//------------------------------//
// L77.2 
// Story: A little loopy. 
// by FaelaArts 
//------------------------------//

As they landed in the bowl, Sweetie wasn’t surprised by the recognition on all but three Dragon’s faces. What she was surprised by was their eagerness to greet her. Surrounded by the rumbling of a hundred voices, her head spun, even as she was gently lowered to the ground. Picking up her saddlebags, she watched as the egg was placed down, and looked up to Thorak.

“Tell me young one, why did your kin attack you?” Cutting straight to the point, Thorak curled slightly as he sat down, folding his wings. Scowling, Sweetie looked away, ears flopping down as she sighed, and began to explain. As the Dragons began to sit, the listened intently to her story.

“Okay, so essentially they think I’m not me, and they wanted to capture me and put me through tests to prove it. The catalyst for this was, if you’d believe it, cooking and your Dragon egg. Uh, not cooking the egg! I mean I was trying to cook pancakes an uh…” Trailing off, Sweetie realised the dragons hadn’t reacted. Was it strange they seemed more understanding compared to Rarity?

“And why did you not go with them for these tests, young one?” Thorak leaned his head forward, looking Sweetie in the eyes. As they met, he saw her anger flare, before quickly abating as she turned away. Leaning back once more, Thorak closed his eyes, listening silently.

“Because I shouldn't have to prove myself!” Bitter tears beginning to flow down her face, she kicked at the ground, trying to keep herself from shouting in misplaced anger. Thorak opened his eyes, and nodded to her to continue.

“Why should I have to prove I’m myself! Why am I going to have to do this every Loop from now on if I want them aware? Why did Rarity lie about my cooking! Why don’t they trust me to be able to know! Why do they write me off as insane!” Visibly shaking, Sweetie was unable to keep her anger out, and her voice only grew.

“I see,” was all Thorak said in response, glancing over the other dragons as they watched on. Taking the hint, they all returned to their work, which was sleeping. Only one dragon beside Thorak remained, a gray female sitting some distance from them. As Sweetie cried, staring at the ground in anger, Thorak simply watched. After a few moments, he lowered his head, and simply watched her.

“What are you looking at?” Glaring at Thorak, Sweetie’s glare met his emotionless gaze. After a moment, her anger died and she looked away, not wanting to anger the Dragons. Thorak didn’t answer, and she turned around, sitting down with her back to his gaze. Annoyance growing, the hairs on her back stood on ends.

“Tell me young one, do you believe this moment to be important?” Thorak’s rumbling voice caused Sweetie to jump, and she sighed, turning around and sitting back down.

“Well yeah, every moment is important.” Tilting her head, Sweetie wondered what Thorak was talking about.

“Even with a chance to redo events come the sunset two or four suns from now?” Thodak didn’t know specifically when, he hadn’t been paying too close attention. 

“Well, yeah,” she admitted, ears flopping back. Even with the Loop Reset, this Loop had been important, even if it had been disaster.

“And why is that?” Thorak watched the filly blink, and actually consider it.

“Because I’ll remember it?” It wasn’t exactly the answer she was looking for, but it summed up her best translation.

“Would it still be important, if no one remembered it?” Thorak’s calm eyes bore into Sweetie’s, and she shuddered, wondering where this was going.

“Well yeah, but no one would remember it.” Shrugging, Sweetie didn’t really see how to get around that problem.

“Which is more important to you young one. All memory of happiness at the cost of forgetting the bad memories, or to remember everything, at the cost of possible happiness?” Blinking his eyes, Thorak wondered what the answer would be.

“All my memories of course,” eyes open, Sweetie answered without hesitation.

“Memories are precious, I’d never want a happy life at the cost of losing them. It’d be like blank moments in my life. This is my life, for better or for worse.” It was true, at least to her. Despite her anger at what Rarity and Twilight had done today, it didn’t outdo what good they had done.

“Very well said young one.” Thorak yawned, and stood up. Watching this, Sweetie followed his actions as he brought the egg to the gray Dragon. After that, he leaned toward Sweetie.

“It seems young one, that you require more stamina if you wish to defeat your opponents. Feel free to spar with the hatchlings. Just do not harm them, that is my one request if you are to stay here.” Bowing his head slightly, Thorak turned, following the gray Dragon to the nest. Watching them go, Sweetie looked toward the hatchlings, and breathed in.

‘Alright, I’ll start working on that in a little bit, as it is, I’m still tired.’ Sitting down, Sweetie watched the Dragons curiously, enjoying the act of watching.