[006] Text

[shyformerassistant]

[She's only writing this because she can't handle showing herself right now. Plus crying on the scrolls twice in a roll won't do any good for her or her business if she comes across as a cry baby.

The writing is clear, but slightly shaky.]

Kreutzer has died. She was killed by the Pale Pony.

The boutique is closed until further notice.

[There clearly was more, but it seems a couple drops of water had gotten on whatever else she wrote and erased it into a puddle.]

Comments

[Visual]

[cruel_kindness]

[Unimpressed Fluttercruel is unimpressed.]

Uh, yeah. She was dead before we came here. Mom and I are dead, too.

[Text]

[shyformerassistant]

[Damn Fluttercruel.]

But the Pale Pony killed her killed her and ate her when she got turned into rainbows.

[Visual]

[cruel_kindness]

[Wait, rainbow'd? ...The only thing is that being killed while dead leads to... erasure.]

Don't even bucking joke about that.

[Text]

[shyformerassistant]

I'm not joking! I saw her disappear right before my eyes!

[She's so glad this is visual 'cause she's crying again now.]

[Visual]

[cruel_kindness]

...No. No. Tell us Kreutzer did not get Erased. Bucking tell us.

[NO NO NO NO NO NO NOPE SO MUCH NOPE GOING ON HERE.]

Re: [Visual]

[shyformerassistant]

She did.

I'm sorry.

I should have stopped her. I should have protected her from that thing. It's all my fault.

It's all my fault.

[Cruelly you're not helping. You're making it worse.]

[Visual]

[cruel_kindness]

[...Cruelly doesn't know what to say right now. One of her best friends has been Erased and is never going to come back ever. She's trembling right now, tears forming in her eyes. Fluttercruel wants to swear out Coco. The Flutters were such idiots of approving with their relationship. Cruelly wants to go and beat her up and blame everything bad that ever happened on the failure of a pony.

...Except that's just plain old cruel. So she just settles for straight up crying.]

[Visual]

[shyformerassistant]

[There's nothing Coco could say to that so she just rolls up her scroll.]

[text]

[like_a_dragon]

[She doesn't know these people. It's something that she's regretting now that people are apparently suffering. So there words are short:]

Im sorry for ur loss.

I hope u have somebody u can b with.

[Text]

[shyformerassistant]

[Well there's no stopping her from knowing other ponies.]

Thank you.

[Text]

[like_a_dragon]

Ur welcome and my condolences.

[Then there's a moment where she doesn't feel right leaving it there.]

Actually can i ask u something?

[Text]

[shyformerassistant]

[She would have been fine with it if she left it there.]

Yes?

[Text]

[like_a_dragon]

Im still new so i wanted to know what ponies do when they want to remember friends that died.

[There's another pause before...]

I want to pay my respects

Re: [Text]

[shyformerassistant]

I see.

Well, a funeral no doubt will be made for her. I imagine human funerals aren't much different than pony funerals.

[She didn't want to think about that so soon, but she will need to make herself a funeral dress for it. Maybe even as a kimono. Assuming they wear kimonos for funerals. Coco didn't really know.]

[like_a_dragon]

I c.

OK.

If u want I can be there for u.

[Text]

[shyformerassistant]

[She hesitates. She doesn't really know her very well. However she seems nice, so perhaps she'll let her see her.]

Sure, if it's not a problem for you.

[like_a_dragon]

Its not a problem.

My name is Chie btw.

So u know it is me when I am there.

[You know, that really loud pony from a couple of weeks ago? :)]

[shyformerassistant]

Thank you, Chie.

My name is Coco Pommel.

[Oh yes her. She's over it by now.]

[like_a_dragon]

Coco got it.

When u find out more let me know.

[There's another pause, but it's not long before:]

And I'm sorry for your loss.

[Though still rough to look at, that last bit was cleaner and more elegant than most everything up until this point. She took her time to write it out.]

[toon_fairydust]

[Pegasus doesn't know either pony involved, but he knows grief when he sees it. He's been consumed by the very feeling he sees before him now, and it hits his heart with pinpoint accuracy. It's too close to home.

Maybe it's because it's too close to home that he feels he has to respond.

His response comes the better part of an hour later, and the handwriting is absolutely atrocious. He's still getting used to being a pony, and can't get the hang of magic yet, so he's having to balance a pen between his hooves.]

Hello! My name is Pegasus. I've also lost someone very dear to me, so...if you ever need anything -- a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, or even just a pinch of silliness to lighten a dark time, please don't hesitate to let me know.

[Text]

[shyformerassistant]

[At least it's readable?]

Thank you. I'll be sure to remember that.

[mercuryangel]

[She can't just ignore this. She wants to heal, not just the body but the heart...]

I saw.

If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to, but... do you have any idea what could have caused her to collapse?

[The "inhaled" part was rather obvious.]

[shyformerassistant]

[She doesn't want to, but she feels like she has to.]

She seemed to be trying to do something as a reaper, but whatever she did didn't work and killed her killed her.

[mercuryangel]

[Well, being able to accept that it happened...]

Did she tell you what she could do? What kind of powers she had, I mean?

[shyformerassistant]

Not really. At least, none that I remember at the moment.

[Considering her mental state, it's very easy for stuff to slip her mind.]

[mercuryangel]

[Hmm... as much as she wants to be of help here, it doesn't seem like she's got a reason she knows about to stay involved.

She decides she doesn't need one.]

What do you remember? Tell me about her. It seems like you're closer than just friends, but who were her other friends?

[She just hopes this doesn't make her feel worse long-term.]

[shyformerassistant]

Yes, we were close. She was my marefriend.

She had a rough life before becoming a reaper. She used to do bad things and even made her best friend kill her. She had changed by the time we met and later on get together at the Gala.

I don't know much about her duties before coming here.

[mercuryangel]

I think she might have done what she did for a good reason.

[She won't say the obvious - we can't ask her what it might have been - but she knows that very well.]

She might still come back, you know.

[shyformerassistant]

[There's some delay in a response in that. She wasn't aware of pony coming back to life after dying so this was news to her.]

Really? Does that happen with reapers?

[mercuryangel]

It's happened a few times with people that weren't. Why would it be any different for her?

[shyformerassistant]

I didn't know this. I really hope she does come back.

[mercuryangel]

You will get to see her again, I can feel it.

[...wait that came out wrong.]

[Voice]

[therealrisette]

[Oh no... someone actually died?! Not just someone, but Coco's girlfriend?

Rise doesn't know what to do. Even with everything horrible that happened in Exsilium... people disappeared all the time, but they didn't die. No one close to her, at least.

She hadn't met Kreutzer yet, but... she'd wanted to. If she was someone that special to Coco, she wanted to get to know her. Now she's been killed. And if Rise is horrified and saddened by the news, she can only imagine how much worse it must be for Coco.]

Do you need somepony to keep you company?

[That's all she responds with - just a quiet, concerned offer. She knows Coco can't go to her parents, and she doesn't know how many friends she has... if Rise could help, even a little bit...]

[Voice]

[shyformerassistant]

[Her voice is a bit weak, but she does at least try to keep it together.]

Y-yes that would be fine. I also have somepony named Chie also staying with me, if that's alright with you?

[Voice]

[therealrisette]

Oh... you know Chie-senpai?

[She sounds a little relieved that Coco's not totally alone. Plus, Chie's someone she could definitely trust.]

She's a friend, from home. She can be kinda loud, but she's really nice.

[Voice]

[shyformerassistant]

Sort of. She wrote to me earlier.

Oh I see. That will make things easier then.

[Voice]

[therealrisette]

I'm sure you'll get along!

[She's trying to display her usual enthusiasm here, but it is tempered somewhat by the heavy atmosphere. Being perfectly cheerful at a time like this would probably just make things even worse for poor Coco.]

... And we'll stick with you as long as you need us, alright?

[Not that she can speak for Chie, but Rise's fully prepared to stick by Coco's side until she's feeling at least a little better. ... Some part of her even hopes that there's a way to get Kreutzer back, like how people could be brought back in Exsilium, but that's something to consider for another time.]

[Voice]

[shyformerassistant]

Okay. Thank you Rise.

visual

[wizardofharmony]

I.

[She was going to say something. Dammit, this is why she prefers text.]

I'm sorry for thy loss, Coco.

[Visual]

[shyformerassistant]

[Perhaps you should have stuck with text as now Coco can be seen with red eyes and a messed up mane and just a total mess. She clearly hasn't slept well, if at all.]

Thank you.

[weaponizedgems]

Oh darling...

Take as much time away from the shop as you need. Things like this take time to come to terms with.

[Text]

[shyformerassistant]

Thank you, Miss Rarity.

Re: [Text]

[weaponizedgems]

You are very welcome Dear. Just let me know if I can help in any way.