The Seven Castles

Star Dasher felt… different.

Something was different, but she didn’t know what. She noticed her surroundings. The fog wasn’t as thick now that they had entered, like there was a barrier keeping it in. It was hazy, but she could make out the silhouette of a town ahead. Curiously, she saw the shapes of roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and other attractions.

But Star also noticed small details in her surroundings, things she hadn’t noticed before. Clovers flowered white in the dewy grass under her hooves, growing in clusters that looked like clouds. Had these lovely clovers been there on the other side of the magical barrier? Their scent wafted into Star’s nostrils, mixing with popcorn and candy smells from the town.

But why was she noticing this now? She looked at her companions. They seemed disoriented. Silly Lilly had landed in the grass. Wondermint was staring at Star, looking flustered. Waterfire was looking around, seeming bewildered or overwhelmed. “Is everyone alright?” Razzaroo said coolly.

“No, something’s wrong,” Waterfire said. “I… what is it? This isn’t right.” His accent had certainly smoothed out since they first met him, but Star didn’t detect even the slightest mispronunciation. That seemed strange.

“I… don’t know how to fly,” Silly said. “What’s going on?”

As Star looked over their group, her eyes settled on Wonder’s accordion. Star wanted that. Wasn’t it supposed to be in Star’s pack? “Does anypony else feel really invigorated?” Wonder said, kicking with her hindlegs.

“Maybe a better question, does anyone still feel normal?” Kimono said hesitantly.

“Neigh, I feel the winds of change a-blowing,” Star said, smiling and trying to make light of it. Wonder looked at her, head tilted.

Royal Rose called out to them in Cantor from the other side of the magic barrier. Well, if they could hear him, maybe they could go back to him. “What did he say, Waterfire?” Star said.

“I… have no idea,” Waterfire said, blinking.

“He just asked if we’re okay,” Silly said.

“You understood him?” Razz said. Silly nodded. “This magic has affected our minds somehow. I think our mental traits may be… mixed up. We should leave, as we said we would do. Together.” They all lined up. Little Silly moved slowly on the ground. Razz picked him up and put him on her shoulder. They all stepped back through the magical barrier.

Star tried to gauge if she still felt off. She noticed that those cute clovers were on this side, as well. Royal Rose sighed in relief and spoke in Cantor. “Um, what did he say?” Star said, looking at Waterfire.

“Thank goodness you’re alright,” Silly interpreted. It seemed they were still mixed up.

“Well… I’m not sure about that,” Kimono said. “We’re all thinking and acting differently.”

“I think… I have your personality, Kimono,” Razz said. “And I’m guessing Silly Lilly has Waterfire’s.”

“What do we do?” Waterfire said.

“I suggest we wait here for a while to see if the effects reverse now that we’re out of the magical field,” Razz said. “If that doesn’t work, we must go farther in and find the source of the magic to try to reverse it.”

“Okay, then,” Kimono said, sitting down. “We’ll wait.” Star immediately looked over at Wonder’s accordion, wanting to play it to pass the time. Wonder was looking around and stretching her legs. She set down her pack, accordion included.

Star stepped up to Wonder, who didn’t notice at first. Star tapped her on the shoulder. “Oh hi, Star,” Wonder said bashfully.

“Can I borrow your accordion?” Star said. “I swear on my blood that I will treat it with the care of a mother with a newborn foal.”

“Oh, um, that should be fine,” Wonder said. “I was wanting to go on a quick run, anyway. Now I won’t be leaving it unattended. Thank you!” She took off running through the grass fields around the veiled city. She moved quickly and looked like she knew what she was doing. That gait wasn’t a gallop… What was it called? Star couldn’t remember.

By contrast, Star found that she knew exactly what to do with the accordion. Where to position her hooves, how much pressure to apply. A carnival song even came to her head, inspired by the sight of the roller coasters on the other side of the barrier. She didn’t know where these thoughts were coming from. She didn’t remember learning these things, yet she was perfectly capable of doing them.

She remained lost in the song until Wondermint returned. Her white coat was darkened with sweat. “I am… out of shape,” she said, panting heavily.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you run that quickly, though,” Star said. She carefully closed the accordion and placed it in Wonder’s pack.

“Heh, thanks.” Wonder trotted over to Kimono and Razzaroo. Star followed her and noticed that Kimono was writing in Razz’s notebook. “How long are we planning to wait?” Wonder said.

“Longer than we have,” Razz said. “I was thinking of giving it a day to see if the effects wear off.”

“Oh…” Wonder said, sounding bored.

“I’d rather just go in now,” Star said. “We’re planning to go there either way, right? We had committed to seeing this quest through. There’s a whole city in there, maybe filled with ponies who are affected by this magic. Maybe we can help them… or they can help us.”

“You bring up a good point,” Razz said. “Kimono, Waterfire, Silly, what do you think?”

“I don’t want to wait,” Waterfire said. “This is very uncomfortable. I’d like to fix it as soon as possible.”

“I agree,” Silly added. He still hadn’t flown since the change happened.

Kimono stood up and said, “Well, I suppose that’s settled.”

“I don’t see a need to rush ourselves, but very well,” Razz said, picking up Silly and putting him on her shoulder. They stepped back through the barrier. Star tried to look inwards to see if anything else had changed. Instead she found herself staring covetously at Wonder’s accordion.

“Does anyone feel different?” Razz said.

“I’d say nothing changed this time,” Waterfire said.

“Well, let’s see if we can find the Castle of Laughter,” Razz said.

The atmosphere was somber as they walked towards the city. Didn’t anypony find this a little exciting? “So, I’m trying to figure out who’s who,” Star said. “I think I have Wondermint’s personality.”

“I think I have… yours,” Wonder said.

“I think Razz and I switched,” Kimono said. “So that leaves Waterfire switched with Silly Lilly.”

“Maybe, but I still have memories from Breezie Blossom,” Silly said. “So it might not be so straightforward.”

As they got closer to the town, Star wasn’t sure what to make of it. Everywhere she could see, it looked like one big amusement park. However, she didn’t see any rides running, and some were in an obvious state of disrepair. Some buildings were in an abandoned state, as well, with broken windows, collapsed roofs, and faded signs. But she could see ponies walking around in there, and they all smelled the food. They crossed a poorly maintained stone path in the grass, which led them to an arched entryway that had the Cantor words for “Welcome to Laughton!”

They stepped through into a street with what looked like gift shops, food stands, and carnival games. A few ponies were moseying about, but Star’s attention was caught by a very attractive pegasus with a light blue coat, sparkly pink feathers, and a two-tone pink mane. She wore a pink beret, a bracelet with a heart charm, a white shirt with pink trim, and a schoolfillyish pleated skirt with a plaid pattern. She was tugging a friend—a blue earth pony—towards a larger shop at the corner. The earth pony didn’t budge, seeming disinterested. Star heard the Cantor word for “please.”

This pair noticed the newcomers as they came in. The pegasus gasped and ran up to them, barely stopping an inch from Razz’s face. She spoke excitedly in Cantor. “I don’t know you, and I love strangers,” Silly said, not including the pegasus’s excited inflection. “Are you new to town? Do you want to go to that fancy restaurant on the corner and order dessert first?”

Razz responded in Cantor, and Silly interpreted, “Yes we’re new to town, but no thank you. Would you mind taking two steps back?”

The pegasus took off with a rush of wind and landed in front of Wondermint instead. “So you are new here?” Silly interpreted for her. “Where are you from? What are you doing here? Did your brains get mixed up too?” Star noticed the earth pony approaching cautiously, wide eyes filled with wonder.

Silly said something in Cantor. Star thought he was asking her to slow down because they were still learning Cantor. “Oh, sorry,” the pegasus said. “My name is Twirlerina, and this is Shenanigans.”

“Twirlerina?” Razz said. “Royal Rose was looking for you!”

Twirlerina’s face looked like a deer in a floodlight. “Oooohhhh… Royal Rose… yeah, uhh…” Star didn’t understand the next part, but Silly interpreted. “Could you answer my question first? Did your brains get mixed up? You’d know if it happened.”

“It did,” Kimono said.

“Well… as I mentioned, this is Shenanigans,” the pegasus said. Shenanigans was a stocky pony with blue, pink, and white hair.

“Hi,” Shenanigans said quietly.

“I am her, and she is me,” Twirlerina said. “Ta da! Neither of us can really go back to… what was the city called again?”

“Santa Amorosa,” Shenanigans said.

“That, in this state,” Twirlerina said after Silly’s interpretation. “So, uh, here I am. What about you? What are your names, and what brings you to these parts?”

They introduced themselves. Star noticed that nopony slipped up over their names, even though their minds seemed to be switched. “We’re here to make friends and establish contact with the ponies of Laughton, see the Castle of Laughter, and set things right if we can,” Razz said.

“Oh…” Twirlerina said, her ears folding down. She suddenly seemed subdued.

“Are we stuck like this, to your knowledge?” Razz said.

“Yeah, leaving doesn’t fix it,” Twirlerina said. “We tried. But we’re doing alright as things are, honestly. It’s not all bad. It’s a thrill being somebody else!”

“Well, uh…” Shenanigans started to say something, but she cut herself off and looked down.

“Yes?” Waterfire said.

“Uh… things aren’t all good, either,” Shenanigans said.

“In any case, we’d like to reverse this for ourselves,” Razz said. “Do you have any leads on what caused it?”

“We have some ideas,” Twirlerina said. “But maybe you’d like to see the town first! We can even show you the Funhouse!”

“That sounds delightful!” Star jumped in, before Kimono—or Razzaroo—forced them to get straight to business without any fun.

“Great!” Twirlerina said. She trotted off down the street towards the center of the town. There were a lot of abandoned buildings and overflowing trash cans. “Sorry that the town is a little messy. With everypony switched like this, some jobs just don’t get done anymore.”

“If you’re all switched, couldn’t you just switch jobs?” Kimono said.

“Well, some ponies have,” Twirlerina said.

“It’s hard to… adjust,” Shenanigans said. “It’s not a total body swap. It’s like… you get bits of who you were, and it can be hard to put the pieces together.”

They occasionally passed other ponies, who waved or said a friendly hello. The first street seemed like a commerce center, but once they got a little farther in, they started passing roller coasters and other rides.

“Is the whole city an amusement park?” Star said.

“Yep!” Twirlerina responded. “It’s been a long time since we got many visitors, though. That’s part of why things are kind of run down, although everypony switching certainly made it worse.” It was strange hearing the interpretation in Silly’s tiny voice instead of Waterfire’s accented cadence.

“If you’re from Santa Amorosa, how did you end up switched with a pony from Laughton?” Kimono said. “Did you come into town at the same time?”

“No, uh, I was somepony else, back when this happened two years ago,” Shenanigans said. “But when Twirlerina showed up last year, I suddenly switched with her instead.”

At one intersection, they passed by a bright red blob of slime, about the size of a grapefruit, that watched them with two beady eyes. Twirlerina didn’t seem the least bit interested. “What is that?” Wonder said.

“Oh, the frazzits,” Twirlerina said. “Yeah, you wouldn’t see those outside. They’re uhh…”

“They appeared when the switch happened,” Shenanigans chimed in. “They came out of a place in the Funhouse called the Surprise Room. That room had all sorts of magical goodies and effects. Ponies would basically go in there to get pranked and have a fun time. But one day a barrel full of these frazzits appeared, and once they got out, ponies’ minds started mixing up.”

“Do you know if the frazzits are the cause or the symptom of a wider magical problem?” Razz said.

“Lolligiggle says they’re the cause,” Shenanigans said. “She’s a pony who reads a lot and knows a lot. She says the frazzits are mentioned in old fairy tales, and they had the same effect in the stories. In the stories, if you put the frazzits back in the barrel, their magic goes away.”

“Have you tried that?” Kimono said.

“It’s hard,” Twirlerina said. “You’d have to go all over town to trap them. And what are you going to do with the ones you catch in the meantime? Put them in a cage? It’s hard to say no to those cute little eyes. But the hardest part is catching the ones in the Funhouse… Speaking of, we’re here!” They stopped at a multistory building that seemed to be located in the center of town. The walls were painted with grinning ponies, balloons, and treats in bright colors with a green background. Lights flashed all around, and the entrance was in the shape of a clown with a wide smile acting as a door. Cheery but repetitive organ music played from within.

“This is the Funhouse, also known as the Castle of Laughter,” Twirlerina said, gesturing with a flared wing. “It used to be the centerpiece of the amusement park. Now nopony goes inside. Ever since the frazzits appeared, the inside is impossible to navigate. The layout of the rooms keeps changing. Doors won’t open until you beat games and challenges. It’s a madhouse now. Many of the frazzits are in there, and so is the Surprise Room and the barrel. We’ve tried and tried to set things right and get the frazzits back in the barrel. But it’s just impossible.”

“We’ll probably want to try as well,” Razz said. “I’m not ready to lie down and accept this change as permanent yet. But we can discuss that later.”

“Right,” Twirlerina said. “I guess you’ll be staying for a while, then… You need a place, don’t you?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Kimono said. Star couldn’t help but gawk at her saying Razz’s catchphrase.

Twirlerina started thinking and pacing. “Maybe we could… no…” Shenanigans walked over and whispered something to her. “Ooh, I like that idea!” Twirlerina said. “There’s an abandoned warehouse near where Shenan and I live. We could clean it up and you could stay there, at least for tonight. Sorry, it’s the best we can think of on short notice.”

“That’ll be fine,” Kimono said. “Thank you! Lead the way!”

* * *

Star sat on a bench outside of their abandoned warehouse. Twirlerina and Shenanigans had graciously dedicated hours towards helping them clean it out and make it livable. Now night was falling over Laughton. The warehouse was on an elevated position that overlooked some of the city. She could see rows of colorful lights shining through the fog, some of them flickering, some burnt out. This place was sad for its lost potential. It must have been so much fun here before. Still, it was beautiful in a way.

Star had borrowed Wonder’s accordion again. The music came to her, and she couldn’t stop it. She was working on modifying a tune whose name she couldn’t quite remember. It was a tune for festivals, but a few tweaks to the melody and tempo made it sound forlorn. She was quite focused on getting it right, so it was a while before she noticed that Wonder had come out to watch her. She was lying on the cobblestone street next to the bench.

Star nodded to her and switched tunes; she felt like that one needed some more workshopping before an audience should be hearing it. Her mind immediately took a turn for the romantic. As she often did, she noticed Wonder’s impeccable beauty. That silky mane, that thin figure, that popping green heart on her fetlock. The two of them were out together at night, alone in a foggy street. Of course a romantic theme was applicable. It had sweeping rises and falls, smooth phrases punctuated by sudden staccatos. Wonder was transfixed.

The song came to an end. “Hey, Wondermint,” Star said with a flirty edge.

“Hi,” Wonder said softly.

“Have I ever told you that you are gorgeous?” Star said.

“What?” Wonder said, her white cheeks flushing bright red. “Um, I think so? I don’t remember.”

“Well you are! Don’t let yourself forget it!”

“Thanks.” Wonder chuckled nervously.

Star looked into Wonder’s purple eyes for a moment. “I like you, and you like me,” Star said. “What if we kissed, right here?”

“What?” Wonder squeaked. Her eyes went wide for a moment, but then she smiled. “Um… I’d like that.” Wonder stood up to be at Star’s level, who was still on the bench. Star leaned her head forward, her heart fluttering with anticipation. Why hadn’t she done this before?

Was something wrong here? Their personalities were switched, yes. She was acting like Wondermint. But Wonder was acting like Star would, so in either way they were both consenting. So what was out of place?

Star paused just before their lips would have touched. “What is it?” Wonder said softly.

Unbidden, Wish-I-May’s fortunes came into her mind. First she had said that the two of them—Star and Wonder—would take their next step at the Castle of Laughter. That tracked. But the second time they had gone… Wish-I-May had said “remember who you are, and stay loyal to your friends.” That first bit seemed relevant, since they had switched personalities. But combined with the second bit… Was Wish-I-May warning her to think what Wonder would want?

Wonder liked Star. She knew that. But… she also liked January Joy. It seemed like Star inherited Wonder’s personality, but not her memories. Maybe that’s why they were willing to kiss now, but not before the switch. Without the memories, the inhibitions weren’t there. “We shouldn’t…” Star said with a sigh.

“Oh…” Wonder said, sounding a little disappointed. “Okay.”

“We’re not ourselves,” Star said. “We should talk about this again once we have our minds sorted out. But for now, let’s refrain.”

Wonder gasped. “That’s what she meant!”

“Huh?”

“When Wish-I-May told my fortune, the thing I wanted most…” Wonder blushed again and hid her face behind her hair, “was guidance on my feelings about you. Since, you know, I also like January Joy. She said to keep a clear head and the answers would come with time. But I suppose my head isn’t clear at the moment.”

“I see,” Star said. “She warned us both.”

“And I didn’t even think about it! I’m sorry!”

“Don’t apologize. Like you said, your head isn’t clear.” Star stretched and stood up from the bench. “We should go to bed before this night gets any crazier.”

“You’re right,” Wonder said.

“But first, come here,” Star said. She lifted a hoof for a hug. Wonder returned it hesitantly. Star hugged Wonder tightly, and held her for a long time. Wonder was a comforting presence for her, that made concerns about the chaotic magic, their possibly permanent mental mixups, and the impending prophecy of terrible suffering seem conquerable. “This is a complex word with a lot of meanings, so I’ll let you take it as you will, but… I love you,” Star whispered in Wonder’s ear.

Wonder gasped. “Uh, thank you!” Wonder said, stuttering. “I mean, uh… good night!” Star finally let her free from their hug. They went back to their warehouse to sleep through a strange night of mixed up dreams, hopes, and fears.

* * *

Kimono ran to cut off the frazzit’s path of escape. It disappeared and reappeared behind her. These things didn’t move very quickly, but they didn’t follow the laws of physics, either. Razz trotted up to her, panting. “This isn’t working,” Kimono said. They both looked at the frazzit, which they were trying to herd towards Wondermint, who had a large sack. The blue blob was farther from Wonder than when they had started.

“I was thinking, I might be able to do magic,” Razz said. “If I have your mental abilities, it should be possible. Maybe I can blow them into the sack.”

“You can do that?” Kimono said. “No fair! But it’s worth a try.” She had already tried doing magic last night, to no avail.

Razz and Wonder positioned themselves with the frazzit between them. Razzaroo closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. Kimono watched the frazzit, hoping for it to be blown towards the sack. It seemed to be taking Razz longer to do magic than Kimono normally would. Maybe it wouldn’t be possible in this mental state.

Kimono shifted her gaze back towards Razz, only she wasn’t there anymore. Wonder stepped back and choked back a startled neigh. “What happened?” Kimono said. “Razz, where are you?”

“I’m right here,” Razz’s voice said. It sounded like she was still across from Wonder, but Razz didn’t see her. The mist was thin today, with sunlight shining through. They were in an open area, a splash pad by the looks of it. She couldn’t have just disappeared!

“I think I’ve become invisible!” Razz said. Again, her voice seemed to be coming out of thin air. Kimono heard quiet hoofsteps from the same direction. “Ohh… the ability to do magic is a learned, mental trait. But the type of magic you do is a physical or inherited trait. I should have realized that. Well, maybe this can work. Wonder, I’m going to try to grab this frazzit. Once I pick it up, bring the sack to me, quickly.”

“Okay,” Wonder said, bouncing on her hooves. Kimono heard Razz creeping closer to the frazzit. It suddenly lifted into the air; she had grabbed it! Wonder rushed forward with the sack and bagged it in one coordinated sweep.

Razz reappeared, causing Wonder to jump back. “Well done,” she said. Kimono felt a wave of disappointment at the fact that she hadn’t been able to help in any meaningful way. She felt like she wasn’t good for anything, which was unusual for her.

Razz turned to her and said, “Where to next?”

“Oh, right,” Kimono said. Razz had given her the notebook, and Twirlerina had given her a pamphlet with a map. Shenanigans was leading another group to cover more ground, while Twirlerina and Star Dasher were preparing another abandoned building to house the frazzits comfortably while they gathered the rest. The others had trusted Kimono to guide them as they combed through the city systematically. But Kimono didn’t feel up to the task.

This had to be Razz’s mental traits coming through. Kimono knew Razz struggled with doubts about her self-worth, but feeling it was something else. “Um, could I speak with you, Razz?” Kimono said timidly. “Alone?”

“Oh, I could wait on the other end of the splash pad,” Wonder said.

“Yes, I suppose you should,” Razz said. “Thank you.” Wonder left them, stepping to a smooth tölt. “What is it, Kimono?” Razz said.

Kimono checked for other ponies around. The area was empty. “I don’t think that I can do this,” she said, exasperated.

“Do what?” Razz said.

“Um… be you?” Kimono said. “I mean, I feel like I’m not helping. I didn’t help catch the frazzit.”

“If you’d like to hold the bag next time, you and Wondermint can switch,” Razz offered.

“No, that’s… besides the point,” Kimono said. “Like, I don’t know what I’m good at. I don’t feel good enough.”

“Oh…” Recognition appeared in Razz’s eyes. “You can help us navigate.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Kimono said, her breaths shallow. “I’m feeling kind of overwhelmed. What do you do when you feel like this?”

“I’ve been feeling better lately,” Razz said. “Even before we switched. I remembered that my worth is not defined by what I have or my skills. The same applies to you. You have intrinsic worth, just for being who you are… Even if you’re somewhat a mix of both of us right now.”

“I understand the words you’re saying, but I don’t feel them,” Kimono said.

“Unfortunately, you don’t have my memories,” Razz said. “You don’t have that moment of fulfillment after the trial and the Wish sisters’ reconciliation.”

“I think I got the worst of each of us,” Kimono said, hanging her head. “Um, no offense. Oh, hoofness! I must sound like I think you’re worthless! I’m so sorry!”

“No, I don’t blame you,” Razz said. “I know this feeling. For now, you might just have to believe me when I say I see your worth. And we really do need you to navigate for us. I don’t think I can do it as well as you, to be honest.”

“Really?” Kimono said.

“Really,” Razz said. “You—or I, normally—are really good at staying organized. And the sooner we catch the frazzits, the sooner we can get you back to normal. So let’s get to it.”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Kimono said. She put on a brave face, even if she didn’t feel much better. “Thank you.” She called out to Wondermint, who was chasing after a butterfly. “We’re finished. Let’s get back to it.”

* * *

Silly Lilly looked up at the Funhouse, intimidated. It seemed incomprehensibly large to him, although his vantage point was limited from Razzaroo’s back. He still hadn’t figured out how to fly. They thought they had found all the frazzits around town. Now they needed to go into the Funhouse to find the ones in there, as well as the barrel they had come from. But, as funhouses often are, this place seemed a little creepy, now that they were here. The organ music had already looped a couple of times since they arrived, and who wanted to walk into the mouth of a clown with an oversized grin?

“Hey, I have an idea!” Twirlerina said in Cantor. Silly was still surprised that he could understand it, considering he had no memory of learning it. “Do you ponies remember the fancy restaurant on the corner when you first came into town? Who wants to go there and order dessert first?” Silly interpreted this into Ponish for the others.

“We can all enjoy each other’s company once we’re ourselves again,” Wondermint said. She opened the door in the clown’s mouth and walked in without further hesitation.

“Oh, we’re going now,” Star said nervously. Silly rushed to interpret back to Cantor for Twirlerina and Shenanigans. Razz walked to follow Wonder into the Funhouse. From Silly’s perspective, the whole place was immediately disorienting. He felt like he was spinning, and his ears were ringing. Why were lights flashing everywhere? He lost track of the door and the other ponies, but he clung on to Razz’s mane.

By the time Silly came to his senses, they were in a small study room with a desk, bookshelves, and two doors. “Is everyone okay?” Razz said.

One by one, the ponies all confirmed. Their whole group was still here. Silly looked at the two doors uncertainly. Neither was the size of the one they had come in through. Where were they? Wonder tried one and found that it was locked. Shenanigans rattled the other one. Locked. “How did this happen?” Kimono said. “Where are we?” Silly jumped in to interpret.

“Magic,” Shenanigans said. “This place is overflowing with it. This is what stopped us the last time we tried to catch all the frazzits.”

“So, we need to decide whether we want to try to leave the Funhouse and regroup or press on and look for frazzits,” Razz said. “Although it may not matter which we choose, if we don’t know which way is which.”

“If we can, I’d like to press on and look for frazzits,” Kimono said. “But for now, we need to pick a door. And figure out how to unlock it.”

“Um, I think if we want to go farther into the Funhouse, it’s this way,” Twirlerina said, gesturing to the door that Star Dasher had tried.

“How… do you know?” Waterfire said.

“We’ve been exposed to this kind of magic for a lot longer than you,” Twirlerina said. “You get used to it after a while.”

“Um, for you, I guess,” Shenanigans added. “I’m pretty lost.”

“Well, I’ve been here longer,” Twirlerina said. “Or… you’ve been here longer. Your personality, which I have, has been here longer.”

“In any case, let’s try to get these doors unlocked,” Razz said. “There might be a key somewhere.” She tried to look through the drawers of the desk, but some of them were locked as well.

The others started looking through the room. “I found a chest with a four digit combination,” Wonder said. “Let me know if you see four numbers written on a note or something.”

“We don’t need a chest, we…” Kimono answered, then trailed off. She was looking at a note on the desk. “A cipher? Ohh… It’s a funhouse. This is a game. It’s an escape room.”

“What’s that?” Waterfire said.

“It’s a room that you have to escape from,” Kimono said. “Different secrets are hidden behind locks, combinations, and codes. We have to solve puzzles to get out. Maybe the key is in that chest, or maybe it just has another clue that will get us the key. Search the whole room. Look through the bookshelf, too. Keep an eye out for anything that might be part of the game.”

Waterfire looked around, still confused. Silly felt bad for him. Ever since leaving Breezie Blossom, thinking had been hard for Silly due to his reliance on his mental connection with the other breezies. Now, however, he could think clearly, with several other languages in his head as a bonus. Waterfire had likely inherited Silly’s unfortunate lack of mental abilities. “Hey, Razz, could you put me on Waterfire’s back?” Silly said. He tried buzzing his wings, but he just didn’t know what to do after that.

“Oh, certainly,” Razz said. She lifted him from her back to Waterfire’s.

“Just ask me if you have any questions,” Silly said quietly.

“I still don’t really understand what we’re doing,” Waterfire said.

“Look for anything that might be a puzzle or a clue. I’ll point them out if I see one.”

They all shuffled around the room for a few minutes, with Silly more or less directing Waterfire. He wanted to help Waterfire feel included. They paused when Shenanigans stomped her hooves and said, “Oh, we’re never going to get out of this!”

“Yes, we will get,” Kimono said. “These usually take about a hour. We do fine.” Her grammar was a little rough, but her Cantor was respectable considering how quickly she had learned it.

“No, I mean…” Tears started running down Shenanigans’ face. “We’re never going to be back to normal. I’m never going to go home. Or…” she pointed a hoof at Twirlerina, “you’re never going to go home. And I’ll be stuck with feelings of homesickness for a home that I don’t even know.” She curled up on the floor.

It took Silly a moment to remember that he was supposed to interpret for the others. After he did that, Waterfire responded, “Don’t give up. We all have each others’ brains, but the brain power is still there! My friends are all so smart, and you and Shenanigans know this place really well. Together, we can do it! But we won’t get anywhere if we don’t believe in ourselves.”

Shenanigans kept on crying. Waterfire lay on the ground next to her and nuzzled her. Shenanigans’ sobbing quieted down, but neither of them moved. Silly felt for her, but he thought the best thing for them all would be to keep moving. He couldn’t solve any of the puzzles from here… He carefully walked around the edge of the room to avoid getting stepped on. When he was near Razzaroo, he said, “If you have any codes that need solving, could you give them to me? Maybe my language skills would help.”

“That’s reasonable,” Razz said. She lifted him up to the desk and placed him in front of a piece of paper. “Could you work on this for us?”

They continued to work on solving the puzzles in the room. Shenanigans calmed down enough to rejoin their efforts. Soon enough they had found a key that unlocked the door that Twilerina said would lead back out. They agreed that they wanted to explore more of the Funhouse and try to capture some frazzits, so they kept working until they unlocked the other door.

They opened it and found a room with a door on the ceiling. “This whole place is going to be like this, isn’t it?” Kimono said. Silly interpreted, and Twirlerina nodded. “Well, here we go.”

* * *

They came into a room filled with funhouse mirrors. “Oh no, not this room again!” Kimono said. She pulled out her notebook—she was carrying Razz’s saddlebag at this point. She was trying to make a map of the Funhouse interior.

“Are you sure it’s the same?” Wonder said.

“Yes, it’s the same,” Razz said.

“Oh, ponyfeathers,” Twirlerina said. “Wrong way again.” She walked across the room to the two doors at the end. “This way.” She gestured to the door on the right.

“We went right the last two times,” Waterfire said. “Should we check the left door?” Silly started interpreting.

“No, I’m pretty sure it’s this way,” Twirlerina said. “We need to turn left farther ahead.”

“I’m not so sure…” Waterfire said, walking to the door on the left.

“No, wait!” Twirlerina said with a gasp as Waterfire opened the door. Behind it was a hallway. At the end was a door with a neon sign that said “The Surprise Room” in Cantor. That was exactly where they needed to go.

Twirlerina looked down the hallway quietly. “You knew!” Silly said, feeling a surge of anger.

“What, no I didn’t,” Twirlerina said too quickly.

“You led us astray on purpose, I’m sure of it!” Silly said.

“It seems that way,” Razz said, chiming in with her Cantor.

“What’s happening?” Waterfire said in Ponish.

Twirlerina’s eyes darted between the other ponies nervously. “Fine! I remembered this place from the last time we tried.”

“Why not tell us?” Silly said.

“It’s… complicated,” Twirlerina hesitated. “I… look, before I came here, I was depressed all the time. Could you imagine that? Then I switched personalities with Shenanigans, and now I’m happy. I don’t want to go back.”

Silly stared in disbelief. She was trying to stop them from fixing things? How could she?! “You were trying to stop us?” Shenanigans said. “Is that why you were always so defeatist when I said we should try again?”

“Um… that’s a simplistic way of looking at it…”

“You didn’t even want to get us fixed!” Shenanigans exclaimed. “Now I’m stuck depressed all the time. It’s so crushing, every day. I can hardly get out of bed in the morning, or afternoon, more often. Talking to strangers makes me want to go home and cry. The fear that everypony hates me is only mitigated by the certainty that they can’t hate me as much as I hate myself.”

“You think I don’t know what it’s like?” Twirlerina said, raising her voice. “Why do you think I don’t want to go back?” How could she be so selfish? Silly thought hotly. He was uncharacteristically furious.

“At least you had a home!” Shenanigans screamed. “A city full of loving ponies, family and friends. All I have is this dump!” She kicked open the door that led to the chutes and ladders room they had gone through earlier. “At least you had your beautiful body. Maybe if I had that, I could dan…” Shenanigans looked at the other ponies, seemingly remembering they were here.

In the silence that followed, Star said, “What is that sound?”

Silly started, “What soun—”

A sapling suddenly sprang through the carpeted floor near the door leading to the Surprise Room. It grew into a small tree right before their eyes. As its branches lengthened, they lashed out at Twirlerina and wrapped around her. She screamed and tried to wrench free, but it held on. “Silly, it’s your magic!” Razz said.

“What?” Silly said. “I don’t know how to stop it. I didn’t even know I started it!”

“Wrap your forelegs around me!” Star said, standing next to Twirlerina. She complied before Silly had time to interpret.

Star’s muscular form strained, and Twirlerina cried out in pain. “Careful, you’ll break my fetlock!” Silly hurriedly interpreted this, and Star slackened her grip.

Waterfire leapt forward, and there was a sudden flash of fire. The plant was charred, and Twirlerina easily snapped the branch that had wrapped around her. “Well done, Waterfire!” Kimono said. Somehow, he hadn’t even singed Twirlerina’s tail. He must have inherited Silly’s magical aptitude. However, the tree was springing back, and roots were snaking towards Twirlerina.

“Back up!” Razz said. They ran to the other side of the room, went through the door, and shut it behind them for good measure.

“I’m sorry,” Silly said. He had never been so angry at someone before. Maybe that was how he had lost control of his magic.

“How are we going to get to the Surprise Room now?” Shenanigans said. Silly interpreted for her.

“We won’t, at least for today,” Razz said. “We’ve become a danger to each other, and Twirlerina doesn’t want to help us. We need to work our way out.” If they could remember how to get to it, they had seen an exit earlier. “Then we can come back and try again without her.” No one tried to argue.

* * *

Silly rode on Waterfire’s back as they approached the door of Twirlerina’s house. Waterfire knocked it, and Twirlerina opened it just a crack. “I’m sorry, okay?” Twirlerina said. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Silly tried to keep a cool head, focusing on interpreting rather than thinking about what Twirlerina had done.

“I forgive you,” Waterfire said.

Silly interpreted this and added, “He’s talking, not me.” He certainly hadn’t forgiven Twirlerina.

“What, just like that?” Twirlerina said. “Well, Shenanigans won’t forgive me. I’ve been tricking her for years.”

Waterfire hesitated after Silly had interpreted. Then he said, “Do you want to go to that fancy restaurant and order dessert first?”

“Wh… what?” Twirlerina said. “Yes, I’d like that.”

“Then let’s go!” Waterfire said.

Twirlerina accompanied them to the restaurant wearing four long, mismatched socks, rather than her usual, smart-looking outfit with the skirt and beret. She was skipping as they went down the street, seeming to have forgotten her previous mood. The restaurant was in better shape than most of the city. There were several customers inside. The floors were spotless, and the décor was, indeed, very fancy. They had chandeliers, shiny mirrors, and potted flowers.

They looked at the dessert menu first, and Silly read it out for Waterfire. When the waiter came—wearing a fancy suit, of course—Twirlerina grinned and said, “I’d like to get the triple chocolate cake!”

“And I’d like the cumquat gelato, please,” Waterfire said. Silly interpreted for him.

The waiter tilted his head. “Those are desserts,” he said. “Would you like them after an appetizer, salad or soup, and entrée?”

“Nope, we want dessert first!” Twirlerina said gleefully.

“That is… unusual,” the waiter said. Silly caught a glimpse of his cutie mark under the tail of his coat. It was a wrench. Maybe he was a mechanic before everyone switched. “I should probably check with the manager.”

“We’ll get entrées afterwards,” Twirlerina said. “Don’t worry about it.”

The waiter thought for a moment. “Very well. One triple chocolate cake and one cumquat gelato. Anything else?”

“That’s it for now!” Twirlerina said. The waiter walked off. Twirlerina turned to Waterfire, holding back laughter.

“That was fun,” Waterfire said. Silly jumped in to interpret.

“Yeah,” Twirlerina said. “I’m surprised you wanted to come with me.”

“Why? Getting dessert here was your idea.”

“Because I… you know, misled you all,” Twirlerina said quietly.

“Oh, that,” Waterfire said. “But you said you were sorry. So I forgive you.” It was really that easy for Waterfire? That must have come from Silly’s own personality, but he hadn’t realized how forgiving he was until he watched from the outside. It was rather naïve.

“I feel so bad about it…” Twirlerina said glumly. The waiter brought them their desserts, but Twirlerina just poked her cake with a fork.

“I’d like to invite you to help us,” Waterfire said. “I think you know that what you did was wrong. Helping us will make you and the others feel better.” Twirlerina stared at her cake. Silence drew out for an uncomfortably long time. Silly looked at Waterfire, but he started eating his gelato.

“You know, it’s probably hopeless,” Twirlerina said at last. “Yes, I misled you, but we’re not the only ponies who have tried to make things right. The Funhouse is so hard to navigate. We were lucky to find the Surprise Room, but we would have to go through every room to try to find the frazzits in the Funhouse. If we miss even one, it won’t work. Besides, Shenanigans won’t want to work with me. I’ve been dishonest with her for years.”

“You’ll never know unless you try,” Waterfire said. “You haven’t apologized to her yet, right? I can… what’s the word? Stand between you two?”

“Mediate?” Silly offered.

“That sounds right,” Waterfire said. Silly interpreted the complete sentence for Twirlerina. “And we can’t just give up. If you can lead us the wrong way, you must know the right way, too.”

Twirlerina took a bite of chocolate cake but didn’t respond. However, Silly was feeling so impressed by Waterfire’s reconciliatory attitude that he felt he needed to do better himself. “I’m sorry for attacking you with my magic,” Silly said in Cantor. “It wasn’t on purpose, but I never should have gotten so angry with you to begin with.”

“That’s sweet of you to apologize, Silly,” Twirlerina said. She looked at Waterfire. “Fine, we can try with Shenanigans.”

* * *

Silly and Waterfire approached Shenanigans’ house, and Waterfire knocked. A light was on inside, but the curtain was drawn. The light in the foggy sky was dying. Hopefully they hadn’t come too late. “Who is it?” a voice called from inside. Silly quietly interpreted for Waterfire.

“It’s Waterfire!” he responded in Ponish.

“Give me a minute!” Shenanigans said from inside. Twirlerina stood back, just a figure in the darkening fog. Silly heard orchestral music playing inside, but it stopped.

A while later, Shenanigans opened the door. Her appearance was strikingly different from her normally plain presentation. Her blue, pink, and white mane and tail were pulled into tight, hairsprayed buns covered in glitter. She had mascara, eyeliner, and sparkly pink eyeshadow. “Wow, you look amazing,” Waterfire said with a gasp. Silly interpreted.

“No, I look silly,” Shenanigans said. “Well, not Silly like you, but… ridiculous. I look ridiculous.” She was blushing.

“No, you look perfect!” Waterfire said. “We’ve come to let you know that Twirlerina wants to apologize.” Twirlerina stepped forward, the light from the doorway sparkling in her feathers and tinsel hair. Shenanigans stepped back and started to close the door.

“Wait!” Waterfire said, sticking a hoof in the door. “Just listen.”

Twirlerina cleared her throat. “I’m sorry,” she announced. She was quiet for a while. “That’s all I really had to say. I have no excuse. I didn’t want to go back to, well, being me. I was being selfish, at your expense. What I did was wrong. I understand if you don’t forgive me, but these ponies have a better chance if we work together. You know more about the frazzits than I do, and I don’t get so disoriented in the Funhouse.”

Shenanigans was quiet for a while. “Well, thank you. I’ll work with you to help them.”

There was a pause in the conversation. “Were you dancing?” Twirlerina said.

“Um…” Shenanigans blushed again.

“That’s good,” Twirlerina said. “I remember that was the one thing that made me feel better. I know it’s hard to find the motivation, but dance as much as you can.”

“But… I can’t,” Shenanigans said. “I don’t have your lithe body, your sparkly wings, your shiny hair. I’m just a fat blue earth pony.”

“You’re beautiful, Shenan!” Twirlerina said emphatically. “Don’t ever run yourself down like that! Your hair colors are so nice. And you are perfectly healthy; I’m just skinny.”

Shenanigans smiled slightly. “Thanks. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yep, see you tomorrow!” Twirlerina said. Shenanigans closed the door. Twirlerina and Waterfire started walking down the road.

“Nice work, Waterfire,” Silly said quietly.

“Huh? What did I do?”

“You convinced me to give Twirlerina a chance. And you convinced Twirlerina to apologize to Shenanigans. Your kindness is holding us together.”

“Well, it’s really your kindness,” Waterfire said. “Isn’t it?”

“Well… in a sense,” Silly said. “But it’s your interpretation skills.”

“We’re all doing great, then!” Waterfire said. “We’ll figure this out, I know it.”

* * *

Silly Lilly shook his head, trying to orient himself after entering the Funhouse. It was every bit as discombobulating the second time. He was surprised to find that they were in the Twister room, rather than the escape room, where they had started last time. A Twister board was on the floor, and a spinner was mounted on the wall. Wondermint tried the doors. They were locked, of course. They would have to play through a certain amount of Twister to move on, just like last time.

The spinner turned and indicated right forehoof on red. Silly scrambled to a corner as the big ponies took positions on the board. Star Dasher put down the bag of frazzits that they had brought with them. They planned to find any frazzits in the Funhouse and put them all in the barrel in one go. It seemed improbable, but it was impossible if they didn’t try. “How are we here?” Kimono said. “Isn’t the escape room the first thing after the entrance?” Silly interpreted her words into Cantor.

“The entrance can put you anywhere in the Funhouse,” Twirlerina said. The spinner indicated right hind hoof on green. The ponies shifted, trying not to get tangled with each other.

“Does the whole Funhouse change, or is it just the entrance?” Razz said.

“I don’t know,” Twirlerina said after Silly interpreted. “I can guess, but I don’t understand this place as well as I let on.”

“Um, aren’t we in the same place as where the Twister room was last time?” Waterfire said.

“What makes you say that?” Razz said as she reached for a yellow dot.

“We traveled up to the third floor and ninety feet this way,” Waterfire said, pointing to a corner of the room. “That’s where the Twister room was last time.”

“How… do you know that?” Wondermint said, blinking.

“Oh… he has my sense of navigation,” Silly said, just coming to the realization. He hadn’t noticed when it was so hard to think, but looking back on his hazy memories, it was clear that the big ponies just didn’t have that internal sense of direction and distance that breezies had.

Razz looked over at Waterfire, craning her neck over Star Dasher’s shoulder as they became more entangled. “How confident are you in our whereabouts?” she said.

“I thought it was obvious,” Waterfire said with a shrug.

As Twirlerina reached for her yellow dot, she undermined the balance of their tangled pile of ponies. They all came crashing down. “Thinking back on it, my sense of direction was a lot sharper than you ponies,” Silly said. “I trust him.”

Star stood up and patted Waterfire on the shoulder. “You shall be our fearless leader now.”

“Well, maybe we do have a chance,” Twirlerina said.

Once they got out of the Twister room, they found that Waterfire’s sense of direction was uncanny. He systematically led them through the bewildering Funhouse, taking them to every room to search for frazzits without repeating any. They captured several more frazzits, and it seemed like they might really pull it off.

But then they reached a room that they couldn’t pass last time. It was a dance game with light-up pads all across the room that they had to step on. They had tried and tried with this room, but it seemed to want a perfect score, and none of them had the coordination. They had ended up taking a detour and skipping a section of the Funhouse.

“Oh no, not this again…” Kimono said.

“We have to try,” Waterfire said. “There could be frazzits behind that door.”

“Maybe we just need to pick the right song…” Star Dasher said, stepping up to the jukebox that would start the game.

While Silly’s friends discussed in Ponish, he noticed Twirlerina turn to Shenanigans and quietly say, “We could really use your help.”

“I can’t,” Shenanigans said, sounding depressed. “I’m not you.”

“But you are!” Twirlerina said. “That’s the whole reason we’re here.”

“No, I mean… I don’t have your beautiful body.”

“But you have your beautiful body. You got this.” Twirlerina gasped, and her face turned red. “I mean, I’m not really in a place to be asking anything of you, after I tricked you for all this time. Forget I said anything. We’ll find another way.”

Shenanigans bowed her head. “No, you’re right. I have to do this. For myself, if nothing else.” She pushed past Star Dasher and selected a song on the jukebox.

“Oh, uh, okay,” Star said. “Are you going to give it a try?”

Shenanigans stood in the center of the room. The song started with an intro from some kind of string instrument. It sounded like classical music. “Oh, I know this one!” Star said, taking the accordion off her back.

Floor panels started lighting up, and Shenanigans gracefully moved to them. She danced like a ballerina, twirling and posing beyond what the floor panels would require. Star joined in with the backing track, playing the melody on her accordion. Shenanigans appeared to know exactly what she was doing, seemingly moving towards floor panels before they had even lit up.

Her performance was angelic. The song concluded, and she hadn’t made a single mistake. Tears were streaming down her face, but she had a glowing smile. The door opened. “Are you okay?” Waterfire said. Silly interpreted.

“Yes, I just… I haven’t danced in so long,” Shenanigans said. “I forgot how good it feels.”

“You were beautiful,” Twirlerina said. “Stunning, amazing, perfect.”

Twirlerina tried to give Shenanigans a hug, but Shenanigans turned away. “I’m not quite ready to hug you.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Twirlerina hid her face behind her wings.

They found a frazzit in the next room. They continued throughout the Funhouse until they thought they had gone everywhere. It was a long, hard journey, but the building had to be finite. Silly would have been hopelessly lost without Waterfire, but at last he led them to the Surprise Room. They stopped at the door, which was painted with an image of a white pegasus with yellow hair.

“Ready?” Twirlerina said. “Anything can happen in there. It’s crazy, even more than the rest of the Funhouse.”

“I’m ready!” Wonder exclaimed, kicking the double doors open full force with both hindlegs. Silly was on Waterfire’s back as they entered. It was a large, disordered room filled with an eclectic assortment of items. Crates of toys, puppets hanging from the ceiling, a phonograph playing a broken record. They searched throughout the room, sticking close together.

They came across a rather unassuming barrel. “I think that’s it,” Twirlerina said. Silly interpreted.

“So we just put the frazzits in the barrel?” Waterfire said. “And we’ll be back to normal?”

“If we’ve found them all, supposedly,” Twirlerina said. “According to Lolligiggle’s books.” She exhaled nervously. “I guess this is it. I tried to avoid it, but it might be time to be me again.”

“Do you need some time?” Shenanigans said.

“No, I’ve made you wait long enough. And… seeing you dance so joyfully gave me some hope. Having my depressed mind is hard. But I think I can get through it. I’m ready.”

“Great!” Star said, opening the barrel, which was empty. “There’s no time like the present!” She dumped her sack of frazzits into the barrel.

* * *

Silly knew immediately that it had worked. His mind felt fuzzy and dull, like he was only half-awake. All the ponies shifted and looked at themselves and each other, dazed. “It worked!” Silly said.

“Huzzah!” Wondermint exclaimed. They all cheered. Except for Twirlerina.

Shenanigans said something to Twirlerina. Waterfire interpreted it with a light accent. “You… gave up being me. You didn’t try to stop us. You helped us, in fact. I think I’m ready to hug you now.”

Twirlerina wordlessly opened her wings and wrapped them around Shenanigans. “Are you okay?” Shenanigans said.

“I… need to go home,” Twirlerina said.

“But you’ll write me?” Shenanigans said with wide eyes.

“Write you?” Twirlerina said. “Remember, I’m a messenger pony. I’ll come see you myself!”

“Do you think this affected the rest of the town, or just us?” Star said.

“I’d guess it affected everyone, but there’s only one way to know for sure,” Kimono said. “Let’s go.” They worked their way out of the Funhouse. It somehow seemed less confusing now, and they didn’t have to play games to move on to the next room. They were back at the entrance soon enough, and they stepped out into the sunlight.

Shenanigans and Twirlerina gasped in amazement. The city had been shrouded in mist since Silly got here, and probably much longer. But now the mist was gone and a golden sun was setting, the various tall rides casting long shadows over the colorful town. Shenanigans said something, and Waterfire interpreted, “It’s dazzling… Too bright!” She shielded her eyes.

“I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the one who made this all possible,” Kimono said. “Silly Lilly, thank you. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

Silly hovered in front of her, surprised. “What did I do?”

“You interpreted for us,” Star said.

“Well, I meant that he helped us navigate through the Funhouse,” Kimono said. “I know, it was Waterfire that did it, but it was Silly’s skill. So I think he deserves some credit.”

Waterfire was interpreting this all for Shenanigans and Twirlerina. Twirlerina added something, and Waterfire interpreted back. “And Waterfire convinced me to apologize to Shenanigans and help you ponies again. And like I—Waterfire—said, that was your kindness.”

“Well… we both deserve some credit, don’t we?” Silly said to Waterfire. “You were with me that whole time. And your speaking skills were just as good as my direction skills.”

“There’s that kindness again,” Waterfire said. “You are so nice to everypony, it’s incredible. And now I have an idea of how hard it is being you. You really do deserve some credit. You’re incredible.”

“Wh… I’m incredible?” Silly said. “Gah, you’re going to make me blush.” All this praise was making him feel really good. Like, really good. Like, what was that thing…? Something about discovering who he was? “I uh… the thing. I can’t remember how I said it. Kimono, do you remember?”

“I need some more context,” Kimono said.

“I said I wanted to come with you,” Silly said. “Because I needed to… figure out something about yourself.”

“Oh, you wanted to discover who you are without the breezie hive mind,” Kimono said.

“Is this it?” Silly said, eyes wide.

Kimono paused in thought. “I think it might be,” she said. “You are kind without compromise, forgiving without judgment, and insistent in your efforts to uplift others.”

“Uh…” That was a long sentence. “Thanks. I didn’t quite get that. But I feel it.”

“Congratulations!” Razzaroo said. “You’ve come so far since we started our journey. And I don’t just mean the distance. And we’re all super grateful to you too, Waterfire!”

“I’m happy to help,” he said.

“Well, I suppose we should head out soon,” Kimono said.

“Can we stay in the city a little longer?” Wondermint said. “I’d like to see it in the sun, with the ponies restored to their proper selves.”

“I have no objection to staying for a few days,” Kimono said.

Wonder looked at Star and said, “You and I might have some things to resolve, now that we’re ourselves again.” Star nodded in agreement.

* * *

Star Dasher waved at Shenanigans on the ground as the Ferris wheel lifted her and Wondermint into the air. The sun was setting in a clear sky over Laughton. The Ferris wheel was a little creaky as it raised them into a light breeze. “Uh, do you want to start?” Wonder said. “I always do the talking between us.” Her voice was shaky.

“Oh, um…” Star stopped and thought. “I don’t think I have anything to say that you don’t already know. I have a crush on you.” She blushed a little, but she didn’t squeak. After traveling with Wonder for so long, it wasn’t as nerve-wracking being with her. Wonder’s actions were outside of her control, so why worry? “I would love to be your marefriend. But only if you want to be mine.”

“I see…” Wonder said. “I see, I see… Uh, well, you know that I’ve been in relationships with a lot of different ponies. They usually don’t last long. I always mess things up.” She sounded scared and vulnerable as she continued. “I get distracted by somepony new, and I mess things up. Every time.” Star had never considered Wonder’s reputation in that light. “But when January Joy transitioned to be a stallion, he really caught my interest. Since we’ve always been friends, I thought maybe he was a pony I could stick with. I was working up the courage to tell him, when you suddenly left on an adventure and I had to come along. So, um, that’s why I’ve been resistant, but uh…”

Wonder was shaking and sweating at this point. She laughed nervously and said, “We’re high up.”

Oh, was that why she was so nervous? Star gasped. “I forgot you’re afraid of heights. I shouldn’t have suggested this as a place to talk.”

“No, it’s okay,” Wonder said. “It’s not that; I’m deflecting. Um… could you come sit next to me?” They were sitting opposite each other, but Wonder scooted to make room for Star on her side.

“Sure,” Star said, moving to Wonder’s side. The gondola shifted a little, but it wasn’t too bad. Wonder’s warm body pressed against Star. Star’s heart fluttered, but Wonder was shaking heavily. She rested her head on Star’s shoulder.

“I don’t just like you,” Wonder whispered. “I am smitten with you.” Star gasped in surprise. “The longer we’re together, the more I think about you. I would love to be your marefriend. But I’m afraid that I’m just going to mess it up again.”

“That’s… I’m flattered!” Star said. “When you say mess it up, how do you mean?”

“You know, uh… I used to get lovey-dovey with another pony and then have to confess to my marefriend or coltfriend afterwards,” Wonder said. Star couldn’t see her face, but her white ears were turning red. “I’ve gotten better at breaking things up with my partner before I do anything. But it doesn’t usually go over well when after a couple of months I say ‘we need to break it up so I can snog your nextdoor neighbor.’ I think I’m just… not built for relationships. Oh, I’m such a pathetic mess.” Star felt her sob quietly.

“You’re not a pathetic mess!” Star said. “You’re wonderful! Amazing, dazzling, even.”

“But how would you feel if I broke things up as soon as we got back to Joyville to be with January instead?” Wonder said. It was a pointed question. It wouldn’t feel good. Star had liked Wonder for so long… She wouldn’t want their relationship to end so quickly. But she had to consider Wonder’s feelings, too.

“I think… what’s important is that you’re honest with me,” Star said. “The time you tricked me at the hot spring… that hurt. But you’re telling me how you feel now, and I appreciate that. If you want to try it out, to be marefriends for now and let me know if you change your mind, I’d be okay with that.”

Wonder’s ears perked up. “Really?” she said.

Star paused. It wasn’t exactly her ideal dream. But it wasn’t fair to ask Wonder to commit her life. Star knew what it was like to have shifting interests, with all the hobbies she had left behind and picked up over the years. A marefriend wasn’t a hobby, of course. But now that she saw Wonder’s vulnerability, she wanted to give her a chance. “Sure, as long as you’re honest with me,” Star said. “I think my boundary is that you don’t kiss another pony while we’re marefriends. If you want to break it up, that's fine, but let me know first.” Star’s brain caught up with her, and she felt lightheaded. Was she really asking Wondermint to be her marefriend? “Or, you know, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

Wonder was quiet for a moment. Her breathing steadied, and her shaking subsided. “You are awesome,” Wonder said. Star blushed at the sudden compliment. “As in, you fill me with awe. You are strong, and kind, and bold, and patient.”

“Patient?” Star said. “That’s the last word I would use!”

“Remember, I’ve been in your head. Your mind is always on the move, and I know how hard it is, but you still sit through our boring meetings and lectures. It’s the effort that counts. And you’ve been patient with me. How many years have you been waiting for this?”

“Waiting… for what?” Star’s thoughts seemed distant as feelings rushed through her blood.

“I do!” Wonder proclaimed. “I mean… what do you say when…? Gah, turn your face towards me.” Wonder placed a hoof on each of Star’s cheeks and turned her head so they were facing each other. She launched into a big, mouth-to-mouth kiss.

Star felt like she had been shocked. Her eyes went wide for a moment; she hadn’t seen it coming. It didn’t take long for her to melt into the kiss, wrapping her forelegs around Wonder’s bony shoulders. For a moment, Star was oblivious to anything else besides Wondermint. Eventually, however, she heard a pony cheering and stomping their hooves. It didn’t seem important until Wonder pulled away. Star looked around in a daze. They were near the bottom of the Ferris wheel, and Shenanigans was cheering them from the ground. “I’m her marefriend now!” Wonder shouted. “Her Valentine’s, her significant other, her romantic partner!”

Shenanigans called back in Cantor. Star wasn’t sure what she said. Something about “happy.”

“You’re my dream come true,” Star said, feeling dizzy. Their kiss had been short, but Wonder didn’t do anything halfway.

“You’re my everything,” Wonder said. “And I’ll do my very best to keep it that way.”

* * *

Star Dasher and her friends met Twirlerina and Shenanigans at the edge of Laughton. It was time for them to part ways. “Now that Laughton is safe for ponies to visit, I’m sure Royal Rose will want to have regular communication,” Waterfire interpreted for Twirlerina. “So I’ll be back!”

“Well, I’ll be here!” Shenanigans said. “I can’t wait to see you again.” She turned to Star and her friends. “And you are always welcome here. You’ll be treated like royalty if you visit. You saved us all!” She went around the group and gave them each a kiss on the cheek as a sign of gratitude.

“We’ll probably pass through here when we go to bring Waterfire back to his home,” Kimono said. “I’m looking forward to visiting.”

“With everypony in their right minds again, this whole place could be transformed!” Shenanigans said. “I’ve been talking with some friends about getting some of the big roller coasters working again. Maybe we’ll have them fixed in time for Twirlerina’s next visit.”

“Oh, that sounds fun!” Star said.

“Good luck on your travels,” Twirlerina said. “Farewell.” They all said their goodbyes, and Star’s group started on the road that would lead to the Capital.

“I didn’t want to bring this up with them around,” Kimono said as they walked. “But we should consider what’s coming next. We were fortunate to come out of Laughton unscathed. But if we’re putting stock in Wish-I-May’s predictions, I don’t think the one she gave me has been fulfilled. Switching minds was uncomfortable, but did any of you feel like you went through terrible suffering?”

Star’s heart rate increased at the reminder of that ominous prophecy. “No, not me,” she said. The others all confirmed that they hadn’t felt that way.

“So, if her prediction was accurate, that danger still lies ahead,” Kimono said. “And we certainly helped many ponies here, like she said.”

“And I found answers about who I am, just like she said,” Silly added.

“So, do we need to continue?” Kimono said.

“Turn back, after we’ve come so far?” Wondermint said. “Neigh way! Whatever dangers await us in the Capital, we’ll face them together.”

“I… feel we may still have some role to play,” Kimono said. “We didn’t set out to find six castles. Whatever led to the decay of the Empire, it happened at the Capital. There are still mysteries to solve, and maybe we can change something for the better, like we did here and at Waterfire’s home.”

“Then forward!” Star said, rearing up.

“Yes, yes, yes!” Razz said.

“If we can help ponies, of course I’m coming,” Silly said.

“Let’s do it,” Waterfire said. They rode off into the morning, aware of the risk, but willing to face it.