//------------------------------// // Book Two: The Reflection of the Monster // Story: Awkward Conversations And Other Stories // by No one is home //------------------------------// “You WHAT?!?!” Surprise demanded in shock, with just a hint outrage. “I… might have… sort’ve… called out Prince Silver and dared him to switch places with me for a day?” Train wreck awkwardly rubbed the back of his head with an errant snake. “In my defense this is at least partly Princess Change’s fault. She’s the one who suggested I talk to this ‘Silver’ pony…” “Silver is a very nice pony,” Surprise insisted, “He’s good at helping humans. I talked this over with Fast, and we agreed, that whatever it is that happened with you at that horrible circus, he could help. You were supposed to talk to him about whatever it is that happened that you and Diane won’t talk to me about!” “And I tried,” Train Wreck pleaded with his wife, “But I don’t think he even knows what happened at the circus.” “Well of course he knows!” Surprise argued angrily, “A horrible soul-stealing demon just invaded east Canterlot and… well, how could he not know?” “East Canterlot’s a long way from the Castle,” Train Wreck shrugged, “There were no real nobles at the circus… I think the ponies at the castle just look at this as more court drama. Sure they’ll be shocked when Celestia holds trial. But it didn’t happen to them. It didn’t happen to anypony important. Therefor it didn’t really happen.” “That’s not the truth and you know it!” Surprise protested, “Our daughter is in the hospital right now with a broken wing! Right here in the hive, ponies are in triage in pods being decontaminated by the dozens! This is bigger than your isolation issues! This is bigger than our family! The human prince just cleared his schedule to talk to you about your feelings and you come back to me with THIS?!?! Dammit Charlie!” “DON’T CALL ME THAT!” The monster stomped an earth shaking hoof to the ground, immediately recoiling at his wife’s frightened reaction. “I- I’m sorry… I didn’t mean…” “I think you should go outside and take a walk,” Surprise turned her head so he wouldn’t see the tear. “Y- you want me to leave?” Train Wreck Pastel stammered. “I want you to listen to me and I want you to think.” Surprise walked out of the room without another word. -=-=-=-=- “Is everything going to be alright?” Carrot Plate was near panic. She thought things were going to be better here. She could hear the raised voices. She knew what a family fight sounded like behind closed doors. “Z-978 does not know what happened,” the changeling bowed her head, “Her sister is hurt, her brother is broken. But we are a family. We are a herd. It doesn’t matter what stupid ponies think because they are stupid anyway. We will be alright, Z promises this to her sister Carrot.” The changeling nuzzled the red and orange mare reassuringly, but Carrot’s doubts persisted. “Is Train wreck going to leave?” “Z does not know. Z is not Train Wreck. Z-978 is afraid also, of the future,” she assured the pony, “We will be alright because we will have each other. Train Wreck is a stupid pony. He will be stupid, but Z-978’s sister will fix things. She can be a stupid little queen, but Z knows her. Z loves her Z-978 has faith that she will bring us back together.” -=-=-=-=- “I messed up Diane.” The Cup Cake Monster of Just Deserts spoke gently over his daughter’s hospital bed. “No, you didn’t.” The little changeling queen beamed up at him. “You were there. You gave me what I needed to hold him back!” “I couldn’t stop him.” The monster bowed his massive head. “I had him. I stripped him of all his secrets… all his his lies… And I saw him for what… for who he was… and he was…” “Not you.” Diane reached out a hoof to her guardians face, “You never met him. You’re not Charlie. And I’m glad you’re not.” “You...know?” Bewilderment plagued the giant’s face. “I always suspected,” Diane smiled, and the giant’s heart split, “When he came back… I knew.” “I- I couldn’t protect you from him.” Train wreck lain his massive head into his daughter’s lap and sobbed. “I tried. I wanted to. I really thought I could…” “Silly Train Wreck,” Diane giggled sadly and booped her giant guardian on the nose, “It wasn’t you who was supposed to save me. Don’t you get it? I’m the one who saves you.” -=-=-=-=- Celestia’s sun had long since set when Train Wreck Pastel returned to the hive. The guards greeted him with the usual familiar humor. “Hope you brought flowers,” Twilight Masquerade intoned severely. “Oh, cut the stallion a break,” Storm Front chided his coworker, “Good to see you back, sir.” “It’s good to be back,” the pony smiled at the familiar faces. He sighed heavily a he approached the door to his family's suite. He felt like a petulant runaway child coming home in time for dinner. The smell of banana bread and grilled leeks only driving home the image. “I’m sorry.” He bowed his head to the stern face of his mate. “I’ve taken everything for granted. I wanted to be the hero… I wanted to be the one who saved his family… I forgot it was you who saved me. I’m the one who needs you.” “We need each other, silly.” He was met with the familiar sad smile and warm embrace of Surprise Pastel. "That’s what a family is.”