December 21, 2046
Fillydelphia
The city was decked out in winter finery, snow falling down from the sky. Due to this year’s weather plan, this would be the only snowfall of this winter season, as the previous year had too much and the ground had absorbed too much water, making things muddy. The majority of the year would be mostly cold and snowless until the official Winter Wrap-up, but for now there was a field of fine white falling from the snowmakers above onto the ground just in time for Hearths Warming Eve and Day.
On the corner of Celestia’s Way and Trotsbury Avenue was a candy shop, the Toffee Tot. The candy store had been there for generations and was currently owned by one Toffee Crunch and his wife, Minty. The two had made the candy shop the talk of the town to the point that other known and established companies such as Mildbon’s and international giants like Godiva had difficulty attracting clientele. Even now, business was booming.
Down in the basement where they stored all the supplies, Toffee ran around like crazy, wishing he was a unicorn with magic to be able to carry multiple boxes at once. Or maybe a pegasus, who could also carry multiple boxes at once since their magic made things weightless. Or…wait, I am an earth pony. He sat down, trying to relax. I always get like this during the holiday season. Maybe it’s time to look for an apprentice?
In any case, I think I’ve earned a break, he thought to himself. Minty was minding the store right now and she was better at handling customers than he was. Plus, with her filly-esque youth and good looks that she got from her mother, Minty was a charmer that always got stallions walking into the store to buy more than what they originally planned. It was good for business and she liked being flirty, so Toffee was okay with it.
As for the other resident in the house, Gumdrop was up in the home part of the building, working on her costume for her Hearths Warming Eve school play – she was playing the part of one of the windigos. He was proud of his little filly and her determination at such a young age to become an actress; though she was still too young to earn her cutie mark, it would not surprise him if when the time came, hers would be related to acting.
With that, he reached over for a book he’d bought recently. It was a second book in a series that had so far enraptured him, and even though it was by a human author and the protagonists were all human, he found himself completely engrossed. That was one thing about reading books – that it if was good enough, it took your imagination to places you never expected it to transverse. A love of books seemed to be pretty much standard for most, if not all, sapient species, and judging by the fact that Hollywood was making a Daring Do movie next year, the culture went in both directions.
But for the moment, he’d almost completely finished the book, and Perfect Binding, the proprietor of the local bookstore, said they had the third and fourth books in the series expected in this week. The fifth book in the series was due on the shelves sometime next year, and Toffee hoped that he could get it on release day – that would be completely aweso—
“Toffee, hon?” The voice that wafted in from the other side was sweet and light, a dulcet tone that seemed more to sing than to speak. That was normal for those in her family, he noted, and one of the things he so very much loved about her. Minty, his wife, the love of his life, the mother of his filly.
“Over here, sweetheart,” he called out, waving his foreleg in the air. “Just taking a breather from moving the boxes around.”
“Well, you be careful,” she said, walking over and kissing him. “I wouldn’t want the stallion of my dreams to injure himself.” The smile on her face was loving, and as Toffee watched his wife move, there was something about the mint-hued earth pony that enraptured him, just as much as the first day they’d met. From her peppermint-colored mane to her luscious eyes, there wasn’t a single thing he didn’t love about this mare that he’d chosen to spend every momen—
“WHAT…THE BUCK…IS THIS?”
Okay, maybe there was one thing he could live without: namely, her temper. It surfaced rarely – thankfully – but when it did, it was volcanic. He wasn’t really sure where she got it from; neither of her parents were like that, and her brother Elusive was even less so. Even still, there was no denying that when she got pissed, his wife could be an utter harridelle.
“It’s a book,” he deadpanned. Through the years of their marriage, he’d found out that backing down when she was angry wasn’t usually a good idea. Not that she was abusive – he’d never stand for that – but she usually took any attempts at placation as utter proof that she was right. It had actually been during an argument that she’d had with her cousin Rainbow Blitz that he’d discovered that going hoof-to-hoof with her made her back down that much faster. Then, after she calmed down, she’d think about it, realize she was in the wrong and apologize. That had worked well for their life, but now there were different issues to be had – like the beautiful little filly upstairs and her role in their lives.
Maybe it is time we discuss anger counseling, he thought briefly, then pushed that to the back of his mind. Better to discuss that with her when she was calm. Not now, not like this.
“I know that, you donkey,” she seethed, picking up the offending tome. “Why did you have to buy this one?” she accused, brandishing the paperback as if it were an unholy seal in need of exorcism.
“PB recommended it after I finished The Lord of the Rings, okay? I don’t recall you complaining about that one!”
“That’s different! That one wasn’t written by some…tail-lifter!”
Toffee rolled his eyes. “Uh, Minty, the author is human, and in case you forgot…humans don’t have tails.”
“DJ Martinez isn’t human, as much as that harridelle wants to be,” Minty snarled in sober, venomous tones, her eyes narrowing into raging pinpricks. At the sound of that, the hairs on the back of Toffee’s mane rose: this wasn’t like Minty’s usual outbursts. She was infuriated this time, far more than he’d ever known her to be. “This…this…thing…. AAARRRGH!” With more anger than effort, Minty tore the sizable book into pieces, throwing them on the ground and stomping on them as though she was out to murder the pages. “DIE, DO YOU HEAR ME?” she screamed at the paper beneath her hooves. “JUST DIE AND STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!”
Suddenly Toffee was very worried. This wasn’t like Minty, not like he’d ever seen her. She was out of control, lost in a hatred he’d never known her to be in before. “Minty,” he spoke, “I….” His words suddenly died as she gave him a suddenly-murderous gaze. It wasn’t like the supposed Stare Minty’s aunt Fluttershy possessed, but it was enough for him to suddenly pause in his tracks.
“DON’T YOU EVER BUY ANYTHING WITH HER NAME ON IT, DO YOU HEAR ME?” the mare roared. “I WON’T LET HER RUIN YOU, TOO!” Suddenly and just as weirdly, she collapsed into his mane, her voice broken and her eyes suddenly tearing. “I won’t let her take you from me, too,” she sobbed, her emotions suddenly on whiplash. “If I lose you and Gumdrop…I….” She began bawling in earnest, leaving Toffee to console his wife and wonder what the heck had just happened.
The unicorn looked at Toffee, his face a professional smile. “I’m sure it’s just overwork, Mr. Crunch. Earth ponies are the hardiest of us all, but even you need breaks once in a while.” The doctor looked at the closed door of the bedroom where Minty was asleep. “I gave her a sedative to let her sleep better, and I’ll have the nurse come by in the morning with a prescription. While I understand this is one of the busiest seasons of the year for your business, you may have to shut down early for your wife’s sake.”
Toffee nodded. “Thanks again, Doc.”
The unicorn nodded. “Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be seeing you. Unfortunately, this time of year’s busy for me, too.” Toffee let the unicorn out of his home, then debated if he should go down to Rosewood’s to pick up Gumdrop, who was staying with the florist while the doctor was here.
Well, maybe later. I’ll have to think of some way to explain what happened, the earth pony stallion mused. I know Gumdrop will be—
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Since the store was already closed, it was likely a personal visitor; maybe Rosewood decided to bring Gumdrop back early and offer some advice; at least, Toffee knew he could use some at the moment. He then opened the door, finding someone unexpected standing there.
“Hello, Toffee. Mind if’n Ah come in?” Standing there at the door was another member of Minty’s sizable family, in this case, one of her younger aunts – Apple Bloom.
“Oh, hello, Apple Bloom. What brings you here?”
The pony smiled. “Site surveyin’,” she drawled in that accent that seemed to be indicative of the Apple family bloodline. “The Ministry of D’fense’s lookin’ at expandin’ th’ naval base here t’ accommodate an aircraft carrier, an’ since it’s a facility issue, Ministry of Public Works haz t’ git involved. Since Ah’m th’ senior engineer, was just best if’n Ah took a peek mahself. ‘Sides, figured Ah’d arrive early fer Gumdrop’s play.” The yellow mare smiled wistfully; Toffee remembered that she’d miscarried badly once and it had cost her the ability to have foals, so those in the family were important to her.
“Well, I’m sure Gumdrop will be glad to see you here. She’s at a friend’s house right now,” Toffee explained.
Apple Bloom nodded, her gray Stetson bobbing in time with her head. “An’ Minty? Guessin’ she’s in th’ kitchen, workin’ on candymakin’?”
“Uh, well….” Toffee began, and he didn’t have to get far before the older earth pony gave him a sad, knowing gaze.
“Did Ah come at a bad time?” Apple Bloom asked sincerely. “If it’s a problem, Ah c’n just catch the next train back t’ Canterlot.”
Toffee shook his head. “No, please don’t. Minty would be crushed if she knew you left,” the stallion said sincerely. “Besides, I…I could use some advice myself, if you don’t mind.” Before she could respond, Toffee went into a long conversation about everything that had happened earlier in the day. The older pony sat and listened, and as she did, a sad and guilty look came onto her face.
Toffee noticed that as he finished his explanation. “From the look on your face, I guess you know something about this.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Minty isn’t fibbin’ – DJ is her sister, ‘cept that neither Rarity nor Minty want anythin’ to do with her. It’s a long, sad tale in our family, Toffee, an’ Ah’m not surprised y’ didn’t know.”
“What happened? I…I mean, I knew there was something that happened a couple of decades ago involving the Elements, but…to be honest, I never really paid much attention to the news when I was younger,” Toffee stated, surprised to suddenly find out that his wife had an older sister, one both she and her mother refused to admit existed. For that matter, both Elusive and Silversteel hadn’t mentioned her either, and both stallions were very much on good terms with Toffee. Had whatever occurred between Minty and her sister been so bad that the older sibling moved to human-Earth and assumed a human life there?
“Is there anythin’ t’ drink?” the earth pony asked. “Somethin’ stiff, preferably. We’re both gunna need it.”
Placed into sleep by the sedative, Minty dreamed.
Standing in a strange environment where the sky was not quite black and the earth not quite gray, she was surrounded by strange creatures that rubbed and bumped against her. It took her a few moments to notice that these muted, pallid creatures were ponies…and that they were faceless, not unlike the old Slendermane or Marejina ghost stories of her youth. Strangely enough, this didn’t scare her, but instead made her curious as to why all these creatures were milling around in this location.
These ‘unponies’ – yeah, that’s what she’d call them for now; it’d be easier to think of them that way – seemed to be minding their own business, merely jostling along as they moved around, headed to wherever they were going from wherever they came from. In fact, it was almost as if they didn’t notice she was here at all, here and her differences.
How could they not? Aside from her own particular talents – she’d been on quite a few talkshows and cooking segments – she was also known as the daughter of Rarity. She’d broken many a heart, courted by every eligible stallion once she was of age, and even now and she’d occasionally get a few propositions, even though she was happily married to Toffee, had Gumdrop, and were hoping for another foal. Truthfully, it was nice having the attention, knowing that she still had her beautiful looks and the sleek form that caught many a pony’s attention.
…until now, that is. As the unponies continued past her, paying no heed to her at all, anger welled up in her again. Why weren’t they paying any attention to her? She was different from them! She might not be better – her mother had always drilled that into her – but she was different, special! How could they not see that?
Because they don’t have eyes for you, a voice said behind her. Minty turned around to find herself staring at the Nightmare, the demonic alicorn that had done something unspeakable to her aunt Luna so long ago, something so bad that it was pretty much a taboo topic in the family. But one thing she knew: the Nightmare was bad news, and if she had any common sense, she would head out the door immediately. And yet….
The Nightmare smiled, white teeth ending in white fangs. Smart of you to not run, she said. Many a pony wouldn’t be as brave and they foolishly head away from me. They never awake again. But that is not your problem, I take it?
“Is there something you want from me, Nightmare?” Minty said in haughty tones, hoping her aunt was paying enough attention in case she got into trouble.
The black alicorn laughed. Such pointless bravery. Stupid, but commendable. It seems that the younger of Rarity’s daughters is the smart one.
“You mean the only,” Minty corrected.
Oh, please – I am not a foal who stands here to be lectured to. I know your family’s history, Minty. I know you are the second foal of your parents, and the whole reason for your birth was to still the pain in your mother’s heart.
“That’s a lie!” Minty snarled. “Mother and Father had me because it was time, they said – they would have had me even if that harridelle hadn’t run off to the human world!”
Such anger, little one, the Nightmare replied. Such viciousness is not the sign of somepony comfortable in the truth. Perhaps you know all is a lie after all and you gird that agony with the steel of hatred? In any case, steel is fragile and easily bent by words of veracity. The black alicorn waved a wing, and the unponies were gone.
Instead, she was treated to a scene of young ponies flocking in front of a store. Voices could be heard saying things like “Wow, what a talent!”, “Such incredible work!” and other laudatory terms. It wasn’t until a few humans walked by that Minty suddenly realized that this wasn’t a place in Equestria, or even Alter-Earth, but a place she’d never been before…human-Earth.
“She’s so inspiring!” a young pony lisped even as a second one said, “Here she comes!” Minty turned and saw several girls (that was the term for young human females, right?) and fillies walking down the street, rushing towards an exit where a bunch of adults were coming out of the store. The first were big, burly humans dressed in business suits. The second group, to her surprise, were her aunts Twilight and Sweetie Belle. While Minty and her aunts weren’t on the best of terms since their betrayal of the family, she did care about them, though not as much as she used to.
“Well, come on out and meet your adoring fans!” Sweetie said as she turned towards the opening, motioning with a foreleg for somepony – or someone – to come out. Meanwhile, the girls and fillies continued to swirl around them, and there was something unsettling about the whole thing, something that struck Minty as very, very wrong. She turned to leave, but instead the Nightmare looked at her, shaking her head.
A roar of cheers erupted behind her and Minty turned to see something that would ever give her nightmares. There, walking foreleg and foreleg, happy as a pair of clams, was her mother…and the harridelle.
“Sandalwood….” The epithet came out of Minty’s mouth, bilious and raging. Minty could feel her blood roiling within her, and she longed to reach out and murder the human-wannabe.
Didn’t you know? Oh, wait…your mother didn’t tell you, did she? Nightmare asked, a curiously concerned look in her eyes.
“I..I can’t…I don’t believe this!” Minty said, her stomach roiling as…her mother and the harridelle…they were laughing? Smiling? None of this made sense. Twilight and Sweetie joined the other and soon enough the four mares were hugging, happy as could be.
I guess you didn’t know, did you? Your mother and Sandalwood…they made up a few years ago. Apparently Sandalwood was able to give them something that you never could – a grandson, the demonic alicorn said. Now, yes, I’m sure that you and your husband love your foal and I’m sure your parents do as well, but…from what I understand, grandparents want colts. It’s just how things are.
“That’s a lie!” Minty shouted, wheeling to look at the Nightmare. “I know my mother! She hates the human world, and wouldn’t be here! You’re faking it!”
Is that why her personal secretary is a human woman, then? Nightmare countered. I don’t think you know your mother as well as you think you do. If you did, you would have seen this coming.
Minty watched as Rarity and Sandalwood looked at each other, and a part of her both burned and yearned for that.
“DJ, I’m glad we’ve had this time together,” Rarity said, smiling. “New York City is a beautiful town – though it’s missing a certain…flair…that Manehattan has. But still, a wonderful place.”
Sandalwood nodded. “You should see Paris or Milan sometime. Also beautiful fashion capitals of our world. And I think your fashions would do great here.”
Sweetie looked at her sister and her niece, seeing the pair get along. “Well, maybe we can get the chance to see that. I know Elusive has told me he’s interested in going to Milan.”
Minty looked, shocked. “But Elusive would never say that! I know my little brother and he’s a pony true and true!”
Is that so? the Nightmare replied, a soft look crossing her face. Perhaps you should watch more.
“Don’t forget about us!” Minty froze as she heard that voice. She turned around, her eyes wide in shock, and there was Elusive, coming out of the doorway, holding a little filly by the hand. And as she saw who the filly was, she screamed.
“No…. Nononononono!” Minty dived towards Gumdrop, but passed through her as if she wasn’t there. Instead, the filly, upright and wearing a human-style dress, raced over towards Sandalwood, hugging her. “Aunt DJ! I love you!”
Sandalwood felt a maternal pride as she bent down to embrace the young foal. “Awww, Gumdrop, that’s so sweet of you! Well, things are going to be fun, okay?”
“Really?” the filly said, her eyes radiating with hope.
“I promise,” Sandalwood said in earnest tones.
A distance away, Elusive stood next to his mother and aunts. “Mother, are you sure this is a good idea?”
It was Twilight who spoke. “You’re about to be a father, Elusive, while DJ’s got two other kids who are old enough. I don’t think she and Mike would have a problem raising Gumdrop.”
Minty’s eyes widened in shock at those words. “What…what the buck is going on?”
I don’t know if you’ll want to hear this, Nightmare said. Minty looked at the demonic alicorn, and suddenly, she looked more like Luna than a monster. There was a concern in her eyes that shone, one that Minty tried to comprehend. I know what pain and sorrow is, Minty. I’d spare you this truth, this time to come.
“These lies?”
No, these aren’t lies. This is the future. You see…I’m an alicorn. I can show you many things. Like this. The scene shifted and something looked far more tropical. Sitting on a beach, dressed in human clothing and… Minty shivered uncontrollably, her emotions caroming from distraught to enraged to terrified and back.
“Why…why…but that’s….that’s my husband!” Minty gasped, looking at the earth stallion as he was kissing a human woman. Toffee seemed happy, smiling in a way she’d never seen him.
That was your husband, the Nightmare replied. After the incident, he left for some place on human-Earth called Thailand. Gave up all rights to your daughter, said he never wanted to see her again after what happened.
“What happened?”
You did. Rain began to fall, and the world became gray. In the distance, there were three figures. One of them was infuriated; the second was holding the third…who looked unnaturally still. As they approached, it became clear the three were all ponies – and that the first had done incalculable harm to the third. And as they came closer…
“WHY?” A horrific scream peeled through the air and at first Minty thought she’d said it. A second later she realized she didn’t. And then she saw what happened.
And then joined the screams of horror.
Sandalwood cradled her dead cousin in her arms, sobbing into the mangled mess that had been Cinnamon Star. Looming above both mares was Minty, an inequine look in her eyes.
“Why?” Sandalwood roiled. “Why did you kill her?”
An unearthly grin came onto the face of the deranged celeste-hued pony; the Minty standing next to the Nightmare shuddered in horror at what supposed to be her. “I had to,” the insane Minty said, her face a look of glee. “I had to protect her from you, Sandalwood. She was becoming human just like you. I had to protect her because I loved her.”
“YOU KILLED HER!” Sandalwood roared, cradling the dead pegasus.
“I saved her – from you.”
Minty turned and vomited. Cinnamon was...the pegasus was like a little sister to her. And Minty would never lift a hoof to st—
It happened when Sandalwood returned to Equestria, the Nightmare said. Cinnamon and she got close and Cinnamon started to convince the rest of your cousins that the earth pony was living the right way. You didn’t agree…so you killed her. A bit extreme, and very sad, if you ask me.
“But I would never—!” Minty gasped.
But you will. And your husband will spurn you in jail. And Gumdrop will grow up amongst humanity.
The scene shifted once more, and Gumdrop, now an adult, sat on a bench somewhere. At her side was a human male her age. The two kissed and it made Minty’s stomach squirm, all thoughts of how beautiful Gumdrop had become now suddenly lost.
“So, Gumdrop’s your real name?” the man asked her.
The mare laughed softly. “Yeah, but I like the one Mom gave me. ‘Sarah’ just fits me better, you know?”
“But I thought your mom grew up here on our Earth?”
“Well, yeah,” the pony now calling herself Sarah responded. “Honestly, my parents? They’re not really my parents – they’re my aunt and uncle, but they adopted me after my real mother went to prison for murdering her cousin. Mom…well, then she was just Aunt DJ…promised me she’d always be there for me, and she and Uncle Mike were, even when they adopted me. As for my real mother, well…I don’t consider her that anymore. And I don’t know what happened to my birth father. Maybe she murdered him, too.”
Minty watched as the nightmare – with a small n – unfolded before her eyes. Sandalwood had gotten her hooves on her foal and turned Gumdrop against her. She’d turned their mother, their brother, their whole family against her. And she’d been accused of murdering one of the ponies she’d cared about most!
There is a way to change all of this, you know, the Nightmare responded. There is a way to stop all of this and prevent it from ever happening. I could lend you my power, give you the ability to change what is to come.
“And why would you do that?”
Because you are not the only one who’s ever been wronged. Do you know the truth about me and your aunts Celestia and Luna? Or only what they’ve told you? The black alicorn shifted slightly, looking as if wounded. Haven’t you ever known when someone was unfairly wronged, and is powerless to save themselves? I see that in you now, and I want to help.
“But you’re the Nightmare!”
Not always. Once I was…no, better than I not tell.
“Tell me what?”
Strangely, a tear fell from the eyes of the ebon alicorn. Celestia and Luna? They’re my daughters. My sister, Faust, stole them from me when they were foals, turned them against me. My sister demonized me, turned me into a liar and the epitome of evil. Why? Because I was born not as “pretty” as she. Is that fair, or right?
Minty looked at the creature before her and saw…truth? Was it true? Were the eldest of her aunts really the offspring of the creature before her?
I don’t expect you to believe me, the Nightmare said. Instead, let me prove it to you. Let me prove that I can help you, save you from what is about to befall you. Help you to defend yourself from your sister’s lies… just as I needed someone to protect me. You needn’t answer now. But please – think about it, I beseech you. If nothing else, do it for your foal.
The Nightmare passed a wing before Minty’s face…
Minty woke up to voices downstairs. One of them she knew was Toffee; the other, was Gumdrop. But the two other voices weren’t clear at first, and then…. Recognition suddenly hit and the mint-hued mare thundered down the stairs to see the voices’ owners. She immediately launched herself at the younger one.
“Um, hi, Minty,” Cinnamon said, blushing slightly as her older cousin embraced her. “I heard you were under the weather. Is everything okay? I mean, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“I’m just glad to see you’re okay,” Minty said, embracing the younger mare tightly.
“She won’t be if’n ya keep it up,” the second speaker said. “Now how ‘bout Ah get a hug?”
“Of course, Aunt Bloomie.” There was a second embrace and as if on instinct, Gumdrop went over and hugged her mother as well. Minty looked down at her daughter and said, “You’re going to be beautiful when you grow up, sunshine. But don’t call yourself Sarah, okay?”
“Why would I do that, Mommy?” Gumdrop asked. The two other mares and Toffee looked at each other in confusion.
“Look, Toffee,” Minty said, finally approaching her husband. “I’m—”
“I understand,” he said, giving her a soft kiss. “Apple Bloom told me everything. I wish you would have said something, though. I would have stayed clear, then. I’ll just have to go to the bookstore tomorrow and have PB order me The Belgariad. Been wanting to read David Eddings’ stuff anyway.”
“So what brings you in town?” Minty said, turning back to her relatives.
“Ah was showin’ up so Ah could see Gumdrop’s Hearths Warmin’ Eve play,” Apple Bloom responded.
“Mom asked me to come here early and make sure all the family’s reservations are set. Even Aunt Celestia and Aunt Luna will be here as well, though they can’t stay overnight.”
“Really?” Minty suddenly felt touched and shamed at the same time. Those dreams...Nightmare’s lies. They had to be lies, right?
Cinnamon nodded. “Oh!” She dug into the pocket of her pants and pulled out a small box. It was at this time that it dawned on Minty that Cinnamon was standing upright and wearing human-style clothing. “Gumdrop, I have something for you.”
The filly trotted over, curiosity in her eyes. “What is it?”
“It’s a musicube, a toy from human-Earth.” She set it down on the floor, then pressed the top. The thing began to strobe and a weird voice began to start singing, the pitch and tone fast and syncopated.
“Wow!” Gumdrop said, looking at the glowing box on the ground.
“It’s yours, okay?” Cinnamon said, and that earned a squee and a hug from the little filly. As Gumdrop enjoyed her new toy, Cinnamon turned to Minty and shrugged a slight apology. “A friend of mine at the tech center made them; he’s going to patent them and sell them to some toy company. Anyway, I got Gumdrop the AI Rap version. It’ll listen and learn from her and then rap out a series of words based on what she says to it and then the music will set based on that as well.”
“Is it dangerous?” Minty asked, saying to herself, Of course it has to be dangerous. It’s a human invention.
“I wouldn’t give her anything that was, I promise,” Cinnamon assured her cousin.
As Minty watched Gumdrop play with her new toy, for a brief moment she saw a flash of the future, of an adult Gumdrop, as humanized as Cinnamon was becoming, holding that same cube and laughing about how stupid her biological mother had been. Then as quick as it had started, things were back to normal.
“I guess I’ll go make dinner now,” Minty replied, departing before any offers of help or whatnot could be made.
Dinner turned out to be a subdued affair. Most of it was spent with a very excited filly eagerly trying to teach the musicube language, hearing it play back a beat and a rap, and then her joining along with it. By the time she was ready for bed, she was already harmonizing with the cube, singing along with it and creating a small arsenal of AI Rap songs.
“She’s learning quickly,” Cinnamon said with a smile on her face. “You should be proud, cousin.”
“Where did you get that thing?” Minty replied. “It’s weird.”
“It’s just a senior project my dormmate’s boyfriend is working on. He’s a robotics engineer and he’s really into music, so he thought there was an interesting way to—”
“When did you start wearing clothing? And walking human-style?”
“Minty, I go to school in California. There are nudity laws, even there. And you know it’s just good etiquette to walk like a human when there.”
“They don’t go natural when they’re here, or go on all fours.”
“Humans don’t have the same sort of build as we do, so it doesn’t make sense.” She looked at Minty curiously. “What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
“Hey, you’re my younger cousin, okay? I’m supposed to look out for you.”
Cinnamon sighed. “Minty…I’m almost a legal adult now by Equestriani standards. I am an adult by American ones. And as much as I appreciate and love you for looking out for me, I don’t need my hoof held anymore.”
Minty shook her head. “You don’t understand, Cinnamon. I’m just trying to pre—”
“Ah think yer a mite too worried about that, Minty. Y’know that things are different now.” Seated on a chair closest to the wall, Apple Bloom looked at the younger ponies and sighed before taking a drink of her cider. “Ah think maybe y’ should consider buryin’ th’ hatchet.”
“No. I can’t believe you’re even saying that, Aunt Bloomie!” The mint mare looked hurt. She’d always considered Apple Bloom to be one of those most in her corner, and now to hear this?
“‘T’s not about that, Minty. We’re all older now. Things have changed, an’ Ah’m sure yer sister ain’t th’ pony she was before. In fact, Ah know she ain’t. An’ if Sandalwood kin grow up, Ah know y’ can too.”
“And so what, I’m just supposed to accept it? I’m just supposed to let Cinnamon get turned into a tail-lifting harrid—”
“Is that what you really think of me?” The words suddenly cut like stone, and Minty suddenly realized she overstepped a boundary that she’d not seen before.
“Cinnamon, of course not. It’s just that….”
“I know – you think that I need to be protected, that I can’t look out for myself. But how am I supposed to grow up to be the mare that you, Mom and the rest want me to be if I don’t take those chances, Minty? I know you’ve always looked out for me and I can’t say enough how much I appreciate that. But I have to be my own mare now, for right or wrong. I’m sorry, Minty, but I don’t need you to protect me anymore.” Cinnamon got up and went and kissed both her aunt and then Minty on the cheek. “I’m going to get some sleep. I’ve got some homework for class that I need to do first thing in the morning before I help Gumdrop with her costume and then check the hotels. Goodnight.” Cinnamon immediately went to Gumdrop’s room, where she’d be sleeping the night.
“It’s hard watchin’ ‘em grow up, innit?” Apple Bloom asked as Minty watched her cousin’s retreating form. “It was just as hard watchin’ y’all do the same, believe me. But C’nnamon’s right, Ah reckon. Y’ should let her do what she needs t’, or else she’s not gonna be the mare she needs ta be.”
“But I….”
“Ah know.” Apple Bloom got up and patted her niece on the shoulder. “You’re just doin’ what y’ promised Luna. An’ Ah’m proud o’ ya fer that. But C’nnamon’s a grown mare now, an’ it’s her choice, fer good or bad.”
Back in her dreams, Minty looked for the Nightmare. She was in the crowd of the unponies again, but…this time it was different. This time they came nowhere near her, as if afraid of her, for some reason. Every time she came closer to one, they scurried away again, jittering in fright. Why were they running from her?
Because they sense your future now, the Nightmare’s voice rang out. Because they know the truth – you will kill your cousin because you want to protect her from humanity. But it isn’t really about humanity, is it?
“No. I see what it’s done to Sandalwood, what it’s turned her into. I don’t want that to happen to Cinnamon. She’s a good filly and to become the sort of tail-lifting freak that…. I don’t want that for her. Never.”
And you would kill her for that? The Nightmare’s question was clear.
“Of course not! Why do you think I’m coming here to you? I don’t know what’s going to go wrong, but I don’t want to hurt Cinnamon! I would never want that! I couldn’t face Aunt Fluttershy and Uncle Mac if I even thought that!” Minty looked agitated. “But I have to protect Cinnamon. Because that’s what I was told to do.”
Told to do?
“Yes. Just before Blitz was born, Aunt Luna made me promise I would look out for all my younger cousins. Because I was the oldest, they needed me to look out and protect them. And I won’t let them turn into the freak Sandalwood has become. I refuse to!”
Then you accept the use of my power? To accept me as your liegelady and to use my talents as you will?
Minty closed her eyes, then opened them again. For her family, there was no hesitation. “My answer is….”