//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 Human and Her Horses // Story: Equinophobia // by eLLen //------------------------------// Why? Ryan asked herself, clinging onto the single-word question, Why? For such a simple word, it had a great deal of weight in what it asked. Why had she failed? Why is this happening? …Why had she even been brought here in the first place? She didn’t have any answers. Instead, she only asked the question as she huddled to herself, curled up on the endless flooring of an astral plane. The woman had already been broken down, but now her remains had been swept up and thrown out. There were no tears—she’d run dry—only the empty husk of herself; she was void of any previously fueled emotions, being just an empty husk of what used to be called a person. Finally, she was calm, but it was not pleasant. Aside from asking why she'd been put through a hell, she wallowed in her own self-defeat, tortured by mere turmoil. Her fear was the one thing she could never beat, and now it had taken one last hurrah from her. Not even in this bizarre constructed world where thoughts ruled had she been able to overcome it. The twisted, irrational reaction of her own mind still ruled over her, overriding whatever goals she had instead. No amount of help and friends, she now realized, would change that. “Ryan?” Then there was her. The goddess to blame for everything. Ryan had been enthralled with the idea of finally telling her off for the pompous, self-absorbed goddess for what she truly was, but that had only brought her to where she was now—once again at her mercy. Reflecting on the words she had shot off, she was disappointed to find that she didn’t feel any real satisfaction from them. It was as if she had been yelling at the sky, expecting a defeated argument to be heard in reply. “Just leave me alone,” she wanted to say, but she knew that wouldn’t happen. Not bothering to roll over to face her, Ryan, responded with “You win,” her voice choking on the single phrase. She distantly registered the sound of hooves coming closer, followed by the curious reply of “What?” You heard me… “You win,” she ceded, “I give up. Keep me here; I don’t care anymore.” A gasp. “You give up? What about going home? You were so keen about it.” Ryan closed her eyes, not that there was anything in view to block out. “Just… don’t mention it. I don’t want to think about it if I’m stuck here. It’s bad enough.” “You’re just going to stay here?” “Don’t sound so happy about it,” Ryan sneered, though lacking any bite to it. The sound of the approach drew closer, though lacking the distinct sound that hooves make, instead being softer and half as frequent. “Ryan…” she tried again, “I want you to look at me.” Ryan made no movement. “Alright…” she said. Momentarily, she walked around Ryan, her two feet appearing in Ryan’s vision. Feet? Ryan’s brow furrowed as she traced the feet upward to the legs above, then up to the body draped in white, flowing fabrics, and finally to the rainbow-haired head at the top. Although entirely different in appearance, Ryan recognized her for who she actually was. “Mm…” was all she said, dropping her gaze away once again. Bending down, Celestia explained, “I figured it would be more pleasant to see. I guarantee this one won’t fail.” Getting no response, she continued “Ryan, I’m not happy about this. I admit I may have been quite content with this turn of events earlier, but that was before I… to be frank, realized how much of prejudiced bigot I was being. So again, I’m not happy. Not in the slightest. It pains me to see that I’ve pushed you into such a sorry state.” “…” She just admitted she’s wrong? Ryan thought. With a sigh, the goddess continued, “So, I just want to say, I’m sorry. I am so very sorry for everything I put you through. And I mean that, truly. I wish I could take it all back. I can only wish that you would ever forgive me.” There was a pregnant pause of silence as the remorseful words hung in the air. Then, just as quietly, Ryan pushed herself up, placing an uneasy hand against the ground and shifting her foot for proper leverage. She settled into a kneeling position before lifting herself up fully, her hazy eyes looking down at the faux woman below her. Taking in a shallow breath, she spoke. “Are you?” Celestia’s brow furrowed at the suddenness of the question. “What?” she reacted, fumbling with her words. “Are you really sorry?” Ryan repeated, “Or are you just saying that because you have to?” “What?” Celestia said again, rising to her feet. This time it wasn’t out of curiosity but, instead, out of shock. Ryan monotoned, “You know… ask for forgiveness so you don’t feel so bad—if you actually do feel bad, that is. Maybe so you won’t look so bad to Twilight and the others. Or maybe you’re only apologizing because one of them told you to.” “I…” She raised an eyebrow, “Who was it then? Twilight? No, I bet it was your sister. She tried talking sense into you earlier, yes? You’re not sorry. You’re only fulfilling a niche.” “No, Ryan!” Celestia hastily added, “I am sorry! I—” Ryan cut her off with a glare. “After all you’ve said and done, you expect me to believe that? After you just screamed at me and took advantage of my phobia? Save it. You said it yourself: you were a prejudiced bigot, only you still are.” Giving a sidelong glance, she shot, “You know what the difference between us is? I recognize that I was being a prejudice bigot with irrational beliefs, but I’ve actively tried to move on. You haven’t. You’re still clinging onto what happened in the past. As tragic as what happened is, a few centuries is more than enough time to move on. Stop lying to me when you aren’t actually sorry.” “I am sorry,” she insisted, “I swear. I just want to help you. Right what I’ve wronged.” “Right what you’ve wronged?” she repeated, “How are you going to do that? Open the gate?” “…It’s possible.” Ryan shook her head. “Let’s face it. We both know it’s not going to happen. If I believe that, then I’m not going to take your word. So answer me this: How could you ever help me now?” “There is a chance,” she insisted, “We just have to stay hopeful.” “I’ve tried being hopeful. It didn’t work.” She turned her back on Celestia. “Oh, I know how you can help me,” she quipped, “Why don’t you just turn me into a horse and wipe my mind? You did it those soldiers that came through so why not do it to me? Ignorance is bliss. Besides, you’ll be getting rid of the human. Everyone wins.” “Ryan!” Celestia recoiled, “How could you suggest such a thing? I would never destroy what makes you who you are.” Ryan whipped around to face her. “Then why don’t you just kill me, then?!” she shrieked, the embers of her ferocious anger sparking one last time, before dying once and for all. “Why don’t you just kill me?” she asked, calmed into a drab, emotionless tone once again. “I don’t have a future here. I’ll always be an outcast who’s scared of everyone else. Just kill me now and save me the agony.” With that, she dropped back into her miserable persona, the realization she forced upon herself taking hold. Really? her mind asked, What good am I to stay here and suffer…? She heard Celestia’s gasp from behind her but paid it no mind, nor did the footsteps following. Ryan was reeling from her own words. A cold, logical thought process worked its gears, working to justify the claim. Being in her state of turmoil, Ryan couldn’t offer any resistance as it whispered dark thoughts to her frazzled mindset. The woman froze up as the dread festered inside of her, waiting to grow and spread through her entire system. A firm grip came down on her shoulder, snapping her out of the trance she’d been put under. Her wide eyes stared intently as the image of Celestia came around and into her vision. She said nothing, waiting for the faux woman to make the first movement. Celestia met the glancing with her own solemn gaze. In her eyes, Ryan could see not the controlled watchfulness she’d seen so often, nor did she see the contrasting desperation from mere moments earlier. Instead, she saw a newfound trepidation and desperation in the magenta orbs. Her tone humbled into a soft whisper, the goddess said, “Ryan… I…” She swallowed. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am. Please,” she begged, “When I say that, I mean it with everything I am. I am so sorry I treated you so horribly, so sorry I caused you so much grief, and especially sorry I pushed you to… this.” She dropped her gaze, heaving a sigh. “You’re right. Just who am I? All I’ve done is let my own irrationality dictate my actions. Please, believe me when I say I’m sorry.” Ryan gazed intently at Celestia, letting the apologetic words hang suspended in the air. The more she looked at the princess that had quite literally begged to her, the more the pure sense of sorrow became apparent. There were no lies or falsities in her words, Ryan could see, only the want of making amends. As much as Ryan wanted sure to see the contrary, Celestia really was sorry. Her eyes closed as she let out a small breath. “…Fine,” she said, prompting Celestia to look up hopefully, “I believe you. You’re sorry. However,” she added, “You can apologize. But I will not forgive you.” She broke away from the other’s grip with a turn of her shoulder, walking away without a destination in mind. She didn’t care, anyway. All that mattered was moving forward, wherever that meant it would take her. With each step that impacted the dull, gray dreamscape ground below her, the impending sense of darkness inside of her grew. This is it, it hissed into her ear, The game is over. No more loose ends, no more what-ifs, and certainly no going— “What if I opened the gate?” Celestia called out to the woman, her final gambit becoming a desperate plea. Ryan stopped. Slowly turning deliberately, she gritted out, “I already told you. I’m not getting my hopes up.” Celestia shook her head. “What? You expect me to believe you’re actually going to open it?” Ryan sneered. “You just admitted you believe me when I say I’m sorry,” Celestia said, “You know I have no reason to lie to you.” Ryan’s mouth floundered for a moment before she managed to recollect herself. “Well, well… Why would you open it? Just so I might forgive you? That doesn’t seem like a big enough reason for someone so obsessed with the greater good.” Celestia averted her gaze. “I’ve… been thinking. And I realized something. My greatest mistakes—my sister, my student— both happened because I was following what was for the good of my subjects. Although I still and always will believe such a decision is not bad, I’ve come to see… it is not always the best.” Briefly flashing an uneasy smile she added, “Besides, I said I’ve come to make amends. Make things right. An apology is only the starting point.” The woman went silent for a moment, her mouth agape. In her eyes were a clash of emotions, battles between disbelief and forbidden hope. “I-I,” she stuttered, “No. I don’t believe you. After everything that’s happened—No! It’s just…” “Ryan,” Celestia said, taking cautious steps to the woman. She reached out her hand to meet Ryan’s, gently grasping it in her own. Getting no resistance, she clasped it between her hands. With a firm grasp, she made eye contact using the most honest look her centuries of experience could provide. “Ryan,” she started again, “My sister asked me something earlier. She asked why you couldn’t go home as long as we set up precautionary measures. In truth, I had no answer as to why not, and I still don’t. I swear, Ryan, I swear that I will open that gate. You will go home. To your family, like you wanted.” The woman could only stand stock-still, peering forward, eyes quivering as the words sank in. It was surreal; the answer she had wanted was right here, delivered by the one who had initially forbade it. Even if she saw no deception, she simply couldn’t fathom the words. After a hurricane of emotions and events, successes turned failures, pulling her up and down and along for whichever way the wind blew, how could she? She’d already been promised this once by another, and he had failed. The reminder of the chaotic spirit sent her mind down to memories of the chain of events that sent her on this spiraling madness of a quest. She’d failed because of a locked door, traversed a capital city, been turned into a horse, and teleported across a country. Before that even, she’d said goodbye to her dear friends after receiving the horrid blow from the goddess. And before that… she’d simply been having a good time recording music with a carefree DJ, her impassive roommate, and an obsessive unicorn. That was only hours ago, yet it seemed like weeks to her, a distant memory, all because of the charades she’d been staging. And now, she felt, it could finally be ending. She could actually go home to where her family would be. Where her brother would be waiting. She wouldn’t subject him to hopeless waiting like her father did. “I… I…” However, she could not believe it. She wouldn’t let herself fall in the trap of false hope again. With an uncontrolled sniffle breaking through her mask of despair, tears of finality began a feeble stream from her eyes, dripping off the curve her nose, down her cheeks, and onto the glossy floor below her feet. Visibly morose, she sobbed, “I want to believe you. Really, I do. B-but, I don’t want to be disappointed again. I can’t handle it agai—” Her voice choked on the word, never finishing. A bitter weeping taking over her body, she didn’t protest as she was pulled into an embrace. “It’s going to be alright,” Celestia whispered, her words weightless to the woman. All the goddess could do was try to comfort, promising things she couldn’t prove. Forcing her tears back for an instance, Ryan managed out, “I hate you so much, Celestia… But please… Don’t be lying to me.” “I never would,” the goddess answered, “Never.” Ryan closed her eyes, her eyelashes becoming matted by the wetness of her tears. With a heavy, shuddering exhale, she remained silent, only basking in the cacophonous blend of raw emotion running rampant inside of her. Her head leaned into Celestia’s shoulder, and her arms hung imply at her sides. I just want to go home, her frazzled mind thought. “… I… I’ll believe you. Just this once. Take me home.” With an unseen smile, Celestia nodded. She closed her eyes in concentration for a moment. Instantly, the dreamscape around them faded into nothingness. There were things to be done. Ryan set aside her quill, careful not to smudge the still wet ink on the parchment. She took a moment to bask in the oddity that was writing with a genuine feather, but she didn’t think much of it. Placing it down next to the glass vat that held the black ink, her eyes darted left and right down the page, and, with a satisfied nod, she left it to dry. She’d already been promised the letter would be delivered. The woman stood up from the desk, the movement pushing the chair backwards with an audible squeal of protest from its legs. Paying the chair no mind, she walked around the seat and through the simple, empty space of the room she occupied before coming to the only door, and reaching downward an extra ways as her hand slipped onto the lower handle, as it wasn’t built for someone her height in mind, she gave it a twist and pulled it open, the warming light of the magically illuminated hall spilling into the dim room behind her. Her eyes shut as a she had a breath of fresh air on a whim, a bit bizarre considering she was indoors, not even counting the fact that she was in the bowels of a castle. Probably just a bit more magic, she would have figured, if not for the fact that her attention was pulled away by an awaiting alabaster horse. “You done?” he asked, his half-lidded eyes peeking up at her entry as his striped, blue tail flicked to and fro lazily. She nodded. “Mmhm. Letter’s drying. You guys’ll take care of it when’s it’s ready, Shining?” “That’s Prince Shining,” he snorted, “And yes, we’ll get it delivered if Twilight doesn’t take it herself.” Another nod. “Alright… So…?” He rolled his eyes, saying, “Just follow me. It’s right around the corner.” He turned tail and set a stride down the hall. After watching his regal demeanor stomp away for a brevity, Ryan set her own pace after the unicorn. The widely different members of the duo traversed in silence for an awkwardly noticeable period, until Shining decided to speak up. Casting a sidelong glance at her, he commented, “You know… I’m still upset with you for how you treated my wife.” “Good for you. You’re not getting an apology.” He snorted, drawing back to himself with a whip of his blue mane. Ryan only shrugged. She didn’t care too much for what the unicorn thought of her; she’d done what was necessary and didn’t regret it. Though, she would apologize to Cadence if given a chance. She actually was quite polite, unlike her husband. Rounding a corner, they made their way down a one-way corridor of high ceiling and dead end. Shining continued without the slightest hint of hesitation, but Ryan nearly miss-stepped at the familiar sights surrounding her, save for one towering wall of crystal and steel directly in her path—that one actually did cause her to stumble blindly. She bit her lip as she recovered, then stood solid to properly assess the spectacle. It was the sight of the failure—her failure—an innumerable amount of hours ago. She didn’t know the exact amount, having been rather distracted during much of the afterward proceedings, but in the end, it mattered to her as much as Shining’s forgiveness did—that is to say, not at all. Reliving the anxiety trip as her feet made hard knocks against the floor sent a tingle of shivers down her spine. The crushing memories of her defeat were still far too fresh in her mind for her liking and revisiting their home only served to strengthen the unpleasant clash of emotions. Even so, she knew it was a burden she would have to endure one last time to see the truth for herself. Truth… She wasn’t sure what the truth was. Celestia had claimed to be sending her back, but she still couldn’t trust the princess, not after all she’d said and done. Ryan was vaguely aware of agreeing to believe her just once, but she chalked it up to her mind’s sorry state of misery latching onto the one hope presented to her, even if she didn’t want to. Despite her refusal, hope had gotten the best of Ryan. Though, she had to admit, it was always a nice, little feeling to have. Still, a part of her expected to be faced with some ludicrous excuse as to why she couldn’t. The thought was unnerving, to say the least. True, she couldn’t think of any legitimate reason as to why she wouldn’t be able to, but it only eased the building tension in her so much. She didn’t have much more time to dwell on it, however, as they quickly arrived at the doorstep of the giant set of doors. A faint glow emanated as Shining’s horn alighted. Leveling his head to narrow the flow of magic out to a single point, a beam of light shot out from his horn and connected to the shut doorway. He remained in that state for a few moments, biting his lip as a beam of sweat rolled from his head. Ryan toyed with the idea of asking how it was going, but decided against it for the sake of his concentration. Without any prior indication, Shining suddenly broke away, mentally as well as magically, a small smirk adorning his features, which promptly vanished as the sight of Ryan caught his eye again. “It’s open,” he deadpanned. “Mmhm…” she mumbled, gazing straight up as her eyes followed the length of the door. The unicorn raised his eyebrow before turning away. With a simple push of his hoof, the left side door began a slow, steady pivot, being carried by its own momentum. Ryan’s attention snapped to the movement, her eyes widening as she watched the grand opening. Her breath caught in her throat. “You going to stand there and gawk or come in?” “Uh… yeah,” she said, taking a few steps forward but not breaking eye contact. It only took moments to get past the colossal opening, but each moment sang its own tune to Ryan, lyrics of mystique yet power. With a shake of her head, she increased her pace, not wanting to hear more. Her vision refocused onto the murky light of the new space. Although not spacious, the room carried an empty vibe; it was void of any furnishing or aesthetics one would see in the publicly available rooms of the castle. There was only one notable feature of the room, that being the high-reaching mirror dominating the room’s epicenter. Even if it was a mirror, Ryan could just feel the mystical energy leaking out, trying to escape the prison of the Crystal Heart. It pulled at her with a faint grasp; that told her all she needed to know. She drew closer with hesitant steps, as if it would flee away at the smallest hint of encroachment into its domain. Her hand found itself shuffling its fingers, reaching for the long sought game and wanting nothing more than to answer the grasp of the magic that lingered into the air. The woman didn’t even notice the quaint, lavender alicorn approaching until she spoke up. “See that, Ryan?” Twilight asked, her hoof waving in the mirror’s general direction. “Uh-huh,” she murmured, standing in silence long enough for Twilight to cock her head at her, “…That’s... it, huh? The gate?” Twilight granted her a modest smile. “That’s right. It’s not open yet; we decided to wait for you to do that.” “…Thanks.” The alicorn only nodded. Glancing around, her eyes lit up at seeing her brother entering the room, only turning to them after watching the door swing close with a thud. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment…” she said before breaking into a trot, moving past the woman. Ryan paid her no mind, her focus undivided from the gateway. This is it, her mind thought, We’re here. For the first time, Ryan actually believed the sentiment without a hint of doubt. Unable to bear the self-imposed anticipation any longer, Ryan shook her head out of the trance. She traveled the distance in a mere few bounds, arriving at the gleaming surface of the gateway and greeted with the crystal clear reflection of herself. Her wanting hand, empowered by the intimacy to the prize, lusted out on its own accord, planting itself against the surface. The contact sent a shiver of surprise through Ryan; it was cold to her touch, which she half-expected of the glassy material, but it was also paradoxically warming at the same time. The contrast wasn’t unpleasant to her, but what caught her attention was the burst of energy that flowed into her through her fingertips, spreading throughout her entire body. It was the same energy from earlier, but multiplied countless times so. Feeling the power in the air may have divulged what, but directly touching it gifted her the answer to every other question she could’ve thought of. “Amazing…” she whispered, her voice humbled through and through. “Is it?” The voice retrieving her from her stupor, Ryan glanced to her right, where the newcomer’s words originated from. At her side was a midnight blue alicorn bearing a flowing, star spangled mane. What took hold of Ryan’s attention, however, was the clear likeness to a certain solar alicorn whom Ryan had gotten to know so well. “Mm… I’m guessing you’re Luna.” Luna gave her a raised-eyebrow look, saying, “That’s correct. Though, I’m surprised you knew that.” “I’ve heard stories,” she shrugged. The lunar alicorn pursed her lips, appearing conflicted, but quickly drew out of it. “Pardon my curiosity, but what were you saying about the gateway? You seemed quite entranced.” “Oh. I…” She glanced to the mirror, her own reflection peering back at her. “I don’t know. I just feel this… magic, I guess, from it. When I touched it, the feeling just multiplied. I have no idea how to describe it.” Luna nodded. “I think I may understand the experience. Working magic has a wide mixture of feelings and emotions that can affect oneself. However… I find it intriguing that you are feeling anything. I can’t feel anything from the gateway whatsoever.” The woman made a helpless gesture, the meaning of which promptly went over Luna’s head. Nonetheless, Ryan spoke. “So… I heard you were kind of helping me during all this.” “You can say that.” Ryan twiddled her thumbs as she continued, “Well, in that case, I’d like to say thanks. I can’t tell you how much this would mean to me.” “You are very welcome, Ryan,” she replied, earnest in her words, “I only wish we could’ve met sooner.” “Mmhm… Heh, I’m sorry to say I can’t say the same thing,” she said, “I didn’t need any more horses in my life. No offense, of course.” Luna made a gesture, the meaning of which promptly went over Ryan’s head. “None taken,” she dismissed, “A phobia is just a phobia, after all.” The sound of approaching hooves interrupted their conversation, as Twilight returned, her brother nowhere in sight. “Hey,” she greeted, “I see you two have met.” “Yeah.” “Indeed.” Twilight beamed at the two of them. “Well, I just got done talking to my brother. He left to wrap up business with Cadence. The castle is still needlessly on alert after the earthquake and it’s only wasting resources, so they’re going to calm everything down.” “Alright,” Ryan said, “Hey, Twilight? Would you be able to pass on an apology to Cadence for me? For… manipulating her,” she finished, feeling a tad bit awkward. “Sure thing,” she agreed, nodding in understanding, “Shining too?” “No.” Twilight’s brow furrowed, but Luna spoke first. “Earthquake,” the lunar alicorn repeated, putting a hoof to her chin, “Where is Discord, anyway? He played a part in this chain of events.” “Beats me,” Twilight replied, “Would you know, Ryan? You talked to him last.” The two equines turned to face her, expectant looks on their faces. Ryan stared back blankly for a moment before speaking. “…No. No idea where he is. He left me and I haven’t heard from him since.” “Eh, I doubt it’s important in any case. He’s been reformed, and I doubt he would try something,” Twilight said, “What I’d like to know is why he caused an earthquake in the first place.” “Hm… Perhaps just to get our attention?” Luna suggested, “We all arrived shortly after it occurred.” “It’s as good a guess as any. Though, why would he want to bring us here?” “Me.” The alicorns to Ryan in surprise. Paying it no mind, she continued, “I guarantee it’s because of me. I don’t know why, but it is.” They both stared at her in silence, causing Ryan to turn away. “Just seems likely…” “Well, it’s entirely a possibility,” Twilight said. Luna nodded. A few moments of quietness followed, adorned only by awkward glancing about. Ryan kept her vision focused on herself via mirror, gazing into the mess of a woman. She could see herself clearly, but there was the slightest distortion in the otherwise pristine reflection. The woman gazing back looked exhausted, first and foremost, but her eyes glimmered with hints of experience, only the slightest bit appearing grateful. Sighing, she came to a realization—she didn’t like it. “Sorry to rush,” Ryan started, “But when are we…?” Her head twitched toward the gate. “Oh, right,” Twilight replied, “Actually, whenever you’re ready. We’ve just been waiting for you.” Her eyes widened. “Oh! I… In that case, I guess I’ll go… now?” “So confident,” Twilight chuckled, “But really, I was expecting you to ask sooner or later. We’ve already got everything set up, so, again, whenever you’re ready…” “Right,” Ryan agreed. Her hands felt around her pockets, almost surprised to see she still had all her possessions, however few there were. Her “record player,” of course, was tucked neatly into the space in her jeans. Her items aside, she was mentally ready. She had been since the moment she’d arrived. The thought of that fateful day snapped her into realization. “I… I’m going home, aren’t I?” She continued before anyone could answer. “I’m actually going home after all that’s happened… To be honest, I wasn’t sure if this was really happening, but it’s true, isn’t it? I-I’m having a hard time believing this.” The two alicorns shared a glance at the awestruck woman, then at each other. Luna gave Twilight a look that said, “I’ll let you talk to her,” before retreating away. Focus back on Ryan, Twilight said, “Yeah. You are. I’m having a hard time believing it, myself.” Ryan disagreed, but didn’t say anything; Twilight could never know the emotions flowing through her. Besides, the fact that she was actually returning home was momentous on her mind. “Can… can we open it? Now?” Twilight smiled. “Of course. I’ll give Celestia the signal.” Her? Ryan turned just in time to see the glow from her friend’s horn die down, signaling a spell just being cast. “What’s she doing?” “She’s going to adjust the flow of magic from the Crystal Heart, opening the gate,” Twilight explained, “She volunteered personally to do it.” “Oh, okay.” “Mmhm.” Ryan bit her lip before looking to Twilight. She said, “Well, since I’m going, I guess this is…” “Goodbye?” she finished, “I know. I think we both knew this was coming.” “Yeah… Listen, Twilight? You know that letter I wrote?” The alicorn nodded. “Well, it’s addressed to you, Fluttershy, and Vinyl. Pretty much everything I want to say to them is written in there. When you go back to Horseville—” “Ponyville.” “Whichever. When you go back, can you three read the letter together for me? I only wish I could’ve said it to you all in person.” She nodded, a knowing glint in her eyes. “I will. And I’ll make sure they know that, too.” Ryan smiled. “Thanks, Twilight.” The princess returned a gentle grin. Ryan glanced back to the gate once more, taking in the warming feeling it gave to her. Her brow suddenly furrowed as the warmth shifted. It wasn’t a noticeable change, only a slight differing from what she’d been feeling, like music suddenly shutting off at a party. Noticing her change in demeanor, Twilight asked, “Something wrong?” “No, just… I’ve been getting some weird feeling from the gate. It’s not bad, but it just now changed.” “How odd,” she commented, “I can’t sense anything.” “Yeah, Luna said the same thing.” Twilight bit her lip, looking inquisitive. “Huh. Well, I don’t know why that’s occurring, but I have an idea of why it may have changed.” “What’s that?” “Maybe Celestia opened the gate and that’s affecting the magic,” she suggested. Ryan’s eye widened, taken aback. “Really? But it looks the same. Well, I didn’t know what to expect, but I would’ve thought that there would be something.” Twilight only gave her horse version of a shrug, which Ryan actually did recognize. The thought of the gate actually being open shot excitement through her system. Part of her wanted to reach out and find out for herself right then and there, but she managed to just resist it. On the half chance it wasn’t yet open, walking headfirst into a solid wall wouldn’t be enjoyable. A spontaneous pop rang through the air, prompting Ryan’s head to perk toward it, coming to see a faint, golden glow dying down, and one certain goddess taking its place. As Celestia’s vision came into focus after the disorientation of teleporting into a new environment, her eyes met the interested stares of Twilight and Ryan. After a brief silence, she spoke, “I assume you know what I was doing, Ryan?” “Yeah.” Celestia nodded. “The gate’s open.” It’s open! Her heart skipped a beat at the realization. That was what she’d been waiting for. Her mouth hung slightly agape on its own volition, her breath becoming heavier in her throat. Slowed to a crawl, her neck turned to the open doorway. It looked completely unchanged, save for her own awestruck expression, but she wasn’t fooled; she could feel its beckoning call. Watching Ryan, Celestia commented, “I assume you want to leave as soon as you are able?” Ryan could only nod. “That is understandable,” Luna said, approaching again, “I would only advise to make sure you have everything in order beforehoof. It may be a long trip and you wouldn’t want to forget anything.” “Right…” she muttered under her breath. She snuck a glance at Twilight who was happily beaming back at her. Ryan wanted to go right then; it was all she’d wished for, but seeing the cheerful smile of her friend told her… otherwise. She couldn’t. Not without having to bear the knowledge of what she’d be leaving. The thoughts of her letter flowed into her mind, bearing the words she’d wanted to say to her friends. Although she knew they wouldn’t mind her departure, Ryan knew that she wouldn’t let herself get over it. With a sigh, she said, “No… I can’t go.” “No?” Celestia reacted first, the other two alicorns sharing the sentiment, “Why ever not? Isn’t it what you’ve wanted?” “Don’t get me wrong; I want it more than anything else,” she replied, holding her hands out in front of her, “But like Luna said, I need to take care of business.” “Business? Such as?” Twilight asked. The woman turned to regard her. “You,” she answered, drawing a surprised look, “And Fluttershy. And Vinyl. I wrote a letter, but what good are words on a page to actually telling them in person? I can’t leave knowing I haven’t made good with them.” Twilight lasted under her befuddled mask only a moment longer as she broke into a wide, enamored smile. “Aw, Ryan. That’s so considerate of you! Even after being right here, you’re still thinking of your friends. That would’ve made an old friendship report.” “Which I, in turn, would’ve read,” Celestia added. “Yeah…” Ryan said, unsure as how to respond. Luna pointed away from them, saying, “Shall I warm the chariot?” “That would be best,” Celestia said, “Twilight? Since Ryan’s going to be leaving for Ponyville, why don’t you retrieve her letter for her?” “Sure thing,” she agreed. With a pointed gesture to Luna, they both strode for the door. Which, of course, left Ryan with Celestia. The woman adjusted her gaze away from the alabaster-coated alicorn, none-too-subtle in the action. “Ryan…?” Celestia started, her tone silky in its softness. She took in breath before answering. “Yeah?” “I know you still don’t like me.” “Yeah.” The goddess paused a moment. “…Even so, I want you to know that the feeling is not mutual.” She hoped for some kind of reaction, preferably of understanding. If not, she would’ve preferred the silence Ryan tended to fall into when she had nothing to say. Thus, she was taken off guard by the dry chuckle that came in either’s place. “Celestia,” she sneered, “If you believe that, then you’ve got a lot to learn about the irrational fear. I don’t like you, and you don’t like me. That’s the way it is, and I doubt that will ever change.” The solar alicorn opened her mouth to respond but only found the emptiness of her breath fit to answer. She closed it, instead shifting to a new topic. “What I wanted to ask you, Ryan, is if I’ve kept my word.” At Ryan’s raised eyebrow, she elaborated. “Have I made amends? Made everything better? I’ve already opened the gate for you without knowing what could be on the other side.” “And look, nothing’s come through to kill you,” Ryan commented, eyes half-lidded. “There are numerous safeguards currently casted,” Celestia said, “But that is not the point. I’m trying to ask if you could ever forgive me.” Ryan regarded her, the goddess-ruler asking apologizing to her. “…Yes,” she admitted but quickly added, “I could. But I guarantee nothing. Could be a year, could be never. I don’t know.” Not bothering to view the reaction she would get, she set a pace for the door that Twilight and Luna had exited. “I’m going to see about the chariot.” “Very well. Goodbye, Ryan. I wish you good luck.” Celestia watched her departure, but she couldn’t help but smile as the words replayed over and over in her head. Just before Ryan completely left her vision, she called out. “Oh, and Ryan? I may know a bit more about irrationality than you think.” The woman’s pace hesitated only for the briefest of moments. Then she left without a word more. To Ryan, however, the words meant nothing—Celestia’s as well as her own. One just being phrases crafted out of emotionless logic and the other annoyingly cryptic. Moving forward, she turned her attention to the task at hand. Her friends. Ryan fell to the earth, thanking God to be on the turbulence-free safety of the ground. “That was a horrible!” she cried, “Clip the wings of those pegasuses; they can’t fly to save their lives!” “…Ignore her. She’s not used to chariot travel,” Twilight said to the two fliers. They shared a “hmph.” The lavender mare set her hooves down onto the grass, unable to suppress the smirk that came to her at the sensation of familiarity around her. The gentle breeze, the flow of a stream through the pebbles littering the river bed, the quaint cottage; she was home. “Well, Ryan,” she said, “We’re here. The lights are on, so I’d say Fluttershy is here.” Ryan pushed herself into a kneeing position before looking up for herself. Sure enough, Fluttershy’s cottage, Ryan’s home for over a week, presented itself. “Heh,” she said, smirking at the sight, “It seems like an eternity since I’ve last—” “SURPRISE!” “Ah!” Ryan was sent sprawling back onto her rump with a shriek, her limbs flailing helplessly as they tried and failed to find leverage. She narrowed her vision onto the source of the shout, a face so pink it could be called “vibrant.” “Pinkie!” Ryan could hear Twilight scold, “I thought you said you weren’t going to do that!” Pinkie, as Ryan heard she was called, merely smiled guiltily. “Sorry, Twi, but she was set up so perfectly for it.” Twilight’s hoof met her face. “Uh… hey?” Ryan said, gathering herself up, “Who are you again?” Beaming, the pink horse flew into an introduction. “Hi! I’m Pinkamina Diane Pie! But you can call me Pinkie cause all my friends do, and—” Her face was suddenly inches away. “—You’re my friend, right?” she finished, a dangerous intensity in her voice. Ryan, for one, decided it was always good to make new friends. “Yup. Definitely. Please go away.” “Great!” Pinkie cheered, prancing on her hooves away from the woman, “I love making new friends. I know everyone in Ponyville.” Separating the two, Twilight teleported in front of the energetic horse. “Ugh. Pinkie? Sorry to interrupt your friend making, but Ryan and I have some business to wrap up.” “Oh right! You told me you were going to talk to Princess Celestia about Ryan. How’d that go? Is she going home or is the Princess still being a pants-less grumpy pants?” “Yeah, she’s going—wait. How’d you know about her not being able to…” Pinkie grinned. “Never mind. Just roll with it,” she murmured to herself. “Any who,” Pinkie said, “I checked on Fluttershy like you asked me to, and she was all ‘Oh dear. It’s been awhile since Ryan’s come back,’ so I, being the bestest friend I am, offered to help look for her, where we then split up and—” A lavender hoof clamped over her mouth. “Pinkie,” Twilight lectured, “Short version. Where’s Fluttershy now?” “Right-o!” she said, giving a mock-salute, “She left to see if Ryan was with DJ-PON3 earlier, where she then heard what Ryan was planning to do. They’ve been talking at Fluttershy’s ever since.” “Talking?” Ryan asked, not liking the sound of it. “Mostly debating about if they should go after you or wait and see if you come back on your own.” “…oh.” was all she could say. Shaking her head, she pulled herself to her feet. “Nice meeting you, but I need to talk to them,” she said, starting a walk toward the cottage. “Eh, I need to go too, Pinkie,” Twilight said, “I hope you don’t mind…” Pinkie turned to regard her friend, flashing her an unusually simple smile. “I understand,” she said, “I’ll be heading home. I have a feeling it’s yours and Ryan’s turn.” “Thanks, Pinkie. And thanks for checking on Fluttershy, too. See you around?” “See ya!” she said, before bouncing away without a care in the world. Twilight watched her only a moment longer. “Hey, wait up,” she called, turning to the woman. As Ryan glanced over her shoulder, she continued, “Sorry if Pinkie scared you. She’s a bit… hyper.” “So I noticed,” Ryan replied, “But it’s alright. Just caught off guard, is all.” Twilight nodded, settling into a pace beside her friend as the cottage grew nearer. “That’s good.” “Mmhm.” Ryan wasn’t in much of a mood for talking to Twilight for once, an irony considering that was exactly why she was there (along with talking to a few others). Instead, she was in a mood for thinking. The doorstep was just a few easy paces away, and, as the distance shrunk, her anxiousness grew. Back when she was on the chariot—and wasn’t panicking about falling to her death—she was looking forward to this moment. She was going make her proper farewell, but a few words by an overly energetic horse had dashed the ideal situation she would be walking into. Past that wooden door were two friends, no doubt worried and concerned for her friend. The thought of putting such unneeded stress on them was sickening to Ryan, but it ignited a newfound motivation in her, one to make that promised farewell all the greater. Clenching her hand into a fist, she closed the gap separating her from the door and elicited a few sturdy knocks against the door. Her heart jumped at the sound of shuffling from the other side of the door, but she held her ground. Within a moment, the door creaked open as the light from inside spilled into the gloaming. Standing alone at the doorstep stood a pegasus, her coat a faded shade of canary, her mane a rosy pink, and her eyes an awestruck blue. “Ryan?” she gasped. Fluttershy gaped, wide-eyed before she came out of her shock with a blink. Her head whipped around, where she called out, “Vinyl! Ryan’s here.” “What? She is?” a voice yelled back. Fluttershy was pushed aside as another horse, this one a unicorn, crowded into the doorframe. In contrast to the pegasus, she bore an electric blue mane and stark white coat, fitted together by a pair of purple-tinted glasses. Vinyl’s horn briefly alighted as she pushed the shades up, providing a clear view of her red eyes shining in surprise. Ryan hardly noticed the smile growing wider across her own face. “Hey guys… I’m back.” Vinyl was the first one to break out of her stupor, bounding forward as a beaming grin took hold. “Ryan!” she yelped, “You’re back! Oh, thank Celestia.” Her grin turned sheepish as she realized what she’d said. “Er… maybe not thank Celestia?” “It’s fine,” she chuckled, “Everything worked out.” “Yeah? So that means you can—” Her words were cut off as a blur shot past her, wrapping the woman into a tight embrace. “Ryan!” Flutterhy gushed, “When I heard you had gone off on this adventure, I just didn’t know what to do. I-I…” Ryan pulled her in closer, practically holding the hovering pegasus. “Heh, it’s alright Fluttershy. I’m fine.” Fluttershy pulled away reluctantly, her eyes looking more relieved than anything else. “Oh, Ryan. I’m so glad you’re here and alright. I was so worried about you.” Just what was I afraid of… Ryan thought. Twilight, however, spoke first. “Brr… Could we move inside? It’s chilly out here.” “Oh! Of course,” Fluttershy said, hastily nodding as she noticed the cold air, “Here, follow me. I already have a fire in the fireplace going.” The pegasus set down on her hooves and made a brisk trot inside, making sure to leave the door swung open enough for the others, which Ryan promptly made use of. As Twilight moved to follow, she was stopped by a white-coated foreleg blocking her path. “Huh? Yes, Vinyl?” The DJ lifted her glasses again, this time pushing them onto her horn, giving a Twilight a view of her intrigued expression. “Is it just me, or has Ryan really gotten over her fear?” “What makes you say that? She’s been fine in just talking to ponies, sometimes even looking at them.” “Yeah…” she responded, “But that was more than looky-touchy. She was perfectly okay with Fluttershy latching onto her.” Twilight cocked her head, darning a curious gaze to the doorway. “Huh, I guess so. Now that I think about it, she just had an encounter with Pinkie, and that turned out surprisingly well.” “She ran into Pinkie?” Vinyl exclaimed, “Jeez, she must have really made progress since this morning. Just what has she been doing?” “Now, that’s a long story, but nothing to make this much progress so fast. Mm…” she said, her pupils drawing thoughtfully to the corners of her eyes, “She did enter a dreamscape with Celestia… That’s the only thing I can reasonably think of, but I don’t know enough about them to say that that’s the cause.” “I have no idea what a dreamscape is, but if it was with the Princess, it must be important.” “More or less. Now, care to go inside? Another minute and it’ll be snowing.” With a laugh, the DJ stepped aside. Ryan leaned back into her favored armchair, warming up to the crackling fire. Smiling inwardly as well as outwardly, she felt herself relaxing for the first time in however long. As her eyes danced to and fro around the modestly decorated living room, she knew she would always think of this place as her home away from home. Sensing a pair of eyes upon her, her neck craned to see one particular pegasus peering at her. Ryan shot her a reassuring smile; Fluttershy returned a tender, shy smile. “Alright!” Vinyl announced, plunking down between them. Taking a whiff of the smell of burning, she twisted her neck to peer at the woman. “So just what in the world has happened the past few hours?” “Simply put, a lot,” Ryan said, “But I’ll tell you two; you both should know. Twilight, you here?” “Right here,” she answered, just in time for a levitating couch to set down opposite to Ryan. Already on board, Twilight gestured to the cushion next to her for Fluttershy to join. “You want me to add my accounts to the story as well?” “Mmhm. Yes, please.” Seeing Twilight’s nod, she continued. “Well, you both know what happened after I met with Celestia…” Ryan pulled the blanket up close, snuggling into the cotton fabric. Lazily comfortable, she reached for a cup of tea, careful not to disturb the flow of the blanket. She took a sip, then promptly resisted the urge to gag, knowing how rude it would appear. Realizing that she hated tea, she set the cup back down. Shifting her attention back onto the conversation, she heard Twilight finishing, “…Which brings us to the chariot ride over here. Ryan was a tad bit jumpy the whole trip.” “Not a good thing to be when you’re in an airborne chariot,” Vinyl commented. “Trust me, Ryan made sure I knew that,” Twilight jested, drawing a laugh around the room, much to Ryan’s indignation. “Haha… Alright. Well, not much happened after that. We arrived, met Pinkie for a few minutes, then came here. That’s everything that happened this past night.” More or less… Ryan thought. In truth, she’d left out a few choice moments, usually pertaining to her and Celestia. Though she felt a bit guilty about not sharing everything, she was sure they would’ve understood that some moments are too personal. Her eyes danced across the room of friends, taking in the reactions from each. Twilight was greedily sipping at her tea as her parched mouth demanded from so much speaking; Fluttershy was resting with wide eyes, taking in every detail as her mind worked to imagine each vivid scene, as well as writing the lecture she would have to give to Discord; Vinyl grinned like a jailbird breaking out of prison and had been ever since obsessing over how much guts it took to “spit in the Princess’s face like that” (Twilight did not share the sentiment). Though the atmosphere had simmered down by now, it was thoroughly palpable during a few heavier moments in her tale. All in hand, Ryan was glad they knew what had transpired. The room grew into a silence, absent of the storytelling that had dominated just earlier. Though, it wasn’t an awkward silence. Two members were settling down after a long day and two were taking everything in. The quiet escapade was only impeded by the occasional cracking of wood being burnt into warmth. Eventually, a voice halted the silence. “Wow.” Vinyl said, “Pretty amazing.” “Which part?” “All of it,” she exclaimed, “To think that all of this actually happened. Just crazy.” Ryan chuckled, “That’s one way to put it.” “I’m so happy you get to go home,” Fluttershy piped in, “But I’m really glad you’re alright. I don’t know what I’d do if something had happened to you.” At the reminder, Ryan’s smile dropped. She couldn’t stand the thought of causing them, especially someone as kind and caring as Fluttershy unneeded stress. Steeling her nerve, she spoke. “Guys?” They looked to her. “I just want to apologize to both of you.” “Huh? What for?” Vinyl asked, her brow furrowing in confusion. She said, “For going on this entire quest and making you both worry about me. I should’ve realized what I was doing could affect you all. I—Mmph!” Her hands shot to her mouth as she suddenly lost control of it, it shutting of its own volition. Her eyes expanded to saucers, frantically watching her fingers try to feel, until she noticed the light cobalt glow emanating off the bottom of her face. Glaring, she looked to the smirking face of Vinyl. “Ryan?” Vinyl said, “No offense, but shut up. You don’t have to apologize—you shouldn’t be, really. You did what was necessary, and I probably would’ve done the same. We don’t blame you. Right, Fluttershy?” “Right,” she agreed, nodding, “We weren’t hurting or anything. Only concerned, as friends are for each other.” Vinyl pointed her hoof toward the pegasus, saying, “What she said. Now then, we good?” “Mmhm mmhm mm.” “Glad to see you agree,” she said, releasing her magical grip. Ryan tried to keep an unamused expression but couldn’t help the smirk that broke onto her face. “Ah, fine,” she relented, “Heh…” She gave a contented sigh, saying, “You’re all such great friends.” “Don’t ya know it?” Vinyl said as she huddled closer to the hearth. Her horn casting its faint glow again, she adjusted the burnt timber, revitalizing the flame in a display of sparks. Satisfied, she rolled onto her side, propping her head onto her hoof to peer at Ryan. “But really, I know I can speak for all of us when I say we feel the same way. You’re a great friend yourself, and you don’t even realize it.” Her head cocked to the side. “Oh?” Nodding, she replied, “You bet. For starters, you’re an alien. How many people get to say they’re friends with an alien? Aside from that …You’ve been totally groovy the past week. When you weren’t on the verge of a panic attack, it was all about laughs and music and having an awesome time. Again, I can’t thank you enough for all that music. I still haven’t decided what to do with it, but I think I just might release them like you said.” “I have to agree with Vinyl,” Twilight piped in, “Not about the music part; I’m talking about the friend part. I know we got off to a bad start, but the fact that we’re here together like this testifies to just how far we’ve come since then. Heck, it was thanks to you that I made not one but two friends: you and Vinyl.” “Right back at ya!” the DJ shot back, “And to you too, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy’s cheeks turned a rosy red at the words. Wearing a gentle smile, she said, “Thanks, Vinyl. I’m glad we’ve gotten to become friends.” Looking up at Ryan, she added, “The same thing to you. It was wonderful getting to know you. I never would have expected that so much would have come out of Vinyl bringing me a wounded animal one night. I expected it to be just a creature in need—” “Which turned out be true,” Vinyl jeered. “Ha. Ha.” “Um, anyway,” Fluttershy said, glancing between the two as they shot daggers at each other, “I’m truly grateful I was fortunate enough to meet you. Thanks, Ryan, for being here.” Drawing away from Vinyl’s mischievousness, Ryan could only bask in the sheer love in the room. If she didn’t know better, she’d say she was in the presence of the Crystal Heart again. “Thanks. All of you. That means a lot…” The woman wanted to just leave it at that, but she knew that all good things must come to an end. That was what she had come here to do, after all. “Twilight?” she said, “Do you have my letter?” “Huh? Oh, right.” Magicking a saddlebag her way, she pulled out of it a rolled piece of parchment. “I brought it with us like you asked,” she said, levitating it over. “Thanks.” She reached out to pluck it out of the air, but Twilight kept a firm grasp on it. Ryan shot her an inquisitive look which quickly melted into comprehension at Twilight’s own. The alicorn twitched her head at toward the letter, her brow furrowing. Ryan nodded. Although appearing disappointed, she relented, releasing the paper. Unrolling it, Ryan cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s further attention. She started, “You all know why I went on this whole deal in the first place. To go home, and I succeeded in that regard. But I didn’t go when I had the chance because I wanted to see you all one more time.” “Yes, you told us…” Fluttershy lamented, a dragging feeling telling her where this was heading. “Yeah. I wrote a letter before deciding to visit you all, and, well, here it is.” A tad bit awkwardly, she held up the ink-scribbled paper. “And… I… Oh, screw it. I’m saying goodbye.” The three equine friends shared mutual glances before turning back to her. “Yeah, figured this was coming,” Vinyl admitted. “Mmhm… Just, I love being around you all, but I have my life to get back to and…” “As I said earlier, we understand. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.” “Besides,” Twilight added, “We all knew you would have to go home at some point. It’s not a surprise; we were expecting it.” “Alright,” Ryan said, reassured by a tad amount, “In that case, I’d like to read my letter to you all. It has everything I’d like to say you all, but I feel better knowing I’ll be saying it in person.” After a brief hesitation, she started. “Dear Twilight, Fluttershy, Vinyl,” she said, looking at each one of them as she called their name. “Thanks. That’s all I can say. There’s nothing else I could ever say to describe how grateful I am to you all. Any declarations of my thankfulness would just come off as the typical thanking, so all I can and want to say is thanks and what for. The best words are the ones left unsaid, after all.” “I’m saying thanks for not one thing, but everything. To you, Twilight, for always sticking with me, even when we had our argument. I know we didn’t get to spend nearly as much time together as we would’ve liked, but you’re a great friend all the way, especially for dropping everything and coming to my aid with the whole gateway business. I doubt I’d be where I am now without your help. “To you, Fluttershy, for taking me in when I would’ve otherwise died via snake or exploding tree. Not only did you nurse me to health, but you went the extra mile to let me stay with you for you-didn’t-even-know-how-long. Even during my ridiculous outburst at you all, you were perfectly forgiving of me, something I shamefully can’t say I would’ve done. One last time, I’d like to apologize sincerely for that entire ordeal. For everything that you’ve done, I am forever in your debt, as cheesy as that sounds. “To you, Vinyl, for just being you. As I told you before I left, you’re the best kind of person out there. From helping me in the forest to helping me in the forest again to going so far as to actually check out a book on phobias, you were always there for me. Even when I told you of my plan to go against Celestia, you still offered to help. Just, how many friends are that dedicated? I believe one-hundred percent that no one has, does, or will ever compare to you. “Again, to you all, I thank you with everything I am. “That said, I’m also writing this to say farewell. As I’m sure you two know by now, I’ve left back to Earth to return home. In all my time with you three, I enjoyed every moment. Back home, I was never the most outgoing person, but you three showed just how fun being with friends can be. I know it’s probably going to be sad knowing we’re literally worlds apart, but, if you would let me, I will always think of you all as friends, no matter where we are. “With love, Ryan.” She looked up from her paper, noting that her hands were slightly trembling under nervousness. She took in a deep breath and, after holding it in for a moment, let it out, mumbling, “I’m horrible at this…” Her attention turned upward at the sound of a sniffle. Taken aback for only a moment her vision traced the sound to the laying form of Fluttershy, teary eyed yet having a contrasting, kind smile. “Oh, Ryan,” she said, “That’s so sweet of you to say. Yes, I’ll always think of you as my friend. I promise.” “Me, too,” Vinyl and Twilight chimed in, then smirking at each other at the simultaneous words. Ryan put on a sheepish smile, saying, “Heh… thanks… I really mean all that I said.” “You don’t have to tell us twice,” Twilight said, “But we can say the same thing about us being friends. It’s been a true pleasure to have you here.” “It was all mine,” the woman replied. The DJ pushed herself up into a sitting position. “Aw, I wish you could stay longer, but I know you must be homesick by now. Eh… I assume you’ll be leaving tomorrow?” “Actually,” Fluttershy interjected, “It is tomorrow. Look.” Pointing with a forelimb, she gestured to the window, where the early morning rays of light were breaking through the curtain. “We’ve been up all night.” “Ha!” Ryan shifted up, tossing the blanket aside as she made pace to the window. Drawing back the hanging curtains, she smirked at the sight of the sun making its rise, peeking lazily over the treetops and distant mountains. The woman stared for a brevity before she closed her eyes, shaking her head with a wry grin. “So we have…” she said under her breath. Turning back to her friends, she announced, “In that case, I’m leaving tonight ‘cause I’m sleeping the rest of the day away.” “Now that’s a plan I can get behind,” Vinyl laughed. She nudged Twilight with her elbow, drawing a chuckle out of the alicorn. Then looking to the pegasus, she added, “What do ya say, Shy?” “Oh, um… Maybe just a bit,” she said, trying to put on a grin that wasn’t as awkward as she felt, “I have my animal friends to take care of soon…” “Good enough. Ryan?” She pat the spot on the floor next to her. “Pull up a blanket while the fire’s still going.” “Can do,” Ryan laughed before settling down next to the unicorn. She yawned, realizing just how tired she actually was for the first time. It really has been a long day, she thought. Her head turned sideways, catching sight of her yawn spreading to Vinyl, then to Twilight, and finally to Fluttershy. She couldn’t help but smirk at what she’d done. “Well, I’m going to sleep,” she said, “Wake me up later.” “Same here,” Vinyl said, settling down next to her, “Should I say goodnight or good morning?” “Why not both?” she replied, sharing a laugh. She heaved a contented sigh as the blanket pulled over her. Feeling Vinyl’s warmth next to her, she had the momentary sensation of sleeping next to a giant puppy dog, however random it was. Actually, she thought, It’s not too random. “Good night… day… whichever, everyone.” A round of “goodnights” mixed with “good days” were heard, but it was understood, nonetheless. Ryan shut her eyes, letting her long repressed drowsiness finally have its share. The woman was feeling genuinely happy, and anyone could’ve clearly seen it plastered across her face. Home sweet home… she thought, not sure if she was thinking about Earth or Fluttershy’s little cottage. Well, she figured, home isn’t really a place, eh? Just where your loved ones are. Her eyes drifted back open, once more, seeing the sights of them. Vinyl was huddled up next to her, her glasses hanging comically crooked on her head. Twilight wasn’t going to sleep quiet yet, just looking thoughtful as she watched the embers flick out of the fire. Fluttershy simply was curled up with her rabbit, gently stroking his head behind the ears. With an honest smile, the woman spoke. “Guys? Thanks again. I hope we meet again—no—I know we will. Heck, we could visit each other. But for now, I just want to say thanks once more for everything… I love you all.” Wide, visible smiles brought to each of their faces, Vinyl cocked her head to peer at the woman. “Ryan?” “Yeah?” she answered, a dreamy wonder in her tone. Vinyl propped her head onto her hoof. “It’s a bit awkward to tell someone you love them when you’re sharing the same blanket.” The woman lasted all of two seconds before bursting into laughter. It started as a sleep-deprived cackle before volleying into blown-out bawling. It quickly spread throughout the circle of friends as uproarious laughing and sheer enjoyment filled the air; even Fluttershy’s timid voice could be heard. “Ah…” Ryan said, wiping a tear from her eye, “This is life.”