-Canterlot, upper square, Fizzle-
The night was going pretty well so far, launched off some magical fireworks from my busted horn and told Twilight I just wanted to show ponies what I was capable of. That wasn’t a lie, what I didn’t tell her was that there were further goals behind my efforts.
I prodded the armor at my sides, I was still wearing it out of paranoia more than any loyalty to my former employer. All ponies have varying levels of insanity, unicorns are more likely to go insane and attack me while I’m here. I wasn’t taking off the anti-magic armor until I’ve started going around fixing things and can feel safe enough to take it off.
Reaching under the armor at my neck, I pulled out a locket and flipped it open for a few seconds. A few tears sprang from my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away and then put the locket back.
Mom left for Airship Mauled, but she didn’t go alone. I told her to take Pique and Niche with her after lunch was over with, they could use a place where everyone is given a fair shot to be a part of the town. I wanted them to look after mom or do whatever else she might need of them.
I told mom to take them with her when she sets out to get Blade, it has been several hours and the thestral hasn’t moved from the general area she had come back at. Mom was worried about her possible mare friend.
Knowing the world like I do, I definitely think something was wrong and Blade needed help. That she was even on the map was telling us where she was and that she was alive, but not in what state.
Capper became slightly more amiable to get along with after talking with my mother. He was a rogue that I could compare to Jade, only he was more of a fast talker and less paws-on than Jade was. I felt nothing for him aside from honest friendship as we became more acquainted.
I learned why Capper was going to sell out the six ponies, my new friends, he lost his ability to trust anyone after his best friend Chummer left him in Klugetown.
He told his story, then I told mine. Every bit of trauma I’ve had to go through.
Ursa minor to major inflicted injuries, nearly killed by another ursa, various dangerous adventures with Jade, my heart being broken when Jade got taken from us, recently finding out someone took down Maries from mom a while ago and we don’t even know if they are still alive. On top of all that, every single thing I looked into about getting my horn back ends with failure.
Fluttershy and Capper had been more than comforting. Capper talked about Celaeno not letting life get her down despite losing a half a leg. He talked about how he was willing to give friendship a try and was willing to open himself up to trusting others again, but this time he would at least verify that he can trust someone. He did so by saying he could trust me.
Fluttershy and Pinkie’s friends made a lot of friends during their recent travels. A group of pirates, a crazy charming cat and eventually a bunch of weirdoes under the sea. Now they can add a unicorn with scars on her heart and soul.
I was formally introduced to Rarity and Applejack. Rainbow was shocked that I was the same Fizzle she knew back then, she had honestly thought I was earth pony that kept to myself.
I swear that all these friendships almost mirrored those that I had with Jade.
-Cadance-
I really haven’t thought about it, but I guess my wish came true.
Twilight certainly made a lot of unique friends and was put through a lot of trauma recently.
I’m glad she was able to connect with Fizzle and convince her to make a horseshoe turn in the right direction. I feel kind of bad for the unicorn, hearing both Maries and Jade weren’t around to give her the love she needs hurts me in the heart.
I wish there was something I can do for her… maybe try to reconnect Fizzle with old friends?
I’d find out a few days later how far back I had to go to find someone who hasn’t disappeared off the face of Equestria.
-Fizzle-
The party was in full swing, to a point that even the Hippo Queen herself showed up. The goddess Taweret was a little weird to look at, but she was the life of the party and then some.
The best description for her was this, large purple hippo in robes that happened to be wearing a crown and had a particularly jolly nature. You’ll know for sure when she’s around given all alcohol was suddenly just flavor without the mental inhibition destroying applications.
Celestia didn’t even know there was such a thing as the hippo queen, mostly since the hippo queen was a rather lazy and low key goddess.
The only given reason she even showed up is because there was a city wide party going on, a party that was large enough to attract her from sleeping in a river in what used to be Anugypt.
For the title of ‘she who is great’, I think it didn’t mean in deeds or friendliness. I think it was talking about Taweret’s general bulk and the roundness therein. She and Pinkie became fast friends upon seeing each other.
That and the title ‘mistress of pure water’ meant that no matter what you drink within a given distance of her, you would not get drunk or be harmed by poisonous substances. A few ponies were griping about this given that all alcohol was completely neutralized in her presence. I could probably drink paint thinner and survive, but I wasn’t willing to push my luck. Though you could make a request for her to tone it down on the purity of water aspect and she would, for that one person.
It was basically her domain to prevent people from getting poisoned, whether it be on purpose or incidental. So you actually had to ask for permission to get drunk while she was around, she’ll consider it if you weren’t a mean, angry or destructive drunk.
How would I know? I tried to drown my sorrows and frankly Taweret being here prevented me from making a mistake of getting drunk while depressed. At least Grubber and the Storm Creatures were getting along with everyone else. I stood at a balcony alone and away from the party.
“Fizzle.” I shivered at the sound of Fluttershy’s voice.
Letting out a sigh, I turned to her.
“Yes, did you need something Fluttershy?” The moon was lovely tonight, I was going to have an important talk with Celestia and Luna about something soon.
“I don’t need anything, I just don’t want you to be alone with your thoughts.” She came up to me and I could clearly see the worried look in her eyes. I wasn’t that bad… was I? Well I had plenty of reasons to feel the way I do. “Capper might have been rude about it, but he had a point about you having a tendency to brood.”
“Fluttershy… I don’t have a job and I don’t want to be the Storm Queen for too long after this day, I don’t know what ultimately became of Jade, Maries or the rest of the friends we used to have. You, Pinkie, Twilight and the others are just about all I have left aside from Grubber, Mom and the two Storm Creatures I sent with her.” I rested my forehead on the railing and didn’t look at Fluttershy. “I know I’m going to start spreading the word of friendship, the Storm King’s defeat and will start fixing things, but it won’t make me a living to survive off of. I have no idea where I’m going, what I’m going to be doing and frankly I don’t feel like I belong in the one place I still want to call home more than anything. Kuril makes me feel special, but what I want are the ones that made life feel special to me. What I’m saying is, the most important thing out of all that… is that I’m scared.”
“It’s okay to be scared Fizzle, I think your far braver than I am… well most ponies generally are. Just know that you have friends that will be behind you through thick and thin.” Snorting at Fluttershy’s self-deprecation, I didn’t lift my head from where it rested. She came up next to me propped herself up on the railing. “I don’t think Rainbow is too happy about hearing who you really are, but I talked her down from bothering you. You need space, but not too much. That’s why I’m here, I want to help you Fizzle.”
“To think you say you aren’t brave, but you always know when to stand up and confront someone when you know something is wrong.” I wasn’t going to look at her, her doe like eyes were lethal weapons. “My life has had one really nice up and a lot of following downs, I’m tired of life kicking me around Fluttershy.”
“Twilight wants you to come to Ponyville, you know, to see its many wonders.” Thanks Fluttershy, but I’ve already been there. It wouldn’t be the same. Sure it would be exciting given the crazy stuff that happens there, but I wouldn’t appreciate being there. “She… doesn’t exactly know that you’ve been there before.”
“Yes, I’ll let Twilight down gently after staying a night or two to get on my hooves, I am going to need to get supplies for the road after all. Pinkie will definitely chip in for that if I ask nicely enough, I’m pretty sure she’d help even if I was as rude as I could possibly be to her.” Knowing what I do, Pinkie would probably say something like, ‘It’s dangerously lonely to go, take this’, then she would hold a cupcake out to me. “At least mom is on the road to finding happiness again, don’t honestly know how I’m going to find mine.”
I felt something shift next to me and I lifted my head to spy a paper sack loaded with cupcakes sitting next to me. Pinkie’s got a hair trigger on her ability to sense sad sacks, which would explain why the bag had a frowny face on it.
“We’ll help you figure something out Fizzle, we’ll do whatever we can to help you!” Fluttershy put her left hoof on my right and held it. “Just don’t push away any help freely offered. Pinkie really wants you to be a part of the party and to smile more, but she’s actually trying to be subtle and not pushy. Those are things she usually isn’t good at, but she did okay this time.”
Inhaling through my nose, I exhaled slowly, then I turned to look at her while taking up a cupcake in my left hoof.
“Would you like a cupcake?” We would spend the next minute or so silently sharing cupcakes out of the sad sack, the frown on the sack turned into a smile at some point.
Not questioning it and moving on with my life.
“If we find anything having to do with Maries or Jade, we’ll inform you immediately.” That was a nice of you Fluttershy, if you could actually find either of them. “I think Spike is capable of aiming where the letters he burns go to.”
“Don’t go spending any sleepless nights over me Fluttershy, I have some princesses to go chat with about some pertinent things.” I turned away from Fluttershy and towards the party. “We’ll probably hop on the next train to Ponyville together, I’ll pretend to be absolutely surprised by all the stuff Twilight is probably going to inevitably drag me to.”
“At least it’ll be from her perspective, you’ve spent the last few days showing her your perspective about how dreary the world can be.” Trotting away from Fluttershy, I was heading towards Celestia. “You should let Twilight show you how bright and cheerful it can be as well.”
“I certainly need a refresher, especially without the ones who used make it that way for me to do it.” I sent Fluttershy a smile and then turned into a stick and a blindfold being held up in front of me.
“I heard Piñatas are a good way to relieve stress.” Pinkie waggled her brows at me with a smile, I did feel like I needed to hit something.
Fluttershy was most certainly not a viable target for my problems, neither was anyone else here really.
“Thanks Pinkie.” I took up the stick and didn’t take the blindfold. “I’d rather not play it in the traditional way if that’s okay with you.”
“Sure thing! I have a lot of spares if you need more to smash while you’re considering what to do with yourself, beyond the goals you set for yourself out of remorse and guilt.” Yep, Pinkie wasn’t subtle and she had pretty good read of my current mood.
-Thirty minutes later, Luna-
“So that’s why you need to be extra careful with the Staff of Sacanas.” Tempest was reporting to the both of us, but we weren’t exactly her princesses… were we? Was she still technically an Equestrian citizen? I was usually outside the splatter zone of most of the incidents Twilight became involved in, said splatter zone now encompassed all of Equestria. “GODLESS may not be as active in Equestria as you say, but they certainly are elsewhere or else I wouldn’t have run into them in big enough numbers to be a problem while getting that staff.”
“Thank you for informing us about this.” Honestly, I wanted to throttle this mare, but Celestia has explained to me much of what she went through. Not only did she lose one lover, but four, one of them being a chimera. My sister felt partly responsible for this and didn’t think Tempest would do what she did when she came in with an army of airships. “I accept your apology, now if only apologies would help me with the nightmares I’m going to be vanquishing in the coming days.”
“Yes, there is much to do, so much to prepare for… I think it’s about time we begin making plans for retirement.” Stated Celestia calmly. I was shocked to hear this and Tempest was as well, we both shared a look. “I have led Equestria as well as I could, but I think it’s time someone else took the reins… and no, I don’t mean the kinky bridles kind Luna.”
I felt heat in my cheeks as I looked away from my sister. Was Celestia ever going to let that go!
“Were there any other matters of which we needed to discuss?” While I would like to say no personally, I did want to at least buck that mare in the face at least once. That would be too cruel to actually do, we were basically kindred spirits.
“Yes, I do have some news that might interest you, Sekhet has returned to Airship Mauled and will be returning to her secretarial work for my mother and teaching physical education locally like before.” Was Tempest talking of the annoying sphinx that supposedly hounded sister over stolen cakes?