Thread 17: Stories 61-75

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>Dash
"Braeburn"
'???'
~~~~~

Huh.

Appaloosa was... surprisingly intact. Shocking considering the long line of smashed stuff leading up to it. Following it, she was pretty sure she was going to find mostly dead bodies and bad news for Applejack. But nope, even the orchard was fine. They didn't even seem all that freaked out or worried inside the salt-lick saloon. Confusing...

>Braeburn!

"Well, howdy Dash! Sure am glad ta' see ya'! Ya'll won't never believe it, some gal-danged big ol' monster just tried stompin' through our town!"

>Yeah, noticed. Canterlot didn't get off as lucky as you guys did... she's fine! They're all fine, calm down. Nopony died in the town, Celestia saw to that.

"WHEWY! Don't scare me like that!"

>But it is mostly rocks. But I've got to ask, how the heck did you guys keep her away from your town? We couldn't even get her to notice us!

"We didn't do nothin', doubt we could'a iffin' we tried, it was all him."

The patron at the end of the bar suddenly went rigid, his eyes darting all over the place. Slowly, he began to sink lower into his chair, only to abruptly stop and his painfully when even that slight bend irritated his clearly badly damaged chest. That option down, he decided to play it cool.

'NO IDEA WHAT YOU MEAN, OLD CHAP! JUST KICKED OVER FROM JOLLY OLD BUCKSINGTON THIS MORN! HAVEN'T HEARD A THING BOUT THIS IN ME LIFE!'

"...Mah mistake."

Content with his clever deception, the Changeling re-adjusted his mustache, and continued to nurse the drink the bartender had been so nice to give him on the house. He had to sip it, though, drinking too fast meant pain.

>...So, what, he's not even going to use his disguise mag-HNG!

"Dunno what'cha mean, Dashie!"

>NNNNggg... Step on my hoof again, and I will fly you way, waaaaaaayyyyy up and see how long it takes for you to reach terminal velocity. Twilight will thank me.

"Look, the guy-NOT YOU-

'Exactly!'

"-who saved the town didn't have ta' put himself in the line o' fire like that. Takes a lotta guts ta' get up in the business of somethin' like that and not ask fer' a reward. Iffin' he wants ta' keep his identity secret, ah' don't see a problem with it."

>...If you say so. Well, guess Applejack will at least be relieved.

"Well shucks, Ah'm happy she's okay too! Send her mah' love, will ya'? And tell her ta' visit sometime! Just cause she's a big ol' fancy princess now, doesn' mean she's too big fer' her old cousin, right?"

>You know it. Take it easy, Brae...

"..Ya' want a drink?"

>I really, shouldn't, I'm going to be flying... but I'm totally going to do it anyway because it's on you, right?

"Ahhh, why not! Here's ta' our survival!"

>To living another day!

'YAA-OWOWOWOW!...'

"..."

>...

'...Uh... r-riding accident. While skiing. Down an avalanche. In the rain.'

>Right...
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>SA
"42"
~~~~

>-That's about the time when she shrunk down, of course, I didn't know it at the time. Was sure I actually had her with that one, but apparently dousing her in lava just wasn't up to snuff.

"Fascinating... I'm amazed you performed so well."

>Well, that was pretty much my high point. After that, I had to... well... go hoof to hoof with her.

"You didn't!"

>And boy, am I glad you kicked me into shape. She was a giant crazy ball of fury and biting. Pure, undiluted, angry.

"I'm amazed you're still breathing."

>Well... I probably wouldn't be, but... listen, what I'm about to say next? Can't leave this room. I'm serious. Mind-zap yourself if you have to.

"Of course, I will breath a word to none."

>Okay, well... she started going for Two to get... 'recharged'. That was bad enough. But then... then she said how she told me she tried to kill Cadence, and that she was going to... 'finish the job'.

"..."

>...I kind of lost it after that. Just... I tackled her and started trying to beat her face in, and kept trying to gore her with my horn. She fought back, but it was different this time. It wasn't... I wanted her dead, 42. No thought. So we fought, and I gave just as good as I got, and eventually there she was... dangling over the edge, ready to fall to a well deserved fiery death. I had my hooves on hers, and I was the only thing keeping her up... and then I let go.

"But... she's alive, isn't she?"

>I... I caught her before she fell.

"But... but why? She deserved this."

>Yeah, she did... but not if Two could see.

"I don't understand."

>I thought she woke up and was watching, and my mind just kind of went crazy. My head filled up with images of her watching me coldly mock someone and then cast them to their death, and... and I would be praised for it! They would all sing about how great it was, how amazing it was, how right it was that I killed the big scary monster like that... and she would see it all.

"You can't-"

>I can't be the pony that lets that happen, that's what I can't be. I can't be the one who passes judgement because he's hurt. I can't be the pony that would openly mock someone and then murder them without a hint of remorse. I can't be that pony. Two deserves better than that. My wife deserves better than that... my subjects deserve better than that. To pass judgement is one thing. To do so as I did... is wrong, plain and simple. If that were all it took, Luna's head would be on a pike. Discord would be in stone until we found out how to kill him. Chrysalis... well, you know. I can't be like that. I have to be like... me.

"...I do not know if I agree with your decision..."

She rose to stand, laying a hoof on his shoulder.

"But I can't argue with that reasoning. Your choice is one I will defend."

>...Thanks, 42.

"It's the least I can do after failing to stop her. Can't believe you showed me up, do you have any idea how embarrassing that is? Clearly, you have to step back and let me take her on next time, my pride won't take another hit like that."

>Oh you...

Before she had time to react, he had already pulled her into a tight hug.

>I'm glad you're okay too, 42. Think I'd go crazy if anything happened.

"DNG IF! LUB OBERLOAD!"

He, of course, didn't care about the nosebleed.

> Unlimited Love Incorporated™! Trademarked and patented!

It was only reluctantly that he let her go.

>Take care of yourself, 42. And if anyone gives you or Chrysalis trouble, give me a ring, okay?

"...Very well. I'll consider asking your opinion on matters."

>Good. Take it easy.

"Not going to happen."

Just before she reached the door, she suddenly stopped.

"By the way... um... could you... record that description of the fight again? Just the melee portions, nothing else. The part where you got all... feral..."

>Uh, sure. Why?

"NO REASON! TRAINING!... TRAINING NO REASONBYEGOTWORKTODOBYE!"

With a slam of the door, she was gone.

>...That mare confuses me sometimes.
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>77
"56"
'Various Changelings'

>Right, now let's see about removing this rubble, we get rid of this pile and there'll be more room to sleep.

'Hurray! No more sleeping in a pile!'

'Hey, the cuddle pile was great!'

'Not when everyone in it is a jagged bug guy with an exoskeleton!'

'Bug GUY!? You sexist!'

>Focus! There will be time to debate this later, until then we must get this work completed!

'Sir, yes, sir!'

'Wait is he really above us in rank?'

'I think it goes the Queen, 42, him, 18 maybe,10, all the rest of us, then 29, then Jerkjack.'

>...10's in the chain of command?

'Nah, we just listen to her because we like the paper.'

77 shrugs as changelings get to work, he has to admit, it is a very nice paper.

"Hiya 77!"

77 looks down to his side to see 56 smiling up at him, the battle scarred veteran smiles back.

>Hello, little brother, what brings you here?

"Eh, Moons and Batbutt finally noticed I was watching them wrestle. I don't think Moons minded but Batty was saying I was distracting her."

>I...what?

"Long story. So I came down here to see how the ballroom's looking! Not-Mom put you in charge?"

>Yes, she has left to attend to some business, so she put me in the position of supervisor. On paper I'm just supposed to stand guard, but I took it upon myself to oversee the reconstruction efforts.

"Neat, hey, uh, I've been thinking about something..."

>Yes?

"You're 77, right?"

>Yes?

"But there's also an AJ77 right?"

>Indeed. He's right over there.

77 waves to a changeling poking at some loose marble, the changeling waves back.

"And the same goes with Jerkjack, right?"

>I honestly don't care for the moniker but yes there is another 32.

"Ok...how? We all got named while you guys were down in the spooky death caverns."

>Ah, yes, well, you see my dear little brother, it was a long time ago, when we had first come together as a unit. We had a bit of trouble coordinating our movements for one reason or another. 50 was the one who came up with it...

77 chuckles.

>He was dead set on being number 1 until someone pointed out we'd all be greater than him. Then he declared he was 100, but then 88 said she was 101. The whole thing was a load of nonsense until we just decided to pick numbers based on how we like.

'Really?'

>Yes indeed. Most of us chose numbers just based on liking the sound of them, 93, 14, 68-

'Whaddya want?'

>No no, not you, just keep working. But you get the idea, yes?

"Mhm! But not all of you did that?"

>No, 32 chose his number because of the number of infiltration missions he'd undertaken. 88 because of a memory she had, though never really told me what it was, only that it involved a lot of knives...and Kelpies, whatever those are. 21 muttered something about Blackjack and 50 finally settled on his number so he could be the center and keep us all balanced.

"Huh..."

>Of course 88 used to give him grief that he just thought he was the center of the universe.

"What about you?"

>Me?

"Yeah, you didn't pick your name because it sounded cool, did you? That's kinda lame..."

>Not at all, little brother, at first I wanted my designation to just be 7. I'd heard it was lucky in pony culture and figured we'd need it. Then of course 88 told me I'd be more lucky if I multiplied it.

77 smiles and shakes his head.

>I changed my name five or so times before 50 smacked me and told me to just be 77. And that was that. Have I answered your question, little one?

"Sure did, you think that it turned out to be true?"

>What?

"The luck thing."

77 sits and ponders a moment. He remembers surviving the caves, fighting the metal bison during the robot war, saving Potatojack from a near fatal fall. He also remembers being killed by 42 with his own blade, his inability to stop 32's madness, all his friends dying, his impotence against Chitania.

>I...

He remembers Cheerilee, and smiles.

>Brother, I am the luckiest changeling alive.

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>32
"77"
~~~
"Hello, brother."

>...

"How are you feeling?"

>... We are not brothers.

"32?"

>Brothers stand by one another. Brothers support eachother.


"Brothers ask eachother nicely for things instead of knocking eachother out to perform larceny either, but brothers can also look past that."

>What do you even want?

"Some answers, namely why?"

>... I lost my best friend, and you have the audacity to ask me 'why' am I upset. Our queen withheld vital information that led to his death and you ask me 'why?' Chrysalis has been responsible for most of our hive's deaths, including much of our old band and you ask 'why?'

"Pommel was a soldier and it was your plan, it knew the risks and was prepared, you trained him to be prepared. Just as as a hive, we must be prepared to make any sacrifice for the queen, if she wishes to withhold information, it's her right."

>'Her right', 'make any sacrifice', you sound like the Chrysalis' lap dog, and it sounds absolutely ridiculous, you know that, right?

"Do you think the ponies have it magically better? The Griffons, Zebra, buffalo? You're just deluding yourself there's some magical land where a leader is going to share everything with their closest friends and family, much less their soldiers and subjects. Reality does not work like that."

32 leaps up from his bed and slams against the bars

>In any other society there is still a choice! Changelings get none! We never asked for this, much less me!

He settles back down

>In our society, the orders of the queen are meant to be absolute.

"They are absolute."

32 gives a dark smile

>Even if that order was to cut ties with your Equestrian friends? Betray them even? What if those orders were to suck Cheerlie dry and leave her for dead?

"..."

>Absolute? You should good, can hear your queen whining she needs her ass wiped with a tongue-

"Broth-"

>77 MY BROTHER DIED IN THE CAVES! You are just an empty, hollow, husk. ... Leave...

Reluctantly, 77 obliges
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>Celestia
"Applejack"
~~~~

>Well, that's an... odd expression to have while staring at a fruit basket.

"Shaddup, Ah'm feeling down on mahself and ya'll can't stop me."

>Whatever for?

"See this basket o' fruit right here?"

>Mostly apples. What, worried about others thinking you're a one trick pony?

"...Did ya'll just call me a whore? A BAD whore?"

>Oh, right. It actually used to mean... you know what, that was four hundred years ago. Sorry. Point is, you are sulking at fruit. This needs to be explained.

"It's makin' me feel bad."

>Well, whatever that apple said about Spike's promiscuity, let me assure you that he is most assuredly a standup... er, dragon.

"..."

>I know, thinking about Spike ever actually having sex makes my stomach flip-flop. He was so adorable as a... getting off topic, if you don't like how those apples are talking about you, start squashing.

"Can't. That would make me feel worse."

>Well, I'm stumped. What could possibly... Ah. I see.

"Yep."

>Awwww, they made you a little card!

"Makin' me feel worse."

>I swear, if a ONE of them could write legibly, these notes would surely be heart melting.

"It's mostly 'Thank you fer' not kickin' us out after Chitania stomped through' accordin' ta' 77."

>Well, you certainly deserve that. You did not, in fact, kick them out.

"Ah' did send 'em all out to the edge o' the castle ta' attract the big monster to 'em."

>And somehow, they all survived.

"Cause Chrysalis saved them."

>I know, right? For ONCE she actually stepped in and did Queen stuff. I was actually a little proud of her. But Applejack, I'm going to be blunt with you. You made the right call.

"Sure don't feel like it."

>And it did not feel like the right call when I asked you to face Discord, but you succeeded anyway. It did not feel like the right call to send Twilight to the Crystal Empire to test her against Sombra, but I did anyway. I'm no stranger to putting ponies lives in danger on the information we have, and it works out. This time, it was correct. She was heading for them, apparently, and she would have likely crushed several of the delegates and caused a panic if you had not sent them there. You did not do it out of malice, but only because that was all you could do with the knowledge you had at the time. Buck up, smile, go thank them for the fruit basket, and resolve not to let something like this happen again. Chitania still lives, Applejack, this scenario may repeat itself yet. When it does... we'll hopefully have better information, and can act more appropriately.

"...Wow."

>Keep forgetting I've been dancing this dance for a thousand years, don't you?"

"Easy ta' forget when Ah'm noticin' we still ain't got the roads all workin' like they should."

>You wound me.

"...Thanks, Celestia. Ah' do feel better."

>Good, because I'm stealing one of your apples-

*CHU-CHICK!*

>...

"..."

>...Go ahead, pull the trigger. Deal with all this by yourself for the next week while I recover.

"...Maybe sharin' is carin'."

>Thought so.
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>Gilda
"Ancient Dragon Warrior"
[Applejack 12]
~~~
>I prefer my changeling liver raw.

Gilda receives some hard looks from the other Wonderbolts

"She's right you know. It was a delicacy back in the Dragon Empire."

[oh, fuck you guys!]

NON CANON
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>18
"42"
~~~~

>...

"U-uh... 18? P-... put the gun doooown...."

>She sent so much of it over here, 42.

"I know, they're just looking for a bit of assistance, you don't have to-"

>They sent it over here, and I have to do it.

"18? Please, put the gun down."

>And Shiny's still bedridden, he can't do it. Which means I have to do it, 42. I have to do it all.

"...O-o-okay, I can see why you'd be upset, really. But this isn't the answer."

>I think it is.

"No, really there's always another way!"

>Probably, but I'm not interested.

"18 no!"

*BLAM!*

>THAT'S FOR VOLUNTEERING ME, ASSHOLE!

"18 I'M SORRY!*

*BLAMBLAMBLAM!*

"REALLY! I THOUGHT YOU LIKED DOING IT!"

>...

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

*BLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAM~!*

>SEE YOU IN HEEEEEEELLLLLLLLL!
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>Fanfic Changelings
"Random Changeling"
'42'
~~~
Randomly changeling slowly puts down the newest fanfic

"...This shit's treason, you know. I mean Jerkjack as some troubled but cute revolutionary? Really?"

>Exactly! Controversy, man! I wanted to make him the sympathetic rebel!

"I don't know about this new political intrigue phase you're going through. I'm also not fond of this Twilight Jerkjack ship."

>He's a well-read, intellectual who desires change, Twilight is an intellectual who wants to make the world better! And she stood up for him against all of us, and the Queen! She totally wants his dick!

"... I am so unsubscribing..."

The other changeling leaves as Most Definitely Not!42 approaches in sunglasses and a trenchcoat

'So... Finished updating 'Mental Revolution'?'

>Hot off the presses!

'Thanks, can't wait to see where you're going with this Twilight and 32 angle.'
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>Chitania
"Librarian"
~~~~~~

Results for "Gods"... two results, describing one named "Discord", who was imprisoned for millennia, and is now at the beck and call of Celestia. Another false god. Second result is a wannabe who was quickly dethroned and killed. Nothing there.

Results for "Goddesses", multiple results. Most of them centered around the Celestial sisters. Both of those proven false. No other leads found within. Nothing once more.

Results for "Higher Beings"... nothing.

Results for "Omnipotence"... nothing.

Nothing, nothing, nothing! No books, no ideas, mot even a damn folklore song! It's all about those fucking Alicorns! Alicorn this and Alicorn that! ALICORN ALICORN FUCKING ALICORN!

>Is this really all you have on the matter?

She really should shrink down a bit more when she was disguised, she was apparently quite intimidating.

"Y-y-y-eeeeees?"

>BAH!

With a dismissive toss, she hurled the last book at that needly little face cowering from her, and left the library of Manehatten. One of the few places she hadn't destroyed on her way through.

Of course, some guard tried to question her, but they were dissuaded with but a look. Such worthless little things. Probably are proud they survived her onslaught, proud they survived her simply being there, regardless of her intent to kill them. It mattered not to them that they were on the same level as a pebble in her path, they were heroes. Not for facing her, for 'surviving' her. Such weakness. None of them had the gall to face her, none of them had the stones to stand against her and fight without their tricks. None except...

Well, regardless, she had to keep searching. There must be some clue, must be some way for her to find how to reach those true higher beings on their level, and face them. They are not hiding, she was sure, a true being of such would not hide. But, of course, they would only face those worth. Only those intelligent and powerful enough to fight their way into heaven itself. Only the most worthy...

She would be that worthy one.

If it took a year, ten years, a thousand! All the time in the world mattered not a lick! She would find them, and she would-

'Miss? Are ya'll lost?'

>...noooo...

'Oh, okay. Cause yer' kinda' wanderin' the dessert. Alone. About five hundred miles from any town, and ya' ain't got a drop o' water on ya'.'

...So she was.

>...HOW THE FU-
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>42
"Chrysalis"
~~~
>Your majesty! Urgent news!

Chrysalis hops off of Shining Armor's desk and rushes out of the room to join 42

"Urgent? You only use urgent when..."

>Yes, ShapeShifter130 updated his stuff on FiMfiction.

"YEESSS! Okay, which stories did he update?"

>He updated Mental Revolution and the relationship between Twilight and 32 is getting intense.

"What else?"

>He updated AJ Two Almighty, Empire Hearts III, and his Frozen Hoof and Assassin's Oath crossover.

"... That's it?"

>Yes, you'r-

smack!

>Ack!

"I told you, it's not urgent unless Knight of the Hive updated! You interrupted my work for shit tier shipping?!"

>I'm sorry, your majesty! But you were so well-written in Mental Revolution's latest update!

"And I don't care about that! I'm on the edge of my seat here since KoH's last update ended on such a ciffhanger!"

Chrysalis bites a napkin

"Oh! What will Cadence think when she finds out I'm pregnant with Shiny's baby! What will Shiny think? I'm on going nuts and it was supposed to be updated last week! I've made a TVtrots page for it to kill the time!"

>... Wow, TVtrots, really, your majesty?

"H-Hey! It's a good information source!"

>I'm starting to think next time I'll side with Jerkjack...

"You don't think he's not a Trotter too? He's deliberately molded himself on Well Intentioned Extremist, Knight Templar, and Affably Evil!"

>... This conversation's over.

"Wait! I need your help filling out the Crowning Moment of Awesome page for KoH!"
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Spike, PotatoJack, and Gilda stood aghast as they surveyed the full scale of the destruction os Chitania. The smoldering ruins made Gilda and PJ hug one another a fall weeping while Spike balled his hands into fists of rage.

They would find Chitania again, and she would pay dearly for this.

A sign in front of the ruins, hastily erected reads: "Monstallion Barbeque: closed due to monster rampage.
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>Rarity
"FanficJack"
~~~
Rarity slams down the latest copy of Knight of the Hive in front of FFJ

>Absolutely disgusting filth!

"Excuse me? That is my Magnus Opus you're talking about!"

>How could you disgrace your own characters like that? Cadenza trying to murder Chrysalys in a fit of jealousy?! Outrageous!

"She's always been unstable, I've hinted at that from the beginning!"

>Not at all! It violates her character, until now she's always put Gleaming Shield's happiness over her own, she was a self-sacrificing, loving mare!

"You didn't pick up on all the signs? Agreeing to 'Till death do us part?', her regularly arranging her things and Gleaming's together, going with Gleamy on a family vacation? She was suffocating him and she knew it!"

>You're pulling shit out of your ass!

"Oh, and I suppose Thorn suddenly throwing himself into Charity's arms, saying he and Crackerjack were just friends while Crackerjack wishes them well wasn't just out-of-the-left-field shit either?"

>Thorn and Charity were simply meant to be, he's loved her since day one.

"And then Charity went and became a total bitch while Thorn and CJ got so close and shared a desire to make things better!"

>Mutual altriusm and philanthropy do not make them lovers.

"And what about that Hearts and Hooves date? What about all the signs?"

>Look, I just want you to know I am unsubscribing to your tripe!

"I dropped yours like a hotpotato a long time ago, Princess."
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>Trixie
"MM"
'29'
[Zecora]
~~~~

>SCREW ALL KINDS OF YOU!

"That makes it, what, eighty to zero?"

'Like the sands of time, I have long since ceased to count every grain as it falls through the glass. There are far too many to count, and life to short to see them.'

"...Where do you get this from?"

'The classical writing are meant to inspire, to enthrall! An opera set to a symphony of Hooftoven or Marezart are a most enticing way to-'

>BE SILENT! The GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie needs the full concentration of her obscenely powerful mind to finally stop letting them win and send them to the great beyond!

[Though it has taken you up most of the day, I am glad it was you, not I who chose to play. Though seldom have I heard of this game called chess, with every passing game I find myself caring less.]

"This is a bit of an odd final request, isn't it? What child wakes up in corporeal form, deduces they have left their mortal coil, and decides 'yeah, moving on would be great, but you know what I really want? To lose in a chess match. Just can't go to paradise without it'."

'Although I am not well versed in the minds of child spirits, I do believe their final request is less about actually wishing to see some benign final act, and more about their final thoughts as they died. Likely, our dear fellow here does not so much wish to lose a match, as losing a match would allow him to come to terms with what happened to him in some way. The mind is a labyrinth, and the paths we take to the exit are sometimes roundabout and strange.'

"... Dear Celestia that talk is sexy."

'Not in front of the children.'

[His words spoken are likely of fact. They are not seeking a game, merely what they lacked. Children are young, they do not know what they want. With their minds unsure, they do not know why they haunt.]

>AH HA! I'M DOING IT! I'M DOING IT! LOOK AT THIS! BOW BEFORE THE GREAT! MAGNIFICENT! AND POOOOOOWERFUL! TRI-

*FLASH!*

>MY EYES!

"Ooooh, stared right into that one."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________


>32
"Twilight"

"Good morning, 32."

32 doesn't look up from his bed. His accommodations are far more spartan than they were before, it goes without saying book theft is a lesser crime to assaulting a team of Equestria's elite defenders.

>78...79...80...

"32?"

>33...34...you screwed me up.

"What?"

>I was counting.

"Counting what?"

>Everything. Nothing. Just seeing how far I could go.

"I see..."

>What do you want?

"I've come to speak with you. Since I was the one who asserted jurisdiction over you, and the Guards tempers still need to cool-"

>Lest they beat me severely.

"-I've been put in charge of overseeing you."

>You booked it, you bought it, huh?

"If that's the way you see it, I intend to check in here and there, make sure you're getting along fine."

>Make a psych profile for the crazed changeling.

"I'm not going to try and change your views, just talk you through them."

>If I look up, will I see you've started wearing glasses?

"...maybe."

>Right, well let's start with the fact you've doomed me.

"Wh-what?"

>Do you think the Queen honestly allowed me down here out of some form of mercy? Some deference to your authority? By all accounts she laughed as she did it.

"She was just trying to twist the blade a bit more-"

>She was playing you like a fiddle. Answer me this, Princess, were you able to die would you prefer it quick or prolonged?

"Quick but-"

>I am in a cell far far away from the feeding chamber-sorry, ballroom, unlikely to be visited, and I'm doubtful you and I are going to develop a whirlwind against all odds romance.

"Well if you believe that one changeling-"

>I. Am going. To die in here, Princess. I'm going to wither and die, with a gnawing hunger in my body as a reminder that I have left the hive and therefore the hive has left me. There is the 'mercy' of the Queen, Princess Sparkle.

"...I'm going to regret what I did, aren't I?"

>Only when my insides start becoming visible.

"I'll...work on that. I'm sure there's a solution."

>Leave my grave unmarked, please, I'm certain those cretins I once called siblings would deface it otherwise.

32 could only listen to her walk away.

>...81, 82, 83...

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Twi
"42"
~~~
>Hey, 42! C-Can I speak with you for a moment?

"Sure thing, commander."

>Oh, that's right... Look, I'm not Commander of the A-team anymore, I'm stepping down and handing that to Spike.

"Seriously?"

>I'm not interested in causing more destruction.

"I'm sorry to hear that. And that you feel that way. I will ask you honestly though, were you trying to find some weakness in us?"

>Only so I knew what needed to be fixed or potential sicknesses that might need to be cured. But, my word doesn't mean a lot, does it?

"It's still good with me, princess. So what did you need me for?"

Twilight froze for a moment, thinking about 42's words and sighed

>I was going to trick you into letting me extract some of the excess love in your harness under the pretense of studying it...

"... May I ask why?"

>So... So 32 doesn't die of starvation.

"... I see... Here."

>W-What? But isn't 32-

"Yes, but as a prisoner, he's entitled to certain rights, being properly fed is one of them."

>... Thank you!

Twilight hugs 42

"Ack! Bah! Lub obernod! You mush gib id from yer brober."

NON CANON
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