Thread 76: Stories 1-15

https://archive.moe/mlp/thread/22963669/
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NC or something.
>AJ
"Twilight"
'Pinkie'
[Dash]
{FS}
(Rar)
~Various~
~~~~

>NEXT!

~Okay, how freaking old is Appleoosa? Cause it's either too young to be noticed by the buffalo, that one guy said he was a kid around there, it's old enough to plant trees, HOW FREAKING OLD IS THAT TOWN!?~

>....

~...~

>...NEXT!

~MOTHERFU
~~~~~

~Can I have some robo eyes?~

"Magic robo eyes?"

~No, like, regular kind.~

"...So... no magic?"

~Nope, just metal and stuff.~

"...Get out."

~But-~

"I SAID NEXT!"

~~~~

~I'm starting to question the whole logic of just declaring only one thing is our 'special talent' and then deciding to only do that for the rest of our lives.~

'So do something else!'

~...~

[What, did you think we were going to police you or force you to only do 'your job' for the rest of your life? Wanna try something else go for it, who cares? I could be a weather patroller, racer, or I could freaking garden if I felt like it, who's going to tell me no?]

{Oh yes, just because you're a pegasus doesn't mean you have to be about flying, or unicorn magic, so why would a mark decide what you have to do, rather than just what you think you should do?}

'Yeah! Ya' gotta do what makes you happy, even if you're not the best at it!'

~...It's just, I've been reading this literature-~

>DAMN IT, MAC!

~~~~~

~How exactly are these gems formed!? They're fucking everywhere!~

(Grown, I think?)

~...You can't... you can't fucking grow a-~

(NEXT!)

~THIS MAKES NO SEN-~

(NEEEEEXT!)

~~~~

>...Ya'll ever figure we're less 'ruling class' and more 'information desk'?

"Yes."

[All the time.]

{...}

'Yepperino! Pinkie Pie The Doc mug all set and ready!'

(I thought that's what we were always doing, wasn't that what we were always doing?... I am so confused.)

>Just askin.

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NC
>AJ
"Rarity"
'???'
~~~~

>...Ah'm not buyin' it.

"Oh, really darling, it's just a harmless night out."

>Yer' takin' him ta' one of those fancy shows on a 'harmless night out'?

"So suspicious! I merely have an extra ticket. There's nothing at all to worry about, dear Applejack."

>Really. And the reason yer' wearin' that?

"I am the prim of fashion, after all."

>That don't look very comfortable.

"Style rarely is, Darling."

>...That's dumb.

"You're dumb!"

>Least Ah' ain't dumb enough ta' wear a corset.

"It's slimming!"

>It's stupid. Ya' look fine without it.

"I-... really?"

>Course ya' do. Yer' always lookin' the best, ya' ain't gotta backflip cause some Canterlot city folk's bein' all jealous.

"T-... thanks..."

>...

"Have you ever been to an opera?"

>Nope, and Ah' don't wanna.

"Are you suuuuure?"

>Yep.

"You're suuuuuuuure?"

>Ain't one fer' fancy singin'.

"Even if they're doing it on the founding of the great Apple Plantation?"

>.......Ah'll get mah' coat.

~~~~

>THIS IS AMAZIN'!

"Applejack, please! Do hush!"

>Sorry, but her sigin's great! And Ah'd do appreciate me some singin'!

"She is blending it with folktale style music rather well."

>This is great!

"...Am I forgetting something? I feel like I'm forgetting something..."

~~~~

'Hey, Rarity? I'm ready to... Rar? Rarity? Where'd you go? We still going to the... helloooooo?... Damn it. Just you and me tonight, Charity...'

~~~~

"...nah."

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NC
>Applejack
"Celestia"
~~~

>Hey, Tia? Got a question.

"And you now have your own freaking meetings room of those who could give you opinions, and yet you come to me. Why?"

>Cause it's normally yer' fault.

"...Touché. Shall I prep for a jump?"

>Might as well. Ain't nothin' Ah' can say that's gonna stop ya'.

"Very well. Now, as you were?"

>Why're oranges so much more expensive than Apples? Ya' seen mah cousin's? They're fuckin' loaded. They got themsevles more fancy stuff then Ah' ever did, and Ah'm the sole fruit source of most'a ponyville. How the heck does that work?!

"...Ahhh, well... you see..."

>...What did ya' do?

"I maaaay have... accidentally to file proper taxation rates on oranges one century or two ago, and weeeelllll... it sort of... kind of... reduced taxation of orange related fruits to zero."

>...Zero.

"Technically, farming oranges is tax free, but they still get our agricultural rates when selling them, which is designed for someone who's being charged per bushel, so naturally..."

>And where, exactly, did ya' find the extra taxes ta' compensate fer' that?

"..."

>...

"..."

>...Tia?

"Mmmhmm?"

>Jumpin' ain't gonna save ya'.

"It's worth a try. NGH!"

>GET BACK HER YOU GIANT BOOTYED ALABASTER NINNY! AH'M GONNA BEAT THE WHITE OFF YA' TILL YER' BLUE!

"WINGS DON'T FAIL ME NOW-NNNGGHWINGCRAMP! CRAP! THEY'RE FAILING ME NOW! THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I WANTED!"

>CELESTIA!

"I'M SORRY!"

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NC
>OH NO YOU DON'T!

Cheese Sandwich leaps up and rips the NC tag in half, sitting on the shreds to keep it from being repaired.

>What gives you jerks!? I finally win the right to go out with Pinkie and you leave me stranded in the badlands!? Do you know how many threads I've been stuck out here for? I don't, because every time I count to twelve some horrible monster tries to eat me!

Well what are we supposed to do about it?

>GET ME OUTTA HERE! Please? Pinkie's Dad says this is building character, but I haven't had any development so I don't know WHAT he's talking about! Come on guys, I'm not an OC, I'm celebrity voice-acted for crying out loud! I'll do anything! I'll even be in an Afterdark story! Let me come back!

Cheese Sandwich has been standing next to the train station this whole time.

>I have not, you jerks! ...but thank you...does this mean I have to do the Afterdark thi-

No.

>YAY! RELEVANCE HERE I COME!

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NC
>Guard
"Guard 2"
~~~

>...So are we just supposed to ignore that fight that went on in the alleyway?

"Dude, it's cold, ain't nobody got time for this shit."

>I'm pretty sure I saw Princess Luna go in there.

"Then sounds like problem solved! Or do YOU want to be the one to wave a fucking spear at whatever the hell is a threat to a motherfucking alicorn?"

>...I'm starting to think we still suck at this.

"It's been, what, three days since we got a new guard captain?"

>Still!?

"..."

>Oh, wait, seems they're fighting over a changeling.

"...Is it really worth risking life and limb over a fucking bug monster?"

>...So, pretend we didn't see nothing?

"Didn't see a DAMN thing."

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Non-Canon
>Pinkie
"Rarity"
~~~~~
>Welcome to Not Late Night /pa/ with your host Pinkie Pie! It's during this time that content does matter, but the time has finally come! Now for our main guest...RARITY!!!

"Hello Pinkie."

>Are you excited that we're going to get more spotlight? More importantly, are you excited that I'm coming back?

"...I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

>I'm breaking out of limbo! Forget that I was going to the crystal empire with Sombra or that I was last seen in Canterlot acting strange!

"...but sweetie, aren't you always acting stra-"

>Stranger is not danger! Now wake up!

~Canon~
Rarity wakes up in bed with Pinkie standing over her.

"...what in Equestria are y-"

>IT WORKED! IT WORKED! I BROKE THE BARRIER!!! I'M FREE!

"...what?"

>QUESTION NOTHING! I'M BACK IN CANTERLOT!!!
Runs through the halls screaming.
>PINKIE PHYSIIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiii~~~

"o-okay."

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>Pinkie
"Fluttershy"
'Chrysalis'
~~~

>Soooo, what've ya' been up tooooo?

"Mostly trying to control the unspeakably chaotic and dangerous energies within me, harnessing them as best I can not for use but for restraint in the vain hope that I will subdue their unstoppable powers."

>...Neato! What about you?

'I PUNCHED A SHARK MADE OF JELLYBEANS!'

"She did that. That happened. Punched it so hard it spat out the kid it had eaten."

>Awesome! Can I punch the next shark?

"...Did you not hear the part about the-"

'Sure! ZOTZ!'

"CHRYSALIS NO!"

*ROOOOAAARRR*!

>Sharks don't roar!

'Exactly.'

>...

'...'

>...Ahhhhhhhhh
'Ehhhhhh?'

>Let's punch sharks.

'HELL YEAH!'

"...I think I'm a bad influence on my friends..."

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>AJ
"Dash"
~~

>How's the studyin' goin'?

"It's... going?"

>...

"...Pretty sure Spitfire wasn't the first one to look the other way on this stuff."

>What'cha mean?

"There's sixty seven different explanations for why someone would walk in full of energy, red eyes, and with distinct marks on their skin."

>Er... maybe they're teachin' ya' ta' not judge too fast?

"One of them is 'flu shot.'"

>...Do... do flu shots make ya' all peppy?

"They do not, but they explain in the book there is a one in eight hundred thousand chance they'll be a bit more excited afterwards, and that this should be taken into consideration first."

>What's it say about drugs, exactly?

"If they are 'discovered', they are to be kicked off the team and stripped of their rank."

>...Did ya'll add those quotes?

"I did not. They're bold quotes too."

>...Startin' ta' think we might'a jumped the gun here.

"Yeah, this might be a bigger problem than expected."

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NC
>AJ
"Rarity"
'Spike'
~~~

"...So, uh, it's going to get bigger, right?"

>Rarity!

"Oh come off your high horse, as if that wasn't the first thing you planned to ask!"

>It wasn't!

"..."

>...Ah' wasn't gonna ask it! Ah've got more sense than that.

"It's just, that doesn't really seem like it suits what we need."

>Okay, so it's a little on the short side, but that don't mean nothin'. Short shovel still digs the hole.

"Yes, but it doesn't get very... deep."

>Well, what'dya want ta' do about it? It's how it came prepackaged.

"That's why I was asking! I'm merely inquiring if it is going to EVENTUALLY get bigger."

>And if it don't?

"Oh, don't put me on the spot like this."

>No, Ah'm askin', if it don't?

"Well, of course I'd still enjoy it..."

>...

"...Just don't know if I'd be able to enjoy it with you too. Not much to work with."

>...Why do ya' assume yer gonna ride it?

"Applejack? Please."

>...

"...Please."

>Well, fine, iffin' it ain't enough fer ya' then ya' can just enjoy yer' own hooves, might be good ta' put it in perspective!

"..."

>...

"...Ehhhh... no, nevermind. Spike? Be a dear and run alongside the carriage, there's not enough room for all of us."

'Okay.'

>Spike! Come on, Ya' ain't gotta do it!

'I want to, really! Just so you guys can ride it.'

>...Dang it...

"So, I take it you're going to put in the form for the bigger carriage?"

>....Sigh.

"As I thought. GIDDY UP!"

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CD
>Twilight
"???"
'Dollestia'
~~~~

A duck through the table one moment.

A slide through the curtains the next.

Through the kitchen as fast as she could go.

Down a laundry shoot and away Twilight had to follow.

Catching a doll like this should not be that hard...

And yet, she was eternally, always, two steps ahead of her. Literally, two steps, how she kept up that pace would be a mystery that when she had the chance Twilight would calculate possibilities until her eyes went crossed to solve.

But the theorems could wait. Now was the time for catching. Catching the little bundle of white before she got too far.

Too far being out of Canterlot entirely at this point, as she had long since left what would normally constitute 'too far' for any other event.

>GET BACK HERE! STOP!

Even as she said it, she could not actually fathom why she was yet again making demands. It's not as if this particular demand was more forceful, or full of commanding nature. No, she didn't expect the doll to obey, not at all.

So when she did, in fact, come to a screeching and sudden halt, Twilight was taken for a loop.

And another loop... and another loop... and a roll on top of that one.

She eventually came to a stop, at least, and she was ever so thankful.

The body she ran into was decidedly less so.

'Perfect! My plan worked!'

That little doll looked proud of herself, utterly proud. As if she had just found the cure for measles and thus saved the world from a deadly plague.

'Now you get to handle it!'

>...I'm... sorry?

'You're the newest student of my... well, my big me?'

>Y-yeeeesss?

'Well, this means you need to learn how do deal with this, so you do it!'

If she could power the world with confusion, Canterlot would never have a dim light in a single home again.

“GET OFF!”

Likewise, if she could power it with pain, well... she could probably manage a hearths warming light or two with that toss.

“What are you-OH SHIT!”

She swore she just felt a strange warmth from the screeching voice but she was far, far too dazed to take note of it.

She did at least recognize the voice.

"NO NO NO!”

'Sunset, you are going through some problems and you need your friends now, and this new student of my real self needs a lesson!'

“HOW MUCH DID YOU SAY!?”

'Exactly enough!'

The doll walked up to her... or perhaps the better words would be 'strut' up to her, and tapped her on the nose.

'I leave her in you capable hooves, believe in yourself... uh, you!'

The doll wasted no more time before happily trotting off, as if this had somehow solved the ills of all of Canterlot with one swoop.

>...Why... why does she think I'm capable? Really. She doesn't even seem to know who I am, and this is just... I mean, unless Sunset told her what... No, really, this seems like-

“DID YOU GO INTO MY ROOM!?”

The screeching roar had not subsided, or reduced, with the doll's sudden departure, and it was very unlikely to do so if this kept up.

Strangely, as the ex-unicorn turned to regard the current-and-hopefully-eternally-so unicorn, she noticed she kept checking herself over and over, as if looking for some kind of damage. Strange, she hadn't thought she hit her that hard.

“What did she tell you!? Did you go to Celestia yet!? Or Applejack!? HOW COULD YOU GO IN THERE!?”

Calmly, likely more calmly then the other mare deserved right now, Twilight sat herself down, and crossed her front hooves.

>Yes, how dare someone break into someone else's abode like that and go through their belongings without their permission? Why, that's just the most terrible thing anyone can do, isn't it?

She swear she heard ghostly laughter as the yellow mare's face went a stark crimson and she began flapping her lips about in a surprised stutter.

“T-THAT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT! I HAD A GOOD REASON!”

>Really? Better than mine? Cause mine is 'Nobody saw you for over a day and we got worried'.

Impossibly, that laughter seemed to intensify, and Twilight was forced to chalk it up to a guard down the hall having herself a nice laugh at the situation. She'd have to find and reprimand them later.

“I just- I needed to... look, it was all for a really good cause!”

Twilight could not see her own face right now, obviously, but somehow, she just knew she had taken on a certain look right then. A look she had never had before, and hopefully never would again.

>Are you stupid?

The “I'm not mad, I'm mad AND disappointed” face.

Watching Sunset's jaw drop made it all worth it.

>No, really, are you stupid? Do you not understand correlation between two situations? Do you really not get, in that thick freaking head of yours, that this was exactly the thing that led to you living in another world for so long? This exact situation, beat for beat. This is the thing that led to you being separated from everyone you ever knew?... That because of something exactly like this situation, you weren't her student anymore? And what, exactly, did you think was going to happen this time?

Her jaw creaked as it slowly shut, a strange mist covering over her eyes as she looked away.

“This... this wasn't the same.”

>Sunset? It was. And just like back then... you completely broke my trust with this one. It was the same.

“No it wasn't!”

In an instant, she had gone from a tone of explaining, of simply trying to state her case, to sheer desperation.

“This wasn't like that time! This... back then I was just trying to gain power for me, to be strong for me! That's all it was, but this is different! I don't want to- I don't want this for me, I want this because I know better now! I can make this world a better place, I can fix so much it has wrong with it, but I just need the tools to do it! I just need to know so that I can use that knowledge for good, not myself!”

She was begging now, pleading really, and yet Twilight remained unmoved in her gaze.


“Isn't this what we're supposed to do? We're smart, Twilight, you and me! We're smart and we can use these smarts to make life better, but not if we don't have all the information! It's vital we know everything so that we can go forwards! That's what science is, compiling data that others have gathered and using it for good, and using it for the good of all! Not hoarding it! I had to do it! There was so much you knew that I didn't and I need it if I'm going to help you!”

>And what exactly makes you think I want any help from someone I wouldn't trust alone with a candybar at this point?

That one had hurt. She could see it, shoot, she could sort of feel it from there, that one had stung deep.

>Sunset... you have absolutely no idea what you've done. Do you have any idea how angry Chrysalis was? How betrayed she was that I let something so important slip out like that? Trust may not mean much to you, but her trusting me means quite a lot to me, and you put that in jeopardy by making it look like I wasn't going to keep the things she entrusted with me safe. You know the only reason she's not here right now, chewing you out instead of me?

“Because you forced her to stay back?”

The exact wrong words.

That was as simple as she could put it, those had been the exact wrong words to say right then. She could not have done more wrong if she had called her mother a whore.

>...No, Sunset, I did not force her to stay back.

“Did you have to bribe her with something? Or... did you make your brother tell her to stay away?”

She took the previous sentiment back.

Somehow, she had managed to dig a hole down even deeper, just when she thought she hit the bottom. If this kept going, she was literally going to tunnel herself back into that other universe from whence she came, somehow.

>No, Sunset. None of that.

“I... you didn't hit her, did you? I think that would be a little extreme... I mean, I know Applejack had to back when... but I didn't want you to hit her because of me!”

With the look that followed, she knew she didn't just make it to her old school, she made it to an alternate reality version of her school that was in hell.

And the devil was glaring her down.

>...Sunset? None of that. The reason Chrysalis is not right here, justifiably screaming her head off and threatening you with all sorts of things is because, despite my utter fuckup in assuming you could be left alone in the general vicinity of my lab without a guard watching over you to ensure you were not going to do something so utterly stupid we have special gates to keep toddlers from doing the thing you did, is because impossibly, after all that, she trusts me. She still, even though I failed, trusts me to handle this, and to talk with you about it. She trusts me because, despite her own terrible things she did in the past, against all odds she actually used the second chance she was granted well, and me and her have come to understand each other much, much better, and I trust her with important things like this.

She narrowed in, cold fury bubbling behind the eyes that covered more and more of her vision as she closed in.

>...Unlike you.

She would have preferred a gun to the temple, it would have hurt less.

“S-she... look, just because it's her species doesn't mean she has some kind of all encompassing authority on their biology! We don't have to ask her permission just to know about a species that we want to integrate into our society, right? How are we supposed to learn from each other if we're hiding everything!?”

It was a desperate move, she knew, but it was all she had, it was her only chance.

>Because unlike you, I know that she has a very, very good, very justified, reason to hide this away from everyone except those she trusts, and due to this I agreed with her that it needed to be kept hidden, for now. The short answer, the only one I'm willing to trust you with, is that it can be misused, very badly, and devastatingly. It could have.... permanent consequences.

And it failed.

Sunset's chest throbbed as the last two words rang in her skull, and she knew it was not from the beat of her heart.

>Right now, she's not sure that ponykind will ever accept her, or her species... and you doing something like this is not helping matters, it's infecting a wound and threatening to turn it gangrenous, so badly so it could, if not stopped now... lead to us cutting it all away, just to prevent the destruction of the rest of the body.

She hated that Twilight would use that metaphor right now, she could not have picked a worse one.

“S-so... so what are you going to do!? You can't take the knowledge from me now, I know it, and once you know it you can't...”

A chill raced down her spine when she realized that, in actuality... she probably could have a certain someone come up and take it back.

“You can't... you can't! I need to know this! I need to, Twilight! Fine, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make things worse for you or her, but I never intended any harm with it, I still don't! I want to help, and you were keeping me from helping! You said you wanted to work with me to possibly help them, but how can I do it if you just hide everything away!? You can't let her take this from me! Let her be mad at me if you want, but don't let her...”

She looked disgusted. So disgusted she might hurl at the slightest provocation.

>...You didn't learn anything.

That was it, the final nail in the coffin.

This talk, at least from her side, was over.

>...You're right, I can't take it from you, or let her take it from you... no, rather, I won't. I can, it's within my and her abilities, but I won't. There are lines, Sunset, lines you do not cross, that you can never come back from, that you can never fix, and you can never make go away, no matter how much you want to... and I want you to think about that, and ask yourself just how close you've come to that line... or if you've already crossed it.

That magic flared in her heart, and it burned. The false skin on her body burned. Every part of her was nothing but searing, horrifying pain at those words as her mind raced.

>So you know what? While I could imprison you for breaking into a royal testing lab and stealing classified documents, while I could have you yet again disbarred from this castle and chucked out into Equestria... I could even have you tossed right back through that portal, couldn't I? I could do any of that...

Now seemed like the time she should be running, but she just couldn't convince her legs to actually move.

>...But no, no I'm not.

They remained locked, even as Twilight once again closed the gap, and was face to face with her.

>You think you're doing the right thing? That you're making the world better? That you need to know all of this, and it's vital you know it now? Well, time to put your money where your mouth is. You are going to go and talk to Applejack, and you are going to ask her what she thinks. She gets to decide if you still deserve a third chance after making the exact same mistake for brand new, equally misguided reasons.

It was a good thing Twilight was not paying too close attention. Otherwise, she probably would have noticed when her breath stopped, and did not begin again.

>I'm going to give you an opportunity you do not deserve, just because some small part of me thinks that, deep down, you really did think you were doing the right thing, and this was for the best. For just that reason alone, that one little reason, you, Sunset Shimmer, are going to go to Applejack, and tell her everything about what you did, and she gets to decide what happens next. You're her student now, allegedly, time to see how she feels about all this. And oh, I'll ask her, and if I find out you hid any detail, anything at all, you're done. You are going to tell her, EVERYTHING.

Every time she used that word, “Everything” a new pang flared up in her heart.

Twilight shoved off, that glare never once leaving her face, nor did she break the eye contact as she backed away.

>...Stay away from my lab. If you so much as breath near it, I'm hurling you back through that portal as hard as I can. I don't even care if it's on, I'll keep throwing. Test me. I dare you.

She reached out, desperate and pleading.

“T-Twilight, wait, I just... this was all because-”

>Save it for her. I don't care anymore.

“W-why... why?”

She turned her back on her. Both physically, and very, very emotionally.

>Because she's my friend, and I want to make sure she's safe... and I can't trust you anymore. Make your best argument to Applejack, Sunset... it might be your last chance...

She was slow as she walked away, letting Sunset watch her every step, every shift, every movement as she slowly disappeared from sight. Smaller and smaller she became in the hallway... and then she was gone.

~My oh my, that was a cold piece. To think, her placing such trust, such faith, in a changeling Queen over you? That's insulting, is what it is.~

She shook her head, desperate to clear out Variolus's voice, but she would not go away.

~Clearly, she's even now being manipulated by that spawn. Surely she sees that the grub merely wishes to use her knowledge while still hiding all her weaknesses, does she not?... No matter.~

“NO MATTER!?”

She glared at her, spat at her, would have punched her had she existed in corporeal form.

But she just laughed.

~Yes, no matter. Surely, after you deal with the Titan, Applejack will understand, will she not? She will understand you did what you had to do.~

“I... I had to...”

A little nudge was all it took.

~Yes, what you had to do. You had to know this to deal with her, just as Applejack herself dealt with her, no?~

“She... broke her arm.”

~And we certainly did not see Twilight speak up then, did we?~

“No...”

~Because she knows Applejack has a valid reason... as do you. She trusts a Queen? Come now, that's exactly as she wants her. Trusting and understanding... but you know better.~

“You're not... trustworthy.”

~And I'm one of the nicer ones.~

There was no humor in the look she shot her own reflection, save the one in her reflection's eyes.

~Accomplish your task, bring Thirty Two to the Titan, finish this and fulfill your promise and I shall mine, and then give Applejack what you have learned. She will be so proud of you for this, there is no chance she will ever cast you out, but you must come to her with something substantial, something real, something no other could ever have obtained in any other means. Show her all you did was worthwhile, and that the ends justified the means. Show her something real.~

“R-... real. Right, real. I just need to finish this, just get what I need from you and get rid of you. She'll understand, she'll get it. We need this, just in case. We need this and she knows it. She'll understand, but I have to give her something... big. Something real. She'll see I suffered for it already, and understand.”

~Oh yes, you've suffered so much, haven't you?... Well, don't you want this over? The sooner the better.~

“That I can agree on, sooner you get out of my head the happier I am.”

~That's the spirit!~

“What are you, some kind of pep coach?”

~Ra ra and all that jazz.~

“Wow, you are outdated.”

~But never obsolete.~

“Really? Cause I think your head needs a bit of an adjustment.”

~...Fuck you.~

“You're not helping your case that you're up to date here.”

~Little whelp...~

She nodded, as much to shake away the horrible feeling in her head as to reassure herself, and she turned on her heels.

“Just... just have to get it done, then I'll talk to Applejack. I'll tell her everything, I won't hide anything, not like they do. She'll understand, if anyone will understand not trusting you guys it's her. She'll understand, and I'll make it up to Twilight later. She'll help me make it up to her, or maybe I can ask Rarity or Dash... they'll know, they'll help me. I just need to prove I'm worth it, I just need this to be done... just get it done, and give them something real, something they can trust in.”

The final words that came from her mouth were... hollow. As hollow as the hole in her chest.

“...They'll understand....”

And all the while...

Her reflection never stopped smiling.

~And I shall be right with you... until the end.~

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>Cadence
"Rarity"
~~~

>No no no, we HAVE to get the full special.

"But Darling, it's just so expensive!"

>P'shaw, I can afford it! I'm the princess of one of the wealthiest countries on the planet, and we've only been here a year!

"True, but isn't most of that wealth because your city is made of precious gems?"

>Yep!

"Doesn't that depreciate their value?"

>...What?

"I'm afraid I do not know a lot about economics, but doesn't the rarity of something increase their value with most gems? So if you've literally got a house of it, it's not worth it's previous value of a world where gems were rare enough you couldn't make a house out of it?"

>...Uh...

"For that matter, since this is used as common building material, doesn't that put it on the level of, say, concrete? It's being used like one would concrete."

>...U-uhhh...

"And for THAT matter, doesn't that mean your entire GDP is based on rates that only existed before your country did, which means when the market saturation value kicks in you'll-MMF!"

>...

"..."

>...

"..."

>...No one must ever knoooooowwww...

"..."

>...Spa?

"...I suppose we should enjoy it while it lasts..."

>YAYYY!

"Y-yaaay..."

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>Dash
"Pinkie"
~~~

>... okay, so requisition four is for use in authorizing training exercise six, and requisition six is for authorizing training exercise fourteen, and requisition fourteen is for training exercise four... WHO DESIGNED THIS MESS!? This is like a freaking word puzzle! It's freaking algebra! WHY AM I DOING ALGEBRA!?

"I dunno! You should be working, I thought, but hey! You're the captain!"

>...Pinkie?

"That's me!"

>Why, exactly, are you under my desk?

"You would have noticed me sooner if I came in through the window."

>...

"..."

>...Okay, so, getting back to my utter failings-

"Failings!? Are you insane!? The Wonderbolts have never been cooler!"

>That's a nice thing to say, but they're really not-

"What're you talking about!? They're some of the best partiers I've ever seen! They throw party's like I would, only with more alcohol!... Maybe a bit too much of that, but overall, seven out of ten!"

>...

"..."

>...Party?

"Well, they called it 'public perception pieces' but come on Dashie... ehhhh?"

>...

"...Ehhhhhhh?"

>...

".....eeeehehhhhhhhhhhhhhh?"

>I get it.

"Eh."

>Pinkie? Do me a favor.

"What's that?"

>Go get a box, about yay deep and yay hi.

"That's a lotta yay's, what do you need them for?"

>Because I'm going to be cheering.

"..."

>...When I BURY THAT MORON IN THE GROUND!

*ZOOM!*

"...I don't know why Eighteen says she wants to be under here so bad, under the desk is boring. I mean, sure, Shiny would probably talk to her, but you could do that up there and it would be way less cramped. I mean, you can dance around up there, but what can you do under the desk, really? Just crazy, and I know crazy... who am I talking to?"

~Me.~

"Oh! Duh."

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"Apple Jack"
(Rarity)
'Flutter shy'

"No."

(Oh Apple Jack, don't be such a bore. It's just a simple winter ball is all!)

"Which is going tho cost the budget an arm and leg just fort catering alone!"

(Oh pish Shaw Darling, I have Pinkie to handle the catering and you know how she loves a party!)

"Rarity, you know I love ya like a sister, but did you just put pinkie and ball in the same sentence?"

(She's gotten better! The last one she attended wasn't all get fault I'm afraid to say...)

"Fair enough but it's just expensive! You're fancy shmancy Canterlot elite are going to expect a host of decorations, entertainment, and Celestia's sunspots knows what else!"

'Umm...girls?'

(Oh I can manage with a slight budget.)

"Which is to much as it is!"

'Girls...'

(You should have more faith in me Apple Jack...)

The table they are talking at turns into a rather befuddled tortoise.

'Girls! Why not just make it a charity ball for a good cause?'

Both princesses look astonished at Fluttershy a moment before liking at each other.

"Well it would help of set the cost...."

(And I have been thinking of something to help the kingdom...)

'Good then you can donate it all to my animal shelters.'

"What!"

(What!)

'How else did you expect me to pay for all of those animal sanctuaries?'

(Darling please, I know of at least five different other charities th-)

"Sugarcube, Ah think yall might wanna shut up now..."

>The fact that the butter yellow pony seemed to have suddenly grown a head of snakes with angry red eyes that blaze with hellfire might have had something to do with Applejack's response.
>Or the fact that the tortoise they were sitting upon had turned into an angry serpent hissing as it coiled around the duo of princesses could have had something to do with it.

(On second thought, that's a delightful idea Darling! I can't believe I hadn't thought of it earlier!)

>With a sudden pop like a soap bubble the snake turns into a picnic blanket with tea and crumpets as Fluttershy's formerly demonic apperance returns to the mare they knew.

'Oh thank you so much Rarity!'

>Wrapping both mares in a hug the kaos powered mare hums in thought before noticing the tea set.

'Oh tea! Would either of you girls care for some?'

(Of course, Darling...)

"Don't mind if Ah do..."

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NC
>Twilight
"Pinkie"
~???~
~~~~

"...Well, you seem in a grumpy mood."

>Please not now, Rarity.

"Awww, come on Twi! Pinkie's here! You know what Pinkie's for?"

>Don't.

"...My name is Pinkie Pie-"

>Pllllleeeeaaassseee...

"-and I am here to say-"

>Noooooo-

~~~~~~Three minutes later~~~~~

>"~Come on everypony smile smile smile fill my heart with sunshine sunshine all I really need's a smile smile from these happy friends of miiiiiiine!"

"Smile, SMILE, SMILE, SMILE! SMIIIIIILE COME ON AND SMIIIIIILE COME ON AND SMILE!"

>...Okay, songs over, you all can go back to your life.

~What the fuck just happened!?~

>Don't question it, Forty Two, just keep walking.

~WHY AM I HERE!? Where did I come from!?~

>It's not that big of a deal, Braeburn.

~How did you do that!?~

>Try not to freak out, Discord.

~....~

>... I'm not even going to try to explain this to you, so go back, Chitania probably wondered where you went.

"Soooo, Twi? Feeling better? Or do we need a reprise?"

>I'M HAPPY! SO HAPPY! PLEASE NOT AGAIN!

"Atta girl."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NC
>Applejack
"Rarity"
'Spike'
~~~

"Ah hah!"

>Don't rub it in.

"Oh, dear Applejack, I am going to rub it alllllll in. I'm going to rub it in so deep it might leave a permanent hoofmark there!"

>...Ouch.

"...Alright, on hindsight that sounds painful, but no matter! I have won, and thus I shall claim my prize! THE DRAGON MOJO IS MINE!"

>Ah' wish you wouldn't call it that.

"Well the more technical term is rather uncouth."

>Ah' know, but it just sounds weird. We ain't exactly shy 'bout it back on the farm. We call it like it is.

"I know, but I just don't think a lady like myself should be saying something like that."

>HRMPH!

"Oh come now, that's not to say anything against you, it's not you darling, it's me."

>HRPMH!

"Fine, be like that, and here I was going to share!"

>...Ah' take it back.

"There you go! Plenty for all of us-"

'Uh, girls? That song ended, like, five minutes ago.'

"...Noooo! I missed my Dragon Mojo!"

>It's called the Booty Shuffle! Just call it what it is!

"So uncouth!"

>...Does this mean we gotta hoof-hooftwo-hoofthree for next round?

"I don't see how that's fair, you distracted me!"

>Fine. We'll do it fer' second dance.

"Much better, now... GO!"

>...HAH! Hoofthree!

"NOOO! WHY DID I PICK HOOFTWO!?"

'...Soooo-'

"Best six out of ten!"

>YER ON!

'...I feel like I'm going to be here a while.'

>DANG IT! YA' DONE FAILED ME, HOOF!

"Told you, two beats one everytime..."

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