//------------------------------// // 11: Friendly Reckoning // Story: But Wait...There's More! // by McPoodle //------------------------------//   But Wait...There’s More! - 11: Friendly Reckoning - On Sunday morning, Octavia found that Vinyl had locked her door. One interview with Twilight later, and she was politely sent on her way. “Vinyl?” asked Twilight, gently knocking on the door. “Vinyl, are you in there?” Silence. “Vinyl, could you come out for a minute? We need to talk.” “No,” said Vinyl. “No, you’re not coming out, or no, you don’t need to talk?” joked Rainbow Dash. “I’m never coming out of this room again for as long as I live,” Vinyl clarified. “Oh dear,” Rarity commented. “I’m not sure what the landlord will have to say about that!” “Ugh...fine. I’m going back to Fillydelphia, and then I’m locking myself in my own room and never coming out again for as long as I live! Oh, and Twilight?” “Yes?” “You owe me one ‘I told you so.’” Twilight leaned her head against the door. She could hear the sounds of Vinyl packing. “I...this isn’t about right and wrong, Vinyl.” “Yes, it is. I gave up my rights to everything at that party: the right to correct Prince Steadfast, the right to own a business or to be an artist, and most importantly of all, the right to friendship.” She did not state that she also gave up her right to exist. She figured that was obvious. “I release you all, ponies. Go back to Ponyville and get back to your lives without me.” There was a long pause from the outside of the door. For a moment, Vinyl wondered if everypony else had taken her advice and abandoned her to her fate. “Alright,” said the voice of Twilight at last. “This is about right and wrong. A terrible wrong has been committed. And I’m going to fix it. I’m going to tell Celestia about the Artifacts.” There was a collective gasp of shock from the outside of the door. Meanwhile, Vinyl was flabbergasted. “Wait, what?” she asked. “You simply followed my bad example,” Twilight confessed. “I didn’t tell the truth about the Artifacts to Celestia, despite the grave danger they may well pose to the whole of Equestria. And I didn’t tell the truth about my part in Equestria Acoustics. And as my friend, you loyally supported these lies, even though they were eating you up inside...” Wait, what are you doing? Vinyl’s heart demanded. Is...is Twilight Sparkle trying to take over the lead part in my life story? Nopony’s allowed to atone for my sins but me! “...so what other choice did you have?” Twilight asked. “Of course you had to lie, to support my lies! But no longer! I swear to come clean to the Princess!” “...just as soon as we get back to Ponyville...” Spike added in a small, nervous voice. “...right,” Twilight agreed. “But it’s a promise none-the-less! Now, Rarity, Rainbow and I have an appointment to see the Prince, and we’re going to do everything in our power to fix this; because we are your friends. Not only in the good times, but even in the bad times, and especially when the bad times are all our fault. I hear you’re already going to be paying for your mistake, so that means it’s time to put it behind you. Now, will you please go out to the town square and use that booth that Octavia made available to you?” There was a significant pause from the inside of the door. “Am I allowed to unpack, first?” Vinyl finally asked. The group on the outside of the door laughed. “Sure!” exclaimed Twilight. “And one more thing...” Vinyl said, sticking her head out of the door. “What?” asked Twilight. “Number eleven,” Vinyl replied, before popping back into her room. “Number eleven?” “Ah,” said Rarity. “Number eleven is one of my favorites: ‘We shall never speak of this matter...ever again!’” That got another good laugh out of the ponies. Vinyl sat down on the bed with a big grin before the following question occurred to her: What just happened? She suspected she still had a lot to learn about this “magic of friendship” business, because she was fairly certain she had just experienced it.