Filly Eyes

Chapters

Chapter 2: Barrier
Chapter 3: Pre-party
Chapter 4: The Gift
Chapter 5: Comfort
Chapter 6: Enhanced Snuggle Therapy
Chapter 7: Internet Fame!
Chapter 8: Testing!
Chapter 9: Realizations
Chapter 10: Vice Versa
Chapter 11: Opening
Chapter 12: Honesty
Chapter 13: Discord's Concessions
Chapter 14: Misdeeds and Follies: part 1
Chapter 15: Misdeeds and Follies part 2, Forgiveness
Chapter 16: An Admission of Fear
Chapter 17: What is Necessary
Chapter 18: Guilt
Chapter 20: Kittens, Confessions, and Cutie Marks
Chapter 21: The Fourth Filly
Chapter 22: Alternate Past
Chapter 23: New Developments
Chapter 24: Coming to Terms
Chapter 25: New Magick
Chapter 26: Echoes
Chapter 27: The Party!
Chapter 28: Filly Action Squad!
Chapter 29: Intermission
Chapter 30: The Next Morning
Chapter 31: The Trap
Chapter 32: Priority Shift
Chapter 33: Let's Just Do What You Wanna Do!
Chapter 35: Revelations
Chapter 36: In The Open
Chapter 37: Relapse
Chapter 38: Acceptance
Chapter 40: But What About Cozy?
Chapter 41: Catatonic
Chapter 42: Harbinger
Chapter 43: Realignment
Epilogue: A Filly Named Twinkle Shine
Chapter 1: What They Don't Know...
Chapter 19: The Cutie Mark Quest
Chapter 34: Those Darn Fillies!
Chapter 39: The Reformation

Chapter 2: Barrier

I lay in my bed, snuggling my huge Pinkie Pie on my left side in the fetal position in a completely non-cute manner, when I can’t help but hear snickering coming from the air in front of the bed… I then hear a cheerful voice whisper, “You’re right! It’s the most adorable thing in the universe!”

I open my eyes to behold the blue unicorn with the wavy mop mane of a darker shade who made the comment, standing to the left of an orange alicorn. I say, “What are you two doing in my room!”

Izzy starts and widens her eyes while bringing her neck back a few inches, “Well, we weren’t watching you adorably snuggling a plushie in your sleep or anything, that’s for sure!”

I squint at the other unicorn, “Good! Because that’s definitely not what was happening!”

Sunny smiles and giggles slightly, “Really? Because that’s what it looked like to me!”

I move my eyes to the winged pony, “Shut up, butthole alicorn!” I shake my head, “Alright, you two! Get out of my room for a few minutes and I’ll be out shortly!”

Izzy smiles slightly, “Well that’s fine, Jessi! Uh” she widens her eyes, “don’t take too long though! I brought your best friend Twinkle Shine with me!”

I raise my eyes to the bedpost as I continue to lay there on my side, “Oh, golly!”

<*****>

I sat there at the table, thinking to myself… I see a picture of an older gray earth stallion across the room from me, and I can’t help but wonder who he is? I shake my head after quickly realizing that that’s probably not important… I then hear snickering and talking coming from the other room across the area from me…

I frown as I wonder, what could they possibly be doing in there? The assignment was simple! Get Jessi! What the hay is exactly taking so long?

Then, the door on the other side of the room opens, across from the coffee table and a blue unicorn appears first out of the door, she smiles at me while widening her red eyes, “Jessi was sleeping in the fetal position inside her pillow nest while snuggling a big Pinkie Pie plush and it was just the cutest thing ever!”

I frown at this unicorn, “Okay uh, but she’s coming out soon?”

Then, a feminine voice says from behind Izzy, “I’d like to exit too, you know?”

Izzy widens her eyes again and says, “Whoa! Sorry Sunny!” before trotting all the way out the door and to my right as her wavy mane shakes with each nuance and an orange alicorn trots into the room from behind her…

Sunny looks at me, “Regardless of “she rolls her eyes, “how cute she may or may not be, Jessi will soon be out, Twinkle Shine!”

I widen my eyes to the orange pony, “Oh golly gee, that’d be just swell, Sunny!” I blink, “Uh, the trot here sure was exhausting! Do you have anything to drink, please?” I say before smiling adorably and tilting my face to the left to ramp up my cuteness and force the other pony to comply…

Sunny blinks at me, “Oh uh, sure! How does orange juice sound?”

I smile as sincerely as I can before nodding my head to the orange pony, “Oh golly, that’s perfect Sunny! Thank you so much!”

<*****>

I use my horn to cause the knob to glow and the door opens inward to my right as I hear two ponies talking in the living room…

I trot closer to the door to see what I can hear when Izzy says, “So, what were you and Jessi gonna do today?”

I hear my friend say back to the unicorn, “Well, I thought a trip to the park would be fun and that way, we can be out of your manes while you and Sunny are spending time here!” before I hear her gulping down liquid.

Izzy replies, “Oh Twinkle! You’re so considerate!”

“I know!” She burps, “Um, excuse me!”

At that point, I scrunch my brows and think, Oh geez! What is that little devil planning now? Before magically opening the door all the way as I step back to avoid getting hit, and I trot out into the living room and stare at the pink pegasus, “Hiya Twinkle Shine!”

She smiles at me and sets an empty glass down on the table to her left near the wall before she begins walking in my direction and as her wavy bluish-white mane bounces on her head, she says, “Hiya Jessi! I’m here again!”

I widen my eyes and reply robotically, “Yes! You certainly are!” as the other filly trots all the way to me and embraces me in a tight warm hug with her forehooves and I squeak, “EEP!”

She whispers in my left ear while holding me, “I missed you, friend!”

At that point, I feel a warmth in the pit of my body, but I repress it to stay resilient. However, I do return the hug with my own forehooves so as not to seem weird as I whisper back, “I missed you too, friend!”

She releases and returns to her hooves before me and gazes my direction with her wide auburn eyes before smiling and saying, “Hiya Jessi! Wanna go to the park with me and play?”

I grin back at the other filly, “Sure thing, Twinkle Shine!”

<*****>

I trot to the left of the teal filly and look at her and smile as I say, “Golly, that sure was fun last time!”

She looks back at me and smiles, “Yup! It sure was! So uh, what’s the plan?”

I frown while keeping pace with her, “What do you mean? We were gonna go play at the park, remember?”

She nods, “Well, I know you said that, but seriously, what are we gonna do instead?”

I widen my eyes. “Well, uh, we were gonna go to the park and play, like I said we were…”

She grimaces, “So, no crazy adventures this time?”

“Uh, we’re not gonna do mischievous stuff, all the time, you know?”

She replies, “Well, they haven’t caught us, yet?”

I nod, “Exactly! And if we wanna keep from getting caught, we’re not gonna be bad, that often!”

<*****>

I look over at the pink pegasus as we both stand there in the dirt road and she asks me, “So, tell me again how you talked me into this?”

I look back at her to my right and smile, “Come on! It’ll be fun!” before looking back to Sunny’s house before us. “So uh, you wanna knock, or should I?”

She smiles, “I think you should be the one to knock! Since, you know, it was your idea!”

I look back up at the porch and it’s three imposing steps to the landing on top and gulp, “Well, okay Twinkle! You stay here for moral support and just run with me to the bushes after I knock!”

She nods, “Got it, Jessi!”

I trot up all three steps to the landing and take two paces towards the door before, knocking as loud and hard as I can and then, widening my eyes before I turn back to dart off the porch swiftly and fly towards the bushes on the other side of the road as fast as my hooves can carry me!

As I’m moving across the road composed of dark earth, I can’t help but notice that I don’t see Twinkle Shine anywhere!

I crash into the bushes just in time to hear the telltale click of Sunny’s front door unlocking and it swings open to reveal an orange alicorn.

I gaze from behind the bushes as Sunny raises her chin and turns her neck left and right to look around, “Hello? Is anypony there?”

I smile and snicker silently to myself as I watch this…

She shakes her head and closes the door while the knob glows golden and then, it stops shining after the door shuts…

<*****>

I climb out the back window with my prize in my mouth, a bag of fresh chocolate chip chocolate cookies! I turn around and squat before launching myself to fly over the house and gaze at the bushes just beyond the dirt road and smile around the bag as I spot the green unicorn filly with the grayish-white mane and tail skulking back there.

She widens her eyes as she suddenly spots me and I slow my flapping to descend as I glide closer to the bushes and land on my hooves, just beyond the road with a slight skidding.

I bring my little wings to my body and look at the unicorn before saying through my teeth, “Look what I found!”

She smiles, “See? I knew you’d figure out a way to make this fun!”

I nod, “Yeah! Now we just need to get our hooves on some milk!”

I suddenly hear a mare’s voice behind me shout, “Twinkle Shine! I thought you were going to the park?”

I widen my eyes and drop the bag to my awaiting right forehoof and quickly turn around on my haunches while carefully hiding the bag behind my back with both my forehooves and smile at the alicorn, currently trotting towards me across the street. “Oh, golly gee Sunny! I just thought it would be swell if I got some cookies for us to eat!” before staring up at her cutely with my eyes as big as I can make them and tilting my head adorably to the right so my long wavy mane falls to my shoulder.

She widens her green eyes at me, “Oh gosh, Twinkle! That sounds like a terrific idea! Uh, hang on! I’ll go back to the house and get you some!”

“Um, if it isn’t too much trouble, can we also please have some milk, Sunny?” before widening my brown eyes and making them quiver with hope to entice the alicorn to do my bidding as my mouth gives a solemn and pathetic frown.

She smiles, “Of course, Twinkle! Can’t have cookies without milk!”

I smile, “Oh golly gee, Sunny! This is gonna be fun!”

<*****>

I burp at the pegasus, currently sitting on her haunches with me, a few feet away in the big open grassy field with lush blades of lawn swaying in the breeze and the cool cloudy sky overhead, and say, “Whoa! Excuse me! Uh, how did you know she had so many cookies?”

She narrows her eyes to me while taking a deep breath through her nose, “I was just in there, remember?”

I nod, “Uh, right! And you asked for peanut butter cookies because you didn’t want her noticing the chocolate cookies are gone, right?”

She smiles, “Well, duh! It’s best to take their attention away from whatever you just did!”

I give her a big smirk, “Right! You’re pretty good at being bad, you know that?”

She suddenly widens her eyes and lowers her grin, “Y-you think I’m a bad filly?”

I shrug, “Well, I don’t see you trying to take over Equestria, or anything! But stealing cookies and filching milkshake money, seem to be right up your alley!”

She noticeably gulps and frowns, “Uh, how are we gonna make this up to them?”

I frown, “What do you mean?”

She blinks, “Well, I don’t want to be a bad filly, you know?”

“Twinkle Shine! Are you okay?”

She blinks before stammering out, “Uh, I gotta go!” she stares back up at me with wide eyes, “I’ll see you later, okay Jessi?”

I widen my eyes and frown, “Twinkle! Let’s talk about this!”

She stares up at me with her massive auburn eyes while breathing heavily through her mouth before finally saying, “Jessi, I don’t want to be bad anymore, okay?”

“Uh, Twinkle! What are you talking about?”

She breathes out her nose while looking down in the field there at the park, before raising her gaze back to me and saying calmly, “Jessi… Uh, well, you know how they say, truth is stranger than fiction?”

<*****>

And so, I recanted my story to this bewildered unicorn filly… She stared on in wide-eyed amazement as I told her the tale of the filly who tried to take over Equestria and she stared in shock as I told her about the demon child who attacked the castle with the centaur lord and changeling queen… I told her all these things…

I took a deep breath before telling her about how I don’t really know what made me bad in the first place, nor do I have any idea what woke me up from stone in that abandoned courtyard, all that time ago…

I talked about how I traveled to nearby Bridlewood and met Izzy there, and we soon became very good friends…

I also added the story about how Princess Twilight, with her final act, preserved my statue while the other two were allowed to slowly crumble to dust over 2000 years…

She could only stare back at me in open shock before stammering out, “No way! You’re yanking my hind hoof, here! Uh, “she blinks, “right?”

I sigh slowly and stare back at her, “No, I’m actually not, Jessi… You can ask Sunny or Izzy and I’m sure they’ll tell you all about it…”

She shakes her head slightly before staring back at me and saying, “Well, that’s kinda neat actually! And hey, Twinkle! I don’t care about what you did two thousand years ago alright?” she smiles, “You’re my first real friend outside of the butthole ponies and you make me happy!” she blinks and lowers her grin somewhat, “But no more trying to take over Equestria, alright?”

I smile kindly back at the unicorn, “Sure Jessi! It’s a deal!”

She nods, “Well, turnabout is fair play, so let me tell you about my story!”

<*****>

I then told the pegasus the story about how my parents died in a tragic accident that they wouldn’t tell me about… I told her about how I lived alone, by myself, and only had myself to rely upon in Tanglewood Forest… I told her about their graves and how I haven’t been there in years…

She seemed visibly shaken when I mentioned that I had spent all that time alone, with only myself to rely on…

I then proceeded to tell the tale of when magic came back… How amazed I was at everything I could do with my new improved horn and how I quickly learned about forcefield and barrier magic… I told her how I’d practice for hours out in my yard since you know, it’s not like I had anything better to do!

I smiled as I added about how convenient it is to be able to freeze ponies at my whim if I ever need to escape a situation…

She widens her brown eyes massively and frowns, “Golly! So uh, what happened? Why are you here and not there, now?”

I breathe deeply through my nose, in and out, and stare at the pegasus severely, “Well, Sunny and Izzy found me when they went on an adventure west of Equestria!”

“Oh golly!” She raises her left eyebrow, “What sort of adventure?”

I sigh again and stare at her, “Well, they found one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders! Uh, apparently, she was so distraught about the way Apple Bloom died that she was punishing herself by forcing herself to wear a chicken costume!”

She shakes her head and leans towards me and frowns before saying, “Uh, Cutie Mark Crusaders? That sounds familiar… Uh,” she shakes her head again and corrects her mouth and says, “never mind! I’ll tell you later! Uh, so they got her to take off the costume?”

I nod my head and smile, “Yup! They sure did! They got her to finally realize that Apple Bloom’s death wasn’t her fault! Anyway, she left with the other Crusaders to go to the land of the dead…”

She widens her eyes again, “W-wow! So uh, you live with Sunny now and I stay with Izzy!”

I blink, “Yeah, pretty much!” I stare at this other filly carefully as something new and alien wells up deep in my gut… I think about how we just shared our stories… I think about how I suddenly felt more connected to this other pony…

I quickly blink again and widen my eyes while narrowing my mouth when I realize that it’s happening again and quickly muster my resolve and suppress it!

<*****>

I smile at the teal unicorn as I think about how she’s accepting of me, despite my past and memory issues. I think about how I suddenly felt more connected to her…

I suddenly grin wider and warmer at this other filly I just let into my heart, and I grow excited just thinking about how our friendship is going to grow in the future!

I happily say to her, “Oh, golly! This is gonna be fun!”

(To be continued…)

Chapter 3: Pre-party

I lay in the bed, snuggling my beloved huge Pinkie Pie plushie to my fluffy green chest under the covers there, deep inside my nest of 7 pillows, comfortably wrapped in her snuggles and surrounded by soft comfort… I smile and sigh as I breathe out happily through my nose and smile as I knew snuggly plushie bliss, when suddenly, I hear a feminine voice calling out to me from somewhere other than my bed…

“Jessi! It’s time to wake up now! We gotta get you ready for your first day of class!”

I open my eyes wide before calling out to Sunny, “No way! The real world is out there and the real world sucks! I’m safe in here with my stuffed friends!”

I can hear the alicorn chuckling, “Oh Jessi! Come on! Wake up and get out of bed already! You don’t wanna be late!”

“Ugh!” I call out beyond the bed with my snout raised up below the blankets, “Five more minutes!”

<*****>

I lay my head on the big soft blue fluffy pillow at the head of my bed while facing the back wall, opposite the rest of my room on my right side, when again, I hear the same mare calling from behind me as before, “Twinkle Shine! You’ve already been given five minutes, three times now! I really think it’s time to start getting ready for class!”

I open my eyes to the wall as my bluish-white wavy mane lays on the pillow at my right and grimace, “Ugh! Okay, fine! Uh, get out of here and I’ll meet you outside for breakfast!”

I hear Izzy say jovially in response, “Okay Twinkle! I already made hot cakes for you and there’s juice at the table!”

I widen my eyes at the wall with hope, “And a joint?”

“Of course!”

<*****>

I trot into the room with my disheveled mane and groggily frown as I make my way to the table, now with the waiting bowl of cereal and steaming white cup of coffee on it… I use my mouth to yank the chair back and then, prop myself on it to the right and as I sit there on my haunches, I stare at this elated orange alicorn sitting across the table from me…

She smiles and says, “You’re even cute in the mornings with your disheveled mane!”

I furrow my brows, “I’m not cute! Your mom is cute!”

She giggles and shakes her head, “Jessi, you’re adorable!”

“Your dad is adorable!”

Sunny sighs and corrects her mouth, “Jessi, will you just accept it, already? You need to just accept that you’re cute!”

I frown deeper, “Your grandma needs to accept that she’s cute already!”

<*****>

I sat there across the table from the blue unicorn with her dark azure mop of a mane as she smiles at me and says, “Morning Twinkle! Ready for wake n bake, breakfast, and then we get you ready for school?”

I look at the unicorn, “Less talky talky! More smokey smokey!”

She giggles, “I live with a ten-year-old junkie!”

I widened my eyes, “I’m actually eight and a half!”

She stares at me, “Really?”

I look back at her, “No, not really! The truth is, because of what happened, I don’t know how old I am?”

Izzy frowns, “Oh, that’s terrible!”

I widen my eyes, “It is?”

Izzy nods, “Well, yes! We don’t know when you were born or when your birthday is, or how old you actually are!”

I lower my eyes, “Okay!”

The unicorn eyes me carefully for a moment before finally saying, “I’ll go get your breakfast!”

<*****>

Another day of classes knocked out! I look up at the clock as I sigh, 12:30 this time! Huh! Took a bit longer than expected! I ponder to myself as I begin the trek back to Izzy’s house on the East end of town, just a few short blocks away.

I continue thinking to myself, I always finish my work early! I wonder when I should tell Izzy about this. As I make my way there.

I eventually see Izzy’s house near the edge of the village with its slanted blue roof and open windows with so many happy decorations inside. I turn left just before it so I can head outback and reenter my room from the back window.

I trot around the building and turn my body right to behold something that was not there when I left! I see a small pink pegasus filly slurping a blue frozen drink out of a red paper cup with a plastic bubble lid with her forehooves as she sits there on her haunches and stares up at the sky, before turning her head left and widening her auburn eyes as she sees me! She smiles her freckled grin, “Hiya Jessi! I always get done with class early, but I got done super early today, and well, I got bored!”

I widen my eyes, “So, you came here?”

She nods, “Of course! You’re my best friend, after all!”

I can’t help but feel a slow warm smile form on my face as I say, “Hang on, Twinkle Shine! I keep my window unlocked, since you know. I’m gonna be heading back here anyway!”

<*****>

I flap my wings to elevate my body the necessary 3 feet to raise it and then, tilt them to move forward into the room through the now open window after Jessi climbs inside.

I float over the room with her bed to the right with its many stuffed sleeping companions and her desk at the left with many papers and books on it. I have no idea what she does there, but I also know that it’s none of my concern, and so I don’t worry about it as I slow my flapping to descend at an angle and land there on my hooves, in the center of the room, I shake my head as what I had smoked on the way up here begins to try and grasp my mind and I turn my body right to face Jessi there, and smile, “So! What do you want to do now, friend!”

I frown, “Well, I usually just read until Sunny notices I’m back? She’s always so wrapped up with other things that she doesn’t know that I’m usually back earlier…”

She frowns, “Yeah, but this time, I’m here!” she sighs, “Golly, I wanted to surprise you, but now, well? There’s nothing for us to do!”

I frown, “Well, it’s a happy surprise, Twinkle Shine!”

She blinks, “So, you’re glad I’m here?”

I smile, “Of course! Aren’t you my best friend?”

She begins to beam back at me, “Uh, right! Of course, I am! Best friend! That’s me! Twinkle Shine, best friend of Jessi Trotsky!”

I nod, “Of course! Now, we’re both very intelligent fillies! I’m sure between the two of us, we can think of all sorts of things to do!”

<*****>

I sat on my haunches on the side of Jessi’s room, just trying to contain the youthful bursts of filly energy within me, now supercharged by slushie sugar, before finally turning my neck to the ceiling and giving an exasperated sigh, “Ugh! I’m SO BORED!”

Jessi stares at me from her haunches with her wide burnt orange eyes and stammers out, “Well, before you, I didn’t really have any friends my age! I uh, guess I need some games and activities?”

I lower my gaze to the other filly and say lowly, “Yeah, and a baggy and pack of papers wouldn’t be a bad idea either!”

She stares at me, “What was that Twinkle?”

I shake my head and stare back, “Oh, nothing! You know life is pretty dull without mischief!”

Her eyes widen all the way, “Oh gosh! You’re not gonna do something bad, are you, Twinkle?”

I smile wryly back at the green unicorn, “Who? Me? Why, I wouldn’t dream of it! I’m a little angel, after all!” as I imagine a golden halo above my wavy bluish-white mane.

She smiles, “You are so full of shiitake, Twinkle Shine!”

I widen my own eyes, “What? I haven’t tried to take over Equestria!”

“Not recently!”

I frown, “W-what’s that supposed to mean?”

She shakes her head.

<*****>

I widen my eyes to the pink filly as it suddenly occurred to me that I really shouldn’t be bringing up her past. “Oh, nothing Twinkle Shine! Hey! I haven’t eaten lunch today! Do you want me to make you a daffodil and mayo sandwich when I make mine here in a sec? Sunny is in the backroom right now! She’ll never know the difference!”

She shakes her head and smiles back at the opportunity to bring the conversation to another zone, “Um, that’s okay Jessi! I snagged a couple of carrot dogs and a slushie from the corner store on my way up here! I’m fine for now!”

I smile back at the other filly, “Okay, Twinkle! I’ll be right back!”

<*****>

As the teal unicorn silently operated the door with a golden glow from her horn magic, I just sat there on my haunches, and she began to trot her way out slowly and quietly into the foyer.

She quietly shuts the door behind her, and I’m left in her dark wooden room in the back there, with her bed behind me and the door at my right.

After a few moments, I hear a distant knocking that sounds like it’s coming from Sunny’s front door! I trot over to the door at my right and prop my head against it while raising my ear and pressing it against the wall so its floppy structure goes flat against the surface to see what I can hear.

I hear a jovial feminine voice that sounds a lot like the unicorn I live with saying loudly, “We don’t know when Twinkle Shine’s birthday is!”

I hear Sunny’s response, “Oh?”

“Yeah! We need to have a celebration for her, stat! I mean, she just went two thousand years without a birthday or any celebrations at all!”

“Uh, you make a point, actually!”

I hear the unicorn clear her throat, “Um, yeah! So how about today?”

I widen my eyes, Oh, golly! Better be on time when I come home at four! I think to myself.

I hear Sunny respond, “That sounds like a wonderful idea! I’ll go get some balloons and confetti! I was saving them for a special demonstration, but they’re both super cheap, so it’s not a big deal!”

“Right! And you definitely need to bring Jessi!”

“Of course!”

<*****>

I widen my eyes as I hear the two ponies talking about a surprise birthday celebration for my best friend.

Oh gosh! This promises to be fun! I think to myself as I stand there underneath the kitchen table to hide, with a white plate in front of me as I magically take more bites of my sandwich inside an auburn glow.

The thing about being a filly is, you’re not very tall! There’s plenty of room underneath for me to hide whilst I wait for the two upfront to finish talking.

I hear Sunny finally say, “Alright, Izzy! Whenever Jessi gets back, I’ll be sure to tell her about it and we’ll start heading up there!”

I then hear an elated unicorn say, “Oh gosh! That’ll be awesome, Sunny! I’m sure Twinkle will be so happy!”

I hear the door shut shortly after and then I wait for the alicorn to make her way towards the backroom with the familiar clopping sound of her hooves shuffling across the floor, where she was working on more activism stuff while I stand there, underneath the table…

When I hear the door shut in the back of the cottage, I magically grasp the plate and turn to trot out from under the table and float the plate over to the sink, where it lands with a small clack. I then turn my body back towards the foyer and trot that way, to begin making my way to my room.

I soon open my door inward to the left with my magic and trot into see the window at the far wall open with the clear white curtain blowing in the breeze. I also can’t help but notice the note scribbled onto a paper on my desk on the right side.

I trot over to look at what it says:

Dear, Jessi

They’re going to throw a surprise party for me, and I need to head back now. See you soon, best friend!

Twinkle

I smile warmly at the mention of the word friend inside the note when I suddenly realize that it’s happening again… Only this time, I can’t seem to stop myself from smiling… This filly took time out of her life just to come see me, even if for a few minutes and I can’t help but get warm feelings in my heart because of that…

As I stand there facing the desk on the adjacent wall, the door at my right suddenly opens to reveal an orange alicorn there, who widens her cerulean eyes when she sees me! “Jessi! What are you doing home so early?”

I turn my body right towards the other pony and widen my eyes. “Oh, gosh! I just got done with school early and so, I came back here, like I’m supposed to! You seemed busy in the back, and so I didn’t bother you!” I say while widening my eyes and doing my best to put on an innocent smile…

Sunny smiles back at me, “Well, that’s okay Jessi! Uh, we’re going to have a surprise party for Twinkle Shine! You don’t have to get her a gift if you don’t have it, but we’re celebrating her birthday today, since we don’t know when she was born!”

I lift my head and perk my ears her way, “Oh gosh! This promises to be fun!” I repeat to the alicorn, “Uh, actually, I think I do have something to give her!”

(To be continued…)

Chapter 4: The Gift

Author's Note

... This is quite possibly the most adorable thing I've ever written?

Chapter 4: The Gift

“Oh golly! Nopony has ever gotten me a gift before!” Twinkle exuberantly exclaims as she stares down at the plush pony with the pretty shiny red ribbon wrapped around its neck. She squints her eyes at this stuffed white unicorn before her with its sparkling blue eyes and wavy violet mane.

Sunny widens her eyes from the right at the polished hardwood kitchen table, “That’s Rarity! She represented generosity!”

I turn my head to face Sunny as I sit across from Twinkle, “So uh, it’s appropriate then? I’ve just been calling her White-Horn! Rarity? That name sounds a lot better!”

Sunny smiles, “Remind me later to tell you some stories about her!”

Twinkle blinks as if deep in thought before finally staring up at me, “Yeah… You generously gave me a plush toy…” she raises her gaze at me, “Uh, thank you so much, Jessi! It’s really nice!” before smiling and setting the toy down at the table on her right and getting off her chair to the left and taking four paces towards me and embracing me in a tight warm hug as I sat there on the wooden chair at the table, dumbfounded in this other filly’s embrace!

“EEP!” I squawk in a completely non-adorable fashion…

<*****>

I gotta admit, Jessi sure is cute whenever she squeaks while being hugged! Still, I know I’ve seen this pony before! But where?

I frown while deep in thought as the name Rarity and white unicorn with violet mane desperately search inside my fractured mind for something to connect with.

The teal filly before me widens her burnt orange eyes at me and asks, “Uh, you okay Twinkle?”

I start and widen my own eyes at the other filly while fixing my mouth, “Uh, YES! I’m fine! Everything is just fine!” before a slow smile starts to form on my face… I just hope it doesn’t look fake!

Jessi smiles and nods, “Well, okay Twinkle!”

Sunny stares up at the clock on the back wall with the messy counter and its many disorderly wooden blue shelves on the other side of the table, “Oh my! It’s already 8:37!” she looks at Jessi at her left, “We gotta go soon!”

Jessi smiles at me, “Yeah, we sure had a lot of fun, didn’t we? Bet you can’t wait to try her out tonight, right?”

I start again and stare at the other filly, “What do you mean?”

Jessi lowers her grin somewhat, “Well, you just got a new snuggle buddy, right? Don’t you wanna sleep and cuddle her in bed tonight?”

Izzy smiles while staring at me from just beyond Sunny on my left, “Come on, Twinkle! Snuggle your new friend! It’ll do you some good!”

<*****>

I sit at the table and stick my tongue out the right side of my mouth and let out a big sigh.

The orange alicorn sitting across the kitchen table from me smiles and says, “I’m guessing we’re gonna skip your usual milk and cookies tonight, Jessi?”

I look up at the other pony with a wide-eyed start, “NO! I do NOT NEED milk and cookies tonight! Uh, “I smile and fix my eyes, “Just juice is fine, thank you!”

She nods, “Well, you know where it is! Go get it, squirt!”

I nod again, “Right!” Before dismounting the chair on the left and turning to trot away from Sunny to the kitchen beyond…

She hollers at me in the other room, “That sure was nice, what you got for Twinkle!”

I yell back as I turn towards the fridge on the left, “Yeah! She seemed kinda shocked! Almost like she didn’t know what to say?” as I think about the obviously fake smile she gave me towards the end.

As I magically open the fridge door on that side with a pale blue glow, I hear the other pony say, “Well, she’s been through a lot! I think she can use all the friends she can get right now, both real and stuffed!”

As I telekinetically fetch a tall clear glass from the upper right wooden counter, I frown as I think about my own stuffed friends and how I had decided long ago that they’re as real as they need to be, but decide against saying that as I say instead, “Well, do you really think snuggling Rarity at night will help Twinkle?”

I hear Sunny yell back, “Absolutely! She needs to know that she’s not alone and now, that toy will remind her of her good friend Jessi!”

I widen my eyes with a start as I suddenly stop pouring orange juice from the clear glass bottle to the left of the glass on the counter I realize that stuff just got real!

<*****>

I lay there under the soft shiny blue covers in my bed, on my left side, as I stare at this mysterious white stuffed pony under the covers with me, sitting with its head on the other pillow… I gaze at her in the darkness, and I see her sewn-on blue eyes staring back at me and furrow my brow while deep in thought…

Am I too old for stuffed toys? Well, uh, I’m actually not sure how old I am? I adjust my gaze at the white unicorn, Um, even if I am, does it really matter? They say it will give me comfort.

I gulp and stare at this plushie, with her shimmering violet mane and tale and sympathetic looking azure eyes, and sigh as I whisper, half to myself and half to this plush pony, “Well, it’s just me here! Well, me and you, stuffed horse… “I blink and think, I guess I’ll give this whole snuggling thing a try now.

I move my right forehoof over the covers and behind the plushie to grasp her in my leg and bring her to my puffy chest… I must admit that it feels nice, and I can’t help but grin slightly as her shimmery mane tickles my nose, forcing me to wrinkle it…

I know Izzy has held me and cuddled me before, but this is different, somehow…

I say lowly, “Golly, it sure is swell having you here under the covers with me, Miss Rarity! I’ll admit that I didn’t think this would be good, but now, uh…” my resolve gradually deteriorates before grasping the toy tightly in both of my forehooves to embrace it for a tight warm hug as I smile ear to ear and lovingly move my face left and right as I clutch this stuffed pony tightly…

I whisper in Rarity’s ear, “I guess this is it, huh? We’re about to snuggle in bed together and sleep!”

<*****>

“Oh, thank you Miss Izzy!” I say to the other unicorn standing in her doorway before smiling on that breezy Saturday morning as tree branches swayed above me in the sudden gust.

She smiles back and gazes at me congenially with her red eyes and says, “Well, come on in, Jessi! Uh, I’m not sure if Twinkle Shine is awake yet, or not?” before frowning.

I maintain my grin at the blue pony, “That’s fine! Just get me a coffee, blond with no sugar please, and I’ll wait for her at the table!”

<*****>

A knock at my door startles me from my restful sleep as I continue to clutch Little Rarity to the floof of my chest.

I hear a soft feminine voice say from behind it, “Time to get up Twinkle! Your best friend is here!”

I shake my head and whisper, “Oh golly!” before looking up to my door at the far corner of the room and saying, “Just a minute!” and then, looking down to the cuddly white unicorn in my hooves and saying lowly and quietly, “Well, I guess that was our trial run, huh? Golly, I gotta admit, sleeping with you sure was swell, Miss Rarity! I’ll see you later!” before gently kissing the plushie on the forehead, and then making my way out of my bed over Rarity while being careful to not crush her underneath my weight… I’m a pony and weigh a lot more than a plushie!

I make it to my hooves on the floor with a clack, before turning my body right to begin trotting towards the door…

<*****>

I grasp the white coffee mug in my pale blue magic and force it to tilt slightly to the front of my muzzle as I chance a sip of the warm caffeinated beverage and the other pinker filly, stares at me with wide brown eyes in front of the glass of orange juice, that she requested…

She smiles at me, “Hiya Jessi! Golly, it sure is swell to see you here! Uh, “she frowns, “what are you doing here, anyway?”

I float the cup back down to the table and eye this other foal carefully, “Well, it’s Saturday! We always hang out on Saturdays, and I wanted to get an early start!”

She nods and grins very slightly, “Oh, golly! That sure sounds like fun!”

I smile back, “Right! So uh, how did you like Rarity, last night?”

She shakes her head and gazes back with a startled look as her mouth goes agape, “Who, now?”

I lower my grin as my eyes widen, “Rarity! The plushie I gave you! Did you like snuggling her?”

She starts and shakes her head again before normalizing her mouth, “Oh, that thing! Um… I kinda uh,“ and she trails off to mutter something inaudible…

I bring my neck closer to the pink filly. “Uh, didn’t quite catch that, Twinkle Shine?”

She widens her eyes and says louder, “It was really nice!”

I smile again, “Well, I’m glad Twinkle! I wanted to give you something personal that would make you think of me, and I think the darling Miss Rarity does a wonderful job!”

She scratches the back of her head with her right forehoof, “Oh, golly gee, Jessi! I guess I’ll get you something nice when your birthday comes around. Uh, when is it now?”

“January 21st!” I reply.

She lowers her hooves and widens her brown eyes, “Okay! I’ll get you something then! And Hearthswarming, of course!”

I nod, “Of course! Uh, Twinkle?”

She starts and stares at me again, with those same large brown eyes, “Yes, Jessi?”

I lean forward slightly while staring at the other filly intently, “You’ve been acting weird, ever since I got you Rarity! Uh, is something wrong?”

She sighs, “Well uh, you know how I was turned to stone two thousand years ago?”

I blink, “Yes?”

She looks down slightly, “Well uh, I know I’ve seen that pony before…” she adjusts her gaze to me, “I finally remembered that she was a Guardian of Harmony…” she looks up at me, “She was one of the ponies that defeated me…”

I blink and widen my eyes completely, “Oh, gosh! I’m SO SORRY!”

She nods, “Don’t be, Jessi… I need to make peace with these ponies, in one way or another, but now, when I stare at her, I don’t see an enemy…” she gulps, “I see a friend… A friend to snuggle…”

I frown while eyeing this other foal carefully, “So, you’re not mad?”

<*****>

I smile at the emerald filly and say, “Not at all Jessi… I like Miss Rarity a lot… Thank you so much!”

She seems visibly relieved at this point as her shoulders lower and loosen and she grins back and says, “Oh, okay Twinkle!” she smiles wider, “I’m glad!”

I lean forward, “So, what did you wanna do today, friend?”

She then suggests that we go to the park, and I agree… We play ball at the park and stop for ice cream and have a wonderful sunny Saturday together…

<*****>

(Three days later…)

I’m happily putting together another pink dollhouse with my magic while inside my workroom. I hear pop music, but honestly, that’s only background noise to me as I focus my gaze upon the roof of this tiny structure, when suddenly, I hear a loud knocking coming from the front room, opposite to my workroom and across the cottage!

I widen my eyes and think, Who in Equestria could that be? Before turning my body to the door behind me, covered in many colors of paint splattered upon it and yelling out, “Hang on! I’m coming!” and then, beginning to hoof my way to the door…

I magically open it in a blue glow and without slowing down, proceed to trot through my kitchen area and around my table on the left as I hear that same knocking as before…

I look up as I walk, “Hang on! I’m almost there!” as I quicken my pace towards the front door.

I finally reach the door and open it with my horn to reveal a green filly with a wavy grayish-white mane and tale. She looks up at me with enormous orange pupils and says, “Sorry to come unannounced, Miss Izzy! But I was wondering if Twinkle Shine was around?”

I smile and reply, “Oh! I told her to go in her room and color or something until I make us dinner here in a bit! Come on in, Jessi!”

I turn and trot in as I hear reluctant hoofsteps behind me and the door quietly closes, probably because she used her magic? Yes! That makes the most sense to me! I continue trotting towards Twinkle’s room on the left side of the cottage as I say to Jessi, “Wait right here! I’ll go get her!”

I see Twinkle’s red wooden door and use my magic to open it as I approach and I trot inside and look to the left to see Twinkle on her bed… Except, it’s not just Twinkle there… She has three stuffed equine forms up there with her… She stares up at me over the blue pegasus plushie with its rainbow mane and says, “Hey! Haven’t you heard of knocking?”

I look up at her and also notice the orange earth pony plushie with its blond mane done into a long roll and say to her, “Uh, sorry Twinkle… Why do you have so many plushies?”

She starts and blinks back at me, “W-what do you mean?”

I gulp and look back at her, “I mean, I only counted one plushie two days ago! Not three!” I blink, “I know reality’s been kinda trippy over the last few months, but I don’t think plush ponies appear from nowhere!” I adjust my gaze lowly at the pink filly, “At least, I’m pretty sure they don’t! Uh, why do you have three now, Twinkle?”

She smiles like she’s about to be hung and says, “Well uh, the magical plushie fairy stopped by!”

I narrow my eyes as a low grin begins to form on my face, “Twinkle!”

“There was an overwhelming plushie surplus on the West side of Equestria and they had to go somewhere!”

I smile wider as I chuckle silently, “You like plushies, don’t you?”

She starts and shakes her head slightly, “Um, maybe?”

I giggle more profusely and respond, “Well, Jessi is here to see you Twinkle! I can’t wait to hear what she has to say when she finds out about your new friends!”

She visibly gulps and replies, “Oh, golly!”

(To be continued…)

Chapter 5: Comfort

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Chapter 6: Enhanced Snuggle Therapy

The teal unicorn filly widens her eyes in the doorway, “Really? So, what is it?”

I sigh and set the sparkly blue bullet pipe down on the table and decide not to lie to her, “Okay, fine! I was smoking dope! Uh, it helps me relax and calms all the loud thoughts in my head…”

Jessi frowns, “Were you having issues with that?”

I sigh and stare downward, “Uh, not really? It’s just been awhile and I was craving a joint when I woke up…”

“So, it’s an addiction?”

I raise my head and turn it left to frown at the other filly, “Well, I can go for days without smoking and probably quit if I really wanted to? But that’s the thing! I’d rather not!”

She lifts her left eyebrow, “So, it does help you, but you don’t want to quit?”

I smile at her, “Well, that’s why you need to control your habit when you’re doing this sort of thing! When smoking devil weed suddenly becomes more important is when you need to slow down!”

She raises her gaze at me, “Okay, that’s fine Twinkle! I trust you!” she smiles, “Just finish up what you were doing and meet me at the table, okay? I love you!”

I stare blankly at this other filly and blink my eyes, “Will do!”

The doorknob glows yellow and soon shuts to hide Jessi and I’m once again alone in my room. I turn my neck back to the small round wooden table in front of me and sigh, “You know, I only wanted a few hits earlier, but now, I’m gonna smoke what’s left in the bowl!”

<*****>

I sat down at the table with the larger bluer unicorn on my left. My two bizarre tacos containing orange fruit with pineapple and coconut sits on the table in front of me. Izzy smiles at me and says, “A tropical delight, the book says!”

I stare at the plate wide-eyed and mechanically say, “Of course! Yes! Right!”

Izzy frowns, “Is Twinkle gonna be awhile? I mean, should we just start eating, or?”

I reply, “Twinkle is smoking devil weed! She should be done in a minute!”

Izzy nods, “Oh! Okay!”

I eyeball the other unicorn carefully, “Did you know Twinkle was smoking devil weed?”

She frowns, “Um, maybe? Kinda, sorta?” she blinks, “Uh, it’s a strong possibility!”

“How did she start smoking devil weed, anyway?”

<*****>

I trot out after doing what I just did, and I feel a bit lighter as my head buzzes a bit from the herb and I hear Izzy say, “Well, I’m actually not sure when she started?” she sighs, “Okay, I smoke too and she kinda caught me firing up a blunt! She very nicely asked if she could join me and well, I just couldn’t say no!” Izzy leans forward and widens her eyes. “She’s very persuasive!”

As I trot closer, I see the teal unicorn filly smile up at the older horned pony, “So, I’ve noticed! Well uh, try to keep her from going overboard, okay Izzy?” she sighs. “Twinkle is one of the few things in this world that I really have, and I don’t want her messed up!”

At this point, both ponies suddenly notice me trotting into the foyer with the kitchen table maybe 10 feet from my small body on the floor. I stop to stare up at Jessi on the left and pout cutely as I say timidly, “Golly! You care about me, huh?”

The green unicorn turns her head right to face me and widens her eyes, “Yes, Twinkle! You are very important to me!” before blinking as if she suddenly had some grand realization…

I smile up at her, “I’ll try to limit myself, okay?” while thinking about how I’m going to kindly request a blunt from Izzy after Jessi leaves later.

<*****>

I suddenly realize that I care about Twinkle while asking her to take it easy when she smokes… I furrow my brows in thought when I think that ever since my parents died, I haven’t really had that sort of connection with anypony before…

She sits down at her plate to my right and says, “Okay, by golly! Now that that’s taken care of, let’s eat some funky mango tacos!”

Izzy raises her neck to the other filly and says, “Don’t forget the hot sauce!” before causing the red bottle on her right to glow and float over the table to Twinkle where it lands in front of her and stops glowing. Izzy smiles at the pegasus, “Try it! It’s good!”

I see Twinkle holding the open bottle in her forehooves while shaking it to coat the top of the tacos with red sauce and then, she lifts the taco before I stare over at Izzy and say, “She says she smokes it to quiet her loud mind…” I blink, “Do you have a special reason too, or?”

Izzy just smiles down at me while Twinkle bites into her creation, “Me? Uh, not really?” she moves her red eyes towards the ceiling, “I mean, it IS a great way to relax after a long day of arts and crafts, though? So uh,” she adjusts her eyes towards me, “that’s why I do it, anyway!”

Suddenly, Twinkle raises her head and breathes fire out of her mouth as we two unicorns stare on! She quickly runs to the back kitchen behind her with tears in her eyes!

Izzy smiles at this, “AW! She’s so happy her friend Jessi cares about her that she’s crying!”

I eye this other unicorn and say, “Uh, I don’t think that’s it? I’d better go check on her!” before scooting my chair back and dismounting on the right before turning that direction to trot towards the kitchen, where I soon witness Twinkle with her snout in the fridge as she’s pouring milk down her throat with her forehooves while standing on her haunches… I furrow my brow, “I guess you should take it easy on the hot sauce?”

She lowers the bottle of milk right-side-up on her floofy chest while hanging onto it, “I swear! Sometimes I think that unicorn wants to kill me!”

I smile and chuckle, “I don’t think that’s it? I think she can just handle spicier foods than you!”

She widens her eyes, “Well, right! And hey! You don’t have to if you don’t want to, okay?”

I widen my eyes, “What do you mean?”

“I’m saying just because I smoke devil weed doesn’t mean you have to… It’s just something between me and Izzy, alright?”

I smile and normalize my eyes, “Well, of course, I know that! Just because we’re besties doesn’t mean we have to do all the same activities! I don’t really fly either!”

She narrows her eyes, “But you don’t have wings?”

I nod, “Exactly! So that’s another activity we’re not gonna be doing together!”

She widens her eyes again, “So, you’re not mad?”

I frown, “No! Why would I be mad, Twinkle?”

She sighs, “I don’t know? I tried to keep my special activities a secret from you, so you wouldn’t think any less of me…”

I smile, “Hey! It’s okay Twinkle! I love you!”

She beams back, “Golly! You really are a wonderful friend, you know?”

I take two paces towards her and embrace her in a tight hug! It’s so strange to me too, because only when I discovered her special habit, did I come to realize that I do care about this other filly…

<*****>

You know, I was under the impression that this other filly would disown me for life or burn me at the stake for heresy when and if she discovered what I and Izzy like to do together and I can only stand there in abject shock as she held me in her hooves, before finally regaining my composure and returning the hug with my own forehooves.

She releases me and stands there on her hooves, staring at me with her peach eyes and saying, “It’s okay, Twinkle Shine! You’re still my friend, no matter what you do!”

At this point, I start to feel warm and fuzzy inside…

<*****>

I stared at the pink pegasus there sitting on the crimson pillow on her haunches, with the glass-tipped king joint in the cleft of her right forehoof as she brought it to her mouth and made the cherry glow with her inhalation and the paper visibly burned and got darker from the resin now contained therein… She exhales overhead and lowers her gaze at me to smile, “You know, I still don’t know why you wanted to watch me do this?”

I watch her carefully from my position on the blue pillow 4 feet from her, “I just wanted to see what you do to make sure you’re okay, Twinkle!” I blink, “I do care about you!”

“Um, obviously!” She replies before bringing the joint to her mouth for another drag…

I smell the pungent aroma of this burning herb and can’t help but note the earthy scent as I ask, “So uh, how often do you normally do this?”

She exhales between us, and I once again smell the scent of the burning devil weed in the air, “Oh, I usually fire up with Izzy at certain times. You know, it’s a good thing I read that book on how to roll a joint with hooves!” before smiling, “I don’t really have any magic!”

My head starts to feel lighter as I smile back at her and say, “Well, right! But yeah, you’re not really going crazy or anything? You’re just smoking your joint!” as she inhales from the glass tipped joint, held in the cleft of her hoof once more.

She exhales between us, and the familiar scent soon wafts by my snout, “Uh, I can’t believe I want to do this, now!” before turning my neck left towards her bed and asking, “Can I borrow your blue stuffy, Twinkle?”

Her eyes widen in my periphery as I witness smoke coming from her mouth, “Uh, sure Jessi! What did you have in mind?”

I concentrate on the blue pegasus plushie with it’s rainbow mane and force it to glow blue before rising over the bed in the air and floating towards me, where I open my forehooves to catch the precious stuffy and then proceed to hold it tightly to my chest fluff as I stare forward at a perplexed pink pegasus and begin to smile and close my eyes in snuggly bliss as I feel the softness of the plushie’s body against mine…

She stares at me blankly while lowering the joint on her right and slowly exhaling smoke from her nostrils, “Uh, Jessi! You okay over there?”

I giggle, “This stuffy is soft and it smells like my best friend! I like it!”

<*****>

As I kept my eyes wide and brought the now mostly smoked joint to my mouth for another draw, I gazed at this unicorn carefully when it suddenly dawns on me that she’s been inhaling my secondhand smoke and likely has a contact buzz… As I kept the warm hit in my lungs, I couldn’t help but think that she is rather adorable there, snuggling my stuffed pegasus and I also have another thought as I brought the joint to my lips once more… Well, we’ve already gone this far, and I think we’re both high now? I hold the hot drag inside my lungs for a moment before exhaling the smoke between us and gaze at her, “Hey Jessi! Can I have Rarity now, please?”

She raises her head from the stuffy and widens her eyes, “Oh uh, sure Twinkle!” before turning her neck left towards my bed and forcing the white unicorn near my pillow at the head to glow blue and rise from the sheets and towards me…

I grasp my soft friend with my right forehoof while my left now holds the joint from my mouth, and I then give Rarity two hits from the joint as Jessi watches me…

She asks, “Are you pretending to give Rarity hits off your joint, Twinkle Shine?”

“No!” I quickly and abruptly reply before bringing the joint to my mouth for another drag and soon feel hot smoke traveling into my mouth and down my throat…

She smiles while clutching her rainbow-maned companion, “I think it’s cute!”

I quickly exhale smoke between us once more and sputter and cough slightly, “Oh yeah! Well, you and Rainbow Head over there are adorable!”

She stares at me blankly after straightening her mouth, “I’m not adorable! Your mom’s adorable!”

I smile back as the drugs begin to creep into my mind, “My mom died two thousand years ago!” before bringing the little burning nub to my mouth for a final drag…”

She widens her eyes with a start as her forehooves loosen their grip slightly on the pegasus and she frowns, “Oh! I almost forgot! Uh, I’m sorry!”

I exhale the last puff of smoke between us as I bring the joint into my right forehoof and move it towards the small round table on my right with the awaiting glass ashtray and grin dimly at the startled unicorn, “Don’t be, Jessi… I’ve accepted it … That was my last life and there’s nothing left for me there…”

Her mouth straightens as I see her gulp and ask, “So uh, it’s okay?”

I place the glass tip into the tray as I smile and nod, “Yeah Jessi! It’s fine!”

She smiles back at me, “Uh, Twinkle?”

I lower my grin and widen my eyes, “Yes Jessi?”

“I kinda um…” She gulps again before adjusting her brown eyes in my direction, “wanna snuggle you and the stuffies now…”

I enlarge my eyes as much as I can and exclaim, “WHAT?” before keeping my mouth agape…

<*****>

I don’t know why, but after hearing Twinkle say that about her mother, I really wanted to hug and snuggle this other filly! I just don’t want her to feel alone! I tentatively say, “Well, this stuffy is just so soft and fluffy and fun to snuggle, that I just thought a bunch of them would be even better!” my head jitters as I continue, “And hey! We can now snuggle with each other, too!” while holding the soft pegasus plushie to my chest and grinning at her… I don’t know why my body feels all fuzzy suddenly, but the sensation is rather nice…

She blinks as she sat there on the red pillow on her haunches in the middle of her floor, “Snuggling?”

I can only smile and stare at her blankly like a pony possessed as I nod, “Yes, Twinkle! I really want to cuddle you, now!”

<*****>

I lay there on my left side, with my head on the pillow and her head on the spare that I kept inside my closet until just now… I say to her, “You know, this isn’t the first time we’ve been snuggling in bed together!”

She chuckles behind me as I feel her hooves vibrate against my body as I rest inside her clutches, “Yeah, it’s almost becoming routine now, right?”

I giggle as I bring the white unicorn plushie to my chest and smile as I say, “I really don’t mind… Hey, didn’t I hold you last time?”

“Yup!” She cheerily says from behind me…

I blink, “But now, you’re holding me…”

“That is also correct!” She chirps from my back…

“Golly, I sure like this better!” I say before holding Rarity to my body even tighter and moving my face from side to side while closing my eyes and grinning in snuggly happiness…

“Well, I like being held too!”

At that point, I open my eyes as a new idea suddenly occurs to my smoked-out mind… I feel buzzed and relaxed between what I had just smoked and her holding me, and I do have good reason to believe that she’s feeling it too… I think, Why not make that better for her? Before finally saying, “Hey, Jessi! Would you let go of me now so I can turn to face you? I kinda um, wanna hold you now while you also hold me!”

The unicorn is silent while holding me in her hooves for a moment after loosening her grip before finally saying, “So I can feel good too?”

I nod, “Now you got it, Jessi!”

<*****>

I silently open the red door to the right with the knob in my pale blue glow and take two tentative paces in with my forehooves… I turn my head left to see these two fillies, now facing each other and snoozing in cuddled contentment, as they smile at each other from underneath the covers while several plush ponies surround them…

I calmly look out into the foyer to my left as a smile forms on my face and begin to float over my Ponysung Universe B-series smartphone to me in an azure glow and then, proceed to magically operate the touch screen once it’s close enough to me…

I open the camera app and then stare back at the screen as I move the phone horizontally to take a landscape shot and the phone makes a peculiar squawk noise as the picture is taken…

I then stare at the device intently as I use my magic to send the adorable picture to Pipp, Sunny, Hitch, and Zipp…

Twinkle stirs a bit in her slumber and moves her head side to side as it’s held there on the soft pillow and the phone soon chimes with a response text from Pipp asking if she can whine the photo on Whinny…

I maintain my smile as I magically reply “Sure! Go ahead!” with the touchscreen and hit the send button…

(To be continued…)

Chapter 7: Internet Fame!

I stare up at the blue unicorn from across the table and ask her, “Um, say what now?”

She smiles at me while Jessi magically sips her coffee on my right, “Well, I sent the adorable snuggle picture to a few friends with my phone and Pipp wanted to whine it on Whinny, and she also wanted to post it on her Twimbler for all her followers! And well, it’s popular! Really popular! It got over a thousand likes in the first hour alone!”

I frown, “So, what does this mean exactly?” as Jessi turns her head right to look at Izzy.

“Well, with all of those re-whines and others sharing it to their Twimbler blogs, I think you’re about to be famous!”

I raise my right forehoof as I lean towards the unicorn in curiosity, “Quick question! What’s Whinny and Twimbler?” before lowering it.

Izzy nods, “Oh, they’re social media sites!”

I repeat myself, “Say what now?”

<*****>

(The following Monday at Maretime Bay Elementary School…)

Jessi grins maniacally at the orange earth filly with her short purple mane as her left eye twitches, “Oh! I don’t mind giving another autograph! I only signed my name, maybe one hundred and twenty times today! One more won’t kill me!” her eye twitches again, “Well, maybe?”

The other foal smiles from beyond Jessi’s desk and says in her squeaky whiny voice, “Oh, thank you so much, Miss Jessi! Uh, could you sign another one for my brother?” she bares her teeth to reveal them in bracers while staring at the unicorn with her gray eyes. “He was sick and couldn’t come in today!”

At that point, something snaps inside the green filly’s mind as her mouth quivers in irritation and she looks up at the teacher’s desk 14 feet beyond her own and says, “Misses Trippy Sparks! Just give me my assignments for the day please and I’ll do them when I get home! In fact, give me the whole week’s assignments and they’ll probably be done by the end of the day, Wednesday!”

<*****>

I sat there on the red pillow in my room as I sighed and brought my job-well-done-joint to my mouth for a second pull when I hear a plink come from the window on my left! I look over to see two burnt orange eyes staring back at me from the darkened alleyway between Izzy’s shack and the next one. I sigh and put the joint in my mouth before lurching my body forward to all fours and turning it left to walk that way towards the window across the wooden floor while pursing my lips on the stogie in my mouth to take a drag and feeling the warm smoke slowly traveling down my throat… I exhale the fuel flavored drag out the right side of my mouth as I use my right forehoof to lift the window open for the unicorn outside. I say to her out the left of my mouth, “I’m guessing you don’t wanna use the front door?”

Her eyes widen, “Not right now!”

I grin with the burning joint moving to the right side of my mouth and say, “Hop on in, buddy!” before back pacing a few steps to give her room…

I see her dark green hooves rise from the bottom of my windowsill before hearing a grunt as I witness the grayish-white mane rising from the bottom of my window and I purse my lips to take another drag of the burning diesel flavored herb in my paper as the other filly pulls herself up and she soon comes through to land on her hooves on my floor before me, as her body lurches forward and she stops herself with her forehooves while her hind hooves stabilize her body…

She looks up to see me there on my hooves, smiling at her with a glowing stogie in my mouth as I slowly exhale hot smoke out of my nostrils, and it fills the air between us.

She raises her body and looks right before causing my window to close and the white plastic blinds to go down in a blue glow before turning her head back to me, while I revert to my haunches and bring my right forehoof to my lips to pull off the burning cigarette in my mouth, causing the embers at the end to glow…

She stares at me with wide-open eyes, “So uh, you’re home early too! But lemme guess! That has nothing to do with getting your assignments in early, does it?”

I stop pulling on the stoge in my mouth before removing it with my right forehoof and breathing smoke out the left side of my mouth and cough slightly before saying, “Oh, golly! You know, popularity sucks, and so I told her to just give me the week’s assignments!” and then, I bring the half-joint back to my mouth, where I purse my lips and inhale again, causing the cherry to gleam once more and hot petrol flavored smoke to travel down my gullet.

She smirks at me, “You just don’t care, do you Twinkle?”

I take the joint out of my mouth with my right forehoof and reach it around my body as I slowly exhale smoke from my snout and flick ashes in my glass ashtray on my small round wooden table there, before bringing the stogie to my mouth as I lower my head and purse my lips around it to take another drag to make the end glow as I say out the left corner of my mouth, “We’re WAY past that point now, Jessi!”

She smiles and giggles, “It’s okay Twinkle! I still love you!”

I widen my eyes and sputter slightly with the mostly smoked joint in my mouth, now little more than a nub at the end of the glass tip, and remove it with my right hoof before exhaling and saying in an astonished voice, “You’re about to hug me, aren’t you?”

Jessi smiles warmly at me, “The thought had crossed my mind, yes…”

I lower my gaze sternly and reply in defiance, “Well, you better not! I’m watching you!”

She takes a pace towards me with her right forehoof and says, “Or you’ll do what?”

My eyes widen with the mostly smoked joint still burning in my hoof, “I’ll hug you back! Yeah!” I nod my head. “That’ll show you!” before I frown and bring the stoge to my mouth and lower my neck again to take the final draw as I suddenly widen my eyes as I’m not exactly sure how anything I just said makes sense?

She takes 2 more paces towards me and now stands just 2 mere feet away as I exhale a puff of smoke between the two of us with my mouth and she suddenly pounces through it and knocks me down, causing some of my saliva to spray before she puts her forehooves underneath my pits and starts to wildly tickle me while grinning and giggling as she says in a loud squeaky voice, “Tickle Twinkle Shine! Tickle Twinkle Shine!”

She keeps me in place prone on the floor with her weight as I fidget and giggle with the sudden stimulation on my stoned leg-pits, “He he he! He he he! Stop it, jerk!”

Suddenly, the door opens to reveal a blue unicorn with a puffy darker navy mane as she frowns, “What’s going on in here?” before smiling elatedly ear to ear as her red eyes behold the sight of us, “AWW! Two fillies playing!” and then, correcting her eyes and raising her face to sniff the air as her grin lowers, “Have you been smoking in here, Twinkle?”

Jessi back paces a few paces to leave my body and get off me…

I roll to my left and raise myself on my hooves, before turning my body around to the right to face the blue unicorn in my doorway as I say to the other filly, “There will be a day of reckoning, Jessi! My revenge will be swift and brutal!”

I see Jessi’s head jitter as she snickers while staring at Izzy from my right and the indigo unicorn asks, “Well, how was classes, girls?”

I raise my neck to her, “Oh golly, Miss Izzy! It was awful! Other fillies kept talking to me and wanting to be my friend and I probably signed my autograph maybe fifty times!”

Jessi turns her head left, “Yeah, and I signed mine over three hundred times!”

I look down at the other foal on my right, “Oh yeah, well I signed mine five hundred times!”

Jessi quickly says, “A thousand times!”

I reply, “A million times!”

She grins, “Eleventy billion times!”

I widen my eyes and frown in irritation, “That doesn’t count! It has to be an actual number!”

“Does so!” She jitters back at me.

Izzy is shaking her head with a half-smile on her face before stopping and saying while widening her red eyes, “Well, I skipped lunch, so is it okay if dinner is early tonight girls?”

I perk up my head as it suddenly occurs to me that I’m kinda hungry and say, “That’s fine Izzy! Uh, hey! How long does this whole internet thing last, anyway?”

Izzy frowns, “Well, probably just a couple of days? The internet tends to move very fast!”

I widen my eyes into puppy dog mode as I stammer out as cute as I can, “Oh golly gee! It sure is lonely having to hide out like this! Um…” I affix my gaze, “can Jessi please spend the night tonight, Miss Izzy? PLEASE!!!!”

Izzy frowns at me, “Well, sure! I’ll call up Sunny and let her know Jessi’s here!”

I bounce up and down pretending to be elated as I shout, “HOORAY!!!!” when I suddenly realize that I’m happier about this than I thought I would be! Wait! Do I like having Jessi around? I begin to ponder while jumping for (surprisingly) legitimate joy!

<*****>

I sit on my haunches across from the laying filly on the floor and stare at the glowing card held in my blue grasp to read it, “Well, according to this card, I ate some bad brains, so I lose a turn!”

The pink pegasus filly sitting across the table from me on her maroon pillow stares back at me as she raises her left eyebrow, “Well, it’s no stranger than that whole blood craving thing I got and now I get bonus energy points from each victim?”

I frown at the other foal, “The Game of Un-Life is weird!”

She smiles and giggles, “Golly, you’re not wrong!” before scooping up the dice in her mouth and spitting them on the table to roll a 5 and a 3.

She moves her piece forward 8 spaces with her hooves as I say back to her, “I still don’t understand what this whole famous thing is really about? Okay, so a lot of ponies saw us! Big deal!”

She looks up at me while drawing a card from the white pile on her side of the board to her right with her right forehoof and stares at it in her hooves, “Yeah, I know what you mean! Hey! I get two bonus energy tokens!”

I frown at her, “Any idea what those do?”

She glares back at me while lowering the card face-down to the table, “I have no idea! All of Izzy’s games are weird and this was probably the most normal one I could find?”

I blink, “Probably?”

She smiles and leans forward towards me, “Golly, I sure am glad I have you during this time of hiding out in my life! Sure makes it a lot less lonely!”

I smile, “Ironically, it was snuggling me that caused this mess in the first place!”

She fixes her mouth and sighs, “Maybe, but it’s not your fault, Jessi! You never sent any pictures to anypony!”

I frown, “So you’re saying this was Izzy’s doing?”

She shakes her head, “No! I mean, she just sent the pictures! She’s not the ponies hounding us or wanting our autographs!” she raises her neck. “Although the free pizza was nice…”

I blink and lower my gaze, “Free pizza?”

She smiles up at me from her stomach on the floor, “Golly yeah! I mean, they all wanted to be my friend and so I just told them to get me a pizza! I shared it with the rest of them since there’s no way I could possibly eat ALL THAT pizza during my lunchbreak!”

I roll the dice inside my pale blue magic before mentally forcing my glowing piece to move forward another 5 spaces, “Izzy did say you were persuasive…”

She blinks at me, “Yeah, that seems to be what I’m good at, but you know, I never once used my abilities on you!”

I eyeball this other filly, “You haven’t?”

She widens her eyes, “Why would I? You’re my best friend and always wanna do stuff with me!”

I know this filly is a master liar and expert manipulator… I know these things, and yet still allow the warmth to come into my heart from the kind words she just spoke to me as I smile and say back to her, “I believe you!”

Suddenly, there’s a knock on the door as the pegasus stares back at me wide-eyed.

I raise my neck, “Who is it?”

I hear a muffled feminine voice say from behind the door, “It’s me! Pipp! Look! I’m sorry about what happened, and I want to make it all better! Can I come in?”

Twinkle has her head raised and eyes on the door, “Don’t you think you’ve done enough Pipp?”

The voice replies, “Hey, listen! I can get them to leave you alone! But I just need to talk to you two first!”

I stare at the pegasus, “What do you think Twinkle? It is your room?”

She sighs, “Well, she probably won’t make it worse?” before raising her neck to the door at the far corner behind me, “Come on in Pipp!”

<*****>

I open the door with my right wing and proceed to trot inside as the door swings open to my right and I stare down at the adorable fillies playing their board game on the floor. The green unicorn filly at my left, closer to me, the pink pegasus smiling at me beyond that, and the board game on the floor. They both look up at me with curiosity in their big eyes as I clear my throat, “Ahem! I’m terribly sorry about what happened fillies! I saw something adorable and precious and wanted to share it with the world!”

The green unicorn frowns at me while staring with her orange eyes, “Adorable?”

The pegasus looks at me and furrows her brows, “Yeah, well now I have to hide out until the internet or whatever, forgets about me!”

I widen my eyes, “I can tell my followers to leave you alone? That would probably work??"

The pegasus narrows her eyes and says, “Well, for most, I’m sure! The problem is there’s still gonna be a few!”

I close my eyes and lower my head to the ground as my light fluffy violet mane falls around my shoulders with sincere guilt in my heart for all of this, “I’m really sorry about this, okay girls? I-I swear I didn’t mean to interrupt your lives!”

Twinkle grimaces up at me while Jessi widens her eyes and says, “Well, maybe you can do something for us?” before she turns her head left to look at her best friend. “What do you think, Twinkle?”

The pegasus smiles back at me, “Oh, I’m sure we can think of a few things…”

(To be continued…)

Chapter 8: Testing!

I laid there deep inside my love cocoon with many stuffed equine friends, when I hear the familiar voice of my best friend calling from outside the bed, “Twinkle, exactly how many stuffed ponies do you have now?”

I lowly reply, “I don’t know!” while busily snuggling the purple alicorn held in my forehooves… I feel like she should be my enemy and for that reason, I just wanna cuddle her more! Golly, that’s weird!

“Where did you get all of these, anyway?” I hear the same voice ask.

“I don’t know!” I repeat while clutching the winged pony to my floofy chest and moving my head right so as not to get poked by the horn…

“Twinkle Shine!” The voice sternly says to me…

“Yes?” I timidly reply…

“Did you get Pipp to buy you all of these stuffies?”

“Um, maybe…” I retort.

I hear the voice snickering before it says, “You really like plushies, ever since I gave you Rarity, don’t you?”

“No I don’t…” I respond, while continuing to snuggle my new winged violet friend…

“Oh yeah? Then why are you currently snoozing deep inside a little nest of them, huh?”

I smile underneath the blankets and say, “I’m not snuggling plushies underneath the covers! It’s just your imagination!” before cuddling the purple pony to my chest again as I happily move my face left and right with a smile on my freckled visage…

“Twinkle, would you stop lying and just come out already?”

I giggle and reply, “Just a few more minutes!”

“I’m coming in there after you!”

“Oh, you wouldn’t dare!”

“Try me!”

I grimace when I realize that she’s probably not bluffing, “Okay, fine! And since you already know about my habit, I’m rolling up and smoking a joint!”

“Alright, fine! I’ll just get some more coffee then!”

“Are you sure you should be drinking coffee, as little as you are?”

“Are you sure you should be smoking dope?”

My eyes widen before I say, “I won’t say anything if you won’t!”

“Deal!”

I sigh, “Alright! You just head to the kitchen and do your thing and I’ll meet you on my floor!”

<*****>

I trot into the kitchen towards the coffee pot from Twinkle’s room and I see Izzy there at the table with her own cup of warm caffeinated beverage. I raise my head and say to her while trotting, “Hiya Izzy!”

She magically sets her cup down in a blue glow, which soon dissipates from the cup on the table, “Oh, hello Jessi! Your sparkle seems dimmer now. Come for another cup of coffee?”

I trot up to the counter at her back right and look up at the coffee pot before forcing the white cabinet over it to open to fetch a white coffee cup in my own azure glow. “No…”

The coffee mug floats to the counter before me as the cabinet magically shuts and I turn my head to the coffee pot slightly to the left of it as Izzy replies, “Looks like you’re getting another cup of coffee to me?”

I force the carafe to glow and exit the machine before it floats over my cup and slowly begins to pour, “Well, it’s not! I assure you!” before smiling slightly while I levitate the spoon and add two spoonfuls of powdered creamer to my cup from the burnt brown plastic bottle next to the maker as the carafe flies back to its spot on the machine.

I hear her snickering as she says, “Okay, Jessi! I’m guessing Twinkle is waiting on you?”

I begin to trot back across the kitchen while passing Izzy and the table on my left as I say, “Yeah, pretty much!”

<*****>

As I stood there on my haunches with the burning stogie in my mouth, I stared at this strange brown motley serpentine creature. He had two yellow eyes with different sized red pupils, a lion paw on his right side and an eagle talon on his left with two very different horns on his head and a distinct snaggle-tooth mouth… I feel like I should hate him, but I’m not sure why as I take a draw from the burning joint in my mouth…

“Hello, Cozy Glow! Or should I say, Twinkle Shine, now?” He says in a smarmy voice to me before smiling as his big tooth forms a diagonal angle from his mouth…

I remove the joint from my maw with my left forehoof and exhale smoke between me and this creature before asking him, “What the buck are you?” and then, I bring the joint back to my mouth to inhale again while lowering my head and begin to narrow my eyes as I feel feel the warm relaxing vapors from the burning end making their way through my mouth and down my gullet…

The end glimmers as he smiles and says, “I’m Discord, the lord of chaos! And you are or rather, were Cozy Glow, yes?”

I frown as I feel the hot smoke traveling down my throat and then, I slowly remove the stoge from my mouth again with my left forehoof and exhale smoke between me and the creature before coughing slightly and saying, “Cozy Glow is dead, Discord… I am what remains… My name is Twinkle Shine...”

“We shall see…” His voice chimes before he begins to grow transparent before me and soon disappears...

I could only stare there blankly and take another drag from my burning joint as I think to myself, I have been stoned, in more ways than one in my life, but I think I should know that guy?

Suddenly, the door to my right opens up towards the far wall from me and Jessi soon trots in with a white coffee mug in her blue glow.

<*****>

I trot in to see my best friend there sitting on her haunches with the still burning half-joint in her mouth and two very wide auburn eyes on her face. I stop right in front of the door before using my horn to force it to shut behind me as I look at her and ask, “Uh, Twinkle! Are you okay?”

She purses her lips on the burning cigarette and takes a draw as her eyes narrow on her face with the chemicals now entering her body. This forces the cherry to burn brighter before she slowly exhales smoke out the left side of her mouth, away from me and then, turns her gaze my way and says, “There was a brown serpent-like creature just here! He said his name is Discord!”

I widen my eyes and ask, “Okay uh, where is he now?”

She exhales smoke out the other side of her mouth again before frantically responding, “I don’t know!” and then, enlarging her eyes again and saying, “Uh, Jessi! You have a beard!”

I turn my eyes down to my muzzle and I can’t help but notice there's a LOT more hair there, that happens to be grayish-white like my mane and tail and not green like my coat! “AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!” I scream!

I see her ashing the joint in her glass ashtray in my periphery as I stare at the new growth around my mouth and she says quickly and calmly, “Calm down, Jessi! It’s probably just Discord messing with you!”

I look at her and can’t help but notice that she now has extra bushy bluish-white brows over her eyes and say to her, “Oh yeah? Well, now you have big eyebrows!”

She adjusts her eyes skyward to gaze at her new fluffed up and big eyebrows as she brings the joint back up to her mouth to take a draw and says, “Oh, wow! So I do!” before pursing her lips and making the end glow. She soon takes the burning stogie out of her mouth with her right forehoof and ashes it into the glass ashtray on the table at her right again by flicking while raising and lowering her new bushy eyebrows in rapid succession.

I keep my eyes large and peeled on the other filly, “You seem pretty calm about this?”

She smiles at me before bringing the roach back to her mouth and raises her huge eyebrows as she says, “Well, Izzy can just magically clip it all off whenever she gets back and you know, freaking out won’t really help matters? Besides! I like your new beard! It makes you look distinguished!” before chuckling and pursing her lips to take another drag.

I frown at her, “So uh, you wanna play like this now, I’m guessing? Hey, maybe I can role-play an old stallion now?”

She grins while exhaling smoke from her mouth, “I wanna role-play too, but I feel like I should have a big mustache now for some reason?” before pursing her lips for the final drag off the burning nub on the cardboard tip underneath the last remaining bit of rolling paper.

Suddenly, a brown snake-like thing appears floating on my right suddenly after a blue flash and he floats in the air and points at me with his eagle talon, “You’re not freaking out!”

Twinkle calmly puts the empty paper filter, now burnt out as it’s out of fuel, in her ashtray and smiles up at this bizarre creature before raising her eyebrows, “I always wanted big eyebrows! Thanks, Discord!”

He rolls his differently sized pupils inside his eyes before snapping his lion paw and suddenly, her eyebrows and my beard disappear and he says in an irritated tone, “You haven’t seen the last of me!” and then, surrounding himself in a pale azure glow again to disappear…

I see her grin with her brows back to normal as she snickers at where the strange creature was and says back, “Come and get me, Douchecord! I’m not scared of you!”

I blink at Twinkle, “I should go get Sunny and Izzy for this!”

She frowns at me, “You really think we need them?”

I nod and frantically respond, “Yes, I do! This is clearly some sort of powerful magic and we need extra help to deal with it!”

<*****>

Izzy widens her red eyes at me as she stands there in her paint splattered workroom with the splashed red and white easel behind her as she says, “Are you sure you know what you saw, Twinkle? Your mind wasn’t just playing tricks on you? I know how you get, sometimes!”

The green filly pipes up from my back left at the other unicorn, “No, she’s not lying! I saw this Discord, myself too!”

I nod, “Right! There was a strange serpent creature with parts of different animals on him and he called me by my old name at first, before Twinkle Shine again… I don’t know what he wants, but he knows who I am andclearly intends to do something? The real question now is, why did he make his presence known?”

Izzy frowns at me, “What?”

I smile slyly, “Well, think about it! If I didn’t know he’s here, he could do pretty much whatever he wanted! So, he had to have some reason for suddenly appearing to me like he did!”

Her red eyes widen, “You have a point, Twinkle… I’m going to call Sunny!” she raises her head, “Jessi!”

I hear my friend reply, “You don’t need to worry about my parents! It’s Saturday, so I’m cleared to crash here tonight!”

Izzy nods, “Right! Uh, my phone is in the other room!” before trotting around me on my right, opposite to Jessi and towards her door. She stops in the doorway, “Alright fillies! Buddy system! You two can’t leave each other’s sight until we know what’s going on!”

I turn my head to the right and snicker, “Alright, mom!”

I then hear her trotting out into the hallway as my friend says to me from my other side, “Well, she’s also got a point, Twinkle!” and suddenly, I’m held in her forehooves as my body contracts and I let out a little EEP, noise, “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you!”

Suddenly, I’m enveloped in blackness and I feel like I’m falling! I quickly go prone and stretch out my forelegs before me to begin flapping so I don’t suddenly hit the ground! As I fly through the now empty open air, I see a platform dimly lit approaching as I continue flapping that way through the black void…

I soon land on this platform, ready to take off at first as I don’t immediately trust it… I notice that my hooves are holding on the stone pavement and I’m in fact, not falling! I breathe heavily out of my mouth and cautiously move my little wings inward to my sides as I look up at the black void and call out, “Hello?”

The brown serpent from earlier materializes before me, floating off the platform maybe 15 feet as he smiles his snaggle-tooth grin and says, “I offer you this choice to make! One of two options, you must take! One brilliant move and one big mistake! So come now, and seal your fate!”

I smile as I stare up at him, “No!”

His misshapen eyes widen as his smile lowers, “What? What do you mean, no?”

I giggle, “Okay, first off, just who are you to test me, anyway? Why should I even take you seriously? And secondly, I am reformed, simply because I left my past behind and now, I have friends and a life here in Bridlewood! Bottom line: you’re not important and not needed! So just kindly deposit me back to where I belong and be on your way then, you weird brown snake thing! Because I don’t care about you or any choices you want me to make!”

He bends his neck down towards me as he smiles once more and floats in the air, “So, you’re not Cozy Glow? You believe you’ve completely reformed?”

I nod my head, “Yes, I do Discord! Now put me back!”

He giggles slightly before disappearing in a puff of smoke as I hear his smarmy voice say, “Well, let’s see the actions of everypony else then! Let’s see what they think of you and if you’re truly being the best filly you can be, then, hmm?”

“Bring it on!”

He chuckles more, “Oh, but it’s not quite that simple now, is it, Twinkle? No, your track record as Cozy Glow speaks volumes of you secretly manipulating ponies, and so, I’m going to make this more interesting!”

I raise my right eyebrow, “Oh?”

He giggles while continuing to smile down at me, “Yes, little Twinkle Shine! We’re going to see just how good you actually are and soon, everypony else will know about it as well!”

(To be continued...)

Chapter 9: Realizations

“Yes!” I stammer out while staring at the teal green unicorn blankly, “I took the final slice of pizza this morning at breakfast and wanted to lie to you about it being missing!”

Jessi frowns, “Uh, why are you telling me this?”

I blink, “Because I cannot tell a lie!”

Jessi leans closer to me, “Why?”

I sigh, “Well, you remember how you hugged me and I disappeared?

“Yes?”

I nod, “Oh golly! Well, I met Discord again and he placed a curse on me that makes me unable to lie! Um,” I blink, “and then I woke up on my bed, with you holding me…” I lean forward and widen my eyes, “So yeah! I always speak truthfully right now!”

Jessi pauses for a moment… “Really?”

I nod again, “Yeah!”

Jessi smiles and asks, “How do you really feel about me, Twinkle?”

I can only reply in my timid squeaky voice, “You’re my best friend in the whole world and just being with you this past week has been amazing! You know, it’s almost like you compliment or complete me, but I avoided thinking that way for a long time because I know that will only lead to sentimentality and make me vulnerable around you…” before blinking, straightening my mouth, and wondering exactly what did I just say?

She smiles and takes two paces towards me…

I step back…

She smiles wider and takes two more paces towards me even faster and quickly grabs me in her forehooves for a tight warm hug!

I let out a quick, “EEP!”, before adjusting my gaze to the other filly and reciprocating and as I try to hold her, I say, “This isn’t fair!”

“I love you too, Twinkle Shine!” She replies as I get a grip on her with my hooves.

Suddenly, the door behind Jessi at her right opens to reveal a fluffy maned blue unicorn there, with red eyes, who looks at us and says, “AWW! That’s so sweet when you two hug and cuddle!”

“No, it’s not!” I quickly yell out!

She smiles and chuckles, “Well fillies, I’ll make lunch in about two more hours! You two enjoy playing and snuggling together!”

I retort, “Okay, thanks mom!” before my eyes widen at what I just said…

Izzy stares at me blankly as the unicorn filly disengages and turns her body towards the other unicorn, “D-did you just call me mom, Twinkle Shine?”

I nod my head, “Yes I did!” while keeping my eyes wide at what I’m admitting! I can’t help but scrunch my mouth as irritation wells within my stomach when I realize that that’s not what I really wanted to say!

Izzy eyes me very carefully, “Well, I mean, I never really thought of you as my foal, because you’re just so intelligent and capable!”

I nod again, “Right! But I lost my original mother long ago and now, you’re fulfilling a lot of those roles for me! And because of that, I truly love you as a motherly figure, Izzy...” before blinking because I honestly didn’t know that!

She tilts her head slightly right and frowns, “Does this mean you’re gonna call me mom, from here on out?”

“Oh golly, I secretly hope not, but I have this sneaking suspicion it’s gonna turn out like that...”

Izzy straightens her neck and blinks, “Well, whatever you’re comfortable with Twinkle!” she raises her gaze to both of us, “I’ll be back with lunch in about two hours! You two have fun!” before the doorknob glows azure blue and shuts silently to hide her blue body once more…

Jessi turns her teal body back towards me and widens her orange eyes before saying, “So, you think of Izzy as your mother, now?”

I adjust my gaze to the other filly, “I secretly do, but I really don’t want anypony to know that!”

Jessi snickers at me.

I grimace and shout, “It’s not funny!”

“I wonder what else you’re hiding?”

I stare back at the unicorn and try to say, Nothing! I try to say that, but I can’t really speak because it occurs to me that that’s not exactly true… All I can do is shout, “Shut up!” back at the unicorn.

She continues smiling and snickering at me before adjusting her eyes, “So uh, what do you want to do now, Twinkle?”

Eager to change the subject, I stare back at her and reply, “Well, we can always walk to the milkshake bar for a creamy treat?”

She widens her eyes at me, “It’s nine-thirty in the morning!”

I nod, “That is correct!”

She frowns as her eyes slowly revert to normal… She finally grins and giggles slightly before saying, “You know what? Sure Twinkle Shine! Lets go get milkshakes!”

I sigh, “Well, I know I’m not supposed to take her money without asking, and so, I’ll get some bits from Izzy before we head out!”

She eyes me carefully at this point…

<*****>

As I trot to the left of the pink pegasus foal down the darkened forest road deep in Bridlewood through a row of motley shacks, I stare at her carefully wondering just how this new inability to lie is affecting her? I noticed that she doesn’t steal from her caregiver anymore and I contemplate exactly what other changes I can expect in the future? I gaze her way, “So uh, how you holding up, Twinkle?”

She sighs as the locks from her mane fall down with her head, “Well, this sucks! I mean, I’m usually a tad less than honest, but now I don’t have a choice!”

I giggle, “Yeah, I think it’s good though, because now I know how you really feel about me…”

She raises her gaze and turns her neck my way, “Golly! Um, does it make you feel good to know that I think of you like that, Jessi?”

I frown, “Why wouldn’t it? You’re my best friend, remember?”

She stops trotting suddenly…

I reciprocate… “Uh, you okay Twinkle?”

She turns her head forward and frowns, “I feel like I really shouldn’t get close to anypony, and yet, that’s precisely what I did…” her eyes widen. “Oh. Golly!”

I raise my neck, “Did you not want to?”

She turns her head back to me, “Uh, well the truth is, I’m not really sure what I want anymore?”

I smile, “Let me guess! You’re afraid that if you get too close to us, that we’ll just hurt you, right?”

She adjusts her eyes downward in the morning light as shops come open further up the road from where we both stand, “Well, until this point, I always felt that other ponies were only scum and that they’re there to be used and discarded and for the longest time, I tried my best to believe that about you two. I really did, but…”

I narrow my eyes, “But what, Twinkle?”

She sighs and glances off to the right before back at me, “But you’re both just so good to me! I now can’t honestly say that I would get rid of either of you anymore… And I never wanted to admit that to myself…”

I reply, “Well, you’re not a heartless manipulator…”

She widens her eyes and glowers more, “N-no… No I’m not…”

She stands there in silence before I finally ask her, “Uh, are you okay Twinkle Shine?”

She starts and blinks before staring back at me, “I uh, think so, but I can’t say for certain now that I’m having all of these realizations about myself?”

I smile, “Well, come on buddy! Let’s go get some milkshakes! Izzy didn’t seem to care what time it was?”

She blinks, “Why would she?”

I blink, “Well, it’s just that uh…” I shake my head slightly, “You know what? Never mind! We’re having milkshakes at ten in the morning!”

<*****>

I trot out of my workroom towards the kitchen table towards Twinkle’s room on the left, when I see a teal green unicorn filly already standing there and knocking on the red door frantically with her right forehoof…

“Come on Twinkle! It’s not that bad!” I see Jessi yell at the door…

I hear an annoyed squeaky voice from the other side of the door yell back, “Go away! I don’t want to see anypony right now!”

I trot to Jessi and stop about 7 feet shy of her, look down at her, and ask, “What’s going on?”

Jessi turns her head left towards me and says, “Twinkle Shine can’t tell a lie right now because of some weird curse, and she admitted to me how much I mean to her and at the milkshake bar earlier, she finally admitted that she really does care about me and you and well… This is what happened! She says she’s weak and vulnerable and no longer wishes to see anypony…”

I raise my gaze at the door and frown as I hear the same squeaky voice from inside yell, “I’m not supposed to get this attached to anypony! Now, I’m gonna lose you both and it’s gonna hurt! It’s better if you both just leave me alone forever now! Because that’s how this is gonna end up anyway!”

I frown when I suddenly think that this is probably the sort of problem Sunny should solve, when I suddenly smirk again because I have an idea…

<*****>

I sit on my pillow on the floor laying on my belly as I color the strange rainbow maned pony in my coloring book, when I suddenly realize that I have a plushie that looks just like her on my bed!

I hear a knocking on my door, “Hey, it’s me, Izzy! Uh, I brought a blunt! You wanna talk?”

I frown when I remember that I didn’t wake n bake this morning, and say back to the door, “Um, a blunt?”

“Yes, Twinkle! A fresh blueberry blunt! We can just smoke and talk it out, okay?” I hear her sigh. “I don’t know how much you trust me, Twinkle, but I swear here and now that I won’t lie to you… It’ll just be us on an even playing field… You and me, being truthful and honest, okay?”

Another disturbing thought comes to mind, “Uh, just you and me? Jessi will stay outside? I don’t like this, mom!” before widening my eyes at what I just said!

“No, Twinkle! This is just me and you, like old times, okay?”

<*****>

I stare down at the filly while she sits on the floor on her haunches and raises the burning blunt to her mouth with her right forehoof to take a drag, “Okay, so you feel weak and exposed now because you can no longer hide behind lies, is that right Twinkle Sama?”

Her eyes widen before she removes the blunt from her snout and she then exhales a big cloud of smoke just to my right before staring at me with wide-open eyes and nodding, “Um, yes! That’s my problem! I just keep admitting to all of these things that I don’t like to tell anypony! Not even myself! And now it’s just, ugh!” she shuts her eyes, “Oh, golly dammit!” and gets noticeably flustered before bringing the blunt to her mouth again for another drag and purses her lips in inhales causing the cherry to glow around the ashes of what had already been smoked.

I smile, “Twinkle Sama, do you trust me?”

Her eyes dart left and then right as she slowly exhales smoke from her nostrils and gulps, “Um, yes Izzy! I trust you!” before she holds her right forehoof up with the blunt.

I smile, “Then you need to know that whatever you may say to me, I’m going to take it in the best way possible then, silly! I’m not your enemy!” and then use my horn to force the blunt to glow and then, float over to my awaiting lips after turning around in mid-air.

I clamp down on the blunt with my lips and inhale to make the cherry glow as I feel the warm smoke traveling down my throat and taste the earthy undertones of the burning weed. She soon exhales smoke with her nose, before frowning and staring up at me, “So uh, you don’t mind if I kinda um, think about you as my mother, now?”

I can’t help but giggle as I exhale smoke between me and the filly before replying, “You know, as far as kids go, you’re pretty low maintenance and you’re just so much fun! I don’t care how you think about me!” and wave my right forehoof in the air at my side.

She suddenly blurts out, “I don’t think I want to call you mom, after all? It’s just that well, “ she blinks, “after everything, I don’t know if I’m comfortable giving anypony else that title, if it makes any sense? Oh golly!” before closing her eyes and narrowing her now straight mouth.

“Then don’t! I did just kinda tell you that I didn’t care how you thought about me! Well, as long as it’s positive anyway!” I look up, “Should probably mention that? Wouldn’t want the dope-smoking pegasus filly living in my cottage to hate me!” before adjusting my eyes back to her as I mentally cause the blunt in my mouth to glow and it floats in the air before me before turning around and flying towards Twinkle who catches it with her mouth.

She widens her eyes and stammers out, “Oh, no Miss Izzy! You’re wonderful! Just the best!” around the stogie in her mouth before pursing her lips for a drag and forcing the embers at the end to glow.

I smile again, “Great! So now, since you trust me and you know that I truly have your best interests at heart, you know there’s really no harm in being honest with me!”

She smiles and exhales smoke out of her nose before saying out the right side, “Yeah, I guess I should just trust you, huh? So it’s kinda silly of me not to be truthful anyway!”

I nod, “Right! Now, do you trust Jessi?” while she inhales from the blunt again.

I pause for a moment while she holds the smoke in her lungs and she soon exhales it from her nose as a cloud forms before both of us and stares up at me before saying out the right side of her mouth, “Well, I trust her not to interfere with our time together!”

I giggle, “Oh yes! Heaven forbid you ever don’t smoke with your new mommy!”

She giggles, “Stop it!” before trying to regain composure.

“You’re new mommy who loves you!”

“Knock it off!” she says while continuing to giggle slightly as it becomes apparent to me that there’s something unusual floating around my head!

Nopony says a word as she purses her lips around the blunt for her second drag and I finally calmly and expressionlessly say, “And who’s always going to be there for you… Her wonderful, cute, and smart little filly…”

Her cheeks begin to glow red along with the stogie in her mouth as she inhales, before coughing and sputtering slightly and then finally, exhaling the smoke out of her nostrils and stares up at me with her two enormous brown eyes, and saying out the right side of her mouth, “Oh, golly, Miss Izzy! Do you really mean that?”

I smile, “I said I was gonna be honest with you and I meant every word, goofus! I’m your mom-friend! Or maybe like a buddy-mother? Matriarch-associate, perhaps?” before giggling as I try my best to come up with a name for my relationship with this strange filly! She finally exhales smoke out of her nostrils again and I ask her, “So Twinkle! Ready to face Jessi now?”

She looks at me and quickly replies, “Four more drags!”

I giggle, “Okay, my wonderful little filly! Whatever you need to do!”

Suddenly, I see a strange creature materialize on my right as I sit there on the floor before the blunt-smoking foal! I glance at him and behold his mixed form as he has two eyes of different sizes, two completely different horns on his head, and a lion’s paw on one side and eagle talon on the other side of his brown serpentine body. He stares at Twinkle on his right and says, “Congratulations young Cozy Shine! You passed! The lesson was that you can always be honest with your friends! Although I must add little Twinkle Glow, that the new development between you and Izzy was a nice bonus!”

Twinkle has her head turned left at the creature with the burning blunt still in her mouth and mostly intact as she stares up at the creature with a dazed look in her eyes and blankly asks out the right corner of her mouth, “Say what now?” as a glop of ashes falls from the end, but nopony seems to care at this point.

The creature smiles his snaggle-tooth grin and says, “The lesson I was teaching you! Honesty, to always be truthful and to only lie when absolutely necessary! Speaking of which, since you proved now that you can be responsible with it, I’m restoring your ability to lie! Have fun with your new mommy!” before snapping the eagle talon on his left side in the air and I see Twinkle glow bluish-white for a moment before stopping as he suddenly becomes clear and fades from my view as easily and strangely as he first appeared…

I blink my eyes while I and the filly continue to stare at the air where the creature was, before I finally turn my head left towards the pegasus and ask her, “Uh, can you lie again, now?”

She turns her head to me and says out the right side of her mouth, still holding the blunt, “I don’t love Izzy or Jessi at all!”

I smile, “I love you too, Twinkle Shine!”

(To be continued...)

Chapter 10: Vice Versa

As I lay there with my back on the bed, I had my forehooves set before me and stare up at the odd brown serpentine body overhead and smile and say, “Oh, hey! You’re Disarray, right? Hi Disarray!”

He frowns at me, which only looks like a smile and almost forces me to giggle as he says, “It’s Discord, foal! My name is Discord!”

I widen my eyes and normalize my mouth, “Oh! I’m sorry Discord! Uh, I’m Jessi! Jessi Trotsky!”

“I know who you are and it’s the company you keep that has me concerned!”

My eyes normalize, “Oh, you mean Twinkle Shine!” I smile. “Yeah, she’s my best friend and she’s just the greatest!”

His misshapen yellow and red eyes narrow, “It would seem, so…”

I continue at this point as the espresso I drank earlier has me hyper, “Yeah, I just wanted to know though, why did you make her tell the truth like that?”

His left eyebrow raises, which appears to lower from my vantage point as he continues to float in the air above me, “Because she needed to understand that she can trust some ponies…”

I nod and correct my mouth, “Okay, but how is that your place to do these things? I mean, wouldn’t it be better and more effective if she simply came to these realizations herself, rather than you forcing her to?”

“How do you know she would come to those realizations?”

I blink, “Well, she’s pretty smart?” I smile, “I bet she would’ve opened up just fine if me and Izzy just kept hanging out with her and working with her? I really don’t think you needed to intervene?”

“Now listen here, Jessi!”

I cut him off and don’t let him speak the next sentence, “Furthermore, the very fact that you somehow still felt the need to step in says a lot more about you than it does about Twinkle Shine, don’t you think?”

His eyes widen as he stares at me, grinning up at him and he points at me with the eagle talon on the right side of his body, “Look! I didn’t come here to be psychoanalyzed by a filly!”

I blink again as I continue to grin, “And yet, here you are! Lucky you!”

He throws his eagle talon and lion paw up at his sides, “Oh, for goodness sake!” he points down at me with his eagle talon again, “You’ve been closed off for far too long, Jessi! Time to open up!” before bending down to me and putting his index eagle nail on my forehead and causing my body to glow for a moment and then disappearing in a flash of light!

I frown, “Okay! That was weird!” before widening my eyes, “I’d better get Twinkle!”

<*****>

So I stood there in the center of my room on my haunches when I put the freshly rolled joint to my lips. I marvel at the new red hoof lighter that Izzy got for me in my left forehoof as I stand on my haunches about to fire up. I bring my left hoof to my mouth and squeeze the red plastic squeeze box device between the clefts, which causes a spark and a flame to ignite the joint already in my mouth with the tip held in my lips and I draw to ignite the end and bring the warm earthy smoke into my mouth and down my throat as I feel the cannabinoids immediately begin to do their work on me, via my lungs where the smoke is contained.

I suddenly hear a knock on my door behind me!

I exhale smoke quickly before me from my nostrils before saying, “Come in!” out the right side of my mouth before pursing my lips on the joint and taking another draw to bring warm vapors into my mouth once more with their floral and vegetative taste as a slow content smile forms on my snout.

The door swings open suddenly and I hear a familiar voice say, “Discord is back!”

I widen my eyes and turn my body around to witness my best friend, now trotting in the room as the door behind her shuts with a blue magical glow. I then slowly exhale smoke out my nose...

She stares at me with her burnt orange eyes and says, “He’s back and he did something to me!” before blinking them as her mouth goes straight, “The truth is, I really would like to get closer to you, but I see friendship in your direction as a liability because you might be killed…” and then widening her eyes suddenly!

I frown before squeaking out, “You gotta tell the truth now, huh?”

She blinks and nods, “Yup! I already told Sunny that I would very much like to view her as a motherly figure, but I keep thinking she’ll go away, later!”

My eyes widen as the burning stoge sits in the right side of my mouth, “Uh, you think maybe you have issues here, Jessi?”

She sighs, “Well, yeah! I,” she blinks, and starts “I know I have issues and I’ll be the first pony to admit it! But this isn’t right either! I shouldn’t just have to face it now, you know?”

I take the joint out with my right forehoof, and stare back at her sternly before asking, “If not now, then when?”

She widens her eyes and frowns, “Huh?”

I take a long breath in and out of my snout as I ash the joint on the glass ashtray to my right and lower my gaze to the unicorn while keeping my eyes fixed on her, “I had to face my monsters, Jessi… I guess it’s time to face yours?” I blink and raise my sight to her. “Why do you think we’ll go away?”

She sighs and seems visibly irritated when she stares at me with a scowl and says, “Having family and attachments makes you weak, because whenever those things get taken away from you, it hurts!” she gulps. “It’s better to be free and to not have any attachments, so you’ll have nothing to lose!”

I exhale smoke out the left side of my snout while the burning joint hangs on the right with the cardboard filter underneath the paper, buried in my lips, “Oh, golly! Uh, kinda late, don’t you think? I mean, you’re already attached to many different ponies!”

She lowers her shoulders as she sighs and wistfully looks over to her right, “Yeah, I know that! I know that you’re all liabilities!” she sighs again and stares back at me seriously, “Just more ways I’ll get hurt, later!”

I can’t help but chuckle as I exhale warm smoke out the left side of my mouth and use my right forehoof to bring the joint to the ashtray on my right again to flick it. “Well, golly gee! Now you’re infected, huh?”

She gazes back at me and widens her eyes to what I think is all the way before frantically replying, “Yeah! And it sucks!”

“Don’t I know it!” before bringing the joint back to my mouth while lowering my gaze.

She sighs again, “I sure am glad you’re smoking!”

I take the joint out of my mouth and avert my gaze to the left of the pony and exhale a cloud of smoke over there before staring back at her, “Why? You wanna get a contact buzz again?”

She smiles, “Well, yeah! I don’t like the idea of smoking it myself, but whenever I’m around you, I can always feel just a little bit better!”

I bring the joint back to my snout with my right forehoof and draw on it while squinting at her…

She nods and smiles, “Yeah, it’s probably healthier if I’m not smoking it myself!”

I lower my face as I continue to take a powerful drag of the stogie, causing the embers at the end to burn brightly and ash forms there and a small bit falls down onto the floor before me… I bring the joint out again with my right forehoof and mentally count to 5 while flicking the rest of the ash into the tray on my right before exhaling smoke directly into this other filly’s face as she raises her snout to begin taking it in with a big grin on her face… I smile at her and say, “Doesn’t matter! The chemicals are still there inside you and you’re still getting high!”

She lowers her view back to me, “I know that, but I’d much rather just pretend that it’s okay, so I can get high with you!” she widens her eyes and frowns. “That’s another thing I never told you about… Back when we both got stoned together and snuggled was one of the happiest times in my life and I secretly want to do it again, but I don’t like the idea of doing drugs…”

At this point I bring the cigarette to my lips with my right forehoof as I eyeball this teal green unicorn before me carefully… I ponder on the choice she appears to be making and its consequences… I then realize that it’s not really my call to make as I take it out of my mouth and breathe smoke into her face again before smiling and saying, “Okay, two things! First off, you obviously believe what you’re saying, because Discord made it so you can’t lie!” I nod, “That said, you should know that contact buzzes still count!” I sigh and gaze wistfully to the left before adjusting back to her. “But, since we’ve already gone this far, you bet your horseshoes we’re snuggling!” before nodding and putting the burning joint out in my glass ashtray by snuffing it from side to side…

Suddenly, the door has a golden glow on it’s knob and it opens to the left behind Jessi, and I can’t help but notice a distinct orange alicorn behind her that looks down at the unicorn with her cerulean eyes and says, “Are you doing okay for right now, my precious foal?” and trotting in and embracing her from behind!

Jessi widens her eyes while encased in the alicorn’s forehooves and can only barely stammer out with her dark orange eyes now enormous, “Oh yeah uh, this has been going on!”

Sunny raises her head and sniffs the air twice while continuing to embrace Jessi from behind, “Is something burning in here?”

I look up at her, “Oh golly! Yeah, I was just burning some of this sage and camphor incense I got and uh, well I guess it stays in the air for awhile, huh?” before bringing my right forehoof behind my neck to scratch it while looking up at her with my eyes as big as they will go for maximum cuteness and just hoping she doesn’t notice the ashtray on the table, carefully concealed behind my glass soda bottle, half full of dark cola…

She frowns, “Um, okay! Well, come on out, fillies! Me and Izzy need to talk with you!”

I widen my eyes while my mouth narrows and I suddenly think that it’s probably better that I establish a chemical barrier before hearing what they have to say and silently commend myself on smoking just then, “Oh, golly!”

<*****>

I stare at the two fillies across the table from me in the ultra-messy dining room, with a shelf behind me with many full drawers out and open as the orange alicorn on my left looks down at them. They both gaze up at me with wide open adorable eyes as Sunny explains, “Look! We know Discord did something to Jessi to make her unable to lie, just like he did to Twinkle earlier!” she shakes her head. “But I just can’t shake this feeling that there’s more to it than that? Like, he’s planning something else? But what?”

Jessi gazes up at the alicorn from the right of Twinkle with her wide open deep orange eyes, “Well, he obviously intended to make me open up by giving me the same curse as Twinkle Shine! But I think you’re right? This seems far too simple…”

I turn my head left to the alicorn, who stands there facing the two fillies, still sitting down at the table across from her, when I can’t help but grin when I notice the two pointy 2-inch candy corn fangs coming out of Sunny’s mouth!

Jessi is grinning to the right of the scene as Sunny faces her and doesn’t miss a beat, “Well, we know he’s the Lord of Chaos, right? What would the Lord of Chaos do?”

Twinkle has her brown eyes wide and poised at the alicorn when she says, “Oh, golly! Um, probably give you candy corn fangs?”

Sunny squints her eyes at the pegasus, “That seems oddly specific!”

Jessi blinks, “Well, that’s because he did it, Sunny! You now have candy corn fangs!”

Sunny’s eyes widen and move down to her mouth in front of her snout when she raises her right hoof and touches to verify that she does indeed have hard candy corn fangs!”

I continue smiling, “Sunny has candy corn fangs!”

She turns her head at me and widens her green eyes before saying, “Oh, yeah? Well, you have a blue cotton ball for a mane, now!”

I widen my eyes and feel my mane that now seems to be matted and cotton-like on my head. I stare up and see that it’s still the same dark blue color, just cottony now, as I exclaim, “Oh, wow! Uh, “ I adjust my eyes back to the alicorn. “Is this a good look for me?”

Sunny grins with her new fangs and giggles, “Oh yeah! The truth is, it helps balance out your pouf factor!”

I blink and look at the orange pony with a frown, “Pouf factor?”

She nods, “Yeah, your mane is just so poofy and with it all cotton-balled like that, it’s smaller and better, I’d say!”, she leans forward with her eyes enlarged. “Probably easier to manage, too?”

I normalize my eyes and smile when I realize what the alicorn is doing and reply, “Oh, yeah! And hey, your candy corn fangs are also pretty snazzy! I think they’re cute!”

She nods again, “Oh, thank you, Izzy! Your new cotton mane is adorable as well!”

I correct my mouth and eye her carefully. “Hey, you think you might be able to eat them?”

Twinkle finally pipes up from my immediate right of Sunny, “Uh, that would only be a good idea if candy corn were actually edible!”

Jessi to the right of Twinkle adds, “She’s got you there, Izzy! Nopony likes candy corn!”

I turn my neck right to the other unicorn across from me, “What? I like candy corn!”

Sunny widens her eyes and moves her head towards me without averting her gaze, “Really?”

I turn my head back left to face her, “Yeah!” I frown. “What?”

Sunny shakes her head, “Well, I guess you could always kiss me and eat off my fangs that way?”

I blink at this crazy suggestion as my head starts with a shake and mouth narrows with uncertainty, “Really?”

She starts herself and blinks, “Uh, never mind! I’ve just felt kinda funny since I went into Twinkle’s room earlier!”*

I gaze at her focused and frown, “Now, I wanna kiss you!”

She shakes her head and gives a wide-eyed start, “Wait, what?” before frowning at me…

I blink as I normalize my mouth and shake my head, “Uh, never mind!”

Suddenly, we all hear a loud reverberating voice shout as echoes fill the room, “OH FOR GOODNESS SAKE! I wanted to freak you out so we could do something else! Not turn Izzy into a lesbian!” before the big window behind the two fillies suddenly shows a miasma of blue swirls and colors… We then all hear the same voice again, slightly lower this time. “Welcome to The Abyss, girls!”

I frown as I stare out into the swirling blue void outside my window, “I wouldn’t say, lesbian? Bi-curious, maybe?”

(To be continued...)

Author's Note

*Sunny Starscout doesn’t intentionally use any drugs, although she’s used at least two by accident in my writing, so far…

Chapter 11: Opening

I gaze at these intelligent fillies on the other end of the table as they converse about what happened earlier…

Jessi on the left says, “Well, we’ve effectively annoyed him! Uh, are you sure that was such a great idea?”

Twinkle stares at her from the right and says, “Well, now he’s gonna be thrown off his game and therefore, easier to deal with, right?”

Jessi frowns, “Not necessarily? I mean, this will undoubtedly cause him to become more erratic! We are talking about the Lord of Chaos here, right?”

Twinkle nods at her cohort, “Well, golly gee right! But it’s also important to note that he’s more likely to make mistakes this way!”

Jessi raises her gaze and widens her eyes, “What mistakes could he possiblymake, Twinkle? He’s got us trapped in this,“ she gazes at the swirling blue miasma outside the window on her left, “this world here and we’re pretty much at his mercy!”

Twinkle reduces her gaze and I hear her say lowly, “Which is precisely why we need to be more cunning than him!"

Jessi widens her eyes, “Oh? What did you have in mind?”

Twinkle then dismounts her chair on the right towards Jessi, and leans to whisper in her left ear…

Jessi nods, “Uh huh… Yeah… Okay, that makes sense!”

I turn my neck right to look at Izzy, still sitting there with her puff ball mane, “You ever get the feeling these fillies are really smart?”

Izzy turns her head left to me and responds, “Um, usually I just get a craving for chocolate!”

I suppress a grin as Twinkle gazes from the other side of the table, “Uh, Miss Izzy! May I please be excused to my room now?”

Izzy turns her neck right to the pegasus, “Oh uh, sure Twinkle! We’ll call you if we need you!”

She smiles sweetly, “Thank you, Miss Izzy!” before squatting and launching herself to the air and fluttering her way to the back of the cottage on the left, where the red door leading into her room is.

I look at Izzy with firm concern in my eyes, “Are you sure she should be splitting up from us like that? I mean, it’s probably better that we all be together right now, right?”

Izzy frowns and widens her eyes, “Um, I guess so?”

I sigh and shake my head, “Well, we should probably call her back, right?”

Izzy blinks, “Uh, well unless she screams or something, we have no reason to believe anything is awry?”

I nod, “Well, right!” I sigh and longingly look off to the left, “I sure am glad I got you here!” I adjust my gaze to her and smile. “Being trapped in an alternate dimension is easier with friends!”

She smiles, “Aww! I like being trapped in an alternate dimension with you too, Sunny!”

I frown, “That’s not what I meant!”

Suddenly, Jessi speaks up from my front, to the left of Izzy, “Um, Miss Sunny! If we should all be sticking together, shouldn’t I go check on Twinkle?”

I look back at her, “Good point, Jessi! Buddy system!” I nod, “Twinkle is your buddy and I’ll take Izzy!”

She smiles and nods, “Uh, right!”

I nod back, “Of course! Now, go to your buddy so you’re not separated!”

She widens her eyes, “Oh uh, right!”

<*****>

I gaze at the scene with my eyes wide and I see a blue scaly 5-foot tall creature of some sort to the right of Twinkle Shine, holding a joint in his right claw and bringing it to his 8-inch long beak of a mouth underneath his long white hair as his bat-like wings visibly relax behind his shoulders and the cherry turns brighter as he inhales and stares at the burning joint with his slitted gray eyes…

I look at my friend, “Uh, who is this?”

Twinkle raises her gaze to me, although the glazed look in her eyes betrays her mental state as she says, “Oh, this is Ace! Ace the dragon! Yeah, he came in through my window!”

The dragon looks at me after exhaling from his beak to my right with his slitted violet eyes and forms what I believe is a smile on his lips and I see the two scaly fins of a darker shade of blue on the side of his head move, as if to adjust his hearing and says in a masculine juvenile voice, “Oh, what’s up little filly dude? Yeah, Twinkle here didn’t mention there were other ponies in here? I’ve been trapped in this dimension for, like, a really long time!”

I keep my eyes wide, “Are you gonna eat us?”

He frowns, “Uh, no! Why would I? You’re smart and I don’t wanna hurt anything like you! Besides, the void birds out there taste good enough!” he extends his right claw towards me with the burning joint. “Here you go, little partner! It’ll take the edge off!”

I gaze at the burning joint and start, “Uh, no thanks! I’m good! Uh,“ I raise my gaze, “how did you get here, anyway, Ace?”

He shrugs and moves his claw to the right, towards Twinkle, who soon collects the joint with her forehoof, “Oh, it was the weirdest thing, man! I just fell asleep in a cave after, well, after smoking a joint and when I woke up, I was in this strange swirling void place!” he gulps, “I’ve never seen this house here before, though?”

I gaze up at Ace, “Well, that’s probably because it’s new? Uh,” I look over at Twinkle. “you sure this is a good time to be smoking? I mean, with everything going on?”

She gazes at me with her brown eyes and calmly replies, “Well, getting trapped in another dimension is kinda stressful and so, I decided to smoke one to relax me! Uh,“ she looks over at Ace on her left. “I didn’t expect to have company, though!”

Ace looks back at Twinkle and smiles, “Sorry, little dude! It’s pretty boring out there most days and well, I just saw a house suddenly appear out here and thought I should check it out! Uh, I can leave if you want?” before frowning…

I widen my eyes when I realize that he could be useful to us and say, “Uh, no, that’s okay Ace! Uh, you two just keep doing what you’re doing! I’ll go tell the other ponies about you, so they don’t freak out!”

Ace grabs the joint-nub from Twinkle with his right claw and stares at me with his slitted purple eyes while bringing the burning stogie to his mouth, “Uh, well if there’s other ponies in here, we wouldn’t want them to freak out because of me! Good call, man!” before pursing his lips on the tip and drawing smoke in to force the cherry to glow.

I narrow my eyes and frown while whispering, “Man?” to myself.

He frowns at me as Twinkle takes her first drag with her right forehoof while narrowing her brown eyes and visibly becoming more relaxed before me, “Uh, maybe I should just go with little filly from now on?”

I consider my options and after deciding that I really shouldn’t return without Twinkle, I say, “Well, we’re on the buddy system now Twinkle, and you and I aren’t supposed to be separated!”

Twinkle smiles at me, “Which is why you’re sitting there for another contact buzz before I hug you!” before bringing the stoge to her mouth for another drag.

I widen my eyes at the other filly, “Wait! I didn’t say anything about me also getting high!”

She breathes smoke onto me and widens her eyes, “Well, not yet anyway! But you gotta admit, snuggling while stoned is better and you do seem kinda tense yourself?” before handing the joint over towards Ace again.

I narrow my eyes and frown deeply as I can only reply, “You’re a bad influence, you know that?”

Ace collects the joint with his right claw and brings it to his beak for another drag as he lowers his gaze while Twinkle lowers her own eyes and slyly replies, “Maybe, but I’m a lot of fun!”

I blink and nod, “Yup! We’re both going to Tartarus now, that’s for sure!”

Twinkle looks over at Ace, “Be sure to breathe your smoke on Jessi now, Ace! If she’s going to Tartarus with us anyway, she might as well get completely high!”

Ace brings the joint out of his beak with his claw and looks down at me with those same vertical pupil gray eyes before breathing out a particularly large cloud of smoke in my direction and I can’t help but think that he must have bigger lungs than Twinkle as he says, “Oh, okay little filly dude! Uh, her name is Jessi? That’s cool! Uh, he adjusts his gaze right towards the pegasus. “What should I call you, anyway?”

Twinkle turns her neck left to Ace and smiles, “I’m Twinkle Shine! But just call me Twinkle, buddy!”

I frown and widen my eyes when I realize this dragon was just smoking with a filly he didn’t know!

<*****>

“I think I’ve been trapped in this void for about three to five days? It’s hard to tell with no day or night! Anyway, I had literally just eaten a void bird when I saw this house just appear out of nowhere! So, being trapped in the void and having nothing better to do, I scoped it out by climbing through the window! I bet there was a door on the other side I could’ve used, now that I think about it?” I frown before fixingmy mouth, “Anyway, that’s when I met this far out little pink pegasus filly! She said her name was Twinkle Shine! When suddenly, a green unicorn filly I also didn’t know came in through the door! Yeah, it was crazy” I say to the unicorn with her peculiar dark blue puff ball mane on her head, sitting across from me. I guess that’s a unicorn style? I’m not sure!

The orange pony frowns at me from the other side of the table, to the left of Izzy “So uh, you just randomly got trapped here?”

I widen my eyes, “Man, I really wish I had an explanation, but uh,” I shrug. “I got nothing, little freaky winged unicorn dude!”

The blue unicorn smiles and giggles, “I like him!”

Twinkle turns her neck right to look at me from her position at the table, while Jessi stands beyond her, “So uh, you have no affiliation with this douche-tool named Discord, right?”

I gaze down at the filly and frown as I widen my eyes, “I don’t know who that is?”

Jessi speaks up, “Yeah, he’s a draconequus who keeps thinking he has some right to interfere and test ponies, or something!”

Twinkle nods at me, “Oh golly yeah, complete moron!”

I widen my eyes at the other filly, “Whoa! That sounds harsh?”

Suddenly, we all hear a loud vibrating masculine voice resonate within the house and say, “I know you’re just trying to irritate me, Twinkle Shine! You really need new tricks!”

She turns her head towards the table before her at nothing and grins, “Oh, there’s plenty more where that came from, my stupid draconequus friend!”

“We shall see…” The voice simply replies before growing silent…

I frown in surprise and say, “That was Discord, wasn’t it?”

Twinkle nods back at me, “Yup! He’s a douche-ball!”

I grin, “Douche-ball! I like it! I gotta use that later!” I turn towards the blue unicorn before me. “Uh, why is your mane all cottony like that?”

She stares back at me with her red eyes underneath the puff ball mane and replies, “Oh, this? Yeah, Discord gave me this look! Do you like it?”

I widen my eyes and nod, “Oh, yeah! It’s a cool look! Uh, what should I call you?”

She nods, “I’m Izzy Moonbow and this,“ she motions to the orange alicorn sitting on her right with her neck. “Is my best friend, Sunny Starscout!”

“So, I’m trapped in an alternate dimension inside a cottage, surrounded by ponies?”

Izzy nods, “Well, that’s one way to put it, yeah!” she smiles. “Your sparkle shimmers! I like it!”

I frown as I’m not sure what this funky horned pony is getting at, “Sparkle?”

Twinkle interjects while staring at the dragon, “Ace! Focus for me, here! Now, you’re telling us you don’t know who Discord is?”

I adjust my gaze to the chair at my right back down to the pink filly and shrug while frowning, “Not a clue!”

Twinkle lowers her gaze and thinks out loud, “Well, if he’s not from here either, that means there might be something near we can use against him?” She looks back up at the dragon. “Tell me! You found this cottage floating out there in the void, right? Is there anything else here that you know of?”

“Well uh, just my cave little filly! Yeah, there’s this weird silver staff in there, but I don’t know what it is or what it does?”

The pink filly’s eyes widen as a startled look overtakes her mouth, “Staff? Uh, okay! Can you show us this staff?”

I smile, “Well sure, little pegasus dude!”

The orange alicorn speaks up from her side of the table, “Uh, Twinkle Shine is just a little filly! I think I should go instead! Just in case!” she turns her head right towards Twinkle. “We don’t want her to get hurt, after all!”

Twinkle moves her head left to the alicorn, “Golly! You really care about me, huh?”

She adjusts her eyes to the pegasus, “Why wouldn’t I? You’re Izzy’s foal!”

Twinkle blinks, “No, I’m not!”

Sunny smiles, “Yes, you are!”

“I never said that!”

Sunny giggles, “Yes you did! When you were forced to tell the truth, remember?”

Twinkle turns to the unicorn and nods, “Exactly why it doesn’t count!”

Sunny frowns, “Uh, the fact that you were forced to admit it doesn’t make it any less true!”

Twinkle turns her neck back to the orange pony, “Yes, it does!”

Izzy leans towards Twinkle, “Twinkle! I care about you!”

Twinkle looks at the unicorn, “I know! And that’s new to me, okay?”

Izzy frowns, “What?”

Twinkle nods, “I just came from a lot of nothing when I was trapped in stone and I was basically alone my entire life!

Izzy nods and smiles, “Oh, okay! So you just need time to come to terms with it then?”

Twinkle smiles back, “Exactly!”

“Just like Sunny needs to come to terms with the fact that she wants to kiss me!”

The alicorn on Izzy’s right widens her eyes towards the unicorn and mouth goes agape in shock, “WHAT?”

Izzy looks over at Sunny while continuing to smile, “You’re the one who suggested it!”

Sunny’s breathing quickens, “I was joking!”

Izzy squints, “Oh, your mouth says that, but your eyes are telling a different story!” She leans towards the alicorn. “And don’t think I don’t notice what happens to your sparkle when I’m near!”

Sunny enlarges her eyes to what I think is all the way now, “What?”

Izzy keeps her grin, “It gets so bright when I’m around!”

Sunny blinks, “Well, you’re my friend and I love you!”

Izzy nods, “And you want to kiss me!”

Sunny frowns in shock! “Uh, n-no I don’t!”

Izzy tilts her head to the left, “Then why the sudden stutter then?” she straightens her neck and leans towards the other mare, “And why did you suggest it earlier?”

Sunny gulps, “It was just a weird random idea I had, okay? It doesn’t mean anything!”

Izzy giggles slightly, “Well, you say that now!”

“Don’t I have a weird magical staff to be tracking down with Ace now?”

Izzy obviously suppresses a chuckle in her throat and replies, “Well, okay! That excuse can work for now, Sunny!”

“It’s not an excuse! I really don’t want to kiss you!”

“Sure Sunny! But everypony” she nods towards me, “and dragon, in this room knows where this is going!” she keeps her eyes peeled on Sunny…

The alicorn widens her eyes and asks, “W-what?” before frowning…

Suddenly, Izzy sings, “I kissed a mare and I liked it!”

Sunny furrows her brow in a grimace, “Shut up!”

<*****>

I flap on behind the blue winged creature in silence as we both travel across a blue empty void area, away from the floating tan cottage when I notice that the brown stone platform-like structure ahead of us is getting closer, when finally, Ace adjusts his course downward to fly towards what looks to be a balcony without a railing on the side, near a darkened hole on the side…

He slows his speed as I continue to flap and follow him and he gently glides down to skid lightly to a stop with his feet-claws and I proceed from his rear to land on the same platform balcony with my hooves. I look down and stomp with my right forehoof to discover the floor is very much solid here!

Helooks over his right shoulder at me and waves towards the hole in the side with his claw as he says, “Come on, Sunny dude! This is where my cave is and I’m telling you, there’s this funky weird silver staff with runes on it and stuff!”

I furrow my brow at this dragon and reply, “Any idea why that’s here?”

He widens his eyes, “No idea! But it sure looks neat!”

I correct my eyes, “Lead on!”

He nods back, “Sure thing, Sunny dude!” he turns his neck back to the hole and starts to walk that direction.

I follow on the platform and note how the ground continues to feel solid and he goes into the cave shortly before I do…

Once inside, I light up my horn with white magic so I can see and I can’t help but notice a peculiar silver staff laying on the ground roughly 20 feet before me. I notice it quickly as it happens to be glowing and I see it has a blue gem at the end of it, held in place by a molded crevice inside one end of the staff.

I trot that direction as Ace only stands there and asks me, “What do you think, man?”

I look at the staff and say, “I don’t know, but I get the feeling this staff is why we’re all here!” as I reach it and use my golden magic to lift it up into the air before me and float it to just a mere foot and a half before my snout. I observe it carefully as I increase the illumination caused by my horn and view the mysterious markings on the side of the staff… I only recognize one of the symbols… It means opening…

(To be continued...)

Chapter 12: Honesty

Me and Ace both flap vigorously towards the floating cottage in the swirling blue void with the mysterious silver staff with its blue sapphire crystal held in my golden magic at my left while the dragon is on my right. I stare out at all the nothing and empty space out there on the other side of the dragon and wonder exactly what this place is and why it’s here?

Ace picks up his pace and makes it to the door a few seconds before I and he has the courtesy to open it for me! I smile and say, “Thanks Ace!” as I fly into the cottage for a slightly skidding landing on my hooves on the wooden floor, when suddenly, the staff glows bright blue and breaks from my yellow magic as it flies towards the teal green unicorn filly standing in the center of the living room!

She looks up with startled orange eyes as she exclaims, “What the?” while the pegasus standing to her right stares at her with enlarged brown pupils of her own! The staff floats silently by her right side, while continuing to glow a distinct blue color.

I widen my eyes in shock as I wasn’t aware that my magical grasp could be broken so easily, and the green filly began to sparkle with the white energy now surrounding her body!

“What’s happening?” The wide-eyed terrified filly asks.

“I don’t know!” I reply.

Suddenly, Jessi’s small body is lifted in the air about 2 feet and her eyes turn a bright white as her mouth goes agape… She quickly looks at Twinkle and says, “You’ve lied to other ponies your entire life and it eventually got to the point where you even lied to yourself and you believed those lies for a very long time. Because of that, you have an enormous amount of damage and trouble trusting yourself!” and she turns her head back to me and says, “You’re unsure about what role you’re meant to play in the new Equestria with all of your newfound power and because of this, you’re hesitant to do any real work or make any change as you don’t know what you should be doing…” Then, Jessi turns her head to Izzy, currently standing motionless and wide-eyed on her left and says, “And you! You’re just a goofball!”

Izzy frowns at the other unicorn, “Whoa! She’s got me!”

I can only stammer out, “Uh, what just happened?”

Jessi turns her head back to me and lowers her gaze with those same freaky bright eyes as her body continues to float in the air, now surrounded by powerful looking white sparkles. “I understand so much more now! I feel like sections of me have been unlocked!”

Izzy turns her head left towards me and asks, “Any idea what that staff is, Sunny?”

I frown at the unicorn, “I have no idea? I don’t recognize the script, but I think one of the symbols means opening?”

Izzy raises her gaze, “So, you brought a mysterious artifact into the house without knowing what it is or what it does?”

My eyes widen, “Well, yeah!”

Izzy responds, “Apparently, we need to have a talk about strange magical items!”

Jessi says, “I understand so much now… This all suddenly makes sense to me…”

I turn to the green filly, “What do you mean?”

Jessi stares up at me with a strange sparkle in her orange eyes now after the whiteness dissipates, “Why we’re here, I mean! You see, we were taken out of our environment, because Discord believes we need to be more open and honest with each other!”

Suddenly, a familiar smarmy masculine voice resonates within the room, “Congratulations little Jessi! The curse you bear has been reunited with the Staff of Opening! Untold power will be yours soon, but not without a price!”

Jessi’s eyes widen, “What are you talking about? I don’t want power!”

“We shall see!” the voice replies.

<*****>

I widen my eyes as the strange silver staff glows azure blue at my right and I feel raw power surging through my little unicorn body and my mind races with new understanding and awareness.

The orange alicorn stares at me with wide-open concern in her cerulean eyes, “Uh, are you okay Jessi?”

Suddenly, I feel a surge of power go through me anda lightning bolt zaps from across my horn down to the floor at a seemingly random spot in front of Sunny, “Uh, I think so? I just feel this rush of so much energy now!”

“Okay, now Jessi! Relax! Take it easy, and we’ll get this sorted out, okay?”

I frown and stare at her blankly as her words only made me more tense, “Uh, right! Of course!”

Izzy eyes me from her position on my left, “Uh, her sparkle seems hazy and disoriented, right now!”

I turn my head to the other unicorn, “What? No! My sparkle is perfectly fine! How do you know about my sparkle, anyway?”

“I can see it right there!”

Sunny glances Izzy’s way before back at me, “Okay, our first goal should be to escape this awful parallel universe!”

Suddenly, the familiar masculine voice resonates within the room again, “Well, why didn’t you just ask?”

And then, all of the windows in the house suddenly show a bright white light outside the cottage, before the familiar forested area of Bridlewood Forest.

“Uh, what just happened?” I ask out loud.

Izzy is staring out the window that was behind her as she widens her eyes and says, “We’re back home! We’re back in Bridlewood!”

Ace says from behind Sunny, “And you got me now, dude!” before walking to the door behind her and finally shutting it.

I look at the silver staff, continuing to glow next to me and calmly say, “And the Staff of Opening as well.” I scrunch my brow and mentally try to shift its position in the air, to find that it magically floats to wherever I want it, now! “Uh, this thing is attached to me now!”

Sunny looks at me with wide eyes once more, “Okay, now stay calm, Jessi!”

I adjust my gaze back to the orange pony, “I’m calmer than you!”

Izzy turns her body around at the alicorn and lowers her neck slightly, “She’s not wrong?”

Sunny raises her head, “Alright everypony, now just relax!”

I scrunch my brows and force a white bubble to encase the alicorn and lift her a foot and a half off the floor. “You stay in there, until you’re settled down now!”

Sunny stares at me with enlarged eyes, yet again, “What are you doing, Jessi?”

I raise my neck, “Well, you were freaking out, so I encased you for a bit! I’ll let you out, once I know you won’t hurt me or anypony else!” I lower it as my eyes narrow. “And I know for a fact that your meager alicorn powers cannot break that shield!”

Sunny frowns while keeping her eyes wide, “Do you really believe I could be a danger to you, Jessi?”

I raise my neck, “Everypony is a potential enemy! I won’t ever forget that, Sunny!”

She blinks and lowers her head slightly, “I uh, wow! Jessi, we need to have a talk!”

I shrug and frown, “What’s there to talk about? You were freaking out and I contained you!”

Suddenly, the little pink pegasus filly on my right chimes in while she turns her head to me to stare with wide open brown eyes, “Golly gee, I think she means how you view other ponies, Jessi! You have a very negative opinion of them! You know, it’s way more negative than even me, and that’s saying something!”

I turn my head to Twinkle, “Is that a problem?”

She blinks and frowns, “Well, probably? I mean, I’m not gonna turn on you!”

“Can I really be sure of that, though?”

She sighs before frowning and staring longingly to the right, “Well, no! I guess you can’t, huh?” She looks at me seriously. “But, I say that with all the sincerity I can muster!”

I then wanted to say that I believed her… I wanted to do that, but instead, I can’t help but say, “I wish I could believe you!” before widening my eyes in shock at what I had just admitted!

I gaze into the eyes of this other filly as her own eyes narrow, and I can already tell that she’s assessing me once more, before she finally replies, “Oh golly, the truth telling thing is still on, huh? But evidently, there’s other issues we need to work on!”

At this point, I can’t help but frown and narrow my eyes as I think about how much I hate that interfering draconequus!

She smiles at me with an apologetic look in her eyes, “It’s okay, Jessi! Work in progress, alright? I’m here to hold your hoof!”

And like a thunderbolt, that same realization from earlier comes crashing into my mind as I widen my eyes with sudden vulnerability… “You care about me, don’t you?”

She frowns, “Haven’t I already proven that, to you?”

I sigh, “Well yeah! I mean,” I blink as I stumble to find the words in my mind and shake my head in confusion. “But I still just don’t think it’s a very good idea to let anypony get too close to me, you know?”

“Well, why not?”

“Um,” I clear my throat, “that is to say, I uh…” I blink again. “just never really saw the advantage in it? I mean, you’ll all eventually just leave me, or hurt me, or worse, you know? Why even bother?”

“Jessi, I have no intention of doing any of those things…”

At that point, I really wanted to say that I finally believed her and hug her, so that this awful awkward conversation could end… But instead, I replied, “But how do I know that?”

She stares at me intently, before retorting, “Well, the truth is, you don’t… But, how do I know you won’t turn on me later?”

Sunny suddenly chimes in from her white forcefield in front of me, “Uh, can I come out now?”

I turn my head to her, “Hush Sunny! Fillies are talking!” before turning it back to the pegasus. “Uh, I guess you don’t? I guess I need to trust you, then?”

She suddenly smiles jubilantly at me, “Two-way street, okay?”

I finally crack a grin at Twinkle, “Deal!”

Sunny timidly says, “Um, hello?”

I stare back at the alicorn while continuing to smile and then release her from the bubble.

It pops and she lands on the floor with a resounding clack as her hooves hit the wood, “Uh, thanks Jessi! Look, I promise that we won’t hurt you, okay?”

I normalize my mouth, “This is hard for me, okay? Uh, baby steps, alright?”

She smiles back at me, “Alright, Jessi! Baby steps! Now why don’t you two fillies go to Twinkle’s room while me and Izzy talk?”

I frown, “You’re gonna talk about me, aren’t you?”

Her eyes widen, “Well um, yeah…” she sighs. “Look! We do care about you and we need to figure out the best way to help you, alright?”

I widen my eyes, “What makes you think I want your help?”

Her neck raises slightly, “Jessi, you can’t just go through life never trusting anypony! It’s not healthy!”

“Who are you to make that assessment?”

“Well, how will you ever make any new friends?”

“I have all the friends I need…”

“Don’t you want new ones, though?”

Ace suddenly points at me with his right claw from the back right of Sunny, “Hey man, you did just meet me and we’re cool, right?”

I turn my head left to him, “Of course, Ace! Why wouldn’t we be?”

“Well, you said a moment ago that everyone is a potential enemy, right?” he inverts his claw so the palm faces upward. “Well, what about me? Do you think I might turn on you?” He says, before lowering his claw.

I blink and frown at the dragon, “Um, I don’t know? Maybe?”

His slitted green eyes widen, “Whoa! Harsh!”

I sigh and close my eyes, “This is hard for me, okay? I-I’ve been through a lot!”

Twinkle glances at Sunny, “You know, she’s still forced to tell the truth, so she’s really not lying!”

I adjust my gaze right to the other filly, “Yeah! And now, with the staff attached to me, the circuit is complete and so, I’ll be bearing this curse unless I’m able to get it removed!”

Her eyes widen, “Oh, golly!”

I nod before frantically explaining, “Yes, Twinkle! You see, once the staff was united with me, I gained new knowledge and understanding of this and how it works. But I’m also forced to be open and honest with everypony I talk to!”

“I see… Well, hey Jessi! Let's go to my room and chill, okay? I think this whole ordeal has been stressful for everypony!”

I smile back at her, “Okay, sounds good!”

Ace says, “I’ll accompany you two! To keep you from uh, roughhousing! Yeah! You fillies need to behave!” *

<*****>

And so, I stood there on all of my four hooves in the center of the room with a burning king joint in my mouth, while Jessi is near the wall with the door and staring at me wide-eyed as she says, “How did I know you wanted to smoke?”

I look at her sternly and say out the right side of my mouth as the left remains clamped on the cardboard filter, “Hey, it’s been a messed up day!”

She smiles and snickers, “Yeah! Well, hey! At least you got a new smoking buddy!”

“Mos def!” Ace chimes in from my left. “Yo, Twinks! You done with the stoge?”

I smile and turn my head to the dragon, “Yeah, sure thing buddy!” before taking out the joint with my left forehoof and moving it in his direction.

Jessi continues, “Well, so now, I gotta tell the truth!” as Ace grabs the joint from my hoof with his right claw.

I turn my neck back to Jessi and see Ace lowering his dragon beak in my periphery as the cherry glows as I say, “Golly, yeah! But now, you also get this new understanding of things and the world around you! Uh, what’s that like anyway?”

Ace breaths smoke onto the unicorn as she widens her eyes and says, “Well, it’s both weird and frightening! I realized that stuff about you earlier and well…”

I smile, “Yeah, I have lied a lot in the past, huh?”

“Probably more than you realize!” The unicorn replies as another cloud of smoke envelopes her.

I glance over at Ace and extend my left forehoof before he deposits the burning joint there and I bring it to my mouth with that hoof while the other three remain planted on the ground and look at the unicorn and say out the right side of my mouth, “Well, there are lots of things I’ll never remember now?” before pursuing on the cardboard to inhale for another drag and feel the warm earthy smoke entering my mouth.

Jessi frowns, “Well, right! This has been an ordeal for everypony between the truth telling and the freaky alternate dimension!”

I breathe smoke on the teal unicorn again and watch her close her eyes to lift her snout and inhale as Ace says from my left, “Well uh, thanks for rescuing me little filly dudes! I’ll bring some of my stash out here later on, and then we can blend it! Sound good Twinks?”

I turn my neck left to the dragon and nod, “Sounds good, Ace!” before pursing my lips to inhale again.

Jessi raises her neck, “Well, now I have the staff and untold power surging through my body! Discord obviously intended for us to retrieve it, but now I’d like to know why!”

I breathe smoke out onto the teal unicorn filly before coughing slightly and replying, “Well, we have no way of knowing that right now, Jessi! Like I told you earlier, we can only remain passive right now to see what he does, before making any assessments or moves of our own!” before removing the joint with my left forehoof and passing it to the blue dragon.

He grabs it with his right claw while saying, “Well, that makes sense! Regardless of what he’s planning, there’s buck all you can do about it right now, right?”

I smile while glancing sideways at my new reptilian friend, “Exactly! But we could still outmaneuver him if he makes a wrong step! The assumption is that this creature is not perfect, after all!”

Suddenly, a booming manly voice resonates within Twinkle’s little wooden room! “Oh, I’ve had plenty of reminders of that over the years!”

Ace widens his slitted eyes while bringing the joint to his mouth for another drag as I smile and reply, “Oh, golly! Check it out, everypony! It’s Captain Douche-Ball again!”

Ace chuckles as he exhales a stuttering cloud of smoke onto Jessi! “Whoa! She said it again!”

(To be continued...)

Author's Note

*Ace obviously just wants to smoke!

Chapter 13: Discord's Concessions

So, the pink pegasus filly held her joint in her left forehoof and brought it to her mouth, as she stood there, to the left of the blue dragon, she talked to Discord. We suddenly all heard the loud reverberating voice respond, “Say what you will, Twinkle Shine! But I was just coming by to see how our cursed one was doing!”

I feel a spark ignite in my brain as I look up and say, “Your mom wants to see how the cursed one is doing!”

“What? What would you know about my mother, Jessi?”

I smile, “I don’t know, Discord? What does your mom know about your mom?”

“That doesn’t make any sense!”

“Your mom doesn’t make any sense, but we still keep her around!”

I can hear the voice grow irritated, “You know nothing about my mom!” I see the embers of the joint burn in front of Twinkle’s snout as the voice continues. “And Twinkle! I know who released you, but can you tell me who preserved your statue? I couldn’t help but notice that the other two were in very poor repair!”

Twinkle exhales smoke onto me and I breath in the warm vapors with my nostrils as I hear her retort, “Your mom!”*

“You fillies are insufferable!”

I frown, “So, now your mom is insufferable?”

“What? No! I wasn’t even talking about my mother!”

Twinkle passes the roach to Ace with her left forehoof, “Well, you are now! So, go on, Discord! What about your mom?”

“Ugh!” The voice groans before going silent, as the blue dragon brings the roach to his beak with his right claw to take a drag and make the front glow…

I then adjust my eyes to the pegasus before me and smile, “We’re going straight to Tartarus now! You know that, right?”

She smiles as the dragon breaths smoke onto me, “Yeah, but taunting him is so much fun!”

I frown, “I wonder what he’s going to do?”

“Who cares, Jessi!” She trains her brown eyes onto me sternly. “I am sick of being afraid! So no, I won’t bow to him or anypony else! Let him do his worst! I’m ready to die, anytime he wants!”

I can only stare at this other filly wide-eyed as a realization suddenly strikes me, “Y-you’re not afraid of him, are you?”

The dragon breathes smoke onto me and I lift my nostrils to inhale as Twinkle moves her left forehoof towards the fire lizard, “Jessi, I was a stone corpse for two thousand years…”

I frown at the other filly as the dragon passes the roach to her and says, “Uh, you finish it, Twinks! I’ll roll us another stoge! I think we’re probably gonna need it?”

I see her collect the burning joint with her left forehoof and put it in her mouth before taking a drag… I see the embers of the end burn and a small bit of ash falls on the floor as I see her auburn eyes narrow in peaceful satisfaction from the herb she’s smoking… She soon exhales a large cloud of smoke onto me and says, “I don’t remember much, Jessi… But I remember one thing quite vividly, now…” before putting the joint back in her mouth as the dragon walks to her nightstand and stashbox…

I widen my eyes while leaning closer to this filly, “W-what?”

“I remember hurt, Jessi… I remember pain… Not physical pain or anything like that, but when I was in stone, I remember the sadness that overtook me…” I see her lower her gaze, “It dominated my mind for a very long time and eventually consumed me…” she stops and widens her eyes. “Tell me Jessi, do you know what it is to cry?”

“I uh, I think so?”

Her mouth changes straight across her snout, “I cried for a very long time, Jessi… Not physically, obviously. I mean, I was stone and couldn’t make tears! But deep inside, I was torn apart! I” she shakes her head to stare back at me. “I wondered how ponies, supposedly the most friendly and forgiving creatures on Equus, could do this to me! I wondered about the other two, as well! I wondered if I would ever be free! And eventually, it all stopped…”

“S-stopped?”

She nods her head, “Yes, Jessi! Eventually, my thoughts just stopped and I didn’t think anymore… I merely floated… Waiting in nothingness…” she blinks, “Once my mind no longer troubled me, it was very peaceful… Just silence…”

I frown, “And then what happened?”

“Well, here I am!” She exclaims while widening her brown eyes.

I raise my gaze, “What do you mean?”

Her eyes narrow intently at me, “I became Twinkle Shine, Jessi! I became this new filly when I cast off Cozy Glow by making peace with her…”

I frown, “Aren’t you the same filly, though?”

She smiles at me as I witness the dazed look in her eyes, “Not exactly, no… Cozy Glow was me, before I let things go in my life… I realized I don’t need those things anymore and that they aren’t doing me any good…” before bringing the last of the joint to her mouth for one of her final drags.

I widen my eyes, “Are you okay, Twinkle?”

She breathes smoke onto me before smiling and saying, “Oh, golly! I can never tell!”

At that point, I can only scrunch my mouth and say, “Finish your roach, Twinkle!”

Ace looks over at both of us from my left, “Hey man! I got a doob rolled up and ready to go! Where’s your lighter?”

Twinkle widens her eyes, “Oh, golly!”

<*****>

And so, I once again brought the burning joint to my snout with my right forehoof while my other three remained planted on the floor and I once again pursed my lips around the cardboard tip to inhale and I once again, felt the warm earthy smoke travel into my mouth and down my throat as I began to wonder how much I had smoked, just then?

Suddenly, Ace turns his beak towards me and smiles, “Hey, don’t sweat it Twinks! I’ll see my guy at the edge of Equestria later and hook you up! I’ll also smoke you up too, little sister!”

I opened my mouth and put my tongue on my lower lip while exhaling another cloud of smoke towards Jessi, who now glared back at me with a reddish glazed look in her eyes…

I hear the same juvenile masculine voice from my left ask me, “Hey, Twinkle! Filly dude! You okay? You still with us?”

I turn my head left to him and snuff the half-joint out in the ashtray as I say sternly, “Unacceptable! Two hours in the Tickle Box!”

Ace widens his yellow slitted eyes and frowns as he raises his claws in front of him to brace, “Whoa, Twinkle man! I didn’t mean anything!”

I turn my body towards the dragon and lower my head with an insane grin on my pink snout as the bluish-white waves of my mane now stroke my shoulders and I furrow my brows and say, “Too late, Ace! You’re getting tickled!”

And just then, I’m enveloped inside a black void… Suddenly, a clear platform becomes somewhat visible to me and my hooves appear to be standing on it as I stood there on all hooves and glanced around at the starry, spacey background when I hear a familiar smarmy voice say from behind me, “Hello, Twinkle Shine!” I turn to see the two mismatched eyes inside the head of a familiar draconequus as I witness his shoulders visibly relax from about 20 feet away as he floats over the same platform and he asks me, “How are you?”

I can’t help but widen my eyes as my mouth narrows and I admit, “I was doing a lot better about thirty seconds ago!”

He smiles that familiar snaggle-tooth smile of his as the long tooth on the left side of his maw goes diagonal and I hear him retort, “Tell me Twinkle, do you understand love?” he opens his mouth and sighs, “I actually loved a pony once… Her name was Fluttershy… Eventually though, it became obvious to her friends that I was prolonging her life, for she didn’t age, while they all continued to get older…” he lowers his gaze,”And so, Fluttershy begged me to make her mortal again! She didn’t want her friends to whither and die alone, before her… And that’s when I knew Twinkle, that her friends were more important to her than me…” he wistfully gazes off to the left, “I also knew that I could never be that special to her and that granting her wish was really all I could do… And so, I allowed her to age once more… And then, I could only watch as this beautiful pony, the first creature to show me genuine compassion and kindness in over a thousand years, slowly whither and die before me… But before she left her mortal coil, I made her a promise…” he lowers his gaze at me, “I promised her that I would protect Equestria, forever and always… And that leads me to my mistakes, once again! You see, I once united you and the two other villains you were with in an act of subterfuge, in order to unite Equestria and rid it of all of you for good… That was a mistake because you overthrew me and took my power… And much later, when magic disappeared from Equestria, I became dormant and only recently emerged as it came back… And so, after discovering that everypony and everything I once knew had changed, I began to wonder, what became of the terrible trio? I searched that area of Equestria, only to find the rectangular remains of that same stone courtyard and I saw that yours was the only statue that survived… And so, I asked myself, what if her powers could be used for good? And I decided unfreeze you…” he widens his eyes. “Although I’m still perplexed as to what happened to your memories?” he shrugs and moves his eagle talon and lion paw to his sides. “While I have no idea why you can’t recall, I’ll admit that it’s probably for the best that you forget that part of your life!”

I widen my eyes, “Oh golly! So, you’re the one who freed me, huh?” I raise my neck when suddenly wishing I had the joint here, despite my current state of mind. “So, how did you know that I was gonna do good?”

“I’ll admit that I didn’t! I had decided to let you choose for yourself, after that point! It’s good that you’re mostly good, but for a modest amount of Tartarus-raising!”

I frown and lie, “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

He points at me with his lion paw and says louder, “Oh, don’t act so innocent! I know you occasionally steal petty cash from Izzy to purchase milkshakes and how well you can lie and sneak your way out of most situations!”

I normalize my mouth and raise my gaze in defiance, “And what of it, Discord?”

“Oh?” The draconequus frowns.

I furrow my brow, “How is it your place to sit in judgment of me, or anypony else for that matter, especially considering who you are?”

He widens his eyes and suddenly, lowers his paw and frowns, “Actually Twinkle… Actually, you have a point there… I’m no judge…”

At this point, I’m still not exactly sure what just happened and can only keep my eyes wide as I timidly ask the serpent, “Uh, what?”

He sighs, “After everything I’ve done, I…” he closes his eyes before admitting somewhat slower. “I’ve been wrong before and I’m certainly not in any position to judge you or anypony else…” he opens his eyes to me and normalizes his rate of speech. “I’m sorry, Twinkle… I’ll return you to your home now…”

Suddenly, the spacey area I was in grows fuzzy and distorted in my vision as I yell, “Hey! I wasn’t done talking to you!” before the vision of my own room back in Izzy’s cottage becomes more focused into view and I behold a blue dragon on the right and a green unicorn filly on the left, both with really confused looks on their faces…

Jessi turns her neck to me, “What just happened?”

I turn my head to her and widen my eyes, “I have no idea!”

(To be continued...)

Author's Note

*The Princess of Friendship! Aka, your mom!

Chapter 14: Misdeeds and Follies: part 1

I stood there, holding the re-roll joint that Ace had made for me in the cleft of my right forehoof while my other three remained planted on the floor and I frowned at the teal unicorn in front of me before muttering, “My best friend is turning me into a drug addict!” and taking, yet another drag from it while narrowing my eyes at the now giggling filly.

She smiles and replies, “Oh, don’t worry about it, Twinkle! Ace is heading out to get more weed, right now! He said he’d eat and be back in a few hours!”

I breathe smoke out and stare at the other filly carefully, “And I’m smoking now, because?”

I take a drag off the joint with my right forehoof while Jessi nods and honestly replies, “Well, because I wanted you to breathe on me again, I’ll admit! But mostly, I was concerned about you!”

I breath out a big cloud of smoke onto the unicorn, “C-concerned? For me?” before bringing the joint back to my snout and eyeing this strange filly carefully, because I’m also aware that she cannot lie right now!

She frowns and looks at me carefully, “Twinkle, you’re my best friend and I love you! Why wouldn’t I be concerned when a creepy draconequus has just stolen you?”

I quickly breath smoke onto Jessi and frown at her, “Golly! I uh, you know, even after all this time, I’m still not used to that?” before bringing the burning stogie to my snout once more.

She frowns back at me, “Well, what’s it gonna take, Twinkle?”

I breathe out onto her and smile as I say, “I don’t know, Jessi? Maybe freaky curse powers will do the job?”

“Shut up!” the unicorn replies and grimaces while I snicker and take another drag to feel the warm smoke roll its way into my mouth.

I mentally count to 5 before exhaling a sizable cloud onto the unicorn and smile as I reply, “It’s like you don’t want power?”

She frowns at me with wide open eyes, “I don’t!”

I eye this other filly carefully because it occurs to me that I was once very different from her, “Uh, golly!” and then, bring my right forehoof to my mouth for one of my last drags.

“What?”

I gulp and then breathe smoke out onto her and she raises her neck to inhale it with her nostrils and smiles as I say, “Jessi, we’re very different, you know that? I mean, I tried to take over Equestria!”

She lowers her snout and stares back at me, “That was over two thousand years ago!”

I nod, “That is correct!” and bring the joint to my lips once more.

Her eyes narrow, “Don’t you think it’s time to let it go?”

I exhale smoke lowly out of my nostrils before turning my head to the table at my right and moving my forehoof to snuff the joint nub out there, and releasing it into the tray as I know I can smoke that later and then, I move my gaze back to Jessi and ask her, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, that part of your life is done now, Twinkle! Does it even matter what happened all that time ago?” She raises her neck slightly. “Tell me, do you still crave power and control?”

I frown, “Uh, no not really?”

“So, do you believe you’re still that filly then? The one who tried to take over Equestria? I mean, would you try to do that now?”

I shake my head, “Well, I don’t know? I don’t think so? Uh, no not really...” and stop to stare at her.

She smiles and begins to nod, “So from these things, do you believe it’s a safe assumption that you aren’t Cozy Glow anymore?” before staring at me intently.

“Well uh, no, I guess not?” I reply before hearing a small voice somewhere in my mind say, But I am!

She smiles, “See? We aren’t so different!”

I grin back, “Yeah, but you got gnarly curse powers, now!”

“Shut up!”

Suddenly, a big purple flash of light shines where Jessi stood and her body vanishes right in front of me, before the light goes out!

I stare at this scene with wide open eyes, “Golly! So now it’s my turn to be concerned, huh?”

<*****>

I stood there, on the clear platform, amidst a starry background as I beheld vast colorful nebulae within the swirling fields of shining lights, when I hear a familiar smarmy voice say from behind me, “Hello again, Jessi Trotsky!”

I turn around to see a familiar serpentine body floating over the platform but maybe 20 feet away from me before smiling and say, “Come back for more, I see!”

He raises his right eyebrow over his misshapen receptor, “I just need to know how you’re doing? I see you don’t normally carry the source of your new power with you!”

I respond, “Your mom doesn’t carry the source of my new power with her!”

His eyes widen as his brows grow, “You don’t know anything about my mother!!!!!”

I lower my gaze, “But I know about you, Discord!”

His eyes normalize as his eyebrow raises again, “Oh?”

“Yes! I know you must desperately seek some validation or reason for your godly existence! Otherwise, you wouldn’t feel the need to test Twinkle, the way you did!”

He frowns as his face straightens, “I made a promise to the love of my life that I would protect Equestria, forever and always!”

“But protect it from what, exactly? I mean, Twinkle Shine is pretty harmless!”

His eyes widen, “That filly almost stole all the magic from Equestria and overthrew the monarchy!”

“Yeah, two thousand years ago! What does that have to do with now?”

“You don’t think she could do it again?”

It suddenly becomes apparent to me what I must say as I raise my neck and confidently reply, “As a matter of fact, Discord, no! I don’t believe Twinkle Shine would do that!”

His gaze lowers as he eyes me carefully, “You’re sticking up for your friend! I see you’re learning about friendship!”

I smile, “Yes, Discord! Twinkle gave that to me, and I don’t believe she’s evil!”

He points his eagle talon at me, “But how could you be so sure?”

“How can we be so sure your mom won’t try to take over Equestria?”

He brings his lion paw to his forehead while closing his eyes and lowering his head in irritation, “Oh, would you please just shut up about my mother?”

My brow furrows as my frown hardens, “My point is, anypony could be a potential threat! But why single out Twinkle Shine?”

He lowers his paw and opens his eyes to stare up at me, “But she’s already done that!” and points at me with his eagle talon again. “We don’t know if she’s safe!”

My mouth straightens as another realization comes into my mind, “Actually, no Discord! Twinkle Shine never did those things! That was Cozy Glow!”

His brow furrows as his face and talon lower and shouts, “She is Cozy Glow, you dolt!”

I widen my eyes, “No, she’s not! Her name is Twinkle Shine! And she’s one of the most caring and compassionate fillies I know!”

Suddenly, I’m once again enveloped in blue light and I behold a pink pegasus filly laying in her bed on her stomach, with her head on the pillow and the blankets strewn on the other end.

She raises her head and mumbles something incomprehensible and I raise my neck while widening my eyes to say, “Uh, Twinkle! Are you okay?”

She mutters in reply, “Discord took you, was worried, I smoke now!”

“Uh, I think you’ve had enough?” I raise my gaze at the other filly before mentally forcing the blue blankets to glow an azure color and raise over the bed to cover up the other filly. “That’s okay, Twinkle! You just rest! Don’t give it another thought! Just let Jessi take care of everything!”

<*****>

"Golly!" I hear the wind howl my call as I stare out onto the vast open grasslands before me within the swirling lights…

"GOLLY!" The wind cries louder as I turn to behold a familiar dark alicorn standing there and smiling at me as her cerulean mane dances off to her left.

GOLLY! The wind now cries as a deafening volume and I can’t help but flinch as the alicorn continues to smile down at me from maybe 8 feet away.

I widen my eyes and finally ask out loud, “What in Equestria is that?”

She giggles and replies, “That’s you, Twinkle Shine! Or rather, it was you, once upon a time…”

“Why is it still here, then?”

“Because Twinkle, all aspects of yourself can be hidden, but they’re always there, if not but dormant…”

I furrow my brows, “Okay, it’s Cozy Glow! Well, somewhere?”

She nods, “Indeed! You no doubt know what she wants, yes?”

My brows normalize, “To use Jessi’s newfound power to do bad things?”

Her eyes narrow, “You are very astute!”

I smile faintly, “Well, that’s what I would do if I were an evil filly Tartarus-bent on dominating Equestria!”

“Truly, thou art no ordinary filly!”

My eyes widen as I frown, “Oh gee, you think Luna? I mean, golly! I only tried to take over Equestria twice and ended up frozen in stone for two thousand years! And I woke up later with bucking amnesia! That’s kinda unique, don’t you think?”

Her gaze lowers, “That’s not what I mean!”

I raise my voice and neck, “And just what do you mean, Princess?”

She frowns, “I mean that thou art intelligent… Thou could do so much good for ponykind!”

I frown myself, “Well, maybe? But first, I have to get rid of that pesky Discord!”

She smiles faintly, “Well, yes! That is why I am here!”

My eyes widen, “Oh? Well, then get on with it! What did you have to tell me?”

“You need to know that he need not be your enemy. He actually does have your best interests in mind!”

My eyes widen, “Could’ve fooled me!”

She smiles wider, “Well, of course!”

I normalize my eyes and stare intently at her, “I want to know something, Princess! How is it his place to do these things, huh? Why does he get to test me and my friend like this?”

“It’s really not, but he wants to help you!”

My brow furrows and I shout angrily, “I don’t want or need his help!”

She sighs and gazes longingly to the right, “Well, thou art likely correct!” before back at me. “But you have it, nonetheless!”

I close my eyes into a cringe, “UGH!”

“Listen!”

I open my eyes at the frowning princess.

“You must know that I hold absolute power in the realm of dreams, but Discord does not sleep!”

I lower my gaze, “So what good are you, then?”

Her frown hardens, “But, he can be lulled to sleep!”

I give a startled expression while raising my neck, “Well, okay, by golly! Now we’re getting somewhere!”

She nods, “Yes, but you need to pay close attention!”

<*****>

I take the joint out of my beak with my right claw and breath smoke onto the green filly, sitting on her haunches on the floor in front of me, and say to her, “I don’t know, man? I just never really thought that life had to be that complicated, you know? Just do what I have to do, get paid, buy some herb, and chill! What else does there have to be?”

She raises her neck to inhale the smoke with her nostrils, before staring back at me with her orange eyes, “Well, yeah! I see your point Ace, but now I have power!”

I blink, “Well uh, supposedly you do, right? Have you tried to actually use this power, though?” before taking another drag to taste the earthy smoke rolling into my mouth.”

She frowns, “Well, no, not really. I brought the staff here, though! Sunny wanted to hang onto it, but I can’t go too far from it, or I’m stopped!”

I breathe out onto her again, “What do you mean, stopped?”

She nods, “Well, it’s like an invisible wall is there outside of Maretime Bay and if I go too far without the staff, I just can’t go any further! I smacked into it with my snout! Kinda hurt…”

“That is a bummer! So you gotta take it with you then?” I say before taking another drag.

“Well, right! And Sunny and Izzy already agreed with Discord on the loose like this, me and Twinkle would do better if we stick together.”

I nod, “That makes sense, man!” before bringing my claw to my beak again.

She finally asks me, “Uh, what is this man you speak of? Why do you call everypony that?”

I breathe smoke onto her and reply, “I don’t know? I guess I just picked it up from somewhere?”

Her eyes widen, “But where? I mean, man! What does that word even mean? Where would you pick something like that up?”

I widen my eyes, “Well, I don’t remember?” I giggle slightly, “Life’s just full of mysteries, right man?” before taking another drag of the half-joint held in my claw.

Her eyes narrow as she stares back at me and sighs, “You make my head hurt, Ace!”

I breathe out onto her again, “Sure you wouldn’t rather just smoke directly? I mean, you’re still getting high, either way!”

Her eyes widen, “No! This is uh, better! Yes!”

I nod, “Suit yourself, man!” before looking over to the right at the table by Twinkle’s bed and snuffing the nub out there with my claw. I turn my neck back to the filly, “But the offer’s on the table, if you wanna pick it up!”

Her eyes normalize and she smiles at me, “Okay, Ace! Uh, thanks!”

“Ugh!” We both hear a groaning coming from the bed and I turn my neck right and raise my gaze over the table to witness a stirring pink pegasus filly underneath the covers who until that moment, was snuggling a purple unicorn plushie with a blue mane and tail. She looks up at me while on her left side with her head still on the pillow. “How long was I out?”

Jessi turns her neck to the other filly and raises it, “Uh, about five hours!”

She shakes her head as her wavy mane falls down over her face and stares at Jessi intently with her brown eyes from underneath, “I know how to defeat Discord, now! But you have to listen to me carefully!”

I nod and smile, “Well, right on, man! Hey, after you talk to Jessi, you should smoke with me! I got some killer chronic from my guy, this time!”

Her eyes widen as she raises her sideways neck to look at me, still sitting there in the wooden chair with my wings out to the sides, “Uh, are you sure I should be smoking right now?”

I lower my gaze and smile, “Come on, Twinkle Shine! Let's blaze!”

She gulps, “Well, you drive a hard bargain, Ace! But I need to explain this to Jessi now!”

I widen my eyes, “Well, that’s cool man, cause it’s gonna take me a few minutes to roll another doober anyway!”

(To be continued...)

Chapter 15: Misdeeds and Follies part 2, Forgiveness

As I watched the blue dragon sit at the small wooden table and look over his creation, a paper taco of sorts held within his right claw, I couldn’t help but admire the diligence and precision at which he added freshly ground weed inside. He stops for a moment and grabs a rolled up cardboard filter and places it on top of the noticeably thinner layer of weed on the right side… To make room for the tip, I’m guessing? I open my mouth and ask him, “Hey, does the little weed there underneath the tip help provide a seal?”

He glances rightward at me and smiles his long beak of a mouth as he gazes with his slitted dark green eyes and says, “Well, yeah Jessi man! You want just a little bit of weed to seal it! I mean, you can collect that when you’re done! You can still smoke it, you know?”

I smile and giggle slightly, “Uh, right!”

Suddenly, the pink pegasus filly, sitting on the bed with her hind hooves over the side, stares at me from my front and says, “Jessi! You need to pay attention!”

I turn my head right to face my best friend, “Yes, Twinkle?”

She sighs and nods, before leaning forward so that she lands on the floor on her four hooves with a clack. She trots over to me, where I sit on my haunches on the floor and moves her snout to my right ear… I giggle as her nose tickles me! She whispers, “Pay attention, Jessi! Whenever Discord gets close to you, simply say the words, Luna help me! You do that, and Princess Luna will hear you and bring Discord into the realm of dreams, where she has the power to disable him! Do you understand?”

I frown and nod my head, “I think so?”

Ace turns his neck back rightward to me and says, “Alright Twinkle! Ready to fire up?”

Twinkle raises her neck and turns it right to say, “Sure thing, Ace!”

<*****>

I stare at the teal unicorn filly with bleary eyes and can’t help but notice that there appears to be multiple fillies there, all out of focus, until they all coalesce into a single small unicorn… I smile at this sight and say, “So uh, golly! It sure has been awhile! When do you think Discord will be back?”

She stares directly at me from the other side of my floor with wide open orange eyes, “Well, how would I know? We just need to relax, until further notice!”

I blink at the filly, “I’m relaxed!”

She smiles, “You’re stoned!”

I widen my eyes, “I’m not stoned! Your mom is stoned!”

She giggles, “Stop it! Saying ‘your mom’ is my thing, remember?”

I smile back, “I don’t see your name on it!”

She stares at me intently, “Oh, yeah! Well what if I start saying ‘golly’, then? How would you like that?”

“I’d be fine with it!”

She chuckles slightly, “No you wouldn’t!”

“Yes I would!”

She lowers her gaze and says extra squeakily, “Oh, golly! I’m Twinkle Shine and I smoke dope! Bleh!”

I furrow my brow and frown grumpily, “I don’t sound like that!”

Her eyes widen, “You have a very squeaky voice!”

I furrow my brow, “My voice isn’t squeaky! Your eyes are squeaky!”

She giggles slightly, “That doesn’t make any sense!”

“Your mom doesn’t make any sense!”

“Stop saying that!”

“Make me!”

“Okay!” Jessi says before leaping at me with her forehooves outstretched to soon begin tickling underneath my front pits!

I start giggling uncontrollably as I notice the blue dragon sitting on the wooden chair by the far wall giggling at both of us! “Stop it, jerk! He he he!”

“Not until you stop saying ‘your mom!’”

“Never! He he he ha ha ho ho, stop it already, jerk-head!”

“You stole it!”

“Fair game! He he he!” I continue snickering as the unicorn mercilessly tickles me and giggles herself!

“Is not!”

“Is too! Ha ha ha he he ho ho! Knock it off!”

“Okay, fine!” The unicorn says as she removes her hooves from my pits and says, “Oh, I’m Twinkle Shine! I got a squeaky voice and likes being tickled! Bleh!”

I look at Jessi from where I’m sitting on my back as she stands there, on her haunches with her forehooves on the floor staring down at me and say, “I don’t have a squeaky voice! Your mom has a squeaky voice! And since when do I say ‘bleh’, anyway?”

She chuckles slightly and says slyly, “This is gonna continue, isn’t it?”

I roll over to my stomach to raise myself on my hooves and turn around to face my friend before sighing and saying to her, “Yeah, probably!”

I then see the giggling blue dragon who shakes his head and stares up at me, “You know man, meeting you fillies was almost worth all the time I spent in nothing! But uh, I really should be getting back to my place a few hours west of here.” he widens his eyes, “I actually live in the Zebra-lands! I know a stripe where I can score great chronic! Uh, why I’m not in dragon territory anymore is kind of a long story! Anyway!” he adjusts his eyes to me. “Twinkle man, I know I smoked quite a bit and I’m not a mooch! I put a few nugs in your stash, man! It’s some of that powerful zebra stuff!”

I nod at the dragon, “Right on, man!”

Jessi grins and giggles at me, “Now, you’re talking like Ace!”

I turn my head back left to the unicorn, “No, I’m not!”

She scrunches her mouth, “Rrrrrrriiiiigggghhhhtttt!”

I frown, “What?”

“Oh, nothing Twinkle! You’re around Izzy a lot too! Now I’m wondering when you’ll start talking about sparkles and luminescence?”

I grimace at this obstinate young unicorn as Ace giggles to himself and gets up before walking towards the door on the far corner from his chair. He turns his gaze left to look at me in his periphery and says, “I’ll be back, later on man! We can chill then, alright?”

I turn my neck left to look at him, “Alright Ace! Take it easy!”

He smiles and nods, “Always, man! Now, to see if I still have a job!” before opening the door and walking out before closing it behind him…

I look back down and right at Jessi, “So uh, what’s next?”

We both hear a familiar oily masculine voice say, “Well, now I get to reveal myself again!”

My eyes widen as I already know who it is, before turning around to face the voice and behold the same old brown serpentine body I was expecting and then smiling and saying, “Oh, golly! We were just talking about you, Discordy buddy!”

He tilts his head to the left and pours a glass of water from nowhere into his ear and I see smoke rising from there as he responds, “I know! My ears were burning!”

I giggle, “Right! So uh, what do you want now?”

“I’ve come to extend an olive branch!” He says while producing a small green branch with leaves on the ends in his lion paw. “I don’t want to be your enemy and I thought we could come to an agreement?”

My brow furrows, “I have a much better idea! You, leave now, out of our lives, and never come back again!”

“You know that I can’t do that!”

My neck raises, “And why not?”

His gaze lowers somewhat as his misshapen yellow and red eyes narrow, “Because I don’t know how safe you are, Twinkle Shine… Assuming that’s your name now, I must insist on keeping track of you!”

I frown, “Why?”

“Because Twinkle Shine, I watched the love of my life die slowly in front of me and I promised her that I would protect Equestria, forever and always… And that includes from you!”

“Since when have I ever threatened Equestria?”

“Since about two thousand years ago!”

My mouth scrunches, “And what does that have to do with now?”

“You might do something like that again!” He flings his eagle talon in front of him with the palm facing upward. “I don’t know if you noticed Twinkle, but Equestria is magically a lot less potent than it used to be! You might actually succeed this time, and I simply cannot allow that!”

I frown, “This time? I wasn’t going to do anything!”

He frowns, “But you could! Which is why I’m starting to wonder why I released you in the first place?”

My eyes widen, “Yeah, why did you do that?”

“Because the idea of a good Cozy Glow was too enticing, especially with Equestria as it is now, I’ll admit! But, you know what they say about hindsight!”

My eyes narrow as my mind processes what he just said to me, “You regret freeing me, huh? Why?”

He sighs, “No, I don’t think that’s fair to say? I don’t regret it, so much as I have some concerns! That is why I felt the need to intervene and force you to tell the truth for once in your short life!”

Jessi suddenly speaks up from my right and Discord’s left, near the wall, “You need a better target!”

Me and Discord simultaneously look Jessi’s way and ask, “Huh?”

She smiles up at the draconequus, “Well, yeah! Think about it! Twinkle is the most visible thing right now that, in your opinion, might threaten Equestria! What you need is a more visible threat, so you can leave poor little Twinkle Shine alone!” she blinks. “I mean, since you feel the need to be the protector of Equestria with your immortal life now!”

Discord frowns, “What do you mean? There’s an obvious threat right over there?” before motioning towards me at his right with his lion paw.

I stare up at him again with a big frown on my face, “Okay! Obvious threat you’re now saying!” my eyes widen. “Tell me! Just what have I done so far that’s so threatening?”

He points down at me with his paw, “Well, you’ve been filching milkshake money and there was the incident where you stole devil weed from the evidence locker in Maretime Bay!”

“Those incidents threaten nopony!” I shrug. “I mean, sure! It was under-hooved and a bit less than honorable in both instances! But who exactly have I hurt?”

He sighs, “Okay, you haven’t technically hurt anypony yet! I’ll admit that there’s still the remote possibility that I was wrong!”

I eye him intently, “What will it take, Discord?” as I watch a small green shape moving its way across the right side of my periphery. “You already said that it wasn’t your place after all, to test me? Are you going back on that now?”

He frowns his long snaggle-tooth muzzle, “No, I suppose I shouldn’t?” he smiles at me again. “You’re expecting consistency from the Lord of Chaos now! And as much as it pains me, I fear you do have a point and I must now grant it! But!”

My eyes narrow, “But what?”

“But I must insist on keeping track of you to make sure you’re a good filly from this moment forward!”

I then notice Jessi on her hooves to the draconequus’s left as she looks up at him and whispers a phrase.

Suddenly, both unicorn filly and draconequus close their eyes! Jessi falls to the floor on her stomach in a prone position with her four hooves at her sides and Discord just lowers his head as his eyes close…

I hear a feminine voice say, “Do not wake either of them, Twinkle! I will take of this!”

I gulp and say, “Oh, golly!”

<*****>

The draconequus floating in front of me in the big open field snapped his eagle talon as we both stood there underneath the clouded overcast sky. When nothing happens, he frowns, “I don’t like this place!”

I hear a mare’s voice say from somewhere, “Hey! Discord! Leave those fillies alone!”

I suppress a strange urge to start talking about bricks in walls as I widen my eyes to the serpent, “Who is that?”

He frowns disgruntled as his eyes widen, “It’s Princess Luna!”

A large midnight blue alicorn swoops down suddenly and lands 20 feet to my left as she frowns at Discord, “Yes! My time as Nightmare Moon has preserved me for an extra millennia and now, old as I am, I must insist on protecting the citizens of Equestria!”

He turns his head left to face the night princess, “And so must I! I’m protecting it from Cozy Glow!”

Her voice grows very loud and dramatic, “YOU ARE DOING NO SUCH THING, DISCORD! YOU ARE ONLY INTERFERING IN A FILLY’S HARMLESS LIFE AND I MUST NOW INSIST THAT YOU CEASE THIS NONSENSE AND RELIEVE US OF YOUR PRESENCE!” as I behold a crack of lightning behind her!

The booming comes in and causes both me and Discord to flinch, before he raises his gaze underneath his lion paw and frowns, “We are in the realm of dreams and you have absolute power here!”

The princess narrows her eyes and grins, “Precisely why you are here!”

I blink at the alicorn, “Uh, wait a minute! Why am I here?”

She looks right at me and smiles, “I had to bring you here! The sleep spell I use affects everyone over a certain area and you were too close! However, it is fortunate that you are here after all, because you’ll now get to witness how I handle a meddlesome draconequus!”

Discord lowers his lion paw and sighs in defeat, “Very well, princess! I shall leave them alone, for now! But I must insist on checking on things, from time to time!”

She frowns at the serpent, “You will do no such thing! You will leave these fillies alone, or I will trap you here indefinitely!” she smiles. “And believe me, I can make a good nightmare for you! Imagine a world full of order and reason!”

Discord widens his eyes, “What?”

She giggles, “Yes, Discord! A world where everything makes perfect logical sense and nothing is random or left to chance!”

Discord blinks and frowns in defeat, “I-I don’t think I could survive?”

Luna lowers her gaze, “Which is precisely why you need to leave now and never return!”

Discord frowns and sighs in defeat, “Very well, princess! I will go… I’ll need you to return me to the land of the waking, of course!”

Luna smiles, “Of course! But for now, there is much to discuss!” she turns her gaze back to me, “Jessi!”

I widen my eyes unsure of what to say, “Um, y-yes ma’am?”

Luna lowers her view to me and says, “You will tell Twinkle Shine that she is free to lie and cheat as she will!”

I widen my eyes as both me and the draconequus say in shock, “W-what?”

“Well, Jessi! This is all about undoingwhat this troublemaker has done, and so I must insist that she behave as if this incident never occurred!”

Discord widens his eyes and points at the princess with his eagle talon, “You can’t be serious!”

Luna turns her head back right to face the brown motley form, “Oh, but I am, Discord!”

“But what if she tries to take over Equestria again?”

Luna frowns, “Then she will be dealt with appropriately at that point, but not a moment before!”

I frown at the princess, “You have faith in Twinkle, don’t you?”

She turns her head back right to me and smiles, “Yes, Jessi! I do! When I was Nightmare Moon, somepony very special helped me see the light and my sister gave me another chance! I think Twinkle deserves the same opportunity!”

“Ugh! Fine! I’ll leave the evil maniacal little pegasus filly alone!” Discord finally says!

I turn my head right back to the draconequus, “The only evil I see here is right in front of me!”

He widens his eyes and stammers out, “You don’t know how much trouble that filly has caused!”

I sigh, “No Discord! No I don’t! And you know what? I don’t care! That was a long time ago and all I know is, my best friend is a wonderful, caring, and compassionate filly and you, my friend, are just a nuisance!”

He widens his misshapen eyes,“N-nuisance”

My brow furrows as I begin to shout, “Yes, Discord! Just a nuisance! Nothing more! We were all fine and happy until you showed up! What does that tell you?” I smile. “I bet you don’t have many friends, now do you?”

His eyes narrow, “I don’t need to answer that!”

I smile, “You don’t need to! It’s plain as day for everypony to see!” I shake my head. “The mighty Discord, friendless and troublesome and never failing to stick his ugly snout where it doesn’t belong!”

He widens his eyes and frowns disheartened.

“What now, Discord? Are you going to cry? Fluttershy is gone now and you’re dealing with me! My name is Jessi Trotsky and I don’t like you!”

Suddenly, his brown body begins to turn gray from the top down, as his misshapen eyes sink and his motley body droops in obvious defeat.

I continue, “What, Discord? The only pony to ever have the sheer audacity to actually love you is now dead! And you’re alone! What did you think was going to happen when you started bothering us?”

Luna stares at me and says, “That’s enough, Jessi!”

“You really are an ignorant dumb bumbling draconequus, you know that? You know nothing about Twinkle Shine, or me for that matter, and you still felt the need to come in! Why? So you could prove how much of a valuable citizen you are, by making sure my innocent friend doesn’t commit any heinous acts, which by the way, she was never going to do anyway! It’s no wonder you’re all by yourself, with no real friends!” I say as his body turns to an even lighter shade of gray.

“Stop it, Jessi!”

I frown and shout, “IDIOT! Have fun being alone!”

Luna looks at me and says sternly, “That will be all, Jessi! Let Twinkle Shine know that she is free now! Discord will not be bothering you anymore!”

I look back left at the princess and raise my neck, “Awesome!”

She smiles and nods, and I’m suddenly consumed in a blinding light and I open my eyes to find myself sleeping on Twinkle's bed on my stomach, with my head on the pillow. I raise it and look around to see that the room is empty… I decide to rest for a moment as I regain my wits and I can’t help but smile when I realize that I have defeated Discord, with my words alone…

(To be continued...)

Chapter 16: An Admission of Fear

I stirred there inside the comfort of the soft bed underneath the warm cottony covers while hearing a familiar squeaky voice lowly and softly curse, “Oh, golly!” before I once again hear the clicking noise.

click click!

The same voice squeaks in irritation, “Golly dammit!”

click click!

“Need a new one of these from Izzy!” The voice grumbles.

I finally open my eyes and raise my head from my left side on the bed as I stared at the lone pink pegasus filly on the floor, attempting to wield a red hoof lighter with her right forehoof to ignite the joint in her mouth.*

“Oh, golly!” She repeats herself before lowering the lighter and noticing that my eyes are open as her brown eyes widen and she says out the left side of her mouth, “You’re awake! Uh, how did everything go with Discord?” before placing the lighter down on the nightstand on her left and turning around to trot towards the shelf on the far wall from the bed…

I can tell she still expects a reply as I open my mouth, “I told him what a terrible piece of crap he was and how his lack of friends clearly showed that!”

She flaps her wings to lift her tiny pink body to the second shelf up as she grasps the edge with her forehooves and then, moves her right forehoof towards something and clasps onto it before letting go from the ledge and landing back on the floor on her other three hooves with a resounding clack noise. She turns around and brings a new blue hoof lighter to her face with her forehoof and lowers her gaze to squeeze the device and ignite as she begins to inhale to bring the flame to the end of the joint... I soon see her eyes narrow in satisfaction as the embers now burn at the end…

I finally ask, “Uh, how long was I out, anyway?”

She looks up to breath smoke onto me and replies, “About eleven hours. Since we don’t know how long that sleepy thing Luna did lasts, Izzy just magically put you on my bed… I slept on the couch because I didn’t want to disturb you…” before lowering her face and taking another drag of her joint, as she places the lighter down on the table, next to the other one.

I blink at her, “You care about me, don’t you?”

Her eyes widen as she removes the joint with her right forehoof and breaths smoke onto me, “Gee, took you long enough!” and smiles, “And you care about me too, huh?” and then, brings her joint to her mouth for another hit.

I sigh and lower my gaze, “Y-yeah… I gotta be honest now!”

She breaths out onto me again and I raise my nose to suck in more of the fumes as she says, “Speaking of the curse, do you even know what sort of power that weird staff grants you, yet?”

I blink down at her before widening my eyes and frown, “No idea!”

She narrows her eyes while taking a drag off her joint, before lowering her gaze and then, quickly raising it to blow smoke onto me, “Well, don’t you think we should find out? You’re already doing the time!” she smiles, “Might as well also do the crime!” and then, brings the half-joint to her mouth for another hit as ash falls from the front onto the floor at her hooves.

“Knowing you, that probably does involve some sort of crime!”

She blows smoke onto me as I sat there up on the bed and smiles before saying, “Well, we’re not gonna try to take over Equestria, again!” and then, brings the joint back to her lips for another inhalation.

I blink and frown, “Uh, again? Implying we’ve done it before?”

She raises her neck and closes her eyes before slowly lowering her head to me and exhaling smoke my direction and smiles before saying, “Well, not before tonight, anyway!”

I widen my eyes, “What are we gonna do tonight, Twinkle Shine?”

She raises her forehoof over the ashtray on the table before her to vertically snuff out the joint before staring back at me and smiling, “Same thing we do every night, Jessi! Try to take over Equestria!”

I frown and narrow my eyes, “This is serious, Twinkle! I have power and we don’t know what it is!”

She brings her hoof back to the floor in-line and widens her auburn gaze up at me expectantly, “Well, golly gee! Don’t you think we should find out?” and frowning expectantly.

“No!” I shout as I wave my right forehoof in front of me, left to right. “I don’t want any power!”

Her mouth straightens, “Well, sometimes, it doesn’t really matter what you want, Jessi…” before she blinks and adjusts her gaze to me. “Power is what you got!”

I smile, “Ironic, because power would be something that you’d want, and not me!”

Her eyes widen and mouth tightens, “And what is that supposed to mean?”

My mouth straightens as I suddenly realize my mistake! “Uh, nothing!”

She frowns, “I told you about my past, and now you secretly think I’m some kinda maniac, huh?” and looks down at the side of the bed with a mixture of sullen and blank expressions on her face.

I gaze wistfully to the right, “N-no, not exactly… Uh, “I look back at her. “I just have a different opinion of you, I guess? I never really knew what to think of you before and well, I guess telling me about your past kinda, filled in the blanks?” and smile nervously.

She slowly and calmly breaths in and out of her nose while eyeing me carefully, “This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell anypony! Because now, you see me as a villain!”

I widen my eyes and fix my mouth, “I do not!”

She frowns, “But?”

I blink, “But uh, now I look at you differently, okay?”

Her eyes narrow, “Differently? Differently, how?”

I sigh and honestly reply, “I see you as far more dangerous and powerful than I thought earlier, okay? I uh, well…” I smile weakly. “It’s actually a kinda respectful, honestly!”

Her brown eyes widen, “Respectful? What do you mean?”

I gulp, “I uh, I’m kinda scared of you now…” before blinking. “Honestly…”

Her eyes grow wide as saucers, “Wait, what?!?!”

“I uh, asked Sunny about what she found out about you… We had a big talk about it…”

“You! Jessi Trotsky!” She points at me with her left forehoof. “Are afraid of me? Twinkle Shine?” and lowers it.

I narrow my mouth, “Um, y-yes…”

She blinks and lowers her hoof, “So you’re scared of me, now, huh?”

I blink and frown in confused exasperation, “Didn’t I just say that?”

She sighs, “Well, right!” before nodding and gazing at me curiously, “Uh, why?” and frowns up my direction.

I take a deep sigh in and out of my snout before gazing at her inquisitive stare carefully, “Sunny told me about all the things you did… She told me about how you had taken over the school, once upon a time, and about how you almost took over Equestria, later, when you were an alicorn…”

She frowns, “And you’re reluctant to try out your new powers because you’re worried about what I might think and do if we knew about it, huh?”

My mouth scrunches again as I can only reply in irritation, “Well, that and the fact that I’m really not interested in power…”

She raises her right forehoof to silence me and says, “I already know that! I’m more worried about how you feel about me, now!” and lowers it before gazing back up at me on the bed.

I then contemplated Izzy’s words,shield of liesas I mustered the biggest smile I could and cautiously replied, “Twinkle, what you did was scary, okay? You managed to take over an entire school and as if that wasn’t bad enough, you gained a LOT of power later, and attempted to take down the monarchy… And you almost succeeded!That’s very scary!”

Her eyes enlarge again, “Well, golly gee, you’re not gonna cower in fear from me, or anything now, right?”

I blink as I feel something beginning to enter into my brain and say, “Uh, I don’t think so?”

Her eyes widen, “Well, do you think so, or do you know so?”

I blink, “Well uh, no! Probably not?”

She lowers her body down to the floor as her knees bend and her wavy bluish-white mane falls down around her shoulders with it’s styled bangs, and grins up at me wildly, “Well, what if I tickled you? Would you not cower, then?”

I widen my eyes, “Wait, what? What are you...”

I can’t finish that statement before she takes off from her squatting position and flaps her wings wildly towards the ground and behind her as her tiny pink body lifts into the air and I then see a smiling wavy maned filly coming right at me with outstretched forehooves as her long bluish-white mane flows behind her head!

My eyes widen as a blue half-dome forcefield appears in front of me by my will, and stops the enthusiastic filly as she scrapes in futility at it with her hooves and falls down to the other side of the bed and lowers her hooves to it, so that she’s now facing me on all four of them while I still lay there on my side.

She looks up and says in annoyance, “Hey! No fair!”

“You got to use your wings to take off! I should be able to use my magic! That’s fair!”

Her eyes narrow and she frowns as I lower the forcefield, “I guess? But this isn’t over!”

My eyes narrow and I grin back at her, “You’re never gonna catch me!”

“We’ll see about that!” She sighs deeply in and out of her mouth before gazing back at me. “But seriously, Jessi! You know I’m not like that anymore, right? I mean, golly! That was a long time ago! You said so yourself!”

I blink and stare forward blankly, “Well yeah, I-I did!”

She nods, “Right! So you believe it, right?”

I blink again and frown, “I think so?”

Her eyes narrow, “Jessi, I don’t like this! Now I-I’m worried! I’ve never had a friend feel that way about me and um, it’s just scary!”

My eyes widen, “Wait! You’re scared of me, now?”

Her eyes enlarge as well, “Uh, no!”

“You’re worried about how I feel about you?”

“NO!”

I can’t help but grin at this point, “You’re a terrible liar, when you’re high, you know that?”

“NO!”

I grin and start to giggle slightly, “Yes!”

She shakes her head, “I’ll have you know that I’m great liar when stoned! The best!”

“That must be some strong herb?”

“I’m not stoned!”

“You’re totally stoned!”

“Shut up!” She blurts out before trying not to smile and barely suppressing some giggles.

My eyes widen, “Make me!”

She smiles, “I’ll make your mom shut up!”

I frown, “What?”

She reaches quickly slides into a prone position on the bed and scoots her left forehoof underneath the covers to quickly begin tickling me under my front pit before I can react!

I start giggling uncontrollably as my laying body begins to fidget from the new stimulation! “Stop it!”

She yells out loud, “You’re not afraid of me!”

“Yes I am!” I say before squealing and giggling some more!

She brings her right forehoof into tickle me even more while shouting, “No, you’re not!”

Suddenly, we both hear a feminine voice coming from the now open door in front of the bed, “Just what in Equestria are you two arguing about?”

She adjusts her body to turn her head left to stare at Izzy, “She’s not afraid of me!”

I raise my gaze to view the purple unicorn, “Yes, I am!”

She frowns, “We’re gonna have a talk about this during dinner”

I blink as the gravity of what I just said sets in, “Oh, golly!”

Twinkle stares back at me, “Wait a minute!”

<*****>

I sat there in a half-daze as the stuff I just smoked begins to seep further into my mind and I stare at the orange alicorn across from me, as she stares directly at me with her forest green eyes and says, “So, Jessi is afraid of Twinkle Shine, now?” before lifting her left eyebrow.

I turn my head right to watch the other filly stare at the alicorn with her orange eyes widely, “Honestly, now that I know about Twinkle Shine, I never thought it would become an issue. But now I have this power andfeel as if I need to protect it from her…” before widening her eyes curiously.

It occurs to me that she likely didn’t realize that herself until she said something as I hear the alicorn reply, “Well, you don’t need to worry about that, Jessi! We have the staff put away for now and without it, you have no power… Well, other than truth telling!”

She frowns and replies, “What? That’s not a power! That’s a curse!”

Izzy, sitting to the right of Sunny, turns her head to her and says, “Actually, she’s right!”

I finally raise my right forehoof and say, “Oh, golly! Am I the only pony here who wants to know exactly what she can do?”

Sunny turns her gaze to me and frowns, “Well, how can we safely do that?”

I stare back up at her and smile as a new idea forms in my head…

<*****>

And so, I brush my violet mane from my face using my orange right forehoof and stare out at the wide open field, just northwest of Maritime Bay, I smile as I see the open grasslands and nopony in sight… I stare over at a 2-foot-wide and 1-foot-tall brown rock just to the left of my view and say to the green filly on my right, “As you know, I’m an alicorn and by this point, I have some experience with powerful magic…” I smile. “Don’t worry, Jessi! We’re gonna make sure you know what you’re doing!”

“Uh, how are we gonna do that?”

I smile, “Why, practice, of course!” I point at a brown rock in front of us with my right forehoof. “Okay, you see that sandstone over there?”

She looks over and solemnly gulps before saying, “Uh, yes Miss Sunny?”

“I want you to try forcing the staff with your mind to do something to that stone!”

“Like what?”

I smile, “I don’t care! Zap it into a thousand pieces or transform it into something! It doesn’t matter! The point is to see exactly how powerful this staff thing really is!”

Her orange eyes widen, “Uh, right!” before lowering her head and forcing her horn to glow a pale azure color and the silver staff floating in a similar glow to turn so that the blue crystal on the end is facing the stone. Suddenly, a blue stream of magic shoots out from the crystal to hit the stone, causing it to raise in the air and morph into about a dozen small black spiders, roughly 10 inches in width with distinctive glowing red eyes! They all march towards the unicorn filly who stares down at them and says, “Halt, minions! Now go! Go and fetch me cheese crackers!” before the spiders all turn from where they were, 5 feet from her and begin scampering off into the grassy fields…

My eyes widen and I turn my head right to the filly to ask her, “What was that?”

She turns her head back to me and widens her eyes, “What? I’m hungry!”

“Yeah, but I mean, cheese crackers?”

She blinks, “I like cheese crackers!”

A thought occurs to me as I affix my gaze to the filly at my side and ask her, “Uh, why didn’t you turn the stone itself into cheese crackers?”

She blinks, “What? Like, magic crackers? I don’t if it’s safe to eat magic crackers, is it?”

I widen my eyes, “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Her eyes widen, “Well, where did they come from? Are they poisonous? How do I know they’re safe?”

I frown and gently suppress a giggle, “Well, they would’ve came from that sandstone, right? And they’re only poisonous if you make them poisonous! I mean, you’re in charge, right?”

She frowns back, “I think so?”

Suddenly, I notice a large black spider with red eyes at Jessi’s left side, between me and her, holding a small plastic pack of cheese crackers in it’s front mandibles as it stares up at the filly expectantly.

She briefly glances down at the arachnid before back up at me as I ask her, “Do you know where those crackers, came from?”

She smiles up at me optimistically with wide hopeful orange eyes, “Well, from this spider, of course! Hey, I wanna practice more magic, but can I have a snack first?”

I try my best to hold back my grin and chuckles as I can already tell that this particular magic student is not ordinary!

(To be continued...)

Author's Note

*I know I’ve been there on more than a few occasions. I want to light something and my lighter chooses that exact moment to run out of fuel! For that reason, I actually make it a point to always have a spare. Because there’s nothing worse than having smoke and no way to fire up!

Chapter 17: What is Necessary

I stared at the small teal green unicorn filly and smile before gazing out at the field and saw a yet another small boulder, roughly 2 feet in width and 3 feet in height there in the field before us, and a small tree, just beyond it… I smile and say to Jessi, “Okay, let’s see what kind of power this thing has! Blast that boulder now, Jessi!”

She swallows the last of the crackers in her snout, before gazing at the boulder and pointing her staff at it and mentally forcing a blue beam of light to leave the crystal at the end of the staff and strike the boulder!

The boulder, which then turned into a bouquet of blue flowers!

Which was then overtaken inside a blue glow and rises to my view before flying to me!

It stops right in front of me and I hear Jessi say, “For you, sweet mother!”

I grasp them in my magic and float them back to my left saddlebag while asking Jessi, “Are you feeling okay, sweetie?”

“I’m fine, sweet mother! What makes you ask?”

I turn to see a green unicorn filly there, staring up at me intently with big burnt orange eyes with an expectant look on her face, “Well, you seem really gung ho about this whole mother/daughter thing now?”

She smiles, “I love you!”

I decide to drop it as I smile back and say, “I love you too, sweet daughter!”

She smiles wider at that and I can already tell that I just made the filly’s day!

When suddenly, we both hear a loud reverberating masculine voice as if from a megaphone or loudspeaker, “We are the Maretime Prairie Robbers! Leave your valuable possessions in the field and trot away, now! Or face our wrath!”

Jessi raises her neck towards the hill in the distance, beyond the tree we’re both staring at and shouts back, “Uh, you’ll need a better intro than that! Please go away and try again later!”

At that point, we both hear faint whispering in the loudspeaker before the same voice says back, “Our intro is not important! Place your valuables on the grass and leave now, or we will launch cream pies at you with our catapults!”

Jessi loudly retorts, “Oh, but you’re wrong! I mean, what is it with bandits these days? Maretime Prairie Robbers? You couldn’t even come up with a decent gang name? That’s just lazy.”

The speaker screeches loudly causing both me and Jessi to wince before the voice says back, “You know what? Forget it! Fire the catapults!”

Suddenly, we both see just over half a dozen cream pies flying at us from behind the hill, and before I can react, I widen my eyes as I see them all engulfed in a blue glow only to fly back towards the hill and then, release to fall behind the hill and we both soon hear loud groaning coming from the other side!

We both then hear a loud male voice from the other side of the hill say over the sound of hooves clopping away from us, “Dangit Carl! I told you this was a bad idea!”

We then hear a slightly higher voice from the same direction scream, “Shut up, Burt! Just shut up!

I turn my head back right to my magic student and say, “You just used your new powerful magic, because you had to…” I frown. “You and I aren’t so different!”

She turns her neck back to me and replies, “Well, of course! I love you!”

I smile, “That was pretty boneheaded of them, right?”

“You’re not wrong, mom!”

My grin lowers slightly, “I’m still not used to you calling me that!”

She nods, “Well, you fulfill a role, you know? A hole that was left in my heart some time ago…”

I turn my body and take two paces towards this filly before bending down to nuzzle her with my snout… “I’m so sorry, Jessi…”

She nuzzles me from her position down there with a faint glimmer in her eyes, “Don’t be… What’s done is done and it’s not your fault… I’m just glad I have you now…”

I stop nuzzling her to stare deep into her orange eyes as I say back, “I’m glad I have you now, too Jessi!”

<*****>

I trot towards the strange brown shack on the road in Bridlewood. I stare at the steps at Izzy’s door, suddenly a lot more imposing than they once were as I gulp and began to ascend the four steps…

One… Two… Three… Four… I reach the landing at the top and stare at her red front door before trotting towards the closed portal and knock on it four times with my right forehoof…

Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! My hoof crashes against the front of the door…

I hear a jovial female voice from inside say, “COMING!” and I can only assume that Izzy is trotting towards her door as I stare at it with wide eyes and wonder what I’m about to say…

She opens the door soon and I see two red eyes widen in sudden surprise as her azure muzzle smiles and Izzy says happily, “Misty! I didn’t expect to see you today! What a nice surprise!”

I put on the biggest smile I can muster and ask her, “Uh, is it okay if I come in?”

Her mouth normalizes, “Of course, Misty! Is anything wrong?”

I giggle nervously while trotting past her left side to enter her house, “Uh, yeah! We need to talk, sweet Izzy!”

She nods, “Certainly, Misty Chan! Go sit down and I’ll bring you some tea!”

I gulp, “Uh, yes ma’am!

<*****>

I giggle nervously and cough, “Um, yeah!” before looking down at the tea I had just prepared with extra milk… I always have to add more milk! It’s too bitter!

Her eyes widen and I can only guess she sensed how I was feeling when she asks with a frown on her normally jubilant face, “Are you okay?”

I sigh, “Well, that depends!”

She leans forward, “Depends on what…”

I stare at her severely, “Well, Izzy! Can you uh, keep a secret?”

Her eyes normalize and she nods, “Well of course! What are friends for?”

(6 hours earlier…)

I smile with delight at the scene before me...

I can now feel the pitiful sputtering of blood on the knife through my magic, as I hold the blade in my reddish glow after it sliced neatly into the other pony's jugular vein... I then witness her magenta body thrash slightly as her hooves kicked into the air, causing the now lodged knife to jostle somewhat in my arcane grasp and her hooves knock the white blanket off her, only for it to fall lifelessly back to the mattress over her now deceased form, shortly after it softly lands onto the mattress... I grin widely as I watch the crimson fluid exit her now lacerated neck... I bare my teeth with glee, for at that moment, I knew that I, Misty the unicorn, had slain Opaline the alicorn... And it felt great!

(Back in the present…)

Izzy widens her eyes in disbelief, “Wait! So you killed an alicorn?”

I smiled, “An evil alicorn who wanted to rule Equestria! I’m a hero!”

“B-but you just killed her in cold blood! Don’t you think you should’ve given her a chance?”

I widen my eyes in shock, “What? No! Why?” my eyes narrow. “It doesn’t matter what I did! I’m alive and she’s not! That’s all that’s important!”

Izzy’s eyes remain enormous in astonishment, “Don’t you think Opaline at least deserved a shot at redemption, though?”

I blink and frown, “No! Why?”

“Well, I mean, she’s a super powerful alicorn, right? She could’ve done a lot of good!”

I sigh as I look down somewhat and then, raise my gaze back to the other unicorn, “Izzy, I know this pony…” I smile dimly, “She was mean as sin!” and I stare up at her eagerly. “Trust me when I say, it’s better this way…”

She breathes in and out severely through her nose and gazes at me gravely, “Well, what have you done with the corpse?”

I smiled, “That was the best part… I burned it!” I say in grim satisfaction as I recall the view of her burning remains, covered in the blood soaked blanket on the big pile of logs I had built and the way my nostrils were soon overtaken by the oddly sickeningly sweet scent of burning alicorn flesh meshed with birch wood.

Izzy frowns seriously, “Well, does anypony else know about this?”

“No, Izzy… You’re the only one I’ve told… However!” I put on the biggest smile I can muster. “With Opaline dead, I now need a new place to live!”

<*****>

I nod my head as my wavy grayish-white mane falls down to my shoulders as I stood there on my hooves in Twinkle’s room, now a beautiful catastrophe, and smile at Twinkle on my left, “Okay, so to recap! We got me, the intelligent unicorn filly!”

Twinkle smiles over at me and says as her little body shakes, “Spastic intelligent unicorn filly!”

I nod, “Right! That!” and point at the pegasus with my left hoof, “We also have Stoner Glow over there!”

Her mouth straightens, “Yup!”

“And now, introducing,“ I move my hoof to point at the curly maned azure unicorn filly to the right of the pink pegasus filly, “Misty the Murderer!”

Her cerulean eyes widen as she stammers out frantically, “WHAT? I only told Izzy about that! I can’t believe she would tell both of you before you even met me!”

Twinkle turns her head left to look at Misty, “Relax! She didn’t tell anypony! I was listening in while you were talking to her!”

I sigh, “Yeah, and naturally, Twinkle told me about it!”

She frowns, “So, now you two know my dark secret… I suppose I should go get my things?”

Twinkle chuckles, “Really? Well, I almost took over Equestria!”

I smile, “Twice!”

Her eyes widen, “Really?”

Twinkle nods, “Well, Opaline can try to do it, I can try to do it too, right?”

She frowns, “Well, I suppose?” she blinks. “S-so I’m welcome here?”

Twinkle nods again, “We’re a couple of lunatics! I’m sure you’ll fit right in!”

I chirp up as my little body shakes, “The best!”

She stutters out, “I-I’ve never had friends before?”

I smile, “Well, since you’re staying in the room across from Twinkle Shine, at Izzy’s now, we’re gonna see each other a lot, anyway, right?”

“B-but I don’t have my cutie mark, a-and I killed the only chance I’d ever get!”

My mouth straightens, “What? What makes you think Opaline has anything to do with your cutie mark?”

She blinks, “Well, that’s what she told me?”

I shake my head, “That’s not how cutie marks work!”

Twinkle chimes in, “You know, if she lied to you about that, what else do you think she might have lied to you about?”

Her eyes widen as she asks loudly, “So, wait! How DO I get a cutie mark, then?”

I try my best to calmly say to her, “Well, that happens whenever a pony discovers their special talent and purpose. It can’t really be forced or created any other way!”

“O-Opaline lied to me?”

I nod and reply, “Well, pretty much, yeah! I mean, she was just using you!”

Twinkle adds as her winged body shakes, “Wasn’t it obvious?”

“I…” She stutters as her bottom lip quivers. “I’m so stupid!”

“Well golly gee, beating yourself up over it won’t be helpful either, you know?”

Her mouth straightens as she stares at the pegasus, “S-so, you don’t hate me?”

Twinkle’s body shakes as she exclaims, “I don’t even know you!” her neck leans towards the other unicorn. “But I’d like to?”

“M-me? You wanna know me?”

Twinkle grins, “Golly, no! The timid unicorn behind you! Who do you think I mean, silly?”

She finally begins to smirk slightly, “Wow!”

<*****>

I remembered that horrible pony! I remembered her constantly criticizing me and acting like she was better than me and everypony else… Always so haughty! And h-how she wanted me to be… It never really felt right, you know? I always felt like I should be doing something else? Not that that evil alicorn ever gave me the actual time to explore these feelings! And so, I guess that’s why it felt so good, you know? It felt wonderful to end her! As I used my magic to slice the blade into her flesh, I can almost feel my own hatred, burning through the blade into her… It felt so great!

I sigh as I continue to be deep in thought, in front of the big red door… I can smell some sort of unidentifiable floral scent wafting from underneath as I bring myself back to my train of thought…

That release of sheer rage is what overthrew my mind… I needed more! I needed her to pay! And so, that’s why I also took the hatchet into my magic and chopped up her corpse after slashing her throat oh so many times, over and over again, as I enacted my absolute malice on this other pony! I remember the crimson splatter of her blood as the ax blade entered her corpse, over and over again and the way her limbs came off after being separated by the force of the steel wedge… This felt too good...

...

I blink as I begin to ponder if I should feel bad? I mean, I shake my head and flinch again as it occurs to me that I really don’t! I don’t feel bad at all about the brutal way I slew that awful alicorn! I smile grimly as I knock on the blood-red door...

<*****>

I stood there on my hooves and bring the freshly ignited joint to my lips with my right forehoof and begin to purse my lips around the cardboard tip and inhale, causing the end to glow and causing me to feel warm smoke as it traveled down into my throat…

I hear a timid tapping at my door as I take my second drag and feel the smoke traveling into my gullet…

I exhale smoke quickly and sputter out, “H-hang on! I’m coming!”

Before shaking my head, now with the joint in the muzzle and begin trotting the necessary 4 paces towards the doorway… Clip… Clop… Clip… Clop… and then, the low whining of the hinges as I operated the door with my right hoof…

I see a disheveled orchid purple and neon green curly mane there, with two green eyes staring at me from underneath, just over a blue frowning mouth, “Um, T-Twinkle? Is it okay if I come in?”

I nod and smile, “Sure thing Misty!” and turn to trot towards the center of the room and allow her entry.

I see her widen her eyes at the burning weed wrap in my mouth and says, “Uh, Twinkle! Are you smoking weed?”

I widen my eyes and move the joint out of my mouth to exhale a cloud of smoke between us, “It’s fine! Just tell me what you want!”

She blinks and turns her head right to use her green magic to close the door behind her, which I found odd, since aside from us, nopony else was home. She looks at me and her eyes begin to quiver with pain as she says, “I just couldn’t take it anymore…” and she blinks…

I inhale and feel the warm smoke enter my mouth as it travels down my throat and exhale to her right before staring at her, “What do you mean?” and then, bring the joint up to my mouth… No emotional trauma is gonna ruin this smoke session for me, golly dammit!

She blinks again before lowering her head, “Well, it was her abuse… She would always have to correct me, for even minor things! And… And that wasn’t really the worst though?” she closes her eyes and looks to the right…

I breathe smoke out of my nostrils while saying, “Oh, golly! Uh, you literally just met me! Are you sure you should be unloading on me like this?”

She looks up at me, “You’re the best choice!”

“Golly! You don’t have a lot of choices, huh?” I say before bringing the joint back to my lips with my hoof.

She closes her eyes and flinches, “An evil villain!” and then opens them up to me and says, “That is to say, uh,” she blinks. “she always wanted me to laugh maniacally and be an evil villain like her and just, well, something was always off about that, you know…” she sighs, “eventually, I didn’t like it… Anymore… “she blinks and flinches again, “That is to say, I don’t think I ever particularly liked it? Especially when she was always correcting me! And I uh…“she blinks, “guess I just had enough? And so, I had to do something, you know? I had to end this! I just hated her so much! I hated the way she’d always find things wrong with me! I hated the way she wanted me to be this pony that I’m not! I hated the way she kept trying to correct me! And just well, I needed to end it… And so, I took the bread knife and took care of things…” she blinks, “But I’m almost ashamed at how great that felt? I-I just can’t help it, you know?” she looks at me severely. “Knowing that I ended that horrible pony, just fills my heart with such happiness!”

Now, at this point, it became golly well clear to me that I was dealing with far more than my beleaguered, stoned mind could handle… And so, I did pretty much the only thing I could think of to do… I snuffed my joint into the glass ashtray on the table to my right and trotted up to her and embraced her in a tight warm forehoof hug! I breathed softly on her left ear, now partially concealed by her swept over curly mane as I said softly, “It’s okay to feel that way, Misty… It’s okay…”

I release her and stare back at her while on my hooves as she says, “I-it is?” before frowning.

I release her and go back to my hooves on the floor and nod, “Yes, Misty! It’s okay to feel however you may feel about things! After all, it’s our actions that define us, in the end…”

Her eyes widen as her mouth frowns in astonishment, “That’s actually very insightful for a filly to say!”

“Well, you spent two thousand years in stone, I guess you have a lot of time to think? About a lot of things…”

Misty normalizes her mouth while staring at me with wide open curious green eyes, “What?”

I look to the table on my right and fetch the joint before lowering my face to it and ignite it with the hoof lighter from the same table… I inhale as I feel the hot vapors travel into me and hear the clack noise as I place the lighter back on the tableand I gaze calmly as the end burns with my muzzle pursed around the cardboard… I then, slowly exhale smoke at this other filly while moving the joint away from my face with my right forehoof and calmly say, “I am a genius… I tried to manipulate ponies and take over Equestria and while I almost succeeded, I didn’t and so, they froze me in stone… They eventually forgot about me and I later woke up alone, two thousand years later…”

Her mouth straightens and she stutters, “W-wow!”

I smirk slightly, “Well, in a nutshell!” and bring the nub to my mouth for one of my final drags and cause the embers to glow as I inhale again.

“So, why are you here?”

I exhale before sighing, “Well, long story short, Izzy adopted me! Well, sorta? I may have adopted her, actually? It’s complicated!” I widen my eyes to her. “The truth is, I just wandered aimlessly for many hours and I eventually found Bridlewood that way...”

She blinks, “And you met Izzy from there?”

I gaze at her wide eyed and say robotically, “Yes! That makes sense! We’ll go with that story!”

Misty finally giggles and smiles faintly, “You’re funny, Twinkle Shine!”

I slowly take my last drag, and then widen my eyes as I look to the glass ashtray on the table at my right and snuff out the nub with my right forehoof. I think there’s three or four more drags there and I definitely wanna save that for later! I exhale smoke over the ashtray, before turning my head back left towards Misty and say, “Golly! You act so awkward all the time! You didn’t have a lot of friends, huh?”

Her mouth straightens as her eyes widen, “That obvious?”

I giggle, “Yeah! Kinda!” I lean forward as I widen my eyes, “But valiant effort, though! Not a golly bad job at all!” my eyes straighten as my mouth curves. “I think? By golly! For golly well good, for a first attempt! Yes, golly well good job! Golly!”

Her eyes stare widely at me as she frantically says, “You’re stoned, aren’t you?”

I stare at her blankly with my eyes wide as saucers, “You know, I did just smoke a joint, right?”

She giggles, “Yeah!” her eyes focus back on me. “So uh, now you’re here!”

I giggle back with a big smile on my face, “Yup! And so are you! Welcome to the family, Misty!”

(To be continued...)

Chapter 18: Guilt

I bring the burning joint to my snout with my right forehoof as the dark blue unicorn filly with the swept over dark blue and neon green curly mane stares back at me with her green eyes and smiles blankly… I exhale smoke to her right and stare at her, “So, uh, I’m smoking wake n bake!” before bringing the joint to my mouth again for another drag.

She smiles dimly at me and nods, “Yup!”

I exhale smoke while lowering my snout so it flows up between us and raise my stare to her, “And you’re here!”

She repeats herself, “Yup!”

I exhale smoke to her right again and ask her, “How did you sleep, anyway?”

“Oh, I slept fine since you let me in here with you last night! Thanks for letting me sleep in here, Twinkle! I uh, didn’t wanna sleep alone…”

I finish taking my next drag and mentally count to 5 before exhaling to her right again and stare back at her, “Why not? What’s so bad about sleeping alone?” before taking a deep breath, in and out with my mouth and then, bringing the burning weed wrap to my mouth for another draw.

She blinks and raises her gaze, “Well, when I was with Opaline, I was always alone, you know? Sure she was there, but uh, she wasn’t very friendly…” she crinkles her mouth before correcting it. “I tried to get a plushie, but she wouldn’t let me. She said it was ‘foalish nonsense’…” before sighing.

I exhale through my nostrils and let the smoke rise between us towards the ceiling as I say to her, “So, you wanted to borrow two of my friends, then?” before taking another drag of my stoge.

She smiles and nods, “Yeah, thanks so much, Twinkle! You really are a good friend!”

I widen my eyes and slowly exhale smoke out my nostrils before saying, “Gee! You don’t have many options, huh?”

“I like you Twinkle Shine!”

I nod, “Right! Clearly no other choices!” before taking another drag off my half-joint.

She giggles, “You’re silly!” her face straightens. “Uh, thanks for listening to me when I was talking about Opaline earlier!”

A terrifying thought suddenly occurs to my intoxicated mind as I begin to take another drag… I hold it in my lungs while carefully considering what to say next… I finally exhale it out of my mouth to her right and turn to her and ask, “Uh, Misty! Am I your best friend now?” before trying my best to casually take another drag off my joint… Honestly, I kinda wish she would let me get about three or four drags in before unloading on me again!

She smiles and says a third time, “Yup!”

I stay silent for a moment as the half-joint burns in the cleft of my right forehoof before finally asking, “And you’re cool with that, huh?” and bring it to my mouth again because golly, this is getting heavy now!

She nods and says a fourth time, “Yup!”

I exhale smoke on her other side this time while resisting the urge to call her an idiot, and then look back at her and say, “Well uh, I’m truly glad I can do that for you, Misty!” I widen my eyes. “Yes! Golly glad!” and nod before quickly taking another hit while widening my eyes with shock as the impact hits me.

“You sure are a nice filly, Twinkle Shine!”

I suddenly hear a familiar voice in my head say, Golly right! I’m the nicest, huh!

I frown suddenly with wide eyes and as smoke exits my nostrils, I say, “I need to go to the bathroom!” before snuffling the roach out quickly in the ashtray on the table to my right and I take off suddenly by squatting and launching myself into the air to flitter over to the door and open it quickly with my right forehoof and then, I float out before turning down the hallway to fly down that way towards the bathroom…

I trot into the bathroom and stare at my reflection in the mirror to the right, beyond the sink there, when I see me, only it’s not me… This me has neatly rowed curls in her mane and smiles back, “Hello me! It’s me again!”

I frown and furrow my brow, “Cozy Glow!”

She smiles, “Still inside you, you little hellion!”

“What do you want?”

Her eyes widen, “Oh, I just wanted to see how things were going with Misty?”

I lean forward slightly in defiance, “You leave Misty out of this!”

She smiles mischievously, “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it, dear Twinkle Shine!”

My mouth curls in contention, “What are you planning?”

She smiles wider and eyes me carefully, “Oh, nothing you need worry your pretty little head about, dear Twinkle Shine! Now, go back and take care of your new friend!”

I look down and sigh, “Look, Cozy Glow… We’re together now, right?” I raise my gaze to her. “I think we need to come to an agreement?”

She sighs out her snout with her eyes up and staring beyond me in indignation, “Y-you’re right, Twinkle…” her eyes move back to me. “Oh, golly! Didn’t we already make amends once?”

I smile at the other filly, “Yeah! But I guess living together is something we gotta work on too, huh?” I straighten my face. “First and most important order of business, what do you think about Misty?”

Cozy lowers her view, “Well, I don’t know how useful to us she could be, but I’m thinking she’s been through some trauma. I mean, she was basically forced to commit a grisly murder!” her eyes venture right, “And while I don’t believe we’ll ever tell anypony about that, I do think the first step to making her of any value to us is to use that in order to gain her trust! Be there for her, and I think we could get an ally for life?” her eyes go back to Twinkle on the bathroom floor.

I stare blankly at the mirror, “It really is all about gaining power with you, huh?”

Cozy smiles back at me, “Remember, Twinkle! I’m where you came from! And you can never get rid of me!” her face straightens. “But seriously! If you want to gain any headway with Misty, you need to be there for her…”

I shudder, “Even when she wants to sleep in my bed with me?”

She nods, “Yes!”

I suddenly hear a feminine voice from outside the bathroom, “Twinkle, are you alright in there? Who are you talking to?”

My eyes widen, “Uh, nopony! Nopony whatsoever!” I shake my head. “Uh, hang on! I’ll be right out!”

<*****>

I stare up at the orange alicorn on the other side of the wooden oak table in wide-eyed disbelief, “Wait, so Misty did what now?”

Sunny widens her eyes, “Well, Misty has been talking with Twinkle and Izzy said the two of them are getting along well!”

I nod, “Well, that’s good!”

Sunny smiles, “Right! So now, you need to be there for Misty, too!”

I widen my eyes again, “I do?”

She sighs, “Well, that and you gotta admit, you’ve spent a lot of time holed up in your room lately!”

“I have?”

She smiles and giggles, “Jessi! You need to spend time with your friends too!”

“Really?”

She nods and says, “Yes Jessi, really!”

I frown as I wonder what I have gotten myself into, “It’s like you’re my mom, or something?”

Her grin widens as she chuckles again…

<*****>

I trot back to Twinkle’s room where I wait patiently on my hooves on the floor, opposite to the door. I look up at her walls and can’t help but notice that she doesn’t put anything on them. I frown as I think to myself that it’s so odd that a filly her age wouldn’t have any interests or things she liked…

Suddenly, the door opens and in trots a pink pegasus filly who shuts the door with her right forehoof and stares back at me, “Uh, sorry about that! I, uh, needed to take care of something.” her eyes go back up to me. “But how are you, dear Misty? Are you feeling any better today?”

I widen my eyes at this question, “Uh, yeah Twinkle! I’m doing uh, great! Just great!” and then do my best to force a smile at this other filly…

She smiles jubilantly at me, “Well, golly gee, that’s just swell! Hey! Would you like a hug?”

I keep my eyes wide and glued to this other strange filly, “Uh, no! I’m good!”

Her smile lowers somewhat and her eyes widen, “You sure, Misty? I mean, you know you’ve been through a lot and I really would like to help you!”

So, less than 24 hours ago, I viciously knifed up an alicorn in her sleep… Now, this strange pink pegasus filly from the past was offering me a hug! I can’t help but think about the strangeness of my own existence as I eye her carefully and finally concede defeat and sigh before saying, “Well, you can hug me… Um,“my eyes train on her. “if you really, you know? Want to…”

She nods frantically, “Oh golly, I sure want to hug you, Misty! You’re my friend!”

“Um, sure!”

She trots over to me tentatively and embraces me softly in a big warm hug, “It’s okay, Misty… Whatever you did is over now and you’re safe, okay?”

I do my best not to let out a terrified squeal as I tentatively return this strange hug as I’m really not used to affection or caring at any level, much less what this filly is now offering me! “Uh, okay Twinkle. Th-thanks…”

She returns to her hooves in front of me and stares back with her auburn gaze as she says, “Oh, golly! You haven’t eaten yet! Would you like some oatmeal?”

I frown, “Uh, sure Twinkle!”

She smiles and perks up, “Right away, friend!” and salutes with her right wing beforeturning around to fly out the door and around into the hallway by turning left.

I blink and think to myself, Well, she was nice before, but she suddenly got better. Wonder what really happened in that bathroom?

I sigh and trot out of her door and turn left down the hallway towards the kitchen beyond the dimly lit foyer with its many crystals and hanging decorations.

I silently sit at the side of the table and frown as I stare blankly at the table and think long and hard about what I did yesterday and how this changes everything… I sigh as I contemplate what this truly means for my life…

They said my cutie mark had nothing to do with Opaline? While that’s certainly a relief, it also makes me wonder what my special talent might be? My body shakes in silent frustration as I think of what that awful pony did to me!

I could’ve been actually trying to get my cutie mark instead of serving her! I might even already have it by now if it wasn’t for that miserable horned menace!

My train of thought is suddenly broken by the clack of a bowl of oatmeal, already with butter and brown sugar in it, being dropped from above by a small pink helper filly as she smiles at me and says, “I already added butter and sugar! Hope you like it Misty! I’ll be back with mine!” before floating around the table and heading back past the doorway into the kitchen…

When the smell of cooked oats and delicious maple syrup hit my nostrils, I suddenly realize how hungry I actually am! Lamenting sure takes it out of you! I smile and take the spoon from the bowl in my azure glow and bring the oatmeal to my mouth for a bite…

A bite that quickly scalds my tongue!

I open my mouth and start to breathe in to take in more air to cool down the raging inferno happening inside my snout!

She flitters in and widens her eyes before hovering over the table, dropping her bowl with a resoundingclack and saying, “Oh, golly! You shouldn’t eat so fast, Misty! It’s hot! I’ll go get you some juice!” before flying back to the door and into the kitchen again.

I do my best to swallow the super hot oatmeal in my mouth and breathe in more air while my watery eyes stay wide!

I see a pink pegasus filly flitter over the table and use her forehooves and chin to set down a tall glass of orange juice. It looks so juicy with the condensation on the outer rim of the glass as I float it to me in a blue glow and tilted the glass in the air to pour it down my throat… I’m soon refreshed by the citrus flavors on my tongue and the cold relief accompanying it.

The empty glass goes clack on the table in front of me when I sigh and adjust my gaze to the wide-eyed pegasus filly standing on the table to the right of the bowl and glass and say to her, “What? I don’t need you! I don’t need anypony!” as I feel rage well up inside me at this filly who had the gall to be nice to me!

Her eyes widen all the way as she says, “Well, golly! I was just trying to be nice and get you breakfast!”

I suddenly realize what I had done and correct myself, “I uh,“I sigh, “I’m sorry Twinkle Shine! I just uh…” I blink and sigh again. “guess when you start thinking of yourself as evil, you push other ponies away?”

Her mouth goes to an oval shape as she says, “Well, golly gee! That’s not good! Uh, do you want another hug, Misty?”

I furrow my brow as I ask, “Do I get a choice?”

Her eyes widen as she moves her head back slightly, “Uh, probably not?”

I sigh before raising my voice, “Look! You don’t have to keep hugging me, alright? You shouldn’t hug me! I’m a monster! I killed somepony!”

“Golly! I don’t think you’re a monster!”

“I killed Opaline, Twinkle Shine! How could I be anything but a monster? I brutally knifed her when she was asleep in bed! I made her bleed so much, Twinkle! There was blood everywhere!”

She raises her head and repeats herself, “I don’t think you’re a monster!”

“You’re an idiot!”

Her gaze lowers as I see a wily grin form on her snout and her auburn eyes stare down at me very carefully, “And you’re a sweet caring pony who got mixed up with a bad crowd. They didn’t treat you very well and you were forced to do something bad! That’s all there is to it!”

I keep my eyes wide and trained at how stubborn she is! “I don’t even feel guilty! I feel no remorse for killing her, Twinkle! That’s why I feel bad!”

She continues smiling, “Well, even if you did feel guilty, what difference would it make?”

I blink and sigh, “Guilt would make me a better pony! It would drive me to be not like that anymore! I uh…” I close my eyes, “I want to feel bad, okay… I want to feel remorse, but I just… I just can’t!" I open them. “Not for Opaline!” I train my eyes on the filly standing on the table as tears stream from both of them as she grins down at me…

“You know, you don’t need guilt to be a better pony, right?”

I widen my eyes as more tears flow and frown before responding, “I...don’t?”

She shakes her head, “Nope!” her head centers on me. “I don’t remember anything about trying to take over Equestria, but I wanna be better than Cozy Glow!”

“So, as long as I control myself, it doesn’t matter what evil I might have?”

She nods and mimics me, “Yup!”

I smile, “So, I guess it’s how I act that defines me?”

She nods, “Exactly!”

I straighten my mouth, “I still don’t know why I don’t feel guilty, though?”

Her gaze lowers, “Well, you said she was evil, right?”

I gulp and nod, “Um, yes! Very wicked and cruel!”

She nods, “Well, right! So, by killing her, you kinda did Equestria a favor, right?”

My eyes widen, “Well, more than likely, now that you mention it!”

She frowns down at me, “So, what’s the problem?”

“I…” I blink. “I killed somepony… And I don’t feel guilty…”

“So?”

I look up at her face as she beams down at me, “So, I guess that’s okay?”

She nods, “Well, golly right! But you know, I bet your oatmeal is cool enough to eat, now?”

I smile up at her, “Thanks, Twinkle!”

Suddenly, we both hear a hoof rapping on the door behind Twinkle and vaguely hear a distinct feminine voice say from outside, “Hey, Twinkle! You in there? It’s me! Jessi!”

Her eyes widen as her mouth goes agape, “Oh, golly!”

(To be continued...)

Chapter 20: Kittens, Confessions, and Cutie Marks

“You close yourself off for a long time, and eventually, all you can really do is stare up at the steel walls you built to defend yourself…” - Betty Starlight

<*****>

I stared at the strange teal green unicorn as she sipped her blond coffee from a white mug on the kitchen table…

I sighed and finally asked her, “Jessi, why don’t you trust me?”

She eyes me carefully, “What do you mean?”

“Well, when I was cleaning up your bed area, you insisted on ‘keeping your friends safe from me.’ Don’t you think that’s kind of odd?”

She blinks while continuing to stare at me intently, “I-I know I can trust me… I know I can rely on me… I know I won’t hurt me… I don’t know that about you…”

My eyes widen, “Yeah, but it’s been months, now! Shouldn’t we be making more progress than this? I mean, shouldn’t I at least be trusted in your room?”

She frowns, “Why?”

“Well, you should know I’m not gonna hurt your stuffed friends, honestly!”

She raises her gaze, “Why?”

“Why what?”

Her head leans to the right, “Well, why should I ever trust you?”

I frown, “Well, didn’t you once say I was your mother, now?”

Her head straightens and nods, “Well, yes! I did say that!”

My eyes widen, “Well, right! Shouldn’t you trust your mom?”

She frowns, “I don’t know? Maybe?”

I stare at this strange small unicorn for a moment before finally saying, “How did you get so disconnected?”

She breathes in deep from her nose slowly before letting it back out… “Diamond dogs…”

“What?”

She raises her gaze to me, “The diamond dogs… I was their slave for two and a half years…” she smiles wickedly. “But that’s all over now…”

I keep my gaze wide at this filly, “Well, do you want to talk about it?”

She frowns up at me, “Well, what’s there to talk about? I escaped, punished evil, and made it back to my house in Tanglewood!” and nods. “That’s where you found me!”

I remain silent for a moment, “Well, you know I love you, right?”

She smiles, “Of course, mom!”

“And you know you can trust me, right?”

Her smile lowers somewhat, “I don’t know? Probably?”

I narrow my eyes and groan, “Ugh!”

<*****>

I trot past Twinkle’s red door on my left and I hear a faint mew coming from her door followed by a familiar squeaky “Golly!”

I blink and continue trotting to the kitchen down the hall…

Later, I’m trotting back after having had a glass of juice and once again, I hear a faint mew coming from Twinkle’s room…

I finally just stop and turn my head to the red door on my right, “Twinkle! What are you doing in there?”

I hear a faint, “Oh, golly gee!” and then she speaks up, “Uh, Misty! Would you come in here please?”

My eyes are wide as saucers as I suddenly wonder what’s about to happen… I force the doorknob to glow blue and turn before the door goes inward to the left while held in my magick and then, I trot into Twinkle’s little room…

I try to suppress a smirk as I stare at this small gray kitten, now firmly snuggle-locked with all of these small equine plushies on Twinkle’s bed… “Twinkle! Why is there a kitten in here?”

It stares at me wide-eyed as Twinkle stands to my left and looks at me while calmly squeaking, “Well, I adopted him! Yes!” she nods. “I think that adopting a kitten is a great idea!”

I can’t help but get the feeling there’s more to this story, but I dare not ask as I stare up at the wide hazel eyes of this small tomcat as he sits on the bed, nestled atop a the neck of a pink earth pony with a poufy magenta mane. “Well, what are you gonna call him?”

“He’s got a Stalliongrad blue coat, and so I decided to name him Boris! Yes! Boris to kitten!”

My eyes widen at his kitten as it eyes me carefully, “Boris, huh?”

She nods, “Yup! Well, hey! I gotta meet this pony on the other end of town and do this thing, so you and Boris have fun while I’m away!”

I turn my head back left to Twinkle, “Wait, what?”

She smiles, “Well, he said he could meet me now or never, so I gotta fly! Later, Misty!”

I frown and widen my eyes, “Well uh, what do I do with him?”

Her eyes widen, “You know? Kitten things! Anyway, gotta run!” before she trots to the door and opens it with her forehoof and trots out into the hallway…

I stare back up at this kitten and gulp in fear at this ominous cat from Tartarus…

<*****>

So, I trotted up the three steps to Izzy’s porch as my dark tan leather saddlebags swayed on my hips and smile as I saw the familiar purple color of her shack. I take three steps towards the door and knock on it with my right forehoof. BAM BAM BAM!

I hear a faint feminine murmur from inside that I can’t readily identify, before the door quickly opens and I see the wide green eyes of a blue unicorn staring at me intently underneath a swept over curly dark blue and neon green mane, “Jessi! I’m glad you’re here! You gotta help me! Twinkle and Izzy are gone and there’s a kitten!”

I widen my eyes at this statement, “Uh, what?”

She nods, “Get in here, now!”

I trot in and see a small gray kitten playing with a blue toy mouse on the floor. It bats the mouse left and right and tries to grasp it in its foreclaws while standing on its hind legs, “Uh, it’s a kitty! It seems to be having a good time?”

She frantically says from behind me, “Yeah! I found these toy mice on Twinkle’s floor and I’m guessing they’re for the cat? Uh, he’s been batting it around and playing with it for about an hour now! I’m just not sure what to do?”

I turn around and ask her, “Well, have you tried petting the kitten?”

Her eyes widen, “Petting?”

I smile, “We’re gonna have fun, today!”

<*****>

The gray kitten formed a little loaf in front of me on the bed as I sat there on my four hooves with my body lowered on the mattress in a prone position. The head of the bed was behind me as well as a big pile of pony plushies that we had gathered, so as to have room for this operation…

I hear Jessi behind me say, “Okay Misty! Now, gently put your hoof on the cat's back and lovingly rub it back so the kitty feels good!”

I keep my eyes wide and peeled on this feline as I slowly move my right forehoof to the kitten’s soft neck and lightly stroke his back…

I’m soon rewarded with an engine-like noise now emanating from the strange small gray creature as his soft body begins to vibrate…

Jessi asks me from behind, “What did you say his name was?”

“Twinkle said she was calling him Boris… Boris the kitten…”

I can almost hear Jessi chuckle, “Well, I’m glad I got here when I did, honestly! You sure were freaking out back there, Misty!”

I continue to pet the kitten like Jessi told me as I say back, “Well, I’ve never had a furry companion like this before!”

“Um, you said Opaline was mean to you and didn’t let you have any plushies or friends, right? Maybe something like this could be good for you?”

I frown, “What?”

“Well, yeah Misty! You gotta admit, some love, affection, and comfort would be nice, right?”

My mouth straightens, “Well, yeah?” and I continue to stroke the fluffiness of the kitty’s back coat as he continues to stay in his loaf position and make his engine noises…

Jessi is silent for a moment before she asks me, “Well, how are you doing up there, Misty? Do you like Boris, the kitten?”

My mouth begins to curve upward in a slight smirk as I calmly say, “Yeah, petting him is kinda nice…”

“Which reminds me, Misty! I had something for you!”

“Oh?” I say as my eyes widen and mouth goes agape as I continue to stroke the furry little loaf of love in front of me…

I hear a gentle rustling noise to my left and I look over to see a stuffed toy of a blue pegasus pony… It’s roughly a third the size of my body and has about five to seven different colors in it’s mane I’d say and a distinct multi-colored lightning bolt cutie mark…

I frown, “What’s this?”

“Well, I’ve been calling her Rainbow Head, because I can’t think of anything better? I brought you a stuffed friend for comfort, Misty!”

I mouthed out the word slowly, “Comfort?”

“Yeah, Misty! I mean, I already got Twinkle addicted to plushies! Now, it’s your turn!”

My eyes widen, “Oh, gosh! You’re trying to get me into some kinda weird freaky snuggle cult, aren’t you?”

“Well, even if we were, it’s still better than what Opaline was doing!”

My eyes narrow somewhat, “Okay, you got me there! Uh” I look down at the furry mammal there, vibrating in its loaf. “I guess I should keep petting the kitten?”

I can hear her voice say whimsically, “Yes! Pet the kitty! Love the kitty! MWAHAHAHAA!”

I giggle slightly and try in vain to suppress a smirk on my face, “Stop it, Jessi!”

She chuckles slightly, “But hey, Misty! You’re doing alright today, right?”

I sigh, “Yes Jessi! I’m fine!”

“Well, we worry about you, you know? You brutally murdered an evil alicorn and now, you gotta restart your life! I mean, that takes a lot out of anypony!”

I roll my eyes, “Uh, yes! Worry about me! Apparently!” and then look down and continue petting the furry gray thing on the bed…

Suddenly, the filly behind me bluntly speaks up, “I had to get used to that too…”

My eyes widen, “What?”

I hear her exhale from her nostrils, “Other ponies caring about me, I mean… But yeah! We really do and if anything is ever wrong, we’re all right here, okay?”

“Well uh, thanks Jessi!”

“Heh, no problem Misty! It’s kinda weird though? I mean, I helped Twinkle get past how standoffish she tends to be and while that made me feel good, with you, it’s different somehow?”

I frown in confusion, “What do you mean?”

I hear her slowly exhale from her mouth, “Well… When you talked about how mean and nasty Opaline was to you, I kinda felt bad for you and like I could relate, you know?” at this point, I can almost feel the other filly smiling from behind me. “I care about you!”

Suddenly, my body is encased in white light as it lifts maybe a foot and a half from the bed! I can see a bright glow coming from my right side as my eyes remain wide as they can go and I say in astonishment, “W-what’s happening?”

My body stops glowing and abruptly falls back down to the bed causing my knees to buckle before rising again to support it and Jessi says in an amazed tone, “Uh, Misty! You just got your cutie mark!”

I keep my eyes wide and turn my head around to look at my right flank… And where I used to see the little face I’d always draw there instead of a cutie mark, I saw something else… I saw a red heart with white wings on either side of it… I somehow just knew what this symbol meant, “Empathy is my special talent, Jessi…”

“What?”

I turn my body around on the bed to face her behind me, “I connected to this kitten by petting it and loving it… And I just connected to you when we both took care of Boris together… I connected to Izzy and Sunny at that party earlier and when I came here looking for help… I connected to Twinkle when we started sleeping in the same bed together and hanging out during her smoke sessions… Empathy is my special talent!”

She’s silent for a moment before finally admitting, “Well, that is a good point! I mean, a lot of times, I feel forced to tell the truth because of my curse, but with you, it just seemed so natural?”

I finally smile and say, “Because you wanted to connect with me, right? You felt safe?”

Jessi smiles back, “Well, right! I mean, Twinkle can be a little rough around the edges, but you’re so gentle and understanding?”

I smile warmly at this wonderful green unicorn, “Right!”

<*****>

I land on the porch of the purple cottage and while I’m pretty sure Izzy isn’t back yet, I know I left Misty with Boris and so I didn’t want to be too long. Of course, I still sampled a bit of my pony’s product and was a tad lightheaded from that, but it wasn’t awful… At least I didn’t think at first, until I almost failed to land and ended up skidding on the porch after my hooves hit it with a resounding, clack!

I shake my head and quietly curse to myself, “Oh, golly!” I then stare up at the red front door and take the necessary two paces towards it and open it with my right forehoof and it soon swings inward to the left… I see the dimly lit foyer area of her cottage before me and I trot in towards my room in the back…

I open the same red door inward to the left with my right forehoof, yet again and I see Misty there… Giggling while holding a toy mouse in her blue glow and wiggling it in front of this gray kitten, batting and swatting at it with his paws while desperately trying to balance on its hind legs to reach the false varmint…

I raise my head to speak, “Hey, I got some stuff in my right saddlebag! Uh, you doing okay in here with Boris, Misty?”

She turns her head back left to stare at me and I see a bright beaming smile on her face for the first time since I’ve known her, “Hey, Twinkle! I think I made a new friend?”

I keep my eyes wide, “I guess so, huh?“ I raise my head towards the other unicorn. “Jessi! Would you talk with me in the hallway for a moment?”

Jessi turns her head right from the opposite side of Misty in my room, “Oh uh, sure Twinkle.” and she begins trotting towards me in the doorway…

I back up to give her enough room and she turns her head right to magically close the door to my room while I smile and say, “I take it we were successful?”

Jessi frantically stares back at me with wide eyes and a big smile on her face, “Oh, better than that Twinkle! Our kitten gave her her cutie mark!”

I widen my eyes as my mouth begins to straighten, “Say what now?”

She nods, “Yeah! I guess giving her the kitten gave her empathy and that caused her mark to appear on her right flank!”

“Oh, golly!”

(To be continued...)

Chapter 21: The Fourth Filly

I start trotting south down the road leading towards the edge of town where my house is and I feel my two long pigtails gently stroking my back as I walk, same as always, but it is different now… I stare out over the wooden fence on my right at the same field where I used to kick my ball, and it doesn’t feel the same anymore… I frown because I now know for absolute certainty that the world has changed… My world was different and would never be the same…. I open my mouth and let out a long heavy sigh…

I close my eyes as tears begin to form and before I get a chance to truly cry, I’m suddenly enveloped in a strange blue light… That’s when my world truly began to change…

<*****>

So there I was, waving my wavy mane out of my face as I stared at the two mares across the table from me… Sunny Starscout the alicorn on my right and Izzy Moonbow the unicorn on my left… Sunny opens her eyes and says to me, “And so, that’s it! I love Izzy! And I want to be with her! We’re moving in together and you’ll be seeing a LOT more of me, from here on out!” she smiles. “Cause, you know? We’ll be living in the same house!”

My eyes are wide as saucers as I stare back at this strange pony, “Say what now?”

Izzy smiles and starts to giggle, “Well uh, maybe we should just show her, baby?”

Sunny turns her neck right to the unicorn and says, “Well, if you think you’re up to it?” before frowning…

Izzy turns her head left to Sunny while keeping the wide grin on her face, “Oh, I know I’m ready! I’ve been ready!” and moves her head towards the alicorn to plant a big smooch on her mouth!

I suddenly wake up with a start as my head shakes against the enormous white pillow behind it as I lay there, with a pink earth pony plushie in my forehooves, and I begin to scream, “AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!”

I get up in bed and sit on my haunches, “Golly! I need to stop getting stoned and eating ice cream before bed!” and shake my head before falling to my front hooves on the floor with a clack shortly before the other clack of my hind hooves hitting the floor behind them… I shake my head once more and walk to my door on the far corner of the room...

I’m soon across the hall and I knock on the blue door with my right forehoof, “Misty! You’ve been in there for two days now! Am I gonna need to call in the Maretime Bay Marines and the special forces squad to search for you?”

It’s silent before I hear a feminine voice say from behind the door, “Yeah, I’m good Twinkle! Uh, what’s happening?”

“Well, since you got Boris, you’ve kinda been with him and won’t really spend time with anypony else! That’s a little concerning, you know?”

“What? I haven’t been gone THAT long!”

“Oh golly, Misty! I just said it’s been two days! Can I see you now, or do I need to get some gasoline and burn you out first?” I say before my eyes widen at this disturbing thought.

“Hang on!” The voice frantically replies.

“I’ll get a counter-terrorism unit in here! You won’t stand a chance! Now come on, Misty! Open up!”

The door finally opens to reveal the frowning face of a blue unicorn with a swept over purple and neon green curly mane, “Um, yes Twinkle?”

I frown at the unicorn, “Well, golly gee! It lives! You doing okay, Misty?”

She looks up at me with her cerulean eyes and keeps her frown in place, “Well uh, yeah! Me and Boris have just been having a swell time! Yes! Just swell!” before smiling at me nervously...

“Uh, where is Boris, anyway?”

She turns her head right towards the rest of her room and says, “Well, he’s somewhere in here? I mean, I never opened the door or window, so he couldn’t have escaped at any point, r-right? I mean, he’s gotta be somewhere in here!”

I’m silent for a moment, “You lost the cat, didn’t you?”

She turns her head towards me with wide eyes and speaks frantically, “Oh, uh, no! Of course not! Heh heh!” she smiles, “I just uh, don’t know where he is right now! Yes!” before giggling nervously…

“You don’t know where he is because you lost him…”

She frowns, “Well, he couldn’t have gone far! Come on! Help me look!” before staring up at me apprehensively. “Uh, p-please? If you don’t mind? I really wanna find that cat!”

I giggle before beginning to trot in and as she makes way for me in the doorway, I snidely comment, “Well, right! I mean, where else could he be, right?”

“Of course!” She turns her head right towards her bed, “Uh, you go search near the bed and I’ll check the closet!”

I nod, “Seems simple enough?” before squatting and taking off to fly over towards the bed and then, propping up my body against it with my hind hooves on the floor and then, using my strong little wings to lift me up and over so I roll the mattress down the side of the bed…

Misty widens her eyes, “Wow! Those wings are powerful!”

I flap backwards in the air and then begin to float towards the ground while saying, “I guess so, huh? Hey! I’ve been doing some thinking!”

Misty frowns, “Huh?”

I stare at the floor beneath where the mattress goes on the bed frame and fail to find a kitten there, “You’re free from Opaline, now! Also, you should probably check the closet?”

She nods and trots towards her closet to her left as she said, “Uh, right! What do you mean, free?”

She opens the door to her closet in a blue glow as I say, “You’re free! You can do whatever you like, now that you’re no longer under her hooves… And you got your cutie mark, now!”

She scans the floor of her closet while saying, “Oh, yeah! I guess you’re right? Killing her was a great move after all!”

I widen my eyes as that’s not what I meant at all! “No Misty! I mean, uh…” I blink when I remember all of those things I was telling her about it being a good thing that Opaline is dead and realize that I’m treading a thin line here. “I mean, you got the rest of your life ahead of you! You’re finally free!”

Misty raises her gaze slightly to glare further into the back of her closet, “Oh, yeah! Uh, I guess you’re right?”

Suddenly we both hear a knock on the door and a feminine voice say from behind it, “Uh, girls! Are you in there? Did you get a cat?”

I raise my view towards the door, “Um, maybe? It’s a strong possibility? Why do you ask Izzy?”

“Because there’s a kitten currently on my unicorn butt!”

My eyes widen at how casually she just mentions butt, but shake my head before saying, “Uh, it’s not hurting your butt, is it?”

“Uh, not really, no? It’s mostly just vibrating and being warm back there.”

“So, your butt is fine?”

“Yes, Twinkle! My butt is just fine! Uh, can I come in now?”

“You probably should, huh?”

The doorknob glows blue and the door at my right swings open to reveal a smiling blue unicorn with her familiar wavy puff-ball mane and she trots in so I can now see a slumbering gray kitten on her back, currently snoozing on it’s side with it’s head down as it vibrates and makes little engine noises before turning her head left to face me, “I found a kitten! Why is there a kitten?”

I stare up at Izzy as my eyes grow to enormous proportions and almost water as I know I need to lay it on thick here, and then I nervously stammer out, “M-Momma Izzy! He followed me home and I’ve been calling him Boris! Can we keep him, pleeeeeaaaaaasssseeee?” before she begins to frown and her mouth starts to visibly quiver…

Izzy’s eyes widen, “Oh, no! I see what you’re doing! We’re not keeping the kitten!” she blinks and turns her head slightly left towards the snoozing feline on her back. “We’re not keeping this adorable and precious little ball of gray love with his little ears and his small tail and pretty green eyes…”

Misty frowns at this sight before turning her head right towards me, “We’re keeping the cat, aren’t we?”

I turn her head left to Misty, “Yeah probably!” and nod.

Izzy continues, “NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! WE’RE NOT KEEPING THE KITTEN!”

I turn my head right towards Izzy to continue my attack, “The cute kitten?”

Misty turns her head left to Izzy, “The precious kitten?”

I grin at Izzy at this point as I’m almost certain she’s breaking down, “And his fluffy tail?”

Misty also smiles, “And pretty ears?”

Izzy faces both of us by adjusting her gaze diagonally and frowns in resigned defeat, “This isn’t fair, you know that?”

I nod and honestly reply, “Life isn’t fair, mom!” before widening my eyes. “Believe me, I know!”

Misty nods, “And how!”

Izzy mutters back lowly, “I’m going to get you for this! You’ll see!”

I giggle, “And little kitty paws!”

Misty chuckles too, “And tiny whiskers!”

“Ack!” Izzy screams in irritation before turning her body to trot out the room hurriedly while a very confused kitten falls off her back with the sudden movement, but easily catches itself on its paws on the floor and recomposes itself as the door shuts in magical fury…

Misty turns her head right to face me, “We’re keeping the kitten aren’t we?”

I smile, “Yup! Now,” before normalizing my mouth. “I need to wake n bake! You wanna chill with me or do something else?”

Misty frowns, “Well, I don’t mind being around you as long as you don’t breathe icky smoke on me!”

I nod, “Done!” before turning right and trotting out the door across the hall to the open red door leading into my room as the greenish blue unicorn filly follows close behind… “We have successfully retrieved the Misty!” I declare as the other filly giggles behind me and I begin to trot over to my table on the far side while she stands near the door and use my right forehoof to collect the small tan pack of rolling papers and then, rise to my haunches to begin the process of rolling a joint with my forehooves. “So Misty! Freedom! What are you gonna do now?”

“I don’t know Twinkle? I mean, I am still a filly right? I guess that means I should be going to school with you?” She says with an unsure look on her face before turning her head to the left and magically closing the red door behind her.

I nod, “Well, right!” before suddenly realizing that I’m probably gonna end up helping her with her homework…

Misty sighs, “Well uh, hey Twinkle! You go ahead and fire up! I’ll go make pancakes for breakfast!” her green eyes widen, “I’ll make some for you and Izzy! That’ll show you I’m good!” before turning to the door and trotting out after magically operating it, and shuts it behind her…

I bring the freshly rolled joint to my mouth and pin the cardboard tip down in my mouth before taking the red oval hoof lighter to my mouth and firing up to inhale the flame into the end of the joint and ignite it… I soon taste the earthy flavors of the burning devil weed inside the wrap… I begin to think to myself that Misty probably doesn’t like talking about the future?

Suddenly, I see a bright blue flash on my right! I widen my eyes and turn my head in that direction to see what appears to be an earth filly… She has an orange coat with long green pigtails held in place by red ribbons… She stares at me with her green eyes as wide as mine and says, “Cozy? Uh, you changed your mane! I like it!” she sniffs the air. “C-Cozy! Are you smoking?”

I exhale smoke slowly from my nostrils while eyeing this other filly very carefully… “Cozy? I haven’t been called that name in some time… Tell me, why do you know it?” before bringing the joint to my lips again for another drag…

She frowns, “Don’t you know who I am, Cozy Glow? I’m Little Snack! We go to The School of Friendship together!”

I exhale smoke from my nostrils once more, “Uh, Little Snack? The School of Friendship has been gone for about two thousand years now… And I’m not Cozy Glow anymore…” before bringing the joint to my mouth again…

“Y-you’re not? Well uh, who are you? What should I call you?” She asks with an inquisitive frown and wide open expectant eyes…

“Call me Twinkle Shine…” I furrow my brow, “I...I haven’t gone to The School of Friendship in some time!” I widen my eyes to the orange filly. “Do you know what year it is?”

<*****>

I trot back to Twinkle’s room with a smile on my face, pleased with myself that I had just made the perfect pancakes and I just know she’ll adore them! I did like the reaction Izzy gave me earlier and I’ve been just so good today! I have her plate with three delicious looking buttermilk pancakes on them, with two squares of butter on the top and just drenched in delicious looking syrup!

I look at her door and force the knob to glow and it swings inward to my left as I trot in with a big grin on my face and stare at the pink pegasus filly, currently holding a smoking half joint in her right forehoof on my left and say, “Hey, Twinkle Shine! I made you some pancakes!” when suddenly, I become aware that Twinkle is not alone in the room! I turn my gaze to the right of her and see an orange earth filly with long green pigtails standing at the far corner of the room… She smiles at me nervously as I widen my eyes, “Oh! I didn’t know you had company! Uh, hang on! I’ll go make some more pancakes! Um,“ I frown. “Would you like some pancakes mysterious filly I don’t know?”

The orange filly widens her eyes, “Uh, actually, yeah! Pancakes would be great! I haven’t had breakfast yet!”

“Oh, okay strange foal! I’ll leave these on the table for Twinkle and go make yours now!” Before turning my head left to the round wooden table with Twinkle’s pipes and stoner gear on it and after finding a clear spot, levitate the white plate near the edge. Then, I turn and trot out the door, while being sure to magically close it behind me…

I stop in my tracks immediately after exiting and I hear Twinkle’s familiar squeaky voice say, “That went a lot better than I expected!”

I hear the other filly say in her raspy high-pitched feminine voice, “Yeah, I was expecting a lot more questions!”

I turn around and force the knob to glow before the door swings open and I trot back in and stare at the new filly, “I’ve never seen you before! Who are you and what are you doing here?”

She keeps her green eyes trained on me as a nervous smile begins to form on her face, “Well uh, you see, that’s a long story!”

(To be continued...)

Chapter 22: Alternate Past

I stared at the hazy eyed pegasus filly across from me and the blue unicorn filly at my right and all I could say was, “It wasn’t real… They weren’t really my parents…”

Twinkle widens her eyes before saying, “Uh, I should probably load my pipe for this one? You keep talking, Little Snack! I’m listening!” before turning her body left to face her table, where she rises to her haunches and begins to use her forehooves to collect her greenish-blue color-changing glass spoon pipe… She takes a plate on the table, puts her joint-nub on it and begins to kneed it with her forehooves to grind it before taking the plate and holding it over the pipe in her clefts and then, using her left forehoof to sweep the ground up resin and herb into the pipe bowl, while carefully depositing the cardboard tip off to the side on her table… She then collects the pipe and begins to smash the weed into the top… She widens her eyes while putting the pipe in her mouth with her right forehoof and keeping her cleft at an angle while using her left forehoof to fire up a lighter over it… Her brown eyes then gaze directly ahead at the flame over the bowl and watches as the fire soon travels down into the weed-filled chamber to ignite it there…

I gaze on at this demented filly as her eyes begin to narrow and I think it might be kicking in for her? I’m not sure, but I open my mouth to speak, “The two unicorns who were taking care of me weren’t my real parents after all… The mare explained to me that I was adopted and that… That my real parents were dead…” I close my eyes. “And it really sucks too, because I never knew them!” I then think about how I strangely always felt out of place and now I know why...

I can hear Twinkle exhaling while Misty says, “Wow! Uh, I can actually relate!”

I open my eyes and turn my head right to the unicorn, “What?”

Misty blinks and stares at me carefully with her cerulean pupils, “Opaline adopted me and I never knew my parents… Well, now I don’t have anything!”

Twinkle turns her head left to Misty, “Not true! You got us now!” before turning her head back towards me, “Right Little Snack?” and smiling.

My eyes widen when I realize that’s my cue! “Uh, yeah! Of course Twinkle Shine!”

Misty smiles dimly at me, “Yeah, and so here we are! The three orphans!”

Twinkle’s eyes widen as her body vibrates, “I don’t really remember my parents! But you know, there’s four of us, if you count Jessi!”

Misty’s mouth normalizes, “But what does this have to do with Little being from two thousand years ago?”

Um, I never did explain myself? I begin to speak as the other two fillies look at me, “Oh! Well, the mare was talking to me about how they weren’t really my parents… I said I needed to step out for a walk and then, I left… Well, I was walking by the big field where I’d always kick my ball and then, a strange blue light just appeared and I was here in this room… I’m actually not even sure where I am?” I say before squinting my left eye in thought.

Twinkle replies, “You’re in Bridlewood Forest! Izzy’s cottage!”

My eyes go back to normal and I lower my head as I frantically explain, “Oh, okay, but why? Why am I here now, when I was in Ponyville fifteen minutes ago?”

Twinkle’s eyes widen, “I uh… I don’t know?” before she raises her glass pipe to her mouth with her right forehoof and fires her lighter over the bowl with her left and inhales to bring the flame into the bowl….

Suddenly the door behind me on my right opens up and I turn my head in that direction to see a blue unicorn with a poufy mane stare at Twinkle with her red eyes and say, “Hey Twinkle! I was gonna head to the market this morning! Do you need anything?”

Twinkle exhales smoke from her mouth and frowns before widening her eyes while pitifully asking, “Um, c-can I have a candy bar, please?”

Izzy smiles, “Sure! I’ll even get one for your two friends, Misty and that other filly I don’t know!” before the door shuts and we all hear hoofsteps growing fainter.

I turn my head back to Twinkle, who’s now taking another hit with her pipe and ask her, “Do you get a lot of strangers in your room?”

She smiles and I can already tell the herb is starting to affect her as she exhales smoke with her nostrils and says, “Well, lately, I’ve been getting more than usual!”

Suddenly the door swings open again and I turn my head back to it to see the same blue unicorn, now panicking, ask, “Okay, why is there now an earth filly in here? She wasn’t here earlier, either!”

Twinkle stares up to her and changes her smile to that of a doomed filly, “Okay, that actually wasn’t my fault! Honest! She randomly appeared while I was smoking for wake n bake!”

I widen my eyes in fear, “It’s true! I swear! My name is Little Snack and I won’t hurt you!”

She frowns at me, “So, if you just appeared here in Twinkle’s room, where did you come from!”

“Uh, Ponyville! Technically! Yes!” I smile in apprehension. “I am from Ponyville! That is the city where I was born! Yes! There! In Ponyville!”

Her red eyes widen, “Zipp told me about that town… Ponyville hasn’t existed for several hundred years!”

I widen my eyes again and I frown, “Uh, well uh, I guess, since I’m in the future now, or whatever, that could be true?”

She looks at Twinkle, “Why is there another filly from the past in here, now? Do you have anything to do with that?”

Twinkle exhales another cloud of smoke from her nose, “I already told you, I don’t know, mom! I was frozen in stone! But I don’t know how poor Little Snack got here! Honest!”

I frown in terror at this unicorn I don’t know, “Please don’t hurt me, Miss Great and Magical Unicorn!”

The blue unicorn frowns hard and gazes at us all sternly, “I want to see all three of you in the den, now!”

Twinkle widens her eyes, “Can I finish wake n bake, mom?”

She then smiles down at the pegasus, “Of course, sweetie! We aren’t savages!” she turns her head back to me while keeping her smile, “And don’t worry, mysterious filly! We’ll get everything sorted out and you’ll be taken care of!”

I smile nervously again, “Uh, th-thanx Miss Strange Unicorn!”

“Oh!” Her eyes widen and she mouths the words very carefully. “You should call me Izzy! My name is Izzy Moonbow!”

I kept my eyes wide and peeled at this pony, “Oh uh, hiya Izzy! I’m Little Snack!”

<*****>

I stand on my haunches at the sink to wash all of the ash and soot off my forehooves and I stare up at the mirror and can’t help but notice that the other pink filly has neatly arranged curls in her mane and is smiling at me as I focus at her in my stoned vision…

“Golly, now we have three friends! We’re gaining power faster than you or I could’ve anticipated!”

I stare at the filly in the mirror, “I keep telling you, that’s not why I make friends!”

“I’m still a part of you!”

I furrow my brow, “I wish that wasn’t so…”

She giggles, “Oh, believe me! If it were so easy!” her expression grows serious. “But seriously, what are we going to do now?”

“I uh, I don’t know, Cozy Glow?”

Her eyes widen, “So, we agreed to be there for Misty, right? What’s going on with this new filly? She’s probably disturbed because she just randomly appeared in your room! That much is obvious, but why is she here?”

My mouth widens in confusion, “I don’t know!”

“Right! We’re the same filly! Well, more or less!” she gazes off wistfully to the left.

My brow trenches again as I glower in obstinance, “I’m nothing like you!”

She gazes at me and giggles again as her eyes narrow, “Oh, you say that!” as she whimsically moves her head from side to side…

“Don’t you think I know what you’re doing?”

She sighs, “Well, yes! You probably do!” her gaze lowers. “But anyway, while I don’t know how useful Little Snack could be to us in the future, the rest of the crew seems to be sympathetic to her, ergo, it’s in our best interests to be sympathetic as well, to maintain our position…”

“Is that all you think about?”

She smiles and widens her eyes, “You would know!”

I smile back, “Oh, would I!”

Her smile lowers, “Still, I’m not really sure what to do with her?”

My mouth normalizes, “That makes two of us!”

She enlarges her eyes, “So, that’s all we got then? Very well! Stay with the group dynamic unless you get a better idea! If I come up with anything, I’ll let you know!”

I widen my eyes at this prospect, “So wait! We’re a team, now?”

She lowers her gaze and her expression grows critical, “Wasn’t that the agreement?”

“I don’t know?”

She sighs, “Okay, look! Being trapped within you is very boring!” her view shifts to the left, “And if you think about it, our goals are kinda the same!”

I frown in defiance, “How in Equestria are our goals the same?”

She smiles as she shifts her view to the right, “I want power and control! You want a better life for your friends! You know, it’s a lot easier to deliver that with power and control, right?”

My frown grows less severe as I imagine this prospect, “So, I get power and control for you and use that to make ponies’ lives better?”

Her smile grows wider, “Exactly!”

I raise my gaze at the mirror, “And if I refuse?”

Her mouth normalizes and she replies, “Oh, please, Twinkle Shine! You’ve already seen what happens when I’m not happy!”

“And you’re not happy now?”

“Didn’t I already say I was bored?” She squints her right eye at me. “Was sure I did?”

“So, that’s what you want?”

She smiles again and her eyes straighten, “Of course! After all! Who better to be your new best friendthan somepony who knows you as well as I do!”

My eyes widen, “Jessi is my best friend!”

“You can have us both!”

I breathe out of my snout slowly as her words begin to sink in, before I look at the mirror very carefully, “You really want to be my friend?”

“Didn’t I already say that?”

I sigh heavily, “Okay Cozy Glow… Okay… I’ll work with you…”

Her eyes widen as her shoulders visibly relax and her face glowers, “FINALLY! Golly! It’s like pulling alligator teeth!”

I smile at Cozy, “You’d know, right?”

Her view lowers and she frowns, “Oh, don’t start that again!”

<*****>

So, I sat there with the two fillies across the table from me, Misty on the left with her swept over mane-style and this strange new orange earth filly on the right… The earth filly smiles at me and lightly vibrates as I ask her, “So, what do you remember about what happened to you?”

Her eyes go up to me and she replies, “Oh! Well, I was out walking just south of my house! Yeah, I was walking out there by the big field, and then, poof! I saw a bright blue light and I was in Twinkle’s room! Uh, that is the room we just came from, right?” before looking at me expectantly with a nervous frown.

I smile at her to (hopefully) put her at ease, “Yes Little Snack! We came from Twinkle Shine’s room!”

“Oh, okay! Cool!” She says before nodding at me…

I adjust my gaze to both of them as they continue to smile up at me, “Fillies! We keep getting more and more fillies!”

Little anxiously stammers out, “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I don’t wanna be here either!” before frowning, “Then again, what else am I gonna do?” her eyes widen. “I have no family!”

I frown at this revelation, “What do you mean, no family, Little Snack?”

Her eyes are peeled on me, “Well, my parents are dead! I was adopted and while I truly do appreciate all the things that the unicorn couple did for me, I would kinda like to know where I’m from…”

“You’re from Ponyville, right?”

She nods, “Yes, ma’am! Born and raised!”

I’m not sure how to word my next sentence so I just say it, “And Ponyville no longer exists…”

A slow frown begins to form on the filly’s face and I think she realizes what that means, “Gosh! I’m probably NEVER gonna find out where I’m from!”

I say the only thing I can at that point, “I am so sorry, Little Snack!”

Her eyes begin to visibly water, “E-everything’s gone! Cozy! Starshine! Well, “she stares out towards Twinkle’s room down the hall behind me. “I still have Cozy! Well, sorta?”

I blink when I realize this filly will need a place to stay, “You can stay in Twinkle’s room! Well, until further notice…” before thinking that I should give Twinkle some hash has a consolation…

Suddenly, there’s a knock on the door! “Who in Equestria could that be?” I exclaim.

<*****>

I stare up at the two adult ponies on the other side of the room… Izzy on the left with Sunny talking to her on the other side. Izzy asks Sunny, “What do you make of this? She says she just randomly appeared in a blue flash of light but has no idea how or why? She says she’s from Ponyville, but that town hasn’t existed for at least several centuries, maybe longer!”

Sunny frowns at the unicorn, “Well, wasn’t Twinkle Shine from that time period?”

Twinkle looks up from her position, opposite to Little Snack from me, “Uh, that’s true! But I never knew Little Snack!”

Sunny eyes Twinkle, “Still, why do I get the feeling you have something to do with this?”

Twinkle widens her eyes, “Golly gee, I’ve told you everything I know! Honest! She just appeared in my room!”

Sunny breaths out her nostrils, “And why do I think Discord has something to do with this?”

Little widens her green eyes, “Oh! Me, Cozy Glow, and Starshine all defeated Discord earlier! Yeah! We had a party and everything! Uh,“her eyes normalize. “That was about two days ago? Well,“she frowns. “two days and two thousand years ago!”

Sunny’s eyes widen, “Really? Tell me about that!”

Little blinks and lowers her head slightly, “Well, Discord made Cozy Glow face off all the villains she was with earlier, when she tried to take over Equestria!”

Twinkle turns her head left to Little, “I don’t remember any of this! I was frozen in stone for two thousand years!”

Little turns her head right to Twinkle, “Don’t you remember, Cozy?”

Twinkle lowers her gaze, “I already told you, I’m not Cozy Glow!”

Little frowns, “Oh uh, sorry Twinkle Shine! I uh, you just…” she blinks. “You look so much like her!”

Twinkle raises her view in curiosity, “This Cozy Glow you defeated Discord with! She looked like me?”

Little nods, “Well, right! EXACTLY like you! Uh, except your mane is different…”

Twinkle breaths slowly out of her nostrils, “I changed my mane because I’m not her… I’m different…”

Little leans closer and sniffs, “Well, you smell different? You must be using a different soap.”

Twinkle frowns and widens her eyes, “I’m not Cozy Glow…”

Little nods, “Okay uh, not Cozy Glow! I guess you want me to call you Twinkle Shine?”

Twinkle smiles and narrows her eyes, “Yes, please!”

Little nods again, “Okay! Twinkle Shine you shall be!”

Twinkle’s eyes widen again and she nods, “Thank you!”

Suddenly, a yellow stallion with a green mane and tail trots into the room while balancing a white cup of black coffee on his snout, from the fillies’ left and the adults’ right. He sets it down on the wooden coffee table between them and says, “Sorry I’m late, gang! I finished up Izzy’s coffee, so I was making more! Uh, “he eyes the four fillies on the right side of the room. “What’s going on?”

Sunny turns her head right to Hitch, “There’s a fourth filly, now!”

Little looks up at Hitch and grins, “I’m Little Snack!”

Hitch looks at Little, “Why is there a fourth filly?”

Sunny sighs, “Well, she says she’s from Twinkle’s time, two thousand years ago and lived in Ponyville! The weirder thing is, she has memories of Twinkle from back when she was Cozy, except Twinkle says she doesn’t remember doing any of that stuff!”

Hitch frowns at Sunny, “Almost like it was some crazy Dr. What alternate dimension!”

Little frowns, “Dr. What now?”

Hitch turns back to Little and adjusts his mouth, “It’s a TV show! Uh, what are we gonna do with her?”

Sunny widens her eyes, “I don’t know? I already got Jessi!”

And Izzy adds, “Don’t look at me! I already got two of them!”

Hitch turns his head back right towards Little Snack and lowers his gaze at the grinning and vibrating little orange filly as her green pigtails bounce slightly and says, “Hey Little Snack! How do you feel about helping out a sheriff?”

Little’s eyes widen as her mouth goes agape in interest, “Oh, that sounds neat!”

(To be continued...)

Chapter 23: New Developments

I followed the yellow stallion across the plains of Equestria, after we left Bridlewood. I stare out at the open landscape and see all of the rolling hills and pastures… I smell the flowers on the cool breeze and it goes across my mane and pigtails and I can feel them swaying and lightly tickle my back, like they often do… This is not the Equestria I remember though… This too, is very different...

He looks back at me over his right shoulder and says in his masculine voice, “Well, I gave Twinkle Shine a trot along earlier, but she spent most of her time at the station! Figured we’d take a walk around town before we got to the boring stuff!

“Oh, wow! Do you get a lot of action, walking around town?” I ask him while keeping my eyes trained on the landscape ahead… I see lush vegetation, and lots of new hills, but nopony in sight...

“Oh, not really! Walking around town is almost as boring as the station, but at least you get to meet the ponies and say hi to them! Honestly, meeting other people and making sure they’re safe is my favorite part of this job!”

“Being a sheriff is pretty important right?”

“Sure is, squirt! Without me, it’s a LOT more dangerous!”

I contemplate this for a moment as I keep trotting… There’s nothing else to do and so I think about how as a sheriff’s assistant, I’d be helping keep ponies safe… I blink as I then think about how that’s a heavy responsibility! Oh no! What if I choke? I wonder as my mouth frowns with this new disturbing thought. I shake my head when I remember again, what I keep telling myself! Don’t think too much! Thinking too much is bad!

“You got quiet Little! You okay, little buddy?”

“Oh, I’m fine Hitch! I’m just uh, thinking…”

“What are you thinking about?”

Oh no! I can’t tell him! He can never know! I think before saying, “Oh, just how this will be an interesting new experience for me! I’ve never worked in a sheriff's office before!” and then smiling at him… I think he fell for it?

He looks back at me over his right shoulder and smiles, “Well, the important thing to remember is to relax, kid!"

Oh, easy for you to say Hitch! You’ve been sheriff for like, a hundred years! I’m new! I think before blinking and doing my best to smile and saying, “Oh, okay Hitch! I’m sure this will be just fine! Yes! Fine! Of course!”

He turns back forward as we both continue to trot across the open fields when he stops and smiles as I see a big rusty metal gate in front of me with the words Maretime Bay written in some weird way I can’t quite place. I blink as he says, “Well, here we are! Good old Maretime Bay!”

Oh! Great! This is gonna suck! I think as I gulp and stare forward at the entryway…

<*****>

Oh, golly! And then, this happened! I think to myself as I stare at the passed out blue unicorn filly with her curly multi-colored mane thrown over her side as she laid on her back there, underneath the covers, and being snuggled not only by a small gray kitten on her left flank, but now, a white kitten with tabby markings on spots on its body, on the other side! I frown as I think that even this might be stretching it for the hold I seem to have on Izzy and besides, I really don’t want to burden my mother with anything else! Then, I widen my eyes as I realize that thought could only mean that I truly care for the bright bubbly blue unicorn!

“Un…” Misty says as she stirs underneath the covers… I then see her smile as she bends over and starts to pet the new white kitten with her right forehoof. “I love you Thomas!” she says as her cerulean eyes stay peeled on the new feline…

“Ahem!” I clear my throat as I stand there in front of her bed…

She looks up at me, “Oh uh, hiya Twinkle! What’s up?” she says before smiling nervously at me…

“Oh, golly! I only got you one cat! Where did the other one come from?”

“My fairy god-pony gave it to me!”

My brows furrow as I frown, “Misty!”

“He was a gift from the Mystical Pond of Thornar in the Glade of the Forbidden!”

My gaze raises slightly, “Misty, those aren’t real places!”

Her eyes widen, “Well, they could be!”

I lower my gaze, “Misty!”

She breathes heavily out of her mouth in and out… She finally says, “Well, honestly, this kitten really did follow me home! I was out in Bridlewood at the market… And well, I saw him out of the corner of my eye… He looked at me with his sparkly little eyes!”

I narrow my mouth, “Do you adopt every cute animal you come across?”

She frowns, “Well uh, n-no, I guess I shouldn’t do that?”

“Well uh, how does Thomas make you feel?”

She blinks, “Well, better? And when they’re together, they snuggle and play a lot?”

I raise my left eyebrow, “So, would you say that Thomas there enhances what you already get with Boris?”

She frowns, “Um, that is a good point! I mean, they’re better together!”

I adjust my eyes and nod with a new resolution! “Right! And that’s what we’re gonna tell Izzy! That two kittens can work symbiotically!”

“Symbi-what now?” Misty asks with a frown.

I look at her, “Never mind! No worries, Misty! I’m pretty sure you can keep the kitten!”

<*****>

I stare up at the bright orange alicorn as she reads over my report card at the breakfast table. I magically lift my toast and bring it to my mouth to nibble on the sides…

She frowns and says, “Wow! These grades are REALLY good! And you always come home at about one o’clock?”

I swallow and look up at her with the toast still in my glowing azure grasp to the right of my face, “Well, sometimes, one thirty or even two? Never after two though!” I say before nodding and continuing to eat my toast…

“Hmm? Too bad we couldn’t get you into any sort of special program, to take advantage of your amazing mind?”

I blink and say, “Yeah! It’s almost like intellectualism is discouraged in a fascist society like Maretime Bay, right?” before eating some more of my toast with a slight crunching noise as I first bite into the bread.

She glances at me, “What was that, Jessi?”

I blink, “Oh, nothing mom!” and smile up at her…

She smiles down at me, “I’m still not used to that, but it does make me feel good!”

“Yeah, Sunny! It sure does feel good to have somepony like you around!”

She gives me the warmest smile I’ve ever seen before saying, “Hey, Jessi! Wanna skip school today?”

I frown up at her, “What, mom?”

“Well, why not? You’re already ahead in class, and I don’t have any activism stuff to do today!”

“This won’t become a habit, will it?” I say before thinking that it’s kinda ironic that I’d be the responsible one, here!

She giggles, “Of course, not! Hang on! I’ll go get my board games!”

I widen my eyes when I contemplate what I have just gotten myself into!

<*****>

I trot alongside Sheriff Hitch through the dusty streets of Maretime Bay as I see rows of multi-colored shops and windows on either side. I stare at everything with my eyes wide and I hope I don’t look too nervous as I glance around…

Suddenly, I see a blue earth pony use his teeth to swipe a pink mare’s purse! He gallops down the road and I point with my left hoof and say, “Sheriff! Thief!”

Hitch wastes no time and springs into action to run directly down the road and quickly catches up with the perpetrator before tackling him to the ground as his powerful yellow body slams into his back! He looks back at me and says, “Thanks little buddy! Catch!” before grabbing the purse off the ground by the strap with his teeth and flinging it to me by sweeping his neck from left to right…

I catch it with my teeth and say from between them, “No problem, Sheriff!”

He smiles, “Hey! Call me Hitch now, partner!”

I smile as I imagine the prospect of me and Hitch fighting crime together!

Too bad all of that happened in my mind! I think to myself as Hitch yells at me yet again.

“Little Snack! Still with me?”

I look up at him and say, “Uh, yeah! Sure thing, boss!” and smile at him…

He frowns at me with his eyes wide, “Uh, you okay buddy? You seem kinda out of it??

I smile as wide as I can and say, “Oh, I’m just fine! We’re all fine here! Yes!”

He lifts his left eyebrow, “Well uh, maybe some caffeine will do you some good? Would you like a coffee, Little?”

My mouth shrinks as my eyes grow, “Well, gosh! I’ve never had coffee before! But uh, sure! I’ll try anything once!”

<*****>

I stare up at the blue unicorn wide-eyed and say to her, “Oh, golly! There was a fire and I got burning filly all over me and I had to rescue the kitten and well, its old home is destroyed now and it has nowhere else to go! Can we keep him, PLEASE?”

She’s obviously trying to suppress giggles as she almost smiles and vibrates while staring at both of us, Misty on my left and me there, with the new white kitten snuggling my neck while it lays on my back and vibrates and makes strange noises. “Why do I find that hard to believe, Twinkle?”

I frown, “Well uh, probably because…” I blink, “Probably because it’s a lie mom… Misty got a new kitten and well,” I adjust my gaze up to her, “he seems to get along well with Boris? Can we keep him, too, please?” and then, widen my eyes all the way so they’re big and cute while I smile up at her hopefully.

“Please, Izzy? Can we keep the new kitten?” Misty adds while tilting her head right and batting her eyelashes like I taught her…

Izzy smiles, “Fine, you two! You can keep both kittens, but no more and you gotta clean up after them and feed them!” her eyes widen as her body jumps! “I’m serious! I got craft things to do and you both need to take care of this!”

Misty’s body jitters as she says, “You got it, Izzy!”

While I frown and say lowly, “Weren’t we gonna do that anyway?” before adjusting my eyes back up to her, “Uh, you got it, mom!” before widening my eyes and saying suddenly, “Symbiotically! Yes! They both work together symbiotically!” before quickly wondering why I did that?

Izzy widens her eyes, “What, Twinkle?”

I look back at her, “Oh uh, nothing! Wake n bake was kinda heavy, because um, well, you see, I’m literally having kittens here!” and smile up at her…

She grins and giggles, “Yes! We all have kittens now!”

Misty chimes in, “Two of them!”

I frown when I realize that I was just open and completely honest… And everything actually turned out okay!

<*****>

I stare up at the yellow stallion as I sit down in the wooden chair next to the empty one on my right in front of his desk… My body is slightly vibrating at this point at a fast pace, but I don’t really pay attention to that, “Sheriff Hitch! Can I be honest?”

He looks down at me and smiles, “Sure thing, squirt!”

I widen my eyes while continuing to jitter, “Your job is really boring!”

He giggles, “Yeah, I know, right? Everypony thinks being a sheriff is all about heroics and action and fighting crime with my hooves, teeth, and grit, but most of it is just sitting around doing paperwork and waiting on somepony to call me! Uh,“he eyes down at me. “You okay, little buddy? You’re kinda vibrating down there in the chair?”

I smile, “Well uh, I did drink three and a half cups of coffee? Um,“nature calls and I suddenly widen my eyes. “could you direct me to the little filly’s room, please?”

He giggles and points off to his left with his forehoof, “Yeah, just head back that way, little buddy! You can’t miss it!”

I blink, “Thanks Sheriff Hitch!”

He smiles, “Just Hitch is fine, okay partner?

I smile up at him, “Thanks!” and quickly get off the chair to hurriedly make my way to the back of the station!

I slowly trot back into the main office area while my body shakes slightly from the enormous amount of liquid it just expelled and I can’t help but notice that there’s nopony here!

I trot to the desk where I find a note that says,

“Dear Little Snack,

I had to go on a call and will be back soon! Don’t worry little buddy! I’ll bring donuts for breakfast! Just sit tight!

Sheriff Hitch”

I gaze up from this note and think, Well gosh! He could’ve at least left me something to do!

I hear a strange gurgling noise from behind me…. I turn around and see a humanoid green scaly creature there smiling at me with many horns on his head… I suddenly wonder where the word humanoid comes from, before he smiles and starts walking towards me!

He manages a few paces before suddenly, the door behind him opens and in trots an orange alicorn with wide green eyes and she says, “Hitch! You gotta come quickly! It’s an emergency!”

The baby dragon (I think that’s what it is?) turns around to stare up at her while I gaze her way and keep my eyes open, “Uh, Hitch isn’t in! I’m his assistant!” and smile. “How may I help you?”

<****>

I remained there floating as I, the Staff of Opening, and this new object remained frozen there, in the green forcefield… I don’t know why it wanted me, but all I can do is float here, as I felt strong and powerful energy fizzing inside my horn as it shone white sparks that occasionally fly from it...

The forcefield suddenly pops and I, the golden staff on my left and the new diamond shaped silver plate on my right all fall to the ground! They both land with a clang and a clatter as my hooves go clack against the stone floor of the strange bluish-green cavern I was in…

I raise my body as I stretch my wings and bring them back to my body and lift my neck up to stand upright again… Suddenly, my eyes widen when I realize there’s extra body parts there!

I scream, “AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”

Suddenly, I see an orange filly galloping into the cavern from the entryway in front of me with two green streaks flying behind her when she skids to a stop and stares at me with wide green eyes from about ten feet away, illuminated by the sickly greenish-blue glow of the cave, “Sunny said you were trapped, but you don’t look trapped to me?” her eyes widen all the way and her neck raises. “Hey! You got wings now! Cool!”

I stare at her in a panic as I gasp and can only stammer out, “WHAT… JUST… HAPPENED… TO ME?”

I see an orange alicorn gallop into Little’s right and skid to a stop before panting for breath and she turns her head left to the earth filly and says to him, “You sure are in good shape, Little Snack! Go slower next time!” before turning her head back towards me and widening her eyes. “What happened Jessi?”

I stare at her with panic in my pupils, “You’re the alicorn! You tell me!”

She frowns, “A filly alicorn? I’ve never heard of such a thing!”

“THAT MAKES TWO OF US!” I shout back at the orange pony on my left with my eyes closed in sheer panic.

The orange pony on my right then frowns and says, “Whoa, neat!” before turning her head right to the adult alicorn and I see her pigtails sway to the opposite direction as she says in a real official sounding voice, that somehow stays squeaky. “So uh, let’s start from the beginning! Tell me what happened, ma’am?”

<****>

“Oh, golly! I’ve never used dabs before!” I say wide-eyed to my unicorn mother and smoking buddy in front of me…

She smiles, “Well, since Misty said she wanted to take a nap, I figured I’d get you out here to try something new!” she nods. “You use the butane torch to super-heat the banger before using this little spoon here to drop in a few drops so it vaporizes with the extreme heat!” she nods down to the mouthpiece on the strange bong like pipe sitting on the table, “As you suck, the vapor gets drawn through the water chambers and it then goes into your mouth and down your throat!” and she finally smiles. “And that gets you high!”

I frown and stare at the dab rig (as she called it) when I suddenly realize it’s gonna be another one of those days…

<****>

I snuggle the blue rainbow maned pegasus plushie to my chest while laying there on my side… I feel her soft body against me and this new source of comfort causes me to smile… Even though I already had two warm furry vibrating reasons to smile, snuggling me from behind while deep inside the covers there… I felt snuggly happiness as I lay there in quiet satisfaction...

(To be continued...)

Chapter 24: Coming to Terms

I stared at the orange alicorn in the funky bluish-green luminescence of the cave…

I suddenly wonder where the word luminescence comes from when Sunny speaks. “Well, we were playing board games!” She says as she stares at the small green pony with her wings and horn…

Jessi nods at me, “Yeah, we were playing board games!”

I widen my eyes as I stare at the alicorn… I’m not sure why I’m asking questions? Investigation sounds hard! Still, I keep at it! I mean, I’m a deputy now! That’s what I need to do, right? I blink, “Okay! Board games! Right! Uh, what does that have to do with the weird cave we’re in, anyway? Why are you here?”

Sunny looks at me and widens her eyes, “Well, I wanted to go for a shake!”

Jessi adds, “Which is weird, cause she makes smoothies!”

Sunny nods, “Well, right! But even I like a change of pace every once in a while!”

I nod, “Okay, so you two leave Sunny’s house for the milkshake bar! Wherever that is? That still doesn’t explain why you’re here!” I say as my body begins to vibrate… That happens to me sometimes!

Sunny sighs, “Well, I started keeping the staff inside my saddlebags!”

“The Staff of Opening!” Jessi interjects.

Sunny nods, “Right! That!”

I widen my eyes as I have no idea what any of this means, but I don’t wanna interrupt either, so I just let her go on…”

Sunny widens her eyes, “Well we were walking further into town towards the shop, when suddenly, my saddlebag starts vibrating!”

“Okay!” I nod. “And then what?”

“Well, the staff raised from the bag itself and it blasted Jessi with some sort of strange blue light!”

“It was scary!” Jessi adds.

I’m pretty sure she’s right because that does sound kinda scary! I shake my head while the alicorn continues talking, “Then, Jessi and the staff go flying through the air to the edge of town!”

I widen my eyes, “Oh, wow!”

Sunny nods, “Yeah! Anyway, I chased after as fast as I could! On hoof at first, but uh, “she lifts her wings. “I got these now, so I decided to take off!”

I nod, “Okay, so we got three strange glowing objects all heading west out of town!”

“Well, it’s more of a northwest, really. And I wasn’t glowing!” Sunny mentions.

I widen my eyes, “Okay! Northwest! Whatever!” I shake my head and feel my pigtails move. “So, you’re all going out of town!”

Sunny nods, “Right! Anyway,“she turns her head towards the area of the cave behind Jessi. “I chased them to this cave and that’s when I saw Jessi trapped in a forcefield with both the staff, and that strange plate!”

Jessi widens her wings to the sides of her body. “And now, this crap happened!”

I widen my eyes at this sight and say as officially as I can, “Calm down, ma’am! We’re gonna get this all sorted out!” before turning my head back right to Sunny and feeling my pigtails move once more. “Okay so uh, Staff of Opening and strange plate, you say? Any idea what this plate might be?”

Sunny widens her eyes and frowns, “Not a clue!”

I widen my eyes and frown, “Oh, wow! This is gonna be a heck of a story to tell Hitch later! Which is a good point! He might be worried about me?” I clear my throat. “Ahem! Would you two please kindly come with me to the station? There might be paperwork for this? I’m not sure! I’m new!” I say before trotting over near Jessi and staring down at the strange golden plate on the cave floor… I see it’s about 7 inches tall and 5 inches wide and has strange markings on it… It says Key on it, but that’s about all I can make out…

<*****>

I take another drag from my mostly smoked joint with my right forehoof to finish up my session while watching the two kittens in my room now, playing with that strange blue toy mouse together… The white one with tabby markings bats at it with his paw and it flies towards the gray kitten who bats at it left and right with his own paws… I exhale a cloud of smoke to the far right of the kittens and while I’m still not sure where that mouse came from, I’m also not going to screw up my smoke session on account of these furry miscreants either! Still, Misty wanted me to watch them during her afternoon walk with Izzy…

I turn my head to the ashtray on the table at my right and snuff my joint out there with my forehoof. Still some left for later! Golly yeah! I think to myself before turning my head back left to the two adorable playing kittens on the floor there. “You little idiots!” I say to the two felines as I trot there on my hooves and stop, just short of the white one, who turns his head to me and looks… I sigh and pet his head with my left hoof while the other one plays with the mouse some more… I can already tell, this is gonna be another weird day… The kitten soon begins to vibrate…

<*****>

“Your sparkle looks brighter lately, Misty! You seem a bit happier now?” The blue unicorn says from behind me as we both hiked along the trail…

I smile while continuing to stare forward as I trotted along the forest trail, “Yeah… My friends make me feel better and I can talk to them now! It’s so great to not be alone anymore!”

“I’m glad you feel that way, Misty!”

“Why? We’re not finding another filly, are we?”

“Uh, I don’t think so? But you can never tell! I mean, there’s four of you, now!”

I frown while lowering my neck as I trot underneath a branch, “Oh dear!”

“Yeah, and you all have issues! It sure is a good thing all those issues aren’t in one person!”

I widen my eyes at that thought, “Oh, dear! That would be awful!”*

Izzy chuckles, “But anyway, I’m sure we can get you past this!”

I stop trotting dead in my tracks and hear her do the same, “You really think I can get past what I did?”

“Turn and face me, Misty Chan…”

I turn and stare into the red eyes of the other unicorn as her brow furrows and mouth sharply frowns, “Misty, I believe with friendship, you can overcome anything!”

I blink, “Are you sure, Izzy? I…” I blink, “killed her… I mean,“I shake my head. “Sure she was awful and uh, probably deserved it? But uh, “and then I blink. “I still feel bad now…”

“What did you feel during the act, Misty?”

“I felt…” I blink again, “I felt rage! I felt anger!” I lower my face and scowl. “I wanted her to pay!”

Izzy nods, “And so she has now, Misty Chan! But tell me, what do you feel now that you’ve gotten the revenge you desired?”

I raise my view and widen my eyes as my mouth narrows, “I feel…”and then I blink.“I don’t know if I can call it remorse, exactly?”

Izzy frowns, “What do you mean?”

I straighten my face as much as I can, “I feel empty… Like, there’s nothing left…”

Izzy nods, “Then perhaps it is time to leave?”

I widen my eyes again, “Leave?”

Izzy smiles, “Well, what good is it really doing you? What’s done is done, and nothing can change that… But you now have loving friends who care about you and a home to stay in…” her eyes widen. “You can’t say things didn’t turn out for the better goofball! You’re doing alright now!”

I frown, “B-but Opaline! I killed her!”

Izzy nods again, “So you did! And now you feel empty about it, right?”

I widen my eyes all the way, “Well, yes!”

Izzy leans closer to me, roughly 6 inches from my face and I can now feel the heat of her breath as she says lowly, “Well, what more needs to be said?”

I narrow my mouth while continuing to keep my view wide at this absurd unicorn! “I uh, I don’t know?”

Izzy slowly trots all the way to me and embraces me in a tight warm hug, “There’s nothing left to say, Misty Chan… It’s over now and you’re safe…”

I smile while trying to hug her back with my shorter legs, “Th-thanks Izzy!”

<*****>

I trot towards town with the two alicorns in tow, the big orange one on the right and the small green one on the left… I have a smile on my face as this is my first real assignment as a deputy! I hope Hitch is happy with this? Okay! Just remember what I need to report! Yes! I think to myself as I continue trotting… The sheriff’s office is in the West district of Maretime Bay and so I’m sure to use that entrance, since we don’t want Jessi to cause a commotion with her wings and horn…

Fortunately, at around 10 AM on a weekday, not a lot of ponies are on the street! Still, as we walked, I could almost swear I heard the word alicorn mentioned once or twice in hushed whispers? I’d better get moving! I don’t want Jessi to be uncomfortable!

We finally make it to the door of the sheriff’s office and fortunately, there’s nopony trotting on either side of the street! We march up there, in the same formation as before, when about 15 feet away, the door bursts open and I see a yellow earth stallion who widens his brown eyes at the sight of me! “Little Snack! Where have you been? I told you to wait for me back at the station!”

I widen my eyes, “Yes, but Sunny came galloping in with an emergency! I handled it, boss!” I say before giving a solute with my right forehoof.

Hitch looks down at me, “Little, you’re just a filly! You should’ve waited for me! It could be dangerous!”

I frown, “Oh uh, I’m sorry! I’m new! I didn’t know! Uh, I have a report for you now!”

Hitch widens his eyes again, “Report?”

I give another solute, “Yes, sir! You see, I found Alicorn Jessi here in a cave alone, once Sunny came galloping to the sheriff’s office! I questioned her thoroughly, sir!”

“What?”

I smile and nod, “Yes! It seems that the uh, Staff of Opening, whatever that is, and Jessi there were both magically drawn to the cave, just to the west er, northwest of town!”

Jessi raises her neck to speak, “There was a golden plate! I was drawn to a plate with magic!” she blinks, “For some reason?” She stretches out her wings to her sides. “And then, these magically appeared on me!”

Hitch begins trotting towards us wide-eyed with a confused look on his face as his mouth tightens in concern, “Well, you fillies are just full of surprises!”

<*****>

The gray kitten lay on the floor prone and I pet his head with my right forehoof, “Tell me again why I don’t just kill you two and be done with this?”**

The kitten yawns and I can’t help but think about how cute it is, before steadying my resolve, “Golly, no! I’m not giving into the cuteness!”

It starts to vibrate…

“No!”

It starts making little motor noises…

I frown, “You’re a jerk, you know that?” and pet the kitten more vigorously on the head…

Suddenly, the front door to the room opens and I see Misty trotting in with a smile beaming on her face and Izzy following close behind her, also smiling, before turning her head right to magically shut the door.

I look up to them while still on my hooves, “Oh, golly! I take it the walk went well?”

Misty trots back to the kitchen in the dimly lit den while Izzy smiles at me and says, “Sure did! Want some breakfast tea, Twinkle?”

I try to suppress a grin in vain as I giggle slightly as I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, “Uh, yes Izzy! Tea would be lovely!”

I hear Misty yell from the kitchen, “Three Chai teas with milk and honey, coming up!”

I widen my eyes and suppress a golly as I now appear to be in some sort of bizarre Izzy-centric family! I follow Izzy to the kitchen on hoof to the table, now neatly set out with a white cloth that I didn’t even know we had and Misty sitting there smiling at us.

I open my mouth, “Izzy doesn’t really use the automatic tea thingy anymore, since you got here, Misty!”

She smiles broadly, “Well, I just love making tea for me and my friends! Besides! I think it tastes better with a hooves-on kinda touch!”

I nod, “Noted!” and begin making my way to the chair on the right side of the table where I sit down after pulling it out with my mouth… I smile at the two unicorns and say, “You know, I’m the only pony here without magic!”

Izzy turns her head left to me, “Well, one of us could use our magic to pour tea into your mouth?” She turns her head to Misty. “Would you be up for that Misty?”

Misty widens her eyes, “Uh, I uh, I don’t know if I…”

I quickly say, “Golly, no! Uh, my hooves are fine, thanks!” and smile up to the taller unicorn. I take a wide eyed glare at the smaller unicorn and eager to change the subject, ask. “So uh, what did you two talk about?” before timidly lifting my blue teacup in my hooves to my mouth for a cautious sip… Still pretty hot! I think to myself before slowly setting it back down…

As Misty says, “Well, we talked about how I brutally murder uh, slew Opaline and how I should just come to terms with that!” she nods. “We also talked a bit about you!”

“Oh?” I say with my eyes wide and mouth in an O shape.

She nods, “Yup! I was telling Izzy about how good of a friend you’ve been to me, helping me work through my issues!” she sighs, “I was… I was all alone before and now…” she smiles at me. “Now I have my best friend, Twinkle Shine, to help me!”

I’m silent for a moment before saying, “Well, golly right! I tried to kill ponies and take over Equestria earlier, but now I’m a happy helper filly!” I say with an almost psychotic grin on my face…

Izzy turns her head to me, “That was then, and this is now, Twinkle Chan!”

My head straightens and mouth narrows, “Right! I’m not that filly anymore!”

Izzy smiles and nods, “Right! But there is one more important thing we must attend, before we can properly enjoy our tea!”

I widen my eyes again, “What’s that, mom?”

Izzy then reaches forth with her right forehoof and touches my nose before saying, “BOOP!”

And then, everypony at the table laughed!

<*****>

“So wait! What are we doing, now?” I ask the tall yellow earth stallion as he sits on the other side of the big important looking desk with its many papers and pens on the top…

Hitch smiles at me as he uses his right forehoof to open the box on the table and slides me over a coffee, with some cream and LOTS of sugar, just like I like… I uh, saw him make it for me earlier… “What we’re doing now is called a doughnut break, champ!”

I nod, “Oh, right! You’re a cop! So you eat donuts!”

He widens his eyes, “I’m the sheriff!”

I nod again, “Still technically a cop!” before widening my eyes. “Hey! Shouldn’t you have a mustache?”

He frowns, “What?”

I start to grin, “Yeah! All great police officers have mustaches! Well, all stallions anyway! You should have a mustache!”

He hoofs me a paper towel with a single glazed doughnut on it, “Uh, I’ll think about it!”

I slam my hoof down on the desk while suppressing a giggle, “Think nothing! You’re a good cop and all good cops need mustaches!”

He smiles, “Okay, Little Snack! Knock it off!”

“Mustache!” I loudly decree!

He giggles, “Eat your doughnut now, Little!”

I blink and say, “Um, yes sir!” before grabbing the paper towel wrapped doughnut in my hooves and bringing it to my face…

(To be continued...)

Author's Note

*Maniacal giggling

**I’ve looked down at my two kittens and asked the same question… Then, they act all adorable and I start petting and snuggling them… And I call them jerks…

Chapter 25: New Magick

I stare at the two earth ponies near Hitch’s desk and flex my new wings to the sides of my small green body, “Well, what are we going to do about these?”

Hitch turns his head right towards me as he sits at his desk, “What do you mean?”

My body jitters, “I have wings now!”

Hitch nods, “This is true!”

I widen my eyes, “Well, what are we going to do about it?”

“Well, are the wings hurting you?”

I frown, “Well um, no?”

“So what’s the problem?”

“Well, I’m a unicorn, right?”

He nods, “Well, I think so?”

I shout at the yellow stallion, “UNICORNS DON’T HAVE WINGS!!!!”

Little Snack looks at me from the other side of the desk and says, “Uh, Jessi?”

I gaze at the small orange filly staring back at me from the chair, “Yes, Little Snack?”

“You have wings now…”

I widen my eyes again, “Yes! And I don’t want them!”

She nods, “So I’ve heard! But listen… Have you ever tried to fly?”

I frown, “F-fly?”

She smiles, “Maybe you should try your new wings out before deciding if you like them or not?”

“What?”

She nods again, “Try them out! I mean, I’m an earth filly! I don’t have magick or wings! But now, you have all sorts with your wings and horn!” and nods a final time,”My best friend, Cozy Glow once had a similar situation but well, I’ve been thinking about it and I don’t believe this has to be bad, you know?” and she blinks. “I say you should try it out first, before deciding you don’t want them!”

Hitch looks at Little and widens his eyes, “Uh, actually… Earth ponies these days, uh...”

<*****>

I stared at the insane yellow pony in front of me, as I stood there on the desolate field of grass and lush vegetation. “Wait! So earth ponies have magick, now?”

Hitch smiles at me and nods as he looks at me over his right shoulder, “Sure do, squirt! Watch this!” he says before he stares forward and taps his right forehoof against the ground.

I see it glow green for a moment and suddenly, a cornstalk grows from the ground 5 feet in front of him! The stalk is an impressive 7 feet tall and has many ears of corn on its branches, wrapped in green husks.

“Oh, wow! Can I do that too?”

He looks back at me over his right shoulder, “Should be able to?”

“Um,” I blink, “does it have to be corn, or can I do any sort of plant I want? I mean, what are the restrictions here?”

He blinks, “I’m not sure? But the important thing now is to visualize the plant you wish to grow and make it happen through your will, working through the earth. That’s how I use my earth pony plant magick, and I’m guessing you’re not different?”

“But wait! During my period, earth ponies couldn’t do that! Do you really think I could?”

“Well, there’s really only one way we’re gonna find out?”

“Um, okay!” I blink. “Maybe I should try something smaller? How about squash?”

He smiles, “Alright squirt! Try to grow a small squash plant! Remember to visualize it! What does your squash plant look like? How are the branches and leaves arranged? See it in your head Little! You can do this!”

Oh, gosh! I’m gonna have to concentrate here! I gulp as I think to myself and blink and imagine a small squash plant on the ground in front of me…

<****>

“Wait! So you just automatically knew how to fly? Well, at least how to take off and land and fly forward and all that good junk?” I asked as I frowned up at the crazy white pegasus with her brightly colored red and blue fauxhawk mane-cut.

Zipp smiles down at me, “Well, yeah! I mean, doing it skillfully takes practice and work, but you should naturally know how to leave the ground, I’d think?”

“You sure about that?”

“Only one way to find out!” She says before smiling at me.

I stare forward and gulp, “Um, okay! Here I go!” I say before furrowing my brow in concentration as I start to flap my new appendages with all of my might!

“There you go, Jessi! Keep flapping! Just a bit faster and you should start to take off!”

“Ugh!” I grunt as I close my eyes… I suddenly notice that I no longer feel the ground underneath my hooves… I open my eyes and see that my little green body is indeed, now flying over the grassy fields! I see cow pies and anthills as I stare down at the rich lush dirt 20 feet below me and I move my gaze forward and smile as I keep moving forward! I can feel my little heart thumping away in my chest and the exhilaration of the wind in my mane as I stared forward at the hilltops and trees passing by underneath!

I can hear Zipp in the distance screaming, “You’re doing it, Jessi! You’re flying!”

This is amazing! I uh, I think having wings might not be so bad? I think to myself.

<*****>

I tap my orange right forehoof on the ground and try to force my visualized squash plant to life within me… Suddenly, I feel some sort of connection to the earth underneath and I can then somehow feel roots of a new plant forming in front of me… I open my eyes again and see a plant, a bit larger than the one I had pictured! It was about twice that size and had enormous leaves on big branches and the largest squash I’d ever seen on them!*

I widen my eyes and smile at what I had just done, “Hitch! I made a plant! I made a plant Hitch!”

<*****>

“I’m flying, Zipp! I’m actually flying!” I say as my wide eyes take in the beautiful landscape! I never realized how gorgeous the hillsides and setting sun actually are until I witnessed them from 5,000 feet in the air!

I hear her in the distance, yelling at me from below, “Great! Now come back down, Jessi! I’ll teach you more on how to use your new wings later, but that’s enough for now!”

I pretend I never heard her as I smile and keep staring forward to enjoy my new freedom! Freedom that only the open sky can give me!

I fly to a tall hill and land on the crest…

<*****>

Hitch turns his body to my creation and cranes his neck down towards it, “Holy crap, Little! That plant is huge! And you used earth pony magick, Little Snack! You did it with your mind and hooves!”*

I nod at him with a smile beaming on my happy face, “Yes, I sure did! I have magick now! Hooray!” I say as my tiny body shakes.

He smiles at me and it just seems like I’ve seen it somewhere before? That smile, I mean? It almost seemed like he was proud of me? “That sure is wonderful, little buddy!”

I blink, “Hitch?”

He widens his eyes, “Yes, Little Snack?”

“Um,” I frown, “you like having me around, right?”

“Little Snack, you’re probably one of the best things to ever happen to me?”

I widen my eyes, “I am?”

He nods, “Well, heck yeah! I mean, before you, who would I have to help me get my morning started? And who’s gonna drink coffee with me and get all jittery while I’m filing my paperwork? Who am I gonna talk to when I get lonely at the station? And who’s gonna help me by investigating strange alicorns?”

I stare back at the handsome green haired stallion and smile, “I love you Hitch!” I say, before widening my eyes as I suddenly realize that that was a bit more than I expected! I blink, “Um, can I go home now?”

Hitch widens his eyes, “Anything wrong?”

“N-no, Hitch, uh…” I blink once more before staring up at him again.”Actually, I kinda wanna go to Twinkle’s now!” I don’t mention Cozy’s name again, but I just keep thinking about it… There’s something I need to figure out for myself now…

<*****>

I stare up at this big monster centaur, with his red flesh and two long curved bovine horns on his head and the strange mask he wore. It was white with what looked like an angry face just drawn onto it with a marker. It stood about 20 feet tall I’d say, and roughly 5 times my size. Still, I can’t help but frown, “Wait! Gorgoroth the Destroyer?”

The centaur’s voice booms, “Yes! That is my name! Gorgoroth, the Destroyer! And you will buy Jessi a new plushie or I will drink your blood and eat your head! RAWR!”

By this point, I can no longer contain my laughter, “Come on, Jessi! Knock it off!” I widen my eyes. “Hey! I’ll buy you a new plushie, anyway! You earned it with all that awesome flying, today!”

Gorgoroth disappears and I see Jessi, flying towards me in the distance…

I smile at her as she lands in front of me, roughly 10 feet away and says, “Hooray! New stuffed friend!” as her little body jitters.

I grin at her and shake my head before saying, “Come on, Jessi! No more flying for today! Let’s trot back to town and get you something!”

She nods, “Okay! Let me go get my cloak so I can hide my wings!”

<*****>

I bring the freshly rolled joint to my lips and clamp down on the cardboard tip as Little squeaks at me from 5 feet away, there in my room, “Yeah, so I got earth pony magick, now! Isn’t that great!”

I ignite it with a red hoof lighter in my right hoof and inhale to bring the flame to the end where it catches and ignites the paper to start burning the herb contained in the wrap… I take a mighty inhalation and feel the warm smoke now filling my lungs…

I soon exhale a large cloud of smoke just to the right of the earth filly as she stares at me with a seemingly wide-eyed perplexed look...

I sigh and bring the joint to my lips for another drag and I feel the warm smoke traveling into my mouth as I stare at the strange earth filly in my room, now vibrating with her pigtails bouncing… I exhale smoke and ask her, “What’s wrong?”

She shakes her head and stops jittering, “I uh, I’m sorry! You just look so much like her…”

I lower my view and bring the joint to my face as I eye her carefully, “You mean, Cozy Glow? The friend you lost?”

She sighs, “Y-yeah… I liked her a lot! She was the first pony to give me real friendship! I uh, used to be by myself all the time…”

I smile lightly as I clamp my lips on the tip and begin to inhale and taste the herbal flavor of the weed I’m smoking once more…

She affixes her green eyes to me as I slowly exhale smoke with my nostrils, “And now, here you are, the same filly, only, not! You’re not like the Cozy Glow I remember, but you kinda are! It’s so weird!”

At that point, my stoned mind decides to take an unusual approach as I smile and say, “Well, maybe it’s time you met the real me? Hiya! I’m Twinkle Shine!”

She stares at me obviously suppressing a smirk, “Uh, hiya Twinkle Shine! I’m Little Snack!”

I nod, “Golly yes! There! Now we know each other and I’m not Cozy Glow!” I say before bringing my joint to my mouth and for some reason, I can almost hear a faint giggling somewhere in the deep dark recesses of my mind… The place I know where she lurks…

“Of course, Twinkle Shine! Yes!” She says before smiling…

I can tell I’ve almost won by this point and decide to drive my point home, “So, now you can get to know me again, for the first time!”

She smiles, “I know… You’re Twinkle Shine, now…”

“Right!” I say before nodding and taking yet another drag… I had a long day and could use the pick-me-up!

“I like what you did to your mane, Twinkle! It looks good all wavy like that!”

I smile back at her while exhaling smoke out of my nose, “Yeah, I knew it was time to change, so I started to make changes in the direction I wanted to go…” and bring the stoge to my mouth once more…

She giggles, “Yeah, you certainly did change! You’re not the friend I remember!”

I widen my eyes, “So, that would make me a new friend then, right?”

Her mouth straightens, “I think so?”

I nod, “Right! Current filly crew is one pegasus, one earth pony, and two unicorns!”

Little Snack’s face suddenly grows somewhat paler as she starts to frown and her eyes widen, “Actually, there’s something you really should know about Jessi…”

(To be continued…)

Author's Note

*The third law of thermodynamics, the Law of Entropy explains why Little Snack has powerful magick now, all of a sudden. As earth pony magick is now rampant in the new world, Little’s arrival earlier basically planted her as an “empty vessel.” This vessel would naturally get filled quickly, according to the Law of Entropy!

Chapter 26: Echoes

Oh, golly! You ever have one of those days? I honestly didn’t know whether to cry or giggle hysterically as I stared at the green filly, now with wings at her sides… I widen my eyes, “What happened to you?”

Misty at my right cranes her neck down to stare at Jessi’s left wing, “You didn’t have those, earlier!”

She stares at me with wide orange eyes, “Yeah, I know! Apparently, that staff thingy is attracted to this funky plate and they joined forces to give me wings! I am now a winged unicorn!”

I blink, “Aren’t those called alicorns?”

Jessi frowns, “But I’m not an alicorn. I’m a unicorn…”

I nod, “You’re a unicorn with wings now, right?”

“Yes?”

“You know what you call a unicorn with wings?”

Jessi visibly grimaces at this point, “I’m not an alicorn!”

I nod, “You’re a unicorn, right?”

Jessi goes back to a normal frown, “Well, yeah!”

I nod again, “And you got wings now, right?”

Jessi flexes her left wing and turns her head towards it, “Also true!”

I frown as I can think of no other way to put this, “You know what you call a unicorn with wings?”

Jessi goes back to grimacing and repeats herself, “I’m not an alicorn!”

I turn my head right further towards Misty, “Maybe you need to join Misty here in Pon-Egypt? Cause you’re both in De-Nile!”

Misty turns her head towards me, “What?”

Jessi sighs… And stares at me before asking with genuine fear in her eyes, “What am I gonna do?”

I frown, “What do you mean?”

Jessi stretches her wings out to her sides, “These! I uh…” she blinks and begins breathing through her mouth…

I widen my eyes, “Are you okay, Jessi?”

Jessi shakes her head as if to recompose herself, “I-I’m sorry Twinkle… This is all so strange and new to me… I never asked for wings…”

“Didn’t you say you flew with them earlier? Didn’t you like that?”

Jessi centers her gaze on me, “Well, yeah! Yeah, I did… But the more I think about it, the more I think having wings is gonna be a hassle!”

I stretch my pink right wing out and turn my head towards it, “Actually, having them is kinda handy, if you ask me! Which is a good point! I need to teach you how to preen your feathers soon!”

Jessi frowns and asks me, “How do you feel about me, Twinkle Shine?”

I put my wing back and stare at Jessi while frowning, “What do you mean?”

Jessi blinks, “Well, I got wings now!”

I nod, “That is true! You’re a winged unicorn! Also known as an alicorn!”

Jessi cringes for a moment before adjusting her face, “You don’t think of me differently?”

I widen my eyes at this thought, “Well, as a matter of fact, I do!”

Jessi can only blink at me in silence.

“I think you need some help!”

Jessi frowns and widens her eyes, “What?”

I smile at the new alicorn, “Yeah! Having wings is new to you! You gotta learn how to preen and groom yourself, like I do every night! And how to sleep properly! And we also need to teach you how to control yourself in the air!”

“Oh, gosh!”

“Hey, relax bestie! I already know this stuff! It’ll be like another adventure, okay?” I say before nodding as I think to myself that there’s a LOT we don’t know here. Those artifacts were created by somepony to contain power, but for what purpose? Regardless, now Jessi seems to have that power!

“Hey, where did Little Snack go, anyway?”

<*****>

I stare up at the yellow stallion and smile, “Gee, thanks for letting me crash at your place, Hitch!”

He smiles down at me, “No problem, squirt! I mean, I can’t let you go homeless!”

I widen my eyes, “Well, probably not, no? I don’t think you’d want that?”

He widens his eyes, “Hey! Go sit down! I’ll get us some cocoa!”

“Okay, Hitch!” I say before trotting over to the round wooden kitchen table and setting my plot down on the seat of the chair facing the kitchen…

Hitch trots out with two big black mugs on his snout and he trots around the table on my left and sets the mugs down before me and turns to get a chair with his mouth and sits down next to me as he stares down at me and smiles…

I look up at him and smile back nervously… I don’t know what he wants from me?

“So, Little, I know it was fun and interesting and all, but I REALLY don’t want you running off without me anymore, okay?”

I widen my eyes and begin to frown, “What?”

He clears his throat, “Ahem! I mean to say is, uh, well, I don’t want you to get hurt! You’re still just a little filly!”

I blink, “You care about me and don’t want me to get hurt?” I stare up and say to myself. “Well, it seems to check out?”

He suppresses a giggle as he smirks slightly, “Um, yeah, that Little Snack! I just don’t want you out there without me, okay? So if anything like that ever happens again, you need to wait for me to return, okay?”

I finally begin to smile faintly up at Hitch, “Um, okay!”

He finally smiles all the way and gets out of his chair to take a pace towards me and hugs me…

“EEP!” I squeak as his forehooves go over me!

“I care about you, Little buddy!”

At this point, I can only gasp out, “I do need to breathe sometimes, you know!”

He lets go of me and gets to the floor while staring at me wide-eyed, “Oh, sorry squirt! Guess I don’t know my own strength? Uh, you have some cocoa!”

I nod, “Right! So don’t go out without you anymore!”

He nods back, “Right!”

I blink, “I mean, assuming you're not captured or being held prisoner, somewhere?”

He frowns, “That seems oddly specific?”

My eyes dart to him, “You’d think so, right?”

<*****>

And so, I trot into the kitchen towards the coffee pot on the other end of the shelf… SEWs365W544wt55555555555 tares at me, “Hiya Jessi! How do you like your new wings? Are you coping okay?”

I stop just short of the table and stare up at the larger orange alicorn, “Twinkle doesn’t see me differently!”

Sunny frowns at me, “Why would she? I mean, you’re still the same you! You just have wings now!”

I sigh from my nose, “Well, I know that! But uh, what about all this power I seem to have now?”

“The power you never use?”

I nod, “Right!”

“The power that doesn’t really affect your life in any way shape or form?”

I nod again before frowning, “Um, that, yes!”

“Why would that really affect your life?”

I widen my left eye when I honestly reply, “Well, I have been snuggling those weird spiders in bed at night with my plushies?”

Her eyes widen, “Wait, what?”

I shake my head and look at her again, “Oh, never mind!”

She blinks, “You really worry about these things, don’t you?”

I nod and honestly reply, “Well, right! Because change always just pushes ponies away…”

Her eyes widen, “WHAT?” she blinks. “My friends stayed with me when I became an alicorn! Why wouldn’t yours?”

I frown, “But I’m not an alicorn… I’m just a unicorn… With a new pair of wings…”

“Jessi!”

I straighten my mouth and look back up at her, “Y-yes?”

She smiles dimly, “You have a LOT of power with that staff and a new pair of wings… I think you’re an alicorn?”

I breathe slowly out of my nose… I finally move my eyes up to her, “I uh, think you’re right?”

She whinnies from her nose and asks, “Wanna sit down?”

I look at her, “Actually, I kinda wanna take another look at that staff and plate?”

She nods, “Okay, I’ll go get them and put them on the table… We can look together! It’ll be uh, mother/daughter bonding time!” before smiling…

I smile up at the orange alicorn, “It’s okay! This is kinda new to me too, after well, everything!”

<*****>

I REALLY want to get to know my new roommate, but she’s just so standoffish and won’t talk to me! She usually keeps to herself in her room and reads, or smokes dope, while listening to music… I throw my curly mane out of my face as I stare up at her imposing red door and gulp… Well, here goes nothing! I think to myself before knocking on it with my right forehoof…

BAM BAM BAM!

I hear a squeaky voice from inside say, “Um, yeah! Misty or Izzy? Which one is it, this time?”

I raise my neck to yell back, “Misty! Uh, can I come in?”

I hear a faint, “Oh, golly!” come from the inside before the door opens for me a few seconds later…

I look up at Twinkle as she’s flying in the air and pulling the door back with her forehooves in the air and she stares at me with the movable barrier at her left, “Um, yes?”

I look up and smile at her… “Hiya Twinkle! Can I come in?” and hope I don’t look too awkward… I probably look super awkward, though?

<*****>

I continue to flap my wings in the air and hope she doesn’t smell the herb in the air that I was just smoking as I stared down at this strange blue unicorn foal, “Uh, sure thing Misty!” before releasing the handle and twisting around clockwise in the air to fly back towards the center of my room where I land on the ground with a small clack noise, and turn to face the intruder… I smile and hope I don’t look weird… I bet I look weird?” But you know, she does looks super awkward with that big dumb grin on her face, and so I guess we’re even?

<*****>

Twinkle has this incredibly strange grin on her face as she stands there on her hooves staring at me from the center of her room… I finally trot inside the danger-zone and shut the door behind me using my magick… I stare at her and gulp before smiling and saying, “Hiya, Twinkle!”

“Uh, hiya Misty!”

“So uh, we live together!”

She nods, “This is true!” and stares at me with a confused look in her brown eyes.

I blink and continue to smile in a way that I hope isn’t too weird.

I probably look super weird though…

<*****>

I stood there and watched the strange filly, as she stood there with the weirdest smile I’ve ever seen, trembling on her four hooves, and visibly sweating from her forehead, underneath that familiar curly two-toned mane of hers, swept to the right, the way she normally keeps it… Honestly, she looked like she was about to fall apart!

I smile at her and begin trotting towards her…

She noticeably gulps as I approach and widens her eyes at my sight, “Uh, Twinkle?”

“Misty!” I happily reply as I’m a mere few feet away at this point and continue to gaze and trot her way…

Her eyes enlarge all the way, “Twinkle?”

I then embrace her in a tight warm hug with my forehooves…

“EEP!” She squeals!

I whisper, “It’s okay, Misty… We’re all friends here!”

She sniffs the air, “You’ve been smoking again, haven’t you?”

I whisper back, “It’s a possibility!”

<*****>

I narrow my eyes while the pegasus continues to lovingly hold me in her forehooves, “Twinkle’s been burning dope again!”

“I’ll alert the media!” She whispers in my ear before snickering…

I can’t help but giggle at how silly she’s suddenly acting, “Twinkle, why the hay are you all huggy now?”

She giggles, “Well, you looked nervous… I don’t want you to be nervous…”

It finally dawns on me what she’s doing, “Y-you’re trying t-to comfort me?”

She disengages from me and stares into my eyes and squeaks out, “Well, golly gee, you looked like you were falling apart and I thought you needed some reassurance! Uh, “she smiles. “Heh heh!”

I smile and can only giggle…

Her eyes widen, “What’s funny?”

I let out a sigh, “Well, this whole time, I was worried, you know? I mean, I’ve been here for about a week now and we rarely ever talk!”

She frowns, “Is that a problem?”

I widen my eyes, “Well, we’re living together, right?”

She nods, “This is true!”

“Well, I mean, shouldn’t we hang out and do stuff together and stuff? I mean, us being roommates and whatnot, right?” I say before smiling back at her...

She blinks, “I don’t know? Maybe?”

“You’ve never had roommates before, have you?”

“Well uh, no!” She admits before shrugging her shoulders and staring wistfully to the right. “But I mean, have you?” She says before staring back at me with big brown eyes and a curious frown.

I blink and narrow my mouth, “Well, no! But uh, I mean, shouldn’t we uh, be doing stuff together, if we’re uh, living together?”

“How would I know?”

At this point, I can only smirk at how ridiculous everything is as I giggle faintly, “We’ve both never done anything like this before!”

<*****>

At this point, I can only widen my eyes and state the obvious, “Gee, sure looks that way, huh?”

Misty grins at me, “Okay uh, lets just take it slow, okay?”

“You know, that was what I was doing by keeping my distance, right? I didn’t want you to think I was intrusive!”

Misty widens her mouth in surprise, “Oh, wow!”

I nod, “Well, that and I sometimes actually forget that you’re living here now… You don’t come out much!”

Misty smirks slightly, “Well, I’m not used to living with other ponies, you know? Well, “she looks up. “ponies I can talk to anyway!” she stares back at me. “I mean, you’re not gonna bite my head off if I say something weird or dumb, you know?” before smiling much wider…

At that point, I can only giggle because of how I used to be and smile at her as I say, “Well, not really, no?”

<*****>

I stared at the silver staff with the pointy blue crystal gem at the end of it, pointing away from me on my right… The staff was roughly 8 inches in length, including the gem, which was about 2 inches long and an inch wide by itself. The shaft was about three quarters of an inch wide… I turn to the golden plate with inscriptions on it on my left at the table, with the orange alicorn standing on the same side… The plate itself is about 7 inches long and 5 inches wide and while the inscriptions look old and I can’t quite make out what they say, I do notice a strange indentation on the plate that I didn’t notice earlier… It’s a groove that goes vertically up the center of the plate and appears to be about three quarters of an inch wide itself… I frown in thought…

“What do you think?” Sunny asks while staring at the artifacts on the table and standing over me…

“Well, it would probably be better if I just showed you?” I say before turning my head right towards the staff and forcing both my horn and it to glow sky-blue and magically raising it from the table and then moving it onto the plate with the strange inscriptions on the other side and positioning the staff in the groove down the plate…

Both our eyes widen when we see an older transparent magenta unicorn appear before us… This unicorn is about 8 feet tall and has bluish-violet eyes with bags underneath them, a somewhat disheveled looking wavy purple mane over her shoulders about 8 inches down with baby blue streaks in it and a smile on her face as she says, “Is this thing on?” her eyes widen. “Oh! Hello! My name is Starlight Glimmer and you’re probably wondering what these artifacts are?”

(To be continued...)

Chapter 27: The Party!

So I sat there at the desk with nothing to do and my mind starts to wonder, like it always does. I stare up at all the things Hitch has on his walls… I see some sports awards he must’ve got earlier when he was in school and I also see a plaque saying Best Maretime Bay Sheriff… I blink and wonder just how big an award that actually is, before sipping my coffee with my forehooves and shuddering from the bitterness he always makes his morning coffee with… I really should talk to him about that later!

Suddenly, the phone rings!

I widen my eyes and frantically set the cup down with my forehooves and fumble to lift the phone out of the receiver as my hooves desperately try to grasp it, when finally, it lands on the right side of my neck and I start and smile as I jitter, “Um, yes! Sheriff’s office! Helper Little Snack speaking!”

I hear a familiar stallion voice on the other end say, “Little Snack! You don’t have to announce that you’re my helper!”

“Well, you said I wasn’t your deputy yet and that I was just your helper now, so I thought that was my title?”

“Uh, no Little… Never mind! Uh, is everything okay there?”

“Well gee, Hitch! You’ve only been gone for twenty minutes!” I blink.

The stallion giggles, “Well, yeah! But you know I worry about you, squirt!”

“Oh, okay… Hey! Have you been captured by bad guys?”

The stallion is silent for a moment, “Uh, no! Why do you keep asking me that, Little Snack?”

I blink again and start, “Oh, I don’t know? Just seems like something that’ll happen later! Is your patrol going okay?”

“Uh, it’s going fine!”

“Anypony been asking about me?”

Hitch sighs, “Well, there has been some talk about a new filly living in my house and working at the station…”

I start again, “Oh, wow! What are they saying?”

“Well, they’ve been asking your name and where you came from… I really wish I had more to tell them! You really have no idea how you got warped over into our space and time?”

I blink again, “No idea!”

“Well, that’s not your fault, Little… Sit tight! We’re gonna take care of you!”

“Awesome!” I jitter slightly.

“Well, I need to get going soon! You hold down the fort and call my cell if ANYTHING comes up, okay?”

I smile and nod, “Sure thing, boss!”

“Goodbye!”

“Bye bye Hitch!” I say before putting the phone back on the base…

I sigh, before deciding to take another swig of my stout coffee and shuddering again… I blink and think to myself that I really wish I had something to do… Then, I remember that I brought my ball!

<*****>

I look down as I’m flying over the town and I see the landing at the top of the station’s steps. I swoop down and try my best to angle my wings to land… I still don’t quite get it right and end up skidding across the wood on my hooves! I stop right in front of the big dark blue door to the station and knock with my right forehoof. Knock knock knock!

I hear what sounds like rubber bouncing in the distance behind the door before it opens and instead of being greeted by a yellow stallion, I instead see a much shorter orange filly there with long green pigtails! She smiles at me, “Oh, hiya Jessi! How’s it going?” and I can’t help but notice the red rubber ball bouncing gently on the other side of the filly and the desk.

“Well, I can fly to Bridlewood now and back here without breaking a sweat!”

Little nods, “Oh, right! Hey! Doesn’t Cozy er, Twinkle Shine also have wings?”

I can only stare blankly at the earth filly, “Well, yes…”

“Maybe you two should fly together? It would give you more practice?”

I smile, “Funny you should say that! She’s not at Izzy’s and Misty is gone too, so I figured I’d look up my other friend!”

Her eyes widen and mouth shrinks, “Oh, wow! So, I wasn’t your first choice!”

Suddenly realizing that that may have come out wrong, I frown and say, “Well, I never know what to do with you?”

She frowns, “Well, I’m about to order pizza for lunch. Wanna come in? It’ll be fun!” she jitters.

I blink again and begin trotting in as she moves back and say, “Well uh, I suppose I could, yeah? I mean, if I’m not interrupting anything?”

She eagerly nods from her new position to the right of me and the door, “Oh, no! I uh, just got done with some super important helper business! Yeah! Uh, how’s alicorn-hood or whatever, treating you Jessi?”

I turn my head to smile at her and say, “Oh, I’m starting to realize that having wings is amazing! Don’t know about all this new magick power, though, and I’m kinda worried about using it, still?”

Her eyes widen as her head shakes, “Oh, yeah! I mean, that much power might be an issue! What if you mess up and like, kill thirty ponies in a giant fiery explosion, or something like that?”

My eyes widen as I frown, “Oh, dear! Do you really think it could get that bad?”

She blinks, “How would I know? I’m not an alicorn! I’m an earth pony!”

My mouth straightens, “Oh, right! Uh, you mentioned pizza?”

<*****>

I trot to the right of the pegasus as we both trot down the road towards Maretime Bay. I turn my neck to her and ask, “Why are we going to Maretime Bay again?”

Twinkle looks back at me, “Well, we got friends there!”

“I like my kittens…”

“Look! You can’t just be with your kittens, okay? Contact with other ponies is a good thing!”

I eye this pink pegasus very carefully, “You’re out of books to read, aren’t you?”

She starts and widens her eyes, “Uh, it’s a strong possibility…”

I smile, “And you’re also out of dope, too! That’s why we stopped by that shack on the way out of town!”

She sighs, “Well, obviously! But what can I say? Smoke Stack has the best bud this side of Zephyr Heights! Which reminds me! I wanted to head there with Izzy soon!”

“How did you buy papers and a lighter at the corner store when you’re just a little filly?”

Twinkle smiles, “I’m very persuasive…”

“Are you gonna smoke while we’re out and about?”

Twinkle nods, “Also true! Now let me go off into that grove coming up on our right and I’ll roll a new joint! Uh, you want some?” she asks before opening her eyes, questioning me while tightening her mouth…

My eyes widen, “Oh uh, no Twinkle! That’s your thing! I’ll just uh, stand watch while you roll! Yes!”

She smiles and nods again, “Suit yourself!”*

<*****>

Oh, golly! My mind thinks as I take the first magnificent hit off the filter-less joint I just rolled in the grove! I feel the rush of the hot smoke as it goes down my throat into my lungs and I can almost feel the cannabinoids beginning to take effect in my mind as I shake my head and look over to Misty as we trot, “So uh, you doing okay Misty?”

She smiles at me while turning her head left to me and says, “Oh, yes Twinkle! I mean, I “she blinks. “I didn’t know what I was gonna do after, well, I did what I did and now, I just feel so much better because of everything all of you have done!”

I blink, “That was a surprisingly straightforward response!” before pursing my lips on the burning paper roll in my mouth to bring in more warm smoke towards my throat and eventually down into my lungs…

Misty giggles slightly, “Yeah!” she blinks, “I realized that since Opaline was mean and evil, that I probably had no choice!” she sighs. “But I do have a confession…”

I breath out smoke towards our destination at my front while keeping my head turned right towards her. “Go on?” I say out the left side of my mouth.

Misty sighs again, “I uh, never really considered that she’d hunt me down and get rid of me… I REALLY just wanted her to PAY! It had nothing to do with anything she did or might do!” and blinks. “I guess I’m not such a hero after all?”

I breathe smoke out of the left side of my mouth while being careful to keep a hold of the joint on the other side, “Well, yes and no…”

She blinks, starts, and widens her eyes, “What?”

I half-smile out of the free side of my mouth, “Yeah! You’re still a hero, because at the end of the day, Opaline was still evil and had to be dealt with… And you took care of that…”

“So my motivations don’t matter?” Misty frowns…

I shake my head, “Not really! Only the end result!” before pursing my lips on the stoge to take another drag…**

I think long and hard on this before finally saying, “So it’s really about what I do and how I act, then?”

I smile and giggle with the burning joint out the right side of my mouth, “Oh, golly yeah! You can think all the bad thoughts in the world Misty! But unless you act on them, they have no power over you!” before pursing again to take another drag and again, wondering precisely when I became a therapist?

Suddenly, I hear a voice in my head speak, You know, she does have experience in the whole evil helper business, right?

I blink as I exhale, before taking a breath in and out of my nose, and then, pursing my lips around the herb roll to take another drag to make Cozy Glow go away...

<*****>

I widen my eyes to the purple unicorn as she frowns at me from her doorway, “Well, I don’t know where Jessi went and I just assumed she’d be with her best friend!”

Izzy widens her red eyes, “Uh, nope! They’re not here! Jessi came by earlier and I told her what I will now tell you! Twinkle and Misty left for Maretime Bay!”

“Oh, wow!”

Suddenly, we both hear a happy disco song playing when Izzy smiles and says, “I’m getting a phone call! Come on in!” before turning around and trotting inside…

I follow her and look to my right to magically close the door in a golden glow as Izzy stares at her table near the center of the room and forces the small box, contained in it’s colorful shell there to glow blue and lifts it into the air before her face as the disco music continues to play… She frowns, “It’s Hitch!” before blinking and using her magick to force the phone to answer and she floats it to the right side of her head, “Hiya Hitch!”

She nods, “Uh, huh! All four, huh? Oh wow!” as her mouth goes agape. She looks up at me with wide eyes and says, “All four fillies are at Hitch’s station! They’re having a pizza party and we’re invited!”’

My eyes widen as I frown, “Pizza party?”

Her eyes widen as she smiles and bounces, “Come on! It’ll be fun!”

<*****>

I tell the orange filly vehemently, “No! You gotta tag me, or it doesn’t count!”

Little nods at me from the other side of the room, “Yes it does! The rules for hide n seek are, I just gotta find you, and then you’re it! It didn’t say anything about tagging you!”

I look at Twinkle on the table in the dining room through the door, “Twinks! We need a ruling here!”

Twinkle finishes chewing her green pepper and tomato pizza and sets it down, before squatting on the chair and then flying over to us through the door and landing on the floor before shaking her head and saying, “Oh, golly gee! What now?”

I stare at Twinkle wide-eyed, “Hey, Little Snack says she just has to find me and I’m it! I say she has to tag me first!”

Little stares at Twinkle, “The book says I just gotta find her!”

I smile and say, “But Little Snack! There’s extra rules on the next page!”

Little turns to me and says, “Those are optional!”

Suddenly, there’s a knock on the door!

Twinkle looks up, “Jessi! Answer the door! Uh, please!” before looking at both of us. “You know, maybe you should agree on rules before you start playing?”

We hear a barely audible voice from somewhere in the dining room we can’t see, “On it, Twinkle!” before witnessing a small green alicorn trotting through the foyer with us there at the couch…

I stare at the pink pegasus, “Um, yeah I thought we did that?”

Little vibrates while saying, “We really should be more thorough!”

Suddenly the phone rings!

Little widens her eyes, “Oh, gosh!” before turning her body to the desk beyond Jessi and trotting over towards the ringing phone… She quickly grasps the phone with her mouth, and then uses her right forehoof to bring it to the right side of her head while remaining steady on her left…. Her eyes widen, “Sheriff's office! Little Snack speaking! Uh, oh wow! A robbery? Oh, okay ma’am!” she nods and smiles. “Just tell me where you are and I’ll call Hitch right over!”

Meanwhile, Jessi opens the door to reveal two ponies behind it… One smiling purple fluffy unicorn with red eyes on the left and on the other side, an orange alicorn with an orchid purple mane and tail, and featuring a concerned look in her cerulean eyes as she says, “Pizza party?”

Jessi smiles and nods, “Oh, yeah! We all just kinda met up here and now this is going on! We thought you might like some too!” she blinks and straightens her mouth. “Oh! We need donations for the petty cash now, if you got a few bits?”

While this is going on, Little Snack is on the phone at the desk and bouncing up and down while saying, “Hitch! There’s a robbery! You gotta go help!

<****>

I gallop towards the bank! My helper just called and told me there was a robbery and it’s my job to help!

I stop just in front of the large cement steps leading up to the bank, all 16 of them, and gulp as I stare upwards, knowing it’s almost hero time!

I begin to tentatively take steps up towards the bank, when I hear a scream! I hasten my pace and read the landing a few seconds later before staring at the glass entryway where I see a light blue unicorn wearing a darker blue ski-mask over his face with pale yellow lining around the eye holes and muzzle hole… He’s standing just in front of the glass door and holding a knife to his right in his yellow glow and holding it to the neck of a green earth mare, with brown mane and tail, whom he’s holding to his body with his right forehoof… He looks at me and says, “Sheriff! There you are! Ready to hear our demands?”

I frown at this scene, “Demands?”

He nods, “W-well, yeah! I got a hostage! And I want a million bits and a helicopter out of here!”

“You can’t be serious?”

“Oh, I’m very serious! My buddy has more hostages inside, so no funny business!”

I widen my eyes, “Oh, dear!”

(To be continued...)

Author's Note

*Contrary to popular belief, saying no is normally enough. At no point will a hippy ever force you down against your will and press a bong to your lips!

**Confession: this is really me rationalizing to myself… I understand that what I did was good and correct, however, I’ll admit here and now that my primary motivation was revenge… Even though I was turning her in by the confines of the law, most of me really just wanted her to pay… And believe me when I say, my wish was granted…

Chapter 28: Filly Action Squad!

“So wait! Where did you get a crossbow?” I ask the pink pegasus filly as we both stood on our hooves on the rooftop…

Twinkle stares left at me and smiles, “I have my ways!”

We both stare forward as she uses her right forehoof to hold the device and aims it at the bank’s roof across the road from us, “So, you know the plan, right?”

I blink, “I think so? How do you know there’s only one other pony in there?”

Twinkle smiles, “I just needed to pay attention to Hitch and the other robber up front talking! He’s not very bright to tip his hand like that, you know?”

I widen my eyes, “Well uh, I guess not? So um, I just need to get the drop on the one guy inside, and we’ll be all set?”

“Yup! Jessi can fix the one up front with a forcefield! We just don’t know what the one inside is gonna do, which is why we need you to take him out!” She says before firing an arrow with an almost inaudible thwap from the string and it firmly plants into the stone ledge of the building…

“That bow is pretty powerful!”

Twinkle nods, “Yeah, compound bows are like that! Alright Little! Ready to go zip lining?”

I frown, “Isn’t there an easier way? And Hitch told me to stay at the station!”

Twinkle smiles, “Well, he didn’t say anything about me and Jessi, now did he?”

“Uh, well no!”

Twinkle nods, “Right! And since we’re here, don’t you think as a sheriff’s assistant, it is now your duty to make sure we don’t get hurt?”

“Well um, I guess so?”

Twinkle nods again, “Right! And since we plan on taking out those bad guys, it is therefore your obligation to assist us and make sure everything goes smoothly! See how this works? You’re here to protect us and keep us safe!”

“Alright!” I say before getting up to my hind legs and placing my forehooves overhead and grasping the bar above me… I stared down the line leading towards a window pane on the side of the building… I gulp and say, “Uh, isn’t there an easier way?”

Twinkle nods, “Well, Misty is at the station keeping the other two adults busy and Jessi is on the ground! We’re alone out here!”

I furrow my brow and stare at my target, “Right! It’s just us, now!”

“Right!” I hear Twinkle say as she uses her head to shove me forward!

I widen my eyes and scream as I zip down the line towards the window, “WEEEEEEEEEE!”

I crash into the window a few seconds later and it shatters all around me, but my tough skin never gets cut as I land on the floor at a half-stance before lifting my body up amidst the shattered glass fragments…

“What the hay was that?” I hear a masculine voice say from the hall!

I widen my eyes to look in front of me and see a long table there, stretching out about 7 feet from either side of me, roughly 5 feet in front. I quickly gallop to the side of this table and duck to crawl underneath right as I hear the door leading to the hall across from the window open!

From underneath the table, I see four hooves connected to red legs begin trotting into the room… They soon begin trotting around the left side of the table to the other side with the window and I can tell from looking at the legs that he’s staring out the window now, “Wait! Did somepony come through here? What’s that rope doing up there?”

At this point, I know it’s now or never! So I shimmy up from underneath the table to stare at his rump and notice a bulge right in the center of his fur… I instantly knew what to do… I hoofed him in the crotch HARD!

<*****>

I smile at the orange alicorn on the right side of the table as the purple fuzzy maned unicorn on the left stares onward, “Well, they said they all wanted to go out to play! Uh, yeah!”

Sunny widens her eyes and frowns, “Without Little Snack, who’s ponying the phones?”

I nod and continue to stare up at these other two scary ponies with wide eyes, “Well, I’m supposed to answer the phone and get her if anything comes up! Uh, yeah!” as I continue smiling… I use my magick to lift the pizza slice in front of me on the plate and take a bite, hoping that will help the tension… It doesn’t work…

I can barely taste it in my mouth as I’m chewing and Sunny says, “Why do I get the feeling there’s more to this story?”

Izzy turns her head right to Sunny and smiles, “Because while they may look like adorable fillies, they’re secretly a band of superheroes who scour Equestria at night, looking for trouble?”

Sunny blinks, “That seems oddly specific?”

Izzy bounces, “I know! Filly Action Squad! Or how about, Team Small Horse?”

Sunny can barely keep from smiling at this point as her mouth wiggles on her snout, “Um, the first one is better, but not by much!”

I blink, “Filly Action Squad?”

<*****>

I stared at the robber in his dark blue mask as he smiled and said, “Tick-tock, Hitch! Our demands are very simple! What say you?”

Hitch nods and sighs before saying, “Well, I’m not authorized to get these things for you! I talked to the mayor, though!”

The robber’s eyes widen, “Oh, for the love of! I’m going to kill ponies here! Do you not understand?”

Suddenly, I hear the wind whistle and a small clack sound coming from my right! I turn my head in that direction to see Twinkle Shine there, staring at the robber and saying in a loud squeaky voice, “This is your last chance! Surrender now, or else!”

I widen my eyes, “Twinkle! What are you doing? Get out of here!”

The robber sneers and half laughs, “What?”

Twinkle smiles and shouts, “Jessi!”

Suddenly, fast as lightning, I turn my head to witness hundreds of little black spider creatures all withfierce little red eyes all running towards this robber and enveloping his body causing him to collapse and lose his magical grasp on the butcher’s dagger before it falls to the ground with a slight clang!

“AAAAAAAAHHHH! GET EM OFF! GET EM OFF! GET EM OFF!” The robber screams as his green hostage runs away off to the side and he thrashes his equine body on the ground while covered in small black spiders!

I widen my eyes and begin a sprint towards the door, when suddenly, it opens up and I see my small orange assistant there, smiling at me with her big freckled cheeks and green pigtails! “Hiya boss! I gave the one inside with four hooves to crotch and a few to the face for good measure! He’s pretty well knocked out now, but he did throw up first!” she widens her eyes and bounces. “Oh, good! You didn’t get captured this time!”

I skid to a stop with my hooves planted towards the side and take a stance as I widen my eyes and say, “W-what?” and raise my neck to shout. “What just happened!?!?”

I hear hooves clacking to my right and turn to see a grinning pink pegasus there stop trotting towards me as she says, “Well, gee Hitch! I think fillies just saved the day!”

The robber raises his body as he’s surrounded by little black spiders that all stare up at him ready to pounce with their furrowed little red eyes and stares at Hitch wide eyed and frowning while saying, “I’ll come peacefully, sir! Just uh, no more spiders!”

Suddenly, I see a small green alicorn materialize in the open space to my right… I also can’t help but notice that she has another one of those small black spiders on her head as it stares the same direction she does with glowing red eyes… She smiles at me and says, “All taken care of Hitch!”

Twinkle stares at Jessi, “You like those little spiders, don’t you?”

Jessi looks at Twinkle and frowns as the spider stares onward with it’s creepy red eyes, “What? They’re cute!”

Twinkle smiles, “Just like you!”

Jessi pouts, “Oh, don’t start that again!”

<*****>

I stare up at Hitch as he lectures us four fillies there in the station on our wooden chairs… Jessi is on my left and Twinkle just beyond her, while Misty is staring forward blankly and visibly shivering on the right as Hitch bellows, “Do you have any idea how many laws you just broke?”

Sunny widens her eyes from our left, next to Izzy beyond her as Twinkle smiles and says, “Hitch! Same team! We all wanted the same thing back there! For the robbers to be caught and the hostages freed! We took care of that!” She leans forward slightly. “So golly, I just don’t know what the problem is here, sir?”

Hitch’s eyes widen at the pegasus, “I don’t want you to get hurt!”

Twinkle nods, “And we didn’t! I still don’t see the problem?”

Hitch nods, “Well, you could’ve! I” he blinks. “I care about you and keeping ponies safe is my job!”

I finally speak up, “I was doing my job by keeping Twinkle and Jessi safe out there! I was being a good assistant!”

Hitch looks at me, “But I told you to stay at the station!”

Twinkle then says, “Well, Little Snack was escorting us, since she knew we’d be doing something unsafe.

Hitch turns to Twinkle, “Well, I know that!”

Twinkle nods, “And as your assistant, it’s her duty… I don’t think she technically did anything wrong here, since keeping us safe and staying at the station couldn’t be done at the same time.” She smiles wider. “So it basically amounts to a judgment call!”

Hitch continues, “But what about the phones here at the station?”

Twinkle says, “Well, we told Misty to take care of that and Little showed her where all the important numbers are, like your cell!”

“Why couldn’t Little Snack do that, since it was her job?”

Twinkle sighs and nods, “Well, Misty isn’t as strong as Little!” she glances to the jittery unicorn at her right, “No offense!” before back at Hitch and furrows her brow. “I needed a strong pony to be able to take out the robber inside, because I already knew Jessi could handle things up front with her magick!”

Hitch lowers his gaze, “So, this was really all your idea?”

Twinkle sighs, “I guess so, huh? Do what you want to me! But know that the others were just following me! I take full responsibility!”

I widen my eyes and gaze past the green alicorn at the pink pegasus filly, “You don’t have to do that!”

Twinkle turns her head right and looks at me from behind Jessi, “It’s not your fault Little! You were only doing what I told you to do…”

Hitch nods, “Very well! Until further notice, you, Twinkle Shine, are not allowed in the station or near Little Snack!”

I turn to Hitch and shout, “Hey!”

Twinkle simply smiles at Hitch, “Sure Hitch! No problem!”

I widen my eyes, “Oh gosh!”

Hitch turns his body to me and trots up to me before staring down my direction… I look up into his brown eyes as he sincerely says to me, “Little Snack! I-” he blinks, “I love you and I just don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to you!” before leaning down and embracing me with his forehooves tightly. “I care about you!”

I repeat myself shakily, “Oh, gosh!”

Suddenly, Misty bursts out and says, “Filly Action Squad! We’re the Filly Action Squad!”

Hitch raises from me and sighs and before staring over at the unicorn, “Not anymore, you’re not!”

<*****>

Later that afternoon, I’m in the grassy field north of Maretime Bay, kicking my ball around and thinking. Stupid Twinkle Shine! If she hadn’t wanted us to do that, I’d still be able to see her! And maybe figure out just how much Cozy Glow is actually in there!

I run at the ball with my tongue streaming out the right side of my mouth, all set to give it another power kick! I hit it with my right forehoof and sent it flying maybe 30 feet in front of me! “I’m getting stronger!” I whisper to myself…

Suddenly, I hear feathers fluttering to my right…

I turn my head there to see a smiling pink pegasus filly with her neck craned slightly left my way as her wings lower to her sides… “So, ready to get the squad back together?”

I widen my eyes at this filly, “Don’t you ever listen to the rules?”

She smiles and chuckles slightly, “Little, I think we’re way past that phase!” she nods. “But I did bring a joint and I wanted to talk!”

And for the third time that day, I repeat those two simple ominous words, “Oh, gosh!”

She reaches into her right saddlebag with her head and comes back up to stare at me with a joint in her mouth before using her right forehoof to raise a red plastic hoof lighter to her mouth to ignite it… I see the flame move towards the front of the joint to catch fire as she inhales… She puts the lighter back in her left saddlebag and takes the joint out to exhale a cloud of smoke before staring at me, “So, what’s up?”

I blink at her, “Y-you look so much like her! You both talk the same and you’re both very smart!”

She exhales another cloud of smoke and takes the joint out with the same hoof, “You mean Cozy Glow?”

I nod, “Y-yeah… But you’re not her! You’re not the same!”

She frowns at me and says, “Well, golly gee, I guess two thousand years in stone will do that to you?” before bringing the joint back to her face for another drag…

I nod again, “I guess so? Uh, “I blink. “So I guess this means, we get to start over?”

She exhales smoke to my right side and turns to face me as she smiles, “I guess so Little Snack! Uh, “she blinks. “I’d like that!”

I frown, “But what about Hitch?”

She smiles wider, “Oh, don’t you worry about that! I have my ways!” before bringing the joint back into her mouth…

(To be continued...)

Chapter 29: Intermission

I stare up at the sky with the burning stogie in my mouth on the left as I try to make out constellations as my vision fades in and out and I see the white lights of the twinkling stars form new shapes in my view as the earth pony continues to talk to me…

“Okay, so I guess you came from Cozy Glow, then?”

I inhale on the burning joint inside my mouth and feel the warm smoke travel down my throat and into my lungs… I hold the hit in as the lights above me continue to shine and I lay on my back… I just know she’s waiting for me to exhale and I’m just hoping I’ll have something to say to her when I finally do… I eventually exhale a cloud of smoke overhead and honestly reply, “I don’t know…”

“Wait! Twinkle? What do you mean, you don’t know?”

I sigh and bring the joint to my mouth again with my right forehoof, “I’m saying, I truly don’t know Little… That was a long time ago and I can’t really remember anymore… It kinda hurts when I try, actually!”

Little is silent for a moment, “Wait, what do you mean, hurts?”

“Well, I feel a sharp gnawing pain in the back of my mind, now! Almost as if I’m not supposed to go there? I always feel uncomfortable and I sometimes get a sinking feeling in my stomach… It’s hard to describe, but I really don’t like trying to remember anymore…” I say before pursing my lips to inhale another warm draw…*

Little is laying on her back staring into space on my left as she says, “Well uh, I’m sorry…”

I exhale smoke and ask, “For what?” before drawing again...

“That must be hard? Not remembering and stuff? I mean, that’s gotta suck!”

I giggle slightly, “Well, you get used to it!” before taking another drag as I feel warm ashes falling onto my chest fluff…

Little is silent for a moment, “So, it’s not a big deal, anymore?”

I exhale smoke and feel the drugs beginning to relax my mind as they seep in, “Gee, Little Snack! I’ve learned to cope! Give me more credit than that!” I say before pursing my lips on the half-joint to take another warm draw… My small pink body finally begins to relax and I feel tension being released from my shoulders…

“I-I’m sorry!” Little apologizes again as I exhale smoke and consider this in my mind… I then draw another hot intake down into my lungs and think carefully as I want more time now…

This filly remembers me as a good version of Cozy Glow, and yet, here I am! I’m still good, I realize, but I’m starting to wonder what the differences are? Ugh! This is so weird because this isn’t even the right dimension! I finally exhale a cloud of smoke overhead and ask, “Didn’t we agree earlier to start over?”

Little giggles, “Oh, yeah! That’s right! We did, didn’t we! Uh, won’t Izzy be worried about you, since you’re not over there?”

I giggle slightly, “I got a decoy! She won’t know the difference! I’ll just take a nap later in the morning after she starts crafting…” I say before pursing my lips…

“You’re both very sneaky, like that!”

I exhale, “Well, golly gee! We are the same filly! Well, sorta?” before taking the nub out of my mouth, moving my right hoof to my left side to snuff it out on the ground and stashing it for later in my chest floof…

“Well, she knows me and you don’t!”

I widen my eyes as they begin to focus on the starry sky above me, “Well, I know you exist?”

“Exactly! You just know the basics!”

“You know, hanging out with me is how I’ll get to know you better, right?”

I hear a small scratching in the grass to my left, “How? Hitch says we can’t be together anymore!”

“Hitch says a lot of things, Little Snack…”

Little is silent for a moment again, “You just don’t care, do you?”

I giggle, “Nope! And you’ll stop caring real fast if you want me to get to know you!”

Little is quiet before slowly saying, “Oh, gosh!”

I sigh again and begin to get up and adjust my body towards the earth filly as she does the same… I take note of the tree stump on my right on the hillside as I stare into her green eyes in the dim light of late night lights of Maretime Bay in the distance behind her, smile at her and say, “I’ll see you later, okay friend?”

Little smiles nervously and looks down to the right, “Yeah, it’s getting pretty late! I’d better head in now! You be safe uh, Twinkle Shine!”

I take two paces towards her and embrace her in a hug over my right shoulder as I whisper in her floppy left ear, “It’s gonna be okay, Little Snack… I promise!” before disengaging and turning my body northwest towards Bridlewood, squatting and taking off as my wings begin flapping and I feel the cool night breeze on my face and in my mane as I begin soaring over the darkened countryside…

I see hills and lush patches of vegetation in the darkness as I fly over the terrain and think to myself… Well, I got Little Snack to see that I’m not her enemy and now, I need only wait for Hitch to cool off before dealing with him again… And I got two roaches in my floof for later!

I land and climb up into my open window and am careful to gently land on the floor before standing up on my hooves and trotting to the light switch on the wall…

Later, I’m holding the lighter over the red metal pipe as it sits in my right forehoof and I squeeze my clefts together to ignite the flame… I inhale to bring the fire into the bowl, where it catches the two roaches sitting there, side by side where it ignites the paper and the herb underneath and I inhale and taste warm earthy smoke in my mouth once more as it makes its way to the back of my mouth…

Suddenly, my doorknob glows azure blue and it opens inward to the left to reveal an angry looking fluffy blue unicorn there who says in indignation “You went to go see Little Snack tonight, didn’t you?”

I exhale smoke before me and turn my head right to face the unicorn before smiling widely, “Why, what makes you say that, dear sweet mother?”

Izzy frowns, “Well, the pile of plushies you left to look like you were sleeping under the covers was a dead giveaway that you weren’t home! And so, where would you go that you wouldn’t want me to know about?” She raises her left eyebrow.

I sigh, “Well, if you must know, I was out at Smoke Stack’s, buying some more devil weed!” I motion my head towards the softball sized baggy at my left, “I got it right there, if you wanna blaze, mommy?”

Izzy corrects her mouth and blinks, “Well uh, okay! I know you smoke, so you know it’s okay to go to your dealer’s, right? Just don’t get caught on the street!”

I smile widely again, “You and I both know I can get out of that one!”

She smiles and nods as she snickers slightly, “Well, right!” she sighs. “I’ll roll us a king joint!”

<*****>

So a few minutes later, I see the fluffy blue unicorn with the long joint in her snout and glowing purple disposable lighter at the front, ready to strike and ignite it… I understand my situation is precarious, because I know I need for her to wait before calling Hitch about Little Snack, but I also know I can’t let her know just how well I’ve planned this out… And I certainly can’t let her know we’re still talking!

Before lighting, she says, “So uh, how you doing being Little Snack-less?” before firing the lighter and inhaling to bring the flame to the end…

I pout and throw my right forehoof out while saying disgruntled, “Golly, it sure is rotten that I can’t go to see poor Little Snack! I mean, she seemed like a nice filly and I sure wish I coulda got to know her better!”

Izzy exhales a cloud of smoke before her out her snout before saying out the right corner of her mouth, “Cut the bullshit, Twinkle! I know you better than that, you silly filly!” before clamping to take her second drag…

I chuckle nervously, “He he, yeah I guess you do, huh? Well, the truth is, she seemed really interested in getting to know me before the whole bank thing and I think Hitch is just acting too rashly, you know?”

Izzy exhales from her snout again, “You believe he’s overreacting then, correct Twinkle Sama?”

I raise my cleft as I know what happens next as the burning joint floats my way in an azure glow, “Well, golly yeah! I mean, we did protect other ponies!” before catching it and bringing it to my mouth to inhale…

Izzy smiles, “So Hitch feels like you fillies displaced him as protector of Maretime Bay! I mean,“her eyes raise, “somewhere in that noggin of his, he does?” she looks back at me. “Probably shouldn’t say that to him, though?”

I giggle slightly while letting smoke pour out of my mouth and stare at the unicorn, “Yeah! He wouldn’t like that!” before bringing the joint back to it with my right hoof…

Izzy continues, “Well, golly gee! You know, we probably need to at least get you two talking again, so Hitch can see this isn’t such a bad thing?”

I stutter-giggle as I exhale smoke in an extremely awkward fashion before looking at her, “Did you just say, golly gee?”

She grins wider, “I didn’t say, golly gee! Your mom said golly gee!”

She begins to giggle as I inhale to make the cherry glow and think to myself, she just gets weirder and weirder! as the ramifications of what she said dawn on me… I finally exhale smoke from my mouth and start as I say, “Hey! You are my mom!”

She smiles warmly, “I love you so much!”

<*****>

(One hour later…)

I stare at the blue unicorn while we both stand in Misty’s room, while the darker blue unicorn foal looks on from my left, “Mom, since when did you become a rule-breaker?”

She smiles and says, “Well, I’m not technically breaking any rules, here! I mean, Hitch didn’t actually say that you couldn’t send letters to Little Snack, now did he?”

I narrow my eyes, “You know? I think no more contact kinda implies that?”

She giggles, “Well, how do we know that’s what the rule actually meant, though? I mean, how can we know exactlywhat it means?”

I’m silent for a moment… “We’re both going to Tartarus, you know that?”

Izzy giggles back at me, “Well, Pony Satan has good dope!” before staring at Misty on her right who widens her eyes at the other unicorn. “Okay, so you know the plan, right? Give the letter to Little Snack, but do not let Hitch know you’re doing it!”

Misty narrows her eyes, “Isn’t this kinda under-hooved?”

Izzy widens her eyes, “Well, not technically! I mean, Hitch didn’t explicitly say that we were to let him know about clandestine communications, now did he?”

Misty turns her neck right towards me and nods, “Yeah! We’re definitely going to Tartarus!”

I stare up at Izzy with wide curious eyes… “Um, Izzy! Will you be reading this?”

She turns to me and widens her cherry eyes, “What? No! Of course not! This is private, between just you and Little Snack! I’d never do that, sweetie!”

And at that moment, I finally did the impossible… I actually believed her!

(One hour later, I write down...)

Dear, Little Snack

Meet me at the tree stump north of Maretime Bay at 7 in two days time. We need to get Hitch to change his mind.

Sincerely,

Twinkle Shine

<*****>

(The next morning...)

I see the orange earth filly next to her disheveled bed with its green blankets thrown over and various toys all over the room floor… She widens her eyes as she holds the piece of paper in her right forehoof, “You know, I don’t even wanna say gosh anymore! Oh, golly! Um, “she looks up at me. “Can you keep a secret?”

I smile as I’m not sure how to answer that immediately and start when I realize there was a golly in what she just said, “Uh, y-yeah Little Snack! What is it?”

Little sighs and looks at me with her green eyes, “I’ve been talking to Twinkle Shine behind Hitch and everypony’s back…” and blinks…

I widen my eyes, “Oh, I already knew that!” and lie through my teeth!

Little enlarges her pupils, “Oh, great! Now, you just need to explain that to Twinkle Shine when I meet her in two days! That way, we can all work on a plan to change Hitch’s mind!”

I frown when I suddenly wonder what I’ve gotten myself into…

<*****>

(Two hours after that…)

I timidly wrap on the red door with my right forehoof, TAP TAP TAP!

“Come in!” I hear a familiar squeaky voice say from the other side…

I widen my eyes and use blue magick to open the door inward to the left and cautiously begin trotting into the danger zone…

I see Twinkle there on her haunches with her back laid against a pillow and a blue book wedged in her hind hooves as she reads it… She looks up at me, “Oh, hiya Misty! What’s happening?”

I stare directly at her and say, “I know you’ve been talking to Little Snack…”

Her eyes widen, “Oh, that’s just swell Misty!”

I frown, “It is?”

She nods, “Yup! Cause now you get to meet us at the stump later and we get to make a plan!”

My eyes widen when I realize that I’m in deeper now! “What?”

<*****>

(Two days later...)

I sigh as I wonder what all of my friends are up to? I stare down at my new journal that Sunny got for me. She said it would be good for me to write down my thoughts… I write:

Dear, journal

It’s been days now and I still haven’t seen Twinkle Shine or Little Snack. I’m starting to wonder what they’re up to, but Misty did just stop by and tell me that everything was gonna be fine and so that just makes me wonder even more! I think I should go see Little Snack after dinner!

(1 hour later)

I’m trotting towards Hitch’s house as I know that’s where Little Snack is now staying… I approach the blue rectangular building and I can’t help but notice a small orange earth filly climbing out the window behind it! I quickly trot around the right side to see Little Snack there, landing on her hooves with a small grunt to my left and she immediately starts and turns her head right to see me there maybe 10 feet from her as we both stood behind the building… “Uh, hiya Jessi! What’s happening?”

I turn my neck towards her and smile, “You’re gonna go see Twinkle Shine, aren’t you?”

She gulps, “Well, kinda, yeah?”

I giggle, “Alright Little! Lead the way! Let’s go see Twinkle Shine!”

I faintly hear her say, “Oh, golly!” under her breath…

I widen my eyes, “What was that, Little?”

Her eyes enlarge all the way, “Uh, nothing! Twinkle Shine! Yes! We need to go see Twinkle Shine right now!”

(10 minutes after that…)

We’re both trotting out the North gate to Maretime Bay and we both travel underneath the rusty metal awning as I stare at the orange earth filly trotting on my right, “So uh, you ready?”

She quietly responds, “Ready for what?” while staring blankly ahead as we trot…

We’re both trotting along the dirt path out of town and neither of us really see any ponies as the sun sets on our right to throw cascades of orange light across the side of our vision and I avert my gaze forward, “To see Twinkle Shine?”

She starts and says, “Sure!” before adding, “Oh, golly!” under her breath…

I ponder on this for a moment as we continue to trot and we see a wooden four-wheeled cart pulled by a gruff looking brown stallion pass us on the left as we continue to head north, “You got Twinkle Shine on your brain a lot, don’t you?”

She giggles slightly, “That obvious, huh?”

“Yeah, kinda!”

She sighs, “Well, she’s so much like um, that other filly I used to know and I really want to hang out and get to know her, you know? But well, Hitch said I’m not supposed to and now I’m doing this behind his back…”

“Are you nervous?”

She sighs, “That obvious?”

I’m silent for a moment… “You’re not very good at hiding your emotions…”

We begin to travel up a hillside and I wonder what’s on the other side as Little admits, “Well, not really, no!”

We’re almost at the crest before I finally reassure her, “Well, that’s okay too Little Snack! We’ll get you all sorted out!”

And as we reach the top, we both see a small pink pegasus filly on the other side standing to the left of a dark blue unicorn on the other side of a tree stump as she stands on three hooves and puffs a joint with her right forehoof… Misty turns her green eyes to us as Twinkle exhales smoke before her and to our left before turning her head to us, “Oh golly, that’s just swell! That Squad is all here!”

We stop just 10 feet shy of her as I once again hear the earth filly on my right mumble, “Oh, golly!”

<*****>

(Meanwhile…)

I can tell this unicorn came to talk about Twinkle Shine and Little Snack… Although I’m now wondering what this strange herbal tea is that I’m now sipping with her. It has a very flowery taste and the honey gives it a nice balanced flavor… I sip the tea with my magick once more while staring into her red eyes as she says, “Twinkle Shine really wants to play with Little Snack, but now we need to get Hitch to see that that’s okay!”

I nod, “Well, obviously!” when I can’t help but notice a faint smirk on the fluffy unicorn’s face…

She nods as well, “Okay, so how are we gonna do that?”

I frown, “I’m not sure? I mean, Hitch believes Twinkle is dangerous, right?”

Izzy sighs to the side, “Yeah…”

“So shouldn’t we get him to change his mind?”

Izzy looks up at me and smiles again faintly, “Right! Change his mind…”

I eye this strange unicorn carefully and eventually say, “Izzy! Are you okay? You’re acting kinda weird.”

She adjusts her crimson gaze to me and says in all sincerity with a straight face, “Well, I’m better now that you’re here…”

I frown again, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She smiles warmly at me and takes two paces towards me and stops a mere few inches from my face and I can now feel her warm breath on my neck as she says, “It would probably be better if I just showed you?” before kissing me tenderly on my lips…

(To be continued…)

Author's Note

*I truly don’t know if that’s typical or not, but whenever I try to think back to my life before now and my transition, it does kinda hurt in my mind and what little I can recall just continues to get blurrier and blurrier… By this stage, I’m convinced that for whatever reason, those memories have to leave and I’ll be left here, a hollow shell… Dark confession: I often don’t feel “complete” or like I’m a “whole person” anymore, because of my amnesia… At the same time, I can think of many good reasons to forget, so it’s dubious at best… My childhood is so far away and I feel like I lost valuable pieces of myself…

Chapter 30: The Next Morning

The unicorn withdraws her face and smiles at me while keeping my face firmly in her view with those sparkling red eyes of hers… I blink, “What did you just do?”

She starts and smiles brightly at me, “I kissed you!”

I keep my mouth agape as I wonder exactly what that means… “Why?”

She moves her head back slightly with that perky cheerful smile of hers, “Because I like you!”

I can only stutter, “I...I like you too, Izzy! But I wouldn’t kiss you!”

She frowns, “AWWW! Why not? I liked kissing you!”

I grimace hard at this fluffy horned pony before what she just did actually begins to hit me… “You like me?”

Her mouth normalizes and she nods, “Mhm! I like you and want to be with you, Sunny Chan!”

My face begins to go back to normal, “I uh, you what?”

She smiles and giggles silently, “Yup! I love you, Sunny Starscout!”

I blink and shake my head, “WHAT?”

Her smile beams brighter as she says, “Yup! I love you!”’

I finally decide not to repeat myself as I glare back at this insane pony, “Uh, w-why?”

She continues smiling as she nods, “Well uh, you have a great personality and you’re fun to talk to and I bet you’re a terrific snuggler and a great companion and well, you got this smile that I really like and this cute glare in your eyes when you get all idealistic and just that awesome way you can just throw your wings up before you take off! I think that’s really cool! And…”

I cut her off, “Okay! I get it! I’m awesome and amazing! Right! Uh…” I stare at her carefully. “you’re a lesbian!”

Her eyes widen, “Well, yeah! That’s what it’s usually called when a female pony likes other mares! I am a lesbian! Yes!” and she nods.

I’m silent for a moment… “And you like me!”

Her eyes dart up, “Didn’t I already say that?” then back to me as she gleefully continues. “Yup! I like you, Sunny Starscout!”

I blink as I attempt in vain to process all of this and exactly what just happened… I stare at her smiling, pretty face and feel something unique at that point… I feel like I don’t want to disappoint her… I feel like, perhaps I should at least give it a shot? I look at her and say, “What?” before wondering why I just repeated myself?

Izzy glares at me with wide eyes and says mechanically with an even voice, “Yes, Command? I don’t think the target got the message? I believe we need to use more penetration?” as she furrows her brows and takes another pace to me with her forehoof to plant her lips on mine… Much closer now...

This time, it’s different… I stare into her crimson gaze and notice that it’s closing as I feel the warmth of her body near mine, and I can’t help but think that there might’ve been something I overlooked earlier, by this stage?

She withdraws her lips and I feel her warm breath on my muzzle as she whispers, “So uh, whaddaya say, new friend?”

By this point, my defenses have been breached and I can only smile and giggle before saying lightly, “You are such a lunatic, you know that?”

She moves her muzzle closer to mine for a nuzzle as she whispers, “I get that a lot!”

I can’t really say anything anymore… I can only counter-nuzzle and smile while suppressing giggles at this mad unicorn… Izzy had gotten through…

<*****>

I open the station door early in the morning at 5, before the sun begins to peak up in the east and I trot inside to lay down my saddlebags, before turning on the switch on my right through the door, to make the overhead light begin to shine and then, I head to the kitchenette area to make coffee…

Suddenly, before I can turn on the light, there’s an eerie fog that seeps in through the windows and into the room! A bright blue light from somewhere quickly glows on the dark filly on the other side of the room, near the coffee maker!

I see her coat is a bluish shade of midnight black and her the two long pigtails of her mane, white as a sheet! She looks at me and says with wide green eyes, “I am Nightmare Snack! Evil energy from the moon was able to infect me and make me evil, just like in the old legends! Yes! I was able to get in because I never had any close friends, like Twinkle Shine! BLEH!”

By this point, I can barely suppress my giggles and smirk as I look at this adorable filly pretending to be evil, “Little Snack! What the hay are you doing?” before moving my right forehoof to the wall to make the lights glow overhead…

The eerie light stops and the fog begins to dissipate as she looks at me wide eyed in the light, as she tries to stammer out, “N-no! I am no longer Little Snack! I’m Nightmare Snack and I’m evil! RAWR!” as her body shakes angrily at me…

I’m probably grinning wider now as I giggle under my breath, “Knock it off Little Snack!”

She stares at me wide-eyed, “I’m evil! GRR!”

I giggle slightly more, “Talking to Twinkle Shine is THAT important to you, isn’t it squirt?”

She blinks at me and eagerly nods her head, “Oh, yes! Yes sir! I REALLY wanted to get to know her and find out how much she’s like Cozy Glow from beforebecause well, I like her…” she blinks again. “She’s one of the last links I have to home…”

It suddenly occurs to me that this little orange filly has some sort of connection to Twinkle Shine? I can only sigh and finally say, “I guess Twinkle is special?”

She begins to smile, “Well, kinda, yeah! I mean, she’s really all I have left...”

I sigh at the dark filly and smile, “I guess I was kinda hasty to say you two couldn’t hang out?” my brow furrows. “But no more time without adult supervision!”

She beams a happy grin and bounces while shouting, “HOORAY!”

I sigh, “Now, let me go make coffee and I’ll get this new day underway!”

She gazes at me, “Uh, Hitch?”

I smile at the filly, “Yeah, Little Snack?”

She’s silent before saying, “Can we get something to eat? I’m hungry!”

I giggle, “You’re always hungry!”

She frowns, “No, I’m not! Sometimes I’m asleep!”

<*****>

I widen my eyes as I see the earth stallion and filly there through the window and think, If anypony could ever weaponize cuteness, it would be Twinkle Shine! Before getting off the crate I was standing on and beginning to trot back to Sunny’s where I’m staying and my friends are waiting…

I think about the fog effects and the creepy light I just made and remember what Twinkle said...

As I gallop and close in on the orange shack where Sunny lives in the early morning darkness, I think to myself about this ploy… And then as I open the door to the right with my magick, I trot in and think it’s so odd that Izzy stayed the night when she never said she was going to do that?

I eventually open the big blue door to my right and trot in my room to see the dark blue unicorn on the floor to the left and the pink pegasus filly on the right who looks to me and asks, “Well, how did it go?”

I say to her officially, “Well, Hitch saw right through it and didn’t believe she was evil for a second! He thought it was adorable!”

Twinkle grins, “Excellent!” her mouth normalizes. “But what did he say about Little Snack and me?”

I nod and stare at the pink filly, “You’re now allowed to hang out with adult supervision!”

Twinkle smiles brighter and nods, “I can work with that! I just need to get rid of them and we’re in business!”

I blink, “So, you didn’t want this to succeed?”

Twinkle giggles, “Of course not! I wanted Hitch to see right through it! What I wanted him to see was cuteness! If you’re cute, adults let you get away with a lot of things!”

I widen my eyes, “Oh, wow!”

She giggles silently, “Yeah! Just don’t get caught trying to take over Equestria! Trust me on this! It doesn’t matter how cute you are at that point!” before turning her body right to Misty. “Misty!”

Misty turns her neck and widens her eyes at Twinkle, “Yes?”

Twinkle nods, “Misty! Take a letter to Little Snack! Tell her she did a good job and to meet me at the stump in two days at 7, after dinner!” she sighs. “I just don’t know how long me and Izzy will be here?”

<*****>

(2 hours later...)

I hold the orange alicorn from behind and feel her fluffy shimmery wings against my body as I hold her lovingly and then feel her warm torso to mine as I whisper in her right ear, “Hey, Sunny!”

She whispers back, “Yeah, Izzy?”

“Can we stay like this forever? I love holding you!”

She giggles and whispers back, “I think our fillies might get concerned?”

I smile down at the back of her head and say, “Yeah! I’m sure Jessi, Misty, and Twinkle would all get along well here in my house…”

“Whoa! Slow down there, Turbo! We haven’t even been on a date yet!”

I giggle, “Yeah! I just keep thinking about life with you, though?”

She’s silent for a moment, “How long have you been thinking about this?”

I frown, “Oh, not too long? Only about eighteen months.”

“Wow! Izzy! You’ve had a thing for me?”

I smile and giggle as I’m now caught, “Yeah! Ever since I first met you in Maretime Bay all that time ago! There was always something about your smile that I liked…” before nuzzling the nape of her neck with my muzzle…

“He he! Stop it! That tickles!” She chortles.

“Oh why don’t you make me Miss Alicorn-Pants! He he he!” I say before nuzzling her some more and saying slowly. “Nuzzle! Nuzzle! Nuzzle!”

She continues to giggle and chortle, “You goofball jerk! He he he!”

Suddenly, there’s a knock on the door to Sunny’s room! I look up from where I’m still holding Sunny in my forehooves and say, “Come in!”

The door opens to reveal a small pink pegasus filly standing there… She looks at us with wide auburn eyes and says, “Uh, mom! You’re snuggling Sunny!”

I can’t help but think that this is actually a lot more awkward than I first thought it would be as I stare at the filly over my left shoulder and say, “Yes, Twinkle Shine! I certainly am!”

She frowns and stops a moment before finally asking point blank, “Are you two lesbians now?”

Sunny says from within my hooves at my front, “Twinkle! We just discovered things about ourselves and we’re coming to terms with that! Go outside with your friends and we’ll be there in a few minutes!”

“Oh, golly! Um, it’s fine if you are lesbians! I mean, I think it’s kinda cute! He he!” The filly says before shutting the door again with her right forehoof…

Another moment passes before Sunny says, “We got fillies now, don’t we?”

I nod, “Yes we do!”

“And we need to explain this to them now, don’t we?”

I nod again, “This is also true!”

“UGH!” She loudly groans and I can almost feel her eyes rolling at this point…

<*****>

I stare at the three fillies as Izzy stands at my right in the living room… Izzy’s blue couch is just beyond them, near the window… I suddenly wonder where the green couch from earlier went when I gaze at the fillies and say, “So, Izzy decided that she liked me and so now we’re going to try being in a relationship together!”

Jessi excitedly squeaks from the left, “Wow! They’re lesbians!”

Twinkle nods from her hooves in the center, just before the coffee table, “Told you!”

Misty beams from the right as she looks at both of us with wide interested eyes, “So uh, have you two kissed yet?”

Jessi gazes up at us, “Yeah! I mean, just how far have you two gone?”

Twinkle rolls her eyes, “Oh, golly!”

Izzy gazes at me from the right, “They’re taking it very well!”

My eyes go skyward as I groan again, “Ugh!” then back to the fillies. “Izzy confessed to me and kissed me already!”

Izzy snaps up, “Twice!”

I blink, “Uh, yes! Izzy has kissed me two times already!”

At that point, all three fillies say in unison, “AAAWWWWWW!!!!!”

I avert my gaze back right to the fluffy unicorn, “This is actually a lot more annoying than I thought it would be!”

She grins and giggles, “I love you, Sunny!” before leaning 8 inches at her side to chance a nuzzle…

I smile and giggle slightly as I say lowly, “Stop it! The fillies are watching!”

And together, all three fillies once again say, “AAAWWWWW!!!!!”

Jessi squeaks, “I think it’s cute!”

Misty chirps up, “Definitely!”

Twinkle rolls her eyes and repeats herself, “Oh, golly!”

I stare up at Izzy, “Okay, let's get this over with before this gets any worse! You make coffee and I’ll get breakfast!”

Izzy blinks, “Well, the fillies usually drink juice?”

Jessi chimes in, “I drink coffee!”

Izzy nods and says, “Okay! Aside from Jessi, the fillies usually drink juice!”

“Right! You just go do that now…”

Izzy nods, “Right!” and continues staring at me…

“Uh, Izzy! We’re going to go make breakfast now! Why aren’t you moving?”

Izzy smiles, “Just one thing!” before slowly and lovingly coming near me so I feel her warm breath on my muzzle before she slowly kisses me for a third time…

At that point, my irritation only magnifies as all three fillies once again say together, “AAAAAWWWWW!!!!!”

When Izzy breaks her mouth from mine, she grins at me as I cringe and say, “Fillies!”

Her eyes widen as she says, “What? I like the fillies!”

<*****>

I sit there on my chair, my belly full of the sugary cereal I just ate and I’m a little jumpy by this point as it’s my second cup of coffee. I sit there and quietly vibrate as Hitch continues, “What is it about Twinkle Shine?”

I blink and stare up at the stallion, “She’s just so much like Cozy Glow from earlier and well, Cozy Glow was my first real friend… Now, everything from my old life is gone and Twinkle keeps me connected, you know? She’s like the last piece before it’s all gone!” before grasping the white cup with my forehooves and gulping down some more of the warm caffeinated beverage…

He smiles, “I’m just worried about you, Little… I don’t want you to get hurt!”

I set my cup down and stare at him wide-eyed, “Oh, I’ve been hurt lots of times! I just need to heal and get better!”

He giggles, “Well, that’s not really what I meant, squirt!”

“Hey Hitch?” I ask the stallion…

He widens his brown eyes to me, “Yes Little?”

“You ever wonder what sort of bad guys are gonna capture you later?”

He smiles and chuckles, “Little! Drink your coffee! I got paperwork!”

I smile and reply, “Yes, boss!” before grabbing the coffee mug again for another mighty swig…

(To be continued…)

Chapter 31: The Trap

I sat at the table holding the black smartphone to my right floppy ear in my golden glow while the smaller greener alicorn sat across the table from me, happily sipping her blond coffee and staring at me… It truly was an awkward Monday morning!

Izzy continues speaking on my phone while I roll my eyes, “Yeah, and you’re so funny too! I always liked that about you!”

My eyes narrow, “Geez Izzy! I just wanted to know why you liked me! I didn’t need an entire essay on how great I am!”

She giggles, “Well, that’s just how I feel about you, Sunny!”

“I still think you’re a lunatic!”

“And I still think you have a cute smile! He he!” Izzy giggles…

“I can’t win, can I? It’s impossible!” I say while widening my eyes and I see Jessi suppressing a snicker on the other side of the table.

“Nope!” Izzy cheerfully replies!

“Ugh!” I groan and close my eyes. I open them again. “So uh, what now?”

“I don’t know yet! I didn’t think I’d make it this far!” Izzy says over the phone…

I finally smile and giggle, “What do you mean?”

The phone is silent for a moment, “Well, I didn’t think you’d actually WANT to be with me and assumed you’d say no…”

I frown, “What makes you say that?”

“Well, there’s the whole lesbian thing and the fact that we live in different towns and well, I didn’t think you’d want to risk what we already had by going further, but well, I kinda um, kissed you and here we are!”

“Why did you kiss me?”

“Well, duh! Because I like you, silly!” Izzy quickly responds…

“But uh…”

I think she sensed what I was feeling because at that moment, she cut me off and says, “Oh, don’t worry about it, Sunny! I wanted you and I got you! Nothing bad happened!”

I begin to smile faintly, “Yeah…”

“Something wrong, hun-baby?”

I widen my eyes and normalize my mouth, “Oh, nothing Izzy!”

I think she’s smiling as she replies, “Okay, babe-honey! Hey, I need to get to work on my project now! I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

I smile warmly at the phone as the other alicorn takes another sip of coffee with her magick, “I’ll talk to you later…” I widen my eyes. “I love you!”

“AWW! I love you too, hun-baby-honey-babe!” And then, I hear a click and the phone is silent as the green filly on the other side of the table grins at me widely…

She narrows her eyes and stares at me, “I heard what she called you…”

I set the phone on the table with my magick and stare at the filly, “So?”

She smiles wider and says whimsically, “It’s SWEET!”

I frown at her, “Have you eaten yet?”

Her eyes widen, “Oh, I had a bowl of cereal when Izzy first called you! I uh, didn’t want to interrupt!”

I nod, “Okay, that’s good! Ready to fly to school now?”

She nods and stares up at me with wide orange eyes, “Oh, yeah mom! I packed everything up while you and Izzy were talking about how much you love each other! He he!” she chuckles.

I narrow my eyes at the filly, “Uh, great! You run along now, Jessi!”

She snickers at me, “I think it’s cute!”

My eyes go to the ceiling, “I know you do! Now get out of here!”

She suppresses more snickering, “I love you, mom!”

My eyes go back to her, “I love you too, honey!”

She gets off her chair and trots around the table to hug me from my right and then, I hear the clacking of her hooves as she trots into the living room behind me…”

I sigh as I stare down at the icons on my screen, “What am I going to do with you?”

<*****>

I hear Izzy getting done with her mush conversation on her sparkly phone in the other room, and so, I take a final puff of my wake n bake joint before setting it back into the ashtray, knowing I need to head to school soon! I exhale a cloud of smoke in front of me and think that it’s almost time… I snuff out the nub making sure to save a few drags for later… Just in case as always…

I put on my saddlebags and trot out into the hallway and turn left to head towards the dimly lit foyer…

I notice the room is a bit sparklier now and I can only assume that Izzy had been making changes as I see her set down her Bluetooth earpiece onto the table and turn around to begin trotting away from me as she continues to happily hum to herself…

“Uh, mom!” I call out with my neck raised and eyes wide at this strange horned pony…

She turns her body to me and widens her red eyes from 20 feet away, “Oh, honey! You need to eat right quick before heading to school and pack your bags and…”

I cut her off while raising my right forehoof and tilting my head down, “I had a honey bun while you were romancing Sunny over the phone!” I lower it and look at her. “So, what are you gonna do now?”

Her eyes widen completely, “You know, everypony keeps asking me that! I don’t know? I’m just gonna play it by ear!”

“You know, she just now learned you have a crush on her… You should do something big so she knows it’s real…”

Her eyes brighten up as she smiles, “Oh goody! Time to get creative!”

I chuckle silently, “Okay mom! Let me get home from school, eat a snack, and puff a quick bowl! Then, we’re getting to work!”

She smiles warmly at me, “You wanna do something creative with me…”

My eyes widen when I suddenly realize the ramifications of what I had just said, “Well uh, yeah mom! It’s for you and Sunny!”

“You want me to be in love with Sunny!”

Oh, golly! Is that true? Do I really want my um, mother to have love? I think as I widen my eyes before stammering, “Uh, of course I do mom! I love you and want you to have uh, romance! Right! Romance and love and uh, happiness with being together with another pony, uh, right! Who happens to be a mare! Because apparently you’re a lesbian! Yes! Of course!” and then, smiling widely…

She grins whimsically and chuckles, “You didn’t think this through, did you?”

I frown when I realize I’m caught! “Um, of course I did! I am very calculating! This is all part of a ploy to make you uh, want to love Sunny more! Yes! Uh,” I blink as I’m not really sure where I’m going with this, “because you deserve to be happy… Yes!” before smiling again…

She smiles at me and I can already tell that the lie did not work at all and suddenly think that I really need to stop smoking immediately before heading out here! “Get your flanks to school, kiddo!”

I widen my eyes as I see my exit and reply cheerfully, “Yes ma’am!” and trot to her for a loving embrace before I begin the rest of my day…

<*****>

“Well, the mare who was taking care of me finally confessed that they weren’t my real parents… That they just randomly found me…” I sigh as I look down. “I don’t know why we have to talk about this now?”

Hitch sighs himself from behind his big wooden desk, “I just want to get the facts straight, squirt! You just saw a flash of light and then, you were in Twinkle Shine’s room?”

I widen my eyes at the stallion and nod, “Well, right! I was thinking about that field though… About all the times I used to play there and what that means now…”

He stares at me and widens his eyes, “What do you mean?”

I stare up at him, “Well, I played there when I thought they were my parents because I felt that’s where I belonged… But now, I realize that I never belonged there…”

He smiles at me, “Well, you belong here with me now, squirt… And maybe you belonged there once upon a time, but realized that wasn’t your place? Or maybe it’s based on the time of your life?”

I frown, “Huh?”

He nods, “Well, sure! I mean, you thought they were your parents, right?”

I blink, “Well, yeah!”

He leans towards me, “But they weren’t!”

“Well, no, not really…”

He looks at me in the eyes, “But they did take care of you, right?”

I sigh, “Well, mostly? I didn’t really get a lot of advice or guidance from er, the stallion and all the mare ever did was cook and clean… Not much for talking either…”

His mouth straightens, “But you’re not there anymore…”

I blink again, “Well, no! I’m with you now!”

He smiles, “Right! And we’re gonna take care of you!”

I eye this yellow stallion very carefully, “So, you’ll feed me and house me and help take care of me and help me when I have problems?”

He nods, “Of course!”

I stare at him carefully as I think about how to say this, “So, would that make you my dad, then?”

His eyes widen, “Oh, no! I’m more of a, uh, male caretaker than a father! Yes!”

I blink, “But isn’t caring for foals and helping them what dads do?”

He frowns, “Well uh, I think so?”

My eyes widen, “What do you mean, you think so? You act like you don’t know.”

His eyes go downward, “Well, if you must know, my father was never really around for me… He was always so busy protecting the citizens of Maretime Bay that I rarely ever saw him! My mother actually raised me, for the most part!”

I stare blankly at this stallion before saying, “Great! My dad doesn’t know what he’s doing!”

He raises his gaze to me, “But I never agreed to be your father?”

I widen my eyes, “So, you’re feeding and housing me, right?”

His eyes soften, “Well, yeah!”

I nod, “And you said you’ll help me with any problems I have and talk to me, right?”

He frowns, “Well, this is also true!”

I nod again, “Right! So you’re a dad, now!”

He eyes me carefully… “Little Snack! Do you want me to be your dad?”

I stare back at him and ponder on this as I didn’t think about that earlier, “Um, do you want to be my dad?”

He finally breaks down and silently giggles before smiling warmly at me… “I love you daughter!”

I widen my eyes at the yellow stallion as what he just said begins to be realized in my mind… I say the only thing I can at that point while my little orange body vibrates, “HOORAY!”

<*****>

“Honestly, I’m just glad we got a chance to get away from the fillies! I love them all to death, but I really wanted some time alone with you, you know?” I hear Sunny say as I see my adopted daughter flying in the air behind her… She stops a few feet behind Sunny and stares at me with enlarged pupils!

I stop and stare wide eyed at the pink pegasus filly floating in the air behind her and motion to the open pasture at my right with my head at her…

She floats with her little wings and smiles before nodding at me and winking with her right eye and then, turns left to begin flying out to the open pastures on my right here at this cafe on the edge of Maretime Bay…

I see her flying away from me in my periphery on the right as Sunny widens her cerulean gaze at me and asks, “Uh, are you okay, Izzy?”

I smile, “Oh, I’m just fine darling!”

She sighs, “Pet names! I’m still not used to that!”

I suddenly think it’s my moment to strike, and I decide to ask, “So, do you like it?”

She smiles at me, “Y-yeah… I think I do?”

“But?”

Her eyes widen as her smile lowers, “But what?”

I lower my view, “I like your butt!”

“We weren’t talking about my butt!”

I widen my eyes and look up at her, “Well, you brought it up!”

“N-no I didn’t! Izzy! Stop messing with me!” She growls as I smile and snicker at her!

I raise my head again, “So, you like pet names, then?”

She shakes her head and puts her view on me, “Y-yeah Izzy! I think I do! It’s just that, well, I never thought of you like that before, and I just don’t know what to think?”

“Perhaps that’s your problem?”

Her eyes widen as her mouth goes agape, “Huh?”

I grin while lowering my gaze with newfound determination, “You’re thinking with your head… You need to ask your heart Sunny Chan… Do you wish to be with me?”

Her eyes soften their gaze as she raises her head, “Do I want to be with you?”

I nod, “Mhm! But on some level you must, because you are here with me, right?”

She nods, “Well, yeah!”

I widen my eyes, “So you wanna be my marefriend!”

Her eyes enlarge again as she exclaims, “I didn’t say that!”

I grin and chuckle, “Well, we’ve been talking over the phone for about a week now and you’ve been very congenial and never once said no or I don’t want to be with you, so what do you think that tells me?”

She smiles faintly, “Yeah, I guess I shouldn’tlead you on like that?”

I frown, “What are you trying to say?”

She normalizes her mouth and eyes me carefully before finally replying, “I uh, I don’t know?”

I soften my face as I say, “Again, you are thinking with your head! Not your heart! What does your heart say?”

She stares at me blankly for another moment... “That I love you…”

I breathe out of my nose, “So, what more do you need?”

“I’ve never been in this sort of relationship before!”

I widen my eyes, “So?”

She breathes out her nose, “I… I’m sorry Izzy! I uh…” she blinks. “I guess I’d be willing to try?”

“Didn’t you already say that?”

She finally cracks a smile, “I uh, guess I did, didn’t I? Guess I shouldn’t go back on my word now?”

I grin with newfound zeal as I got her now! “Well no! You wouldn’t wanna be a dirty liar, now would you?”

She begins to giggle, “Uh, no! No I wouldn’t!”

Suddenly, I see a big poster come down from the awning on my right! It is about 15 feet long and 10 feet tall and it displays a big mural of me and Sunny together inside a colorful pastel mystical forest decorated with purple and pink and orange!

I hear a familiar squeaky voice come from above us, “Now is a good time! I uh, gotta get out of here! You two have fun!” before hearing some clacking above us and I soon see a small pink pegasus filly flying away in the upper section of my view to the right, just above the poster held there by rope…

I stare at Sunny wide-eyed and awkwardly before throwing my forehooves in the air on my seat, “Ta-da!” and smiling at her as wide as I can as I lean slightly to the left!

Suddenly, I hear more clacking on the floor behind me! I turn around to my left and see a small teal green alicorn there, looking up at me with wide burnt orange eyes!

Jessi smiles and says, “It’s okay! You can be my mommy too!” and then takes two more paces towards me and hugging me! I turn my head right back to the bewildered orange alicorn there and smile nervously at her as I wasn’t expecting this! “See? Everything is gonna be just fine!”

At this point, Sunny can no longer keep her composure as she breaks down in hysterical giggling, “You are such a lunatic!”

I lower my smile to more sincere levels, “A lunatic who loves you!”

Her cerulean eyes widen as she stares up at me and I feel the wind make my poster sway and as it blows through her mane to my right as she finally replies, “Well uh, y-yeah! I guess you do! Um…”

I let go of Jessi who goes back to her hooves on my left and she and I both stare at the orange alicorn, “Um, what, sweetie?”

She adjusts her pupils back to me, “Um, I guess I’d be willing to give it a try after all? I mean, if you’ll still have me?”

I smile, “No, Sunny! I spent four hours making a fancy mural with my pegasus daughter because I didn’t want you at all!”

She grins, “Such a lunatic!”

My eyes widen again, “So DENSE!”

She sighs and lowers her shoulders, “Yeah! I guess I have put up some resistance, now, haven’t I?” as Jessi begins trotting towards the edge on my right and she soon willfully falls off of it and I witness her body rising once more into my view as she begins flapping her wings to make her full exit…

I nod, “Yup! And I still made it through! So after dinner, you owe me a make-out session!”

Her eyes widen, “WHAT?”

I smile and giggle, “It’s just so much fun!”

She blinks, “Uh, are we really gonna uh, make-out?”

I start and widen my eyes, “AND play kissy face!”

Her eyes widen as her mouth goes agape, “WHAT?”

I sigh to the left while keeping a big smile on my face and then I look back at her, “Well uh, unless you don’t want to?”

She blinks as she leans forward, “Well, I mean, I wouldn’t be totally opposed to the idea, but uh, I’ve never made out with a mare before!”

My eyes widen, “Well uh, first time for everything?”

She smiles at me slightly, “Well, uh, alright Izzy!” she breathes slowly out of her mouth before adjusting her gaze back to me. “I guess we can try um, making out uh, if you really want to?”

My eyes widen, “Whoa! Can’t believe that actually worked!”

Her eyes widen as well, “What?”

I look back at her, “What?”

She smiles again, “Lunatic!”

I grin as well, “Pretty smile!”

<*****>

I see the pegasus filly standing there in the open field as she puffs her joint with her right forehoof… She exhales a cloud of smoke into the air and asks, “So, you did your part too, huh?”

I nod from about 8 feet away from her as I see the wind lightly blow the tall grass behind her to my right, “Yup! And you dropped the banner I see!”

She stares at me wide-eyed and says mechanically, “That was my job and I did it!” before bringing her joint to her mouth for another drag…

I wait for her to exhale smoke a moment later before finally asking her, “So uh, does this mean we’re gonna be sisters now?”

She nods, “Yup! You, me, and Misty, probably!”

I eye her carefully as she takes another drag from her joint… I eventually ask, “So uh, do you want to be my sister, now?”

<*****>

I trot across the foyer towards the red couch near the door to the kitchen with two warm fuzzy vibrating lumps on my back and I’m careful so as not to wake them! I stop just short of the sofa and lower my head and force my horn to glow baby blue as the two glowing furry masses levitate off my back and onto the couch…

I stare at them as the tabby yawns and stretches out his paw while the other grayer kitten snuggles his head into his friend’s fluffy belly…

I sigh, “Where is everypony?”

I turn my body and finally notice a letter left on the polished wooden coffee table on the other side of the room in front of the green couch! I trot towards it and levitate it in my magick… I quickly notice that it’s upside down and correct it in my view before reading,

Dear, Misty

I went to go get Sunny! Be back soon!

Love,

Izzy

I widen my eyes when I wonder what that means? Get Sunny?

(To be continued...)

Chapter 32: Priority Shift

As I trot next to Twinkle Shine on the road in Bridlewood towards the malt shop on the East side, I looked at her on my right and ask, “Izzy just gave us bits to get rid of us so she and Sunny could be alone together, didn’t she?”

She continues facing forward as she nods and mechanically replies, “That is correct!, Misty.”

I’m silent as we continue trotting together before saying, “Are they gonna…”

She doesn’t let me finish, “Yeah, probably! And golly gee whiz, I really don’t want to think about it!”

I frown before saying, “So uh, what kind of milkshake do you want?”

She replies, “Well, I’m actually a chocolate fan! What kind do you like Misty?”

I turn forward and smile, “Oh, I just love berries!”

“Awesome!”

“Hey! What movie do you wanna see?”

We trot by another building on our right in the dimly lit forest floor as she replies, “Uh, lets just see what’s playing!”

My smile lowers somewhat, “Gee! She sure wanted to get rid of us for a long time if she loaded us up for milkshakes AND a movie, right?”

She trots silently next to me for a moment before finally replying, “There’s lots of different berry shakes! What kind do you like in particular, anyway?”

<*****>

The fluffy bluish-violet unicorn holds me in her hooves while staring deep into my eyes in her crimson gaze as she cheerfully grins there on her plush blue sofa-bed, “So, here we are Sunny!”

I frown at the psycho lesbian currently nuzzling me as I squeal, “EEP! Uh, tell me again why I agreed to this?”

She withdraws her face and frowns at me, “You don’t want to do this?”

I sigh and look at her before saying, “No, I do! It’s just that, well, it’s been so long and you’re a mare and…”

She smiles at me before moving her right forehoof over my mouth and shushing me, “Shh! Again, you think with your head, Sunny-Chan! Don’t worry so much about that…” she lowers her hoof and stares into my eyes as she leans forward inquisitively and I feel her warm breath on my face as she asks. “What does your heart say?”

At that point, I stared and focused at the red eyes of this other mare… Her face was solemn although as I felt my heart begin to skip a beat, I finally smiled and conceded defeat, “My heart is saying that I love you!” and then, I moved my snout to hers to chance a nuzzle, which causes the unicorn to grin and giggle before I did the impossible… I kissed her on the lips!

After a moment, I withdraw my snout to smile at her as she grins back and asks, “Now who’s the lunatic?”

I grin, giggle, “Shut up!” and nuzzle her!

She grins back at me, “Make me!”

I say, “Okay!” and then, lovingly kiss her again on the lips!

I withdraw my lips a few inches as she smiles and giggles at me and says, “I love you!” as I feel her warm breath on my snout…

I sigh, “I love you too, Izzy! Still can’t believe you actually had Jessi hug you like that!” and smile again. “But it’s good to see our fillies all get along!”

She chuckles, “That wasn’t my idea, actually!”

I frown, “What?”

She giggles more, “Yeah, they must’ve put her up to that or something! I just made the mural with Twinkle! That was it!”

“Wow! So I guess our fillies want us to be together, too!”

Her eyes widen as I take them in view, “Yes, it would appear so!” before she says in a gruff voice, “And so the question remains, what will Sunny-Chan do?” before narrowing at me while maintaining the broad smile on her muzzle.

I eye this unicorn carefully, “You want me to say, love you, don’t you?”

She giggles as she whimsically replies, “Maybe?”

I grimace in faux defiance, “And what if I don’t love you, hmm? What then?”

Her grin lowers slightly as she replies warlord style, “Oh, Sunny-Chan! That would be most unwise!”

“Oh?” I ask as my mouth forms an O shape.

“Yes!” She replies in the same voice before moving her face to mine to nuzzle me again with her snout…

I close my mouth, “Well, what are you gonna do?”

She smiles warmly, “I’m gonna love you anyway!” before moving her face to mine for another kiss on the lips…

<*****>

Whoa! I suddenly think to myself before I jitter slightly on the chair and take another sip of my black coffee with my forehooves… I sigh and think about the parents I never knew and how that affects me… I keep thinking about that same field! The one in my memory from the distant past where I used to kick my ball and play… I sigh as I finally think to myself that it’s all just a time and place… When I really think about it, that’s all life is, actually? Just a series of times and places…

My really deep thoughts are interrupted when Hitch’s funky green phone rings! I swivel the chair right and pick it up to my right ear with my forehooves before squeaking, “Yes! Sheriff’s office! Future Deputy Little Snack speaking! How may I assist you today?”

The stallion on the other end chuckles, “Little Snack! You just have to say that you’re Little Snack! Not future deputy or any other title, okay?”

My eyes widen as I bounce to attention, “Oh! Okay! Uh, I’m Little Snack!”

He giggles again, “Of course you are, squirt! Uh, any calls?”

“Oh, yeah! That Clover lady called again and said she wanted to talk to you about her idiot son or something?”

“Sprout! Yes! That! Uh, anything else?”

“Oh, the mayor what’s-her-snout called again. This time, she said she needs you to do security for an awards ceremony. Uh, yeah, apparently they’re going to award a trophy to the Filly Action Squad, whoever that is! Anyway, she wanted to talk to you about it!”

“Uh. Little Snack! That’s you! You’re part of the Filly Action Squad, remember?”

My eyes widen again when I suddenly realize what all of this means, “Oh, I am, right? Hey, I’m gonna get a trophy!”

“Yeah, about that! Little Snack, I’ve been meaning to say something to you...”

“Oh?” My mouth makes an O shape.

“Yeah uh, listen! You did good kid…” I hear him sigh. “I mean, for the record, I don’t ever want you going off without me like that again and I swear that I’ll protect you! But just so you know, you’re a hero Little Snack… You hoofing that pony back there saved the day…”

I start, “Oh, I was pretty lucky his crotch was right there like that, though! I mean, most stallions go down pretty easily if you can hit them there!” and nod.

“You hoofed him there four times!”

I nod, “Yes! And seven more in the face to make sure!”

Hitch is silent… He then says frantically, “He was covered in puke and blood when we found him unconscious in the office and he had bruises all over his face…”

“I wanted to make very sure…”

Hitch is silent for a moment… “Remind me to talk to you later about excessive force, okay Little Snack?”

I widen my eyes at this new thought before nodding, “Yes sir!”

“Now, I gotta head up to Miss Cloverleaf’s office and see what she wants this time! You stay on point Little Snack and call my cell if anything comes up!”

I nod, “Will do boss! Uh, hey! Can I get a buckball hoop in here to pass the time whenever I’m not busy?”

“Uh, what’s buckball?”

My eyes widen, “Wait! You don’t know about the best sport ever?”

He’s silent for a moment, “No?”

I’m speechless before finally saying, “Uh, alright dad! I’ll teach you about it later!”

“Uh, so it’s a sport?”

I nod excitedly, “Yeah, it’s a really fun game!”

He’s silent for a moment, “Maybe it’s from where you’re from?”

My eyes widen as I say frantically, “Oh, wow! I’m gonna have to figure this out now!”

“Oh, okay Little Snack! We can figure something out later, but I need to go if I’m gonna have enough time for lunch AND meeting Cloverleaf! Call me if anything comes up!”

“Alright boss! You got it!”

“Goodbye Little Snack! I l-love you!”

At that point, I’m kinda not sure what to say, but can only stammer out, “I uh, I love you too d-dad…”

“Alright, I gotta go! Bye Little Snack!”

“Bye bye!” I say before hanging up the phone again…

I stare at the far wall, lower my head to sigh as I feel the pigtails of my mane caress the back of the wooden chair.

When suddenly, the front door opens and a small teal green alicorn trots in! She takes a few paces after the door shuts behind her and says, “Hiya Little Snack! Is Hitch around?”

I widen my eyes with a start, “Holy crap! Uh, “my eyes widen all the way, “He’s not in! I’m his uh, I’m Little Snack! I’m Little Snack and uh, how may I assist you today?” before I grin widely at her…

Her burnt orange pupils enlarge to me as she says, “Oh, that’s also fine! Sunny just wanted to get rid of me, so I thought I’d head to the station and see what you were up to?”

“Oh? Why did she want to get rid of you?”

She sighs and stares off wistfully to the right, “Oh, I’m pretty sure she and Izzy just wanted some alone time…”

I frown, “Alone time? Alone time to do what?” as I’m actually not sure what the crap she’s talking about?

Her head moves forward slightly before she whispers, “You know? Snuggle and make out and adult pony things…”

“Uh, right! Hey, what did you wanna do when you got up here?”

“Well, you’re working, right? I thought I’d just see if you needed help with anything…

My eyes widen again, “Oh yeah! I am totally working and have all kinds of things to do! Right!” and nod…

She frowns as she stares at me before saying, “You’re bored, aren’t you?”

I smile nervously and giggle, “Uh, kinda, yeah! Basically, I just have to answer the phone if somepony calls with an emergency and relay important things to Hitch on his cell!”

“Oh, wow!”

I nod, “Yeah, and until Hitch can get a buckball hoop in here or something, all I can really do is bounce my ball and drink coffee!”

Her eyes widen, “Wait! You drink coffee now?”

I nod, “Yeah, I tried different things and I think I like it with just some sugar and no cream?”

She nods, “Oh wow! Okay, uh, hey what’s buckball anyway?”

My eyes also widen, “Why has nopony heard of buckball here?”

Her eyes soften somewhat, “Well, it’s been two thousand years! I guess maybe somepony forgot about it at some point?”

At that point, I suddenly realized what I had to do. I looked at Jessi sternly, “Jessi! We need to show Equestria buckball again!”

<*****>

The blue unicorn filly stares at me from the other side of the table and smiles awkwardly underneath her curly neon green and dark blue mop of a mane before she says, “Judgment Neigh was pretty good, but I still wish I had seen the first two Brisk Bronco movies earlier, you know? Give it better context!” before moving her head down to slurp more of her extra large blueberry shake in its big white disposable cup as it’s held there, glowing at an angle in her bluish-purple magical glow…

I stare at her as we both sit in the dimly lit Bridlewood Forest milkshake bar with its dark oak walls and various signs and bits of paraphernalia on the walls, “You haven’t seen them either?”

She widens her eyes at me, “Uh, no! Opaline didn’t usually let me watch movies! So I only really saw them when I snuck out!”

I frown, “Wow! No freedom, huh?” before moving my head down to grasp my dark chocolate shake with my forehooves and slurp more of it down…

She frowns, “Not really!”

I look at her and smile, “Wanna see them both together later on?”

“I’d like that Twinkle! But how?”

I blink, “I don’t know? Izzy has a Ponyflix subscription and there’s always PonyTube rentals? I’m sure we can see them somehow!”

She smiles dimly at me, “Yeah… “

I nod, “So right! It’s bonding between us two happy roommates, right?”

She frowns, “You act like you’ve never done this before?”

I blink, “What? Get a friend caught up on movies? Well, technically, no! This is the first time!”

She sighs, “No, I mean watch movies with a friend!”

My eyes widen, “Well uh, me and Izzy have watched movies together!”

She smiles, “That’s different! You see Izzy as your mom!”

I frown, “How’s it different?”

She leans forward closer, “Well, you view her as you parent, you know? But we’re equals!”

I frown when the thought of Izzy as any sort of authority figure crosses my mind before deciding not to argue with her, “Uh, oh okay! So I guess this is new for both of us then, huh?”

She nods excitedly, “Right! It can be just us! Two friends! Watching movies together!”

I eye this small unicorn carefully before deciding to do it, even though I wasn’t particularly interested in those movies before. I smile and say, “Alright Misty! We can rent them all together and binge watch!”

“With popcorn!” She bounces in her chair!

“And soda!” I say to her as my small pink body jitters and my eyes widen.

“And candy!” She says a little bit louder!

I say lowly, “And devil weed!”

She stares at me and asks, “What was that last thing?”

I smile at her and say, “Oh, nothing!” before grasping my big Styrofoam cup for another strong sip of chocolatey goodness.

<*****>

I sit at the same desk at the station there and smile when I think about how Hitch brought us both hayburgers for lunch… Suddenly, my body lights up in a pale yellow luminescent glow!

I widen my eyes as I squeal, “What?”

Suddenly, I see a blue flash of light on my right! I swivel the chair in that direction and smile at the magenta alicorn now standing there, “Hi! I’m Little Snack the uh, assistant at the station! How may I help you?” before widening my grin and hoping I don’t look too nervous at this strange magical pony that just appeared out of nowhere!

She stares at me with her blue eyes from underneath her wavy purple mane, featuring lavender highlights as my body stops glowing… Her fuchsia body sports wings and her forehead a horn as she stares at me and says in a feminine voice, “Hiya! I’m Starlight Glimmer! I’m REALLY sorry about this, but I found you now and I’m ready to take you home!”

I enlarge my eyes, “What do you mean, home?”

She blinks and straightens her stance, “Well, where you’re from! Your space and time, you know?”

I frown at this prospect… I think for a moment before replying, “But Hitch needs me here… My new friends need me here…” I blink. “I’m sorry Starlight Glimmer, but I think you’re wrong? I think my home is here now… “

She frowns, “You’re sure?”

I blink and gulp before straightening my gaze back to her and saying, “Y-yes, I think I am, Miss Glimmer?” I blink again before raising my gaze. “Just uh, please do me a solid?”

Her eyes widen, “What?” while her mouth stays agape.

I smile slimly, “Please let Cozy Glow and Starshine know that I’m in a new universe now and that I’m okay… Let them know that I’ll always remember them…”

Her eyes soften somewhat before she blinks and leans forward slightly, “You’re SURE this is what you want?”

I sigh and stare back at her, “Y-yes I am… This isn’t easy for me, but I’ve come to know and love these ponies now and… I-I can’t leave them… Especially since I have a parent here!” my eyes widen, “An ACTUAL parent, you know? Somepony to help me and guide me in life…” my body begins to shake. “And besides! I need to show these ponies how to play buckball!”

She smiles slightly before saying, “Well, even if I didn’t bring you back, I’m glad you found something here… “she blinks and leans towards me. “What was your name again?”

My eyes widen, “Oh, my name is Little Snack!”

She nods her head, “Very well, Little Snack! But since this is kinda my screw up, I’ll be sure to check on you periodically!”

I begin to smile a little myself, “Thanks Starlight Glimmer! Uh, I’d like that!”

She nods, “Until next time!” before her body is encased in a bright blue flash of light and disappears in front of me!

Then, the door leading outside, in front of the desk opens up and in trots a different smaller green alicorn who stares at me with her orange eyes while pacing towards the desk, “Okay, Little Snack! I got some pens and notebooks and now, we can figure this out! You say you wanted to show us a new sport or something?”

The door soon shuts as I swivel the chair back left that direction and widen my eyes at this other filly, “Well, it’s not exactly new?” before smiling widely…

(To be continued...)

Chapter 33: Let's Just Do What You Wanna Do!

As I sat there on the couch in the darkened room next to the blue unicorn filly while using my blue plastic hoof lighter in my right forehoof to ignite a flame and then inhale to bring the fire into the port on top of the sealed metal bowl… I soon taste the earthy flavors of the weed smoke traveling through my mouth and down into my throat… I hold it for a moment while feeling the warm sensations of it inside me… I then turn my head right to breathe out a cloud of smoke away from Misty…

She looks over at me during the movie as the Poninator came on the screen and says, “Wow! This movie is really action packed, right?”

I widen my eyes with a start as this was bowl number two and by now, I’d almost forgotten that she was there! “Oh, golly right? That part where he came through the window was really intense!”

Misty smiles slightly and nods, “Right! So, we’re having a good time now?” before staring at me with wide curious green eyes underneath that same two-toned curly mop mane of hers…

I smile at her realizing I probably need to reassure her now, “Of course! You hadn’t seen these movies and now, we’re getting you caught up!” before raising my pipe to my face for another hit…

She smiles wider and giggles, “Yeah! Hey, so what do you wanna do after this?”

I exhale more warm smoke to my right and stare back at her, “I dunno? I mean, this smoking is making me kinda hungry. Maybe we can make something together in the kitchen?” before my eyes widen, because I actually wasn’t even sure what I was about to say!

She giggles again, “Okay! I got some candy bars from the store earlier and now, we can pig out!”

I widen my eyes as I’d never done that before, although the weed working in my system was definitely suggesting that I give it a try by that point, “Oh, golly! That sure sounds like fun!”

<*****>

I open my eyes with a start as I didn’t even realize I had fallen asleep. I see the other bluer horned pony laying in the bed underneath the plush dark purple covers with me on Izzy’s sofa-bed as she smiles and opens her red eyes to me before saying, “Hi new marefriend!” and moves her snout towards mine for a short, but affectionate kiss…

I feel the spark of voltage immediately shock me through my snout as I become aware of her lips, now pressed against mine and I widen my eyes and see hers are now mostly closed in passion…

She backs her face away from mine and widens her crimson gaze to me as she smiles cheerfully and says, “You fell asleep and it was just so cute! I didn’t wanna wake you, and so I just held you there…”

I blink, “H-how long was I out?”

She raises her gaze while replying, “Oh, not long! Just all night! I held you most of the time, though! Caught a few Z's myself, while I was at it!”

“Oh uh, wow!” I say while widening my own eyes. “I must’ve gotten comfortable?”

She smiles again before nodding, “Well, right! Now that you’ve opened your heart to love, you should feel very comfortable!”

I glare at her, “You act like this is a process, or something?”

She snickers and nuzzles me affectionately, “Oh, I’ve been thinking about it for a while now…”

I enlarge my pupils again, “So you say?” before nuzzling her again and giggling softly…

“See? Was that so hard?”

“Excruciating!”

She giggles before kissing me on the lips again…

She backs her head away from mine to once again, smile cheerfully at me before I sigh and finally say, “Izzy… I kinda well, I think I like you too, now!”

She puts her snout tip against mine and grins mischievously, “Oh, you’re gonna love me!”

I smile back, “Or what?”

She moves her head side to side slightly, “Or I’ll just snuggle and kiss you until you do!” before planting another loving kiss on my lips…

<*****>

I stared at the small green alicorn as I sat there in their chair and suddenly start,“Whoa!” I say as my little body jitters and I suddenly wonder why I keep feeling little tremors like that? Actually, it’s almost as if some sort of pent up emotions of affection suddenly got released, but I shake my head and think nothing of it as I stare back at the green alicorn filly, “Yeah, so the earth pony needs to kick the ball into the hoop, which is held there by the unicorn on his team, right? The pegasus’s job is defense! They need to protect the goal to keep balls from going in there!”

Jessi nods as she sits on her belly and uses her magic to scribble some more notes into the spiral notebook, now laid side-by-side before her, before looking up at me a few feet from her on my hooves in the room, “Okay, so the pegasus and earth ponies are on their team’s sides, but the unicorns are opposites?”

I nod, “Well, right! The unicorn’s job is to catch baskets, so it makes sense that they be over there for their teams!”

She nods again, “Right! So uh, how does the game begin?”

I explain, “Well, there’s the buck-off at the start!”

“Yeah, that’s where they throw the ball up in the air and the earth ponies battle to see who gets to buck it first!”

I frown, “Well, they don’t exactly battle, no!”

She frowns up at me while widening her eyes, “Wait! But if the goal is to eliminate the competition, why not take it to the most basic level and annihilate them with physical force? I mean, the assumption is that you’re stronger and faster than they are, right?”

I stare back at this alicorn, horrified, “What? NO! You don’t want to hurt anypony! Just be better than them at certain activities!”

Her mouth narrows, “I don’t get it? Are they your friends or your enemies?”

I smile and giggle, “Well, sport is about competition, you know? Competing against somepony else, may the best pony win!”

She frowns, “Com-pet-ition?”

I chuckle some more, “We’re gonna have some fun today, Jessi!” and then, my eyes widen. “But I need to make a buckball hoop now!”

Her eyes widen, “I can help with that!”

I stare at her with wide eyes, “Oh hey, that’s right! You’re a mega powerful alicorn, now! This is gonna be super easy!”

She smiles at me, “Right! Friendship!”

“And super powerful magic!”

“Friendship is magic!”

I stare at her, “What?”

She smiles and giggles, “Well, that’s what Sunny always says?”

I grin back, “Oh, right! Friendship and magic and puffy clouds!”

She chortles slightly more, “Uh, right! All that happy stuff!”

“And cotton candy and bright sunshine and joyful rainbows and…”

“Little?”

“Fluffy bunnies and uh...“I start and stare at her. “yeah Jessi?”

She blinks, “Focus! We need a buckball hoop now, remember?”

I widen my eyes again as my little body jitters, “Oh! Right! That!”

<*****>

I stare up at the dark blue unicorn foal as she stands there on the metal platform above me as I shout, “Now, Misty! Pull the switch now!”

Misty smiles, “Yes, Master!” before turning around and grabbing a lever in her mouth and then, moving her neck back to pull the switch…

Soon, a lightning bolt strikes the metal slab in front of me before a wide eyed orange earth filly with long green pigtails raises from the white sheets there and I see her body now covered in sewed up scars and tissue repairs… She groans, “UGH!”

I smile and shout, “IT’S ALIVE! IT’S ALIVE!”

I wake up with a start and I feel a warm body cuddling me from the left… I look down to see Misty sleeping there while snuggling me on the sofa in the darkened living room…

I stare at the screen, now playing the intro to the movie we rented and I move my right forehoof to the remote on the arm of the coach to turn it off, so it no longer makes any noise and the room is now enveloped in a quiet darkness and I can still hear the unicorn foal breathing as she continues to cuddle me…

She begins to shiver and I move my right forehoof around my body and to her while twisting myself for a loving embrace to keep her warm…

She continues to breathe and I close my eyes…

Later, I see a light suddenly outside of my eyelids and open them to see the sun is now out and shining behind me from the window a few feet behind us… I’m also blatantly aware that there’s still a warm body against me on the left!

Misty begins to shake and move before groggily opening her eyes and staring right towards me and saying, “Uh, we cuddled last night in our sleep, didn’t we?”

I blink, “Oh, golly! Um, that is correct, Misty!”

Misty’s mouth quivers, “Um, do you think any differently of me, now?”

I stare at her and think that maybe she just doesn’t want to admit that she likes it? I decide to console her as I say, “Well, Misty! I do… I think that you’d make a wonderful sister!” and smile before hugging her close to me!

“EEP!” She squeals!

Suddenly, the front door opens and in trots a fluffy blue unicorn from our left into the living room as she says, “Well, Twinkle and Misty never had any issues, so I don’t really think it’s gonna be a problem uh, “her neck cranes to us and she gasps. “Well, you two ARE getting along well together!”

Not knowing quite what to say as I just woke up, I can only stammer out, “Uh, Misty wanted to be my sister!” as the other unicorn clasps onto my side….

She widens her eyes at the other unicorn as an orange alicorn steps out from behind Izzy to the left, “Uh, Twinkle Shine is a wonderful and supportive sister! Yes!” and smiles anxiously while releasing me and going back to sitting by herself…

Sunny says, “Pipp is right! That’s adorable!”

I narrow my eyes as I feel my muzzle begin to grimace, “Ugh!” I shake my head.”Oh, golly! So uh, did you two have a good lesbian time, or?”

Izzy smiles, “Oh, yes! Me and Sunny have been bonding well!”

My eyes widen and say sardonically, “Oh, golly gee! So Jessi becomes sister number two then, huh?”

Izzy giggles as Sunny turns her head right to the blue unicorn and says, “They’re moving faster than we are, here!”

Izzy replies while continuing to stare at us, “Yeah, I know? It’s almost like they know something we don’t?”

Sunny frowns, “You think so? Is that possible?”

Izzy turns her head right to the alicorn, “I don’t know? But it’d be neat!”

Misty asks Izzy, “So, when does Sunny move in?”

I add, “Yeah! I want my other mommy and my third sister living with me already!”

Sunny grimaces, “Can’t we at least go on a few dates first?”

Almost in unison, me and Misty both say, “NO!”

Izzy giggles, “Well, they’re supportive!”

Sunny rolls her eyes, “Yeah! We’ll go with that!”

I giggle at both of these mares, “So uh, I guess you two are gonna have breakfast and coffee now, huh?”

Sunny sighs, “Well, after making sure you two are okay!”

My eyes widen, “Oh, please Sunny! I was taking care of myself long before Izzy, you know!”

She smiles slightly at me, “Right!”

Izzy chimes in, “So, what do you ponies want for breakfast?”

<*****>

I stare at the orange earth filly, standing there on her hooves in the station with me as the newly constructed 8-foot tall wooden pole that I had used my magick and a saw with to trim down earlier stood, with a 2 foot wide and 2 foot deep wooden basket around the top, sporting the black metal rings we unicycled from the trash earlier… I stare up at our new creation and say, “So, that’s what two hours of Team Jessi Snack produces!”

She stares at me and nods her head, “Right! Team Little Trotsky is a go!”

I turn my gaze back left towards her and smile as I see what she did there, “Right! So uh, you’re obviously an earth pony, but what role do I play?”

She frowns, “Isn’t it obvious? The basket is on a pole so a unicorn doesn’t have to hold it…”

My eyes widen, “Wait! You want me to use my wings?”

Her pupils enlarge, “Well, yeah! It’s a great way for you to get practice!”

“But you’re a much better athlete than me! I’ll never be able to defend against you!”

She smiles, “Well, you’ll never know what you can do unless you try?”

I’m silent for a moment, “Are you sure about this?”

Her green eyes widen, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

My mind immediately goes through all sorts of potential disasters before I smile grimly and hoarsely reply, “Right! Nothing bad is gonna happen!” before I turn my body right to begin trotting towards the newly constructed basket…

I turn my body to the other filly before she turns her body to me with the red rubber ball just to her right now as she says, “Uh, you need to be flying in order to guard the goal, Jessi!”

My own pupils enlarge as I stammer out, “Uh, right! Just a sec!” before squatting my body like I’ve seen Twinkle Shine do so many times before and launching myself into the air with all of my might and flapping my wings vigorously!

I float up to the top between Little and the goal, maybe 5 feet or so from the latter and 10 from the former. I turn to her and pant as I continue to flap in the air, “Uh, okay! I uh, I think I’m ready?”

Little moves the ball closer to her front with her right forehoof before staring up at me and causing her pigtails to lower as she widens her green eyes, “Okay, here I go!” and then, kicking the ball towards the goal with some force using her forehoof…

The ball flies towards the goal and I grunt as I maneuver myself to the left to whack it back down towards her with my left forehoof…

She moves forward to catch the ball with her snout and stares up at me with her eyes and keeps her head back to balance it with her nose.

I look down while continuing to hover and flap my new appendages, “How was that?”

Little smiles while continuing to balance the ball, “Not awful! But I wonder how you’ll handle a real attack?” before lowering her head to launch the ball forward towards the goal by quickly moving her head forward!

I smile as I float forward slightly and hit it back with my snout! “Is that all you got?” before scrunching my nose when I realize that kinda hurt!

Little scuttles forward and slides on her belly to a mere 7 feet from me while kicking the ball back by up-swinging her right hind hoof, “There’s a lot more where that came from, Jessi!”

I giggle, “Bring it!” and float towards the ball to find it landing in my tail this time! I quickly swirl my tail to fling the ball back to Little!

<*****>

I smile at the green alicorn as we’re both panting and out of breath from our workout, “So uh, you like buckball now?”

She looks up at me from having her face to the floor and grins herself, “Y-yeah! It’s kinda fun, once you really get the hang of it!”

I nod, “Getting used to your new wings now?”

She giggles, “Yeah! Thanks for helping me get all that practice, Little Snack!”

I giggle, “Well, what are friends for? Besides, it also helps my new quest to bring back buckball! Two things at once, you know?”

She nods, “Yeah!”

I start when I realize something, “Hey! Shouldn’t you be in school?”

She blinks, “Well, I’m done until Thursday, at this rate! I’m ahead of the class!”

I widen my eyes, “Oh, wow! You’re pretty smart!”

She smiles wider at me, “Yeah, and so are you! Thanks for the practice, friend!”

I frown, “W-wait? I-I’m smart?”

Her smile lowers somewhat as she widens her eyes, “Well, yeah Little Snack! Doing two things at once like that was a good idea and the way you can move your body is amazing!”

I widen my eyes, “Wow!”

“Heh! Yeah, how are you holding up with the whole being in a new dimension thing, anyway?”

I start, “Oh, well I figured that since my old friends are gone from two thousand years ago, that I should probably make new friends!”

She nods, “And well, you did that! We definitely bonded today!” before adjusting her gaze to me. “How do you go to school, anyway? I haven’t really seen you in class?”

I smile, “Well, since I’m not comfortable here yet and since Hitch needs me at the station anyway, he’s been tutoring me when he’s off-duty!”

Her eyes widen again, “Wow! So he’s taking care of you, consoling you, AND schooling you! He’s like super dad or something?”

I giggle, “Yeah, I’m working on that!” I start as I stare back at her. “So, what do you wanna do now?”

She smiles, “Well, that playing worked up an appetite! Tell me Little Snack! You ever have pie and coffee?”

I enlarge my gaze and repeat her, “Pie and coffee?”

Suddenly, the phone rings!

I trot over to the weird green phone at the desk on the other side of the room and answer it with my right forehoof while standing on my other hooves, “Yes! Sheriff’s office! Little Snack speaking!”

A masculine voice I’ve come to love says on the other end, “Little Snack! How’s things at the station?”

“Oh they’re great! Uh, bring another lunch! Me, you, and Jessi need to talk more about buckball!”

“I’ll be there in just a few minutes, squirt!”

I widen my eyes and start, “Oh, cool! Uh, hey! Could you also bring a pie?”

He’s silent for a moment, “Uh, sure Little Snack!”

I nod, “Oh, Posey called to report another litterer!”

“You know what to do, partner!”

My eyes widen again, “Right! The special file!”

(To be continued…)

Chapter 35: Revelations

I see it’s Hitch on the phone and answer it to my right ear with my alicorn magick, “Hey, Hitch! What’s up?”

Hitch says on the other end, “Little Snack is in the bathroom, but I need to talk to you about Starlight Glimmer!”

I frown as I recognize the name, “S-starlight Glimmer? What about her?”

He sighs, “She mastered interdimensional travel and is now a time-traveling alicorn…’

My eyes widen, “What?”

“Yeah! And that’s pretty much why Little Snack is here! Uh, what time is good for you?”

“It is? Uh, how about at five? We can have dinner at the cafe? I’ll order pizza for Jessi! She’ll be fine!”

“Alright, Sunny! Sounds good!

The phone soon clicks to indicate that he hung up and I magically set it down on the wooden table to my left before sighing… I wonder if this has anything to do with Jessi, before a familiar small green alicorn opens the door at my slight right and stares up at me expectantly and squeaks, “Hey mom! What’s for breakfast?”

I smile down at her, “Oh, how does pancakes sound sweetie?”

Her eyes widen up, “Sounds good to me!” before she begins trotting towards the round table to my left…

I sigh, “Oh, I’ll order a pizza for you tonight, sweetie! I gotta have dinner with Hitch at the cafe!”

She sits at the table opposite to me and stares at me wide-eyed, “Oh? What’s the occasion?”

I eye her carefully and decide how to word this as I really don’t want to lie to my daughter! “Oh, he said he had something to talk to me about!”

She frowns, “Weird! Well, you’ll give me the scoop, right?”

I smile as sincerely as I can at this point, “Uh, sure!”

<*****>

I stared at the yellow stallion, “So wait! Starlight Glimmer is alive and time-traveling? That’s impossible! She died and left all her magical energy that Jessi has now!”

Hitch leans forward slightly from his side of the table in the small dimly lit restaurant, “Well, she died eventually, yeah! But this was before that! Remember, she’s not bound by time anymore!”

I frown, “So I guess she’s dead now, but she wasn’t then, and she’s now traveling from then, to reach us?”

Hitch blinks and nods, “Well, Little Snack anyway!”

I adjust my gaze as a thought just clicks, “Well, that’s right! She doesn’t know about Jessi, does she?”

Hitch raises his gaze, “I don’t think so? Well, should we tell her?”

I scrunch my mouth in confusion, “I dunno? Maybe?”

Hitch straightens his gaze on me, “Well, you say she was a good pony, right?”

I blink and nod, “Oh, yes! She saved Equestria from Chrysalis and had an important position!”

“Well, don’t you think we’re all on the same team, then?”

My eyes widen, “Probably?”

Hitch begins to snicker, “I think you’ve been hanging around Jessi too much!”

I smile, “Well, you’re right! We should tell her about Jessi!”

Hitch nods, “Well, right! I mean, I’m guessing she came to help and the more she knows, the more she can help us!”

My mouth straightens, “Wait! Does she know that she eventually decides to die?”

“Um, probably? I mean, she’s been traveling through time, right?”

My eyes widen, “But we don’t know!”

Hitch stares at me, “Well, Little Snack can call her now and I suppose we can introduce her to Jessi that way?”

I nod, “Well, right! I still wonder why there’s a whole truth telling thing built into her magick, after it became dormant?”

“I don’t know either! I mean, Jessi can’t lie now, right?”

I sigh and stare at the stallion, “That’s what she says?”

“Well, since we’re going to contact her soon, I guess we can just ask her then?”

I smile, “Well, right! I’m sure she’ll know exactly what’s going on!”

<*****>

“I have no idea!” I say while standing on my hooves inside the wooden living room.

Both of the other alicorns widen their eyes to me at this point, the orange one on the left and the smaller green one on the right, who says to me, “What do you mean, you have no idea?”

I frown, “Well, there’s a truth telling thing built into the magick, right? But you see, I haven’t decided to become mortal and age normally yet!” I flap my wings. “I’m still an alicorn!”

Jessi sighs in frustration, “Great! I can’t lie, and we don’t know why!” before widening her eyes. “Hey, that rhymed!”

At this point, Hitch pipes up from my left in the room, “Was there anything in your magick about creepy spiders? Jessi seems to like those!” as Little Snack looks over at him from his right.

Jessi quickly snaps, “They’re not creepy!”

I giggle as I eye the small green pony, “No, there’s nothing specifically about spiders! I’m afraid that’s just Jessi being Jessi!”

“I like my spiders!” The alicorn filly says in a huff…

I smile down at the adorable display, “Well, it seems Little Snack isn’t the only thing here with my hoofprints on it!”

Jessi stares up at me intently, “Yeah! What’s your encore? Do you go back in time again and rewrite history?”

I widen my eyes as I’m fairly sure that wasn’t intentional? “Well, not today, I’m afraid!”

Jessi replies, “But maybe later, right?”

I smile and giggle when I decide to take this lightly, “Uh, never again, little foal! Trust me! It leads to bad things!”

“Oh? Okay!”

I nod, “Well, right! So, Jessi Trotsky! You have gained my power! Uh, how did you do that?”

Her eyes widen, “Oh! Well, you see, there was this silver rod and this golden tablet, right? You divided the power and made each section incomplete without the other! The idea being, nopony would accidentally release it that way, right?”

My eyes widen, “Okay, there is a certain logic to that, yes!”

She nods, “Well, right! You see, that’s exactly what happened! I saw that the staff obviously fit into a certain groove on the tablet and I put it there and kinda released the power into myself accidentally! And so,” she extends her wings. “Now I got these!”

My eyes enlarge all the way, “Whoa!”

She lowers her wings and stares up at me with wide eyes, “So, right! As you can see, this is all just an honest mistake! Now, if you could please, just make me a regular unicorn again…”

I frown, “Uh, Jessi! That’s not how it works!”

She frowns, “W-what?”

“I can’t just make you a unicorn again or vice versa! Being a unicorn or an alicorn are two separate things! You either are or aren’t! I can’t change you back!”

Her mouth quivers and head vibrates with visible frustration before she stamps her right hoof, “Great! Fantastic! Now I gotta wear that stupid vest in town for the rest of my life!”

I eye this filly carefully, “You don’t have to hide the fact that you’re an alicorn?”

She eyes me carefully, “I-I don’t?”

“No! Why would you?”

She frowns, “But won’t they treat me differently if they knew?”

Sunny turns her head left to stare down at Jessi, “Well, I’m an alicorn and I do just fine?”

She gulps, “O-okay! I guess uh, instead of doing what I usually do, tomorrow, I’ll fly directly to school with my wings and land on the steps…” she blinks. “I mean, that’s what I’d do if I didn’t think I needed to hide myself, r-right?” and smiles up at me nervously…

I eye her carefully, “Do you need me to come with you?”

Sunny stares at me, “No, you don’t have to do that, Starlight! Jessi is my foal now and I’ll take her!”

I look at the orange alicorn and say, “No, this is kinda my fault and I’d like to help! Besides!” I smile down at the teal green filly who soon gulps up at me… “This will give me and the new bearer of my power some bonding time! It’ll be uh, an adventure!”

<*****>

My day started out pretty much the same way it always did… I opened my eyes in bed and screamed in terror! “AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”

I got up and trotted out into the kitchen, where Hitch has already poured me a cup of coffee with his snout and he sets the pot back in the maker on the other side of the table before turning to face me and asking, “So, did you rest well, squirt?”

I nod as I sit down at the chair on his left at the round wooden table, near my black Official Maretime Bay Sheriff coffee mug that Hitch got for me earlier… I look up at him, “Uh, I’ll probably take a nap later, but I should be okay?”

He sighs, “I always know you’re awake because you scream!”

I smile dimly at him, “Yeah!” before grasping my mug with my forehooves and trying a sip of the hot coffee… I remove the mug from my muzzle and swallow before looking down into it wide-eyed and thinking the coffee is actually pretty good today!

He frowns, “Why do you scream, Little Snack? What do you dream about?”

I look at him and answer, “Uh, I don’t know and I don’t know!” and blink at him… Then, I take another larger swig of this yummy coffee!

He narrows his eyes, “So strange! Do you remember anything at all from your dreams?”

I blink up at him, “Um, not really! It usually hurts when I try to think about it?” and take another strong swig of coffee… Yummy coffee…

Hitch sighs, “You are an enigma, Little Snack!”

I set my cup down, “Yeah, I confuse me too sometimes! Hey, I was gonna play with my friends again, later today!”

Hitch smiles, “That sounds good! Not before paperwork, though!”

I nod, “Yeah yeah yeah! I know the rules and so do you!” I widen my eyes at my cup. “Speaking of which, it’s almost time to finish cup number one!”

<*****>

I stood there on my hooves holding my joint to my lips with my left forehoof as the blue unicorn filly stood across my room from me, talking, “Yeah, Twinkle Shine! Even though I don’t smoke, I sure love our wake n bake times and well, you’re my first real friend!”

I smile at her while exhaling from my nostrils, “Yeah, Misty! I don’t mind having a weird unicorn sister either, really!”

She frowns at me as she raises her gaze with curious green eyes, “Weird? How am I weird?”

I giggle while taking another draw from my joint…

“No, I wanna know! How am I weird?” She says at a louder volume while stamping her left hoof.

I remove the joint from my lips with my right forehoof and exhale smoke with my mouth before looking at her and replying, “Well uh, you know? There aren’t many like you, Misty!” and put it back in my snout while lowering my face… What did I just get myself into?

“Oh, gosh! Nopony is gonna like me, now!”

I remove the joint with my hoof again and quickly exhale smoke before saying to her, “Well uh, I like you? Izzy likes you? Jessi likes you? Little Snack likes you when she can think clearly? And there’s Sunny!” I widen my eyes before moving the joint over to my right to ash it and then, placing it back into my mouth…

I see smoke rising from the burning roll in my mouth as the unicorn past it says, “Oh, okay! So it’s just me being scared for nothing then? R-right?” and smiles dimly at me, almost expectantly…

I then exhale smoke with my mouth and remove the joint with my hoof again before saying the only thing I can at that point, “Golly right! It’s all in your head! Yes! Don’t worry about it!”

She giggles slightly, “Right! O-of course! Yes!”

I remove the joint from my mouth and exhale smoke between me and the other filly before asking her, “You really worry about this stuff, huh?”

I put the half-joint back into my mouth for a final inhale as ash falls off the tip and she smiles beyond it and says, “That obvious?”

I slowly exhale and feel the rush of warm smoke exiting my snout beforetaking the joint out and look over to the glass ashtray on my right to snuff it out with my hoof before looking back at her and replying, “You know, anypony who talks to you for ten minutes knows this!”

She smiles and giggles, “Y-yeah… I guess I need more confidence?”

I widen my eyes at her as I honestly wasn’t thinking about that! “Uh, yeah! That’s probably it? You need confidence!” At that point, I stared at her and said the one thing that made sense in my drug stricken mind in a robotic voice. “Listen to me very carefully, Misty! You are a lovable weirdo! Embrace that!”

She smiles and starts giggling!

“WEIRDO!” I say at a louder volume!

She chuckles and smiles more, “Stop it, Twinkle Shine!”

Suddenly, the door on my right between the two of us opens and I see a wide-eyed fluffy blue unicorn there who says to us, “Who’s the weirdo?”

I turn my head back left to look at Misty and point at her with my left forehoof, “Misty doesn’t wanna be weird!”

Izzy turns her gaze right to the other smaller unicorn, “Oh, Misty! Why don’t you wanna be weird? Being weird is fun!”

Misty turns her gaze to Izzy and asks, “So, even though I’m weird, you like me?”

Izzy frowns, “Have you not seen my house that we’re living in? You ever notice how I don’t really talk to other unicorns in Bridlewood that much? You ever wonder why that is?”

Misty frowns, “So, if you’re weird, you won’t have as many friends?”

Izzy’s mouth straightens, “Maybe or maybe not! But all the friends worth keeping will let you be weird and even join in!” she smiles. “It’s kind of a bonus to being weird! Only the friends who really like you won’t care!”

Misty’s eyes widen, “Oh, wow!”

At that point, I’m not really sure what came over me… I widen my eyes at both unicorns, “Buck it! Let's all get weird together!”

Izzy grins and giggles, “Well, I’m off today? What did you have in mind?”

<*****>

I stare up at the magenta alicorn on my right as we both stand outside in the early morning light, coming from the east at our left… The brown Maretime Bay streets are desolate at this time of day and all of the shops are still closed… “So, you were in love with Trixie?”

She smiles down at me, “Oh, yeah! It was great!”

“And then, she died!”

She sighs, “Yes, that is one thing you’ll need to get used to, kid… Your life is going to be very long now and your friends will all eventually age and die… I loved Trixie very much, but you need to understand that there will always come a time of letting go…”

I widen my eyes, “Oh, gosh!”

“But while she was alive, we lived together and loved passionately! The time you have is what truly matters, do you understand?”

I blink, “I uh, I think so?”

She smiles warmly at me, “Good! Now kid! You ready to take off? The streets are deserted, but there will be fillies and colts at the school!”

I don’t know why, but just having her here seems to be boosting my confidence! I smile back up at her, “I’m ready, Starlight Glimmer!”

When suddenly, we both notice a dark blue starry 8-foot wide blob flying in the air with a big angry bright yellow frowny face on it! It screams at us in a squeaky voice, “I’m a gas creature! A mutant alien from the Planet Xenon!”

Starlight stares at it, frowns, and encases it in a blue forcefield as her horn glows before lifting her head and saying, “I know this is a prank, but now really is not the time!”

We both hear a frustrated high-pitched voice squealing from the encased face-blob, “Oh, golly gee! I told you ponies this was a dumb idea!”

(To be continued…)

Chapter 36: In The Open

I frown at the shaggy blue unicorn as she smiled at me from the empty early morning streets of Maretime Bay next to the smaller blue unicorn with her two-toned curly mane and the pink pegasus with her tapered wavy bluish-white mane, right to left… “Mutant gas aliens from the Planet Xenon?”

Izzy snickers, “Yeah! We were getting weird!”

Twinkle pipes up with wide brown eyes, “Did it work?”

Misty turns her head right towards Twinkle, “I thought it sounded pretty strange?”

Twinkle looks over towards the unicorn filly, “Well, it worked for me?”

I widen my eyes at the trio, “Look! I can appreciate a good creative prank as much as most ponies! But now is really not the time!”

The small teal green alicorn on my left finally raises her head to speak, “Yeah! I’m gonna fly all the way to school with my new wings for the first time!”

Misty looks back at Twinkle, “She wasn’t doing that before?”

Twinkle replies incredulously, “How would I know?”

Jessi sighs, “So while I love all of you, me and Miss Glimmer here have to do this alone!”

Izzy stares at me, “Miss Glimmer?”

I smile, “Yes! My name is Starlight Glimmer and I was going to escort young Miss Trotsky here! You see, it’s kinda my fault she’s now an alicorn and so I’m taking responsibility! Yes! Miss Trotsky here is my responsibility! I was going to escort the darling young Miss Trotsky here too...”

“Jessi!” Jessi interrupts.

I sigh, “Jessi here to the school, so she can finally reveal that she’s an alicorn!”

Misty looks at Twinkle, “Being an alicorn is bad? Opaline didn’t seem to think so?”

Twinkle repeats herself as her little body jitters, “How would I know? I just got here!”

My smile lowers slightly, “Yes, well, so if you could all just please leave now, and let us get back to it, then!”

Twinkle looks at me and says, “You know, I also got wings?”

Misty nods at me with wide green eyes, “It’s true! She does!”

Twinkle stares up at me with wide brown eyes, “I could come for moral support?”

Izzy turns her head far right towards Twinkle, “Don’t you also have school?”

Twinkle replies while keeping her gaze on me, “Oh, please mom! Like I can’t skip a day!”

Misty turns her head left towards Izzy and nods, “It’s true! She’s very smart!”

By this point, I’m grimacing as I can’t tell whether I should be amused or annoyed? I can only stare down at Jessi to my left and ask her, “Jessi! Do you want Twinkle Shine to fly to school with us?”

Jessi lifts her head to stare at Twinkle who stares back with big sincere brown eyes and smiles back, “Uh, y-yeah! More ponies is a g-good thing, right?” before turning her head towards me and smiling nervously…

I smile down at her as I can already tell she really wants her best friend there with her… “Of course it is, little filly!”

Twinkle smiles at Jessi, “See? Now aren’t you glad your best friend is a mutant gas alien?”

<*****>

I stare up at the dimly illuminated morning sky now as the sun begins to peek into Maretime Bay from the east and I know I’m about to go to school…

Starlight Glimmer looks down at me from my right where she never left, “Okay Jessi! Take two! Are you ready?”

The pink pegasus pony of about my size on the left chimes up, “Now with Twinkle Shine and she ate a gummy!”*

Starlight looks up at the pegasus, “What?”

I stare up at her and smile, “Uh, never mind!” I blink and sigh. “Well uh, I guess I’m ready as I’ll ever be?”

Twinkle chimes up, “Yeah! What could go wrong?”

I hear Starlight try to reassure me, “You’re gonna do just fine!”

This talk does nothing to make me feel better as I stare up at the atmosphere, now turning a pale sky-blue shade with the rising sun… I gulp and squat while straightening my new wings to my sides… I take a deep inhale, in and out my mouth before I begin flapping my wings and I keep my eyes focused on the sky. That’s my destination! That way to school! I think to myself as I furrow my brow with determination and begin moving my wings with greater force and velocity…

I soon feel my hooves leaving the ground and I tilt my body forward to to begin to travel that direction and I soon feel a cool morning breeze on my face and blowing through my mane as I feel it fly across my back… I know I’m not alone, but at that moment, I felt trapped inside my own head… Like, all I can do is stare forward in a sort of tunnel-vision as I flapped my wings harder and further towards my destination…

The world flashes into clarity in my consciousness as the magenta alicorn flying with me on my right asks me, “Are you doing okay, Jessi?”

I realize that I almost forgot that I wasn’t by myself as I say back to her, “Uh, y-yeah! I think I’ll be okay?” as we all fly north and see the sun poking out from our right… Twinkle is gliding and occasionally flapping her wings further forward than me and to my left, but doesn’t say much as she continues to fly forward…

I know she’s intoxicated, but just having her here still makes me feel better, although Starlight’s words continue to do nothing to soothe me as she says, “No worries, Jessi! You got this!” and I gulp…

I don’t know how to tell her to shut up?

She asks me, “How much further, Jessi?”

At that point, reality settles back into my head once more and I see Maretime Bay below me… I see some ponies beginning to come out and open their shops for the day in the commercial district on my left and a gray earth stallion wearing a pale blue bathrobe coming out of his house to get the paper with his mouth catches my view on the other side… But at the same time, nopony seems to take note of us up here? “It’s on the North end of town! It’s there, so the farmer ponies don’t have to go into town to go to school!”

I see Starlight nod at me in my periphery, “That makes sense… Just take it slow Jessi! Descend when you are ready!”

I’m gonna die! I think to myself as I slow my flapping and feel a cold gentle wind as it flies through my wavy grayish-white mane and my eyes begin to focus on the landscape coming into view… It’s beautiful and so serene… Hard to imagine my death would be down there? I think as I begin to glide down with a slow flap towards the schoolyard, now coming into focus with the chain link fence around the empty playground as small ponies were going inside…

I finally finish my descent right in front of the building, beyond the fence, in front of a stone statue of a whinnying earth stallion with a fierce look in his eyes.

As I hear the clack of my hooves hit the cement in front of the statue, I can hear whispers around me…

I hear the word, “Alicorn!” said from somewhere behind me and I see a tan earth stallion foal with a brown mane on my right near the school, close to the door…

Who frowns at me and says, “Jessi has wings!”

I look at the small pony who noticed my new appendages, “Yes, I’m an alicorn now!”

He raises his view, “Is that why you always wore that vest?”

I can already tell there’s no going back now and gulp as I say, “Yes… I didn’t want you to know that I had wings…”

His eyes widen, “Why? That’s really neat! I guess that’s why when you disappeared for a couple of days, you suddenly showed up again in that vest? Uh, why do you think you need to hide your wings?”

I stared at the colt then… Time seemed to move still as the correct words began to form within my mind… “Because my wings make me different, Lyle…“I blink… “I don’t think other fillies and colts will like me anymore if they knew how different I really was… I keep thinking that it’s better if I just go away forever… “

His eyes widen, “W-what? Why would we hate you just because you got wings now?”

“And a lot more magical power!” I add.

He blinks, “Well, yeah! That too! But uh, that doesn’t make you a different pony, does it?”

I frown, “Um, n-no! No it doesn’t!”

Twinkle then turns her body towards me from where she’s standing on my right, “Um, they don’t seem to be taking out the pitchforks and I’ve yet to see a single torch?”

Starlight Glimmer smiles down at me from the other side, “See Jessi? It’s safe! We’re all friends here, okay?”

I stare up at her, “But I thought that the world was evil and just wanted to hurt me? That if I was weird or different, that they would hate and fear me? I thought that because of what I was, that I didn’t belong?”

“Jessi!”

I blink up at her, “Y-yes Starlight Glimmer?”

“Just because you’re an alicorn doesn’t mean you don’t belong! In fact, it kinda makes you special!”

I close my eyes in frustration, because I just can’t seem to get these ponies to understand! “But I don’t want to be special! I wanted to be like everypony else…”

She smiles and giggles, “Well Jessi! Nopony really gets to choose, you know?”

Suddenly, I hear Lyle chime in from his position by the door, “Um, I don’t hate you because you’re an alicorn?”

I turn my head back left to stare at the small brown colt from a distance as he stares back with his blue eyes, “Um, what?”

He frowns, “Um, no! Why would that make me hate you? I mean, ponies are integrated again now, right? So many of our students have wings and a couple even have horns! We’re not gonna hate you just because of some extra equipment! You just happen to have both! That’s all!”

I blink as my mind begins to process all of this… “D-do you mean to tell me that all this time, I was scared for nothing?”

Twinkle adds from my left, “Well, if you wanna be super golly blunt about it, yeah, pretty much! But you’re coming to my house to tell me about what happened, right?”

I stare deep into those enormous brown eyes of hers and while I know she’s being manipulative, I also know it’s for a good cause and so I say, “Of course, Twinkle! You’re my best friend! Just uh, call Little Snack and let her know I can’t show up today!”

Twinkle widens her eyes, “Okay!”

Starlight asks me from my right, “So, ready to go in, kid?”

I stare up at her, “Uh, do I have to?”

Lyle then says from by the door, “Hey, Jessi! Uh, look! I know you’re nervous or something, but uh, why don’t you stick with me, eh? It’ll be okay!”

Twinkle turns her gaze from Lyle back to me, “He doesn’t seem very threatening?”

At that point, I see Starlight’s larger mare body come towards me… I see it, and I can do nothing to stop her as she then embraces me in a tight warm hug!

I squeak, “EEP!”

She releases me to my hooves and stares into my eyes, “Now listen! I have to go now! If you ever have need of me, call my name! Do you understand?”

I stare up at the solemn magenta alicorn and say, “Yes, I think so?”

She smiles, “Good! Now have a good day in class, Jessi!”

I turn to begin trotting towards the smiling brown colt near the door, with my wings now on full display at my sides…

<*****>

At that point, early in the morning, something extremely rare happened… My phone actually rang while it was sitting on my desk in Hitch’s office!

I widen my eyes as that’s very unusual! I lift it with my forehooves to see it’s Twinkle Shine! I swipe on the screen to answer and bring it to my right ear, “Hiya Twinks! What’s up?”

“Oh, golly! Jessi can’t come to the station after school today, cause she’s coming over to my place, instead!”

“What?”

“Yeah, you see, she’s been hiding the fact that she’s an alicorn from her classmates…”

I repeat myself, “What?”

She giggles slightly, “So, yeah! She actually flew all the way to school today and well, we need to make sure she’s okay!”

My eyes widen, “Oh, wow! So you wanna do it at a house instead of a sheriff’s station! Makes sense!”

“I’m glad you understand Little! Uh, will you be okay?”

I blink, “Oh, I’ll be fine! I’ve spent most of my life by myself! Another night won’t be so bad! Besides, I can always just text Misty, if I get too lonely?”

“Well, right! I’ll see you later, Little Snack!”

“Right!” I say before moving my phone to the front of my face and swiping my right forehoof again to end the call…

I look up, “Well, that sucks!”

Hitch trots in from the back with a white box of donuts on his back, “What sucks?”

I turn my head right to face him and smile, “Oh, I just ran out of coffee! More donuts dad? Really? If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were a cop?”

He snickers back at me from the doorway, “Oh, don’t be ridiculous Little Snack! I would never enforce the law!”

I smile and giggle, “Yeah!”

He stares at me, “Hey, you did let your friends know about the awards ceremony tonight, right?”

I stare back at him wide-eyed, “Why, yes! Yes I did! I need to go make a phone call now, on a completely unrelated matter!”

(To be continued…)

Author's Note

*I learned gummies are actually very good for wake n bake, because of the staying power and the way you can pretty much ride it all day from there…

Chapter 37: Relapse

My eyes widen when I see what’s on the screen in front of me on my tablet as I lay on my stomach on the bed… “Oh, crap!” I curse to myself before getting off the bed to the right and trotting towards the door to head across the hall to the big red door there… I knock with my right hoof…

“Yeah!” A familiar squeaky voice comes from the inside…

“We have an awards ceremony tonight! It’s at seven and we all gotta be there!”

“Misty!”

I start and adjust my eyes to the door, “Uh, y-yeah?”

The voice calmly replies, “The awards ceremony can suck a ball! I’m finishing this joint first!”

I frown, “Oh, golly!” and suddenly wonder when the word entered my vocabulary? I look back up to the door and yell. “There’s not much time, Twinkle Shine!”

“You know, they can’t start the party without us, anyway, right?”

My eyes widen, “Well, that’s true, I suppose?”

“Right! Now get your flanks in here! I want somepony to talk to now!”

“Are you high?”

“Are you getting in here now, or what?”

My eyes dart at the door, “Yeah, you’re high!”

“Shut up, get in here, and talk to me!”

I snicker to myself and shake my head before magically opening the door inward to the right…

I trot in to see a pink pegasus filly holding a lit half-smoked joint to her snout with her right hoof as she takes an inhale…

I stop there and stare at the smoking pegasus, “So, you’re finishing your joint first!”

She exhales from her mouth and stares at me with wide brown eyes, “Oh, golly yes! It’s been a rough couple of days and I need a little break! So yeah! I don’t care about any stupid awards ceremony! I’m smoking first! Uh,” she widens her eyes to me. “You want a few drags?”

I smile and snicker, “You know, I’m almost tempted, but no!”

“Suit yourself!” She replies before bringing the joint to her mouth again for another drag.

I frown as I’m not sure this is the best time, but I decide to say what I’d been thinking, “Twinkle, I just wanted to thank you! F-for being there for me about the whole Opaline thing, you know?” and smile. “You’re a true friend!”

She exhales from her mouth and I see the odoriferous puff of weed smoke between us as she says, “Oh, golly! You can’t hug me right now! I’m smoking!” before bringing the joint to her mouth again.

I giggle, “What? I was just thanking you! That’s all!”

She exhales smoke from her snout again and says, “Oh, golly dammit!” before turning right to her glass ashtray on the round wooden table there and using her right forehoof to snuff the mostly smoked joint there… I know she likes to save those for later… She stares back at me and starts trotting my direction…

My eyes widen, “What are you doing, Twinkle Shine?”

She sighs, “Now, I gotta hug you! Those are the rules!”

I frown, “What?” before she quickly grasps me in her hooves and starts squeezing affectionately! “EEP!” I suddenly squeal in her hooves!

She lets me go and returns to her hooves on the floor and nods, “There! I hugged you!”

I widen my eyes at this, “You’re definitely stoned!”

Suddenly, I see a flash of blue light to my right! I stare at it and scream, “AAAAAHHH!!!!”

Twinkle turns her head the same direction and stares with her bloodshot eyes and says, “Oh, golly! It’s Jessi! Hiya Jessi!”

A teal green alicorn filly stands there and widens her eyes to both of us, “Hey! Did Little Snack let you two know?”

Twinkle shrugs, “Golly gee, Jessi! I don’t know shit!”

I stare at her, “Yeah, there’s an awards ceremony in about twenty minutes and Twinkle here is stoned!”

Twinkle raises her neck to speak, “I don’t care anymore! I’m smoking, golly dammit!” She coughs and clears her throat. “Well uh, I was… I’m done now!”

<*****>

I lay my head on the left shoulder of my love as we sat there in the roofless amphitheater together, in the front row and whisper to her, “I love you, Sunny!” as I stared up at the open night sky with the stars and constellations overhead…

Sunny whispers back, “Wow Izzy! You’re really affectionate tonight!”

I smile, “Well, I just smoked a joint and was thinking about what you mean to me…” as I breath in a cool breeze, now gently blowing past us from the left…

“Wait! You smoke devil weed?”

I reply, “Mmm, sometimes! Twinkle Shine likes to smoke with me too. She’s persuasive…”

Sunny is silent for a moment before answering, “She is very compelling, uh… I didn’t know you got high!”

I sigh, “Yeah, I’d been meaning to tell you about that, but I just well,” I giggle slightly, “I just didn’t know how to bring it up! I mean, you’re okay with that, right?” as the wind dies down before suddenly picking up again ever so gently, as I feel the cool air coming in from my left side…

She breathes heavily, “I uh, I think so? Just uh, not around me, okay?”

I smile and sink deeper into her warm shoulder while thinking about how amazing she is, “Deal!”

She’s silent for another moment before saying, “Do you get affectionate when you’re high?”

I chuckle slightly more before rubbing more into her shoulder, “Figure that one out already, did you?”

I can almost feel her eyes on me at this point as she replies, “You know, this might not be so bad?”

I widen my eyes from their previous half-closed state, “Oh?”

She wraps her right forehoof around me and whispers to me, “Shh! It’s okay, my love… I don’t mind stoned affectionate Izzy!” before giggling slightly herself. “This isn’t so bad!”

Suddenly, the lights go up on the stage and we both go back to our seats to witness a pink unicorn with a blond straight mane, holding cue cards in her yellow magick and clearing her throat, “Ahem! We are all here today to honor the Filly Action Squad and their heroism in stopping a bank robbery!”

The theater begins to stomp their hooves in a thunderous applause before she clears her throat again… They soon stop…

“Ahem! Will uh,“she switches her cue card. “Twinkle Shine, Jessi Trotsky, Misty, and Little Snack all please come up here!”

Suddenly, an orange filly with two long green pigtails quickly begins trotting in from the left stage! She stops at the side of the pink mare before a teal green alicorn with a grayish-white mane and a blue unicorn with a two-toned curly mane trot in behind her and they stop shortly before a pink pegasus filly becomes visible at the left…

Twinkle Shine looks behind her, “Shut up! I don’t care!” before trotting behind the unicorn to take her place while the orange filly bounces near the podium and the green filly behind her stares around nervously with her burnt orange pupils…

The pink mare then says, “Yes! We now honor Little Snack the earth filly!” and Little Snack bounces more visibly, “Misty the unicorn filly, Twinkle Shine the pegasus filly, and Jessi Trotsky the uh, the alicorn filly!”

Jessi widens her eyes at the crowd as one pony shouts, “She’s really an alicorn!”

The alicorn clears her throat, “Y-yes! Yes I am! I’m an alicorn! But I’m just like any of you, except I happen to have wings and a horn!”

The crowd gasps!

Jessi stares back over her right shoulder at Twinkle Shine, “I told you I should’ve worn my vest!”

Twinkle gazes back wide-eyed, “You don’t need it! You’re you now! Be you!”

I whisper to Sunny on my right, “Will she be okay?”

She whispers back, “I’m an alicorn too, remember? I got her back if things go south!”

Jessi stares wide-eyed at the crowd and visibly gulps before smiling nervously, “Uh, y-yes! I’m an alicorn now! As you all know, Sunny Starscout became an alicorn earlier when she brought magick back to Equestria! Well uh, I became an alicorn when I found something! It was, “she shakes her head. “ancient power that had been hidden to keep it safe from a mighty foe! And now, I have this power, whether I like it or not, but I assure you, I’m just like any of you! Just uh, I have both now! Wings and a horn! And probably earth pony magick too?” and blinks…

The crowd gasps…

Jessi widens her eyes!

The pink mare clears her throat yet again and continues, “Ahem, yes! Uh, Sunny isn’t the only alicorn in Maretime Bay now!”

Jessi stares blankly at the crowd, “Please leave me alone!”

Twinkle widens her eyes and stares at Misty before saying, “Relax Jessi! Nopony is going to hurt you!”

Jessi widens her eyes before squatting and taking off with her wings! She quickly turns around over the theater and flies away from us all, over the stage!

Twinkle noticeably says, “Oh, golly!” under her breath before turning, squatting, and flying after her best friend!

<*****>

“Oh, golly!” I whisper under my breath again as I chase the dimly lit green thing flying in the distance…

I don’t know where she’s going to fly, but I don’t think she knows I’m here? I keep tailing her as she flies towards a dark forest in the distance over the starlit grasslands of the fields away from Maretime Bay…

I don’t think it’s Bridlewood and I suddenly realize I haven’t really been this far to the southwest of Maretime Bay as she flies over the trees there and I follow…

I don’t know where we are, but I also know she needs me, and so I furrow my brow as I continue to work my wings to get as close to her as I can…

Suddenly, I see her dip below the treeline and I whisper, “Oh, no you don’t Jessi! You’re not getting away that easy!” before flapping with all of my might to increase my speed so I can see just where she dipped off to!

<*****>

I look back at Misty over my left shoulder away from the podium, “So uh, should we go after her, or?”

Misty looks at me with a serious expression in her verdant gaze, “Absolutely!”

Suddenly, Sunny teleports just to my right as I continue to stare over my shoulder, “You two will do no such thing! You will both go home, immediately!”

I turn my head towards the orange alicorn, “No can do, boss! Jessi and Twinkle are out there!”

Misty stares at Sunny, “Yeah! We’re together! We either all come out or not at all!”

Suddenly, a fluffy blue unicorn bursts through the stage door at the right of my gaze. I turn towards her as she says, “Well, you gotta admit, they are loyal!”

Misty adds, “Nopony left behind!”

Sunny sighs, “Fine! We’re forming a search party!”

Hitch comes in from the other stage door and I once again, adjust my neck, towards him this time as he stops galloping near the podium, “Right! A search party!”

“Can I be a deputy now?” I ask the stallion.

He glares at me, “Not yet!” before adjusting his gaze to everypony on stage. “Alright! Little Snack, you’re with me and Izzy! Misty! You’re on Sunny! Let’s move out!”

<*****>

And so, that’s why I now stood in front of a forested hillside with many birch and pine trees all over it under the moonlight as I glared into the darkened cavern made of stone and leading into the earth with the faint glow deep inside that’s barely visible, “Jessi! I know you’re in there! This is really the only place to hide in this area!” as I widen my eyes and suddenly think that it’s good that I smoked before this!

The glow suddenly goes out as I hear a feminine voice reply, “No it’s not! There are other caves! You just haven’t looked hard enough!”

I snicker at the cave, “Golly dammit, Jessi! You just turned your light out! I know you’re in there! Come on!”

The voice is silent for a moment before finally replying, “I don’t have a light!”

I look into the black cave once more and fiercely reply, “Jessi! You’re an alicorn now and you’re different from most other ponies!”

She’s silent again…

“And that’s okay too!” I then add…

I then hear the voice faintly reply, “They don’t like different…”

“What? Uh,” I shake my head. “Look, Jessi! We’re both friends now and I think you can talk to me, face to face! I mean, golly gee! Don’t we know each other better than this?”

I finally see a teal green filly with wings and a horn slowly emerging from the cave, in the pale moonlight and I smile at her before trotting her direction…

I say loudly, “I’m the emotional support pony tonight!” and hug her tightly!

“ERP!” She squeals! That’s a new one…

I release her, nod, and say, “Okay! What’s really the problem here?”

She stares back at me and I see her wide sensitive eyes as she says, “Well, I was a slave to the diamond dogs… But that’s not everything that happened to me…”

I frown, “Well, obviously! You know, I’m your best friend! You know, you can tell me anything, right?”

She smiles faintly, “Y-yeah… “she adjusts her eyes as she glares at me carefully. “I’m not used to that!”

“No, really?” I reply facetiously as it’s all I can do stay together at this point… These other fillies really are a hoofful!

She continues, “I-I did travel to Equestria once… The zebras told me about this place and that that’s where ponies came from… I uh, I wanted to see it for myself… Well, when I got here, I ran into many earth ponies in the plains and they all shunned me! So uh, I thought,” she blinks. “I thought being different is bad…”

“It’s different now though, Jessi… They’ll accept you… You don’t need to worry about it…”

She glares at me, “How can you be so sure? W-what if they scream at me and chase me off, the same way those ponies from before did? I uh, I didn’t like Equestria much after all of that… Things seemed better living with the zebras…” she smiles. “Sunny and Izzy are the only reasons I’m even here! And well, now you too!”

I sigh, “Right! And Misty and Little Snack! Hitch, Zipp, and Pipp are also cool too! So you got all kinds of friends here! Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun here? Maybe you should give them a chance?”

“B-but what if they don’t accept me?”

I nod, “Then we’re all willing to get your back! We’re not gonna let them throw eggs at you or chase you out of town!”

Her eyes widen, “Wow!”

“Or tar and feather you or put you in a dunking booth or launch fireworks at you or…”

She giggles and cuts me off, “Okay! I get it! You can stop now!”

“...or…oh! Right!” I say as I widen my eyes. “Right! So uh, any idea of where we are?”

“No clue! Oh, gosh Twinkle Shine! After well, everything, I don’t like being on display like that!”

I eye the alicorn carefully under the dimly lit sky… “Jessi! I uh, actually have something that might help you in my fluff… You don’t have to do it everyday like me, but uh, well, it may be good for you? You can create a flame with your magick, right?”

(To be continued…)

Chapter 38: Acceptance

I see a bright flash of light envelop me and suddenly, I’m once again standing on the wooden panels of the floor of my room! I look at my best friend and say, “Alright Jessi! Time to smoke a super joint!”

She stares at me with wide burnt orange eyes and says something I often say, “Say what now?”

I stare at her with all the seriousness I can muster, “Alright by golly, you and I have to get through this whole awards ceremony thing or whatever, right? You don’t have to do it often or ever again, but I think you should at least do this once!”

She frowns at me, “But what if I get addicted?”

I nod, “Yes, there’s a risk of that just as there’s a risk of getting addicted to anything! But coming down just once won’t be so bad!”

She sighs, “Well um, okay Twinkle Shine! If you really think it’ll help me?”

I frown, “That was surprisingly easy!” before turning to my right to stare down at my round wooden table there and fetching a roach from the floof of my chest and setting it down next to the black pack of rolling papers and then using my left forehoof to collect the two specific small baggies of nugs on the other end of my table.

As I’m creating the joint using resin from this old roach mixed with two particular strains I know will calm her down, she asks me, “Are you sure about this?”

As I’m creating the roll around the line of weed I had formed after hoof grinding the nugs, I say back to her, “Well, you’ve been inhaling my secondhand all this time! Is a joint really gonna matter?”

As I lick to seal the paper in my right hoof, she says back to me, “Well, true! But come on Twinkle! A super joint? Really?”

I seal up the roll and put it inside my mouth before smiling at her on my hooves, “Well golly gee, it’s your first time and we’re doing it right! Now these strains are heavy indica and will mellow you out! You may fire, when ready!”

She says, “Oh, golly!” and I widen my eyes to her as she furrows her brow to concentrate and create a spark at the end of my joint… I inhale and soon taste the mellow fruity flavors of the herb inside as it rolls down my tongue and the heat shortly enters my lungs as I feel them fill with smoke…

She frowns at me and I can tell she’s nervous by the look in her ever so slightly quivering eyes as I take the stoge out of my mouth with my right forehoof and exhale smoke before staring back at her and saying, “Tradition says you get two hits before passing! If there were more than two of us, you’d pass to your left!” before putting it in my mouth to take my customary second drag and then, holding it up for her to see my hoof while holding the warm smoke in my lungs.

She causes her horn and the joint to both glow sky-blue before the joint floats out of my hoof and I exhale as it’s floating towards her before looking her way, “Now, inhale slowly and gradually! You don’t wanna take in too much too fast!”

“U-um, okay Twinkle!” She says as she stops the joint right in front of her face and she turns it around to float the tip into her mouth… She clamps down on it and begins to inhale… The end of the joint flickers slightly brighter as the first ever hit of smoke enters her lungs…

<*****>

I really didn’t expect it to be so hot! It entered my lungs and I felt the warm gas there now, and I soon exhaled smoke out the right side of my mouth before coughing and sputtering as I floated the joint out to be just in front of my face!

She giggles, “Yeah, you get used to it Jessi! No worries! Just take your time and take your next hit when you’re ready!”

I slurp up some spit from my bottom lip and look at her before saying, “Oh, thanks Twinkle! Now I’m doing drugs!”

She smiles and nods, “You’re welcome! Now go ahead and take your next hit!”

“Ugh!” I groan as I clamp down on the joint in my mouth after floating it there and take another slow gradual drag… I’m more ready this time as I feel the smoke enter my lungs after tasting the fruity flavors of the weed on my tongue… I’ll admit that it’s actually pretty yummy!

I soon feel a wave hit my body and I suddenly feel very relaxed and calm… I blink before using my magick to lazily float the joint out of my mouth and back towards the pink filly smiling at me as she says, “You’re starting to feel it now, huh?”

I exhale smoke while she collects the wavering joint in the air with her right forehoof and brings it to her mouth, “Uh huh!” I say as I nod and she inhales, causing the end to glow as she giggles quietly to herself…

She exhales before taking the joint out and saying to me, “I really do care about you Jessi and this is a quick way to calm you down… I love you and I want you to be happy…” before putting it back in with her right hoof and inhaling, causing the embers to glow at the end.

I smile at her, “I appreciate it Twinkle! Uh, whoa! This isn’t like inhaling your exhaust! This is harder!”

She takes the joint out and holds it up to signal me, before exhaling smoke and nodding, “Yeah, it’s a bit different from a shotgun, huh? You know, I would’ve done this with you sooner?”

I float the joint back to me while saying, “Yeah, but I don’t wanna get addicted!”

She sighs, “Well, you know, you’ve been inhaling from me this whole time! You’ve kinda already been using!”

“I nod with the burning joint now in my mouth, “Well, yeah!” before clamping and inhaling to make it glow…

“So don’t you think you need to be more honest with yourself about certain things?”

I exhale and force the joint to fly out of my mouth and head back towards her… “Well, yeah…”

She nods and says, “You know, you’re kinda just lying to yourself about your usage, right?” before collecting the aerial joint with her right hoof and bringing it back to her lips.

I sigh and look off to the right as I say, “I-I know Twinkle… I guess I was just lying to myself about getting high?” I blink. “I think I was lying to myself about a lot of things?”

She exhales smoke before nodding with the burning stoge still in her mouth and takes it out with her right hoof and nods before saying, “Okay, it’s good that you recognize that, Jessi! But uh, that’s not really why we’re here, now is it?” before bringing it back to her snout.

I stare back at her, “Well uh, no! No it’s not!”

She exhales smoke before lowering her head and raising her hoof with the joint so I see it… I cause it to glow and float towards me once more… She stares back at me and lowers her hoof while asking with a serious expression and tilting her head slightly to the right, “So, tell me Jessi! Why do you think being different is bad?”

The joint floats in front of my face as I say to her, “Because I just want to be normal like everypony else!” before I force it to float back into my mouth and I soon taste the peculiar strawberry/blueberry combo flavors of this weed we’re smoking together out of the half-joint…

She nods, “Okay, follow-up question! I’m an amnesiac stoner pegasus filly from two thousand years ago! Do you think that’s normal?”

I exhale out the right side of my mouth and force the joint to float before me and say back to her, “Well uh, no! Probably not?” before forcing the joint to float back to me, where I fasten my lips around the tip.

She nods again as I clamp down on the cigarette to inhale, “Okay, now Misty was abused and killed her captor in cold blood! Do you think that’s typical?”

I exhale smoke out the right side again before causing the joint to float out of my mouth and back towards the pegasus as I look at her and say, “Well uh, not really? I mean, most ponies don’t do that!”

She collects the joint with her right hoof again and looks at me and smiles before saying, “Right! And Little Snack was warped here from another space and time! Is that an everyday occurrence? Do you think that’s ordinary, Jessi?” before moving the joint back into her mouth where she clamps and the end soon glows…

I frown, “Uh, no, not at all! That’s extremely unusual!”

She exhales while giggling and taking the joint out of her mouth with her right hoof, “See?” and says in a robotic voice, “Jessi Trotsky! You are a weirdo! And you are among friends!” and then brings it back for another hit…

I giggle at her, “Stop it! This is serious! I don’t like being too strange because then, ponies don’t like you!”

She chuckles while taking the joint out of her mouth with her right hoof, looking at the glass ashtray on her round table, and snuffing it out… She looks back at me and says, “Well gee, you know, we all like you? All three of us, plus a lot of adult ponies! I think you’re doing alright, but I’ll tell you something else Jessi… “she sighs, “I learned this lesson the hard way, but a few close friends is a lot better than all the popularity in the world!” and then she smiles faintly while nodding, “You could have a thousand friends and it won’t mean anything if none of them truly like you and know you…”she leans forward. “And more importantly, if they’ll actually help you when you need a hoof...”

I smile, “Th-thanks Twinkle! That really helped mellow me out!”

She smiles back, “You’re a dope smoker!”

“Shut up!” I say back while giggling!

“You smoke dope because you’re a dope smoker!”

“Shut up!” I repeat myself and chuckle a little bit more as the funny floaty feeling now consumes my body!

She stares at me and asks, “So uh, you know, they probably formed a search party or whatever, right? Can you warp all the necessary ponies back to the theater?”

I smile, “As a matter of fact, I can!”

<*****>

I’m soon consumed by a blue light! I was just standing in a field earlier, but suddenly, I find myself in the same amphitheater stage from earlier next to the podium, where that same pink mare from earlier is now standing with a confused look on her face. I stare up at her as I feel the familiar feeling of my two pigtails on my back.

“Ahem!” A teal green alicorn filly behind me clears her throat and says loudly, “I have something I need to say!”

I look over at the theater and only see a few ponies left, but I do notice that my dad is sitting on the right side of the front row and the two lesbians on the other end… It made me happy to know that at least they’ll get to see this…

Jessi continues speaking as she trots to the area in front of the podium, “When I first became an alicorn, I was terrified… I knew that that made me different from most other ponies and I didn’t think that ponies liked differences… But then, I realized differences are what make us all special and unique and that that’s what really makes the world a great place… Yeah, I’m an alicorn and yeah, I have a lot of power… But that’s just part of who I am now and I think,” she blinks, “I think I need to just accept that… I think accepting myself for whatever I may be is the most important thing I can do right now…” she smiles. “After all, how can you really help anypony else out unless you know all the different things you can do?”

Suddenly, a pink pegasus filly shouts from behind me, “So, you’re not gonna hide anymore, huh?”

Jessi smiles and turns her head right towards the pink filly and giggles slightly before saying, “No, not anymore Twinkle… Not anymore… “

(To be continued…)

Chapter 40: But What About Cozy?

That morning, as I slept, something extremely rare happened… I actually remembered my dreams! I was standing in a lush grassland underneath a stormy sky… I see lightning strike just to the left of the curly haired pink pegasus filly as she smiles at me from underneath the wavy curls of her mane…

I recognize that mane and I believe I know this filly… I widen my eyes, “C-Cozy Glow?”

She nods, “None other!”

“What is this? Where am I?” I ask her…

I look around at the dark gloomy sky that threatens rain as the wind blows through the leaves of grass around me and I see another thunderbolt to the right of the other filly as she widens her auburn eyes underneath her neatly arranged curly bluish-white mane and says with a serious expression, “This is where I live!”

I frown, “What?”

She giggles, “Golly yeah! You see, until recently, I could only talk to Twinkle Shine!”

I widen my eyes and ask the obvious question, “Well, why can you talk to me now?”

She frowns, “You know, I’m actually not sure? All I know is, my area of influence got larger recently, and I don’t know why?” she giggles. “Good thing I’m not in the business of tormenting fillies anymore, huh?”

“What?”

She giggles and scratches the back of her head with her right forehoof, “Yeah, shortly after Twinkle thawed, I met with her and immediately didn’t like her! And so, with nothing better to do, I bothered her in her dreams until well, we came to an understanding…”

“You’re not Cozy Glow! Not my Cozy Glow!”

She lowers her gaze, “Well, probably not, no? But I did try to take over Equestria twice, same as her.”

“Why did you want to speak with me?”

She smiles, “Oh, golly gee! It sure can get lonely trapped in here inside Twinkle’s head and I just wanted somepony to chat with!”

I look up at the dark cloudy overcast sky, “This is Twinkle’s mind?”

She nods, “Yup! It’s always cloudy and gloomy here and threatens rain… Sometimes, it does and I have to find a cave!”

I stare back at her, “Is Twinkle Shine anywhere in here?”

She frowns, “Not usually? Unless I call her mind here while she’s asleep, anyway…”

“Can you call her here, now?”

She grins again and nods, “Also true! But I don’t wanna talk to Twinkle Shine! I wanna talk to you!”

I frown, “Why?”

She widens her eyes again and says with a sober expression on her muzzle, “You say your Cozy Glow was also reformed? Tell me about her…”

I blink, “Why would you want to know?”

“It…” She closes her eyes. “I don’t think I’m really bad?”

“What?” I ask with my eyes wide in amazement. “You tried to take over Equestria twice! That's pretty evil!”

She opens her eyes to me, “I care, okay? I care and it’s killing me!”

“What do you mean?”

“Look!” She stares at me in earnest. “I’m a part of Twinkle Shine that she tossed aside one day, and now I don’t have a place!”

I frown, “Is that the real reason you did those things to her?”

“Y-yeah…” She nods. “I got buried when she woke up… “

I lean slightly closer, “So, you’ve been here?”

Her face begins to grow agitated as her eyes tremble and mouth quivers before she snaps at me, “I’m a shell, Little Snack! A golly damned shell! I used to have those thoughts! ‘I’m the evil part of Twinkle Shine! She suppresses me, but I can never really go away!’, but now, now in this new twilight of my existence, I’ve lost my identity…” she sighs and adjusts her gaze back to me. “I’ve been trapped in here for about eight months now and I just don’t know what to do anymore?”

I blink, “Uh, it might be better if we start from the top? Why don’t you think you’re evil?” I shake my head to clear my thoughts before staring back at her...

She sighs, “I already told you, I care! I care about Misty, okay! I care about you! I care about Jessi Trotsky! That wasn’t there before! It wasn’t like that earlier, I just…” she turns her head to the left… She soon begins to visibly tear up in her brown eyes. “I’m not that filly anymore and I just don’t know who I am anymore!”

I nod, “But you’re Cozy Glow?”

She stares at me wide-eyed, “Am I really though?”

I smile, “Yes, you are!”

She frowns, “How can you be sure?”

“The Cozy Glow I knew was a good filly! She cared about her friends, same as you!”

She’s silent for a moment, “Say what now?”

I giggle, “Don’t you see? You’re not a bad filly Cozy Glow! You’re not evil!”

She snaps back, “Don’t you think I know that? That’s not the problem!”

My mouth normalizes and eyes widen, “Oh?”

She sighs, “Please, Little Snack! Listen to me! I don’t know who I am anymore!”

I smile again, “You’re Cozy Glow, a nice pegasus filly I know!”

“I’ve been here for eight months, remember?” She asks.

“So?” I reply…

Her eyes narrow, “Do you really believe we can be one in the same when I never did those things the other Cozy Glow did?”

I blink, “I think at your center, yeah?”

She frowns, “What?”

“Um, y-yeah! At your core, or uh, whatever, you’re still basically the same filly!”

She’s silent for a moment… “Then why did I try to take over Equestria?”

I smile again and mimic her way of talking when I say, “You know, we all have the ability to be good and bad?”

She stares at me blankly while saying robotically, “So, there’s Good Cozy Glow and Bad Cozy Glow?”

I widen my eyes when I realize that’s a good way to put it and nod, “Yes!”

She stares at me for another moment before beginning to trot the necessary 10 feet to get to me and embraces me in a tight warm hug, “Thank you! See you again soon, friend!”

I open my eyes with the back of my head against my pillow, “Whoa! I gotta tell somepony about this!”

<*****>

So, I grabbed my tan pack of papers on my round wooden table the next morning and pulled one out with my mouth before setting it down and hoof-grinding some nuggets of herb on the wooden surface… Then, I neatly arranged the weed in a line horizontally on the paper before looking at the teal green alicorn filly at my left, currently staring at me with her wide burnt orange eyes and say to her, “You know, if we’re gonna be smoking together, you really should learn how to roll!”

Misty chirps up from Jessi’s right, “I could roll!”

I turn to her, “You don’t even smoke dope!”

She blinks, “I-I know! I just like to be included!”

Jessi turns her neck to the blue unicorn, “We could learn together!”

Misty turns to Jessi, “But your magick is different! You’re an alicorn!”

Jessi furrows her brow, “They shouldn’t be THAT different I wouldn’t think?” and turns her head to me. “Do you think they’re too different?”

I widen my eyes at the green filly, “Oh, golly gee, how would I know? I don’t have any of that funky horn magick! I got these!” and flutter my wings. I turn back to my table and shake my head, “Whatever!” and then raise the paper before me and carefully roll it up from the bottom with my hooves before licking the strip on the top so it forms a proper seal when I complete the wrap. I put the completed joint in my snout and as is customary, I pick up my red hoof lighter for the first two glorious drags… I ignite the flame and inhale to bring the flame to the end and then I feel the warm smoke as it rolls down my throat as I once again taste the peculiar fruity flavors of the weed on my tongue…

Jessi stares at me from the left side, “It’s almost majestic?”

Misty nods at her right, “Right?”

I take the joint out of my mouth and turn my neck towards them, “What?”

Jessi blinks while Misty continues to stare blankly and says, “Oh, nothing! Take your second hit and I’ll float it over here!”

I immediately think that my two friends are weirdos as I use my hoof to bring the roll to my mouth for a second hit while they both stare at me intently…

Misty turns to Jessi, “So, Izzy and Sunny are a thing now?”

Jessi turns to the unicorn as I lift my hoof to signal her and her horn and the joint both glow pale blue and as the stoge floats towards her, she says, “Yeah, but I haven’t seen them all morning! They’ve been holed up in their room the whole time!” when suddenly, the small black box device on the wooden dresser in front of me begins to vibrate! Jessi nods at the floating joint, causing it to stop in the air between us and trots over to stare down at the screen. “It’s a text from Little Snack! She wants me to warp her over! Says it’s about Cozy Glow?”

I widen my eyes to her, “Oh golly! Uh, take your hits first and get that back to me, please? You know, some cushioning might be in order here?”

<*****>

As the fluffy blue unicorn held me from behind and breathed quietly as she said softly, “I love you so much Sunny Starscout!” as I pondered about what we just did and then a brief start as I widen my eyes when I realize that we had done the same thing twice just last night and that I’m only running on a few hours of sleep!

“I love you too darling!” I say almost robotically…

She begins playfully nuzzling the back of my neck while happily squealing, “NUZZLE NUZZLE NUZZLE! HE HE HE!”

I flinch and tighten the back of my neck as I squint my eyes and say, “Knock it off, Izzy!”

She stops nuzzling me and says, “Sorry, Sunny! But well, I liked you all this time and now you’re mine! YOU’RE ALL MINE!” before tightening her grip on me!

“ACK! I won’t be yours very long if I don’t breathe!” I gasp out as this psychotic blue unicorn grasps me from behind!

She loosens her grip, “Sorry, baby! I’m just so happy that you’re actually mine now! It really happened!”

“You don’t say?” I state sarcastically. “Uh, don’t we have fillies?”

“Oh, psh!” She blows it off, “They’re geniuses! They can take care of themselves for a couple of hours! I get to hold you now!” before tightening her grip again!

“WHOA!” I squeal as my eyes enlarge. “Careful Izzy! You like doing that, I see?”

“What was your first clue?” She teases before holding me firmly again.

“So what now?” I ask as she tightly holds me…

“Well, we continue living our lives as a couple here, of course!”

I ask her blatantly, “Why do I have the Blue Acres theme song in my head now?”

She giggles, “I don’t know! Why is it called Blue Acres anyway? Shouldn’t they go with a more verdant color?”

I giggle, “You’d think so! Hey, I need to go to the bathroom! No more squeezing, okay? Just let me out!”

She releases me and chuckles a little bit more, “Okay baby! Hurry back now!”

As I trot down the hallways after flushing, I can’t help but hear several filly voices coming from the red door on my left as I clop my hooves back towards our room… I also can’t help but overhear a certain name I remember from my research into ancient Equestria… I hear the name Cozy Glow…

(To be continued… )

Chapter 41: Catatonic

I frown at the orange earth filly, “Oh golly gee, why didn’t she just tell me this earlier?”

Little blinks from where she’s standing, “Um, that’s actually a really good question! I’ll totally have to ask her that later!” her eyes go skyward, “Maybe she’s scared too? Or maybe she can’t? Maybe she just didn’t get the chance to earlier? All sorts of reasons!” before going back to me and blinking…

I nod as the smell of burning devil weed permeates my small wooden room and smoke rises from the ashtray at my left, “Well, right! The important thing now is…”

But before I can finish the sentence, there’s a knock on the door behind Little! She turns and I see her pigtails march back to the door before she opens it to the left with her mouth and we see an orange alicorn there! She gazes at the room with her cerulean eyes to see Little Snack and Misty before her and Jessi and I on the far side before saying, “Oh, hiya Little Snack! Having a little filly get together I see!” she smiles, “I think it’s great that you’ve made so many friends for yourself, Twinkle Shine!” and she sniffs the air. “Have you been smoking again?”

Little looks up at her, “Cozy Glow is back!”

Sunny frowns, “What are you talking about? Cozy Glow is right there!” she nods towards me. “Except she’s not Cozy Glow anymore. Now she’s Twinkle Shine!”

I shake my head and adjust my gaze, “No, Cozy Glow is in my head! Uh, I should probably start from the beginning huh?”

The alicorn keeps her gaze on me as she trots forward into the room and stops in front of me, “Probably?”

I shake my head, “Right! Well, as you know, my mind is fractured or whatever, right? Well, the old part of myself that I left behind is kinda well, she’s still in there!” I blink. “I just don’t know what to do with her now?”

Sunny frowns, “Wow! But what does this have to do with Little Snack?”

That’s when the orange filly speaks up and jitters to the right of Misty, “I’ve been talking to her!”

Sunny turns her neck back to the Little Snack, “Wait! If she’s in Twinkle’s mind, how is she talking to you?”

I then say, “We don’t know! And she says she doesn’t know either! But she can speak to Little Snack in her dreams now!”

Jessi then speaks up, “Wait a minute! Wasn’t Cozy Glow super manipulative? How do we know we can trust her?”

Little turns her body right and twists her neck back to Jessi, “I know what I saw… I believe her…”

I finally just sigh and point out, “We’ve been talking and I think she’s probably trustworthy… That said, I still don’t know why she can suddenly talk to Little Snack?”

Sunny blinks, “The Magic of Friendship!”

I turn my neck back right to her, “Say what now?”

She smiles and says, “It’s because of the special bond that you and Little Snack now share! Cozy Glow can reach her because of that!”

I frown and am silent for a moment, “You don’t actually believe that, do you?”

Little turns her head to me, “Oh, hey! Yeah! And it’s with you because we kinda already have a history together!”

I look left at her, “Yeah, except I wasn’t there! That was another Cozy Glow! Golly, interdimensional travel is weird!”

Little nods, “Yeah, but I already like you!”

I frown again, “How is that possible? You just met me!”

She smiles, “Maybe, but I’ve already seen what’s inside you Twinkle Shine! You’re both the same filly, just in different times and places!”

I grin and giggle, “Yeah, except I smoke dope and she doesn’t!”

She shakes her head and looks back at me, “Habits don’t matter, Twinks! You’re still the same good hearted filly!”

Sunny turns her neck to Little, “Wait! So you’re telling me, there’s an old part of Twinkle Shine that Little Snack talked to in her dreams?”

I turn my neck right while continuing to grin, “And that’s technically not the craziest thing that’s happened this whole time!”

She shudders, “Ugh! Don’t remind me about that, but anyway, I guess I’ll just ask it? What does Cozy Glow want?”

“Well, she feels like she lost her identity because she’s come to understand that she’s not evil… She has good in her too, just like me… “

She frowns, “Well, you’re the same filly, right?”

“Yes, and no!”

“What does that mean?”

I sigh, “Well, I left her behind when I became unfrozen from stone… She’s a part of me and always will be, but now she’s kinda just there!”

She breathes in through her nose, “Well, maybe you need to put her in her place?”

I sigh, “Don’t you think I know that? I just uh… I don’t know where?”

She smiles, “Well, she’s part of you, right? Perhaps you should learn from her?”

I grimace when I realize that I really should’ve thought of that earlier! “Uh, yes! Of course! I know this!”

She nods, “Right! And in the meantime, the Magic of Friendship and that special bond you two share has given Little Snack a new dream buddy!”

I blink, “Apparently! Golly yes!” and think to myself that that fruity stuff I was smoking is kinda strong! I then stare at the alicorn blankly when I realize that I can’t take it anymore and just have to know… “Uh, excuse me! I need to visit the little filly’s room!” and smile up at her…

<*****>

I stare into the mirror, “Alright, I know you’re in there! Come out already!”

Suddenly the mane in my reflection begins to reshape into a neatly arranged set of bluish-white curls and the filly there smiles, “Oh, well hello! Nice talking to myself again!”

“Why didn’t you tell me these things? Why don’t you feel like you belong?”

She sighs and stares off to the right, “You have friends, and a life, and happiness… What would you know about what it’s like to be me?”

“Well, why don’t you tell me?”

She stares deeply at me with her two brown pupils, “I… I’m all alone… I don’t have anypony…”

“Well, you got me! And Little Snack too now, apparently!”

“Sometimes…”

I frown, “But usually?”

She blinks, “Usually, it’s just me in that one place in your mind, Twinkle Shine… It’s always cloudy and stormy and I don’t know why… Sometimes, I go deep into that cave and sometimes, I’ll just wander the field outside, and other times when I feel really brave, I might actually fly and look around from the sky above, but it’s always the same Twinkle. It’s always the same gray sky and the same grassy fields and that same cave. I can’t leave!”

“So, you want new friends?”

She sighs, “Yes, and since you're probably already wondering, I can call Jessi and even Misty now too. I just haven’t done that yet… I don’t know why it suddenly changed, but it did!”

I frown when I realize that she’s probably telling the truth, “Okay… I believe you…”

She gazes at me carefully, “Golly, you act like you weren’t for a moment there?”

I chuckle, “I guess if we’re friends and getting along now, I really should start, huh?”

She raises her left eyebrow, “Gee! Took you long enough!”

I stare at this grinning filly carefully… “You know, I don’t think we were done when we hugged earlier?”

She widens her eyes and frowns, “Um, I think you’re right?”

I blink, “So uh, should we hug again and do it often or?”

“I don’t know? Probably? But we definitely communicate better! That’s for sure!”

I smile and giggle, “Oh golly gee yeah, we definitely need to do that, anyway!” I stare at her carefully. “Cozy Glow, you’re part of me and I need to make sure you’re okay! What’s up?”

She eyes me carefully, “Tell me Twinkle Shine, do you know what it’s like to not have an identity?”

I gaze at her carefully, “As a matter of fact, I do! So, you lost evil when you realized you actually do care! And so what does that leave you?”

She blinks, “Exactly! I mean, on one hoof, I don’t want to let down these ponies that I apparently care about, but on the other, I know caring about them makes me less of the filly I am and I don’t like it!”

“Why don’t you like that, Cozy Glow?”

Her brow furrows, “Because I’m a bad filly, okay? I’m the evil pony who tried to take over Equestria, and now, I don’t think I could do that anymore? I can't do it now because well… Because I care about many Equestrians and I know they wouldn’t want that… And it sickens me!”

“Why?”

She sighs, “Oh, what would you know about being evil?”

I scoff, “Oh, please! You just act like a greedy selfish jerk! Not hard!”

She slowly exhales through her nose before finally saying to me, “I don’t know who I am anymore, Twinkle Shine…”

I smile, “Well, we can always figure that out, you know?”

Her eyes widen, “Say what now?”

I chuckle slightly, “Yeah, Cozy Glow! I’m your friend! But you know, I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me?”

She eyes me carefully… “How?”

“Well, you can talk to me in my dreams, right? And now, you can reach the others in the crew, yes? You know what that means?”

Her eyes widen, “Oh, golly!” she shakes her head. “Uh, you know what, Twinkle? I think I have a better idea?”

I gaze at her, “What’s that?”

She frowns and is silent for a moment… “I think I’m done now, Twinkle Shine?”

“W-what?”

She nods, “My time is over with… I think I belong in that field now… Goodbye Twinkle Shine…” her body grows clear and begins to fade from my view…

“Wait!” I yell at the mirror! “Don’t go! Cozy Glow! COZY GLOW!”

But it was too late… She had disappeared completely…

<*****>

I leaned towards the curly maned blue unicorn filly at my right, “All she can say is, she’s gone and she just sits there now, occasionally smoking a joint… I don’t know what else I can do?”

She stared on at the same pink filly there, standing on three hooves, and using her right forehoof to hold a smoking joint in front of her bed… “Any idea why?”

“Well, maybe if she said more than those two words, I might know? Problem is, she won’t!”

“Gosh… Makes me wonder what happened?”

“Well, we both heard the words ‘Cozy Glow’ yelled before we went to see what was up in the bathroom! We both saw her slowly trot back here to her room. We know something is obviously up because she can only say those two words, smoke devil weed, and stare blankly into space… The only question is, why? What happened? It obviously involves Cozy Glow somehow, because that was the name we heard screamed! But…” I blink before repeating the words, “she’s gone… I think Cozy Glow disappeared? Uh, why though and where would she go?”

Misty stares onward at the catatonic filly before finally saying, “Oh, dang it Jessi! I’m going in!” before turning her body and trotting towards Twinkle Shine, who continued to smoke her joint and stare at her wall blankly… She clears her throat, “Ahem, Twinkle Shine? We understand that something happened with Cozy Glow and we really want to help, but we can’t do that unless you speak about it?” and smiles widely at the pink filly.

Twinkle continues to stare at the wall to our right as she says mechanically, “Have you ever lost a part of yourself?”

“What do you mean?” Misty asks the pegasus as she takes another drag from her joint…

Twinkle exhales smoke and says, “Cozy Glow left, Misty… She said that her time was over and that she belonged in that field… I feel like a section of myself just golly disappeared, Misty… I don’t feel complete anymore and it’s very scary…” before taking another drag of her cigarette.

Misty furrows her brow and lowers her head when she says at a louder volume in her feminine voice, “Now, you listen here, Twinkle Shine! You’re still Twinks, with or without that other filly and you need to understand that!” she blinks, “But we’re here for you, regardless, so you don’t have to get all sullen, you know?” she smiles, “You have friends now!” and trots over to embrace the smoking pegasus in a tight warm hug!

I stare at the two other fillies as Misty releases Twinkle and the pink filly moves her joint to her lips for another drag as ash falls onto the floor from the end, I finally say what’s been on my mind this whole time, “So, how do we get her back?”

<*****>

I stared at the screen of my smartphone as I held it in my golden magick in front of my face and see that it’s Little Snack! I got her number earlier, but I don’t think we’ve ever talked on the phone? I move the phone to my right ear and answer, “Hello?”

The squeaky excited voice on the other end says, “Hey, Sunny! You’re all about togetherness and ponies getting along and working together right?”

I blink, “Um, yeah!”

“Uh, right! But hey! Would you believe there’s actually a sport that involves ponies of all different races working together?”

My eyes widen and I’m silent for a moment before saying, “I’m listening?”

<*****>

I stare up at the darkened ceiling there in the pale moonlight, coming from the window of my bedroom as the blue unicorn filly breathes on my left and the green alicorn filly on my right explains, “Right! So, now that you’re good and snug, we can all go to sleep together and you can feel safe and secure when you face Cozy Glow in the field again, later!”

I ask the obvious question, “Why do I have to be the meat in the sandwich again?”

Jessi continues, “Because you need to feel that extra layer of security during your meeting! Also, because we might meet in the dream? I mean, who knows! That’s still possible! But regardless, it’s imperative that you feel secure now!”

I say, “Imperative? What in the name of a pony are you babbling about?”

Jessi giggles, “I’m saying that if you feel good while talking to her, you’re more likely to be successful! Also, we might meet in the dream…”

I finally just say what’s been on my mind this whole time, “Jessi, you just want to snuggle with me, don’t you?”

Jessi chuckles again, “You act like that’s a bad thing?”

Misty adds, “I like snuggles!”

I move my head left towards the blue filly, “Yeah, but you were neglected, so that makes sense! Jessi here is just a lunatic!”

Jessi says, “You know, you’re kinda cute when you deny liking snuggles!”

Misty speaks up in a more girly voice, “She really is, yeah!”

By this point, I’m growing flustered as I grimace and say, “Oh, golly! You know what? Never mind! You did lock the door to keep out Pipp this time, right? We don’t want her to get in here!”

Jessi replies, “Sure did!”

“Good! Now let’s just get some sleep!” As I bring the covers closer to my face and hear the giggling alicorn on my right while feeling the anxious cuddles coming from the filly on my left…

(To be continued… )

Chapter 42: Harbinger

I stare at the green alicorn filly sitting across from me at the kitchen table as she magically sips some coffee from her white mug, “Oh, golly, so, that didn’t work! I don’t think any of us really had any strange dreams about the prodigal ghost filly now did we?”

The coffee mug sets down on the table in front of Jessi as she stares back at me with her large orange pupils and it stops glowing as she says, “Nope!”

Misty suddenly chimes in from my left, “I dreamed about ice cream!”

“Ugh!” I sigh as I squint my eyes and enlarge them to the green filly and state the obvious thing that’s been in my mind since it came down from wake n bake earlier, “That’s not the point! I feel like part of me is now missing and I just don’t know what to do?”

Jessi frowns at me, “Well, what are we supposed to do?”

I look skyward, “I don’t know that either, okay?” I stare back down at her. “But we can’t just sit on our haunches!”

Jessi takes a long slow breath in through her mouth before finally staring into my eyes and saying, “Twinkle, I think it might be time to move on? I don’t think there’s anything we can do right now?”

Misty pipes up from her seat again, “Can we continue to snuggle in Twinkle’s room, though? That was fun!”

Jessi moves her eyes to the blue unicorn, “Oh, absolutely Misty! I loved snuggling you two!”

I narrow my eyes at this dark-green filly and say to her, “Alright, but Misty is the center next time!”

Misty chimes in again, “Hooray!”

I sigh, “I just wish there was something we could do for poor Cozy?”

“Well, who exactly is Cozy Glow, Twinkle Shine?”

I stare back at the alicorn, “Well, she’s a part of me from long ago… She’s who I used to be but I later decided that I didn’t want to be like that anymore…”

Jessi blinks, “Okay, so now she’s gone away and how is this a problem again?”

I stare at her, “It’s a problem because I’m incomplete without her, okay? It’s a problem because I realized earlier that I can’t be full without her in some way and now that she’s fading, I don’t feel whole anymore…”

Jessi breathes in deeply through her mouth before looking at me deeply in my eyes, “What choice do you have?”

Misty finally pipes up, “Uh, actually!”

I turn my neck left to the blue unicorn…

She continues, “The Zephyr Heights Archives has some spells written deep underneath! I know because Opaline has disguised me as a pegasus in the past to get me there!” she frowns. “Too bad we don’t know anypony with the necessary magical power to transform me again so I could get there? I’m sure I can find something about dream magick?”

I move my eyes to the alicorn filly across the table from me, “Uh, actually, we do know somepony with that level of magick…”

Jessi frowns at me, “What?”

<*****>

Oh, golly gee! I...don’t belong… I… I thought I could get power once! I thought I could make them like me! Notice me! I thought I could be the star! Just once… It was a stupid idea I know and I’d rather not talk about it! I just don’t know what else to talk about? It’s all that’s been in my head this whole time... I’m laying here on a slab, deep inside Twinkle Shine’s mind now… I can hear the wind blowing leaves of grass outside the cave above me, but I don’t want to go out there now… I just want to stay in here… I just want to sleep! Why can’t I just sleep some more? Ugh! You know, this is really frustrating!

I remember that earth filly too… Little Snack… She was really funny and I liked her a lot! It was so wonderful to not be alone! Even though it was only a few minutes, it sure was swell!

But, she acted like she knew me, though and it’s strange, because I felt like I should know her, but for whatever reason those fragments just weren’t there anymore? Uh, the fragments that knew her I mean!

Oh, golly! I’m actually explaining my meanings to myself now! Am I losing it? Uh, I think if I can just remember who I am? Uh, my name is Cozy Glow! I tried to take over Equestria twice and I’m a bad filly! And… And… I’m evil! I’m...the evil Cozy…

(I lose consciousness...)

<*****>

As I felt the new wings forming on my sides while the teal green alicorn lowered her head and forced her horn to glow bright yellow as she squinted her eyes and gritted her teeth in concentration, I screamed! “AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!”

Jessi widens her orange eyes at me and says, “Wow! I didn’t know I could do that!”

I stare at her, “Really? So why did you try?”

Jessi sighs, “Well, what’s the point of having new power if I don’t use it, right?”

I nod as I extend my new appendages out at my sides, “Well, right! So, you’ll just hide yours and my horns and we all go at this together, to Zephyr Heights?” before concentrating like I used to, to bring them into my side…

Jessi smiles, “Right! We’re in this together!”

Twinkle then points out from my right, “You know, we could just ask Zipp to see if these spells are there?”

Jessi turns her neck left to the pink filly, “True, but then we wouldn’t have an adventure!”

I turn my neck right towards Twinkle too, “Yeah, let’s go on an adventure!”

Twinkle narrows her eyes, “So, we all break in at night like a bunch of thugs, take what we need, and leave?”

I smile, “Yeah, that’s pretty much it!”

Jessi adds, “Took her long enough!”

I turn my neck back left towards the alicorn, “I know, right?”

Twinkle narrows her eyes, “I’m gonna go smoke a joint… Then I’ll be ready!”

<*****>

The scarred old zebra frowns and stares at me with his yellow and red eyes, “Okay, you intended to find spells at Zephyr Heights, I see! But why have you then come to me?”

I nod and smile at the shaman as I feel my long pigtails caress my back and say to him, “Well, that’s when Jessi mentioned that she knew you and that we should all teleport to your ziggurat the next morning instead!” I blink. “Or at least, that’s what she told me? Uh, she said you might have some dream magick…

“After breakfast!” Misty chimes in from my left.

“And wake n bake!” Twinkle says from my right.

“And don’t forget coffee!” Jessi says from beyond Twinkle.

The zebra blinks and shakes his head, “Well, yes! I do have a ceremony that could help your peculiar situation, but first there must be a conflagration!” he smiles. “The bowl of my pipe is where the fire will be in! For we all must get stoned before we begin!”

I widen my eyes, “What?”

The zebra’s smile lowers, “I mean, we must all get high dear Little Snack! The weed helps the elevation of the mind, and that’s a fact!”

Misty pipes up and flutters her wings, “But I don’t smoke!”

Twinkle says, “I do!”

Jessi pipes up, “I do too, sometimes!”

Twinkle turns her gaze slightly right towards Jessi, “You split a joint with me just this morning!”

Jessi vibrates slightly, “Oh, yeah!”

The zebra rolls his eyes, “You don’t have to do it regularly as I and some of your friends. But you should do it at least once, if you are to find this ghost and make amends!”

Twinkle turns her neck to me and Misty, “Look! If you want, it can just be me and Jessi! I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to!”

I stare at her and say in sincerity, “N-no Twinkle Shine! If it’s for Cozy,” I nod my head and feel my mane caress my back again. “then I’ll do it!”

She turns her head left towards Misty and asks her, “And Misty! Do you also want to smoke?”

Misty stares at Twinkle and ruffles her wings obsessively again, “I already got these! How much weirder could it get?” she turns her head slightly right towards Jessi, beyond Twinkle. “How long does this last, anyway?”

Jessi stares back at her, “Beats me? Could be until the next morning? Might be two weeks?”

“Okay, but if these are still here tomorrow, we’re definitely going flying later!”

“Oh, golly!”

The shaman clears his throat, “If we are done discussing the finer details, shall we retire now so I can show you what the rite entails?”

<*****>

I open my eyes. I don’t know how long I slept? You know, it’s really hard to tell without a clock in here! I still see the faint light coming from the ramp on the other side of the cave leading up to the surface, but I still don’t wanna go up there…

Why can’t I just sleep forever? Why do I have to be awake? Why do I have to be here? I think to myself as I close my eyes in a cringe… I slowly open them again…

I sit up on the slab and stare around inside the cave… It seems different now, somehow? The light isn’t blue anymore, so much as a more greenish tint now and the shape isn’t the same anymore, either… At least, I don’t think it is?

I honestly and truly wish I could just end it all… I think to myself as I listen to the wind continuing to howl above me… I close my eyes, Why can’t it just be over?

I no longer see the glowing cavern walls at this point and I just think to myself that if only I could find a way out? If only I could destroy myself?

I widen my eyes to see the lights again when I remember that that other me, Twinkle Shine once tried to do just that!

I smile dimly when I think of that little dope-smoking miscreant who looks like me… Well, we share the same body!

And then my smile lowers when I think about what she took from me earlier and it’s weird too, you know, cause I’m actually not mad! No, I really just wanted to be done then anyway and I’ll admit, at first, I was happy with the field! I didn’t mind being here at all! It was so peaceful and tranquil! But after eight months…

You know, it’s so strange too. The sun never sets and it’s never seen behind those heavy clouds up top… It’s been raining on and off, but I don’t think it’s happening right now?

I look at the light maybe 20 feet in front of me and blink as I briefly consider going outside again and sniff the moist air coming from the opening above…

I sigh when I remember that there’s really no point… I lay back down and close my eyes…

(I lose consciousness again…)

<*****>

I stood there on the stepping stool and looked down at the enormous wooden pipe there with its bowl, maybe 6 inches in diameter and several inches deep attached to a long wooden stem with the mouthpiece on the other end, about 20 inches I’d say… “Oh, golly gee, you know, I was gonna roll us a blunt, but since you got this!”

The zebra standing on the left side of the enormous pipe below me, next to the table, extends his right forehoof, currently holding the green plastic hoof lighter, ignites it, stares up at me from my left and says, “Hit!”

My eyes widen, “Oh, golly!” before lowering my face to the mouthpiece where I clamp my lips and inhale to bring the flame into the bowl where it ignites the dark green herbs there and I see smoke rise as I puff from the stalk before clamping down for one big inhale! It’s actually much harsher than most of the weed I’ve ever smoked before and my eyes widen as I begin to gasp and cough!

“I should’ve warned you, this is not weak! Inhale slowly for the effects you seek!”

I cough and sputter as another small cloud of smoke exits from my snout, “Oh, golly! Now you tell me!”

Misty widens her eyes from the other side of the table, “We need to smoke that? Oh gosh!”

Little Snack just beyond her widens her own green eyes and vibrates, “This is gonna suck!”

Jessi beyond them turns her head left to stare at the other two fillies, “Just take it easy and take your time! It’ll be okay!”

The zebra ignites the lighter over the bowl again, “Hit!”

I blink and bring my mouth back to the pipe for another inhale, but slower this time… I taste the earthy flavors of the herb on my tongue now as the smoke hotly rolls down my throat and into my lungs.

Misty turns to the shaman, “How many hits do we each get?”

The zebra turns his head left to the unicorn, “You are not large, this is true! I think six hits will probably do?”

I exhale smoke and stare down at the zebra, “Can I have eight?”

The zebra looks up at me and smiles, “But of course! We want to make sure you’re out for the rite, in sorts...”

I nod, “Also, can I buy some of this stuff from you?”

“If you desire some of my weed, I’ll be happy to sell you a baggy for your needs!”

Jessi turns her head right towards Misty, “Did Twinkle just get a new dealer?”

Misty turns to Jessi, “I think so, actually?”

The zebra nods and looks at me, “But of course, Twinkle Shine! Would you like your six other hits now, or in due time?”

<*****>

I, I think I’m starting to lose it again? Okay! Golly yes! I’m Cozy Glow! I’m the evil filly! Yes! Uh, maybe I could see better if I opened my eyes?

Okay, uh, wow! Why is the glow green now? Golly, that’s creepy how it keeps changing color like that! I don’t think it did that before? But uh, I’m actually not sure?

Wait! I think I hear somepony calling my name outside? Uh, that can’t be right? Nopony can reach me. I’m safe, uh, r-right?

I think I hear it again? I blink as I gaze at the light shining from above at the ramp in front of the slab where I’m laying on my back…

I finally decide to move my body after all this time… I don’t know how long it’s been, but my muscles kinda ache!

“Ugh!” I grunt as my legs hit the floor off the slab to the right with a clack!

I hear the voice again, calling faintly, “Cozy Glow! You down there?”

Now at that point, I really thought about it… I recognize that voice… I could go further into the cave… To where nopony but Twinkle Shine has ever ventured… Or, I could come out and see the new filly I befriended…

<*****>

My new blue love, magically sips some orange juice in her blue glow and stares up at me from the table with her wide red eyes and her face visibly brightens as she smiles and says, “Hiya, baby! Did you sleep well?”

I shake my head as I trot into the kitchen and take a seat opposite to my love, “Uh, yeah! I’m still not used to you being there, but it is kinda nice!” as she magically pours me a cup of orange juice from the clear glass picture that’s now, maybe halfway full of the orange pulpy liquid as it lowers to the table and the cup floats towards my side…

Izzy smiles at me jubilantly as her head tilts to the left, “I’m so happy to hear you say that, Sunny!”

I stare up at the unicorn and frown, “Uh, why? Where’s Twinkle and the other fillies?”

Her head normalizes before she leans forward with excitement in her eyes and a happy grin on her muzzle, “They all went to the park for the morning, which makes this perfect for what I had in mind!”

My eyes widen as new fear begins to rise within me, “What did you have in mind?”

(To be continued…)

Chapter 43: Realignment

I sat there in the glowing green cavern as I heard the filly outside calling my name, “Cozy! Are you down there? Uh, you know what? I’m going in!”

I widen my eyes, Oh golly! What do I say to her? Before staring back behind me to the path leading further into the cavern… I don’t really know what this place is and I’m afraid to look down there, but at the same time, I’m not sure I’m ready to be caught?

I see four orange legs begin to make their way down the ramp leading into this cave…

I turn around and begin running the opposite direction! I know I have wings, but I keep thinking that I’ll run into the wall if I take off because I can’t see that well in here…

I trot deeper into the cave and begin to explore… I see a fork in the cave path leading three different directions…

Suddenly, I hear the familiar squeaky feminine voice of my newest friend resounding from the cave behind me, “Cozy! Are you in here? Come on! I need to talk to you!”

I turn around and frown as I look back towards the entrance where I know the other filly is and raise my neck to yell back, “Uh, no! Cozy Glow isn’t down here!”

“Oh! Okay! Hey! You sound kinda like her! Are you sure you’re not Cozy?”

My eyes widen, “Um, y-yeah! I’m pretty sure! I am definitely not Cozy Glow! No ma’am!”

The voice is silent before saying, “Oh! Okay! Hey! Have you seen a pink pegasus filly with a curly bluish-white mane and tail around here anywhere? She’s lost now and I’m really worried!”

At that point, time stopped for me… I realized at that moment that somewhere in this insane filly’s mind, she actually did care about me…

I stared back at the three paths… I could feel the icy cold air blowing in from the pitch-black path on my left and I also felt the warm heat of the path on my right as I witness the red glow coming from that direction… And then I stared forth at the dusty trail before me in the pale greenish-purple glow of the cavern walls and saw that a mere 20 yards beyond the fork, the path simply stopped into a rock wall…

I blinked as I considered my options…

<*****>

“Perfect? Perfect for what?” I ask the blue fluffy unicorn sitting across the table from me with a frown on my muzzle…

Her red eyes widen, “Oh! Perfect for what I wanted to ask you!”

My eyes widen again, “Ask me? Ask me what?”

Izzy smiles at me warmly before scooting her seat back and I hear the wood scraping the floor before she gets off to her right and trots around the table to stare at me from the side…

She stares at me with sincerity in her crimson gaze as I stare back into her pupils and says to me, “Sunny, I was alone before you… And while that was never really a problem at the time, I now realize that having you around is just kinda well, the best thing ever…” she slowly begins to beam brightly from her snout. “Sunny Starscout, will you please make me the happiest mare alive and marry me?”

<*****>

I stared at the grassy field in front of me over the heavily clouded overcast sky as another thunderbolt struck the ground in the far distance on the left, “Since Little Snack disappeared into the ground, I’m guessing she just went into that cave you were talking about?”

Twinkle nods at my left while puffing her joint, “That is correct!”

I frown, “Well, what is that cave? Where did Little just go into?”

Twinkle sighs, “Well, I’m not sure, but I think it leads into my deep mind? There’s lots of things there that I don’t look at anymore…” before taking her joint out of her mouth and exhaling a cloud of smoke into the wind that soon blows it to the right and away from us…

“Well, shouldn’t we go help her?”

Twinkle flatly replies, “I don’t know?”

I turn my neck to her and finally ask the burning question that has been on my mind, “Okay, who exactly is Cozy Glow?”

Twinkle sighs, “Oh, golly! I knew this was coming up!” Before removing the joint from her mouth with her right forehoof and snuffing it out on the ground and putting it into her chest floof all the while slowly exhaling smoke from her nostrils and then she turns her body towards me. “You know how I was alive two thousand years ago?”

I gulp and nod, “Y-yeah?”

She sighs, “Well, I wasn’t exactly me back then… I was a different filly… A filly named Cozy Glow…”

I frown, “W-wait! You mean to tell me that Cozy Glow…”

“Isn’t me… No Jessi, the truth is, I first woke up in that courtyard all by myself and I didn’t exactly exist before then…”

“How can that be? Are you saying you were formed when Cozy Glow woke up?”

“Cozy Glow never woke up, Jessi… I did…”

<*****>

I trot my orange hooves further into the dark cave at this point while yelling forward, “I’m not the smartest filly in the world, but I’m pretty sure you’re down here Cozy Glow!” before I stare a mere few feet from my sides and witness the pretty deep purple glow on the cavern walls…

I go down a kinda path into the earth… This path is roughly 8 to 10 feet wide and about 5 or 6 feet high above my head, although my pigtails don’t really scrape it as I’m not that tall! I stare forward at the pink filly about 15 feet in front of me… Her bluish-white mane is visible in the violet glow of the walls and basically an unkempt half-curled mess on top of her head as it flares every which way between her two pink ears, now perking my direction as her brown eyes stare at me expectantly…

I stop and widen my eyes, “Cozy Glow! You don’t look so great!”

“Oh, golly! I-I’m sorry Little Snack!” She says before she blinks and adjusts her view to me. “I just didn’t want to face it anymore… “

I frown, “Face what?”

Her eyes widen at me, “The fact that I don’t exist! I’m not real, Little Snack!”

“Oh, wow!” I say before I trot 10 more paces to her… I then put my right forehoof on her snout which scrunches suddenly as she squints her eyes and I say, “BOOP!” and then I remove it back to the earth before staring at her and saying. “You sure about that? You seem pretty real to me!”

<*****>

I sat there and could only smile with sheer elation and joy overtook my now fluttering heart as I ecstatically shouted, “Yes! Yes! Oh, yes, I will marry you Izzy!” before leaning down to plant a loving kiss on her lips as her red eyes widen in obvious confusion at my sudden joy!

I break and smile at her from a few inches away and feel her breath on my snout as she replies, “Oh, wow! That was also ridiculously easy!” she widens her gaze. “It’s almost like I’m supposed to be loving you?”

I giggle slightly, “Yeah! But either way,“I move my snout to hers for a half-nuzzle. “I’m very happy with that arrangement!”

She smiles and says halfheartedly, “Yeah!” before moving her snout to mine for another loving kiss.

She breaks and smiles at me from maybe an inch away, “So, I guess you have a ring or maybe a bangle or something for me to wear as a symbol of our love?”

She frowns, “Oh, yeah! I was supposed to have something like that, wasn’t I?” she gazes slightly right. “I always forget something!”

I chuckle a bit more before saying, “It’s alright Izzy baby! We’ll go shopping and pick out things for each other!”

She widens her eyes as her mouth scrunches, “Oh! That sounds super romantic! We should definitely do something like that!” and begins nodding frantically!

I laugh more and shake my head at this demented unicorn… This wonderful lovely insane horned pony that has the audacity to actually love me!

<*****>

I stood there to the left of the pink pegasus filly and while I’m certain there’s a reason she’s reluctant to go down there, I also know that Little Snack just went there too! I look at her and say, “Okay, I’m going in! Stand by the cave entrance so in case I need anything, I can yell!”

She turns her head left towards me, “Oh, golly Jessi! Please be careful!”

I turn and trot two paces to her before embracing her in a tight warm hug, “Always Twinkle Shine!” Before releasing her, turning my body, and trotting towards the cave entrance leading into the earth… She trots slowly, a few paces behind me…

As I take steps across the grass, I wonder exactly where this cave leads and why it exists? What does Twinkle keep down there? And why does she not wish to go in there?

I sigh and decide the most important thing is to get my friends! I soon trot up to the ramp leading down into the big chasm into the earth… I look down at it and yell, “Little Snack! You okay down there?” as Twinkle stops and turns her head towards me…

I hear a squeaky feminine voice yell back, “Oh, hey Jessi! I found Cozy! You need to get down here!”

I turn my head right towards Twinkle, “Wait for me!”

She nods soberly…

I turn my head and begin trotting down the ramp into the darkened corridor… Left hoof… Right hoof… Left hoof… Right…

I get down and I see a green maned orange earth filly turn her head over her right shoulder and say to me, “She’s right here, but she’s really sad!” before turning to face the pink filly in front of her as her long pigtails sway the opposite direction…

Cozy frowns, “Oh, golly! I’m not sad! It’s just that, well… I have no place now and I just want to sleep!”

I frown at the pegasus, “Why do you say that?”

She sighs and turns to me, “Jessi! I’m evil! I’m the bad filly who tried to take over Equestria and now… Now I’m not and I don’t know where I fit in anymore?”

I respond, “Well, don’t you think we should try to figure that out?”

She frowns, “What?”

I nod, “Well, you say you’re not a bad filly anymore, right? Well, what are you?”

She widens her eyes, “I’m nothing, Jessi! I’m not real! I was just…” she closes her eyes. “holding Twinkle Shine’s body for her…”

“Hmm?” I ponder as I take three paces towards the pink filly… I then push my right forehoof against her nose and say, “BOOP!” I widen my eyes while lowering my hoof. “Well, you're solid in here, anyway!”

At that point, Cozy widens her eyes and starts to giggle hysterically! “Why does everypony keep booping me?”

“You were booped earlier?”

She composes herself and stares back at me, “Well, yeah! Little Snack wanted to see if I was real too, and well, well of course I’m real in here! That’s not the problem!”

I frown again, “Oh? So tell me Cozy, what exactly is the problem?”

Suddenly, we all hear a squeaky voice yell from the outside, “Alright, golly dammit! I’m coming down there!”

We all turn towards the ramp to see a familiar pink pegasus filly with tapered bangs and swept back bluish-white mane trotting down the ramp… She arrives at the landing and keeps pace as she begins towards Cozy Glow, who now stares at her with a wide-eyed frown and not knowing what to expect…

I smile with my neck turned over my right shoulder, “Twinkle Shine! You’re just in time! Cozy Glow here was about to tell us why she doesn’t want to exist anymore!” before turning my neck back to the other pegasus.

“I don’t!” Cozy begins speaking and chokes! She clears her throat and starts again, “I don’t want to die so much as well…”

Twinkle stops trotting at my left and now, we three fillies have cornered the troublesome pegasus! I smile and say, “Now Cozy! We’re all friends here! And we’re all here for you!”

Cozy turns to Twinkle and says, “Twinkle Shine, it wasn’t real… None of it was… I was only pretending…” She closes her eyes… “And now, I shouldn’t exist…”

Twinkle stares back at Cozy, “But Cozy Glow… You’re real…”

She opens her eyes and frowns at the wavy-maned pegasus, “W-what?”

“You tried to take over Equestria two thousand years ago, Cozy Glow… That was real and it happened…”

She leans forward slightly, “But I’m not you?”

Twinkle smiles and nods, “That’s right! You’re Cozy Glow! Another filly!”

“But we have the same body!”

Twinkle nods again, “This is also true! And you’re welcome in here too!”

Cozy is silent for a moment… “What exactly are you trying to say, Twinkle Shine?”

Twinkle lets out a long sigh before staring back at the doppelganger, “You know, I’m truly glad that I smoked a joint before coming down here now… “

Cozy widens her eyes, “Oh, golly! Why is that?”

Twinkle smiles, “Because I now know what to say…” She stares back at the other filly with nothing but sincerity in her brown eyes.

Cozy lowers her gaze, “And what is that?”

“I thought I wasn’t you… I thought that you were just a placeholder… But now, I see you for what you are Cozy Glow… You’re a part of me and I wouldn’t be complete without you, just like you need me…” Twinkle’s eyes widen. “Won’t you please come out of this cave now?”

Cozy stares back at Twinkle, gulps, and begins trotting forward… Suddenly, both fillies are enveloped in a bright light and they begin to merge as Cozy trots into Twinkle Shine and becomes one with her form… Then, the light begins to dim to reveal only Twinkle Shine is left… She blinks, reaches into her fluff with her right forehoof to grasp the half-joint there, places it into her mouth, and begins to dig into her fluff again to search for her lighter while saying, “Oh, golly! What did I do with that thing!”

At that point, I smiled… I smiled because I knew that Twinkle Shine was finally whole…

<*****>

I sat there on my belly in the morning on the rug in the center of my room while playing with the two felines on the floor with my magick… I manipulate their string toy as they take turns batting it with the gray tabby on my right and the blue kitty on my left…

I sigh when I think about how bored I am! Literally nothing interesting is going on right now!

I frown when I think that maybe it’s for the best that I have some quiet time alone with myself now, when suddenly, there’s a frantic knock on my door!

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

I look at the door on my right and say, “Yeah, come in!”

I see a red-eyed fluffy blue unicorn staring at me from the other side of my doorway as she smiles and says, “Misty! We need a witness!”

I frown as I just know this is more lesbian adventures…

<*****>

I bring the burning joint to my lips with my right forehoof and feel the warm earthy smoke roll down my throat as I take that first wonderful drag…

Jessi nods to me, “So uh, you’ve made peace with your past and I’m okay being a freak?”

I exhale smoke and turn my head right towards her, “Yeah, pretty much!” before bringing the joint back to my mouth for a second inhale...

Little Snack widens her green eyes at me from my slight left in front of me, “Yeah, and I found a new place in the alternate dimension!”

I exhale smoke from my snout after I lift the joint up to signal Jessi, who soon cranes her neck and forces her horn and the joint to glow before the stoge floats out of my hoof and through the air towards her… “Golly right, and Misty is cool with being a killer now… Seems like this is all wrapped up?” I furrow my brows. “I can’t help but get this feeling that there’s one last thing that needs to happen?”

Suddenly, the door behind Little Snack opens and an excited blue unicorn widens her green eyes and says, “I just went shopping with lesbians for over two hours!”

Then, a fluffy blue unicorn swings her head into view from the left side of the door and grins widely and nods frantically as she says, “Tell em’ what you saw, Misty! Tell em’ what we did!”

Misty widens her eyes all the way and says, “Oh! Sunny and Izzy are now married and we’re officially a family at this point!”

I then stared at Misty and I smiled there, while surrounded by my new siblings and knowing my new mommies were going to come in through that door soon… I smiled because I knew that finally, with all of these ends wrapped up, I was home… And so, I captured the joint in the air with my right forehoof and brought it to my mouth for another drag…

(The end… )

Epilogue: A Filly Named Twinkle Shine

I wanted to do something with Cozy Glow as a character, but I needed a way to make her my own. That’s when I created Twinkle Shine. I made her wake up in an abandoned courtyard just as I once did in what was essentially a wasteland of my soul and she began to come alive again with Izzy and the Magic of Friendship… She has demons from her past though, same as me, as well as amnesia and a dope habit… Those are all traits she received from me and oddly enough, they turned her into a good filly! Because despite my shortcomings, I’ve come to understand that I am a good person and not a monster, just like I believe Cozy is actually a good filly somewhere deep down where nopony has ever seen her before… And so, I meshed her with me and created a new filly…

Jessi Trotsky came from my misanthropy and my general dislike and distrust of other people. This of course is stemmed from what happened to me. And while those responsible did pay dearly, I had already been hurt. Like Jessi said once in my head, “The thing about revenge is, it does nothing to heal the wounds already done!” And so, much like me, Jessi had a journey of self-discovery and she learned many things, first working with Scootaloo, and later as an opposite to Twinkle Shine in this tale…

Little Snack really comes from the fire that lies deep within me somewhere. You will probably never meet a more pure heart in Equestria, although she’s far from perfect. She really does try hard though! This version of Misty Brightdawn was created as a representation of me over something I did in my past… Again, I used to wonder if my motives were pure, but like Twinkle Shine explained, “The end result is all that matters! Motive is just scenery! What happened? What was the result of this?” (Paraphrased)

I think, moving forward, this therapy project has been very beneficial to me in a variety of ways. It gave me the chance to explore so many different ideas through the eyes of these deranged fillies and I honestly had a blast writing it… Here’s to more pony stories, everypony! Until the next story I write!

Chapter 1: What They Don't Know...

So, my name is Sunny Starscout! I became an alicorn earlier when I reunited all three pony races by convincing them that friendship was a better choice than hate and mistrust… And now, there’s a unicorn filly living in my guest room! It’s a good thing earth ponies are more accepting now, because I think she would experience a lot of hate otherwise. I’ll admit that I’m starting to love Jessi Trotsky, and her quirky ways, although I still can’t shake this feeling that there’s more to this story I don’t know.

There I was, in the office of my house and working on my latest poster design to encourage friendship between earth ponies and unicorns, when I heard the little filly shriek from the living room!

“STRANGER DANGER! STRANGER DANGER!” She yelled as I ran out of the room, towards the living room, past the dining room.

I arrive in time to see the panic-stricken teal-green filly staring at the pony outside the door with her wide dark orange eyes as her wavy grayish-white mane jittered. The new pony is brown with a blond mane and has on a blue clerk’s cap and a blue dress shirt. I frown and look at the filly, “That’s just the mail pony! Relax! He’s here to deliver the mail!”

The mail pony says, “Well uh, yeah! I have a package here for Sunny Starscout and I need her signature!”

Jessi looks back at me over her right shoulder and frowns, “So um, you got this?”

I smile at the filly, “Yes Jessi! I’ll take care of the mail! You go ahead and go back to your room and color now!” I then look back up at the young mail pony while smiling, “Sorry! She doesn’t like anypony she doesn’t know!”

The other pony frowns at me, “Oh, okay! Uh, well I just need you to sign right here, and I’ll be out of your mane!”

<*****>

So, I sat on my tummy on the blue pillow on the wooden floor of my room, I used my magic to hold a blue crayon in my azure glow and thought to myself as I colored the dragon about how scary the big world really is, and I thought about all the things that happened to me… My life wasn’t always so serene… I had a family once… A mother and a father, but then, they got killed in an accident… The doctor never told me what happened, though. Just that they were dead… I left the hospital in distress and went back to my house… I was alone there and all I could do from then was just live my life…

All I can really do is just keep living, I think to myself as I color the dragon’s red companion…

When suddenly, there’s a knock on my door. I raise my neck to my red wooden door on the right, “Um, yes?”

“It’s me! Sunny! Hey, can I come in?” Says the feminine voice on the other side.

I frown, “Um, sure Sunny!”

The door glows golden and then opens inward to the left to reveal an orange pony with a horn and wings. She trots in to see me there, with my stuffed Pinkie Pie at my right side, snuggling me as I operated a red crayon in my pale blue magic. There are several coloring books and crayons strewn about the floor before me and a yellow box of crayons at my right…

She smiles at me before asking, “Jessi, why don’t you trust other ponies? Did something happen to you?”

My mouth scrunches in aversion as I stare wide-eyed at the alicorn and stammer out, “Um, I don’t like to talk about it…” I sigh, “Listen, I just don’t think it’s a good idea to trust anypony…” I frown, “Hardly seems worth it, really?”

She frowns as she stares at me curiously, “What do you mean?”

I frown back at her, “Well, friends usually just steal from you and use you! Uh,” I blink, “I swear, I haven’t stolen anything from you!”

She widens her eyes, “W-what?”

I nod, “Well, yeah! You should never let anypony too close to you because that’s how you get hurt!” I sigh, “It’s better to be just by yourself… I know I won't hurt me, and I know I can rely on myself…” I smile, “It’s better this way, Sunny…”

She stares at me with a wide-eyed blank expression before saying, “Jessi! That’s really sad!”

I frown again, “It is?”

She nods her head, “Yeah! I mean, aren’t you tired of being afraid?”

“I don’t know. I know that other ponies are evil and mean, though!” I nod.

She widens her eyes again, “What?”

I nod again and smile, “Yeah! Better to be by yourself!”

She stares at me blankly while saying, “Do you think I’m evil and mean, Jessi?”

I frown again, “I don’t know?” I widen my eyes, “Uh, so far, so good!”

She changes her stare to something more intent, “Jessi… I’m going to hug you, now…”

I widen my eyes in confusion, “Um, okay?”

She takes two paces towards me and embraces me in a tight warm hug with her forehooves.

I give out a little squeak, “EEP!” before tentatively returning the hug with my own forehooves…

She disengages back to her hooves on the floor in front of me.

I now sit on my haunches on the pillow as I stare at the alicorn perplexed, “Uh, why did you do that?”

She looks back at me and says, “Because you need love and support!”

I frown deeper, “I do?”

She nods, “Well, yes Jessi! You have to learn to let friendship into your heart! You don’t wanna be alone forever, do you?”

I widen my eyes, “Well, sure! Why not? I mean, other ponies are bad news! You shouldn’t ever let them in! Far better to be alone!” I nod…

At that moment, I could almost swear I saw the alicorn’s heartbreak as she stared back at me with her green eyes and said bluntly, “That is really sad, Jessi!”

“It is?”

She nods again, “Well, yeah Jessi! You’re a good pony! You should have friends!”

“I should?”

She frowns and says, “Well, yeah!”

“Why?”

“Well, think about how wonderful it would be to have friends there, with you!”

“It would?”

She shakes her head slightly, “Are you just gonna keep giving responses like that?”

I frown again, “I don’t know? Maybe?”

She stares at me long and hard, before finally saying, “You don’t know, do you?”

“Know about what?”

“How much better your life with friends could be!”

“Well, I got you? And I think Izzy will probably be by later too, yes?”

She swallows, “Well, yeah…”

I smile, “Okay! I got you two! No need to let anypony else in! I’m good!”

She shakes her head, “Jessi, you really should have friends your age! Uh, didn’t you have anypony before?”

“Um, no? Not really…”

She blinks and leans towards me slightly, “Well, don’t you think that’s sad?”

“No… I mean, if other ponies are evil, it’s better to be alone anyway, right?”

She stares at me carefully, “Do you think I’m evil?”

I move my head back a little bit, “I don’t know? Maybe?”

She shakes her head and sighs before saying, “We’ll talk about this later, Jessi… You just keep playing in your room and I’ll call you later when dinner is ready, alright?”

I widen my eyes, “Sounds good!”

<*****>

I stare back at the blue unicorn sitting across the table from me, “I don’t know, Izzy! I just can’t shake this feeling that something happened to her earlier. I mean, ponies aren’t just born mistrustful, like that!”

Izzy sighs before staring at me keenly and saying, “Well, have you asked her?”

I nod, “Yeah, but she refuses to talk about it… “I sigh, “I want to help her, but I’m not really sure where to start?”

Izzy perks up and smiles at me, “Well actually Sunny, I have somepony in mind!”

<*****>

What I just smoked earlier was still coursing through my mind as we left the house. She said we were heading to Maretime Bay, but she never told me why? I also know that since she can’t fly, I can’t just fly there… I’ll need to trot by her as we travel…

She stares at me from the left side of the road as we both trot southeast in that direction, “Well, Twinkle Shine, Sunny has a new houseguest!”

I widen my eyes at the other pony, “Houseguest?”

She nods, “Yup! She’s a filly, just like you! I think you two should hang out!”

I stare back down the road as we both continue to trot, “Um, since it’s there, no weed, huh? Uh, what’s her name?”

<*****>

We arrive at Sunny’s cottage a few hours later and Izzy trots up three steps to the wooden porch to knock on the door with her right forehoof…

We both hear Sunny yell from the inside, “Come on in, Izzy!”

I widen my brown eyes to the unicorn, “Does she know I’m here?”

Izzy looks over her right shoulder at me and smiles, “Yeah, Twinkle! You just wait there! I’ll be right back!” before turning her head to the door and focusing to make her horn and the doorknob glow blue and the door soon swings open to the left and Izzy trots in and closes it behind her…

There I was, alone… My wavy bluish-white mane blew in the breeze, and I could feel the wind on my pink coat as I stared back over my left shoulder past my red rook cutie mark, as I could’ve sworn I heard something… I furrow my brow as it then occurs to my drug-soaked mind that I might just be paranoid? I adjust my gaze back towards the house and frown…

<*****>

I sit on my bed with my back propped up to the back wall, where my pillow sits with a book on earth pony philosophy perched up on the pillow, currently sitting before me. My tongue is out the left side of my mouth as I try to comprehend what the author is saying. Well, I can understand the reason why you need to keep your hooves on the ground and view things realistically, I ponder to myself. Though I can’t help but add, but to just stay in a box like that also hinders thinking? I think on balance and temperance when there’s yet another knock on my door! I raise my head towards the door to my left and yell out, “Come in!”

The doorknob glows golden and soon, it swings to the left to reveal Sunny standing there on the left and a peculiar pegasus filly I’ve never seen before on the right… This filly has a wavy bluish-white mane and tail, with a pink body, and auburn eyes… She stares at me, “Uh, hiya! I’m Twinkle Shine!”

I frown, “Oh cool! Hi Twinkle Shine! My name is Jessi Trotsky!”

Sunny smiles, “I think you two should meet! I bet you would hit it off?”

I stare back at Sunny, “But, we already met?” I stare at the alicorn for a moment before adding, “Okay, we met now! You two can leave!”

Sunny enlarges her green eyes while staring at me, “Jessi! You two were supposed to hang out today!”

I widen my eyes to the alicorn, “What? You never mentioned another filly! You never said I’d have to get along with anypony else!” I raise my neck, “I declare shenanigans!”

Twinkle stares on blankly as the alicorn says, “Now, come on Jessi! It’ll be good for you to interact with other fillies!”

Twinkle herself adds with wide eyes, “Golly! You don’t even know me!”

Yeah, and that’s the problem! I add in my own head before stammering out, “Okay, fine! We’ll hang out and play or whatever!”

Twinkle raises her neck to her right to stare up at the alicorn as Sunny says down to her, “Now you two have fun! I’ll be in the living room with Izzy, okay?”

Twinkle gulps, “Uh, yes ma’am!” before staring back forward towards me and taking a few paces into the room.

The door soon glows yellow and shuts behind her, causing Twinkle to flinch slightly, before she stares up at me with her wide eyes and asks, “So uh, what do you do for fun?”

I sigh down at the other filly, “Well, I like to read and write, and I also enjoy coloring on the floor?”

Twinkle frowns, “Yeah, but uh,” she stares up at me, “I have a better idea! I pilfered a few bits Izzy won’t miss! Wanna go for milkshakes with me?”

I widen my eyes at this devious little filly before saying, “Uh, sure! Shouldn’t we tell them we’re leaving?”

She smiles mischievously, “Oh, where’s the fun in that?”

<****>

I climb out the window first and flap my wings while my body heads towards the ground, to lessen the impact. I trot forward before turning my body to look at the nervous green unicorn filly inside the window and say, “Looks clear!”

I could tell she was tense as she slowly and tentatively moved her hind legs out the window first and they dangled out towards the ground as she held on with her forehooves, before releasing so her little body drops to the ground, and she lands with a thud on her hooves… But I’m not nervous! No sir! I’m perfectly fine right now!

She turns her body back towards me and says, “Okay uh, do you know where it is?”

I smile, “Sure! Follow me!” before turning my body left to trot down the road.

I can hear her hoofsteps behind me as she stammers out, “Never thought I’d be sneaking out of the house?”

“Sometimes, it’s better to make your own rules!” I say back to the obviously anxious unicorn filly behind me, as I remained stalwart and together, for the sake of this other filly! “It’s just down the road a couple of blocks! We’re not going far!” I add…

<*****>

I could already tell that this other filly was nervous. I simply continued to trot behind her as we headed down the road to the malt shop. Truth be told, Sunny had already taken me there, but I also knew I needed to stay together for this other filly! Wait! Was I actually caring about her? I just met her! That can’t be right?

I continue pondering on the dynamics of this future relationship as we make our way down the road, past the cottages on the right and the open treeline to the left.

“Sunny lives on the outskirts of town, so we probably won’t see many ponies heading up there!” I mention to this strange other filly.

“Well golly gee, I know that! Uh, hey! Do you remember where the malt shop was here in town?”

I frown while continuing to trot behind her, “Well, either we already passed it, or that’s it up there!”

I see her raise her neck to stare at the glowing neon purple sign with the white cup holding a brown liquid and straw coming up on our right as we continue to trot that direction, “Yes, of course! I knew that!”

“Did not!” I teasingly yell at this other filly.

“You don’t know that!” she retorts!

I giggle slightly before adding, “Come on, Twinkle Shine! If you knew, you wouldn’t have asked me!”

“You don’t know that either!” She replies while continuing to trot as we approach the sign. “I could’ve just been testing you!”

We both stop and turn our bodies right to face the open storefront with the neon malt sign to the left of the glass entryway as I say back to her, “I call bullcrap!”

She shakes her head and says, “So uh, I’ve seen this place! But you know, I’ve never been inside! Uh, you know what’s good?” before turning her head right towards me.

I look back at her and smile, “No worries, Twinkle! Just order chocolate! Trust me! You’re not gonna be disappointed!”

<*****>

I smile at the unicorn with my head turned left towards her as we trot back home from the soda shop, “Golly, Jessi! That sure was yummy! But you know, we really should be getting home soon before they notice we’re gone?”

Jessi looks back at me and says, “Hopefully, they don’t already know!”

I smile at the unicorn, “Well, best case scenario, right?”

Jessi nods, “Right! Let’s hurry!”

As we hurriedly trot across the edge of town, I say to her, “So uh, wanna be my friend, Jessi? Isn’t this better?”

Jessi smirks, “A better way to be bad, maybe?”

I snicker, “Uh, yeah!

Jessi raises her neck as we continue walking, “Uh, oh crap! They’re on the porch now! Looks like the jig is up!”

I smile and say, “Oh, don’t worry about that Jessi! I’ll take care of this…”

<*****>

Twinkle Shine faces the annoyed alicorn and the concerned unicorn on the porch as she lowly stammers out, “Well, golly gee! I just wanted to be nice to my new friend and so, I got us milkshakes!”

Izzy frowns, “Yeah, but why didn’t you tell us you were leaving?”

Twinkle stares up at Izzy with wide eyes, “Well, I just didn’t want to disturb you with your friend Sunny, and I thought it would be fine! Since, you know, the malt shop is only three blocks away…”

I nod from Twinkle’s right, “Yeah, I mean, I’m smart! You know I can take care of myself Sunny!”

Sunny sighs and stares at me carefully, “That is true! But please try to be more responsible from here on out and actually let us know when you leave!”

I smile and nod, “Will do, Sunny!”

Izzy frowns at the pegasus, “Where did you get the money for milkshakes, anyway?”

Twinkle stares back at the unicorn with huge brown eyes and calmly says, “Well, golly! I sold some old toys I didn’t want anymore and, “she turns her head right to me and smiles, “I just wanted to treat my new friend to something yummy!”

Izzy smiles at the pegasus, “You’re a good filly, Twinkle Shine! I’m proud of you!”

Twinkle turns her neck back to Izzy and smiles warmly, “Aww! Thanks Izzy! But you know, I try to be on my best behavior after everything…”

Izzy nods, “I know Twinkle Shine and you’re off to a good start!”

Twinkle continues to beam, “Aw! Thanks Izzy!”

(To be continued…)

Chapter 19: The Cutie Mark Quest

The teal green unicorn filly smiles at me from the other side of the door, “Hi Twinkle!”

I keep my eyes wide and trained on the other filly, “Oh, golly! Hiya, Jessi!”

We both stand silent for a moment before she asks, “Uh, can I come in?”

“Probably!” I quickly respond…

She blinks, “Uh, may I come in?”

It then occurs to my intoxicated mind that my friend wants to come into my house! I smile and say, “Sure thing, Jessi! Come on in!” before turning and trotting back into the foyer. I turn to Misty, now standing in the entryway to the kitchen and say to her, “Hey Misty! Jessi is here!”

Misty’s eyes widen in the entryway to the kitchen, “Oh, gosh! There’s two of you now!”

Jessi magically shuts the door behind us and trots over to my right side and stares at Misty, “So Misty! How you holding up?”

Misty looks down and sighs, “Everypony always wants to know how I’m doing…”

Jessi raises her gaze, “Well, of course! We were helping you, remember?”

Misty looks up and widens her eyes, “Why?”

Jessi smiles, “Because you’re our friend and that’s what friends do!”

“B-but you don’t even know me!”

I finally add, “Well, Izzy knows you and you needed help, right?”

“But I was evil!”

“You were forced! There’s a difference!”

Misty frowns, “B-but I didn’t have to kill her… Did I?”

I sigh and stare at the blue filly, “You know, if you didn’t finish her, she would’ve just hunted you down after you left, right?”

Jessi turns her head towards me, “That’s actually a good point, Twinkle!”

I nod, “Believe me! Being evil is an art! You can’t leave loose ends like that! She would’ve killed you, had you not done the job first!”

Misty frowns at me with wide green eyes, “I-I never thought about it like that?”

I lower my gaze, “Golly no you didn’t, because you were too focused on revenge. But strategically speaking, you know she would have good reason to destroy you, had you not done what you did…” I smile. “You know, the one good thing about you burning the remains like that is that we can now be truly sure that Opaline will never come back and be a threat to anypony! Isn’t that just swell?”

Jessi turns her head back to Misty before us and quickly blurts out before Misty can respond, “You said she was evil, right?”

I look up at Misty, “Wicked and cruel?”

Misty smiles dimly, “R-right! So it’s a good thing that I killed her, right?”

I nod, “Of course!”

Jessi adds, “Absolutely!”

She smiles lowers and her eyes narrow, “You’re just saying that, aren’t you?”

Now, I can’t for the life of me explain it, but then, something snapped in my mind when I looked directly at Misty and said, “Oh golly gee, Misty! Opaline is dead! For better or worse, she’s not coming back… And while you did the deed and you have your reasons, nothing is going to change those facts… You know, you should probably begin to work through this, cause it’s not gonna get any better until you do!”

Her eyes widen again as her mouth frowns in confusion, “And you’re here to help me!”

I raise my head, “Of course!”

Jessi chimes in as her little body vibrates, “Right!”

I add as my body shakes, “Friendship!”

Jessi says while jittering, “Yes!”

Misty smiles and giggles, “You two are almost as awkward as me!”

Jessi smiles, “I’m not awkward! Ur mom is awkward!”

Misty chuckles, “Ur dad is awkward!”

“Your family is awkward!”

I stare at both these fillies with wide eyes and say the only thing that makes sense to me at this point, “Look! Either everypony is awkward, or nopony is!” I nod. “It’s the only way to be fair!”

Jessi stares at me with a perplexed look in her burnt orange eyes and remains silent for a moment… “What?”

Misty then adds, “I have no idea what that meant either…”

I smile, “Oh, you’re gonna know what it means…”

Jessi is slack jawed, “Uuuuhhh…”

Misty stares at me wide-eyed, “I’m confused!”

Jessi smiles and says, “Yeah! It’s almost like Twinkle Shine wants me to hold her down with a forcefield while Misty tickles her?”

I stare at the green unicorn with wide eyes and a panicked frown, “I do?”

Jessi smiles and giggles while Misty says, “Uh, what?”

I widen my eyes, “You better not!”

Jessi’s eyes narrow as she smiles with wicked thoughts in her mind, “Not now, but soon!”

My body begins to shake, “I’m serious, Jessi! Horrible fiery retribution!”

Misty asks, “Is this normal interaction between you two?”

I stare at Misty with wide eyes and quickly say, “No!”

Jessi looks at her at the same time and replies, “Yeah, pretty much!”

Misty stares at me as a tear slides down her right cheek from the eye above, “I...have friends now!”

I nod, “Yup!”

“Goofy, silly, stupid friends!” she sniffs.

I widen my eyes, “Something wrong, Misty?”

She sniffs again, “N-no Twinkle…” she smiles widely as a small tear streams down her right cheek, “I just didn’t have this earlier, and now, you two are being stupid together!” another larger tear falls down her cheek. “And it’s just great!”

Jessi stares back forward at the crying unicorn and asks, “Hey, are you alright?”

Misty turns and grins at Jessi, “I-I’m fine!”

I widen my eyes and frown at the blue unicorn when the sudden realization hits me, “Oh, golly! You were all alone, huh?”

Misty nods before sniffling, “Yeah! All alone! All by myself!”

I trot three paces to Misty and embrace her in a tight hug while saying loudly, “I’m supportive!”

Misty lets out an “EEP!”

I hear Jessi behind me, “She’s been smoking, hasn’t she?”

Misty desperately gasps out while choking for breath, “Uh, yeah! Kinda!”

Jessi smiles and giggles, “Welcome to the crew Misty!”

I let Misty out of my forehooves and return them to the floor with a clack, before staring at Misty wide-eyed, “So, Misty! Ready to get your cutie mark?”

Misty stares at me in frowning confusion as she asks, “Uh, what?”

I grin wider, “Are you ready to get your cutie mark?”

“How?”

I grin wider, “Well golly gee! You know, we’re not gonna find out what you’re good at unless you start trying new things!” I nod. “So, that’s what we’re gonna do!”

Misty blinks, “Well uh, where do we even start?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, what do I do?”

I widen my eyes when I suddenly understand, “Oh! Well, the goal is to find out what you’re good at, right? Think, Misty! What have you done so far and what do you seem to have a talent for?”

“I” Misty blinks, “I don’t r-really know? I mean I uh,” she continues to stammer.

“Well?” I repeat myself while leaning forward with my eyes super wide.

Misty sighs, “I don’t know, okay? I uh,” she blinks, “don’t know what I could be good at? All I’ve really done for the longest time is serve Opaline…” she closes her eyes… “I really have no idea!” she widely opens them back up. “Oh, gosh! I killed somepony! What if my special talent is killing?”

I do my best to suppress a chuckle at this point, “Well, you did a pretty good job of killing Opaline, right?”

Misty regularizes her eyes, “Um, well, yeah…”

I nod, “You chopped up the body and burned it and everything! And you still don’t have your cutie mark, right?” I widen my eyes, “Congratulations!” I nod again. “I’m pretty sure we can cross psycho killer off the list, now!”

Misty smiles dimly, “Thanks Twinkle! You really are my best friend, you know that!”

I feel my cheeks grow full and hot at this point as I timidly reply, “Oh, Misty! It was nothing!” while waving my right forehoof in the air.

Jessi turns her head left towards me and keeps her mouth agape with befuddlement, “Twinkle! Are you blushing?”

I widen my eyes, “No!”

She smiles, “Aww! You like helping poor Misty, don’t you?”

“No I don’t! I’m filled with violence, hate, and darkness!” I reply as my little body quakes.

Jessi begins to giggle at me while Misty keeps her eyes wide and her mouth scrunched in confusion and I don’t think she knows what to say at this point?

“What?” I ask Jessi with my eyes wide.

“I think it’s sweet, Twinkle Shine!”

Misty suddenly raises her gaze to me, “Yes! Thank you so much, Twinkle Shine!”

My mouth goes agape, “I...I’m a good filly?”

Jessi normalizes her mouth and eyes me carefully, “I keep telling you, you are. Why don’t you believe me?”

I sigh, “I just worry, sometimes, okay? About her, you know?E-especially after you said you were scared of me earlier.”

Misty chimes in, “Wait! Jessi is scared of Twinkle Shine? But she’s so adorable!”

I adjust my gaze to Misty and point my right forehoof at her and say while my body jitters, “Yes! Thank you! Far too cute to be dangerous! Yes!” and I turn to Jessi at my right while lowering my forehoof and say while my body quivers. “See! I’m not dangerous! I’m adorable!”

Jessi is giggling by this point, “We’re not talking about that, okay? It’s just something I need to work through!”

Misty raises her head and keeps her eyes wide while saying, “I’m not afraid of Twinkle Shine! She’s the nicest filly, I know!”

I barely manage to resist the urge to tell Misty to shut up, as I feel the hotness on my cheeks and grimace hard as I hear Jessi continue to giggle softly from my right. “You fillies are awful!”

Jessi says, “It’s sweet!”

Yes Twinkle Shine! Very sweet! I hear in my head as I sigh in defeat… At that point, I knew the truth… They finally got me… I was a good filly…

<*****>

I use my orange glow to hold the pointer up to the chalkboard with poorly written scribbles on it… I’m actually not even sure what the scribbles mean. I’m just trying to get everypony’s attention. “Alright! Now, what do we know about what Misty has done so far? Tell us Misty! What sorts of things were you doing, while serving Opaline?”

Misty looks up at me with wide green eyes and nods timidly as she says, “Well uh, mostly sneaking around and stuff?” she stops nodding, “I’d plant things for other ponies to find, or steal things, or find out stuff for her. Things like that!” she smiles dimly and nods. “Other than that, I mostly just kept to myself and read stories… “

I widen my eyes, “Stories? What kind of stories?”

Her eyes widen slightly more, “Well, I always liked fantasy stories and stories about far off mystical places! Anything to take my mind off living where I was!” she sighs and smiles dimly while her eyes adjust. “I loved the thought of meeting a dragon or traveling on an adventure or something like that, you know?”

I nod, “Well, right! Because you wanted to be somewhere else!” I smile. “Unfortunately, that does nothing to tell us what you might be good at?”

“What if sneaking around and being nefarious is what I’m good at?”

I stop smiling and lean towards her, “You did a lot of that working for Opaline, right?”

“Yes!”

I nod, “And you never got your cutie mark?”

“No!”

I go back to my original posture, “Okay, we can also cross that one off!” I blink. “Well, how are you with animals?”

She frowns, “Well, I wasn’t very good at taking care of a baby dragon, earlier!”

Twinkle looks over from the left of Misty and asks, “Dragon?”

I look at Twinkle, “Hitch is taking care of a baby dragon! He named him Sparky!”

Twinkle asks Misty, “Why did you have Sparky?”

Misty smiles over at Twinkle shyly, “Well, Opaline kinda needed the dragon for his fire! She knew Hitch had it and well…”

Twinkle nods, “See? Even Sparky is safer after what you did!”

Jessi is staring at Twinkle wide-eyed in puzzlement as Misty stammers out, “S-so, Equestria is safer now?”

Twinkle nods again, “Exactly!” and she leans forward. “Trying to find your cutie mark can be like your therapy!”

I twist my mouth in confusion, “Therapy?”

Twinkle turns to me, “Yeah! I mean, she clearly has issues, right? She could try all sorts of things for therapy? I mean, who knows? Maybe even writing stories in an obscure genre might be good for her?”*

I keep my eyes wide, “Yeah! Like a Cutie Mark Adventure or maybe a Crusade?”

Twinkle frowns, “Crusade sounds kinda lame? We should call it a quest!” she perks up and smiles. “Yes! Misty’s Cutie Mark Quest!”

I smile, “Okay, Twinkle!”

She turns her head left back to Misty. “Ready to go on a quest, Misty?”

Misty frowns in wide-eyed concern at what we’ve just started for her, “Oh gosh!”

(To be continued...)

Author's Note

*Yes, you are correct! Twinkle Shine is indeed, breaking the fourth wall with this statement!

Chapter 34: Those Darn Fillies!

The curly maned pink pegasus filly 10 feet away from me in the grassy field rolls her eyes, “Oh, golly gee! If we’re done resurrecting Little Snack and cuddling Misty now, can we please just get to business?”

I take a drag off the burning tan joint in my mouth before removing it with my right forehoof to exhale smoke between me and my twin and say to her, “You know, I can’t control my dreams!”

Her eyes widen, “Well, obviously you can because you have a joint now!”

I sigh, “Alright, fine! I kinda let my mind wander sometimes! Whatever!” and put the joint back in my mouth for another pull…

Her eyes narrow, “Right! Anyway, Misty is coming along nicely and she might be useful to us later, yet!”

I exhale smoke again, “Well, she seems to enjoy being my friend?”

She giggles and says whimsically, “Right! Friendship! Of course!”

I finish counting in my head before exhaling smoke from my mouth as I stare into the cold calculating eyes of this other, more ruthless filly, “That’s all you really care about, huh? Her being useful?” and then, purse my lips on the stoge for another drag…

“Haven’t I made my nature and intentions perfectly clear?”

I exhale smoke out the left side of my mouth and smile, “Yeah, but there’s more to it than that, isn’t there?”

She frowns, “What are you talking about?”

I remove the joint from my lips with my right hoof again and exhale from my nose before smiling at her, “You care about Misty too, don’t you?”

Her eyes widen into a grimace, “N-no I don’t! I’m ruthless and evil!”

I giggle and put the stoge back into my lips with a wry grin on my face…

Her brows furrow, “I don’t actually care about anypony else, okay! This is all about me!”

I exhale from the sides of my mouth with the burning joint still in it… “Oh? What about that evil plan you were working on, hmm? Didn’t that somehow involve Misty? Where is it?”

She sighs to the left, “Okay, fine! Progress is uh, slow!”

I giggle, “You care about Misty!”

Her mouth frowns deep into a hard scowl at this point, “Okay, fine!” she releases her face and lets out a long slow sigh to the right before continuing… She stares at me, “I do care about Misty…” she blinks, “I mean, golly gee! She was abused and felt like she had to do that and well,” she blinks again.” I’m worried about her sanity! You know, she’s been holed up with her kitties for two days now, right?”

I narrow my eyes, “There’s something else that you’re not telling me, isn’t there?”

Her eyes widen, “Why, whatever do you mean?”

I lower my face to take another drag of my burning weed roll while I process what to say in my mind… I soon lower the stogie from my mouth with my right hoof again before exhaling from my nostrils and looking at the other filly and saying, “You relate to Misty, don’t you?”

Her eyes narrow, “And what if I do?”

I breath slowly out of my nose before staring back at her and finally relaxing my shoulders and saying, “Oh, golly gee! It doesn’t matter anymore!”

She smiles back at me, “I guess we gotta keep remembering that one, huh?”

I smile and chuckle before bringing the joint to my lips again and say, “Yup!” before pursing my lips to inhale once more…

I open my eyes with a start as I snuggle my plushies under the plush covers of my bed, “Oh golly! I gotta talk to Misty now!”

<*****>

I stared down at the orange earth filly with her cute long green pigtails as she looked up at me from the wooden floor with her enormous green eyes, “So, you’re getting along well, then? You still have no desire to leave?”

She nods, “That is correct, Miss Glimmer!”

I frown harder, “Are you having any problems adjusting? Anything you might need help with?”

She frowns herself, “Uh, so far, so good! Not yet, anyway!”

Suddenly, there’s a knock at the door on my left and I hear a masculine voice coming from behind it, “Little Snack! What are you doing up there? Who are you talking to?”

I roll my eyes and turn my neck towards the door and force the knob to glow white and for the hinges to swing inward to my left to reveal a green maned orange earth stallion there wearing a peculiar leather harness! With that mane-cut, he looked ridiculous frankly, but I don’t have time for that! I look at him fiercely with my eyes, “You! Come in here!”

He widens his eyes to me, “You’re an alicorn!”

“And you’re not! You’re also not getting in here! Move! Now!”

He quietly trots forward into the room to stop beside me and the filly…

I sigh, “Permit me to introduce myself! I am Starlight Glimmer! I discovered new magick and because of that, poor uh,“I turn my eyes to the filly…

“Little Snack!” She pipes up!

I adjust my eyes back to the strange stallion, “Yes! Little Snack kinda got warped into another space and time! I asked her if she wanted to go back, but she mentioned having a new father and friends here now, and didn’t wanna go! And so, I’ll be checking on her periodically! And you are?”

He raises his gaze to me and says, “I’m Hitch Trailblazer! This filly’s father!”

I notice Little starting to smile up at the larger yellow pony as I say, “And you will be a good father or you’ll be hearing from me! Is that understood?”

He widens his eyes, “Now look! You don’t have to…”

I don’t let him finish, “SHUT UP!” I nod at him before turning my gaze back right to the filly. “Little Snack! You are my responsibility! If you have any problems, you are to call my name! Is that understood?”

She blinks and stammers out, “Um, y-yeah! Yes ma’am! Er, I think so?” before darting her eyes to the top left.

I smile down at her, “Good!” before raising my view forward, “Now obey the rules and don’t do anything stupid! I’ll be back!” before causing my body to be enveloped in a white light and I disappear from the room…

<*****>

I stood there on the wooden floor on all four hooves as the stallion at my right asked me, “Little Snack! Is there something you need to tell me about?”

I turn my head towards him and say, “What if I told you that Sunny and Jessi weren’t the only alicorns I know?”

He frowns down at me, “I’d say you’re probably right! Who’s Starlight Glimmer?”

I gulp, “Well, she was from my era! You see, she used some kinda weird portal magick and uh, that’s basically why I’m here!”

He raises his left eyebrow, “And you don’t wish to go back?”

He looks up at him and I widen my eyes, “Well uh, n-no! Not really? I mean, I have a DAD now! An actual dad! I uh,” I close my eyes and shake a bit before staring back up at him, “I like that a lot… Also, Twinkle and Jessi are here… And that Misty chick, too! Yes…”and blink…

He smiles, “You built a life here!”

I adjust my gaze higher, “Um, life?”

He nods, “Yeah! I’m your new dad because you need that, I guess… And you got friends too! A new life!”

My eyes widen when I try to think about that and what it means… I told Starlight Glimmer no, when she wanted to take me back… I could’ve gone back there… To the two ponies who took care of me and my old friends… I sigh when I think about the pink curly haired filly and her purple unicorn friend that I used to know… But that was then and this is now… I stare up at the orange stallion and smile slightly, “You bet, dad!” and as I stood there, I came to realize that as life progresses, and we move from moment to moment, things will gradually change and while there are things that we often must leave behind, there’s also better brighter things ahead and learning to deal with the hardships on the way is really the trick… And then, my tummy gurgles to remind me that I haven’t had breakfast yet!

Hitch smiles down at me, “Hang on, slugger! I’ll make us some oatmeal with apple cinnamon!”

My eyes light up and widen! “Hooray!” And I stare up at him. “With coffee?”

He giggles while shaking his head, “Maybe I shouldn’t have showed you coffee?”

“Hey, is there any of that pie left?”

He sighs downward, “No, Little! You fillies finished up all of it yesterday!”

“Oh!” I frown for a moment… My mouth straightens, “Hey! Can we get another pie? I like apple!”

His eyes widen as he frowns himself, “Uh, I’ll think about it!”

My eyes widen while my mouth narrows, “Oh! Okay!” my eyes dart back up to him and my mouth straightens. “Well, let's get another pie later!”

He smiles, snickers, and shakes his head…

<*****>

I glare up at the orange stallion, “Well, yeah! Sunny is at her smoothie stand until about five or so, and I’m done with class by one! So basically, I just hang out with Little Snack at the station now, and drink coffee with her until then!”

He sighs, “Well, that’s fine Jessi! I just want you to understand that you’re not to get in the way of any sheriff’s business!”

I see right through this, “So, you want to remain in charge, and so, you’re now asserting your authority?”

He widens his eyes, “Huh?”

I smile, “Which could only mean that you will accept me being here with Little Snack, otherwise, you would’ve ejected me by this point!”

He frowns, “Uh…”

I nod, “Great! I’ll accept your authority Mister Sheriff Stallion sir! I won’t get in the way!” before looking down at the black official Maretime Bay Sheriff coffee mug on the table in front of me and forcing it to glow blue and float towards my face…

He narrows his eyes while sighing, “Also, could you keep those weird spiders out of my office please? They freak me out!”

The spider to the right of my coffee mug on the table scuttles it’s body right to stare up at Hitch while I swallow the caffeinated goodness of my warm beverage, “But having them around is still okay, otherwise, you would’ve said that…”

His eyes widen again, “Well, I think it’s a security thing with you,” he points at the spider with his left hoof. “but those little things are creepy!”

I smile at the stallion, “You ever wonder how the spider may perceive you?”

He frowns again, “What?”

I repeat myself, “Have you ever wondered how the spider sees you, Mister Sheriff Stallion, sir?”

He blinks, “Well uh, I like to think of myself as handsome?”

I nod, “Most stallions do! But to him, you probably appear to be a big scary horse with heavy hooves that might squish him!”

His gaze increases, “I’m not gonna threaten your spiders!”

“Of course not! But please be mindful of that and try not to scare them, okay?”

He stares at me blankly for a moment… “I’m starting to think that Twinkle Shine made you more manipulative?”

I smile and chortle, “Maybe! Anyway, I did get the last cup of coffee, so I made more!” I widen my eyes, “Oh! You’re almost out of coffee!” before looking down at the cup and forcing it to glow again as the spider on my right turns to face me once more and blink its glowing red eyes…

He narrows his eyes and mouth as he sighs, “Fillies!”

I swallow my gulp and widen my eyes at this, “Hey! Sunny started doing the same thing!”

<*****>

I look up at the large imposing red door and knock with my right hoof…

“Come in!” a squeaky voice from inside yells!

I look at the knob on my right and gulp as I force it and my horn to glow blue before it turns and swings open inward… I trot into the danger zone cautiously as I stare at Twinkle’s normally clean floor and then, up to her small round stoner table on the left with various bits of paraphernalia and ash marks on the polished wooden surface… I then work up the courage to stare at the pink pegasus filly to the right of the table with her wavy tapered mane, puffing a joint with her right forehoof… “H-hi Twinkle!”

She exhales smoke while holding the joint in front of her and says, “You know, dream joints aren’t very satisfying!”

I frown, “What?”

She giggles, “Oh, nothing! Uh, hey Misty! How are you doing? I was about to see you, but I don’t have to go far, huh?” before bringing the joint to her mouth for another hit…

I blink, “S-see me?”

She smiles and takes her joint out of her mouth with her right hoof again and breathes smoke out of her mouth before saying with it, “Oh, golly yeah! It was just you and kitties for three days and you know, I still wonder if you’re here sometimes?”

I giggle nervously, “Yeah, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking…”

She nods, “Thinking! This is good! Uh, probably…” before taking another drag…

I give a dim smile, “Yeah, Twinkle! It is! Um, I think I’m ready now? T-to move on I mean…” and nod…

She exhales smoke from her nostrils while staring at me with a serious expression in her brown eyes, “Say what now?”

I smile brighter, “I’m ready Twinkle Shine! I’m not afraid anymore!”

Her lips purse on the burning half-joint while she eyes me carefully… She finally exhales smoke from her nostrils and asks out the right side of her mouth, “What were you afraid of?”

I blink, “I-I’m not sure, okay? But I just felt like I needed to be alone… Um, “I look at her. “does that make sense?”

She takes the joint out of her mouth with her right hoof again, “I think so? You felt that because of what you had done that you should be by yourself… Because you weren’t safe yet… Am I right?” before putting it back to her lips and forming an O around the cigarette.

I giggle nervously, “Y-yeah! That’s it! I didn’t feel safe after well, everything and I just needed some time to myself!”

She smiles, “I understand probably better than you think? Uh, “she collects the joint in her hoof and snuffs it out into the ashtray on her right before lowering her hoof back to the ground and staring at me… She sighs as she begins trotting towards me…

I frown, “Uh, what are you doing Twinkle Shine?”

“Same thing I always do Misty! Loving and supporting you!” And then, she embraces me in a tight warm hug with her forehooves!

I let out an “EEP!”

She releases me and goes back to her hooves, “So uh, you done hiding Misty?”

I widen my eyes at this other filly, “I uh, I think so? But um, that’s not the only reason I came in here…”

Her eyes widen, “Oh, golly! What is it?”

I lower my gaze to her, “Well, I just got a call from Jessi on my cell…”

<*****>

I widen my eyes at the smiling blue unicorn mare with her floofy mane of wavy blue hair as she beams at me while holding the colorful pink flowers in her blue glow on the right, “Izzy! You keep bringing flowers to my smoothie stand!”

She blinks, “Well, right! Because I love you!”

I smile at her, “I love you too, Izzy!” and move my head forward to chance a peck on her soft warm lips that just beg to be kissed… As I pull my head back, I blink and wonder why I suddenly thought that?

She smiles while forcing the flowers to float to the table, where they stop glowing on their side, “So, how is your day?”

I sigh, “Well, there was a fiasco with a rogue smoothie earlier, but I think I got it under control?”

She frowns, “Rogue smoothie?”

I snicker and wave my right forehoof in the air, “Oh, it was just this thing, uh, so yeah!”

<*****>

I look at the small green alicorn on my right while huddled there in the bushes, “Tell me again why we’re doing this?”

She smiles over at me, “Because we want Sunny to love Izzy!”

I frown, “We do?”

I hear Misty on the other side, “Yeah! So just hold up the sign, Twinkle!”

I roll my eyes, “Oh, golly!”

<*****>

As I stood there at my smoothie stand, in front of this audacious fluffy unicorn, I couldn’t help but notice some movement maybe 20 feet behind her in the bushes, across the dirt Maretime Bay road!

I witnessed a white sign raise on the left that said, “WE LOVE OUR NEW MOMMY!”

I then saw another sign next to it rise at a somewhat slower pace, “PLEASE COME HOME, SUNNY!”

After that, I saw a final sign at the end raise at a faster rate that said, “I LOVE MY NEW SISTERS!”

Izzy frowns and asks with wide red eyes, “Uh, Sunny! You okay?”

I look at the unicorn, “There are fillies in the bushes behind you!”

She turns around and suddenly smiles while waving her right forehoof in the air to the three smaller ponies across the street who all three wave back to her! She soon turns around, and grins at me once again, “Okay! Hey, you wanna have dinner with me?” while staring at me expectantly with her crimson pupils.

My eyes widen, “Well uh, I was just going to eat with Jessi, but that’s fine too!”

“Great! Cause I already pre-ordered Ponese takeout to be delivered to your house at five thirty!”

“Kinda forward, don’t you think?”

Her own gaze widens, “Well, I could always cancel?” She looks at me. “Alright, cool! See you there, sweetie!” before moving her neck to me for another kiss!

She moves her head a few inches from mine and I feel her breath on my face as I frown, “But I never said yes?”

She smiles wickedly, “But you’re not going to say no, are you?”

I grimace at this audacity! “You don’t know that!”

She giggles, “Yeah I do!” and then moves her lips to mine for another soft warm kiss that sends shivers through my body… She moves her face away again and says, “See you there, sweetie!” and then turns her body left to begin happily bounce-trotting that direction while humming to herself… While I stood there with a shocked look on my face… The nerve of this lesbian!

I soon notice the bushes across the street moving as the fillies begin to leave the bushes from behind…

(To be continued…)

Chapter 39: The Reformation

I trot up to the magenta fire alicorn as she stared at me underneath a white mane with wide green eyes in the dilapidated palace, “Misty! What are you doing?”

I then embrace Opaline in a tight warm hug and say, “I’m hugging the evil out of you!”

“What?”

“You don’t have to be bad anymore, Opaline! Friendship is back and ponies are nice now!”

“I, what?”

I smile, “You don’t have to be wicked and mean anymore, Opaline! Why not be the ruler these ponies deserve, instead?”

She then says lowly, “Misty, are you insane?”

I giggle before saying, “Yeah, probably!” before clutching onto her fuchsia body tighter with my forehooves.

She finally snaps at me! “MISTY! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!!!!”

I chuckle slightly, “No Opaline, you get a hold of yourself! Drop the act! You’re not evil!”

“I…” The alicorn is silent and I soon feel a moist droplet hit my forehead and I look up at the older pony to see tears in her dark green eyes…

I suddenly start as I wake up while shaking my head against the big soft white pillow behind it… I open my eyes in bed, “What was that about?”

I trot into the kitchen to see a pink pegasus filly at the table sipping orange juice from a tall clear glass with her forehooves as she looks at me with her wide brown eyes from the right and says, “Oh, golly Misty! You don’t look so great!”

I stare up at her with wide pupils, “We need to talk! Uh, let me get some coffee first!”

I trot over to the maker just beyond the round wooden table as she responds, “Oh, golly! No rest for the therapy pone, huh?”

I sigh as I pour the much needed black liquid into a white mug and say, “Oh well, if it’s too much, I can just go write about it or something?”

She replies from behind my back, “No Misty! I uh, I’m sorry, okay? You know I care about you! Now get over here and tell me what the new problem is!”

I trot back over to the other side of the table with the cup in my pale green magical grasp and set the mug down in front of me as I stare at the small pink filly on the other side of the table, currently staring at me expectantly. “I had a dream…”

She frowns, “Like a nightmare?”

I sigh and stare back at her, “Not exactly?”

She blinks, “Well uh, what did you dream about?”

“Well, Opaline was there… And I was hugging her…”

Her eyes widen, “Oh, golly! The big mean nasty alicorn you uh, dispatched earlier?” she blinks.

I sigh, “Well, right! Her! I told her she didn’t have to be evil anymore…”

She frowns, “Well, how did she respond?”

“She thought it was ridiculous! Well, at first…”

She blinks, “And then?”

“And then, I stared up at her and I actually saw her crying! It was so weird!”

“Oh, golly!”

I stare at her and nod, “I know right? Any idea what that means?”

She sighs and gazes at me sincerely with her large sympathetic brown eyes, “Look… I think you’re just wondering what if you know?”

I frown back at her, “Well, yeah…”

Her brow furrows as her gaze lowers, “But you know that’s not right, right?”

My eyes widen, “What?”

“You know as well as I do that Opaline could never be reformed… You did the right thing!”

I open my mouth in shock as I repeat myself, “What?”

She smiles and giggles slightly, “You really shouldn’t doubt yourself, you know that?”

“Huh?”

Her pupils enlarge themselves, “Yeah! These thoughts obviously stem from self-doubt and wondering what if, but you know they won’t change anything… Just accept it already and move on!”

I sigh, “I-I guess you’re right Twinkle Shine?”

She nods, “Golly right, I’m right! Now come on! I had to do analytical thinking before wake n bake and you know that’s bad!”

I smile and chuckle lightly, “Right! The dope!”

She stares at me severely, “Misty, I will tie you down against your will and shotgun you if you don’t shut the buck up right now!”

I just giggle some more!

She widens her eyes and says at a louder volume while shaking, “I’m serious! It’s gonna be bad!”

I shake my head, “Come back to your room Twinkle! You can roll a joint there!”

She narrows her eyes and uses her forehooves to finish up her orange juice while muttering incoherently under her breath about fiery devil weed vengeance and inhalation of doom…

<*****>

And so, I stood there on my haunches in front of the small round white table in my room while using my forehooves to fetch a rolling paper from the black pack on my slight right and setting it down, sticky side up and out before me on the table.

Misty says from my right, “Golly, Twinkle Shine! You help me all the time! Uh, is there anything you wanna talk about?”

I blink and honestly answer, “Not really?” before using my hooves to line up weed horizontally on the paper in front of me.

“Oh!” She frowns…

And as I rolled up the weed in the air with my hooves in front of my face, I suddenly realized that Misty here feels like she doesn’t contribute? I finally decide to humor her when I say, “Well, I keep thinking about my old memories sometimes… You know? The ones I’m not supposed to think about? Yeah, it hurts me when I try to and I always stop, but I can’t help but wonder sometimes what I’m hiding from myself?”

“Don’t you trust yourself?” She asks me as I lick the paper with my tongue and begin to roll it up as tight as I can from the bottom with my hooves…

I put the new joint in my mouth and say to her, “Why wouldn’t I?” before looking down at the table and trying to remember what the golly hell I did with my lighter?

She nods, “Well, you obviously blocked those memories out for a reason! You should probably just believe you were right when you did it, accept it, and move on!”

My eyes widen when I see the green disposable hoof lighter on the far end of my table and as I retrieve the squeeze box device with my hooves while leaning over the table, I say to the other filly, “Oh, golly! That’s uh, a good point! Hey! Remember when we were talking about acceptance earlier?” as I bring my body back to the floor.

Misty grins and giggles, “Yeah! I guess it works multiple ways, huh?”

“Golly right!” I say out the side of my mouth as I lower my muzzle and squeeze the lighter with my cleft to ignite the flame and inhale through the joint to bring the fire to the end…

I taste the earthy fruity flavor of the herb rolling across my tongue as she says, “So, that’s it then? I’m a killer now and you can’t remember stuff anymore?”

I exhale the smoke quickly and turn my gaze right towards Misty and say, “You know, that’s the first time you ever actually admitted that you killed somepony! Acceptance, huh?” before bringing the joint back to my snout for another inhale…

She smiles faintly, “Y-yeah… I killed Opaline… Me! Misty Brightdawn, the unicorn filly murdered Opaline the fire alicorn…”

I exhale smoke again and look at her as I hold the burning joint in my right hoog, “Brightdawn? You never told us that was your last name!”*

She giggles, “Yeah, I rarely tell it to anypony…”

I nod again, “Well, golly right! But the important thing now is that you actually admitted it!” before ashing the few ashes at the end into my glass tray and bringing the joint back to my snout for another inhale of the fruity goodness!

“Yeah, I mean, I guess part of moving past it is acceptance then?”

I exhale smoke between us again and say, “Of course!” before bringing the joint back to my snout… Pretty sure I had already been over this with Cozy Glow?

<*****>

I talked to my new orange love on my bright colorful pink smartphone as I stared out at the dark Bridlewood Forest in the early morning hours through the window in my purple house as she says to me, “I love you so much, Izzy! I can’t believe our fillies actually want to live together though!”

I reply, “Oh, yeah! I already got Jessi’s new room lined up and we can sleep together in the master bedroom at the end of the hall!”

She’s silent for a moment, “Wait! You’ve already arranged everything?”

I frown, “Well, picking out a room for Jessi was the only X-factor! I mean, of course you’re gonna sleep in the big bed with me! But really, on the right just past Twinkle Shine’s room makes more sense since the other side is a broom closet!”

She’s silent for a moment... “Izzy, remember when we talked about with moving too fast?”

My mouth normalizes, “Well, we all know it’s coming! Probably sooner than we realize!”

She chuckles slightly, “Heh, sure Izzy! Sure!”

I finally blink and take a deep inhale through my nostrils… I say the words that have been on my mind for some time now… “Sunny, I think your smoothie stand would do great here in Bridlewood! I think you should move in with me!”

<*****>

I look at the pink pegasus on my left in her wooden room as I held my teal green left wing up to my face with my neck turned towards her, “So wait! I need to preen through the feathers with my brush?”

She nods, “Well, golly yeah! I mean, I don’t have magick, so you know, there might be a special alicorn spell for preening, for all I know? I just use my brush!”

I nod, “Well uh, okay! I’ll get a preening brush later then!”

“Oh, golly gee, no! You don’t have to do that! I’ll just give you my spare! It’s blue!”

“I like blue!”

She smiles, “Great!”

Suddenly, a fluffy blue unicorn bursts through the door and yells, “Sunny and Jessi are coming!”

Both our eyes widen at this sight as the filly next to me asks, “Say what now?”

I add, “I’m kinda already here…”

<*****>

I look at the yellow stallion sitting on the other end of the table from me that morning early before the sun rose, “Hey dad! Your new mustache is coming along great!”

He moves his hoof to the stubble on his upper lip, “Yeah, I think so?”

“Hey, why is it that your mane and tail are green, but your facial hair is brown?”

He frowns, “You know something Little Snack, I’m not sure?”

I frown, “You should probably talk to your doctor then? I mean, you might have some funky facial hair disease!”

His head quivers as he attempts in vain to suppress giggles as his muzzle squiggles in amusement, “I’ll uh, keep that in mind Little Snack! Anyway, I need to check in with the mayor this morning! Was there anything you needed?”

I smile, “As a matter of fact dad, could you deliver this letter about buckball to her? I want to start something here and getting her backing would mean an awful lot!” and widen my eyes like Twinkle taught me to do earlier…

He smiles back, “Sure thing, champ! Anything else?”

“Another pie?”

He giggles, “Sure!”

“Blueberry this time!” I say before I take another sip of my coffee with my forehooves… I lower it to my front and widen my eyes, “Oh, and don’t get captured by bad guys!”

He grins and giggles, “I’ll keep that in mind, Little Snack!”

I set it down and another moment passes before my dark gray smartphone rings on the table at my left! I pick it up in my hooves to my left ear and say, “Uh, yeah Jessi? Oh, he’s got it! Uh, what? You’re not gonna be in Maretime Bay anymore?” my eyes widen. “You’ll teleport me?”

Suddenly, my body is enveloped in a blue flash and I see myself standing on the carpeted and draped living area in Izzy’s front room, now standing on three hooves as I hold the phone to my ear! I say to it, “Hey, Jessi! I gotta go! Jessi’s here now!” before hanging up with my tongue and putting it away into my right saddlebag with my hoof and then, staring at the teal green alicorn in front of me and widening my eyes as I yell, “So, you guys live here now? Oh man!”

(To be continued…)

Author's Note

*Apparently, Misty’s last name is Brightdawn! Nopony was aware of this until fairly recently! Also, Opaline’s last name is Arcana! Not that it matters at this stage…