Thread 41: Stories 46-60

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>42
"Soldiers"
~~~

>HAVE YOU ALL BE LAZING ABOUT IN MY ABSENCE!?

"...yes?"

>WHAT!? WHY!? DO YOU WANT ME TO MAKE YOU RUN HARDER!? DO YOU!? YOU WANT TO DO PUSHUPS!? YOU WANT TO POLISH EVERY SPEAR IN THIS ENTIRE PALACE!? DO YOU!?

"Well, not really. I mean, we'll do it if you ask, but-"

>BUT WHAT, SOLDIER!? WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE!?

"...It's the weekend? We have today off. Except for the administrators. But they don't do the physical stuff..."

>...Ah, right.

"..."

>...DROP AND GIVE ME EIGHTY!

"MA'AM YES MA'AM!"
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>13
"???"
~~~

>Oh goody. Back home again. Well, at least the train ride was okay, not like anything bad happened there. You know what? Maybe I need to be more like 55. Yeah! That's it! Maybe I just need to be a little more cheerful and-... is there something in that tree?

"SQUEKASQUEEEEE!"

>OHHOLYSHITWHATTHEFUCKNOTTHEFAAAACCCCEEE~
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>Sucker Punch
"41"
'High Roller'
-32-

>Okay, Roller, we're back, if you're down here say-oh holy shit.

'Ffffuck...'

"Damn, dude, what happened to you."

-Head trauma, emotional trauma, I think one of them kicked him in his genitalia too.-

'How...howwwww...?'

>Uh...well, thanks for giving us those tickets, we had a good weekend.

'Nnnguuuh...'

>And you-

-He was here the whole time.-

>Alright, well, sorry I ever doubted you, then.

'Paaaain...'

>We got you a postcard.

'...'

>Just...yeah...here...

"There ya go, uhm...we square?"

'Never...question me...again.'

>Nope!

"Never!"

>You need any help or...?

'No...just gonna...lay here...'

"Ooookay, we'll see you later."

-Nice headband.-

"Thanks!"

-Now you look like even more of a 42 knockoff.-

"FUCK YOU!"

>Come on, we need to get unpacked. See you later, Roller, fuck you 32.

-Glad to be of service...lousy pricks, right? ...right? High Roller? Hm, he must have fallen asleep.-

32 shrugs on his bed, he can't see High Roller laying on his side.

He can't see High Roller smiling.

'...I win.'
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>Changeling
"Random changelings"
~~~~

>Okay, so... we're doomed.

"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIIEEEEEEEEEE!"

>Pretty much what I said, yeah.

"WHAT WERE WE THINKING!?"

"THAT WE WERE BEING AWESOME AND SHIT, BUT WE WEREN'T! WE WERE JUST PAWNS IN SOMEONE'S CHESS GAME!"

"PAWNS I SAYYYYYYYYY!"

"AND NOW SHE'S GONNA KILL US!"

"THEY ALL ARE!"

"OUR RACE IS GOING TO BE WIPED OUT OVER CAKE!"

"WELL, I MEAN, IT WAS PRETTY GOOD CAKE!"

"THAT! IT! WAS!"

>...So is anybody wondering why we haven't gotten a talking to yet? You think they'd have at least mentioned it.

"Hey yeah... what's going on here..."

"...IT'S A TRAP! THEY'RE LURING US INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY!"

"DOOOOOMMMMEEED!"

>...Yeah, that sounds about right....
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>29
"32"
~~~~

>BROTHER! I return from the flying land so far away, and I bring gifts of...

"Well well well, look who has returned from his-"

>BY THE STRANGE GREEN FLAMES OF THE ALIENS THAT ABDUCTED ME!

"...I'm sorry, what did you just-UMF!"

Before he could finish his incredulous speech, 29 had grabbed hold of his head, and crushed his face against his chest.

>Who did this to you brother!? What foul, unholy spawn would cause you to be drained as so!?

"Mrphmphmp."

>Thine body has been sapped as though unto that of a life drinking insect! A leech upon thine skin and into thine very SOUL!

"Mph. Mrphmam."

>BROTHER! This cannot stand, oh, this cannot stand! Be it in years yet passed, be it in horror or in joy, I shall find that which has brought you harm, and unto them, shall be RENT THE GLORY OF-EEEEEEEE!

Stunned, he pushed 32 away slightly.

>DID YOU JUST LICK MY CHEST!?

"You wouldn't stop."

>STILL!

"...You taste like cotton candy."

>Well, I did have to punch through a dancing unicorn.

"..."

>Tis a long, long story.

"And nobody drained me of love, by the way. I must've fired off some bolts when I got drunk off my ass. Unfortunately, my cell is reinforced for this very reason."

>...Ah. A perfectly reasonable explanation. Though you do need to explain exactly how thou attained such a drink as to be that drunk.

"You aren't going to question the pizza boxes, roaches or giant wads of fluff?"

>Nay.

"...Huh... would you mind giving me some love? Or do I have to lick until it comes out?"

He rolled his eyes, placing his hoof atop 32's head and sending the power his way.

>Oh, what a wit you have upon you.

"Ahhhh... oohhh, you have no idea how good this feels. I swear I must've lit the room up like a star, I've been positively starving. I was truly worried I would waste away. But ohhhh... there it is..."

>I wish you wouldn't moan like that.

"I can neither help it, nor wish it to be helped. It is delightful."

>I suppose.

"...Mmm... you are giving me more than normal, is there a reason?"

>Thou claimed you felt the hint of starvation creep within you, surely I must ensure you will not waste away by accident.

"Well, I'm not arguing."

Eventually, he felt sufficiently 'topped off', and was released.

>Well, that matter aside, I bring gifts! And stories of an event so grand!

"Books, fairground food and... Did they really have a Ponet painting in that place?"

>They did, brother! With this, even this dank and dreary place holds a touch of class! Refinement, ahhhh, tis the spice of life! And of course what joy is there of sight if not the mind as well! I feel you will have much in common with dear Trotsky... and the taffy and popcorn is there because it is delicious. Junk food for the body, surely, but nothing to offset that in the mind!

He stood there, aimlessly trailing a hoof on the pictures frame.

>Do you not like it? I know Ponet had some rather romantic views, but surely it wasn't-

"No no, I find his work enthralling. Thank you..."

He sighed, idly finding a loose corner, and hanging his picture up.

"You know, if these meetings are discovered, you will likely be... punished."

>Pffft.

"...Well, that was immature."

>Oh? Allow me to clarify... ahhhh.... PFFFFTTTTTTTTPLPLPLPLPLPLP!

That, of everything, made him laugh.

>Oh, and of note? There is a tiny bottle of Trotsolo Garish stuffed in the core of the cotton candy, but do not drink yourself to such a state again!

"Oh? What if I simply wish you to come back?"

>I will return again soon enough, no need to create and incentive.

"...No. I suppose not."

Finally deciding it looked as straight as it was going to, he took a step back to admire his new fixture.

"...29?"

>Yes?

"I do not really believe I will ever escape this place, not really. It is very, very likely I will die down here, and be forgotten by most soon enough."

>Do not say such things!

"But I do wish you to know, if I should find escape in some way, if I ever should obtain freedom... I will thank you, honestly, someday. I will return the favors."

He just scoffed, turning up his nose.

>As if I would do something of this nature for some petty rewards.

32, in turn, just cocked an eyebrow.

>...Shut up. This situation is special.

"I suppose so... hmmm..."

>What?

"Did you knock up that pony yet? Perfect time to do it, really."

>DAMNED 32! KEEP THINE TONGUE IN PLACE!

"At least tell me you had some zebra cake, if you will excuse the vernacular."

>I WILL NOT EXCUSE IT!

"...Oh, please do not tell me you settled for the unicorn. Come now, brother, you can do better than that."

>Of course I can! I am worthy of far, farrr more! I shall taste royal, or none at all! My sword of fantasy is made for only the purest of flesh, none more!

"None more indeed."

>CHOKE ON IT!

"You turned me down on that one, or did you think I was going to stop with just licking?"

>Must you turn every of our meetings into something of this nature!?

"Oh, I don't have to, it's just how I get my fun."

>HRMPH! Well, if you do not mind, I must return to mine friends who await! We have plans for the evening, and the last train leaves soon!

"Have fun..."

He paused as he started to trot away.

>...If you feel weary again, send a letter. I know they allow you such graces here. I will come as soon as I get it.

"Mmmm... appreciated. Off with you now. My advice? See if your friends know how to 'dual wield' the swords, as it were."

>HR-HA-RUMPH!

Prissily, he walked off.

"....Hmm... I do not understand him, really..."

Happily, he pulled the bottle from it's candy confines.

"But anyone who smuggles this kind of drink is a brother to the end, that's all there is.... WILL YOU STOP THAT! HE'S GONE!"

Sadly, the roach stopped his interpretive dance.

"...What is WRONG with you!?"

It just sighed.

...if roaches can sigh.
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>AJ
“PJ”
‘Blueblood’
~Winona~
[Celestia]
{???}
~~~~

>So… wait, wait, wait, y’all can’t be serious here….

“I’d say my broken arm is plenty serious, Apple Prime.”

[But, PotatoJack, the entire castle is… it’s immaculate, spotless! There’s not even a hint of this war you say happened!]

When Blueblood spoke, he kept his gaze low, concentrated on Celestia’s gilded hooves.

‘That was mostly thanks to Sweetie Belle and Filthy rich, auntie….’

~I sliced a demonic toy in half for you, orange horse! I’m a good girl, right?~

>Ah’m glad yer’ here too, Winona. Landsakes, Ah missed ya.

“That’s not what she… never mind.”

[And that’s another thing, why does it seem like you can understand Winona?]

Even if Celestia wasn’t technically her ruler, PJ was smart enough not to burn bridges that could potentially lead back to her Queen.

“I’ve spent decades immersed in nature, Celestia, with nothing but animals to communicate with. After so long, you start deciphering the little things.”

>…Even if Ah wanted to call horseapples, that wouldn’t make it any less true when Ah’m seein’ wit’ mah own eyes. But one thing we’re not seein’ are these toys y’all mentioned.

The door banged open and a little filly walked in backwards, pulling in a loaded bag.

“Good timing.”

>What in tarnation is that…? Sweetie?

{I can feel whatever presence grabbed me letting go so before I get all ‘ecksdee’ again, have this. Me and the girls managed to round up the rest of those chaotic dolls. Seems like when the leader went down, so did they, just a little slower. They’re still moving, though, so if there was ever any doubt in your mind that some next-level stuff went down….}

She dropped the bag in front of Applejack’s desk.

{This should kill it nicely.}

~BURN IT! BURN THE BAG AND EVERYTHING WITHIN!~

>Whoa there, girl, it’s okay, ain’t nothin’ gonna get ya.

“…”

‘And auntie?’

Stunned by the amalgam of lazily fidgeting toy limbs poking out of the bag, Celestia offered her nephew the smallest of acknowledging nods.

‘About my three day grace….’

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>JJ
"Random changelings"
~~~

>Hey guys, I'm home... what the heck happened to you guys?

"We had a party."

>One hell of a party.

"Oh hell yeah! We got crazy up in here!"

"No biggee, though, the guards sounded like they were being just as nuts."

"There were screams all night long!"

"We had to crank up the music just to drown them out."

"You have fun with what's his face?"

>Kind of? Not fun fun, for a lot of it...

"Damn! There goes the bit I found on the street."

"Told you you shouldn't have bet that!"

"I THOUGHT IT WAS A SURE THING!"

>I never know what you guys mean!

"Whatever. Come on, you want some punch?"

>Are you just using that as an excuse to hit me?

"DAMN!"

>Nevermind, you guys are not going to believe what happened at Partyland.

"INTEREST REGAINED!"

>Okay, so it started when I woke up...
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>Luna
"56"
[Dadling]
{Batmom}
~~~~~

>UGH! NEVER AGAIN! NEVER AGAIN SHALL WE SET HOOF IN SUCH A GHASTLY PLACE!

"Awww, it was fun!"

>What part of being devoured by a giant sentient blob of jello was fun!? WE WERE EATEN!

[It got everywhere...]

{Well, I guess it could have been worse.}

>HOW!?

{Well, uh... nothing.}

[It's okay, I've got this one. A-hem, majesty? It might have been... fortunate that we got eaten when we did.]

>...And just what does that mean?

[Well, it's just... you tried to charge 'you know who' when we got grabbed, and that uh... didn't go so well last time.]

>...

{DEAR!}

[I didn't want to be the one to say it! PLEASE DON'T SHOOT ME!]

{She's not going to shoot you!}

>I might.

{MAJESTY!}

"Hey! Don't shoot NTL! He's just sayin' what nobody was thinkin'!"

[...Thanks? I think?]

>...

[...Wow, you know what I want to do right now, honey bunches? Go home and, uh, unpack.]

{THAT IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA TAKE CARE MAJESTY I WILL SEE YOU WHEN MY MATERNITY LEAVE ENDS!}

*BOLTS!*

"...What'cha thiiiinkin'?"

>He nightmares will last forever.

"...Neat!... AWWWW!"

>What?

"I HAVE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL!"

>...Oh, to be young again.

"THIS SUCKS!"`
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>Fluttershy
"Twilight"
'Arana'
~~~~~

>Is all of this... strictly necessary?

"Define strictly."

>As in, do I really need to have to have sixty four cables, nine bands, and two helmets on?

"...Define 'need'."

'Uh, are some of these taped on?'

"Yes."

>...Twilight, I know you want to examine me, but-

"Hush, SCIENCE!"

*BZTBZTBZT!*

>....Was... was it supposed to do that?

"Ah, no. That wire was apparently loose. You okay, Arana?"

'...ow.'

*THUMP!*

>...

"Whelp, better examine her!"

>Twilight staph.
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>Celestia
"Blueblood"
~~~~~~

He had wanted to speak with her in private, somewhere away from the hassle and the others around. So, naturally, she chose her private bedroom.

Even after all these years, he felt nostalgic looking around this place. So many memories, so many different times he had been here, in this room...

With some stupid request on his lips and a worse attitude to go with it.

As such, he found it very hard to look at her, eyes firmly pointed downward at the ground, boring into the floor.

>Well, what did you want to say?

Her voice was totally neutral, without a single hint or iota going one way or the other. It was as if she was asking what the weather was like outside on a boring day.

"I... I simply wished to thank you for the extension."

>Hm? You should be thanking Applejack for this one.

"I... I know. I know she did this for me, when she really did not have to, and I intend to thank her as well, but I wanted to thank you first. I know that the request had to pass by you before reaching her, and I know that it was likely your influence that saw it filled. I simply wished to thank you for your mercy."

There was a silence,neither of them making a move, his eyes still cast to the floor.

>Is that all?

Stiffly, he nodded.

>There was nothing else you wanted to say to me?

She watched his throat constrict, and his eyes grow strained, but he nonetheless shook his head in a negative.

>Nothing you wished off your chest? This is very likely the last time you will be granted the ability to walk about for some while, is there nothing you wished to say before you went back?

She could see his face grow so strained, almost to the bursting point as his hair flung about with every rock to signify 'no'.

Sadly, she sighed.

>Well, so long as you have nothing else to say...

She waited, giving him quite the while to speak up.

He didn't.

Wearily, she looked away, and continued in a neutral monotone.

>I would like to thank you for your efforts in repelling the invasion. You did well considering the circumstances, and deserve recognition for your efforts. You showed courage and cast aside your own well being for the safety of others. This provides promise for your rehabilitation, and I hope it will-

"I'm sorry."

His speech had come out an unintelligible rasp, so strained it sounded like his heart was giving out.

Startled, she at last looked back to him, now able to see the tears streaming down from his face.

>What did you say?

His throat continued to heave, and his eyes clamped shut almost painfully. His lips parted, letting him let out pained rasps, but between them were the unmistakeable words.

"I'm sorry. I'm so... I'm so sorry..."

Gracefully, she rose back to her hooves, and trotted over to him, standing imposingly tall directly before him, casting an almost haunting looking shadow.

Pathetically, he slumped forward, nose touching the floor in a wobbly bow.

"I'm s-sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

He just continued on, that same groveling, shaking tone in his voice, unable to pick himself back up.

"I'm... I'm..."

Gently, the golden tip atop her regal white hoof hooked under his chin, and began to lift his face to look upon hers.

Through blurry, red eyes, he could just make out her frown of sadness.

With those eyes staring down at him, he could take it no longer.

"I'M SORRRRYYYYYYYY!"

Without another word, she brought him to her far boarder chest, and he let it all out.

"W-what have I done!? W-w-what was I thinking I'm sorrryyyyyy! I didn't-I couldn't-I was so, so stupid and I'm still so stupid and... and..."

His body became wracked with sobs, unable to choke out a single word more.

For the longest time, he just clung to her like a lifesaver, bubbling out an incoherent string of apologies and self-directed insults.

"What... what have I done...."

>You made a terrible, terrible choice. You made it for the wrong reasons, went about it the wrong way, and were wrong to do it.

His heart leapt right into his throat, and he could say nothing else.

>... but at least you understand you need to make up for it. For the pain you caused everyone.

Shakily, he nodded.

"I... I didn't want to hurt you."

>You did. Though you did your best to see me nonphysically harmed, you nonetheless did not understand what seeing those things done to my subjects would do to me. You hurt me more than if it had been I who was shot by that bullet.

Ashamed, he could not look at her.

>Do you at least understand, now?

He waited for a long, long time, thinking about it.

"I... I do. I think... I finally understand what it meant to be someone like you. Why... why what she was doing was right. We needed to change. What I was doing was wrong. My position was wrong. I didn't... I never deserved my title."

>No. You didn't.

She let out a sad, slow breath.

>And yet again, it was my neglect, my inability to see the coming darkness and put a stop to it, which caused it. I failed you, Blueblood.

Horrified, he separated himself from her.

"AU-...Princess, no! Never! It wasn't your fault! It was mine! I did it all! You couldn't have stopped it! I was too stupid and blind to ever have even a chance at stopping it! I... I was destined for failure. I was meant to fall..."

He started to look away, only to be pulled back to look into her searching gaze.

>And what is your destiny now?

Even with as much as he had, still tears remained.

"I... I have to try to fix what I can. Make up for what I can... do just a little to make the world better than I left it, not worse. Just… whatever I can do. Whatever will help… I have to do it."

>Then why won't you ask me for more time?

His voice grew strained, and slow.

"I don't know if I deserve it."

She nodded, understanding, and embraced him one last time.

>Then ask the one who can tell you. I cannot, not in a way that will make you believe. You need to seek the one you hurt, the one whom you hounded and the one you wounded, and hear the words from her if you are worth forgiveness or not. I cannot tell you, she can.

"I... I don't know if I can. I don't know if I can look at her, after..."

>...Try, Blueblood. For me.

He just choked, and sadly nodded.

"I'll... I'll try."

>That's all I ask.

With nothing more to say, she just held her nephew.

>That's all I ask...
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>SA
"Chrysalis"
~~~

>Really? You're doing this? You get magical backlash so strong you have to be wheeled out of partland on a stretcher, but you can still do this the instant you get home. This is what you are doing.

"Shut up, I need this to feel back to normal!"

>...Fiiine, proceed.

"I thank you... and a one, two..."

>...

"...MESSIN' UP SHINY'S PAAAAAPPPEEERRRR!"

>The saddest part of my life is realizing that I kind of missed this...
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>Mane-Iac
"Soldiers"
~~~~~~

>AHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! IT IS GOOOOOOOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN!

"...Oh sweet Crystal Heart no."

>MY BEST FRREEEEIIIIND HAS GIVEN ME VERY SPECIFIC ORDERS!

"No no no no noooooo."

>SHE SAYS TO GIVE YOU ALL A BIIIIIG WELCOME HOME FIGHT!

"...Kill me."

"You first."

"No, you first!"

"NO YOU-ACK!"

>LET US BEEEGGGIIIIIINNNNAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

"WHY DO I KEEP WORKING HERE!?"

"GREAT DENTAL!"

"OH, RIGH-GAH!"
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>Arana
"Applejack"
'Winona'
~~~~~~~

>APPLEJACK PRIME HELP!

"She ain't hurtin' ya."

>SHE WON'T LEAVE ME BE!

"Get otta the corner, Ara."

>NO SHE'LL BITE ME!

"She ain't gonna bite ya."

>Well... if you say-OW!

'DEMON SPIDER CREATURE! YOU SHALL NOT HURT MY SUNSHINE!'

"Winona no! Bad! That ain't a bone!"

>LEGGO MY LEEEEEGGGGG!

'MPRHPMPM!'
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>AJ
"Dash"
~~~~~~

>Ain't no way this is legal.

"You're a princess, everything is legal!"

>That ain't remotely true.

"Well, it's how I got out of at least six public intoxication tickets, so it's what we're going with."

>...What?

"Nevermind!"

>Look, jus... explain this ta' me one more time. Jus' so I can tell you exactly what is wrong with it.

"Look, your biggest flight problem is stabilization and landing, right? Well, this cuts out the takeoff, forward propulsion and continued flight, allowing you to focus entirely on staying steady and focusing on landing in extreme situations! Perfect for learning the basics."

>...Okay, one problem.

"And that would be?"

>This is a rocket.

"Riiight?"

>So, ya' know... it's a rocket.

"Uh huh?"

>Ya' strapped a rocket to me. Ya' put a rocket, on mah back, and then ya' said Ah'm gonna fly. This is yer solution. Rocket.

"Yep."

>...

"...Worse news!"

>Ah' don't see how.

"Wellllll...."

>Ya' already lit it, didn't ya?

"That I did."

>Did ya' at least make sure this typ'a rocket don't explode when it reaches its peak?

"...Dang it, knew I forgot something."

>...Ah hate-

*FWOOOOOOOOOOOMMMmmmmmm.*

"Wiggle your wings, AJ! FLY MUDPONY FLY!... Uh oh."

*BOOOOM!*

"...I'm counting this as a successful flight and nobody can stop me!"
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>AJ
"Fluttershy"
~~~~~

>...

"I'm trying..."

>Fluttershy?

"Yeah?"

>If mah desk ain't a desk in five minutes, I'mma get mad.

"Well, about that... that dinosaur isn't your desk..."

>...

"...We should probably run."

>Nahhh... need ta' get some anger out of mah' system.

"Uh-"

>GET SOME YA' DANG LIZARD!

*ROOOOAAARRRR~*
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