Down Time Revelations
Wyatt stood in front of his mirror, making sure his suit was in order. The tri-diamond pattern on the lapel gave away its custom nature; something he had Rarity make for him when he finally started earning bits. It was something he hadn’t looked forward to asking for, formal clothes always felt like they didn’t belong on him. Still, Rarity had done a great job on them. His only complaint, the bow tie. He had asked for a clip on and with the utter look of disgust on her face, you would’ve thought he asked her to kiss a pile of manure.
“We all have our hang ups,” he muttered to himself, smoothing his suit out before stepping away. “Still though, she did an amazing job at it.” He looked at the suite that Celestia had given him and Spike. He of course had tried to dissuade her from such a kindness, but she had smiled and booked it anyway. The room’s walls were white while the carpet was a rich purple. The furniture was the most sleek and modern thing he had seen out of his time in Equestria. It felt like he was in some sort of catalog rather than an actual room.
“She certainly knows how to treat a guy,” Wyatt commented, retrieving his camera from where he left it. “Might have something to do with me risking my life every day...” He did one last check of his hair and breath before leaving the hotel room. There was a nervous ball of energy in his stomach as he took the elevator down to the lobby.
Double-checking the address, he stepped out onto the street and waved down what passed for a taxi. He gave the stallion pulling the carriage the address and settled into his seat. He did his best to remember what Cadance had told him about June Bug, but he could still feel his nerves creeping in. ‘You fight monsters for a living, you can interview a mare.’ He took a deep breath, repeating his mantra to himself until the carriage pulled up to his destination. He paid the stallion and turned to look at the building. It was as tall as he expected and he could make out the bottom of a logo attached to part of the upper floors’ windows.
“Hello?” he called, stepping inside. Spotting a mare at the front desk he stepped up to her. “I’m uh, here to interview June Bug.”
The mare looked up from her desk, a smile on her face. “Mr. Matthews, we’ve been expecting you.” The mare leaned to the side and pointed to the elevator. “Your interview is in the office of the twelfth floor.” She looked back at Wyatt. “Sharp suit by the way.”
“Thanks.” Wyatt gave her a smile before walking over to the elevator. He was lucky; it was already at the lobby. Hitting the twelve button, he leaned back on the wall, looking over his notes.
He had done his best to memorize them the night before, but he figured one last look wouldn’t hurt. The elevator quickly reached its destination, opening up to a sea of cubicles. The conference room was easy to spot, a wall of glass at the back of the room separated it from the cubicles. Spotting someone inside, he knocked before stepping inside. “Ms. June Bug?”
The mare stood up, a smile on her face. She was younger than he was expecting, her mid-thirties at the latest. Her mane was a bright green with matching eyes and white fur. She was wearing a charcoal grey suit with a dark green tie. “That would be me. And you must be the human journalist I’ve heard so much about.” She held her hand out to him. “It’s so good to finally meet you.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” he said, giving her hand a shake. “I took last night as an opportunity to get familiar with your work. All in all, I’m very impressed.”
June Bug moved away from her desk, closing the blinds. “I do wish to apologize, Mr. Matthews. If things were a bit different, I wouldn’t have asked you here under false pretenses.”
Wyatt quirked a brow, a nagging feeling at the back of his mind. He put a hand in his jacket pocket, summoning his driver there. “What are you talking about, Ms. June Bug?”
“Please, sit.” June Bug gestured to the chair in front of her desk. “Tell me, are you old enough to drink?”
Wyatt took his seat, glancing at the fancy bottle filled with amber liquid. “That depends, is the Equestrian drinking age eighteen?”
“Well, I won’t tell if you don’t.” June set two glass cups on the table, pouring them both a drink. “You know, we’ve been watching you for a while. I’d prefer if you didn’t get all suited up; even if you look nice in pink.”
Wyatt’s eyes widened as he took a hold of the glass. “Okay, looks like I know what my opening question is going to be.” His face set into a hard look. “How do you know about my identity?”
“I know a lot of things about you, Mr. Matthews.” June Bug took a seat, sipping at her drink. “The reason I’ve spent so long getting to know you is simple: the ponies have accepted you. It’s the reason I set up this meeting and why I’m going to be completely honest with you.”
Something in her sentence stuck out to Wyatt, causing him to examine her curiously. “You talk like you aren’t a pony.”
“Because I’m not.” To Wyatt’s horror, June Bug erupted into green flames. White fur gave way to black chitin, her suit morphing into a deep green gown. The slits of her eyes became cat-like and a jagged horn sprouted from her forehead. When the flames died down, he couldn’t help but notice the little crown on her head.
“...I can’t tell if that was scary or cool,” he managed to say, taking a gulp of the drink in an attempt to calm his nerves.
“My name is Chrysalis,” ‘June Bug’ spoke, her voice distorted and giving off a reverb. “Queen of the changelings.”
Wyatt set his now empty glass down, processing what she had just said. “Okay, so a race of shapeshifters. How am I supposed to help you?”
“You see, Mr. Matthews, changelings feed on love. We can get solid food of course but only love sustains us.” Chrysalis leaned back, taking another sip of her drink. “That, combined with our appearance, has made ponies terrified of us. Not to mention how we usually feed.”
“Yeah, kinda wanted to ask how someone goes about eating an emotion,” Wyatt said, watching Chrysalis carefully. “I assume it isn’t with fava beans and a nice chianti.”
“It usually involves the kidnapping and impersonation of a pony, while one of my changelings feeds on the love directed at that pony,” Chrysalis explained. “Needless to say, it’s not very effective. We’ve been near starving for a very long time.”
“Have you tried going to Celestia directly?” Wyatt questioned. “If you told her what you’re telling me, then I’m sure she’d give you and your people a chance.”
“I can’t risk it.” Chrysalis shock her head. “I want your help, Mr. Matthews. Help us gain the pony’s trust. Raising out of her seat, she came around the side of her desk before kneeling down. “Please. I’m so tired of starving, of being some kind of monster that ponies fear in the dark.”
Wyatt scrutinized the mare, trying to detect any sign of deception. He ruled it out. Given what she had revealed, it would have been easy to kidnap either him or Twilight and feed on their feelings. She could’ve also just outright blackmailed him.
“Alright,” he replied. “I promise to do whatever I can to help you.” What Wyatt wasn’t expecting was Chrysalis to jump up, wrap him in a bear hug and squish his head against her chest.
‘Wyatt.exe has stopped working, would you like to restart?’ he thought, somehow managing to return the hug. “Y-you’re welcome...” he muttered out, his face a bright red.
Chrysalis composed herself, pulling away from the hug. “Thank you for putting your trust in me, Mr. Matthews. I promise, you won’t regret it.” Giggling at his expression, she cupped his chin. “Cat got your tongue?”
Wyatt coughed into his hand, turning his head away from her. “Just wasn’t expecting to get hugged by a queen today.” ‘Or get to know her friends...’
“Well aren’t you a gentlecolt?” Chrysalis teased, putting her hands on his shoulders and giving them a light massage. “I knew you were the perfect person for this task.”
“So uh, when you said you’ve been keeping an eye on me, how extensive has that been?” Wyatt inquired, trying to distract himself from her actions. “Are we talking like ‘I know what kinda cereal you eat’ or what?”
“I think knowing that you favor Horseshoes in the morning is small hat compared to what I’ve been able to gather,” she told him with a wink. “But! Enough of that, please sit. Enjoy the rest of your drink. Thorax!” Chrysalis called, turning to the door.
The door opened and a skinny, nervous stallion who barely looked older than Wyatt entered the room. When he saw Chrysalis he relaxed and revealed that he was a changeling as soon as the door closed completely.
“Oh thank goodness,” he said, his voice high pitched. “I always worry about messing up my disguises around others. So, um, i-is he going to help?”
Chrysalis smiled, holding up her drink. “Yes, Thorax, he’s agreed to help us.” Downing the rest of her drink, Chrysalis placed the empty cup back on the desk. “Now!” She clapped her hands, giving Wyatt a fang filled smile. “Let’s get down to business!”
“Sounds like you already have an idea for me to help you,” Wyatt said, quickly thanking Thorax as the changeling filled his glass. He blinked, suddenly realizing something. “Um, where is the real Ms. June Bug?”
“Oh she’s me,” Chrysalis responded, leaning back. “Everyone in this building is a changeling, actually.”
Wyatt blinked owlishly, trying to wrap his head around the news. “And what about Ms. Ink Well? Was she a changeling too?”
“She was also me.” Chrysalis grinned at him.
‘Goodbye hefty paycheck,’ Wyatt thought, taking a sip of his drink to ease the pain and hide his disappointment. ‘I knew it was too good to be true.’ He sat his glass down in front of him. “Then why not announce your true identity? With all the good you’ve done while in disguise, I find it hard to believe that ponies wouldn’t accept you.”
“That was the plan... until those monsters started to attack.” Chrysalis grunted, her expression hardening. “How do you think if we revealed ourselves now, hm?”
He nodded, Rook’s disguise sticking out to him. “Okay, that might impact their thinking slightly.” Looking up at her, he asked, “So, do you have a new plan?”
Chrysalis tapped her fingers against her desk, the act making an odd ‘clicking’ sound. “Not so much of a plan right now, more of a vague outline. All of which includes you.”
“Mind filling me in?” Wyatt pressed, taking another sip of his drink. “I’m not a fan of being left in the dark about plans I’m involved in.”
Chrysalis put her fingers into a pyramid, pointing them at Wyatt. “I want you to write an article about Decade. Make it an opinion piece where you suspect that he is a changeling due to his ability to change forms. If it goes well then ponies will latch onto it and associate changelings with someone trying to fight these monsters. Word of mouth will cause it to stick and ponies will just outright believe it despite it only being an opinion piece.” Gesturing to him, she smiled. “Your thoughts?”
Wyatt rubbed the back of his head. “Honestly, it’s not a bad idea. There was a famous radio broadcast way back in the day of my world. A radio announcer actually convinced people that aliens were invading while reading from a science fiction story. I figure we can convince ponies that Decade and changelings are linked.” Wyatt sipped at his drink, his face starting to warm up. “I can pull that off, totally.”
Chrysalis gave him a fang-filled grin again. “Thank you so much. This really means a lot to my hive and me. I’d like for Thorax to stay in Ponyville, this was all his idea anyway.”
Wyatt nodded, looking back at the changeling who had been quiet since his arrival. “Was he the one keeping an eye on me in the first place?”
Thorax tapped his fingers together, chuckling sheepishly. “U-Um yes...”
Wyatt nodded getting up out of his seat. “Since you’ve learned my secrets I think it’s only fair I hear one of yours.” He pointed a finger at Thorax dramatically. “Go on, what’s something you’ve never told anyone in your hive.”
Thorax shifted, looking at Chrysalis for help. He withered slightly as she gestured for him to answer. “I-I’m um... g-gay... And you’re kinda cute...”
Wyatt smiled, letting his finger drop. “Thank you. Sorry to put you on the spot like that, I just figured fair’s fair seeing as you discovered my secret identity.” He pulled his driver out of his jacket pocket and waved it in front of him. Only to pause when he processed the second admission. “Uh… sorry, but I’ve only ever liked girls. I’m sure you’ll land a cool guy someday though.”
Chrysalis lit her horn up, snatching Wyatt’s drink from him. “I think that’s enough for you. Thorax, why don’t you get ready to go?” Standing up again, she moved over to the smaller changeling. “Though, it bothers me that you kept this a secret. It was Pharynx wasn’t it?”
Thorax nodded, looking down at his hooves. “He’s always going on about how proper changelings need to be attracted to both sexes so they can be ready to gather love from anyone. But I’ve just never liked mares like that.”
Lighting her horn again, Chrysalis touched it to Thorax’s sharing a pink colored energy with him. “I’ll have a nice long talk with him, alright?”
“Thank you, my queen,” he said, a dopey grin on his face as the energy seeped into him. “But um… he’s not in trouble, is he?”
“Don’t worry your fin about it.” Chrysalis lifted her head, patting his shoulder. “Now off with you, I’ll make sure Mr. Matthews doesn’t ask you any more uncomfortable questions.”
Thorax nodded, donning his disguise again and zipping out of the room. The door closed behind the drone, leaving Wyatt and the queen alone once again. Chrysalis turned, looking at Wyatt. “If you weren’t tipsy, I’d slap you.”
Wyatt rubbed the back of his head, feeling like an ass. “Yeah, I regret that one. I just expected him to blurt out something small. Don’t know what came over me. I’ll apologize to him again when I find him in Ponyville.” He fell out of his seat as Chrysalis slapped him anyway.
“I should hope so.” She huffed, returning to her seat.
“I earned that,” Wyatt admitted, taking his seat again. “So, um, is there anything else we need to discuss about this plan?” he asked, hoping to put his faux pas behind them.
“I’ll be attending Shining Armor and Princess Cadenza’s wedding; as June Bug of course,” Chrysalis began, crossing her legs. “Getting on the Princess of Love’s good side will help more than you can imagine. All the love from the wedding will be a plus.”
“Okay, so we can meet up again and talk about how the plan is progressing,” Wyatt offered. He paused, suddenly realizing something. “Actually, I can get you to talk to Cadance even quicker. She’s offered to spend time with Twilight and I while we’re all still in Manehattan. I can see if you can come along if you’re interested. I can tell Cadance that we’ve become friends thanks to the interview.” He managed a smile. “Which, I don’t think is a lie, right?”
Maud stepped off a taxi and looked up at a high-end apartment building that rose up into the Manehattan skyline. She double checked the address she had written down and nodded at the taxi that he could leave. She walked through the doors and stepped up to the stallion at the receptionist’s desk.
“Excuse me, could you tell me which apartment the Oranges are in?” Maud asked.
“Are they expecting you?” the stallion asked, looking Maud over. Her stoic expression shifted ever so slightly, getting the impression that he didn’t think that highly of her. “Our residents keep very strict company miss.”
“No, they aren’t expecting me, but I’m family,” Maud explained. “And my name is Maud Pie. Tell them the gardener has come for his harvest.”
The stallion rolled his eyes, stepping into a back room and speaking into a crude communication device that took up a wall. After a few minutes, he returned wearing an unreadable expression. “They’re waiting up for you on the 12th floor; room 1204, Ms. Pie.”
Maud nodded, her stoic expression shifting again. “Thank you very much, sir.” She turned on her heel, striding into the elevator and hitting the right floor number. This meeting had been a long time coming, at least a few generations worth. She had left Pinkie with Twilight, her little sister didn’t need to be involved with more than she already knew. She’d tell her about everything when she was ready, and not a moment sooner. The chime of the elevator pulled her from her thoughts and deposited her onto the proper floor. It didn’t take her long to find the door number, only a few moments. She gave it a knock and waited patiently for a response.
She was greeted by a well dressed yellow-orange stallion with slicked back green hair. “Ah, hello there. Maud was it? Please, come in.” Stepping to the side, he let Maud enter the apartment.
“I’m sorry for dropping in unannounced,” Maud offered, walking into the nice apartment. “But I figured with the state of things that it was necessary that I talk to you. You should know why I’m here.”
“Your use of the code phrase made that clear,” a mare said, stepping out from the kitchen with a tray of snacks and drinks. “I may go by Orange and have them as my cutie mark, but I’m still a part of the Apple Family,” she motioned for Maud to take a seat and set the tray down on a coffee table. “So, why are you looking for the seeds?”
Maud stared at the mare, raising her eyebrow. “The monsters like the one that attacked Princess Celestia’s speech yesterday should be more than enough of an explanation.’
“Hmm, so you’re looking to bolster the numbers of the riders,” the mare said, taking a seat of her own and picking up a cup. “I’m sorry to say, we only have one of the seeds. It was decided a long time ago that it would be best to spread Fuji’s work amongst the Apple family. But, it is impossible to get the seed to work by itself. The ponies that most likely have the other component are the elder family members. Try: Strudel, Applesauce, Granny Smith or Goldie Delicious. They’re sure to be able to tell you where the remaining belt is stashed.”
Nodding, Maud recalled the day the Apples informed her father that one of Fuji’s belts had been stolen. A filly had run away from her village, taking the belt and one of the seeds with her. It had been the only time she could recall that her father lost his temper and had nearly severed the ties between the families.
“It seems you’re well aware of what happened, to the other belt,” the mare said, taking a sip of her drink. “It was not something that we’re proud of and the fact we’ve found no traces of the filly has frustrated us that are in the know about the truth of Fuji to no end.” Setting her cup down, she gestured towards a chair. “Please, Maud, sit. We can at least share a cup of tea, can’t we?”
Maud didn’t say anything, taking a seat and picking up a cup of her own. “It’s still something that my family has mentioned to me about my research. I was warned to not let it out of my sight and only reveal it to those that I could trust.”
“Are you one of the riders?” the mare asked, examining Maud more closely.
“I’m the one Princess Celestia called W,” Maud answered, sitting her cup down. “I’ve managed to finish my own research.” Leaning back, she set her hands in her lap. “Do you know where I can find the Apple family elders?”
“You could go around the corners of Equestria trying to find them all,” Orange started, leaning back in her seat. “Or, you could go to Ponyville in a few months when Granny Smith is hosting the Apple Family Reunion. All of the oldest members will be there.”
Maud nodded, finishing her drink. “I’ll do that.” Looking at the mare, she cleared her throat. “May I have the orange seed?”
“If you were anypony else, I’d tell you no,” Orange replied, rising out of her seat. “Your vow was never ours, but we’ve kept Fuji’s work safe, aside from a hiccup or two.” Stepping out of the room, she left Maud alone with her husband. Orange returned a moment later with a small lock in her hand, emblazoned with the image of an orange.“But, before I give this to you, may I see what you’ve created on your own?” She held the lock close to her chest. “I think that’s only fair.”
Reaching into her frock, Maud retrieved the Joker memory. “I call them ‘Gaia Memories’, created from the planet’s memories.” She held it out, allowing Orange to take it.
Orange in returned allowed Maud to take the lock. She turned the Memory over in her fingers, examining it closely. “Amazing how two ponies researching for the sake of the same goal came by it through two completely different means,” she noted, holding the Memory out to Maud again.
“It never crossed my mind to use fruit,” Maud replied, taking the Memory back. “Hopefully, Fuji’s work will save lives.”
Orange smiled, taking her seat again. “I think that’s all Fuji ever hoped for the seeds. Good luck convincing one of the elders for a belt. Faust help you if it’s Goldie Delicious that has it; you’d have to hire a mining team to dig through her house in order to find it.”
“Thank you.” Maud rose up, putting both the seed and the Memory away. “I’m sure you must be relieved to have this weight off your shoulders.”
Orange chuckled, looking into her cup. “A younger me might’ve said yes, but since the monster attacks started, I understood the importance of my duties.” She looked up. “Still, I think giving it to you is the correct course of action.”
“Be safe,” Maud spoke before taking her leave. “And thank you.” Maud looked down at the lockseed in her hand, turning it around in her hand. Her stoic expression shifted into the barest hint of a frown, not looking forward to playing the waiting game in order for a chance at the belt.
Twilight sat on the couch of her suite, trying to read a book. Though her heart wasn’t in it as her mind drifted towards the description Wyatt gave to Ixa. There was something familiar there, but she couldn’t put her finger on it exactly.
“Hey, Purple Smart, you okay over there?” Daring asked, getting Twilight’s attention. “I thought you’d be freaking out a lot longer after a monster nearly attacked Celestia.” Pursing her lips, Daring frowned. “You know, why didn’t she help anyway?”
Twilight looked up from her book, putting a mark in it and closing it. “I was just thinking about this Ixa that Wyatt described. Something about them is nagging at me. As for why Celestia didn’t help, the three riders had it under control. Did you see how well they worked together?”
“I saw two of them making sure everyone got out but, Wyatt doing all the real work.” Daring pushed away from the wall, taking a seat next to Twilight. “That Rook guy sounds like an idiot. But! Wyatt’s not the only one with Rider knowledge.”
“Oh?” Twilight quirked a brow and turned to face Daring. “Did your father ever talk about Ixa?”
“No, but he killed a fangire when I was ten,” Daring replied, putting her hooves on the table. “See, they’re like vamponies, except they don’t drink blood, they steal a pony’s life force. They got that whole stain glass thing going on; when they die they shatter like glass.”
“That certainly sounds interesting,” Twilight conceded. “I did notice Rook had multicolored patterns on him that resembled stained glass.”
“Their leaders are the Checkmate Four: King, Queen, Bishop and Rook,” Daring elaborated. “Dad also told me two riders belong to them: Dark Kiva and Saga.”
“So we could be looking at even more evil riders in the future?” Twilight questioned, her muzzle scrunching up. “I’m guessing Dark Kiva resembles Wyatt’s Kiva form?”
“How should I know? Dad didn’t have anything fancy like Kuuga’s laptop. Have you checked that thing for rider stuff or what?”
“I have, but I have a hard time using it because it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.” She frowned and looked down at her hands. “That and my fur messes up what Wyatt calls the trackpad.”
Daring glanced at Twilight’s hands. “You could use gloves you know.”
“I offered that idea, but Wyatt said I’d need special kind of gloves to work with it.” Twilight looked up from her hands, frown deepening. “And now Maud’s taken it for her own research.” She knew Maud had a duty to fulfill, but having knowledge semi-denied rather bothered her.
“Well, Wyatt could probably describe Dark Kiva and Saga to us. He seems like he’s been on the ball about that.” Daring shrugged, letting herself sink into the cushions a bit more. “You ask him out yet?”
Twilight’s face erupted into a blush and she turned into a stuttering mess as she tried to come up with an answer. “I-I have no idea what you’re talking about. Why would I ask Wyatt out?”
Daring sighed, giving Twilight a hard look. “Kid, everyone except Pinkie Pie knows you two like each other. It’s worse than the crush Spike has on Rarity. You ever heard of the friendzone?”
“The what?” Twilight questioned, utter confusion apparent on her face.
“Something my dad told me about.” Daring cleared her throat, gesturing with her hands. “Say there's two ponies that like each other; gender doesn’t really matter. They both have feelings for the other, but neither says anything about it. One or both is waiting for the other to do something about it but, neither does. Eventually one of them moves on, and they just stay friends. Thus, the other pony is put in the friendzone.”
“And you think one of us could get put in this friendzone thing?” Twilight guessed, her muzzle scrunching up.
“No, I’m saying you’ll get married and have a dozen foals,” Daring replied, leveling a flat look at Twilight.
Twilight met her look with a frown. “You’re way more sarcastic than how you portray yourself in the books.”
“Fact is stranger than fiction.” Daring laughed, putting her hands behind her head. “Sorry to shatter that image of me, but uh, never meet your heroes and whatnot.”
“Okay, but how am I supposed to ask Wyatt out?” Twilight questioned, suddenly feeling like a filly again. “Every time he brings up the Baltimare thing I get so nervous I end up running away.” A long groan escaped her lips and she let her head drop into her hands. “I’m hopeless.”
“Everypony’s helpless when they’re having their first crush,” Daring offered, patting Twilight’s shoulder. “Even I turned into a nervous wreck back when I was in school and this stallion in my class started hitting the gym after getting his cutie mark. What you have to do is muster up the courage you’ve used to save Equestria umpteen times and take the plunge. The facts are, it’ll either work out between you two, or it won’t. But, the only way to know that is if you try. This is something you can’t calculate your way out of, Purple Smart.”
Lifting her head, Twilight gave Daring a weak smile. “Thanks, I’ll do my best.” A thought struck Twilight and she leapt to her hooves. “Oh Faust I forgot! Wyatt is meeting with that June Bug mare!” Her mane fizzed out and she grabbed Daring by the collar. “What if he decides to move on with her!?!?”
Daring chuckled and rolled her eyes, pulling the unicorn’s hands off her. “Twilight, he’s interviewing her. I don’t think the kid’s gonna risk a swanky new job over some tail. Besides, June Bug is like twice his age.”
Twilight nodded, relaxing slightly. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right.” She chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. “It’s just an interview. He’ll do his job and then never see her again.”
“I want to thank you for letting me tag along, Princess,” June Bug spoke as Cadance led the trio through Manehatten’s Starswirl exhibit. “I just couldn’t pass up the chance to meet one of our country’s amazing Princesses.”
“You flatter me too much, Ms. June Bug,” Cadance dismissed with a giggle, looking back at the mare with a smile. “I was just a pegasus from a small village before I was lucky enough to do the right thing to earn my horn. I’m not like you who’s made calculated moves to earn her spot in Equestria’s top earners.”
“Please, just call me June Bug.” June flashed her a smile, brushing some hair out of her face. “I’ve never been one for formalities.”
“Then please, just call me Cadance,” the pink alicorn retorted, stopping in front of a glass case that contained an old document. “I get tired of all the formalities myself. You would not believe how much use my favorite pair of sweatpants get in my downtime.”
“Oh, I think I can.” June Bug let out of own laugh, looking back at Wyatt. “I am a little surprised you’re spending the day with a freelance journalist. Going for the best princess award? I believe Celestia’s won that one every year so far.”
“He and I met because he’s friends with Twilight here,” Cadance explained, waving a hand to Twilight. “My aunt had me foalsit her to help teach me responsibility.” She smiled sweetly. “Great idea on her part because Twily and I have been great friends ever since. Plus, I met my fiance because of foalsitting Twily.”
“I wanted to get to know my landlord’s family better,” Wyatt spoke up, returning Cadance’s smile. “I need dirt in case she ever decides she wants to throw me out or something. Gotta protect my investments.”
Twilight huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Do you have to keep calling me your landlord? I’ve never charged you a single bit to stay at Golden Oaks. Besides, you could get more dirt on me by offering Spike a decent sized gem and a few new comic books.” She facepalmed, realizing her mistake.
“Considering his growth spurt, I imagine it’ll take more than that.” Cadance rubbed her chin, humming in thought. “You know, he’s getting to that point, Twilight. Have you had the talk with him yet?”
Twilight rubbed her neck, picking up on the implications. “No, I haven’t. With all the monster attacks and him recovering, there hasn’t really been a good time. Plus, I think my parents would rather give it to him. Or you know, his grandfather...”
“Trying to dodge the talk because of a lack of experience?” Wyatt teased, a knowing smirk on his face. “You can’t not do the talk, even if you don’t really know how dragons work like that.”
“Well maybe it’s not solely my place to give it to him,” Twilight countered, a rather uncomfortable look crossing her features. “There are other people with just as much impetus to do it. I’m just his big sister.”
“And the reason that he hatched in the first place,” Wyatt added, elbowing Twilight gently. “That makes you a bit more than just a big sister by my reasoning. I’d say mom, but I don’t want your mom getting mad at me or something.”
“Considering how many bottles she heated up and diapers she changed, she’d certainly argue with you about that title,” Twilight agreed, rubbing her side. “Spike used to cling to Mom and Dad all the time; especially when they tried to put him to bed.” A nostalgic smile replaced Twilight’s uncomfortable look, and she let out a contented sigh. “He used to be so small...”
Wyatt chuckled, nudging her in the side again. “Pretty sure your parents would say that about you too. One day you’re turning them into house plants, the next you’re a national hero.”
“And what would your parents say about you, Wyatt?” June Bug asked, eyeing the young man over. “What would they think of you now; meeting princesses and taking pictures of super heroes?”
Wyatt’s jovial expression instantly fell and the document in the glass case suddenly became very interesting. “Seeing as they probably think I’m dead; they’d just be overjoyed at the fact I’m still alive.” His tone was hollow, barely managing to keep his composure together to avoid breaking down into a blubbering mess.
June Bug stepped back, putting her hand on Wyatt’s shoulder. A faint spark flickered over her face, and Wyatt felt a sudden surge of positive emotions. “No matter what happened there, you’re still alive and nothing's gonna change that.”
Wyatt sighed, putting a hand on the case. “I know, I just wish I could let them know I’m safe. I’d do anything for that.” Placing his head against the glass, Wyatt closed his eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to weigh down our fun day together.”
“I should be the one to apologize,” June Bug insisted, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “I knew about your situation and carelessly asked about your family. I know how important family is, believe me.”
“You don’t have to apologize.” Wyatt moved away from the glass, putting on his best smile. It was easy, considering the good feelings June Bug was pumping into him.“I’ve been coming to terms with my situation for months now. Good friends like the ones I’ve made in Ponyville have helped with that.”
Twilight watched the scene unfold with her eye twitching and her hair frizzing in a couple places. ‘Daring was wrong! Wyatt’s put me in the friendzone for June Bug!’ She glanced at Cadance, making less than subtle motions toward Wyatt.
Cadance pretended to play innocent, pointing at Wyatt and quirking a brow. The alicorn had to hide a smirk, enjoying the drama unfold before her. She smiled, gently pushing Twilight towards Wyatt, adding in a shooing motion.
“Um, you don’t have to thank us, Wyatt,” Twilight started, putting a shaky hand on Wyatt’s other shoulder. “We’ll always be here for you whenever you need us. That’s what friends are for.” She blinked owlishly, coming to a realization.‘Gah! I said friend! I’ve only made it worse! Now he’s only going to see me as his friend!’
Wyatt reached up, putting his hand over Twilight’s. “If it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I’d be doing as good as I am.” Moving his eyes up, he wore a sincere smile. “Thanks Twi, I mean that, more than you could ever know.”
Twilight froze, her train of thought coming to a screeching halt for a moment before shooting off at a breakneck pace. ‘Come on Twilight, say something! You’ve stood up to a chaos spirit and a possessed princess! Surely you can figure out how to say that you like a stallion!’ In the end she managed to smile back. “Don’t mention it.” If she could effectively kick herself, she would’ve in that moment.
Squeezing her hand, his smile widened. “Well, if I don’t mention it I can’t tell you how much you matter, now can I?”
Twilight’s smile widened a bit and she gave Wyatt a playful shove. “You’re giving me too much credit. I’ve just supported you, you’re the one that’s stood up instead of falling.”
“Oh come on, take a bit of credit.” Wyatt shoved her back. “Without you, I’d have to live with Rarity or A.J and as much as I like the two of them, I don’t think I could live with them. Look at me, you think I’m built for yard work?”
“I’m sure Aj and Big Mac would whip you into shape,” Twilight shot back with a giggle. “Plus, you’d be getting Granny Smith’s home cooking every day. Surely that’s worth a little bit of labor?”
“No way.” Wyatt shook his head, resuming his walk. “I’d rather be a basement dweller than a farm hand. Not many people can set their own hours ya know?”
“In other words, you’re lazy,” Twilight teased, tsking and wagging a finger at him. “I’m amazed you manage to get anything done. Maybe you do need Aj and Granny Smith to teach you about a good work ethic?”
“I make it a personal goal of mine to never get up before the sun does,” Wyatt retorted, turning around and walking backwards to face her. “So the farm life is just not for me.” His cool factor was lost as he walked into a display case. He tried to play it off, only for the three mares to giggle at him.
“How about you keep your eyes forward, Wyatt?” Cadance suggested with a smile. “I don’t feel like bailing you out with security if you break something.”
“R-right.” Wyatt turned around, rubbing his neck nervously. Peering at the display case he had hit, his eyes looked on an open sketchbook. “Hey.” He snapped his fingers, eyes roving over the page. “I recognize some of this stuff.”
Twilight stared into the case, her face unwittingly right next to his. “I’ve never seen a sketchbook among Starswirl’s work before. But, how could you recognize any of it? You’ve always “rested your eyelids” whenever I try to give lessons on Starswirl.”
“Twilight, I know the K-Touch when I see it.” Wyatt tapped the glass, pointing to the sketch of a rectangle, which sported ten symbols on the front. “I’d never, ever forget an upgrade like that.”
“K-Touch?” Twilight repeated, taking a look at the sketch. She glanced back at June Bug, suddenly realizing Wyatt’s slip. “Um, is that something you’ve managed to learn from Decade?” she asked, chuckling nervously at her hasty coverup. “Wait a minute, that symbol is the one Maud showed me,” she whispered, pointing to the symbol in the top left corner of the sketch. Her eyes roved over it for a moment before something else sticking out. “And the last one is the Decade symbol. Wyatt, is this something related to Decade’s powers?”
“Like I said, it’s called the K-Touch,” Wyatt explained, leaning in close. “It allows Decade to summon the previous ten riders in their stronger forms and enter his own, Decade Complete.”
“We need to look over every inch of this exhibit,” Twilight said, looking up at him. “If Starswirl was able to sketch it, then his work is our best bet to figure out where this is. I’ll let Cadance know.” Pulling away, she stepped over to the mare in question, whispering in her ear.
Cadance’s eyes widened for a moment before she nodded and looked into the display case. “I don’t like doing this, but I could use my authority as a princess to get access to that sketchbook for private study.”
“If it helps, getting the K-Touch would help keep Equestia safe,” Twilight offered with a weak smile.
“Twily, I can put my personal discomfort aside for that sake,” Cadance assured, patting the smaller mare’s shoulder. “Now, I’m going to see if I can find the curator. June Bug, could you come and help me?” She turned on her hoof and strode deeper into the museum with June Bug at her side.
Returning to Wyatt, Twilight nodded at the display. “Cadance is going to talk to the curator about studying the sketch book in private.”
“Good,” Wyatt said, looking back at her. He relaxed a bit and managed a smile. “Well, I can safely say that I’m finally interested in Pony Gandalf. Even if he looks a little lame.”
“Wyatt, if we were not in public right now, I would explain to you just how wrong you are about Starswirl looking lame,” Twilight told him, an intense look in her eyes. “But, I’ll have to save it for back at the hotel.”
“He tied bells to his hat, Twilight,” Wyatt argued, crossing his arms. “What is he, a christmas elf?”
“I have told you countless times that the bells were part of his hypotheses in astrology and magic focusing,” Twilight retorted with a huff, matching his posture. “It’s one of the few ideas he proposed that has ever been disproven. It’s like you only listen to me half the time.”
“I’m sorry, but your idol is lame,” Wyatt insisted, leaning in again. “He’s a beardo weirdo, with a tacky cape and dumb bells.”
Twilight’s eye twitched and her fists clenched at her sides. She grit her teeth and looked at him with what could be generously called a death glare. “I’m going to forget you said that,” she nearly hissed, turning away from him. “And by the way, I don’t think your new friend is ready for your big secret. So try to keep a better handle on it.”
Wyatt’s expression fell and he instantly regretted his choice of words. He turned away from her, silently berating himself. ‘There's a fine line between banter and being a dick, and you just crossed it, idiot. I don’t even have the excuse of being tipsy this time.’ He looked at Twilight from the corner of his eye and winced when he saw her fuming. ‘Welp, I just killed any romantic interest that she had in me. Good job, idiot. The only mare that showed genuine interest in you and you pissed it away.’
Sticking his hands in his pocket, Wyatt let his head hang. There had to be a way to fix this; Twilight just needed to calm down, she wouldn’t stay mad at him she wasn’t that kind of person. He frowned at his line of thinking; he needed to make things right, not just wait for her to calm down. Gingerly, he reached out and put his hand on Twilight’s shoulder.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to be a jerk. I was just trying to ruffle your jimmies. I’m sorry.”
Twilight sucked in a breath through her nostrils, looking over her shoulder at him. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it, but it still hurt. Starswirl was my inspiration to pursue magic when I was just a filly.”
“I’ll keep my teasing to an all time low, okay?” Wyatt asked, giving Twilight’s shoulder a squeeze. “I prefer when you’re smiling, not glaring at me.”
Twilight nodded, her posture relaxing. “Good, I was almost ready to turn you into a houseplant for a little while,” she teased, managing a small smile. “Maybe a cactus, put you on my windowsill.”
Wyatt rolled his eyes, but there was a smile on his face. “That was so funny I forgot to laugh.” He pulled his hand off her shoulder. “Now, let’s keep looking around the exhibit to see what other stuff you’ve never seen about Starswirl the totally not lame.”
Twilight turned on her hoof, motioning for Wyatt to follow her. The two walked side by side and examined each artifact they came across extensively. To their disappointment, most of it was things that Twilight already knew about and offered no further insight into the sketchbook. They were just about to give up when they came across an open journal. Twilight pressed her face to the glass, eyes roving over the page.
“Oh wow, this is a journal written by Starswirl’s apprentice!” she chimed. “You can tell because his handwriting isn’t as famously messy as Starswirl’s was.”
Wyatt glanced over Twilight’s shoulder, eyes locking on the image of a ring. “Hey, Twilight... what's that ring look like to you?”
Twilight glanced to the rough sketch of a ring, scrutinizing it for a moment. “Um, it sort of looks like a hand. Also, there’s something odd about this journal entry. The apprentice talks about Starswirl clad in a white cloak, but anypony with even a bit of interest in Starswirl would tell you that he only ever wore his blue robes.”
Stepping back, Wyatt put a hand on his head. “Right, so now Starswirl is Wiseman. What’s next; is everyone going to get a belt? Is Rainbow Dash going to become Stronger? Is Fluttershy going to become J?”
Twilight’s eyes widened, looking between the display case and Wyatt. She stepped in close to him so she could speak in a hushed tone. “Wait a minute, are you saying that Starswirl was a rider?”
“Yeah, Kamen Rider White Wizard, A.K.A Wiseman,” Wyatt responded, glancing back at the journal. “I recognize the wizard ring. Either Celestia is keeping stuff from us, or she didn’t know either.”
“We’ll have to tell Cadance about this journal too,” Twilight stated, a determined look in her eyes. “This might be the only piece of writing that can tell us about Starswirl’s connection to the riders. And, as soon as we get back to Spike we need to send a message to Princess Celestia about this.”
Wyatt nodded at her, glancing at the display case. For once, he wasn’t going to mind studying.
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Hmm... So it seems there's more to Starswirl than meets the eye....
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XD, well played!
Huh Wizard and Gaim ok
Alright... Gaim's coming. LOCK ON! Path of Blossoms, to the stage! (Sorry, favorite Rider series)
Also, while I want to trust Queen Chrysalis, part of me still is ringing alarm bells, simply just because of who she is. Though the scene with Thorax did offer some reassurance.
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Couldn't pass that one up could you? Love it.
I am so, so, so nervous that Chrysalis is playing them. Please don't let it be the case.
So, in this chap, we learned the following:
Chrysalis is trying to get into Wyatt's pants
Practically everyone's becoming a Rider at this point
The K Touch is being shown, so Complete form will most likely appear sometime in the story and won't be ignored like 80% of the fanbase does
Cadence is the best wingmare ever.
This is one of my favorite chaps yet.
Out of curiosity, how many riders do you think will be the end total?
Also if Starlight Glimmer comes into the story at any point I think she should be Build.
I... I didn't see that one coming...
I don't buy it for a second, Chrysalis is someone that would rather let her Changelings starve then give up on controlling them, even if it is only mildly.
Ok, that line is good
Actually, it is.
Seeds of Agito or Hellheim related?
Truer words have never been spoken
Huh, interesting...
Wow, rude
... This is a Showa reference, isn't it?
Excuse me while I geek out... Wuhu Wizard, this is going to be awesome! ... I'm back.
Oh god, Starswirld isn't just a dick he is evil
Mah, either Skyrider or Drive
Close, White Wizard, A.K.A Kamen Rider Wiseman, they just never revealed his name during the show to not give away the twist.
Silence of the Lambs, anyone?
GAIM!
Does this mean Twilight is going to be Wizard...