Day Three, Part Four: Aftermath
It's the middle of the night right now, and I'm sitting at the bottom of the ocean near the bridge. I decided some 'me' time was on the docket, and I want to get things sorted out. Let me bring you up to date.
By and large, there was confusion when the crowd woke up from their unexpected naps yesterday, and not entirely because I was hugging Drama while Illudere was collapsed close by. We all took a few minutes to explain what happened. After the initial ruckus died down, the MRPD officers in attendance stepped forward to collect Illudere, slap a restriction ring on her horn, cart her off to the hospital, and confiscate her armor to send back to Headquarters.
I think it would be pretty funny if they gave the armor to Drama, but it probably won't happen.
Speaking of humor, there was a bit of panic when Gray stayed asleep longer than everypony else. Then that Juniper Leaf pony produced a little plant out of a satchel and held it near her for a few seconds, and she snapped awake and snatched it away from her immediately. I was told later that the plant is something that some cats apparently go crazy over. Don't ever change, my friend.
Cadance suggested a short break so that the crowd could come to terms with what they were told. There was some murmuring, but they concurred. Knowing what was at the corner of the Park, I decided to take this opportunity to reclaim what was mine. Gray and Shining Armor agreed to give me an escort while Drama went to interact with Gilbert's group.
Thinking about it, I can talk about my recollection mission in some more detail. Something interesting of note came up... A couple interesting somethings, actually. Try not to be put off by the linguistic time shift.
When we get to the safe, the ponies guarding it snap to attention and salute Shining and I. "We just heard from the higher-ups," they tell us, or more specifically Gray. They must've been briefed on her case. "One of your kids turned up safely at Headquarters."
Gray gasps, and her ears stand up straight. "Pure Energy's okay?" she asks anxiously, having been informed of who Illudere had failed to look after.
The pony taps his chin, then smiles. "Right, thanks. Almost forgot his name. Yes, he's safe and unharmed. They're saying he outsmarted one of the kidnappers and escaped where they were holding him. Something about 'offending a residence'. Last they said, he was talking about it over donuts."
Shining and I chuckle as Gray sags with relief. "Sounds like something he'd say, that little rascal," she comments, shaking her head with a smile. "What about the others? Have you heard anything about them?"
"Not yet, Mrs. Gray. We're sorry."
"Yeah, I guess that was too much to ask for," Gray says with some disappointment. "Well, guess I'll have to wait a little bit longer to see them again."
"Do you want to go and pick him up?" I suggest. "I don't mind."
She seems torn up over my offer for a bit. "Thanks, but I'll stick around here until that safe's cracked. He's in good hooves," she finally decides, sounding like she's trying to convince herself of that. Her ears start twitching.
"If you say so. Well, then---"
"Excuse me a moment, Levi," Gray interrupts, her tail waving about in time with her ears. She sounds irritated now. "There's an insult to my ears close by." She turns and presses herself down near the ground, then darts into a nearby copse of oak trees.
Shining and the officers turn to look at me, wanting answers. I have none to give, so I just shrug.
It doesn't take long for a fight to break out among the trees, alerting us. Gray's growling and hissing are interwoven with vague mechanical sounds and shots being fired, one of which is intercepted by Shining Armor's shield when it flies out at us. The shots are at a lower pitch than those from Magiflies. Maybe this is that new type of drone I was told about this morning?
The conflict ends with a loud 'smash', and Gray returns to us. She's dragging a shattered drone by its tail with her teeth, looking none the worse for wear from her brief spat. Shining raises an eyebrow, but has no other reaction; the guards are more surprised. "Any idea what this is supposed to be?" she asks after letting go.
Shining raises a hoof to his chin. "I've never seen anything like this. Looks like a metal chameleon."
"Or a frog," one of the guards suggests, getting over his befuddlement.
There's evidence for both. "Chamelog?" I suggest. "Or Fromeleon?"
"Let's just go with the first one," Gray decides. "I left a few pieces behind at those trees, so..."
"We'll get the cleanup crew out here immediately, Mrs. Ghost," the first guard promises as the second one trots off to the side, speaking into his radio. "Are you hearing any others?"
Gray listens carefully, then shakes her head. "No."
"Whew," the guard sighs. "I was hoping I wouldn't see any action today. So General, about the safe?"
"Sure," I agree, walking up to it. "Why hasn't the Department opened it up yet?"
"We can stand near it just fine, but we can't open it," the guard explains. "If we mess with it too much, it triggers some kind of magic field that launches us away." He winces. "I, uh, might have tried to open it myself this morning just to see if I could. I'll have to see a chiropractor after work."
Interesting. Though I wonder... "It that just from the front, or is the entire safe protected that way?"
"The front and the sides," the guard clarifies. "The back of it doesn't have any real defenses that I can tell, but I imagine it doesn't need them. I mean, an inch of solid steel should be an effective deterrent, right?"
... ...It should, but happily we have a way of bypassing that. "Gray?"
"Sure, let me check," she agrees, trotting to the back of the safe.
"What is she doing?" the second guard wonders, having finished notifying HQ of our unexpected eavesdropper.
"Watch and see," Shining says with a grin. I have to nudge my memory into alignment, but I think he recalls my duel with her. "This should be good."
It looks to be. Gray's hoof passes through the steel without any resistance, triggering jaw drops from both guards. I don't have Drama's camera with me, sadly, so I can't take a picture to look at later. I promise that it's funny. Shining thinks so: I can hear him suppressing laughter.
Gray presses herself against the back of the safe as she continues to reach around, then withdraws her foreleg while stepping away. "They're in there. I can tell at least that much," she confirms, huffing a little. "But I can't get a good hold on them without my claws, and if I try to reach in farther then I risk hitting the sides."
I consider the situation. "I could freeze it," I suggest. "Assuming the steel isn't alloyed, my coldest temperatures below dry ice should make it brittle enough that I can break through with a few stabs. If it is alloyed, that gets a bit trickier, but I feel it's worth a try."
I go on to explain that I wouldn't be much of a fighter if my weapon couldn't cut through steel. I would still need to be careful to keep the Javelin from striking the sides, however. Getting thrown around by Illudere was bad enough. Experiencing the same thing via an inanimate object would just be insulting.
Gray remarks that the way things are going, our adversaries probably planned for this and used the toughest-grade steel they could get their hooves on just to make things more difficult for me. It wouldn't stop me, but it would still take unnecessarily longer. Probably would cause some collateral damage, too...
A voice speaks up, and we turn to see who's talking. "If I may, Miss Leviathan? Please permit me to take a crack at it."
The pony approaching us from the way we came... I've seen her before, I realize. Adolescent, brown coloration, frilly dress... she was with that one pony who had gotten thoroughly steamed at me in the recent past. My memory tags her as Caramel Mocha.
WARNING: Class-A threat registered. Not currently hostile.
Our visitor introduces herself to us properly, respectfully nodding to Shining and I while giving Gray and the destroyed drone a strange look. (Gray just strange-looks her right back.) "I had wished to speak with you before you left today," Caramel explains. "As such, I would like to expedite your dilemma."
"What are your credentials?" Shining immediately asks.
"My family has practiced an exclusive and esoteric form of martial arts for generations, Captain. I am years, maybe decades away from perfecting it, but what I have should still be satisfactory. All that is required would be for Miss Leviathan to weaken the metal with her abilities, and I can remove any worries about such things as precision or power."
Caramel holds up a hoof to forestall any protests. "I would also like to point out that you have nothing to lose by allowing me to try," she continues, "beyond one or two minutes of your time. And if you are wondering how martial arts can 'possibly break through metal' when they're commonly associated with bricks and stacks of wooden boards, those one or two minutes are all I need to make you stop asking."
Everypony is silent, either unsure or bemused. Me? I'm smiling at her verbose statements. "Sick of explaining it to ponies?"
"Oh my alicorn, you have no idea how many demonstrations we've been asked to give by the staff just because they don't believe it," Caramel complains. She catches herself and clears her throat, embarrassed. "Right. I apologize for my breach of decorum. If I may?"
...
There's a bit of discussion before Shining Armor agrees, and it requires me to remind him of how my threat scanners work. At Gray's duel, I'd told him that he and Cadance were Class-A level. My level. As soon as I was certain he remembered that, I told him that Caramel is also part of that stratum and that my systems are incapable of deceiving me. For some reason, I could hear her breath hitch when I gave that revelation.
Gray's watching carefully.
With that out of the way, I can finally get to work. I stoop down and press my hands against the back of the safe. An ice layer takes form, and I keep my hands where they are as I count off the seconds. I idly note the particles flying off the sides and top as the ice fails to establish holds there.
...Alright. This should be long enough. I stand up and back away from the safe. "It's all yours."
Caramel trots up without a word. Her eyes slide closed, and she takes a deep breath. She lifts an inch off the ground, wings flapping as her front hooves are freed up for use. Something coils across her body and clothing, outlining her in cyan as the on-lookers make assorted awed sounds. Her hooves raise a few centimeters, first one, then the other---
---she's moving. With the speed I've come to expect of pegasi, Caramel's pummeling the safe quickly enough that I'm comparing the cacophony to an industrial power generator. I can see hoof-shaped indents rapidly forming, caving the metal in. She's not bothered by coming in contact with the ice, maintaining her assault for a full three seconds without flinching.
For those three seconds, my systems are trying to analyze how Caramel's augmenting herself. Some of it is magic for sure, but the rest of it I'm having trouble identifying. She's not a cyborg or anything like that: I'm not detecting any implants or otherwise integrated tech. How is she doing this?
Caramel's strikes stop, and she withdraws her hooves from the now crumpled metal. The cyan outline fades out of existence. She exhales, the puff of breath brushing against the safe---
---and the entire backside caves in and collapses like shattered glass.
The park is silent.
"Not as impressive as it should be," Caramel huffs, correctly guessing what we're all thinking. "My grandfather at his peak could demolish this within one second, with cleaner results and without weakening the metal. It took three seconds and..." She waves a hoof at the debris. "...this for me to accomplish the same thing. I still have a long way to go."
"...So many questions," Shining finally remarks with awe, "so little time."
"And most of them I would have to answer with 'trade secret'," Caramel tells him apologetically. "We don't share our techniques with those outside of the school. Period. This isn't out of a lack of desire to talk about it, do understand. But I shouldn't have to tell you about the disaster that would befall Equestria if somepony unsavory and ambitious were to go about mastering them. We can't take that chance."
"Say no more, child," Gray answers gently, the least surprised by what we've just seen. The others are in agreement with her. "We understand."
Did Caramel just flinch at that? I can't tell; my eyes are on what's inside the safe.
The first to return to me is the helmet. I pull it out and place it back on my head where it belongs, locking it in place. The boots are next, and I sit down just long enough to pull them on and secure them. I promise, I will never take my possessions for granted again.
My CPU initiates a diagnostic scan the moment I'm back on my feet. The final numbers are beautiful: my power output's at 90%, my Energen levels are almost completely full thanks to that odd cupcake, and everything else is 100% across the board. How I've missed this...
"Back in action?" I hear Gray ask.
I smile at them all, and they give me the same. "Back in action," I confirm, my words a level shy of euphoric.
...
...
...
Analyzing memories...
DNA scan in progress. Priority set to "lowest".
Defragmentation: 4.7% complete. Completion time: unknown.
Damaged files: 7.1% restored. Completion time: unknown.
Solar Energy Backup offline. Reconfiguration in process; do not interrupt. Please wait.
Analyzing core. Software under construction. Scanning subroutines. Priority set to "low".
...
..."a robot must never harm a"---
...
...
...
Alright, almost everything else. I'm not getting a response from my solar backup. My querying isn't getting any answers beyond 'do not interrupt'. It's not life-threatening, but it's still bothersome.
What's with my systems carrying out these minor operations without my say-so? And what are these short strings of text? That makes... one, two... three of them now, I think. Is there some sort of importance to them?
I think there's a time stamp on them... ...yes, there is. The first one started when I was found at the Golden Bell. It's not telling me more than that. This is relevant somehow, too, but the answers are eluding me.
None of this is slowing down my ability to operate. It's background noise at worst. To illustrate, imagine you're working at the Manehattan Public Library. There's only two ponies in the building: you, and a casual reader. You're off in one corner getting some work done. Meanwhile at the opposite corner, a page is turned. It's so faint that it just barely tickles the edge of your hearing, if you even hear it at all. That's what it feels like to me.
Maybe it's because I've gotten used to these things, but I'll just worry about it if my ability to go about life is jeopardized. The peculiarity of it pales next to the cupcake in the envelope. Still, I'm not going to forget this.
Gray, Shining, and the guards are talking to each other quietly, and Caramel's taking me aside for some brief words of her own. "I've been wondering about this for days," she says. "I'd never seen my sister so angry before. Do you know why she was acting like that?"
Oh. Right. That incident. "I don't know," I admit. My earlier giddiness is shelved for the moment. "Unless there's something about my publicized past that she didn't like, I wouldn't be able to tell you. Or maybe she's upset because I decided I didn't want to be used as an advertising gimmick?"
"Maybe something deeper than that," Caramel decides, disappointed. "You've probably heard in the paper, but Hazelnut's undergoing cancer treatments. I'd assumed at first that she was cranky because she was hurting so much before, but..."
I shiver at the memory of that life-threatening glare. "I hope that's all that is. I'm sorry, but I don't have any answers for you. If we meet again after her recovery and she's still angry, then I'll agree it's something deeper. Until then..."
"...just wait and see," she concludes. She closes her eyes for a few moments and nods. "Sorry for bothering you. I hope your day's an improvement over earlier." She turns and trots away back towards the gathering, leaving me to wait for the others to finish their conversation.
There isn't much to say about the party after that. Gray took off to retrieve Pure Energy, and I went back to enjoy myself. The crowd was happy to see me back with my equipment. On a whim, I underwent a few of my more intensive training exercises on-stage; I got to have some fun, everypony enjoyed themselves watching, and a good time was had by all.
Aside from that one pony off in the corner who was busy painting. She never dropped her serious face for anything. I vaguely remembered her as that obsessive fan from Madisoat, and wondered to myself why she was at the Park.
I was able to have a casual conversation with Gray's old caretaker. Juniper Leaf tries to keep herself in the know where new developments in science and magic are concerned, and I was able to give my thoughts on the former. She was intrigued by some of the more mundane advancements Neo Arcadia had on tap, and expressed her hopes that Equestria would someday develop something similar. She admitted that she wouldn't live to see any of it come about, but at least it didn't dim her interest.
The party lasted for two hours after my return, though it took longer to fully break up. I thanked Gilbert profusely for getting the ball rolling, spent some time catching up with Turkey Bowl, talked to that Wonderbolt rep about the training she was giving Gray and my partners, stopped Drama from accidentally scarring Babs Seed for life, and had another arm wrestling match with Bossa Nova (obviously I lost, but it was the principle of the thing).
Before they left, I thanked Shining Armor for saving Drama's life--to which he modestly answered that he was doing his job--and petitioned Cadance to see if she or Celestia could get more details from that one elderly unicorn. If she really did go to Earth somehow, I need to know more.
Almost forgot: I found that crab Illudere had with her. It seemed friendly, and it didn't resist when I picked it up and took it someplace it could be safely released. It even waved good-bye at me with a pincer before going on its merry way. Cute little thing.
All in all my day started off as a 'bummer', as Gilbert would put it, and ended on a very high note. As to how my enemies waiting in the wings viewed it all on account of Illudere's defeat, I can only speculate...
-"Not gonna lie, I'm not upset to see her go,"- Gates bluntly informed Ignition after Illudere's fate was confirmed. -"Having a magic user on our side was not worth dealing with her."-
"Her time with us was nearing its end even without taking this into account," Ignition said in full agreement. "Once the coup was successful, Quarter would likely have subdued her and returned her to the asylum she was taken from. With our biggest enemies crushed, Project Ashes well on its way to completion and 'Stratos' having left the city, there would have been little left for her to do. And for somepony like her, the old expression about 'idle hooves' would be magnified tenfold."
-"So, Leviathan got her stuff back?"- Calico wanted to know.
"Without question. Gray Ghost detected and destroyed our spy, but we don't need it to know that we're at a disadvantage again."
-"Doesn't that violate the terms of the challenge?"- Bushwhacker asked. -"She said that she wouldn't take any sort of action against us."-
"What we agreed upon was that the Ghost would begin taking part in the hostilities in the event of a violation. Illudere knowingly broke the rules in her attempts to contain her charge. A lone Chamelog is inconsequential and easily replaced, and the loss of our illusionist should serve to keep Gray pacified until the challenge ends. Stay on schedule."
-"What do you want us to do, Ignition?"- requested Bastion. -"This whittling away of our numbers has gone on long enough."-
"I will consult with Lady Quarter during visiting hours," Ignition informed the group. "I have a few ideas to run past her before we can commit to them. In the meantime, after you have returned the Ghost's family tomorrow, make yourselves scarce and go to ground for the following few days. That goes for you especially, Agent #6: don't let yourself get distracted by the promise of a good time. The last thing our operations need is for you to make a show of yourself and get yourself turned in. Do try to remember that the MRPD knows who everypony looks like now."
-"I hate not being able to shop,"- Calico grumbled. -"It feels like I'm getting a headache just browsing these catalogs and doing nothing about it."-
"So either don't browse the catalogs, or else take some aspirin. Mr. Mocha's memorial service is in two days. We will resume this discussion at our next full meeting to be held in four, back at Mocha HQ. Stay frosty, one and all."
-"'Frosty'? In this context?"- Bushwhacker wondered.
"Never mind."
Gates had been hoping that they could go ahead and release their ex-captives. Ocean Guard turned out to be alright, so he wasn't the issue. It was Ebony Evening who was continuing to flip the script.
Bastion saw things a bit differently. Ebony was completely in the right during their current exchange. Gates was being his usual talkative self and doing nothing to help his case.
Ebony had backed off a step in response to what Gates had said a moment ago. "'Gorgeous'?" she parroted. "What do you mean, 'gorgeous'?"
"'Beautiful beyond all reason', stunning, striking, dazzling, any one of a dozen synonyms," Gates clarified. "When was the last time you looked in the mirror? Do you have some sort of skin disease we don't know about? Or see?"
"That can't be right," Ebony denied, shaking her head repeatedly. "That can't be right! I've had ponies trip over me in low lighting! Most days, nopony can get a clear view of my face! They're not looking at me because I'm cute. They're looking at me because they want to make sure they won't crash into me!"
"The lighting in here is low, and I can see you just fine," Gates countered. "And if you still think that, wait five years and see how many ponies are looking at you then. A little bit of makeup, and you'll be flooring the whole neighborhood."
"I... that still can't be right," Ebony protested, pacing around the room. "That still can't be right."
"It is," Gates told her bluntly, watching her wander. "You'll have to figure it out sooner or later."
...
"I find it upsetting that I'm not allowed to buck him," an unsettled Ocean complained to Bastion as the debate continued. "He's making passes at my teenage daughter."
"If there's bucking to be done, have me do it," Bastion assured him. "This is the sort of behavior that got him divorced. I'm not proud of it any more than you are." His frown deepened, if that were possible. "Though I will agree with him on one point. She's not as bad-looking as she claims she is. Self-esteem issues?"
Ocean sighed. "Eebon has this mindset where she won't permit herself to see herself for who she really is. When she was much younger, she read a children's book about the Pony of Shadows. It stuck with her the wrong way. Far as I know she's never thought of herself as ugly, but anything more than 'plain' she dismisses entirely. Everypony else thinks otherwise, and she doesn't get it."
Bastion considered his statements. "With an attitude like that, she probably thinks she's cursed," he speculated. "There's nothing wrong with having naturally dark coats, but now and then you still get superstitious types that think black ponies are no different from black cats. On some level she likely believes that everypony's wary of her, even if all of her interactions with them otherwise go smoothly. That would be my guess."
Ocean personally didn't agree, but he stayed smart and humored him politely. "If that's true, she does a fine job of hiding it." He watched as Ebony stopped pacing and resumed arguing with Gates. "If she's not under stress like she is now, she gets along fine with others. Usually."
"Usually? ...Beyond Gates," Bastion hastily amended.
"We've actually seen a few talent scouts approach her for possible post-graduation careers," Ocean explained to him. "She didn't believe them, and she wants to be an exterminator anyway. During spring, one of them tried to convince her by giving her a tour of their facilities. She decided to humor them. Then she saw the posed mannequins in their front office." He facehoofed. "Instant chaos."
Bastion's face soured, though not from Ocean's words. "Second warning," he called, stopping the discussion briefly. "Gates, any further comments along those lines and I'll give her leave to buck your muzzle out of alignment."
"All I did was ask her if I was too good-looking!" Gates protested.
"Gates," Bastion warned him, eyebrows furrowed.
The smaller of the two thieves grumbled, but ultimately stalked off and left Ebony alone. "For what little it's worth coming from a criminal like myself," Bastion stated to his captive after he was gone, "I feel that you and your wife have done a fine job raising her. Keep up the good work."
Ocean was quiet for a while, and Bastion ascertained that he wasn't sure how to take that given the circumstances. He didn't blame him for it.
The lifeguard finally looked up from the floor at him. "You seem... well, maybe halfway decent," he said. Bastion figured that was the best he was going to get. "I'm going to regret asking this, but... what was it that drove you two to thievery? Why betray the Royal Guard?"
...
The silence stretched on for some time as Bastion weighed the pros and cons of telling him. It wasn't a terrible backstory, at least by his standards, but it was still not one he felt comfortable telling to a mostly complete stranger. And there was always the chance that the Ghost would use the information against them somehow. "I don't want to talk about it," he finally said. "That is strictly personal."
"... ...It's easier for me this way."
A short while ago, Calico had asked Five-of-a-Kind why she behaved the way she did. Fiver didn't reply at first, which was normal, but the silence stretched on for much longer, which wasn't. Calico finally gave up and decided to go about fixing their dinner, still nervous in her presence.
It was while she was working her way through a lemon meringue pie that Fiver spoke those six words, several minutes after the filly's own meal had concluded. "Hmh? Whha---" Calico swallowed her mouthful and tried again. "What do you mean?"
"...It's easier," Fiver repeated. "...You can't tell. Few ponies can. The biggest factor is that I've been sick off and on up through now."
Cue the raised eyebrow. "Really?" Calico wondered. "You don't act sick. You seem about as healthy as everypony else."
A slow head shake. "...I'm not. There are periods where I have trouble breathing for seemingly no reason at all. I'm told it was worse when I was a yearling." She tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling. "...I guess it was all..." She paused, this time to search for the right word to use. "...unconscious for me, but... at some point before I became self-aware, I started taking steps to conserve my air. I let myself shut off emotionally for the sake of saving every last breath. No more crying or giggling. No shouting or complaining. No raising my voice. ...No more unneeded reacting."
Fiver took a gulp of water, then continued. Calico didn't make a sound, wanting to listen to every soft word. "...My parents and the doctor took the needed steps to make my condition more bearable over time. ...It's mostly better now. I can read aloud in school without feeling winded. I can gallop almost as well as anypony my age. I could talk like a normal pony if I wanted to. Start letting go of my emotions again."
Their eyes locked. Calico felt perspiration start to build up on her forehead as she waited for the continuation. "...But now, I guess I'm too used to this way of living. This is my 'normal'," Fiver concluded at last. "...And I still have days where my breath catches out of the blue, so I know it's not fully gone. If my condition ever worsens again, I will be ready for it."
Done with talking, Fiver excused herself from the table and returned to her cards. Calico stayed where she was with most of a pie still held in her hooves, trying to work things over in her mind.
She had made no secret of the fact that she wanted to travel and enjoy as much of Equestria as she could, to eat and sleep where she wanted. She sought the finer things in life. In her own skewed fashion, she even wanted love.
But Fiver's story had struck a chord.
Calico wanted to find her place in the world, yes, but she didn't truly hate the village she'd once called home. She wanted to go back to it someday, to see it now that it had likely been rebuilt. The biggest problem in her mind was that Rain Shine and the rest refused to see the error of their ways, seeing as how they went with the easiest solution to their situation. As long as they remained Silent, she would not return.
She liked to think she was good at controlling her anger, cow insults aside. Why couldn't they have done the same?, she would often think during some of those long days on the road.
Along comes a pony who indulged in her own brand of Silencing, muting her own emotions out of instinct and remaining that way by choice. She gave her reasons why, and as Calico thought about it, it made more and more sense. Preserving one's health for as long as possible was always a good thing. Regardless of the differences in perspective, she couldn't begrudge her that.
A new idea wormed its way past her delusions. It should have been the natural way to go, but for her selfish mind, it required time to boil---time that Fiver had given it. This child wanted to stay alive and mostly well, so she refused to lose control. Was it the same for my village? Did they not want to lose control and repeat a potential tragedy?
She looked into the next room. Fiver was sitting with her back to her, setting up for another round of that game she was taken with. For just a moment, Calico imagined her with a horn, scales, cloven front hooves, and a fluffier mane and tail. She thought of a kirin she knew back home: their similar color schemes could've made them cousins.
The 'plop' of something hitting the table returned her to reality: a tiny chunk of pie had fallen off. Making a decision, Calico set the pie down and reached for a spare plate and knife. She was still hungry, but that could wait. "Five-of-a-Kind?" she called. "If I let you have a slice of pie, would you be able to give me your point of view on something important?..."
...
...
There was one more reason why Fiver persisted in her actions that she hadn't shared, one that Calico was better off not knowing: sometimes, having ponies witness her doing everything with a completely straight face was just too funny.
"Alright. Did you take your bath?"
"Yes!"
"Brush and floss your teeth?"
"Yes!"
Bushwhacker smiled. "Excellent. I'll be giving you back to your mother bright and early tomorrow, so get as much sleep as you can, alright? If all goes well, you'll be eating breakfast at your apartment instead of here."
Zig-Zag's good cheer as he wished him good night was infectious. It was too difficult for somepony like him to ignore.
As the little pony left the room, Bushwhacker's thoughts turned to the future. Eventually, First Quarter would be the one in charge of Equestria. She, while in her guise as Cocoa Mocha, had shared some of her history with him. Coupled with the recent revelations that were shared, he knew enough about her to recognize that her origins were humble. Definitely much less intimidating than Celestia.
Or Chrysalis, for that matter.
There were two serious roadblocks they would need to bypass if they were to make any headway towards achieving that goal, and they took the shapes of a lost robot and a feline equine. He would prefer not to fight Gray, but if he had to, he'd already recognized her fear of dogs. She could be defeated if he exploited it at a crucial moment.
Leviathan would be trickier. She was already forewarned of his shape-shifting abilities. Bushwhacker had no real leverage against her, as unlike Illudere he completely lacked any visual knowledge of those she knew from her home. He couldn't turn into her local acquaintances either, as she was likely to still recognize them as him.
She was still the one he would like to face in combat. The alternative would mean dealing with Zig-Zag, and he had reached the point where he didn't want to upset him. Let Calico or the two thieves fight Gray instead.
Bushwhacker sighed. He supported Quarter's goals, but he wasn't liking what the requirements were for achieving them.
A set of hooves shuffled against the floor, and Bushwhacker felt a light pressure around his ribs. He didn't need to look down to know who was there, but he did so anyway. "Zig-Zag?"
"Call me Zeke," the child corrected him. "Everypony else does."
Nice to know I have his permission, but... "You should be going to bed, Zeke. Like I said, we'll be getting up early."
Zig-Zag shook his head. "Needed a hug."
"You'll have to learn to ask for them sooner or later," Bushwhacker commented, wondering what it would take to teach him to do that.
"Not me. You."
His eyes widened. ...He can tell? "What makes you say that?"
Zig-Zag let go and sat back. "You needed it. You seemed upset."
This child, seriously. Bushwhacker sighed and shook his head. "I can't really talk about it. I'll get in trouble with my bosses if I do. Please understand."
"You're fighting Mom. And Fairy lady."
That warranted a blink of surprise. "You already knew?"
"Mom told us. A former cop. Pieced it together. Fighting made sense," Zig-Zag admitted.
Is he really... "Then... why are you still trying to comfort me? You don't know what I'll need to do if I want my team to win."
Zig-Zag's answer was as straightforward and simple as all of his statements were, and delivered with all the gravitas he could muster. "You needed it. It seemed right."
In that moment, the ambient love that Bushwhacker was passively absorbing spiked briefly. He sat back on his haunches, overwhelmed for those few seconds. "Are you seriously fine with this?" he questioned, chuckling weakly. "Are you seriously? Who knows how this is going to turn out? You don't know if I'm going to end up hurting your mother or your friend. This could turn out poorly for everypony."
"Mom's awesome. She'll be okay," Zig-Zag stated loud and clear. "Fairy lady's awesome. She'll be okay." The clincher was delivered with a wide smile that completely lacked doubt. "You're awesome. You'll be okay!"
...!
Bushwhacker shivered, the emanations shaking him past his standard disguise clear down to his core. So much confidence! He really believes all three of us will get through this alright!
The past three days had been some of the most enjoyable of his life, if not the most enjoyable. This child, who should've been afraid of who he really was, had fully accepted him without question. What had started as keeping Zeke pacified long enough for Gray to meet their demands had ended with the two of them building a solid rapport.
He'd been around children at both Seaddle and Ponyville. He'd gained experience in interacting with ponies of all ages. He thought he'd been prepared for this mission. He was wrong. I guess I still haven't learned everything about ponies, have I? Gray was right, Zig-Zag. You really are a lovebug, aren't you?
He was full, he was happy, and this child was continuing to build him up because he felt it was the right thing to do. No catches, no demands. There was absolutely no way Bushwhacker was going to go without giving him all of the gratitude he deserved.
So he reached forward, gently pulled Zig-Zag into a hug of his own, and appreciatively gave all of that excess love back to him.
...
Two lights lit up the safe house. The first was centered on Zig-Zag as a bevy of sparkles coalesced into a clear image on either side of him, his Cutie Mark fully manifesting at last. He didn't notice, instead beaming with awe and delight at the second light: a hovering and brilliantly shining cocoon.
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I re-read this a few times, and I'm happy to see Levitain back at her full power, and Gray reunited with one of her kids. But I noticed that a few other villains may not be as bad as one might think. Bastion is getting along with Ocean Guard, Calico is understanding Fiver a bit more, and Bushwhacker just made a friend for life. Something tells me when they fight Leviathan, they not going to forget the times they had with the Gray-Guard Family. And it does sound like a few of them might even change their minds, but I'm not holding my breath.
Zeke you can't just decimate onions in front of people's faces like that! ðŸ˜
We have a feeling Bushwacker will double-agent. That's not to say the battle won't be epic, but his insecurities will most definitely lead to loss of faith.
A robot may protect itself, unless doing so conflicts with the first two laws.... You know, those little background activities are starting to become concerning, especially considering the theorized nature of our little usurper....
Muh timeline!
Nooooooo!
It years too early!!
Well...
...
...
that just happened.
Doesn't matter id Quarter comes from humble beginnings the simple.fact she steals the lives of innoce t ponies makes her worse then Celestia
11821024
Honestly, we probably should've seen it coming.
Wow, that's a surprising amount of feels! I'm here for it!
As with all the rest, this chapter was beautiful, and the interactions between Grey's family and their captors are ADORABLE!! I genuinely hope to see all of these remaining kidnappers redeem themselves somehow.