Immovable came for a landing on a tall roof, all the ponies far below seemed like little more than ants, but none of them were the ant she wanted to see. "She's nowhere..."
Small slid off Immovable's back. "She's really good at hiding is what she is, or maybe she left?"
Immovable's ears perked up. "Maybe she went straight home, and we're big silly heads for thinking she's even still in the city."
Small lightly biffed Immovable's shoulder. "Exactly! Maybe we're worrying over nothing at all."
"But..." Immovable put a hoof behind her head before she flopped over backwards, facing the blue sky above. "But she left me... I don't have any money."
Small gave the slowest blink. "I thought you were the adult?"
Immovable flinched. "Maybe, but she's the one that had the bits... She picked the hotel. She picked where to eat. She decided what we could buy... I'm a sidekick, that's normal, right?"
Small's shoulders lifted. "I admit, I've never had one of those before, but it's obvious you love the pants off her, so we need to get you two back together. You might be out of bits, but I'm not." She patted down her unseen pockets and pulled out a small bag of bits. "You're from Ponyville, right? Let's get to the train and we'll get going."
Immovable rolled over onto her belly before pouncing on the smaller Small, hugging her tightly. "You are the best! Wait, we?"
Small wriggled free from the grip loosened with confusion. "Of course 'we'. I'm not leaving until you two are reunited. There'd better be dramatic music and somepony running in slow motion towards the other one or I'll be upset." She smiled as she let out a little chuckle. She hopped up onto the rim of the roof they were on. "Whenever you're ready, but sooner is better, I imagine."
Prickle slumped against the wall, rough bricks against her fur. She didn't have her suit on anymore. It was across her back where it hung limply, much like the rest of her. She drew in a breath that didn't get far before she shuddered and sank towards the ground, hoof dragging along the wall. "Why am I such a freak...? My mom's normal... I never... never heard a strange thing about my dad..." She curled against the wall. She felt the urge to press into it, to try to bury herself in that corner, but she didn't.
She might break it, the whole building...
She grabbed for her suit and turned it about wildly until that hated pin came into view. She glared at the pony holding the world. There could only be one pony holding the world at once, that's just how that worked... "You're alone," she breathed out in a hiss at the pin. "Nopony else can share this with you."
She considered hurling the suit aside, but managed to lower her hoof to the ground instead. She would hurt it, or the next building over, with her freakish strength. Quite possible both would regret her action.
A female voice, soft and caring, intruded on Prickle's misery. "This isn't where I planned to meet you."
Prickle sat up sharply and tucked her suit behind herself as she looked over the huge pony that had somehow snuck up on her. They were massive! They were also dressed as a hero, with bold reds and oranges, the red running in a stripe along the center around their great form. Their massive horn marked them as a unicorn. Prickle did not know who they were. Intense light-magenta eyes were taking Prickle in. "Planned to meet me?"
"Oh yes, of course. I am the one that invited you, after all." Crimson sank to her belly across from Prickle. "Your sudden departure made quite a stir. Were you not enjoying the convention?"
Prickle felt heat rush into her cheeks. Crimson Streak, she put together, but... "You know who I am already?"
She gave a little nod. "There is a reason you were admitted without being on watch despite it being your first. I know much about you, but that's not important right now. What's wrong? Do you want to talk about it?"
Prickle swallowed thickly. No! No she did not want to talk about it. "Mmm," was all that escaped her as she squirmed in place.
"It's alright. Just tell me how you feel."
Crimson's words were so soft... Prickle suddenly shook her head. "Are you a mom?"
The larger pony gave a gentle smile. "Guilty as charged, though my foal is unconventional. Did you meet Big Momma?"
"Y-yeah..." Prickle felt her ears sagging at the thought of it. "She was so big and strong and... I'm still stronger."
"I understand that feeling." Crimson gave a single little nod. "It can be intimidating to be at the top, to know that no one else can be your superior, to turn to when you encounter something you can't handle."
"I don't want to be the top!" choked out Prickle. "I just want to be... normal, not a freak."
Crimson's horn glowed white as Prickle lifted gently from the ground and floated towards her. "You are no freak, Prickle Berry. You are surrounded by ponies that love you, admire you. You are a miracle, not a curse, even if it feels like the latter at times."
Prickle tensed when she was placed on Crimson's back, but the tension faded quickly as her hooves felt around. Her seat was... lumpy? What did Crimson have on her back between her flesh and the outfit? Curiosity overrode her misery for a moment.
"Ah ah," sang Crimson, lifting her right back up and setting her down beside herself. "My mistake. Prickle Berry, do you mind that I call you that?"
"What's your name?" Prickle pointed at the huge pony. "It's not fair that you know mine without giving yours."
Crimson's jaw set a moment. "It's not that simple... Dear Prickle, I mean no harm or insult, but that must remain a secret."
"R-right..." All the other heroes that wanted a secret name could actually keep it... She rose to her hooves. "Did anyone ever call you mean things?"
"Such as?"
Prickle looked the massive pony over. "Um, 'How's the weather up there?'" She cracked a faint smile that quickly dissolved. "I don't like making fun of ponies..."
"As well you shouldn't." Crimson reached a hoof for Prickle, tapping her on the nose. "I do have one friend who would say such things. He is quite the troublemaker, but I've learned to accept that aspect of him and it does not trouble me too much these days. Now that we are friends, worked through it... he doesn't say the hateful things very often, and even when he does, it is with kindness, not malice, and that makes a difference. Is there a pony you feel this way about?"
Prickle tilted her head faintly. "Y-yeah... She... isn't picking on me so much." Not that she understood Diamond Tiara... "Look, um, thank you, but I don't mean to take you away from your event."
She rose to her hooves, her long legs putting distance between her and the ground. "I made this as a place for special ponies, like you, to have a safe space. Barring the occasional naughty pony attack that the heroes seem to enjoy as much as not, it seems to do the job. They are fine." She raised a hoof up under Prickle's smaller chin. "Are you?"
Prickle felt a chill run along her spine. She was, again, the only one. Even in misery she was alone. "Were... you the other pony?"
"Mmm?"
"Did you get that pin?" When she didn't seem to immediately get it, Prickle dashed over to the dropped suit and fished up the Atlas pin to show it to Crimson. "This."
"I'm afraid I did not. I heard something about you making a good show at the Atlas competition..."
"Did... you ever try it?"
"I try not to compete at the show." She gave the softest smile. "As the organizer, it never felt fair to partake."
"Oh..." Prickle had hoped that maybe the large pony was the other Atlas pin holder... "Do you know who the other winner is?"
"That was some time ago, if I recall..." Crimson's eyes went off into the distance a moment.
"W-wait, how long?"
Crimson took a step towards the mouth of the alleyway. "You are loved, Prickle. If you want to rejoin us, please, do."
Prickle sank to her haunches as Crimson left. She felt no urge to go back to the con. She thumped a hoof on the pavement, leaving a divot in her moment of lack of control. "Oops..." She gathered her things and scurried free of the alley. She needed to figure things out.
Immovable squirmed on her seat. It wasn't an uncomfortable seat, but that didn't bring much relief. "I hope she's there... Even if she is, she's good at hiding there."
Small tilted her head. "You don't know where she lives?"
"Nope!" Immovable shook her head quickly. "She's real protective of her 'secret' identity. She never even told me her real name, can you believe it?"
Small pointed at herself. "I haven't either, don't forget."
"Oh, yeah... Well I have!"
"You have?" Small peered at Immovable. "I don't remember any names besides Immovable."
"That's because that is my name!" She clapped both hooves on her own chest. "I am Immovable! I have no secret names or anything."
Small reached out and ran a small hoof along Immovable's cape. "Why the fancy suit if you're not trying to hide who you normally are?"
"Aren't super ponies supposed to dress like this?" Immovable reached for the same cloak, lifting it and looking it over. "Is it badly done?"
"No no no! It's fine. The purple really works for you." Small leaned over Immovable to peer out the window on the far side of them. "Ponyville's coming up soon, then we'll find your erstwhile mentor and wrap up this case." She clopped her hooves together with a smile. "I never handled a case outside the city before, this is kind of exciting in a way."
Immovable grabbed her small partner and squeezed her close. "Congratulations," she cried. "At least one of us is doing something cool, I like that. Say... once we find Tiny Titan, I'll show you around. The ponies are nice, and there are fun places to be."
"See? You're already paying me back." Small gave a hearty laugh as she hopped free of Immovable's grip. "That's what friends do, I mean, I guess real friends always owe each other, but there aren't any hard feelings, both are ready to keep on paying."
Immovable blinked at that. "I never looked at it like that... I'd... I'd pay anything for Titan to be here... Be here and happy." She smiled a little. "Do you think she'd do the same for me?"
"Of course!" said Small with no real knowledge one way or the other. "You two are friends, right?"
"Right!" Immovable bobbed her head. "She's just upset about... something. We have to figure it out and cheer her up and then we can get back to bopping bad ponies and monsters and teaching them all lessons."
"That's the spirit." Small bobbed her head in agreement.
"So..." Immovable's eyes wandered a little before settling back on Small. She leaned in closer to her small companion. "Does that make us friends?"
Small gave Immovable a light thwack on the snout. "Yes. We're heroes to start, that gives us a little bond right there. You know how to respect someone smaller than you, so that's a couple of points right there, besides, you're a nice pony. Maybe a little self-important, but eh, welcome to superponies, right? Celestia knows I'm not innocent of that."
Immovable tilted her head left and right. "Celestia knows? Is she angry?"
Small burst into laughter even as a pony hollered that they were stopping at Ponyville. She hopped up onto Immovable's back. "You are too funny, Immovable. Come on, let's find that friend of yours."