The Olden World

by Czar_Yoshi

Audio Recording

"So," Amber brightly said, trying to take the conversation in a new direction after Shinespark's sudden departure. "I see you've got the power back on? Wasn't that a major goal? Congrats!"

"It's on!" Shinespark yelled through the wall separating the library from her room, causing Valey to giggle uncontrollably. "Still fixing things!"

Valey grinned lazily at the wall, still loafing on the table. "If you come back out, I promise I won't turn that into a joke."

There was a second of silence... another... and the door rolled open, Shinespark warily floating out into the hall. Her face was still red, and she did everything possible to avoid looking at Valey.

"Hey." Valey waved a forehoof, unable to stop grinning. "So tell us about what powers you... err, the ship, Sparky. Getting it properly juiced up?"

Amber smacked her again as Shinespark trembled. "Valey, you promised!"

"Uh huh." Valey nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I did..."

Like melting butter, she slithered off the table, collapsing into its shadow. Her face briefly poked back up. "There. Pretend my hot bod isn't here and, like, do whatever you'd normally do, or something."

Shinespark gave a sigh of relief as Valey hid herself from sight completely, still fighting off a last few twitches. "Urrrgh..." she moaned, rubbing a hoof over her face. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You're horny," Valey's voice whispered from the shadows.

Dior smiled good-naturedly. "Not to rub it in, Sister, but I'm learning the hard way what happens when you've spent your whole life suppressing any desire for romantic relationships because you're too busy working for the greater good of Ironridge. The trick is that all you have to do to make it the easy way is swallow your pride and enjoy it."

"I am not horny!" Shinespark huffed, exasperated. "I'm... I..." She turned beseechingly to Matryona. "Mom, help. You know what I'm talking about, right?"

"Your brother is right," Matryona admitted disinterestedly, not looking up from her book. "You're definitely interested in mares."

Shinespark's jaw dropped. "But...! Mares, maybe, but not her! Don't you remember all the times I told you how frustrating Valey is? The entire time we were working in Sosa, I couldn't keep a single part of our projects secret from her. She somehow knew everything, and constantly threatened to tell everyone our secrets if I did anything she didn't want, but what she wanted was always arbitraty and annoying and frustrating and..." She clenched her eyes and gritted her teeth, tail thrashing. "I want to hit her, more than anything. Or... or..."

"Mmm, frustration," Valey hummed, unseen. "Bet I know what else you'd like to do."

"Oookay!" Amber grinned awkwardly, noting Shinespark's increasing flusteredness. "Please remember that there is a filly present, and, uhh..." She tapped her chest. "Ahem. I'm listening too."

Valey surfaced, blinking. "Oh yeah. Hey, we should hang out some time."

"Anyway!" Shinespark's voice cracked from how loudly she tried to reset the conversation. "As I was coming down here to say the first time, the ship is progressing nicely. Arambai was right about the damage; it was all regulators and smaller instruments and control circuitry that burned out, and the core engine and extractor were intact. The power is back on..." She nodded to Matryona. "And the terminal on the bridge is working, Mom. You wanted me to let you know when I had that fixed. For everything else, I can have all the important systems back online and tested by this time tomorrow, I think."

"Oh! It is?" Matryona put her book down, suddenly interested. "How well did it survive the surge?"

Shinespark shrugged. "It just lost power. There was no damage, and when I ran a diagnostic everything was fine. Why do you ask?" She tilted her head. "There was a weird file there that said Gunga put it there at Arambai's request. Is this at all about that?"

Gerardo blinked, breaking his silence and raising a talon. "Ah, I remember seeing something like that! It was when I initially commandeered this ship in Ironridge. Truth be told, I'm dreadfully curious as to what it is, though I'll respect it if it's a private matter."

"It is about that, yes." Matryona nodded solemnly. "An audio recording. Did you listen to it?"

"I... no?" Shinespark looked apprehensive. "Should I have?"

"That depends," Matryona said. "How are you feeling? Does Ironridge still weigh as heavily on your shoulders as when you left? And what are you thinking of doing now? You could build a life here in Riverfall, and be welcomed. Or you could take this ship and go anywhere in the world."

Shinespark opened her mouth, then choked. "I... I'm coming to terms with it. Slowly. I don't know if I'll ever be able to. Sorry, Mom." She hung her head nearly upside-down, and her red mane sagged almost to the floor. "I've been... not able to think about the future. Not yet. Sorry. I just need a little more time..."

"Then you might want to hear it," Matryona whispered gently. "I was the one who recorded it, years ago, and am likely the only one who knows it exists or what it contains. It is a message I made just for you, and it wouldn't be possible now for me to put the same meaning behind the things I say in it."

Shinespark folded her ears, looking on in confusion. "Wouldn't be possible for you to say it now? You want me to listen to something you don't mean any more? You... What is it?"

"I'm curious too," Valey announced, floating back out of the shadows. "What's all this about a secret recording? See, I didn't actually know about this, so..."

Matryona smiled. "I mean that in it, I make a guess about what will happen in the future, and even though I still stand by it it wouldn't have the same meaning coming from me today. I would like you to hear it, Shinespark."

"I must warn you," Gerardo remarked, "you're significantly increasing my curiosity about this as well..."

"Everyone may hear it," Matryona said, shaking her head. "I think it would be good for Shinespark to know her friends have heard it, too."

"I suppose we should head to the bridge, then?" Dior suggested, abandoning his comfortable seat and heading for the staircase, glancing over his shoulder in an invitation to follow.

"I know I'm curious," Amber agreed, Valey and Starlight helping her along.

---

The bridge was crowded, holding six ponies and a griffon, but still roomy enough to be comfortable. Valey and Amber sat along a side wall, Starlight and Gerardo lurked at opposite edges of the room, and Shinespark paced nervously in her clunky cast, frequently peering over Matryona's shoulder as she sat in the pilot's chair, using a long, elegant wing to manipulate the terminal.

With a flash of two-tone color, the file in question scrolled into view. For Shinespark, the description read. I slipped this onto the data matrix prior to installation at Arambai's request. I don't know what it is, but he wanted you to have it upon completing our mission. Good job. -Gunga.

Shinespark sniffed, noting the dead stallion's name. "You know I didn't complete any missions, right?"

Matryona touched the top her her mane with her chin, then looked sadly at her when the orange unicorn shied away. "Then I think it's even more important you hear what I had to say. This isn't a message about what you have or haven't done, but what you still can do. And it sounds like you need to be reminded of that more than you think."

"Let's turn it on, then," Shinespark said, Dior watching interestedly from the copilot's chair. "Because I hate being in a funk. I do know what I can do, but I can't connect that knowledge with my emotions, and..." She sighed. "I'm working on it. But if you think this can help... let's hear what you have to say, Mom."

With a tap of sapphire magic, she selected and opened the file. The bridge's speakers crackled to life, and with a soft rush of static born of old recording technology, Matryona's recording began to play.

Comments

[Venlinelle]

"You're horny," Valey's voice whispered from the shadows.

Solid contender for the funniest line in the story.
I’m shocked there are no comments on the gayest chapter yet.

Reread edit: I use that quote as a reaction image now. Imagine being such a horny gay mess that your mother says “Sorry honey but you obviously want to fuck this bat.”

[whizzball1]

Oh no, is Amber getting jealous? Gonna have to get used to it, girl.