Thread 44: Stories 31-45

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Sucker Punch
"Arana"
'41'

'Bottom left.'

>Blblbbl.

"Mhm!"

>Blblbl.

"Mhm!"

'Top center.'

>Blblblb

"Got it!"

>Blblbl.

"Yup!"

'Ha! Gotcha! Top right!'

>...blblblbl.

"Tic Tac Toe! She wins!"

'Woooo!'

"Nice job!"

'Tell her I said thanks.'

>Blblblbl.

"You're welcome!"

'Go again?'

"Sure!"

'NOTTALKINGTOYOU!'

>"..."

'Sorry...I'm tap dancing on shaky ground here...I said to Sucker Punch who will now say an identical but unrelated sentence to the Lingsona Non Grata in the room.'

>Blblblbbblblblblblbl.

"It's ok, I...I don't want to get anyone in trouble."

>Blblblblblblb.

'Yeah, Punch, that IS what loopholes are for...but just in case, nobody in this room ever talk to the Queen ever ever again.'

>Blblblbl.

'She is not!'

>Blblb!

'Is not!'

>Blbl!

'Aw what do you know, Mr. 'My Buddies Can't Guard A Cake!' '

"What's a bi-!"

>BLBLBLBLBLBLB!

'See, I have the moral high ground, Sucker 'Swears in front of children' Punch!'

"Wait, how old are you?"

'...Answer her with YOUR age, Punch, as she is obviously talking to you and totally not me.'

>Blblb.

"She IS silly!"
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>007
"Jetset"
~~~~

>So... you look like you're having fun.

"Please do not distract me further, I need my concentration."

>No yeah, sure.

"..."

>...

"...What is this goo made of anyway?"

>I have no idea, we just secrete it occasionally. It might be our waste for all I know.

"...You're serious."

>Only mostly.

"..."

>...How'd she get you anyway?

"I made an attempt as soon as I spotted her, and yet somehow she had time to set all this up."

>Yeah, that's pretty confusing how elaborate they can get at the drop of a hat.

"Indeed."

>...

"..."

>...Sure you don't want help getting down?

"I would rather saw off my own arm."

>Fine, here's a knife.

"Thanks."

>...Wait, wha-

"ow."

>HOLY FUCK!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>29
"MM"
~~~

>...Marey? What is that?

"What is what?"

>The giant pile of mail beside you.

"Oh. Dunno, just showed up this morning."

>...

"...What?"

>Don't you think you should read it?

"No."

>...Whyyyy?

"Because every time something like this shows up, something awful happened. I want no part of it."

>...I don't think that's how this-

"I WANT NO PART OF IT!"
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NC
>41
"Arana"
'SP'
~~

>WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL HER!? OKAY! THAT'S IT! I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS FOR THAT!

'Blrbl?'

>Oh, right... SPIDERBUG!

"Aren't Spiders bugs?"

'Blrbl.'

"Huh. Really? Arachnids?"

>NEVERMIND! Suckerpunch, tell her I need her to come out into the hallway so I can go in there and KICK YOUR ASS!

'Blrbbl.'

>Because I can't be in the same room as her, even for this!

'Blbbbblulb?'

>...WAIT! CRAP! YOU'RE RIGHT! If she comes out into the hallway, we're in the same room before I get into that room!

"It would only be for a sec."

>MY LOOPHOLE IS DEPENDENT ON US NEVER BEING IN THE SAME ROOM!... I SAID, THINKING OUT LOUD!

'Blbbb?'

"Hey yeah! What if I jump into that room at the same time you jump into this one?"

>No, SUCKERPUNCH, we'd still connect in the transition! Also, I might touch her, which would probably be worse. Somehow.

"What if yoooou... teleported? And then I teleported at the same time!"

>Tell her I can't teleport!

"It's okay, neither can I."

>...Then why-

"I didn't want to crush your dreams."

>Well then... SOMEONE WHO IS IN THAT ROOM HIT HIM FOR ME!

'BLLUBBRLBLUBBBLUUUUUUU!'

>...Her poking can melt ponies?

"ONE TIME! SHE ONLY DID THAT ONE TIME.... PER VILLAGE!"

>Huh... don't wanna melt you.

'Bubl.'

>Soooo... I'LL KICK YOUR ASS WHEN YOU GET OUT OF THERE!

"YAY!"

>'...'

"...You looked excited, and I felt happy for you."

'...Blub bluub?'

>I don't even know, man.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>SPIDERBUG!

Spider-bug, Spider-bug, she'll weave you an explosive rug!~

Makes her boots, hats for your head!~

Let's all thank god her mom is dead~

LOOK OUT!

That's Tickles the spider-buuuuug!~
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>DT
"???"
~~~~

"Wake uuuuuppppp..."

Diamond Tiara did not know who was talking to her, exactly, but she was planning on killing them.

Slowly.

With rockets.

...She would find a way.

"Wake uppppppp...."

Yep. Already formulating a-

"I brought brownies."

...Ah.

>Daddy, did you actually bring those from the house?

Her father just gave a light chuckle, putting the plate next to her bed.

"Don't be silly, I bought a stove and cooked them on the train."

>...Makes sense.

"How are you feeling?"

How he could be so casual, so easy going about this, she would never know.

>Like I want to know what changeling tastes like slow roasted.

"Oh come now, your little friend is glad you stopped playing so rough with him."

>Meant the giant monster, Daddy.

"Oh. Never got a chance to meet that one. Seemed unpleasant."

>...Little bit.

"Your friends are worried about you, you know. I am too, to be honest. I know, you know how I can be sometimes. Any little scratch and I get worried, but this one did worry me baby."

>Wasn't planned.

"I know, I know you didn't seek her out or anything. I know you were just reacting because she was there, but... I wish you had run instead of fighting her."

>Then she would have smashed the city, not just the already wrecked part. Did you want me just to leave them?

"Yes."

His voice, in that one word, cracked.

She had been avoiding his eyes until this point. No particular reason, she told herself... however disingenuously. But that tone at last made her look, completely reflexively.

At last she could see the red in his eyes, the crinkles all around the rims on his cheeks. He looked like he had aged ten years since she had seen him last.

They just looked to the other as time flew by. Her laying flat on her back with eyes wide, him gently brushing his hoof through her still dirty and frayed mane.

It was only after what felt like hours past that he continued on once more.

"You didn't bring a coat."

Something about that simple statement, nothing more than a passing comment really, made her throat seize up.

>I'm sorry. I'll remember it next time.

"Promise?"

>Yeah, daddy... I promise.

The relief in her being as his cheek turned upwards, just a bit, could never be put into words.

"That's my baby."

She leaned into him, cheek pressing softly against his chest. Her face suddenly felt more moist than it had not a second ago, and she couldn't say why.

Despite being in his embrace, she still felt tense, worried, like there was something more to be said she couldn't quite put into words. She needed more.

But all that left her when he started to hum some tune, a distinctly familiar one to her. All at once, her tenseness just bled away. In this grip that had held her every day she needed it since the day she was born, she felt safe.

Diamond Tiara wanted a lot of things in life, demanded even more, plotted to take more still. She wanted so much...

"Your friends want to see you."

>...They can wait.

...This was the only thing she admit, if only to herself, that she needed.

"Don't scare me like this. I love you, baby."

>...I love you too, daddy.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Rarity
"AJ"
~~~~

>Darling, about this Diamond Tiara situation, there's something I've always wondered.

"Yeah?"

>Did she, I don't know, have to get a release form from her father or something? Did she have to sign a wavier?.... Permission slip, at the very least?

"Uhhh... no."

>...No.

"Nope. Didn't have ta' do any o' that."

>...

"Yeah, turns out, Celly jus' never, like, wrote a law sayin' kids can't be mercenaries. Technically, they can't be soldiers, jus' nothin' o' the sort fer extra government funded work."

>...How.

"Guess it jus' never came up?"

>How did this never come up!?

"Nobody sides me was stupid enough ta' higher a gradeschooler?"

>Still, nobody raised any concerns about the potential dangers!?

"...Sug', there's a goddang crocodile made outta rocks a stones throw away from Ponyville, a dragon within short walkin' distance, and an easily accessible canyon filled with giant eels that will eat you jus' outside o' town. Iffin' the kids wanted a taste o' danger, it's called "Camping"."

>...Huh.

"Iffin' it makes ya' feel any better, Ah'm still blamin' Celestia."

>But isn't this technically your fa-

"AH'M. BLAMIN'. CELESTIA."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Pinkie
"Fluttershy"
~~~

>What do you mean, "I was banned from the hospital'?

"Um..."

~~~~~~~

"OH DEAR! OH DEAR! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! PLEASE MR GIANT CHOCOLATE BUNNY, PUT DOWN THE CHAINSAW!"

~~~~~

>...

"Chrysalis screamed for, like, ten solid minutes..."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NC for obvious reasons

>???
“DT”
‘FR’
[???]
{???}
______

Walking through Canterlot castle was when he caught wind of the news, heard about what happened and stopped to ask a bajillion questions just to make sure it was true.

>....wow, and I thought I was bonkers.

After the gossiping castle keepers had left, he stood there in a sea of static. Oh, he knew where he needed to be but he hadn’t the first clue on how to get th-

>Duh!

He inhaled, causing his chitinous chest to expand comically.

>NOOOOOOOT-MOOOOOOM! I BROKE MY LEG!

He’d barely gotten out the last word when a burst of glistening green fire illuminated the barren hallway. They quickly fizzled out, leaving only a very tall, very imposing looking Queen of Changelings in their wake.

He waved, happy.

>Heyo, not-mom!

She was on him like the plague, grabbing every leg he possessed and lifting it in turn with her eyes narrowed down to snake-like slits.

[You, breaking a leg? Impossible… Next to the Titan herself, you and Two should be damn near invulnerable. Which leg was it, where’s the break? Who did it?]

56 continued to smile even as he was turned completely upside down so she could examine his hooves and then, upon discovering not even a single crack, flipped right side up again.

>No one hurt me, not-mom, and my leg’s not broken!

[…]

She stared at him, and he stared right back. The look on her face was a weird amalgam of annoyance and the urge to murder that made it seem as though Chrysalis had an upset stomach. But he was largely unfazed, even going so far as to laugh when a thick vein bulged across her forehead.

Slowly, very slowly, she inclined her head towards him until their noses almost touched.

[Then why… pray tell… did you say your leg was broken when it’s the exact opposite?]

>Your breath smells like coffee!

She blinked. So what if the destruction caused by her estranged aunt had toppled a few candy supply stores, leaving their sweet insides littered everywhere? And so what she helped herself to a few coffee-flavored toffees?

[Answer my ques-]

>And you have this huuuuge vein in your head, not-mom!

[…It’s called my ‘do not strangle 56 until he’s a gurgling mess’ vein. You can see what I’m struggling not to right now.]

To anyone else, that threat might have loosed a few bladders, but to 56, he only blew a raspberry, instantly sucking in his lips in a failed attempt to stifle his laughter.

And just like that, all of her anger faded in the form of a sigh and she dropped a light hoof over the younglings head. In her hive, he was one of the rare three that could keep her from blowing up just from sight alone.

[If your leg’s not broken, then why did you call me, little one?]

Sudden remembrance caused 56’s eyes to widen and he reared up on two legs, pressing his front hooves to one her much longer forelegs.

>That’s right! Not-mom, you gotta take me to Fillydelphia!

Even if Chrysalis wanted to use the tried-and-true deflection that the area was dangerous, really, what could harm him there?

[Why?]

He settled back down onto all fours with his tail sweeping left to right.

>I heard auntie big booty went crazy on the west side, right? Well, one of my friends got hurt and I wanna visit ‘em, see how they are.

[…Coming from you, that’s a surprisingly sound and considerate reason.]

>You’re tellin’ me! Her flank is pure nightmare fuel, it’s just so flat and… ugh… but still, I gotta see her.

[Oh. You must mean the filly with the borderline sexual attraction to her hunk of metal.]

>With the border-what to what now?

[Nothing. But don’t you have classes of some sort here? The Young Fliers course?]

>Aw they can miss me for a few hours. Flatflank and me... we have some history….

It was the way his smile softened....

[Fine. Where I go, you cannot, so I’ll send you directly to her by yourself through fireflight. Are you ready?]

>Yeah!

Her horn sparked off with that same green fire.

[Then close your eyes.]

~~~~~~

His back was up against the wall next to her room door. It was his sixth time seeing her that day, and yet the stress failed to ease up by even an inch. Just seeing her on that damned bed… a bed that his little girl had no right ever begin tucked into! Such a cot was reserved for the wounded… the sick… the mentally unwell- and it angered him beyond words that she now fell into the first category.

>HEY MR. RICH!

He jerked and suddenly became aware of the Changeling helping himself to the leftover brownies on the tray he held. It’d begun to slip in his daze.

This one… was called 56, yes? Even if he and the beast that ravaged not only the city but his daughter were related in some fashion, Filthy bore the youngling no ill will and freely offered more of the tray, that copy/paste smile of his booting up.

‘Well if this isn’t a surprise! You’re my little princess’s friend from before, aren’t you? The one who liked to play with her rockets?’

Cheeks full, 56 only nodded enthusiastically.

‘Marvelous! So many of all kinds have visited my daughter over her stay here, it… it really makes me happy, to know she’s managed to surround herself with such good friends….’

Polishing off the last biscuit, 56 took a moment to swallow.

>If you’re so happy… then why d’ya look so sad?

‘…Ahaha, wh-what’re you talking about? I… there’s no reason to sad! None at all! My daughter is well and r-recovering nicely and the doctor says there’s no lasting damage and-’

>It’s okay, Mr. Rich! If that fake smile is the only thing keepin’ ya glued together then keep it up! I’mma go in there and get Flatflank up and runnin’ again, okay? So stand clear of the door, sir!

With a big grin, 56 strode past the stock-still millionaire and into the room.

As she was the most colorful thing in this room of bleeding white, he easily spotted that blotch of light purple wrapped up in covers and trying to choke down some brownies.

>Yeah, they’re a bit hard, aren’t they? More burnt than brownie, I think your pops overcooked ‘em somethin’ fierce!

“ACK! Wh-who the… YOU!”

He struck a dramatic pose.

>Yes, ‘tis me! The world’s number one booty expert, Fifty-Six!

Diamond Tiara’s face filled with a quivering anger, but then it just as quickly dissipated and turned into something surly.

“As if I wasn’t already sickened enough… Just what in the blue Tartarus do you want, bug?”

>Came to check up on ya, uh’course! Heard you and my aunt had a little scuffle and she kicked your nonexistent butt into last we- GAH!

A brownie cracked off his forehead and 56 collapsed into a groaning pile.

“SHUT UP! THAT- I- YOU-”

>Are an idiot… yeah, I know.

Already stuck stuttering, Diamond Tiara temporarily lost the wind in her sails at his sudden shift in attitude. She watched him, wary, as he approached her bedside, glancing down one side then up the other towards her.

>…I’m sorry.

Nevermind the apology. When his ears folded back and he seemed to sink in on himself next to her, Tiara didn’t know what in the hell to think. Or say for that matter.

“You’re… sorry? Is that what you said…?”

>Yeah… well, you oughta be sorry too but I’m not the one all banged up and covered in gauze.

“Got enough gauze for your hardshelled ass, too, bug. Even got a spare bed to put your comatose body in.”

>Great, ‘cause I reckon comatose is the only way I’d be able to stand bein’ in the same room as that paper-thin butt of yours.

“…I’m going to kill you.”

>Not if you get yourself offed by my auntie first. That’s… that’s why I’m sorry. I mean, not for her, oh apples no, a booty that big can do whatever it pleases… I’m sorry ‘cause we stopped talkin’.

“You’re sorry. I couldn’t be happier. We had such a good streak goin’ until today. Thanks for ruining it.”

>You’re kinda like your dad out there.

Her eyes widened with a dreadful stare.

“Come again…?”

>Both you guys puttin’ on airs like that’s gonna hide somethin’. Look, I know he’s hurtin’- he’s hurtin’ real bad- and you’re just like him!

He leaned up on her bed so quickly that she almost fell over in shock.

>You might have the biggest ego in the known universe but you wanna know how fragile you are right now?

“Hey! Don’t you dare-”

She nearly screamed when he prodded her in the side.

>THAT fragile! Look, I didn’t wanna have to say this but obviously someone has to ‘cause you’re friggin’ stupid. You are NOT me! Get it? I don’t give a crap if you wanna build some doomsday device capable of makin’ the world yours, that’s great, cool! But! Until ya figure out how to get whatever virus me’n Two got, SETTLE YOUR BUTT DOWN!

The curtains rustled and Tiara’s ear rang.

She blinked at the look over 56’s face. She couldn’t remember the last time he’d look so… upset. Other than the times when he missed a chance to fondle some mares booty, but this was a different type of upset….

>We stop talkin’ an’ all of a sudden you’re off on these missions an’ takin’ these jobs an’ jus’ bein’ outright stupid!

“56….”

>No, shut up! I’m not through! Your butt may be sickly but I don’t wanna see it get any smaller ‘cause ya got stepped on by my aunt or- or got it blown up in some explosion!

“56.”

>We… we gotta talk more or somethin’, hang out more… hey, if you’re so dang smart, grow some wings so you can join the Young Fliers cla- NGH!

A brownie lodged itself in his mouth and Tiara smirked.

“There, did that finally put a cork in your stupid ramblings? Good. Now then, listen very closely because what I’m about to say is going to blow away everything you just said.”

She cleared her throat.

“I am Diamond Tiara.”

And she finished that self-identifying statement with a firm nod, as if that settled everything.

>…

“I know, I know what that perplexed look means. You’re just floored by the awesomeness of me. Yeah, it can be tough being me, being so incredible, being so chock-full of talent and purpose. Who needs a butt when they can have my stature?”

>…Can’t tell who you’re tryin’ to convince more. Yourself, or yourself.

“Stupid bug.”

>Flatflank.

“Insect brain!”

>Your back kinda slopes into your butt so it’s impossible to tell where one ends the other begins.

“Don’t make me get daddy to bring in a bug zapper.”

>Maybe you can get him to buy a butt zapper, too. Zap you up a plot.

“RRRRRGH I’LL KILL Y-”

{By the feathers of the Nine, what is going on in-}

The Queen of Gryphons felt her face morph through a myriad of expression all within the span of a blink. She went from being annoyed that she’d had to use the hallway bathroom because theirs was busted, to surprised that 56 was here, to ecstatic that 56 was here, to downright confused when he sped by her followed by a very pissed off purple filly.

>HEY CATBUTT BYE CATBUTT!

{56, wait!}

‘What in Celestia’s name is all the yelling abou- SWEETIE YOU’RE UP!’

“OUTTA THE WAY DADDY I HAVE TO KILL THIS THING REAL QUICK!”

>HAHAHAHA TOLD YOU I’D GET HER UP MR. RICH! YOU OWE ME SOME BROWNIES!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Idris
"Gwen"
'Zephyrious'
[Hilda]
{Siegfried}
~~~

Had any pony been in the room, they would have found the scene before them a little strange. They would be more used to tearful, happy reunions when one such loved one is confirmed okay after a terrifying ordeal.

The reunion of husband and wife was a little... different.

>Well, look who's not dead.

'FATHER!'

"As if something as simple as a giant monster could ever kill me."

>The fact you do not realize how hard that is making me laugh on the inside shows we may never truly understand one another.

"No no, I understand you... a-hem... "HONOR!" "I'M PERFECT!" "EVERYONE IS STUPID BUT ME!"... ballparking it?"

>Our marriage wasn't a sham after all, my father owes me ten bits.

[Mother, really, we are all happy you're okay.]

'Yes. PRIDEFUL SWORD WAVING ASIDE... we did truly worry when you did not show up for the celebration. When we heard that the beast had attacked again...'

"Well, I'm fine."

[You are very clearly not, your chest is now fairly bare.]

"It was a wimp of a fireball, I assure you."

'FIREBALL!?'

"Yes. Fireball. I was shot in the chest with a fireball. Told you, this? This is all your side of the family, Idris. He did not get that willful obliviousness from me."

>If I was one to laugh, I would be dying. I want you to know that. I would not be able to BREATH, Winny.

"Keep talking and I'll simulate the experience for you."

>Empty threats from a bed ridden burn victim.... well, it's about standard for one of his birthdays, I'll give you that. It's just normally, I'm getting those empty threats from our son after he managed to top his record for stupidity.

"Speaking of, where is he?"

'He's, ah... fighting with the candy machine.'

"..."

[...He means what he said.]

"..."

'Did you shake him as an egg, by any cha-'

The slamming of the door cut him off, and without a single care to the yelling nurse the youngest royal strode in.

{HAH! Totally got me some chocolate with raisins.}

>You're allergic to raisins.

{I didn't say I was gonna eat it, just that I HAD it.}

"Son."

{Hey. So, since she's up, we going home or what?}

'BROTHER!'

"Yes. We are. Your father is insisting I get 'proper treatment' back home."

{Thank goodness! There is dust EVERYWHERE around here, it's a pain.}

"The city was almost destroyed."

{I didn't ask WHY, I said it was a pain. Totally different things here.}

"Did you need anything else?"

{Nope! I'll be on the ship, LATER!}

With another slam of the door, he left.

The rest of them sat in silence for a long, long time.

"He seems to be in good spirits."

There was an awkward air following her statement, with her two other children shifting uncomfortably and trying to look anywhere but the bed.

Taking charge, their father cleared his throat, and pointed towards the door.

>You both may speak your well wishes to your mother on the ride home. I must speak with her in private.

[Of course, father.]

'As you wish.'

They both gave a quick, warm hug and kind word to her, before dutifully leaving them be.

The room after they left, however, was no less awkward.

"Idris-"

>Wait for it.

What he meant, she had no idea. All she knew is that he sat there, listening, waiting for something...

>Good, they left.

"What-"

Without letting her get another word out, his two powerful claws grabbed hold of her, and crushed her in an almost painful embrace.

>You are the dumbest gryphon to ever walk this earth, I want you to know that.

His voice was low, almost angry sounding. Nonetheless, she heard the sincerity beneath it.

"You can just say 'I love you', you know."

He almost lovingly nuzzled her, voice still low and growly.

>Not with them around, you idiot. But when we're alone-

~THEN WHY DON'T YOU WAIT TILL YOU ARE ALONE!? I'M TRYING TO SLEEP HERE!~

He froze, eyes going wide as saucers at the other voice.

"...You know, for all your 'you're an idiot' talk, I'm not the one who forgot to check if my wife's roommate was awake."

Stiffly, he straightened his spine, gave his wife an almost robotic tap on the shoulders, and turned towards the door.

>I will see you on the airship, dear. They will come to collect you in a moment. I am glad you are not dead.

With that same rigid posture, he stomped out, only barely hiding the fierce, red hot blush on his cheeks.

The pink filly rolled her eyes, flopping back down on the bed.

~...So, is he always like that?~

"You'll understand when you're older."

~...I really, really hope not.~
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Vekir
"Gwen"
'DT'

>Aha and at last, Vekir may give the Queen Catbird her prize! Come fuzzy dead creature, to glory! Neh...nehhhhh...nehnehnehnehneh...nnnngeeeehhhhhh...aha! Inside the room!

"Did you hear something?"

'Sounded like what your husband wanted to do with you.'

"Oh be quiet, I-"

>HALLO!

"'GAH!'"

>Queen of Catbirds, hello again! It is I, Vekir, here for to profess the friendship of specieses and be...ambassadorial...that is word? That is word.

'...can your guards get here faster?'

"We can only hope. Ahem, hello Vekir, what a...pleasure. What was that about being an ambassador?"

>Yes, aha, Vekir is now Ambassador for all Morlocks, and I thought it would be a good idea forto give the Catbird Queen, most beloved of allies, a gift of appreciation.

"...a teddy bear."

>With a shimmerstone.

"Vekir."

>Yes?

"That's glass."

>...and this is why Vekir was not a miner. But aha, the bear came with messages of getting well with haste! They float! ...they float lower than they were a while ago.

'Balloons will do that.'

>But still! This is a gift, and it would be rude not to give it, and so I give it. To you. Right now. ...VEKIR YOU GOT THIS TO GIVE IT, NOW IS NOT THE TIME! ...thank you, Vekir.

"'...'"

>Farewell and goodbye, honored Catbird Queen! May your rest give you new strength to fight the evil monsters!

"...thank you, Vekir."

'Hey, what about me?'

>Yes, small child?

'I fought the giant bug monster too! Where's my gift!?'

>...Vekir shall return in moments, child with mouth like a soldier.

'And don't skimp on the rock this time, I deserve a lot more than a big hunk of glass!'

"Heh..."

'What are you laughing about?'

"She may be primitive, but she's a good judge of character if I do say so myself."

'Oh shut up.'
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>DT
"Spike"
'77'
~~~

They crept the door open slowly, peering in first to see if she was awake before they would even attempt to enter.

The sight of her idly tossing a rubber ball against the wall was both a relief, and a little worrying considering how forceful she was being with it.

>Stop creeping, I can clearly see you there.

They glanced at each other, a little worried, before slowly coming inside and walking next to her bed.

'Poppet, how are you feeling?'

>If this is your attempt at humor, Patchy, leave it to the professionals.

"Don't be like that, we were just worried you were going to get hurt."

>Like that. See that? Spike knows how to make me laugh on the inside. He's so considerate.

"DT, come on."

>What? You weren't honestly worried, were you?

'Of course we were.'

>Why? This is our job.

They both went silent, nervously glancing at each other.

>Okay, now you two are worrying me. Did you somehow forget this isn't the first time I tried to fight her with rockets? This already happened.

"But we were both there last time."

>And you almost got us squished because you freaked out. I, on the other hoof, remained cool, calm and downright awesome, got her away from the population, and then went toe to toe with her post her ripping a robot in half.

"But you ended up losing your gun-"

She had been regaining her strength, it seemed.

Spike could attest to that after a decently strong hook across his cheek.

'HEY! He didn't mean-'

"It's fine."

>No, it's not, talk about him like that again and I'll do worse.

The fierce, dark tone to her voice was enough to make even the hardened soldier doubletake.

>He did that to save Silver Spoon, and he is going to be FINE when I get out of this bed, do you both understand me?

They shared a worried glance.

"...42 says she's sorry she can't visit, she's still co-ordinating the soldiers."

>It's fine.

He had hoped her voice would ease up.

It didn't.

'Well... why don't you get some more rest, Poppet? You seem tense.'

>I don't need rest, I need to be on a train back to Canterlot so I can start getting my supplies.

"Maybe you should take a break before trying to repair-"

The words died on his tongue with the harsh, unforgiving look in her eye.

"Right... right... take care, DT. And call us if you start feeling unwell, okay?"

>I'll do that.

Spike turned to leave, more than a little off-put, but the changeling stayed behind.

>What, patchy?

'...I'm so glad you're okay.'

She flinched at his voice, huffing angrily and looking away.

>It takes a lot more than that to kill me.

'I heard that a lot in the caves. The words didn't matter in the end.'

The flinch returned, harsher this time.

>Yeah, well, none of them were me.

'Yes... I suppose you are right.'

A chitinous hoof rubbed against her shoulder, and a sad smile crossed his face.

'I don't think there's anyone in the whole wide world like you.'

>Pfft, obviously.

'So... please remember how irreplaceable you are.'

>...

With that, he turned to leave as well, shutting off the light on the way out.

'Poppet... I... I wouldn't have survived down there, not alone.'

>I know.

'And the thing I've discovered here is... the world up here? It's ever bit as dangerous, even if it doesn't look like it most days. Remember that.'

She continued looking at the wall, never turning to him.

'...Please?'

At last, she sighed.

>Fine, you can come next time I fight her, but try not to make me look bad.

At last, he smiled.

'I'll do my best.'

And finally, he left.

>...Stupid friggen bug monster...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jacqueline Daw trod morosely along at the head of a grim procession through the streets of the City of Gold, to her sides Rat and Doc walked with bowed heads, behind her the broken crew of the Regret were under heavy guard of Brahmos' flunkies, chief among them the unconscious form of Pommel over the shoulder of the diamond dog in the tricorner hat. But then of course, to her front strode the imposing alabaster body of the behemoth called Brahmos, in his hand was clutched the disembodied head of the man that had been a surrogate father to him all these years, Captain Evergreen.

Every fiber of her being screamed for her to pounce at the minotaur and rip him to shreds, but she and the crew had been stripped of their weaponry shortly after Evergreen's death had created an opening for the rest of Brahmos' landing party to climb the walls. All around her Brahmos' forces kept watch, meaning that all an attack would mean was a swift and unceremonious demise that'd see her be the other head in the minotaur's hand. Evergreen wouldn't want her to throw her life away like that...but damned if she didn't want to disobey him more than she ever had in her life.

"I can feel your eyes burning holes in my back, little bird," Brahmos rumbled, "A shame that you resist me even now on the cusp of my final victory."

"You've won nuthin' ya giant bastard," Daw growled, "We're still standin' on top of th' giant crab that's beatin' th' piss outta your little fleet."

"For now, little bird, for now," Brahmos' flippant reply only served to deepen Daw's anger, "You see I'm not a fool, I know that your latest attempt at finding protection from me has something to do with this beast's sudden awakening, as well as my new capital rising from its watery grave. When we arrive at this center tower, I will awaken your paramour, and I will break every bone in his body until he gives up its secrets to me, and then? Then I'll will use that power to bring this beast under my control, a war machine fitting of carving out my own personal empire."

"Tall fuckin' order," Daw replied derisively, "And what becomes of us th' moment that's accomplished?"

Brahmos let out a small chuckle, "Simple, the Guardsman will join your captain in the embrace of death, your crew will be slaughtered, and you, well, you'll be given the honor of witnessing the rise of my great nation with your own eyes. I will chain you to the gates of this city and you'll have no choice but to watch my trail of conquest and know that this is the fate of everyone that stands against me."

"And if I look away?" Daw's face was a portrait of anger and resentment.

"Well then you'll have a fine look at your two companions," Brahmos held up Evergreen's head, "Your replacement father..."

He cast a glance over his shoulder at Pommel's unconscious form, "And your would-be lover."

"We won't let you get away with this," Daw growled, "We'll find a way to stop you."

"Little bird, I'd suggest you do so in a hurry, because with every step, my victory becomes more certain," Brahmos smirked and returned to marching, Daw grit her teeth, she had to think of something.

"Rat," She whispered, whipping her head towards the unicorn, "Rat, when Pommel shot up that second blast, did anything happen with th' tower?"

"I was right fucked at the time, I'm afraid," Rat muttered, "I couldn't have told what was that thing in the gem or what was the fighting."

"Think man," Doc hissed, "Think, it wouldn't have been a complex sentence, it would have been a single word. Focus, did you hear a singular word in your head?"

"I...I think..." Rat squinted, wracking his mind.

"Come on, Rat, if it did something we could use to help ourselves, we need to know!" Daw urged the crewman, her eyes desperate for something, anything.

"It said...yeah, yeah it said...oh shite..." Rat looked up, eyes wide.

"What'd it say you damned fool?" Doc growled.

"It said-"

There came a rumbling from all around, the party stopping in their tracks and mummuring among themselves. Daw looked to where Rat's eyes were gazing, to the many eyes watching them from the shadows all around, her ears picking up an ungodly hiss.

"Shurr b'durr..."

"It said 'Defend'."

And then everything went to hell.

He was in a million places at once, well, okay, not a million, but a lot.

His sickly feathered body sailed through the air, diving with all the grace of a falling stone towards the frightened face of a pirate desperately attempting to work a cannon by himself. His talons raked across the earth pony's face, his beak snapping towards his throat. All around his siblings, harpies large and small, along with their larger matriarchs and even their nemesis, the vile monsters of the sea laid the frail ships of the pirate king to waste, rendering the souls aboard as nothing more than an all you can eat buffet.

His sleek serpentine form cut through the water in sync with the black shapes all around him, some long, some wide, some twisted and bent into unnatural shapes. They darted and coasted between wrecks, debris, struggling bodies, and the monolithic appendages of the Guardian. With all the speed they could muster, he and his comrades found their target, the bottom of one of the many warships assaulting the City. As one they rammed into the bottom, smashing against the wood with all the force their bodies were capable of, splintering wood and bringing forth a flood of water into the holds.

He was everywhere.

He was everything.

He was...a god...

"NO!"

In an instant, the multiplicity of his consciousness was reduced to the single being that called itself Pommel. A lanky, unassuming unicorn guardsman. A step down to say the least.

Pommel staggered unsteadily through the streets of the city of gold, his vision blurry, the feeling of the precious metal beneath his hooves felt...felt...it didn't feel like much of anything, really. Actually, now that Pommel thought about it, there didn't seem to any sensation of touch, smell, or sound to be had. Only sight of the city around him, faded and gray, the sun a muted splotch of whiteness against the sky.

But it was not alone, for high above Pommel's head there floated twinkling balls of light, aimlessly bobbing and circling in the air, their flight patterns seemingly random and erratic. While a far cry from the sonic rainboom, Pommel couldn't help but be enamored with the sight of them, staring as they darted and dived high in the sky, almost making him walk right into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry I-" Pommel looked down and backed up, eyes going wide as he saw who he had bumped into.

"You were almost gone there," 32 said, a warning tone in his voice, "A few more minutes and you would probably have gone insane."

"32, I-wha-is...is this another dream?" Pommel asked as 32 turned tail and began to walk towards the center of the city, the same route Pommel had unwittingly been taking.

"Of a sort," The changeling said as Pommel began to follow after him, "That minotaur downright clobbered you, I'm afraid. However, it would appear your lovely relationship with the abomination inside the tower has...leaked its way into your subconscious."

"I was...I was a harpy...I was a sea creature," Pommel grimaced, shaking his head.

"And before that, you were the living war machine this city was built upon," 32 looked up, "Things aren't looking good for you, or for them."

Pommel looked up, back to the sky, back to the lights, just in time to see a blur of crimson snap out from the top of the tower and wrap itself around one of the many lights, snatching it back into the golden structure. In the next instant, another blur shot forth, wrapped itself around another of the lights, and against disppeared back into the tower's dark recesses.

"What is it doing?" Pommel asked, grimacing a bit at the sight of what was happening above.

"I'm as stumped as you," 32 admitted, "I'm not even sure we'd be seeing this if the monster hadn't decided you were barely qualified for what it wanted. Though consider, this place has become a field of battle, I'm doubtful those are mere fireflies the creature is slurping up like a frog in a swarm of flies."

"Oh shit..." Pommel blanched, "Th-those are souls up there!? Have I been feeding that thing!?"

"It was the god of a race of primitive savages," 32 mused, "I'm doubtful it accepted offerings of fruit. Between it and the minotaur, we've a pressing need to come out of this on top, wouldn't you agree?"

"So what do we do?" Pommel asked as the tower came closer and closer, the structure looming over them as the red tentacle of the creature struck out from the tower and brought in another of the orbs.

"We?" 32 looked back, "Who's we?"

Pommel blinked, then shook his head, "Right, dream, sorry."

"Consider everything that has happened, consider everything that you know. I do not know when you'll awake, and neither do you, so use the time you have," 32 sat down at the steps that lead to the tower's doors, "You've got a lot of work ahead of you when you wake up."

Pommel sat down next to the changeling, looking up at the sky slowly being emptied of the glowing lights and closing his eyes.

"Here goes nothing."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>PD
"Scientist"
~~~~

There was very little at this point that could scare the scientist who worked for the great Fawntaine Industries.

...His boss on a rampage was one of them.

Although, he thought to himself as she slammed him up against the door, 'rampage' might be underselling it.

>WHAT KIND OF DUMBASS ARCHITECT ARE YOU TO NEVER THINK OF PUTTING AN AUXILIARY POWERSOURCE IN THE TAIL!?

"Y-You didn't-"

SLAM!

>OH! I'M SORRY! I THOUGHT I PAYED YOUR DUMB ASS TO DESIGN THE THING, I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR BASIC HOMEWORK THAT OBVIOUSLY ANYONE COULD HAVE THOUGHT OF! Give me one reason, ONE REASON I shouldn't feed you to whatever fucked up creation I have brewing downstairs!?

"I-I-I can f-f-iiiiixxx-"

>YOU CAN'T FIX JACK SHIT! IT'S IN A MILLION PIECES!

"W-we still have the... other project..."

>...Oh?

"I... I uh... have been making sure it's been ahead of schedule."

>...ohhhhh?

"I-it can be inspected now if you want. It's not running yet, but-"

>It wasn't even supposed to be out of the design stage yet.

"...p-plenty of time for any... remodeling?"

Very slowly, she let him down.

>And just what drove this sudden burst in production that I was not informed of?

"I... I was going to try to replace... her."

A smile dawned on her face.

>Ahhhh, trying to undercut the competition and beat her to the useful punch?

"Y-yes..."

>Well, in any other time, I would reward such a forward thinking. But, seeing as you FUCKED UP SO HARD I NEARLY DIED-

His hoof crunched as she stamped down on it.

"AH!"

>-I suppose I'll call this one even. You are damn, DAMN lucky you got that thing in the building stage by now. Because, you dumbass, I now have to call in a favor to prevent my company from getting fucked sideways thanks to the giant twisted pile of scrap metal I obviously cannot hide, and my building in Fillydelphia is compromised.

He scurried back, whimpering pitifully.

>I had to call in every fucking agent to get those plans cleared out of the hanger. Do you realize how fucked I would be if the princess investigated and found her original plans for the machines in there? I would be hanging before nightfall. That, you stupid sad sack, is why I NEED her dead. I need a machine that can prove superiority to the princesses BEFORE I make a move. Do you understand me?

He nodded.

That wasn't good enough.

>I SAID-

She struck him hard across the face, breaking his nose.

>-DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!?

"Y-yeeesss!"

>Get the fuck out of my sight. One more fuckup like this, and you are food. To what, no idea, but they'll fucking eat you. I will watch them do it and I will enjoy every second. Now get the FUCK OUT OF MY OFFICE.

He didn't even give a customary 'thank you' before hobbling off at full speed.

>...So hard to find good help these days...

After wiping his blood from her hoof, she flicked the switch on her intercom.

>Get that bastard Filthy Rich on the line and tell him...

She growled, the words tasting foul even before the words came out.

>Tell him... I need a favor...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>PD
"Triage"
'Security Droid'

The building was rather dilapidated, she had to admit even for one on the apparently 'untouched' parts of Filly. Giant monster or no, poverty's poverty, she supposed as she walked up the steps and knocked on the door.

Nothing.

"Oh right."

Knock knock pause knock knock knock pause knockknocknocknock-

>Enough, open the door.

'Affirmative.'

The door opened and she was greeted by the imposing form of a Fawntaine brand security droid...painted up to look as though it was wearing a suit.

'Unidentified mare, state your name.'

"Uhm...Triage."

'Searching databanks...no instance of an 'Uhm...Triage' found. Second request-'

>Oh shut up and let her in.

'Affirmative.'

Triage walked into the house slowly, finding herself ushered by two more droids into a dining room with a shabby but sturdy table at which was seated a mare that fit the ramshackle house about as much as her protection detail.

>Damn third generation voice recognition software. Please, sit.

She did.

"Ahem, Ms. Pennydrop, I'm-"

>The Canterlot plant, I'm aware. Agent Snake Eyes speaks highly of you, it's why you're not a dead mare right now.

"Oh..."

>You have exactly thirty seconds to explain why it's you here and not him.

"Oh! Uhm! Right. He's under a lot of scrutiny right now after the blood-job-"

>He's been under scrutiny before.

"-yes but there were side effects of the drug he used on the changeling. He has to eliminate any potential suspicion."

Pennydrop glared at her for a few moments, Triage held her breath.

>Not good enough. He knows that when I call, he comes, that's how it worked when his checks were signed by Fawntaine, it's how it works now.

"Maybe I could relay whatever you need him to do back to him?"

>I don't know you from Faust, why would I do that?

Triage set her jaw and tried her best to look confident.

"Because Roller trusted me to do it, and if you're confident in him, you'd be confident in me."

>...that was...

Triage felt her chest swell a bit with pride.

>The single dumbest reason I've ever heard.

Triage deflated in an instant.

>But I suppose it's not like I have many options as far as that goes. In one week's time I need him to 'Visit some old family' in Ponyville, to help 'clear the nest of a very stubborn cuckoo'.

"A cuckoo?"

>Yes, while his latest work helped us a great deal, without this 'cuckoo' we just can't complete it in a workable timeframe.

"...and he can help get the cuckoo out of the nest easier?"

>Oh yes, this cuckoo and he were two very well loved pets of my predecessor. If anyone can get her to roost in my aviary, it's him.

"And...uhm...if she doesn't want to?"

Pennydrop grinned.

>He's the only one I trust to get her out. One way or another. That's all, you're free to return to Canterlot, Ms. Triage, was it?

"Yes, it was."

>Is she on file now?

'Affirmative.'

>Good. You may go.

Triage got up, beginning to walk away.

>And Ms. Triage...

"Uhm...yes?"

There was a whirring sound as the droids' weapons suddenly went active.

>Tell anyone of this meeting and I'll ensure you're never heard from again, understand?

"...yes."

>Good girl.

Triage beat a hasty retreat, Pennydrop sighed.

>Sets up all of these nonsensical 'safehouses', barely ever shows up for the face to face. Still...if there's one thing that can bring a stubborn old sheep back into the fold, it's another old sheep.

'Bringing up indexes of caprine contacts.'

>That's it, scrapping your entire line.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________