//------------------------------//
// Equal Things 
// Story: The Things Tavi Says 
// by shortskirtsandexplosions 
//------------------------------//

	The door opens with a crystalline groan, and the first thing I see is an overwhelming fountain of bronze light... like a brown clump of mud polished over with gold paint.

I blink, slightly overwhelmed by the strangeness of the voice.  I realize that several seconds have passed.  My vision clears, and there's a unicorn standing in front of me.  With an awkward bow, she opens her mouth, repeating herself.

"How may I help you, ma'am?"  This time, her voice has something more akin to a shiny copper texture.  I can tell she's trying very... very hard to sound pleasant.  Every time she finishes a sentence, the air trails with tan hues.  I almost feel bad for her.  "Do you seek audience with Her Royal Majesty Princess Twilight Sparkle?" she asks, violet eyes blinking beneath a violet mane with teal streaks.

Before I can even comprehend the possibility of responding, the air above us scratches with black streaks.  "Yo.  Star.  Just let her in."

"Huh?"  The unicorn looks up, blinking.  "Rainbow Dash?"

The pegasus touches down beside me.  "I can vouch for her.  She's cool."  She smirks at me.  "Super cool."

"Oh... uh... well..."  The unicorn nods, backtrotting as she motions into the foyer of the palace.  "If you insist."

"Pffft.  So friggin' formal."  Rainbow stifles a yawn as we trot down the main hallway.  We're surrounded by harmonic blackness.  I feel my trembles absorbed by the foundation of this marvelous place.  "Does Twilight have you on door duty again?"

"Uhm... actually I volunteered."

"Figures.  Must be a slow day."

"Hmm?"

"Well, she and Spike haven't got you working on magical experiments or whatnot."

"Still doesn't mean that I can't help any way I can."

I crane my neck, squinting at the unicorn escorting us.

She fidgets slightly from my shaded gaze.  "Ahem... so, uh... Rainbow?  Are... are you going to introduce—"

"Oh!  My bad!"  Rainbow motions between us.  "Vinyl Scratch, meet Starlight Glimmer.  Starlight Glimmer, meet Vinyl Scratch."  She smiles at the unicorn.  "Vinyl's our former royal bard."

Starlight's muzzle drops.  "You mean she's the DJ-P0N3?"

"And Starlight here was once a super cruel villain horse who ripped cutie marks off our hides and went back in time to zap the feathers off my eight year old self!"  She winks.  "Cool, huh?"

Starlight grimaces.  I blink.

"But... y'know... she's all reformed now..."  Rainbow Dash yawns.  "...and jazz.  Mmmmm... nyup."  Her fuzzy blue brow furrows.  "Just where the hay is Twilight, Star?"

From the distance, a gray voice wafts against the walls.

"Rainbow Dash?  Is that you?  What's all the commotion?"

"You'll never guess who showed up at the train depot just now, Twi!"

Almost immediately, the air around us tingles.  The light distorts, and suddenly—

FLASH!  Twilight Sparkle materializes from a split-second teleport.  She gawks at me, violet eyes wide.

Starlight Glimmer squints curiously, alarmed by Twilight's sudden movement.

"Oh my..."  Twilight coos.  She raises a trembling hoof.  "Vinyl?  Vinyl is that you?"

I take a deep breath, facing her solidly.

"Uhhhh... hey!  Starlight!"  Rainbow Dash drags the unicorn away.  "Wanna taste test some cider?"

"But... but Rainbow, that's on the completely opposite side of town—"

"Cool!  Let's go!"  Rainbow takes wing, lifting Starlight Glimmer off her hooves.

"Whoah—!"

Both mares are gone, leaving me and the Princess.

Alone.  Surrounded in black.

I take a deep breath.  Legs spread apart, I bow low... respectfully.

The air shifts from gray to blue to gold with a whimpering sound.  Hoofsteps, and...

...I'm swept into a soft, tender hug.

I feel a lump forming in my throat.  I take a deep breath—weathering the magenta in order to remain still, resolute.  At last, I look up at the alicorn.

There are tears in her eyes.  She smiles warmly, then nuzzles me close.  Her exhale is a soft, feathery thing.

"Thank Celestia..."  She laughs and sobs at once.  "And just today... I was thinking to myself... how close everything has been to coming full circle."  She brushes her cheek dry, shuddering.  "It is very... very good to see you, Vinyl."

I smile, hugging the Princess back.  Eventually, we part ways, and I hold a hoof out.

She smiles.  With a flicker of magic, she teleports a pair of pens to the hallway where we stand.  She drops them into my fetlock.

I levitate both items and twirl them before her.

She reads me, then smiles.  "Well... it's just an awful lot has happened as of late, and... well..."  She gazes up and down the corridor.  "You may notice all the guards and the servants are gone.  I've... I've made changes.  But..."  She clenches her teeth, sighs, then smiles at me.  "You know what?  It doesn't matter.  None of it matters.  You're back... and everything's perfect."

I fidget slightly.

She sees it.  Her lips purse, and she nods.  "Well... sure... almost perfect."

I sigh.  I look up at her with a gentle smile.

"Come, Vinyl..."  She takes me by the hoof and leads me towards the castle throneroom.  "Tell me all about what you've been up to the past few months."  A royal wink.  "I want to know everything."