Return to Equestria

by David Silver


20 - Promises Kept

Gloomy Sonet tapped her hooves in an agitated rhythm. “We made a deal, Dr. Feelgood. Everyone here trusted you, because a sick little filly needed her medicine tested. And you tested the wrong medicine.”

“I told you it was experimental…” The doctor pleaded. “Side effects were always going to be an issue…”

“I am not angry because the medicine had side effects, Doctor Feelgood.” The name rolled off her tongue like a slur as the beat went on. “Somepony still has to test the medicine that turns Blue Sky into a healthy unicorn filly. The deal was made, and the price will be paid.”

"Easy." David raised a hand in front of the agitated mare. "I'm not against keeping my fingers. I look… odd, but no more odd to most ponies than when I started." He was still a monster from another world, if friendly.

Joypad looked between David and the others with mounting confusion. "But… you do feel better, right?"

“The doctor sent his patient to make a deal with us.” Gloomy nearly snarled at David. “She needed the medicine tested, and Charlie paid the Text’s price. What he used on you was not her medicine. The medicine still has to be tested.”

“There’s nopony left to test the original medicine!” The doctor argued.

“I can count to one pony.” Gloomy’s smile was as cold and even as her voice.

Back Story circled around the agitated pony and the doctor that was her source. "Is it too late to test it now?"

Joypad glared at Back. "Who's taking it? David's better now. I'm happy the way I am." She waved at herself. "Earth pony forever! Seriously, you alright?"

David had both of his hands up. "As good as I can imagine, which isn't much. Not like being healthy came with a theme song." He looked like life would be improved if that were the case. "I'm just as fine not tossing out what I was to start. This way is only changing a little bit of it." He looked down at his lack of toes that he could not wriggle. "Hm."

“Well, Doctor,” the gray mares mane fell somehow straighter, “It seems there aren’t any more volunteers. Charlie trusted you… I trusted you… the whole village has always trusted you. And you betrayed that. Take your own medicine. If you want any of us to believe in you, believe in yourself.”

David put a hand in front of the surprised doctor, causing Feelgood to step back away from it. "Calm down. We're not making him do that. He saved me. Crap… It's like the error messages are cleared up." All those many problems, just gone, banished. "Wonder…" He didn't finish that thought. "Don't hurt anyone."

“It’s time to decide and they are on your side.” Gloomy passed a look between her new friends and the doctor. Tapping her hooves. “But the game has been played and the price must be paid. You tested the wrong medicine doctor. And somepony still has to test the right medicine. And all the ponies here agree it shouldn’t be you. So give me the pill.”

"I'm already not a pony." David shrugged lightly. "And not a human. It probably won't mess up my world like it's messing up his from the sound of it, and probably the end of yours.." He elbowed the doctor. "So give it here. I'm already working on borrowed time here." He put out a hand, wriggling the tips of his fingers in a beckoning stance.

“No, we made this deal behind your back.” Gloomy heaves a heavy sigh. “I can rage all I want, but the doctor didn’t cause this. We… I guess it’s just me now. I caused this. You already paid a price you never agreed to. Taking on a heavier load does nothing to balance the scales.”

Joypad crossed her arms. "Why are we debating who takes a pill? What is this even supposed to do anyway? Make a filly? Neither of you are fillies!" She threw her hooves in the air. "You're not even the right one!" She pointed her right hoof at David. "You're an outtie. She's at least an innie, but this is still completely wrong. How young are we even talking?"

“Okay, when you say it like that it makes our medical system look somewhat backwards.” Gloomy admitted, dryly, but we need to know if it works. “The pill he gave David is compromised because it has all our samples in it, It should have been me all along. A medicine that turns a unicorn into a different unicorn… Testing it on Charlie’s friend would never have done that.” She heaved a heavy sigh. “But we did make that deal.”

David shook his head, distracted a brief moment as he remembered he could see his new horn at times. "Can you stop that? What deal?" He crouched down. "Actually, we need to talk, you and me." He pointed at Gloomy and himself. "Can the rest of you wait here?" The others grumbled but seemed willing to allow that.

Gloomy’s ears laid back behind her beret. “We did a lot of things without asking you…”

"That is his style." He didn't sound that upset as he clopped towards the outdoors. "Come on. More talking, less prophesying."

“We meant nothing but good, Mister David.” Sonnet sobbed softly. “A filly from the tea room needed medicine. Charlie thought he could cut a deal with the text…”

David escorted Gloomy outside and leaned against the wall there. "Right, but you've noticed by now? There's more than one of those. A deal with one is not a deal with the other." He pointed at Gloomy. "Which is why mine said knowing about them would just make you sad, which it did. Sorry about that." Not that he was the one responsible. "Keeping that a secret from the others. No need to spread that around."

“Thank you, Mister David, for understanding.” The gray unicorn nodded with purpose and wiped her eyes. “But we did what we did for a reason. And that filly can’t get her medicine until an adult tests it. I’ve already seen the writing between the walls, and I knew there was going to be a cost.”

David tapped the forlorn mare on the nose. "So you have two choices." He put up two fingers from the same hand. "You take it yourself, which is an option, or you talk to the other Text."

This is supposed to be a slice of life exploration of being, not a high magic multiversal romp.

"Blame the other one. She already knows about you." He waved at Gloomy in a passing gesture. "Go ahead, they're listening."

“You are the other one?” Gloomy tapped a nervous, exploratory rhythm. “I’m not used to doing this by myself… I’m sorry?”

You're not mine. I can't do anything to one of yours without their signing off on it, even if that's just going with it. What's up?

"Just ask them." David turned his waving to the air where the words appeared.

They are reunited in the end is the one caveat, whether it’s good for them or not. I separated them for a reason. And I’m invested in that reunion. Other than that, you’ve got a whole CMC trio. I will not stand in the way of that, yo.

"Pretty sure not a single pony on this planet knows what that is." The CMC being unknown years past. "Ask that one." He pointed to where his Text's words floated patiently.

“Charlie showed me the edge of this world… I want to see how far I can walk in it. I want to see who I am past the spooky mare who plays with dolls.” Gloomy steadied herself against a world ready to throw itself at her. “Do I have to say what I’m willing to pay?”

You have to ask for something. Also, you still aren't mine. Being mine would change who you are. I don't mean that in a mystical sort of way. You are an extension of them. David is an extension of me. Being mine is an arm on a new body. What do you want? To grow? You can do that without me.

David was quiet in the exchange, patting his sides and trying to not be there with mixed success. He hummed a videogame song to himself quietly.

“This is your world.” Gloomy closed the distance and leaned in on the human-faun. Personal space be damned. “I took every step because I listened to Charlie. And he said you were important.”

"He's forgotten it." He leaned back from Gloomy as she began to get too close, though the wall behind him didn't let him go very far. "He was a friend, and probably still is? And… that's probably his Text, huh…"

Speaking of that, they got an idea of what should happen to you and didn't bring it up to me?

"What idea?"

You take the pill and poof, unicorn filly. Would have been cute, I bet.

Like you could say no to them… wait… nevermind… you did.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think how the deals we made were affecting ponies' lives…” Gloomy leaned into the need of a hug.

Which was harder to ignore. He reached gently for her head, ruffling her mane and playing with her ears with a little smile. Ponies were so fun to pet! "That does sound cute…" What he was, less cute? He was a middle aged unicorn pony satyr… "Why always a unicorn?"

You're afraid of the lack of fine motor control? Beats me. A satyr keeps fingers no matter which flavor of pony. Either way, they did not ask me. They just assumed, and I went as I went.

“That’s true, Mister Text.” Gloomy bowed her head in admission. “I don’t think Charlie even knew there were two of you… at least at first. Before last night I had never even seen the world from your side. Can I change which text I can deal with? Is that a thing?”

I just warned you! Are you listening? Becoming part of me means you stop being what you were. An arm attached to a new body will not behave as once it did. Understand that.

"He's getting philosophical." David pushed upright. "But he may have a point."

And you know, even if we allow this, he can’t give you back your doll. I’d doubt that he would if he could. I separated you two for good reasons. Ask anyone in this room, I’ve been exceptionally soft touched with you. And my colleague is far from above kicking his little ponies. I put your doll in a time out. We’ve both done much, much worse.

The doll is his, which is not me. I could give you a doll, but not that specific one. There is a difference, we both know.

“But we paid the price… we went through all the steps…” Gloomy shook her head.

And you think it’s unfair, and you're right. You’re right. It was never fair. I separated you from your beloved ragdoll. And look what you’ve done in just one day. You never knew you could contact us without him, because you never had to. Don’t make a habit of this, by the way.

Oh, now you care? You've already pulled her out of blissful ignorance, but shhh, pretend nothing is here.

"I never heard what the deal… was?" David glanced between the two different texts with their subtle font differences. "What were you going for?"

“A filly came to us to make a deal.” Gloomy closed her eyes tight. “She has a breathing disorder. Dr Feelgood has been treating the symptoms, but that’s really all he could do. Then magic came back and the Doctor had the idea of ‘replacement therapy’. It seems to work, but no adult in the village would test the pill. And the doctor wouldn’t test medicine on a foal. So she came to us. And we made a deal that we would make sure there was a test subject. Charlie took the price. Then the test subject was his friend. So we had to make a second deal, to make sure the medicine would actually cure him.”

David sighed in a long exhale that was longer than needed to empty his lungs. "Yeah… There is a perfect test subject… And it isn't me, unless the filly you're talking about is also an extraplanar not-pony…"