“Stay back! I just had myself groomed!”
"退后！我刚把自己打扮好!"
“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” I shouted for the third time at the gray ghoul with the magnificent coiffeur. At least this time we were doing it in the privacy of King Awesome’s bedchambers. Seeing the body was the first thing I’d demanded. I’d imagined that maybe this was some kind of joke or trick or… something. Seeing him lying in repose on his bed… witnessing the relaxed expression on his face… Damn it! I’d liked the old stallion. He’d been the first pony I’d ever been able to talk to about Goldenblood and the O.I.A. He’d understood me! And now he was gone and I was Queen and… “Tell me you are fucking kidding me,” I pleaded.
"你他妈的一定是在开玩笑!"我第三次对着那个戴着华丽发型的灰色食尸鬼喊叫起来。至少这次我们是在可怕的国王的卧室里做的。看到尸体是我要求的第一件事。我想这可能是某种玩笑或者恶作剧之类的。看到他躺在床上休息......看到他脸上放松的表情......该死！我喜欢那匹老种马。他是我第一个能和他谈论金血王和o.i.a的小马，他理解我！现在他走了，我成了王后......"告诉我你他妈的是在开玩笑,"我恳求道。
“Oh please. As if I’d waste my good humor on such tacky comedy,” he said in fancy elocution. “The king named you his successor soon after you departed. And shortly before he did.”
"哦，拜托。好像我会把我的幽默感浪费在这种俗气的喜剧上似的。"。"你一走，国王就任命你为继承人。就在他离开前不久。"
I levitated the crown off my head and set it in my hooves. “But… why? It doesn’t make any sense! We only talked for a few hours and… and… I don’t deserve this!” I said as I looked at the ring of shiny, gaudy... tasty-looking... metal in my grasp.
我把头上的王冠悬浮起来，放在我的蹄子上。"但是......为什么？这没有任何意义！我们只谈了几个小时，而且......而且......我不应该受到这样的对待!"我一边说着，一边看着手中那个闪闪发亮、华而不实、美味可口的金属戒指。
“Of course you don’t. Honestly, do you think you were given that because you’re suited to rule?” the ghoul said with a disdainful sniff. “King Awesome gave you rulership of the Society to save it from itself.” He made a dismissive gesture with his hoof. “A powerful pony was needed. In fact, we sent a representative west a week ago to contact the Stable Dweller and bring her here. And if not her, somepony in Tenpony Tower. Or perhaps the celebrity DJ Pon3, if he could be tempted to mitigate his rantings. Even Red Eye, if none other could be arranged.”
"你当然不知道。老实说，你认为你得到这些是因为你适合统治吗?"食尸鬼轻蔑地嗅了嗅说。"牛叉王授予你协会的统治权，是为了拯救协会。"他用蹄子做了个轻蔑的手势。"我们需要一匹强壮的小马。事实上，我们一周前就派了一名代表去西部联系马厩居民，把她带到这里来。如果不是她，就是TenponyTower的小马。或者也许是著名的DJPon3，如果他能忍住诱惑来缓和他的咆哮。即使是红眼，如果没有别的办法的话。"
Excuse me? I inspected my friends to see if any of them were following this. Universal bafflement. Good. It wasn’t just me, then. “I think you better explain in a bit more detail,” Glory said, trotting up beside me and hugging me with a blue wing. “It’ll help Blackjack get past the ‘I don’t deserve good things’ shock if you tell her how this will bite her in the tail later on.” Then she frowned at the ghoul. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe I got your name.”
你说什么？我检查了一下我的朋友们，看看他们中是否有人听懂了我的话。普遍的困惑。很好。那就不只是我了。"我想你最好解释得更详细一点,"晨辉说，一边跑到我身边，一边用一只蓝色的翅膀拥抱我。"如果你告诉她'我不值得拥有好东西'的打击，这会帮助Blackjack度过难关。"然后她对着食尸鬼皱了皱眉头。"对不起，我还不知道你的名字。"
“Hoity Toity. Equestria’s finest fashion aesthete,” he said proudly, clapping his hooves together. A colt scampered out from a corners of the room with a red threadworn pillow and set it down just as Hoity sat. The ghoul glanced at the boy and gave a peremptory wave of his hoof. “This is Epicure, my assistant.”
"装腔作势的家伙。马术师最好的时尚美学家。"他一边自豪地说，一边用蹄子拍着。一匹小马从房间的角落里蹦蹦跳跳地跑出来，拿着一个破旧的红色枕头，在豪伊特坐着的时候把它放了下来。那个食尸鬼看了一眼那个男孩，随意地挥了一下蹄子。"这位是Epicure，我的助手。"
The lime green colt rubbed his darker, pine-green mane. “Actually, my name’s--”
灰绿色的马驹摩擦着它那深色的、松绿色的鬃毛。"事实上，我的名字是--"
“Tut tut! No time for that now,” Hoity said impatiently. “I need you to go downstairs and find out what the Oranges think of this recent development. And see if you can find what Charm is saying to the Trotters. Also, find out how Grace is taking this. Oh, and if you can mention to Splendid that Blackjack seems quite composed, that’d work wonderfully.”
"啧啧！现在没时间了,"豪伊蒂不耐烦地说。"我需要你到楼下去，看看奥兰治夫妇对最近的事态发展有什么看法。看看你能不能找到Charm对Trotters说了什么。还有，看看格蕾丝怎么看待这件事。哦，如果你能告诉辉煌，说Blackjack看起来很镇静，那就太好了。"
The colt worked his mouth a moment, as if trying to remember all that, then sighed and nodded. “Yes, sir.” He turned and walked for the door, glancing back at the rest of us with clear reluctance before slipping out. Composed? I wasn’t composed! The only things keeping me from hyperventilation were my cyberpony lungs!
小马开了一会儿嘴，好像在努力回忆这一切，然后叹了口气，点了点头。"是的，先生。"他转身向门口走去，不情愿地回头看了看我们其余的人，然后溜了出去。沉着冷静？我一点都不冷静！唯一能让我不呼吸过度的就是我的赛博马肺！
“A good lad, for raider stock. Has a talent for finding things out informally. Not as skilled as Paintie was... but I digress.” He glanced at me and smirked. “My talents at critique don’t end with the latest styles. Before the war, I made it a habit to learn the mercurial tastes of Equestria’s elite and made sure my fashion reviews suited their attitude… within reason of course. Then, during the war, I devoted nearly as much time to looking over information for dear Rarity as I did setting the trends for the autumn season. Information gathering is quite complementary to fashion work.”
"一个好小伙子，对于掠夺者来说。有非正式的发现事物的天赋。虽然没有平蒂那么熟练......但我离题了。"他瞥了我一眼，得意地笑了。"我在批评方面的天赋并不仅限于最新款式。战前，我养成了学习Equestria精英们多变口味的习惯，并确保我的时尚评论适合他们的态度...当然是在合理的范围内。然后，在战争期间，我花了几乎同样多的时间来寻找亲爱的稀有的信息，因为我确定了秋季的趋势。信息收集是时装工作的重要补充。"
We were talking about his past now? It seemed surreal. Maybe this was all the Goddess messing with my head some more? Or maybe I’d finally snapped? “I can’t imagine that was useful after the bombs fell,” Rampage said with a wicked little snicker.
我们现在在谈论他的过去？这似乎有些超现实。也许这就是女神让我头脑混乱的原因？或者我终于崩溃了？"我无法想象在炸弹落下之后这个还有什么用,"狂暴轻蔑地笑着说。
“On the contrary! My discerning eye made acquiring the best goods far easier,” he said with a gesture of wounded pride. “Perhaps we should abscond to somewhere... else,” he said with a look over at the sheet covered body. “I can give you the history of this place.”
""恰恰相反！我敏锐的眼光使得获得最好的东西变得容易得多,"他带着受伤的骄傲说道。"也许我们应该逃到别的地方去......"他看了看被单盖住的尸体说。"我可以告诉你这个地方的历史。"
I didn’t respond; it was better than nothing, so I nodded. We stepped out and proceeded through the grand structure. Mostly grand. It was clear that entropy was nibbling at the faded velvet curtains and the patches of threadbare carpet. They’d done their best to hide the wear, but even the Society wasn’t immune to reality. They just lived outside it.
我没有回答，总比什么都没有好，所以我点点头。我们走了出去，穿过那座宏伟的建筑物。大部分都是豪华的。很明显，熵正在蚕食褪色的天鹅绒窗帘和一块块破旧的地毯。他们竭尽全力隐藏自己的身份，但即使是社会也无法对现实免疫。他们只是住在城外。
As Hoity walked, servants and society ponies made way, bowing deeply to me, then whispering as soon as we passed. The ghoul ignored them, saying in grand tones, “The original Society were those stallions and mares who escaped the plebeian slaughter at Blueblood Manor. We’d invested significant resources in the Prince’s shelter, only to discover that it apparently didn’t exist. And when the riot broke out… well…” he sighed and shook his head. “Fifty of us crowded onto the Fleur when the bombs fell. So overloaded and with the world collapsing around us, we found ourselves at a loss. Fortunately, the Elysium Gardens was not a priority target for balefire bombs or other attacks, and we put down here. The country club had been exceptionally fortified during the war and had quite an extensive stock of supplies for hundreds of guests. The staff, however, were in utter disarray. Some had fled to rejoin families, while others were simply in shock. The manager had committed suicide in her office. Very disagreeable. So we did what we did best--”
豪伊特一边走着，仆人和交际用的小马一边让路，一边向我深深鞠躬，一边在我们经过的时候低声耳语。食尸鬼不理他们，用宏大的声音说:"原来的协会是那些从BluebloodManor的平民屠宰场逃出来的种马和母马。我们为王子的庇护所投入了大量的资源，却发现它显然并不存在。当暴乱爆发的时候......好吧......"他叹了口气，摇了摇头。"炸弹落下来的时候，我们中的五十个人挤到了芙蓉号上。当我们周围的世界崩溃时，我们发现自己陷入了困境。幸运的是，ElysiumGardens不是巴勒斯坦炸弹或其他袭击的优先目标，我们在这里降落。这个乡村俱乐部在战争期间特别坚固，为数百名客人储备了大量物资。然而，工作人员却一片混乱。一些人逃离家园重新回到家人身边，而其他人则只是感到震惊。经理在办公室自杀了。非常令人不快。所以我们尽了最大的努力——"
“Started bossing people around?” P-21 asked with a frown.
"开始对别人颐指气使?"P-21皱着眉头问。
“Of course,” Hoity said without a bit of shame. “Fancy Pants became our leader. We provided order when there was none. The waitstaff and servants who remained were very pleased to have us put things in some semblance of civilization. It was anticipated that we’d have to wait a few months for things to be set right. Maybe even a year.” He sighed. “Quite ironic, in hindsight.”
"当然,"豪伊蒂毫不羞愧地说。"花花公子成了我们的领袖。我们在没有订单的时候提供订单。留下来的服务员和仆人们都很高兴我们把东西摆成文明的样子。预计我们得等上几个月才能把事情处理好。也许甚至一年。"他叹了口气。"事后看来，这很讽刺。"
“So what happened?” Scotch Tape asked, the filly eager for the rest of the story. We travelled down a staircase, into halls where there was much hustle and bustle in preparation for the Gala tonight. Even a royal death couldn’t stop that party.
"那么发生了什么?"透明胶带问道，小母马迫不及待地想听完剩下的故事。我们沿着楼梯走下来，进入大厅，那里有许多熙熙攘攘的人群，为今晚的盛会做准备。即使皇室死亡也无法阻止这场派对。
“Well, we anticipated that the skies would clear and the pegasi would help us
"嗯，我们预计天空会变得晴朗，飞马座的人会帮助我们
rebuild. In fact, we were counting on it.” He glanced at Glory, who ducked her rainbow-maned head and looked at her hooves. Now I was the one hugging her as Hoity Toity went on. “When that didn’t happen, despair set in. If it hadn’t been for Fancy Pants, we’d have been undone in the first year. When the radioactive snow cleared, we used the conservatory here to grow marginal crops while sending parties to find supplies around the Hoof. Things were… easier then. The savagery that you are so familiar with took time to evolve. Even so, though we managed our assets with care, when others came demanding we share them… well, violence was inevitable. But worse, there were elements within that thought they could do better. Fancy Pants was assassinated in his sleep by one of our own.”
重建。事实上，我们正指望着它。"他瞥了晨辉一眼，晨辉低下了她那长着彩虹色头发的脑袋，看着她的蹄子。现在我是那个拥抱她的人，因为傲慢的托伊蒂还在继续。"当这种情况没有发生时，绝望就开始了。如果没有花哨的裤子，我们第一年就会被解雇。当放射性积雪被清除后，我们利用这里的温室种植边缘作物，同时派人在霍夫附近寻找补给。那时候一切都...简单多了。你所熟悉的那种野蛮状态需要时间来进化。即便如此，尽管我们小心翼翼地管理我们的资产，当其他人来要求我们分享它们时......嗯，暴力是不可避免的。但更糟糕的是，在他们的思想中有一些元素认为他们可以做得更好。花裤子在他睡觉的时候被我们的人暗杀了。"
Hoity sighed, shaking his head at the memory. “Eventually, things decayed. Oh, there were still order and rules that made the Society the strongest group in the region, but the manners and principle were lost. Some even turned to… egghhh…” He trembled, lip curling in disgust. “…cannibalism. Not from necessity, but by choice. At that point, I had become the wretched creature you see before you and relocated to Hoofington Memorial Hospital. It wasn’t until King Awesome assumed control of the Society, slew the most savage elements, and imposed expectations of dignity and respectability that I returned and assisted him. It’s been two generations since then, but there are still some elements that cling to… uncivilized ways.”
豪伊蒂叹了口气，对着这段回忆摇摇头。"最终，东西腐烂了。哦，社会仍然有秩序和规则，使其成为这个地区最强大的团体，但是失去了礼仪和原则。有些人甚至转向......呃......"他颤抖着，厌恶地撇着嘴唇。"...食人。不是出于需要，而是出于选择。在那个时候，我变成了你们眼前的那个可怜的生物，被送到了胡芬顿纪念医院。直到牛叉王掌管了这个社团，杀死了最野蛮的分子，并强加了对尊严和体面的期望，我才回来帮助他。从那时起已经过去了两代人，但仍然有一些因素坚持着......不文明的方式。"
Maybe it was the cannibalism comment that snapped me out of my daze, or possibly it was that we finally arrived in the immense ballroom that served as the throne room. A huge, ugly, gilded chair sat on a dais at the far side of the room. My seat, for the moment. “You talked for five minutes and still haven’t explained why giving me a crown keeps all of you alive,” I said crossly. “If there’s this much plotting going on here, maybe it’d better to just wipe you all out after all. Given half of what I’ve heard you’ve done, it’d be no less than you deserve.”
也许是那个吃人的评论让我从茫然中清醒过来，也许是我们终于来到了作为王座厅的那个巨大的舞厅。一把巨大的、丑陋的、镀金的椅子坐在房间另一边的讲台上。我的座位，暂时的。"你说了五分钟，仍然没有解释为什么给我一个皇冠能让你们所有人活下来,"我生气地说。"如果这里有这么多阴谋，也许最好还是把你们全部消灭掉。考虑到我听说你做过的事情的一半，这不会比你应得的少。"
“Oooh!” Rampage grinned broadly at me. “Is that on the table? Tell me it’s still on the table. I will sex you right now if we can smash them all into jelly!” Hoity looked a little nervous as he pulled out a lacy white fan and began waving it briskly before his face.
"哦!"狂暴的冲我咧嘴大笑。""在桌子上吗？告诉我它还在桌子上。如果我们能把她们全部打成肉酱，我现在就愿意和你做爱!"他拿出一把带花边的白扇子，在面前轻快地挥舞起来，看上去有点紧张。
Glory sniffed disdainfully at Rampage’s glee. “Oh, don’t be ridiculous. Blackjack wasn’t serious. Were you, Blackjack?” she said with a smile in my
格洛里轻蔑地嗤笑着狂暴的欢乐。"哦，别开玩笑了。黑杰克不是认真的。是吗，黑杰克?"她笑着对我说
direction. When I looked back blankly, she frowned and amended, “About wiping them out?”
方向。当我茫然地回头看时，她皱起了眉头，修正道:"关于把它们擦掉的事?"
I blinked, flushed, and quickly added, “No. Of course not,” then turned from her and muttered under my breath, “Mostly.”
我眨了眨眼，脸涨得通红，很快补充道:"不。"当然不是,"然后转过身去，低声咕哝着,"大部分是。"
Rampage let out a feigned sneeze that sounded a lot like, “Whipped!”
狂暴发作时假装打了个喷嚏，听起来很像是"被鞭打了!"
“Only if she behaves,” Glory replied with a smile at me that made me wish the floor would swallow me up… why was this happening now? Why at all? Damn it! All I’d wanted was to borrow an airship!
"只要她表现好,"晨辉对我微笑着回答，这让我希望地板能把我吞下去......为什么会发生这种事？为什么呢？该死！我只是想借一艘飞艇！
Hoity stared at all the rest of us, fan frozen and jaw dropped. “Nevermind them,”
傲慢地盯着我们其余所有人，目光呆滞，惊讶得张口结舌。"别管他们,"
P-21 said brusquely with a wave of his hoof. “You were telling us why
P-21猛地一挥蹄子，唐突地说。"你告诉我们为什么
Blackjack was chosen?”
黑杰克被选中了?"
The ghoul blinked his filmy eyes and seemed to get back on track. “Mmm yes. Well, you see, there was no lack of plots and schemes for when King Awesome passed. Some of the guards were receiving almost triple their pay in assorted bribes to act or not act when it happened. I’m fairly sure it would have come down between Charm and one of the lesser aristoponies, provided the serfs didn’t revolt and try for a mass overthrow.”
那个食尸鬼眨了眨他那双朦胧的眼睛，似乎又回到了正轨。"嗯，是的。你看，当牛叉王过世的时候，并不缺少阴谋和计划。事情发生时，一些看守收受了几乎三倍于他们的各种贿赂，要求他们采取行动或不采取行动。我相当肯定，只要农奴们不反抗，不试图进行大规模的颠覆，它就会介于魅力和较小的反叛之间。"
Then he snapped the fan closed and pointed it at me. “But there were no plans in place for you being given the throne.”
然后他啪的一声关上了电扇，用它指着我。但没有给你登基的计划
“But… I… he…” I stammered, then tossed the crown as hard as I could at the ground. It pinged, bounced off the floor, flipped end over end, and landed neatly on Boo’s head. “He used me!” The blank mare made a better queen than I did!
"但是......我.....。.他......"我结结巴巴地说，然后用尽全力把王冠扔在地上。它发出砰的一声，弹离地面，翻转过来，整齐地落在布的头上。"他利用了我!"那匹空白的母马比我做得更好！
Hoity sighed and shook his head. “Oh please. On a scale from one to ten for being used, this barely rates a three. Three point five, tops.” I shot the ghoul a murderous glare, and he snapped his fan open once more, turning away with a cough. “I understand if it is upsetting, but if you think it through, I think you’ll see things aren’t so bad.”
豪廉叹了口气，摇了摇头。"哦，拜托。如果用1到10来打分的话，这只能勉强得到3分。最多三百五十万。"我狠狠地瞪了那食尸鬼一眼，他又一次打开了扇子，咳嗽着转过身去。"如果这令人不快，我能理解，但如果你仔细考虑一下，我想你会发现事情并没有那么糟糕。"
“Go on,” I growled.
"继续,"我咆哮道。
He took a slow, deep breath. “Nopony planned for you to take over like this. Oh, there were contingencies for if you forced your way into power. That would have
他慢慢地深吸了一口气。"没有小马计划让你这样接管。哦，如果你强行获得动力，就会有意外情况发生。那样的话
made the elements unite momentarily against you. But openly being given it? Never. So at the moment, a dozen or more conspirators are rearranging their plots and schemes to put themselves into power. Bribes have gone for naught. Weapons intended against guards are suddenly inadequate to face you and your friends. Even the serfs, who’ve been rumbling for years, have gone silent, waiting to see what will happen next.”
让所有元素暂时联合起来对抗你。但是公开地被给予？从来没有。因此，目前，十几个或更多的阴谋家正在重新安排他们的阴谋和计划，以便让自己掌权。贿赂毫无用处。用来对付守卫的武器突然不足以对付你和你的朋友。甚至连多年来一直在隆隆作响的农奴也沉默了，等着看接下来会发生什么。"
“But that’s hardly a long-term solution. It just paints an enormous target on Blackjack’s head!” Glory protested crossly.
"但这不是一个长期的解决方案。它只是在黑杰克的头上画了一个巨大的目标!"格洛里愤怒地抗议。
I sighed, rolling my eyes a little. “It’s okay. I’m used to it.” Maybe I was the best candidate after all…
我叹了口气，眼珠转了一下。"没关系。我已经习惯了。"也许我是最佳人选。
“If she had any interest in actually staying put and ruling, certainly,” Hoity said with a casual wave of his fan before leaning towards me. “You aren’t really planning on giving up your quest, or search, or whatever for this, are you?”
"如果她真的有兴趣留下来统治的话，当然可以,"豪伊蒂不经意地向他的粉丝挥了挥手，然后靠向我。"你并不是真的打算放弃你的追求，或者搜寻，或者其他什么，对吗?"
“Of course not!” I retorted. Not like the Goddess would give me a choice. I could feel her will poking and tugging at my mind.
"当然没有!"我反驳道。女神不会给我选择的机会。我能感觉到她的意志在我的脑子里戳来戳去。
“So you leave. But before you go off on your merry way, you’re going to need to pick somepony to run things here,” he said with a sweep of his hoof at the throne room, once a ballroom for the resort.
"所以你离开了。但在你开心地离开之前，你需要挑选一匹小马来管理这里的事情,"他一边说，一边用蹄子扫了扫王座厅，这里曾经是度假村的舞厅。
“How is that any different from them just assuming the throne directly?” Glory asked with a frown.
"这和他们直接登上王位有什么不同?"晨辉皱着眉头问道。
Hoity sighed, “Because if they kill Blackjack’s duly appointed regent, then Blackjack herself will return in a full fury of death and destruction. And out in the Wasteland, Blackjack has proven to be remarkably resilient against attack. Here, one might get lucky and assassinate her, but out there roaming the Hoof? Unlikely.”
豪伊蒂叹了口气,"因为如果他们杀死了黑杰克正式任命的摄政王，那么黑杰克本人将带着死亡和毁灭的狂怒回来。在荒原之外，Blackjack已经被证明具有非凡的抵御攻击的能力。在这里，有人可能会幸运地暗杀她，但在那里漫游霍夫？不太可能。"
“So all Blackjack’s gotta do is appoint somepony to run things here, and she can go on her way?” Scotch Tape asked.
"所以Blackjack要做的就是任命一匹小马来管理这里，然后她就可以走自己的路了?"透明胶带问道。
Hoity sniffed delicately, “A succinct appraisal.”
傲慢的小心翼翼地嗅了嗅,"一个简洁的评价。"
“Good! Now you can pick somepony who can make things better for the serfs here,” P-21 said with the first real smile I’d seen since we’d arrived.
"好！现在你可以选一匹能让这里的农奴生活得更好的小马了,"P-21说道，带着我到这里以来第一次看到的真正的微笑。
It was short-lived as Glory countered, “Now wait a minute, P-21. The serfs already live much better lives than almost everypony in the Hoof. Think of the good the Society can do for the entire region!”
随着格洛里反驳道:"等一下，P-21。农奴们的生活几乎比霍夫的每一匹小马都要好得多。想想这个协会能为整个地区做的好事吧!"
Rampage snorted and rolled her eyes. “Please. These bastards couldn’t do good with a gun to their head. Just take whatever you need and move on. This place isn’t worth your time.”
狂暴的女人哼了一声，翻了个白眼。"求你了。这些混蛋被枪指着脑袋也做不了好事。带上你需要的东西，然后继续前进。这地方不值得你浪费时间。"
I felt the Goddess pressing on my skull. Unicorns. I should use the Society to send unicorns to Maripony! An alliance with the Goddess! It’d facilitate her creations of new male alicorn stock once LittlePip arrived with the book.
我感觉到女神压在我的头骨上。独角兽。我应该利用协会把独角兽送到Maripony去！与女神结盟！一旦小匹普带着这本书来到这里，她就可以创作出新的雄性角果品种。
I staggered and swung my head back and forth as Glory said sharply, “Blackjack, tell him that it’s better to help the many rather than a few who are already better off!”
晨辉尖锐地说:"黑杰克，告诉他帮助大多数人比帮助少数已经过得更好的人更好!"
“I… but…” I tried to think.
"我.....。.但是......"我试着去想。
“Blackjack, you promised!” P-21 snapped, his eyes hardening. “Or is this part of the plan?”
"黑杰克，你答应过的!"P-21厉声说道，他的眼神变得僵硬。"或者这是计划的一部分?"
“No. I…” If everypony could be quiet a second and let me put two thoughts together.
"没有。我。。」如果每匹小马都能安静一会儿，让我把两个想法放在一起。
“These people, with a little reform and effort, have the ability to help more ponies in the Wasteland than any! If you’d stop being so overemotional and apply a little reason, you’d see that!” Glory said in exasperation.
"这些人，经过一点改革和努力，就有能力帮助比任何人都多的荒地上的小马！如果你不要这么多愁善感，给自己一点理由，你就会明白的!"格洛里恼怒地说。
P-21 huffed, his eyes narrowing to very shooty slits. “Oh. So I’m being hysterical, huh? You sound just like the ponies in medical! I’m just a hysterical male, is that it?” P-21 snarled at her.
P-21怒气冲冲地说，眼睛眯得很大。"哦。这么说我有点歇斯底里了？你听起来就像医务室里的小马一样！我只是一个歇斯底里的男人，是吗?"P-21对她咆哮。
“Come on, Blackjack. They have a frigging menagerie!” Rampage snorted.
"来吧，黑杰克。他们有一个该死的动物园!"横冲直撞的人嗤之以鼻。
“Oh, we closed that gaudy thing down years and years ago,” Hoity countered.
"哦，我们多年前就关闭了那个华而不实的东西,"豪伊蒂反驳道。
“Okay, fine. Had. We should still stomp them into jelly. I know Big Daddy would approve. Hey! Make him regent!” Rampage crowed eagerly.
"好吧，好吧。曾经。我们还是应该把它们踩成果冻。我知道老爹会同意的。嘿！让他摄政吧!"狂暴的人群急切地欢呼着。
“Certainly not. Only a Society pony would do!” Hoity retorted. Rampage began
"当然不是。只有上流社会的小马才会这么做!"傲慢的反驳道。暴怒开始了
to grin murderously at the ghoul.
在食尸鬼面前凶狠地咧嘴一笑。
“You’re not thinking straight because of 99!” Glory yelled in P-21’s face. P-21 looked ready to tackle her! And I couldn’t think of way to stop them; they didn’t recover from bullets to the brain, after all. I was witnessing my friends tearing themselves apart before my eyes.
"因为99事件，你的思路不清晰!"P-21的脸上充满了晨辉。P-21看起来已经准备好对付她了！我想不出办法来阻止他们，毕竟他们没有从子弹射入大脑中恢复过来。我亲眼目睹我的朋友们在我面前撕裂自己。
“Hey! You don’t get to bring up 99! You don’t know what they did to my daddy!” Scotch Tape snapped. “I think he’s right!” P-21 blinked and looked in surprise. Still, while Scotch had dissipated a little of his anger with her support, I could see he was one dismissive remark from exploding.
"嘿！你不能提到99！你不知道他们对我爸爸做了什么!"胶带折断了。"我认为他是对的!"P-21惊讶地眨了眨眼睛。不过，虽然苏格兰人在她的支持下稍微消了一下他的怒气，但我可以看出，他是一句不屑一顾的话，没有大发雷霆。
I wanted to shake, but my synthetic body wouldn’t! I wanted to breathe hard, but my body couldn’t. All I could do was twist up tighter and tighter within myself. I trotted away from the others. “Quiet,” I ordered. They didn’t notice as they continued to shout and jabber louder and louder. The Goddess was a thudding headache bashing at my brain. I grit my teeth as I stared at the throne at the far side of the ballroom, a Goddesses-awful eyesore of gilt metal. I didn’t know if it was the Goddess or my own frustration and anger. “Everypony! Shut! Up!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.
我想抖一抖，但我的人造身体却抖不动！我想呼吸困难，但我的身体不能。我所能做的就是把自己的身体扭得越来越紧。我小跑着离开了其他人。"安静,"我命令道。他们没有注意到，继续大喊大叫，越说越大声。女神敲打着我的脑袋，让我头痛欲裂。我咬紧牙关，盯着舞厅远处的王座——一个女神般难看的镀金金属眼罩。我不知道是女神还是我自己的沮丧和愤怒。"每个小马！闭嘴！起来!"我大声尖叫起来。
“Blackjack?” Glory asked from behind me.
"黑杰克?"晨辉在我身后问道。
“I beg your pardon?” Hoity blustered.
"你说什么?"虚张声势。
“Look, if you want me to start killing we can work alphabetically…” Rampage began, reasonably.
"听着，如果你想让我开始杀人，我们可以按字母顺序来......"狂暴合理地开始了。
I whirled on all of them, feeling a rage building up inside me. “Leave!” I felt the surge building more and more inside my horn. “Me!” I roared at all of them. “Alone!” I wanted to be somewhere else! Anywhere else!
我在他们身上旋转，感觉到一种愤怒在我体内积聚。"离开!"我越来越感觉到我的喇叭里有一股汹涌澎湃的浪潮。"我!"我对他们大声吼叫。"一个人!"我想去别的地方！其他任何地方！
And then the world disappeared in a lavender burst of light.
然后整个世界消失在一束淡紫色的光芒中。
* * *
* * *
I crashed to the floor in Awesome’s collection, smashing a table and scattering leaflets everywhere. The shock of the spell had momentarily silenced the Goddess’s endless pushing and prodding. Lying there in the middle of the room of the stallion I’d shared tea with just hours ago, I clenched my eyes shut. Why
在Awesome的收藏中，我摔倒在地，砸碎了一张桌子，到处散发传单。咒语的震撼立刻使女神无休止的推动和刺激平静下来。我躺在那匹种马的房间中央，闭上了眼睛，几个小时前我还和它一起喝过茶。为什么
me? Why leave it to me?
我？为什么把它留给我？
Was it all a scam? Maybe this was something Hoity was pulling. Or Cognitum. Or Dawn. Or… or some other higher scheme that put me right in the place I didn’t want to be: in the middle of a moral mess. Or maybe this had been Awesome’s desperate throw to try and preserve something not worth saving. It didn’t have to be me. It could have been anypony powerful enough to hold the title but without reason or interest in actually ruling; I just happened to come along at the right time and be liked by him.
这一切都是骗局吗？也许这就是Hoity在做的事情。或者叫做Cognitum。或者是黎明。或者......或者其他更高层次的计划，把我置于我不想要的境地:置于道德混乱之中。也许这是Awesome为了保存一些不值得保存的东西而孤注一掷。不一定非得是我。它可能是任何一匹强大到足以拥有头衔的马，但却没有理由或兴趣来实际统治;我只是碰巧在正确的时间出现，并且被他喜欢。
But that wasn’t why this hurt so bad. I’d liked Awesome. I would have liked to have talked to him about the serfs. Find out how the Society could have done better. Speculated on Goldenblood. For a little moment, it had felt like I’d had a family again. Only this time, instead of being silenced by Looks and imperious parental tones, I could have shared my thoughts with him.
但这并不是为什么这么痛苦的原因。我喜欢棒极了。我真想跟他谈谈农奴的事。了解学会如何才能做得更好。推测金色血液。有那么一瞬间，我感觉自己又有了一个家。只是这一次，我不再被外表和专横的父母语调压制，而是可以和他分享我的想法。
And he’d used me. He’d brought me into this room and showed me understanding and empathy and then he’d died and dumped his solution on my shoulders. He hadn’t asked. He hadn’t even told me. He simply made his plans with Hoity Toity and then kicked off to leave this mess in my hooves. And most galling of all: it would probably work. I wasn’t going to wipe out the Society, no matter how much P-21 or Rampage wanted me to. And I wasn’t going to stay here to rule, either; I was terrified of the responsibility of simply picking a regent. But I was also too responsible now to simply walk away.
他利用了我。他带我来到这个房间，向我表示理解和同情，然后他死了，把他的解决方案倒在我的肩膀上。他没有问。他甚至没有告诉我。他只是和傲慢的Toity一起制定了他的计划，然后就把这个烂摊子留在了我的蹄子上。最令人难堪的是:它可能会起作用。我不打算消灭这个协会，不管P-21或者狂暴有多么希望我这么做。我也不打算留在这里统治，我很害怕挑选一个摄政者的责任。但我现在也太有责任感了，不能就这么走开。
Goddesses… for once I actually wanted the Goddess to take me over and end this complicated joke that was my life. Then the urge to send unicorn peace envoys to the Goddess slammed into me like a ton of bricks. I even started crawling to the door to give the order.
女神们......这一次我真的希望女神接管我，结束这个复杂的笑话，那就是我的生活。然后派遣独角兽和平使者前往女神的冲动像一吨砖头一样砸向我。我甚至开始爬到门口下命令。
Suddenly a horn dipped down from above and touched mine, and the impulse abated immediately. I slowly turned my head, looking up at Lacunae. For a moment, I was simply Blackjack again. “Lacunae?” I asked as I looked up into the sad eyes of the alicorn, then looked around for memory orbs. “Keep back. I’m not ready to join the Goddess yet!”
突然，一个喇叭从上面伸下来碰到了我的喇叭，这种冲动立刻消失了。我慢慢地转过头，抬头看着Lacunae。有那么一瞬间，我又变回了黑杰克。"缺陷?"我一边问，一边抬头看着阿里克那双忧伤的眼睛，然后环顾四周，寻找记忆之球。"退后。我还没有准备好加入女神的行列!"
“I know you’re not,” she murmured softly. “I’m sorry, Blackjack. She wants you soon. She wants you in Unity, and it’s all my fault.”
"我知道你不是,"她轻声地说。"对不起，黑杰克。她想尽快见到你。她希望你留在尤尼蒂，这都是我的错。"
“It’s not your fault, Lacunae. It’s the Goddess. If you wronged me, it was her
"这不是你的错，拉库尼。是女神。如果你冤枉了我，那就是她
doing. Not yours,” I said as I looked away. The shelves full of memory orbs were empty. Also gone were some of the papers and articles that had been on the desk. Only minor artifacts remained, curiosities that wouldn’t have told me things about Horizons. I’d wanted to look at the memories with Awesome, talk about what we saw within.
做。不是你的,"我边说边转过头去。满架子的记忆球都是空的。桌上的一些文件和文章也不见了。只剩下一些微小的人工制品，一些不会告诉我关于地平线的事情的好奇心。我想看看和Awesome在一起的回忆，谈谈我们在里面看到了什么。
“It is my fault, Blackjack. It is all my fault, and before you or I are too far gone under her control, I have to ask for something I have no right to. Your trust,” Lacunae asked as she closed her eyes. “Before I’m too far gone, I want… I need to show you something.”
"是我的错，黑杰克。这都是我的错，在你和我被她控制之前，我不得不要求一些我没有权利要求的东西。"你的信任,"拉库尼闭上眼睛问道。"在我走得太远之前，我想......我需要给你看点东西。"
“Too far gone?” I asked in worry.
"太过分了?"我担心地问。
“The Goddess is readying herself. Anything that could undermine her… doubt… compassion… kindness… is being purged into me. I feel as though… like I’m an over-pressurized container. That I might explode. That all the swirling feelings and memories inside me are condensing into something volatile. But this time may be our only chance for me to show you this before the Goddess refocuses on controlling you,” Lacunae said, her body shuddering. “Please. I need to show you.”
"女神正在做准备。任何可能破坏她的...怀疑...同情...善良...的东西都会被净化到我的身体里。我觉得好像...好像我是一个压力过大的容器。我可能会爆炸。所有在我体内盘旋的感觉和记忆都凝结成了某种不稳定的东西。但是这次可能是我们唯一的机会让我在女神重新集中精力控制你之前向你展示这个,"拉库纳说，她的身体颤抖着。"求你了。我要给你看看。"
“How do I know this isn’t some kind of trick?” I asked with a scowl. It was true; at the moment I couldn’t feel the Goddess scratching at my brain. Her attention was elsewhere… or was it? This could be some kind of trick. Like Awesome and… and…
"我怎么知道这不是什么把戏?"我皱着眉头问道。这是真的，此刻我感觉不到女神在挠我的脑袋。她的注意力在别的地方......还是别的地方？这可能是某种诡计。就像"棒极了"和..。
What was the matter with me? Had I finally hardened to the point that I couldn’t trust my friend? I looked up into her desperate, purple eyes. “Please, trust me,” she pleaded. I stared into hers and finally closed mine.
我到底怎么了？难道我最终硬到不能相信我的朋友的地步了吗？我抬头看着她那绝望的紫色眼睛。"请相信我,"她恳求道。我凝视着她的眼睛，最后关上了我的。
“All right. I just hope it’s quick, before the Goddess makes me crown her as regent,” I said as I looked back at her.
"好吧。我只希望快点，在女神授予我摄政王的王冠之前,"我回头看着她说。
Lacunae pressed her horn to mine, and the world swirled away.
空隙把她的号角按在我的号角上，整个世界旋转着消失了。
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
Well, this was new. I stared at the dark, riot-armored mare as she walked through a blackened strand of forest. The charred trunks still hissed steam, despite the green snow lying around them. I hovered as translucent as a ghost behind her.
好吧，这是新的。我注视着这匹黑色的披着防暴盔甲的母马，她正穿过一片漆黑的森林。尽管周围覆盖着绿色的雪，烧焦的树干仍然发出嘶嘶的蒸汽声。我在她身后半透明地盘旋着。
Across from me stood the spectral Lacunae. “So is there a reason I’m not experiencing this first-person?” I asked as I watched the black-armored mare trudge through the forest towards a ridge far above.
在我对面站着幽灵般的空隙。"那么，我没有亲身体验到这种感觉是有原因的吗?"我看着那匹黑披甲的母马步履艰难地穿过森林朝远处的山脊走去，问道。
“This is not within you. It is a memory within me,” Lacunae whispered.
"这不在你的内心。这是我内心的记忆,"拉库尼低声说。
“Something the Goddess crammed into you?” I replied. She didn’t answer, though. Instead, she bowed her head as we floated after Psalm. I could trot… well, float… around her but if I tried to move away I was swiftly dragged back. “Where the hell is she going?” I asked as I watched the mare trudge to the top. I could hear her PipBuck ticking like crazy. The rads had to be through the roof here. “Lacunae, what is going on?” I asked in concern. I saw tiny spectral motes floating into Lacunae.
"是女神塞给你的东西吗?"我回答。不过她没有回答。相反，她低着头，我们跟着诗篇飘然而去。我可以小跑......嗯，漂浮......在她周围，但是如果我试图离开，我很快被拖回来。"她到底要去哪儿?"我看着母马艰难地爬上山顶，问道。我能听到她的皮伯克像疯了一样的滴答声。这里的辐射强度必须超过屋顶。"空隙，发生什么事了?"我担心地问。我看见微小的幽灵尘粒漂浮在空隙中。
Then Psalm crested the ridge and stopped at the lip of the valley, and I saw it: a massive, hulking block of a building beside a luminescent hole full of chaotic, flickering light. Glowing fissures radiated out of it, and a malevolent polychromatic glare filled the valley beyond. Things… glowing, protoplasmic things… crept along those deep ravines. Scattered amongst them was a patchwork of sundered foundations, the outbuildings of the base itself ripped to shreds. From the buckling in the roads, it looked as if the entire area had been shaken like a bedsheet and left rumpled.
然后，诗篇登上山脊，停在山谷的边缘，我看到了它:一个巨大的，笨重的建筑物旁边的夜光洞充满了混乱，闪烁的光。从山谷里射出炽热的裂缝，一道恶毒的多色眩光布满了山谷。东西...发光的，原生质的东西...沿着那些深深的峡谷爬行。在他们中间散落着一些支离破碎的地基，基地的外部建筑本身被撕成了碎片。从弯曲的道路上看，整个地区像床单一样被震动了，被弄得凌乱不堪。
The structure itself appeared to be a hulking industrial building reinforced with thick steel beams and concrete walls to withstand almost anything the enemy could throw at it… almost anything. Not even the enchantments of the M.A.S. had spared it from colossal devastation. The building was intact, but the ground around it had partially collapsed and left almost a full third of it hanging out over the sinkhole, the gargantuan structure still in one piece only due to ridiculous Equestrian overengineering. Along the side facing the ridge, in scorched purple letters, was the word ‘Maripony’. The name Twilight had given Big Macintosh in a blurt of panic… “What the hell is she doing here, Lacunae?” I asked, staring at the devastation around us as she moved through the ruins, avoiding the malevolent glow by ducking through the blasted foundations and skirting along the rumpled terrain. She never stopped, and I couldn’t blame her. Either that suit had some superb radiation shielding or she was triple-dosed on Rad-X, or both. She didn’t even slow when she levitated out packets of RadAway, draining them as she moved. I
结构本身看起来是一个庞大的工业建筑，用厚钢梁和混凝土墙加固，几乎可以抵挡任何敌人可以扔向它的东西...几乎任何东西。甚至连m.a.s的仙境湖也未能幸免于巨大的破坏。建筑物完好无损，但是周围的地面已经部分坍塌，几乎有三分之一的部分悬挂在天坑上，这个巨大的结构由于过度施工而仍然完好无损。面对山脊的一边，用烧焦的紫色字母写着"马里波尼"。暮光之城这个名字让大麦金托什陷入了一片恐慌......"她到底在这里干什么，拉库奈?"我问道，盯着我们周围的废墟，看着她穿过废墟，躲避着那恶毒的光芒，穿过那破败的地基，沿着皱巴巴的地形走着。她从来没有停止过，我不能责怪她。要么这套宇航服具有极好的辐射屏蔽，要么她服用了三倍剂量的Rad-X，或者两者兼而有之。她甚至没有慢下来，她悬浮出包RadAway，一边移动一边吸干它们。一
could see the glowing malformed moving things. Some had the vaguest canine appearance. Others were bloated ponyish shapes that wandered mindlessly.
可以看到发光的畸形移动的东西。有些犬科动物外表模糊不清。其他的则是浮肿的浮肿的形状，漫无目的地游荡着。
“This was Twilight’s last reported location. She’s come here to kill her,” Lacunae replied softly.
"这是暮光之城最后报告的位置。她是来杀她的,"拉库奈轻声回答。
I gaped at the transparent alicorn. “But… but Partypooper was a lie! Garnet set it off. She admitted it!” I spluttered as Psalm moved to a delivery dock. The twisted, broken hulks of skywagons lay fused in a heap like some perverse sculpture.
我目瞪口呆地望着那透明的橡子。"但是......但是派对舞会是个谎言！石榴石引爆了它。她承认了!"我语无伦次地说，就像诗篇搬到运货码头一样。那些扭曲破碎的空中马车组成了一堆，就像一个变态的雕塑。
“Serve Luna and you will be forgiven,” Lacunae whispered. Psalm checked the dock’s door into the building, but it was locked.
"服侍露娜，你就会得到宽恕,"拉库尼低声说。诗篇检查了进入建筑物的码头的门，但它是锁着的。
I expected bobby pins but was in error as I watched Psalm apply a wad of plastic explosives to the lock and move aside. “But Luna is dead!” The blast echoed across the eerily howling valley. “This is insane!”
我以为会有发夹，但我错了，因为我看到诗篇把一团塑料炸药应用到锁上，然后移到一边。"但是卢娜死了!"爆炸声在令人毛骨悚然的咆哮的山谷中回荡。"这太疯狂了!"
“It doesn’t matter. Serve Luna and she will save you. The order was to execute the Ministry Mares and other compromised members of Equestrian command,” Lacunae replied hollowly as Psalm went inside and we were dragged through the wall after her. Once inside, the radiation dropped to slow ticks. A rate that would kill in days rather than minutes. Her horn flickered, and one by one the clasps of the respirator were detached from the helmet.
"没关系。服侍露娜，她会救你的。命令是处决部里的母马和其他妥协的骑士指挥官,"拉库纳空洞地回答，诗篇走了进去，我们被拖着穿过墙跟在她后面。一旦进入，辐射就会降到很低的水平。这个速度只需要几天而不是几分钟。她的喇叭忽闪忽闪，呼吸器的扣子一个接一个地从头盔上脱落。
What lay beneath more resembled a ghoul than a pony. Only a few tattered wisps of white mane remained, and her black hide was pale and riddled with sores. Bloodshot eyes stared wearily out as she tried to levitate another packet of RadAway to her mouth, clutched her stomach, and vomited a slurry of red and orange. Again and again her body hunched over as she retched but brought up nothing. She collapsed on her side before the foul pool, sucking in gulps of air and coughing wretchedly.
下面躺着的东西更像一个食尸鬼，而不是一匹小马。只剩下几缕破破烂烂的白鬃毛，黑色的皮肤苍白，布满了疮疤。布满血丝的眼睛疲倦地盯着外面，她试图把另一包RadAway漂浮到她的嘴边，抓住她的胃，吐出一团红色和橙色的浆液。她的身体一次又一次地蜷缩着，干呕着，但什么也没有吐出来。她倒在污浊的水池前，吸进一大口空气，可怜地咳嗽。
“She came here to die,” I whispered softly.
"她是来这里等死的,"我轻声说。
“No. It was in service to Luna,” Lacunae insisted. “To serve was to earn forgiveness for sins.”
"没有。这是为卢娜服务的,"拉库尼坚持说。"为人服务就是为了得到罪的赦免。"
“How? How does this earn forgiveness?” I asked as I gestured at Psalm with outstretched forehooves as the black unicorn pulled herself to her hooves. One
"怎么回事？这是如何获得原谅的呢?"当黑独角兽扑向它的蹄子时，我伸出前蹄指着诗篇问道。一个
up, she steadied herself, then proceeded to move through the balefire-gutted structure.
她站了起来，让自己平静下来，然后继续穿过被火烧毁的建筑物。
“You know,” Lacunae answered solemnly.
"你知道的,"拉库尼严肃地回答。
I watched the exhausted mare move onward, dying but devoted to action. Every now and then, the memory around me blurred as she struggled to maintain consciousness. I saw myself racing on, exhausted and terrified of sleep, till I finally had arrived at Yellow River. Till I had crippled an innocent filly after nearly crushing Dusk’s head. Of course Psalm wasn’t looking to die. No more than I was being self-destructive while swearing to never attempt to commit suicide again. It was a delusion I knew only too well.
我看着筋疲力尽的母马向前行进，垂死但却投身于行动。时不时地，当她努力保持清醒时，我周围的记忆变得模糊起来。我看到自己精疲力尽，又害怕睡眠，一直跑到黄河边。直到我差点压碎了黄昏的脑袋，把一只无辜的小母马弄残了。当然，诗篇并不期待死亡。正如我发誓再也不试图自杀一样，我也是在自我毁灭。这是一种我再清楚不过的错觉。
“Did Twilight even survive the bomb?” I asked as Psalm moved deeper into the structure. Here, there wasn’t as much char. The bodies were intact, mostly soldier ponies with nowhere to flee. “I mean… she’s in Unity.” I lowered my eyes. “Sorry. Stupid question.”
"暮光之城在爆炸中幸存了下来吗?"当诗篇进入结构的更深处时，我问道。在这里，没有那么多的木炭。尸体完好无损，大部分是士兵的小马，无处可逃。"我是说......她在尤尼蒂。"我垂下眼睛。"对不起。愚蠢的问题。"
Suddenly, Psalm entered a corridor that wasn’t just intact, but lit! The emergency lighting flickered despite the gaps in the wall. From somewhere came a sharp, hysterical screaming. I’d heard screaming like that… the pain… it was the scream of a mare getting her cutie mark burned away. Psalm levitated her sniper rifle, checked the magazine loaded with explosive rounds, and peered down the hall, slowly sweeping the weapon. I remembered its enchantment allowing Psalm to see through solid objects.
突然，诗篇进入了一个不仅完好无损，而且光亮的走廊！尽管墙上有缝隙，应急照明灯还是闪烁不定。不知从哪里传来一声尖锐的歇斯底里的尖叫。我听到过那样的尖叫声......那种痛苦......那是母马的尖叫声，她那可爱的印记被烧掉了。诗人把她的狙击步枪悬浮起来，检查了装满爆炸性子弹的弹匣，然后向大厅里张望，慢慢地扫射着武器。我记得它的魅力，允许诗篇看穿固体物体。
She then looked down and froze. The gun clattered to the floor, her bloodshot, yellow eyes wide. “No. It’s impossible…” She slowly backed away, the expression of horror growing. “What… what unholiness…”
然后她低下头，呆住了。枪砰的一声落在地板上，她满身是血，黄色的眼睛睁得大大的。"没有。这是不可能的......"她慢慢地后退，恐惧的表情越来越强烈。"什么...什么不圣洁..."
“What? What is it?” I asked Lacunae, but she didn’t answer. So I poked my head through the floor. I was a memory. What could it…
"什么？这是什么?"我问拉库尼，但她没有回答。所以我从地板上探出头来。我只是一段回忆。怎么会..。
I stared down into an enormous room of vats and glowing blue flesh. There’d once been six of the great open tanks, but two had ruptured and filled the floor with purple and green sludge. Only my experience in Horizon Labs came close to the thing I saw below me. It was nearly impossible to tell where the undulating flesh ended and the metal began. A chaotic storm of blue energy flickered and flashed over the living, magical mass, occasionally coalescing into the shape of a twisted, agonized mare.
我低头凝视着一个巨大的房间，里面是大桶和发光的蓝色肉体。曾经有六个巨大的开放式水箱，但其中两个已经破裂，地板上布满了紫色和绿色的淤泥。只有我在地平线实验室的经历接近我在下面看到的东西。几乎不可能知道起伏的肉体在哪里结束，金属在哪里开始。一股混乱的蓝色能量风暴在活生生的魔法物质上闪烁着，偶尔聚合成一个扭曲的、痛苦的母马的形状。
I watched in horror as a frantic peach-colored unicorn mare in a tattered white labcoat clung to the railing of the catwalk. A blue tentacle of magic wrapped itself around her torso and pulled. “No! No! Celestia, no!” she screamed, clutching with such desperation that the catwalk started to groan. But the tendrils pulled relentlessly on. The mare’s screams took an even higher pitch as her limbs broke and she was wrenched from the walkway and into the blue sludge. She flailed her hooves, but instantly her broken legs took on the consistency of soft wax. The peach hide melted away into the great blue mass. Elsewhere, pieces of flesh were being drawn together: wings, limbs, heads, and horns, forming slowly like budding plants before my eyes. The creation of alicorns, some blue and others green.
我惊恐地看着一匹穿着破旧白大褂的桃色独角兽母马紧紧抓住t型台的栏杆。一条蓝色的魔法触手缠绕着她的躯干，拉着她。"不！不！塞莱斯蒂亚，不要!"她尖叫着，用绝望的神情紧紧抓住t台，开始呻吟起来。但是卷须无情地伸展着。母马的尖叫声变得更高，因为她的四肢断裂，她被扭下走道，掉进了蓝色淤泥里。她挥舞着她的蹄子，但是她断裂的腿立刻呈现出一种软蜡般的稠密。桃皮融化成一大团蓝色的东西。在其他地方，一块块的肉被吸引在一起:翅膀，四肢，头，和角，慢慢形成像萌芽植物在我的眼前。创造了橡树果，有些是蓝色的，有些是绿色的。
Then I was yanked back through the floor because Psalm was running. Though dying from radiation poisoning, Psalm refused to let it stop her. The hallway smeared into a blur as her recollection broke down, but she pulled herself back together and pushed on. She seemed to know the layout of Maripony well enough; I supposed she’d memorized the plans from her time in the O.I.A. She pushed her way into a lab marked ‘Experimental Weapon Development’, around which were strewn thousands of pieces of junk, talismans, and half-completed weaponry.
然后我被拉回到地板上，因为诗篇在跑。虽然死于辐射中毒，诗篇却拒绝让它阻止她。随着她的记忆被打破，走廊变得模糊起来，但她又振作起来，继续前进。她似乎对Maripony的布局了如指掌，我猜她已经记住了在战时国际信息组织的计划。她挤进了一个标有"实验性武器开发"的实验室，周围散落着成千上万的垃圾、护身符和半成品武器。
She lifted a targeting talisman, went to a terminal, and started typing. Her years in the O.I.A. had clearly involved more training than just shooting things. I watched over her shoulder, then looked over at the ghostly Lacunae, who kept her face averted. With focus that would do P-21 proud, she ignored the blood dripping from her nose and mouth. She connected the talisman to the terminal, linked to the MASEBS network, used an O.I.A. backdoor, password ‘Littlehorn’ and…
她拿起一个目标护身符，走到一个终端，开始打字。她在o.i.a.的那些年显然不仅仅是射击，而是更多的训练。我从她的肩膀上看过去，然后又看了看幽灵般的空隙，她一直避开着她的脸。由于注意力集中，P-21感到骄傲，她忽略了从她的鼻子和嘴巴滴下的血。她把护身符连接到终端，连接到MASEBS网络，使用了一个o.i.a.后门，密码是利特霍恩和.....。
Hoofington Megaspell Command.
胡芬顿·梅加斯佩尔司令部。
“Dear Luna…” I breathed as I watched in horrified fascination. The network informed her that the facility was locked down due to EC-1101, and Psalm gave a frustrated sob, wiping away the blood and sweat from her ashen face.
"亲爱的卢娜......"我一边喘着气，一边惊恐地看着这一切。网络告诉她，由于EC-1101，这个设施被封锁了，诗篇发出了一声沮丧的呜咽，擦去了她苍白的脸上的血和汗。
Then I heard it. The whisper of the Goddess, growing stronger with every passing second. “Come to me. You’re dying. Let me save you, Twilight. I can save everypony now.”
然后我听到了。女神的低语，随着时间的流逝越来越强烈。"到我这儿来。你快死了。让我来拯救你，暮光。现在我可以拯救每一匹小马了。"
Psalm gave another sob as she typed furiously. “No. You’re not Luna. I don’t know what you are, but you’re not her!” she whispered furiously as she typed. Every attempt to override the lockout ran into the same wall. “Luna, forgive me and take my soul. Forgive… please forgive me… I serve you, Princess Luna!”
当她拼命打字时，诗篇又发出一声呜咽。"没有。你不是露娜。我不知道你是什么，但你不是她!"她一边打字，一边愤怒地低语。每一次试图破坏锁定的尝试都碰到了同一堵墙。"卢娜，原谅我，带走我的灵魂。原谅...请原谅我...我为您服务，卢娜公主!"
She managed to get into a monitoring program, then snuck into maintenance, and finally into manual discharge. ‘Warning! Megaspell primed. Manual discharge not advised. Target?’ She gave another sob and smile as she turned the talisman over and began to type very carefully a string of numbers and letters written on the back.
她设法进入了一个监控程序，然后偷偷进入了维护程序，最后进入了手动卸载程序。""警告！梅格斯佩尔已经准备好了。不建议人工放电。目标?'她又抽泣了一声，然后微笑着把护身符翻过来，开始非常仔细地打印背面写着的一串数字和字母。
Then she hit Enter. The targeting talisman turned from a milky white to a blood red. She gave one more sob and smile. “For you, Luna.” She tapped a button and relaxed with a look of bliss.
然后她按了回车键。目标护身符从乳白色变成了血红色。她又哭了一声，笑了一下。"给你的，卢娜。"她轻轻地按了一下按钮，带着幸福的神情放松了下来。
The screen flashed. ‘Manual discharge of Megaspell overridden per EC-1101 command. Discharge aborted.’ The talisman returned to its milky white. Psalm stared at it for several seconds.
屏幕闪烁起来。根据EC-1101命令手动卸载Megaspell覆盖。放行中止护身符又回到了乳白色的状态。诗人盯着它看了几秒钟。
Then the Goddess whispered, “You… You don’t belong here. What are you doing?! Why are you trying to kill me? I can save you! I can save everypony! Just like Twilight and her friends did.”
然后女神低声说,"你...你不属于这里。你在干什么?！你为什么要杀我？我可以救你！我可以拯救每一匹小马！就像暮光之城和她的朋友们一样。"
“You are not Luna!” Psalm screamed, flinging the stone away as she scrambled back into a locker. “You are… a thing! I have seen true Goddesses, monster!” She swore as she looked at the bottles and ate a tablet of Buck, sucked some RadAway, and healed herself with a potion. Then she continued poking through experimental weaponry, looking at the crates’ labels closely.
"你不是卢娜!"当她爬回储物柜时，她把石头扔了出去，大声尖叫着。"你是......一个东西！我见过真正的女神，怪物!"她一边看着瓶子一边咒骂着，吃了一片巴克，吸了一点拉达威，然后喝了一剂药水治好了自己。然后她继续戳试验性武器，仔细查看板条箱的标签。
“You come from outside. I can see your memories…” the Goddess said sympathetically. “I can feel your torment. I know that feeling…”
"你是从外面来的。我能看到你的记忆......"女神同情地说。"我能感受到你的痛苦。我知道那种感觉......"
Psalm clutched her eyes, pressing her hooves to her head. “Out! Get out!” She returned to motion, mumbling. “Blessed Luna, full of strength, be a shield against the darkness and the nightmares. Be my silent protector against the darkness and our enemies. Grant me your mercy and protection,” she prayed aloud as she went from one to the next, trying to drown out the Goddess. Then she saw one crate, then smiled. “And empower me with the might to strike down your enemies.” She flipped the lid open and stared down at a strange device nestled in padding with a half dozen green orbs flickering with a rainbow sheen.
诗人紧紧地抓住她的眼睛，用蹄子顶着她的头。"出去！滚出去!"她又开始动起来，喃喃自语。"神圣的卢娜，充满力量，是黑暗和噩梦的盾牌。成为我对抗黑暗和敌人的沉默的保护者。请赐予我你的仁慈和保护,"她大声祈祷着，一个接一个，试图淹没女神的声音。然后她看到了一箱，然后笑了。求你赐我力量，击杀你的仇敌她掀开盖子，低头看着一个奇怪的装置，它坐落在填充物中，六个绿色球体闪烁着彩虹般的光辉。
‘Balefire Egg Launcher’ was written on a label next to technical information.
'balebireEggLauncher'写在技术信息旁边的标签上。
“You’re insane,” the Goddess whispered in horror. “Who are you? What are you thinking?”
"你疯了,"女神惊恐地低声说。"你是谁？你在想什么?"
Psalm lifted the device from the padding and loaded an egg. “I serve Princess Luna. In service, I am forgiven for my sins.”
帕萨姆从填充物中拿起装置，装上一个鸡蛋。"我侍奉卢娜公主。在事奉中，我的罪得到了赦免。"
“You’ve killed… I can see it… You monster! Stay away!” the Goddess screamed, and glowing blue tendrils pushed up through the floor, waving wildly as they tried to catch Psalm. But she pulled her helmet back on and started to move, the B.E.L. floating above her. It might have been the Buck, or perhaps the RadAway and potion, but I believed sheer zeal kept her moving so quickly down the halls.
"你杀了......我看得出来......你这个怪物！离我远点!"女神尖叫着，发着蓝光的卷须从地板上伸出来，疯狂地挥舞着，试图抓住《诗篇》。但是她把头盔拉回来，开始移动，b.e.l.在她头顶漂浮。也许是雄鹿，也许是拉达威和药水，但我相信纯粹的热情使她在大厅里快速移动。
“Oh, Celestia… I can see… I can see your thoughts! I can see… Manehattan? Canterlot? Hoofington? All gone?!” the Goddess wailed, and I heard the ghostly wails of other ponies already linked in Unity. “There’s nothing left out there but death, and you’re trying to kill me? I can save your life! Just like how I just saved Twilight’s! Please!”
"哦，塞莱斯蒂亚......我能看到......我能看到你的想法！我能看到...曼哈顿？坎特罗？胡芬顿？全没了?!"女神哀号着，我听到其他小马鬼鬼祟祟的哀号，它们已经联系在一起了。"外面除了死亡什么都没有了，你还想杀我？我可以救你的命！就像我刚刚拯救了暮光之城一样！求你了!"
“I don’t care about my life!” Psalm shouted. A half dozen glowing tendrils streaked down the hall towards Psalm. She raised the B.E.L. and shot the flickering green egg, then leapt to the side through a hatch. She’d barely closed it before another explosion shook the building. From the rumbling and rippling, I could guess that part of the building was falling into that sinkhole. “Only Luna can save my soul!”
"我不在乎我的生命!"诗人大声喊道。六根发光的卷须沿着大厅向诗篇方向延伸。她举起b.e.l.枪击了闪烁的绿色鸡蛋，然后从一个舱口跳到了旁边。在另一次爆炸震动整个建筑物之前，她刚刚关上门。从隆隆声和涟漪声中，我可以猜到建筑物的一部分正掉进那个天坑里。"只有露娜能拯救我的灵魂!"
She pulled herself to her hooves and kept moving. “Your soul? You’re worried about… that…” the Goddess trailed off in horror. “Oh… you… you’ve killed…”
她竭尽全力，继续前进。"你的灵魂？你担心的是......那个......"女神惊恐地低声说道。"哦...你...你杀了..."
“Yes, I’ve killed. For Luna! All for Luna! So it’s all right!” Psalm cried as she moved through another hatch. “I’ve hurt so many! Killed so many! But I serve Luna!”
"是的，我杀过人。为了露娜！都是为了露娜！所以没关系!"当她穿过另一个舱口时，诗人哭了。"我伤害了那么多人！杀了那么多人！但是我为卢娜服务!"
“Psalm… that’s your name, isn’t it?” the Goddess said so softly, so compassionately that I wondered how it would be possible that she’d ever been this way. “I know what it’s like to do bad things. I know what it’s like to need forgiveness. Please, don’t do this.”
"诗篇......那是你的名字，不是吗?"女神如此温柔，如此慈悲地说，以至于我不知道她怎么会变成这样。"我知道做坏事是什么感觉。我知道需要原谅是什么感觉。请不要这样做。"
“I came here to kill Twilight Sparkle,” Psalm spat as she staggered into some industrial works and started making her way down. “That was the order! Kill the Ministry Mares…”
"我来这里是为了杀死紫悦,"诗人吐着唾沫，她摇摇晃晃地走进一些工业厂房，开始往下走。"这是命令！杀死魔法部的母马......"
“That order was a lie. You didn’t come here to kill Twilight…”
"那个命令是个谎言。你来这里不是为了杀死暮光之城......"
“Shut up!” Psalm whimpered as she kept moving down through the works.
"闭嘴!"当她在作品中不断移动的时候，诗人呜咽着。
“Luna… protect… strength…” Psalm muttered in terror.
"露娜......保护......力量......"诗篇在恐惧中喃喃自语。
“You came here hoping that Twilight was alive… so she would kill you,” the Goddess said around us as we floated after her.
"你来这里希望暮光之城还活着......这样她就会杀了你,"女神在我们身边说，我们跟在她后面。
“Quiet!” Psalm sobbed as she finally came out above the enormous blue mass with its budding alicorns. She pointed the B.E.L. down at the mass. “Luna… Luna… Luna…”
"安静!"当她终于出来时，她啜泣着走出了那一大片蓝色的土地，那里有正在发芽的橡子。她把b.e.l.指向下面的弥撒物。"露娜...露娜...露娜..."
“I know what it’s like to do bad things too. I was once under the effects of something evil, but the bad things I did came from me. I know what it’s like to want forgiveness so much it hurts.” Psalm stood on the edge, looking down as the blue motes coalesced into a blue mare’s head. “I can give you the forgiveness you seek, Psalm. I can save you, if you let me. If you don’t pull that trigger.”
"我也知道做坏事是什么感觉。我曾经受到邪恶的影响，但是我所做的坏事都来自于我自己。我知道想要得到宽恕是什么感觉，这种感觉让我很受伤。"诗篇站在边缘，低头看着蓝色的尘埃聚集成一匹蓝色的母马的头。"我可以给你你所寻求的宽恕，诗篇。如果你愿意，我可以救你。如果你不开枪的话。"
Psalm’s glow flickered. “I just… wanted… to serve her…” Psalm whimpered, and then dropped the B.E.L. to the catwalk. She pulled off the helmet as she sat at the edge. “I don’t want to die. I don't want to be forsaken! Not again! Luna was supposed to forgive me. She was supposed to make it all… all right…” She suddenly frowned and lifted the B.E.L. again. “No. I… I won’t lose faith now… I can’t…”
诗篇的光芒闪烁不定。"我只是......想......为她服务......"诗篇呜咽着说，然后把b.e.l放到t台上。她坐在头盔的边缘，脱下了头盔。"我不想死。我不想被抛弃！又来了！卢娜应该原谅我的。她本来应该一切顺利的......好吧......"她突然皱起眉头，再次举起b.e.l.。"没有。我。.我现在不会失去信心...我不能..."
“I’m sorry to hear that,” the Goddess replied. Then a blue tendril wrapped itself around Psalm’s throat. Her eyes bulged as she tried to aim the B.E.L. downwards, but more tendrils of magic curled around the weapon and twisted it away. Psalm’s eyes watered as more hooked around her body, starting to pull her downward.
"听到这个消息我很难过,"女神回答。然后一根蓝色的卷须缠绕在诗篇的喉咙上。当她试图把b.e.l.向下瞄准的时候，她的眼睛鼓了起来，但是更多的魔法卷须缠绕在武器周围，把它扭开了。诗篇》的眼睛湿润了，因为她的身体被更多的东西钩住了，开始把她往下拉。
“No! Luna… Luna…” she gasped. The B.E.L. went off, the ceiling exploding in green flame that rained debris down upon Psalm. Her mane alight, she screamed and thrashed wildly.
"不！露娜...露娜..."她喘着气说。爆炸声响起，天花板在绿色火焰中爆炸，碎片像雨点一样落在诗篇上。她的鬃毛轻轻地落下，她尖叫着，疯狂地抽打着。
Then there was a crack and she was lifted into the air, blazing like a torch as her
然后有一道裂缝，她被举到空中，像火炬一样燃烧着
body hung limply, radiation and pieces of the ceiling showering her. “I will save you, Psalm. Whether you like it or not.” And with that, she was dropped like a burning doll into the blue mass. We fell with her, and suddenly Maripony disappeared in an endless sea of blue.
尸体无力地悬挂着，辐射和天花板的碎片洒在她身上。"我要拯救你，诗篇。不管你喜不喜欢。"就这样，她像一个燃烧的娃娃一样掉进了蓝色的大海里。我们和她一起坠落，马里波尼突然消失在无边无际的蓝色海洋中。
For a moment or an eternity, we floated there. Then the whispers started. Horrified. Shocked. Angry. “Murderer… traitor... killer… butcher…”
我们在那儿漂浮了一会儿，或者永远漂浮着。然后，窃窃私语开始了。吓坏了。震惊。愤怒。"凶手...叛徒...凶手...屠夫..."
“No!” Psalm’s voice cried out as the blue grew darker. “I had to! For Luna!” A ghostly Psalm hung in the void between us.
"不!"当蓝色变得越来越暗时，诗篇的声音呼喊出来。"我不得不这么做！为了卢娜!"一首幽灵般的赞美诗悬挂在我们之间的虚空中。
“Luna would never forgive a monster like you,” hissed the darkness as it closed in around us.
"卢娜永远不会原谅你这样的怪物,"黑暗向我们逼近时嘶嘶地说。
“No! Please! You said you’d save me!” Psalm cried out as she looked round in terror and starting to scream as parts of her transparent body were torn away.
"不！求你了！你说过你会救我的!"当她惊恐地环顾四周，透明身体的一部分被撕裂时，她开始尖叫，诗篇大声呼喊。
“And I would have, if you hadn’t spurned my offer,” the Goddess replied coldly. “But I think I can find something useful to do with you.”
"如果你没有拒绝我的提议，我也会这么做的,"女神冷冷地回答。"但我想我能找到一些对你有用的东西。"
“Please! Somepony! Luna! Celestia! Twilight!” Psalm cried out in hysteria. “Help me!”
"求你了！好样的！露娜！塞莱斯蒂亚！黄昏!"诗篇歇斯底里地大声呼喊。"救救我!"
“You tried to kill Celestia,” a pair of mares said softly. “We can see it in your thoughts.”
"你试图杀死塞莱斯蒂亚,"一对母马轻声说。"我们可以从你的想法中看出来。"
“Twilight! Please! Don’t let them do this to me!” Psalm begged as only her head remained. Then the disintegration stopped. For a moment, hope bloomed in her agonized eyes.
"黄昏！求你了！别让他们这样对我!"诗人像只剩下脑袋一样哀求着。然后分解停止了。有那么一会儿，希望在她痛苦的眼睛里绽放出来。
Then the darkness was silent for an age before Twilight whispered, “You tried to kill Celestia…”
然后黑暗沉寂了很长一段时间，直到暮光低声说:"你试图杀死天堂......"
And then Psalm screamed and screamed till only Lacunae and I were left. I wasn’t sure if the memory had ended or not as I stared at my friend. “It’s… my fault,” she said quietly.
然后，诗篇不停地尖叫，直到只剩下我和拉库奈。当我盯着我的朋友时，我不确定这段记忆是否已经结束了。"这是......我的错,"她平静地说。
“Your fault?” I countered as we floated in that vasty blackness. I tried for a grin and failed. “How is anything your fault?” But then she looked at me, and I knew. The pain in her dragon-slitted eyes was every bit the same as the pain I’d seen in
"你的错?"我们在这片广袤的黑暗中漂浮着，我反驳道。我试着咧嘴笑，但失败了。"怎么会是你的错呢?"但是她看着我，我知道了。她那双像龙一样裂开的眼睛里的疼痛和我在年看到的一模一样
Psalm as she’d been ripped to pieces in a vengeful Unity. “No…”
就像她在复仇的联合中被撕成碎片一样。"不......"
“Yes. It’s all my fault. The Goddess. Your pain and misery. What happened to you on the Seahorse. Dying in Hightower. Even your link to the Goddess. It is all my fault,” she said as she trembled and closed her eyes. “When you connected with me in the Collegiate, I took the opportunity… in my selfishness… to put pieces of myself inside you. You were so selfless and they were so small that I convinced myself they could not be harmful.” She sniffed and bowed her head. “But I was wrong. I’ve seen my memories poisoning you with every passing day. Corroding your confidence. Filling you with the self-destructive need that I’ve felt for two centuries.”
"是的。都是我的错。女神。你的痛苦和不幸。你在海马号上发生了什么。死在海托华。甚至是你和女神的联系。都是我的错,"她颤抖着说，闭上了眼睛。"当你在学院里和我联系的时候，我利用这个机会......在我的自私中......把我自己的一部分放进你的身体里。你是如此无私，他们是如此渺小，以至于我说服自己，他们不可能有害。"她闻了闻，低下了头。"但我错了。我看到我的记忆每天都在毒害着你。侵蚀你的自信。让你感受到我两个世纪以来一直有的自我毁灭的需求。"
I stared at her, not comprehending. “But… the Goddess?”
我盯着她，不能理解。"但是......女神?"
“I was the poison. The first raider. The monster most ponies couldn’t imagine. The Goddess initially wanted to save ponykind. She still does, but I gave her the hatred. I was the original sin!” she wept, shaking as she hugged herself.
"我是毒药。第一架突袭机。这是大多数小马都无法想象的怪物。女神最初想拯救马种。她现在还是这样，但我给了她仇恨。我就是原罪!"她哭了，一边抱着自己一边颤抖。
“Huh?” I struggled for some explanation or reason. I was a master of self-abuse. “You can’t know that, Lacunae. It could have been something in the Goddess, or the magic, or even Twilight herself.” I didn’t want to imagine it, but I couldn’t accept one pony as responsible for every wrong the Goddess had committed. “The Goddess is making you feel this way.”
"啊?"我挣扎着寻找某种解释或理由。我是一个自虐的大师。"你不可能知道的，拉库尼。可能是女神，或者是魔法，甚至是暮光之城本身。"我不想去想象，但我不能接受一匹小马为女神犯下的每一个错误负责。"女神让你有这种感觉。"
“The Goddess didn’t make me contaminate you with my own memories,” Lacunae retorted as she looked at me in anguish. “Would you have allowed yourself to be violated and tormented if I had not filled you with my own urges for my own relief?”
"女神没有让我用自己的记忆玷污你,"拉库奈痛苦地看着我，反驳道。"如果我没有用我自己的欲望来满足你，你会允许自己被侵犯和折磨吗?"
I actually laughed, bringing her up short. “Probably.” She paused and gaped at me as I smiled at her. “Come on, Lacunae. This is teenager-grade angst. You’re blaming yourself for the Goddess? Why don’t you take credit for the last war while you’re at it?” That made her sob even harder inside my mind. I shook my head. “You can’t take the blame for my actions either. What I did is my own fault. Not yours.”
我真的笑了，直截了当地提到了她。"可能吧。"我对她微笑时，她停顿了一下，目瞪口呆地看着我。"来吧，拉库尼。这是青少年级的焦虑。你把女神的事怪在自己头上？你为什么不把上次战争的功劳算在自己头上呢?"这让她在我心里哭得更厉害了。我摇了摇头。"你也不能为我的行为承担责任。我的所作所为是我自己的错。不是你的。"
She trembled and grit her teeth a moment before she spat out, “But I can take the blame for the Goddess’s control through Unity.”
她颤抖着咬紧牙关，然后吐了出来,"但是我可以通过联合来承担女神控制的责任。"
Now my smile disappeared. “How’s that?”
现在我的微笑消失了。"怎么样?"
“When I transferred my memories to you, it created a link between you and I. That link has grown since. No amount of taint would have connected you to myself and Unity!” she cried and shook her translucent head. “Through me, the Goddess is connected to you.”
"当我把我的记忆转移到你身上时，它在你和我之间建立了一种联系。自那以后，这种联系得到了加强。再多的污点也不会把你和我和团结联系在一起!"她哭着摇着半透明的头。"通过我，女神与你相连。"
I stared at her silently. I knew where this trail ended. “I see. Why are you telling me this?” I knew why. She was setting me up for this.
我默默地凝视着她。我知道这条小径的终点在哪里。"我明白了。你为什么要告诉我这些?"我知道为什么。她陷害我。
“Because, the Goddess plans to use you as I was used and this must not happen. The only way to sever the connection permanently is for you to kill me. I cannot do it myself,” Lacunae said as she closed her eyes again.
"因为，女神打算像利用我一样利用你，这决不能发生。永久切断连接的唯一方法就是你杀了我。我一个人做不来,"拉库纳一边说，一边又闭上了眼睛。
My answer was without hesitation. “No way.”
我毫不犹豫地回答。"不可能。"
“You must!” Lacunae replied. “When we break this vision, you’ll have only a few seconds to kill me. Do it, and all the emotions transferred into me will return to Unity. The memories I’ve infected you with will be broken!”
"你必须这么做!"空白回答道。"当我们打破这个幻象的时候，你只有几秒钟的时间来杀我。这样做，所有转移到我身上的情感都会回归统一。我传染给你的记忆将会被打破!"
“It’s not an option,” I countered almost casually.
"这不是一个选择,"我几乎漫不经心地反驳道。
Something in her broke, and she swelled up, turning black, her eyes blazing as her forehooves seized me. “Stupid cunt! What do you think you’re trying to save? I am nothing! Worthless! A collection of unwanted memories and useless emotions housed in the shell of a mare who murdered your ancestor! I am less than nothing. For once, do what is right and selfish and kill me! Save yourself! You can save countless more if you just end me.”
她的身体里有什么东西破了，她肿了起来，变成了黑色，她的眼睛因为前蹄抓住了我而闪闪发光。"蠢货！你以为你在拯救什么？我什么都不是！一文不值！一个不想要的记忆和无用的情感的集合居住在一个母马的壳谁杀害了你的祖先！我什么都不是。就这一次，做正确和自私的事，杀了我吧！拯救你自己！如果你杀了我，你可以节省更多的钱。"
“No,” I answered calmly as I stared up at her.
"没有,"我抬头看着她，平静地回答。
She loomed over me, her eyes bright as balefire bombs. “You… I used you, Blackjack! I slipped the trash I couldn’t bear into you as the Goddess did into me! I gave you my poison just as I passed it to her! End me! Please!”
她隐约地出现在我的头顶，她的眼睛明亮得如同烟火一般。"你......我利用了你，黑杰克！我把无法忍受的垃圾扔到你身上，就像女神扔到我身上一样！我给你我的毒药就像我给她一样！杀了我！求你了!"
But I couldn’t, and wouldn’t. And she knew it too. She trembled, her eyes blazing with a harsh purple light as she quivered, then slowly shrank smaller and smaller, growing pitch black as she shrank to the size of a filly. “Please...” she whimpered. “Why? I deserve it. Why?” she whispered as I embraced her.
但是我不能，也不会。她也知道这一点。她颤抖着，眼睛里闪烁着刺眼的紫色光芒，她颤抖着，然后慢慢地缩小，越来越小，越来越黑，她缩小到一匹小母马的大小。"请......"她呜咽着说。"为什么？这是我应得的。为什么?"当我拥抱她的时候，她低声说。
“You’re my friend,” I replied quietly. “I can’t kill you. Not even if you want me to. Not even to help myself,” I said as I closed my eyes and nuzzled her mane,
"你是我的朋友,"我平静地回答。"我不能杀你。即使你希望我这么做。我闭上眼睛，用鼻子蹭了蹭她的鬃毛
listening to her sniff and weep softly. “I’m sorry. I’ll help another way if I can, but I won’t help you destroy yourself.”
听着她轻轻地嗅着，轻轻地哭泣。"对不起。如果可以的话，我会用另一种方式帮助你，但我不会帮助你毁掉自己。"
“Why?” she asked as she pulled away, tears on her cheeks.
"为什么?"她边问边抽离，脸上还挂着泪水。
“Because I’m a monster too, and you didn’t let me die when you could have. Friends don’t let friends die. Not when we have a choice,” I said quietly as I petted her hair.
"因为我也是个怪物，你本可以让我死的，但你没有。朋友不会让朋友死去。我们别无选择,"我抚摸着她的头发，平静地说。
As we hovered there in the great black, I glanced up at a gargantuan blue head with immense blazing eyes and two green unicorn mares flanking her shoulders. Behind her, a purple-maned mare looked away, yet I could perceive the slightest peek of her eye watching us. I glared up at the four, daring them to make one comment of the scene. One insult. One unkindness…
我们穿着黑色的大衣在那里盘旋时，我抬头看到一个巨大的蓝色头颅，巨大的眼睛闪耀着光芒，两匹绿色的独角兽母马横卧在她的肩膀两侧。在她身后，一匹紫色鬃毛的母马把目光移开了，但我能感觉到她的眼睛在看着我们。我瞪了他们四个一眼，看他们敢不敢对这个场景做一个评论。一个侮辱。一个不友善的人..。
They didn’t. The blue head turned away, then the two greens, and the darkness returned. It was a small mercy, probably one they’d purge soon to rid themselves of weakness. But for this second, I was glad for it.
他们没有。蓝色的头转过去，然后两片绿地，黑暗又回来了。这是一种小小的仁慈，也许他们很快就会通过这种仁慈来摆脱自己的软弱。但在这一刻，我为此感到高兴。
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
When we were out of her mind and sitting side by side in Awesome’s collection, I rested my head on her shoulder. “Is there any one of us that isn’t emotionally screwed up?” I asked as I looked out the window and into the rain pouring into the reservoir. “I mean, is that just me? Or the world? Or what?”
当我们失去理智并肩坐在Awesome的系列中时，我把头靠在她的肩膀上。"我们中有没有人的情绪没有受到影响?"我一边问，一边望着窗外倾泻而入的雨水。"我的意思是，那只是我吗？还是整个世界？不然呢?"
“Boo, I think,” Lacunae replied quietly. “And it’s not just you. Everyone has their own share of pain. You’re just able to handle so much of it that it’s easier to share with you.”
"嘘，我想,"拉库奈平静地回答。"不仅仅是你。每个人都有自己的痛苦。你只是能够处理这么多的事情，所以更容易与你分享。"
I sighed and closed my eyes, listening to the distant hiss of the rain on the water. “Someday, I want one good day. A day with music and dancing and good food. Some time when we can all be happy. Do you think I can just command one?”
我叹了口气，闭上眼睛，听着远处雨水的嘶嘶声。"总有一天，我想要一个美好的一天。有音乐、跳舞和美食的一天。有一天我们都会幸福的。你认为我能命令一个吗?"
“I don’t see why not.” Lacunae answered. “Have you decided what you’re going to do with the crown?”
"我觉得没什么不可以的。"空白回答道。"你决定好怎么处理王冠了吗?"
“Toss it in the lake,” I grumbled, then sighed and met her amused gaze. She was actually smiling. “Okay. Probably give it to Splendid. Or Grace. Or Charm. Or just throw it in the middle of a crowd and run for the nearest exit.”
"把它扔到湖里去,"我嘟囔着，然后叹了口气，与她愉快的目光相遇。她真的在笑。"好吧。可能给灿烂。或者格蕾丝。或者魅力。或者干脆把它扔到人群中间，然后跑向最近的出口。"
Lacunae was silent for a long moment. “The Goddess is going to take you over soon.”
空隙沉默了很长一段时间。"女神很快就会接管你。"
“Maybe.” I stared out at the gray waters and the hazy distances beyond.
"也许吧。"我凝视着灰色的海水和远处朦胧的距离。
“She’s purged herself of her doubts and mercies. She’s determined,” Lacunae said as she closed her eyes. “She’s going to take the black book and then kill LittlePip.”
"她已经洗清了自己的疑虑和怜悯。她下定决心了,"拉库纳闭上眼睛说。"她会拿走黑名单，然后杀了小皮普。"
“Maybe,” I repeated calmly.
"也许吧,"我平静地重复道。
“And you can’t warn LittlePip or tell anypony. And neither can I.”
"你不能警告小匹普，也不能告诉任何人。我也不能。"
“Maybe. P-21 and Glory are a lot smarter than me. They’ll notice,” I said, as much to myself as to Lacunae. That is, if they weren’t at each other’s throats over who they thought I should give the crown to.
"也许吧。P-21和Glory比我聪明多了。他们会注意到的,"我对自己说，就像对空白处一样。也就是说，如果他们不是因为他们认为我应该把王位给谁而争吵不休的话。
“And the Goddess plans on turning you into the next Lacunae,” Lacunae murmured.
"女神打算把你变成下一个陷阱,"陷阱喃喃地说。
“You never know. I might get lucky and be assassinated before she has her chance,” I said with a small smile. Finally I sighed and closed my eyes. “Well… no time to waste here.”
"你永远不会知道。我可能会走运，在她有机会之前被暗杀。"我微笑着说。最后我叹了口气，闭上了眼睛。"好吧......没时间浪费在这里了。"
I turned and started for the door when Lacunae said, “Blackjack?”
我转身向门口走去，这时拉库尼说:"黑杰克?"
“Mhmm?”
"嗯?"
“I wish you and Psalm could have been friends. Before Psalm joined the war,” Lacunae said regretfully. “I think… I think you would have made her a better pony.”
"我希望你和诗篇能成为朋友。在诗篇加入战争之前,"拉库纳遗憾地说。"我觉得......我觉得你应该把她做成一匹更好的小马。"
I snorted and smiled back at her. “Of course not. I would have gotten us both stinking drunk, tattooed like zebras, and thrown in jail.” She sighed, but smiled and shook her head with a smile of resignation.
我哼了一声，回以微笑。"当然不是。我会把我们都灌醉，像斑马一样纹身，然后扔进监狱。"她叹了口气，微笑着摇了摇头，露出无可奈何的微笑。
* * *
* * *
The funeral of King Awesome that afternoon had four mourners: myself and his three children. All the rest of the attendees clustered on the edges, watching with
那天下午，有四个人参加了可怕国王的葬礼:我和他的三个孩子。所有其他的与会者都聚集在会场的边缘，看着
shifty eyes and whispering softly to some of their fellows while giving hard glares to others. My E.F.S. had a dozen red bars in the crowd, but short of halting everything and sorting out the hostiles, there was little I could do. Glory, P-21, and Rampage kept an eye out for me so I could focus on Awesome’s departure. The blue duo had struck a temporary truce not to bug me about what I should do.
他们眼神诡秘，对一些人低声耳语，同时对另一些人狠狠地瞪了一眼。我的特种部队在人群中设置了十几道红色栅栏，但由于缺乏制止一切行动和清理敌人的能力，我也无能为力。晨辉、P-21和暴怒一直盯着我，这样我就可以专注于牛叉的离开。蓝色二人组暂时休战，不再烦我该做什么。
We’d gathered out on the shore of the reservoir. His body had been wrapped in sheets and placed within a rowboat filled with wood. Bottlecaps were heaped around his hooves and golden bits gleamed in the rain where they’d been sprinkled on his body. White lilies, actual flowers grown from some serf-worked plot, lay wreathed about his head like a crown. A wooden sword rested on one side, an assault rifle on the other, and a shield at his feet.
我们聚集在水库的岸边。他的尸体被裹在床单里，放在一艘装满木头的划艇里。他的蹄子周围堆满了瓶子，金色的牙齿在雨中闪闪发光，这些牙齿是洒在他身上的。白色的百合花，实际上是从农奴耕种的地里长出来的花，环绕在他的头上，像一顶王冠。一边放着一把木剑，另一边放着一支突击步枪，脚下放着一面盾牌。
On his chest, hidden beneath his crossed hooves, was my own contribution: a memory orb of Goldenblood at the Grand Galloping Gala. I’d wanted to share it with him, and in this small way I could. I didn’t listen to Hoity’s pomp and ceremony, and from what I could tell I wasn’t the only one. Most here were just going through the motions, playing at dignity and respect. Of his children, Charm seemed completely desolate while Splendid adopted a stoic poise. Grace’s eyes shone with regret.
在他交叉的蹄子下面的胸膛上，藏着我自己的贡献:一个纪念Goldenblood的圆球。我想和他一起分享，用这种小小的方式我可以做到。我没有听豪伊蒂的盛况和仪式，从我所知道的，我不是唯一的一个。这里的大多数人只是走过场，玩弄尊严和尊重。在他的孩子们中，魅力似乎是完全孤独的，而斯普兰迪则采取了一种坚忍的姿态。格蕾丝的眼睛里闪烁着悔恨的光芒。
Finally, the body was pushed out onto the reservoir, and I gave a nod to P-21. He raised Persuasion and fired it as true as I knew he could, an arc of smoke lancing up towards the gloomy skies before plunging back down at the old rowboat. A moment later, the incendiary grenade went off and the boat burst into flame. For an instant, all eyes were on the craft as it drifted further and further out on the water. I’d expected it to sink quickly, but to my surprise, and strange relief, it stayed afloat as it moved off into the darkness as a lone torch. The crowd dissipated soon after that, leaving just a dozen or so together.
最后，尸体被推到水库上，我向P-黑杰克头示意。他举起《劝导》，像我所知道的那样真实地发射了一发子弹，一缕烟雾划向阴沉的天空，然后又回到那艘旧划艇上。过了一会儿，燃烧手榴弹爆炸了，船也着火了。有那么一瞬间，所有的眼睛都盯着那艘漂流得越来越远的船。我本以为它会很快沉下去，但令我惊讶和奇怪的是，当它像一个孤独的火炬一样消失在黑暗中时，它仍然漂浮着。人群很快就散去了，只剩下十几个人在一起。
“Come on,” Scotch Tape said to the weeping Charm. “Let’s get you inside, Your Highness.” Charm gave a snotty sniff and nodded. Rampage started to follow, but I gave a shake of my head. Lacunae and P-21 both moved in her path. Rampage adopted a surly look. As they departed, I noted the uneasy looks of Grace and Splendid. Were they seriously worried that I’d give Charm the crown out of pity?
"来吧,"苏格兰胶带对哭泣的魅力说。"我们进去吧，殿下。"查蒙鼻子一嗅，点了点头。狂暴开始接踵而至，但我摇了摇头。空隙和P-21都挡住了她的去路。暴跳如雷，脸色阴沉。当他们离开的时候，我注意到了格蕾丝和华丽的脸上的不安表情。他们真的担心我会出于同情把王冠给Charm吗？
I waited till the flames finally began to gutter before I turned away. It was all pretense. These ponies lived in a dream world. Out in the Wasteland, a pony was
我等到火焰终于开始烧到沟里，才转身离开。这一切都是伪装。这些小马生活在一个梦幻世界里。在荒原上，一匹小马
lucky not to end up as carrion. These ponies created a whole display of disposing of one of their dead, one they didn’t even care that much for. Could they do better, and if so, then what could I give them? I mulled this over as we trotted back to the resort with an escort of servants around us.
幸运的是没有变成腐肉。这些小马制造了一个完整的表演，来处理它们的一个死者，一个它们根本不在乎的死者。他们可以做得更好吗?如果可以，我又能给他们什么呢？当我们在一群仆人的陪同下小跑回度假村时，我仔细考虑了一下这个问题。
“Death to tyrants!” screamed a stallion behind me as I felt a prick in my shoulder. I turned, looking at one of the unicorn servants whose magic glowed around a carving knife stuck an inch or two into my body. Chaos broke out as there were yells and screams, but these dwindled away as everypony realized I wasn’t screaming in agony. I could feel the tip of the blade caught in the augments under my hide.
"暴君去死吧!"我感到肩膀上有刺痛，一匹种马在我身后尖叫着。我转过身来，看着一个独角兽仆人，他的魔法围绕着一把切肉刀闪闪发光，这把刀插进了我的身体一两英寸。混乱爆发了，到处都是喊叫和尖叫，但随着每匹小马意识到我没有痛苦地尖叫，这些喊叫和尖叫逐渐减弱了。我可以感觉到刀尖被我皮肤下面的肿块缠住了。
Splendid reared dramatically beside the unicorn attacker. “Don’t worry, Lady Blackjack! I’ll save… you…” Splendid started to say as my friends looked at him incredulously. My look was more… shooty. He slowly dropped back down to his hooves as he looked at the blue unicorn and then back at me. Things seemed to have skipped off script. “Um… guards?” Still nothing.
壮丽的后腿戏剧性地站在独角兽般的攻击者旁边。"别担心，黑杰克小姐！我要救......你......"朋友们怀疑地看着他，灿烂地开口说道。我的表情更像是...扫兴。当他看着那只蓝色的独角兽，然后又看着我的时候，他慢慢地落回到他的蹄子上。事情似乎已经脱离了剧本。"嗯...卫兵?"还是一无所获。
“Seriously?” I asked, levitating out the knife, looking at Splendid. When he didn’t reply, I glanced at Grace in time to catch her eye roll. I looked at the servant. “I’ve been shot at, blown up, burned, had my limbs ripped off, replaced, ripped off again, and you use… a knife?” I levitated the blade to my mouth, flicked off the blood, and then began to eat it from the tip. Chewing each bite deliberately, I maintained my stare, and since I didn’t have to blink, I could do it a very long time. Finally I had only the bottom of the knife and the grip remaining.
"真的吗?"我问道，把刀子举起来，看着灿烂。他没有回答，我及时瞥了格蕾丝一眼，好让她翻白眼。我看着仆人。"我被枪击，被炸飞，被烧伤，四肢被撕裂，被替换，再次被撕裂，而你用......一把刀?"我把刀片悬浮到嘴边，弹掉血迹，然后开始吃刀尖上的血迹。我刻意地咀嚼着每一口食物，一直盯着它看，因为我不用眨眼睛，所以我可以做很长时间。最后我只剩下刀的底部和握把了。
“Do I get to splatter him now?” Rampage asked eagerly.
"我现在可以把他打得满地找牙吗?"狂暴急切地问道。
“I… um…” the servant muttered, dropping his gaze. “They promised my family would be paid and set free from our contracts.”
"我.....。."嗯..."仆人低声说，低下了他的目光。"他们承诺我的家人会得到报酬，并从我们的合同中解放出来。"
“A pity story…” The striped mare sighed. “Great. There goes my fun.”
"一个可怜的故事......"斑马叹息道。"太好了。这就是我的乐趣所在。"
I swallowed and pushed the truncated knife back into his hooves. “Take that to whomever put you up to this and tell them that they’re going to have to try a whole lot harder to kill me.”
我咽了口唾沫，把那把截短的刀子推回到它的蹄子里。"把这个带给那些让你这么做的人，告诉他们，他们将不得不更加努力地杀死我。"
“Um… sorry…” the servant asked weakly as everyone who didn’t know me stared in amazement.
"嗯......对不起......"仆人虚弱地问道，所有不认识我的人都惊讶地盯着我。
“Aren’t you… going to kill him? That is what typically happens to assassins,” Splendid said in clear confusion.
"你不是...要杀了他吗？刺客通常都是这样的,"灿烂地带着明显的困惑说道。
“For any sane, normal pony, sure,” Rampage said with a roll of her eyes. “But for the Saint Blackjack of the Wasteland…” She pointed a hoof at me and said sourly, “Do you have any idea how many ponies she’s stopped me from killing just because she bought their sob stories? I swear. The most potent weapon against Blackjack is a good tearjerker.”
"对于任何一匹神智正常的小马来说，当然可以,"朗格转了转眼珠说。"但对于荒地的圣黑杰克......"她用一只蹄子指着我，酸溜溜地说,"你知道有多少匹小马因为她买了它们的悲惨故事而不让我杀掉它们吗?"？我发誓。对付Blackjack最有力的武器就是一部催人泪下的电影。"
Grace smiled at me in approval as Splendid seemed to work it over in his head. Grace looked at her twin coolly. “Well, let’s hope the next assassination attempt is as much a show as this one.”
格蕾丝赞许地冲我笑了笑，灿烂似乎在他的脑海里慢慢浮现出来。格蕾丝冷冷地看着她的双胞胎兄弟。"好吧，让我们希望下一个企图谋杀能像这次一样精彩。"
Splendid returned her cool glance. “Certainly you don’t believe this was me?”
她那冷静的目光反射出灿烂的光芒。"你肯定不相信是我干的?"
Grace adopted her brother’s voice, “Don’t worry, Lady Blackjack! I’ll save you!” Splendid immediately flushed and put on an air of bruised dignity. I lagged behind a little and gave Hoity a look.
格蕾丝模仿哥哥的声音说:"别担心，黑杰克小姐！我会救你的!"马上满脸通红，装出一副受伤的尊严。我稍稍落后了一点，向豪伊蒂看了一眼。
“Am I going to have to deal with this a lot?” I asked the ghoul sourly, gesturing back at the ‘assassin’.
"我将不得不经常处理这个问题吗?"我酸溜溜地问那个食尸鬼，指了指那个刺客。
“Until you pass the crown, most certainly. And the longer you’re here, the more serious the plots will become. That was quite an amateurish attempt, if it truly was an attempt at all. But I’m sure the pressures on you will become more intense as time goes on.” The ghoul let out a rusty sigh, and Rampage looked back at us as he said, “For a time, King Awesome managed to temper the worst elements, but I’m afraid his solution won’t last long.”
"当然，除非你通过了王位。你在这里待的时间越长，情节就会变得越严重。这是一个相当业余的尝试，如果它真的是一个尝试在所有。但我相信，随着时间的推移，你的压力会越来越大。"食尸鬼生锈地叹了口气，狂暴回头看着我们说:"有一段时间，牛叉王成功地调和了最糟糕的元素，但我担心他的解决方案不会持续太久。"
“Now you see why I hate these fuckers,” Rampage growled. “Sure, Reapers kill each other, but we’re honest about it. These assholes take pride in stabbing each other in the back.”
"现在你知道我为什么恨这些混蛋了吧,"狂暴咆哮道。"当然，死神会自相残杀，但我们是诚实的。这些混蛋以在背后暗算对方为傲。"
The gray ghoul sighed as we stepped back inside after everyone else. “Crude and barbaric, but accurate. I never quite understood why, either. I knew the rich and famous well before the bombs, and there was never this degree of severity with their intrigues. Oh, there was the occasional assassination attempt, but it was never so… recreational.”
灰色的食尸鬼叹了口气，我们跟在其他人后面退了回去。"粗鲁野蛮，但准确无误。我也不太明白为什么。在炸弹爆炸之前，我就很了解那些有钱有名的人，他们的阴谋诡计从来没有这么严重过。哦，偶尔也有企图谋杀，但从来没有这么...娱乐。"
“It’s the Hoof. What do you expect?” I replied, wondering if that were true or
"这是蹄子。你还指望什么?"我回答道，不知道这是真的还是假的
not. Was all this killing and scheming the result of the Eater, or simply a local, brutal, phenomenon? “How much time do I have before things get out of control? In your expert opinion?”
不。所有这些杀戮和阴谋是食人者的结果，还是仅仅是一种当地的野蛮现象？"在事情失控之前，我还有多少时间？以你的专业意见?"
Hoity pursed his lips, rubbed his chin, and looked at me. “By the end of the Grand Galloping Gala tonight. If you don’t move by then, I fear they might start targeting your friends. At that point, I’ll be heading back to Meatlocker.”
傲慢地撅起嘴唇，揉揉下巴，看着我。"在今晚的大奔驰晚会结束之前。如果到时候你还不走，我担心他们可能会开始瞄准你的朋友。到那时，我就要回肉库去了。"
“I think that sets a record for shortest reign in Equestrian history,” Rampage said with a smirk. “Just pick someone at random, get all the loot from this place you can, and go. Don’t listen to Glory and P-21. They’ll get you sucked in with politics and morality debates and all kinds of other shit. Flip a coin. Toss it at random. Take the airship and go.”
"我认为这创造了马术史上最短统治时间的记录,"狂暴带着傻笑说。"随便找个人，从这个地方拿走所有的战利品，然后离开。别听晨辉和P-21的。他们会把你卷进政治和道德辩论以及其他各种狗屁事情中。抛硬币。随意扔掉它。坐飞艇走吧。"
I rubbed my chin. “I’ll think about it,” I finally said, doubtful I’d be able to do it, but it was so tempting.
我抚摸着下巴。"我会考虑的,"最后我说，我怀疑自己能不能做到，但它是如此诱人。
* * *
* * *
“Being Queen sucks,” I muttered telepathically to Lacunae as I lay on King Awesome’s bed -- technically my bed now -- hugging a pillow and sulking. I’d sent my friends away after they argued for half an hour about what I should do. Thankfully, neither Glory nor P-21 had played the friend card yet. I’d sent Glory to find out more about Grace and P-21 to learn about Splendid. Rampage would do whatever she damn well pleased. “Seriously, everything I have going on and I have to… to play at being Queen? This is foalish shit… and when I’m the one saying that, you know it’s bad.” Lacunae sent a telepathic chuckle from the museum, where she was watching the ponies readying the Fleur for our eventual departure.
"成为女王太糟糕了,"当我躺在国王的床上——严格来说现在是我的床——抱着枕头生闷气的时候，我用心灵感应的方式喃喃自语。在我的朋友们为我该做什么争论了半个小时之后，我把他们打发走了。值得庆幸的是，无论是Glory还是P-21都还没有打出朋友这张牌。我派晨辉去了解更多关于格蕾丝和P-21的情况，去了解灿烂辉煌。狂暴会为所欲为。"说真的，我所拥有的一切，以及我必须......来扮演皇后的角色？这是胡说八道......当我这么说的时候，你就知道这是不好的。"拉库娜从博物馆里发出一阵心灵感应的轻笑，她正看着那些小马在为我们最终的出发做准备。
I’d spent an hour inspecting the subterranean plantations. The Stable-Tec testbeds were amazing; I can only imagine what stables had been rich and extravagant enough to have entire orchards growing underground in perfectly secure environments. The Society had cleaned everything up for my arrival. Not a whip in sight, and every serf looked like they’d been given a bath and an extra meal and commanded to smile at the ‘regent’. They’d actually sung a half-hearted song as we’d walked through.
我花了一个小时视察地下种植园。Stable-tec的试验床是惊人的;我只能想象什么样的马厩曾经富裕和奢侈到足以让整个果园在完全安全的地下环境中生长。为了迎接我的到来，协会把一切都打扫干净了。眼前没有一根鞭子，每个农奴看起来都像是洗了个澡，多吃了一顿饭，然后被命令对"摄政王"微笑。我们走过的时候，他们竟然唱了一首半心半意的歌。
Then somepony had taken a shot at me. A bit more serious than a knife. The sniper pony had missed the first shot by luck, but a serf near me had been
然后有匹小马朝我开了一枪。比刀子更严重一点。那匹狙击手小马由于运气错过了第一枪，但是我身边的一个农奴却错过了
wounded. My E.F.S. gave me the direction and my S.A.T.S. helped me target the mare’s head. Four magic bullets had streaked up to her position at the mouth of a vent. One had gotten lucky, punching right through her eye and out the back of her skull. I didn’t correct the onlookers on their assumption that I could kill with a thought from a hundred yards away.
受伤。我的e.f.s给了我方向，我的s.a.t.s帮助我瞄准母驴的头部。四颗神奇的子弹飞到了她在通风口的位置。其中一个很幸运，一拳打穿了她的眼睛，打穿了她的后脑勺。我没有纠正旁观者的想法，他们认为我可以在一百码外用一个念头杀人。
P-21 had found a bomb under the bed when we’d returned; he’d disarmed it. Hoity’s prediction seemed more and more accurate, and with this great big party being prepared there were so many ponies running around that I couldn’t keep track of who was coming and going. One thing was for sure: eventually, they’d target somepony I cared for.
当我们回来的时候，P-21在床底下发现了一枚炸弹;他已经解除了它的武装。豪伊蒂的预测似乎越来越准确，随着这个盛大的晚会的准备，有那么多的小马跑来跑去，我不能跟踪谁来了和去了。有一件事是肯定的:最终，他们会瞄准我照顾的某个小马。
There was a knock on the door. “Yes?” I called, floating out Vigilance and loading AP rounds.
有人敲门。"什么事?"我打电话，发出警戒，装上美联社的子弹。
“I wanted to speak with you, Your Majesty,” Grace said smoothly.
"我想和您谈谈，陛下,"格蕾丝平静地说。
I sighed and rubbed my brow. Keeping the Goddess back, dealing with these annoyances… and now this? “Do you have to?” I whined.
我叹了口气，揉了揉眉毛。让女神回来，处理这些烦恼...现在又是这个？"你一定要去吗?"我抱怨道。
There was a pause outside. “I suppose not, but I would appreciate it.”
外面停顿了一下。"我想不会，但我会很感激的。"
I closed my eyes. Well, if she tried to kill me, that’d winnow down my choices, wouldn’t it? I opened the door with my magic. Grace, wearing her spectacular gown, entered with caution. “You don’t look so good, Your Majesty.”
我闭上了眼睛。如果她想杀了我，我的选择就会减少，不是吗？我用魔法打开了门。格雷斯穿着她那件华丽的长袍，小心翼翼地走了进来。"您看起来不太好，陛下。"
“I’ve got a lot going on,” I replied acidly.
"我有很多事情要做,"我尖刻地回答。
She walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at me. “I can sympathize. It looks like I’ll have to flee this place soon.”
她走过来，坐在床沿上，看着我。"我很同情你。看来我很快就要逃离这个地方了。"
“Why do you stay at all?” I asked as I rolled onto my side. “These ponies are crazy.”
"你究竟为什么要留下来?"我侧身问道。"这些小马都疯了。"
She looked mildly insulted, but gave a small shrug. “They have something rare in the Wasteland: luxury. Most descend from common raider stock, pretending to be well bred and exceptional. They’re not. We’re pampered and spoiled, wasteful and living off the toil of others.” She sighed and shook her head. “Well, once it’s clear that I will not be your choice, I’ll have to head to Tenpony or… elsewhere. There are individuals who won’t want the risk of me becoming a
她看上去受到了轻微的侮辱，但只是轻轻地耸了耸肩。"他们在荒原上拥有一些稀有的东西:奢侈品。大多数都是从普通的袭击者血统中遗传下来的，假装自己有良好的教养并且与众不同。事实并非如此。我们娇生惯养，浪费钱财，靠别人的辛劳过活。"她叹了口气，摇了摇头。"好吧，一旦确定我不是你的选择，我将不得不前往Tenpony或......其它地方。有些人不希望我冒险成为一个
spare.”
备用的"
“You’re counting yourself out already?” I asked, curious.
"你已经把自己排除在外了?"我好奇地问。
“I always knew I was the weakest candidate. Charm is more… sympathetic. Her age. Her manners. Or if not her, Splendid can give you far more than I can. He’s long wanted to invest our excess in the Hoof. His successful foray into the Fluttershy Medical Center, for instance. I never would have thought of that. Father favored me, but…” she gave a little shrug.
"我一直知道，我是最弱的候选人。魅力更...值得同情。她的年龄。她的举止。如果不是她，灿烂可以给你比我更多的东西。他一直想把我们多余的钱投资到霍夫。例如，他成功地进入了Fluttershy医疗中心。我从来没有想到这一点。父亲喜欢我，但是......"她耸了耸肩。
“Splendid said he wanted to extend your father’s life,” I recalled as I pushed myself up on the pillows.
"斯普兰迪说他想延长你父亲的生命,"我一边回忆，一边把自己靠在枕头上。
“Of course. He was least favored. So long as Father lived, he’d have a chance to maneuver into a better position,” she said with a small smile. “You saw that horribly rushed attempt at gallantry outside.”
"当然。他是最不受欢迎的。只要父亲还活着，他就有机会调整到一个更好的位置,"她微笑着说。"你看到了外面那种可怕而匆忙的殷勤举动。"
I sighed and shook my head. “I hate all this political bullshit.”
我叹了口气，摇了摇头。"我讨厌所有这些政治上的废话。"
She looked amused, “Why? By all accounts, it’s more civilized than the tactics of most of your enemies. It may be mentally taxing, and horribly frustrating, but when the battle is political at least nopony's going to be holding a town of foals to ransom. And politics is still a game with the highest stakes. Win, and you stay in power. Lose, and someone else takes what used to be yours.”
她看起来很开心,"为什么？据说，这比你大多数敌人的战术文明多了。这可能是精神上的负担，而且非常令人沮丧，但是当战斗是政治性的时候，至少不会有小马驹去绑架一个小镇的小马驹来索要赎金。政治仍然是一场赌注最高的游戏。赢了，你就能继续掌权。如果输了，别人就会拿走原本属于你的东西。"
“Politics doesn’t show up as red bars on my E.F.S.,” I retorted sourly.
"政治不是我的e.f.s上的红条,"我尖酸地反驳道。
“I suppose,” she said as she looked away. “I don’t have as much skill at it as I should. Father always favored me but never named me heir. I think he was always waiting for Splendid to step up, or maybe he knew naming me would have put a target on my head instantly.” She walked over to the window looking out over the reservoir. “He was never clear. Never straightforward. He would hint at his approval, or make little suggestions. He could change his mind whenever the political winds shifted. When he died…” she sighed and glanced at me with a small frown. “Well, his move was unexpected.”
"我想是吧,"她一边说，一边把目光移开。"我没有应有的那么多技能。父亲总是偏爱我，但从未指定我为继承人。我想他一直在等着斯普兰迪站出来，或者他知道说出我的名字会让我立刻成为众矢之的。"她走到窗前，眺望着水库。"他从来没有说清楚过。从不直截了当。他会暗示他的同意，或者提出一些小建议。只要政治风向一变，他就可以改变主意。他死的时候......"她叹了口气，皱着眉头看了我一眼。"嗯，他的举动出人意料。"
I considered the pale, blue-maned unicorn as she gazed out the window. Mother and I had issues, but I’d always known she loved me. And I never had to compete with a sibling for her favor. What would it have been like to have had siblings to contend with? “It was a surprise to me too,” I said with a sigh.
当她凝视着窗外的时候，我想到了那只苍白的、戴着蓝色头巾的独角兽。母亲和我有过矛盾，但我知道她一直都很爱我。我从来不需要和兄弟姐妹争取她的宠爱。如果有兄弟姐妹相互竞争会是什么样子呢？"我也很惊讶,"我叹了口气说。
She gave the ghost of a smile. “You should have seen Charm when she got the news. My, what a vocabulary.” She shook her head and looked at me. “Have you thought about the Gala tonight?”
她鬼使神差地笑了一下。"你真该看看Charm得知这个消息时的样子。哎呀，多么丰富的词汇。"她摇摇头，看着我。"你考虑过今晚的晚会吗?"
I needed a segue just as much as she did. “I’m no good at parties!” It was yet another thing in a growing list of things I didn’t have time for. So meaningless in the scheme of what I was dealing with that it seemed surreal.
我和她一样需要一个转折点。"我不擅长参加聚会!"这又是一件我没有时间去做的事情。对于我正在处理的事情来说，它是如此的毫无意义，以至于看起来有些超现实。
“You never had them in your stable?” she replied, curiously.
"你的马厩里从来没有过吗?"她好奇地回答。
I laughed a little. “I was security. It was my job making sure that nopony was having sex in the bathrooms or raiding medical for party favors,” I replied with a sigh. “I can count the number of parties I’ve been to on my hooves.”
我笑了笑。"我是保安。我的工作就是确保小马驹在洗手间里做爱，或者从医生那里得到派对上的帮助。"我叹了口气回答道。"我可以用蹄子数出我参加过的派对的次数。"
“Your friend Lacunae said she’d handle your accoutrements. That just leaves dancing.” I blinked slowly at her, and she smiled politely at me. “You have no idea how to dance, do you?” Grace asked with a small cock of her head.
"你的朋友Lacunae说她会处理你的装备。那就只剩下跳舞了。"我慢慢地眨着眼睛，她礼貌地对我微笑。"你不知道怎么跳舞，是吗?"格雷斯用头顶着一只小公鸡问道。
“Dance? Ponies dance at parties?” I replied, only a bit facetious.
"跳舞？小马在聚会上跳舞?"我回答，只是有点开玩笑。
“Oh dear,” she said as she slipped off the bed. “Come on,” she said as her horn glowed. A phonograph in the corner whined to life, then dropped the needle to the record.
"哦，亲爱的,"她一边说一边从床上滑下来。"来吧,"她说，她的号角发光。角落里的留声机嗡嗡作响，然后把唱针放到唱片上。
“Come what? What are you doing?” I asked as she took my hoof and tugged me off the bed.
""来什么？你在干什么?"我问道，她一边拉着我的蹄子，一边把我从床上拽下来。
“I’m going to teach you a few dances so you don’t look like a complete fool tonight,” she replied. “And trust me, there are ponies who want to kill you with embarrassment if they can’t kill you with bullets. In fact, there are some who’d find that great fun.”
"我要教你跳几支舞，这样你今晚就不会看起来像个十足的傻瓜,"她回答说。"相信我，有些小马如果不能用子弹杀死你，就会尴尬地想要杀死你。事实上，有些人会觉得这很有趣。"
“Every second, Rampage’s suggestion seems to make more sense to me,” I muttered as the music began.
"每一秒钟，朗格的建议似乎对我更有意义,"音乐开始时我喃喃自语。
“Hush,” Grace replied with a smile. “If you can fight, you can dance. It’s just movement in unison. It’s as easy as one, two, three…”
"嘘,"格蕾丝微笑着回答。"如果你会打架，你就会跳舞。这只是一致的动作。就像一，二，三......"
Dancing was one of those things other ponies did. Yet… I thought about how I’d learned music from Roses and Octavia, and magic from Twilight’s primer.
跳舞是其他小马做的事情之一。然而......我想起了我是如何从《玫瑰》和《奥克塔维亚》中学到音乐的，以及从《暮光之城》的入门书中学到魔法的。
Maybe I could learn this? Bit by bit, she walked me through the steps of a waltz. One two three, pivot, one two three, pivot, one two three spin, bow, repeat. It was all patterns, timing, and repetition. Grace slowed down to match my awkward pace and sped up as I became relaxed with the motions. She then moved into a back and forth variation, a formal dance. I must have looked like an idiot, and I said as much, but she just smiled and kept me going.
也许我可以学学这个？她一点一点地陪我走过华尔兹的舞步。一二三，旋转，一二三，旋转，一二三，旋转，鞠躬，重复。这一切都是模式、时机和重复。格蕾丝放慢速度以适应我笨拙的步伐，当我放松下来的时候，她加快了速度。然后她来回变奏，一种正式的舞蹈。我一定是看起来像个白痴，我也是这么说的，但她只是笑了笑，让我继续前进。
If teaching me to dance was an incredibly convoluted way to get the crown, it was working.
如果说教我跳舞是一种令人难以置信的令人费解的获得王冠的方法，那么这种方法是有效的。
We stopped after a minute, she enjoying a bottle of purified water and I munching a ruby. “Does it hurt?” she asked as she looked at my metal forehoof.
过了一会儿，我们停了下来，她正在享用一瓶纯净水，而我正在大嚼一颗红宝石。"疼吗?"她看着我的金属前蹄问道。
“Huh? Being a cyberpony?” I asked, and she nodded. I gave a little smile as I raised the limb. “Not really. Not in the sense you think of. I don’t know everything, but apparently they turned down my ability to feel pain. So, what I feel is like a memory of feeling things. Like when you get a leg cut off. Even when it’s gone, and you know it’s gone, you can still feel it there.” She wore the oddest expression. “What?”
"啊？做一匹赛博马?"我问道，她点了点头。我抬起胳膊，微微一笑。""没有。不是你想象的那种。我不知道所有的事情，但显然他们拒绝了我感受疼痛的能力。所以，我的感觉就像是感觉事物的记忆。就像你的一条腿被切掉了。即使它已经消失了，你知道它已经消失了，你仍然可以感觉到它在那里。"她的表情非常奇怪。"什么?"
“I’ve never had a limb severed,” she replied delicately, sympathetically.
"我从来没有断过一条腿,"她婉转地同情地回答。
“Oh. Right. Sorry. Stupid thing to say,” I muttered, then rolled my eyes. “Anyway, no. It doesn’t hurt. Not really. But I can’t feel anything else. I don’t have a heartbeat. I don’t feel blood rushing through my veins. Don’t get short of breath. Don’t feel a whole lot of things. I’ve got a few very precious nerve endings in my hind end that I’m very grateful for, and that’s about it. It takes some real extreme stimulation for me to feel much at all.”
"哦。对。对不起。我咕哝着说，然后翻了翻眼睛。"不管怎么说，没有。一点都不疼。也不尽然。但除此之外我什么都感觉不到。我没有心跳了。我没有感觉到血液在我的血管里流动。不要喘不过气来。不要有太多的感觉。我的后端有一些非常珍贵的神经末梢，我非常感激，仅此而已。需要一些真正的极端刺激，我才能感受到更多。"
She blinked, her eyes popped wide, and her face immediately assumed a rosy shade. “Ah. I… I didn’t know that.”
她眨了眨眼睛，眼睛睁得大大的，她的脸立刻变成了玫瑰色。"啊。我。.我不知道这一点。"
I gave a little smile. “You know, back in 99, I never really appreciated my--”
我微微一笑。"你知道，在99年的时候，我从来没有真正感激过我的--"
“Blackjack!” she blurted with an exasperated half smile. “There is such a thing as knowing too much!”
"黑杰克!"她冲口而出，露出恼怒的微笑。"真是知道得太多了!"
“Ah.” I blinked and grinned. “Sorry.” I looked at her for a moment with an odd sensation and said, “You’re descended from Twilight Sparkle’s brother, right?”
"啊。"我眨了眨眼，咧嘴一笑。"对不起。"我带着一种奇怪的感觉看了她一会儿，然后说:"你是紫悦的兄弟的后代，对吗?"
“If Father was to be believed, yes. Why?”
""如果父亲的话可信的话，是的。为什么?"
“Well… If I’m Twilight’s descendant, and you’re the descendant of her brother, what does that make us?”
"好吧......如果我是暮光之城的后裔，而你是她哥哥的后裔，那我们算什么?"
She hesitated a moment, opened her mouth, closed it again as she thought a little more. “I believe it makes us cousins several times removed. Hardly a relation at all, really. More of a coincidence,” she said matter-of-factly, but then saw my stare. “What is it?”
她犹豫了一会儿，张开嘴，再想一想，又闭上了嘴。"我相信它使我们成为好几代远房亲戚。几乎算不上亲戚，真的。更多的是巧合,"她面无表情地说，但随后看到了我的凝视。"这是什么?"
I gazed at her and then threw my hooves around her. “Cousin! I have a cousin! Three cousins!”
我凝视着她，然后用蹄子把她围住。"堂兄！我有个表妹！三个堂兄弟!"
She struggled in my hooves. “Several times removed!” she reminded me in a gasp, but I didn’t care. I had family… okay, it was one step above a complete stranger but still, family! “Need air!” she wheezed desperately.
她在我的蹄子里挣扎。"好几次了!"她倒吸了一口气提醒我，但我不在乎。我有家庭......好吧，虽然比一个完全陌生的人高一级，但仍然是家庭！"需要空气!"她绝望地喘着气。
“Sorry!” I said at once, releasing her and grinning a little sheepishly. “I just… I never had much family.”
"对不起!"我立刻说，放开了她，有点羞怯地咧嘴笑着。"我只是...我从来没有什么家人。"
She laughed and shook her head. “I’d been told how unpredictable you are, but I had no idea.” But I’d gone from laughing to crying at the same time. Her smiled melted to one of concern. “Blackjack? Are you… are you okay?”
她笑了，摇了摇头。"有人告诉我你是多么难以捉摸，但我不知道。"但是我同时从笑变成了哭。她的微笑被一种关切融化了。"黑杰克？你...你还好吗?"
I wanted to tell her so desperately, but the Goddess’s prohibition clamped down tight. “It’s just… my life,” I said with a sniff, a chuckle, and a little sob. “Times like this, I really wonder if I’ve lost my mind. I got so much to do, so little time, and here I am dancing and giddy that I’ve found someone I can call family, no matter how far removed. It seems almost… surreal.”
我非常想告诉她，但是女神严格禁止我这样做。"这就是......我的生活,"我轻轻地嗅了一下，笑了笑，抽泣着说。"像这样的时刻，我真的怀疑自己是不是疯了。我有那么多事情要做，时间又那么少，而现在我却在这里跳舞，眼花缭乱，因为我找到了一个我可以称之为家人的人，不管离我有多远。这看起来几乎......超现实。"
She sighed and looked towards the reservoir. “Yesterday, I was terrified you were going to level everything. Today, I’m giving you dancing lessons when I should be doing everything I can to undermine Charm and Splendid… because tomorrow, I might be quietly pushed out the gate, killed, or running for my life.”
她叹了口气，朝水库望去。"昨天，我还担心你会毁了一切。今天，我给你们上舞蹈课，而我却在竭尽全力破坏我的魅力和辉煌......因为明天，我可能会被悄悄地赶出大门，被杀害，或者逃命。"
It isn’t always about you, Blackjack. I huffed as well, lying back on the bed, staring at stars painted on the ceiling. “Is there something about Twilight Sparkle’s family tree that insists we live interesting, messed up, adventure-ridden lives?”
这不总是关于你的，Blackjack。我也生气了，躺在床上，盯着天花板上画的星星。"紫悦的家谱中是否有什么东西让我们坚持过着有趣、混乱、充满冒险的生活?"
“It would explain a lot, wouldn’t it?” she replied with a sad smile. Then there was a knock on the door.
"这可以解释很多事情，不是吗?"她带着悲伤的微笑回答。然后有人敲门。
“Don’t come in! I’m having wild royal rutting in here!” I called out in a surge of recklessness. Grace’s eyes grew wide.
"别进来！我正在这里发狂呢!"我不顾一切地大声喊道。格蕾丝的眼睛睁得大大的。
“You better not be without me!” Glory said, pushing the door open. My laughter died into a squeak as it was my turn to go red.
"你最好不要没有我!"晨辉推开门说。轮到我发红的时候，我的笑声变成了吱吱声。
P-21 and Rampage followed her in. “Oh, she was being sarcastic?” Rampage quipped. When she saw Grace, her expression became smug. “Ooooh. Doing some personal interviews?”
P-21和狂暴跟着她进去了。"哦，她是在讽刺我吗?"狂暴打趣道。当她看到格蕾丝时，她的表情变得得意洋洋。"噢。做一些私人采访?"
“Dance lessons,” Grace replied primly, all hint of embarrassment gone as she turned, bowed her head once to me, “Cousin.” Then she turned and walked out. Oh, she was good.
"舞蹈课,"格蕾丝一本正经地回答，当她转过身来，向我低下头的时候，所有的尴尬都消失了,"表弟。"然后她转身走了出去。她很厉害。
“Dance lessons?” Glory asked.
"舞蹈课?"晨辉问道。
“Cousin?” P-21 asked a second after.
"堂兄?"P-21紧接着问道。
I opened my mouth to start to complain, then closed it and shook my head. “Nevermind. What’s up?”
我张开嘴开始抱怨，然后闭上嘴摇了摇头。"没关系。怎么了?"
P-21 and Glory shared a look, and then he said calmly, “First, Glory and I wanted to apologize. We know this choice is important to you. We’re sorry for making it more difficult.”
P-21和晨辉看了一眼，然后平静地说:"首先，晨辉和我想道歉。我们知道这个选择对你很重要。我们很抱歉让事情变得更加困难。"
“I’m not, but that’s just me. I still say you should auction it to the highest bidder.
"我不是，但这就是我。我还是认为你应该把它拍卖给出价最高的人。
Maybe give it to the Society janitor. That’d be a hoot,” Rampage quipped.
也许可以交给社区看门人。那就太搞笑了,"狂暴打趣道。
“I’ll keep that as plan B,” I said dryly.
"我还是把它作为备用计划吧,"我干巴巴地说。
Glory smiled. “Second bit is that the airship should be ready tomorrow morning. I think that, with you unplugged and Rampage as life support, we should make it. I’ll coat the ship with clouds, and with some luck, we should be able to sneak right up to Thunderhead. If we pick up Father on the way, we should be able to see the councilor pretty much as soon as we arrive.”
晨辉微笑着。"第二点是飞艇应该在明天早上准备好。我认为，有了你和狂暴作为生命支持，我们应该做到。我会用云彩把飞船包裹起来，如果运气好的话，我们应该能够偷偷接近雷头。如果我们在路上去接父亲的话，我们一到那里就可以很快见到议员了。"
“I went over the ship once, and it looks like it’s on the level. I’ll check again
"我从船上翻过去一次，看起来好像是在水平面上。我再检查一遍
before we go,” P-21 added.
在我们走之前,"P-21补充道。
“And I have a message,” Rampage said with a smirk. “I was supposed to give it all sneaky sneaky like, but, eh. Fuck that.” She shrugged. “Anyway, there’s somepony that wants a trade. He wants the crown to go to Charm. In return, he’ll give you ten thousand caps and King Awesome’s complete collection of memory orbs.” She paused and added, “He also said that if you give the crown to anypony but Charm, he’ll give you a bag of crushed memory orbs.”
"我有一个消息,"兰皮傻笑着说。"我应该偷偷摸摸地表现出来，但是，呃。去他妈的。"她耸了耸肩。"不管怎样，有一匹小马想要交易。他想把王冠交给Charm。作为回报，他会给你一万顶帽子，以及令人敬畏的国王的完整记忆球集合。"她停顿了一下，接着说:"他还说，如果你把王冠给除了魅力之外的任何一匹小马，他就会给你一袋压碎的记忆球。"
Glory sucked in her breath sharply. “No, he wouldn’t!” she gasped, looking at me in worry.
晨辉深深地吸了一口气。"不，他不会的!"她倒抽了一口冷气，忧心忡忡地看着我。
“I’m pretty sure he would,” Rampage replied. “He acted a lot like me, so I’m pretty sure he’d follow through. I don’t know if this is his own game or something he set up with the filly. Personally, I’d go for it. Maybe hold out and see if he can give you fifteen thousand.”
"我敢肯定他会的,"狂暴回答道。"他的行为很像我，所以我非常肯定他会坚持到底。我不知道这是他自己的游戏还是他和那匹小母马安排的。就我个人而言，我会去做的。也许你可以等等，看他能不能给你一万五。"
“Blackjack isn’t going to sell the crown!” Glory scoffed, then looked at me. “Right?”
"Blackjack不会卖掉皇冠的!"晨辉嘲笑了一下，然后看着我。"对吧?"
“Ehhh…” The thought of Goldenblood’s memory orbs, any one of which might have answers on Horizons, being destroyed chilled my blood.
"呃......"一想到金血王的记忆球——其中任何一个可能在地平线上找到答案——被摧毁，我的血液就冰凉起来。
“Glory, remember the part where we agreed we’d let Blackjack make this choice and support her one hundred percent no matter how we feel about it?” P-21 told the cyan pegasus. She immediately screwed up her face as she struggled with her own internal conflict.
"晨辉，还记得我们说好让Blackjack做这个选择，不管我们怎么想都百分之百支持她吗?"P-21告诉青色飞马号。当她与自己内心的冲突作斗争时，她马上皱起了眉头。
“Sell! Sell! Sell! Sell!” Rampage chanted, earning a glare from Glory.
"卖！卖！卖！卖掉!"狂暴的喊叫声，赢得了晨辉的怒视。
“Stop,” Glory growled, getting a tongue stuck out at her by the striped mare. “What are you, five?”
"住手,"格洛里咆哮着，在那匹有斑纹的母马旁边，她的舌头伸了出来。"你多大了，五岁吗?"
“What are you, my mother?” Rampage retorted.
"你是谁，我妈妈吗?"狂暴反驳道。
“I’m going to go looking for my daughter,” P-21 said as he started for the door. I turned to watch him g--
"我要去找我的女儿,"P-21一边说一边向门口走去。我转过身看着他——
“Red bars,” I said as I drew Vigilance, staring at the door. “Five, right on the other side.”
"红色的栅栏,"我盯着门，一边说，一边吸引警惕。"五号，就在另一边。"
“I really miss my gun,” Glory muttered. “Weren’t there supposed to be bodyguards outside?” I floated my markspony carbine over to her. She looked at it skeptically, then bit down on the trigger bit guard and secured the gun in her hooves as she took cover behind the bed. P-21 looked at Persuasion, then joined her. I made three. The bedroom only had one entrance, for security.
"我真的很想念我的枪,"晨辉喃喃自语。"外面不是应该有保镖吗?"我把我的马克斯伯尼卡宾枪拿到她面前。她用怀疑的眼光看着它，然后咬下扳机，把枪藏在她的蹄子里，躲到床后面。P-21看了看《劝导》，然后加入了她。我做了三个。为了安全起见，卧室只有一个入口。
“I never met a guard immune to bribes, bullets, or blowjobs,” Rampage commented.
"我从来没有遇到过一个对贿赂、子弹或口交免疫的守卫,"狂暴评论道。
“Okay, I think I know what we need to do,” I said, a complex plan coming together.
"好的，我想我知道我们需要做什么了,"我说，一个复杂的计划正在酝酿中。
Rampage rolled her eyes. “Oh fuck no, Blackjack. I’ve played nice and haven’t killed one of these fuckers all morning. You don’t get to take this fun!” She stepped out in front. “Come and get us, you mother humpers!” Rampage roared as she turned and charged the door.
狂暴转动着她的眼睛。"哦，他妈的不，黑杰克。我一早上都没杀这些混蛋中的一个。你不能拿这个开玩笑!"她走到前面。"来抓我们啊，你们这些混蛋!"当她转身冲进门时，暴怒咆哮起来。
Apparently, the challenge was enough for the door to be kicked wide, and four ponies, two high and two low on either side of the door, looked in with the fifth in the middle. They wore spiffy, brand new combat armor, two with markspony carbines and two others with anti-machine rifles. The fifth, who’d kicked the door open, wore a battle saddle with two miniguns mounted backwards. As one, they began to spray bullets into the bedroom. The bed didn’t provide much other than getting us out of sight.
显然，这个挑战已经足够把门踢开了，门两边各有两只高两只低的小马朝里面看，第五只在中间。他们穿着漂亮的全新战斗装甲，其中两套装备了马克斯伯尼卡宾枪，另外两套装备了反机枪。第五个人踢开了门，戴着一个战斗马鞍，两个迷你骑兵骑在后面。作为一个，他们开始向卧室喷射子弹。这张床除了让我们消失在人们的视线之外没有什么用处。
Of course, nopony is ready for Rampage. The minigun rounds sparked off her armor as she charged the stallion in the middle and lowered her head, keeping the bullets out of her eyes. Like a ponified saw blade, she darted under the hind legs of the stallion and, once beneath him, gave a great heave. The stallion’s blood poured down on her bladed steel, and he clenched his bit in his dying spasms. Rampage twisted like a turret, and sprayed the two on the left with a barrage of minigun fire before the impaled stallion went limp.
当然，没有一匹小马准备好横冲直撞。当她向中间的那匹种马冲锋时，迷你机枪的子弹擦亮了她的盔甲，她低下了头，避免子弹进入眼睛。她像一把钢化了的锯片一样，飞快地钻到种马的后腿下面，一钻到它的下面，就猛地举起来。种马的血倾泻在她锋利的钢刀上，他在垂死的痉挛中咬紧牙关。横冲直撞就像一个炮塔，在被刺穿的种马倒下之前，向左边的两个猛兽发射了一连串的迷你炮火。
“Catch!” she snapped, heaving again and tossing the remains on the pair on the right side of the door. The body crashed into the two, knocking them back out of sight behind the door jamb. Like a flash she was on them, kicking and stomping with her power hooves. I couldn’t see the damage inflicted, but I could see the spatter.
"接着!"她厉声说道，又抬起来，把门右边那一对的尸体扔了出去。尸体撞上了两个人，把他们从门框后面撞了回去。她像一道闪光一样扑向他们，用她强有力的蹄子踢踢踏踏。我看不到造成的伤害但能看到血迹。
The first pair struggled to their hooves. “Tag!” she shouted in glee and launched
第一对马拼命地奔跑。"捉人!"她高兴地喊道，然后发射了
herself after them. There was a scream, a wet pulpy noise, and the chatter of a carbine.
跟在他们后面。接着是一声尖叫，一阵湿漉漉的噪音，还有卡宾枪的声音。
I glanced at P-21 and then at Glory as there was a soft chunky noise and a bloody pony was kicked back in front of my door. “Hoofington… rises…” he… or maybe she… it was hard to tell through all the blood… said weakly before falling over limply.
我瞥了一眼P-21，又瞥了一眼晨辉，听到一阵轻微的粗重噪音，一匹血淋淋的小马被踢回到我的门前。"胡芬顿......站起来......"他......或者也许是她......流了那么多血，很难说清楚......虚弱地说，然后全身无力地倒下。
Rampage strolled over, standing in front of him, her armor coated in blood and viscera. “Really? That’s the best you can do?” She then looked at me, a length of purple intestine dangling to the side of her face. “What?”
横冲直撞的走过来，站在他面前，她的盔甲上沾满了鲜血和内脏。"真的吗？你就这点能耐?"然后她看着我，一段紫色的小肠悬挂在她的脸旁。"什么?"
“You know, you might be really obnoxious, but there are moments I’m glad you’re on our side,” P-21 said in complete honesty before he approached the slain ponies.
"你知道，你可能真的很讨厌，但有时候我很高兴你是站在我们这边的,"P-21在走近被杀死的小马之前完全诚实地说。
“Aw, come and give me a hug!” she said, spreading her blood drenched forelegs wide as she grinned.
"啊，过来给我一个拥抱!"她咧嘴笑着，把沾满鲜血的前腿张开。
“And the moment’s over,” P-21 said.
"这一刻结束了,"P-21说。
I stepped past them and looked at the dead attackers. Definitely Harbinger gear. I looked down the hall to where my ‘guards’ stood staring with gormless looks on their faces. I cocked a brow as I stared at the four until one declared lamely, “I had to shit. I dunno what the other guys were doing.”
我从他们身边走过，看着那些死去的攻击者。绝对是先驱者的装备。我朝大厅里望去，看到我的看守们站在那里，脸上挂着傻里傻气的表情。我抬起眉毛盯着这四个人，直到其中一个一瘸一拐地说:"我要拉屎。"。我不知道其他人在干什么。"
I rubbed my face. Luna save me, I had to get out of here! “All I wanted was an airship,” I muttered.
我揉了揉脸。卢娜救了我，我必须离开这里！"我只想要一艘飞艇,"我喃喃自语道。
* * *
* * *
The attack had gone nearly unnoticed by the Society with all the party affairs being conducted. Oh, I had no illusions that everypony didn’t know, but something as simple as an attempted regicide was apparently nothing compared to a social affair. The Society wanted to get to their fun and games, and I was the four hundred pound cyberpony futzing everything up. The only silver lining was that over a dozen lesser plots and schemes had completely fallen apart, leaving Hoity quite amused and myself a worsening Societal irritant.
这次袭击几乎没有引起协会的注意，所有的党务工作都在进行中。哦，我没有幻想每个小马都不知道，但是像企图弑君这样简单的事情显然比不上社交事件。协会希望得到他们的乐趣和游戏，而我是四百磅的赛博马，把一切都搞得一团糟。唯一的一线希望是，十几个小规模的阴谋和计划已经完全失败，这让豪伊特觉得很有趣，而我自己则成了社会上越来越棘手的问题。
Lacunae was out picking something up. Glory was checking the dead
空隙出去捡东西了。晨辉在检查死者
Harbingers, looking for something that might identify how they had gotten in. P-21 was triple-checking everything that might explode, since that was the next logical course of taking me out. Boo lingered by Scotch Tape as she was chatting with Charm. And Rampage, after multiple demands for her to wash and not wear pony entrails as a fashion statement, sat boredly at my side as my ‘champion’. I’d publically declared that if I were killed, Rampage had full carte blanche to take my revenge on the perpetrators and left it vague as to if that meant the actual assassins, the Society, or everypony in the Hoof who’d looked at me wrong. Apparently, according to Hoity, it’d gotten three to abandon their plots for the time being.
先驱者，寻找一些东西，可以确定他们是如何进来的。P-21对所有可能爆炸的东西都进行了三次检查，因为这是除掉我的下一个合乎逻辑的办法。当布和查蒙聊天时，她在透明胶带旁徘徊。而狂暴，在多次要求她洗澡不穿内脏作为时尚宣言之后，无聊地坐在我身边，成为我的"冠军"。我曾公开宣布，如果我被杀了，那么狂暴就有全权委托给我对凶手进行报复，并且含糊其辞地说，这是否意味着真正的刺客、协会或者霍夫车里每一匹看错我的小马。显然，根据Hoity的说法，有三个人暂时放弃了他们的计划。
That left me languishing in a stuffy conference room with Splendid talking at me about the Society’s finances. Apparently they were loaded; being one of the most reliable food suppliers for a post-apocalyptic wasteland brought in the caps. I’d also discovered that the Society didn’t have a firm monarch when it came to the money. Profits were split into a mind-numbing array of shares, half shares, quarter shares, and eighths, and sixteenths. That was after expenses, which were surprisingly high. Still, the Society took their money and bought everything from guns to old world relics, facilitating trade.
这让我在闷热的会议室里无精打采地谈论着协会的财务状况。很显然，它们是装满的，因为它们是世界末日后废墟中最可靠的食物供应商之一。我还发现，在钱的问题上，协会并没有一个坚定的君主。利润被分成一系列令人头脑麻木的股票，一半股票，四分之一股票，八分之一和十六分之一。这还是扣除了高得惊人的费用之后的数字。尽管如此，协会还是拿走了他们的钱，购买了从枪支到旧世界遗物的所有东西，促进了贸易。
Which meant, as nice as the thought was becoming, that I couldn’t just trot off. I had a chance to affect the biggest player in the Hoof. I just had to decide which was the right answer…
这意味着，尽管这个想法变得很美好，但我不能就这么跑掉。我有机会影响霍夫最大的球员。我只需要决定哪个是正确的答案。
“Splendid?” I asked as he started in on last year’s figures. The white stallion paused beside a chalkboard with rows of numbers on it. “Why the fuck are you telling me all this?”
"好极了?"他开始讲去年的数字时，我问道。那匹白色的种马停在一块黑板旁，上面有一排排数字。"你他妈的为什么要告诉我这些?"
“As leader of the Society…” he began, and I raised my hoof, cutting him off.
"作为社团的领袖......"他开口说道，我抬起脚，把他踢开。
“Not leader. Let’s drop that pretense. I’m not leading anything. I’m picking the leader. That’s the deal. And you’re smart enough to know that. So why tell me all this?” I asked sharply.
"不是领袖。我们别再装了。我没有领导任何事情。我来选领队。这就是我们的交易。你很聪明知道这一点。那么，为什么要告诉我这些呢?"我尖锐地问道。
He coughed, looking away. “You’re a lot smarter than when we first met.”
他咳嗽了一声，目光移开了。"你比我们第一次见面时聪明多了。"
“I’m also a lot more metallic.” I folded my hooves on the table. “If you want to give me a sales pitch, give it.”
"我也更有金属感。"我把蹄子叠在桌子上。"如果你想向我推销，那就推销吧。"
He took a deep breath, touching his chest, and let it out before saying bluntly,
他深深地吸了一口气，摸了摸自己的胸口，然后吐了出来，接着直截了当地说:
“You should make me your regent if you want to help the Hoof in a substantial way.”
"如果你真的想帮助霍夫，就让我做你的摄政王吧"
I met his gaze with my own stare. “Go on.”
我用自己的目光与他的目光相遇。"继续。"
“Charm is too spoiled, and Grace too gutless, to understand what the Society could truly be. You saw what we achieved at the Fluttershy Medical Center. That’s just a start.” His horn glowed and he flipped the chalkboard to show a map of the Hoofington Valley. “With a few changes to the way the Society does things, we’ll have the resources to secure not just our own territory but the rest of the Hoof as well. We can hire mercenaries to take the Paradise Mall back from the slavers inhabiting it and lease it to the Finders. That opens up trade with the pegasi at the Rainbow Dash Skyport. We can also take and secure the Ironmare Naval Base on the bay and distribute goods to the north end of the city. But more importantly, with pegasi and the bay, we’ll be able to send our goods farther than ever! We can reach Manehattan by boat or air infinitely faster than on foot or via caravans.”
"魅力太娇生惯养，优雅太胆小，无法理解这个社会的真正面目。你看到了我们在Fluttershy医疗中心取得的成就。这只是一个开始。"他的角闪闪发光，他翻动着黑板，指出胡芬顿山谷的地图。"只要对协会的工作方式做出一些改变，我们就不仅有资源保护我们自己的领土，还有霍夫的其他部分。我们可以雇佣雇佣兵把天堂购物中心从居住在那里的奴隶主手中夺回来，租给芬德家族。这开启了与飞马座在彩虹短跑空中港的贸易。我们也可以采取和保障铁马尔海军基地的海湾和分发货物的北端的城市。但更重要的是，有了飞马座和海湾，我们可以把我们的货物送得比以往任何时候都远！我们乘船或乘飞机到曼哈顿比步行或乘大篷车要快得多。"
He looked back at me. “With Society supremacy, the Collegiate and Finders will have to abandon their petty little issues with us or be completely marginalized. With their help, we’ll turn the Hoof into what it once was: a cornerstone of Equestria. Hoofington will rise bigger and stronger than before and help restore true civility to the surface.”
他回头看着我。"由于社会至上，大学生和找到者将不得不放弃他们与我们之间的琐碎问题，或者被完全边缘化。在他们的帮助下，我们将把霍夫号变成曾经的样子:Equestria的基石。胡芬顿会比以前升得更高更强，帮助恢复表面真正的文明。"
Well. Somepony had aspirations. I had no idea if he could pull it off, but he seemed confident in his abilities. “So why is it Charm or Grace couldn’t do the same?”
好吧。有些小马很有抱负。我不知道他能否成功，但他似乎对自己的能力很有信心。"那么，为什么魅力和优雅不能做到这一点呢?"
“Charm has no interest. If she had her way, the society would exist to serve her every whim. And Grace doesn’t have the stomach to admit what it would take,” he answered. “We’ve argued over this since we were foals. She’d rather waste time and energy trying to reform the Society. Kick out the bad apples, give the serfs more rights and shorter hours, even pay them a few shares! What would serfs do with money?”
"魅力是没有意义的。如果她有她的方式，社会将存在为她的每一个心血来潮。格蕾丝没有勇气承认这一切,"他回答。"我们从小就在争论这个问题。她宁愿浪费时间和精力去改革协会。赶走坏苹果，给农奴更多的权利和更短的工作时间，甚至给他们一些股份！农奴们要钱干什么?"
I could think of a few things. “And your way?” I prompted.
我能想到一些事情。"那你的方式呢?"我提示道。
“We’ve got more than half our security force keeping the serfs in line. If we employed more stringent methods to get them to work, that would free up ponies to secure the rest of the Hoof. More liberal use of explosive collars. Using chems
"我们有一半以上的安全部队负责管理农奴。如果我们采用更严格的方法让它们工作，就可以腾出小马来保护霍夫的其余部分。更自由地使用爆炸性项圈。使用化学药品
to keep them working longer and more productively. More energetic recruitment.” With a huff, he continued, “They come to us, begging for food and safety. The second we provide it, they work as absolutely little as possible. Worse, they grow resentful, and some even become threats. If we crack down harder, we won’t need so many here.”
让他们工作更长时间，更有成效。更有活力的招聘。"他怒气冲冲地继续说,"他们来找我们，乞求食物和安全。我们提供这种服务的第二个目的，就是让他们尽可能少的工作。更糟糕的是，他们变得愤愤不平，有些甚至成为威胁。如果我们加大打击力度，这里就不需要这么多人了。"
“Civilization built on the backs of the oppressed. Wonderful,” Rampage said with a snort. “Not even the Reapers are this messed up.”
"文明建立在被压迫者的背上。太好了,"朗格哼了一声。"即使是收割者也没有这么糟糕。"
“We’re not oppressing them. We’re making them live up to the agreement they signed when they came to live here. We feed them and their extended family. That’s far more generous than the Wasteland,” he retorted.
"我们没有压迫他们。我们正在使他们履行他们来到这里时签署的协议。我们养活他们和他们的大家庭。那比荒原要慷慨得多,"他反驳道。
“Right. Thank you. Well, I’ll go ahead and ponder that for a while when I make my choice tonight at the Gala.” I gestured towards the door with my hoof, waiting for him to leave. When he did, I buried my face in my crossed hooves. “Remember when my only concern was finding out what EC-1101 is? Or what Goldenblood had done? Or just running away from people trying to kill me? Can you believe I actually miss those days? Really!”
"对。谢谢你。好吧，等我在今晚的晚会上做出选择时，我会继续思考一下这个问题。"我用蹄子指了指门口，等着他离开。当他这样做的时候，我把脸埋在我交叉的蹄子里。"还记得我唯一关心的是弄清楚EC-1101是什么吗？或者金布拉德做了什么？还是为了躲避想杀我的人？你能相信我真的怀念那些日子吗？真的!"
“That’s because you’re trying to be the saint of the Wasteland and do better and all that. Personally, it’s absolutely amazing to me. I would have killed half these fuckers in the first five minutes if I were in your horseshoes.” She chuckled and then patted my back. “If it’s any consolation, I admire what you’re trying to do. I think you’re stupid for trying it, but when is that any different?”
"那是因为你想成为废墟的圣徒，做得更好，诸如此类。就我个人而言，这对我来说绝对是惊人的。如果我在你的马蹄铁里，我会在五分钟内杀死一半这些混蛋。"她咯咯地笑了笑，然后拍了拍我的背。"如果能安慰你的话，我很欣赏你的努力。我觉得你这么做很愚蠢，但这又有什么不同呢?"
I turned my head enough to look at her with one eye, then re-buried my face in my hooves. It wasn’t particularly comfortable. “How are you doing, Rampage?”
我转过头，用一只眼睛看着她，然后把脸埋在蹄子里。不是特别舒服。"你怎么样，狂暴?"
She blinked in surprise. “Me? I just got to slaughter five heavily armed ponies. I’m just grand.” She grinned, and it lasted all of ten seconds before it slid off her face. She immediately took out a tin of Mint-als and popped two into her mouth before asking, “Do we have to talk about this?”
她惊讶地眨了眨眼。"我？我刚宰了五匹全副武装的小马。我感觉很好。"她咧开嘴笑了，笑了整整10秒钟才从脸上滑下来。她立刻拿出一罐薄荷糖，往嘴里塞了两罐，然后问道:"我们一定要谈这个吗?"
“No, not if you don’t want to,” I answered, but it didn’t seem to put her at ease.
"不，如果你不想去的话，就不去,"我回答，但是这似乎并没有让她感到安心。
“I’ve watched some of the memories you’ve picked out of my head. Some of the stuff… like that doctor? And I thought Glory was boring…” She tried for a laugh, but it didn’t last. “I don’t know. I watch it and it’s like… somepony else. It doesn’t feel like me. Even if it’s a part of me, it’s like… like…”
"我观察了你从我脑海中挑选出来的一些记忆。一些东西...比如那个医生？我觉得《晨辉》很无聊......"她想开怀大笑，但没有持续多久。"我不知道。我看着它，它就像......别的什么东西。感觉不像我。即使它是我的一部分，它就像......就像......"
“Like my cyberlegs?” I suggested.
"就像我的电脑腿?"我建议道。
“Yeah! Something that was stuck on to me,” she said with a smile and a nod.
"是的！一些粘在我身上的东西,"她微笑着点了点头。
“What memories do feel like you?” I asked as I sat up.
"你有什么样的记忆?"我坐起来问道。
She thought a moment. “Everything from when I was yanked out of that crater by those ghouls on. Sure, there are gaps, but I don’t think of those memories as somepony else’s.” She cocked her head. “Why are you asking me this? Not that I’m not thankful, but don’t you have something more important to do?”
她想了一会儿。"从我被那些食尸鬼从火山口拽出来的所有东西。当然，这些记忆之间存在差距，但我不认为这些记忆是别人的。"她歪着头。"你为什么问我这个问题？不是说我不感激，但你不是有更重要的事情要做吗?"
I laughed, leaning back. “Oh, let’s see! Get to Thunderhead and stop a biological weapon from being deployed. Stop the Harbingers, Dawn, and Cognitum from killing me. Deal with the Legate. Find out where EC-1101 is trying to go. Find out what Horizons is supposed to do. Oh, I think I have ‘clean out Paradise’ on my list somewhere, too.” I rose to my hooves, not mentioning the most pressing… any second the Goddess was going to make all that moot by turning me into the next version of Lacunae. I started trotting back and forth. “There’s a certain point where you have so much going on that helping your friends is the only thing that feels like it really matters. Save the Society. Save the Enclave. Save the Wasteland. I can’t even pick who’s the right person to give a crown to!”
我笑了，向后靠了靠。"哦，让我看看！到达雷霆之源，阻止生化武器的部署。阻止那些预言者，黎明，和同族人杀死我。对付特使。找出EC-1101要去的地方。找出视野号应该做什么。哦，我想我的清单上还有'清理天堂'这一条。"我猛地站起来，没有提到最紧迫的事情......女神随时都可能把我变成下一个版本的裂隙。我开始来回小跑。"在某种程度上，你有太多事情要做，以至于帮助朋友是唯一真正重要的事情。拯救协会。拯救飞地。拯救荒原。我甚至不知道该把皇冠送给谁!"
“Blackjack?”
"黑杰克?"
I kept moving faster and faster, “I wonder if this is how Twilight and her friends felt? Having a thousand things that hundreds of thousands of lives counted on and not being able to ever really get any headway because once you finish one then another pops up and there’s nothing you can do. So you push harder and think harder and hope harder while you’re terrified that at any second it’s all going to fall apart and you’ll find out how many you killed--”
我越走越快,"我想知道暮光之城和她的朋友们是不是也是这么想的？拥有成千上万条生命所依赖的一千件事情，却不能真正取得任何进展，因为一旦你完成了一件事情，另一件事情就会出现，而你却无能为力。所以你更加努力地推动，更加努力地思考，更加努力地希望，而你害怕的是，一切随时都会分崩离析，你会发现你杀了多少人——"
Rampage started to look worried, “Blackjack!”
狂暴开始显得忧心忡忡,"黑杰克!"
I continued on. This was a time where I wanted my heart thundering and to gasp for air. I needed to, but my artificial body refused. So instead, I felt myself grow even more anxious. “But no pressure! It’s not like thousands of ponies are going to die if I screw up! No, wait, they are! I mean I’m seriously trying to weigh if saving the lives of who knows how many in the Wasteland will be worth the suffering of hundreds of serfs! I mean, if it really does work and helps the Wasteland, then isn’t it justified? Which is the lesser evil? Can’t things just be
我继续说。这是一个时刻，我希望我的心砰砰地跳，喘气，呼吸新鲜空气。我需要，但是我的人造身体拒绝了。相反，我感到自己变得更加焦虑。"但是不要有压力！如果我搞砸了，又不会有成千上万的小马死掉！不，等等，他们就是！我的意思是，我正在认真地权衡，如果拯救的生命谁知道有多少生活在荒地将值得数百农奴的苦难！我的意思是，如果它真的有效并且帮助了荒原，那么它不是正当的吗？哪一个是较小的罪恶？难道事情就不能
easy? Like tell everypony trying to kill everypony else to just kill Blackjack instead. They can kill me and then they won’t have to kill each other and--”
容易吗？比如告诉所有想杀掉其他小马的人只要杀掉黑杰克就行了。他们可以杀了我，然后就不用自相残杀了——"
She hit me. The blow knocked me right off my hooves and sent me sprawling. I didn’t get up, lying there, head pounding and staring at the wall. Then she trotted over, picked me up, and gave me a hug. “Idiot,” she muttered.
她打了我。那一击把我从蹄子上打了下来，把我打得四脚朝天。我没有站起来，躺在那里，头重重地撞击着墙壁。然后她小跑过来，抱起我，给了我一个拥抱。"白痴,"她喃喃自语。
“Can’t I just die for them and call it good?” I whispered as I pushed my face into her neck.
"我就不能为他们而死，然后说这是好事吗?"我低声说着，把脸埋进她的脖子里。
“No. Dying’s easy. Killing’s easy. You never do the easy thing,” she said as she held me. My shoulders trembled, some of the dwindling number of muscles still wired to my brain betraying my anxiety. “I know what I’d do. It’d be selfish and quick and probably hurt a lot of folks, but I wouldn’t care.”
"没有。死亡很容易。杀人很容易。你从来不做容易的事,"她抱着我说。我的肩膀颤抖着，大脑里的一些肌肉依然在萎缩，显示出我的焦虑。"我知道我会怎么做。这样做很自私、很快，可能会伤害很多人，但我不在乎。"
It took me a few minutes to relax. Finally I removed my legs from hers. “Sometimes, I wish I could be like you.”
我花了几分钟才放松下来。最后我把我的腿从她的腿上移开。"有时候，我希望自己能像你一样。"
“No you don’t,” she replied, soberly. “Because I would have quit a long time ago, Blackjack. I would have sold that program, or picked a fight I couldn’t win, or simply wandered off. I am not a strong pony, Blackjack. I can rip people to pieces, but ask me to do the right thing on my own and I just won’t.”
"不，你不知道,"她冷静地回答。"因为我早就不干了，Blackjack。我会卖掉那个程序，或者选择一场我赢不了的比赛，或者干脆离开。我不是一匹强壮的小马，Blackjack。我可以把人撕成碎片，但要求我自己做正确的事情，我就是不会这么做。"
There was a rapid knock on the door and I clenched my eyes shut. “Unless one of my friends’ lives is in danger, piss off! That’s a royal command!”
一阵急促的敲门声使我紧闭双眼。"除非我的一个朋友有生命危险，否则滚开！这是皇家的命令!"
Then the door was pushed open, admitting a frantic looking Charm. “Blackjack! They’ve taken them!” I closed my eyes, feeling the urge to sic Deus on this place rising by the second. “They took Scotch Tape and Boo! They said if you don’t make me in charge, they’ll kill them!”
然后门被推开了，一个看起来疯狂的符咒进来了。"黑杰克！他们把他们带走了!"我闭上眼睛，感到一股冲动，想让上帝来到这个地方，时间一秒一秒地过去。"他们拿走了透明胶带和布！他们说如果你不让我负责，他们就杀了他们!"
I opened my eyes and fixed her with a gaze that could cut through stone. “Really?” I asked, hoping that this was some kind of sad, elaborate joke. She nodded, looking terrified. I closed my eyes a moment, fighting for composure before I let out my breath in one slow hiss.
我睁开眼睛，目不转睛地盯着她，她的目光可以穿透石头。"真的吗?"我问道，希望这是一个悲伤的，精心设计的玩笑。她点点头，看起来很害怕。我闭上眼睛一会儿，努力保持镇静，然后缓缓地嘶嘶地呼出一口气。
Time to do this... “Right,” I muttered, activating my PipBuck.
是时候做这个了......"对,"我咕哝着，激活了我的PipBuck。
“Guess they thought you weren’t going to accept the bribe,” Rampage said with a sigh. “Pretty good guess.”
"估计他们以为你不会接受贿赂,"朗格叹了口气说。"猜得不错。"
“Maybe, but I’m certain they’ll do it. I think they believe they can use me,” Charm said in a desperate rush. I rose to my hooves and started walking. “I mean, I know I’m young, but I promise I’ll do a good job doing whatever you want,” she continued as she trotted along beside me. “I was going to get the guard, but they said they’d kill them if I did, so I came to you.” We continued walking down the hall. Some of the guard ponies saw us walking and fell in line. Her panic gave way to confused indignation. “Did you hear me, Blackjack? They’re going to kill them if you don’t make me your regent!”
"也许吧，但我肯定他们会这么做的。我想他们相信他们可以利用我,"查蒙绝望地急忙说。我站起来，开始走路。"我的意思是，我知道我还年轻，但是我保证我会做好你想做的任何事情,"她继续说着，一边在我身边小跑着。"我本来要去找守卫，但他们说如果我去他们就杀了他们，所以我来找你。"我们继续沿着大厅走。一些看守的小马看见我们在走路，就排成了一行。她的恐慌让位于混乱的愤怒。"你听到我说的话了吗，黑杰克？如果你不让我当摄政王，他们就会杀了他们!"
“Mhmmm,” I replied as I stepped out the side door and started walking across the lawns. “Did you hurt either of them?”
"嗯,"我一边走出侧门，一边回答，开始穿过草坪。"你有没有伤害他们?"
“I… wha… you think I’m involved in this?” she gasped, pressing a hoof to her chest.
"我.....。.什么...你觉得我跟这事有关?"她喘着气，用蹄子顶着胸口。
“Did you hurt them?” I asked again, and Charm shrank back. Clearly, this wasn’t following her script any more than the “assassination” with the knife had. Maybe it was genetic...
"你伤害他们了吗?"我又问了一遍，Charm退缩了。显然，这不是按照她的脚本，就像用刀"暗杀"一样。也许是遗传..。
“I’m certain they might have!” Charm blurted. “Those two didn’t go quietly. And where are you going?”
"我肯定他们可能已经这么做了!"魅力脱口而出。"那两个人并没有安静地离开。你要去哪里?"
I headed towards a large shed that looked like it’d once held lots of little white carts that now lay nearby like heaps of snow. “I’m following her PipBuck tag,” I replied evenly and saw her eyes grow a little wider. “Do any of you know what I’ve put up with today? Do any of you know what my week has been like?! I’ve had assassination attempts on me. I’ve been manipulated and betrayed more than once. I was shot through my fucking head! I am not in a fucking good mood, I am regretting ever coming here, and I am sincerely motivated to cull the lot of you and let the Collegiate take over running everything here! Do you understand?!” I roared, seeing five red bars and two blue within.
我朝着一个大棚子走去，那里看起来像是曾经有许多白色的小车，现在就像堆积的雪一样。"我跟着她的皮布克标签走,"我平静地回答，看见她的眼睛变得宽了一点。"你们知道我今天忍受了什么吗？你们有人知道我这周过得怎么样吗?！有人企图暗杀我。我不止一次被操纵和背叛。我他妈的脑袋中枪了！我他妈的心情不好，我很后悔曾经来过这里，我真诚地激励你们中的很多人，让学院接管这里的一切！你明白吗?!"我吼了起来，看见里面有五条红条，两条蓝条。
I turned and kicked the large front doors with all the power I could muster. They might have been barred within, but one blow and they broke free of their hinges and fell down to either side of me. Within, I saw the mare and stallion I’d encountered trying to pressure ponies to sign serf contracts. They sat at either side of a table, playing cards, and stared at me in shock. Next to them were two astonished-looking stallions who had been wrestling with Boo. In the back was the minotaur, Pain Train, holding onto a bound Scotch Tape with one huge hand.
我转过身，用尽全力踢开大门。他们本来可以被禁止在里面，但一击，他们打破了他们的铰链，跌倒在我的任何一边。在里面，我看到了我遇到的那匹母马和种马，它们正试图向小马施压，要求它们签订农奴合同。他们坐在一张桌子的两边，打着牌，震惊地盯着我。在他们旁边是两匹看上去很惊讶的种马，它们一直在和布摔跤。后面是牛头怪，痛苦列车，用一只巨大的手抓着一卷胶带。
“You have one chance. Release them. Now!”
"你只有一次机会。放了他们。现在!"
“You! How did you find--” the mare began, but I entered S.A.T.S. and shot her through her foreleg with a single magic bullet. She writhed on the ground, holding her leg, screaming.
"你！你是怎么找到的——"母马开始说，但是我进入了S.A.T.S.，用一颗神奇的子弹射穿了她的前腿。她在地上扭动着，抓着自己的腿，尖叫着。
The pair dropped Boo and struggled for their weapons as they backpedaled away from the mare. One tripped, falling on his back and shooting wildly into the air. The bullets struck the chassis of a cart hanging from hooks on the ceiling. With a crunch, the chassis fell free, striking both scrambling ponies with a resounding crunch. Boo immediately scrambled for safety behind me.
当他们从母马后退的时候，他们丢下了Boo，挣扎着拿起他们的武器。其中一个摔倒了，倒在地上，向空中疯狂地射击。子弹击中了吊在天花板上的挂钩上的一辆大车的底盘。随着一个紧缩，底盘下跌自由，打击两个不规则的小马与响亮的紧缩。布立即爬起来躲在我身后。
“Watch out! They’re going to kill the hostage!” Charm shouted, glaring at the minotaur and ex-card-player. The unicorn stallion started to raise a gun, his eyes wide and terrified. He had reason to be. Like an immense hunting cat, Rampage launched herself at him, clearing the table and latching her claws in his shoulders. With a scream, he went down on the far side. Charm looked at Pain Train as he picked Scotch Tape up and stood, looking way down at me. “He’s going to break her neck! Any second now! He’s going to do it!” She looked at me, then at the stoic minotaur holding Scotch Tape by the neck. “Do it!”
"小心！他们要杀死人质!"魅力呼喊着，怒视着弥诺陶洛斯和前牌手。独角兽的种马开始举起枪，他的眼睛睁得大大的，吓坏了。他有理由这么做。像一只巨大的猎猫，狂暴向他猛扑过去，清理桌子，把爪子插在他的肩膀上。随着一声尖叫，他倒在了远处。查蒙看着"痛苦列车"，他拿起苏格兰胶带站了起来，低头看着我。"他要扭断她的脖子！马上！他要动手了!"她看着我，然后又看着那个勒着脖子拿着透明胶带的坚忍的牛头怪。"动手吧!"
I locked eyes with him, just as I had that last time we’d met. Then he looked at Charm, reached down, and carefully undid the ropes on Scotch Tape’s legs. Aside from looking pretty scraped up, the olive filly was uninjured. Charm looked as though a spring in her brain had just gone ‘spoing’ and she was trying to comprehend what was happening. Charm stared at Pain Train, her left eye twitching before looking at me and grinning from ear to ear. “She’s free! Huzzah! How wonderful!” she said with ebullient glee.
我盯着他，就像上次我们见面时那样。然后他看着查蒙，伸手下去，小心翼翼地解开苏格兰胶带腿上的绳子。除了看起来擦伤很严重之外，小橄榄丝没有受伤。魅力看起来就像是她脑子里的一个春天刚刚出现，她试图理解发生了什么。魅力盯着疼痛列车，她的左眼在看我之前抽搐着，笑得合不拢嘴。"她自由了！万岁！太棒了!"她兴高采烈地说。
I looked up at Pain Train. “Thanks,” I said as I knelt beside Scotch Tape and checked her over.
我抬头看着疼痛列车。"谢谢,"我跪在透明胶带旁边，检查了一下她。
“We’re even. Was a stupid plan anyway,” he muttered.
"我们扯平了。反正也是个愚蠢的计划,"他喃喃自语道。
Scotch Tape rose to her hooves and her blue eyes landed on Charm. “You!” Charm’s grin twitched as she took a step back. “Funny how they came for us exactly when you went to the bathroom!”
透明胶带贴到她的蹄子上，她的蓝眼睛充满了魅力。"你!"当她后退一步时，魅力的咧嘴笑开了。"你去洗手间的时候，他们正好来找我们，真有意思!"
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Charm said as she backed away.
"我.....。.我不知道你在说什么!"查姆退后一步说。
“Get over here!” Scotch Tape roared, and tackled Charm before the filly got three steps. “You’re sick! You make the Overmare look nice! I felt sorry for you!” Scotch screamed as she rolled, bit, hit, and kicked Charm. Finally, she got a hooflock around the princess’s neck. “Honestly, foalnapping us! Where do you get off?!”
"过来!"苏格兰胶带咆哮了一声，在小姑娘走出三步之前就把魅力扑倒了。"你有病！你让Overmare看起来很漂亮！我为你感到难过!"苏格兰威士忌尖叫的时候，她滚，咬，打，踢魅力。最后，她在公主的脖子上套了一个马蹄锁。"说实话，骗我们！你在哪儿下车?!"
“Ow! Stop it! You can’t do this to me! I’m a princess! You can’t prove anything!” Charm squealed as Scotch Tape bit her ear and growled like she was going to tear it off!
"噢！住手！你不能这样对我！我是公主！你什么也证明不了!"透明胶带咬住她的耳朵，咆哮着，好像她要把它扯下来！
“Enough, Scotch,” I said with a chuckle, carefully disengaging the battered white filly. Scotch swung her hooves wildly. “Did she say this was the plan?”
"够了，苏格兰威士忌,"我笑着说，小心翼翼地把那匹受伤的白色小母马拉开。苏格兰人疯狂地挥舞着她的蹄子。"她说过这就是计划吗?"
Scotch Tape glared at her, then spat out, “No. But she trots out and a minute later they trot in easy as you please. They threw me in a sack! Talked about the great life they were going to have when Charm was regent. They were going to get a share, whatever that means.” Scotch Tape swung at her again. “You are so lucky. I swear, next time I’m going to give you the mother of all swirlies! I’ll rig a toilet that’ll suck your horn out your back end. You just wait!”
透明胶带瞪了她一眼，然后吐了出来:"没有。但是她小跑出去，一分钟后他们就可以随心所欲地小跑起来。他们把我装进袋子里！谈到当Charm还是摄政王的时候他们将要过的美好生活。他们打算分一杯羹，不管这意味着什么。"胶带再次向她挥过来。"你真幸运。我发誓，下次我会把所有的漩涡都交给你！我会装个马桶把你的喇叭从后面吸出来。你等着瞧吧!"
“Good hooflock, though. The ear was a nice touch,” Rampage chuckled. That finally made her stop fighting, though she still growled at the other filly.
"不过，马蹄声不错。那只耳朵摸起来不错,"狂暴笑着说。最后她停止了挣扎，尽管她仍然对着另一匹小母马咆哮。
I looked at Pain Train. “Did she plan this?”
我看着疼痛列车。"这是她策划的吗?"
He gave a laconic shrug. “I just do what I’m told. Ponies don’t involve me in planning their schemes. I’m just the dumb muscle.” Then he looked at me. “Though I knew it was stupid. You beat me once. You’d probably beat me again.”
他简单地耸了耸肩。"我只是奉命行事。小马不让我参与他们的计划。我只是个哑巴肌肉男。"然后他看着我。"尽管我知道这很愚蠢。你赢过我一次。你可能会再次打败我。"
I looked at the battered filly. “Well?”
我看着那匹受伤的小母马。"怎么样?"
Charm sniffed and rubbed her eyes. “Why is everypony yelling at me? I just do what I’m told to do!” she said, giving a choking sob. I didn’t twitch. Finally, she slumped and scowled at me, her eyes dry. “Fine. Believe what you want. But that deal that was made? It’s still standing. And you want Daddy’s memory orbs, Blackjack.” She rose to her hooves. “I saw what Goldenblood did with Horse’s machine. I know what this Horizons thingy is. And if you want to know, you can give me my crown. Otherwise, I’ll send you them pulverized in a box. Got it?”
魅力嗅了嗅，揉了揉她的眼睛。"为什么每匹小马都对我大喊大叫？我只是奉命行事!"她哽咽着抽泣着说。我没有抽搐。最后，她垂头丧气地看着我，眼睛干涩。"好吧。相信你想要的。但是那个交易是怎么达成的？它还站着。你想要爸爸的记忆球，Blackjack。"她站起身来。"我看到金血王对马的机器做了什么。我知道这个地平线是什么东西。如果你想知道，你可以把我的皇冠给我。否则，我会把它们装在一个盒子里送给你。懂了吗?"
I twitched as I looked down at her. Scotch Tape still looked murderous. Rampage appeared amused. I really didn’t have time for this shit. “How about this? You hand them over and I make sure that Grace or Splendid don’t boot you out for good?” I counter-offered.
我低头看着她，身子抽搐了一下。透明胶带仍然看起来很凶残。狂暴看起来很有趣。我真的没时间听这些废话。"这个怎么样？你把它们交出来，我保证Grace或者Splendid不会把你永远赶出去?"我还价。
She narrowed her eyes in a spiteful glare. “I’d rather you drive yourself crazy thinking about what might be in them. And I can’t wait till you come crawling back to me, asking me what I saw. And I’m not going to tell you. So there!” And she pulled her mouth wide and stuck her tongue out at me.
她眯起眼睛恶狠狠地瞪了我一眼。"我宁愿你把自己逼疯，去想它们里面可能有什么。我迫不及待想看到你爬回来问我看到了什么。我也不会告诉你。就是这样!"然后她把嘴张得大大的，把舌头伸向我。
I rubbed my head. “Scotch. She’s all yours. Don’t kill her. She might come to her senses. And don’t let yourself be taken hostage by her again. Otherwise, I’m letting P-21 handle it. Understood?”
我揉了揉头。"苏格兰威士忌。她是你的了。别杀她。她可能会恢复理智的。不要再让自己被她绑架了。否则，我就让P-21来处理。明白吗?"
Scotch blinked at me, and then her lips curled in an expression of sheer deviousness. I swear her ears seemed to pull into horns as she looked at the white filly. “Mmmm… come here…”
苏格兰人对我眨了眨眼睛，然后她的嘴唇卷起，表现出纯粹的狡猾。我发誓，当她看着那匹白色的小母马时，她的耳朵好像长出了角。"嗯......过来......"
“You’re insane! Stay away from me! Nooooo!” she shrieked, running for her life. It was probably the first time she’d ever had to do it; there was no way she was going to get away if that was the quickest she could flee.
"你疯了！离我远点！不!"她尖叫着，逃命去了。这可能是她第一次不得不这么做;如果这是她逃跑的最快方式，她是不可能逃走的。
I glanced at Rampage. “Make sure she doesn’t mess Charm up too badly, okay?” Boo curled up next to me, making it clear she wasn’t parting company with me any time soon.
我瞥了一眼狂暴。"别让她把事情搞砸了，好吗?"布蜷缩在我身边，表明她不会很快和我分手。
“What about you?” Rampage asked.
"你呢?"狂暴问道。
I rolled my eyes. “We’ve got three hours till this party starts. I’m going to find someplace quiet, lock myself in there, and think about what to do. I doubt there’s much else anypony here can throw at me.”
我翻了翻白眼。"离派对开始还有三个小时。我要找个安静的地方，把自己锁在里面，想想该怎么办。我怀疑这里还有什么别的东西可以扔给我。"
“Famous last words,” Rampage replied. “Well, if another hit squad comes after you, let me know. You do attract interesting fun.” Then she turned and raced after Scotch Tape. “Don’t let her get away! I’ll show you how to torture a pony with a loogie!” I laughed, despite myself. Sometimes she seemed not much different from a filly herself.
"著名的临终遗言,"狂暴回答道。"好吧，如果有另一个暗杀小组在追杀你，告诉我。你确实吸引了很多有趣的东西。"然后她转过身来，跟着透明胶带跑了起来。"别让她跑了！我来教你怎么用口水折磨小马!"我不由自主地笑了起来。有时候她看起来和小母马没什么两样。
* * *
* * *
I returned to Awesome’s stripped collection. So many questions, like what happened when Dawn left. Had it been as Keeper said, or had Awesome been telling the truth? Somehow, I had trouble believing anypony so fascinated by Goldenblood could be honest. But then what did that say about me? I poked my head out the door at the ponies who were supposed to be my guards; hopefully they were more diligent than the last pair. “Okay. I don’t care what happens. Short of fire, explosions, or my friends being hurt, I want nopony to come in here, no matter what. Is that understood?”
我回到了Awesome的脱衣系列。问题太多了，比如道恩离开后发生了什么。是像守门员说的那样，还是Awesome说的是实话？不知为什么，我很难相信任何对金色血统如此着迷的小马会是诚实的。但是这又说明了什么呢？我把头伸出门外，看着那些本该是我守卫的小马，希望它们比上一对更勤快。"好吧。我不在乎会发生什么。除了火灾、爆炸或者我的朋友受伤，我不希望任何人来这里，不管发生什么。明白了吗?"
“Yes, ma’am,” they replied, saluting briskly.
"是的，夫人,"他们回答，轻快地敬礼。
Boo scrambled to the far side of the room, looking around as if checking for possible attackers. I looked around myself, then closed the door and locked it. Then, for good measure, I levitated over a chair and wedged it under the handles. Then I shoved a table against the door. Then I threw a few O.I.A. ashtrays against the wall in frustration.
布匆忙跑到房间的另一边，环顾四周，好像在寻找可能的袭击者。我环顾四周，然后关上门，锁上了门。然后，为了保险起见，我悬浮在一把椅子上，把椅子卡在把手下面。然后我把一张桌子推到门边。然后我沮丧地把几个o.i.a.烟灰缸扔到墙上。
This wasn’t the worst day of my life, but it was by far the most frustrating. I’d never had so many obstacles and interferences thrown in my face. These ponies… these Society ponies… I wanted to help them! And they were creeping and plotting and trying to kill me and threatening my friends and I just wanted to scream! Of everything going on in my life, why was I stuck dealing with this shit? Why didn’t I just hop in the airship and fly away? Punt the crown into the crowd like Rampage suggested?
这并不是我生命中最糟糕的一天，但却是迄今为止最令人沮丧的一天。我从来没有遇到过这么多的障碍和干扰。这些小马...这些社会小马...我想帮助他们！他们爬来爬去，密谋策划，试图杀死我，威胁我的朋友，我只想尖叫！在我生活中发生的所有事情中，为什么我要处理这些破事？我为什么不直接跳上飞艇飞走呢？像疯狂建议的那样，把王冠踢进人群？
“I am so not qualified for this,” I growled.
"我完全没有资格做这个,"我咆哮道。
I glanced and saw Boo looking nervous and smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m done throwing things for a while.” She tentatively approached, and I gave her ears a good rub. Instantly her apprehension disappeared. “How about you? Who do you think should run the Society?”
我瞥了一眼，看到布看起来很紧张，笑了。"别担心。我暂时不再扔东西了。"她试探性地走近我，我好好地揉了揉她的耳朵。她的忧虑立刻消失了。"你呢？你认为应该由谁来管理这个协会?"
She blinked her wide, pale eyes at me and then nosed about the wreckage I’d tossed in my tantrum. She lifted a picture of an M.o.P. meeting with Fluttershy and Garnet and blinked at me. I chuckled and stroked her ears. “Sorry. I don’t think either of those ponies will do.” Her ears drooped, and she let the picture fall to her hooves. I held her, giving her back a pat. “It’s okay. I’m no better at this than you are.”
她瞪大苍白的眼睛看着我，然后嗅着我发脾气时抛出的残骸。她举起一张m.o.p.和Fluttershy和Garnet见面的照片，对我眨了眨眼。我咯咯地笑着，抚摸着她的耳朵。"对不起。我觉得这两匹小马都不行。"她的耳朵耷拉着，让画像落在她的蹄子上。我抱着她，轻轻地拍了拍她。"没关系。我在这方面并不比你强。"
“That’s because you’re doing it wrong,” rasped a voice that I hadn’t heard in a
"那是因为你做错了,"一个我已经有好几年没有听到过的声音粗声粗气地说
while. I looked over at Dealer, calmly shuffling his cards.
同时。我看着庄家，平静地洗牌。
“Hey,” I said with a smile. “You’ve been quiet, lately.”
"嘿,"我笑着说。"你最近很安静。"
“Getting old,” he answered. “Two centuries is a long time by anypony’s reckoning.” He did look tired; there were dark shadows under his eyes, and he didn’t shuffle with the same briskness as before. “I probably would have died in 99 if EC-1101 hadn’t been broken out.”
"变老了,"他回答。"两个世纪对于anypony来说是一段很长的时间。"他看上去确实很疲倦，眼睛下面有些黑影，他不像以前那样轻快地拖着脚步。"如果EC-1101没有爆炸的话，我可能已经在99年死了。"
“How can you die? You’re a soul.” I couldn’t keep the concern from my voice. “I thought you’d just… go on.” Boo looked around, as if searching for whoever I was talking to. I laughed and gave her another pat. “I’m just talking to a pony in my head, Boo. Don’t worry about it.” Boo cocked her head, and, so help me, even looked a little skeptical. She did relax, though.
"你怎么能死呢？你是个灵魂。"我无法掩饰我的声音中的忧虑。"我以为你会......继续。"布环顾四周，好像在寻找和我说话的人。我笑了，又拍了她一下。"我只是在和脑子里的小马说话，Boo。别担心。"布昂起了头，而且，我发誓，甚至看起来有点怀疑。不过她确实放松了。
“Nothing lasts forever. Not even souls,” he replied with a small sigh. Then he looked at me again. “Anyway, you’re making the same mistake the Ministry Mares did.”
世事无常(1979年小说)。连灵魂都没有,"他轻轻地叹了口气回答。然后他又看了我一眼。"不管怎样，你正在犯和马瑞斯部长一样的错误。"
“Oh?” I asked as I took a seat.
"哦?"我一边坐下一边问。
“You want both order and virtue,” he replied as he drew two cards, one showing me at the head of an army and another of me hugging Rampage. “But you can’t have them. Not at the same time.”
"你既要秩序又要美德,"他抽出两张卡片回答道，一张显示我在一支军队的前头，另一张显示我拥抱暴怒。"但是你不能拥有它们。不是同一时间。"
“Why not?” I asked with a frown. “I thought good and evil cancelled each other out.”
"为什么不呢?"我皱着眉头问。"我以为善与恶互相抵消了。"
“Because one has to have priority over the other. Doing what’s right for an individual is different from doing what’s right for a group of people. Order screws people. It has to. When you’re trying to prevent discord and chaos, you can’t tailor the law to try and make every situation right. Likewise, if you try to do what’s best, inevitably some ponies are going to buck the system. The Ministry Mares didn’t understand that. Applejack tried to make order with her power armor, then was upset when her cousin mass produced weapons that could kill ponies using it. Fluttershy tried making everything better without once thinking what kind of a crime it is to modify a pony’s memories against their will. If she’d truly cared about virtue, she would have let the cases of Wartime Stress Disorder mount as opposition to the war. She didn’t,” he explained calmly in his soft, weak voice.
"因为一个人必须优先于另一个人。为个人做正确的事与为一群人做正确的事是不同的。订单会给人带来麻烦。必须这么做。当你试图阻止不和谐和混乱时，你不可能调整法律来试图纠正每一种情况。同样地，如果你试图做最好的，不可避免地一些小马将反对系统。马尔斯部长不明白这一点。阿普尔杰克试图用她的力量盔甲来维持秩序，但是当她的表亲大规模生产出可以用来杀死小马的武器时，她感到非常沮丧。Fluttershy试图让一切都变得更好，却从来没有想过违背小马的意愿修改它们的记忆是一种什么样的犯罪。如果她真的关心美德，她会让战时应激障碍的案例上升到反对战争的高度。她没有,"他平静地用他柔和而微弱的声音解释道。
Boo let out a snort and seemed to even roll her eyes a little. I looked down at her, and she blinked cluelessly up at me. I stroked her gently for a moment, and then looked back at Dealer. “And I’m trying to do the same thing?” I frowned as I thought about it.
布喷了一声鼻息，甚至似乎有点翻白眼。我低头看着她，她无所适从地眨着眼睛看着我。我轻轻地抚摸了她一会儿，然后回头看着庄家。"我也想做同样的事情吗?"想到这里，我皱起了眉头。
“You want order in the Wasteland. You want the fighting to stop. The battles to end. The misery halted. You want things safe. None of these are bad things in and of themselves. But when taken to its extreme, there is precious little virtue found in order. Splendid’s plan might work. Let’s say it does and he manages to bring an end to the fighting. Is life better? All the people he’s going to force to work, he may as well not even call them serfs any longer. Is that pacified Wasteland worth living in without freedom?” He nailed me to the floor with his gaze. “Is your goal to turn the Wasteland into one enormous Stable 99?”
"你想要荒原的秩序。你希望战争停止。战斗即将结束。痛苦停止了。你希望事情安全。这些本身都不是坏事。但是当它走向极端的时候，几乎没有什么美德是可以发现的。辉煌大厦的计划可能行得通。就算是这样，他成功地结束了这场战争。生活更美好吗？他要强迫所有的人去工作，他甚至不能再叫他们农奴了。那片平静的荒原值得没有自由的生活吗?"他凝视着我，把我钉在地板上。"你的目标是把荒原变成一个巨大的稳定的99吗?"
“Ouch,” I winced.
"哎哟,"我皱了皱眉头。
He gave a small smile. “Virtue, on the other hoof... that’s harder. You know that. You’ve done so much trying to do the right thing and do better. I’ve never met a pony, except maybe Big Macintosh, who honestly and sincerely tried to do the right thing as much as you, Blackjack. But part of virtue is letting others choose to be virtuous, and living with them when they choose not to be. That’s freedom. It’s a messy business at times. And it’s hard. Damned hard. But at the end of the day, you can look yourself in the eye and know you’re the better pony.”
他微微一笑。"美德在另一边......那更难。你知道的。你已经做了那么多尝试去做正确的事情，做得更好。我从来没有见过小马，除了大麦金托什，他和你一样诚心诚意地想做正确的事情，Blackjack。但是美德的一部分就是让别人选择做一个有道德的人，当他们选择不做的时候就和他们一起生活。这就是自由。有时这是一件麻烦的事情。这很难。非常困难。但在一天结束时，你可以看着自己的眼睛，知道自己是更好的小马驹。"
“And I can’t have the best of both worlds? I can’t have order and virtue at once?” I asked with a frown.
""我不能两全其美吗？我不能同时拥有秩序和美德吗?"我皱着眉头问。
“You can, but one’s got to take priority over the other. And once order is more important than virtue... oh, you can go all kinds of nasty places. Usually under the premise of ‘protecting’ virtue. It was everywhere before the bombs fell.
"你可以，但是一个人必须优先于另一个人。一旦秩序比美德更重要......哦，你可以去任何肮脏的地方。通常在"保护"美德的前提下。在炸弹落下之前，它无处不在。
Pinkie Pie ordering spritebots to record conversations and conducting random arrests. Rainbow Dash carrying out sabotage missions in zebra lands that killed tens of thousands of noncombatants. Twilight pursuing magic that she knew was going to be used in megaspells. Even Fluttershy, at the end, allowing modifying the memories of ponies who dissented. So much virtue sacrificed in the name of ‘protection’. Till in the end, any virtue that was left was hollow. An empty claim long ago abandoned in reality.”
小手指派订购spritebots来记录谈话和进行随机逮捕。彩虹冲刺在斑马地执行破坏任务，造成数万非战斗人员死亡。她知道《暮光之城》中的魔法将会被用在megaspells中。即使是Fluttershy，最后也允许修改持不同意见的小马的记忆。以"保护"的名义牺牲了这么多美德。直到最后，剩下的任何美德都是空洞的。现实中早已放弃的空洞的要求。"
Boo gave a disgusted little noise, sticking her tongue out. I looked at her again.
布发出了厌恶的声音，伸出了舌头。我又看了她一眼。
She couldn’t... but that was ridiculous. There was no way she could be hearing Dealer. It was impossible. I rubbed my chin and smirked. “You know, you get really talky when you show up, Dealer.”
她不能......但这太荒谬了。她不可能听到庄家的声音。这是不可能的。我摩挲着下巴，得意地笑了。"你知道，当你出现的时候，你会变得非常健谈，庄家。"
He blinked, then chuckled dryly. “I interact with all of one pony. Forgive me for thinking up speeches in my spare time.” Tugging his hat over his face, I think he was actually blushing! After a moment or two he flicked the brim back up, looking at me once more.
他眨了眨眼睛，然后干巴巴地笑了笑。"我与一匹小马交流。原谅我在业余时间胡思乱想。"他把帽子拉到脸上，我想他真的脸红了！过了一会儿，他又把帽檐弹了起来，再一次看着我。
“I’m trying to be smart about it. Thinking which way I should go. Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?” I asked plaintively. “Isn’t that what princesses and queens are meant to do?”
"我在努力变得聪明起来。在想我该走哪条路。这不是我应该做的吗?"我哀伤地问道。"这难道不是公主和王后应该做的吗?"
“Sure. But you’re not a queen. You’re Blackjack. And you are not a thinking pony. If you were Twilight, sure. You could compare and debate philosophies and histories and crunch numbers and try to deduce the right course of action. Did you do that when you heard that Scotch Tape was being held hostage?”
"当然。但你不是女王。你是黑杰克。你也不是一匹会思考的小马。如果你是暮光之城，当然。你可以比较和辩论哲学和历史，处理数字，并试图推断出正确的行动方针。当你听说透明胶带被扣为人质时，你有没有这样做过?"
“No.” I frowned. “I just activated her tag and went and got her.”
"没有。"我皱起了眉头。"我只是激活了她的标签，然后去找她。"
“Exactly. You’re instinctive. You’re a gambler. You could have gotten Scotch Tape killed if the situation had been different. Easily.” I flushed and opened my mouth to argue. “But you didn’t, Blackjack. And that’s the point. You do what is right because you’re a good pony. You concern yourself with being good, and you’re not even sure what your personal virtue is. I don’t even know, and I’ve been watching you since Miramare.” Boo gave my cheek a nuzzle, making me smile.
"没错。你是天生的。你是个赌徒。如果情况不是这样的话，你可能会害死苏格兰胶带公司。轻而易举。"我满脸通红，张开嘴争论起来。"但你没有，黑杰克。这就是重点。你做正确的事，因为你是一匹好马。你关心自己是否是个好人，你甚至不确定你的个人美德是什么。我甚至不知道，从米拉马雷开始我就一直在观察你。"布用鼻子蹭了蹭我的脸颊，逗我笑了。
“But... what if I fuck up?” I muttered. “What if I choose Grace and the Society gets torn down from the outside? What if I chose Splendid and the Society takes over the world? What if I choose Charm and she becomes the Society’s Overmare?”
"但是...如果我搞砸了怎么办?"我咕哝着。"如果我选择了格蕾丝，而这个协会从外面被推翻了怎么办？如果我选择灿烂，社会接管世界？如果我选择魅力而她成为这个协会的噩梦怎么办?"
“You live with it and accept it. You can’t gamble and expect not to fail, and nothing in this life comes with zero risk. Trust yourself and decide, and then move on to all those big things that you need to do. Let somepony else deal with this nest of vipers.” He then looked at me shrewdly. “Or is it you don’t want to? Is something else wrong?”
"你与它共存，并接受它。你不能赌博，也不能指望不会失败，这辈子没有什么是零风险的。相信自己，做出决定，然后继续做那些你需要做的大事。让别人来处理这个毒蛇窝吧。"然后他机灵地看着我。""还是你不愿意？还有什么问题吗?"
I stared at him, fighting against the compulsion not to talk about it. “You know...
我盯着他，克制住不说出来的冲动。"你知道.....。
my life is weird... right? And how... strange stuff happens? To me...” I felt the pressure growing. It spread like ink through my mind, staining everything with its touch. “Things... weird things... are happening to me... right... now...” I spat, struggling. My skull started to pound as the outside will squeezed down on me. “Please!” I managed to spit out. Boo backed away in shock, her pale eyes wide.
我的生活很奇怪，对吗？奇怪的事情是怎么发生的？对我来说......"我感到压力越来越大。它像墨水一样在我的脑海里蔓延，用它的触摸玷污了一切。"事情......奇怪的事情......正在发生在我身上......就在......现在......"我吐口水，挣扎着。当外界的压力压在我身上的时候，我的脑袋开始砰砰作响。"求你了!"我设法吐了出来。布吓得往后退了退，苍白的眼睛睁得大大的。
“Blackjack. What’s wrong? What’s happening to you?” he asked as he walked to me quickly and stared into my eyes with his intense gaze. “Blackjack... is something affecting you?”
"黑杰克。怎么了？你怎么了?"他一边问，一边迅速向我走来，用强烈的目光盯着我的眼睛。"黑杰克...有什么东西在影响你吗?"
I felt myself shoved back into my own mind, like an immense hoof reached around, grabbed me by the neck, and yanked me away from the terminal of my mind. Four magic bullets flashed through his head as I gave a wild swing. Of course, my hoof passed right through him. Despite being pulled out of my own seat, I fought to get back to the controls of my own mind. “Leave me alone! You stupid, annoying figment! You are nothing!” my body shouted. I overturned a table on the Dealer, sending O.I.A. paraphernalia bouncing across the floor.
我感到自己又回到了自己的思想中，就像一只巨大的蹄子绕过我，抓住我的脖子，把我从我思想的终点拉开。当我猛挥秋千的时候，四颗神奇的子弹从他的头上飞过。当然，我的蹄子穿过了他。尽管我被从自己的座位上拉了出来，我还是努力回到自己的思想控制中去。"别管我！你这个愚蠢、烦人的虚构人物！你什么都不是!"我的身体在呼喊。我推翻了庄家上的一张桌子，让o.i.a.的随身物品在地板上跳来跳去。
Boo immediately rushed to the desk and ducked behind it, poking her trembling head out and watching fearfully. Then, suddenly, she seemed overtaken by an odd calm and simply looked out from her protective little nook. If I wasn’t wrestling for control of my body...
布立刻冲到桌子旁，躲到桌子后面，害怕地探出颤抖的头看着。然后，突然，她似乎被一种奇怪的平静压倒了，只是从她的保护性的小角落向外张望。如果我不是为了控制自己的身体而摔跤..。
He just narrowed his eyes as he passed right through the table. “Who are you? You’re not Blackjack.”
当他穿过桌子的时候，他眯起了眼睛。"你是谁？你不是黑杰克。"
“Enough,” my body said with a scowl. “The Goddess has her now. The Goddess shall recall the Lacunae and have her teleport Blackjack to us! You cannot interfere.”
"够了,"我的身体皱着眉头说。"女神现在抓住她了。女神将召回空隙并传送黑杰克给我们！你不能干涉。"
“The Goddess? How did you get inside her? Where are you taking her?” the Dealer demanded. Boo frowned and looked up at the ceiling, her ears twitching.
"女神？你是怎么进入她体内的？你要带她去哪儿?"商人问道。布皱起眉头，抬头看着天花板，她的耳朵在抽搐。
“To the Goddess’s seat of power at Maripony, fool. And once she and the black book are in the Goddess’s possession, the Goddess shall save this Wasteland and all within it... save those that have vexed the Goddess. Oh yes. There will be a special fate for them all!” she crowed. A purple flash, and Lacunae arrived. “Good. Teleport this one to the greens outside the valley. The Goddess is through waiting.”
"去女神在Maripony的权力宝座，傻瓜。一旦她和黑暗之书被女神拥有，女神将拯救这片荒原和其中的一切......拯救那些惹恼女神的人。哦，是的。他们都会有特殊的命运!"她欢呼道。一道紫色的闪光，空隙出现了。"很好。把这个传送到山谷外的绿地。女神正在等待。"
Lacunae lifted a tied up bundle off her back. “Yes,” she said as she looked at me with infinite regret. Then I heard a ping at my hooves and the Goddess looked down to see two bolts lying at my hooves. Then a third dropped.
拉库尼从她背上提起一个捆扎好的包裹。"是的,"她带着无限的遗憾看着我说。然后我听到我的蹄子发出砰的一声，女神低头看到我的蹄子上有两个螺栓。然后第三个掉了下来。
That prompted me to look up.
这促使我抬起头。
And that resulted in me catching the air grate with my face. I staggered to the side, the Goddess fumbling for my guns. Lacunae raised her shield, but what came down was not an onslaught of bullets or energy blasts, but a spark grenade and a strange black river rock with a spiral carved into the surface. The world flared to white static, then darkness, as I perceived the most curious slurping sensation. It was as if something was being sucked through my entire body. Then the Goddess let out a scream that trailed away to nothing.
结果我的脸碰到了通风栅。我摇摇晃晃地走到旁边，女神在摸索着我的枪。空隙打开了她的盾牌，但落下来的不是子弹或能量冲击波，而是一枚火花榴弹和一块奇怪的黑色河石，表面刻有螺旋状图案。当我感觉到最奇怪的咕噜咕噜的声音时，世界变成了白色的静止，然后是黑暗。就好像有什么东西被吸进了我的整个身体。接着，女神发出一声尖叫，最后消失得无影无踪。
“Hello?” I asked. But I couldn’t move. Couldn’t hear. I could only wait for my systems to reboot. I could feel myself being moved. Then myself being blindfolded and something hung around my neck. “Glory? Honey, thanks, but this really isn’t the time.” I laughed, wondering how... Then a gun pushed to my head. “Okay, not Glory.” What did it say about my life that I knew exactly what a gun to the head felt like? “If you’re asking me questions or are here to gloat over my death, I can’t hear you. You’re going to have to wait till my hearing comes back,” I said, probably loudly. “So take some time to compose yourself while you have a gun to my head!” Honestly. I was going to fire every last guard here. From a cannon...
"喂?"我问道。但我动弹不得。听不见。我只能等待系统重启。我能感觉到自己被感动了。然后我被蒙上眼睛，脖子上挂着什么东西。"晨辉？亲爱的，谢谢，但现在真的不是时候。"我笑了，不知道怎么......然后一把枪指着我的头。"好吧，不是晨辉。"我知道被枪指着脑袋是什么感觉，这对我的生活有什么意义？"如果你在问我问题，或者在这里幸灾乐祸地看着我死去，我听不见你说什么。你得等我恢复听力,"我说，声音可能很大。"所以，当你拿枪指着我的头的时候，花点时间冷静一下吧!"老实说。我要开除这里所有的警卫。从一个大炮..。
My hearing returned with a squeal of feedback, making me hiss in pain. Of course, I had a blindfold on and tied tight. It’d take me a while to undo the knot with my TK and be impossible to hide the glow. Really, why hadn’t Twilight developed a spell for that?! So no magic bullets. My legs felt tied together too...
我的听力恢复了，伴随着反馈的尖叫声，让我痛苦地嘶嘶作响。当然，我的眼睛被蒙上了，而且被绑得很紧。我需要一段时间才能用我的TK解开绳结，而且不可能隐藏这光芒。说真的，为什么暮光之城没有为此开发一个咒语呢！所以没有灵丹妙药。我的双腿也被绑在一起。
hmmm... if it weren’t for the gun I might be getting excited. Ugh... why was I so crazy today?! “Okay, if this is something kinky, thanks but now really isn’t the best time,” I said, hoping to not say whatever phrase would result in a pulled trigger. “And we really should ask Glor--”
嗯...如果不是因为那把枪我可能会很兴奋。呃...我今天怎么这么疯狂?！"好吧，如果这是什么古怪的东西，谢谢，但现在真的不是最好的时机,"我说，希望不要说任何会导致扣动扳机的短语。"我们真的应该问问格洛尔——"
“Release your curse on him,” a stallion muttered from behind me. Soon as he spoke, my back began to itch.
"解除你对他的诅咒,"一匹种马从我身后喃喃地说。他一开口，我的背就开始发痒。
“Lancer,” I muttered. Sexy thoughts retreated... a little.
"枪骑兵,"我喃喃自语。性感的想法退却了...一点点。
“Release your curse on him now, Maiden. Or should I call you ‘Goddess’? I
"现在就释放你对他的诅咒，少女。或者我应该叫你'女神'？一
won’t ask you again,” he muttered. “And don’t bother yelling for help. Your friend is unconscious and the batspeech talisman makes you quite silent to any not wearing another talisman.”
"我不会再问你了,"他喃喃自语。"不用大喊大叫求救了。你的朋友失去了知觉，而蝙蝠侠的护身符让你对不戴其他护身符的人保持沉默。"
Okay, bound and helpless with a male who wanted to kill me. How to sort through these emotions? Panic? No, I’ll clamp down on the hysteria. I’ve been in this position before and lived through it, more or less. Rage? Blew that charge with Charm. Best I could do at the moment was huffy resentment. Lust? What the hell was that even doing in my head right now!? Reason. Okay. Reason with the crazy pony. Sure. And... stop getting stupidly turned on. This was NOT the time for that!
被一个想杀我的男人束缚无助。如何理清这些情绪？恐慌？不，我会抑制歇斯底里的情绪。我以前也遇到过这种情况，或多或少经历过。愤怒？用魅力打败了那个指控。目前我能做的只有愤怒的怨恨。欲望？现在我脑子里到底在想什么？原因。好吧。和那个疯狂的小马讲道理。当然。还有...别再傻乎乎地兴奋了。现在不是说这个的时候！
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lancer. I’ve never cursed anyone,” I replied, stretching out on my belly and tugging the bonds on my legs. Smooth metal wasn’t the easiest thing to tie. I could probably yank a hoof free if he gave me a window.
"我不知道你在说什么，兰瑟。我从来没有诅咒过任何人,"我回答道，一边趴在地上，拉着腿上的绳子。光滑的金属不是最容易打结的东西。如果他给我一扇窗户，我也许可以把蹄子拽出来。
“Lies!” he snapped. “Free him!”
"撒谎!"他崩溃了。"放了他!"
“Who?” I had a guess...
"谁?"我猜..。
“My father...” he growled, long and low. “Remove whatever spell you cast upon him to... to make him spare you!” He kicked me over onto my back and pressed the gun under my throat.
"我的父亲......"他低声咆哮着。"移除你施加在他身上的任何咒语......让他宽恕你!"他把我踢倒在地，用枪抵住我的喉咙。
“If I had a spell like that, don’t you think I’d be using it on you right now?” I countered. “I didn’t curse your father with some kind of magical mysterious Maiden powers. I’m not even a maiden. You can check yourself if you want!” What?! Why in Equestria did I blurt that?! This was not tied up sexy time! This was tied up and going to die time! Get with the program, libido!
"如果我有那样的咒语，你不认为我现在会对你使用吗?"我反驳道。"我没有用什么神秘的魔力诅咒你父亲。我连处女都算不上。如果你愿意，你可以检查一下自己!"什么?！我为什么要在Equestria脱口而出?！这可不是什么性感时光！这是捆绑和死亡的时间！跟上节奏，性欲旺盛！
He was silent. Sweet Celestia, tell me he wasn’t checking! Finally he spoke in a tense, trembling voice. “He should have killed you. My father is the finest hoof combat specialist of this age. He crushed the dragon Bleakflame with his bare hooves. How... how could you beat him? How could he possibly allow you to live?” He pushed the gun against my throat again. “Release him and I’ll grant you a quick and clean death. I won’t even kill your friends.”
他沉默了。亲爱的塞莱斯蒂亚，告诉我他不是在检查！最后，他用紧张而颤抖的声音说道。"他应该杀了你。我父亲是这个时代最好的蹄格斗专家。他用光秃秃的蹄子踩碎了那条龙。你...你怎么能打败他？他怎么可能让你活下去呢?"他又用枪抵着我的喉咙。"放了他，我就让你死得痛快些。我甚至不会杀你的朋友。"
“Touch either of them and you’ll wish I cursed you,” I countered in a snarl of my own, making him pull the gun away. “I don’t know why your father spared me.
"如果你敢碰他们中的任何一个，你就会希望我诅咒你,"我用我自己的咆哮反驳道，让他把枪拔开。"我不知道你父亲为什么饶恕我。
I’ve fought ponies before and you’re right, he was good. Damned good. Better than me, even. But he kept stopping and letting me recover. He left openings. That fight was all wrong.” He was silent and I added, “And you know it.”
我以前打过小马，你说得对，他很厉害。太好了。甚至比我还厉害。但是他一直停下来让我恢复。他留下了空缺。那场战斗是完全错误的。"他沉默不语，我补充说:"你知道的。"
“Silence!” he snapped. “How did you curse him? How do I break the spell?”
"安静!"他崩溃了。"你是怎么诅咒他的？我怎样才能打破这个魔咒?"
“Why are you so certain I cursed him?” I asked in reply, relaxing a bit. He needed me alive. If he thought killing me would break it, he’d have shot me already. Even bound, I could take control of the situation. So long as he didn’t do anything to Lacunae. “I might be a unicorn, but trust me, I don’t know any magic capable of doing that. If I did, my life would be a lot easier.”
"你为什么这么肯定我诅咒了他?"我问道，稍微放松了一点。他需要我活着。如果他认为杀了我就能打破它，他早就开枪了。即使是束缚，我也可以控制局面。只要他不伤害Lacunae。"我可能是一只独角兽，但相信我，我不知道任何能做到这一点的魔法。如果我知道，我的生活会轻松得多。"
“My whole life, my father has told me about how he was going to defeat the Maiden. He’d tell me all about the epic, final battle where he’d crush wickedness from the world. He’d even play them out with me and my sisters. And I knew... I knew... he would defeat you. And when you were found at that base, I saw the moment had arrived. I sent word to all that you were here and he was to defeat you!” he said from above me. “And then... he arrived...” Lancer’s voice broke.
"我的一生中，我父亲一直告诉我他将如何打败少女。他会告诉我所有关于史诗般的，最后的战斗，在那里他将从世界上粉碎邪恶。他甚至和我还有我的姐妹们一起玩。我知道...我知道...他会打败你。当你被发现在那个基地，我看到那个时刻已经到来。我告诉大家你们在这里，他要打败你们!"他从上面对我说。"然后......他来了......"兰瑟的声音变得嘶哑。
“And he wasn’t happy. The timing was wrong. Or fate wasn’t right. Or whatever,” I said as I lay there, imagining the strong, striped, masculine body above-- Stop. It. Now is not the time!
"他很不高兴。时机不对。或者是命运不公。或者别的什么,"我躺在那儿说，想象着上面那个强壮的，有条纹的，有男子气概的身体——停。它。现在不是时候！
He huffed. “No. But it shouldn’t have mattered. The prophecy doesn’t say when the champion of the stars is defeated, only that they must be. What better time than then and there? And yet... he didn’t fight as the father I knew. You should have been broken! And when you were ready to slay him... I couldn’t take it. And yet... when I tried to kill you... he was not the father I knew. Not the champion of my people. So you did something to him. Cast some... some vile Equestrian spell. Like you’re trying to do now!”
他生气了。"没有。但这本不应该有什么关系。预言并没有说什么时候星星的冠军会被击败，只是说他们一定会被击败。还有什么时候比那时那地更好呢？然而......他并没有像我认识的父亲那样战斗。你应该已经破碎了！当你准备杀死他的时候...我受不了了。但是...当我试图杀你的时候...他不是我认识的那个父亲。不是我族人的冠军。所以你对他做了什么。施一些...邪恶的骑术咒语。就像你现在试图做的那样!"
“Now?” I asked, nonplussed.
"现在?"我问道，不知所措。
“With... your body... and the thoughts you’re trying to put inside my head! Desist! Now!” There was a note of panic in his voice as I gave a little squirm, smiling. “That! Stop... that!” A rather disturbing level of my subconscious positively purred. Maybe I was the one who was cursed...
"用......你的身体......还有你试图灌输给我的思想！停止！现在!"他的声音里有一丝惊慌，我有点局促不安，微笑着。"那个！住手......那个!"一个相当令人不安的水平，我的潜意识积极地打着呼噜。也许我才是那个被诅咒的人。
“Lancer, I’m just laying here. I didn’t curse your father, or Xanthe, or you. I can’t even pick who to give a crown to. I just want to get Glory home so she can
"枪骑兵，我只是躺在这里。我没有诅咒你的父亲，或者赞西，或者你。我甚至不知道该把皇冠给谁。我只是想让晨辉回家，这样她就可以
stop a madman from killing tens of thousands of her people. Then I get to deal with a different madpony named Cognitum. Then I might have to deal with your father if he won’t leave the Hoof alone. But I didn’t curse him to spare me.”
阻止一个疯子杀害成千上万的人民。然后我要对付另外一匹名叫Cognitum的疯马。如果你父亲不肯放过霍夫，我可能就得对付他了。但我诅咒他并不是为了宽恕我。"
Lancer was silent above me. “You know there’s something going on with your father, don’t you?” I finally asked, suspecting the answer.
兰瑟在我上面沉默着。"你知道你父亲有点不对劲，对吧?"我最后问道，怀疑着答案。
“Mother... Mother said Father was not what he seemed. I called her a liar! One of his wives shouldn’t speak so dishonorably to him! But... but she persisted. She said there was a wrongness in him. And she took my sister and other doubters and fled.” His voice shook. “Father told me to prove my strength. My loyalty. My honor. And I did. I tracked them down. Made my heart as hard as stone, ignored what she’d told me, and slew her.”
"妈妈......妈妈说爸爸不是他看起来的那样。我说她是个骗子！他的一个妻子不应该对他说这种不光彩的话！但是...但是她坚持下去了。她说他有点不对劲。她带着我的妹妹和其他怀疑者逃走了。"他的声音颤抖着。"父亲告诉我要证明我的力量。我的忠诚。法官大人。我做到了。我找到了他们。让我的心像石头一样坚硬，无视她告诉我的，然后杀了她。"
“Sekashi’s your mother?” I asked, and then cursed myself for the slip of my tongue and tried to catch myself. “She was, wasn’t she?”
"Sekashi是你妈妈?"我问道，然后咒骂自己说错了话，试图控制住自己。"是的，不是吗?"
“Yes,” he said in a confessing tone. “Now, all I have is my father. I must free him. Now tell me how to break the curse you’ve placed on him!” And the gun was pressed between my eyes. “Tell me, or your death shall free him!”
"是的,"他用忏悔的语气说。"现在，我只有我的父亲了。我必须释放他。现在请你告诉我怎样才能打破你施加在他身上的咒诅!"枪被压在我的两眼之间。"告诉我，否则你的死将使他获得自由!"
Not the direction I wanted, at all. “Okay. Okay. I know a counterspell that might work for... whatever. But I can’t speak it aloud. I can only whisper it.” Oh come on, there was no way he’d fall for this! Then the pressure of the gun relaxed a little. “Come closer,” I said, unable to hide my smirk as I lay there, helpless, giving a little flex. He couldn’t... he wouldn’t...
完全不是我想要的方向。"好吧。好吧。我知道一个解除咒语可能对...无论什么都有效。但我不能大声说出来。我只能悄悄地说。"拜托，他不可能上当的！然后枪的压力放松了一点。"过来,"我说，无法掩饰我的傻笑，我躺在那里，无助地，给了一点点弯曲。他不能...他不会..。
The gun was pulled away and I heard him moving over me. Damn it, I couldn’t stop grinning as he moved his head closer to me. “Closer...” I whispered. “You know, when I first saw you, I couldn’t help but think how strong and powerful you looked.”
枪被拔走了，我听到他从我身上走过。该死，当他把头靠近我的时候，我忍不住笑了起来。"近一点......"我低声说。"你知道吗，当我第一次见到你的时候，我不禁想到你看起来是多么强壮有力。"
“Stop it,” he muttered, and I felt him move over me. “Stop your... magic...”
"住手,"他咕哝着，我感觉到他在我身上移动。"停止你的...魔法..."
“Closer,” I purred, images of black and red maned zonies frolicking in a part of my mind that had gone quite crazy. I could imagine his strong striped body above me. Felt his strong, lithe frame above me. Felt the tickle of his breath on my muzzle. Felt his... it...
"近一点,"我咕噜着，黑色和红色带芒的斑点在我疯狂的脑海中嬉戏。我可以想象他那强壮有条纹的身体在我头顶上。感觉到他强壮，柔软的身躯在我上方。感觉他的呼吸在我的口鼻上发痒。感觉到他的...它..。
“The counterspell is...” I breathed...
"解除咒语是......"我低声说道。
Then rammed my metal hind leg as hard as I could up between his legs. I felt it connect to something particularly firm and vulnerable and he let out a squeak as he went rigid above me. I then brought my forelegs up and felt them connect with his head. Grabbing him, we rolled over and I came to rest on top. I magically removed the blindfold and looked down into his stunned face.
然后用尽全力把我的金属后腿夹在它的两腿之间。我感觉它连接着某种特别坚固和脆弱的东西，他在我上面僵硬地走动时发出一声吱吱声。然后我把我的前腿抬起来，感觉它们与他的头连接在一起。我们抓住他，翻了个身，我在上面休息。我神奇地取下了眼罩，低头看着他那张惊愕的脸。
“Evil...” he whispered, and then went limp.
"邪恶......"他低声说，然后变得软弱无力。
“If it’s any consolation, I really wanted to...” I replied as I pulled the binding from my forelegs. That crazy little part of me gave one last purr of regret as I looked down at him. He didn’t look so good, now that I saw him properly. His face and body were covered in bruises and one eye was swollen completely shut. I slipped off with a little petulant groan and trotted to Lacunae. The strange black rock with its carved spiral lay close beside her, its surface cracked through the spiral. “Lacunae? Lacunae? Are you okay?” I asked as I shook her. Boo emerged from behind the desk and trotted over, giving Lacunae a little nudge with her nose.
"如果可以安慰你的话，我真的很想......"我一边回答，一边把前腿上的书捆扯下来。当我低头看着他的时候，我那疯狂的一面发出了最后一声后悔的咕噜声。他看起来不太好，因为我看得很清楚。他的脸和身上布满了瘀伤，一只眼睛肿得完全闭上了。我任性地哼了一声，溜了出去，向拉库奈小跑去。那块有着螺旋纹的奇怪的黑色岩石紧紧地躺在她身边，岩石表面裂开了螺旋纹。"缺口？空白？你还好吗?"我一边摇她一边问。布从桌子后面出来，小跑过去，用鼻子轻轻推了一下拉古娜。
She groaned, then blinked and looked at me. She frowned. “Why are you squeaking like that, Blackjack?” she asked aloud, furrowing her brow in confusion.
她呻吟了一声，然后眨了眨眼睛，看着我。她皱起了眉头。"你为什么那样吱吱叫，黑杰克?"她大声问道，困惑地皱着眉头。
I blinked, then looked down at a small stuffed bat that hung from a leather thong around my neck. I tugged it off, and then tugged a similar bat off of him as he started to stir. “Are you okay?”
我眨了眨眼，然后低头看了看脖子上挂着皮带的一个小蝙蝠标本。我把它拽下来，然后在他开始搅拌的时候从他身上拽下一个类似的球棒。"你还好吗?"
“I... I believe so.” Her horn flickered twice, then she physically reached over and picked up the rock. “A voidstone. I never imagined I’d see one.”
"我.....。.我相信是的。"她的喇叭闪烁了两次，然后她伸出手去拿起那块石头。"一块空石头。我从来没有想过我会看到一个。"
“Stable pony here. What’s a voidstone?” I asked as I reached over and took his sniper rifle... no, not his; this one looked standard-issue.
"这里的马很稳定。什么是空石?"我一边问，一边伸手拿起他的狙击步枪......不，不是他的;这把看起来像是标准配备。
“A zebra anti-magic grenade fetish. Very rare and dangerous. They disrupt magic in a wide area,” she said as Lancer pulled himself into a sitting position.
"一个斑马反魔法手榴弹崇拜者。非常罕见和危险。他们在很大的范围内破坏魔术,"当兰瑟坐下来时，她说。
“You are wicked... vile...” he muttered bitterly. “Tempting me...”
"你是邪恶的......卑鄙的......"他怨声载道。"诱惑我......"
I looked right at him. “Right now, Lancer, if it wasn’t for the fact you might have killed my friend and I, I might have actually done it.” And that stupid part of me still wanted to! “I am feeling that crazy right now. But I didn’t curse your father,
我直直地看着他。"现在，兰瑟，如果不是因为你可能杀了我和我的朋友，我可能真的做了。"而我那愚蠢的一面仍然想这么做！"我现在就感觉到那种疯狂。但我没有诅咒你父亲
or you.” Now I saw shame exploding across his features as he dropped his eyes.
或者是你"现在，当他垂下眼睛的时候，我看到羞愧在他脸上爆发。
I guessed the tears weren’t just from bruised testicles.
我猜眼泪不只是来自受伤的睾丸。
“What do you want to do with him?” Lacunae asked. Boo looked at me with her big pale eyes, and I could practically feel Fluttershy staring into my soul.
"你想拿他怎么办?"空白问道。布用她苍白的大眼睛看着我，我几乎可以感觉到弗特希在盯着我的灵魂。
“Take him out of here,” I replied, then knelt beside him, searching him for any other voidstones... but no. “You are one scary, messed up zebra. I hope you find some peace, Lancer,” I said, and kissed his cheek. He was a murderer, true, and would probably try to kill me again, but then so was I and I couldn’t honestly say I didn’t deserve it.
"把他带出去,"我回答，然后跪在他身边，寻找其他的空石头......但是没有。"你是一只可怕的、一团糟的斑马。"我希望你能找到一些安宁，枪骑兵,"我说着，吻了吻他的脸颊。他是个杀人犯，没错，他很可能会再次试图杀死我，但我也是，我不能说实话，我不应该受到这样的对待。
Lacunae left in a purple flash. I considered the Goddess... yes, she was still there. The voidstone had scrambled the connection a bit, but I was still locked in Unity. I tried to speak about her aloud, but my tongue refused to form the words. The voidstone had bought me some time. Hours. Days if I was lucky.
在一道紫色的闪光中留下了空隙。我想到了女神......是的，她还在那里。空隙石扰乱了一点连接，但我仍然被锁在Unity里。我试图大声谈论她，但是我的舌头却说不出话来。空洞为我赢得了一些时间。办公时间。如果幸运的话，要好几天。
Then she’d be one pissed Goddess. But until then, there was something I had to do...
然后她就会成为一个愤怒的女神。但在那之前有些事我必须得做..。
I cleared the door, poked my head out into the hall, and eyed one of my bodyguards. The two stallions jumped. “Yes, Your Majesty?” one asked. Stringy. Not what I was looking for. I eyed the other. Better, but not quite what I wanted. If I couldn’t imagine the babies... And, I thought with a sigh, Glory would kill me. And not in a fun way.
我清理了一下门，把头探进大厅，看了看我的一个保镖。两匹种马跳了起来。"是的，陛下?"一个人问道。粘粘的。这不是我想要的。我看着另一个。好多了，但不是我想要的。如果我不能想象那些婴儿......我叹了口气，我想晨辉会杀了我。而且不是以一种有趣的方式。
“Nevermind,” I muttered as I stepped back inside and closed the door. Well, in the meantime, I had the old Stable 99 standby... Sticky hooves...
"没关系,"我一边走回去关上门，一边喃喃自语。与此同时，我有老式的Stable99备用...Stickyhooves..。
* * *
* * *
When Glory stepped through the door a while later (the guards not trying to stop her, I noticed), we wore matching expressions of tired and awkward. Boo trotted out immediately, flushing and looking like, at the moment, she wanted to be anywhere but here. Glory gave her a curious look as she departed for said anywhere else, but then shrugged, walked right up to me, pushed herself into my hooves, and snuggled down atop me. “Make me stop thinking about boys,” she groaned as she nuzzled my neck.
过了一会儿，当晨辉走进门的时候(我注意到，卫兵们并没有试图阻止她)，我们都带着同样疲惫和尴尬的表情。布立刻跑了出来，脸红了，看起来，此刻，她想去除这里以外的任何地方。晨辉好奇地看了她一眼，然后离开了。然后耸了耸肩，径直走到我面前，把自己塞进我的蹄子里，依偎在我身上。"让我不要再想男孩子了,"她用鼻子蹭我的脖子，呻吟着。
“You too?” I asked with a small, sympathetic smile.
"你也是?"我带着一丝同情的微笑问道。
“I hate this time of the year,” she growled softly. “This is when most stallions get sent on long distance patrols so mares back home don’t have to think about them. Stupid biology,” she growled and huffed.
"我讨厌一年中的这个时候,"她轻声咆哮道。"这个时候大多数种马会被派去长途巡逻，这样母马回家后就不用考虑它们了。"。愚蠢的生物学,"她咆哮着生气地说。
“So... have fun with them,” I said, and immediately she flushed. “What?”
"那么......和他们玩得开心点,"我说，她马上脸红了。"什么?"
“Nothing!” she said in a way far too quick and defensive for it to be nothing. I watched her start to crumble and kissed her firmly.
"没什么!"她说得太快，太自我保护了，不可能没事。我看着她开始崩溃，坚定地吻了她。
“So who was it?” I asked with a small smile.
"那是谁?"我微笑着问道。
“You’re not mad?” she said barely above a whisper.
"你不生气吗?"她说话的声音几乎不能超过耳语。
I sighed and shook my head. “Glory, you could rut every stallion in this place and I wouldn’t be mad with you. Every stallion and mare. At the same time! I wouldn’t be mad with you, or disappointed,” I said as I stroked her mane. “Stable 99, remember?”
我叹了口气，摇了摇头。"晨辉，你可以发情的每一匹种马在这个地方，我不会生你的气。每匹种马和母马。同时！我不会生你的气，也不会失望,"我边说边抚摸着她的鬃毛。"稳定的99，记得吗?"
She sighed, rolled her eyes, and gave a disgusted huff. “You don’t understand, Blackjack. I don’t like stallions like that. But... he was nice and handsome and... ugh! I can’t believe I did it.”
她叹了口气，翻了翻眼睛，发出一声厌恶的怒气。"你不明白，黑杰克。我不喜欢那样的种马。但是...他人很好很帅而且...啊！真不敢相信我做到了。"
“So, who was it?” I asked with a smile. She hid her face in her wings. “Please tell me it wasn’t P-21, because if it was I think I’m going to need to go find him quick if you did.”
"那么，是谁呢?"我笑着问。她把脸藏在翅膀里。"请告诉我不是P-21，因为如果是的话，我想如果是的话，我需要尽快找到他。"
“No...” she muttered. “I thought about it... a lot... but no...” She sighed and looked away. “Splendid.”
"不......"她喃喃自语。"我想过......很多......但是没有......"她叹了口气，看向别处。"好极了。"
Ah. Well, I couldn’t fault her taste. “And was he?”
啊。我不能挑剔她的品味。"他是吗?"
She smacked me with her wing. “Blackjack!”
她用翅膀拍打我。"黑杰克!"
“Well, was he?” I pressed, grinning at her. “You got to throw me across the room for my little indiscretion. The least I should get is saucy details!”
"是吗?"我挤了挤，对她咧嘴笑着。"你得把我扔到房间的另一边，因为我的小小不检点。至少我应该知道一些俏皮的细节!"
She whined, then deflated. “He was... okay. He was gentle, but it was still... weird. Not what I was expecting for my first stallion. Definitely not as fun as with you, but it was bearable,” she finally admitted. “But I am not going for a repeat performance, thank you very much.” She chewed her lip a moment.
她呜咽了一声，然后泄了气。"他......还不错。他很温柔，但还是有点...奇怪。这可不是我对第一匹种马的期待。当然不像和你在一起时那么有趣，但还是可以忍受的,"她最终承认。"但我不打算重复演出，非常感谢。"她咬了一下嘴唇。
“Probably...”
"可能......"
“So are there baby Dashes in the future?” I asked, and she shivered.
"那么未来还会有小破折号吗?"我问道，她打了个冷颤。
“I hope not. Just...” she trailed off and tapped her forehooves together. “Ask me when I’m a little more myself, okay? Honestly... I hate thinking about males like this...” She looked around the office and then looked at the pile of cloth that Lacunae had brought. “What’s that?”
"我希望不会。只是......"她慢慢地走开，前蹄轻轻地敲了几下。"等我变得更自信一点再问我，好吗？老实说......我讨厌这样想男人......"她环顾了一下办公室，然后看了看Lacunae带来的那堆衣服。"那是什么?"
“I think our dresses for the Gala,” I answered with a small smile, then kissed her ear, making her smile.
"我想我们的衣服是为了庆祝春节的,"我微笑着回答，然后吻了吻她的耳朵，使她微笑。
“You seem... better,” Glory said with a smile, looking me over.
"你看起来......好多了,"晨辉微笑着说，看着我。
“I had a friend die, was made queen, had three assassination attempts and one fillynapping, and almost had sex with a zebra who wants to kill me. Being queen sucks.” I snorted.
"我有一个朋友死了，被选为女王，三次被暗杀，一次被绑架，还差点和一只想杀我的斑马做爱。成为女王太糟糕了。"我哼了一声。
“Almost had sex with a zebra?” she asked archly.
"差点和斑马做爱?"她狡黠地问道。
I tapped her chest. “Did have sex with a unicorn,” I teased
我拍了拍她的胸口。"确实和独角兽做爱了,"我开玩笑说
“Touche,” she sighed, pouting a little. “Fine. You can have a stallion too, if you want. Just one! And I better not hear about it over the radio. In fact, I’d rather not hear about it ever.”
"说得好,"她叹了口气，有点生气。"好吧。如果你愿意，你也可以有一匹种马。只有一个！我最好不要从收音机里听到这件事。事实上，我宁愿永远不要听到这个消息。"
“I love you,” I said with a laugh, holding her.
"我爱你,"我笑着说，抱着她。
“I’m getting used to the fact that... you’re just not like me... like that.” She sighed and shook her head. “It really is just sex to you, isn’t it? Just... orgasms?”
"我已经习惯了这样一个事实，那就是......你和我不一样......不一样。"她叹了口气，摇了摇头。"对你来说真的只是性，不是吗？只是......高潮?"
“Sure. It’s fun. It brings the stable together. It passes the time. Oh, yeah, and fun. Just don’t do it in public or with family, and make sure it’s all consensual,” I said with a bitter smile. Pity I had no idea what consent actually meant back then. “I never meant to hurt you, Glory. And if it does, I won’t do it with another pony. I’ll want to. But I won’t.”
"当然。这很有趣。它把马厩联系在一起。它消磨时间。哦，是的，还很有趣。只是不要在公共场合或家人面前这样做，并确保这是双方自愿的。"我苦笑着说。遗憾的是，当时我并不知道"同意"的真正含义。"我从没想过要伤害你，晨辉。如果是这样的话，我不会和另一匹小马做的。我愿意。但我不会。"
She closed her eyes and sighed, then smiled a little and shook her head. “No. If it happens, it does. Just... keep it discreet. One pony, for now. We can take it case by case.”
她闭上眼睛，叹了口气，然后微微一笑，摇了摇头。"没有。如果发生了，就会发生。只要...保持低调。目前只有一匹小马。我们可以根据具体情况来处理。"
I gave a squee and kissed her hard enough to curl her hooves. I wondered if I could catch Lancer again and give him a reason not to want me dead. I’d show him curses! I’d curse him with the inability to walk straight! I’d... I blinked and caught Glory’s flat look. “Um... thanks?” I said tentatively.
我用力地吻了她一下，使她的蹄子弯曲起来。我想知道我能不能再抓住兰瑟，给他一个不想我死的理由。我会让他看到诅咒！我诅咒他不能走直路！我眨了眨眼，看到了晨辉平淡的表情。"嗯......谢谢?"我试探性地说。
“Try not to drool too much,” she replied with a touch of sarcasm before cuddling with me. After a moment, she asked in a much less arch tone, hugging me with her wings, “So, you seem... happy. Have you made a decision about who to give the crown to?”
"别流太多口水,"她回答时带着一丝讽刺，然后依偎着我。过了一会儿，她用一种不那么拱的声调问道，用翅膀拥抱着我,"那么，你看起来......很快乐。你决定把王冠给谁了吗?"
I paused, frowned, then realized. “You know... I think I have...”
我停顿了一下，皱了皱眉，然后意识到。"你知道......我想我已经......"
 
Footnote: Maximum Level Reached.
脚注:已达到的最高水平。
 
Author's Notes:
作者笔记:
(Author’s notes: Buh... I swear, sometimes these chapters just reflect real life. May was a nightmare for me. Lost my job. Got a year older. Found out some very unpleasant news about money. Yeah. It’s been frustrating. But I’m glad to get another chapter done. I’m incredibly thankful to Hinds and Bro for helping me get this chapter out relatively quickly. Thanks also to Kkat, as always. And thanks to everypony for reading. Once again, donation cup is out as I’m going to have to move somewhere in 2 months and will accept assistance through paypal. David13ushey@gmail.com. Thanks again everypony!)
(作者的笔记:呃......我发誓，有时候这些章节只是反映了现实生活。五月对我来说是一场噩梦。丢了工作。又老了一岁。发现了一些关于钱的不好的消息。是的。这很令人沮丧。但我很高兴又写完了一章。我非常感谢Hinds和Bro帮助我相对较快地完成了这一章。还要感谢Kkat，一如既往。感谢大家的阅读。再一次，捐款杯是出来的，因为我将不得不在2个月内搬到某个地方，并将通过贝宝接受援助。13ushey@gmail.com.再次感谢大家!)