Minuette admitted with a blush.
"You guys aren't dating?" Earth Minuette asked in confusion.
"She wants to date Berry Punch," Lemon Hearts explained. "She doesn't know if Berry likes her or not but I do."
"How is that?" Earth Minuette asked with an eyebrow. Lemon Hearts smirked and pointed to the two blue hearts and green one on the edge of her yellow dress.
"It's my special talent," she answered. "I can tell when ponies have feelings for each other. Similar to how Princess Cadence can know when two ponies are in love."
"Fascinating," Berry grinned and winked at her daughter then her sisters. "Think I can use you sometime to find out if my sisters and daughter likes someone?"
"Hey!" Mom glared at her. Lemon Hearts chuckled and nodded.
"Yeah sure. Looks like my special talent works here too," she winked at Twilight and Adagio.
"Someone was rather forward to a certain pony princess," Sonata smirked.
"Yeah," Aria chimed in. "Hurry back Princess. Don't want Adagio to get cold at night."
"Why you little-" Adagio grumbled before walking around to the other side of the statue with a red face.
"Think we were a little too teasing with her?" Sonata asked worriedly.
"Nah she'll be fine," Aria waved a hand.
"It's time for us to go now," Twinkleshine pressed her hand against the portal as it disappeared. "You can always come visit. After all, you know where I live."
"Where we all live," Lemon Hearts added.
"Me and Moondancer are gonna try to research why you guys ponied up and the Rainbooms haven't been able to," Twilight promised as Twinkleshine and Minuette disappeared into the portal.
"Woah," Berry mumbled as she and Cherry stared with shocked faces. "Didn't see that one coming." Twilight and the others quickly stepped through and disappeared.
"Alright," Trixie shrugged. "Shows over. Trixie is going to get a milkshake."
"I'm in," Lavender shrugged.
"Can I go?" I asked mom hopefully. She chuckled and gave a nod.
"Go have fun with your friends. Be home by nine."
"So I have something to say," Lyra said around her straw. "I had this dream."
"Okay Martin Lurther King," Vinyl snickered as Lyra flicked her.
"He said I have a dream idiot not I had a dream. Anyway, I had a weird dream that I was talking to myself and said I represented her or something. It was weird."
"You too?" Derpy asked in confusion.
"I had it too," Bon Bon admitted.
"Same here," Vinyl and Octavia chimed in.
"Trixie and her friends had them too," Trixie announced as I stared at them.
"What did the dream say?" I asked curiously. "In Equestria, dreams are a way of being told information by spirits. Hell, Luna can visit people in their dreams."
"Uh said I was Loyalty or something," Lyra shrugged. I snorted a laugh.
"I can see that."
"Something about me being generosity I think?" Bon Bon swirled her milkshake around.
"Wait let me guess the rest," I said. "Derpy is obviously kindness, Vinyl is obviously laughter though Lyra could have gotten that one too. And Octavia is honesty?" The three girls stared in shock before nodding.
"Yeah," Octavia said.
"Interesting," I mused. "Those are the five elements of harmony. I didn't know they could find new bearers. We don't really know much about them."
"Trixie's dream said she represented trust or something. Don't know what that means," Trixie admitted.
"Well you did say you trusted me that I wasn't anon a miss," I answered.
"Lavender said she was told she was equality or something. I was told I'm ambition I think," Fuchsia said with her hand wrapped around a water bottle. I rubbed the back of my head in confusion.
"I don't know what to say about the last three," I finally said. "Maybe the Elements have sub elements? Like lesser known ones. Like I represent empathy which isn't as well known as loyalty or honesty. Trixie did show me a lot of trust, Lavender treated me as an equal and Fuchsia does have a lot of ambition when she puts her mind to something."
"Well you're not lesser known to us," Bon Bon smiled.
"Agreed!" Sonata chirped excitedly. "And if anyone tries to mess with you again, I know karate!" She stood up instantly and I caught her milkshake before it fell. "Hiya!" She started making ninja noises as she kicked and punched around the shop before Adagio caught her fist in her hand.
"Calm down girl. Don't go breaking anything. You know you're only allowed to do that sort of thing out doors." We all burst out laughing as Sonata sat down in her seat with a sheepish expression as a blush started to spread across her face.
"Okay sorry Dagi." |
My Past Is Complicated | Chapter LXVIII | I stepped outside the Sugarcube Corner and stared at the sun in the sky. Everyone else had already gone home and I sighed as the door was pushed open behind me.
"Penny for your thoughts love?" Octavia asked as she and Trixie joined me.
"Just tired is all," I laughed bitterly. "I should be happy that this over. Yet I'm not. I mainly feel exhausted."
"This did take a lot out of us all," Trixie admitted. "Trixie is glad this is over."
"Me too," Octavia agreed. "I did cut off ties and canceled all my clothing orders with Rarity. Bon Bon and her mom cut off ties with Applejacks farm."
"Trixie is sorry," Trixie mumbled. "Trixie didn't like you after the fall formal. She shouldn't have thrown the disappearing dust in your eyes and called you a demon. You are Trixie's friend. She isn't good at talking about feelings but Trixie loves you all. You're her great and powerful friends. The other students call Trixie a retard for speaking how she does. She appreciates you all being her friend."
"Careful Trixie," Octavia chuckled. "Keep this up and people will think you're going soft as Vinyl would call it."
"Nonsense," Trixie scoffed. "Nobody has what it takes to go up against the Great and Powerful Trixie." I smirked and rolled my eyes.
"Got that right," I agreed as I hugged her.
"Hey! Unhand Trixie!"
"Nope!" I chuckled as Trixie struggled. "Say please."
"Please unhand Trixie," Trixie said. Wow I didn't actually expect her to say that. I stepped back and smiled at Octavia laughing.
"Wait, didn't you hug me?" I asked. "Back in the bathroom when I thought you three were gonna jump me."
"Yes she did," Trixie admitted. "Trixie does like hugs but it's rare. She does give great hugs, does she not?"
"That she does," I readily agreed. She did give pretty good hugs for someone who wasn't too fond of touching. "I'm sorry as well for vandalizing your magic show freshman year. It would have been pretty good to see."
"We have another one planned this month," Trixie proclaimed. "Her great and powerful friends get free tickets! They can be used in the show! Sunset's mom and aunts and cousin can attend! On the fifth!"
"I think I would like that," I smiled. "About those fireworks, how did you get fireworks that had my cutie mark and face?" Trixie gave me a smug grin.
"Lavender makes all of our fireworks. She is a genius when it comes to them. All of our shows and the battle of the bands, she made the fireworks. Chemistry and other science classes are her favorite classes. Only ones she cares about to be honest," Trixie explained. Me and Octavia gave each other stunned looks.
"That's actually impressive," I said. "I didn't know that."
"Yeah same here," Octavia agreed. "That's cool. I should ask her how she does that."
"Trixie is sure her friend will be happy to teach you all. Some of Lavenders more risky fireworks tend to blow up in our face. Sometimes literally."
"How haven't you guys gotten injured?" I asked in surprise. Having fireworks blow up in a person's face sounds life threatening.
"Trixie may not look it but she and her friends can run fast when they need to," Trixie snickered.
"Okay well I'll see you guys around before school this week," I waved as I started to walk down the street. "We have the groupchat so I'll text and call you guys later."
"Where are you going dear?" Octavia called out as she and Trixie watched me walk.
"The roof of the school. Going to watch the sunset. It's my place to think," I explained.
"Alright stay safe," Octavia said.
"Have fun!" Trixie smiled enthusiastically.
I eagerly pushed the door to roof stairs open and bounded up them. The schools roof was my favorite place to sit and watch my namesake. Me and mom often sit up here and talk or just watch the sun set. Nobody really comes up here either except me and my group my now. We have chairs and a small coffee table set up on the roof.
I remember when Rainbow had helped me record my past is not today up here. She had been eager to help me with it along with Pinkie. The two stayed after school late into the night, recording an editing. We were free up here because like I said no one comes up here. Imagine my surprise when I saw a short young pink girl sitting on the edge of the roof. I cautiously approached her as she glance back, glaring at me angrily. Her expression softened when she presumably realized who I was.
"Oh hey Sunset," the girl mumbled as I sat down next to her. She sounded familiar but I couldn't place where I remembered why or how.
"Hey. What are you doing up here?" I asked.
"Same thing as you I would assume. This is a good place to think."
"I know," I chuckled. "I come up here often."
"I know. Everyone knows. It's common knowledge. We usually stay away because it's your area." I didn't know that. Maybe that was the real reason people left this area alone.
"Got something on your mind?" I asked curiously. She gave a nod and stared at the sun setting, painting a orange and red portrait across the sky as her mouth formed a hard line.
"Yeah. When anon a miss posted one of my secrets, me and my sister got into a screaming match in the hallway. When we got home, our mom had heard about and beat us within an inch of our lives. Apparently we messed with her reputation or something with the school by having a fight in front of everyone. If only she knew everyone was busy screaming at each other to care about us."
"I'm sorry. That's shitty of her," I sighed. "Did you think I was guilty of anon a miss?" The girl chewed on her bottom lip before looking away.
"Do you want the truth or the lie?" She finally asked.
"The truth," I said and braced myself.
"I didn't really have the time to think about who it was or wasn't. I was busy trying to hide from my mother," she admitted. "Me and my sister both were."
"Your father didn't do anything?" I asked.
"He doesn't care as long as he gets money in his pocket," she clenched her fist before sighing. I growled quietly in anger as we watched the sun set. She hesitantly pressed her head against my shoulder and I slowly wrapped an arm around her. I had no idea who this girl was but I still felt bad for her.
"It'll get sorted out." |
My Past Is Complicated | Unreleased Rough Draft Chapter One | "I don't get why you haven't taken Sunset out of that school sis," Berry said as she placed her hands behind her head and relaxed on the couch. "There's plenty of other schools around."
"I would but I don't want to talk her away from Lyra and her friends. Sure, they could come visit but still isn't the same. And I am not putting her in Crystal Prep. She is not like them," I explained as I drank my coffee.
"She's right," Derpy chimed in from her spot on the floor as she played with Ruby. "Sunset is nothing like a Crystal Prep student. Stuck up jerks." I nodded my agreement as the door slammed open.
Sunset staggered into the room and I immediately scrunched up my face in slight disgust at the smell radiating off her breath.
"Sunset?" I narrowed my eyes. "Have you been drinking?" Sunset gave a nod and leaned against the wall.
"Yeah I stole the alcohol from Lyra's house. Another thing I gotta apologize for. Wanna know what I don't fucking get?" Sunset mumbled as Derpy quickly covered Ruby's ears.
"Hey Ruby let's go play outside," Derpy hastily suggested as she pulled the girl up with her. "Let's go play tag or hide and seek while they talk. You can show me how good you are at hiding."
Derpy continued ushering Ruby out the back door while Ruby looked conflicted about staying in here or going outside as she was pulled along gently.
"Uh okay?" Ruby mumbled as Berry gave Derpy an appreciative smile. The back door shut gently as we focused on a clearly drunk Sunset.
"What is going on Sunset?" Cherry asked hesitantly.
"What the fuck do you think?" Sunset shouted. "I've been betrayed by a bunch of worthless fucks!"
"Sunset!" I snapped. "I get you're upset but please don't talk to your aunt like that. Anon a miss again?"
"Why me God damn it?" Sunset screamed and I flinched back. "What about me is so unlikable that people like doing this to me? I worked my ass to be forgiven and for what? To be backstabbed and thrown out on the corner like it's trash day tomorrow!" We all looked at each other nervously and Sunset wiped a tear away. "I hate myself dude! I'm just gonna go freaking sleep. Isn't that what you do when you're drunk?"
I stepped forward to hug her and Berry grabbed my shoulder. Berry sighed and stared at Sunset.
"Bad things happen to good people Sunset. Go upstairs, just relax in bed with a bucket to vomit in. I'll bring up a glass of water," Berry said softly as Sunset nodded and stumbled up the stairs. She grabbed the guard rail and we all stepped forward to catch her if she fell. Thank God she didn't and she kept stumbling to her room before slamming the door.
"This just got complicated," Minuette mumbled. "Should I go talk to her?"
"Not yet," Berry said. "Reasoning with a drunk person is a losing battle trust me. I'll go talk to her myself. I have the best background in this area."
"Berry do you wanna take her back home for a bit while me and the others sort this out? It'll only be a bit till we get anon a kiss sorted out," I said hopefully as I looked at my sister.
"I'm down. We would like to have her around and Ruby likes her. Minuette would get to know her better too," Berry answered as Minuette gave a grin along with a thumbs up.
"Okay thanks. Cherry can you go get her?" I asked and she nodded as she stood up and stepped to the stairs.
"Yeah no problem. We will get this sorted out no problem," Cherry smiled as she disappeared up the stairs.
"God that smelled awful," I mumbled. This honestly reminded me of when Berry drank heavily in college. A loud scream came from upstairs and we all three looked at each other nervously before rushing up the stairs. Cherry was pressed against the wall with Sunset's door open. Minuette turned slightly green as Berry's eyes widened and I pressed a hand to my mouth. Sunset was hanging from the ceiling fan by an old rope.
"Oh my god!" I exclaimed as me and Berry stepped inside.
"Cut her down!" Berry grunted as she lifted her up as Minuette handed me a nearby knife on the nightstand. I quickly cut the rope and Sunset collapsed on top of me on the floor. "Cheerilee, you okay?"
"I'm good," I groaned as I rolled Sunset over and pressed my head to her mouth. "She's breathing thank God."
I heard footsteps running up the stairs and panting as Derpy stood in the door way.
"What the fuck happened?" Derpy demanded. "I heard screaming." That was the first time I've ever heard her cuss.
"Get Ruby out of here!" Berry demanded as I glanced back at the terrified girl clinging to Derpy.
"Ruby! I said to stay outside!" Derpy said as she spun the girl around and hugged her.
"And call nine one one!" I exclaimed as Derpy nodded weakly as she paled and pulled Ruby along with her.
I sighed as I slumped over the hospital chair as Ruby curled up in a shaking ball on Minuettes lap. Berry and Cherry were talking softly in a corner of the room while Derpy stared at Sunset in the bed. We all went quiet and stared as Nurse Redheart stepped inside with Nurse Sweetheart.
"She's going to be okay," Nurse Sweetheart said reassuringly as Sunset slept in the bed because of some pain medication they gave her. "She's gonna have some bruises on her neck for a bit."
"She's gonna have to stay here for a bit till a specialist can talk to her. It's procedure after a failed suicide attempt," Nurse Redheart said as she stared at Sunset. "If you all need anything, we are a call away." I gave a nod as the two left the room, gently shutting the door.
"Urghh," Sunset mumbled as she rolled over in the bed and we all stood up, quickly walking to her. "What happened?"
"You gave us quite the scare there kid," Berry forced a chuckle as she handed Sunset a water. I wiped a tear off Sunset's face.
"I'm so sorry," she mumbled. "I'm a coward for trying to kill myself." Cherry glared at her and shook her head.
"You are not a coward," Cherry snapped. "Don't ever talk about yourself like that again. You're a strong person." Sunset stared at her with a dead expression and shook her head.
"Strong people don't attempt to kill themselves." |
Fallout Equestria - A Raider With A Heart | pre | He's hitting the button right away?! He's gonna blow my head just for that?!
The nasty smile I had disappeared from my face, and I leaned against the cage walls with my front legs. "Wait! What are you-aughhh!"
I felt a familiar wave of shock and stiffness spread from my neck, to the rest of my body. While I leaned on the cage walls my muscles locked up. Shaking, unable to let go of the mesh or even breathe, I stood on my rear legs looking at the mayor standing at his desk, a little smile slowly making its way onto his face, while he firmly held the button pressed.
I felt minimally relieved. Well, as relieved as a pony that can't breathe can be., I couldn't breathe! Fuck fuck fuck.
The longer he held me shocked, the more I ran out of air, which made me panic. Will he let go? He wouldn't suffocate me would he? Yes, he would! Fuck!
After a good while, when I couldn't hold much longer and thought I was gonna pass out, he finally let go of the button. Suddenly relaxing all my muscles, I fell sideways to the ground. The cage was small, I fell on the metal mesh that served as a second wall, which eased my fall, and I took a deep breath that felt like such a relief as if someone had put out the fire in my lungs.
I was lying down and breathing heavily when I suddenly looked at the grinning mayor, who comfortably sat in his chair, crossed his rear legs and was once again bringing his hoof closer to the remote control.
Okay, this was a bad idea. Of course, they fucking left him the shock remote too! At least I know how it looks now.
"Fucking" - I gasped -" Assh-"
He pressed it again. I stiffened, and while twitching and moaning both at once, I lay on the floor for another good while. The yellow mare just looked at me wiping her tears, her face hardened, and she turned and looked at the window across the room.
I merely told her to shut up and she lets him torture me? That bitch! I'm gonna make her regret that when Scythe gets back!
The shock stopped again. I gasped for air and lay on the wooden floor unmoving while coughing and breathing heavily.
I saw the mayor prepare for another round, he stretched his hoof over the remote and-
-"Stop, It's enough." The yellow mare stated softly.
Huh?
She stands up for me?
Lying face down on the ground, with only one eye I could see she glanced at me with a slight anger, or contempt, maybe both, but then she turned to the mayor, and her face took a pleading look.
"I don't think so, " The mayor responded leaning over the desk towards her, "he did the exact same thing to others, it's only fair if he gets a taste of his own medicine."
"Please, Cotton, I know you had friends in Windy Fields, but you are lowering yourself to his level."
He looked at me with his hateful blue eyes. "Fine." He swung backwards and landed on the back of the chair, but still looked at me.
What?
She... helped me? Why? Does she want something from me? What could she want from me? No. She just... By herself?
"Tables turned and you're so tough anymore now, are you,? Too bad they didn't kill you too, you don't deserve to live an hour longer, you vermin," The mayor added.
"Shut up... I'll... You'll pay for this... Cocksucker," I threatened while panting slightly.
"Pay for this?" he raised his voice in indignation. "You're getting what you deserve. No! You deserve much more than that." He got up from his chair, approached the cage, and lowered his head, speaking almost right into my ear. I lifted my head and watched his eyes carefully. "Every Wednesday during summer ponies from Windy Fields would come here for market day." He spoke in a low growling voice, "We celebrated holidays together and helped each other. Storm Silk came here yesterday night, and told me what you and your friends did to his daughter! To all of them!" He screamed in rage, but quickly calmed his voice and went back to the low growl "Only out of my respect for Silver you're not getting hanged on the market this very moment. But I will do anything in my power to give ponies who live here at least a small part of the vengeance they deserve."
"Fuck. You." I replied with my trusty phrase.
I don't deserve to be hanged.
Who are you to tell me what I deserve and what I don't? Nobody. Just a fat blue cocksucker.
He slowly lifted his head, walked away from the cage and sat down in the chair by the desk
I felt a slight burning pain under the collar closest to my head. I sat up and tried to massage it away with my hoof.
Is there any other way to get the collar key, or the remote, or whatever opens these pieces of shit from him?
Provoke him so much that he'll want to kill me with his bare hooves, or something? No. Whatever I'll do, he'll just start frying me with the collar from a safe distance again!
I looked around the room again, and my sight landed on the yellow mare, her eyes hiding behind that long dim green mane. At least I know that not everypony here wants to skin me alive. I felt a kind of gratitude, immediately her face seemed to me more pleasant, kind.
I suddenly got an uncomfortable feeling that I should do something.
But what?
No. She wants something from me in return. Nopony is nice like that without a reason.
I looked away from her. I need to be careful until I find out what she wants from me.
As the emotions subsided, I yawned. Exhaustion after a sleepless night began to overwhelm me. I got up, and went to the corner of the cage, the safest one, farthest from the mesh walls, in the very corner of the building, and lay down on my stomach, front towards the room, and my rear squeezed in the corner. I was a little hungry too, but I was sure that I wouldn't get anything from the mayor.
This is hopeless. I'll have to wait until they get back and try to get these keys later. For now... I need some rest...
What does she want from me? ***
I woke up to the sound of metal tapping on metal. I quickly opened my eyes and lifted my head to check what was making the noise. I saw the light grey unicorn with a light blue mane that tried to shoot me yesterday night! I felt an adrenaline shot, jumped on my hooves instantly, and took a fighting stance.
What will he do? Will he shoot me? Where's the mayor?
Wait.
He has no gun this time.
In the now dark office, lit by a single dim yellow bulb, there was no one but us. He was standing at the cage door, shakily opening the cage with the keys held in his magic. Without a word. Just breathing irregularly and looking at me in a way that was hard to figure out which emotion was currently driving him.
I didn't say a word either, just stood in the cage's opposite corner and watched his every move carefully. He took the keys, put them in the lock, opened the cage door, blocked the exit with his body, and just stood there, waiting for something.
How did he get here? What does he want? Doesn't he want to kill me? Why is he opening the cage? What is happening? All these questions unanswered made me feel very uneasy, to the point where I didn't want to move at all.
Maybe... anger made him lose his mind maybe?
He wasn't much bigger than me, half a head taller at most, and of a similar thin frame to me. I probably could handle him in a hoof fight. My very sharp teeth also gave me the edge over him. Plus I was a raider... which he knows so... What is he doing?
He looks like he wants to brawl me. Is he that stupid?
I began to regain my confidence.
I relaxed a bit and moved.
It's very strange, but I'm not going to miss an opportunity like that.
I slowly approached him, expecting... I don't know what. When I came within range of his hooves, I stopped, waiting for something, anything but he didn't move a muscle. I came closer, up until I was almost face to face with him.
Then he growled and raised his hoof for something. In a flash, I jumped up with my front legs and hit that idiot with both front legs right in the nose before his hoof could even reach me. He fell on his back, onto the floor in the centre of the room clutching his face, and lay there moaning in pain.
"Ah, you son of a bitch!" he groaned weakly.
Did he think he could win a hoof fight with a raider? What an absolute retard! I looked at the pathetic lying and moaning pony on the floor.
Heh, lay there. As soon as I get my hooves on the remotes, I'm going to have a bit of fun with you.
I went straight to the mayor's desk, picked a random drawer, opened it, and began digging through it.
I'm going to have to stab his lungs first, so he doesn't scream. Then I could do anything to him, and Scythe will fucking see, that I am a real raider.
I opened a second drawer and saw a big white remote, similar to the shock collar one, but with a much bigger red button on it. I smiled, and-felt a familiar shock spreading over my body from the neck! I fell on my side, twitching on the floor, not being able to take a breath, and not knowing what was happening.
"You fucking animal!" His voice was high-pitched like he was barely stopping himself from crying right now.
The shock stopped, and my neck was left with burning pain, but that could wait.
I'm gonna kill that motherfucker. And then gut him like his daughter.
I jumped straight to my hooves, they trembled from the shock, but I stood up and turned towards-
Just to be bucked straight into the right side of my face. The impact made me fall to my side. I fell on the mayor's desk, knocking off everything that was there, a lamp, papers, and some other things I didn't recognize. When I lay on the floor, he began shocking me with the collar again. And he held it, for a long while. While he did that, he looked at me silently with a rather childish-looking mixture of anger and sadness.
Fuck Fuck fuck! I have to do something! - I panicked.
After a moment of hopelessly thrashing around I tried to calm my body, to try to start breathing manually. It took a lot of effort, but I managed to take one, small wheezing breath. It was far too little of what I needed to stay alive! Another while passed, and I was seriously running low on oxygen, I tried to direct my twitching into hitting him. He stood behind me, so I focused and kicked clumsily where I thought his legs would be with all the strength I had. I hit something, his focus shattered, and the familiar dark blue pilot fell to the floor next to me. Party's over, motherfucker!
I finally took a breath, then another, and finally tried to get up. Time to get him! My legs trembled and refused to obey me as if I had just run a marathon but without fatigue. I had the front of my body halfway lifted up when the shock paralysed me again, and I fell on my stomach.
Now that got me terrified. I thought I'm gonna get more time!
"S-s-stop!" I almost screamed through my teeth while feeling drool leaking out of my mouth.
He didn't respond. I just heard him breathe loudly and irregularly. Fuck! No! He's going to kill me!
"P-ple-ea-ease!" I moaned. No! That's not what a raider would do! I could almost hear Scythe insulting me for that. Fuck I was so pathetic!
But that made him stop. My chest unlocked, and I greedily started sucking in the air. All of my limbs felt turned off, my heart thumped, and my whole body shook. I didn't even try to get up this time. Suddenly I felt first my head, and then the top half of my body being lifted by some white halo. It turned me around towards him and raised my head to his eye level while the lower half of my body lay on the floor. He brought my face closer to his, his horn shining brightly, our noses almost touching.
"Cloud begged you the same. The same way!" He hit me in the face with his hoof while saying that in a shaky and filled with frustrated fury voice. Then he paused to watch me pant with my lips up and eyes squinted, "And you didn't stop!" he shouted accusingly, his eyes glistening with tears, "Why didn't you stop?!" he shouted again and turned his face away. "You didn't stop then," he said in a calm but still very shaky voice.
I opened my eyes wide,
"Wait-"
The shock returned, it made me bend backwards like a C shape and groan loudly while staring at the ceiling. I felt more saliva trickle out of the corner of my mouth, and- ***
-"Wake up raider"
I was immediately reminded of what happened yesterday by a strong burning pain under one of my collars. I opened my eyes and immediately raised my head to get an idea of what was going on. I was greeted by the stern and disappointed face of Bear Hearts looking down through the mesh of the cage. Behind him in the middle of the room, between the desk and the cage, stood the mayor watching what he was doing. Bear Hearts, without saying anything, entered the cage, barely fitting through the door Before I could fully stand up he stood over me and roughly grabbed me by one of the collars with his hoof. I hissed in pain, which made him pause for a moment.
"It must be by electrocution, " said the mayor with no sympathy in his voice, "He's probably burned from the collar," he added with slight satisfaction.
Bear Hearts fastened the chain, turned around, and walked out of the cage.
"Thanks and sorry for the trouble," he said.
"Fortunately nothing happened, but it could have ended much worse, I hope you are aware," The mayor said accusingly.
"Yes, I know."
The mayor nodded in response, "Just know that my offer from yesterday still stands."
Bear Hearts wordlessly jerked the chain pulling me, the burn on my neck hurt a lot, and I let out a slight 'Ah'. He walked out of the building and I followed him out onto the main street of the city, passing passersby who were staring at us.
Then, for a split second, I swear I saw somepony I recognised.
I turned around, to try to get a good look at him. But he disappeared.
Who was that?
Was that Storm Silk? I wasn't sure...
After the night I felt anxious and permanently in danger. He could have killed me with ease if he wanted to. He might still want to. And I have no chance to defend myself! He just has to get the remote to any of the collars! Or- or hang me by the chain with his magic!
If he got inside the office, he probably could get me anywhere! Until Scythe comes back, I have to stay close to Bear Hearts and his crew.
Then I became angry at myself. I clenched my teeth and looked at the ground.
I begged for my life! Like a coward, like, like a... Not a Raider! Scythe, Bars, Gaag, Soprano, any of them would just start laughing at Storm's face if they were in my place.
I'm a fucking pathetic... worthless...
Suddenly Bear Hearts turned right without warning, pulled me by my burned neck making me hiss, then we turned right again into some alley and then left. He walked fast and turned without warning, so I had to walk at half the chain length so he wouldn't pull me when turning.
Evidently, he is mad at me. Storm Silk and the mayor, they must have told him something.
Doesn't matter what they say to him, I'd rather that than admit what I did. Worse if they decide to punish me though, but I'll manage.
I walked along with him in silence until he turned abruptly and entered a medium-sized building with a large sign and some kind of glowing writing on it. We entered a cramped vestibule in which Bear Hearts and I barely fit side by side, I had to walk behind him to fit in. We passed a reception, climbed a steep wooden staircase, and entered a corridor, which branched off to the sides, there were about six pairs of doors on that corridor with either a green or a red badge on the door handle. He opened one of the doors right in front of the staircase. I stood behind him. Inside I saw the faces of Silver Shine and Flame Bash, they were sitting on beds in a cramped room with only a wardrobe, a table, and some sort of door to another very small room next to the wardrobe.
"And?" Silver Shine asked with his eyebrows raised as if checking if everything was alright.
"Did he behave?" Flame Bash threw his half-joke and half-question.
However, they quickly realised that something happened and that I indeed didn't behave. Their smiles were quickly gone.
"Somehow he got the keys to his cage and tried to escape. Storm Silk was hanging around the office so he noticed that, and broke down the door to get inside to try to stop him. The raider beat the shit out of him," As he said that he pulled me by the chain as if to show me to them, "but when he tried to finish Storm Silk off. Fortunately, the mayor left the shock collar remote in the office, so Storm managed to get it and electrocuted him until he went unconscious."
When Bear Hearts finished talking, I looked to the side.
So that's what they told him. Storm Silk's smart, he must have had it all planned. The realisation only reinforced my sense of danger.
"I told you it was a bad idea." Flame Bash said while Silver Shine stood up, and approached Bear Hearts.
"Flame's right. If the raider killed Storm Silk-"
"If. He didn't and got his whole neck burned to a crisp as a lesson. I won't let him out of my sight next time."
"Bear, it wasn't even a day, and your good-intentioned attempt to help one pony almost killed another one. We need to get rid of him before he tries to kill somepony again." Bear Hearts visibly deflated and lowered his head, and Silver Shine looked at me over Bear Heats' shoulder.
What? No! I have to say something to save my ass! but they won't fucking believe me. What can I say? What can I say?!
"He's just a foal, that's what they've taught him." He said softly and resigned as if he knew Silver Shine was right.
"You don't have to do it, I and Flame Bash will hand him over to the mayor," Silver Shine placed a hoof on Bear Hearts' shoulder and waited for his response.
Bear Hearts, without raising his head, slowly reached with his hoof, unhooked the chain from the ring on his armour, and passed the chain's tip to Silver Shine. He grabbed it in his blue magic and levitated it next to himself while going around Bear Hearts to exit onto the corridor.
No! No no no no!
"No! It wasn't like that!" I frantically protested as Silver Shine passed me, "Storm Silk tried to kill me!" Silver Shine just started going down the stairs, not paying attention to what I was saying. The chain tightened, which resulted in the collar painfully pulling me by my burned neck while I struggled to pull the chain backwards on the threshold of the stairs. "Ahh-he electrocuted me until I passed out!"
Silver Shine turned and looked up the stairs at me and leaned against the wall "Stop fucking lying," he said calmly, and pulled me by the chain hard. It made me lose my balance. I fell from the floor onto the stairs with my chest and hit my jaw, everything turned into a blur as I tumbled down them hitting the edges of the stairs with almost all parts of the body, and then hit the wall that was right at the end of the stairs. Flame Bash stood leaning on the railing while Bear Hearts still stood turned back towards us as he did when he gave away the chain
My whole body ached in various places from the fall, but I had it worse, so I quickly got up and stood towards Silver Shine still going down the stairs.
Fuck it's not gonna work! He won't believe me, and I'm sure I can't run away either!
"Okay, I tried to escape! But I wasn't gonna kill Storm Silk! I just wanted to leave him beaten on the floor!" I shouted at him.
He continued to go down the stairs without a word.
Maybe I should just throw myself at him and kill him? I desperately thought. No, they'd shock me and it would be the seal over my grave!
His blue magic enveloped his horn and the chain again, and he started to pull me towards the exit. the pressure on my burn made me groan that almost became a scream.
"Ahh!" I groaned, "S-stop! I-I will Ahh! help you look for the guy who got lost in the forest!" I tried desperately as he pulled me with his magic into the vestibule while walking behind me.
"So that we have to worry about you backstabbing us instead of focusing on actually looking? Sure,"
"I won't! I-I Aghhh! I swear!" I said, groaning while he pulled me towards the entrance door.
The pulling direction changed, the chanid started pulling me into the corner of the vestibule, and then upwards. It lifted the front half of my body in the air and pushed my back into the corner. Shortly after, Silver Shine came over and stood, watching me stand upright on my hind legs in the corner, while groaning from the painful burn being pulled on, from a safe distance.
"This is your last chance, raider. You do one more wrong move, one!" He lifted his hoof, gesturing the number, and a white remote control with a large red button levitated out of his pocket and landed on his hoof. "There will be no more shocking, I'll just straight blow your head off. Do you understand?" He asked while pulling the collar up even harder
Oh, Celestia how does somepony so calm sound so intimidating?
"Ye-egh-s!" I groaned with difficulty.
His magic lifted me by the chain from the ground completely and then slammed me on the wooden floor with my back. The impact made it difficult for me to breathe.
"Let's see how much a raider's word is worth," he said calmly as usual while turning away and leaving the vestibule, "Don't you dare move until I come back," he said as he closed the vestibule door behind him.
I lay there trying to catch my breath, once I was breathing normally, I indeed didn't dare to move a muscle. I just put my head on the floor and clenched my eyes and felt myself become angry.
I'm so pathetic! Fuck! Swearing to him?! And now I'm too scared to move!?
I'm no fucking raider! I'm a fucking... failure...
I just... Why can't everypony just leave me alone!?
I need to hold out until Scythe gets back somehow. ***
I walked next to Bear Hearts between ominous large black silhouettes of dead trees on the yellowy mossy undergrowth that grew on the forest floor through the Windbreaker forest. For some reason Silver Shine told Bear Hearts to not chain me, so I was free to move. I don't know why. I don't care. It's not what I was thinking about right now.
Bars wouldn't care if he had a mom strapped to his neck. That crazy bastard would throw himself at Bear Hearts the second he turned his head away.
His friends are nowhere close! Throw yourself at him, come on, take revenge for him almost crushing your head with a shotgun barrel! Be a real raider! - I encouraged myself.
But I continued to walk obediently next to Bear Hearts
I only looked at him when he was looking away so as not to provoke him. Now wasn't that just pathetic? It definitely made me feel like that.
In the clan, I always tried to prove to everypony that I was a proper raider. It was hard, and I had to learn a lot, but eventually, I thought I became one: Bold, strong, and feared.
I was often afraid, that wasn't new. But it was the first time I surrendered to it. Turns out that without my clan I was a fucking coward.
I don't fucking know anymore. Am I a real raider, if without a clan, I can't bring myself to act like one? Was I ever one?
Being hungry, and a feeling of a slight withdrawal only added to the feeling of hopelessness. It all resulted in me not having either the physical or the mental strength to do anything towards escaping, or proving I'm a raider to Scythe.
I'll just walk where he wants me to, and keep quiet while Bear Hearts looks around. Then we'll come back, I'll get some sleep and food, and I'll try to think of something then.
But I doubt I'll take Scythe this long to get a gun and come back... He'd probably kill the first pony he met to get a gun...
Maybe he's already here? And just waiting for the right moment?
We walked like this for a few moments, Bear Hearts looked around for the husband of that crying mare from the office and I just followed him with my head low. My stomach gurgled every now and then, and I was so hungry, I just felt sick. I wish I could vomit. Not that it would help or anything. I need to get something to eat or I think I'll pass out.
Bear Heart turned his head to the left, towards me, and looked at me curiously "Maybe now you'll finally tell me your name, raider?"
What does he want my name for? To gain some leverage against me or something? I don't like it.
"No," I said flatly while looking straight ahead, ignoring his gaze.
"Why not?" He asked calmly.
"What the fuck do you want from me?" I said quietly with irritation and finally looked up at his face.
"Your name," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the wasteland.
"Bullshit. You fucking refuse to kill me, constantly ask questions, and now the grey one said you're trying to help me. What is in it for you?" That took him aback, and he stared at me with a puzzled expression for a moment.
"I don't want anything from you," he said as convincingly as if he believed it himself
"Stop fucking with me, soon after, you'll want something in return, or fucking... I don't know yet."
"I just want to help you, just that."
He doesn't want to tell me? Fine.
I turned my head away from him in a sweeping manner, letting him know that I didn't believe him, which he noticed, and furrowed his brow "Listen what are you, seventeen maybe? I have foals myself, a raider, and I know they don't do anything except for what they were taught. They simply don't know better."
"Fuck you, I'm not a foal,"
"You're not a foal, but you're young enough for that to still apply to you. "
I didn't argue. Maybe that was the truth, I didn't know, and I didn't care right now. What I did know is that I really needed to get something to eat. My stomach gurgled again loudly, and as I didn't want to ask my captor for anything, and also because I was sure he wouldn't give me anything to eat, not for free at least, I started to wonder about the nutritional properties of the yellowish moss that grew everywhere on the ground. It can't be that bad right? Maybe I could just try a bit and see if it's edible? I definitely would prefer something meaty though.
"When did you last eat something?" Bear Hearts asked, seeing me move away and sniff a large dense pocket of moss we were passing.
Such a stupid question, really pissed me off, "Oh I don't fucking know, it's so hard to deduce," I started Ironically with irritation, "Did you see any of you give me food for the last two fucking days?" I finished with anger.
The expression of embarrassment looked funny on such a large pony, but it quickly disappeared. Bear Hearts stopped and put his hoof into one of his saddlebags, "Why won't we make a deal then? " He fished out an apple and showed it to me. At the mere sight of that beautiful juicy fruit, which at that moment seemed to be the tastiest and most saturating food in the entire wasteland, I felt a tingle in my mouth. "I will give you food, and in return, you will answer my questions," he raised one of his brows.
Fuck I knew it. Do I let him extract information from me just like that? For mere food? I don't like it - I thought without taking my eyes off the apple.
I couldn't stand the hunger any longer though, so I didn't think too long though. "Fine!" I agreed hastily, but unwillingly, "Give me the apple first."
He didn't argue and passed the apple to me. I took the whole thing in my mouth, put it on the ground, and ate as fast as I could. As if it was the first food in days. Well, actually it was. While I savoured the wonderful sweetness of some bites, and the invigorating sourness of others, chewing quickly and swallowing even faster, licking my face after each, Bear Hearts stood above me.
After I was finished, he got moving again, and I followed, still licking my face, to scoop any traces left of the sweet apple juice. I still was pretty hungry, but it was more bearable now. I even started feeling a little bit better, If only I also got my hooves on a booze or something...
"Why are you so distrustful?" Bear Hearts asked, walking to my right and looking at me.
I knew I didn't have to answer, I could just say 'fuck you' and that would be it. But gaining at least a little bit of his trust could be very helpful in the future.
I walked silently for a moment, "Habits from the clan," I said shortly.
"Why?" he turned his head, "You couldn't trust your own clanmates?"
"Everyone was only looking out only for their own interests, and would fuck you over at every possible opportunity," I said evenly looking straight into his eyes - letting him know that I expect the same from him.
He didn't react to my look, but the answer got him confused. "That's ridiculous, why would anypony stay in a clan like that?"
"You can't raid villages if you're alone," I said briefly.
"Is that... Why you stuck with your clan?" He said carefully.
"That's enough for an apple," I finished and looked away from him. But he wanted more, so he put a hoof in his saddlebag again, and took out a can with something written on it.
"And for this?" He asked.
I stared at the can for a moment. I saw these before, but I didn't remember what they had on the inside, and the writing on it was undecryptable to me. "What is that?"
"Pre-war banana soup, It's written here, can't you se-"
"Yeah, yeah, I see, give it to me," I quickly took the can, placed it on the mossy ground, and started wrestling with it, trying to open it. I bit it from the top, tried to bite through the lid, put my hoof around it, and tried to rotate it while holding on to it with my teeth. Bear Hearst patiently stood above me waiting. I didn't pay him any attention.
"Do you want help with that?" he finally asked after a few minutes.
I took the can out of my mouth, "I don't need your help," I said, and took the can in my mouth again. I sat down, took the can in both of my hooves and started smashing it against a rock I saw laying nearby
"You look like you do."
I ignored him and kept smashing the can against the rocks. I don't intend to ask him for help. Worst case scenario I'll carry the can with me.
Finally, the lid cracked and bent inwards, some of the soup leaked out before I could turn the can upwards, but not a lot. Whatever was inside the can, It was good. Nowhere close to the apple, or I just was that hungry, but it was still good banana mush. We got moving again after I emptied the can and bear hearts looked at me again.
"So?"
"What?"
"Why did you stay there?" he asked curiously
"I don't know, I just did."
"Didn't you ever want to leave? To try to live... I don't know, differently?" he suggested
"Maybe I did."
"So why didn't you leave?" He asked confused
"What are these fucking questions huh?" I asked irritated
"I'm just trying to understand what held you there!"
"The clan was all I ever knew, Is it so hard to fucking imagine? And I knew I didn't have a chance for a 'normal' life."
"Why not?"
I snorted a laugh. "Me having a normal life? Maybe you need a pair of fucking glasses? Who would want a raider like me huh?"
That surprised him, and he raised his eyebrows, "I didn't say anything about a relationship."
I opened my eyes wide and immediately looked away from him. Fuck!
He looked at me as if with pity, but a light smile. "I think you could have a normal life you think about," He said softly "raider'" he added... jokingly?
Change the fucking subject! "Why the fuck did you say 'raider' like that!?" I quickly demanded an explanation
"Because you're not a real raider. I don't think you ever were."
"Fuck you!" I said defensively, but I was glad he didn't hold onto the previous subject.
"It's a good thing. That means you're not too fucked up for anything yet," he explained
"Just... shut the fuck up."
The conversation, despite his bulshittery about not wanting anything in return, planted two questions in my mind
Am I really not a raider? And, Could I be in a relationship?
The first one was worrying. But the next one almost completely erased that feeling, and replaced it with a slight hope.
I never thought somepony would think that I could be in a relationship.
Could I?
I turned away from Bear Hearts so he didn't see the light smile made its way on my face.
Despite all the bullshit he said, what he said made me feel... good!
A raider that wants a relationship. That's something you don't see every day eh? Glad nopony from the clan is here to see this. ***
We walked in silence for around an hour more. Bear Hearts looked around, and in doing so, glanced at me and held his gaze for a couple of seconds from time to time, It was annoying, who knows what is he thinking about me while he stares at me? But despite that, I started feeling better and ready for action again. It's probably because I finally ate something, and by action, I mean looking for a way to escape. I even started looking around for the husband of that crying mare as well, even though I had no idea what I was looking for. All in all, it was coming together well. I'm helping them with something, so maybe they will relax a little around me, which will eventually make the escape easier, and at the same time, I'm not left in a cage like on a silver platter for Storm Silk.
I just wonder, why didn't he kill me yesterday when he obviously could? I was unconscious! It doesn't get any easier than that! Maybe he and the Mayor decided to just leave me be? And he won't bother me again? I don't know, but I don't want to be left alone to see if I'm wrong. I have to stick to Bear Hearts and his friends. At least until Scythe comes back
It's weird. I want to kill them. A lot. Okay maybe Bear Hearts not that much, and at the same time, I feel a bit safer with them than without them.
I don't even want to kill Bear Hearts that much... Why? He almost crushed my head with a barrel! And killed my clan! So why don't I want to skin him alive? I don't fucking know. Is that what a raider would do-
A not-very-distant gunshot rang out, then another one, and then it started to sound like a proper shootout with at least a couple of ponies involved.
Oh! I wonder who's shooting who.
Bear Hearts abruptly turned his head in the direction from which the shots filled the air with an irregular beat. His face turned serious, and he looked at me.
"We're going there" he pointed a hoof towards the direction of the noise, " You run first and I follow you. Don't get out of my sight," he said firmly. I rolled my eyes and started trotting casually towards the noise. I wasn't in a hurry. I'd let them shoot each other out and then see what happened. And if it's Silver Shine and Flame Bash getting shot right now, then maybe life finally blessed me with something positive.
"Faster!" Bear Hearts rushed me aggressively. He must be worried about his friends. Uh, fine. I accelerated to a gallop while avoiding dead trees and jumping over stones covered with yellowish moss. I wonder how long he can hold the pace? I expected to hear 'slow down!' or something similar at any moment, but after a few minutes of running I turned my head to see Bear Hearts panting very heavily, but still keeping up with me.
With that heavy armour of his? Quite impressive.
The gunshots were becoming more and more clear, and I became more and more excited. Fight! A real fight! Finally!
"Raider! Stop!" I heard somepony shout on my right side. I looked there and saw Silver Shine, some other white pony, and Flame Bash. All of them taking cover behind trees.
Aw, damn it! They didn't get shot yet. I should have run slower.
I felt a big hoof grab me by the collar, the burn on my neck reminded me of itself, and with a loud 'Oowwwww!' coming from me, I was dragged behind the nearest tree by Bear Hearts just as bullets started wheezing past me. We both leaned back against the tree and looked at the rest of our 'team'.
"Three slavers behind a cart full of ponies" Flame Bash shouted to us.
I massaged my neck for a moment while hearing Bear Hearts clank his gun and do some abrupt moves, after the searing pain disappeared from my neck, I peeked from behind the tree, and indeed, I saw a cart, but only one pony leaning out from behind the car dressed in some black/red armour and aiming towards us.
I quickly leaned back behind my tree and looked at Bear Hearts. He was switching the shotgun for an assault rifle on the railing attached to his battle saddle.
He noticed my look, "Stay here, and don't do anything," he said without stopping what he was doing.
I looked at him, and then at Silver Shine and Flame Bash, both constantly either shooting or hiding behind trees while bullets chipped their covers and flew closely to them.
With pleasure! All I have to do is wait. They will shoot each other eventually, and then I'll be free to go. Perfect!
So I waited. Minutes passed as both sides constantly shot and dived for cover right after that. Bear Hearts even put on some kind of bulletproof helmet. And even with protection like that he just fired a burst and hid behind our tree. It didn't look like it was gonna end anytime soon unless one of the sides ran out of ammunition, so I had a lot of time. I just sat behind the tree and thought of different scenarios this situation can lead into. If the slavers kill Bear Hearts' team, I can just run into the forest, meet Scythe, and be free. If Bear Hearts' team wins, I'll stay imprisoned. But If I help them win... maybe I could gain a little of their trust...
A big If.
Have they killed any of these slavers already? It's been a while, and If they managed to kill a whole raider clan on their own, this shouldn't be a problem for them...
I leaned out from the tree and saw a cart full of captured ponies who lay on the cart's floor hoping that they wouldn't get accidentally shot, and a dead slaver wearing black and red armour lying next to it in a pool of blood.
I guess that's why it's taking so long, they are afraid to shoot, to not hurt the captured ponies...
I suddenly felt a piercing pain in my shoulder and fell on my back from the impact.
"Ah, Fuck!" I shouted and hissed from the sharp pain radiating from my shoulder to my neck, chest, and my right foreleg.
"Stay down!" Bear Hearts shouted to me, then he said something about helping me and fired a couple of single shots towards the slavers, but I wasn't listening to him anymore.
That fucking cocksucker! I'll fucking show them!
I got up as fast as I could ignoring the pain, and started sprinting towards a tree that was nearest to the cart.
"Stay down! They'll kill you!" Bear Hearts shouted to me, which I promptly ignored
I'll fucking get that motherfucker, just have to wait until he finishes his magazine. I thought while I ran up to the tree, and readied myself to sprint at the slavers at any second while listening to the rhythmic gunshots.
- Bam, Bam, Bam... ... ... Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam...- Now!
I ran out from behind the tree and sprinted to the cart. One of the slavers was not reloading and shot at me, but everyone in the forest suddenly started shooting at him at once, so he quickly hid behind the cart. I heard him shout 'somepony's running at us!'' to the other slaver. As I was closing in on the cart, I saw the other one stick his stupid fucking horned face together with his gun levitating next to it. I was close enough to pounce at him before he had time to aim at me.
I've got you now you motherfucker!
I threw myself at him, his focus shattered and as we painfully rolled behind the cart together, I heard his gun clatter on the asphalt behind me. After we fell on the ground next to each other, I tried to get up as fast as possible to get on top of him before he could collect himself together. But the searing pain in my shoulder didn't make it easy at all. During the couple seconds more it took me to get up because of it, the slaver managed to get up, and without thinking long, he pushed me onto my side, got atop of me, and then started beating me all over my face with his hooves. I lay sideways, his weight painfully squeezing and pressing my chest and back into the hard asphalt, with a heavier pony atop of me, blocking his punches would be pointless. Instead, while taking all of his punches straight into my face, I tried to strike him in his face too, or any other weak points without defending myself at all. Every blow I took caused a shock, my counterpunches went wild, but I did feel that I hit him too from time to time.
"Winch! Move away from him so I can shoot him!" Shouted the first slaver to the one atop of me. This made him pause for a moment, he stopped punching and I felt that the pressure on my stomach and chest quickly disappeared.
No, you're not fucking getting away you motherfucker. It's not gonna be that easy!
I lunged at him and bit the first unarmoured part of his body I could see as he was trying to get off me. I got his leg. I dug in my teeth just above the hoof and started moving my jaw, trying to bite off his hoof, or at least get to the bone. The strong taste of blood that quickly filled my mouth confirmed that I was going in the right direction. He started screaming and started beating me with the other hoof blindly as he tried to back off.
Oh, he panicked. Good! Things always get easier when they panic.
As he tried to back off, I followed, the other slaver quickly coming to help his friend. I felt him punching me on the back of my head with one hoof, and the other one he wrapped around my stomach and tried to pull me away. We all fell out from behind the cover of the cart and fell on the ground again.
"Shoot! Shoot him-aaaah!" The one I was biting screamed as I landed atop him. Just a short moment later, I felt the specific texture of bone under my teeth. Time to find a new spot to bite.
The slaver's friend let go of my stomach, I felt the punches from behind stop and heard the slaver's magic, a gun crack and the sounds of reloading from behind me.
"Freeze!" I heard the voice of Bear Hearts muffled by his helmet almost at the same time.
Hah, good! He'll take care of the other one!
I let go of the slaver's leg, and as I was about to bite the next unarmoured part of his body I saw - his face, he instantly raised both of his hooves.
"I surrender! I surrender!" He shouted to me, and then in the direction of Bear Hearts, who at that moment was in a standoff against the other slaver.
Oh good, because today I was feeling like... I know! Popping somepony's head open!
I hope you're watching, Scythe,
I smiled widely. "That's cute," I told him and grabbed his head in both of my hooves. He used this moment to hit me in the muzzle with his hoof, but I didn't let go. I lifted his head and hit it against the asphalt floor with all my strength. it stunned him for a moment, and at that moment, I lifted his head and hit his head on the asphalt again. And again, He started screaming. Which I ignored, I listened to the empty bam sound of the skull hitting the bloodied asphalt every time, waiting for the satisfying crack that I was sure I would hear any second now.
Shame Scythe doesn't see this.
The slaver's scream died down after every bam. I did it again, Lift, and smash bam. He got a little quieter. Nothing? Lift, and smash, bam.
"Stop!" I heard Bear Hearts shout somewhere close to my right. Hah, sure asshole.
"I-I surre-" he moaned out.
Yes, I know. You told me before.
Lift, and smash, bam. He got quieter. Come on! Don't keep me waiting! Crack already! I want to hear it! I lifted his head again, and "
- "Plea"-he took a shallow breath-"ase" he said quietly.
I froze. And something weird happened. I still wanted to smash his head, but suddenly at that moment, at the same time, I didn't.
Fury welled up in me
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fucking do it! I want to hear the crack!
But I just held his head and stared at the slaver half closing his eyes.
No, I won't be getting soft! I'm not soft! I have to kill him! I want to! I will! I am a real raider! I can prove it!
"That's enough!" Angry and breathless Bear Hearts shouted straight at my face.
I pushed his hoof away and jumped back onto the lying slaver.
Everything in my mind screamed at me to finish him, to hurt him, and I wanted to, I wanted to crush his skull! It's almost done, and that would be the end!
Bear Hearts yanked me by the collar again, and slapped me in the face, "You want a life you dream about? Then control yourself!" He screamed furiously right at my face.
Fuck! I promised I would control myself!
Fuck me! Fuck you! You fucking asshole!
He held me by the collar and looked into my eyes. I gasped from the fatigue, and bloodlust still bubbling up inside me, while I looked back at him. In the time, Silver Shine, Flame Bash, and the white pony that was with them before either ran up to the half-conscious slaver or got to opening the cart to let go the ponies held inside. Eventually, Bear Hearts let me go but watched me carefully.
I took a few steps away from him and the cart. I wanted to smash his head so much right now. I felt a need to do it, and I was furious that I couldn't bring myself to do it. I knew Bear Hearts was right, and I made a fucking promise to myself too! Not sure whether to let go or jump in there again, I made two small circles. Towards the lying salver, and away again. Then I furiously walked away. Seeing that, Bear Hearts visibly relaxed.
I had to take out the physical pain I felt on something or else I felt I would blow the fuck up.
I walked towards the body of the slaver that was already dead when I ran up to the cart, picked up his gun, quite a heavy bolt action rifle, and started smashing it against the ground while cursing loudly for a few good minutes. I wanted nothing to be left of this weapon, and occupied my mind with that. One by one, every part of the rifle fell off, the springs and small pieces of metal fell out of the breach, the magazine fell off, the wooden stock cracked and slipped, and at the end, I was left with only a bent barrel in my hooves. Then I smelled something. Cigarettes! I looked to the ground, trying to locate the source of the smell, and saw one burning next to the slaver's corpse. I knew he must have had more on him, so I searched his body and found a pack of them. I quickly got one in my mouth and I set him on fire with the lighter he had with him, and took a long puff, by the scratching in my lungs, I knew these were the stronger kind, good. After a few puffs, I had to sit down. The tingling throughout the body and the pleasant dizziness calmed me down. Without the anger or bloodlust, my breath slowed, the pain in my arm became just unpleasant, and I could feel the droplets of blood falling off my face and shoulder.
Maybe I'm really not a raider?
Just like Scythe said. I'm a pile of shit.
I turned around to look at the cart and saw a lot of commotion. The ponies released from the cart were walking around, talking loudly, and digging through the stuff that the slavers had with them. I saw them taking weapons and clothes, I even saw somepony grab a very big and weird-looking skull that was still dripping with something. - But most importantly, they kept my captors occupied. Silver Shine was busy with the slaver that I almost killed, Flame Bash was doing something inside the cart, and Bear Hearts was busy with freed the ponies around him
They wouldn't even notice if I just...
I slowly turned to the left and faced the forest on the left side of the road, but I didn't move.
If not for the Bomb collar, nothing was stopping me from just slowly walking away into the forest. They wouldn't find me.
But even If I escape, what then? I don't have a future among normal ponies.
The only thing I could do when I'm free would be just getting back to killing.
But do I really want that?
Then I heard the bushes moving, and to my surprise, Scythe leaned his head out of them. He pressed a hoof to his mouth, signalling me to be quiet. Then, he presented a pistol on his hoof and pointed at me twice.
I frowned not knowing what was that supposed to mean.
Is he going to shoot me? Or is the gun for me?
But before I could do anything, he was gone. ***
I smoked another cigarette and waited looking at the forest from time to time. Finally, after some loud shouts from Silver Shine, everypony started forming a column, Flame Bash and Silver Shine were in the lead, and Bear Heart at the back. In the middle walked around a dozen ponies freed from the wagon, two of them were pulling the wagon itself. I assumed we were going back to the town.
I wasn't intending to let Bear Hearts think he trained me like a dog, so I joined the column somewhere around in the middle. The ponies in the column seeing me, a bloodied pony who just a while ago almost smashed a slaver's skull against the asphalt, moved away from me leaving a metre radius of empty space between me and them. I just walked and didn't look at anypony else. It did make me smile though. Ponies being scared of me made me feel better, stronger. Something like that.
Walking, even slowly, wasn't the most pleasant thing in the world. I limped slightly, my shot shoulder hurt, and I was pretty sure I had a bullet stuck inside. Fortunately, it almost doesn't bleed anymore. I'll have to discreetly give Bear Hearts an idea of getting it out of me without me asking for it. But later. I can manage walking like this to the town.
I wonder if they give up on looking for the lost guy tomorrow. There's just no way he's still alive after three days. Even more with everypony talking about that hedger like it's some very dangerous threat.
Shame, I wanted to see who that mare was crying about so hard.
I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my shoulder and hissed. I started limping more intensely to relieve my right foreleg a bit more and looked at it. It started bleeding all over again.
Fuck
I need to get that at least bandaged. I could ask Bear Herts for a potion or something. He would probably give me something.
But I don't intend to ask him for anything.
As I limped and walked along the column I started looking around for something. At the ponies walking beside me, in front of me, behind me, at the cart, at the ground. I just needed to bandage that shoulder, for now, any piece of cloth would do.
A battered darkish blue unicorn stallion wearing a white ragged shirt and brown saddlebags, with a face of a criminal, a short dimm yellow mane and sad but vibrant amber-coloured eyes noticed me looking around frantically.
"Is everything okay?" He asked while entering the empty space between me and the other rescued ponies, while glancing at my bloodied shoulder and face.
I don't need your help.
"Mind your own business," I said dismissively and went back to looking ahead at nothing in particular.
"But you're bleeding"
"It's not my blood" I looked him in the eyes and smiled nastily.
"Listen, I can see you're hurt. You're limping, " he said irritatedly, "I can help."
Now that lit a red lamp. He wants something from me, otherwise, he wouldn't want to help me so much. Why else would anypony help a raider?
I'd tell him to fuck off but, I really could use something to fix that shoulder...
"You're hurt yourself, so the fuck you want?" I asked and looked him in the eyes.
"The fuck you mean what I want!?" he burst, but took a deep breath, and resumed calmly, "I see you're hurt. I just want to help you."
Like I'm talking to Bear Hearts all over fucking again!
With each step, I felt the stabbing pain in my shoulder more and more, which made me limp equally more.
Okay fuck, what am I scared of here? Even if he'll want something in exchange later, I can just tell him to fuck off. It's not the clan, he's not gonna beat me up because of that later.
"Okay, You want to help me? The last pony in the column. A big brown pony. Go ask him for a bandage. He'll give you something for sure "
"Why won't you go ask yourself?"
"He... He wouldn't give it to me if I asked."
"You need to treat that wound fast." He grabbed the sleeve of his shirt with his teeth and tore it off, levitated it out of his mouth with his yellow magic, and began bandaging my shoulder with it. I was too surprised to say anything.
"I don't have any bandages, but at least that's what I can do," he said, focusing on tying the cloth
What.
He finished tying the piece of cloth and looked at my face closely.
I looked at the red stain on the bandage that was rapidly getting bigger and bigger. "And you want nothing in exchange?" I asked suspiciously.
"No!" he replied annoyed
We walked in silence for a moment. Does he really want nothing?
If he didn't want anything, and to be fair, he didn't give me a reason not to believe him, then I guess I should say something right? Do something for him in exchange?
I felt like I should.
The thought reminded me of it constantly. Like something was scratching me on the head. It became more unbearable than the pain in my shoulder
I turned to him a couple of times, trying to say something, but I didn't know what. I knew I had to do something in exchange!
As much as I don't want to say it. I don't think I have any other choice...
The words felt like a cinder block was going through my throat.
I looked at him and... ... ... ... ...
"Thanks," I said and quickly turned my head away from him.
He instantly turned towards me and looked at me shocked for a moment. "I... I didn't think I would hear something like this from a... somepony like you."
"Shut the fuck up or I'll tear your throat out with my teeth."
After that, a long pause followed before he said anything.
"Why did you help me?" I asked curiously
He made a big circle with his head, and faced me "I don't want anything! Do you not understand?"
"I fucking get it! But why did you do it then?." I said while nodding my head.
He calmed down and his face softened "Oh... Well... I always help. As much as I can."
"Well that's a stupid fucking rule, you'll get used by everypony."
"Okay." he shrugged
"What? The fuck?"
"I don't care about that." he turned his amber eyes away from me
"Did you fall on your fucking head? Do you have no self-respect? no dignity?"
I was clearly making him angry, but he didn't lash out at me or anything. "No, I don't."
I looked at him in disbelief. Seeing that he sighed and looked at the ground.
"I was a slaver before... I caught and sold ponies into slavery, where they worked for the rest of their lives, and usually died. That's... That's how I'm trying to make up for it."
"Oh, you think it's going to make a difference?"
"You think it won't?"
I remembered my conversation with Scythe.
"Listen, do you actually think anypony would want you in their life? Knowing what you did?" I asked him.
He looked me confidently in the eyes, "There always will be ponies that will forgive you, as long as you try to make up for the wrong things you did."
"And you really believe that?"
He just sighed and shrugged.
"And what made you change your ways?" I asked out of pure curiosity.
He's punishing himself because he wants to? Because he believes that someday somepony will forgive him. That's crazy. He's crazy. What logic is there? Everypony will still hate him anyway!
Crazy. He's crazy.
I wonder...
"What made you change your ways?" I asked indifferently, out of pure curiosity.
He wanted to say something, but he didn't, only after a moment he replied. "You wouldn't get it right now."
"And how can you know?" I said with irritation. Does he think I'm too stupid?
"Because it's guilt. And I can see that you feel none."
I just shrugged. Why would I feel guilt? All I ever did, I did because I was taught that way. I never had a choice, so It's not my fault. Simple.
Suddenly the former slaver turned his head towards somepony, and then he quickly looked at me.
"You will be alright?" He asked me, in a tone which suggested he knew what I was going to say
"Yes"
He nodded and walked away from me towards the front of the column disappearing among the other ponies. I heard him ask somepony 'Are you alright?' before I completely lost track of him.
I guess there are a lot of weirdos even outside raider clans. ***
Silver Shine had to send someone ahead to notify the mayor
When we arrived, a weird picture greeted my eyes. As we entered the city and walked the main street towards the mayor's office, we saw ponies from all over the town standing on the streets holding blankets, baskets with bread and water in bottles or other containers. The rescued ponies who needed something came to the inhabitants of the city and were instantly offered shelter, food, or any other kind of support. Why would these towns ponies do any of that, I couldn't even begin to understand. I had no idea what any of these ponies would get out of doing that.
Why else would they do it?
It resulted in a small chaos. Ponies were walking in random directions, searching for their friends, or looking if anypony had what they needed at the moment. Instead of going to the end of the street where the inhabitants stood with the offerings, I sat down to relieve my no longer bleeding shoulder amid the ponies chaotically walking around me in all directions. I could only wait for Bear Hearts or his friends to take me somewhere.
Then I heard a familiar sound. A cry that I knew well.
I stood up, raised my head as high as possible and stood on the tips of my hooves to see better. I saw the yellow mare who lost her husband crying while running from the direction of the mayor's office towards the newly arrived ponies.
We got distracted by the slavers and didn't find her husband, she's in for quite a disappointment.
Shame, I was curious about him... Wait.
She wasn't just crying. As she ran, I looked at the corners of her mouth, they were curled into a smile.
She was crying of happiness? I was confused until I saw a darkish blue unicorn start running towards her, and then hug her tightly.
That's her husband? Heh, I guess we got really lucky he was there with the slavers then. How did he even get there...
Wait a moment. I recognise that pony. That's... No way. Him?! She cried so much after a... a... former slaver?! That's...
I didn't know whether to feel disappointed, shocked, or... I didn't know.
This is the 'good pony' she talked about? He was a Slaver! Suddenly he started acting all good and helpful and she forgot about that?!
I watched as they hugged each other without paying attention to the ponies moving and talking around them.
She did!
"Raider!" I heard the voice of Bear Hearts from somewhere in the crowd behind me.
Fuck off for a moment would you.
If a mare can love a former slaver...
I relaxed and felt like all of the worries I had before left my body.
"Raider, we're going, " Bear Hearts said from behind me. Fuck off right now! I'm having a big moment here! Don't you have fucking something else to do right now or something?!
But I knew I had to listen, and it was fucking irritating! Most Ponies were slightly taller than me, so as I lowered my head to a comfortable position and came off the tops of my hooves, the embracing couple got obscured by ponies walking around the street. I turned towards Bear Hearts without a word and slightly lowered my eyelids. But the good feelings didn't leave, even despite this inconvenience.
He nodded his head to his left, " Come, you can enjoy your good deed later. Right now we need to take care of your shoulder."
Enjoy the good deed? "Fuck o-" I swallowed the curse. Oh...
I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't expect him to remember about me being hurt, even more, him wanting to take care of that. Limping, I followed him, ponies around us gave way, and seeing me, they began to talk to each other.
I didn't care, I felt good!
I might have a chance! ***
We sat in the hotel room where Bear Hearts and his team were staying. It was not too big, but enough for three ponies, with four of us it started to get a bit crowded, but it was manageable. The wooden floor was patched with various boards from different trees, The walls and ceiling were white, freshly painted with lime mortar. The whole room was lit with a proper light hanging from the ceiling, instead of just a lightbulb. Fancy.
Bear Hearts and Silver Shine sat on their beds, and Flame Bash sat over me while I lay on my back on old newspapers layed on the floor next to Bear Hearts' fancy navy blue armour. He asked Flame Bash to take the bullet out of my shoulder, and after a lively exchange, he agreed under some circumstances. One of them was that I don't get to lie on a bed.
Asshole.
I'm pretty sure that one of these circumstances also was that I get no anaesthesia because-
A sharp pain burst in my shoulder for a split second, "Augh!", I groaned, " Just do it with your fucking horn!"
"Shut up raider, " Flame Bash said with a serious focused face while changing the positions of the tweezers levitating in his orange magic in the wound in my shoulder.
I was just a touch, nothing terrible. It doesn't hurt that much, the pain's in the head. - I repeated to myself as Flame Bash stared straight at my Shoulder, with a still-focused face.
I was sure he was using tweezers just to torture me. In the clan, they did it with just their horns! Just look at the joy in his eyes! Bear Hearts! Do something!
"So, where's our next stop? " Bear Hearts asked Silver Shine while ignoring the dirty gaze I gave him, in the hopes he'd do something.
"We're going along the river northeast deeper into Fillington, towards the coastal frontline."
"Any roads there?"
"Yes, an intercity road, a highway, and railroad tracks. Plenty of options."
"Oh good, I hate tearing through bushes. "
Ever since seeing the yellow mare with the slaver, I had a question in my mind.
"Shed some pounds then, it will be easier for you to squeeze between trees," Flame Bash joked, and all of them chuckled.
"Hey, "I said to grab their attention, but got no reaction, "Hey!"
Everypony fell silent, the only sounds were the distant tapping of the ceiling fan in the reception and a faint creaking of the floorboards in the corridor outside of the room. Even Flame Bash stopped to glance at my face. I took a deep breath, "How long do you plan to keep me as your dog?" I said unpleasantly with a slight pretension while turning my head sideways towards them so I could see their faces. They all stayed, and Flame Bash began to rummage in my shoulder again.
"As long as we need to" Silver Shine replied after a few seconds.
"You're not our dog," Bear Hearts added.
"For what?" I asked, looking at Silver Shine.
"For you to stop being an unpredictable murderer, which you showed you are today." He said matter of factly
I looked back at the ceiling again. Fuck. I'll have to wait for Scythe then.
Then a gunshot rang across the room, wooden splinters flew in from the door, which the next second got kicked open. I didn't even have time to get up. Then a red pony with the top of his head wrapped in a bandage walked it with a shotgun. As he entered the room, he shot Silver Shine, Flame Bash who stood above me, and Bear Hearts twice. I felt a burning pain in several spots on the side of my injured shoulder, over which Flame Bash sat just a second ago. All of that took around another two seconds. None of them had the time to react.
Then he pointed his shotgun at me but didn't shoot.
"Hey Pensie, I've got myself a gun!" Scythe said with a smile. |
Fallout Equestria - A Raider With A Heart | That's what it's all about | The dim evening light coming from the window together with the lamp on the ceiling lit the room well. Lying on my back on the floor with a light smile - my learned response to fear or anxiety, I looked up into Scythe's shotgun barrel enveloped in his red magic and pointed right at me. To assert my situation, I looked around the room, and saw small pools of blood spilling from my captors lying on the floor while they coughed or moaned in pain.
"Don't worry about them," he waved his hoof and said dismissively. I looked back at him, waiting for what he was going to do next. "I saw you got quite accustomed to your friends here, " he nodded towards Flame Bash and the tweezers that lay on the floor next to me. "But I hope it wasn't anything serious?" He asked, raising one of his brows.
He's asking me that? He's giving me a choice...
He's not going to like my answer...
Somehow it's still good to see him anyway.
"I was starting to wonder wether you were going to show up!" I said with a cheer, making my smile more relaxed, and started to get up while getting a closer look at him. He hid his ears by bandaging them, and dressed in some merchant armour to look like a normal pony. Smart. I expected him to do something more... raiderly, not something smart like that.
He didn't stop pointing the gun at me as I got up, and he just stared at me.
That was worrying.
"Did you... bring me anything?" I asked with a slight pretention, " and stop pointing that fucking thing at me!" With a smile that was getting a bit nervous I pushed the rifle away from me.
"Sure." He levitated a knife.
That length, the brown handle, the bevelled end, those familiar scratches!
I instantly recognised. My knife! He levitated it to my mouth. I bit the handle and smiled widely.
I noticed that he was pointing his shotgun at me again while watching me carefully. That was getting very worrying.
"Kill them, and we'll be on our way" He said while glancing at the lying and bleeding ponies on the floor next to the beds, not lowering the shotgun.
So it's a test.
I looked at them too. Silver Shine and Flame Bash? With pleasure. But Bear Hearts? He was the only one that treated me... Well better than them at least.
Silver Shine looked at me too. Carefully watching my next move.
"I kill them and everything goes back to as it was?" I asked Scythe
"I hope you don't have a problem with that?" He asked, and I felt the cold barrel touch the back of my head.
I do, and He knows that.
My heart started beating fast. I knew I was going to have to kill him. I can't fuck that up. I don't want to find out if he'll actually fulfull his threats from few days ago.
"No. Compared to this," i nodded towards my captors bleeding on the floor in the small room, "I Like being a-" I lowered my head to avoid the shot, turned around instantly, and jumped on Scythe as fast as I could. He shot, missing my head, The gunshot stunned me, and a high pitched buzz filled my ears. He used that moment to hit me over the head with a shotgun butt. I held my head close to the gun, and he held the gun with his magic, so the hit wasn't strong. I shrugged it off and rushed to plunge the knife in his chest. Discarding his shotgun, he lowered his head, pointed his horn at me.
Fucking unicorns and their horns
More precisely at my neck, and started running at me, hoping I'd do the same. But seeing that i stopped, and started backing up to not get impaled in that horn.
He was faster, but I managed to get out of his way to the right. Having his head down, he didn't see it until it was too late. When he was almost at the room's back wall where the window was, I took a swing with my head, and stabbed him in the left side of his chest. But I didn't end on one. I quickly took the knife out, and stabbed again, and again. He turned his head towards me and shot a burst of magic out of his horn, I ducked away under him, and with a great difficulty, lifted the rear half of his body. He was kicking and I heard him trying to use his magic on something, but I wasn't giving him time for that. I started pushing him towards the window. He clasped his front legs against it, I managed to reach his right font leg with my knife, after I stabbed it a few times, the leg let go of the window, his front fell on the floor, and with him shouting insults, I threw his rump out through the closed window. It dragged the front of his body, and while calling me a motherfucker, he fell out the window. A second after, I heard him hit the ground.
I leaned out of the window. One floor is not that high, and I couldn't go out there to finish him off. Somepony would stop me, maybe even kill me since I'm the one that looks like a raider.
Maybe I got lucky and he fell on his head.
I turned around towards the room and saw Flame Bash lying quietly and bleeding on the right hoof side of the room, close to Silver Shine who looked like he was in slightly better condition because he watched me carefully. Huh, they haven't bled out yet.
"Raider"-- Silver Shine started saying something.
I ignored that for now, and looked at Bear Hearts on the right, lying on the floor next to his bed and armour. His breathing was shallow, and his pool of blood was larger than the rest's.
Oh no. Not him.
Fueled by stress and adrenaline, I jumped at his bags as fast as I could. He's got to have some healing potions on him! I dug through the bag, looking for the purple liquid filled bottles while my hooves shook from the stress.
And found two!
I grabbed them in my mouth and rushed to Bear Hearts. I placed them on the floor, opened one quickly, almost spilling it on the floor, opened his mouth with my hoof, and poured half of the contents of the bottle in, and the other half onto his blood-red fur. The blood quickly washed away, leaving his dark brown coat clean and closing his wounds before my eyes.
His breathing quickly deepened and slowed.
I took a deep breath almost in sync with him.
Okay. That's good. That's good. Now for the rest of them. I relaxed.
Still panting, I grabbed the other healing potion, brought it to Silver Shine. His eyes were tired, but still open. He looked at me harshly as I opened the bottle slowly this time, and poured a drop into Flame Bash's mouth. To make sure he stays with us a bit longer.
"Raider," He said quietly, in a demanding tone.
That's as close to breaking free as I can get.
If there is some higher power. Please let this work, and I swear I won't hurt anypony ever again... Without a proper reason.
I brought my face close to Silver Shine's "Tell me how to take these things off me," I tapped the collars with my hoof, " "And I'll help you and your friend."
"No." He responded without thinking.
Fuck you! "Listen!" I bursted, but quickly calmed my tone, "Are you really going to let your friend die just to fuck me over?"
"Don't..." Flame Bash grunted
Shut the fuck up!
Silver shine glanced at the bleeding orange pony next to him, and then back at me.
"We won't let... A raider free to" he took coughed blood, " to kill again."
A wave of anger was building inside me. Why must they be so fucking stubborn!?
"I!... I had a chance for that just now! " i growled and brought my angry face closer, almost whispering in his ear, so that nopony would hear what I was going to say "Please. I promise I won't go back to raiding. Just... just let me go."
He looked at Flame Bash, and at me again. "Give us the potion, and you can be sure I won't forget that. But we're not letting you go."
Why! The fuck! Not!?
With an explosion of anger, I growled and hit him on the face with my hoof, and got back up with the potion.
"Then lay there and bleed out!" I erupted.
"You won't find the remotes! And nopony is going to help a raider get the collars off!" Silver Shine tried to reason with me in a weak and tired voice.
I don't fucking care.
I grabbed Scythe's shotgun that lay on the floor in my hoof, sat on the bed across the room with it, and the potion, and just stared at both of them.
They are willing to sacrifice themselves just to fuck me over! In-fucking-credible! And ponies call them heroes!
I wonder which one is going to bleed out first...
Then my ears twitched as I heard somepony moving on my right. I looked there, and saw Bear Hearts getting up.
Fuck.
He got up, his eyes screwed into his companions. Then he looked at me, and with a quick step approached me. I held the gun in both of my forehooves, and pointed it at him.
He slowed down. And with a careful pose and expression, he glanced at the potion lying on the bed next to me, and then at me again.
We stood like that for a moment. Bear Hearts probably wondering if he had to kill me in order to save his friends, and I, out of pure anger just not wanting him to help them.
He was getting awfully close. I noticed him teansing up his muscles, preparing to strike me.
Ah fuck! Whatever. They die, I'm probably just as dead too.
I pointed the gun away from Bear Hearts, letting him know he can take the potion.
He exhaled, and slowly grabbed the potion in his hoof, still watching me carefully.
I looked away from him. That made him relax, he took the potion, and quickly brought it to his friends. As he did, i heard hoofsteps rushing up the floor.
Scythe's coming again.
I took cover behind the bed i was sitting on, and pointed the gun at the entrance.
After few seeconds, i saw a group of ponies with guns, the gate guards and the mayor climb to the top of the stairs. When they saw me, tbey shouted to take cover, and instantly fell back down the wooden stairs, only their guns sticking out.
"Don't shoot!" I shouted at them, "I didn't do it!"
They whispered something to each other. "Put your gun away and let us see for ourselves raider!" The mayor replied after a moment.
"So you can shoot me without a problem? Sure, right fucking on it!" I replied.
Then I heard quick hoofsteps behind me. There was an orange flash, something hit me in tbe face. Ilost focus on anything, and fell on my side on the floor, then I felt something heavy press onto me, and before the shock could pass, i felt a barrage of hoof punches on my face. ***
Fucking ow.
My face hurt all over. My cheeks and brows were swollen, the chain got back on, and we were on our way again. Going to some other city.
That was after Flame Bash beat the shit out of me, and then finished my little 'surgery' by mercilessly ripping the bullet out of my shoulder and the birdshot pellets from Scythes shotgun from my side with his horn magic, which opened all the wounds even more.
Turns out he using the tweezers before was him at least trying to be gentle.
And I was sure they chained me again just as some form of punishment.
I limped quickly, saving my bandaged leg, but trying to stay in pace with them all so the collar wouldn't pull on my burned neck. They all walked just fine after drinking a healing potion each.
We walked next to rusted train tracks. The tracks themselves were completely red and brown from rust. The concrete blocks connecting the rails that emerged from the stones with which the tracks were gave a stable foothold, but imposed annoyingly short steps, so we all walked next to the tracks, on the yellowish grass.
Eventually everything got dark. With the sun gone, it was starting to get chilly, so they decided to start looking for a place to spend the night in.
They found a small railway station, a small red brick building with just a ticket booth, and eight three pony benches bolted to a concrete floor, four against every wall on the two sides of the ticket booth that stood in the centre of the station. Without a word, Bear Hearts chained to one of the benches in the corner on one side of the station, while Silver Shine barricaded every window and door of the station, and the rest of my captors tried to work out a fire on the other side.
Great. I was so hungry I thought I could pass out any moment, thirsty, and now they are gonna make me sleep on a cold concrete.
I'm not going to just quietly sit here like this. I've got to somehow get myself some food.
"I'm fucking hungry!" I shouted at them across the station.
"Good! I hope you die of hunger!" Flame Bash replied quickly, and went back to starting the fire with Bear Hearts.
"I should have gutted you and then killed Scythe!" I shouted back as I stood up
"You should have! Then they would have killed you and the Wasteland would be a better place!"
"Don't fucking act as if-"
"Shut the fuck u-" he interrupted me, but I didn't stop
"--You wouldn't happily finish me off if I was the one bleeding out on the floor!" We shouted at each other at the same time.
We both finished. I wasn't sure if he understood what I shouted to him
"Shut up both of you!" Silver shine shouted to us. " Or you will still bring something to us with that noise! Shout at each other during the day!"
"Good! I hope whatever I bring will tear you all to shreds!" I paused for a moment, "Give me something to eat!"
Silver shine stopped pushing a wardrobe to a window, and with a fast step approached me. I raised my head and took a firm pose to show I wasn't afraid. "Shut your mouth or I will bake your neck until it's black." He croaked through his teeth.
It was the first time I saw him actually angry.
"If you'd just let me go then, you wouldn't have me as your problem!" I shouted again
He levitated a pistol out lf a holster he had around his chest, raised it, and put it to the top of my head. "Shut. Up. Last warning."
I just looked angrily in his equally infuriated eyes for a long moment. "Why didn't you just let me go?" I growled
"I am not going to just let a raider roam free, because he had a change of heart." He growled back.
"Why not!" I shouted because of frustration that built inside me.
I felt something hit me on the top of my head so hard that my forelegs collapsed. I fell to the floor, hitting it first with my jaw and then with my stomach, biting my tongue very painfully in the process.
"You don't murder and rape one day, and then the next just say you won't do it anymore. You must pay for what you did."
So that's what it's all about
I do not!
I didn't respond, my head, tongue and jaw hurt too much from the fall, so Silver Shine walked away, and git back to barricading the station.
After the pain dimmed out a bit, I raised my head from the floor, "So you and your asshole friends will keep me as your punching bag until you deem it's enough?!" I shouted at him. He didn't respond. "You motherfucker! I'm not going to be your dog!" I suddenly felt a searing pain explode in my neck, which made me start thrashing and screaming on the floor.
Almost instantly Bear hearts stood from where the fire slowly started lighting the station "Stop it Silver!" He shouted, and the shock collar stopped.
Motherfuckers! Fucking cock sucking sons of whores!
I thought as I lied on the cold floor. I hate them. I hate them so much. If there is a higher power in the wasteland. Fuck you! I will kill them the second I have the chance! ***
After an hour or so, the fire they made was decent sized. Silver Shine barricaded all entrances and holes in the walls, and now all of them were sitting near the fire together. a strong smell of something delicious hit my nose. That alone made me start drooling without even knowing what they were cooking there. I got so hungry, I thought I was going to lass out any moment. My stomach was starting to hurt, spreading an annoying emptiness across my body.
Then I saw Bear Hearts get up, and start going in my direction with two bowls of something hot and steamy on his hoof. I could already imagine it was going to be good. I licked my face and locked my unconsciously wide open eyes on the bowls.
He saw my i could eat whatever was inside together with the bowl' gaze, and to my suprise, the big brown pony sat on the floor next to me and slid one of the bowls in front of my hooves.
I instantly got to eating whatever was inside. Some kind of colourful vegetable mix, salty and delicious. Exackly what I needed right now. I emptied the bowl in a flash, and knew I could fit one or two more. I saw him holding the second bowl near to him.
I straightened up and looked up at bear hea-
At his neck, he was just that tall when sitting next to me. I looked further up at his face.
"Give me that."
He pushed the second bowl to me, I took the bowl in my forehooves, and brought it to my mouth. It was the same thing that was in the first bowl, but worse. Or I just wasn't that hungry anymore.
"Who was the pony at the hotel?" He asked while I was finishing.
"Scythe, he was our unofficial leader. Until you fucked up the clan." I explained while licking the bowl clean.
"Do you have any idea what he's going to do now?"
That made me freeze with my tounge out in the bowl" Hhat? He fucking survived?"
Bear Hearts nodded positively with an understanding look.
Fuck
"No. He'll want to kill me, and you all probably too. That's all." I got back to licking the bowl.
He muttered in response.
Then to my shock, he put his heavy hoof on my shoulder. I froze with my nose in the bowl again, not knowing how I was supposed to react. I just looked at him out of the corner of my eye to see what the fuck was he trying to do.
He noticed how I stiffened "Calm down," he patted my shoulder, "Thanks... For what you did for me. You really surprised me." He said sincerely, and... proudly?
"... Cool" I said shortly. I felt awkward and didn't know what to do, but...
This feels pleasant. I like it. I like the hoof on my back, and him being nice.
I relaxed, and even smiled lightly.
"Silver and Flame... they are not like what you think. They..."--
"Do you agree with them?" I asked him suspiciously
His soft face took a troubled look.
"The- no. You all think they're some kind of fucking Wasteland heroes that deliver justice."
"Raider. I don't agree with them completely, but"--
"I just had the chance to run away and go back to raiding! How is that not enough!?"
"Raider."--
"Fuck you! You know nothing about me! Who do you think you all are?!"
He took his hoof off me, which I felt was a loss for some reason. "Be nice, that's the only thing that can help you. Please." He said sincerely. "I'll get you a blanket or something," he finished, matter of factly.
"I never chose this life!" I shouted at him as he got up.
"It... It doesn't change what you did." He said with doubt, as if half believing what he said himself, turned around, and went off towards the fire.
I should have left fucking them all to bleed out! ***
I hate autumn. I opened my eyes and felt the cold. I threw the blanket off me and rolled of the bench that i slept through the night on,
I hate autumn. As soon as I opened my eyes, and the sweet Insensitivity of sleep left my body, I felt the cold. It penetrated the blanket I was tightly wrapped into and my skin effortlessly. A mild inconvenience, but annoying enough that I couldn't fall back into the comfort of numbness that sleep would bring. No matter how much I tried to ignore it and force my eyes shut, my body began to involuntarily shake, trying to combat the coolness while shaking the last bits of tiredness off me.
With an annoyed growl, I unwound the blanket and with my chain clanking loudly, I rolled off the bench that the other end of my chain was attached to. While the chain and the collars cooperated together to restrict my head movements as much as possible, making most of my sleeping positions uncomfortable as fuck the bench proved itself as an alright place to sleep. Definitely better than the concrete floor it was bolted to.
I stretched like dogs do, raising my rear up and leaning backwards until I touched the ground with my belly. I savored the pleasant feeling of muscles stretching after the nighttime stagnation, until it was interrupted by all my wounds reminding me of themselves all at once. My neck burned under one of the collars, my left shoulder and side emanated a sharp pain in various places, and my swollen face and tongue hurt if I moved them too much.
All in all, not much has changed since the clan
Silver cunt and friends probably drank themselves a potion or two to help their wounds. I looked towards them, lying wrapped in blankets similar to mine on the far end of the station around the bonfire. The fire was dying down, they must have it not much warmer than I do. Do they plan to go through winter like this? You can't do that with just fire and blankets. We all need proper winter clothes to not freeze.
Eh, Nevermind that. They can freeze for as long as I care.
With the clanking of my chain I sat on the bench, pulled the blanket over me and looked at them again.
They plan to drag me with themselves until they decide I served my punishment. What can I do about that? They'll rather die than let me go.
Try to escape again? How? With the collars and shit no ideas came to mind. Killing them wasn't an option either. They must take the collars if me themselves, otherwise I'll never take that shit off.
No matter how much I didn't want to, every way I thought of led me to one inevitable conclusion.
I'll have to... be their good dog.
Fuck.
Well, I can be good, but i don't have to be pleasant.
I took a deep breath, and..." I'm hungry assholes!" |
Fallout Equestria - A Raider With A Heart | A moment worth appricieating | why won't they just let me go?
answer: They don't trust me, that's pretty obvious.
answer number two: they think it would be too good for me.
Why that is what I don't understand.
you mean what, i'm supposed to suffer a little before they let me go to satisfy Flame Bash's and Silver Shine's sick sense of justice? I'm supposed to fucking throw myself on a sentry cannon and let it tear me to fucking shreds to please them? Should I fucking walk around like a hermit, in frayed clothes, humbling myself and moaning about how 'I don't deserve to live because I've done so much wrong' for them to give me a break? And even if! What if the other ponies I meet want the same thing? Am I supposed to do this over and over with everypony I meet?
No! I will fucking not! ***
The swamp spread out before me, the waterlogged ground, the consistency of which resembled pudding, threatened to bog us down. The only thing that protected us from getting stuck, and since it was getting pretty cold, freezing in the slush, was a wooden footbridge that crossed the swamp in a straight line.
"Hurry raider! Maybe someone is still alive!" Bear Hearts shouted to me seeing that I was Barely trotting.
Well, too bad, because somehow I don't feel like running today! My legs are sore!
I had to run away from Radwolves because Silver Shine convinced Bear Hearts to use me as a bait.
"You guys might get more caps for somepony alive, but me? I won't get shit. "
Unlike Flame Bash who was rather good looking, regardless of facial expression, Bear Hearts had a face that was not pleasant. And with the slight profession that had set in on her at this point, one could say bluntly that he looked nasty.
Appearances are deceiving. In this case very much so.
"I don't do it just for the money, and you shouldn't either."
I laughed, "Sure, because anyypony would do that for me."
"If you don't ever try, it's gonna be like that for sure."
Yeah, fucking sure. Eh.
I nodded my head sideways and sighed, but quickened my step
Bear Hearts beamed slightly, and turned his head to look in the direction he was running in.
The walkway was wide, a pony could pull a cart over it without too much trouble. That much space allowed me to walk fairly freely, so I could look around and observe my surroundings without worrying about losing my balance or falling off into the mud. I stared at the weird trees we passed from time to time sticking out of the sludge. Almost completely leafless, and surrounded by crowns of roots sticking out of the mud around it, each a few tens of centimetres long.
"Do you see anything?" Bear Hearts asked me, seeing that I was looking at one point for a long time.
"No... well, actually yes, a swamp all around, and some three cocksuckers on the footbridge in front of me." I told him, making breaks for catching my breath between every other word.
Bear Hearts turned around muttering something to himself, and correcting the big rifle he carried on his
No offense, I think you're cool Bears, I just don't want it to be obvious.
"Well, we're here!" Flame Bash shouted, pointing forward.
Curious to see what the asshole had found, I ran up together with Bear Hearts, and we saw a dilapidated cart made of wood. Dragged out from the pathway, partially submerged in mud, and torn into pieces with a great force.
There were three bodies lying by the cart, at least that's what I saw. The bodies of ponies, a normal sight, but what caught my attention was that two of them were huddled together. The two ponies, afraid to move lest Aliflats sense them, were frozen in the mud.
Looking at this, I felt something like a .... emptiness. I stared at them for a long time. ...
"Aliflat work." Silver Shine stated, " they're probably here somewhere submerged in this mud," he nodded toward the cart.
Flame Bash lifted his head up and groaned in exasperation, "Winter's around the corner and we get a job like this? We were supposed to take only the easy ones at the end, Silver!"
Aliflats. They jump out of the mud on you and drown you under their weight. Not the worst way to die.-
"--ot of money." Silver Shine finished, snapping me back to here and now again.
Flame Bash sighed, "Damn it. Well, looks like nopony's there, we should check that wagon then, -find out who they ate."
"Or if somepony survived." Bear Hearts added
"How?" Flame Bash turned to bear hearts while making sweeping movements with the front legs, "look how they tore it apart! There must have been at least several of them, and you know what they are like before winter sleep!"
"I'm just saying we shouldn't assume the worst-case scenario right away."
Flame Bash calmed his tone, "You and your optimism are gonna get us killed someday." He shook his head. "And that there, is the perfect example," he added while pointing at me with his leg after a moment. In response, I reared and crossed my front legs, one vertically and the other horizontally in a vulgar gesture.
"Well then, who goes?" Silver Shine asked after silence fell
They both turned and looked at me
"The lightest one." Flame Bash replied with a grin, "Maybe he'll be useful for something again."
"Fuck off both of you!" I bursted at Flame Bash, and at Silver Shine who I noticed was looking at Bear Hearts in an asking manner.
"Alright." he said blankly, to which Silver Shine smiled slightly, and Flame Bash very widely.
Wha-
"Prepare to fly, raider!" Flame Bash shouted happily.
Their horns started glowing, I felt their combined magic envelop me, and start slowly lifting me from the ground while I trashed my legs in the air and shouted insults at them.
"In life, you have to appreciate moments like this," Flame Bash said to Silver Shine, and they both chuckled as they levitated me over the mud.
between the heads of these two cocksuckers I saw a brief flash in the distance. somewhere maybe a hundred metres from here, Where the road was turning and passing one of these strange trees.
Then I heard a bang, they all turned around, and at that exact moment Flame Bash bursted with a wail of pain, and collapsed on the wooden walkway. Suddenly the whole magic that enveloped me disappeared, and I fell into the cold mush close to the walkway.
With a loud, worried... no, a scared shout, Bear Hearts jumped over Flame Bash, shielding the lying orange pony with his own body. Meanwhile, Silver Shine jumped to the side, hoping that burrowing himself into the mud, and a wooden footbridge protruding hoof-high from the mud would shield us from the fire.
I lay still in the brown sludge. No alifat hadn't jumped on me yet, that's a good sign.
I carefully crawled towards the walkway, watching the surface of the mush all around me for any movement.
If any Aliflat was to jump on me, at least I'll know when to hold my breath...
Silver Shine tried to simultaneously retrieve the weapon slung across his back, and pull health potions from his pockets while I dug into the mud as deep as I could cursing repeatedly. He concentrated on the potions. gave me one and levitated it to my muzzle as I got close to him..
"Give it to Flame Bash! Quick!" I grabbed it but didn't flinch. He's gonna fucking shoot me! And I'm supposed to save that asshole ?
"Do it!" Silver Shine shouted at me
"Fuck off!"
"Do that or I'll crush your larynx right... now..." He started shouting, but downed his voice to a low growl.
"I hope that some bullet will snap off that fucking horn of yours." I muttered to myself
Reluctantly, I looked at Bear Hearts standing over Flame Bash, firing in the direction of the attacker who was barely visible in the distance
If I don't get fucking shot in the process!
A bullet hit Bear Hearts right front right knee. it bent under him and he fell down on his front cursing loudly.
Just like that!
I don't think that's anything serious. Or nothing that couldn't be fixed with a potion. And now that he lay on the ground, I could hide behind him to give Flame Bash the potion!
I took a breath, and prepared to jump onto the footbridge, but then, another shot tore through bear Heart's armour. That's what I assumed by the short wail of pain that followed. I couldn't see where it hit him, but the effect of it I saw was just fine. He fell completely limp on the footbridge in front of Flame Bash. I froze in place and watched him fall.
Seeing another one of his friends go down, silver shine shouted a curse, and fired away from that same rifle he shot me with when we first met. I was glad to stand on the other side of that barrel.
Then I snapped to reality.
Oh shit They're both hit! Fuck! Shit! Were fucked!
"Give them the potion you useless bastard!"
Alright! Alr...
I stopped myself from preparing for a bold sprint.
We aren't fucked. They are fucked.
and that leaves, just you. I thought turning my head to Silver Shine
"If we survive this, you're gonna have to let me out!" I shouted to him, half joking and probing him over the sound of gunfire.
"Not now! Give them the potion!"
"Now, you asshole! Answer!"
"I... I'll think about it!" he said without leaning out from behind the scope as bullets whizzed past us
"Silver Shine! Ple-" I stifled what I just wanted to say
The same situation again.- I thought as I felt anger rise in me. Was I seriously going to beg him already? Fuck no!
Enough asking. You're not gonna let me go you motherfucker. Isn't that right?!
As I felt my frustration dissolve, I felt a smile make its way on my face. I took a step towards Silver Shine. To be right behind him.
Then I swung
I think I'm going to enjoy this.
And hit him with the lower side of my hoof in the ear as hard as I could.
He screamed, covered that ear with a hoof, and flopped onto his back.
I climbed on top of him and started beating him across the face with my muddy hooves.
Making me do all the most dangerous jobs!? Using me as a bait for radwolves!? Forcing me to give a healing potion to Flame Bash?!
Every hit on his face felt like such a treat. Finally, I waited for this for too long!
He pulled himself together, shielded his face, and focused magic on his horn. I saw a white bright streak rise around it. He shot a bust of bright frizzling bust of magic at me, and made me jump off him to avoid the magical bullet. This gave him time to get up. all muddy, just like me, he stood up on all fours, and with his eyes wide open, aiming his horn at me. Rushing before he could collect enough strength for a next bullet, I grabbed a full hoofful of mud and threw it straight into his eyes. He managed to shield his face, The horn was glowing stronger and stronger, Fuck!
Then, I heard another bang, and a shot hit Silver SHine from behind.
His focus shattered, horn stopped glowing, and he started staggering. I used the moment, and pounced on him.
We both fell, our heads hitting the footbridge and the rest of our bodies falling into the mud again. I picked myself up faster, and before Silver Shine could get up, I hit him in the head with my hoof as hard as I could. It disoriented him.
I've had enough of that fucking horn of yours!
I hit his head again, hard enough that it hit the footbridge below. Then I grabbed it in my hooves, put it against the wooden walkway so that the edge touched the Base of his horn, held him tight, and while he shouted for me to stop, while desperation tok over his eyes, and his horn was starting to glow in his last desperate attempt to protect every unicorn's greatest treasure, with a wide smile, I hit the top of his horn with my right hoof.
To see him scared. The ever stoic asshole begging me to stop! Now that's something you don't see everyday!
Apart from a cry of pain, I saw no effect, so I took a swing, and struck again, with all my strength. A nasty crack of broken bone and a scream of unprecedented agony declared my success. Panting, I moved away from Silver Shine, looking at my work with satisfaction.
You can't choke me with that magic of yours anymore.
He lay there, breathing shallowly and unevenly with his eyes wide open, staring at me in horror.
It was the first time I had seen emotion in his eyes. He was always so calm.
I should have just let myself go, but oh well, I like it that way too!
And now let's finish this.
I grabbed him with my foot by his mane, he tried to defend himself, so I hit him in the middle of his nose. this always ends in tears, no matter how tough you are. Now with eyes full of tears he couldn't see anything, and he couldn't defend himself. I pushed his face into the mud, and held it.
Two Second
Ten seconds
Haha! Look how keeping me turned out for ya-aaaa...
Suddenly, like a wave of shock, like i was bucked with two hooves at the stomach. A realisation hit me.
I pulled his face out of the brown cold mush. And as he took a breath, The last thing I expected was to feel relieved. Yet I felt exactly that.
Ifell on my rump into the freezig mud right where I stood and started beating myself at the head.
no no no NO!
My breathing got shallow and quick. My stomach started turning and i feld sick like i have never before. The freezing mud below me didnt matter anymore. I...
I am not like that anymore!
I didn't-
I'm not!--
I had no choice! Yes! I had no choice!
Suddenly, shots from a distance began to fly again around me.
Don't think about it now!
I quickly pulled him out and started searching through his muddy clothes. And just as I expected, he had both remotes. The one from the electric collar I just threw in the mud, the other from the bomb collar had a key. I lay down fairly flat, and in the dark tried to hit the hole on the bomb collar with the key.
As I drove the spanner like this over the surface of the collar trying to feel for a hole, I heard a tired groan from the left.
Bear Hearts, was lying down and breathing rapidly looking at me with a furious expression.
He had seen everything.
"You..."
"Shut up!"
"I should have-"
"You should have let me go! I roared furious. "I wouldn't have done this!" I shouted, my voice cracking from sheer frustration and fury, "It's your fault!"
I found the keyhole. Stuck the key in it, and with the click that I waited for for so long, yet now it gave me no satisfaction, the Collar fell into the mud below me.
and without waiting for a reply, I took off, and started sprinting down the log in the direction we had come from. And so running, as gunshots wheezed past my sides, I ran, and ran, and ran.
It wasn't my fault. I had no choice! They made me do that by refusing to let me go! Yeah!
But I kept running. Away from my captors, and away from my own actions. Again.
Then I stopped, closed my eyes and screwed up my face.
An inevitable thought appeared in my head. One I would very much like to ignore, but couldn't.
I looked up and groaned reluctantly, like when you have a chore that you need to do, but you don't want to because you know how much additional work it is.
"Fuck!"
I can't fucking keep breaking shit and then running awayyy! What am I going to fucking do now? Fucking go to another village just to be kicked out ot killed?
"Ughhhh, Fuck!" I shouted angrily, and turned around. |
Fallout Equestria - A Raider With A Heart | Luna you bitch! | I'll quickly run up, give a healing potion to these fuckers, pull them off the footbridge, and fuck off so they don't get a chance to kill me.
Simple plan.
Just don't get shot in the process and it'll be perfect. ***
When I was still several dozen metres from the place where everyone was lying, bullets were already whizzing past me. I was slaloming, randomly slowing down, changing direction and dodging sideways like a drunkard, but in spite of this, the dickhead who was shooting at me managed to hit me three times. Shallow wounds on the shoulder and buttocks, nothing more than a slightly painful reminder to keep moving, but monstrously annoying. So much so that each time I felt pain in a new spot on my body,, I shouted insults at full volume while speeding up even more. If anyone was standing by, they would probably find it a comical sight.
I managed to run to where they were lying, just as I had left them a moment ago. Except Bear Hearts had thrown unconscious Flame Bash off the footbridge to provide him with at least some cover and was in the process of crawling to Silver Shine himself.
Then our eyes met, he gave me a look so sharp, and full of hate that I think could have killed me with his eyes if I got too close, and watched me carefully without a word. I jumped into the ditch behind Silver Shine, who laid on his back with a badly bruised face and was looking at me with a blank stare.
All right, then, it looks like I'm on my own.
Silver Shine had some kind of bag next to him, it was lying in the mud next to him, I grabbed the zipper with my mouth and started pulling quickly and chaotically.
Grenades.
"Where are the healing potions!" I shouted to Bear Hearts
He only looked at me for a second. But that hateful look I knew exactly. It promised revenge, I could already imagine what would happen the second I turned my guard down around him.
"I want to fucking help you!" I shouted, but i saw no reaction. "I'm So-... It was a mistake!" I corrected.
"In my saddlebags." Bear Hearts replied with a full of unmasked hatred growl.
Good, I thought he lost his mind or something. Their chaces of survival would be slim without me.
Actually, maybe they'd manage without me...
Eh, whatever.
I looked at them, strapped to the rear of the brown pony twice my size that definitely wanted to kill me, who at the same time was lying on the footbridge in the open with a sniper just waiting for me to poke my head out.
Yeah. Fucking easy-peasy.
Lying on my stomach in the mud, I opened Silver Shine's bag with my hooves and started to search it thoroughly.
Grenades round grenades, cylindrical grenades, orange grenades, grey grenades, you name it, but no fucking potions!
Suddenly an idea popped into my head.
Since he has so many of these grenades here, maybe he has some smoke ones?
I need to check on the wind first.
I leaned out from behind the walkway to check if there's a wind in any direction, Then I heard a swish, and felt a searing pain, like a hammer hit me a hundred times, it spread all over on the inside of my front leg paralysing me in agony. I dropped to the ground and started screaming for a while, and after the pain eased a bit, while still lying on my back in the mud, I kept cursing that motherfucker that shot me.
Fuck, fuck fuuuck! I am not dong that again!
Once I came to myself again after a while, and masked my screams as short bursts of a sour laughter, I started pulling out grenades randomly with my mouth, snatching the pin to throw, repeatedly until I got a smoke one. Surely, one of these would be smoke!
Explosion after explosion left me nearly deaf, but it had also torn the footbridge ahead of us into a fiery mess of splinters and broken wooden beams. Luckily a few of the grenades happened to be the right ones, and after a moment later, smoke kicked up into the air concealing us.
I just hoped Bear Hearts wasn't dead by now.
Holding my front right leg close to my chest to spare it, I hobbled over to Bear Hearts' pouches, and pulled out three healing potions.
Well fuck it would be too easy for me if there were four wouldn't it?
I gave one to Bear Hearts, with a sigh I put the second one into the mouth of a barely panting Flame Bash, and spilled the third one on the corner of Silver Shine and put the rest in my mouth just like Flame Bash.
Now quickly fuck off before they recover.
I stepped onto the footbridge, and, fighting the pain that was pounding all over my forearm as if somepony was constantly hitting me there with a hammer, I began to swing with one hoof raised, leaving a trail of blood droplets that trickled down my completely caked in mud fur.
"You think you're just going to walk away like that raider!" I heard a shout behind me
I stopped clumsily, and looked behind me. Bear Hearts stood up, and slowly started limping towards me.
Fucking hell!
A shudder ran through me, and I found a new source of strength within me that helped me push past the pain in both my front legs and rump. This new strength was called: If he gets me he'll fucking tear me to pieces!
"Leave me and go help your friends, you idiot!" I shouted as I felt a surge of pain from the wound in my 'healthier' leg almost lost balance.
But he didn't stop, just slowly caught up with me metre by metre, in what could be compared to a race between two snails.
"You think some potion is going to fix what you did Silver Shine! Do you know what it's like for a unicorn to lose a horn! It will kill you, you understand!"
"It's your fault! Not mine! You gave me no choice!" I shouted behind me accusingly.
"You justify everything to yourself like that? Even how you gutted that mare when we first met! You are an animal! And you should be slaughtered like a rabid dog!"
And slowly, step by step, Bear Hearts was coming towards me, and towards the fulfilment of his threat.When he was a pony's distance from me, he darted in, and grabbed me by the hind leg.
"Get off me!" I shouted, and kicked him with my other hind leg in the muzzle, and fell on the hard boards myself. He held onto my rear hoof and began dragging me towards him. Lying on my stomach I looked back and began frantically kicking him in the muzzle again. After a couple kicks, I heard a crack, and with a loud groan, he finally let go. I lifted myself up as fast as I could, which with only three available hooves proved to be quite a challenge, and started limping further down the footbridge as fast as I could.
"When you kill another pony, or break a unicorn's horn, will you also say you had no choice ?!" he shouted from behind, holding himself by his bleeding nose.
"Fuck off!" I shouted, and sped up, hoping Bear Hearts would come to his fucking senses, and focus on helping his friends. ***
And I walked like that for a while, along the footbridge until the swamp was over. When I felt solid ground under my feet, I chose a random direction, and went there without thinking much in case they wanted to chase me.
And so I walked. And walked, and walked, my coat caked in dried mud and blood which dripped on the ground constantly. The forest was becoming more and more lively, I felt the pleasant smell of the decomposing orange and yellow leaves under my hooves that crunched with my every wobbly step.
I continued to limp on three legs until it got dark. It seemd that on this night the pegasi could not keep the cloud curtain tight, because every now and then the moon would emerge, illuminating the surroundings with relatively bright bluish rays.
Then, I heard the sound of water.
A stream? A river?.
It was only now that I felt how thirsty I had begun to feel, the stinging in my dry throat had become pronounced, the burning under the last collar left on my neck, the one to which the chain could be attached was making itself known, and the mud with which I was covered was scratching and irritating me almost all over my body.
I quickened my pace, passing the trees and found the stream. It flowed in a naturally carved canal. Too steep to go down without falling into the water painfully, and to back up without problem. So I walked along it, hoping to find a place with a gentler descent.
Eventually I found one, and while I was limping along on three legs with a quick and clumsy step, I suddenly heard a snap by my side.
"Stop" A rough voice demanded from the darkness.
Instinctively I stopped, searching with my eyes for whoever had said it, and saw the black outline of a pony wearing a large hat between the trees to my right. It was so dark I could barely see him.
Don't notice my ears, don't notice my ears! - I thought while my heart raced.
I stood frozen with my eyes closed for a short moment.
He didn't shoot me right away!
So he can't see them.
Oh please Luna if you hear me, keep the moon behind the fucking clouds.
"Fuck off" I said in a tired and exasperated voice, and continued limping with my right front leg dangling, descending into the stream.
Suddenly there was a flash.
A deafening bang followed. the ground in front of me trembled, and in an instinctive attempt to avoid being shot I jumped back, slipped on a stone at the edge of the ditch and fell on my side.
"Don't move me or the next shot will turn your head into cheese."
"Ow you selfish fucking motherfucker!" I shouted slowly picking myself up. He didn't react to that, he must have seen I was hurt.
"Shut up! What are you looking for here?"
"None of your fucking business."
"I think it is my business."
Fucking kill him. I'm going to kill him and he won't be so brash.
Of course, I won't, but the urge is still there.
"I fucking want water, what, are you fucking blind!?"
"You're running away from someone" He stated firmly, "What have you done...?" He added with suspicio.
Oh you just have to fucking know everything don't you? Stick your nose somewhere else!
"I fucked your mother!" I snarled, " I want a drink of water, wash up and fuck off!"
He stood still for a moment, but after a moment he sighed, "Alright. Go. Wash up, and fuck off."
I snarled again, nodded my head in anger, and started to slowly hobble up towards the stream. Only now did I notice that the pony that was aiming at me, had a cart parked in between trees around the gentle descent towards the stream. I passed a quickly extinguished campfire standing by the stream.
"You're badly injured," he said standing on the edge of the ditch.
I turned my head to him, "Oh, thank you Mr Perceptive." I said with a strong note of mockery, and bent down to take a drink.
He watched me carefully the whole time.
"Now wash and fuck off." he ordered.
His bossy tone irritated me terribly. Fuck how I'd like to hit him over the head with some kind of stone.
But Yeah, I'll do just that. I need to wash quickly and fuck off before another crack in the clouds opens and he sees my ears!
I washed myself, and watched the mud and blood slowly dissolve in water, allowing my green-yellow fur to finally regain its colour as I breathed a sigh of relief. Feeling the sensation of the cold water collide with the pain and the feeling of the heat of my wounds on my leg, shoulders and rump brought a blissful moment of something that you could say resembled pleasure.
Despite this hopeless situation, I didn't want to get out that quickly. This was my first true relief in a long time! I looked down at my water-soaked hooves with a slight smile, and breathed in deeply. Moments later, I lay down in the stream, leaving only my head above the surface. The icy water, although not pleasant, eased the pain, and I could finally feel the tension coming off me.
"Okay, get out." I heard the hat pony's raspy voice ruin my one moment of rest.
"Fuck off." I said flatly, I don't like when somepony gives me orders.
"Get out!" he growled.
I'll teach you a fucking lesson you cocksucker.
Hearing that he was losing patience, which I assumed I had stretched long enough, I slowly started to rise, but while coming out of the water, I dug through the bottom of the stream, and grabbed a rock in my badly wounded leg. I'm gonna beat the shit out of him, and then I'll fuck off because I decided to, not because some mother fucker tells me to.
It would be painful to hold it, but I could hold it near my chest while making it look like I'm just saving my wounded leg.
On three legs, with a groan caused by the pain holding the rock in a wounded leg caused, I stepped out of the stream, and stood on the bank.
At that moment the moon emerged from a window of clouds, and lit up the spot where we stood. I looked at my injured leg, and cursed to myself.
Luna you bi-- Oh, so that's why it hurt so much.
I saw my bone. Very clearly. The bullet must have hit it and torn off a piece of flesh.
"Raider." Said the pony in the hat with shock.
I involuntarily smiled. Arousing horror was always nice, regardless of the shityness of the situation.
"Shit." I mumbled to myself.
"There's no such thing as an ex-raider! Where are your mates!" He shouted at me in something that I assumed was a momentary panic.
I couldn't let him shoot me because of that!
"Fuck knows! I left them!" I shouted accusingly.
The pony in the hat came close enough to me that his shotgun, which I could now see was perched on a combat saddle, was a hoof's distance from my face. "Tell the truth or I'll blow your psychotic head off!" He said while leaning forward, as if preparing to take a shot at any moment.
I clenched my sharp teeth, and felt pain surge in my hurt leg from squeezing the stone in it.
The easiest thing to do now would be to throw myself at his neck! Somehow... At least that's the only thing he doesn't expect. I think...
"Listen you fuck!" said I angrily, but mastered my tone, "Calm down or this will end badly for y-- both of us!" I finished calmly, with a hint of request.
The pony hat took two steps away from me.
"Prove it." he growled
In response, shaking from the adrenaline, and from the cold of the stream, I released the stone from my injured leg. "All I can do."
He looked at me for a moment, and finally raised the shotgun to the air. "Boy, you have a lot of explaining to do. ***
"A new life with a clean slate?" he looked at me in disbelief
"Do you have a problem with that?" I asked while pushing a cloth hoof carrier he made for me under the last collar so the coarse metal wouldn't rub me on the neck that much.
"Boy, I don't care in the slightest," he said waving his hoof, then he bent down to the kettle over the fire and pulled a wet piece of cloth from the boiling water. "You won't make it."
I snarled, "Because what, you think I can't control myself?"
"I fucking met you half an hour ago, I have no fucking idea if you have self-control issues! But I can see you don't feel any remorse, or even pretend to."
"Give me that band-aid and shut the fuck up okay?"
He smirked, "fuck you".
"Hey! What am I supposed to feel remorse for? I have nothing to feel guilty about."
"That's exactly why you won't make it. Shit, just listening to this makes me feel like shooting you in the face, and I don't fucking care one bit! So if you want to live even a little among the regular ponies, keep your mouth shut."
"Are you going to give me the bandwagon or not?"
"Ask. Politely."
"I'm not going to fucking ask you, give me the cloth! You said you would!"
He smirked again, and handed me a wet piece of cloth with his hoof. i grabbed it in my teeth, and holding the end of it with my healthy leg, slowly wrapped it around my injured right leg.
"What are you smiling about?" said I, holding the bandage with my teeth
"Of you." Before I had time to reply anything, he stood up and showed some direction with his hoof, "There is the nearest village there, if you learn manners, someone there will probably help you. Go."
I looked at him puzzled
"i'm not driving into the fucking city with a raider, what do you think? I sell shit for a living, and you'll scare off my customers! Go there, now or tomorrow, or don't, I don't give a shit, but definitely not with me."
I slowly rose up on my three hooves, "Cocksucker,"
"Well fuck you too," he replied flatly, to which i turned tu the direction he pointed at, and slowly limped in that direction
"Put the fucking hoof in the- Wait! Wait!" He got up quickly, ran up to me, "Too fucking proud to ask for help," he said as he put my hurt hoof into a carrier he mdae earlier out of cloth, "Now fuck off." ***
I was walking through the woods in the direction indicated by the asshole in the hat, you know I'm not going to ask! Asking is pathetic! If it's been a long time since you've had your face bashed in, all you had to do in the clan was ask for something and you were guaranteed to be persecuted! Even your mother sometimes joined in,
I smiled slightly
that bitch, heh
The wounded leg, the scrapes on the shoulders and the buttocks hurt, more and more. Something must have been wrong with that water. Fuck I'm so lucky. But I didn't stop, I suspected if I did it would only get worse with time. I neede a place to rest. Somewhere where I wouldn't freeze, or get eaten by radwolves.
The pain is only in your head. It doesn't really hurt that much. Cut it off.
I kept repeating it to myself, and to some extent it worked. I was walking at the pace of a healthy pony, and it hurt only to the point of making me groan and sweat.
So I walked, and I walked through the woods, until I saw a light, I got closer, a boarded up window, the pain was increasing, I got close. Relief, so close, I just need to get in there. Just a few painful steps away.
I went through a hole in a ruined fence, and Limped closer to the ruined two storey cubic house surrounded by it. The calming silence and the concert of grasshoppers all around me was broken by the loud banging of my hoof on the door.
I leaned on a wall next to the door and banged again while breathing heavily. My legs felt like jelly, ready to give in at any moment. Then I heard hoofsteps, hard and fast clanking against a floor, then the door opened, and a face of an older, but sweet looking mare stuck out of a pitch black inside of the house.
"Who is that?" She asked, looking somewhere into the woods in front of the house.
"I need a- Place to- Sleep." I gasped, every word felt heavy, speaking felt like spitting heavy iron blocks out of my lungs. What the fuck was happening to me? Was it something with that water? Did that cocksucker in a hut poison me with something?
As soon as she heard me, she turned her head in my direction, albeit not looking straight at me.
She's blind. Oh thank the wasteland!
"I.." She let out a series of grunts, series of wavering and indecisiveness,
"Listen. If you won't-" Fuck.
Fine, let's give it a try. I hope that cocksucker in a hat wasn't just trying to get rid of me.
"P..." Ugh, "Please." The word felt like a huge, heavy metal ball that was painfully making its way through my throat, while I tried to make it sound as not-pathetic as it was possible.
She looked at me, her face showing that she clearly sensed the difficulty I had with talking at this state.
And then, a sudden shirek, a screech of a foal inside the house stuck my ears like needles.
Whatever made that sound- I already hate it- Even thinking was coming with a difficulty now.
"A Raider!" shouted in a high pitch foalish voice followed. |
Dead Squirrel in Equestria | pre | The white filly levitated the pan and descended fast toward Squirrel. However, Squirrel jumped backwards before it slammed onto him. After he landed, he turned around and quickly ran on the bridge.
"He's gettin' away! After him!" He heard the yellow Horse yell.
As he got off the bridge at the other end, he turned his head to get a good look behind him. He saw the Horses chasing him and they had glares.
Surprisingly, Squirrel was able to run a little fast on his two rodent legs, even though he was small due to his Squirrelly size. The pan was still being levitated and was try to slam on Squirrel, but he kept dodging while he was running from the glaring Horses. He didn't know where he was going, but all he was trying to do was head to a path that made him lose the crazy Horses. Too bad he hasn't realized that this path will lead him into more crazy Horses.
Twilight and her friends (minus Fluttershy) were hanging out in Sugarcube Corner. They were talking about what had happened an hour ago and some other topics as well. Fluttershy had left to go tend to her animal friends. However, after conversating, Twilight and her friends were about to head out.
"Well than, I'm probably going to head to the castle, Spike is probably waiting for me to tell him about the experiment." Said Twilight as she turned to the front door.
"Yeah, ah should probably head back to the orchard." Agreed Applejack.
Everypony walked to the door (including one Draconequus that floated towards it.) They opened the door and were greeted by the noises of Pony screams. They all turned their heads to the left, toward the source of the sound and saw many Ponies galloping with scared faces. They were getting closer to Twilight and her friends, but they ran past them, continuing on their panicked galloping. Once they got away from the group, silence filled the air.
The Mane 6 (minus Fluttershy) and Discord were confused about the panicking Ponies that passed by. Rainbow, being the first to snap out of her daze first, broke the silence.
"Uhhh... what was that abo-" She couldn't finish her sentence when Pinkie interrupted her.
"Ooh, my Pinkie Sense is going off!" She exclaimed as she, everypony, and a Draconequus noticed that her tail was twitching wildly. This went on for a few seconds and it stopped. "Wowie, it felt like something chaotic was happening."
Discord's eyes widened upon hearing the word "chaotic." He snapped his fingers and disappeared, but he reappeared when he came out of Pinkie's mane. He stretched his neck and pressed his upside down face against her muzzle. "Something chaotic, you say?" He said with a smiling smirk.
"Yup-a-rooni." Replied Pinkie.
Discord snapped his fingers and disappeared from Pinkie's mane. He reappeared and had a camera in his talon and lion hand. "Now this I got to see." He said with his smile still on his face. "I'm sure my dear, Fluttershy wouldn't mind if I check on the chaos that is about to happen."
Before the chaotic duo can keep talking, two Ponies ran into Twilight and bumped into her. The two Ponies and Twilight fell on impact and they were on the grassy floor. "Owww..." Twilight heard one familiar voice groan. She lifted her head from the ground to see a familiar minty colored Pony and creamy white colored pony on top of her. These Ponies were Lyra and Bon Bon.
Twilight levitated Lyra and Bon Bon off her a few inches away from her and got up. Lyra and Bon Bon were opening their eyes when they were levitated on the ground. Bon Bon was opening her eyes first and groaned. She got up and wondered what she bumped into. "Lyra and Bon Bon? What is going on?" Twilight asked with a confused tone, as she looked at Bon Bon getting up.
Bon Bon's eyes instantly opened wide in realization when she realized that she bumped into the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle. "P-p-princess T-Twilight." Bon Bon stuttered, fearing that bumping into a princess made her a little angry. "I-I'm so s-sorry for b-bumping into you."
Lyra recovered and got up, but she eventually realized that she bumped into Twilight as well. "W-we are s-s-sorry." Lyra was able to get those words out in a scared manner, but in a apologetic tone as well.
"It's alright." Twilight reassured them. Lyra and Bon Bon let out a relieved sigh when they heard the princess' reassurment. Twilight was wondering why they were running away in a panic, so she decided to ask them. "What is going on?"
Lyra and Bon Bon had a little bit of sweat dripping down their face and they had a expression of uneasiness. Bon Bon opened her mouth to tell Twilight what she saw, but Lyra got her words out first. "W-we saw it." She shivered at the thought of monster she encountered. She continued to describe what she witnessed.
"I-it talked and i-it was small, like a S-squirrel, b-but it had a... i-it had a-a... i-its... its..." Her words died in her throat when she started to shiver wildly. Her wild panic returned when she turned more green than usual as she looked like she was holding her lunch from escaping from her throat. She fled from the group when her panic took control of her mind and body.
"LYRA!" Bon Bon yelled as she ran after her. "WAIT!" She continued to galloped after Lyra.
No Pony or Draconequus stopped them and were left with confused thoughts in their heads. Twilight had many thoughts, questions, and connect the dots between the chaos in town and Pinkie's sense.
Pinkie's sense of a chaotic event that was happening, made Twilight a little worried of what type of chaos that was happening. She didn't want to believe that the Pinkie Sense picked up on what the Ponies were running from, but it couldn't be a coincidence. Everytime she saw or heard chaos happening, she would always think of Discord as the first suspect. However, she has been hanging with Discord before this chaos was sensed, which worried Twilight on what was terrorizing Ponyvillie.
She snapped out of her own world and shared her thoughtful thinking to her friends. "That would explain the panicked Ponies galloping by us and what Lyra and Bon Bon had said. We have to check it out." She had a worried expression when she told her friends. They all had different expressions from what she had concluded.
Rarity had a uneasy expression thinking about the chaos happening. Applejack had a glare when thinking of the monster that was scaring Ponies. Rainbow Dash had the same attitude and expression as Applejack when thinking of the monster. Pinkie was being Pinkie and hummed a happy tune with her eyes closed and her head moving left and right, on sync with the song she was humming. Discord was cleaning his camera with a cloth and had a smile on his muzzle.
She turned her head toward her friends, while she was rambling about her concerns. "Quick everypony, we have to find out what is scaring Ponyville."
"We're right behind you, darling." Said Rarity
"Yeah, let's find this monster." Said Rainbow with a little bit of determination in her voice.
The other Ponies nodded and agreed with Twilight. They all ran to the direction where Lyra and Bon Bon galloped from. Discord stayed behind with a grin still on his face. "Oh Celestia, what chaos is brought to Ponyville today?" He said to himself with a slight chuckle as he snapped his fingers, which made him disappear from where he was standing. The chaos that he and his friends were about to see, would be a major experience for them.
"Leave me alone!" Squirrel yelled at the Horses chasing him, as he was running away from them and the pan that almost slammed on him.
"No way, you talking Zombie rodent!" Argued the orange Horse, as she and the other Horses were still chasing him.
"But I'm a good Zomb-" He try to reassure them that he wasn't a killer Zombie, but he was interrupted by a pan crushing him. He let out a grunt out in pain when he felt the force of the pan, fall on top of him. He fell on the grassy floor with the pan weighing on top of him, which felt like an anvil to him.
"Got him!" Exclaimed the white Horse. After the pan weighed Squirrel down, it was floated off him. As soon as the pan anvil was lifted off him, he wanted to run away. However, his legs couldn't cooperate, since they were exhausted from the force that was pressured into them. All Squirrel could do at the moment was lay down and try to recover. He also laid his head down as well. He heard hoof steps behind him and they stopped in front if him.
"Alright, you Zombie." Growled the orange Horse, which made Squirrel lift his head up to see the small Horse. The three Horses were in front of him, staring at him with a glare. They were a few feet away from him, thinking he would try to bite them if they were close.
The orange Horse was a little close to him, compared to the yellow and white Horse. "Where did you take Fluttershy?" She questioned with a bit of a growl in her tone.
"Who the heck is Fluttershy?" He asked with a bit of confusion.
"Don't play dumb with us!"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about." He commented with confusion.
"The Pony you chased at the cottage." Informed the yellow Horse.
"Wait, you guys are Ponies?" He asked.
"We are Fillies, but also-" Said the white Horse, (or Filly rather) as she levitated the pan in front of her, which intimidated Squirrel who was scared to be crushed by the pan again. "-stop avoiding the question."
"I'm not, also I still don't know what you're talking about." Squirrel said.
"What do you mean by 'don't know?' We know that you went into that cottage, we heard from Angel." The white Filly argued.
"Wait, are you talking about that house had a lot of animals?" He questioned.
"Of course we are!" Yelled the orange Filly, who was getting a little frustrated with the Zombie Squirrel.
"Wait a second, I didn't chase anyone." Squirrel said, who had a little frustration in his voice. He was getting up from the grassy floor, forgetting he was being threatened to get crushed by a pan, since he had irritation take over him.
"In fact, when I arrived there, I got kidnapped by a Horse, or a Pony rather. And I got captured because apparently I was 'injured.' So I escaped from that crazy yellow Pony because nobody is messing with my brain."
The yellow and white Filly were confused and were having second doubts about the Squirrel. However, the orange Filly realized something. "Wait a minute, are you saying that Fluttershy Foalnapped you?"
"I think you mean kidnapped, but if this 'Fluttershy' Is that yellow Pony who 'Foalnapped' me, then yes." He informed them with his arms crossed.
"You are lying!" She rebuked while taking a few steps toward Squirrel. She also forgot the worst thing that could happen to her, since frustration was taking over her. "Fluttershy has never Foalnapped, or apparently kidnapped in your case. She is a shy and caring Pony who wouldn't hurt a fly, literally!" She was now close to him and was staring down at him. Her friends noticed she was inching closer to the Squirrel and were worried.
"Scootaloo, what are you doin'?! Get back before that Zombie rodent bites you!" Cried the yellow Filly.
"Not until this Squirrel admits that he Foalnapped Fluttershy!" The orange Filly rebuked, as she was still looking at Squirrel and lowered her head down, to show her glare at the Squirrel.
"I did not!" He argued back with frustration, now on his face and voice.
"You did too!" She pressed her head against the Squirrel's head, ignoring the fact that she was also pressing against his brain.
"Did not!" He pressed his head as well, which surprisingly, they had the same strength when pressing their heads at each other. This made the other Fillies watch the scene unfold with a mote worried look on their face, fearing that something bad will present itself, yet all they did was watch the argument between them form.
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"DID TOO!"
"DID NOT!"
"DID TOO!!"
"DID NOT!!"
"DI-" Before the orange Filly can rebuttal back at the Squirrel, she heard a familiar raspy voice cry her name.
"Scootaloo!"
"Huh?" She turned around and saw a light blue and rainbow blur flying toward her at a fast speed. She recognized the blue and ran toward it. Her face brightened and called out the name of the blur heading toward her. "Rainbow Dash!"
The blur was slowing down and landed in front of the orange Filly. When the blur stopped, it turned out to be a Pony with wings that flew to her. The Pony had light blue skin, but what caught Squirrel's attention was that the Pony had rainbow hair. 'Jesus, how much hair dye do these fucking Ponies use?' He wondered in his head.
"Squirt, what are you doing here?" The rainbow haired Pony asked the orange Filly. Faint footsteps, or rather hoofsteps, were heard behind the rainbow Pony. They were approaching and turned out to be a few other Ponies and a Frankenstein looking monster.
A female looking Pony with a western hat on her head galloped toward the yellow Filly and stopped in front of her. "Apple Bloom, thank Celestia, you're ok." The Pony with the western hat said to the yellow Filly with relief in her voice.
The Fillies were confused in what she was talking about and was about to question her, however she was interrupted by a marshmallow colored Pony talking to the white Filly.
"You too, Sweetie Belle. I thought you encountered that beast that was around Ponyville and... oh, I just feel worried just thinking about it." The marshmallow Pony said with worry in her voice, as she hugged the white Filly.
"Uhhh... beast?" The white Filly muttered with a questionable tone. A lavender skinned Pony walked up the marshmallow Pony and answered the Filly's confusion about a beast lurking around Ponyville.
"There is a beast around that is scaring everypony in Ponyville." The lavender Pony informed. "I'm just glad we found you before it did." The Fillies looked at each other after that comment.
"Uhhmm... ah think we already foun' it." The yellow Filly awkwardly stated. The Ponies looked surprised and had confusion written on their face.
Once the marshmallow colored Pony heard what the Filly said, she hugged the white Filly more closer to her. "Oh my, are you ok? Did that ruffian hurt you? Wherever he is, I'll make sure to-"
The marshmallow Pony was interrupted by the white Filly's reassurment. "Wait Rarity, it's fine. It didn't hurt me at all."
"Oh, that's a relief to hear." The marshmallow Pony hugged her with a look of relief for a few seconds. Then she had a question in her head that she want answered. "Wait, if you saw the beast, where is it now?"
"Wellll......" All the Fillies struggled to say the beast's location at first, but they eventually informed them of its whereabouts at the same time. "It's... right there." They pointed their hooves at a single direction.
Everypony and the Frankenstein monster followed their vision toward the direction of where the Fillies pointed. When they saw what they were pointing their hooves at, they instantly had their expressions rewritten on their faces. Squirrel noticed that the Ponies and Frankenstein monster were staring at him with mixed expressions and there was a minute of silence.
The lavender Pony had a shocked expression with her jaw dropped and her eyes turned into dots. The marshmallow Pony had a shade of green on her face and looked like she might throw up her processed food from her throat, but she fainted, thanks to the disturbing sight she was seeing. The rainbow Pony looked a bit uneasy and started to sweat little droplets of sweat. The Pony with the western hat had an uneasy expression like the rainbow Pony, but it changed when she noticed that the marshmallow Pony fainted, so she walked up next to her unconscious body and tried to get her up. A pink Pony that was in the group of Ponies, had a happy expression for some reason and she had her mouth open in awe, but she had a open mouth smile. The Frankenstein looking monster had his eyes open in surprise at first, but it slowly formed into curious look.
Squirrel had a lot of eyes on him and he didn't know what to do. The silence was broken when the lavender Pony cried out a yell.
"WHAT IN CELESTIA!!!?" |
Dead Squirrel in Equestria | Chapter 4: Welcome to Ponyville, Squirrel | Everyone around the site, couldn't believe what they were seeing. They were seeing a Squirrel that was showing its brain, but how could it be possible to have a skull open and your slimy mind exposed? It doesn't make sense.
Many thoughts were running through Twilight's mind and in a panic, she yelled: "WHAT IN CELESTIA!!!?" The Ponies, Fillies, and Draconequus weren't phased by her panicked scream right by their ears, since they still had their eyes locked on the Squirrel.
"A-ah feel the same way, Twahlight." Applejack muttered to Twilight, while trying to process what she was seeing and she was still trying to wake up Rarity from her unconscious nap.
"I-It looks a little... creepy." Rainbow Dash admitted as she felt a lump go down her throat, struggling to finish her sentence.
"Well it's a little chaotic, but it's more of a scare than chaos." Discord muttered casually with an eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, it sure is spooky." Pinkie said in her usual energetic and bubbly voice. In fact, it seemed that she didn't seem fazed by the rodent showing its own brain. She happily bounced toward the Squirrel, but Scootaloo got in front of her to stop her proceeding to the Squirrel.
"Pinkie, be careful of that Squirrel." Scootaloo informed while keeping her eyes on the rodent. "It's a Zombie and will try to bi-" She stopped when she realized that Pinkie wasn't behind her when she laid her eyes on where she thought she was. She moved her attention to the rodent and she spotted Pinkie next to the Squirrel and instantly, she had a worried expression.
"Wowie, this is some nice make-up." She was bouncing around the Squirrel in a circle and was inspecting the Zombie rodent. "Whoever designed this Squirrel as a Zombie, sure loves to prank Ponies with some serious make-up effects."
"Pinkie's right." Rainbow exclaimed, wiping the uneasy expression off her face and replacing it with a confident one. She flew to the Squirrel who looked awkward about the Pony floating in front of him. "There's no such thing as a... Zombie Squirrel. I mean, it's obvious that somepony is pulling a huge prank on Ponies and the prank master herself."
"Yeah and look at this fake, but well made brain. It's so freakyyyyy." Said Pinkie as she was eyeing the rodent's brain.
Rainbow flew even closer to the Squirrel and put a hoof on its brain. "Yeah, it's just a fake... brain." Rainbow affirmed with a confident look, but there was a small fraction of doubt on her face and voice. "I-I mean this is just obviously... a... I mean it's... it's..." Doubt was slowly taking over her confidence when she couldn't think of an explanation about the Squirrel's brain being fake.
She snapped our of her trance when she felt something touch her hoof. She laid her eyes on the touch and it turned out it was the Squirrel who put his his Squirrelly paws on it. The Squirrel pushed her hoof off its brain and surprisingly, he succeeded even though he was small. While Rainbow was surprised by his strength, she was going to be more shocked on what the Squirrel was going to next.
"Hey, don't touch my brain." Rainbow had a thunderstruck expression on her face instantly when she saw Squirrel's mouth move and heard a voice come out. Everypony and Draconequus were shocked as well, except the Cutie Mark Crusaders who didn't look fazed at all.
As fast as lighting, Rainbow flew back from the Squirrel and stopped by Applejack and Rarity who was still in her unconscious nap. "I-i-it t-talked." Rainbow said, struggling to get her words out.
Pinkie appeared behind Rainbow like she teleported from her previous spot, but nopony seemed perplexed about it, since it was Pinkie being Pinkie and they were focused on the talking Squirrel. "Now I understand why Fluttershy likes talking to animals." Said Pinkie with her usual voice, even though she was surprised a few seconds ago. "This is so-"
"CONFUSING!!!" Twilight interrupted with a confused shout. Her eyes were the size of tiny periods. Her brows were raised and she even had her left lower eyelid twitch a little when she still had her eyes on the Squirrel. She looked like she just came out from a loony bin. Everypony, Draconequus, and the brain showing Squirrel all had their attention on her.
"It makes no sense that this Squirrel here, is walking or has its... mind showing and treats it as if nothing is wrong with it! And how in Celestia's name does it talk in our language?!" She stated as she looked like her mind might explode, literally.
Before it might actually burst, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and put a hoof on her head to calm her down. "Discord, please tell me that this is just one of your chaotic pranks." She muttered to Discord in a pleading tone.
"As much as I love to see you worked up from my chaos, Twilight, this unfortunately isn't one of my doings." He informed her with a curious look eyed on the Squirrel.
"But... but this doesn't make sense. This can't be a simple wild Squirrel, so it has to be... no, it needs to be a new species or... something else that isn't a Squirrel, but what?"
"It's a Zombie." Apple Bloom answered Twilight's questionable muttering. Twilight snapped out of her thoughtful mutters and looked at Apple Bloom with confused, but mostly shocked expression.
'A Zombie? No, it couldn't be. It's physically impossible for a creature to exist. It... just... makes... no sense.' Twilight thought.
"A Zombie?" Rainbow asked.
"Yes, it is a Zombie." Answered Scootaloo.
"Wait, how do you know it is a Zombie, squirt?"
"Because, it told us when we stopped it from attacking us." Rainbow had a small glare form on her face and she looked at the Squirrel. Why would this Squirrel attack her biggest fan? Before she can scold the Squirrel, he talked first before she could.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait. I didn't attack you, you attacked me." Squirrel bickered.
"Yeah because you were attacking and scaring Ponyville." Scootaloo argued back.
"Wait a secon', that rodent is the beast that is scarin' Ponyville?" Asked Applejack.
"He sure is, sis." Replied Apple Bloom.
'Of course.' Thought Twilight in fathom. She had forgotten that a monster was lurking around Ponyville because once she saw the Squirrel, she had almost lost it, thinking about the logical possibilities that the Squirrel was defying. Such as talking in her language and surviving with its brain showing from its skull. The Squirrel speaking in their language was a major discovery, but its mind exposed mind was a repulsive sight, but also a fascinating wonder in her mind.
'This Squirrel here really is a Zombie, but how can it be? It talks, listens, and responds back like any normal Pony, meaning it still has to be in a conscience state, so it can't be a Zombie. But what could it be? I don't know, but that can wait... for now. Right now, I should resolve this situation.'
Suddenly, a weak groan was heard that caught Twilight's attention. She turned her head to the right and saw that the groaning was coming from Rarity. She finally opened her eyes and woken up from seeing the Squirrel.
Sweetie Belle noticed the groans as well and rushed to Rarity. "Rarity, you're awake." She exclaimed.
"Oh, hey Sweetie Belle. Sorry if I passed out." Rarity said as she let out her remaining groans before she fully recovered her consciousness. "I was imagining a horrid creature, it was..." She shivered at the thought of the creature she saw. "Sorry, I'm just still appalled on what I imagined. Oh, how silly of me."
Sweetie Belle had a unsure expression. Applejack who was next to Rarity as well, also had a face of uneasiness. "Uhh... Rarity, ah'm afraid that the varmin' ya saw, was real." Applejack said.
Rarity's face dropped and she had tiny dots for eyes. "Come again?"
"Yeah, look." Applejack pointed a hoof at a direction as she replied. Rarity batted her eyes toward the direction of where the hoof pointed.
When she laid her attention on what she hoped she wouldn't see, her face became an expression of shock. It was like she had one strand of her hair sticking out of her organized mane.
"I-i-it i-is..." She tried to make more words come out, but she trailed off when it felt like thunder struck her.
"Yep, it is real." Sweetie Belle said with a look on the Squirrel.
"But how!?" Asked Rarity. "A creature like this can't be... it can't be..."
"Real? I know, it's confusing for me as well." Twilight said as she saw that Rarity couldn't get the word out.
"And be careful, it's a dangerous Zombie." Assured Sweetie Belle.
"A Zombie?" Gasped Rarity.
"Yep and it is the monster that is attacking Ponyvillie." Said Rainbow.
The Squirrel seemed ticked off by that accusation "Hey, I didn't attack anyone!"
"I-i-it talked!" Rarity gasped again, flabbergasted about the new information she learned about the Squirrel.
"Yep and he's responsible for the panic going around." Rainbow said with a little bit of anger in her tone
"Again, I didn't hurt anyone!" The Squirrel snapped back.
"Says the rodent who Foalnapped Fluttershy." Growled Scootaloo.
Everypony had mixed expressions at that sentence. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle all had glares at the Squirrel, thinking that Squirrel Foalnapped Fluttershy. Rarity had a horrified expression, thinking that the Squirrel has did terrible things to her shy friend, just thinking about it made her worried for her. Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie had their eyebrows raised from that accusation. They felt like that accusation was probably true, but that raised many questions, such as how did the Squirrel capture Fluttershy? If it is a Zombie, why did it capture and not try to eat Fluttershy. Well that was mostly Twilight's mindset, while that idea was in Pinkie's mind for a few seconds, it quickly changed into a mindset of surprise party ideas for the Zombie Squirrel. Discord had his bear paw on his muzzle to prevent his chuckles from escaping his mouth.
However, after a few seconds, his chuckling turned into full laughter that everypony heard, even though his bear paw was still on his muzzle and mouth. He eventually removed his bear hand from his muzzle and put both of his mismatched hands on each mismatched knee. His body was bending and was laughing his head off, literally. His head was detached from his body and was floating in the same spot that his chuckles began.
Everypony had their attention on him and felt uneasy, a little shocked, and confusing on why Discord was laughing. They didn't know why Discord was laughing, since he was a close friend to Fluttershy. Twilight and her friends expected him to threaten the Squirrel when he heard that the Squirrel Foalnapped Fluttershy. They knew that Discord had a side of anger, if he found out that she was taken. They remember the Grand Gala incident where Discord got so angry with Tree Hugger for being close friends to Fluttershy, he threatened to sent her to a different dimension. And they also heard about how he acted when Fluttershy was captured, during a rescue mission with Starlight, Trixie, and Thorax.
"Uhm, Discord? Why are you laughing?" Questioned Twilight with a expression of mixed emotions of shock, confusion, and uneasiness. "I thought you would be... mad that the Squirrel Foalnapped Fluttershy."
Discord's laughing was finally calming down after a full minute of laughter passed and his body stopped slouching. When it stood up straight, his body got its hands off its knees and connected to his head when its neck touched to the bottom of his head.
"Oh Twilight." Chuckled Discord. "It's ridiculous, even for you, to believe that a small rodent like this... can Foalnap Fluttershy. I mean, how can a measly Squirrel possibly capture my dear, Fluttershy?"
"But we heard her scream from her cottage." Scootaloo countered.
"An' that Squirrel was near there." Apple Bloom added.
"Possibly true, but if I had to guess what happened-" Discord snapped his talon fingers and had a detective hat on his head, a detective pipe in his mouth, and a magnifying glass in his bear hand that he was peeping through. "-I would say that Fluttershy was at her cottage, enjoying her day after talking to her lovely friends and her very best friend, the chaos lord himself. When all of a sudden, she heard noises coming from all her animals and checked it out. However, when she saw what the chaos was outside, she saw the Zombie rodent and screamed on what she saw and galloped from away from it." He snapped his talon fingers again, but this time, his hat, pipe, and magnifying glass disappeared. "But your guesses are as good as mine."
Twilight an eyebrow raised from his conclusion. "That's... actually not a bad conclusion, Discord." Twilight said, a little stunned by what Discord had drawn.
"Thanks, Twilight." Discord confidently accepted her compliment.
"I still don't trust this rodent." Rainbow said with a tone of suspicion. "I mean, look at him." She pointed her front right hoof at the Squirrel.
"Hey!" The Squirrel said, offended by Rainbow's suspicion.
"You do have a point there, Rainbow Dash." Discord agreed. "But like I said before, I don't believe that this Squirrel did anything to Fluttershy. Not to offend you-" He snapped his talon fingers and disappeared, but reappeared behind the Squirrel, looking over him. The Squirrel noticed Discord looking over him and he was stunned on the magic he saw happen. "-my Squirrely friend, but you look weak, puny, and small to do anything to Fluttershy. In fact, if I knew her well, which I obviously do, I believe she would try to take you to a hospital because she believed that you're an animal in pain with that freaky eerie lobe peeking out." He poked the Squirrel's exposed brain a few times, which snapped the Squirrel out of its shock from seeing Discord teleport behind him. Even though he was stunned from seeing Discord behind him, he listened to what he was saying.
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Said Squirrel in agreence. "She kidnapped me, or Foalnapped me?... Whatever. The point is that she took me and I escaped from her. Now everybody, for some god damn reason, thinks I captured her. Glad you believe that I didn't do anything bad to her, Fr-" He stopped talking because he realized that he didn't know Discord's name. "Wait, uhhh... what's your name actually?" He asked.
"Oh, how truly rude of me." Discord said to himself as he snapped with his white tail tuft, which made him disappear from behind the Squirrel, but appeared in front of him, a few inches away. He bent over to shake hands with the small rodent, in which he held out his unsimilar hands and grabbed a single left hand from him. Squirrel mentally jumped from this sudden hand shake, but calmed down as he introduced himself. "My name is Discord. The reformed chaos lord himself and may I ask, who you are?" They continued to shake hands.
"Oh, well I'm Dead Squirrel or for short, you can call me Squirrel or Joe, but I prefer Squirrel." The Squirrel greeted.
After they eventually stopped shaking hands, Discord stood up to his full height. "Well Squirrel, you are certainly the most chaotic guest in Ponyville. Well, not as Chaotic as me, but still chaotic." Discord said with a self-absorbed tone, look, and smile.
"Huh, well I kinda didn't mean to cause chaos in this 'Ponyville' town." Squirrel said, thinking about the town name that sounded stupid to him, but he mentally shrugged it off his head. "But then again, I guess I can't blame them. I mean, if I saw an animal with its brain exposed, I guess I would also be a little scared. Anyways Discord, wha- wait?" He paused, as he realized something.
"Yes? Is something wrong? Discord asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Your name is Discord?" Squirrel did a double take as he asked.
"Why yes, didn't I just say I was?"
"Yeah, I know, it's just that I have something at my place that has the name 'Discord' as well."
"Oh, that Discord." Discord had a deadpan expression when he realized what Squirrel was saying. "Yeah, I know about the app. It's weird that they named it after the chaos lord himself, but what can you do to stop it from spreading dimension wide when every creep is using it to 'talk' to... children." He continued, but shivered a little bit. 'Disgusting.' He thought.
Squirrel's eye widened in surprise that it felt like he got a wake up slap. "Wait, how do you know about the app, Discord?" Squirrel asked in shock.
"Well, as much as I would love to answer your questions-" He snapped his talon fingers and disappeared from Squirrel's vision, but he realized he was behind him when he felt something wrap around his arms and basically his body, due to his small size. He turned his head a bit, to see Discord have his hands around him and he was lifted off the ground, a few feet. "-I feel like you should also answer their questions."
Squirrel turned his head forward and saw the five Ponies looking at him with mixed expressions. "Oh right." He muttered quietly. Discord bent down and let go of Squirrel after he placed him on the ground.
There was a few seconds of silence before Squirrel said something. "So... umm, how's it going?" He asked awkwardly with a sheepish smile and a little wave with his left hand.
Pinkie being Pinkie, suddenly dashed toward Squirrel so fast, it could rival Rainbow's speed. Everypony's manes and tails flew wildly at the fierce wind that Pinkie made from her sudden dash. However, she stopped in front of Squirrel with a smile taking over most of her face.
"Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie! Oooh, what's your favorite type of cake!? Wait, wait, let me guess, it's brain cake! Well... we don't have any brain cakes, but do you take gummy cakes!? I don't know how to make them, but I made a cake with my pet Alligator, Gummy!" She said with her usual bubbly energy. Squirrel was left with a perplexed expression, since he wasn't prepared for those questions to be dumped on him. However, Pinkie continued to talk and she was talking so fast, it was hard to decipher what she was saying at the moment. "Youshouldmeetwithhimyouwouldgetalongaslongasneitherofyouattempttobiteeachoth-" Pinkie felt something close her lips and looked at them and saw that her mouth had a zipper tightening her mouth shut.
"Now Pinkie, I know you're curious about our chaotic guest, but you should remember to give him a chance to answer your questions." Discord informed her as he unzipped her mouth zipper.
"Okie dokie lokie." Comprehended Pinkie as her mouth zipper disappeared after Discord snapped his fingers.
The Mane 6 (minus Fluttershy and Pinkie) and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were observing the interaction that Squirrel was having and they had jumbled thoughts.
"He hasn't tried to bite anypony yet, but I'm suspicious of him." Scootaloo muttered to the rest of the Crusaders.
"Ah can say the same." Agreed Apple Bloom.
"Me too." Sweetie Belle also agreed.
While the Crusaders were talking to themselves, Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow, and Rarity were having their own conversation.
"He's interestin' for a... zombie rodent." Applejack muttered to Twilight.
"Yeah, he's a weird Squirrel and is definitely planning something." Rainbow said, hearing the conversation Applejack was starting. Rainbow had a skeptical glare and tone.
"I see what you mean, darling." Rarity said to Rainbow. "But what if this... Squirrel is a real kind gentle Po- rodent and not a horrid liar?"
Rainbow was about to respond, but closed her mouth when she realized, she didn't know what to say. After a few seconds of trying to think of a plan, she finally responded. "Well... we could just... uhhh..."
"You don't know what to do, do ya?" Applejack said with a deadpan expression and a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, I don't know." She admitted with a flat tone.
"Well I have an idea on how we should approach this." Twilight stated, which made the other three ponies huddle closer to her, interested in hearing her out. "We be nice and friendly like our usual selves, but keep an eye on the Squirrel. Applejack?"
Applejack nodded and understood what she meant. "Ah know what ya mean, Twahlight." The Element of Honesty said with an understood tone.
Twilight took a deep breath on what was going to come. "Alright, let's do this." She and the other 3 Ponies walked and was approaching the Squirrel who was dealing with Pinkie's and Discord's antics.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders noticed that the 4 Elements of Harmony were getting closer to the Squirrel.
"They're approachin' the Squirrel." Apple Bloom pointed out.
"They must be curious about him." Sweetie Belle reckoned.
"We should check it out as well." Scootaloo said.
"Ah agree." Agreed Apple Bloom as she nodded her head.
"Me too." Sweetie Belle also agreed and nodded her head.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders started walking toward Squirrel and was behind Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash a few feet behind him. They were about to learn about their squirrely guest a whole lot more.
"Wait, did you just make a zipper appear on her mouth?" Squirrel asked in a little bit of astonishment.
"Why yes, my rodent friend." Discord affirmed.
"And about you teleporting and summoning other stuff, how did you do that?"
"Well you see, I am a lord of chaos. Therefore-" He stopped his statement as he snapped his talon fingers and disappeared. Squirrel quickly found out where he went when he felt himself being lifted from the ground by his arms. He turned his head and looked behind him and saw Discord holding him by his arms, Titanic style. "-I create chaos."
"Yeah, you should check out the chaos that Dizzy make." Said Pinkie with a more energetic tone. "He can make cotton candy clouds, chocolate rain, and cotton candy clouds that rain chocolate rain!" She licked around her lips, imagining the sweet vision in her head.
"Well, Pinkie has said it better than me, so I'm sure you get the idea of chaos magic, right?" Discord said as he placed Squirrel on the ground.
Squirrel was a bit perplexed, amazed, and confused for a few seconds. After a few seconds of silence, he finally gave an answer to Discord. "So... you have... chaos magic?"
"Correct."
"Like actual magic? The one where you can actually float shit, but not the ones that are staged?"
"Something like that, but correct."
"Woah, that's actually amazing. What can you do with your magic?"
"Well, I can do absolutely anything."
"Wait a minute, did you say anything?"
"Anything."
"Anything?"
"Yes, anything."
"Anything?"
"Anything."
"Anything?"
"I'll get you and it'll look like a bloody accident." Pinkie interrupted with an annoyed and angry look and tone as she appeared in front of Squirrel's face, almost like she teleported to him. She also had a pie knife in her right hoof.
Squirrel was thrown off by the sudden tone from Pinkie and he had a scared look on his face. "What?" He asked in a high pitched voice.
Pinkie's look and tone instantly changed into her usual happy look and tone. "Sorry, it was a reference, I couldn't help myself." She said as she shoved the pie knife into her mane.
Squirrel was now confused and was questioning: 'WHAT THE FUCK IS SHE TALKING ABOUT!?' Discord noticed his confused expression and decided to act.
"Don't worry about it. Pinkie gets chaotic sometimes, even for me." He assured Squirrel.
"Ok..." Squirrel said, still thrown off, but shook it off. "Well I like your magic, I didn't even know that shit existed."
"Well, now you know, also I suggest that you tone down on the language. We don't want little Foals spewing those naughty words, do we?"
"Ok, I guess I should. Wait, but I still have to ask, how do you know about the app, Disco-"
"Hey!" Squirrel was interrupted by a familiar raspy voice behind him. He turned around and saw the four Ponies that he had honestly forgotten were still around. They were approaching him and stopped a few inches away from him. Rainbow, who was closer to him, had a slight glare locked on to him. It looked like she was going to talk, but Applejack beat her to it.
"Howdy, pardner." Greeted Applejack as she inched a little closer to Squirrel. Unlike Rainbow, she had a friendly tone and expression right now.
"Umm... hi?" He said awkwardly, not knowing what to do next, he asked a question, well actually, he tried to. "So... how's it going... uhh... I don't know your name."
"Oh, well my name is Applejack, sugarcube."
"Uh huh."
Since Applejack was introducing herself, Twilight decided to introduce herself as well. "I'm Twilight Sparkle." She introduced herself as she saw Squirrel look at her with an awkward look.
'It looks like it, or he rather, is a little awkward about the situation he's in.' She thought observingly. She then had curiosity fill her thoughts when whe laid her attention on Squirrel's brain and was amazed. 'Fascinating, the brain doesn't look like it's loose from it's skull. There must be something more to this Squirrel. I need to do some tests and find out. I need to find out.'
While Twilight was lost in her own world, Rarity introduced herself. "I'm Rarity and darling, might I say, you seem to have a questionable fashion choice." She said in a friendly tone.
"Huh? Oh, are you... talking about my bandana?" He asked.
"Yes and I understand that you're a walking... *Gulp* c-corpse, but if you're going to act like a civilized one, you need the proper attire for it. Might I make you one?"
"While I appreciate the offer, I think I might have to pass on that."
Rarity pouted a little bit and before she could let out a huff, Rainbow decided to introduce herself.
"And finally, but not least, the fastest flier in Equestria and in the Wonderbolts: Rainbow Dash." Rainbow confidently introduced, even though she had a glare on him earlier, but now she had her self confidence take over.
"Uh huh, so question: What's the Wonderbolts?" Squirrel asked.
Rainbow's confident look dropped and was shifted into a glare. "Have you been living under a rock?! The Wonderbolts are the most amazing and awesome team of fliers Equestria has ever seen!"
"Ok, ok. Sorry for asking." Squirrel said in a sarcastic tone.
"And I'm Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie introduced herself.
"Pinkie, I thought you already introduced yourself?" Rainbow said.
"I did, I just thought it would be fun to introduce myself again." Rainbow groaned at Pinkie's antics.
After Pinkie's second introduction, Squirrel noticed in the corner of his eye, a few familiar Fillies watching him, so he turned his full attention to them. He noticed that they were narrowing their eyes on him. Once they saw Squirrel stare at them, their eyes widened and they didn't know what to do for a second, but Apple Bloom decided to make a move first.
"Umm... hi, again." Apple Bloom greeted with a sheepish smile and awkward tone.
"Hi." Squirrel said reluctantly as he remembered that the Fillies tried to capture him. "So... what's your guys' names?"
Apple Bloom's awkwardness was washed over with enthusiasm as she introduced herself. "Well I'm Apple Bloom."
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle also had their awkwardness replaced with enthusiasm because they also introduced themselves without a beat.
"I'm Scootaloo." Scootaloo said.
"And I'm Sweetie Belle." Sweetie Belle said.
"And we're the CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!!!" Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom all yelled with enthusiasm.
Squirrel covered his only ear from all the enthusiastic yelling and gritted his teeth. "Jesus!" He said to himself. After the Cutie Mark Crusaders stopped yelling, he stopped covering his ear. "Ok, next time, tone down the introduction."
"Oh, sorry." Apple Bloom apologized.
"It's fine." Squirrel said as he got the idea to introduce himself to the other Ponies since they introduced themselves properly. After he cleared his throat, he said: "Well if you guys haven't heard my name yet, it's Squirrel. You can call me Dead Squirrel or Joe if you want, but if you don't wanna, just call me Squirrel."
"Well it's nice to meet you Squirrel." Said Twilight in a friendly tone, however that quickly changed into a questioning tone when she asked a question. "But I have to ask, why did you scare the Ponies in Ponyville?"
"Well I'm sure my exposed brain isn't the reason why they ran away from me." Squirrel said in a sarcastic tone, which made Twilight form a slight glare from the attitude in his comment. "But yeah, once they saw me, they got the fu-" He had almost forgotten that there were little Fillies around, so he quickly changed the word he was about to say. "-fun out of there."
"Ok." Twilight looked at Applejack and she also stared back at her. Applejack did a little nod, like she signaled that he was clear of a crime.
"So why is your name Joe?" Rainbow asked suddenly.
"What?" Squirrel said confusingly.
"Your name Joe. Why can we call you Joe?"
Squirrel sweated a little when he realized he didn't have the answer ready. Sure, he could just simply say that he was a human who got turned into a Squirrel, but he believed that it would lead to more questions for the Ponies ask and they would eventually think he's making stuff up. He's also pretty sure that they don't know what the fuck humans are and if they did find out, they would hate them, since they do "things" to Ponies in his world. After a few seconds, he finally had an answer ready.
"W-well I like having a cool... nickname?"
Element of Honesty or not, everypony could tell that there was doubt in his voice. "Hol' on sugarcube, why are ya lyin'?" Applejack asked with a bit of suspicion.
"Yeah, what are you hiding?" Rainbow asked with a scolding tone as she made accusations toward Squirrel. "Are you planning to eat our brains with our guard down!? Or are you planning to spread a Zombie infection throughout Equestria!?"
"What!? No, no. I don't plan to do any of those things." He assured.
"Then darling, why are you lying about a simple question about your name?" Rarity asked.
"Well you see..."
"Twilight! Girls!" Twilight, her friends, and Squirrel all heard a familiar shy voice yell out. Twilight turned around and saw Fluttershy walking toward her with a worried look. Fluttershy stopped a few inches in front of her.
"Fluttershy? What are you doing here?" Twilight asked.
Fluttershy paused for a second as she tried to get the courage to speak her words while washing the thoughts of her friends thinking she is crazy out.
"Oh, well... after I went back to my cottage to tend to my animals, I-I found this Squirrel and it was... terrifying. His... brain was showing and I tried to take it to the hospital, but it... ran away. Oh Twilight, I know it sounds crazy, but I need you to help me find him."
Twilight's eyes widened when Fluttershy mentioned the Squirrel and would've had curious thoughts in her head, if it wasn't for the fact that she saw Fluttershy's expression become more saddened, so she reassured her. "Well actually, we found the Squirrel."
Fluttershy's face instantly became a happy one. "Wait, really?"
"Yeah, we did."
Twilight was pulled into a hug from Fluttershy's front hooves and for a shy Mare, she had the strength of a Bear, even Harry wouldn't compare to her Bearhug.
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Twilight smiled, even though she was in a bone crushing hug. "No problem, Fluttershy. Also, can you stop hugging me so hard? You're crushing my back."
Fluttershy stopped hugging Twilight due to embarrassment taking over her. "Oh my, I'm sorry."
"It's alright, Fluttershy." Twilight smiled in reassurement.
After Fluttershy recovered from her embarrassment, she had one question to ask. "So where's the Squirrel?"
"Oh well, i-"
"It's right here." Rainbow interrupted as she moved to the side from where she was previously. After she moved out of the way, Squirrel saw Fluttershy and had small dotted eyes when she the buttery Pony.
"Oh fuck." Squirrel muttered to himself, completely forgetting there were Fillies around.
Fluttershy had a relieved expression when she galloped toward Squirrel and stopped in front of him. Before he can say anything to her, she lowered her head and nuzzled her face on his right face cheek and put her left front hoof behind his head to nuzzle him properly. "Thank Celestia, you're okay." She said happily, but was changed into a calm, but small scolding voice. "Please don't run away like that."
Squirrel was just seeing a buttery coat molest his eye and couldn't escape it with Fluttershy's hoof pressed on the back of his head. 'God damn it, when will this Horse fuck off?' He thought in annoyance.
Fluttershy stopped nuzzling Squirrel as she realized that he still had his brain exposed. "Oh my, I forgot, we need to get you to a hospital, fast." She said in a panicked tone as she was about to pick up Squirrel.
However, Squirrel saw what she was going to do and before she could shift her hooves to pick him up properly, he pinched a hoof that was gripped on his left side of his torso.
She winced and let out a little yelp, which made her stop trying to scoop up Squirrel.
Squirrel then ran away from her and stopped when he was way farther from Fluttershy. He looked at her with a disapproving look as he turned around to look at her. "No, I'm not going to some hospital, where they are going to do some freaky operations to my brain, no way." He disagreed with a disapproving tone.
After Fluttershy recovered from Squirrel's pinch attack, she responded back. "B-but you look hurt and your brain is exposed and you might..." She couldn't even get the words out of her throat as her eyes became like a puppy's eyes pleading and she also made some whimpering noises.
Squirrel just rolled his eyes in annoyance and crossed his arms in annoyance. "Look, I'm fine, it's just my natural appearance."
Fluttershy was about to deflect his argument, but Applejack stepped in, since she saw Fluttershy's teary expression. "Fluttershy, the rodent is tellin' the truth... somewhat." Applejack muttered that last part to herself, since she felt Squirrel telling somewhat of the truth, however she wanted to focus on Fluttershy's concerns before she questioned Squirrel about his "natural" appearance.
Fluttershy looked at Applejack with a face of uncertainty and looked back at Squirrel. "B-but... but..."
"Trust me, sugarcube, he's alright."
"But how?"
"Because he's a Zombie." Rainbow added.
"A... a... Zombie?" Fluttershy questioned in a panicked tone and expression.
"Yup, I'm a Zombie that knows what he's doing, so yeah, I'm not injured." Squirrel replied.
Fluttershy had a little relief that Squirrel was okay, not hurt, and not a bad Zombie, but she now had questions that needed answers and Twilight also felt the same.
"Anyways, I still have more questions to ask." Twilight said to Squirrel. "Ok, so ho-"
"Darling." Rarity interrupted Twilight's question, which caught her attention toward Rarity.
"Uhh, yes Rarity?"
"As much as I want to question that Squirrel dear, I feel like we should go to a more appropriate place than the middle of town."
"Oh, right. Well then, I think we should go the castle."
"Wait, what about Ponyville?" Applejack asked.
"What do you mean, Applejack?"
"Ah mean, somepony has to calm down Ponyville about the monster."
"Oh, you're right."
"So what do we do, darling?" Rarity asked Twilight.
Twilight thought for a few seconds until she got the answer. "Ok, you girls head to the castle and take the threat with you, I'll calm down Ponyville that the threat is secured and isn't dangerous."
"I have a name you know!" Squirrel criticized.
"Ok, sugarcube we're on it." Applejack agreed to Twilight's plan, completely ignoring Squirrel, who had a deadpan expression.
"You can count on us Twily." Pinkie said.
Fluttershy lightly hovered toward Discord. "Umm... Discord?" She said in her usual shy and low voice.
"Yes, my dear Fluttershy?" Discord asked.
"You wouldn't mind if you... umm... teleported us to the castle... wouldn't you?"
Discord chuckled at the cute shyness that Fluttershy showed. "Not at all." He positioned his lion fingers to snap.
"Wait, wait, I don't know how I fe-" Squirrel didn't finish his sentence when Discord's fingers snapped and made him, Squirrel, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and the Mane 6 (minus Twilight.)
Once Twilight saw them disappear, she sighed. "Oh Celestia, this is going to take a while to explain." She said to herself as she turned around and saw the empty ghost town that Ponyville became. "I just hope there isn't more chaos like this."
Oh boy, was she wrong. Very. Wrong. |
Dead Squirrel in Equestria | Chapter 5: The Braindead Truth | In the Castle of Friendship, Spike was in the Throne Room and was asleep on his mini throne with some light snores. The only sound filling the silence was his snores until a door opened.
Out of the door from the hallway, came Starlight Glimmer who had a little concerned expression. Once she used her aura to open the door, she looked around the room and noticed that Spike was asleep in his throne. She galloped toward Spike, still with a concerned expression. After she made it to the sleeping dragon on his throne, she tried to wake him up, calmy. "Uhh, Spike? Spike?"
"Give me... five more minutes." Spike tiredly said with his eyes opening slightly, but his eyelids closed back down.
"Spike, this is important, where is Twilight?" Starlight's words didn't seem to get through his mind, since he was still snoring.
Seeing that she wasn't getting a reaction from him, besides tired snoring, she lifted Spike up with her magical aura by his tail. He was floating upside down by his tail a few inches from his throne. Starlight shook him a little bit with forceful aura, but not violently. Once she started shaking him, he instantly had his eyelids open and was awake.
"Huh, what... what's going on?" Questioned Spike worriedly, not knowing who was lifting him upside down.
Spike then was flipped back to normal and was descended back into the soft cushion of his throne. Once he was set on the cushion, he saw who levitated him. "Starlight?" He said confusingly.
"Sorry Spike, about the rude awakening, but I wanted to know where Twilight was." Starlight said with concern.
"Oh, Twilight said she was going to test something about dimension travel or something like that."
"Dimension travel?"
"Yeah, she said she was going to test a spell that allowed her to travel to other dimensions with her friends and Discord as well. *Yawn* They should be coming back. They said they would be back in thirty minutes." Spike yawned as he shifted into a sleeping position and closed his eyelids, so he could catch more Z's. Starlight however, still had a worried expression.
"What time did they leave the Castle?" Starlight asked as she turned her head and looked at a clock in the room.
"*Yawn* 11:20, why are you asking?" Starlight's expression became more concerned when Spike mentioned the time Twilight and her friends departed.
"Because it's 1:06." Spike's eyes shot up wide in surprise and revealed tiny dots for eyes.
"What?" Spike instantly sat up and looked at the clock in the room and it did in fact, show that it was 1 o'clock. "They been gone for almost two hours?!"
"Yeah, they have been and I'm a little worried." Starlight's voice had more concern taking over.
"No need to panic, I'm pretty sure that Twilight and the others are just... ummm... caught up in... umm..." Spike tried to think of an excuse, but there was doubt in it.
"Spike, I-I-I think they might of..." Starlight shuddered at the thought that her friends ended up in a different dimension and are lost in it.
Spike knew what she was saying and denied that possibility. "No! I'm pretty sure that they just forgot to come back." However, he was sweating a bit.
"I don't know, Spike, but we have to find out if they are okay or not." Starlight turned around to face the door, so she could leave.
Spike jumped down from his throne with a concerned expression on his face. "Y-yeah, we should check it out."
As Spike and Starlight were about to head out the door, they heard a poof sound and saw a quick flash of white. Once the white light flashed, they saw the Mane 6 (minus Twilight), Discord, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"-el about-" Squirrel paused when he realized that his eye were seeing a completely different sight, compared to the view that he previously saw. "-teleporting." His eye was a tiny dot and was trying to comprehend that he was teleported and experienced it for the first time in real life.
"Sorry, were you saying something?" Discord asked Squirrel with a bit of sarcasm.
"Girls! You're okay!" Starlight and Spike rushed toward them and they had a huge relief, not knowing or caring on who Discord was talking to.
"Uhh, why wouldn't we be, sugarcube?" Applejack asked.
"Because you were gone for almost two hours. Twilight said that you should be back in half an hou-" Spike stopped announcing his concerns when he realized that Twilight wasn't with her friends. "Wait, where's Twilight?" Spike asked in complete panic, clearly worried about her Alicorn sibling.
"Don't worry, my Spikey-wikey." Rarity softly laid a hoof on the top of Spike's scaly head as she reassured him, which made him relax and blush a little bit from her sudden touch. "Twilight is just easing down the town from the panic that was arising throughout town." Starlight had a bit of relief in her head, but she also had confusion as well.
"Why is Twilight calming down the town?" Starlight asked, confused on what Rarity was talking about.
"Oh, well there was a threat in Ponyville, but it was a terrible misunderstanding." Fluttershy informed.
"Threat?" More confusion slowly took over Starlight's mind and was showing on her face.
"Yeah, we thought it would be a big, scary, mean old monster, but the monster is small and isn't a meanie at all." Pinkie said happily.
"Yeah, we took care if it, no problem." Rainbow assured.
"Oh, that's a relief." Starlight said to herself, calming down from the panic and confusion that was in her head. Spike however, would make her confusion and panic spike (Haha, get it?) when he got the answer to his question.
"Wait, so what was the threat?"
"Oh, well..." Applejack paused, not knowing how to tell them.
"Actually, I think it is best if we show you." Discord said.
"What?" Starlight confusingly uttered.
Discord moved to the side and when he was away from his previous spot, Starlight and Spike laid their eyes on a Squirrel that was behind Discord. However, this Squirrel had an exposed brain and was looking at them.
Their eyes were small and they had shocked expressions written over their face. Their jaws were dropped as well, meaning that they couldn't get any words out of their throat at all.
A few seconds passed and Starlight and Spike said nothing, until eventually Rainbow checked on them out of concern.
"Uhh, are you guys okay?" Rainbow asked, noticing their shocked faces.
"Are we okay!?" Starlight exclaimed as she had her left eyelid twitch. "Y-you b-brought a Squirrel with its brain exposed, how can we be okay!?" She then stopped after she finished her sentence when she realized that Twilight's friends were showing her the threat of Ponyville, face to face.
"Wait, did you say this is the threat that was in Ponyville?"
"Umm... yeah." Applejack reluctantly answered, not liking what might happen next when she answered Starlight's question.
"T-then why did you bring it here?" It almost sounded like Starlight lost her voice.
"Hey, I have a name, I'm not an 'it,' ok?" Squirrel informed, offended by Starlight's concerns.
Instantly, Spike's and Starlight's expression filled with more shock.
"It talked!?" Spike exclaimed in pure astonishment.
"Oh yeah, we forgot to mention that Squirrely talks. Isn't it fun!? Now we know how Fluttershy feels." Pinkie said with excitement.
"Y-yes, but also... how can it... what!?" Spike replied, who still had tiny dots for eyes.
"Well, now you know, surprise!"
"Discord, this isn't one of your chaos tricks, is it?" Starlight asked, while a little bit of worry was displayed in her voice.
"I appreciate that you think I would do a trick like this, Starlight. However, this isn't my doing, unfortunately." Discord confirmed.
"But how can this be possible!? This can't be possible! This shouldn't be possible!"
"Geez, I can tell that Twilight taught her too well." Rainbow muttered to Applejack in a teasing tone and smile. Applejack had a deadpan expression that just read "really?" Rainbow's smug smile dropped and was replaced with a confused face. "What?"
"Well, the thing is that we don't know ourselves." Rarity casually informed.
"Yeah, we don't know how to expose his mind!" Pinkie said.
*Ba-doom ching*
A few drum noises were made, which caught everyone's attention. They saw that it was Discord who made it with his drum set and drum sticks that he summoned, however it disappeared. "Someone had to do it." He said with no regrets.
"Anyways... we should be askin' it some questio-"
"*Ahem*" Squirrel cleared his throat, interrupting Applejack, who had an annoyed look.
"*Sigh* Ah meant, we should be askin' Squirrel some questions, while we wait for Twahlight." Squirrel had a pleased look, but was replaced with a curious one when Starlight asked a question.
"Alright, but how can we trust him?" Starlight looked at Squirrel with a glare of suspicion.
"Because I didn't hurt anyone. Even though I look scary, it doesn't mean I'm a 'monster' lurking around 'Ponyville.'"
Starlight narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"He's the tellin' the truth, Starlight." Applejack confirmed.
"*Sigh* If you're saying he's good... then I believe you." Starlight said with a smile, which made Applejack smiled back at her.
"Sooo... are you some kind of... good Zombie?" Spike asked awkwardly
"Yes, I am." Squirrel answered casually.
"Really?" Spike's awkwardness was slowly being replaced with curiosity.
"Yep."
"That is cool, but also really creepy, but still cool."
"While I feel the same way, how's that possible?" Starlight's curiosity asked.
"Well... that's hard to explain." Squirrel said.
"What do ya mean?" Asked Apple Bloom.
"Wellll..." Squirrel paused for a few seconds and didn't respond. ".. nevermind. You wouldn't believe me." He mumbled that last sentence to himself.
"What!?" Rainbow questioned as she couldn't quite hear him.
"Nothing." Rainbow narrowed her eyes at his reply.
"Sugarcube, tell us what ya said." Applejack said in a little bit of a demanding tone.
"And why the heck should I?" Squirrel was starting to get a little defensive.
"Because how can we trust you, if ya not honest with us." Applejack replied in a assertive tone.
"Yeah." Apple Bloom agreed.
Squirrel was about to snap back, but mentally paused. He could just deny it, but then they would keep asking again and again and again and again, non stop. Then again, they would probably ask more and more questions and stop trusting him, if he told the truth that he was a Human. He kept arguing in his head and came to the conclusion to his decision.
"*Sigh* Alright, I-I'm... going to... tell you... the truth." He hesitated, not sure on what's going to happen.
Everyone had their focus on him and waited for him to respond.
'No response, they're fucking serious.' He thought observingly. 'Ok, time to fucking to do this shit.'
"Ok... the truth is... that... t-that... I'm... I'm..."
"You're what!?" Scootaloo slightly demanded, stopping Squirrel from trying to get his words out.
He took a few seconds and then proceeded to finish his sentence. "...I'm... a... Human." He mumbled, feeling actually nervous.
"What!?" Rainbow questioned, not hearing the rodent's low mumble.
"What did you say?" Starlight interrogated, curious about what Squirrel mumbled, that she didn't quite hear.
"I... s-said... I'm... I'm... I'm..." Squirrel struggled, which made Rainbow lose her patience.
"Can you quit stalling already!?" Rainbow growled. That made Squirrel snap back and yell as a response.
"Fine! The truth is that I'm a Human! There, happy!?"
This made everybody had a shocked expression. They didn't believe what he had said, at first. Spike asked a question, while he was still in a state of shock.
"Wait, did you just say that you were-"
"Yes!" Squirrel rudely interrupted.
Starlight opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. However, she had many questions that she needed answered. How did this Squirrel know about the Hu-mins that Twilight talked about? How did a Squirrel like him turned into one? How is that possible? Before she could think of more questions that needed to be answered, Rainbow denied this possibility.
"I-I don't believe you!" She doubted as she stuttered with shock still in her voice.
"Yeah!" Scootaloo agreed with her sisterly idol. "But, uhh... what's a Hu-min?" She asked the other Cutie Mark Crusaders with a confused tone.
"I don't know." Sweetie Belle said.
"Ah don't know as well." Apple Bloom added.
Applejack heard their confused huddle and reassured them in a whisper, even though she was still in a state of shock. "Ah'll tell ya girls later."
"Y-you're a H-Human?" Spike stammered out, not being able to process what he had heard from the rodent.
"Yes! I just said that!" Squirrel said in annoyance.
"I... don't know if I could believe that."
"Yeah, I don't believe it as well." Rainbow agreed.
Everypony had their doubts and didn't believe Squirrel was telling the truth, except Applejack who had her narrowed eyes on Squirrel, studying him to see if he was telling the truth.
"Hey! I told the truth and said that it sounded too crazy for you guys to believe." Squirrel said with a little firm tone. "So don't say I didn't warn you."
"B-but how can that possibly happen?" Rarity asked with a stammer.
"Yeah, how can a Human become a Zombie Squirrel? Rainbow asked with suspicion.
'I knew they were going to ask more fucking questions.' Squirrel thought in frustration. Squirrel really didn't want to answer more questions because he was getting tired, hungry, and thristy from all the chasing and shenanigans that he had experienced today. He thought for a few seconds, ignoring the confused, suspicious, and curious stares he was receiving from the Ponies, a Dragon, and a Draconequus. He finally got the idea on what to say and tiredly responded.
"*Sigh* Ok, so to put it simply, I was just relaxing with my friends, you know, just relaxing and playing games with each other. The-"
"Ooh, ooh! What game were you playing with your friends!? Was it a fun game!? Was it a board game!?" Pinkie interrupted in excitement, which made Squirrel form a deadpan expression and mutter a curse to himself. "I don't know why it's called a board game when it's a fun game to pl-"
*Snap*
A zipper appeared on Pinkie's lips and were sealed shut. It was Discord who magically summoned the zipper on her lips. "Sorry about that, carry on." He said, seeing that Squirrel was almost done with this shit.
"Ok... so, as I was saying, I was with my friends when all of a sudden, some kind of beam that looked like lightning came out of no where and took me. Then I wake up and find myself like this-" Squirrel pointed at himself. "-and I'm in Pony town."
"It's Ponyville." Starlight informed.
"Sure whatever."
"Hmmm..." Rainbow narrowed her eyes. "I don't know if I believe that."
"I literally just told you that I would tell you the truth." Squirrel tiredly said.
"I don't know. A random lightning strike just comes out and strikes you, it seems fishy to me." Rainbow turned around and faced toward Applejack. "What do you think Applejack?"
"Ah think he's tellin' the truth y'all." Applejack enlightened.
Everybody had a face of astonishment to see that the information was true. They didn't know how to process it, so they stayed silent for a few seconds.
Starlight was about to break the silence, but the door behind the Mane 6 (minus Twilight) and the Cutie Mark Crusaders sounded like it was being opened slightly.
Everybody turned their heads the door and saw that Twilight was opening the door.
"Hey everyone, I'm back." Twilight said as she peeked her head out of the door, not aware of the information that was in the room. However, she noticed that everyone had a shocked expression. She had a curious expression and was curious on what happened while she was busy. "Uhh, what did I miss?"
"Y-you missed a lot, Twahlight... A Lot." Applejack said with shock still on her face.
In the dark Everfree Forest, was just silence, pure silence. The only noise active in the part of the forest was a little bit of wind. Bush leaves and tree leaves were flowing, thanks to the wind. However, there was a noise that was made that wasn't the wind's doing. It sounded like it was footsteps and it was getting louder than the wind's small breeze. Then some rustling came from a bush and what came out wasn't a Pony, Timberwolf, or any other species that lived in Equestria.
What came out of the bush was a figure that appeared to have the shape and physique of a Human man. He pushed the leaves and branches from the center of the bush with his two hands. He went through the opening that he made from the bush and revealed his features in the dim sunlight that the dark trees were making.
The man had a peachy skin tone with black roughed up hair on the top of his head. As well as a hockey mask covering his face with the mask having three red triangles around the mask. The mask also had holes on top of the mask and on the bottom of it. And it appeared to have eye holes for the man to see through with his blue eyes. His clothing choice consisted on have a black t shirt, a blue front open sweater covering the shirt, black hard pants, and as well as some black shoes.
This man was a mysterious figure and was indeed mysterious. However, if you have been on YouTube before, you probably would recognize this hockey masked man as the Teddy lover, delirious gamer, and member of the Vanoss Crew. If you don't know his name, he's the one and only: H2O Delirious.
Delirious was walking in a single direction, while he was slouching and looking down at the grass. 'This is taking fucking forever to find a way out of this forest.' He tiredly thought.
He was tired from walking in this forest he was in. He couldn't keep track on how many minutes he was in this forest. He probably reached one hour on being in this forest, maybe even two hours.
He didn't know how the fuck he ended up in this forest or on how he became his avatar. It was fucking insane when he realized that he had become it and was freaking out. He calmed down after many minutes, but he was still amazed, shocked, and curious on how he perfectly transformed into his Delirious avatar, from head to toe.
All Delirious remembered before he passed out was that he was hit by purple lightning. It was weird because he was just playing a game of Lethal Company that he was streaming for his fans. All of a sudden, his in game avatar was struck by purple lightning, which confused him, but what happened after the lightning struck him, was weird. His PC's screen went black, he was disconnected from the Discord, and his recording stopped. After a few seconds of that happening, purple lightning came out of the screen and it looked similar to the one in game. Before he could process what to do, he was hit by a strike and passed out. And that was all he could remember.
After shaking the things he did before he was in the forest out of his thoughts, Delirious started to talk to himself. "I wonder how many steps before I can find someone or a way out of this fucking forest?...... *Sigh* This is taking forever." He tiredly said to himself, feeling a little bit of sanity draining from being in this dark forest labyrinth.
"This is going to take fucking forever." Feeling his patience almost reaching his limit. Delirious didn't know how long he needed to walk for to get the heck out of the forest, but if he didn't find an exit in the next minute, he sweared that he was going to-
*Bonk*
"OWW... WHAT THE-" Delirious lifted his head to yell at the thing or person that he had bumped into. However, he stopped trying to shout at the thing he bumped into when he realized what exactly what it was.
He laid his eyes on a yellow steel railing connected on a steel joist floor that was connected to a big metal gray box. It was a few feet up and was not touching the ground, which meant that Delirious hit his head on the factory flooring.
"-fuckkkkk..." He finished his sentence in confusion, not knowing what to say. He was in a trance, not knowing what to do. After a few seconds of confused thinking, he finally made a decision and to see what the fuck he had bumped into.
Delirious slowly inspected the big metal box by going to the right side of it. He noticed that there was a yellow steel ladder that allowed him to climb up and walk on the factory floor.
"Wait." Delirious muttered to himself as he realized that this metal box felt familiar to him. He reluctantly climbed up the ladder and was standing on the steel joist flooring. Instantly, he had noticed that there was another ladder, but this one led to the top of the metal box.
Not wanting to waste any more time to see why this box was familiar to him, Delirious climbed up the second ladder and was on top. He looked around and noticed that there was an antenna and was shocked to see it. This box was suddenly becoming more familiar to him.
"But it- but it can't be." Delirious talked to himself, not sure if he should believe whatever he was seeing right now. He stood on the top of the box for a few seconds as he turned his head toward the things that we also on the top of it. He had one more thing to check if this box was really what he thought it was.
Delirious turned to his right and swiftly ran toward the edge of the box's roof. Once he made it to the edge, he dropped down and landed his feet on the joist floor. And he turned around, looked behind himself and what he saw confirmed that this wasn't a box, It was a space ship.
What Delirious saw was the entrance to the inside of the ship and he couldn't believe what he saw. There was a big red cabinet, some screens at the end of the ship, and other stuff that he couldn't believe that he was seeing was seeing in front of his eyes.
"No... fucking... way..." Delirious muttered in astonishment as he confirmed that this was indeed what he thought it was. |
Dead Squirrel in Equestria | Chapter 6: Oh Ship! | "This taste... amazing." Squirrel muffled excitingly as he was enjoying a bite out of a peanut and jelly sandwich in his mouth. He was sitting comfortably on Spike's throne with a plate of one wide triangle shaped PB&J sandwich. Squirrel had a bitten sandwich in his tiny brown hands with some peanut butter and some jelly mess splattered around his mouth.
Squirrel didn't know why these sandwiches tasted so heavenly. Maybe it was how the Ponies here make the sandwiches or maybe it was his new Squirrel physique that made him want more of this, but he was not complaining.
Squirrel was finally starting to feel relaxed after being interrogated to the brain (no pun intended.) When he saw Sunlight or Twilight (he forgot her name) walk in the room, he knew he would have to answer her questions or inform her on what she missed. However, before she can directly ask a question to him, he told everyone that he was getting stressed, hungry, and exhausted from all the things he witnessed today and needed a break. Sunlight or Twilight disagreed, since she wanted answers immediately. However, Fluttershy agreed that they should let him take a break. She felt bad for thinking that he was a hurt animal and for practically Foalnapping him, so she wanted to make up for that. Sunlight still felt like she should get some answers, so Applejack told her that she'll tell her everything about him while he relaxes. And Sunlight agreed to these terms, so Squirrel requested for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as a meal.
Squirrel took another bite of his PB&J sandwich as he swallowed the previous bite. "Spike, was it?" He muffled to the young Dragon with a piece of a sandwich in his thick cheeks (not those kinds of cheeks.)
"Yes?" Spike said in a bit of a questioning tone.
He swallowed his piece. "Thanks for the sandwiches."
"Oh, no problem." Spike accepted the thanks.
"Hey, so do you have milk? I'm getting kind of thristy."
Before Spike could answer, a snap was heard and something appeared in front of Squirrel's eye. It was a glass of chocolate milk that appeared and was levitating in front of him.
"Do you accept chocolate milk?"
Squirrel turned his head to right to the familiar voice and it turned out was Discord. He was sitting on Sunlight's throne and was looking down at Squirrel with a small grin. Squirrel looked at the chaotic chocolate milk that Discord had summoned and took it.
"Uhh... sure, why not." Squirrel shrugged as he grabbed the glass and poured the milk down his throat. After he was done drinking half of the glass of chocolate milk down, he smacked his lips from the sweet taste and released a little relaxed "ahhhh."
While Squirrel was enjoying his milk and sandwiches with Spike and Discord by him, everyone was doing their own things as well. The Cutie Mark Crusaders asked for some sandwiches as well and were nibbling them when they got them, while they were sitting on an individual throne. Fluttershy was watching Squirrel eat his sandwiches and drink his milk, which made her silently squeak excitedly from the cuteness the rodent made from his noms and gulps, even though she tried her best to ignore his exposed brain. Rarity was watching Squirrel by Fluttershy and she had a little disgusted face from the mess on Squirrel's face that he hadn't cleaned up yet. Pinkie Pie was thinking about the theme for the party she was planning for Squirrel, which made her sit silently, which only lasted for two seconds because she got out of the throne she was sitting on and excitedly bounced around, being the energetic Pony that couldn't contain her energy. Rainbow Dash was next to Scootaloo, talking to each other like siblings. Starlight was observing Squirrel with curiosity, not knowing what to do in this situation because she never experienced a dead walking animal before. Twilight Sparkle and Applejack were next to each other, by the opposite end of the table of Squirrel.
Starlight noticed that Twilight and Applejack were talking with each other and decided to walk in the conversation. She noticed that Twilight had her eyes closed tightly and sat on her hauches to put one of her front hooves on forehead.
"So let me get this straight." Twilight said with a tone of a lack of understandment. "Squirrel isn't really a Zombie Squirrel, but he's a Human that was turned into a Squirrel, a Zombie Squirrel?"
"Yeah, that's right." Applejack confirmed.
"But that makes no sense."
"I know, I feel the same way." Starlight said as she walked next to Twilight and Applejack, catching their attention.
"Ah know it's confusin' for the both of you, but the rodent is tellin' the truth." Applejack said.
Twilight looked at Squirrel with a curious look and back at Applejack. "*Sigh* You're right Applejack, if you believe that Squirrel is not lying, then I believe you."
"Thanks sugarcube."
"No problem, it's just that nothing like this has happened in Equestria history, ever and it just seems suspicious for something like this to happen now."
"Ah get what ya mean, Twahlight, but trust me when ah say that the rodent is honest."
"Okay Applejack, I will."
"Me too." Starlight added.
Starlight and Twilight smiled at Applejack, who smiled back at them. They turned their head toward Squirrel who was chowing down on his last PB&J sandwich with a floating glass of chocolate milk by him. While Squirrel may of seemed untrustworthy at first, they believed that he was a very likeable Squirrel and wouldn't hurt any Pony at all.
Starlight's eyes widened in realization and turned her head toward Twilight. "Wait, so how did you manage to calm down the town today from seeing Squirrel?"
"Oh wellll..." Twilight had a sheepish look and looked behind her and shifted closer to Starlight's right ear. "Don't tell Rainbow this, but I may of said to Ponyville that it was a part of a prank she did." She whispered in her ear.
Starlight had a smug smile from hearing the tactic that Twilight used to calm down the town. "Considered my lips sealed." This made Twilight form a slight smug smile on a face.
Applejack didn't hear Twilight's answer, but she also had a smug expression that the Princess of Friendship lied in a tricking manner.
In the entrance of the space ship, Delirious started to walk toward the end of the ship. He passed the big red cabinet, some buttons by the entrance of the door, and a panel on the right when he reached the end of the inside of the ship. He laid his astonished eyes on the screens in front of him.
"This has to be a dream." He muttered to himself as he spotted a two buttons beside the black screen in front of him. He pushed the button that was on top of the second button and looked at the screen. Nothing happened. Delirious was thrown of by this and tried the second button that was below the first button and looked the screen, only to see no action happening in the screen.
"What the hell!?" Delirious said in confusion. "Why is this not working!" He pushed the buttons again, just to get the same results. The screen that had the buttons beside it, was not reacting or the other screen that was next to it that Delirious barely noticed by now.
"None of this shit is even working!" Delirious said angrily, but with the tone in his voice, it sounded like he was sarcastically being frustrated.
He then looked at a panel that was beside the second screen and he had a curious look. He got in front of the panel and hovered his fingers slightly above the keyboard, hoping that he can enter some words into the panel's screen. He pressed the 'D' key and nothing popped up on the screen. He pressed the same key again, believing that the keyboard had some registering issues, however nothing was displayed on the screen.
"Really!?" Delirious then pressed down on some other keys and moved his fingers all over the key board. Yet, no letter went through on the screen. "Man, this fucking Temu scamming panel sucks! I knew they were a god damn scam!"
"Wait a god damn minute!" Delirious said to himself in realization. He backed away from the panel and turned his head back the screen with the buttons beside, but instead of looking at the screen, he was looking on what was in front of the screen.
What was in front of the screen was a lever that had a red ball end. Delirious instantly had shocked eyes through his hockey mask. His hands were dangling, his feet were still, and his body felt chained as he watched the level for a few seconds. He couldn't believe it. This lever could do what he thinks it can do. Delirious finally released a reaction of gasping and put his left hand on the bottom of his mask where his lips would be. Maybe it wouldn't work, maybe it would. There was only one thing to do to see if it would happen.
Delirious lifted his right hand and slowly brought it to the level, to grab the red ball part of the level. He was hovering over it and was mere inches away from the lever. Suddenly, he stopped and looked at the screen as something came to his mind that made him lost in his thoughts.
'Wait, If I pull this lever, then I'll... I'll-' Delirious couldn't bear thinking about the most monstrous thing that could happen to him if he pulled this lever. The most chaotic thing to ever happen to him, would happen if he pulled the lever. "-never be able to upload that one stream on to my channel! Fuck! Curse my content intentions!" He said the last part to himself, out loud.
Delirious snapped out of his thoughts and then looked at the lever again. "Well I'm sure my viewers can wait, but then again, something bad could happen if I pull this." He paused in thought and shrugged. "I'll be fine, curiosity hasn't fucked my ass. Only the cat... and Shane Dawson."
Delirious then brought his right hand to the red ball end of the lever and gripped his hand on it. All he had to do was pull the lever toward him. He took a deep breath and was going to pull the lever on 3... 2... 1-"
"Who seems to be out there! This forest is full of dangers, beware!" Delirious stopped trying to pull the lever and turned his head toward the entrance of the ship, since that's where he heard a faint female voice cry out.
"What the hell?" He said to himself. Did someone find him? Was he not the only one in this forest? He didn't care about the questions, he cared about the answers because he rushed out of the entrance and hopped over the yellow railing, landing on the dark grass.
"Yeah! I'm out here! Can you hear me!?" Delirious yelled as he put both of his hands around a bottom part of a mask, where his lips would be, but not covering it.
"You're far, but I hear where you are! Stay and don't wander, so things don't get bizarre!" He heard the voice call out and it was closer. He had a perplexed look in his eyes. Did the woman who yelled out to him, meant to rhyme?
His thoughts were shook off his mind when he heard footsteps coming from his left, which oddly enough sounded like a Horse was coming at him, but ignored it. He then heard the "footsteps" get replaced by the sound of bushes rustling. He turned his head toward bush on his left and it seemed like it was the source if the rustling.
Delirious had a feeling of relief that he was finally found and can't wait to see a face after exhaustingly walking through the forest. The woman came out the bush.
"Finally, someone found me. You have no ide-" Delirious stopped when he realized that a woman didn't come out of the bushes, it was a Zebra.
The Zebra looked like it came out of a cartoon which left Delirious confused. The Zebra also had some gold rings around it's neck, had one on each ear, and some on its left Zebra arm. The Zebra had an odd and almost Human look on its face that looked confused.
"What the... a Zebra!?" Delirious confusingly shouted, not knowing why a Zebra was out here. The Zebra had a shocked face, but Delirious was too busy on being confused, he didn't pay attention to its look. "Uhh... woman! Are you there!? Did you bring a Zebra to this forest!?" He looked past the Zebra and shouted out at the direction of the sound of the woman's shouts. "Uhh... lady!? Are you out there!?"
"I-I'm the one that you spoken to. A visitor like you, is something new."
Delirious stopped looking at the direction he previously heard the voice and looked at the Zebra. He heard the same voice come from the Zebra when it moved its lips to talk. This shocked Delirious and for a second, he believed that he heard the voice come from the Zebra
"Wait, d-did you just... talk?" Delirious said in astonishment.
'No, no. Snap out of it, you're imagining things. There's no possible way that a Zebra can ta-'
"I'm confused on why you think I can't talk. Yet, I'm perplexed that on two legs, you can walk." The Zebra said
"Holy hell, you just talked!?" Delirious yelled, astonished by the talking Zebra. "How are you talking, you Zebra!?"
"I could ask the same, you're the most unusual guest I'll ever see. But tell me, what were you doing in the forest of the Everfree?"
"*Gasp* You're a Dr. Seuss speaking Zebra!" Delirious said, completely ignoring the question the Zebra asked. "I'm really losing my mind!"
"I may not know or have a clue on who's Dr. Seuss. However, I can assure you, you don't have any screws loose." The Zebra replied.
"But how can it be possible!? Zebras don't talk at all or look like they came out of a cartoon!"
"Equestria has always had many species that communicate and share. So why do you think we can't do any of the skills there?"
"Equestria? What the hell is that?" Delirious asked with confusion.
The Zebra's eyes became full of a little shock. "Wait, you mean you don't know the grass you walk on? It's the very grass you are walking beyond."
"Ok, but last time I checked, Humans haven't discovered or heard anything about Zebras talking."
"My people not communicating? I'm full of doubts, but I wonder, what are these Humans you're talking about?" The Zebra said with a tone of curiosity.
"Oh, well these Humans are like me, you know. They look like Monkeys but they are taller and walk on two legs, they talk normally, but not like animals, and other stuff like that.
"Fascinating. Well I'm glad I met and heard about your kind. And you seem fine, though earlier you thought you were losing your mind." The Zebra said with a amused tone, look and a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, well *Ahem* seeing crazy things you haven't seen before, will do that to you." Delirious nervously said, a little embarrassed about him almost losing his screws. "But hey, I'm taking it pretty well for seeing and hearing talking Zebra that I have never heard of before."
"For your kind, I indeed feel the same. Though, I must know, what is your name?"
"Well my name is H2ODelirious or you can call me Jonathan or Jon, but I prefer Delirious." Delirious pointed a thumb to himself in confidence.
The Zebra giggled a little. "Delirious? With your wild personality, I can see why the name is for ya. Nice to meet you, Delirious. My name is Zecora." Zecora introduced.
"Well it's nice to meet you, Zecora."
After they properly introduced, Zecora noticed the ship behind Delirious. "Delirious? What is behind you back? I never seen this kind of craft."
Delirious turned around to look at the spaceship. "Oh, you must be talking about this spaceship."
"A-a ship of space? Can it really go to that place?" Zecora asked with shock filled in her voice.
"Well yes, it does. It can go above the skies and can enter space. Enter space!" Delirious said with some excitement.
"Amazing." Zecora excitingly muttered to herself.
Delirious was about to go on about the spaceship, however he just realized something that he let go over his masked head. "Wait, I have a question."
Zecora looked curious on his sudden question he was about to ask. "A question you have in your mask? What do you have to ask?"
"Didn't you say that there's more of you earlier?"
"Indeed I did, Delirious. Why are you curious?"
Delirious had a shocked face, but he continued to talked "Well, while I'm used to a talking Zebra by now, I didn't know that there were more talking Zebras like you."
Zecora let out of a small giggle as she informed him. "Well, my people aren't around, but there's a nearby town."
"A town? A town of what?" Delirious asked with curiosity.
"A town of Ponies and other creatures alike with friendships everywhere and no strife."
"Ponies? Like Ponies that talk like you?"
Zecora nodded. "Indeed."
Delirious didn't know how to process that information. It was common for talking aninals to exist and he didn't know that some live in the Earth. Actually Equestria. Wait Equestria!? Delirious just let another piece of information slip over his head.
"Wait, wait, let's rewind." Delirious did a backwards motion with his hands. Zecora was left with a confused expression, but nodded her head. "Did you say Equestria is the grass I'm walking on?" Zecora nodded, so he continued. "What do you mean by that? Is Equestria a village or something like that?"
"I'm confused on what you think the world inhabits, but for you see, Equestria is a planet." Zecora answered with a tone of confusion.
'A PLANET!!!?' Delirious mentally yelled in his head, full of confusion.
"DID YOU JUST SAY A PLANET!!!?" Delirious shouted in confusion, hoping what he had heard was wrong.
Zecora thrown off by his yelling, but answered his question. "Yes, I did. Did I not? Why do you have a sudden state of shock?"
Delirious couldn't believe what he heard. He was on a planet that wasn't Earth. What the fuck is going on? He didn't know why he was in Equestria. However, to make sure that he wasn't on a different planet or something, he asked one important question that he needed answered.
"Umm... do you know what Earth is?" He asked reluctantly.
"Earth? That's a name I haven't heard before. Unless it was part of history, it's not heard of anymore."
Delirious had a more shocked expression and couldn't believe it. He was on another planet with no Humans, just talking Zebras and Ponies. "S-so I'm i-in Equestria?"
"Indeed." Zecora nodded.
'How did I get here!? This can't be right! This has to be a dream! Right!?' Delirious was freaking out and questioning if this was even real life. First, he transformed into his avatar. Second, he finds a spaceship from Lethal Company. Finally, he encounters a talking Zebra. This couldn't be real.
Zecora noticed that his face (well his eyes, since his face is covered) looked like it saw a ghost, so she tried to calm him down. "Relax, my Delirious friend. Breathe in and breathe out. After you're done, tell me what you worry about?"
Delirious did what he was told and calmed down a little.
"Now tell me what gets you wary? Tell me all of the worries that you carry?" Zecora asked in concern of Delirious' health.
"Ok... so I-I think I'm stuck in a different world or dimension, however you call it." Delirious answered hesitantly.
Zecora's eyes widened. "Another dimension you mention?"
"Yes because you're saying that this planet is Equestria, but the planet that has my people is Earth."
More shock consumed Zecora as she had her jaw dropped. She couldn't believe that she met a civilized ape that was from another world called Earth. She didn't know what to think or do about this for a bit.
"And I don't know how I got here or what kind of tragic magic brought me to this ugly forest... umm, no offense." Delirious assured, thinking dissing the forest offended Zecora's feelings.
"None taken. This forest has some surprises to fear. But also, I heard that magic brought you here." Zecora said.
"Yes or something like that. I was hit by a purple lighting strike when I was-" Delirious paused, thinking that Equestria doesn't have video games, so he had to word it differently. "-relaxing with my friends. Then after I was hit by fucking lighting, I woke up in this forest, in the middle of no where.
Zecora put a hoof on her chin to ponder about the magic that hit Delirious. "A purple lighting strike? That is certainly a mystery. Maybe Twilight will know how to get him out of his dimensional misery." She muttered to herself.
Delirious noticed that Zecora was talking to herself and looked uneasy. "Uhh, is everything okay?"
"Yes I am because I came to the conclusion. We should meet the Twilight to clear up the confusion." Delirious rose an eyebrow and was about to question on who Twilight is, but Zecora answered his question that he was about to ask. "Twilight is the Princess of Friendship and is well knowledgeable in magic, so I'm sure she can inform you about the events that were tragic. Follow me until, we meet her in Ponyville."
"Okay." Delirious agreed, but before they can walk an inch, Delirious had a worrying question. "Wait, if I'm going to Ponyville, wouldn't they freak out because... you know-" He pointed his right hand index finger on his right masked up cheek. "-they haven't seen this before?"
"There's no need to fret. They won't see you as a threat." Zecora reassured him.
"Ok, but how do you know that they won't be scared when they see me?" He asked.
"Because I was treated the same way when I first arrived, but eventually they became great friends when given time."
"Ok, if you say so."
"Trust me when I they won't be scared when you're around. But let us stroll, so we can make it to the town." She started walking the way she entered and Delirious followed her.
However, before he could enter the bush Zecora made her way in, Delirious turned around to look the spaceship. 'Damn, should I follow her or should I try that lever.' He stood still and turned his head to the bush and spaceship now and then. He kept arguing in his head to see if he should follow the rhyming Zebra or travel to space with the ship.
After a few seconds of mentally arguing and looking back and forth at the ship and bush, he came to the conclusion. 'Screw it, I'll check on the ship later. Time to see some talking Ponies.'
"Delirious!? Is something appalling!? Why are you behind and stalling!?" He heard Zecora's faint voice yell out as she noticed Delirious wasn't following her.
"Sorry! I'm coming!" Delirious shouted as he ran through the bush and followed Zecora. His footsteps then turned into faint noises, which eventually, left silence in the area. No pony, no Human, no Dragon, and no Draconequus were in the area at all.
But maybe something was in the area. Like a mysterious figure hiding in the bushes. He was watching the scene and he had one thing to say: "YIPE!!!" |
Dead Squirrel in Equestria | Chapter 7: Welcome to Ponyville, Delirious | "Ahh, now that was refreshing." Squirrel said in a lazy tone, after drinking down his remaining chocolate milk.
A snap was heard and a floating napkin appeared in front of Squirrel, which made his eye widened slightly in surprise. After a second passed, he then shrugged of the surprised look and accepted the napkin. He rubbed the napkin around his mouth to clean up the sticky peanut butter and jelly mess.
When Squirrel was done cleaning his face, his plate that was on his lap, disappeared. So did his glass and his napkin. He had a pleased smile and wish he had more time for his question free break, but sadly for him, it had to come to an end.
"Squirrel." He turned his head to whoever called his name and he saw that it was Sunlight.
"Um, yes?" Squirrel questioned, not knowing what she wanted to know.
"So I heard that you were a... Human?"
"Yes, I was before I was transformed into this." Squirrel pointed at himself with his thumb.
"Okay and I heard that a beam struck you out of no where, therefore bring you to Equestria?"
"Yep. That sounds about right." Squirrel confirmed.
"So... how did the beam look like?"
"Uhh, why are you asking?" Squirrel rose an eyebrow in confusion.
"Because I want to know all the details on how you got here. Plus we need to make sure you're completely trustworthy." Sunlight stated.
"*Sigh* Fine. I'll do it. *Ahem* So the beam that looked like lightning came out of a...-" Squirrel paused and thought for a second. "-do you know what a computer is?"
Sunlight's eyes widened slightly at the familiar name. "Yes, I know what a computer is."
"Wait, really?" Squirrel asked, a little astonished that the lavender Pony even knew what a device even is.
"Yeah."
"How?"
"Well... to put it in simple terms, I went through a portal in my mirror that led to the Human world. I transformed into a Human and I learned so much about them and their technology and I was able to get back to Equestria."
"Wait, did you say the Human world?" Squirrel asked with a little bit of an enlightened tone.
"Yes I did."
"Does that mean you could send me back to my world?"
"Well, I could, but I'm not sure if it's your world."
Squirrel looked confused. "What do you mean? You said it was the Human world and I was a Human, so yeah, I'm sure it's my place."
"True, my Squirrely friend." Discord jumped in and appeared beside the throne that Squirrel was sitting on. "However, there are many variations of Human worlds and dimensions in the whole multiverse." Squirrel looked perplexed by his statement, but before he could reply to his statement, Discord continued to speak. "Plus, if you did come from that world, why didn't come out of that mirror, considering it's the only portal to Equestria?" Squirrel still looked confused and was trying to process a response.
Sunlight's eyes widened in realization. "Wait a minute Discord, we never told you about Canterlot High?"
"Oh, well just because you went on your little Canterlot adventure and discovered Humans for the first time, doesn't mean I haven't been there before. Oh, the chaos I caused there. Good times."
Sunlight formed a slight glare upon hearing the fact that Discord caused chaos and was about to scold him, however he stopped her before she could even start. "Relax, I cleaned up my mess... most of it." He muttered the last part to himself, which Sunlight didn't hear.
Sunlight's glare softened as she turned back to Squirrel. However, she was still suspicious of Discord's antics, but decided to brush it off to focus on to other important matters.
"Anyways, Discord is right. There are many dimensions and worlds for that dimension to be yours."
Squirrel pondered for a bit. "I suppose you're right. But how am I supposed to get home?"
Sunlight's face dropped at the question, but she eventually thought of the words to say. "Well... we are going to figure out that part." She then realized that she didn't get the full story on how Squirrel got to Equestria. "But for right now, can you finish your story on how you got here?"
Going bored of where the conversation was going, Squirrel grew bored with a uninterested look. Still, he listened to her suggestion. "Fine, I suppose. *Sigh* So as I was saying, the lightning came out of the computer screen and struck me with out of no where and I just find myself woken up in a forest."
Sunlight's eyes widened in realization in what forest Squirrel may be talking about. "Wait, forest? Are you talking about the Everfree Forest?"
"I don't know what the Everfree Forest is." Squirrel said with a clueless tone.
Sweetie Belle saw a clueless expression show on his face and decided to walk up and answer to him. "Oh, well you remember that forest that you were in? The one where you were looking shocked and aimlessly trying to say something?"
"Uhh... yeah?"
"That was the Everfree Forest."
"Oooh." Squirrel had an expression of understandment, but it was replaced with a surprised face when he realized something. "Wait, how did you know I was doing those things when I arrived at the forest?"
Scootaloo's and Apple Bloom's eyes widened when that question was asked. They weren't supposed to be at the forest, since it was dangerous and would get in trouble. Not from the Timberwolves or Manticores in the forest, but from their sister's wrath if they found out about that.
Sweetie Belle sweated and stammered a little bit with a thin sheepish smile. "W-well... umm..." Seeing that she couldn't come up with an excuse, she let out a small sigh, wiping away the sheepish look and stopped stammering. "*Sigh* Ok... we-"
Scootaloo quickly zoomed to Sweetie Belle and put a hoof on mouth. "We assumed that's how Squirrel reacted." She said quickly with a sheepish smile.
"Yeah, ah would be shocked and surprised if ah became a Zombie Squirrel." Apple Bloom added, who had a similar expression to Scootaloo.
Sunlight narrowed her eyes in little suspicion, but Squirrel seemed to bought the poor lie. "Okay then." Squirrel said before clearing his throat. "*Ahem* Back to the story, I th- well actually, you know what happened after I woke up in the forest."
Sunlight turned her attention to Squirrel as he was began his rundown of his story. She had an eyebrow raised with a confused look. "So you're saying that a lightning struck you, out of nowhere, meaning you were transported to Equestria?"
"Yup-a-moon-doe, Sunlight."
"It's Twilight." Sunlight or rather Twilight, corrected in a serious tone.
"Whatever."
Before Twilight can say anything else, a possibility flashed in Twilight's head. The lighting that Squirrel was talking about, reminded her of the experiment that she did today. She mentally became shocked by the possibility that maybe it was her fault that Squirrel ended up in Equestria. She then quickly decided and tried to reassure herself.
'No, no. There's no logical way that the same beam I launched was the same energy that Squirrel was talking about. It may have taken the form of a lightning structure, but it was just a simple energy beam from Discord. Then again, Discord's chaos magic defies logic, so maybe it could've bee-'
"Twilight!"
A small shout snapped Twilight out of thoughtful thinking. "Huh? What?"
"I said if you were okay." Twilight looked at Squirrel who looked confused. "I yelled your name and you didn't respond." Squirrel said with a little bit of confusion in his tone. "Is everything okay?"
"Yep, everything is fine and this isn't totally my fault." Twilight said quickly with a sheepish expression and tone.
"Umm... okkk." Squirrel was still confused and didn't hear the second part of sheepish speech.
Twilight didn't want to believe that her experiment was the reason why Squirrel was in Equestria, however the beams that he described that hit him were similar to the beam she tried to absorb. She didn't know how to confirm the idea that the energies were the same, until she finally had a way for it to be confirmed.
"So, if you don't mind me asking, what was the color of the be- lightning!? Lightning. Uhh... what color was the lightning?" She had a huge sheepish smile and a little bit of sweat, hoping that Squirrel didn't hear the word she almost said.
While Squirrel did have a confused look, he also had a little bit of an uncomfortable look as well. Even though he had her weirdness press him, he answered her question. "Uhm... well, it was purple. I really don't see why you need that information, but yeah, it was purple."
Twilight's worries spiked and she was mentally panicking, all while she was still wearing a sheepish look. "Uh o-ok. Thanks for informing. Ha ha." She backed away with a few small sheepish laughs.
Squirrel looked confused during the whole interaction and was kind of glad it was over. "N-no problem." He reluctantly said.
"Uhh, sugarcube? Are you okay?" Applejack asked as she approached Twilight, a little worried on why Twilight is acting strange.
"It's... nothing." Twilight tried to assure in a calming tone, but it clearly came out as a worrying tone.
Applejack formed a worried look, but before she could comment on her behavior, Twilight continued to talk.
"Umm... hey girls!" This caught the other Mane 6's attention, including Spike's attention.
"Yes, Twilight darling!?" Rarity called out with a confused expression.
"I think we should... step outside and... talk about... something." Twilight then backed up to the entrance of throne room with a sheepish expression still on her face.
The other Ponies of the Mane 6 looked at Twilight with confusion, but slowly trotted toward the entrance.
After Twilight used her magic aura to open the door, she entered the door and so did the other Ponies of the Mane 6. Once they were all in the hallway, she closed the door, leaving only the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Starlight, and Spike with confused expressions. Discord however, had a knowing look as well as a thin grin.
Spike turned and looked at Discord. "Discord, do you know what that was all about?" Spike asked.
"I haven't got a clue." Discord lied in a teasing tone.
Oh Celestia, what chaos was he was about to watch unfold?
They continued to walk down the path that was clearly leading to Ponyville. Zecora and Delirious was walking beside each other, seeing a colorful town a little bit distant away from them. They were approaching the town to get the Catle of Friendship, so they can talk to Twilight about this whole situation.
"Sooo... we're almost at the town." Delirious pointed out.
"Indeed we almost are. Let's keep going far." Zecora said. She casted a look to her side to see Delirious, while she was still facing the distant town. "Are you nervous to be renowned, while we travel through town?"
Delirious turned his head to face Zecora. "Well... just a little bit, but I'm also kind of curious about these Ponies."
"Don't worry, they will warm up to you, even if your kind to them, is something new."
"Yeah, you're right." Delirious and Zecora then continued walked as footsteps and hoofsteps were the only noise filling the air.
However after a few seconds of the silence, Delirious broke it when he had a question he wanted to ask Zecora. "By the way, I been meaning to ask, why do you always rhyme everytime?"
Zecora formed a small smile at the question. "What a delirious mention and curious question, but I'll answer you my non-spurious intention."
As Zecora answered Delirious' question, they were closer to the town and were still a few feet away. Ponyville would be in for a surprise.
A minty green and a creamy white Pony were laying on the bench on her stomach. Well actually, the creamy white Pony was the only one laying on her stomach because the green minty Pony was sitting on the bench, but in a way that the creamy white Pony always found strange when she always did that. These Ponies were the background couple: Lyra and Bon Bon.
Lyra and Bon Bon were calming down and were trying to get their minds away from what they saw. They saw a Squirrel like figure, but it couldn't be a simple Squirrel because it had its brain exposed and was walking fine. This made them form a shade of green on their face and they felt their food come up their throat. However, they quickly got rid of the thought, so they shook off the greeness off their face and they swallowed down their processed food. Although Princess Twilight Sparkle reassured them and Ponyville that it was just a prank set up by Rainbow Dash, they still couldn't stop thinking about the disgusting sight they seen.
"Bon Bon." Lyra said in a tone that almost sounded like she lost her voice.
"Yes Lyra?" Bon Bon asked in the exact tone as Lyra.
"Don't you think that... you know, that maybe that Squirrel was actually a real... Zombie Squirrel and not a Squirrel in makeup?" Lyra questioned.
Bon Bon turned her head and faced toward Lyra upon hearing the idea that the Squirrel was a real Zombie. "What? No, no. Lyra that sounds... ridiculous." She said the last part reluctantly. She was dealing with her own doubts and beliefs, trying to decide on which side to believe.
"I don't know, Bon Bon. It seemed too real to be a prank."
"Lyra, I'm sure Princess Twilight was right and wouldn't lie."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Lyra's stress vanished and she relaxed her head from the Squirrely thoughts she had.
"Ok, how about we stop thinking about the Squirrel and focus on what a beautiful day it is or something like that." Bon Bon suggested, hoping to get the thoughts of the Squirrel our of her head too.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right."
While Lyra and Bon Bon were trying to relax and forget about the Squirrel, many other Ponies were trying to do the same.
Octavia Melody and Vinyl Scratch (or rather DJ Pon-3, if you're going by her party nickname) were walking by the bench Lyra and Bon Bon were on. They were also trying to get rid of the rodent thoughts as well.
"That Rainbow Dash!" Octavia growled through her gritted teeth. She seemed angry with her furrowed eyebrows and narrowed eyes. "Why must she play a prank? I ran my hooves away from that horrifying looking Squirrel, only for it to be a trick! How maddening!" She turned her head towards Vinyl. "Wouldn't you agree?"
Vinyl nodded her head and she also appeared to have furrowed eyebrows as well, but it was softer the Octavia's angry expression.
Octavia groaned in annoyance. "Well now there goes my precious time that I could've used for practicing wonderful music." Vinyl nodded and silently agreed with her as they walked by Mayor Mare who looked tired.
Mayor Mare had heavy eyelids and a little bit of redness in her eyes. She hadn't had her coffee yet at her home, but she couldn't make it. So she had to head to the Town Hall to make her coffee there and clear out the work she had to do.
However, like the other Ponies in Ponyville, she also got scared by the Zombie Squirrel and ran away from it. Eventually, the situation got cleared up and Ponyville was informed that this was another Rainbow Dash prank, even though the whole town got back at her for pranking everypony.
Ironically, the prank Ponyville used to get back at Rainbow was a Zombie prank. And with the Zombie Squirrel turning out to be a trick, Mayor Mare guessed Rainbow must've done this because she wanted to get back at Ponyville for using her own idea for a prank against her. Although Mayor Mare was a little frustrated at Rainbow for not learning her lesson, she couldn't display that frustration, due to her drowsiness.
"I don't get enough credit to handle this town." Mayor Mare groaned to herself as she was walking to the Town Hall with her tired head lowered to the grass floor. However, her remaining tired strength kept her head from almost touching the grass. And as much as she wanted it to be a normal day, considering she couldn't handle another situation happening, that unfortunately wouldn't happen.
There were two figures approaching the town and it was Zecora and Delirious. They were barely going to make it to the town, however they were more focused on the topic they were still talking about.
"And as you see everytime, that is why I rhyme." Zecora stated.
"Uh huh, I see." Delirious said, taking in the information. He looked away from Zecora and noticed the different surroundings around him. He was a little amazed on how the town looked.
There were some colorful buildings around, but it wasn't a splattered mess. Still though, it looked like a Unicorn shit over this town. He was a little amazed at the town and looked around more with sparkling eyes. "Wow, this town looks amazing."
Zecora giggled a little bit at his reaction. "Amazed?"
"Hell yeah, this looks cool!" Delirious exclaimed excitingly.
"Well I'm glad that this town is something you like. Although, you're attracting attention from Pony eyes."
Delirious was confused on what the hell she was talking about and then he noticed a few Ponies in the corner of his eye. He shifted his full attention to the Ponies and they looked shocked with their jaws dropped. His dumb ass forgot that there were Ponies in Ponyville, even though Pony was in the name.
"Oh shit, I forgot." Delirious said to himself as he became a little embarrassed at the little scene he made. He looked away from the Ponies and turned his attention back to Zecora.
"Like I said, you will catch their attention for many days, but they won't see you as a threat at anyway." Zecora said in her usual rhyming.
"I hope." Delirious said as he and Zecora were still walking.
Ahead of their distance was Octavia and Vinyl who were walking towards them. They still seemed to talk about the prank Rainbow pulled. Well, mostly Octavia.
"Just who does she think she is? Pranking the musical genius of the cello all for a couple of brief laughs. How rude. For being the so called Element of Loyalty, she seems to like tricks that make Ponies feel petrified." Octavia ranted.
Vinyl was ignoring her ranting at this point and turned her attention to ahead of their path they were walking. She then noticed something ahead of the distance. She saw a Pony shaped figure, but there was another figure that confused her and gained her curiosity. She squinted her eyes through her glasses to see what was the figure that was slowly approaching her. After a few seconds of squinting, she saw the figure more clearly and became shocked on what she is seeing. She suddenly stopped walking and had her eyebrows raised with her jaw dropped.
Octavia continued to walk a few feet from the shocked DJ, but after she stopped running her mouth about Rainbow Dash, she noticed Vinyl wasn't walking beside her. She looked behind her and saw her be still as a statue, like that one Draconequus they have in Ponyville. If she remembered correctly, Discord was the Draconequus' name.
Octavia walked to Vinyl, confused on why she stopped all of a sudden. "Why did you stop walking?" She asked.
Vinyl swiftly lifted her front right hoof and pointed to the direction in front of her. Octavia followed where Vinyl's hoof pointed at and laid her eyes on whatever she was pointing at. Her eyes of confusion, instantly became pinpointed dotted eyes and her jaw felt like there was an anvil weighing it down because it dropped in an instant. What she saw was beyond a bewildering sight.
She saw Zecora? Was it? She couldn't remember the Zebra's name, but she wasn't surprised about her arriving in Ponyville, she was surprised on what was walking besides her.
What was walking beside her was a bipedal figure, however it wasn't in a shape of a Diamond Dog, Dragon, or any creature Octavia has ever seen. It was a tall figure that easily towered over the Zebra's height and it had hair only on the top of its head. Though she couldn't quite tell if it was only its head that had hair, since it seemed to wear some interesting clothing all over its body. It even had a hockey mask as well as some talons peeking out its sleeves, however they didn't look sharp, in fact it looked like some kind of thick sticks, like a Monkey's palm. The figure actually did resemble an Ape, although last time she checked, Monkeys still had their tails, hair all over their skin, and they didn't wear clothes their size. Regardless, this Monkey was missing hair, a tail, and wore clothes, making this a Delirious sight for her.
Octavia and Vinyl were staring at the Ape in shock, but also in a little bit of disbelief. The Monkey seemed to be deep in a conversation with Zecora, it didn't notice Octavia and Vinyl staring at him when they close to them. Their eyes and bodies were following the Monkey and even when it eventually passed her, she turned her body and eyes to still face it.
"So what happened when you arrived here?" Octavia heard the Monkey ask in a male sounding voice, which made her form a more shocked expression.
They were still watching the male Ape walk farther away from them as he and Zecora were talking to each other. After the Ape visitor was at a far distance, Octavia started to question the chaos in this town, while Vinyl was still shocked. Still though, Octavia and Vinyl couldn't believe the visitor that walked by.
"W-who in... w-what in... w-who in C-Celestia was that?" Octavia questioned with a few stutters.
Vinyl didn't even move her head to respond to Octavia's question, since she was still trying to process everything that they just saw right now.
Delirious and Zecora were away from the musical duo, completely unaware of the shock and questions they caused by walking past the two Mares. As a matter of fact, they weren't aware of a Mare they were going to walk past right now. It was Mayor Mare.
Mayor Mare still looked tired and was facing the floor, but she was barely hovering it over the grass. She then heard somepony talking behind her.
"-nd they were frightened by appearance. However, there was one Filly that wanted to stop these rumors by her significant interference." She heard a familiar rhyming voice called and instantly recognized the voice to belong to Zecora. She didn't know why Zecora was in Ponyville or who she was talking to.
Nevertheless, she was too tired to care or turn her head around to see the rhyming Zebra. However, she would see Zecora and who she was talking to because they were walking faster than Mayor Mare's tired pace.
"*Gasp* So what happened next?" She heard a male voice gasp with a little bit of delirium in his tone. This made her open her eyes slightly and lift her head up. She had never heard a Stallion in this town with that voice before, so this made her curiosity slowly take over her drowsiness.
Their hoofsteps were getting closer to her and they were going to pass by her. Mayor Mare then saw Zecora and then she looked at the other Pony, however when she did, she was instantly shocked and stopped walking.
When she laid her eyes on the other Pony, she realized it wasn't a Pony, in fact it wasn't a Dragon, Diamond Dog, or any other species she had heard of. It was tall and looked like an Ape, but this Ape had clothing and talked like any normal Pony. With her eyes being the size as tiny dots and her jaw dropped, she couldn't say anything at all, due to the shock. Her tiredness vanished completely, it felt like she mentally got a wake-up slap to her face. As Mayor Mare continued to watch the civilized Ape, Zecora answered his question.
"The Filly approached and told me about the Poison Joke her friends carry, so I told her to get ingredients. When she left, her friends arrived with great caution and were wary, meaning I was accused in immediate. After looking in the forest, the young Filly came back to my hut and brought back the ingredients for the curing stew. However, she saw what was happening and stopped the room of chaos that was beginning to brew. Eventually, we explained the situation to the Ponies and-" With Zecora walking away farther away, Mayor Mare couldn't quite hear because Zecora and the Ape were far away for her to hear the continuation of the conversation.
When Zecora and the Ape were far away from Mayor Mare, she stood silent for a few seconds and said nothing for a while. Eventually, she finally broke the silence. "*Sigh* There's never a normal day in this town."
"-were able to wash the Poison Joke out." Zecora finished.
"Geez, rough story." Delirious said.
Zecora let out a chuckle. "It was a misunderstanding and I was accused. However, their antics some what left me amused."
They were continuing to walk to the Castle of Friendship, while still deep in their conversation. So far, they seemed to cause shock Ponies who saw them, well they were all surprised about Delirious, considering that they never saw a guest like him before. However, they would soon pass a bench that Lyra and Bon Bon were sitting on.
"It is a beautiful day today." Bon Bon pointed out, taking a deep breath. She was still trying to wipe her thoughts away from the prank and focus on other things. She took a deep breath.
"Yeah, it's a relaxing day." Lyra agreed, also taking a deep breath. "Ahhhhh. I feel so relaxed." Her eyes were closed with relaxation, while her mind was clearing up.
For a little bit of time, they just relaxed and enjoyed the fresh green smell of grass. Eventually, they opened their eyes when their minds cleared up from the chaos they witnessed this morning.
"See, isn't this relaxing, Lyra?" Bon Bon asked in a calming tone and expression with her eyelids being semi open.
"Yeah, Lyra. This is very calming." Lyra agreed, while having the same expression and tone Bon Bon had.
Bon Bon heard a familiar voice talking and in the corner of her eye, she caught the source of it. She turned her to the left, but she she still rambled on about the calmness that was in this moment.
"Uh huh. And there's no chaos or pranks that could ruin this perfect mome-" Bon Bon instantly stopped and had her eyes shrink and have a face of pure shock.
Lyra opened her relaxing eyes when she didn't hear Bon Bon finish her sentence. "Uhhh... Bon Bon, why did you stop?" She asked with confusion in her tone as she turned her head to her direction.
Immediately, Lyra noticed the thousand yard stare that Bon Bon had in her face. Lyra had a little confused expression. "Bon Bon, what's wrong?" Lyra then turned her head to the left to see what she was staring at. She instantly also had a shocked expression as well.
What they saw was Zecora walking and talking to somepony, but it wasn't a Pony, it was some kind of Ape with some clothes and even a hockey mask.
Zecora seemed to be talking to the Ape and this made Lyra a bit curious, but she still felt shocked.
Lyra was observing the Ape, very closely. She looked at its head, its torso, and its... palms that were peeking out of its sleeve. Its palms seemed to have claws that were thick, it didn't even look like they were sharp claws, it was like the Ape had... hands. WAIT HANDS!?
Lyra's eyes widened in realization when she figured out who the Ape was. It was... a Human.
"Who is that?" Bon Bon asked, completely flabbergasted on what she was seeing.
Lyra stayed silent as she came to a realization: there was a real Human here in Equestria and it was in front of her eyes. It left her sight and she just paused in the same spot for many minutes.
"Lyra!? LYRA!?" Bon Bon said in confusion as she saw Lyra was in a daze. "Are you oka-"
"Human."
"What?"
"Human."
"Lyra, what are you talki-" Bon Bon didn't get to finish when Lyra suddenly jolted from the bench and left Bon Bon.
While Bon Bon was surprised by the speed Lyra displayed, she snapped out of her flabbergasted daze and turned her head to the left to see Lyra gallop toward the direction of where the Ape went.
"Lyra, wait!" She called out as she got out of the bench and galloped toward her direction.
They would soon find out about the guest that was in Ponyville.
Delirious and Zecora stopped walking when saw the Castle's front door at the distance.
"So that's it, huh?" Delirious asked Zecora.
"It is indeed. Let us proceed." Zecora answered as they were beginning to still follow the path that led to the front door of the Castle of Friendship.
"WAAIITT!"
A approaching yell shouted behind them. They turned around and spotted the minty Unicorn: Lyra, galloping toward them. They didn't know what to think of it, but she was approaching them and getting close.
Lyra then stopped in front of them and looked at Delirious with a happy smile and shining eyes full of excitement.
"Hi." Lyra squeaked happily.
"Uhh, hi? Umm... who the hell are you?" Delirious asked.
"Oh, sorry for being rude. I'm Lyra Heartstrings and I was wondering who you were?"
"Well LYRA, my name is Delirious."
"Delirious? That's a weird name, but I love it." Lyra smiled more, which made a sound that sounded like a Dog toy was being squeezed. This confused Delirious.
'Is a Dog playing with his toy because what the hell was that sound?' He thought with confusion, however he brushed it off as he noticed that Lyra was waiting for his response.
"Yeah, that's a weird name, but it's mine. Although, Heartstrings is a weird name."
"Well, it's normal around here with Ponies, since we don't have Humans here in Equestria. Which I still can't believe that a real Human is here in Equestria. It's amazing."
"And I didn't think I would end up in a Pony town in another dimension, yet here we are. In fact, I thought it was only in cartoons, like this place for example, but shit, I'm actually in another dimension and I'm not dreaming. At least I don't think I am."
"Well, dimension travel exists and I'm glad a Human like you was brought here with... haaannnddddssss..." Lyra looked like she was being hypnotized when she laid her eyes on Delirious' hands.
Delirious was thrown off by her dazed reaction and lifted his left hand to look at his own hand. "Is there something on my hands because I don't know what you're talking abo- Woah!" Delirious suddenly felt something grab his wrist and pull it down.
After Delirious sturdied his body from the sudden pull, he lifted his head to see that it was Lyra who pulled his arm. She seemed to be looking excitingly at his hand.
"Haaannndddddsssss..." Lyra said, while she was still in a trance.
Delirious was questioning (again) in his head: 'WHAT THE FUCCKKK!!!?'
However, before he can say anything, Zecora decided to break up Delirious from Lyra's grip.
"Delirious seems to be uncomfortable from your grip. Please release him so we can continue on our small trip." Zecora suggested, snapping Lyra out of her trance.
"Huh?" Lyra looked confused on what Zecora was talking about when she realized that she was holding on to Delirious' hand. "Oh, I'm sorry." Lyra released her grip on his wrist.
"It's fine, just don't do that again. It's weird." Delirious said.
"We better continue and meet Twilight with you being the attention of everypony's eyesight." Zecora informed Delirious.
Before he can agree, Lyra gasped. "You're going to meet Princess Twilight?"
"Uhh, yeah. According to the Dr. Seuss Zebra, this 'Princess Twilight' can possibly send my ass home, but to me, it kind of sounds like a bit of Horse crap." Delirious explained as he let out a little snicker when he realized he unintentionally made a Horse joke.
"Wait, so you're going to leave?" Lyra started forming a sad pouting face. "Bu- but we just met."
Delirious started to feel weirdly concerned, but he brushed it off and reassured her in his usual tone. "Look Lyra, as much as I would love to explore the hell out of this town, I have to do some important shit back at home. Like record some videos for my viewers and... some other important shit like that. But hey, I may not go to my home instantly. I might have some time to be in this place."
Lyra looked at Delirious with big cat eyes, which actually made Delirious' heart melt at the cuteness that the minty Pony was showing. "You promise?"
"YES! I promise from my heart, I'm not lying. Now stop doing that face. It's hurting my heart! My heart!" Delirious said dramatically.
Lyra stopped showing her cat eyes and she all of a sudden, jumped on him and wrapped her front hooves around his body. "Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
Delirious looked very happy that he was getting his body cuddled by a minty Pony. "No problem! Oh, you're so cut-"
"LYRAAA!"
A yell interrupted the cute moment. Lyra stopped hugging Delirious as she jumped down and turned around to the source of the yell. It turned out, it belonged to Bon Bon who was running toward the group of three.
"Lyra! There you are!" Bon Bon stopped in front of the group, but she hadn't noticed Delirious. "Lyra, why did you take off like that?" She asked.
"I'm sorry Bon Bon, but I had to meet Delirious." Lyra responded.
Bon Bon looked confused. "Delirious? Who's Delirious?"
"Oh, he's the Human behind me."
Bon Bon had small dotted eyes from that answer, but she was able to slowly raise her head. "A Human?" She then saw the hockey masked Ape that was called "Delirious."
She was in total shock, while Lyra decided to rub the fact that Bon Bon thought she was crazy in her face.
"See Bon Bon, I told you Humans were real, but you didn't believe me." Lyra said with excitement in her tone.
"I-I... what?" Bon Bon could only mutter in confusement as she couldn't quite understand how it was possible that Humans were real and one was here.
Her Marefriend would always talk about Humans being real and existing. When Bon Bin first found out about it, she kind of thought she was crazy, but she ignored it. She always brushed it off the side, but now... there was actually a Human here.
Delirious seemed to get a little impatient and didn't want his trip to Princess Twilight to get delayed any longer. "I get it, I'm a E.T. alien to you guys, but I really got to see this Twilight, so I could possibly get home. Right Zecora?" Delirious said.
"Agreed. Twilight has to see him, this instant. So we have to get Delirious home, so efficient." Zecora agreed.
Bon Bon snapped out of her confused state, but she still had some in her voice. "Uh... ok. We... understand." She said.
"Ok, well let's go then." Lyra said excitingly as she started walking on the path, only for Bon Bon to stop her.
"Lyra, wait!" Bon Bon yelled as she walked toward Lyra, who listened to her sudden command.
"Yeah?" Lyra turned around, only to get greeted by Bon Bon's soft mad expression.
"You can't go into Twilight's castle."
Lyra instantly looked confused and was thrown off by this. "What!? Why not!?"
"Because she's a Princess and she can't just allow anypony into the castle. She might be busy."
Lyra started to look a little sad. "But... but..." She tried to say something, but nothing came out as she lowered her head.
However, Zecora stopped her sadness. "There's no need to worry about entering the castle's entrance. I'm a close friend of Princess Twilight, so I'm sure she wouldn't mind your presence." Zecora reassured.
"Really!?" Lyra and Bon Bon questioned in astonishment, although Lyra also had hope in her tone.
"Yep, what I say is true. Now c'mon, we have no time to lose." Zecora started walking to the distant castle.
Delirious followed her with a expression that just said the word: "Finally!"
'My god, now we going somewhere.' Delirious thought as he groaned mentally.
Lyra smiled, which again, made a dog toy squeaking sound. She started to follow Delirious and Zecora.
Bon Bon started following the group as well, after she let out a sigh. It was crazy on chaos that happened today. First, she encountered a Zombie Squirrel (even though it was a prank, it still was scary and it felt real) and now she found out and met an actual Human. "*Sigh* What kind of chaos is happening in this crazy town?" She started to question as she continued to follow the group.
Little did she know, she would see the Dead Squirrel again, but this time... it would be alive.
"You did what!?" Rainbow asked in complete shock.
In fact, everypony in the Mane 6 (except Twilight) looked shocked. Twilight told them about the fact that she may of brought Squirrel here. Although she said it was a total accident, they were still shocked.
"Look, it was an accident. The beam that Discord made, was too powerful and I couldn't control. It wasn't on purpose." Twilight informed.
"I-I know sugarcube, but still, it's surprisin'." Applejack said.
"I agree, I never thought that your experiment would bring that dear Squirrel." Rarity agreed.
"Yeah, but now... I got to tell him that it was my fault." Twilight said as she lowered her ears. She knew that Squirrel would be mad at her for accidently bringing him to her world. Her friends though, reassured her.
"Now Twilight, I know Squirrel might be mad at you, but he will eventually understand that it was an accident." Fluttershy reassured.
"Yeah, Squirrely might be a little maddie waddie at you, but we aren't." Pinkie reassured.
"Yeah, I'm not mad at you either, Twahlight." Applejack agreed.
"Me too." Rarity agreed.
"Me as well." Fluttershy agreed.
"Even though you did screw up massively, we are still not mad at you." Rainbow agreed.
Twilight smiled a bit. "Thanks girls." She said.
"No problem, Twilight." Rarity said. "But, I think it's time to tell Squirrel the truth."
"*Sigh* I guess I should." Twilight said with a sigh as she was about to open the door to the throne room. "Ok, let's do thi-"
*THUD!*
A loud crash stopped Twilight from finishing her sentence. The Mane 6 turned their heads to the main entrance door of the castle and looked confused.
"Uhh... did anypony else hear that or was it jus' me?" Applejack questioned.
"I heard it too." Twilight confirmed as she started to walk to the front door. "It came from the door, but that didn't sound like a knock."
Twilight put her hoof on the handle and pushed the door open to see who made the noise.
As she pushed the door open, she saw a Mare who had a light gray coat and a yellowish mane and tail. Twilight instantly recognized the Pony to be... Derpy Hooves. She also noticed that Derpy was rubbing her head and wincing.
"Derpy?" Twilight said with confusion. "What happened?"
Derpy turned her head with her derpy eyes toward Twilight, while she continued to rub her head with her left front hoof. "Twilight, I'm sorry, I... kind of crashed my head on the door." She said with a sheepish smile, hoping she didn't tick off the Princess of Friendship.
"It's fine, just... try not to crash again, ok?"
"Ok, I'll try my best." Derpy's eyes then caught a few Ponies that were coming beside Twilight. It was the rest of the Mane 6.
Rainbow was the first to come beside Twilight. "Twilight, who's-" She stopped talking when she saw and instantly recognized the derpy Mare. "Oh, hi Derpy."
"Hi Rainbow." Derpy said excitingly as she waved her left front hoof that was used to rub her head.
"What are you doing?"
"Well I was flying, but uhh... I kind of got distracted. Also, nice prank you did on Ponyville. It was a scary prank and I got scared by it, but it was still a funny prank."
Rainbow had a puzzled look on her face. "Prank? What prank?"
Twilight in an instant, had some sweat form on her head as she realized that the fake story that she used to cover up Squirrel being real, would be debunked, therefore making everypony worry in Ponyville.
"The Squirrel prank. Don't you remember? Well it's fine if you don't, I forgot things sometimes."
Rainbow had a dubious look take over her face of puzzlement. "A prank you say?"
"Yep." Derpy nodded.
Rainbow turned her head toward Twilight and was gritting her teeth together as she put the pieces together in her head. "Yeah, what a funny prank." She said frustratingly through her gritted teeth.
Twilight started to sweat more as she held a sheepish smile, trying to play off the look Rainbow was casting on her. If looks can kill then she would be 6 feet under. "Yeah, ha ha... a very... funny... prank." Twilight said sheepishly.
Derpy was still smiling, clearly not aware of the fire that was happening in front of her.
Twilight looked at Derpy with a sheepish smile and sweat pouring down her head, fearing that Derpy would find out the truth of Squirrel. "Say Derpy, I think you should... get going."
Derpy turned around, which had her back facing the Mane 6. "Yeah, I should, but I'm wondering, who's that?" She pointed her right front hoof to a direction.
Twilight's sheepish look washed off and was replaced with a confused look. "Huh?" She looked at the direction that Derpy was pointing at and so did the rest of the Mane 6 as they all had confused expressions on what she was talking about. When they laid their eyes on what Derpy noticed, they all had mixed emotions from a confusing sight.
They saw three Pony figures and they instantly recognized them. It was Lyra, Bon Bon, and Zecora, but they had most of their attention on another figure. It was a bipedal figure that Twilight instantly recognized the figure to be a Human. The rest of the Mane 6 seemed to be clueless.
While they were thrown off by the Human, Zecora, Lyra, Bon Bon, and Delirious was continuing to walk to the front entrance when they noticed the shocked Ponies.
"Woah, who are they?" Delirious asked.
"That's Princess Twilight and her friends." Bon Bon answered.
Lyra looked confused about something though. "Wait, why are they outside?" She asked with confusion.
"I don't know, but they seem to be in a trance. Still, we should introduce them to Delirious, perhaps?" Zecora suggested.
"Yeah, I guess so." Delirious agreed as he, Zecora, Lyra, and Bon Bon continued to walk to the castle.
'What in Celestia... how... what... is a Human doing here!?' Twilight thought shockingly. 'The only way a Human can be here is through the Crystal Mirror in the Crystal Empire. But if one did, Cadance and Shining would've told me. So... this shouldn't be possible. It doesn't... make sense.'
She snapped out of her thoughts when the distant group was closer to the Mane 6 and Derpy. Pinkie seemed excited and was smiling wide.
"Hiiii!" Pinkie yelled excitingly as she waved her left front hoof to the group of 4. Lyra, Bon Bon, Zecora, and Delirious waved back at her.
However, Delirious was curious about the pink Pony. 'Holy hell, she seems very enthusiastic.' He thought as he stopped waving. 'I'm starting to like her.'
"Hello Pinkie. Happy you seem to be." Zecora said.
"What can I say? I'm always happy." Pinkie giggled a little.
Rainbow decided to step in ask the obvious question that most Ponies had. "Ok, who the buck is that!?"
Delirious turned his attention to the Pony who yelled and spotted to be a cyan Pony that had wings and rainbows for its hair and tail. 'Geez, she really wants everyone to know that she's a lesbian.'
"Oh, he's a Human." Lyra informed casually.
Everypony had a pure shocked expression. They heard of Humans, thanks to Twilight's trip to Canterlot High. They were amazed that they were seeing a real life Human.
"Did ya say Human?" Applejack asked with a surprised tone.
"Yep, she did." Delirious said, which caught the Mane 6 and Derpy off guard.
Not wanting to make this interaction become awkward, Twilight answered the hockey masked Human. "Umm... hello, my name is... Twilight Sparkle." She greeted awkwardly, still with a face of shock. "Who are you? And how are you here?"
"So you're Princess Twilight?" Twilight nodded to Delirious' question. "Well I gotta say, it's nice to meet you."
Twilight blushed a little bit from his small praising. "Oh, uh... thanks, but you didn't answer my questions."
"Well for the first one, I'm H2ODelirious, but you can Delirious for short. And for the second one, I really don't know... I mean, I know, but it's going to a doozy to explain and right now, I'm so tired from walking in the Neversee Forest."
"Don't you mean the Everfree Forest?" Bon Bon corrected.
"Yeah sure, however you spell it."
Twilight was about to say something, but Pinkie beat her to it when she suddenly zoomed toward Delirious. She stopped in front of him with a huge smile as she was about to talk.
"Delirious? That's a funny name." Pinkie said.
"Yeah it is, but I bet I can think of a funnier name like... Pinkie Twinkie." Pinkie giggled at the name Delirious said.
"Nice one Deliriously, but my real name is Pinkie Pie."
'Deliriously? What a weird nickname.' He thought to himself before speaking back to Pinkie. "Well it's nice to meet you Pinkie Pie."
The rest of the Mane 6 and Derpy then approached Delirious.
"So you're a Human?" Rarity asked with a amazed tone, catching Delirious' attention.
"Yep, I'm a Human. You haven't seen one before?"
"Well I heard of them from Twilight and might I say-" Rarity had let her fashion personality take over as she got closer to inspect his clothing. "-your clothing is extraordinary."
Delirious was confused by the complaint all of a sudden, but he still accepted it. "Oh... well thank you. I guess... So who are you?"
Rarity gasped in realization. "Oh, how rude of me. My name is Rarity, charmed to meet you." Rarity bowed gracefully.
Since Twilight, Pinkie, and Rarity introduced themselves, the rest of the Mane 6 thought they should.
"Hey." Rainbow called, which made Delirious turn his attention to her as she was in her gloating mood. "I'm Rainbow Dash, Equestria's fastest flier ever."
"I'm Applejack, nice to meet ya." Applejack introduced.
"And I'm Fluttershy." Fluttershy said in her shy and quiet voice, which Delirious didn't catch at first.
"Huh? What did you say?" Delirious asked.
Fluttershy seemed reluctant and nervous to answer back, but Twilight answered for her. "She said that her name was Fluttershy." Delirious rose an eyebrow that Twilight couldn't see beneath his mask, but she had a feeling that he was confused. "She's shy about newcomers."
"Ok... well nice to me-" Delirious stopped when he noticed another Pony that was along the group, but she (he assumed it was a she by her looks) hadn't introduced herself to him. "Wait, who are you?" Delirious pointed a finger at Derpy.
"Who, me?" Derpy said as she pointed a hoof to herself.
"Yup-a-rooni."
"Well my name is Ditzy Doo, but I prefer to be called Derpy Hooves."
Delirious noticed that her eyes were cross-eyed, but he decided to not comment on it, considering it might a sensitive thing to ask about. "Well Derpy, nice to meet you too."
"Glad to meet you too, Delirious." Twilight said. "But I have a few questions to ask."
"Yeah, like how in Equestria are you even here?" Rainbow asked.
"Look, I'm kind of tired and need to take a seat, so I was wondering if we can go in your castle and sit down somewhere?" Delirious asked.
"Yes, can we go inside?" Lyra asked with a huge smile on her face.
Twilight feared that they would see Squirrel in the throne room and she wanted to avoid another Ponyville panic, so she was about to say no, but Pinkie got her words out first.
"Of course you can come. C'mon, I'll show you around." Pinkie said as she turned around and happily bounced to the front door.
"Thank you, now I can finally take a rest." Delirious said as he, Lyra, Bon Bon, and Zecora started to follow the bouncing Mare.
In an instant, Twilight looked worried and used her horn to teleport to the front door, which stopped Pinkie from bouncing. "I'm sorry, but you can't go inside." Twilight said quickly.
"Aww, but why not?" Pinkie asked.
"Yeah, some of us are tired from walking." Delirious added.
Twilight got close to Pinkie's ear to whisper to her, without Delirious hearing. "Pinkie, have you forgotten that we have Squirrel in the Throne Room?"
"No, I haven't forgotten, silly. I never forgot anypony or any animal, just ask Flutters-"
"Pinkie." Twilight whisper shouted, which silenced Pinkie. "If they see Squirrel, they will panic and tell the rest of Ponyville."
"Ohh, why didn't you say so?
Twilight groaned at Pinkie's question. Zecora then came beside the whispering Mares.
"Twilight?" Zecora called out, catching Twilight's attention. "Is this a discovery that you can't handle? You seem to not let us go inside the castle."
Twilight started sweating a little bit. "Well... w-we can't go inside." She said.
Zecora was thrown off by this and was confused. "Uhh... by any chance, why can't we, might I ask?"
Twilight started to sweat more, which became more visible to Zecora as she noticed it dripping down her head. "I-it's just... that... that we are currently having a problem right now and we don't want to make Delirious uncomfortable... Ha ha." Twilight laughed sheepishly, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.
Zecora now knew that she was hiding something, so she started to become a little skeptical. "I sense that what you are saying were lies. Tell me, what secrets are you trying to hide?"
Twilight got very nervous now. "I... I don't know what you mean Zecora?" She started to walk closer to Zecora. She then started whispering to Zecora when she got close.
Everypony who was watching the scene unfold this whole time. However, when they saw Twilight and Zecora whisper, they were perplexed on what they were talking about.
"What the hell was that about?" Delirious asked.
"I don't know." Lyra answered in a perplexed tone.
"Princess Twilight seems to be acting weird." Bon Bon said.
They continued to watch the scene, however he felt something tap on his relaxed left hand, which made him turn his head and look down at the source of the poking. He spotted that it was Pinkie and she was looking up at him, like a cute Puppy would. This made Delirious' heart melt.
'She's so fucking cute! Holy hell!' Delirious thought in excitement.
"Hey Delirious." Pinkie said with enthusiasm.
"Hi Pinkie." Delirious responded back. "You need something?"
"Oh well, I was wondering if you wanted to take a break in the Castle, since you're tired and I wouldn't want a new friend here in Ponyville to feel exhausted. Unless Humans can walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk and walk forever without getting needy sleepy. So, what do you say mister Delirious?" Pinkie said quickly, which made the information go over Delirious' head, but he caught what she was saying.
"Well I would like to explore the Castle, but it looks like Princess Twilight doesn't want me to and is being a whhhorse." Delirious said as he let a small chuckle from his joke.
"Well how about I let you explore all of the Castle myself?"
Delirious' eyes slightly widened. "Wait, really?"
"Of course, silly. I'll let you see it all for yourself."
"You promise?"
"Mister Delirious, I don't just promise, I Pinkie Promise. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She said as she moved her hooves around in a specific way.
Delirious rose an eyebrow. "What the hell was that?"
"Oh, well it was a Pinkie Promise to ensure that I won't lie to you."
"Nice, so are you ready to lead the way Pinkie?"
"Yup-a-rooni." Pinkie started bouncing to the front door, but this time, there was no Twilight to stop her, since she was busy conversing with Zecora.
Delirious followed Pinkie and so did Lyra and Bon Bon. Derpy noticed that the group was going in the castle, so she followed the group.
As Delirious entered the castle, he saw a huge hallway that blew his mind. "Wooww. This looks so cool." He said in amazement.
"I know right!? Isn't it amazing!?" Pinkie said.
"Hell yeah!"
Lyra, Bon Bon, and Derpy were still following Delirious and Pinkie. At this point, the group was entering the entrance of the castle. Derpy was the last to enter, which caught somepony's eye.
While the rest of the Mane 6 were watching Twilight and Zecora whisper, Applejack caught something in the corner of her eye. She saw Derpy go inside, which made her widen her eyes.
"Uhh, girls." Applejack said, catching the Mane 6's attention (except Twilight's and Pinkie's.)
"Yes, Applejack? Is something wrong?" Rarity asked.
"Well ah saw Derpy go inside the Castle." Immediately, the rest of the girls' eyes widened. "An' also, ah don't see Lyra, Bon Bon, an' that Delirious fellow."
"We better tell Twilight." Rarity said as Applejack nodded.
Applejack turned her head to the rest of the Mane 6. "Alright, you girls try and stop the group from enterin' the Throne Room, while ah go and tell Twahlight." Applejack said as the rest of the girls nodded as they started to head inside the castle.
Applejack then walked to Twilight who started to talk to Zecora normally, instead of whispering.
"So you have a secret that nopony needs to tell and if it's spoken, panic in Ponyville will be held?" Zecora questioned.
"Yes, it's a secret that I really need you to not talk about to any other Pony, promise me." Twilight said.
Zecora said nothing for a few seconds as she was processing the information Twilight spewed. She then made up her mind and was about to give her thoughts to Twilight, until...
"Twahlight!" Applejack exclaimed as she walked toward Twilight.
"Applejack? What's wrong?" Twilight asked, turning her head toward Applejack.
"It's about that Delirious fellow."
Twilight raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean? Deliriou-"
"Is inside the Castle." Applejack informed, interrupting Twilight.
Speaking of Twilight, her eyes were shrunken and widened. "Oh no, he's going to see Squirrel! Quick, let's go!" She then ran toward the door as Applejack galloped behind her, leaving a confused Zecora behind.
Zecora quickly blinked a few times, trying to understand what happened. "I'm really starting to question: what information did Twilight hurl? But now she mentioned... a simple forest Squirrel?" She said to herself in a confused tone, however she shook it off.
She then had curiosity take hold as she walked to the open front door of the Castle of Friendship. When she entered, she saw a gripping sight.
It looked like Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity were crowded in front of a door, specially the door that led to the throne room. Delirious was in front of the crowded Ponies and so were Pinkie, Lyra, Bon Bon, and Derpy.
"Hey! What's the big idea?" Delirious asked with a slight hint of annoyance.
"Delirious, maybe you shouldn't enter this room. Maybe a different room would be nice." Applejack suggested.
"Why can't I enter this room?" Delirious narrowed his eyes. "Unless *Gasp* you're hiding something."
Twilight started sweating a bit. "W-we aren't hiding something, it's just..." Twilight tried to think of an excuse on why Delirious can't enter the throne room, but she found herself unable to think of one.
"That it is just boring and lame, just basically a library for eggheads." Rainbow pitched in.
"Ok, but I would like to look around the library. So pleaseeee, can you move?" Delirious asked.
"No, we aren't moving." Rainbow said, staying in her spot.
"I also forbid you from entering." Twilight said, agreeing with Rainbow.
"Me as well, so don't plan on enterin', sugarcube." Applejack warned as she had a slight glare.
"Me too, you shouldn't go inside this room, darling." Rarity chided in a soft tone.
"You s-should look for a different place to explore... if you don't mind." Fluttershy said shyly as she hid her face behind her mane.
"Okie dokie lokie." Pinkie said. "Well Delirious, looks like we can explore every part of the Castle, instead of the Throne Room."
Delirious' eyes widened. "Wait, this is a throne room?" Delirious said shockingly.
"Pinkie!" Rainbow growled.
"Now I definitely need this see this shit." Delirious said as he ran to the door to open it, pushing the girls aside with his body.
As he was about to put his left hand to push the door open when he suddenly felt something pull his hand back. In fact, he felt something pull his whole body back, yet he resisted the force and continued to try and make his way to the door.
Turns out, it was Twilight and she was using her magic to pull Delirious from getting close to the door. "Delirious, you're not allowed in there." Twilight responded in a struggling voice.
"Pinkie, a little help here." Delirious pleaded in a struggling voice, trying to resist Twilight's magic.
"I don't know Deliriously, they really don't want you to see the Throne Room." Pinkie said.
"But you said you would let me see all of the castle. ALL of it."
Pinkie then widened her eyes on how right Delirious was. She did Pinkie Promise to Delirious that she would show him all of the Castle of Friendship. And nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise.
"You're right." Pinkie then rushed to open the door, but Applejack stopped her and now both of them were struggling to push each other.
"Pinkie, what are you doin'?" Applejack said in a struggling voice, trying to push Pinkie away from the door.
"I need Deliriously to enter that room." She responded in a struggling voice as she she struggled to push Applejack.
"We can't let you in, dude." Rainbow said as she started to also push Delirious, which did move him back.
"But why!? What are you hiding in the Throne Room, huh? Is it some sweets? Are you hiding doughnuts, cupcakes, or muffins!?" Delirious questioned as he struggled to push Rainbow.
Derpy's eyes widened when she heard the sweet goodness that Delirious mentioned...Muffins.
"MUFFINS!? Let me in!" Derpy then instantly zoomed to the door, but Rainbow stopped pushing Delirious and got in front of Derpy.
"Derpy, no. There's no muffins in here." Rainbow said she stopped Derpy from trying to enter.
"C'mon Rainbow, let me at least see if there isn't any in this room." Derpy started push Rainbow, but they seemed to have equal strength.
Bon Bon and Lyra were on the side, watching the scene unfold.
"Delirious really wants to see the throne room, huh Lyra?" Bon Bon asked, however when she heard no response from Lyra, she turned her head on where Lyra was beside her. "Lyra?"
When she turned her head, she didn't see Lyra and was confused, but mostly surprised. "Lyra!?" She turned her head back to the Mane 6 and Delirious and saw Lyra rushing to them.
"Anything for the Human!" Lyra cried as she rushed in.
"Lyra." Bon Bon grumbled in a low voice as she had a annoyed expression.
Once Lyra rushed in, it created a cartoony cloud that had Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Lyra, Derpy, and Delirious involved. Though there was no fighting involved, everyone was pushing one another inside the cloud. While in the cloud, everyone was chattering and yelling in the cloud.
"Delirious, stop trying to enter the Throne Room!"
"NEVER!"
"Oww! Who's pulling my tail!?"
"Sorry Dashie!"
"Rarity, move ya bottom out of my face!"
"Well excuse you too, Applejack!"
"C-can't we settle this w-without violence?"
"Let Delirious through!"
"I want the muffins, let me in!"
At this point, it was a free-for-all and nobody was safe, well except Bon Bon and Zecora, who came beside Bon Bon.
"This is a predicament that nopony could've seen to happen today. Though, I can't figure out why with the Throne Toom, this 'Delirious' needs to stay away." Zecora said.
"I... don't know either, but... maybe they will stop soon." Bon Bon said with a small belief in her voice.
"Hey! Let go of my hat!"
"Then let the Human inside the room!"
"Wait a minute, why are we in a fucking cloud!?
More loud chattering can be heard from inside the cloud, which broke Bon Bon's expectations.
"Or maybe they won't..."
"Well, it looks like I win!" Discord exclaimed happily as he tossed a red 6 UNO card on a pile of other UNO cards. He was so happy, he started to do a little victory dance as he got up from his throne he was sitting on.
Squirrel however, had a deadpan expression and looked a little pissed. "Wow, after at least 6 minutes of that UNO game, that's how it ends?" Squirrel said in a annoyed tone. "You're lucky you had that plus 4 wild card."
"I think you mean skilled."
"Yeah sureee."
Discord and Squirrel seemed to be playing UNO and were waiting for Twilight. Starlight was talking to Spike about how Twilight was acting. And the Cutie Mark Crusaders were talking with each other about Humans, wondering what they are and look like.
*BANG!* *BANG!*
Squirrel frowned and looked more annoyed. "Ok seriously, what is that noise? It's been going for at least a minute now."
"I don't know." Starlight said in a confused tone. "I guess I'll check it out." She then walked cautiously to the banging door and so did Spike as he carefully followed Starlight.
As they carefully approached the door, they heard some faint shouting that they couldn't quite decipher, since they were behind a door and there was a lot of shouts at the same time.
Starlight and Spike looked at each other worriedly, concerned on what's happening outside the door. She assumed it was Twilight and the girls, but why would they bang the door furiously?
Starlight then faced the door and used her horn to pull the door open. Once it was opened, many Ponies fell down on the floor
"WOAH!" The Ponies screamed at once when they fell. A pile of bodies formed that had the Mane 6, Lyra, Derpy, and Delirious in it.
Starlight instantly recognized the Mane 6 in the pile. "Twilight? Girls? What's going on?" The only answer Starlight got were some weak groans from the girls and everypony in the pile. There eyes were closed, since they were dazed from the fall.
Spike was still beside Starlight and was observing the pile, but he saw something interesting. He spotted a Pony in the bottom of the pile. Actually, it didn't look a Pony, or a Dragon, a Diamond Dog. In fact, it looked more like a... Human.
This made Spike widened his eyes in realization and point a claw at the Human. "W-who's that?" He asked.
Starlight looked on where Spike was pointing and her eyes widened as well. She was surprised and confused on who it was.
They would get an answer when Delirious slowly lifted his head from the floor. Instantly, he spotted two figures in front of him and one of them was a Pony that had a horn, while the other looked like a big lizard.
He didn't know what to do, so he asked a question. "Who the hell are you guys?" He groaned in a low voice.
Starlight was reluctant to answer at first, but she eventually decided to answer Delirious. "My name is Starlight Glimmer."
"And I'm... Spike." Spike said, still with eyes full of shock.
"If you don't mind me asking, w-who are you?"
Delirious however, ignored Starlight's question as he started to move his head to look around the room. "So this is the Throne Room?" He said to himself.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders, Discord, and Squirrel all were curious on who was at the door, so they moved they got out of the thrones and walked to the pile to get a closer look on it. Well the Cutie Mark Crusaders walked over to pile, Discord snapped his fingers and teleported close to Starlight and Spike, but also close to the table, and Squirrel stood on the table to see the pile.
"Woah, who's that?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Why's it wearing a hockey mask?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Also, what even is it?" Scootaloo asked.
"Hmmm." They are muttered in unison.
Discord seemed to be having a grin on his face. "I heard of Dogpiles, but not Ponypiles." Discord teasingly said.
Squirrel inched closer to the edge of the table, so he can get a good look at the pile, but he couldn't really see with a Draconequus, a Dragon, some Fillies, and a Pony in the way.
'Damn, I can't see anything.' He thought in annoyance.
Delirious (who was still at the bottom of the pile) tried to pull himself out from the piled Ponies. It took some struggle, considering that these Ponies were heavy (probably from all the sweets they eat here,) but Delirious still managed to silp his upper and lower body out.
After his legs were free, he stood up and looked down at his clothes and dusted them with his hands.
Little did Delirious know, him standing up got Squirrel to get a view on what everyone was talking about.
When Squirrel saw Delirious, he had a face full of pure shock. Squirrel saw a Human wearing a hockey mask, a blue sweater, black pants, and he had some wonky hair. He knew instantly, it was Delirious (or at least his avatar.)
Starlight cleared her throat to catch Delirious' attention, but he was still dusting his clothes. "Hey, you didn't answer my question, who ar-"
"I don't know why Twilight didn't want me here." Delirious interrupted as he stopped dusting his clothes, which made Starlight form an annoyed look. Delirious then started to lift his head as he began to talk to himself again. "I mean, I don't know what woopy secret she's tryin-" Delirious stopped and had his eyes widened with an expression of shock. Delirious couldn't believe what he was seeing.
He was seeing a orange Squirrel wearing a sky blue bandana and was standing on a table. However, it wasn't a simple rodent though, this Squirrel had it had its left ear and left eye missing, since it had its brain showing, like some kind of Zombie. Delirious instantly recognized the Squirrel to be... well... Squirrel.
With their eyes widened and irises shrunken, they continued to stare at each other in shock. They didn't even blink. Starlight was worried and was looking back at Delirious then at Squirrel, worrying on how this scene would unfold. After a few seconds passed, they finally made a move.
At the same time, they both extended their right arm and pointed a finger at each other.
"DELIRIOUS!?/SQUIRREL!?"
> Chapter 8: A Delirious Reunion
They couldn't believe on what they were seeing. Delirious was seeing Squirrel and Delirious, while Squirrel was seeing Delirious. However, after they yelled in surprise, Delirious instantly ran to Squirrel.
Delirious now had a excited expression and had stopped in front of the now excited Squirrel standing on the edge of the table. "S-Squirrel! It's you!"
Squirrel couldn't even get the words out at first, but he eventually got them out of his throat. "And Delirious! You're here!"
"I can't believe it!" They said in unison.
Everyone was watching the scene (except the Ponies in the pile and Bon Bon and Zecora) with mixed emotions. Some were curious, confused, and shocked that Squirrel knew Delirious.
Delirious put each of his hands on Squirrel's armpits and lifted him up. "It's you and you're actually your Squirrel avatar!" Delirious exclaimed exciting as he spun in place.
"And you're here as well!" Squirrel exclaimed excitingly as Delirious continued to spin himself and Squirrel.
Starlight had her jaw dropped that these two knew each other. However, she managed to get a response. "H-how do they know each other? H-he's a Zombie Squirrel and h-he's a Human?" Starlight questioned in a panicked tone, almost sounding like Twilight.
"They're probably friends." Spike answered casually, almost sounding like there was no big discovery happening in front of their eyes.
Zecora and Bon Bon passed by the pile and entered the Throne Room to see what everyone had their eyes on. They laid their attention on Delirious who had stopped spinning in place with a Squirrel in his hands.
When Bon Bon entered the Throne Room, her eyes had turned into small dots when she saw the Squirrel that she immediately identified. It was the Zombie Squirrel that was Rainbow's prank, but it looked like it was alive. Plus, Delirious recognized it. She couldn't believe it and tried to deny it, but she couldn't because the Zombie Squirrel was literally in front of her eyes.
Zecora on the other hoof, didn't look scared when she entered. In fact, she looked curious about what she was seeing. It made her curiosity peak and wondered many things about Squirrel.
Twilight let out a low groan as she weakly opened her eyes. When she did, she saw she was on top of a Pony pile. After she was aware of where she was, everypony in the pile finally opened their eyes and saw what position they were in.
"Oww! Whose hoof is crushing my stomach?" Rainbow said from the pile.
"The Pony who has their stomach on my face." Applejack answered in a retorting manner.
Twilight used her horn to teleport away from the pile and ended up next to Zecora and Bon Bon. Once she did that, she noticed that Delirious was holding Squirrel.
Wait! Delirious was holding Squirrel... in front of Bon Bon and Zecora. Twilight was starting to panic and dared to glance toward them to see their reactions.
She saw that Bon Bon had small dotted eyes, which meant that she was shocked or panicking. However, when Twilight looked at Zecora, she didn't look scared, shocked, or confused. Zecora looked... curious? Twilight was wondering what they were thinking and what they would do, although she was hoping that none of them would run before she can explain what they were seeing.
Twilight had shifted her attention back to the Ponypile when she heard some weak groans. When she laid her attention back to the pile, she noticed that everypony in it was getting up.
"*Gasp* Oh, now look at my mane, it is ruined. How uncouth." Rarity whined as she put a hoof to her forehead, unable to stand her unorganized mane.
"Rarity, ah think there is a bigger problem than ya mane." Applejack said.
"Hey, I don't smell any muffins." Derpy said as she sniffed the scent of the room.
"Where's Delirious?" Lyra said as she was getting up from the pile.
Twilight felt a lump go down her throat as she saw Lyra and Derpy wake up. She felt that they would also try to run away and tell Ponyville about the dead Squirrel.
She would soon found out because she saw that they laid their eyes on Squirrel.
From Twilight's perspective she can see that Lyra was shocked, while Derpy had a confused expression and raised an eyebrow.
"That's... that's the... Squirrel." Lyra said as her jaw dropped.
"Is that the Squirrel?" Derpy asked in a confused tone.
"But... that's not possible." Bon Bon said as she slowly backed up to the door. She wanted to leave.
Twilight noticed that she was backing away into the open door, so she closed the door with her magic and got in front of the door to prevent Bon Bon from opening the door.
Bon Bon turned around to see Twilight close the door, which made her panic. But before she can can say anything, Twilight spoke first.
"Wait, before you try to do run away, let me explain." Twilight said.
"B-b-but t-that's t-the... the Squirrel!" Bon Bon struggled to exclaim.
"If you can let me explain... please." Twilight said in a small pleading voice.
Bon Bon was struggling to say a word. How could she agree to hear the Princess out when she lied about the Squirrel?
"B-b-but... b-but you... you lied a-about the Squirrel." Bon Bon choked the words out, looking at the Squirrel who was looking back with a raised eyebrow.
"Y-yeah... you... did lie." Lyra reluctantly added, a little scared, but mostly shocked about the Squirrel.
"Wait, so that's not a prank?" Derpy asked in a confused tone. She was questioning if the Zombie Squirrel was alive or a fake.
Zecora still didn't look scared or shocked, she still had curiosity about Squirrel. 'Fascinating, this is the Squirrel that Twilight wanted hidden. It looks different, but still, it shouldn't be unbidden.' Zecora thought.
Seeing that there was some tension happening, Twilight tried her best to stop it. "Look, just let me explain everything to you, please?" She said in a cooing tone, hoping it would ease down the room.
It did show an effect on Bon Bon and Lyra, considering that they had a majority of fear wiped of their face. Derpy still looked confused, while Zecora still had her attention on Squirrel.
Bon Bon took a deep breath before she slowly spoke. "Ok... fine. I guess I should listen to what... the Princess of Friendship should say."
Twilight slowly nodded her head in understandment. "Thank you. Now let's take a seat." Twilight slowly walked to the table as Bon Bon, Lyra, Derpy, and Zecora followed her to the table.
Squirrel was standing on the table with Delirious standing on the castle floor, but he was still beside Squirrel.
Delirious thought it would be a good idea to try and reassure them as they were going to take a seat. "Hey, don't worry Squirrel, he's my friend and is harmless."
"Ok, just make sure he doesn't... bite us." Bon Bon said with a hint of hesitance.
"Trust me, he won't."
Delirious' words made Bon Bon sigh in relief, until...
"Yeah, what do you think I am, a rabid Squirrel?" Squirrel joked teasingly.
Instantly, Bon Bon, Lyra, Derpy, and even Zecora had small dotted eyes. They were surprised to hear the Squirrel talk and was freaking. Bon Bon, Lyra, and Derpy were surprised to hear the Squirrel talk, since they thought Squirrel was an actual Zombie when they first saw him. Zecora was surprised to also hear him, since it was a Squirrel.
"Y-you... h-he... he ju-u-ust... t-talked." Bon Bon choked the word out of her throat.
Twilight saw that Bon Bon was about to mentally break. 'Oh Celestia!' She thought.
Bon Bon then screamed loudly that it's a surprise that no one went deaf after hearing her screams.
Everyone put either their hooves, claws, or paws to their ears to drown out her screams.
"This could take a while." Twilight muttered to herself.
Many, MANY hours later...
"So... he can... talk." Bon Bon said slowly.
"Umm, yeah... he can." Twilight said reluctantly.
Twilight managed to calm down Lyra, Derpy, and Zecora, but mostly Bon Bon. Though with Bon Bon, it took many hours and minutes to calm her down. She eventually calmed down, but it took hours for her to get used to being in the same room as Squirrel.
Speaking of Squirrel, he was on a throne, playing UNO with Discord, Delirious, and Pinkie. They were each on a throne and putting cards on the table.
Right now, Delirious had 11 cards, Squirrel had 2 cards, Pinkie had 2 cards, and Discord had 2 cards in their hooves/hands/paws.
Delirious was looking down at his UNO hand with a frown and looked up at Squirrel, Discord, and Pinkie to see that they only have 2 cards.
"Well, this is some bullshit." Delirious said to himself in a mocking tone.
Little did he know, Lyra was beside him and observing him (well actually, she was observing his hands and how they were gripping the cards) and she heard his curse. Lyra was thrown off by his words and was also confused by it.
'What weird language Humans use, but why does it involve the... disposing of a Bull?' Lyra questioned in her head and also some small disgust.
While they were doing their game, everyone in the throne room was doing their own thing. As for Twilight and Bon Bon, they were both by the door, still talking about Squirrel.
"But see, you understand now why we can't tell Ponyville on what you saw?" Twilight asked Bon Bon.
Bon Bon had a conflicted look as she didn't respond to Twilight's question. She turned her head away from Twilight and faced Squirrel who was on a throne.
Bon Bon continued to stare and observe at Squirrel for a while, which made Twilight look a little more worried. However, after a few seconds passed, Bon Bon finally turned her head toward Twilight and released a sigh. After the sigh, she opened her mouth to respond.
"I... think you're right." Bon Bon stated slowly.
Twilight's worry vanished and was replaced with a feeling of relief, but she wanted to double check if Bon Bon was sure.
"Really?" Twilight asked.
Bon Bon paused for a second to think about it. After it passed, she responded. "Y-yeah... I'm sure."
"Thank you. I promise you, it's best if we keep it a secret for a while."
"Y-yeah, that's nice, but... I need to take a rest."
"Wait, you're not going to tell anypony, right?"
"No, no. I'm just... I'm just tired from what happened, that's all. So much"
"Oh, umm ok. Just please don't tell anypony."
"I won't, Princess. I promise I won't."
"Thanks."
"Hey, Lyra!" Bon Bon called out to Lyra, who was still beside Delirious.
Lyra turned her head to Bon Bon. "Yeah!?" Lyra questioned.
"We are going to leave now."
Lyra's eyes widened slightly. "What!? Why!?"
"Because Lyra, the Squirrel we saw today is actually a Zombie and I'm getting a headache from all this."
"Well, can I stay here with Delirious?"
"No Lyra, it's getting late."
Lyra then had a set of big Puppy eyes form. "But... but... the Human."
"Oh my Celestia." Bon Bon muttered to herself in annoyance, seeing that her Marefriend was being difficult.
"Hey, I have an idea. How bout we hang out tomorrow?" Delirious suggested to Lyra.
"Yes, that sounds like a great idea." Lyra quickly agreed.
"Alrighty then, see you tomorrow, Lyra."
Lyra then wrapped her hooves around Delirious as she used her head to snuggle his body. "You too, Delirious."
Delirious looked like he might cry in happiness from the cuteness that Lyra had. However, it only lasted for a few seconds before she broke the hug.
"See you tomorrow, Delirious." Lyra then walked to the door.
Twilight used her magic to open the door to let Lyra and Bon Bon leave. "Thank you Lyra and Bon Bon for understanding."
"No problem, Princess Twilight. Have a good night!" Lyra said with enthusiasm as she walked out the door.
"Yeah, sweet dreams, Princess." Bon Bon said as she walked out the door.
"You too, girls." Twilight said.
"How are you not having a headache from all that happened today?" Twilight heard Bon Bon ask Lyra as they were heading for the front door.
"Simple, there's a real Human here in Ponyville." Lyra answered with a bit of excitement in her tone.
"*Sigh* Oh Lyra."
Twilight couldn't hear the rest of their conversation once they were out of her hearing range.
"I should also take my leave then. Though I'm sure I'll see Delirious and the Squirrel again." Twilight turned her head to see Zecora walking to the door of the throne room.
"You're leaving as well, Zecora?" Twilight asked.
"Indeed, Princess Luna's moon has made a rise, so this is where I'll say my goodbyes." Zecora said.
"Goodbye Zecora!" Delirious exclaimed as he leaned back on his throne and waved his left hand.
"Goodbye Delirious and good night to you all. I'll see you again when the moonlight falls." Zecora then walked into the hallway and was walking to the front door.
"Ooo, I should also leave as well. Goodbye Twilight." Derpy said as she also exited through the door.
Twilight's eyes were caught by Derpy as she was leaving the Throne Room. As Derpy was leaving, she exclaimed as she was heading down the hallway. "ALSO, I PROMISE NOT TO TELL ANYPONY ABOUT THE SQUIRREL!"
The front door was wide open when Derpy was at the door, so her loud assurement made Twilight slightly wince that somepony nearby might have heard it. However, after she saw Derpy leave and close the front door, she let out a small sigh and turned around to the Throne Room as she used her magic to close the door behind her.
However, as Twilight was doing this, Discord threw a blue UNO skip card in the middle of the table.
"And it looks like I won... again." Discord said happily as he got up from the throne seat he was sitting on and did another dance.
"Damn it." Delirious said with a small grunt.
"This is your fault, Delirious." Squirrel pointed out.
"How the hell is it my fault?"
"You kept skipping me."
"Listen... it's not my fault you had a bad hand, Squirrel."
"But, this is like the seventh time he won UNO and you let him win again."
"Hey, I thought we were playing Goldfish." Pinkie said.
After Discord was done breaking it down, he rubbed his victory in their faces even more. "Well, you should've had your head in the game and not in the clouds." Discord said with a smug smile as he summoned a small cloud that was engulfing his neck.
Delirious and Squirrel groaned at Discord's antics, while Pinkie let out a giggle. However, before any more talking or antics can come from any of them, Twilight got everyone's attention.
"Ok, now that we cleared that up... Delirious! Squirrel!" Twilight called out their names as she walked to the table. Delirious and Squirrel turned their heads toward Twilight and so did everyone else.
"Yeah?" Delirious asked in a confused tone.
"We have some questions to ask you and Squirrel about... all this."
"Uhh... ok, sooo what do you want to ask?"
Everyone gathered around the table as Twilight was about to ask her first question. "Ok, first, how did you two know each other?"
Delirious and Squirrel looked at each other with an uncertain look, then back at Twilight.
"Well because I met Delirious for the first time and I became his friend." Squirrel answered, like it was super obvious.
"What? No, that's not what I... *Sigh* Ok, let me be more specific, how does Delirious know you're this... Zombie Squirrel, even though you said that you were a Human before?"
"Ohh, why didn't you say so?" Delirious and Squirrel both asked in a tone of realization, which only made Twilight release a small groan.
"Well, the answer is pretty simple, it's his avatar on his YouTube channel and yeah, I would know what it looks like." Delirious answered.
Someponies had a few confused looks on their faces from Delirious' answer, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders were definitely the most stumped, which made Scootaloo ask a question.
"Umm... what's a YouTube Channel?" Scootaloo asked.
"Huh? Oh right, different dimensions." Delirious muttered to himself. "Ok, umm... just think about it as a... place where a person can show other people the things and hobbies they do."
"Wow, that sounds amazin'." Apple Bloom said in amazed tone.
"Yeah, it is." Delirious' eyes than widened slightly in realization that she didn't know who the Cutie Mark Crusaders are (even though he spent a few hours in the same room as them.)
"By the way, who the hey are you?" Delirious asked, but chuckled a little bit when he realized he unintentionally made another Horse joke.
"Well, ah'm Apple Bloom." Apple Bloom beamed as she introduced herself.
"I'm Sweetie Belle." Sweetie also beamed as she introduced herself.
"And I'm Scootaloo." Scootaloo beamed as well as she introduced herself.
"And we are THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!" They all yelled with enthusiasm.
Delirious kind of winced at their beaming introduction as well as putting his hands on his ears. "Jesus, might as well make me go deaf, why don't ya?"
"Sorry, we got a little bit carried away, mister." Apple Bloom apologized.
"Please, call me Delirious." Delirious pointed a thumb at himself.
"But we already knew you were wild, mister." Scootaloo answered.
Squirrel put a hand to his mouth to hide his chuckle, while Delirious looked confused on what they said.
"What? No, my name is Delirious."
They all synchronized an "Ohhhh."
"Well, Delirious it's nice to meet you." Apple Bloom said.
"You too, kid."
"What about me?" Discord asked as he teleported and appeared to be leaning on the throne that Delirious was sitting on.
"Oh right, I don't even know yours. So, what's your name?"
"My name is Discord, your somewhat friendly neigh-borhood lord of chaos." Discord extended his talon claw, which made Delirious extend an arm to shake his claw.
"Wait, your name is Discord? Like the app Discord?" Delirious asked as he stopped shaking his claw.
"Oh please, I existed many years before that disgusting trap. Yet, they recognize it more than the chaos lord himself? *Scoff* Kids these days."
"Ok, now that the Crusaders and Discord introduced themselves, we still have some questions that we need to ask." Twilight said.
"Yeah, there is one important question that must be answered." Rarity said.
"And what would that be?" Delirious asked.
"What in Equestria is up with that mask?" Rarity asked.
"Huh? What do you mean? What's wrong with my mask?" Delirious questioned in a confused manner.
"Well, that mask is quite distracting and really ruins the style. And that mask covers your face, making it unable to present your glorious face to everypony."
"Well, that's kind of the point of it. To hide this glorious face from everyone. Also, I thought you said my clothing is extraordinary?"
"I did, it's just that your mask accessory is awfully distracting."
"Yeah man, you look like a serial killer." Rainbow added.
"Mmm, cereal." Pinkie said to herself as she licked her lips imagining the breakfast goodness.
"Listen... I just don't like to show my face to anyone and also to anypony, even if they can talk or are from a different dimension."
Rarity was about to say something back, but Fluttershy surprisingly answered first.
"Now Rarity, I understand you like fashion a lot, but you have to understand that Delirious wants to keep face hidden and we have to respect his decision." Fluttershy scolded in a soft tone, surprisingly not minding the fact that everyone in the room was looking at her until she looked around the room and noticed everyone's eyes were on her, making her hid her face behind her mane.
"*Sigh* I suppose you're are right, darling." Rarity took in Fluttershy's advice.
"Yeah, leave my mask alone. Plus, you guys are naked, so clothing doesn't even matter to you, since it's normal here." Delirious said.
"Excuse me?" Rarity asked, confused on what he was trying to say.
"Unless you're covering your private parts, but from what I seen, there's nothing needed to be covered."
Rarity and some of the other Mares blushed when they realized what Delirious said. However, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Pinkie looked puzzled.
"How revolting! It's impolite to say that to a lady."
"Says the naked Pony."
Rarity scoffed as her jaw dropped.
Squirrel seemed to be watching the conversation with a small smile, but than he had a face of curiosity when a realization flashed in head. He looked down between his legs and saw nothing there. He then lifted his head to have a neutral expression.
'Damn, I just realized I have no nuts. Huh. This feels weird.' Squirrel thought to himself as he put each hand on the side of his body.
"I think we should move on and ask a different question." Twilight suggested with a slight blush on her face.
"Ooo, I have one!" Pinkie exclaimed. "What's your favorite type of cake, Deliriously!?"
Delirious looked up slightly and put his right hand under his chin, making an L formation with his thumb and index finger and thought about the questions. "Hmm... I don't know. Maybe a chocolate cake."
"That does sounds nice." Pinkie said which sounded close to Delirious.
He was confused by her voice sounding close to him, so he lowered his head and saw Pinkie sitting on his lap, looking at him with a gleeful smile.
"AHHHH!" Delirious screamed in surprise, which sounded like a Crow scream. "What the!? How did you get on my lap without... what!?" Delirious was generally confused.
"Trust me, Delirious, it's better if you don't try to understand Pinkie. Take it from my experience." Twilight said.
Delirious still looked confused, but decided not to argue about it. "Ok..."
"Next question. Delirious, how did you end up in Equestria?"
As Delirious put his hand on his chin to think to himself, he laid his right hand on Pinkie's left ear, which made her eyes open wide on impact. However, her eyes then became halfway shut as she was in a perplexed trance.
"Well, it would be a doozy trying to explain." Delirious said.
"And this is a doozy as well." Pinkie calmy said.
Delirious then realized that he was unintentionally petting Pinkie, so he removed his hand from her ear.
Pinkie's relaxed expression suddenly changed when she realized that she was receiving any petting from her ears. "Hey, why did you stop?" Pinkie whined.
"Hold on, Pinkie. Let me just try to explain to them how I got here. Oh boy." Delirious then prepared himself to give an explanation to the group. "So fi-"
"Wait, Delirious." Squirrel yelped, stopping Delirious from saying his explanation.
"Yeah, Squirrel? I'm trying to give an explanation here."
"I know, but I wanted to ask you something."
"And what would that be, Squirrel?"
"Before you turned into your avatar and came to Equestria, do you remember getting struck by purple lightning?"
The mention of the purple lightning made Twilight nervous.
"Oh, then I guess it isn't a doozy to explain. How did you know I was struck by lightning?"
"Because it happened to me."
Twilight started to sweat a little bit.
"Wait, Squirrel. You got hit by lightning as well?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Huh, that's strange."
Twilight then released a sigh. She had to tell them the truth of how they ended up here and she had to face the consequences of her actions.
"Delirious? Squirrel?" Twilight called their names.
"Yes?" They asked as both of them shifted their attention to the lavender Mare, confused on why she called their names.
"I have to tell you something that I think you should know."
"Uhh... ok, what is it, Twilight?" Squirrel asked.
Twilight took a deep breath. "I'm responsible for transporting you into Equestria."
The duo instantly looked confused, not knowing how to react to that information. They got struck by lightning from their computer screens, so how could that even be possible. Then again, they are in a dimension that has talking Ponies and actual magic.
They were trying to process this information, but Delirious finally broke their processed thinking. "What? What the heck do you mean?"
"Well... I may have caused that lightning and umm... maybe it might of went to your dimension, s-since it had chaos magic."
Both Delirious and Squirrel had widened eyes. Seeing that they might get mad or frustrated with Twilight, the Mane Six tried to reassure them.
"Now, ah know you're probably mad at Twahlight for this." Applejack said.
"B-but she didn't mean for it to happen." Fluttershy added with slight hesitance.
"Yeah, we are very sorry that she caused this." Rarity said.
"Even though she screwed up badly, she was just being a massive egghead and didn't know what she was doing." Rainbow said.
"Plus, isn't it fun that you're in a different world of colorful Ponies that find you freaky and weird that they would run from you and scream like this:" Pinke said as she started to do sarcastic screams. "Ahh, it's a walking Ape and a Zombie Squirrel everypony run! Oh, and you and Squirrely will be like-"
"Pinkie! Not helping!" Rainbow growled before Pinkie can do a sarcastic impression of Delirious and Squirrel.
"Sorry." Pinkie flashed a sheepish smile.
Delirious and Squirrel still looked shocked and still held the same face expression. Even though they had gotten reassured, she still believed that they would be mad at him. In fact, after a few seconds, Delirious and Squirrel opened their mouths and they looked like they had a body language of anger. She looked down and closed her eyes. She was about to get scolded for her actions. She was going to face the consequences.
"Ok. That's cool" Squirrel and Delirious said casually at the same time, which didn't have a voice of anger in their tone, confusing Twilight.
Twilight opened her eyes and lifted her head and held a confused look. "Huh? What did you say?"
"We said ok. That's cool." Squirrel answered casually.
Twilight was baffled, even her friends looked a little surprised at their reaction. Though Spike, Starlight, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders looked a little confused on what they were talking about.
"Wait, so you're not mad?" Twilight asked.
"No, not really." Delirious said.
"Even though Twily got you stuck in a different dimension?" Pinkie dramatically added as she pushed her head against Delirious' head and continued her dramatic tone. "With no possible way to go back to your dimensi-"
"Pinkie!" Twilight hissed.
"Sorry... again." Pinkie stopped pushing her head against Delirious' as she turned around and flashed a sheepish smile.
"Nah, I'm not mad. Plus, I'm actually kind of glad that it happened." Delirious said.
The Mane Six's eyes widened a bit.
"Wait, you're glad?" Rainbow asked.
"Yeah, we thought you might be a little infuriated, but glad? I never thought that you two darlings would be glad." Rarity said.
"Oh, we are mad that you brought us here." Squirrel said.
"But, it's cool that we are in an actual world of talking Ponies." Delirious said as he started to pet Pinkie again, which made her act like a grown Cat.
"Yeah." Squirrel added.
The Mane Six released a sigh of relief (except Pinkie who was being petted.)
"That's a relief." Twilight sighed.
Spike, Starlight, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were all confused watching the scene.
"I'm confused." Scootaloo said.
"Me too." Sweetie Belle said.
"Same for me." Apple Bloom said.
"Ditto." Spike said.
"Twilight." Starlight called out Twilight's name, making Twilight turn her head toward Starlight and her group.
Before Starlight can ask a question, Twilight already knew what she was trying to ask.
"It's a long story." Twilight informed, which made Starlight raise an eyebrow.
"Basically, Egghead here, did an experiment with Discord's magic and it went totally wrong and somehow, it summoned these dudes." Rainbow explained as she pointed a hoof at Squirrel and Delirious.
"Umm, yeah. It's... kind of my fault that they are here." Twilight reluctantly said with a few nervous giggles.
Starlight, Spike, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders soaked all the information.
"I see." Starlight said, still trying to process the information.
"Although, I also think it's my fault as well." Discord said, which earned a few surprised glances from everyone. Was the lord of chaos blaming himself for Twilight's actions?
"Discord, what do you mean?" Twilight asked.
"Oh, well I think it's my fault for letting you convince me to be part of your experiment." Discord said it with a teasing tone.
Twilight frowned at Discord's tease. "Discord. I... I." Twilight tried to think of what to say, but nothing came out.
"You what?"
Twilight still couldn't think of anything, so she just groaned. "Nevermind."
"Well, I think it's also cool that Squirrely and Deliriously are here." Pinkie calmy said as she continued to get petted, like a Dog. "Especially Delirious, with his little grabbers on his hoovsies. They feel nice."
"Umm Pinkie, they are called fingers." Twilight informed.
"Well, I like Delirious' fingers. Keep fingering, Delirious."
Pinkie's words caught Delirious and Squirrel by surprise. Delirious put a hand to mouth to block out his chuckles, but unfortunately some escaped. Squirrel was laughing for a few seconds, but he put both of his Squirrelly hands on his mouth.
Everyone else in the room was confused on why they were laughing.
"Uhh, Delirious? Squirrel? Why are ya laughin'?" Applejack asked.
Delirious and Squirrel eventually had their chuckles and laughs toned down, they were going to tell them what it was, but they stopped themselves, since there were children in the room.
"Uhmm... well... i-it's nothing, it's nothing." Delirious said with a few small chuckles.
"Yeah. Just ignore that." Squirrel added with a few chuckles as well.
Twilight was still confused, but she decided not to press on or try to understand what they were laughing at.
"Ok. Well *Ahem* I think we should continue to ask more questions." Twilight said as she prepared to ask another question, however Rarity stopped her.
"Actually darling, I think we should leave." Rarity said.
"Actually, Rarity's right. It's gettin' late an' Big Mac an' Granny Smith might get worried about me an' Apple Bloom." Applejack said.
"Yeah *Yawn* I'm getting a little tired." Rainbow yawned.
"Yeah, I guess we should all head to sleep." Twilight agreed, although she felt a little disappointed that her questions would have to wait for another day.
"Wait a second." Delirious said out loud, catching everyone's attention.
"Uh, yes Delirious? What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked.
"I gotta ask, where am I and Squirrel going to sleep at?"
"Oh, I haven't even thought about that." Twilight realized and instantly started to think of a quick solution.
"Well, Squirrel can sleep at my cottage." Fluttershy suggested.
In an instant, Squirrel denied that idea and refused the suggestion. "Nope, I'm good." Squirrel shut down the suggestion quickly.
Someponies were confused by his reaction. "Uhh Squirrel, why did you deny Fluttershy's suggestion?" Starlight asked.
Squirrel shivered at the thought of when he first met Fluttershy. She held him close to her chest and was suffocating him in her Pony skin, even though she misunderstood him. Still, he didn't feel comfortable being close to her and plus, she had animals there and he was pretty sure they would freak out when they see him.
"I... just don't think it's a good idea." Squirrel said with a slight hesitance.
"Ok... so where are you going to sleep at?" Starlight asked.
"I could have Squirrel and Delirious sleep at my castle." Twilight suggested. "I have some guest rooms."
"Yeah sure, why not." Delirious agreed.
"Yeah, I also agree." Squirrel also agreed.
"Ok, I guess we got that figured out." Starlight said.
"Wait, I have one more question to ask that needs to get answered. It's very important." Delirious said.
"What is it, Delirious?" Applejack asked.
"Do you have any Teddy Bears?"
Everyone was thrown off by the weird question. Why would it be important that a grown man would need a Teddy Bear? Although this was strange, Twilight still answered Delirious.
"Umm... no, we don't have any Teddy Bears." Twilight answered, wiping confusion off her face.
Just as Delirious was about to release an "Awwww" of disappointment, he heard a snap and saw a flash of white flash in front of him. However, it was only half a second, since it cleared up to reveal... a floating Teddy Bear.
Instantly, Delirious had sparkles in his eyes as he grabbed the soft Bear and hugged it to his chest. "Teddy Bear!" Delirious exclaimed happily.
While Delirious was hugging and nuzzling the Teddy Bear, some of the Mane Six looked confused and were thrown off.
"A Teddy Bear?" Rarity said with a questionable tone.
"Isn't Delirious a grown Hu-min?" Sweetie Belle questioned as she whispered to the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"Yeah, he sure is." Apple Bloom whispered back.
"For a grown Ape, he sure seems to acts like a Foal." Scootaloo said, which Delirious heard, but he didn't know what exactly he heard.
"Huh? What did you say?" Delirious asked as he lifted his head and stopped hugging the Teddy Bear.
"Uh, n-nothin'. She said nothin'." Apple Bloom said with a sheepish look.
"That's what I thought." Delirious had narrow eyes of suspicion, but they were slightly widened when Delirious had a question creep in his head. "By the way, how did this Teddy Bear even appear?"
"That would be my doing." Discord said.
"Wow, so you made that made a Teddy Bear with your own magic?"
"*Snap* Eeyup." Discord said as he snapped to have the same exact voice as Big Mac until he snapped again to get rid of the voice. "*Snap* Oh and I can't just summon Teddy Bears, I can make *Snap* Grizzly Bears appear."
When Discord snapped again, Harry the Bear appeared, who appeared to be sleeping.
"I also can make Polar Bears appear *Snap*." Discord snapped his talon claws, a Polar Bear appeared beside Harry. The Polar Bear looked around in confusion of its surroundings, wondering how it got where it was right now.
"Wow, so you can pretty much do anything." Delirious said in a amazed tone.
"Yep, I can do everything with my chaos *Snap*." Discord snapped his talon fingers to make the Grizzly Bear and Polar Bear dissappear.
"I can even summon this *Snap*." When Discord snapped his fingers again, a giant Teddy Bear was behind the throne Delirious was sitting on. Everyone saw it, but Delirious who had a confused expression.
"Uhh, I don't see anything. What did you summon?" Delirious asked.
"Delirious, you might want to turn around." Squirrel advised.
Delirious looked puzzled, but he listened to what Squirrel said. "What do mean, Squir-"
Instantly, Delirious stopped his sentence when his eyes sparkled from what he was seeing. He saw a giant Teddy Bear.
"OH MY GOSH! It's a giant Teddy Bear!" Delirious exclaimed excitingly as he dropped his small Teddy Bear, got off the throne, and rushed to the giant Teddy Bear to hug it. With it being so tall, Delirious pretty much had his whole body on Teddy's crotch area.
"THIS IS AMAZING!" Delirious started to laugh happily as he pushed his body deeper into the fluffy, soft Bear. He loved the soft embrace and really wanted to cuddle the giant Teddy Bear, until he felt something tap his shoulder a few times.
Out of instinct, Delirious pushed himself off the giant Teddy Bear and turned around to see who or what was tapping his shoulder. When he turned his head, he saw that it was Discord who was behind him.
"Yes?" Delirious questioned.
"So, Delirious. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to shorten the Bear's height because somepony *Ahem* Twilight, said that it's 'too tall' for the castle. So, I'm gonna have to lower the size *Snap*.
As Discord snapped his talon fingers, a flash of white was around the big Teddy Bear, only for the flash to dissappear and reveal that the Teddy Bear that was once giant, had shrunken in size. However, even though it had shrunk, it was still taller and bigger than Delirious. Still, Delirious had his arms wrapped around the soft Bear's body.
"Well, at least I can hug Teddy properly now." Delirious said as he nuzzled his face on the soft Teddy's face. "Now I'm ready to go to sleep, what about you Squirrel?"
"Yeah, *Yawn*... I'm ready to get some sleep." Squirrel stated as a little yawn escaped from his mouth. "So, where are we going to sleep at?" Squirrel asked as he turned his head toward Twilight.
"Oh, well actually, I'll have Starlight lead you into your Guest Rooms." Twilight said as she turned her head to Starlight. "Starlight, can you lead Delirious and Squirrel to their guest rooms?"
"I sure can." Starlight said as she turned to the door and walked toward it. "C'mon Delirious and Squirrel, follow me."
Delirious and Squirrel both started walking behind Starlight, which had Delirious walk with the giant Teddy Bear in his arms with the normal sized Teddy in his right hand. They exited the throne room.
The Mane Six (except Twilight), Cutie Mark Crusaders, Discord, and Spike were all thinking to head to sleep as well.
"Well Twilight, me an' Apple Bloom are goin' to head back to the orchard. Granny is probably worried about. Good night, sugarcube." Applejack said as she started to walk to the door. "C'mon, Apple Bloom, we're leavin'."
"Comin', sis." Apple Bloom walked away from the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders and walked to the exit with Applejack.
"Good night, y'all." Applejack and Apple Bloom said as they left through the door.
"I guess we should also take our leave. C'mon, Sweetie Belle." Rarity said as she walked to the door.
"See you tomorrow, Scootaloo." Sweetie said to Scootaloo before she turned around and walked to her sister. "Coming, sis."
"Good night, darlings." Rarity said as she and Sweetie Belle exited.
"Well, this Draconequus is getting rather sleepy, but I'm ready to see what chaos might unfold from our new guests tomorrow, so good night Twilight." Discord said as he snapped with his Bear paw and disappeared from the Throne Room.
"I should also leave, the animals are probably worried about me. Good night, Twilight" Fluttershy said as she walked to door.
"Me too, I got a surprise to make for Deliriously and Squirrely. Good night, Twiley." Pinkie said as she bounced to the door that Fluttershy was barely leaving.
As Twilight saw them leave, she felt something tap her shoulder, so she turned her head and saw floating Rainbow with a scowling expression and crossed hooves.
"Oh, Rainbow, what's... wrong?" Twilight asked with a slight pause.
"I think you already know, you egghead." Rainbow answered with a hint of frustration in her voice.
Twilight formed a sheepish tone in her voice as she answered. "W-whatever do you mean?"
"What I mean is that you blamed me for Squirrel's arrival."
"Well umm..." Twilight tried to think of a way to dismiss Rainbow's conclusion, but she couldn't. All Twilight did was release a sigh, knowing she got caught. "Look, Rainbow. I had to think of an excuse to stop Ponyville from worrying and I thought that maybe... it could be one of your pranks. So I-I hope you understand." She flashed a sheepish smile, hoping Rainbow would understand.
The only response that she got from Rainbow was a deeper scowling. Twilight still kept a huge silly smile. However, Twilight was starting to have some doubts, seeing that Rainbow hadn't changed her expression. Twilight felt like she was going to get smacked across the face for that, so she prepared herself to get smacked, until...
"You know what Twilight, I completely understand." Rainbow responded in a normal tone, not even a slight hint of frustration in her response.
This confused Twilight a lot as she was mentally shocked, but also a little grateful that Rainbow wouldn't kick her flank. But to confirm that Rainbow wasn't mad at her, she asked a question.
"Ok... are you sure you're not even a little mad?"
"What? No, I completely understand your reasoning and your actions." Rainbow answered innocently as she flashed a innocent expression. It was almost like a different Pony possessed her.
"Uhmm, ok then. Good night, Rainbow." Twilight hesitantly said.
"Good night, Twilight. C'mon Scoots, let's go." Rainbow said innocently as she stopped floating with her wings and set herself on the ground to walk to the door.
Scootaloo was watching the entire scene going on and even she was a little thrown off by her idol's behavior. However, she didn't say anything as she walked toward Rainbow and left the throne room with Rainbow, leaving only a relieved Twilight in the room.
Twilight released a sigh of relief as she closed her eyes, being glad that this chaotic day was about to be over.
"Uhmm, Twilight?"
Twilight opened up her eyes to see who called her name and she saw that it was Spike who called her name.
"Oh, Spike, what's wrong?" Twilight asked.
"Well, I just wanted to make sure you were ok, since you seem a little stressed from all that happened." Spike answered.
"Oh, well thank you for checking on me Spike, but I'm ok, just a little stressed." Twilight put a hoof on her forehead as she took a deep breath.
"So, what are we going to do about Delirious and Squirrel?"
Twilight thought about it for a bit before she answered. "I don't know, but hopefully we can figure out a way to return them home. *Sigh* It's going be stressful, but... I promise I'm going to get them back, no matter what."
"Hmm... well, Delirious and Squirrel seem cool, but how are you going to introduce them Ponyville without causing anypony to worry, especially Celestia an-"
"CELESTIA!?" Twilight interrupted Spike's questioning as her eyes widened as she realized that she forgot to message Celestia about the chaos that happened in Ponyville.
"I forgot to inform Celestia about Delirious and Squirrel!" Twilight exclaimed, having stress slowly fill her head once again.
Instantly, her horn glowed and she summoned a quill and piece of paper that was floating from Twilight's magic. She then levitated the quill and paper to Spike. "Spike, take a letter."
"Uhh... sure Twilight." Spike then grabbed the quill and paper and prepared to write on the paper.
"Ok, *Ahem* Dear Princess Celestia..."
"So, here is one of the Guest Rooms." Starlight said as she opened the door to the Guest Room with her magic.
Delirious and Squirrel entered as they looked around the room.
"This looks nice." Delirious commented.
"It looks cozy." Squirrel added.
"Yeah, we want to make our guests relaxed, although we don't usually get many guests, especially ones that come from another dimension." Starlight said.
"Well, I guess I'll take this room." Delirious said as he dropped the different sized Teddy Bears on the bed. "Also, do you have a Bathroom? I kind of need to go right now."
"We do." Starlight then pointed her hoof toward the door. "When you go into the Hallway, turn left and go to the end of the Hallway and you'll see a door with handles, but by the right of it, is another door, which is the Bathroom."
"Ok, thanks." Delirious held a thumbs up as he dashed from the room.
"So what about my room?" Squirrel asked Starlight.
"Your room is beside Delirious' room." Starlight then left Delirious' room as she turned right when she made it to the Hallway. Squirrel followed her and saw that she opened a door that was indeed by Delirious's door.
Squirrel followed Starlight into Squirrel's room, which looked exactly like Delirious' room. "Hmm, nice room. It looks interesting." Squirrel said with a smile as he looked around.
"Umm, yeah. It's... the same exact room that Delirious has."
"I know, I'm just joking around."
"Oh, ok." Starlight then looked at Squirrel's brain, reminded that she was casually talking to Zombie Squirrel, which made her self-aware and form some curiosity on Squirrel.
"Are you ok? You seem to be spacing out." Squirrel asked, which snapped Starlight out of her curious staring.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare at your... umm... brain. It just makes me... question how you're walking and... well, basically everything else." Starlight stated.
"Yeah, I question that too."
Starlight then released a yawn. "Well, I guess my curiosity can wait, I'm getting *Yawn* tired." Starlight then walked out of Squirrel's room. "Good night, Squirrel."
"Good night." Squirrel said back as he stood by his doorframe to watch Starlight leave.
While Starlight was leaving, Delirious was coming back from his leaking break. "God damn, that was a nice piss." Delirious muttered to himself.
Delirious then saw that Starlight was leaving. "Oh Starlight, are you leaving?"
"I am. Its getting late and I'm really getting tired from all this... information that happened today." Starlight said.
"Is it because me and Squirrel arrived?"
"Yeah." Starlight said with a chuckle. "I'm going to sleep. Good night, Delirious." She then walked away.
"Good night, Starlight." Delirious called out as he continued to walk to his room.
Delirious then saw Squirrel by a doorframe beside his room. "Oh hey Squirrel, you're having your own room?"
"Yeah." Squirrel answered.
"Awww, I thought we were going to sleep in the same room, Squirreliam." Delirious said with a teasing tone.
"If we slept in the same room, there would be spooning involved and it's disgusting to bone a Dead Squirrel." Squirrel joked with a smile.
Delirious had some small chuckles escape from his mouth. "What about nutting? Don't Squirrels lov- hahaha." Delirious couldn't finish his sentence when his laughing got the better of him.
Squirrel also started laughing as well. "Shut the fuck, Delirious. Why don't you spoon your Teddy Bears?" Squirrel managed to say while laughing.
"Whatever, I'm going to sleep. Good night, Squirrely." Delirious said as he started to close the door to his room.
"Good night too, Delirious." Squirrel replied back before Delirious' door closed.
'Well, I should head to bed too.' Squirrel thought as he turned to his door. However, as turned to completely face forward toward his door, he saw that Spike was beside him and had widened eyes.
"Oh, hey Spike." Squirrel said casually, not clearly aware of Spike's shocked expression.
Spike didn't know what to say on what he heard, but he got the will to say hey back to Squirrel. "H-hey... Squirrel."
"So, did you need something?"
Spike slowly shook his head, since he still couldn't process what he and Delirious were joking about.
"Oh ok, I'm going to bed. Good night, Spike." Squirrel said as he entered his room and closed the door behind him, leaving a staggered Dragon in the hallway by himself.
Spike then shook his head as he continued to walk down the hallway. "I need to clean my ears." Spike said to himself.
Squirrel walked to his bed and got on his bed to lay his head on the pillow. "Ahhh, now I can relax."
Squirrel put his hands behind his head as he laid on his bed. He was ready to close his eye and get some shut eye, but it didn't seem to work, since he had some curious thoughts sneak into his mind.
'Huh, I wonder if I'll ever get home. If I do, would I stop being a Squirrel or will I just never see my home... again. Damn, that sounds dark... Well, at least I know Delirious is here, I don't know if Kyle or Cartoonz is here, but I hope they are ok, wherever they are. Still, I wonder how everything is going back at home, especially for my viewers. They are probably worried, not knowing that I'm in a FUCKING dimension of talking Ponies.' Squirrel let out a yawn and started to feel his eye close a little bit.
'Well, I guess I'll see what happens tomorrow. Fuck, do I have a long... day ahead of me.'
Squirrel then closed his eye completely, which made him fall asleep. Soon to experience a dream experience.
> Chapter 9: A Nutty and Wet Dream
Darkness was the vision that Squirrel was seeing right now. He was in his bed, just trying to get back to sleeping because he had woken up, but he closed his eyelid. Still, he tried kept shifting into different positions and was turning to get comfortable enough, so he can go back to sleep. That didn't seem to work though.
Eventually, his mind told him to get up and get ready for the day. After a few groans and small mumbling, he finally opened his eyes.
"My second fucking day here in Ponyville. How exciting." Squirrel grumbled as his black vision was replaced with a look of the ceiling.
While Squirrel did wake up and managed to open his eyes, he still felt drowsy and had half lidded eyes, still mentally struggling to get up. Still, Squirrel still felt drowsy from opening his eyes, so all he did was stare at his ceiling for a while, not wanting to move from his cozy mattress. He wanted to go back to sleep and close his eyes, so he can go back to sleep. The Ponies were interesting, but he didn't care at the moment.
"*Sigh* I don't want to get up." Squirrel groaned to himself. "*Yawn* Ahh. I'm so tired. I don't feel like getting up."
Squirrel was bored of staring at his ceiling, however he didn't want to get up, so he was moaning, groaning, and saying some things to pass the time, hoping he can go back to sleep.
Squirrel kept staring at the ceiling for minutes, which felt like hours to him. As Squirrel yawned a second time, he narrowed his eyes on the ceiling. A ceiling that appeared to be light blue, which made Squirrel slightly widen his half lidded eyes.
"Wait... I don't remember the ceiling looking like that." Squirrel mumbled to himself. Was he tripping? He was pretty sure that the bedroom ceiling didn't look like that, but also something about the ceiling looked familiar to Squirrel.
Squirrel narrowed his eyes as he mentally tried to think why that ceiling was familiar to him. After a few seconds of focusing on the ceiling, it finally clicked in his mind.
"Wait a minute."
Squirrel then rose from his bed to look at his surroundings and what he saw, wasn't the bedroom he fell asleep in. Instantly, he was shocked on what his eyes were seeing.
"This isn't my room... it's... my room." Squirrel said as he continued to look around his original bedroom. His bedroom that wasn't in the world of talking Ponies. The world of where he just plays games and post it to his YouTube viewers. The world that was his home. But it couldn't be possible. How could he be home? Although he had that question in his head, his eyes still couldn't believe what he woken up to... wait? Eyes?
Squirrel just realized that he could see perfectly well on the left side of his vision. On instinct, he brought his left hand to his eye to feel a slimy brain, but he felt nothing of the sort. However, he noticed the hand that was covering his left eye, wasn't a Squirrelly hand... it was a peachy hand.
Squirrel was more shocked and inspected himself. From what he had seen, he had hair on his head, two long legs, and basically a taller body than his Squirrel body. He know knew that he wasn't a Squirrel anymore, he was back to being... a Human. But how is the question.
Squirrel didn't know what to say for a while. He didn't know how to comment on this. All he did was get out of his bed and look around his room.
Squirrel inspected all over his room to see if it was actually his room. He looked at his gaming set-up, his YouTube Play Button, and basically anything he had in his room to see if they were real. From what he was seeing and feeling, he was actually in his room. But to him, it doesn't make sense.
"There's no fucking way." He muttered to himself as walked to his door to open it. As he placed his hand on the door knob, he was questioning if he was really home and wondering if his travel through Equestria was just a dream.
"Was it all a dream?" Squirrel turned the knob of the door and pulled the door slowly. As Squirrel finally opened the door, it revealed a hallway. Squirrel peeked his head out to look around the hallway, whilst his body stayed behind and didn't cross the doorframe.
Squirrel turned his head to the right. Then after a few seconds, he turned it to the left and saw that the hallway did look like the exact replica of the hallway of his house. Was he really back home?
After a few seconds of inspecting his hallway, he backed himself away from the door and slowly closed the door.
Squirrel didn't know what to say for a few seconds as he was still trying to process everything. He was able to say something after he approached and sat on the chair he used for gaming on his PC.
"So, it was a fucking dream." Squirrel then laid his back on his gaming chair to let out a sigh. He was still confused, since it felt so real that he started to question his mentality, which made him bring his two hands and put each of them on either of his eyes.
"What the fuck was that shit? It felt so fucking real. What the fuck, man." Squirrel questioned as he slowly slid his hands down his face, eventually dropping down from his chin.
He continued questioning and groaning from that "dream," which still didn't make absolute sense to him. It felt real, even though he became a Squirrel, even though he met some talking Ponies, even though he traveled through a different dimension, and even though he met Delirious in his avatar form. It was weird fo- Wait, Delirious.
Squirrel's eyes widened in realization. If Squirrel was actually here and if him meeting any talking Ponies was a dream, then Delirious should be here and should've not experience any interactions with a talking Pony.
Instantly, Squirrel gamer leaned from his gaming chair to open his PC. After a few seconds of desperate mouse clicking, he clicked on his Discord and opened the app, not even wanting to think about the Draconequus that had the same name.
When he opened the app, it showed his server, which did look like normal and looked exactly how it was the last time he was on his server. The channels still looked the same, but right now, he didn't really care about that.
He moved his mouse to the friend's list and clicked on it to show his friends. His other friends were off, however Delirious was online, which was ironic, but he didn't mentally argue with himself.
Instantly, Squirrel decided to call him, so he could talk with Delirious. "Please answer your Discord, Delirious." Squirrel mumbled to himself as the call rang and rang.
The more times it continued to ring, the more Squirrel started to feel pissed and annoyed. Delirious was online right now, so why won't he answer?
It continued to ring and Squirrel was slowly getting impatient, he needed an answer from Delirious, right now to see if he knew anything about any talking Pony. "Delirious. Pleeeease fucking answer." Still, Delirious didn't answer. Squirrel was starting to fucking lose it.
Squirrel then left the call, frustrated that Delirious didn't call and furiously started pushing some keys on his keyboard to text Delirious.
"This motherfucker." Squirrel muttered to himself in frustration. After Squirrel was done furiously typing his sentence, he sent it to Delirious. However, Delirious still didn't answer, which made Squirrel groan and slam his head on his desk. He was getting tired of this shit.
"If I don't get an answer, I'm going to fucking lose it." Squirrel groaned as he slowly lifted his head and was at a slouching position to look at the computer screen, hoping he got an answer from Delirious.
"Then an answer you shall receive." A female voice spoke out behind Squirrel.
In shock of hearing a voice (besides his) in his bedroom, he shifted from his slouching and quickly turned his chair to face the culprit of the voice and what he saw, left his jaw dropped.
What Squirrel saw was a Pony that looked like like it was from Equestria, however it looked taller. But, it didn't matter to Squirrel, since the Pony being here proved that visiting Ponyville wasn't a dream. Yet, this rose many questions to Squirrel as he continued to be in a state of shock.
While Squirrel was shocked and puzzled, he was curious about the female Mare, since it looked different then the Ponies he had seen.
The Pony had a dark blue coat, wings, a horn, some blueish green eyes, and a starry dark blue mane and a starry dark blue tail that was flowing, which made curiosity slight rise from Squirrel, since there was no fan on to move the mane and tail. But also, the Mare had a half-crescent moon necklace, and some what of a tattoo of a half-crescent moon on her flank, which made Squirrel question to himself, since he always saw these marks on these Ponies, but he never asked them. Although she was a normal Pony, Squirrel sweared she was taller than the Ponies he had seen and maybe even himself.
"Are you okay? You seem confused." The dark blue Mare said.
Squirrel snapped of his wondering and reluctantly answered. "I-I'm... alright. But, I have a question, j-just a very... polite... question. Who... are you!?" Squirrel asked with a slight exclamation.
Luna didn't wince or flinch from Squirrel's yelling, she just had a neutral expression as she was about to announce on who she was. "I am Princess Luna, Ruler of the Night, Princess of the Moon, and Watcher of Dreams. And may I ask, are you the one that is called: Squirrel?"
Squirrel's eyes widened. How did Princess Luna know his name? (Well, his online name.) And if she is here, then was going to Equestria not a a dream? If so, then how is he back home and how is this Pony at his house? And why was she the Princess of the Night? Why is she the watcher of dreams? Is she Freddy fucking Krueger? It made no sense.
Squirrel's self questioning only lasted for a few seconds as he answered the question Luna asked. "Uhh... Y-yes, I'm Squirrel, but h-how did you know my n-name?"
"Me and my sister were informed that you and your friend arrived in Ponyville and we were told of your names." Luna answered.
Upon hearing Luna's answer, Squirrel formed a confused look. "Informed? Informed by who?"
"By Twilight Sparkle. She informed us that you arrived to Equestria and she told us that you weren't from here and was from another world."
Squirrel raised his eyebrow, but he still had confusion all over his face. "You know Twilight?"
"Indeed."
"Huh, so what did she say?"
"She described your appearance of being a Squirrel with a lobe revealed. Although it's disturbing if what Twilight says it's true, she said you're friendly and have no intentions on infecting or hurting anypony if you were truly a Zombie rodent."
"Uh huh." Squirrel didn't say or add anything else as he absorbed the information, since he didn't know what to say.
"Though, if I may be honest, you don't seem to be this... Squirrel, based on appearance alone. So, I must ask, how can you be this... Squirrel when you're in your current form right now? Which is called a Human, I believe."
Squirrel put his left hand behind his neck as he thought of an explanation. "Well... ok, this is going to be tough to explain." Squirrel muttered to himself. "So yeah, I... was Squirrel because I was an... actual Squirrel and... well, I guess I'm... back home and this is what I normally looked like." Squirrel pointed a index finger at his face. "A Human, but for some reason, I... transformed into my Squirrel avatar. So yeah, does... that explain how I'm Human right here?"
"I believe it does, I suppose." Luna said.
"Well... I'm glad I answered your questions, but now-" Squirrel clapped his palms together and made both of them grip on each other. "-I kind of have a few questions myself, if you don't mind me asking. But then again, you probably won't know the answer."
Luna raised an eyebrow. "Go on, I'm curious on what question you must ask."
"Ok, well first off-" Squirrel stopped as he took a deep breath as he prepared to unload a lot of questions. He then unloaded. "-how are you here in my home? How did I did I get back home? And finally, how did I get back to being my Human self?"
Luna didn't seem phased by Squirrel's fast questioning, all she did was look around Squirrel's room. "Is this is your home?" Luna asked.
Squirrel's expression dropped at Luna's sudden question. Although it was weird that Luna asked, Squirrel still answered her question. "Uhm, y-yeah... it is, but can you answer my questions, please? I really need an answer from all this... confusion.
Luna then stopped looking around Squirrel's bedroom and focused her full attention on Squirrel. "Well, I do have a single sentence that will answer all your questions."
"Uh huh, what is it?"
"Simple, you're in a dream." Luna said casually.
Squirrel's eyes widened in surprise as he absorbed the information. Did the Freddy Krueger Pony just say he was in a fucking dream? It made no sense to him, but then again, he managed to travel to a dimension of talking Ponies.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait... really!?" Squirrel asked, still not believing what he was informed of.
"Indeed."
Squirrel turned his head to look around his bedroom. His bedroom felt so real and it looked real. There's no way he could imagine to be home, right?
"Can you prove it?" Squirrel asked.
"Indeed I can." Luna answered as her horn lit up and had an aura coming from her horny tip. (Pause.)
Squirrel looked worried at what Luna was going to do and was going to ask her what she was doing, but before he can ask, he noticed that his bedroom was vanishing, which left Squirrel's jaw dropped.
Eventually, Squirrel's bedroom completely vanished, making the new surroundings around Squirrel be a night sky and sky clouds and interesting enough, Squirrel seemed to be standing on a cloud.
Once the aura disappeared from Luna's horn, she then looked at Squirrel who still had his jaw dropped, which made Luna have a little smirk. "Do you believe me now?" She said.
Squirrel slowly nodded, still with his jaw dropped.
"Well, does living in your dream answer all your questions?"
It took a few a few seconds for Squirrel to close his jaw and respond to Luna. "Uhh... Yeah, I guess... it does."
"Well, I'm glad your questions are answered."
"Yeah... but now... I have a whole lot of more questions to ask."
"Huh? More questions?"
"Yeah, first off, you're the Ruler of Dreams and control dreams, right?"
"Yes, I'm the Princess of the Moon, it's my duty."
Squirrel took a deep breath before he answered. "Ok, so... this is a dream?"
"It is a dream, but it's mainly yours."
"My dream?"
"Indeed."
Squirrel looked around the night sky for a few seconds, who still couldn't believe where he was. "Ok, so... if it's my dream, how can you control them?"
"Like I said, I'm the Ruler of Dreams, therefore I'm given the magic to control anypony's dream I enter." Luna clarified.
Squirrel blink a few times as he took in that information. He was still confused on how that work, in fact, he was thrown off by the whole concept of Ponies having magic and he wanted to question it. However, as he opened his mouth, it clicked to him that it would probably take a while or be complicated for him to understand. So he shut his mouth and opened it again to say a different response.
"Ok, m-makes... sense." Squirrel said with a small stutter, trying to make it look like he understood Luna's small explanation.
"Now, do you have any more questions that need to be answered?" Luna asked.
"Nope, not at all. No questions. I have no more questions. I'm good." Squirrel said it quickly.
Luna raised an eyebrow at Squirrel's response, but she threw the strange response aside. "Well then, I guess it's my turn to ask some questions then."
"Huh?"
"Since you got your answers, it's time I got mine."
"Oh, I... guess that seems fair."
"So my first question is... can I see your form that you were in when you first arrived to Equestria?"
"Uhmm... s-sure, but how the hell am I going to turn into a Squirr-" Squirrel then stopped as he already forgotten that he was in a dream. "Oh right. It's a dream. Well, I guess... I should imagine to turn myself into a Squirrel, r-right?"
"Correct."
"Ok then." Squirrel then took a deep breath as he prepared himself. "Here I go."
Squirrel then imagined to turn into his Squirrel form and when he did, he felt something tingle on his legs, also his arms, and his chest. Well actually, he felt his whole body tingle and all of a sudden, his vision was glowing white as his surroundings disappeared around him. However, on instinct, he closed his eyes when a white void corrupted his vision. Even after a few seconds, Squirrel still had his eyes shut until he heard Luna's voice.
"So this is your Squirrel form? Interesting." He heard Luna say.
Since Squirrel heard Luna be interested from his Squirrel form, he guessed that he successfully turned into his Dead Squirrel avater, so he slowly opened his eyes.
Or should he say eye because only his right eye was open and seeing everything, while his left side of his vision was black.
"Tell me, how are you able to walk around with your lobe exposed and treat it as it was just a scratch?" Luna asked with curiosity in her tone.
"Well... to put it simply, it's just a hand drawn avatar that's suppose to represent me and now, I'm actually my avatar because Twilight... somehow struck me with some... chaos magic?... I-I guess." Squirrel answered casually.
"Hmm, interesting. By the way, Twilight is very sorry for the trouble she may of caused on you and your friend. I hope you can forgive her."
"Oh yeah, I know she is very sorry, but me and Delirious didn't yell at her or anything, we just gave a little... response. But hey, at least this new... discovery might be interesting, since it was getting kind of boring. Playing games and streaming to your fans can be exhausting." Squirrel muttered the last sentence to himself.
"Well then, I'm glad you understand Twilight's actions, but anyways, I should get back to questioning you."
"Oh ok. What's the next question?"
Luna paused for a second and shifted her current look into a focused expression that was directly pointing at Squirrel, which threw him off. "So, I'm going to be direct here and I want you to answer with honesty. Understand?"
Squirrel actually gulped in nervousness when she finished talking in a serious tone. He didn't know what she was going to ask, but with the way her was and and her expression, he knew that he wouldn't want to fuck around and find out with a Princess ever again. How was it that she turned from apologetic to serious in a snap?
"Uh... y-yeah. W-what is it?" Squirrel answered nervously.
"Do you have any evil intentions to Equestria?"
"Nope, I don't have anything evil planned for Equestria. I'm good." Squirrel answered quickly as he waved his hands left and right to deny and he also had a little bit sweat sliding down his head.
Luna's serious gaze stayed on Squirrel for a few seconds, staring into his expression, before it finally softened and was replaced with a neutral expression. "I see. I guess there isn't no evil in you after all."
With Luna's expression and tone softened, Squirrel let out a sigh in relief and felt less nervous from her stare.
"I guess you're really clueless on where you are." Luna said.
"Y-yeah." Squirrel said with a slight nervous chuckle.
"Although I can't help but ask you about what you said earlier."
"Huh?" Squirrel was confused on what she meant. "What do you mean?"
"Earlier in your room, you hoped that your friend, Delirious would answer your Discord. I'm confused on what you mean about your Discord definition and meaning. The Discord I know is a Lord of Chaos and learned to be part of harmony. However, I feel like that your use for Discord, must mean something else. May I ask what do you mean by that?" Luna asked with pure curiosity.
"Oh well... umm..." Squirrel was thrown off by the question and put his hand under his chin as he tried to think of an answer. "The Discord I'm talking about is an app and..." Squirrel paused for a second to professionally explain to Luna, so that way she can understand it in her terms. "Well, it's just a... device that let's you... conversate? Yeah, conversate with your friends, even though if they might be far away from me, you can still communicate with your friends. So yeah, that's what Discord does."
Luna put a hoof on her chin. "Hmm, interesting."
"Yeah, that's what I meant when I mentioned Discord." Squirrel's eyes widened slightly as something came to him. "By the way, how did you hear me say Discord when you arrived a little later?"
"I was invisible and watched your actions when you were in your room." Luna answered casually.
Squirrel blinked a few times as he processed that information. "Oh... ok then.
Luna noticed Squirrel's thrown off expression, so she then apologized. "Also, I'm very sorry about intruding your dream, but it was necessary to see if you were good or dangerous."
"Oh, no it's alright. I understand... I guess." Squirrel answered awkwardly.
"Well then, since I made sure you weren't a threat and gave my apologies, my duty here is done here. I should take my leave then." Luna said as she prepared her wings.
"So... where are you going now?" Squirrel asked with some curiosity in his voice.
"I'm going to check out your friend's dreams as well."
"You're going to Delirious'?"
"Exactly, I'm going to also check out his dreams." Luna then flapped her wings as she started to slowly float. "It was nice meeting you Squirrel, but I must leave. Good night and sweet dreams, Squirrel."
Luna was then flying backwards (moon flying?) to the front of the distant moon.
"Bye as well, Luna." Squirrel waved his right Squirrelly hand as he saw Luna magically disappear from his sight, leaving him in night sky surroundings.
After a few seconds, Squirrel then dropped his waving hand, released a breath, and slightly slouched. He just had a whole dump of events occur to him in his sleep. He woke up in his house, he was turned back into a Human, he was trying to message Delirious, but it all changed when Luna revealed herself. Then, she said that he was in a dream and proceeded to wipe his home from his very eyes. Now, she left and he was stumped from what had happened in his head.
"Well... I'm still... kind of fucking confused." Squirrel said honestly to himself. After a few seconds of the silent night sky being the atmosphere, he instantly grew unamused as he looked around his surroundings.
'Wait, it's my dream, maybe I can just change the area.' Squirrel thought to himself as he focused his mind to change where he was.
As he imagined, the night sky around Squirrel suddenly looked wavy. After a few seconds of the wavy area, it suddenly started changing into a wavy bedroom, which was Squirrel's. Eventually, the wavyness of bedroom, slowed down and stopped being wavy, making Squirrel see his bedroom without any vision problems.
Once the area was back to normal, Squirrel looked around his new surroundings with a little shocked expression. He was a little surprised that he controlled the night sky to change into his bedroom.
Squirrel had not spoken for a bit, he only blinked a few times as he walked to his gaming chair and slowly set himself on his chair. He was thinking about what had transpired that led him to this certain position.
After a few seconds of processing, Squirrel finally had something come out of his mouth.
"Well, I just felt like I got nutted on."
*Poof*
Luna had teleported to another dream and was introduced to a sight of another bedroom. Luna knew that this was Delirious' dream, so she thought that she was in Delirious' room. It almost represented Squirrel's bedroom, but the room looked more messy and a little disorganized.
Luna however, was more curious about Delirious as well. Squirrel was a walking Squirrel that had it's brain showing, which made her question what Twilight said was true. And although she was informed by Twilight that Delirious was just a basic Human that hid his face, she still had some questions to ask Delirious from what she had heard about him.
However, Luna eased herself to confirm that Delirious was truly friendly and not evil, one bit. Sure, she sensed and confirmed that Squirrel was ok and not secretly planning anything, no matter how freaky he looked, but she still had to make sure that the two dimensional guest were safe to roam Equestria.
So now, all she had to do was confront Delirious and see if he answered truthfully and was being honest about his arrival in Equestria.
"This must be his room." Luna muttered to herself as she looked around, trying to find Delirious. She moved her eyes around his room until she finally spotted something.
Luna saw that there were two chairs by a desk, facing their backside to her. Looking at it, kind of reminded her that it almost looked liked Squirrel's chair, but the colors of the two looked different. And also, one of the chairs was taller than the other chair, but she didn't worry about that. But it wasn't the chair that made Luna raise an eyebrow, it was the low sound of buttons being pressed that came from where the chair was.
So Luna approached the source of the sound, hearing the buttons pressing sound louder as she got closer. "Hello? Is somepony there?" Luna called out.
The sound of buttons being pressed stopped when Luna called out her question. While the only noise in the bedroom stopped, Luna heard a "Oh" come from the chair. She stopped a little close to the chair's back, waiting to see if there was someone there. However, there was no response for a few seconds, but then, she heard something get set on the desk. This made her slowly approach the chair out of curiosity.
Suddenly, the chair turned around and it revealed a Human with a hockey mask, which made Luna startle back at the quick motion. From the looks of it, this Human looked like Delirious to Luna's observation with the mask, outfit, and messy hair.
"Oh hi." Delirious greeted so welcomingly, it was almost as he expected her to arrive.
Luna was still thrown off by the chair's sudden turn, but after a few quick blinks, she recovered and cleared her throat. "Hello. Are you Delirious?"
"Well, I am in personality and for my name as well." Delirious said as he leaned back in his chair.
"That's... good to know. Anyways, my name i-"
"Oh! Is it Princess Luna?" Delirious interrupted. Delirious' answer made Luna widen her eyes. She was surprised and confused on how Delirious recognized her. She knew Twilight didn't tell him who she was because Squirrel didn't seem to know her, so how would Delirious know?
"I-I am, b-but how did you know?" Luna asked with a few surprised sputters.
"Oh, wouldn't you like to know, Lu-Lu?" A familiar voice ringed out from the other chair.
The chair turned around and it revealed Discord to be sitting on it. He seemed to have a small welcoming smile as he laid his arms on the arm rest of the chair and laid his back on the chair.
"Discord?" Luna said in a little shocked state. "What are you doing here?"
"Just getting along with our guest." Discord answered casually as he stretched his bear arm and wrapped it around the back of Delirious' neck and pulled him and his chair closer to him and his chair.
When Delirious was pulled closer to Discord and his chair, he didn't seemed phased by his antics. He still had the welcoming look in his face. (Well, his eyes.)
"Wait, so you informed Delirious about me?" Luna asked.
"Of course. I knew you would explore his and the Squirrel's dreams, so I thought I pop in and do your duty. Well, half of your duty." Discord answered.
Luna was still a little confused on why Discord was in Delirious' dream because clearly, there was more to it. However, there was a more important question in her mind.
"Did you at least ask Delirious some questions to see if he was what he say he was? Or did you at least watch him to see if he was okay to interact with?" Luna asked.
Discord instantly had his look shift into a small sheepish smile. "Does saying that you can control your dream and imagine anything to happen in it, can match even the embodiment of chaos' power, count as a way to prove that he's a good guy?" Discord replied.
Luna released a heavy sigh and groaned at Discord's careless approach. "Really?"
"Oh c'mon, you really think this skinny Jason Voorhees is a threat? You should've seen him when I summoned a few Teddy Bears for him."
"Yeah, you should've seen it." Delirious added, but then a second passed and his eyes widened. "Hey wait, how the hell do you know Jas-"
Discord instantly shut up Delirious by putting a Bear finger on his lips. "Shh, quiet. Adults are talking."
Ignoring Discord and Delirious' banter, she continued to scold Discord's approach. "Still, we have to make sure that we understand their intentions and make sure that they are say who they say they are."
"Ehh, well, I know his intentions and I for one can say that Delirious isn't evil, just chaotic, like moi." Upon saying moi in a little bit of an accent, a small flash appeared around Discord's mouth and it revealed a French mustache that was on Discord's upper lip.
Delirious cracked a small smile at his antics, however Luna was still unamused, but she raised an eyebrow. "You know Delirious' intentions?"
Discord's perfectly organized mustache disappeared as Luna asked that question. "Yeah, he's just far from home and took a little detour to our world and is very confused on where he is right now."
Luna was about to say something to rebel back at Discord, but she stopped the words from leaving her mouth. If Discord says Delirious was just lost and clueless, then he would be just like Squirrel. She then was contemplating to believe Discord words or not. "Are you sure, that Delirious isn't hiding any kind of evil intentions?"
"Oh please, he couldn't plan anything evil, even if he tried. The most evil thing he can come up with is a Shark with a cheeseburger."
Luna was confused and had to do a double take. "A... Shark eating... a cheeseburger?"
"Yeah and although it doesn't sound threating, it's really only chaotic and I'm definitely adding that to my list of visual gags." Discord snapped his talon fingers and summoned a paper and quill on his hands. He had the paper list in his talon claw and the quill in his bear paw. There was also a small floating bottle of ink that Discord used when he dipped the quill's tip in the ink. After a dip, Discord used the ink tipped quill to write on the paper.
Luna shook her head and got the confusion off her face. "Ok Discord."
"Yes?" Discord wasn't looking at Luna, he was looking at his list as he continued to write.
"If what you're saying is true, then I suppose I'll believe you, but are you sure he isn't dangerous?"
After Discord was done writing, he turned his look to Luna as the quill and ink bottle disappeared. "Oh Lu-Lu, trust me. There's now way Delirious is evil."
Luna eyes furrowed a little bit from the teasing nickname. "Ok, if you say so. I guess my duty here is done then." Luna then put her left front hoof on her chin and narrowed her eyes. "Though I am little suspicious on why you're exploring his dream and confirming if he's dangerous."
Discord suddenly disappeared from his chair, but he then appeared by the right side of Luna, only close to her by a few inches. With his arms behind his back, he bent his neck down. "Well, let me break it down for you, Lu-Lu."
Discord then pulled back his neck and was slowly walking around Luna, still with his arms behind his back "One, he and the rodent were chaotic surprise and basically did all the chaos I could've come up with, so I explored little Delirious' dream to see him and interact with him myself. Two, I informed Delirious about being in a dream. Yada yada yada yada. Then, I told him that you were going to probably arrive and informed him on who you are, so it can save Delirious some time save you some time, and even the author some time."
"What?" Delirious confusingly commented, due to Discord mentioning something about an author.
"Oh nothing, anyways. For number 3, I thought it would be a reasonable and nice thing to do for a friend of mine. After all, I am loyal to all my friends and respect them all the same." A halo appeared above Discord's head as his two hands gripped together. His expression seemed to be calm when his eyes were closed and he had a small smooth smile.
However, Discord's innocent act was quickly removed when he suddenly moved his Bear paw away from his talon claw and grabbed the halo. His calm expression was changed into small smirk when he brought the halo close to his mouth.
"Though I mainly preferred door number 1 and only did it for chaos." A door appeared in front of Discord and it had a big number "1" marked on the middle of the door. He took a bite of the halo that was held by his paw, almost like it was a donut.
Luna was listening to Discord's answer, very closely. Even though he was the lord of chaos and would make no sense, she believed every word that the chaos lord was saying.
"I see." Luna said. "I guess you really did a nice thing, Discord, even if you didn't mean to do it."
"What can I say? Chaos solves everything." Discord said as he took another bite from his halo as the door marked #1 disappeared.
"I suppose it does." Luna then prepared her wings and extended them. She was clearly ready to make her leave.
"Leaving already." Discord asked while chewing halo bits in his mouth.
"Yes, my job here is done."
"Are sure you don't want to hang out with me and Delirious? We were going to play some games that Delirious always plays in his dimension."
"That... sounds nice, but I have to go, unfortunately."
"Alright, suit yourself." Discord had a orange suit appear on his body as shrugged his shoulders and shoved the last bits of the halo that was in his Bear fingers, into his mouth.
Luna then started floating backwards with her wings flapping. "Well, farewell to you two. I'll see you and Delirious another time."
"Goodbye Luna!" Delirious exclaimed as waved his left hand to say goodbye.
Discord didn't say anything, the only thing that was coming out of his closed lips were the sounds of chewing the last bits of his halo. However, he wiggled his talon claws and folded them to form a goodbye motion to Luna.
Luna then suddenly was at the roof of the room and it looked like she was going to bump into it, however she just phased through it, like she was a Ghost. Once she got her body through the phaseble wall, she completely disappeared, leaving only the delirious hockey masked man and the Lord of Chaos in the room.
Discord and Delirious stopped waving and moving their fingers as they saw Luna leave the room.
Discord's orange suit disappeared when he finished chewing his halo and swallowed it. After finishing his halo treat, he turned around to address to Delirious. "So, now that's Lu-Lu is gone, what do yo-"
Discord stopped talking when he saw Delirious looking at a paper, which Discord recognized. With a raised eyebrow, Discord asked Delirious a question. "Hey, are you reading my gag list?"
"Oh yeah, you got some pretty cool ideas." Delirious said, still with his eyes looking down the list.
"Oh... well, I'm the embodiment of chaos. Of course I have good ideas." Discord accepted the compliment as a smile formed on his face from the sudden praising.
"Let's see, sneezing pinatas, flying pigs, chocolate rain. Damn, they all sound cool." Before Delirious can continue to look more down the list, Discord made the list disappear when he snapped his Bear paw.
"Thanks. If you have any more chaotic ideas, like a Shark eating a cheeseburger, ring me up." Discord closed his talon claws, except his claw's pinky and thumb, which formed a call me motion that Discord put by his ear.
"Alright, I'll let you know. By the way, you still want to keep playing Mortal Kombat?" Delirious said as he picked up a Xbox controller.
Suddenly, Discord teleported from the spot he was standing in, to the chair beside Delirious. "Sure, I was already beating you, so why not continue." Discord teasingly said.
"Fuck you." Delirious chuckled as he turned his chair to face the monitor.
Discord grabbed a controller and turned his chair to face the monitor as well.
"I'm going to beat your ass." Delirious said.
Discord teasingly rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say."
They then started pressing buttons as they were on the Mortal Kombat character select screen.
They would then play their gorey game and enjoy it. It's violence was bloody, but it's action kept both of them entertained.
After all, some bloody action does make it a whole lot of fun, right?
> Chapter 10: Pancaked Up
*Yawnnn*
A yawn had escaped from Squirrel's mouth. And for his eye, they were closed. He appeared to be sleeping on his bed and was doing a light snore. However, he seemed to have a yawn, while being in his sleepy state.
After he yawned, he let a few mumbling groans as he was tossing and turning in his bed. He wasn't really thinking anything when his drowsiness filled his head. Heck, he just wanted to sleep, even though last night was a eventful that made him meet with a Princess of the Night. And although that all happened, Squirrel still wanted to sleep more.
After a few minutes of shifting around in his bed, his closed eye that was struggling at first, eventually opened slowly. Groans were the only thing leaving Squirrel's mouth when he opened his eyes.
With his dry, open mouth making weak, drowsy groans, he stared at the roof of the room. Clearly, it looked different from his bedroom, his Bedroom back at home, but he was too much of a sleepy head to realize it.
Yet, after staring at the roof for at least a minute, his half lidded eye widened when he was finally able to process what he was seeing.
The roof of the Bedroom looked different from his Bedroom. When he noticed that the roof was different, he rose up from his bed and turned his head to look around the room he was in.
Looking around, he saw that he was in his Bedroom that was in Equestria. With what he was seeing, he was starting to fully wake up.
'So it wasn't a dream. I'm actually in fucking Equestria.' Squirrel thought to himself as he looked around the room.
"That's fucking weird." Squirrel groaned to himself as he put his left hand on the left side of his temple. When he put his hand on his temple, he felt a slimy feeling that was familiar to him that he quickly recognized.
Upon touching it, he was rubbing the left side of his head with his hand in a circle motion.
"And I'm... still a Squirrel." Squirrel released a soft sigh as he realized he was still in his Squirrelly avatar. If the blackened side of his vision didn't make it more obvious.
Seeing that Squirrel was still in his rodent form, he laid his body back in his bed. He didn't know what to do, beside move his head to look around his room.
'So... that dream that had... Luna, was real?' Squirrel started to think in his own thoughts as he was trying to figure out the dream world that had Luna. 'And she is... the Ruler of the Night. Honestly, I don't think I should be surprised about anything anymore. I mean... I am in a world of magical Ponies for fuck's sake. I shouldn't be shocked at anything that these Ponies have.'
Squirrel moved his arms from his sides. He brought his arms close to his head and bend them, so that way, both of his hands can be positioned behind his head. 'I wonder, if I'll meet her again. It's weird, but I think that whole experience was real and a dream as... well? Ok, now I'm just confusing myself. It seems so real, but now I'm starting to have some doubts.'
Squirrel was starting to have some small doubts about the dream, but he needed some proof that the dream was real. Squirrel was then contemplating on how to prove it.
'How do I prove it? How do I prove it?' Squirrel kept repeating it in his head for a few seconds, until he came with an answer. 'Maybe I could fall asleep again and get that dream again... yeah, that could work. Then I could meet Luna again, hopefully. Then I could tell Delirious about this, which I hope he believes me when I say that I me-'
Squirrel's mind clicked before he could even finish his hopeful thinking. When it came to Squirrel's mind, he instantly rose up from his bed with an answer that came out of his mouth.
"Delirious."
*Knock* *Knock*
"Delirious! Wake up!" Squirrel yelled as he was knocking on the other side of the door of Delirious' bedroom.
The only answer that Squirrel received from the other side of the door was a small groan that he barely heard. Considering he didn't get much of a response from Delirious, he knocked again.
"*Knock* *Knock* Delirious! Get the fuck up!" Instead of a low gibberish groan, this time Squirrel got actual words as a response.
"Squirrellll..." Squirrel heard Delirious groan out.
"C'mon, Delirious! Get your ass up!"
Squirrel heard a creak when Delirious was grumbling from his bed. He guessed Delirious must of sat up from his bed.
"Whyyyy!?..." Delirious groaned, clearly annoyed that he had to get out of bed.
"I got a question to ask you, so get out here."
"Alright, fine! I'm getting up." Delirious groaned as Squirrel heard the creaking of Delirious getting completely of his bed.
As Squirrel heard noises of what he assumed were the sounds of putting on clothes on the other side of the door, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and tapped his right Squirrel foot on the ground. He stood in front of the door, looking at it as wells as he was waiting for Delirious to get ready and leave his room.
After a minute, Squirrel finally heard a noise from Delirious' door that sounded like it was opening. Which it did when Delirious pulled the door open.
When Delirious opened the door, he showed that he was in his usual clothes. But outfit aside, the expression on his face showed that his energy was sucked off from him.
"Finally, you're up." Squirrel said.
"Yeah, now what do you want Squirrel?" Delirious asked with some grouchyness in his tone and some slouch in his posture.
"Ok, let me cut to the fucking chase, did you have a Pony in your dream that was kind of dark blueish and did she call herself: Princess Luna, Ruler of the Night? Something like that?"
When the question was asked, Delirious' eyes displayed no more lack of energy and he was no longer slouching.
"Oh yeah, I know Luna. She visited my dream." Delirious respond in a casual voice.
'Wait, so it is real.' Squirrel thought with some astonishment.
"Why did you want to know?" Delirious asked.
Squirrel snapped out of his thoughts, thanks to Delirious' clueless question. "Well, Luna was in my dreams and I was having doubts that it was real."
"Oh no, she is real alright. Discord knows who she is, since he was also in my dreams, so yeah."
"Ok, so no- wait, Discord?" Squirrel stopped his rambling and was confused on how Discord was in Delirious' dream.
"Yeah, I was just relaxing and all of a sudden, he pops up tells me everything about the dream world and we played games together an-"
"Ok, ok, I get it." Squirrel stopped Delirious from spurting a lot. "So now, we both know that the dream and a... Princess of the Night is real."
Delirious was about to say something, until another voice surprised the duo.
"Good morning, guys."
Delirious and Squirrel turned their heads to the source of the voice. It was Starlight Glimmer, she seemed to be walking by and stumble into their conversation.
"Oh, good morning." Delirious slightly waved his right hand.
Starlight wanted to continue on greeting them in this morning, however she was curious on what these two were talking about.
"So, what are you two doing in the Hallway?" Starlight asked with curiosity.
Squirrel and Delirious looked at each other with an expression that just read: "Should we tell her?" After looking at each other for a few a seconds they turned there attention back at Starlight.
"Well, it's kind of... weird and... complicated." Squirrel said with some hesitance.
Starlight was confused and raised an eyebrow. "Complicated? What do you mean?"
"Last nigh-" Delirious stopped himself when he heard a growl come from stomach. He had became aware that he hadn't ate anything for a while. "Umm, actually, can we talk about this soon? I kind of need something to eat."
"Yeah, me too. I'm also getting kind of hungry." Squirrel added.
"Oh, ok. Well, I think there's breakfast at the Dining Hall. Want to go see it?"
"Sure, why not." Squirrel answered as he shrugged.
"Lead the way, madam." Delirious extended his arm and pointed his left hand down the Hallway.
Starlight then started walking down the Hallway with Delirious and Squirrel following behind her.
"While we are going to the Dining Hall, can you tell me on why you guys were talking in the Hallway?" Starlight turned her head to face Delirious who was by her right side, while Squirrel was walking on her left side.
Delirious began to provide an explanation as the three of them were walking to the room. "Oh ok, so apparently..."
In the Dining Hall, there was Twilight and Spike sitting on some cushiony seats with a golden yellow table in front of them. The table in front of them had plates that were set in front of them, as well as a napkin that was beside the plate. And on each plate, they had pancakes that were stacked on the top of each other. But in almost of the middle of the table, there was two plates that had a lot of pancakes that were stacked on top of each other. Each plate had six pancakes stacked on top of each other. Where the empty seats were, they each had a plate in front of it that had nothing. And finally, by the six pancake towers was a can of whipped cream and a jar of chocolate chips.
Twilight's stack of fluffy goodness had five pancakes in total with some whipped cream on top of the stack. She also had some chocolate chips sprinkled around the pancakes from top to bottom.
Spike's stack had a bit more pancakes, despite being a small Dragon, he had a big appetite. He had six stacked pancakes on his plate with just whipped cream and chocolate chips, having the same toppings of Twilight's stack.
Both of them seem to be eating their pancakes and they were enjoying the stack of fluffy goodness.
"Mmm, these pancakes taste nice." Spike said happily as he swallowed a piece of a pancake.
Before Twilight answered, she had a mouth full of pancake pieces, chocolate chips, and whipped cream, but she the swallowed it in delight. "Yeah, I have to agree, pancakes in the morning never fails to exceed my taste buds."
"Hope Delirious and Squirrel are awake, they're really missing out on breakfast." Spike then took another bite of his pancake stack, along with a taste of some chocolate chips. "Deleesus." Spike muffled with a mouth full of pancakes.
"Spike, don't talk with your mouth full." Twilight commented.
Spike swallowed his pancakes. "Sorry Twilight, it just taste so good. Both Delirious and Squirrel are really missing out."
"Yeah, I wonder if they got visited by Princess Luna? Princess Celestia said she would inform Luna to check in their dreams to make sure they were ok to explore Equestria. I'm a little concerned."
"There's nothing to worry about, Twilight. I'm sure they are fine. They seem pretty cool to me." Spike reassured in a casual tone he took another bite of pancakes with some chocolate chips and whipped cream.
"Yeah, you're right. They seem trustworthy. Although, they do seem strange."
"Sfange, but fussworthee." Spike again muffled with a mouth full.
"Oh Spike." Twilight rolled her eyes with a smile from the second time Spike talked with pancakes stuffed in his cheeks. (Pause.)
"I... I see."
Twilight and Spike heard a distant voice, so both turned their heads to the door, since they both knew whose voice spoke out.
The entrance to the Dining Hall opened and it revealed that Starlight was entering, along with Delirious and Squirrel. She seemed to have her head looking toward Delirious for a second, until she turned her attention to Twilight and Spike.
"Hey Spike and Twilight. Good morning." Starlight said in a happy tone.
"Good morning, Starlight./Goof morufnin, Sfarliehf." Both of them greeted, but a muffled greeting came from Spike's stuffed mouth.
Starlight, Squirrel, and Delirious walked toward the golden table and already, both Delirious and Squirrel had their mouth watering from the delicious pancake stacks they were seeing.
"Those pancakes look nice." Delirious commented to Squirrel as he looked at the pancakes.
"Yeah, they look tasty." Squirrel added.
"Are those for us?" Delirious asked Twilight.
"Of course. Please, have a seat." Twilight advised.
So Delirious, Squirrel, and Starlight took a seat at the table. Squirrel and Delirious sat by each other with their own stack of pancakes on their plates. Delirious had four pancakes in his stack, since he he was very hungry and barely ate anything yesterday. While Squirrel on the other hand, had three pancakes on his plate, considering his size, he'll be surprised if he can finish two pancakes.
While Delirious and Squirrel were sitting close together, Delirious was also by Starlight, who was on his right, and Squirrel was by Spike, who was on his left.
When both were ready to eat their sweet breakfast, they noticed that there wasn't any forks, so they asked where the utensils were at. Twilight apologized for not getting the forks ready and she asked for Spike to get some from the kitchen, which he did.
Spike then returned with two forks and also some napkins that he gave to the Delirious duo, who thanked him with a "thanks man." They then ate their pancakes on their plates that now had whipped cream and chocolate chips on top of it. They were amazed on how the pancakes looked, they did what any hungry person would do, dig in.
Squirrel cut a piece of his pancake stack with his fork and shoved it in his mouth. Delirious then did the same, however based on his mask, he had to slightly move the mask up, so that way his mouth would be revealed and still cover his face.
After swallowing their delightful and scrumptious flavor of whipped cream and chocolate chip sweetness, they were moaning in pleasure.
"Mmmm, this taste hella good." Squirrel moaned with a delighted tone.
"Awww, yeah, it does." Delirious moaned like Squirrel, but after swallowing, he instantly cut off another piece and put it in his mouth.
"Well, I'm glad you guys enjoy it." Twilight jumped in as she finished swallowing a pancake piece with some chocolate chips.
Delirious seemed to chew his chocolate chipped pancake piece quickly. Then, he swallowed it, probably because his hunger took over him, not waiting a second to get a clear taste of his floury breakfast. After swallowing, he released a little relaxed moan, but it only lasted for a second when he was ready to cut another piece and swallow it.
However, before he used his fork to cut his flour tower, he noticed on the right corner of his vision (that was covered, thanks to his mask being lifted up), Starlight was watching him, instead of eating her five pancakes on her plate.
Delirious then adjusted his mask and made it cover his face properly as he turned his head toward Starlight. When he did this, he notcied that Starlight was kind of narrowing her eyes, like if she was closely studying him. However, it only lasted for a second before he turned his attention toward her. She now had a expression that just read that she was caught doing something that she wasn't suppose to do.
The both of them just looked at each other for a few seconds before one of them finally answered.
"Sooo... what were you doing right now?" Delirious questioned in a awkward tone as he looked at the other three people at the table, who didn't seem to pay attention the conversation that Delirious was starting. But, he looked back at Starlight who was offering a slight nervous expression
"Oh, uh... I was... just looking at your... mask." Starlight answered, who also had an awkward tone in her voice. "Sorry... if it... bothers you."
Delirious was guessing that Starlight was trying to observe his face, since he always covered it with his mask. He wanted to ask if she was trying to observe his actual face, but before he can ask, Starlight shifted her head to her pancake stack and started to eat her pancakes, hoping that Delirious would focus on his breakfast.
Delirious was a little dumbfounded by that interaction, but he eventually looked back at his breakfast tower to eat. Yet, as he was about to attack the pancake stack, it just came to him that something was missing. He turned his head toward Twilight to ask her something.
"Hey Twilight."
Twilight was stopped from taking a bite out of her pancakes when Delirious called her name.
"Yes, Delirious?" Twilight questioned when she turned her head.
"Where's the syrup?"
"The syrup?" Twilight repeated in a confused tone.
"Yeah, you know. Syrup, the thing you put on your pancakes to make it taste. Unless you don't have it in Equestria."
"No, no, we do, it's just that we didn't expect you to ask for syrup."
"Oh ok, so you guys don't have any syrup?"
"Unfortunately not, Pinkie Pie only gave us some chocolate chips and some whipped cream."
Delirious rose an eyebrow at the mention of the party Pony. "Pinkie Pie?"
"Yes, Pinkie Pie only brought us these toppings and not any syrup, but she did insist on making you two pancakes for breakfast."
Delirious' widened slighty at the grateful act that Pinkie did for him and Squirrel. "Oh really? That's... actually very nice, but if only she brought the syru-"
"Here it is!" A bubbly voice exclaimed by Delirious' left ear. It was Pinkie Pie who was by the left of Delirious' seat and the one who excitingly yelled by his ear. She seemed to appear from nowhere with a bottle of syrup gripped in her hooves. However, she accidentally made Delirious do his iconic Crow scream.
"AHHH! WHAT THE FUCK!?" Delirious was hella startled from Pinkie's sudden appearance and turned his attention to the source of the voice.
Unfortunately, Delirious also tried to lean his back to the right armrest, but he forgot that the seat was basically a cushiony seat with no armrest, just a chairback. So, his ass tilted on the edge of the seat and before Delirious could realize he was in to deep, his body fell and met with the ground, instead of an armrest.
Pinkie may of caught everyone's attention for a bit, but Delirious' fall took everyone's eyes.
"Is he ok?" Spike asked Squirrel with a slight chuckle that he blocked with his left claw. Spike actually found Delirious' scared fall, a little amusing. And by the looks of it, Squirrel did as well.
"Hmm, yeah, I think he is." Squirrel responded with a few chuckles escaping from his mouth.
Starlight, who was genuinely a little concerned from Delirious' slip, got out of her seat and got close to a fallen Delirious to make sure he was alright.
"Delirious. Are you ok?"
Delirious raised a thumbs up to signify that he was good. He then extended his right arm to the table, so he can make his hand use the table as a support to get him off the ground.
"Yep, I'm good. Fuck." Delirious said in a raspy voice as he was getting up.
"Sorry for the surprise, Deliriously, but I heard that you liked your pancakes all syrupy." Pinkie giggled as she placed the syrup bottle next to Delirious' pancake plate.
Delirious got up and shifted himself back into his seat. "It's fine. Aww, shit." Once he was set on his seat, he grabbed the syrup bottle, opened it, and turned it over so the syrup can fall on his pancakes. "Thank you very much, you bitch of a bitch."
Even though Delirious had some heavy language in his thanks, Pinkie still accepted it. "Your welcome, Deliriously."
"Hey, Pinkie Pie." Twilight greeted.
"Hi Twiley, and Spikey, and Stary." Pinkie excitingly greeted.
"Hey, Pinkie. What are you doing here?"
"Well, I heard that Deliriously wanted some syrup, so I thought it would be a super duper idea to surprise him. And then, I surprised Deliriously and he was like: 'AHHH!' And then he fell out of his cha-"
"Pinkie, we already know, we saw him fall." Spike said.
"Oh ok."
Delirious was confused about one thing from Pinkie's explanation. "Wait, how the hell did you bring the syrup to me when I barely said it like ten seconds ago, way before you appeared? You don't even have wings like that lesbian Pony."
Pinkie giggled a little bit. "I never let new Ponies miss out on any of their favorite toppings for breakfast."
"That's not even a answer."
"Trust me Delirious, you don't want to question it. Take it from me." Twilight informed.
Delirious wanted to question it more, but seeing that he won't get a clear answer, he dropped it. "Aww fine.
"By the way, can you pass the syrup to me, Delirious?" Squirrel asked, changing the topic of Pinkie's sudden appearance.
"Here you go, Squirreliam." After putting enough syrup on his pancakes, Delirious handed the syrup bottle to Squirrel.
"Thanks." Squirrel then put some syrup on his pancakes.
"By the way Pinkie, thanks for the pan-" Delirious turned his head toward where Pinkie was, so he can thank her for the pancakes, however she was gone from her spot. "-cakes?"
"You're welcome, Deliriously." Pinkie's voice said, which made Delirious look over to the source. Pinkie was now in a seat with a lot of pancakes stacked on a plate that was front of her.
Seeing Pinkie basically teleport to a empty seat, made Delirious want to question it, but he held back. 'Don't question it. It will fuck your head.' He thought.
As Twilight had a bite of a creamy and chocolaty pancake in her mouth, she had something pop into her head. After swallowing and cleaning around her mouth, she was going to ask Delirious and Squirrel a question.
"Squirrel. Delirious." Twilight called their names.
"Yes, Nightlight?" Delirious asked in a joking manner.
"It's Twilight."
"Sorry Sunlight." Squirrel joked, joining in on Delirious' teasing.
Knowing that the two wouldn't stop joking, she continued. "I wanted to ask you two about something about you two. Who really are you guys in your world?"
Everyone looked at Delirious and Squirrel with curiosity, even Pinkie. They both looked cool and different, sure. However, it is confirmed that they are just normal Humans in their avatars.
"Well, we're just some guys hanging out with each other, joking around, posting videos on YouTube, and playing some games together." Squirrel answered.
"Yep, that's pretty much it." Delirious added.
"Wowie, you guys must get along and have a fun time playing games with each other, huh?" Pinkie said.
Both Squirrel and Delirious put their index finger on their chin, while they put their thumb behind their chin as they thought of their moments when playing together.
"That was fuckin' stupid!" Delirious yelled.
Cartoonz laughed at Delirious' rage, while Squirrel was chuckling at it.
It seemed like that the three guys were playing a golf game and they were playing as a golf ball.
"That accent. What was that?" Cartoonz questioned as he was still trying to control his laugh.
As Squirrel finished chuckling, he hit his golf ball into the hole, which gave him a par. "Uhhh, par. It feels good."
"Yeah." Delirious said.
"It feels good." Squirrel repeated with some confidence from his hole-in-four.
"Yeah. Yeah, it feels good that no one is going to watch this on your... channel."
Delirious' savage rage made Squirrel and Cartoonz laugh. Heck, it even made Delirious burst out laughing as well.
Squirrel and Cartoonz were about to walk on a rusty bridge and from the looks of it, they were playing as basic Lethal Company employees.
"Alright, two at a time." Cartoonz informed as he got on the bridge to cross it.
"Two at a time." Squirrel repeated as he also got on the bridge as well.
As Squirrel and Cartoonz were walking on the bridge, Squirrel heard a creak and turned around (while he and Cartoonz were still walking.) When he did, he saw that Delirious was behind him. Instantly, Squirrel yelled at him.
"Delirious!"
"What?" Delirious questioned as if he was doing nothing wrong.
"That's three!"
Squirrel saw that Delirious was trying to get back to the beginning of the bridge, so he can get off, after he realized what he was doing. Yet, it didn't even matter because the bridge collapsed due to the weight of three people.
Kyle, who came out of the front door of the building, watched the bridge crumple.
"Guys." Kyle called out, but he then started laughing at the collapse.
"You fucking idiot!" Cartoonz scolded.
"Delirious, you fucking moron." Squirrel chided.
"What are you talking about!? It wasn't me!" Delirious denied.
"He said two at a time and you just ran on it!"
Delirious didn't make a rebuttal and stayed silent as Cartoonz and Squirrel had to run up a hill.
After thinking of their "friendly moments," they removed their hands from their chin and responded casually.
"Yep, we sure do have some good moments with each other." Delirious answered casually.
"We really are great friends." Squirrel added in a casual tone as he focused back at his pancake stack.
"I see." Twilight said. "I'm curious on this You-Tube. I never heard of that during my trip in Canterlot High. And it sounds like you two like to show many Pon- I mean people, your favorite hobbies and interests."
"Yeah, a lot of people like to watch my content and Squirrel's as well." Delirious said.
"About how much... people exactly, watch your... content?" Spike asked.
"Well, as of right now, I'm getting at least thousands of people watching my content."
"Thousands? That's a lot." Spike was a little baffled by the amount of views that Delirious was gaining.
"Yep, that's a whole lot of views that I got. Even Squirrel has that much, which is surprising."
Squirrel stopped eating from his sweet pancakes and turned his attention to Delirious with narrowed eyes. "What's that suppose to mean, Delirious?" Squirrel asked with some suspicion in his tone.
"Nothing. It means nothing." Squirrel still had half lidded eyes of suspicion, but he turned back to his pancake stack and went back to eating.
"Right."
"Deliriously and Squirrely, you sure got a lot of viewers." Pinkie admired.
"Hell yeah we do." As much as Delirious wanted to talk about his viewers and fans, he had a question that he had in mind, but couldn't ask, thanks to the distractions. "Hey, by the way, Twilight..."
Twilight's ears slighty perked up when she heard her name. "Yes, Delirious?" She asked.
"I wanted to ask about last night. There was like some kind of... night Pony in my dreams and she calls herself: Princess Luna. Do you happen to know anything about that?"
Twilight's current expression turned into a sheepish one. "Oh... yeah, about that... Yesterday, I forgot to inform Princess Celestia about your arrival, the day you arrived. So, when the moon had rised, I realized that I forgot to inform her. I then sent a message to her and she was surprised and immediately wanted to know if you were ok to roam around Ponyville, which meant that Celestia's sister would then check and observe your dreams to show who you really are. That being Princess Luna."
"Oh, ok." Delirious responded casually.
Twilight expected a more surprised reaction to come from Delirious, but he seemed like nothing special was revealed.
"You seem to take that information a bit too well." Twilight commented.
"Yeah, I pretty much knew that." Delirious informed.
"You did?"
"Yeah, Starlight was asking me and Squirrel what were doing and we told her we had some very weird dreams last night. Then wobbly shoo, we told her about Luna and she instantly knew what we were talking about. So, Starlight then told us the lore of Luna and voilà. Although, I got most of the information from Discord, but yeah."
"Yeah, I did tell them a little bit of Princess Luna." Starlight clarified.
"Uh huh, so I see." Twilight raised an eyebrow from Delirious' explanation dump. Though, she was a little curious on when he got that information from the lord of chaos.
"Yeah. Anyways, I'm going back on eating my pannycakes." Delirious said jokingly as he picked up his to cut a piece from his pancake tower.
"I'm very sorry by the way, I didn't know Princess Celestia would have her sister explore your dreams." Twilight apologized.
"Eh, it's fine. Now quit apologizing, I'm hungry for pancakes." Delirious said in a sarcastic angry voice that was obviously in a joking manner.
"A-alright then." Twilight was a little caught off guard by Delirous' sudden grumpy, joking tone. Twilight started to get back at eating her pancakes.
So everyone in the room seemed to be eating their pancakes. Therefore, having the only noise of the room be the sound of pancakes being chewed.
After minutes of everyone eating their breakfast, Twilight was the first one to finish hers. Even though Pinkie had a huge appetite, Twilight simply started eating her tower before everyone else did.
"Mmm, those pancakes really tasted good, Pinkie Pie." Twilight praised as she used her magic to levitate a napkin on her mouth to clean it.
"Yfur welfum, Finight." Pinkie muffled through her pancaked cheeks as she was trying to accept Twilight's praise.
Twilight got up from her seat. "Well, I'm very much full." Twilight stated as she walked to the door to leave.
"Oh hey, where you going, Twilight?" Delirious asked, noticing that Twilight was leaving the Diner Hall.
"I'm going to wash my face." Twilight exited the Diner Hall and left to go to the Bathroom.
Delirious turned his attention back to his pancake stack to eat them.
Pinkie had swallowed her last three pancakes whole, leaving her plate empty. After swallowing her stacked breakfast, she got out of her seat and happily bounced her way toward Squirrel and Delirious.
Squirrel seemed to be down to his last pancake, but he had to finish the last pieces of the previous pancake before he started to eat his last one. For Delirious, he was already eating a few pieces of his last pancake. Before any of them can try and finish their last pancake, Pinkie thought it would be a great idea to strike up a conversation with the two.
"Soooo, what do you think of my pancakes, Deliriously and Squirrely?" Pinkie asked with her usual excitement. Squirrel was about to answer her question, but she continued to sputter out some more questions, almost like her mouth became a rapid fire machine gun. "Did the chocolate chips taste amazing? Does it taste good with syrup? Do you like to put ketchup on your pancakes? What about mustard? Do you pu-"
Delirious swiftly put his hand on Pinkie's mouth to stop her from finishing her question. However, Pinkie was still talking, making it come out as some muffles.
"You finish?" Delirious asked.
"Nuf-a-foony." Pinkie muffled.
Although Pinkie's response was muffled, Delirious can tell it was her "Yup-a-rooni" response.
Delirious removed his hand from Pinkie's mouth. "You sure talk a lot with that voice of yours, huh?"
"Sure do. But, your voice also sounds silly to me, Deliriously."
"What do you mean? My voice is exquisite." Delirious put on a joking tone as he said that.
"Well, your voice kind of sounds funny. It sounds like this." Pinkie suddenly pulled out a hockey mask from her mane and put it on her face.
"Hello, I'm Delirious. Nice to see you, fellow Delirious." Pinkie impersonated Delirious' voice in an almost perfect impression.
"Holy hell, that almost sounded like me." Delirious said.
"She sounds exactly like you." Squirrel commented.
"Well, not exactly like me, but somewhat close."
"Nope, she 100% sounds like you.
"Look Squirrel, Pinkilirious doesn't sound exactly like me."
"Pinkilirious?"
"Ooh, am I Pinkilirious?" Pinkie asked excitingly.
"Of course, you got the mask and a funny voice."
Pinkie's eyes widened in more excitement and her eyes sparkled like a pair of Puppy eyes. When she widened her smile and eye smile, it made a sound of a Dog toy being squeezed, which was weird for Delirious and Squirrel, but they didn't question it when they heard the sound.
"Lyra, did you really have to get up this early?" Bon Bon asked with a tired tone. While Bon Bon looked drowsy, Lyra looked excited, considering she was smiling widely.
Lyra was excited for the fact that she was going to talk to Delirious again. She had woken up very early because she just wanted to go knock on the castle doors to meet him. However, she woke up her Marefriend when getting ready to see Delirious.
Upon learning what Lyra was doing up and early, Bon Bon stopped Lyra and said that it would be rude to wake up Princess Twilight, just to see Delirious. After a few minutes of back and forth bickering, Lyra finally agreed and decided to wait until it became a certain time that Twilight would surely wake up at.
After some minutes passed, Lyra set off to the Castle of Friendship. And, Bon Bon followed Lyra to make sure that she didn't cause any chaos or any trouble to Delirious and the others. Now, the both of them were on their way to the castle.
"Because I just couldn't wait to meet Delirious." Lyra responded, still with a wide smile on her muzzle. "I wonder what his world is like? They must have Humans everywhere in their towns. Just imagine that, Bon Bon. Humans everywhere. Isn't it exciting, Bon Bon?"
Bon Bon rolled her eyes from her Marefriend's question. Clearly, she was too tired to deal with Lyra's Human obsession.
"Yeah, but couldn't you wake up at a reasonable time?" Bon Bon remarked with a tired tone, but there was a small hint of frustration in her voice.
"I did wake up at a reasonable time."
Bon Bon groaned at Lyra's response and decided not to argue anymore about her waking up very early.
So the both of them continued to walk to the Castle of Friendship. While they were on their way to see Delirious, they didn't notice that they were being spied on.
By a nearby rustling bush, a quite large Bug peeked their head from the bushes. It seemed to be looking at the two Mares. However, after a few more hoof steps, the duo was getting far from the Bug's attention. So after a few seconds, the Bug turned his attention away from them, since they were far away from his sight. When he moved his eyes away from them, the corner of his eyes spotted something.
He moved his full attention to the thing that had caught the corner of his eye. When he did that, the Bug had laid his red dotted eyes on a flower pot from some kind of flower shop. The flower pot looked enticing and to make it more exciting, there were pink flowers in the pot.
Upon seeing the potted flowers, the Bug let out a slimy gurgling sound that could be translated for happy sounds. And to show that the Bug was truly happy about the flowers, he made a sound of true happiness. "Yipeeeeee!"
> Chapter 11: A Way to Start the Effing Morning
"I never realized how big your eyeballs are." Delirious commented towards Pinkie.
"Yours are big too, Delirious. Your avatar has big eyes." Squirrel mentioned.
"Shut up, Squirrel."
"No, you shut up, Delirious."
"You shut up."
"You shut up."
"You shuch up." Delirious paused for a moment as he realized he made a mistake. "Wait, I mean shut up."
Squirrel giggled a little bit when he saw Delirious slip up with his words. Even Pinkie was giggling, which turned into full on laughter, not surprising. While the two of them were giggling and laughing, Delirious had a deadpan look as he waited for them to stop. Which, they eventually did.
"You done, you mother effers?" Delirious asked.
"Yep." Squirrel said as he laid back on his chair.
He had finished eating his pancakes and so did Delirious as well. Now, both Squirrel and Delirious were trying to waste time or do something to kill time.
"So, what do we do now?" Delirious asked Squirrel.
"I don't know, I guess wait for Twilight." Squirrel answered as Delirious started to lay back on his seat.
Both of them really didn't have anything to talk about, so they were sitting quietly, waiting for something to happen.
Yet, it looked like Spike wanted to strike a conversation with the two. "Hey, so you guys said that you play games yesterday?" Spike asked.
Delirous and Squirrel turned their heads toward Spike when he asked his question.
"Yeah, we did, didn't we?" Delirious turned his head toward Squirrel, so he can confirm.
"Yeah, we did say that yesterday." Squirrel answered. "Why do you ask, Spike?"
"I was wondering what games you played and what the game is about."
Squirrel put a finger and thumb under his chin as he thought about the answer to give to Spike. "Ok well, we were playing a game called: Lethal Company."
"What is Lethal Company?" Spike formed a curious look.
Squirrel took a second before answering. "Lethal Company is a game where you basically collect stuff from different moons and you sell your stuff that you got, to make get some money. And, you use your money to buy some stuff that will make it easier for you when you explore more moons. And also, you got a pass a certain deadline in like three to get a certain amount of money from the items you got from the moons you explored. And... yeah, that's pretty much it, that's Lethal Company."
Spike was all ears when he heard Squirrel explain the game. And honestly, it didn't sound that bad of a game. "That sounds cool."
"Hey Squirrel, you forgot to mention the hard part of the game to him, you know." Delirious commented.
"Hard part?" Spike raised an eyebrow at that comment.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that there are monsters on the moons and they try to kill you when you are looking for items." Squirrel added.
Spike's curious look was dropped when he heard the added information that Squirrel mentioned. "Oh, that sounds terrifying."
"It is." Delirious took a little breath before he continued to speak. "Oh boy, it is. But still, it's a cool game. Heck, it's even a funny game as well."
"Did you say it's a funny game?" Pinkie asked Delirious with excitement in her voice. Her attention was caught when Delirious said that it was also a funny game.
"Yes I did, Pinkie."
"What makes it funny? Do the monsters make jokes? Are the monsters funny? Are there surprises? Oooh, do the monsters throw a surprise birthday and make funny jokes on you?" Pinkie started to ramble.
Delirious didn't want to take forever on Pinkie's questions, so he spedran through her questions. "I'll tell you what makes it funny and no, the monsters don't make jokes and they aren't funny. But, there are surprises from monsters. Though, it's not a surprise birthday.
"Then what makes this... terrifying game funny?" Starlight asked. Considering that everyone was talking at the table, she might as well join in on the conversation.
"Well, basically it funny because of the game mechanics and the players that makes the game funny and terrifying come in the same package." Squirrel explained. "So, I guess some monsters are funny too."
"I knew it!" Pinkie exclaimed happily.
"That sounds awesome." Spike said. "And you guys were showing your game to the people who watch you play these type of games?"
"Yeah, we were streaming to our fans and they were watching us play." Squirrel added.
"Well, most people were watching me play on my stream. There are barely any viewers in Squirrel's streams." Delirous said with a joking manner, knowing that it would rile up his rodent friend.
Squirrel turned his head toward Delirious. "Screw you, Delirious."
Delirious did the same thing with Squirrel. "Screw you, Squirreliam."
Squirrel turned his attention back to Spike. "Anyways, yeah. We were streaming right before that chaos lightning strike appeared in our game."
"Yeah, we were trying to get to the spaceship with some stuff and then boom... we're here in Molestia."
"It's Equestria, Delirious." Squirrel corrected.
"Gesundheit." Delirious jokingly replied, which made Squirrel form a deadpan expression.
"Did you say spaceship? Like the ones where you can drive to outer space?" Spike's expression beamed in excitement.
"Yes, he did." Squirrel replied as he had a question in mind. "Hey, wait a second, how do you know what a spaceship is?" Squirrel paused for a second before continuing. "In fact, how do Ponies, Dragons, and Equestria know what a spaceship is? It's advanced technology and I'm pretty sure neither of them would know anything about this type of thing."
"I wonder the same thing, Squirreliam." Delirious said.
"I read Power Ponies comics and there's this one issue where they meet a mysterious Alien from outer space. The Alien landed on Maretropolis with it's spaceship and at first, the Alien was friendly. But then, it turns out that the Alien was evil." Spike explained.
"Woah, that sounds cool. These Power Ponies sound like they are the Justice League."
"I don't know about that, Delirious. It sounds like they are more like the Power Rangers than the Jutice League." Squirrel said.
"Yeah right, Squirrel. I'm sure Spike means that they are superheroes." Delirious turned his head toward Spike. "Right?"
"Yeah, they're superheroes." Spike confirmed.
Delirious turned his attention toward Squirrel with smug eyed. "See?"
Squirrel only rolled his eyes. "Whatever Delirious. But anyways, I'm still surprised that Equestria knows what spaceships are."
"Yeah, me too." Delirious chuckled a bit. "Next thing you know, there's a spaceship here in Equestria and we are about to find out about it right about-" Delirious paused.
He had widened eyes as his slow brain zapped sparked. He had forgotten to mention the spaceship that he encountered yesterday.
"Noooow." Delirious finished his sentence, still with widened eyes.
Squirrel eyed Delirious with a confused look. The way that he looked and sounded when he finished his sentence, which made Squirrel puzzled, but he didn't question it.
"Um, yeah." Squirrel said.
"Squirrel, I forgot to tell you something yesterday." Delirious said quickly with some urgency.
Squirrel was confused. "Wait, what?"
"Ok, so about a Spaceship being in Equestria..."
"Wait, what are you saying?" Squirrel was getting more confused on what Delirious was trying to say.
"Yeah Delirious, what is it?" Spike asked.
Everyone in the room had some puzzled looks on their faces as well. So, Delirious tried to explain.
"Ok, so-"
Too bad for Delirious, he didn't get a chance to break it down when the door to the Dining Hall opened. This made Delirious stop talking and it also made him and everyone turn their heads toward the door. Upon opening, it revealed to be Twilight, who got done from using the Mare's room.
When Twilight opened the door with her magic, she saw that everyone in the room turned their attention to her.
"Hey everypony, what did I miss?" Twilight asked as she used her magic to close the door behind her.
Squirrel was able to answer first and tried to give Twilight an explanation. "Well, Delirious here was going to expl-"
All of a sudden, a few thudding knocks sounded off behind Twilight. It was coming from the door that Twilight just entered from.
Twilight was perplexed that somepony was knocking from the door she closed. Nevertheless, she wanted to know who was knocking at the door. So, she opened it with her magic.
*SPLAT*
Something had hit Twilight square in the face and now, her face was splattered with a gooey substance. Twilight's vision was covered by whatever had struck her. So, she immediately used her hoof to wipe the substance off her face. Her vision cleared up when she moved most of the gooeyness from her face and she was able to look at what was on her face. It was a cream pie.
"Hahahaha! Look at your face." Twilight turned her head to the familiar voice. It was Rainbow, who was standing in the hallway with laughter erupting from her.
"Rainbow? What are you... Why did you..." Twilight was unable to get the words out, since she was still jaw dropped from the creamy impact.
After laughing her heart out for a while, Rainbow was able to die her laugh down a little bit and give Twilight an answer.
"Because you told everypony that I did a prank that I didn't do." Rainbow said as she walked in the room.
While Twilight's got the answers, she still had a question that needed to be answered. While Rainbow was the fastest flyer, she was also fast with words because she gave the answer that was in Twilight's head.
"And before you ask, I snuck in through your windows and waited for you to enter the room." Rainbow answered.
Twilight released a big sigh as she walked toward the hallway, still with a face of cream dripping from her face.
"I'll go wash my face... again." Twilight groaned as she entered the hallway and turned a corner to make her way to the bathroom.
As a smug Rainbow watched Twilight leave the Dining Hall, Delirious walked beside her.
"Holy shit, did you throw nut on her face?" Delirious asked with playful voice of astonishment.
Rainbow immediately had fierce blush from Delirious' words and scowled at him. "What!? No, I only threw a cream pie at her that I got from Pinkie."
"She sure did." Pinkie confirmed as she somehow magically appeared beside Delirious.
Delirous was shocked that Pinkie appeared beside him all pf a sudden, but he ignored it. "Well, whatever type of cream pie you threw at Twilight's face, it was fucking hilarious." Delirious said.
"Thanks, what can I say? I'm the best when it comes with pranks." Rainbow accepted the praise.
"You do pranks?' Squirrel asked as he walked beside Delirious to look up at Rainbow.
"She does and trust me, it was not fun, for me at least." Spike said as he walked beside Squirrel to answer his question.
"Uh huh." Squirrel turned his attention back to Rainbow.
"So, what are you guys doing right now?" Rainbow asked.
"Well, everyone finished eating my super-duper-delicious pannycakes for breakfast." Pinkie answered.
"And Delirious here was going to say something about a spaceship in Equestria." Spike informed as he pointed a thumb claw toward Delirious.
Rainbow had a puzzled look and turned toward the hockey masked YouTuber. "A spaceship? What is that about?"
Delirious put a hand behind his head and scratched it as he tried to think of an easy way to break it to the group. "It's a long fucking story."
"So, let me get this straight, Delirious." Squirrel said as he tried to process the information that Delirious spewed out. "You forgot to mention that there was a spaceship yesterday?"
"Uh huh." Delirious confirmed as he nodded.
"And you were exploring this spaceship, which is from Lethal Company?"
"Yep, sounds about right."
"But, you met up with Zecora and you followed her to Ponyville, which made you forget about the ship?"
"Correct."
"Even though you had a lot of time yesterday to say at least a single thing about it?"
Delirious scoffed. "Well, obviously I was too overwhelmed by seeing talking Ponies, Squirrel."
Delirious, Squirrel, Spike, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Starlight were now walking in the hallway as Delirious was explaining what he was trying to break down before. While everyone was interested about a spaceship being in Equestria, Squirrel was confused on how Delirious didn't mention a single word of it yesterday.
"Yeah, but it's a spaceship." Squirrel said.
Delirious rolled his eyes, since he had nothing else to say. "Whatever, Squirrel."
"Can we see the spaceship?" Spike asked with a excited grin on his face.
"I'm interested into seeing this ship as well." Starlight said with curiosity in her tone.
"Me too, it sounds awesome." Rainbow said with some excitement in her voice.
"Oh boy, can we? Can we? Can we?" Pinkie asked in a way that an excited toddler might ask in.
"Yes Pinkie, we'll see it." Delirious said.
"But Delirious, didn't you say that it was in the Everfree Forest?" Squirrel asked.
"It is, what about it?"
"Isn't the Everfree Forest dangerous to explore?"
"It is dangerous." Starlight answered. "There could be Timberwolves, Cockatrices, and many more creatures."
"Cockatrices?" Delirious asked with curiosity that he has from hearing the word "cock."
"They are creatures that resemble Chickens, but when you look in their eyes, they turn you into stone."
Upon learning that a Chicken like creature was called a Cockatrice, it made sense to Delirious. "Guess that checks out.
'Damn, that cock will make you hard.' Delirious thought in a funny manner.
"That sounds dangerous, maybe we shouldn't see the ship." Squirrel said.
"I'm sure we'll be fine, Squirrel. I know my way to the ship to Ponyville, like the back of my ass." Delirious said in a joking manner.
Starlight, Rainbow, and Spike looked grossed out from the visual that Delirious gave them and they would mentally struggle to try and get the visual out of their head. But, Pinkie was able to ignore the disgusting illustration as she continued to bounce happily, like she always does.
"Whatever, Delirious." Squirrel said as he crossed his arms. "Shouldn't we get Twilight, since she's a magic user and could defend us with like a... lightning spell if we run into any monsters?"
"I'm a magic user." Starlight said. "But we should bring Twilight with us, she would want to see the spaceship."
"If we do, she would go full egghead mode and would want to know every single detail about the spaceship, so she'll most likely want to know from you guys, just saying." Rainbow commented towards Delirious and Squirrel.
"Ok then." Squirrel said. "Who's going to get her?"
"I'll do it." Rainbow said casually as she took off flying the other way that the group was before.
After Rainbow's indoor takeoff, the group was at the front door of the castle entrance.
"Well, looks like we're here. Now we wait for Twilight and then we can go see the spaceship." Delirious commented.
"Wait a second, I just thought about something." Squirrel said.
"What is it Squirrel?"
"Wouldn't the Ponies in Ponyville freak out if they saw us?"
"Maybe if they saw you Squirrel, but not me. They'll probably react like Lyra if they saw me."
"Ok, well then that just raises another question."
"And what would that be?" Spike asked.
"How am I going to see the spaceship, without anyone... or Pony, panicking when they see me?"
Delirious put an index finger on his chin. "Hmmm, I don't know."
"I could maybe cast an invisibility spell on Squirrel." Starlight suggested.
Before Squirrel could say his opinion on that idea, Delirious had his own suggestion. "Or maybe Squirrel can just hide in my jacket."
Squirrel's reaction to Delirious' idea just had him stare at Delirious and blink a few times. "Yeah, I prefer Starlight's idea."
"Whatever you say, Squirrely."
While they were thinking of a plan to get Squirrel to the Everfree Forest, without Ponyville freaking out, a few clips were heard in the hallway. Everyone turned their head to the source of the clopping and saw Twilight walking towards them, along with Rainbow, who was floating beside Twilight with her wings.
"I got her guys, although she took a while to get out of the bathroom." Rainbow said with a smug look, almost like she knew the comment would make Twilight snapback.
"Well, maybe because that cream pie that you threw was splattered all over my face, even in my mane and eyelashes." Twilight said with a hint of anger in her tone.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Ok Rarity. Maybe next time, don't blame the best prankster in Ponyville for a supposed 'prank' I didn't do."
Although Twilight wanted to argue back, she then started to realize Rainbow's point. So, she released a sigh before she apologized. "I suppose you are right, Rainbow. I'm sorry about blaming you. And I'm-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it, but can we hold off on the sappy stuff right now." Rainbow interrupted whatever Twilight was going to say. "Delirious and Squirrel want to go see the spaceship that's in the Everfree Forest."
Immediately, Twilight's expression went from apologetic to full curiosity. "Wait, a spaceship?"
"Yeah and we wanted to ask if you wanted to see it?"
"Yes, I do." Twilight answered immediately, but she then turned toward Delirious and Squirrel. "How come you two didn't tell me about a spaceship?"
"Well, I didn't know until Delirious told me and also, he forgot to mention it yesterday." Squirrel informed as he pointed a thumb at Delirious.
Delirious then brought a hand to the back of his head. "Yeah, I did forget." Delirious said with a sheepish smile. "Sorry about that."
"That doesn't matter. What matters now is that you guys tell me about how this ship operates, where it comes from, and how it is here in Equestria." Twilight said, almost sounding like a mad scientist.
"See what I mean." Rainbow muttered to both Squirrel and Delirious, which provided what Rainbow said about Twilight's eggheadedness. (Wow, what a stretch.)
"Well, why don't we see the spaceship first before we explain everything?" Squirrel asked. "That way, you can get a clear idea of the spaceship.
"I guess you're right, Squirrel." Twilight then turned her head toward Rainbow as a question came to her. "Wait Rainbow, didn't you say that it was in the Everfree Forest?"
"Yeah, I did." Rainbow confirmed.
"I see, so this could be a little dangerous."
"Yeah, so that's why we kinda need you and your magic. We need it to take care of any of those Timberwolves or Cockatrices." Squirrel said.
"I'll go, just be careful everyone. Especially you, Spike. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Don't worry Twilight, I'll be fine." Spike assured.
"Yeah, me and Squirrel got his back in case something happens." Delirious said.
"Yep we do." Squirrel added.
"See, Twilight?" Spike said with a tone that had more reassurement.
"Ok then, I guess we are ready then, but what are you two going to avoid causing a panic to everypony in Ponyville?"
"Simple, with that horn of yours, I'm pretty sure you can cast some houdini magic and make Squirrel invisible. Right?" Delirious brainstormed.
"I could do that." Twilight confirmed. "But what about you?"
"Well, no one's going to freak out about me, since I passed by Ponyville to get to this castle. And, they seemed more curious than worried. So I'm good."
"Ok then, if you say so Delirious."
"Yeah. Alrightly then, we're ready to go." Delirious put his hand on the front door handle, ready to open the front door.
"This is going to be a freaking hassle." Squirrel sighed.
"Don't worry your little ass, Squirrel. Twilight can cast some dark magic and make you invisible to Ponyville."
"Well actually, I can't cast dar-"
"And we don't have to worry about any Wolves made of wood or any cocks that make you hard." Delirious interrupted Twilight, which made her form a small pout on her face. "And even if we run into them, we'll be fine. It's still the morning. In fact."
Delirious opened the front door slighty, to make sure that nopony would see him, but mostly Squirrel. Delirious peeked his head and once he saw that there was not a single Pony in sight.
"Look Squirrel, it's only the morning, it's going to be a beautiful day. Nothing could ruin this absolutely beautiful and gorgeous, gorgeous morning today." It was at this moment, Delirious jinxed himself.
Delirious turned to look at Twilight. "Alright Sparkles, now turn Squirrel invisible, then we ca-"
A scream and intense clopping filled the air all of a sudden. Before anyone in the group can question on what they heard, a group of screaming Ponies galloped in front of the castle entrance. By the looks of it, the group of random Ponies looked like they were running from something, since they didn't even acknowledge Delirious or Squirrel peeking out of the front door. Then all of a sudden, some sounds of joy were made.
"Yipe! Yipe! Yipe!"
Everyone turned their head to the sound of the excitement and saw a weird sight. They saw a group of some large Bugs fly after the group of Ponies that galloped by eariler.
Everyone had their jaws dropped and looked speechless, especially Delirious and Squirrel, since they recognized the Bugs. When the Bugs passed by with their cry of "yipes," they were getting distant, leaving only the group that blinked a few times to process what they saw.
While Delirious and Squirrel were mostly shocked out of the group, Delirious was the first of the group to break the silence from what they experienced.
"Well, I fucking jinxed it, didn't I?" |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | pre | "Okay," Twilight continued, "Fluttershy, there's no proof of that, Pinkie Pie, that's absurd, and Applejack, there's no proof of that, either. Maybe he was just 'given' the title of "Prince" after something he did, just like with me when I became a princess."
"Do you think we'll ever find out?" Starlight asked.
"I don't know, Starlight," Twilight finished, "I just don't know."
Not even a second after the alicorn had finished speaking, the door to the throne room opened, and Rainbow Dash walked in alongside Soarin. "There you are!" Twilight exclaimed, "Where have you been, Rainbow?"
"Sorry, guys," Rainbow replied, rubbing the back of her head, "I think I'm slowly entering that phase where it gets harder and harder for a pregnant pegasus to fly without assistance, up until the point where she can't fly until the foal is born."
"But isn't it a little early for that?" asked Fluttershy, knowing more about this situation that her other friends, "Aren't you only two months along?"
"Yeah, but there's a reason."
"What is it?" AJ asked.
Rainbow turned to face Soarin. "You wanna tell them?" she asked with a slight hint of nervousness.
"Why me?" Soarin replied, chuckling, "Why can't you tell them?" The others were intently looking on at the couple talking with each other.
"Alright, alright..." Rainbow replied, blushing slightly from the anticipated swarm of excited mares coming after her, "We had the ultrasound yesterday, and it turns out I'm having twins!"
Everyone else's eyes went wide. "SERIOUSLY?!?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, an enormous smile on her face.
"Yeah!" Rainbow finished. Not a second later, her six friends practically jumped her, hugging her from all sides. The unexpected force caused the string around Rainbow's neck to shift, her silver engagement ring falling out from her mane, where she'd hid it, and dangling off her neck.
The others quickly noticed this and backed away, not believing that they had another surprise awaiting them. "Rainbow!" Rarity exclaimed, "Is...Is that...?"
"Shoot..." Rainbow thought to herself while smiling. "Yeah...something else happened, too."
Soarin wrapped his right foreleg around Dash's neck. "We got engaged yesterday!" he said, both him and Dash smiling.
Instantly, the other six mares squealed in delight and cheered for their friend and her fiancee, hugging both of them excitedly. After several mini-congratulatory comments, Rarity took a closer look at Rainbow's ring, taking it in her hoof. "Rainbow, darling, it's gorgeous!" she exclaimed.
"I'll say!" Applejack said, admiring Rainbow's ring, "You sure know how to make a mare happy, Soarin!"
"Hehe..." Soarin chuckled, "I guess I do, don't I?"
"Oh my gosh!" Pinkie exclaimed rather quickly while bouncing up and down, "There's so much I have to do!" Then, in a flash, she was gone as a small trail of dust was left behind from her speedy getaway. No one said anything, but three seconds later, Pinkie zoomed back into the room, whispered something into Fluttershy's ear, then took off again at lightning speed without saying a word.
Fluttershy soon began flapping her wings, hovering in the air while she said, "Um, if you'll excuse me, Pinkie Pie wants me to go take care some...'business'. I'll be back soon!" The yellow pegasus then flew out of the room and down the hall, her friends not knowing where she was headed.
All of sudden, Pinkie reentered the room again, this time whispering something in Twilight's ear before disappearing almost instantly down the hall.
"What'd she say?" Rainbow asked the princess.
Twilight smirked. "You'll find out later," she said.
"Oh. Anyway, weren't we supposed to have a meeting today?"
"Yes, but seeing that something else is happening, we'll just have to reschedule it. In the meantime, you can just enjoy the rest of the morning at your house. That goes for all of you, as well," Twilight finished, gesturing to her other friends.
"Splendid!" Rarity said as she began her exit, "See you all soon!" AJ, Rainbow, and Soarin soon followed.
"Hey, Dashie," Soarin said, just walking into the living room of his fiancee's cloud home, "You want me to go pick up another cake?"
"Nah," Rainbow Dash replied, "I'm not that hungry right now, but thanks."
"Not to be rude, but how many of those have you eaten already?" Soarin asked while chuckling.
"I've lost count. I'm just glad I haven't gained too much weight, otherwise I'd be earthbound already."
"Yeah. And I know how much you love being in the air."
"Yeah..." Dash finished.
Right at that moment, there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Soarin said. He soon opened the door, only to find nopony standing there. He did, however, find an envelope on the doormat. He took it in his teeth before going back inside and closing the door. He opened the envelope, skimming the note that was inside. "Hmmm..." he continued, "We're wanted at Sugar Cube Corner right now."
"Oh?" Dash said, raising an eyebrow, "I wonder what this is about?"
"Same here."
"Well, I'm ready whenever you are, Soarin."
"I'm ready. Let's go!" The couple then left Dash's house, making the short flight down to Ponyville, eventually arriving at the front entrance to the bakery.
The building was dark, and there didn't seem to be any ponies on the streets around them. Soarin slowly pushed the door open, taking a few steps inside along with Rainbow. All of a sudden, the lights came on and numerous ponies, and one small dragon, came into view. "SURPRISE!!!!!" they all yelled, followed by the release of hundreds of pieces of multi-colored confetti.
Both Rainbow and Soarin were stunned. Their eyes were wide and their jaws were hanging slack. "What is this?!?" Rainbow asked, loudly.
Immediately, Pinkie Pie appeared right in front of the pregnant mare. "It's your engagement party, silly!" she said, booping Dash on the snout with her hoof, "What else could it be?"
Soarin chuckled. "I could think of a few other..." He was silenced by Pinkie's forehoof.
"Don't spoil anything!" the party pony exclaimed in a whisper.
"Sorry," Soarin apologized, blushing.
Pinkie smiled. "Don't worry about it," she said.
"Hey, there they are!" Spitfire said, walking up to the left side of Soarin along with Fleetfoot.
"Huh?!?" Soarin interjected.
"How'd you guys get here?!?" Rainbow asked, her mind in disbelief that two other Wonderbolts had made it.
"Just ask Fluttershy!" Pinkie said, grabbing the yellow pegasus from seemingly out of nowhere.
"Oh, that's right," Fluttershy began, "Pinkie sent me to Cloudsdale to tell the Wonderbolts and all of your parents that you had gotten engaged and that there was a party in less than one hour. I also told a few others up there, too," she finished, pointing to Thunderlane, who was over in a corner, talking with Flitter and Cloudchaser.
"Aw, sweet!" Soarin said, happy to see one of his long-time friends.
Rainbow then turned back to the pink party pony. "Pinkie," she began, "You threw all of this together, guests and everything, in less than an hour?"
"I sure did!" Pinkie replied.
"Don't you think it could have waited? You know, to give everypony some time to prepare?" Pinkie's immediate response was her giving Dash a pair of puppy-dog eyes while sticking out her bottom lip. Realizing her passion for celebration, Dash decided to brush the whole thing off. "Ehhh...never mind, Pinkie. Thanks for doing this." Pinkie's face instantly brightened up, her smile returning as she hugged the rainbow-maned pegasus.
"Rainbow Dash!" came a female voice from the right of the newly engaged couple.
"Soarin!" came another female voice from the same area.
The couple each turned their heads to the right and noticed their parents walking towards them, each looking as happy as ever. Rainbow's mom and dad immediately hugged their daughter, while Wind Glider and Grey Nimbus, Soarin's parents, did the same to their son.
"How do you two feel?" Rainbow Blaze asked.
"Better than I've ever felt in my life!" Soarin said, happily.
"Me, too!" Rainbow responded.
"That's great!" Wind Glider said.
"Have you picked a date yet?" asked Firefly.
"What date?" Rainbow replied.
"You know, the wedding?" said Grey Nimbus.
"Oh..." Soarin replied, "Well, this all kinda happened yesterday, so not yet."
"I'm sure it'll be soon," Rainbow continued.
"Let me know when you've decided!" Pinkie chirped.
"Will do, Pinks!" Rainbow replied.
"Great! Now, come on! Don't just stand there! This party's just getting started!" With that, Rainbow and Soarin went to different areas of the cafe, eating cake and sweets and chatting with all their friends, all while enjoying the surprise engagement party that Pinkie Pie had thrown for them.
After more than three hours of partying, Soarin and Rainbow Dash returned to Dash's home, pretty much crashing onto the couch due to their slight exhaustion. Rainbow had had a craving attack while there, and she ate nearly half of all the goods provided. Needless to say, she was ready for a nap. However, she didn't realize that she wouldn't be getting one anytime soon.
"Wow..." Soarin said, almost breathless, "That was some party, huh, Dashie?"
"Yeah," Rainbow replied while exhaling, "That was totally awesome. I just hope Pinkie doesn't overextend herself to throw us as many parties as she can regarding our wedding and my pregnancy all at once."
"Well, she can't throw them all, Dashie. The bachelor and bachelorette parties, if we each get one, are thrown by the best stallion and maid of honor, respectively."
"Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me!"
"About what?"
"I gotta go ask one of my friends something!"
"Right now?"
"Well...not right now. I'm still a bit tired."
"Me, too." The couple remained silent for a few minutes as they lay on the couch, slowly moving themselves so that Rainbow's back was pressed up against Soarin's chest. After another few minutes of snuggling, Soarin asked, "Hey, Dashie, you know, I think we should pick a wedding date sooner rather than later. That way we won't have to worry about it for very long."
Rainbow thought about what her fiancee said for a few seconds. "You're probably right," she replied, "I do wanna get married and moved in together before I'm confined to the ground until the foals arrive."
"Speaking of that, if it's alright with you, I just listed my cloud house so I could move in with you and we could be together as newlyweds."
"Awww...Soarin, you did that already?"
"Yeah. By the time we're married, I just want us to live happy and worry-free until we become parents," Soarin said before leaning down to kiss his fiancee on the cheek.
Rainbow blushed slightly. "So...when do you think we should get married?"
"Well, Hearts and Hooves Day is in about two months. If Pinkie Pie and the others aren't too busy, wanna do it then?"
"Awww...really?" Rainbow asked while looking sweetly up at Soarin and reaching her right forehoof up to touch his right cheek.
"Yeah. Why not?" He kissed her again.
Rainbow remained silent for a few more seconds. "Think we should ask Pinkie Pie?" she asked.
"We probably should. Let's go!" Soarin replied. He and his fiancee then leapt up from the couch and left the house.
"Really?!?" Pinkie Pie asked Twilight. "That's great! They'll be so happy to hear that!" The two of them had just finished cleaning up the last leftover bits of the engagement party.
"I know, right?" Twilight responded excitedly.
A few seconds later, the door to Sugar Cube Corner opened, and Soarin and Rainbow Dash walked inside, immediately seeing Twilight and Pinkie standing on either side of the counter. "Oh! There they are!" Pinkie chirped.
"Hey, guys!" Rainbow said.
"Rainbow! Soarin!" said Twilight, "I have some wonderful news!"
"What is it?" Soarin asked, he and his fiancee eagerly looking the princess in the eyes.
"Well, shortly after the party, I had Spike send a letter to Princess Celestia saying that you two were getting married. Just before you got here, I got a letter back from her. Here's the thing; since you're both Wonderbolts, and given that Princess Celestia was the pony who founded the Wonderbolts, she's agreed to preside over your ceremony!"
"Really?!?" the couple asked in unison.
"Yep!" Twilight responded.
"AWESOME!" Rainbow exclaimed.
"You guys just need to tell me when you're getting married, so I can tell her."
"Actually," Soarin said, "That's why we're here."
"Oh!" Pinkie suddenly shouted, "Did you guys pick a date yet?"
"Well," Rainbow continued, "We were thinking about getting married on Hearts and Hooves Day."
"Awww..." the princess and the party pony went in unison.
"We just came by to see if Pinkie wasn't too busy on that day."
"Hmmm..." Pinkie hummed while she grabbed a schedule from behind the counter and started flipping through the pages, "Ah! Hearts and Hooves Day." She then skimmed over the page quickly. "Nope! Nopony's made any requests for that day yet!"
Both Soarin and Rainbow's faces lit up immensely. "Wow! We sure lucked out!" Soarin said, happily.
Rainbow immediately wrapped a foreleg around Soarin's neck. "Looks like we've got our wedding date!" she said, her voice nearly cracking as she finished her sentence. She hugged Soarin tightly, and he quickly returned the embrace.
Pinkie then spoke again. "I'll make sure everyone in town has a great time at..."
"Hold on, Pinkie," Rainbow interrupted, "Since we're both from Cloudsdale, we wanna get married there."
"Yeah," Soarin added.
Pinkie froze. "Oh...that's gonna be a challenge."
"Are you sure you're still willing to handle it?" Rainbow asked.
"Don't worry!" Pinkie continued, crossing her chest with a forehoof and grabbing a cupcake out of nowhere, sticking it onto her closed right eye, "I Pinkie Promise that this'll be the greatest night of your lives!" She then looked over to Twilight. Though she was usually content with throwing parties on her own, she knew that she couldn't handle this one by herself. "I'm just gonna need some help from you, Twilight...and possibly Fluttershy."
"You've got it, Pinkie!" Twilight replied before turning to the two pegasi in the room. "Congratulations, you two! I can't wait for the wedding!"
"Neither can we!" Soarin said.
"Yeah! What he said!" Rainbow responded.
"Why don't you stay here with Pinkie while I go talk to Fluttershy?" Twilight asked.
"Great idea, Twilight!" Rainbow finished, "See 'ya!"
"Bye!" the alicorn finished as she exited the cafe. For the remainder of the early afternoon, Rainbow and Soarin discussed further wedding details with Pinkie Pie, everything from the cake to the multitude of decorations. They all knew this was going to be one hay of a Hearts and Hooves Day. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | A Couple of Important Questions | Rainbow Dash stood outside the door to Carousel Boutique and knocked on it three times. She had just received a note from Rarity that she had something to show her as soon as possible. The cyan mare had an inkling about what it was, but she didn't want to jump to conclusions that quickly.
It had been a little over a month since her and Soarin's engagement party. At this point, Rainbow's pregnant belly had grown a little bit more, and flying was slowly becoming more difficult. She knew that she would have to cease flying after some time, as it would put too much stress on her back and wings, undoubtedly causing more discomfort than she was feeling now.
The door to the boutique opened about five seconds after Rainbow had knocked on it. There was Rarity, her red glasses over her eyes and a measuring tape hanging lazily over her neck. "Rainbow, darling!" she said, happily, "You've made it! Please, come inside. I'm sure you'll absolutely love what Fluttershy and I have to show you!"
"Wait, Fluttershy's here, too?" Rainbow asked.
"Hi, Rainbow!" the yellow pegasus greeted from across the room, waving a hoof at her friend.
"Oh, hey, Fluttershy!" Rainbow responded, noticing her friend.
"Please come with us over here, Rainbow," Rarity continued, her and Fluttershy leading Dash over to a closed feature curtain, "I have a hunch that you already know what this is, no?"
"Well, I had a couple of ideas, but I didn't really wanna guess too quickly," Rainbow replied.
"Very well, then," Rarity continued, "Fluttershy, please show our friend what we've got for her."
"With pleasure, Rarity," Fluttershy responded. She then pulled the long rope anchored to the curtain, pulling the magenta curtain apart from the center. Once it was opened, Rainbow's eyes grew very wide. In front of her was a gorgeous, white gown. It had a few bits of lace on it in the upper chest/lower neck area, and there were six small gems on each side near the base, each one representing one of the six colors of Rainbow's mane. Overall, it wasn't too frilly and looked to be just the right amount of formalness to suit the bride-to-be.
Rainbow was almost speechless as she realized to whom the dress belonged to. "I-Is this...mine??" Rainbow asked, stuttering slightly.
"Of course it is, darling!" Rarity replied, smiling, "This is your wedding, after all."
"It...It looks so awesome!! Thank you!"
"Oh, don't thank me yet, Rainbow. Just have a look and see what's next to those gems down there."
Immediately, Rainbow focused on the spread-out gems at the bottom of her dress, the part that started just in front of where her wings would be and flowed diagonally down until it curved and leveled off with the ground. Upon closer inspection, Rainbow could see what she thought were cotton accents meant to imitate clouds, but when she touched them with her hoof, she knew it wasn't what she thought it was. "Is this...real cloud??" Rainbow asked, continually amazed at her friends' work.
"Yes, indeed, darling!" Rarity replied.
"But how did you do this? I thought you couldn't sew clouds to anything!"
"Yes, well," the fashionista continued, starting to walk around the dress, "You see, clouds are very delicate to work with, but I knew I had to include them in the design somehow. Luckily, our friend, Fluttershy, here knows a little bit about sewing herself, and she just so happens to know how to sew little bits of cloud onto a dress!"
"Oh, yes," Fluttershy stated, "It is rather difficult, but if you're really careful, you can easily weave string through and around clouds and attach them to fabric."
Rainbow was stunned at the realization that she had actual clouds on her dress. True, she was around clouds most of the time, but seeing them in this fashion was something she never imagined could be possible. Turning around, Rainbow lifted her forelegs and hugged Rarity and Fluttershy at the same time. "Thank you guys so much!" she exclaimed, "I love it! This is so cool!"
"Well, isn't that how you like it, darling? Cool?" Rarity asked.
"Yeah!"
"Well, I think it's safe to assume that Fluttershy and I were able to provide that extra 20%, were we not?"
"More than that! This is twenty MILLION percent more cool than I could have imagined!" She then let go of her two friends and began to turn back to face her new wedding dress. "All I wanna do right now is...wait," she paused as she noticed the absence of fabric on the underside of her dress, "Something's missing," she continued, pointing at her gown.
Rarity immediately knew what she was getting at. "Oh, yes, that," she said, "I didn't construct that portion yet because I needed to get a measurement of your entire barrel. That's another reason why I called you here."
"But the wedding's not for another month," Rainbow brought up, "Won't these measurements be too small once that day comes? I mean, my belly's probably gonna grow a bit more, considering there's two foals in there."
"Not to worry, Rainbow," Rarity said, reassuringly, "I have everything under control." She then levitated the measuring tape off of her neck and wrapped it around Rainbow's back and belly, squinting through her glasses as she determined the current measurement. "Perfect. Thank you, Rainbow," the unicorn continued, "I'll just add a few centimeters to this measurement to compensate for the possibility of your belly growing. We'll do one final measurement just before the wedding so we can get everything straightened out. Sound good?"
"Don't worry, Rarity. I trust you."
"Why, thank you, darling. Now, if you'll just give me one minute, I can have this dress looking complete." She immediately floated the mannequin over to one of her workstations to complete the initial assembly of the dress.
As Rarity began her work, Rainbow turned to her yellow pegasus friend and said, "Hey, Fluttershy, while Rarity's working on my dress, do you think we could step outside for a little bit?"
"Oh...um, if you want us to, Rainbow. Sure," Fluttershy replied. The two pegasi then stepped outside the boutique, turning to their right so they couldn't see Rarity through the window.
"Fluttershy," Rainbow continued, "I need to ask you something."
"Oh. What is it, Rainbow?" the yellow mare asked.
"Well..." Rainbow sighed. "Fluttershy, you and I have known each other pretty much our whole lives. Out of all the friends I have here in Ponyville and back in Cloudsdale, you're my best friend of them all." Fluttershy's eyes widened ever so slightly upon hearing what her friend had to say. "You've been with me through times of both good and bad, you've expressed kindness to me like no other, and you're just wonderful to have around. So...would you do me the pleasure of being my maid of honor at my wedding?"
Fluttershy gasped. "R-Really??" she asked, almost breathless.
"Yeah. Really. I can't think of any other pony who could fulfill this role."
Fluttershy was silent for the next few seconds. "Oh, Rainbow, yes! I'd love to be your maid of honor! Thank you!" she finished while throwing herself forward and hugging her lifelong friend.
"No, thank you, Fluttershy. Not only for this, but for being the most awesome friend a pony could ask for."
Fluttershy began to shed a few tears upon realizing just how much she meant to Rainbow Dash. She withdrew her embrace and looked Rainbow in the eyes. "You're welcome," she said, sweetly.
They remained silent for several seconds before Rainbow said, "Think Rarity's done by now?"
"I don't know," Fluttershy responded, "Let's go see!"
"Yeah!" Rainbow finished as she and her maid of honor walked back to the door and reentered the boutique.
Once inside, they saw Rarity putting Rainbow's dress back on the mannequin. The fashionista then saw her two friends walking back inside and smiled. "Wonderful!" she said, "You're back! Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, I just took Fluttershy outside so I could ask her something," Rainbow responded.
Rarity looked away slightly. "You know, I'm tempted to asked what you two discussed, but I know that would be highly unladylike."
"You know, Rarity, you're gonna find out sooner or later."
"What am I going to find out about?"
Rainbow turned and smiled at Fluttershy, subtly letting her know that she could deliver the news. "Well," the yellow pegasus said, wrapping a foreleg around Rainbow's neck, "Rainbow just asked me to be her maid of honor, and I wholeheartedly accepted."
"Oh, how fantastic!" Rarity exclaimed, sitting on her rump and clapping her forehooves together, "Congratulations!"
"Wait, you're not jealous, Rarity?" Rainbow asked.
"Why, of course not, darling! You've known Fluttershy longer than you've known me and our friends, so it only makes sense that you've picked your most long-time friend to do this for you."
"Phew..." Rainbow sighed, wiping her brow, "I was afraid this was gonna be getting Twilight's second Grand Galloping Gala ticket all over again."
"Nonsense, darling. Now, do you have time for an initial fitting before you leave?"
"Yeah, of course!" the cyan pegasus replied, walking over to where Rarity was. Rarity then levitated the gown off the mannequin and led Rainbow behind another curtain. Giving the pegasus some privacy, she stepped back and stood next to Fluttershy, both ponies anticipating what their friend would look like in her wedding dress. After about thirty seconds, the curtain opened, and Rarity and Fluttershy stared in awe at Rainbow Dash, her dress looking amazing on her. It fit her form perfectly, except for her belly, which was the slightest bit loose to accommodate the anticipated further development of the foals inside her. Other than that, the gems and clouds accented Rainbow's body perfectly, her wings fully extended as she modeled off what she would be wearing in less than four weeks.
"Oh, Rainbow!" Rarity exclaimed, "You look absolutely fabulous!"
"I agree!" Fluttershy responded, "You look more beautiful than I can ever remember!"
"Thanks!" Rainbow replied, happy with her friends' work, "This thing looks so awesome on me! This is just one more reason for why I can't wait to get married!" Rainbow then walked forward and hugged her friends once again, both Rarity and Fluttershy returning her embrace, albeit carefully, not wanting to mess any of their work up. "You guys rock, you know that?" Rainbow asked. Fluttershy and Rarity only smiled, happy that their friend was satisfied with her new wedding dress.
The door to the Wonderbots' main building opened as the team went inside for their 90-minute midday break. Though they were the most skilled and in-shape fliers in all of Equestria, a few of the team members were slightly exhausted. This included Soarin, as something had been on his mind all day, something that prevented him from having his attention devoted solely to his flying. Right before he went into the stallions' locker room, the light blue pegasus stopped when he noticed his captain walking toward him. "Hey, Spitfire," he greeted.
"Hey, Soarin," Spitfire replied, "Nice job out there."
"Thanks, but I could have done better. Anyway, I'm glad I ran into you. I'm meeting a friend for lunch, okay? I'll try my best to not return late."
Spitfire smiled at her teammate. "Alright, Soarin. Have a good time!" she said, turning to go down the hall toward her office.
"Thanks!" Soarin responded, watching his captain as she rounded the corner. He then went into the locker room, taking a brief shower and making himself look presentable before exiting the Wonderbolts' headquarters and beginning his flight to downtown Cloudsdale. It wasn't a long flight - no more than three minutes.
Soon, Soarin touched down at the front entrance to Cloudsdale Cafe, one of the most popular social spots in town. As he made his way through the front door, he immediately spotted his friend, Thunderlane, waving at him from a table near the front window. Soarin quickly trotted over to the table, climbing into the tall chair while saying, "Hey, Thunderlane! Glad you could make it!"
"Glad I could, too!" the black pegasus replied. He remained silent for several seconds before continuing. "How's your day been so far?"
"Pretty nice, although a bit tiring. How about you?"
"I haven't really done anything today."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. I did what I could to amuse myself before coming here to meet you." Soarin didn't really want to think about what his friend could have done to keep himself occupied...
Just then, a familiar, light sky blue pegasus flew up to the stallions' table, a pen and pad of paper in hoof. "Hey, there, you two!" she said.
"Flitter?" Soarin asked, not expecting to see the young mare working at the cafe, "You didn't tell me you worked here! When did you start?"
"About a week ago," Flitter replied, "And I'm really enjoying it so far! Everypony I see here is really nice!"
"That's great!" Thunderlane said.
"So, what can I get you guys today?"
"I'll have an egg salad on toasted whole wheat with a side of hayfries, please," Soarin said.
"Same for me, please," said Thunderlane.
"Anything to drink?" Flitter asked as she began writing down the stallions' orders.
"I'll keep it simple and have some orange juice," said Soarin.
"Do you guys have virgin cider?" asked Thunderlane.
"We sure do!" Flitter replied with a smile.
"Great! I'll have a glass of that, please."
"Will do!" the young mare responded, "I'll have your drinks out very shortly, okay?"
"Thanks!" the two stallions replied in unison as Flitter turned and flew away to get their orders in.
Meanwhile, Soarin decided that now was a good time to ask Thunderlane a question he'd been meaning to ask him for the past month. "Hey, Thunderlane," Soarin started, "Can I ask you something?"
Thunderlane gave one giggle before replying. "Well, you just did, but go ahead."
Soarin chuckled. "Hehe...good one. Anyway...listen, throughout my life, I didn't have a whole lot of male friends. However, whenever I wanna hang out with another stallion, you're the first one that comes to mind. You and I may not have hung out as much as we wanted to over the years, but you're always a great guy to be with. Having said that...would you do me the honor of being my best stallion?"
Thunderlane's face lit up immensely, simply shocked that Soarin would choose him for such an important role. "Seriously?? Of course! I'd love to!"
"Really?? Great!" Soarin replied, cheerfully. He and Thunderlane quickly got down from their chairs and gave each other a quick, one-second hug.
They got back into their chairs as they heard a female voice coming from somewhere out of their line of sight. "I'm guessing something great just happened, didn't it?" Flitter asked, setting the glasses of cider and orange juice down on the table.
"Yep," Soarin replied, "I now officially have my best stallion for the wedding!" Thunderlane raised his hoof slightly while Soarin spoke.
"Hey, that's great!" Flitter replied, "Congrats, Thunderlane! I can't wait to tell my sister about this!"
Thunderlane faintly blushed at the thought of the amount of affection he'd be getting from his marefriend, Cloudchaser, over this whole thing. "Thanks, Flitter," he replied. Flitter smiled as she flew over to a different table, helping another pair of customers while leaving Soarin and Thunderlane alone to themselves. "Wow," Thunderlane continued, "I never thought I'd be doing something like this, Soarin. Thank you."
"No problem, Thunderlane," Soarin replied, "It's the best I could do to show how much I value you as a friend." Thunderlane only smiled. "I wonder who Dashie's gonna pick to be her maid of honor?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, Soarin."
"Yeah, you're right." Soon, the two stallions had their lunch in front of them, and they slowly ate away as they continued discussing the big event that was to come very soon. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | *A Little More Celebrating | Rainbow Dash's eyes opened slowly upon hearing the sound of her front door opening. She had just taken a nice, long, afternoon nap on her couch, and she definitely needed it. She looked up to see her fiancee walking through the door, smiling once he locked eyes with her. Rainbow yawned and stretched, then got onto all fours as she walked toward Soarin. "Hey, there," she said with a smile.
"Hey," Soarin replied before he and his bride-to-be shared a quick kiss on the lips.
"How was practice? How's everypony doing?"
"Practice was...well, the usual. A few of them can't wait to have you come back. But even then, you'll still be on maternity leave for some time after the foals are born."
"Yeah, I'm eager to get back as well, but, you know, I gotta do what I gotta do."
Soarin smiled and hugged Dash. "I know. I just hope you can stop by at least one more time before you have to stop flying."
"Me, too."
Just then, the couple heard a knock on the door. They both walked toward it and Soarin turned the knob and opened the door. Both pegasi peeked outside, but there was nopony to be seen. "Hmmm...that's weird," Soarin said. He then looked down at the doormat. "Oh, wait," he continued, noticing an envelope that had his name on it. The stallion picked up the envelope, biting the edge to slowly tear the top open, and then he proceeded to take out the note inside and read it to himself. "Whoa, really?" Soarin said, looking somewhat happy.
"What is it?" Dash asked.
"Looks like Applejack wants me to taste test a new pie recipe!"
"Awesome! That's sounds like fun! Want me to go with you?"
"Sorry, Dash, but I think you should stay home and rest. I don't want you to wear out your wings. In fact, we really need to start thinking about where we're going to stay while you can't fly."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Rainbow replied, "Have a good time at AJ's."
"Thanks," Soarin finished, giving Rainbow another peck on the lips before turning around and leaving the cloud home.
After watching her fiancee fly off, Dash closed the door and walked back over to her couch. She laid back down on it, hoping to get a little more rest, but her hopes were shattered upon hearing another knock at the door. "Oh, for the love of Celestia..." she said to herself. She then did everything all over again, walking to the door, opening it, and seeing who was there. Again, nopony was there, but this time, she found another envelope, this one with her name on it. She took it inside and opened it just like Soarin, and then read the note inside to herself. Her eyes widened in excitement upon seeing what the note said. "Twilight has Daring Do spoilers?!?" she said, aloud, "Awesome!" Without hesitation, she immediately took off, albeit slowly, from her house and made her way down to the north end of Ponyville.
Soarin arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, only to find the place deserted. He went up to the farmhouse and knocked on the door, but after thirty seconds, there was no answer. Still, he was eager to try another one of Applejack's amazing pies, so he walked around the property, wondering where she was. He eventually ended up in front of the big, red barn. He knocked on it, but got no reply once again. He then contemplated whether he should open the door or not, worrying that he may be intruding on something.
Taking a deep breath, Soarin slowly opened the door, immediately seeing that it was pitch black inside the normally well-lit barn. "Hello?" he asked out loud, "Anypony..."
"SURPRISE!" Thunderlane, Big Mac, Braeburn, and Caramel exclaimed in unison as the lights came on in the barn.
"Whoa! What the...?!?" Soarin replied in surprise. There were quite a few decorations in the barn, along with a table set for dining in the middle, a table full of amazing looking food over on the side, and a mysterious pole over in a corner. After observing his surroundings and his friends' joyful attitudes, he knew exactly what this was. "Aww..." he began, blushing slightly, "You guys didn't have to do this."
"Why not?" Thunderlane asked, giving a small chuckle while walking toward his fellow pegasus, "You're not gonna be single much longer!"
"Yeah!" Braeburn began, "'Ya gotta enjoy yourself while 'ya can!"
"We couldn't let a friend get married without havin' one last outing with all his pals!" Caramel said.
"Eeyup!" Big Mac responded.
"Wow. Thanks everypony," Soarin replied, "I'm lucky to have friends and groomstallions like you." Soarin had known Thunderlane most of his life, but not the three earth ponies that were also in the barn. It wasn't until after the Grand Galloping Gala that Soarin stopped by Sweet Apple Acres in hopes of trying another one of Applejack's delicious apple pies, and it was then that the orange farm mare introduced the Wonderbolt to her brother. Once Soarin had gotten to know Big Mac a little more, the red earth stallion introduced him to his cousin and good friend, both of whom Soarin took quick likings to. After that, if he ever needed to socialize with another stallion, Soarin knew exactly who to turn to.
"Well, don't just stand there!" an overly enthusiastic Braeburn said, "We got the whole evenin' to ourselves!"
"Great!" Soarin replied, "Let's do this!"
Rainbow Dash landed at the front entrance to Twilight's castle not too long after she had left her own home. It was normally a short flight, but she obviously had to fly slower due to her current situation. Still, she wanted to get there as fast as her expecting body could get her there, excited at the prospect of finding out a few bits of information on the next Daring Do book.
Rainbow walked straight through the front door. Though this was her friend's house, she and her other friends were welcome to enter the castle without knocking, given that they each had their own respective chairs in the throne room. "Twilight!" the pegasus called out, "Where are you?" There was no response. "Twiliiiiiiiight!" Rainbow sounded out a few seconds later. Even though this was quite a large castle, Dash was getting impatient that her friend hadn't responded. She so desperately wanted to know what A.K. Yearling had in store for her.
Dash peeked into Twilight's front living room, but it was dark. She then took several steps down the hall, not hearing anything as she went. She soon reached the dining room, but upon first glance, it was as dark as the living room. "Twilight?" Rainbow asked again.
All of a sudden, the lights came on. "SURPRISE!!!" yelled a whole bunch of mares at once.
"HUH?!?" Rainbow exclaimed, startled by the unexpected encounter. As a result, she panted heavily while she clutched her upper chest with a forehoof. At the same time, many familiar female faces cheered, while others applauded and some blew on noisemakers.
"There's the lucky bachelorette!" Pinkie exclaimed, bouncing over to her cyan friend and hugging her. Most of the others converged on her, as well, but only Rainbow's closest friends stood directly in front of her.
By now, Rainbow had stopped panting and was now smiling. "Wow!" Rainbow said out loud, "Look at this place!" Twilight's massive dining room had been reconfigured to accommodate a much larger group of ponies. Instead of a large dining room table, there were multiple smaller, circular tables, plus a few more on various sides to house the refreshments. There were countless balloons and streamers all over the walls and ceiling, and there was an additional table that had to have at least 25 gifts on it. "You guys, this is awesome!" Dash continued, "Thank you!"
"Thank Fluttershy!" Twilight said, "She's the one who threw this party, after all."
"Oh yeah!" Rainbow said in realization, "That's right!"
"Oh...well," Fluttershy began, blushing slightly, "I wanted to do it all on my own, but I'm not really the greatest at throwing parties. That's why I asked Pinkie Pie to help me out."
"Hey, at least you did what you could, Shy, and from the looks of it, I think this is gonna be a really awesome night. Thank you," she finished while hugging her maid of honor.
"Anything for a friend like you, Rainbow," Fluttershy finished. The cyan pegasus smiled back at her friend.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Pinkie asked, "Let's party!"
After the five stallions shared a hearty meal, Thunderlane turned on a small stereo that he had borrowed from Vinyl Scratch, and the party started to get really intense. Big Mac had brought in several kegs of cider, and a few of the stallions soon had more than enough at once, making them the slightest bit inebriated. Even though this was a rather small bachelor party, everypony wanted to make the most of it.
After about an hour, Braeburn was the first stallion to become officially drunk, and he nearly re-injured his left foreleg multiple times from being so tipsy. Caramel was close, but not quite at the drunken stage yet. Thunderlane, who was still fully aware of what was happening, soon caught everyone's attention for the main event of the night. "Okay, guys," he began, "I think it's time."
"For what?" asked Soarin.
"For this." Thunderlane then made a whistle with his forehoof and the door to the barn opened. While the groomstallions whistled and cheered, Soarin was completely stunned at who walked into the room. It was Cloudchaser, wearing four black, latex stockings, plus a saddle of the same color, along with a pair of white lace panties. Her long, white mane flowed freely down her shoulders, and her eyes and lips were sparkling with red eye shadow and lipstick.
Cloudchaser walked seductively up to Soarin, grinning at him slyly. "Well, well, well..." she began in a sultry tone, slowly swaying her hips as she walked forward, "I take it you're the lucky bachelor, Soarin?"
Soarin was visibly blushing, and his forehead soon had a thin layer of sweat on it. "Uhhh...yeah. I am," he began, nervously.
"Well, then," Cloudchaser continued, turning around to brush her tail across the front of the Wonderbolt's neck, "Why don't we go over to the corner and have some fun?"
Soarin shivered slightly as the soft hair of Cloudchaser's tail caressed him. Rainbow Dash had never done that to him before.
"Well, Soarin?" Caramel asked in an eager tone, slowly becoming more inebriated as the seconds went by, "'Ya gonna just stand there or are we gon' have us a show!?"
"Uhhh..." Soarin replied, rubbing the back of his neck, "S-Sure...I guess..."
"Yee-haw! 'Atta boy, Soarin!" a very drunk Braeburn responded, giving his friend a playful slap on his rump.
The other stallions cheered as Cloudchaser led them over to the stripper pole in the corner of the barn. Upon closer inspection, there was only one small bale of hay in the corner, and Soarin had a good idea who it was for. Thoughts of what may happen after he sat down immediately clicked in his mind. "Don't get aroused...Don't get aroused..." he thought to himself, knowing how embarrassing it would be to have his fully erect stallionhood visible to all his groomstallions. Unfortunately, the more he looked at the scantily clad mare in front of him, that task was becoming more and more difficult, especially due to the fact that he already had a wingboner.
Soon, Soarin sat down on the small bale of hay, his friends standing to either of his sides as Cloudchaser began her show. She began by standing on her hind legs and lazily wrapping her forehooves around the pole, and then she gave the black pole a seductive lick, all while keeping her half-lidded eyes fixed on Soarin's. The blue Wonderbolt swallowed a lump in his throat upon seeing the mare in such a position. Cloudchaser immediately started spinning herself around on the pole, her hind hooves leaving the ground and wrapping around the pole as her right forehoof stayed in that same fashion. As she let her left foreleg stretch outward, she swung around slowly in a clockwise motion with her back at a 45-degree angle with the ground, her seductive eyes continuing to meet Soarin's every time she faced him.
After about 10 seconds of this, Cloudchaser stopped when the pole was between her and the five stallions. She then swung her hind legs back, only to bring them forward again as she performed a mid-air split, splaying her hind legs outward until her crotch was up against the pole. This earned may whistles and cheers from each of the stallions, except Soarin. He was still trying his best not to get aroused in front of his friends. Even while Cloudchaser did the same thing again, following it up by wrapping her hind legs around the pole like her forelegs and keeping herself off the ground with her wings, Soarin did his best to mentally visualize the moment when his apple pie started falling to ground at the Gala, before Rainbow Dash had caught it for him.
Cloudchaser finished her pole routine by swinging around until her back was facing the stallions, and then she relinquished her forelegs' grip on the pole and bent backwards. She stretched her forelegs out invitingly, her eyes meeting Soarin's once again, albeit upside-down. After that, she grabbed the pole again, turned 45 degrees counterclockwise, and slowly slid down it as she used her wings to keep her from descending too quickly. Her seductive gaze continued to be fixed on Soarin as her rump finally reached the floor of the barn. Four of the five stallions applauded and continued whistling and cheering, while Soarin tried giving himself a mental break. That attempt was immediately rendered futile as Cloudchaser stood up and slowly trotted toward the Wonderbolt, maintaining her gaze. "Now the real fun begins," she said, seductively, as she brushed a hoof against one of Soarin's hind legs.
"Oh, Celestia..." Soarin thought to himself as Cloudchaser picked her front end up by placing her hooves on his hips. The pegasus mare then shook her head a couple of times, allowing her already free-flowing white mane to sway in the air and brush against Soarin's muzzle. She then started flapping her wings, rising up slightly as she placed her forehooves behind her head, and then she started spinning again. It was as if she was doing a slow, seductive ballet routine right in front of Soarin, who, at this point, could barely keep himself from becoming aroused. Seeing one of his oldest friends dressed in such lewd attire was diverting his mind from thinking about other, not-so-lewd thoughts. The way the stockings hugged her legs, the way the saddle was secured so tightly to her midsection, and how the panties were just barely enough to cover her marehood soon became all too much for the groom-to-be.
Just as Cloudchaser flew backwards to him and started moving her rump in front of his lower form, Soarin's last bit of mental revolt dwindled away as his stallionhood started to unsheathe itself. The slightly-darker-than-his-coat blue appendage quickly rose to near full arousal as Cloudchaser continued her lap dance. "There it is!" Braeburn exclaimed, his cider-laden brain telling him that his friend was finally starting to enjoy himself.
"Aw, great..." Soarin thought to himself, blushing furiously as his now fully erect stallionhood was on display for everypony to see.
Thunderlane leaned down and whispered in Soarin's ear, "Let the fun begin..."
Immediately following that, Cloudchaser remained in mid-air with her back turned to Soarin, her smooth rump pushed toward him slightly. She then slowly started backing up, nearing his erection. As she got closer, something else crossed Soarin's mind. He immediately thought of what would happen if Rainbow found out about this.
Gritting his teeth and sweating profusely, he looked up again and noticed that Cloudchaser, who was still staring at him seductively, had her rear a mere twelve inches from his member. Then, it was just eight inches away, then five, then four, three, two, one...
"STOP!!" Soarin yelled all of a sudden.
Everypony else either gasped or said, "Huh?" in unison. Cloudchaser immediately drew herself away from Soarin and landed on all fours, her expression turning to one of surprise.
"I-I'm sorry," Soarin said, apologetically, "I just...I...I can't do this."
"Aw, come on!" Braeburn exclaimed, trying to cheer his friend up.
"You were just gettin' to the good part!" Caramel said.
Thunderlane laid a hoof on Soarin's shoulder and said, "What's wrong, Soarin?"
The Wonderbolt sighed. "Look," he continued, standing up to face the others, "It's not that I don't like what you guys have done for me tonight. Believe me, spending the evening with all of you was something I really needed. But, as what just happened progressed, I couldn't help but think that I was being unfaithful to Rainbow Dash." He then turned to face the one mare in the barn. "Cloudchaser, I gotta admit, you did a fantastic job, and I don't want you to feel like you did anything wrong. But, after seeing how sad Dash was at the beginning of her pregnancy, who knows how sad she'll be if she found out I did...well, 'things' with another mare?"
"Who says Dash has to know about this?" Braeburn asked.
Soarin sighed again. "It's not that, Braeburn," he continued, "It's the fact that I myself would know that I practically cheated on Rainbow, and that I'd be keeping a secret from her for the rest of my life...or, at least until she found out. I think it has to do with my own personal health. Well, not physical, but, you know what I mean."
Following his statement, Big Mac, the stallion who had drunk the least amount of cider tonight, walked up next to Soarin and patted him on the shoulder. "You're a really good guy, Soarin," he said, giving his friend a smile, "Rainbow's gon' be lucky to have a husband like you."
"Thanks," the Wonderbolt responded.
Thunderlane came up to his friend and said, "Soarin, my friend, those were beautiful words, but do you wanna know the irony of this whole thing?"
"What irony?" Soarin asked.
Thunderlane turned his head and gave a nod to Cloudchaser, who was in the middle of taking off her lingerie. The mare then said, "I ran into Rainbow a few days ago, and she actually wanted me to do this for you."
Soarin's eyes went extremely wide. "What?!?" he asked. Caramel and Braeburn began laughing hysterically.
"Yeah!"
"And you were okay with it?!?"
"Of course! I mean, I've known you for a while and you're a pretty cool stallion, so I was okay with putting on a show for you. I guess Rainbow either wanted you to have one last night like this or actually trusted that you would do what you felt was right, and I guess you went ahead with the latter."
Too much was going on in Soarin's mind, but he couldn't help but feel a ton relief wash over him. It was truly a surprise that Rainbow Dash had more to do with this than he'd thought. "Huh...I guess I did," he replied.
"Are you guys gonna keep talkin', or are we gonna keep this party rollin'!?" a very drunk Braeburn asked out loud.
Everypony else laughed. "Ha! I say we keep going!" Thunderlane said.
"Yeah!" Caramel and Soarin replied in unison.
"You guys have a good rest of your night!" Cloudchaser said, completely free of her outfit as she walked toward the door.
"Hey, where are you going?" Soarin asked, "No one said you had to leave!"
"Really? You'll let me stay?"
"Of course! This night may be about me no longer being single very soon, but it's also about spending time with amazing friends like you all."
All the others smiled. "Cider drinkin' contest!" Braeburn shouted before running over to a full keg of cider. Everypony else laughed as the night continued to roll on for all of them.
Rainbow Dash slumped slightly in her chair. Like Soarin's party, hers had begun with dinner, and only now had Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie returned with fresh lemon-meringue pie for dessert. Though she was three and a half months along, she was still getting minor craving attacks from time to time, and one of them was certainly occurring tonight.
After all was said and done, Rainbow had eaten an entire pie, plus two helpings of twice-baked potatoes and garlic bread. Needless to say, she was stuffed. "Wow..." Rainbow said, her forelegs drooping backwards over the top of her chair, "That...was...awesome..."
"I can tell!" Applejack responded, "I think you ate more than us combined!"
"No, it wasn't that much," Twilight mentioned to the earth pony.
"Who cares?" Rainbow asked silently, "All I wanna do right now is crash onto my bed and sleep for, like, the next 15 hours."
"Silly Dash, you can't do that right now!" Pinkie said with a cheerful smile, "You still haven't opened your presents!"
"Oh yeah!" Rainbow replied as her face brightened up, "I almost forgot!" The pegasus then slowly got up and walked over to the table.
Meanwhile, Fluttershy grabbed her water glass and a fork before hovering up above the rest of the ponies in the room. Clinking the glass a few times, she announced, "Um, if everypony could come over to the gift table at this time, we'd like to start having our bride-to-be open her presents!" Heeding her request, the party guests soon gathered around the large table of gifts against the wall of the dining room.
It didn't take more than 35 minutes for Rainbow Dash to open all her gifts. She had gotten mostly basic gifts that mares would give other mares, including makeup and hairbands of many colors, plus an oversized basket of muffins from Derpy. She had also gotten quite a variety of gifts from her closest friends, including a book from Twilight that had to do with maintaining a healthy marriage, a fashionable, yet small, new dress/ensemble from Rarity, but her favorite gift of the night came form her maid of honor, Fluttershy. It was a small, yet much-larger-than-pocket-size diary that had her rainbow and cloud cutie mark imprinted on the front cover. The yellow pegasus felt that her friend would like a journal of her own to write about all the adventures she would be having throughout her new life. This, plus all the gifts she had received, resulted in multiple hugs to all her guests.
At the end of the night, all the party guests had left the castle, except for Rainbow and her bridesmaids, which included Fluttershy, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Spitfire. As they stayed behind to clean up, Rainbow felt amazing at all the appreciation she had received. It may not have been as much as her last birthiversary celebration, but given that it involved some of her best friends from both Ponyville and Cloudsdale, she couldn't have been happier. "Hey, guys," Rainbow began, breaking the silence, "Thanks so much for this party, especially you two," she finished while glancing over to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.
"Oh, it was nothing, Rainbow," Fluttershy replied.
"Yeah!" Pinkie chirped, "Why wouldn't we throw you a bachelorette party? Every lucky bride deserves one!"
"Now all we gotta do is wait for Hearts and Hooves Day to arrive," Spitfire mentioned.
"I sure can't wait for that!" Applejack said.
"Neither can I...we!" Twilight and Rarity said in unison before giggling at each other.
Rainbow giggled as well, then said, "I just hope Soarin's not doing anything stupid over at his party..."
The only ones awake were Soarin and Cloudchaser. Everypony else had gone along with Braeburn's idea of a cider-drinking contest, but by now, those four stallions were passed out drunk.
The two pegasi glanced at the sleeping/unconscious stallions before giggling with each other. "You can go home," Soarin said to Cloudchaser, "I'll handle these guys."
"Thanks!" Cloudchaser replied as she turned and headed for the door, "See you at the wedding!"
"You, too!" Soarin replied before turning back to his groomstallions. Though he'd have to haul the three earth ponies into the farmhouse and then carry Thunderlane back to his house, Soarin couldn't have been happier with the outcome of his party. It had been one heck of a night. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | Wedding Day: Part I | The sun rose on another beautiful Hearts and Hooves Day in Equestria. The weather was mostly clear in the majority of the country, and the only clouds in the sky were heart-shaped, something that the cloud factory in Cloudsdale did only once per year. Couples everywhere, whether together forever or having just met recently for the first time, were gearing up for a magical day of love, friendship, and whatever else they could think of. However, a large number of ponies were gearing up for an event in Cloudsdale that they had been anticipating for quite some time.
Soarin woke up upon sensing daylight in his bedroom. He and Rainbow Dash had opted to stay at their parents' respective houses last night, as they had agreed that they didn't want to see each other until the big moment arrived. As Soarin sat up and rubbed his eyes, a small amount of adrenaline rushed through his body as one certain thought came to the front of his brain. "Wow...Today's the day..." he thought to himself. He was right. Today was the day, the day he would cease being a single stallion for as long as he and his fiancee both shall live. True, they already lived together, as the stallion had just recently sold his cloud home, but actually living together while married was an entirely different story, but he was as eager as ever to get a start on chapter one as soon as he could.
Getting out of bed, Soarin went over to his closet and noticed his formal Wonderbolts suit, including his shirt, tie, and blue jacket. He knew that later that day, he would be wearing that exact outfit while standing next to Princess Celestia as he and Rainbow Dash exchanged their vows. The mere thought of doing so sent a small chill through his body. This was going to be the biggest day of both his and Rainbow's lives.
Rarity hung the seven dresses in a large portable wardrobe and closed it up, making sure there weren't any exposed spots that could potentially ruin their pristine beauty. Aside from Rainbow Dash's wedding dress, there were six bridesmaid dresses for her, her friends, and Spitfire. Instead of having her and the others wear matching sky blue dresses, she got a little creative and made each dress a different color, one for each color in Rainbow Dash's mane. Rarity herself would be wearing blue, Pinkie Pie would be wearing red, Applejack would be wearing orange, Spitfire would be wearing yellow, Twilight would be wearing purple, and Fluttershy would be wearing green, as green was definitely her color in certain forms. Each of the bridesmaid dresses were adorned with fabric accessories of various colors that were sewn on completely instead of hanging loose.
Rainbow had been a bit worried about telling Starlight that she wouldn't be a part of the bridal party, but the unicorn didn't mind one bit, much to the pegasus' relief. Starlight said that she would be just as happy sitting next to Sunburst amongst the others in the crowd.
Rarity was about to go upstairs and get a head start on her hair and makeup when she heard a knock on her front door. She quickly ran over to it and opened it, her smile widening upon seeing her soon-to-be-married pegasus friend. "Rainbow Dash!" she exclaimed, "You're here! Come!" she continued, pulling Rainbow inside and attempting to drag her over to the stairs, "We have so much to take care of before the wedding!"
"Whoa, whoa, hold your horses, Rarity," Rainbow said, pulling herself away from her friend's grasp, "We said we'd all take care of that once we got to Cloudsdale, remember?"
Rarity finally paused. "Oh, you're right," she said, her tone dying down, "I suppose I forgot about that because of how excited I am!" she finished in a higher tone with an excited bounce.
"Haha...I can tell. You got everything you guys need?"
"Oh, absolutely! Our six dresses came out perfectly! Here, take a look!" she said, opening the portable wardrobe with her magic. Rainbow gave a wide grin upon seeing what her bridesmaids would be wearing.
"Wow! Awesome!" the pegasus exclaimed. She then walked forward to get a closer look. "Looks like you kept it pretty simple this time," she continued, "But I like how you made them to match my mane! They look great!"
"Well, I couldn't just make six plain, old, matching dresses," Rarity replied, walking up beside Rainbow, "I simply had to get a little creative, so I decided to take advantage of the fact that you chose six bridesmaids and create something amazing!"
"Well, you've blown me away yet again, Rarity, just like you always do. Thank you."
"Oh, it was nothing, darling. It's always a pleasure to do what I can to make my friends look as beautiful as they can possibly be."
"I thought so. Anyway, I think we ought'a make our way to Cloudsdale. Whaddaya think?"
"Absolutely. I just have to make a quick stop at Twilight's castle so she can cast that cloud-walking spell on Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Starlight, and I."
"Alright! See 'ya there!" Rainbow finished as she turned around and began to leave the boutique.
"Ta-taaa!" Rarity responded as she reclosed the wardrobe and prepared to leave, as well.
The amount of activity at Cloudsdale Gardens was very high. Multiple pegasi, plus a few alicorns, were making last-minute checks to ensure that the decorations were exactly how Rainbow and Soarin wanted them. Twilight, having already cast the cloud-walking spell on at least twenty ponies, put herself in charge of making sure everypony was doing everything correctly. She was already wearing her purple bridesmaid dress, along with a circular crown of white daisies that had a golden lightning bolt, identical to the one on Rainbow Dash's cutie mark, on both the left and right sides. All the bridesmaids would be wearing an identical headpiece, and Rainbow Dash would be wearing one, as well.
While Twilight was busy with the business in the main garden, the rest of Rainbow's bridesmaids, along with Rainbow herself, were getting ready in one of the female dressing rooms. They had each agreed to style their hair the exact same way it was for the royal wedding, as they couldn't think of any other style that was more formal. Spitfire, on the other hoof, kept hers the way it was, for the most part. Rarity frequently checked to see if they were all doing theirs right, making absolutely sure that there wasn't a single split end or area of asymmetry to be seen.
"Uhh...Rarity?" Applejack said, looking a bit concerned, "Are 'ya sure you're okay with me wearin' orange? I mean, doesn't this look like it blends in with my fur too much?"
"Nonsense, darling," Rarity replied, "I think you look fabulous in that dress! Plus, you have red accents that match your cutie mark and hair bands!"
"But I ain't wearin' my hairbands."
"Well, that's true, but you have no reason to be concerned, Applejack," Rarity continued, pulling a mirror out from the corner and holding it in front of AJ, "I don't think Rainbow will have any objection to how you look right now." AJ looked at herself in the mirror and decided that Rarity was right. Everything from her dress to her mane seemed to work out.
As for Spitfire, she seemed unsure of her looks, something that Rarity took into account as she glanced over to the Wonderbolt captain and saw her frowning. "Spitfire," the fashionista said, walking over to the pegasus, "Is something wrong? You don't look happy."
"Oh, it's nothing, Rarity," Spitfire replied, her smile returning, "I'm just not used to wearing dresses. They don't usually agree with me, if you know what I mean."
"Oh, I definitely know what you mean, darling, but I think you look wonderful! That vibrant yellow dress and bright orange accents go with your fur and mane perfectly!"
Spitfire looked at herself in the mirror again, then back at Rarity. "I guess you're right, but still..."
"I understand, Spitfire," Rarity finished, laying a hoof on Spitfire's shoulder.
"Hey, Rarity?" Rainbow Dash said, standing behind the unicorn. Rarity turned around and found Rainbow Dash with her mane in it's usual style, albeit wrapped in two golden hairbands. "I think I'm ready."
"Splendid!" Rarity exclaimed, "Oh, I can't wait to see your complete look! Ahh!!!" she squealed while clapping her hooves together, "Let's head into the changing room, shall we?"
"Sure," Rainbow finished.
Soarin and his groomstallions were just finishing up getting dressed for the ceremony in the male dressing room. While Soarin was wearing his formal Wonderbolts suit, the others were wearing tuxedos with jackets that were the same shade of blue as Soarin's. Braeburn had foregone his hat and Big Mac had done the same with the plow attachment from his neck. They didn't need to do as much 'getting ready' as Rainbow and her bridesmaids, and most of them had already finished getting ready, aside from the earth ponies grooming their manes.
"So, Soarin," Thunderlane began, "Today's the big day. How do you feel?"
"Well, as you can probably tell, I'm really nervous," Soarin replied, "But I'm trying to keep myself happy as best I can."
"What's wrong, dude? Seriously, you can tell me what's on you're mind."
Soarin sighed. "Well, I've had my eyes on Dashie for a long time, and I always dreamed of this day, and I'm thrilled that it's finally here. However, I wish it could have happened under different circumstances. All I wanted to do was date her for a while and then pop the question when I felt the time was right, but I couldn't do that. I got her pregnant right after she achieved her lifelong dream, and at that point, I felt like I was obligated to ask her to marry me. I couldn't just be her coltfriend for a while and then knock her up and never see her again."
"I hear 'ya, Soarin," Thunderlane replied, "And I don't think you're the first stallion to go through this exact same scenario."
The Wonderbolt smiled. "I just hope this isn't happening to you when you finally pop the question on Cloudchaser," Soarin said, giving his best stallion a friendly nudge.
Thunderlane blushed as Soarin gave him a chuckle. "Yeah...we'll see about that..." the black pegasus said. He then noticed how the sleeves on Soarin's jacket were rolled up like they usually were while his and the others' were fully extended. "Here," Thunderlane continued, reaching a hoof over to Soarin's forelegs and unrolling his sleeves for him.
Once Thunderlane was finished, Soarin looked at his forelegs, then around to the others, who were officially ready to go at any time. He then looked back at Thunderlane and said, "Thanks." Only at that moment did Soarin feel fully ready for his wedding.
"Perfect!" Rarity exclaimed, making one last stitch on Rainbow's dress as she finished modifying the chest and belly to accommodate her pregnancy. Rainbow then looked at herself in the mirror. She was amazed at how she looked, but after several seconds, her smile slowly faded, and she lowered her head slightly. "Rainbow, are you okay?" Rarity asked.
"Rarity, I..." Rainbow replied, not sure of what to say, "...I don't know."
"What's wrong, darling? I'm really worried about you. You seemed the slightest bit nervous all day."
"Well, I was fine earlier, but now that I'm seeing myself fully dressed for my wedding, I feel like everything's happening too quickly. I mean, like, four months ago, I became a Wonderbolt, and then I got pregnant, and now this. I just...well...I'm not sure if I'm ready for this..."
"Rainbow, is that true?"
The pegasus sighed. "N-Not really. Now that I think about it, I think I'm either having minor mood swings because of me being pregnant or because it's my wedding day and I know that I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with Soarin."
"I know it's hard, darling, but you should look on the bright side. Think about how much fun you're going to have with Soarin throughout your marriage. Think about how you'll be able to fly with the Wonderbolts once again after your foals are born. Doesn't any of that make you happy?"
Rainbow looked in the mirror one more time, all while picturing what Rarity just said in her mind. After a while, she smiled again. "Yeah, Rarity, it does."
"I'm glad it does, Rainbow, and might I say I don't think you've ever looked this magnificent in your life."
Rainbow turned and gave her friend a hug. "Thanks, Rarity," the pegasus said, "I'm really lucky to have you as a friend."
"And I feel the same way about you, Rainbow Dash," Rarity replied, breaking the hug and bringing over Rainbow's crown of daisies with her magic and putting it on the pegasus' head, "So, ready for your big reveal?"
"Yeah!"
"Alright, then. On my cue." Rarity then opened the door only wide enough for her to step out, and then she left the changing room. She closed the door and tapped the wall to get the other bridesmaids' attention. "Fillies and...well, fillies, may I present our stunning bride-to-be, Rainbow Dash!" She then opened the door with her magic, and then Rainbow walked forward, only to be met by wide-eyed and cheering mares.
"Rainbow, you look amazing!" Twilight exclaimed.
"I never thought I'd see you this beautiful!" Fluttershy said.
"YOU...LOOK...INCREDIBLE!!!!" Pinkie Pie shouted in-between short, energetic bounces.
"Hoo-wee!" Applejack began, "Rainbow, I think you look more beautiful than Rarity for once!"
"I beg your pardon!?" Rarity replied in a slightly displeased tone, her eyes narrowing slightly while her face sported a smile. Everypony else laughed. Rarity knew that her friend was only being playful, but she had to admit, Rainbow was gorgeous.
"Rainbow Dash, I gotta admit, you look better in this than you do in a flight suit," said Spitfire.
Rainbow was a bit surprised to hear her captain say that. "Really?" she asked.
"Yeah," Spitfire replied, "I mean, even though we're pretty athletic, we're still mares. We gotta look beautiful sometimes."
"Yeah, you're right," Rainbow finished.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door to the dressing room. Twilight went over to the door and opened it about an inch and a half. She quickly noticed it was her dragon assistant. "What is it, Spike?" she whispered.
"We're ready in the main garden. Are you?" the dragon replied.
Twilight turned her head around, seeing the rest of the bridal party looking at her and smiling. She then turned back to Spike and said, "Yes. We're ready, Spike. We'll be out in a minute, okay?"
"Okay!" Spike finished as the alicorn closed the door.
"Well," Twilight continued, turning around and looking directly at Rainbow, "This is it."
A small blush appeared on Rainbow's smiling face. It was time. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | Wedding Day: Part II | Princess Celestia stood alone on the edge of the gazebo in the middle of Cloudsdale Gardens. Sitting in front of her was a large group of ponies, mostly pegasi, here to witness the wedding of two long-time friends. On Celestia's left were the friends and family of Soarin, his parents sitting in the front row. On her right were the friends and family of Rainbow Dash, consisting of Firefly, Fleetfoot, Luna, Shining Armor, Cadance, Flurry Heart, Starlight, Sunburst, and many residents of Ponyville and Cloudsdale who knew Rainbow Dash all too well. Discord was there, as well; he was seated in the furthest left chair in the front row so as not to obstruct anyone else's view of the ceremony.
The Weather Patrol had made sure to keep the weather as perfect as possible for the soon-to-be-married couple and their guests. The sky above the crowd was completely clear, except for two heart-shaped clouds that were directly above the gazebo, about 100 feet in the air. Other than that, Celestia's sun was shining as brightly as it always was.
Celestia looked to her left and noticed Soarin walking around the crowd and toward her, eventually standing in front of her, bowing, and then moving off to the side to welcome the rest of the wedding party. He was looking as handsome as he'd ever been in his Wonderbolts business attire, the sleeves of his blue jacket extended all the way to keep with the formal looks that everypony else was presenting.
Soon, a pegasus pianist started playing, and the procession officially began. Everypony that was sitting down was now standing up and facing the aisle, eagerly waiting for everypony to pass through. The Cutie Mark Crusaders led the way, swinging their baskets of flower petals from side to side, much like they did at the royal wedding, except this time, they wouldn't have to do it twice. Up next was Spike, clad in his black tuxedo and top hat, carrying a red pillow with two gold rings, each one including a fabric string that would allow them to hang over the bride and groom's necks.
Up next were the ponies of the actual wedding party. Since Rainbow Dash had two more bridesmaids than Soarin did groomstallions, adjustments were made to keep everything looking even. Twilight and Spitfire entered side by side, turning to their lefts after bowing to Celestia. Once they were in position, the next pair entered the gardens, this one being Braeburn and Pinkie Pie. The party pony was doing her best to contain her excitement, trying not to run down the aisle in front of Braeburn and scream at the top of her lungs about how ecstatic she was. Up next were Caramel and Rarity, and they were followed by Big Mac and Applejack. After they were in position, Thunderlane and Fluttershy, best stallion and maid of honor, made their way down the aisle. After bowing to Celestia like the others had done, they parted ways and went to their respective positions.
Finally, the big moment arrived. The pianist began playing an all-too-familiar tune that was customary with weddings throughout Equestria. Everypony in the crowd turned to the archway at the back of the aisle, delighted by the beautiful sight before them. There was Rainbow Dash, beautifully clad in her extravagant wedding gown and crown of daisies. Almost immediately, she, along with her father, made their way down the aisle and toward Princess Celestia. As they walked, multiple OOOO's and AHHH's could be heard, most likely because of how Rainbow looked.
As Dash and her father neared the edge of the gazebo, Soarin's heart began beating faster and faster. He was blown away at how his soon-to-be-wife looked. True, she looked amazing in her flight suit, but her in her wedding dress was a different story. "This is it..." he thought to himself. Right in front of him was the mare he would be spending the rest of his life with, flying with her in the Wonderbolts, raising two foals together, everything. All he could do was smile and try not to look as nervous as he was.
At last, Rainbow Dash and Rainbow Blaze stood in front of Celestia and bowed, and then the pianist ceased playing. After the audience sat back down, there was a brief silence before Celestia greeted the crowd. "Dearly beloved," she began, "We are gathered here today to join these two ponies, Rainbow Dash and Soarin, in matrimony. Today is the day that one chapter in each of their lives will end, and another one will begin, one that they will have the honor of enjoying together." She then glanced down at Rainbow Blaze. "Who here gives this mare to be wed?"
"I do, your highness," Blaze responded. It was at this moment that he faced his daughter, gave her a hug and a kiss, and then looked her in the eyes one more time before he let her join Soarin up on the edge of the gazebo. Blaze then went and sat in his reserved seat, next to his wife.
Celestia then glanced down at Rainbow and Soarin and asked, "I understand that you each have prepared your own vows to read to each other, correct?"
"I've got mine right here, princess," Soarin replied.
"So do I," Rainbow responded.
"Perfect," Celestia continued, "Soarin, you may read your vows to Rainbow Dash first."
"Thank you," the stallion replied. He then reached into his left breast pocket, pulled out a small piece of parchment, and unfolded it. On it contained his true feelings for the pegasus mare in front of him.
Soarin took a deep breath and said, "Rainbow Dash, when I first laid my eyes on you, I instantly saw a picture of heavenly beauty. Your rainbow mane caught my eye immediately, and that, to me, made you unique, and you seemed to be the one mare I had been searching for all my life. It wasn't until later that we first became acquainted in a very unusual way, with you saving Spitfire, Fleetfoot, Rarity, and I, but when I finally got to spend time with you after the Best Young Flyers' Competition, I knew that you and I would become something someday. And now, my wish has come true. Right now, I'm standing in front of the greatest, most amazing, most awesome pony Equestria. You've filled my life with indescribable joy throughout the time we've been together. Now, the day has arrived where will finally start our life together." Soarin's smile faded slightly as he started reading what was next on the parchment. "I know that we're here because of circumstances we never saw coming, but to me, that doesn't matter. All that matters is that you and me are here right now, and that I am expressing my deepest and most honest feelings for you. Plus, with two foals on the way and Wonderbolts careers in hoof, I know that our marriage will be the best that has ever existed in the history of time." Soarin then looked Dash straight in the eye as he gave her a heartfelt smile. "Rainbow Dash, I love you with all my heart, and I wouldn't trade this day for anything in the world. I know deep down that you are the mare I'm meant to be with until I die. I promise that I will be the most faithful and supportive husband a pony could ask for, and I will continue being that husband until death do us part." At that moment, Soarin folded his parchment back up and put it back in his pocket.
Very few eyes were dry as Soarin finished reading his heartfelt vows to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow herself hadn't shed any tears yet, but she very close to doing so. Rarity was noticeably sobbing, but she was trying her best not to cry hysterically in front of everypony. Luckily, Spike was standing nearby, so, with one claw still holding the red pillow, he reached into his tuxedo pocket and pulled out a small handkerchief, holding it in front of the white unicorn. Rarity smiled at the young dragon, taking the white cloth in her magic and gently wiping her tears away.
"And now, Rainbow Dash," Celestia said, "You may read your vows to Soarin."
"Thanks," the cyan mare replied. She had hidden her vows in her left wing, so she unfurled it and brought the note to her awaiting left hoof. Once the parchment was unfolded, she breathed deeply and said, "Soarin, there was a time in my life when I felt that I was so busy with flying and trying to get into the Wonderbolts that I felt I wouldn't have time to be in a relationship. It seemed like I would live my life alone, just me and my other friends, until I achieved my dream. That's when you came along. You and I shared a deep passion for flying and being Wonderbolts, and that's what I believe drew us together." At this point, Rainbow was starting to sniffle as expressing her true feelings to Soarin tugged at her heartstrings. "You...hnnnf...have such an awesome attitude and personality that...hnnnf...from the moment I first experienced it...hnnnf...I knew that we were...hnnnf...that we were...hnnnf...sorry..." she finished in a whisper while closing her eyes, sniffling a few more times as a lone tear ran down her right cheek. Soarin noticed this and pulled a tissue out of his other pocket and handed it over to Rainbow, the mare smiling as she took it from him and wiped her eyes. "Thanks," she whispered to her stallion. Soarin only nodded as he was handed the tissue back, putting it back into his pocket. "Anyway," Rainbow continued, "I knew that we were perfect for each other. We each seemed to have the same outlook on life, the same love for the open air, and eventually, the same feelings for each other, and I feel honored to express those exact feelings to you right now on this special day, in front of all our friends and family. I never dreamed that Hearts and Hooves Day would be this important to both you and me, but now it is, and it'll stay that way for the rest of our lives. Soarin, I wholeheartedly promise from this day forth that I will be the greatest wife you could ask for, supporting you however I can and not have eyes for any other stallion in existence. I love you, Soarin, and I'll keep loving you until the end of time, even after we die." With that, Rainbow folded her parchment and stored it in her left wing once again.
By now, every single being in the crowd had at least one tear in their eye. Both the bride's and groom's words were some of the most heartfelt they had ever heard in their lives. They were happy that Celestia didn't have to read from and old book and have them repeat pre-written vows from ancient times. These words were straight from the heart, and they were better than any words that came out of a book.
"Thank you, Rainbow Dash," Celestia continued, "And now, it is time for me to ask each of you a very important question." She turned her head to face Soarin, and the stallion glanced at her briefly as she asked, "Soarin, do you take Rainbow Dash to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poor, through good times and bad, for as long as you both shall live?"
Soarin closed his eyes, lowered his head for one second, then looked Rainbow in the eyes and said, "I do."
"And Rainbow Dash, do you take Soarin to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poor, through good times and bad, for as long as you both shall live?"
Rainbow faced Soarin and, almost in a whisper, said, "I do."
"Spike?" Celestia said as she turned to the baby dragon near the bridesmaids. Immediately, he walked over to where she and the couple were standing, pillow in hand as he held it in front of Rainbow and Soarin. At that moment, Celestia whispered instructions into both pegasus' ears.
Next, Soarin took one of the strings and, balancing himself with both wings, used both his forehooves to hang the golden ring over Rainbow's neck, and then he said, "Rainbow Dash, with this ring, I thee wed."
After looking at the ring around her neck, Rainbow did exactly what Soarin did, taking his ring by the strings that it was attached to and placing it over his neck. She then said, "Soarin, with this ring, I thee wed." She then reached out her left forehoof, which Soarin took eagerly in his right, both pegasi bracing themselves for what Celestia was about to say.
With her loud and proud voice, Celestia announced, "I now pronounce you mare and colt! You may kiss the bride!" Not wasting any time, both pegasi dove forward and locked their lips together while everyone in the crowd cheered and clapped for the newly married couple. Over on the side, Pinkie Pie shot off a party cannon that she'd brought with her, sending confetti of all colors, primarily the ones on Rainbow and Soarin, into the air. Also, above everyone, the two heart-shaped clouds were pushed together by two flying pegasi to form one large, white heart.
Rainbow and Soarin eventually broke the kiss, giving each other a warm hug before turning to face their audience. Soarin took Rainbow's hoof in his once again and raised them both up, signifying his excitement of finally having Rainbow Dash all to himself. Soon, the now-husband-and-wife pair eagerly walked down the aisle past their family and friends, more colorful bits of confetti continuing to rain down as they were cheered on by everyone there. The rest of the wedding party followed them out, and soon, the crowd slowly exited the ceremony and went over to another area of the gardens, where the reception would take place.
As Rainbow and Soarin led the pack, Soarin looked over to his new wife, giving her a genuine smile as he whispered, "I love you."
Rainbow copied his look and replied, "I love you, too," before the two of them shared another loving kiss. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | *A Castle to Themselves | "And so, here's to two of the greatest friends in all of Equestria!" Thunderlane announced, he and Fluttershy standing next to each other after deciding to make a combined toast at the reception.
"To Rainbow Dash and Soarin!" Fluttershy said, loudly.
"Here!" the two pegasi announced in unison, raising their glasses of cider.
"Here!" the rest of the attendees replied, mimicking the actions of the best stallion and the maid of honor. They clinked their glasses with the ponies around them, then took a sip of cider before returning to their meals, which had been wonderfully prepared by the Royal Sisters' personal chefs, at Twilight's and Pinkie Pie's requests.
By the end of the celebration, none of the guests wanted the night to end. They had gotten too far into the mood and wanted to party until morning.
Keeping her promise from two months earlier, Pinkie Pie had made this reception, or, for that matter, the entire day's events, the best night of Rainbow's and Soarin's lives. Everything had gone according to plan so far. When all the guests had arrived in the reception hall, they talked for a while, then sat down for dinner, while multiple toasts were made by various members of the wedding party and the bride's and groom's parents. After that was over, Rainbow Dash and Soarin cut the cake, which was a five-level chocolate and vanilla cake, alternating with each level, all decoratively covered with vanilla butter-cream icing. It had been prepared by none other than Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and they were happy to see how much everypony enjoyed it.
Once everyone had finished eating, they gathered around the dance floor as the new husband and wife had their first dance as a married couple. The pegasus pianist from earlier, along with Octavia and a couple of other string musicians, played a slow, classic tune that expressed love and desire, two things that Rainbow and Soarin portrayed throughout their first dance. It was a special moment that was made even better by all the friends and family of couple around them.
After that, Vinyl Scratch - who, for once in her life, had decided to wear a bit of decent clothing, which was only a simple, short, white dress with blue lightning graphics - really got the party going as she went behind her turntables and cranked up the volume, playing some of the most popular techno dance music in the country, some of it being her very own. Stallions danced with mares, and mares danced with stallions. Some were in a group, some were on their own. Regardless, the room remained lively for many, many hours.
In the end, everypony stepped outside, where one of the royal carriages, also brought at the request of Twilight, was waiting for the new husband and wife. It had the usual 'Just Married' sign in the back, and instead of tin cans strung onto the rear, there were little bells that would ring easily in the air as the carriage soared through the sky.
Soarin and Rainbow Dash soon walked out past their guests, kissing each other on the lips one more time - which earned a few whistles from various ponies - before stepping into their awaiting chariot. Then, Rainbow faced away from the crowd, hovered slightly as best she could, then threw her bouquet of various colored flowers, which matched her mane and tail, into the crowd. Thankfully, Rarity avoided charging through everypony this time around and instead decided to go for it the old-fashioned way. The bouquet bounced over and between raised hooves, skipping somewhat freely until it landed unexpectedly in the claws of Spike, surprising the young dragon. He looked upward at the ponies around them and noticed no one looking in his direction. He then looked to his right, only to find Sweetie Belle standing next to him, smiling. He looked back at the arrangement of gorgeous flowers in his claws, then back at the white filly. He then graciously held the bouquet out to her, causing Sweetie Belle to bring a forehoof up to the side of her mouth, turn her head away slightly, and blush cutely. She then gracefully accepted the flowers, giving Spike a light kiss on the cheek as she did, causing the drake to blush, himself.
Soon, the bells at the back of the carriage began ringing as the two pegasi in front took to the skies, prompting the wedding party and guests to cheer one last time for Rainbow Dash and Soarin, who eventually disappeared into the night sky to begin their new life together.
Rainbow Dash slowly awoke from one of the best night's sleeps she'd had in a while. Last night had definitely been a blast both for her and Soarin, and was even better now since this was going to be their first full day as a married couple.
Rainbow climbed out of her and Soarin's bed, but once her hooves touched the cloud floor, they began to sink rapidly. In a slight state of panic, Rainbow leapt in the air and back onto the bed, the movement jolting Soarin awake as he turned over to his wife. "Ugh..." he grunted, "What's wrong, Dashie?"
Rainbow turned her head to face her husband and replied, "I...I don't think I can stay in this house much longer. I'm starting to sink into the clouds."
This got Soarin's attention immediately, causing him to sit up, his eyes widening. "Uh-oh," he replied, "Guess we should have done something about that earlier."
"It's okay, Soarin," Dash said, reassuringly, "I'm actually glad we came back to this house, our house, last night when the circumstances were perfect. I think me sinking into the clouds like this the next morning was just a freak coincidence. Still, I need to get to solid ground real quick," she finished. "Wow, I never thought I'd hear myself say that..." Dash thought to herself.
"I agree," Soarin responded, quickly getting out of bed.
Soarin and Rainbow Dash walked through the streets of Ponyville, most of the townsfolk congratulating them on their marriage. They eventually reached Sugar Cube Corner, where they were able to formally thank Pinkie Pie and the Cakes for all they had done for the ceremony. Soon, they were walking near Twilight's castle when the Princess of Friendship herself, along with Spike, ran into them. "Hey, guys!" Twilight said, happily.
"Hey, Twilight!" the two pegasi responded in unison.
"Boy, last night was amazing!" Spike said, putting his claws in the air.
"It sure was!" Rainbow replied.
"Totally a blast!" Soarin exclaimed.
"But..." Rainbow continued, "Now we have a problem."
"What's that?" Twilight asked.
"Well, just this morning, as I was getting out of bed, I started sinking into the cloud floor of our house pretty fast, and I knew at that point that I had reached the point in my pregnancy where I have to stand on solid ground until the foals arrive. The problem is, we never made arrangements to stay anywhere."
"Oh! Well, you're welcome to stay at my castle if you want!"
"Really?" Soarin asked.
"Of course!" Twilight replied, "In fact, you can have the whole place to yourselves!"
Both Rainbow's and Soarin's eyes widened, surprised that their friend would offer such a proposition. "Y-You're joking, right?" Rainbow asked.
"Of course not! Since you two are newlyweds, it only makes sense that you have some time to yourselves as you settle into married life. Of course, Spike, Starlight, and I may drop in from time to time during the day, but the castle will be all yours at night."
"But, where will you three be?" Soarin asked.
"Well," Twilight continued, spreading her wings, "Since I can fly now, I can handle being in a cloud home. Why don't we just swap houses until your foals are born?"
Soarin and Dash looked at each other, unsure if they should accept such a generous offer. "You're really sure about this, Twilight?" Rainbow asked.
"Absolutely," the princess responded.
"Does that mean you're gonna have to keep recasting that cloud-walking spell on Starlight and I for the next - what is it - seven months?" Spike asked, looking up at Twilight.
"Starlight, yes," the alicorn replied, "But as for you, Spike, I think Rarity would love to have you stay with her. She could probably use the extra help."
Looking at nopony in particular, Spike just stood there, wide-eyed. He immediately thought about how wonderful it would be to spend the next several months living with the mare of his dreams. He sighed as he pictured the ever-beautiful Rarity walking toward him, planting a kiss on his cheek, and saying in her most loving tone, "Oh Spike, you're the most amazing dragon in all of Equestria. I'd simply be honored to have you to stay with me for the rest of my life."
"Spike!" Twilight exclaimed, breaking the dragon of his trance.
"Oh, uhhh..." Spike replied, "Yeah, Twilight! I guess I could stay with Rarity for a little while."
"Great! I'll just go see if she's okay with doing this. In the meantime," Twilight continued, looking back at Rainbow and Soarin, "Why don't you two go and make yourselves at home? I can arrange to have some of your things brought down here, if you'd like. The three of us will be completely out of your hair by 8:00 tonight."
The two pegasi looked each other in the eyes one more time, smiling to each other before turning back to face the alicorn. "Thanks so much, Twilight!" Rainbow said, eager to have her friend's house all to her and her husband.
"Yeah, thanks!" Soarin followed up, "We definitely owe you one!"
"Really, it's nothing!" Twilight replied, "You guys are my friends, and I'd do anything to help you whenever you need it! Anyway, Come on, Spike," Twilight said as she faced the dragon once again, "We have to go see if Rarity's willing to have you stay with her."
Spike had already drifted off into another Rarity-related daydream when Twilight spoke to him, and he shook his head before replying, "Oh, yeah! That! Uhhh...see you guys later!" he said before running in the direction of the Carousel Boutique.
As Twilight followed her dragon assistant, Rainbow and Soarin looked at how fast Spike was running away, then they both giggled at each other. "He just never stops going all gaga over Rarity, doesn't he?" Rainbow asked, chuckling.
Soarin giggled back in response. "I guess not."
Soarin sighed contently as the last picture frame was put in the right place on the dresser. He and Rainbow Dash had already chosen which one of Twilight's guest rooms they would be staying in, and they had spent some time decorating it to make it feel like their own room at home. The bedroom overlooked most of Ponyville, primarily the east side. As for the room itself, it twice the size of their current bedroom, complete with its own en-suite bathroom.
"Perfect," Soarin said, looking at the work he and his wife had done to their temporary bedroom, "Home sweet home."
"For now," Rainbow replied, leaning her head affectionately against Soarin's neck.
The clock on the wall read 8:05 PM as the two pegasi exited their room and went downstairs, just as Twilight, Starlight, and Spike were about to leave after helping them get moved in. The princess and the unicorn were just walking out the front door as Spike exited the living room. Rainbow Dash looked into said room and noticed that more of their pictures had been placed throughout, plus a fire had been started in the fireplace. Dash then asked, "Did you light that fire for us, Spike?"
Spike froze, worried that he might be criticized for doing something to 'help', so to say, somepony else's relationship. "Uhhh...yeah," the dragon replied, nervously, "I just, you know...wanted to...make the room feel a little more...romantic? Like...since you guys are newlyweds and...all that stuff. Oh, geez, look at the time!" he exclaimed while looking at an imaginary watch around his wrist, "I gotta go! See ya!" Spike began to run toward the front door, but he stopped when he heard Rainbow's voice once again.
"Thanks, Spike," Dash said, giving him a warm smile. Spike said nothing in return. He only gave a weak smile before turning to exit the castle, leaving the newlyweds to themselves, free to enjoy their massive temporary home on their own.
Dash then looked at the fire that Spike had left for them, and then she looked at Soarin. "That fire sure does look nice," she said.
Soarin took a glance of his own at the fireplace. "It sure does," he replied, extending a wing over his wife's back and walking forward. Dash followed alongside him, and soon, they arrived in front of the elegant fireplace, complete with a red chaise lounger, much like the many that Rarity owned, directly in front of it.
Dash sat on her rump in front of the fireplace, rubbing her forehooves together and then turning them toward the flickering fire, attempting to feel its warmth. She didn't have to wait long, though, as the wonderful heat graced her hooves, belly, and cheeks all at the same time. She sighed contently as she began to relax, but her ears perked up slightly upon hearing a voice. "You seem to be enjoying yourself, huh, Dashie?" Soarin asked, somewhat playfully. He had already laid down on the lounger on his left side, the front of his muscular body facing the fire.
Rainbow giggled. "Yeah," she replied in a slightly seductive tone, "This feels pretty good, but I know what can make it better." She then got up onto the lounger and pressed her still slightly cold back to Soarin's chest, all while the stallion wrapped his forelegs around his wife. His right hoof lay over her distended belly, while his left held onto her chest, Rainbow's own forelegs curling up and drooping over her husband's front leg. Soarin then nestled his snout into his wife's mane for a brief second before sighing, happy with the position they were in. Rainbow sighed as well as she felt the rest of her body become enveloped in warmth of all kinds.
For the next twenty minutes, the couple just lay there silently, enjoying each other's body heat, as well as the heat from the fire. They listened to every pop, every crack, every little sound, along with the gentle roar of the fire itself, all putting their minds at ease.
Rainbow and Soarin already enjoyed many nights in bed together, where they would be in a similar position, feeling each other's warmth. This, however, was different. This wasn't just a normal coltfriend and marefriend get-together for the night. They were married now, and they were relaxing together somewhere other than a bed. Being together in this scenario felt amazing for both of them. Every little surge of heat from either the fire or their own bodies was basically more of their love circulating between each other. Every content sigh signaled that they were that much more happy to finally be together forever. Every little caress of a hoof was showing how much they wanted to make each other feel wonderful. This was a moment they would remember for the rest of their lives. It was perfect. They were alone, in front of a warm fire, together, with nopony there to bother them. Neither Rainbow nor Soarin wanted this moment to end.
"Hey, Dash?" Soarin whispered, causing Rainbow's ear to flick a little bit.
"Yeah, Soarin?" she replied, also in a silent tone.
"I'm so glad we're finally husband and wife."
Rainbow smiled. "Me, too," she replied, sweetly, "I'm glad it's finally just the two of us. I've been waiting for this for so long."
"I just hope I can be the best husband there is..."
"Well, you're doing a pretty good job so far. You're kind, supportive," she then snuggled closer to her husband, "...and a really good snuggle buddy."
Soarin giggled. "Hehe...I love you, Dashie,"
Rainbow turned her head upward and looked Soarin in the eyes. "I love you, too, Soarin," she replied before moving in for a kiss. Ever since getting married, kissing felt much, much different. There was now more love, passion, and desire in each one, and they loved it.
The two pegasi soon broke the kiss, and Rainbow kept her head tilted upward and snuggled further into Soarin, trying to feel some of his chest fur on her cheek. "Hehe..." Soarin giggled again, "You look really cute, Dashie."
"What? Me? Cute?" Rainbow responded in a soft tone, still smiling while blushing slightly, "How am I cute? I mean, look at me! I'm huge!"
"Of course you look cute," Soarin continued, rubbing Dash's pregnant belly, "That smile, that blush, the way you cuddled up next to me, it's just really...well, cute."
Rainbow's blush deepened as she looked away slightly, still sporting the little smile that Soarin found so adorable. The stallion then leaned in closer to his wife's ear and whispered, "You know, I may just have to punish you for being so cute..."
Rainbow turned her head back up and gave Soarin a coy grin. "And just how do you think you're gonna do that?" she whispered in response.
Still positioned at her ear, Soarin replied, "You'll see..." He then blew gently into Dash's ear, then started affectionately nibbling on its tip. The ear flickered upon instinct, and Rainbow gave a soft, high-pitched moan at the sensation.
"Ooooooh...Soarin..."
The stallion then slowly lowered his hoof down Rainbow's stomach, but as he grazed the edge of one of her teats, he heard a sharp, "Ugh!..." come out of his wife's mouth.
He immediately jerked his hoof away and said, "Sorry. You okay?"
Rainbow let out a slow breath as the slight bout of pain slowly faded away. "Yeah," she replied, "I'm okay. You don't have to be sorry. They've just...well, gotten a bit bigger lately. It's my fault for not warning you."
"Hey, it's nopony's fault," Soarin responded, leaning down to give his wife a peck on the cheek, "It's just nature doing its job."
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
Soarin then remained silent for several seconds, thinking about something. "Stay here, Dash," he said, "I wanna try something." After receiving a nod from his wife, Soarin got up from his position, allowing Rainbow to lie on her back with her head against the lone pillow as Soarin stood between her hind legs. He laid down, his upper chest lying on top of Rainbow's pregnant belly as he lowered his head. He then started planting slow, affectionate kisses on the top of Rainbow's stomach, going a bit lower with every few kisses.
"Ahhh..." Rainbow sighed and moaned at the same time, closing her eyes as she reached her forehooves out to meet Soarin's, which were on the sides of her form.
Soarin left a small trail of kisses down Rainbow's belly until he got to her belly button. Normally, it was a slight inny, but because of the foals growing inside of her, it had turned into an outie, and a rather prominent one, too. It wasn't more than a centimeter in diameter and it was only about thirteen millimeters high, but it was still noticeable, and Soarin didn't want to leave it unattended.
Soarin began tracing a circle around Rainbow's belly button with his tongue, the alien sensation making Rainbow moan quietly in delight. As Rainbow's forehooves continued to rub gently against his, Soarin wrapped his lips around her little mound and began suckling, as if it was one of her nipples. "Oooohhhh..." Rainbow cooed. Never in her life did she think she would be a fan of belly worship, especially in her pregnant state, but the way Soarin was treating her felt absolutely amazing. She moved her right forehoof up and began to caress the back of Soarin's head, running it through his soft, dark blue mane.
Soarin took his wife's actions as an initiative and continued sucking her belly button for several more minutes before pulling back, giving it a loving kiss before continuing his trail down south. He soon sensed his chin getting dangerously close to her slightly swollen teats, so he picked his head up and lowered it, eyeing Rainbow's slightly aroused pussy. His snout neared his prize, but right when he was about to start licking it, his wife's voice stopped him. "S-Soarin, wait," Rainbow said, breaking the silence.
Soarin pulled his head up and asked, "Huh? What is it, Dash?"
"I...well, I didn't mean to stop you all of a sudden, but...let's not do that here."
Soarin's smile then returned. "You wanna take this to our bedroom?"
"Actually," Rainbow continued, her tone shifting to a seductive one while her face began to sport a devilish grin, "I know something better we could do..."
"What's that?" Soarin asked, bringing his head a little closer to his wife's.
Rainbow pulled herself up to Soarin's ear and whispered, "I want you to screw me in Twilight's bed."
Soarin jerked his head away, slightly taken aback by such a request. He wanted to object, but he was far too in the mood at this point, which was made evident by his slowly growing erection. He gave Dash a seductive glare and said, "Ooooo...You're a naughty little filly, aren't you, Dashie?"
"Yeah..." Dash whispered in reply, bringing her lips to Soarin's. Both pegasi closed their eyes as they leaned into the kiss, and then Soarin picked his wife up with his forelegs and began flapping his wings. As they continued making out, Soarin flew the two of the up the massive staircase in the center of the castle. As he did, he moved one of his forehooves down to Rainbow's rump, rubbing it in circles before giving it a few light, gentle spanks. Rainbow moaned into the kiss as he did, getting more aroused as he punished her, so to speak.
Soon, the couple was on the upper level, and Rainbow broke the kiss as she pointed to where Twilight's bedroom door was with a hoof. Soarin flew over to the door and opened it, his lips returning to his wife's as they arrived at Twilight's large, perfectly made bed. Soarin laid Dash down on the comforter as he lay on top of her, continuing their kiss for several minutes before breaking away for oxygen. The two ponies locked eyes briefly, and then Soarin took another glance at his wife's marehood, which, at this point, was completely soaked. As for Soarin's member, it was at full mast, eagerly waiting to be engulfed by Rainbow's pussy.
Soarin lay on his left side to the right of his wife, and Rainbow moved onto her own left side once she realized what Soarin was planning to do. The stallion began licking Rainbow's right ear, taking it into his mouth as he lined himself up. Soon, Soarin's tip was inside Rainbow's lower lips, and the two pegasi moaned blissfully as their long sexual hiatus finally came to an end.
Soarin slowly eased himself further in, but just as his medial ring entered Rainbow's lips, he found that he could go no further. He knew immediately that he was right at the edge of his wife's outstretched womb, and it worried him. In no way did he want to hurt the unborn foals, and he knew that the only way to not do that was to pull out of her. He did just that, much to the disappointment of his wife. "Ooooohh..." Rainbow moaned as she yearned for her stallion's cock to re-enter her. She then gasped as she felt his tip press up against her again, only in a slightly higher spot. "Why, you naughty little colt!" she said, sultrily.
Soarin leaned forward and kissed Dash on the cheek before replying, "Hey, I still need to punish you for being such a cute filly, don't I?"
Rainbow blushed at the comment, remembering how cute she was to him earlier. She then put on a mischievous smile, turning her head back to face him a she replied, "Yeah."
"Besides," Soarin continued in a more normal tone, rubbing his wife's belly, "I think this might be better for both us and the foals. I don't wanna risk poking too hard, which could disrupt them."
Rainbow pondered what her husband said, and then replied, "Okay."
Soarin then moved his hips into position before saying, "You ready?"
Rainbow grinned devilishly before responding, "Gimme all you got, you hunky stallion."
"With pleasure," Soarin whispered. He then pressed his hips forward, trying to push his tip, which was still well-lubricated with Rainbow's juices, into her butthole. Rainbow moaned slightly, clenching her buttocks on reflex. "Shhh..." Soarin cooed into her ear, "Just relax." Rainbow did as she was told, letting loose the sudden tension and allowing Soarin to move forward.
When his head finally popped inside, both ponies went, "Ahhh!..." at the sensation. Never had Rainbow felt so tight to him, and never before did Rainbow have anything put up her rear. All that changed in this one moment, as the new sensation racked both their bodies.
Rainbow had clenched herself around Soarin's cock, but she soon relaxed and allowed him to push a couple of more inches into her. Rainbow clenched again, but only did so for one second before relaxing. Slowly but surely, Soarin was able to fit his entire length inside Rainbow's ass, and when his balls finally touched her vaginal lips, he sighed in complete and utter contentment. Rainbow did as well, clenching her inner walls one more time as the feeling of something long and hard up her butt made her feel pleasure like she'd never felt before. "Oooohhh...Soarin," she spoke, "This feels so awesome..."
"Yeah...It does..." Soarin cooed in response. Holding his wife tightly against him, Soarin left his cock inside Rainbow's butthole, allowing both of them to bask in the sensations it was giving them. Now, there were three beings who had a temporary home: Rainbow, Soarin, and the lone stallionhood in the room.
After about three minutes, Soarin slowly moved backwards, drawing nearly half of his member out of Rainbow's rear before he met resistance. He then slowly pushed himself back in, lovingly massaging his wife's inner walls. Both mare and stallion moaned at their own leisure as Soarin repeated this motion for several more minutes, slowly and affectionately making love to his beautiful Rainbow.
Soon, Soarin began moving a little bit faster, and as he did, he reached his right forehoof down between Rainbow's hind legs, careful not to brush up against her sensitive teats. Thankfully, he avoided them, and his hoof soon met warm, wet flesh, making Rainbow gasp. As he gradually quickened his thrusts, he began to rub her lower lips, coaxing even more liquid out. Soarin continued this for another few minutes before Rainbow's moans reached a higher volume, all while his cock started to heat up further, signaling the inevitable.
"Ahhh...Dash," Soarin moaned, panting for air as he did, "You getting close?"
Rainbow gently started to buck her hips against her husband's hoof, which only served to move his cock in more pleasurable ways inside her ass. "Y-Yeah...Ahhh..." she responded, "You?"
"Yeah...ughhh...Get ready..."
The pressure began to build rapidly in both ponies, and not a minute later, their moans were replaced by screams of euphoria. Rainbow's lower lips spasmed, clenching around a nonexistent cock as her cum poured out of her and soaked Soarin's hoof. At the same time, her rectal muscles clenched tightly around Soarin's stallionhood as it began twitching violently. With a loud grunt, Soarin found release inside his wife, pumping his pent-up passion into her plothole.
Rainbow cried out in ecstasy as her deepest recesses were flooded with Soarin's warm, gooey cum, the heat and pressure sending her into a second climax. She moaned loudly as a second round of thick fluids flowed out of her vagina, soaking Soarin's hoof, balls, and the comforter below.
Both ponies lay there panting, enjoying each other's warmth in their afterglow. Soarin slightly released his grip on Rainbow, his forelegs still holding her perfectly close as his hooves gently stroked her fur. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek and the side of her neck, prompting Rainbow to turn her head and allow her lips to make contact with his, the couple sharing more of their love as they lay there. As they kissed, Soarin's erection died down and popped out of Rainbow's back door, a few stray shots of cum leaking from his tip as they landed on both her and the sheets. As for Rainbow's butthole, several streams of seed gently flowed out of it, the mare basking in their warmth as they ran down the side of her flank and onto the comforter.
After several long minutes of heavy breathing, Soarin broke the silence. "hhhh...Wow, Dashie. You were incredible."
"hhhh...So were you..." Rainbow replied, silently, "Maybe I should act cute more often."
"Why?" Soarin asked, giving a small chuckle.
Rainbow smiled at him coyly. "So you can punish me back there again, if you know what I mean..."
Soarin gently caressed Rainbow's belly with his wet hoof, letting out a small giggle. "Hehe...I love you, Dashie."
"I love you, too, Soarin," Rainbow finished, kissing him on the lips one more time. After separating, Rainbow looked down behind her. "What are we gonna do about these sheets?" she asked.
Soarin nuzzled her neck before replying, "We can worry about that later."
"Sounds like a good idea..." Rainbow replied, yawning as she finished her sentence. Soon, the warmth from the night's activites took over her body, and she fell asleep in her husband's embrace. Soarin gave Rainbow one more kiss on the cheek before laying his head back down and closing his eyes, letting sleep overtake him soon after. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | Just When They Thought Things Were Perfect... | Fleetfoot flew high above the clouds that were the Wonderbolts' training grounds. She and the rest of the group had a show coming up in Los Pegasus, and she was going to be performing an aerial acrobatic move she had never done before - a corkscrewing, quadruple loop-de-loop.
As Soarin watched from below, he saw his teammate flare her wings outward and begin to fly upwards, resulting in the beginning of the first loop. At the same time, he saw her twist her body to the left, beginning the long corkscrew. She did this for about five seconds before the stunt was complete, and she soon landed next to Soarin. "Nice job, Fleetfoot!" Soarin said, "Not bad for your first time! Just make sure you're beginning the corkscrew before you make the first ascent."
"Got it. Thanks," Fleetfoot replied. She turned away to begin flying again, but before she took to the skies, she turned back to Soarin and asked, "Hey, I never got to ask you, how's married life treating you?"
"Not too badly," Soarin replied, "I mean, Rainbow and I have been married for only a month, but it's been an amazing experience. I'm just glad that we're together and happy."
"Soarin, please report to my office immediately," came Spitfire's voice over the intercom on the side of the building.
"I wonder what that's about," Fleetfoot said, looking slightly concerned.
"Ahhh, it's probably just a note from Dash saying that she wants me to pick up another layer cake on the way home."
"Is she still eating a whole lot of them?" Fleetfoot asked with a slightly sarcastic grin.
"Not as much as before, but they've been her favorite 'craving condenser', as she calls it, since the beginning of the pregnancy. Anyway, hopefully this won't take too long. See 'ya!" Soarin finished, waving to Fleetfoot as he went inside the building.
When Soarin reached Spitfire's office, he opened the door, only to find both her and his mother waiting for him. "Mom?" Soarin said, "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, Soarin, there you are," Wind Glider replied in a sad tone, reaching out a foreleg and hugging her son.
"What's wrong?" Soarin asked.
"It's...It's your father," she continued, beginning to shed a few tears, "He...hnnnf...He was in a construction accident at the cloud factory, and...hhhh...he's at the hospital right now."
Soarin's eyes went wide, as anypony would have suspected. "What?!?" he replied, "Is he okay?"
"He's...well...hhhh...He was unconscious when I left, and...hnnnf...both his wings are broken..." she finished in a quiet tone.
"Oh no!..." Soarin exclaimed silently, his volume decreasing while he put a hoof to his mouth. His eyes narrowed in sadness, and he was very close to shedding tears of his own.
The room remained silent for several seconds before Spitfire spoke up. "Soarin, you can have the rest of the day off so you can go see your dad. I won't dock your pay."
Soarin turned to face the yellow mare and replied, "Thanks." He then turned to his mom and said, "One of us should go get...oh, wait, is he at Cloudsdale General?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Shoot...Dash can't be on clouds right now. But...I really want her here."
"Please," Wind Glider responded, "Let me go talk to her. I want you to go and see your father."
"Okay," Soarin replied, his tone remaining a sad one. "See 'ya, Spitfire," he said to his boss.
"Bye, Soarin," she replied, "Hope things get better soon."
"Me, too," the stallion replied as he and his mother left the office and eventually flew away in different directions.
Soarin walked through the entrance to the Emergency Room at Cloudsdale General Hospital and immediately trotted up to the front desk. "Excuse me," he said to the pegasus mare behind the counter.
"Yes, how can I help you?" the mare responded.
"Is my dad in this part of the hospital? His name is Grey Nimbus."
"Oh, him. No, they just moved him up to Intensive Care."
"Oh no..." Soarin said to himself, silently.
"Don't worry," the receptionist said, reassuringly, "The doctor said his vitals were okay, so he's not in any immediate danger."
"Is he still unconscious?"
"Last I heard, yes, but who knows? Maybe he's woken up by now."
"Where can I find him?"
"Just head down that hallway," the mare continued, pointing to her right, "And make a right at the fork. There'll be a staircase to your left that will lead you to the ICU. Your father's in room 209. Here," she finished, holding out a plastic hoofband with the number 209 in her writing, "I just need you to put this on."
"Sure," Soarin replied, holding his left forehoof up. The receptionist then fastened the plastic band onto his wrist. "Thanks," Soarin replied.
"No problem. See you soon!" the mare finished.
"Bye," Soarin replied, turning to his left to follow the directions he had been given.
After navigating the hallways, Soarin finally reached the Intensive Care Unit, and he went up to the reception desk. "Is there a stallion named Grey Nimbus here?" Soarin asked, "He's my father."
"I'm sorry, he's up in Radiology getting an MRI," the mare behind the counter said.
"But...the mare from the ER said he was up here."
"She probably meant that he would be here soon. Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be here shortly," she replied, trying not to sound worried, "Right now, you can just wait in the waiting area over there, if you'd like."
"Okay. Thanks," Soarin replied.
"And your name is...?"
"Soarin."
"Okay, Soarin. I just need you to sign in right here, okay?"
"Will do," the stallion finished, taking a pen in his mouth and signing his name on the sign-in sheet. After putting the pen down, he made his way to the sitting area, sitting down in a green chair. A few seats away, there was a pegasus mare silently crying while a stallion comforted her. Soarin had no way of knowing if he was her brother, father, son, or just a friend, but he knew that the way the mare was acting could have been just how his own mother was acting when she'd heard the news.
Pretty soon, a nurse called Soarin's name and guided him to room 209. The stallion gulped, not looking forward to seeing what was on the other side. Slowly, he opened the door, growing increasingly nervous as he did. Once it was opened, Soarin saw his father and another female nurse. To his relief, his father's eyes were open, and the nurse was checking his vital signs, all while slowly rubbing his cheek as he regained consciousness. However, the top of his head, plus both of his wings, were encased in long, white bandages. The were also several bumps and bruises that were visible either on his face or his forelegs.
"Dad!" Soarin exclaimed, his voice not being too loud.
"Oh, hello!" the nurse said, "Are you this stallion's son?"
"Yeah. I'm Soarin. How is he?" Soarin asked, getting closer to his dad's bed.
"Well, he regained consciousness a few minutes after arriving in Radiology. We've already taken x-rays of his wings and we're awaiting the results of the MRI of his head."
"How bad is it?"
"Well, we don't know yet. We'll just have to wait and see. Other than that, his heart rate and blood pressure are fine, so as far as his internal organs are concerned, he's alright for now, unless we find a bleed somewhere in the brain."
"What exactly happened?" he asked.
"From what the paramedics told us, there was a crane near him holding a steel beam. The crane somehow malfunctioned, and while your father was hovering by a wall and hammering a few nails into place, the beam struck him across the head, which we believe knocked him unconscious instantly, and then he somehow turned in mid-air and slammed his back against another wall, crushing his wings.
Soarin shivered slightly, realizing that his father may never be the same after this. "C-Could I have some time with him alone?" he asked.
The nurse checked the vital sign monitor one more time before replying, "Sure. Let me know when you're done, okay? We need to keep a close eye on him."
"That's fine. Thanks," Soarin finished as the nurse began to exit the room.
Soarin then focused his attention on his injured father. It was hard for Soarin to look at him in this state. He had always pictured his father being very active and sometimes being the center of attention. Now, he was lying on a hospital bed, barely conscious, his wings shattered, and his head partially wrapped in bandages. It was a sight that Soarin hoped he would never see happen to somepony in his family.
"Dad?" Soarin asked, silently.
Grey Nimbus' eyes were already open, and he turned them to his right and noticed Soarin standing over him. "Uhhh...'Dad'?" he asked in confusion.
It was then that Soarin's body began heating up with adrenaline. "What? D-Do you know who I am??" he asked, frantically.
Grey Nimbus squinted his eyes for a second, and then replied, "You don't look familiar to me."
Soarin began hyperventilating as he made a beeline for the door. Once it was open, he turned his head to the right and screamed, "NURSE!!"
Within a few seconds, the same pegasus mare who was treating his father earlier came rushing down the hallway and asked, "What's the problem?"
"My dad lost his memory!"
"Oh, I'm not surprised," she replied, "He had quite a blow to the head."
"No, I mean, he doesn't know who I am! I'm his son, for crying out loud!"
"Oh, that's what you mean..." the nurse responded, a concerned look on her face, "For now, we'll have to wait until the MRI results are in. That way we can determine how long he'll be like this. Let me go check and see him for myself."
"Okay," The stallion replied.
"Soarin!" came a voice that Soarin didn't expect to hear. He lifted his head, only to find his wife, along with his mother, trotting quickly toward him.
"Dash?!?" Soarin asked in surprise, "How did you get here?"
"Twilight was at the castle and I had her cast a cloud-walking spell on me after your mom told me about your dad, but that doesn't matter right now. How is he?" she asked.
Soarin lowered his head. He wasn't at all eager to tell them the news, but he knew he had to. With a deep breath, Soarin said, "He's conscious and his vitals are okay, even though we're still awaiting the MRI results, but...he's...he's got amnesia. TOTAL amnesia. He doesn't remember who I am."
Both mares gasped silently. "G-Grey..." Wind Glider said, tears forming in her eyes.
Soarin took a few steps forward and drew his mother into a hug as she started sobbing, Rainbow joining the embrace soon after. None of the pegasi spoke a word. The only sound they heard was that of Wind Glider's sadness leaving her body through her mouth and eyes. After about a minute, they broke the embrace, and while Wind Glider continued sobbing, Rainbow asked, "Can I go see him?"
"I...don't know if you want to see him like this," Soarin replied, "It was hard for me to see him the way he is now."
"I think I can handle it," Dash replied, walking past Soarin and poking her head through the door. She took one look at her father-in-law, and her face cringed slightly upon seeing his injuries. It briefly reminded her of the time she spent in Ponyville's hospital, waiting for her own wing to recover. This, however, was much worse.
Rainbow pulled her head away and faced Soarin and his mom. "Wow..." she replied, "I'm really sorry, you guys."
Finally ceasing her sobbing, Wind Glider replied, "Thank you, Rainbow Dash." She then drew her daughter-in-law into another hug, but only a brief one.
Once they were apart, Rainbow turned to Soarin and asked, "You wanna go home?"
Soarin sighed, a depressed look on his face. "Yeah..." he replied, "I doubt my dad will remember who you are, anyway." He then gave his mother one more hug and said, "Bye, mom. See you soon."
"Bye, honey," Wind Glider replied in a slight whisper. She separated from her son, and then went back into her husband's room as Soarin and Rainbow made their way toward the hospital's exit.
Soarin and Rainbow Dash were soon back inside Twilight's castle. Throughout their flight back to Ponyville, which Rainbow was happy to be able to do for once during this stage of the pregnancy, Soarin had been holding back a large amount of tears. Never in his life had he feared for one of his parents, and now that it was actually happening, his mind was flooded with emotions, despite being a rather authoritative stallion at times.
Soarin and his wife lay on a couch in the front living room. By now, Soarin was well into emptying his tear ducts, but he wouldn't be stopping anytime soon. Rainbow was sitting up, her husband's head on the top of her distended belly. She held Soarin's head with both her forelegs, gently caressing his mane as he let his emotions out. All she could do right now was comfort her husband, and she was more than willing to do so.
Eventually, Soarin ceased sobbing, and he took a few deep breaths before he heard a voice. "Soarin?" Rainbow asked, slightly whispering, "How do you feel now?"
Soarin sniffled. "hnnnf...I feel awful, Dash. Just...totally awful," he replied.
"I'm sorry," Dash responded, gently caressing the back of his neck, "I feel bad, too. I may not have really known your dad for long, but he's a really great guy, and I understand why you're so sad."
"It's...It's not just my dad, Dash."
"Huh? What else is wrong?"
"It's...hnnnf...It's the fact that this is happening so early in our marriage. Remember how I said I wanted us to be happy and worry-free until the foals arrived once we got married?"
"Yeah."
"Well, now look what's happening. This. My dad almost died on the job." At this point, Soarin's tone shifted to one of both frustration and sadness. "You know, for all I know, they could be going crazy over a brain hemorrhage that they found on the MRI, and maybe he's dead by now."
"Soarin, no! Don't jump to conclusions like that."
Soarin grunted out of slight guilt, realizing how much his tone had changed. "Sorry, Dash," he replied, "I just can't believe that were only a month into our marriage and already something's going wrong. This isn't what I wanted to happen..."
"Soarin, that's why we're here for each other," Rainbow continued in a warm, motherly tone, "At our wedding, we promised that we'd be here for each other through bad times. In fact, we started doing that even before we got engaged. You were there to comfort me after I found out I was pregnant, and again when I realized that I would be giving away two foals for adoption. Now, I feel like I'm returning the favor, just like any kind, loyal wife would do for their husband. I guess what I'm saying is, I won't let you go through this alone. We're family now, and family always sticks by each other in times like this." She then took one of Soarin's forehooves in hers before continuing. "Soarin, if we stick by each other during this ordeal, we can make it through. All we need to do is remain optimistic that your dad's gonna pull through."
"But...what about his amnesia?"
"Well, we can tell ourselves that it's only going to be temporary, and that'll keep our hopes up, especially yours, for sure." She then moved their hooves to the front of her belly. "Your dad's a tough guy, Soarin, and I'm positive that he's gonna pull through and be able to meet his grandkids."
Soarin glanced at where his hoof was. Having it against his wife's belly, against his own children, slowly made his thoughts change. From what Rainbow had said, he concluded that he shouldn't be losing any confidence throughout this ordeal. He had to remain strong for his wife, his unborn foals, and especially his mother and father. If he was even the slightest bit sad, mainly in front of his mother, one or both of them could lose hope completely. On the other hoof, if he remained confident and strong, he could help his mother through this situation much easier. It all made sense to him now, and he was happy that Rainbow had been the kind, supporting wife she'd promised to be. At the same time, he couldn't believe how a pair of unborn ponies could give him so much confidence. Now, unless the medical result suggested otherwise, Soarin was not going to lose any hope.
Soarin looked his wife in the eyes and kissed her on the lips. He pulled away shortly after and said, "Thank you, Dash. I'm so happy to have you in my life. Not just you, but the foals as well. You three have really changed my life, and even though my dad's in rough shape, I know now that it's best for me to stay positive and hope for the best for him."
Dash smiled, "You're welcome, but he is your dad, so it's okay if you're not feeling happy."
"I know, but I don't want my mom to have to suffer emotionally like this. I want her to be just as hopeful as I am, and now I know just how to do that."
"I'm glad," Dash finished before pecking her husband on the lips.
Soarin remained silent for several seconds, looking his wife in the eyes before saying, "I know I already said this, Dash, but thank you. I really needed this."
Dash leaned in closer. "You're welcome, Soarin. Any time you feel sad about anything, let me know as soon as you can so I can help you through it. It's what I'm here to do." With that, Soarin's smile fully returned, and he brought his wife in for a loving kiss as a generous amount of his sadness melted away into happiness, giving him the hope that he needed to carry on while his father remained in the hospital. He didn't know for sure whether or not Grey Nimbus would be the same stallion in the end, but either way, thanks to the loving support of Rainbow Dash, Soarin wasn't going to give up any of his newfound hope. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | A Day at the Spa | "There you go, Tank," Rainbow Dash said to her pet tortoise as she placed a bowl of lettuce in front of him. The pegasus had already had a simple bowl of oats for breakfast, and now it was time for her pet to receive his morning meal, too. It was 9:45 in the morning, and Soarin had left for Cloudsdale little after seven, leaving his wife to sleep in, something she greatly enjoyed.
As Tank slowly began munching on his leafy greens, Rainbow walked out of Twilight's kitchen and headed for the library, wanting to have her Daring Do fix for the morning. Upon entering, the pegasus admired the tall, almost fully stocked bookshelves, knowing that Twilight had more than enough space for storing the items of one of her most favorite hobbies. Dash soon found the shelf with the book series she was looking for, and immediately tried to decide which one to read, even though she had already read each book multiple times. "Let's see," Dash said to herself, aloud, "Sapphire Statue or Ring of Destiny?"
After several seconds of pondering her options, Dash made her decision. "Ring of Destiny it is," she said, aloud. She took the hardcover book off the shelf and held it under her right wing before turning and exiting the large room.
Dash was soon in the hallway once again, headed for the living room near the front of the castle. As she walked, she realized just how much harder it was to do so with each week that went by. She was a little over six months along in her pregnancy, and the unfamiliar weight was taking a slight toll on her normally athletic body. Her belly had distended quite a bit, about halfway down her forelegs. She had been told by Nurse Redheart that her belly would be a little more than two-thirds the length of her forelegs by the time she was expected to deliver the foals. There was a small part of Rainbow Dash that just wanted this over with, but at the same time, she knew that she was tough, and wanted to hold out for her unborn children.
As Dash continued down the hall and rounded a corner, she couldn't help but think about what was happening with Soarin's father. A couple of days after she had seen him, he was placed in a medically induced coma, as it was determined that part of his brain had swollen, which explained his sudden amnesia. Right now, he was doing better. His wings had almost fully healed, but as for his memory, it was going to take some time before he would remember everything again, but Dash was still sure that Grey Nimbus' memory would be fully functional again by the time his grandchildren were born.
At last, Rainbow reached the living room, where she and Soarin spent the majority of their first night at the castle. She climbed onto the same red lounger, except it wasn't perched right in front of the fireplace this time. After laying down and getting comfortable, Dash released the book from her wing and prepared to open it, but as she did, she heard a voice from down the hall. "Hello?" came a voice that Dash knew was coming from a glamorous white unicorn she knew all too well, "Anypony here?"
"Rarity?" Dash replied, her voice a little louder than normal. Immediately, she heard running hoofbeats coming in her direction, so she climbed down from the lounger and walked slowly toward the entryway, eager to greet her friend.
Eventually, Rarity came into view, and the unicorn seemed very happy to see her pegasus friend. "Rainbow!" Rarity said, excitedly, "There you are!"
"Hey, Rares!" Dash replied, "What's up?"
"Well, as you probably know, Fluttershy left town yesterday to go and visit Tree Hugger, but today is the day where she and I usually go to the spa together. The thing is, I know you've gone through quite a bit of stress lately, I mean, besides the wedding. That was simply marvelous."
"Yeah, it was," Dash replied, smiling.
"Anyway, you've been seeming rather exhausted because of...well, that," Rarity continued, pointing to Rainbow's belly, "Plus I know the situation with your father-in-law is still going on, and I can only imagine how devastated you and Soarin must be feeling."
"He's taken more of a hit than I have, but his dad's a good guy. I feel bad that this is happening to him."
"Same here, darling. Anyway, I'm really not one for going to the spa on my own, especially knowing that a friend has been going through so much lately. So, would you like to join me on my excursion this morning?"
Rainbow was a bit surprised at the offer. It had been quite some time since she had last been to the Ponyville Day Spa, and she couldn't forget the embarrassing events that followed her first visit there. If she weren't pregnant or didn't have an ailing father-in-law, she would have immediately said, 'no', but given that both of those were happening, plus the fact that, at the moment, her back was more uncomfortable that it had ever been, the pegasus figured a little R&R with one of her best friends was starting to sound like a good idea.
"Sure, Rarity," Rainbow finally responded, "I'll go with you."
"Wonderful!" Rarity replied, clapping her front hooves together, "Come! We should be getting over there as soon as we can!" The two mares then walked back down the hallway and eventually exited the castle. At the same time, a certain tortoise was helping himself to a mid-morning nap next to an empty bowl of greens.
The air in the lobby of the Ponyville Day Spa was as fragrant as it always was, full of the scents of lavender and roses. Aloe was busy lighting a few scented candles with said scents, plus preparing some incense and air fresheners to go along with them. The pink mare looked over at the clock on the wall, noticing that it was two minutes to ten. Knowing that her first appointment of the day would be for Rarity and Fluttershy, she wanted to make sure that two of her and her sister's most valued customers felt welcome as they walked in. However, Aloe was unaware that today was going to be a bit different.
Soon, the clock struck ten, and, as if on cue, the bell above the front door rang, and in walked Rarity along with her pegasus friend, albeit not the one she usually came with. "Good morning, Aloe," Rarity said, noticing the mare behind the counter.
"Ah, hello, Rarity!" Aloe replied as she turned around, happy to see that the unicorn was right on time. She then noticed that a different pegasus was standing next to her, but she was one whom she had met sometime ago.
Almost immediately, the three mares in the room heard another voice, this one coming from Lotus Blossom, who was returning from one of the back rooms. "Hello, Rarity!" she said, equally as happy as her sister to see the white unicorn.
"Hello, Lotus," Rarity replied.
"And, Rainbow Dash, right?" Lotus continued, reaching a forehoof toward the pegasus for a hoofshake.
"Yeah, that's me," Rainbow responded, shaking Lotus' hoof.
"Well then, long time no see! Where is Fluttershy, might I ask?"
"Oh, she's out of town visiting a friend," Rarity replied, "I brought Rainbow with me today because one, I didn't want to come on my own, and two, I think this is something Rainbow could definitely use."
"Ah, yes," Lotus replied, noticing Rainbow's pregnant state, "Rarity told me that you were expecting. Congratulations!"
"Thanks," Rainbow replied, "But, are you sure it's okay for pregnant mares to get a spa treatment?"
"Oh, don't worry about that," Aloe responded, coming out from behind the counter, "We have a special treatment for expectant mothers. I'm sure you'll find it quite soothing. Come. Let us lead you inside."
"Thank you, ladies," Rarity replied for her and her friend. She then levitated a small bag of bits out of her saddlebags and placed it on the counter, to which Aloe moved back behind it and put the bits in the register. Aloe then rejoined the group as they headed for the back.
"Ahhhhhhhh........." Rainbow moaned contently as Aloe's hooves roamed her back, slowly easing the tension that had built up throughout the pregnancy. She was lying on her stomach, but her hips and upper chest were being supported by a pair of special pillows, part of a set that Aloe and Lotus used for pregnant mares, depending on how far along they were. Because of the slight increase in height, Aloe was standing on a wide stool next to Rainbow's massage table, perfectly positioned for her to work her magic on the pegasus. "Why didn't I come here sooner...?" Rainbow asked out loud to nopony in particular.
"Well, darling," Rarity replied as she received a back massage from Lotus, "I assumed you...ahh...didn't like coming here because you thought it would be embarrassing."
"Forget that...aaaahhhh...I gotta come here more often..."
"Well, we'd certainly love to have you return, Rainbow Dash," Aloe said, "It's always a pleasure to have such a satisfied customer."
"Absolutely," said Lotus, "Even though my sister and I don't have any children, we know all too well how much a pregnancy can wear out a mare, and we feel that it's important to keep your body in check because you shouldn't have too much stress, whether you're pregnant or not."
"That makes sense...aaahhh..." Rainbow replied as Aloe began massaging one of her hind hooves, "I'll definitely take that into consideration."
"Has she ever had a massage before?" Lotus whispered to Rarity.
"Not to my knowledge," Rarity whispered back. Her statement made perfect sense, as Rainbow was practically melting at Aloe's touch. Never in her life had she built up so much physical stress, and never in her life had she ever had such a mind-blowing stress release. Rainbow could feel the heat releasing itself from all of her tense muscles, mainly from her back, and flowing throughout her body. She hadn't been in such a state of bliss in quite some time, and now that she was, she was loving it.
Soon, the mares' massages were over and the Spa Sisters led them to the changing area, where Rarity put on her signature robe, the one with the glamorous letter 'R'. As for Rainbow Dash, she was given a slightly bigger robe, one that would fit around her belly and hug her entire form at the same time. Aloe and Lotus only had a few of these special robes around, but they weren't made for pegasi, so they allowed Rarity to create two holes in the back for Rainbow's wings.
After all that was done, Aloe and Lotus led the unicorn and the pegasus to the sauna. Normally, Rarity would stay in the heated room for upwards of thirty minutes, but because of Rainbow's current state, she could stay in there for no more than seven minutes, as the pegasus needed to keep her body temperature in check, plus the fact that Rarity didn't want to be in there all by herself.
Before the two friends were left alone, Lotus gave Rainbow a normal, white, feather pillow, as the pegasus would be lying on her side in the sauna, instead of on her stomach, like Rarity usually did. After that, Rarity and Rainbow began to relax once again as the coals filled the room with soothing heat. It was a shame, though, that they wouldn't be able to experience it as long as they both desired. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant heat, and it made Rainbow sweat a little, but she didn't mind, as spending most of her life flying really fast had always made her sweat when she stopped.
"So, Rainbow," Rarity began, "Tell me, how is your father-in-law doing at the moment?"
"He's gotten better over the last couple of weeks," the pegasus replied, "But he's still trying to remember who everypony is."
"Oh my, did he really have that big of a blow to the head?"
"It was hard enough to cause his brain to swell and for him to lose his memory, so, yeah. I mean, he's made progress, but he's still got a ways to go. As for his wings, they should be fully healed by next week."
"Wonderful! I'm glad he's making progress!"
"Yeah, me, too." The two ponies then remained silent for about a minute before Rarity spoke up again.
"Rainbow, I must say, I'm really glad Pinkie Pie isn't spying on us. If she was, she'd probably start planning for a "Dashie's Father-in-law Is All Better" Party."
Rainbow chuckled. "I know, right?"
All of a sudden, a pink head rose out of the coals, not seeming to be affected by the searing heat. "What was that about me?" Pinkie Pie asked, quizzically.
Both Rainbow and Rarity gasped. "Oh, uhhh..." Rainbow mumbled.
"Did you say you needed me to throw your daddy-in-law a party for when he's all better?" Pinkie continued in rapid succession, "Absotuta-lootley!"
"Wait, Pinkie, we..." Rarity tried to say.
"I'll make sure he has the time of his life! Bye!" With that, Pinkie's head disappeared back into the coal stove, and, despite her skin being in direct contact with the coals, no scream could be heard.
Rainbow and Rarity stared at each other for a good ten seconds. "Don't worry," the pegasus said, "I'll talk to her later."
"Sounds good," Rarity replied.
After a couple of minutes more, Rarity and Rainbow exited the sauna, as their seven-minute restricted time had passed. They then walked back into the main room, where they were greeted by Aloe and Lotus. Both the unicorn and the pegasus sat down on another set of tables as the two earth ponies got prepared. Rarity lay down on her stomach before having her face coated in a familiar cream, while Rainbow lay on her back, not wanting to make Aloe and Lotus have to fetch those special pillows again. The table was comfortable, as it was angled slightly, so not too much of her pregnancy weight was bearing down on her. Her robe was still covering her body quite well, which she liked, as she wasn't interested in having too many ponies see her underside.
As Aloe laid two cucumber slices over Rarity's eyes and began filing her white horn, Lotus got to work on preening Rainbow's wings. The pegasus was a bit surprised at the initial approach, and she jerked her wing back out of reflex. "Whoa, do you know what you're doing?" Rainbow asked Lotus.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Lotus replied, looking a tad concerned, "I won't preen your wings if you're not comfortable with it."
"It's not that. It's just...do you know what you're doing?"
"Of course. My sister and I have plenty of customers who are pegasi, so we decided to get a few lessons in preening wings."
"Oh, Rainbow, you should see Fluttershy's face when she gets preened here," Rarity said, "I swear, it's as if she's drunk!"
"Hahaha!" Rainbow laughed. She took a few seconds to catch her breath before turning back to Lotus. "Alright, Lotus. Go ahead." The earth pony nodded as the pegasus stuck her right wing back out. Lotus' hoof then made contact with one of her feathers, and Rainbow gasped as a tingling sensation spread through her body. She soon relaxed, and Lotus continued to massage and groom her feathers. It didn't take her long to finish, however, as it had been some time since Rainbow had actually flown anywhere. It hadn't even been five minutes before Lotus had finished preening both of Rainbow's wings.
The earth pony then brought out a hoof filer, and Rainbow immediately grew worried upon seeing it. It made her think of when the Cutie Mark Crusaders made her visit to the spa one of their headlines, which embarrassed her to no end. That, however, had happened quite some time ago, and she, along with the rest of the townsfolk, had long since forgiven the three fillies.
Right now, seeing how Rarity was enjoying herself so much, combined with the fact that Rainbow herself thought this day had been going really well, the pegasus thought to herself, "Screw the tabloids. I need this."
After a pleasant hooficure and facial, followed by a short, three-minute dip in the hot tub, Rarity and Rainbow Dash had completed their visit to the Ponyville Day Spa. Rarity felt refreshed, as usual, but as for Rainbow, it was a completely different, yet very much similar, story. "Thank you for everything, ladies," Rarity said to Aloe and Lotus as they walked to the front door of the lobby.
"No, no, no, thank you for being such a wonderful customer, Rarity!" Lotus replied, "We always look forward to the day when you come to visit!"
"We sure do!" Aloe responded before turning to face the cyan pegasus who was next to her, "Rainbow Dash, how was your day at our spa?"
Rainbow was still in a slightly relaxed state as she did a few small stretches. "Wow..." she soon replied, "I, like, haven't felt like this in years! I feel more rejuvenated than I've ever been! I wanna just take off and fly somewhere right now!" Out of instinct, Rainbow spread her wings and bent her legs, as if she was about to take flight, but before she leapt upward, she remembered something. "Oh, right..." she said, blushing slightly. The other three mares chuckled.
"Oh, wait!" Lotus began again, running behind the counter and reemerging a few seconds later with two bottles of water, "You don't want to forget these!" She then handed each of her customers one of the bottles.
"Thank you, Lotus," Rarity said.
"Thanks," Rainbow followed up, "But, how much is this gonna cost me?"
"Oh, nothing at all, Rainbow Dash!" Lotus replied.
"We always give our customers a complimentary bottle of water when they leave," Aloe said, "It's important to drink plenty of fluids after a massage, and we want to make sure that you get some in your system before you go."
"Sweet!" Rainbow replied. She then unscrewed the bottle cap and brought the mouth of the bottle to her lips, chugging the entire bottle in about six seconds. "Ahhh..." she sighed in contentment before... "Uuurrrppp!" She then blushed furiously and looked guiltily at the other three mares. "Excuse me..." she said. The other mares only chuckled, and Rainbow did the same a few seconds later before she and Rarity left the spa, ready to take on the rest of the day with freshly rejuvenated bodies. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | Rainbow's Journal | Rainbow Dash turned the shower nozzle to the off position, stopping the flow of hot water that had cascaded over her body for the last ten minutes. Little beads of moisture were slowly dripping off of her blue coat and multi-colored mane, eventually finding their way to the floor of the bathtub and flowing down the drain with all the others.
The pegasus stepped out of the bathtub and reached for a nearby towel with her wing. She used it to wipe the rest of the water off of her body, and once she was done, she hung it back up and turned to the mirror over the sink. She then grabbed her toothbrush, squirted some toothpaste over the top of it, and then proceeded to brush her teeth. Knowing that she had eaten quite a few sweets throughout her pregnancy, Dash wanted to make sure that she brushed her teeth every single day, as she feared what would happen if she got a cavity. Despite the fact that she was sometimes lazy and skipped brushing her teeth in the morning or before bed, she had never gotten a cavity in her life, and all the stories she'd heard about drills and fillings secretly frightened her. That, of course, was something she hoped that her friends would never find out, as she wanted them to think that she wasn't afraid of anything.
Dash finished brushing her teeth less than a minute later and proceeded to rinse her mouth out. Once that was finished, she exited the en-suite bathroom and stepped straight into the room she and Soarin were staying in during their time at the castle. However, Rainbow wouldn't be sharing the bedroom on this night.
It had been two full months since Grey Nimbus' accident, and only today had he finally gotten released from the hospital. Because of this, Soarin had volunteered to stay with his parents for one night, in case his mother needed any initial help in taking care of his father. Grey's wings, at this point, had fully healed, and he was gradually getting more and more of his memory back. It hadn't returned fully at this point, but Soarin and his family were grateful for how much progress his father had made.
Because of all this, Rainbow would be spending the night alone, something she hadn't done since the night before her wedding. She was definitely disappointed that she wouldn't have her cuddly hunk of a husband in bed with her, but at the same time, she knew that he was doing the right thing, and she almost wished she could be up there helping out.
As the pegasus gradually climbed onto her bed, she watched as Tank slowly got comfortable in his tiny bed, the tortoise closing his eyes and retracting his limbs and head into his shell as he quickly fell asleep. Watching her pet do such a thing made Rainbow want to just plop down and get some shut-eye, so she swiftly, albeit carefully, lifted the covers over her now slightly larger body. She was eight months along in her pregnancy, and, as she expected, her belly had distended down toward the projected two-thirds of the length down her legs, though it wasn't quite there yet.
Dash lay on her right side as she relaxed into the bed. She tried to get comfortable, but for some reason, she wasn't getting to sleep as quickly as she thought she would. In fact, she wasn't getting to sleep at all. Growing a little bit frustrated, Dash turned over onto her left side, wondering if a different position would do the trick. However, after ten minutes, it proved to be unsuccessful.
Dash turned back over to her right side and continued laying there, her brain trying to comprehend why she couldn't get to sleep. Though she had come up with a few reasons, her mind was constantly thinking of all that had happened since the wedding, but it soon extended to everything that had happened since she became a Wonderbolt.
Even though Dash was really happy with the way things were turning out, she was still a bit appalled that she wasn't flying with the group of ponies she'd idolized her entire life. Also, she couldn't help but immediately think of all the bad things that had happened since this all started. Just thinking about all this made her want to do something about it, but she wasn't sure what she could do.
For what seemed like no apparent reason, Dash sat up and faced the nightstand next to her and opened its sole drawer. When she opened it, she found something that she didn't expect to find. "Huh..." Rainbow said to herself, "I forgot I put this here." It was the small journal that Fluttershy had given to her as a present at her bachelorette party. There were times since then that Rainbow would tell herself she would write something, but she never got around to it, and at one point, decided that she may as well leave it to be a blank book for the rest of its life.
Rainbow took her journal out of the drawer and looked at it. As she did, the slightly painful memories of what had happened after she'd gotten pregnant continued to swirl around in her head. After about three minutes, Dash finally decided that this would be the night where her journal would cease being an empty soul.
Looking back in the drawer, Dash noticed a pen that was right next to where her journal had been sitting. She took it out of the drawer and took it in her mouth, but she spit it out once she realized a small predicament. Given her current state, she knew she'd have to be in some awkward position in order to write anything. She quickly came up with a solution, however, laying one of the pillows flat on the bed as she climbed over it halfway, her upper chest and forelegs half-resting on it and half-dangling over it. She then brought her journal in front of her and grabbed the pen once again, sticking the far end into her mouth. She then opened the front cover of the journal for the first time, only to find a note from Fluttershy written on the underside of the cover that she hadn't seen before. It read:
Dear Rainbow Dash,
You are the greatest friend a pony could ask for, and I know there's a lot coming your way. I hope that this journal will be of great use to you throughout your future adventures as a wife, mother, and Wonderbolt. Have fun!
Love,
Fluttershy
Dash couldn't help but feel greatly moved by what she'd just read. Hearing such a kind and heartfelt message from her friend was something she really needed right now, and this certainly did the trick.
The cyan pegasus then turned the page to find the first of many blank pages that were conveniently lined. With a deep breath, she leaned her head down slightly until the tip of the pen touched the paper, and she began to write.
Dear Journal,
You don't know how happy I am right now to have you. I was beginning to think that I would be able to get a hold of my feelings and not have to express them this way, but so much has happened, and since my husband is away tonight, I need someone to talk to. Thankfully, I found you, so I hope you're ready, because I have a lot to say.
First of all, I'm eight months pregnant right now, which means I'm about three months away from delivery. I'm having twins, so it gonna be a bit hectic once they arrive. Though I'm really happy that they're on the way, I can't help but feel really sad, because I'm a Wonderbolt now and I can't fly with those guys until the foals are born. In the beginning, I was devastated and furious that this had happened, only because I know I conceived them the night I was sworn in. My coltfriend at the time, Soarin, who is now my husband, and I felt a little too excited about this whole thing, so we went back to my place and had a little fun, which ended up being a little too much, as a short time later, I felt like I was becoming violently ill, when in all reality, I was pregnant.
I should be mad at Soarin right now, but I'm not. Early on in my pregnancy, I went through a few twists and turns. I had to decide whether or not to terminate the pregnancy, which was followed by me wondering if I should give up the foal for adoption. Once I realized I was having twins, my thoughts changed completely, and it was at that point that I ultimately decided to keep the foals for myself, and right after I did that, Soarin proposed to me. I obviously said yes, and now, here we are, happily married and awaiting the arrival of our twins.
At this point, Rainbow Dash had gotten quite comfortable with writing in her own personal journal, rather than the journal she shared with her friends. She felt like she was having a conversation with an inanimate object, but it seemed to be helping her.
So far, married life has been treating me pretty well. Living with Soarin full-time has been more awesome than I could've ever imagined. Unfortunately, about a month after we got married, his dad was in a construction accident in Cloudsdale and nearly died. He broke both his wings and had such a severe concussion that his brain was swelling. This ended up causing him to have amnesia, and when Soarin and his mom told me everything, I was crushed. Wait, let me rephrase that. I was as crushed as my father-in-law's wings.
Even though Grey Nimbus (that's his name) isn't my real father, he's definitely like one, and I felt like I was gonna lose one of my closest friends. Thankfully, that didn't happen. He's been in the hospital for about two months, and he got released today, which is why I'm alone right now. I can't fly at the moment, and Soarin's staying with his parents tonight, just in case either of them need help with anything.
As for me, I don't have much else to say. I've had several ultrasounds and tests lately, and the foals seem to be healthy and developing normally. I don't know yet if I'm having two colts, two fillies, or one of each. You know, now that I think about it, it might be fun to have a little contest with my friends. I could have them guess what I'm having, and whoever's right in the end could win something. I'm sure Pinkie Pie would love to do something like that.
Speaking of Pinkie Pie, it took me nearly an hour to convince her that throwing a party for when my father-in-law got out of the hospital was unnecessary. She was noticeably upset, but I eventually got her to realize that not every single happy event deserves a party. I know she's trying to be thoughtful and do what she's meant to do, but still...
I guess that's gonna be it for now. I'll talk to you again when I get the chance. Bye!
With that, Rainbow Dash wrote down today's date, placed the attached silk bookmark in-between the appropriate pages, and closed her journal. She then just lay there, thinking about what she had just done. "Wow..." she thought to herself, "That was actually kinda fun. I was able to talk about stuff I wanted to talk about, yet I never physically spoke a word. Why didn't I start doing this sooner?"
Rainbow soon placed her journal and pen back in the drawer and closed it. The pegasus then put the pillow back in its appropriate place and got back under the covers, lying on her right side once again. This time, she felt much more content as the silky-smooth blanket graced the left side of her body. She lay there with her eyes closed for a mere two minutes before sleep took over, sending her to a distant land where she could relax and enjoy herself as her body reenergized itself. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | Scooting Around Town | Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes as she lay in the living room. She wasn't lying on the red chaise lounger, but rather on a bed that she had requested Twilight to move down there about a week ago. The pegasus was now nine months along in her pregnancy, and within the past two weeks, she had been finding it more and more difficult to walk up and down the castle's stairs. Not only that, but Rainbow's overall energy was slowly declining as the foal weight put more and more stress on her body. She had recently been told by Nurse Redheart that she should refrain from using stairs and go on bedrest sometime soon. As expected, Rainbow wasn't all too thrilled about that, but as she had told Soarin sometime ago, she had to do what she had to do.
Having completed her nap, the pegasus gradually climbed out of the bed and got on all fours on the floor. She stretched lightly, and then decided that a little bit of fresh afternoon air would wake her up further. With that in mind, she made her way to the front door and opened it, instantly being hit with the slight coolness and fresh quality of the air outside. Rainbow closed her eyes and lifted her nose slightly before inhaling a deep breath. As the air entered her, it eradicated any remaining bits of sleepiness from her body as her blood vessels extracted the oxygen from the air inside her lungs.
"Rainbow Dash!" The cyan mare was caught off guard, causing her lungs to release the air she had inhaled as she was startled by the pony in front of her. She opened her eyes and looked down slightly, noticing Scootaloo standing right in front of her on her blue scooter, her red wagon in tow as her blue and white helmet sat fastened on her head.
Rainbow smiled excitedly upon seeing her young friend. "Oh, hey, kid!" she replied.
"You busy right now?" the orange filly asked.
"Nah, I'm just takin' it easy. The doctor said I should be going on bedrest in the next couple of weeks, and I wanna practice by not doing too much."
Scootaloo's smile suddenly turned upside-down. "Oh..." she said, sadly.
"What's wrong, Scoots?" Rainbow asked.
"Well," the pegasus filly continued as she stepped off her scooter, "I kinda just wanted to spend some time with you today. I figured that maybe we could go do a few things around town, but if you're staying here and trying to not do anything, then I guess we can't do that." Scootaloo then looked down, a sad look still on her face.
Rainbow reached her hoof out and brought the filly's chin upwards to meet her gaze. "Hey, I didn't say I had to do nothing, did I? I'm totally up for heading out with you!"
Scootaloo's face brightened up instantly. "Really??" she asked, excitedly, her tiny wings buzzing erratically.
"Well, as long as it's not too far away. It's been hard for me to walk a lot lately," she explained as she shifted on her hooves a couple of times.
"Don't worry," Scootaloo continued, "That's why I brought my wagon with me!"
"Uhhhh...Are you sure you'll be able to pull me?"
"Totally! I mean, aren't pegasi lighter than other ponies?"
"Yeah, but...I'm pregnant. That adds quite a bit of weight, especially since I'm having twins."
"Piece of cake," Scootaloo said, flicking her forehoof forward as she closed her eyes, "I've pulled Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle at the same time plenty of times. I'm not too worried about you."
Though Rainbow was still a bit doubtful, she couldn't help but feel happy that Scootaloo was being as confident as she was. "Alright, Squirt," the cyan pegasus continued, "Let's do this."
"Great!" Scootaloo exclaimed, leaping in the air as her wings buzzed. She stayed aloft for two seconds before returning to the ground, climbing back on her scooter soon after. Meanwhile, Rainbow climbed into the red wagon attached to the blue scooter and sat down, putting on the helmet that Scootaloo had left in there for her. Once they were both set, Scootaloo placed her forehooves on the handlebars. She then began buzzing her wings like she normally did, but the scooter didn't move. She ceased her erratic buzzing for a brief moment before starting up again, making her scooter and wagon jolt forward ever so slightly. "Ugh!" the filly grunted as she struggled to make her and her friend move faster.
Rainbow quickly grew concerned over how much Scootaloo was exerting herself. She was about to tell her to stop when an idea flew into her head. Leaning forward slightly, Dash began flapping her own wings, but not too quickly. This took Scootaloo by surprise, as her friend's actions caused the two of them to move forward a little faster on the combined mechanism. The filly looked behind her and noticed the mare helping her. She smiled, then immediately turned her attention to the road ahead, she and her friend eventually reaching a smooth, desirable speed as their combined wingpower propelled them towards town.
Right as Princess Celestia lowered the sun for the day, Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash arrived back at Twilight's castle, both pegasi slightly exhausted from their afternoon together. After leaving the castle initially, the two friends had gone to Hayburger King for a late lunch, as Rainbow had slept from about 11:00 in the morning to about 1:30. This was followed by a trip to Sugar Cube Corner for dessert, and then they returned to the castle, where Rainbow got Scootaloo caught up in the Daring Do series. The orange filly was paying attention to the cyan mare for the most-part, but there were times where she got distracted by Tank's slow, yet somewhat entertaining, antics.
Later on, the two pegasi went to the park, and Rainbow decided to give Scootaloo a few tips and pointers to help her continue to learn to fly. The advice didn't really seem to do much for the filly, as many attempts to keep herself aloft longer than the previous time failed. Nevertheless, Rainbow was proud of her for putting forth some effort in hopes that one day, the two of them would share the skies and fly side by side.
The last event on Rainbow and Scootaloo's agenda came to them as a surprise, as, by complete chance, they ran into Twilight and Spike just outside Ponyville's movie theater. The princess and the dragon were about to see the new Power Ponies motion picture, and since the two pegasi didn't think they had anything else to do, they decided to join them on their outing. The four of them enjoyed the movie very much, but Rainbow was more focused on downing as much popcorn as she could, as an unexpected craving attack - which, according to Nurse Redheart, was very unusual for mares at this stage of their pregnancy - hit her hard while inside the theater. By the time it was over, Rainbow and Scootaloo decided to call it quits for the day, so they hopped onto their respective sections of their transportation contraption and headed for the castle.
"I'm really glad we got to do all that, Scoot," Rainbow said to the orange filly as she got out of the wagon and took her helmet off, laying it in the red transportation device soon after, "It was awesome. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Rainbow," Scootaloo replied, "It feels like we haven't done anything in ages!"
"That's probably 'cause we haven't," Rainbow replied, putting her right forehoof over her belly.
Scootaloo immediately knew what her friend was getting at. "Oh, you're right," the filly replied with a guilty smile and a slight blush. Her facial expression returned to normal before continuing. "Anyway, I know you gotta get some rest, so I should probably get going now," Scootaloo said as she stepped back onto her scooter.
"Actually, kid," Rainbow said, "Could you stay for a bit? There's something I've been meaning to ask you."
Scootaloo paused, not expecting such a request from her idol. However, she quickly beamed and hopped off her scooter as she replied, "Sure!"
"Good," Rainbow finished as she and Scootaloo headed inside the castle.
Rainbow brought her young friend into the living room and over to the chaise lounger. As they approached it, Scootaloo couldn't help but notice the bed that was on the other side of the room. "Hey, Dash?" she began to ask, "Is this, like, your bedroom or something?"
"Kinda," Rainbow replied, "I had Twilight move that thing down here so I wouldn't have to go up and down stairs. My body's already stressed out as is."
"Oh, okay," Scootaloo responded, "So, what was it you wanted to ask me?"
"C'mon up here," Rainbow replied, patting the spot next to her on the lounger. Scootaloo obliged, hopping up onto the red piece of furniture and sitting next to the other pegasus. "Scootaloo," Rainbow continued, "I've been wondering. How have you been feeling about all this?"
Scootaloo cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "About what?" she asked.
"You know...me, Soarin, getting married, about to have two kids...that stuff."
"Oh, that..." Scootaloo replied, her face sporting a slightly saddened expression.
"Is something wrong, Scoot?"
"Oh, nonononono..." Scootaloo replied in rapid succession, "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that you're about to have a pair of foals, but...I feel like...once they're here, you and I won't have as much time to spend together. You're like a big sister to me, and I love it when you and I do things together, but pretty soon, you'll have to focus more on your family and your career. It's just that...well...I feel like you and I are gonna start drifting apart because you're gonna be so busy, and...I don't want that to happen." Upon finishing her statement, the orange filly lowered her head and closed her eyes, her sad expression still clearly visible.
The two ponies remained silent for several seconds before Rainbow smiled and said, "Scoot, you're right, but you're also not right."
Scootaloo immediately looked up at Rainbow. "Wait...huh?" she asked.
"Look, kid, you're right in the sense that we won't have as much time together as we'd like, but you're wrong in the sense that we're gonna drift apart. What I mean by that is, even though you and I aren't technically sisters..." Rainbow's words sent a small hint of sadness through the young filly. "...that doesn't mean that you and I are gonna stop being friends." Scootaloo's smile returned, albeit reluctantly. "There's absolutely zero chance of us drifting apart."
"Y-You mean that?" Scootaloo asked, quietly.
"Definitely," Rainbow replied, "I don't want you to feel sad, kid. True, some things are gonna change, but whenever I have any free time, I'll try my best to include you in it."
Scootaloo felt so wonderful that she felt like she was about to cry. After remaining silent for a few seconds, she whispered, "Thank you." Rainbow's reply came in the form of a nuzzle to the filly's forehead.
All of a sudden, Rainbow felt movement in her abdomen. Smiling, she said, "Hey, kid! Gimme your hoof!"
"Huh?" Scootaloo asked as Rainbow grabbed her left forehoof with her right one. She brought it over to her belly, and the orange filly's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. "It's...I mean...One of them's kicking!"
"Actually, they both are!" Rainbow replied, swiftly moving Scootaloo's hoof over to the other side of her belly. The filly immediately felt the other foal kicking, and it made her feel giddy on the inside.
"Wow! That's so cool!" Scootaloo said in excitement, "I've always wanted to feel a foal kicking inside it's mother!"
"Same here!" Rainbow replied, "You know, I never thought I'd actually have to get pregnant in order to feel it for myself!" Both pegasi shared a chuckle at that statement.
Almost as soon as it began, the foals' kicking ceased, and Scootaloo drew her hoof away. Her gaze remained on Rainbow's belly, and now she was curious as to how a pregnant mare's belly felt when the foal wasn't kicking. Scootaloo hesitantly raised a hoof back up to Dash's belly, holding it about an inch away. She then looked up at the cyan pegasus and timidly asked, "C-Can I...?"
"Go right ahead," Dash replied. With that, Scootaloo gently placed her left forehoof on the top of Dash's belly, instantly sensing solidity. She moved her hoof around a bit, getting a good feel of something she had always wanted to feel for herself. Dash's belly, though soft on the outside, was like a big rock that was stuck in place. It felt so weird, yet so interesting. Knowing there were two lives developing inside her friend made Scootaloo wonder what it would feel like to get married and have her own foal in the future. Even though that would be at least ten years away, she knew she could wait.
Scootaloo moved her hoof downward a little bit until it was about an inch above Dash's belly button. She ceased her motions, then moved her snout in closer to her friend's belly. Dash was curious as to why her friend was doing this, but her question was answered when she heard Scootaloo whisper into her belly, "I hope you two get here soon! I can't wait to meet you!"
Rainbow giggled lightly as her friend finished speaking, then brought her right forehoof to the back of the filly's head, gently rubbing her neck and mane. This contact prompted Scootaloo to lift her head up slightly and rest her left cheek on the top of Rainbow's belly, sighing as she did. She closed her eyes as she continued brushing her hoof over the top left side of her friend's belly, Rainbow herself continuing her own gentle actions on her young friend.
Looking down at Scootaloo, Rainbow could somehow sense that Scootaloo was in one of the best moods she had ever been in. She had just had some of her fears disproven, and now they were both enjoying some much needed company as they each felt the warmth emanating from her pregnant belly. It somehow drew them closer together, and Rainbow couldn't exactly figure out why.
Rainbow then thought of one thing she could do to make this one of the best days of Scootaloo's life. "Hey, Scoot?" Dash asked, whispering slightly.
The orange filly opened her eyes and looked up at her friend. "Yeah?" she responded.
"You're gonna make an awesome aunt."
Scootaloo's eyes shot wide open as she lifted her head. She smiled as she asked, "Y-You actually mean that?"
"Hey, I don't say things if I don't mean 'em, kid," the cyan mare replied warmly, continuing to stroke Scootaloo's mane and neck.
Butterflies flew freely inside the orange filly's body. At that moment, she was in a state of euphoria that she had never been in before. She knew right then and there that Rainbow Dash accepted her as a sister, something she had wanted to hear for the longest time.
Tears began to slowly stream out of Scootaloo's eyes as she closed them, lifting her head up further and pressing the left side of her face into Rainbow's chest. She was somehow able to wrap both of her forelegs around her friend as Rainbow returned the embrace. Rainbow then leaned down and kissed Scootaloo lightly on the forehead, then closed her eyes as she continued to sit there, lovingly hugging the filly that she could proudly call her sister and friend. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | A Long-Anticipated Party | Rainbow sipped slowly through the straw of her vanilla milkshake as she sat at one of the tables in the corner of Sugar Cube Corner. The shop was empty, except for the two earth pony owners and a pair of rambunctious foals. The cyan pegasus had been given an anonymous note to leave the castle and come to the cafe at 10:00 AM sharp to meet someone. Right now, it was 9:59, and the pegasus had already been waiting for about 10 minutes for her mystery guest. She had gotten there early, not because she was excited, but because she wanted to have enough time to spare because she didn't know how long it would take to walk the short distance from the castle to the cafe. Rainbow was now ten months and one week into her pregnancy, and she was on bedrest most of the time, but allowed herself one day per week to leave the castle and go do something, just so she wouldn't get too bored.
Rainbow looked out the window and noticed that nopony seemed to be around. When she'd left the castle, there were plenty of ponies on the streets, but now they were all gone. "Something weird's going on..." Dash thought to herself as she turned back to face her milkshake. Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening, and her eyes widened as a familiar, green and white creature walked through the entrance. "Gilda?!?" Dash exclaimed, completely caught off guard upon seeing her old griffon friend.
"Oh, hey, Dash!" Gilda replied as she began to walk over to Dash's table, "There you are!"
"What are you doing here?" Dash asked again as she stood up and hugged her friend.
"Just thought I'd drop by and see how my ol' flight camp buddy's doing!" Gilda replied as she playfully roughed up the top of Dash's head with the knuckles of her right front talons.
The action made the pegasus chuckle in excitement. "Haha! Awesome!" Dash replied as she and Gilda sat down.
Gilda's smile slowly faded as she started to speak again. "Hey, Dash, I wish I could have said this to you at the wedding reception, but I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your bachelorette party. Even though Pinkie Pie sent me an invitation, I was busy trying to fix a whole bunch of issues in Griffonstone, primarily the friendship issues that you and Pinkie helped me with, but now that situation's over with, and I figured I owed you one last visit before you become a mom!"
"Awww...thanks!"
"No problem!"
"Hey, when you were walking through the streets, did you see anypony out there? They all seem to have gone for some reason."
Gilda knew the answer to Dash's question, but she wasn't intending on telling her friend the truth just yet. With a confused look on her face, the griffon replied, "Uhhh...nope. I'm just as puzzled as you are."
This made Dash slightly worried. Why would the entire population of Ponyville suddenly disappear? Could Trixie have mastered some spell that was so powerful that she could have transported all of the townsfolk as far as Manehattan? Could Nightmare Moon have returned and banished everypony in town, plus Princess Celestia, to the moon? The mere thoughts of such made Rainbow want to fly away as fast as she could and look for everypony, but she knew that was impossible, given her current state.
The pegasus' mind snapped back to reality as she heard her friend speak once again. "So, Dash," Gilda continued, "How's married life been treating you so far?"
"It's been a pretty interesting ride," the pegasus replied, "I only get to see Soarin when he gets home from Cloudsdale, cause I've been sleeping in a lot lately and he has to leave pretty early. However, when we're together in the evening, it always seems perfect. The only downside is that he's been spending a lot of time with his parents because his dad was seriously injured in a construction accident at the cloud factory. We were really worried 'cause he had such a bad blow to the head that his brain swelled and he got amnesia."
"Ouch..."
"I know, right? I mean, he's made a lot of progress since then. Actually, come to think of it, his mind's back to where it used to be! I figured it would take him a lot longer to get his memory back!"
"Great!"
"Other than that, everything's been pretty uneventful."
"Cool."
"How have things been in Griffonstone?"
"Well, like I said, all the friendship problems we had have long since past thanks to you and Pinkie. We've rebuilt the town and it's a much happier place now."
"Awesome!"
The two friends continued talking with each other for the next hour. They spoke of old times together at flight camp, other events that have occurred in their respective lives, plus Gilda asked quite a few questions on how Dash was feeling regarding her foals' arrival. Their conversation was stopped suddenly by Mr. Cake as he, his wife, and the twins seemed to be headed out with quite a few bakery items in tow. "Excuse me, Dash, Gilda," he said, prompting the pegasus and the griffon to look over at him, "We have to head out to cater an event, so we're closing up shop at the moment."
"Could we trust you dearies to lock the door behind us?" asked Mrs. Cake in her usual sweet tone, "Don't worry about the deadbolt. You can just engage the lock on the door handle and close it and everything with be fine."
Dash and Gilda looked back at each other before the pegasus replied, "Uhhh...sure. Do you need us to leave right now?"
"Oh, don't worry about that, Dash," Mrs. Cake replied, "I think Mr. Cake and I know you well enough to trust you, don't we honey?"
"Absolutely, dear," Mr. Cake responded.
All of a sudden, Pound Cake blurted out, "We'w going to the ca-...!"
"Shhh!!!" Mrs. Cake quickly responded, pressing a hoof to her son's muzzle, "Don't say anything now, Pound," she continued in her sweet-sounding tone. She and Mr. Cake glanced nervously at Dash and Gilda. The pegasus and the griffon only looked back at them, Dash being the only one not knowing what the Cakes were getting at.
"Oh my goodness, look at the time!" Mr. Cake said in slightly rapid succession, "We should get going, dear."
"Oh, you're right, honey," Mrs. Cake replied, "Bye, you two!"
"See 'ya!" Gilda responded. Dash said nothing, as it seemed to her that the Cakes were just disappearing along with everyone else in town.
Once the Cakes were completely out of sight, Dash spoke to her griffon friend. "Gilda, I'm starting to get worried," she said, a nervous expression on her face.
"Why?" Gilda replied, still hiding what was on her mind.
"Isn't it obvious? Look outside! There's nopony around! Wouldn't it worry you if everyone in Griffonstone suddenly vanished without reason?"
"Actually, that happened pretty often before you and Pinkie came and fixed everything. Everyone would just stay in their houses, making it seem like no one was in town."
"Oh...Well, I kinda wanna go and see if I can find somepony."
Gilda turned her head and looked nervously at the clock. It was 11:10, but she had intended to keep Dash occupied until at least 11:30. She looked back at the pegasus and said, "Uhhh...Couldn't we just stay here for a little bit longer? I kinda like being in a cafe when no on else is here. Don't you?"
Dash surely thought that Gilda would have been more than happy to go and look with her, and took her a bit by surprise. "Uhhh...Kinda. But, like..." Rainbow sighed. "Fine. I guess we can stay her for a bit longer." This brought a smile to the griffon's face.
The next twenty minutes were mainly filled with conversation regarding Rainbow and Soarin living in a castle for the past six months. Gilda herself had never been inside a real castle before, and she desperately wanted to know what it was like for her friend to actually live there, rather than drop in from time to time and hang out with her friends.
After what seemed like no time at all, the clock struck 11:30 and the griffon said, "Hey, wanna get outta here now?"
"Sure," Dash replied, "But where will we go to find everypony?"
Gilda grew slightly concerned that her friend might not be up for going where she intended to take her. "Uhhh...I don't know," the griffon responded.
"Twilight usually comes by the castle during the day, and since it's almost lunch, maybe she's there already. I think she'd be the best pony to ask."
Gilda immediately smiled internally, but maintained a slightly monotone expression on her face. "Sure," she replied, "Let's go." With that, the pegasus and the griffon got up from the table and walked to the front door. After Gilda opened it and engaged the lock on the door handle, she went outside, along with Dash, and closed the door.
Dash looked in the direction of the castle, and, for some reason, it looked much further away than it usually was. "Gilda," Dash said, "I'm suddenly not sure if I can walk that far. The castle looks...Woah!" The pegasus was startled as her griffon friend scooped her up in her arms as flew in the direction of the castle. She was grateful that griffons had such large wings. Otherwise, Gilda may not have been able to carry her and fly at the same time, given the amount of weight she had gained over the past several months.
It wasn't even a mere minute before Dash and Gilda arrived at the castle's front door. The griffon set the pegasus down, and Dash opened the door, letting herself and her friend inside. Once the door was closed, Dash faced down the front hallway and called out, "Twiliiiiiiiight!!" There was no response. "Shoot!" Dash said to Gilda, "I thought she'd be here!"
"Shouldn't we check the rest of the castle?" Gilda asked, a sly, and at the same time, excited, expression forming on her face.
"I guess you're right," Dash replied. The two of them then walked further down the hallway. They eventually reached the entrance to the dining room, but from what the pegasus could barely see through the cracks, it was dark. She contemplated whether or not to look for Twilight in there, but she convinced herself that it wouldn't hurt to try. Slowly pushing the door open, Dash asked, "Twilight? Are you in..."
"SURPRISE!!!!!" yelled a large amount of ponies as the lights came on. Gilda did the same, even though she was behind the pegasus.
"Woah!" Dash yelped in surprise. She surveyed the dining room, and aside from all the cheering and screaming ponies, dragon, and draconequus, there was a plethora of decorations high and low, many tables filled with a wide array of refreshments, and a pile of gifts that was bigger than the one at her bachelorette party. She made a rough estimation of how many guests there were in the dining room, and it became clear that this was where the entire town had been the whole time. They were all here for her foal shower.
"There's my baby!" an ecstatic Firefly said, running up to her daughter and hugging her.
"Hey there, Dash!" Rainbow Blaze said, also hugging his daughter.
"Hey, you two," Dash said, warmly, "Glad you could make it."
"Oh, I wouldn't miss my little Dashie's foal shower for the world!" Firefly said as she rubbed her daughter's chin affectionately with a hoof. The action made Dash blush furiously.
"Okay, mom," Dash said, "That's enough..." Firefly only smiled, but stopped almost immediately.
"Dash!" Soarin exclaimed, running up to his wife, "You made it!" He hugged her, but his mere appearance caught the mare a bit by surprise.
"Soarin!" Dash replied, hugging her husband back, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Cloudsdale?"
Dash then heard a voice that she didn't expect to hear. "Oh, I told him he could have the day off," Spitfire said, walking up to Rainbow with a mischievous grin on her face.
"Spitfire?!?" Dash exclaimed, "You're here, too??"
"Actually, we're all here!" came the voice of Fleetfoot. Dash looked behind the white-maned Wonderbolt and noticed all the other Wonderbolts standing there, even the Reserves.
Rainbow then looked to her left and noticed all her friends walking up to her. As they got closer, Dash began to stammer. "So...y-you guys...were...like...here the whole time??"
"We sure were!" Pinkie Pie replied.
"But...how did you...wait a second..." Dash continued, looking back at Gilda, "Were you in on this, Gilda?"
"Isn't it obvious?" the griffon replied, "How else could the entire town have ended up here without you knowing?"
"I had Gilda keep you busy so we could set up this party!" Pinkie explained.
Dash then took another look at how Twilight's massive dining room looked. "And...you did all this in 90 minutes?"
"Pretty much," replied Applejack.
"Actually, it took us about 75 minutes, give or take," Rarity said, "But you know Pinkie. She always likes to include extra time."
"So, as a result, we sat here in the dark for nearly 20 minutes," said Twilight.
"Really?" Dash asked.
"Unfortunately, yes," Fluttershy said, a slightly pained look on her face, "Plus, sitting in the dark for that long can really make me nervous, and I was starting to worry that you wouldn't show up. I thought I was going to be in the dark forever."
"Aw, come on, Fluttershy!" Pinkie chirped, wrapping a foreleg around the yellow pegasus' neck, "We were right next to you the whole time! How could you have been scared?"
"It...It depends on the circumstances, Pinkie."
The party pony remained silent for three seconds before replying, "Okie dokie lokie!"
"Well, look who it is!" came another voice that Dash was surprised to hear.
Dash looked to her right. "Grey!" she exclaimed, walking over to hug her father-in-law, "You made it!"
"Hey, now, why would I wanna miss my daughter-in-law's foal shower, especially if she's having my first grandkids?"
Dash only chuckled in reply. She then noticed Wind Glider standing next to the once terribly injured stallion. "Nice to see you, too, Wind Glider," Dash said, hugging her mother-in-law.
"It's nice to see you, too, Rainbow Dash," Soarin's mother replied, returning the hug.
Dash then looked around at her guests again, but she felt there were a few ponies missing. "Hey, where are the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" she asked.
"They're still in school, Rainbow," Applejack explained.
"Oh yeah..." Dash replied, "Today's Thursday..."
"Thaaaaaaaaaaaaat's RIGHT!" Pinkie chirped playfully while smiling at her blue friend.
Dash then turned her head slightly and noticed the Cakes standing in a corner. "Wait, you're here, too??" Dash asked, walking in their direction.
"Absolutely!" Mr. Cake replied.
"Pinkie Pie made absolutely sure that we cater your foal shower!" Mrs. Cake explained.
"So..." Dash continued, "Those boxes you had when you left..."
"...Were the refreshments for your shower!" Mr. Cake said.
"We'w going to the castle!" Pound Cake babbled.
"That's right, Pound!" Mrs. Cake said to her son.
"So that's what the little guy was trying to tell us!" Gilda remarked, looking over at Rainbow Dash as the cyan mare looked back at her.
"Come on, everypony!" Pinkie Pie suddenly exclaimed, "Let's have ourselves a foal shower!" This led to a multitude of cheers.
Rainbow Dash sat on the floor, a large pile of used wrapping paper sitting next to her. She was busy opening up her multitude of gifts from her friends and family, and she wasn't even halfway through. It was only 1:30, and all she and her guests had done was eat cake and refreshments, play a few party games, and now it was time for her to open her presents.
Dash currently had a present from Spitfire in her hooves. She pulled the yellow wrapping paper apart, which revealed a small, white box that she knew contained some sort of clothing. She lifted the lid, only to be overcome by cuteness as she saw two pairs of foal-sized pajamas that looked like Wonderbolt flight suits. Everypony around the pegasus went, "Awww..." as Dash turned to her captain.
"Aw, thanks, Spitfire!" she said, "These look so awesome!"
"Not a problem, Dash," Spitfire replied, "Now, I'm not a real big expert on cute stuff, but I figured these might do the trick."
Dash smiled warmly at her captain in reply. She then moved on to her next gift, which was a decently sized cube with multi-colored wrapping paper. She quickly tore it away and opened the box, only to find a large plushie that looked exactly...like... "Discord?" Dash asked, looking up at the draconequus.
"Oh, come on!" Discord replied with a smile and nervous-looking eyes, "I thought it would be...you know...cute? Besides, it's a big squeaky toy!" Discord then proceeded to wrap his claws around the stuffed version of himself and give it a squeeze, the large figure giving off a cute and familiar noise that Dash only heard when she saw Pinkie Pie smile. "Don't foals just love these types of toys?" he asked, his eyes closing as he hugged the toy to himself.
Dash looked back and forth at her friends and family, each of them smiling back at her. Fluttershy was giggling at Discord's antics, and that made Dash smile. As the draconequus set the large squeaky toy back down, Dash looked him in the eye and said, "Thanks, Discord. I'm sure they'll love it."
"Oh, it was nothing, Rainbow," Discord replied.
Dash then looked at her remaining gifts and made a quick decision. "You know, I'll save these for later in the party. Everypony okay with that?"
Everyone in the room looked at each other for a quick second before looking back at the pregnant pegasus. "I'm okay with that, Rainbow," Fluttershy said.
"That's fine, darling," Rarity said.
"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie chirped.
All of a sudden, two loud cries could be heard. "Uhhh..." Dash continued, "Is somepony not okay with that?"
"No, I just think some ponies need a diaper change right about now," Mr. Cake said, holding a wailing Pumpkin Cake.
"Spike!" Twilight called out. The young dragon was quickly by the alicorn's side, so she continued. "Could you show Mr. and Mrs. Cake the way to the bathroom, please?"
"Will do, Twilight!" the young dragon replied, giving the princess a salute. He then faced the two bakery owners and the two foals and said, "Follow me!"
With that, Spike led the Cakes out of the room and down a couple of hallways. Rainbow then broke the silence that followed. "Guys," she began, "This has been, like, so amazing. I'm so grateful that you would put together such a big foal shower for me. It makes me happy to know that I have friends, family, and other townsfolk who care about me. I just wanna say..." At that precise moment, one of Dash's eyes began to twitch, making everyone else go wide-eyed.
"Dash?" Fluttershy asked, "Are you feeling okay?"
Dash didn't reply. She instead bit her bottom lip and clenched her eyes shut, lowering her head slightly in the process.
"Aw, don't cry, Dashie!" Pinkie said, "This is a happy occasion, remember?" All of a sudden, everyone heard an odd noise that strongly resembled a flowing river. Pinkie looked down, but she was quickly mortified to see a rather large puddle of liquid under Rainbow's rear end. "Ewwww!!" she wailed.
Right then and there, Dash fell to her side, clenched her belly with her forelegs, and screamed in pain. "AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Everyone else gasped. "I think she's in labor!" Applejack yelled, a nervous look on her face.
"I think you're right!" Starlight frantically replied, her face sporting the same expression.
Soarin immediately tried to pick up his wailing wife on his own, but was unsuccessful. "Fluttershy! Twilight! Somepony! Help!" he exclaimed. Twilight and Fluttershy immediately stepped in, helping Soarin pick up his wailing wife. The three of them then flew out of the dining room as fast as they could, Rainbow Dash in tow.
When it was all over, everyone stood there completely still. Nopony said a word. They couldn't believe what had just happened.
Thirty seconds later, a young dragon walked through the entrance to the dining room. He stopped himself when he saw all the ponies - and the draconequus - standing there with wide eyes and open mouths. With a confused look on his face, Spike asked, "Uhhh...What'd I miss?" |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | **Finally a Family: Part I | Rapid beeps from the heart rate monitor were one of the many noises coming from the delivery room. Out of all of them, the most notable was Rainbow Dash, who was screaming her lungs out as a massive contraction blindsided her. Her eyes were clenched shut and her forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Soarin was at her side, clutching her right forehoof in both of his, doing his best to help his wife calm down and work through the pain. Even though Twilight had given the pregnant pegasus a few pointers from a book she had about breathing techniques for mares in labor, Rainbow had forgotten everything the princess had told her, and was now improvising her own tactics for relieving herself of the monumental pain coursing through her body. However, it wasn't working too well, which was why Soarin had to step in to help.
Underneath her hospital gown, Rainbow had two sets of electrodes on her belly. They were hooked up to a machine that showed the foals' heart rates. At the moment, they were very quick, which was normal, but Rainbow's nurse, midwife, and doctor were keeping a close eye on the machine, as there was always the chance of something going wrong during labor.
Rainbow groaned softly as her contraction ended. Right now, they were about two to three minutes apart, and whenever they struck, they struck hard, which was made obvious when the first one hit at the foal shower. Even at that point, Dash was unable to stand due to the immense pain, and everypony around her was certain that it was time.
Soarin gently rubbed Dash's foreleg with his right forehoof while he held onto the top of it with his left. "That's it, Dashie," he cooed to his wife, "Good job."
Dash did little more that moan softly in response. She wasn't breathing all that heavily at the moment, but she was breathing harder than normal. Even though the contraction had ended, she was still in extreme discomfort, and she knew the next one was coming soon. The cyan mare began to rub her belly softly with her left forehoof, hoping to generate a bit of warmth around her midsection to suppress a bit of the pain that she knew was about to come. What made it worse was that Dash had underestimated how intense the pain would be. She thought she'd be able to handle it without any trouble, but she was anything but correct at this point. Mrs. Cake had even warned her about what would inevitably come when labor struck, but Dash was feeling rather naïve on that particular day, and now she was feeling guilty about it.
"S-Soarin..." Dash whispered, a few tears forming in her eyes, "I...I can't take much more of this...It hurts so bad..."
Soarin leaned in and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Don't worry, Dash," he replied, comfortingly, "Dr. Crowning will be back soon and they can get the epidural started."
"He'd better be here within the next..." Dash paused as her uterus seized up and contracted once again. "Oooooooo.......OOOOOOOOO......AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!" She screamed as the contraction progressed. Soarin couldn't help but feel horrible that his wife was going through such pain, but he wasn't the one experiencing it, and there wasn't anything more he could do but let her know he was there and that everything was going to be fine.
After what seemed like forever, which, in all reality, was only sixty seconds, Dash breathed a sigh of relief as her contraction ended. Then, as if on cue, Dr. Crowning, her delivery doctor, along with her midwife and Nurse Redheart, walked into the room, and she was more than happy to see them. "Well, Dash, how are you feeling?" the earth pony stallion asked, "Has anything changed?"
"I don't think so," Dash replied, "Other than a bit more pressure down near my...you know..." she finished, gesturing to her lower area.
"Well, let's get you checked before we discuss drugs. Sound good?"
"Sure."
"Alright, then," the stallion finished. Right after Dash had gotten situated at the hospital, Dr. Crowning checked to see how far along she was, and she was already four centimeters dilated. Normally, he would have talked about an epidural right then and there, but there was still a bit of paperwork that Soarin had to fill out at the time, and by the time he was done, the doctor had to go visit another patient.
Dr. Crowning took hold of the device he used to check how much expecting mares were dilated. He lifted the blanket covering Dash's hind legs and aimed the device at her opening, then moved it inside. "Oh! Interesting!" he said, his eyes widening slightly.
"What?" Dash asked.
"You're already at six centimeters! You're progressing faster than I thought!"
Soarin immediately leaned down and said to his wife, "You hear that, Dash? You're almost there." He really hoped his words would give her a confidence boost and help her avoid worrying about the pain.
"Doc," Dash continued, "Can I still get the epidural?"
"Well, that's why I wanted to get you checked first," Dr. Crowning replied, "You see, like I said, you're progressing more quickly than we'd anticipated, and now the window for an epidural is almost closed."
"However," Nurse Redheart said, "Though an epidural will give you some pain relief, it also slows down the labor process, which means you'll be here a bit longer."
This caught Dash by surprise. She had no idea why she hadn't asked anypony about this before, because if she had, she most definitely would have gotten the medicine by now. It was at this moment that she had to make a crucial decision: Get the epidural and wait longer with less pain, or forego the epidural and deliver the foals quicker. While she thought about it, her mouth opened wide as another contraction hit her, prompting Soarin to resume rubbing her foreleg in a gentle manner.
Dash breathed in and out quite audibly, moaning as she exhaled. "That's it," Dash's midwife said, "Just keep breathing. You're doing great." The light green earth pony mare continued to encourage Dash in that manner throughout the contraction, until it finally subsided.
This contraction was just as painful as the others, and it made Dash lean more toward wanting the epidural. However, she didn't want to be cooped up in a hospital bed for too long, as waiting for her wing to heal was bad enough. With a nervous look on her face, Dash turned to her husband and asked, "Soarin, what should I do?"
"Dash, I can't really give you much in terms of advice," Soarin replied, "I'm not the one feeling your pain...well, physical, at least. To answer your question, I think you should do whatever you feel is best for you."
Once again, Rainbow was left to her own devices. Too much was going through her head. "More pain or less pain? Stay longer or get out quicker?" she thought to herself.
"Rainbow Dash," Dr. Crowning said, "I hate to have to rush you, but I need a decision sooner rather than later."
"Okay," Dash replied. She closed her eyes and went into deep thought, trying her best to make a decision. After another several seconds, she opened her eyes, looked right at her doctor, smiled, and said, "Doc, you can go ahead and give that epidural to another mare, 'cause..." As she spoke, she turned her head to face Soarin, reaching up and touching his cheek. "...I really wanna see my foals." This caused Soarin to rub his wife's left cheek affectionately and kiss her on the lips.
"Very well, then," Dr. Crowning finished with a smile.
Several anxious and excited ponies sat in the waiting room, eagerly awaiting any form of news on their friend. Even though both Rainbow's and Soarin's parents were there with big smiles on their faces, Pinkie Pie was noticeably more excited about this, given how energetically she was bouncing up and down. These actions were bringing a slight amount of displeasure to a certain young alicorn.
"Pinkie," Twilight began, "Will you please stop bouncing off the walls?? The hospital isn't a place for that!"
"I CAN'T HELP IT!!!" Pinkie exclaimed, joyfully.
"SHHHHHH!!!!!!" Twilight went.
Still continuing to bounce, Pinkie's tone shifted to a whisper, though it was clear she was still trying to speak as loud as she possibly could. "I mean, I can't help it! Dashie's about to have two foals!"
Twilight groaned before turning to face Fluttershy. "She wasn't this energetic when the Cake twins were born, was she?"
"I don't think she was," Fluttershy replied.
"I must say," Rarity spoke silently to Twilight, "Pinkie's lucky that Applejack hasn't come back and hogtied her by now!"
"I agree!" Twilight replied in an equally-as-quiet tone, "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that Dash is finally having her foals, but seriously! Who gets this energetic inside a hospital?"
"Actually, Twilight, I...I...pffft..." Rarity began to chuckle, "I'm sorry. I can't hold it back anymore!" The white unicorn then began clapping her forehooves together as she lifted her head slightly and closed her eyes. "Rainbow Dash is going to be a mother! Aaahhh!!" she exclaimed with glee.
All of a sudden, Fluttershy began to giggle as well. "I'm sorry, Twilight," she began, enthusiastically, her wings beginning to flap out of excitement, "I can't hold it back either! I'm so excited for Rainbow and Soarin!" she said as she began rising into the air.
"So am I!" Pinkie exclaimed, bouncing up to Fluttershy's now stationary flight level and looking her in the eyes.
"I know! I can't believe it's finally happening!"
"Neither can I!"
While Pinkie and Fluttershy continued talking excitedly with each other, Rarity stood up and began to bounce lightly herself.
In the meantime, Starlight was trying to keep her energy and excitement contained by repeatedly tapping her forehooves on her chair, but her actions proved to be futile. Turning to Twilight, the unicorn said in an excited whisper, "Sorry..." before giddily getting onto her hooves and bouncing lightly along with Rarity.
Seeing all her friends acting in all these ways initially annoyed Twilight, as she wanted to respect anypony else that may have been nearby. However, her own excitement was getting the best of her, and soon, she loudly said, "Aw, what the hay? Woo-hoo!"
"You took the words right out of my mouth, Twilight!" Firefly said.
The two ponies shared a laugh before Twilight continued. "I still can't believe that today is the day!"
"Neither can we!" Rainbow Blaze replied.
"I'm just grateful that thing that happened in Cloudsdale didn't kill me," Grey Nimbus spoke, "Then this day probably wouldn't have been as exciting."
"You may be right, Grey," Twilight replied, "But I think right now we should just be glad that you're here to witness the arrival of your grandfoals!"
"Yep! And I'm glad to be here, too."
Twilight and the two couples remained silent for a few seconds before she continued. "Wow, I really hope that Rainbow and Soarin like the little surprise my friends and I left for them back at their home!"
"Now, what was that surprise again, Twilight?" Wind Glider asked. Twilight then moved over and whispered what was waiting for the soon-to-be parents into her ear. "Oh, that! Right!" Wind Glider finished, "I'm sure they'll love it!"
"I'm sure they will, too!" Twilight replied.
Again, the group went silent for several seconds. "I wonder how my little filly's doing back there?" Firefly asked.
Twilight was the first to respond. "I'm sure she's doing just fine."
"Uh-oh," Nurse Redheart said, looking at the machine monitoring the foals.
"What?" Dash asked, noticeably concerned.
"Well, from what I see here, it looks like the heart rate of one of the foals has gone down."
"Is that bad?" Soarin asked, equally as worried as his wife.
"It has the potential to be, Soarin. There are a couple of things we can do, but if they don't seem to help, we'll have to do an emergency C-section."
Dash grew even more nervous at the thought of having her belly sliced open. "Well, what can you do?" the pregnant pegasus asked.
"Just give me thirty seconds," Nurse Redheart finished before trotting quickly out of the room. Rainbow and Soarin then looked nervously at each other before Dash cringed in pain as another massive contraction came over her. By now, they were less than two minutes apart, and they were becoming more intense.
Almost as soon as she had left, Nurse Redheart returned with a bucket of ice and a cup. She waited until the contraction was over before speaking. "Dash, one easy way to get the foal's heart rate back up is for you to eat some ice cubes."
"Huh?" Rainbow asked, still panting heavily from the contraction.
"Sometimes, if a foal's heart rate decreases, that means it's, well, sort of, fallen asleep in the womb. It doesn't literally fall asleep, but its activity inside the womb has decreased in such a way that the heart rate drops."
Dash had to think about what Nurse Redheart had said for a few seconds before she agreed to eat the ice cubes. One by one, she was fed the little pieces of ice, chewing on them before swallowing. She shivered as each one entered her mouth and went down her esophagus, but she pulled through, and eventually, the foal's heart was once again beating at a healthy rhythm.
"Wonderful!" Nurse Redheart said, relieved that a crisis had been averted, "Let me just do a quick ultrasound to see how things are in there, okay?"
"Go ahead," Dash replied, weakly. Much of her energy had been drained at this point due to the multitude of contractions. It took the pegasus her utmost to get through them without an epidural, and she was starting to worry that she wouldn't have enough energy to deliver the foals.
Soarin sensed his wife's discomfort and continued to stroke her foreleg, which, at this point, was becoming rather routine for the stallion, and Rainbow didn't seem to mind in the slightest. "Don't worry, Dash," he said, calmly, "You're almost there. Everything's gonna be fine."
"I hope so..." Dash replied, her tone suggesting that she had had enough of this already and just wanted her foals out.
As the husband and wife spoke, Redheart performed an ultrasound, determining that, just like she had told the couple at their very first ultrasound, both of the foals' heads were aimed toward the birth canal; however, one was significantly lower than the other.
Just then, Dr. Crowning happened to walk back into the room. "So," he began, "How are you feeling, Dash?"
Dash panted for a few seconds before replying, "These contractions are just getting worse and worse. And lately they've been..." At that moment, Dash cringed again, her body tensing up as another contraction hit her. This time, however, Dash felt significant pressure down below, and she felt like she had to push. "AAAAHHHH!!!!" she exclaimed in agony, "I think one of them's coming!"
Dr. Crowning immediately lifted the covers and looked down at Rainbow's canal, only to find a small mass of cyan and white hair that hadn't quite made it out into the open yet. "Dash," the stallion said, "The head's right there. Looks like we need to get ready right about now."
Dr. Crowning and Nurse Redheart immediately sprang into action, washing their hooves and covering them in protective latex, followed by dressing in blue attire that was normally saved for surgeons. At the same time, Dash's midwife took Rainbow's left foreleg in her hooves, while Soarin's grip on her other leg never ceased.
"Dash, this is it!" Soarin exclaimed in a whisper. Rainbow's only response was a pained groan as her contraction ended.
"Okay, Rainbow," Dr. Crowning continued as he lifted the blanket again and pushed it back, exposing Dash's hind legs completely, "We're ready. Are you ready?"
Never in her life had Dash's mind gone on the fritz quite like this. Her entire pregnancy began to flash before her eyes. All the ups and downs came back to her, but in the end, all she wanted was to meet the two ponies that had been growing inside of her this whole time. While she continued to pant, Dash mustered a proud smile and replied, "I'm ready."
"Great!" Dr. Crowning responded, "Now, when the next contraction hits, I want you to start pushing, okay?"
"Got it," Dash replied. Dr. Crowning then placed both of his latex-covered forehooves on each side of Rainbow's vagina, putting light pressure on her lower lips to prevent the foal from being delivered too quickly.
All Rainbow could do was lay there and wait for the next contraction. She was nervous, but at the same time, determined to get those two foals out of her. She took one more look at everypony in the room with her before...
"AAAAHHHH!!!!" Rainbow bellowed.
Dr. Crowning immediately exclaimed, "Push!" |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | **Finally a Family: Part II | "Push!"
Rainbow did as she was told, centering all of her strength on her midsection. She closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and used every muscle in her body to begin pushing the first foal out. She could feel it slowly easing through the birth canal, but Rainbow felt like it wasn't moving fast enough. She just wanted this pain to be over with.
Dr. Crowning was still in his position at Rainbow's lower half, preventing the foal from being born too fast. As he held light pressure on Rainbow's vaginal lips, he counted her through her first push. "...Eight, nine, ten!" he said, "That's it, Rainbow. Stop and take a few deep breaths."
As Rainbow inhaled deeply, Soarin leaned in and whispered, "Great job, Dashie! You can do this!"
Rainbow wanted to reply, but right as her husband ceased speaking, she heard the inevitable command from her doctor. "Ready, Rainbow?" Dr. Crowning asked. The pregnant mare nodded. "Okay...Push!" Again, she did as she was told, using every ounce of strength she possessed to deliver the foal.
Even though she was already fully dilated, Rainbow felt that the foal was stretching her beyond her limits. Now she realized why Mrs. Cake had told her that the actual birthing process was the most painful part of labor and delivery. Part of Rainbow felt like she couldn't handle the pain any longer, but another part of her knew that once the foals were out, the pain would subside. With that in mind, Rainbow kept her efforts focused solely on giving birth to the two foals that were inside of her.
Once another ten seconds had passed, Rainbow ceased pushing, but only had time for a few more breaths before she was told to begin pushing again, as she needed to make as much progress as possible before the contraction was over.
"That's it, Rainbow! Keep going!" Dash's midwife said in an encouraging tone.
"...Seven, eight, nine, and ten! There we go!" Dr. Crowning said as Rainbow exhaled, "Just relax for a bit, Rainbow, then we'll keep going when the next contraction hits. Okay?"
"Uuuggghhh..." Rainbow groaned, her body searching for any kind of energy she could use to continue, "Okay..."
As Soarin reached up with a rag to wipe the layer of sweat on his wife's forehead away, he said, "You're doing great, Dashie. I know you can do this."
"Soarin..." Rainbow weakly said, "It hurts so bad..."
"I know it does, Dash," Soarin replied, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek, "But just think; pretty soon, when it's all over, you're gonna be holding two brand new foals all your own!"
"D-Don't you mean our own?" Rainbow asked between breaths.
"Exactly," Soarin replied, kissing the base of his wife's right forehoof.
The act of love brought a small smile to Rainbow's face, but it only lasted for about four seconds before...
"AAAHHHH!!!!!" Rainbow bellowed.
"Okay, Rainbow," Dr. Crowning commanded as he got back into position, "Deep breath in...aaaaaannd...push!"
Rainbow began to push once again, her muscles straining to move the foal further along through the birth canal. While she pushed, she could feel something just barely poking out of her opening, and it remained that way when the ten seconds had passed. After a few more deep breaths, she resumed pushing, screaming as she felt the head of the first foal spread her lower lips open wide. Even with that pain surging through her, Rainbow held on, knowing she'd have immense relief in the next several minutes.
The bell at the Ponyville Schoolhouse rang out audibly, and a large group of fillies and colts scurried out of the small, red structure, eager to get home and enjoy the rest of the day. A certain trio of fillies, however, didn't run off immediately. They just casually walked out of the schoolhouse while having a conversation.
"Hey, guys?" Scootaloo asked, "Have you, like, been noticing Diamond Tiara lately? I'll bet 'ya a month's allowance she's got eyes for Pip!"
"I've been noticing that, too!" Sweetie Belle said.
"Seems like those two have really gotten along ever since the election!" Apple Bloom added, "Well, at least after we helped her realize who she wanted to be."
"Exactly!" said Scootaloo.
"When do you think Pip's gonna ask her out?" Sweetie Belle asked in a mischievous tone with half-lidded eyes.
"Heck if I know," said Apple Bloom, "I doubt that's gon' happen, anyway."
"Heh...You never know, Apple Bloom..." Scootaloo finished. As she did, the three fillies heard running hoof beats headed toward them, so they turned their heads to the pathway that lead to the school's entrance, only to see Applejack headed their way, an excited smile on her face.
"Hey, you three!" the farm fare said as she stopped in front of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
"Hi, Applejack!" the trio said in unison.
"Hey, listen," Applejack continued, "I don't know if y'all got anythin' planned for right now, but if 'ya do, that's all gon' have to wait."
"What's goin' on?" Apple Bloom asked, a slightly concerned look on her face.
"Well..." AJ continued, pausing for dramatic effect, "One of you three's about to become an aunt!"
Scootaloo's eyes instantly went wide. "Wait, what?!?" she asked.
"That's right, Scootaloo!" AJ continued, "Rainbow Dash went into labor less than a couple hours ago! Now, I don't know how long it'll be before the foals are born, but I figured I may as well come get 'ya and bring 'ya to the hospital!"
"Oh my gosh! No way! It's actually happening!" Scootaloo exclaimed in excitement, hovering a couple of inches off the ground.
Apple Bloom's face soon sported a slightly disappointed expression. "Aw, come on, sis..." she said to AJ, "I wanna see Rainbow's foals, too..."
"So do I..." Sweetie Belle said, sadly. Both the unicorn and earth pony fillies assumed AJ was here only to get Scootaloo.
"Hey, did I say y'all had to go home?" the orange farm mare asked.
Both Apple Bloom's and Sweetie Belle's faces lit up as they looked each other in the eyes. They soon started bouncing up and down, exclaiming random excitable interjections as they did.
"Wow!" Scootaloo continued, "I can't believe this! Rainbow Dash must feel so wonderful right now!"
"UUUGGGHHH!!! IT HURTS!!!" Rainbow bellowed, her voice nearly cracking.
"Just relax, Rainbow," Dr. Crowning said, "The head's out now. You can take a little break."
As the earth pony stallion suctioned out the foal's nose and mouth, Soarin once again wiped the sweat off his wife's brow. "Dash, I'm so proud of you!" he whispered, "You're doing amazing!" Rainbow, like many times in the past several minutes, only groaned in response.
As his wife relaxed, the pegasus stallion became curious as to what a foal being born actually looked like. He had pictured it many times during and after health class during his school days, and he figured it was quite the miracle to behold. However, when he looked down between his wife's legs, the sight nearly made him vomit. It was significantly more disgusting than he had once thought. He decided to watch the rest of the show further back, where Rainbow's belly would block some of the action.
Even though she was in immense pain, Rainbow couldn't help but giggle internally at the sight of Soarin nearly becoming sick to his stomach. She mustered a weak smile and asked, "Get a good view, Soarin?"
Maintaining a smile, Soarin rolled his eyes and replied, "Oh, stop it..." Rainbow chuckled lightly, but almost instantly felt the next contraction bear down on her, and she moaned in agony once again.
Dr. Crowning, thankfully, had already finished clearing the amniotic fluid out from the foal's mouth and nose. He quickly got back into position once he heard his patient's screams and said, "Ready, Rainbow?" The cyan mare nodded. "Alright. Deep breath, and...push!" As Rainbow resumed pushing, the stallion turned the foal ninety degrees to the right to allow the shoulder area to come out. Right after he did, he could slowly see the rest of the foal's neck emerging, and he continued to count to ten as the foal continued to exit the birth canal.
Rainbow exhaled once she heard Dr. Crowning mention the number ten. However, it was routine for her at this point to only breathe as much as she could for five seconds before she started pushing again. She had already felt the stallion turning the foal inside her canal, and now, as she resumed her efforts, she felt him turn the foal back to the position it was originally in.
At this point, Rainbow knew she was closer than ever to delivering the foal, but the pain was so intense that she felt she could go no further. However, some random thought came to her mind at what seemed like the oddest of times, but once she thought about it for a few seconds, it made perfect sense. Part of her brain was telling her that she was using so much strength and energy that she may as well have been accelerating in the air to do a sonic rainboom. At last, Rainbow had a plan to distract herself from the pain, albeit temporarily.
"Alright, Rainbow, this is it!" Dr. Crowning said as his patient stopped pushing.
"Come on, Dashie!" Soarin whispered into his wife's ear, "You're so close!"
Rainbow said nothing. Before her doctor could tell her to push again, she took one last deep breath in and continued moving the foal through her birth canal. At the same time, since her eyes were already closed, she imagined herself using every ounce of strength in her body to flap her wings as hard as she could, hoping to achieve the rare feat that she had already done more than once. In all reality, her wings remained pinned to her sides as she pushed, but in her head, she was flying at an impressive speed, something she had enjoyed doing all her life.
Even though most of her mind was focused on achieving a sonic rainboom, Rainbow could still feel all the real-life sensations her body was experiencing. She felt more of the foal exit her as she went along, and at the same time, she visualized a cone-shaped cloud forming in front of her, signifying that she was close to breaking the sound barrier. With a valiant effort, she used every muscle in her body to move forward, and she could feel the end approaching with every second that passed. She sensed herself getting closer...and closer...and closer...until finally...
"Dash! Look!" Soarin whispered excitedly into his wife's ear.
The first thing Dash saw when she opened her eyes was Dr. Crowning holding a crying, squirming foal in his forelegs. Rainbow felt a small towel being laid across her chest as the earth pony stallion set the foal down on it. Instinctively, Dash held the newborn foal in her own forelegs, watching it continue to cry and move in place.
Dash didn't say anything. Her face sported a shocked expression as she looked at the foal she was holding. Her mouth was slightly agape and her eyes were wide, but not completely so. She lay there panting, trying to comprehend what was going on. Did she really just deliver a foal? Was the foal in her forelegs really hers? So much was happening in Dash's brain that she couldn't do anything more than sit there and look at the crying newborn.
Eager to determine the foal's gender, Soarin lifted one of its hind legs and looked between them, leaning in close to Dash's ear once he had solved the mystery. "Dash!" he whispered, "It's a filly! We have a daughter!" He then wrapped his left foreleg around his wife's neck.
By now, Dash's mind was slowly coming back to reality, and after thinking about the entirety of her pregnancy one more time, her mind told her that the foal in her arms was what she had been waiting for all this time. When it finally hit her that she was a mother, the corners of Dash's mouth slowly turned upward, and her facial expression turned to one of complete and utter elation. Still panting slightly, Dash whispered, "...A...A daughter?"
"Yes, Dash," Soarin whispered back, relieved to hear his wife speak, "We have a daughter, and it's all thanks to you. You did wonderfully. I'm so proud of you." He finished by kissing her on the cheek.
Both Rainbow and Soarin then took a good look at their newborn daughter. Her coat was the exact same color as her father's, and her mane was cyan, just like her mother's fur, with a thin line of white straight down the middle. Her tiny wings remained folded to her sides as her crying gradually slowed, the warmth of her mother's body starting to comfort her.
Soarin looked to his right as Dr. Crowning neared him with a pair of surgical scissors. "Soarin," he began, "Would you like to do the honors?"
"Absolutely," the new father replied. Sitting on his rump, Soarin took the scissors in his forehooves and opened them, aiming them in-between the two sets of clamps where the doctor had already cut off the blood supply from the umbilical cord. Soarin moved the scissors forward, and with a few quick snips, the newborn filly was separated from her mother.
As Dr. Crowning took care of business down at the other end, Soarin stood back up, turning to face his wife and daughter. As he stared lovingly at the filly in Dash's forelegs, he heard his wife whisper, "Bright Skies..."
Soarin instinctively looked out the nearby window, seeing a cloudless sky outside with Celestia's sun shining majestically. "Yeah, Dash," Soarin replied, "It's a beautiful day out there."
"No, I...I wanna name her Bright Skies," Dash replied, looking her husband in the eye.
After meeting his wife's gaze, Soarin looked back at his daughter, realizing that the colors of her coat and mane truly represented a bright, sunny day with minimal clouds in the sky. After several seconds of thought, Soarin looked his wife in the eyes once again and said, "I love it, Dash." He then turned his head to the right, leaning in to get closer to his daughter's ears. "Happy birthday, Bright Skies," he whispered, "We're really happy you're here."
A few tears were already flowing down Dash's cheeks as she closed her eyes and hugged her daughter closer, sobbing happily as she did. At the same time, Bright Skies got several good whiffs of her mother's natural scent, locking them away in the recesses of her brain.
After several more seconds, Dash pulled away as Nurse Redheart said, "Alright, Rainbow. We need to get your daughter weighed and cleaned up now, okay? You can just have Soarin bring her over to the scale."
This made Dash worried. In the past minute, she had already formed such an unexplainable connection with her new daughter that she didn't want to let her go. At the same time, however, her common sense told her to trust the experts, so she reluctantly handed Bright Skies and the towel over to Soarin, who took the white, fluffy material in his teeth, picked his daughter up, and set her down on the scale, which had already been adjusted to account for the weight of the towel.
Bright Skies immediately started to get a little fussy, as she had grown accustomed to the warmth of the outside of her mother's body, which had suddenly vanished. However, she calmed down as she sensed another source of warmth very close to her. Soarin was leaning over the scale as his daughter was weighed, and Bright Skies began taking in her father's natural scent, storing it in the same place she stored her mother's.
Meanwhile, Dr. Crowning had instructed Rainbow to push a couple of more times, and Bright Skies' placenta was soon out of her. However, these small pushes triggered another contraction, and Dash could feel the second foal rapidly entering the birth canal. The pegasus screamed again, and, right as Nurse Redheart documented Bright Skies' measurements, Soarin covered his daughter's ears, not wanting her to have such a loud noise on her mind.
"Rainbow Dash," Nurse Redheart spoke, "I'm going to take your daughter to the newborn nursery. I'll bring her back after you deliver the second foal, okay?"
"Whatever!" Dash said, pain overtaking her body, "Just get the other foal out of me!"
"Don't worry, Dash," Dr. Crowning said, "We're just about to do that." As Nurse Redheart placed Bright Skies on a cart made for newborn foals and exited the room with the foal in tow, Dr. Crowning got back into position at Rainbow's vaginal opening, applying the same amount of pressure to her lower lips. "Ready?" he asked. Dash nodded, and as she did, her midwife and Soarin each grabbed one of her forelegs, allowing her something to put pressure on as she delivered the second foal. "Alright, then. Deep breath, aaaaaannd...push!"
The door to the waiting room opened, and three energetic and excited fillies trotted in, along with a slightly annoyed, albeit excited on the inside, Applejack. "Hey! Look who's here!" Twilight said, smiling at the sight of four more of her friends.
"Hey, Twilight!" the Cutie Mark Crusaders replied in unison.
The purple alicorn then looked over to Applejack and noticed that her mane was slightly frazzled. "Uhhh...you okay, Applejack?" she asked.
"Who, me?" AJ replied, "I'm perfectly fine, Twilight. It's just that these three right here..." She gestured to her younger sister and her two friends. "...Wouldn't stop bouncin' off'a every single wall they could find."
"I can't help it!" Scootaloo immediately said, beginning to bounce up and down.
"Me, neither!" Apple Bloom said, starting to mimic her friend's actions.
"Neither can I!" Sweetie Belle followed up, also beginning to do what Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and, for that matter, Pinkie Pie, were all doing.
Twilight immediately empathized with her orange earth pony friend. It hadn't been too long since she'd had to try and keep not just three, but four, overly excited and energetic mares under control, but in the end, it seemed that both she and AJ let it slide, as their cyan friend's inevitable delivery date had finally arrived.
The alicorn smiled at the orange earth pony, and AJ smiled back. Why should she be upset, anyway? This was a happy occasion.
After a few more seconds, AJ walked over to the bench and sat next to Twilight. She then asked, "Where in the hay is Spike? I figured he'd be here by now."
Right then and there, the waiting room door opened again, albeit louder than last time. This caused not only the entire group to look at it, but it also prompted Pinkie Pie and the Cutie Mark Crusaders to stop bouncing. Standing in the doorway was a not-too-happy-looking baby dragon who was panting slightly.
"Spike!" Twilight exclaimed, happily, "There you are!" She then quickly trotted over to her dragon assistant. "Thank you so much for staying behind a bit longer. I hope it wasn't too much trouble for you to clean up everything."
Spike stared up at Twilight with a blank expression. He was silent for a good ten seconds before replying, "Wasn't too much trouble...? Wasn't too much trouble!? Geez, Twilight! Couldn't you have at least come back after bringing Rainbow by and used a spell to clean everything up!? Not even the Cakes could stay and help! They said they had another gig after the shower!"
Everypony was silent. Twilight then thought about how much there was to clean up in the dining room and realized why Spike was feeling the way he was. The alicorn squee'd guiltily at her friends, then turned back to face the dragon, her face sporting an apologetic expression as she replied, "I'm sorry, Spike. I think I may have underestimated how much we had done over there. I guess I was too worried about how Rainbow was doing that I didn't even consider the fact that I had left you there alone to take care of everything. Can you forgive me?"
Spike stayed silent for several seconds before his response came. "Well, let's just put it this way. Even though it looks like I'm furious at you, Twilight, I'm not. I have no reason to be, anyway." His facial expression then changed to an excited one. "I mean, Rainbow's about to have twins, for crying out loud!"
"Woo-hoo!" Pinkie Pie cheered, resuming her energetic bouncing.
Twilight smiled at her pink friend, then faced Spike once again, hugging him as she replied, "Thanks, Spike."
"Hey, no problem, Twilight!" the baby dragon replied. After a few more seconds, he asked, "So, any idea how Rainbow Dash is doing?"
The alicorn closed her eyes as she replied, "Oh, I'm sure she's doing just fine."
Rainbow couldn't help but scream bloody murder as the second foal's head made its way out of her after what seemed like forever. She had been told this delivery would be easier than the first, but the amount of pain she was enduring told her otherwise.
As the foal's head emerged completely, Dr. Crowning told his patient to relax and take another break, but right as he began to suction out any unwanted amniotic fluid, he made a startling discovery. "Uh-oh," he said, not sounding too happy, "We've got a problem here."
Large amounts of adrenaline instantly flowed into the veins of both Rainbow and Soarin. "What's wrong?" Soarin asked, sweat beginning to form on his brow as a result of his sudden anxiety.
"Looks like the cord is wrapped around the foal's neck," Dr. Crowning replied.
"What!?" Rainbow exclaimed, "How is that possible!?"
"It happens from time to time, Rainbow," the doctor continued, "It's still pretty serious, though, as we don't want the oxygen supply to the foal's head to be cut off completely. Just give me a few seconds to try and unravel it." As Rainbow kept breathing, Dr. Crowning tried to move the umbilical cord to a different spot, one where it wouldn't cut off the foal's oxygen supply. Unfortunately, it was wrapped around the foal's neck rather tightly, and Dr. Crowning could do little to resolve the issue with his hooves alone. The earth pony stallion lifted his head to face Nurse Redheart and said, "Scissors, please."
"Here you are," Redheart replied, handing over a pair of surgical scissors.
Dr. Crowning immediately took them and brought them down to the foal's head. "Sorry, Soarin," he said, "Looks like you're gonna have to miss out on cutting this one."
"Don't worry about it, Doc," Soarin replied, "Just do what you gotta do." Even though the pegasus stallion was very worried about the current situation, he knew the unborn foal was in good hooves.
With careful precision, Dr. Crowning slowly cut the umbilical cord, and once it was loose, he was able to unravel it away from the foal's neck, but not without clamping both ends first. He then finished suctioning out the foal's nose and mouth, then put all his utensils to the side and got back into position. "Ready, Rainbow?" he asked.
"Is the foal okay?" Rainbow asked in return.
"Looks like everything's going to be fine, Rainbow," Dr. Crowning replied in reassurance. Rainbow smiled at her doctor, but began wailing in agony a mere two seconds later. The doctor then knew he no longer needed a vocal response to his question. "Okay, Rainbow. Deep breath in, and...push!"
Rainbow did as she was told. Once again, she used every ounce of strength in her body to push the foal out of her. Just like the first time, she felt her doctor turn the foal ninety degrees, allowing the shoulder area to exit her tunnel. Unfortunately, the sheer amount of pain that was coursing through her body made her feel the slightest bit helpless and/or alone, and her newfound mother's instinct made her begin to worry about her daughter. As she finished pushing, Rainbow cried out, "WHERE'S BRIGHT SKIES?!?!?!?"
Soarin immediately moved as close to his wife as he could and replied, "She's fine, Dash. She's perfectly fine." He then gave her a reassuring kiss on the cheek. "You'll see her again in a few minutes. Don't worry."
Hearing her husband's words made Rainbow relax a little, and her mind came back to reality in time for her to convince herself that he was right. With that, she took another deep breath and, without waiting for Dr. Crowning to tell her, started pushing again. At this point, she could feel the foal moving through her a little bit faster than Bright Skies, so she told herself not to take too long in-between ten-second intervals, as the more pushing she did, the quicker the foal would arrive.
As Rainbow felt the foal's forelegs come out of her, which was followed by Dr. Crowning turning the unborn infant back to its original position, she decided that she didn't need to envision herself doing a sonic rainboom this time around. She had already delivered one foal, and now she knew that this one would supposedly be out quicker, so she decided to just have her mind focused solely on getting the second foal out. However, there was one thing that was troubling her. The foal had begun to emerge with its cord wrapped around its neck, and she was unsure if it would cry upon its birth. She didn't want it to be whisked away to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit without her getting the chance to hold it. Still, even with that uncertainty on her mind, Rainbow new she was very close to delivering her second foal, so she forced her mind to focus on delivering it.
"...Nine, ten!" Dr. Crowning said as Rainbow began breathing deeply again, "Alright, Rainbow. One more push and you'll have yourself another foal!"
Rainbow smiled and replied between breaths, "Let's...hhhh...do this..."
"There we go. That's what I like to hear. Ready?" Rainbow nodded. "Okay, then. Deep breath, aaaannd...push!" Once again, Dash pushed with all her might. It was painful, but her mind slowly brightened up as she felt something she had been longing to feel.
As the foal's hind legs and tail began to leave her canal, Rainbow opened her eyes and watched in amazement as her second foal was born. Dr. Crowning lifted up the foal, which, to everypony's surprise and relief, was crying rather loudly, even louder than Bright Skies had initially cried. As the doctor handed the foal over to its mother, Rainbow welcomed her second child with open arms, and she quickly brought it close and began sobbing happily once again. "Oh my gosh..." she whispered, her voice laden with short, euphoria-laden bursts of laughter that were a result of her tears of joy. Her close proximity allowed the foal easy access to the embers of its mother's natural scent, and it swiftly locked them away in its brain, just like its sister.
Rainbow pulled away slightly after about fifteen seconds, and, out of curiosity, lifted one of the foal's hind legs, and both she and Soarin were able to determine its gender at the same time. Looking happily into each other's eyes, they whispered, "It's a colt!" in unison.
Rainbow faced her newborn son once again and kissed him on the forehead, then leaned back so she and her husband could look at him. He had a beautiful cyan coat, just like his mother, and his mane was the same color as his father's, except he had one feature that he shared with his sister, which was the thin line of white down the center.
Soarin's concentration on his new son was broken as he heard Dr. Crowning say, "Hey, Soarin, maybe you don't have to miss out on cutting the cord after all!"
"Huh?" Soarin replied, confused as to why his wife's doctor would say that, given that he had already cut the cord himself.
"Here," Dr. Crowning replied. As he handed Soarin another pair of scissors, he fastened a clamp on another part of the cord, one that was about an inch away from the foal's belly. Soarin immediately knew what the other stallion was getting at, so he aimed the scissors forward and snipped the rest of the cord away. Once that was finished, the excess cord was properly discarded, and Dr. Crowning continued his residual work at Rainbow's lower end.
Unlike with Bright Skies, Rainbow was less reluctant to hand her son over to Soarin this time around, as she knew that the quicker the foal's measurements were taken, the sooner she'd get him back. As Rainbow delivered the placenta and had the electrodes removed from her abdomen, Soarin brought the infant over to the scale, where Nurse Redheart documented his weight and length. Soarin kept his snout close to his son's, allowing the newborn to take in his father's scent and put it in his brain. Once all that was finished, the foal was wrapped in a blanket and brought back to Rainbow, who already had her lower half covered by the bed's blanket once again, where she happily reaccepted him into her cradling embrace.
As Rainbow gently stroked her son's mane with her right forehoof, she asked, "Hey, Soarin?"
"Yeah, Dashie?" Soarin replied.
"What should we name him?"
Soarin immediately wished he had thought about names before all this happened. "Uhhh..." he began to reply, scratching his head, "You know, I'm sorry. I'm drawing a complete blank here."
Before Rainbow could reply, a loud scream could be heard from a mare next door, who was most likely in the final throes of labor. "Hmmm...that's odd," Rainbow's midwife said, "These walls are usually soundproof."
"Guess she's having as hard of a time as I did," Rainbow remarked, giggling lightly.
Soarin let out a small chuckle. "Heh...Who knows?" he said, "For all we know, she could've been heard all the way up in the stratosphere!"
Rainbow's midwife and Soarin both giggled at the stallion's remark. However, Rainbow said nothing. Instead, her eyes widened in thought as she looked down at her son, and then she got a brilliant idea. Looking back at her husband, Rainbow said, "You know, Soarin, that doesn't sound all too bad!"
"Wait, what?" Soarin replied, "Hearing another mare scream while we're high in the sky?"
"No. I mean..." she paused, gesturing her son upwards slightly, "Stratosphere!"
And then it all hit Soarin. He realized that he may have just named his son without even thinking. "Stratosphere..." he thought to himself. It then occurred to him that he and Rainbow both loved flying, and doing so always took them into the stratosphere. Looking back at Rainbow, the stallion replied, "That's sound perfect, Rainbow. Bright Skies and Stratosphere." He sighed. "Wow, just saying them together like that nearly made me shiver."
"I know," Rainbow replied, "Me, too." She then sported a concerned look that seemed to come out of nowhere. "Wait, hang on. Speaking of..."
"Bright Skies?" Nurse Redheart asked, happily. She had just returned to the room, Bright Skies in tow on the cart. Both mother and father looked on in awe as their daughter was returned to them, and then Rainbow realized that she needed to reposition her son. She was soon holding him with just her left foreleg, allowing Nurse Redheart to hand over Bright Skies, whom the pegasus mare took in her right foreleg.
And now, for the very first time, Rainbow Dash was holding her two newborns. She looked at one, and then the other, and repeated the process multiple times. By now, the majority of her labor pains had vanished, and they were replaced by feelings of pure joy. "To think these two were inside of me this whole time..." Rainbow thought to herself. Being able to finally meet her two little ones after nearly eleven months made Rainbow feel elation like she'd never felt before, and the same could easily be said for Soarin.
"Aw...Now isn't that beautiful?" Nurse Redheart asked, looking at the two foals sleeping in their mother's embrace.
"It sure is..." Soarin whispered.
"Hey, Soarin?" Rainbow asked, a concerned look on her face.
"Yeah?" the stallion replied.
"I just realized something. We don't have anything ready for the foals when we get home."
Soarin's eyes widened slightly, but went back to their normal state rather quickly. "Don't worry, Dash," he replied, "We can worry about that later. Looking at you and the foals right now, I don't think a few missing things at home is worth worrying about."
Rainbow looked back at the foals she was holding, and after a few seconds, she smiled and replied, "You're right, Soarin."
"Anyway," Redheart said, "Rainbow, I think now would be the perfect time to have the foals begin nursing."
Rainbow's head jerked upward when she realized exactly what Nurse Redheart was talking about. "Oh...that?" she asked, a concerned look on her face.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Redheart replied, apologetically, "I didn't know if..."
"It's fine," Rainbow interrupted, "I know what you're saying, but...I don't know if that's really my thing. I mean, I know there's, like, one or two benefits to doing so, but..."
"Oh, there's more than that, Rainbow!"
"There is?" Rainbow asked in reply, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course! Aside from basic nutrition, nursing will reduce your foals' risk of developing allergies and/or other medical problems later in life."
"It will?"
"Absolutely! Also, throughout the first few stages of a foal's life outside the womb, it's important that they have a strong emotional connection with their mother, and nursing is the best way to ensure that happens. Basically, it will prevent your foals from developing any emotional difficulties later on."
"Really?" Rainbow asked, her facial expression becoming more surprised than concerned.
"Yes! Definitely!" Redheart continued, "Plus, nursing has benefits for you, as well!"
"Huh? How?"
"Well, not only with you feel closer than ever to your foals, which is just as healthy for the mother as it is for the foals, nursing will help shrink your uterus back down to its original size faster, thus returning your body to its normal figure!"
"Wait, seriously?? You mean I can fit back into my Wonderbolt's flight suit quicker?"
"Well, if you'd like to put it that way, then yes! Also, nursing will save you the cost of foal formula, which I think we can all agree has gotten really expensive these days." Rainbow and Soarin nodded. "Now, Rainbow, I'm sure you have plenty of milk already waiting for your two little ones."
"I think you're right, nurse," Dash replied, cringing lightly at a slightly uncomfortable sensation she was about to bring up, "I think I'm feeling a couple of wet spots on my hospital gown."
Wanting to see if her theory was correct, Nurse Redheart lifted Dash's blanket up and looked toward her lower area, instantly eyeing two areas of slightly darkened fabric right where the mare's nipples were. "Well, then!" Redheart continued, "I was right! Looks like your body's ready whenever your are, Rainbow!"
Rainbow was shocked at all these revelations. Despite being physically ready to feed her foals outside the womb for the first time, she couldn't make the decision to do so immediately, as she had just learned about its many benefits mere seconds ago. What was something she thought would make her look 'uncool' was now something she knew would be immensely wonderful for her two new children.
After a while, Soarin leaned in and said, "Come on, Dashie. Don't you wanna give these future Wonderbolts a healthy start to their lives?"
Rainbow couldn't help but giggle at what her husband had just said. With names like Bright Skies and Stratosphere, Rainbow could sense that her two foals would have destinies related to the wide, open sky that she and Soarin loved so much. Looking once more at each of her babies, Rainbow said, "Alright. I'll give it a shot."
"Wonderful!" Redheart replied, reaching a forehoof up to move Rainbow's blanket off of the mare completely.
After Rainbow handed Bright Skies over to Soarin, she gestured to her hospital gown and asked, "Hey, could I take this thing off first?"
"Absolutely," Redheart replied.
"Thanks," Rainbow finished. Setting Stratosphere down next to her, Rainbow reached behind her back and untied her hospital gown, and then proceeded to take it off completely. By now, her swollen cyan teats were visible, and each nipple eagerly awaited the arrival of the foals' mouths, clearly shown by the tiny beads of milk on the tips of each one.
Soon, Bright Skies and Stratosphere were free of the blankets they had been wrapped in, and they were set down near their mother's teats. Rainbow was still sitting up, albeit at a slight angle, as she waited for her foals to begin. She thought that maybe her foals had to be guided to her nipples, but that thought was put to rest as Redheart said, "Let them find their way to your teats, Rainbow. Foals instinctively want to nurse right after they're born, so trust me. They know what to look for."
"Got it," Rainbow replied. Pretty soon, she could see her foals pushing themselves up next to her teats with their tiny forelegs, and before she knew it, they lowered their heads slightly, mouths agape as they each took a nipple into their mouths. Bright Skies latched on first, and Stratosphere followed his sister's actions a few seconds later. "Ugh..." Rainbow grunted as her foals began to suckle. She shut her eyes and gritted her teeth slightly at the sudden discomfort.
"Don't worry, Rainbow," Nurse Redheart said, "This is normal. It'll hurt less and less once your teats get used to being suckled like this."
Rainbow only nodded before looking back down at her nursing children. Redheart was keeping a close eye on them as well, checking to see if they had latched themselves on properly. By the way they were suckling, she was sure they had done just that.
Rainbow sat there in silence as she watched her two newborns feed themselves. At first, the discomfort prevented her from thinking about what she was really doing, but as it slowly faded away, Rainbow's mind was slowly being filled with emotion. It finally hit her that she was actually feeding her foals from her own body. It was a feeling that nothing in the entire world could explain. As her smile slowly returned, her newfound connection with her foals seemed to strengthen out of nowhere, and now, even though she had originally wanted to wait, she was as happy as ever to be a mother.
Rainbow turned to face her husband. "Soarin..." she whispered, "This is...amazing..."
"It sure is, Dashie," Soarin replied, also whispering, "I'm so proud of you. You did such a wonderful job. Everyone's gonna be so happy when they see our foals."
"Yeah, but...can that wait a while? This moment feels too perfect..."
Soarin took once more glance at his foals nursing from their mother before replying, "Sure, Dash." He then kissed her on the lips. After that, Nurse Redheart left the new parents alone with their foals. Dr. Crowning and Rainbow's midwife had left long ago, so now, it was just Rainbow Dash, Soarin, Bright Skies, and Stratosphere, altogether in the same, quiet, blissful room, finally a family. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | Finally a Family: Part III | Fluttershy and Scootaloo looked eagerly through the glass window at the many newborn fillies and colts. Some were sleeping, some were crying, and some were simply awake and content. The two pegasi had been sent to the room outside the newborn nursery to see if they could find any indication that at least one of Rainbow and Soarin's twins had already been born. So far, they had only seen about ten newborns. Half of them were earth ponies, three were unicorns, and only two appeared to be pegasi.
When Fluttershy and Scootaloo had arrived outside the nursery, they noticed an earth pony mare, who appeared to be Nurse Redheart, leaving the room while pushing a small cart. They only caught a short glimpse of the foal that was on it. They couldn't tell if it was a filly or a colt, nor could they tell if it had wings, a horn, or neither. All they remembered seeing was a faint hint of sky blue and white on its mane. When Scootaloo noticed those colors, and how the shade of blue looked like Rainbow Dash's fur, she asked Fluttershy if maybe that foal was one of the twins, but Fluttershy told her that she was unsure if a foal's mane color could be reminiscent of the fur coat of at least one of their parents. This made the orange filly slightly disappointed, as she was as eager as ever to meet the twins.
The younger pegasus sat atop the back of the elder pegasus, both of them concentrating on figuring out if any of the visible newborns were those of their blue friends. They focused solely on the two baby pegasi that were in the room, but neither seemed to resemble Rainbow or Soarin in any way. One had a dark green coat with a brown mane, and the other had a white coat with a pink and light purple mane. Out of the two, the latter had the bigger advantage of possibly being one of Rainbow and Soarin's foals, but Fluttershy and Scootaloo couldn't know for sure, as the nametag on the padded plastic bin the foal was in was not entirely legible to them.
Fluttershy and Scootaloo stayed in the room for about fifteen minutes, not getting any further with their search as no new pegasus foals came into the nursery. Since neither pegasus knew of any earth ponies or unicorns in Rainbow's or Soarin's family trees, they came to a conclusion that they weren't going to find the foals they were looking for anytime soon.
"Think we should head back to the waiting room?" Scootaloo asked, a sad look on her face as the yellow mare she was sitting on turned her head around to face her.
"I guess so..." Fluttershy replied, her tone suggesting she was equally as disappointed as the filly.
With that, Scootaloo hopped off of Fluttershy's back, and the two of them made their way back to the waiting room. Once they arrived, they were greeted with twelve eager faces. All of their friends, plus Rainbow's and Soarin's parents, wanted to know if they had found anything in the nursery. However, their happy looks began to fade, as Fluttershy and Scootaloo didn't look too excited.
"We couldn't find them," Fluttershy said, "Sorry."
"We only found two pegasi, and only one of them seemed to be a distant contender, but we couldn't know for sure if it belonged to Rainbow Dash and Soarin," Scootaloo said.
"Well, that's a shame..." Applejack said.
"Too bad," said Twilight.
"Do you suppose something may have gone wrong?" asked Rarity.
"I don't think there's any way we can know at the moment, Rarity," Fluttershy replied.
The large group then heard a loud sigh. It came from Grey Nimbus, and it was clear that he was the most disappointed out of all of them. At some point after his accident, he vaguely remembered Rainbow Dash telling him that she was sure he would have fully recovered by the time his grandfoals were born. However, seeing that there wasn't a sign of any news, he was growing rather distressed. He had already pulled through the troubles he had faced since the incident, and he didn't want to come all this way and find out something was wrong.
Wind Glider noticed her husband's distress, and she was quick to comfort him. "Don't worry, honey," she said while wrapping her left foreleg around his neck and rubbing his forelegs with her right, "Everything's going to be fine. Things may be taking longer than we initially thought."
The grey pegasus stallion smiled at his wife's words, but he still felt that until he received some news, he wouldn't be able to feel well.
"Hey, come on!" Firefly said to Grey, nudging him playfully with a hoof, "You're a tough guy, aren't 'ya?" Her tone was very similar to her own daughter's competitive, thrill-seeking one, though she had a completely different voice altogether.
Several ponies giggled at the mare's actions, and Grey couldn't help but smirk at his son's mother-in-law. "Hey," he replied, "I nearly got my head knocked off at the cloud factory. How tough do 'ya think I am?"
Everyone in the group, except Firefly, who was blushing slightly, laughed quite audibly at the stallion's comeback. It wasn't long before the little conversation boosted his spirits, and he stopped worrying about how long everything was taking.
All of a sudden, the doors to the waiting room opened, but not the ones that AJ, Spike, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders had entered through earlier. These were the double doors on the other side of the room, and they led to the adjacent hallway of hospital rooms.
Everyone's full attention was instantly focused on the doors, as they saw Soarin standing there. After the doors closed, the stallion stood in place for about ten seconds in silence, wanting to build some suspense. He had a rather ordinary expression on his face that didn't seem to show any emotion, and this made the others slightly worried. Fortunately, their worries were put to shame as Soarin's face brightened up immensely. He then proudly said, "We've got one of each!"
Instantly, all of the females in the group squealed in delight and made a beeline for the stallion, giving him several small mini-congratulatory remarks as they hugged him. Meanwhile, Spike, Rainbow Blaze, and Grey Nimbus simply exclaimed, "Woo-hoo!" at random points. The three of them shared a quick bro-hug before walking over to where the rest of the group was. Once there, Grey Nimbus hugged his son, and all his worries were permanently washed away.
As Pinkie Pie and the Cutie Mark Crusaders began bouncing in excitement again, Soarin said, "Don't worry, you're all gonna get to meet them. Family first." With that, most of the group backed away, and Wind Glider, Grey Nimbus, Firefly, and Rainbow Blaze began to follow Soarin back through the doors. Scootaloo decided to stay behind, as she knew that she wasn't a sister by blood to Rainbow Dash, even though the cyan mare accepted her as one. The orange filly had already stopped bouncing and had a slightly disappointed look on her face, but she remained hopeful that she would be meeting the foals very soon.
"Hey, aren't you coming, Scootaloo?" Rainbow Blaze asked as he turned around to face the filly.
"Wait...Huh?" Scootaloo asked in response.
"Well, don't you think Rainbow Dash has told Firefly and I by now that you're her new little sister?"
Blaze's words shocked Scootaloo. She had no idea that Rainbow's parents were already aware of their newfound sisterhood, let alone accepting of it.
"Go on, Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle said, giving her friend's rump a gentle push forward, "I thought you were excited about this!"
The orange filly instantly beamed. "Totally!" she replied in excitement, "See you guys later!" With that, Scootaloo joined the crowd, and they were off to see two of Equestria's newest ponies.
Rainbow lay back on her hospital bed, sighing contently. Bright Skies and Stratosphere had already fallen asleep, and Nurse Redheart had re-swaddled them and put them each in their own crib, which were essentially the padded plastic bins that every foal ended up laying in at some point after they were born. Rainbow was very tired and wanted a nap herself, but she knew that Soarin had left to announce the good news to everyone, and she wanted to be awake when he got back. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait very long.
The door to the hospital room opened, and Soarin was the first to walk in. The other five pegasi eagerly followed him inside, and they were delighted to see Rainbow looking rather decent. "Rainbow Dash!" Firefly eagerly said, hugging her daughter gently. Despite her excitement, she knew that her daughter may very well have been in some residual pain; however, the eagerness in which Rainbow returned the hug with proved her otherwise.
Dash next received a hug from her father, and then one from each of her in-laws. Finally, it was Scootaloo's turn, and as Soarin directed the other adults elsewhere, the filly leapt onto the bed. "Rainbow Dash!" she exclaimed, hugging her new big sister.
"Hey there, kid!" Dash replied, returning the hug.
After separating slightly, Scootaloo asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Eh...I've been better..." Dash replied. Both she and her new little sister giggled at that. "Well, physically, at least. Other than that, I'm just so happy that this is all over and that they're finally here." Dash and Scootaloo then looked over at where Soarin was.
Soarin led his and Dash's parents over to the two makeshift cribs, where two tiny heads could be seen, each containing light smiles and closed eyes. Rainbow Blaze and Grey Nimbus smiled warmly upon seeing their grandchildren for the first time, and Firefly and Wind Glider had two of the most awestruck looks Soarin had ever seen.
"Oh, they're precious!" Wind Glider said, bringing a forehoof up to the side of her mouth.
"Wow...I'm so happy for you guys, Soarin!" Firefly said, looking her son-in-law in the eye.
"Thanks," Soarin replied. Back on the bed, Scootaloo couldn't quite see what was happening, due to the others blocking her view of the foals completely. She didn't complain, however, as she was content with being by Dash's side until it was her turn to meet her new niece and nephew.
"Anyway, this is our daughter, Bright Skies," Soarin continued, gesturing to the crib on his left before pointing to the other, "And our son, Stratosphere."
Wind Glider gave a genuine, "Awww..." upon hearing the names of her grandfoals. "Soarin, honey, may I hold one of them?" the light blue mare asked.
"Absolutely, mom," Soarin replied. He then handed his son over to his mother, and both she and Grey Nimbus stared lovingly at their new grandson. At the same time, Soarin allowed Firefly to hold Bright Skies for a while, whom she eventually handed over to Rainbow Blaze. They were elated as they each held her for the first time.
As they were held, the foals were slightly jarred awake, and they each became a little fussy at the unfamiliar ponies holding them. This was quickly resolved, however, by Soarin leaning in and comforting them both, allowing them to see a much more familiar face. It worked, and the older pegasi were able to hold their grandchildren without any trouble.
Once Grey Nimbus held Stratosphere for a little bit, he handed him over to Firefly, while Rainbow Blaze gave Bright Skies to Wind Glider. Eventually, each grandparent got the chance to hold each grandchild at least once. At about the same time they were finished, Rainbow Dash said, "Hey, bring 'em over here!" With that, Blaze and Grey floated over to the bed, and Dash was handed one of her foals, whom she held in her forelegs.
Scootaloo looked on in amazement as Rainbow Dash held one of the foals. She figured it would be forever before her favorite pegasus in all of Equestria would become a mother, but the fact that she already was made her heart flutter with pure joy. "Who's this?" Scootaloo asked, moving in a little closer to Dash.
"This is Stratosphere," Dash replied, moving her son a little to her right to give Scootaloo a better view. The small movement caused the colt to open his eyes, and Scootaloo smiled at their resemblance to Rainbow's.
"Wow...He's got your eyes," Scootaloo whispered.
"I know, right?" Dash replied, "Isn't that awesome?"
"It sure is," the orange filly finished.
"Hey, Scootaloo," Grey Nimbus said, still holding Bright Skies in his forelegs, "Wanna hold your niece?"
"R-Really?" Scootaloo asked, a small hint of timidity evident in her voice. Despite her excitement, Scootaloo had never held a foal before, and she was worried something might go wrong.
"Sure!" Grey replied.
It took a while for Scootaloo to reply, but she eventually said, "Yes."
With that, Grey hovered over to the other side of the bed and held his granddaughter out for Scootaloo to take. The orange filly shakily held out her forelegs, and the dark grey stallion gently lowered Bright Skies into Scootaloo's embrace. Scootaloo's forelegs weren't big enough to cradle the foal, so she improvised the best way she could by keeping her forelegs generally pointed outward, Bright Skies' head resting on her left foreleg while her rump rested on her right. The ends of Scootaloo's forelegs were curled upward, gripping the foal as best she could.
Right as Scootaloo held her niece on her own, Bright Skies opened her eyes, and it was clear to Scootaloo that the newborn filly had the same eyes as her father. She mentioned this to Dash, to which she confirmed the filly's theory.
Bright Skies was a little taken aback by Scootaloo's presence, but right as she started to cry, a familiar smell calmed her. Rainbow Dash gently stroked her daughter's mane, and Bright Skies sensed her mother nearby, and the fact that she was being held by somepony other than her parents no longer concerned her. Closing her eyes, Bright Skies leaned her head slightly to her right, resting it against Scootaloo's upper foreleg and chest as she fell back asleep.
The sight of her newborn niece falling asleep in her embrace nearly brought Scootaloo to tears. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen, even more beautiful than getting her cutie mark at the same time as her friends. The orange filly looked up at Dash, who was already giving her a warm smile. Dash then held Stratosphere with just her left foreleg, reaching around Scootaloo's neck with her right and pulling her close.
The other five pegasi looked on as Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo sat next to each other in an embrace with the twins. "Now, isn't that just adorable?" Wind Glider asked nopony in particular. The only immediate response was her husband wrapping one of his forelegs around her neck and leaning the side of his head in until it touched the side of hers.
After a while, Scootaloo took another look at Stratosphere, then back at Bright Skies, and it was then that she noticed something. "Hey," she began, "I just noticed that both the foals have a white stripe in their manes!"
"Yeah!" Soarin replied, "I was just about to bring that up!" The stallion then turned to his father and asked, "Hey, dad, didn't your grandpa have a white stripe down the middle of his mane, too?"
Grey took his foreleg out from around his wife's neck and placed his respective hoof on his chin. "Well, let's see, now..." he said, going into a somewhat deep thought. To Soarin, it seemed like his father was taking longer than normal to remember something as simple as a question about his own family. It made the Wonderbolt grow worried, as he started to wonder if he had underestimated any decrease his father's recalling capabilities since the accident. Fortunately, after about ten seconds, Grey slowly said, "I...believe so, Soarin. His name was Cirrus, after all, and a thin line of white like that on his mane would make anypony instantly think of a bright, white, cirrus cloud fresh from the factory."
"Well, looks like these two picked up their great-great-grandpa's genes!" Rainbow Dash said.
"So it appears, Dash," Grey Nimbus replied, warmly, "So it appears."
After the stallion finished speaking, everypony in the room remained quiet for a short while, then Scootaloo broke the silence as she asked, "You guys think it's time for the others to come and meet these little guys?"
"Absolutely!" Rainbow Dash immediately replied, "You wanna go get them?"
"Sure!" Scootaloo replied. She then carefully handed Bright Skies over to Dash, whom the cyan mare took in her right foreleg. After that, Scootaloo darted out of the room, eager to get everyone else and have them meet the foals.
"Boy, she's an energetic one, isn't she?" Grey Nimbus asked.
"Usually," Dash replied, "There's times where she tries doing what I do, and most of it's usually being active and...well...I guess, awesome!" This earned Dash a chuckle from her father-in-law. Right after that, Dash set her foals down to the left of her, scooting over to her right to allow them room to rest.
It hadn't even been fifteen seconds since Scootaloo left when she came back with everyone else from the waiting room. The door opened, and Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack all exclaimed, "Rainbow Dash!" at their leisure. As they shared hugs with the cyan pegasus, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle carefully hopped onto the foot of the bed, keeping their distance from Rainbow and the foals. Spike tried to do the same, but he ended up needing a little help from Sweetie Belle and her magic to get himself onto the bed.
Once Rainbow's friends had finished hugging and congratulating her, they looked to her other side and noticed two tiny bodies wrapped snuggly in blankets. When Rainbow noticed her friends looking at her foals, she picked them back up, bringing them into full view for her friends to see. Bright Skies was in Dash's left foreleg and Stratosphere was in her right as she introduced them to her friends. They had mixed reactions, but they were all wonderful in their own respects.
"Awww!" Starlight said, breaking the brief silence.
"Oh, Dash!" Fluttershy began in a slight whisper, "They're so cute!"
"They're simply darling, Rainbow!" Rarity followed up, thinking about the day Sweetie Belle was born.
"Dash, I'm so happy for you and Soarin!" Twilight said.
"Aw..." AJ began, reaching up to pull her younger sister into a hug, "This reminds me of the day Apple Bloom was born," she said in a loving tone, hugging her sister tightly and giving her a light peck on the cheek.
"Applejack..." Apple Bloom whispered in a bemused tone, her face still sporting a happy look.
"Sorry, sugar cube. I can't help it. I just remember you bein' the cutest little filly I ever saw..." AJ finished as she closed her eyes.
"Wow, Rainbow!" Spike began, "Congratulations!"
"Yeah! Congrats!" Sweetie Belle said.
Pinkie Pie had yet to comment on the foals, but she had a good reason for staying silent. The party pony thought the foals were so cute that she was close to literally bursting with excitement, her body nearly blowing into a million pieces of confetti and reassembling itself without any scientific reasoning whatsoever. Twilight noticed this and soon lit her horn, forming a translucent, pink bubble around the pink mare. "Okay, Pinkie," the princess said, "Go ahead and let it out!" With that, Pinkie immediately began bouncing off of every inner surface of the bubble, her mouth moving at a seemingly unimaginable pace. However, neither her bounces nor her voice could be heard. Also, the bubble itself was not moving.
Rainbow Dash, along with Soarin and all their parents, grew quite confused as to what the purple alicorn had done. "Uhhh...Twilight," Dash began, "What did you...?"
"Oh, I had a feeling Pinkie would go helplessly berserk upon seeing the foals," Twilight replied, "So I told her that once she saw them for the first time, I'd encase her in a soundproof bubble where she'd be able to do whatever she wanted and make no noise whatsoever. That way the foals wouldn't get scared by such hyperactive, reckless behavior."
Though she had to admit it was a good idea, Rainbow didn't quite know how to respond to such a spell being put on her friend, but when she saw Pinkie going absolutely bonkers inside the bubble, she couldn't help but laugh. "Ha! Good one, Twilight! Thanks!" Rainbow finished.
Twilight smiled. "Noooooooo problem..."
For the remainder of the afternoon, everyone stayed in the hospital room, each pony, and dragon, getting to hold both of the foals once each. Pinkie Pie was the last to do so, as it took her nearly two hours to release her energy inside the bubble before Twilight set her free. At around 7:30, Princess Celestia lowered the sun for the day, and Rainbow told her friends that she desperately needed some rest. They were all too happy to oblige, and so everyone left until Rainbow and Soarin were once again alone with their two new children. They ultimately decided to spend the night at the hospital, just in case they needed any last minute help from Nurse Redheart before going home.
This day had been one of the most hectic in both Rainbow Dash's and Soarin's lives, but in the end, they couldn't be happier, as their daughter and son had finally made it into the world, forever changing their lives. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | Coming Home | Pure excitement and joy were flowing through the veins of both Rainbow Dash and Soarin. They each had a pen in their mouths, and they were officially signing the birth certificates of Bright Skies and Stratosphere. Already adorned with the name, weight, length, hoof prints, and date and time of birth of each foal, all that was needed were the signatures of their parents.
With their signatures clearly visible in bright, black ink, Rainbow and Soarin each set their pens down and looked each other excitedly in the eyes. As they shared a hug, Nurse Redheart took both certificates and put them with the rest of the couple's paperwork they had accumulated during the visit, which wasn't really that much to begin with. The nurse sealed all of the paper into a large envelope and handed it over to Soarin, and then she said, "There we go! Everything's all taken care of! You're ready to be discharged, Rainbow!"
The cyan mare was as eager as ever to leave Ponyville General at this point. Even though the service was decent, she didn't like being cooped up for too long, despite already being used to being bedridden due to the final stages of her pregnancy. "Thank you so much!" Rainbow replied.
"Yeah! Thanks!" Soarin followed up, "This place is amazing!"
"Well, then, how come you don't get injured more often?" Redheart asked with a half-lidded gaze.
"Uhhh..." Soarin replied, blushing slightly. This earned a laugh from his wife and Redheart.
"Anyway, congratulations, you two! Will I be seeing you again for the foals' 6-week checkup?" Redheart continued.
"Absolutely!" Rainbow replied, "See you then!"
"Great! Now, you just relax here while I get you a wheelchair, okay?"
"Sure!" Rainbow finished. With that, Redheart smiled and turned around, exiting the room and closing the door behind her.
Rainbow and Soarin then looked behind them at their two foals, who were once again sleeping in their makeshift plastic cribs. Rainbow slowly trotted up to them, simply watching them nap. After several seconds, she turned back to Soarin and asked, "You got the carriers?"
"Sure do!" Soarin replied. As their visitors were leaving last night, Soarin had asked Twilight to swing by her castle and fetch the two foal carriers that Dash had gotten as a present for the shower. They were harness-like carriers that carried one foal each and fastened around a pony's upper back, chest, and shoulders, going around the tops of their forelegs in the process. Pegasi needed these special carriers to carry foals because a normal carrier that earth ponies and unicorns would use would make it impossible for them to fly, as their flapping wings would get dangerously close to the foals' heads - given that they would be carrying two infants - which had the potential for injury.
The princess happily heeded the stallion's request, and was back in less than a minute, thanks to her amazing teleportation skills.
Right as Soarin was reaching for the carriers, he paused and asked, "Wait, can you fly now?"
Rainbow hadn't exactly thought about whether or not she would be able to fly immediately after delivering the foals. Even though her belly was still distended to an extent, she had gotten the foals out of her, which took a great deal of weight away from her body. "Uhhh..." Rainbow began replying, "I don't know. Let's see." With that, the cyan mare spread her wings and took a deep breath in. She began flapping her feathery appendages at a normal rate, but that wasn't really working. She then put a little more effort into flapping her wings, until finally, Rainbow Dash took to the skies for the first time in over six months. Even though she had only risen a mere six inches off the hospital floor, it was still a thrilling feeling for the pegasus.
Landing back on all fours, Rainbow asked her husband, "That answer your question, Soarin?"
The light blue stallion had a concerned look on his face. "Yeah, but...you didn't get into the air all that easily. Don't you think we should stay at Twilight's castle until you...you know...lose a little more weight?"
Rainbow understood her husband's concern, but she was quick to respond. Walking up to him, Rainbow placed a forehoof on her husband's shoulder and said, "Soarin, I think I'll be fine. I think the more I get used to flying again, the less effort I'll need to put in to get myself airborne. Besides, the more I fly, the more exercise I get. The more exercise I get, the sooner I lose weight. The sooner I lose weight, the sooner I can return to the Wonderbolts!"
"Yeah, I know, but I'm worried about you putting too much stress on your body by doing this all at once. If that happens, you'll have to wait a little longer before you can return to the team."
Again, Rainbow understood why Soarin felt this way. However, she was sure that she would be fine, so she smiled and said to her husband, "Soarin, I don't want you to worry. If I don't think something's right, I'll let you know, okay?"
Soarin returned his wife's smile and replied, "Alright, Dash." He then kissed her on the lips.
As the two pegasi pulled away from each other, Nurse Redheart came back into the room, pushing a wheelchair as she did. "You guys ready?" she asked with a smile.
"I'm ready!" Soarin replied, "How 'bout you, Dash?"
"Yeah! Let's go!" Dash responded. She then trotted over to the wheelchair and sat in it, getting comfortable as Soarin picked up the foals from their respective cribs. They were still asleep, so the stallion flew slowly over to his wife, gently lowering them into her awaiting forelegs. After that, Soarin took one of the foal carriers and fastened it to his upper body, his forelegs slipping through the bottom holes with ease as he tightened it around his upper barrel, the carrier not interfering with his wings in any way.
Soarin then turned to Redheart and Dash and said, "Let's go!" He then took the other carrier in his teeth, holding it for his wife as they exited the room. Soarin simply walked alongside Nurse Redheart, who was pushing Dash in the wheelchair, all while the cyan mare was cradling her sleeping son and daughter.
After a few minutes, all five ponies were outside the hospital building. Dash then handed Stratosphere over to Nurse Redheart, who un-swaddled the infant before gently lowering him into the carrier his father was wearing. This caused the newborn colt to wake up, and he began to get fussy as the outside air was unfamiliar to him. However, he sensed his father right behind him, and he also saw his mother directly in front of him. This calmed the colt down quickly, and he ceased his light sobs and grunts as he got a look at his new surroundings.
Meanwhile, Dash unwrapped the blankets from around Bright Skies before handing her daughter over to Redheart. Next, Dash got out of the wheelchair and took the other carrier from her husband's mouth, quickly pulling her head and forelegs through the openings and fastening the carrier down. After that, Redheart repeated her earlier actions, gently placing the filly into the carrier, her tiny hind legs slipping through the small openings at the bottom while her forelegs poked out of the slightly higher holes, securing her against her mother, albeit at a slight downward angle, much like her twin brother.
Once the foals were secure, Redheart handed the large envelope containing the paperwork and birth certificates over to Soarin, who immediately took it in a forehoof as he began hovering above the ground. "Alright, now," the earth pony said, "You folks have a wonderful day! And once again, congratulations!"
"Thanks!" Rainbow and Soarin replied in unison as Rainbow began flapping her wings. Within a few seconds, she was floating alongside her husband, and the two of them flew higher and higher until they reached a comfortable height.
Both Rainbow and Soarin had something on their minds as the kept climbing. They were worried their foals would be frightened by such an immediate introduction to heights. The twins were already wide awake, which only made the two elder pegasi that much more worried. However, as they got higher and higher, nothing happened. In fact, their foals actually seemed to be enjoying being so high up. Rainbow and Soarin looked at each other once again, this time in confusion.
Their glance at each other was brief, and Rainbow's face quickly sported a smile as she said, "That was easier than I thought."
"What?" Soarin asked in response, "You thought the foals wouldn't like heights?"
"Not really. You think its some natural instinct that pegasi are born with? You know, like being accustomed to heights immediately after birth?"
"Who knows? We can ask Twilight about that later. Right now, I just wanna get home."
"Same here," Rainbow finished with a smile. Never in her life had she looked forward to going home as much as she did right now.
Rainbow and Soarin slowly touched down on the fluffy, white clouds that made up the walkway of their cloud house. It took Rainbow a few seconds to get readjusted to walking on clouds, and she had been the slightest bit worried that she wouldn't be able to stand on them for a little while longer, but those worries were put to shame as her body refrained from sinking into the cloud below her.
Rainbow sighed contently as she felt cloud beneath her hooves for the first time since she'd visited Grey Nimbus in the hospital. Having her hooves on solid ground for so long had been quite uncomfortable for the pegasus who spent most of her time in the air, and she was glad to have all of that over with.
Soarin unlocked the front door and opened it, allowing Rainbow to enter before he did. As Soarin closed the door, Rainbow took a deep breath, exhaling and sighing at the same time shortly after as the familiar scent of home swept through her lungs. She then looked over to her husband and said, "It's so nice to be home, Soarin."
"It sure is, Dash," Soarin replied, walking over to give his wife a brief hug, one that didn't press the foals' heads against one another, "It sure is..."
After breaking the hug, Rainbow walked over to the couch and took Bright Skies out of her carrier, setting her on the cushion. She then took the carrier off of herself, stretching her forelegs a few times to relieve the bit of stress that had built up during the flight back home. Soarin soon did the same with Stratosphere, setting the colt next to the filly and undoing the carrier, setting it aside as he took one more look at his wife, and then back at his kids.
Bright Skies and Stratosphere curiously poked and prodded at the couch they were on, testing their new surroundings. Their parents found it rather amusing, the two elder pegasi giggling lightly as the twins explored the piece of furniture.
After about a minute, the silence was broken. "Hey, Soarin?" Rainbow began, looking toward her husband.
"Yeah?" Soarin asked in return.
"Like I said at the hospital, we don't have anything ready for the foals here."
Soarin immediately facehoofed. "You're right..." he replied, "And I said we shouldn't worry about it. That was silly of me. Come on, we gotta go back to town and..." he paused upon noticing something over in the kitchen that he hadn't noticed when they had walked in. "Hang on, Dash," Soarin continued, walking over to the kitchen and leaving his wife to watch the foals.
As Soarin arrived in the kitchen, he saw a small basket with various flowers and a small note inside. He picked up the note and opened it, only to find some familiar writing on it. It read:
Dear Rainbow Dash & Soarin,
First of all, congratulations on the birth of your foals! Second of all, welcome home! I can tell you enjoyed staying at my castle, but don't think I wasn't doing anything while I was alone at your place.
My friends and I have left a surprise for you in your spare room. We knew that you either couldn't be here or were busy with work and/or other things over the past several months, and we wanted to prepare something special for not only you, but for the foals as well.
See you soon!
-Twilight Sparkle
"Hey, Dash," Soarin continued after reading the note to himself, his mouth turned upward in a smile, "Looks like we've got something waiting for us in the spare room next to our bedroom."
"Really?" Dash asked, "What is it?"
"I don't know. Let's go find out!"
"Alright!" Dash finished. She then stood on all fours on the cloud floor, and then picked up Bright Skies with one of her forelegs and held her. "Hey, can you get Stratosphere for me?" Dash asked her husband.
"Sure," the stallion replied, walking past his wife and scooping his son up with a foreleg.
Hovering slightly above the ground, Dash and Soarin floated upstairs and made a right, stopping at the first door on their left, which was their spare room. It had been used mainly for storage and/or guest accommodations throughout the time Dash had lived there. Others may have considered it to be a bedroom, which, in that case, would be one of three in the spacious house. There was a bathroom right across the hall from the spare room, as well as a powder room downstairs, and that was pretty much it in terms of rooms for the house, apart from the kitchen, living room, and dining room, which was right next to the kitchen.
Soarin twisted the knob on the door to the spare room and pushed it open, but neither he nor his wife were prepared for what they saw. In one corner of the room, there was a white, slightly-larger-than-normal crib and a wooden changing table. In another corner, there was a beautiful, white rocking chair, which sat right in front of a large, circular rug that was mainly laying in the center of the room. There were a few shelves with foal toys in another corner, a few larger cushions and pillows in another, and all the walls had various decorations hanging on them, ranging from brightly colored rainbows to small pictures and/or posters of the Wonderbolts.
The jawbones of both elder pegasi hung slack as they looked at the new nursery before them. They had no idea that their friends had been up to this. Rainbow and Soarin took a quick glance at each other as a huge wave of relief washed over them both. They both had been worried about this ever since Rainbow had brought it up at the hospital, but now, they didn't have to worry about a thing.
"Dash..." Soarin began in a hushed whisper, "It's...It's..."
"Awesome!..." Dash exclaimed in a whisper. She hadn't really been inside a nursery since she herself was a foal, and now that she was in a brand new one for her own foals, it made her feel very warm on the inside.
Rainbow and Soarin took a few more looks around the nursery before they heard a tiny yawn. Rainbow looked down and saw Bright Skies getting nice and comfy in her foreleg, the filly resting her head against her mother's chest and closing her eyes. This made the mare smile. She knew now that it was time to test out the new crib.
Rainbow brought her daughter over to the white crib, which had an interesting mobile attached to it up top. There were four objects hanging from the slowly spinning device, including a sun, a moon, and copies of both Rainbow Dash's and Soarin's cutie marks, which would give the foals some familiarity. There was also a foal monitor sitting in its own little spot on the side of the crib, which would alert the elder pegasi if one or both of the foals were in need of something.
Rainbow pulled the side of the crib down and lay her daughter on the soft, white sheets. Though Bright Skies preferred to sleep close to her mother, she found her new crib rather comfortable, and she lay her head back on the pillow and fell asleep almost immediately. This brought another smile to Rainbow's face, and to Soarin's as well, as he lowered Stratosphere next to his sleeping sister. Once the twins were side by side, Rainbow smiled at Soarin, and he smiled back. They then both looked back at their children, taking in the pure beauty of two new souls resting comfortably together.
Rainbow's concentration on the foals was broken as she caught a whiff of something rather unpleasant in the air. Given some of the food that she and Soarin had received while at the hospital, Rainbow turned to her husband with a slight look of disgust. "Ugh...Soarin, really?" she said in a slightly annoyed tone, holding a hoof over her nose.
"It wasn't me, Dash," Soarin replied.
At that moment, it clicked in both ponies' heads. They looked down at the foals and noticed that Stratosphere had not fallen asleep like his sister. The colt's face was beginning to sport a look of discomfort, and it was at that moment that Rainbow and Soarin knew what was happening, and they were in no way looking forward to it.
"Uhhh..." Soarin began, a look of anxiety visible on his face, "Looks like we gotta...you know..."
"It...sure appears that way...doesn't it...?" Rainbow replied in a nervous tone. She carefully picked her son up and moved him over to the changing table, but instead of getting right to work, both she and Soarin just stood there with anxious looks, neither pony really wanting to take on the filthy task of changing a foal's diaper.
After thirty seconds of doing absolutely nothing but staring at Stratosphere, Soarin said, "Well...I guess we should...take it off?"
"Yeah...That's a...good start..." Rainbow replied, still sounding nervous. The stallion then slowly reached a forehoof up to his son's side and, slowly but surely, undid the adhesive straps securing the diaper to his waist. With an audible gulp and a nervous glance at his wife, Soarin slowly opened up the diaper, but nearly gagged when he took a quick look inside.
"Uuuggghhh..." Rainbow groaned, nearly wanting to vomit upon seeing such a sight.
Both ponies cringed as they saw what Stratosphere had done. After several seconds, despite his massive hesitation toward the situation at hoof, Soarin finally convinced himself to move forward. "Come on, Soarin..." he thought to himself, "You're a freakin' Wonderbolt! You shouldn't be afraid of anything!" "Dash?" Soarin said to his wife, "If were gonna change Stratosphere's diaper, we may as well get it over with."
After letting loose a hesitant sigh, Rainbow gave Soarin an authoritative look and replied, "You're right."
With that, both pegasi turned back to their son. Soarin carefully removed the diaper from Stratosphere's rump and disposed of it in the nearby odor-blocking trashcan that had been given to them along with the nursery. As he was doing so, Rainbow looked in the storage area underneath the table itself, opening the cabinet-style doors to find that it had been fully stocked with diapers, wipes, and foal powder. If there was any time where Rainbow felt she owed her friends one, it was now.
Grabbing the plastic box of wipes, Rainbow popped the lid open and took the first one out, putting it in her forehoof. She then lifted Stratosphere's hind legs and brought her hoof forward, albeit slightly hesitantly, eventually rubbing her son clean.
Soarin was already standing by with the foal powder from underneath the table as Rainbow finished wiping the colt's rear. As she stepped aside to dispose of the used wipes, Soarin created a small, white cloud as he applied the powder to his son's rear. Once that was finished, Rainbow grabbed a fresh diaper from underneath the table and put it on her son, fastening the straps until it was fitting snuggly around the colt's waist.
Once they were finished, Soarin and Rainbow took a small step back to admire their work. For the first time, they had successfully changed a foal's diaper. While some new parents did so while at the hospital, the staff there took care of diaper duty until Rainbow and Soarin went home.
"Wow," Soarin began, "That wasn't so bad, was it?"
"I...guess not," Rainbow replied. Though she was thrilled that she and her husband had changed a diaper with seemingly no trouble at all, she wasn't looking forward to changing very many more.
After several seconds, Rainbow hovered above the floor and began cradling her son in her forelegs. Even though she was proud of both herself and Soarin for making it through the sudden ordeal, she couldn't help but feel proud of her son for holding on and being patient. She hated to have to make him wait, but that was all over. "Who's a good boy?" Dash playfully whispered to her son, tickling his cheek. The colt giggled at his mother's actions, squirming slightly as he felt the cyan hoof tickling him. Rainbow couldn't help but find her son's actions downright adorable.
Soon, after coming down from his giggling fit, Stratosphere yawned and closed his eyes, leaning his head against his mother's chest as he slowly drifted off for a nap. Rainbow smiled warmly down at her son, happy that he was finally able to relax.
"Awww..." Soarin said, noticing what his wife and son were up to.
"Hey!" Rainbow replied, silently, "Don't 'awww' me!" Even though she herself thought the sight was cute, there was the occasional time where she still wanted to think of herself as...'cool'.
"Heh...Sorry, Dash," Soarin responded, resting a forehoof on his hovering wife's shoulder, "I can't help it. You holding Stratosphere like that is just way too cute."
After a few more seconds, Rainbow replied, "Yeah, you're kinda right." She then leaned slightly down and kissed Soarin on the lips. After that, Rainbow gently lay her snoozing son next to his sister, both foals looking as peaceful as ever as Soarin gently pulled the white blanket over them.
As the happy parents watched their foals sleep soundly, Soarin wrapped a foreleg around his wife's neck, pulling her close. For some inexplicable reason, watching his children sleep was better that watching the Wonderbolts go through a formation. The same could be said for Rainbow, as she couldn't take her eyes off the foals, either.
After a while, Rainbow's and Soarin's respective minds soon came back to reality. They looked at each other lovingly one more time, kissing briefly before Rainbow brought the side of the crib back up to its original position. She and Soarin then turned to walk out of the nursery, but as they neared the door, they were stopped by the sound of a crying foal. They turned back to find Bright Skies wailing, and they were quick to return to the side of the crib. Soarin pulled down the side, wanting to get a closer look to see what was bothering his daughter. However, he wouldn't be using his sense of sight to detect the problem, but rather his sense of smell, instead.
After taking a couple of sniffs, Soarin turn to his wife and nervously said, "Uhhh...Dash?"
Upon hearing her husband speak, Rainbow took a few sniffs of her own, and as she did, it was clear what was happening to the filly in the crib. "Aw, great..." Rainbow said to herself as she facehoofed.
It was going to be a long day... |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | Resurfacing Doubts | The past week had definitely been one of the most hectic for the new parents. Spitfire had allowed Soarin to go on paternity leave, so he and his wife had been busy taking care of their new foals. However, Soarin was going back to work in the next few days, and Rainbow was getting worried about having to handle two foals on her own.
So far, there weren't a large number of issues. Feeding and naptime were rather routine at this point, so Rainbow had gotten used to it. Playtime with Bright Skies and Stratosphere was short, and both Rainbow and Soarin still had the slightest bit of hesitation when it came to diaper duty.
However, there was one issue that the foals were having, and it was starting to annoy Rainbow. There were times where Bright Skies and Stratosphere didn't seem to want to go to sleep at night. By then, Rainbow seemed to have done everything she needed to do for them. She fed them, got them changed (if necessary), and placed them in their crib. It worked whenever it was naptime, but at night, it wasn't always successful. Rainbow and Soarin couldn't quite figure out why this was going on, and they wanted that problem solved as soon as possible.
While Soarin was out, Rainbow stayed behind with the foals. It was late in the afternoon, which meant it was almost bedtime for Bright and Strato - nicknames that Rainbow and Soarin had chosen for their daughter and son, respectively.
Fluttershy was visiting at the moment. In preparation for her upcoming return to the Wonderbolts, Rainbow wanted to get the foals used to some other familiar faces, mainly Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, as she would be most likely leaving them with one or the other until she and Soarin got home for the day.
Right now, Rainbow was playing with Bright, while Strato was having a fun time with the yellow pegasus a few feet away. Rainbow was trying to test her daughter's strength by having her stack blocks, while Fluttershy was trying to get Strato to play Patty Cake with her. The colt didn't quite understand what his mom's best friend was up to, but he eventually decided to copy her actions and play along.
"There we go!" Fluttershy said in a baby-talk-like tone - as if she was talking to a baby animal at her cottage, "Good job, Stratosphere!"
"Smart kid," Dash remarked, impressed that her son had gotten into the swing of things.
"How's it going over there with Bright Skies, Dash?" the yellow mare asked her friend.
"She's doing pretty well, Shy," Rainbow responded as Bright attempted to stack a fourth block on top of a vertical tower of three more, "Looks like she's about to..." she paused when the little filly miscalculated her actions, sending the block in her forehooves and the two below it tumbling to the ground. "Whoops...Never mind," Dash said, blushing a little, which made Fluttershy giggle.
"Don't worry, Dash. I'm sure she'll get it eventually."
"Yeah, I guess."
Just then, both foals seemed to yawn in unison. Rainbow then looked over at a nearby clock, noticing that it read 7 in the evening. "Aw, shoot..." Dash said, not sounding very happy.
"What's wrong, Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked, concerned.
"Well, it's time for the foals to go to bed, but lately they really haven't been wanting to. I mean, I make sure to feed them and change them immediately beforehoof, and I make sure they're nice and warm in their crib so they can drift off peacefully. I'm just...Soarin and I are just exhausted from trying again and again to get them to go to sleep when we want them to. I mean, Pinkie was able to get the Cake twins to go to sleep on demand, right?"
"Well, I think they were actually faking it so they could play some more, from what I've heard."
"Alright, but that was a while ago. I just...I feel like something's missing. Is there something I'm not doing right?"
"Well, I think this is the first time I'll be seeing you put the foals to bed, so I can't really answer that until I see what you're doing."
Rainbow sighed. "Alright," she replied, reluctantly. She then picked up Bright Skies before scooting over a little to fetch her son. "Come on, Strato," she said in a calming tone, "Time for bed." The colt eventually complied, allowing his mother to scoop him up and fly him and his sister to their room.
Since Dash had fed and changed the foals about ten minutes ago, all she really needed to do was lay them in their crib, turn out the lights, and leave them be. She wished it could be as simple as that, but unfortunately, it wasn't.
While Dash held the foals in her forelegs, Fluttershy lowered the side of the crib, allowing Dash more room to lay them down. She did just that, and she subsequently brought the little white blanket over the foals, leaving their heads exposed.
"There," Dash said, "That's it. I figured they'd just go to sleep right after that, but they just won't." She was right. Even though they had just shown obvious signs of tiredness, Bright and Strato weren't going to sleep like their mother had wanted them to.
"They need time to wind down, Dash," Fluttershy said, "In fact, everyone needs to wind down before they go to sleep."
"Oh, that's right..." Dash remembered, "I think Soarin and I have just gotten so irritated on not being able to get them to sleep that we weren't really focusing on what really needed to be done. I guess we kinda figured putting them to bed at night would be just as easy as putting them down for a nap. I'm glad you know so much about this, Shy, even if it has more to do with baby animals than regular foals."
The yellow pegasus smiled. "It's nothing, Dash," she replied, "Here, how about I show you an easy way to get the foals to sleep?"
The cyan mare was more than relieved at the prospect of getting rid of her early troubles. "Thanks, Shy," she said to her friend, "What do I have to do?"
"Why don't you try singing them a lullaby? It works almost every time with the babies at my cottage."
Dash cringed slightly. "Yyyyyyeahhhhh...I don't know if I can picture myself singing a lullaby. It seems kinda silly."
"It's not silly, Dash. Here, I'll show you how easy it is." Fluttershy then picked up Stratosphere in her forelegs and sat on her rump next to the crib.
Part of Dash felt like she didn't need a demonstration. She knew how to sing a lullaby, but she just didn't think it was her kind of thing, much like her opinion of nursing before Nurse Redheart and Soarin convinced her to do so.
Dash looked at her yellow friend holding her son. Then, Fluttershy took a breath and began to sing in her softest voice:
"Hush now, quiet now. It's time to lay your sleepy head.
Hush now, quiet now. It's time to go to bed..."
As Dash heard Fluttershy continue singing to her kids, she wasn't sure if it would work, but she was immediately proven wrong as a second seemingly simultaneous yawn came from the foals' mouths, followed by them closing their eyes and drifting off to sleep, just like the lullaby's lyrics suggested.
Once Fluttershy finished singing, she placed the now sleeping Strato next to his slumbering sister and pulled the blanket back over them. She smiled at the adorable sight of the week-old foals sleeping so soundly.
When the yellow mare turned around, she was met with a dumbfounded Dash. Rainbow's jaw was hanging low, her eyes were wide, and a feeling of complete and utter disbelief was thrashing wildly inside her head.
Fluttershy grew concerned when Dash hadn't said a single word since the foals went to sleep. In a whisper, she asked, "Dash? Are you feeling okay?"
Rainbow didn't respond. Too much was happening inside her brain. She couldn't believe after a seemingly endless week with barely any sleep and a harrowing, albeit manageable, routine with the foals, all she needed to do was sing them a simple lullaby to get them to sleep at night.
Dash began to close her mouth, but not all the way. At the same time, she lowered her head, her eyes gradually narrowing as a saddening thought came over her.
Right in front of her was not only her best friend, but somepony who seemed to know so much more than she did about parenting, and yet, she didn't even have any kids. At the same time, Dash couldn't help but think of a not-too-distant memory that happened on a day that changed her life forever.
"I'm not ready for a foal, Soarin. I don't even think I'd make a good mother."
At this very moment, the doubts Dash had from the very beginning were creeping back up on her, and seeing how Fluttershy seemed to be handling the situation much better than she was, she began to wonder...
Was she good enough for Bright Skies and Stratosphere?
Finally closing her eyes and mouth, Dash turned to her left and exited the nursery. This increased Fluttershy's worry for her friend, so, after lifting the bars of the crib as quietly as she could, she left the sleeping foals alone and went to look for her friend.
It didn't take long before Fluttershy found Rainbow laying belly-down on her living room couch, sobbing softly into her folded forelegs. The yellow pegasus couldn't quite figure out why Dash had gotten sad all of a sudden. She figured her friend would be happy to have finally found a way to get her foals to go to sleep when she wanted them to, but that didn't seem to be the case.
Walking up to her crying friend, Fluttershy placed her right forehoof on Dash's shoulder and asked, "Rainbow, what's wrong?"
Dash ceased her sobbing long enough to turn her head to the left and look at Fluttershy. However, the silence was short-lived, as Dash quickly tucked her head back into her forelegs and resumed her crying.
Fluttershy then climbed up onto the couch and turned around. Now facing her friend, Fluttershy lifted Dash's head with a forehoof so that her gaze met hers. She then said, "Dash, please tell me what's bothering you. You know how sad I get when I see you so upset."
Taking a long sniffle and wiping some of the tears from under her eyes, Dash finally said, "hhh...Okay, fine. I...hhh...I just...well...When I found out I was pregnant, I was doubting that I'd be a good mother. I thought I had been doing all I could the past week, but now here you are...hhh...showing me how much more you know about parenting than I do. I mean, you have so much experience that...I'm wondering if...if...hhh..."
"Come on, Dash," Fluttershy replied in a comforting tone, "You can tell me."
"I'm wondering if...well...m-my foals would be...b-better off...with you..." Dash trailed off, her voice getting quieter and quieter with each word that she spoke.
"Dash! Don't say that!" Fluttershy replied, nearly flabbergasted, "I could never be as great of a mother to those foals as you!"
"hhh...Why not?" Dash asked, still crying, "How can you say that when you take care of baby animals all the time? I mean...hhh...how different are they from actual foals?"
"Dash, that doesn't matter in the slightest."
"Why not? How am I the better mother in this case?"
"Dash, you're the first pony your foals ever came into contact with after they were born."
"So?"
"So...right after a foal is born - or, for that matter, any baby animal - the first thing they want to do is sniff their mother and father."
This caught Dash's attention, and she ceased crying. Confused, she asked, "Wait, what?"
"I know that sounds a bit odd, but I need you to hear me out on this one. Right from the beginning, they want to know who their parents both are. Once they smell you for the first time, they'll know who you are for the rest of their lives. They'll know that whenever that special scent is nearby, you're nearby as well, and that really makes them feel safe and comfortable."
Dash couldn't believe what she was hearing. Sure, she knew Fluttershy knew a lot about parenting, but this much?
"Is that really what's happening?" Dash asked amidst her revelation.
"Mmhmm," Fluttershy replied, "Also, the reason I suggested you sing a lullaby to them is because your voice is the most calming to them, because you're their mother. Your voice is probably the first they heard amidst their crying, and it's the one that's most familiar to them, so it, like your natural scent, makes them feel at ease."
"Wow..." Dash said, finally sitting up straight like the pegasus opposite her, "I didn't realize I was that important to them. I mean, I learned about a few early connections when Nurse Redheart convinced me to nurse them - which is actually kinda nice, by the way - but that was it. I didn't know about any of those other connections until just now." The cyan pegasus then paused for a few seconds before saying, "Thank you."
Fluttershy smiled and brought her friend in close for a hug. "You're more than welcome, Dash," she said, her kind, loving embrace putting the other pegasus at ease.
After what seemed like forever, Dash heard the faintest of sounds coming from the nearby hallway. She broke away from Fluttershy's embrace and looked down the hallway, not seeing anything out of the ordinary right off the bat.
"Do you hear that?" Rainbow asked.
"I think so," Fluttershy replied.
"I think I should go check on the foals."
"Good idea."
With that, the two pegasi hopped off the couch and went upstairs to the nursery. Once they arrived, the sound that was once faint was now very noticeable. Dash slowly opened the door and looked toward the crib. She turned on a nearby lamp and soon realized that Bright Skies had yet to fall asleep, and she was starting to get fussy. Instinctively, Dash floated over to the crib and picked her daughter up out of it. Cradling the newborn filly in her forelegs, Dash quietly said, "Shhhh...Don't worry, Bright. I'm here." Those words seemed to stop Bright from crying temporarily, but even while basking in her mother's comforting hold, the filly was still slightly distressed, so she began crying again, but not as loudly as a few seconds ago.
Rainbow hesitantly sniffed her daughter's rear, wanting to see if a diaper change was necessary. Thankfully, nothing had happened since the recent changing session, and that made Dash feel very relieved. She had also fed her and Strato right after changing them, so she didn't think they were hungry at all.
"Dash," Fluttershy whispered, "I think now might be your chance. Why don't you try singing to Bright Skies?"
Dash thought about what her friend said for a few seconds, and when she realized that nothing else was wrong with her daughter, she figured now might be the time to test out her lullaby-singing skills. However, since she wasn't all too interested in doing it before, she was still slightly hesitant to do it in front of one of her friends. At the same time, though, as a new mother, Dash didn't want to hear either of her kids crying.
Carefully floating over to the rocking chair, Dash sat herself down, Bright Skies still laying in her mother's forelegs. Dash began to slowly and gently rock the chair back and forth, all while keeping her eyes on her daughter. The motions from the chair seemed to calm the filly slightly, but Dash was sure that her daughter wouldn't be fully relaxed until a lullaby flew into her ears.
After taking one last look at Fluttershy, who was sitting on her rump in the middle of the nursery, Dash took a deep, but silent, breath and softly sang:
"Hush now, quiet now. It's time to lay your sleepy head,"
As she began singing, she realized that maybe the gentler side of her singing voice didn't sound that bad after all.
"Hush now, quiet now. It's time to go to bed..."
Fluttershy looked on as Dash continued singing the next few lines of the popular lullaby to the filly in her forelegs. She thought the two of them looked absolutely beautiful together, sitting on a rocking chair while the elder pegasus sang the younger one to sleep...and sing her to sleep she did.
Right as Dash finished, Bright Skies let out the cutest of yawns, and then she turned her head a little bit to her right and comfortably nestled herself into the fur on her mother's chest. After several more seconds, the aquamarine filly was asleep.
While Fluttershy gave a more-than-happy smile, Dash just sat there in moderate disbelief. It had actually worked. Fluttershy's advice had led her to successfully sing her daughter to sleep.
Soon, Dash gave Fluttershy an eager smile, and then she carefully hovered back over to the crib and placed Bright next to a still-sleeping Stratosphere. After tucking both foals in one more time with the sole blanket in the crib, Dash kissed each of them on the forehead before turning around and exiting the nursery along with Fluttershy.
As the yellow pegasus carefully closed the door, Dash - still whispering - said, "Wow, Shy! I can't believe I actually did it!"
"You did wonderful, Dash!" Fluttershy replied, also in a whisper, "I'm so proud of you!"
"Thanks! Now Soarin and I won't have a whole lot of trouble at bedtime anymore! Well...at least until we move on to something else, and who knows when that's gonna happen?"
Fluttershy giggled. "Let's not worry about that right now, Dash."
Dash giggled in return. "Good idea, Shy."
After that, Dash and Fluttershy began to descend the staircase into the living room, and as they got there, the front door opened, and a certain aquamarine pegasus stallion waked in. Not immediately seeing the two mares upon entering, Soarin said, "Dash, I'm..."
"SHHHHH!!" Dash and Fluttershy said in unison.
"Oh. Uhhh..." Soarin responded in a quieter tone, "What's going on?" In reply, Dash nodded her head backwards twice, gesturing toward the door to the nursery upstairs. "Wait..." Soarin began again, "Did you get them to sleep already?"
"Yep!" Dash replied in a moderate tone, "And it's all thanks to Fluttershy!" As she finished, the cyan mare wrapped her right foreleg around the yellow mare's neck.
"Oh, it wasn't me, Dash," Fluttershy said in reply, "You were the one who eventually sang them to sleep."
"Well, I sang Bright to sleep. Strato wasn't the one who woke up after you sang to them initially."
"Oh, right..." Fluttershy replied, blushing slightly at her slight forgetfulness.
"So...You two sang them a lullaby?" Soarin asked, "Is that what we needed to do all this time?"
"We sure did!" Dash replied, "Fluttershy taught me that your voice and mine are the most comforting to the foals, and therefore most likely to get them to go to sleep. I guess now we have an answer to one of our problems!"
"Awesome!" Soarin replied, emulating his wife's catchphrase before turning to the yellow pegasus, "Thanks, Fluttershy. You don't know how much this means to us."
"Anytime, Soarin," Fluttershy replied with a smile, "Anyway, I should be getting home. Bye!"
"Bye, Fluttershy!" Dash and Soarin replied in unison as the yellow pegasus exited their home and flew off into the night. After that, thanks to a well-known lullaby, the new parents were able to enjoy the rest of the night without any worries, eventually going to bed when they wanted to. They knew that there would most certainly be times during the night where the foals would need something, but they were just happy that the one thing that annoyed them the most had finally been resolved, as they knew that getting the foals to go to sleep at night wouldn't be a problem anytime soon. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | A Mother and Her Young | Rainbow hummed happily as she felt her foals nursing from her teats. The cyan mare was laying on the floor on her left side, her head resting against a pillow as she kept her eyes closed. She had learned that this position was much more comfortable than the one she had used in the hospital bed, both for her and her kids.
Down below, Bright Skies had opted to sit on her rump and suckle from her mother's right breast, all while giving her brother enough room to nurse from the left as he lay on his side. Both foals were feeling wonderfully content as they drank their mother's milk. Like always, they would suckle for a time, then pause, and then continue. Each foal each gave tiny little sucks until they felt that their mouth couldn't hold any more milk. At that point, they would gulp it down, and not a second later would go back to suckling. It was a rather redundant routine, but it was one that they, plus their mother, had gotten used to, and it was one they were all happy with.
As Dash opened her eyes to see if everything was alright with her son and daughter, she extended her right wing and draped it over the nursing foals, giving them a bit of privacy. It wasn't really needed, though, as they were the only three ponies in the room, but Dash didn't care. She wanted her foals to know that she was protecting them whilst giving them a wholesome, healthy meal.
Since the foals had been born a couple of weeks ago, Rainbow had come to enjoy nursing more and more. She knew why she initially thought it wasn't her kind of thing to do, but now, it was something she looked forward to every single day. It partially had to do with the fact that nursing her foals would help her shed excess pregnancy weight, but at the same time, it was a special bonding experience between her and her kids, one that helped her to relax at any random time throughout the day. All she had to do was simply lie down and let Bright and Strato do all the work.
Ever since Fluttershy had made her realize just how important she was to her foals, Rainbow Dash wanted to spend as much one-on-one - or, in this case, one-on-two - time with the two of them. Dash tried her best to do just that, whether it was playing with them or reading to them from one of her Daring Do books, but feeding them from her breasts was the best way to accomplish that desire, in her opinion. Whenever she nursed Bright and Strato, the atmosphere around the three of them became absolutely tranquil, their setting becoming one of the most intimate for both mother and foals. Each little infant got their fill of one of the most natural foods in existence, all while the mother simply relaxed, taking the occasional time to keep an eye on her precious ponies and making sure everything was alright.
Rainbow had eventually lost track of how long she had been nursing before she felt one pair of lips detach from one of her nipples. As she lifted her outstretched wing, she looked down and saw Bright Skies pulling her head back, the filly having finished emptying her mother's teat.
Trying her best not to interrupt Stratosphere, who was still happily drinking his mother's milk, Rainbow reached her right foreleg out and carefully brought her daughter closer to her face. She then draped Bright's head over her shoulder and began using her left forehoof to burp the infant filly, all while continuing to lie on her side.
After about 10 soft, yet firm, pats on the back, Bright Skies let out a cute little burp, making Dash smile. Rainbow then brought her daughter in front of her and held her with her left foreleg. The cyan mare then whispered, "Who's a good little filly?" to her daughter, following it up by blowing a few playful, yet quiet, raspberries on the filly's little tummy. This caused Bright to giggle rather audibly, but Dash was quick to bring a hoof to her mouth and shush her, worried that the excess noise would deter Stratosphere from feeding any longer.
Dash's technique seemed to work, but as Stratosphere continued suckling his mother's nipple, he realized that less and less of his mother's sweet, warm milk was coming out, until finally, the flow stopped completely. After giving a few more test sucks, he unlatched himself from his mother's breast and turned his head to look the mare that it belonged to in the eyes.
Setting Bright Skies to the side, Dash sat up and picked up her son, draping him over her right shoulder like she did with her daughter. It took her around 15 pats on the back this time around to make the little colt burp, and once he did, she brought him back down and cradled him in her forelegs.
Dash then looked down at Bright, but was surprised to see that her daughter had already curled up next to her and fallen asleep, the filly's little head resting against her mother's cutie mark while she unconsciously grabbed her mother's tail with her forehooves. This made Dash smile in a way that one would think she just saw the most precious thing in existence.
Keeping Strato in her right foreleg, Dash slowly picked up Bright with her left so as not to pull on her own tail. It didn't take long for her multi-colored tail to become untangled from the filly's forehooves. Though she thought it was cute, she knew that her daughter couldn't cling to her tail forever.
Dash carefully hovered into the air, both foals in tow as she floated over to the crib. She knew that Bright Skies was ready for a nap, so she carefully lowered her into the crib, as she didn't have a free hoof to lower the side of it. Once she did, Rainbow tucked her daughter in before looking back at her son. Surprisingly - but at the same time, not so surprisingly - Stratosphere had fallen asleep as well, presumably from the warmth from his mother's milk that emanated gracefully from his midsection. Dash then gave her son a kiss on the forehead before using her now free hoof to quietly lower the side of the crib and place him next to his sister.
As Dash pulled the blanket back, she leaned past Strato and gave Bright a kiss on the forehead. She then tucked both foals in at the same time, each infant squirming slightly in their sleep as they got more comfortable under the white sheet while they went through the early stages of their nap.
Smiling warmly at her sleeping children, Dash pulled the side of the crib back up and left them alone as they drifted off to dreamland. Rainbow then left the nursery feeling quite soothed and content, knowing that she had once again gone through her favorite routine of all with her two newborns, laying down with her foals and relaxing while giving them the natural nutrition they needed to grow big and strong, something that every loving mother wanted for her little ones. |
Putting Her Dreams Aside | *Distractions | Dear Journal,
It's been three weeks since Bright and Strato have been born, and boy, has my life changed. Normally, I'm used to flying to random places, hanging out with my friends, and waiting until when the next Wonderbolts show is, but now, it's just been foals, foals, foals. Every single day has been full of the same old things over and over again, and I have no idea of knowing when I'll have to feed them, change their diapers, or put them down for a nap. Every day is a mystery, and I just have no idea what to expect.
And yet, I couldn't be happier.
Becoming a mom has changed me in more ways that I initially thought. I always thought little foals were cute, but I didn't realize how precious and meaningful they were until I had my own.
Wait, did I actually just use those words?? Ah...never mind.
Anyway, my outlook on life has become something I never expected it to be. I thought becoming a Wonderbolt, or at least flying with them, would be the highlight of my life, but after having Bright and Strato, those thoughts have changed. As annoyed that I may get on some days over not getting to do everything that I want to do, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I know that doesn't really sound like something I would say, but it's true. I'm perfectly content with where I am now.
Also, the pregnancy weight has been dropping faster than Soarin, my doctor, or I had thought. With the rate at which I'm losing this weight, I'll probably be able to return to the Wonderbolts in just a few weeks! I'm hoping that the twins become familiar enough with my friends Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, as they'll be spending a lot of time with them once I go back to work.
I guess that'll be it for now. See 'ya!
Rainbow Dash once again slid the attached silk bookmark in-between the pages her journal was open to and closed the small book, placing it in the drawer of her bedside table. After placing her pen right beside the gift from her friend, Dash slid the drawer closed.
The pegasus then leaned back in her bed, reminiscing about what she had just written. She truly didn't have any idea why she felt the way she did toward her little twins, but she had recently spoken about it with Twilight and Pinkie Pie, and Dash had soon realized that this surge of indescribable feelings of love and admiration was perfectly normal, even if one couldn't find the reason behind them. Twilight had told Dash that both Shining Armor and Princess Cadance had had the same exact feelings come out of nowhere right after they had Flurry Heart, and Pinkie had said the same about Mr. and Mrs. Cake when Pound and Pumpkin were born.
In the beginning, Dash had trouble picturing a pony like her having all these feelings. Maintaining a highly athletic and energetic image was something she cared about, so she had always wanted to hide the softer sides of her personality, but in the three weeks that had passed after Bright and Strato had been born, she had slowly begun to feel comfortable diverting away from her competitive spirit now and then and showing everypony how much she loved her son and daughter. Of course, actions like that would come eventually to every mother, but for Dash, it was a gradual, but successful, process.
Rainbow was rattled from her thoughts as her bedroom door opened. In walked Soarin, his face cringing slightly.
"Dash," the stallion began, waving a hoof in front of his snout, "What have you been eating lately?"
The cyan mare was confused. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "Huh? Why do you..." she paused as she realized what Soarin was getting at. She had temporarily forgotten that part of whatever she ate went straight down to her teats and went into her milk. "Uhhh..." Dash continued, not entirely remembering what she had eaten lately, "A few things here and there. Was it bad this time?"
"Let's just say you might wanna lay off the asparagus for a while. Strato didn't leave anything all too pleasant for me a few minutes ago."
Dash blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry..." she said, briefly glancing away from her husband.
"Ah...Don't worry about it," Soarin lazily replied, walking to his side of the bed. He then flopped down onto the mattress next to his wife, his legs sprawling out around him as he lay on his back.
"You tired, too?" Dash asked her husband as she turned her head to the left to face him.
"Ugh...Yeah. I didn't realize juggling parenthood and Wonderbolts practice would be so exhausting."
"Well, I'm kinda to blame for that," Dash replied as she turned her head back to face the ceiling, "Maybe I turn the foals over to you a little too often once you get home."
"Don't blame yourself, Dashie. I know the kids have tired you out multiple times, and I really don't mind taking over for you. In fact, that's what I should be doing. You've done plenty of work already, from carrying the twins to delivering them and taking care of them for most of the day. You deserve more break time."
Dash smiled at her husband's courteous thoughts. "Thanks," she replied, looking back at the stallion while placing her left forehoof in his right.
"No problem," Soarin replied, squeezing his wife's hoof lightly.
A sliver of pale moonlight shone through the nearby curtain, making the four eyes in the room gleam slightly. After staring into her husband's green orbs for several more seconds, Dash scooted closer to Soarin, wrapping both of her forelegs around his barrel and resting her forehead close to his chest. Soarin responded by tenderly cocooning his wife in his forelimbs and lightly pressing his snout to her forehead. He then slowly stroked the middle of her back, carefully avoiding her wings.
Even with the little space she had, Dash was able to lift her head and look her husband in the eyes once again. She lovingly pecked Soarin on his snout and playfully asked, "I love you, Soarin, 'ya know that?"
Soarin kissed his wife's forehead. "Oh?" he asked in reply, a coy smile on his face, "Well, did you know that I love you even more?"
A competitive, but still genuinely content, grin graced Dash's face. "So it's gonna be like that, huh?" she asked in reply.
Soarin smirked back at his wife and whispered, "I guess it is..." before bringing his lips to hers.
Both ponies melted into the kiss almost immediately. It had been a long day - or for that matter, a long few weeks - for both husband and wife, and coming together at the end of the day and sharing their love for each other made both mare and stallion feel wonderful on the inside.
Soarin and Rainbow wasted no time in slithering their tongues into each others' mouths. The feeling alone sent a shiver of excitement down Dash's spine, and that caused something in the back of her mind to come to the front in an instant, something that she knew both she and her husband would thoroughly enjoy.
After holding the kiss for about 20 seconds, Dash and Soarin pulled away. After taking a few much-needed breaths, Dash slowly began tracing her right forehoof down Soarin's chest as she seductively said, "You know, I think you and I have built up a whole lotta stress over the past few weeks. Maybe it's time for us to, you know..." she continued on, her hoof making a U-turn and moving up the stallion's chest, "Get some relief?"
Soarin was more than ready to do just that with his wife. They hadn't made love in nearly five months, mainly due to the possibility of Dash's heart rate getting too high during the final stages of her pregnancy, plus the fact that Bright and Strato had been occupying most, if not all, of their free time, completely exhausting them in the process.
Feeling a bit creative, Soarin placed his left hind leg atop Dash's right before pulling her just a bit closer and kissing her forehead again. "That one was for your awesome brain," he lovingly said, making Dash giggle, "But this one's for you," he finished, lowering his lips toward his wife's.
All of a sudden, right as the couple's lips were about to touch, an audible crying noise could be heard over the foal monitor. Dash and Soarin pulled away from each other, the sudden noise making their eyes go wide.
After glancing toward the little speaker box, Dash, clearly annoyed, said, "Aw, come on! Seriously?"
Not wanting his wife to get worked up in all the wrong ways, Soarin put his hoof on her shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Dash. I'll go check on them."
"Nah," Dash immediately replied, brushing her husband's hoof away, "It's my turn to do that. I last fed them about 90 minutes ago, so this shouldn't take too long." With that, Dash climbed out of her bed and exited the room, quickly making her way to the source of the crying she had begun, and still was, hearing.
Rainbow opened the door to the nursery. All the lights were off, as the foals had already been put to bed. Even though they had gone to sleep when their parents wanted them to, this was the third time tonight that at least one of the foals had caused either Dash or Soarin to tend to their needs.
After turning a nearby lamp on, Rainbow quickly made her way over to the crib, and she swiftly found out who was making all the noise. Bright Skies was squirming in such a way that signaled she was uncomfortable somewhere. Since the filly had been fed recently, she had already been burped, making Dash realize that...well, it had to be done again, especially when an unnerving smell worked its merry way into her nostrils.
Groaning internally, Dash lowered the side of the crib and picked her daughter up, bringing her to the changing table soon after. Hoping to find nothing too extreme, Dash undid the straps of Bright's diaper and pulled the front half forward. Fortunately, after a careful examination, there was no evidence of waste from the rear - only from the front. Knowing that a potential mini-crisis had been averted, Dash quickly disposed of the wearable port-a-potty and, not needing to wipe anything, powdered her daughter's lower area before snuggly wrapping her in a fresh diaper. Once the straps were in place, Dash reached under her daughter's small chin and began tickling her, making Bright giggle cutely while Dash herself laughed internally.
Once Bright was laying next to her sleeping brother, Dash raised the side of the crib once again and turned the lamp off before exiting the nursery for the Nth time today - she had lost count somewhere around 50...
Rainbow eventually returned to her bedroom door, hoping to see her husband ready and waiting to enjoy a night of passion with her. However, when she opened it, she was shocked to see Soarin facing away from her, sitting on his haunches as he furiously jacked off his stallionhood. His eyes were clenched shut, and he was obviously enjoying himself. It seemed that he couldn't wait any longer to have a moment of bliss, whether he was with his wife or not.
Grinning slyly, Dash walked inside her bedroom, slowly closing the door so as not to let Soarin hear it - not that he would, as he was grunting rather audibly. "Well, well, well..." Dash began, her tone strong enough to penetrate the lusty haze Soarin had immersed himself in. Soarin immediately stopped stroking himself and turned around, a heavy blush on his face as he realized that he had been caught. "You simply couldn't wait for your awesome wife to come back so you could screw her senseless, now, could you?" Dash continued, swaying her hips as she slowly walked toward the bed.
Soarin smiled guiltily. "Hehe..." he nervously chuckled, "I guess not. I think the thought of you and I...well, doing it after all this time got me so worked up that I couldn't help myself."
Rainbow couldn't help but let out a few giggles. "You naughty, naughty stallion..." Rainbow continued as she chuckled, climbing back onto her bed as Soarin turned to face her. Dash was now practically face to face with her husband's throbbing member, and she knew there were plenty of things she could do with it before moving on to the main event, but given how sexually deprived she had been over the past five months, she couldn't help but just lay on her back and alluringly invite her husband to get things started.
As Soarin got up on all fours, his eyes roamed over his wife's stunning body. He hadn't seen her quite like this in almost a year, and although a small amount of the baby weight was still evident, the sheer beauty of her underside made up for it. The images his eyes were sending to his brain caused his already painfully hard erection to throb once again, his body aching for release like there was no tomorrow.
Soarin soon stepped in front his wife, moving forward until he was almost completely over her. In a completely random gesture, he looked to his left and noticed the foal monitor on his wife's bedside table. He couldn't be more grateful that it was just a one-way monitor, ensuring that a certain pair of sleeping pegasi wouldn't be awoken by the last thing their parents wanted them to be awoken by.
Returning his gaze to Rainbow's, Soarin looked romantically down at his wife. He was thrilled that after a seemingly endless drought, love would be raining down on them in their bedroom once again. Technically, it already was, as Rainbow's nether lips were already soaked beyond belief, her juices leaking down onto the sheets. The sight alone sense another pulse of arousal through Soarin's body, ending at the tip of his penis.
That was it. Soarin couldn't wait any longer, and neither could Dash. Closing his eyes, Soarin leaned his head down and brought his lips to his wife's, both ponies inserting their tongues into each other's mouths without even thinking.
As Soarin moved his tongue over his wife's, he slowly lowered his hips until the crown of his aching stallionhood was pointed directly at his wife's soaked love tunnel. Barely two inches away from the impending connection, Soarin slowly moved his hips forward, his throbbing cock gradually moving closer and closer to its intended target, until...
Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!
Soarin jumped, landing on his haunches as he was startled by the noise coming over the speaker next to him and his wife. Both he and Rainbow had slightly wide eyes, the female pegasus quickly growing annoyed as her special time with her husband was once again being interrupted.
"Auuughhhh!!!!" Rainbow groaned in frustration, "Why????" As much as she loved her foals, Rainbow was not in the mood to go and check on them at a time like this.
"Don't worry, Dash," Soarin said after hearing his wife's uninterested moans, "Stay here. I'll go see what's up."
"Thanks," Rainbow replied in a dejected tone, still upset that she wasn't getting what she had so desperately wanted for the past five months.
Before Soarin left the room, he knew he needed to become unaroused rather quickly. As he got off the bed, he thought back to the time where he had received the nickname, 'Clipper' in the Wonderbolts. Though he had gotten over the embarrassment of that situation rather quickly, a small amount of it still lingered with him today, and it was enough to reduce his erection to the point where it didn't hesitate in the slightest to hide away in its sheath. "Phew..." the stallion thought to himself as he began to open the door to the hallway.
As Soarin made his way to the nursery, Rainbow lay on her back in the bed, staring up at the ceiling as she tried to suppress the anger she felt over her current situation. Even before she had become a mother, she already knew that it would be difficult for new parents to have any time for themselves, especially at night, but never knew that it would be so excruciating in moments like these until she experienced it for herself. She was so close to being intimate with her husband after what seemed like the longest time, but now she felt that the mood had been ruined, given the amount of interruptions they'd had. As she continued laying alone in her bedroom, she wondered if she was ever going to be able to share this wonderful time with her husband again, a possibility that made her angry and scared at the same time.
Not wanting her potential pleasure to go to waste, Rainbow reached a hoof down to her still slightly soaked vulva, stroking it slowly. After a few seconds, she tried using her foreleg as a makeshift dildo, jamming it as best she could into her opening. Unfortunately, she couldn't fit the end of it inside, so she just left as much as she could in there, moving her hoof up and down as best as she could as she continued masturbating.
All of a sudden, Dash ceased her self-ministrations as she heard the turning of a doorknob. Not wanting to be caught pleasuring herself like she had caught her husband, Rainbow rolled onto her right side and closed her legs, all while she moved her soaked hoof under the sheets and began drying it off.
"That was quick," Dash said, her face desperately trying to hide the fact that she had pretty much copied her husband's earlier actions.
"Ahhh...It wasn't anything serious," Soarin said as he rejoined his wife on the bed, not paying any attention to the expression on her face, "Stratosphere was just a little fussy. That's all. I was able to get him back to sleep pretty quickly."
"Good," Dash replied, giving off a genuine smile, "How?"
Dash's question went unanswered as Soarin climbed back over her and pressed his chest against hers, a seductive grin washing over his face. "Does that really matter right now?" the stallion asked in a sultry whisper before mashing his lips against his wife's.
Dash hadn't expected her husband to get back in the mood so quickly, so the kiss caught her off guard, but she basically began melting into it on contact as she closed her eyes, wrapping her forelegs around her husband's neck as she felt Soarin nibble at her bottom lip, making her squeak cutely.
As he made out with his wife once again, Soarin brought his right forehoof down to his wife's left buttcheek, stroking it sensually. Dash moaned in delight as she felt her husband feeling her up, something he hadn't done in ages. The sensations she felt caused the cyan mare's nether lips to become soaked once again, prompting her to lift her hips and grind herself against her husband's crotch a few times.
The warm, wet sensation on his sheath caused Soarin's stallionhood to grow to its full length in less than ten seconds, and it began throbbing madly.
Knowing that his wife, or for that matter, he himself, didn't want to wait any longer, Soarin lined himself up with Rainbow's pussy. However, right as he began moving forward to make the contact that they both desperately craved, Soarin felt a hoof on his chest pushing him back slightly. He opened his eyes, looking his wife in the eyes and wondering why she had stopped him.
"Wait, Soarin," Rainbow said in a slightly concerned tone, pointing to her husband's bedside table, "I think you're forgetting something."
Looking at the table his wife was gesturing to, Soarin immediately remembered what he had forgotten. Scooting off his wife and moving toward the other side of the bed, Soarin opened his drawer and pulled out a box of condoms. A short time before the foals had been born, Nurse Redheart told Rainbow and Soarin that if they were to have sexual intercourse soon after Rainbow's delivery, they would need to be careful not to get her pregnant too soon after she had given birth, as it was dangerous to conceive before the uterus had fully contracted back to its original form after its previous pregnancy.
Taking a condom out of the small box, Soarin undid the wrapping and tossed it to the side before centering it over the head of his still erect member. Once he felt the rubber make contact with his flesh, he gently rolled the sides of it down until the majority of his pole was covered in the elastic material.
Satisfied with his work, Soarin looked back at his wife, his lust-addled gaze telling the mare that the heat pulsing through him hadn't cooled down even a tenth of a degree. "Now..." Soarin began as he climbed back over his mare and leaned downward, "Where were we?" With that, he kissed his wife again and eagerly lined himself up for the third, and hopefully final, time that night.
With nothing standing in his way, Soarin pressed his hips forward until the head of his cock finally pressed against his wife's lower lips. Both ponies shivered at the contact, each one wanting to rut the other to oblivion due to how sexually deprived they were. However, Soarin - being the one in control - wanted to make this as pleasurable as possible for both him and Rainbow. Slowly, he inched his way deeper and deeper into his wife, grunting all the while as he heard Rainbow moaning euphorically. He knew that she had wanted to be spread wide by his member for a very long time, and he was happy knowing that he was able to fulfill her desire.
Finally, after a long, five-month hiatus, Soarin's cock was fully hilted inside Rainbow's vagina. As his balls met her puffy flesh, Soarin drew out a long moan as his wife just lay there, beginning to bask in the feeling that she missed so much.
Soarin lowered himself onto Rainbow's chest again, bringing his mouth to her ear as he whispered, "Daddy's home..."
In reply, Rainbow clenched her inner walls down on her husband's cock, giving it a rather unique hug as she said, "Mommy's happy to have you back..."
After hearing his wife's loving words, Soarin took several seconds to relish the feeling of being buried inside his wife. He hadn't been able to experience this feeling in so long, and as he realized just how much he'd missed that feeling, his desire to take things slow and keep everything sensual vaporized in an instant, and he pulled half his member out of his wife, only to thrust back in and gather a decent rhythm rather quickly.
Rainbow cried out in ecstasy as her husband thrust in and out of her. After one of the most agonizing waits she had ever gone through, she was so happy to once again experience the greatest thing that a couple could do while they were alone. Each time Soarin bottomed out inside of her love tunnel, a pulse of electricity surged through her body, making her moan in absolute delight. Plus, as Rainbow stared into her husband's eyes while he made love to her, it only made her love him that much more as he continued connecting with her in the most intimate way possible. No longer was she feeling distressed over being continuously distracted while trying to share a sensual moment with her husband. She now felt like she was on cloud nine - no. She felt like she was on cloud nine thousand, and possibly more than that.
Meanwhile, nearly the same could be said for Soarin. He was the one doing all the work, which wore him out slightly, but other than that, he felt exactly the same as his wife. He had longed for this connection for far too long, and here it was once again, filling him with sensations that couldn't be matched by anything else in the world. In his lust-filled state, Soarin wanted nothing more than to keep bucking into his wife with all his might, pleasuring both her and himself for an eternity.
Desperation soon got the best of both ponies, as Soarin's reckless thrusting got more and more out of rhythm as each second went by, causing the heat of their impending orgasms to rise within their bodies. Despite not feeling the bare skin of Soarin's member against her inner walls, Rainbow felt his medial ring pleasuring all her innermost pleasure points, causing her to get close to release faster than she thought. She didn't care, though. She needed this more than anything right now.
"Ah...Soarin!" Rainbow cried out, "I'm...Ahhh!!!...I'm almost there!"
Soarin grunted before replying, "Me, too...AHHHH!!!!!" That one scream signaled the stallion's orgasm, his hot seed blasting out of his cock and filling the head of his condom as he gradually slowed his thrusting.
Right as her husband reached climax, Rainbow moaned in euphoric bliss as her marehood squeezed around Soarin's cock, her cum pouring out around his rod and drenching his crotch in the process.
As both ponies relished the sweet feeling of orgasmic release, not only did their cum leave their bodies, but so did all the stress they had built up over not being intimate over the past five months. That, combined with the intense tingling in their private areas, made both husband and wife feel like they were freefalling through an endless sky as they held onto each other for dear life, despite the fact that they didn't appear to be afraid of the fact that they weren't stopping as they fell.
Unfortunately, the amazing feelings that Rainbow and Soarin were feeling could not last forever. As Soarin's thrusting eventually came to a halt, both he and his wife entered their blissful afterglow. After pulling out of his wife, Soarin fell to his right, bringing Rainbow with him as he held her close. Once they were still, both ponies sighed contentedly as they began to relax.
Rainbow couldn't remember a time when she felt this great after sex, especially with the stallion she loved. While the actual love-making was such an amazing sensation, the afterglow was the other half of the fun. She was able to just lay there in Soarin's embrace and let a relaxing heat wash over her, melting all her stress away. She loved how they seemed to go on for eternity, where nothing - absolutely nothing - could shake her from...
Waaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!
The eyes of both Rainbow and Soarin went wide upon hearing the foal monitor going off. After several seconds, Rainbow shut her eyes and dejectedly whispered, "Oh, for the love of Celestia..."
Soarin lay alone in his bed, his bedside lamp and the moon being the only forms of light in the room. It had been about 35 minutes since he and Rainbow had heard cries from the foal monitor, and Rainbow had taken the liberty of checking on them; however, she had to run to the bathroom first and freshen herself up. She had ended up using a washcloth to wash the entire inner area below her teats with soap and water before feeling satisfied enough to even think about entering the nursery down the hall.
Soarin had long since discarded his used condom into the trashcan in the en-suite bathroom. He had been able to enjoy more of his afterglow after Rainbow left the room, but it wasn't the same without her. He may as well have been masturbating for all he cared. This was something he wanted to spend with Rainbow, but at the same time, they did have two foals to tend to, and they never knew when their parental assistance would be required. He realized that if he and Rainbow were to do this again, things like this were bound to occur.
When Soarin had realized that Rainbow had been gone as long as she had been, he became slightly worried. She wasn't usually gone for more than 30 minutes, and Soarin wondered why she hadn't returned to the bedroom.
Wanting to solve his mystery, Soarin got off the bed and exited the bedroom, closing the door behind him. It took him about seven seconds to reach the door to the nursery, which was the slightest bit ajar. Opening it a little, Soarin whispered, "Dash?" as he took a look inside. He couldn't see anything happening near the crib, so he opened the door further, but when he looked down, he couldn't help but give off a genuine, fatherly smile.
Lying on the ground on her left side was Rainbow Dash, who seemed to be fast asleep. At the same time, Bright Skies was laying on her own left side, the filly still latched onto her mother's left teat. Stratosphere, however, seemed to have already finished nursing, as he was laying near his mother's forelegs, but the colt hadn't quite fallen asleep yet.
Realizing that his son most likely had not been burped, Soarin carefully picked him up and slouched him over his right shoulder, patting his back several times before hearing a tiny belch release itself from the colt's stomach. With the uncomfortable sensation now gone from his belly, Strato let out a yawn as his father cradled him, the colt snuggling himself against Soarin's chest fur and slowly falling asleep.
Soarin's heart warmed as his cyan son began slumbering in his forelegs. Giving him a light peck on the forehead, Soarin gently flapped his wings and brought Strato over to the crib, laying him down and tucking him in gingerly.
Soarin then returned to his wife and daughter. He looked down to where Bright was, but after several moments, he raised an eyebrow upon not seeing the filly who shared his fur color suckling Rainbow's nipple. It then occurred to him that the filly must have fallen asleep at her mother's breast, which made Soarin smile again.
Lying on his stomach, Soarin carefully reached a forehoof to where Bright's mouth was, pulling her lips back slightly so as to release the suction that had been created from her latching on. After a few seconds, Rainbow's nipple was free from the filly's mouth, and the movement caused Bright to open her eyes. The filly looked around to see what had happened, but right as she eyed her father, Soarin had already picked her up and repeated what he had done to Stratosphere. Once Bright had let out a burp, Soarin brought her over to the crib and laid her down next to her brother. Once he was confident that both his foals were asleep, Soarin leaned in and kissed his daughter's forehead.
After quietly raising the crib's bars back up, Soarin turned around to look at his wife. Rainbow was still sound asleep, a content smile on her face. As Soarin walked over to the sleeping mare, he noticed just how wide the pillow she was using was. He then looked over to the nearby rocking chair and noticed a neatly folded quilt hanging over its back.
It was then that Soarin got an idea. He thought Rainbow looked absolutely peaceful in the state she was in, and he was in no hurry to disturb the beautiful sight in front of him. Taking the quilt from the rocking chair, Soarin unfolded it in mid-air and let it gently fall onto his wife. Laying down, Soarin got under the quilt and cuddled up to Rainbow, gently wrapping a foreleg around her. Despite her slumbering state, Dash nuzzled herself into Soarin's neck while somehow not waking up. This made Soarin smile once again as he gave his wife a kiss on her forehead.
Resting his head on the pillow, Soarin closed his eyes, simply content to lay there with his wife. He knew that they both may have a sore wing or two in the morning, but that didn't matter to him right now. It had been a long night so far for all four of the ponies in the house, but now, Soarin was sure that the entire family would be able to get a good night's sleep after everything that had happened.
Pretty soon, sleep got the better of the stallion, and he drifted off to Princess Luna's dreamscape, joining his wife and kids for even more adventures as the night continued on. |
Integration | pre | Well, this has been a swell day. Or days. He couldn't tell. Time had little meaning when there was neither light nor anything to do.
A shiver went through his body as he opened his eyes, and he failed to suppress a moan when he tried to dig himself deeper into the sand to hide from the cold. But something soft and warm brushed up against his side, and it was so unexpected that he instinctively jerked away. Or tried to, at any rate. His body wasn't very keen on doing what he told it to. His heart was the only thing that got itself worked up to any appreciable measure of speed.
But in the next moment, he calmed down somewhat when he realised it was Sassaflash lying next to him.
Wait.
He could see! Glancing upwards, he noted that the luminescent nodes dotted on the walls and ceiling were much brighter than before. Everything was bathed in a cool, green light that reminded him somewhat of the decorations and lightings used on Nightmare Night every year. Or like those glow-in-the-dark stickers that he used to place on the ceiling of his room when he was younger, making the place look like a starry night sky.
Another shiver suddenly went through him, and he released a shuddering breath. Then, a warm body pressed up against him and feathery wing draped over his shoulder. He started, but quickly remembered that it was Sassaflash. He sighed in relief and gazed at her; she was in her pony shape again, and was biting her lip in worry as she stroked his back to warm him.
"It's me," she soothed. "Just rest. You've had a rough night."
"No kidding," he mumbled.
A green aura flashed on her horn - She has a horn! - and a roughshod black bowl hovered over to his muzzle.
"Drink," she instructed. "You've been sweating a lot."
He swallowed and realised that his mouth was dry once again. He bent down, but stopped just short. "I can't. Chrysalis told me--" he began, but was cut off by her angry snort.
"I'm sure she did," Sash growled. "But Mother said nothing against you getting more water from me. Besides, you're not well, and even we take care of family when things get difficult."
"If--if you say so." He sipped from the bowl and savoured the wetness. But even though it provided some relief, he was still running a fever, and another groan escaped him as he was wracked by a wave of bone-deep aches.
Sash took the bowl away and hugged him gently. Guilt welled up in his chest as he realised just how much of an inconvenience he was being. He had come to the hive and joined them to keep Sash company, not the other way around! He tried to think of something to say that might make her worry less about him, but nothing came to mind. The silence grew deafening.
"Please don't leave me," he eventually whispered.
Gee, way to go, tough guy.
She nuzzled him in response. "I'll stay as long as I can. But I'll have to go when it's my turn to work. My brothers and sisters need me too."
Caramel's eyelids were growing heavy again. Even thinking was beginning to take more effort than he seemed able to give. He was dimly aware that Sash was humming something.
~ My name is Pinkie Pie, and I am here to say, I'm gonna make you smile and I will brighten up your da-a-a-ay! ~
One of Pinkie Pie's songs. The one that he happened to like. Sash, where will I be without you? He rocked gently to the tune, and the last thing he saw as his eyelids slid closed was a faint glow on Sash's newly-acquired horn.
* * * * *
She was gone when he next woke up. He yawned and carefully stretched himself out on the sand, mildly enjoying the feeling of his joints popping. The fever was gone, but he wasn't back at full strength. Still, it was a far sight better than how he'd felt the last time he was awake. The ache in his limbs and stomach had receded to the point where he could almost ignore them, and he no longer felt chilly.
Chrysalis poisoned me.
The memory being reduced to a shivering, helpless lump of a pony in the darkness was enough to make him wince. Why had she done it? To prove a point? That he couldn't survive down here? That he was no use to them? But what good would that do? If they really didn't want him, they could have just put him in a cocoon and be done with it. It didn't make any sense!
Caramel scowled and looked up to the entrance to his pit, hoping to find a changeling there to interrogate. He found no one, of course.
Whilst pondering, he absentmindedly scratched at an itch on his forehead, and realised two things. The first was that he could actually see. The place was nowhere near as dark as when he had first been tossed in; it was even bright enough for him to make out the individual hairs on his tail. The second was that there was a hard lump right in the middle of his forehead, underneath the skin. It was too prominent to be a bit of swelling from an impact, and it didn't hurt at all. He pressed on it with his hoof, and found that it had a rather sharp point when it pricked the inside of his skin.
Then, everything clicked into place. The indigestion, the fever, the brightness of the place, the thing on his forehead, all of it.
Okay, so she didn't poison me.
What she had really done was much, much worse. Caramel wasn't particularly prone to panic attacks, but he felt that the situation genuinely called for one. His breathing quickened, and he began to pace aimlessly about.
"Aww, ponyfeathers. This was not part of the plan!" |
Integration | Chapter 4 | Twelve years before Integration...
Lake Misty Mellow was one of Caramel's favourite summer getaways. It was huge--large enough that it had waves of its own, and it was just only possible to see the other side of the shore on a clear day. It had gravelly beaches all around, and was surrounded by loads of tall trees that kept the winds pretty calm so long as he didn't go too far out. And the best part was that it was free of any of the nasties that usually lived in deep water. The lake was one of the few under Princess Celestia's protection, and everypony knew that she always made sure that nothing dangerous could move into it.
So it was without hesitation that Caramel and his classmates waded into the waters, not worried in the slightest even when they were out where it was too deep to stand in. It was safe, and they all knew how to swim anyway.
"Cannonball!" yelled Lucky and Shining Armour.
Caramel whirled around in the water just in time to see the pair of colts leap from a rocky outcrop from over the water's edge. They sailed through the air for a short distance before hurtling onto the surface near him and creating two enormous splashes that drenched through and through. He wiped his now wet mane out of his eyes, snorted out water, and then glared at the pair of them.
Normally, they would have laughed at him and carried on, but their horse play had also drenched Lyra, Vinyl Scratch and Berry Punch, who were giving them similarly unimpressed looks. Vinyl's mane was glistening, matted and plastered to her head and neck like a hunk of lightning-blue sea grass. And there were little twigs stuck in it, too.
Shining and Lucky grinned nervously. Nopony messed with Vinyl's mane. Ever. Her mouth twisted into a mean grin as she slowly and deliberately wiped away a lock of hair from her face. Her horn glowed blue, and the water around them rippled.
Lyra was sportingly ticked off too; golden sparks erupted from her horn, and a globule of water separated itself from the lake's surface and hovered by her side.
Uh oh. Unicorn water fight. Caramel knew better than to get involved in those. He quickly dove under the surface just before they started lobbing water globes at each other. It was crystal clear, and he could easily see everypony treading water as they joined or watched the unicorns' battle. He was content to stay out of it for now, and turned and swam towards the edge of the lake where Miss Cheerilee was keeping an eye on all of them.
When he surfaced a little closer to shore, he heard Sassaflash saying, "--be fine. I'm happy just staying here."
Miss Cheerilee looked a little puzzled. She was sitting on a picnic mat on the gravelly shore with Sassaflash, and was holding a pair of bright orange water wings in her forehooves. Sash was lying on the mat and staring out towards the lake with a distant look in her eyes.
What's going on? Caramel waded to shore and trotted over to them, dripping wet.
"But, my dear," said their teacher, "are you sure you really just want to stay here? The whole point of coming to the lake was to go swimming!" She turned when Caramel was close and smiled at him, and then turned back to Sash and said, "Don't you want to join your friends? They look like they're having fun. You just need to put these on and you'll be okay."
Sash eyed the water wings and wrinkled her nose. "They're demeaning. Those things are only for foals."
Miss Cheerilee sighed, but her patient smile didn't waver. "They're for ponies who are learning to swim. There's nothing wrong with that. You have to start somewhere, don't you?"
"Yeah," Caramel piped up. "My mom made me wear them too when I was learning. They're not too bad."
"Hmph." Sash didn't sound convinced. She looked wistfully at the lake where the rest of the class were shouting and squealing and laughing as they splashed each other silly, but her ears suddenly drooped back and she turned away, refusing to look any of them in the eye.
Miss Cheerilee put a hoof on her shoulder. "Well, if you really don't want to, then that's fine, I suppose. I guess it's a good thing I brought some board games. We can--" she suddenly paused, looked at Caramel for a second, then exclaimed, "I've got an idea!"
Caramel took a step back. I don't like where this is going.
"Will you wear your water wings if Caramel wears a pair, too? I brought some extras!"
Before he could whirl around and trot off whilst whistling a minding-my-own-business tune, Sash mumbled, "I suppose."
They both turned to him, and judging by Miss Cheerilee's smile, he was well and truly cornered. He sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, okay."
It took their teacher only moments to blow up another pair of water wings and slide them snugly up his forelegs. Sash reluctantly allowed Miss Cheerilee to put hers on as well, and then they were both herded to the water's edge.
Caramel got in without hesitation, but Miss Cheerilee stuck close to Sash as the turquoise filly waded in slowly. She looked a pretty nervous, almost as if she was expecting a hydra to pop out of the water any second. Her wings didn't stop twitching, and her legs moved like they were made of wood.
"Relax, it's hard to swim when you're all stiff like that," he advised.
Sash just nodded.
"You're doing great," Miss Cheerilee said. "Just a little bit deeper and you'll be able to join your friends."
Sash flinched when a wave came and the water wings lifted them so that their hooves no longer touched the bottom. Their hooves hit the lake bed again as soon as the wave passed, but Sash had stopped moving.
Caramel gave her a little nudge. "It's okay, we'll just float when we go deep enough. We won't even need to tread water with these on."
She looked at him for a brief moment, then reluctantly waded on. "I nearly drowned once, you know," she said under her breath.
"Oh." Caramel really didn't know what to say to that. Did Miss Cheerilee know? Maybe she wouldn't have insisted on getting Sassaflash into the water if that was the case. He slowed down a little and added, "Err, I didn't know. Do you want to get out of here?"
A look of determination crossed her face. "I'm already here. No reason to quit. I just... Woah." She smiled in surprise. They were already floating in deep water. "Huh, that wasn't so bad. I guess I just needed to get used to it." She waggled her forelegs in emphasis. "It's not so easy to sink with these."
Caramel raised an eyebrow. "Well, yeah... Isn't that the whole point of water wings? Are you saying that you weren't wearing any floaties the first time you tried to swim?"
Sash's eyes widened for a second, but in the next instant she chuckled and nodded. "Uh, yeah. That's what I meant. It was a little stupid of me. Heh."
He decided not to press further. It was obvious that she didn't want to talk about it. He glanced around to find something else to talk about, and he saw Miss Cheerilee hanging back a bit, keeping an eye on both of them. She smiled encouragingly when she saw him looking and motioned him to carry on with showing Sash what to do.
"Hey, look at the baby lovebirds. They look so cute with their water wings!" Lucky hollered, interrupting his thoughts.
Oh joy. Caramel could feel the tips of his ears heating up. Shining and Lucky were snickering amongst themselves about ten paces away. They sounded a little out of breath, though, which wasn't surprising, given the water fight they'd just had. And then he had an idea. He pulled a foreleg back and thrust it forward on the water surface quickly and efficiently, creating a long-reaching splash of water that smacked both colts in the face. Their snickering ended in sputters.
"Well, this 'baby' can still give you a run for your bits in a water fight," Caramel retorted with a smirk.
Shining Armour snorted. "Pfft. You and what army?" His horn lit up, and several water globes lifted out of the lake's surface.
Lucky swam to the side to flank Caramel and added, "Prepare to lose, wimps. Nopony can beat us!"
You asked for it. Caramel's smirk widened. "Me and this army." He then put both hooves to his muzzle and shouted, "Hey, everypony, Shining and Lucky say that nopony can beat them in a water fight! Who wants to have another go at them?"
All heads turned to the two big colts, whose jaws suddenly dropped in horror. Everypony was closing in on them. Caramel and Sash were at their front, Lyra and Berry Punch had them flanked, and Cherry Berry and Vinyl were approaching from their rears.
"Ooh, ready for round two?" Vinyl asked. "I could use more target practice!"
"Hey, no fair!" Lucky protested.
But Shining Armour poked him in the ribs and said, "Shush. We can take them!" A purple dome of magic suddenly formed over the two colts, and Shining Armour blew a raspberry at everypony from behind his barrier. "This is the last stand of Princess Celestia's army! We will never surrender!"
"Confident, aren't they?" Sash commented as they bobbed up and down in the water. "Maybe we should take them down a notch."
Caramel shared a grin with her and turned towards Shining and Lucky. He then adjusted his water wings so that he'd have a little more freedom of movement and shouted, "Chaaarge!"
* * * * *
Three months before Integration...
"Eat your food," chirped the changeling after placing another bowl of royal jelly on the sand.
Caramel glared at it in distaste. He knew that it wasn't to blame for his daily ordeal, but he couldn't help resenting it all the same. After all, it was the one responsible for reporting to Chrysalis about his daily intake of the horrible stuff. He'd refused to eat any of it the first time it had come alone, knowing what the jelly was doing to him, and the bug pony had simply shrugged and gone off to rat him out to the queen. She'd then come and throttled him with magic, allowing him only two or three breaths in exchange for every mouthful of the stuff he took, and since then he'd known better than to disobey.
So he sighed and gulped it all down with no complaint. When he was finished, the changeling took the bowl and left without another word. He watched it leave, then flopped onto the sand of his pit and sighed, counting down the minutes. It was almost like clockwork; first there would be the bellyache which would last an hour or two, followed by a racing heart, weak and twitchy limbs, itching skin, nausea and a general feeling of misery and hopelessness as he lamented his brilliance in coming up with the idea of joining the changelings.
But after his regular session of dry heaving, his head would clear and he would always remember the reason why he came in the first place. Sassaflash always visited him after the worst of it was over, sometimes even during. Changelings, as he'd discovered, didn't keep twenty-four hour days since there was no day or night to keep track of. Instead, they did everything in cycles of roughly seven to eight hours, if his calculations based on his sleeping patterns and bowel movements were accurate. If that was the case, this was going to be his ninth or tenth day in the hive.
Something was different about his royal jelly treatment this day, though. The bellyache wasn't as intense and gut-twisting as before, and it was over a lot quicker. The fever and aching didn't come either, although his heart rate did go up. And he ended up feeling more bored than miserable during that period. Sometimes, he really wished the changelings would take a leaf out of ponies' books and actually have some form of entertainment. Heck, board games, cards or even paper and crayons would be an improvement over sitting in the dim pit with nothing to do but daydream and doodle stuff in the sand. And they apparently weren't that big on conversations either.
Eventually, the sleepiness came. That much hadn't changed, at least. He'd go to sleep for several hours, and possibly find a few more surprises waiting for him when he woke up. By now, his coat was patchy and discoloured above and around his fetlocks, and his stubby horn had already pierced the skin on his forehead, poking out an inch. He was pretty sure he was losing hair on his tail, too. But those really couldn't compare to the fact that several of his front teeth were coming loose, and for a stallion who had always brushed and flossed carefully, it was ridiculously unfair!
He lay down and shut his eyes, thinking of the various things Minuette was going to say to him if she ever found out that all of her hard work of setting his teeth straight was going down the drain.
* * * * *
The forest was deep, the trees were tall, and the undergrowth was choking. There were clusters of twigs and leaves of every shape and size around him, and everything was bathed in a deep, purple light that seemed to come from no particular source, painting silhouettes at odd and impossible angles. The air was completely still and cloying with humidity.
Caramel fought his way through the brambles and shrubs, grimacing as twigs and leaves slapped his face and thorns pricked his hide. He had to get through; he had to find a way. No matter what came along, he was going to face it and beat it back down.
Suddenly, the trees behind him rustled. He whirled around and cried out in alarm. "Who's there?"
As if in answer, a small patch of shrubs rustled. He squinted at it, but could not make out what it was. The purple light wasn't bright enough, but he could clearly tell that there was something in there. And for some reason, he didn't want to find out what exactly was lurking in the shadows. Even as he tried to discern its features, he could feel his courage melting away like an ice cube under the sun. An otherworldly terror took hold of him as he turned tail and ran deeper into the dark forest.
And the thing followed. He could hear it slithering, crawling... surging from behind, mindlessly hungering for him. Caramel didn't know how he knew, but it wanted him. And he was pretty sure that that wasn't a good thing. It was making garbled sounds like a mixture of whispering and vomiting, horribly breathy and squelchy noises that reminded him of things living in rot and mud. So he galloped harder, ignoring the fresh cuts and bruises that appeared as he tore through thorny brambles and whip-like vines.
The thing was persistent at first, always keeping within a hair's breadth of his tail, but it eventually fell behind, keeping farther and farther away. Which was a good thing, too, because the forest had gotten so dense that he could go no deeper. He sat down in the shadows and damp undergrowth, panting for breath, and watched the thing. It had stopped moving, but it wasn't sitting, and it certainly wasn't floating either. It was just... there. Whatever it was. But he could sense it observing him, even though it had no eyes.
Suddenly, the thing lunged forward, and was upon him in an instant. Caramel yelped and flailed at it with his hooves, but it held him down fast. Again, he couldn't see how it did so, but he was quickly immobilised, and could only stare at the indistinct mass of something as it lowered its... face? A gaping, pink-fleshed hole opened on its surface, rimmed with teeth. This time, Caramel was too terrified to make a sound. Instead, he swatted at it with a hoof and felt it connect with something hard...
* * * * *
"Oww!"
Caramel gasped and leapt to all fours, ready to buck at his attacker, but froze when he saw a teal-coated, yellow-maned pegasus tenderly rubbing her jaw. It was Sassaflash in pony form.
Just another dream. A surprisingly lucid one, but still a dream. His shoulders slumped, and he rushed over to her side and sheepishly said, "Sorry. It was a pretty bad nightmare."
Sash snorted. "I could see that much. You were galloping in your sleep. It was kinda cute at first." She smiled and pointed at a patch of sand that had an imprint of his head, neck and body, along with wide, sweeping depressions where his legs had been in constant motion. Then her smile turned into a frown, and she continued, "Except for the part where you started freaking out. I tried to calm you down, but you wouldn't wake up. Must've been pretty awful."
"You could say that," he mumbled. You have no idea. Even though he was awake and could think clearly, the memory of the creature chasing him was still enough to make his legs quivery.
"Well, nightmares can't get you when you're awake," she soothed, and wrapped him in a tight hug. "Feel better now?"
Surprisingly, he did feel better.
"How are you holding up? I see you've just got your wing buds." She stroked his back, and he felt an odd sensation somewhere behind his shoulders. He craned his neck around and saw two large lumps bulging out from underneath his hide. They felt a little bony, and bits of his coat fell away when he rubbed them, revealing pink, raw skin beneath.
"Leave it," Sash advised. "Let everything come and go on its own. If you rub or scratch yourself until you bleed, you might get an infection, which would be pretty bad down here."
"I sure hope that I'll at least be able to fly at the end of all this," he muttered. "Would be nice to see the perks of turning into one of you guys."
It was only after the words had left his mouth that he realised just what exactly he was saying. He snapped his mouth shut before he spouted any more nonsense, but from the solemn look he was getting from Sash, it was too late to think of a less offensive way of stating it. He had no excuse, especially not when it involved his marefriend. The awkward silence stretched on for quite a while, until he finally worked up the courage to speak again.
"Can I see you in your true form?" he asked.
A frown creased her brow. "I think I can see where this is going. Haven't we already gone through this?" She sighed and shook her head. "Caramel, I've had this form for ages. This is me. Nothing has changed. I'm still the same pony you knew all these years."
He gave her a wry grin and replied, "Since when do pegasi have horns?"
"That doesn't count. I just don't have a reason to hide it anymore."
"Exactly."
Sash snorted and playfully slapped his shoulder with a feathery wing. "Okay, fine. You got me there, smart guy."
Caramel shrugged. "It's not that I think you're somepony else now. More like there's a part of you I don't know yet." He scratched his forehead and winced when his hoof rubbed against the tender skin around his new horn. "I mean, if your mom has her way, it looks like I'm going to have a lot to find out about myself, too. And pretty soon, from the looks of things."
"You know, you're taking this rather well."
I nearly tried to bite your mom. Best not to mention his hysterics the first time the queen had checked up on him since his horn popped out, then. He smiled, leaned forward and nuzzled her on the cheek. "I guess I just have a good reason to not complain too much."
Green fire flared to life all over her, eating up her yellow mane and tail. The teal hairs on her coat retreated into her body, leaving her pink skin to harden and blacken until it was the glossy black carapace of a changeling. She blinked, and her eyes were a pure blue when she opened them again. A fish-like crest sprouted from the back of her head and down her neck to replace her mane, and her horn grew curved and sharp. Blue, translucent wings popped out of her back, and the fire disappeared after that.
"Still no complaints?" she asked in a raspy voice.
Without hesitation, he nuzzled her again. Her cheek was stiffer than before and a little rougher, too, but it wasn't hard and cold as he'd expected. He smiled and replied, "Like you said, nothing has changed."
"Oh, ha ha. You're awfully funny today," she drawled. At least changeling smiles could look warm, even though those fangs made them look rather predatory. They sat together for a while, this time in companionable silence.
"So... what's your first name?"
"Hmm?"
"You know..." He made a vague gesture with his hoof. "What were you called before we met in school?"
"Calyx."
Caramel frowned as he racked his brain. "That sounds awfully familiar."
"You probably remember it from Mrs Sprout's botany classes. It's a part of a flower."
He chuckled. "Hmm. Calyx. I like your real name too."
"Sassaflash is just as real as Calyx. I've answered to both names for most of my life, so it doesn't matter which one you call me," she said. "But you could do with learning the names of my brothers and sisters, if you want to."
"Sure. But I don't really get visitors down here, and the changeling who brings my food isn't all that big on talk."
"Well, that's because not all of us can speak Equestrian very well. Most of us understand it, but only those who go on the surface have put any real effort into mastering it. Down here, we all speak Vespid." At Caramel's blank look, she chuckled and added, "And I'm going to have to teach you a bit of that, I guess. For starters, we use other parts as much as our mouths when we communicate. Like this--" Her wings flickered for a split second, making a chirping sound. "That means 'yes'. And this..." She chirped with her wings again, "--means 'no'."
This is going to be worse than learning fancy talk, isn't it? Caramel bit his lip. "They both sound the same to me."
"Well, you'll get used to it. Maybe your ears have to change a little more before you can hear the difference. In any case," she snuggled up to him, "I'll be here to teach you our language. The same goes for flight when your wings mature. I think that's one lesson that you can really look forward to."
Caramel glanced back at the knobs on his back. Wings... He was going to get wings. He'd gone through a phase of envying pegasi when he was younger - every earth pony did - but he'd never thought he'd see the day when he would actually be getting exactly what he'd asked for.
Wish upon a star for wings of my own? Yeah, whoop-dee-doo. That'll teach me.
* * * * *
The next time the changeling came into his pit to feed him, after gulping down the last mouthful of royal jelly, he trotted right up to it and said, "So, umm, I guess I should start by apologising." He rubbed the back of his head. "I mean, you've been doing this for me for quite a while, but I know that it's not because you want to hurt me, even if that stuff keeps making me miserable. So, I'm sorry for being rude and thinking of you as a jerk."
The changeling blinked.
"My name is Caramel. What's yours?"
Still no answer. It simply gazed at him for a long moment, and he found himself wondering if it had understood at all. But it should have, since it had spoken to him before, even if only a little. Those pupil-less blue eyes were a little disconcerting, though.
"Umm, I'm sorry if I had offended you or anything, but--"
"Chitin."
It was his turn to blink. "Eh?"
The changeling tilted its head and said, "My name is Chitin."
"Oh. Nice to meet you. And, err..." He could feel his cheeks going red as he fumbled with the next question. "Are you male or female? I mean, I don't know how to tell you guys apart. Not yet, anyway."
"I'm female."
He was just opening his mouth to say "I see," but the changeling was suddenly engulfed in green fire, and in its place stood a pure white pegasus stallion, with bright blue eyes and a short-cropped mane and tail. Except for the lack of armour, it looked exactly like one of Princess Celestia's royal guards.
The 'guard' smiled in delight and said in a fairly deep voice, "But I can look like a male, too, if that would make you more comfortable."
Caramel couldn't decide whether there was a double meaning behind that statement or not, and he probably didn't want to know either way. He grinned awkwardly and shook his head. "Umm, there's no need for that. I'm okay with your real form, thanks."
Chitin reverted to changeling form in a flash, took the empty bowl and flew out of his pit. But just before disappearing over the edge and out of sight, she waved down at him. "See you later."
Caramel waved back. "Yeah, later."
Well, that went okay. He only had several hundred more changelings to get to know at the very least, depending on the size of Sash's family.
Big Mac's family reunion's got nothing on this. |
Integration | Chapter 5 | Ten years before Integration...
The start of the school term was probably Caramel's least favourite time of the year. It usually meant increasing responsibilities, homework and expectations, and also less time for foaling around. This year was going to be especially difficult because his parents had moved and dragged him along to Ponyville High. Granted, they were no longer colts and fillies, but that shouldn't mean that all the fun should stop, right? What he wouldn't give to enjoy having no responsibilities once again...
"Hey, Dreamy, you gonna pick something to eat or not?" somepony asked.
"Uh, sorry." Caramel mentally shook himself and smiled apologetically at the exasperated pony behind him. He then quickly dumped an assortment of hay fries, lettuce, carrots and a cup of orange juice on his lunch tray.
After paying for them at the counter, he went off in search of a seat. There were lots of new faces in school this year, and the crowded cafeteria was quite literally a sea of strangers to him. And they weren't all that friendly, either. Whenever he trotted close to an empty seat, the ponies nearby would give him those sidelong glances that basically said, Sorry, this one's for a friend. I won't stop you, but it wouldn't be nice to take my friend's place, would it? Caramel couldn't really blame them, though. He couldn't honestly say for certain that he wouldn't have felt the same way if he were in their place. High school wasn't the best place for opening yourself up to complete strangers.
After another minute of fruitless searching, his jaw was beginning to tire from holding his tray for so long. But then he caught sight of a familiar grey coat, and the trio of four-leafed clovers cutie mark confirmed its owner's identity. He trotted over to the little table at the farthest corner of the cafeteria, and once he was near its lone occupant he cleared his throat. "Mind if I sit here?" he asked.
Lucky turned to look at him and his eyes widened in surprise. He then scooted to the side of the bench to make room and said, "Nope. Go ahead."
Caramel nodded and sat down, placing his tray next to Lucky's. They ate in companionable silence at first; Caramel was just grateful to have found a familiar face around. It was strange to find Lucky here, though. The last time he'd seen him was just after they'd graduated from primary school. And it seemed that he'd changed quite a bit in the intervening years. For starters, his voice had cracked and gotten a lot deeper, and he had distinctly grown taller and heavier. But he also seemed rather subdued, and it took Caramel a moment to realise what was so different about this picture.
"Hey, where's Shining Armour?" he asked.
"He went to Canterlot and joined the Royal Corps. He's going to become a guard."
Caramel was swallowing at the same time, and felt a bit of fried hay go down the wrong pipe. He choked and coughed up the offending bit of food and then stared at Lucky. "Wait--what did you say?"
Lucky chuckled. "Yeah, I know. Who'd have thought, huh?"
"Good for him, I suppose. But what about you? Did you try to sign up as well?"
Lucky hung his head. "Yeah. And I was rejected. And he still went ahead with it." He threw his hooves up in the air despairingly and then covered his face. "He abandoned me! I thought we were buddies!"
Caramel bit his lip, unsure as to whether it would be smarter to comfort Lucky or to let him be. "Umm, I'm... sorry to hear that?"
The grey stallion suddenly made a little choking noise, and Caramel narrowed his eyes in suspicion. It almost sounded as if Lucky was--
And then Lucky burst out laughing. His loud guffaws drew odd looks from nearby tables and he nearly lost his balance. Caramel could only roll his eyes. Well, some things never change.
After a moment, Lucky had calmed down sufficiently to sigh and say, "Sorry. Couldn't resist." But then his expression grew sober once more. "Nah, I didn't try to follow him. I think I'd like to accomplish more than learn how to be a statue in front of the Princess' door, thank you very much. Besides, you know me; I'd probably get myself court marshalled or something on my first day."
Caramel chuckled. He couldn't quite see Shining faring much better.
"Also, he's totally missing out. Ponyville's got a lot of pretty mares," Lucky added gleefully. "Just look at the view we've got from here!"
Caramel rolled his eyes again. Lucky had been quick enough in getting over his crush on Miss Cheerilee, but since then he'd started this weird habit of periodically getting himself smitten with every other mare who trotted in his field of vision. And apparently, it was still true.
"See that filly over there?" whispered Lucky, nudging him with an elbow.
Caramel followed his eyes and saw a lean, cream coloured mare whose mane and tail had equal lengths of indigo and purplish-pink in them. She had her back to them, oblivious to the appreciative gaze that she was getting from Lucky.
"You really like her, huh?"
"Well, look at her!" Lucky gestured at the mare with both hooves in emphasis. He was sporting his trademark dreamy smile again. "She seems like the sweet sort, just like her cutie mark..."
Caramel shrugged. "I guess."
It was Lucky's turn to roll his eyes. "Oh, right. I almost forgot. Of course you wouldn't be all that interested, eh?" He grinned and waggled his eyebrows at him.
"Huh?" What in the world is that supposed to mean?
"Where's Sassaflash?"
"Sash is in her hometown right now. She had to help out with a family emergency. But she'll be here, too, when she gets back. It's kind of weird that she moved just about the same time I did."
Lucky nodded. "Must be the price of property here. Ponies don't like staying so close to the Everfree Forest. The houses are almost dirt cheap compared to other places."
"Mm hmm."
Having seemingly exhausted the conversation for the time being, they went back to their meals in silence. The bell rang just when Caramel was downing the last of his orange juice. He got up and made ready to leave.
"Hey..." said Lucky uncertainly.
Caramel raised his eyebrows in query.
Lucky held out a hoof. "It's good to see you again."
He bumped it and grinned. "Yeah."
* * * * *
Two months before Integration...
Caramel was having a hard time stopping himself from fiddling with his loose front teeth. There was something almost habitually addictive about nudging them with his tongue, anticipating the mild buzz of discomfort as they swayed back and forth. It was like losing his milk teeth all over again, except that this time almost every single one was loose, and he wasn't sure what was supposed to replace them when they finally did pop out. What did changelings need fangs for, anyway? A disturbing thought came to him, but he quickly dismissed it on the grounds that changelings fed on love, and it would be counter-productive for them to try to have their cake and eat it, so to speak.
He sighed. What I wouldn't give for a bath right now. He had long gotten used to the scarcity of water in the hive - he was already capable of lasting a whole day on a single sip - but the dryness also meant that keeping clean was going to be a bit of a problem. His coat was growing patchy around his legs and was getting filthier by the day; his breath stank, his mane was greasy and unkempt, and he could probably grow potatoes in his ears by now.
Provided they stopped shrinking, that is. Changeling ears were tubular and narrow; the lower halves of his were starting to curl up and merge at the bottom like a trumpet, and the edges were developing stiff, serrated projections like the teeth on a saw. Not the most flattering of looks in the world, but at least it wasn't uncomfortable. The real problem was somewhere else.
Sometime before, he had partially solved his personal hygiene issues by using sand to scrub himself clean, but that pretty much went out the window when the wounds started opening up on his legs. First, his coat had receded entirely from his knees and below, and then his skin had gone all loose and flaky, and then torn right open during his sleep. His exposed flesh was unnervingly greyish and blotchy, the sores constantly leaked a clear fluid, and getting sand in them was just about as painful as it sounded. He couldn't wash them out, and he certainly wasn't going to lick them clean. But thankfully, the sensitivity of the sores was lessening even as they grew deeper each day. And his hooves were becoming disturbingly porous and bristly on their undersides. Almost like hoof rot, except for the fact that they neither stank nor went soft.
Boom.
Caramel perked his ears. That doesn't sound good. It felt like an Ursa Major's footfall, or maybe a dragon's. Was there one moving about on the surface? If so, he hoped that it had no interest in changeling hives. He waited in silence, anticipating another thud, but it never came. Instead, his ears picked up some reverberation passing through the cavern, like a distant rumble of thunder, causing puffs of dust to come drifting down from the ceiling.
Caramel did not like that at all. He ran up to the side of his pit, reared up and placed both forelegs on the wall and shouted, "Hey, did any of you hear that? What's going on up there?"
No answer, unsurprisingly. He sighed and backed down, but found that he could not--his front hooves simply refused to come away from the rocky surface. He started and jerked away in fear, thinking that something had grabbed his hoof or that he'd placed it on something sticky; he overbalanced and thumped into the sand when his hooves suddenly parted from the wall.
What in the world?
He inspected the spot where he'd placed his hooves, but found nothing other than smooth rock and the glistening patches dotted with the luminescent blue and green nodes that were the hive's main form of lighting.
Caramel then raised a hoof and scrutinised its underside. Dark bristles and lots of little holes. Definitely not hoof rot. He placed it on the rocky wall again and pulled away, but nothing unusual happened. Frowning, he tried again, but this time patiently waited when the underside of his hoof came into contact with the surface.
His eyes widened. Oh boy. He could feel something different about his hooves. The rock felt cool and dry, but there was this other sensation that he couldn't quite put a word to. The closest he could come up with was as if he'd just discovered muscles he never knew he had before. He explored the odd sensation with his mind, still trying to determine what it was supposed to be.
Suddenly, something in his hoof flexed. Well, that may not have been the right word, but he was still certain that his hoof was somehow in a different state at that point. He tried to pull away, but it remained firmly glued to the rock. He drew in a sharp breath in surprise, and his hoof 'relaxed' and detached from the wall without a sound. It felt uncannily similar to the feeling of pulling two magnets apart.
Caramel planted his rump in the sand and appraised both of his front hooves. Just how long have I had this? Those holes and bristles... He tried doing the same thing with the sand, but found that he was unable to replicate the sensation. But after managing to do it again with the rock, he realised that he'd not noticed it before simply because it required a solid surface. After several minutes of successfully gluing his hooves to the wall, he felt a little grin coming on.
This time, he placed a second hoof higher than the first one. He did the same with his hind hooves. They all stuck fast. He detached one and placed it further up, pulling himself higher and higher. He felt his grin turn into a bout of gleeful chuckling. It was like rock-climbing, but without a safety harness and any sort of hoof-holds!
And that was when he realised that he was one storey up, and there was no harness or safety net to save him if something went wrong. Which was exactly what happened. His muscles went slack at the thought of plunging to his doom had it been a real mountain, and every single one of his hooves relaxed and popped off of the wall, giving him an express fall all the way to the sandy bottom.
"Oof!"
After calming down, catching his breath and nursing the freshly sanded sores on his legs, he ground his teeth and leaped back onto the wall. Oh no, I'm not done with you just yet! One sticky step after another, he climbed. This time, he made it up to his previous height and paused for breath. Once he'd made sure that his grip was secure, he forced himself to look down.
Yes! His hooves didn't give way. His heart was pounding, sure, but he had his nerves under better control now. He adjusted himself so that he was hanging on sideways, then again so that he was facing down, head-first into the pit. Oddly enough, he didn't experience any sensation of blood rushing to his head, or any of the dizziness that he would have expected from being in such a precarious position. Once he'd forced his brain to get over the notion that he was doing something nopony was supposed to, everything just felt so... natural.
Okay, so changelings do have some cool stuff.
And then he froze as the realisation hit him; he could leave his pit. After all the misery and boredom, he could finally leave this dumb, dark hole!
He began to climb with renewed vigour and anticipation, lengthening the distance between each hoof placement. One, two, three, four... The top grew closer, and his grin widened. After days and days of helplessness, he was finally accomplishing something! A tiny part at the back of his mind told him that he was being silly and reckless, but he ignored it and carried on. Forget caution. He needed to feel independent just this once for crying out loud!
Almost there... He placed one hoof on the ledge and pulled himself up--
And then a pair of enormous green eyes appeared right in front of his face.
"Yaaagh!" he cried.
For the second time, everything went slack. His hind hooves slipped and he scraped his chest on the rough ledge as he scrabbled at the rock with both forelegs. He felt himself slip over the edge in a shower of dust and gravel... But in the next second, a strong force supported him from below as he was enveloped in a green aura, and he was lifted back up and dumped onto the ledge.
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," said Queen Chrysalis. "To think that I had planned a whole session of teaching you how to use those legs of yours, and I find you already out of your room. I'm impressed."
Caramel scratched his forehead and heaved a sigh of relief. "Umm, thanks for catching me."
"What are mothers for?" replied Chrysalis.
He didn't answer. There was something in his mouth, a small, sharp and hard object with a weird taste. He felt it with his tongue and realised that it was a tooth. A second later, he found the empty spot which it used to occupy, and at that moment accidentally dislodged another two teeth with his tongue. Ouch. He must have clenched pretty hard when he fell. But that still didn't explain the taste. It was metallic, just like blood, which should have been the obvious explanation, except that the taste was somehow way off. It was a little bitter and sour as well. Had he gotten something else in his mouth by accident? Maybe a bug?
More than a little worried, he quickly spat out all three teeth. They landed with soft clicks on the stony floor, along with spatters of saliva and blood. He frowned and peered at them. Nothing unusual, as far as he could tell. So why does it taste so different?
His teeth glowed green and levitated off the floor, reminding him of Chrysalis' presence. She inspected them as one would some rather expensive jewellery, and as she did so he felt an itch skittering about inside his forehead. He scratched at it, but found his hoof obstructed by the stubby projection on his head. Stupid horn. He simply couldn't reach the gnawing itch! He shook his head vigorously, but to no avail. But then Chrysalis dropped his teeth, and the sensation faded altogether. And then he realised why: he had been sensing her magic.
So, I'm part unicorn now. He definitely did not envy them if every little bit of magic in their vicinity could cause such an abominable itch in their heads. He really hoped this was just a phase. But if he could eventually learn to cast spells...
"Are you even listening?" Eh?
Chrysalis was sporting a mixture of supreme boredom and mild exasperation on her face. She had the underside of one hoof outstretched towards him, as if expecting him to pass her something. "I told you to spit; it wasn't a request," she growled.
He complied and spat out a glob of saliva and remnant blood, and immediately froze in horror. He'd just spat on her hoof. What was he thinking? He was pretty sure that doing that to royalty would've meant a swift tackle from the guards followed by a free ticket to the dungeon. But she asked for it! Or was it a trick? Hayseed, he was really starting to dislike this back-and-forth between sincerity and deceit from the queen.
If Chrysalis was aware of his inward complaining, she gave no indication of it. She sniffed at the oozing spittle on her hoof, then casually wiped it on the tunnel wall. Her horn flared, and Caramel felt her seize his forelegs with magic. He jumped at first, remembering how sensitive the sores on his legs were, but her grip was surprisingly gentle. The glow on her horn brightened as she inspected his forelegs, and the inside of his head began to itch again, confirming earlier suspicions about his new sense. A pricking sensation followed in his forelegs as he saw individual grains of sand floating out of the sores. When she was done with his forelegs, she released them and wasted no time in lifting up his hind legs and giving them the same treatment.
When his wounds were thoroughly cleaned out, she released her hold of him and said, "They're developing quite nicely. Come, follow me." She casually trotted up the sloping tunnel, leaving him to follow, still slightly confused. As they went on to who knew where, she added, "It's time you started pulling your weight around here. You're finally ready for work."
Caramel had to canter a little to keep up with her swift gait. "What kind of work?"
A little smile turned up the corner of her mouth. "You'll see."
It wasn't easy keeping track of the twists and turns that Chrysalis led him through. There were many off-shooting tunnels from the one they were in, and she was very brief in her description of each as they passed them, saying little more than where it led to and whether he was allowed to go there or not. Those that led to the surface were pretty much off limits to him, as were the ones that went to the lower levels of the hive. "For your own safety", she claimed. He wasn't so sure he believed that.
In any case, based on her descriptions and his crude mental map, the changeling hive was as wide as Canterlot City from end to end, and maybe a little deeper than that. His pit was pretty close to its centre and their destination happened to be somewhere a little lower down, farther out on the extremities of the hive. They met other changelings on the way, but apart from a few curious glances and a few short exchanges in Vespid with Chrysalis, they kept well out of their way.
The air grew increasingly humid as they went on, until it was almost as cloying as a rainforest in the middle of summer. The tunnel walls were coated in a thin layer of resin that shone with droplets of condensation. It was in stark contrast to the dryness of the rest of the hive that he'd seen so far.
Chrysalis stopped when the tunnel widened out into a chamber of sorts and called out sharply, "Anther!"
Caramel figured that it must have been a changeling she was looking for. He could hear a skittering sound approaching, but no one came from any of the adjacent tunnels. It wasn't until a head popped out of a hole in the ceiling that he reminded himself that changelings could travel vertically just as easily as in any other direction.
The newcomer hissed something, and Chrysalis turned back to Caramel and asked, "How are your speaking lessons coming along?"
"I know some... but talk it... bad," he replied in mangled Vespid. Sash was a great teacher, but he still lacked some of the body parts necessary to 'speak' certain words, and simple phrases were already stretching the limits of his vocabulary. He briefly wondered whether there were any changelings as finicky about grammar as some ponies were.
"Hmm." Chrysalis turned to the changeling hanging from the ceiling and said, "I've brought you a new worker, and I want you to speak Equestrian for his benefit. Try to group him with those who have surface experience."
The changeling buzzed down, and Caramel saw that it was one of those higher-ranked fellows with a longer horn and slightly iridescent carapace. It knelt before the queen and said in a husky voice, "As you wish."
Before Caramel could say anything, Chrysalis was already ambling off and he was left alone with the changeling. They stared at each other for several seconds, he in nervousness and it in curiosity. Finally it broke the silence and said in smooth Equestrian, "Okay, let's get this over with. I'm Anther, and I'll be your Overseer until further notice. You have been assigned to Forager Caste; we're basically the gatherers of the hive."
Caramel blinked. "Gatherers?"
"Yes. We grow the hive's primary food source. Follow me."
Primary food? So changelings did eat something other than love. He licked his still-bloody gums from where his teeth had fallen out, feeling the tips of his new teeth just beginning to poke out. It looked like he was finally going to find out what those fangs were for.
Anther led him down an incline, deeper into the chamber, and before long Caramel noticed that every surface was coated in a thick, spongy material. It was greyish in colour with white veins creeping over its surface, and their steps left depressions in it wherever they went. But the stuff did not take long to spring back into shape once their hooves were lifted. Globes of luminescence hung from the ceiling like eerie lanterns, and in their green light he could see that the chamber was littered with mounds and mounds of detritus. A closer inspection of one of the mounds told him that they consisted mostly of rotting branches, logs, and even a few piles of leaves. The whole lump was basically garden refuse. And creeping over those mounds were more of those white veins, this time with fluffy fibres sprouting from their tips. There were many places where the veins clustered together, coalescing into yellowish-white, grapefruit-sized blobs.
Fungus. So that was what the spongy stuff was--the entire cavern was covered in it. A soft whistle escaped him as he surveyed the place, feeling like a small animal trapped in the stomach of some gigantic monster.
About twenty other changelings were trundling purposefully about the place, backs laden with woven, resinous baskets stuffed with fungus blobs and the occasional mushroom. Well, so much for the apple orchard idea. The changelings clearly had their own form of agriculture, and it didn't look like they would need anything else anytime soon.
He jumped when something fell across his back, and turned to find a pair of empty baskets slung on either side of him. Anther was grinning and promptly pointed a holey foreleg at one of the mounds. "Well, get to work. It's harvest time!"
Caramel trotted over to the mound and stared at the nearest lump of fungus. He lifted a hoof, but just before touching it turned back to Anther to get some confirmation as to whether that was the right thing to do. The overseer was already at a different mound, chattering away with another changeling as they worked. There was going to be no help from him, then.
Oh well. Pony see, pony do. The task looked simple enough; all he had to do was pluck the blobs off the pale rooty things and stuff them into the baskets. He grabbed a medium-sized one with both front hooves and pulled. The 'roots' beneath it stretched a little, but did not give way. He frowned when he saw other changelings harvesting theirs with apparent ease, and tugged a little harder on the blob. The stupid thing still refused to yield. Gritting his teeth, he braced himself and heaved... and the blob promptly imploded with a wet splat as its roots snapped back into place, leaving what looked like the bottom half of a muffin stuck to the mound and a dozen chunks of oozing fungus stuck to his hooves and face.
"Well done, numbskull. You've wasted good food," a new voice rasped.
Caramel turned and grunted in surprise as a pair of changelings shouldered past him. After wiping the dripping pieces off his face, he scowled at the newcomers and protested, "Well it's my first time. I wasn't exactly given a tutorial on how to do this."
"Yes, Rax, give the pony a break," said the other changeling. "You were nearly as bad as him when you first showed up here." It waved a hoof at Caramel to get his attention, then forced it beneath the base of a fungus blob and pulled at the top with its other hoof. The fungus came off with a soft snap. It then tossed the blob into one of Caramel's baskets and said, "Easy as pie. You just use one of the sharper edges of your hoof holes to slice at the roots."
"Umm..." Caramel lifted up a foreleg. There were no holes in his leg--not yet, anyway.
The second changeling blinked. "Oh, that's too bad, then. I suppose you'll have to do without. Try twisting them at the base; it usually helps."
Caramel followed its advice, and found it rather more effective. The blob didn't come off as easily as he'd seen; it still broke off and left a little of its base behind, but at least its top didn't come apart like the previous one.
"Thanks," he said to the helpful changeling.
"You're welcome."
"I'm Caramel, by the way."
"Mantis." The changeling didn't smile, but her tone wasn't hostile, either. Caramel wasn't sure how, but he somehow knew that Mantis was female. Now that he thought about it, he'd registered Anther as a male without giving it much thought either. It was puzzling. Maybe changelings all had some other sense that he hadn't been aware of.
"And this little spot of sunshine is Thorax," Mantis continued with a grin, indicating to the one that had mocked him earlier. Again, he could tell that that changeling was male.
Caramel nodded amicably, but got no acknowledgement from Thorax. He simply carried on plucking fungus blobs without even sparing him a glance. Caramel maintained his friendliness for a moment longer, just in case he changed his mind.
The changeling eventually did turn to him, though it was with a scowl. "What do you want--a hug? I'm not here to be your friend."
Caramel instantly dropped his smile and traded it for a frown. And a jolly good day to you, too...
"Oh, just ignore him," Mantis said, waving a hoof. "He's just sore about being forced to work in Forager caste. Thinks that just because he's Warrior caste he's too good for us, or something." She then leaned closer to Caramel and whispered conspiratorially, "Of course, if you ask some of us, it was probably because he'd ticked off the queen. We found him drunk as a skunk outside of Canterlot after the royals brought the shield back up, which was pretty bad form considering he was supposed to be our leading infiltrator."
"I'm here because I was ordered to fill in for the slackers who didn't return to their posts after the invasion," snapped Thorax. "And the other bit was only because the princess had stuffed me into a barrel of apple cider during the fighting."
"I was at the wedding," Caramel interjected. "Princess Celestia was beaten by your queen. When did she get a chance to do that?"
"Told you he's a fibber," Mantis whispered again.
Thorax shot her a glare. "The other princess, dimwit."
Caramel blinked. "But... I heard that she was asleep during the attack."
"She was." Thorax grimaced, as if remembering something rather painful. "Do any of you ponies know that she sleepwalks? And that she can out-shout a dragon in her sleep? I still don't think my eardrums have recovered from that."
Princess Luna? Sleepwalking? That's crazy! He turned to Mantis for verification, but she only shook her head and shrugged.
Thorax grumbled to himself and resumed his work, muttering, "I don't know why I bother..."
Caramel took that as a reminder to get back to work, too. Most of the other changelings were very sparing in their conversations, and it probably wouldn't do to give Chrysalis a bad first impression of his work ethic. So he set his mind to the task at hoof, plucking one fungus lump after another and tossing them into his baskets. There were scores and scores of them to harvest, and even with Mantis' advice on how to pluck them more efficiently, it was still a lot of work. Whenever his baskets were full, other changelings came over to relieve him of them and to provide him with new, empty ones. When a mound was cleared of all its fungus, they simply moved to the next one. This went on for almost two hours straight, and by that time Caramel was feeling dreadfully hot and sweaty.
He slumped to the floor and sighed. The last lump of fungus in sight had been plucked; every mound was bare save for the white veins. Though he was tired, it was a good kind of tiredness--he felt like he had done something productive.
"Hey, get up--we're not done yet!" Thorax snapped.
Caramel glanced around the chamber and gave him a blank look. "What else is there to do? There's nothing left."
"Exactly. That's why we're going to clear the mounds. They all need a turning over," the irritable changeling replied, buzzing his wings impatiently.
Caramel didn't move quickly enough, and Thorax zapped him on the cutie mark with a little green bolt of energy from his horn, causing him to yelp and jump up. "Okay, okay, I got it!" he muttered, rubbing his flank. Sheesh. Some ponies.
Mantis was already chewing through the white veins creeping over the detritus. Once they were severed, Thorax motioned Caramel to help him with moving a particularly large log. Together, they heaved and managed to drag it out of the main pile, causing a miniature avalanche of rotting sticks, leaves and other dirty things.
"Spread them around," Mantis instructed. "The fungus needs fresh fertiliser on its surface, and the stuff underneath is already all used up."
Caramel winced as they dug deeper into the pile. She wasn't kidding--the bottom of the pile was mushy and stank of rot and filth. He was pretty sure he hadn't imagined the noxious yellow cloud that wafted out of the stuff. Neither changeling seemed bothered in the least, though, so he grimaced and continued to help them in hauling the stuff around, doing his best to ignore his nostrils' pleas for mercy.
They spread the detritus out onto the cleaner surfaces of the spongy floor, forming new piles which he surmised were to provide the next harvest. Every now and then, another changeling would trudge by to deposit fresh refuse, no doubt collected from the surface. Once the mound was complete, Mantis and Thorax started weaving their forelegs back and forth over the refuse. Something thick and viscous oozed out of the holes in their legs, and they were careful to spread it evenly over the pile. Caramel was unable to contribute, but gladly took the opportunity to simply watch and catch his breath.
It was the same with the next mound, and the next one after that. The changelings were clearly intent on redistributing every single pile of refuse in the cavern. Sighing heavily, Caramel resigned himself to another two hours or more of labour.
* * * * *
It was on demolishing their last mound that Caramel dug out something rather interesting. It was black and round, and had a curved, sharp projection on one side of it. When he felt along its surface, some dirt caved in to reveal a large opening, and his other hoof penetrated to form a second hole right next to it. He felt his blood go cold. It was a skull.
He cried out in a voice that was far too high-pitched for a stallion and dropped it back into the pile of detritus. This mound wasn't as far gone as the rest had been. He saw it in a different light, now. A long rod-like thing with a broken, jagged end poking out of some dead branches; curved, shattered half-loops buried under some leaves; a hollow cylindrical object dotted with holes. This wasn't just a pile of garden refuse; it was a changeling grave.
Caramel looked up and found his two workmates silently observing him. Mantis seemed to be a little perplexed, whilst Thorax was wearing that smug, superior look that Shining Armour used to give any filly who freaked out whenever there was a spider around. He picked up the skull, grinning in a manner uncannily similar to Shining's, and waved it in front of Caramel, saying, "What, you never seen someone's moult before? It's just dead skin and shell. Perfectly harmless, even to ponies."
Caramel sighed. False alarm, then.
"Yup," agreed Mantis. She then dug into the mound and pulled up a similar round object, showing it off to Caramel. It was shiny and black, too, but it also looked more solid than the one he'd previously touched. She grinned and said, "Now, this is a skull. I think it's Palp's--he's not looking too good now, is he?"
"What do you expect?" Thorax replied. "It's been almost a year. Never liked him much anyway, the dumb grub."
Caramel suddenly felt ill. The changelings were holding the skull of their deceased relative in their hooves, and they were talking about him as if he was just some ornament on the mantelpiece! And they were feeding his remains to a fungus, leaving them to rot in a filthy pile of goodness knows what else, like common fertiliser, no less. He abruptly sat on his haunches and tried to quell his churning stomach. There wasn't much in there, but that didn't make it any less difficult or unpleasant.
"How can you even think about putting one of your relatives in one of these..." he waved a hoof at the mound, "--these things? They're your brothers and sisters! Don't they deserve better than that?"
"That's debatable," muttered Thorax. "Anyway, what do you expect us to do--toss them into a river? It's a waste of time and resources. Literally. They're better off down here helping to feed the rest of us. Besides, it's not all that different from the way you ponies bury your dead. They will fertilise the ground, wherever they are."
Caramel frowned and sputtered with indignation. "But--but... It's not the same! We don't use them, not like that!"
Mantis piped up, "Well, if you want to look at it that way... Isn't it a compliment to them that they're being helpful even after they're gone? They make better fertiliser than any of the plant matter we gather from the surface. The only things longer-lasting and more effective are dragon bones and scales, and those are pretty hard to find. If we don't do this, the fungus will take even longer to fruit, and one harvest a year is long enough."
Caramel was silent as he pondered those words. It still felt wrong to him, even though he could see the sense in them. If this was a cultural thing, did it make it okay to use one's kin like that? It was just so outlandish. He glanced about the cavern and shivered at the sight of the omnipresent white veins creeping along the floor and walls. Those things have tasted flesh, and they're all around you, some panicky part of him whispered.
"I... I think I'm going to be sick," he groaned.
"Well, be sick into the pile, if that's the case," Thorax bluntly replied. "It'll make good fertiliser, too."
Caramel snorted. He suddenly felt like holding it in just to spite him.
"Having fun? You seem to be getting along rather well."
Caramel whirled round when he heard the extra voice and recognised Anther.
"He's okay," said Mantis. "Although he's quite squeamish. Almost as bad as a filly."
Am not! Caramel was about to snap a sharp retort, but stopped when he saw that Thorax was scowling rather intently at the overseer.
"No thanks to you," grumbled Thorax. "Shouldn't you be the one babysitting him? Queen Chrysalis said--"
"Absolutely nothing about me delegating the duty to more qualified individuals," Anther cut him off. He grinned. "And since you seem to be doing it so well..."
Thorax's eyes widened, and then narrowed again as he levelled a furious glare at Anther. "Oh, no you don't. If you think that I'm going to do the stupid work that the queen gave you, you are--"
"I'm not thinking it; I know it." Anther was also staring rather intensely at Thorax. "From now on, you're going to show Caramel how things are done in the hive. Where he eats, sleeps, works, and whatever else the queen sees fit for him to do. And you are not to let any harm come to him."
Caramel looked back and forth between the two changelings in bewilderment. There was something going on between the two of them, but he wasn't quite sure what. Thorax was gritting his teeth as if he'd been told to solve a calculus problem in five seconds or less. A moment later, the changeling sagged and vehemently growled, "Fine."
"Good." Anther smiled and trotted away.
"Stupid grub," Thorax mumbled in Vespid.
The overseer whirled round. "What was that, Rax?"
"Nothing."
Mantis snickered, and Thorax shot her a venomous look. He then turned to Caramel and snapped, "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's finish off this stupid pile and get this stupid chore over with."
* * * * *
When they were finally done with the mounds, Caramel was willing to trade a leg for a shower. Or maybe even for a puddle to roll in. His coat was caked with dirt and sweat, and try as he might, he hadn't completely avoided getting some grime into the sores on his legs. He was also weary to the bone. But he kept silent and simply followed as Thorax led him towards the resting chambers.
They had to go through a vertical shaft to reach it from the fungal chamber, and Caramel was relieved to find that climbing was still within his capacity, in spite of his weariness. Surprisingly, he found himself more concerned about Thorax than himself. The changeling was decidedly moody as he crawled up the shaft, barging past other changelings going in the opposite direction and being generally prickly whenever any tried to speak to him.
"Hey, you okay?" Caramel asked.
"I'm fine, just shut up and follow," Thorax groused.
In spite of his companion's sharp tone, Caramel's curiosity won over caution. "What happened back there?"
Thorax stopped, crawled back down to Caramel's level, and then jabbed a hoof into his chest. "Anther made me do his job, that's what; looking after you."
"Can't you take this up to Chrysalis? You don't really have to do what he says, right?"
"He's an overseer," Thorax replied, as if that was all the answer needed. He then continued climbing, and that was apparently the end of the discussion. Caramel wasn't sure why, but he suddenly felt guilty about being an inconvenience to him, even though it technically wasn't his fault. Anther was starting to appear the jerk in this case, but he really couldn't say for sure without getting to know more about them. Heck, Thorax himself seemed quite like a jerk, too.
The shaft eventually opened up into a chamber interspersed with columns of rock. The lighting was even dimmer than the rest of the hive, and there were dark shapes all along the walls and ceiling. It took Caramel a moment to realise that they were all changelings - forty or so of them - clinging to the rock. Their eyes were shut, and aside from their breathing and the occasional wing twitch, they were completely still.
"Get some sleep. We'll get back to harvesting in four hours," said Thorax in an undertone.
"Err, I'm guessing that that wasn't the only plantation, then."
"Of course not. There are twenty other chambers like it. Five are done, the rest will need our attention soon."
Caramel slumped to the floor.
"Tough. Get used to it," Thorax growled.
"Yeah, yeah, I will," Caramel replied, squaring his shoulders. "Us ponies aren't as useless as some of you think."
Thorax stalked off without another word.
Caramel watched him go, and then called out, "Hey..."
The changeling paused, and he could tell from the way his ears twitched that he was listening.
"Thanks. I mean, I appreciate what you're doing for me, even if it wasn't your choice. I know it's not easy playing nice with strangers."
Thorax stood silently for a moment. Then, after quickly glancing around, he took something out of one of the holes on his legs and tossed it over to Caramel. He caught it and realised that it was a chunk of fungus. He tried to give Thorax a questioning look, but the changeling was already gone.
So, it's a present? Judging by the changeling's mannerisms, it was probably one that he shouldn't be giving.
He gingerly bit into the lump with his remaining good teeth. It was tasteless and rubbery on the outside, but the inside was spongy and sweet, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. He chewed on it for a while, wondering. Thorax didn't seem like the sort to give away things for no reason.
The fungus was surprisingly filling for such a little piece--either that, or his stomach was shrinking. Whatever the case, Caramel was too tired to care. He wandered around a bit, but found that this stretch of the hive was little more than a dormitory. He picked a bare spot with the fewest changelings clinging to the ceiling overhead, and then curled up with his back against a rock column.
One last thought ran through his mind before sleep took him.
Weird. Did I just make a friend? |
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