6 Hearts [visual]

[verygassy]

[Hey guys, Its Minako. And she looks quite thoughtful.]

Hey, guys? Maybe I'm just playing devil's advocate here, but I honestly think you guys need to give the princesses the benefit of the doubt on this one. And yeah, even Zetta.

Yeah, they kept things from us. That sucks, I get that. Maybe they should have been more open about that plan, or maybe not. I know a lot of ponies will use that against the princesses.

But in the end, I can't be angry at them this time. In fact, I completely understand why they did it. Sometimes we have to keep secrets to protect people. And sometimes, yeah, things will backfire when you do that. But that's the nature of being a leader. That's why being an alicorn here is earned, don't you think? Its not always straightforward and you have to make the best decisions that you can with what you know. Leaders...ponies in power...they don't have the luxury of being 100% transparent. Sometimes divulging the truth is more dangerous than than keeping the secret.

Besides. Hasn't it occurred to anyone that us being angry at the princesses for this - us acting like this - is exactly what the Pale Pony wants? The more she can manipulate our fear, the more our fear causes us to mistrust and even hate others, the more of an advantage she gets. She says friendship is a weakness? She says friendship doesn't matter? Well? We're just proving her right. And she'll keep stealing stars. Or, at least I'm pretty sure that's what Princess Celestia meant with that, because the whole Pale Pony absorbing stuff and...stuff.

...

I know ponies are mad, right now, and I admit I was cheesed off at Zetta when he first started this...but we need to show the Pale Pony that she's wrong about us, and that just because she's got all that power, doesn't mean she's right about that.

[With that, she gets down on one knee.]

So...Princess Celestia, Princess Luna...Overlord Zetta. I humbly apologize for not believing in you. I hope you can forgive me.

Comments

[verygassy]

No. He's telling us off because a lot of the stuff that some of the ponies did was uncalled for, regardless of what was going on.

Torturing a changeling minion? You really think that was a pertinent response!?

[like_a_dragon]

I... [Her stomach knots. where this a month ago, she might have thought it was justified. But she had time to get used to Thorax. No, that wasn't right.]

...I wasn't a part of that!

[verygassy]

It doesn't matter.

Is it any wonder he would be angry? Or is he supposed to forget about that, as you would put it?

[like_a_dragon]

YEAH, WELL, WE'RE ALL HURT A LITTLE, OKAY.

And telling us to think about it now is pretty insensitive!

[verygassy]

Taking it out like this isn't cool, either.

[like_a_dragon]

[Chie pauses for a bit as she talks to Kyouko, but decides to make one last comment before leaving.]

Well, I don't know about your situation, but I'm sure it won't be much worse than watching your friends caused to forget about everything that's happened and bedridden. So, if you don't mind, I'll just keep my focus on keeping my friends safe

Yeah, I know there's lots of more important things going on right now, like the fate of the world and the universe. You and important people like you can keep focusing on those problems, but I'm just me and us little people have to live with the decisions that are being made. So, if that means we can't count on the higher ups to make sure we don't suffer because it's part of the plan, I'll the one to make sure we're not all going to die.

I can at least do that much. As long as I am able to.

[And with one last glare she shuts her scroll up tight.]

[PRIVATE]

[kuukai]

Chie.

[PRIVATE]

[like_a_dragon]

WHAT?

[Chie, volume.]

[PRIVATE]

[kuukai]

[ Okay, she really didn't have a plan beyond getting her attention.

That succeeded, at least. ] Need ya at th'Agency. Can ya get here?

[PRIVATE]

[like_a_dragon]

[It does, but now the knot in her stomach is even worse than ever.]

Yeah, sure. Is everything okay?

[Her face is asking "it's not another attack, is it?"]

[PRIVATE]

[kuukai]

Jus' get down here.

[ She tries not to betray anything on her face but it's a bear's face so it's sorta difficult for her to gauge. ]

[PRIVATE]

[like_a_dragon]

A-alright!

[action]

[kuukai]

[ Kyouko waits outside, chewing on an apple. Gonna at least eat something while she waits. ]

[action]

[like_a_dragon]

[In the meantime, she addressed a very worried bestie and got the last word on the sailor lady. Kyouko's summons would have been enough but with Yukiko's message she has no reason to putter around.]

[She's there pretty quick, actually.]

Hey, Kyou, where's the fire?

[First things first. She's pretty sure that when she gets distracted with Yukiko she won't be out for a few hours.]

[action]

[kuukai]

Oh good, she's here.

[ Kyouko looks up at Chie. The other pony is taller, now. Should make sparring interesting. ]

Okay, Teds is better at this than me, but I'm a bear so might as well use it. [ She opens her arms. Invitation for a bear hug. ]

[action]

[like_a_dragon]

Wha--?

[And the other pony looks down at the mini Kyouko and just wonders... where did this come from?]

[She's so disarmed she doesn't even have anything to say.]

[Private]

[gigglesnortpriestess]

Chie...

[Private]

[like_a_dragon]

[She frowns.]

In a minute, Yukiko...

[Private]

[gigglesnortpriestess]

Please...can you come back?

[It didn't sound like the strong woman that was speaking through, instead more like a little girl unsure of what to do to help her family.]

[Private]

[like_a_dragon]

[Her first instinct is to ask what was wrong, but... No. She knew Yukiko too well. She had an idea.]

...yeah. Just... give me a second, okay?

[Private]

[gigglesnortpriestess]

Okay. I'll be inside.

[Private] --> [Action]

[like_a_dragon]

[After telling Minako off one last time, she closes up her scroll entirely. The next time Yukiko hears anything from her is inside her room.]

[And even then, it's just a knock.]

Yuki? You... in there?

[Now it's her turn to be unsure. Chie was... no... they both were hurting. And it took all of Chie's bravery not to run away. Even now, she didn't like letting her friend see her be anything but strong. But this was too important, she knew.]

[Action]

[gigglesnortpriestess]

[She was in the room she and Yu shared, sitting on the bed but there was something about her posture: stiff and unsure of herself. Of course she saw the scroll posts and a few replies from her best friend, so much anger being spewed out when it wasn't needed. Granted that there were lies but wasn't that anger what Calice wanted them to feel? Didn't she want them to turn on each other?]

I'm here.

[Action]

[like_a_dragon]

[Chie walked in slowly, looking over Yukiko.]

You... doin' okay?

[Even now, after Yukiko regained her memory, Chie tried to keep a brave face. But if she was honest, she didn't know what to do anymore. And... well, there was something else. Something deeper and darker. But she didn't want either of those things to bleed through in Yukiko's presence.]

[Action]

[gigglesnortpriestess]

[But sometimes those things that bleed in need to be seen. Yukiko could tell that there was something seriously bothering her friend. It only took one gesture, a pat on the bed for Chie to sit next to her.]

There's so much that had happened recently and it's hard to keep track. But that's not what's on my mind right now, I'm more worried about you.