Heroes and Failures
Outskirts of Appleloosa – Tree Hugger's Cabin – Front Stoop
"What..." Lemon Hearts' lips trembled. "...d-did you say?"
Lyra took a deep breath. "You heard me." She glared, eyes narrowing. "You've never ever truly forgiven yourself for what happened to all of us back in Canterlot, have you?" Her eyebrow raised as she paced around the unicorn. "Three of your bestest-best friends... turned into bridesmaids by a friggin' monster. They had their bodies compromised... their heads violated... their spirits turned upside down. When they were eventually discovered... they were all a bunch of sobbing messes. It took days for the three of us to even conquer the panic-stricken insomnia plaguing our systems." Lyra shuddered slightly, but powered through it as she scuffled to a stop. "All of those horrible things happened to us. You couldn't do a thing about it then, Lemon Hearts... and you can't do a thing about it now."
"I... I've only tried to help," Lemon Hearts murmured. "I only wanted to help you feel better..."
"Have you?" Lyra blinked. "Lemmy, we feel better. Minuette has a job. Twinkleshine has two. I've got a life in Ponyville and... and are we perfect?!" She swiftly shook her head. "No. Not by a long shot. Minuette's got this unhealthy manic obsession with doughnuts. Twinkleshine still gets panic attacks. And me? I struggle with finding a career focus. But guess what? All of those things? Those are challenges and hardships. And challenges and hardships are a fact of life." She gestured. "Just because you're imperfect doesn't mean you're sick."
"But you need therapy." Lemon frowned. "All the girls do! What you went through—"
"Was super stinking horrible! I know! But Lemmy..." Lyra shrugged wildly. "...you can't change the past! And making us obsess over it just because you missed the pain train and can't come up with another way to salvage your old friends from Traumatization Land is no excuse for putting us through some stupid, inane psychological obstacle course!"
"These counseling sessions will only make you all better!"
"No, it's all about making you feel better!" Lyra barked. "And at this rate, it's never going to happen! You've got total hackjobs taking advantage of you and—in the meantime—you've got your friends bending backwards at angles they shouldn't have to because we're not the ones who have to be cured of this crazy, obsessive changeling complex that you suffer from!"
"Lyra—"
"Learn to let us go, Lemmy!" Lyra exclaimed. "It'll be okay! I promise! I mean... we get more peace of mind from just hanging out together than we do in stuffy offices and clinics! Maybe things were different several months ago, but we're doing a lot better now! At least better than you think! Have some faith in your friends, Lemon Hearts! Let companionship mend the soul! Not hippies with textbooks!"
"If you think for one moment that I'm going to give up on my best friends—"
"What's to give up on?! Who's giving up?!" Lyra gestured wildly. "Lemon Hearts, stop trying to be a damned hero all the time—!"
"Like you're anypony to lecture me on being a hero!" Lemon Hearts snarled, fighting tears. "The only mare you've ever tried saving was yourself!"
"Oh come on—"
"Face it, Lyra! You're the same self-serving unicorn you've ever been! If you tried caring for others a little harder, then maybe you wouldn't have crawled out of that apartment alone!"
Silence.
"Wow..." Lyra's expression was bitter—far from hurt. "Friggin' wow." She bore a caustic smirk. "That's where we're reaching? Seriously?"
Lemon Hearts merely shivered in place, avoiding Lyra's gaze.
"I call you out on your deluded bullcrap... and all you can do is lash out." Lyra slowly shook her head. "Doesn't take a psychiatrist degree to know when a mare's lost all her emotional defenses—"
"Are you done?!" Lemon Hearts sneered. "Because at this point, I don't want you anywhere near us for the rest of these sessions."
Lyra took a deep, fuming breath. "Alright." Her horn glowed. With telekinetic swiftness, her saddlebag shot out the window and hooked around her flank—lyre and all. "If that's the way you want it... fine. This is a vacation for all of us, right?" She turned tail and marched across the compound. "I can get my own therapy anywhere I want!"
"Good..." Lemon Hearts huffed. "...try far, far away from everypony else."
"Way ahead of you!" Lyra shuffled straight forward... and she found open desert in waiting. "The acoustics of this place suck anyways! Among other things..."
Lemon Hearts turned away, fuming. As Lyra left, however, her trembles doubled. She leaned against the side of the cabin for support... but it was of little comfort. The unicorn's knees buckled, and she collapsed slightly, cradling her muzzle in two shivering hooves as the tears flowed freely. Lyra's words burned in her folded ears... at least until a stubborn bloodrush of determination washed them out. Then—taking a few minutes to compose herself—Lemon Hearts stood tall and proud... and stumbled her way back into the cabin.
Lyra, in the meantime, had become a lime green speck along the southern horizon...
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I don't even feel bad for Lemon Hearts.
And after going back inside, Lemon Hearts would learn a hard fact of life. Hippie walls were purposely thinned to allow a more natural flow of cosmic energies into and out of the the building. She would learn this upon re-entering the building to the judging glares of former friends and the burning-red, glazed gaze of a mare seriously harshed by her chakras.
I'm suprised Lyra just abandoned her friends. I understand her wanting to leave but not without saying goodbye at least or trying to convince her friends to join her. No one seems to be reacting appropriately due to the high emotional levels.
Well said Lyra. To bad Lemmy is being to stubborn to see it.
Also inching closer to what we all came here for too!
Even though what I wrote isn't perfect, I kind of wish it had gone a little more like this...
lyra is someone who can get over her trauma with supports from friends, not therapists. lemon hearts just need to learn to let go, or she will be left behind
And thus we come very close to the point we have all been waiting for!
Lemon Hearts doesn't want to admit that she is wrong about what she is doing because that would admit she really hasn't actually accomplished anything to help her friends. While Lyra is hash for sure she tells Lemon Hearts exactly what she needs to hear and does acknowledge that the mare cares and wants to help which is good.
And so Lyra takes the next train back to Ponyville.
Oh. You all thought this was when the Lyra/Chrysalis merge took place? It was supposed to happen in Appleloosa, right? Well, sure, the next time Lyra visits, in another hundred thousand words or so, when she takes a real vacation there, just like the story description says.
Excellent, jist walk put Lura, find a nice cave to relax in and let the story begin.
I can see both of their points tjpugj Lemon ks definitely the one who is doing more harm then good.
I actually do feel a little bad for Lemon Hearts. I think she generally means well. She doesn't want to admit that the events of the Wedding traumatized her as well, if only out of guilt for not being there to help her friends. So she over-compensates, trying to take control of the situation now to make up for her powerlessness back then. Of course, that doesn't necessarily excuse her being so stubborn about it, and it certainly doesn't excuse her lashing out at Lyra like that. That was really shitty. But I think Lyra was right in suggesting that the best thing for all of them is just to be--be friends, just hanging out and being there for each other, so that they can continue the healing process.
On a less melodramatic note, it looks like bugmare's about to begin.
Is Chryssie finally gonna appear in the next ten chapters or so?
7568190 She didn't exactly abandon them as much as she wasn't given a choice to stay by Lemon Hearts.
7568119 I do feel bad for Twinkleshine and Minuette. Lemon is subjecting them to more harm than good, and won't let Lyra save them.
Alright, nie just scene change to some other random location and we should be able to get past chapter 100 without the titular character making any sort of appearance.
Wow, low blow, Lemon. Low blow.
7568677 Chapter 97, Bon Bon helps Garnet get settled in his new house.
Chapter 98, Garnet tries his best to avoid Pinkie Pie, as Bon Bon warned him a welcome party would be bad for keeping a low profile.
Chapter 99, Flash Sentry doing office work
Chapter 100, the party Pinkie throws for Garnet, as she's unescapable.
Chapter 101, Lighning Dust being dumb. At the end we see Lyra in the desert, with nearby moving shadows.
That was so nasty, it remindd me of Harry the Magician.
Is this your card.
7568647 7568677 7568885
I'unno, chapter number hundo seems like the perfect time to start a new chitinous arc.
Oh jeez, I've never done so many flips and turns for a character in a single chapter. Remember kids: if you bring up your friend's dead parents as a means of winning an argument that had nothing to do with them, you're a shitty person.
When someone refers to their own actions as heroic, and calls themselves a hero, that's when you know they aren't any of that.
I hope Zeroxion is right. I hope those walls are thin. And I wish Minuette and Twinkleshine the best of luck in their lives once they stop wasting their money on therapy that doesn't work.
Also, no, Lemon Hearts. You do not get to bring up the apartment.
7568647
Aren't you looking forward to half a dozen chapters of Lyra exploring the desert, interspersed with the other storylines? I know I am! (No seriously, I am. Deserts are fun! And dry. But also fun!)
I want to blast Lemon Hearts for her stupidity. Like big time. She needs to be ripped a new one and told that what she's doing is actually hurting the others. Holy crap.
As for Lyra, I sense that the awesomeness will be beginning soon.
7568421 Don't give him ideas you maniac!
These emotional scenes are really... real. I can really sympathize with both Lyra and Lemmy here.
I wanna feel bad for Lemon...but yeah, blaming someone for their parent's deaths like that kinda makes me lose all sympathy.