The possibilities of a dreary day

by DerpyStarlet

Starlet Surprise

I sigh as I look at the six ponies around me. The six friends separated by dimensional boundaries, now brought together by the Elements of Harmony. How? I have no idea, and that is either a good thing or a terrible thing. Or both.

"You! I trusted you and you brought back my delusions!" Pinkie accuses, jumping from her spot on the floor and jabbing me with an accusatory hoof.

"Delusions? Is this a delusion? A dream?" Rarity asks.

"It could be some dust and a lens flare for all I know! Start talking, Buster." Pinkie demands.

"Pinkie, I'm not sure what's happening, but you should calm down. I'm sure she'll explain, isn't that right, Starlet?" Twilight asks.

"Well, more or less... just, uh... give me a sec." I say, holding out a hoof indicating I need some time.

"Give you a sec for what? So you can deceive us again? I won't do it! I don't want to see that shrink again! I mean, he's a nice pony, and I had fun throwing his birthday party a couple years back, and his anniversary dinner two years ago... but I can't be a patient again!" Pinkie cries out.

"Wait, you mean you don't know?" Twilight asks incredulously.

"Starlet, please tell me those voices I'm hearing aren't some delusion..." Rainbow Dash asks, her head still buried into my fur. I sigh as I continue to stroke her mane absentmindedly.

"Ok... a couple things. No, this isn't some sort of delusion." Before I can continue, a pink hoof is pointed at my face and a little too close for comfort.

"How do I know I can trust you?!" Pinkie screams. I don't get a chance to answer as a white hoof pushes her pink one away and Rarity steps between us.

"Because I trust her, darling. Even if I'm not exactly sure what's going on..." Rarity gives me a sideways glance.

"But if this is a delusion, then how do I know I can trust you? You could just be another delusion!" Pinkie yells.

"Pinkie!" Pinkie halts at Applejacks yell, she turns to find the farm mare on the verge of tears. She's managing to stay rather composed despite what looks like an imminent break down, all things considered.

"I know... you're skeptical. And that must be my fault... I lied to you, and now I can see what I've done. But you have to trust me, Starlet's an honest mare, and though I don't know how you're alive again... how any of you are alive again, I think you should listen to her." Applejack says, Rainbow Dash finally dares to turn around with a wide smile that only grows wider as she sees her friends.

"Wait... any of us..." Rarity asks. "Hold on, how do you know Starlet, Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asks.

"W-wha...? Well, she... she helped me." I watch as realization at what Rarity was implying dawned on Rainbow Dashs face. "H-how do you know her?" Rainbow asks as steadily as possible, a small quavering is still present from her earlier crying.

"She helped me..." Rarity says, she glances at Fluttershy who gives a nod to the unasked question. Applejack looks at the three in astonishment.

"You too, Flutters? But, she helped me too... when did she help you? After you died? Are y'all an angel?" Applejack directs the last bit at me, and I just look away. I catch Twilights gaze, she looks like she's trying to figure something out.

"After who died?" Rainbow Dash asks.

"You, all of you!" Applejack exclaims.

"But, I didn't die, you all died!" Dash exclaims.

"What? That doesn't make sense! I was the one that survived and you all died!" Rarity intrudes.

"But... the crash. I thought I was the one who lived... or did I die, and this is Tartarus?" Pinkie asks.

"Pinkie... you wouldn't go to Tartarus." Fluttershy soothes walking over to Pinkie.

"What crash?" Rarity asks suddenly.

"The train crash, the one I couldn't stop. The one where you all died..." Pinkie says, more confused then ever. Then she looks at the Pegasus sitting next to her now, not sure if she should touch Pinkie or not. "Well... everypony except Fluttershy, I guess." Pinkie says, leaning into Fluttershy to hug her. Delusion or not, it made her feel better.

"Train crash? But, the fire..." Fluttershy mutters, still holding onto Pinkie tightly.

"Fire? Train crash? I thought-" Applejack is cut off by a screaming Twilight holding her ears down and lying on the floor. Tears streamed from her eyes and everypony gathered around her quickly, eager to help their friend that was clearly distraught. I lingered on the edge of the group and sigh deeply.

"Please... please... stop, I know what happened, just stop... I-I thought these were done..." Twilight mutters to herself, shielding herself from view.

"Twilight?! What's wrong?" Fluttershy asks worriedly, Twilight gasps and looks up. Seeing her friends sincere faces, she tries to bring her breathing into control.

"I-I'm okay... I'm okay..." Twilight says, slowly rising to her hooves.

"What was that? You didn't look okay, darling..." Rarity asks.

"Twilight has been having nightmares. Nightmares where you five would start insinuating how you all died, and your discussion triggered her." I speak up, all attention turns to me and I have the floor once again.

"But I never died." Each one of them, except Twilight, says in stereo. They look at eachother in surprise and all look ready to comment on this, but Twilight beats them to it.

"You said there was another thing?" She asks, I nod.

"None of you are from the same place." I start. "I mean, yes. You all lived in equestria, Ponyville to be more precise. But different versions of it." I explain.

"Is that what makes my version different from dashes? Who died?" Rarity asks quietly.

"Well, it's a big thing, but there are lots of smaller things." Starlet says. "In fact, the biggest similarity and difference is that in each respective version, the element bearer native to that version is the last surviving member of the elements of harmony." I continue.

"So, everypony here thinks I'm dead, and I think their dead in return?" Applejack asks.

"I don't think you're dead, Applejack. In fact, I don't think any of us do. If anything, this... whatever this is, might just be showing us how not dead you are, darling." Rarity says.

"Formerly dead if anything." Twilight adds.

"I don't like to think of it as dead, but living impaired." Pinkie nods to herself in agreement.

"I thought you didn't believe me?" I say, a little shock making its way into my voice.

"I don't but... delusion or not, this is different. It feels real..." Pinkie says.

"But, who are you? I never asked," admits Applejack.

"My name is Starlet Mint," I tell her.

"Forgive me, darling, but I do believe that's not quite what she means..." Rarity says kindly.

"Of course," I sigh. "You want to know who I am." I repeat with a small smile.

"You act like it's such a difficult thing to talk about, but you had no problem telling me." Twilight points out.

"That's different, you know what I am. Not... who." I explain.

"Well then, who are you?" Twilight challenges.

"I'd like to know too." I laugh bitterly.

"You mean, you don't know?" Fluttershy gasps.

"Surprising, isn't it? I've figured some things out on my own. My name, my duties, but I don't even know where I come from. Or how old I am exactly. Technically, I just woke up not even a day ago. Before that, I was, technically, dead." I say.

"Dead?" I hear Rainbow Dash question quietly.

"It happens, my work isn't always simple. Or safe." I say. "But back to your previous question... I seem to have the strangest case of dissociative amnesia after every death. Almost like my brain resets who I am." I reply.

"That's horrible!" Flutters exclaims.

"You get used to it." I say.

"What about your cutie mark?" Applejack asks.

"It never changes, much like most of my appearance. But I'd be hard pressed to remember how I got it." I admit.

"You don't remember how you got your cutie mark?" Applejack says, all conversation stops and all eyes rest on me.

"Yeah girls, Thanks for singling me out. This doesn't make me uncomfortable at all." I say, rolling my eyes.

"Begging your pardon, but can y'all blame us? Y'all are sort of the... well, the one connection in all this." Applejack points out.

"Yeah, without you I wouldn't have any hope at all. Much less be here." Rainbow Dash says, hovering over the group a little.

"Well... that's Also not entirely true... there's Also the elements, which are what Actually brought you here. They're the thing actually connecting you." I point out.

"But how? If there are an infinite amount of realities, how come the elements were able to reach through our six in particular and connect?" Twilight asks.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure... but I think it had something to do with the fact I travelled directly between the seams behind me and sought ravisher out. Seeing as it's not strictly linear here, they travelled from Twilight and out following my path." I say. "But that doesn't explain a couple things..." I say, quietly though.

"Well, the important thing is that we're all together now." Rarity says, they all form together for a group hug. I linger off to the side, they notice.

"Come on, you're our friend too." I hesitate for the slightest second before conceding. As I join the hug, however, I feel something very wrong. Intense levels of magic rising, I pull apart to see the elements of harmony acting out. Tendrils of light attack the darkness, but the six don't notice. The void collapses around us and I leap into their huddle in an attempt to mediate the harmony, the magic attaches to me and I feel it trying to find something to change. Were I not immune to the influence of Harmony, it would probably tear me apart or force me into stasis. I feel the void writhing with the magic, trying to eject it. This is what I work to prevent, I try to preserve the Harmony. I feel the magic being forced out, but not being put back. I brace myself as we hurtle into the unknown.

Author's Note:

And... done. Jeez, that took a while... Sorry about that. And I know it's a cliffhanger, and the next story is technically up already, and canceled... but, I don't like that one, so I think I'm gonna start a different sequel. Similar, but entirely different. So, you could be excited for that I guess.

Comments

[Golden Skies]

That was a very nice ending! I look forward to see any possible sequel if you do choose to make one. While it was a bit confusing at times, overall the plot was complex and fairly original; things which always make for an excellent read. I wish you the best of luck in all of your future writing endeavors!

[DerpyStarlet]

6042560
I do have a sequel planned, I'm just not sure when it'll happen. I have a bunch of other stories I'm working on and I don't want to overwhelm myself.

[Golden Skies]

6042568
Take your time, you don't want to rush something great like this. In the meantime, I'll probably go ahead and check out some of your other stories.

[DerpyStarlet]

6042599
Please do! And, I will.

[DerpyStarlet]

6460543
Yeah, I've since figured out proper format, and grammar. But thank you anyways, it's nice to know people are willing to help.