Thread 102: Stories 61-75

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OOCO
>SS
"Spike"
~~~

>Spike? Have you seen Diamond Tiara? She wandered off and now I'm worried she's going... to...

"...This isn't what it looks like."

>Really? Then what is it.

"Uh... I'm making a statue?"

>Spike, DT is the one who is still a little lacking on sex knowledge, I'm the one who got locked in the storage closet over the weekend with some unsuitable films and nothing but time. I know what I know.

"THIS ISN'T A SEX-... wait, did that really happen?"

>Backroom of the school, third door on the left, try not to let the door shut, go ahead and find out for yourself.

"...I'm good. But this isn't a sex thing!"

>Fine, I'll pretend I believe that, what is it?

"...It's a model?"

>It's a model.

"A... a super robot model!"

>Uh huh.

"Really! It's for... armor? Right! Armor! So that I can use it toooo... power up?"

>...

"When I'm older of course."

>When you're older, of course. And the reason you have a latch right there?

"...Well I've gotta be able to use the bathroom at some point, right?"

>...

"...Right?"

>I tell you this as your friend, but Applejack hates robots in bed, I heard her telling it to Twilight.

"GODDAMN I-..."

>...

"...WELL EXCUSE ME FOR DREAMING!"

>If I help you turn it into a model statue, will you promise never to speak of this again?

"Would you?"

>Sure.

"Awww, cool, you're a good friend."

>...I was lying, you know, I heard nothing, I just wanted you to know how stupid you sounded.

"...well mission accomplished..."

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>AJ
"QS"
~~~~~

>... Soldier, where is yer' armor?

"...erm..."

>Ah'm waiting.

"Honestly?"

>That is how Ah like it, yes.

"With my hopes and dreams of a comeback victory, your highness, with my hopes and dreams."

>... ya have a real problem-

"I KNOOOWWWHOHOHOOOWWW!"

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>SA
"18"
~~

He found her quickly enough, as to be expected. She was quite sedentary for one as active as herself, but most of her physical activity was thankfully focused in a singular place.

That is, the ever flowing of hooves that came with literally carrying everything she could on her shoulders, simply out of love.

Nothing could stop her.

>Hey...do you have a minute?

Nothing but him.

"Shiny? For you, I've got a lifetime."

>Heh... mortality jokes. Clever.

"Ninety percent of the individuals in our lives are ageless super beings, if we can't laugh at it at some point, we're fucked."

>Point, point... so...

Talking to her most days was as easy as existing, the stallion would claim.

Talking to her about things like this was like having every word be a trapped soul at the bottom of an empty pit, clawing it's way out. Painful, desperate, yet wanting nothing more than to reach daylight and be free.

>... just so you know, I really did know it was you this morning.

A lie, to be honest, but it had enough honesty about what came later he felt no regret from what he said.

"Really!? I... was actually really scared you were just lying so I would feel better. Really?"

>Really.

"Really! So... soooo..."

>...So, uh, want me to go see if Cadence wants to go on another outing.

"OBVIOUSLY!... But, uh, if she doesn't have the time..."

He felt like he was looking over the edge of a pit. Stepping back, getting ready...

>...then I'll see if she wouldn't mind just some me and you time. I mean, she probably shouldn't, seeing as she said it was fine just me and you, but never hurts to check... I'm not worried if that's the case.

And jumping.

Right onto the secret button that unlocked Eighteen's eternal happy face.

"...HRMRMH!"

No amount of rubbing her face or clearing her throat would ever clear that up, no matter how hard she tried.

"G-good! That's good. Good good good. So... talk to you later?"

His stomach churned like it was going to make him vomit, his legs twitched like he needed to run, his head spun like he had been struck.

>Yep. Just wanted to make sure you're free.

"For this? ALWAYS!"

Yet he would be lying again if he said he didn't feel a million times lighter.

Every step he took with this, every one, had been hard.

But what he felt inside when he kissed her on the cheek, and her whole being lit up like the stars in the sky kept him going.

Shining Armor, even still, feared what he was feeling just a bit, even after all this time. He was afraid of it, it was true.

But, as his beloved Cadence had told him time and time and time again... love was worth fighting for.

>See you in a bit.

Every step was going to be a challenge, but so long as he had his wife's support...

He was going to walk it.

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>Fleetfoot
"Soarin'
~~

"You going to move?"

>...

"...You wanna talk about it?"

>...

"...wanna keep lying on the bed, not moving, and only occasionally looking at me?"

>...

"Sound plan, good call.

>...

"...I'm not leaving, by the way."

>...thanks.

"Yeah, well... got enough of losing friends, thank you."

>...sorry I was an asshole to you back then.

"You know, hearing you apologize instead of me for once made this all worth it."

>Really?

"...No."

>...heh.

"Closest thing I'm getting to a smile for a while, so I'll take it."

>...

"Want to talk about it?"

>...no...

"Okay... got nothing but time."

>...

"Nothing but time..."

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>Applejack


This was good

Wasn't it?

Changelings and ponies mingling amongst each other, not suspicious of each other; at least when they weren't punching each other, but that was friendly punching of the face, made certain by the coin that rested on the outcome of each blow. In a way, she shifted from side to side, that old ghost of Apple family reunions came to her as she looked on at the scene, though it were like two families, two completely different families.

Applejack watched from a distance, taking the view in, faces she recognised mixed with new faces, ones that immediately stood out than most. Maybe it could work, maybe if she brought more, to another town, things'd finally get better, she may even do a better job than Chrysali-

She cut off that train of thought quickly, yeah, sure, do better, just don't stoop to her level

Yeah

That's what she meant by that

She can do better, than her, and herself, whichever one did it worse, both of them deserved an earful from above, just with a wildly different rap-sheet was all.

Payback for the whole throttling thing? Maybe, one day, the near loss of Twelve was probably one of her worst moments, she let everyone down then, and she was rightfully pissed and all, but maybe that was just a part of her "airs"? Something she just "had" to do.

Yeah, that all changed after she finally spilled the beans on what she had done to her way back when AJ was being oh so obstinate of her, they decided to just put gone-bys be by-gone'd. That's what the fancy horses said, right?

And, well, they had to use those fallacies and airs and plays to stay above one another, ironically the supposed most honest agains the supposed most decietful.

It wasn't right, having to live a lie constantly, even when it had come to a point where you could be truthfull and not get jumped by whatever hootenanny was passing by. Hell, they both kept falling into that trap

But, she thought, that time when all would be right with the world hadn't come yet, the ol' tall, dark, mysterio was still hopping around her sandy perch every now and again, and as for herself...?

A certain crack rang out, and she did a double take as she saw 41 double up in pain, scrunching her face as the ponies and changelings cheered on a very, very surprised Caramel.

Yep, still havn't overcome that stubborness, if anything, she felt something had faltered in her, thinking back how she talked before all this Princess guff began, her voice seemed... Naw, best ask somepony else about that

Which made these guys, she mused, all the more important. She couldn't let herself just mope all over them. She had done them far worse a wrong on account of her hatred for Chrysalis, even if she said she never meant it, that she was certain she was doing the right thing.

Worse yet, nearly everything was often stacked in her favour, power, population, clout, all done to overcome a ragged band of bizarre, laser spewing, rapists-by-the-book, dumb, refugees.

...

Wait, naw they weren't refugees, just led by a right nutjob... and ran into an unyielding wall.

Applejack thought that she should see her family more often on the matter, hopefully steer her onto the better path, make sure she didn't get swirly-headed trying to do things her way, she didn't want to end up like Chrysalis.

Or at least, like-Chrysalis-in-a-metaphorical-way-but-in-the-belief-she-is-better-than-the-other-wait-that's-also-Chrysalis-regarding-her-you-know-what-fuck-justification-these-are-way-too-many-dashes-Faust-damn

...

Yeah

>Ah'll do that

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OOCO
>Buttercup
"?"
~~~~


She didn't used to have dreams.

In the time she can only barely remember, she didn't used to dream at all. No dreams, not a one, ever came to her before the new times she lived in. She curled up after a day of stalking and hunting, and when the daylight came it was time to rise again. That was her life. Hunt, eat, walk about, laze around, fight any who would come near her, lay down, wake up.

She never used to dream, not like this. Never like this. She never used to dream.

And it was such a pleasant dream.

A weapon, so massive she couldn't even tell what it was, held in her grip. The roaring sound of weaponry, hammering away at her foes. The powerful explosions that rippled through the world as she laid devastation to all that opposed her. No more did she have to use her claws, though she loved to do so, for this did it all.

And through it all... he was there, and happy.

Which is why it was so hard to wake up when something poked her wound, and for reality to come crashing back when she realized that all she had seen was very clearly not the case.

She was not standing proud and triumphant, she was on the ground, in the dirt.

Defeated.

"What a mess."

She let out a hiss as something dug into her skin. It was gentle, somewhat, but nothing could reduce the burn as skin parted to make way for whatever was being done.

She tried not to snarl and snap, her instincts hammered by the strange hum in her head that kept her from merely dissolving into base snarls and growls every moment of her waking life.

"Hold still, hold still now. I've got to get it out."

Something wrapped around the back of her neck, and she did.

She stilled, claws renting lines in the dirt but otherwise steady, as the thing continued it's work. It burned, every second it burned, but soon she felt it pull free, leaving behind a dull throb and emptiness.

"...Well, the good news is, it didn't fragment. Lucky you, getting shot by the good stuff."

Her eyes had not opened, not once through all of that. She couldn't, she wouldn't.

She couldn't look at him, even when he pulled ever so slightly, bringing her massive head into his lap, and he began to dress the wound on her shoulder.

"As far as I can tell, he doesn't have a vendetta against you, which is way luckier than you know. If that guy has a vendetta, it sticks like crazy. Princess either, luckily. Still, I'll have to go speak to them both to make sure everything gets cleared up, would hate for them to come looking for you to apologize and stumble across anything. Maybe it would be best if you sit this one out, though."

In a wince of pain or shame, she could not tell which, she rubbed her head a little to his chest. Her heightened sense of smell recognized him right away.

Well, him, and one other scent...

She did not like the other one.

"Buttercup?"

She shifted, the only indication she would give she heard his words.

"I told you never to get in a fight if I wasn't there, didn't I? But you did, and it almost ended badly. What do you have to say for yourself?"

She felt a sensation she never had before, a power gripping her chest she did not recognize or understand. A coldness, like an icy claw around her very heart.

With such a sensation, she could do nothing else but reach out and wrap her massive paws around him, as if to seek warmth.

>...Me sorry...

"...Very well, so long as you're sorry, it's all okay. You know better now, and that's what matters. Just don't do it again. Will you?"

That, on the other paw, was a sensation she knew all too well.

She didn't used to dream before he came along. She never dreamed.

"Are you alright?"

>...me fine...

Nor did she know what it meant to be happy. To know what happiness even was.

>...Can me get a big gun like him?

"We're not really looking for confrontations, Buttercup."

>...

"Fine, I'll consider it."

>Can you stay and hold me?

"Oh, I suppose..."

...She knew it now.

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 >AB
"SL"
~~~

>Wow, ya' know, at some point this just seemed like a good idea, and Ah' don't know why.

"Yeah, in hindsight, we could've just... walked the long-but-not-scary way."

>Right? We didn't have to take a ride OR go down the scary forest, we didn't have ta' do neither of those things!

"This was all avoidable!"

>What were we thinking!?

"We weren't! Can't you agree with that, mister giant snake thing?"

*HISSSSS!*

>Ah' think he agreed.

"Yep. This was one hundred percent bad."

>...
"..."

>"AHHHHHHHHH!"

*HISSS!*

>WHY'D APPLEJACK THINK AH' COULD HANDLE THIS THIS IS DUMB!

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>SA
"???"
~~~

Everything was finally going right.

>...You know what? I'm feeling good about myself. Really, really good. I'm feeling great even! Celly, Celly bo belly, you are so right. I need to stop worrying about the little things, focus, and-

"Hello."

>GAHHHH!

CRACK!

"...That was very high. Were you showing me your jumps? I think you can jump very high."

Her slow speech was quite the contrast to his beating heart. Looking down, or rather up for him, he was met with quite the unexpected sight.

>...Oh... hi, Maud.

The stoney grey pony tilted her head ever so slightly, which he took to mean some kind of nod.

>Nice, uh... nice to see you again! How are you doing?

"I am the same as I was yesterday."

>Well, that's good to hear!

"It is preferable, yes. Yesterday was a good day. How have you been?"

>Uh... busy, I guess? Very busy.

"Are you busy now?"

>Well no, I guess I have some time off finally. Heh, really weird, feels like this is the first real break I've had since... well, Hearth's Warming. Even OnO got pretty crazy.

"My sister spoke highly of that."

>Well, good thing you two are still talking.

"She is also busy, sadly."

>Yeahhh, that's how life is.

"But you are not busy right now?"

>...Nope! Seems like I'm all clear.

"Good. I have waited for you to have time to yourself for a while."

>Ahhh, sorry.

"Do not apologize, running a country is likely very hard with the lacking of support from your first wife."

>...really wish you would stop calling her that.

"It is fact."

>Well, yeah, but the way you say it... huh, actually, come to think of it... huh.

"No matter, all that is important is that you now have free time."

>Yep! Sure do!

"Good. Our fight begins at dawn tomorrow."

>...fight?

"Yes, the fight."

>Right?

"Right. I'm glad you agree. I have waited several months for it, I am glad we can finally have it."

>...several....

"I thank you for being such a gracious host and letting me sleep in your guest room, sample your crystal buildings and parks and also letting me watch your films, as such, I will try not to be too painful to you when we fight, and I will not put you in a coma."

>...what.

"That is called pre-fight banter, I believe. I am sorry if I do not do it right."

>That's... that's not...

"Regardless, this has been a long time coming, I hope you are prepared finally. Good day, Shining Armor, see you tomorrow morning."

Without another word, as she was so oft to do, she turned around, and walked off.

>...why... why does she want to fight... WAIT A MINUTE! Is she talking about that thing after the Fillydelphia incident!? Wait... WHAT!? Has she... HAS SHE BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME!? WHAT THE FU... wait... how am I going to get down from-WAH!

His answer came when, at last, gravity seemed to remember his existence, and pulled him straight down to the ground.

>...well this is a sign of things to come if I've ever seen them...

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>Maud
"Pinkie"
~~~

>Told you so.

"..."

>....

"..."

>...

"..."

>...are we staring for fun?

"You know what? Yeah, we're going with that."

>...this is fun.

"...You're so lucky you're my big sister..."

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>Celestia
"SA"
~~

>...She's... she's just been THERE!?

"Apparently."

>Where!?

"In my house."

>...

"..."

>...WHAT!?

"You know the scary part? I looked at family photos and she's just... just there."

>How did you not notice her!?

"I've looked at them a million times, and I never saw her! It's like she just fazed into my pictures and family somehow! Magic I say!"

>She's an earth pony.

"SHE'S PINKIE'S SISTER."

>...Touché. So-

"So apparently I'm going to hoof fight the only member of the pie family who has not gotten into a brawl with either me or my family."

>...huh.

"...Yes you can watch."

>Wasn't even going to ask, honestly.

"You're going to root for me, right?"

>...

"Celly?"

>My enjoyment well has been rather dry since you got on par with 42...

"..."

>...R-rar rar Shiny?

"Too late."

>...I'm videotaping it.

"... we have such a great relationship..."

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Non-Canon
>Pinkie
"Cadence"
'DT'
~~~~
>Welcome to Late Night /pa/ with your host Pinkie Pie! It's during this time that content doesn't matter, and we try something new! Now for our main segment...GOOD BAKERY!
Applause as the stage opens up to a fake bakery made from cardboard.
>Welcome to Good Bakery, home of the Goody Cakes, can I take your order?

Cadence walks up frowning wearing a yellow wig
"I'm here to make a complaint. Your Goody cakes are dry."

>...the cake was made of cardboard. You didn't actually have to eat it.

"...it looked real for cardboard."

>Just say the line.

"Oh uh I demand a free drink!"

>I'm sorry ma'am, but we don't don't sell drinks here.

"*gasp* this is the worst!"

DT slides in wearing a brown wig.
'Ma'am, you should come to my place Bamba Juice. We have plenty for you to drink there.'

>Hey, don't steal my customers!

DT puts metal big cups on her hooves.
'I have drinks that this pony clearly need. Even drinks with electrolytes.'

"What are electrolytes?"

'It's what ponies crave!'

>Trying to stronghoof me? Guess what...I have a box!

'Like that's suppose to-'
Pinkie throws a large box over her head with a picture of Filthy Rich looking stern on it. DT quickly salutes it.
'I'm on a mission da-'

Pinkie pops out of the box and puts DT in a stranglehold, but DT punches Pinkie multiple times in the face and forcing her to let go.
>Ow!
Pinkie dodges as DT smashes the floor with her metal hooves.
>CHOCOLATE DUST!
Chocolate dust gets thrown into DT's face. Pinkie attacks as DT tries to rub her eyes. PUNCH, PUNCH, KICK, CHOP, PU- some ramen noodles whip around Pinkie's hoof and flings her into the cardboard counter.

"Haha, I might be acting like a customer, but I'm actually..."
Switches to a purple wig.
"...the Ramen cart master!"

DT and Pinkie stand up and brush themselves off.
>so you're trying to move on to our turf eh?

"It's not going to be as easy as you think..."

They all give each other looks.
>"'HAAAAA'"

Life in the Studio~

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OOCO
>Jetset
“Spike”
____

>…So.

“Mmm.”

>That bracelet I see my queen wearing constantly… might that be a gift from you?

“It might.”

>I see.

“Kinda hard not to, you know? Kinda hard not to see it, it’s made of a pretty nigh-indestructible alloy that catches the light most splendidly.”

>Agreed, and it really makes her hoof look livelier as a whole. Though not as much as her hair clips. Very versatile accoutrements, those. An untold amount of cosmetic combinations at a mere rearrangement. And that apple shape? Nicely accentuates her elements in all its splendor.

“…True. Even if her bracelet has deeper sentimental value, not to mention overall worth. Can’t find a bracelet like that anywhere. One-of-a-kind forged, you know.”

>Interesting you bring up the subject of exclusivity, as you’d be hardpressed to find anything close to the caliber of those barrettes. I called in a favor to my sister to get those specially made. Not that my queen cares, being the modest princess that she is, but they are quite rare, definitely in a class by themselves.

“…Her bracelet will never break.”

>Those clips were made from scarlet emerald.

“She never takes it off.”

>They add quite the flair to her mane.

“She likes mine better. Fact.”

>Mine has further uses beyond simple hair clips by virtue of their composition. Fact.

“…No.”

>Yes.

“No!”

>Yes, I said.

Alright.

The first couple seconds had been cute, downright adorable even.

But now, roughly five minutes later, Applejack could feel a vein of annoyance throb to life as she tried, for a third time, to take in the document that required her signature.

...Then she sighed, smirking somewhat.

Boys would be boys, she figured.

And besides, it was… kinda nice, to be the one argued over for once.

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>PD
"???"
~~~

Like a noose around her neck, drawing close, stealing her breath from her throat.

She could feel them, whoever they were, closing in.

Another employee had gone missing. Briefly, sure, but she had completely vanished off the map for a short time, and when she returned, the head of her biomagical research facility started acting very nervous...

Her plans, all of her wonderful plans, were now in jeopardy. She could be revealed in no time at this rate, all the things she built for exposed and shown to all the world, all the regulations ignored, the crimes against nature, all of it exposed. At this rate, she was to be laid bare, and exposed.

This could not happen.

She needed a shield, something to hide behind if things became too hot, she needed her fallback, her oh so carefully cultivated fallback that she had been building up so marvelously before this damned event occurred and put the breaks on all her work. It could not have come at a worse, more inopportune time, and now everything was on the line.

This could not stand. With this noose losing slack around her neck, there was only one thing left to do.

>...Roughshod.

"Ma'am?"

>Prepare my airship.

"Of course, madam. Where would you like me to set the co-ordinates for?"

>...The Gryphon Kingdom.

"Erm, madam, all travel there is suspended until the Kingsmoot is over-"

>Did I ask for your opinion, or did I give you an order?

"...Right away, ma'am!"

>Much better.

He went to do his work, like a good little minion should. He went off.

And she prepared.

Showing her hoof this early was a risk, she knew. But...

>...Think it's time I showed that 'seer' she's been obsolete for a long, long time.

Let whoever was chasing her down come.

By the time they reached her...

>I'll have the entire Gryphon species standing between them and me.

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OMAKE!
>AJ
"Sunset"
'???"
~~~

>Hey, Sunny? Ah' just wanted ta' tell ya'll Ah'm real proud o' you fer' helpin' out, and its lookin' like things are gettin' back on track.

"..."

>Ah' know, Ah' know, ya' don't need praisin' fer' every little thing, but ya' earned it, so..

"..."

>...Sunny? Ya'll okay?

"..."

>What in tarnation are ya'll lookin' at-

'GIVE IT BAACCKKK!'

>...What in the...

'GIVE IT BACK GIVE IT BACK GIVE IT BACK!'

>...Sunset, why are ya' magically holdin' her in the air?

"..."

>...Sunset?

'GIMME BACK MY MOMMA'S PICTURE!'

>Yer... Oh lord have mercy! Sunset, ya'll put Arana down right now, Ah' know her momma is probably scarier than-

"Hng."

>...That was a weird noise.

"Hng."

>... Lemme just take a peak here and... and..

'Help! AJ Prime! Gemme down!... AJ prime? APPLEJACK!?'

>...

"...H-her mom is..."

>...look, Ah'm straight as an arrow, but uh...

They both nodded, nothing else to be said.

And while the spider-ling struggled in the air, all legs twitching, the pair merely kept their gaze on the fold-out picture in front of them, of a certain spider-Queen wrapped in silken leggings on every single legs and oh so tight lingerie, nibbling coyishly on a rose while giving the camera the sultriest look she could manage.

>...
"..."

'IT WAS A DARE! She swears it was a dare! LEMME DOWN!'

>...Does that say 'to Chitania' down there?'

"It does."

>...Ya' think she ever-

"If she didn't, she missed out."

'LEMME DOWNNNN!'

>...

"...I'LL BE IN MY BUNK!"

>NO CALLS!

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OMAKE
>Siegfried
"???"
~~~

>...What on earth are you doing with that?... Oh for the love of.... Vekir! That's not a shiny thing, it's a chamber pot! It's used for-

"Vekir knows what it is and what is inside it."

>...Is this a morlock thing?

"No."

>So-

"This is 'Vekir just got feeling she's going to need this shortly' thing."

>...huh.

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