//------------------------------// // Act 3 Chapter 13 // Story: Collision Code // by SSJRandomMaster //------------------------------// Act III: Collision of Wills Chapter 13: Return to Home ------------------------------------------ “Alright, I think that’s everything,” said Twilight, looking to her now full bags. It was time to head back to Ponyville—to home, “Hope the others are getting ready to go as well.”   “Yeah,” Corey said, causing her to turn to him. He was reaching down to put on a fresh shirt, one that wasn’t tattered from a fight. Twilight noted the numerous bandages that covered his body. In particular, the one that covered his shoulder and wrapped around his torso caught her attention, “As pretty as this place is, I don’t think we’re in a position to hang around.”   “After what happened between Lyon and Slayer,” Twilight noted Corey’s pause at the mention of the latter’s name, “I’m not so sure we can take it easy. Who knows when they’ll strike again…”   “Yeah,” Corey flicked the shirt out and began to lift it over his head, “Especially since we know just how depraved they—“   He gasped and flinched, dropping the shirt as his hand shot up to his bandaged shoulder.   “Corey, are you alright??” Twilight asked, moving over to him, one hand going to his back, the other to his chest.   “My shoulder…” Corey groaned, looking over to face her, “It just flared up…”   Twilight looked to Corey for a bit longer, “I…I see. Do you want me to help you out…?”   “No, no, I think I’ll be able to put my shirt on…” Corey said.   “Okay…” Twilight responded with a nod, letting Corey go. However, though she was happy to see him showing some life, there was something that was bothering her.   He usually heals overnight, she noted, So why is his magic not healing him? ------------------------------------------ Everyone had the same thoughts. There was no telling how long they could stay up north. By noon time, everyone was ready to leave. Now, they were gathered on the platform. Cadance, Shining, and a small platoon of guards were there to see them off.   “Once again,” said Cadance, “Thanks for everything.”   “I just wish we could stay to help with the repair…” Rarity lamented, regretting having to use that chandelier.   “Don’t worry. That stuff can be repaired. Lives, however, can not.”   “You’re staying up here, Shiny?” asked Twilight.   “You’d better believe it!” Shining put his arm around Cadance for emphasis, “If that guy comes back, he’ll have to deal with me!”   “I’m hoping that we don’t have to see him again,” said Cadance.   “B-but…!” Corey said, stepping forward, his voice cracking with worry.   “What is it, Corey?” asked John.   “I…I don’t—“ Corey faltered as he looked towards the ground, “It’s just…”   There was an unsettling moment of silence. Shining suddenly closed the distance between himself and Corey, putting one hand to his shoulder. Corey looked up, confused.   “I think I know what you’re trying to say,” Shining said, “And believe me, you don’t need me anymore.”   “W-what?” Corey asked, shocked that Shining had read him, but even more since he’d said that of all things, “B-but I…”   “You’ve already shown—twice—that you can handle yourself. What happens next is all on you now,” Shining continued, removing his hand, “Just about any sane pony would have had their resolve shaken by what you went through. But I know you’ll find it again. And when you do, you’ll be stronger than ever.”   “You…really think I can?” Corey asked.   “Someone who was willing to let themselves be pushed to the point they couldn’t move—on a daily basis—won’t be lost forever,” Shining said.   “He’s right,” Twilight added, catching Corey’s attention.   The train’s whistle blew loudly, catching everyone’s attention.   “Last call for passengers!” shouted one of the attendants, “Train to Ponyville will be departing soon.”   “Don’t keep beating yourself up over it,” Shining stated, “That’s an order.”   “I—Okay!” Corey stated.   With that, everyone began piling in to the train car. Goodbyes were exchanged between everyone, and finally, everyone was leaving. The train puffed once, twice, then began to chug its way out of the Crystal Empire.   “I hope they’ll be alright on their own…” Shining said with a sigh.   “I think I know what you mean,” Cadance said, nodding to him, “Slayer was just one of the breakouts, and like Lyon he had them on the ropes. And unlike Lyon, Slayer can leave lasting damage…”   “That only begs the question…” Shining continued, “Who’s next?”   “Still,” Cadance put a hand to her husband’s shoulder, “They have a strong team. And strong bonds. Even if one does get emotionally wrecked, the others aren’t going to let them stew in it.”   “You’re right,” Shining said, “So far, they’ve been coming out of their experiences better. When I’d first saw Corey, I could see it. He really didn’t want to do it. Yet, he forced himself to…”   “And I think I know just why he did~” Shining turned to see Cadance with an incredibly sappy look on her face. He knew that look anywhere, “I really have to say…Corey and Twilight are absolutely adorable together…”   There was a collective pause as Shining suddenly felt himself go through all his memories of seeing them together. And yet, not once did it cross his mind since this all started…   “W-w-w-what!?” Shining shouted, his eyes wide, “I-I…How’d I not see it before?”   “Truth be told,” Cadance said, “I’m not sure…” ------------------------------------------ The train to Ponyville chugged along, exiting the wind barrier around the empire in a matter of minutes. The spring-like outside changed in a few moments to that of a winter tundra. This time, at least, the train remained warm, allowing those inside to enjoy the ride back.   Still, they couldn’t help but think back to all that happened over the course of a few days—to have discovered what could have caused the breakout; to see one of their own wage a battle not only with the escaped Slayer, but with himself as well. He wasn’t alone either; some others found themselves being challenged during the battle. But by the end of it all, they’d somehow managed to overcome it, just as they had before. And while not all have become stronger for it just yet, they believed it was only a matter of time. For the moment, as the train continued to make way for their destination, there was but one thought that passed through everyone’s mind.   “I’m glad that’s over,” said John, everyone humming in agreement. Sure, there was no telling when the next attack would happen; what they would be dealing with next. Right now, they were satisfied with being able to put this one behind them.   “You can say that again,” said Rainbow, her arms crossed as she lay back on her chair, “Another dirtbag showed his ugly face, and we whopped him like all the others. Plus, I got to fight a giant monster,” A proud look crossed her features.   “Weren’t you sidelined for that?” asked Applejack, as she looked over from the seat behind Rainbow’s. A small blush appeared on Rainbow’s face as she was reminded that she couldn’t see the fight until the end. Rainbow sunk into her seat a little as she began to pout.   “Weren’t you sidelined too, Applejack?” asked Pinkie. Applejack soon found herself in the same position as Rainbow. The others all shared a collective chuckle. While the wounds from the battle had healed just fine, their egos would take considerably longer.   “Come on, guys,” Twilight said, “It was a hard battle for everyone, but we all won in the end. Isn’t that enough?” She put her hands to their shoulders, one to Rainbow’s and the other to Applejack’s.   “Yeah, I guess,” Rainbow was still pouting despite her answer.   “Hard is an understatement, darling,” Rarity said, “With the creatures we’ve faced it’s hard to believe that the city wasn’t leveled.”   She paused for a moment, turning her gaze to look out the window.   “To be honest, perhaps Fluttershy’s choice to remain behind was a blessing in disguise.”   Though originally the group had been saddened when Fluttershy made her decision, it really did seem like it was the right call.   “She’s got a point,” said Applejack, “With everythin’ we had to deal with, there’s no telling how Fluttershy would have been able to handle it.”   Rainbow rose from her sulk at last, letting out a small sigh, “I’ve always tried to help Fluttershy not run from her problems. But I guess you’re right. She was better off staying out of this one. Least we know she’s safe.”   As the others began to talk amongst themselves, mostly discussing what they’d do when they got home, Twilight noticed something. There was someone who had been withdrawn from the rest of the conversation, doing nothing that would bring attention to himself. Leaving the others, Twilight moved over to him, taking a seat right across from him. His eyes were glued to the icy scenery outside, deep in thought.   “Corey?” At the sound of her voice, he jumped, turning his head to look at her, “Are you okay?”   Corey took a deep breath for a moment. He wasn’t actually looking through the window. In reality, he was looking at the reflection in it: his own reflection.   “I…yeah,” he said, turning to face her, “I’m just thinking is all. Nothing to worry about.” He gave a weak smile, one that did little to clear Twilight’s worry. She knew Corey was still trying to recover after what happened. Right now, she wanted to give him the time to do so, and chose not to push the subject.   “Okay,” she said, “But if you ever want to talk,” she reached across the table and put her hand on his, giving Corey a warm smile, “I’m willing to listen.”   Corey looked down at the table, where their hands connected and interlocked his fingers with hers.   “Thank you…” ------------------------ I shouldn’t be surprised about it. I really shouldn’t be. And yet, how can I not be? Ever since I saw her trembling in that hall alone—after hearing exactly what he did for a living before his incarceration and after his escape—I wasn’t myself. It just kept getting worse. Before I knew it, I was once again caught in a vortex of hate—both for myself and for the bastard behind this attack. I felt no one was going to pull me from it. And what’s worse, even if he was the scum of the earth, even if he does horrible things because he wants to… It didn’t excuse what I did. I’d almost killed someone in cold blood. Ivan and Leo probably never expected it to get that bad. Hell, no one did. And yet…after all that, after all I’d done under the influence of my wrath, everyone still stood behind me. It all was because I tried to do everything myself. And in the end, it nearly destroyed me…   Corey quit looking out the window, taking a slow look around the train car. There they were, only slightly worse for the wear. Maybe he was responsible for all this, even if only indirectly. But it didn’t matter. Just like Twilight said…   In the end, she was able to pull me back. She was able to save me from me. And I owe her a lot for that; for all she’s done for me since I landed here, really. Especially since now I know how she feels.   He smiled slightly again, looking out the window.   I don’t know how I’m going to do it. But if there’s one thing this whole situation has taught me, it’s that I have to change.   Closing his eyes, images of everyone began to circle through his head. He’d been blind to the truth for so long, when it was right in front of him. It always had been.   And… this time for sure, I won’t revert to my old ways. I know who I’m fighting for. And I can’t do that fighting, if I’m too busy fighting them simply to act on cold-blooded impulses. ------------------------------------------ Time passed as the train made its way to Ponyville, enough for the sun to set and rise again to mark a new day. The cold tundra of the north was replaced with the grassy plains of much warmer climates. From their car, everyone could see the mountain which housed Canterlot on the very top in the distance. They were almost home, and couldn’t have been much more excited for it.   “We’re almost back,” Applejack said, leaning out the open window for a better view. She took a deep breath of that Ponyville air—something the Crystal Empire’s air could never match in her book. The others quickly joined her, staring off into the distances. Soon, their home town came into view, the rooftops of each home quickly approaching.   But while most were excited at the prospect of being able to return home, to sleep in their own beds, and to return to some normalcy for however long they could, one wasn’t excited at all. Which was strange, as she was considered the most excitable of all of them.   “Pinkie Pie?” questioned Twilight. All heads turned to look to Pinkie, and all noticed she was far from cheerful, “Is everything alright?”   Pinkie didn’t answer, staring straight at Ponyville, her ears noticeably twitching.   “Something’s wrong…” she said. The others looked confused. From the distance they were at, Ponyville seemed to be in one piece. But on the other hand, they all knew of Pinkie’s strange sense, one that could predict just about anything with scary accuracy.   “Whatever do you mean?” asked Rarity.   “I…I don’t know,” Pinkie shook her head, her eyes displaying nothing but worry, “It’s just…something happened while we were away!”   Everyone went silent, unsure of how to respond. From their point of view, Ponyville looked fine. If something had happened, there would have been some sign of it, right?   “Okay everyone, relax,” said Twilight, “I know we were all worried about Fluttershy staying behind, but you have to remember that she wasn’t all alone this time. She had Spike with her, as well as the Royal Guards. If anything happened, she would have had the guards to protect her, and she would have been able to get word to the Princess.”   She then turned her attention to the distant Ponyville, “Plus, we’ve seen what the escaped prisoners are capable of. If one had attacked, we’d have seen some signs of it by now.”   Everyone looked back towards Ponyville, able to see more of it now. What Twilight said was true. Everything looked fine, and there were no signs of an attack. As this sunk in for everyone, they were finally able to relax.   “She’s right,” said John, “As far as we know, these prisoners are being sent one at a time.  And we were already dealing with one of them over the past few days.”   John leaned back on his seat and looked out the window again, “Everything’s fine.” ------------------------------------------ The train soon began to slow its speed, getting ready to dock at the Ponyville station. But as it slowed to a stop, those inside quickly noticed something was off. There were guards posted at the station in full armor. To everyone’s knowledge they were informed to remain in civilian clothes as to hide their presence from everyone in town. And it wasn’t just the station. Beyond the windows, they could now see far more guards in town than were previously posted.   “It’s like the whole town’s in lockdown!” observed Rainbow in awe.   “But why…?” asked Twilight, but as soon as she uttered the latter word, something clicked in everyone’s minds. They all turned to Pinkie, and she looked back, each as concerned as the others. Without saying so much as a word, everyone jumped from their seats and quickly made their way out of the train. Some of the guards tried to get their attention, but not one listened to their words. Right now, they had a destination in mind; at the moment, nothing else mattered.   They ran through the streets as fast as their legs would allow, crossing through Ponyville in a matter of minutes. As they did, they took note of everything around them. Guards, guards everywhere; not many of the townsponies in sight. They all really began to fret about what had happened while they were away. But none of them had time to stop and ask questions. There was exactly one person they wanted to talk to.   Soon, they reached the other end of Ponyville, taking the dirt road that lead to her cottage. The run was short, and soon they found Fluttershy’s home coming into view. And as soon as it did, Rainbow took notice of something.   “Look!” Rainbow raised one arm to point, never breaking her stride. Everyone saw it: the front window’s glass had been shattered. Her worry at its max, Rainbow shot ahead of the others, kicking the door down as soon as she reached it.   “Fluttershy!” Rainbow shouted as soon as she was inside. But when she did, she saw that the home was void of signs of life. This, along with the fact there was no immediate response, only made things worse, but just as she was prepared to expect the worst, something happened.   “Rainbow?” At the sound of the voice, Rainbow turned her gaze to the kitchen doorway. There she was. By the time, the others had caught up and entered the home. Everyone’s eyes immediately glued to Fluttershy as they studied her. Though she was smiling, she was also worse than when they’d left her: there were bandages wrapped around her torso, and most of her mane—before shaped in a heart around her head and upper torso—was now short, barely even reaching the bottom of her neck.   “Glad to see you’re—“ Fluttershy couldn’t finish her sentence before being cut off by everyone swarming her for a group hug.   “Oh good heavens, what happened to you?!” Rarity said. Fluttershy simply hissed for a moment, clearly in pain.   “G-girls…I’m happy to see you again, but I’m still a little hurt,” Quickly, the others released her, taking at least one step back to give her some air. Fluttershy hunched over for a moment, taking in deep breaths.   “Are you okay?’ asked Rainbow, placing a palm to her shoulder.   “Yes, I just need to sit down.”   Rainbow didn’t have to be told twice. Slowly, she helped Fluttershy to her sofa. Once seated, Fluttershy seemed to look better now…at least, enough to talk.   “Fluttershy, just what happened while we were away?” Twilight asked.   Fluttershy sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She could remember it all so vividly, and she knew that she’d never forget it.   “It all started after you all left…”