The Day My Life Continued

by Authora97

Chapter Twenty-Four

Dark.

So dark.

Like a cliche kind of dark.

It shouldn’t be this dark. Why was it so sad?

Not sad, no. Sad was something else. The dark was just...dark...right?

Advanced Darkness.

That old bitch.

Hello Darkness my old friend.

I laughed at the old joke. After a second, I realized my laugh wasn’t supposed to echo in this kind of dark.

“Hello?” I called out, immediately feeling ridiculous. Maybe I’m just being paranoid. Maybe everything is going okay and I’m just being worried for no reason.

Except why didn’t it echo that time?

“I know someone is there.” I guessed.

The voice that wasn’t an echo but was my voice- shouldn’t be my voice only one person has my voice why why why is it can it be why does this dream hate me- didn’t answer.

“Come out.” I called out. My awareness of the dreams was fading. I knew this wasn’t life but I knew that voice was the closest way to life I wanted. “I need to hear your voice again.”

More nothing.

I fell to my knees.

The darkness didn’t echo the sound of my crying.

My awareness left me. Still I cried.

What was I kneeling on?

Why was I crying?

Who had crushed the heart in my chest?

“You always were a melodramatic bitch.”

I was always a melodramatic bitch.

“Seriously. This crying is pathetic. Would you stop?”

Seriously. This crying is pathetic. Can I stop?

...am I an echo?

“No! You’re not a fucking echo. Author’s Storyline, you’re being stupid on purpose!”

...you

I got up to my feet. Tears were still on my cheek.

“You’re leaking, Yellow.”

“You left, Purple.”

“Who’s fault was that?”

Mine.

Mine.

Always mine.

“Mine. It was mine.”

No. No it wasn’t your fault. My fault. Always, always me. Such a child. Can’t do anything right.

“I was the one who did it. I curled my hair, put in the contacts, fixed your hair. Morgue it was MY FAULT! Can’t you let me have this one thing?”

I killed her. I brought her there.

She didn’t need to come back.

Should’ve left her alone.

Everyone would’ve been happier.

Dominic would’ve killed me-

“And then he would’ve killed Lilac. Who would stop him then?”

...

“Crap- you’re crying again. Why? Is this a new thing? Do we cry now? I told Twilight to keep you from being stupid. Cry on your own time, dumbass, we have work to do!”

Then, something hit my cheek. Something so strong it felt real...

==DMLC==

“Darcy!” I screamed in agony, sitting up.

The door to my room slammed open.

Hooves came up to my side. They tried to push me back down on the bed.

“NO!”

My magic inhaled and exhaled. It stretched out around the room, pushing the ponies away.

‘She was here. I know she was! I felt her. She hit me.’

Something was in my blood...making me tired...sedative...I...thi...

==DMLC==

“You fuck slut!”

Something grabbed me by the shoulders. It hauled me off my hooves. The force (which felt like hands) shook me.

“Where are the girls?!”

==DMLC==

That time I woke up with a pained gasp.

The sedative must’ve been strong.

The room had a medical team waiting. The ponies were all watching with me with caution. A pegasi nurse was holding a syringe in her wing. A unicorn doctor had his hoof out in front of the nurse, holding her back.

They gave me some peace to wake up fully. I was somewhat grateful. The quiet let me process what has just been playing before my eyes in the dreamscape.

Because she couldn’t have been there.

“Where...” I wheezed. When I woke up, I’d jumped to an upright position. My body was exhausted, longing to fall back against the bed. Except I had too many questions. “Whe...”

The doctor let the nurse through. The nurse didn’t give me the syringe. He checked the equipment that had been beeping rapidly at my side.

Another nurse-unicorn, female- was checking the cords that had been attached to my hooves. The doctor was watching from her earlier spot.

They weren’t answering my questions.

They were...they were in lab coats.

“Doctor, her heart rate is rising.”

“And her breathing is speeding up.”

“Do we sedate her?”

Somepony knocked on the door.

“No. I don’t want to give her more of it before the tests-”

TESTS?!

“Doctor, her heart rate is spiking!”

“Her BP just dropped!”

“Give her the-”

“Give her more space! You’re scaring her!” Somepony -familiar-safe-trusted-easy to tease- ordered.

The doctor and nurses around me backed off.

The space was much appreciated. I took a deep breath, finally not needing to share the precious air.

Precious...

“Girls?” I forced the word out of my throat, pushing it past the pain.

“Safe. Discord saved them.” Twilight reported. This wasn’t her first time dealing with me after a nightmare.

“Six...” I wheezed. “Mane...?”

“They’re safe too.” Twilight answered.

That took off some tension. I took a deeper breath. “Roy’l?”

“Morgan, everypony is okay.” Twilight stressed.

“Pony?”

“I’m fine, Starry.” Thorax spoke up. His hoof touched my neck. A gesture that was meant to comfort.

That time I gasped (not from shock though, this was me happily taking in more air) out. Thorax flinched away. I held up a hoof to stop him.

“Stay.” I asked.

Thorax did. His hoof curled further along the side of my neck.

A memory- hazy and clear- came back. “Purple.” I breathed. “Purple...purple.”

“I’m here, Morgan.” Twilight assured from my other side. She came up so I could see.

I tilted my head. No, no that wasn’t right. She wasn’t the purple I was talking about. This was Purple.

Curling my head closer against Thorax’s hoof, I pushed away the pain. Purple was here. Or as close as she could be.

“Heart.” I requested.

Nopony moved.

“Heart.” I repeated, my voice getting low in irritation.

Thorax’s hoof tensed against my neck. “Doctor, she says something about her heart. Is she okay?”

“Her heart rate is steady. Well, steady as expected in these conditions. She’s very excited right now.”

“Need...th’ Heart.” I huffed. “Twilight need the Heart for Purple!”

“Oh my!” Twilight gasped in realization. “Thorax, the pendant! She’s asking for it.”

“Oh!” Thorax replied.

The Heart of Damballa was laid out on my hoof. I curled my hoof around it, using the cold metal to ground me.

She could come Home now.

==DMLC==

I blinked.

“What just happened?” Though because I was tired, it came out ‘wa juss ‘app’n’d’.

Thorax’s hoof had moved from my neck. He was brushing it down on my mane now. “You passed out. It was just for a second. Thought you were hugging me, actually. The doctors said you were okay...” He lowered his head to the hospital bed, resting it next to my head. “Sorry I got worried.”

“‘s alright. Hug you later?” I offered.

Thorax kissed my head, smiling fondly. “Promise?”

“Sure.” I shrugged. Doing so sent a sharp pain along my back. “Ugh my head is killing me. And my whole body.”

“You’re not wrong, Raspberry.” Twilight stepped forward. “According to what Thorax and Thorne have told me, Chrysalis’ throne absorbed the magic of intruders. It didn’t reuse the magic, just kept it in place. Once you blew it up, the Magic’s of everypony were redistributed back into nature. However your magic returned to you. You absorbed your own magic in addition to the magic you had been currently making. There was so much of it that your body couldn’t contain the force.”

I was listening to Twilight go on, taking in the speech as best I could. Everypony else in the room seemed to be lightly tuning her out. Thorax on the other hand, was listening to Twilight with a look so intense it was like he was recording it for emergencies.

Which I’m not gonna mock him for worrying. This was a concern for me too.

“Great lesson, Sparkle of Twilight.” I assured, my hoof taking hold of the other. “Can I go home?”

Twilight’s cheeks flushed. My phrasing had made the praise sound sarcastic.

The doctor stepped forward to Twilight. “You seem stable for now, Princess Raspberry. We’d feel more comfortable if you stayed the night for observation.”

I tensed. Thorax’s used the hoof already in my hair to wrap around my back to hold me closer to him.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I took comfort in the fact that at least Thorax was here. That my girls were alright. That Darcy would come home soon.

Thorax sighed. He pressed his muzzle against my hair. “I just wanna get out of here with the you and the girls, and go home.” He spoke softly.

My cheeks warmed while an idea came to me. “Home?” I asked, a teasing grin on my face.

Thorax stiffened. “Uh...I mean...your house. Let’s go to your house.”

“Or...Home.” I turned back to the doctor. “Doctor, what if I had a medical facility at my place?”

The doctor quirked his eyebrow. “Uh...” He turned to the Princesses, probably to see if I had such a thing. “I know you live in Ponyville, Princess Raspberry, I’m not sure your home has-”

“What if my place wasn’t in Ponyville?” I clarified. “My place is in another reality, Doctor. They have a medical facility just for me over there.” Now both his eyebrows were up. “Yeah. I do stupid stuff a lot there too. If I go there, and get checked up there, can I go?”

The doctor was still hesitant of this idea. Didn’t change the fact it was happening. “I would need the medical transcript when you returned.”

“Done. I’ll have it on your desk, first thing.” I promised.

He grimaced. He’d figured out I was gonna win this one. Behind him, Twilight was fighting back a smile. At my shoulders, Thorax was holding me tighter. “...alright.” I relaxed in Thorax’s hold. “But you’ll be on bed rest there as well! I want you to relax while in this...other world of yours! If your medical report says anything different we will have words.”

I saluted him. “Roger that!”

“Fine.” The doctor huffed. He lifted up a clipboard. “Now...I need a family member to release you to.”

The Princesses tensed.

Thorax froze.

I only noticed because he was holding me tighter because of it. “Okay. I have two daughters outside-”

“Princess, this pony must be a legal adult.” The doctor explained.

“Okay...give me five minutes with that amulet, and I’ll have one.” I supplied.

The doctor gave me a look that said I was already pushing my luck.

“I’m a Princess, why do I need a family member?”

“Because I won’t feel confident in realising you otherwise.” The doctor replied.

I huffed in annoyance.

Thorax sighed in resignation. “I can sign. I’m her husband.”

My brain blue screened.

When I came back to focus maybe five minutes later, the room was empty. Well empty except for Thorax and I.

“...husband?” I asked him.

Thorax winced. “Yes.”

“...why do I have the horrible feeling that’s not you being cute, but you actually saying you’re my husband?”

“Because you’re a genius that I love so very, very much?” Thorax smiled cutely. Like, like too cute. The kind of cute a child would smile so you didn’t punish them for going skydiving without permission (yes Lilac tried and yes she was grounded for a week).

“Oh my Author. What. Did. You. Do?”

“Nothing!” Thorax lied. I glared up at him. “Okay nothing bad. Not really bad.”

I glared harsher. “What did you do? Did the others help- is that why they left? You and Thorne worked out some changeling political thing that got us married?”

“It wasn’t political-”

“So you did admit it was a changeling thing!”

Thorax huffed. “Star can I just explain before you start panicking?”

“Who’s panicking? Not me. Even if I was- I think it’s justified! I just woke up to hear you calling yourself my husband!” I countered, curling up the sheets in my hooves.

Thorax paused. He pulled himself a chair, sitting closer to me. I didn’t look at him but I kept myself aware of his movements.

“Star- Ras-Morgan whichever please listen. It’ll all make sense when you hear it out. I hope.” Thorax pleaded.

My silence was a go ahead. My hooves were still clenched in the sheets, and I was letting my mane fall on the sides of my head.

So Thorax began. “You were right. It’s because of me, I’m not going to deny it. I was...being a drone in love. Ponies do stupid stuff when they’re in love, and changelings aren’t that different. Or at least I’m not that different.” He paused for another moment. “There’s a changeling thing- where we can decide our family. We’re all related, in the Hive. It makes more sense to choose who we want as siblings- like a mini-Hive or a family. It’s...different with ponies. Apparently. They...they’re not changelings so they have no connection to the Hive, so they’re...added different.” He made a small grunt of annoyance. “I don’t know all of the answers. It’s different with you. It’s the first time it’s been done to a pony, I don’t know- I just don’t know. I’m not super smart like you.”

There was a heavy silence after that.

“I’m not mad.” I began, working hard to keep my jaw from clenching. Thorax started to protest. “I know I look mad but I’m not. It’s just- that’s a lot. At once. To take.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.” I admitted, peeking from beneath my hair to look at Thorax’s face. “Really, I’m not. When you did it my mind went like- Error. Error. Raspberry not found. Because...not because I was mad it happened, but because I liked it.”

Thorax was gaping at me now. “You...liked it?”

I nodded, worrying my lip in my teeth. “Yeah. Then the others left, and I got this idea that it wasn’t you just being cute or a culture difference. You meant it. That’s when I started to panic, because I didn’t remember agreeing to that.”

Thorax made a noise of agreement. “I could feel it.” I must’ve tensed because he quickly added “Because I’m a changeling- not because of any connection we have. That’s- it’s not like that...I don’t think.”

The scientist in me wanted to test it, see if it could. However the realist in me was screaming ‘can we just settle down for five fucking minutes please?! Before we do anything stupid like testing a marriage connection with a changeling?!’

“When did it happen?” I asked him instead.

Thorax’s green cheeks turned red. “...our first kiss.”

Not gonna lie, I started laughing after that. Thorax rolled his eyes- a fond smile on his face.

“Oh no.”

“Yeah I did.”

“Oh man. I thought you were a dork before-”

“I know, I know!”

For ages I continued to laugh.

“So...because of this connection- that you made on our first date- we’re more like husband and wife.”

“Yes.”

“Which is why you said-”

“Yeah...you’re taking it well.”

“Give me a few minutes. I think I’m in shock right now. I woke up from a magic coma, I’m allowed to be emotionally weird...also tired. Wanna come Home with me and the girls?”

Thorax smiled. A big smile that took up half of his face. He reached for my hoof. I welcomed it.

“Please.”

==DMLC==

Lilac and Cookie ran up to me when I came out from the hospital room.

Cookie climbed around my shoulders onto my back, her claws playing with my hair like a yarn ball. Lilac just kept holding me. I held her back.

Lilac was crying against me. I sniffles, quickly wiping at my cheek before hugging her again.

“I love you, princess.” I kissed her head.

Lilac sobbed. “Mom...you were gone so long.”

“I know, princess, I’m sorry.” I kissed her again. “Oh I’m so happy you’re both okay.”

Lilac hiccuped a sob.

Cookie hugged my head. “Mama who is he?”

I glanced to my side. Thorax was there, keeping distance from us but close enough to be with us.

“That’s Mister Thorax.” I answered. “You...knew him as Mister Bumblebee.”

“But Mister Bee was yellow!” Cookie argued.

Lilac turned her head to look at Thorax. She gasped, pushing herself against me to hide. “M-Mom what happened to Mr Bee?!”

Thorax nervously scoffed his hoof on the floor. “Lilac...Cookie...I’m actually a changeling.”

Lilac squeaked.

“Mama what’s a ‘changing’?” Cookie asked.

“They can change their shape.” I explained as Lilac hugged my chest to hide. “They can turn into other ponies.”

To prove it, Thorax changed to his Bumblebee form.

Cookie gasped. “HE DID MAGIC!” Cookie cheered. She hopped off my back towards Thorax. He changed to his new form before Cookie could land. “MAMA DID YOU SEE?”

“I saw.” I looked down to Lilac. She was shaking. “Lilac, dearie-”

“Mom he’s a changeling-”

“He’s still Bumblebee. He’s just really called Thorax. Like how I’m Raspberry, and I’m really called Morgan.” I assured.

Lilac shook her head.

Thorax and I looked at each other. His expression dropped at Lilac’s reply. Cookie was playing with his wings so he kept her engaged. The fact that Lilac continued to ignore him must be awful to him.

It was gonna be a long road before we got to be a normal family.

Holy shit we’re a family.

“Hey honey?” I squeaked.

“Yeah babe?” Thorax replied.

“Remember that thing I said wouldn’t hit me yet?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s hitting me now.”