Lost Reflections

by Purple Patch

Chapter 8

One Week Ago...

The pink-coated, purple-maned unicorn mare known as Tyria gave a groan as she made her way up the stairs dug into the rock, and approached the large, storm-weathered sign, the letters bold and extravagant, sided by two great gargoyles looming out of the ground, just as corroded.
Glanders Gate Asylum...
She hated it here. She hated it so much.
She felt sick to her stomach with every step closer to the hellish institute, the eerie winds blowing through her mane and tail.
The asylum was built upon a great rock many miles from San Palomino, shrouded by the sea-mist and protected from discovery by the raging surrounding currents that were almost constant throughout the year.
Nopony had ever found Glanders Gate in the entire history of Equestria.
And nopony ever would.
The existence of Glanders Gate wasn’t a secret by any means. Certain ponies knew the Asylum staff and could call upon them whenever necessary. These same contacts could be counted on to supply funding and legal defence whenever the need arose.
But the exact location of Glanders Gate had been a secret to all but its staff and supporters since its foundation.
She hated calling herself a supporter. But what other word was there? Her actions had supported the asylum for years. Ever since she was a filly. Ever since she asked them to get rid of her parents and protect her newborn sister.
And still the dept was not yet paid.
The guards, silent gas-mask-wearing thugs, let her pass without a word.
Opening the doors was like stepping through the gates of hell. One was greeted to a hideous sight capped with a vile stench and the never-ending echo of the screams of the asylum’s ‘patients’ receiving their ‘care’.
The walls were hard bricks, painted a thick off-white and viciously sprayed with cleaner and sanitizer almost hourly, the odour adding to the mixture of noxious smells that came from agony and terror.
Glanders Gate was such a filthy place. At least it always felt like it.
The cell doors were solid metal, the sort one would find in a bank vault and roughly just as difficult breaking into.
‘Behind one of these doors is the filly I betrayed’ she thought grimly. Times were, she would cry upon remembering her. Now, after so many years, it just made her feel numb to the world.
‘She’d be...fourteen this year?’
Time and time again, she’d remind herself that she had a little sister she needed to protect, a little sister who the asylum had hurt on more than several occasions just to prove a point.
A little sister who was just as old as she’d been when she...
Tyria shut her eyes tight as she fought back the memory.
‘Foxglove...I’m sorry...I’m so sorry...please get out of my head’
Finding her way to the waiting room to the Doctor’s office, she opened the door, the only wooden one in the entire complex and stepped inside. Upon doing so, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she caught sight of the other pony waiting there.
A very familiar pony.
A cyan pegasus mare with a spiky mane of yellow hues.
She looked up and gave her a curt raised eyebrow.
"Hi" Lightning Dust said "You come here often?"

“What the hay are you doing here?!” Tyria exclaimed.
“Nice to see you too” Lightning Dust chuckled, rising to her hooves leisurely “Were you in that tornado then? Or were you just watching?”
“I asked you a question!” The unicorn gave the pegasus a glare, remembering the scene she’d caused a year ago at the Wonderbolts Academy and the lives she’d threatened as a result.
Lightning Dust showed no hint of guilt.
“I’m here to see the Doctor for my orders” she answered nonchalantly “The Paymaster’s given me a job. Offered a pretty bit for my services”
“You’re...betraying Equestria?!” Tyria’s voice was dripping with loathing.
Lightning Dust snorted with sardonic laughter.
“And what are you doing here?”
“They’re threatening my little sister” the unicorn snarled “Don’t you dare compare me to you”
“Oh, I’d never do that” Lightning Dust sneered “If somepony threatened my sister, I’d break their legs and throw them off a cliff to see where they landed”
Tyria was disgusted.
“Well I’m not you”
“Clearly” Lightning Dust sat back down, propping her back hooves on a table “Where do they keep the magazines?”

Doctor Bittersweet fiddled with a dial on the transceiver as it whirred to life.
“Is the Doctor in?”
Cascadius’s voice came through.
“Hello, Mister Cascadius” Bittersweet said calmly “I have arranged to commute your orders to our contacts in Ponyville and Cloudsdale. I have them waiting outside my office as we speak. Is there anything else I need to be informed of?”
There was a pause.
“Nope, I’d say you’re ready”
“One more thing, Mister Cascadius, if you don’t mind”
“Yes?”
“I understand you have a certain mare in your company with a staggering propensity towards violently insane behaviour...regularly favouring a...chainsaw, is it?”
“That would be Gringore” Cascadius’s tone suggested suspicion “What about her?”
“Well, as a stallion of medicine and mental treatment, this concerns me” He cleared his throat “It would not be difficult for me to arrange suitable treatment for her, if you so desired”
There was a pause. Doctor Bittersweet was about to check the transceiver’s signal when the mercenary leader spoke again, his voice calm but so terribly cold.
“Doctor Bittersweet...I will say this once...Gringore means a lot to me...She is one of us...I wouldn’t have her any other way than how she is...My tolerance for your methods notwithstanding, touch a hair on Gringore’s coat and you shall be spending the rest of your life in limbless agony...Do I make myself clear?”
Doctor Bittersweet’s brow furrowed, but his manner remained composed.
“Very well, Mister Cascadius. I shall not ask again. Good day”
He put the transceiver in his drawer and pressed a button.
“Matron Hellebore, please send in both mares in the waiting-room”
“At once Doctor”
In the waiting-room, the door opened for a mare.
Quite a lot of mare.
Lightning Dust wasn’t sure if she’s ever seen a bigger and uglier mare in her life. Honestly, Bulk Biceps looked more feminine than her.
She more closely resembled a dull-pink rhino than anything else, with an enormous double-chin, a rippling pair of jowls and a collection of warts and boils across her face, topped off by a pair of beady, sunken eyes that glared menacingly at anything that met them.
Her nurse’s shawl did nothing to make her seem any friendlier, particularly when contrasted with the apron she wore. An apron filthy with stains of all sorts, mostly varying shades of red and yellow, with a large pocket filled with a selection of metal apparatus one would normally find in a rather unkempt toolbox.
She shrunk back in her seat, catching sight of Tyria’s bowed head and shaking hooves.
“Er...” she mumbled “...hello...nurse...”
She ambled towards the two, her hooves heavy on the ground and spoke in a low, growly North Trottingham drawl.
“The Doctor will see you now”

*

As the train came to a stop, the Bearers of Harmony watched as Royal Canterlot Guard lined up in two parallel rows of single file outside their carriage. They soon noticed that between every two Royal Canterlot Guard was a Boulettan Trooper, dressed in red and bronze armour with a visored helmet topped with a metal spike.
Two officers, representing the two forces, strode forward and stood before the carriage doors.
As Carcassonne opened them, the officers saluted the Bearers upon their arrival.
Twilight recognised the Canterlot Officer.
“Blizzard Wind!” she said happily “I didn’t know you’d been promoted. It’s great to see you again!”
“Thank your brother for that, my lady Twilight Sparkle” He removed his helmet to reveal a grey pegasus with a snow-white fur and light blue eyes warm with humility and compassion “It’s good to have you here. We feel a lot safer already”
“We won’t let you down, Blizzard” Twilight patted him on the shoulder.
“Nor we, you” he said and parted for the Boulettan Officer removing his helm.
He was also a pegasus, clean and prim with a bright orange coat and a cream-coloured mane tied into a ponytail behind his head. He appeared to wearing some form of makeup. His lips were possessed of a certain shimmer and she could swear he was wearing eyeliner. He smiled warmly and bowed his head.

“Welcome to Boulette City, Bearers of Harmony” he said “I’m Captain Lafayette, 17th Municipal Guard Regiment. Recalled from Slovenly along with many of the stallions you see here” He nodded at Carcassonne “I presume Representative Carcassonne has given you a debriefing”
“As best as I could manage” the scarlet unicorn butted in “They’ll definitely need to visit HQ”
Twilight nodded Lafayette and followed him while turning back to Blizzard Wind.
“Is my brother here, Lieutenant?”
“I’m afraid Captain-General Shining Armour hasn’t yet been recalled to this area” the grey pegasus said “But we have four battalions currently keeping the city safe. The officer in charge would be Colonel Peregrine, one of our best. He’s at HQ. But the battalions are commanded by Lieutenants Jupiter, Montague, Loli Beats and myself”
“Well, I’m not much for military matters, so don’t expect me to start taking charge” Twilight admitted “But I’ll talk with Peregrine later. Thank you, Blizzard”
“The others will be happy to know you’ve arrived, your highness” the Lieutenant said as he spread his wings “You’re sure to find out what sort of creatures are behind all this. Oh, and by the way...” He reached into a pocket on his belt and pulled out seven golden clip-shaped items tipped with clear crystals “Princess Cadence had these made for you. They’re Communication Clips, attach them to your necklaces and you’ll be able to track and speak to each other wherever you are”
The Bearers did so, the crystal tips slowly glowing the same colours as those of their respective elements. Spike took one that matched that of Twilight but with a hint of green.
He smiled. Recognition at last.
“Good luck, my lady mares. The guard have total faith in you”
Blizzard took off as Lafayette led them out of the station.

Boulette was a towering metropolis but very different to Canterlot. It more closely resembled a more conventional city like Manehattan or perhaps Detrot.
Applejack in particular thought back to Manehattan. Nopony seemed to smile, everypony was just plodding along, keeping their head and their mouths shut.
Fluttershy meanwhile, patted Angel’s back as she coughed lightly. She gave an uneasy glance to the enormous foundries pumping clouds of black smog into the sky. The construction of weapons and walls was such an ugly thing.
The city itself looked hospitable enough just...unfriendly.
Was this what it was like outside the mainland?
One would find more cheer in a graveyard.
Then again, they had just suffered one of the biggest terrorist attacks in modern history.
At nearly every street corner there were guards. A cadre from Canterlot and a smaller squad from Boulette. They stood parallel to each other and Twilight caught some of them were scowling at each other.
They arrived at a hotel, a grandiose specimen with wall to wall windows on every floor.
Lafayette and Carcassonne checked them in and an elevator did the rest.
It felt weird. Nopony really paying them that much attention, positively anyway.
As the elevator stopped, Spike, carrying the luggage, bumped into Lafayette. As both of them apologised, Rarity noticed something fall out of the officer’s pocket. She picked it up with a flash of bright blue magic and gave it an examine.
It was a heart-shaped brass locket.
Rarity’s eyes looked to her left and right. Being the curious and, admittedly, slightly nosy mare she was, she couldn’t resist a quick look inside.
It was a picture of Lafayette smiling and being kissed on the cheek by a very pretty zebra with silver-stripes and locks of navy-blue mane and...a beard?
‘Oh’

Rarity glanced at the young Boulettan officer before her and tapped him on the shoulder. The others were occupied each taking a share of the luggage. It was a good a time as ever.
“Pardon me” she said a little uneasily “You appear to have dropped this, dear”
Lafayette’s face fell as he snatched it back and hid it away in his pocket again, glancing nervously at the Bearer of Generosity.
“D-did you...see...” he trailed off.
Rarity gave him a reassuring smile.
“You have a very handsome coltfriend, sir”
“Please...” Lafayette’s voice dropped to a worried whisper “Please don’t tell anypony!”
“What’s the matter? It’s nothing to be ashamed of”
“That’s not what my CO’s think...”
“Oh...I’m so sorry to hear that, dear” Rarity patted him on the shoulder again “Don’t worry. My lips are sealed”
“Thank you...” The young officer straightened up and marched to the door of a large and well-kept room.
“Bearers of Harmony. This shall be your room”

*

The six mares took in the room a moment.
It was large enough to accommodate six beds and desk space and possessed every appliance one would need for briefly living away from home. The room itself was very modern but the décor appeared based off traditional design, patterns across the wallpaper closely resembling those on the armour and banners of the Boulettan guard. The back wall however, was a pair of glass doors leading to a balcony, a scenic view of the city before them.
“Yes...this will do nicely” Twilight Sparkle said with satisfaction “Thank you Carcassonne and Lafayette, Boulette is very generous”
“I call top bunk!” Pinkie yelled, bouncing into the room.
“Um, Miss Pinkie, there are no bunks, the room has six...” Lafayette stopped suddenly as, in the blink of an eye, Pinkie was lying on a bed that had doubled in height for no apparent reason.
“Wh...what just happened?!” Carcassonne spluttered.
“It’s best not to ask, trust me” Applejack muttered.
“Just as long as I don’t have to sleep next to a certain technicolour-maned snorer” Rarity mumbled.
“Oh really?” Rainbow Dash sneered “Well let’s not talk about what you get up to in your sleep!”
“So what’s everypony planning on doing on the town, as it were?” Rarity suddenly exclaimed with a forced smile.
“Well, I’m heading to the HQ. I want to get the full story on what’s been happening and why” Twilight said.
“That sounds like a fabulous idea! I’ll right behind you, Twilight darling!”
“Oh marry me tonight, my wondrous gallant!” the cyan pegasus put on her best impression of the white unicorn, fluttering her eyelashes and batting her hooves winsomely “We belong in each other’s embrace forever!”
“Shutupshutupshutupshutup!” Rarity hissed.
“Oh, to love a dragon!”
“Rainbow Dash, without sounding too demanding, I demand you shut your impertinent face!” Rarity snarled, before turning straight back to Twilight, Carcassonne and Lafayette with a face that looked a little too-happy “Come along then, darlings! Let’s find out all we can!”
“Right...sorry, dragon?!” Twilight started as the door shut behind them.

Rainbow Dash sniggered at the spectacle, ignoring the disapproving look from Applejack.
“Well...” she said at last “I’m gonna’ stretch my wings a bit, catch ya’ girls later” Throwing open the glass doors, she flew down into the cityscape, as was her usual laid-back manner.
“Well...ah’m gonna’ do a little scoutin’ round town. No sense waitin’ fer’ them varmints-for-hire to find us when we’re least ‘spectin’ it”
Applejack gave Fluttershy, Pinkie, Spike and Angel a nod “Let me know if anything pops up. You okay, Spike?”
“Huh, wha?!” The little dragon snapped to attention, blinking wildly.
“Aw, Spikey’s just having a shipping-trip!”
Applejack felt best not to go into that she closed the door behind her.
“Okay, Angel. Let’s see if we can make you some lunch...” Fluttershy rummaged through her luggage, revealing what she’d made so much fuss about. Various packets of feed and pet-keeping items.
“I wondered what was so heavy” Spike muttered, getting to his feet “If I could just have a word with Angel in private?”

Uneasily, the little white rabbit followed the young dragon outside, waiting till the door was completely closed before turning to his old pet-sitting nemesis with sparks of flame in his eyes.
“Okay, bunny-boy, listen and listen good!” he snarled, causing Angel to jump back slightly in shock “You may have had your way last time but right here, right now, I’m the boss and I’m onto you! That means you follow a few rules! They’re called the ‘Rules Angel Follows If He Doesn’t Want His Tail Scorched Off’ Rules! Number One! Never take advantage of me! Number Two! Never take advantage of anypony else! Not Twilight, not Rarity, not Fluttershy, nopony! Number Three! Never play the cute and innocent look and make me look like the jerk! Number four...”
He stopped, mid-rant, as Angel held up a medium-sized shard of amber. A naturally growing gem in the woods, though not easy to find.
Spike blinked.
“You...Is this...for me?”
Angel put his free front-paw behind his back, looked away humbly and nodded.
“Um...thanks” the little dragon took it, looked it over and popped it in his mouth. Amber was very tasty for dragons. It had a certain honeyish flavour.

“You find this in the Everfree?” Spike spoke with his mouth full. Amber was also very sticky in the heat of a dragon’s mouth, latching onto his teeth as he chewed.
Angel nodded.
“That was a pretty big risk. Did Fluttershy know?” Spike finally pried the amber off his teeth with his tongue as Angel shook his head.
He looked him up and down. Everything about him seemed genuine.
“Well...” he paused a moment and took notice of the bunny’s guilty-expression “You were a colossal pain in the tail...”
Angel gave the tiniest of nods, closing his eyes.
“But hey...I remember the first time I was pet-sat...” Spike chuckled bashfully “It took me weeks for Colgate to forgive me for the trouble I put her through...so I guess...” He held out one little hand “Apology accepted. Let’s start over, huh?”
The little white rabbit looked up with a smile and shook his hand with his front-paw.
The door creaked open as Fluttershy poked her head outside, smiling proudly at the two.
“I’m glad you two could work things out” she said “I need to get us a few water bottles. I don’t want anypony getting sick from the tap-water, it’s never a good idea to do that far from home. I’ll be a few minutes, if that’s okay”
“I’m coming with you! It’s getting boring and I wanna’ see new places!” Pinkie Pie appeared in front of her, somehow having exited their room and appeared in the corridor without anyone’s notice.
The two mares left together as Spike and Angel returned to the room.
There was a pause.
“So...” Spike looked around “Do you read comic books?”

*

“See, I told you that movie was gonna’ suck” Lyra said with a hint of smugness as she and her marefriend made their way home.
“Okay, you can be right about films for once” Bonbon grumbled “I can’t believe that thing got green-lit”
“I can’t believe that thing got Trifle Bay” the mint green unicorn chuckled “What were you expecting? A hint of charm? Nope, just explosions, yelling, swearing, sex-jokes and casual racism”
“Ugh...fine...you’re picking the next movie”
“Great”
“But no Random Sandler!”
“Okay, okay...I mean at least he pretty much tries to make it terrible”
“How is that better?!” Bonbon reached her house as she threw down the Daft N’ Dangerous 6 flag on the couch.
“Besides, I needed something to cheer me up. By the end of the week, I have to go to Canterlot to see that heartless, stuck-up nag Derpy has to call an aunt released from her house arrest” Lyra gave a begrudging sigh then reached over to nuzzle her marefriend lovingly and give her ear a playful nibble “Tell ya what...come upstairs and we can make a little movie of our own”
Bonbon gave a snigger.
“What movies do you watch when I’m not around?”
“Movies where I’ll be waiting upstairs in a maid outfit with garters and a feather-duster”
“Whoa, okay, whoa! Seriously?!” Bonbon gave her an unimpressed look, watching as her marefriend wilted with disappointment before answering.
“I’ll go get my policemare’s uniform” She said with a wry grin.
“Don’t keep me waiting, officer” Lyra giggled, racing upstairs.
Bonbon gave a relaxed sigh and checked over her mail on the kitchen table.
There was one new item. A crisp, embroidered letter with the Canterlot Royal Seal.
At first, she’d thought it was Lyra’s but, upon inspecting it, it was addressed to her.
She opened and read it.
‘Special Agent Sweetie Drops.
It is time’
She put it down, pondering for a moment.
So the time had finally come.
As they’d said it would.
“Oh, Officer?!” Lyra called down from the bedroom.
Bonbon checked her wardrobe.
‘Well...’ she thought, throwing on the policemare’s cap ‘Better make the most of it’

*

Three eyes stared up at a daunting foe.
Plucky Cooper the Griffon Scout, Shireling the Tracker, and Lesmaline the Lost Siren stared up at the pale, hairless, horrifically-scarred goat seated upon a giant, rotting bat.
“Who...who are you?” Plucky asked.
The goat threw back his head and cackled, his voice croaky and screeching like a vulture.
“YEARGH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE!”
“Geez, that was scary!” Scootaloo jumped back “How do you do that?”
“I’ve had years of practice” Tungsten said “I listen to the books on tape, me and Button Mash play the games at the arcade and I watch the TV series whenever I can”
“Oh, I love that show!” Scootaloo exclaimed “Okay, girls, we need to get the show on DVD next time we’re at Derpy’s”
“Ah ain’t never seen it” Applebloom said quizzically.
“It sounds a bit scary” Sweetie Belle added.
“No, no, really. It’s awesome!” Scootaloo bounced around “My favourite villain was definitely the Willowmaker! He’s so cool! Even if he does steal the Princess’s baby”
“Ah yes, the Willowmaker played by Ziggy Stardust himself!” Tungsten chuckled, adopted a coy and almost glamorous tone.
“I know this is hard for you, my dear Thrilana, but you can...trust...me. Your baby will be absolutely fine...in my kingdom...Safe from the war...safe from the shadow...safe...from...everything”
“Ooh, Ziggy Stardust’s so dreamy! I think I might like it if he’s in it!” Sweetie Belle piped up excitedly.
“My favourite villain would have to be...Thogolgothoth” Pipsqueak said.
“Yes! Thorn Berry! Always brilliant no matter what he’s in” Tungsten gave his voice a tremendously hammy yet somehow very sonorous vibe that seemed to vibrate between octaves.
“Oh you foolish little mooorrrtalllllllssss...You are in....myyyyyyy realm now...and there are rules...that one musssst obeeeeyyyy...And I...I am the one...who makes them...Hwuhuhahahahahahaha!”
Pipsqueak shook his head in admiration and Tungsten cleared his throat.

“My favourite would probably be either Ulach the Brazen Guardian or Blood Knight Commander Thryce”
“Aw, that mean old doofus?!” Scootaloo squawked “Ulach, I can understand but Thryce is so horrible! When he kills Mitch right in front of Tally Hoe!”
“Okay, I might not like it after all” Sweetie Belle squeaked.
“I mean, how can you like that guy?!”
“Two words. Pony - Jay” Tungsten said, putting on an impression of his favourite actors in the series, reedy and low-pitched, devoid of the humour or hamminess that prevalent in most of the villains.
“Heed carefully my command, Ardulea. For if I am forced to repeat myself it shall be to your replacement”
“Okay, granted. The actor’s pretty good”
“Pretty good?! He won the TAFTA Award and the Lancy VA Award for his performance!” Tungsten exclaimed.
“Alright, alright. Mean character, great actor” Applebloom interjected “Now...Goat-fella’ was sayin’?”
“Right” Tungsten returned to the game on the board as the first session of O&O Club at Ms Cheerilee’s went swimmingly.
“Ahem...I am Varbeck Van Grief, Nephew of Highlord Vladric Van Grief and First Lieutenant of the Grellgard, voiced by Gladed Bamber. And you insufferable creatures have meddled in our affairs for the last time! Bloodsnout, my servant, voiced by Glee Gladley Baker, rip them, I say! Rip them asunder!”
The great bat gave a hellish screech and pounced.
There was a rattle of dice.
“A three and two fours” Applebloom said “Where does that leave us?”
“You all jump out of the way but Plucky Cooper’s wounded” Tungsten answers.
“Right...Argh!” Scootaloo cried as the griffon scout moved too slow and took a deep gash to the side from Bloodsnout’s claws.
“No! Plucky!” Shireling yelled, dragging her out the way “Y’all pay for that, ya filthy monster! Y’all pay dearly...Five an’ a four”
The bat gave a wail of agony as Shireling’s dual bow fired true, catching it in the neck and shoulder while Lesmaline fired a blast of Siren sound magic at the beast’s leg.
“Gargh! You useless, fetid vermin! Finish them I say! I’ll deal with you, stream-born scum...five...Hyargh!”
Varbeck leapt from his mount and drew a fearsome sickle, bearing down on the Siren.
“Once I am finished with you...your blood shall be quaffed in onyx goblets at Castle Grell...Scootaloo, you can roll a dice”
“Oh right” the little pegasus did so “Two and a three”
“Ah, Plucky’s still incapacitated until the next round.
“Shoot! You two better stay alive ‘til then”
"This role-play's pretty fun" Sweetie giggled.

Aside, several other foals were playing non-campaign games while Dinky and Pipsqueak were setting about painting models.
“I didn’t know you could paint your own figures” Dinky said with a little frustration “Oh, it’s just not looking the way yours do”
“Well, let me see if I can help” The little pinto looked over. Dinky’s painting was all over the place. Trying to match Pip’s technique was clearly difficult for her “Ah, I see the problem. You’ve been applying the paint by stroke. It’s meant to be layered. That’s how you give it the finish”
“Really? I mean these models are pretty thin, won’t the layering ruin the details?”
“No, no, let me explain” Pip held up two paint pots of the same colour but one had a clear plastic cap instead of a black one “The clear-capped pots are layering paints. They’re very thin and dry fast. You use those to apply the shine and other effects. So one or two flat colours followed by a lot of layers. That’s how you do it”
“Oooooh. Now I see” Dinky gave a squeak of joy as the finish was applied much more easily and with greater success “Thanks Pip. You’re always so helpful”
She gave her that smile of hers.
“Um...right” Pip mumbled “Sorry, I...I just need to go...check my bag for...frogs...”
He scampered out the room, leaving Dinky by the paints, looking perplexed and slightly disappointed.

“Do you think Pip’s been acting strangely?” Tootsie Flute asked, momentarily turning away from her game with Truffle Shuffle.
Dinky couldn’t quite put her hoof on it. As early as a day ago, Pip had never stopped staring at her, blushing furiously when she gave him a smile. Now he’d done nothing but keep his head down whenever he was in her company.
It didn’t take a grown-up to notice.
Something was up.
Just then, the voice of Tungsten cut the chatter.
“Whaddya’ mean you like the direct-to-video spin-off series?!” He sounded furious “How could you possibly like that garbage?!”
“What’th not to like? Cashew Brotherick wath in it!” Twist protested.
“But the character he was playing was atrocious! The so-called hero, Borny Blinkenfink, never wants to be the hero, never does anything of note, is totally useless and unhelpful and if they got rid of him, nothing that happened in the film would’ve changed, whatsoever!”
“Yeth it would! There’d be no Cashew Brotherick”
“Ah’d leave it, if ah were you, Tungsten” Applebloom piped up “She’s very keen on Cashew Brotherick”
“And you gotta’ admit, Bullywog was funny” Rumble pointed out.
“Yeah, okay, Bullywog was one of the only good things in the movie. Of course, he was. He was voiced by Flick Fayall”
“Can you do the impression?” Ruby Pinch asked, fighting back the giggles.
Tungsten sighed and cried out in an exaggerated, slobbery lisp.
“You witleth, jibbewing, imbeciiiilettttth! When I thay I want that mermaidth egg, that means I want that thtupid, thtinking mermaidth eeeeeegg! Nnnnnextht time you weturn to your mathter empty-handed, why I’ll hang you all upthide-down in a gweat big bubbling pot of thtinkbug thteeeeewwww!”
Several of the onlookers fell-about laughing as Tungsten took a gulp of orange juice from his carton.
“Okay, he was good and Prim Spigot-Pith was a decent Archmage but the rest of the actors were just so bland and phoned in and the plot was full of holes and clichés for no reason! And don’t talk to me about the garbage that came after that! The studio who brought the rights couldn't give less of an effort! None of it's canon and do not say otherwise if you call yourself a fan!”
“Oh dear” Pipsqueak groaned, returning from his ‘frog-in-bag-checking’ “Somepony brought up the direct-to-video spin-offs, didn’t they”

“I mean who’s idea was it to get Ponny Oiseau to play the new Archmage?! He disgraced that role! The Archmage played by Switchard Harris was wise and benevolent, the one played by Sullen Trickman was cold, calculating and ultimately fell to darkness, Farry Oldman was broken after losing his family, Lark Latiss and later Bliss Barrie was smart but eccentric, Brom Baker was losing his wits and Prim Spigot-Pith was an arrogant sceptic who impeded the heroes but later sought to mend his mistakes. Whatever their role, they’d been well-acted throughout the series. And then Oiseau comes along and turns the consistently wise, learned and powerful wizard into a barely-articulate, confused, misogynistic whiner who plays rugby in a business suit!!! And half the film was centred around him! What were they thinking?!”
“Settle down, Tungsten, its fine. I’m sure nopony’s actually seen that one” Cheerilee butted in, looking up from her marking.
“Right, sorry” The fervent fan took a deep breath.
“Who’s Ponny Oiseau?” Sweetie Belle asked.
"I don't know but he sounds creepy" Scootaloo gave a shrug.
“Um...Crusaders?” Dinky mumbled “Could...Could we talk in private?”
“Uh, sure” Scootaloo turned to Tungsten “Could we take five a moment?”
“Sure. I think Snips and Snails need another hoof with the manual”

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Dinky gathered just behind the school-door.
“Okay, Dinks, what’s the problem?” the little orange pegasus asked.
“Well...” Dinky looked to her left and right then answered, massaging one foreleg with the other nervously “It’s Pip”
“You wonderin’ how to ask him out?” Applebloom said with a smile.
“No, no, that’s just it...” the little periwinkle unicorn looked forlorn “He’s been acting...weird...like he doesn’t want to look at me...I mean, he helps me with the paints but...I was expecting him to really talk me through everything like he did last time we played. Now he seems so...”
“Distant?” Sweetie Belle suggested.
“It...It’s like he’s ashamed of something. Like he did something wrong and he feels bad about it but he hasn’t. At least I don’t think he has...”
“Let’s talk to him, okay?” Applebloom proposed “We’re stayin with you, yer mom and Sparkler tomorrow while our big sisters are away. We’ll talk to him, private-like”
“Thanks, girls...” Dinky said quietly “Um...there’s something else...”
“Spill”
“Well...yesterday, mum was crying”
“What?” Sweetie Belle gave a gasp “Why?”
“Well...my dad’s been away for a couple of days, doing something for the princess. Mum always gets a bit lonely. But...when Sparkler came in to help, mum said somepony had been saying bad things about her...and sending her mean letters...Well, sending others mean letters about her. She found them in the mail”
“Oh Dinky, that’s terrible”
“Right...but yesterday...Pip’s mum...she really didn’t like my mum...and I don’t know why...”
“Do you think maybe she’s behind this...or just believing the one behind this?” Scootaloo asked.
“It couldn’t be her. She barely knows her, she's not from here” Sweetie added.
“But who’d say bad things about my mum...” Dinky seemed close to tears “She never does anything to deserve it...”
“Do you think...Diamond Tiara?” Scootaloo suggested.
They were quiet. While it was true, Diamond Tiara wasn’t nearly as unpleasant as she had been ages ago, she still faltered from time to time, acted selfishly or insensitively. Still, clandestine slander seemed beneath her...but then they remembered the Gabby Gums incident. Never a pleasant experience or any of them.
“We’ll have a talk with her tomorrow” Applebloom decided.
“But shouldn’t we tell Cheerilee or something?” Scootaloo asked.
“Not until we know who it is. Blaming somepony without proof is just gonna get us in trouble. And maybe Dinky and Pip too” Sweetie Belle said firmly “Remember girls, the Crusaders help ponies. That’s not something we’re gonna’ do well if we don’t do it responsibly”
“Right” Applebloom gave a nod “Tomorrow then. We’ll ask around. Don’t you worry none, Dinky. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are on the case!”

Author's Note:

Hi all.
A while ago, I asked if anyone wanted their OCs added.
So thanks to Ender Knight and Nova Arc for contributing. Don't worry, they'll come into their element later and if there's anything you'd like me to add, just say.
Here, I've given Angel a chance for redemption. Yes, what he did was very wrong but if we can forgive Discord, Trixie, Gilda, Diamond Tiara and Starlight Glimmer I see no reason why we can't forgive him or make an effort to redeem him.
Meanwhile in Glanders Gate, nefarious plots are hatched all round.
Weren't expecting Lightning Dust to show up, were you?
And Tyria is someone you may know more than you think.
Bit raunchy with Lyra and Bonbon but don't worry, this is as far as it goes. When next we see them, they'll be kicking flank like everypony else. And Sweetie Drops is once again called to the front.
I've been working on impressions recently (I'm hoping to go into voice acting) and I based Tungsten off myself a little. Helpful but awkward, likes doing impressions, ran a gaming club at school, a fan of brilliant actors and constantly going off on one.
See if you can work out which actors I'm referencing in the puns. They're all excellent in my opinion.
I got the idea from the Daring Doo fanfic.

Comments

[Bronycommander]

The beginning reminds me for some reason of the Arkum Asylum from Gothan City. I wonder what Pips Cutie Mark could be, given he's so good in painting his own figures, or Dinky's Cutie Mark. (Go get her Pip)

[Purple Patch]

7919956 That is largely what I based it off.
Also, did a bit of a blunder, changed the entry somewhat.
I don't know who's picked up it yet so keep it a secret, alright?

[Bronycommander]

7919959 But of course