//------------------------------// // 8. Manehattan (Stop 7) // Story: Dysphoria, Arc 5: Equestria // by thedarkprep //------------------------------// 8. Manehattan (Stop 7) “Make no mistake; this is not a fight about granting rights to ponies. It’s about taking them away. This Equestrian Equality Envoy group seeks to take away rights from parents to monitor what their children are exposed to. They seek to take away the right from professionals to intervene. They seek to take away the traditional values that make Equestria great. I say we don’t let them. I say that this is our country and that if they wish to defile it with their personal fetishes and wants, then I say they don’t deserve to be here. We can get them to leave by making their lives difficult, by refusing to budge, by upholding what’s right! This is a war and we will offer no safe quarter. Yes, they will leave this land, and Equestria will be all the better for it!” Cheers erupted, with many ponies talking amongst themselves. The applause was deafening as were the cries of approval and agreement ringing out through the street. As such, no one could hear the angry mutterings coming from the carriage sitting in traffic a few hooves away. “The day I leave Equestria is the day that Discord learns humility.” “Rose, are you ok?” Rose looked away from the window, turning to face the three concerned-looking ponies who were eyeing her with curious expressions and raised eyebrows. “I was muttering out loud again, wasn’t I?” Rose asked, taking a deep breath. The other ponies nodded. “It wouldn’t be as nerve-wracking if we could hear what you were saying,” Timetable said. “Right now, though, you could be muttering about your plans to murder us all and we would be none the wiser.” “And I’ll have you know that I have loads of humility,” Discord added, appearing beside her. “If I were to snap, I’d go after Dusk first,” Rose said indignantly. “That means you two have nothing to be afraid of since that would buy you all the time you need to get away.” “Sorry to argue ‘gainst you, Rose, but we need more than a micro-second to get away, and given Dusk’s fighting ability…” Organizer said, trailing off at the end. “Oh ha ha,” Dusk said. “Can we focus on our psychopathic companion and not on my lack of brute strength? Seriously, priorities.” “Right, my mistake,” Organizer said as the three ponies fixed their gaze back on a blushing Rose. “It’s just upsetting,” Rose said, taking a deep breath. “Hearing them talk about me and ponies like me that way… It’s demeaning. And I’d like nothing more than to leave this carriage and give them a piece of my mind.” The other three nodded. “And yet, doing so would mean that taking this carriage, as opposed to traveling by train to where the mob of protesters is patiently waiting for us, would have been completely pointless,” Timetable said. “I mean, yelling at the ponies who are trying their hardest to find you and kick you out of town is a poor way to stay hidden.” “I thought the whole point of this was that we were making it so that we wouldn’t have to hide anymore.” An awkward silence followed Rose’s statement. “Ok, I heard some real bitterness there,” Timetable said. “You know I was kidding, right? We’re not really hiding from them, we’re just making sure we get to the event without incident. We’re not scared or hiding, we’re just-“ “I know I know,” Rose said, cutting her off. “We’re being careful and smart. I know that if I really wanted to argue with them, you wouldn’t stop me. It’s just, they’re out there attacking me and talking about me, and they don’t even know me-“ Knock. Knock. Knock. The conversation died as everyone turned to look at the carriage door, whereupon a pony was knocking. “They may not know you but they know what you look like,” Dusk said. “Robe on.” Rose nodded, putting up the hood on her robe and turning away from the doorway, which Dusk opened to reveal an earth pony. “Something we can help you with?” Dusk asked. “Nope, nothing at all,” the pony said. “I just have this pamphlet I wanted to give you. I’m sure that a fine fellow like yourself and your company would learn much from it. It is in regards to some… degenerates, who are infiltrating our city and are threatening Equestria and our way of life. Only if you’re interested, of course.” Dusk took the pamphlet being offered to him with a smile. “I would love to read it,” he said. “’The Enemy Within.’ Well, it’s important to stay informed against these threats. Thank you for the pamphlet.” “Not a problem,” the pony said. “Take care.” And with that he walked away, allowing Dusk to close the door to the carriage. He then began looking through pamphlet as the rest of the ponies inside relaxed and Rose lowered her hood. “That is really not fair,” she protested. “Why do none of them recognize you.” “Because I’m not a celebrity,” Dusk deadpanned, not raising his eyes from the pamphlet. When silence answered his comment, he looked up to find a very irate looking Rose. “Oh, right, sorry, explaining,” he said. “Well, the reason I’m not recognized is because I’m just the president of the group. When ponies talk about the Equestrian Equality Envoy, they will never think of me, no matter how many interviews or events I attend. They will either think of the group as a whole, some faceless entity, or of our figurehead, in this case, you. You represent us, and any photographer worth their bits will take a photo of you over one of me no matter how many events we attend. That, and you’re also quite famous and easy to pin hatred on.” He began looking through the pamphlet again as Rose let out a huge sigh. “I just wish that when I agreed to be the face of the organization that I had known I would also be the one to take all the blame,” Rose said. “Oh look!” Dusk exclaimed. “They have a picture of you and a bullet point list of all the evils you bring into society. Oh sorry, were you saying something?” Timetable and Organizer averted their gaze as Rose began fuming. “No, nothing at all,” Rose said. “Do tell, what am I responsible for?” A sudden jolt startled the occupants of the carriage as the carriage began to move. “Oh, look at that,” Timetable said. “We’re moving. Not enough time to talk about that now.” “That is nonsense,” Dusk said. “There’s certainly enough time for me to read this concise list to Ms. Rose.” “Nope,” Organizer said. “I agree with Timetable: we’ll be at the hotel soon and I think we need some peace and quiet before getting there. It will be a busy day and any rest we can get will help.” “I suppose,” Dusk said, thinking. “No, you’re right. We will need the rest if we’re to survive this city. Very well. I’m sorry Ms. Rose, it appears you’ll have to wait.” Timetable and Organizer sighed out of relief before settling into comfortable positions while Rose continued to glare at the pamphlet. Still, she made no attempt to grab it, and she eventually turned to stare out the window for the remainder of the trip. Before long they arrived at the hotel where they were to stay, with each pony setting their things in their respective rooms, leaving the actual unpacking for the end of the day. Then they headed back to the lobby for their last planning meeting of the trip. “I’m not going to lie to you – this will be difficult,” Dusk said, making eye contact with each of the assembled ponies, glad to find determination in their gazes rather than fear. “I’ve lived in Manehattan all my life,” he continued. “And I can tell you from my own experience that this city is dangerous. Cloudsdale, Baltimare… They’re nothing compared to this. The ponies here hate us. Expect heckling, expect insults, expect loathing, but don’t let it overtake you. We are stronger than them and we will change this city, but to do that, we cannot let them bully us. Understood?” Each of the ponies nodded. “Good,” Dusk said. “Every stop has prepared us for this. Time to use all we’ve learnt. You each know your part, so when we step out those doors there is nothing else to do but to try your best. We will come back here having succeeded or having failed, but regardless of the outcome, we will be able to say that we gave it our all. When we go to Ponyville for our final stop in a few days, we’ll be able to hold our heads high and celebrate that we fought for all we’re worth.” Each pony nodded again. Then there was silence. Dusk let his gaze wander over the ponies assembled before them before turning around and walking out the door, with each of the ponies following soundlessly behind him. “Are you ready for this?” Discord asked. “Worst-case scenario, I have you tear the city down,” Rose thought. Discord chuckled but said nothing. “Yes, I’m ready,” Rose thought. “For better or worse, this ends here.” And with that she stepped through the doorway. “Rose, you don’t have to do this!” Dusk pleaded. “Please stand down.” “Yes,” Timetable followed. “For once in your life listen to what Dusk is saying. You don’t have to prove anything to anypony. There is no good outcome to this.” “Can’t we just cancel this and tear the stage down?” Organizer asked. “She’s not in charge, so why do we need her to agree? If she’s being too stubborn to do the smart thing then we can just take away her ability to make a fool of herself.” “If you silence me now I will make sure that every newspaper in Equestria hears about how the silent-T phenomenon is not only real but quite literal,” Rose said, glaring at the assembled ponies. Timetable and Organizer took a step back in shock, while Dusk sighed. “Rose, if you got up there and you argue with them, you will validate them,” Dusk said. “Right now they are nothing but a group with radical ideas. If you acknowledge them, then they are our rivals, our opposition. And not to mention that if you lose you could undo everything we’ve done. Project Equestria will be a failure.” “I won’t let myself be bullied, Dusk,” Rose said. “You heard what he said. You saw what happened. Do you expect me to let it slide and for me not to address it publicly because they might undermine us? If we let it go then we’ll have done a great job undermining ourselves.” “Don’t be a child,” Dusk responded. “There are other, less-direct, ways of dealing with this and I assure you, it will be dealt with. What you are thinking of doing, though, is impossible. In this city, with this crowd, against this group, you are setting yourself up to fail and you are going to take us all with you.” “Since when does any of that matter?” Rose shouted. “After what they did, who cares? I’m extremely disappointed in you, Dusk. Being upfront, being direct… that used to be your thing. And now you want to be subtle? They clapped as that kid got disowned, Dusk! And the things they said they were going to try? Can you really have that on your conscience? The mayor and the city officials are all here right now and if I have any chance at stopping… them, I will take it.” Dusk made to speak but said nothing. Rose took a deep breath. “When you hired me you told me that I’d have free reign over my actions and my words,” she said. “Well I’m going to use that free reign now. If you want, you can distance yourself as much as possible from me. You can say that my thoughts don’t represent those of the organization. You can do whatever. I need to do this, though. I need to make sure not even a tenth of what they said comes to pass, and I need to make sure no other colt goes through what that one went through. I’m making my stand, Dusk. Now help, or get out of the way.” “I’m not stopping you, Rose,” Dusk muttered. “You are free to do what you want. And the Triple-E is not going to distance itself from you, especially not now. But understand that for you to win this you’d have to turn the majority of the crowd into allies, those same ones that clapped and cheered as a colt was made homeless before their eyes. Anything short of doing that will mean a victory for that green pegasus. That’s what the papers will write this as and every bit of hope, pressure, and change that we’ve accomplished will disappear.” “I know it won’t be easy,” Rose said. “I know that. I have to do this, though. I have to try.” Dusk sighed. “Fine, do what you must,” he said, stepping out of the way. “At least you’re angry. You’re much better at this when you’re angry.” “Then I’ll be the best you’ve seen of me yet,” Rose said, stepping past him and towards the stairs. As she reached the backstage area, Rose became very aware of the deep rumbling coming from the other side as ponies speculated, chatted, and waited for Rose to appear on stage. On any normal day this would have made Rose rather nervous, but today was no normal day. The event, as Dusk had predicted, had been rather difficult and problematic right from the get go. Protesters stood outside, yelling and holding signs decrying the Equestrian Equality Envoy as enemies of Manehattan and Equestria itself. This was then followed by bouts of hecklers and protestors who would sneak into the event and create as much of a disruption as possible before the local security had the chance to throw them out. Then there was the impact these ponies had on the rest of the audience, frightening supporters into silence and making everyone less perceptive to the messages being presented. Rose, however, met the difficulties head on and, through clever word play, persistence, and unmitigated resolve, she dealt with every member of her opposition and managed to complete her speech and to get through the Q&A panel. And then it happened. Rose and the rest of the group had decided to go for a walk to cool off after a rather heated debate, when they stumbled upon a large group of ponies standing in a circle. The sound of roaring laughter had filled the square, almost masking the cry of a child. Almost. Rushing forward the group found the colt, crying in the middle of the circle as the surrounding ponies launched constant barrages of profanities and slurs. “Fairy!” “Queer!” “F*g!” The slurs increased in volume as each second passed, matched by the laugher and the cries. “Enough!” Rose had yelled, silencing the area. “What is going on here?” Dusk asked. “Oh look, more of them.” Ignoring them the group turned to the colt who explained that his parents and his only family had just disowned him and thrown him out, to the cheering and applause of the crowd. “Well we have to show support for positive behavior, don’t we?” Rose turned around to face a light green pegasus with a dark green mane. “I dare you to say that one more time,” Rose said through gritted teeth. “And you’ll do what? Assault me?” the stallion asked, laughing. “Let me remind you that you are outnumbered, but hey, I might even just let you throw a kick at me. It would prove what we all know about you: not a speck of civilized decency.” “Go away.” “No, how about you go away, Mr. Slant Rhyme,” the pegasus responded. “I have the same right to speak as you do and even more of a right to live here than some prissy little abomination who fancies himself a princess. Tell you what, you really want me to shut up? Let me on that stage of yours and let’s talk this out. Then, and only then, will I shut up.” Despite the situation, Rose found herself smiling. “You really think I’m an idiot,” she said. “I would never let you near a microphone to speak your slander and hate, especially at our event. You cannot goad me into it.” The stallion chuckled. “Well, no skin off my bones,” he said. “But just so you know, I’m rather important. You see, I run the homeless shelters, I run public services, I even run social services, and the thing is, I can tell you that that particular colt is going to have a very miserable existence. Now, if you were to allow me to speak my mind and we have ourselves a debate on a public forum, like... I don’t know, your event, then maybe you can convince them to kick me out of office. But you have my promise that I will make sure none of your kind can stand to live in Manehattan for as long as I remain. You won’t just leave, you will flee, starting with him.” All Rose could feel then was anger. Sounds faded away, her sight became unfocused, and her muscles tensed. “Dusk, take that colt to the mayor, or to someone who can look after him,” Rose said. “I have a debate to attend.” “I have to admit, this isn’t your brightest idea,” Discord said, snapping the mare from her thoughts. Rose took a deep sigh. “I really don’t need this from you too.” Discord shrugged. “Hey, I’m just stating my opinion,” he said. “I’m still behind you all the way. For better or worse.” Rose gave a nod of thanks before stepping through the curtain. The whispers stopped. Soundlessly, Rose made her way over to her podium, facing towards the crowd and ignoring the green stallion in her peripheral vision. She knew he was standing at a podium much like hers. She also knew that he was probably smirking or glaring at her, trying to intimidate her. However, she did not have to acknowledge him just yet. “Hello everypony!” Rose turned her head to look at Organizer, who had taken over the announcer duties for this event, despite his belief that it was a mistake. Rose gave him a nod of thanks that he politely returned before continuing. “Due to certain… disagreements, we have decided to have a debate in regards to transponies and values, to be had between Ms. Evening Rose and Manehattan representative Mr. Civic Service,” Organizer said. “This is not scripted and it is separate from the Equestrian Equality Envoy event. However, we feel like this discussion is important and therefore we are allowing them to use our stage.” He turned to look at Service. “You have the floor.” “And please make this quick,” Rose said, speaking as harshly as possible. “I don’t intend to give you and your ramblings any more time than absolutely necessary.” Organizer raised an eyebrow in confusion while Service narrowed his eyes in anger. In turn, Rose had to fight to conceal her confident smirk. After all, her outburst had done exactly what she wanted. Already Rose could hear the rumblings from the crowd as shocked audience members turned to whisper amongst themselves. Anyone who knew of Rose, or who had seen the reporting on the Summer trial before Dusk’s involvement, knew that she tended to play things defensively. Despite her speaking ability, she always let others make the first move, and when she made her point, it was always in a logical argumentative fashion. And as such, the emotionally charged offensive made this Rose seem extremely unlike the one that had lived in Ponyville. “But I’m not the same anymore,” Rose thought. “I’ve learnt a lot on this trip and I need to start acting like it, especially if I’m going to shoot Service down.” The whisperings and mumblings from the crowd continued, and from the sounds of it, it seemed like her brash interjection had not earned her any friends in the crowd. Not that she really cared, since Rose figured that there was little hope of that happening regardless. And yet, her statement had done exactly what she intended for it to do. It had sent a very clear message. It stated that this was Rose’s show, and that she was in absolute control. “Something I really needed to establish after his little stunt outside,” Rose thought as Service coughed a few times to clear his through into the microphone. “Very well,” he said. “I wasn’t planning on making this long and complicated anyway. In fact, I can summarize my point very concisely. Transponies are dangerous to Equestria and need to be driven out for the wellbeing of the nation.” “Explain, if you would,” Rose said, not allowing time for the words to sink in. “What makes us so dangerous? What makes a transpony bad for Equestria? And remember, keep it concise.” If Service was annoyed or taken aback by Rose’s confrontational approach, he did his best not to show it. However, the rumblings from the crowd let Rose know all she needed to know. Her approach was having an impact. “Well, for starters, transponies are untrustworthy,” Service began, speaking more loudly than necessary in what Rose recognized as an attempt to hush the crowd. “These are ponies whose entire lives revolve around lying to others and to our whole society. Hiding things and pretending to be something they’re not. Some are outed and forced to acknowledge their actual gender, but how can we trust anypony for whom lying is that engrained? Then there’s the fact that by existing, they are making a mockery of the basic laws of nature. From grotesque alterations or through the unnatural blurring of gender lines, these ponies are a blight to ponydom far and wide. For our protection, and for the protection of decency itself, we cannot allow them to live amongst us. And finally, even if they weren’t untrustworthy mistakes, transponies will never be accepted in Equestria. Too many ponies hate them, too many ponies think like I do, and that’s not going to change. By letting them live amongst us, we are ensuring that they’ll live a meaningless existence under the ‘torture’ imposed by society. Really, it’s a kindness to throw them out.” Rose thought for a moment. Something about the first point Service had used nagged at her. She knew it was important and that using it would help bring his entire platform down. However, she also felt like she was missing something, a piece just barely out of reach which was necessary for the counter-argument. As such, she decided to start with the second point. “Are we such a ‘blight’ that it justifies inciting verbal assaults against a young colt?” Rose asked, making sure to allow her contempt to be heard. “You had ponies cheering as a colt was made homeless, as others insulted and harassed him. How, pray tell, was that justified?” “I know that being born of ‘nobility’ you probably have never come across this concept,” Service responded. “But a farmer often has to prune plants, cutting off damaged or infected parts for the whole plant to survive.” “No, I’ve heard of the concept,” Rose said shaking her head. “The problem is that I tend to think that we are a tad more complex than plants, and that ponies should be treated with the respect one would give any sentient being, regardless of gender identity.” “Then you would be a poor farmer indeed,” Service said. “You would allow the whole harvest to die rather than to remove the parts that are destroying it.” “First of all, let’s get something clear,” Rose said, her voice spiking in volume. “Your metaphor doesn’t work. Who would be the farmer here? You? Me? We’re part of the society, part of the plants, and we’re both obviously biased. The Princesses? They’re not getting involved. The answer is no one – there is no farmer here. There is only us, plants regulating plants.” Rose took a breath, allowing the audience to keep up with her. “Want to hear the interesting part, though? Following your metaphor,” Rose continued. “Plants don’t prune parts of themselves like that. They don’t cut off specific parts because they’re not like the rest. They don’t make decisions on what parts to keep and which parts to discard. And want to know something else? The whole plant doesn’t die.” “And you’re saying this from your personal experience as a botanist?” Service sneered. “No, I’m saying this by citing one of the most well-known and renowned ecosystems in Equestria,” Rose said, narrowing her eyes. “I know that being so lost in your own little world it may have escaped your notice, but there is a place called the Everfree forest. This place is filled with plants that are not cared for or disturbed by farmers or anypony else. And you want to know what they do? They thrive, Mr. Service. They continue to grow and expand and live and thrive without any pony interaction. Plants regulating plants without exiling the uncommon parts, growing and adapting to survive.” “So you would have us be like that forest?” Service responded. “Filled with monsters, uninhabitable, forsaken.” “I thought we were just talking about the plants,” Rose said. “But you know what? Even adding all of that, yes. Yes I would. That forest is filled with things that ponies fear, and it does not cater to us, but it still survives on its own. Anything that lives there, or grows, or happens to migrate there becomes a part of the cycle, and everything around it adapts. So what’s the problem? Is it that you can’t control it? That it isn’t exactly the way you feel it should be?” Rose stopped as she considered a thought. “Actually, I bet that’s what it is,” she said. “That forest is not the way you think it should be, and neither are transponies, and you cannot live with that. Why, I bet that you want to be the farmer, shaping the world exactly the way you see fit because anything else just won’t do, and if a small colt or thousands of ponies have to suffer, then so be it, right? In fact, you were even listing off all the programs you were in charge of and promised to abuse in order to attack and persecute a defenseless colt, as if said programs made you somepony I should care about. Well, I have a bit of a newsflash for you. You are not important. The world is not the way you want it to be. You need to learn to deal with that.” There was some noise coming from the audience but Rose ignored it since, at that moment, something very important happened. Despite his best efforts, a crack appeared in Services stoic expression. For a few seconds, he stared at Rose with unrestrained hatred and disgust. Rose had seen this look twice before, but what shocked her was how similar this scene looked to one of the two previous. It was not just the loathing and revulsion in his eyes, and the similarity in expression. Service really looked a lot like him. In fact, if one were to change Service’s colors and shorten his snout a little, he’d look exactly like… Rose gasped, a sudden epiphany energizing her body. “I got you,” she thought. “I know you want to answer to that, but please let me first address the other thing you said,” spoke, this time with authority more so than anger. “You mentioned that transponies are deceitful liars who cannot be trusted. Who have I lied to, Mr. Service? And who has suffered for my lies?” He scoffed. “Well, I can think of an example.” “Time to take a shot in the dark,” Rose thought. “So your relative, Granite Boulder?” Rose waited for a second, waiting for a reaction to show whether her risk had been worth it. She had even started to doubt her choice when it happened. Civic Service’s mask cracked again, this time showing wide eyed confusion. “But… But how did you know?” “It doesn’t matter,” Rose said. “I’m not sure what your relation is to him, and I honestly don’t care. What’s important is that you would side with an attempted murderer and demonize his victim, believing him justified.” “I never said that he would be justified in killing,” Service shouted, letting his emotions get the best of him. “I’m just saying that he’s a victim in all this as well and that you lied to him and tricked him. Also, don’t you call him a murderer. He didn’t kill anypony.” “Not out of lack of trying,” Rose answered. “In any case, he was tried and charged, so it really isn’t open to interpretation, and I don’t really see how it is my fault that he attacked me.” “It’s your fault because you played him for a fool,” Service said, once again letting his temper rule him. “He got attacked by two mares who broke into his home and he was tried in a private trial away from all other ponies. In fact, if not for those ponies-“ “I’d be dead,” Rose said, interrupting him. “If not for those two ponies representing the Elements of Harmony, you know, the national heroes, I would have died at the hooves of Granite Boulder. The doctors said so themselves that even with their intervention I survived by pure luck. But let’s disregard that for the sake of your point, shall we? Yes, if we could just get rid of ponies like me, and those who support us and treat us with decency, and those who would enforce the laws objectively, then we would have the Equestria you want, right? Except, it wouldn’t be this Equestria at all. No order, no harmony, no kinship. Only those you approve of, pruning away all those who are not what you think constitutes ‘healthy’ and justifying acts of hatred by saying that ‘maybe it is ok for a pony to brutally attack another as long as it’s for the wellbeing of the whole of society’. Now, remind me, how are we the threat to the Equestria you love?” Rose could see the wheels turning in Civic Service’s head as he struggled to come up with a response. However, despite the opening and closing of his mouth, he remained silent, as did the rest of the audience and it seemed the world. Rose seized her chance. “Actually, forget that,” she said. “I don’t actually want to hear your answer. I feel like you’ve already made enough of a fool of yourself, and I told you before that I didn’t want to give you more time than necessary. Just know that this is exactly why I don’t take you seriously. You don’t think ahead and you try to blame me and those like me, but you don’t stop to realize what you’re doing. You’re not the leader of a group nor an individual with an opinion. You are a foal throwing a tantrum because your worldview is not being given priority, and I’ve given your tantrum enough attention already.” Rose began to walk away from the podium. “I have nothing else to say to you.” She walked away with measured steps, half hoping that the stallion behind her stayed quiet, and half wishing that he wouldn’t. “You have to see that you’re outmatched and completely out of your league,” Rose thought. “Just let me walk away and retain what’s left of your stance. You don’t want to bring that last point into the argument.” “The majority of ponies still hate you,” Service called out, causing Rose to turn to face him. “It was the last point I made. I hate you as do most ponies. You won’t ever find acceptance here, so it’s best if you leave.” Service began to smirk, but said facial expression fell off his face when Rose began to laugh. “I’m sorry, but that’s really quite funny,” Rose said apologetically. “Here, let me explain. You don’t hate me, you just think you do.” Service was shocked at her comment, and he attempted to stammer out a response. “You’re wrong… I-“ “You want to kick me out of the country,” Rose said, cutting him off. “That’s not hate. Hate is wanting to bring about the most painful and horrible end possible to somepony. It is ire so great that the pony’s mere existence causes you to be filled with a desire for blood. Hate is when the only thing in the world that could make things ok is when something or someone is permanently removed from existence, alongside any record of them. I would know: I hated myself like that for the longest time.” Silence followed Rose’s words, so she continued. “Everything you’re trying to do to me, I’ve done worse,” Rose said. “I mean, with all the suicide attempts, and the broken mirrors, and the self-deprecation, and the mutilation… the only one that has even come close to what I’ve done was Granite. He brought me as close to death as I did, and he might have hated me half as much as I’ve hated myself. But you, you don’t hate me, and I’m willing to bet that most of Equestria would not be willing to kill me, regardless of their reservations. Here’s the kicker, though: I accepted myself. I forgave myself and I accepted who I am, and now I’m standing here giving you a lesson on pony morality. I guess what I’m saying is that if I could find a way to be ok with my being trans, I have no trouble believing that the rest of Equestria can do it as well.” Civic Service and Organizer stared at Rose, unable to move or speak. “As I said, I’ve already given you too much time,” Rose said. “Now, if you excuse me, I have to find a colt you helped to terrorize and see if I can help him in some way. After all, it would not do well for the ‘Representative from Manehattan’ to have a death on his hooves.” The silence continued after that, only being broken by the sound of Rose’s hoofsteps as she walked away. “Are you heading out?” Rose stopped at the doorway of the hotel, turning to find Dusk sitting on a chair, reading from a folder located on a nearby table. Immediately after the confrontation with Civic Service, Rose had been ambushed by the rest of her group members, all of whom showered her with praise for her performance. Rose asked about the colt, but Dusk had assured her that he had been taken care of. Shortly after that, Dusk had disappeared. “It’s kind of comforting to know that he’s already working on the next project,” Rose thought. “Yeah,” she said. “I’m feeling kind of restless. Thought I’d go for a walk.” “Want to talk about it?” Rose thought for a second with the “No” already forming on her tongue, but she instead nodded, deciding that she did indeed want to talk about it “It’s just weird to think that it’s over,” she said, stepping closer to Dusk. “So much has happened, and it’s been such a life-changing experience… It just seems weird to think that I’ll just go back to Ponyville after this and live a quiet normal life.” “I thought that’s what you wanted,” Dusk said, chuckling as he did so. “If I do recall correctly, ‘you suffered for that life and no one will stop you from enjoying it,’ not even a dashing genius with a plan to save the transponies of Equestria.” Rose giggled. “Yeah, I know,” she said. “And it’s not that I’m not excited. It’s just… I’ve changed… everything’s changed. It’ll take me a while to adapt to how things were.” Dusk looked at Rose with a rather appraising stare, one that grew more uncomfortable for Rose by the second. “I think it’s a good thing that you are going back,” Dusk said finally. “I think it will do you good, and maybe it will fix a few things this trip has done.” “What, you regretting bringing me along?” Rose asked. “No, not at all,” Dusk said. “Your company has been lovely, and you have been far more than an asset to the group. You are my friend now, and you wielded your responsibility rather masterfully. But you are right, you have changed.” Dusk let his gaze drop. “You were fantastic out there,” he said. “Had this Rose faced off against Dr. Theory, I might not have been needed back then. You have gained a lot of experience in a very short amount of time, and you have adapted to what you have seen. It has made you strong… But this is not you.” Rose was taken aback, but said nothing. “The brash, cold, and aggressive Rose that took down Civic Service like he was nothing, while good for the type of fighting we’ve been doing, is not the better Rose,” Dusk continued. “I rather liked the way you were, and I think that this trip has robbed you of a few things. Maybe your patience, maybe your restraint. I’m actually not sure what, but I know that whatever it was that you lost, that it was something rare and special, and something that it would be a shame to see disappear forever. Maybe going back to Ponyville will help you recapture it. At least I hope it will.” Rose thought for a minute, remembering how she had wanted to humiliate Civic Service, and to tear him down for all to see. “I guess you have a point,” Rose said. “Still, maybe I can find some middle ground. I don’t want to lose what I’ve gained in this trip.” “And that’s the point, is it not?” Dusk asked. “Finding a way to grow and adapt without losing what makes you special? For what it’s worth, I don’t think you have lost whatever it is you had. You just forgot it for a while because of all that you’ve had to deal with. You will find it again, and there will be a new Rose, one with the strength of the activist, but the heart of the civilian.” “That was rather poetic, Dusk,” Rose said. “Heart of the civilian, implying that being an activist means being a solider?” Dusk got up from his chair and saluted. “And it has been a pleasure serving with you, Ms. Rose,” he said smiling. Rose walked up to him and gave him a hug. “I’m going to miss you,” she said. Dusk laughed. “We still have a party in Ponyville to plan and attend,” Dusk said. “You can miss me after that’s done with.” The two broke their hug. “Well, now I’m less restless, but I’m still far too energized to go to sleep,” Rose said, prompting Dusk to nod in understanding. “Perhaps you should go on your walk now then?” Dusk suggested. “I’ll be here waiting for you to come back; I need to catch up on some work in any case.” “Sounds good,” Rose said. “Best of luck with your project.” “Thank you,” Dusk said. “See you in a few.” Rose nodded, turning and around and walking out of the hotel. The night air hit her almost immediately, causing her to wish she had brought a thicker jacket for her trip. After all, it was now late in the autumn season with winter right around the corner. “At least I’ll be home soon,” Rose thought. “And then I won’t have to worry about not having warm enough jackets again.” And so, as Rose walked, she turned her thoughts to what she would do in Ponyville, or who she would see. These thoughts warmed her as she began planning the dinner parties, the sleepovers, and even the random get-togethers she would get to have with her friends. She then began to plan what she would tell them, thinking back through her journey. She would of course mention meeting the Wonderbolts, and meeting Sunspot. She would also enjoy telling them about all the ponies she met, and about meeting up with her family again. She would even enjoy telling them about her little bout of chaos in the desert. “I might need you to show up for them to believe that story though,” Rose thought, only to be met with silence. “Discord?” she asked. Then, she felt it. A sharp blow connected with the back of her head, sending her tumbling onto the floor. She tried to turn around to face her attacker, only to find herself being dragged into a nearby alley. Once there, she was hoisted up against a wall, held up by one pony on each side while a third one stood in front of her. Rose struggled to free herself, but found herself unable. Thinking quickly, she turned to look at the ponies, hoping to find a way to identify them, but Rose found the alley too dark to see whether they were unicorns, pegasi, earth ponies, stallions, or mares, let alone find any identifying features. “Don’t try resisting,” the pony in front of her said, punching her in the stomach. Rose winced and cried out in pain. “What was it you said during your speech?” the pony asked. “That we were unwilling, right?” The pony then kicked her again, this time in the face, causing the back of her head to hit the wall behind her. “Seems like you don’t really know what you’re talking about.” The pony began punching Rose repeatedly, switching the area of attack and doing so without restraint. The air was heavy with the yells of pain, joined by the occasional crunching of bone, but it seemed like no one would come to investigate. Rose was alone. “Have you had enough?” the pony asked, punching Rose in the ribs again. Rose in turn began coughing, and although she could not actually see it, she knew that there was blood on the floor in front of her by the time she was done. “Will you hurry up?” one of the ponies holding Rose up said. “I would really like to not be caught.” The pony in front of her stepped closer, pulling something out of a canvas bag. Rose did not have time to discern the object before the cold steel of the blade stabbed into her. Then there was only the pain. The pony removed the blade and inserted it again two more times, each time holding it in place for a few seconds. Tears streamed down Rose’s face as her cries of pain intensified. In the end, the pony twisted his blade and removed it, signaling the other two to drop Rose on the ground, which they did. Then they ran. Rose, however, could not follow them. All she could do was lay on the ground as the pain overtook her. However, the pain began to fade away almost immediately, leaving her with a tranquil numbness and warmth throughout her body. She felt as if nothing wrong had happened to her at all, aside from still being unable to move. “Is this it?” Rose thought, scared at the swiftness with which her pain had disappeared. “Am I dying?” “Yes you are my dear, but not just yet.” Rose tried to look in the direction of the draconequus and to yell his name, but she found herself unable to do either. Instead, Discord materialized in her line of sight and spoke with a soothing tone. “Rose, you cannot talk now, but you can think, understand?” Rose tried to nod but couldn’t. “Yes, I understand,” she thought. “Discord, what’s happening? Why can’t I feel anything?” “That would be me,” he responded. “I’m using my powers to take away your pain, all of it. I may not have been able to stop you from… I was not allowed to stop this from happening, but I can at least make sure you don’t suffer.” “You knew,” Rose thought. “What you saw… you saw this.” Discord nodded sadly. “I did,” he said. “And I tried to tell you and Celestia but none of you would listen to me. I wasn’t allowed to interfere. I heard your cries though, in the vision of the future. I heard your suffering, and… I couldn’t let you go through that. I figure at this point, this doesn’t matter. Nothing will change if I spare you the pain, and I will not leave your side.” “I take it that there’s nothing else that can be done?” Rose thought. Discord shook his head. “Not after that twist of the blade,” he said. “My healing magic is not good enough to fix it, and I doubt even Celestia would be able to pull you back now. All that’s left to do now is wait.” A sudden chill ran through Rose, but she struggled against it. She tried hard as she could to stop the tears from falling, to keep a brave face at all costs. “No one is expecting you to come to terms with this, Rose,” Discord said. “It’s ok to show weakness, and to cry. You’ve been strong long enough.” And so Rose began to cry, tears falling freely onto the pavement. Discord meanwhile stayed close, wiping her tears and comforting her as best as he could. Eventually Rose calmed down some, which allowed her to think clearly again. “Can you please tell me what happens?” Rose thought. “What do you mean?” “You said that you saw how everything would develop,” Rose thought. “You saw what would happen to everypony I know, and how this would cause the chaos and how it would affect Equestria. Well, I’m not in a position to change anything now, so… could you please tell me what happens?” Discord took a deep breath, but nodded. “Where do you want to start?” he said. “My brother,” Rose thought. “I want to know what happens to him. And the rest of my family. And Applejack, Octavia, Summer, the rest of my friends… even Dusk…” And so Discord began to tell Rose about all the things she would not get to see. He rushed a few things and summarized the others since time was of the essence, but he did his best to fill in for Rose all the things that she would have seen if things had turned out differently for her. Meanwhile Rose paid as much attention as possible, but before long she felt herself beginning to fade away. The first thing that went was her sight, as the world was overtaken by darkness. And yet she could still hear. She listened with all her strength, unwilling to let that fade away for as long as she could. After all, it was not often that one heard a god cry. As all things must, however, this too came to an end, with the sound fading into whispers, then to echoes, then to nothing. Her world became silent.