Equinophobia: Silvery Lies

by eLLen

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, DJ P0N-3, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Original Character, Mystery
Length: 12870

Equinophobia was the psychological fear of horses. Now it's gone along with the remnants of her person. In desperation, Ryan made the "offer" to integrate into society. She never expected it to be taken up. However, the past isn't so easily erased.

This story is a "what-if" sequel of Equinophobia. Prior reading of the linked story is recommended.

Equinophobia was the psychological fear of horses. Now it's gone along with the remnants of her person.

In her desperate and broken state of mind, Ryan had made the faux offer of being integrated into Equestrian society. She never realized the sun goddess would agree with her.

Memories stripped and replaced as she's morphed into a new form, the woman formerly known as Ryan becomes the mare known as Silverbolt.

However, not all the remains of her past can be so easily erased.

Ryan's "offer" takes place in the beginning of chapter twenty-one of the original story in case you don't recall.

Alternate universe tag for changes to Equestria Girls elements and the Crystal Empire's history.

Published 2015-02-27 01:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-08-09 22:56:48 UTC

Chapter 1 Live the Lie

Her eyes fluttered open as shafts of light broke through the window’s drapes, casting a shadowy mask across her face.

She heaved out a yawn as she pushed herself into a sitting position. After stretching out her limbs and getting a satisfied “pop!” in return, she couldn’t help but smile at the smooth awakening. No alarm clocks, no surprises—what more could she ask for in the morning? Well, other than a cup of coffee. Blinking the early morning dreariness out of her eyes, she threw her gaze around her, taking in—

Where am I?

Her eyes shot open to saucers as the unfamiliar surroundings registered. She was in a small, square room adorned with only the minimal necessities. The bed she lay in occupied almost half the floor space, leaving the cabinet and chairs squished against each other. On the wall her bed was the window, and opposite that was the single door connecting here to Whereverland. Is… is this a hospital room? What?

Whatever the place was, it was most definitely not what she had been expecting to wake up to. Instead of the comfy bed of her… her…

She held her head as teeth-clenching pain stabbed at her head until it died down to a dull buzz. Wha… what? she thought, What was that…? Oh, forget that! Where am I, and why can’t I remember where I live?

Her face scrunched up as she went into concentration mode, grasping for anything her mind could conjure up to answer her question. Which question, she didn’t care. She just wanted answers, and she wanted them now.

Another spike of pain, thankfully less intense than the last one, hit her head and snapped her out of her focus. It… hurts to remember… Not that I remembered anything. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she shot a glance toward the door as if expecting the answer to come waltzing in. I can’t remembering anything, she thought as anxiousness started to well up inside, Nothing important anyway. She shook her head. Okay, okay, don’t stress yourself out. Start small. What’s my name?

Glaring but not looking, she weaved her way through her muddled thoughts once again, ignoring the cry of pain her body made in response. Her heart skipped a beat as it didn’t come immediately, but she pushed deeper into her psyche. …R-ry… Ry… Why can’t I remember my name?!

She threw her arms out in frustration before slamming them back onto the bed, rippling the sheets on impact. Her eyes glanced down at her… hands? Brow furrowing, she brought the fingerless, gold-coated stump closer to her face. Flexing it this way and that way a few times, she caught sight of the “U” shape imprinted on the bottom. That’s… odd. That doesn’t feel right for some reason. This thing—

Hoof.

Right! she thought as the word popped into her mind, Hoof. Why does my hoof look weird to me? It’s normal… right?

Her ears perked up as they picked up the sound of the door creaking open, followed by the unmistakable clopping of hooves against a hard surface. She gasped as she saw a tall, pristine-white horse stride in, a spiraling horn protruding through her rainbow, flowing mane. The newcomer paused as they made eye contact, her expression becoming unreadable for a moment before being replaced with a warm, motherly smile.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

The amnesiac didn’t reply right away; instead, she stared in silence as she tried to place the feelings that gushed through her. Surprise? Apprehension? …Fear? She couldn’t decide on anything other than anxiety. Maybe that’s just because I’m all stressed out considering what’s going on, she thought. Realizing she was still being waited on, she opened her mouth to reply.

“Fine. I think. Who are you?”

The regal horse pursed her lips in thought for a moment before responding. “Don’t you remember me?” she asked, “I’m just Princess Celestia.”

“Princess Celestia? I…”

She gasped as memories suddenly rushed into her vision, flashing vivid scenes into her consciousness. Princess Celestia! Equestria’s ruler! How could I forget?! Gulping back nervousness, she pushed herself down into an awkward bow. “Your majesty!”

Celestia’s eyebrows shot up, doing nothing to ease the amnesiac’s anxiousness. The princess only stared for a moment, a confliction in her eyes, but she closed them as she took in a deep breath. Darning a smile again as she reopened them, she said, “You may rise. And please, don’t feel the need to bow again. I would rather make sure you’re alright.”

“Heh… yeah…” She glanced around before speaking again. “Um, your majesty? What happened to me? Why can’t I remember anything? Just… who am I?”

Celestia nodded. “I’ll answer all your questions. As for what happened, you were in a carriage accident just outside the castle. Since the hospital was further away, we decided it would be best to simply bring you here.”

She shut her eyes for a moment to think, but shook her head within moments. “I don’t remember that.”

“That’s probably because you’re suffering from memory loss, yes?”

“Oh… right.”

Celestia flashed her smile again. “Fortunately, we don’t believe it to be a simple, straightforward case of amnesia. I expect your memories to come back to you with a bit of reminding. You just remembered me, after all.”

“So can you tell me who I am?” she replied, leaning forward with wide eyes.

“I can certainly try. Although I believe the best thing for you would be to return home, I can answer some of your questions. Now then…” Stepping up to the bedside, she gazed down at the amnesiac. “I’ll just be blunt about it. You’re an earth pony that had just moved to Ponyville. Currently unemployed, unmarried, and… no immediate family within contact… Any of that help?”

She didn’t answer. Instead, her mind was whirling through a hurricane of scenes. Her mouth hung agape as memories flooded back into her awareness. She picked out the sight of her quaint home on a quiet lane in town, just recently bought with her own bits; she took in the pleasant rush that came with starting over in a new town; she even felt the thrill of taking a final trip to Canterlot to pick up the rest of her belongings. Though, that one tapered off into a blur. She figured that was when the accident happened.

However, one particular memory was missing.

“Princess?” she said, peering up at the alicorn, “What’s my name?”

Celestia chuckled. “Silverbolt. Your name is Silverbolt.”

“Silverbolt…” she repeated, “Yeah, I remember now! I’m Silverbolt!” A few genuine laughs escaped her throat. Finally, everything was returning to normalcy in her mind.

The sun goddess turned away, heading for the door. “I’m sorry to cut this meeting short, but now that you’re up, I have to prepare for you to return home once you’re ready. Is that alright?”

“Uh, yeah. That’s fine. Oh, but before you go!” Sending a smirk Celestia’s way, she said, “Thanks a ton. I was pretty stressed there for a while.”

“…You’re welcome.” With a shut of the door, she was gone.

Alone once again, the not-so-amnesiac grinned as she went through her fresh memories, for she knew where she was going.

She was Silverbolt the mare, and she was not lost.

Chapter 2 Loosed Lie

“Attended a Canterlot boarding school during teens... stayed in Canterlot afterward… then moved to Ponyville for a new scene… and was shipping the rest of my stuff when the accident happened.”

Silverbolt grinned as she sorted through her mental file cabinet, checking off her memories like tasks on a to-do list. Ever since the princess had left, she’d been recounting not only where she was, but who she was. Though, memoirs of her childhood and a bit into her teens were fuzzy at best. She recalled only insubstantial hazes at best, none of which were any help to her, not to mention that thinking too much about it sent stabs of pain to her head. Nonetheless, she in a cheery mood.

After throwing some loose strands of dark blonde hair past her shoulder, she went back to reading the text book the princess had provided her. “Equestria, a History” was engraved across the spine. As the princess had put it, “Just in case you need a refresher.” Although the columns of text told her things she already knew, the reminders were doing just what they were supposed to do.

Glancing over the pages one last time, she slammed the history book shut. “Alright,” she said, “I think I’m good to go.” She jumped from her seat at the bed and headed for the door as she gave the room a last once over. She couldn’t say she would miss the small space, but at least the window had a fine view of the city.

The princess had told her to simply leave when ready and ask one of the nearby guards to direct her. They would already know where to lead her. As Silverbolt was about to throw open the door, she jumped back in surprise as it slammed open for an entirely different alicorn to step in. Midnight coat, starry mane, lunar mark… Princess Luna! As their eyes locked, Silverbolt emitted a gasp for two reasons—one for the understandable shock at having a princess barge in, and the other for the glint shining in the princess’s eyes. Rather than the usual… well, she didn’t know what the usual was. She just knew that the cold stare she wore couldn’t be normal. If anything she looked a bit… apprehensive? As if she was as surprised as Silverbolt.

The mare dropped into a hasty bow in a second, still feeling the stare burrowing into her head. “Your majesty.” Within moments, Silverbolt was cringing as each second rolled by in silence, no word from the princess. Biting her lip, she sneaked a peak back up at her princess only to lock with the eyes once again. “Your—”

“Luna? Meeting Silverbolt, are we?”

Silverbolt let out a sigh of relief as Celestia’s voice registered. Picking herself back up, she caught sight of Celestia sending a curious stare her sister’s way. Luna kept her gaze on Silverbolt for a moment before turning to reply. “…You could say that,” she retorted, the unbridled disgust in her tone causing Silverbolt to flinch, “I’ve been meaning to know her as of late.”

“You were?” Silverbolt asked, not sure if that was good or bad. Considering that the only thing noteworthy about her was a carriage accident, she feared the latter.

The alicorn’s eyebrow shot up. “Oh yes, I was. After hearing so much about you and the mess you were dropped into…”

“Luna…” Celestia said, “I hate to interrupt, but Silverbolt here has been through a lot—”

Luna snorted.

“…And I believe the best thing for her now would to be returning home.”

This time, Luna did nothing.

“Is that alright with you?”

All sets of eyes locked onto the lunar goddess, which she returned as she looked between them. Face contorting into a scowl, she lit her horn with a midnight blue glow. “Fine,” she said before stomping her hoof onto the floor and disappearing with a “pop!”

As the flash of teleportation simmered down, Celestia let out a sigh as she turned to Silverbolt. “I do apologize for my sister’s… uncouth behavior. She’s been rather short tempered… Is something the matter?”

Staring at Celestia through wide-eyes, she replied, “She seems upset with me. Like, really upset. What happened in that accident?”

She shook her head. “Please don’t worry yourself about Luna. She was probably grumpy since the commotion caused by the accident woke her up or something of the like. I assure you it’s alright.”

“…Okay,” Silverbolt exhaled, “I trust you.”

Celestia flashed her warm smile. “Thank you. Now, how are you feeling? I imagine you want to return home. Or should I say, head home for the first time? You had just moved to Ponyville, yes?”

Silverbolt beamed at the thought. “Yeah! Heh, I’m ready to go now.”

“Oh, you are?”

“Mmhm. You already know that I’m okay physically, but I’ve been remembering more and more ever since you dropped off that text book. It’s not perfect, but I have everything I need!”

Celestia chuckled. “Well then, what’s your exact address?”

“It’s... uh… Oh, no fair. I just moved there.”

“Alright, I’ll give you that. In any case, I can arrange for you to return home now if you truly feel you’re ready. I plan to send you with personal documents as well.”

“Huh?”

“They’ll contain all the official things you may need but may not know. For example, your address.”

“Oh, right. Heh… So yes, I’m ready to go. I’m sure of it.”

“So eager to finally move out of Canterlot, are we?” Celestia waved her wing toward Ryan, gesturing for her to follow. “Come along. As long as the pegasi aren’t napping, you’ll be in Ponyville within the hour.”

“Sweet! Er, your highness.” Silverbolt let out a few awkward laughs, but it morphed into confusion as she realized what Celestia had said. “Pegasi?”

Celestia only smirked.

“Eheh… I’m not very big on flying,” Silverbolt said, laughing nervously as she shied away from the open door of the chariot. The two pegasi hitched in front rolled their eyes, muttering “earth ponies” under their breaths.

“Well, I could check for the next train ticket, but for all I know, that’s tomorrow…” Celestia lead, a wry grin on her lips.

Silverbolt sighed, but she couldn’t help but smile. “Ugh, it’ll do.” Giving the castle courtyard the stood in a last look over, she turned back to the sun goddess. “So yeah. Thanks, your highness. Sorry about whatever commotion I caused with the accident.”

“As I said, don’t let it worry you. I assure you that everything is fine.”

“Alright…” she said as she planted herself onto the chariot’s seat. Next to her sat a bulging binder filled with all the papers she’d been promised. “So…”

“Everything’s ready if you are.”

“Okay then. I think I’m good to go. Not like I brought much anyway. Oh, wait! What about the stuff I was picking up when that carriage accident happened? Weren’t they…” She scrunched up her face as she thought. “Uh…”

Furniture.

“Furniture? Like a dresser and chairs and some other stuff?”

Celestia nodded as a smile ran across her lips. “Already taken care of. I expect they’ll have been delivered by the time you get there.”

“Thanks. Princess? Let me just say that you’re as great as everyone makes you out to be. Really.”

The goddess’s face remained unchanged as she stared into Silverbolt’s eyes for a few seconds, not a word being spoken. Then she answered. “Thank you. If you should ever have an issue, please feel free to come back to Canterlot. I may be busy with my duties much of the time, but I’m sure I can find an opening.”

“Oh, uh sure,” she replied, taken aback by the offer, “Thanks again for everything. See you later?”

“Farewell for now, Silverbolt. I wish you the best of luck.”

“Thanks. See ya!”

With a nod to the pegasi, Celestia stepped back as their wings unfurled and swished out, propelling them and the cart forward and dragging a gasp out of Silverbolt. In a minute, the chariot became nothing more than a gold dot in the evening sky, growing smaller by each passing second.

The sun goddess watched for a moment more before her smile drooped. Face contorting into a scowl, she turned away and set a stride for the castle doors. “Guard!” she called to the nearest pony in armor.

“Yes, your highness?”

“Contact Princess Twilight Sparkle. We have matters to discuss.”

“Yes, your highness!”

As the guard scampered off, Celestia heaved out a sigh. “…I do hope that Luna hasn’t gotten to her first.”

Silverbolt fell to the earth, thanking the goddesses to be on the turbulence-free safety of the ground. “That was a horrible!” she cried, “Clip the wings of those pegasuses; they can’t fly to save their lives!”

The fliers shared a “hmph!” in return.

“Ergh… At least I’m home… You two can just go already. I’ll take it from here.”

“You might want to get your papers first,” one of them called.

“Papers? Oh, right!” Silverbolt snatched up her folder and gave it pat down along the sides, pushing the loose documents back into place. “Thanks, guys.”

“Don’t mention it,” he replied, rolling his eyes in boredom. Once the mare was clear of the chariot, they took off for the skies.

Not bothering to watch, Silverbolt darned a grin as she glanced around the Ponyville scenery. They’d dropped her off on the outskirts of town to not cause commotion and due to her home being situated nearby. Since Celestia’s sun was sinking into the horizon by now, most ponies were already home or at least were heading for it, but Silverbolt could still feel the calm, neighborly atmosphere of the quaint little town. Her quaint little town.

Giggling at the thought, she set off down the road for home—that is, until she realized she didn’t know home was. She opened her folder, pleased to find her address stamped onto the first page. “Perfect…” Matching the street name to the nearby street signs, she actually had to turn around to head in the right direction. After a few minutes of walking the quiet street, she halted as the three digit address she sought came into view on the house in front of her.

She knew it was hers.

Silverbolt pranced across the trimmed lawn to the doorstep, wasting no time in unlocking the door and swinging it open. “Ha!” she laughed as she met the sight of her living room stuffed full off moving boxed. Most of her belongings were already in place from her first excursion from Canterlot just as she remembered. Nonetheless, she loved the homey feeling it embodied.

“Like it’s never been lived in,” she said, giving the interior another glance around before walking past the boxes. She had no doubt that they were the belongings Celestia had promised to be delivered. The house itself was rather simple, being one story and none-too-big. A border of carpet meeting tile designated the transition from living room to kitchen, and a small hallway opposite it lead to the bedroom, bathroom, and back door, one of each. Small, but it was all she needed.

I’ve always loved that small apartment vibe, she thought as she lounged across the couch, one foreleg hanging off the cushions, Heck, reminds me of when I… Wait, what? Her eyes blinked up a flurry as she snapped herself out of her daydream. I’ve never lived in an apart—Ech! Clutching her head between her hooves, she winced as the familiar spike of pain shot through her skull.

It passed as quick as it came, but she was left cringing. “Okay…” she said, her words riding her breath, “What’s the deal with that? Seriously? Is the princess sure I don’t have brain damage or something?” She shook her head, not sure if she was joking. “So I get random migraines when I think too much? But not all the time because I can think of other stuff just time… Mm, I’ll get it checked out of it doesn’t go away,” she decided.

Silverbolt threw a glance toward the unpacked boxes filling her living space but rolled her eyes after a moment. I’ll take care of it tomorrow. Too tired after today. Deciding that she’d rather sleep in a bed than on a couch, the mare pushed herself to her hooves and set off for the bedroom—but not before making a detour to the bathroom.

Inside, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her brow furrowed as she found herself entranced by her own reflection, the same feeling from when she stared at her hoof earlier bubbling up. Once again, she couldn’t place the bizarre sensation of something in that face being… off. Like she was expecting something else despite having seen it all her life.

“Ugh,” she groaned, forcing herself away, “Head aches and random feelings! Enough of all this weirdness! I’m going to bed… After a shower. That sounds nice.”

It was the next morning when Silverbolt found herself eating a hearty breakfast of dry cereal after having awakened from her dreamless sleep. After the madness of the past few days that she couldn’t actually remember, she felt more refreshed than ever. This was it—she’d finally settled into her new home. The thought jolted excitement into her system, even more so when she realized she was living it right now.

“What to do… what to do…” she wondered, idly sifting her spoon through the cereal flakes. To be honest with herself, she didn’t have anything planned for what happens after this moment. “Just see what happens,” she had told herself. With a glance at the door, her lips curled into a smile as an idea formed. After tossing her dishes into the sink, she trotted out the front door. I’ll unpack the boxes later, she thought, I want to see the town!

She set a pace down the street, heading deeper into town from her house’s spot on the outskirts. Practically skipping down the lane, Silverbolt flashed a winning grin to each horse she passed, a greeting they all returned. On a few occasions, she’d be asked if she was new to town which she would answer with a “You bet!” They’d sometimes chuckle and mention something about watching out for surprises, but Silverbolt didn’t pay them any mind. She’d probably learn about whatever they were referring to in due time.

As she came to a wide clearing, bustling with life and business, she realized she’d stumbled her way into the market district. She’d neglected to bring any bits, but hey! Might as well get a look of the layout. Like birds harping over breadcrumbs, vendors surrounded her on all sides, shouting into the crowds of bystanders.

The market place straddled the fine line between orderly and chaotic, but as far she was concerned, it was quite alright. Picking out one stand devoid of any customers, she trotted over. “Hey,” she greeted to the vendor.

Instantly, the mare behind the counter snapped to attention, her eyes becoming saucers as she let out a gasp. Her eyes locked onto Silverbolt before settling down. “Oh, sorry about that,” she said as she pushed a few strands of her orange mane back into place, “I was daydreaming and didn’t expect…”

Silverbolt smirked, knowing that feeling of boredom. “Don’t worry about it. Happens to me too. Slow day, eh?”

“You can say that again. It’s usually busier, but that’s just how business flies. Sometimes up and sometimes down.” She looked off for a moment before gaining an inquisitive expression. “Say, I don’t believe I’ve seen you around before. New in town?”

“Mmhm. Just moved in yesterday. Well, I had already moved in, but I was still bringing in the last of my furniture and stuff until yesterday. Then there were a few bumps in the road…” She shook her head. “So yes, I’m new in town.”

“Well I’ll be! Then let me be the first one to welcome you to our little town—wait, I am the first, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then welcome to Ponyville! The name’s Golden Harvest, but everyone calls me Carrot Top.”

“I’m Silverbolt. Nice to meet you,” she replied, shaking Carrot’s hoof.

The vendor ran her eyes across Silverbolt before chuckling. “Aren’t you a bit on the gold side to be silver?”

She just rolled her eyes.

“Anyway,” Carrot said, “I do hope you enjoy living here. Can I ask where you’re from?”

“Canterlot. Was looking for a change in scenery.”

“Mmhm. I do hope you enjoy living in Ponyville. It’s much quieter than a capital city like Canterlot, but it has its own… down-to-earth charm.”

“Can’t argue with that.” Glancing across the stacks of carrots on the stand, she said, “I’m guessing you sell carrots.”

Eyes lighting up, she nodded in a way that sent her curled mane bouncing. “The best in Ponyville, despite what those Apples would have you believe.”

“Apples?”

Carrot pointed to a stand across the market square as her face glared in the way that only an angry carrot farmer could. “See that stand? The one with the orange-coated mare? They are the enemy. Carrots will always come out on top.”

“Yeah? I—”

“Can an apple improve your vision? Does an apple stay good for up to six weeks? Do—”

“Carrot?”

She blinked. “Oh uh… aheh. Sorry about that. Sometimes I go off on a tangent… heh.”

Silverbolt shrugged, but her eyes trailed back to the mare at the apple stand. “I’ll watch out for the ‘enemy.’ In any case… sorry to cut our talk short, but I’m going to go see the town, alright?”

Carrot nodded. “Go right on ahead. I know I’d want to explore if I had just moved to a new place.” She arranged a bundle of carrots into a bag before adding, “Here, take some with you. Consider it a welcoming gift.”

“Heh, thanks! I’ll pay for these when…” She trailed off as Carrot held up her hoof.

“Don’t even think of it. As I said, consider it a gift.”

Silverbolt smirked. “Thanks again. Good meeting you.”

“You too! Oh, and I hope you enjoy your surprise!”

“Heh… huh?” Silverbolt chuckled as she walked away, still having no clue as to what the townsfolk were talking about. She could ask Carrot, but that would ruin the point of a surprise, huh? With a thoughtful gaze, she set off for wherever her hooves would bring her next.

By the time Silverbolt returned home that evening, she had already picked out the places she knew she had to check out when she was carrying bits. As energetic as the market was, she’d also made sure to wander out and see some other sights of Ponyville including the town square and nearby park to name a few. She had to admit, it was quite the contrast from Canterl—

Who the hay are they? she thought as she noticed a pair of ponies on her doorstep. The pony in front, a gray-coated mare, had just finished knocking on the door and was waiting for an answer. So Silverbolt gave them one.

“Uh, hey? Who’re you two?”

Both mares’ heads whipped around in surprise. “Oh, hello there. Would you happen to be the pony who just moved here?” the gray mare said.

“Yes?”

Throwing on a smile, she said, “Nice to meet the pony that finally bought it. I’m Octavia, and this…” She gestured to the white-coated mare next to her. “Is Vinyl.”

Vinyl, as she was called, locked eyes with Silverbolt for a moment, but her purple-tinted shades hid her eyes. “Hey,” was all she said, sounding none-too-interested.

“Hey. So… who are you two again?”

“Oh, right. Sorry about that.” Flashing a pointed glance at Vinyl, Octavia said, “We’re your new neighbors stopping by to welcome you to the neighborhood.”

“Okay, I see. Well… nice to meet you! I’m Silverbolt. Thanks for coming over to welcome me.”

“Don’t mention it! It’s great to meet you. Say, aren’t you a bit gold—”

“Yes. Yes I am,” she interrupted, drawing a laugh from the both. “Want to come in?”

“We’d be delighted.”

“Cool.” Silverbolt stepped forward to unlock the door, but hesitated as a thought occurred. I really should’ve unpacked, she thought, thinking of the mess in living room. She normally didn’t let something like this bother her, but the thought of her brand new home being a pigsty for her first visitors didn’t sound too appealing. “Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t we go out on the town? My house is kind of a mess right now what with moving in and all…”

“That’s sound fine. Nothing was planned this evening anyway other than stopping by to meet you. Though… didn’t you just get home? I’d hate to make you head out again after just returning.”

“No, it’s fine. There were some places I wanted to swing back to anyway, so two birds, one stone. Just let me step inside for a second; I’ll be right back out.” After replacing her sack of carrots with a sack of bits, she met them outside. “Okay, I’m good.”

“Anyplace you have in mind?” Octavia asked.

Silverbolt brought her hoof to her chin as she thought for a moment. Sure, there were a number of places she’d wanted to visit, but most were stores rather than a place to grab a bite. Not to mention the fact that restaurants would be closing at this hour. What would be open late…? In a moment, her eyes flashed with an idea.

“Are there any bars nearby?”

Chapter 3 Liquor-Lovin' Liar

“How are you liking the town so far, Silverbolt?” Octavia asked, turning her head to see the mare trailing just behind.

Silverbolt threw on a smirk before answering, “It’s great. Couldn’t ask for anything better.”

“You said you moved from Canterlot, yes?”

“Yeah.”

Octavia smiled as she looked into the distance where the lights of an evening Canterlot were just visible on the mountain. “I used to live there too when I was just a filly.”

“Mm,” she mmed, “What made you decide to move here?”

“Oh that’s a long story. I’ll keep short and say Vinyl and I became friends some years back and decided it would be to both of our benefits to share the rent on a home. Roommates.” Pushing a few strands of loose hair into place, she continued, “We settled here mostly because of cheaper rent, but it’s still a fair place to live. Right, Vinyl?”

The unicorn’s ears perked up in surprise. “Huh? What?”

“Ponyville’s a pleasant place?”

“Oh, uh yeah.”

Silverbolt glanced between the two mares as they shared a hard stare. Vinyl’s only protection came from her tinted glasses. “You two alrig—”

“Yes, we’re fine,” Octavia said as she broke away from Vinyl. Slowing her pace to trot beside Silverbolt, she said, “Please don’t mind my friend. She’s been rather moody as of late. I practically had to force her out to come meet you today.”

“Huh? Something bothering her?”

“Yes. However, she’s keeping it to herself no matter how much I pry. I suspect it had to do with that thing she made friends with.”

“Thing?”

Octavia nodded. “Don’t ask me how she did it, but she found and befriended a mythical creature. I know nothing except what she’s told me, and that’s little to begin with.”

“O…kay then.”

“Trust me, I feel the same way,” she sighed, “As strange as the ordeal is, I ask you to not bring it up. If she won’t tell me, then I doubt she’d appreciate another pony pestering her.”

“That’s fine… Though….”

“Hm?”

Nudging up on Octavia’s shoulder, Silverbolt said, “Just how curious are you to know what she’s hiding?”

“Silverbolt?” she asked, shooting off a suspicious glance, “What are you suggesting?”

“Well… We’re heading to a bar and drinks tend to make people more talkative…” she replied, trailing off innocently.

“Ah! Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”

“…Maybe?”

“How rude! Why, I should… I…!” She heaved a sigh. “Fine. I’m in. As much as I hate to say it, I like the way you’re thinking.”

“Thanks, I think.”

“Besides,” she said, speeding up her pace to catch up to Vinyl, “It’s not like this is the first time I’ve gotten her drunk beyond reason.”

“Sounds like a plan… Wait, what?” Silverbolt called before scampering off to not be left behind.

Arriving at the bar proved as easily said as done. Taking Octavia’s recommendation, they found themselves seated at local bar just outside of the busy portion of town. “Not too busy nor bland,” she’d mentioned.

As they all took their seats at a booth, Silverbolt darned a smirk as she glanced between the two other mares. “So…”

“Yes, dear?”

“Huh?”

She chuckled. “Oh, I don’t know. That never fails to get everyone’s attention. So really, anything happening around here? Around Ponyville?”

“Mm… I don’t believe so. Nothing official, anyway. If you’re looking for a good time, Pinkie Pie at Sugercube Corner is always throwing parties. Why, it’s like every day is a holiday for her even if she has to make one up.”

“Really? Sounds like a real party gal.”

“She is known as the town’s resident party pony after all. She goes as far as to throw parties for each and every pony that vis—”

“Ehem,” Vinyl coughed as she jabbed her shoulder against Octavia’s.

The earth pony’s eyes widened, followed by a guilty smile drawing across her face. “Er, right. She throws parties a lot.”

“…Yeah,” Silverbolt said, slowly nodding her head. Turning toward Vinyl, she said, “How about you? You’re a DJ, right?”

“Huh? Oh, you bet I am,” she replied, flashing a modest grin, “The one and only DJ-PON3.”

“Something tells me you’re not a fan of classical like your friend here, huh?”

“Nope! I’m all about electronic. I often supply the music for the parties Pinkie throws.”

“That must be sweet. I’ve always been a fan of rock, myself.”

“Yeah? I just got an album’s worth of rock songs, but there like nothing you’ve ever heard before. It’ll blow your socks off!”

“I’ll be sure to wear socks when I hear them. Who’re they by?”

At that, Vinyl’s smile drooped. “Uh, I don’t really know… You see, it’s a long story on how I got those recordings… Yeah.”

Is that what Octavia was getting at? Silverbolt wondered as she watched the remnants of the DJ’s excitement slip away. Before she could do anymore, her thoughts were cut off as a set of menus were brought by to their table by the waitress. With a shrug and a thanks, the gold-coated mare shifted her attention to it. After looking over for a minute, Silverbolt let out a “hm…” sound.

“Something the matter?” Octavia asked, looking up from her own menu.

“Oh, nothing. Just looking for something to order. Mostly for something to drink.”

“Anything particular in mind? I could recommend something.”

Silverbolt shook her head. “Not that. It’s just that everything here seems rather weak. Like this one here,” she said, pointing out one selection.

Before Octavia could reply, Vinyl spoke up. “Whoa now, hold your horses. You’re joking, right?”

“No.”

The unicorn magicked her glasses up onto her horn, revealing her blood-red eyes swimming with incredulousness. “That’s the strongest thing they serve here. I should know.”

“Really? From what I’m reading, it’s got almost no alcohol in it.”

“Buh! Seriously? It’s got a ton. You some kind of superpony who never gets hammered or something?”

Octavia glanced between her new friend and her flustered friend a few times before realization shown in her eyes. Sneaking a wink at Silverbolt, she said, “I do have to agree with her, Vinyl. It’s not that much. Maybe you’re just a… erm...”

“Just a what?” she repeated, eyes narrowing as they locked onto the earth pony.

“Just a… how you say, lightweight?”

For a few seconds there was silence. Then there was the sound of a mare jumping up from her booth and stomping to the counter. Finally there was the demand of “Waitress! Get me two of the strongest drinks you’ve got!”

The two ponies left at the table watched the spectacle before sharing a mutual glance with each other. Octavia’s hoof shot to her lips as she tried to hold back a fit of giggles. “I daresay, Silverbolt, that was some clever thinking on your part. Thank Celestia I realized what you were doing before the moment passed.”

“Actually… I was just being honest,” she admitted as she rubbed the back of her head, “I wasn’t even thinking of our little plan.”

She blinked. “Oh. Well then. I’d say everything still worked out for the best, fortunately.”

Silverbolt only smiled in return. Funny how things work out, she thought, still thinking of the drinks. She was certainly no alcoholic, but she would admit to loving a drink every now and then. She was sure that she loved strong liquor, but she couldn’t quite remember just like a few other things as of recent. …Maybe that one’s just because I get to drunk to recall afterwards...

As Vinyl plunked back down onto her seat, two mugs of cider finding their own seats on the table, the mare shot a glare at Silverbolt. “You. Me. Bottom’s up. Right now.”

Silverbolt raised an eyebrow before glancing back at Octavia. “She always like this?”

Octavia nodded.

“Hey, I’m right here!”

“And we still love you, darling.”

Vinyl facehoofed. “Whatever. Now, there is no way that you believe this is nothing.”

“Well I do believe that.”

“…You’re asking for it.” Swiping up a mug with her magic, Vinyl smirked. “Prove it then.”

Silverbolt glanced at the mug then back to the challenge written across the unicorn’s face. With her own wry grin, she nodded. “Sure thing. But only if you drink with me.”

“I’m way ahead of you.”

“You better hope so, ‘cause you’re going to be struggling to keep up.”

“Ooh! That’s some tough talk for a mare who doesn’t know what color she is.”

The earth pony let a few cackles fly. “Dream on. Now enough talk. On with the show!”

“About time!” Vinyl sneered, levitating the mug by her lips. “Octavia? You watching?”

“I wish I wasn’t.”

“Ha! Glad you are, ‘cause I want a witness to tell me I won. You ready?”

“More than you are,” Silverbolt replied.

“Great. Bottom’s up in three…”

“Two…”

“One!”

Silverbolt gasped as her vision suddenly blurred, and she found herself lying across a couch, one hoof hanging off and the other cuddling an empty mug. “Wha?” she moaned as a splitting headache ran through her skull.

“Oh. You’re awake,” Octavia said, walking into view beside her.

“A-awake?”

“You and Vinyl have been passed all night.”

“All night?! But I was just about to have a drink a few moments ago!”

“Is that what you remember, dear? I guess that drink really was too strong for you.”

“…Aw.” Her lips curled into a pout, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Could’ve sworn that was nothing for me… Shaking her head, she pushed herself into a sitting position. “So what happened?”

Smirking like a mother who’d caught their foal in the cookie jar, Octavia answered, “I had to lead you two back home before you went completely incoherent. You’re in our house in case you haven’t noticed.”

Silverbolt forced her vision to clear, allowing her to see the place for herself. It was a similar layout to her own, save for the place being littered with musical devices. A soundboard was there, a keyboard was here, and cords were just plain everywhere. “How’s Vinyl?”

“See for yourself,” she said, stepping aside to point to the other booth couch. Sure enough, the DJ was passed out and snoring.

The mare chuckled a few times only to end up biting her lip in a cringe as another spike of pain hit her head. “Ugh…”

“And that, my friend, is why I only drink on special occasions,” Octavia commented.

“Yeah, yeah… Uh, anything else happen last night? It is tomorrow, right?”

“Yes it is. And nothing too notable happened other than each of you spouting complete nonsense.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmhm. Remember our little plan? Instead of telling me anything, Vinyl went off on some ridiculous story about her friend running away on a one-mare mission to conquer the Crystal Empire.”

Silverbolt let out a few hangover-fueled laughs. “What about me?”

Octavia shook her head. “If you think Vinyl was silly, then hear this. You started obsessing over yourself. You kept staring at your hoof in awe or playing with your reflection as if it was a game. It probably was to you.”

“Heheh…” was her only response as she looked away, trying to hide the embarrassed blush on her face.

“Want some coffee for that hangover?”

“That works?”

“I’d say it’s better than nothing.”

“Sure then.”

As the gray-coated mare left for the kitchen, Silverbolt leaned back into the couch cushions. “That was a mistake, eh, Vinyl?”

Vinyl kept on snoring.

In a headache-filled hour later, the house was alive with a melody of drunken laughter. “And that’s how I got banned from The Royal Orchestra’s concerts,” Vinyl finished, having finally awakened earlier. As the latest round of joking died down, the DJ let out a sigh. “You know, Silverbolt, you remind of someone I know.”

“I do?”

“Yeah. Funny enough, she’s also someone I just met…” She cleared her throat. “Ya know, sorry I was all mopey last night, but I’m just worried about that person.”

“Worried?” Silverbolt replied, glancing toward Octavia. The cellist twitched her head back to Vinyl’s direction.

“Yeah, but don’t you start worrying for me! It’s just a personal thing between us. It’ll be fine.”

Getting the hint to shift gears, she said, “Don’t worry about last night. You were fine. From what I can remember, anyway.”

“Heh, yeah. Oh, and guess what?”

“Wha—”

Vinyl jabbed her hoof toward the mare. “Told ya so.” She promptly cackled at the glare she received. “Oh Celestia… Hey! Want to hear that music I mentioned last night?”

“Sure. I’m surprised you remember that.”

“Heh.” Hopping up from the couch, Vinyl trotted to a sound board before flipping the power switch. After fiddling with the panel for a few moments, she winked at Silverbolt before hitting the playback button.

A wall of distortion blasted through the speakers, nearly causing Silverbolt to jump in surprise. “Ugh, this one…” she heard Octavia say, but she paid the words no mind. I… know that song, she thought, Yeah, I’m sure of it. What was it called? K—

“Agh!” she cried, her hooves reaching up to clutch her head. The other two mares recoiled back at her reaction, but Octavia recovered first to signal to turn it off.

“Um… is it really that bad?” Vinyl asked, trotting over with a bit of unease in her step.

“No, no, just… bad headache,” Silverbolt replied, “I’ve been getting them.”

“Then having a hangover certainly wouldn’t help,” Octavia added, “Perhaps we should keep things quiet.”

Silverbolt found no reason to disagree. “Though, I swear I’ve heard that song before.”

“You have? That doesn’t make any sense,” Vinyl said.

“Why’s that?”

“Because… reasons,” she said, looking away, “Long story.”

“Uh-huh.” With a shrug, Silverbolt got to her hooves. “Well, I think it’s about time I head home if you don’t mind. It was a blast meeting you two.”

“Oh, we don’t mind at all,” Octavia said, Vinyl nodding along, “It was a pleasure to meet you too.”

“See ya later!”

“See you! Oh, wait! Let me pay you two back for the drinks.”

“Nonsense. It’s on us, dear. Consider it a welcoming gift.”

She nodded. “Heh, thanks. Until next time then!” With a final goodbye, she was on her way to the house next door.

Meanwhile, Vinyl watched her departure, a multitude of thoughts running through her mind. “You know, Octavia, she is a lot like Ryan.”

“I wouldn’t know. I’d like to know how she knew your supposedly alien music.”

“It is alien music. Maybe she just heard something similar to it…” Vinyl frowned. “Not that there’s anyting similar to it out there right now.

“…Maybe.”

Chapter 4 Left to Lie

Celestia’s hooves fell heavy against the floor of the castle walls, matching the heavy beat of her heart.

She sighed, knowing what she was getting herself into. No, what she had already gotten herself into. The goddess knew exactly where her hooves were taking her, but she didn’t enjoy a moment of it.

As the high iron doors that signaled the hall’s end approached, she hesitated. The dread pounding against her cranium cried for avoiding the situation entirely and simply turning away. She spent a second considering it, but she knew that that wasn’t a real option in any sense. At best, it would make the whole ordeal worse. At worst, it would make the fall to rock bottom.

Reluctance hidden behind her mask of regality, she strode onward toward the iron gates before her. They were heavy when she pushed them, but not because of their weight.

The solar goddess knew the task ahead of her would be difficult, risky, and far from simple. She didn’t need to see for herself that they thought her wrong. But Celestia had to—needed to—convince them both. Even with her goal in mind, however, she felt none too reassured. For, on the other side of those doors, were Luna and Twilight.

The few she rightfully called family.

Then they were there, staring from their seats around the table as Celestia entered. The solar alicorn froze, her hoof still hanging in air as it waited for its next step. The chambers fell into a hushed quietness as two pairs of eyes met hers, apprehension shared all around. The silence reigned for a few more long seconds.

Finally, Celestia spoke. “Sister. Twilight.”

Luna glared. Twilight said nothing.

…Not even a hello.

“You’re sickening,” Luna spat, prompting Celestia to heave a sigh.

“I know you’re upset, Lulu—”

“Don’t call me that.”

“…I know you’re upset, but I’d prefer it if we didn’t resort to name calling and remained civil.”

“Civil?!” Luna out a hmph. “You’re one to speak.”

“At least I am trying to speak.”

“At least I am not a—”

“Please.” The two sisters glanced to Twilight, surprised at her calm yet stern voice. Returning to a neutral tone, Twilight continued. “Let’s just talk. I have a feeling that there’s a lot we each have to say. Alright? Both of you?”

“Fine,” Luna said as she pushed herself into her chair.

“Indeed,” Celestia agreed, but while feeling a bit disappointed in herself. To think that my former student must be the voice of reason between us.

As Celestia drew up a seat at the table opposite the other two, she couldn’t help but stare at Twilight, probing for any hint of how she felt behind that calm façade. She found none.

“So,” Luna said.

“So?”

“You’re the one that called this meeting. What do you want?”

She nodded. “I… I know you both have issue with what I’ve done.”

Luna raised an eyebrow.

“However,” she continued, “I would like both of you to know that… you’re both family to me. I couldn’t care more about either of you, and I hope that you’ll return the sentiment and allow me a chance.”

Silence.

Celestia swallowed. “That said, I’d like to say that I believe what I’ve done was not only necessary, but right.”

“Ah! How can you—”

“Luna, please,” Twilight said, “Give her a moment to speak.”

“No! I will not. Didn’t you just hear her? She robbed an innocent being of everything and now she has the audacity to believe she’s doing the right thing.”

“No, Luna. It’s not like that,” Celestia said, shaking her head.

“Oh, really? Then how would you so kindly put it?”

“It was completely consensual.”

For the second time, silence tailed behind her words.

“She… let you?” the moon goddess said, her voice quieted by surprise.

“That’s right. It happened after you left our dreamscape.”

“But…” She looked to Twilight. “What do you make of this?”

Twilight’s eyes snapped open, caught off guard in her thoughts. “Huh?”

“You know Ryan the best out all of us. What do you make of this? At least tell us your thoughts.”

The young princess nodded, but drifted away again as she went back into her thoughts. “I… I don’t know. Not yet.” Her eyes locked onto Celestia’s, unreadable as ever. “Could you tell us more of what happened?”

“Certainly. Is that alright Luna?”

“What? Sure. Go on.”

“Mmhm. After you left us, I made due on my promise of making things right. Of apologizing for my wrongdoings to her.” She sighed. “I saw and still do see that I treated her horribly, inexcusably cold, and insensitive. I tried my best to set things right with her, but she was… distant.”

Twilight cocked her head. “Distant.”

“Yes. She was gone in some sense. All the hope had been leeched out of her once and for all. She ceased caring at all.”

“I think I know what you mean,” Twilight said, her voice hushed my memories of Ryan alone and battered in a cell.

Celestia hesitated before continuing. “In any case, that was when we agreed on this. In fact, it was her who suggested it.”

“She suggested it,” Luna repeated.

“Indeed. I expect it came from the time she transformed into a pony.”

“No, no, no. That can’t be right. Just… ugh,” she said, pounding her hoof onto the tabletop.

“That’s what happened. She didn’t want to suffer any longer, so she asked for a way out.”

“Suffering because of what you put her through.”

She broke her gaze away. “Yes… But I’ve done everything I can to fix it. I can only hope it’s enough.”

Luna’s face shone with conflict before settling on one emotion—disbelief. She shot a quick look to glance to Twilight but only found the younger alicorn still in her own world of thoughts. “I may not have known Ryan,” she said, now facing her sister, “But from what I’ve heard of her, she would never give up like that. She put her loved ones before herself every time.”

“You think I’m lying?”

“Maybe. But I do think that there’s more to this than what you’ve said.”

“…I’m not sure what else to tell you. I speak the truth, honest.”

Luna held up her hoof. “Tell me, sister, do you think that Ryan really meant what she said?”

“Well, she did say she wanted to look me in the eye when she says how much she hates me.”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying do you really think Ryan was sincere in her offer? Or was it just a last stab at you? You said it yourself; she was distant and uncaring. I doubt she meant any of it.”

I know what you’re saying… To be honest with herself, Celestia wasn’t surprised that her sister would think this. The sun goddess opened her mouth to respond, but froze as she saw the third member of the conversation. Twilight stared without a word, intent and ready to write every word onto her mental notepad.

“…I believe that Ryan’s broken state is actually what makes the offer so sincere. She wanted nothing more than a way out, and now I gave her one. Again, I’m sorry I pushed her that far in the first place, but now she’s happy again.”

Luna said nothing, content to let out a frustrated “hmph!”

“Way out…” Twilight muttered to no one in particular, causing both alicorns to turn toward her. Noticing their attention, she said, “Celestia, may I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

With a hint of a frown dancing on the corners of her lips, she said, “Did you ever offer to open the gate and send her home?”

Celestia didn’t answer right away, instead keeping a suddenly toneless expression on her face. “…Well, I technically didn’t—”

“Sister!” Luna hissed, only to be silenced once again by the younger alicorn.

“Please, let her talk one more time,” Twilight said to which Luna agreed but while still keeping her cold stare. “You were saying?”

The sun goddess nodded with only the smallest movement of her head. “No, I didn’t. However, please hear me out on this. I know I was wrong in my treatment of Ryan, but when she made that offer, I saw an opportunity.” She glanced away, eyes searching through her memories. “An opportunity to benefit both of us and Equestria as a whole. By turning Ryan into a pony, I not only could help her, but also—”

Luna cut her off with a snarl. “But also keep the gate closed.”

“Well, yes… But need I remind you of the dangers of opening it? Haven’t we discussed this enough?”

“Apparently not.”

Luna stomped up from her seat, glaring all the way toward her sister. “You keep saying how much you regret abusing Ryan, but you know what? You haven’t changed at all.”

“Luna!”

“No. You’re still the bigot you were. Even with Ryan broken and at your feet, you still put your own beliefs ahead of her wellbeing.”

“I helped her!”

“You killed her! We can’t rightfully call her Ryan anymore. You just can’t let go of the past, and now an innocent being has suffered for it. You’re sickening.” With a flick of her mane, Luna strode out the door, leaving behind her dumbstruck sister.

Celestia watched her leave for a moment and a few moments after before snapping herself into focus. She tried to take in a deep breath, but couldn’t stop the shudder that lined it. “Luna…”

“Celestia?” Twilight said, causing the princess to snap her attention back her way. “Did you really never consider opening the gate? Never once?”

She gulped. “I… You have to understand that this was what Ryan needed. I doubt letting her leave would’ve so easily healed her wounds.”

“The wounds you caused.”

“Please. Don’t be like that.”

Twilight sighed as she stood up from the table. “Celestia, I’ll be simple. I feel conflicted about everything I’ve heard. I want to believe you had the best intentions in mind, that you really learned your lesson…”

Celestia felt a cold shiver in her spine. “I-I did. I swear I know what I did was wrong.”

Ever emotionless, Twilight continued. “You may know what you did was wrong, but you just shifted from ‘for the good of Equestria’ to ‘for the good of Ryan.’ You’re still trying to justify yourself… When you could’ve just let her go home.”

Then her tone dropped. Twilight lowered her head, eyes blazing with a restrained anger. “Your sister’s right. You haven’t changed. Despite your apologies, you’re still the prejudice pony on the inside.”

Celestia gasped. “No! I’ve changed! Honest…”

Her former student only shook her head. “If that were true, you would’ve opened the gateway. No, all you’ve done is destroy someone. A person who, while rude at times, never deserved to be stripped of everything she had. But most of all she was and is my friend, but you took that away too.” She closed her eyes as her horn alit, casting a faint purple around the room. “Celestia, I’ve looked up to you all my life. As a filly, you were my idol with no equal. When you offered to let me be your pupil, I was beyond ecstatic. I couldn’t describe my excitement if I tried. Then as the years passed, I grew closer and closer to you. You were everything I had hoped and more; I daresay you were a second mother to me.”

The sun goddess said nothing, only staring with her wide eyes.

“Then I became a princess and alicorn. Few times have I been as nervous as then, but you were there encouraging me, and I decided to trust you. Celestia, you’ve meant the world to me all my life, the driving force that kept me dedicated to my studies. But most of all, you’ve been a member of my family.” Her eyes narrowed, flashing with betrayal. “And I’ve never been more disgusted to say that… I’m leaving. I need to fix what you’ve done, hoping it can be fixed. Goodbye, Princess.”

As she turned her head upward, no doubt picturing where her teleportation spell would take her, Celestia cried out. “N-no! No, no, no! Twilight, you’ve got to see that—”

“You said you would always be here for me. You were wrong.” Then she was gone in a flash of light.

The solar goddess went silent as she stared, unmoving, at the spot her former student had occupied moments ago. Then she sniffled.

“I…I… I did what was right, didn’t I? I-I fixed Ryan and kept my ponies s-safe.” She slammed her hoof onto the tabletop.

Hardly noticing the stream working its way down her cheeks, a hoarse cry erupted from the goddess’ throat. “No, no, no! Oh no… I-I lost both of them. My sister, my student. B-but she’s so much more than a student. And now I’ve lost them. What do I have now?”

Her eyes dared to glance around the castle chambers, but she looked away just as quick. “My throne? What good is that when I’m alone? I… I’ve lost them all…”

Celestia didn’t bother holding back her sobs as she collapsed against the table, head in her hooves. “I have nothing…

“Is… is this what I did to Ryan? Is that what she felt?” As no answer came, she could only weep.

The sun set two hours late that evening.

On the outskirts of Ponyville, a stallion hummed a gentle tune to himself as he pulled his cart along the road. Stopping to take a breather, he smiled at the sight of the welcome sign just up ahead. “Almost there…” he murmured.

The stallion took one last look at his cart and couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of it. He could remember just a week ago when he plastered those words, “Rocky Road Ice Cream,” onto the side of contraption. Speaking of which, he wasn’t even sure it could be called a cart anymore. More like a fridge on wheels, he joked.

Readying himself once again, the stallion named Rocky Road set off down the dirt trail, an extra spring in his step. He couldn’t wait for journey from the Crystal Empire to be completed.

Chapter 5 Lead by Lies

“Ugh… hangovers suck. They really do.” Silverbolt groaned as she readjusted herself on the couch.

I think I’ll just relax here for a while… She glanced at the still-unpacked boxes. …Ugh, I’ll get those later. I can only put those off for so long.

“Well this is familiar.”

Silverbolt nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice. She snapped around in an instant, coming muzzle-to-snout with a… thing. An eldritch abomination of mismatched parts, the chimera lounging in the opposite chair flashed her a grin.

“It’s been a while, my dear!” Discord said. “Far too long for my tastes. How have you been?”

“Discord?!” she gasped, jumping up from her seat on the couch.

He chuckled as he threw his feet—er, paws and claws—up, resting them on thin air. “Glad to see you’re glad to see me! You’re just jumping with excitement.”

Silverbolt shook her head, trying to scoot as far back as she could. “Why are you here?! What does the chaos god want with me?”

“Ooh, seventy-four.”

“…What?”

“Oh, nothing,” he said. “I just keep track of all the times someone uses that line. It’s quite surprising how much people hate it when you barge into their homes on a whim.”

“…What?”

He shook his head, sending a hopeless stare her way. “Never mind that. Knowing you, it’ll just lead to twenty more questions, and I’m not in the mood to play. How have you been?”

Silverbolt gulped. Okay, she thought. I’ve heard about this guy. He just likes messing with people. I can handle this. Steeling her nerves with a deep breath, she responded. “I’ve been… fine. Now can I ask why you’re here? What do you want from me?”

The draconequus pushed his hands to his chest in mock-offense. “Why, I’m offended! Can’t I visit an old friend without being accused of manipulating you into doing my bidding? Sure, I have a bad habit of doing that, but I’ve changed! Honest!”

Old friend…? Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean old friend?” Instead of the sarcastic, unhelpful answer she’d been expecting, Silverbolt felt a sinking feeling as the chimeric beast shot back a conniving, cynical smile. She could’ve sworn the room temperature dropped by twenty degrees.

“Oh…” he said, abandoning the chair he reclined upon. As his face twisted into the definition of insanity, his entire form levitated into the air, steadily drawing closer to the mare. “Don’t you remember? We had such fun together.”

Silverbolt gulped, able to do nothing but let herself sink into the couch cushions at her back. “What… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Figures you wouldn’t. Old Celly just couldn’t let the past go, could she?”

Discord hovered only a leg’s length away, prompting Silverbolt to shudder. “Celly? Do you mean the princess?”

The grin on his lips slowly widened into a broad, toothy smile. “Of course!” he proclaimed. “I suppose you wouldn’t remember that she wiped your mind and made you think you’re this… Silverbolt.”

“Hey!” she retorted, causing Discord to raise an eyebrow. The anxiousness in her system got yanked aside and replace by a new fire—a burning passion for her royal majesty. “Don’t talk about Princess Celestia like that! She would never do that to anypony. And me being mind wiped? Really? I remember my life.”

To her surprise, Discord back away from her outburst, appearing thoughtful as his claw-hand stroked his goatee. “Interesting… Wait, I’ve got it!” he shouted with glee.

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“You ask that a lot. Anyway…” He clapped his hands together. “I get it now. Celly did more than just strip you down to a blank slate. She programmed you. Programmed you to think a certain way, and that includes loving her!”

…The hell? What the hell?! Silverbolt stamped her hoof before jabbing it in Discord’s direction. A scowl taking her face, her voice dropped a note lower. “You know what? This is ridiculous. You barge into my new home—” She gestured around “—make absurd accusations, and then tell me I’ve been brainwashed by the princess. I’ll ask it again. You know what?”

“What?” he replied, sounding as bored as a rock farmer.

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re an idiot.”

“Mm… one hundred, seventy-two.”

“Get out of my house!”

“Don’t you see? Celly thinks I’m and idiot, therefore you think I’m an idiot! …Alright, alright!” he said, holding his hands out in front of him. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you! When all of this comes crashing down, I get to say ‘I told you so.’”

Silverbolt pointed to the door, still scowling. Her eyes flashed with a mix of irritation and tiredness. “Out. I have a big enough headache already, and I don’t need you making it worse. At least, not any more than you already have.”

With an innocent shrug, he snapped his fingers, teleporting himself to the door. Suitcase in hand and a trilby on his antler, he said, “Since you clearly don’t want guests, however much they’re trying to help you, I’ll be taking my leave.” He giggled. “I’ll be watching…

“…Ryan.”

“Ry—agh!” She shrieked as a pain tore through her skull, rocketing out the other side. It slammed her to her knees as she clutched at her head, tears springing forward. “Ah! Owowow!”

Through her pain, Silverbolt heard the sound of laughter… dark, cynical laughter. “Don’t you remember, Ryan?” Discord said, flashing inches from her face with a snap of his hand. “We had so much fun together at Fluttershy’s after all!”

“Fl-flutter…?” Another wave of pain slammed her head. Silverbolt cried out in agony, shrieking as if a spike had jutted through her skull. “Oh God!” she gasped, “Oh God, oh God, oh God.”

Discord rolled his eyes. “I’d tell you to be more specific, but I’ve made that joke before. So tell me, Ryan, do you remember anything of our vacation to the Crystal Empire together? You, me, an earthquake, and a castle full of incompetent guards! Good times.”

Tears stung the mare’s eyes as each word out of the chaos god’s mouth swung at her, taking turns in beating her skull in. She couldn’t even form a word anymore; her mind screamed pain and pain alone, bursting from her body as wretched screeches.

“And the best part…” Discord whispered into her ear, “is that you’re hopelessly lost, and you don’t even realize it. I know I’d be asking what the hell is going on if I were you. Ryan Wolfe, you’re a long way from Raleigh.”

With a whimper, the mare known as Silverbolt slumped against the couch cushions, unconscious.

“Huh,” Discord said, taking a step back. “I may have gone a tad bit too far.” He shrugged. “Ah, well. She’s been prone to mental breakdowns anyway. Nighty-night, my dear Ryan! Don’t let the alicorns bite.”

With a snap of his claw, he vanished in a shower of gold and silver sparkles, but not before leaving behind a note in his place.

To Silverbolt… it said.

“Sil--!”

…Uh?

“W--k up! Sil---bolt!”

Huh? Someone’s…

“GET THE BUCK UP!”

Silverbolt’s eyes flew open as she sprang into action. Legs kicking her back and hooves scrambling for a hoofhold, she gasped as the scenery flooded into her consciousness. “Wha-what?”

“Silverbolt! What happened?”

As the fuzz in her eyes faded away, allowing her to focus, the mare glanced around the room. She nearly gasped at the unfamiliar room around her, only to realize it was just her new home. With her bearings intact, she shifted her gaze down to a little white unicorn sitting in front of her. “…Vinyl?” she said, voice a low mutter.

Then she noticed the arduous mix of relief and anger plastered on that little white unicorn’s face.

“What’s going?!” Vinyl demanded. “Why were you screaming?”

Silverbolt leaned back, brow furrowing at the words. “Screaming? I-I was screaming?”

“Uh, yeah,” she deadpanned. “We could hear you from next door.”

“We?” Vinyl stepped aside, pointing her hoof toward another pony behind her. Silverbolt recognized the mare in an instant. “Octavia? You’re here too?”

“Mmhm,” she responded. Walking around the coffee table to gold mare’s side, she said, “Dear, what happened? We heard you screaming, only to find you passed out by the time we got here.”

“Yeah, what happened?” her roommate added, impatience still riding high.

Silverbolt darted her eyes between the two mares for a few moments, thoughts racing behind a blank-faced mask. Okay, okay… what happened? she thought. I came home from their house, sat… here. Then… By chance, her eyes trailed away, settling on an out-of-place note on her table.

She gasped. “Discord.”

“Huh? What was that? I can’t hear you if you whisper.”

Silverbolt cocked her head, meeting Vinyl in a silent stare; neither spoke for a few seconds. “...I don’t know,” the earth pony lied. “I can’t remember.”

Vinyl recoiled back as if struck by the words. “You don’t…? No, no, no.” Shaking her head, she said, “You were wailing like a banshee. Something had to have happened.”

“Well…” She sighed. “Something did happen… recently. You see, I had a carriage accident in Canterlot. I’ll spare you the details, but I’ve been getting splitting headaches ever since. I think that’s it. I must’ve had the worst one yet.”

Her two neighbors shared a glance, skepticism flashing between them. “Are you… sure nothing else happened?” Octavia asked.

She only nodded in response.

“…Alright then…”

Vinyl shook her head. “Come on, there had to be more to it than a headache. You sounded awful. I thought you were dying for Celestia’s sake.”

“And I’m sorry about that,” she replied. “But I’m pretty sure that’s what happened. I mean, look around. Everything’s fine including me.”

“…I guess,” the DJ said, not sounding too convinced. “You know, you should check into a hospital if it’s that bad.”

“I know, I know… In fact, I’ll do that now if you’d like. I feel inclined to agree with you.” Pushing herself onto all fours, she hopped to the floor, careful not to stumble under her tired limbs. Passing out would do that, she thought, none-too-pleased at the notion.

In return, Vinyl shot her an unamused look. “You know what? Okay, I can see that you’re alright. I’m still not sure what the hay happened to you, but as long as you have it under control… And you do have it under control, right?”

She blinked. “…Of course! Other than the occasional mind-breaking headache, I’m as chipper as a chipmunk.”

“…With a phrase like that, how can I say no?” Heaving a sigh, Vinyl turned away, gesturing for Octavia to follow. “Sorry if I acted brash, but I’ve had one too many scares as of late. You sure you’re alright?”

“Uh-huh.”

Nodding, she said, “Okay. If you need anything, you know where to find us. And please, don’t scare us or anypony like that again.” With a nod from Silverbolt, she headed out the door, magicking it open as she trudged past.

“Oh, and Silverbolt?” Octavia called, looking over her shoulder. “The same comes from me. I wish you well. I know your moving here has been rather… hectic the past two days.”

“I know, but it’s fine, really.” She said. Darning a sudden grin, the mare flashed confidence in her eyes. “What more could I ask for? A little excitement never hurt anyone, heh…” Silverbolt forced out a few chuckles to match the mask she wore. For a second, her eyes made a pass to the note on her table. “Say… Octavia? I’ve also been looking to meet a pony, and I was wondering if you knew where I could find her.”

“Oh? Who would that be?”

Somewhere between a smirk and a grimace, Silverbolt replied. “Fluttershy.”

“Fluttershy?” she repeated, sounding surprised at the request. “Why are you looking for Fluttershy?”

She shrugged. “I’ve just… heard about her. Thought I’d meet her.”

Octavia raised an eyebrow didn’t question her antics. “Well, she is a national hero after all. She lives just outside the town, less than a mile from here. You only need to head down the road.”

“Sweet, thanks!”

“Anytime, dear.” With a last nod in her direction, Octavia trotted away, shutting the door behind her.

Silverbolt lasted all of three seconds before scrambling for her letter. “To Silverbolt,” she read aloud. Wasting not a second more, she bit down on the edge of the paper and tore it open. As she shook the letter out of its envelope, her mind raced on thoughts. What does he want? she wondered. What about all that crazy stuff he said? What about Princess Celestia? The mare could only hope the letter in her hooves held answers.

“Here goes…” she said, unfurling it as her eyes darted to the first words on the page.

You should get some ice cream for that headache. Keep in touch! Love, Discord.

“…Wha?” She set it down before promptly snatching it back up again, wild eyes scanning over it. Even the opposite side was void of anything. “That’s all it says!” she cried. “Seriously? Ugh.”

Shaking her head in annoyance, she crumpled the letter and tossed it away. “Well, what now? As strange as it is… I think something actually is going on.” Silverbolt’s eyes glanced left to right as if looking for an eavesdropper. Perhaps an unhelpful draconequus. “Something’s going on with my headaches, I can say that much. It’s almost as if… certain things set them off…”

Not that I’m going to think about them now, she thought, trying to repel memories of Discord’s words. A nagging ache nearly sprung up just at the action.

After taking a minute to reorganize herself, Silverbolt gave a stretch of her legs. She set off for the door saying, “Okay. Fluttershy. Mile down the road. Remember that.” Outside, the mare blinked her eyes for a few moments as her eyes adjusted the midday light. Then she set off down the road, one destination in mind.

Nothing, she thought. Nothing’s going to get in my way now.

“Oomph!” she gasped, snapping to attention as she bumped into something in her way. A pony! she realized as soon as her eyes registered the brown-coated form of a stallion. “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention there.”

The stallion shook his head before looking down at her. “That’s alright. I should’ve been watching… Silverbolt?”

Silverbolt blinked, having leaned away in surprise. “Oh, uh, have we met before?” Giving him a once-over, she saw he had a simple dark mane in addition to his coat, complemented by an ice cream cone mark on his flank. Fittingly, the icy dessert had the same color scheme.

“Don’t you remember?” he said, a hint of disappointment creeping into his voice.

Silverbolt cringed at the phrase. She’d had enough remembering as of late.

“Well, we did only meet for a few minutes, I guess.” With a shrug, he added, “I’m Rocky Road. I showed you to the ‘castle-tower-thing’ in the Crystal Empire.”

And…. there it is, the mare thought, biting her lip as her head fired up once again. She breathed a sigh of relief that the pain didn’t hold a candle to what she felt earlier, so she let it pass. Thinking for a moment, Silverbolt realized that Rocky here was living proof of what Discord claimed… in some regard. Despite her recent amnesia, she actually did visit the Crystal Empire for some reason if some random stallion recognized her. Maybe I should see if he knows something… she thought. But I’d prefer it in a way that doesn’t cause me to pass out. With a breath, she made her choice.

“Right, I totally remember you know. In fact, I remember you so well that we should never mention our past experiences together again, okay?”

“Um… sure?”

“Great!” she cheered. “So what brings you to Ponyville?”

“Well…” he nodded toward the hitched to him. “I’m expanding the business so to speak. I’ve left my Crystal Empire store in the hooves of the managers to travel a bit. Rocky Road’s Ice Cream will be known throughout Equestria! …Heh, hopefully.”

Silverbolt flashed him a modest smile. “That’s nice. With a little luck… Wait. Did you say ice cream?”

“You bet!” he said, gesturing to the brand name on his cart. “Why? Interested in some?”

You should get some ice cream for that headache… she thought. Her eyes turned back to Rocky, a new apprehension hidden behind them. “…Maybe another time.”

“Aw, okay. So what brings you to Ponyville? Last I heard, you were visiting the Empire from—”

“Hey, hey, hey! No talking about the past, remember?”

He raised an eyebrow. “…Right.”

“Thanks,” she said, not caring how weird she sounded. She needed answers, and she wouldn’t let a bit of awkwardness drag her down. “Why am I in Ponyville? Funny enough, I just moved here.”

“Oh, wow, really? Other than being accident prone, I hear this is a nice place to live. Good choice… Well…” He glanced around the street, watching the ponies go by for a moment. “I hate having to cut us off, but I need to get back on the Road… which is kinda funny since I’m named Rocky Road… heh.” Try as he might, he couldn’t hide the cringe at his own words.

Silverbolt smirked at his antics. “Adorable. In any case, that’s fine. I was heading out anyway.”

“Okay then. I guess I’ll be going now. Goodbye, Silverbolt!” Flashing a smile, he readjusted his harness, ready to get back to his path.

“See you... Wait, hold on.”

“Huh?”

I can’t just let him leave. He might know something. “Are you going to be in Ponyville for long? Wanna hang out sometime?”

“Oh! Uh…” He glanced away in thought for a moment. “Sure, I have some time. You can probably find me in the market square during the day.”

She nodded. “Cool. See you around?”

“Yeah. See you.”

With a warm smile, she bid him farewell before setting off on her own path, a swirl of emotions swishing through her brain.

“There’s something weird about Silverbolt…”

Octavia glanced up from her book, raising an eyebrow as she watched her roommate’s pacing. “I thought we already agreed upon that.”

“Yeah, but…” Vinyl heaved an annoyed sigh. “There’s more to it than that. I thought it was weird that she said Ryan’s music sounded familiar, but now? Who screams like that over a headache, passes out, then just brushes it off?”

“You never know. Some ponies are simply strange.”

Vinyl didn’t respond, content to stop and think. “…Not to mention how much she reminds of Ryan…”

“Hmm… Maybe she’s Ryan’s long lost sister, separated at birth.”

Vinyl rolled her eyes. “Oh, haha. Next you’ll be saying they’re actually—”

Her ears perked up at the sound of a knock at the door.

“Oh?” Octavia said, pushing herself up from her seat. “Who could that be?”

Gesturing for her friend to sit back down, Vinyl trotted to the door. “I’ll see.” She threw it open, revealing one lavender alicorn behind. “Twilight?!”

“Twilight?” Octavia repeated. “As in Princess Twilight?”

The alicorn didn’t waste a moment. “Hello, Vinyl. It’s been a while...

“We need to talk.”