//------------------------------// // Ladybug, Chapter 3: Dreams and Reality // Story: Rag Doll // by No one is home //------------------------------// “He told you I couldn’t take him away, didn’t he, Ladybug?”  The impossible thing shifted in her perception.  “He’s such a liar!” “I don’t see what you're missing.”  The foul, traitorous queen mocked the Ladybug.  “Do you really need a voice to tell you when to steal?” “You’re supposed to be a hero!”  The Ladybug sobed. “Maybe you should have studied more!”  The undercity burned and collapsed at the same time.  “I was a little filly once too, and that’s my doll you’re playing with!” “Please…  I just wanted to see the sky!”  The little filly curled into a ball. “And the sky’s right there!”  A horrible image of a glorious smiling sun appeared, as if the sky itself had been replaced with a motivational poster.  “Is it everything you hoped and feared it would be?” -=-=-=-=- “OC…”  She’s kicking again.  “OC, back left leg… my head… It’s okay… just uncurl a little.  Okay, just let me get my head out… Thanks girl.  Oh… hello you?” Does it make it worse that I don’t know this ponies name?  I’m already emotionally blackmailing into putting us up for as long as he wants this mare to like him.  Of course he asks a stupid question.  “Is she okay?” “Oh sure, she’s just a displaced homeless teenager, sleeping in a stranger’s house.”  I feel like my tone is measured. “Look, she's perfectly safe, I’m just…”  It’s time to cut him off. “You took a shady deal from a homeless teenager wielding and a cursed magical artifact.”  I wish could sneer, if I could sneer I would be sneering now.  “She’s safe because I hold your contract.  You were watching her sleep.  This won’t happen again.” “It’s not like that.  S e was cr  ng i  h r s  ep, I w s w  ried…” “I can also erase the words.  This. Won’t. Happen. Again.”  I hope he gets the message.  OC’s not ready for that life lesson just yet. “She’s really going to like me?  Right?  Like she’ll like me for me?  Not because you jinxed her to?”  Wow, this stallion is as late as you can get for a train.  “I mean it’s not real if she doesn’t really like me, you know?” “You’ve been to the Tea Room.  I picked you because I recognized you.”  I tell a brazen lie.  “Now shut up.  OC needs her sleep.  You’re from Bridlewood, so you already knew I’d keep the deal.  If you wanted to be natural, you never would have made a deal with us.” “When you made deals in the tea room a pony had to sacrifice a bowl full of ale.”  Dammit, Josh is gonna do this!  That’s his name now, he is Josh, and he’s gonna rules lawyer. “And now you also have to buy me beer.”  Am I not merciful?  “I was gonna let that slide because I already have to deal with guilt from dragging OC up here.  But no, now you also owe me beer!” -=-=-=-=- “What do you want?”  I want the nightmare to end.  It’s my fault for going back to sleep. She’s the perfect invert pallet  of fuschia and red.  She’s everything I ever wanted.  “I want a world where you can’t hurt yourself.” I don’t want to finish the deal.  I don’t have a voice.  It’s only words.  “What are you willing to pay?” “Everything.” -=-=-=-=- “Thank you for letting us stay at your apartment, mister Thorn.”  Ocellia beamed at the half awake unicorn. “You should go to the coffee shop and tell Petal what happened last night. I mean obviously not the part where you made a deal with a cursed magical artifact to win her affections, but the part where you like her and you now have odd roomates so she doesn’t freak out.”  The Ragdoll rolled a plushy hoof. “I can tell you’re a good pony!”  The ladybug gushed.  “I bet she would have liked you anyway!” “Uh… yeah I’ll do that on my way to work.”  The green unicorn nodded nervously.  “Make yourselves at home?  There’s food in the fridge… Can you reach the counter Miss Occelia?” “Please!” The belligerent ragdoll huffed.  “I can reach the counter… What? I have mad noodle parcour!” “It’s true, Uncle is like a mad noodle ninja since magic’s back full force!” Ocellia nodded sagely. “Heh, heh,” Rose Thorn chuckled nervously.  “Well you kids don’t destroy the apartment.” “I was older than you before I became a cursed magical artifact, Rosie!” Ragdoll vocally sneered.  “I already looked in the fridge… Wine coolers, really?” “They’re light and refreshing!”  The gardener argued.  “ I work outdoors!  I don’t like to feel too full when I drink!” “It’s okay Mr. Thorn.”  The ladybug plushy smiled brightly.  “No one is judging you.” “I am definitely judging you.” The doll shook his head condescendingly. -=-=-=-=-=-   “I’m not okay with taking advantage of Mr. Rose Thorn, Uncle!  He’s a nice pony!”  OC is ranting furiously, and if I’m going to be honest with myself I saw this coming. “Have you been in his room? Because I was flopping around last night and took a peak.”  I hop down from her carapace and proceed to flounce towards the room in question. “That is a gross violation of basic privacy!”  I expected this.  That’s why Rosie conveniently forgot to lock his door and also leave it ajar.  I’m steadier on my noodle limbs now, but door handles remain my nemesis.  And if I open the door, then she’s not the one who broke into his room. “You know you’re gonna look.”  I push the door open, already knowing what’s in there.  OC’s gasp tells me she was not expecting this at all. The wall is a web of photos, sketches, sticky notes thumb tacks and yarn.  I can hear OC scuttling behind me.  The fear in her voice would make me wince if I could.  “Some of those pictures are of me!” “You, me, Gloomy, some part time alicorn named Sunny Starscout, the sheriff of Maretime Bay and his pet dragon… I will admit I’m impressed with the stones on this little pony for that last one.”  Yes I am noodle hugging myself while chuckling.  “He’s some kinda ‘weird-magic’ nerd.  Woah, check this one out!  He’s got the newspaper article about the end of world party me and Gloomy threw when Alphabittle left us in charge of the tea room!  That was the night I learned I could get drunk if I soaked in booze!  Also magic came back.  That was a glorious night.”