Pandemic: Starting Over

by Halira

Chapter 18: Home Again

The office did indeed have a way of contacting Starlight Glimmer, and it didn't take long for the powerful unicorn to arrive.

Starlight gave me a discerning examination. "What happened to you? Is that a burn on your leg?"

I pulled my leg back to conceal it partially from view. "Walking around by myself might have been a little too brazen. I'll be fine. I just want to get back home and deal with Wild's monster."

"Her name is Bursa," Starlight corrected. "She's- a fascinating looking creature. She certainly seems to enjoy the pool."

"Is she dangerous?"

Starlight shrugged. "She hasn't done anything threatening. I know better than to try to judge a creature based on appearances. Wild Growth has at least a dozen guards armed with tranquilizer guns standing around, so I doubt she would be able to cause much trouble. Even if they weren't enough to deal with her, both Wild Growth and I are nearby, and between her strength and my magic, there's not much she could do that the two of us couldn't stop. There's a huge truck blocking the entrance to the complex, so reporters can't get a view."

"I heard you were arguing with Lántiān," I said with a smirk.

Starlight huffed. "That filly needs to understand there's more than one way to cook rice. She can stand to be open to something different."

That made me laugh, which shook my leg, which ended the laughter abruptly as the pain flared up. "I agree with you, but I'm inclined to let her cook rice however she pleases at the moment. She knows her siblings' tastes better than anyone, and they are going through enough adjustments as it stands."

Starlight frowned. "I suppose it was a little inconsiderate of me to try to force her to try something new right now. I'm guessing the actual visit to your parents went well since you're being more considerate."

I sighed. "It's like a load I didn't know I was carrying has been taken off my shoulders. Thank you for insisting I do this; I needed it. I also found out I have a little brother around the same age as Shǔguāng. Wonders never cease."

She smiled at me. "I'm thrilled to hear that."

I paused. "Before we go back, I need to ask you something. Forgive me if this is a sore subject. After you were defeated by Twilight Sparkle twice, how did you find something new to believe in?"

Starlight blinked. "I can't say. I wanted to prove I was worthy of the opportunity I was given, and early on, was put into a situation where I saw a chance to make a positive difference during a crisis. It wasn't all smooth sailing; I had a few embarrassingly bad mistakes I still made after that. It takes time to break bad habits. What I knew was that I wanted friendship and that I couldn't stand by and let bad things happen to others. That was all I needed to know and believe. I always cared about others, but I learned a better way of caring."

I frowned. I'd hoped for some greater insight.

She touched a hoof to mine. "Hey, we aren't so different in that way. You have always cared about others too. That's a great foundation that you can build on. You'll probably make some mistakes, but if you surround yourself with good friends and listen to them, they can help you recognize those mistakes and do better. My friends had to be very patient and understanding with me early on."

I wasn't sure how many friends I could surround myself with. Starlight and Trixie were just visiting for a few weeks, so they weren't a constant presence. Wild Growth had every reason to hate me, and she was busy elsewhere most of the time anyway. Tonya and Yinyu were only there when I slept. Looking at my interests, I wasn't sure who to talk to either. I suppose I could join a church to try to reconnect with others about faith. My other primary interest was magic, and I had a love-hate relationship with it. I'd caused a lot of misery with my magical research. Still, at the same time, others seemed to want me to continue with it, and I had an affinity for finding new possibilities with magic that few others could match- even if I rarely could cast the spells I came up with. The problem was very few unicorns I was on speaking terms with were as knowledgeable about the intricacies of magic as I was, aside from Starlight.

Maybe I should take Luna up on her mentoring offer. She'd be just as infrequently available as Starlight and Trixie, but if I got enough friends who were only there sometimes, then maybe that would lead to at least one of them being available when I needed one. She'd also been the first to try to reach out to me when I was at my lowest point. Thinking back to my first encounter with her years before, I realized she had faith I was capable of good even back then. I owed it to the ones who always wanted to help me be a better person to try. The visit to my parents had changed something in me. Their faith and forgiveness for me, even after all the hurt that I'd done to them, made the possibility I could be better seem more likely than it did before.

"I'm ready to go back home and see Bursa," I announced.

Starlight nodded and directed me to the center of the room. The room itself was empty and windowless, with only the two of us and a door. I went where directed, and Starlight lit her horn up. After a brief flash, I found we were now standing on the back patio of the condo.

"By the way, how's your magic doing?" She asked me.

I frowned. "I managed a brief use of telekinesis earlier without it causing pain, although I was hyped on adrenalin at the time. I'll try doing some light use of my horn again, starting tomorrow; move some small objects, use a spoon, that kind of thing."

"Just don't overdo it. You don't want to set your recovery back," Starlight cautioned.

"I'll be careful. I have no intention of relapsing. I miss my magic too much, " I replied.

"I had to go without magic for most of a day once," Starlight said as if recalling something miserable. "I felt utterly helpless. It didn't help that I was in a dangerous situation on top of that, but the fact I had a few good friends with me made it better."

"I don't know how Wild stands it," I said, then my ears sagged as I realized I was about to go talk with Wild, and I was a big part of the reason Wild didn't have her magic anymore.

Starlight picked up on what I was thinking. "It wasn't all your fault. Twilight says that Wild Growth blames herself more than anyone else. She might not talk about it, but she's still hurting just as much as you are. She lost more than her magic that day."

"Yet she threw herself right back into doing things again while I withdrew from the world," I replied bitterly.

Starlight gave me a sad look. "I think you more than anyone else could understand the desire to bury yourself in work to avoid thinking about other things."

I grunted. I couldn't argue that point, because she was entirely right. It made me feel more sorrow for Wild, though.

We walked back inside, and I had barely made it four steps before I had a wing with a mug of some drink stretched out in front of me.

"Cold tea with lots of sugar," Lántiān announced in a deadpan. "You said that you preferred it prepared this way, ma'am."

I was thirsty so I sat down and carefully grabbed the mug with my forehooves and took a sip. "Is this ginseng?"

"Do you not wish it to be ginseng, ma'am?" Lántiān questioned in the same deadpan.

I pursed my lips then lifted the mug again to them for a long sip. I finished most of the cup and then set it down on a small table near the door. "I'm just not used to ginseng tea being used for sweet tea. It is perfect, better than normal sweet tea. Thank you for that, Lántiān. I'll finish it in a few minutes."

The ghost of a smile appeared for just a second at the edges of her mouth but was quickly gone. "I am happy you found it appealing, ma'am."

"And now you want her to chase us out of the house, right?" Starlight asked the filly.

Lántiān kept her face blank. "I will not say that, Miss Glimmer. I also finished preparing dinner, properly, while you were away. I am sure Ma'am will approve."

Starlight frowned. "So, you undid all my hard work?"

Lántiān arched a brow. "Miss Glimmer, I just corrected your errors. You cannot help you come from an uncultured, uncivilized world that doesn't understand how to cook rice, while I come from a highly civilized nation that was mastering the art of cooking rice before Celestia's grandmare was even conceived."

Starlight gave her an incredulous look, and I stifled a laugh. Starlight then turned back to me with a raised eyebrow. "You two are incredibly similar. I'm confident that you'll eventually work things out with her."

I blinked. "What?"

She frowned. "You know what. I could have sworn I was dealing with you from two years past just a second ago with her."

I wanted to object, and even opened my mouth to do so, but then reconsidered. Yeah, that insult sounded like something I'd say. It actually sounded eerily similar to something I'd say. I might still say things like that sometimes, although not directed at Equestria.

There was no point boding on that—other things needed to be done. "I'll be sending the colts back in to eat if they are still at the front door. I'm sure dinner will be excellent." I wasn't sure, but I needed to do what I could to butter my combative filly up. "Lántiān, I need to take care of the situation outside, please get your siblings ready for dinner. It shouldn't be too long, but I honestly don't know. Starlight, I would feel safer if you could keep an eye on me while I'm out there." I glanced around. "Where's the youngest two?"

"Napping on the couch, ma'am," Lántiān answered. "My daughter enjoys using her uncle as a pillow. I'd be jealous if it weren't so cute."

That might have been the most conversational thing she'd said to date. It was enough to make me feel a tiny amount of hope things might work out, and I let myself smile, even if I might be eaten alive in a few minutes.

"You go to see the pony who's chi is blocked," Lántiān said slowly. "Good luck, ma'am."

Chi was blocked? I heard the term before, but didn't understand it, and didn't have time to get a lesson on it. I instead took a deep breath, stood up, and marched to the front of the house. Starlight followed behind, saying nothing. The front door was standing wide open, and I could see Wild Growth sitting outside with her back to the door. The two colts we're peeking around the door from inside. When I got close, they both jumped in startlement.

"<There's a monster outside>!" Shǔguāng exclaimed in awe.

I looked down at him. "In English, Shǔguāng."

"There's a monster outside- ma'am," he repeated, this time in English. The ma'am felt tacked on. I didn't recall telling anyone but Lántiān to call me ma'am, so he must have heard her doing it.

I decided I needed to be less formal with the foals. I ignored his concern about the monster, which I hoped would be a sign to him not to worry. "You don't have to call me ma'am. You can call me Auntie Sunset."

He didn't get a chance to respond before Wild called out to me. "Auntie Sunset needs to get her wrinkled old flank out here. I've been very patient, but I have a schedule to keep."

"Yell cowabunga if you're scared, Auntie Sunset. It will make you not so scared," Shǔguāng instructed me, then ducked back into hiding.

"I'll keep that in mind," I replied. "You two go see your sister. She has dinner for you."

"You're coming back?" Hé Líng asked in a trembling voice. "You aren't going away like Mama?"

I gave him a soft smile. "Of course I'm coming back. Don't worry. Now, go to your sister for dinner."

They hurried away towards the kitchen, and I walked outside to join Wild, while Starlight remained at the door, staring at the pool with an unreadable expression. There was a vast white semi-truck with a SPEC logo blocking the gate, and several dark cars parked out in the grass. Several human members of the SPEC security forces were standing in a perimeter, with rifles at the ready. I could see the pool, and something was moving around under the water, but I couldn't tell what, only that it was big.

Wild finally looked at me. "Glad you finally joined us. Are you ready? I want to be on my way soon."

"Ready as I'll ever be," I answered.

She nodded. "Follow behind me. Don't come up beside me or step ahead of me. If Bursa decides to do something, I prefer to have myself between you and her. The guards have tranquilizers, but I have no clue how much it will take to bring her down."

That wasn't very reassuring.

She started walking, and I followed. She stopped a short distance from the pool and called out to it. "Bursa! There's someone here to talk to you. I need you to come out of the water."

Whatever was in the water ignored her, and Wild stomped. Even with no magic, the force of her stomp was still enough to shake the immediate area and make the water splash. "Bursa! Don't make me come in there and pull you out. We need to get going soon anyway. I'm going to take you somewhere with an even bigger pool, and fewer people, but I need you to cooperate with me."

The thing stopped moving, and an inhuman face emerged from the water. It looked vaguely human, but the eyes and mouth were far too big. Each eye was as big as a pony eye, but on a human head, both eyes were a sickly yellow. The mouth stretched from one side of her bald head to the other, and I could imagine her opening it and tilting the entire top of her head back like some oversized Pez dispenser. The fact that her nose and ears were almost entirely human in size and placement only added more to the uncanny valley. It growled at Wild. "Don't want to come out and talk."

Wild growled right back. It was like watching two beasts trying to show dominance. "This pony hired those mages that hurt you. She needs to see what they did so that she can understand that she owes you an apology."

Bursa's enormous eyes clicked to me, and I saw the rage in them.

"You can't hurt her!" Wild ordered.

"I can hurt any pony I want!" Bursa yelled back, loud enough that I had to restrain myself from taking off into the house. I stood my ground, though.

"You may not hurt her!" Wild yelled in clarification. "If you hurt her, the guards will have to use their guns on you. You need to prove you aren't a monster."

Bursa gave a bestial scream. "I am a monster! Ponies made me a monster!"

Wild stared at the thing. "Only if you allow yourself to be. I have faith you don't want to be a monster. Get out of the pool and face her like a person instead of an animal."

The thing growled again and locked eyes with Wild. Wild didn't flinch away from that gaze. I was amazed at how the broken earth pony could stand her ground like that. Yes, she was still strong, but that thing was unnatural.

Bursa was the first to break her eyes away, unable to match Wild's strength of will. The beast then moved to the side of the pool and reached a nightmarish clawed arm over the side, which was quickly followed by a reptilian leg, and then another leg, and then a tail, and then...another tail? What the hell was I even looking at?

The thing pulled its massive bulk out of the pool and then began to stand. I gasped and took an involuntary step back as it did. It did indeed have two tails, and four reptilian legs that were arranged around her in a way that no living creature had legs; with one to her left, one to her right, one in front of her, and one in back that the two almost tentacle-like tails flanked. I had no idea how that thing was even supposed to walk with that configuration of legs. Her entire upper body was covered in coarse brown fur, and her arms, though they lined up with how human arms were placed, looked more akin to something found on a gorilla- aside from the sharp three-fingered claws that each ended in. At her full height, she towered at least eight feet tall, perhaps more. I'd expected a monster, but this was a horror.

"Cowabunga," I whispered.

Comments

[badninja]

Well Blessing your tab has come due. Let’s see how you start to make up for your past ego.