Retcon

by Beige

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Egress

The day had finally arrived. Rain lashed against the window, filling the room with its gentle ambience. She always liked the rain.

Retcon cast an eye around her room, perhaps for the last time, she realised. She didn’t own much, so it didn’t take long to pack. All that was left were a few of the books she wasn’t able to carry.

She lifted Gurney’s satchel over her head, settling it over her neck. Other than her papers, she had packed her dictionary, and a small assortment of the more interesting books. Thankfully the comics were thin enough that she didn’t have to leave any behind.

With a deep breath, she turned and walked out the door.

It felt so long ago that she had first been lead down the hallway of many identical doors. She had practically been a different person back then, a complete blank slate. Lost and terrified, desperate to be told what to do, but finding it hard to trust a word of it.

She shook the memories away. She was better than that now. There was a lot she still didn’t know, but she wasn’t reliant anymore. She had grown, ready to live her own life now.

The changeling that had initially come to the Institute… What would she think of Retcon now? Would she be proud? Would she be happy for her? Glad that Retcon has a chance for a better life that she couldn’t have had? The thought sometimes came to Retcon, late at night when she couldn’t sleep. The changeling was dead. She had died when her mind had been wiped, and now Retcon was here, doing her best for the two of them.

What was that changeling like, she wondered? She would’ve liked to have met her predecessor, though of course that would have been impossible.

I’m sorry, for what drove you here, she thought. But, thank you for the chance. I hope I can make you proud.

Retcon stepped out into the large open room, and was greeted by Gurney and Shower. “Here she is,” the other pegasus called, grinning. Retcon has already said farewell to the others at the previous night’s pizza dinner, which had become a regular thing the past few days, but Shower and Gurney had promised to see her off when she left. Glancing around, she had hoped to see Lemony as well.

“Hey,” Retcon responded. She had grown more confident in speaking and knew she should say something else, but at that moment it was hard to say anything at all.

“You’re packed and ready?” asked Gurney.

She shouldered the satchel. “Yep. Not got much,” she said happily.

“Got your papers?” Shower reminded.

“Yep.”

“Your bank papers too? And your legal documents?”

“Yep!”

“Got your romance novels?”

“Uh-huh.” She patted the side of the satchel.

Shower smirked. “Sounds like you’re set.”

Retcon nodded, smiling sadly. She opened her mouth, trying to figure out what to say, and then, blinking hotly, pulled the pegasus into a hug. Shower’s emotions spiked warmly, and she wordlessly returned the embrace.

Pulling away, Shower smiles sadly as her emotions turned bittersweet. “I’m glad I met you.”

Retcon sniffed, and nodded. “Me too. Thanks for taking me in.”

Showers eyes shined with moisture. She inclined her head silently.

Retcon turned and embraced Gurney, who returned it somewhat more stiffly. “Thanks,” she muttered into his neck.”

He stepped back again. “It’s been fun,” he said, grinning. “We’ll see you around, I’m sure.”

“Hope so,” she responded.

Gurney nodded as they trailed off into silence. “Would be nice if Sky were here. That would been the perfect time for you to leave, all dramatically.”

Shower rolled her eyes.

“Has she said where you’re going to stay?” Gurney asked in a more neutral tone.

“Not yet,” Retcon shrugged. “At someone’s place for about a month before I can move out, but she never said who.”

“Well it’s Ponyville, right?” Shower piped up. “Rose has that extra bedroom. Plus she was one of the volunteers way back when Retcon first arrived.”

Ponyville… Yeah, won’t be Lemony. Not that- She probably wouldn’t want… Not Shower or Gurney either. That’s a shame, I like them.

“Maybe,” Gurney said noncommittally. “I dunno, she didn’t say anything about it. She seemed just as out of the loop as anyone. What about Noteworthy?”

“I dunno, co-habiting with a dude?” added Shower.

“Would that matter for a changeling?”

“Hmm, good point. Hey Retcon, you into chicks or dudes, or what?”

Retcon blinked slowly. “What?”

Shower tapped her chin. “I could see it being Noteworthy actually.”

Retcon opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, she heard the sound of hoofsteps down the other hallway. She turned to see Sky approaching.

It’s time then. …Maybe she doesn’t want to see me… She straightened herself, squaring her shoulders. I understand. I’ll miss you.

Sky nodded curtly as she drew close. “You’re here already, good. I trust you are ready?”

“Ready,” said Retcon, adjusting the satchel. She glanced at Shower and Gurney. “Well...”

“We’ll see each other again,” said Shower, smiling, though there was a taste of sourness. “I promise.”

Gurney flicked a talon at his head in a casual salute. “Later, Retcon.”

She couldn’t help but beam back, if a little sadly. “Bye. Thanks for everything.”

A sudden whoosh of wind muffled by the Warp Room door drew her attention, though not as strongly as the spike of anxious excitement that followed it. Almost immediately, the door burst open, revealing a dishevelled Lemony. Retcon’s eyes widened, partly at the surprise, but mostly at the emotions coming from her.

She threw herself at Retcon, pulling her into an abrupt hug. “I’m sorry I’m late,” she breathed.

“Lemony,” she began, at a loss for words.

“Sorry, I can’t stay long,” Lemony interrupted as she stepped away, speaking quickly. “I just wanted to say I’m really proud of you, you’re gonna do great!” She nodded to herself, then without waiting for a response, turned and cantered away in the direction of her office. Turning her head, she called out over her shoulder, “I’ll see you soon, I promise!” With that, she turned and entered her office, slamming the door behind her.

“What was that about…?” Shower muttered under her breath.

Sky cleared her throat. “It is time.” She lifted a forehoof in the direction of the Warp Room. “Please.”

Right. Retcon stepped right up to the door, turned, and waved a wing. “Bye!”

Shower and Gurney bade their farewells, waving in return. With a sorrowful smile, Retcon turned the handle and stepped once more into the Warp Room.

It was as she recalled; a large metal dish was set into the flat concrete floor, with a panel of buttons and a large switch set atop a post which stood at the edge of the dish. Directly above the dish was a huge purple gem at the tip of a metal spear.

Sky trotted in behind her, closing the door. Going up to the panel, she pressed a single button, then gestured towards the middle of the room. “Stand on the dish, please.”

Retcon did so, acutely aware of the blood pounding coldly in her ears.

“When you’re ready, pull the switch. Remember that transit can be jarring,” Sky said in a plain tone, standing a good distance from the dish.

Smiling weakly, Retcon nodded. “Thanks,” she said, and placed a hoof lightly on the switch. “Thanks for all you’ve done. I can’t tell you how much this means.”

Sky blinked, and a few odd emotions surfaced. …Embarrassment? “Uh, sure,” she stuttered. Her scowl had all-but vanished, and her lips were pursed slightly. Hah, I bet that’s supposed to be a smile, Retcon noted with amusement.

After a moment, the emotions receded. Sky inclined her head. “Fare thee well.”

“Goodbye,” said Retcon, and pulled the switch.

She was braced this time for the sudden flash of violet light, and the almost violent jerk at her centre of gravity. She held her eyes shut, her ears and wings flat, and did her best not to move as something happened around her.

Within a moment, it was over. Retcon almost stumbled over, her forelimb held up in midair near where the panel on this end was situated. Regaining her balance, she coughed into a hoof as her stomach churned briefly.

She glanced around at an otherwise-identical Warp Room, though this time with wooden floorboards, and wooden walls painted a gentle cream. It was bare but for the warp gear, same with the other Warp Rooms, also lacking windows. The roughly-hewn gem above her, also purple, was a noticeably different cut than the one in the Institute and Canterlot.

Sniffing shortly, she shouldered her satchel. Right. She strode towards the door.

Opening the door, she was greeted to a small room with small, colourful papers in pockets on the walls, and all sorts of odd little things on shelves. As the door swung shut behind her, she noticed a large map of a town on the other side. The room appeared to be laid out similarly to the one in Canterlot.

Directly before her was the door, with a small, distorted window about head-height letting in the dim midday light. The rain sounded closer than ever.

She almost jumped at the sound of somepony clearing their throat behind her. Behind the counter sat a yellow-coated earth pony stallion with a lime-green mane, holding a book with his forehooves. “Ah, welcome,” he spoke, eyes half-lidded and light amusement tugging at his lips. “This is the Ponyville Tourism Information Centre.”

Retcon blinked. “Uhh…”

The stallion tilted his head towards the front door, returning to his book. “She’s outside.”

“She’s…” Frowning slightly, she turned to face the door. Alright then. Here goes… She placed a hoof on the handle and turned, pulling the door inwards.

Outside. The sky was concealed behind a thick veil of miserable grey rainclouds. It was raining, heavier than it had sounded from her room. Her room back at the Institute, in the Everfree, she recalled. How far away was that now? The ground was sodden, a mix of earth, flattened grass and puddles everywhere. And all around her were houses, often with similar wooden walls and thatched roofs, but no two houses were the same. They were smaller than the buildings she had seen in Canterlot, but with a lot more room between them. There were no ponies, perhaps due to the weather. In the distance were the crowns of trees and the tips of distant blue mountains, almost indiscernible in the rain. One of the far-off mountains seemed to have an odd shape sticking out of the side.

Retcon stepped outside, straight into a shallow puddle. She felt the rain against her face, already starting to drip from her mane. She drew a deep breath, feeling almost overwhelmed.

This is wonderful…

A small movement to her right attracted her attention. Glancing over, she saw a pony standing just under the roof of warp building. Holding a large umbrella over herself was a familiar cream-coated mare with a two-tone blue-and-purple mane.

“Hi, Retcon,” said Bon Bon with a small smile. “Welcome to Ponyville.”