mylittlejamjar | Seventh Starfall: Beyond the Pale [Visual, postdated for after the Closing Ceremonies]

[It's about two hours after the appearance of the Pale Pony, and everything that came with it. You might think that things would calm down again, but no.

This time, Flare Star fires up a scroll ~~that she basically pulled straight away from Dust~~ and starts talking, about as seriously as many ponies have ever heard out of her - the exceptions being Queen Chrysalis (who got to hear the tone when she was attacking the pegasus) and Zecora (whom she helped during Nightmare Night).]

The cards've been played. I don't know what kind of feeling that was that I felt back there, but I know it is evil. No more playing around, no more wasting time trying to understand.

I'm not saying that we don't still need to research this nag, far from it. In fact, we need to centralize our research, so that everypony has the same access to it. It's only right in times of war to allow your soldiers to know of the enemy they fight.

She pulls us all in at random, focusing on those with powers, and then every month, she culls. A few more get drawn into her, possibly for keeps. By standing before us today, by proving that she exists, she has declared war. Not on Equestria, but on every last one of our worlds.

Buck compassion, and buck caring for a pony so far gone that she'll steal souls for her own gain.

She needs to die.

Who's with me?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...You're right man.

[Surprise is....calm certainly isn't the word. Is she afraid? Hell yes she is. But she's far from having the kind of panic attack that one could expect of her. She's nervous, and jittery, and she fidgets as she sits.

But she keeps looking dead on at the scroll. She doesn't look away when she speaks at least.]

I...uh. I dunno what I can do. To help I mean. But...

Whatever it is...I'm gonna try.

We can't let something like this keep going on.

[Once upon a time, when she was a few years younger and far more optimistic about the world, she'd let the horror and terror of what her world was like crush her. And it crushed her so thoroughly because she'd accepted it, and her position in helping to propagate it.

But here and now, a bit older and - thanks to those in this Equestria, braver - she won't just sit and let that happen again.

Maybe she can do little. But she'll do that bit as best as she can.]

[Numb. Numb is the word for Flare when she finally responds to Surprise.]

Somethin' tells me it's gonna take all of us. Lemme know anything you hear, or see, or anything. Tell me all about your trip to the Archives, later. Seems important.

[She needs a drink.]

[Holy shit Flare. Surprise can't tell if you're just pushing your emotions to the side for the sake of the conversations you're having, or if you've already nearly worked yourself into exhaustion, emotionally at least. Either way she nods her head a bit.]

Sure man. Whenever you've got the time, I'll talk. We'll see if it means anything.

At the bar, maybe?

[Yeah, she can pick up on that.]

[Maybe a little of both. Other ponies broke down right there under the gaze of the Pale Pony, she ignited a fire - literally and figuratively - and burned herself out once she was well out of spitting distance.]

If not there, then you can come to my place some time.

Sure.

Is there anything I can bring over for you now?

[Because she gets a feeling you're not going to be going out for a while with the way you are right now.

And because she's worried that you might keep on burning even after the fire is dead.]

Not worried about me at this moment.

[Flare's hoof goes up to push her mane out of her eyes. Flanks and fetlocks...]

Got any ideas for helping two ponies recover from traumatic flashbacks?

[Not worried about you. That's not a shock. When have you ever been? Surprise murmurs something under her breath before raising her eyebrows at Flare's request.]

Man, you're asking if I have any advice for helping recover from trauma?

[She nearly snorts a little in laughter because that is one of the most ironic and hysterical things she's heard in a while. She snaps out of it quick.]

Kind of depends, man. How traumatic are we talking about?

Recurring nightmares. Assumed death - no, corruption - of family and other loved ones. Possible worries of loss of identity.

[...Yeah the Entity is probably out of Surprise's league to help with. But it couldn't hurt to ask.]

[Surprise takes a moment to ponder on that. She's no psychologist by any means. But she thinks she has an answer for what could help.]

It's no great, revolutionary idea man - but I think in that case even just company would be best. Someone to hear their fears, or to cry with if they need to.

...I think the worst thing in the world is to come home and needing to talk about your fears and the terrors that are eating you alive, and the only ones there to listen are the shadows of your furniture and the cat poster you have hanging up in your house.

Just be there for them. Be a presence there with them.

[Private]

And for Gods sake man maybe get off the damn scroll for a day or two. I'm not saying like hitch a vacation on a cruise ship or nothing. But...try to recuperate. Emotionally, man.

Yeah, got it. Was thinkin' that anyway, was already on my way there.

[There's a long pause, before the mare nods her head.]

I'll take you up on the talk and drink after everything with my family's wrapped up. Promise.

Do what you gotta do man. I'll be here when you're ready.

Seventh Starfall: Beyond the Pale [Visual, postdated for after the Closing Ceremonies]

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