7th lance ↟, Friends are my Strength [visual]

[neighfeni]

 [Hey, didn't this pony pop up yesterday? Yes, yes she did, but now she's much happier, and it's her turn to do the What I Learned talk.]

Um, since everypony's talkin' about what they earned, Ah guess Ah should too.

[She looks embarrassed, and hangs her head.]

Before last week...Ah still had trouble relyin' on others. Ah...didn't want to put others at risk by askin' them to stand by me. Still wanted to believe Ah could do everythin' myself. 

When Ah was little, my Pa passed, and all a sudden Ah was the one in charge of everythin', because Ma had to take care of my brothers and sisters. So...Ah learned to count on myself. The harvest, whether we had food to eat...that was all on me. And then when the wars came a couple of years later, Ah had to protect them. And so that's how Ah fought: As one by herself, never givin' myself a moment's rest...like Ah couldn't rely on others. And...truth be told, Ah was afraid to. Ah didn't want to bother others with that...

And at the same time, Ah thought Ah was too weak to be of any use to anyone, that Ah wasn't worth it.

[She raises her head now, a strange new fire in her eyes.]

But this week...Ah saw the truth. Princess Luna once told me Ah wasn't an island, that Ah didn't need to do stuff on my own...and it took almost gettin' my friends killed by...my Shadow...to see that. That Ah can be strong, and that, at the same time, Ah can rely on my friends. And even if they ain't here with me, they're part of my Strength. And that if they believed in me, then Ah should too.

Ah wish it hadn't taken this past week to learn that, but now that two dear friends are alive and well again...Ah think Ah can learn to believe better now. If my Shadow did anythin' to anypony, Ah apologize, and Ah'll do what Ah can to make it better, and if anypony wants to talk, Ah've got two willin' ears.

So, to all who call me friend, and to all those Ah will, in the future, call friend...
Thank ya, for bein' there, and for bein' my friends.

~~~~

[Sometime after this goes out, Bertie and Gwen both get private messages.]

Y-y'all, Sir Morgan just...asked me out on a date!

[She's buzzing with nervous energy.]

Comments

[its_pony_rider_time]

I'm sorry I missed this. Real sorry.

[Visual]

[neighfeni]

Sir Gentarou, it's alright! Ah'm glad you're safe!

Re: [Visual]

[its_pony_rider_time]

Thanks Neph, but I really wish I could have helped. But hey, I made a lot of friends on my trip!

[Visual]

[neighfeni]

Then it was good ya went! Where did ya go anyway?

[Visual]

[robotfightclub]

...You never told me you fought in a war.

[Visual]

[neighfeni]

[She looks a bit taken aback by that.]

Ah didn't?

[Visual]

[robotfightclub]

Did you...?

[A paw goes on her chin.]

I would've remembered-- Whatever, doesn't matter. What matters is you're okay now.

[Visual]

[neighfeni]

Two wars. The Mad King's War, and the War against Begnion and the goddess Ashera. Ah served under General Ike in both, and Ah'm a Sentinel in the service of Her Majesty, Queen Elincia.

[For once, she seems proud of that. But she bows slightly at the scroll.]

And without ya, Ah don't know if Ah would have found my strength. Thank ya. Ah hope...she wasn't too bad to ya.

[visual]

[morganknight]

You look so happy, I can't resist asking. How about dinner tonight?

[visual]

[neighfeni]

[Have a very happy looking Nephenee, Morgan.]

Sir Morgan, you're alright! Ah was so worried!

[Still smiling, she processes his question, and, not having any sort of idea what he means, answers:]

Oh, do ya mean the Potluck tonight?

[visual]

[morganknight]

Oh -- crap! The potluck! [He slaps a hoof to his face.] No, no -- I mean you and me, at dinner. Tomorrow then.

A date.

[visual]

[neighfeni]

[Nephenee looks at him rather confused. She knows these words but not the contextual meaning.]

Uh, Ah like the dates of the Hatari Desert, but usually for dessert. Ah think they'd be too sweet for dinner, though.

visual

[mechmadeoflove]

It's hard, isn't it? Growin' up on your own, keepin' yourself fed, and then learning to take help when it's offered.

Musta cast a long shadow for you.

visual

[neighfeni]

[Hello, unfamiliar pony. But he seems to know what she means...]

Well, to be fair, Ah did have the rest of my family...but Ah did have to ask Brom for help. He's the only reason we got through that, Ah think. Ah knew a good bit 'bout farmin' already, but Ah had to learn on the fly for a bit.

[Had it really been almost 10 years since then? She nods at his statement.]

My friend [Yes, she now knew he was a friend.] Devdan told me he thought Ah shouldn't be so serious all the time and should smile more...He was real scary about it, but now Ah think he was just tryin' to help me. So Ah guess it did.

Re: visual

[mechmadeoflove]

Bit more luck than I had, then. I was an only child when... when my big deal happened. Not quite an orphan, but separated from Da for a long time and my Mom was a casualty.

Sometimes telling someone to smile just doesn't work. Sometimes you can still see the movie, you just can't hear the soundtrack.

visual

[neighfeni]

Oh Yune...Ah'm so sorry. And you're right...even if Ah don't know what movies or soundtracks are. Sometimes it...hurts more to smile, Ah think. Until the second war, Ah ain't sure Ah knew how to smile in war...

[A casualty...what a way to lose someone.]

Ya know the horrors of war, then?

[private]

[tinkertytonk]

Oh, bravo, Ms. Nephenee! Bravo and brilliant! He's a fine sort of chappie. This is young Knight, what?

[Bertie's just going to ignore that the stallion had made him go a bit fluttery.]

Where's he taking you?

[private]

[neighfeni]

Y-yeah. A-Ah knew he made me feel a little silly, but Ah didn't expect this...

[It's alright Bertie, he makes her feel all aflutter too. The two of you can talk about cute boys over tea.]

A-ah ain't sure yet. He said it was a restaurant, though. Thank heavens it don't sound like a fancy one. Hopefully Ah can remember what ya and Calill taught me.

[private]

[tinkertytonk]

He's a lucky fellow, and dashed smart to go snapping you up for an evening out. A positive intellectual, I'd say!

[Unfortunately, the only cute boys he'd want to talk about without a significant amount of liquor in him would be the ones with eyes only for Nephenee.]

I'm sure you'd do perfectly well at any standard sort of restaurant, in any case, my dear girl. I've nosed in on most of them here in Ponyville and none serve the more advanced set. [He frowns.] I'm sorry... that was rude. I just mean to say there shouldn't be any confusion over which forks and knives to use and when.

[bluesuit_hoofy]

I'm sorry I wasn't there to help.

[neighfeni]

It's alright. Ya'd have been in danger, and Ah wouldn't want ya to get hurt. She was real nasty.

[Take Neph's strength magnified + denial and emotional issues from 10 years and throw in betrayal and wind attacks...it took five people besides herself to take it down. Nasty bugger.]

Ah appreciate it, though. Um, if ya don't mind me askin', did ya have to face a shadow too?

[bluesuit_hoofy]

I did. I don't think he'd have hurt anyone, though.

Well, anyone else.

[Visual]

[thunderinghero]

Lady Nephenee, I am honored to have assisted you in fighting your Shadow, and I am glad you are all right. Do not worry about anything your Shadow did--I knew it was not you!

[Nothing happened, nothing happened, he will not speak of this.]

If anything, it is I who should be apologizing to you, after my own caused some difficulty...

[Visual]

[neighfeni]

[Sorry Utsusemimaru, you've worried her. Her Shadow was a major jerk, luring her friends in to watch her be humilated...what else had it done?]

H-he wasn't that bad...W-what did she do?

[Oh Yune what did she do?!]

[Visual]

[thunderinghero]

[He turns a rather bright shade of red.]

Nothing, Lady Nephenee, she did not do a thing!

[Is it hot in here? He thinks it's hot in here.]