Do You Wanna Do a Collab?
(Commander Firebrands Reply)

Ink Rose sat in her room at the Boarding House for Brony Analysts.

She was still so disappointed.

When she first got to the boarding house, she put herself out there and offered to do collabs with all the big names; Digibrony and Brony curious were only two of the names that she had messaged.

When she didn’t eventually get an online response, she went and knocked on their doors and asked them straight out.

Half of the replies were polite “No thank yous”.

The other half simply never responded even when she was standing just outside their doors.

Well, fine.

When that was the result she got, she decided to go it alone. She worked for hours – days even – to improve her videos and contribution to the brony fandom.

And before she knew it, the hard work had paid off. She went from thirteen measly views to having subscribers in the 5th figure placement.

She had, finally, earned her place in the brony community!

And everyone and their mother’s wanted to do collabs with her. They would figure out when she was online and message her endlessly about the collabs they wanted to do.

But none of them were the names that she had originally sought.

And the ones who were seeking her out were… well, a bit like the Filly’s of the Corn. They, actually, made Ink Rose shudder and lock herself in her room for a while. No new video reviews. No Chats.

Nothing.

For days, there was no sign of her.

Then, one day, there was a lone knock at her door.

At first, Ink Rose panicked, thinking the Filly’s of the Corn Collabers had returned.

But, then, she had heard a familiar voice.

“Ink Rose?”

Commander Firebrand. He had sorta fallen into the brony fandom some time before her by pure accident; he was just looking into this “internet sensation” when it kept coming up in media that he liked until a “occultist otaku” friend of his said that the show was good – which was amazing, considering that guys standards.

Firebrand had no intention of becoming a brony and had actually denied his bronihood for a while.

Then, people kept requesting that he watch and review more episodes. Then all of season one. Then fan made episodes.

Before he knew it, he was in the fandom and enjoying himself.

He was a really cool guy, in Ink Rose’s opinion.

But why was he talking to her? None of the other analysts would.

“Hey, I know you’re in there.
Everyone’s worried about you.
I know it wasn’t easy,
But nothing is.
Come on now kid!
You made it through.
You finally earned your place here,
No one can deny.
So, why are you feeling blue?”

Ink Rose didn’t answer. No one else had cared enough to check on her. So why did he care?

“… Do you wanna play Left For Dead?”

At this inquiry, Ink Rose’s eye lit up and her ears perked up.

She went to her door and opened it to see Commander Firebrand, giving her a half smile as he held up the game to show her that he was serious.

Ink Rose couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face.

Her naturally melodic voice said, “I do.”

And with that, she allowed Commander Firebrand to enter her room.

And that was the start of a beautiful friendship.