Welcome to the Show, Twilight

Twilight slowly stirred awake with a yawn as she started to stretch with a groan, forcing her eyes open.

Shining Armor was nowhere in sight. He had not been to bed last night… Sundays date with Rarity and Cadance must had gone well.

“Mmm… time, master?”

The diamond flashed into reality before her, “Plenty of time, Slutlight,” it answered, “You do not have a job nor owner today.”

That got her attention and she struggled up to sit, rubbing her eyes sleepily before looking towards the floating diamond in the air, “But it’s monday.”

“It is,” the diamond agreed, “But it is also a major milestone for you. You have now been on the show for one hundred and eighty two days. Half a year.”

She gaped at it, “S-six months?”

“Indeed. If you had gone with a regular duration, this would have been the endpoint. Instead, you have reached a major milestone and earned a major perk. Would you like to hear the list of available options? You can, of course, also chose not to go with any of them?”

Six months.

She had been here for six months. Twilight slowly sank down against the bed, ignoring her morning hardon with what was by no practiced ease.

She could have been done. Been back home with her friends. The versions here was close, but not… they weren’t the real thing.

Twilight closed her eyes for a moment before she nodded, “Y-yes.”

“Of course,” and then Master displayed a list for her.

Crystal Fun: It will cause you to take on the aspect of the crystal ponies, turning partly see through until the end of the show.

Pretty Please: Makes all ponies and other creatures more attractive according to your personal preferences.

Sizable Contribution: All cocks(Princess Celestia and Spike excluded) are now twenty five to fifty percent larger.

Co-op: Invite somepony from your world to join the Show. Their run last until yours end, but otherwise choose their own rewards and challenges. They may of course decline the invitation.

Twilight stared at the list and swallowed. Her eyes locked on to the last option. She could see one of her friends again! She could…

...but could she? That would be so horribly selfish, to bring somepony else into this thing. Could she really do that?

They could decline, couldn’t they?

And after everything that had happened, could it really be called selfish to just… this thing? This one thing?

“Master… if I picked Co-op, they can decline, right? They’ll be told the entire thing?”

“Indeed,” Master answered, “The Show is completely consensual and even if they join, they would be presented with a number of options and rewards tailored to them for them to pick freely from. The only modification compared to your contract would be that their time on the Show would match your remaining time.”

Twilight nodded and frowned down at her hooves on the bed. If she picked that, what would she pick?

Princess Celestia or Luna… no. She wouldn’t be able to look either in the eye after. Especially if the Owner…

Oh.

“Would my Owners still apply? Say if I picked Princess Celestia?”

“They would not, you would need to choose a different Owner.”

She nodded.

Not them anyway. Absolutely not Shiny or one of her parents. Cadance…

She might enjoy it, but she couldn’t do that to her. She had Flurry Heart and Shiny to worry about.

Rainbow Dash? Maybe, she’d be able to handle it, but Twilight couldn’t help but worry that she’d just pick things during the contract and not think things through.

Rarity… Rarity was a maybe. She’d be able to handle it she thought, but it would be a bit much… but then again, so it had been for her.

Fluttershy was a no. This Fluttershy might be good about it, but no. She just couldn’t.

Pinkie Pie had to be another maybe. She was just too Pinkie not to be able to handle things.Twilight couldn’t help but worry about the option things though.

Then there was…

Applejack.

Twilight hesitated and frowned. She had gotten a bit of a thing about Applejack while on the Show, but it wouldn’t be the same. But… she’d be able to handle it and Twilight knew she’d be sensible with the options and choices.

Swallowing, Twilight licked her fangs and shifted a bit on the bed. Could she… could she really do it?

Applejack could say no if she didn’t want to do it.

She could find out if it… if it really could be something between them. Twilight groaned and rolled onto her back and pulled a pillow over her face, screaming for a second of frustration before she sighed and pushed it back.

She couldn’t but she had to but she couldn’t but she needed to see a friend but it was wrong but…

Twilight collapsed against the bed.

She couldn’t do it. She wanted to seem them so badly it hurt, but she… just couldn’t do that to any of her friends.

Twilight groaned and slid the pillow off her face, “...Can I pick something else?”

“Of course, those were simply suggestions. Do you have something in mind?”

“...Can I have a way to get to Ponyville easily? The train or flying is too slow.”

“Confirmed,” Master agreed, “A portal arch has been installed inside the wardrobe with the other installed in the Treebrary.”

Twilight quickly surged up to jump off the bed, only to gag and cough as master shoved a nutrient pill down her throat.

...Oh yeah, should likely have changed that instead…