Thread 42: Stories 61-75

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>Jetset
“OO7”
______

>…

“Scary.”

>…

“Hostile.”

>…

“Downright nightmarish.”

>It’s almost like you want me to see you off the plane of the living.

“Now it’s obvious that you’re just plain jealous. That look there? Seething with the green envy.”

>You’re just trying to goad me right now, aren’t you?

“Come now, what would ever give such a silly idea?”

>You might be right. Or it might be the fact that you’re wheeling around a giant red arrow that’s pointing to your cheek, which by itself wouldn’t be so bad if you didn’t have the words ‘Celestia Kissed This!’ circling it in blinking, neon lights.

“…Too much?”

>Just a little.

“Well, see, when you receive a kiss from something with such a luscious mane, you just want everyone to know.”

>I see… so did you save her?

“From nothing she couldn’t have easily deflected herself, honestly. The real kicker was having my meticulous plan ruined by my own Queen.”

>I bet.

It was rare that the two crafty spies ever shared a chuckle together, but this was one of those times.

And it’d probably never happen again.

“…Soooo… were you serious about back then? When you asked if I had a recording of my Queen saying provocative things?”

>About as serious as you when you wondered how it must feel to be able to snuggle up under one of my Queens wings.

“So pretty damn serious then.”

>I’d say so.

“…”
>…

“What the hell is our lives?”

>I’m not quite sure I know anymore to be dreadfully honest.

“Hm. Ah well, tell Celestia to watch her back, I’m bringing my A-game next time.”

>Pass a similar warning to your little bedbug, won’t you?

“The bedbug you want hissing sweet things in your ear.”

>Pardon?

“Nothing. Later.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Snips
“Snails”
_______

>Snails?

“Yeah, Snips?”

>What in Celestia’s holy name are you doing again?

“Playing patty-cake with the wall.”

>…With the… wall.

“Yeah, it’s a surprisingly good player.”

>…

Blank faced, Snips watched in morbid silence as Snails continued to play his game with two distended hooves jutting out of one of the classroom walls.

From where they came, he didn’t know.

He also didn’t know why there was a very large, very disfigured body of a pony dragging itself past just outside the class door with floor rumbling thuds.

And he most certainly didn’t know why hoofsteps of bubbling tar were stamping themselves all along the ceiling as though some great army were marching through.

In fact, he didn’t know why any number of the grisly occurrences in Ms Cheerilee’s class were happening.

>Well, whatta ya know 'bout that.

Glancing down at his left foreleg, he saw that it was perforated, like swiss cheese, and had the heads of black maggots wriggling through.

He might’ve screamed if the same ‘illusion’ hadn’t befallen him in the past. As it stood, he only gave his leg a clearing shake.

>Done yet?

“Almost. I think I’m on game one thousand nine-hundred and eighty-seven.”

>Right. Because it said if you stopped before the two thousandth game, it’d tear your soul from its rotting husk.

“Uh-huh.”

>…Cool.

“I like my soul, Snips. I kinda want to keep having it.”

>I know, Snails. I know.
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>42
"Dash"
~~~~~~

>I just don't see how this is supposed to help.

"Hey, you did great with the Crystal Guard!"

>But that's for combat roles, not flying. I'm actually fairly sub par as a flier.

"Great, then both get to learn something!"

>Also, I'm still quite charged, I haven't had a bout with Shining Armor this week, so it's highly unlikely any of them would be able to so much as scratch me, even if they were packing rockets.

"...Could you really withstand a rocket?"

>Is this shocking to you? Have you somehow avoided 56 all this time?

"HOLY SHIT! Someone shot him with a rocket!?"

>...Diamond Tiara, actually. Used to do it a lot.

"WHAT THE FUCK!? And nobody, like, SAID something!? Nobody told the grade schooler NOT TO SHOOT THE OTHER GRADE SCHOOLER WITH A ROCKET!?"

>...They did not.

"Why didn't you step in!?"

>I actually did.

"..."

>Uh, I discovered that 56 was in no danger, and that he very much enjoyed it despite what he was saying, and that there was no need to-

"How much did he pay you."

>...Five thousand bits.

"HOLY RAINBOOMS BREAKING THE SKY!"

>Right?

"...Still terrible you did that."

>Meh, it worked out. He paid me an extra ten grand not to press charges when she lured me out to the woods and tried to kill me.

"..."

>...Funny story, actually, I-

"Just.... just go punch the Wonderbolts, and I promise not to hold this against you anymore."

>CAN DO!

"...This place got freaking WEIRD after AJ got a horn."

>HEY, MAGGOTS? WHO KNOWS HOW TO PLAY FACEPUNCH!?
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>42
"Rekulk"
'Grehm'

"So the thing everyone is looking for...is NOT Vekir?"

>No, not at all.

"Why not?"

>Consider our priorities here, one hand missing excitable idiot of a Morlock-no offense.

'None taken.'

>On the other tiny gem creature that might be-...a product of chaos magic, yes.

"Hm, yes, yes this is true. Rekulk proposes a trade then!"

>A trade?

"Yes, our assistance in catching this nefarious Gem Beast in exchange for later help in tracking down our wayward sister."

>Eh, alright, neither should be that hard, if you two could check out the northern parts of the castle, that'd be great.

"We shall do this! And we shall find the gem beast, it cannot be all that clever, surely. If gem's were clever, they would be harder to pluck from the ground!"

'These are facts.'

>O..kay then, I'll leave you to it, thanks.

"Anything for the siblings of Zhe...ahem, anything for you FOR-TEE TWO."

>Nice enunciation.

"Gesundheit."

The Morlocks trot off, 42 shrugs and gets back to the church, inside the sack a small crystal is thankful it's incapable of laughing.
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>Vekir
"Twilight"

>Aha! Twience Princess, you will assist me, yes?

"Working on something here, Vekir, can it wait?"

>It will just take a minute Twience Princess, of that you can be sure, just point Vekir to a spare cupboard and all shall be well!

"Why do you need a spare cupboard?"

>For the hiding.

"Frooom?"

>From Rekulk, Grehm, the evil brother of Zhetri Tuuhl, the gardener ponies who are angry about me hiding in plant pots, the fuzzy tunnel skulker from whom I have taken this pillow, and also apparently everyone in the castle as there is a great searching going on.

"...just them, huh?"

>Yes.

"Vekir, why are you running away from all of them?"

>Uhm, several reasons, depending on the pony-

"Let's focus on your brothers."

>Vekir feels like broken record on this. I shall give the short version: Caves stink, world is great, I wanna stay here!

"Well, I mean, that's kind of understandable. Have you considered maybe talking to your brothers? Maybe coming to a compromise?"

>I cannot outsmart my brother, he is far faaaar too smart!

"Yeaaah let's go with that. Vekir maybe if you presented a way to help the Morlocks above ground, you would be able to convince him to let you stay."

>...what can I do to help Morlocks if I am not with the Morlocks.

"I...okay, Vekir, I want you to do something for me, okay?"

>Mhm?

"Go find Applejack or Princess Celestia or maybe Rarity and ask them to tell you what an ambassador is."

>AT ONCE! ...then what?

"Just do it, trust me."

>It shall be done, Twience Princess!

Vekir trots off.
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"Twilight"

Watching the little morlock trot off Twilight looks back to her graphs and bends down to study them once more.

"Yes, finally some peace and...

*rumble*

"Peace and..."

*Boom!*
*Meanwhile outside Twience Lab Inc.*

>"GET BACK HERE AND TAKE YOUR FACEPUNCH!"

[Fuck you! I hit you and it broke my hoof!]

>"PUNY SKYRAT, MAYBE IF YOU KNEW HOW TO FACEPUNCH YOU WOULD NOT SUCK AT IT!"

[That doesn't even make anyse- OH SHIT!]

*Bang*

"ARGH! What is with these ponies and making such a ruckus?!"

Annoyed the alicorn trots over to the window and sticks her head out to the skies inhaling to shout at the annyoances outside when a contrail of black smoke zooms by followed by the buzz of a changeling.

Coughing the purple mare snaps and shouts out with the her eyes flaring bright white and mane turning swirly purple, "SHUT. UP!"

Smoke is cleared away in an instance and small furrows in the ground are seen far off from the mare's window. Sniffing to herself Twilight turns back to her lab and goes back to work humming a song to herself.
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>29
"MM"
~~~~~~

>...What are you doing?

In response, the mare just shuffled a bit more in her mayoral chair.

"Someone... has been sitting... in my CHAIR."

>...Of the many things upon this earth I have come to believe, the notion that you could somehow tell that is one of those that yet cannot reach me.

"I CAN! Someone has been sitting in my chair! There is a groove there, a not made by my ass groove!"

>And this... bothers you? T'was likely a bit of merriment from the temp.

"Nuh-uh! I gave explicit instructions NOBODY be allowed to sit in my chair!"

>And of course, temps are known SO WELL for following inane requests that you, presumably, would have no means to verify.

"...Wait a minute."

*Shuffle Shuffle*

"This wasn't her at all! This groove was made by a slightly larger ass!"

>...Marey, did you just admit that you checked out the temps derriere?

"I didn't 'check it out', I compared it to mine. Totally different."

>How?

"If I had checked it out, I would be looking at it for personal satisfaction. All I felt afterwards was the knowledge that her rear was better toned than mine."

>...Sound logic.

"It's a heavy burden, being compelled to spot the asses that are better than yours."

>You and mine cousin would get along swimmingly.

"I know. He complimented my lingerie. How in Equestria he got a hold of it, I have no idea."

>...Tis' a mystery.

"...This is going to bother me all day."

>Marey?

"Hm?"

>Your plot is fine.

"...That's clearly not-"

>It's. Fine. Not overly big but you make up for it for total lack of sag.

"...Well, I do get quite the workout running around with you."

>An occupational hazard.

"...Thanks."

>Glad to be of service, now finish filing that firepony bill so we can actually do something in case someone ELSE sets fire to the town hall.

"Right... right..."

>...It's still bothering you, isn't it?

"WHOEVER SAT HERE HAS A NICER ASS THAN MEEEEE!"

>...Sigh...
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>42
"Brain"
'???'
~~

>You know, brain? I haven't had an episode in quite a while!

"I'm proud of you, body!"

>I think, at last, I've finally mastered all of my emotions! I have beaten down those unruly thoughts, just as I should, and am now perfectly ready to take my place as her majesty's finest warrior!

"..."

>...

"..."

>...What?

"This is usually the time when something pops in to mess with you."

>Don't be silly! Just because it sometimes occurs, doesn't mean it will-

*DOORSLAM!*

'42! HELP! Fluttershy brushed up against my dresser, and now my sexy panties are alive and STUCK TO MY ASS!'

>...

"...Body? You okay?"

>...

"We, uh, we gonna help Cadence? She's-"

>No.

'WHAT!?'

"What?"

>Just... no.

Slowly, very slowly, the helmeted changeling turned away from the shaking pink ass in her face, and walked over to the window. She threw it open, and gave one last look back.

>The atheists of the world may now curse my name. For you see, I now have proof. There is a god... and they are terrible.

With that, she jumped.

'....................................................................'

*CRASH!*

'...'

>I'M OKAY!
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>Cadence
"SA"
~~~~

>UGH! I can't believe she did that...SHINY! Shiny, help! I've got these sexy panties stuck to me and I need you to peel them off!

"..."

>...Shiny?

"THERE IS A GOD! AND THEY! ARE! WOOOOONDERFUL!
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~~~~LATER~~~

>WOO! Thanks, Shiny! That was really stuck on there.

"Yeah... had to use my teeth for a lot of it, buuut that just made me er, 'work harder'."

>Well, thanks again!

"..."

>...

"...Anything else you want to do now that they're off?"

>Hmm?"

"It's just, I put a lot of effort into getting these off. A LOT. Annnything you can think of to do, at this moment?... For a thank you?"

>Oh! Ooooh, I see what you mean now!

He closes his eyes, and hopes for the best.

That's when he felt a peck on his cheek.

>My hero!

"..."

>... OH! That's right! I was getting dressed for my spa session! Thanks for reminding me! Bye Shiny!

With that, she tore off.

"................................"

Without another word, he walk up to the window, and jumped out.

*CRASH!*

'...Hey, Shiny.'

"42, how are you."

'Doing good. You?'

"...Could be better."
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>SS
"DT"
~~

The door creaked open slowly, allowing the grey filly to peer into the far too dimly lit room.

>DT? You in here? Your dad says you've been hiding out all day.

All she got was an indecipherable noise.

>...I brought brownies?

A lower noise, still indecipherable.

>...And a new shell casing for Tablu-

"GIMME!"

The pink filly had rocketed towards her, hooves outstretched, patiently waiting.

And then losing all of said patience when she noticed her friend was quite bereft of any such armament for her heavy munitions, or other such objects.

"...Okay, the lying about the shell casings I can forgive, but no brownies? That is a cruelty I do not know if our time tested friendship can survive, Silver Spoon."

The other filly shrugged nonchalantly, entering into the room without much care for her words.

>Got desperate, you're worrying me.

The daddies princess likewise seemed unmoved, and hopped back into her chair in front of her oversized desk, resuming her work on the multitude of parts strewn about it.

"Pfft, well ex-cuse me for wanting to have him re-armed before something else hits."

>Don't you think you're being a bit paranoid?

"Don't you think you're ignoring the fact a great many things have tried to kill you in recent months?"

>...Point. I'm just worried about you, specifically.

"And this is becaauuse?"

Without another word, she flicked on the light.

And instantly the room was illuminated, showing off page after page after scroll after poster after graphing chart and all sorts of other things plastered onto every conceivable inch of the room, looking like a bomb of paper had gone off inside.

"...What's your point?"

>Look at some of this... goo traps, reloadable smokebombs, chainsaw launcher... "freeze ray"? You're trying to make a freeze ray?!

"Well, not anymore. That one didn't pan out, I can't coat TBDRLIATU with something that wouldn't freeze over AND still withstand the lavabomb."

>...

"The lava bomb is also in design stage."

>It wouldn't bother me so much, but it looks like he's mostly fixed. He's mostly back to where he was a few days ago.

"Well, as he was a few days ago clearly wasn't good enough, he needs some more upgrades."

>DT, seriously, you're taking this way too far.

"Pfft, you're exaggerating."

>There is, no joke, the rough sketches for a mind control bomb in here.

"Hey, the bug monsters can do it, and I don't see you complaining about that."

>Not the point, DT.

"Listen, SS? I know what I'm doing here."

>You clearly don't, you're just making him bigger and bigger and bigger, with no regard-

"So what!?"

>...

"So what if I'm making him bigger!? Isn't that good!? He NEEDS to have something for every occasion! He needs to be strong enough to take on ANYTHING! He's not good enough right now! He needs more! He needs to be unstoppable!"

The other filly backed off slightly, more concerned than ever.

"...He's not perfect yet, that's all."

>DT...

She scoffed prissily, hefting the rocket launcher onto her back and hopping down from the chair.

"WELL! Since you seem SO concerned with how much time I'm spending indoors, I will take this opportunity to go pick up my new diamond tipped armor piercers."

>What? Who carries that?

"Fillydelphia."

>...

"Hey, you said I was spending too much time indoors!"

She sighed in response, knowing the battle was lost.

>Can I at least come with you?

"...Can you? I just assumed you were coming anyway. I mean, obviously I'm taking you, Fillydelphia has the freaking best powder-cakes around. What, you think I'm just going to bring it back? It would be stale, SS. No no, you just have to come, obviously."

Deflection as normal, SS thought to herself.

But still...

>Thanks.

"Foooor?"

>...Nothing.

"Don't be thankful for nothing, SS. Everyone's thankful for SOMETHING. Trust me."

She was prissy, hauty and quite full of herself...

But rocket or no, it was still DT in there.

"Hurry now, we're going to miss the train!"

>Coming... coming.. shouldn't we tell your dad?

"...DAD! GOING TO FILLYDELPHIA!"

'HAVE FUN, SWEETIE! PACK A COAT!'

"I WILL!... Good enough?"

>Are you actually going to pack a coat?

"Pfft, no. Come on!"

>Coming, coming...
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NC

>Chrysalis's mother
"Drones"
----------------------------------------------------

>Those unelightened ponies

>They cannot make the judgement call

>They will give up free will forever or their voices won’t be heard at all

>You will all display obedience

While never stepping out of line

>And blindly swear allegiance

>Let the hivemind control your mind

>Let the hivemind control your soul

>Let them live in ignorance

>and purchase their happiness

>When blood and sweat is the real cost

>When thinking ceases, the war is lost

>Don’t you worry

>You’ll be told exactly what to do

>I've given you the lives you need

>The righteous will succeed

>The fires of greed will burn the weak

>So we’ll make freedom obsolete

>Breaking down the fabric of society

>Collective consciousness controlled as you will see

>LET ME HEAR YOU

"Let the hivemind control your soul!"

"Let the hivemind control your soul!"

"Let the hivemind control your soul!"

Let the hivemind control your soul

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>Chrysalis
"Twilight"
'Pinkie'

"Wow, that's... quite...commanding"

>Pfft, she doesn't even write her own speeches.

*BANG*

"Wha? What's going on? Pinkie?"

'LAAAAAAMME!'

>...

"..."

'Oh come on, they're all thinking it, somebody had to say it'

"Please leave"

"Oh and I will be billing you for a new door which I now require"

'Aww... totally worth it'
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>56
“AJ”
‘???’
_______

He didn’t knock and he surely didn’t have an appointment, yet none of that mattered to the little Changeling as he pushed open Applejack’s office door and strode in with less verve than usual.

His eyes were instantly drawn to the ‘dangerous’ Spiderling and that one peppy Morloc bundled up in webbing together and fast asleep.

Just how strong were Ara’s webs to be able to hold the both of them, including Vekir’s armor…?

“56…? Landsakes, boy, where’ve y’all been all this time?”

Her voice brought him back to reality and he focused on the smiling apple princess as she got down and approached.

>Hey, Applejack.

“Hey yerself! Y’all been doin’ okay? Hold on, lemme get a good look at- WHOA NELLY! Back up! Did… did y’all jus’ call me by mah name…?”

>That a strange thing to do? You and not-mom always say to do that, shows respect’re something….

“Well… well, yeah, it’s jus’… even then y’all usually stuck with applebutt.”

>Sorry.

“…Okay, what’s wrong, sugar?”

Like a marionette cut from its strings, 56 collapsed onto his front, pulling hooffulls of his messy blonde mane down in front of his face.

>She still won’t tell me….

“Who won’t tell ya what?”

>Where I came from… not-mom won’t say….

He was talking more into the floor than anything but Applejack still caught the gist and her expression softened. She trailed a comforting hoof over his head and he leaned up into it.

“Ah can’t believe Ah’m ‘bout to say this but… yer’ beetle leader thing knows what she’s doin’, sugarcube. It might seem kinda confusin’ now, even unfair, but ya gotta trust her, that she's only lookin' fer' y'all and yer' wellbein'.”

He snorted childishly into the floor.

>I do. I trust, not-mom. It’s just… I can’t help thinkin’, ya know? What if that’s somehow tied into why NTL was worried 'bout me kissin’ Moons that day at Crazyland?

“Partyland, sugar.”

>Right, Crazyland. Anyway, what if that’s it? What if somethin’ bad woulda happened? Why else would not-mom not tell me?

“56….”

Fearful eyes gazed up at the frowning princess.

>Am I… am I dangerous…?

Applejack opened her mouth, predetermined answer at the ready.

But then decidedly closed her maw when a sturdy something dropped from the ceiling, very nearly squishing 56.

‘You not dangerous, rear-obsessed one!’

“…Nice t’ see y’all awake, Vekir.”

‘Life is better spent eyes wide, fruit princess!’

“Wow. True words shine from a dim apple. Could’ja get off 56 fer’ me?”

‘Not yet! First Vekir must prove to him that he is not dangerous!’

“…ya know what, go head. He definitely needs the reassurance.”

Compared to the armored Vekir, 56 appeared even smaller than he was while trapped underneath her. He blinked, utterly confused when the face-mask of whatever gear she was wearing ran along his head coupled with a few distorted sniffing noises.

>Hey, Veks…? My spine is crackin’, you’re friggin’ heavy….

‘Done! There is no stench of danger from you, rear grub! Vekir’s nose is top-notch and you do not smell of the Undying Hanglers from my home! Or the Digesting Grout! Or the Beast of Sleep! Or-’

“We get it, Vekir. Really.”

‘Goodly! So there is no need to worry! Your danger stench is about as strong as the daisy pony!’

Fluttershy, 56 realized with an exhale of relief, both for the comparison and the flighty sensation that came with Vekir finally stepping off him.

He couldn’t see it but felt sure that Morloc was smiling underneath that get-up and so he nuzzled her under the chin.

>Thanks, Veks.

‘And thank you, rear grub, for pushing it whatever had fallen off my jaw compartment!’

>…

Applejack could’ve laughed at Vekir's ignorance to that display of affection.

She did laugh, in fact.

‘But now that recharging has been had in the web of steel, Vekir must be off! …before the others find her! AWAY I GO!’

>…

“…Feel better, 56?”

>Strangely? I do. Thanks, applebutt!

“Hm? Fer’ what? Vekir did the talkin’, not me.”

>Yeah but if your door wasn’t always open to everyone and their problems, I’dda never gotten that talk.

“…”

After giving the princess a hip-nuzzling, 56 left the room more cheerful than he’d entered and Applejack just stared curiously at the lock on her door.

“…When was the last time Ah locked that thing anyway?”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>PD
"Subordinate"
~~~

She had, at last, made it back to her office, after taking a small 'extra sabbatical' to clear her head after that nightmare. Needless to say, it hadn't quite done the trick.

>You had better have some good news for me.

The scientist before her fidgeted a bit.

"Define good..."

Her growl gave him a pretty clear definition.

"Well, I mean, on the whole it's not bad. We have the samples, it's just proving... difficult."

>Difficult how.

"Well, for starters, changeling DNA is remarkably unstable. It seems to shift on a whim when we try to test it, and we're not sure how it does what it does. Different types of magic make it do all kinds of strange things."

>And how is it reacting to the live specimens?

"...Madam, we have not even yet dreamed of doing pony testing with it yet, we don't even know how to make it stay stable long enough to put in an infusion."

Coldly, she pointed at him.

>The moment you get that thing in an infusion, start testing on real subjects.

"But Ma'am-"

>I SAID DO IT!

Her screech silenced him well enough, she supposed.

>We do not have time to play around and go easy with this. We have this one sample, and no way of knowing if we will get more. We need to go full bore with this, all guns blazing and damn what may happen to the poor saps we test it on. Understood?

Frantically, he nodded.

>Good. Is that all?

"Ah, no... Metal Deer Rex is finishing it's repairs in Fillydelphia, and it will cost quite a bit and take some time to bring it up to the specs you wanted-"

>...

"...Good news! Yes, I have good news from the marketing team."

>...oh?

"Yes, thanks to the ah, images of Chitania fighting that robot, her toy sales have gone through the roof! Comic sales have likewise taken off, and we've even managed to seal a deal for the live action film. We have enough funding through this to completely cover any 'questionable' funding for our other projects."

Wickedly, she smiled.

>Hmmm, delicious irony, no? That one of their own would completely fund her species future destruction.

"There is always the threat she will go after the production-"

>Let her, that things so far down on our corporate structure no way would anyone connect it to us. It's insured, who cares.

"...But they workers might die-"

>They're mass media producers, nothing of value would be lost.

"Right..."

>Get back to work, and give me RESULTS!

"Y-yes ma'am!"

With that, he scuttled away like the spineless insect he was.

Alone, she smiled wickedly, and looked back out the window.

>Enjoy your time running around, you fucking monster... the moment my machine is ready, I'm coming for you.

Darkly, her smile widened.

>And I'm going to make your life... obsolete.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Fluttershy
"Rarity"
~~~~~

"Really, darling, I don't like how much time you've been spending with that... individual."

The yellow mare just meekly shrugged, leaning further back into the spa's hot tub waters.

>Do you mean Chrysalis or Discord?

"Both, really. Never really liked either of those two, and they've hardly been the best influence it seems."

Another shrug, no real way to respond.

>How have you been doing?

"Oh, dreadful. With all of the reconstruction there was so little left for my charity work! Not to mention I never got to spend any time with Spike-Wikey in Partyland, Pinkie is so worried, Twilight keeps working herself to the bone and poor Dash looks like she's about to blow a fuse any moment now!"

>You can't really blame her, the wonderbolts being... you know.

"I feel for her, really I do."

>...Do you miss it?

"Hmm?"

>Back when, you know, when we were just... in Ponyville, being us, doing our things...

"Fluttershy, I am going to admit something to you, and I want you to swear to me you will never mention it to anyone."

>Oh, of course! I won't speak a word!

"...I would give anything to go back."

She flinched, just a bit.

>R-really?

"If someone strutted up to me and said "Give us your wings and we will put everything back", I'd do it. I miss when our lives weren't so high stakes, I miss it when I didn't have to fear the giant bug monster waling the castle halls, I miss it when Spikey-Wikey was so carefree and not worried so much about that ghastly line of work. I miss it, Fluttershy. I miss preparing my dresses without a care. I miss seeing Applejack working on the farm, Twilight experimenting in the treehouse, Pinkie baking in the shop, I miss it all, and I miss it more than you can ever know."

>...O-oh...

"Do you not?"

>Well, sometimes yes. Obviously sometimes I wish my life would go back to just me helping my animals, not having to be so afraid of others, not having to have so much responsibility... but...

"But?"

>...The only way to keep this from happening would be if I never made friends with you all. It's gotten bigger here recently, sure, but my life was never the same after the night Nightmare Moon returned. Regardless of how big the threats have gotten... just us being us means that we were always going to have the responsibility if the world was in danger. The only way to stop it would be... if we never met, and someone else had found the elements. If the world had fallen on their shoulders instead. My life would be so much more simple... but it wouldn't have you all in it.

Speechless, Rarity couldn't muster up a reply.

>I don't... I don't like what I've become here recently. I don't like that I almost hurt my friends, I don't like that I've got to constantly watch myself to make sure I don't do something I'll regret, I don't like what I let loose on the world... but if Discord said to me "I can take you back and fix it all", I wouldn't. I wouldn't trade or give away all of the friends I've made or the adventures we've had, not for any other life, no matter how peaceful.

The two remained silent after that, letting the warm water of the hot tub just soak into them, but not nearly as deep as her words could. Silently, Rarity felt like something should be said, some word of kindness or thanks, but nothing could bubble it's way out of her throat. Any words remained in there, lodged painfully and unable to be freed.

>...Can I tell you a secret?

Wordlessly, she nodded.

>Even if I wouldn't trade it away... I'm still a little scared about what's going to come next. I don't know what's going to happen, or how bad it's going to get...

At last.

At last.

Rarity could muster a response.

She placed her hoof on the others shoulder and she smiled.

"It doesn't really matter, darling... we'll all face it all the same."

And she knew.

With that smile, she knew.

That was all that needed to be said.

>Thanks, Rarity.

"No... thank you."
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