mylittlejamjar | [Visual]

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[About the same time Arcee pops on the scroll, the sound of a train can be heard in the background just leaving the station. It's not her train judging by how she's standing outside, but a part of her wishes it was. If you can't guess where she is, she probably wants nothing to do with you.]

I'm leaving.

[That's all she can manage to say at first. Truth be told, informing her friends was actually an afterthought. Arcee: A+ friend. At least she manages to think of something more to add before closing up the scroll.]

Obviously gonna have the scroll on me, so don't say I didn't try to stay in contact. Bulk, you're in charge. You know, if you're still here. Considering my luck, who even knows anymore.

I'll come back when I feel like it.

[And that's that. Mini vacation? Mini vacation.]

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[It's a pretty long hug by Arcee standards, but eventually she signals that it's time to stop.

She has a train to catch, after all.]

[ Fluttershy nods and lets her go reluctantly. ]

You take care, Arcee.

[Arcee hesitates, giving a rather long sigh. She was all for going a second ago, now she's not so sure.]

I don't know if I can.

[ Fluttershy places a comforting wing around Arcee's back. She selfishly wants Arcee to stay behind. But she doesn't want to stand in her friend's way, either. ] Why?

[Again she hesitates, becoming conflicted if she should even continue this conversation. She doesn't like throwing her problems on people, not if she can help it. Not even Jack got the full stories.]

I don't know...

[She lowers her head.]

It's like every time something good happens, it gets taken away faster than it came. Every. Time.

Oh, Arcee... [ She holds her with her wing. Not in a hug, exactly, but she's there for comfort. ] What happened?...

[Arcee struggles to hold everything in when that wing comes closer. It's exactly like what Jack did when he was here for that short time.

As a result, her voice is surprisingly hushed.]

Optimus is gone.

[ The rather alarming change in the tone of Arcee's voice worries the pegasus even more. She lowers her head in understanding, touching the top of Arcee's as she does so. ] A friend?

[Okay, deep breath, here she goes.]

Optimus Prime is our leader, chosen by Primus himself to carry the matrix. He's like our Celestia, he's a hero, I could go on forever about all the amazing things he's done for us. Just the fact that I got to fight directly under him was the greatest honor of my life.

[She pauses, stopping the hero worship ramble for just a second as she collects herself. Her voice shakes as she finally goes on.]

I was finally able to gather up the courage to tell him how I felt.

He disappeared soon after... and I will never see him again.

He's not waiting? [ ... But Arcee's tone tells her all she needs to know. Fluttershy pulls her in closer, a true hug now, holding Arcee to her as she joins the cat in her grief. ] Oh... oh no...

[ Her own eyes water. ]

[Arcee doesn't fight the hug, but she doesn't embrace it either. Instead she finds herself already regretting telling Fluttershy, she didn't want to make her cry again.]

I'm sorry... I didn't mean to take it out on you.

Arcee... Arcee, no... [ Tiny tears fall onto Arcee's fur, and Fluttershy tries in vain to wipe them away. ] Th-that's what I'm here for. I'm sorry I'm not... being so good at being leaned on right now, but...

I'm so sorry about him, Arcee...

[Oh no, she's apologizing to her. Arcee's heart can't help but sink. Her ears fold back as she glances away, not wanting to make eye contact.]

You don't have to be sorry for anything, Fluttershy, really. I was an idiot for not seeing it coming a mile away.

[The ever common bitterness lingers from her voice.]

I got mad... at myself so I took it out on everyone else. I can't believe I made that fragging message, this whole train stint might as well be a cry for attention.

[Arcee's sadness is obviously turning into anger at this point and she finds herself embarrassed that she did any of this in the first place. See what feelings do to you? They turn you into a hot mess.]

You... I don't think you should go, then. [ Fluttershy isn't letting go of her, nope. She's keeping Arcee in a comforting wing shelter for as long as Arcee needs. ] Unless you think ... that you'd be going to somewhere... I think you should stay. Please.

You can even stay the night with me, there's an extra bed... [ There is not. But Fluttershy can spend a night on the floor. ]

I'm not gonna go.

[That she can admit easily, Arcee had that decided the moment she realized how ridiculous everything about this was. She looks forward to all the comments she'll get about her quick trip the moment she steps into town, but let's face it, she deserves it.]

But I'm not exactly the greatest house guest material right now, either.

You are always welcome in my home. There is always food, company, and a place to sleep for you. Even if I leave here, Arcee.

[ Besides, she's not so sure that Arcee should be alone right now. ]

[To be fair, Bulkhead would be there, but Arcee also feels like she's not ready to sleep in the same bed Optimus used to at the moment. She'll have to call Bulk later, but he'll at least be happy to hear she didn't leave.

With a small nod, she finally looks back at Fluttershy.]

Let's roll.

[ Fluttershy nods, and finally lets go of Arcee -- briefly. She picks the bag back up in her mouth again, and then crouches down a little. The implicit offer is there: if Arcee wants to ride on her back, she can. And if she doesn't, that's fine too, and Fluttershy doesn't want to baby her. ]

[Well, it would save her valuable walking time. Arcee doesn't say anything, but she does hop on. Easily, in fact. The only thing she wants right now is to get out of here so it can stop being the present and start being just another bad memory.

She's ready whenever Shy is.]

[ And Fluttershy flutters their way out of there. Hopefully Arcee doesn't mind a little flight, but the pegasus's flight is gentle, not bumpy at all, not too fast, and always fairly close to the ground -- no more than a couple of yards at most. ]

[She's certainly okay with it. After being sent flying via Neph, this was a piece of cake.

Unfortunately, she's also not very good at letting Fluttershy know that, instead deciding to remain silent throughout the whole trip.]

[ They travel through Ponyville, Fluttershy keeping herself really level in order to make Arcee as comfortable as possible. When they get back to their cottage, Fluttershy lands carefully and opens the door. ]

It's a little bit crowded, I'm sorry. Please come in...

[ A family of mice skitters away from them, and birds and lizards watch them curiously from their cages. ]

Do you need food? Some water? A rest?

[If she wasn't so small, she'd probably say something about the animals, but thankfully she doesn't take up that much space. Crowded was never much of a problem for her in Equestria.]

Rest sounds good right about now.

[Eating just wasn't going to happen. She couldn't even bring herself to look at the mice as they ran by, that's just how uninterested she is in food.]

Of course. [ Luckily, it was Fluttershy's turn for the bed tonight, so she led Arcee into her bedroom.

It seemed awfully big and lonely for Arcee to be sleeping on by herself, so Fluttershy jumped up ahead of Arcee and curled up, patting the space beside her. ]

[Maybe it's because she's really tired or maybe she doesn't like to sleep alone, but Arcee doesn't object. She leaps onto the bed with little to no effort and flops down next to Fluttershy like she's been doing this all her life.]

...Thanks.

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