Pinkie Pie's 4th Wall Breaking Variety Show epi 10 Part 6
In the cave, Red Gala blinked. "I... I remember the train ride this morning." She shook her head, tossing her fiery red mane. "But it's different now..."
~~~
When Red Gala stepped elegantly off of the train, levitating her travel bag behind her, she scanned the platform, and her face lit up. "Big Macintosh! It's wonderful to see you again."
"Always a pleasure, Miss Belle," said the red stallion warmly. They fell perfectly in step as they started down the road together.
"I hope I haven't put you to any great trouble," she said, teasing him mildly. "Surely you must have more important work than guiding a mare around her own hometown."
"Nope. It's no trouble at all, miss."
~~~
Red Gala looked to Big Mac. "Did you... Are we... ?"
Big Mac would have blushed, if his ears could turn any redder. "Nnnn... maybe?"
"What?" asked Rarity. "What?! Tell me! I am literally dying to know!"
Pinkie was suddenly in her face. "I think you mean figuratively," she said, with bubbly cheerful menace.
Big Mac flinched. "Hang on. Ah'm rememberin' something else..."
~~~
"Your drinks, miss," said the waiter. "Four ciders." He levitated them onto the table, then seemed confused, counting only three ponies, but he soon shrugged it off and left again.
Red Gala's favorite bar in Canterlot still had holes in the roof from the changeling invasion, but the staff had assured them that the rest of the building was sound. Applejack passed Big Mac and Red Gala their ciders, and pushed the fourth one over in front of an empty chair. "Here's to the Bearers of Honesty," she said, raising her glass. "All dang-blasted three of us."
"Eeeyup!" said Big Mac, clinking the glasses, then taking a generous gulp from his.
"This is a lot to take in," said Red Gala, taking a smaller sip. "I mean, I'm only a jeweler, not a soldier or adventurer, or somepony important."
"Well," said Big Mac. "Mah sister and Ah are farmers. Your sister sews dresses. Ah could go on..."
Applejack nodded. "That witch had her heart wrapped up in so many lies, even she didn't know what was true any more, but together, we *burned* those lies away. You made a real difference, both of you."
Halfway through their drinks, Big Mac gave AJ a curious look. "Ah'm getting the strangest notion that yer holdin' something back from us, sis. Must be the cider talking..."
AJ looked mildly guilty, at that. "No, that's your Element working. You'll get used to it."
Red Gala figited her hooves. "Does it have something to do with... Well, one is terribly embarrassed to be repeating common street gossip, darling, but I have heard a tale or two of... truth vision? Are we going to get... something like that?"
AJ laughed. "Nah. Ah was a mite worried at first... that's one of the reasons Ah wanted to see you again, just the three of us, but Ah'm pretty sure now that you're alright. You wouldn't get that unless you looked into the Truth itself, like Ah did." She held up a hoof. "Before you ask, no, you do NOT want to do that. Ah've seen things no pony should ever have to see." She glanced to one side. "It hasn't been all bad, but... Just put it out of your minds. Ah'm sure that if you ever really need it, Princess Luna will turn up in your bedroom in the middle of the night to tell you all about it."
The unicorn twitched. "Ah, thank you, darling. That's... quite reassuring..." AJ and Big Mac both winced. "Oops... sorry!"
The waiter returned. "Your bill, miss. Four... sorry, three ciders." He counted the bits that Applejack passed to him. "That is a very generous tip, miss. We appreciate your business."
BACK AT THE STUDIO
Ispita cringed before suddenly the image of a purple serpent erupted out of her, orange eyes staring back. She suddenly felt less...
The serpent flew into her amulet which for...some reason she was beginning to feel sentimental towards. Why? She's ALWAYS hated the bucking thing!
"What..."
"Your power was sealed...um...sorry..."
Ispita looked to see Fluttershy trot over to her. "What?!"
A little butterfly flew by Fluttershy. "It's...um...a way to make sure your new self won't be overwhelmed by the power until she's ready...or he..."
"...Great...My existence is officially ruined... This couldn't possibly get any worse!"
"Um...do you want to talk about what new memories you're getting? If you need help through them, I mean..."
The Goddess of Temptation looked at her blankly. "...What?"
"Do you need help with adjusting as you change?"
"...Why are you offering?!" Ispita said in complete disbelief. "What's in it for you?!"
"Because no pony else is offering. There's nothing you could give me now that'd mean one thing. I'm doing this because this isn't something that feels right to let somepony face alone."
Maud blinked, a part of her feeling curious. Like this was something it'd never seen up close before. She kept a tight hold on Ispita to make sure she couldn't escape though.
"...I'VE BEEN ACTIVELY TRYING TO MURDER YOU! YOU CAN'T JUST WANT TO HELP ME!" The Depowered Goddess of Temptation spat out, as if what Fluttershy was saying would DESTROY HER if she accepted it existed.
"I can, and I am," Fluttershy kept Cruel from objecting.
Ispita trembled before the KIND eyes looking at her. "No. Kindness like that doesn't exist! Everypony is a black abyss deep down! That's how it is!"
"...That's your excuse, isn't it?" Fluttercruel said, forcing herself to the surface. "That deep down everypony is just as ugly as you are?"
"It's not an excuse, it's the truth!"
"Really?" the Cruel to Be Kind Mare asked. "Then why Cheerilee chose to oppose you rather than let you run rampant even if meant losing Big Mac? Choosing what HE WOULD WANT, over what she wanted? Why is mom trying to help you? Heck, why does Rarity's Element EXIST if that were the case?"
"I..." Ispita found herself taken aback. Under normal circumstances, she could justify it, but in this case...after all she'd done, they still wanted to help her? It was such an affront to her world view it left her mind doing backflips. She had further difficulty when it was combined with the new emotions that were snaking in.
"How about the fact I was BORN in such a way that by EVERY logical reason should make me a BIGGER monster than you, but in the end, I have this?" Fluttercruel asked, her Element of Kindness sparking for a moment.
Ispita gasped, backpeddling from the glowing Cutie Mark like it was a lit torch. Or would have Maud didn't have her trapped.
Fluttershy took control again. "...I'm sorry, you're like Chrysalis used to be...someone who sees only the bad side of the world and not the good...But I AM Kindness and proof it exists."
Ispita looked down like her mind was breaking almost. "Hit me. Kill me. Hurt me. Throw me to my now freed contract slaves and let them rip me apart. Do ANYTHING but be KIND TO ME! PLEASE!" she BEGGED, like a broken mare. "PROVE KINDNESS IS A LIE! JUST DO IT!"
Fluttershy didn't give into the temptation to lash out against the mare in front of her who'd caused so much damage and suffering. Who literally was the cause of thousands of years of it. "No. I still want to help you deal with what's happening to you."
Ispita's head drooped. "...But...if you can show me kindness...that means..." she said fearfully.
"...You were never right. You weren't like everypony else," Fluttercruel stated evenly. "You're just a blackhearted monster who used that as an excuse to hurt people."
Ispita practically went catatonic. Untold centuries of using 'everypony's heart is as black as mine' as an excuse...torn down in a moment. A deep buried instinct spoke. "...You...win...Good job..."
Ispita's true purpose was to be a tester of mortal's will. The one who tempted them, but ultimately wanted to see them rise above temptation...and who made sure those who didn't suffered the consequences...Deep down inside, the part that should've been proud of Fluttershy for persisting to be kind instead of giving into the temptation to harm her now vulnerable enemy was what said those words.
Or was it the new mind and emotions surging in? Was she becoming somepony who liked seeing others get through trials? Her mind was too twisted in knots to tell.
Ispita started crying. "I...I forgot what it felt like to...even after what I did to you..."
"...Do you still want to talk?"
"Even after I caused this mess...I...I don't have a choice I...I guess..."
Both seemed a tad confused by the accent Ispita had taken on.
Maud looked at Fluttershy in amazement. "...Fauna Luster...so this is why you have such faith in your children...because when they can choose...sometimes they do choose to rise above..." a part of her muttered, feeling as if it'd come to a great realization. She looked to Fluttershy. "...So that's why she was the one who could move Discord's heart...."
Cheerilee, who everypony else seemed to have forgotten about, looked at the monitors as the story between Big Mac and Red Gala's meeting was retold. And she could feel new memories too. And she knew that soon, they'd be the only memories she'd have.
She rushed right at Ispita.
"YOU! ME! Deal! Now! I want to tell Big Mac how I feel earlier! The universe is being remade anyway!"
"I can't!" Ispita hissed. "My power is sealed again! How the Tartarus are you the only pony I've ever met who has been willing of their own free will to make a deal with me not once, BUT THREE TIMES, and I haven't been able to fulfill any of them!"
"But . . . I finally realized how much . . . that I didn't mind the idea of being alongside him." Cheerilee's ears drooped.
Applejack patted on the mare's shoulders. "It sounds like Red Gala and Big Mac are just good friends." AJ felt sick, she had said SOUNDS LIKE, ignoring the blush from Big Mac, which was looking. "I'm sure you still got a shot at 'em. Besides, she lives in Canterlot, you live here in Ponyville, long distance relationships don't really work out. I'm sure you'll realize ya like'em again. And Cheerilee, Ah wouldn't mind ya and Big Mac bein' together."
" . . . Thank you Applejack." Cheerilee hugged her. She was crying.
Applejack made a note to tell Cheerilee to stop beating around the bush after reality was done fixing itself up.
Speaking of which, Twilight and Fluttershy gasped, as the costume of Fluttergale the wolf, and Flutterlight the pegasus popped into being back onto the two mares, and the closed and locked trunk of enchanted costumes popped back into being.
Ispita got one last laugh. "I'm beaten. I lose everything. But because my contract is kaput, that means all exchanged are null and void. Including me getting rid of that trunk and that getting you out of those costumes. You're STILL going to have deal with them after this version of me is gone."
"How can that trunk have had costumes of Fluttershy as a pegasus and Fluttershy as a wolf?" AJ demanded. "Those costumes CAN'T have come from the same world!"
"They didn't. Your what-if machine STOLE THEM from my inventory after I gathered them from different timelines after I bought them from Rarities in legitimate exchanges. But since it did that on its own, and since the me that exists still in canon still has her store in her world, the trunk and the costumes remain."
Twilight still preferred the Fluttershy costume than the feeling of the Alicorn Amulet around her neck after Twilight had used an illusion spell to trick Ispita to putting it around her own neck instead of Trixie's, it was the kind thing to do after all. UGH! She hoped she and Fluttershy got of these costumes before they started losing themselves! "Rarity! You made these costumes so-- Oh right she isn't here. Auntie-In-Law, Sister-In-Law, Applejack, you can get these off right? Our cutie marks haven't changed. So we're still us! Get these costumes off us!"
In the caves, meanwhile, Rarity was just happy Big Mac wasn't blaming her for putting the shadows in the costume of herself to begin with, she guessed what would happen, but she had never intended an innocent pony to put on the costume while the shadows were inside.
-
"Something very peculiar suddenly occurs to me," said Rarity. "Pinkie, why did we gallop all the way out here, to this cave?"
"Oh, don't worry about that," said Pinky cheerfully. "I'm pretty sure that's going to not have happened soon."
Everything suddenly went pitch dark. After a moment, both of the unicorns lit their horns, revealing a wooden-floored room stacked with more crates and knick-knacks than a flea market. "Well, this doesn't make any sense either!" said an exasperated Rarity. "Whyever did we go in the prop room and turn out the lights?"
Pinkie stuck her nose into a box, then flipped something plastic into the air and onto her face. "To find my glow in the dark sunglasses, of course!" She bounced on out and back into the studio proper.
"This is why Ah stay at the farm," muttered Big Mac, following.
Rarity shook her head. "Let's go and see how the others are doing. My word, you're shaking! Red Gala, are you alright?"
"I am not all right," admitted Red Gala, a hint of a whine in her voice. "I not even certain what's real any more. Everything keeps changing!"
Rarity smiled, and nuzzled her dear older sister. "There, there. You don't have to deal with this by yourself. Haven't we always been there for each other, when it counted?"
--
Red Gala lay on her old bed, sobbing and eating ice cream straight out of the carton.
Little Sweetie Belle popped up at the foot of the bed. "Yay!! Bigger big sis is here!" She tilted her head. "Why's bigger big sis all sad?"
"Because my life is ruined!" she wailed, magically snatching another tissue and blowing her nose with it.
There was a knock at the half-open door, and Rarity pushed her way in. "I think you've had enough ice cream," she said gently, tugging the carton and spoon away and levitating them over to her little sister. "Sweetie Belle, dear, put this back in the freezer, would you?"
"Ooh, can I have some ice cream?"
"Just one scoop," Rarity declared. The filly got a sneaky look. "Sweetie, if I find that carton empty, you're not getting so much as a lick of ice cream for two whole weeks."
Sweetie Belle gasped in horror, and darted away.
Rarity sighed. "Now, will you tell me what is the matter? Please?"
Red Gala dabbed at her eyes with the tissue. "I quit my job in Manehatten."
"What?" said Rarity, honestly shocked. "But... why? That was your dream job!"
"Oh, Rarity, I thought it was." She had a faraway gaze, as if she could see the stars through the ceiling. "A job doing what I loved, for a firm famed throughout Equestria! The fabulous Manehatten night life! Everything I'd longed for!" She shook her head. "But it turned into a nightmare. They had me in a cramped room with a dozen other unicorns, producing the same gem cuts all day long.. dreadfully dull cuts that even a foal could carve. Every day, the pressure never let up... always another weekly performance review, always another mare or stallion champing at the bit to put in more hours or do the same work for lower pay..."
Rarity shivered. "I'd heard that Manehatten could be, well, a little cutthroat as they say... but I never imagined it could be as bad as that!"
"It was worse," moaned Red Gala. "Cutting gems is my special talent. Do you know what a horror it is, being suddenly inspired to create a masterpiece, and not even having a moment to make a sketch?" She shook herself. "I couldn't bear it another day, so I left. I'd hoped that mother and father could help, that I could work something out, but they're not even here... again!"
Rarity closed her eyes, gritting her teeth. "Sister... they've hardly been here at all. I've practically been raising Sweetie by myself."
Red Gala sat up, getting her hooves underneath her. "Why didn't you tell me? Do you mean to say... you've only had the bits I've been sending to pay for..." She seized another tissue, blotting her teary eyes thoroughly dry. "I feel ashamed. Here, I've been blubbering like a foal, while my little sister has been the responsible one. Well! I shall just have to return to Manehatten at once and beg for my job back. No, don't try and stop me..."
Rarity had a sudden, thoughtful look. "Do you still have much in savings?"
"Why, of course. I wasn't fool enough to hang around in Manehatten until that ran out. Why?"
Rarity lit her horn, a spark in her eyes. There was a thump down the hall, and a large box full of stacks of paper glided into the room. "I have a much better idea than grovelling to your former employer. I can open a business establishment myself, and you can help me!"
Red Gala stared, then began to laugh, smiling for the first time since she'd arrived in town. "Really, Rarity, it's good of you to try and cheer me up, but... oh." Rarity had unfolded a small blizzard of paper, hovering the sheets before her like a one-mare boardroom presentation. "Carousel Boutique? This is a lovely dream, Rarity... but a fine clothing shop, in a town where half the ponies only wear clothing on special occasions? Where's your market?"
Suddenly, Red Gala had a thick sheaf of papers thrust into her hooves. She floated and spread them with her own magic, scanning them quickly. "Questionnaires? Interview notes? How many different ponies did you... You've been doing market research!"
Rarity beamed. "There IS a market here, for stylish and practical clothes like these at fair prices." Yet more pieces of paper joined the others floating in the air, detailed dress and suit designs, lining up to pass by Red Gala for her inspection. If another pony had looked in the window, he might have thought the mares were practicing a stage show.
"Wonderful! Simply marvelleous!" exclaimed Red Gala. "You did all of this yourself?" She got a funny look and leaned to one side.
Rarity blinked. "What? Do I have something on my flank?"
Red Gala shook her head. "I had to see see if you'd suddenly sprouted a business-mare's cutie mark, or a sewing needle and thread, or..."
Rarity smiled at her three diamonds mark, and her sister's matching three rubies. "Why, it's just a special talent, dear sister. You can always get other talents with enough hard work."
"Wait, what's this?" Red Gala asked, noticing one last bunch of papers clipped together in the bottom of the box.
Her sister tried to grab that one back. "What? Oh, never mind that, it isn't important..."
Red Gala read the papers anyway. "A job application? Rarity, you were going to work in the gem mines? You?"
Rarity shivered, just thinking of all the dust and filth down there. "If I had to. I don't have enough bits saved up to open the Boutique just yet."
"But if I help..."
Rarity nodded along, getting more excited. "We could open it this very year!"
Red Gala smiled warmly, and bumped hooves with her sister at once, the way Manehatten ponies sealed a deal. "Dear sister, I've never been more proud. Yes. I do believe that we have ourselves an agreement!"
-
"Wait a second, Twilight," Cadence said, her horn starting to glow as she looked more closely at the Fluttersuit. "I've been studying shapeshifting magic since becoming the Changeling Queen. I think I can dispel this, especially since none of the mental or spiritual changes have fully internalized in yet..."
She broke off as Flutterlight yelled, "Please, Cadence! The explanations later, just get this thing off of me!"
Cadence nodded and concentrated. Her horn shone and both she and Flutterlight were obscured in the intense glowing of Cadence's magic.
Unnoticed by both, the costume trunk lay near enough to be covered by the glow of magic. Or had it slithered closer as they spoke?
Gilda and Rainbow Dash both flew in.
"Hey," Dash said, "everything's okay with Mac and Gala. I asked Gilda to come back here with me and make sure you're all okay, or did Gilda and me take a flight around Ponyville for told time's sake after Fleetfoot went to go get a gift for Big Mac? Ugh! My memories feel like mush! Hey..." She saw the trunk seeming to slowly crawl closer to Cadence and Twilight like some immense beetle.
Both pegasus and griffin flew at it, their wings wildly beating.
"Come on, Gilda, we have ta stop that thing before it causes more trouble!" Dash gritted the words out as she grabbed for one handle of the trunk.
"Yeah, okay!" Gilda snatched the other handle in her talon, claws scraping on the wood. "Yeesh, what kinda weirdo pony came up with these things -- YOW!"
The light of Cadence's magic covered both of them as well.
The magical light faded and Twilight... was still Flutterlight. She almost shrieked in frustration.
"Oh darn it, Cadence! This blasted suit -- not that I'm blaming you for anything." Flutterlight's eyes went wide as she realized what she'd said in that soft voice. "I mean!"
"It could be worse, Twi." A familiar voice said close by. Flutterlight turned and stared to see the Spa Ponies, Aloe and Lotus, standing right by her. Both of them wore looks of utter disgust on their faces. Lotus said in a scratchy voice, "In fact, it could be a LOT worse!"
Beside 'Lotus', 'Aloe' clawed furiously at herself with hooves. "No, no, NO!" She said in a rough voice like Gilda's. "After what I heard Dash tell me, no way am I going through what the big red stallion did! Or was it the other stories Dash told me about these costumes? Agh!" She felt her mouth. "Urrgh, I have lips! What happened to my beautiful beak? I could have sliced through this thing like an envelope if I had my beak!"
"You two stop complaining," Cadence said, her voice holding a rasp. The three ponies looked and whinnied to see Queen Chrysalis standing there in all her glory, save for Cadence's crown on her head. Her eyes narrowed and fangs half bared, she said, "You got off easy!"
"Uhh, honey?" Shining Armor trotted close, his eyes wide. "That IS you in there, right?" When she rolled her eyes, he weakly said, "Sorry, but with everything that's been going on here?"
"Twilight, even if it wasn't 'your' Rarity who did it," Cadence said, rising on her hind legs to scowl down at her armored body, "WHY did she ever make these things in the first place?" Her horn glowed and the suit slit down along her chest to her belly, allowing Cadence to remove it. She dragged herself from it, the suit seeming to let go only reluctantly as she did. She shuddered as she looked at the empty pile of greenish-black chitin behind her. The emptied-out face leered at her. "Urrgh! I can understand why she wanted to get out of that form and stay out of it."
"Uhh, Princess?" Cadence turned at the sound of Dash's voice. 'Rainbow Lotus' looked at her hopefully and said in a Stalliongrad accent, "Perhaps you could free us from these suits as well, Miss Cadence?" Her pupils shrank down to pinpoints as the import of her word usage sank in.
Nearby 'Aloe' snickered. 'Lotus' frowned at her. "This is not to be funny, Miss Gilda -- ugh!"
"Aw, come on Dash," Gilda said, her voice growing more melodious as she spoke. "I mean, just because you have not the will to resist the desire to become a lovely Stalliongrad filly like me..." Her own voice trailed off and 'Aloe' choked as she realized what was happening to her.
Both Aloe and Lotus flung themselves to the ground and stared begging Cadence to free them from their frou-frou fate. Cadence simply used the same spell she'd cast on herself, affecting Dash, Gilda, and Flutterlight. Bloodless slits ran down their chests to their bellies.
"Now, just pull the suits away from yourselves, and pull HARD."
"Okay, and, OUCH!" Twilight's face reappeared as she pulled the Fluttersuit down along her body. It twisted with effort as she pulled the suit along her body, it seeming to tug handfuls of hair loose as it went. "This thing... doesn't want to let go!"
"Yow! Tell me about it!" Dash pulled away from 'Aloe', who held her from behind as the pegasus mare slowly worked her way out of the suit. When it lay on the ground behind her like a deflated Earth pony mare, she turned and did the same for "Aloe', whose form slipped off to reveal a very annoyed Gilda. "Here ya go, Gilda. Make sure ya didn't lose any of your major feathers there."
"Yuck!" Gilda stretched, catlike, and examined herself. "Least that's done." She saw the trunk nearby and stepped back with a gulp. "What are you ponies gonna do with those things? And hey, where's Butterfly Butt, anyway?" Dash gave her a dirty look. Gilda rolled her eyes and sighed. "I mean, where's Flutter-whoever? Wasn't she stuck inside one of these things too?"
They all almost jumped out of their skins -- their real ones --- as a long, mournful howl broke out nearby.
"Fluttershy?" Twilight gulped to see her currently-lupine friend, muzzle tilted back, and releasing that soulless cry to the sky. "What's wrong?"
"You'd cry too," Fluttershy said as she looked at her, ears down, muzzle and bushy tail held low, half-grinning in a mildly submissive gesture, "If you saw 'yourself' end up on the floor as an empty skin. My pack will never believe this..." Twilight gasped in horror. Fluttershy looked at her, confused. "What?"
"Hey, I have a question," said Fluttercruel, deciding to let her mother recover a bit. She was a bit unnerved by what her mother had said, but felt she needed to calm down a little. "If this Pakak guy doesn't exist in our universe, why are you all trapped in mortal form...come to think of it, why are you still a goddess?!"
"I don't know..." Ispita muttered, then gasped.
"Mortals! Be tested! Face temptation and test your resolve! Show me who you are in the dark when no one is watching! I am the Demon on your shoulder that tests the strength of the Angel! I am the trials you face that prove your will! Will your light beat the darkness in your heart? Prove it to me! Show me what your really are! I am Ispita Lilith Typhon! Giver of trials and Concept of Temptation!"
"...Isn't Morning Star already Temptation?" Destruction asked, cocking his head at the tiny draconequus in front of him.
"To Be Precise," Havoc's voice boomed over head. "Morning Star Is More Correctly The Allure Of Evil. The Tempter That Leads To...Well, Yours Truly. Little Ispita's Purpose Is To Be The Tester Of Good. She Presents Darkness To Reveal What Mortals Are In It."
"So in other words," Anarchy said, kneeling next to his new sister. "She's like me and Rota? She's Free Will, but, I'm Freedom?"
"Correct Son!"
"Hey, brother, want to go play video games instead of working?"
"Sur-OW!"
"Bad!"
"She Also Ensures Those That Give Into Temptation Face The Consequences Of It!"
"Did wanting to play video games instead of working warrant hitting me with a giant golden statue?!"
"It does when you're a god and people depend on you!"
Discord rolled his eyes and tried his best to ignore the new born annoyance.
"Wait..." Fluttercruel said, blinking as the God explained. "YOU'RE MY AUNT NOW?!"
"...I guess...oh my, what a mess...AND WHY AM I RHYMING?!"
Ispita then gasped as more memories entered her head. She remembered many arguments with Morning Star when the two were on the same side during the War. She remembered the death of Destruction and her HATRED of Discord's games for being unwinnable. For being suffering for the sake of suffering rather than to test mortal's character. And cheering when neither of the Alicorns gave into the Spirits of Dark Magic and becoming Nightmares to stop him.
She also remembered being disappointed in the Sirens for falling into the abyss instead of rising up and becoming better. But not guilt for the suffering they'd endured.
And then came the real memory...
"Ispita?"
"Yeah Dad?"
"It Is Time For You To Live A Mortal Life! Congratulations!"
"What?! Why?!"
"Because As Concept Of Temptation, You Must Learn What Mortals Can And Cannot Endure! I've had One Of My Children Turn Evil, And Another Go Megami Tensei-Protagonist, I'm Not Having a Third! And Brutal Punishments Aren't Always The Answer!"
"...Do I at least get to choose WHAT I am?"
"So Long As You End Up In Ponyville. I Have Plans To Screw Your Brother Over In The Event He Escapes. Which Is Why We're Doing This Now."
"Darn it! Wanted to be a zebra..."
"Rota Can Work With That."
Ispita's horn receded into her head and her fur turned grey, black stripes forming over her body.
Ispita was sad she couldn't have at least been a Virgacorn.
The apple Cutie Mark vanished and became a Zebra styled one of a potion brewing. Her mane became black and white, but she seemed to have it more in a ponytail than a mowhawk like Zecora's, though there was certainly a resemblance between them, and she wore the same jewelry. She lost her shapely appearance and gained more normal proportions, but still seemed a beautiful.
The Coyote totem still hung around her neck, but seemed to now look a bit more new and hand carved, like it was made far more recently."
Rarity, Red Gala, Pinkie, and Big Mac happened to step back into the studio proper just as Ispita's transformation finished.
Red Gala and Cheerilee BOTH remembered an occasion when the new Zebra had flitted with Big Mac...but it was all in good nature, and after a bit of a misunderstanding, she apologized...and revealed she was testing to see how they really felt about Big Mac, as it'd been before either truly admitted their feelings for him. Though the Zebra had often proved a bit of a flirt to OTHER stallions.
They now remembered her name was Bareedina.
"Wow, she's a Zebra...wait..." Fluttercruel blinked. "There's only one Zebra in Ponyville..."
Bareedina blinked, looking around the room, her memories still forming. "I do not know how I came here, tell me, is my sister near?"
Shining Armor signed. "I guess fate just had room for a lot of new siblings."
"Mother had to put two new souls somewhere..." Snow Bound admitted to AJ. "And apparently they should do good here." AJ looked at her cutie mark and sighed, fate's branding was still there. Dammit. She wanted her normal cutie mark back already.
Pinkie Pie meanwhile hit the chest with a ruler she'd borrowed from Cheerilee and locked it. "Bad! We don't need any new weird reality changes! This universe is already in 'alternate universe territory!'"
Fluttercruel shouted. "THEN WILL SOMEPONY DO SOMETHING ABOUT US BEFORE WE START SNIFFING PONIES' BUTTS TO SAY HELLO-?!"
Applejack knew if she was the Opaque Wolf right now, she'd be reluctant to see Fluttergale go, not even had the chance to truly say goodbye. But The Blank Wolf had been right. She couldn't risk changing into the Opaque Wolf with reality as liquid as it was right now, or Applejack might truly cease to exist.
Twilight meanwhile had, thankfully, before hoof, placed the other costumes back in the trunk. That still however left Fluttershy in the wolf costume.
Pinkie Pie pulled out a party list of ponies current present.
Gilda (not a pony)
Cadence
Shining Armor
All the Mane Six
Big Mac
Cheerilee
Red Gala
Maud Pie
Coffee Swirl
Bareedina
Snowbound
Princess Luna
Eighteen guests . . . too many right now.
Cadence nodded and trotted over to the Flutters in the wolf costume. "Agreed. Let's get this off you before you start losing more of yourself."
"What does she mean Fluttercruel?" Fluttershy asked her other personality.
"Mom . . . don't ask."
Gilda had a headache. "Flutters is split personality now? Geeze."
"Not quite," RD said.
Cadence charged up her horn, this time Pinkie Pie sitting on the trunk to keep it come going anywhere even it hopped and poked.
She blasted Flutters with the spell, causing an incision along the wolf costume, though she felt her breath when she saw what might have been blood, underneath was indeed a yellow fur coat.
Gilda and Rainbow Dash didn't hesitate and PULLED HARD on the costume off Fluttershy.
"OW! OW! I'll be the omega! I'll be the omega! Don't pull please! I'll be the . . . uuuuuuugh." Fluttershy, free of the costume, felt dizzy, and vomited on the floor. "I think I ate MEAT, and what's wrong with that mother? Nothing!"
"Pinkie Pie! Incoming!" Twilight said magically grabbing the costume and tossing it to the trunk, and Pinkie Pie opened it just enough to let the wolf costume back in and slamming it shut.
Red Gala and Big Mac looked at each other, oh right, as the CENTER of the reality changes, they'd be the only ones to remember all the details.
Pinkie Pie opened up a hatch in the what-if machine. "RETURN TO SENDER!" She pushed it through, and then added a latch to keep anything else random from slipping through.
In Forbidden Fruit's home reality, canon Forbidden Fruit got a nasty bump on the head as her trunk full of enchanted costumes (they were always a great seller on Nightmare Night, she didn't even really include anything crooked in her deals there, the costumes did all the fun for her) was turned to her and hit her square in the head, leaving her having to repair it also with the hole her horn had made.
"AND GOOD RIDDANCE!" Rainbow Dash in the studio shouted. Then then looked at Rarity. "Rarity! Promise me you'll NEVER make any of those enchanted costumes again!!!"
"I promise not to make any new ones, crossing my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
"And don't bring them into the studio anymore!" Twilight added.
"Fine. Promise that too, crossing my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
"Twilight." Cadence nuzzled her. "Don't take this the wrong way, but can Shining and I go please? I want us to check on our foals and . . . and I think we've all had enough excitement for one day."
Twilight Sparkle was reluctant, but nuzzled back. "How about you BBBFF?"
" . . . I'm not going to argue with Cadence on this one. Just a bit."
Shining Armor came over to Red Gala and Big Mac and whispered, "If you ever need to talk about it, Cadence will remember even if I forget."
The two ponies nodded.
Shining Armor and Cadence shared some more hugs with Twilight.
"Forget about me." Luna said. Startling everypony, making them remember she was in the room.
Cadence shuddered, nodded, and hugged her as well.
Luna had in fact been politely staying in the background to see what Ispita's new fate would be.
"See you later niece."
"You too Auntie." The two left and Twilight waved them goodbye.
"Miss Pie.
You are holding me why?" Bareedina asked innocently of the gray pony.
"Oh, right." Maud Pie finally let her go.
She trotted up to Coffee Swirl's bar.
"Mr. Swirl,
Could you make the usual for this girl?" Pointed at herself.
Coffee Swirl suddenly had memories invading his mind of having served this zebra a few times before.
Applejack put a hoof on his shoulder. "Sorry darlin', this is one fight you don't win, sorry."
Coffee Swirl sighed and let the new existence take residence in his brain.
"Of course Bareedina," he said in his normal 'day to day' tone and produced Bareedina's usual brew.
Then Bareedina gasped.
"Oh my! I'm sorry I must bestir!
I already have an appointment with my sister!"
The zebra mare darted out of the studio in made pace to keep her appointment with her big sister, Zecora.
"I believe I shall go make sure miss Bareedina is alright," Princess Luna said, "Her curiosity about the enchanted costumes that created a Nightmare Moon impersonator spell did accidentally leave the what-if machine to spit out a trunk of the enchanted costumes from an omi-reality curiosity shop, that has now been thankfully returned." Luna said loud and clear.
AJ felt like Luna was setting things in place to avoid chaos and confusion.
"Then I'll see about talking with my sister of Fate again." She promised Applejack and left as well . . . she did have to do it dramatically with the dark blue storm cone of course.
Snow Bound said to Applejack, "I believe you can handle things from here, I'll make sure miss Bareedina is indeed stable, and that Red Gala's addition to the world hasn't resulted in any unwanted bugs. An extra set of hooves about can make tasks easier, and thus prevent you from learning the lesson that hardship was meant to teach you in the first place."
Before AJ might have argued, but now, she understood the important of fate, and the road block she put in pony's way so they could grow up.
Snow Bound became the blank wolf and bounded out the door.
Maud Pie looked at Coffee Swirl. "The rocks in your rock coffee are subpar."
"WHAT?!" Coffee Swirl's wings spread. He STILL had his pride as a coffee brewer!
Maud Pie hoofed him a note. "Here's my home town address, you can quality rocks there."
"This . . . these rocks would be bought from YOUR ROCK FARM!"
"I look out for the family business." She emotionlessly look at Pinkie Pie. She left unsaid she was the ONLY one of the four daughter to hold up the mantle of the family.
Coffee Swirl sighed. "Fine. But I'm FLYING there, no way am I spending money on a train ticket!"
Coffee Swirl flew out the door as well.
Pinkie Pie check the rooster now. Eleven ponies. Still too many. But she couldn't leave herself, she was the host!
"How long do I have before I forget realizing I truly care about Big Mac?" Cheerilee whispered.
"About fifteen-seconds." Maud Pie as reality was just about done revising itself. Though Red Gala's flash backs would likely continue in reverse order until she witnessed her own parents conceiving her.
Cheerilee stiffed. Tears formed in her eyes. She ran up to Big Mac, hugged him, and hissed him on the lips. "Love you. And not saying that because of any love poison!" Big Mac startled. Cheerilee simply lay against his body, feeling his warmth and taking in his scent.
Cheerilee then walked into the studio, from the perception of Maud Pie for the third time, but for the first for most everypony else.
There had been no two ideological sues, and no Forbidden Fruit, and so the door hadn't been opened or her either time.
"Ugh! At last! I'm sorry everypony, but I had a gut feeling that Big Mac needed help," Cheerilee said that, though she felt like she had said more than once today already. In fact, she had a ghostly sense of terrible LOSS.
"And the door was locked before, so I had to wait until somepony opened it . . then I got smacked in the face by the two hot-roder when they went out!" Cheerilee, it must have hurt a lot more than she thought . . . she was crying, but she wasn't sure why.
Gilda and Rainbow Dash looked at each other and shrank back a bit from the angry mare, well, Rainbow Did, Gilda did mostly from observation that it was the proper reaction. And . . . it finally hit Gilda: That if SHE was the one smacked in the face, she'd sure be angry too.
But Cheerilee was most frustrated than angry and . . . why was she crying?
"Big Mac, are you okay?" She finally asked.
"He had a bad run in with Sweetscoops, then Fleetfoot showed up and things really got crazy." Applejack said honestly.
"Oh my!" Rarity said seeing her old school-friend with the bruise. "Let me clean that up for you! You can't go around with a nasty bruise like that!" Rarity pulled out a make up kit and began applying some cover up.
" . . . Thank you Rarity." Cheerilee said, trying to make herself stop crying so she wouldn't ruin Rarity's generous efforts.
"What are friends for?"
Gilda (not a pony)
All the Mane Six
Big Mac
Cheerilee
Red Gala
Maud Pie
There was a knock on the 3rd wall, Pinkie Pie lowered her glow in the dark shades. She opened it up a bit, and Love Queen Chrysalis and Doc Kabuto stuck her heads up.
"So uh, everything work out with the costumes?"
"Yep. Don't worry. Thanks anyway." Pinkie Pie politely CLOSED the the third wall then, they had way too many guests.
"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get back on track and get to the 'introduce my big sister properly to all my friends' party I had planned." Pinkie Pie said to Maud Pie.
"No rush." Maud Pie said.
-
Off to one side, Red Gala put a hoof to her forehead, looking faint. "Are ya alright?" asked Big Mac, right beside her.
Applejack felt a little dazed herself, not used to seeing her brother move that fast. She edged closer so she could hear them.
"Do you remember the time we first met?" asked Red Gala. "I made some rude remark about you being a farmer, and then.... I slipped and fell in the mud!"
Her brother nodded. "Ah do now."
Red Gala got that faraway look again, and started laughing. "Oh... oh dear, this is dreadfully embarrassing! You must not breathe a word of this to anypony..."
AJ felt suddenly guilty, listening in, but her curiosity got the better of her.
Red Gala took a deep breath and told Big Mac, "Apparently... I was born because a Las Pegasus maid realized that mother and father were... occupied... a instant before she knocked on their door."
Big Mac chuckled. "Well, what'd ya expect? Some grand destiny? A prophecy at yer birth?" He winked. "Doomed ta be the fairest one of them all?"
"Ah guess Ma has a sense of humor after all," Applejack mused to herself.
"No, she really doesn't," said a cheerful voice from nowhere. "It was me."
AJ groaned. "Pandora?! Git out of mah head!"
"Woohoo! Now I have enough spoken lines for a guest credit! Bye now, see you in the next act, you silly pony."
Applejack wanted to go bang her head against something, until Rarity's big sister suddenly gasped, her whole tail doing a flip. "Now what?"
"Inspiration!" cried Red Gala. "I must have something to write with! Where's my travel bag? Where did I leave it?!"
Other ponies looked around, searching, but good old Twilight immediately pulled out a notepad and pencil and brought them over.
"Thank you! You're a lifesaver, darling." She frowned at the dull pencil, then formed a tiny blade with her magic and spun the pencil, sharpening it in an instant.
Rarity, Rainbow, and Twilight came over to see, followed by Gilda, whose sharp eyes had spotted the missing travel bag across the room. "Hey, I found it... whoa." The griffon stared... Red Gala was sketching in such a rush that she could hardly make out the pencil in the glowing blur. "A regular mad genius, huh? Cool. My uncle gets like that, designing new trebuchets."
Rainbow Dash started swaying and had to shut her eyes. "How does she not set the paper on fire doing that?"
"Well, it has to do with the grade of the pencil and coefficient of friction between the pencil and paper," said Twilight brightly. "While it's true that pencils driven by magic can attain a far higher velocity than a pencil in hoof..." She trailed off, realizing that nopony was paying attention. "Well, fine. Don't ask if you don't want to hear the answer..."
-
The what-if machine buzzed to life once again.
It showed the inside of a tower, with mirrors set about every which way, so no direction or spot was truly hidden.
Mayor Mare trotted apprehensively into the long chapter that somehow fit into the tower's frame. Mayor Mare could see every angle of herself in the mirrors as she moved, her fear and worry betraying her.
She reached the far end and stood scared before the Nightmare's throne.
It wasn't really a throne, more like a wooden chair modified to suit the Nightmare's new size. It was rather out o place in a place full of reflective silver, but even the wood had been polished to a reflective sheen.
Mayor Mare kneeled, and waited but the Nightmare didn't even respond to her.
"Uh, Queen Nightmare Mirror?"
"Ah never declared myself queen, or princess, or duchess, or any kind of royalty." The Nightmare rose to her hooves, her armor silver polished to a reflective sheen, highlighted with emeralds styled to resemble eyes.
"Oh! Of course you didn't!" She got up and bowed her head again. "Well, Ponyville has been wondering, and much of Equestria is wondering . . . uh . . . what are your demands?"
"What demands? Ah'm already doin' what Ah set out to do." The Stetson she was wearing look outright out of place with the rest of her armor and regal figure.
"Well, I mean, what is it you are expecting us to do for you? Do you want statues of yourself? A new castle? Do you want ponies praise you? Shall we start giving you tithes? Do you want your family made nobility? Servants? . . . Slaves?"
"NO!" Nightmare Mirror spread out her wings, the mare reflected in her hunching back afraid. "Ah don't want a new place Ah wouldn't know what to do with! Ah don't want privileges for my family they haven't earned! Ah don't want some dumb statues! Ah don't want money! Ah don't want ponies workin' for me without pay! Ah don't want ponies' doin' stuff for me Ah can do myself! And Ah don't ponies sayin' Ah'm great cause they're SCARED!"
"THEN WHAT?!" Mayor Mare pleaded, a part of her felt like crying. "I . . . want to know what we can do so you won't hurt my townsponies and stop . . . stop making us suffer?"
"YER MAKIN' YERSELVES SUFFER!" The Nightmare of Truth stomped her hoof, shaking the entire room. "What do Ah want? Ah'm already doin' what Ah want! What do Ah want ya all to do? Ah want ya all ta stop bein' a buncha brats and GROW UP!"
Mayor Mare tried to make herself smaller.
"Everypony keeps goin' on and on about how little white lies are a good thing! They help things along! They're what's best for everypony! Ah say, THAT is the lie! Ya tell a filly their art is great when it's horrible?! NO! Ya tell'em they need to get better, HOW they need to get better, what they're doin' right and what they're doin' wrong!"
Ah feel SORRY for ya Mary Mare! Ya politicians, ta get inta office ya gotta always tell ponies what they want to hear! Whether ya believe it or not, whether it's true or not!"
"Every choice I've made as Mayor," Mary Mare said, "Was for the better good of the ponies who make up Ponyville. I didn't go through with my campaign promise to replace all the straw roofs in Ponyville, when I realized the cost would have destroyed our finances for basic utilities and upkeep."
"Pst. Once upon a time Ah thought like that . . . that because Ah said somepony promised to do something and they broke that promise that that would make a liar. I've gotten past that naive idea . . . Ya want the truth of what Ah want Mary Mare? Ah want everypony to face reality!"
"But all the ponies who are miserable because of the things they've kept hidden being exposed! That's horrible!"
"Ah've NEVER made anypony say somethin' that was private that they weren't tryin' to cover up. The only secrets worth bein' secrets guard themselves."
"What's next? You demand the destruction of every fiction book in Equestria?" Mayor Mare snarled.
"Ya'd like that wouldn't you!" Nightmare Mirror stared right into her eyes. "That's the sort of thing ya could look at, and say, 'Look! Nightmare Mirror is ruin' foals' imagination! She's evil!' Not happin'! Stories aren't pretendin' to be real, they ain't pretendin' to be true! . . . "
Mayor Mare trembled as she looked into the Truth in Nightmre Mirror's eyes. Teenage foals lying about their bad habits to their parents until it cost them and their families dearly. A business pony lying under oath in a court that their product wasn't defective. The Flim Flams selling outright bottled lies to innocent ponies just desperate for hope, getting them hurt and poorer. A pony outright lying to their housemate about being true to their diet even if they knew it was for the sake of their health. A stallion lying to a mare about being faithful and keeping her in a bad relationship instead of letting her find a better stallion.
"THAT is what you're defending!" Nightmare Mirror hissed. "THAT is what you're championing! All those short comings and mistakes ponies lie about, all they do is causing buckin' WORSE HURT when they lie about them and pretend they're not there!!!! YA THINK AH'M GOIN' TA WAR OVER SEMANTICS?! When a pony says it's a 'nice days' when it could be called a 'great day'? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!!!!"
Mayor Mare was blown back by the wave of the Royal Canterlot Voice, her ears ringing.
"Ah know what Ah'm doin' is hurtin'! That's the price ponies pay for relyin' so much on lies to get through day to day instead of DOIN' somethin' about it! If they'd been honest with themselves AND EACH OTHER from the start, this wouldn't have happened! Grow up."
Mayor Mare ran out of the room, her mind still reeling what she had seen inside of Truth.
"That wasn't nice Applejack." Applebloom said, trotted into the room past the fleeing Mayor Mare.
"Cruelest of Truth sugarcube."
Applebloom looked at herself in the mirrors, a yellow filly instead of a black undead creature.
When the gaze of Truth from Nightmre Mirror, the ponies of Sunnytown had been forced to face the truth of their sins at last, and broken down into sobbing wrecks. While Mitta, on the other hoof, peacefully passed on, finally realizing the truth she couldn't have changed Ruby's fate, and that Ruby had forgiven her. This had shattered the curse on Sunnytown, and had freed Applebloom from the curse as well. The agonizing pain that Applebloom had endured while undead was completely gone.
Applebloom sighed and bowed her head, "Yes big sister."
-
The What If Machine changed to another timeline.
Mirror stood across from the other five Bearers in her tower, the mirrors still reforming from what was clearly a thus far brutal fight. In fact, the room was a series of floating platforms, held aloft by the Nightmare's power "Ah have to give you credit...you're facing the truth..."
The other five panted, clearly beaten up and having cuts over their body. Rarity even had glass lodged in her back. Twilight shuddered at the truths she'd been shown, but standing firm. "...Because our truth is that we're friends, Applejack. And you're OUR friend...even if that means we have to stop you..."
"...Same here...Ah can't hide from any truth, including this one: if you stand in my way, Ah can't let you stop me."
Rainbow Dash looked down, making a mental note she'd still have to apologize to Derpy when this was done. "There's no way you're just going to give up, is there?"
"Took you this long to realize the truth. And here's another one: even if yah had the Elements on yah, yah can't beat meh without an Honesty."
Rainbow Dash didn't want to admit it...but was the truth she'd have to kill her best friend to end this?
"...Eeynope..."
Mirror blinked, turning to see Big Macintosh standing at the door. "Big Mac, Ah told you this wasn't the place for you or Applebloom. The truth is there isn't..."
Mirror stopped mid sentence. Something in Big Mac's eyes made the Cruelest Truth feel like what she was about to say was a lie.
"The truth is, AJ...Ah ain't gonna stand here while mah sister does something we both know she thinks she belongs in Tartarus for. And Ah'd be a bad big brother if Ah did."
"It's for the best, Big Mac...this world is best for everypony."
"...It ain't best for everypony who loves yah. And it ain't best for those your hurtin' now. Ah don't like lies anymore than you do, but all yer provin' is there are times were the truth can hurt as bad as any lie when yah force it to be told at the wrong time. That's a truth too."
"...Then let's see who's truth is stronger..."
Mirror spread her wings, showing Big Mac the Truth. The red stallion shuddered, but didn't budge.
"...Ah love you, sister. That's the honest to Celestia truth. And Ah ain't gonna let yah keep hurtin' yerself...Ah can't call mahself your sister if Ah do...Ah couldn't help Applebloom, and Ah ain't gonna let that happen again."
An orange light in the shape of his Cutie Mark ignited over his eyes. "That's MAH truth.
Mirror looked down as lines of magic spread out from Big Macintosh, under her hooves, and to the five behind her. She turned, seeing immaterial Elements appearing on her five friends.
"...No matter what truth you tell us, Applejack...this one is the most important: we're friends. Even if that friendship can die, even if friends can drift apart, so long as we ARE friends, we're not going to let you or Equestria suffer anymore," Twilight said.
"Yah think Ah'm just gonna stand here and let you beat me? That's absurd and you know it."
The Cruelest Truth tried to open her wings, horn glowing for an attack...
Big Macintosh charged, doing a running leapt from one floating platform to another and and wrapping his front legs around the Nightmare in a bear hug, pinning her wings to her sides as tightly as his herculean strength could manage, wrenching backwards and lifting her off the ground so she couldn't get leverage to buck him off. The Alicorn's beam missed it's mark and went through the ceiling.
"Yah can't hold me forever, Big Macintosh, you KNOW that."
Mirror tried blasting her brother with magic and struggling at him, her strong, Dark Magic boosted hind legs connecting several times. She was certain she heard a rib break, but Big Macintosh's iron grip refused to let up. In fact, Mirror knew it just got tighter.
"And here's the REAL truth!...Ah ain't ever lettin' mah sister go so long as she needs meh!" Big Macintosh announced, a weezing but refusing to let go despite his fractured rib.
The six Elements ignited, a Rainbow swirling upwards around the Nightmare, blowing through the roof of the tower before slamming down on her like an ocean.
Mirror kept her eyes wide open at the Rainbow coming down on her. "The Truth is...Ah lose..."
Nightmare Mirror's tower shattered apart in a flash of white light.
The What If Machine then cut to Princess Veritas helping purify Golden Tiara of her madness with a mixture of the cruel, comforting, and balanced truths, and the help of her family, including little Diamond Tiara.
Pinkie looked at a letter. "Huh, according to the writer of Applejack's Alicorn World story, that was canon to their world. Interesting."
Meanwhile Nightmare Mirror, the one the 4th Wall studio ponies had met before personally, in her own reality, watching this in one of her mirrors, said. "So that's why that never happened in my world. After I cured 'Bloom, Big Mac Pinkie Pie Swore he'd stay by my side no matter what. Heh."
-
Applebloom said, "Ah, big sis, Ah just wondered... ya said ya weren't gonna make books o' stories an' fairy tales go away. But what 'bout stuff like this?"
She held up a thick cheaply-made magazine, its cover garishly painted with art of dwarfish Diamond Dogs dragging a pony that resembled Nightmare Mirror's former friend Rarity off into a massive cavern filled with bizarre machines under the title I Remember Le-Mare-Ia.
"Miz Twilight said she was kinda unhappy with stories like these, said they wuz destroyin' real literature..." Applebloom broke off as her Nightmare sister rolled her eyes -- all of them at once.
"Like Ah said," Nightmare Mirror snorted. "Ah got no argument with anypony tellin' stories, even trashy ones. So ya can tell Twilight that if she wants ta see them magazines go off th' shelves, then either she buys the companies that make 'em an' cancel them, or she goes 'Nightmare Library' an' gets rid of 'em her own self. Ah won't do her dirty work for her."
Shortly afterwards, Aoplebloom was passing her sister's answer along to Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow Dash and PInkie Pie were with her and looking relieved. The purple unicorn mare bore a look of dismay as Applebloom finished with, "An' mah big sis said, if ya wanna see them 'pulps' disappear, ya would have ta do it your own self. She ain't doin' yer dirty work."
"Blast it!" Twilight hefted the loathed pulp into the air and scowled at the cover. "These stories are mind-ravaging drivel! So help me, if I ever find out who these authors 'Penny Dreadful' and 'Dime Novel' are!..."
'Aw, come on, Twi," Dash said, "does it really matter, given how much ponies like them?" Glancing around, she added, "I don't read those stories myself, mind."
"Uh, yeah, me neither," Pinkie Pie said, working very hard to look innocent. Dash winced as she said, "I couldn't know or care less who writes those stories!"
Tempt the Nightmare and she will appear! In a flash of light and with a roll of thunder, Nightmare Mirror appeared in the library.
She said nothing, merely staring at the paralyzed Dash and Pinkie. She spread her wings wide and let her eyes focus on the two.
"Actually, I am Penny Dreadful," Pinkie Pie said, fighting against saying the words the whole time. "And Dash is Dime Novel. We started writing those stories after you said any nincompoop could get published in those pulps, and well, after that first check we got..."
"Yeah, an' you were right about Professor Snooty in that one story," Dash said as Twilight's eyes blazed. "She really was based on you, and we had the Diamond Dero Dogs mind-control her as a way of having fun with you."
"I knew it!" Twilight snapped. She stepped into the light shining from Mirror's eyes. "I knew you two were lying to me -- well, okay, I suspected, and I hoped nopony would learn about me writing those fake letters for Spicy Mare Confessions," her eyes went wide as she realized what she'd just said. So did those of the ponies and Nightmare in the room.
"That was you?!?" A pegasus, an Earth pony, and a Nightmare said all at once.
Twilight just sat there and turned deep violet as she blushed.
-
The What If Machine stirred again, showing Princess Veritas' world...where more or less the exact same thing happened. Except with less 'bring out every truth no matter what' and more 'Veritas had gotten sick and tired of Twilight asking her to outlaw the magazines one too many times and decided to teach her a lesson.
"Ah'm a Goddess now, Twilight, did yah think Ah wouldn't get fed up with being ordered around too many times?"
"Yeah..."
"That and yah were bein' a bit hypocrite."
"Yeah..."
"Though Ah actually did like all of your stories."
Pinkie's jaw dropped. "You read them?!"
"Applebloom got me into your two's, Granny Smith got me to read Twilight's to her cause her eyes ain't what they used to be...she used to be a bit of a 'spicy mare' herself when she was young, okay?"
Looking through her What-If Mirror, Nightmare Mirror grunted feeling a headache. "Ah swear if Ah'm gonna have one of her worlds pop up in my mirror every time yer kooky contraption tunes into one of mine." She looked right through the screen of the what-if machine right at Pinkie Pie. "Ya gotta lot ta learn about one-up-mare-ship and lettin' things go . . . ya'll figure it out after the pony with the accordion sandwich cutie mark comes to town in a couple years."
"WHAT?" Pinke Pie stared at the Nigtmare talking right to her through the what-if machine.
"Sorry darlin', Ah'm the Nightmare of Truth, not Spoilers. Ah've said nothing."
"Can we get her off the screen please?" Applejack asked shivering in disgust. Not because of disgusted at the world of Nightmare Mirror, but disgusted at HERSELF for HOW MUCH SHE WANTED IT.
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5616218
I suppose that's a good thing.
Fair enough, what's possible in one universe is impossible in another.
Rarity wasn't exactly firing on full cylinders while under that spell.
Nice!
I see.
Yes I gathered that, but why can't Applebloom touch her family or they'll die?
There are books?
Ah.
5617102
The first one is called 'Book Of Three'
5617154
Never heard of it.
5617195
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Three
5617222
Is it any good? BTW I added to the PP4WBVS's TV Tropes page, More specifically, Badass Boast.
5617227
YES.
5617242
I'm also thinking of adding Evil Cannot Comprehend Good with Ipsita being unable to comprehend why Fluttershy is so nice to her from this chapter once I've finished my commentary/play-by-play of it.
Do tell.
You know, I can imagine the two being good friends, chatting, trading stories and whatever friends do.
Ever the gentlecolt, eh Big Mac? Not that that's a bad thing.
The advantages of having a bright red coat, it's hard to tell if you're blushing.
Ever the drama queen. *chuckle*
Bubbly cheerful menace, Pinkie Pie. I can imagine that frighteningly enough.
Wonder why there's a 4th? Maybe for somepony who's coming later?
The only one who's really somepony "important" would have been Twilight, who was Celestia's student and she doesn't exactly go around flaunting it.
Did they now?
Indeed? Well good to know that Applejack respects them enough to admit it and not lie to their faces, not that she ever would.
Fidgeted. And no, considering what AJ had to go through to obtain hers.
That's not very reassuring and you know it.
Hehe. I wonder, what would happen is Discord got blasted by 3 full sets of EOH? And Rainbow Power, and Horse Jesus from Rainbow Rocks at the same time=
AJ's a business pony herself, she knows what it takes to keep a business afloat, and she's a nice pony.
I dunno.
No need to apologize, it's not your fault.
Wanna bet?
You realize that due to her nature, she's incapable of comprehending your altruism, right?
I'm sure that while help would be useful, she's not going to accept it, right?
Nothing. She's just that kind a pony. Be glad she is, nopony else is going to want to help you.
See?
Smart move.
She can just want to help you. Also:
Fluttercruel: OBJECTION!
Fluttershy: Objection Overruled. If you don't mind, that is.
Not sure, but I'd say that's a safe bet, yes.
Bull. If that was true, Rarity wouldn't be the Element of Generosity, Fluttershy wouldn't be the kind pony we all know and love, and pony society as we knowit wouldn't exist.
She's right you know. And again, you ponies keep doing my job for me!
That's it isn't it? You literally cannot comprehend it, can you?
She has a point, if that were true, then Fluttercruel would be as bad as she is in Dark World or worse.
Maud's strength is impressive, wonder how she's fair against Big Mac in a hoof wrestle?
This is actually a pretty subtle Badass Boast.
You obviously don't know the Flutters. I'm sure that the idea has flitted through each of their minds at least once, but just because they are Tempted to do something, doesn't mean that they will do it.
Your kindness knows no bounds. I swear this pony would show Kindness to even Nightmare Eclipse.
Exactly. And hurt ponies. I honestly love the dynamic between the 2 Flutters, with Fluttershy being traditional Kindness and Fluttercruel being the idea of Kind Cruelty, it's very nice, it works like a charm, and if there's something one of them just can't say, the other can.
Just like Discord's true purpose is to add chaos and change to life in general so that it can evolve and become better, because with just order, nothing would ever happen. Both fell from grace but both have a chance to redemption.
Guess that this "reformatting" will give you a chance to unknot your mind then.
It's OK, just let it all out.
On the contrariwise, you do.
Correct. She even DID in the Heart World and that friendship was what allowed the ponies to defeat Tirek Magic Thief.
She can't, remember? Sealed power, etc?
Sucks, don't it?
I see.
Guess when you're Honesty, lying is hard. And makes her literally feel sick from the looks of it.
It's OK, just let it all out.
Good idea.
Drat.
How exactly?
Correct.
I see.
I doubt it's that easy.
Naturally, Rarity's not cruel.
PinkIE. And yeah, you're probably right.
And this is why Big Mac is best pony.
You get used to it.
I think so.
You're an even bigger drama queen then Rarity is.
Genre Savvy Rarity is Best Rarity.
You what?
So you tell us.
Nor did I, and I thought Suri was bad.
Not being an artist, I can only imagine, it sounds like it would drive anypony mad. And Rarity's parents are rarely around, for whatever reason.
And you've been doing a fine job of it. Note to self, get anti-irate unicorn measures for safety.
Guess being dramatic runs in the family.
Ah, so all this is pre Season 1 pilot. Good to know, explains the Little Sweetie Belle thing.
Correct. Rarity is many things, but is no fool, she thinks ahead.
One space between inspection and If. Also, I suspect Rarity would make a brilliant actress if she were so inclined.
*snorts in amusement*
Indeed.
She does need bits to open her boutique.
Yes. Yes. Yes. This, this right here, this is pure yes.
NEEERD!
Either.
Old time's sake, not told time's. Also, I like how she noticed the trunk, it ties in nicely to Dash being able to notice a lot when flying, which makes sense, she flies very fast, and is the captain of the weather team, if she wasn't able to do that to a degree, she might crash into something.
Somewhere, the "weirdo" who had the idea of the costumes sneezed.
Drat.
BAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA! OHOHOHOHHO! OH My god, that's hilarious!
The irony is strong in this one.
He has a point.
So can I.
I think their accents are more Swedish then German honestly. Or french, I can't really tell.
It's enchanted, it's not simply like the Fluttershy suit Pinkie used in canon. And Hoofuls...
Yeah, that'd be bad.
Fluttershy and Fluttercruel.
You're still a wolf.
Nor do I.
Hello!
In a sense.
You enjoyed that.
*chuckles*
Basically.
Dunno.
I see.
Makes sense.
So she's turning to a new character.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
I see. Also, no need for the end quotation mark after recently.
I guess she's got to get her kicks somehow.
Bareedina, nice name.
Not anymore.
It'll come back eventually.
*sweatdrops*
Calm down.
That would be bad.
Yeah, we're gonna have to do something about that.
Indeed.
It's probably for the best.
But it is complicated.
*relieved sigh*
Other then ponies not really being meant to eat meat?
Smart.
*snort of amusement.*
Thank you. And it's I promise that too.
Good idea.
Right, since she's an alicorn.
Question mark after me, not period, and comma between said and startling, not period.
Well you know now.
Oh right, almost forgot about that.
Besides, she's nor harmful.
"In made pace" is strange, fix it to whatever you or the author of this segment meant.
Probably.
OF COURSE!
Isee.
Road blockS she put in ponIES wayS so they could grow up.
*chuckles*
Fair enough.
Fine.
Indeed.
Flashback. One word. Also, is she really gonna witness her parents, conceiving her? Because, that might traumatize them.
Gutsy. nice.
Hadn't opened FOR her.
"And the door was locked before, so I had to wait until somepony opened it . . then I got smacked in the face by the two hot-roder when they went out!" Cheerilee, it must have hurt a lot more than she thought . . . she was crying, but she wasn't sure why.
Hot rodders.
Yeah, that'd be bad. And surely.
No kidding.
*smiles*
Third wall? Also, one the, not 2.
We'll see.
Yep.
Pandora, of course. I suspect Discord learned his trolling from hr.
*chuckles*
No surprise there.
No comment.
Magic.
In other words, NEEEERD!
This again?
Out oF place. Also, Nightmare Mirror. Again. of course.
I doubt Celestia and Luna did either, yet they are Princesses.
Eliminate lies?
(Gonna have to continue this in another play by play.)
Calm down.
Calm yourself Nightmare of Truth.
White lies can help.
I see.
That's an interesting view.
Good, because that'd be bad.
Inside voice, Nightmare Mirror.
The truth need not be cruel.
Guess a Nightmare can do a good thing.
She knows.
They know.
And they will have, in about 5 seconds.
Called it.
Correct.
It's not. It's really not.
I wouldn't be surprised if Honesty is a general Apple family value.
*grins in anticipation* Yes...
Yes, yes, yes...
Indeed.
So? They know how to DOOODGE!
Nice.
This. Just, this.
Yep. Checkmate, Nightmare Mirror.
Nice.
Very.
Indeed.
That's quite a feat.
Nightmare Library, that'd be bad.
*chuckles*
You're bad liars and you know it.
Errr...
*dies of laughter*
I see.
I'd imagine she wou.d
Yep.
You what mate?
No comment.
Oh come on, Pinkie Pride wasn't that bad, it had Weird Al! Weird Al! And I think Imma leave this here as I'd rather not rant here. Anyway,
Fair enough.
...
(Well this was fun, wrapping up any loose ends, more of the What-If Machine acting up, not much else I can say, in the meantime, this is ShadowLDrago, singing off.)
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Wonder why there's a 4th? Maybe for somepony who's coming later?
The wolf.
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AJ's a business pony herself, she knows what it takes to keep a business afloat, and she's a nice pony.
She was paying for the forth cider they don't remember giving that the wolf devoured.
Maud's strength is impressive, wonder how she's fair against Big Mac in a hoof wrestle?
Sorry Big Mac, you'd lose. :-(
Your kindness knows no bounds. I swear this pony would show Kindness to even Nightmare Eclipse.
Yes, she would!
Mirror is my favorite NIghtmares.
And hers is the one world out of the six, that I don't think is so bad. I wouldn't mind living in her world.