Thread 54: Stories 16-30

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>Twilight
"???"
'???'
~~~

Sleep.

The thing she wanted most in this whole wide world.

Every pony was dug up.

Ten would be stopping by her lab tomorrow so they could both have a little 'talk' about 'borrowing' things.

Everyone who was injured is currently in Canterlot's positively overflowing hospital rooms, though thankfully most just needed a good rest.

And finally, her magical drain on such a scale was going to make her collapse, whether she liked it or not.

Which is why she wanted to scream right now.

Why?

She could hear them coming.

"TWILIIIGGHHHHTTT!"

'PRINCESS PRINCESS HELLLLPPP!'

It was her royal duty, she knew. She should be turning around right now, of course. This should have been obvious.

But still, she had to choke down the desire to turn, and shoot.

...Good thing too.

>WHAT THE FUCK!?

Shooting a very pregnant mare would have been really hard to explain.

A very... very pregnant mare.

A mare who was far more pregnant than she should be right now by a very large margin.

>HOWWHOWHATWEREWHAAAAT!?

"That's what I said! I just BALLOONED OUT! Like someone stuck a pump up my baby-hole and just started going! I WAS NOT THIS PREGNANT THIS MORNING!"

>...WHAT!?

'I-I-I don't know! I DON'T KNOW! We both got attacked by the things when they broke in-'

"He tried to defend me, it was very cute."

'...She lasted way longer than I did, BUT BESIDES THAT! When we both woke up, BOOM! Giant baby belly!'

>...WHAT!?

"And guess what? WE CHECKED! THIS ONLY HAPPENED TO ME!"

>HOW!? What could have caused you to suddenly jump ahead MONTHS in your pregnancy!? What could have... oh, wait, shit.

"SHIT!? SHIT IS NOT GOOD!"

>Hold on...

Her horn ignited, scanning the mare briefly before stopping.

>...Okay, so! Good news! Babies fine!

The relief could have floated a ball into the upper atmosphere, if only it were physical.

>...Bad news, you are really pregnant.

"HOW!?"

>Okay, so, about changelings, specifically when they don't get a lot of love...
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>18
"Guard"
~~~~

>Has everything been done as ordered?

The crystal soldier gave her a stern salute, never moving from his spot.

"Yes Ma'am! His highness, her highness, Queen Chrysalis and Commander Forty Two have been moved into the area with the Crystal Heart, as ordered!"

>Good. That should repair the drain caused to Shiny and hopefully have those two fixed up in no time... and more hopefully, heal whatever it is the backlash did to Cadence. Are the supplies all loaded up?

"The ones headed towards Canterlot have already left, the building material and medical aide for the Gryphon Kingdom and Maretonia will be leaving within the next hour, and all the others are in process after that."

>Good... good...

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you get all those request forms completed so quickly?"

>I prepared them after the Chitania incident, they just required some subtle tweaking.

"I see."

>Keep the guard stationed around them, have any crystal pegasi soldiers ready to fly in case we receive word that more aide is required, and make sure everyone knows the royal family is all safe, and the danger has passed.

"Yes ma'am!... Heh, sounds like we missed out on quite the ordeal."

>You have no idea.

"Should we move the unconscious changeling in with them too?"

>...What?

"They came through the portal this morning, but we found them unconscious, but with no sign of injury except for some drain. We thought it was just another one 'testing their might' like the last three."

>...No, keep her in the infirmary, and don't tell Chrysalis just yet.

"...How... how did you know it was a her?"

>Dismissed, soldier. If Cadence gets her power back, ask if she's ready to take over so I can stop pretending to be her.

"Yes ma'am!"

With a salute, he was off.

>...Huh. Mother was right, I think I would've been pretty good at this.
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>Spike
"Arana"
~~~

>Was I really that bad?

How he managed to balance atop the changeling as she skittered towards his bedroom, he had no idea. He did understand that anyone looking at him right now would probably think he looked rather strange, a dragon riding atop a spider-changeling.

"You were kind'a scary, yeah... okay, really scary. But nothing Auntie Chitania couldn't handle!"

>...

"...I mean, Chitania."

>You don't have to pretend. Either about that, or how really scary I was.

She looked straight ahead, eyes unblinking.

"You were pretty scary... but it wasn't you, you know! Everyone was scary with that stuff! It didn't matter if you were a pony or what!"

>Did I really grow as big as she gets?

"...Yeah, you did."

>...I want to hear this from you, did I really almost beat her?

She was silent for a long, long time after that.

"...Yeah, you did. You almost had her, but she figured out something, and she stopped you."

>And now she's running around, and it's all my fault...

"Ta' be fair, Spike? I think Applejack was really happy she was here, she protected us great and beat up pretty much everything gettin' Applejack to the bomb. She even caught her when she fell!"

>...Glad someone did.

"Oh, come on! You did a lotta things too!"

A nurse pony suddenly rushed past them, carrying quite a lot of towels before banking at the next hallway junction and tearing off.

Mindful, Arana avoided all of the green splotches on the ground she had left in her wake.

>...yeah... did a lot of things...

"Spike?"

>Hey, Arana? Can we make a detour?

"Oh! Sure! Where do ya' wanna go?"

He sighed, gesturing in the direction the nurse had turned.

>I think you know.

"Oh... oh..."

>...

"...That bad?"

>...

"...that bad..."

Wordlessly, she nodded and started of in that direction.

Spike, on the other hand, reached for a gun that just wasn't there.

>...This is going to suck...
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>Flim
"Flam"
'Guard'
[BB]
{HM}
~~~

>This is an outrage!

"An insult, my brother! AN INSULT!"

>To our very beings!

"Our very valor!"

'I don't care, you're not released, you have to go back in your cells.'

>But we fought for this great nation!

"With our very wits and bodies, we kept this dream alive and heralded on the princess to victory!"

>We were vital!

"Irreplaceable!"

>"This is an outrage!"

'Look, we didn't see you, but I'm sure you did just great with this... pile of scrap. Which looks more like ball of metal twine, really... But if you want to try to use this for a lighter sentence, talk to the princesses.'

>Well... where are they!?

'The two overseeing your sentencing are Princess Celestia and Applejack, respectively.'

'And they are either unconscious or gone, respectively. So, guess what? You're spending the night down there. Or a lot of nights, depending.'

>...Blueblood?

"Help?"

The exiled prince winced, but could only look away in shame.



{Sorry, guys, but I guess... he's kind of right.}

'Thank you.'

{Don't worry, the minute she wakes up, I'll talk to her. You two were a big help, I'm sure she'll reduce your sentence at the bare minimum. Who knows? She might do better, but you've got to play along for now.}

A bitter growl left the two in tandem.

>Knew this wasn't going to work.

"I warned you."

>No, I warned you.

"I WARNED YOU!"

>ME!
"ME!"
>ME-
'ENOUGH! Come along, or I will make you.'

Sadly, they were led away.

[...]

{Not your fault, pal, we'll see about getting them out.}



{Well, we'll try to make you keep it.}

[Yes... I suppose...]

{Hey, come on, Applejack watched them help save the day, you really think she'll let them just rot in prison after that?}

[...I suppose not...]

The two shared a look, and sighed.

{Yeah, I hoped she would show up too.}

[I'm just happy she got to safety.]

{Yeah, sure, me too...}

[Whatever to survive, after all... whatever it takes...]
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>PJ
"???"
~~~~

It was happening again.

She was seeing it all over again.

She was seeing the world shift and change. She was feeling the weight of her sack upon her back. She was experiencing the tingle all over her chitin as the magic did its work. She tasted the slightly chilled, sharp air of a land covered in crystal and surrounded by snow.

And the ringing in her head began all over again when she finally stepped through.

>I made it.

She was out, she was free. There were no monsters over here, and she was fairly certain they would not be making the trek through the snow anytime soon. They looked like plants, and if there was one thing plants hated more than anything else, it was cold, and ice.

The ringing intensified as she looked through the empty, barren room, and shifted the sack upon her back. She was out, she was free. She did not have to fight. She did not have to risk anything. She was going to survive.

She was going to survive.

>...I'm gonna live.

The words sounded so... hollow.

>I-I can... can probably tell them about it. Yeah, I guess I could tell the guards, and then... then they could...

Do what?

>Go die, I guess. Go over there and fight, try to protect their royals, and die. If anyone is even alive to fight for at all. They could just go use the...

Oh, right, she thought to herself, she drained the portal dry getting here.

>Well... it's not like they could all go through anyway, they'd only get, what, a couple? Maybe six? Not enough to fight. Yeah, it would be pointless. Just one wouldn't matter...

The mechanisms on her legs suddenly felt very, very heavy.

>...Just one pony doesn't matter. Not even two. Nah, they should be here, surviving. They aren't going to matter next to ponies as powerful as gods, right? That's pointless. Just need to hide here. In this place. This place...

That's when she thought of them, and it started to hurt.

>N-NO! No. That's dumb. He said he's happy you're out here, surviving, so if he's not he can just deal with it, it's all his fault for not speaking his mind anyway. Yeah, he could have come if he wanted, but he said he was going to stay! It's his fault, all his fault, if something happens. I told him he wouldn't matter in the fight, I ordered him to come, but he stayed. It's his fault. I've got all I need right here...

Resolutely, she tapped her sack.

>...And here.

Just as sternly, she tapped her swords.

>I can survive this no matter what happens. That's what my Queen said to do, and she was smarter than anyone... except in the end, but you know what? That just proves I was smart to get out of there. She stuck around, and what happened there? That's right, she's gone. She's gone and never coming back. She didn't survive, and she has nobody to blame but herself, just like Blueblood... she couldn't win, but she charged in anyway. She couldn't win, but... but she...

That ringing in her head suddenly hurt, a lot.

>...She couldn't win. It didn't matter. She should have just taken what she needed and left. Started over. Survived. Just like-

Her hoof shook, just a bit, causing the weight on her back to slip free and all of the contents of her sack fell out.

Spuds scattered across the floor, them and several tiny machines.

With that same, shaking hoof, she started to pick them back up.

>I-I've got all I need right here... just this... I can survive with just this, I know I can, I've done it before. It's his fault. I just need this...

She was positively unstable as she picked up another of the potatoes holding it up right in front of her face.

>This gives me everything I need... I...

She felt the wetness on her cheeks before she even knew it was happening.

>...I-...

She saw the images in her mind again.

Blueblood being torn apart.

Haymaker slaughtered.

Twilight killed.

Spike shredded.

The hive dead on the ground.

Everything gone.

...And all she had were her potatoes, and her weapons.

Alone.

In the cold.

...forever...

>...I-It's his fault.

Her magic flared out, gripping the spud and splattering it like a balloon.

>He chose not to run. He wants to fight. You don't fight foes you can't beat. You don't fight foes you can't beat. You don't fight foes you can't beat! Survive! You've got to survive! It doesn't matter how hard you fight if you don't survive! It doesn't matter how many times you win if you don't survive! YOU CAN'T SAVE EVERYONE YOU HAVE TO SURVIVE! IF YOU CAN'T SAVE THEM THEN YOU HAVE TO... Y-YOU HAVE TO... to...

She dropped the sack again, scrambling backwards.

>I left them... I left them... I...

Her hooves gripped her head, pressing inward until it felt like her skull would crack.

>...You didn't. You didn't leave them. You died because you didn't leave them. You're dead because you didn't leave m...

She kept sliding, and sliding, until she felt her back press against something flat, and cold.

The portal.

>...I have to go back...

She turned, looking through blurred eyes at the smooth surface.

>I... I don't have everything I need. I need something else... yeah, I forgot something. I forgot it. I have to go get it. I need it. It's too important to leave. I need it...

Her horn flared, and the magic started flowing into the portal.

>I need to go get it. I forgot it back there. I need it to make sure.

But it would not open. In her frenzy, she poured everything, every drop she had, into the portal.

>I NEED IT I NEED IT I NEED IT I CAN'T LEAVE IT THERE!

The darkness came at the corners of her vision, and the world slowly left her.

>I NEED IT! I NEED IT! I NEED.. it... I need... it... i.... need... i forgot...

Never once, did it even flicker.

Not even when she shriveled up, and fell to her side.

>I left it behind... I need to go... get... it..

She only barely registered the sound of hoofsteps approaching, before the world went away.

~~~~

So here she was.

She had seen it again.

Only now... she could think. She could remember.

What she did.

What she didn't do.

What she wanted to do.

She remembered it all.

As the world returned and the light stung her eyes, she remembered it all.

"Welcome back to the world of the waking."

Pink. She saw... pink. Pink, and smiles. No, not smiling... a smirk. A cocky, winning smirk.

"I think you and I need to have a little talk."

She looked like the princess... but that was not Cadenze Mi Amore.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to sell you out to Chrysalis, but there is some things we need to discuss..."
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>Maid
"Janitor"
~~~~

>...Wow...

"Mmmmhmm."

>I mean... I was seriously going to hand this in.

"Yeeeep."

>But I mean... wow. I do not think I can now. I am not a mean pony, and I feel like this would be mean.

"Uh huh."

>...There are so many papers there.

"Nnnhn."

>These are all resignations!? How... I mean, this looks like a LOT of the guard names. Can they afford this? How can they afford to quit?

"Article 17B of the contract all patrons of the military sign when enlisting ensures that if a soldier sustains heavy physical or mental damage in the course of defending home, country, citizen or Princess, they are entitled to an honorable discharge on request if they feel they can no longer serve at their full capacity either physically or mentally, and will receive a stipend for no less than ten years following their discharge, with extensions available if the events effects persist beyond that, with a minimum renewal date of one year per request and no limit on extensions up to the death of the afflicted soldier."

>...So, they're all getting paid, possibly for life, for doing nothing because being turned into monsters was really traumatic?

"Mmmhmmm..."

>Huh. Should've joined the military right before this happened.

"At this rate, you'll have another opportunity next month or so."

>...I would feel bad quitting now.

"Mmmm."

>...Poor princess...

"...Mmmhmmmm..."
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>Chitania
"Librarian"
~~

>WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I CAN'T GO IN!?

The grey haired, blue furred librarian mare standing outside the very 'closed' library of her occupation struggled for a second. The obvious answer of 'Because it's closed' seemed... inadequate in the face of the very tall superpowered bug monster.

"...I... I don't know what-."

>It's a fucking simple question!

"But... you know the answer to it. I don't know why you're asking me this."

She snarled, an angry, faaaar too scary snarl.

"Look, the library is closed. It's so, so very closed. Even if, earlier today, my marefriend didn't bite me in the not-fun way and make the next six hours of my life disappear during what I can only assume was a screeching, zombie fueled rampage, it would still be closed. Our hours are over."

>I FINALLY HAVE ACCESS TO THESE FUCKING BOOKS, AND YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT STORE HOURS!?

"...Little bit? Mostly concerned with getting home and snuggling into bed."

>JUST LET ME IN AND WALK AWAY!

"....no? I am so, so not doing that."

>Are you serious!? Do you have any idea who I am!?

"T-threatening me is against the law, A-and it would, uh... get you banned?"

>...

"...There's a LOT of books in there.

Sure enough, just looking in through the window, she could see so many that the only way to look through them would be to carry the whole library to a safe place and go through them there.

...This was an option, admittedly, but not a good one.

>...FINE! When do you open tomorrow?

"I... won't? I have the day off... because zombies..."

>I NEED TO GET IN THERE!

"S-so, uh... wait till the day after tomorrow?"

>You remember I crushed this whole city once. Remember that? That happened. And now you are making me mad. I smashed this whole damn city to the ground, and you are talking to me like this. YOUR MOVE.

"...I'm still not opening this tomorrow."

>...

"...My kid loves your comics..."

>Leave.

She did so, quite hastily at that.

>...What am I supposed to do for two whole days!?
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>Chrysalis
"???"
~~~

>...Ow.... light is bad... light is not my friend... light is evil...

"Chrysalis?"

Every centimeter she opened her eyes may as well have been another inch of hot needle shoved in there.

>I taste pain... and a surprising amount of avocado.

"He snacks on them because Applejack puts them in the little waiting room in a bowl, and they're the only things nobody else touches."

>...Ah, right.

Slowly, she trailed her tongue around the inside of her mouth.

>Totally worth it.

"Chrysalis?"

At last, she could see again...And she really, really wished she had not looked at herself.

>Oh, fuck, I look like your cooking.

"..."

>I kid, Caddy, I kid because I love... it.

"Heard that last part."

>Ah, crud, that's the "I'm mad" voice. What, you're not seriously mad I laid one on Shiny, right?

"No! No I'm not. But Chrysalis... I need to know..."

Now that the fuzziness was gone, the bug queen could see Cadence had a very odd look on her face. Almost... desperate.

"I need to know... what you did to save him. Tell me how you did it."

Wearily, an eyebrow rose.

>Why?

"CHRYSALIS!"

Her voice had raised just a slight octave, just a bit higher of pitch. Frantically, she looked over, only relaxing when she saw neither Shining Armor or Forty Two had awoken yet.

>...Cadence, is there a problem?

Her head snapped back to the queen. She was not mad, not at all, but she was still very desperate looking.

"Chrysalis... I need to know how it worked. Please... you have to tell me."

The spot where she had headbutted the rock began to throb, quite painful.

>Why?

She still did not gain a look of anger. Instead...

It looked like Cadence was about to cry.

>...Draining love rapidly can cause their magical energy to burn out. It was unbelievably common for a mate of a Queen to die mid 'love-making' due to this. With unicorns, it is especially dangerous due to their affinity for magic. They can 'short out' their own magic with this, and thus make it impossible to feel love of any kind ever again. However, it's repairable, assuming you have a Queen with enough skill in magical manipulation as is required to see where the shorting is at it's worst, and apply just the right amount of love to repair it. Once the initial shorting is repaired, it is simply a matter of evenly distributing it so it flows into the heart, and pumps through the veins. Shiny couldn't simply be repaired from giving him more love, you had to find the parts that were sealed up, open them, and then gently put it all back. Enough for his own heart to start pumping again, at the very least. It's nothing you could have fixed without knowing, Cadence.

This, strangely, seemed to only make her look worse.

>...But hey, that's why you have me, right? HAH! Always ready to deliver Shiny some love, and I'm not to stingy with accepting it right back either. Plenty of 'entry points' he doesn't need to work so hard to open, if you get my drift!

"..."

>I'm talking about-

"I GET IT!"

>Just gotta double check, with how often yours gets used I wouldn't be surprised if you forgot it was there.

"CHRYSALIS!"

>HAH! I-nnnggghhhh ow... ow ow ow...

"Be careful, you just barely lasted the whole trip here."

This was, quite possibly, the first time Chrysalis had ever heard Cadence speak to her with a truly soft, concerned tone.

>It wasn't that bad.

"YES IT WAS!"

Her voice had raised up again, strained, but there.

"You had nothing left, you shouldn't have had enough to light a candle, let alone something like... I have no idea where you got the power to..."

She smirked, a weak, tired smirk, before attempting to ruffle Chrysalis's hair... and failing.

>Come on, I've always got power, even when I don't look it.

"Chrysalis... you shouldn't have had enough..."

>...Heh, I'm fine. Trust me when I say, totally worth it. Saved the day, didn't I? Me and Twilight, showing that fucking plant who's boss.

"Yes... you did."

>Well, enough chit chat! Zap me with your love-power so I can get outta this bed already!

Stricken, the princess looked away.

"I... I can't..."

>What?

"The backlash must've... been too bad when it broke my shield. I can't use my magic. I haven't been able to since it happened."

>Oh... Ah, well, it'll be fine in a day or so.

"Of course it will... of course."

>...Hey, Caddy?

"Hm?"

>Sorry. Next time... I'll remember to tell you what that teleport stone does before the zombies invade.

She blinked, wide eyed and shocked.

"...Do you mean that in the 'there won't be a next time so I don't have to tell', or-"

>No... the other thing. Sorry, that whole mess just... backfired. I thought I had everything planned so you guys would come out okay... I guess I was wrong.

Her jaw would have went through the floor if it had not been made of a sturdy material.

>Heh... yeah. Had this great big, intricate plan... but it all just fell apart. If Twibright wasn't so smart, we'd all be screwed. Sorry... I'll tell you guys next time.

She honestly didn't know what to say, how to react, what possible words she could speak in the face of something like that. What, really, could she?

"...Chrysalis?"

>Hmm?

"If we're being honest... there's probably something you should know."

>...Oh?

"There have been some recent... developments with me.... and Shiny... and Eighteen..."

>........Oh?

"Well... it sort of started just after Shiny's birthday..."

~~~~

The whole castle jumped.

Every single solitary one of them jumped straight up with freight.

Because they had heard it.

They had all heard it. Every one.

>WHAT!?

The ringing in their ears would take quite a while before it left.
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>Chitania
"Lucky Stirkes"
~~~

>Zzzzz....ZZZZZzzzz...

"... you have nobody to blame but yourself, Lucky old boy. You could've quit with the other guards, but no. You said you wanted to keep protecting Equestria, keep serving your Princess.... whelp. Here it is. This is the job. This is the life you chose."

>ZZzzzz...ZZZZZZZzzzzz...

"...I hope my mom gets a decent life insurance policy."

>ZZZzzz... ZZZ-HRK!...

"...Miss?"

>WHHHAAAATTTT!?

"You, uh, you can't sleep on the park benches. It's against the law."

>What!? I got here first! You can't call dibs when I'm already here!

"Not the issue."

>Fuck you, I needed a place to sleep! I've had a big day!

"Yeah, can't deny that, you most certainly did that. Still, not the issue. Sleeping on park benches is illegal."

>WHY!?

"It encourages vagrancy, I guess? Not to mention the littering and general public unrest of a homeless pony snoring in the open... and that's ponies. You're uh... scary."

>I'm about to get even more scary!

"Please don't."

>Then walk away!

"Can't do that."

>...Are you fucking serious right now?

"Mare, I just fought bucking zombies by the horde. I'm a bit desensitized."

>...You realize of course that I effortlessly walked over that very horde like they were ants, after nearly killing a dragon made of the stuff.

"Well... you were kind of losing-"

>Finish that sentence. I dare you.

"...Sleeping on the benches is illegal."

>FINE! Then where do you suggest I sleep!? None of these tress are big enough to burrow into!

"...You burrow into trees?"

>Not right now! Where am I supposed to sleep!?

"I... guess you could go to the shelter over on ninth? I think they've still got some room."

>Shelter?

"For homeless ponies, yes."

>I don't need a fucking shelter when I can BECOME a shelter with a tarp and no effort!

"Just a suggestion. You could always go down to Everfree for the night if you feel more comfortable in trees."

>FUCK YOU! I'm not leaving this city so you fuckers can pull some last minute loophole and keep me out, I'm staying in this place! You know what!? Fine! I'll go sleep on a real fucking bed!

Angrily, she stomped off.

Patiently, Lucky waited five minutes.

Even more angrily, she stomped right back past him.

>You didn't tell me they would scream and throw things!

"You do realize you're the reason most of them are homeless right now, right? And that this is not the first time you have made them homeless."

>...Fuck it, I'm just paying for a hotel.

"Good call. Have a safe night."

>Go fuck yourself with a rusted rake, preferably not the pole end.

It took everything he had not to say anything back before she left.

When she was gone, on the other hand... he could not help but smile.

"Huh. Giant monster has a terrible sense of direction... who knew."

>I DO NOT!

"Wrong way."

>I KNEW THAT!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The train rattled forward over the worn tracks, jerking, bobbing, quivering, possibly doing its best to upend him from his perch, but his balance was impeccable and he continued to sit back on his haunches, forehooves placed flat against the cold, metallic roof.

The gauze wrapped around his forehead was about as much treatment as he’d allow to be done before he teleported from the hospital wing.

Right about now, it was mostly soaked in blood, but he didn’t trust himself to wait for a proper evaluation, seriously doubting he was capable of a teleportation all the way to this trains destination.

He wavered ever so slightly as the train took a corner, curving and dipping into a tunnel. He only had to incline his head slightly to avoid a swift decapitation, and righted himself on the exit.

The rushing winds were every bit as refreshing as he’d hoped, but even that didn’t do much for the ache his muscles felt after being thoroughly drained by his nemesis.

“Touché….”

He was far too seasoned to harbor a grudge towards his Changeling counterpart for the way their battle turned out. In the midst of such throbbing pain, he couldn’t remember the current score tally for who led the most in their little ‘beatdown’ sessions, but knew that the last one either evened them up or put the Changeling one ahead.

Either way, the future guaranteed them plenty of bouts to be had. No need to rush, because as it stood, other issues took priority.

As he came around to the ten-minute mark he’d been counting down to in his head, Jetset fell over onto his side, low-crawling to the edge.

It was time to check up on his other Queen.

Anyone sitting in the same train car would have been shocked to see a head suddenly appear at one of the windows, hanging upside-down and leering. But the car was empty… save for an alicorn with an orange coat and apple cutie mark.

She was on her side. Her eyes are closed. Her sides heaved ever so gently, undisturbed and peaceful.

Sleeping.

For a few lingering moments, Jetset continued to watch her, ignoring the pounding pain that came with the blood rushing to his head.

Yeah. She was okay.

Choosing to adjourn to Applejack’s side instead of Celestia’s was a decision made easy considering the Solar Princess was surrounded on all sides by those who would also jump to her defense in the highly unlikely emergence of danger.

But Applejack had no security on this ride.

Which was unacceptable.

With some effort, Jetset flipped himself upright and resumed his watchful stance, jaw firm against the winds and eyes focused despite the fatigue threatening to take him.

“I wonder if she’ll be nice enough to feed me once we arrive at the farm… I’m very hungry….”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Home.

That word had a lot of meanings in her life.

There was the home she was born in.

There was the home she lived in.

There was the town she grew up in.

There was the country she thought of as home.

There was the office she all but lived in.

There was the bedroom in the castle.

There was the bed she had left behind.

There were a lot of places in her life she had called home. Maybe more would come, maybe not.

It didn't matter.

Because as she stepped off the train just before morning and looked upon Ponyville, the place she had lived all her life before being swept up in this great big adventure that never seemed to end, she wasn't thinking 'home'. That word never even crossed her mind. No, home didn't matter. Not next to the word that truly owned her thoughts.

Family.

Family also had many, many meanings in her life.

There was the family she had gained that day she ran off with Twilight on a grand adventure.

There was the family spread out all over Equestria far and wide, sown in deep like seeds cast out in the wind.

There was the family she had found at the castle, ones she cared about with every beat of her heart.

There was the family of Equestria itself, ponies from every city who put their trust in her to make their lives better. They depended on her, and she cared for all of them.

But at the core of it all... was her family.

The family that sang with every beat in her heart.

The family who would hold her above water no matter the storm.

The family who kept her grounded.

The family who lifted her up above the clouds.

The part of her that she would never, ever, be able to cut free. They had taken root at her very core, at the very deepest part of who she was.

Family did not mean blood.

Family meant the world to her.

It was as she walked down that familiar, beaten path that it occurred to her how much she had missed them. How badly, right this second, she needed to see them. In her quest to make the world better, as much for them as all of Equestria combined, she had once more lost sight of them. Even as she pulled her little sister to Canterlot itself so they may spend time together once more, even now the rambunctious filly seemed to slip from her sight. Her sister was running ahead, and yet she felt tethered to that desk, unable to do anything but watch her go.

Ponies tried to talk to her as she passed. Words of thanks for the fact she no doubt was part of the ones who stopped that nightmare. Words of concern to her physical state. More than a few questions of how she had been, and what her life was like now. She ignored them all, white noise on par with the clop clop of her hooves as she walked, down that same dirt road that lead out of town, and towards her home.

No... towards her family.

The morning had not yet come, though she knew it would be upon them soon enough. Soon, the sun would rise upon this place once more, and show her that familiar land she knew like the back of her own hoof.

Except even now, she could see things had changed.

Tress had been knocked over.

Fences torn.

Equipment ruined.

...And yet again, that barn had been destroyed.

It was worse than the parasprites, worse than the tornado, worse than anything she had seen before. Her heart stilled as she continued on, her sluggish pace increasing ever so slightly with every step. Soon, she found herself in a full gait, and a sprint not soon after. She was stumbling, eyes blurry with tears as she raced towards the house in the distance. The lights were off, the door was torn off its hinges, no sign of any of them.

Her chest heaved as she ran, her body burning like never before as it begged her silently to stop, to punish it no more for a crime it did not know it had committed. She ignored it, running with everything she had towards that familiar porch, towards those familiar wooden steps, towards home.

Towards family.

But her body would take no more.

She stumbled, hoof bending inward painfully and sending her to the ground. She was so close to the door, so very close to her home now, she just couldn't stop. She desperately clawed at the ground, trying to drag herself the rest of the way, ignoring the pain that threatened to keep her down. She could not, would not, stop. No matter what it took.

Her efforts, though determined, simply could not change reality. She could not change her charred and burned hooves. She could not change the energy that left her body. She could not clear her vision, she could not repair her strained chest, she could not, she could not...

Even still, she tried.

“Applejack...”

She could hear them. In her mind, she could hear them. Those same easy, quiet whispers that 'thing' made her hear. Those voices that promised her so much.

“Applejack...”

Her head rang as the voice intensified, just as it had before. She continued on, scraping swaths of dirt as she tried to drag herself forwards. Nothing, in this moment, mattered to her more than going forwards. Going to them.

“Applejack.”

Nothing mattered, they needed her, they needed-

“APPLEJACK!”

The dirt upon her hooves felt cold as her neck slowly, painfully craned back. Her eyes squinted through the blurry shield that covered them, the mixture of haze and darkness making it all but impossible to see through them. Solid shapes would not form, no matter how she tried.

But that did not matter.

Not one bit.

She could see color.

Red, yellow and green.

That was everything she needed.

“APPLEJACK! Are ya'll okay!?

When that blurry, yellow bodied and red topped shape approached her, she could not contain herself.

Hooves encircled the concerned sibling before she had even made it down the steps, grabbing so tightly that the filly could not breath.

Her chest heaved as she clutched that red mane tighter to her chest, not even attempting to hide the tears that openly cascaded from her eyes. Her entire body wracked with sobs as she just held her close, finally understanding just how much she needed to feel that warmth against her, just how much she needed to squeeze her so hard she felt that little heart beat, just how much she needed to know she was alive.

Though the shocked filly tried to mumble her concerns to Applejack's state, no such words came from the owner of the two massive, strong forelegs that wrapped around her and held her close. Nothing needed to be said from the stallion that gently cradled her head into his broad chest, careful of the scorched mane atop it.

A third, final set joined them, gentle, motherly in its touch as it wrapped around both her and the youngest. An aged, ragged cheek gently pressing against her own.

No words needed to be said as she felt the rising of the sun rising in the distance. Those first touches of light tickling along her fur was nothing in comparison to the warmth that covered her, enveloped her, sunk right down to her very roots. This was her sun, all she needed most in this world.

This was her family.

“We missed you, Sugar Cube.”

She choked out a strained, yet somehow light laugh and nuzzled further against the matronly cheek on her own, pressing her head backwards and pulling the filly further into her embrace at the same time. Even now, the tears had not stopped. But they had changed. No longer were they tears of fear, of shame, or of relief. No...

These were the tears she could not hold in. Those of pure, unrestrained joy.

Her family was alive.

Her family was okay.

For a moment, the rest of the world ceased to be in its entirety. Nothing that had come, or would come, mattered. She had what was most important in this whole universe right here, and nothing could take that away.

Not even as their tight embrace finally loosened, and eventually they shifted away.

The four sat in silence for a long while, three set of eyes looking to a single pair that traveled to them all equally, taking in every one of their faces, searching every detail. She needed to feel them as much with her gaze as she did with her own touch. She needed to see them as they were, just as she remembered them.

They were dirty. There was a scrape or two. There was even a bit of pain in their eyes...

But they were safe.

They were alive.

...They were alive...

“...Well, what in tha' great hayfire of the eight moon happened ta' ya'll, sugar cube!? Ya' looked like ya' got inta' a hoof fight with a whole dang tornado that dun' sprung right from the great volcano of Tartarus itself!”

“Yeah, Applejack! Yer' more scorched than that time Sweetie Belle wanted ta' see the inside of Pinkie's Party cannon! Yer' so dark ya' could be onna' them changing things!”

“Eeeyyup.”

“Ah' told ya' them city slickers would be trouble. “Nah', granny,” ya' said, “she's just sittin' behind a desk, ain't no fightin'!” Ya said! Well, Ah' sure don't know much bout them city paperworks, but Ah' know all bout fightin'! And this gal's been fightin', sure enough!”

There was a subtle laughing from the door of the house, followed by the gentle steps of hoofs on a porch.

“Ahhh, come on Granny Smith, ain't no Apple gonna sit around while them there critters is causin' a ruckus, no ma'am! Bet AJ here had ta' fight 'em all, while they were on fire ta' boot! Jus' gave 'em the old Apple Family one two! YEE HAW!”

She choked again, stifling a laugh at her cousin's antics.

“Now Breaburn, don't you be encouragin' her! She don't need ta' be gettin' into fights with no burnin' monsters! Ain't that right, Big Mac?”

“...”

“Now son, you best agree with your granny right now!”

“Eeeyup.”

“That's better!”

“Uh, AJ?”

Two smaller hooves shoved into her chest, drawing her attention back to the filly that had not left her chest.

“Could ya' let up? Ah' can't breath.”

Reluctantly, very reluctantly, she did.

“So, what happened up there, cuz? Whole mess o' these things ain't normal, Ah'm guessin'. Also guessin' yer' the reason they turned right back to the sane folks.”

A deep, tired sigh left her, and she struggled to stand. She barely had a hoof to the ground before her brother was up against her, gently helping her to her hooves and supporting her with every step.

“Well, ya'll tell us over breakfast. We got us a great big meal waitin', and Ah' just bet ya' feel like ya' could eat the whole dang orchard, couldn't ya?”

She did not need to answer that. Her stomach did all the talking for her.

“See? Do Ah' know or do Ah' know?”

“...”

“Boy, don't you make me say it again.”

“Eeeyup.”

“Better!”

“We bringing him too?”

Applejack froze, blinking owlishly mid step at the curious question, and the more curious pointing her cousin was doing to the orchard beyond.

There was a beat, and then the sound of a body landing hard on the ground, a trail of leaves floating behind him from the branch he had fallen from.

Slowly, everyone turned to the trench-coat clad unicorn lying face first on the ground, alternating between moaning and bleeding as he lie there.

“...Ah' like his coat. Can we keep him?”

The family chuckled at the filly's question, the free stallion already moving past to help the poor unicorn to stand once more.

With her brother at her side, she felt once more she could move again, walk again, up those steps and past the threshold where the smell of a home cooked meal and the familiar scent of the country home could waft through her nostrils once more. Her hooves practically tingled with every step, the familiar texture beneath them as wonderful as slipping on an old, beloved pair of shoes. There was worn spots, scuffs and scrapes, but to her it could be no more perfect.

She still felt them. Every touch of warmth upon her, every encouraging contact, every wonderful sound of their voices. It rang through her, and chased the phantom pain in her chest all away.

At last...

She felt alive again.

“Welcome home, Applejack.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Twilight
"Celestia"
~~

>You know, you probably could have just left the sun raising to me and Luna, neither of us were as drained as you were.

The mare lying in the bed cracked open a single, irritated eye before flopping back in her hospital bed, groaning with pain.

"I doubt Luna is in any better shape."

>She's doing better than you are.

"And just what are you implying?"

>I'm implying that if that had gone on any longer, you would be dead.

That same eye cracked open again, a little shocked.

>What? Did you really think we didn't put it together? That bomb still went off, but everyone else survived the draining. And Shiny being unconscious didn't help matters.

"Did you see him before they carted him off?"

>...No.

"...Good. You wouldn't want to see him like that."

She winced at the tone, needing no further explanation.

>I thought so. Is he... going to be alright?

"I should suppose so, since otherwise I would likely be getting out of this bed and flying my sunny rear over to go see him while he still breathes."

That, thankfully, set her quite a bit at ease.

"Congratulations on saving the world once more, my once faithful student. We have made it through yet another crisis."

That, more so, managed to raise her spirits even more.

"...Now, that is a curious smile, considering. I am actually a touch worried."

>You aren't going to believe it.

"Twilight, a sentient mushroom has just recently taken over my city and was defeated by a combination of a pony riding atop a giant changeling and the smartest pony and the smartest changeling joining forces in their darkest hour to turn it to ash. If there is something in this world I will not believe, than I will thank you for the joy of experiencing it."

>...I think calling her the smartest may be giving her a touch too much credit. And I doubt I'm the smartest in the world.

"The fact you think less shows you are underestimating her to a dangerous degree, and yourself to an even greater one."

>Right, well... you're right, we did work together, she did help me.

"I assumed so."

>No, you don't understand... I know now.

A slim, curios eye poked open.

"Know... what?"

>Their powers. The changeling Queen powers.

"Oh? Which ones? I had heard from Shiny there was quite the number."

>...

The long silence that followed said more than a mile long explanation.

"...No..."

>All of them.

"I don't believe it."

>Every. Single. One.

"...How?"

>She gave them to me. She showed me everything, Celestia. She did it so I could save everyone... she did it so I could save him.

"Him."

>You know.

"...I... I must say, I'm shocked, I don't know how to respond. Twilight, those powers were her ace in the hole, the thing she kept hidden so closely for the future."

>And now, I know every one. I can't use barely any of them, due to a vast majority needing Changeling magic, but still...

"...She saved him, you know."

Her head snapped over, eyes wide.

"He was drained, I swear he looked dead... I couldn't fix him, Eighteen couldn't fix him... Cadence couldn't fix him..."

>HOW!?

The shocked, slightly high pitched tone scared her, just a bit.

"What?"

>How!? She shouldn't have had any power left to do anything!

"I... suppose you'll have to ask her?"

>Shoot! What a time for the portal to be down...

"She's probably not even awake."

>Still...

"Well, if you'll calm down, I'll just call Jetset and have him go see when she awakens and tell us. I have no idea where he went, but he never stays down for long."

>...Oh, dear, you didn't hear?

"Hear what?"

>Jetset was down in the cave with Seven. He was drained dry.

"Oh... odd. Why?"

>Well, Seven took him with him when he teleported, and drained him.... to stay alive.

"...From?"

>...Gunshots...

There was a long, pregnant pause that followed.

"...Why was Seven with Spike, again?"

>Chrysalis sent him with a teleport stone to get him out if things got too bad.

"...And this equated to him getting shot... how?"

>I... haven't asked him yet. I figured what he went through while he was under the influence when he fought Chitania was bad enough that he should get some time to recover first.

"Where is Seven now?"

>In... in surgery. They're removing all of the bullets and fragments, but they say he should be okay. Full recovery is expected.

"Good. That's very good."

>...Your voice doesn't sound very good.

"How is it supposed to sound."

>...Point. So... uh...

"...Jetset is not answering."

>Oh?

"This means he is out of range."

>...Oh. How far is your range?

"Bigger than Canterlot in its entirety."

>So... he's out of the city.

"...Twilight?"

>Yes, Princess?

"I might owe Chrysalis a cake."

>Ah. Well... glad to see you're okay, Princess.

"You as well, Twilight, you performed amazingly considering the circumstances, and I could not be more proud."

>Thank you...

"...Chitania has walked by my window three times now, I think she is lost."

>That's going to take some getting used to.

"I think a lot of things are going to take some getting used to. Especially with Shiny and Eighteen of all things."

>...Come again?

"Oh, hadn't you heard? Well..."

~~~~~

As one, all of Canterlot jumped.

>WHAT!?

It would be some time before the fear subsided.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NC

Now see, instead of, like, a confrontation or something, all I'm seeing is Jet underneath AJ's bed, and Celestia's all

>Mister you get out here right now!
"I am investigating the contents of this area."
>You come out of there!
"This investigation will take some time."
>If you do not get out of there right now I am coming under there!
"NO! It is far too dangerous down here, who knows what taps are underneath this area. For your safety, my Queen, I advise you stay out there."
>On the count of three! One...
"That is inadvisable at this time, and my professional opinion is that you reconsider."
>Two...
"I have detected several dangerous substances down here, and thus the area must be quarantined! I realized the danger when I went in, my Queen, do not worry for me."
>THREE!
*TELEPORT!*
>JETSET YOU COME BACK HERE!
"NGH!"
>YOU ARE SO GROUNDED!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>56
"Luna"
'???'
~~~~

>Okay, so THEN AJ's riding her, right? And FWOOOOOM! Flames shoot in out of nowhere! Guess it was that weird guy, you know? But it's still not enough cause then everyone just starts dropping! And then, Moons I gotta swear to you what I'm saying is true, it's as honest as your booty is big... Auntie Chitania RUNS UP THE SIDE OF THE MUSHROOM! Just... WHHOOOOOO! Just runs up the thing! AND THEN IT TURNS INTO A GIANT MOUTH AND BITES HER AND SHE GRABS AJ AND THEN SHE THROWS HER AND-

"Calm thyself! Speak clearly, or we will not understand thee!"

>Moons, moons, moons... you had to have been there, it was AMAZING.

"I was there."

>...Nah, ya' weren't, you were far away, trust me.

"Young one, we cannot... does thou hear that?"

>Hear wh-... huh.

"It sounds like... I do not even know..."

>Kind of got a weird texture to the sound, right? Like, sharp, shrill and...

"...Prissy?"

*SLAM!*

'MINE COUSIN! THOU LIVES!'

>...OH WAIT CUZ NO-

But it was too late, the other changeling had already charged him for a very emotional embrace.

Only to promptly be grabbed by a long black tendril, and then hurled out the window.

>....

"..."

*PRISSTOMPPRISSTOMPPRISSSTOMP*

'WHAT DEVILRY IS THIS? HOW DARE THEE BEFOUL MY-EEP!'

*CRASH!*

>...
"..."

*PRISSTOMPPRISSTOMPPRISSSTOMP*

'ENOUGH! I shalt not be held from the embrace of mine ki-WAH!'

*CRASH!*

>...
"..."

*PRISSTOMPPRISSTOMPPRISSSTOMP*

'THINE HORRID THING! THOU FOUL BEING OF DARK AND OF MAGIC! UNTO YOU, I CAST THE SPELL OF THINE END, AND SHALL RENT THINE SOUL-GAH!'

*CRASH!*

>...
"...How much charge does thine spell have left? Thou think tis would have run dry long ago."

>Better question, how long can he keep this up?

*PRISSTOMPPRISSTOMPPRISSSTOMP*

'UNTO THEE! I CAST THE SWORD!'

A green beam of light shot out from his horn, and landed square on the shadow.

'HAH! THINE END IS MET BY THE GRANDEST OF CHANGELINGS, THE PIERCER OF ROYALS MINESELF TW-NOTAGAIN-'

*CRASH!*

>...
"..."

*PRISSTOMPPRISSTOMPPRISSSTOMP*

'...Can you turn that off, please?'

"Tis out of our magical might all the same."

'I thank thee... Cousin!'

At last, he grabbed hold of the smaller changeling.

'We are elated to see thou still breaths and thine heart beats true! Upon the horror of our eyes did we witness the beasts most foul come upon us, descending down like the spiteful demons of beyond! And yet, none of mine attacks fired so true so much as gave them pause! T'was only the quick wit of the fairest of zebras that prevented mine bodies painful demise, and we found safety in her home! Tell me of what happened upon this day! Speak to me of the adventures so grand as to reduce the fair princess of the night to her beds state! Speak, cousin!'

>....

'... I meant now.'

>....

'...Fifty Six?'

>...you are really sticky, and you smell funny. Like that one shed outside the back of the castle that all the teenagers go to.

'...'

Slowly, he peeled the younger changeling free, said youngster noticing there was a very uncomfortable sheen upon his chitin at that moment.

>Cuz... what did you do in Zecora's hut?

'...It is good to see you are fine, Fifty Six, and I insist you take today and tomorrow off from school. But no more! Especially not flight school, the rates unto that place remain the same regardless of time spent. Good day to thee, oh princess of the night, and I wish thee a speedy, and fruitful recovery.'

She didn't say anything to that, too busy holding a hoof to her nose.

'Not, if thou dost not have issue with such... thine yonder bathroom calls my name. Good day to you.'

*ABOUT TURN*
*PRISSTOMPPRISSTOMPPRISSSTOMP*

>...
"..."
>...
"..."
>...
"..."
>...I will never be clean again...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>2
"Cadence"
'Chrysalis'
~~~~~

>So then I was like "NU UH!" but she said uh huh and I didn't really have anythin' back from that. So, uh, not mom? What would you-

"NO!"

'Don't be a spoilsport, Caddy.'

"You are a horrible, HORRIBLE influence!"

'I am pure, sexy, good influence, thank you very much.'

>Should I jus' say I'm sexier than her?

"TWO!"

>Whhhhaaaattt?

'Nah, don't go for that, too easy. You need to make her feel powerless, I'd point out more the fact you can fly and shoot-OW!'

"CHRYSALIS NO!"

'What!? She can!'

>I can.

'See!?'

"No flying and shooting lasers!"

>...Shiny said I could.

"He did not."

>Yuh huuuuh.

"He most certainly did not."

>...I can fly and shoot lasers.

"Not in this castle you don't!"

>NOT-MOM! IT DIDN'T WORK!

'Well, duh. She can fly and shoot lasers too.'

>DRAT! BUBBLE BOBBLES!

"Two!"

>Bobbles ain't a swear! I double checked! I TRIPLE CHECKED! I DID ALL THE CHECKS!

"I meant stop bouncing on him."

>...Oh, okay. Yep.

'...You get the feeling he's willing himself back unconscious?'

"The thought has crept in, yes."

>So where was I...

'The pink crayon.'

>OH!... I forgot.

"..."
'...'

>But that's okay! I gots another story! It's the tale of the buuurned marchmalley~ Woooooo~!

"We aren't telling ghost storie-"

>WAIT YER TURN!... It all went like this...

'...Gonna try that unconscious thing.'

"DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE WITH HER!"

>AH'M TALKIN' HERE!

"..."
'...'

>The marchmalley was over a biiiig fire...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________