DELIRUM:
Desecration

“Jeez. I mean…JEEZ.”

Twilight sat by her assistant, eyes wide as she looked down at the journal in her hooves, Spike reading over her shoulder as he looked upon the translated pages she’d crafted.

“That’s…I mean, WOW, Twi! They really…I mean…REALLY?” He asked, barely able to believe his own eyes. “He actually agreed to a rape scene?”

“I TOLD you.”

“I thought he would have backed out of it!” Spike said quickly, shaking his little head back and forth and clinging tightly to his light purple body. “I mean…EWWWW!”

“It isn’t like those ponies actually did it. But…yeah. I do feel he did sell out.” Twilight murmured quietly as she shook her head back and forth, looking down at the journal as the wind went gently through her long indigo mane, the scholarly Twilight flinching a bit as she continued to read. “He goes on in excruciating detail. There’s so much suffering in every line, and…some of the words are blurred. He was crying when he wrote about this.” She reasoned, tapping a hoof against the page.

She and Spike had begun their travel to the coordinates where the city of New Hope had once been, making their way out of town upon a long trek through the Everfree Forest. They’d stopped at one of the few wide open clearings within the woods to sit down upon a tree stump and read more of the 50,000 year old Changeling diary, but now Spike was finding himself wishing that they HADN’T. The more they learned about the culture of the Continent of Collective, the more they discovered of the ancient Changeling ways, the more repulsive elements they continued to find. The casual disregard the Ghainahm family Changeling Shimmer had developed for his own pride in the name of being a “serious actor”…he seemed to have sacrificed his self-respect just for the sake of being “edgy” and “avante-garde”.

“Is this the only time it happened?” Spike asked. “Please tell me he never had to do anything else like THAT.” He begged, clasping his hands together and shaking his head rapidly back and forth.

“I wish I could. But he brings up this painter…” Twilight murmured nervously. “Very famous, very skilled…very sleazy.” She trailed off, closing the book shut with a THUD and placing it into her knapsack as she looked at Spike. “There’s something else in the story that worries me. He keeps mentioning seeing something in the sky. A stitch marking, like somebody was slowly ripping the sky open. I think he might have begun seeing the beginning of the end of the city and he didn’t even realize it.”

“If he wrote down this journal and got it away from where New Hope was, he obviously wasn’t THERE when the city just up and vanished.” Spike reasoned. “So then…why would he run away?”

“Yes. Why indeed…” Twilight murmured quietly, chewing on her lip. “…and just what happened to him? And to that city? The more I read about it, the more I find myself filled with this unease and dread…”

…

…

…

…having to sit through the scene had been…uncomfortable…to say the least…for Sirocco the Gryphon. He gave an almost baleful glare over at Director Maghreb, wishing that the zebra could spontaneously combust if he glared at him hard enough.

“Let’s get it started!...dammit, stupid…ZIPPER!” The female pony that was “raping” Shimmer the Changeling groaned out, an exasperated groan filling the air from everyone else, the director included.

“CUT!” He cried out as everybody halted again, Maghreb slapping his face. “What’re you doing?” The zebra demanded to know of Ms. Jodie.

“The zipper’s stuck.” The unicorn said apologetically. “Hold on. I’ll fix it.” She said, tugging at the zipper, finally unstucking the thing and giving the director a nod. “It’s taken care of.”

Maghreb clapped his hooves together, the scene beginning again as Sirocco held his head in one clawed hand, cringing. “Good, Jodie. Now we’ll begin again. TAKE TWO.”

“Oh geez oh geez oh geez oh GEEZ!” He grunted as the scene began to play out, shaking his head back and forth.

“If-if you d-don’t s-stop I’m-I’m gonna…I’m-I’m gonna…” Shimmer stammered. “Stop! I-I c-can’t…UUUAAAAHHHH!”

The gryphon turned his head, hearing what sounded like faint gurgling noises. “Ugh. This is hard for me to…Carapace?” Sirocco’s question died in his throat as he saw Carapace’s eyes were tightly clenched shut, tears trickling down the large cheeks of the Keobjil clan Changeling as his hooves dug into his sides. Carapace was weeping quietly, but uncontrollably, not even trying to halt the free flood of tears pouring onto the ground below as the rape played out. “…Carry…” Sirocco murmured mournfully as Carapace ran from the room, slamming the door shut behind him as Sirocco held his head in his hands, slowly shaking it back and forth as the scene finished.

For Shimmer, he felt the unicorn pounding into him again and again, his mouth slightly hung open as she continued to “make use” of him for the scene, the women in the “strip club” hooting and hollering as his eyes drifted up to the disco ball above. Light spun rapidly around the room, their roars and cries filling his ears as he slowly shut his eyes and just…waited for it to be over. He allowed himself to think of the first time he had ever appeared upon the stage, of thousands clapping and cheering, all eager to hear New Wave’s first concert.

Blinding lights and cheering faces, hundreds clapping at once, his name echoing like a chant. He could feel the waves of pure joy and admiration riding off of them. Though his family didn’t feed of off love, there was an exhilarating, satisfying high that came from this experience. Almost erotic. Almost spiritual. Something on a different level of reality, the sudden awareness that every single being before you is just waiting for words to come from your mouth. Waiting for your song. Waiting for you.

For you…

…for ME…

Shimmer…Shimmer…SHIMMER, SHIMMER, SHIMMER, SHIMMER-

The deed…

…was done.

…

…

…

… “Oyaaaaah.” Shimmer groaned out, flopping into his chair in his dressing room at the studio, arms weakly limping over the silvery/blue armrests, dark blue hair matted with sweat as it hit his forehead with a TWHUMP every time he raised and lowered his head to take deep, long breaths. “So…tired…so very…very tired.”

“You did good, kid. You did real good.” Sirocco complimented as he clapped his hands together, patting Shimmer on the shoulder and giving him a comforting smile as Shimmer looked up in the mirror to smile back at his former Director and current Agent’s beaked face. “I’m sorry Carapace isn’t here. He just…got up and took off. He looked really sick. And…well, thing is…”

“Yeah?” Shimmer asked, eyes closed as he took in deep, slightly rasping breaths.

“…Shimmer, I…I mean…”

“…uh huh?”

“…how about…I take you out to dinner?” Sirocco finally asked, rubbing the back of his neck and giving the deep blue-eyed changeling a comforting smile. “My treat? I mean, you’ve been working so hard at this, I think you’ve earned it.”

“Oh, I’d LOVE it!” Shimmer said happily, clapping his hooves together as he rose up from the chair and headed out of the dressing room, walking down the long dark grey hallway past a bathroom to make their way to outside.

“I’ll even let you ride me.”

“You sure you can handle letting me go piggyback?”

“I haven’t lost EVERYTHING with age!” Sirocco insisted with a chipper, squawking laugh, clapping Shimmer on the back as they headed for the doors…unaware of the grey pony that slowly pushed the bathroom door open, peeking after the two. The grey pony that held a video camera in one hoof. The pony who saw all…knew all.

Later that night…he would have some choice words to speak.

“That director. That WRITER. Both so screwed up!” Hyacinth said as he spoke to his special Source Wall in his room, sitting on a bean bag chair, nothing but the light of the Source Wall illuminating his face, all the room cast in an eerie, faintly white glow. He folded his hooves across his chest, shaking his head back and forth, sweat drops flying all over the “New Wave” carpeting he’d set down, pictures of Shimmer the Changeling plastered all over the room like makeshift wallpaper. A pity the things weren’t PADDED. “What an ugly, ugly state of affairs. Truly singing in front his fans was Shimmer’s true destiny!

Speaking OF, Shimmer was finally returning back to his room. He opened up the door, letting out a yawn as he made his way over to his fish tank, picking up the fish food from off his desk and tapping on the glass. “Hey there, Little Buddies. Shimmer’s got some treats for you tonight! I know it’s not as nice as the sugar-covered apples that I got to enjoy for dessert with Sirocco, but you guys know sugar makes you…huh?”

Something was wrong. The fish weren’t moving. He tapped on the glass again, his brow slightly furrowing. “Guys?...Little…oh no. OH NO.” The changeling whispered, his eyes widening slightly as he realized their eyes were wide open, but unseeing…floating aimlessly in the water, dead as a doornail.

With a loud, screeching wail, he TORE the curtain down from his windowed balcony, tossing it across the room, his hooves then slamming into the desk, knocking it over as he screamed and yelled, things flying across his apartment like a miniature tornado was touching down. Shimmer ripped the bed sheets in two, sobbing intensely, covering his head as he finally flopped down onto his now-empty mattress, openly weeping, not wanting to stop the flow of tears.

“Of COURSE I didn’t wanna do it! Of COURSE I didn’t’ want them doing that! What was I supposed to SAY?! Everybody was counting on me! I couldn’t let them down after coming this far! I’m DIRTY…so dirty, dirty, DIRTY!” He screamed, rubbing fake dirt off his body over and over as he writhed on the bed like a dying fish that had been tossed into a boat.

“Heh-heh. I tried to tell you.”

Shimmer’s eyes flew open as he immediately sat up, looking to his right at his reflection in the windowed door to the balcony outside, one bright and vivid, wearing an all-too familiar and flashy vest.

“I mean, is that REALLY the kind of career you want? It’s the pits.” The virtual Shimmer remarked, laughing softly as Shimmer let out a scream, tossing a pillow at the reflection. With a THWUMP it struck it, sliding harmlessly down…

The “virtual” him gone, leaving only his panting face with tear-strained cheeks…and…his fish. His fish were moving around in their tank…alive. Unharmed.

Clean…

…

…

…

… “That particular scene? Oh, yeah, I mean…wow. I was really nervous about it at first. I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t uncomfortable doing it. But I saw it as a hurdle I just had to overcome if I wanted to become an actor.” Taro and the gang read out loud in “New Hope News’s “People” section. There was a large article in the newspaper on the drama “Delirium”, specifically an interview with its up-and-coming actor, Shimmer the Changeling.

“The ratings really went up.” Heimdall murmured to the others as Taro rolled his eyes.

“As usual, the public at large are droolin’ troglodytes. Let’s see what else he says. “I’d like to be recognized as an actor. But my time with New Wave taught me so much. It was a truly great experience in its own way, and I’ll always be grateful to them. I wish them nothing but the best.”

“I don’t mind. Rumi was always my personal favorite.” One of the gang admitted with a chuckle as they left the grocery store, none of them aware of Hyacinth, who was just down the aisle, the newspaper clenched tightly in his hooves as he turned it over and over, gritting his teeth. He looked mad enough to rip the newspaper into shreds.

And that was exactly what Hyacinth began to DO once he’d finally purchased it, letting out a frustrated roar as the clerk nervously gulped, Hyacinth plodding angrily out of the grocery.

That night, Shimmer was sitting before his Source Wall, looking it over as he sat on his bed, tilting his head to the side as he read through the entries.

“In so many words, tell us what your day was like “Today I was still a little depressed, but receiving letters from all of you yesterday made me feel a whole lot better”.” Shimmer rubbed his head, a confused expression coming to his face. “Wait a minute. I didn’t GET any letters yesterday. What…?”

He leaned in, getting a closer look at the Source Wall. “Take me to the next entry! TODAY’S.” He asked of the Source Wall as glowing letters burned into being on the wall, Shimmer reading it over slowly and carefully. “It’s awful. Please help me everyone…they’re forcing me to do it! It’s all the screenwriter’s fault! Help me, please! Help! Help! Help! What? WHAT?! I…” Shimmer gaped in surprise, sitting up from the bed. “But I’m not writing this!”

“Of course you’re not!” The virtual him said, popping in back in the reflection he normally saw in the windowed balcony door. That same cheery smile. The soft light bathing off his body. The flashy, bejeweled vest, the glittering eyes…it was just like he’d seen before! “The REAL Shimmer is writing it!” The virtual Shimmer said, waving a hoof around in the air and laughing. “I know deep down in your heart you wanna be a pop singer again?”

“But I’m…I’m no longer-”

“No longer WHAT?” The Virtual Shimmer asked, putting a hoof up to his ear, tilting his head slightly as he leaned in a bit, Shimmer reeling back, shaking his head back and forth as the Virtual Shimmer joyfully laughed. “Oh, riiiiight! I almost forgot! You’re no longer a pop star, right? Nobody wants to fill the world with silly love songs anymore! Not that you could even if you wanted to. You’re filthy, like a slut.”

“N-no, th-that’s…” Shimmer whimpered, holding his head in his hooves, cringing as the tears came to his eyes. “That’s not true! I am NOT filthy!”

“Nobody likes a star with a tarnished reputation. You remember the first time you appeared on the stage? You’ll never be able to step back into that spotlight again. But that’s alright. I’M here. I’ll be in the light, and you’ll be in the shadows where you belong!” Virtual Shimmer said as he hopped backwards, passing through the window to the balcony as Shimmer gripped the blankets beneath him, hooves tightening their grip.

“I am NOT TARNISHED! I’M NOT, I’M NOT, I’M NOT! This isn’t HAPPENING!” He screamed out, seeing the Virtual him hop off the balcony. He raced to the door, yanking it open, gaping in surprise as the Virtual Shimmer hopped from roof to roof like a dainty flower flickering along in a spring zephyr, slowly fading from sight as Shimmer held his hooves over his mouth, taking deep, pained breaths, his body shuddering and shaking. “…I’m…I’m not…” He sobbed out. “…I’m noooot…”

…

…

…

… The beautifully deep pink skin of Moore the Earth Pony contrasted hard with the ugly dark grey of the train station around her. She’d been too late to catch the last train and now would have to take the tunnelways home. Muttering to herself, she made her way across the complex towards the elevator, past large column after column which was used to hold the central docking platform of the train station up. “Next time, set my clock EARLIER.” Moore said out loud to herself, wondering if perhaps she should just purchase her own chariot and have, perhaps, an Earth pony charioteer drive her around the way the director had one. In fact, he was rich enough to afford TWO in case the first-

She stopped, sniffing the air. Something was off. There was a foul, malodorous stench filling the air. Following the rank odor, she eventually turned the corner, noticing that there was an enormous series of wooden planks set up in front of the main entranceway to the tunnels that the Diamond Dogs of New Hope had set up all through the city, in the event the trains were of no use to anyone. Who would take the time to put enormous wooden planks in front of the main entry?

Probably the same person who’d splashed pig’s blood all over said planks, waited for enough of it to dry, and then painted out the words “You FILTH” in big, capital letters in the blood. She frowned darkly at this…

And then stiffened. Something else was wafting through the air as she whipped her head left and right, hearing…MUSIC playing. Somebody was playing a miniature stereo that was broadcasting “New Wave” music through the air.

“Hello? Who’s there?” Moore called out, her eyes widening behind her glittering white glasses as she nervously made her way towards the elevator door, deciding to take THAT to the tunnels. For a brief moment the music seemed to stop. She took in a deep, nervous breath, glancing left and right again as she looked around the facility, listening intently.

Finally, when she was satisfied she was alone, she pressed the elevator button to bring it up to her level, sighing slightly as she hung her head, turning away from the elevator. “I’m going out of my mind.” She mumbled.

Before the music started up again, getting louder and louder with each passing moment as Moore stiffened, her head whipping left and right as she looked around. Where was that music coming from? What-

Then she realized it was coming from BEHIND her, wheeling around and gaping in surprise at the stereo that had been left on the floor of the elevator, scratching her head in confusion.

“It’s fleeting, just a passing glimpse, only a tiny taste,
The faintest hint of something even better!
”

…

…

…

…soft footsteps running far away. A faint “PING” filled the air as the door slid shut, then open again, continuously opening and closing on the stereo again and again as it continued to play the same chunk of track again and again.

Moore could no longer hear it. Her blood splattered the walls and ceiling of the elevator like a crude modern art painting, lifeblood trickling steadily down from her gutted-open chest and stomach, her mouth open in what had been a quickly silenced scream. Her eyes had been viciously and hastily dug out of her skull, bloody sockets streaming as her body slumped further and further down, her glasses crushed to the side.

Finally it hit the floor of the elevator, a single fly landing on her head and buzzing as the stereo continued to play for its only listener, who would never be able to hear anything.

Ever again.

The sweet hereafter puts you in your place-the sweet hereafter puts you in your place-the sweet hereafter puts you in your place-

…

…

…

… “It happened near one o’clock this morning.” Taro admitted as he sat with his friends with the rest of the crowd at New Wave’s next concert, the hot midday sun beaming down on all of them as Heimdall the Dragon sipped on some juice, nodding his head. “I mean, blood EVERYWHERE.”

“I think the bad karma fairy got her.” Marian said, the cherry-furred unicorn giggling a bit as she waved her bejeweled hoof in the air.

“The bad karma fairy?” Taro the Changeling asked, scratching his head as Marian enthusiastically nodded her head, Heimdall nervously looking over to the right to take notice of…wait. Hadn’t he seen that grey-furred pony before? At other concerts for New Wave?

“Yep. She stepped on Moore again and again with her six-inch stiletto horeshoes.” Marian chuckled out as she sipped on some juice of her own. “Anyhow, you been to the Source Wall site? Seen Shimmer’s Room?”

“Yeah, but is that really him?” Taro wanted to know with a shrug. “Is he honestly writing all of that? It said he’s supposed to be at the concert today, singing with Rumi and Meman and all the rest.”

“Yeah, I was wondering about that…”

“Look, I really doubt the letter and this are connected. I mean, if they were, wouldn’t the person who did them have struck earlier?” Sirocco asked of Shimmer as Shimmer got himself ready in the dressing room. “We’ve got to put this behind us.”

“But what if it IS connected?” Shimmer wanted to know.

“How can you be sure it’s connected, anyhow?”

“…I can’t. Frankly, I’m not sure of ANYTHING these…” He said as he looked out the window and up at the sky, blinking in surprise. What the? That thing in the sky. “Sirocco, have you seen that thing in the sky? The thing that-”

“Looks like something’s stitched up there and is being ripped open?” Sirocco asked, turning his head and looking over at Shimmer, who enthusiastically nodded as the gryphon walked over to the window and peeked up as the ripped-open piece of sky faded quickly away. “I don’t know what that is. It might just be an optical illusion of the heat. This IS the hottest year on record, after all.”

“…maybe.”

“Listen, uh…Shimmer, about the photographer who’s going to be here today…” Sirocco began to say.

“That photographer…” Rumi murmured nervously to the rest of the band as THEY sat in their own dressing rooms, getting themselves ready for their concert as Carapace stood outside the door, nervously tapping one hoof on the ground, shaking his head back and forth. “I dunno, guys. I mean…I’ve heard he’s got something of a fetish for making people show every little thing they’ve got to offer. Not a single person he’s photograph lasted more than five minutes before he asked them to take it all off.”

“Oh, Shimmer will be fine. It’s just PICTURES after all.” Mania insisted, the Keobjil lead drummer shaking his head back and forth as he took a swig of water from his bottle, Rumi applying some lipstick to her mouth. “He won’t mind. I’m sure he can’t wait to take it off. Like, POW! “Hello, world! I’m sexy and I know it”!”

“Sexy…and I know it. I’ve just got the greatest idea for our next song!” Rumi realized, hopping up and down as she raced for the nearby desk, yanking open a drawer and scribbling down lyrics onto a pad. “It’s PERFECT! And I’ve got a great idea for costumes, too!”

“Children! Such NOISE!” Carapace groaned out, looking into the room and rapping on the door. “Get on out there! You’re on in five, remember? Then I have go over and check in on Shimmer.”

“You’re being stretched so thin as BOTH our managers, Carry.” Rumi insisted gently. “You ever consider maybe taking a vacation for your health?” She asked of the thickly Changeling as he groaned slightly.

“I don’t need a vacation. I need painkillers, I have a major headache…”

Meanwhile…speaking OF said photographer…

“Oh yeah. Right there. You’re captured in the light perfectly.” The thick, muscular albino unicorn insisted, snapping photographs of Shimmer as he sat on top of a large white bed in a white, pearly room with soft silver curtains fluttering in the breeze from an opened window nearby. He was lying across silken sheets in a white vest and pants, and now rolled onto his back, resting his head on one hoof as he smiled seductively at the camera as it captured his every position. “Just lovely?”

“Like this?” Shimmer asked, the photographer nodding enthusiastically, sweat drops breaking out on the unicorn’s forehead and trickling slightly down his brow, the orange shirt he wore now showing stains under his armpits as he motioned for Shimmer to get into a new position.

“Open your mouth a little bit.” He asked. “Soft, slightly pouty-THERE. Good, good! Now lean against the pillow…one arm stretched out. GOOD! Okay. New camera, new camera…” He murmured to himself, his horn glittering with a faint blue light as another camera floated across the private studio he’d taken Shimmer to and into his hoof as he put the other one to the side. “Alright. New tack. Take it off.”

“All of it?” Shimmer asked, nervously flinching as he looked slightly down.

“Oh yes. I want you au-naturale. Everything. Give me everything tonight.” Mr. Jones insisted with a firm nod, pointing at the camera. “It LOVES you, baby. The camera loves to soak in every bit of your body. There ain’t nothing to be ashamed of.”

Shimmer inwardly flinched as he took hold of his vest and took it off over his head, slinging it away whilst Mr. Jones snapped shot after shot, getting every angle that would make Shimmer’s fur shine JUST right in the light. It wasn’t long though before the flushed unicorn then asked Shimmer to take off his PANTS, and show off everything.

Normally ponies, much like many other species in Collective, did not, under any circumstances, let it “all hang out”. That sort of thing was hidden away, only coming out during for necessary biological functions such as relieving themselves…or finding relief. But if they wished it and could flex just the right muscle, get the right stimulation, then the mental switch would click in their head and out it would come.

Not that his was unimpressive. About a 7 point five out of ten, maybe? But it wasn’t like size mattered. No, it was about what was proportional to body size, right?

FLASH!

Perhaps it was childish to think of such things. But his body was running on autopilot, doing the necessary positions meant to allure and seduce would-be fangirls and fanboys, taking every pose that the photographer wanted as Mr. Jones grinned broadly, licking his beaked lips with a bright pink tongue. “Oh YEAAH, work it, work it, work it! Be more DARING!”

FLASH!

Shimmer drew himself up, resting his hooves behind his head, the giving a firm, alluring smile, a glint to his eye as the photographer snapped his shots. “There! Right THERE, that’s the come hither smile that drives them wild! THAT is how you get them to come to you, THAT’S what the people want!” Jones insisted with a toothy grin. “More!”

FLASH!

“Gimme more! MORE!”

FLASH!

“MORE!”

…

…

…

… Shimmer rested himself against the wall of his waiting room, arms wrapped around himself as he took in deep, careful breaths, his hair hanging low over his bowed head as Sirocco knocked on the door again, the gryphon glancing back at the hallway. “Shimmer, please! You’ve got your next scene to get ready for! I thought you decided to go through with it? This is the scene where your character starts seeing delusions in your room! C’mon, everyone’s out here waiting for you!”

“Oh, he’s got no idea.” Virtual Shimmer admitted as Shimmer gaped in surprise, stiffening on the spot as he slowly looked up at the bright and colorful “fake” version of himself that had its hooves behind its back, standing on his back legs and happily humming a little tune. “Didn’t I tell you before? It’s so much better when you’re living for the fans.” The Virtual Shimmer said, poking Shimmer in the nose.

“Stop all of this!” Shimmer yelled at the strange manifestation before him, sweeping a hoof through the air and bristling his fur. “Just what ARE you?!”

“Oh, come on! You know!” Virtual Shimmer said with a sigh as he walked around Shimmer, shaking his head back and forth. “I’m a pop star. The fans are all waiting for me to take the stage. I’m going to sing with the gang again.”

“That’s not going to happen. I’m an ACTOR now.” Shimmer insisted, panting slightly as he shook his head back and forth, sweat dripping down his head as he held it in his hooves. “This isn’t happening!”

“Don’t be so stupid. Nobody really wants that! Just listen…the fans are all waiting for me!” Virtual Shimmer said as he opened up the door across from Shimmer, beautiful white light pouring out and cascading over Shimmer…the cheers of fans filling Shimmer’s ears…

“THIS! ISN’T! HAPPENING!” Shimmer screamed out. “THIS ISN’T HAPPENING!”

Knock-knock.

“Shimmer?”

Shimmer’s eyes snapped open as he sat up in his chair. “Shimmer, are you alright?” Sirocco called out as he finally entered the room. “Listen, if you’re not comfortable going on after what you just had to do this morning, I can try to talk to the director…”

…

…

…

…the photographs had been…well…quite popular, evidently. It hadn’t just been the New Hope newspaper that bought up the photos that Mr. Jones had shot, no. All of the tabloids and local magazines had wanted in. But without a doubt, the most popular magazine on the continent, “Collective Soul”, had the most raunchy and racy of them all. There was now very little that the people of New Hope didn’t know about Shimmer the Changeling’s body. He wouldn’t be surprised if the photographer had even managed to capture the exact number of teeth he had in his smile. Why not? He’d gotten pictures of his manhood and his bare behind in high definition.

And such photographs were driving a certain fan up the wall. Hyacinth had forcibly ripped magazine after magazine from patron’s hands at the grocery store, intent on buying up every single one that dared to show off Shimmer’s naked body. His mouth was a taut, furious line, his eyes faintly aglow with barely-repressed rage as he tore into the magazines again and again, the inhabitants of the grocery store watching him wordlessly rip the magazines apart, the clerk cringing. Hey, he’d bought them fair and square but…now he was making it rain little chunks of magazine all over Checkout Aisle 2. This was going to be a MESS to clean up.

Storming back home, Hyacinth stewed quietly in his room, glancing about his room at the many posters of “New Wave”, looking at the figure of Shimmer in the center of each one, taking a deep breath before he turned his head to the faint white Source Wall and its softly burning flames. “Thank you for your kind words. I’m always glad to speak to you every day.” He spoke to it, in communication once again with his little “pen-pal”, his dear benefactor who, like he, wanted only to protect dearest Shimmer’s reputation. “You believe me, don’t you? That’s not REALLY Shimmer in those photos, not REALLY Shimmer doing that horrible drama!”

The Source Wall relayed his message as Hyacinth took in several deep, almost ragged breaths before his eyes lit up at the reply. “Yes. I believe you. I trust you, Mr. Hyacinth.”

“I’ll always be with you, and I’m never gonna change!” His posters cheerily announced to him as Hyacinth hugged himself and hummed happily as he continued to read off the Source Wall.

“But…I’ve got a problem. That horrible imposter. He keeps getting in the way.”

“You don’t need to worry.” Hyacinth responded back, his brow furrowed darkly. “I’ll get rid of him.”

“Oh, thank you, mister Hyacinth.” His pen-pal cheerily wrote back. “I know I can rely on you.”

Hyacinth wasn’t the only one losing it over the photographs, though. It had all been too much for poor Shimmer the Changeling. He simply had HAD to get away.

Hopping the turnstile, the Ghainahm family Changeling had raced to the forest, brushing aside thick bush, barreling past vibrant trees, flower patches and occasionally-startled woodland critters to leap headfirst into New Hope’s deep and luscious forest. The changeling’s breath was ragged and harsh, rasping as he dove deeper into the Mokujin Woods, the faint roar of what he needed to find filling his ears, getting louder and louder as he got ever closer.

Finally Shimmer reached it, the picturesque Mokujin Waterfall, a beautiful display of nature barreling down gallons and gallons of faintly greenish/blue water into an enormous natural pool. He tossed himself into the water, letting every single droplet of coolness fill his being, sinking lower and lower into the crystalline pool, going below the surface. He did nothing but stare up, mouth closed, his face pained and haggard as he looked up at something that could not stare back at him, reminding him of his shame.

He felt…dirty.

Diseased.

FILTHY.

TARNISHED.

Those…fucking…PHOTOGRAPHS.

He slowly wrapped his hooves around himself, eyes shutting tightly as he let out a screaming wail. “YOU BASTAAAAAAAAAAARD!!!” His watery wail echoed up from the depths of the pool.

“YOU BAAAAASTAAAAAAAAAAAAAARDDDDD!!!!”