APPLE FACTS 16: YOU SCREWED UP HARD [Forward Dated to Monday] - Visual

[caneattheseapples]

Everyone shut up.

[Oh look who's back. And looks like she just woke up from one of the longest sleeps imaginable, and not one fraught with pleasant dreams. She had taken at least a little time to go through the scrolls when she got back, see how everything else had went and what was being said.

She almost wished she hadn't.]

Before we get this shit tour on the road, step one, let's clear something up. This bullshit is only one person's fault. This sure as hell isn't the fault of anyone who went in and and it sure as hell isn't Dandy's fault for trying to get everyone I dragged in out, it's my fault. I was told this was a dumbass idea and I didn't listen. There'll be more on that shit in just a minute but hey before we go there I have crap I need to tell you about what we found out inside this goddamn thing.

Calice has changed the palace in Canterlot into some kind of freaky-tiki mad science laboratory. It looks like some 90s villain corporate asshole had a field day designing their hideout and then devolves into shithole dungeons where she keeps anyone who disobeys her and anyone who she's bringing in from other worlds. She puts you in a little asshole cell and gives you the bare minimum of food we eat here, and then she stares at you like a shithead and changes your soul so it's ready to become a pony if you're a newpony she's bringing in here. If it's someone who's disobeyed her it's pretty much the same thing except it's just staring and staring until she gets whatever information she damn well wants. She's got rooms too where she has the princesses captured, has her own Element bearers stashed away, and has the element bearers from here that have disappeared held up, because bitch has to have this shit under wraps. Turned the goddamn throne room there into...hell. I dunno. it's a room that leads to outside now and back to a building where she's keeping...where I'm pretty sure she's keeping Twilight. Or her. Or goddamn whatever is happening now maybe I'll put this shit in writing because I can barely understand it. I can't focus enough on it because it was a mindscrew and I just...hell, I...just...

Shit.

...I thought this could've worked. I guess I thought, hell, I dunno, that maybe hearing everyone else would flip some switch and...

...The third time we went in went so well. She actually responded. And I thought that, maybe, she'd respond more if it was with others she recognized. I guess I thought it'd work like some kind of magic goddamn lightswitch and that while it wouldn't solve all our problems it'd help make headway. And then I thought it'd help if others knew who she was and was about and...

I over did it. I was told by others who knew better than me that I was over doing it and I didn't listen. I just thought that...the last time, if we took a step forward and I was part of the group then...hell, actual bearers would take it even further. Ponies who were a shitton more natural and better than me at this crap. But I screwed up. I was wrong, because I didn't know what the hell my dumbass actually thought aside from something magical was going to happen because I'd been shown this could work. I jumped the gun, I screwed up any progress we'd made doing this before because I didn't know what the hell I was talking about. I lost Fluttershy because of it, and I hurt all of you.

You all are behaving in some dumb bullshit over this. You want to know who's at fault? It's me. You want to know who to blame, blame me. You want to get angry at someone over it and mess with them, mess with me.

For that matter, now that I'm back Air Jappleack is grounded. I'm not going to stop anyone dumb enough to try and find some way to go in, but I'm sure as hell not going to be dragging anyone else in there to get caught because of my dumb bullshit. I'm gonna tell you not to go in there because that thing is probably pissed the hell off and going to immediately jump on anyone going into it, but hell. What do I know.

I'm sorry. I know that doesn't mean or do anything at this point but I'm sorry. I thought....I dunno.

I thought this could work. But I didn't plan enough, I didn't have enough or given enough information, this is on me. No one else.

You wanna scream at me, I'll be here. You wanna do it in person, I'll be the asshole trying to meditate on Sweet Apple Acres.

[Private to the Mane Six]

I'm sorry. I should have been there. But Dandy had a much better chance of getting everyone out if everything went to shit, and I needed to take what chance I could to find out what the ponies inside wanted to tell us. Maybe if it had been both of us warping together we could have done it quicker. This is on me. I misread everything and I hurt all of us.

If you want me to piss off for awhile? I get it. I will. Cause I can't make up for this shit.

[Private to Dandy]

You were right. I was wrong. I should have listened to you, and because I didn't I absolutely screwed us and got one of my best friends hurt.

This is my fault, entirely, not yours.

Comments

[Private to Mane Six]

[friendshipxfriendship]

Don't... don't blame yourself, Applejack. It's not one singular pony's fault. It's all of ours. We keep saying we're all friends and all, but, the truth is... we're not.

I've just spent the past week kicking myself and snapping at everypony I met because I felt that I should have done something more to help Fluttershy.

And I'm still working on a way to get back in there, but... I need more time. And less of a headache.

[Private to Mane Six]

[caneattheseapples]

You aren't the one who planned this shitfest or had others trying to explain why I was a bad idea. I flaked this up. Hard.




....I'm not going to stop you. But going back in that goddamn thing so soon is a terrible idea.

[Action]

[ponycure_dream]

[The past week has gotten Nozomi thinking, especially with Flare's talk about trust. And if what happened with Calice was anything, there was a major breakdown in trust. Jappleack trusted everyone with trying to talk to Calice while she dealt with the information and she was pretty much screwed out of it.

Since Sweet Apple Acres was near where she used to live, dropping in wouldn't be a problem.]

...Jappleack? Wanna talk?

Re: [Action]

[caneattheseapples]

[Back to the town, Japple sits cross legged, meditating. Trying to listen to the world. To inside herself.

She doesn't turn to face Nozomi. Doesn't stop meditating. But she does speak.]

Sure.

Hit me with it.

Visual

[gigglesnortpriestess]

Don't...blame yourself.

Re: Visual

[caneattheseapples]

You look a lot better. Shit. I was worried about you girl.

[Just going to ignore what you said at first. It's easier for now.]

How're you feeling?

[Private Visual]

[cruel_kindness]

Bullshit. You ain't getting away with blaming yourself like that. Do you really think the Fluttershy that was left there would be angry at you or anyone for this?

[Private Visual]

[caneattheseapples]

Angry? Naw. She wouldn't be.

Doesn't stop me from being pissed as all hell about it.

[Visual]

[theytookmypants]

[Crmsn lets out a breath he was holding in for what felt like a week...which it may very well have been. It was one less person to worry about. Seven less people to worry about rather...]

Glad you and your team made it back, J-A.

[Visual]

[caneattheseapples]

...Shit. Seeing as how bad things went? So am I.

Coulda done without the parade of ticker tape bullshit I got to see over the scrolls, though. Though hey.

Not like people being pissed is unearned. Jesus.

[Private Visual]

[adandyinspace]

So, like, you wanna have angry horse make outs or something?

Re: [Private Visual]

[caneattheseapples]

Yeah sure whatever your place or mine you're an asshole.

[It is the most half-hearted, almost complacent comeback ever, more automatic response than actually trying. Attempting to try, but not really getting there.]

[Visual]

[foolish_seal]

It wasn't a total failure. I don't know about anypony else, but I got something good out of trying to talk to her.

[Visual]

[caneattheseapples]

That's something I guess.

Not really worth the cost, but something.

[Action]

[freeasthewind]

[Feena was thinking of responding with visual, but she decides to just go talk to her friend in person. She's been so worried, and got even more worried after talking with Applejack. She knew Jappleack was strong, but she still thought there was a chance that she wouldn't come back. The thought was unbearable.

The emerald-haired earth pony arrives at Sweet Apple Acres, and approaches behind the meditating Japple's back, clearing her throat to announce her presence.]

[Action]

[caneattheseapples]

[Jappleack at first gives no indication that she hears Feena, realizes she's there. Either she's so caught up in her meditation that she absolutely doesn't, or she's just waiting for something. Who knows what.

Finally, she does speak, steadily though a little exhausted.]

Hey.

Whats up with you?

visual

[appletastic]

[Applejack isn't quite as down as she's been, but she's still rather upset about this.]

I'm sorry. I said I'd carry on as you would, and...well, I guess I"m not as much like you as I hoped.

visual

[caneattheseapples]

[Jappleack just shakes her head a little bit at that. In a weird way, that statement kind of breaks her heart, and she can't put her hoof entirely on as to why it does.]

Hell.

Less you're like me, the better. Least you're not just shoving other ponies towards this goddamn thing like they're pastries.

[discorderly]

It is ABSOLUTELY your fault!

[It's almost a shame, really, because for a while Discord had considered her his favorite Applejack. Now, he appears before her grown rather larger than his usual size, amid several bolts of lightning.

One may have set an apple tree on fire.]

[caneattheseapples]

[The crash of thunder and boom of the draconequus voice don't just startle the little orange pony out of her meditation. Don't just rouse her. It bowls her over, Jappleack actually rolling forward a little bit from the mere force of it, planting her face into the ground. She picks her head up, looks up at Discord from the mess of her hair in front of her. And trembles.

She had been expecting him. Hell, she had been expecting his fury. But she hadn't been expecting it would be just this damn hard to look at him. True, he still wasn't as big as the Discord from her world. And he sure wasn't as mean looking. But the sight of the height, the anger...

It just triggered too much for her. And for a couple seconds, she cowers before him.

And then she swallows. She finds what harmony she can in herself to sit up and face him. Well, in his direction. Japple is looking at the ground now, she can't bring herself to look up at him again.]

Yeah. It is.

Do what you came to do, then.

[Voice]

[weaponizedgems]

[Her message is simple and gives no room for arguments.]

You. Me. Tea. Preferably soon.

[Voice]=>[Action]

[caneattheseapples]

[Well. Shit.

Being told what to do still wasn't something Japple was crazy about, but that tone of voice even made her reconsider trying to get her smart ass on. Not like she's particularly raring to at the moment.

Rarity's voice left no room for question, and so Japple doesn't leave her waiting. It won't be too long before there's a knock at Rarity's door.]

[visual]

[kuukai]

Hey.

[ The bear finally responds. She looks a little bit at a loss for words. ]

Makin' pie. In th'Agency, ya know, if ya want any. Can't trust Teds alone in th'kitchen.

So... Come over. [ Nailed it. ]

[Action]

[caneattheseapples]

[Jappleack doesn't bother saying anything in response. Doesn't bother with words. She'll just be coming over, looking in through the window of the kitchen and just coming in like a weirdo, as it her custom. If someone might be able to slink forlornly through a kitchen window, it is here and now with Jappleack.]

Hey.

Smells good.

[visual]

[kind_to_all]

Please don't, um... do that. [ She can't bring herself to say "piss off". ] it's bad enough losing one pony, it'd be even worse to lose you too...

[ Those aren't tears, are they? Yeah, Fluttershy's not looking so good. ]

[visual]

[caneattheseapples]

[It's amazing just how much even looking at a Fluttershy is painful, how much it can hurt. Jappleack moves her jaws but never enough to start forming words, not yet.

Tears, slowly, brim to her eyes.]

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I....

[And she goes quiet again, not bothering to even try to blink away the tears as they stroll down her face.]

[visual]

[mithrarin]

[Dust isn't certain he has any right to talk about anything, but someone has to say it. So the Sen-Mithrarin looks just a little awkward.]

...it's all right to make mistakes.

It isn't easy, especially if someone you care about gets hurt, but sometimes you do everything you can, everything you were supposed to, and it's still not enough.

Keep moving forward.

[not here]

[stormbroken]

[She's not gonna say it out loud, but she is so damn proud of you, Dust. If only she knew a good way to show it.]

[trustme]

I don't think Fluttershy would want you to blame yourself and it doesn't sound like you should. You're no more in control of Calice's actions than anypony else, are you? You're no more responsible than the other ponies who apologized before you and blame themselves.

[caneattheseapples]

Maybe not, but it's hard to. Whole thing was my goddamn idea.

Anyone out to have something down on them for that, it's me.

[Visual]

[poolicide]

...I don't know if I should thank you for finding out or if I should be going what the fuck.

Ok, forget it.

What the hell. That's better.

[Visual]

[caneattheseapples]

Yeah, dude. What the hell is...probably the best way to describe the whole damn thing.