The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds

by Kamahido

VOLUME FINALE - Chapter 18 - Coming Clean

Arc and Cherry make their way toward the Golden Oaks Library. Every house they pass is dark.

“Everypony must still be asleep.”

Arc looks around. “I guess so. It is pretty early after all.”

“Maybe it’s a bit TOO early, Arc.”

“Normally I’d agree. But if I know those two, they’ve been up all night working on something or other. If there aren’t any lights on though, we’ll go home.”

The pair approach the library. There are lights aglow in several windows.

Cherry giggles. “I guess you were right.”

Arc walks up to the door and lightly knocks. “Twilight and Auriel are about the same. Workaholics who apparently can’t read clocks.”

A few moments later the door opens and Twilight pokes her head out. She looks confused to see him at such an odd hour.

“Arc? What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to Auriel. Is she up?”

Twilight nods. “Yes. My friends and I were just making breakfast. Won’t you come in?”

Arc steps inside to the smell of eggs and pancakes. “Thanks!”

Twilight leads him toward the kitchen. “We get together once in a while early to share a meal together and catch up.”

“You do? That’s a good idea. I’ll have to try that sometime.”

Entering the kitchen, they see the Mane 6 busy preparing food, setting the table or cleaning up spills. Arc walks over to them.

“Good morning everyone!”

Rainbow Dash grins at him. “Hey Arc!”

“Good morning, darling!”

Applejack tips her hat, happily! “Top of the morning to you!”

Pinkie bounces around happily! “YAY! More company!”

Fluttershy smiles warmly at him. “Glad you could come!”

Twilight looks slightly embarrassed. “Please excuse the mess! None of us, other than Applejack, are very good at cooking.”

Arc nods. “Spending time with friends make up for it, right?”

Rarity nods. “That it does!”

Applejack calls over from the stove. “You said it!”

Arc looks around the kitchen. “Is Auriel around?”

Twilight points a hoof. “She’s in the basement working on some new project. Although this one has me a bit worried.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

Rainbow Dash shrugs. “She seems really driven to finish it!”

Pinkie’s mane deflates momentarily. “She hardly even looked up when we brought her a snack earlier!”

Twilight nods. “All I know is she’s trying to grow something under extreme conditions.”

Applejack flips the pancakes on the stove. “She and Arc were at Sweet Apple Acres the other day asking Granny Smith if there was a way to grow something without sunlight.”

Twilight nods and puts a hoof to her chin. “That explains a lot.”

“Any ideas, Twilight?”

Twilight shakes her head. “That isn’t possible as far as I know. What did Granny Smith say?”

“She thought that maybe a magical based plant could survive by replacing what it gains from sunlight with inherent magic.”

Fluttershy looks confused. “Is that really possible?”

Applejack shrugs. “Don’t know. Nopony’s ever tried it before. Not even Granny Smith!”

Rarity smiles. “I can understand that! Why try to grow something without sunlight when you live in an orchard with more sunlight than anywhere else in Equestria?”

Arc nods. “I agree. However these plants are bound for Tartarus.”

Rainbow Dash frowns. “Say WHAT?!”

Arc chuckles. “There’s no sunlight there, Rainbow Dash.”

The pegasus waves her hooves dismissively. “No, no, no! I mean, you want to grow plants… where now?!”

“It could help rehabilitate the demons there. As it stands, they don’t really have anything to do other than plot and scheme different ways to escape.”

Applejack nods. “Arc does have a point.”

Twilight sighs. “I suppose so. In any case, could you please tell Auriel we’ll be eating soon? You’re welcome to join us as well!”

“Sure! I’d like that!”

Arc turns toward the basement door.

“Be back in a minute!”

He disappears down the steps as Rainbow Dash turns back to her friends.

“What a crazy idea! Helping demons?!”

Rarity looks to her, angrily! “Rainbow Dash! Auriel is our friend!”

Applejack nods. “That was just plain rude, RD!”

“Come on! THOSE demons tried to KILL us!”

Twilight walks over to the stove to collect the food. “Well, a lot has happened since then. Think about it this way. Long ago the same could have been said about us unicorns and pegasi.”

“That’s different!”

Fluttershy looks at Rainbow Dash. “How?”

“I... I don’t know! It just is, okay?! But I’ll keep it to myself for Auriel’s sake!”

Applejack smiles as she puts another serving platter on the table. “See to it that you do! She’s been through enough already!”

Meanwhile, Arc reaches the lab. As he looks around, he spots Auriel at a table in front of a large contraption.

“Hi Auriel! What have you got there?”

She does not look up from her clipboard as she speaks. “It’s a bio-chamber. I’m using it to mimic the unique condition of the Tartaran environment.”

“How’s that going?”

“Not very well I’m afraid. I’m having to carefully adjust and take new readings every time I change a variable. This is going to go slow before it goes fast.”

“Need any help?”

Auriel shakes her head. “Not yet. Once I have this all figured out there’s no limit to the number of experiments I can do! With all the plants here in Equestria, SOMETHING has to grow there!”

Arc thinks for a moment. “What about desert plants? I know Tartarus is rather short on water.”

Auriel points a claw at a nearby book on a table. “I already thought of that. According to that research tome all the known plants that live in the desert require large amounts of sunlight.”

“Darn! I was about to tell you about a system we have back home that would have worked well there. But it still requires sunlight to work. The Abyssinians love it! But they also have no shortage of rays.”

Auriel sighs. “I’ll figure something out! I have to! Give me a few days and I’ll have this machine set up!”

Arc nods. “I’ll probably be back in the Griffon Kingdom by then. But I’ll certainly check back with you when I can.”

Auriel sets down her clipboard and turns to Arc. “I… I’m a bit worried I won’t be able to pull this one off! I mean… nature intended for plants to make simple sugars via photosynthesis, not metabolize magic!”

“I have faith in you.”

“But what if I can’t!”

Arc puts his hands on her shoulders and looks into her luminous green and black eyes. “Come on, Auriel! Have the courage to try! You MAY fail, but at least you tried!”

Auriel nods. A worried tone in her voice. “But… but what will my father say?!”

“He has faith in you as well. But I’m sure he’ll understand that even you can’t work the impossible.”

“But what if…”

“Auriel!”

She straightens up as he says her name.

“You certainly won’t succeed if you keep second guessing yourself and talking like that. Just believe in yourself and do what you can.”

“I… but…”

“It’s all you can do. Now why don’t we go upstairs? It smells like Twilight and her friends have breakfast nearly ready.”

Auriel nods. “Okay…”

The pair head up the stairs and make their way to the kitchen. The Mane 6 are just putting out the last of the food. Twilight looks to Auriel with a smile.

“Hungry?”

“Very! Staying up all night does that to me!”

Twilight laughs. “Don’t I know it!”

Arc facepalms. “These two were made for each other.”

Everyone sits down to eat. Applejack looks to Auriel as she passes the pancakes.

“So how’s it going down there?”

“Fine. I should be ready to begin my experiments in a few days.”

Twilight nods. “I’m looking forward to the results! This has never been successfully done before!”

Rarity looks up. “Has ANYPONY ever tried?”

Twilight shrugs. “Probably at some point.”

Fluttershy sighs. “Well, if they did, it must not have gone very well.”

Auriel looks nervous. “That’s what I’m afraid of!”

Rainbow Dash laughs! “You two eggheads will figure this out!”

Arc nods. “I’m sure if there’s a way you’ll figure it out. Just don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t come to you right away.

Twilight clops her hooves together happily! “This will be so much FUN!”

Auriel sighs. “I too enjoy experimenting, but… this is really important to me and everyone in Tartarus! No one has seen foliage in… centuries!”

They finish their meal and wash the dishes as the sun finishes rising. Arc wipes down the counter.

“Tasty meal, girls! Thank you!”

Twilight smiles happily. “Thank you for coming!”

Rainbow Dash grins! “Yeah! We don’t get a chance to all be together much, what with you off somewhere doing Celestia knows what all the time!”

Applejack shoots her a warning glance. “Rainbow Dash!”

Arc shakes his head. “No, no! She’s right! Truth be told, I can’t remember the last time we all got together without some terrible event going on.”

Fluttershy smiles at him. “Don’t feel bad, Arc! We all know how hard you work to protect us all!”

Rarity nods. “Right! You are the mighty Hero of Light, after all! And as such, have a reputation to uphold!”

“Y-yeah, I guess I do.”

He looks uneasy. Twilight notices this and walks over to him.

“Arc? Is something wrong?”

“I… uh… think I need to tell all of you something. We should probably sit down first though.”

The Mane 6 and Auriel appear confused but do as he asks Walking back to the Library they sit down around the table. Arc remains standing.

“Please forgive me, but all of you here reminded me of something I… never quite got around to telling you.”

Twilight looks nervous. “Is it bad?”

“No. But it did come as quite a shock to me when it happened!”

He looks over at Twilight.

“Do you remember that night you and I entered the Lunar Realm to speak to Princess Luna and Princess Cadance?”

Twilight blushes slightly. “Yes. We… spent the night together.”

Pinkie turns to Twilight angrily! “WHAT?!”

Rainbow Dash grins and leers at her friend! “Wow Twilight! Didn’t know you had it in you!”

Arc shakes his head. “Not like that, everyone! Ember and Sereb were there along with Steel Hammer and Silver Hammer!”

The Mane 6’s jaws drop! Arc sighs.

“Okay… that made it sound even worse. Look, it was a science experiment to see if the three of us could enter the Lunar Realm together!”

Twilight nods. “Yes! Arc was a complete gentlepony!”

“In any case… do you remember what Shining Armor did when he found out?”

“He blasted you across the room! You cut yourself on a piece of Princess Celestia’s mirror! Badly I might add! Doctor Whooves had to remove a piece of the mirror with forceps!”

Fluttershy looks surprised! “Oh my!”

“The last you saw of me was when I left the Infirmary, right?”

“I… suppose that’s right. Why?”

“My troubles that day were only beginning.”

Applejack nods. “I heard you went off to Yakyakistan. Did it not go well?”

“It did in the end. But the ride there was… memorable. I only remember about the first half of it though.”

Rarity looks confused. “How can you call it memorable then?”

“Because of what happened after I took a tour of the ship.”

Rainbow Dash frowns. “A tour?! With a hole in you?!”

“I took some painkillers I got from Doctor Whooves. They did help immensely! In any case, after the tour Ember and Sereb took me back to my room. The three of us took a nap. Things get a little hazy at this point.”

Applejack chuckles. “Why? Painkillers wear off?”

“Yeah. I stood up to get a glass of water and an apple. The next thing I knew I was on the floor.”

Rarity looks genuinely concerned! “Oh my!”

“Ember helped me back to bed and told the captain to get the ship to a hospital! The closest one being in the Crystal Empire. I don’t remember how much time passed, but at some point I started having trouble breathing.”

Rainbow Dash grimaces. “Woah! That must have been some injury Shining Armor gave you!”

Twilight shudders. “I’m sorry, Arc! What happened?!”

“At that point I couldn’t really tell what was going on around me. Things were all… fuzzy. I remember briefly being rushed to the Infirmary and Ember putting an oxygen mask on me.”

Applejack nods. “Good thinking!”

“My side hurt so much! Like something was tearing it apart! I… I think I told Ember… something, but can’t remember what before I blacked out.”

Rainbow Dash looks at him and smiles. “Well I guess they got you to the hospital in time though, right?”

“Yes and no. Yes, they got me to a doctor. But no there was nothing they could do for me. Ember filled me in on the details after the fact. Apparently that mirror was from the Crystal Empire and had been manufactured during the time of someone named King Sombra.”

Twilight’s eyes grow wide! “The tyrant?! Oh no! Was it… Crystal Poisoning?!”

“Yes. How did you…”

“I read about it in history class! There hasn’t been a case of that in hundreds of years though! No one ever survived it though!”

“The doctors told Ember as much. My case was hopeless and terminal. Fortunately Ember had the foresight to call Cherry, Derpy and Dinky after notifying Shining Armor. He arranged for them to be brought to the Crystal Empire… just in case.”

Fluttershy looks to him sadly. “Then what did they do?”

Arc takes a deep breath. “I… I remember hearing voices. Although I couldn’t understand what they were saying. At one point I felt a hoof in my hand as it was raised and a familiar coat touched it.”

Pinkie nods at Arc. “Who… who was it?!”

“It was Cherry. A moment later I felt a large and small hoof on my other hand.”

Rainbow Dash nods. “Derpy and Dinky?”

“Yes. I heard the doctor tell them my condition was critical and that I didn’t have much time left. The only thing they could do for me was to use the Crystal Heart.”

Twilight’s eye twitches! “WHAT?! But… but that would…”

Arc nods. “Yes. That was how my story would end. But… but I was okay with that. Using all my strength, I opened my eyes to… reassure them.”

Fluttershy looks confused. “Reassure… them? Of what?”

“That I would rather die in that hospital bed then become a mindless tool of a crazed, long-dead monarch! We said our goodbyes as the Crystal Heart was being set up. The machine was activated and everyone left the room. I couldn’t see what was happening, but it felt like I was being torn apart slowly from the inside!”

Auriel, who had been sitting there silently up until that point finally speaks up.

“What… what kept you going? Weren’t you afraid?!”

“No, Auriel. In my mind’s eye I could still see my hospital room’s door. I knew that those I cared for were safely behind it and that I would live on in their hearts. At that point I could almost hear my mother’s voice calling me home.”

They are silent for a time. Each of the assembled ponies sniffling a bit.

“Ember told me after the fact that Dinky had run off somewhere. But had returned in the nick of time with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. They jumped through the door and into my room.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes grow wide. “Wait, what?!”

Applejack nods. “I don’t understand how, but they did it.”

Arc shrugs. “I don’t know either. Those three have power inside them that even they don’t understand. Somehow they channeled it and combined their magical might into the Crystal Heart! They… saved me. Those three brave fillies risked their lives in order to save mine.”

Rarity begins to cry. “Sweetie Belle…”

A tear escapes Applejack’s eye as well. “Apple Bloom…”

Arc turn to them. “Rarity, you and Applejack should be very proud of them!”

The pair nod silently, unable to speak.

“When I awoke, sore but in one piece, Doctor Horse took another x-ray and found something rather strange had happened!”

Rainbow Dash sighs. “All that and NOW something unexplainable happens?!”

“He looked at my x-rays and found that there were several black spots on my pictures.”

Auriel looks to Arc. “Black spots? Tumors of some kind?!”

“No… this.”

Arc removes his headband to reveal his forehead. He points to the gem in his temples.

“This had appeared.”

Twilight walks toward him. “What… is that?!”

Arc kneels down to allow Twilight to examine the jewel in his forehead. “A jewel of some kind. Beyond that, I’m not sure. But apparently it’s fused to the bone so I can’t take it out.”

Applejack looks at the gem, nervously. “Does it hurt?!”

“Not at all.”

Twilight gently touches the gem with her hoof. A purple gem… interesting. Did the doctor find anything else?”

Arc nods. “Actually, yes. Let me show you.”

He removes his tunic. The assembled ponies gasp in astonishment! Rainbow Dash flies over to him quickly!

“What the heck?!”

Rarity puts a hoof to her mouth, astonished! “Six jewels?!”

Fluttershy looks at Arc quizzically. “Where did they come from?”

“Apparently when the doctor x-rayed me originally, the Crystal Poisoning was all throughout my body! Crystals were growing everywhere throughout me! I can only assume the Cutie Mark Crusaders, combined with the power of the Crystal Heart, somehow purified the dark crystals and pushed them to the surface. Somehow they joined together to form the gems you see here now.”

Auriel nods. “That’s a lot of assumptions!”

Arc shrugs. “I’ve had awhile to think about it.”

Rainbow Dash pokes at Arc’s chest. “Can they do anything?!”

Arc nods. “The one in my forehead can supercharge my magic. But it really takes a lot out of me!”

Applejack’s eyes grow wide! “That day at the orchard when you bought all those apples! I wondered how you did that!”

Fluttershy looks to Applejack. “Did what?”

“I opened a portal from Abyssinia to Ponyville, then back again.”

Twilight shakes her head. “That… that’s not possible! It’s much too far!”

Rainbow Dash grins! “Twilight, don’t you know? Arc makes the impossible… possible!”

Auriel nods. “That much I’ve seen myself! I mean, he Blinked us halfway across Tartarus!”

Rarity looks amazed! “What?! But he didn’t have those jewels back then! Did he?”

Arc shakes his head. “No. They came much later.”

Twilight examines Arc’s chest carefully. “And the other crystals? Can they do anything?”

“Probably. But I’ve had no luck figuring them out. Not that I’ve had much time to work on that problem.”

Rarity approaches Arc and examines the crystals closely. “Hmmm… very interesting.”

Pinkie raises her eyebrows slyly. “Looks like Rarity sees something she likes!”

“I just noticed something! These jewels…”

Rarity looks them over one by one.

“They appear to be the same colors as… but that’s impossible! Or just a strange coincidence, mind you!”

She pauses as if weighing the possibilities in her mind before continuing.

“But… these match the Elements of Harmony!”

Twilight looks at them, wide-eyed! “You’re right, Rarity! I wonder…”

Twilight quickly opens the secret vault that holds and conceals the six Elements of Harmony. She removes one of them and trots back over to Arc.

“This is my element, Arc. The Element of Magic. Can I hold it up to the gem in your forehead?”

“Go ahead.”

As Twilight does so, her element begins to glow and pulse with a strange light. Arc’s own jewel resonates in tandem with Twilight’s! She walks back to the case and puts her Element back before turning to the others.

“There’s no doubt about it! That jewel has the same power as the Element of Magic!”

Rainbow Dash’s jaw drops! “But how’s that possible?! Another set of Elements?!”

Twilight looks back at the case. “Let’s see here…”

She picks up the Element of Kindness. Fluttershy looks to her, confused.

“What are you doing, Twilight?”

Twilight looks to her as she walks back over to Arc. “Seeing if it reacts in the same way!”

She holds the Element to Arc’s right shoulder, but nothing happens. Applejack frowns.

“I don’t get it!”

Pinkie jumps around happily! “Oh! Is it a matching game?! I LOVE games!”

Rarity sighs. “Nothing happened.”

Auriel nods. “Maybe the colors really are just a coincidence.”

Arc looks up. “Or maybe I just haven’t learned how to use them yet. For example, I haven’t learned how to control my ability to fly.”

Twilight looks to Arc, wide-eyed! “Wait! You… FLEW?!”

He nods. “Twice now.”

Applejack turns to Twilight. “Don’t you remember when he showed us his memory of the battle in Vanhoover? He flew up and beat the living daylights out of Tempest… in midair!”

“You’re right! How did I forget that?!”

Rarity smiles at him. “I guess there’s more to you than meets the eye, Arc!”

“Maybe. I mean… I always knew there was more to learn and all. But until now, I never really thought much of it.”

Auriel sighs. “But where should Arc go from here?”

Twilight walks back to return the Element of Kindness to its place. “Sadly, I have no idea! This is beyond my expertise!”

Rainbow Dash chuckles. “Probably everypony’s, Twilight!”

Pinkie looks at them with sad puppy dog eyes. “Are… are you saying he has to walk this road alone?!”

Twilight shakes her head as the Elements return to their hiding place. “No, Pinkie! Because we’re his friends! “

Applejack nods fervently! “That’s right! We’ll all go on this journey together if need be!”

Fluttershy smiles warmly. “The Elements brought us together, girls. But it’s our friendship that KEEPS us together!”

Rarity nods in agreement. “That’s right! And we’ll keep on walking this path to its end!”

Arc sighs. “Thanks everyone! But I can’t guarantee exactly what that end may be. For all we know, the path may end in a cliff’s edge!”

Twilight walks over to Arc and puts a hoof on his knee. “Like we said… you won’t face whatever fate has in store for you alone.”

Arc leans forward to give Twilight a hug. The Mane 6 join in. Auriel watches sadly.

“I wish I had friends like yours, Arc.”

“You do!”

“Really?!”

Rainbow Dash grins! “Of course!”

Applejack adjusts her hat. “Pony… demon… in the end, it doesn’t really matter!”

Rarity nods. “The important thing is that we care for one another!”

Fluttershy giggles! “Right!”

Pinkie hops around happily! “I’d say this calls for a party! But, were already having one! A friendship party!”

Arc extends a hand to her. “Come join us, Auriel.”

“It doesn’t bother any of you that I’m… different?”

Twilight shakes her head. “If it did, would I have invited you into my home?”

“Would I have given you those seeds?”

“Would I have made you clothes?”

“Would I have gone flying with you?”

“Would I have brought you to meet my animal friends?”

“Would I have shown you how to bake?! Seriously, we have to do that again sometime!”

Auriel approaches and slowly takes Arc’s hand. “You may be a demon. But you’re one of us now. Never forget that.”

The Mane 6 nod approvingly. Auriel smiles with tears of happiness in the corners of her eyes.

“I… I don’t know what to say!”

Twilight smiles at her. “You don’t have to say anything. Just join us in a hug!”

Auriel does so.

“Is this what friendship is all about?”

Arc nods. “Yes, Auriel.”

“I like it!”

Twilight smiles at her. “Then you’ll have to make even more friends!”

Pinkie grins! “Yeah! Who know! Maybe you’ll even meet a special somepony like Arc did!”

Twilight frowns at her! “PINKIE!”

She turns to Arc, clearly mortified.

“Arc, I am SO sorry! “

Rainbow Dash glares at the pink pony. “Yeah Arc! Pinkie sometimes talks without thinking!”

Pinkie looks confused. “What did I say?”

Applejack sighs and removes her hat. “It hasn’t been that long since… you know… the funeral.”

Rarity nods sadly. “You don’t get over a terrible event like that overnight!”

Fluttershy puts a hoof on Arc’s knee. “You must miss her so much!”

Pinkie giggles. “But she’s still here!”

Twilight frowns. “Who?”

“Cherry Jubilee!”

Rainbow Dash flies over to her angrily! “That’s not funny, Pinkie!”

Arc smiles. “Pinkie’s right.”

Applejack raises an eyebrow. “Say what now?”

“Cherry’s still with me!”

“Yes darling! She’s with all of us! In spirit anyways!”

Pinkie shakes her head. “No! I mean she’s literally still here!”

Auriel sighs. “I wish things like this didn’t have to happen, but…”

Twilight nods to her friend. “Calm down, Pinkie! We all miss her, but…”

Arc stands up. “Listen everyone! Pinkie is… somehow, right! Cherry Jubilee IS here! I’ll prove it to you!”

He calls forth his armor.

“Go ahead and let me out, Cherry.”

To everyone’s amazement Eidolon’s Ward opens up and Arc steps out. His armor turns to face them along with Arc.

“Everyone, this might be kinda hard to accept but…”

Pinkie waves a hoof, joyfully! “Hi Miss Cherry! We missed you!”

Eidolon’s Ward speaks. “Hello everypony! I’m very glad to see you all again!”

Rarity takes a step back! “Good heavens!”

Auriel looks confused. “How is this possible?!”

Rainbow Dash hovers nearby, unable to understand that which is before her. “W-w-w-WHAT?!”

Fluttershy runs and hides behind her friends. “EEP!”

Twilight slowly approaches the armor with Applejack. “This… this is…”

“Cherry Jubilee? Is… is that YOU?!”

“Yes! I’m here!”

Twilight shakes her head. “But… but HOW?!”

Arc retells the events leading up to his and Cherry’s reunion. Auriel nods.

“That’s quite a story!”

Twilight looks skeptical. “Arc, please forgive me, but… are you absolutely SURE it’s her?!”

Arc nods with conviction. “I am! There is absolutely no doubt in my mind!”

Pinkie hops around! “It’s really her!”

Rainbow Dash sighs. “Okay, oaky! It’s Cherry Jubilee! But how did Pinkie Pie know?!”

“Pinkie Sense, silly! Although I couldn’t figure out what was setting it off when you came into Sugar Cube Corner the other day!”

Eidolon’s Ward giggles. “Sorry if I frightened everypony! I’m getting used to this response though!”

Eidolon’s Ward turns to look at Pinkie, who is smiling insincerely.

“So… um… Cherry? How… how long have you been… around now?”

“Since Arc’s last trip to Earth. Why do you ask?”

Pinkie begins to sweat, and speaks in a frightened tone. “I… um… no reason!”

Eidolon’s Ward walks over to Pinkie and kneels down in front of the worried mare.

“Pinkie Pie. I know what you did the last time Arc was in your bakery.”

Pinkie begins to tremble slightly. “You see… I… I just…”

“That and I can also see Arc’s more recent memories. Including the conversation you had with him after you got out of the hospital.”

Rainbow Dash turns beet red! “She didn’t hear it from me!”

Rarity raises an eyebrow. “What is this all about, Pinkie?”

Pinkie looks as if she is on the verge of tears. “It’s… kinda complicated!”

Twilight walks over to comfort the pink pony. “Pinkie Pie. We’re your friends! If there’s something we can help you with, tell us!”

Applejack nods. “Yeah! We shouldn’t be keeping secrets from one another now!”

Pinkie closes her eyes and sighs sadly. “Okay, you win. After we were released from the hospital, Arc came by Sugar Cube Corner. Rainbow Dash and I were there catching up on baking.”

Rainbow Dash smiles sheepishly. “Arc forgave me for… what I did back then. When he tried to do the same for Pinkie however…”

Pinkie nods. “Yes. I ran upstairs… crying.”

Rarity appears surprised. “Why, Pinkie! Whatever for?!”

Twilight shrugs. “Sounds to me like he just wanted to talk.”

“He did! A few minutes later he came upstairs and knocked on my door.”

Pinkie pauses and shakes her head.

“I didn’t look up. He sat down on the bed next to me and stroked my mane! Arc wasn’t even mad at me for what I… what I had tried to do to him in that very apartment less than a week ago!”

“I forgave you, Pinkie. Just like I did for everyone else.”

Applejack sighs. “Pinkie, what you did couldn’t have been as bad as all THAT!”

“Yes, well… back then I… tried to get Arc to do… very inappropriate things to me.”

Fluttershy blushes. “Oh my!”

Rainbow Dash sighs. “We all did, Pinkie!”

Rarity nods and looks away. “Yes… we did…”

Applejack sighs and removes her hat. “Even I did.”

“But I was the worst of everypony! Because I… I…”

Pinkie begins to whimper. Arc looks to her.

“Pinkie…”

“Because I wanted those things! Even though I… I cared about him!”

Twilight walks over to her friend and puts a hoof on her shoulder. “Pinkie, I’m sure a lot of things were done and said back then that would rather be forgotten, but…”

Pinkie shakes her head and appears to be on the verge of hysterics! “You don’t understand! I honestly wanted Arc to sleep with me!”

Her face turns a deep shade of crimson as she looks away. Arc walks over to Pinkie and puts his hands on her shoulders as he turns to the others.

“Pinkie told me that she had feelings for me. That may be why she responded so… passionately back then.”

The pink mare does not look at the others but nods her head. Rainbow Dash sighs.

“I guess the cat’s out of the bag now!”

Applejack pulls her hat down over her eyes. “Oh boy…”

Rarity looks over to him, slyly. “What did you say, Arc?”

“I told her it was too soon. That the events leading up to Cherry’s death still haunted me! But she was very brave to tell me the truth.”

“I… I’m sorry for hiding this from everypony. But most of all, I’m sorry for what I did to you, Cherry! After all, Arc’s YOUR fiancée, not mine.”

“Pinkie. I… can’t.”

Pinkie looks shyly at Eidolon’s Ward. “Can’t what?”

“Be Arc’s fiancé anymore.”

Auriel looks confused. “What?! But…”

Pinkie looks up at Eidolon’s Ward with a confused look on her face. “I don’t understand! Why not?!”

“Because I can’t be there for him like a living wife could. Before we came back to Equestria, Arc and I had a very serious conversation, during which I told him to find somepony else to marry.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes grow wide! “But what about you?!”

“I’m here for Arc emotionally until he’s ready to take somepony else as his bride. At that point, I’ll Ascend and wait for him with my parents in the afterlife.”

Eidolon’s Ward takes Pinkie’s hoof in her gauntlet.

“Pinkie Pie. Whomever Arc chooses to spend his life with is just fine with me. Whether it’s you, Ember, Derpy… or anypony else for that matter. As long as he’s happy that’s all that matters to me.”

Pinkie wraps her hooves around Eidolon’s Ward as the tears begin to flow. “Thank you so much, Cherry! And I’m sorry! I’m so very, very sorry!”

Eidolon’s Ward puts her arms around the sobbing pink mare. The others gather around Pinkie as she continues to cry. Twilight smiles sadly and thinks to herself.

“Ember, Derpy and now Pinkie Pie! Who else out there has a thing for you, Arc?! But, I get the feeling none of us are truly worthy of you That’s why I hope my latest experiment will soon come to fruition.”

Comments

[Theresa]

I can't help wonder if her being around is a good thing or bad thing.

[Kamahido]

10919434
Kinda both.

[talontitanbane]

Applejack adjusts her hat. “Pony… demon… in the end, it doesn’t really matter!”

Human monster unicorn what does it matter?

[Kamahido]

11364744
Yes, it's the old 'don't judge a book by its cover' lesson.