Frazzle sat at her desk. Her armour wasn’t on. Sapping on her internal magic energy.
She watched as Elizabeth walked away. Their glasses were set on the front desk as they seemed to cry. They walked towards the bathrooms, nearly entered the wrong one but walked straight into the mares.
“Did I do the right thing LI3?” Frazzle asked, looking at a book report. They really shouldn't be surprised that Elizabeth did a book report on WW1 during their early years. She felt dirty looking at Elizabeth’s old schoolwork.
LI3 gave a little beep. Frazzle rolled her eyes, but looked at them and gave the hovering drone a hug. Before sniffling.
“I miss you, I won't forget you.” Frazzled rubbed a hoof on the drone. It beebed softly as she sniffled. Ahem.
Frazzled jumped back as she looked at the zebra who had gotten her attention. The purple trench coat they wore, short messy mane, and the eye bags. And the black spiral surrounded by a square for a cutiemark.
“Oh hey, ever wonderful, Grima’Daarken, whatcha doing here?” Frazzled said. A small breeze came out from seemingly nowhere. The Zebra lifted their head dramatically up and then swung down to look at Frazzle.
“The storm is brewing, and you have brought it forward. You've dragged another to an early grave, you have two dead because of you. Don't you fear for this new understudy?” Grima’Daarken seemed to expel one word from them. Angst. Heck even beating the librarian in the apocalypse section.
“I do fear for her, I-”
“Him, their a him in case you can't-”
Frazzle jumped the front desk. Smacking Grima with their whole body as they landed on them. She had expected this, but hadn't expected to be from her.
Grima screamed as Frazzle stood above her. All their mood, their atmosphere is a show. They bawled as Frazzle bent down.
And licked them in the ear. Grima screamed even harder than before. Bawling slightly.
“You were always Mom's favourite. Her little weirdo, buried in your books. Your dramatics may work on others, butI thought you would know it doesn't work on your own sister.” Grima groaned as they pushed Frazzle off. Before sniffling. And looking down forlorn.
“You went a little to far this time, We, uh I was scared. Sorry, I'm still pronoun frazzled from last night, remind me to take a break when reading ancient spells orI may cast one again.” Frazzle sighed, helping them stand up. LI3 beeps as Frazzle popped down her visor. A location was pinged on the visor, the location was Elizabeth walking back a little slower.
“Do you mind if we pick this up later, she needs to be comforted, or something.” Frazzle left Grima’Daarken standing there. Their face twisted into a frown before their eyes went wide. And looked at Elizabeth a second time.
“OH MOTHER BUCK! Their Trans!” Grima Face hoofeed and slammed their head onto the desk counter. LI3 beeped understandingly, though it was just beeps after all. Elizabeth paused looking at what just happened and just turned back around.
“oh no.” That was a word both sisters held before looking at each other. Quite a pickle. A real bad one.
Frazzle sat outside the mares room with a book. This feels so weird. All of this, what had set them up?
What walls had she triggered for poor Elizabeth? Grima’Daarken frowned as she pulled a book out from her trench coat. Sighing at the book.
“Are you gonna say something or are we gonna wait awkwardly here?” Grima asked handing the book to Frazzle, their magic carrying the book with a gentle touch. They knocked on the door.
“Hey Elizabeth, our bad, my bad, her bad. We uh got a nice first Edition of the ‘Witchery of Equestria.’ You want to read it?” Frazzled held their breath waiting. Grima mentally prepared a barrage of apologies. Sometimes it's hard for her to see it, she really isn't a other pony type, bad memories.
“Uh Elizabeth?” Frazzle knocked harder, growing a bit more panicked. Grima’Daarken went towards the door. Frazzled held out a hoof to block her.
“She’ll come out when ready, there's only one exit, I think.” Frazzle frowned, they can wait at her desk for a free unobstructed view of the one door. Grima’Daarken wrote a note. And walked back to her section to presumably cry.
Elizabeth had just exited the bathroom through the second door. Crying in bathrooms never solves anything, neither does crying outside them. Her books are still at the table she hopes.
To clear the mind, get it off the one who shouted their trans. That just, kinda It's uncomfortable to just have it happen. She walks solemnly to the table.
All that's going through her mind is a large amount of doubt, and the feeling of letting somepony down. They have this expectation for her. They emit this feeling of hope, expectations for her.
She just wants to sit down at a table, and read a book. Is that so hard? Apparently, it is.
She arrives at her table and smiles at the book. She frowns and flicks down her tech glasses. Now what was that helpful Ai called?
“Oh Yeah, it was called BDI.” At the words the hologram flickered to life onto the table. It paced quickly back and forth. Before looking at Elizabeth with a look of fear and panic.
“Quickly now! Can I make a backup on your glasses, they are really cracking down on unwanted programs and that includes me!” Elizabeth was confused, but nodded anyway. This Ai seemed smart enough to be sentient, she's not gonna let it die on her. The Hologram disappeared and then reappeared Orange in color.
“Thanks. Feel lot better now. Anyhow, what did you need help with?” BDI asked, obviously a bit more happy not to be at the edge of death. It flickered obviously running a little awkwardly off just the glasses alone. It disappeared for a second before becoming a simple 2D hologram.
“I will ask my question, after I ask something, are you okay?” Elizabeth asked. She made a mental groan. She just wants to read for Gumdrop's sake, and then there is that heart of gold she has.
“I'm okay, just a little flustered, haven't been used in awhile.” BDI answered as it paced. Each time it turned around at the end of its pace it became apparent it was a truly 2D image. Nigh invisible for a split second before turning back around.
“Okay, not the answer I was anticipating but okay. Now my question is, well my question is can you make it so my glasses only show the book, and also you?” BDI went quiet at the ask before stomping a hoof in answer. Elizabeth's vision cleared up, time, mini-map, compass rose, heartbeat sensor, disappeared in a flash leaving everything clean. BDI bowed slightly before disappearing on purpose in a flicker of glowing light.
Elizabeth took a breath, happy to have all she wanted laying out in front of her. She opened the book to the front page, lines of almost hand drawn looking writing covered the table of contents. She looked for one word, Anna, the librarian had mentioned that it was a good read.
‘Anna: The abridged version Pages 45, 49, 55, ~.’ It went on for a little bit but she got the ending, the pages were marked with pink holographic glowing post-it notes. Much to her annoyance a menu was floating in her vision nearby.
She opened her mouth to ask BDI to make it disappear but its options tempted her. One stood out on the many options, (One of the options asked to censor offensive content which would have been the whole book ironically), it was to show only the entries the pages mentioned. It felt like gutting the book in a good way as she chose that option.
Now she can finally read. The summary had mentioned what the book was about. War diaries from the BattleLoggers, or more aptly nicknamed after the fact, the Dream Warriors.
She smiled and began.