Author's Note

Suuuuper early chapter today because I get the feeling that I won't want to do crap later on today. So early chapter! Yay!

I was not sure what would happen really in this chapter. I wasn't sure how Spitfire would react, or how Mesma would. I knew how it would end, but otherwise, it happened very slowly. I kinda like where it went though. With their reactions I mean. Normally I wouldn't hesitate to think that Spits would cause bodily harm, paint the walls with blood, all of that. But with all of what went on, I like to think she would have tried to be the bigger pony here. To be what Mesma could not be. So yeah. This happened.

Hope you all enjoy this!

Choices

Spitfire stared at Mesma for a very long time. Her mind tried to twist itself around her story, how she lost a child, tried everything to get one, and was forced to do everything she had done. But Spitfire could not accept that this was forced entirely. She suspected- no, she knew that that had not been the only option here. She stepped forward.

“You had a choice, Mesma. You always had a choice. You could have been upfront with Thunderlane. You could have told him what happened. He might have helped you willingly. But instead, you took away his choice. You didn’t have one, and you took away his too.”

“There wasn’t a choice for me. There never was! I tried everything. I went through hell. And you’re right. I could have asked him. But do you honestly think he would have consented to this voluntarily?! Furthermore, do you think that it’s easy remembering and sharing all of that?! It’s like trying to cut yourself open and harvest your own organs and still expecting yourself to be alive after! There were times that I thought about trying to kill myself just to make it end. That kind of pain is unbearable. I tried to let go of that burden, tried to share it, but nopony would help me.”

Spitfire hesitated before speaking. “I will.”

Mesma looked up. “You’ll what?”

“I will help you.”

Mesma laughed, a bit hysterically. “How in Equestria will you help me?! You hate me! For all I know, your idea of helping me would end me up in a bloodied heap on the floor!”

“No, I wouldn’t.” She answered immediately. “Because I am not like you. I don’t use force on other ponies. I don’t do things without their consent. You’ve spent your entire life trying to fill the void that your child left. I can’t say I completely understand. But I know some of what you feel. Because you created that same void when you took Thunderlane. The Wonderbolts aren’t just a team. We’re a family. And we protect our own.”

“You never answered my question: How will you help me?”

“I won’t personally do anything to you for foalnapping my teammate. I can’t guarantee the princesses will see it as kindly as I do. And to that point, Princess Twilight already knows what you’ve done. I don’t doubt that the rest of the princesses will be informed, if they haven’t been already. But, I’m getting off track here. I will talk to the princesses, I will ask them to be more lenient with you. I will attempt to convince them to give you the help you need. I think you haven’t been showed a lot of mercy, and because of that you don’t know how to give it. I will give it to you, if you reverse everything you have done to Thunderlane, and come with us.”

For a moment, Mesma looked torn. She wanted forgiveness, she wanted mercy. But could she give up the one thing she always wanted in exchange? She looked at Thunderlane, who had, in the course of the conversation, calmed down, and started to play. The innocence, the joy in his expression, it filled her with light. But it made her wonder- was that light inside of her good? Or was it just some deformed and demented version of the darkness within her. She saw the darkness, the selfishness inside of her. It was clear to her, despite her somewhat tainted mindset.

Then, finally, she looked at Spitfire. “Promise me that you’ll take care of him.” She looked close to tears. “He gave me the only true happiness I have had in years. Please, promise me.”

Spitfire nodded. “I promise.”

Mesma took a second to compose herself. She wiped the tears in her eyes away with a swipe of the hoof. “Okay. I will go with you.” She said. “But I will not reverse any of this until we are safely away from this place. It is sacred. I can’t… I can’t do that here.” She said. Spitfire looked her in the eyes and saw honesty in them.

“Fine.” Spitfire said. She looked to Thunderlane. “Can he fly in his current condition?”

Mesma nodded. “Yes, he can.”

“Get him flying, but cover him up first.” It was an order. Mesma was not one for taking orders, but this time, she followed. She covered him with a onesie, one of the ones that matched his coat, then went over to Spitfire with him. The Wonderbolts flanked the pair, front, back, sides, and once they began flying, one above and below. So Thunderlane didn’t fly away and Mesma didn’t escape.

By the time they all got back to Ponyville, It was around seven in the morning. All of the Wonderbolts were exhausted. They landed in the outskirts of town. Spitfire turned to Mesma.

“It’s time.” She said.

Mesma looked dreadful. Absolutely stricken. She took one look at Thunderlane, who saw her glance and grinned at her. Her heart swelled, overflowing with love for him, and she pressed one last kiss to his forehead. Thunderlane giggled.

“Mama.” He cooed. It was a knife to the heart for her to hear that. That word that she had never been called, but always longed for. She had to bite back a sob. She pulled herself together almost at once.

“Mommy loves you.” She said. Then, she said the reversal word. “Watermelon.”

Thunderlane’s eyes went blank, and then, he was back. They all saw it in the fire in his eyes and the way his stance changed. He looked around.

“What happened?” He asked, completely confused.

“We’ll explain on the way.” Spitfire said. “Come on, we’re going to the castle.” She said. Thunderlane nodded. They all took off together, and headed to the castle.

Rainbow Dash was the one who eventually knocked on the door that morning.

And then, the door opened, and Mesma’s heart sank. In that moment, she knew that life as she knew it was over.

And she was right.