"HOW COULD YOU?!" Lilly yelled into the face of her twin. "I trusted you! I trusted you not to tell!"
"Lilly, ah know ye are upset-"
"UPSET?" Lilly yelled back, "UPSET?" her body shook in anger. "And why is that? Why do you think I'm upset? Huh? I will tell you Dedication." she hissed the word. "I trusted you guys not to tell-"
"We haven't." Catstitch said. "Celestia, Luna, and Glitter have all agreed not to tell ya, neigh ta tell ‘em."
"Don't drag our tripet into this!" Lilly hissed. "Just don't! You could have told me. You could have told me what was really going on. I believe you knew!"
Catstitch solemnly nodded. "Aye Motivation. I did know."
Lilly threw a punch at her sister. "Why?!" she hissed.
Catstitch caught the hoof and held it. "Because, I know you. Every time ye find yerself someplace you don't want to be, you run. You run like a deer."
"I. Do. Not!"
"Aye Lilly, ye do." Catstitch said.
"I, don't run till you guys leave me! How many times have you promised to be there for me, only to be GONE!"
"I’ll be alway' there for you." Catstitch said, her voice had now dropped to a whisper almost.
"Neigh Cat!" Lilly mocked, "Neigh." she glared, "Where were you when Match’s 'Goons' were after me?"
"I was but a wee lass at that time."
"Not a good excuse!" Lilly said, "How about when Grammy was trying to get me to learn those fancy stitches, and rules? You and Glitter both excelled! I was put down because I couldn’t match either one of you! Why? Because I'm a Pegasus! An unwanted." Lilly spat the word. "How ‘bout those years you both had your Cutie marks, but I was still looking for mine! Huh? How long was that? What, Seven? eight years! Where were you! I had to go to strangers. They were more reliable than you."
"That. Isn't. True."
"It isn't Dedication?" Lilly mocked again.
"NEIGH!" Catstitch fired back. "No, you are just lying to yerself! Where was I with the goons?Just as afraid as you were. Where was I with that class? I be gettin me Cutie Mark. And you aren't a Pegasus, an unwanted. You are a Phantom! You are free! Now-"
"We haven't settled this!" Lilly fired back, pushing her sister.
"Lilly!" Cat growled low. "Where is kindness in that?" She said, "Huh? I thought that was supposed to be your area of expertise, Motivation. Oh that's right. Even the sheep are afraid of you? Why? Because you beat them."
Lilly's ears pinned back. "You take that back."
"You know I'm right."
Tears were streaming down Lilly's face. Fluttershy didn't know what was going on, but she sure wanted to step right in the middle of it, and stop it. Suddenly something strong had a wing over her. She looked up into the face of Steady. "No." he said.
"Listen Fluttershy, this is something you need to stay out of." Discord said on her other side. “Even I wouldn’t dare to step between those two.”
"We can't just let them tear one another apart." Rainbow Dash said alarmed.
"Rainbow is right." Rarity said. "We have to do something."
Discord shook his head. "You guys don't know them, not as a group. Stay out. Please."
They all looked to Discord in shock. "And you do?" Fluttershy asked.
Discord tried to shrug it off, "Maybe, maybe not."
"HOW DARE YOU?!" Catstitch suddenly yelled at her twin.
"You have no idea what you’ve put me through!"
"You are a monster! I NEVER. NEVER, left you. You left me!" she said, in a very loud voice.
"There we go." Lilly said. "Now we can argue about this on even terms. See, you can yell just as loud as I can. No more of your venom. You’re a hissing snake."
"Luna said-" Cat began.
"No quoting!" Lilly interrupted her.
"Why do I even bother? Not only are your wings worthless, your talent is worthless. ‘Helping others to discover their fullest self through flight'" she mocked. "You are such a loser. You left everything! You left your family! You left your home! You left us! -You aren't even worth it! Maybe Grammy was right. You are no better than your forefathers! Just go. I'm sure we can fix this without your stupid talent."
Lilly froze, her body shook. Suddenly she turned, and erupted out the window. Disappearing from sights.
Now Steady moved. "Never insult a pegasus' wings, or a pony's talent." he said firmly.
Catstitch stood frozen, realization coming upon her, she sat down on the floor. "What have ah done?" She whispered.
Steady looked down at her, his face unreadable.
"Please, please Commander. I can't go to her. She's in the clouds. I can't fly!" A tear ran down her face. "Please, please go to her, and- bring her back. And- Make sure she doesn't kill herself!"
Steady said nothing till he reached the window. "Never, insult a pony's talent. Yours sister's wings are her talent. It's all she knows. You just insulted that. But I will try."
"She's going to kill herself!" Catstitch lay down on the floor. "I can't do anything!"
Steady opened his wings, and flew out the window, and into the clear blue sky.
Discord immediately dropped the force field. Fluttershy didn't hesitate, she raced to the younger twin, dropping down beside her. She placed a wing over Cat's back. "I'm sorry." Fluttershy said.
Cat tried to push her away. "Lilly's right, I was never there for her. Never. I am her twin, and all I ever did, all I've ever done is bossed her around, and criticize her choices. She was 15 before she got her cutie mark. Teased wherever she went. And I stood-by and... joined them." she then broke down in a volley of tears.
Discord walked over to the window and stared after them. "At least it's not too hard to see where she went." he said.
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
Discord pointed. Far off in the distance, a grey cloud stood, beneath a vast quantity of snow was gathering.
"What!" Applejack asked, "Ah can't see!"
"Yeah!" Dash said, "Where is she?"
Discord frowned, "At the back of the North Wind."
----------------------------
Steady followed the trail of 'cold' in search of his captain. In the summer's heat, her trail of snow dust was quite easy to follow. At that moment, he was quite grateful it was summer, not winter. For it would be impossible to follow during winter.
Finally he saw her, she stretched out on the cloud with her back to him, her long curly mane spilled out over the edge. Beneath her, a snow bank was quickly forming, and melting. He'd never seen her this upset. He'd seen her work snow before, but in the last fifteen minutes, she'd displayed more 'Phantom' Magic than he'd ever seen her use. The display with Spitfire, he didn't even know she could do that. Then this. Not to mention, during the fight he'd felt the room grow colder and colder. No snow, no flurries... just cold.
He landed beside her.
"Go away." Lilly sobbed.
Steady didn't say anything, nor did he move. He just stood there.
"You gonna judge me too? I'm a wretched, horrible beast. Cat's right, I should never have been born. I'm just a plague on Equestria. A burden to my family." She said, not turning to look.
"You believe that?" He asked.
Lilly buried her face in the cloud. "I- I-"
He took a step forward, then laid down, draping a wing over her back. "I don't think so."
"You don't think so what?!" Lilly growled, as she pulled a knife out of nowhere. Her eyes were aflame. The snow picked up around them.
Steady didn't even flinch, the knife's tip against his neck. "You are a valued member of our team."
"No I'm not." Lilly spat, returning the knife to its scabbard in her left wing. "I'm the weakest, slowest, most breakable pony of all the Windy Wings. I'm the weakest of the Triplets... I shouldn't even be here. I wish the doctor had just let me die... I wish Zecora had just let me die."
"Then you wouldn't be here to help. You know about weakness like nopony else I know. Your greatness doesn't always soar-"
"Sometimes it's that quiet voice at the end of the day that says, 'I will try again tomorrow.-'" Captain Feathers finished.
"Indeed," Steady said.
Lilly looked down at her hooves. "I'm so done. There were times his body had broken. Sometimes even his mind. But his will? Never, never had he ever lost that." Lilly quoted, not daring to use her own words.
"You believe that? You know why the Princesses sent for you?"
"Because I'm their jump and fetch it." Lilly growled.
Steady shook his head, "I don't think so." he pushed one of her many curls from her face. "Because Lilly, you are the strongest mare in Equestria. Not because you are smart, or buff, but because whenever you get knocked down, you don't let it get to you."
Lilly's eyes became as fire again. "STEADY! Did you hear what Cat said? I run, I run every time I get backed into a corner."
"You do?" Steady asked. "You fought her a good long time if I remember right. Longer than most any others would. And, Despite your hoof still being strained, you've not shown one hint of discomfort."
Lilly looked down, "Steady, I'm in pain every second of every day. It's part of SPD. My body can't tell when I am really hurt... or when it's just in my head." She looked away, "I hardly feel it."
"And yet you were able to pick up on Miss Rainbow Dash's pain." He said.
"It's part of being Motivation." Lilly said, "As Motivation, I am the element of Emotional Strengths. That means I'm more aware of pain, joy, laughter, sorrow... anger. Than anypony could imagine. They can't lie... you can't lie to me. You are hurt, I can feel it." She looked down, "And it's because of me- Life is too short to do this to you."
Steady handed over her ties that went in her mane and tail. "Indeed. But isn't that my choice. As I've told you many times, I do not feel like most ponies do. I analyze."
"You still feel." Lilly said, "You are a pegasus... An earth Pony, or Unicorn could hide it from me, but I fear you can't. I am Motivation." She reluctantly started on the braiding. Steady had only seen her do this a couple of times, she opted most of the time to do it in private. Lilly began at the nape of her neck, then went forward, over her forehead, then back down her mane catching her bangs in the process. Her tail was done in a simple normal braid. So was quite a bit faster. But both hardly took five minutes.
"Want to go fly?" Steady asked.
Lilly cocked her head to the side. "Why should I? Wings are worthless."
Steady closed his eyes, Cat's words had really cut deep, pulling her all the way out of this isn’t going to be easy, but he had a plan.
-----------------------------
Anywhere but there, Pinkie pulled herself out of that reality, Cowgirl's place? No. The room was too tense, and since she didn't even know what was going on, she felt helpless in trying to get it under control.
She suddenly had a superydifferic idea. She'd go talk to one of Cowgirl's editors; Gany.
Pinkie poked her head out from underneath a pillow. “Wowee! Gany’s room’s so pink!”
Immediately after she proclaimed that, there was a scream, followed by thundering footsteps that were coming closer. “Who’s in my room? Get out, get out! I WILL STAB YOU IF YOU DON’T LEAVE THIS MINUTE!”
The door opened, and a girl stepped in.
Pinkie stumbled back, but quickly regained herself as soon as she recognized the girl. She was a younger teen, with straight jet black hair, olive skin, and almond shaped eyes that were half hidden behind her glasses. She wore a hoodie and a pair of jeans. "Hey Gany! It's me, Pinkie Pie."
Mahogany blinked, then grinned.”Phew! I thought you were some kind of criminal or murderer or something.” She laughed. “Awesome to meet you!”
Pinkie Pie smiled, "I love your room! So PINK!" She giggled, "Like cupcakes, and candy, and cake! And sweets- oh! And parties! Unless they aren't actually pink, duh."
“PARTIES, YES!!” Mahogany cheered. “Parties are the coolest!”
“You mean, fabulawesome?” Pinkie corrected enthusiastically.
“Yeah! That’s an amazing word, I can’t believe it isn’t actually in dictionaries!”
Pinkie giggled, “Eh, who says it can’t be. Besides, only eggheads stick to dictionaries like a lifeline.”
Mahogany shrugged. “Ah, I can be a pretty big egghead too…” She grimaced. “But parties are still the best!”
“I know right!” Pinkie exclaimed. “With cannons! And cake, and confettis! What is a party without confettis! It’s just not superdeduferic without it.”
“We need to plan a party. Right now.”
“Oh my! We so do!” Pinkie giggled.
---------------------------
Suddenly Pinkie found herself in a black void. “HELP! I can’t see anything, it’s dark where I am, and I can hear laughing.” she yelled as loud as she could.
However, nopony, or person responded to her cry of distress. How exactly this had happened, Pinkie wasn’t quite sure. One moment she’d been talking to Mahogany, the next, everything had disappeared, and only sounds drifted around her.
“Hiya!” A voice said from beside her.
Pinkie screamed, which made the stranger scream as well. Pinkie tried to see the figure, but it was beyond her vision. “Who are you?”
The figure brushed up against her, “I’m just someone Kathie has been ignoring for a while. Like you, I’m in her imagination void.”
“The what?” Pinkie asked, “Oh! You mean, this is where we all go when nopony is working on our story?”
“You got that right. And... Pony? Oh brother. That sounds like something my cousin would say.” The stranger said, “I guess I better give you my name. I’m Birdy, I’m a Ooklick.”
“Ooklick?”
“Think changeling, but different.” Birdy said. “It’s a long story.”
“So you are a bird?” Pinkie asked, “Or a pony?”
Birdy snorted, “Neither, and both. As I said, I’m an Ooklick. But I don’t belong in your world. Our natural form is... closest to Master Discord’s. Except Lion, Zebra, Giraffe, and Chimp are our- uh...”
“Forms?” Pinkie supplied.
“Parts.” Birdy said.
“So,” Pinkie Pie asked, “How long have you been here?”
“Nearly three years.” Birdy said, “I’m not the main, that’s this pink haired drama queen, and her black haired straight man friend. I’m just here as a love interest.”
Pinkie looked around, “Are you the only one here?”
“No,” Birdy said, “There are thousands in this place. All of them characters Kathie has worked with at some point of her life. Somewhere around her is her first friend, Puppy.”
Just then, a small ‘thing’ pounced on Pinkie Pie and started licking her face.
“And we found him.” Birdy said, “Down boy. He’s not much to look at, Kathie hasn’t even thought much of him since she was three. But he makes a good playmate for all of us who are stuck in the void. I doubt you’ll be here long. However, since we are talking to one another, I suspect Kathie is nearby... Hopefully trying to get you back into your story. What were you doing?”
Pinkie giggled, “I was working with one of Kathie's friends, Gany, working on trying to get her to finish editing faster.”
“And instead you got stuck in the black box.” Birdy said knowingly. “That sounds common. I feel her coming, I think it’s time to go back out where you were and get Gany, was it? To finish.”
Pinkie nodded, “I think you are right, Great to meet you, I hope you get to come out and play soon.”
“Me too Pinkie.” Birdy said, See you later, hopefully.”
“Alright, Oh, What’s your story?”
“Akeaka!” Birdy said, her voice sounding farther, and farther away. “It’s my world’s word for ‘Friend’”
-----------------------------------------------------------
Pinkie once more found herself in Gany’s room. “Oh lookie here! I’m back! Hi- Gany?” The Chinese girl was nowhere to be seen. Pinkie glanced around the room. “That’s funny. I’d assume she’d be right here.”
Pinkie decided to wander in the house, this however proved to be fruitless, so sighing to herself she returned up stairs and left a note.
Dear Gany,
Just a reminder, you forgot me! School must really be crazy, I know you are an honor student. But anyways, here’s a superidifferic cupcake, I hope you enjoy. Please remember to edit the chapter, or else...
Pinkie paused to think of a good threat.
Next time, I’ll bring Discord with me, and we’ll booby trap your house.
Love Pinkie.
PS: YOU NEED TO FINISH EDITING THE CHAPTER!
Laying down the pen on Gany’s desk, she felt a vacuum pulling at her. Relaxing, she allowed herself to be returned to Ponyville. Mission unaccomplished.
-----------------------------------------------------------
“Oh, shoot!”