Chapter 16: Dual-Channel RAM
***Three weeks before Twilight was repaired***
Chrysi felt strangely at ease, as she walked down the destroyed roadway, in the scorching evening air. Well, she assumed it was evening; her HUD stated it was nearly 10 PM, after all. Since the sun never set, who was she to question it. Besides, currently, something else had her notice; the bouncing, carefree, storytelling, song-singing pink Earthpony with a fluffy mane, walking beside her.
She’s impulsive, and never seems to stop bouncing around. She’s been talking non-stop since we began this walk an hour ago. In her world, these kinds of antics wouldn’t have interested her, in the least. And yet, here, in this smoldering hellscape, that hyperactive, off-the-rails attitude of Pinkie just seemed like a breath of fresh air. And Chrysi had to admit, Pinkie’s laughter was contagious, she found herself smiling, and even laughing at the horribly bad jokes and theatrical circus tricks that Pinkie performed. And I don’t mind at all.
“...So then she said, oatmeal! Are you crazy? And I replied of course I am! Anyway, that was the last time we ever talked before she disappeared, but at least her daughter got a nice cupcake out of it.”
Noticing a tonal shift, Chrysi turned to make a startling observation. The hologram of a poofy mane of cotton candy pink mane had shifted to a straightened one that held a slightly darker shade of pink. The smile on Pinkie’s face had faded and a slight scowl had shown up. Even the LEDs that made her eyes had turned from a baby blue to a darkened, almost stormy gunmetal in coloration.
Chrysi had seen this before, in the party tent. When it seemed Pinkie was irritated or annoyed by a question, she would assume this form, but it had reverted back once Pinkie had been made to laugh. Was there a connection? Moreover, why did it suddenly feel like an entirely new entity was talking to her?
Chrysi gave a light-hearted laugh at the dark joke.
“That is amazing.”
Looking at her with a curious expression, Pinkemena asked in a rather unnerving voice, though this time, filled with surprise. And delight.
“Really? You think so?”
Chrysi made an off-handedly dark joke of her own, as the two arrived at their destination.
“Absolutely. Some ponies just seem to lose their heads over oatmeal.”
Pinkemena blinked at this response, letting out a muffled snort. But slowly that snort became a giggle and finally, Pinkie burst into a fit of laughter.
“Snrrk! Hee hee, ha, hahaha, bwahahaa!”
Chrysi noticed her mane was once more the same holographic poofy cotton candy pink it had been, not only that but her eyes had taken on the same baby-blue LEDs they had been.
“You’re a lot of fun, you know that?”
Grinning, Chrysi snorted with mirth.
“Snrhkk! I have my moments. So, this is the place?”
“Yep, this is the one!”
Glancing up, at the massive rusted sign, Chrysi stared at the odd lettering; something was off about the way the word Charging was written, but she couldn’t put her hoof on exactly what. Shaking the thought from her mind, she turned to the excited Pinkie and, lifting the tent flap, gave a slight bow.
“After you!”
Pinkie grinned. In a singsong voice, as her mane straightened out, Pinkemena spoke in a singsong voice.
“Ooh~ What a gentlemare you are. Courteous and with a deliciously dark sense of humor. Oh, I like you.”
With that, Pinkie, with her fluffed up mane practically pranced through the entrance to the tent.
“I’ll go pick our location.”
Pinkie bounced up to the front desk while Chrysi meanwhile was fascinated by the machines arranged in a line. Calling out she replied.
“You go ahead, Pinkie, I’m gonna check this out.”
Unlike the Party Tent, these ones were actual machinery, and the whirling gears and glowing circuits fascinated Chrysi. Almost hypnotically so. Reaching up her metal hoof, Chrysi gingerly poked at the sparkles emitted by the machine, as a curious kitten would. This is great! It’s been a while since I’ve been free to enjoy the dating market, but new life, new game. I’m excited to see how much fun I’ll have tonigh-
“Brought another new mare, huh?”
The cold voice caught the attention of Chrysi, who glanced up to see what was going on. What she saw, immediately put her on edge. There stood a Pegasus adolescent, smirking condescendingly at Pinkie; at her date. Pinkie looked completely deflated, her smile gone, as she murmured dejectedly at the Pegasus.
“I would like to…”
“Another notch in your bedpost, right? Are you gonna ditch this one too?”
Chrysi heard the exchange as she quickly made her way to the front desk. Placing her hoof around Pinkie, protectively, and looking pointedly at the Pegasus, Chrysi said softly.
“I’m sorry, but is there a problem here? We’re looking for a machine for a good six hours if you don’t mind.”
Snorting in derision, the Pegasus stared at her.
“So you’re her new toy, are you?”
Chrysi’s LEDs dimmed to form a glare of red glowing lights.
“What did you just call me?”
“A toy, a plaything. You aren’t special you know, she does this with every mare.”
Glancing to the side at the now trembling Pinkemena, Chrysi said simply.
“And your point?”
“My point is she’s been with every pony in camp. Clearly, she has no concept of love and you are her-”
“I don’t care. We’d like a machine, please. Six hours would be ideal.”
“Did you hear me? She-”
“I said, I don’t care. I am well aware she’s been around. I also think that our business is between us and none of your feather-flipping concern, Pegasus-”
Her tone clearly giving a warning, Chrysi continued.
“We. Would. Like. A. Machine. For. Six. Hours. Got it?”
“I’ll have you know my name is Flurry Heart, and I am the daughter of Princess Cadance. And-”
“And you are spitting on your mother’s grave.”
Taken aback, Flurry Heart yelled at her in anger.
“And what could a Unicorn like you possibly know about my mother?”
Chrysi felt her emotions reach a crescendo at this and she roared back in rage.
“More than you could possibly fathom!”
Flurry Heart was frozen in place and stared at Chrysi, speechless, as Chrysi turned to Pinkie who was staring at her in awe.
“Let’s go. If this is how a place claiming to celebrate the values of love treats its patrons, I would rather us go have some fun in the flaming wastes outside of town. I’m sure it can’t be any worse than this abysmal place.”
Pinkie didn’t argue, instead, she silently followed Chrysi out of the tent as Chrysi muttered.
“What a letdown, she’s nothing like her mother, at least not the Princess Cadance I remember.”
***
Sitting at the reception desk, Flurry Heart’s processor was going haywire as she tried to understand what she had just seen. Those eyes…Her eyes are like mine. Is she…A Changeling? But, there are no more Changelings, after all, mom is dead, isn’t she? I thought I was the last of my kind. But those features, she’s…just like…No way.
It couldn’t be, and yet she had witnessed it; she had watched as Chrysi’s rage had caused her disguise to momentarily fail. Her plate metal color had changed from her colorful pale mixture of lilac and lavender to her natural black. The holographic mane and tail had mirrored her own; a teal with holes in almost the exact same spots. And then there was what happened with that mares eyes.
That same unconscious habit all Changelings shared. The eyes glow in extreme emotional distress. And those eyes were the exact same glowing green of her own. Changelings all possessed different eye colors, all slight variations of the Queen’s own. Only the next in line, however, ever possessed the Hive Queen’s exact eye color. The next in line, being Flurry Heart, herself.
Turning to look at the scorched and slightly torn poster of both her mothers; Princesses Chrysalis and Cadance, on the wall, Flurry felt horrible.
Chrysalis’s eyes had been gouged out, and Flurry focused solely on the eternally smiling face of Cadance; the Alicorn of Love. Cadence though her expression hadn’t changed somehow seemed saddened as Flurry stared at her. Almost as if the late princess was disappointed in her daughter’s actions.
I can’t believe I did that…She was right. I really did go too far. I shouldn’t have…I have to fix this. I’ll go apologize to them. Sorry mom, for disrespecting your legacy.
Grabbing an ignition key out of the drawer, she jumped up and ran from the tent, calling out.
“Hey! Wait up!”
***
“Who in Tartarus does she think she is?”
Trotting down the street, Pinkie watched as Chrysi muttered and fumed about Flurry Heart.
“That brat had no idea what she was even talking about. There is no way the Cadance I knew would raise such a self-entitled snot to dictate the rules of Love like that. What a joke-”
Turning to look at Pinkie, Chrysi’s eyes softened; the LED’s dimmed slightly and a warm sadness appeared in her eyes. Her voice was filled with remorse as she told her.
“Pinkie I am so sorry you had to see that, I guess I ruined our night together, didn’t I?”
For once, Pinkie wasn’t hyper, but she wasn’t deflated either. She seemed to consider the words and even tilted her head as though listening to another. Her eyes suddenly lit up with happiness and she exclaimed.
“No. I can’t say anypony has ever defended me, like that. We really appreciate it.”
Chrysi blinked.
“We?”
Pinkie nodded as she seemed to shift between her fluffy and straight maned varieties at will.
“The truth is, I have dated quite a bit, but it isn’t because I’m unfaithful. It’s because I’m not one pony and my partners get scared when they learn about that side of me.”
Chrysi looked at her curiously.
“Really?”
Pinkie blinked at her. Chrysi had no doubt, fear, or even concern in her tone, unlike the others she had told. Almost sounding hopeful, she continued her explanation.
“Yes. My joyful side, the Element of Harmony; the Element of Laughter is known as Pinkie Pie. But when I feel distressed or saddened, angry or feel alone-”
The hologram of her mane became straight once more, and her eyes narrowed; her tone shifting to a more sinister, almost malicious tone.
“I appear. The Element of Suffering. Pinkemena Diane Pie, at your service; an Element of Disharmony.”
Chrysi stared at her in silence, as though considering what had been said. Pinkemena waited, watching her closely; looking for any sign of discomfort. Yet, Chrysi betrayed no indication of how she was feeling, she just stood there in silence, staring at Pinkemena. After a minute of the uncomfortable silence, and just as Pinkemena felt like she couldn’t take it anymore, Chrysi opened her mouth to speak.
“Hey!”
The two turned to watch as a familiar Pegasus appeared to be galloping towards them, calling out as her heavy metal hooves loudly clanked as she ran on the broken cobblestone road. Chrysi was immediately on guard, having been put off by their first meeting.
“What do you want, Flurry Heart?”
Stopping suddenly, Flurry Heart stared at her.
“I wanted to-”
“Wanted to what? Assault my date again? Mock us just wanting to have a good time? Maybe you wanted to have a fight? Look Little Miss Obviously-Better-Than-Me, I don’t give a flying feather about what you think of us. I wanted to have a fun evening, and she and I are going to do so and I’ll be burned in Tartarus before I let you ruin-”
“I wanted to apologize!”
Stopping in mid-rant, Chrysi watched Flurry Heart place her metallic wings over her muzzle; an instinctual act of submission in Pegasi, that only happens when they want forgiveness. Sighing, Chrysi stared conflicted at the display; she wanted to yell, to scream at her for earlier, but this genuine act of remorse touched her. Maybe it’s best to let this go, I’ll let Pinkie decide. Chrysi turned her head away before saying simply.
“Say it to her. If she forgives you, I will too.”
Pinkemena stared at the quivering form of Flurry Heart, seemingly trying to hide behind her wings, and huffed.
“Just forget it ever happened. It’s over, it’s done with. If you want somepony to hold a grudge, go talk to Shy’s other half. I don’t have such patience.
If I was actually upset by anything you had said, it would be a while before the world could repair the mangled form of yours that I would have left behind. It isn’t worth fussing over, though I really was set on taking Chrysi somewhere special, so I am pretty upset about that. Maybe I will dismantle you after all.”
Chrysi watched in amazement as Pinkemena, now sporting a vicious smile merely stepped forward; and a truly wicked-looking blade seemed to materialize in her hoof.
“Don’t worry. It won’t hurt and you’ll be back in a few days, I’m sure. But I’ll sure feel much better about this moment, huh?”
Flurry Heart uncovered her muzzle, peaking out at the strange sight that greeted her. Chrysi had grabbed Pinkie’s hoof mid-swing, holding it tightly, and was looking into Pinkemena’s ocular receptors; slowly shaking her head. She spoke gently.
“Don’t do it. It will really spoil my mood and If you care even a little about my feelings, you won’t do this. It isn’t worth it. It’s never worth it.”
Pinkemena stared at her for a moment, before her holographic mane went poofy once more and Flurry’s eyes widened in surprise as the knife in her hooves, just suddenly vanished. Where it went, she couldn’t tell. It was there, and then as Pinkie giggled, it just wasn’t.
“Okay Chrysi, for you, I’ll let it go. No need for anypony to lose her head over such a small thing, right?”
Chrysi, having already bent down to help Flurry Heart up, broke out in her own fit of laughter.
“Heh, hee hee, hahaa ha! That’s a good one, Pinkie. Alright, Daughter of Cadance, let’s get your prim and judgemental flank back on your hooves. There you go.”
After a few minutes, both Pinkie and Chrysi helped Flurry Heart to her hooves, and as she dusted her frame off with her wings, creating a horrible squealing screech of metal on metal, Chrysi spoke to her.
“Listen to me. As you can see, we’ve forgiven you and this whole incident can be put behind us. Pinkie isn’t going to rip you apart, and I’m not willing to trade barbs with you. Tonight has nothing to do with being in Love. It’s about the potential to discover it.
Sometimes, love isn’t instant. I’ve had my fair share of partners, and they simply weren’t compatible with me. It wasn’t a case of unfaithfulness, nor was it their fault. Sometimes it just happens.
Pinkie and I are just seeing if we are compatible. If anything happens in the spur of the moment, so be it. If not, so be it. Regardless the night is still young, and she and I are going to enjoy it; however, we may choose to. Please take care.”
Chrysi and Pinkie both turned to go, only to stop as Flurry called out to them once more.
“Wait. About that, I know we got off on the wrong hoof, but I came to offer you this.”
Turning around the two looked at the small platinum device in Flurry Heart’s hooves.
Looking at it, puzzled, Pinkie asked what it was. Flurry Heart grinned.
“This is an ignition key. When you get jacked in, these are what I use to start the dating simulation. This one is special and is normally reserved for the Princesses. I know I was awful to you, but if you’re willing to give me another chance, I would love to show you, both of you, how magical a night at the Charging Love can really be.”
Looking at Pinkie, Chrysi asked her.
“What do you think? This is your party after all.”
Pinkie turned her gaze to look at the strange device and the large diamond gem embedded within its handle, a smile slowly spreading across her muzzle.
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i love your Idea of Pinkie. so awesome writen ^^
11039115
<3 I appreciate that, I tried to make a fresh perspective on our crazy party pony~
So when do we see the others in their disharmony elements?
11039734
It really depends. To be honest, my writing style doesn't involve an outline, so I can't tell you exactly when or where it will show up (unless I've already started it) however, as the next chapter is underway, looking at what I have gives a strong indication of this chapter or next chapter, as I currently plan to reveal how exactly pinkie (of this universe) manages the things she does, which naturally should blend into the Elements of Disharmony in someway. Again though, until it is written I am sorry, but I cannot definitively answer this. What I can tell you is this next chapter takes place within the 3 weeks before Twilight is repaired, and a lot can happen in 3 weeks. I ask only for patience as my mind works in a bit of an abnormal way to most.
11043301
Well, I haven't been to school in over 15 years, so that's your call. As to what is going on...well...you'll have to read on to find out. I hope you enjoy the madness (and yes it will tie together at the end) of a new alt-universe and the terrible fate that befell it.
So, hold on... what exactly is this supposed to be? Going into it, I thought it was going to be Chrysalis fighting a version of her demonic counterpart. Now that seems to not be the case.
11043927
you'll have to wait and find out.
11044129
Fair enough.
11045958
to be fair, you aren't wrong, though it is kept deliberately vague with more revealed as time goes on. It all comes together at the end, but at the current moment, you really aren't that far off.
11046224
Huh, I think I know where this is going now. If I'm right it would be a hell of a narrative play
Is Pinkie Pie upset she can't make cupcakes anymore?
Wait, does this mean the elements of harmony and the elements of disharmony are the same ponies and all of the Elements of Harmony have alter egos?
11405990
Wait, does this mean the elements of harmony and the elements of disharmony are the same ponies and all of the Elements of Harmony have alter egos?
^very astute
I do like how pinkie is written