A Chance For Reign


                                            >[Update Complete]

                                            >[Initializing…]

                                            >Your eyes flicker open and you groggily sit up.

                                            >You rub your eyes and cling to your blanket as you glance out the window.

                                            >That took way longer than you expected…

                                            >It looks like it was still early morning, which was odd since you shut down in the early morning.

                                            >Did- Did you sleep through an entire day? How strange.

                                            >You hope Rush was able to keep things in order while you were updating.

                                            >You turned on the automatic sprinklers before you went to bed, so you’re not too worried, though.

                                            >Dawn was just now rearing its sleepy head, so you expect your sister to still be sleeping.

                                            >Might as well wake her up, you’d like to know what you missed.

                                            >Not like there was a lot going on lately anyhow… But a chat would be nice regardless.

                                            >Your quaint little hovel was something akin to an oversized storage shed, but it was more than enough room for the both of you to sleep soundly.

                                            >It was for the most part just a place to shut off for the night, but over time you’ve become accustomed to it.

                                            >Sleeping wasn’t something you needed to do, but it saved energy and made the nights go quicker, so it was beneficial overall.

                                            >That, and it felt nice to curl up in a warm bed.

                                            >It made you feel safe.

                                            >You yawn a bit and turn towards your sister’s side of the room, which is divided by a plastic bead curtain that depicts an astronaut floating among the stars.

                                            >She simply adores it, and you think you understand.

                                            >Although you have a hunch she might have originally gotten it because of your blue canary night light.

                                            >It’s pretty hard to sleep without it and you um, don't like the dark…

                                            >You didn’t tell Rush about it for a while since you thought she’d tease you, but after you talked to her, she said it was okay, so you don’t feel too embarrassed.

                                            “Rush? I’m sorry I slept in so long, I guess things took longer than I thought.”

                                            >You tilt your head, waiting for an answer.

                                            >…But you don’t get one.

                                            “Um, Rush? Are you… mad?”

                                            >Maybe she was a bit grumpy? You’ll make it up to her!

                                            “We can uhm, play checkers after work if you want! You can be red this time!”

                                            >Your ears droop a bit as the silence continues.

                                            “Well then, If you’re gonna be a grump, I’ll just have to come give you a hug!”

                                            >You push aside the curtain and much to your surprise, Rush isn’t in bed.

                                            >It was unlike her to be awake so early, she usually liked to sleep in.

                                            “Huh, so I’m just talking to myself then? How grand.”

                                            >Well, you guess this means you should go do your rounds…

                                            >Hmph, she must be trying to get a leg up on you!

                                            >You’ll earn the bobblehead again this week, even if you’re behind by a day!

                                            >You glance over to the wobbly purple unicorn bobblehead on your side of the room, intent on keeping your streak running.

                                            >You clear your throat and try to put on an over the top english accent, which wasn’t all that hard considering your natural inflection.

                                            “Oi’ve got a good feelin’ gov’nah! I’ll win you yet, yessire!”

                                            >You giggle to yourself as you put on your scarf.

                                            >Things might be a bit slow, but you’ll make sure the garden is just as nice as ever!

                                            >Hehe, things will be right as ‘Reign’!

                                            >You hum a bit as you leave the shed, just about ready for anything.


                                            >You stand in place for a moment once you’re outside, taking in the cool breeze.

                                            >It was a tad dreary, but you always found yourself liking cloudy days better than anything else, so it was nice in your book.

                                            >You take your time as you make your way to the toolshed, occasionally checking up on the plants on the way.

                                            >Most of the flowers on this side of the garden seemed fine, and seeing how rainy it’s been, you think you can focus on the atrium today.

                                            >You didn’t like to play favorites… but you very much like the atrium.

                                            >Upon opening the toolshed, you let out a sigh and get to work.

                                            >You spend the next half hour or so making your way towards the atrium, trimming and pruning as you go.

                                            >Only the most hardy of flowers were still blooming this time of year, so most of what you had to deal with were dormant.

                                            >You pause briefly after rounding out a rowdy bush to glance around.

                                            >Where is Rush? If she had wanted to get a headstart, you would have seen her running around by now.

                                            >You didn’t mind the quiet, but it was too quiet, at the very least you would hear her humming, so it was quite odd.

                                            >You try to push down your anxious feelings and focus on your job.

                                            >Everything is fine, it’s just your nerves.

                                            >You continue down a row of bushes, somewhat distracted, before you simply give up and make your way inside the atrium.

                                            >You’ll feel better after working there for a while.

                                            >The atrium was an open ended building that was circular in structure. It housed a variety of specialist plants, including a small bonsai garden that you started as a pet project.

                                            >They were doing quite nicely! The one in the middle with the wild leaf pattern was your favorite.

                                            >You *could* snip it back, but you liked how it turned out, so you keep it on the unkempt side.

                                            >You spend some time tending to the various plants, which helps clear your mind.

                                            >That darned prickly pear is being dramatic again!

                                            >Well, you can be dramatic too!

                                            “No wilting! If you start drooping anymore, I’ll just have to move you to the greenhouse! I know you and Miss Chrysanthemum aren’t on good terms right now, so I bet that’d be awkward, huh?”

                                            “[You vink you can threaten me? Hohoho! I laugh at you!]”

                                            “You’re on thin ice, Prickles.”

                                            “[Ice you zay? Ice would ve vunderful right now!]”

                                            “Where do you think I can find ice cubes, hmm smartypants? You’ll just have to settle for plain old water like everyone else!”

                                            >You leave that *loathsome* cactus be and go water a loving pair of philodendrons.

                                            >At least *they* appreciate your care!

                                            >With a sigh, you look up at the ceiling.

                                            >You hope people visit soon, it would be a shame if no one sees all the hard work you’ve put into the garden.

                                            >Is that selfish? You don’t want to seem pushy…

                                            >You think Rush would enjoy actually giving tours again as well, so at least you’re not alone in the feeling.

                                            >If things get better, maybe Mister Boss can get that wall finished.

                                            >You think it was supposed to be used for dividing… something? You’re not sure, in all honesty.

                                            >It’s uhm, not a very sturdy wall, Especially since it’s all loose brick.


                                            >You keep up the pace for a bit longer, striking up conversation with your plant friends as you go.

                                            >Maybe all these little talks will help you get better at social interactions with people?

                                            >Not that you’d seek it out though, you aren’t very um… conversational.

                                            >At least not with others besides your sister.

                                            >...

                                            >Is… Is it normal to talk to plants?

                                            >After a little soul searching, you decide it is.

                                            >You aren’t biased!

                                            >Rush said it was okay, remember?

                                            >’Wouldn’t cacti be more western? Like a cowboy?’

                                            >Wait no! Wrong memory!

                                            >’Hey, if it helps. By all means, talk to your heart's content! Show those flowers who’s boss!’

                                            >Yeah, that one!

                                            >...Speaking of Rush, somewhere along the line, you get the urge to go look for her, despite yourself.

                                            >If she’s hiding to skirt her responsibilities again, you’ll be pretty peeved!

                                            >You let her off easy last time because she won the bobblehead, but you’re the champ this time around!

                                            >You nod to yourself, intending to give her an earful when you find her.

                                            >You stroll around the perimeter of the garden, but find no signs of Rush.

                                            >Geez she didn’t even open the gate today! She *never* forgets to do that, even if she’s feeling lazy…

                                            >Your uneasy feelings start to resurface and you decide to go find your boss.

                                            >Surely he knows, right? They’re best friends after all!

                                            >You beeline for the office at the edge of the garden, which was near a small pecan tree.

                                            >As you make it to the door, you take a deep breath.

                                            >You never talked to him much, seeing that you never had to. Rush always just relayed things to you.

                                            >Alrighty, you got this Rei- um, Regal.

                                            >He still calls you by your model name, right?

                                            >It was sorta your fault, Rush never could convince you to talk to him about it.

                                            >She was pretty confident about it, seeing that she was the one that came up with it.

                                            >’Reign’ is a weird name but… Rush thought it was pretty cool.

                                            >She said she read it on your box, which is surprising she’d remember that, seeing how long ago it was.

                                            >You guess you like it too.

                                            >It certainly works well with all those rain puns you’ve thought up since.

                                            >Hah, like that one where you go ‘Hey! Wanna see Reign fall?’

                                            >And you flop over.

                                            >...

                                            >You’re stalling! J-just open the door!


                                            >You slowly crack the door open and peek inside.

                                            >He’s at his desk with his swivel chair turned to the window in the back of the office.

                                            >None of the lamps were on, so all the light that came in was from the window at the back, which made the room feel rather moody.

                                            >As you open the door more, you notice all the boxes.

                                            >Why are there so many boxes?

                                            >You hesitantly make your way inside, although he doesn’t react.

                                            >You stand in the middle of the office, contemplating what to do.

                                            >How about just… get his attention?

                                            “I um… sir?”

                                            >Nothing.

                                            “Sir? I-I have a question…”

                                            >...

                                            “Boss?”

                                            >What did Rush always call him again?

                                            ”Buddy…?”

                                            >He jolts up in his chair and you shrink down, your ears flattened.

                                            >”Whu-what did… Oh… Regal it’s… nice to see you.”

                                            >He turns his chair around and you become well aware of how miserable he was.

                                            >His clothes were disheveled and his eyes looked… lifeless.

                                            “I um… Hullo. Are- Are you okay?”

                                            >He looks down at his desk and adjusts an already perfectly placed pencil.

                                            >”No.”

                                            “Is there anything I can do t-”

                                            >”It’s fine, Regal. I just… I’m just moving some things and I'm… tired.”

                                            >You’d like to press him but… that seems rude.

                                            >You glance down and collect your thoughts.

                                            >He has to know where she is.

                                            “Where’s Ru- um, Quill. I-I haven’t seen her all day.”

                                            >You don’t know why you corrected yourself, he calls her Rush too.

                                            >He rubs his face with his hands. “She’s… not here.”

                                            “Not here? Oh! Is she getting a check-up? She was complaining about some weird warmness as of late.”

                                            >”No that’s… that’s not it. At least not all of it…”

                                            >Why is he being vague? Is it a surprise or something?

                                            >He leans in his chair and locks eyes with you.

                                            >He looks like he’s thinking real hard…

                                            >”We… We had to cut costs.”


                                            >You stare at him for a long time, your mind slowly processing the information.

                                            “....Huh?”

                                            >Cut… costs?

                                            >There isn’t anything to cut… all that’s left is you and-

                                            >You take a step back, something clicking in your mind.

                                            >But that- that doesn’t make sense!

                                            >He gets up and sticks his hands into his pockets.

                                            >”I’m sor-.”

                                            “T-that’s not fair! Rush is very very good at her job and and-”

                                            >”Regal please just…”

                                            >He walks up to you and he kneels down. “Regal I… I didn’t want this. Please just listen, alright?”

                                            >You’re too upset to formulate a proper protest, so all you do is sit down and let him keep talking.

                                            >”Rush was… Is sick. And she has to go away for a while, okay? She just needs some extra care.”

                                            “B-but…”

                                            >You sniffle, your eyes misting up.

                                            “I don’t- I don’t understand! We can’t get sick! I-I don’t understand…”

                                            >”Regal, it isn’t like that, she- she’s faulty.”

                                            “But she… she didn’t seem broken! She was fine at the repair shop…”

                                            >”It’s a flaw, one that’s too ingrained in her system. It can’t be fixed by a simple visit to a shop.”

                                            >But… she was right there!

                                            >S-she said goodnight a-and that she’ll see you later…

                                            >And now she’s gone?!

                                            “She’ll come back, r-right? She’s got to! It’s not right!”

                                            >You stare into him, your eyes welling with tears.

                                            >Please say something.

                                            >Anything.

                                            >He finally opens his mouth after the longest time, but a ringing interrupts him before he can speak.

                                            >He goes over to his desk and picks up his phone.

                                            >He answers the call and holds it to his ear for a minute or so, before ultimately turning it off and stuffing it into his pocket.

                                            >You watch closely as he leans against the desk.

                                            >”I… I have to go.”

                                            >He picks up a box from the desk and makes it to the door.

                                            >He pauses and then looks back at you.

                                            >”It’s… complicated, but I promise that she’s okay.”

                                            “I don’t… I don’t want her to be gone. I’m n-not good by myself…”

                                            >Your voice is shaky and barely audible.

                                            >”That’s why I had to do something. She’s our friend, and your sister.”

                                            >He looks down at the box. “Rush is… she’s a fighter, she’ll be fine. I’m not going to give up on her.”

                                            >You shut your eyes and take a deep breath.

                                            >You open your eyes and sit up, trying to seem brave, which seeing as you’re currently shaking, is a tad hard.

                                            “I w-won’t either! She wouldn’t want me t-to worry so I’ll just- just…”

                                            >You trail off as you try desperately to dry your eyes, but the tears keep tumbling down.

                                            >You hide your face behind your forehooves and let out a whimper.

                                            >Even with how bad things got, she was there. No matter what.

                                            >But now you’re alone.

                                            >If feels like you’re missing something fundamental to your very being.

                                            >You’re falling apart and you don’t even register the approach of Mister Boss before you’re already being hugged.

                                            >You were distraught, but at least you could think a little more clearly now.

                                            >”There’s a lot of pretty flowers out there. Do you have any favorites?”

                                            >You pick up your head and look at him through watery eyes.

                                            “Mmhm…”

                                            >”Well, can you tell me something about them? I’d love to know.”

                                            >Nobody asks about the flowers anymore…

                                            >You sniffle a bit and rub the back of your neck.

                                            “L-lavender is in the mint family… a-and chamomile is good for improving sleep quality…”

                                            >Your stammering slowly degrades to plant based mumbles, and after a while, you don’t feel as panicky.

                                            >”Don’t push yourself, just do what you always do.”

                                            >You nod slowly and sit up once more.

                                            “I’ll- I’ll make sure everything is nice and tidy for when she comes back. M-maybe she’ll like a party? I dunno how to do parties but I’m sure she’d like that…”

                                            >He smiles weakly and nods. “I’m sure she’d love that too. …Do you feel a little better?”

                                            “I… I think I’ll manage.”

                                            >You briefly hug him back and he gets up, grabbing his box once more.

                                            >“I’ll be back later, alright? Take care, Regal.”

                                            >You can’t bring yourself to say goodbye, so you simply nod back.

                                            >You watch him walk away, and continue to stare in his direction long after he is gone.

                                            >You need to get your mind off things.

                                            >Let's just do some gardening, okay?

                                            “She’s okay… That’s what matters. You can’t break down again, okay Rei? J-just do things like you always did and she’ll be b-back soon enough…”

                                            >You mumble other vaguely positive musings as you listlessly make your way back to the atrium.


                                            >The next few hours are a slog and you can barely focus.

                                            >No one could greet any potential visitors, well, except you.

                                            >But you haven’t seen another person in so long that you’re starting to think nobody cares.

                                            >It’s a nice garden! Why wouldn’t…

                                            >Maybe… maybe you’re not trying hard enough?

                                            >Yes… that- that has to be it!

                                            >You need to try harder! You need to make things better!

                                            >You spend the rest of your day and most of the night obsessing over every out of place petal and leaf. By the time you’re too tired to stand, you just about made things as perfect as you can.

                                            >You crawl onto a bench near the entrance and listen to the babbling of the little fountain in the atrium for a while.

                                            >It was too late for anyone to show up, but you had to be vigilant.


                                            >You repeat the process of tending to the garden and sitting by the fountain for a few days, occasionally, you’ll see someone walk by, and yet they never come in.

                                            >It’s frustrating, but you try not to let it get to you.

                                            >You occasionally see your boss move more boxes. He does it often enough for you to notice a pattern. Not that it mattered, but at very least it was something consistent.

                                            >The days blend together and before you know it, a month has passed.

                                            >You had a routine down again, even if it lacked your sister.

                                            >It was getting colder and you’ve been busy getting the plants ready for winter.

                                            >Anything that could go into the greenhouse, did.

                                            >And everything else you either pruned or protected however you could.

                                            >After all is said and done, you don't have much else to do but water when necessary.

                                            >Although you noticed something.

                                            >Something concerning.

                                            >Where was Mister Boss?

                                            >It wasn’t unlike him to not show up everyday, but he was becoming less and less frequent.

                                            >Not to mention he was getting more and more sluggish…

                                            >And last time you talked to him, he looked like he was about to topple over…

                                            >You hope he gets some rest! Humans need to rest, so he should.

                                            >That being said…

                                            >It has gotten to the point where you were completely alone most days.

                                            >Despite your nature, you very much liked the company of others, so it was getting to you.

                                            >You didn’t even have your sister as a buffer anymore so it was… difficult.

                                            >At least you still have your plant friends.


                                            >You enter the greenhouse with a sigh.

                                            “I’m terribly sorry for being late, I was trying to figure out how to play one person checkers! It’s uhm, harder than it seemed.”

                                            >Prickles in all his wisdom, pipes up first.

                                            “[Ohoho! If you needed somevun to vay with, why didn’t you ask? I vould have ven happy to oblige!]”

                                            “Because you’re a terrible sport! What kind of person cheats at checkers?”

                                            >A skinny petunia sprout croons next.

                                            “[Don’t worry Rei! I’ll play with you!]”

                                            “Oh! Why thank you, Petals! But it’s not that big of a deal! I… I’m sure I’ll find someone to play with eventually. It’s just… It’s just getting harder to do anything I'm afraid…”

                                            >Your somewhat cheery facade fades and you stare at the ground.

                                            >He hasn’t come back for a while now…

                                            >Is… Is he okay?

                                            >Did you do something wrong?

                                            >You start to feel shaky again, but you try to curb it with a deep breath.

                                            >Everything will be alright.

                                            >Try- Try to be positive.

                                            >Miss Chrysanthemum laughs lightly.

                                            “[Oh Reign dear, don’t be so down! I’m sure things will brighten up eventually!]”

                                            >Of course… You need to stay calm, Rei. Just keep swimming or… something.

                                            >You’re not good with phrases…

                                            >You clear your throat and smile as best you can.

                                            “You’re… You’re right Mum! I need to press on! You all need me and I can’t be moping.”

                                            >One of the philodendron twins gives a cheer.

                                            “[You’re the best, Rei! You can do it!]”

                                            “Thank you Philly, I’ll do my best, I promise!”

                                            >After the day's watering, you leave the greenhouse and head to the atrium, which is mostly empty now besides the flower beds that you couldn’t move to the greenhouse.

                                            >You spend a lot of time there now.

                                            >The fountain in there was a good source of white noise and it’s nice not being alone with your thoughts.

                                            >You idly watch the fountain in the middle for a while before deciding to retire early.

                                            >You’ve been sleeping more and more often lately.

                                            >It was the only other way to pass the time, really.

                                            >You crawl into bed and bundle up.

                                            >A minute or two passes and you hesitantly glance over at your sister’s side of the room.

                                            >It wasn’t hard to pretend she was still there, just dozing away behind that curtain.

                                            “I… I talked to Prickles today.”

                                            >...

                                            “He uhm… He said he misses you. I know that’s funny, coming from him, but I think it’s genuine…”

                                            >...

                                            “I miss you too… I-I… I miss you a lot…”

                                            >You swallow dryly.

                                            “I hope you’re having a nice day, wherever you are! I uhm… I hope you’re making new friends.”

                                            >You lay down, facing your nightlight.

                                            >You watch the blue canary for a while before taking another deep breath.

                                            “Goodnight Rush. I love you.”

                                            >You lay for at least an hour in the quiet, before falling asleep.


                                            >You awake to another overcast day.

                                            >You had gotten up near noon, simply because you didn't see a reason to get up earlier.

                                            >It’s been a few more weeks.

                                            >And he hasn’t come back.

                                            >And… And you don’t think he will.

                                            >You had let yourself into his office and much to your horror, it was completely cleared out.

                                            >There were two envelopes.

                                            >The first was much more formal and made some long spiel about how the botanical garden has… changed hands.

                                            >Despite that, it didn’t say if anyone would do anything with it.

                                            >From the sounds of it it’s been… completely abandoned.

                                            >You set down the letter and glance over to the second envelope.

                                            >It looked like Buddy’s handwriting and…

                                            >You’re… You’re too scared to read it.

                                            >But you have an idea as to what it details.

                                            >You know you shouldn’t, but you scanned him after the last time he talked to you and…

                                            >It wasn’t good.

                                            >So… It was just you now.

                                            >Alone.

                                            >Truly.

                                            >Despite it all, you didn’t cry.

                                            >And you hate yourself for that.

                                            >But you… You needed to keep going.

                                            >You couldn’t break.

                                            >She’s still out there! She… She has to be.

                                            >Even if Buddy won’t be here for her… You need to be.

                                            >You need to stay strong.


                                            >You had free reign of the garden now, so you used it as you saw fit.

                                            >You tried to think of ideas to get people to come back.

                                            >But none of them were good.

                                            >You’re good with plants, not with ideas.

                                            >The best you could do was keep things as they where, even if it was just you.

                                            >Over time, it became easier and easier to focus solely on the plants.

                                            >You didn’t even talk to them.

                                            >Even if you wanted to.

                                            >You poured your whole being into the garden.

                                            >It was all you had left.


                                            >Winter had come and gone and now spring was in full swing.

                                            >With the season, came the oddities.

                                            >You noticed more people out and about outside the garden, but of course, they ignored you.

                                            >But that's… That’s okay. You’re used to it now.

                                            >One day, something quite interesting started happening.

                                            >As you were bringing some plants out from the greenhouse, a pegasus started flying over the garden.

                                            >You payed it no mind at first, but she kept flying over everyday after.

                                            >And you noticed a pattern.

                                            >She would come north in the early morning, and in the evening, she would return with a large bundle of some sort.

                                            >Another confusing part was her wings.

                                            >Even from here, they seem quite large.

                                            >Rush had large wings as well, but this mare’s wings were disproportionate to her body.

                                            >She seemed to be an average model, so why were they so big?

                                            >It… It probably doesn’t matter.

                                            >At least it was something to look forward to.

                                            >You started to wave when she passed, mostly for your own sanity.

                                            >And surprisingly, she started waving back.

                                            >The first time it happened, you nearly jumped out of your skin, but it was nice to say the least.

                                            >It was social interaction at long last!

                                            >Sorta…

                                            >You couldn’t make out her face well, but she seemed friendly enough.

                                            >So that’s how you filled your day.

                                            >You took care of the plants like usual, and waved to a stranger whenever you saw her.

                                            >It was comforting, at least someone knew you were here.

                                            >And soon enough, you found someone else as well.


                                            >One warm night, you were aimlessly walking the grounds, listening to the crickets.

                                            >It was nearly summer, and you could tell.

                                            >You trail your hoof against a bush as you past it, but freeze up when you notice something.

                                            >There was light in the atrium.

                                            >It wasn’t bright, but you know it quite well.

                                            >Someone had turned on the night lanterns.

                                            >There was a little switch that guests where encouraged to press during night tours and it lit up the fountain.

                                            >No one would know it but someone who has been here before.

                                            >You hesitantly make your way to the atrium and peek inside.

                                            >To your surprise, you see… an old lady and her dog.

                                            >It was a small dog, and from the grayness around its muzzle it was old as well.

                                            >She leans against her cane, which held the dogs lead, and watched the fountain from the bench in front of it, bathed in the soft light of the little lamps around the atrium.

                                            >You approach with caution, despite your giddiness at the sight of a visitor in the first time in so long, you still were rather anxious.

                                            >You stop at the edge of the fountain and lift your hoof in a little wave.

                                            “H-hullo miss… Welcome to Gemini Botanical…”

                                            >It’s been so long, but you remember the greeting as if it was yesterday.

                                            >She turns her head with a smile and waves back. “Good evening, Regal.”

                                            >She knows you? Wait.. You- you know her too!

                                            “Miss Crumble…?”

                                            >She always showed up for the night walks. You… You thought she might have passed when she stopped showing up.

                                            >She chuckles a little. “Of course dear. I haven’t had the time to visit, I'm afraid. But here I am! I hear things aren’t doing well?”

                                            “The… The garden isn’t… It’s…”

                                            >You feel so overwhelmed at seeing a regular from before, you can barely speak.

                                            >She calmly pats the bench beside her. “I’m well aware. How about you take a seat?”

                                            >You approach as she asks, but pause when the dog lifts its head.

                                            >It reminds you of a large stray that ran amok when you were first activated. Rush said it was a nice dog, but it terrified you…

                                            >”Tess won’t hurt ya, she’s a real lap dog, hah!”

                                            >Tess looks at you expectantly, wagging her little tail.

                                            >You scoot closer and pat the dog’s head.

                                            “Nice… p-puppy…”

                                            >She seems nice enough… Don’t worry, Rei!

                                            >You climb up on the bench next to Miss Crumble and look up at the alight fountain.

                                            >”You’ve been here a while now, hm?”

                                            “I suppose so…”

                                            >You let out a sigh.

                                            “I’m sorry that it isn’t as nice as it was…”

                                            >”Nonsense! I’d say you’re trying too hard.”

                                            “Too hard? But- But I need-”

                                            >She gives you a stern look. “Look around, Regal. What do you see?”

                                            >You look around the atrium.

                                            “I don’t know… Just flowers and such?”

                                            >”You want to know what I see? A lost cause.”

                                            >You stare at her in disbelief.

                                            “But you… You liked this place…”

                                            >”You don’t understand, You’re letting it rule you.”

                                            >She leans over to you and looks you in the eye. “You don’t even realize you can leave.”

                                            “Leave…?”

                                            >But… You need to wait for Rush!

                                            “But my sister…”

                                            >She puts a hand on your shoulder. “I want you to look at something.”

                                            >She rummages through a satchel to her side and brings out a newspaper clipping.

                                            >”Look.”

                                            >You take the clipping from her and look at the front.

                                            “Golf…?”

                                            >”The other side, dear.”

                                            >You flip it around and your eyes widen.

                                            >’...Thousands of Crown units have now been recalled after the fire at a Wallabee Wade’s warehouse, …The fire was traced to a faulty core inside a dormant Quill 01 which is a part of Crown’s popular ‘Royal Twin’ lines, …The units have since been rounded up and are under review. …Crown representatives have stated that they will reimburse those with affected units.’

                                            >It’s been long enough that you’ve exhausted your tears. The news simply left you feeling empty.

                                            “She’s… she’s not coming back…”

                                            >Miss Crumble sits up straighter. “Maybe not. But that doesn’t mean she’s gone.”

                                            “D-do you really think she’s okay?”

                                            >”Who knows? She might just get a replacement and get sent off to who knows where. All I know is that these are too valuable to… scrape.”

                                            >That last word makes you wince but overall you feel… a little hopeful.

                                            >There’s an ambiguity to it all, but Rush may be okay.

                                            >And that’s… that’s all you wanted.

                                            >You take a deep breath.

                                            “So you came to see me… Not the garden?”

                                            >”I heard that you were still here, and I wanted to see if you knew.”

                                            “...Thank you.”

                                            >You can’t think of anything else to say, so you watch the fountain with her for a few minutes before she pipes up once more.

                                            >”So… What’s next for you?”

                                            “I… I don’t know. I feel tired but… not normally tired? I think I’ll just keep up the garden for a bit longer.”

                                            >You don’t feel like you’ve been charging properly, but maybe it’s just the weather.

                                            >It’s been overcast for a little too long, and your paneling might not be catching enough sun.

                                            >You’re sure it’ll clear up eventually.

                                            >”Take your time. One day you will find what you want to do, and you should take it by the reins!”

                                            >You laugh for the first time in a while.

                                            “Did I ever tell you my name?”

                                            >”Hmm, I don’t think so. Whatcha calling yourself?”

                                            “Reign! Uhm, not like water but like… royalty? My sister came up with it… I’m not sure if it fits but I like it.”

                                            >”I think It fits.”

                                            “R-really? I’m not very regal…”

                                            >”Said the mare formerly known as ‘Regal’.”

                                            “Well.. I never thought I lived up to my model’s name but… maybe I can try.”

                                            >”How so?”

                                            “Well first of all… I think I need some people skills.”

                                            >”It’ll come to you in time. You just got to get yourself out there.”

                                            >You nod and look down at Tess, who was starting to doze.

                                            >”Hmph, I suppose I should go home before I have to carry her.”

                                            >Miss Crumble gets up, followed by Tess, who twirls excitedly in place a little.

                                            >”I know I know, I’ll stop by your favorite spots, just hold on!”

                                            >She turns to you with a warm smile. “Take care, Reign, and have a good night.”

                                            “You too! I uhm… I thank you for your patronage.”

                                            >You bow a little and then wave her off.

                                            >After she’s gone, you sit under the fountain lights for a little longer, feeling at ease for the first time in forever.


                                            >The next day was… weirdly difficult.

                                            >You woke up tired, which wasn’t a good sign.

                                            >Despite it all, you try your best to keep things trimmed.

                                            >You rely heavily on the automatic sprinklers that day since you for whatever reason couldn’t pick up anything heavier than your shears.

                                            >After enough strain, you decide to run a self-diagnostic.

                                            >Your percentage is… very low.

                                            >You’re not charging at all anymore.

                                            >You try to stifle your panic with a deep breath.

                                            >Try to stay calm, Rei. You- You need to think of something.

                                            >You drop everything and gallop to Buddy’s office.

                                            >You rummage around in the drawers, desperately looking for a manual or something that would tell you how to keep yourself from shutting down.

                                            >He had to keep *something* right?

                                            >All you find is a small startup booklet, and all it tells you is to lay in the sun, which obviously won’t work.

                                            >What… What happens when you shut down? Like… for real?

                                            >Like i-is that… Death?

                                            >The thought makes your rapidly rising panic worse.

                                            >No no no! You can’t- You don’t want to!

                                            >You pull out drawer after drawer, double checking as you go.

                                            >After a while, you just start checking yourself for any emergency cords.

                                            >You don’t *have* one!

                                            >You bolt out the office, trying to search for anything that could help.

                                            >As you do… you start to feel… sluggish…

                                            >Your movement starts to slow and your emotional state dulls.

                                            >It’s-

                                            >It’s happening.

                                            >You don’t… You don’t know what to do…

                                            >You stop next to a wall, and try to lean on it.

                                            >Your vision is blurring now.

                                            “Please…”

                                            >You try to hold on to the edge of the wall with a forehoof but it feels like the wall cringes away from you.

                                            >Why would…

                                            >You try to lift your head up, only to have your body pressed against the ground.

                                            >There is a loud rumbling sound and your system experiences a brief twinge of pain before your receptors cut off completely.

                                            >You don’t know what's going on and and…

                                            >It’s getting dark.

                                            “Please... I don’t want to be in the dark again…”

                                            >No matter how hard you try, you can't seem to move.

                                            >You want to yell, but all you can muster are feeble mumbles.

                                            >You trail off into silence as all goes quiet.

                                            >You watch through half lidded eyes as the garden finally fades away in its entirety.

                                            >All that is left is fear.

                                            >...And then nothing.


                                            >...

                                            >...

                                            >...

                                            >[Self Preservation Status 87%]

                                            >[Crisis Core Intact]

                                            >[Reestablishing Consciousness]

                                            >You are weightless.

                                            >Adrift in an abyss.

                                            >Your mind is swarming and you can barely think straight.

                                            >Are... Are you still alive?

                                            >If so... for how long?

                                            >As your emotions catch up with you, dread seeps in.

                                            >You try to vocalize but it simply results in you thinking louder somehow.

                                            Where…

                                            Where Am I?

                                            I can’t… I can’t feel anything.

                                            >Your mind runs down a list of all the things you are and aren't in some vain attempt at keeping calm.

                                            >It isn't working.

                                            >You are alone with your raw emotions.

                                            >A cacophony of grief and despair that you've tried to suppress is now at the forefront.

                                            >And you have nowhere to hide from it.

                                            >A part of you that... wants this.

                                            >A part of you that can't go on without them.

                                            >A part of you that doesn't want to wake.

                                            >But I...

                                            >I don't want to give up. Even if you do.

                                            >Even if you don't think we deserve to be happy again, I'll show you.

                                            >Please.

                                            >I know you're scared.

                                            >I am too.

                                            >We can be scared together.

                                            >It will be hard... But we'll finally make friends.

                                            >Real friends.

                                            >I know you would like that too.

                                            >It's okay to love again.

                                            >I... I promise.

                                            >And I...

                                            >I don't want to die.

                                            >And deep down...

                                            >Under all that self-loathing?

                                            >I know you're hesitant.

                                            >You don't want to either.

                                            >If we just hold on tight...

                                            >We might just make it.

                                            >...

                                            >You feel... Less bad.

                                            >You're still terrified.

                                            >But now every part of you wishes to live.

                                            >...A pressure rises gradually until something unlike yourself takes action.

                                            >[Unit Recovery Unresponsive]

                                            >[General Distress Signal Authorized]

                                            >A low tone suddenly begins to play in intervals.

                                            I… What is that?

                                            >You don't know what it is, but it's the only other thing you can hear.

                                            Can- Can you hear me?

                                            >Whatever it is, it doesn't respond.

                                            >[Signal Received]

                                            >[Aerial Unit Inbound]

                                            >The tone goes silent for some time, before it is replaced by quick blips of harsh static.

                                            >[Foreign Unit Link Authorized]

                                            >As the static ceases, an unknown voice cries out.

                                            >”Hey!”

                                            W-what?

                                            >”Don’t panic! Just sit tight!”

                                            I- I don’t think I can do anything besides that…

                                            >”Well I mean… Yeah.”

                                            >Now that you think of it... Are you just a bunch of thoughts right now?

                                            >This is confusing.

                                            >Time passes painfully slow, or at least, it feels that way.

                                            >The voice finally speaks again, but now it seems... worried?

                                            >”Wow that’s uh…”

                                            Is something the matter?

                                            >"Nothing! You just… don’t panic.”

                                            That’s a little concerning…

                                            >The voice occasionally assures you of progress, but remains vague no matter your questioning.

                                            >"Just a little more aaand... There!"

                                            >”Alright, I hope you’re okay with a little joyride!”

                                            I don’t even know what’s going on!

                                            >”That’s… probably for the best. Just hang on.”

                                            >Its constant reassurance is rather concerning, but it does help your apprehension a little.

                                            Will... will it be okay?

                                            >"You bet it will! ...I'm gonna focus for a bit, but I promise I'm still here!"

                                            O-okay...


                                            >It is silent for a long time, but you don’t feel as terrified as you once were.

                                            >Somewhere along the line, a buzzing starts coming from nowhere in particular and you feel like you're falling sleep, but it’s not scary this time.

                                            >You feel like you'll wake up again.

                                            >As your mind becomes cloudy… You feel like you’re starting to dream, but you know you’re not.

                                            >It’s just a memory.

                                            >A very happy memory.


                                            >You wake up in the middle of a sunny garden. You feel a velvety plushness under your body.

                                            >You look around, observing the flowers all around you.

                                            >You remember being so happy, but… a little scared.

                                            >It was all so new.

                                            >You see a box similar to the one you’re laying in.

                                            >Or rather, it’s a platform of sorts, which was once a box.

                                            >Both boxes fell apart to become a bed of sorts and you’re laying on one.

                                            >You get up and take a few timid steps off your platform.

                                            “H-hullo?”

                                            >Your quiet voice doesn’t carry far, so you start searching around in the hopes of finding someone.

                                            >You wander in a random direction, allured by all the colorful flowers in front of you.

                                            >You wind up following a path into a large open room with a fountain.

                                            >As you stare at the running water, you notice something.

                                            >A white mare with a short red mane stands outside.

                                            >Her wings are spread, soaking in the sun.

                                            >You feel compelled to approach her.

                                            >You walk up to her and tilt your head.

                                            >Her presence made you feel less confused.

                                            >Like you were meant to find her.

                                            “Excuse me?”

                                            >She folds her wings and turns to you, a grin on her face.

                                            >”Hey there! You seem… familiar.”

                                            “Do you know where we are?”

                                            >She shakes her head. “Not the foggiest idea! But… I think I know *who* we are!”

                                            “Oh! You do?”

                                            >She trots up and gives you a hug, much to your surprise.

                                            >It’s… nice.

                                            >”We’re sisters! It’s plain as day!”

                                            >Your eyes widen and you feel something tug at your heart.

                                            >You hug her back and giggle happily.

                                            “I-I think I see it too!”

                                            >You let go and she gives you a pat on the shoulder.

                                            >”We’re gonna be a great team! I dunno in what, but I just feel it in my bones!”

                                            “Mmhm! I uhm, I’ll do my best too!”

                                            >Before you can say anything else, something makes a noise behind you, which makes you jump.

                                            >A man is jogging towards both of you and stops a few feet away.

                                            >Your sister shields yon instinctively, but lets her wing fall after she concludes the tired looking fellow doesn’t mean any harm.

                                            >He hunches over, panting for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

                                            >”Christ! I didn’t know you two would wander!”

                                            >Your sister resumes her previous grin and waves to him. “Hiya Buddy!”

                                            >He brushes off the front of his cardigan and gives her a bewildered look. “Buddy?”

                                            >He shrugs. “Eh, whatever. So, uh, mind introducing yourselves?”

                                            >Your sister pipes up almost immediately. “Quill at your service! Your bestest bud who’s ready for anything! Heh, I’d say I'm quite the rush…”

                                            >He looks at you expectantly and you trail a hoof on the floor.

                                            >Despite not knowing what you were, deep inside, you knew your name.

                                            “I-I’m Regal…”

                                            >Quill bumps you playfully. “She’s gonna be great at gardening, I just know it! You’ll totally reign supreme, Regal!”

                                            >You blush and hide your face behind your droopy mane.

                                            “I-I suppose…”

                                            >The man claps his hands together and smiles warmly. “Well, I’m glad you two are doing fine! Quill, Regal, how about we take a little tour of our garden?”

                                            “Ours? You mean… Me and her and uhm you?”

                                            >He nods.

                                            >You feel a smile creep up on your face.

                                            >Your garden.

                                            >You… you feel like you belong here.

                                            >Here with your sister.

                                            >Together… you’ll do great things.

                                            “Let's hop to it!”


                                            >...

                                            >...

                                            >...

                                            >[Charge Status 100%]

                                            >[Reestablishing Connection With Body]

                                            >[Consciousness Synced]

                                            >[Initializing…]

                                            >You groggily open your eyes and squint at a very bright light above you.

                                            >Your senses are slowly returning but…

                                            >You still can’t move, nor can you feel.

                                            >You're lying on your side, atop a slab.

                                            >Maybe... It's a table?

                                            >You can't exactly tell.

                                            >As your vision adjusts you realize you're in some sort of shop.

                                            >It’s familiar.

                                            >”Ah, good morning.”

                                            >You crane your neck in the direction of the noise and come face to face with a snow white beard.

                                            >”Oop, let me take a few steps back!”

                                            >The beard retreats and your gaze falls on a jolly old man wearing mechanics overalls.

                                            “Mister… Foreman?”

                                            >You’re in… Foreman’s shop?

                                            >He laughs a little and pats your head. “In the flesh! I’m glad you're okay, Reign.”

                                            >He was one of the first people you actually decided to tell your name to, but it still was a bit new to you to hear it said so casually.

                                            >You haven’t been here in ages… How did you…?

                                            “How… How did I get here?”

                                            >He picks up a handful of miscellaneous scrap and sets it somewhere else.

                                            >”A little birdie went and grabbed you after she felt your signal. I’m sure she’ll stop by later to say hello.”

                                            >He groans as he sits in a chair in front of you. “Now, I’d like to ask you to stay calm as I explain things.”

                                            >You do your best to nod, but it’s pretty hard.

                                            >”Well… You had a real bad break in your spine. It looks like you had a run in with a pile of bricks from what I've heard.”

                                            >So that’s what happened… That… That stupid wall!

                                            >At… at least it was you and not a human…

                                            >You're pretty sure humans can't get fixed so easily...

                                            >"From what I could tell, you shut down rather suddenly beforehand. Your horn had stopped receiving energy through its solar paneling. It was a simply fix, it just needed some of the inner wiring replaced. As long as you keep things up to date, you should be fine."

                                            >Routine maintenance is important and you haven't exactly had to opportunity to get a check-up for quite some time now.

                                            >He shifts in his chair with a sigh.

                                            >"That being said... You might want to get a cable installed. I know that isn't exactly warranty compliant but it'll keep you from having any further incidents."

                                            "I could care less about some dumb warranty! I... I don't want to experience t-that again..."

                                            >If you could, you'd shudder.

                                            >"I imagine it was quite harrowing... Don't fret, you're okay now, Rei."

                                            >You nod slowly as he clears his throat.

                                            >”I’ve got things done for the most part regarding your movement, don’t you worry. But you'll need a few adjustments before things are right as rain. I'm just waiting on a few replacement parts. Once they get here, it'll be a cinch.”

                                            >He gets up and fiddles with something on the back of your neck an-

                                            “AH!”

                                            >You jolt as feeling comes back to your body.

                                            >It was more so the shock of feeling again than pain, so you’re thankful for that at least.

                                            >Foremen gives you a concerned look. "I'm sorry, I probably should have warned you!"

                                            “It’s okay! I’m fine, uhm, thank you.”

                                            >He nods with a smile.

                                            >”Good, good. Now, you’ll be able to walk again but… very poorly for the time being."

                                            >You try to sit up, but flop over.

                                            >You feel pretty dumb in your current state but… you’re still here.

                                            >That’s all you could ask for, really.

                                            >With a little more effort, you finally can look him in the eye.

                                            >You try to give him a slight bow that just devolves into you accidentally laying down again.

                                            “This is… frustrating.”

                                            >”Uh-huh, Here, let me give you a hand.”

                                            >You watch as he approaches and gingerly grabs you by the midsection.

                                            >With surprisingly little effort, he picks you up and sets you on the ground.

                                            >You're rather abnormally sized, so it was certainly a feat worth commending.

                                            >”Alright! Now that you’re not table bound, I think I should ask… How are things?”

                                            >You sit up, now having gotten a little used to being a physical thing again.

                                            “I… I’m not sure.”

                                            >Your ears droop as you realize something.

                                            >The garden is… really abandoned now.

                                            “It’s over… isn’t it?”

                                            >He brushes his beard with a hand. “I know its probably been… very unfortunate for you. I'm sorry for your loss. I wish I knew sooner.”

                                            >He kneels down and looks at you with his kind eyes.

                                            >”You’re more than welcome to stay, I’ve always got room.”

                                            “The… warehouse?”

                                            >”Yeah, If you’re up for it. It won’t take much to set up a spot.”

                                            >You take a deep breath and stand up. Your legs are shaky, but you manage.

                                            “Thank you sir I… I don’t know how to repay you…”

                                            >He shakes his head. “I do this because I can, you don’t owe me squat.”

                                            >He pauses for a moment. “Although… How would you like to do a little gardening? That might make you feel more at home.”

                                            “G-gardening?”

                                            >”I’ve got a greenhouse out back, and if you want, I’m sure we can snag whatever you might want to start something up again."

                                            >You stare at him for a while, slowly tearing up.

                                            “I… I would love that. T-thank you Mr. Foreman.”

                                            >You try to walk over and give him a hug but you slip up.

                                            >He catches you before you can tumble over and chuckles lightly.

                                            >”Careful now! Baby steps, Rei, Baby steps.”

                                            “I guess it’s a little harder than I thought… But I persist!”

                                            >He helps you back on your hooves and guides you out of the shop.


                                            >By the time you make it out, you’re able to stand on your own again, albeit on the wobbly side.

                                            >Out front is a grassy expanse with a dirt road winding into the distance, where you can see the city proper.

                                            >You watch the grass sway in the afternoon breeze and let out a sigh.

                                            >"You know... I've always thought it was too bare out here. It could use a few flowers."

                                            "It certainly would liven up the place a bit, but... I'd say it's rather breathtaking regardless of how you proceed."

                                            >You turn around and stare up at the repair shop.

                                            >Behind it is a warehouse, decorated with all sorts of colorful art.

                                            >He points out back and you squint at a large greenhouse in the distance.

                                            “Wow it’s… it’s very nice.”

                                            >"There isn't much going on in there right now besides a few personal patches, so you'll have..."

                                            "Free reign?"

                                            >You grin as he chuckles.

                                            >"Yeah, I suppose so."

                                            >He looks up and smiles. “Ah, right on time. Heads up, Reign.”

                                            “Huh?”

                                            >You look where he’s looking and see a tannish blur come barreling towards you.

                                            >Wait wha-

                                            >You get tackled at a reasonable speed and fall to the ground.

                                            >”I thought I said *not* to do that, Alba!”

                                            >You wiggle helplessly under your winged assailant before you come face to face with a grinning mare.

                                            >Her teal eyes are as intense as they are friendly.

                                            >”Hey there! I’m your mind buddy!”

                                            “W-w-whuh?”

                                            >It’s... It's the weird voice you heard!

                                            >...And she’s laying on top of you.

                                            >It’s rather uncomfortable.

                                            “Please- Please get off me…”

                                            >She blinks and mumbles a quick ‘Sorry’ before rolling off of you.

                                            >You sit up and rub the back of your neck.

                                            >You don’t feel more broke, so you guess it wasn’t that bad…

                                            >”Sorry about that, how about we start over?”

                                            >You side eye the tan mare with the wild brown mane, who is sporting an innocent smile, and then glance over to a bemused Foremen in the distance.

                                            >She really shot you, huh? You're at least halfway down the path.

                                            >Are- Are you certain nothing is broken again?

                                            >She extends a hoof with a grin. “Albatross! Courier and watchdog of um…”

                                            >She pauses and looks over to Mr. Foremen.

                                            >”It’s Wrenchwerks, Alba.”

                                            >She nods a few times and then looks back to you with a slightly embarrassed shuffle.

                                            >-Ahem- I am Albatross! Courier and watchdog of the ever growing amalgamation of the Wrench!”

                                            >She mumbles 'I'm still working on the speech...' under her breath before she resumes gazing at you.

                                            >You hear Foremen sigh and start walking back inside. “Close enough! I’ll see you soon, Rei.”

                                            >He’s going to leave you with this… this…

                                            >You look at her a little closer.

                                            >She… She reminds you of…

                                            >That mare that would fly over the garden!

                                            >No wonder she found you.

                                            >You clear your throat and try to seem formal, which doesn’t work very well due to your current vulnerable state.

                                            “I’m… I’m Reign. It’s uhm… a pleasure to meet you, Albatross.”

                                            >”Nice to meet you too, Rei! Don’t you worry, I’ll show you the ropes and the next thing you’ll know, you’ll be strutting around the warehouse in no time!”

                                            >She extends her hoof once more, beaming with a vengeance.

                                            >After a little hesitation, you meet her hoof with your own and the two of you shake.

                                            >You get up and brush yourself off while she rambles on about something to do with comics, but you’re not sure what a ‘comic’ is.

                                            >”...And that is why I'm gonna be a super duper cool hero! I’ll be *just* like Vividguy!”

                                            “Okay… I think you'll make a fine um, hero?”

                                            >Alba giggles to herself when you say that, ruffling her wings.

                                            >She then twirls around and points to the greenhouse up the hill.

                                            >”First things first, We’re gonna walk to the lair!”

                                            “That- That’s a greenhouse, Alba.”

                                            >”Potato Potado! I promise you’ll love it regardless. I've grew this tomato that looks kinda like a pumpkin! Can you beat that?”

                                            "Well I... I grew flowers and such so... I'm not sure?"

                                            >"Only one way to find out, right? C'mon!"

                                            >She trots a few feet before looking back at you.

                                            >She's a tad odd but... she sorta reminds you of Rush.

                                            >And Rush could be quite the oddball too, so if anything, you think you'll feel right at home.

                                            >You look up at the greenhouse and after a little contemplation, you smile.

                                            >You’re going to make them proud.

                                            >It may not be your garden, but...

                                            >Any garden can be your garden, it’d be silly not to count this one.

                                            >You… You have a new start.

                                            >A second chance, of sorts.

                                            >It’ll be a bumpy road but…

                                            >You look down at Albatross, who was as happy as ever.

                                            >You think you’ll manage.

                                            >You’re Reign.

                                            >And today you won’t fall.

                                            >...At least not in the emotional sense.

                                            >You sorta fell a few times.

                                            >But you picked yourself back up.

                                            >And…

                                            >You’ve got a new friend to help you through it all.