To be able to cut the tension with a knife is a pretty common expression, used when one feels as if the room they were in might explode at the drop of a feather. Things between me and Carina weren't... quite that bad. There wasn't any real tension, we weren't wound up or coiled tighter than a spring, we just stayed silent because we didn't really know where to start. Or where we should go afterwards for that matter.

After I rushed out of the throne room I commandeered my old guest room for us to talk in privacy, but now I was sitting on the dresser while Carina layed out across the bed, and the both of us were drowning in the silence. Or I was at least, Carina seemed content to cocoon herself in the blankets and sheets. I opened my mouth before I really knew what was going to come out.

"Is this like a nesting instinct or are you just having fun?" Her horns popped out of one end of the fabric burrito in response, but no more of her was revealed to me.

"I didn't think of that actually. I was just having fun but I'm usually claustrophobic, so..."

"Ouch. Claustrophobia must have sucked back at the hive." Seriously, the biggest room was the throne room. I've seen the hallways and I would not want to go through them for any reason.

"It only sucked most of the time, I bribed my neighbors with favors so I could excavate my room further into their space and I got permission from mother on the condition that the favors weren't blowjobs or anything sexual like that."

"You must have given her conniptions if that was the sole standard she held you to." There was a tearing sound as a pink hoof punched through layers of bedding. "Do you need help?"

"Nope!" And then there were shreds of cloth raining down on us as Carina explosively spread her body, legs held out to her sides as she buzzed her wings to stay airborne. "I got it. I'm sure the Princesses won't mind overly much about the mess."

"Probably not, so long as you don't make a habit of it." The look she gave me as she landed on the bare mattress was all I needed to know that I hit one of the landmines that kept us quiet in the first place. "Alright, lay it on me."

"You really can't help yourself can you? And I mean that kindly, but it really hurts to see you throw yourself head first into the fire everytime something happens. The pink bobblehead bitch said you melted..." I wondered how many times I was going to be called reckless before it really sank in. Also, make sure Susie never hears that description of herself.

"Yeah, I didn't do much thinking before tackling the planetary threat did I?" The expression Carina wore of 'no shit Sherlock' was legitimately impressive. I found my hand scratching the underside of my wings nervously. "It's... not an excuse, but this was probably the only time my life was ever in any real danger. And even then, it would take more than the destruction of my body to put me down. But!" I made sure to get to my apology before Carina asked for clarification or admonished me for being cocky. "It's obviously still a problem if I run into every burning building I come across. I'll... We'll have to try to figure something out, seeing as I haven't had much luck managing my impulses myself." That at least seemed to relieve her of some fustration, though I doubted it would ever fully go away where I'm involved.

"Alright. Good. We'll do that. Now... explain to me how you survive the total liquidation of your body please? So next time you go to punch out the boogie-pony I know how much danger you're actually in?" That earned my own look of confusion and curiosity.

"Did I never tell you? I..." And that was when I realized that the last time I actually went over the story of the original Fecto Elfilis was nearly half a year ago, which Carina-disguised-as-Frontline was only present for part of. "Nevermind. The long and short of it is that my Dream is its own world, or dimension, and that my body is not necessary for that world to exist. I should, in the event I explode or melt or whatever, be able to sustain my mind and soul inside the Dream. From there I would need to rebuild my body, which could take time but I would also be able to rely on Luna for help too."

And me, but I might be hard to explain.

"You should be able to?" I nodded weakly at her skepticism. I was aware of how much I was simplifying and fudging up the explanation but I imagine the discussion on possession and mind control would be its own can of worms. And Alter Ego, but he already said that.

Minus the worm part... Or maybe I'm like an earworm? I think that's a music thing though.

"I'm obviously not trying to test my potential immortality, and if I get better control of myself then hopefully I will go a long time without needing to. It's a very real thing though, it's been done before." Before Magolor and Susie I would have been more awkward treating my old video game knowledge as fact, but now I was pretty thoroughly entrenched in the belief that those broken memories had more than just the odd sprinkle of usuable information in them. Also- "Not to change topics or anything, but where the hell is everyone? Susie's got the Princesses in bacta tanks," Whatever the fuck bacta tanks were, "But I've not seen hair nor hide of Magolor or Twilight or any of them. And they aren't exactly easy to miss."

"I dunno." The way she said made it sound like it never occurred to her. "I was tranquilized remember? Slept like a little larva." That's right... That's... Oh my fucking god.

Holy shit dude!

"You're fucking high aren't you. You-! I took you to see the most powerful political figures on the planet and you were high!" Carina just tilted her like a confused puppy, and it only now occurred to me how dramatic she's been about literally everything. "I can't believe it. I am never going to rid my face of all this egg. The yolk will become synonymous with my name and future generations will read textbooks about my dumbass decisions."

"Eggs are supposed to be good for your fur though, if it helps you feel better." I just hung my head and sighed.

"It would make me feel better if you remembered this conversation come tomorrow." The determined nod she gave me didn't serve to boost my confidence. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, and proceeded to lose my shit. "I'm serious Carina, this is a serious fuck-up on my part! Earlier you effectively told the zebra matriarch, or whatever she was that sex was either the main priority of your entire species or the only... resource that the Hive was willing or able to trade. The zebra lady didn't seem to take you too seriously but I was not the only one listening! The deer guy who was looking at me like he was undressing me with his- like I was a piece of meat- He was an asshole! He one hundred percent heard you and if he did then so did others that I didn't notice. Fuck! By the end of the week changelings as a whole are going to be known by the wider world as-! As-!" Give me a word that isn't 'sluts!'

Whores. Fuck, uh. Loose? Easy.

"Loose!"

No! Not loose! Easy!

Damn it all!

"Are you... mad at me?" When I focused on the world outside of my head again, Carina's wet eyes were all I could see. I reacted by making good choices.

"No! I'm mad at me because I am 'crouching tiger, hidden dumbass!' I pulled you into that meeting while you were coming down off of drugs! You are on the drugs, ostensibly because of my actions!"

"You drugged me?" End me.

"That's not what I-!" I stopped as I realized I was about to try to explain how her being sedated was the result of me going to the Access Ark, but it may just as well be an exercise in futility at this point. I wasn't abke to calmly explain anything and Carina was going through her own emotional roller-coaster at the moment. Whatever mental energy she had during the meeting was long gone and replaced with confusion. For all I knew at this point, I had explained my immortality power to her before and she just couldn't remember at the moment.

Hey, since you brought it up, we really do need to have a conversation about how your shit works. Since you want to know the extent I've been managing things for you and all... And you two definitely need sleep anyway.

It was a very sudden and jarring reminder that Alter Ego and I still needed to sit down and hash things out, but he was right. And Carina had tear tracks going down her smooth pink cheeks and a look on her face like she was a thousand miles away. I just sighed before scooping Carina up into my arms, shaking her out of her funk slightly.

"Huh? Oh, is it bedtime?" I rubbed my face against hers while nodding, but I didn't let myself say something stupid and instead just focused on getting the both of us onto the mattress. It had been a long day. "Wait... But I still don't know if you drugged me. And I still need to punch you like you promised. And I'm horny..." I hummed but stayed silent and settled into bed. "...I said I'm horny."

...

"Fine, I guess I am kind of tired anyways..."

I wished appearing in my Dream would erase my fatigue like a good rest would. My body in here was just as real as the one laying in bed with Carina, and that meant headaches couldn't be avoided. The situation was a mess to put things lightly, but I also didn't know how bad it could be. The unknown was just as terrifying, if not more than, as knowing just how deep a hole I've dug myself into. Which put me somewhere in the middle.

I know I made a mistake but I don't know what the consequences of that mistake will be yet. Whoever said that all things were best done in moderation could kiss my ass, I would much rather be on one side of this issue instead of the anger/fear limbo I was in now.

The moderation guy would likely point out how pessimistic your view on the situation is and insist you balance it out with more optimistic thoughts.

"Like what? 'It's not too late to fix the mistake? The future is neither good or bad, it simply is and what we make of it? To wait before I make my judgment because it may not be as bad as I want to believe?' Is that what they'd say?!" It probably looked insane on the outside looking in, me yelling at myself into the purple-ish blue-ish void of Dream Matter.

...Those thoughts are about what I imagine he would say, yes. You are surprisingly good at optimistic thinking when you are angry.

"Agreed, it is quite thee impressive if vexing ability you possess." I was the only other one in the Dream, but I still felt the phantom sensation of someone else's neck snapping towards Luna's voice at the same time as my own. "Though I suppose the same could be said for most of thy talents. Oh!" I imagine the coy smirk on her face turned to one of surprise as I launched myself into a hug. She was here, she was alive.

Or at least her spirit is.

Shhhh, shut the fuck up.

Um, how long have you been here Princess?

"The moment you returned to Equestria." It took me a moment to recognize her words for what they were. When I did, I found myself pulled away from Luna, though still within arms length.

"Wait, how aware were you of-"

"We will have to have words with Cadence once we are freed from our liquid prison... Ah, that is to say, I believe she may need help better understanding how the succession of duty works in these cases." I knew there was something wrong with me being chosen to attend the meeting. "As for you..." I winced, the 'future' I was worried about was now. "...You were fine."

"...What?"

Told you! But also, yeah what he said.

Luna rolled her eyes so hard I think she might've given Susie back in the waking world a scare.

"You handled the meeting quite professionally given your lack of experience. And I don't believe Carina was as 'high' as you believed her to be, she was likely more tired from lack of true rest after her hard battle with the dragon attacking Ponyville. Sedation does not make for good sleep, nor am I even sure waking up from it has these side effects you fear."

"Are you sure? And even if she was just deliriously tired, I still brought her to the meeting in that state."

"It is called a summit. With what little information you had, anyone would have brought Carina. I dare say she had a positive effect on the meeting besides." All the woman in my life must be losing their minds. "I am not simply saying that. While you didn't do anything wrong per say, it was her carefree nature and honest antics that put the room at ease. That is no easy feat given they were prepared to hear the worst their imaginations could conjure."

"I ...can accept that, but what about the changelings? This could be a major setback for everything, a huge hit to their reputation..."

"Elfilis..." Luna pulled in closer, using her hooves to wipe away tears I couldn't remember, and captured my eyes in the gaze of her own. Even without knowing what she was going to tell me, I could feel the care she wished to express. "I hate to tell you this..." The warmth I felt froze, and the dread- "But they are all sluts."

...

Based.

"I do not know what my words have to do with my foundations but I accept the compliment nontheless."

I don't know where the use of the word came from either actually. Slang is weird like that.

"Too true. Not that speaking with you is unpleasant, but we do need to discuss more with Elfilis. How long do you believe he will continue to stand there staring at me as if frozen?"

"Bwuh?"

Author's Note

Luna doesnt have a full understanding of modern lingo yet.

I'm planning on writing one or two more chapters before labeling this story as complete, but only as 'Book One.' I need to take a break from these characters and this story so I can come back to write 'Book 2' with a fresh set of eyes. Ill write something else on the meantime, dont want to get lazy.

I also am going to have some new responsibilities out in the real world soon that will probably last... forever? Indefinitely. So that seems as good a time as any to take a break. Ciao.