• Published 1st Apr 2016
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Group Precipitation - FanOfMostEverything



Stories set in the Oversaturated World, some silly, some less so.

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Counsel of Harmony, by Masterweaver

"Soooo..." Applejack drawled as they filed into the music room. "What's this about, Sunset?"

"I got a rather personal prayer but I need a local view before I act."

The others glanced between each other, before Twilight eventually sighed. "Alright, I'll be the one that says it: we need more detail."

"Okay." Sunset took a breath. "Oooookay. Um. Somebody moved away from their home and, after a few stumbles, made a new life and a new identity, they've been very successful, but somebody from their old life has shown up and is using... money and politics to block something they have been working their whole life toward, so they asked me for a shortcut."

"That doesn't explain why you need a local view," Rarity pointed out. "What's this shortcut that they requested?"

"They, uh... they asked me for a transition treatment."

Fluttershy blinked. "Oh. Ooooooh. FtM or MtF?"

"Male to female. It's not a question of whether I can do it—people here have already made the spells—or even whether I should help. It's more... should I directly transform her, or arrange for the guy blocking her to be arrested, or have a mysterious opportunity or what?"

"So you're going to help, but you're not sure how to help her." Pinkie nodded. "Yeah, I can relate to that. A lot of people at this school are just flat out weird."

The other girls stared at her.

"Excuse me," she said sternly, "but I think you'll find my weirdness is variable, not flat."

Rainbow held up a finger, paused, and lowered it. "I... can't actually argue with that. Anyway... From what I'm hearing, this girl worked herself out of a bad situation through hard work and tough choices, right?"

"Yeah, basically."

"So she's not exactly going to be happy being handed a win. I mean she'll appreciate it, sure, but it won't feel earned. On the other hand, this is a thing that's pretty personal to her, and she won't exactly like a 'You've got to handle this on your own' message cause it feels like God herself is saying she doesn't have her back."

"Wow. That's not very helpful."

"Actually, it is," Twilight mused. "You shouldn't give her a win, but you should give her a way to win."

Sunset tilted her head. "What?"

"In this specific instance, she's reaching out for support, not for a quick fix. At least, that's what I think is happening here. It would be more useful if I had an actual recording of the prayer in question, but I understand you keeping it private..."

"Tell me, darling," Rarity mused, "did this poor girl emphasize her want to be herself, or her desperation at being stopped?"

Sunset frowned, shutting her eyes. "...the latter."

"Then I think I'm in agreement with Twilight and Rainbow on this. She wants the crown, but she also wants to make sure it can't be stolen; I'd offer her a sword to slay the monster and gain the crown she's been working for, rather then a crown of your own making. Metaphorically speaking, of course."

"Yeah, encouragin' actual murder ain't actually something I'd suggest," Applejack deadpanned. "I'm... not sure I quite agree here. We're all assumin' she'll rise to tha occasion, and she might... or she might try her hardest and fail."

"Well, that's an easy fix," Pinkie chirped. "Let her go on whatever quest she need to defeat Mister mManie, and if she does actually hit an irrevocable failure you manifest as a literal deus ex machina, praise her for making it that far, and give her what she needs to finish it."

"That... actually could work," Sunset mused. "It's a little cliche, but—"

"HOLD UP!"

Everyone blinked, slowly turning to look at Fluttershy.

"This is... this is somebody's life we're talking about! Their core of being! It's not a play, it's not a story, it's... it's somebody, out there, in a desperate situation! For all we know this is somebody that we've actually met! We can't just... decide this, we can't just—"

"Fluttershy." Sunset took a breath and let it out. "I am taking this seriously. The thing is though... A lot of people ask me for help every day. I don't like it. And I don't do anything about the lower 'gee, I want it to be sunny' or 'I hope I can make it to work on time' kind of things. But... this is different. The kind of people I do help, they aren't just asking for my assistance. They're surrendering their fate to me, even if only for a time."

Fluttershy stared at her. "That.... that's insane."

"I know. And I get things like this every day." Sunset chuckled dryly. "Well, not involving transgenderism, but desperation? Outside forces? The last beacon of hope being the bacon horse? There are twelve billion sophants on earth alone, and even if I only got one out of a billion every week, that would still be twelve per week. I don't talk about it, I... I don't want to unload that on you all, but..."
She sighed. "The point is, this person, I have to give her a solution that fits her, specifically. And in this specific instance, a quest is a good idea. In another, I might just transform somebody and be done with it. Or transport them to another country. Or... do nothing, because anything I did would make the situation worse."

"...I didn't..." Fluttershy gulped. "I didn't realize. I mean, I knew you were different now, but..."

Sunset held her gaze for a moment. "What do you think I should do? In this instance, I mean."

The yellow girl steadied herself. "...Balance. She has been unbalanced, and she needs to find balance again. If you can grant her that... then I'll support you."

"...That is simultaneously incredibly helpful and frustratingly vague." Sunset sighed. "Okay. I think I know what to do now. Do you... want me to tell you all how it turns out?"

Rainbow shook her head. "Nah. Like Shy said, this is somebody real. She let you into her life for this; we're not going to be, uh, what's the word Rarity?"

"Voyeurs?"

"Yeah, void ears."

Twilight crossed her arms. "You're doing that deliberately."

"Doing what?"

"Mispronouncing a word in a humorous attempt to break the tension."

"Hmm," Pinkie mused. "Well, it is working. Not what I would have done, but to each their own."

Applejack chuckled. "Still. Point's been made, I think. Not quite comfortable with this, but I guess it might be the best, and no," she added when Sunset opened her mouth, "I ain't gonna ask how things went neither. I'm a random stranger to her, she deserves ta celebrate or commiserate with her friends."

Fluttershy sagged against a wall. "I... I'm just... I'm amazed this is my life now..."

Author's Note:

This is far from the last time these seven will have a discussion along these lines.

O Bacon Horse, smile upon us, and with Your First-Blessed guide us to our most harmonious and auspicious fa— Ow!

Knock it off.

Fine, fine.

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