//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Friendly Fire // by Starscribe //------------------------------// There was no such thing as Bronytown. As it turned out, Jacob was wrong on many of his predictions. They weren’t shipped out to one of the refugee towns. He hadn’t been the only one to turn Luna down, either. Every single one of them but Elise had wanted time to recover. Some would join the fray again when that time was over… but by then, the very worst of the war would probably be resolved, for better or worse. Instead of being sent to some distant town where they wouldn’t bother natives, they had all been given apartments in the same complex on the more modest end of Canterlot, along with a rent-free contract and a stipend consisting of all the wages they had earned while serving the rebellion on Earth. None of them were done with Earth for good. Katie still wanted to see her family again, Jacob wanted to make sure the Nightmare didn’t take over, and many of the others wanted to help… but he was done with fighting for the time being. As it turned out, the whole building had been set aside for ponies similar to them, former humans the Crown wanted to keep close. Their adventuring equipment, laptops and tablets and so on, became big screen TVs in their new apartments. Canterlot’s ponies were not universally kind. Many of the upper class looked down on the refugees as barbarians or primitives, and would refuse service to any they identified. Many more were curious and inquisitive, and would happily trade a meal or a minor trinket for stories about life on Earth. Jacob adjusted quickly, even to the nudity thing. He got himself a vest and some boots, and that made him feel much better, regardless of not actually covering anything. The Crown had arranged further training for each of them—each in their areas of interest. None had turned them down, and he soon found himself in school again. Only this time, it was unicorn medical school. He spent his evenings with Katie, who moved in with him about the time Harley had moved in with Jackie. The wildest of Brony dreams became their daily lives. There were two dark clouds on their horizon. The first was Earth—they were sent regular updates on the war, information that few ponies in Equestria had access to. Gathering together with all the old crew and reading Luna’s mission reports became a weekly ritual, and the news was not often good. The second cloud was Jacob’s alone, though the others were all sympathetic and did what they could to help. That cloud was his sister, Michelle. When the others had all recovered, Mich had remained comatose. She was completely a pony, a unicorn like he was with a lighter red mane and palomino coat, though hers was white and brown instead of two different shades. Unfortunately for her, proof of family resemblance did not translate to help waking up. Michelle would take food, she would toss and turn in her sleep, but that was it. Pony doctors far more skilled than Jacob ever was told him over and over it was some kind of thaumic shock, the result of overwhelming exposure without preparation beforehand, but it would pass. There was nothing they could do but wait. For their first week in Equestria, Jacob hiked up to the hospital every day to visit her and leave new flowers. He continued to visit for the next few weeks, until eventually he found her waiting in a wheelchair with flowers on her lap and an annoyed expression on her face. “‘Bout time you got here,” she muttered, glaring up at him from her seat. “The doctors kept saying you usually visit around six, but it’s almost eight.” He didn’t even ask how she had recognized him with just a glance. He hugged her tighter than he had ever hugged a pony before. He probably cried too—ponies did that way easier than humans. Or maybe he was just broken. Maybe not, because she did too. “Sorry… class went a little late tonight, and you’re never up anyway… I didn’t think you’d notice. I can’t believe you’re okay!” She sat back in the wheelchair, glowering. “You do see me, right?” She held up one hoof, shoving it against the side of the wheelchair. “I have stumps for arms. I have stumps for legs. They’ve been feeding me nothing but hay soup since I woke up. What part of that is okay?” “Right.” He blushed, pawing at the ground with one hoof. “It does suck at first, and I was ready for it. Since you’re not…” He shook his head. “I’m sure we could get you back to Earth quick enough. I bet if we asked, Princess Luna would even send you back to Springs.” “As a horse?” He shook his head. “I doubt it. There’s…” He wasn’t going to go into any existential truths with her, not on her first day awake. “There’s a spell to make you human again. You have to stay away from magic once you use it, but other than that it should work indefinitely.” Michelle seemed to consider, looking down at her lap with its several bouquets of flowers. Some of them were the ones he had left last night, but not all. She leaned down, took a sunflower in her mouth, and started to chew, smiling at the taste. “Are you going back?” “Nope.” He walked away from her, to the dark window. It might be night outside, but Canterlot was still alive out there. Cafes and restaurants wouldn’t close their doors for hours yet, and many of the evening’s plays and other entertainment hadn’t even started. It was a world with only basic access to electricity and nothing even resembling the internet, but it was also safe. “Not for at least a year, anyway. I turned down a deal from a horrible monster and then helped kill her. She’d probably remember me.” “Then…” she talked through her chewing. “Get over here and push my wheelchair. I’m not spending another night in this damn hospital.” He almost started crying again as he turned around. “Wait, you’re gonna stay? Just like that?” “Just like that,” she repeated. “I’m not digging this horse thing at all, but if you can get used to it, I’m sure I’ll be tap-dancing and playing piano in a week. I… haven’t figured out how to walk yet…” She looked down, suppressing a whimper. “But it can’t be that hard, right?” I never had to learn. “I’ll teach you. Oh, you’ll love our apartment! We got the one with an extra bedroom, since we knew you’d be well again eventually. We’re on the fourth floor of this wonderful place in the Horseshoe district. There’s a bakery on the first floor, and every morning the smell of—” She shoved a hoof into his mouth, silencing him. “We knew?” She looked sidelong at him, eyes narrowing. “You telling me you’re into horses or something, pipsqueak? You living with someone? How long have I been out, anyway?” “About a month.” He tucked his tail between his legs, looking away. “And maybe I am now, so what? You can act all high and mighty with me, but see if you’re not seeing someone a month from now!” She put up her forelegs, defensive. “I was only kidding, pipsqueak. I’m happy for you. I was beginning to worry you’d never date again.” He started pushing her. “Well, Katie is wonderful, and she’ll be thrilled to see you well again. If I can’t teach you any important pony things, I’m sure she can.” “Well, there is the matter of the bathroom. I think I’d rather learn from her than you, all things considered. Now that I won’t have a team of nurses.” There was still some administrative stuff to get worked out, and it took them just over an hour to get out of the hospital. He was a little guilty to be keeping his friends waiting—this was “Earth News” night, after all, but there was no way to call ahead. A few of them still had working cell phones, but Equestria had all of zero towers. Somepony called a carriage for them, which hurried them through Canterlot’s moonlit streets to the Horseshoe district. Michelle didn’t sass him once during the ride. Her eyes were open too wide as she took everything in, mouth hanging slack-jawed. At his request, their driver took a roundabout route through the city, giving Michelle the tour. They stopped by a take-away pizza shop as well, since it was always his responsibility to bring dinner home on nights he visited his sister. “Why does everyone call you Lifeline?” Michelle asked, when they had waved goodbye to the carriage driver and were standing in front of the apartment. “You could just introduce yourself with your real name.” “I could,” he agreed. “And then they’d know I was a refugee and wonder if I was going to rob them or something.” “Huh?” He started pushing, levitating a few pizza boxes behind him. The smell wasn’t just wonderful after hours in the hospital, it was familiar. He had ordered specifically with no hay, same as every night he got pizza. “Refugee is the word ponies use for ponies from Earth. It’s often derogatory—we’re seen as clumsy, unfriendly, or even dangerous by lots of the city ponies here.” He pushed the door open, then headed to the elevator. The apartment had it mostly for moving furniture around, and ponies had to operate it themselves since there was no permanent operator on staff, but Jacob didn’t mind. What was one more object to levitate? “See, I’d have thought there was a perfectly good word for that already: Human. You know, what we are.” He chuckled. “Y-yeah, well… we’re not humans anymore. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you that, but… humans don’t have four hooves and tails or magical horns.” Michelle rolled her eyes. “And ponies don’t have real elevators. Do you really have to crank us all the way up?” He nodded. “I usually just teleport up, but if I did that you’d probably puke all over the floor. Katie just flies up to the balcony… but neither of us will ever be doing that. Welcome to the unicorn master race.” Her face paled. “That better not be a thing.” “It isn’t.” He laughed. “It’s an old Brony joke… nevermind.” Her expression was incredulous. “You’re living in a whole world filled with pony stuff, and you’re still calling yourself that? Doesn’t being a ‘Brony’ just mean you’re just a regular person?” He shook his head. “No way. Even in Equestria we’re still a little weird. Ponies are just too nice to tell you so.” “Unless you tell them you’re from Earth, in which case you can’t catch a taxi and they’ll hide their purse.” He sighed. “It’s not perfect. Nowhere that exists could be perfect. But it’s pretty nice.” He reached the top floor, locked the elevator into place, and pushed the protective cage open. Only when he had rolled Michelle safely onto solid ground did he release the mechanism, letting the whole thing settle gradually back towards the ground floor. “Like, just wait until you see the apartment. We’re talking penthouse, tastefully furnished with all the amenities.” “Except for pants.” She grinned, glancing back at him. “I notice you left yours at home.” “No pants,” he agreed, embarrassed all over. Not that he was embarrassed most of the time. Ponies didn’t make a big deal out of it, so he had stopped. It took someone from Earth to remind him. “I actually don’t think I own any. You probably noticed already, but ponies aren’t particular about the nudity taboo. The only clothes here are either protective or formal.” “Yeah.” She glanced down at her hospital gown again, apparently relieved. “I’m not sure I’m down for that either. So maybe I’ll join the horse club for a while and make sure you don’t get into trouble, that’s one thing. It doesn’t mean I’m gonna sign up to pretend I’m an animal.” He shrugged. “You’ve got plenty of money waiting for you, we can go shopping tomorrow.” “No, we won’t. You are miserable to shop with. Maybe that girlfriend of yours, though. Does Katie have good fashion sense?” He winked. “I think she’s beautiful no matter what she wears. Even if it’s nothing.” She shoved him with a foreleg, and he very nearly dropped the pizzas. “I’m beginning to wonder if the horniest guys in the world didn’t set this place up. Naked all the time, heads staring right into people’s junk no matter where you look?” He reached the door. There was no lock—few doors in Canterlot had them, that he could see. Nopony seemed worried about it, or even to understand his questions when he asked. “Wrong again.” He smiled slightly. “Equestria is a Matriarchy. The same two mares have ruled it for… a really, really long time. Lots of the parliamentary positions are held by mares too. It’s really only the more progressive districts that would consider running a stallion. We’re considered—” He found a hoof shoved into his mouth again. “Please stop. I’ve had enough of horse today for you to start with horse politics. I don’t even want to know.” He shrugged, and pushed the door open, helping Michelle along. “Sorry I’m late, everypony!” he shouted into the room ahead of him. “I brought someone special!” Michelle glowered at him, but not much noise came from within. Except for Eric’s voice. “I hope that someone special includes something edible, because we’re starving in here.” True to his description, the apartment was smartly furnished, with dark wood and comparatively modern decorations. The photos on the wall were all landscapes, and free of pony-related interruptions. He and Katie had chosen only furnishings which would help them remember Earth. The open-plan building had a dining room near the kitchen, with comfortable cushions instead of chairs. Instead of a table, there was a stand for Katie’s tablet, its thick charging cable vanishing into the floor. It had been a large model even for human use—as a pony, it was big enough for four ponies easy. A tight squeeze for a bigger group, but they managed. His friends weren’t eating off it now, but were crowded around both sides, watching as Katie and Harley went back and forth at a game of virtual air-hockey. Like Jacob himself, they had all long abandoned the pretext of human modesty, and could have been any other group of ponies. Except for the changeling. Harley couldn’t be herself on the streets of Canterlot, but she had nothing to fear in his apartment. Harley was the first to look up, taking her hoof off the touchscreen. Katie scored, and the tablet filled the room with sound, but she didn’t seem to notice. There was a flash, and she was suddenly only a few feet away, glancing between them. “Michelle?” she asked. “She’s on her hooves again?” “I’ve never been on hooves,” Michelle corrected, forelegs folded in front of her. “I wouldn’t have been so eager to fly you guys around if I’d known I was flying myself into a lifetime supply of petting zoos.” “Oh good, you’re okay. You won’t mind if I take these, then…” Jackie snatched the pizzas out of Jacob’s magic, carrying them over to the table. Katie unrolled a thick cloth over it, and just like that the tablet was gone. The pegasus made her way over as the others descended upon the pizzas, greeting Michelle with a polite handshake. “I’m happy you’re awake, Michelle. Your brother has been really worried about you.” “Yeah.” She relaxed a little. “That’s the pipsqueak. We had things rough growing up, so… we’re used to keeping an eye on each other.” “Does that mean you’ll be sticking around Equestria?” She nodded. “For the time being. I think waiting until things have quieted down on Earth is a good idea. Just… how are things going over there, anyway?” The room got a little quieter then, and nopony rushed to answer her. “Better,” Jacob eventually answered. “The terrorism is over. Princess Luna has diplomatic ties with the UN, apparently she’s helping the WHO come up with a vaccine for the virus in exchange for certain guarantees about the transformed humans. No word on a cure or Nightmare Moon’s location, yet. Political situation is…” “Horse shit,” Jackie supplied, through a mouthful of pizza. “Virus got to South America and two countries collapsed. Nopony has a clue what’s going on in Venezuela, and parts of Africa are worse, Madagascar's closed its borders… apparently the only country without any ponies is North Korea. Lots of wealthy, spineless people are running away to the hermit kingdom. Half the Middle East has probably exploded by now, internment camps across Europe…” “Damn.” Michelle visibly deflated in her seat. “Worse than I thought.” “Yeah.” Jackie scooted closer to Harley, who wasn’t actually sitting close enough to reach the pizza. “Get in here. You look hungry.” The night went on a long time, longer than Jacob should’ve stayed awake, longer than any of them probably should’ve. Jackie and Harley alone didn’t seem to get tired, since both of them had only woken a few hours before. Even Michelle seemed to relax as the evening wore on, joining in with the board games when Eric brought them out, and laughing at their terrible jokes. She was still weak though, and eventually asked quietly if she could be taken to bed. Katie helped her with the shower and everything else, which left Jacob alone in the master suite, lost in a comfortable mattress and staring up at a pinned photo of his brony club, which he had printed back in Imperium. I wonder if any of those people still have two legs. He had met several since liberating Containment—they’d been psychologically damaged by their time there, but ordinary life was helping them recover. By the time he saw them next, they might very well be themselves again. Maybe. Earth still needed him. Jacob still didn’t know if he was a pony or a human, regardless of what he had been told about ancient spells. He felt more and more like a pony every day, but his guilt was growing too. Sooner or later, he would have to help. Not tonight. He heard the door open in the dark, though there were no hooves on the ground. A few seconds later and Katie was perched in bed next to him, smelling like soap and drooping a little with moisture. “Thanks for helping my sister, pigeon.” “No problem.” She slumped weakly into the covers beside him, splaying out wings and limbs alike. “Were we really that bad with the nudity thing when we first got here?” He rolled up next to her. “We had months to get ready. Michelle got all of it dumped on her at once.” “I know.” She gestured faintly at her back with one hoof. “I think I twisted my back at weather practice. I’ve been waiting for a massage for hours.” Jacob was exhausted, but he didn’t say anything, just twisted to the side and lifted himself up onto his hooves. “You know there are places for that. You didn’t have to wait.” She shrugged. “Maybe. But I doubt they’d do as good a job. None of them remember hands, so they can’t do the unicorn pretend to make it seem like they have any.” It was the same kind of magic as levitation, careful pressure just as a hand might give. Jacob thought he had gotten pretty good at it, and not just from practicing on Katie. “Okay, fine. How’s this?” The war wasn’t over back on Earth. Equestrian monsters still surfaced every now and then, and Luna’s negotiations moved painfully slow. He felt a little guilty for not helping, but… nights like this made it easy to forget the guilt. Living in Equestria was medicine enough to heal the wounds of war. He still missed Danielle, but that pain was starting to fade. Enjoying life here seemed a fitting way to remember the pony who would have enjoyed it the most. If Earth still needed him a few more months down the road, he wouldn’t say no. Just not tonight.