//------------------------------// // Duh DUH DUHN! // Story: The Delta Dilemma // by Sunka //------------------------------// The next day it was still raining, though not as hard. They decided to brave it anyway. Little Rhu was walking under Toffee's wing while Delta talked to them. Apple was hanging behind with Yards. “You stopped me from giving away that I'm a Lunari, too,” she whispered. “I know. Plausible deniability.” “How's that going to work now?” “If she doesn't rat me out, she's now an accessory, so she can't tell anypony. If she turns me in, you can say you didn't know either. When they go search the barn, don't be the first to go in.” “What did you do?” her voice was a hiss of anger. “Nothing that should do any damage to the farm, other than the stuff in the barn.” “Yards, what if Sweetie goes in there?” “She'd have no reason to go in there, unless she's a spy, too.” “What if something happens to you? How do I disarm it?” “How much deniability do you want?” “You can be a real bastard sometimes. You know that?” “My parents are happily married.” He shot her a smug grin and a wink. She huffed and rolled her eyes. “You two okay back there?” Toffee asked. “Well, how much longer?” “Hang on, let me go up and look.” She took to the air and spun slowly getting her barrings. There was a bolt of lighting behind her and she jumped. The lightning hit a rock and the rock began to slide down the hill. The two days of rain had loosed the local dirt and it began to move. They were in a “V” chasm as the mud slide started to come down. The other side was a good fifteen to twenty feet away. Yards grabbed Apple and teleported them across to safety. Apple's scream for Rhu was interrupted half way. Delta grabbed the foal and flipped her on her back. She took off running for a narrowing of the chasm to jump but the mud got there first. She lept as close as she could. The two adults watched in slow motion as the two missed the ledge and plummeted from sight. Apple screamed with all the fury a mother could muster. Toffee heard her cries over the tons of dirt and rocks and dived down after them. She popped up a little ways away with Rhu in her front hooves. “Where's Delta?” Yards asked as they ran over to where the pair landed. Toffee came out of the chasm, empty hoofed. “Wha-?” Apple blinked, looking from Toffee to Toffee. Erzat Toffee sat the filly down and bowed her head sheepishly. “Mah! Did you see that? I flew! It was really scary! I don't think I want to do that again.” Toffee landed beside her twin glaring at her. “Rhu!” Apple snatched up her daughter in a fierce hug. “Give me back my body you monster!” “Hey, let's not get personal here.” Delta defended herself while shifting back to her feeding form. “It makes sense now,” mused Apple. Then she gave a nervous laugh. “And all this time I thought you didn't like my cookin'?” “Oh no, Yards is right. It's amazing. I just, can't eat very much, cause, well...” “Helping a Lunari is one thing but a Bug? Just you wait until the Inquisition finds out about this!” She turned to fly away. Yards grabbed her with his telekinesis. It wasn't the fun, delicate touch this time, but a cold, iron, military grab that left no room for wiggle. Still she tried to struggle. “Toffee. Look! You've got to listen to me.” “Why? You're a liar and a traitor!” “I have never lied to you.” “You have a Bug living with you!” “It didn't bother you last night when you were sleeping right beside her. Why does it matter now?” “She lied to me about what she is.” “So you lied to her about how you feel about her?” "A false feeling created on a secret is not a lie." “Oh, and you've told her all of your deep secrets?” “I don't have any secrets.” The matter of fact tone told him she was calming down even if he was losing the argument with her. “Fine, you want the truth? This is Test Subject Delta. She was shipped to me to experiment on.” “How did she get past my door? Did you do something to my charm?” “No, your charm is working fine. You understand the observation principle. I can't give you specifics, okay?” She nodded. “Will you trust me when I say I'm working for the betterment of ponies everywhere?” “By using a changeling?” “Yes. In one of my experiments.” She chewed her bottom lip. “She needs to be contained.” “She is. She's collared. She can't hurt anypony.” “And you're responsible for her?” “Haven't I been so far?” She sighed. “I don't want that Bug around me any more, it's not safe.” She took to the air, hovering just off the ground. Then she began to shoo Little Rhu away from her friend. Delta was visibly hurt. “No, don't thank me or anything. I only saved her life. No really, it was nothing.” The Apples at least had the decency to glance back, ashamed. Yards walked over to Delta. “Oh, don't you start,” she cut him off. “What?” “She's right, you're just as phony as they are. I'm just a test subject, you said it yourself.” There was pain in her voice. “Delta, no, well, it's complicated.” She reverted back to her true form. Her eyes glowed. “Prove you're not as racist as the others. Kiss me.” “What?” “Kiss me and prove that you care about me.” “I, well...I can care without...” “So, is that the way it is with us?” “I...” “No, no having your cake and eating it too. Am I more than just a test subject to you?” Yards looked up to see the other mares out of earshot. 'Yes.” “That took a while. So I'm more than a test subject?” :”Yes,” he said more emphatically. “But you won't kiss me?” He looked down. “That's what I thought.” “It's the fangs,” he whispered. “Excuse me?” “The fangs. I-I'm not sure how to kiss around them. I'm not really that experienced with kissing anyway, and well, that level of complexity is beyond me.” She looked at him, blinking. Then she laughed. “You are so dorkarific. I swear.” She reverted to her feeding form. She leaned in and kissed him. There, that's not so scary, now is it?” He blushed. “No.” “I guess we need to get caught up with the others then?” He nodded and they started back after the other half of the group. “You really need some more confidence. You've got nothing to be afraid of. After all you seemed more than ready the other day with Ma Apple.” “It's not like that. I can't risk alienating them. You're all too important.” She rolled her eyes. “That line only works in romance novels. What's really going on?” “It was different then. It was before you girls started hanging out together. Now if I choose one of you, somepony is going to get hurt, and I don't want to hurt any of you.” “You know what? Stick to the 'too important' line.”