Lyra Heartstrings - 20th of Solar Dusk, 17 EoH
11 Forward: Bar & Grill - USS Pheonix
Six months. I’d managed to be mostly okay for six months. Longer than I thought, but not as long as I’d hoped. At least living inside the Emerald Hive was sort of interesting. I’d wanted to get into this particular changeling hive for almost a decade now.
Too bad I got in as a refugee with the rest of Ponyville.
I’d heard that they finally finished the initial decontamination of Ponyville last week. There’d be a few more rounds of clean up, a short wait to see if anything came back, and then the town could start reconstruction. Had it been that bad? I didn’t think it would have taken six months just to do that.
Then again, it wasn’t just the portal to Tartarus which had opened up there. We probably brought a lot of weird stuff back with us when we transported the town back from the dream realm.
Good tactic, Luna. Hide the whole city from the demons within the shadowy place dreams become real.
That sounded sarcastic even in my head. But I didn't mean it that way. It had been a good idea. We saved sixty percent of everypony. Sort of. Lots of them came out different than they went in…
Like Bonbon.
Six months since she’d taken that shot for me. How normal everything had seemed for those first few weeks. Nothing had been wrong at all.
The Nightmare had seen me. It turned, fired two pale blue rays from its eyes. Bonbon jumped to take the shot for me since she was the stronger of the two of us. The beams hit. Nothing seemed to happen. We were confused, drove the Nightmare off, evacuated the Hay Burger. Chakled the weirdness up to being in a world where logic itself could change at random.
If only…
“I need another, please,” I asked the barkeeper while staring at the stainless steel bar top.
I could see my reflection in the shiny metal. The reflection of the whole bar was there. The oval shaped, red and green neon lit, all metal and black vinyl, futuristic themed bar just sort of there. Framing my blank face.
I liked the futuristic look the Emerald Changelings gave their hive. I really did. But I missed the Bronze Star’s rustic theme. Something about the rustic looking wood and leather paneled walls made it feel homey. This felt more like grabbing a drink at one of Vi’s clubs. Not like having a drink at home to calm down.
“I sort of want to cut you off,” the barkeeper, a burgundy colored pegasus (or maybe a shape changed changeling, I couldn’t tell), said hesitantly, ears half drooped. “But, you don’t seem drunk.”
“I’m a vampire. We’re immune to poison. I can’t get drunk,” I mumbled in reply.
“Uh, then why-”
“I’m trying to anyways,” I explained with a weary sigh before he could finish asking.
And bourbon tasted nice when I was sad.
The pegasus shook his head tan mane swishing like he’d walked out of a shampoo commercial. “No. I was going to ask how come you don’t burst into flames in the hallway. We use full spectrum lighting. No different from sunlight,” he corrected.
“It doesn't work like that…” I explained wearily. “Look, if you're curious, ask any of Luna’s other knights. We’re all vampires. They’ll explain. I just want another drink please. I’ve got the money for it.”
The pegasi raised one eyebrow. “Um, I get that Princess Luna is supposed to have a darkness and night theme going for her, but… Really? All of you?” He asked incredulously. “She’s got to have a few hundred knights at her beck and call, and all of you-”
“Princess Luna has six knights. That’s all,” somepony corrected from behind my left shoulder.
Catching sight of Rarity’s reflection in the bar I realized she had decided to speak up for me. She’d gotten the cybernetic parts used to save her life removed a few months ago. Her white coat was back to its old, not-metal, immaculate self.
“And from what I recall, Luna had nothing to do with their status. It was an accident involving some poor word choices and a game of twister. Isn’t that right, darling?” Rarity continued, walking up beside me.
I nodded. “Yeah. It’s a long story. Now can I please get another drink?” I asked looking up at the bartender finally.
Rarity frowned, her eyes narrowing in concern. Her eyes creeped me out a little now. I could see which one was the mechanical one. Not everypony could. It was too close to being organic. Not organic enough, or stylized enough, to not creep me out.
It wouldn’t be an issue if I had normal pony vision. But since I could see the difference…
“Lyra, do you need somepony to talk to?” Rarity asked sympathetically. “Drinking won't solve anything. Especially for you.”
“It tastes nice. And Bonbon always makes me Bourbon Drops for my birthday,” I countered.
Rarity paused, biting her lip in thought. “W-well, I mean, she still can,” she pointed out.
I nodded. “Yeah… If she cares to. Assuming she’s not too busy with what's-his-face,” I sighed, ears wanting to fall further in despair.
The bartender winced, and quickly poured another glass. “I’m sorry. We’ve all gone through one break up before,” he said as she slid the glass over to me with a flick of his hoof.
“I haven’t,” I mumbled.
Rarity raised an eyebrow. “You- You’ve never been through a breakup before?”
I shook my head twice. “Nope. Bonbon was the first and only mare to ask me out and we’ve been together since we were seventeen,” I said, trying not to think too hard about the last sixty seven years. “Yep. We were the middle school couple who ‘made it’. Then this horse apples happens…
“Of all the stupid things that could have happened to us in that realm, she gets hit with a hex that makes her straight. Everything we’ve gone through, everything she and I have worked for… All gone.”
“You can’t dispel it?” The Bartender asked with a confused frown.
I closed my eyes tightly for half a minute. Trying not to snap.
“I can. But that’s illegal,” I explained, managing to keep an even tone of voice. “It’s not some mind control charm. She got hit with a spell that changed a fundamental part of her very being in such a way as to make it her ‘natural self’.
“Could I change that with magic? Yes. But that’s a felony. Because it’s mind control. Because her actual normal self changed. She feels normal and comfortable like this. She doesn't want to like me again either, because now she honestly can’t imagine liking mares despite all of her memories still being intact. Just like how she used to not be able to imagine liking a stallion. Complete inversion of her natural state. Nothing I can legally or ethically do.”
I’d woken up to my wife sobbing because she couldn’t love me anymore. That had literally been my worst nightmare since forever.
It had found me…
“I’m sorry,” Rarity said, giving me a quick hug. “I know you’ve probably already thought about this, but why not ask Doctor Lily to-”
“Tried it,” I dismissed.
“Mmm, yes. I figured you would feel uncomfortable being a stallion,” Rarity said with a small nod.
I laughed, actually smiling for a second. I was comfortable being lots of things. I studied transformation magic for fun as a filly and used it now as a means of disguise.
“Oh no, that’ was fine,” I grumbled. “Did that for two months. It didn’t work for her because she always remembered that it was ‘fake’. She used to work for an intelligence agency. Bonbon can’t really ignore little details, you know?
“I could have done it forever if she’d accepted it. No skin off my nose. Tartarus, I spent half a year as a male griffon once, I liked it. I like being other things. To the point of being jealous of changelings. C-could you just leave me alone, please?”
Rarity shook her head. “Leave you alone? Not without at least trying to offer some real help!” She scoffed. “It’s hardly fair that-”
I turned to look Rarity in her eyes. “That you came out of the war with a starship and I lost my wife to a Nightmare that managed to make itself real?” I said flatly with a blank expression.
Her ears drooped sadly. Ah, crap! I didn’t mean it like that.
“Look, Rares, I’m happy for you. I really am. But I’m living through something I’ve woken up in cold sweats before just from dreaming about, okay?” I asked giving her a pleading look. “I kept it cool till now mostly because I thought it would wear off over time. I tried all of the things I could think of. She can’t stay with me. It’s weird for her because of the memories.
“She’s pretty sure we can still be friends. But that’s all. And… I let her go today. I signed the divorce papers. So she can be happy again whenever. I’m worried I’m going to wind up a cliche. The morose vampire in a remote crypt, yearning forever after their lost love… If that happens, stake me. Please.”
Rarity winced. “I um… I’ll go. But please, after you’re done will you come see me? We can talk and hopefully find something to help you get through this,” she asked hopefully.
I nodded. No sense in letting my feeling bad make her feel bad because she couldn’t help. It’s not okay to drag others down with you. Sucks she didn’t care for me enough to agree to do that favor for me though.
“Yeah… Sure,” I agreed with a nod.
Rarity turned to leave, taking a few steps away from me before I remembered something.
I’d never seen Rarity in Ponyville’s bars. Ever. And I spent a lot of time in them playing the lyre for the whole time she’d lived there.
“Wait, Rarity,” I called, noting Rarity stop and turn her head by her reflection in the bar. “Why are you here? I’ve never seen you drink publicly before.”
Rarity pointed to a table a short distance from me where I saw Derpy and Sky sitting, a small number of glasses and bowls littering their table. They had been here for a while and I hadn’t noticed…
“I needed to talk to Sky about an appointment to get my upgrades back,” Rarity explained. “He’s here because he needed a drink.”
I blinked twice, Rarity’s statement breaking through my depression with it’s sheer absurdity.
“YOU, want to get metal body parts, BACK?” I asked, mouth hanging open slightly.
I mean, I would. Because being a cyborg would be badflank! But her? Rarity? Seriously?!
She nodded. “Yes. I think I do at least. Lily…. Well, I’d decided to keep a few things. I didn’t explain that clearly enough and parts were removed which I wanted to keep when Lily healed me. I miss being immune to heart attacks and blood born disease. And well, the overall look could be very striking if more art design had been put into the way the prosthetics looked.”
I cocked my head. “Y-you found being a cyborg to be in vogue?”
Rarity smiled and nodded once. “Exactly! I’m not completely sure I want to go back to that, so I asked Sky about setting up a sort of therapists visit to talk about it. But it will have to wait till after we have Twilight back again.
“That’s a good thing. You don’t want to just dive in to any notion that gets into your head, you know. I’m already quite experienced with major life changes, after all. If the idea hasn’t left my head in a year or two then it’s something to pursue seriously.
“But I still want to know about the technical details of what would be needed to go through with it now. That’s sort of a key part of weighing the decision.”
Rarity finished speaking, frowned, then stepped back over and gave me another hug. “I’m sorry about Bonbon… You will come and talk when you’re up to it, right darling?”
I nodded and returned her hug long enough for Rarity to let go so I could go back to my drink.
“Yeah. I will,” I confirmed.
“Goodbye. I hope you can get through soon,” Rarity said sadly as she trotted away.
“Bye,” I called after her.
Well, at least somepony’s turning point had been positive.
“Hi!” A cheerful voice stated more than exclaimed as Derpy plopped down on the barstool to my right.
I sighed and turned to look the gray pegasus mare in her good eye with as honest and respectful of a gaze as I could. Which is a hard thing for a Lyra to do while irritated.
“Derpy, your table is close enough to overhear me asking Rarity to be left alone to drink in peace,” I said in as polite of a way as I could. “I want to be left alone. You know this.”
She nodded once. “Yep. But I’m not going to do that,” she informed adamantly, her wings twitching slightly. “Because I’ve been hunched over the bar after losing a loved one before. I’ve been you. You need a friend right now even though you feel you don’t.”
“I’m pretty sure I just want to forget…” I countered with an irritated sigh.
Derpy rolled her eyes. In different directions. I couldn’t help but smile. Stupid adorable pegasus.
“You’re drinking a drink which reminds you of something she made you for your birthday as a treat. You’re not drinking to forget. You’re drinking because it hurts,” she pointed out, with a small grin.
“Yeah… But so what? You have to deal with pain somehow,” I countered, swishing my tail in irritation.
“Sure, and for some people drinking a few glasses of something can help. But um, well, you can’t get drunk. You’re just wasting your time and money. Like I did, only without the hangover and vomiting,” Derpy admitted with a silly smile. “It won't work for you. You need a friend, and I know you have a sister, but she’s not here right now. So I’m not going to leave you alone.”
I frowned. Derpy and I had never really known each other that well. Sure, i saw her sometimes around town. I knew of her, who didn’t? But we had never been friends.
“You’ve lost a loved one?” I asked sympathetically. “I’m sorry…When did that happen?”
I didn’t have to say I knew how bad it hurt. I could tell she was being honest. Which meant she’d felt this before too.
“Lots of times,” Derpy sighed. “Most recently when Dinky’s father refused to move in long enough to raise her with me. I didn’t cry over that one since, well, turns out he was a bit of a plot hole. But I’ve lost loved ones who weren't jerks too.
“I spent most of my adult life traveling. Only staying one place long enough to know where to go next. But, well, I can’t NOT make friends. I kinda have a compulsion to help anypony I see who's genuinely sad. Sometimes, you help someone, and they are fun, and nice, and just a bit good looking, you hook up and then you have four wonderful years together-”
I gave Derpy a disgusted look.
“I’m not trying to pick you up,” she explained quickly, giving me a soothing smile.
“Good. I don’t want that,” I grumbled. “I- I know I’ll want somepony later. But not now. Besides, aren't you dating Dusk?”
Derpy shook her head. “No. After four months she decided she wasn’t ready for a serious relationship, and I realized she’s not a suitable mate for me. We’re just friends now,” she said matter of factly. “Though since we do occasionally hook up, a lot of ponies seem to still think we’re a couple. Uh, I guess it also doesn't help that we’re roommates.”
“I thought you said that Dinky’s father was the most recent one,” I asked with one eyebrow raised.
“Most recent lover. As in, somepony I’d been with for a significant amount of time as an official couple. I’ve had plenty of colt and marefriends since then, but none serious,” she explained before her eyes grew distant. “I- I have had serious ones before… And I’ve lost them. I imagine this is worse than when somepony you love dies. Because she’s still there, but out of your reach.”
I blinked, not even remotely having expected the town klutz best known for demolishing the town hall accidently to be this nice a pony. Why were we not already friends?!
She was honestly sad about my situation. She wasn’t sad because I was sad and bringing her down. She actually cared. That was… That was nice. That was what Bonbon had always been like with me.
She’d genuinely cared that I’d been the mopey mare obsessed with fantasy because I was afraid reality had nothing nice for me.
“You know what? I think I do need somepony to talk to,” I decided with a nod. “ Would it be okay to take this someplace private? Maybe a corner table or something?”
She nodded once. “Sure, we can do that. Um... “ Derpy paused, frowning as she looked around the room before giggling. “Actually, we can’t this room is an oval.”
I blinked, looking around myself. Sure enough, the bar was built in a large oval shaped room.
“Well, I look like an idiot,” I sighed, doing my best to avoid slapping a hoof to my forehead.
“I guess we’re doing it here… Do you have any cool vampire ‘quiet bubble’ powers?” Derpy asked playfully.
I rolled my eyes. “No. It thins down with each ‘generation’ away from Vi’s dad, and I was the last one bitten. All I have is the physical enhancements, dietary requirements, and well, bare minimum stuff,” I explained. Again. “Didn’t you read the pamphlets Luna had made when Hollow Shades went public? I don’t think you did, because seriously, NOPONY seems to know what vampires, werewolves, or anything else that lives there can actually do.”
I slumped down in my seat in a huff. It’s like people refused to be educated or something… It would be hilarious if Derpy asked me what would happen if I bit someone and drank enough blood to force them to change, since I was the ‘minimum’ in a diluting curse.
I always loved how ponies reacted to ‘You’d become a batpony, well, basicly. That’s where they came from in the first place, from the first vampire. Wanna be one? Just takes half an hour.’
I could use the laugh.
“I did read it,” Derpy apologised before giving me a quick hug. “I’m sorry for upsetting you. It’s just that there are a LOT of different kinds of vampires.”
“There’s three, and that’s only if you count changelings feeding on psychic energy created by emotions, and wendigos feeding on the heat living beings produce,” I said with an incredulous shake of my head. “How’s that hard to keep track of?”
“Yes, Equis has three kinds of vampire. Possibly four. But that depends on whether or not a particular cryptid is real or not-”
I gasped in honest shock. “You're into cryptozoology too?”
Play it cool and maybe she’ll let you ramble about humans in our distant past for a while and that might make you feel a bit better, Lyra!
Derpy nodded once, her lazy eye synchronizing with her normal one for just a moment. “Yes! But let’s not get off topic,” she urged. “Equis has three kinds, maybe four. That’s easy to keep track of. But do you have any idea why I’m helping with getting Twilight back?”
“Honestly, I have no clue,” I admitted with an embarrassed frown. “No offense, but you’re not an engineer as far as I know. Also, you’re not a unicorn, so the odds of you being a wizard are pretty low, though you could maybe know a few useful spells… As far as I know you’re just a klutzy mailmare who keeps winding up as the Solar Dawn pinup mare in my calendars.”
Derpy blushed lightly. “That’s not me. That’s my friend Clee. I gave her permission to use my shape when she wanted too. I um, I didn’t know she was a model at the time… I’m a bit jealous, actually,” she sighed half upset half amused before smiling and looking into my eyes as best she could manage. “Anywho, I’m here because I have experience in traveling between dimensions! Probably more than anypony else.
“Fun fact, almost every world I’ve ever visited has had vampires. Equis has the three you know. Then the world I grew up on alone has vampires, nosferatu, ghoules, stirges, vrykolakas, dhampir, and Aswang. And that’s all just the standard ‘creatures cursed to drink the blood of the living’. There’s at least fourteen different species which could be described as vampiric, and remember that’s just my own home.
“I’ve got a LOT of vampire types to keep straight in my head. I’m sorry for messing up, it’s a bit hard.”
“I um… I thought you grew up in White Nest? I mean that’s what I heard ponies say,” I mumbled slowly, trying to process the fact that Derpy of all ponies was a cooler adventure than me.
It felt… Weird. I’m Lyra Heartstrings, I’m supposed to out weird others, not be outwierded!
Brain, what do I do!?
Get her to take you someplace so you’re even.
Good idea, brain!
You’re welcome.
Derpy giggled. “I did grow up in White Nest. Just not the one you’re thinking of.”
“Sooo, you lie about your past to everypony then?” I asked sadly.
And here I was starting to like her…
Derpy quickly shook her head no twice. “I’ve actually never lied about anything. They ask where I’m from, I answer ‘a village called White Nest’. They ask what I did with my life, I answer ‘I traveled around looking for the place I was born’. Ponies never really tend to ask things like ‘what universe are you from?’ and if they do the honest answer is ‘This one.’
“I was born here. I just got my cutiemark at age six… Turns out that um, I can sort of just wander off into other universes if I get lost in my imagination. Literally.”
“I figured you were just really good at blowing bubbles,” I admitted sheepishly.
She shook her head no. “Nope. The bubbles represent the boundaries of a universe, and there’s a group of them because I can go between them… But I really hate that method. There’s no picking a destination… It’s made me kinda paranoid about not knowing where I am at a given time… It took a LOT of work to find my way back here.”
“I don’t lie… I just don’t go into detail about myself very much. I’ve always answered direct questions truthfully though. A few ponies know. I’d be totally honest like I was with everywhere else I went, but I wasn’t here because I was enjoying just being a pony up until now.
“That was the entire point of coming here. Live here for a while, learn how my birth species lives, make friends, then go back home one day. If I let everypony know I'm not normal, I’d have wasted the three hundred years I spent looking for Equis,” Derpy explained.
I jumped out of my chair, reflexively landing and balancing atop my hind legs, and pointed a hoof at Derpy.
“Horse apples! You don’t look a day over fifty three!” I protested. “You are NOT at the end of your lifespan.”
She nodded.
She just nodded.
“No. I’m not. We’ve got a lot in common. Not vampirism, but there’s lots of ways you can live longer,” Derpy admitted with a small blush. “I-I think you’d like mine. But that’s not anything I want to get into. And we’re supposed to be talking about you.”
Oh.
I narrowed my eyes in thought. She wasn’t a litch, I’d followed Twilight’s friend Repose around enough to be able to spot them. That left alchemical, technological rejuvenation therapy, consciousness transfers-
Ooooo! Maybe she was an android with an uploaded pony consciousness! That would be so cool! Then we could date and my sister and I would have another thing in common. I could invite Sev to a ‘come up with a better nickname for yourself’ party and be like ‘Look! Twins!’ and she would laugh!
I stopped, letting the bunny trail die. Derpy was right. We were here to talk about my problems.
I sighed and got back onto the barstool I had been using. “I know what my problem is, Derpy,” I stated as clearly as I could. “I- I just don't know how to deal with it. My happiness depends on knowing I mean something special to somepony else. It always has.
“First my parents. Then they became disappointed in me and withdrew from my life a bit and I became this mostly grumpy mare you can see right now. But then I made some friends, and I got a bit happier. Then one of them asked me out and I became borderline hyperactive and upbeat again because I finally meant something special to someone else again.
“But now it’s back to square-”
“Is something wrong with your old friends?” Derpy interrupted with a bemused look on her face.
“Huh?” I asked, tilting my head to one side.
“You just said things got better when you made some friends. You still have those friends, right?” she asked again.
I nodded. “Y-Yeah. And I still love them all, but well, they are kind of a package deal with Bonbon. We ALL go back to school. I’m not going to abandon them, and I’m going to hang out with them and Bonbon once I’m my old self again but… But I can’t hang out with them right now. Because Bonbon is…”
“And that would be too painful right now,” Derpy said with a nod. “What you need to do is make a new friend.”
I blinked, and then facehooved. “Oh, my, Luna! I even SAID that when explaining the-”
Derpy giggled and winked at me with her lazy eye. “Hi, new friend!” She exclaimed with a little wave of her left wing
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Well played, Derpy… I guess we are friends. You helped me out of.. This. We both like Cryptozoology, we’re both adventurers, apparently both going to live a long time…
“We’ve got a lot in common. We should work out something to do together. Do you like tabletop roleplaying games? Or maybe we could go camping someplace cool sometime?”
“There we go!” Derpy exclaimed with a bright smile. “Now you’ve got the motivation needed to do something productive instead of just being sad. I’m really busy helping Sky and Ay right now, but I’ll happily do something with you when I can!”
I smirked and shook my head slowly. “Yeah, I guess I do! What are the odds you have something I could help with? You know. With that whole ‘find Twilight’ thing,” I wondered aloud.
Derpy scratched the back of her head with one hoof. “W-well, not really. The only problem I have right now is trying to help find a way to prevent an object from being ripped apart when passing through an energy field because of small scale differences in time dilation at random points within the field.”
“Wait, what?” I asked my eyes widening slightly.
“That’s why we haven’t gotten Twilight back yet,” Derpy explained with a sad sigh. “The portal we’ve made-”
“Is Kenji-Samo’s Ethereal Blanket not working?” I asked as my lips twisting into a frown.
Derpy blinked. “Um…”
I facehooved. Lyra, you’re an idiot. That spell is common in one nation on the other side of the world, and you only learned it by befriending that cute mare who deserted the Yakuza.
Obscure neighponese spell is obscure!
“I know a spell meant to protect against a fairly common ray spell used in neighpone which has that same effect. I learned it when Luna sent us to Neighpone because I was afraid we’d fight ninjas. It’s called Kenji-Samo’s Ethereal Blanket,” I explained. “I can’t cast it on something the size of a pony, but I’m certain a better mage could. I can write it down for-”
Derpy jumped up from the table, her forehooves slamming into the table hard enough to simply rip two sections out of the metal.
While I stood staring a that freakish display of strength, immediately understanding why she had a reputation for being a super destructive klutz, Derpy shouted across the bar to Sky.
“SKY! SHE KNOWS A SPELL THAT DOES THE EXACT THING WE NEED!” Derpy proclaimed urgently.
Oh, no! I felt my heart skip a beat as my ears fell and eyes widened. They were about to be REALLY disappointed!
“Wai-” I began.
Sky almost knocked over his chair as he jumped up and almost flew over to me.
“Do you really know a spell which can compensate for a random pattern of mismatched time-dilation because we were in here drinking because we determined that coming up with an algorithm to compensate for that effect at the portal’s side would take six years of computational time on a Luna damned Matrioshka Brain!” Sky beg-explained, his words blurring together almost exactly the same way Pinkie’s did when she was excited.
I held up my hooves defensively. “I um, well, let’s make absolutely sure that we’re all on the same page,” I began slowly, trying my best not to stammer nervously.
I didn’t want to upset the guy who kept my temporary home running…
“When you say ‘mismatched time-dilation’, do you mean that bits and pieces of the thing start moving at different speeds relative to each other?” I asked.
Sky nodded. “Yes, well, no. They all experience time at a slightly different clock rate and so they rip apart,” he elaborated.
I nodded, a little hope starting to build. “Okay, then I do know a spell which prevents that-”
“YES!” Sky and Derpy exclaimed in unison, turning to give eachother a high hoof.
“- but I am totally crap at casting it.” I finished.
“How ‘crap’?” Derpy asked, her delighted smile fading slightly.
“It’s a Fifth Tier spell, that’s as advanced as I can comprehend. And it’s a complex spell for the Fifth Tier. The best I can do is cast it on a small object. I have absolutely no chance of applying it to a shield spell, or anything big enough to contain a pony. Or even a loaf of bread,” I admitted with a shy blush.
Sky blinked once and gave me a look. I couldn’t read it. Was he experiencing some kind of whiplash? We had been frenemies for ages since I kept pestering him about making me a cybernetic human suit… And sort of never thanked him for what he did wind up making because it wasn’t what I asked for….
So I was basically being an ass to him again now.
Great…
“How big of an object can you cast it on?” Sky asked matter of factly.
“I was able to cast it successfully once on a small brass plate the size of a standard envelope,” I answered, shuffling my hooves slightly. “I used that plate as a physical shield to block the ‘disintegration’ spell cast at me at the time. I can’t go into details. That operation is classified.”
“How complex can the item be? Is that a limit?” Sky asked again, his look shifting to a thoughtful one.
“Pretty simple. No moving parts. And the less mass the better,” I answered again.
I sighed nervously. “I um, Sky?” I asked with an apologetic dip of my head. “I’m sorry for the last few years.”
“About what?” Sky asked raising an eyebrow.
Not in confusion, not completely. More of a surprised satisfaction.
“For not thanking you for making me that exoskeleton to help me learn to walk upright. It wasn’t what I wanted, and that made me upset. But it did help me out a lot. I learned what I needed to do to make a transformation spell to allow me to stand up on my own with it.Thank you,” I said, trying to hold back a long sigh. “I- I don’t want you mad at me for two things at the same time. I mean, I can’t exactly help you here.”
Sky facehooved. “Lyra, the suit became a game to me. You’d complain, I’d counter, and we’d see who's stubborn wore off first. It was a bit fun. I’ll make you what you wanted now that you’ve apologised,” Sky informed as he drug his hoof down the side of his face. “Oh and by the way…”
Sky paused to take a deep breath. “You just said you could shield things the size of an envelope, you silly filly! You have the power to allow us to send test samples to find Twilight, and once we found her, you have the power to let everypony who misses her send her letters. That alone is a HUGE deal, but if you show my sister how that spell works I guarantee she can make a device to shield anything we need! So, are you going to help?”
WOW!
My eyes widened in shock. Clearly, while depressed, I was a pretty dense pony. I absolutely COULD send letters safely!
“Yes! Absolutely,” I agreed instantly. “Why would I NOT help Twilight? All of Ponyville owes her at least twenty favors!”
Sky smiled in relief and delight, his wings doing a bit of a happy flutter. “Awesome. Welcome to Project Lavender, Sir Lyra, Slayer of Roadblocks. Congratulations! A reward is in order, name it!”
I blinked twice. “Um, you already said you were going to-”
“Yeah, I’ll make it. That’s a separate thing. I like making things. Lyra, you have NO IDEA how much work that spell will save us. Decades, Lyra. Literally Decades. I have the data. I know what’s needed to find the pattern in that data. Building a powerful enough computer alone…” Sky trailed off, shaking his head slowly. “Just name something!”
I paused, mulling it over for a few minutes as I rubbed my chin with a hoof.
At the moment, there was only one thing I wanted. At least, one thing I wanted which wasn’t extremely unethical and probably very unhealthy to dwell on.
I looked over to Derpy and smiled politely. “Well… After Twilight’s safely home again, I’m kinda just a bit jealous that my sister got to live in another universe, and do all that traveling around. How about you take me some place cool? Preferably somewhere we can get up to some shenanigans, have a bit of an adventure. Something to help me… Move on.” I asked hopefully.
Derpy blinked in surprise. “Oh! Well, s-sure. I could do that,” she agreed with a nod.
“Sweet!” I exclaimed with the biggest grin I’d had in months. “Oh hey, we should go round everypony up and get them to write letters.”
Sky shook his head. “We need to confirm that it will work first. I trust you, but before we stir up everyone’s hopes…”
I nodded. “Right, right! Sorry. Kinda not thinking too well right now. Pretty depressed.”
“Science can be a pretty good distraction,” Sky suggested poignantly.
“Yep. It can be…” I leapt upwards, standing on my rear hooves in order to thrust my left hoof up in the air dramatically. “TO THE LABORATOR- WOAH!”
I yelped as I tottered backward, having leaned to the left too much, crashing to the floor in a heap.
“Ow,” I said reflexively, even though it didn’t hurt at all.
Sky nodded solemnly. “Bio-suit Build Log: The suit will need a robust self-balancing system,” he noted.
I smirked to mask my embarrassment. “It’s the booze! I swear!”
Central Operations Facility - The Observatory
Epoch 19005184082
Director Red hunched over his desk, alone in his darkly lit laboratory. The only source of light came from the dim sun’s light streaming through a foot thick sheet of transparent aluminum set in the laboratory's ceiling. Even then, the only reason light came into the room at all was due to that particular window’s broken shutters.
The intention of this darkness was not to create a gloomy mood, nor in morning for some lost friend or tragedy. No. It was purposeful. The darkness carefully arranged to facilitate the replication of tiny biomechanical robots whose purpose could only be said to involve SCIENCE!
And the director’s personal hobbies.
Red glanced over his shoulder, looking away from the dimly lit display projected above his desk to the large hexagonal tank atop a lab table behind him. Or rather at the blanket thrown over it to block out the light the window let in.
The tiny machines he was growing were extremely sensitive to photons of almost any energy level, and as this was a personal project, he couldn’t exactly requisition the proper equipment to grow them in complete darkness.
The blanket remained trapped over the tank, blocking out as much light as possible. It had not moved.
“Good,” Red said happily to himself, turning back to the white holo display.
Project InfiniBrew was proceeding just as he expect-
The room’s darkness crumbled under the bright blue-white light of a holographic projection composed of random ever shifting geometric vector shapes flaring to life. Red’s display flashed a series of warnings as the sudden surge of photons overwhelmed the delicate machines, destroying their organic components in a heartbeat. Red’s internal scream of rage echoed through the halls of his mind like the roar of a mythical beast.
“Red, there has been an import-” Blue tried to warn, the AI’s voice holding a high level of worry.
“Blue, I’m off work,” Red sighed, internalizing his anger at his plans to make a mug which converted atmospheric gasses into beer having just gone up in a flash of light. “You just destroyed three months of excruciating work!”
“That is irrelevant,” Blue dismissed. “We have received a large number of correspondence from the alien homeworld intended for our most recent anomalous specimen. I do not know whether or not we should forward them to her within the system.
“This violates the regulations regarding contraband, however the individual is not a prisoner. While not written within the regulations, this seems like a place there would be a legal exception. However, Green is out of system speaking at a board hearing.
“You are the only human Director within reach. I am not authorized to make a decision regarding this matter. You are required by company regulation twenty eight to make the decision on the Company’s behalf.”
Red nodded, closing his eyes before rubbing them with a thumb and forefinger for a moment. “Well… It’s pretty rude to not deliver mail to a tenant. We’ll pass it along to her,” he decided with little thought. “BUT, the board will kill me if we don’t use this opportunity to gather some intelligence on their culture and species. Bring the letters here, I’ll scan them and forward translations to them.”
Blue’s geometric patterns shifted oddly, as if expressing an emotion. “Odd. You are normally more ethical than I am required to be,” she remarked.
“I’m still being ethical here,” Red countered, holding up one hand objectionantly. “If we ever want to get them out of this legal hell our government has to know what kind of government they have so we can even start thinking about trying some diplomatic arrangements.
“Hell, we don’t even know if they are really just getting lost by accident. Sure, Nyota was, but what about Star, Clover, or Twilight? I know what we believe, but half the board is convinced that the aliens discovered our prison system and are sending us their prisoners, and the other half assumes this is an attempt at diplomatic contact gone horribly wrong simply because they have no idea what these stations are.
“We NEED to give them enough information to learn the truth. Otherwise, they will just debate this matter till they get bored and everyone in there is just forgotten about when the next big thing comes about.
“Besides, this is a prison. I’m certain that Twilight’s people read inbound mail at prisons before passing it on too. We’re just following existing procedures here. But for a different reason. Go ahead and teleport the letters to my desk. I improved my translator so we should get more precision in the wording. Their language is more context based than ours. It can lead to errors.”
“I wasn’t objecting to your course of action, Red,” Blue stated flatly. “I was expressing interest in the apparent anomalous nature of your response. One moment…”
Another flash of blue light illuminated the room, doubtlessly killing the one or two stray microscopic cyborgs which had survived the previous illumination armageddon. The light cleared, revealing a fairly large metal box, its top open, revealing an unbelievably large selection of letters and perhaps most unbelievably, parchment scrolls.
“Huh,” Red mused, reaching out to pick one of the scrolls up, and turning it in his hands to examine it. “Why are they still using parchment? Nyota demonstrates an exceptional knowledge of mechanical systems… Woah, is… Yeah this is a wax seal. What is this? Records of some fantasy roleplaying games she’s missed?”
“I don’t know. I am incapable of reading their language,” Blue reminded.
“Sorry, I’ll get the files off my personal network for you soon,” Red put the scroll down and picked the first letter from the box, setting it face down on his desk beneath a small silver armature. “Computer: Scan contents and record all text. Forward text through Translation Function Five.”
The two directors waited for the translation to finish, peering closely at the computer’s output…
Dear Twilight,
I am so relieved to finally see progress on our attempts to get you back home. Sky assures me this letter can reach you, and that we will be able to send a team of ponies through in a month, two at the most.
I wish your return home could be nothing but celebration. While there will be a party upon your return, there is also quite a bit of work that I need help with. Equestria has been suffering without her youngest Princess…
Red grew pale as his soul snapped like a Twix bar.
“THEY’RE A MONARCHY!” He shouted in terror, turning to stare into the projector Blue was using. “BLUE! THEY ARE A MONARCHY AND WE HAVE THEIR GODDAMN PRINCESS IN A PRISON FULL OF MONSTERS!”
“I hope they wont see our altering her form as an act of war,” Blue said with almost no real worry.
Red’s eyes widened as he realized that exact thing was not only possible, but probable given the nature of most historical kingdoms. At any moment, a military detachment would arrive to retrieve the lost princess. A group of trained warriors, armed and armored for war. Their equipment produced by a race of actual space wizards whose leader he had heard could casually move stars with but a thought.
“PANTS TO BE DARKENED!” Red yelped as he sprinted for his communicator to call the Board.
Twilight - Day 15
The Machine Shop, South Jungle - The Island
“Okay, I think I’m starting to get it,” I said to Nyota while looking over the map she’d drawn of the Broodmother’s den. “What I do is run from the teleport pad to here, take one shot at her, and then immediately jog backwards to here, then around the rim of this gorge to this exact rock. Right?”
Nyota nodded, flashing me one of those extra-affectionate smiles she’d been giving me ever since I’d come back from the volcano on my own. I was still processing exactly what to think of somepony who found me attractive for my accomplishments. I was pretty certain that I liked it… But still…
“Yes. She’s a brute, but not very smart. If you stand there, she think’s she can reach you, but can’t and will fall right into the gorge. She’ll think she can climb the side, but she can’t because she’s too massive for a spider to even have a hope of clinging to the sides of things. So she’ll just scuttle there and try to spit venom at you, but can’t hit you because her head doesn't tilt back far enough, she can only hit the underside of the rock,” Nyota reminded.
I could think of love life stuff later. Right now I had to memorize her method for killing the first of the ARK’s Apex Predators. If I didn’t I couldn’t use Nyota’s tek equipment, nor could I use the advanced armor until I’d beaten all of them. Which unfortunately prevented Nyota from making me anything more advanced than modern tactical armor.
“That doesn't seem very sporting,” I mildly objected, running a hand over my chin in thought.
“It’s not. But if you want the proper challenge, we can do it after I’ve got you properly equipped. We need to do this fast, Charlie’s pissed and if she launches a full scale attack… I don't have any attack Dinos. Everything On Ragnarok. I need your help,” she sighed.
I nodded, opening my mouth to reply when someone pounded against the nano-weave door urgently.
“Nye! Nye open up!” A voice I recognised as Camo shouted urgently.
Nyota frowned, looking up in surprise before quickly moving to the window next to the door and opening that instead, peeking out quickly to check before opening the main door.
The golden hex-tiles dissolved, revealing Camo standing in the doorway, a large shiny steel box big enough for a pair of winter boots held in his arms, still dressed in that leaf-outfit. I knew what those were called now, but the name escaped me at the moment.
“Hey, long time no see,” Nyota greeted with a smile.
“Later!” Camo practically yelped, rushing over to me and setting the box on the desk.
I blinked in surprise, noticing the box to be full of scrolls and letters. Bearing Celestia’s personal crest.
“Hello, your Majesty,” Camo greeted worriedly. “I am extremely sorry about literally everything, here’s your mail. It just arrived. Your mother’s letter says they should be able to retrieve you in a month or two.
“I’m trying to get you better accommodations but the board is completely against me. Things are really hectic right now. Please put in a good word for me with your guards when they get here! I’m just a geneticist! Bye!”
Before I could say anything, he sprinted out of the garage, vaulting over the porch railings and vanishing out of view behind the wall.
“Umm… Well, I guess they found out you're a princess finally,” Nyota remarked, smirking a little.
“D- Does he think Equestria would declare war over this, or something?” I asked myself, biting my lip to hold in a laugh.
Oh please! Like Celestia would be upset that employees had to do their jobs and politicians were locked up by paperwork and the law.
Okay, well, maybe a bit. But she wouldn’t launch an invasion or anything.
Wait a second! “He said they’ll be here in a month or two!” I exclaimed excitedly.
Nyota blinked. “By the gods, so he did!”
“I need to confirm this,” I decided, reaching into the box and taking out the loose letter on top of the pile.
It had Celestia’s seal on it, and being on top of a whole box of letters and scrolls it had to be the ‘introductory letter’. If I knew Celestia, those scrolls were probably pre-prepared spells ready to go with just a bit of activation energy. She’d want to send me supplies.
Opening the letter I unfolded it and begun to read.
Dear Twilight,
I am so relieved to finally see progress on our attempts to get you back home. Sky assures me this letter can reach you, and that we will be able to send a team of ponies through in a month, two at the most.
I wish your return home could be nothing but celebration. While there will be a party upon your return, there is also quite a bit of work that I need help with. Equestria has been suffering without her youngest Princess…
I sputtered, almost dropping the letter.
“What is it?” Nypota asked worriedly, looking back as she closed the door.
“There’s a temporal mismatch between this place and Equestria!” I exclaimed in dread. “One day here is… About ten days there if my math’s right. It’s been six months back home. But only fifteen here.”
Nyota’s ears drooped immediately. “O-Oh… Oh no…” She whispered.
I frowned wondering why she was looking like someone just ripped out her so-
“Nye… How long have you been here for? Please tell me,” I asked as politely as I could, concern bleeding through with my expression.
“T-three hundred and sixteen Equestrian years…” She mumbled, falling down into a sitting position next to the door.
I quickly covered my mouth to keep the shocked gasp in. Nyota had been here that long… Which meant if she went back home, over three thousand years would have passed for her there. Her entire world was long since unrecognizable to her.
I walked across the garage and sat down next to the emotionally destroyed zebra and gave her a tight hug.
“It’s okay…” I whispered. “It's alright. When this is all over, you'll come with me, okay?”
“Okay,” she replied quietly after a few long moments.
“Now… I hate to be rude, but we need to get those Apex creatures over with really quick,” I said as I stood up, gently pulling Nyota back onto her feet.
“W-why?” she asked with a confused frown. “Charlie’s not going to attack for at least three days.”
“Forget that,” I said with a dismissive hoof wave. “One day here is ten back home. They said a month or two. I have two and a half days at the minimum to find Star and Clover, and I’m NOT going to leave here without at least talking to my probable parents!”
Optimally, I’d take them back with me. That would definitely make the war a massive victory for Equestria. Also, they could definitely handle whatever trouble Celestia had been talking about.
Because after this, Nyota and I deserved a vacation.
I think we all know what it's time for...
New update
I loved how Red went "PANIC !" when he discovered Twilight's title. XD
Also ouch for Lyra.
And Twlight, now you must become an ARK PGM in Less than 3 Days. Good Luck.
Also, i think if you want daddy and mommy to come with you, you'll need to get also all of your dino cousins out of there too. XD
Well thats a few twists in everything. Well it assures them that to some people Twilight isn't a prisoner being dumped into their system. Through if you consider how Twilight got there the only reason she isn't a real prisoner dumped on them is who won the war
Only point I wonder is the state of Ponyville will they be able to rebuild on site, relocate or is it gone forever
8134811 2months is a guess there still might be issues and odds are there will BE. Sky knows this Celestia knows this they are hoping for the best and not wanting to discourage Twilight. I doubt either side knows about the time dilation though it would lake for interesting prison sentences which time frame would apply ARK time or Equestrian time
... you un-shipped LyraBon? WHERE IS THAT NIGHTMARE!!! I'M A THROTTLE ITS NECK!!!
Ahm... well that was an unexpected twist, I feel really bad for Lyra, I think most of us can relate to her, I know I can. Also Derpy is now best flappy pon I hope we get to see more of her in the future.
Red why didn't you ask Nye about who Twilight was when she first got there? And yes you are holding a sovereign ruler captive, whose friend and mentor literally moves stars, brown alert is the appropriate response.
As the saying go's Twi, better get the lead out!
8134908
:/ I figured that would make some people a bit angry. But I wanted real impact from Dawn's attempted apockolipse and I needed to choose things that, well... Sorry if I upset you too much. But in keeping with my folowing the Linkara School of Character Death, I only do something if it leads to more storytelling opritunities than it prevents. SPeaking of...
Well,
"...How about you take me some place cool? Preferably somewhere we can get up to some shenanigans, have a bit of an adventure. Something to help me… Move on.” I asked hopefully.
Derpy blinked in surprise. “Oh! Well, s-sure. I could do that,” she agreed with a nod.
That's next story. So yes. You will.
"Because assuming two random aliens know each other because they are the same species is incredibly racist," Red repplied almost imeadiatly.
8134943 "In war, there are casualties and wounds, some aren't physical."
To be honest, this is a good way to show that not everyone came out of that mess the same, without chopping off limbs.
Also onward to adventure! After we get back that book horse or something.
Red, you could have asked if she knew of them, if they did then that would have told you they were a prominent figure, if not then they were just another poor sod who got stuck here, prosses of elimination
8134964 To be fair, Nyota didn't believe Twilight was the Princess Twilight herself when told about her arrival. Remember? she figured it was just another pony with that not too uncommon name.
The nightmare that did that was born of Lyra's nightmares on that exact thing, wasn't it.
8135043 Yep. It senced Lyra within the dream realm, and found her to do the one thing a dream creature seeks to do. Make itself real.
8135221 And as Lyra's Nightmare was her losing Bonbon....making it so that she is straight is the most permanent way of severing them. Poor, poor Lyra. At least other Nightmares that found their hosts were likely things that could be excised (as long as they weren't nightmares of dying). Nearly seventy years together, gone in a twinkling.
I find it hard to believe that the that infected herself with a monster transformation just so her friends would lay off would not find a way to change herself to what she knows is her true self. She's a professional, she knows such things are possible risks when facing the weird kind of monsters she does. Wouldn't they have protocol for this kind of thing?
Again, hard to believe
Sure, it does deliver quite a lot of drama and the change itself makes a lot of sense within context, but for it not to be reversed? I doubt it.
LyraDerp does have the potential to be helluva cute, though
On Lyras, what about the equestria girls one? You said Lyras getting Bonnies was a constant, as are ponks & triggies, and that 7% was the exception. Pony one just lost her girl, but semi-dragon one never got her? This universe is broken, girl
And on Bonnies again, what about JetBon? Is she getting in a romantic triangle with Rarity and her space cruiser? Because if I remember it right, our pony bodied AI is jetsexual. Or would it be shipsexual? I'm confused now
And wait, when did nyota come from, again? I thought it was the anthro Japan 7% came through first, but three thousand years? It couldn't be blind Lulu time either. So are they right and it's another universe altogether or are they mistaken because time is all wacky between their universes?
Bitch I would. Cyborg stuff looks fuckin' rad.
Man, I'm kind of disappointed in how this LyraBon relationship fizzled out. Couldn't Bon Bon have voluntarily gone looking for a mind control spell to adjust her orientation instead of just giving up on a 60-something year marriage? I suppose we haven't gotten Bon Bon's take on the situation yet, so Lyra's presentation of it might be a bit slanted. It just feels like there has been to be a better solution than giving up like this.
Well, now that's pretty useful. Even if Lyra can't cast it at the scale that will ultimately be needed for bringing Twilight home, this crown sanctioned project should certainly be able to recruit a mage who can.
Or, alternatively, have a techy person build a device for it.
That's a good plan.
In particular, they'll probably gain the knowledge that as a princess Twilight might actually count as the government they need to negotiate with. At the very least it should be enough to tell them that the interdimensional prisoner theory isn't right.
Hahaha, there's that too. She's even died multiple times as a result of how the prison works. Which, admittedly, is technically probably better than her dying permanently just once.
Welp, that confirms certain things about Camo that I suspected. He wouldn't be delivering the mail and talking about the board like that if he was just a random inmate that has been in the system forever. I wonder if this new development gives a certain amount of protection from Charlie. Surely the board would step in at this point if Princess Twilight is captured and is going to be raped and tortured and eaten in variations on that order, right?
Ooo, that time discrepancy really shortens up the potential timeline. Probably means we won't get Twilight uplifted troodons, at least, not unless she really works fast and from the sound of things she's going to be busy with other stuff.
Huh, I feel like Bon is being unreasonable... If I had memories of a seventy year relationship that a hex had made me see as unnatural, but it was for sure how the world was before the Hex, I would lift heaven and earth to reverse the Hex upon me.
I mean jeeze mare, perfect and lasting romantic relationships are a very rare thing, you should not let a simple thing like 'altered preferences' get in the way.
...yet another thing to make us hate Dawn...
8134943 about the unshipment of lyrabon, to quote azur lily "fix it fix it fix ti fix it fix it" im done now but i was almost in tears after reading that part, DAMN YOU MEEP AND DAWN DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!. Im actually done now i was just pissed,
Sheesh, poor Lyra...
Sheesh, poor Nyota...
Sheesh, poor Ca- Beer? Really?
Well then. Two days? Pah! More than enough time
8135486
Given the fact that both of them can be around for basically forever, it's possible it will be undone at some point. But right now there dosn't appear to be a legal/ethical way to do it.
Shes from 7%'s Neighpone. The broken portal just spat her out into the ARK univerce about 3000 Equestrian years ago. TO travle through space is to travle through time, that's just simple physics. As such, using a broken portal can do some stuff to you.
Yes, she could... But would you? Whatever you like, would you under any circumstances feel comfortable getting a proceadure to reverce that? I think the idea would be horifying to most if not all people. Since the Nightmear's effect makes Bon's actual orientation change and isn't meerly some kind of curse, she's treating this as if it's how she'd always been.
It's possible that one day she'll do something about it, or something else will fix it. But as it stands right now, the idea of changing is horrifying.
Can you imagine the political fallout if that happened with a human kingdom's princess? XD Red's so lucky that ponies are ponies.
8135625
THe war had to have some nasty fallout, and I didn't want to have one of the two die because I'm pritty certain the other one would folow them. I went with this option to allow more sotries to be told, and nothing says they wont get back togeather eventualy.
But from Bonbon's prespective... Would you still change yourself if rememberingany given physical expression of love grossed you out to the point of nausia? Lyra does reveal that Bon tried for a while to keep things going but couldn't. THough that's a bit subtle and done with one line. SHe tried, and couldn't.
8135894
Yeah, it's a realy shitty thing that happened to her, but bouth of them will grow for the experiance. Mabey one day in the future things will work out for them again. But, this particular bad end for Dawn's War was chosen to allow for a future storytelling opritunity (In the meantime, I'm waiting to be called homophobic over this so I can laugh and show the comment to my girlfriend :P)
This one is less bad than Twi and Nye think. Broken portal is broken. What is a portal, scientificly speaking? A wormhole. What's a wormhole? A tunnel through space and time. The portal Nye accidently stepped into was decaying and broken, it's destination in time and its destination in space were not symchronised. If she went home right now (somehow) she'd arrive 4 years before she disappeared.
He's not allowed to import alcohol into the station and sometimes the man just really, really needs a drink to help relax. Making it on site would be a workaround in corporate policy, but he couldn't find the resources to brew it the traditional way.
The Fact Bonbon and Lyra were unshipped are probably the tip of the iceberg as it were after spending a week in the dream realm. Remember these are ponies from Ponyville while many likely need help anywhere else the outcome would've been much, much worse.
Noted comments about why they didn't make a technological version of Lyra's spell. Guess people didn't notice Sky's comments on that. Best estimates to figure out the necessary math with the fastest computer he could make over 6yearsand the computer wasn't built yet
8136092 I'm glad that many of my readers pay close attention to what characters say :)
And yes, many ponyvillians had just as bad of an experience as Lyra due to being where they were. Many also had good things happen to them. It depends on which kind of dream creature found you first.
8136100 AND this was PONYVILLE how much worse would've the ponies of another town reacted lets say Appaloosa or Canterlot though in the case of Canterlot it might of helped a couple of people.
CALLING shenanigans on the forward bar and grill considering the number of decks and the size of the Emerald hive. ITs probably one of a couple dozen if not 100 through out the ship
8136060 on
I would like to believe I would. If I knew that was who I am/was, and had a way to actually go back/change to it.
But then again, the virtue I identify with is Loyalty. To hurt someone I know I love(d) so much, for a curse of a literal nightmare? To abandon them? I'd rather be who I was.
Then again, I won't say it's irrational from Bonnie's part. I believe she's also suffering right now, a lot. To me Loyalty is the core virtue. She might have another, or just be a normal person under duress. And I doubt Bon got a guy already. She doesn't seem like the type to do that.
Oh, and you still said nothing about EQG Lyra's Bonnie. It's not pony Bonnie for she now craves broad chests and pecs. Or potbellies. I've seen girls abd boys with some rather eclectic partner tastes.
So, is it her own Bonnie? Will she get together when she goes back? Is she changing bodies again to an Apache Helicopter and seducing JetBon?!?
8136145 The bar's name is a reference to Star Trek TNG. The Emeralds have old human media on file, remember?
8136246
That's rather impressive. Not everyone would. Kudos.
She is. But again, because Lyra encountered her litteral worst nightmear, and it managed to make itself real, Bon not wanting to change again is part of the curse. The curse not being detectable as a curse is also a part of it, and possible only due to the nebulious workings of Dream Magic.
The Mirrior Duplicuites are wapred reflections of their counterparts. Each one is close, but also somehow diffrent. Recall how Pony Sunset is strait, but Mirrior Sunset likes girls? It's simmilar with Lyra and Bonbon. There they simply were great friends, not lovers, despite bouth being gay.
No. Jetbon is currently trying to get a date with the sexy friggate in orbit and would ignore the meatbag trying for her attention.
8136263 that moment when "Jetbon is currently trying to get a date with the sexy friggate in orbit" is not only uttered, but also makes perfect sense
That's a hell of a curse. Dawn would be proud.
It will also make for a bitch of an awkward conversation when they find it out. What, considering they are rather eternal, shall happen sooner or later. Most likely after Dinky starts calling Lyra mommie, though
So, EQG Lyra is also without a pair. Curious. I wonder if Dragon Rarity is in anthro gals.
Oh, what happens when you put three Lyras in the same room? How many picoponks is that? Does it reach milli?
8136311
Well, Dinky's an adult mare now so that would take a whi- Oh right... I have her as being very polite and respectful, just like her mom. SO um... Yes, wouldn't take long if Lyra and Derpy did date.
She is, and I hinted atthe ship in the story.
Whatever happens, it's probably banned under several international treites reguarding weapons of mass shenanigans.
8136414 I could say I'm surprised Dinky is an adult already, but then again Scoots is married/getting married (hell if I remember the date).
It would still be cute hearing she call Lyra moma
I swear I don't remember that ship teasing. But then again, war. Sexy times must be... interesting for an outside observer. Not that unexpected in the frozen north, but still intriguing.
Weapons. Of. Mass. SHENANIGANS.
Meeps, you do realize you're now bound to the word of authors to write the incident that brings such treaties to life, right? RIGHT?
After SnekBon cuteness, though. Because SnekBon. If that's not enough reason I pity your dark, shriveled heart
8136623
People keep forgetting this is all set 17 years after the pilot episode :P
I dont get it... that's just a normal docking proc- My god...
Me? No. But Pinkie might do it if she reads this comment and knows you asked about it.
8136643 please tell me JetBon is getting a bigger body to get on with that frigate because there are rather large "instruments", there is Sparrow and then we have Frigate x Pony Mech Body love. That's some orders of magnitude more than anyone outside the frozen north is comfortable with, I imagine.
Please do bring it up with Ponk, it is bound to be AWESOME SAUCE
On quite unrelated matters but still related to the story, ARK seems to be more beautiful than I imagined. I might give it a spin on a promotion or such. Does the Scorched Earth expansion make too much of a diference?
8136078
In which case she'd be an ass for not going back and dealing with that shit before it happens, or at the very least getting some work in to prep for the oncoming shit show. I suppose the Grandfather Paradox wouldn't much appreciate that, though.
8136100
8136092
When they mentioned a technological version, I figured they meant converting the spell into a device that could cast it. That initial 6 year figure was assuming they were essentially working from scratch. Now they have the solution, so they've jumped to that part of the process.
Also, one more point on the whole Bonbon thing that has been going on in the comments. The issue here stems from the idea that reversing the hex would be considered unethical. All parties involved are fully aware of what happened, they know that she was altered at a fundamental level. Even if we disregard the information they don't know about the hex, they still know that original Bon was forcefully changed. I'm not sure how reversing it would be considered wrong. The fact that Bonbon currently doesn't want to change is ultimately irrelevant, as it can be assumed to be one of two situations:
1) She is under a compulsion to remain hexed, in which case it's a curse, and thus they are obligated to break it, or
2) She is not under a compulsion to remain hexed, in which case she is either (and sorry for tiered breakdowns):
a) considered the same person she was before, in which case her attitudes toward her current state are an effect of the alteration, and thus are not on their own adequate reason to withhold reversal, or
b) considered to be a different person than she was before, in which case her opinion is no longer that of the original Bonbon, and this irrelevant to considerations regarding her pre-hexed self.
Consider another example. Say that, instead of altering her orientation, it made her a pyromaniac. She resists for a time, but in the end she can't resist burning things and eventually starts harmless, but still potentially dangerous, fires. Would you treat her as an arsonist, or would you reverse the effect that turned her into a pyro?
In short, I find the decision to break up LyraBon to be an interesting one, but the explanation given is a bit off. There's certainly no undoing it at this point (not that you should). I think the approach of her being considered a different person has a bit more ground, as now reversing the hex would be 'killing' someone, in a sense. The old Bonbon is dead, but can be saved at the expense of new Bonbon.
...
...that line of thought ended in a weird place.
I would also have accepted any of these
8136660 please tell me JetBon is getting a bigger body to get on with that frigate because there are rather large "instruments", there is Sparrow and then we have Frigate x Pony Mech Body love. That's some orders of magnitude more than anyone outside the frozen north is comfortable with, I imagine.
I'll bring it up withher next time I'm atop the fourth wall.
(Oh god I just dated myself in internet years...)
If you think the default map is pretty, you should look at the free map The Center.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU7ydI1N1No
My eyes bleed rainbows every time I accidently find a way into the underground world.
No. YOu get a few cool new creatures, a few usefull items... But if you play online with a tribe those creatures and items can be imported by people who have the expansion into other maps and used just fine. If in singleplayer, you should be able to spawn them in via console too. THe only thing that's locked off to you is the actual game map.
And frankly, it's hard mode ARK. DOnt get it until you've played the crap out of any otehr maps. See, Scorched Earth is super super hot. YOu will DIE if outside in the day with no heat protection. You will COOK inside standard bases unless you insulate them properly. It's meant for veteran players who got bord of vanilla or want a change of scenery since there's no deserts in vanilla.
8136674
Mabey the'll luck out and he'll be taking an old person nap.
Wait... is that not what Da Fennic was talking about? His wording can be a bit odd at times, for me at least.
Remember, you're only eharing of this from Lyra's own prespective in a story not about that thing, for the soul purpose of showing why Lyra's willing to do something later that's spoilery. ALlow me to provide some more information.
Well, to address your points,
1. Luna checked and found no trace of any residual curses. They were going to change her back, even though Bon was fearfuly protesting. Howeaver, Celestia overheard and pointed out that as they can't show clear mental controll being used at present, and Bonbon was objecting, altering her would be a fellony offence under the Missuse of Mental Magic section of criminal law. While Luna IS allowed to cast mind controll spells, even she has to appear before a court of law afterwards to provide evidence showing why its use was justified and without proof of mental controll existing previously, there isn't sufishent evidence.
Asside from expert testimony on the nature of nightmears. Which Luna can't give. Because she's the prson who would ahve cast the spell. And Celestia refused to do it herself because even that testomony would be flimsy at best and in this case look like Luna was simply covering for her sister.
All of this means that the characters are under the assumption she's under a hex. When what realy happened is the same as when Megan uses her magic. Reality changed. They dont want to accep that. Even Bonbon dosn't to an extent, but at the same time, she does NOT want to change back because that idea is horrifying and disgusting to her (at the moment at the very least).
Which means that point 2 of your comment... is absolutly right. 2B specificly. The Nightmear used its power to effectivly reach into the univerces 'code' and change a few lines. It's a simmilar situation to the Voyager episode Tuvix, if you saw that one. AFter a few weeks, this is how Luna has come to understand the exact effect, and therefore isn't willing to help illegaly anymore. Lyra could do it herself, but she wont. Lyra still sees Bonbon as the same, and therefore cant hurt her.
Of course it is. YOu dont have the full explenation, just Lyra's own prespective while she's depressed because it didn't wear off in a few months like she thought it would. That explenation could never be compleate and precice. THere's emotional state muddying and personal bias.
As for unding their breakup... They are immortal creatures of the night. Mabey in a few hundred years Bonbon will get cuierious about things, overcome her orientation's disgust at the idea and they get back togeather. But for the immieadiate future and the soon to be... No. This is a concequence of Dawn's assholery. (I didn't want to kill one of them and SOMEHING had to happen with Luna's knights in the Dream Realm.)
8136749
I thought Da Fennic was referring to other comments where people were apparently wondering why they needed the spell and didn't just make a technological solution to the problem. The answer to that was explained by the whole 6 year solving time estimate that was mentioned before. Adapting the spell into a physical device cannot possibly have been estimated, as it wasn't known prior to this chapter. I was just saying that I assumed people were commenting on this chapter about the idea of converting the spell to a device instead of relying on Lyra (or some other caster) to provide its effect. It makes sense given previous information that they would try to do that, since now they have the spell that solves their major problem.
8136718 indeed, that's rather beautiful. I'm not one for survival games, but maybe playing with people might make it fun. Let's see if the hype holds until a sale comes by. If so, I'll most likely give it a spin.
And rejoice, meeps. The Bonnie corundum shows how people care. And that you're not afraid to go dark in your stories when the situation demands it.
Let's just hope her eventual boyfriend is not an asshole.
8136899 I'm certain that if he is, Lyra will find some way to send him into deep space...
8136060
I would personally, but that might be because I put far more value in memories than current feelings... And the horrid memory of being changed against my will would make me stubbornly dig my heels in.
I agree it's a great plot device, I really want to read a story about them. I'd like an epic quest where two beings once in love search the world over for a way to break such a curse preventing such a love.
So my only complaint is that we didn't get anything more than a one sentence hint on bon bon's side of this stupid clusterfuck. For the sole reason that without a further explanation from her side that is all this plot device is. Considering bon bon still has the memories from before, the discrepancy between memory and reality would cause a horrible amount of (would dysphoria or cognitive dissonance work better here?) which would leave bon seeking either change or memory erasure. Now reading your comments it seems you have explanations for that, but without the additional context there is no way to see this as not shoehorned in with an easy solution that is being ignored with reasons that are flimsy at best.
8136674
Yeah, unfortunately, if she were to go back to her specific timeline, and not one that branched off, then she would be unable to change anything. Causality wouldn't let her. That's Novikov self-consistency. She would be unable to do anything that changed established causality that she is aware of (i.e. the effect of any event she is aware of will always occur, and anything she does involving it will only further the established effect of said event on the timeline. (A clever loophole to change the event that is consistent with the effect if you know what you are doing, but unhelpful in her case.)).
Now if she were to go back unanchored to her timeline or to a parallel timeline, she could change the course of events. But that would be the course of events for a parallel version of her, and those events are always what happened in that timeline. Her timeline is already established and for her, cannot be changed.
8137825 The story isn't about that particular incident, putting in the whole scene required to adequately explain everything about it here would derail the plot. What was required for this story was a short explanation of things happening in Lyra's life at this particular moment, shown from her perspective. I do predominantly tell stories in first person perspective after all.
Why was that required? For narrative reasons later on, as well as showing some of the Equestria side consequences of the war in the last story while allowing an in for Lyra to do things during the later acts of this story. Doing more than showing her own personal biased side of this incident would therefore completely disrupt the narrative flow.
Additionally, the whole thing is the result of a nightmare making itself real. It SHOULD be illogical. Everything about this incident is the result of a reality warping creature whose only desire is to make one particular person suffer in a very particular way. What makes sense and how things would normally go is irrelevant, because the entity involved warps things until the exact irrational fears of its victim are a reality.
Your worst fears are very rarely based on strict rationalism, after all.
8138395 You are right on those counts, and I apologize if my original comment came off as harsh. Though that does bring up the question why is Lyra's nightmare coming true if Bon was the one hit?
I do get a little touchy with conflicts in fiction that deal with discrepancies in reality vs. memory as I have never seen it pulled off in a way that hasn't felt lazy or forced in a way that makes it not fit any narrative that the story or series presents.
8138415
You did not. I'm just irritated that so few people remember lore from my previous stories on Dream Creatures that now I have to do a blog post about this. That's all.
In the prio story, the Revarir (non-nightmear dream creature) explains that all it cares about doing is making itself come true. These are litteal living dreams. The nightmear smelled it's hoast within it's reach, and did exactly that. Making Lyra's worst fear come true to the exact letter. That's all ANY dream creature desires to do.
I'll put full details int he blogpost.
Fiar enough.
8138430 wait so did the dream creature latch on to Bon or just do the thing in that moment (not that it matters too much but it does bring up an interesting point in how the creature is suppressing the negative reactions of memory not matching up with reality.)
8138460 Blog post :P
https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/733552/nightmears-and-why-entering-the-dream-realm-is-the-worst-idea-youll-ever-have
This is literally me reading it was like a slap to the face
Doesn't what Lyra says here about where bat-ponies come from contradict what Count Scartai says about them in chapter 3 of Dinner at Ravonloft? From how he says things there he seems to be making it clear that they are his descendants in a more traditional sense.
8324321 No, it dosn't. Because what Lyra could make isn't realy a batpony. It's just an unpowered vampire that resembles a batpony. If they had children the batness wouldn't carry on. She's saying 'batpony' because that's easier to say than 'I would transform them into a vampire with no abilities whatsoever, but also no weaknesses whatsoever, and realy just scramble their tribe so they are a leathery winged pegasi like pony.'
8325284
Well that's fair enough that she'd call that type of vampire a bat-pony as well. However in the chapter she says " You’d become a batpony. That’s where they came from in the first place" Which to me strongly implies that that she is talking about all bat ponies. I feel a person who knew that there were bat-ponies as in those descended from Count Scartai. As also "bat-ponies" as in those who were just weak vampires, wouldn't phrase things are "That's where they come from in the first place" as it would be false information if people thought that about non-vampire bat-ponies and Derpy might not know any better(as far as Lyra might guess). I don't think it's odd for her to say she can make "Bat-ponies" I think that part makes sense. Just the other part.
This is only my opinion of course!
8325551I see the problem, her reference to batponies being descended from vampires is too vague. I'll go fix that.