Second Verse, Same as the First

by Obsidian Chitin

Fall Apart

“Look, I know you don't get along with her.” Rose Quill said. “But Trixie is the best way we have to communicate with the Princess quickly. So smile.”

Wob Niar put on her best fake smile as she and Rose walked up to Trixie's door. Which is to say it looked faker than plastic water.

“On second thought, don't. It looks creepy.” Rose said with an eye roll. She knocked.

After what seemed like muffled complaining, hoofsteps signaled a pony approaching the door, which then opened.

“Oh. You're back. Got fed up with her too, I take it?” Trixie said with a smug smile.

“Actually, we're dating. Could you take a letter to Luna for me?” Rose asked.

“Sure, I could- dating?!” Trixie shouted.

“Yeah. Nothing serious.” Rose replied.

Wob gave a small frown. “What do you mean, 'nothing serious'?”

“I've given it a lot of thought. Wob, if you truly can go back to your old life and your old friends... Would you abandon them?” Rose asked. “You've known them for years, been through thick and thin I bet. Why leave them for some mare you just met two days ago?”

“I appreciate the personal look into your love lives, but would you just come inside already? You're bringing in the cold.” Trixie said with more than a hint of annoyance. “Couldn't you have talked about that before coming over here?”

“Right, right. Let's go in, Wob.” Rose said as she walked inside. Wob followed with a nod.

Wob and Rose sat themselves onto the floor in the living room, heat coming from the fireplace.

“So, you said something about a letter to Princess Luna.” Trixie said as she adjusted herself on her comfy chair. “While I hate being your personal messaging system, I admit that there isn't a better way at the moment. What do you want?”

Trixie's horn flashed, and the parchment on the end table she sat next to hovered in front of her along with her quill.

“Alright, take this down.” Rose said.

“What, exactly, does it look like I'm doing?” Trixie replied with an eyebrow raised.

“Ahem.” Rose cleared her throat before starting.

Yo Luna-

“You cannot be serious.” Trixie said incredulously.

“Fine.”

Dear Luna,

The changeling entrusted in Trixie's care has the soul of an alternate Rainbow Dash trapped inside her.

“She already knows that.” Trixie said.

Rose sighed as she rolled her eyes.

Wob Niar has thought up a way home, using the mirror that Twilight Sparkle experimented with a few months ago.

“'Experimented with?' I thought she ran in to get her crown back.” Wob said, confused.

“She doesn't have a crown. Unless you sort of count that Element of Magic tiara.” Trixie explained. “And it hardly belongs to her. Besides, I think it looks better on me, anyways.”

“As I was saying...” Rose said sternly,

Perhaps by using Wob herself as a focus, we can bring her back to her home universe. That's it, really.

-Rose Quill

“There, done.” Trixie said. She touched the parchment with her horn, and it was wrapped in a silver ribbon before being burnt by a magical blue-silver flame. The smoke flew up and left out the window, which Trixie then closed. “We should get an answer shortly.”

“Do you think I'll be able to keep in touch?” Wob asked.

“I doubt it.” Rose said.

“Actually...” Trixie said, looking thoughtful, “There might be something we can do. I have a journal that has a special property: When written into, the message gets copied to an identical journal owned by Princess Luna.”

“That could work.” Wob said with a smile.

“Yeah. But, you should still find a marefriend of your own.” Rose said.

“What?”

“I've tried to keep a long-distance relationship going before. It... Didn't work.” Rose said as she avoided eye contact with Wob. “I'm sorry, Wob.”

“You... You're breaking up with me, aren't you?” Wob said as she looked at the floor.

Silence answered her question.

“You are.” There was no anger in her statement, no malice. Just disappointment with a hint of sadness. “Where am I going to find somepony as cool as you?”

“Just try out some lespony bar. You might find a nice mare at some point. And if you don't, hey, you got cider.” Rose said.

“First, 'lespony'? Second, that's terrible advice. You're telling her to drown her sorrows away with alcohol if she doesn't get what she wants?” Trixie said.

Rose shrugged. “Not all of my advice is spot-on, okay?”

Wob sighed as she stared at the ever-interesting ground.

There was a flash of silver as Trixie got a reply. “Hm.” She said as she read the letter. “Luna will accompany Wob on the train. I will accompany you- Ugh. I'll accompany you along with two of her personal guard.”

“Why by train?” Wob asked.

“Too far to go by flying chariot.” Trixie replied. “Besides, the area around the Empire is very cold.”

“Right.” Wob said. “This isn't going to be fun. Unless Rose can come along?”

“No.” Rose replied, a little too quickly.

“What?”

“I'm not coming.” Rose replied. “I hate goodbyes.”

Rose turned, and walked out. Wob raised a hoof, but it was too late.

“Sorry.” Trixie said. It didn't sound pretentious, though. She sounded sincere. “She doesn't take these sorts of things very well.”

“What do you mean?” Wob asked, her voice cracking.

“She never had a successful romance. They always end badly with her.” Trixie explained quietly. “And she knows this one will end the same.”

“But what if it doesn't?” Wob challenged.

“What, exactly, do you think you're going to do when you get back to your own world?” Trixie asked.

“Well, that's simple! Stop the changeling who killed me from hurting my friends!” Wob replied.

“And what then? You are a changeling yourself, remember.” Trixie reminded her.

“I'll just continue my... life...” Wob said, realization dawning on her. “...My life. All of my life, I dreamed of being a Wonderbolt. I worked so hard! And I was so close, when I died! So very, very close! But... These wings... I won't be able to truly fly fast ever again, will I? I can't be a Wonderbolt. Even my everyday job, as a weather manager... Can changelings even move clouds? I don't think so. My friends... They'll catch on. They'll realize that's something's wrong, they'll...”

“Exactly.” Trixie said without any satisfaction whatsoever. “You have a choice, Rainbow Dash. Are you truly loyal enough to your friends to give your life for them? Or will you let them go, and earn a happy ending for yourself?”

Wob gave a long sigh. “We both know the answer to that.”

Comments

[Perteks]

Erm thats so empty and completly opposite what you wanted to do.

Leave yours friends for one mare thats selfish not saying that all thing she counted was practically material stuff.

[ferret]

Besides back home she has 5 times as many mares...