Pandemic: Starting Over

by Halira

Chapter 45: The Next Step

My mom gave me a curious look as I returned to the family room. She, my dad, and the two Equestrians were supervising the foals play. "You don't look any less stressed than before. Where is your filly?"

"She's not my daughter, as she emphatically likes to remind everyone," I said with a hint of annoyance. "She is out flying, to clear her head and take care of her needs. You can't have a pegasus stuck sitting inside a house all the time. She's angry at me, but there's no help for that. I'm quite used to people being angry at me," I looked around. Number and Malcomb were both gone, as were Josie and Méng. "I'm guessing the night ponies have gone to bed? Where are Number and Malcomb?"

"Malcomb went to run some errands, and Wild Growth called Number Crunch to go take care of something for her," Starlight explained. "The night ponies went upstairs just a few minutes ago."

I nodded and looked at the foals. The colts were all engaged in playing with action figures again, while Qīng Yǔ was being entertained by Trixie, who was levitating around stuffed animals and making animal sounds—not all of them accurate to the type of animal.

"We heard the princess from Equestria and Wild Growth have you working on a big magic project," Dad said with pride. "It seems like all the big shots still think you are pretty smart and talented if they are coming to you for help."

"I don't know what we did right to have three such intelligent and accomplished daughters," Mom beamed. "A great mage, a lawyer, and an FBI agent; that's an impressive upgrade from parents who were a retail clerk and an electrician."

"You endured our constant bickering and made sure we always applied ourselves. You also always encouraged us, no matter how hard we were on ourselves," I answered. "You reap what you sow, and you did everything you could to make sure we would grow up successful and happy." I grimaced. "I wish I was half the parent either one of you are."

"Your foal grew up to be one of the most important ponies on Earth. I think you might be selling yourself short," Dad replied with a chuckle. He then put his forehooves on Shǔguāng and Líng's heads and mussed their manes. "And I am sure these whipper-snappers will turn out great too!"

"Ack! Gramps quit it!" Shǔguāng shouted with a giggle.

That made me instantly scowl and raise an eyebrow. "Gramps?"

Dad stopped messing with their manes. "Well, sure. If these two have adopted you as their new mother, then your mother and I are their grandponies."

"I'm not sure we should encourage—" I began.

Mom cut me off with a raised hoof. "Even Lántiān said it was their choice."

"I know Shǔguāng has been very clear about what he thinks he wants, but Líng is another story," I replied. "And it has only been a few days; there is no need to rush these things with any of them. They need more time to get used to me, so they don't turn around and regret adopting me later."

"Not to mention what it would do to Sunset if she accepted that role and it didn't work out," Starlight added in. I gave her a dirty look, but it didn't faze her. "I'm serious. I know family is a huge deal to you, even more than most ponies, and you would not take rejection well if they changed their minds down the line."

Trixie raised her nose in the air. "That older unicorn said, and I quote, Sunset Blessing can get downright psychotic when it comes to family. There's no moral line she won't cross to protect her loved ones, and has a crazed need to be liked and loved by her family, end quote."

"You're getting good at those impressions. You sounded exactly like Number Crunch," Starlight complimented the showmare.

Trixie beamed. "Thank you! I'm trying to figure out a way of incorporating them into my act."

"Psychotic might be a little too extreme a word," I muttered. I looked at my parents and saw them not coming to my defense. "Or maybe it's perfect. I don't know."

"Sorry, hun. You did describe the things you did specifically to Number Crunch," Dad replied, seeming uncomfortable. "I just realized now that was the mare you mentioned in your retelling. It's amazing she will even speak to you and hasn't filed a restraining order or something. Maybe you exaggerated it?"

I shook my head but didn't reply. If anything, I had probably underplayed what I had done. Psychotic still wasn't the correct word. That word implied that I was emotionless through it all. Murderous, wrathful, vindictive, irrational, evil, but never unemotional.

"Ponies forgive," Mom said knowingly.

I didn't want to call out that foolish axiom. I knew it wasn't true. There were plenty of ponies that would never forgive me, and several that I could never forgive—some of them still alive. Some of those ones still alive I would gladly torture without hesitation, even now. Whoever had arranged Poly Glot to come to me was at the top of that list. If I ever found out who that was, I would make their life never-ending agony. I wouldn't let them die; dying brought an end to the pain, and they didn't deserve the right to get out of it. I wouldn't seek them out, but if they ever revealed themselves, they would pray for Lucifer to take them before I was done. What I lacked in power I made up for in creativity, and I would be very creative with their fate.

I'm a horrible person.

None of that mattered. I had enemies, lots of them, more than I could count, and it was doubtful I would ever learn for sure who had pulled the strings. Ironically, Tonya probably knew exactly who did it, but the unbending Dreamwarden rules would make her keep the knowledge secret until everyone involved was dead—which could be many decades, a lifetime even. They would get away with it, and there would be no justice for what had happened. Me never getting to find out was one of the many punishments I would suffer for my sins. God would punish them, not me.

I was getting off track again. What was I supposed to be focused on? Oh yeah, humans, parents, colts, brother, Rosetta, sisters, Bursa, friendship report, hooray.

"Starlight, I'm not coming up with any great ideas for dealing with the humans. They don't want to pass any notes, and they made it clear they'll shoot on sight if we come down there. Do you have any suggestions?" I asked.

"I have a suggestion on how to talk to them," Starlight replied. "I can do a spell that will project a voice. I don't know the exact location of their bunker below us, but I can make it so that it won't matter because the voice will be heard everywhere below the house. They can't reply back, but we can talk to them."

"You might want to say something that won't make them mad this time around," Trixie suggested.

That was something, at least. "How soon can you do it? Do you need prep time?"

"A minute or two in order to calculate the area I’ll need to broadcast to, but that's it," Starlight answered.

Shǔguāng stopped playing and leveled a serious expression on me. "You aren't going to get hurt again, are you, Auntie Sunset?"

"We don't want you to get hurt," Líng added on worriedly.

"I'll be fine, don't worry," I assured the two colts.

"Yeah, Old Sis is a mad scientist. She can handle a few humans!" Sinker said proudly. I wasn't sure I liked being referred to as Old Sis or a mad scientist, but I decided not to object to it. I wondered what he would call our older sisters if I was already labeled old.

Líng was now the one with a serious expression. "Are you really our new mama, Auntie?"

"She is!" Shǔguāng answered before I could even process the question.

I knew what Yinyu said about Shǔguāng, and how she said his brothers would follow his lead, but this was too fast. These colts barely knew me. If they knew me, they wouldn't be trying to make me their mother. They were just trying to establish a new familial order for themselves and rushing to try to fill the void left by the death of their mother.

"We can discuss it at a later time," I answered, not wanting to devastate them by outright telling them no.

"When is later?" Líng asked.

"I don't know," I replied.

"Is it in a few minutes?" he asked.

"No, longer than that," I answered quickly.

He was undeterred. "Is it before dinner?"

"No."

"Is it during dinner?"

"No, not today."

"Tomorrow?"

Lord, give me patience!

"I am unsure when. I will let you know when later is," I said, trying not to sound like I was growling.

"Okay. I hope later is soon," Líng replied, and went back to playing with his toys.

Mom walked over to me and whispered in my ear. "Don't put it off forever; otherwise they start to equate you saying later to you saying never, and you lose their trust. I learned that lesson the hard way with your eldest sister. Please don't do that to them. These two trust and adore you completely."

They didn't have much reason to trust and adore me. I had only been with them a few days, and they barely even knew me. Still, I had no desire to hurt them, and I wanted them happy. How to deal with such a conversation was a mystery, though. I looked at the foals. Both the colts had gone back to playing action figures with Sinker. Qīng Yǔ was happily squealing as she cuddled with her stuffed animals. I nodded to my Mom and left it at that.

"Ready to go," Starlight announced and gestured to a clear area to her side; her horn was glowing, as was a small circular area on the ground where she had gestured. "If you stand here, I can project your voice down to the humans below."

I nodded and walked over to the indicated area. Now I had to determine what to say.

I took a deep breath.

Starlight suddenly interrupted. “No need to shout.”

I hadn’t planned to, but I nodded. "People living in the bunker below. I introduced myself to you yesterday as Charlotte Portsmith. That was indeed my human name, but my name now is Sunset Blessing. I am the new head of this house, and I have several foals living with me. We mean you no harm, but I can not allow you to continue living down below as a potential threat to them or me.

"I don't know the exact time you went into hiding down there. But from your reaction, it was likely during the ETS pandemic. The pandemic did not last long, and there have been no reported cases since it ended. There is no reason to fear infection. Those of us who caught ETS and transformed mean you no harm and live in peace with humans. It may comfort you to know that there are still far more humans than ponies in the world. Due to your aggressive stance, we brought in a dozen armed guards on the property who are all human, I have fully human relatives, and the majority of the government is human. Ponies are not here to conquer the world."

I needed to call them out on trying to frighten us, but gently. I wasn't great at being gentle in my speeches.

"I know you claim you have an army down there. We know that’s not the case; it is just a few adults and children—a single family. Up here, I have five foals—children. I know you want to protect your children just like I want to protect the ones in my care. We are very much the same in that regard. We want a peaceful resolution and to help you rejoin society, so your children and mine can both live safe and happy lives.

"Our landlady is a pony of great wealth and generosity. She will do everything she can to accommodate you. She is also a very special pony, unlike any of us here now. You cannot threaten her or bring her harm, and if we are unable to resolve this on our own,” I paused to consider exactly how this threat should be made.

“She will march into your bunker, ignore every attempt that you make with your weapons, and that will be it. She isn’t going to harm you, but you may hurt yourselves in the attempt to stop her. I recommend you listen to her if she shows up. She is like Superman, a perfect girl scout, but also an unstoppable force."

Now onto the part that would have everyone up in arms, but I saw no way around.

I took another deep breath. "I propose a meeting: just you and me, and my friend, Starlight Glimmer. I promise you that no one will try to capture you or your loved ones while it happens, and you are free to retreat down into your bunker again once we are done talking. We are not going anywhere, and we need to resolve this. We can meet in the basement in two hours. I will wait patiently for you to come out of the cupboard down there, and there will be no armed guards. I will wait an hour. If you do not speak, I will assume we must wait for our landlady to arrive and address the situation herself. All your exits are known and being watched by humans. I hope to see you soon. God bless."

Starlight released her spell, and now it was time to get yelled at.

"You are putting yourself in danger again!" Mom yelled.

"I am not; we can handle this. The last time was unexpected. I was surprised and alone. This time… I’m prepared,” I explained. "Starlight can shield us from any threat. That is why I said she would be included. We are in no danger."

"And Starlight is an expert in making friends!" Trixie said enthusiastically.

"Uh— Trixie, this might be a little harder than dealing with a friendship problem back in Equestria," Starlight replied in a doubtful tone.

"I guess I will have excellent material for my friendship report if we succeed then," I concluded.

Author's Note:

Doctor found something wrong with my most recent blood test and has called me in for an appointment today. Fingers crossed it isn't too serious.

Comments

[badninja]

Well let’s see how they respond to this. I think that it will not be well and I doubt that everyone involved is going to have some regrets when the time comes.

[keroko]

10670390
I'd suggest a wide-area transmutation spell, gunpowder to sand, before going in myself.

[PonyofEntropy]

I love this story and Marshmallow Dreams so much!