//------------------------------// // III // Story: All American Girl: Konsequences // by Deverer //------------------------------// When Karyn found herself in a room that looked like a museum exhibit given all the antiques and fancy furniture, she had given up trying to rationalize the situation and her body practically shut down. She didn’t know how long she was laying on the floor, but she did know that in terms of her emotions she had hit her limit and couldn’t express herself even more. It didn’t really matter since she was all alone, but if anyone saw her when she first came to this place: They would have saw a mare completely broken. Her face felt wet, she was sure the floor underneath it was a good deal soaked, and she probably didn’t even have the willpower or energy to even get up. A pop of magic managed to bring some life back to her, as she managed to look her eyes around the room to try and see where it came from. “Nouméa, Faust? Why here?” a voice came, one Karyn recognized as Emmé’s. “It’s the most secure,” came Faust’s voice. “Look, first we need to find— oh my goodness!” Karyn heard hoofsteps trot close to her, which stepped around to her front. She saw white hooves come into her view and subsequently Faust’s worried face looking down to her. “Are you okay?!” she asked. Karyn was still, looking back but not responding. As she looked though, she saw Karl’s form on Faust’s back. The sight made her eyes widened, and she managed to croak out, “Karl…” Faust turned her head to look back at him, before turning back to Karyn. With a small smile, she said, “He’s going to live.” The smile faded and gave way to exhaustion quickly after, prompting Faust to trot herself to a nearby couch. Karyn watched as Faust deposited him onto it, and the sound of footsteps also got her attention. “Why are you doing it like that?” came Emmé’s voice. “I don’t want to risk using magic on him for now,” Faust answered. “Ugh, fine, let someone who has hands and also the medical knowledge of a human handle it then.” Karyn took a long breath, and she pushed herself up despite her own fatigue. Orientating herself, she watched as Emmé laid Karl out and even tucked a pillow under his head. She watched as Faust took a few steps back, yet she started to notice how tired they both seemed. In fact, Faust herself looked… normal. Despite the wings and horn in plain view, that godly nature she perceived before she couldn’t see or feel now. She glanced around the room. Aside from the furniture, she took note of three doorways: one on her right in the wall behind the couch, another near on her left near the corner, and a third behind her on the same left wall. “Right then,” Emmé said. “So I don’t feel anything wrong with him magic-wise, but then again I can’t exactly check him properly yet. Otherwise, it looks like he’s just passed out, so best to let him rest until he wakes up.” She groaned as she began to walk away, stretching her arms. “I’m getting some drinks.” “Do not touch the alcohol stash, Emmé,” Faust said after her. “Horseface,” Emmé sighed as she turned around to look to her. “We both got our asses kicked by a werepony, we gotta deal with the aftermath of them knowing about us, not to mention making sure what happened back there is covered up, and also I feel like as big of a toton as this guy here because I got my ass kicked.” She shook her head as she turned back around. “I think I need some of that right now.” She grinned. “Besides, we’re in a French overseas department, and what do we French do? Drink wine like fish!” Karyn only stared as she watched Emmé walk away into the corner doorway. She looked over to Faust, who appeared to be annoyed but conceding. Faust glanced over to Karl for a brief moment, before she drifted over to Karyn, her eyes widening for a moment as she remembered she was there. “Oh… right,” Faust said, a forehoof going to her chin. “This is… sort of awkward.” Karyn felt some kind of fire in her throat. “‘Awkward’?” she managed to choke out. “That’s… that’s what you have to say about—” “Not about all of this,” Faust added on, Karyn falling silent. “But just… I’ve not revealed to a pony that I’m… here.” Karyn wanted to vent, to show what she was feeling, but her body wouldn’t let it. So instead she let her head droop, looking to the floor which at least looked like the most normal thing in the room. “I still can’t believe it,” Karyn muttered. “Well you’re free to think of me however you want,” Faust said as she began to walk over to her. “Though of course, I do want you to not tell anyone.” “Like anyone would believe me.” Karyn gave a weak shake of her head. “What the fuck am I supposed to believe now?” “Please don’t say that.” Karyn peaked up her head as she heard Faust sit down next to her. “I don’t want more people to go insane by learning who I actually am.” Karyn turned to look at Faust, who was looking to her. “I’m not a god, and I certain don’t want to be considered one.” Karyn gave a fake laugh. “I actually never considered alicorns to be gods. I mean, Celestia can take her destiny and shove it back up her ass.” Almost after she said that, Karyn tensed at what she said and to whom. “Wait, I mean—” “I never was a fan of destiny either,” Faust interrupted. “I call it prophecy sometimes, but regardless: I certainly don’t like it when things happen because the universe wants it.” She looked to Karyn head on. “Look, yes, there’s a lot to take in, stuff you may not like to hear, but I don’t want you to take it and break down.” Though what have you been teaching our little ponies about destiny, Celly? “‘Break down’,” Karyn huffed, looking away. “I try to contend with that every time I step out into public. Try to not do so whenever something reminds me of this fucking mark and talent I have.” She hung her head down, crossing her forehooves over each other and tucking them close. “And now all this. How am I supposed to deal with this all?” Karyn almost jumped as she felt something drape across her back, and realized it was one of Faust’s wings. “You don’t have to do it alone, don’t forget. You’ll have your husband.” She un-tucked herself at Faust’s last word: husband. She looked over to Karl, the events that weren’t mind-screwing coming back to her. “Here, you probably need this,” Emmé’s voice came as a glass of water was placed in front of her. Karyn looked up and saw Emmé walking out of the room. “You two look cute together, by the way,” she commented as she disappeared out of view. Karyn looked over to Faust. “Okay, the fuck is going on with her? She’s nothing like the psycho-bitch from before.” Faust retracted her wing as she smiled nervously. “Um, well… this is how she normally is when she’s not… serious.” She stood up, starting to walk out of the room herself. “I’ll be back. I just need to check up on some personal things.” As Karyn watched her walk out of the room through the door next to the couch, the water in front of her seemed to be the right course of action to take. Grabbing the glass, she chugged it down, almost choking on it but welcoming the refreshing taste so much. Putting it down, empty, she looked back over to Karl, other thoughts coming back to her. She pushed herself off the floor, standing up on all fours and walking over to him, stepping around a low table that looked like it cost more than everything in her bedroom combined. She grimaced as she realized how much he was roughed up: dried blood, torn and burned clothes, scratches that looked weirdly healed over. That aside though, he looked back to normal. Also too despite whatever happened, he seemed to be stable if his deep, steady breathing was any indication. “I’d still keep your distance if I were you.” Karyn turned and saw Emmé walking back in, bottle of what looked like wine in hand. “I can’t feel anything bad on him, but right now my magic is drained as well. Then again, you aren’t keeling over so it’s probably fine, then.” She walked over to other end of the room, sitting down in one of a set of chairs near a curtained window. “Still, if he wakes up, no telling if he might go insane or not.” Karyn furrowed her eyebrows. “He’s going to wake up, there’s no ‘if’, is there?” she asked, a tone of desperation in her voice. You couldn’t bother to even give him some kind of cleanup? Emmé shrugged. “You get what I mean. I just can’t believe he’s still alive after what happened back there.” “Part of me wants to know, but frankly I don’t think I want to in the end. Especially from you.” Karyn turned away, not acknowledging any reaction from Emmé. She didn’t want to acknowledge her at all if she could help it. “Okay then!” Faust announced, as she walked back in, returned to her human form. “Can I get you anything? Something to eat? Something else to drink?” “Honestly, I could go for something,” Karyn answered. “But I’m fucking tired, not sure it would wake me up.” “Oh, oh right!” Faust said with a tap to her forehead. “Forgot about that detail. We’re not exactly in your timezone anymore.” Karyn arched an eyebrow. “Where… are we exactly?” “Nouméa, in New Caledonia, right next to Australia,” Emmé answered from across the room. “We’re across the world?!” Karyn gasped, a forehoof going to her forehead. “Oh, just… can I at least get something to sit on? Maybe some more water?” Faust nodded her head. “I’ll go get something, just stay right there.” With that she crossed the room, picking up Karyn’s glass off the floor. “If you want to, you can grab a loveseat by Emmé,” she added as she went out of view. Karyn was still for a moment before she trotted herself over toward Emmé. Without giving acknowledgement she took one of the seats in her telekinesis and silently walked back toward Karl. She placed at the side of the couch, the side where she was closest to his head, and let out a long groan as she relaxed into it. “Looks a bit small for you,” Emmé commented. That got Karyn to glare across the room. “It’s fine,” she shot back. “I’m just saying, you could easily—” “Don’t fucking bring that up!” she yelled, almost regretting it as she felt her throat drying up again. “You two need to calm down,” Faust’s voice came. Both turned their heads to see her walking back in, a tray of glasses in her hands. “The stress won’t help anyone, and both of you need to relax.” She turned her head over to Emmé. “And I would appreciate if you didn’t antagonize her, Emeraude.” Emmé scoffed, “Making a friendly suggestion is antagonizing her?” “She doesn’t—” Faust grunted. “Right, you probably didn’t hear that part. Look, can we please just try to not agitate each other? I’m trying to calm down myself here.” She placed the tray on the coffee table, hands going up to massage her forehead. Then to everyone’s attention, a knocking sound was heard. They all looked around before it sounded again, everyone looking toward where it was coming from. “Is… someone at the door?” Emmé asked. “I think that’s what it is,” Faust said she started to walk to it through the doorway between Emmé and Karyn. “There’s only one person I think would be coming here at the moment.” Both Emmé and Karyn watched as she left the room again, hearing a door open a moment later. Faust’s voice was raised in cheer as another voice was heard as well, one that got Emmé’s attention. “Should have guessed Kuzu would should up,” she commented. “Kuzu?” Karyn asked. “Old friend of ours, you might like her.” They watched as Faust walked back in with a smile on her face, followed by a woman that Karyn thought was older than death– which she realized might be literally true given what Emmé just said. “You have guests,” the woman stated, looking over Karl and Karyn with an emotionless stare. She then looked over to Emmé, “Alcohol, Emmé? Either you’re in a good mood or a bad mood.” “Not a bad ‘mood’ I would say, but we just got out of a bad situation,” Emmé answered. “And yes they know who we are, Kuzu.” “Really now?” Kuzu turned back to Faust. “What did you two run into now? Especially because I can barely feel your auras?” “Let’s just say it involves both human and pony magic gone very wrong, and that we quickly got into actual danger,” Faust replied, her smile fading as she explained. “Well then, that would explain the odd shift in magic I felt. Of course I gather I only felt it because my history with human magic, not sure about any umajin.” She smiled slightly as she looked at Karyn, but she dropped it for a second as she looked at her. With a shake of her head she said, “I’m Kuzu, and you are?” Karyn was hesitant for a second. “Karyn.” Without taking her eyes off Kuzu, she tilted her head toward Karl. “He’s Karl.” “Will he be okay?” she asked, walking over to him. “He’s passed out,” Emmé chimed in. “We just have to wait for him to wake up.” She took a drink from her bottle, smiling toward Kuzu as she said, “Also why are you here like that anyway? Cmon, why keep the old crone look?” Kuzu looked over to Emmé, eyes crossed. “Can’t you see this poor mare is in enough stress as is? I think just looking at this scene considering you two had to reveal yourselves she’s probably suffering enough.” She pointed a finger to Emmé. “Maybe you should follow up on being a nurse like your cover is: you certainly lack bedside manner.” “Okay, girls!” Faust said with a raised voice. “I just said we need to all relax, and this is not helping!” “Well Kuzu there could probably relax better if she let her kitsune tails flow free even if they’re not on a full fox body,” Emmé commented. “But fine, we’ll be all serious here, Kuzunoha.” A screech then crash of a chair made them all jump, and they looked and saw Karyn up and backing away. Her eyes were wide and she was shaking. “K-Kuzunoha?” she repeated back. Kuzu’s still face broke as she looked on in confusion. “You… know me… and I do mean know me.” Karyn shakily pointed a forehoof forward. “T-tell me, are you from... A-Alter-Earth?” Kuzu sighed, her head hanging slightly. “I’m not from this Earth, I’m an Inari kitsune.” She watched as Karyn backed up even further, bumping into the far corner and dropping to her haunches. “G-get away from me!” Karyn yelled. Faust stepped forward, putting herself between the two. “What’s wrong?” “She tortured my ancestor!” Karyn accused. “She waged a warpath against Equestria, destroyed my ancestor’s home, and tortured her for days on end!” Karyn choked on breath as she continued, “She didn’t break though, she didn’t give in! And she came out humiliating you! And you were going to destroy all of Equestria but Faust—” she stopped, looking to the one in question, “...but… you, stopped her….” She was still, eyes darting back and forth between Faust and Kuzu. “What the fuck is going on here?! You’re FRIENDS?!” she screamed outward. The silence that rang after left had everyone unmoving. Only Karyn’s heavy breathing was heard; and her shaking body, and the looking back and forth of heads was the only movement in the room. Kuzu broke the silence with another sigh, eyes closed. “I thought your eyes looked familiar. You have that same fire in her stare,” she declared. “Kuzu?” Faust asked. “I figured I would have to admit this sooner or later.” She opened her eyes and looked to Karyn. “Yes, that was me. And Faust was the one who banished me here, and in an ironic twist of fate we’re friends now.” “She’s not going to hurt you,” Faust reassured. “Kuzu wouldn’t—” “Faust, please,” Kuzu interrupted. “This is on me, I should explain it.” “Hold on, is this really the time or place?” Emmé asked. “We gotta watch for if this guy wakes up and to make sure he’s not gonna cause problems.” “Well if we need to wait for him to wake up, then this should help pass the time then.” Kuzu took a few steps away from Karl, putting her on the far side of the coffee table opposite Karyn. With a snap of her fingers, a rocking chair appeared which she settled herself into. “Besides, a story that confesses the truth might help us all calm our minds.” Faust walked over to Karyn, leaning down to look her in the eye. “You have my word you’ll be okay,” she whispered. Karyn looked to Faust, then back over to Kuzu. She took a deep breath before she got back up to all fours, walking over to the seat she knocked over and righting it. As she sat back down, she watched Faust grab a lone seat from a little study table and pull it up next to her, sitting down as if she was there to protect her. Kuzu wrapped her fingers between each other, staring forward toward both Faust and Karyn. “Oh where to begin?” she started. “Well, I will confess that yes: I did attack your ancestor’s village, I was trying to wage war on Equestria– or rather the Dominion of Equus– and also I did… torture her.” She paused for a moment, eyes closing as well. “And yes, she did overcome that torture. I issued a Kitsune’s Challenge onto her in my hubris, and she won. That caused me to attack Faust herself directly, which led to me being banished here. “Though, there are details that seem to be absent or at least we’re not focusing on. By any chance, are you familiar with a disease called cutiepox?” When she saw Karyn give a quick nod of her head, she added, “Well I’m the cause of it. I created it as a cruel, ironic way of torturing ponies to death. I spread it through a flower I created, and had them planted at a village I wanted to use to test it.” She hung her head, a hand going to her forehead. “I don’t think it needs to be said, but the results were…” she trailed off, taking a breath. “This flower,” Karyn spoke quickly. “It’s called heart’s desire, and they’re still around today! I mean my family isn’t affected, but zebras still use it regularly!” “Zebras?” Kuzu asked. “That would make sense actually. They seek to find their spiritual path, and unlike an umajin, it would not affect them the same way. Perhaps it lets them look into the world magic whereas cutiepox forces a pony to be too connected to that magic.” She shook her head, both her hands going back together. “But we’re getting of topic with that. “After that village was destroyed, I soon learned that there was one survivor. Well both learned and met because she somehow managed to bypass all the forces under my command and face me.” She gave a fake laugh, even putting on a small smile. “I was honestly surprised. One pony, who got all the way to me by herself. And back then, ponies didn’t have much magical finesse. I didn’t know if she was really powerful, really insane, or both. In any case though, here I was with someone who survived my attack and also with me having an easily hurt ego. I didn’t just want to get rid of her: I wanted to break her and send a message.” “She didn’t break though,” Karyn interjected, leaning forward slightly. “She’s Kimono the Unbreakable because she stood up to you. Other figures… Starswirl, Clover, Lulamoon, Wisteria… uh… Sunray? They probably never had to deal with a nine-tails, who are compared to alicorns, but she did.” “Karyn, please,” Faust spoke up, her hand reaching out and placing it on Karyn’s shoulder. “Just let her speak.” “Don’t touch me,” Karyn snapped, causing Faust to pull her hand away. “Sorry,” she added quickly, “But it’s just kinda… creepy.” “Sorry.” “And is this going anywhere? Sounds like so far she’s just confirming why I shouldn’t trust her.” “I’d rather lay all my sins out on the table before seeking to come to forgiveness,” Kuzu stated. “At the very least understanding in this case.” “Still rather you just… whatever,” Karyn leaned back into her seat, not looking toward Kuzu. “It’s true she stood up to my torment, but it wasn’t exactly just traditional torture. I didn’t strap her down and use my own magic against her: I gave her the pox directly with all my nine tails behind it and planned to let her exhaust herself to death.” Karyn turned to look back at Kuzu almost immediately with a renewed glare. “And the extra steps I took? I issued a Kitsune’s Challenge to her: Survive the pox. To break her, I wanted her in the Challenge just so she would be bound by honor to not be harmed and to be cared for by the Inarese but would be suffering every step of the way.” Kuzu rocked her chair, as she looked off into the air. “I don’t think my sister would have been so… careless in this situation. Kimono was lucky that she wasn’t participating in that village’s destruction.” Emmé and Faust looked on in awe. It was rare for Kuzu to mention her sister, it was one hatchet that she seemed determined to leave buried with the earth camouflaged as to make her forget where it was. Kuzu looked back to Karyn, “I remember Kimono’s exact words when she being taken away.” “‘You won’t break me’,” Karyn recited. “And she didn’t even bend. The first sign I thought something was wrong was when I found her infected marks carried her star. I didn’t think much of why she wasn’t compelled to do the mark’s purpose, but I thought she was being stubborn and that she just had prior knowledge on her side. I was quickly proven wrong: by the third day she was covered in them and she wasn’t even flinching.” “I was the one broken. The worst thing you could do to a kitsune in Inari culture is to humiliate them at what they claim to strive for, and what they earned their tails for. And that’s above outright cutting off a fox’s tail. I think Kimono was aware of this, and she was dragging this out despite her clearly not succumbing at all… and taking it far beyond that. Kuzu chuckled, actually seeming genuine. “I remember the fourth day, she strode up to me with marks flashing onto her every few seconds and basically ordered me to follow her. I did and… I couldn’t believe what I saw. All those marks? She still had the ability aspect tied to her, and she channeled that into producing art pieces that put anything I saw before to shame.” “Just like the marks of my family…” Karyn whispered. “I knew I lost,” Kuzu continued on, “I didn’t want to admit it, but she was forcing me to because I was bound by the Challenge to not harm her.” “But… you didn't…” Karyn breathed out. “You could have but you didn’t?” Kuzu looked Karyn back in the eye. “Throughout all my mistakes, I still put honor above all else. Even when my morals were twisted, I was still one of my word and never strayed from tradition. When I finally admitted defeat to her, becoming the first nine-tailed kitsune to ever lose a Challenge, I was angry and devastated but I did not hurt her. Even when she seizured after I removed the pox from her: I made sure she was cared for.” Karyn’s mouth hung open, looking over Kuzu. She tried to speak, but only managed to produce small squeaks and stutters. Why the fuck am I feeling sorry for her? She’s just telling me she’s not as bad as she could have been! “I think you know what happens next,” Kuzu resumed. “She left with her new reputation, to mainland Inari I believe, instead of back to Faust. Instead, I was the one who went to Faust and I took my anger there in full force, and I was then banished here. Kimono took up a lot of my thoughts, especially because of why I went to the Dominion of Equus to begin with due to me looking down on ponies and how I thought they let their marks guide them. Kimono’s name was so fitting: ki for wear, mono for things; and didn’t let them affect her at all. I don’t know how a pony got that name, but while I was here I did make sure it was remembered.” “Okay, okay,” Karyn blurted out, hooves over her head. “I mean, all this… just answer me some things.” She brought one hoof down and eyed Faust. “How are you two friends now?” “It was heated at first, very heated,” Faust started. “I mean, I was shocked to see I ended up in the same world as her. To make it short and… less personal: we both were feeling the aftershocks of tragedy and we had some understanding for each other.” She looked over to Kuzu, a smile on her face. “It took a few years – and by that I mean a decade or two – but we eventually managed to put the past behind us.” “Fine, whatever, it’s your business.” Karyn looked between the two as she asked, “So then why then are you still hidden away? Why don’t you go back to Inari and how come you haven’t gone back to be with Celestia and Luna?” A silence fell over the room, and she watched the two sink in their seats, any energy they had draining away. She slunk back in her seat, a frown deepening as she watched the two sulk. “We’ve… tried,” Faust spoke up. “I most certainly tried to go back to Equestria.” “I probably wouldn’t have gone back to Inari to be there,” Kuzu added, “but I would go back to at least see what has become of it.” Karyn forced herself to ask, “Why?” It was Emmé who answered, “Rules.” “What?” Karyn looked across the room. “They literally can’t go back.” Emmé shook her head. “Even we have our limits.” Faust and Kuzu both glared to her. “Emmé! Do you have to mention that?!” Faust barked, her emotions returning in full force. “How else are we going to answer?” she said back, her aloofness that she had this whole time leaving her. “Honestly, she’ll keep pushing and it’s better to give her some idea than something half-assed that she’ll figure out later.” “But— I—” Faust grunted, looking back to Karyn, hand massaging her forehead. “Yes, Rules,” she admitted. “Let’s just say—” “There’s forces in the universe that that are above you?” Karyn guessed. When she saw Faust stay silent, she scoffed and looked away. “Fine, fine, you don’t wanna tell and maybe shouldn’t and frankly I don’t wanna know.” She let her forelegs drape over the sides as she leaned back and looked to the ceiling. “Just… right now, I want to know if I’ll be able to go home.” “Look, Karyn,” Faust spoke. She saw Karyn not turn to acknowledge, but she continued anyway, “We’re not going to keep you under lockdown, we’re not going to keep you hostage in any way, none of that.” She leaned forward, “We’re here to help. We’ll make sure you get to go home, live with your husband, and get back to your normal life. You can take all this however you want, but in return we just ask you keep the facts about human magic, myself, Emmé, Kuzu, and what happened a secret.” “People would think I’m fucking crazy if I tried to tell anyway,” Karyn replied sardonically. Kuzu stood up from her chair. “Okay, I think we need to stop,” she declared, everyone looking at her. “It’s obvious that something bad happened, and you’re relieving your stress in the wrong way. Maybe talking would have helped passed the time, but it looks to me like no one is ready to do that.” She walked over to the couch, looking over Karl. “So how about you all just go do your own things and I’ll keep an eye on him?” Faust was the first to speak, “I’m not leaving these two until I’m sure they won’t need immediate help.” Emmé spoke next, “I still need to give him a proper lookover, and then there’s her,” she said as she pointed over to Karyn. Karyn ceased looking at the ceiling, and looked over to Emmé as she heard her mentioned herself. She groaned and grabbed another glass of water. This day is never going to end, is it? “Fine, fine.” Kuzu held her own head as she seemed to now be getting a headache. “At the very least can you all try to get yourselves together?” The day over Noumea had passed into night. After Kuzu’s suggestion to de-stress, the other three had kept to themselves for the most part. Emmé kept with her alcohol until she decided that she had enough and was ready to think over what had happened. Faust kept watch over Karl only stepping out of the room for her own personal business. Karyn meanwhile had taken up the offer to have her sleep cycle changed so that she could be awake in case Karl had woken up soon. Kuzu stepped out of the area so that she could “cover up” the mess that was made. Karyn learned some details of what exactly had happened, and when they mentioned making sure his magic didn’t leave a mark for another magic user to find she opted out of learning more for now. Instead she tried to block out what she learned with the food Kuzu brought back to help everyone settle down. Soon though Karyn couldn’t stay awake even with her sleep cycle changed, and was now resting in the main bedroom as offered by Faust. At first she was intimidated by the grand display of it, but let that melt away as soon as she laid herself down as it was relaxing enough to make her almost fall asleep immediately all things considered. “AAAAAHHHHHH!” Karyn flailed and almost screamed herself as she heard the yell coming from a room away. She probably almost ripped the blankets apart as her legs went everywhere. As she managed to gain control of herself, she realized who exactly made that scream. Rolling off the bed and dropping to all fours, she quickly threw her pants back on and wearily but with purpose made her way into the other room. As she popped in, she first saw Faust kneeling next to the couch, with Emmé and Kuzu looking on from a distance. As she got closer, she got a good look at Karl which made her pause. He was sitting upright, nearly curled into a ball. He was rocking back and forth, hands over his head. She realized Faust was actually trying to calm him down, her hands on his shoulders and she was whispering to him. He was whispering himself through his hyperventilation. She managed to make out somethings along the line of ‘I’m alive’ or ‘it’s over.’ Snapping out of her stupor, she trotted herself around Faust and positioned herself just in front of him, sitting down on the floor. When she did, he stopped his manic actions long enough to pull his hands away and look at her. “Karyn…” he whispered, like he hadn’t seen her in years. It was enough to make her smile with seeing him back. Which seemed to be enough for Karl as he leaned over and threw his arms around her, and she responded with wrapping her forelegs around him before they both locked lips. For the next few moments, she didn’t care about anything else other than the love of her life in her arms and how he was still going to be in her life. When they finally broke their kiss, they each rested their head on the other’s shoulder and were content to stay there and embrace. Though she was taken out of the mood slightly as she heard him start to whisper again. “I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry, Karyn.” “Karl…” she whispered back. “I…” he tried to speak, but went silent as he started to relax his vice grip of a hug on her. Karyn reluctantly pulled back as well, both of them looking in the eye. She could tell he was wracked with guilt, but that was laced with exhaustion. Whether it was from just waking up, what had happened before or both she couldn’t tell. “Look, I can tell you two want to be with each other,” Emmé spoke up. “But I need to give him a proper examination finally. See if there’s no lasting effects.” Both of them were silent, Karl not looking happy to see her while Karyn was still. “Karyn, we’ll probably need to leave them alone for a second,” Faust said. “Alone?” Karyn repeated back. “But—” “There’s something I want to do with you while Emmé does her own thing,” Faust added. Karyn looked to Karl, who gave a nod to her. Sighing, Karyn got back to all fours and followed Faust back into the bedroom. Closing the door behind them, Faust looked over the bed. “We’re both feeling magically sound again, so while she examines him, I want to examine you,” she explained as she fixed the covers on the bed. “Is this about our… child?” Karyn asked, hoof on her stomach. “It is,” Faust affirmed. “I want to see if everything is okay, both with you and your child.” “Okay…” Karyn stepped up on the bed, sitting herself down. After a moment though she opted to lie down onto her side to lay her head down. She watched Faust kneel down and after giving consent with a nod, allowed Faust to lay her glowing hand onto her stomach. “There’s definitely a foal in there,” Faust noted. “Doesn’t appear to be anything wrong. If I didn’t know there was human DNA involved, I would say it’s a perfectly healthy conception. Even with that info it still looks healthy.” “Healthy except that we never planned it,” Karyn murmured. Faust barely suppressed a flinch. “I… see.” “Can we even be parents?” Karyn asked. “Or should we not even try?” “That’s going to have to be something you two will have to talk over.” Faust moved her hand up to Karyn’s chest. “I won’t and shouldn’t give my personal thoughts on the matter when it comes to what you two are going to do.” “But if we do go through with it, how will we explain this?” Faust pulled her hand away, a melancholy look coming over her. “This is the part I hate: the lies.” She twiddled a strand of hair as she said, “We will have to come up with something to say, and it’s probably going to be an ugly, ugly lie.” Shaking her head, she brought her hand back to Karyn. “For now though, you seem to be completely healthy. Nothing out of place, no health abnormalities.” She waved her hand back and forth over Karyn’s body. “Magic’s flowing fine, and— wait,” she leaned forward, eyes narrowing. “What? What’s wrong?” Karyn asked, panic coming over her. “Oh my goodness…” Faust whispered. “Karyn, you’re not in danger, but… I’m sorry for what I’m about to say.” She looked Karyn in the eye. “I don’t know how to put this, but you’re not going to be able to have another child.” Karyn’s panic turned to confusion. “Huh?” “You may be with foal now, but unless you try to have another directly after this… that's it.” It took a moment, but her confusion transformed back into panic with a side of fear. “W-what?” she choked out. “That’s the best way I can put it.” Karyn looked down at herself, hoof going back to her stomach. The implications coming over her, she struggled to ask, “Just… how?” “I think I already know the answer.” Faust stood up, crossing her arms. “When Karl got turned into a biological pony, he had to have gotten the extra genetic material from somewhere. Human magic is in a league of its own compared to all other kinds of magic, and one reason is that it doesn’t care about any concept of ethics or morality. Pony magic wouldn’t have done that normally. “I think this is where your heritage worked against you, Karyn.” Faust sat herself down on the bed, keeping her eyes on Karyn. “I know you don’t want to admit it, but you have some magical power. In that moment, it must have been enough to spark his own magic. Now I don’t know the exact parameters, but my best guess is that maybe because he was at the epicenter of the spell or—” “I hit him directly with the spell,” Karyn confirmed. “I was trying to use it on myself, but he surprised me and I accidentally hit him with it directly.” Faust mentally nodded, asking, “Anything else you can remember?” “He… well, he had his hand on me. It did warn not to come into direct contact with the one being changed.” “Otherwise you’d have a botched transformation, maybe some organic mismatching but nothing down at the genetic level. However that spell seems to not to be meant to be cast on a human directly. When you did and with your own power, it must have been enough of a trigger to change him into a magic user and, well, you know the rest.” “I don’t think I want to know the rest, not now at least. But can you tell me one thing?” She sat herself up. “How… how bad did it get?” It was Faust’s turn to be downcast. “I’ll be honest: we were in genuine danger.” She put a hand on her head, as if to steady herself. “I should have saw the signs of how it could go wrong easily, but I let my sensitive side get to me. Looking back now did I realized how… depowered we were the whole time.” She looked at Karyn with a face that betrayed any empathy she was showing before. “At the very end, even when I was trying to use my full power to try and just get away? He could have very easily killed me.” Letting out a deep breath, her seriousness melted away back into the sympathetic persona she had before. “I did keep my promise though, and hindsight is always good to have.” Karyn could only stare. Emperor help us, was that her leadership personality? Is that how she acted as a queen and in politics? “I’ll keep that in mind.” “For once I’m going to just put this behind me completely and count my blessings.” Faust stood up, gesturing to the door. “Right now though, I think you finally need to talk with your husband.” Looking to the door, Karyn slowly but surely pushed herself off the bed. Taking a few trots toward it, she stopped for a moment before rearing herself onto two legs. With a quick breath, she stepped out the door with determination. As Karl watched Faust and Karyn leave the room to go do whatever it was they were going to do, he felt that there was a knot in his stomach that was getting tighter and tighter. And it had to do with one of the two people who were standing in front of him. “I think I’ll take a quick leave again,” the one that he didn’t want to punch in the face said. “Have to check on the tanukis.” As he turned to look at them, he saw her snap her fingers and she disappeared in a bright flash. Karl only glared at Emmé who returned one of her own, though the fact she was glaring without looking like she was pissed off made him slightly more relaxed. “What’s with ya?” he asked. “Trying to still process how you’re here. Having your body restructured violently at the genetic level, also put back together, magic drained to empty. For all I know you shouldn’t even be alive,” Emmé answered. “Well get me on some Goddamn documentary series then. I’m not going to think much on it except that I’m lucky and move on.” “Not me, because I still have questions that I think need to be answered.” She walked around the side of the couch, putting her right in front. “So look, you don’t like me, so let’s just get this over with.” “Al-freaking-right,” Karl agreed, despite the company. “Can I at least get a new shirt? Something to drink maybe?” “When we’re finished, I need to look at these wounds of yours both with a physical and then a magical touch.” “But—” Karl stopped himself, instead surrendering to the idea and turning to plant his feet on the floor and leaning forward braced with elbows on his legs. “Lemme see your arm first,” Emmé requested, Karl holding it out without looking at her. As she leaned in to look at it, she asked, “Do you remember anything?” “I saw the whole Goddamn thing,” he answered. “Es-tu sérieux?!” Emmé stood back up, surprising Karl. “W-what? How?!” Karl cringed, hunching down and arms tucked close. “It… it was like my body was doing things I didn’t want it to do. There was these… thawts of what was going on. I didn’t hear the words, but it was like my mind was screaming things like ‘kill’ or ‘destroy’ or things like that. In my voice, but I knew it wasn’t mine,” He pulled his legs up, putting himself back in a fetal position. “All the while… I just… felt everything, and the one little voice that was me was screaming to stop was so quiet…” Emmé’s serious demeanor broke further as she asked, “What… did it feel like?” Karl craned his head up slowly, looking to her. “It felt like I was being ripped apart and put back together at the same time… always. It was a constant pain and everything else felt so… minor.” He shivered as he added, “But part of me was… amazed by it.” He gave an empty laugh, hands going over his face. “I freaking fell out of the sky and got up like it was nothing. TWICE!” “You did a lot more than that.” “I know! I’m trying not to think about it, but I did!” he yelled. “How have I not gone insane?!” “Well that’s something that comes with having magic now,” Emmé started. “You may not be actively using it, and maybe you shouldn’t for a long while, but you’re a magic user now even if you keep it down to nothing but passive use.” “What, am I freaking supernatural now?” “Preternatural is the word you’re looking for.” Karl pulled his hands away, looking back up at Emmé. “You have a whole new source of energy to work with now. You’re going to notice a lot of things that you didn’t notice before since you’ll have a magical sense now, and perhaps even some other things that I need to figure out.” “Is increased hearing one of them?” he asked. “Cause I can almost hear Faust and Karyn in the other room and I know my hearing’s not that good.” “Uh… no, unless you’re channeling your magic to do so which I doubt you are.” She watched Karl unfurl himself, Emmé kneeling back down. “Human magic requires incantation to even get started. You may have sparked it but without that pony part of you aren’t going to channel it without knowing how.” She raised her hand back up. “Now hold still, let’s look in that head of yours. And I want you to let me know if at any time you feel something wrong.” “Believe me, I’ll know,” Karl drolled. As Emmé’s hand alighted with magic, he flinched slightly, but relaxed quickly after. “Oh, God, that feels almost like before.” Emmé stopped her magic. “Are you sure?” “It’s going to be a chill I’ll never forget. But this isn’t it.” She nodded, igniting her magic again, scanning it over his head. “This is… interesting,” she murmured. “I’m seeing that your hearing is like it’s never been damaged at all in your life.” She pulled her hand away, tapping it on her chin. “I guess back there you must have had other things healed back up.” She moved her hand across his face. “Have you ever had dental problems?” “I had to get filings due to too much soda.” “Well your teeth are completely healthy, decay and filling free and all that.” “Wait, what the freaking heck?” He reached a hand up to his head, but put it back down as she was continuing. “Probably going to have to get really precise here. Like what if your muscle density or even your metabolic rate was tampered with? Do you have an increased rate of healing now?” “Okay, whoa, whoa,” Karl interjected. “I’ll let ya look for anything wrong with me, but all that stuff I’ll figure out for myself. But what about the fact I’ll be walking around with magic in me? Won’t someone notice?” “That’s actually something I was worried about, but I think you’ll be fine.” She stood back up, giving her fingers a flex. “I can feel it on you, but I had to kinda feel for it to pin it down. I think you’ll be fine as long as you don’t walk near an alicorn, they might notice.” “Oh believe me, Karyn wants nothing to do with Equestria.” After he said that, Karl’s aggression faded and was swiftly replaced by guilt again. “Oh God… how am I gonna face this?” “That’s also something I need to know about.” She pulled her hand away. “Look, as far as I can speculate here: as long as you don’t mess with that genetic spell from before, this won’t happen again.” With a snap of her fingers, a set of clothes appearing next to him. “Here, I got all I need to know. You look just fine, and you can have your drink and food then.” She snapped her fingers again, Karl yelping as a sensation passed over him. “Also there, cleaned you up.” “Wait, can ya do one test?” he asked, Emmé quirking an eyebrow. “I got an allergy problem with alcohol.” Emmé paused a moment. “You’re an Irishman but you got that?” she asked. Before Karl could respond, she quickly added, “But that might give me some info on what happened back there.” Without warning, she tapped Karl’s arm, him flinching at the sting that resulted from it. “Hey!” he yelled, looking down at where she did it. “Oh quit whining,” Emmé groaned. “Though you still have it, I guess your healing factor from before had some priority on what was being fixed.” She began to walk away, Karl glaring at her as she did so. Fucking banshee, he thought, starting to get himself fully dressed. Looking to make sure he was alone, he quickly slipped everything on: a simple shirt and some sweatpants. Wait, I need a new band I just realized. As he got everything else in place, he saw Emmé walk back in with a cup of water in her hand. Without a word she put on the table in front of him and he accepted it also without a word. As he downed it, he realized how thirsty he actually was. Yet it didn’t feel like he was that drained. Putting the glass down, he held his hands in front of him. Flexing his various limbs and digits, he tested for the exhaustion he was feeling. It’s like I know it’s there, that tiredness, but it’s so… less? Different? He felt the top of his forehead, where he recalled a certain appendage made into an attempted mortal wound was before. He felt something there, but he wasn’t sure if it was pain or perhaps a case of feeling something off. He stood himself up, faltering a bit as his legs felt numb. At least that feels normal. He heard the door behind him open, and he turned to see Karyn ducking through with a look of determination on her face. They both looked to each other, and both seemed to communicate right there that they had to talk finally. Karl sat himself back down, watching Karyn walk over and sit herself down as well. Both of them looked to each other for a moment before hearing Faust walk in, “Oh, I assume you’re done in here?” “As much as he’ll let me,” Emmé said back. “Everything checks out health wise, just needs to get a good meal probably. He wants to figure the rest out, while I’m still wondering how he lived.” Faust crossed her arms, “Emmé…” “Maybe it was the Luck of the Irish.” Her arms dropped back to her side. “Alright, are you really going to reach for a myth now?” “Oh it’s no myth, I’ve seen it for myself. Just St. Patrick took the location to his grave when the Gray Man—” “Emmé!” Faust raised her voice. “Maybe we should talk about this away from the couple who need some alone time anyway? And who are already having a hard time comprehending all this?” “Actually that does sound like a good idea,” she said losing her aloofness. “Tie up some loose ends that may have to do with unwanted compan—” she stopped herself, looking over to see Karl and Karyn were looking confused. “Right, alone.” She quickly walked back across the room, and the couple watched as the other two vanish behind the door, which also had a flash of magic come over it. Both of them sat silent, each trying to look back to the other, but it was clear that neither was ready to speak. They did however managed to grab their respective appendages, Karl’s fingers tight and Karyn’s hoofspace firm. Karl finally managed to break the silence as he was on the verge of breaking down again, “I’m sorry, Karyn. I’m a fucking horrible person,” he cried. “...what?” she questioned, confused. “I didn’t tell ya, I should have told ya before. A-and I left ya alone when—” “Are you seriously going to go on about that when you just went through this hell?!” She let go of his hand, looking at him firm. “Karl, I’m just grateful you’re even alive! And you’re trying to go on about… that?!” Karl’s mouth twitched, eyes as well. “But—” “But nothing!” she kept going. “Are you really going to forget about what happened to you just to try and apologize for….” She closed her eyes, doing her best to hold back her own tears. “Look, I’m hurt too. But you’re the one who almost died!” Reopening her eyes, she put her forehooves on his shoulders. “Karl, I know you care about me. But you need to remember to care about yourself!” For a brief moment he tried to protest, but with a sigh he hung his head. “My dad told me basically the same thing,” he admitted. “I can never just let go of something I did wrong.” He reached a hand up, caressing one of her hooves. “I was upset, in that moment it hurt so much.” She moved her hoof that wasn’t held by him to his cheek. “Losing you would have hurt so much more.” “I’m here though, and… Emmé says I’m fine. Though I gotta live with magic now, but it looks like nothing that’ll cripple me.” He lowered his hand, frowning as he asked, “But I still want to know how yau’re feeling.” “I…” Karyn took her hooves off him, crossing them on her lap. “I’m still hurt in a way, Karl. But I’m okay.” “It’s almost behind us, but,” he took a quick breath and slowly placed his hand on her belly. “I don’t know to ask, Karl. So be blunt for me: you don’t want to be a father, do you?” His face tightened, “No. I never wanted to ever have kids, I think I’d be a terrible parent. I freaking cannot stand kids!” He looked like he was going to break out into tears. “I should have told ya!” “What are you talking about? We had no idea that this would—” “The night we got engaged, I heard ya tawlk with yaur dad,” he confessed. “I wanted to tawlk to ya right there about just to get it out of the way, but… I didn’t want to upset ya.” “You heard that?” Her eyes widened. “You mean that whole time you didn’t even try to talk to me?!” “I tried, damnit!” Karl yelled out, finally breaking and causing Karyn to flinch. “Every day I fucking tried to push myself to just tawlk! But like I just said, I didn’t want to drive a dagger into ya right after that, and with all the shit ya’ve gone through!” He turned away, collapsing himself on the arm of the couch. “And then what happens?! When I’m finally able to try and tawlk, I mess with yaur spell which doing so caused this mess!” Holy shit no wonder he did that despite me warning him, she realized. “Karl… do you really think I can’t take some grief?” “I don’t think ya can’t, but considering what ya do get upset with already, I didn’t want to make ya sad with something that ya apparently always wanted!” He turned back her. “I mean, for fuck’s sake! Why do ya think I never brawt up yaur mark or ever comment on… on how big ya are?!” Karyn’s jaw hung open as his words reached her ears, and she was tempted to retaliate back… but fell silent. Who am I fucking kidding? I cried about it so much to him early on it’s no wonder he wouldn’t bring it up. Or, would he be— “Are you scared to even mention them?” she asked. He choked slightly on his next words, “W-what do ya mean?” “Karl, I want you to be brutally honest with me,” she stated. “I don’t care what it is, how personal it is, or how much you think it might upset me. I want you to lay it out for me.” After a moment, he pulled himself back upright, looking into her eyes with worry. “Are ya sure?” “I want you to not hold back. Curse until you strip this whole place to bare wood if you have to.” She placed her hoof back onto his hand. “Couples fight, Karl. And while I’m glad we’ve never done that, I don’t want you to bend over backward for me when the only fucks you have are shared with me closely.” She leaned in close, seeing a blush forming slightly on him. “We are husband and wife now.” He gasped slightly. “Oh fuck me, I can’t believe I forgot that.” “It’s fine, but right now I want you to vent.” Kuzu was right, it’s better to get it out there. “Alright,” he said, before giving a quick kiss to her. “Just… give me a sec.” His hands went to his temples, whether because he was nervous or if he really did have a lot to say Karyn couldn’t guess. “I don’t even know where the best place to start is.” “My cutie mark,” she replied. She stood up, stepping away from the couch slightly and dropping to all fours. “My talent is… is size magic.” Before he could respond, her horn flared and she was covered in magic. His eyes remained wide open, but his mouth was open meekly in shock as he watched her shrink down. It wasn’t long, but seeing her change a lot left him speechless. As the magic disappeared, he had to guess maybe she was as tall as a normal unicorn mare now, sans the longer leg and slim head proportions she had. “Holy…” he whispered. “And you know I can do it the… other way,” she said, standing back up on two legs. Karl couldn’t help himself, he stood up to compare. He never thought he’d see the day they would be standing up and he would be the one looking down! “Shit…” he drawled out. “So what do you think?” she asked. “I….” Fuck, I can tell she’s trying to not look upset she’s using it. “I think it’s… amazing?” “Come on, Karl, please don’t hold back for me.” ...if she’s going this far for us… “Karyn, I think ya got some powerful magic there. And I’m honestly wondering why ya’ve never used it before,” he rolled out. He felt a heat wash over him, some part of his brain still saying he shouldn’t have said that to her. “Go on,” she insisted. “Please, anything you can think of! I can fucking take it!” He sucked in a breath through gritted teeth. “I mean, if yau’re upset at people giving ya a lot of attention for yaur height and shit, why don’t ya ever shrink yaself down? Plus couldn’t this be convenient for things like moving stuff around the house? Why not use it to help relieve stress like… like….” “Like...?” Karyn pushed. “Like… maybe….” He gulped. “Us?” he squeaked out. Karyn gave a short, dry laugh. “Believe me, Karl. All of that has crossed my mind.” She sat herself back down on the couch, Karl following. We can actually look each other in the eye sitting down for once…. “How would you have reacted if this is how you met me, but then I revealed I was an eight foot tall plus freak? Or five and half plus on fours hooves freak?” “‘Freak’?” he said back. “Karyn, why would ya think yau’re a freak?!” This time, he didn’t give her a chance to say something as he stated, “If anything, yau’re considered a fucking model! I don’t think yau’re a freak at all! In fact I….” He tugged at his shirt collar. Don’t hold back. “The only way ‘freak’ is relevant here: is that yau’re freaking sexy at your normal size!” Oh my fucking God did I really just say that in those words? Even Karyn looked unprepared to hear that, though she wasn’t looking like any emotional pain came over her. “Did… did you just say that?” He was still for a moment, but then he acted. He placed a hand to her head, finger scratching at her ear. If he didn’t go all the way before… “Fuck yeah I did.” She smiled back. “I can’t love you enough.” With a playful push, she forced Karl onto his back. In the same moment her horn sparked a flash came. When his vision cleared, he found a restored Karyn on top of him and both of them hungrily kissed together, laying out on the couch. “If you two need a room, you just have to ask.” Both of them broke away from each other in shock, coughing a bit as they looked to see Emmé standing nearby. Karl practically yelled, “How fucking long were ya—” “The moment you two started at each other,” she replied. “Though it’s a good reminder for me to check up on my own boyfriend.” “Hold on… ya?” he started to inquire, but quickly amended, “Oh, never mind.” “Have you got everything sorted out then?” she asked, arms crossed. Karyn looked away meekly. “Well… everything except… our foal.” “Hey, where’s Faust?” Karl asked, looking to the door. “She’s stepped out. Wanted to check up on her husband and kids,” Emmé explained. “Did you feel anything in the air shift? Any kind of tingling feeling suddenly not there? Cause that would have been her.” “Well, now that ya bring it up I think I—” he froze, hand reaching behind his back. Emmé caught on to this. “What’s wrong?” “I feel the chill again,” he whispered, any bravado vanished in an instant. Almost immediately after he said that, he was tackled by Emmé and slammed to the ground. Karyn yelped and stood up and away from them. “Mautadine I feel it! It’s gonna happen all over again!” she yelled. She channeled her magic, trying to recall an emergency mental channel she and Faust had— Faust? FAUST! Get back here, now! Werepony is coming back! she hoped rang out. “Crisse de câlice de tabarnak d'osti de sacrament de trou vierge!” she cursed, hand on the back of Karl’s neck. “Don’t let this fucking happen again!” Karl cried out, his own hands over his head. “Faust, you just had to leave!” Emmé yelled out. “Don’t make me have to—” she stopped as a flash appeared in the room. She didn’t need to look to see what it was as she saw Faust come and kneel down next to them. “How did this happen?!” Faust asked. “It just started! The moment you left! I knew it wasn’t going to be so simple! And….” she slowed down, her anger and aggression also diminishing. “It’s… going away?” “Huh?” “No seriously, it’s… it’s gone.” She hovered her hands around him, with him dropping his arms down. “Oh thank fucking, God!” he huffed out. “But… how? Is it still there? Hold still a second, I need to really look here.” “After that… I’d say get surgical if ya have to without having to cut me open.” Faust observed Emmé start to prod him, and she looked up at Karyn who was standing away from them. Standing up, she stepped to her. “Are you okay?” “I’m okay, just I thought this nightmare was over,” Karyn replied. “Apparently not.” Faust looked back to the two on the floor. “I forgot we established that telepathic connection,” she said to Emmé. “Well good thing we did. And you did say use for emergencies where things were about to go to Hell,” Emmé said back, not looking away. “Can you find anything?” “I think I’m feeling something, or maybe more than one. It’s faint though, extremely faint.” She backed off slightly, gesturing Faust over. “Right on the base of his neck.” Faust pressed her finger to the area, a faint but familiar feeling coming back to her. “Oh my, it’s almost invisible. Still feels like it’s getting fainter.” “I felt two more: on the top of his forehead and at his tailbone,” Emmé stated, standing up. “Just what happened? And why did it have to be when you finally decided to step out away from—” she stopped, eyes going wide. “Faust… I have an idea.” “You do?” “Yes, I want you to leave again. And not step out the door, I mean teleport away again.” She looked back down him. “That was too convenient how it happened. Just make sure you come back in… exactly ten seconds.” She knelt back down, hand going to his neck again. Faust didn’t say anything as she flashed out the room with a finger snap. Karyn meanwhile stepped closer to observe. As the seconds past, Emmé’s already serious face hardened further. “...huit, neuf, dix.” The sound of the front door was opened, and Emmé gave a nod. “There we go, exactly as I thought.” Faust walked back into the room. “So what’s your conclusion?” she asked. “Well, without you around, his magic was going to repeat what happened before. At least that’s what I can guess given what he says he feels.” Getting back to her feet, she gestured to Faust. “I don’t think it’s you specifically though, it’s because of your pony magic.” “My… magic?” Faust held out a hand, letting it glow. “Why would my magic stop his transfo— oh!” She clapped her hands together. “Excuse me, but what are you two going on about?” Karyn spoke up. “Can’t anything be done?” “I’ll take anything, please!” Karl added, pushing himself off the ground before heaving himself onto the couch once again. “Can’t ya just stop it now?” “This isn’t just something we can zap away,” Faust admitted. “Magic has rules to be followed, and magic has to follow scientific rules despite many claiming that it defies it.” “And part of that includes DNA reconstruction and meddling,” Emmé added, glancing up to him. “Even if no outside force was there, safely putting that back together is too much even for us.” Karl blanched, shuddering despite himself. “O-okay, but what do we do then?” “We use that science for another solution,” Faust answered. “Pony magic inherently doesn’t cause transformations like this,” she reminded. “With a lot of around, it stops that magic in him from going.” “So… we need to keep pony magic around him at all times then.” Karyn concluded, earning a nod from Faust. “How though? My magic wasn’t enough even when I was right next to him.” “Well there’s a certain place that’s completely saturated in magic, in fact all kinds of magic that wouldn’t spark a transformation like this. A whole world of it.” Karyn didn’t react at first, before blurting out, “Alter-Earth?” “Yep! That’s our magic source!” “Hang on a sec!” Karl protested, immediately realizing the implication. “Are ya saying we gotta just pack up and move?!” Faust’s cheeriness disappeared. “There’s no other option, even if we try something like make batteries or something: they can easily become faulty. And we can’t risk that.” “We lucked out Faust stuck around as long as she did," commented Emmé. "Any sooner and maybe we wouldn’t have caught it without you being able to tell us.” “No, no, NO!” Karyn bellowed, falling to the floor onto her rear. “I can’t go back to Alter-Earth! I worked basically my entire adult life to make sure I lived here!” “Well, tough,” came Emmé. “This stuff is too dangerous—” “Oh screw off already!” Karyn yelled back. “I’m well fucking aware of that shit! But the universe has to always have the last fucking laugh with me!” “Seriously,” Karl growled, standing up and glaring at Emmé. “Fuck, you….” He stomped around her, going up to Faust. “I’m not fucking happy either. I’m not a fan of the idea of moving out of the US and to Alter-Earth.” He turned away from them, starting to walk over to Karyn. “If that’s yaur solution, then figure out some kinda plan, and later let us know. ‘Cause right now, I need to be with her.” His hands held out for her, she grabbed them without looking up. Both of them walked to the bedroom door, Karl slamming it behind him. Faust glanced to Emmé, disappointed. “You really do need to work on your empathy, Emeraude.” “Faust, I think trying to coddle them with rainbows here ain’t gonna help them in the long run.” “But you could perhaps hold back your abrasiveness for their sake.” “I’m not ever going to take chances with human mag—” “Emmé, just stop,” Faust groaned. “Look, at least try to help me make it up to them that they essentially may have to start their lives all over. Especially after having a potential happy life here just ripped away from them.” She looked to the door, no joy on her face. “Considering what we’re working with, this is probably going to be one of the worst lies we’ll ever have to make.” Karl restrained himself from yelling out as he slammed the door, Karyn’s new upset preventing him from doing so. Don’t cause any more of it. It’s what she always wants when she helps me. He walked her over to the bed, letting go as she laid herself down on it. He could hear small sobs trying to break through. “It’s not fucking fair,” she choked out. “We were so close to getting out of this with just bad... memories.” “Where would we even go?” he asked. Karyn wiped her eyes. “My parents could help out, but I don’t want to put that on them. Not even my extended family.” She looked up to him. “But, Karl, we still haven’t decided on the foal. We can’t just ignore that for this.” “I know.” “But there’s one more thing you need to know.” She hung her head slightly. “This… this may be the only baby I’ll ever have.” Karl double-taked. “What? How— actually, tell me later.” He sat down and shuffled himself over to her. “Karyn, I may not want to be a father, but this our child.” Her despair faded as she processed that. “Karl, are you…?” “This has nothing to do with me putting yaur desires over mine despite how it may be for me. None of that shit from before, or even that right now.” His hand going on her stomach, he said, “I was taught to own up to what I’ve done, even if it was an accident.” He moved his hand over to her cheek, and the smile she had was enough to put one on him in that moment.