Thread 64: Stories 46-60

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NC
>Applejack
„Chitania“
'Celestia'
~~~~~~~~~~

Applejack looks up in irritation at the slowly approaching thunder of something heavy against polished marble, expecting the door to fly off its hinges any moment. Instead, there is a polite knock and it opens slowly to reveal...

„Princess Applejack, I have a question for you..“

>'Yall can't be serious. This...this is a bad dream. This can't be happenin'. Ah jus' gotta wake up. Pinchin mah cheek aaaaand... yer still here! Sweet apple in the sky, yer still here.

„Yes, yes, yes, whatever. I have actual business with you, you can be awed by my might later.

>Ah dread ta think what kinda question y'all wanna ask. But ya took yer turn, waited outside and and now yer here. Might as well here ya out before mah last shred of sanity burns up in fire.

„Good. I want to sue.“

>S-sue...? Are y'all serious? Sue who, exactly? And why?

Chitania shoves a simple parchment that looks like it has been torn from its place on a public announcement board into Applejack's face.

„A whole lot of ponies. Too many to name. Apparently, due to some new changes in the law, denying basic rights, services and goods to anyone on Equestrian ground based on ethnicity, race or origin is a punishable offense in Equestria. I've been around your shithole of a city with ponies harassing me based purely on appearance. So I am going to sue.“

Applejack very slowly looks up from the paper. Dread, confusion and rage are warring for supremacy on her features. With robotic motions, she pushes herself out of her chair, walks over to the door adjoining Celestia's audience chamber.

>Excuse me fer a second.

The door shuts. There is a moment of silence, then...

'SHE DID WHAT?!'

*BLAM*

'Nooo! You can't do this to me, Applejack! Take me with you!'

*BLAM*

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>Daw
"Pommel"
~~~~

>So, 'dya give 'em what for with the chewing out?

"I'm apparently captain of the guard now."

>...

"..."

>...

"..."

>...

"..."

>...Ponies around here are weird.

"You do not know the half of it."

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CD

>Haymaker
“Lucky Strikes”
‘???’
____

There was a recording laid out on one of the tables in the guards room.

How it got there would forever remain a mystery, but the sender was quite obvious.

The message had already been played, countless times, and the only two stallions in the room were seated, leaned back with their forelegs crossed and gazes on the ceiling.

At the moment they were in a state of lethargy, of understanding so advanced that it made the gravity of the situation seemed oddly hollow.

>Hey, Strikes….

“Aye.”

>Ever have a moment, like… when you stop and think about your career choice, and then wonder when was the last time you put your all into it?

“The day I got tied up by a bunch of dolls was the day I reconsidered my career choice, sure, but to the extent you’re talkin’ about? Nope.”

The recording had been of the recent princess meeting.

At first, they weren’t sure if they had proper clearance to overhear something of such magnitude, but curiosity and an overwhelming sense of duty compelled them to listen.

Add to it, hearing Princess Celestia at the very end cemented their actions as right.

‘Work hard, my little ponies.’

Those were the last words of the recording before it cut off, before they played the whole thing over again.

>…This is going to be one of those cheesy ‘rally around the nobody guy’ type things, isn’t it?

“Is that a roundabout way of saying you dislike him?”

>Are you kidding?

An echoing crack bounced off the cobblestone walls as all four of Haymaker’s chair struck the ground. He leaned forward, hooves to the table and wearing a slight grin.

>The guy’s ballsy, no doubt about it, standing up to all the princess’s like that. There was no hope there, we were almost out the damn door… but he somehow pulled a miracle out of his ass. We got one month, Strikes….


“Y’know, Haymaker, for a fella that’s only held the position of guard for a candle’s time, you seem strangely committed to this.”

>Is that a roundabout way of saying you don’t agree?

“You kiddin’?”

Now it was Lucky Strikes turn to right himself, mirroring Haymaker’s movements with a seasoned smirk.

“We got one month to bring some glory back to our name, to the Canterlot Guard. We’re the elite, ain’t we? It’s time to remind everyone, including us, why that is.”

The two stallions shared a stout nod, Celestia’s words swirling about their heads more than any other.

One month.

One month of pure hell.

One month of pure hell that would reshape, restructure, and redefine them as a capable defense for Eques-

>Where in the hell is the rest of our squad…?

“Currently? That little rocket launcher obsessed filly is foal-handling them.”

>…

“Yeah, this is the result of a lack of leadership. We just take orders from anyone loud enough apparently.”

>…Maybe a robot or two wouldn’t be so-

“Don’t even joke. Now grab your ass, we have a captain and crew to round up.”

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 >Cadence
"Celestia"
~~~~

>...Auntie Celestia? I'm looking into the politic side, but-

"DON'T!"

>...

"You, uh... you're not ready for that one."

>...M'kay..."

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Non-Can-

>Oh no you don't!

Cheese you can't join the royal guard!

>Come on! I'm upholding a fine tradition of the loveable goof joining the army! I've read Beatle Bailey...I never saw anything funny but I read it!

If we're not letting DT become guard captain, we're not letting you become Gomer Pyle.

>Oh fiiiine, but know this, Partyland will be repaired one day and when that day comes-!

Cheese feels the sudden urge to watch Pluto Nash fifteen times in a row.

>OHSWEETMAMANOI'LLBEGOOD!

That's better.

>...bump?

Bump.

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Alternate take on 'Chrysalis hallucinates' based on http://youtu.be/gCXEO1N5ijQ

NC
>Chrysalis
"Momsie"
~~~~~~~~~~

"Chrysalis."

>Mommy...?"

Chrysalis raises her drooping head to gaze into the sky, rolling clouds advancing upon her. And within them, a single figure purposefully strides towards her. One whom she knew to be long-dead.

“Chrysalis, you have forgotten me.”

>No... How could I?

“You have forgotten who you are, and so, forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Chrysalis. You are MORE, than what you have become. You must take your place in the circle of the Hivemind.”

>How can I go back? I am not who I used to be...

“Remember, who you are. You are my daughter, and the one True Queen. Remember.... who you are...”

Slowly, the clouds recede, taking the figure within them with them.

>No, please! Don't leave me!

The clouds thin out and evaporate, leaving Chrysalis alone atop the crest of Canterlot Mountain.

“Remember....remember...”

>Don't leave me...

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NC
~~~~~~

On the ground

'HOLY SHIT!.... THIS IS SOME GOOD FUCKING STUFF!'

"Wait, you can see me?"

INHALE

'See a looooootttashit, Cloudzilla, see a lootta shit......'

INHALE

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NC
~~~

>WAIT! I have so many questions!

The clouds reform, clumping back together into a bored looking changeling.

"Shoot."

>Wait, really?

"Yeah, go for it, I've got time."

>Oh, okay, um...

"Thought you said you have questions? I have shit to do!"

>No no! I do! I do have questions! Just... what was that whole deal with you and Chitty? The hell did you do to piss her off so bad?

"Complicated."

>...M'kay. Did we have some sort of grander plan in mind here, with the whole combining hives and everything?

"Maybe."

>...Any reason why all the Queen's died out so fast? Did we do something?

"Probably."

>How's about some of these skills, why do we have so many useless ones?

"Uh dunno."

>...........Okay, remember that one Queen that hung out with us for a while?.... Acriicc... what the fuck ever her name was, screechy one!

"I know who you mean!"

>Okay, soooo... was there a reason that you made her dress up in a maid's outfit and stuff? And kept saying things that ended with your voice getting all growly? And kept slapping her on the rear? And kept putting me to bed early via mind-zotz?

Cloud Momsie just smiles, and starts to disintegrate.

"All you need to know is... her power really was that she was a hell of a screamer."

Poof, she was gone.

>..........................Well, that image is never getting out of my head now......... or is it?

ZOTZ!

>......... wait, what was I up here for?.... OH! CINNABUNS! Right! I was gonna get cinnabuns! THANKS MOM!

And that's how Momsie saved Equestria

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Non-Canon
>Pinkie
"Applejack"
~~~~
>Welcome to Late Night /pa/ with your host Pinkie Pie! It's during this time that content doesn't matter and I'm too drunk to care! Now for our main guest...APPLEJACK!!!

"Howdy"

>You...you know what?

"What?"

>It's very...It's very hard to plan these out you know?

"But don't you stick to a basic formula?"

>Yeah shee, but it's hard. I don't really know what I'm doing with my show, but I gots...I gots to keep it going for the fans. What if I run out of variations of the same shtick and people get bored?

"Somehow Ah doubt-"

>I should end it my ways. Bow out now before it gets bad.

"Don't you think you're-"
Pinkie pulls out a gun and points it to her head.
"Whoa Pinkie no!"
AJ wakes up to the sound of her lamp smashing on the floor.
"PINKIE!"

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>Chitania
"Prostimare"
~~~

Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip............ flip.

It was by far the most riveting day she'd had all week.

The Titan's 'companion' could easily see the spark, the rapt attention that book held with her. The meticulous detail with which she scanned every word was akin to a jeweler counting the cuts on a fine gem. Though she, personally, found all these book and stuff pretty boring, there was always something exciting when her eyes lit up and she seemed to gain new fire in them.

Which is why it made it all the harder when she had to attempt to warn her... kidnapper? Was this technically kidnapping? She didn't think so, since they were shackled together by someone else and she has dragged her to the train station every morning in a desperate attempt to get rid of her, only to be rebuked. Kidnapping seemed...

...Oh! Right! Warning! A warning was needed.

"U-um..."

Atta girl

>What.

She never 'asked' that question. It was always a statement, a command for her to start talking. Not that it bothered her, her whole life was pretty much following orders, so this was just another day at the races for her.

...What did that mean, exactly? She can't recall seeing many races, or-

>I. Said. What.

Oh! Right!

"U-um... had ta' bother you, know you're busy and all, can see it, but-"

>What.

"...Someone's been, like, starin' at you and pointing their horns at you for a while now, and that horn keep's glowin'."

>Probably just someone working up the nerves to try to shoot me.

"Oh... should we move?"

>Let them, it'll just bounce right off.

"...Ya' sure?"

>If not, I'll have justification to pick them up, take them outside, go Titan and just.... mmmmmm.... just over and over again...

"As someone who has heard that a ton, ya' worry me."

>...mmmm...

"...She's swearin' now."

>Damn. Was hoping at least one had the nerves. Why does nobody have the balls to shoot me?

"Again, it's a mare, they ain't got that set. Can tell you that from experience!"

The look she gave was not mean. No, it was not an angry look, just the look of a father who had watched their child come in with a B minus for a spelling test.

Not that she would know, since she never took a spelling test.

...Or had a father....

"Sorry."

>...I should probably turn around and deal with that.

"She's gettin' kinda' red in the face."

>That's actually encouraging me to do it less.

"Jus' tellin' it like I see it-"

'WHY CAN'T I SCAN YOU!?'

Huh, she thought librarians were s'posed to hush ponies when they made too much noise in there, but that one just reached under the desk and took a drink from some kind of thermos.

Guess, Chitania figured she had to deal with that since the librarian wasn't going to, since she finally sighed, closed her book, and turned around to look face to face with the yellow unicorn with some really bizarre coloring in her hair. It looked like... well, she didn't really have a reference for it. Really odd taffy?

>Can you fuck off already?

Apparently that phrase didn't mean the same up here in Canterlot as it did down at the docks, since the mare just took a seat right beside her, across from the massive changeling, and glared her down.

'Alright, how are you doing it? I've got some of the most powerful scanning spells on the planet!'

>Imagine, me, a changeling, a Queen changeling at that, having a resistance of some kind to being scanned, whatever are the odds?

It was really, really weird watching someone, ANYONE, glare at Chitania. Most of 'em looked like they were going to cry.

'Your resistance shouldn't be that high. I've heard that you're pretty terrible at magic.'

>And yet, it is. Surely you must now embark on an epic quest to find the answers and discover a little something about yourself in the process, away with you! A grand journey awaits!

'What are you hiding...'

>A birth mark on my ass in the shape of a heart, want a closer look? Fair warning, the secret can only be revealed through a kiss of love on the exact right spot.

Wow, and she thought only chameleons could change their color like that!

'...How do Changelings ascend into Queens?'

>First, we go out on a journey to find the stallion with the tiniest, most pathetic dick ever. Then, we find the ugliest, loosest whore we can manage. Then we have a laugh so hard and so powerful that our normal forms cannot contain it, and we grow to Queen size.... and then we sent your parents home, because nobody wanted them around or loved them, just like you right now.

"OHHHHHHHH! You need to take a dip to put out all that BURN?"

'How do you do that thing where you supersize?'

>I swallow dynamite and blow up.

'Damn it, I need information!'

>And here it is... nobody has ever loved you, and nobody ever will, I can taste it.

'...You're going to regret this.'

Was that supposed to be a threat? Even she didn't really feel threatened, and she was an earth pony with a 'questionable' job.

'...And pick better books if you're going to swap the covers, "Higher beings and the third Eye" is nowhere near that thick.

Oh, oh wow. She had never, ever seen Chitania go that tense, and it scared her. It scared her like 'momma just lost her job and has been drinking' scared her. That was not fun, no ma'am.

She thanked every deity she knew when the mare got up and started to leave... which was just the one, and Chitania kept telling her she wasn't really like that.

Still, it was... scary to watch Chitania lock in on her and follow her every step until she left the room.

"U-uh... Chitania? What does she mean? Why... why would you swap covers?"

The Titan just glared at her, just for sec, just to tell her to shut up... and got back to reading.

Reading her very... very... very big book.

...Well, at least it wasn't boring.

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>Sunset Shimmer
„Twilight Sparkle“
~~~~~~~~~~

The muted drone that had become the ever-present background noise in Twilight's lab since the Cordyceps incident allowed the unicorn to feel just how much power was stored in the magic core at the heart of her laboratory. Its regular emissions vibrate through her hooves and into her body whenever she stood still upon the metal floor.

Having learned from the threat of a country-wide infection, the genius unicorn had installed a closed-circuit energy core that would provide her lab and all its security measures with enough energy to last a whole week even if it wasn't regularly recharged by a dozen or so unicorns. And due to the depth of her lab in the very bedrock Canterlot Castle was built upon, she had no doubt it could serve as an adequate shelter from most B-Level End-of-Civilization scenarios once she moved canned food and basic survival equipment down here.

A hiss down the hallway cuts through the idle musing of the the gifted mare, signaling the opening of the outer security door. The sharp screech of the intrusion counter-measures firing up causes her to tense for just an instant. When they power down and the sound of hooves across metal coming her way becomes audible, she releases the breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

There weren't many who had access to this concealed laboratory, and the amber mare who appears when the automatic shutters to the main floor slide apart isn't any one of those she had hoped would appear.

>Hey, princess.

Sunset Shimmer looked conflicted. Yet, as much as it was in Twilight's nature to help those in need, right now she felt she could use some help herself.

„I am sorry, but I am not feeling well right now. I know you have many questions. But can it wait until later, please?“

Sunset could see everything she needed to know about Twilight's state with a single glance. That slackened posture devoid of any drive, those faraway, slightly downcast eyes. It was a look she had gotten used to whenever she saw herself in a reflective surface after her She-Demon episode. It was the look of someone who was lost and crestfallen.

>Actually.... it's about what happened back at the Royal Guard situation meeting. Care to hear me our for just a minute?

Twilight looked up at the other mare with mixed emotions evident on her face. She wanted to say something to stop this conversation in its tracks, but Sunset pushed on regardless. Having seen the heart of the Changeling issue when she silently observed the Elements of Harmony make their individual points, she knew just where to push now.

>Listen. I feel like I should have backed you up when you spoke your mind against everyone else. You were obviously trying to argue on the behalf of someone you trust and forgave at some point in the past. I can't say much for the Queen of Changelings, but you know what that situation reminded me of? Of the second chance you gave me when I was beaten and on the ground, unable to see who I was and where I would go in the future.

The amber mare rolls her shoulders, feeling uneasy at the memory of how emotionally devastated she had been when the thing that had been her drive for years turned out to be a dead-end and was taken from her.

>You are the reason why I am here and allowed to prove I am better than who I used to be. I should have said something, thrown my knowledge in – scarce as it is - and at least stood at your side as someone who trusts your opinion on who deserves to be given a chance to prove themselves.

Twilight frowns, hearing all this.

“Then why didn't you?”

>I just couldn't bring myself to. Those Changelings unsettle me, Twilight. They look abnormal, their powers are a complete mystery to me and their Queen has made my new mentor so upset she looked like he was ready to kill. Spike told me how much he despises her, how she is manipulative and selfish, mistreating even her own subjects. And the fact that they feed on your life force or something while tossing your mind like a salad isn't very re-assuring either.

“You could have said something, anything, Sunset. Just a little reassurance I wasn't alone in this would've have helped. You are now Applejack's student, maybe she would have listened to you!

Sunset grimaces and starts pacing. She had taken her time to mull this over. She was a mare with a purpose now. And the gift of her silver-tongue would bring her further than trying to force matters.

>Be honest with me, from student to student. Do you really think your opinion would greatly deviate Celestia's opinion if you spoke it despite her having made up her mind?

The silence that followed was telling, and what little indignation Twilight had worked up evaporated instantly. She knew Applejack's resentment towards Chrysalis was unjustified, but blaming Sunset for her failure wasn't fair.

>Yeah.... I should have argued in your favor. I was actually surprised the others didn't, like they did back at CHS. But I am not an optimist. I am a realist. The things I have been told and shown so far made it look like you were trying to petition for an invader-slash-rapist-slash-dictator to be given complete control over part of Equestria's military.

Those words hurt. Sunset had barely just arrived in Equestria, and already her image of Chrysalis and the Changelings had been painted in the worst possible. To a degree, she knew she was responsible for that for denying her any and all information before.


“She's not terrible once you get to know her, Sunset. Things were different once, but circumstances have changed. She has changed for the better since then. I wish I could make everypony see that...”

Sunset's horn shines brightly and a little mote of opal light flies forth from it, leaving a mist-like contrail of magic energy in its wake. It waves the complex pattern of a a rune written in old Equus into the air and Twilight easily recognized it as the one that stood for the word MIND. A ward against mental enchantments, if she dared hazard a guess.

>That may be true.. But if I hadn't taken drastic precautions to ensure the safety of my mind against outside intrusions after hearing about the extent of her abilities, I still would've believed you had been mind controlled by her.

The ward's visual representation was dispelled with a mere shake of the head, and Sunset now looks just as weary as Twilight does.

>I am sorry for straight-up failing you when you seriously could have needed my support. It could have been my chance to repay you for your kindness, and I just didn't take it.

“Oh... No, I don't blame you. There's just such a powerful air of distrust and resentment surroundings the Changelings around Canterlot. I don't know what to do about it either. I wish I could have convinced my friends to at least give her a single chance to improve their lot. But it just didn't happen.”

And now came the hard part, the older unicorn just knew. It was a daring plunge, making assumptions despite their past differences. But it was likely the only venue she had. Sunset wanted tosupport what few ponies she had in her life to rely on. She didn't see one goal conflicting with the other, if she was honest in her efforts. But without Twilight's trust she was stuck.

>It's not too late yet, is it? You know something neither I nor the others do. You are assured enough in that knowledge that you would make a stand against everypony else for the sake of the Changelings. And their Queen, specifically. I want to help you. I want to help everypony I can. I want to help Equestria, my home.

Sunset's personal agenda was greater than that, though. Learn everything she could, no matter how hidden, obscure or forbidden the knowledge, and use it. She was a prodigy in all schools of magic, but the instinctual, effortless way Changelings manipulated body and mind was something else. She wanted to study it, reproduce it.

Polymorphing oneself without accounting for mass. Channeling emotion, LOVE, as actual magic. Burrowing through the minds of others and reassembling memories without gaps. She had access to spells with similar effects, but learning from the Changelings might actually improve their efficiency or open up wholly new methods of using them.

> If you can vouch for her... for them, and show me why you trust her so much? Maybe we can work together to make the others see your point. We could show them why you insist, why you would face criticism and your own friend's harsh reprimands for the sake of another species. From their reaction I can tell I won't win any popularity points with the others. But I think with somepony by my side, I can handle the whole 'Sunset Shimmer is a horrible person' deal again. All we need to do is work together as colleagues, as students.

The amber mare licks her lips, dry from speaking so much at once. It felt oddly similar to how she had confronted Celestia. But in all honesty, she had a lot of making-up to do. And she would. She just needed to know more. She needed to know better. She needed to learn so much.

Walking forwards, face-to-face with the mare who had followed her legacy as Celestia's student and succeeded where she failed, Sunset stretched her left hoof out for the one pony in this crazy lopsided world she owed her new life to.

> As friends?

Twilight looked down at the hoof Sunset had extended towards her in friendship, then back at Sunset's face, insecurity openly visible. The lost unicorn had once been a selfish bully who thought primarily of herself.. And now she seems to have... changed. Humbly asking for a way for them to trust one-another.

It warmed her heart to see that her actions could still have such an effect after all that time that has passed. And maybe they could have that sort of effect again. Maybe this was what could tip the scales. A start, a blank slate without opinions colored by events of the past. Somepony who could be dyed one way or another by the right or wrong words and actions. And she really could use someone on her side right now, if only to make the heartache go away.

„Yeah.“

The soft feeling of the other mare's hoof to hers is instantly accompanied by the most brilliant, delicate smile Twilight has seen in a while. Sunset practically shone, overjoyed at the mere chance to be her friend instead of just another face in the crowd of the castle. And it is without regret that she could say:

„Friends.“

They linger in this position, shaking hooves for just a little longer. But the feeling of intimate companionship fades all too quickly, moments like these as ephemeral as they are cherished to the lavender mare. She had her doubts about her predecessor, especially when she learned she had apparently abandoned her circle of friends back in the human world in pursuit of forbidden knowledge.

She truly believed Sunset might become somepony who could help Applejack. Maybe... she could change Applejack's mind. And the others', together with her. If she knew what she knew, if she could trust the Changeling Queen as she did.

Sunset chose that moment to grin at her and toss her out of the loop of reminiscing and planning for a brighter future.

>Say, Twilight. Have you heard that entropy isn't what it used to be?

That physics joke is what broke her feelings of solitude, defeat and regret over her failure to reach Applejack's heart. Raising her hoof to her muzzle she laughs then swats at Sunset's shoulder, who reacts by giggling right back at her.

As soon as she had composed herself, Twilight rocks her head towards the depths of her lab. It would be liberating to have a like-minded individual at her side from now on.

„Follow me. I want to show you something.“

~~~~~~~~~~

Friendship is Magic.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Sunset
"Twilight"
~~~~~~~~~~

>According to this database, you have built functional robots, guns, rocket propulsion, air balloons, a flying battleship, a bi-pedal battlemech... and you still haven't bothered to make television, telephones or personal transport available to the public?

“Tele-wha-wha?”

>...sometimes you worry me, Twilight. This new you? Too much 'crazy scientist'. Tone it down.

“Oh, if only you knew...”

>Unsettling. But I won't ask. It also says you can punch cancer out o the body of others. Care to explain?

“I, uh... just focus really hard and then smash it right out?”

>...I don't want to live in this Equestria anymore.

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NC
>>...I don't want to live in this Equestria anymore.

"To be fair, I only ever did it with my brother."

>Why him?

"NOTHING SHALL EVER TAKE HIM FROM ME!"

>...

"..."

>...

"Cause I love him cause he's my BBBFF."

>...Seems legit.

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 >Spitfire
"Pegasi"
~~~

>OH MY DEAR CELESTIA WHY!?

"We were hoping it was going to give us a boost!"

>NO!... Just... NO! BAD! PUT THE ROCKETS DOWN! PUT ALLLLLL OF THE ROCKETS DOWN! PUT THEM DOWN AND THEN YOU PUT THEM RIGHT BACK WHERE YOU GOT THEM!

"...Do... do you want us to put them down, pick them back up and then put them where we got them?"

>PUT DOWN THOSE ROCKETS RIGHT AND THEY HAD BETTER BE WHERE YOU GOT THEM UNROCKETED!

"...So then you want us to put them down where we got them, or put them down then put them where we got them, or just put them down and bend space-time and have that be the place we got them?"

>YES!

"...The sad part is, this is still going way better than it did when we tried this on our own."

>NOW!

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 >Primrose

Alone.

It was alone.

On standby...far in excess of factory reccommended standards.

>Reiteration Of Directives:

1. Protect Ponies

2. Capture Criminals

3. ...

>Directive...Esoteric.

Directive 3...it never understood Directive 3. Yet it appeared to its priority detection software that there were no criminals to apprehend, no ponies to defend.

There was however, a bit of tablecloth leaning ever so slightly over the edge of its wooden home.

>Proceeding...

Internals whirring, movement as slow as it could to avoid detection from any passer by, it approached the table...its target down to a single thread...the moment of truth.

Bump.

>Mission Accomplished.

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