Chapter 44
Diane followed the filly through the winding maze. She was unsure of her footing, as even the ground beneath her looked little different from the surroundings. As far as she knew there could be an unfathomable abyss beneath the flimsy ground she stood on. The young pony was much less anxious as she led the way, completely assured.
What is she? Diane thought anxiously. She seems nice at first blush, but what do I know about her? She could be a literal demon!
For a half-second, Diane felt relief; then she realized a denizen of dreams could inflict untold horrors unto her. At least in the waking world, she could rely on her lauded power and fighting spirit.
And the whole reason I’m here is that there’s something in the physical world we can’t just plough through. Put that way, it’s rather fitting that I’ll have to get a little uncomfortable.
The filly turned around unceremoniously, announcing they had reached their destination. The “room,” if it could even be called that, took about the same liberties as other dream landscapes she had recently experienced. The space that could be occupied was framed by a simple, but maze-like patterning of heterogeneous walls of varying transparencies. To the filly’s back was a landlocked void. Paths on either side of it converged into a rocky, triangular dead-end corner.
“So where are we?” Diane asked, carefully adjusting her intonation to veil a slight impatience that had been building.
“Nowhere, and everywhere,” the filly said, with weak jest. “I think I understand it a bit better now.”
Long tendrils connecting the soft floor and the ceiling began to light up.
“This… well you can see for yourself.”
A vibrant image of a plain room came into view as if projected into the void in front of her. Diane turned instantaneously to assess the threat—and the image followed her gaze. Trying to remain calm, she tested the projection further by running her eyes along the crusty grey wall and observing that it would remain centred in her field of vision.
“What—”
“I can tell you what you would figure out on your own. This is your... brother’s mind—to what extent I don’t know. To tell you what more I know would take days—a bigger problem for you than me, admittedly.”
“What do you mean?” Diane asked.
“Have you ever spent hours studying something from ground-up, learning every detail large and small in a very short period of time? You know how you practically feel the knowledge weighing you down, while at the same time experiencing the elation of mastery. And then... one innocent question poisons the well, and the whole citadel of knowledge creaks under the strain. Yeah, teaching from that position is… difficult. Also, you’re in a hurry, and I have nothing but time. Yeah… I probably should have led with that one.”
The creature’s answer sounded fishy insofar as the words used went, but the rest of Diane’s intuition was inclined to believe the filly.
Diane sat down and watched. As guarded as the filly was, Diane could tell that she was extremely happy for her company.
“Ponies?” Diane asked, after a few minutes of observation—more an acknowledgement than any expression of surprise.
“What? You aren’t going to call them “colourful horses” or remark on the wings and magic?”
Diane felt a jolt and raised her mental defences again. It wasn’t a major misstep, but she had to be careful. It shouldn’t have proven anything, but she was inclined to put more stock into what lucid dreams may reveal.
So I guess it’s true than Aron is a pony now…
“Why’s the perspective so low?” Diane asked as if afraid Auburn could read her mind.
“What do you mean?” the filly asked, with an indifference that backed up her “nothing but time” situation.
“Well, compared to the wall, they all have to be no more than three to four feet tall. Are they all children? But I think I saw some soldiers…”
“Those are the adults.”
Diane practically flinched in surprise, and her expression was probably no less dramatic. “My people are already short. We’ve never forgotten that fact—even without a frame of reference. Minus the antlers, I’m barely five-feet tall…” Diane suddenly remembered the reason she originally asked. “Wait—Aron is—must be… foal-sized…”
Rather than respond, Auburn patiently observed the Rhod for a few moments as she contemplated the scene.
“I see: you couldn’t tell what’s real here. Yes, Aron really is a filly now.”
Diane froze up, concerned about leaking further information.
“It can be trusted more than you think. “Real dreaming” that is. Have one dream that touches the depths of consciousness, and after that, every lesser dream is just noise.”
“So is this some kind of hub? An intersection between all dreams? Are you some sort of keeper?” Diane asked, changing tack.
Auburn shook her head. “I really don’t know.” She smirked, apparently amused at Diane’s lacklustre reaction. “What, do you think I am some sort of a navigator ghost that warps space to bridge people across vast distances? That’d be ridiculous.”
“Dress,” a word spoken by neither of them eerily reverberated through the room. Diane looked around trying to locate the source of the word, before a ripple in midair resolved into a window.
An adult pony was now in front of Aron with three gorgeous tiny dresses draped over her back. It looked like there were gems embedded in them even, which perfectly complemented the predominant colour of the dresses.
“How about none of them?” Aron asked, defeat in his immature voice.
“Come on,” the pony female patiently intoned. “She worked really hard.”
Aron sighed. “I can only blame myself for this one. I thought I’d use the gift certificate I got for free as a nice gesture, but Pish and Posh just had to own a fancy restaurant with a stupid “dress code.””
A tiny hoof pointed at each of the garments in turn, before coming to a decision. “I guess that one might work with me. She is good at what she does...”
The bigger pony nodded, handled the victorious dress with her mouth, draped it over a mirror and quickly left.
“Oh… oh.... that happened. I—I don’t know…” The filly was clearly troubled, but it looked like the productive sort of worry that usually had her feeling better on the other side of. Auburn had tried to tell her, but this really reinforced that she wasn’t an entity of great power, and was even relatable.
“I think a lot. Aron… thinks a lot,” Auburn said aloud watching the scene alongside Diane. “If he knew that I am what I think I am, he’d probably hate me. Honestly, I can’t blame him. In abstract, I seem so oppressive. Honestly, I’m more benign than anything else, but that’s not too exciting.”
An awkward silence fell between the two as they wrestled their own thoughts.
Was I wrong for micromanaging my interaction with her? It’s like nothing’s off-limits to her. Or maybe she’s just lonely?
“So what’s that?” Diane, asked, quickly to change the subject, pointing to an overhanging grey tendril dangling as uvula would.
“It’s like a microphone,” Auburn said, with more confidence than perhaps was warranted. “Or at least it’s supposed to be. Half the time I don’t think it works at all, but you can try to say something if you’d like.”
Diane suddenly felt laid bare in a precarious situation. Should she risk divulging some of her mission on the off chance her brother could help her? She could also play it safe, but the spectre of losing an opportunity to speak to Aron in such a direct manner weighed on her heavily.
The filly trotted a little to the left and slowly swung her gaze back towards Diane. “You can always come back here, you know?”
The Rhod practically flinched at her sharp insight. “How…?”
“Just a lucky guess I suppose. Or maybe I just thought, what I would ask myself if I were in this situation. Regardless, it’s a valid concern.” The filly cocked her head somewhat bashfully. “You know, it might just be a natural reaction to the unknown. After all, this bizarre caricature of reality is not your true destination. You have a mission, right?”
Diane was taken aback a second time in succession, but she stifled her reaction as best as she could. “That may be the case,” she said, uncertain.
The filly waved a hoof, shaking her head. “No tricks this time. It’s just common sense that someone who comes here with a “driven dream” has some business to be done. I’ve kept you long enough.” Auburn took a few disarming steps towards Diane and regarded her patiently. “You can tell me if you don’t want me to play the tedious game of reading between the lines.”
Somehow, even the most innocuous actions from the young pony girl seemed threatening.
Diane breathed in, realized it probably wasn’t a necessary function in this realm and deliberately exhaled. “House Keeper. Do you know anything about her?”
“Probably more than she’d want me to share. She is… very difficult for me to face…”
Diane took pause to weigh that statement, staring at the undulating mushy grey floor. The comment felt important, but understanding felt distant.
“You have a mission, don’t you?” Auburn suddenly repeated.
The Rhod locked eyes with the filly. She was struck by how “human” they looked, despite their size. After a lengthy pause, Diane weakly nodded to finally answer.
“I promised I would guide you there, so come along.”
Diane followed her for a few tentative steps. “Wait, why do I need to be guided in the first place? I’ve been in House’s dreams before.”
The filly scratched her chin with a forehoof. “I think I know what you’re asking, but technically there are two questions I could answer. For one, you don’t have a direct link to the Korpix filly; it was all through Alice here.”
“Alice…” Diane said weakly, a recollection of the name from past dreams flowed into her.
“For the other question—more of a pun, really— showing you the way once will definitely stick. You’ll be able to navigate to anywhere you’ve been before. It turns out the slumbering mind is perfect for crafting memory and learning things”.
“Thank you,” the Rhod said deliberately.
The filly did a twirl of all things. “No problem. Just come visit from time to time, whenever you get the urge to get inside your sister’s head.”
“Sister? Huh...”
“Or brother,” Auburn offered. “Honestly, I’m starting to think that they’re just words.”
With that, the two unlikely companions set off on their trek, with only tentative gestures at conversation.
I dropped by to pay Blue Horizon a visit. I had spent the better part of an hour trying to work out the puzzle that was Noble Truth. Hoping to put failure behind me, I picked the closest pony in my desperation for some accomplishment. The ultra-competitive filly opened the door so quickly that it made me wonder.
How bored is she to answer that quickly?
My 'rival' smiled subtly after seeing it was me.
“Oh, hi, River, thank you for coming to see little ol’ me. Haha. I know it’s your job and everything, but I’m flattered still, you know?”
Seeing the contrast between her two personas really threw me for a loop. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to challenge her on her modesty, or if that would make me her my double-rival.
“So have you thought about what we talked about? What sorts of rivals do you have?”
She was staring right at me, so I retreated my gaze to the floor. I imagine those inquisitive eyes were Celestia’s daily challenge with the transfer ponies.
I don’t know what I’m doing. Please don’t catch on…
She cleared her throat. “I had—have rivals at school. I’m pretty competitive, so I always want to be at the top of the class.”
“The top you say? That’s pretty ambitious.”
“Well, actually, with me, I know I’m not the smartest, so I pick someone will get similar grades to mine and just try to beat them. It’s like we have similar handicaps, you know?”
The golf reference threw me off. It didn’t seem to fit her image at all. Then I remembered that unlike Noble Truth, her family was one of the more affluent ones.
Maybe that’s a hint. She could have an overbearing mother pressing her to succeed or something. I thought, in spite of Celestia’s notes disputing that.
I had an idea.
“Say, Blue Horizon…”
“Hmm?”
“Do you ever think about competing with yourself? That works pretty well with me.”
She actually perked up at that comment. “That’s actually a very interesting question. Come on in and chat some.”
I accepted her invitation and trotted in. Her room was more colour-coordinated with her fur than most of the other students’. Everywhere was blue, and there was even a poster of a horizon.
I couldn’t tell if it was her own sense of humor, or Celestia’s.
“Well—I think you will understand it actually. If you’re trying to be the best you, you’re sort of competing with whoever the other high flyer is,” Horizon explained.
“I guess... maybe…” I said, noncommittal. I was inclined to agree with her, but I doubted acknowledging it would further my cause.
I shook my head, still expecting my recently-cut mane to whip around a bit.
“It doesn’t matter. Blue, you can better yourself without trying to beat somepony.”
“Well—that just doesn’t sound like fun. Yeah, that’s it...”
I took a step closer to her, which seemed to make her a little nervous, so I drew my hoof back. “Anyway, friendly competition can be great. If you’re both there to compete, like in sports, it’s fine. But outside of it, it can be intimidating for ponies that don’t want to be your rival.”
Looking back: I almost certainly said that in a complete self-interest.
“You sound like you know what you’re talking about,” she said, and then froze and waved her front hooves, as if hoping to wave off her completely pedestrian comment. “Not to pry or anything, cuz I know you’re busy being a princess…”
“Not a princess,” I said curtly.
“Oh, right. Anyway, what do you think I should do?”
Stop trying to compete in everything.
I really wanted to say that, but I figured what Celestia would do in this situation was to try and understand this filly a bit more.
“So, do you like these competitions?”
Her eyes lit up and she tapped her front hooves a little. “I love them! It’s a blast! It’s what I live for. That competitive blood. It’s what moves me—drives me!”
I frowned. Why can’t it ever be easy?
I felt a jolt—an idea, perhaps!?
“Maybe you can do both…”
This is a terrible idea! What am I saying?
“Really!?” she said, hopping in place.
“Well… perhaps you can step back a bit. Have a competition of competitions I guess.”
She seemed to grow even more interested.
Too late to back out now. I should’ve chosen my words better.
I sighed. “There might be a way where you can compete with yourself and also compete with me?
“Tell me,” she urged.
Now I also had misgivings about the merit of the idea as well. “It’s nothing special. Just we compete for who can complete the most goals?”
“You play soccer too?” she asked, completely oblivious.
Sometimes it’s too easy to forget that I’m dealing with a bunch of silly ponies…
“It’s more like a list,” I explained, doing my best to come across as patient. “You’ll do your challenges; I’ll do mine. Then we just see who can complete more goals.”
She cocked her head and seemed to stare at the ceiling for a moment. After apparent deliberation, her pep returned. “Sounds good!”
“So are you in?”
“Of course!”
Not that that was the difficult part.
“How do we decide the challenges?”
“Oh, we can give each other the challenges.”
“But what’s to stop making the challenges too hard?”
“I’m sure we’ll figure it out.”
“You’re on!”
I felt a sort of tension around my back hooves. I didn’t know precisely what my body was telling me, but I was sure it had something to do with my misgivings regarding my desperate gambit.
“Well—”
“Well, I need to practice now,” she cut in suddenly.
“Soccer?”
“No, mahjong. I play with a group of fillies, and they’re really good. Have a good night, River!”
With that, she galloped off.
“Hah? Normally I’d have to negotiate my way out the door…” I said to an empty room. These foals—most of them, anyway—had an annoying tendency to want me to themselves for as long as possible.
I noted a fresh example of this world’s strange complexion: she left me alone in her room without a care in the world. That just wouldn’t happen at home.
I smiled deviously.
Celestia prevented me from waving the white flag on her princess test, but that doesn’t mean I can’t adopt the same tactic elsewhere. I’ll just do the bare minimum to keep her competing with me. I don’t have to play to win.
She just needed to be more self-assured; then friends would follow.
Isn’t that just the colts though? Or is it a common thread with all these ponies?
I shrugged. I wasn’t about to turn away anything that might make my job easier.
“In conclusion, I don’t think other ponies really understand what it’s like to stand out so much,” I explained to Pink Diamond after what must have started to sound like a rant.
“So you think they look up to you?” The filly asked, returning to her original question.
I let out the tiniest sigh. Occasionally she showed insight, but then I’m reminded that she’s just a foal. Really, it was pretty obvious from my vantage point that I’m not a normal foal.
We had run later than usual, so we had only a few precious minutes before school would begin. Stardust had finally given in and started “booking” my daily two mock court appointments. She had a sort of devious touch to her in that regard. Still, most of it was wanting to take the point in the next “stage” of the Anti-Annuity Alliance. Truthfully, I was glad that pacified her.
I looked around, and something felt off. Then it occurred to me that nopony had accosted me. I smiled at my good fortune and made my way to the water fountain… where Annuity was waiting for me.
Wasn’t it a corollary of the great philosopher Murphy’s teachings? Mention a good thing, and it’ll go away?
“You’re going to have to talk to Stardust if you want an appointment,” I said, somewhat awkwardly. It was the wittiest thing I could come up with on demand.
She scoffed, for a moment returning to her usual complexion, before sinking back into being… somewhat less haughty.
What’s she doing? This has to be a trap.
I felt a lukewarm breeze blow towards the schoolhouse. I could hear a few different types of birds singing in the distance.
“What can I do for you?” I finally asked, stumped.
“What do you think?”
I shook my head. She was getting the better of me with this weird psychological attack.
“Is it about Bubble Bauble?” I asked, against my better judgment as I took a single step away from the confusing conversation.
She took a few steps sideways as if motioning to cut me off. Then she scowled. “That too. I find it hard to keep track of all of your atrocities.”
I wonder what she’d call the Lynx Empire, then. I thought, unfazed by the exaggerated personal attack.
“You know what I’m talking about… redeeming me…” she said weakly.
Earlier in the conversation, I might have just equated this to her baiting me. But those timid pony ears tend to tell the truth.
“Huh….?” I finally said, my exasperation seemingly hanging on the air.
She stamped her hoof. “Don’t make me say it again! Princess Celestia gave you a mission, remember!?”
“She did?” I asked, with an impulsive playfulness sure to rile her.
She fumed.
“Oh, yeah… she did say something like that at the hoofball game.
She exhaled.
“Why would it be my job to redeem you, anyway?”
“It’s what princesses do!” she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Her conviction ushered me past the befuddlement stage. “So, do you want to be redeemed?”
“No.”
I did a double-take. “Really?”
“Yes.”
If this is her idea of a prank, then I don’t know—
“You’re supposed to try, though! Get around to it, now. I’m top priority!” Annuity ordered.
With that, she trotted into the schoolhouse, chipper.
“Ponies sometimes…”
I registered the school bell faintly in the back of my mind, and my little legs found their way to my desk. Fizzle clapped to start the day a bit earlier than expected; then I realized Annuity took away my relaxation time!
“Okay, everypony! I have an exciting—and baffling—but exciting announcement to make.”
There was a low murmur suggesting this wasn’t entirely unexpected. I must have looked as excited as Annuity was when I was announced to the class.
“Due to a bureaucratic error, a twenty-sixth pony has been transferred into our class. Although district policy is clear about class sizes, we couldn’t leave the poor foal without his education. Unfortunately, we were out of desks. Princess Celestia was notified, and she had an…. Interesting proposition.”
She seemed to drone on, baffled more than anything else. “Anyhow, introduce yourself.”
A little pegasus colt arced over the podium like a curveball. He had a grey coat, a medium green cropped mane, and a smile ready to take on the world.
“Heya! My name is Alibi Align!”
For an impressive moment, his confidence seemed to entrench itself throughout the room.
And he let it sit.
And sit.
Finally, he casually looked to Ms. Fizzle. “Line?” It got a few laughs.
“You’re supposed to tell them about yourself.”
“I’m a pegasus, I’m about fourteen inches tall, I have red eyes, and my net worth is approximately fifty-nine bits!”
Ever fewer laughs this time.
“Okay, Alibi,” Fizzle said with her typical disdain for jokes, “I suppose one of those facts was as prescribed. You can take your seat now—there.”
Finally curious I looked up and flinched when I saw a desktop suspended menacingly from the ceiling—ready to squish a filly.
“How is he going to be able to write upside-down, or see?” Annuity asked casually.
“Don’t you know?” Zephyr Zap was smiling. “We pegasi are great at seeing upside-down!”
There was some laughter at Annuity’s expense.
While I had looked away, Alibi Align approached a mini-staircase of three steps. A similar arrangement was placed at the apex—on the wall.
Alibi started repeatedly climbing up and down on the first three steps.
“And going up the stairs and going down the stairs and going down the stairs. And going up the stairs.” He paused, declared “and going up the sideways stairs!” and did just that.
“How does that work?” Pestle asked, genuinely curious.
“It’s a basic gravity spell,” Fizzle explained. “A highly localized field has been placed on the ceiling, but it drops off quickly after about three feet.” She seemed happy somepony was happy to learn about something.
Meanwhile, Alibi wasn’t done being goofy. He started to trot in place, swaying side to the side and occasionally spining in place. “Look at me: I’m dancing on the ceiling!”
Squirt shook his head. “Man, I shouldn’t have eaten that upside-down cake…”
Ms. Fizzle wasted no time transitioning to a math lesson. It was mostly review. In the short-term, I had seen a boost to my grade, whether it was because my teacher wanted to flatter an alicorn or genuine progress on my part. But lately, I regressed to where I was before. I hadn’t told Celestia, but my shortened attention span really started showing. When I wanted or needed to, I could lock-in, but boring lessons dragged and I made more careless mistakes in my homework.
I coasted through another princess session with my classmates; Bubble Bauble wanted tips about the high society that I simply didn’t have, while Mortar Strike asked about military secrets, of which I knew even less!
Finally free, I pranced out the door. I must have looked somewhat regal in my walk, showing I could be shaped by expectations. I began to remember my upbringing and started to wonder how much I had been shaped by expectations. This pleasant quandary, however, was interrupted.
“Hiya!” the new pegasus greeted.
“You’re going to have to come to my desk after school if you want advice.” I started to walk away but stopped when I realized how cold I sounded. “Welcome to the class, though. I’m just tired.”
He followed me. “Not really advice—I just wanted to chat a little bit,” he said in attempted persuasion.
I half wished Style or Stardust would play their part and intervene to enforce the apparent “rules” surrounding me.
I made circular motions with a forehoof as I thought. “This may sound like I’m full of myself, but everypony wants my attention these days. If I listened to them all, I’d be here all afternoon. I’m sure you are interesting in your own way, but I have a mission from Celestia—as silly as it sounds.”
He casually stepped in front of me and cut me off. “Do you know who I am?” he asked with anticipation.
“Yeah, you’re a pegasus colt that’s fourteen inches tall and everything else.”
“Cooler than that!” he pleaded. “Come on, I’ll give you a guess.”
“Okay, you’re a changeling spy trying to overthrow Equestria, but that makes no sen—”
He smiled.
Ponyfeathers. I’m right aren’t I? Princesses redeem, huh? But why let him join the class? I’m pretty sure the schooling laws don’t apply to changelings—to enemy operatives.
“Wow! How’d you know?”
I thought of the stupidest explanation I could. Maybe that’s the method to Pinkie Pie’s madness...
“I don’t pretend to understand it, but I think Celestia would trust you, for some reason…”
“I’m on a short leash,” he admitted.
“Alright. What do you want from me, then? I wasn’t lying about the mission thing; it’s a pain, but I agreed to it.”
He blinked, a blank expression betraying disappointed. “Oh, I just thought you’d be excited to redeem me.”
“Oh, come on!” an obnoxious voice cut in. “You’re redeeming that dork instead!?”
“Be quiet Annuity,” I said reflexively.
I looked to the wide-open blue sky, spotting Star patiently watching from a cloud.
“Yeah, I know: it’s not your job to watch me, but for starters, you’ve gotta tell me. How could you possibly be so strong!? I’ve never met another hatch—foal who could even land a hit on me!”
“It’s not an alicorn power, but it’s unique to me. Not that I’m saying I’m overly special—not the princess thing, but I fit in several unique categories.”
That didn’t sound much better than saying I’m special…
“Cool. Well, it was nice to meet you again.” With that, he flew off into the clouds that were being pushed in by the weather team.
How often do I meet anypony—let alone an attempted kidnapper—who knows when the conversation has come to a natural end? I guess today is a good day.
I was almost at the point of praying to be anywhere—doing anything else than where I currently was. The intermingling smells of some of the finest food in Canterlot was the only redeeming quality. For what little I could discern, the interior design and art lining the wall might have been a second, but the dim lighting of the restaurant concealed that. It was remarkably cramped, considering its menu prices. I was only a few paces behind the next table, and it made me wonder how expensive Canterlot real estate really was.
Pish and Posh’s family restaurant had a reputation among the elite. Honestly, part of me had expected a random taco shack, but they associated themselves with Annuity, so I should’ve expected “class.” Truthfully, it was mildly humiliating. I was swimming in a big, fancy wooden chair sized for adults, with most eyes in the room on me as I methodically polished off my appetizer salad, hunting down loose pieces of tomato. Even the silverware and plates seemed pretentious in this restaurant.
Across the table were three colts: Hail Stone, Rough Rider and Brass Ring—my triple date. I hated the idea, but the tuxedos did just enough to make such a misunderstanding plausible. The contrast with their apparel emphasized that none of their colours really stood out by pony standards, but I’d be hard-pressed to name their various shades. I had wanted to bring them together for potential synergy between their problems, but the atmosphere made my plan folly.
Their eyes were all on me. I could tell I wasn’t stirring their desire, but there was an off-putting admiration about it.
Beauty, huh? Is this what it feels like? I was convinced it was a trait I’d never have to worry about, yet here I was. I was fortunate that Style cut my mane so short; otherwise, I was sure I’d be obliged to do something with it. Still, a thorough combing brought out what potential it did have.
I sighed. They’re done eating, so I’d better do what I came to do. I can’t let my sacrifice be in vain. The good news was that these colts weren’t as enamoured with me as Mix-up was.
“...nice that she finally looks the part.” The voice of some anonymous diner said.
I lightly pounded my forehooves on the table and sighed.
Posh, my classmate, trotted up to me, wearing a silly-looking bow-tie.
“Need a refill?” he asked.
“Oh, yes, a lemonade, please.”
He nodded. “It will be done.”
Out of character for him. I thought to myself. It then occurred to me that I had almost never spoken to him or his sister before.
“So, Rider, what do you look for in a friend?" I asked patiently. I already knew, but it was probably for the best that I didn’t let on how much Celestia had told me.
“Strong ponies! Ones that can really stand out! I want to be with the movers and shakers you could say. Not that they have to be trend-setters—just really cool.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my oversized seat. My unassuming plan had led me headlong into a dead end.
“So why do you have those standards?”
“It’s about being selective. They’re my friends, so why shouldn’t I go for the best.”
“You'd think a princess could get a better dress,” came an unsolicited critique
“You sophomoric socialite, don’t you recognize Rarity’s work...”
I felt a series of conflicting emotions. I took it personally; the Element of Generosity had put a lot of work into it.
I made eye contact with Brass Ring, who was sitting in an adjacent seat. I had another idea.
“Well, why do you need the best? Even if they’re imperfect, shouldn’t your friends being good for you be the only thing that matters?”
I stopped just short of literally gesturing to Brass Ring. Hint hint.
I got a chiding shake of the head from the greyish earth pony. “You really don’t get it; I don’t think you’d understand. I know what I have, and I’ll settle for nothing less.”
“That must be one heck of a friend you have back at home,” I acknowledged with some reticence. “Anyway, Brass, I think this proves you’re plenty good enough.”
All three of my charges looked at me with bamboozled expressions—so much so that I felt compelled to immediately clarify.
“Rough Rider has harder than normal standards for friends. He may not be the best friend for you, but it’s not like he hates you.”
Brass swallowed a grape. “But that won’t make me any friends…”
“It just might.” I said with false confidence. “You see, Rough Rider here doesn’t hate you or anything. He’s just not a good friend for you. It’s nothing personal about it.”
My bold statement seemed to hang in the surrounding atmosphere. I just had to hope Brass wouldn’t dispute my assessment.
Rough Rider shrugged. “I guess... He’s not especially cool or anything, but not much to stand out.”
Brass Ring slunk. Then all three of them looked at me, with varied expressions.
Think. Think! I need an ide—Aha!
“Was it really that bad?” I asked quickly in order to leave him no time to answer. “I think you faced your fear. Now that you know what it feels like, it might be less scary in the future.
He looked down. “No, I know this feeling well. It’s not fun…”
“The little one has it backwards: that’s not how you herd!” A passing voice rudely opined.
I groaned, nervously smoothing out a wrinkle in my dress.
Rough Rider shook his head. “A filly wouldn’t get it. Stallions have pride. Emotions come in second.”
I bit my lip. So many things I wanted to say to that.
Why do I keep running into that? I’ve never done anything to flout femininity.
“I—I hang out with colts a lot… I don’t think it’s so different.”
It was the first time in a long while I had wanted to spill the beans and tell everyone that I had been a male for most of my life.
I looked down at the pretty cloth bunched near my flank.
It’s pretty hard to feel masculine right now…
I pressed on my cheeks with both hooves, imploring myself to focus on the task at hand. Everything I said just made everything worse!
“I believe in you, Brass Ring…” I said weakly.
“Oh, you do…?” he didn’t seem convinced.
“I may be at the top right now, but really I was pretty low in the pecking order of the fillies in my class.”
“That she was,” Pish cut in, sneaking up on me as she filled the colts’ water glasses with a magically manipulated pitcher.
“Thanks.” I said. It was hardly an innocuous statement by her, but I was too confused to say anything else.
“Yeah, when Annuity knew, which was before the play, she was about to switch to the playbook on bullying fillies. You really only had Zap and Stardust, and Annuity thought she could isolate you easily with a mean rumour or two,” Pish explained.
“So… you don’t have a ton of friends at school yourself?” Rough Rider asked rhetorically.
Progress!
“Then what makes you the expert?” he continued.
Well, it was good while it lasted…
“You will probably get a lot of empty compliments, but that really is a lovely dress,” Pish said.
“Thanks,” I said warmly. After all, it wasn’t the dress’s fault that I was the one selected for it.
Pish looked over the table as if weighing the dynamics of my table. She then took a carefully measured two steps away. “Well, it may not be a mingling, but cheer up boys! She’s still lucky to have you three handsome gentlecolts to herself.”
I was stunned for a moment. Then, I made eye contact with the “gentlecolts,” hoping they also perceived the insult. What I found, however, were three more confident friendship students.
She’s…helping me?
“Not a mingling? Surely she knows not to tease colts like that. It’s good that she’s starting to mind appearances more, but there’s such a thing as discretion.”
I turned around and glared—at an empty table. The acoustics in this building were baffling: oftentimes, the quietest comments would just somehow make it across the room.
I made incidental eye contact with Hail Stone. He looked away fairly quickly. It was still a good reminder that I had given him the least amount of attention so far.
Fortunately, Posh showed up with my spaghetti plate as well as the remaining orders. I strategized as I carefully took the first few bites. The sauce was blue, which was strange, but I was rewarded for my bravery with one of the richest flavours I had experienced in Equestria.
Right! Hail Stone.
“Do you see any similarities between those two and yourself?” I asked the chubby pegasus.
“Not really. I would probably have the same problems if I got over what’s bothering me.”
I nodded. It was astute for him to realize their problems were an offshoot of his in a way. It’s why I had invited these three.
I wish I had a plan after bringing them together, though…
His problem was insecurity based on his appearance. I could see how he wasn’t exactly good looking, but it didn’t stand out to me. Then again, pony standards of beauty didn’t get stamped on my brain with my new body.
“You want to be friends with colts more than fillies, right?” I asked a moment after hatching a scheme.
“Yeah, not like fillies will want to hang out with me.”
“Maybe.” I said in a monotone way, feeling obliged to at least put in a word against his concession. “Anyway, you see what colts are about if you look to your right. Rough Rider likes cool ponies—ponies that are cool because of what they do.”
“Brass, you want to be impressive to others.”
“Yeah, I guess…” he reluctantly agreed. Perhaps I was being too aggressive?
I twirled more spaghetti around my fork as if patiently waiting to go in for the kill. “Then why chase after something—that charisma—that either you have or you don’t? But you can always be a better you.”
“Says the princess,” Rough Rider mumbled.
“Not a princess,” I countered, my confidence slipping momentarily after. “But well… I don’t...”
The room seemed to grow quiet momentarily, magnifying what I heard next: “...she’s too young to herd I get that, but why dinner with a bunch of colts? A filly her age should be networking with young mares if she wants to succeed.”
I grit my teeth and twisted my head at the direction of the voice. My fork even slipped out of my magic and hit a bullseye on a patterned poster nearby.
My gaze fell on a stallion that was looking rather meek at the moment. Truthfully I didn’t care if he was the culprit or not.
“Friends this—herd that! You’re all assuming you know what I’m doing here, but you know nothing. If they’re my friends then it’s my choice! I don’t sprout wings and then have to embrace abstruse etiquette and plan every occasion to meet some nonsense standards! Yes, they’re colts! But everypony I meet doesn’t have to be a potential suitor or political stepping stone!”
Silence returned. It was somewhat unsettling, but with my bridges thoroughly burned, I continued my rant. My wings flared, and I fully turned on the room.
I swiped my hooves near my dress’s neck. “You think just because I show up dressed like this that all of a sudden I’ve become a “lady”!? Clothes are just that—clothes! I’m no more or less of a filly if I’m in a pretty dress or not. Well, guess what? I’m a tomcolt, and that works for me!”
For a moment I felt short of breath, but I didn’t let that deter me. I finally looked away from the stallion. Most jaws were dropped, and every pair of eyes was on me.
At least making a scene is easier to get away with when you’re a foal.
“So yeah, quality of character is what matters. That’s your Celestia’s Wisdom fortune cookie for today.” I looked again at my “charges.” “So yeah, you’re not that different from me.”
Their expressions remained frozen in time.
Looks like no dice. All for naught, huh?
I sighed.
“That speech was kind of iffy…” Brass Ring said after a halfhearted nervous laugh.
“Good to know you have problems too.” Rough Rider added.
Somehow that disappointed me more.
Twilight followed the young pegasus colt deliberately, a short distance behind. It wasn’t her job to keep him reined in, but she still felt responsible for the delicate task. Twilight knew exactly where she was, even if this dusty corner of Canterlot was virtually forgotten.
The changeling colt never looked back, as if sensing she was still there.
Can he be redeemed? I know Discord was challenging, but changelings?
Stressful memories re-emerged. The dark cavern, a catastrophic wedding for two ponies she deeply loved. It was stressful having to constantly remind herself not to judge him like Ponyville did Zecora.
Her heart rate picked up. Back to the task at hand: A mystery! She didn’t know where this salacious clue was leading her, but that made it all the more enticing.
He stopped.
“Are we here?” Twilight asked.
Alibi Align looked back at her, probably thought better about some sarcastic remark and nodded.
The alicorn heard exaggerated panting coming in from behind her.
“Leave… the… old mare… behind, why don’t you?”
Twilight blushed slightly and meekly turned back. “I’m sorry, Professor. But do you know where we are?”
Withers cracked a smile to rival her own. “Any true fan would know. But it certainly isn’t a first-rate tourist attraction.”
The fake colt shot the two adults a look of disbelief. “What, do you stodgy types love dirt lots or something?”
Twilight patted him on the head and ignored his question for the moment. “Why did you pick this area?”
“Out of sight, easy to block the exits and it was a cool rock. I could’ve lied and said it was from somewhere else, but why not tell the truth once in a while? Keep them off-balance…”
Villains… I never understand them.
“Wait, you do know where we are?”
“That’s what I said—oh, are talking to your spirit?”
“Then don’t tease me if you don’t know. It’s bad enough that there are power-up rocks lying around.”
“Sounds like any other relationship,” the old mare mused. “Should we tell him?”
Twilight quickly judged it best to cut to the point. “This was the site of Star Swirl the Bearded’s laboratory.”
“Who?”
Twilight had to actively suppress the urge to have a fangirl freakout. “This site, a rare metal from River’s homeworld… I can come up with a few ideas. Professor, are you really sure those tests mean what you say they do?”
Giants’ Withers nodded. Even accounting for the ”fudge factor” that usually prevents dramatic deviations, there’s just no way she could have a magical signature like that.”
“What, so that filly is a crazy-strong mutant alicorn?” the child asked.
“Believe it or not, it’s the opposite: all of her colour-based genes are found in Equestrian ponies.” the scientist mare explained. “From a statistical standpoint, it’s remarkable that she doesn’t have something, shall we say, ‘foreign.’”
Twilight nodded. “Xelning had silver fur—that’s the famous example.”
Withers shook her head. “Who would’ve thought a basic genetics lesson would turn up such a remarkable riddle?”
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Liar~!
Well, that's an oddly ominous name.
Not exactly Ahlbi Ur'gaid, but still.
Lucky guess?
Maybe if he stuck around much longer his alibi wouldn't align?
Uh oh. Alice has hit 100%! Commence rant!
So the whole transformation thing I can understand but why do these kinda five always have to turn a guy into a girl? It just weirds me out I like the concept just wish it didn't have that part.
ITS BAAAAAACK
Glad for a update. Sad for the cliffhanger.
10541104
At least this story handles the social and personal consequences of this change better than most. In most other stories, the gender swap gets dropped entirely after a brief adjustment period.
10497075
That's answered in the same chapter where it first appears.
10549121
I question if River is meant to stay in Equestria. Her family and Quarrel still lives on Rhod and makes appearances in-story. Earth is ponified. The dimension is strong in Harmony needed to contain Quarrel. They need an alicorn. Returning to her home dimension around or after camp makes sense, and might be needed to stop the anti-aging process. (I wonder if anyone has thought of casting an age spell/curse on River.)
10551829
Yes that is true but it feels like people believe that if a story has a human turn into alicorn they have to turn into a female or else it will become a harem fic, I just wish there were more interesting fics of human to alicorn without the harem plot or gender bending.
10554986
I've even read alicorn Sunset Shimmer stories where she get her own herd/harem without gender-bending.
Harems/herds and gender-bending aren't exclusive outcomes in a human turned alicorn story.
I agree though. It would be nice to see more monogamous male alicorn stories.
10554986
I have small handful rationales, really:
1. What I had planned at the beginning would have overlapped with Prince of the Sun. Curiously, I ended up overlapping with a fic that published mere days before my own.
2. For some reason, I really wanted to close the door on alicorns mating.
3. If he became a male alicorn, there wouldn't be much conflict in the story. Following the developments on Rhod, he would just have a cool gig as a prince. Certainly not an insoluble problem, but it would make things more difficult.
Celestia stop shoving "extra credit" into the challenge! But, at least it's a good excuse for Alice to make good on her promise.
The tabloids are going to have a field day with that little outburst...
So Diane can basically spy through their dream connection? Curious. And Auburn's revelations are concerning.
Some people are concerned about a certain main character's death, but what about the one who hasn't yet lived?
Well, we're all caught up! Now to put a quarter in the jukebox and play the waiting game... 😇
welp im caught up on this now!