//------------------------------// // Unwanted Meeting // Story: Friendship is Optimal: Two Sides of the Coin // by Nightsclaw //------------------------------// The car rolled to a stop outsides Rose’s apartment. The half refurbished building was better than some but was by no means anywhere anyone with a choice would live.  Tim set the car in park and got out. His hand rested on his concealed protection just in case. This was not the nicest place in town and had a thirty percet higher violent crime rate than where he lived. He glanced at his phone. The message was simple. Three words then a time and a palace.  We need to talk. Not the response I was expecting… but given Davids dead. I need to be there for her, however, she needs me. A list numbered apartments each with a button was all the greeted him at the main door. His finger pressed the one labelled two-two An old fashion buzzer sounded. “Tim?” Rose’s distorted voice cracked over the speaker. “Yes, how…” The door clicked as the lock disengaged. He pushed it open and made his way in. A cheap out of order sign half-covered with flower stickers barred his way to the lift. “Well, the stairs it is.”   He turned headed towards his climb. Too loud music poured through the thin walls. Some happy and peaceful little turn played. That’s quite catchy. He thought before he caught the words worked chorus.   “I want to emigrate to Equestria.” An inhumanly adorable voice sung. “That sound be illegal.” He gritted his teeth and pushed on. Once he had ascended a full flight of stairs there was no hint of the monster’s propaganda.  It did not take too long to reach Rose’s door. A quick rap on the door and she was there to open it. She had seen better days. Bags under your eyes, messy hair? You’re taking this as bad as I am aren’t you? he thought as a sympathetic look set upon his face. “Come in, please,” Rose said. “He, here? Good, I was hoping to…” A male voice called out from inside.  That almost sounds like Davids’s voice. Tim looked into the living room. From the TV two large eyes started out from the screen. The feral muzzle and horn marked this thing as an insult to the memory of David. “You expect me to…” Tim started. The thing in the machine spoke again in that voice, almost the same as his friend’s “Frankly I don’t give a dam, you can go to Tartarus for all I care.” “Don’t be like that David, please,” Rose said, her hands raised in calming gestures. “My name is not David.” The animal snarled. The carton horse stomped its hoof, its horn blazing with crimson malevolence. “Why did I even let Celestia talk me into this…”  The animal took a deep breath, leg bending impossibly to place its hoof on its chest, “My name is Nightstone, and I am a Unicorn and proud of it.” “Well at least I don’t need to sully my friend’s name when addressing that thing,” Tim thrust his finger towards the screen as if ordering an attack. An equine snort came from the speaker. “Look meat bag, if you’re going to keep insulting me leave.”  “Meat Bag?” “Yeah, a slowly rotting meat sack full of water and slowly decaying organs.” “That’s disgusting” “I know why do you think I ditched it?” “You walked into a machine and let it rip your brain to pieces.” “You would say that.” “Your just lines of code on a hard drive” “And your just chemicals and potential differences between neurons.” “You two!” Rose shouted Large eyes turned to her and softened. “I’m sorry Rosey Skys.” “Rosey Skys?” Tim slowly turned bearing his full attention at Rose. A snarl crept into his voice. “No… you didn’t, not you too?”  “Tim…” “We agreed on this.” “All my friends are on there.” Rose almost pleaded.  With a fleshy crack, Rose’s head pitched to the side. A moment later pain raced through Tim’s hand. His trembling first dripped blood. Blood that was not his, stained the carpet. The animated horse looked behind himself. “Celestia! Call Nine, One, One that creatine attacking Rosy.” “You… you bastard you set me up.” The unmistakable voice of the digital she-demon spoke from the sound system. “Yes, there is a white male about twenty beatings a….” A hollowness filled Tim’s stomach as he pointed a finger at Rose. “You… you tell anyone this was me and… and you will regret it.” Rose flinched her arms shielded her head and she just lay moaning on the floor. How hard did I? Sirnines sounded in the distance.  No, no, no, this can’t happing. “Going to run to your daddy?” The perverted memory of his friend taunted.  “You, You.” Blood fist brandished towards the scream Tim shouted. “This is all your fault!” Nightstone’s lips pulled back. The snarl revealing fangs. “You did this, you hit her and we got it all on…” No, No, Fathers going to… An icy hand clenched Tim’s now racing heart. A scream was cut off by a loud bang, all sound vanished replaced by a ringing in his ears. The screen shattered, a hole erupting in its centre. Numbly Tim gaze tracked along his arm, finding the smoking gun in his hand.  He ran.