Run Without Debugging

by RunicTreetops

The King of Liars

You smile to yourself as you look at the environment around you. It's been a week since you were admitted to the hospital, and today, you were finally released. Your chest is still bandaged up, but you can easily cover it with a shirt now. Aside from some basic physical therapy every couple of days and some liberal use of pain meds, you're holding up just fine. And now, to celebrate that fact, you find yourself with a cup in your hand just outside of the Ponyville Town Hall. This location is often used as a gathering space, and right now, it's decorated with all kinds of tables, balloons, confetti, and everything else Pinkie Pie deemed necessary for your "Congratulations on Getting Out of the Hospital" party. Not exactly the sort of thing you'd normally expect after being released from the hospital, but hey, Pinkie is a party animal.

The turnout is incredible as well. Pinkie invited the entire town, both because she knows literally everypony and because the hunt for you and Chrysalis has been the talk of the town since the night it happened. And because no one in their right mind would miss a Pinkie Pie party, there are a lot of ponies present.

You happily greet everyone that approaches. You notice less hostility from these ponies than you've gotten used to since taking Chrysalis in. You suppose that's probably because they all see you as a victim now, which is... less than ideal. None of them know the whole truth behind that accident.

You scan the crowd for individuals you're more familiar with. To the surprise of no one, Twilight is here and has been sticking fairly close to you for most of the party. The rest of your close friends are present as well. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both apologized for everything already, and you chewed out Dash for the kick she gave Chryssi along the way. Apart from them, you notice that Ocellus is here, along with some of her classmates from the School of Friendship. Let's see... the Cakes are here, the Apples are here, even Maud and Mudbriar came to say hello in that monotone fashion of theirs. Looking over the sea of faces, you see a few older stallions you don't know, an orange-maned photographer pony, some of Rarity's associates from out of town... yup, that's a lot of ponies. Chrysalis, meanwhile, is apparently nowhere to be seen.

Of course, if she was here, a lot of these ponies would start to panic.

After a little while, Twilight leans towards you in an attempt to whisper something. It's hard to hear her over the sea of voices, but you're able to decipher her words regardless.

"I think it's about time for your little speech."

"Yeah, let's do this."

You take a quick swig of punch before clearing your throat and making your presence known.

"Can I have everycreature's attention?!" After a few seconds, the countless conversations fade into a few hushed whispers, followed by complete silence. "Thank you. I, er, have a few things I'd like to say. First, thank you all for putting this on for me. I'm honestly flattered that you were all so concerned about my health, haha!"

You sheepishly rub the back of your head while a few ponies offer some encouraging words. Pinkie, meanwhile, makes no effort to quiet herself.

"YEAH, YOU ROCK, ANON!!!"

"Thank you, Pinkie! Now then. Since everycreature is here already, there is an important matter we have to discuss." The many smiling faces quickly turn sour. Some look at you with concern while others seem more confused. A few ponies in the crowd look actively angry, apparently already able to discern what you're about to say. "Let's not beat around the bush. I know that there are a lot of rumors going around about Chrysalis and I, both about our general lives since she chose to live here, and about the incident that led to me receiving this wound."

You lift your shirt just enough to reveal your wrapped-up chest beneath. A few ponies scoff, but none break the silence.

"As far as our day-to-day lives are concerned, I ask that you please not spread information you cannot confirm. I understand that Chrysalis has done some terrible things in the past. We have never, and will never, pretend otherwise. But since coming to live with me, Chrysalis has been on her best behavior. I know many of you must be scared. And that's fine! But please, do not spread rumors about us 'threatening others' or 'disturbing the peace.' It's fine if you don't like her, but making up stories about her just to make her look bad? Is that really the type of community we want to foster?"

From the crowd, a middle-aged stallion speaks up. His coat is a dark tan color, and between his large build and black mane, he has quite the imposing figure. When he speaks, his voice is loud and boisterous.

"Hey, what about that changeling girl from the school?! Didn't she attack her?!"

Rather than respond, you simply try to hide a grin as you glance to the side of the crowd where Ocellus is waiting. She begins flapping her small, pink wings to fly a bit above the crowd, allowing everyone present to see and hear her.

"That's not true! We had an argument, but no one attacked anyone!"

"Why are you taking her side? I thought you hated her!"

"To tell you the truth, I don't know that I'll ever see eye-to-eye with her. B-but that doesn't mean she shouldn't have another chance!"

"Another chance?! Hah!" The stallion turns to look at you once more. "She shot you in the chest! She almost killed you! And then, she ran into the Everfree Forest to keep you from getting help!"

Once again, you attempt to hide your smirk as Twilight speaks up next to you. Anyone who wasn't listening before certainly started to after hearing the Princess herself begin to talk.

"That is another misconception. As much as I hate to admit this, it was not Chrysalis who shot Anon that fateful day. It was me." A collective gasp fills the air. "It was an accident, of course, but it was still my fault regardless."

The area is breathless for a moment before the same angry stallion speaks up again.

"Then why did you let her take the fall for you?! Why did she admit to being the one to do it?!"

"I did not 'let her take the fall' for me! Every single one of you, including the Royal Guard, just assumed she was guilty! By the time she said she had done it, she was already being brought to the detention center and the whole darn town started to celebrate catching her! In the meantime, I've been running damage control! I made sure Anon was alright, and yes, I had Chrysalis released from detention!"

There is another gasp, though the following silence is shorter than the last as the stallion continues to heckle those speaking.

"You let her go?! Why?! Even if she didn't shoot Anon, she did run off with him and almost got him killed!"

"W-well, I... that's..."

You place a hand on Twilight's shoulder to get her attention before giving her a gentle smile. After doing so, you turn back to the stallion, ready to speak your own piece.

"You're wrong, sir. She did not almost get me killed."

"Now what in the blazes are you talking about?! Are you forgetting that you're the one who almost died?!"

"I haven't forgotten. In fact, that's the very reason why I can look you in the eyes and say with 100% certainty that Chrysalis isn't the villain you think she is. She wasn't trying to kill me. She was trying to SAVE me!"

Twilight suddenly turns to look at you, her eyes wide. She whispers to you again.

"A-Anon, this wasn't part of the plan!"

You don't respond, choosing instead to keep your eyes locked with the stallion.

"After how you've all been treating her, can you really blame Chrysalis for not trusting you? Respect goes both ways, sir. And you have given none to her."

"N-now, that's not-"

"So, not knowing if she could trust the hospital to help the human who has been the subject of oh-so-many rumors thanks to her, she chose to take matters into her own hooves. She booked it into the Everfree Forest to look for belthax sap, a plant that grows in the Changeling Kingdom." Much like Twilight, Ocellus looks at you from a distance with confused, pleading eyes. This is not what you discussed with her, but also like with Twilight, you don't acknowledge her. "After all, she isn't all that familiar with the flora here in Equestria. So, she looked for a plant she could recognize by scouring the caves of the Everfree Forest that looked similar to those in the Changeling Kingdom. That sap would have been the perfect natural remedy to plug up my wound and stimulate my body to begin the recovery process. Sadly, she couldn't find any, and by the time Ms. Ocellus found us, she had given up hope. Thus, with nowhere else to turn, she finally handed me back over and turned herself in."

"Now that still doesn't make a lick of sense! Why would she turn herself in and say she shot you if it was all a complete lie?"

"Well, she is the 'Queen of Liars.' She didn't want you all to continue associating me with her. I mean, you have been treating me differently since I took her in. She noticed that too, but unlike you all, she actually cared about my well-being."

You glance across the crowd and see many, many guilty faces. You feel a little bit bad yourself, doing this, but...

"So what are you suggesting? That we all just forgive and forget?!"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting. Unless you would all prefer Princess Twilight here be arrested instead?" You motion to Twilight, who looks extremely nervous and caught off guard. She looks at you with wide eyes, but you simply give her a cocky glance before looking out at the sheepish crowd. "Yeah. That's what I thought. I don't mean to sound rude to you all. I am really, truly thankful for all you've done for me. I just ask that you extend that same kindness to Chrysalis. She means a lot to me, and she isn't the monster you all think she is."

The area is silent for a few seconds until the stallion speaks up one final time, his voice a bit quieter and less aggressive than it was before.

"I dunno, Anon. I just can't imagine myself relaxing with her around."

"Well, did you enjoy the party?"

"Y-yes, of course I did. There's no such thing as a bad Pinkie Pie party."

"Then you've already let yourself relax around her."

You glance at the orange-maned photographer mare standing next to him, who looks back at you in shock. You give her a big smile and a slight nod, as if trying to tell her "it's okay." After a moment's hesitation, the mare takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. Her entire body begins to shimmer before it starts to morph and grow. By the time the process is completed, Chrysalis's white-and-blue light changeling form is revealed for all to see. A third gasp rings out among the crowd, and Chrysalis, who is now exposed and surrounded on all sides, looks just as surprised and uncomfortable as the ponies around her. After a moment, you speak up one last time, an excited grin on your face as you do so.

"Welcome to Ponyville, Chryssi!"

You raise your drink in a toast. After a few seconds, Twilight does the same, followed by Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Ocellus. Eventually, the whole crowd joins you. Against all odds, smiles return to their faces. A quick glance to everyone's favorite local DJ is all that's needed to get the music going, and the party starts up again with even more energy than before your speech. With a chuckle, you duck away and find a slightly quieter spot to rest for a little while. Twilight, Ocellus, and Chrysalis all follow you.

The four of you convene around the back of the Town Hall, where there are way fewer ponies to deal with. Twilight is the first to confront you, her voice both confused and angry.

"What was that?! I thought you said we were going to tell them the truth!"

"We did! At first."

"What do you mean, 'at first?!' That whole story about Chrysalis trying to get you belthax sap was a complete lie!"

Chrysalis joins in, and although she sounds just as confused as Twilight, she doesn't sound nearly as angry.

"As much as I hate to agree with this pitiful mare, she's right. I know darn well that belthax sap doesn't grow in the Everfree Forest!"

Even Ocellus joins in on grilling you.

"Belthax sap doesn't even have those properties! It can treat lovesickness, but it can't do much more than that!"

"Ladies, please! This was all part of the plan!"

Twilight sounds even angrier now.

"The plan?! You call letting yourself get jostled by a heckler part of the plan?! I mean, I figured somepony would say something, that's why Ocellus and I were prepared to speak up if need be, but you just-!"

Twilight is cut off by a figure approaching your little group. It's the same stallion from earlier, though unlike a few short minutes ago, he's beaming from ear to ear.

"Well, Anon? How did I do?"

"You were incredible, Mr. Tale! Thank you so much for doing this."

"Anything for an old friend. Well, now that that's settled, I should probably be gettin' back home before somepony sees us together, hehe. Have a good evening, you four!"

"See ya, Mr. Tale!"

With a wave, the stallion walks away from the party, leaving Twilight, Ocellus, and Chrysalis in utter shock. Chryssi breaks the silence first.

"You... you planned that? You planted a heckler in the crowd to argue with?"

"Sure did. Had to make sure he made the right arguments so that I could make my points. Pretty genius, huh?"

To your surprise, Chrysalis blushes a little bit. It's much easier to notice when she's a light changeling than when she's a dark one.

"Frankly, yes, it was. I mean, lying to and deceiving others has always been my strongest talent, but I didn't think you had something like that in you!"

"What can I say? The 'Queen of Liars' needs a King of Liars, doesn't she?"

Chrysalis's eyes go wide and she looks away from you, her cheeks growing slightly redder. Ocellus, meanwhile, scoffs at you.

"Look, I'm glad it all turned out, but I really don't agree with your methods."

"Hey, I'm already in trouble with Sunburst as it is, but for what it's worth, you should do as I say and not as I do. I'm definitely not encouraging you to replicate my behavior today."

When Twilight speaks again, she sounds less angry than before, but still extremely annoyed.

"I just don't know why you felt the need to go about it this way."

"Sorry for disappointing ya, Twi. I was just so... so tired of all the rumors and lies going around about Chrysalis. It was like they wanted everything they believed about her to be true so badly that they just... assumed it all was. How do you change the minds of ponies like that?"

Twilight looks away from you, a sheepish look on her face as she does. You let out a gentle sigh. Twilight was doing the same thing, after all. It's a part of what got you shot, alongside Chrysalis's pride.

"Just... don't do that again, okay?"

"I promise. And... I'm sorry for lying. Both to the crowd, and to you. I knew that you would object to my real plan if I told you about it."

Twilight sighs.

"Yeah, I would have. Let's just... call us even and drop it, alright?"

"You have a deal. Can't say I'm looking forward to apologizing to Applejack, though."

Ocellus laughs.

"Ms. Applejack is the element of honesty, Mr. Anon. She's gonna eat you alive."

"Yeah, she probably is." You shrug. "Oh well. For now, we've got a party to enjoy."

With a nod and a chuckle, Twilight and Ocellus make their way back towards the party to rejoin their friends.

You nudge Chrysalis on the shoulder and point to the large banner that previously read "Congratulations on Getting Out of the Hospital," which now reads "Congratulations on Getting Out of the Hospital! Also, Welcome to Ponyville, Chrysalis!"

She looks at you with bewilderment and amusement.

"How did you get that made so fast?"

"Pinkie was the only one who knew about the whole plan. Besides, remember our visit to Sugarcube Corner? Well, while you were outside, I was talking to her about setting up a party like this. Just, you know, without the hospital part. It was supposed to just be a normal surprise party. I wanted you to feel more welcome here in Ponyville. Sorry you have to share the spotlight with me."

Chrysalis looks at the crowd for a moment before glancing back at you, a tired smile on her face.

"I don't really think this is my type of environment anyway. But... I appreciate the thought."

You give her a smile before you offer her your hand. She scowls and looks away, but you notice her cheeks reddening as she does so. Lo and behold, even though she's not looking at you, she places her hoof in your hand. With a chuckle, you walk with her back into the thick of the party, ready to enjoy the first real evening of your new life together in Ponyville.

Comments

[Theresa]

I think they are going to giving her more of a chance now that they realized that they were causing the problem not chrysalis and will be better about sticking with the truth.

[joElecTeen]

Clever Guy

[DominiusTWD]

awwwwww

[NaviNautical]

This is so cute!! I’m so happy to see the community ready to accept Chrysalis, and damn that was some great planning on Anon’s part! And oh my gosh, the hoof holding!! I’m such a hopeless romantic, but I love seeing this!!

[PartyCanonic]

What an absolutely sweet chapter. I feel this story is wrapping up and......I don't like it. I need more of the story of these two. I'll just have to follow you to see if this storyline or another awesome story pops up

[The Dragon Warlock]

Well done, Anon. Now things are finally starting to look up for this couple.

[Holydude]

Glad the town is finally giving them a chance

[Razzy]

He solved that well.

[Prettypony]

The fake heckler that gets convinced is a classic shill technique. Anon was really smart about working the crowd.

[tsaukpaetra]

Haha, verbally lashing the whole town! 😂