Thread 81: Stories 46-60

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 >Fluttershy
"Pinkie"
'Dash'
~~~~

"C'moooooon."

>Pinkie, no!

'C'mooooooon!'

>No, Dash!

"'C'MOOOONNN!'"

>No!

"Just snap your hoof and make it all better! You can now!"

>I managed once when I was in trouble, I can't just do it whenever I want!

'You could try.'

>I might turn this whole place into living, dancing crystal or something! Or make it all sugar! Or even turn it all into a big lightshow!

"...And the downside iiiiiissss?"

'Yeah, that sounds awesome.'

>No! Not unless I have someone who can stop it if it gets too bad!

"...Could you try on a little one?"

'You never knoooowww?'

>...

~~~~

"We can never speak of this again."

'IT'S LIVING IN MY EYYYYYEEEEESSSS!'

>...Told you so.

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 >Celestia
"Rarity"
'Scientist'
~~~~~

>ARE YOU BEING SERIOUS WITH ME RIGHT NOW!?

"I... don't understand?"

>You know the Empire is RUBBLE right now, right?

"Please stop yelling."

>And you come to me, just after I send off every single available soldier in my shorter-than-it-should-be army with almost a hundred scientists!?

"Actually, most of them are security, janitorial staff, technicians, engineers-"

>Not the point! I can't believe I have to point out that is NOT THE POINT!

"I... they said to bring them here-"

>What am I supposed to do with them!? I don't have a giant dungeon you know!

'You could just let us go-'

>ONE MORE WORD!

'...I-I need a bathroom in here.'

"I... I don't know what you want from me! They're all under arrest, most of them tried to shoot us!"

'Not most!'

>What did I just say!?

'...meep...'

>Look, just... just take them to the warehouse on nineteenth district, building seven, fourth on on the left you can't miss it is has a giant fucking sun on the front.

"We could put them in the-"

>Say ballroom to me right now. Say it. SAY IT.

"...I take it you've been having a bad day?"

>Little bit. GO!... And thank you for waiting, misses Centitrain.

SCREEE!

>Of course I know you're a female, how could anyone not? You have lovely eyes.

...Scree!

>Thank you. Rarity? Just... direct them to the warehouse, and try not to let anyone escape. If I have to deal with escaped scientists too, I will burn this place to the ground.

"..."

>GO!

"EEP!"

'...She is not quite what I pictured.'

'Yeah, tabloids exaggerated a bit.'

>GO!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>77
"???"
'???'
~~~~~~

He had been everywhere.

>SISTER!? SISTER!? EIGHT EIGHT! CAN YOU HEAR ME!?

Well, clearly not 'everywhere' everywhere, as he hadn't spotted her yet, but he had been to the Hive, he had been to the castle, and he had been to the streets.

He had clearly not been to wherever Eighty Eight was.

...Or where her body was.

>SISTER WHERE ARE YOU!? ANSWER ME!

He was also clearly making himself lunatic, but if anyone called him on it he was going to stab them in the face.

That would show 'em.

>SISTER!

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF LOVE WILL YOU CALM THE FUCK DO-HHRRKKK!"

He heard bones crinking, but not breaking.

Clearly, he needed to squeeze harder.

>OHTHANKTHEHIVEMINDANDALLINITITHOUGHTYOUWEREDEADI'MSORRYI'MSOSORRYFORLEAVINGYOUI'LLNEVERDOITAGAINNEVERNEVERNEVERPLEASEDON'TLEAVEMEEEEEEEE!

"...A-and I thought I had abandonment issues."

>SISTER!

"I have exactly four senses remaining, and if you take one more from me I will stab you in the dick."

>WHAT HAPPENED!?

"You should have seen it, would have left you gobsmacked at the sight. You literally would have needed to get your eyes checked after that one, it would have looked like the end of the world or something."

>...

"..."

>...Are you fucking serious.

'She WILL NOT STOP! SHE WILL NOT FUCKING STOP!'

Oh, Seventy Seven noticed, there's a guard over there who looks tired.

How about that.

"Well excuse me for being bitter I missed the biggest show of my life! Oh, trust me, I heard it! But "OH DEAR LORD!" and "HOLY SHIT!' and "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" are not fucking helpful! Share in my pain!"

>Did you... look out for her?

'Well, obviously. Couldn't just leave her alone.'

Eighty Eight would forever be thankful for his service.

...Not the 'help keep her from getting crushed' thing, the fact Seventy Seven let loose at least one foreleg of a grip to place a stern, powerful hoof on his shoulder.

>Thank you... thank you so much... I don't know what I would have done if I lost her again.

It was always weird to see a crystal pony blush. How, exactly, did they do that?

'H-hey.. just doing my job.'

>Thank you...

'You uh, you need me to stick around and get you guys to the group?'

>No... no I will take it from here. Thank you.

'Sure, just... call if you need anything, that's what we're here for.'

>I will.

He released the stunned solider, slipping his grip back to his sister in a thankfully looser embrace.

Sensing this was a personal moment like one sensed a firework to the face, he took his leave.

>...I am so sorry.

"I handled myself fine, thank you! I actually managed to help!"

>I saw that, he has the cuts to prove it.

"HE GOT IN MY WAY!"

>Sister... I am sorry.

"Oh... stop."

Her hoof mashed into his cheek, warping the frown of sadness as she felt around with all the grace of an inebriated monkey.

"...I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

>O.. okay.

"Come here, you big baby. Let's get it all out, don't want to look worse in front of everyone."

She pulled him in, letting him rest his tired, weary head on her shoulder.

>I'm so sorry... you had to go it alone again.

"...pfft, what are you talking about?"

For once, it was he who could not see, and not just because his eyes were shut.

But he could feel them.

"I haven't been alone for a long, long time... I just didn't see it before."

He would salute those presences behind him that none besides them would ever know was there.

But alas... his hooves were full.

He was sure they would understand.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NC
>Ghost ling
"GL2"
~~~~

>KISS HER YOU FOOL!

"He's got a marefriend."

>...KISS THEM BOTH, YOU FOOL! AT THE SAME TIME!

"DUDE!"

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>Cadence
"SA"
'???'
~~~~~

"Hey... you holding up okay?"

She never looked away from the heart in front of her, her magic sparking off in unsteady ways all the while while it undid any link, any damage to the misuse of her most sacred artifact.

>I should be asking you that.

He gave her a weary smile, knowing she didn't need to see it to know it was there, before firing off another bolt into the sky. At long last, the terrifying cold was finally starting to dissipate, and warmth was slowly but surely returning to their land.

The two rulers of this Empire were dog tired, nearly out of magic, and still somehow pulling the equivalent of an all nighter.

And it was tearing up a certain someone like a hurricane of razor blades.

"She still hasn't said anything?"

>Not since she got here and I told her what happened. She's just been sitting there in the corner.

"She knows you know she's here, right?"

>I don't think it matters.

He let out a sad breath as he turned to the one shadowed portion of this room, the one place with any sort of darkness in it.

And more specifically, the changeling just barely hidden inside of it.

"Is she doing this dark and angsty or just self loathing?"

>Self loathing. Something about running off and not being here and... you know the drill.

"She hasn't gone to see Chrysalis?"

>She doesn't want to leave the Hive unattended. Feels like they need someone here, even if all they can manage is her.

"..."

>Her words, not mine.

"I figured... you sure you don't want to come down here, Forty Two? You know we don't think any less of you for not being here."

'I'm fine.'

"...Gonna be one of those weeks, isn't it?"

>Obviously.

"Any chance we can just skip the self-flagellation and say a blanket 'gonna do better next time'?"

'...'

"Yeaahhh... kind of figured."

'Sorry.'

"I know you are, Forty Two... it's just how you are. I don't blame you."

'I know... that doesn't really matter.'

"Nah... didn't think it did."

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>Chrysalis
"Twilight"
~~~~~~~

Sleep to her used to be an indulgence.

In truth, so long as she had love in her 'battery', she could stay up as long as she wanted. She didn't need to sleep so long as she had some power in her.

But, she admitted, she actually enjoyed it quite a bit. She loved the restfulness of it all, the way the world seemed to slow down and just let her have a moment when nothing happened, and she could dream her wonderful dreams of whatever she felt like. Being a race of one who easily controlled every aspect of the mind, lucid dreaming wasn't exactly hard.

She could be anything in there, with anyone, at any time, doing anything. But oh, she didn't just do 'anything'.

That said, as put, it was an indulgence, a luxury, something she only had because she wanted it but certainly did not need it. Like a detectible chocolate cake or a blanket of the finest silk. She wanted it, but could very easily live without it.

Except for times like these, obviously, when they perverted her lovely indulgence and made them ugly, disgusting and cruel. A pain that she endured, rather than one she enjoyed. She hated to sleep, felt trapped within it and all it was, felt like the whole world was spinning fast and leaving her far behind.

What once was a fancy became a tomb, and she hated it.

As such, she almost felt thanks when she heard that song like voice, that siren call that cautiously brought her back to the world of reality in the waking time.

"Chrysalis?"

Like it had pulled her from the ocean, she was free.

And she was grateful.

>...You missed all the fun.

The burning light that flooded her vision gave way to a sad smile upon a lavender face, one that remained even as she croaked out her words like a dying frog. Eventually her eyes adapted to the dim glow of the room, leaving behind only after images that lasted no longer than a few short blinks.

It was here she realized they were, for all intents and purposes, alone.

"Actually, you're the one who missed the fun, I'm the one who missed the big stuff."

Her dried, cracked and chapped lips creaked as her cheek twitched upwards into a smile.

>I take it you got him back?

"And what makes you think I had anything to do with it?"

The tone was light, jovial and clear, giving away all vital information on that alone.

>I figured when you didn't come help us you were... occupied. Guessing you took the whole crew with you.

That sad smiled became just a little more sad, and a little less smile.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

>Meh. More happy you were looking out for Forty Two and Seventy Seven, those two get in the worst of it. We handled it back home.

And just like that, it became a little less sad, and a little more smile.

"So I've heard, miss big hero."

>I didn't stop her.

"No, but you did the more important thing, you saved them. Chrysalis... buildings can be fixed, but I have yet to deduce a way to put back together a splatted pony, and oh, I've tried."

It hurt so much to chuckle, but this pony just brought out that side in her.

"Even though it took so much out of you and you knew you might... you still fired off that blast anyway. No teleporting to safety, you stood your ground and you saved them. You did the right thing, Chrysalis... I'm not going to forget that. None of them are."

>You're acting like she wasn't fighting my hive like everyone else.

"No, I'm acting like you have been very worried recently about a certain hive getting, well... and yet, when it came right down to it, when history came calling, you told them to go one direction, and it wasn't to safety. Even though, considering..."

She hacked, wheezed and coughed as a flare of pain went on in her chest, clogging up any words she would have said in return.

When they finally came by later, they were whisper quiet.

>Yeah, well... let's just be thankful things went a little differently this time...

"I am... trust me, I am, and I think they're going to stay different, this time... So, to change the subject back to less morbid matters, I believe you asked a question! Well, in fact, Twelve is one hundred percent A-okay. He is missing exactly zero organs, all limbs are present and accounted for, and his chitin remains free of strips that had been pulled out of it. Nothing internally has been planted, nothing will blow up some day in the future, and he has been given a clean bill of health and will be telling you all this in person shortly. So!... Any chance you might give Applejack a chance now?"

The breath left her slowly as she tried to calm her flaring nerves, waiting for the tingles to stop before she spoke again.

>Twilight, I need you to be honest with me right now...

Such a declaration took her off guard, naturally, but just as naturally she began to nod her head.

>If he had remained there... if we had waited a little longer... would he have been hurt?

Thus came a terrible dilemma.

Twilight Sparkle was not a skilled liar. While, if pressed by say a maniac unicorn powered by an artifact, she could pull it off, for the most part she was quite poor at it. That said, usually she would take the past of least heartache for situations like this, ones that would help repair the worst bridges before they were burned completely, and hope they would reconstitute enough that if the truth ever came to light, the connection made would be strong enough it could endure the storm and remain.

Applejack was her friend. One of her very best friends. A friend who would stick by her through thick and thin, big and small, fire and cold. She was her friend till the end, and she knew it.

Despite all that, all of that...

"I don't know the exact details of what they wanted him for, or when it would start, but... no. Based on the experiments I saw, the violations I witnessed, the monsters I personally fought, and the fact that they were very openly trying to kill him rather than have him escape, and in fact sent off a monster to kill him bigger than the ones they sent to kill us... no. He would not have been okay. And if the other experiments I saw were any indication... he would probably look like how you expected him to look."

A shot of air rushed into the changeling's nostrils, pain throbbing in her chest as her lungs expanded. Slowly, deliberately, she let it all out, let if flow like a punctured balloon, and then she closed her eyes, and lied still.

>Yeah... knew it. Damned bitch.

"...So, that's it then?"

A half lidded iris honed in on her, the other eye remained painfully shut.

"That's just... it?"

>Don't know what you mean.

"Yes you do."

Her voice had taken a viper like edge to it, a hiss the leaked out between clenched teeth.

"That's it? It's never going to get any better? It's always just going to be... this?"

>What the fuck are you talking about?

A hoof mashed the pillow she rested upon, supporting the alicorn as she drew in nice and close to make her words perfectly clear.

"We're just going to do this same damn dance over and over and over again until somebody breaks? Until it all breaks!? That's it!?"

>Somebody did break already. Me, with my-

"I know!"

Her voice had risen, just a hair higher than she had intended.

And she had intended it loud.

"I know she broke your arm, I know she almost killed Seven, I know she almost started a fight that could have end up with you and a whole lot of innocent ponies and changelings just... I know all of it, okay!"

She reared back, hooves flailing out wide in every direction.

"And you're right! This one was one hundred percent her fault! She told Twelve to stick with this, she was the one who let Screwloose out, she was the one who forgot to file the damn paperwork to have a soldier down there, she was the one who fucked up and forgot about it for days after it happened and you're right! You're totally right, because Applejack lied! She lied to you, to me, to Celestia, and she lied to Shining to his face and she made this whole situation so much more worse than it had to be!"

She had lost what little control she had at this point, stomping around like a maddened bull and occasionally even knocking things over much the same.

"And then it gets worse! Forty Two, not her, was the one who found out where he was and got us over there in time! Seven, not her, was the one who found him and protected him when they sent a giant fucking centipede out to kill him! The A-team found those three first and Fluttershy was the one who saved us all from being crushed by a giant airship! She messed up and then we all had to go help her fix it, so she can't even say she fixed her own problem! I get that, I totally get this all! I just wish you'd stop treating it like a damn victory! It's not! It's a terrible thing that happened and we would all do well to move past it!"

It was hard to look menacing while pushing a little button to raise your hospital bed, but Chrysalis pulled it off admirably.

Even if it did make her look like an old hag from a scary story when her straw-like mostly grey hair fell over her face.

>This isn't the first time, Twilight. When that fight almost broke out-

"I know! You think I don't know that!? You think I don't know the real risk that every one of them would just be... gone! Gone in a mob that takes off before any of us could stop it!? I know!"

>Then why are you trying to act like this is my fault-

"I'm not! I'm acting like I don't care who's fault it is! It doesn't matter who's fault this is or why!"

>What? Of course it matters! If she's the one who is causing this, she is the one who needs to stop!

The princess didn't look at her as she finally came to a stop, huffing her chest in with huge gulps of air a as she kept her face planted firmly towards the door.

"...You know that event we don't like to talk about? Chitania's Hive?... Who's fault was that?"

Her breath was just as ragged as the princess's as she stilled, blinking in confusion at the absurdity of it all.

>The fuck do you mean? It was Variolus's.

"No... not directly."

>...What? Twilight, what the hell are you-

"Variolus was what caused the fight, she was what caused the war, she's even the one who caused what happened, but she didn't do it herself. She was dead by then."

Her whole body shuddered as she steadied herself, swallowing down a lump of horrible things in her throat before she could continue.

"It was a pony..."

Had the room not gone dead quiet, she never would have heard the whisper.

"It was a pony who was mad from grief because a monster killed the one he loved the most in the world. It was a pony who had seen his whole life destroyed in a war between two creatures who he wanted nothing to do with. It was a pony who, no matter what he had been before, became a monster from grief."

>But it was still Variolus-

"That's right. It was Variolus, and one side was more right than the other, and if one side had stopped it all could have been avoided, and if and if and if. But it didn't. A fight between two swept his life up into it, and when it took away from him he took back. He wasn't involved in any of that fight, in Chitania or Variolus. All he cared about was what got taken away, not which side was more responsible. It didn't matter who started it... the one who finished it was an innocent caught in the middle who wanted none of it."

>Why... are you telling me this?

At last, she looked back.

Looked back with red, tear-streaked eyes, and a deep crease to her face.

"Because my friends are doing it right now, and no matter what I've tried I can't stop them. They keep pushing it, and pushing it, and getting closer and closer every time, and I can't stop them. I try to put myself in the middle, but I don't know if I'm just making it worse. My friends are fighting, and I don't want to lose any of them... but instead of getting better, it just keeps getting worse. History is repeating itself, and I just can't stop it."

She stood up, shaky on her hooves, and no longer looked to the shock-ridden face of the wordless Queen.

"And now, you've finally got your edge. I wish... I can't believe I'm even thinking this, but I wish it was enough, but it's not. It's not a way for you to finally have an ear with Applejack, it's just another weapon to pull out if she should fight you. A changeling almost died, and it's a victory. It's just getting worse, and worse... and the worst part is even if I can't stop it, I know I'm not going to leave it either. I'm going to be right there, right till those two trains finally collide and take everything out with them. Right there in the middle, begging you both to hit the breaks... and watching as you speed up."

The tears never stopped as she tilted her head back up, back to those still shaking, unsteady eyes that she never looked at with her own closed ones, and she smiled that same sad smile again, never opening her own eyelids.

"I'm happy... I'm really happy that you got the chance to look at history repeating itself, and said "I'm going to be different, I'm going to do it right', and you did. And I'm just... I'm so happy Shiny had someone like you to catch him when she hit him and Cadence, I'm so happy that the Crystal Ponies had your changelings to help protect them, I'm happy you were there, and you were ready to give it your all, everything, when she tried to fire that blast. I'm happy... because it shows me that you're my friend, and you're not what you were, maybe you never were like this, and just needed a chance to prove it. You're not like them, the other ones, and I'm glad you gave me a chance after I let out Chitania, and everything got better between us. I'm glad we can have fun, and be friends and go do crazy things now. I'm happy... and I just don't want to see you end up like she did. Alone, nobody who cares, nothing to lose and nothing to fight for but yourself. You're my friend, Chrysalis... and she'd be your friend too, if you just gave her a chance."

>...I doubt that...

It melted like ice in the sun. Soon, there was no smile, none left.

And she could do nothing else.

"...Your burnout affected most of your receptors, your skin shriveling up is a lack of nutrients and your chest is in pain because you over-exhausted yourself and then fell on something. While normally I would prescribe a healthy 'find a deity to thank and then thank them over and over you aren't dead', in this case I'll just stick with telling you not to do that again. You're very, very lucky it wasn't worse, but if you get about fifty CC's of Two hugging a day, you should be walking again fairly shortly. If we can persuade Shining to get in there, who knows."

The stoic, technical and emotionless tone unnerved her, not of a friend telling her how it is but a doctor just stating the fact. No warmth, clearly nothing more than going through the motions.

She hated it.

>I'll promise her a bedtime story or something. That gets her to stick around for a bit.

"You do that. I'll be back in a bit with Twelve so you can see he's okay and give one of your rants that he did this and that. Try not to get out of bed to strangle him, make him come to you."

>I'll dangle some cheesy snacks or something.

"I'll have the fishing rod ready. Now get some rest, you need it."

She picked up any fallen objects with her magic, dimmed the lights, and prepared to take her leave.

But the moment her hoof hit the doorknob, a sound stopped her.

>Hey, Twilight?

A sound she only barely heard, but screamed loudly in her ear.

>...I'm glad you're my friend. Honestly, never thought me and a pony would get along, especially a bookworm like you. Heh, science types always bugged me, but you're... something else. Glad... glad I was wrong about you guys. Kind of wish... we had been friends sooner. We could have done some crazy stuff by now.

One last time, one final time, she looked back.

And one last time, she smiled.

"We'll have to make up for lost time later."

This time, for the first time... there was no sadness in her smile.

>...I'd like that.

She didn't know if Twilight had heard her before the door shut.

She supposed it didn't matter.

As the mechanism on the bed lowered her back down, she was left to nothing more than her rapidly approaching dreams.

...And her thoughts on what was to come.

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Non-Canon
>Pinkie
"Luna"
~~~~~
>Welcome to sort of Late Night /pa/ with your host Pinkie Pie! It's during this time that content does still matter, but I had a sugar crash which threw me off! Now for our main guest...PRINCESS LUNA!!!

"Wooo!!!"
She's shaking her booty in the air in front of speakers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1QUv4ERvEw

>Booty, Booty, Booty, Booty, rockin everywhere!

"Booty, Booty, Booty, Booty, rockin everywhere!"

>"Booty, Booty, Booty, Booty, rockin everywhere! Rockin everywhere!"
Both clearly had too many to drink.

"This mushic feelsh quite uncultured...but I've gone pasht the point of the caring!"

>That'sh great! Now...are you at the point...where you'd...where you'd be willing to...

"Well...I shuhppose..."
Luna leans Pinkie against the wall and slides her hoof down her chest slowly rubbing her belly. Pinkie blushes.

>You're...very gentle.

"Oh? ...Do you want me to be more rough?"
Luna smiles coyly with a more exploratory bellyrub.

>Uh...thish has been...another great epishode...thanksh for...thanksh for joining ush.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Cheerliee
"2"
'AB'
[SL]
{SB}
~~

>Soooo... I have apparently been summoned to look after you, as your various guardians have been wrapped up in what sounds like a cataclysmic event over in the Empire... where my snookums is... still have to watch you, apparently! What a delight!

"..."

>What's the matter, sweetie?

'She uh... she actually summoned you? Like... like with the fire and all that?'

>Well, no... more 'saw me in the hall and asked me nicely'. Not everything involving my life has to be about demons, you know! I have other hobbies! Look at this, I recently just stitched together this wonderful blanket!

{What's that say on the front? Something... something who-}

>Woooo ho ho, might've gotten carried away there....

[...Why are you looking at me?]

>Why are you here?

[...I don't have anywhere else to be...]

>Oh wow, okay, wow... so! Who wants some butterscotch cookies?

"They gots the little worms in them still?"

>NO! That was an accident because they were left next to my potted plant, they have nothing to do with the hellspawn of Sli'tha'clik.

"...It's got eyeballs."

>DAMN IT! I double checked for those!

'...'

>I HAVE A LIFE BESIDES THE DEMONS! I have a life! I watch movies on the weekends!

{About demons?}

>Well... I go swimming sometimes in the summer!

[In the lake of fire?]

>OCCASIONALLY! But I also... I also...

"...What?"

>...I need to get a hobby. And I'd get one, if I could just get rid of these pieces of... hey! Wait a minute! Where are my demons!?

'They took one lookit Two and then they ran off like they left the barn door open, screamin' all th'a way.'

>...NAGLEHELPON! SUMMON!

*FWOOS*!

~Who dares call-AHHHHH! THE LIIIIIGGGHHHHHHTT! IT BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRNNNS!~

*HSOOWF!*

>...

"..."

>...You are my new favorite student.

"But Ah' don't go ta' your-'

>NEW FAVORITE!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Chrysalis
"???"
~~~~

How long had she been asleep for?

An hour? Five hours? A whole day?

Five minutes?

She didn't know. Her internal clock was broken beyond belief a this point. All she knew is that she was really, really tired, so obviously it had not been long enough.

This meant nothing to the gentle magic shaking her awake, obviously.

>Nmmmhmmm!

"Believe it or not, it actually is bothering me something fierce to do this to you, but I need answers quickly on this one, it cannot wait. I am sorry, but I have to."

>Nnnngggh.

"Chrysalis... please."

Her eyes were reluctant to open, but in time, they did.

>Celestia, I am somewhere just north of 'up' on the 'fucked up' scale, so this had better be damned important.

She didn't need more than the look on her face to tell her the answer to that.

>I don't know how she got in there, why, why Variolus or anything like that.

"That's... that's not what I need to know."

The changeling shook a bit as she steadied herself, holding her head up quite painfully so that she could look to the Princess head on.

>...I don't know if she's still in there or not. In fact, since she changed into that thing Twilight said she looked like, but kept going... it's leaning more towards Variolus took total control after she was torn apart in order to win.

Grief struck her across her alabaster face like a mace, collapsing it in like a blow unkind.

>...But if she is still in there, at least most of her, it's not over yet. The mind is a tricky thing, hard to get rid of entirely. So long as there's a piece... there's a chance.

Her features never changed from that same heartbroken look, but a mist of something did appear in her eyes.

"Thank you... for not finishing her... I hate that I'm saying this, I hate myself for being so weak to think it, but I don't want to give up on her yet. I don't... I'm not ready to give up again so soon after a chance like this."

>You do realize she almost certainly caused and is responsible for all of this, right?

"I do, and believe my words when I say I shall not let this... atrocity go unpunished, I shall not ask for any mercies on her behalf, if indeed it comes to light she is solely responsible. But I am not one to deliver permanent judgement if it can be avoided. There is a chance she merely... made a mistake, and needs more than anything the chance to make it right."

>If you say so...

A twitch of a smile finally came to the princess's face, and her hoof lightly poked the other in the nose.

"Who knows, she may end up being quite the ally in the future, certain other city attacking individuals have proved as such."

>That has to be the most backhoofed compliment I've ever heard.

"I mean nothing but the good, I assure you. You're someone I'd be happy to fight with any day, Chrysalis."

>Yeah, well, tell that to Applejack.

"I have, many times... hasn't stuck yet."

>Don't think it's ever going to, to be blunt.

She sighed, wearily leaning against the bedframe, needing that extra support right about now in all her tiredness.

"I suppose not... especially after this one. You certainly have no reason to trust her now, do you?"

>Never did.

"Once, I would have argued you a fool... now I'm not so sure."

That, like a lightning rod attracting a bolt of electricity, grabbed the changelings attention.

"I know, I'm just as shocked as you, but it's true. I trust Applejack with... well, pretty much anything. I'd trust her with the keys to my kingdom if it came right down to it. But with you... she's a little different. She's a little harsher, more intense, more spiteful. She lied... I can't believe I'm saying this, but Applejack lied! Applejack! I used to think nothing could shake her to do something like that, but... you managed."

>Pfft, blame it on me.

Another sad sigh, and another lean, just a bit harder.

"Oh, I suppose you're right. Throwing around who's to blame or who is worse or who is better hasn't really solved much of anything, has it? One of you has the edge until the other does something, and then they use that event as a weapon for all of when you speak to one another. First it was the invasion, then Applejack being neglectful in assisting you despite her words, then came the lies, and then came the blows, and then came the fight, and so on and so on. You both have your events that you will pull out to say why you should never trust the other, and so long as those events remain you'll always have them... oh, but I suppose you've taken the lead with this one, haven't you? You've pulled out ahead yet again, just like you did when Applejack tried to attack you for your actions with Jugglejack. I wonder how long this one will last, before you do something and she takes the lead again?"

>Maybe I'll just stay ahead, and she could finally take the hint and get out of the race.

"Maybe... would certainly be preferable to what we have now. But I don't suppose she would, she's stubborn like that. Not that you would know anything about stubbornness."

>Don't hate the master.

Why on earth she laughed at that, even Celestia didn't know herself.

"...I'm not going to ask you to go easy on her, because I know you won't. I'm not going to ask you to forgive and forget, because I know you won't. I'm not going to ask you not to bring this up in the future as ammo, because I know you won't."

>So, what are you going to ask?

"I suppose all I can ask is that you refrain from being too angry when, one day in the future, this contest of yours gets so out of hoof something worse happens... and I say "I told you so" in the wake of it all."

She huffed, finally letting her head fall back onto the pillow.

>Guess I'll just have to play the game a little better.

"Oh yes, because secrets certainly helped Applejack, and it most certainly helped my former student."

She winced at that. Partly because she had twitched slightly and a pain shot up her spine, partly because she couldn't exactly refute it.

"...What are the risks of seeing her right now? Sunset, I mean."

>I'd say ninety to ten in favor of her casting mind control and fucking you up.

"Oh? We all have mental shields, wouldn't they be sufficient to hold back that?"

>From a drone? Maybe. From a Queen... hell no.

"You sound quite sure..."

A single fang glinted in the light as her lip pulled back, just a single one.

>I'm damn sure... so don't let her near anyone until I get there. I'm the only one who's stronger than her.

"You're sure?"

>I broke into her mind once already, and that's when she had a lot more power. I can do it again.

"And... when you do?"

>When I do, either I'm coming back out with Sunset, or I'm making sure she's the one and only victim on her list.

"...Thank you."

>Hm.

"...Chrysalis?"

>Hm?

"I know I said I wouldn't ask you to go easy on her. But... as a friend... would you do me one favor, and save tearing into her until after Sunset is either restored... or put to rest? She blames herself for this, I know she blames herself for this, and she will never not blame herself for this. She must be feeling so terrible right now... I know I have no right to ask this of you, but please... not yet."

>...Hrm.

It was a shrug.

It was enough.

"Thank you... I shall leave you to rest."

>Bout time, was after some kickass rabbits in there.

"Rabbits?"

>Don't ask.

"Heh... I suppose I don't want to know. Please think about what I said, Chrysalis."

>Get on already, Celly.

"Please... just remember you're not the only one who just needed one more chance."

With that final word, the princess took her leave, and left the changeling alone with her thoughts once more.

>...If the timing wasn't so creepy, I would swear this was a trick to make it so I couldn't move so they could blab at me...

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>18
"Pommel"
~~~

"Thank you again for the quick response, Princess Cadence."

>No no, thank you for your guard's quick intervention.

"Thank the princess for that, I'm just following orders."

>Of course.

"Just, one question..."

>Yes?

"Why is it whenever I say your name, some of the Crystal guard smirk?"

>...No reason.

"..."

>...Please get to work.

"Yes, Princess!"

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

~~~~~~

"Let's just get this over with."

To say Applejack was in a bad mood did not do it justice. If she had sung an opera detailing how foul her mood currently was, while it would be entertaining, it would not do it justice. If she had scrawled out on the mountainside a novel detailing the myriad of ways her mood was currently lower than that of a slug who had been pressed under the heel of a dragon, it would not do it justice.

Nothing but the crease in her eyebrows that spelled out the words of her foul mood in a language only the chosen one would ever understand could fully comprehend just how utterly sour she felt right now.

"So, do you think she'll be mad at me?"

Twelve, who was sadly not the chosen one destined to understand the ways of eyebrow-language, remained mostly oblivious and focused on his own problems.

"I mean, it's not like I ran away, I had to look after Screwloose! It's a job! She wanted me to get a job, right? This was the mission! If anything, I think I deserve a raise... not that she was paying me outside of travel expenses... do you think she finally caught on that I can fly?... Oh, fuck, she did. She caught on that I can fly and have been using the travel money to buy chocolate. It's an addiction! I need help, not hurt! This is wrong! This is wrong!... She's gonna kill me, isn't she? Oh, fuck, she's going to kill me! Okay, I need to write down a will really fast, so I can leave behind... fuck all, because I don't own shit.... wow, my life is depressing, and I now hunger for death. Hey! That all worked out!"

If Applejack had ever had a single care for all of that rambling, she would have already taken it out back and put it out to pastured, telling the rest of her cares that it was now running free on a farm upstate.

Her only real response was to shove him into the hospital room where his Queen did lay, and stifle a choking of shock at just how sorry looking the slumbering form on the bed truly was.

Grey, washed out hair that was only tinted with green. Skin that seemed to be hanging off her bones like it was a cloth draped over it. Shallow, quick breaths laced with a wheeze in there every now and again, and a shaking form that seemed chilled, even though she was covered in blanket after blanket.

"...M-majesty?"

She had rarely, if ever, seen Twelve shaken as he was, with that same look of horror and terror etched his face that would be indistinguishable from someone watching a childhood pet burn in the housefire that consumed the orphanage where they lived.

He tried to back out, and were it not for the shock-stilled form of the alicorn behind him he would have been long gone by now.

He mistook her unmoving form, reading it to means she wished him forwards, rather than the true answer that she just couldn't tear her eyes away from the one in front of her.

He took a deep, steadying breath, and advanced.

"M-Majesty?... My Queen?"

A snort rumbled through her throat as she shook, eyes fluttering open as dreamland once more ran away from her like the very dream-rabbit she had been chasing.

Internally, she cursed. She had almost put the bonnet on Mrs Fluffycakes, now she'd never look dapper for the ball!

"Your Highness?"

Like an eye of an eagle honing in on a tasty looking fish, her slitted iris locked in on the shaking, twitching thing before her, an orb bursting with rage threatening to consume him the moment she figured out how to shoot lasers from her eyes again.

A monolithic black hoof rose up, blankets rolling free of it like a monster rising from the sea. It hung high in the air, as if raised to the sky to reach up and pull down the heavens themselves.

In one flourish of movement, it descended upon his head.

...And did little more that let out a soft 'thup' when it landed, not so much as ruffling the fin atop his skull.

"...Oh the pain!"

He considered putting on more of a show than that, though he was clearly about as hurt as one who had been struck in the face by a marshmallow hurled by a petulant child.

But it was unnecessary, as shortly, a realization struck him, as did the fear of a certain changeling princess who had watched that marshmallow fly, and realized it was going to fall right into a mud puddle.

For while her hoof had not harmed his head, a part of their biology made itself very apparent when he found himself jerked forwards by his horn. The horn now resting comfortably in the grip of one of her many holes.

"Just tell me you had a reason for being this utterly stupid, and I won't order Forty Two to beat you until she actually sees all of that stupidity on the wall. I will fucking put it in a jar and document it."

So many excuses he had on his tongue in the moment before he stepped in here.

Currently, they all seemed about as sufficient as a spit-cup against a flaming tornado.

"...I-I had to look out for her... it's my job."

It wasn't really much, every single occupant in that room knew.

But, either through lack of caring or lack of strength to hold him any longer, she pulled away, and plopped back hard onto her now well worn pillow, her eyes closing against the painful light.

"I'll decide your punishment for nearly getting your stupid ass dissected later. And I swear, if you get caught up in this shit one more time, the only one doing the dissecting will be me. Next time, call for fucking help when someone is trying to bring the mental patient to a fucking fortress."

"I... t-there's no one in Ponyville-"

"Don't give me that bullshit."

Internally he gave a 'yes ma'am!' and stuffed that bullshit right back into his mouth before he said something stupider.

"Leave."

"Oh... okay. Do... do you want me to stick around and help Applejack explain?"

Those eyelids should not have been able to open that fast. To anyone watching it would not even look like they had opened at all, but rather teleported clear off her face entirely, and ceased to be.

Likewise, it would have looked for anyone watching that her irises did not so much as roll, but blink like a flickering projector. One second they were straight up, the next second they were directly on the shrugging, speechless mare.

"...I-I'm gonna take that as a no-"

"Leave."

He would have obeyed one way or another, he really would have.

But when her voice went into a low, almost demonic baritone, he obeyed on another level entirely. He became that word, somehow. He embodied it in a shining example for all to see.

And then it was just two royals in a room. Two royals and a tiny dust cloud that remained in the shape of a changeling, somehow.

Two royals, one dissipating dust cloud, and a whole lot of silence.

"...Well, he's fine. So... that it? Everythin' okay now?"

How one who's eyelids were already stretched open as far as possible could also manage to raise an incredulous eyebrow was a mystery that would baffle scientists until the end of time.

"Figured."

Somber slumping was not something Applejack was keenly aware with. Yet with her current show, one would swear she was a pro.

"Alright, let's hear it, what do ya' want me ta' do?"

When the Queen remained silent, in that same look of shock, incredulousness and just a bit of anger, Applejack found a pot of frustration inside her begging to boil.

"Ya'll hear me, what do ya' want me ta' do? Come on, Ah' know ya' want it. Public apology in front'a all o' Canterlot? Want me ta' strut around in a damn Tutu and sing about how great ya' are? What is it? Go on, tell me what ya' want, Ah'll do it."

As that silence hung, that boil threatened to start to burst.

"C'mon already, let's just get this over with! Ya'll were right, Ah' was wrong, Ah' messed up and it weren't yer' fault, just mine. That's what ya' wanna hear, right? That ya' earned it this time? Well fine, ya' did. Ya' earned it and now Ah' gotta pay the price, so just name it so Ah' can get it over with. Ah' messed up, 'bout got onna' yer' guys killed or worse, and now yer' gonna get yer' one shot! TAKE IT!"

When nothing, not so much as a single word came forth from the Queen, burst indeed it did.

"Ah' knew it. Ya' don't even want me ta' make it right, do ya'?! Ya' don't even want ta' give me that chance ta' fix it. Ya'll finally got what'cha wanted, don't ya'!? After allllll this time ya' finally hit the winnin' numbers and here we go! Ya' got yer' one event, yer' one time that no matter what Ah' do or say in the future, ya' get ta' pull out this and ya' win. Anytime Ah' try ta' criticize ya'? DUHHHH! "WELL AT LEAST AH' DIDN'T ALMOST GET SOMEONE CUT UP!" Iffin' Ah' try ta' tell ya' ta' back down? DUHHH! "WHAT ABOUT LAST TIME!?!" Iffin' Ah' tell ya' ta' trust me? DUHHHH! "TRUST YOU!? HAH! LIKE TWELVE TRUSTED YOU AND BOUT GOT TURNED INTA' A DANG SCIENCE EXPERIMENT!?" And then ya' win!"

While that ranting was quite loud, destructive, and impressive, Chrysalis honestly found herself a little concerned that Applejack could pull off a perfect mimic of her HAH!

That was her HAH! Applejack couldn't have it.

"So congratulations, Chrysalis! Congratulations, you win. You win, and you were right, and Ah' was wrong, and Ah'm always gonna be wrong, and you ain't never gonna let me make it right cause ya'll get far more outta this iffin' ya' don't... and the sad part is? Ah' can't tell ya' off on it. It's yer' call, it's yer right. Yer' the one Ah' lied to, yer' the one who was right not ta' trust me. It was yer' folks who found him and yer' folks who got him out. Ah' didn't do nothin', and Ah'm never gonna do nothin'!"

Her rampage ended at last with the sound of her well-toned back hitting the wall, and leaving behind a sweat streak as she slid down it, and ended with yet another slump.

"...You win, Chrysalis. Ah'll leave ya' alone after this one. Ah'll stop tryin' ta' get involved with yer' dang changelings. Ah'll stop lookin' over yer' shoulder or stuff. You and me? Let's just... let's just pretend we ain't allowed ta' be in the same room or somethin'. You don't wanna work with me, Ah' don't wanna work with you, we just go our separate ways and don't talk to each other no more. Twi and Celestia can handle dealin' with ya' over here, and Ah'll keep mah mouth shut on anythin' regardin' ya'. You'll never hear a bad word about you come outta this mouth no more, Ah' promise it. Let's just end this now, a'fore it gets any worse. Ya'll win, Ah'm worse than you, just take that victory and you go dancin' right back ta' yer' home with a win. Ya' earned it, enjoy it."

Her breathing became harder, more ragged. Her head started to shake, and bits of moisture flung free with every rock.

Sweat? Or... something else.

"Ah' can't help nobody, so there ain't no point in me tryin' ta' help them. Ah' can't watch out fer' nobody, why would Ah' try with any o' yers. Ah' can't stop nobody or protect nobody. Ah' just... Ah' can't even listen when someone's tryin' ta' tell me it ta' mah face. So ya' know what? You win. It's over, Chrysalis, final tally is in... you won, and Ah' lost. It's over..."

For all the emptiness that followed, she may as well have been referring to anything spoken. There were no sounds no words, no nothing but the dead air that hung between bedridden Queen and downtrodden Princess.

The silence offered many things. It offered the princess a chance to catch her breath and cool down the heat that had been building in her face. It gave the Queen a chance to blink again at last and wet her dry eyes.

And, most importantly, it gave a moment for reflection.

A time when Chrysalis could mull over the flavor of those words in her mouth like tasting a detectible treat. A moment when she could savor them, every one, like she would a delicious piece of love that came directly from the heart. A time when she could enjoy the flare on her tastebuds...

And muse over them as the more she chewed, the thicker and more... sour they became.

She had won, the fight was over. She would have danced, had she the strength. She would have laughed, had her lungs been able to hold the air. She would have crowed to all who would hear, had there been another in the room.

She would have done so many of these things post the initial strike after her victory hardened like glass cooling after a bolt of lightning in the sand.

She would have, but she just did not have the strength to do any of it.

Which means, for once, all she could do is be left in the silence with the princess, and her own thoughts.

Her thoughts... and Twilight's thoughts... and Celestia's thoughts... and Shiny's, and Cadences, and Two's, and so many many many others who had spoken recently or at length about this in the past. This dance had been danced many, many a time before, and she knew all the steps by heart.

Yet, when she thought about it, she honestly wondered if she had ever really listened to the melody.

She had won.

It was over.

Applejack had lost her student, her respect, her sense of worth and her hold over Chrysalis's head. It was all gone.

Chrysalis had gained the trust of the Crystal Ponies, no doubt. The thanks and well wishes of her friends. The home she had fought for remained. She had possibly even gained more allies than before, depending...

Applejack had lost.

She had won.

All she had to do was exactly nothing at all, and this was finally over in her favor. All she had to do was be silent, wait for Applejack to leave the room, and then swim in her victory like a pool of the finest champagne.

Her friends would comfort her, surely. Surely, this is what they wished when they wanted the fighting to end. Sure, they wouldn't be able to interact together, but that never stopped them before. It was over, they got what they wanted, she got what she wanted, everyone was happy. Everyone... well, almost everyone.

But that shouldn't matter. The big picture was more important.

She had won.

She just... needed... to....

"I mind controlled you once."

Not do that.

"...W-... what did ya' say?"

Her hat scraped against the wall as she slowly, eerily, looked up to the Queen.

"I said, I mind controlled you once."

"...Back... back at the weddin'?"

"Ahhh... no. Not back at the wedding."

"...When..."

"You remember that time you really yelled at me, and then I just left the room? Yeah, it was- what are you doing."

Blood started to seep into the side of the former earth pony's eyes as she rose, each hoofstep reverberating with an odd power as she advanced on the downed Queen.

Chrysalis remained still as she did so, never once moving or showing even a hint of fear.

Though, all the same, she reminded herself exactly where that button for the nurse was.

"You... y-you... youuuuuu..."

She was shaking with rage, as if her emotions had materialized into a swarm of angry hornets that threatened to burst out at any second like a horror movie with a crazy effects budget.

Not even the tiny hornets either, the giant Japony's kind.

"You... you... YOUUUUUU!"

When that hoof rose up, Chrysalis felt keenly aware of the fact she was far less likely to be able to deflect any blows this go round, and that it would be less like Applejack smashing a brick wall as it had been, and more what it would look like if she had smashed a paper baggie.

A paper baggie filled with organs.

She was half dead, and still she instinctively tried to call her magic, to scrape the bottom of a clearly dry well in the hopes she could at least find some mud.

But it was too late.

The hoof came down in a furious strike.

And, paradoxically, Chrysalis went up.

"FUCK!"

A scream of pain escaped her lips as the bed bent upwards, her spine protesting at the mere thought of movement, let alone any actual physical activity!

Uncaring to her look of pain, Applejack hit the control on the bed again, roughly slamming her back.

"You low down dirty belly sliding scum eatin' rotten apple chewin' seed spittin' carcass suckin' PISS DRINKIN' LAZY NO GOOD LYIN' MINDRAPING PIECE OF FUCKIN' GARBAGE!"

Instead of the cries of pain, as expected, the Changeling maliciously cackled as she was forced up once more, discoloring already appearing on her skin from the mistreatment.

This only threw her into a worse rage, slamming her hoof into the button over and over as if some wizard had cast a spell and replaced it with the visage of the Queen herself.

How long this continues on, neither of them were really sure. Hard to keep track of time when you're constantly being slammed about and/or in a rage so intense she could light a matchstick with her forehead. They didn't know how long it went on for.

But they knew it when it stopped.

Because when it stopped is when she started bucking, and breaking things.

"Ah' can't believe you! Ah' honestly can't! The one thing! The one fuckin' thing Ah' thought even ya'll had the damn sense in yer' head not ta' do, and ya' do it! Jokes on me fer' ever thinkin' ya' wouldn't do somethin' so messed up! Jokes on old Applejack fer' thinkin' there was one fuckin' line ya' wouldn't cross! Ah' can't believe it, and Ah' can't believe Ah' couldn't believe it!"

When there was seemingly nothing left to break, only one thing could.

Applejack broke.

She broke, fell to her stomach, and crossed her hooves over her head, mashing her hat into her skull so hard it hurt.

"...W-... what did ya' do in there?"

Her hing legs curled and her breathing became hard.

"Did you put somethin' in? Or... or did ya' take somethin' out?"

If she could have stopped it, it never would have come. But, alas, she couldn't.

So Queen Chrysalis got to see her cry, in addition to everything else.

"...Ah' barely even got pictures left, and then you just... You monster... what did you take?"

"I didn't take anything you damn drama Queen. I said... Mind CONTROL, not Mind ALTERING or reading."

The pause had been punctuated by a long, deep gasp and wheeze of pain, her sentence flanked on either side by deep inhalations of air as she struggled to force down the pain of it all.

"...What did you make me do?"

No more words could come from her pained lips. So, instead, she reached out a hoof.

She reached out, and waited.

"...Ya'll can't be serious."

She waited, and waited.

"I'll show you, I just can't do it yet."

And she waited, and waited.

When Applejack would not come any closer, she shrugged and pulled away.

"Fine."

It could have ended right there.

The Queen resettling herself into her bed to get more comfortable and the orange pony ready to stomp out and tell the whole world what she did.

She could take it back.

She could be the one who had the edge again, and the proof she and nobody else ever should have trusted Chrysalis. She might even be able to get her arrested.

She had the edge again.

She just had to move towards the door.

Just move, and leave.

Just... leave...

"Finally."

Her hoof hadn't even been in the air a second before a limp, weak chitinous one laid down upon it, and she felt magic being pulled from her.

Magic used to conjure an image above the Queen's head. An image that showed Applejack, exactly, what it was that had been done to her.

She watched with wide, stunned eyes, listened to every word, saw every twitch, felt every ghostly pain in her skull.

When it was finished, she was left with so many questions.

But, more importantly, she was left with three very important words.

"Are ya' FOUR!?"

"Nah, he's a sissy."

"No, Ah'm serious, are ya' fuckin' four years old or somethin'!? Is that it!? Am Ah' a freakin' jackass for messin' with someone who's four years old, and you Queens just look different!?"

"Well, regardless, you're pretty racist."

"What the fuck was that!? Ya' just made me talk!? AND AH' DO NOT SOUND LIKE THAT!"

"You totally do."

"When have Ah' EVER said the fuckin' words "Shukadoo"!?"

"I've heard you say it."

"You have not! That's not a word! What does that even mean!? You made that up!"

"Now you know how it feels."

"WHY!?"

"Because you used to-"

"No, why did ya' do that!?"

"You pissed me off. I come in there, completely reasonable, acting nice and calm for once in my life, with a very reasonable and necessary request, and that's what I get?"

"Ah' was havin' a bad day! That's it! Ah' was havin' a bad day and ya' made me mad!"

"Well, I was having a worse week."

"Ah' didn't realize that gave ya' full permission ta' make me a fuckin' puppet!"

"It just sort of happened, didn't really think about it."

"That ain't an excuse!"

"Hey, I could have done lots of things there"

"That ain't better! Why the fuck do you think that's better!? It is still the worst thing ya'll ever did ta' me!"

"Ehhhhh... you're right. Not better... call it even?"

On a dime, the whole world from the top of the north to the tip of the south came to a screeching, flailing halt. Everything, everywhere, just stopped.

"...What..."

"You heard me. This even now?"

"Even."

"Yeah. I know, your thing was worse, but eh. I'm feeling generous. Take it while the drugs are still working."

Her whole entire world just came crashing down around her.

She couldn't be hearing that right, couldn't be thinking that right, nothing about this seemed right. Nothing.


She could not have just heard, from Chrysalis, that...

"Just... even even?"

"I mean, cumulative, it's pretty close. Let's just call it square."

She wanted to punch her.


To punch her right in the squishy face till that smirk was gone. Punch her and punch her and punch her for ever implying that what she had done was on the level of Chrysalis turning her into a puppet like that.

She wanted to throw it back in her face, tell her to fuck off. She didn't owe her that, she didn't owe her anything like that. Chrysalis had done wrong and was trying to weasel her way out of it, like always. She should not have let this slide.

"...Who'd ya' mind control besides me?"

"Besides Shiny at the wedding and Fluttershy at Partyland? Nobody."

"Chrysalis, be honest."

"I am."

And... that's when it clicked.

She was.

At this one time, this one single time she had known Chrysalis, she had been honest. She had come forth with a secret that, from what she saw, never had any chance of seeing the light of day again. A secret that never needed to be spoken again. A secret so monumental that merely having it gave her the ultimate edge.

And she had given it away.

For nothing.

The one time, the one time she totally, utterly won, she gave it away.

Was she just so addicted to this fight, this war, that she was willing to give something like this to keep it going?

Or, just once...

"So, that equal it out or what?"

Was she being honest.

Applejack fell back, her head spinning in a myriad of warring, confusing emotions, a flurry like a snowstorm with each flake painted with a different thought.

She looked to expectant, waiting eyes, and she was left adrift on an island in the middle of the floor.

"...Just... totally square? Everythin' up to it don't matter?"

"Well, it wouldn't really be square otherwise, would it? It would be... I don't know, oval?"

"Just... done?"

"Like I said, I'm being generous, we both know you're getting the good deal here."

This could be it. Chrysalis could be, for once, being... different. Honest.

All she had to do was trust.

She just... had to...

"...Okay..."

Do that.

She just had to do exactly that.


"Good."

She felt like there should have been more. More said, more done, more about what was happening or what would happen. There should be more after that. There should be something.

Anything.

But, instead, the Queen leaned back, placed her head on her pillow, shuffled until she was comfortable, and then waved her off.

"Wait till I'm better, then we'll go get Sunset."

A tug, right where her chest was, nearly choked her.

"Ya' sure we can..."

"Greatest Queen who ever lived, Applejack. Get ready to chew her out for being an idiot."

"...Ah' guess Ah' could always ask ya' for pointers on that."

"Finally, she catches on. Though, in exchange, you've got to teach me how to buck her in the face for nearly wrecking the Empire."

"It's just... all in the hips."

"Hah, knew it. Goodnight."

That was it.

Goodnight, turn away, close her eyes, dim the lights.

That was all.

"...Goodnight..."

The world she stepped out into from that dim room was... brighter.

Bright enough it hurt her still moist eyes, just a bit. Bright enough it made it hard to see, just for a second.

Bright... and warm.

It wasn't totally different, but... Something had finally changed.

Something had changed.

"...huh..."

Just what, she wasn't sure yet.

She would just have to wait, and see...

And trust.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Chrysalis
"???"
'???'
-???-

>Hmm...sleepy times, yes please, leave the fights till after-

AYYAYYAYAYIIIIIIIIIIII

>Wh-

"'-POSE-'"

THOOM

"Hmmhmmhmmhmm"

'Feh...'

-So, this one is deserving, Oh mistress?-

>...Are you...?

"But servants of Her Holiness"

'Praise be upon the Immortal Thighs'

-Come to deliver justice, you have been deemed worthy, Chrysalis-san-

>Uh buh.....The what?

"Your attitude, while most horrid, can so much improve"

'And our Master believes a push is now needed'

-She believes...of course she would...Mhmm~, this will get you back on your hooves in no time-

>...Oh-Ohhhhh, alright, I seee, I mean it technically isn't...just hold them out and I'll take care of it, gimme a sec

"BEHOLD!"

THOOM

From the hoof of one of the Adonis like hulks came a burst of light, and a very small circular silhouette

>...Is that a...a...

'THE PRETTY PRINCESS POINTS HAVE BEEN JUDGED'

-REWARD IS UPON YOU-

>...Wait...OH COME ON?! A COOKI-

With blistering stillness, the one with the rather tartan hat box like hair do deftly brought the [COOKIE] to Chrysalis

Maybe it was the bizarre forms they took as the reward was administered, but Chrysalis just kept her mouth open, standard insertion proceedings, surely.

Which meant she didn't quite get what happened when the hoof and cookie suddenly shimmered and pressed- no, passed into her throat.

Seconds passed, until Chrysalis realised that these sex machines had just fused a cookie into her throat.

>-GLGK! GAK! GHHHHHHK!

"Pfft, cannot even take a reward, how selfish"

-Not our problem, our work is done-

'Now we return to better pastures, to serve our master'

Nurse Greyjoy prided herself on being the fastest to a patients bed when the buttons were pressed

Which was a shame, as her personal streak was cut to ribbons, though she didn't expect "stopped dead in her tracks gawking at three impossibly beautifully sculpted stallions striding out of the patients room" to be that excuse

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Celestia
"AJ"
~~~~

"Hey, Tia? Got a question."

>...oh?

"Did Ah' take this whole mess too far?"

>To be blunt? Yes. Obviously.

"...can Ah' still fix it? Actually fix it?"

>Well... That's up to you, isn't it?... Do you want to fix lt?

"Ya' know? Ah' kinda do."

>Then yes.

"...Celly?"

>Yes?

"Next time, just punch me."

>...it would be my pleasure.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NCOMAKEEE
>Chrysalis
"AJ"
~~~~

>You want to make up for it? You'll do... Anything, you say...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpqmoBYkQfc

"...Erm...where did ya' get that rose?"

>...

"Stop wagglin' yer' eyebrows."

>...

"...Meh, Ah've had worse lays."

>Wait wha-

~~~~~

>....

"..."

>...That didn't go the way I thought it was going to.

'Tell me about it.'

"Hush yer' lip, Pinkie, or Ah'll gag ya' again."

'...I-I just wanted to check in on you-'

SMACK!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

OMAKE
>Chitania
"13"
~~~

"...Can I do it?"

>No.

"Pleeeease?"

>No, it's stupid.

"Come onnnnnn."

>I'm not even big right now.

"Come ooooooonnnnnnn."

>...Fine.

FWOOSH

>Go ahead.

"Eeee... FALKOORRRRRRR!"

>I don't even like that movie.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________