Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria...

In a land torn by war and uncertainty, resorts and vacation spots became the focus of a lot of ponies, trying to escape the horrors of the conflict with the zebras and forget about the world they were making. Among these locales raking in bits from ponies weary with Wartime Stress Disorder, the tiny island of Fog Harbor became a favored hotspot.

Off the coast of the Trotson Commonwealth, Fog Harbor was previously a rural community of woodlands and parks, the main draw being the pegasus operated Fog Factory. As war consumed Equestria, outsiders began descending on the island in droves. Trotson was already a haven for war weary vets and students preparing to go into the grinder, tourism and relaxation became Fog Harbor's bread and butter.

A huge resort hotel was built in the foothills of the island's largest mountaintop, spas, drive in theaters and more sprang up like weeds, even the local soda factory saw a boom in business as tourists sampled the quaint local flavor, allowing them to compete in their small slice of the market with even the megalithic Sparkle Cola.

Not that everything was sunshine and rainbows of course, the war that ended everything reached even to the island. An island off the eastern coast of Equestria was on the frontlines with the zebra empire across the Celestial Sea. The Ministries and Equestrian military established new bases and defenses for the island, commandeering the Fog Factory and establishing a huge naval installation. The military presence was worrying for the locals, but they were more guests on their booming island, their bits were as good as any other after all.

Many clung to the old ways, the fishing village sharing the name of the island continued as they always had for the most part, sending boats out each day and returning with their haul each night. Happy to take the money of the tourists and soldiers on leave, but gruff and unfriendly towards outsiders nosing in to local haunts. Still, things were good for Fog Harbor, despite the war things were going well.

Then came the Last Day...

The balefire bombs and tidal waves turned Fog Harbor into a wasteland like the rest of Equestria, the Fog Factory spread a radioactive blanket of dense mist that shrouded the island in a cloak of secrecy and it was largely forgotten. Still life endured, the islanders were hearty ponies and a little thing like the end of the world wasn't enough to stop them.

Nature took its mutated new course, the forests and marshes of the island produced strange new wildlife the ponies learned to hunt like any other game, the dangers of the island were learned and adapted to, brave explorers took roughly repaired boats to shore, while others from outside found ways to reach the island themselves, life went on.

So it was that when a crotchety old dark blue stallion spotted a big green mare washed up on the shore of his land one fine morning, he wasn't particularly surprised.

Grumbling to himself, the grey maned old buck approached the prone form cautiously. Bodies washed up on his little stretch of beach sometimes, a spur of land that caught a current from the mainland, often they had valuables so it was worth investigating, rarely one might even be alive. "Of course, friggin traps all come up empty but I haul in a pony of all things... couldn'ta washed up near town could ya? Alright, let's see what.... we... got...?"

The elderly stallion stopped a good distance away from the soggy green mare, reaching a shaking hoof up to the tight knit blue cap atop his grey mane and simply staring. She looked like a fairly big mare as he had trotted down the beach towards her, but now that he was closer...

"Sweet Celestia... w-what the hell is this then?" A hint of awed concern crept into his voice, taking an irresistible step closer to the ...very big mare...

The leaning wreck of an old pleasure boat sticking straight out of the surf nearby gave him something for comparison, but his brown eyes refused to accept the scale he was taking in. Some ponies were tall yes... He'd met a few with a little Clydesdale in their family tree that towered over him, this however... this filly put them all to shame...

She had to be twice his size or more.... She was huge... there just wasn't any other word for it, he'd never in all his long years seen a pony this big. The bedraggled, wet mass of her dark mane surged with the waves in a curtain that would cover his windows from floor to ceiling, her outstretched foreleg half buried in the damp sand was easily as long as his entire body, the more than ample rump sticking out of the water would take up his whole ratty couch... big... really big pony... The fact it was a very attractive mare just made taking it in all the more jarring.

Longfellow Steeds wasn't a scaredy-pony though, he'd seen a lot in his long life, he lived on his own and survived whatever dangers the island had thrown at him. A pretty mare was nothing to be scared of, no matter how huge she was. Just in case, he worked his gleaming old lever action rifle before he got closer, keeping it trained on her as she gave a low moan and those big eyes fluttered open at his approach.

"Mmmmnnn.... h-hello? W-Who... where?" The big pony whined weakly, struggling to raise her head and flopping back to the sand. Her wings fluttered a moment with the effort and made Longfellow fall back a step in surprise, an alicorn?

That's what she was alright... wings and a long, graceful horn... a big, green alicorn was his catch of the day it seemed. Longfellow had heard stories of such creatures, lots of rumors and gossip in the Last Plank bar in town when he chose to visit and get drunk. He'd never personally seen one, he'd heard they were tall, but not this tall... Goddess Celestia was supposed to be the biggest pony around in the old days, but even pictures he'd seen of her failed to match this mare's stature.

Mentally berating himself for the quaver in his voice when he answered her weak questions, Longfellow shook himself and stomped forward. He was tougher than this dammit, so what if she was big, she was also clearly hurt and weak as a kitten. "E-Easy there missy, you alright? Can ya stand?"

The forest green mare blinked from under her dark mane, raising a shaking hoof up to push away the sopping mass of hair falling in her eyes and pausing at the silvery lilac streak running under her horn. Said horn lit up in a flickering glow of green magic and Longfellow felt the oddest sensation, like a breezy tickle in his head, there and gone when her magic gave out.

"Hello... L-Longfellow... hurt, tired... can't move.... h-help?" The massive filly groaned up from the foamy water surging around her as the tide started coming in. One long foreleg reaching out and feebly trying to drag her bulk forward to no avail.

Longfellow pulled his hat back over his mane and holstered his rifle on his back, glowering at the big guest in thought. She asked for help, Longfellow kept to the old ways, a visitor asking for help couldn't just be ignored... Trying to help with this one presented problems though, how was he supposed to move her? For that matter how'd she know his name? If he did help, what was he supposed to do with her?

He'd have to bring the doctor here from the village, no way to take the patient to him. He didn't see anything obviously wrong with her either, though her coat and wings were covered in dried blood, there wasn't any wounds to account for it. What if she got better and started eating him out of house and home once he had extended his hospitality? Or decided to flutter on over to town and buck the walls down? She'd be his responsibility...

Her tired green eyes looked up hopefully, full of apprehension and worry. That decided him, Longfellow believed in the old ways, she asked for help and he was obliged to give it. He did wish she had washed up somewhere else however...

"Stay right there missy, I'll be back directly and we'll get you out of there. Name's Longfellow, er... not sure how you knew already, but proper introductions an' all that. I'll get you sorted out alright?"

The huge filly gave a crooked, unsure smile back, looking up through dull lidded eyes and whispering a reply before passing out. "V-Virescent... pleased to... meet..."

Great... a giant, unconscious mare to deal with no less... Because dead weight was sooooo much better. Kicking at the sand in frustration, Longfellow turned to trot off to the rickety steps up towards his cabin and get his cart, no way was he carrying her on his back... He turned back at the first plank of weathered wood to take in the waterlogged filly.

Well... she was certainly easy on the eyes, that was something. Maybe a little company wouldn't be too bad, for a little while at least. Though paraphrasing an old joke made him uneasy about taking on a houseguest that may just decide she liked where she wound up once she felt better, where does a 600 pound filly go? Anywhere she wants...

When Virescent woke up, she held perfectly still and peeked between her eyelashes to look around while still appearing asleep. Experience had taught her to be wary of ponies who could be so cruel, turn away from the perfection that was the mother's glorious form, shout names, throw rocks... shoot guns... hate...

She shoved that nagging worry aside and opened her eyes fully on taking in her surroundings, she was alone so it seemed safe. The thoughts chasing themselves in her mind were pushed back by the new one she was still struggling with, not all ponies were bad... An annoying, infuriating, earnest, ...cute face and pleading voice in her jumbled memory flooded back, 'Be better Virescent... please...'

That warm voice was irksome... throwing everything she had believed in turmoil. Setting her adrift both figuratively and literally, as it was the last thing she heard before plunging to the icy ocean and winding up... wherever she was. Her situation seemed to support his naive point of view, now that she was trying to be open to it anyway, the blanket draped over her back had been put there by somepony after all. She was in a roughly repaired and rickety barn, the smells of ancient hay and damp weather leaking in spots through the roof filling the large space.

Well, relatively large space... Virescent's left wing stretching out in a yawn hit the nearest wall, while the right thumped against a central support beam that gave a warning creak. What was probably a king sized quilt on her back didn't quite cover all of her, leaving her rump exposed, her blank flank staring back at her. She was still overgrown...

Puzzling over that brought back her most recent memories, foggy and dim flashes, what she had been doing, just how much radiation she had absorbed, how gigantic and out of control she ended up as a result... Her cheeks heating up was an unfamiliar sensation for her, but Virescent knew it and couldn't argue, she was embarrassed... ashamed... a little frustrated too if she was honest with herself.

If only she had caught the male... the rather pleasant stirring in her nethers and shiver running up her spine reminded her why she had been on a rampage, what she had wanted... There was a real male alicorn out there and she had been so close! Everything the Goddess had ever wanted, a true, viable male to let her kind reproduce and spread! She trapped him, toyed with him, even got him to come to her! Everything went according her plans and he felt soooo wonderful...

Then he had her shot with a cannon...

And then he had saved her life... made her doubt and question... made her feel... confused. Mating for pleasure had always been a mystery to Virescent, she was fairly certain it didn't normally involve so much trouble. Still, she was starting to see the allure, but wished it had been with a more cooperative stallion...

The whole experience just left her more unsure of herself, scary for a mare who had always been full of unwavering faith. She had once spread the glorious message of the mother's Unity, to prepare the lowly masses to be lifted up. More recently she had her own flock of worshipers via the Church of Balefire and believed completely in the sermons she had given. Now... nothing made sense.

At least she was in her right mind now, tired and sore, an itch deep in her side under her hide as her insides continued to rebuild themselves. Being a little bigger wasn't so bad, a little disorienting waking in a large barn that felt cramped, but she could think straight again so that was an improvement. Trying to do so however left her flummoxed and a little frightened.

Taking stock of things, Virescent was pretty screwed... She had been working with the shadowy Institute, believing she was helping them perfect a version of the Impelled Metamorphosis Potion to create male alicorns. Actually seeing a successful result with her own eyes seemed to support their promises. Fast Times had been perfect, a little short maybe... but a perfect male alicorn, a way to breed and follow her mother's wish, to survive and propagate. Then he had shared his memories of how he was changed, of the creature masquerading as synthetic ponies to lie and use her...

That's how she felt now, used. The Institute used her, had her capture test subjects to intentionally mutate into flawed, genderless failures. Just another pawn in their insane plans. Just as even the Goddess, whom she had been devoted to and loved as her mother, had used her to spread the message of Unity before the Destroyer came. Was that all she was good for? An expendable stooge?

The male hadn't thought so, only making her more bewildered. Fast was infuriatingly stubborn, he was a male alicorn, he was meant to mate with her kind, ensure the survival of her species! Instead he refused! Ran from her! Granted at the time she was the size of a dragonlord and a little ...overstimulated... but she only wanted to do what she knew nearly all males always wanted anyway! As a green alicorn she could read the dirty thoughts out of their heads, had lived with feeling their lust along with their lewd stares wherever she went, when they didn't think she was a monster anyway.

He refused her though, wouldn't let her play with him, made her think he would, did such delightful things to her, then flew away! To top it all off, he lured her in front of a pair of anti-dragon cannons and had her shot chasing him, leaving her in this weakened state. Then when he had won, had her at his mercy, he protected her from those who wanted her dead, let her escape their vengeance, begged her to be better and promised if she changed that he would...

She agreed, though she didn't understand. Most of her memories while she was giant and rampaging were hazy actually... But the feelings she had read out of his mind... those stuck with her. She never felt anything like it before, it was better than unity, better than dominating others through fear and power, better than... than everything she had been.

Love... Virescent had never felt love before, despite everything she had done, how she had trapped him and tormented him, killed a pony right in front of him, not to mention how close she came to making him into a squirming little sex toy... using him like she was used... But he still felt such a warm, caring emotion, towards her?

Now she was alone, more alone than she had ever been, no Unity, no sisters, no Church of Balefire, no Institute, nothing. Weak and alone, washed up on some unknown shore with only the vague plea of 'Be Better' to guide her. But how was she supposed to be better on her own? With no one to tell her what to do? All her life someone had told her what to do, given her something to believe in. Thanks to Fast her belief had been shattered, replaced with only ephemeral faith in a better way.

Being used was at least simple. Finding her own way was hard, and scary...

With her mind racing as it was, she was actually eager for the company when the elderly stallion from before opened the barn door and trudged in, a small work cart full of spindly, mutated fruit and canned goods hauled behind him. "Ah, yer up. Yer ...smaller too, ain't ya? That's weird... wish ya would'a done that 'fore I hauled ya up here. Here, wasn't sure what you ate so got a little of everything. Includin' my rifle if pony happens ta be in yer diet, so no funny business..."

Longfellow stamped a hoof and hauled his laden cart in, stepping out of the harness and back towards the door cautiously, but putting effort into not showing any fear. Long years hunting on the island taught him that lesson long ago, showing fear only caused more problems.

Of course being able to master external signs of fear was still no defense against a telepath. Virescent stared down at the small stallion and read his surface thoughts quickly, finding his fear and feeling her face heat up again. He was forced to look up at a mare that was laying down in front of him, concern and an odd feeling of inadequacy were carefully concealed in his mind.

Seeing herself through his eyes, she thought again of the blurry memories of the male when she had been truly huge. Was this how he had felt? Her vague recollections said no... not quite, the male was a great deal more attracted to her than this old buck, making his rejection of her all the more puzzling, but she realized some of the same fear had been there yes, she was scary like this...

Of course it was only natural for such a puny and weak pony to be intimidated in the presence of the mother's perfect form, her every glorious inch was a testament to the power and majesty of the superior species of... No... 'Be Better Virescent'. Fast's worried plea was annoying all right, but forced her to try adjusting her thinking. She was bigger and stronger than the old buck, not better. She had needed his help after all, and he had given it for some reason.

Feeling Longfellow's worry and impatience rising, Virescent shook herself out of the reverie and spoke in a hoarse whisper. She was unsure how to deal with him, her first instincts of either 'kill him' or 'control him' seemed wrong. How would her blue sister Jade handle this? The male loved her, merely feeling an inkling of that warm emotion directed her way left her hungry for more. She wanted to feel that again, but the male only loved 'good' ponies... Good ponies typically didn't kill or mentally enslave their rescuers.

"T-Thank you... for your help. I don't eat ponies so you needn't worry. My condition is temporary if you're afraid, I will continue to shrink for awhile yet. If I could rest a bit longer, I will leave as soon as I'm able, p-please?" Reaching out with one big foreleg made the little stallion flinch internally, he had admirable mental discipline however, showing no outward sign and reaching out a steady foreleg to return the gesture.

Feeling his small hoof touching her own gave Virescent another unfamiliar feeling to puzzle out, she wasn't used to ...kindness, from ponies. This old stallion was gruff and grumpy, but treated her the same as he would anypony else by his thoughts. Granted that wasn't great by what she was reading out of his mind, but it was fair.

He didn't want company period, but was obliged by some firm code of honor to help her apparently, the same as he would for any other. She also got the barest whispers of the lewd thoughts that seemed to run through the minds of all male ponies every few seconds. Such background thoughts had always been an annoyance before, now... it was somewhat more interesting.

Longfellow's muttered response made her glad she hadn't just enslaved his mind out of hoof, pulling away from the light hoofbump and nodding to the cart of food. "Offered my hospitality, ain't gonna run ya off right off. If yer ...recoverin', then get some rest, eat somethin' so long as it ain't me. Then leave."

The rising panic she felt when Longfellow turned to trot back out was surprising, proof of how at sea she felt she supposed. Most of her life she could have cared less about normal ponies company, but now she had to admit... she didn't want to be alone. "W-Wait! I... I don't know where I am, could you speak with me a moment? Please?"

A gruff sigh answered as he hung his head, but Longfellow did turn back around and come closer. "Fog Harbor is where. Assumin' ya come from the mainland? Trotson? So, talking.... Hmmm... yer one of them alicorn ponies I heard about? Never seen many of yer kind on the island before, how'd you end up here?"

While she didn't feel that hungry, Virescent took one of the offered mutfruits and nodded, the whole misshapen purple fruit making little more than a mouthful she chewed thoughtfully before answering. "It's a long story... I... I was hurt, a ...friend... saved me, I must have drifted on the current here. My memories are a bit cloudy, this is an island?"

Longfellow's thoughts were confusing but interesting, he didn't talk to others often at all, living alone on his land and clearly proud of it. Even hermits got lonely sometimes though, despite himself he was warming to the conversation, pulling a dented silver flask from his dark peacoat and taking a drink. "Aye, an island. Not much of a friend if'n they left ya to wash up like driftwood on the shore here."

Another odd feeling she wasn't used to rose up at that, defensive anger... how strange. Virescent gave a whinny and shook her head forcefully, sending her long, dark mane swirling around her and letting her catch that pale lilac streak that wasn't there before. She puffed it out of her eyes absently and stamped a hoof down by the small fire, burning in a rusty shell of a barbecue grill between them.

"He had no choice! The Brotherhood wanted to kill me, escape to the sea was the only option. I... I had done bad things... but he still..." Virescent's voice started getting thick as she answered, a trembling hoof reached up to wipe away a bit of warmth on her cheek and she licked it curiously. A salty tear... she never cried, all her tears were long dried up, why?...

The rush of panicked apology just added to her confusion, Longfellow felt bad... for her... for making her cry? Sympathy? He did sound consoling as he rushed forward, gulping to himself before reaching up to pat her shoulder. "Hey, none of that now. Didn't mean nothing by it, just curious missy. Dunno what a Brotherhood is, but guessin' they must be bad news. Sounds like this pony means a lot to you? Didn't mean to insult him."

"He... he does? Yes. I suppose so. I... you have met me at a difficult time. Everything I knew was wrong... a lie. I'm lost... alone..." More tears started spilling down her big face, only making her more ashamed and confused.

Why was she leaking like this? Pinnacles of ponykind perfection didn't cry, foalish overgrown fillies on the other hoof, apparently they blubbered like babies. Virescent missed the absolute certainty she was part of the former group, being shown she really belonged to the latter was no fun.

A surge of a curious emotion ran through Longfellow's mind, something warm and caring buried under the gruff exterior and surface thoughts grumbling about wanting to be left alone. Something... paternal, he saw a crying filly and was reminded of the past. The warm feeling wasn't quite the same as what she had experienced from the male, but it was similar and so nice. Why such a pleasant emotion would make her cry more was an enigma to her, but the feel of Longfellow's hoof stroking her neck made her feel better.

"Everypony's done bad shit missy, done things myself that'd curl yer mane. I'm sure you're not that bad. Get some rest, I got chores ta get to. Yell if'n ya need something, leave whenever you're ready. Yer my guest for now, so not alone eh? But I uh... got lots ta do out here... already behind after haulin' yer big butt up here ya know..."

"I... I can stay? It isn't a bother? M-More of one I mean? I have nowhere else to go... you don't mind the company? My butt is not big however... a-any more than the rest of me..." She couldn't keep the reticent hope out of her voice entirely, looking down with cautious green eyes to the gruff older buck.

Longfellow's warm thoughts turned hurt and cold suddenly, the paternal feelings he was experiencing made him happy, then hurt him deeply, making the old stallion close up mentally as he trotted to the barn door. "Don't need company, live away from them fools in town fer a reason. Stay out here and rest up, then you can go there. Wanna be left alone."

Virescent drew her hoof back from reaching to his retreating back longingly, flinching at the wooden doors being flung closed. If she wanted, she could dig in his mind, force answers out of him. The temptation was there, she liked the good thoughts and feelings he had directed towards her, she wanted him to keep feeling that way and consoling her, not return to his cold, distant behavior and leave her alone in the barn. Her fellow green sister Ivy had rules for dealing with normal ponies though, she had always thought them silly and ignored them before, but... 'Be Better...'

Empathically sensing emotions and reading surface thoughts was one thing, but Virescent now saw it was rude to go further without permission. The old stallion helped her, talked to her like a normal pony, even with her filling his barn with an oversized body that proved she wasn't one. He was gruff and crotchety, but nice...

The thought of leaving here, choosing what to do, starting a new and unknown chapter of her life... it terrified Virescent. Longfellow's advice seemed best, she'd rest and count herself lucky for a place to recover and the lonely hermit who helped her. Letting the radiation wear off and finish healing her would make things better soon, then she'd... she'd think of something. Somehow.

"Told ya'll fools ta git off my land dammit! Don't give a fart in the wind what you think, this is my land and I ain't leavin' it!"

Voices raised in anger and arguing woke Virescent up and her big ears pricked up, alicorn senses were well above normal ponies so she could clearly make out Longfellow's shout and the stern voices of whoever he was arguing with. Again her first thoughts were negative, expecting trouble, her horn lighting up as she reached out to touch the nearby minds and learn what she could.

"And we told you a week ago we'd come back you old codger! Fog's worst it's ever been, leavin' all these condensers runnin' just for one pony's farm is stupid. We need them back in Fog Harbor more than just you do here. Come on Longfellow, Brew Barrel offered you a free tab at the Last Plank, drink all you want! Maybe find a filly for a little fun? Livin' all alone out here's no good for ya anyway. Be reasonable!" The stallion in charge of the outsiders grumbled to Longfellow, trying several approaches to get what he wanted and sounding friendly.

His thoughts were less so, as was usually the case with ponies. they said one thing and thought another...

Virescent slowly stood up with only a slight wince, looking down at herself and around the cramped barn. Not much time had passed then, she still filled the space with her overgrown curves and had to weave around the central beams, creeping up to the door and nudging it open a crack to peek out.

Three ponies were facing off with Longfellow at the path leading into the woods, the old earth pony stallion had his lever action rifle out, but not pointed their way. He was angry, she could feel the simmering fury baking off him easily. The outsider at the head of the group was a dingy brown earth pony, wearing patched yellow overalls and a flannel shirt, with a knit cap over his dark orange mane, thick, tall rubber boots were on his hooves and a strange harpoon gun was slung on his back.

The other two with him were plainly lackeys, their thoughts were focused on... Spear Fisher, that was the name running through their minds. He was in charge, the unicorn mare and earth pony buck were subservient to him, following his lead and joining in the annoyance swirling around him.

This was the first view she had of where she had wound up, other than her muddy memories of the beach, so Virescent took a moment to try to take in the sight. The group of ponies were stopped at the entrance to Longfellow's property, a hilly bit of land mostly cleared of blackened trees, with a few spindly crops growing here and there.

A small cabin was not far away in the opposite direction, Longfellow's home... She didn't feel insulted being stuck in the barn though, the little shack was far too small for her to squeeze her way in as she was at the moment, she was actually surprised and grateful the old buck had managed to get her to the barn at all.

The border of Longfellow's land was easy to figure out, a row of strange fenceposts marched off through the woods marking the edge, though there was no fence strung between them. Instead, the odd orange posts glowing with dim magic marked the border thanks to the dense fog beyond them. Longfellow's land was clear if gloomy, while the woods the path disappeared into behind them was cloaked in thick, pinkish grey fog, the tall, scorched trees turning into indistinct shapes in the mist beyond the fenceposts.

Each of these posts had a large jug connected to a bit of flexible hose wound around the post, up to the jeweled top spreading a field of magic around it. Judging by how all of their thoughts kept focusing on the orange posts, Virescent assumed these must be the 'condensers' the outsiders wanted.

The leader stamped his hooves and his annoyance deepened, Longfellow was being unreasonable according to him, his mental refrain of 'stupid old stallion' was bringing out an unfamiliar form of anger in the green alicorn. She didn't like how they were thinking of pushing him around, taking what they wanted, these were thoughts from ponies she was used to and expected, and they never ended well.

"Not goin' nowhere, you want more condensers, talk to them synth weirdos. These are mine, my land, if I wanna stay here, that's what I'm gonna do. Lived here all my life, plan on dyin' here too. Guess you can have them then." Longfellow grumbled back, waving out to his land and imperceptibly pausing as his gaze fell on the barn, catching the big green eye peering out from the cracked door.

The hoof held up to wait kept her in place for the moment, but he didn't have her advantages. Didn't sense the murderous impulse racing through Spear Fisher's mind like a flicker of lightning on the horizon before a storm. The other two might just be toadies and bullies, but for an instant Spear Fisher thought (if you want to die here first, that can be arranged old fool).

He probably wouldn't do it unless pushed, but he thought it... That was another aspect of ponykind psychology she was intimately familiar with, once that bitter seed had been planted, it tended to find fertile soil in too many hearts. The wasteland that birthed her kind was testament to that fact.

Instead of going for their weapons and escalating things, the trio of ponies started pushing Longfellow back, bringing the cluster of ponies closer and closer to the barn she sheltered in. Speaking like Longfellow was a dottering old coot that needed to be looked after, something she knew to be untrue just from limited exposure to his sharp mind.

"Don't be like that pops, we're trying to help ya out here. Old buck living alone on the island can get hurt, monsters in the fog have been getting bold you know." The unicorn mare cooed and trotted around to the left.

"Yeah gramps, everypony's bein' shoved out to the edges this year, monsters have been meaner and overrun Echo Lake a few weeks back, bet they'll come after you next huh?" The dullwitted earth pony buck drawled out as he moved to the right.

Spear Fisher nodded like he was trying to explain why a spoiled foal couldn't have another cookie, "See pops? We're runnin' outta room for all the refugees, everypony's gotta pitch in and do their part, us locals gotta stick together right? When the fog rolls back, you can move back out and wait fer the second coming of Celestia for all we care, but this is an emergency."

"If'n it was a real emergency, would expect ta see Cap'n Berry, not you three thugs Fisher. Guessin' she don't know about your little visit does she? Get off my land before I use yer naughty bits for bait in my traps. I keep the old ways, I answer the call if needed, but you ain't the Cap'n, nitwit like you never will be neither so quit with the delusions o' grandeur." Longfellow dismissed the three ponies in a semicircle around him, either unaware or unconcerned by the dim thread of mob mentality already spreading between them.

He had to know what kind of buttons he was pressing though, Spear Fisher turned red being so easily figured out and embarassed. The burly, bigger buck thrust his chest forward to shove at Longfellow, who may be old but seemed to be carved of Stubbornonium, not giving an inch to the stallion.

"I will so old buck, then things will change around here! Crazy old codgers living on their own won't be put up with for one! 'Specially nasty old bastards who run their mouths when they should just shut up and do what younger, smarter ponies say! Now why don't I give you one more chance to do the right thing, come on in, we look good, you look good. Free drinks, your own room instead of some cot on the overcrowded docks, maybe you can even get that wrinkled old wick wet huh? How long's it been Longfellow? Don't tell me you haven't since your wife went and..." Fisher thumped a hoof into Longfellow's chest aggressively, sneering as his jibes turned lewd.

"Don't you dare say a word about her punk!" The tidal wave of rage pouring off Longfellow made Virescent flinch back from the fury, a faded mental image of a sea green pegasus mare with a windswept, coral pink mane standing before the sea came to his mind as his hoof shot out, decking the smarmy younger stallion and knocking him to the dirt.

That spark of murder flickered in Spear Fisher's mind again as he spit out blood and leapt back up, rolling up his threadbare flannel sleeve and stomping back to the older stallion. Taking a bare second to search her thoughts and feelings, Virescent decided enough was enough. The things these ponies wanted made this place safe from what she gathered, she needed somewhere safe to rest, she couldn't allow them to come in and take that away. Besides, she realized she didn't like this, Longfellow had been nice to her, if a bit unfriendly, she should repay his charity.

For effect, she gave the barn door a gentle shove, as if the wind blew it open rather than kicking it open in a rage. The shoving match in the yard outside had most of their attention anyway, only the unicorn mare glanced her way. The way her orange eyes shrank to tiny dots and her face paled was satisfying, she reached a shaking hoof out to the earth pony egging the argument on, missing a few times as she couldn't tear her eyes away from the gloomy barn.

Virescent let her finally get the buck's attention, snorting back to her in annoyance at being torn away from Fisher and Longfellow shoving each other. He rolled his eyes and looked the way his companion was facing after she tried several times to speak, only making strangled little noises in her throat but getting the point across. The buck's jaw nearly hit the floor, letting Virescent disguise her limp partway out the wide doors and stomp her huge hoof to the ground to a cowed audience.

"What the fuck are you two thumpin' around... like... t-that.... Sweet Celestia!!! W-What in the name of the goddesses is that!?!" Spear Fisher turned to shove his frozen toadies around, following their stares to look up, and up... to the giant mare looming over him.

Taking a bit of enjoyment at the awe and fear her glorious body inspired in insignificant little ponies like this, Virescent leaned down to give a toothy, predatory smile and paw at the damp ground, purring down to the bully who probably grew up shoving his weight around, suddenly finding out how it felt. "Leave my friend alone..."

She wanted to toy with him... stomp forward and watch him skitter back in fear, push him around as he had pushed so many others by his memories, maybe sit on him... That was probably wrong though... good ponies didn't torment others, even if they deserved it. On further reflection, she didn't want to draw attention to herself here either, better to just get rid of them quietly...

Her long horn lit up brightly and she waved a hoof before their stunned, upturned faces, using a simple alicorn mind trick to plant a suggestion in rather simple minds to begin with. "You decided you didn't want these condenser things after all."

"Didn't want 'em after all..." All three chorused back, a green glow lighting their eyes while she had them.

"You don't want to bother Longfellow anymore."

"Don't want to bother..."

"You were never here and certainly never saw me, did you?"

"Never here, never saw anyone..."

Nodding to herself with satisfaction, Virescent finished with "Go Home." in a deep, rumbling growl and turned back to the barn, flopping down tiredly as the three uninvited guests marched off obediently.

There was a hint of carefully controlled concern behind Longfellow's bushy eyebrows raised in surprise when he poked his head in, but his deep voice was still even and unsurprised. "Huh... that was something. I had it well in hoof ya know, didn't need help... but, thanks anyway. Saved me the trouble of teachin' those punks a lesson."

A soft smile curled the large mare's muzzle and she nodded wearily, "I'm sure. They were annoying and I'm tired though. I'll get some more rest and be out of your mane as soon as I'm able Longfellow. Sorry to step on your hooves."

The old stallion scuffed at the dirt and took his knit cap off, twisting it in his hooves anxiously and tugging it back down again as he spoke. "You er... a-ain't gotta rush off I guess. Might'a been a little unfriendly earlier... not exactly sociable ya understand? S'pose I could do with a bit of company if you wanted ta take yer time. I make a mean fog hopper stew if yer hungry later? Have a little chin waggle maybe?"

"I would like that Longfellow, I do have many questions. If I'm not imposing, I'd like to take you up on your hospitality. I really do need to rest first though." A wide, genuine smile spread on Virescent's face, most of Longfellow's thoughts were chaotic and confused, but there was a core of gruff kindness and apology in there. He wanted her to stay, not something Virescent had experienced often.

The grey maned stallion gave a curt nod and pushed the door mostly shut slowly, leaving a crack for her to stare out at the cloudy, drizzly day and listen to the ceaseless sound of the Celestial Sea. "Sure, take yer time, no hurry. I'll let you get some sleep, we'll talk later alright Vira?"

The elderly blue stallion paused at her quiet call after him, looking back over his shoulder through the crack in the door to her curious face and voice. "V-Vira?"

"Er... yeah, yer name's a mouthful missy, Vira just rolls right off the tongue though. If ya don't mind o' course."

Mulling it over, the big green alicorn's smile widened. "Y-Yes of course. I just... I never had a friendly appellation before, I... I think I like it. Thank you Longfellow."

The smile peeking through Longfellow's scruffy beard was like a ray of sunshine, warming the big mare's wounded heart and sticking with her as she drifted off. His kindness added to her confusion and soul searching, Fast was right, not all ponies were bad... The thought that he would make an excellent candidate to be turned into one of her kind bubbled up quickly and she added him to her mental list.

It was a short list, but some ponies deserved the gift of her mother's perfect form, were worthy of ascending to the glory of being an alicorn. Ones like the bullies still deserved to be crushed like the bugs they were, but some really weren't so bad after all.

"I'm sorry about your door..."

Virescent called softly to the next room of Longfellow's tiny cottage from her seat at a well polished, if nicked and cluttered dining table, glancing to the front door with a blushing wince at the cracked and splintered doorframe. She had thought she was small enough to fit by the time the sun set behind the sea, misjudging only slightly as her head, shoulders, wings and barrel had all squeezed in with minimal effort, her jiggling round rump however had not managed so well.

Getting wedged in the door to the tidy cottage was embarrassing enough, having to ask for help from Longfellow's strong hooves shoving her prodigious rear through was worse, leaving her still bright red at the memory and the curved dent near the top of the doorframe staring back at her in silent accusation. Her sister Ivy's recent teasing rang in her mind and she muttered sheepishly to herself, "I don't have a big ass..."

"No big deal Vira, old place is always in need of a fix here and there, gives me something to putter with. I think we're even anyway, sorry for..." Longfellow's nervous chuckle came back, his apology just making her face heat up more and her ears droop.

"It's alright! I needed help, you were invited, it was an innocent mistake..." The tall green mare whimpered back in a rush, cutting him off.

She was still stirred up from several very pleasant dreams about the male alicorn when she woke in the evening, coming to Longfellow's cottage at his invitation. Having a stallion nervously groping her rump to shove her through from behind just got her going again, imagining it wasn't an old earth pony but a young male alicorn grunting and throwing his shoulder into it, burying his head in her tail and pushing into a very sensitive area back there before she popped free.

Playing with the tarnished silverware laid out on the small square table before her in a pout, Virescent hung her head and grumbled to herself. It took some unforeseen and embarrassing work, but she had shrunk enough to fit inside at least, though her horn kept scraping the water damaged ceiling. Sitting at Longfellow's table made her feel like she was at a foal's tea party, tiny chairs, tiny table, tiny dinnerware...

The whole cabin exacerbated the feeling too, even for normal ponies, it was a tiny little cottage on the sea. The ancient furniture was damaged and repaired, but showed signs of care in the past that had been mostly abandoned at some point. A layer of dust coated most surfaces, post war made doilies and quilts had been made and spread about by somepony, but all smelled musty like nopony had done much cleaning for quite awhile, as the variety of empty liquor bottles attested to.

A potbellied stove in the living room filled the small building with warmth, not that the cold bothered the green alicorn much at all, but it was pleasant. The same could be said of the smells and noises coming from Longfellow cursing to himself in the tiny kitchen, she didn't need to eat really, but doing so could be enjoyable, as the savory scents reaching her superior sense of smell promised.

A short hall led to a trio of doors past the living room, the open one at the end of the hall was a somewhat filthy bathroom she wrinkled her nose at, while the two closed doors to either side were bedrooms she presumed. By the noises and thoughts coming from the kitchen, she had a few minutes, so she carefully stood and picked her way through the house, examining the decorations with interest.

Longfellow didn't strike her as much of an interior decorator, the cute curtains and various salvaged paintings and statues must be the work of the wife she heard his uninvited guests mention. Considering his reaction when they did so, she didn't think it was a good topic of conversation and she didn't see signs of anypony else living here. Something must have happened to her...

There was a tattered old poster hung up on one wall she stopped to puzzle over, 'Visit Beautiful Fog Harbor' was written in bright block letters across the top, a picture of a verdant forest island filled the big poster and gave her a prewar view of where she was at least. A sprawling island of dense forests and sparkling blue lakes, brightly colored ships around a busy boardwalk and docks, clusters of tidy buildings scattered about.

Atop the tallest mountain peak was an odd domed building with a giant telescope poking out of the top, giving her a shudder, looking far too much like the massive cannons that had blasted a hole in her side recently. Floating above the second highest mountain across the large lake in the middle of the island was an impressive cloud structure, a factory that was sending tendrils of fog down the mountainside to roll across the lake. So this was Fog Harbor...

"C'mon, soups on, sure you must be starvin eh? Let's have a little dinner and chat if you feel up to it. Mite curious how you ended up here like that, sure you got questions too right?" Longfellow's gruff voice was welcoming and pulled her away from the poster, leading the way as she cautiously picked her way around the furniture on the way to the dining table.

Even attempting to use one of the small wooden chairs ringing the table was right out, she'd smash it to splinters with her (not fat!) rump, so she sat down on the floor, still easily above the table's level and forced to lean down to eye her steaming bowl of stew. It smelled good, spicy and meaty, getting a gurgling grumble from her empty stomach that made her blush.

She was an example of the mother's perfection, she didn't need to eat, making such disgraceful noises was embarrassing... Though considering the way she salivated at the smell and licked her lips over another gurgle, she started trying to change her view there. She felt like a normal, hungry pony...

A dainty spoonful of the stew made her abandon pretenses, Longfellow may not be much of a housekeeper, but he was an excellent cook! The spoon quickly fell by the wayside and she floated the whole bowl to her muzzle, tilting it back and slurping it all down in a couple big gulps. As soon as she set the bowl back down with a satisfied gasp, Longfellow dipped a ladle into the pot on the table and filled it again with a smirk.

"Figured a big gal like you would have an appetite ta match, take it you like it?" He chuckled up to her, pride over his hard won culinary knowledge flowing off him.

"Yes! This is excellent, thank you Longfellow! I hadn't realized how hungry I was, I don't mean to make a pig of myself... I'm not hogging all your food am I? It is alright to take more?" Realizing how that display looked made Virescent stop and actually consider another pony's situation for once, normal ponies had to eat while she didn't necessarily. What if she was gobbling up food meant to let him survive for a week? A month? What if he didn't have much? Thinking of others was hard...

"Take all ya want Vira, never short of critters for the pot and harvest is coming along good. All from my land, which you helped me defend, you earned it. So, seems like you need somepony ta talk to, twouldn't mind a chat myself, helps ta practice every once in awhile. Want to tell me what happened? Ask any questions?" The small stallion's deep voice was a soothing balm, those paternal feelings bubbling up from watching her happily slurping stew were something Virescent didn't know what to make of, but very nice.

If she didn't know what to do with herself, she may as well talk. The closest thing to a plan she had devised while slipping in and out of restorative slumber full of curious dreams, was to find out about where she wound up and which way to go to get back to Trotson, then fly back as soon as she was able. She'd leave this old hermit to his land and put this island behind her, so she'd probably never see him again.

Talking to him was safe enough, plus she had resolved to do one thing if nothing else, the male begged her to be better, she'd try to be better. Unfortunately, she was fairly certain being better entailed honesty, one of the most important virtues of ponykind, and nothing honest sounded very good...

"I... I was off the coast of Trotson, in a battle... I was wounded and fell to the sea... then I awoke here on the beach." That covered the main points, it was ok to leave out a few little details here and there right?

Looking down at Longfellow slurping his own stew and staring up curiously, she could practically feel the disappointment from that annoying version of the male alicorn in her mind. Being forced to accept she was lying through omission, and that she was doing so because she was ashamed, left her feeling worse the more she went over her actions, collecting her thoughts and recent memories.

Her eyes started leaking those annoying tears again, sniffling as her ears drooped and she licked stew from her muzzle absently. "You are kind Longfellow, I should tell the truth. I was lied to. I did bad things for those liars... hurt many ponies... killed them and worse... The battle I was in was my own doing, I was no victim... My friend, he still defended me, begged me to be better and helped me escape punishment. Now I'm alone and.. f-frightened... hurt... confused... I don't know what to do now, where to go, who to be, anything! B-But I want to be better, I'm trying, I just don't know how."

The long stare he gave made Virescent feel small, even towering over him across the table. She fidgeted in place anxiously, wincing when he let loose a long sigh and shrugged. "Glad you told the truth, you're no raider right? Long as you behave and your past doesn't come chasing you, it's your own ta share or keep to yourself Vira. So, yer friend huh? How'd they inspire ya to turn over a new leaf an' all?"

The relief of not feeling fear or disgust from Longfellow brightened her face beautifully. Virescent had been afraid she'd be turned away, chased off like a monster, his grudging acceptance and curious question was more than she had dared to hope for. She beamed down at him and nodded happily as she gave her honest reply.

"Oh, I want to mate with him."

The sputtering stream of soda from an unfamiliar, non-Sparkle Cola bottle he spewed from his puffed out cheeks brought out a tired, sniffling giggle from the weak mare. Ponies were so funny about certain subjects, by his blush under his beard and embarrassed thoughts, she realized casually talking about mating was odd for him. "M-Mate with?! This buck yer special somepony then? Not so sure ya should try ta change just ta get in some buck's pants, but it's yer life I suppose."

"He's not mine... it... it is complicated. You don't know much about my kind do you Longfellow? There are only females... well, there were. My friend is a male, pretty much the only male. Our mother's greatest wish was to find a way to make a male, for her children to be bountiful and multiply. It is very important to me."

The old buck kept giving her that flat stare, making her glad she was a telepath. If she had to guess what it meant, she'd probably start panicking and offering up anything to get it to stop, what she imagined the point was to the well practiced glower. She read a paternal disapproval flowing off him, giving her a idea what the problem was as she continued.

"I... I don't want to change merely because of one stallion though, it's just another reason. It's not merely to 'get in his pants', he also told me the truth, tried to help me, cared about me... He made me realize I've done wrong, been u-used by evil ponies for wicked deeds, and that not all ponies are bad like them, that some are good like you and... deserve a chance, could even be my friends. Friendship is apparently important... I'm sorry to dump all my thoughts on you like this, you've been very kind helping me and I know you value your privacy. I'll leave as soon as I'm able and fly back to Trotson. As you say, it is my life, I must decide what to do with it." Virescent wiped her dripping muzzle and nodded in determination.

Whatever she did, she needed to get back, she could always go back to her sisters there, maybe find the male and ask him what to do. He usually had some opinion anyway, and she wanted to feel that different caring emotion he felt for her again. Perhaps she was just looking for someone to tell her what to do, first the mother had filled her with a sense of purpose and religious fervor, then after the Goddess fell her sister Umbra had gathered up her sisters and led them to the Commonwealth, finally Evergreen had splintered off from the group, so sure of herself and her lying Institute allies who made her believe they truly wished to help.

Maybe looking to the male as a replacement was wrong, but following was in her nature, she needed someone to believe in. The daunting thought of being in charge of her own fate was too much to handle right now. Despite her initial belief, the male had proven himself worthy of her loyalty, kind and surprisingly wise in some areas, she'd follow him and decide what to do from there. That meant getting back to the Commonwealth.

Longfellow simply added to her uncertainty, shooting down the one decision she had tried making for herself. "Welp, whatever the reason, I wouldn't recommend flyin' back Vira. Never navigate the fog, probably kill ya before you wind up back where you started."

"Fog would kill me?" Viresent tried to keep the whine out of her voice, with little success by the way Longfellow tried to console her.

"The fog here is ...different Vira, dangerous. It's radioactive for one, tears shit up and eats away at yer health too. Worse though is it's... it's hard ta explain to a tourist, but the fog is evil Vira, it messes with ponies' minds, gets in their heads, turns em around ta get em lost and wandering out in it, drives em crazy. It's bad this year too, doesn't usually spread quite this far." Longfellow spoke like he was telling a ghost story to a little filly, but she sensed nothing but the truth from him.

That was curious, and a problem. She didn't have the strength to go getting lost in evil fog over the sea and wandering aimlessly. Flying around the island would be problematic too, if she couldn't see approaching obstacles, she risked running right into something deadly.

Even though she knew he believed what he said, she couldn't keep the skeptical look off her face as she replied warily. "Evil fog? I've heard of many unique wasteland dangers and megaspell fallout, but never something quite like that Longfellow. Is there a way through it? A safe way back to Trotson?"

"Take a look around the property when you feel up to it and see for yourself, just don't go past the condensers. Even walkin' out in it is dangerous, need a good guide to get anywhere. Look, if you need to get back to Trotson.... hell, I'm running low on a few supplies, can make a trip into town tomorrow if you like. Ought'a be able to charter a boat there that'll get you back, those fancy old world navigation systems can get there."

The momentary hope he instilled quickly faded as Virescent looked back to her blank flanks. She was naked... She had been far too big for her saddlebags or clothing, now she had nothing... no possessions, most importantly, no caps... Her ears drooped as her face fell, obstacles kept discouraging her from every choice she tried making for herself.

Of course she could simply find the captain of one of these boats Longfellow spoke of and force them to take her... Taking control of a pony's mind and making them do as she wished wouldn't be that hard. She could make the puny pony captain do what she wanted and... 'Be better...'

Giving a groan, Virescent hung her head, crossing her forelegs and pouting, looking to Longfellow sitting before her. Mind control wasn't very nice or friendly... the male wouldn't be happy if she did it. Leaving her somewhat stuck. "I don't have any money... or anything actually... The radiation won't kill me though, you're sure I can't simply fly out?"

Longfellow rubbed his grey beard in thought and shrugged back, reaching out slowly to pat her foreleg in a most soothing way. He must have a child, this paternal affection was practiced and so nice, it made the worry clawing at her thoughts less important with just a simple touch. "Hmm... if it don't hurt you, I guess you could try. Local fliers won't do it though, an they know what they're doin' and the land. I wouldn't recommend it, especially for a hurt filly."

She was leaking again... tears were welling in her eyes and falling into her bowl far below, making her wipe forcefully at her eyes and only add to the frustrated crying. Why couldn't she just get the nice emotions like Fast's love or Longfellow's concern, without all this sadness and worry? Trying to absorb that she really was just a pony and not perfection came with so much baggage...

"But... I must get back! I... I don't really have anywhere to go, or anyone waiting for me, or... o-or anything... b-but still! I... I don't know what to do Longfellow, I'm so confused! The only friend I can think of is there, my sisters too! Getting back is the only thing I know to do, but I have nothing..." Trying to stop crying only made her cry harder, this was infuriating! And it hurt... loneliness and fear threatened to consume her, what was she supposed to do?

Longfellow kept patting her shaking foreleg across the table, pulling the big hoof closer and grasping it firmly to get her to look down through watery green eyes. The old stallion sighed in resignation finally, scratching his scruffy grey beard thoughtfully. "Look Vira, I ain't no charity, but er... Well, big young mare like yourself, there's a few chores round the spread that I could use a little help with. Ya can see I ain't really much fer cleaning for example? If you give me a helping hoof here and there, I'll pay you a few caps. That an' callin' in a favor should be enough to get a ride eh? Why don't you stay with me a day or two, do some work and heal up, get your head straight and earn some money. We can go together on my regular trip into town instead of rushing, then I'll take you to a captain that can get you home. Everypony wins."

Looking down to the old stallion's kind, weathered face, Virescent's eyes tried watering again and she gave a meek nod in return. Fast and her sister were right... not all ponies were bad, weak, inferior... some were nice. The fates had brought her to just the kind of pony they had tried to convince her to give a chance to, she wasn't going to ignore her good fortune or rack it up to chance.

A weak but genuine smile lit her face up and she nodded through lidded, bloodshot eyes sleepily. "Thank you Longfellow. Thank you so much... I would be happy to earn my passage and repay your kindness. If you'll have me, I think staying and sorting things out would be for the best. I promise to work hard and stay out from underhoof."

It was Longfellow's turn to give a skeptical look, raising a bushy eyebrow up to the big mare and sighing to himself. His thoughts were conflicted but dedicated to his choice regardless, he didn't want company, to let anypony in... but he was a good pony and couldn't turn away somepony in need.

Finally he shrugged up to her, rolling his eyes up to her horn leaving weaving trails and scrapes across the ceiling. "It's fine Vira, just don't add more repairs if you can help it. You uh... will get smaller than this, right? Don't feel right puttin' a guest out in the barn, but don't think either my doors or my furniture can take that big ol' booty swingin around a few days, eh?"

Sniffling against a giggle despite herself, Virescent nodded. "I will. Though the barn is fine with me if need be, by morning I should be normal again. And I do NOT have a big butt!"

Joining in gradually growing chuckles together, the green alicorn and the hermit warmed to each other and returned to their meal. The soft whisper of cautious happiness running through Virescent's mind was simply; 'A friend... I have a friend."

The grey outside the dirty windows of Longfellow's cabin slowly lightened, eventually reaching a bright pinkish grey that filtered in to the furrowed eyes of the green alicorn sprawled across the tattered couch. With the damage she had done squeezing her way inside to begin with, Longfellow had insisted she not go back out to the barn like a brahmim, but stay inside his tiny cottage and therefore not have the chance to to inflict further destruction.

A good idea in theory and also motivated out of genuine hospitality, but not so good in practice if the goal was sparing his small home. Virescent had tried to be grateful and it was more comfortable, but she had a rough night and was in no mood to wake with the sun. Groaning at the old stallion cantering out of his bedroom, bright eyed and bushy tailed.

She had never taken advantage of her species' ability to absorb enough radiation to increase in size and power before her recent, disastrous experiment. Now that she had, she had more respect for her sister Swan back in Trotson, a mare she had always considered odd and fairly simple minded. Being big was fun... she had to give her that, Swan spent all her time at a truly massive size and extolled the virtues regularly, she liked it so much she simply didn't let herself bleed off radiation to shrink again.

Swan was also experienced enough to keep her impulses in check and not smash things she didn't intend to however, both things Virescent had never appreciated until she failed miserably at them. An out of control, lust driven rampage had wound her up here to begin with. Then just trying to navigate Longfellow's home during the night at less than double her normal height ended with; multiple dents in the wall from a clumsy motion, a coffee table broken in half by a misplaced hoof, a corroded light fixture nearly ripped down by her long horn and dangling from the wiring above, and several pictures and loose knick knacks on the walls and shelves knocked askew if not over by her long tail or a twitch from her wings.

That wasn't even mentioning trying to use the cabin's disgusting bathroom either. Virescent would be loathe to actually touch the filthy porcelain throne in there at her normal size, awkwardly hovering over it both because it was foul and because her (perfectly proportioned!) rear would shatter the ceramic seat had been especially annoying. Made harder as it was a tiny half bath, leaving her no room to maneuver and forced to leave the door open.

Then as the final insult, there was the couch she groggily woke on now, the legs were snapped and she heard more than a couple springs just give up entirely when she sank into it last night at Longfellow's urging. Only having the old stallion toss a big quilt over her as she settled in had made up for the indignity, almost like being tucked in by a loving parent... she had greatly enjoyed the feelings he had at the time.

It didn't make her bed any more comfortable though... She had finally found an acceptable enough position with her graceful neck and head hanging off the hoofrest to a few pillows arranged on the dusty coffee table, her wings spread under her, the right hanging limply off the seat and the left stretched up against the wall. Her big body was stuck in a kind of half twist from there, her rump wedged against the opposite hoofrest, letting her legs hang over it and scrape the wall.

Waking up was made worse by the realization that she was finally, actually comfortable. Completely covered by the warm, heavy quilt, able to burrow her head down against the light and curl up in a moaning ball that essentially fit across the wide couch, back to almost her normal size and no longer brimming with power. Her wounds felt totally restored, adding to the deep, restful sleep and delightful dreams she had been torn away from.

A fatty, meaty smell filling the air got her to poke her muzzle out from under the blanket finally, blinking sleepily under her wild mane and finding out how wonderful 'bacon' was. Longfellow whipped up a quick but hearty breakfast, softening the blow of becoming Virescent's new taskmaster.

Apparently, despite his caring feelings and desire to help her, he fully meant what he said about not being a charity. It was against his odd code she heard in his mind more than once, 'the old ways'. He was giving her a job to earn caps and return to Trotson on her own, not doing everything for her, therefore she was expected to work, and work she did.

She had worked as a servant of the goddess in Unity before, done as commanded and always gave her all then, but it was primarily as a messenger spreading the divine glory of Unity, a preacher, a job she had continued after her mother was destroyed. Never before had Virescent actually toiled in the dirt like normal ponies, put her own back into hard work that they took for granted.

She didn't particularly like her first experience...

Longfellow worked her hard, but didn't ask anything he didn't do himself, without all her obvious advantages over the smaller earth pony. Watching him easily manage chores that frustrated her just added to the idea slowly seeping in, she wasn't automatically superior to normal ponies...

Swinging a heavy axe to chop firewood looked so easy, Longfellow did so smoothly holding the long tool in his mouth for Celestia's sake! Even using her magic to copy his motion hadn't gone well, fumbling and knocking the dead logs she swung at aside repeatedly, burying the head of the axe in the stump to prop them on and falling over backwards trying to tug it free.

Trying to harvest the spindly crops growing on Longfellow's land wasn't as simple as it appeared either, she had to crouch to get to the sickly looking carrots and radishes, stomped a big hoof right into a bulbous pumpkin and pranced around with it stuck on her leg, knocking the shrubby mutfruit plants around with her rump clumsily. Then she had nearly uprooted a wilted apple tree free of the soft ground with one titantic buck, sheepishly grabbing the wounded plant in her magic and putting it upright again, stamping the dirt back down and hoping Longfellow hadn't seen that.

After lunch she had been relegated to cleaning duty before she did more damage outside, hoping for more success with simpler, indoor chores. Flushing under Longfellow's instructions as she felt him torn between exasperation and amusement over her antics. She was good at following, doing as told if he was supervising, lifting heavy loads, fetching tools, fluttering up to places he couldn't reach, but so far she was not good on her own.

That thought only made her more concerned too, if she couldn't even manage chores on her own, how was she supposed to manage her own life now?

"Oh how the mighty have fallen..." The tall green alicorn grumbled and kept floating the ratty feather duster around the living room, kicking up a cloud of dust that had settled like a blanket of snow since the last such efforts, giving a tiny sneeze that was rather comical coming out of such a big filly.

Going from a leader and mare of importance in the ranks of the Institute's Church of Balefire, down to a lowly housemaid... This must be her penance, she thought, though a strange image of herself in a funny black and white outfit bubbled up and gave her cause to laugh to herself.

She had been in such intimate telepathic connection with the prewar stallion Fast Times recently, that she was getting a kind of echo of his thoughts, foreign memories and ideas that were attached to the neural pathways of her own brain. Not like the majesty of true Unity and having the voices and memories of thousands in her mind, but a distant relative of that sensation and it left a mental ghost of the male's thoughts while she assimilated them as a result. She thought 'Housemaid' and one of his entertaining images associated with the word was the utterly impractical, frilly, very short skirted outfit she pictured herself in now.

"The things bucks like... I'll have to hold on to that image, find something like that when I see him again..." Vira... she was growing to like that nickname... kept up her magically aided cleaning and muttered to herself, peeking out the window to see how far along the beach Longfellow's fog obscured shadow had gotten.

He was heading back from checking his traps, hoping for Rock Lobsters but usually settling for Miretank hatchlings. That gave her a safe margin to keep talking to herself anyway, speeding up a bit to have more progress to show for her time. At least she retained a healthy selection of spells from the Goddess, making the work go quicker.

Part of being a representative of Unity had been presenting a good image to the pitiful masses ...no... normal ponies, be better Virescent... She had always been fastidiously clean in her role, grooming herself regularly, keeping her now long gone ornate green and gold robes from the Church of Balefire immaculate, her personal surroundings and possessions neat and tidy. So she found she was more successful using her skills cleaning than working outside at least.

While she whined and groused at having to really work, doing such simple chores that had always been beneath her divine standing, part of her actually enjoyed the tedium. She caught herself humming and sashaying about the small cottage several times, only knocking over a lamp here or there with her swaying flanks and swishing tail. Moving from room to room restoring order was soothing, though the nagging curiosity of the bedroom Longfellow told her not to open stuck with her. His thoughts had been very firm and guarded on the subject though and she didn't want to insult or anger her host.

She poured a good deal of magical power into a handy cleaning spell to tackle the horrid bathroom, mended a few tattered bits of clothing tossed haphazardly in corners, and had resorted to using transformation magic on the profusion of empty alcohol bottles strewn everywhere.

The difficult spell let her get the kinks out of her magic, not taxing it too far. Another issue to taking in so much power as she had done, it left her feeling... 'hung over' was the closest she could come, though that was just secondhoof knowledge as alcohol didn't work on her at all. She was drained now that the radiation had finally worn off, a bit of transformation magic came harder than it should for merely turning the glass bottles into glass statuettes and sculpture, some of it matching things she broke just so she'd have backups.

Others ended up being more creative and actually impressed herself, she'd never really spent the time to try being creative before and was surprised to find she both liked it and seemed to have some talent. A wine-bottle green depiction of herself came out well, a mountain of brown beer bottles was morphed into a good try at Longfellow. The crystal decanters of what Longfellow thought of as 'the good stuff' had caught her by surprise when she turned back to see a delicate statuette of a certain male alicorn in smoky crystal.

Sending the rugs and curtains out the window to shake vigorously in her magic, Virescent floated the tiny statue up to her eyes and glowered at it. "This is all your fault... why couldn't you just cooperate and do your job? Why do I have to jump through hoops to mate? Act how you want just for you to care about me?"

'Be Better Virescent...' seemed to answer back from the statuette of the little male alicorn in a hat and trenchcoat, speaking in that earnest, caring voice that just made her scowl back with a whinny. The echo of his mind in her head now had a focus for her to pout at.

"That's worse you know, why do you have to be so annoyingly right? I am being better! I'm working my tail off instead of just taking what I want. Are you happy now? When I return to Trotson, I want to feel more of that love feeling again, you had better deliver for all this. Are all Stable Dwellers so infuriating? Do they teach classes on being preachy agents of chaos? I wonder..."

Thinking about Stables and Stable Dwellers, a few particular Stable Dwellers especially..., her eyes hung on a familiar dusty object tucked away on a bookshelf and she paused her grumbling, cautiously levitating it away from the forest of sea shells on the shelf around it to take a closer look. A dull green shackle... a dusty, dark screen surrounded by buttons and dials, the gear shaped logo of Stable-Tec stamped into the nearly indestructible casing. A pip-buck...

"That old thing catch yer fancy?" Longfellow's deep voice startled her, spinning to see the smaller stallion who had entered and sidled up beside her.

"Oh! Er.... yes, it reminds me of a f-friend. The one who saved me, he came from a Stable. I... I thought he was another Destroyer because of that, but I was wrong. About a lot things I think... Were you from a Stable as well Longfellow?"

Longfellow chuckled and shook his head, grabbing the arcano-tech device from the shelf and turning it in his hooves, blowing the dust off and wiping the screen on his peacoat. "Nah, I'm a native son of the island Vira. My... wife, she'd go dicker with those crazy robots up in 118 sometimes though. They had a bunch of these things they didn't need anymore, gave her one as a gift. My Ocean wasn't one for fancy tech, but she liked how it looked and held onto what she thought was pretty. That's why there's so much ta dust. Just goin' ta waste here I suppose, if it reminds you of your friend what means so much to you, do you want it?"

"Want? I can... n-no, you're already paying me, right? I don't know much about pony technology either Longfellow, I wouldn't know what to do with it. I couldn't take something of your wife's like that..." Virescent stammered back, a selfish bit of desire warring with what she thought she should say. She did want it, but taking gifts didn't seem right.

Longfellow snorted in reply and flipped the padded cuff open, he smirked and pointed towards her bit of sculpture still floating by her head. "Nonsense, don't mean nothin' to me, looks like it does to you. This him? Why's he look like that silly comic book pony? This buck really exists right? Not some made up coltfriend from a comic or anything?"

Virescent sent the rough statue bobbing behind her head quickly, her face turning red under the old stallion's brown eyes following it. "Yes this is him, and he is real! He is merely ...eccentric..."

She could feel his joking enjoyment at her blushing reaction and was unable to stop it anyway. Ribbing and teasing was another one of those aspects of interpony interaction she had never had to navigate, it felt different from being laughed at though, that she was familiar with. This was embarrassing, but nice in a strange way too. Laughter... laughter could be nice.

Longfellow stretched the pip-buck out towards her bare foreleg invitingly and paused at the clear size difference. "Er... they left it open for her, but not sure this poor thing was made with a gal your size in mind, you sure you ain't gonna shrink a little more maybe Vira?"

"As I said this morning, this is the normal size for the Goddess' divine children Longfellow. That seems wrong though... my sister wore one of these with no issue, even when she was larger than I was before. I-If you are sure... may I?" Stretching her long foreleg forward let Longfellow shrug and press the open cuff to it, jumping in surprise when the clever device hummed to life in his hooves.

Longfellow let go when the pip-buck beeped and seemed to move in his grip, flinching back from the crazy prewar technology lighting up like it was a dangerous species of bug. The impression was only reinforced when it landed on her foreleg and twitched, the open cuff clamping on her leg like it was biting her. That would be his luck, he tried giving a gift and it bit the mare's leg off... he never trusted any of that insane prewar junk to begin with. Almost all of it still littering the ruined world it created was nothing but trouble.

Instead of chomping her, the pip-buck glowed and stretched to accommodate the thick foreleg, beeping and chattering while it clicked in place and locked. Virescent shook her head at the pictures and text flashing in her vision, this was unexpected... 'Stable-Tec Pip-Buck model 3000 initializing' blinked in her eyes, replaced by a cartoon image of an earth pony that flickered a moment, then came back with a horn and wings, a self satisfied flurry of text zipping by her crossed green eyes.

'Unknown biology scanned, adjusting for new user. Health status: Nominal, Warning! Radiation poisoning detected, seek medical treatment! Inventory scanned: No inventory detected. Updating Map Database, primary connection to Stable-Tec database unavailable, secondary connection... unavailable, M.A.S.E.B.S. signal detected, tertiary connection found, updating local navigation database. Radio signals detected. Startup sequence completed."

The needle on the cute little rainbow colored radiation meter jumped directly to the yellow section of the dial, as a green display settled into the edges of her vision. It was strange seeing the little compass at the bottom of her view, a green dash above it moved with Longfellow shifting on his hooves in front of her and a bar to the left filled nearly to full. A prompt was dead center, blocking her view of the old stallion's worried face, asking if she wanted to read the tutorial now or later.

'Well I don't want to now... how do I tell it that? One of these buttons maybe?' Virescent thought to herself, wanting the prompt to go away so she could see without the obstruction, but confused how to do so. At the thought, the 'Later' button blinked and the prompt went away. That was interesting, some kind of mental interface? The psychic alicorn found the idea of being able to think at the machine comforting, stretching her foreleg out to admire the accessory in the grey light of sunset through the fog, from the now clean windows.

"Thank you very much Longfellow, I promise to treasure it." The soft smile warmed her face and heart, she had never gotten a gift willingly given by a friend before. Most things she wanted she had simply taken, forced their owners to hoof over if she desired. This was better somehow, it meant more than those meaningless trinkets and she hugged the hoof mounted computer to herself happily.

"No big deal Vira, like I said, goin' ta waste otherwise. If it makes ya feel better, I'll charge ya for yer other gifts, can't go wandering the fog stark nekid without even a saddlebag. Got some layin' around somewhere I'll let you have cheap, if you really don't wanna take gifts and all, plenty more chores to get to tomorrow!"

Wilting at the thoughts of long delayed roof repairs as his brown eyes hung on her wings, Virescent sighed and nodded back. Though heartened at the thoughts she picked out of his mind as he grinned back and started counting out caps for her work today. He didn't intend to really charge her, he was teasing again... Though a bit conflicted thinking about where he planned to come up with clothing and a dusty pair of leather saddlebags he was picturing for her.

"You're very generous Longfellow, I'm glad I washed up here. I suppose I can get started by helping you prepare the evening meal. Oh! These devices have a radio, we can have a little music while we work even. Let me see..." Virescent gasped at the realization and started fumbling at her pip-buck.

She stubbornly insisted on figuring out the controls without the tutorial, stumbling her way to the radio function with a satisfied nicker. When she returned to Trotson and found the male, she'd be a regular expert with the arcano-tech device and share something in common to talk about with the male alicorn, he liked fancy gadgets like this. That would be nice, how hard could it be?

Music filled the small kitchen as the two ponies slowly settled into a rhythm and stopped stepping on each other's hooves, Virescent was only forced to apologize for knocking the smaller stallion down a couple times. Her rump was not fat! His surprised thoughts betrayed that he even seemed to like being smooshed against the wall by the bouncy caboose at one point, making her a little more confident about how normal males viewed her appearance. She knew the male alicorn liked it, even if he ran away. Not fat...

They fell into comfortable silence and a gentle dance of work together, swaying to the sweet notes of a talented prewar singer. Virescent paused and stared down at her leg holding the wilted celery stalks she was chopping when the song changed, hearing her own sister Magnolia's voice pouring out of the tiny speaker was a surprise, all the more jarring as her song seemed to speak to her directly.

Her eyes watered a bit ...from the onions... and she smiled softly at the upbeat music filling the kitchen, tapping her hooves and swaying her flanks to the beat. Even without her sister here to read the thoughts from her mind in Unity, the music transmitted the positive feelings as well as telepathy.

Hearing one of her own playing on Diamond City Radio gave her hope for the uncertain future as the foggy island outside grew dark, making her happy to have this spot of light and companionship instead of being out there, alone. The brilliant singer was one of her kind, a fellow alicorn who she remembered singing to herself in their home of Trinity Tower not so long ago. She had found her way... followed her dream and learned to be a good pony, if she could do it, so could Virescent.

She was embarking on her own adventure, her own life... She might have to work and struggle, things might be hard, she may have to wait as the sweet song advised, but she knew what she wanted now.

Virescent - Level 1- Female Alicorn

Strength -- 7
Perception -- 6
Endurance -- 7
Agility -- 5
Charisma -- 9
Intelligence -- 7
Luck -- 5

Tag Skills---

Speech +15
Magic +15
Magical Energy Weapons +15

Traits---

Gifted by the Goddess-------
---As one of the Goddess' emissaries, care was put into your creation to prove the perfection of Unity, you gain +1 to all SPECIAL stats. Though believing in your innate superiority left you a bit lazy, resulting in -10% to all skills. Learning to be a normal pony and undoing a lifetime of bad habits is hard too, so you gain 5 less skill points at level up

Big Boned---------
You're one big filly, and a big target... you suffer -1 Agility for being such a large example of perfection. As a plus, your ample (not fat!) flanks can haul an additional 25 carry weight in your saddlebags.

Spell Perk Added!----------------

Alicorn Mind Trick-----
---Being so weakened and drained after your traumatic experience, you have to regain your spells and practice with them. Luckily the Alicorn Mind Trick is a simple skill and very useful. You can use this spell to plant suggestions in pony's minds, clouding their thoughts and memories. The lower the intelligence of the target, the better the results, gaining +10% towards success for each point below 5 intelligence, but -10% for each point above. Not complete mental enslavement by any means, but enough to nudge them into doing what you want.

Author's Notes:

Thanks to Kkat for creating such an interesting and delightful world to explore of course. Just playing around with a side story for DLC content rather than trying to squeeze it all into one story, changing up the voice to get a break from first person and experiment too, so hope it's enjoyable.