PERHAPS I ACTUALLY WRITE GOOD COMEDY THIS TIME
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IT DOESN'T MATTER (by Tony Harnell)
PERHAPS I ACTUALLY WRITE GOOD COMEDY THIS TIME
“I’ve known for a long time, Fluttershy. I was hoping that one day, you might reveal yourself to us. We’re your best friends! I tried to be patient… really! But I’ve been ignoring the elephant… well, changeling in the room for too long.” Fluttershy’s frustration at the topic was clear. She sighed, looking away from Twilight.
“Well, I don’t show off. You know that, Twilight. So don’t criticize me for something like that.” Twilight frowned. She was avoiding the actual point of the conversation she was trying to have.
“That’s not the point! You’re a changeling, yet you’ve managed to hide this despite all the crazy things we’ve been through. How were you able to avoid Shining and Cadance’s spell?” Shining Armor's was specifically designed for hostiles. Fluttershy looked to give the question legitimate consideration. However, she soon shook her head, sighing.
“I don’t know, Twilight. I think it’s because I’m just living by my own feelings. Changelings are supposed to have undying loyalty to the queen and seek love. I just take what love is given to me, even when I’ve felt starved and weak. I swore to never harm ponies with my changeling abilities. And I won’t give in to temptation. I won’t compromise that promise.” So Fluttershy was guessing that the spell deemed her worthy. Twilight had to admit, it wasn’t an answer any magic user would have accepted, but her understanding of friendship showed the plausibility in Fluttershy’s theory.
“So, you’re saying that you got excused for having a steadfast heart of gold?” The explanation would’ve been ridiculous to anypony else. Fluttershy blinked, surprise written across her face. She giggled.
“I don’t know why I can’t leave pony morals behind, though it might be tough to stick by them. It’s ridiculous. Maybe it’s another one of the ways I’m different from others. I have no survival instinct as a changeling. I’m not out of control like other starved changelings, just living by my word.” Twilight nodded. It was interesting. Despite her time with Fluttershy, she’d always felt she couldn’t understand her. Just why did the changeling stick with them? She now had an answer straight from the horse's mouth. It was relieving, almost as if she had been the one with secrets.
“There’s just one thing i don’t understand. I can accept the idea that you didn’t want to leave behind the ethics of pony society, but why did you adopt them in the first place?” The question seemed to displease Fluttershy, who put her hoof up, signalling for Twilight to stop.
“Don’t ask me why; I don’t need a reason. I’ve got my way of doing things as a changeling… my own way.” That was it, then. Twilight supposed she couldn’t get all the answers. Fluttershy cleared her throat, and Twilight realized the worried look on Fluttershy’s face.
“You’re… okay with this, right? I’m just wondering… Do you plan on telling the girls? The other princesses?” Fluttershy had been with her through thick and thin. The Elements of Harmony and the Rainbow Power approved of her. The Crystal Heart approved of her. Shining Armor’s spell had ignored her at least twice, once fueled by Cadance’s love magic. It was obvious. She had no need to tell the others if Fluttershy didn’t want to.
“It doesn’t matter now what happens. You want to tell them, we tell them. You don’t want to, we don’t. They find out, we’ll explain,” Twilight said. A confident grin shown across her face. “I trust the others will understand. And if they don’t, I will never give up the fight for your right to be here.” Fluttershy beamed happily, pulling Twilight into a hug.
“Thank you, Twilight. But there is no way I will run away from all of my frights. I want them to accept me for who I really am.” Letting go of each other, Twilight had to admit, she hardly ever saw Fluttershy so passionate about something. “As long as the voice inside me says go, I will always keep on running towards that goal! There is no way to stop me from going to the very top!” Fluttershy suddenly blushed. “Oh, but I'm being such a drama queen! There I go ranting again, I need to stop doing that.” Twilight rolled her eyes.
“Don’t worry, Fluttershy. I’ll make sure they understand they’re wrong about the changelings!” Fluttershy quickly shook her head.
“It doesn’t matter who is wrong or who is right. The Canterlot Invasion was devastating, Twilight. The changelings made themselves monsters in they eyes of ponies. I was devastated that my true self would be seen as an enemy of Equestria. Well, I won’t look back at that any further. I don’t need to. Time won’t wait for me to get over the setback, and I got so much to do.” Twilight felt confused. What did Fluttershy mean by that? Fluttershy sighed, continuing.
“I don’t care about other changelings. They deserve the hatred for what they’ve done. But I have no part in that. I just want to clear my own name, Twilight. But where do I stop? The line ponies could draw between me and other changelings… It’s all a blur and so unclear… And, perhaps they’re not wrong. Maybe there are other changelings like me. Or maybe they’re all savages. Well, I don’t know, but I can’t be wrong about myself, can I?”
“So, what you’re saying is… You don’t want ponies to understand changelings in a different light. You want ponies to understand you. You don’t like the changelings anymore than a pony might, but you can’t be certain there aren’t other changelings like you.” Fluttershy nodded.
“This fight is not for anybody; this is purely for myself. And while there might be other changelings out there like me, I can’t delude ponies to think the changelings aren’t monstrous without any proof myself. But there is no way I’m going to give up until the very end! The other changelings… I can’t tell what is wrong and what is right in regards to how I try to help them, but I’ve got to find the answer. But until I do, there’s no way I’m going to give up!” Twilight could feel the passion Fluttershy held for the subject. She pulled her into a hug.
“Well, Fluttershy, I think you should place all your bets on the one you think is right.” Fluttershy nodded understandingly.
…
“Er… so… do you need me to do anything right now?” Fluttershy got a confused look on her face.
“The… the song’s over, Twilight.” Now Twilight was the one confused.
“What are you talking about?” Fluttershy looked around nervously,as if thinking to herself. She suddenly brightening up.
“Oh, silly me! Er… could we redo that last part?” Twilight raised a brow.
“I think you should place all your bets on what you think’s right.”
“But I’m not sure what’s right. But like I said. Long as the voice inside drives me to run and fight, it doesn’t matter who is right or wrong.” Twilight blinked.
“That doesn’t make any sense!” Fluttershy blushed, rubbing her hooves together.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting you to actually know the song, much less both versions of it. Sorry about that.” There was ‘the song’ again. What song?
“Just what song are you talking about?” Fluttershy seemed surprised.
“It Doesn’t Matter,” Fluttershy stated simply. Twilight couldn’t help but groan.
“What do you mean it doesn’t matter? Of course it matters! I don’t get what song has to do with you being a changeling, or anything we’ve been talking about!” Fluttershy seemed to freeze in realization at something. Twilight grunted, signalling for her to share.
“You… actually don’t know the song, do you? Oh my…” Twilight grunted again.
“You know what, I’m going to go now. You want to take this seriously, we can talk about it later.” Twilight disappeared in a flash of her horn. Fluttershy struggled to understand what had just happened. Rainbow Dash burst out of the closet, guffaws of laughter bursting out of her.
“I can’t believe it! We actually got her! She somehow worked through the song without even knowing it! You’ve got to be kidding me! I thought she saw right through the prank when she started spouting lyrics back, but…BEST PRANK EVER!” Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle as well.
