Thread 110: Stories 31-45

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>Lavan
"32"
'Acty'
[88]
~~

>Is your friend alright?

'Ah, no. He is pretty much just... stuck like that.'

>Very interesting!

"I wouldn't find 'frozen in shock' interesting, but alright."

[WILL YOU ROLL!?]

'Um... bigger problems.'

[There is nothing bigger than what is going on right now! I'm about to win!]

"You have six dollars and a railroad."

[That's what's going to make my sudden victory all the sweeter!]

>This game... it looks very interesting.

'Isn't he supposed to be, like, sixhundred hooves tall or something?'

"The fact he is a living fireball didn't clue you in to the possibility he could shift in size?"

>Observing this would be interesting.

"If you want to see screaming and occasionally a pony getting punched, sure."

>That does sound interesting!

'Wait, you just want to watch? Wouldn't that be really boring? I mean, joining in sounds like more fun.'

"...You fool."

>May I join?

'Uh, sure. So long as you don't burn anything down.'

>I will repair whatever I burn.

[HOLD UP! I don't care who this guy is or what, I'm not giving up my headstart for this! Nothing could stop me now! I'm on the path to victory and this train ain't leaving, baby!]

'I'll give you an extra hundred dollars at the start, and you can be the shoe.'

[Deal!]

>This will be very interesting! Nobody has ever wanted to play a game with me before.

"Can't imagine why!"

'Do you need to know the rules?'

>Yes.

The room suddenly went black, time and space ceased to have any meaning, those inside were suddenly stricken by the coldest fire that had ever been frozen to their skin, and the stars themselves seemed to weep in agony.

>No.

[Holy crap! Someone close the damn window, it's freezing in here!]

'...'

"...You did this."

>May I go first?

[NO!]

"Ohhhhh shit..."

>Oh, okay.

'...Maybe this won't be so bad?'

[SHUT UP AND ROLL!]

"You know, somehow... I'm only kind of worried about the fire monster."

[ROLL!]

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NC
>Applejack
"Ponyville"
~~~

>OH CRAP OH CRAP WHAT'EM AH' GONNA DO AH'M GONNA-

*PBBRTT!*

>...

"OH DEAR FAUST WHO DID THAT!?"

"HOLY SHIT THAT IS A STRONG ONE!"

"IT'S BURNING OFF MY EYEBROWS!"

>...changelings did it.

"FUCKING CHANGELINGS!"

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NC
>AJ
"Various"
~~

>Annnnd, boom. Solved the Crystal Empire problem by pointin' out that they're bein' idiots and makin' Cadence sleep on the couch.

"THANK YOU APPLEJACK!

~~~

>Done, that there Pennydrop lady got her hind end bucked to the sky fer' landin' her airship in the street without a permit.

"LOOKS LIKE PENNYDROP IS BLASTING OFF AGAIIIIIiinnnnnn....*DING!*"

>And ya'll don't need ta' worry because Ah' said there weren't no invasion while holdin' this here element of Honesty the tree shot out at me, so ya' know it's the truth.

"THANK YOU APPLEJACK!"

~~~~~

>Done, Ah' bucked that there manticore in the head and now she knows what love is.

"ME AM FINALLY UNDERSTAND!"

"I wasn't even needed at all! Guess I'll go back to trying to beat Jetset!"

>Fer' the best.

"THANK YOU APPLEJACK!"

~~~

>Done, Ah' done broke that golem thing by staring at it for a bit and then it felt bad and crumbled. Applebloom, yer' grounded.

"AWWWWW!"

>Winona, here's a treat.

"ARF!"

>Wars done.

"THANK YOU APPLEJACK!"

~~~

>Done, Ah' finished up and won the game of monopony.

"I... I lost!?... THAT ISN'T INTERESTING AT ALL! I HATE THAT! GRAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

>Whoops.

~~~~

>Ah' burned Equestria to the ground... it's an improvement.... "thank you Applejack!"

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>Applejack
"???"
'Ponyville citizens'
[Guards]
{Changelings}
(Sunset)
~~~

It was getting worse.

>No no no no!

They were gathering now, from every corner of Ponyville, from the edge of Whitetail forest all the way long past the old library, they were gathering. The sea of ponies only growing, only growing more out of control.

With every addition, the choice was being taken from her. She could feel it, the options she had as limited as they were being stripped away. Soon, it wouldn't matter if she did step forwards, if she did decide to tell the truth, they would not hear it. As it grew, the possibility of her voice being drowned in the ocean of bodies became tellingly likely.

The only thing worse than that feeling of watching the wave grow was realizing that she still would not move, still would not stop it. She needed to act, now. She needed to move, now. She needed to do something, anything now.

But if she stayed, the choice wouldn't be up to her. She wouldn't have to decide. They would come to their own conclusions...

'How do we know you aren't under their control right now?! How do you know!?'

[Because we're not!]

'Oh yeah, that cleared it up!'

[Look, do any of us look drained or weak!?]

'Do they have to drain you to mind control you?'

[...Uh...]

{We don't!}

[REALLY!?]

'See!? You see!?'

{Hey! You said you wanted us to be honest!}

'Be honest about the infiltration, we meant!'

{What infiltration!? We're on a freaking tour just so you don't think we're evil or something!}

'Good job!'

[Look, what do you want from us!? They're clearly lower end drones, why would they know important secrets anyway!]

'AH HA!'

{Oh, that was smart.}

[Better than telling them you can mind control us!]

{We can't! Not for very long, at least!}

'Not better!'

(STAY BACK!)

Her student's aide proved invaluable. Magic quite powerful doing more to hold back the tide than any of the guards combined. Perhaps, with her, they could at least hold back a little longer, just until she could figure out a way...

(Look, I don't know the truth any better than you all do, but a freaking mob isn't helping!)

'You were taken over by them! You see the issue here!'

(I was taken over by a Queen, not a drone! Queens are different, way worse!)

'Like the one in the place that has a changeling running the government?'

(Ye-... uh...)

To say that was the worst thing that could be said would be an understatement akin to saying an apple was smaller than the world.

It set them off, and now they were struggling, fighting, trying to get closer in, trying to demand answers any way they could, as the fearful ones would. Trying to get to them, the changelings, where their answers would reside.

The princess remained frozen.

She could not bring a hoof to bare against them, the town she had known her life. She could not bring any of her magic to stop them, nor her powerful muscles. Every time she felt so much as a twitch in her limbs her mind was flooded with images. Terrible images.

Images she had been shown in the wake of the 'incident' that had lead to the changelings exodus. The sight of what a single blow had made of changeling number Zero Zero Seven. The sight of him broken, barely alive, was a painful reminder any time she so much as thought about walking over and moving into the crowd. A single slip, a single push gone wrong, and she could do such terrible things. Things she could never take back.

Nothing hurt more than realizing she wasn't willing to hurt any of them, even if it meant protecting the changelings. She had made a promise, swore on her life that she would, yet now that the time has come to put her words to practice, she could not. They were her charges, they were who she had sworn to protect, yet...

This was her home.

The choice of her word, her pride, her love for her hometown and her duty were all there. But she could not choose a one of them. She remained, and likely would remain, until the choice was forced.

Thoom.

That's when the choice was made for her.

A rumble like a rockslide, a powerful shaking like the world coming apart, exploded behind her. It was only with great difficulty, with an alicorn like strength, that she could tear her eyes away from the crowd, the masses, and to the sound that had stolen the attention of all around.

With ever second, the sound came.

Thoom.

Like a bell, sounding the arrival of the army, the sound came again.

Thoom.

With every beat, it returned.

Thoom. Thoom. Thoom.

She knew that sound. She had heard it, not quite a year ago. She had been striken by it, in that time. It was not as loud as had been, not even close, yet it resounded within her just as powerfully now as it had back then.

The sight of that monolith of power coming into sight seized her chest just as it had so very, very long ago.

She was not the Titan she had been on that day, she was not as tall as the city she had destroyed. Yet, she felt no less imposing, no less massive, no less powerful.

Chitania had arrived.

"Step away from the changelings, now."

She had waited too long.

The choice had been taken from her.

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>Fillydelphia Mayor
"Secretary"
~~~~

>I'm walking on SUNSHIIIIINE! WOOOWOWWWW! AND DON'T IT FEEL GOOD!

"Mister Mayor, your voters are panicking in the streets is this really the time for dancing?"

>This is the perfect time for dancing!

"Fine... why?"

>A doy, because my tenure is secured for... ever!

"..."

>While everyone else was all like "Oh, maybe the changelings aren't so terrible!" What did I say?

"You said they were suspicious."

>I said that!

"...because that one changeling brought to light your 'spending' problem with Miss Pennydrop."

>That was completely unrelated! It's because those shifty bugfolk can't be trusted!

"Uh huh."

>And now, look who's right!?

"You, sir."

>And who's going to point out he's right at the next debates, when his only political opponent called me out for saying it?

"You, sir."

>And who's wife is visiting her mothers?

"... You, sir."

>Damn straight, now let's celebrate!

"...Pennydrop does not pay me enough for this."

>Less talky! More celebrating!

"Wheeee."

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>Stalliongrad pony
"Stalliongrad pony 2"
~~~~

It was cold, outside of the military base. Not surprising to the pair, as Stalliongrad was always cold, but this night was colder, and it had nothing to do with the weather for the two standing guard.

>Are you seeing this, comrade?

"Da', I see."

>Filthy bug ponies have been infiltrating those fools in Equestria!

"Empire, comrade."

>Baaaah, do you really think bugs are not in land of white horse either? BAH! Like roaches, you can't squash them all, have to wipe out whole colony.

"Not our problem, comrade. We live in glorious Stalliongrad!"

>All glory to stalliongrad, yes.

"Not very enthused, comrade."

Slowly, the other one moved a gun barrel in his direction.

>Best not to be implying anything, da'? Wouldnt' want commander to hear it and think things.

Smoothly, the barrel was pushed back up without fear.

"Never, I know of dedication to glorious nation! Merely ribbing."

>Good. If any hear of dissident in ranks, there are punishments! We are not so foolish like Equestria ponies to get infiltrated!

"Why tell me? Do you think I do not know of this? You are acting strange, are you alright?"

Angrily, the gun barrel was shoved back.

>What did I just say!?

"I think it was something about not being infiltrated."

>Now you are hearing, comrade!

"Da', da'. I hear. I am just worried."

>For what?

"It's just, if infiltration were to happen, it would look terrible."

>And how would you be knowing of that?

"Hm, you are right, I don't..."

Before he could react, the others hoof shot out, jammed itself into his mouth, and held it there. The struggling was strong at the start... and then just faded away, before the body fell limp to the ground.

"Well, I was wrong!"

Green eyes flickered in the darkness.

"That doesn't look bad at all!"

The "Pony's" hoof waved in a series of intricate motions, and soon, even that was gone, and the prone body on the ground with it.

"BBB, I'm in... let's get started!"

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 >Celestia
"Guards"
~

>...How strange...

It had shifted on a dime, all of it. From loud, roaring waves of screams down to an almost rhythmic, in step march. Something had changed, fundamentally, to the masses. They had lost the inferno raging among them, they had lost the need to run and yell and bang. They had calmed. Or rather...

"Majesty? Is this, uh, good?"

>...No.

They had become focused.

They had calmed down just enough to turn from angry, scared mob to something else.

>Tell all the guard to disperse, completely.

She too, needed to be something else.

"Majesty?"

>I need you to do this quickly, they can't see anything standing in their way. It needs to be obvious we will not fight them.

"Isn't that dangerous?"

>More than you know... but what would be more dangerous is any indication that we are trying to suppress or halt them. They have questions, and they need to know we are here to answer them.

"But if what they learn of-"

>If what they learn of makes them desire certain changes, we shall deal with that. We are civilized ponies. When our subjects come with questions, it is our job to give them answers, and help them as best we can. We are not here to lord over them, and squash dissident or rebellion, just the opposite. We're not goddesses... I think that's been proven rather definitively.

"I... of course not, highness."

>Of with you, tell the other guard to stand down, and not make a single move unless someone is being attacked.

"Yes, majesty!"

He paused only to salute her, only that, and he was off.

>...Who's causing this...

She could see no leader, no head of this. Whoever it was, they had blended into the crowd, become a part of it. She could see it, as obvious as day that they were being led, but it seemed she was going to have to work to find who.

>It's been a while since I had to do some real political debate... I do hope my skills are still sharp.

The guards left their way, and there was nothing to block them anymore.

>Bring it on.

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OOCO
>Spike

‘Twilight’
“Rarity”
-AJ-
+Pinkie+
(FS)
[Dash]


>Ok so. New crossbow’s done…check. Is it as dull as dull can be?....check. Perfectly functional with sleep darts?..check, check, double check! Old Faithful a perfectly dull but function weapon of stealth and nonlethality. Because screw that Pegasus! AND THE HORSE SHE RODE IN ON!
***
Miles away a rainbow maned stallion suddenly slipped and fell on his face.
‘Ow….what gives? …Soap?’
***
>Sigh…finally, they are complete. I’m done.

He gazed at the weapons, all six of them, lined up on the table.

>Well…almost.

In seconds he had flipped them into the air again and caught them all, just as before.

>A BLA BLA-BLA BLA-BLA!
<Ptoo>

>Heh. I knew it was cool. Just…just the alone time kind of cool. …They’ll come around.

***
<Later that night>

Spike awoke from his dreams to a crash of thunder.

>GAH! What the heck!? There’s no storm scheduled tonight!

‘Hello Spike.’

>Twilight? What are you doing her-

And that’s when he noticed. He was not in his closet. Or his lair. Or AJ’s or Rarity’s or Twilight’s or any other bedroom he remembered going to sleep in. It had a more…cellar-ey feel to it.

>Uh…Where are we?

The lightning crashed again, flashing enough light through the small window that he could see them all. Six forms, and no smiles.

‘I’m deeply disappointed in you’

“We know what you did”

-Charity came on-

(You’ve been very naughty)

+And now you must be punished+

[In the non-sexy way]

All six mare started, and turned to stare at the Pegasus.

“Really!? Did you really have to specify that in this situation!?”

[What?]

“One of us is essentially his SISTER for goodness sake!”

[…I’ve seen the ‘research’ recordings.]

-Aw ‘fer Pete’s- -

‘GIRLS!’

They all fell silent.

‘Getting sidetracked? We have a job to do!’

”-+([Right!])+-“

As one they began to advance again on the dragon who was desperately searching for a way out that did not involve trying to go through them.

‘Anything to say for yourself before we begin?’

Resigning himself to his fate, he stood straight and tall, spreading his arms wide.

>I regret nothing.
***
<5 minutes later>

>I was wrong! I regret everything!

{Mac? You hear something’?}

{{…Nnnnnnnnope!}}

EVERYTHINNNNNG!!!

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 >Dash
"???"
~~~

>...and the most important thing to remember is, it's all about DE-escalation, and violence is a last resort. Thank you for reading the riot control handbook, signed by Night Stick... WOOO! We did it team! We got through the whole book! I know that was long, and I know that was a bore, but Twilight said we had to read the whole thing, and... well, admittedly, we should have read it BEFORE the riot, not during, but that doesn't matter because we got it done anyway! Now, who's ready to get out there and deal with that riot!

"YEAH!"

>YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT YE... Bulk?

"Yeah?"

>Are you the only one here?

"Yeah."

>Did... did everyone else leave while I was reading that thing?

"...Yeah."

>But you stayed.

"Yeah!"

>Okay... okay, so, I have to focus a little hard when I read.

"Yeah."

>Like... really hard. But it's hard for me to focus otherwise!

"Yeah?"

>Yes! It's a problem!... Ugh, are they at least out helping with the riot?

"Yeah!"

>I guess that's good. So... you heard everything?

"Yeah!"

>And you're ready to do the Wonderbolt Duty?

"Yeah!"

>You're ready to save the day?

"YEAH!"

>And you remember what I just read, right?

"...."

>....Me neither.

"..."

>..They stopped rioting, didn't they?

"Y-...Y-yeah."

>Whelp... I apparently need to work on my curriculum.

"Could use some improvement."

>...

"I mean, YEAH!"

>...

"I mean, yeah."

>Always a bright spot in my life, Bulk.

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OOCO
>AJ
"Chrysalis'
~~~~~~

"..."

>...Look, Ah'm not any happier about this than you are.

"..."

>Iffin' ya' got a problem, take it up with the biggun and yer' dang bubblehorse.

"Bubblehorse is Celly's thing, I just call him Shiny."

>Fair enough.

"...Why."

>Ah' assure you, this was a last resort. A very last resort. Very much considered sleepin' on the top of the castle before Ah' noticed they were re-shingling the thing.

"..."

>And Ah' also considered sleepin' in the fountain. Yes, the fountain, had a pool floater and everything, but apparent that there is illegal, and Ah' gotta set an example.

"...Why didn't you-"

>Because Eighteen kicks. And Forty Two punches, but uh... think that one was intentional.

"..."

>...

"..."

>...This is weird.

"Little bit."

>Let's just... try ta' get some sleep.

"..."

>...

"..."

>Probably help if one of us closed our eyes first.

"That's how sleeping works, yes."

>Ah' mean, we ain't gotta keep watchin' ta' make sure the other ain't gonna make a move.

"Trusting and all that."

>...

"..."

>...This is gonna be a long night.

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>Twilight
"Rarity"
~~~~~

>Is this what you were hoping for?

They were already on their way, heading up to assist the tallest of their royal number in what was sure to be a very, very unpleasant experience.

"I was... rather hoping that a speech would fix it."

>What made you think that?

"Well, you can't deny it has been rather effective up to this point."

>Huh... I guess I can't. Maybe we just haven't given the right speech yet?

It never ceased to impress her, nor did she cease to be thankful, that Twilight could still attempt levity, even in times like this. She remained nonjudgmental, no matter how loud the roars outside became. It was more than she had expected, honestly. Considering the target of her little act had been her dear sister in law, it was perhaps more than she deserved.

>Are you ready for this?

"Why, of course darling! This was all my doing after all, it would be rather terrible of me if I wasn't willing to get out there and answer for it."

>Are you sure?

"Positive."

There had not been a pause, there had been no hesitation, there had been no wait. No fear, no trepidation, not even any caution. It seemed for all the world as if, if anything, Rarity was excited to get out there and talk. With so much behind it, Twilight could do nothing else but believe her.

"Come come, let's see our public at last!"

>Right behind you.

Which was good, Rarity acknowledged....

She didn't know how long she would hold out if someone called her on her bluff.

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>SA
"18"
~~

>...You don't think they'll kick me out, do you?

"Really? Really now. You're worried about that. You. And for these worries, you voice them to ME."

>Yeah.

"..."

>I mean, I dunno... I don't think they would, but with how this whole trust thing is going....

"..."

>I'm just saying, it's not like I could get my old job back. Sure, if this had happened a couple months ago, no problem. I'd just take up the mantle again. But now? I'm pretty much jobless.

"..."

>You don't think they'd do that, right?

"..."

>You're right, I'm being silly. Thanks for talking me out of it.

"..."

>Heh, so silly.

"...Get out of my office."

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>AJ
"Chitania"
'13'
[Guards]
{Lings}
(Sunset)
~Ponyville~
~~~~~

She did not know which higher being she had angered, but she was sorry.

"I said, move."

The crowd before was slow to react, mostly of fear, very little of disobedience or pride. Ponyville was not a cowardly sort, but when something rampaged through the town it was very unlikely one would find them standing about ready to fight.

"Am I going to have to start tossing you? I will."

~AH HA! SEE! They do want to attack us!~

The pony's heart seized at this and the roar of gasps and chatter that followed it, already visions of death and destruction flooding into her mind. She stood such a little chance against the Titan, even when she wasn't in her massive form, and thanks to her choice with Twilight... the true power certainly wasn't off the table.

It seemed every choice she had made was coming back to haunt her this day.

"Attack you? That's cute. Tell me... what would you do if I did?"

Suddenly, all that sound, all that frenzy, died. As quick as a snap, as sudden as a bomb.

~You... you need to leave, now!~

"Oh? And are you going to make me? I'd love to hear this. If I suddenly decided to, oh I don't know, punch... hmmm..."

Abruptly, she made a choice, a chitinous hoof snapping out and poking a mane of twin white and green, just above the sweating forehead of the shaking pony she had chosen. All around her, the rest of the mob parted, leaving an empty circle only mostly filled by the massive Queen.

"You. If I decided to punch your head off, what would you do?"

~C-c-c-~

"Call the guards? Is that it? Well..."

Tellingly, her gaze rose, to the five still standing guard over the changelings.

"There they are... about sixty or so less than the ones I very easily defeated even after being attacked. What now?"

Brave, or perhaps even simply foolish, the new captain stepped forth.

[I'm going to need you to step away from that pony-]

"Or what?"

The corner of her lip twitched ever so slightly as she poked a little harder, the fear of the unicorn from before now in full on racking shakes.

"Go on, or what?"

[Or... or...]

He genuinely didn't know what to say. He was lost, entirely, on how to deal with her. With this whole situation. Much like Applejack herself was. The absolute last thing she wanted right now was to set her off, to convince her to fight. If she began, Applejack could think of no way to stop her, or fix the rift between species this would cause.

Just as she had been before, no better off at all she was lost.

"Then again, maybe I was being to rash, maybe it wasn't you who she was saying she would call. Maybe it was..."

Her hoof lifted from the pony's brow, at last allowing her to slump in relief as the tip of chitin swung around, trailing over all the ponies that screamed and ducked and ran away from it's point, until at last she came to a sudden stop.

Her tip, aimed directly at none other than the princess of paperwork herself.

"You. Call the princesses, maybe? Well... there you are. Now what?"

>Chitania...

Her words came out in a rasp, the dryness of her throat betraying her fear as she locked eyes with the massive thing.

>Ya' need ta' stop this, now.

She tried to put as much power behind it as she could, as much authority and regalia as she could manage in her current state. She tried, for once in her life, to actually give serious orders.

"Very well."

Even she didn't really think it had worked.

"You, all of you."

That same tree trunk of a hoof swung around, squaring itself instead on the mass of chitin and fear huddled in a tight circle behind the guards.

"Come with me, you are leaving and going back home."

{W-what?}

"You heard me."

They shared a look of, if not outright confusion than something akin to stark disbelief.

"Now, I said."

>They ain't goin' anywhere!
She wasted no time, at last her protective nature snapping into place as she put herself between the Titan and the Lings. She gained nothing but an amused look from the taller being.

"And, what, are you going to stop me?"

She tensed, ready to do exactly that, even if she had no idea how. This, if nothing else today, she understood.

>What in tarnation are you talkin' about!? Ah'm not letting you leave with them! Jus... just take yer' kin and leave iffin' it's that important!

A sigh, low and annoyed, left the changelings lips.

"That was very much the plan, but she insisted that I protect all of them. It's annoying, but I spoil her sometimes."

>Wha... what?

'I asked her too, Princess.'

Her confusion only became worse when none other than the ling in question appeared, seemingly from nowhere at all, having no doubt been hidden away until this exact moment. Something that seemed to cause no shortage of irritation to the Titan.

"I told you to stay hidden."

'I know you did.'

She might as well have backhoofed her, at least then Chitania wouldn't have felt it.

>Thirteen... why?

'Princess, it's obvious this situation is getting out of hoof, I don't want to risk my Hive. My mother can protect them, and obviously better than you can, so let me take them back to the others. Go back to standing off to the side, we'll handle it from here. If they won't move, I'll make them move peacefully.'

It hurt deeply to hear that. It hurt something terrible. To hear this from the previously meek and accepting thing she had once found nearly dead was even worse, were it possible.

~Are you threatening to mind control us!?~

'I don't want to, but my Hive needs me.'

~SEE!? SEE!? They're all just secretly planning to take us over! Told you so!~

It was a fortunate thing when her new 'student' stepped forth, she didn't think she had it in her to retort.

(Look, I don't care who your mother is, they're in the princesses care, and that's where they're going to stay!)

'Then she can come too, if she feels like it. Or does she just want to stand off to the side some more?'

She didn't want to look, she tried her very best not to look, but she did. And when she did, Applejack very much wished she hadn't. The changelings were all giving each other looks.

Very, very telling looks.

~Just let them go!~

~Yeah! Go on, take them!~

Roars of affirmative came from all around, agreement as strong as it was definitive.

[We're not going anywhere without the princess's orders!]

~Fine! Applejack, just tell them to leave!~

Her mouth snapped shut, tighter than a beartrap. Leaving would be the easiest way to diffuse the situation, it was true. Leaving right now would spare her any explanations that they had been demanding, this was a fact. She could leave, and with Chitania's protection no doubt be perfectly safe all the way back to the Empire. It was what the ponies wanted. It was what the changelings no doubt wanted. It was what everyone wanted.

They could all just leave, and move on. Maybe come back when things are settled down, maybe try again then.

It might work, later. Not now, not running, just later. Wait till everything is nice, and safe, and everyone will listen.

(Applejack?... What do you want to do?)

Except...

Everyone was listening right now. They were all waiting for her to say something. She had the attention of every single one of them, better than even the monolith of power standing not a few steps from her. They were listening, right now.

She just wasn't sure what they needed to hear.

"Or perhaps... you could tell all of them to leave."

Thin, sharp eyes trailed all over the crowd surrounding her, of ponies big and small, or rather just small to her. She looked to all of them one at a time, with a hunger in her eyes and a gleam on her teeth.

>What are you saying...

"If you are really so worried, tell them all to disperse, to stop with this whole mob thing. Princesses orders, after all, and I'm sure they guard can break up anyone who disobeys. That would certainly solve the problem, no?"

Her hairs stood on end at the insinuation, at the chilling tone in her voice, and she damned her for the fact that she was technically right. She could, just as easily, order them all to stop. They'd listen to her, she knew. She was a town hero, one who had lived here even when she was saving the world, they would listen.

~We're not going anywhere!~

~Yeah! This is our home, not yours!~

~You leave! Or else-~

Almost playfully, the Titan's head shot down, snapping her fangs shut mere inches from the shocked peach colored ponies face, and smirking with mirth as she scrambled back, falling all over herself as she flopped around and tried to run.

"If you want, I'd be happy to help. Free of charge, even!"

'Mom...'

The voice was low, chiding in an almost reverse of their positions as mother and daughter. It wasn't much, but it was enough for her to stop and raise back to her full height.

(Would you stop before a fight breaks out!? Is that what you want!?)

"Not really, no. That wouldn't be any fun, no one here stands even the slightest chance against me. Especially not you, unless you have another of those wonderful Crystal Heart's lying around."

She had a brave look on her face as she stepped forwards, Applejack would admit. Sunset was a rash pony, but she was not a coward.

(Maybe I do. Maybe I brought a backup just in case. Maybe I have one waiting right now.)

"No, you don't."

Not even a hint of the bluff had stuck, not a bit. Sunset was brave, but she could not outlie a changeling.

"Are you done yet? Do something already."

Her voice was low, yet a call to action. A call to make a choice, at last. Order the changelings to go, save her town and any fighting. Order Ponyville to disperse, gain their distrust and fear, be revealed for all the lies she had done to those she cared about. Neither choice would work, neither choice would salvage anything. No matter what happened, there would be hate, there would be fighting, there would be anger. But silence did nothing.

They demanded a choice, and a choice must be made.

That's when the voices came.

'Princess, she's right. Do something, or I will.'

More and more and more.

[Applejack, we need some orders here.]

(Just tell her off, Teacher! Say something!)

From every side, from every corner.

~Just tell them to leave!~

Banging in her ears like a drum. Hammering in her skull.

~Come on, Applejack!~

"Say something, pony!"

'Princess, we don't want anyone to get hurt!'

~Right, so just leave!~

[We'll do it if you want, princess, but we need orders!]

They wouldn't stop.

~Applejack!~
"Talk already!"
'Princess please!'
They just wouldn't stop, and her head was throbbing and pounding and shaking and the wailing and it wouldn't stop it just wouldn't stop!
[Princess!]
(Applejack do something!)
{Um... Applejack Pr-)

>QUIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTT!

Boom.

A bomb had gone off in the middle of Ponyville. A bomb who's force was enough to toss almost everyone away, to scatter them into the winds like leaves. A bomb that erupted from the unstable head and the new magic it had not yet understood. A bomb of magic, of frustration, of power.

Few had weathered it. Only the Titan and her protected child remained standing. Only some of the guard and select few townsfolk had landed on their hooves after being thrown. Only a scant number of the changelings had not become a twisted bundle of limbs.

One that was only the start.

>SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! AH' DON'T KNOW, OKAY!? AH' DON'T KNOW WHAT TA' DO! Why are ya' all lookin' at me like that!? Ah'm not a gaddang leader pony! Ah'm not a fuckin' general in an army! Ya' see this fuckin' crown? No! Ya' don't! Ya' see a hat with a little golden rope on it that MAH LITTLE SISTER MADE! "Princess princess princess" SHUT UPPPPPP! Ah'm not some dang super special pony! Why does everyone keep thinkin' that!? Is it because Ah've got fuckin' wings and a horn? NEWS FLASH! Ah' didn't ask for them and they ain't brought me nothin' but trouble! Ah' hate these things! But oh, ever freakin' choice A' make is now life or death all cause Ah' gotta whole buncha fuckin' limbs stuck on me like Applebloom got loose with doll parts and superglue! Ya' think Ah' wanted ta' be a princess!? Ya' think anyone asked me!? NO! Ah' didn't want this! Ah' didn't want ta' look after the fuckin' changelings! Nobody does! They're annoyin' as a one eyed bull in a china shop! And ya' know what!? YER' JUST AS BAD! THAT'S RIGHT! ALL O' YOU ARE JUST AS BAD AS THEY ARE! Yer' all whiny "Apppplejack fix this" or "Appppplejack Ah' don't know what ta' do" or "Appppplejack why is the sky blue?" Like mah' whole life just has ta' stop cause Ah'm a princess and you gotta question! NEWS FLASH! AH' DON'T CARE! Ah'm just tryin' ta' keep this whole country from fallin' apart because apparently Ah'm the only one who gets princess and superhero ain't synonymous! Ya' want ta' know why Ah'm not saying anything!? BECAUSE EVERY FUCKIN' CHOICE AH'VE MADE HAS BEEN A BAD ONE THAT MAKES EVERYONE HATE ME! Do mah' job? CANTERLOT HATES ME! Ask Celestia questions about her kingdom? HATES ME! Use the gaddang superbug ta' stop the fuckin' mushing monster? AH'M THE WORST CAUSE NOW SHE WON'T LEAVE! EVERY CHOICE IS THE WORST!

Her face grew red, and her breath short, yet she had not yet even begun to scream.

She pointed to every one of them, accusing and hateful, all while yelling as much to herself as them.

>Leave the changelings alone? AH'M THE WORST AND IT'S ALL MAH FAULT! Look in too much? AH'M A MONSTER AND NEED TA' STOP PRYIN! Let them find their own way? EVERYTHNG IS AWFUL THEY NEED YA' TA' OVERSEE EVERYTHING!! Take them on a trip ta' fix their image? BAD APPLEJACK! NO! WE DON'T WANT THEM! Ya' wanna know why mah fuckin' "Student" is currently a dang zombie runnin' on a rock in her chest? CAUSE AH' DON'T KNOW HOW TA' BE A FUCKIN' TEACHER YOU ASSHOLES! AH' DON'T KNOW! WHY DID YOU THINK AH' KNEW CELESTIA!? WHY DID ANYONE THINK AH' KNEW!? Ah' can't look after the changelings! Ah' can't do anything right with them! Everything Ah' try and do is WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG MAKES IT WORSE WRONG WRONG WRONG! And now, and now finally, just when Ah' think Ah'm finally about to get anything done and it's finally lookin' up! That GADDANG DO NOTHIN' NINNY HAS TA' GO AND GET A WILD HAIR UP HER NOSE AND FUCK IT UP! So you know what!? SHUT UP! Decide it for yourselves! Go on! You pick what ta' do! Cause apparently everybody but me has got the right answers, and when it comes to the fucking changelings and Ah' DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AND AH'M SORRY AH' TRIED! Ah'm not a dang hero, Ah'm not right, and AH'M NOT A FUCKING PRINCESS!

Her wings flared out, more of instinct than of choice, and beat down on nothing but muscle memory alone.

She fired off like a bullet, shot right into the sky and even knocked a piece of roofing off a building, before disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Before anyone had even collected themselves, she was gone.

~So... do we... go back to the whole mob thing? Or...?~

Everyone, be they pony or changeling, street sweeper or Queen, shuffled awkwardly, with not a response among them.

For once, it was them who had no idea what to do next.

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Non-Canon
>Pinkie
"Applejack"
~~~~
>Welcome to Not Night /pa/ with your host Pinkie Pie! It's during this time that content does matter, but I got gags to keep up! Now for our main guest...APPLEJACK!!!

"Howdy again."

>We've been getting demands to have you more lately. Why don't you do more public appearances?

"It's kind of a long story, but-"

>Could you shorten it then? My show doesn't really have much air ti-

"It all started when this one time me and mah cousin Peach were-"

>Oh okay you've already started.

"-so obviously we needed to prove we knew how to hula dance even though we didn't know a thing about hula dancing. When we got on stage for the audience, we hula danced like so hard that we broke our hips on stage in a terrible hula accident, so we became known as 2 girls and 1 coconut for months. It was a real important event though, because I learned that honesty is the best policy. Cousin Peach learned it rather late though 'cause there was another time where-"

>OKAY WE'RE OUT OF TIME! Thanks for joining us and have a good day!

"Wait there's some-"
AJ wakes up.

"-giant lobsters in this one. Awww...mah stories aren't long are they?"

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>Spike
"DT"
'SS'
~~~~

>NO ROCKET PUNCH!

"...Tasers?"

'No tasers!'

"Chains."

>No chains!

"Tear gas?"

'No gas of any kind, including the kind I know you just did!'

"What about bright lights, bright lights okay?"

>Are they strobe lights?

"Ye-... noooo..."

'...'

"What's the point of a giant suit of armor if you can't use anything on it!"

>Good point, why don't you leave the very terrifying thing at home and stop making us look like a tyrannical state!

"But you said I can't use sexy!"

'Because he is also a weapon!'

"Only when I want him to be."

>...ignoring that. Just, don't!

"You can't tell me what to do!"

VRRRrrrrr...

>...

'...'

"But this PIECE OF JUNK RUNNING OUT OF FUCKING POWER CAN!"

>Language.

"SHOVE IT UP YOUR DRAGON ASS!"

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