“Well, just tell me what you really think. Tell me, tell me, tell-me-tell-me-tell-me!”
"好吧，告诉我你到底是怎么想的。告诉我，告诉我，告诉我，告诉我，告诉我!"
There were no words. I sat there, hollow, cracking inside like glass. She stormed up to me. “Get out! Get out! Get out!” she yelled over and over again. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. She looked at the bowl of soggy cereal and flipped it into my face. “You think you can come here and pretend to be her!?” Tepid milk and cereal sloshed down my chest.
没有言语。我坐在那里，内心空虚，像玻璃一样碎裂。她气冲冲地向我走来。"滚出去！滚出去！滚出去!"她一次又一次地大喊大叫。我动弹不得。不能思考。她看了看那碗湿乎乎的麦片，然后把它扔到我脸上。"你以为你可以来这里假装是她吗?"温热的牛奶和麦片从我的胸口流下来。
“Glory...” I murmured.
"晨辉......"我低声说。
“No! You don’t get to speak! I don’t... I can’t...” She shoved me and the chair right over. “Get out! Leave! Don’t you ever come back!”
"不！你没资格说话！我不...我不能..."她把我和椅子推了过去。"滚出去！走开！永远不要再回来!"
But I couldn’t go. I just sat there, a white lump dripping sugary milk. “Glory.”
但我不能去。我只是坐在那里，一块白色的，滴着糖浆的牛奶。"晨辉。"
She sobbed, drew her gun, and pressed it to my forehead. “I’ll kill you,” she slurred around the mouthgrip.
她抽泣着，拔出枪，按在我的额头上。"我要杀了你,"她含糊不清地握住手柄。
I just sat there, feeling the barrel underneath my horn. I actually smiled and lifted my eyes to look into her anguished purple ones. “You’re the only one allowed to hurt me,” I rasped ever so faintly. I supposed that extended to killing, too. Her jaw shook on the grip. “Glory. I’ve been... I’ve been a very... very... bad pony.” And I smiled up at her as I wept. “Please, Glory.”
我只是坐在那里，感受着喇叭下面的枪管。我真的笑了，抬起眼睛看着她痛苦的紫色眼睛。"你是唯一一个被允许伤害我的人,"我声音嘶哑地说。我想这也包括杀人。她的下巴因握杆而颤抖。"晨辉。我一直...我一直是一匹非常...非常...坏的小马。"当我哭泣的时候，我冲她微笑。"求你了，晨辉。"
Her shaking stilled, but her eyes hardened. She holstered the gun. “Oh. I see what’s going on here. You’re the substitute? To handle me and my gross biological needs?” My smile faded as she stepped back. “Get. Out. I don’t need you, and I don’t need Blackjack.” She pointed imperiously to the door with a wing.
她的颤抖平息了，但她的眼神变得坚定了。她把枪装在枪套里。"哦。我知道是怎么回事了。你是代课老师？来满足我和我的生理需求?"当她往后退时，我的微笑消失了。"得到。出去。我不需要你，我也不需要黑杰克。"她用翅膀飞快地指着门。
“What?” I asked weakly.
"什么?"我虚弱地问道。
“Like you don’t know,” she spat with contempt, then added in a mocking tone, “If you can’t restrain your carnal impulses, I’ll just find a stand-in to handle your biological needs.” She gritted her teeth, fresh tears running down her cheeks. She sat hard and just covered her eyes with a wing. “Just... go. Go somewhere else. Anywhere else.”
"好像你不知道似的,"她鄙视地啐了一口，然后用嘲弄的语气补充道,"如果你不能抑制你的肉体冲动，我就找个替身来满足你的生理需求。"她咬紧牙关，新鲜的泪水顺着脸颊流下来。她紧紧地坐着，只是用翅膀遮住眼睛。"走吧。去别的地方。其他任何地方。"
Had Cognitum sabotaged our relationship intentionally, or just in cold, cruel callousness? “Glory... that wasn’t me...”
认知是故意破坏我们的关系，还是只是出于冷酷无情？"晨辉...那不是我..."
“Stop! I don’t... I am so sick of Blackjack! Of everything!” she said, shaking her head. “Do you have any idea how hard I worked trying to find a way to reach her? And then she returns and... and she’s... go!”
"住手！我不...我受够黑杰克了！所有的一切!"她摇着头说。"你知道我费了多大的劲才找到她吗？然后她回来了，然后......然后她......走了!"
But I couldn’t go. I couldn’t do anything close to leave. “Glory, that isn’t me.”
但我不能去。我不能做任何离开的事情。"晨辉，那不是我。"
Still not listening. “She talked to me like I was nothing. Like when I try to help her she says I’m of no use to her now! Like… like everything we’d done together was just…” she said as she paced back and forth.
还是不听。"她跟我说话的样子好像我什么都不是。就像当我试图帮助她的时候，她说我现在对她没用了！就像......就像我们一起做的所有事情都只是......"她边说边来回踱步。
Now it was my turn. I rose up on my hindlegs and lunged at her. Thank goodness she didn’t still have Rainbow Dash’s body, or she probably would have tossed me through the wall this time. She fell back, and I landed on top of her. There was one brief moment when I thought I’d get through to her. Maybe a kiss would seal the deal. I pressed my lips to hers, closing my eyes, trying to will her to realize it was me. For a moment, I was pretty sure it had even worked.
现在轮到我了。我站起身来，扑向她。谢天谢地她没有留下彩虹·达什的尸体，否则这次她可能会把我从墙上扔下去。她向后倒下，我压在她身上。有那么一个短暂的时刻，我以为我能说服她。也许一个吻就能把事情搞定。我把嘴唇贴在她的嘴唇上，闭上眼睛，试图让她意识到那是我。有那么一瞬间，我非常确定这个方法起作用了。
For a moment. Then her hoof slammed like a hammer to my nethers, and she shoved me off to the side. I curled up, pain temporarily overwhelming my brain. Glory rose. “I told you, I don’t want a replacement,” she said coolly as she drew her pistol again, this time to turn me into far less annoying dust.
就一会儿。然后她的蹄子像锤子一样砸在我的下面，她把我推到一边。我蜷缩起来，疼痛暂时压垮了我的大脑。晨辉升起。"我告诉过你，我不想要替代品,"她冷静地说，再次拔出手枪，这一次是为了让我变成远不那么烦人的灰尘。
I’d often wondered when the Wasteland would break me. I suddenly wondered if this was when it would break Glory instead.
我常常在想，荒原什么时候会把我打垮。我突然想知道，这是否就是晨辉破灭的时刻。
Then the door opened again, and P-21 trotted in with Scotch Tape on his back. “Hey Glory,” the filly said. “You won’t believe who we ran–” And then she actually took in the scene before her. “What the hay is going on here?”
然后门又打开了，P-21小跑进来，背上贴着苏格兰胶带。"嗨，晨辉,"小母马说。"你不会相信我们杀了谁"然后她真的在她之前看到了这一幕。"这到底是怎么回事?"
Apparently Glory wasn’t comfortable with killing me in front of a minor. “It’s just… she’s just…” Lost for words, she finally just kicked me as I lay there curled up and hurting. “Get out of here. I don’t want a stupid impostor. I don’t want to hear how much you love love love Security. I especially do not care if Blackjack sent you herself. Just go.” Somehow, the second kick hurt worse than the first.
显然晨辉不喜欢在未成年人面前杀我。"这只是......她只是......"我说不出话来，当我蜷缩在那里伤心时，她终于踢了我一脚。"滚出去。我不想要一个愚蠢的冒牌货。我不想听到你有多爱爱爱安全。我特别不在乎是不是Blackjack亲自派你来的。走吧。"不知怎么的，第二脚比第一脚更疼。
P-21 set Scotch Tape down, trotting towards me with a frown. “Not a very good Blackjack impersonator, is she?” Scotch commented, looking me up and down. “Didn’t do the eyes right, and not even a cutie mark decal.”
P-21放下透明胶带，皱着眉头朝我小跑过来。"她不是一个很好的黑杰克模仿者，是吗?"苏格兰人说，上下打量着我。"眼睛做得不对，甚至连一个可爱的标志贴纸都没有。"
But P-21 still didn’t say anything. I just gazed at him with tears in my eyes. I couldn’t convince her. I’d thought Cognitum had taken everything from me; I’d hadn’t realized just how right I was. A former enemy, Whisper, had accepted my identity more readily than the mare I loved. How sick was that? And if Whisper had met Cognitum and a few impostors with good intentions before I showed up, would she even have believed me? Was I even Blackjack anymore? Maybe there was a good reason I didn’t have my cutie mark.
但是P-21还是什么也没说。我只是含着眼泪凝视着他。我说服不了她。我以为认知力夺走了我的一切;我没有意识到我是多么的正确。以前的敌人Whisper比我爱的那匹母马更容易接受我的身份。这有多恶心？如果在我出现之前，Whisper遇到了Cognitum和几个出于好意的冒名顶替者，她会相信我吗？我还玩黑杰克吗？也许有一个很好的原因，我没有我的可爱的标记。
Something cool and glassy bumped up against my temple, and I raised my eyes to see a purple healing potion held by P-21. “Here. Brewed this morning. I know how bad it hurts to be kicked like that, Miss…”
有什么凉爽的玻璃般的东西撞到了我的太阳穴，我抬起眼睛，看到P-21手里拿着一瓶紫色的治疗药水。"这儿。今天早上酿造的。我知道那样被踢有多痛苦，小姐..。。」
“Go Fish,” I muttered, taking the bottle and sniffing, then drinking it. Immediately, the throbs to my pelvis diminished significantly. I rose, having no idea where I’d go next, but I couldn’t stay here. I wasn’t wanted here.
"钓鱼去吧,"我咕哝着，拿起瓶子闻了闻，然后喝了下去。很快，我骨盆的悸动就明显减弱了。我站了起来，不知道下一步要去哪里，但我不能呆在这里。这里不需要我。
P-21’s eyes ran over me again, and he gave a little half smile. “Funny. That’s her actual name. Security, I mean.” Glory was talking with Scotch Tape over by the door about... something. I was too crushed to care. I wanted to teleport away then and there, but I met his gaze. It was searching for… something… “I know. I am her. It’s me, P-21. I’m Blackjack,” I said miserably. Scotch Tape perked an ear and looked over at us.
P-21的眼睛又扫了我一眼，他微微一笑。"有意思。那是她的真名。我指的是安全问题。"晨辉在门边和透明胶带谈论什么事情。我太伤心了，都不在乎了。我当时就想瞬移离开，但我遇到了他的目光。它在寻找......什么东西......"我知道。我就是她。是我P-21。我是黑杰克,"我悲惨地说。透明胶带打开了一只耳朵，看着我们。
“Oh, Goddesses, it’s another crazy one, isn’t it?” she said in annoyance. “That’s the third one this month. At least it’s a mare. Remember that stallion one? Or the alicorn?”
"哦，女神们，这又是一个疯狂的想法，不是吗?"她烦恼地说。"这已经是这个月的第三次了。至少是匹母马。还记得那匹种马吗？还是阿利康?"
“I try not to,” P-21 said with a frown, still not looking away from me. “She
"我尽量不去,"P-21皱着眉头说，仍然没有把目光从我身上移开。"她
couldn’t decide if she was Blackjack, Twilight Sparkle, Trixie, or Princess Celestia.”
她不知道自己是黑杰克，紫悦，Trixie，还是Celestia公主
“Bwackjack?” a mare said from the still-open door, and then a white head popped out over Glory’s, pale eyes blinking as she stared at me. Suddenly her mouth split in an ear to ear grin. “Bwackjack!” And she bounded right at me, bowling Glory over in her rush to my side. The pale blank looked very much as she had when we’d parted, though her white coat was far dirtier and scratched up and she had sticks and dead grass stuck to her mane. “Ish you! Ish weally weally you!” she said as she lunged at me and wrapped her hooves around my neck, hugging me tightly. “Youw all wight!”
"疯子杰克?"一匹母马从仍然开着的门里说道，然后一个白色的头从格洛里的眼睛里探出来，苍白的眼睛眨着，她盯着我。突然，她的嘴裂开了，咧嘴大笑。"怪人!"她向我扑过来，打着保龄球，晨辉冲到我身边。苍白的空白看起来和我们分手时一模一样，尽管她的白色外套脏得多，还有抓痕，鬃毛上还粘着树枝和枯草。"咬你！我们会伤害你的!"她扑向我，用蹄子勒住我的脖子，紧紧地拥抱我。"你们都怀特!"
“No no no, Boo! That’s not Blackjack. I told you back in Chapel. It’s another fake,” Scotch Tape said as she tried to tug one of the legs off my neck. “Geeze, she wasn’t even close to this clingy with that other one!”
"不，不，不，嘘！那不是黑杰克。我在教堂的时候就告诉过你。又是假的,"ScotchTape一边说，一边试图把我脖子上的一条腿拽下来。"Geeze，她和另一个女孩根本就没有这么亲密!"
Boo glared flatly back at Scotch Tape. “This is Bwackjack! See?” she said, hooking her forehooves to my head and shoving my face at the filly, her pale hooves stretching my face in a leering grimace. Scotch Tape recoiled, and Boo yanked me back in a tight embrace. “Dizcord say yous gonna get out, and he was right!”
布直截了当地瞪着透明胶带。"这是疯子杰克！看到了吗?"她用前蹄勾住我的头，把我的脸推向那匹小母马，苍白的蹄子扭曲着我的脸。透明胶带往后缩了一下，布紧紧地把我拉了回来。"迪斯科说你们会出去的，他是对的!"
“Discord?” P-21 asked with a baffled frown.
"不和?"P-21带着困惑的皱眉问道。
“Mhmmm! Dizcord was in muh head and tellin’ me what I needed ta do while Bwackjack was dealin’ with da bad computer thingy,” she said with a beaming smile as she looked me over.
"嗯！"当'怪人'正在处理一台坏电脑的时候，迪斯科特正在脑子里告诉我该做什么,"她笑容满面地看着我说。
“But… that’s not Bwackjac… er, Blackjack!” Scotch Tape said with a flush.
"但是......那不是Bwackjac.........呃，Blackjack!"透明胶带用同花顺说。
“Ish too!” Boo said with a roll of her pale eyes. She patted me on the head. “Unca Dizcord said the bad ‘puter thingy was gonna do swapsies and he was gonna get her to swap somethin’ else and I needed ta get Bwackjack’s thingies!” She undid her saddlebag and shook it sharply.
"差不多吧!"布转了转苍白的眼睛说。她拍了拍我的头。"迪斯科特说那个坏的电脑会做交换，他想让她换掉其他的东西，我需要'怪人杰克'的东西!"她解开鞍囊，猛烈地摇晃起来。
From it tumbled a few pistols, black barding, a half dozen little statuettes, Penance, and the bizarre Perceptitron thingy. Instantly a half dozen little mares popped into my head with a baffling rolling chatter of asking me where I was, what was going on, props for me not being all dead and stuff, and if I was doing okay. A great wave of confidence washed through me as pieces of my life and
从里面翻出了几把手枪，黑铁棍，六个小雕像，忏悔，还有那个怪异的感知器。立刻，半打的小母马蹦进了我的脑海，莫名其妙地喋喋不休地问我在哪儿，发生了什么事，为我没死什么的道具，还有我过得好不好。一股巨大的自信冲刷着我，就像我生命的碎片一样
the statuettes returned to me. Wonderful as that sensation was, though, it was secondary to that of lifting up Vigilance and looking at all those names inscribed on the handle. There was mine at the bottom, and I cradled it to my chest. “Thank you, Boo,” I murmured.
雕像还给了我。尽管这种感觉很美妙，但是相对于提高警惕和看手柄上刻着的所有名字来说，它是次要的。底下是我的，我把它抱在胸前。"谢谢你，阿布,"我低声说。
“No prowblem!” Boo beamed. “Unca Dizcord said you’d be saddy waddy without your swaggy waggy… whatever dat means,” she added with her own look of bafflement.
"没有小偷!"布满笑容。"迪斯科德叔叔说，如果你不大摇大摆地走来走去......不管那是什么意思，你会成为一个可怜的小坏蛋,"她自己迷惑地补充道。
Glory stared at me and the pale mare. “But it… that’s… it’s impossible!” Glory sputtered. “She knew things. Intimate things that only you knew about, Blackjack! She could fight like you! We watched her take apart three Brood like they were nothing.”
晨辉盯着我和苍白的母马。"但是......这......这是不可能的!"晨辉已经熄灭了。"她知道一些事情。只有你知道的私密事情，Blackjack！她可以像你一样战斗！我们看着她把三个布鲁德家的孩子拆散，就像他们什么都不是一样。"
“But did she whine and angst about it?” I shot back, making her blink and frown, chewing her bottom lip. Add another little chink of doubt. I’d just keep laying them on till she cracked. “She must have copied my memories when she transferred me,” I guessed. Add those to the messed up memories she swiped from Luna and any other lingering remnants and I guessed there was one pretty crazy mare in my body.
"但她有没有因此而抱怨和焦虑呢?"我反击了一下，让她眨了眨眼，皱了皱眉头，咬着她的下嘴唇。又增加了一丝疑虑。我会一直戴着直到她崩溃。"她一定是在转移我的时候复制了我的记忆,"我猜。加上那些她从露娜那里偷来的乱七八糟的记忆和其他挥之不去的残余，我猜想我的身体里有一匹相当疯狂的母马。
“Copied your memories? Transferred you? What are you talking about?” Yes! This was it! My chance! I took a deep breath and spilled everything. Everything about the Core and being too scared and confused to move, then finding Rampage and everything that followed. I then started rambling about how I’d screwed up and should have left the Core and found her and made sure everything was okay but I’d been tricked and how I wanted to be with her for as long as I could and P-21 too and we’d have lots of babies between the three of us and maybe Tenebra and Stygius and–
"复制你的记忆？把你调走了？你在说什么?"太好了！就是这个！我的机会！我深吸了一口气，把一切都说了出来。关于核心的一切，太害怕，太困惑，以至于无法移动，然后发现了狂暴以及随之而来的一切。然后我开始闲聊我是如何搞砸了，应该离开核心区，找到她，确保一切正常，但我被骗了，我是多么想和她在一起，尽可能长的时间和P-21在一起，我们三个之间会有很多孩子，也许还有Tenebra和Stygius
She rammed her wing into my mouth, and I came out of my frantic state. Glory just stared at me, her cheeks flaming red. Behind her, P-21 and Scotch Tape looked on, the former arching his brows with a mild smile and the latter with her eyes wide with shock. “It sure sounds like Blackjack,” P-21 said languidly.
她把她的翅膀塞进我的嘴里，我从疯狂的状态中走了出来。晨辉只是盯着我，她的脸颊火红。在她身后，P-21和ScotchTape在一旁看着，前者微笑着拱起眉毛，后者惊讶地睁大了眼睛。"听起来确实像黑杰克,"P-21懒洋洋地说。
“Well... I saw Blackjack before the Tower exploded... and... it’s just too ridiculous and...” Glory stammered, then scowled at me, narrowing her eyes. “Who’s Tenebra?”
"嗯......我在塔楼爆炸之前看过《黑杰克》......真是太荒谬了......"晨辉结结巴巴地说，然后皱着眉头，眯起眼睛看着我。"谁是Tenebra?"
I spat out gray feathers and gave a sheepish look, tapping my hooves together.
我吐出灰色的羽毛，羞怯地看了一眼，用蹄子轻敲着。
“Stygius’s sister,” I said meekly. “Really cute. Kinda needy in the attention department. Would be really fun in a threeway though. Or four way, if you’re game, P-21. Or fiveway, if Stygius joins in.” She stared at me, eyes locked wide. “Of course, just you and me for a while is great too!” I blurted.
"斯提吉乌斯的妹妹,"我温顺地说。"真可爱。在注意力部门有点缺人手。不过三人行会很有趣的。或者四个人，如果你愿意的话，P-21。或者五路，如果斯蒂吉乌斯也加入的话。"她盯着我，眼睛睁得大大的。"当然，只有你和我在一起一段时间也很好!"我脱口而出。
“What am I, chopped lettuce?” Scotch Tape huffed, crossing her forehooves. “Never get invited to any of the good parties. Might as well be back in the stable,” she muttered with a pout.
"我是什么，切碎的莴苣吗?"苏格兰胶带怒气冲冲地把她的前蹄缠在一起。"永远不要被邀请参加任何好的聚会。"还不如回马厩里去呢,"她撅着嘴咕哝着。
P-21 just chuckled. “It’s Blackjack. It has to be. No impersonator could be that bad.”
P-21只是咯咯地笑。"这是黑杰克。必须如此。没有哪个模仿者会那么糟糕。"
“Thank you!” I said, springing on him, wrapping my hooves around his neck, and kissing him as hard as I could. My brain caught up ten seconds later and I drew back, afraid I’d pissed him off. To my joy and surprise, though, he merely looked happy to see me. I nearly kissed him again right there on the spot.
"谢谢!"我说，跳到他身上，用我的蹄子绕住他的脖子，使劲地吻他。十秒钟之后，我的脑子里一片空白，我退了回去，生怕把他惹毛了。然而，令我高兴和惊讶的是，他只是看到我时显得很高兴。我差点当场又吻了他一下。
“But wait! Wait! What about Rampage? She vouched for her,” Glory said with a little frown. She threw her hooves in the air. “This is just insane.”
"可是，等等！等等！那狂暴呢？她为她作了担保,"晨辉皱着眉头说。她把蹄子抛向空中。"这太疯狂了。"
“Again–” P-21 started evenly.
"再来一次——"P-21均匀地开始工作。
“Blackjack!” Scotch squealed with glee while jumping forward to give me a hug, cutting him off. He smiled and patted her on the head before turning back to Glory.
"黑杰克!"苏格兰人兴奋地尖叫着，同时跳上前来给我一个拥抱，打断了他的话。他微笑着拍拍她的头，然后转身回到晨辉。
“Exactly. Now, why don't we give her a chance to explain... calmly.” Glory still looked skeptical, but she nodded.
"没错。现在，我们为什么不给她一个机会......冷静地解释一下。"格洛里看上去仍然心存怀疑，但她点了点头。
For the third time today, I explained everything that had happened from the implosion of the tower to now, filling in everything I’d rushed over before. Boo jumped in here and there, mostly providing dramatic reenactments, with sound effects, of the fight with the Legate. Glory asked questions about Professor Zodiac and how and why I had a new blank body. P-21 asked more about Cognitum. Scotch Tape wanted to know more about the batponies. Two hours later, I nursed a Sparkle-Cola and a developing headache. Three of the four ponies present were deep in thought.
今天我第三次解释了从塔楼内爆到现在发生的所有事情，填补了我之前匆匆忙忙做的事情。布跳来跳去，大部分时间都在播放和特使打架的戏剧性场景，并配有音响效果。晨辉问了一些关于十二宫杀手教授的问题，以及我为什么会有一个新的空白身体。P-21询问更多关于Cognitum的情况。透明胶带公司想知道更多关于蝙蝠战车的信息。两个小时后，我喝了一杯可口可乐，头痛欲裂。在场的四匹小马中有三匹陷入了沉思。
Boo, for her part, was building a tower of snack cakes, singing, “Snack cake shtack-up, shnack cake shtack-uuuuuup!”
就Boo而言，她正在建造一座小吃蛋糕塔，她唱道:"小吃蛋糕上来了，小吃蛋糕上来了!"
It was a welcome disturbance to the awkward silence. Glory seemed completely at a loss, and I couldn’t blame her. “Okay. My turn,” I said at last. “Tell me what’s happened since Cognitum showed up.”
这是一个令人愉快的打扰，打破了尴尬的沉默。晨辉似乎完全不知所措，我不能责怪她。"好吧。轮到我了,"最后我说。"告诉我科涅塔姆出现后发生了什么事。"
P-21 regarded the others before answering. “Well, it was quite abrupt, actually. We were all set to enter the Core and find you, when suddenly you– I mean, her, Rampage, and a shellshocked stallion all came out. Like she knew exactly where to find us and what we were doing.”
P-21在回答之前先看看其他人。""嗯，事实上，这是非常突然的。我们都准备好进入核心并找到你，突然你——我的意思是，她，狂暴，和一匹战战兢兢的种马都出来了。好像她知道在哪里能找到我们，知道我们在做什么。"
“You– ugh, she was really bitchy, Blackjack. Like… I’ve seen you whiny, but I’ve never seen you mean. She was mean. And as soon as she trotted out, she walked right up to those Harbingers, told them she’d assumed command, and they just… accepted it,” Scotch Tape said with a frown. “I expected them to shoot her up a little at least.”
"你...呃，她真的很贱，Blackjack。我见过你发牢骚但从没见过你这么刻薄。她很刻薄。她一走出来，就径直走向那些"先驱者"，告诉他们她已经接管了指挥权，他们就......接受了,"苏格兰磁带皱着眉头说。"我以为他们至少会给她注射一点。"
“We talked to her alone,” Glory said in a small voice. “She answered enough questions to prove she was Blackjack, but when we wanted to talk some more, find out what had happened, she said Project Horizons was going to go off and she needed to stop it. Told me to keep my biological urges in check or wait till she could get me a replacement.”
"我们和她单独谈话,"晨辉小声说。"她回答了足够多的问题来证明她就是Blackjack，但是当我们想进一步交谈，弄清楚发生了什么事情时，她说地平线计划即将启动，她需要阻止这一切。让我控制自己的生理冲动，或者等她给我找个替代品。"
“Then she blew us off when we said we were going to help her. ‘Best way you can help is to follow me and stay out of my way,’ she said,” P-21 said with a frown.
"然后当我们说我们要帮助她的时候，她拒绝了我们。"你能帮忙的最好办法就是跟着我，别挡我的路,"她说,"P-21皱着眉头说。"。
“Honestly, she could have given the Overmare lessons,” Scotch Tape said absently. For a few seconds P-21 stared away from Scotch Tape, his jaw clenched and a dark fury simmering in his eyes.
"老实说，她本可以给我们上一堂'噩梦'课的,"苏格兰磁带心不在焉地说。P-21盯着远离透明胶带的地方看了几秒钟，他的下巴绷得紧紧的，眼睛里充满了愤怒。
“And you thought that was me?” I asked, a little incredulous.
"你以为那是我吗?"我有点怀疑地问道。
“Blackjack, you’ve been gone for months! Last time I saw you, you had more metal than flesh, and for all I knew, something had been put in your brain. It wouldn’t have surprised me!” Glory snapped, then flushed again.
"黑杰克，你已经走了好几个月了！上次我见到你的时候，你身上的金属比肉还多，而且据我所知，你的脑子里有东西。我不会感到惊讶的!"晨辉结束了，然后又变得红光满面。
Scotch Tape stared at Glory, then back at me and came to her rescue. “And Rampage was there, vouching for ‘Blackjack’. She was pretty mean too, though. I mean, she’s been rude, but… I seriously think she’d have hurt me if she wanted.”
透明胶带盯着晨辉，然后回过头来看着我，救了她。"狂暴就在那里，为'黑杰克'做担保。不过她也很刻薄。我的意思是，她很无礼，但是......我真的认为如果她想的话，她会伤害我的。"
“We were confused, Blackjack,” P-21 said, drawing a deep breath and recovering. “We didn’t know what to believe. And there are impersonators of you and other heroes all over the place now. Some are doing it to try and exploit a famous name, but others are fanatical admirers or just plain crazy.”
"我们当时很困惑，黑杰克,"P-21深吸一口气，恢复过来。"我们不知道该相信什么。现在到处都是模仿你和其他英雄的人。有些人这么做是为了利用一个著名的名字，但也有些人是狂热的崇拜者，或者只是疯狂。"
Glory closed her eyes. “One came here; said she’d had her body surgically restored. She really believed she was you and not some damned raider whose whole family was wiped out by Enclave. Took two days before that story fell apart.” Her cheeks burned even more as she rubbed her mane.
晨辉闭上了她的眼睛。其中一个来过这里说她通过外科手术修复了身体。她真的相信她就是你，而不是什么该死的掠夺者，他们全家都被昂科雷杀光了。直到两天后，这个故事才告吹。"当她抚摸自己的鬃毛时，脸颊烧得更厉害了。
“She got you in bed, didn’t she?” I asked with a grin. That must have been two days I was watching somepony else through the Perceptitron. Really, how much could you watch other ponies going through their daily routines before dying of boredom?
"她把你弄上床了，是不是?"我咧嘴笑着问。那一定是两天前，我通过感知器观察别的小马驹。说真的，在其他小马因无聊而死之前，你能看到它们日常生活的多少呢？
Wrong question to ask. She immediately burst into tears, covering her eyes with her hooves. “I’m sorry! You’d been gone so long, and… she seemed really convincing and… I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
问错问题了。她立刻大哭起来，用蹄子捂住眼睛。"对不起！你离开了那么久，而且......她看起来很有说服力，而且......对不起！我很抱歉!"
I watched her sob for several seconds, glanced over at P-21 and Scotch Tape, and they gave a pair of matching shrugs. “I forgive you, Glory,” I said, trying to keep my voice as even and uncondescending as I could. “You love me and so you had sex with a version of me. No big deal.”
我看着她抽泣了几秒钟，扫了一眼P-21和ScotchTape，他们同时耸了耸肩。"我原谅你，晨辉,"我说，尽量保持我的声音平和，不显得我高人一等。"你爱我，所以你和另一个版本的我做爱。没什么大不了的。"
“No big…” Glory stammered, her face streaked with tears. “I cheated on you, Blackjack. I let myself cheat on you. I fell for a cheap fake.”
"没什么大不了的......"晨辉结结巴巴地说，她的脸上布满了泪痕。"我背叛了你，黑杰克。我让自己欺骗了你。我爱上了一个廉价的冒牌货。"
“And I forgive you,” I said as I trotted over to her, put an arm around her shoulders, and pulled her in closer. “I don’t care that you had sex with somepony else. What I care is that you’re happy. That’s it. That is all that matters to me. So I forgive you.” So please stop with the weird surfacer hangups about sex, because it’s really weird.
"我也原谅你,"我说，一边小跑着走向她，一只手搂住她的肩膀，把她拉近一些。"我不在乎你和别人上床。我关心的是你是否快乐。就是这样。对我来说，这才是最重要的。所以我原谅你了。"所以请停止那些关于性的怪异言论，因为那真的很怪异。
She melted against me, burying her face in my mane. “Oh Blackjack, it is you,” she sighed.
她对我软弱无力，把脸埋在我的鬃毛里。"哦，黑杰克，原来是你,"她叹了口气。
That was all I needed to hear. That phrase in her voice in that tone made everything that I’d lost somehow manageable again. I swept her up in my hooves and gave her a kiss she properly deserved. After so long apart, nothing would ever separate us again. An eternity, and far too short a time, later, we parted, and
这就是我想听到的。她那种语气里的那句话使我失去的一切又变得可以控制了。我用蹄子把她抱起来，给了她一个她应得的吻。分开这么久，再也没有什么能把我们分开了。一个永恒，一个短暂的时间，后来，我们分手了
Glory and I beheld the amused smirk of Scotch Tape, the delighted smile of Boo, and the calm nod of P-21. She blushed but snuggled up against me. “What now?”
晨辉和我看到了苏格兰胶带(ScotchTape)被逗乐的傻笑，Boo的高兴的微笑，还有P-21平静的点头。她脸红了，但依偎着我。"现在怎么办?"
“Okay,” I said with a small frown. There was a large list in my head. And, oddly enough, sexytimes with Glory kept aggressively, passionately bumping up on it, over and over, warm and wet and... um, I mean, later. Right. “Velvet Remedy and the Zodiacs are getting word out that the other Security is a fake and that I’m the real Blackjack. Everypony is going to be meeting at Blueblood Manor to discuss what to do next.” As much as I wanted to strap on the operative barding and go and take back my old body, I couldn’t be reckless. This was bigger than me, and I knew what my old body could do. Cognitum wouldn’t hold back when I came to reclaim it.
"好吧,"我皱着眉头说。我脑子里有一大堆事情要做。奇怪的是，晨辉的性爱时光总是充满激情，一遍又一遍，温暖而潮湿......嗯，我的意思是，后来。对。"天鹅绒补救和生肖正在传出消息说，其他的安全是假的，我是真正的黑杰克。Everypony将在BluebloodManor开会，讨论下一步该做什么。"虽然我很想穿上特工服，带回我原来的身体，但我不能鲁莽行事。它比我还大，我知道我原来的身体能做什么。当我来要回它的时候，认知力不会退缩。
“Blueblood Manor? You know it’s a ruin now, right?” Scotch Tape asked.
"蓝血庄园？你知道现在是废墟了，对吧?"透明胶带问道。
“Well… yeah. But it’s neutral ground and it’s big and open enough for a lot of ponies to meet up there,” I said with a semi-sheepish smile. “What. It’s got a ballroom, right?”
"嗯......是的。但那是中立地带，又大又开阔，足以让许多小马在那里碰头。"我带着一丝羞怯的微笑说道。"什么。有个舞厅，对吧?"
“That had a tank drive through it,” Scotch Tape countered, then frowned. “Oh, yeah. About tanks, you might want to talk with Deus. I don’t speak tank, but the whole drive here from the Society, he was acting weird. Like drifting into ditches and stuff.”
"有辆坦克开过去了,"scottape反驳道，然后皱起了眉头。"哦，是的。关于坦克，你可能想和天王谈谈。我不会说tank，但是从学会开车过来的整个过程中，他表现得很奇怪。就像漂流到沟渠之类的地方。"
“He is pretty big,” Glory pointed out.
"他真的很高大,"晨辉指出。
“Yeah, but he doesn’t just wander off the road, or didn’t the last time we rode on him,” Scotch Tape said. “I don’t know if he’s sick or if there’s something bothering him, but something’s wrong.” She surveyed me, P-21, and Glory, then rolled her eyes a little. “Anyway, I’ll go up to the manor. Maybe there’s some corner that’s undamaged enough for us to use. Come on, Boo. Let’s give them some privacy.”
"是的，但是他不仅仅是在路上闲逛，或者上次我们骑他的时候没有,"ScotchTape说。"我不知道他是生病了还是有什么事情困扰着他，但肯定有什么事情不对劲。"她打量了一下我，P-21和晨辉，然后转了转眼珠。"不管怎样，我要去庄园了。也许有些角落完好无损，我们可以用。来吧，阿布。让我们给他们一些私人空间。"
“Awww, but I just got back! I wanna stay with Bwackjack!” Boo protested with a pout.
"啊，但是我刚刚回来！我想和疯子呆在一起!"布撅着嘴抗议道。
“Trust me. They’re just going to be talking about love... um... and mushy stuff,” Scotch Tape said, pushing the blank towards the door.
"相信我。他们只会谈论爱情......嗯......和伤感的东西,"苏格兰磁带说，把空白推向门口。
Boo grinned. “Awww. Bwackjack and Glory sitting in a tree… wait… Bwackjack and Twent… uh…” Boo blinked at the three of us. “Who’s gonna be kissin’ who with three of ‘em?”
布咧嘴笑了。"啊。"疯子和晨辉坐在一棵树上......等等......疯子和特温特......呃......"布对我们三个眨了眨眼睛。"谁会和三个女人亲吻?"
“Probably all of the above. Now come on. I think that Charity got her hooves on some of those chocolate-packed Fancy Buck Cakes from the Society,” Scotch Tape said with a smile. That perked Boo right up, and the pair departed, leaving me with the two most important ponies in my life.
"可能都是这样。来吧。我想是Charity吃了社会上那些巧克力包装的花式美元蛋糕，才有了蹄子。"ScotchTape笑着说。这让阿布感到兴奋，于是两人离开了，留下了我生命中最重要的两匹小马。
“I’ve got one other thing to tell you,” I said, holding Glory as I looked to P-21 soberly. Much as kissing sounded absolutely awesome, there were other things I needed to talk about first. I shifted us over to the couch in the living room and bowed my head. “I’m pregnant.”
"我还有一件事要告诉你,"我一边说，一边拿着晨辉，冷静地看着P-21。尽管接吻听起来绝对棒极了，但我还有其他事情需要先谈谈。我把我们转移到客厅的沙发上，低下了头。"我怀孕了。"
P-21 arched an eyebrow in surprise, and Glory flushed. “Um… didn’t you just get that body, Blackjack?” At least she smiled when she asked it.
P-21惊讶地挑起一条眉毛，晨辉的脸红了。"嗯......你不是刚刚得到那个身体吗，黑杰克?"至少当她问的时候，她笑了。
“Not in this body,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “In my old body.” Then I glanced at P-21. “And I’m pretty sure that it’s yours.”
"在这个身体里不行,"我转了转眼珠说。"在我原来的身体里。"然后我瞥了一眼P-21。"而且我很确定那是你的。"
Both their smiles disappeared. P-21 wore an inscrutable look on his face. “I mean, there’s a small chance it’s Stygius’s. I don’t know exactly when my implant got mistaken for a bullet, but I think odds are that you’re the father.”
他们的笑容都消失了。P-21脸上带着神秘莫测的表情。"我的意思是，有一小部分可能是斯蒂吉乌斯的。我不知道我的植入装置是什么时候被误认为是子弹的，但我想很有可能你就是孩子的父亲。"
“Something I seem to excel at,” he said, glancing at his cutie mark. “I wonder, if you took this off, if I’d have a sperm underneath it.”
"有些事情我似乎很擅长,"他说，瞥了一眼他的可爱标记。"我想知道，如果你把这个取下来，我的下面会不会有一个精子。"
I gave him a hug, and though he stiffened, he didn’t pull away. “That's nowhere near all you are. But the reason why I bring it up is because it’s why we can’t just kill my old body.”
我给了他一个拥抱，虽然他僵硬了，但他并没有离开。"这远远不是你的全部。但我之所以提出这个问题，是因为这就是为什么我们不能杀死我的老身体。"
“Blackjack! Would you really?” Glory said, looking a little hurt.
"黑杰克！真的吗?"晨辉说，看起来有点受伤。
“In a heartbeat,” I answered, staring right into her purple eyes. “Which I happen to have again.” Now she tensed and looked away, but I took her hoof. “I’m not angry with you anymore for what you did. You saved my life, Glory. You kept me fighting. Thank you. But life as part machine…” I shook my head. “It isn’t as good a life as you might imagine. Much as I hate Cognitum for what she did, I have to admit, she did me a favor keeping this spare around. I can feel your hoof, Glory. I can feel you. You don’t know what that’s like,” I said as I stroked her
"马上,"我回答，直直地盯着她紫色的眼睛。"我碰巧又拿到了。"现在她紧张起来，把目光移开，但我抓住了她的蹄子。"我不再为你的所作所为生你的气了。你救了我的命，晨辉。你让我一直在战斗。谢谢你。但是生活就像一部机器......"我摇了摇头。"这种生活并不像你想象的那么好。我不得不承认，虽然我很讨厌她的所作所为，但是她帮了我一个忙，把这个备用的放在身边。我能感觉到你的蹄子，晨辉。我能感觉到你。你不知道那是什么感觉,"我边说边抚摸着她
cheek.
脸颊。
Finally, she gave a little smile and nuzzled me back. “I’ll have to go easier on you next time we’re together. I wouldn’t want to scar you up so soon.”
最后，她给了我一个微笑，用鼻子回应了我。"下次我们在一起的时候，我不得不对你宽容些。我不想这么快就给你留下伤疤。"
“Knowing my life, that won’t take long,” I said, then glanced at P-21. He still looked distracted and troubled. “What I need to know,” I continued to Glory, “is how long do you think the fetus will be viable in that body.”
"了解我的生活，那不会花很长时间,"我说，然后瞥了一眼P-21。他看上去仍然心烦意乱。"我需要知道的是,"我继续对晨辉说,"你认为胎儿在那个体内能存活多久。"
Glory’s eyes widened. “I have no idea. Your pelvis wasn’t as heavily reinforced as your spine since the bones are so large, but... If I have to estimate… four or five months. After that, cross bracing will start to crush the uterine wall, and then…” She shook her head.
晨辉的眼睛睁大了。"我不知道。你的骨盆没有脊椎那么强壮，因为骨头那么大，但是...如果要我估计的话...四五个月。然后，交叉支撑将开始挤压子宫壁，然后......"她摇了摇头。
“Then we’re going to need a surrogacy spell. I can’t carry the fetus. Blank bodies… well… even though they’re a copy, the plumbing down there doesn’t really... work.” Now it was my turn to bite my lower lip. I looked at Glory, but she could neither cast such a spell nor be a suitable surrogate. It was supposed to be as close a relation as I could find... I’d need a unicorn, at least... “I’ll talk to Triage about it.”
"那么我们需要一个代孕咒语。我怀不了胎儿。空白的身体......好吧......即使它们是复制品，下面的管道也不会真正......工作。"现在轮到我咬下嘴唇了。我看着晨辉，但她既不能施展这样的魔法，也不能成为一个合适的代理人。这应该是我能找到的最亲近的亲戚了......我需要一只独角兽，至少......"我会和分诊部谈谈的。"
“Blackjack, there has to be some way I can help you,” Glory said, staring at me in worry.
"黑杰克，一定有什么办法我可以帮你,"格洛里说，担心地盯着我。
“It’s okay. Thanks, though,” I said, pausing and fidgeting a bit. “I just need to know, P-21, should I even try to get my baby back?”
"没关系。不过还是谢谢你,"我说，停顿了一下，有点坐立不安。"P-21，我只是想知道，我是否应该试着把我的孩子要回来?"
P-21’s eyes shot wide as he gaped at me. “What… why… how…” he stammered, then composed himself with a sharp breath. “How could you ask me that?”
P-21瞪大了眼睛，目瞪口呆地看着我。"什么......为什么......怎么......"他结结巴巴地说，然后深深地吸了一口气，使自己镇静下来。"你怎么能这样问我呢?"
“Because as far as I’m concerned, it’s your baby too. And putting a bullet through my old body’s head is easier than trying to get my unborn baby out of it.” I closed my eyes, tears streaking my cheeks as my mind struggled with the horrifying choice before me. It stuck in my throat, and finally I sobbed. “I’ve given up so much. What’s a little more?”
"因为在我看来，这也是你的孩子。子弹穿过我的脑袋要比取出我未出生的孩子容易得多。"我闭上眼睛，泪水在我的脸颊上留下了痕迹，我的脑海里挣扎着摆在我面前的可怕的选择。它卡在我的喉咙里，最后我哭了起来。"我已经放弃了太多。还有什么呢?"
“No!” he said sharply, and I flinched. He sighed, covering my hooves in his. “No, Blackjack. You’re not giving that up. What’s the point to living if you lose that?”
"不!"他厉声说，我退缩了。他叹了口气，把我的蹄子盖在他的蹄子上。"不，黑杰克。你不能放弃。如果你失去了这些，活着还有什么意义呢?"
“The world’s more important than me and my baby,” I said hollowly. “Aren’t I being selfish taking the risk?” Glory stared at me as if suddenly struck dumb, her eyes wide and aghast.
"这个世界比我和我的孩子更重要,"我说hollowly。"我冒这个险是不是太自私了?"晨辉盯着我，好像突然哑口无言，她的眼睛睁得大大的，吓呆了。
“Technically, sure. So what?” he asked scornfully. “This is something you need to be selfish about, Blackjack. This is our baby. I’ve had a rough time learning what that means from Scotch. I want to know what it’s like to do it right from the beginning. I want this. And you need something that you won’t sacrifice, Blackjack. Something that is yours. A line in the sand you won’t cross.” I remembered him once shouting in my face about him killing me if I ever crossed him.
"严格来说，是的。那又怎样?"他轻蔑地问道。"这件事你得自私一点，黑杰克。这是我们的孩子。我花了很长时间才从苏格兰威士忌中了解到这意味着什么。我想知道从一开始就这么做是什么感觉。我想要这个。你需要不会牺牲的东西Blackjack。这是你的东西。一条你不能跨越的界线。"我记得有一次他当着我的面大喊大叫，说如果我惹恼了他，他就会杀了我。
Glory didn’t look at the pair of us, her eyes downcast. I turned back to him, smiled, and gave a little nod. Getting my body back would be difficult… far more difficult than getting a few missile launchers, snipers, and spark grenades and unloading on her. Still, we’d find a way.
晨辉没有看我们两个，她的眼睛垂下来。我转向他，微笑着，点了点头。要把我的身体找回来是很困难的......远比找几个导弹发射器，狙击手，火花弹和向她发射要困难得多。尽管如此，我们还是会找到办法的。
“I’ll go help Scotch,” Glory said, starting to get up, and I stared at her in surprise.
"我去帮苏格兰威士忌,"晨辉说，站起身来，我惊讶地盯着她。
“Glory?” I rose and stepped after her. Something about her tone, so small and hurt, was just wrong to me.
"晨辉?"我站起身跟在她后面。她的语气中有些东西，那么小，那么伤人，对我来说是不对的。
“Stop,” she said, not turning back to look at me. “Just… let me go, Blackjack.” Her shoulders shook slightly as she bowed her head, her mane hiding her face from me.
"住手,"她说，没有回头看我。"放开我，黑杰克。"当她低下头时，她的肩膀微微颤抖，鬃毛遮住了她的脸不让我看到。
“Glory? What’s wrong?” I said as I walked around in front of her. I didn’t understand… was this some other Enclave moral landmine I wasn’t aware of? I glanced back at P-21, but he seemed just as clueless as I. “I… I’m sorry,” I said helplessly, hoping it would be enough for whatever offense I’d given.
"晨辉？怎么了?"我边说边在她面前走来走去。我不明白...难道这是另一个我不知道的昂科雷道德地雷吗？我回头看了一眼P-21，但他看起来和我一样茫然。."对不起,"我无可奈何地说，希望这足以应付我所冒犯的一切。
Then she lifted her head, and I felt as if I had my old body back. Everything inside me stilled as she smiled through her tears. “So am I, Blackjack,” she said with a sick little laugh as she sat down. “I was ready to hate you. I really had written you off. And as much as it hurt, I think I was okay with it. And then you show up, and I was wrong, and it turns out you still care about me.” She smiled even wider and added, “And you’re pregnant. Congratulations.” Her eyes were on P-21 with that last word. “You don’t even have your old body anymore.”
然后她抬起头，我觉得我又回到了原来的身体。当她含泪微笑时，我内心的一切都静止了。"我也是，黑杰克,"她坐下时带着病态的微笑说。"我已经准备恨你了。我真的已经把你放弃了。虽然这很伤人，但我觉得我可以接受。然后你出现了，我错了，结果你还是在乎我。"她笑得更大了，补充道:"你怀孕了。祝贺你。"她目不转睛地盯着P-21，说着最后一句话。"你甚至连原来的身体都没有了。"
“Glory, what is wrong? Talk to me,” I said as I reached out with my hooves to hold her shoulders. “Tell me what I did wrong!”
"晨辉，怎么了？"跟我说话,"我一边说，一边伸出蹄子抓住她的肩膀。"告诉我我做错了什么!"
She cocked her head, smiling at me with a look of pity as she wept. “Blackjack, do you love me?”
她歪着头，一边哭，一边带着怜悯的眼神对我微笑。"Blackjack，你爱我吗?"
“Of course I do,” I said, immediately.
"我当然知道,"我立刻说。
“Why?” Glory asked in that soft voice. So tender. Such yearning to be understood.
"为什么?"晨辉用那柔和的声音问道。如此温柔。如此渴望被理解。
“What?” I blinked in bafflement at her.
"什么?"我困惑地眨着眼睛看着她。
“Why do you love me?” she asked as she stared into my eyes.
"你为什么爱我?"她盯着我的眼睛问道。
“I...” I stammered, trying to think. “You’re... good. And smart. And nice. And...” I said, but the words felt hollow to me. True, without a doubt, but I knew other good, smart, nice ponies that I didn’t love. “I just do!” I finally blurted.
"我.....。。」我结结巴巴地说，试图思考。"你......很好。而且很聪明。而且很漂亮。而且......"我说，但是这些话让我感到空洞。是的，毫无疑问，但是我知道其他我不喜欢的好的，聪明的，漂亮的小马。"我就是喜欢!"我终于脱口而出。
She just shook her head with that horrible, sad smile. “I know you just do. But that’s not enough. I loved you because you protected me. You were so strong. Too strong. And like my parents you both left me behind and horribly injured yourself in the process.”
她只是摇了摇头，露出可怕而悲伤的微笑。"我知道你就是这样。但这还不够。我爱你是因为你保护了我。你那么坚强。太强大了。就像我的父母一样，你们抛弃了我，并且在这个过程中伤害了自己。"
I rolled my eyes. “Glory, I had to do that. The first time I was going crazy and the second time I was detonating a megaspell that would have killed you. It almost killed me!” I pointed out.
我翻了翻白眼。"晨辉，我必须这么做。第一次是我疯了，第二次是我引爆了一个可能会杀了你的巨子。差点要了我的命!"我指出。
She brushed my mane out of my eyes. “I know, Blackjack. I know why. And I’m not mad at you for it. But Blackjack... I would have rather died than be left behind. Maybe I would have. Or maybe we might have found another way. We could play what ifs all the time. The point is that’s not love. Or rather, not the kind of love I need.”
她拂去我眼前的鬃毛。"我知道，黑杰克。我知道为什么。我不是因为这个生你的气。但是Blackjack...我宁愿死也不愿意被抛在后面。也许我会的。或者我们可能已经找到了另一种方法。我们可以一直玩"如果"游戏。重点是这不是爱。或者更确切地说，不是我需要的那种爱。"
“And what is the kind of love you need? Just tell me and I’ll give it,” I swore.
""你需要什么样的爱呢？只要告诉我，我就给你,"我发誓。
Anything to make this stop.
只要能让这一切停止。
She actually laughed, and then wiped her snotty muzzle on a hoof. “Just like that? Funny thing is... you would. You’d try to. I know.” She sighed. “What I need is somepony who needs me. Not just for emotional support, but who needs
她真的笑了，然后用蹄子擦了擦鼻涕。""就这样吗？有趣的是...你会的。你会努力的。我知道。"她叹了口气。"我需要的是一匹需要我的小马。不仅仅是情感上的支持，还有谁需要
me with her. That won’t try and treat me like a helpless baby.” She shook her head. “I’m not that mare that was trapped under the floor anymore, Blackjack. I haven’t been for a long time.”
我和她。他们不会试图把我当作一个无助的婴儿对待。"她摇了摇头。"我不再是那匹被困在地板下的母马了，Blackjack。我已经很久没有这样了。"
“But I need you,” I swore, trying to put as much feeling into it as I could.
"但是我需要你,"我发誓，试着尽可能多地表达我的感情。
“You need someone, Blackjack. But it doesn’t have to be me,” she said with that wistful gaze in her eyes. “In fact, I think right now that it shouldn’t have been me at all. I was just clinging to you in the hopes that, eventually, you’d love me the way I needed to be loved.”
"你需要一个人，Blackjack。但不一定非得是我,"她用渴望的眼神说道。"事实上，我现在认为那根本不应该是我。我只是紧紧地抱着你，希望最终你会像我需要被爱的那样爱我。"
“But Glory... I...” I fumbled, feeling gutpunched. “I can love you like that. I can.”
"但是晨辉......我.....。。」我摸索着，感觉被狠狠地揍了一拳。"我可以那样爱你。我可以。"
“No, Blackjack. You’re a good pony, but you can’t put me first. You almost didn’t put your own child first. That... scares me. I can’t imagine the kind of mare who can do that. I wonder if I could ever do what you do so easily...” she said quietly.
"不，黑杰克。你是匹好马，但你不能把我放在第一位。你几乎没有把自己的孩子放在第一位。这...吓到我了。我无法想象有哪种母马能做到这一点。我不知道我是否能像你那么轻易地做到......"她平静地说。
I wondered if this was really happening. Maybe any second the sadistic torture program would pop out of the couch cushions and go ‘surprise, want to execute Goldenblood now?’ Then I’d be free to meet the real Glory and everything would somehow... magically... be fine...
我想知道这是否真的发生了。也许任何一秒忏悔都会从沙发垫上跳出来，惊讶地说，现在想要处决金血王吗然后我就可以自由地见到真正的晨辉，然后一切都会莫名其妙地......奇迹般地......好起来.....。
Damn it... LittlePip never had to go through this. Why did I? I looked at P-21, but all he gave me was his own sympathetic gaze. Not a shake of the head or a nod of advice. Not a word. This he was leaving entirely up to me. I returned my eyes to her face. “You’ve been there for me so many times, even with all my mistakes and screw ups. I don’t want to lose you.”
该死...小皮从来没有经历过这些。我为什么要这么做？我看了看P-21，但他只是同情地凝视着我。没有摇头或点头建议。一句话也没说。这件事完全由我决定。我的目光又回到她的脸上。"尽管我犯了那么多错误，搞砸了那么多事，你还是一直陪在我身边。我不想失去你。"
“And I’ll be there for you in the future,” Glory said quietly, “as a friend. But you and I... we don’t... have anything anymore. I’ve always been carried along, swept in your wake, left behind, and picked back up again.” She covered my mouth with her wing. “And I know you do like me and care for me. And I’m very thankful for that. But that... that isn’t love. You have a deeper connection with P-21 then you will ever have with me. And I need someone I can have that connection with. It isn’t going to be with you.” She sniffed and leaned up, kissing my cheek softly, and then pushed my hooves off her shoulders.
"将来我会在你身边,"晨辉平静地说,"作为一个朋友。但是你和我。.我们...什么都没有了。我总是被人背着，跟在你的后面，被抛在后面，又被人捡起来。"她用翅膀捂住我的嘴。"我知道你喜欢我，关心我。我对此非常感激。但那...那不是爱。你和P-21有更深的联系，这样你就永远不会和我有联系。我需要一个能和我有这种联系的人。它不会和你在一起。"她闻了闻，俯下身，轻轻地吻了吻我的脸颊，然后把我的蹄子从她的肩膀上推开。
She started to walk out the door, and I just stared after her. Then I blurted.
她开始走出门外，我只是盯着她。然后我脱口而出。
“Glory, do you love me?”
"晨辉，你爱我吗?"
She paused and looked over her shoulder at me, smiling calmly amid the wet on her cheeks. “No,” was all she said, and then stepped out of Star House. Her name caught in my throat as I struggled to say whatever magic phrase would change her mind. Something. Anything... The quiet click of the door was like a shearing blade right through my heart. Slowly I bowed my head, and tears began pattering by my hooves as I thought of all the things that could have been... that should have been...
她停顿了一下，回头看着我，在湿漉漉的脸颊上冷静地微笑着。"不,"她只说了这么一句，然后就走出了星宫。她的名字卡在我的喉咙里，我挣扎着想说出任何能让她改变主意的咒语。一些东西。随便什么......门那轻轻的一声，就像一把剪刀刺进了我的心脏。我慢慢地低下头，眼泪开始在我的蹄子上噼啪作响，我想到了所有可能发生的事情......那些本该发生的事情.....。
Damn it. It wasn’t fair...
该死。这不公平..。
“I don’t know if I can keep doing this,” I said faintly as I stared at the closed door. “I just… What did I do wrong?”
"我不知道我是否能继续这样做,"我微弱地说，我盯着那扇关着的门。"我只是...我做错了什么?"
“That’s not a question I can answer. Glory had a point. She could have waited a little bit before bringing it up, but she did.” He came up beside me. “It’s not easy being the one left behind all the time. And if you were going to dive into Tartarus, would you be okay with her coming with you?”
"这不是我能回答的问题。晨辉是有道理的。她本可以等一会儿再说，但她还是说了。"他走到我旁边。"总是被抛在后面，这并不容易。如果你要潜入地狱深渊，你会同意她跟你一起去吗?"
I closed my eyes and saw her wing fall off. Heard her anguished screams begging to die. “No. No, I wouldn’t.”
我闭上眼睛，看见她的翅膀掉了下来。听到她痛苦的尖叫求死。"没有。不，我不会。"
“She knows that, Blackjack. We all do. And I know exactly how you feel because I feel the same way with Scotch. Part of me wants to tie her up and keep her here where it’s safe, but I can’t do that. Not if I wanted to keep her as a daughter.” He smiled and patted my back.
"她知道的，黑杰克。我们都是。我完全理解你的感受，因为我对苏格兰威士忌也有同样的感受。我有点想把她绑起来，把她留在安全的地方，但我做不到。如果我想让她继续做我的女儿就不会。"他微笑着拍了拍我的背。
“Do you love me, P-21?” I asked as I looked at him.
"你爱我吗，P-21?"我看着他问道。
He blinked a little, seemed to think a moment or two, and then nodded once. “In a way, maybe. It’s not a love I’m used to. I think you’re the only mare I could ever feel that way about.”
他眨了眨眼睛，似乎想了一会儿，然后点了点头。"在某种程度上，可能是这样。这不是我习惯的爱。我想你是我唯一能有这种感觉的母马。"
“Why?” I echoed her question, thinking that if I heard his reasons, maybe I could find some way to fix this mess.
"为什么?"我重复着她的问题，想着如果我听了他的理由，也许我可以找到一些方法来解决这个烂摊子。
“She’s right. We’ve been through a lot together. We have a common background. We’ve suffered the same troubles. We have lots of the same feelings. Lots of the same fears.” He sighed and nuzzled my cheek lightly. “Like for instance, I know
"她说得对。我们一起经历了很多。我们有共同的背景。我们也遇到过同样的麻烦。我们有很多相同的感觉。许多同样的恐惧。"他叹了口气，用鼻子轻轻地蹭了蹭我的脸颊。"比如说，我知道
what you need right now to get through this.”
你现在需要什么来度过这一切"
Nothing was going to help me get through this. Ever. “Like what?” I asked skeptically. He gazed warmly into my eyes with just a look and I blinked. “What?” Then I felt my insides give a twitch. “Oh...”
没有什么能帮我度过难关。永远不会。"比如什么?"我怀疑地问道。他用热情的目光注视着我的眼睛，我眨了眨眼睛。"什么?"然后我觉得我的内心抽搐了一下。"哦......"
* * *
* * *
I’ve been called a bad pony for a wide variety of reasons. As I lay there in bed, I wondered if having rebound sex less than two minutes after the breakup was a valid one. P-21 had taken me upstairs and systematically eradicated my ability to hate on myself with a deluge of dearly missed endorphins. As upset as I was about what had happened between Glory and myself, P-21 had simply given me such a wonderful slurry of sensation that I couldn’t hate on myself right now.
人们因为各种各样的原因称我为坏小马。当我躺在床上的时候，我想知道在分手后不到两分钟的恢复性爱是否是一个有效的方法。P-21把我带到楼上，用大量深深怀念的内啡肽，系统地消除了我憎恨自己的能力。尽管我对晨辉和我之间发生的事感到沮丧，P-21还是给了我一种奇妙的感觉，我现在无法恨自己。
One thing was clear: Stygius had lost his crown. Over the last two hours, P-21 had bit, licked, nibbled, stroked, sucked, thrust, pinned, and spurted me into a deliciously thoughtless lump of exquisitely spent mare. Then, so I couldn’t hate on myself for getting something good after breaking up with Glory, he’d taken a page from her book and tied me down and did me so that I both ached and melted with him. LittlePip once talked about thirty something orgasms? Well, if I ever talked to her again, I'd have to compare notes, because the way my...
有一件事是清楚的:斯蒂吉乌斯已经失去了他的王冠。在过去的两个小时里，P-21不断地咬、舔、啃、抚摸、吮吸、插入、刺入我的身体，把我送进一匹毫不迟疑的精疲力竭的母马。然后，所以我不能恨自己在和晨辉分手后得到了一些好东西，他从她的书上拿了一页，把我绑了起来，做了我，所以我和他一起既痛苦又融化。曾经谈论过我的30定律/性高潮？如果我再跟她说话我就得交换意见了因为我..。
everything was buzzing, I couldn't tell if I'd had dozens of small ones or if the one he'd given me a little less than two hours ago just hadn't ended yet. I was slimy and sweaty and achy and creamy and half a dozen things besides, but one thing I wasn’t doing was crying my eyes out.
所有的东西都在嗡嗡作响，我不知道我是否吃了几十个小的，或者他不到两个小时前给我的那个还没有结束。我浑身黏糊糊的，满头大汗，浑身疼痛，还有很多其他的毛病，但有一件事我没有做，那就是大哭一场。
“Feeling better?” he asked into my ear as I lay slack on the bed. I could only nod my head, given that the bridle didn’t let me talk. “Need more?” he asked, touching my wonderfully sore posterior and making me groan. I finally shook my head. Tempting as it might be, I couldn’t do this forever. I had enemies to beat and… stuff...
"感觉好点了吗?"我懒洋洋地躺在床上，他对着我的耳朵问道。我只能点头，因为缰绳不让我说话。"还需要吗?"他问道，抚摸着我那奇妙的疼痛的臀部，让我呻吟起来。我终于摇了摇头。虽然听起来很诱人，但我不可能永远这么做。我有敌人要打还有...别的..。
He began to bite slowly down the side of my neck. “Are you sure?”
它开始慢慢地沿着我的脖子一侧咬下去。"你确定吗?"
Well... maybe one more hour.
好吧...也许再等一个小时。
* * *
* * *
Okay. I was positively glazed and had difficulty walking, but I needed water,
好吧。我看上去很呆滞，走路也很困难，但我需要喝水,
then to use the bathroom, and to wash. “I dunno how you did that,” I slurred. “That... how?”
然后去洗手间，洗澡。"我不知道你是怎么做到的,"我含糊地说。"那个......怎么回事?"
“Practice. Lots of practice and learning to pace myself. And I had some of those healing potions set aside just to help me push past the refractory period,” he said calmly, not quite as messy as me but definitely in need of a wash too. “It’s a little cheat we use when we’re pushing round five, six, seven...”
"练习。大量的练习和学习调整自己的节奏。他平静地说，虽然没有我那么脏乱，但肯定也需要清洗一下了。我还有一些治疗药水，专门用来帮助我通过不应期(性)。"这是我们在第五、六、七回合时使用的一个小把戏......"
I slipped out of the bed, feeling him drip out of me, white on white. He’d removed the bit, but the black tack and harness was still tight on me, and I couldn’t summon the focus just yet to take it off. Ugh... my hoof for a hot shower. “Are you okay with what we did?” I asked, looking back at him. The question made him frown thoughtfully. If his fur hadn’t been spiked in erratic ways, he’d have looked far more moody.
我从床上滑下来，感觉到他从我身上滴下来，脸色苍白。他已经把钻头取下来了，但是那黑色的大头针和安全带仍然紧紧地套在我身上，我还不能集中注意力把它取下来。呃...我的蹄子该洗个热水澡了。"你对我们的所作所为没意见吗?"我问道，回头看着他。这个问题使他若有所思地皱起了眉头。如果他的皮毛没有被刺得乱七八糟，他看起来会更加喜怒无常。
Finally, he smiled. “If it’d been any other mare... no. No in a big way. But it was with you, so I think it’s fine,” he replied evenly, then raised a hoof. “If, however, I feel myself getting shaky or panicked, I’ll let you know.” He stretched, and I found my eyes lingering on his athletic, toned rump, making my insides twitch again, but no! I had meetings to do and stuff. Of the six tiny mares in my head, one suggested one more round, one said enough was enough, one couldn’t stop giggling, one was taking notes, one offered critique and pointers for next time, and the last had her eyes covered with her wings as she blushed into her hooves.
最后，他笑了。"如果是另一匹母马......没有。绝对不行。但是它是跟你在一起的，所以我觉得没关系,"他平静地回答，然后抬起一只蹄子。"不过，如果我觉得自己变得摇摇晃晃或者惊慌失措，我会让你知道。"他伸了个懒腰，我发现我的眼睛盯着他那健美的臀部，使我的内脏又抽搐了一下，但是没有！我有很多会要开。在我脑海中的六只小母马中，一只建议再来一圈，一只说够了，一只不停地咯咯笑，一只正在记笔记，一只提供下次的批评和指导，最后一只眼睛被翅膀遮住，因为它的脸涨红了。
“Come on. Let’s go clean off. We can clean this, too,” I said as I gestured to the harness he’d bound me up in. Walking stiffly, I stepped out the door.
"来吧。我们去清理一下吧。我们也可以把这个清理干净,"我指着他绑住我的安全带说。我僵硬地走出门外。
“Blackjack, I should go first. I know I heard somepony downstairs a few hours ago. What if somepony came back?” he asked as I walked along the balcony. With my sweaty, sticky mane in my eyes, it was hard to see as I trotted down the stairs.
"黑杰克，我先来。我知道几小时前我听到楼下有马的声音。如果有人回来了怎么办?"当我沿着阳台走时，他问道。当我小跑下楼梯的时候，汗津津、粘糊糊的鬃毛挡住了我的视线。
“Oh please, who could–” I began to say when a throat cleared. I froze and scraped my hoof across my bangs. I stared down at Calamity, Velvet Remedy, Stygius, Tenebra, Goldenblood, and Whisper all sitting in my living room. Goldenblood was at the foot of the stairs, one brow arched as the others all stared at me. Velvet seemed to be struggling to speak. Tenebra’s eyes popped wide as a little trickle of blood dripped down her lip.
"哦，拜托，谁能——"我清了清嗓子，说道。我冻僵了，用蹄子刮刘海。我低头看着我起居室里的灾难，天鹅绒药物，冥河，Tenebra，金血，还有耳语。金血王坐在楼梯脚下，一个眉毛挑起，其他人都盯着我看。维尔韦特似乎在挣扎着说话。特内布拉的眼睛睁得大大的，一小股血从嘴唇上滴下来。
“Told you she’d totally come down the stairs like that. Pay up!” Whisper
"告诉过你她肯定会那样从楼梯上下来的。付钱!"耳语
laughed, smacking Tenebra’s shoulder in her glee. The batpony wobbled like she was made of wood.
哈哈大笑，高兴地拍打着Tenebra的肩膀。那匹小马摇摇晃晃的，好像是木头做的。
“LittlePip never did that,” Velvet said stiffly, cheeks burning.
"小皮普从来没有那样做过,"维尔韦僵硬地说，两颊发烫。
“Th’ harness might look good on you though,” Calamity replied casually, giving Velvet a wink.
"不过这个马具穿在你身上可能会很好看,"卡拉米特漫不经心地回答，给了维尔韦特一个眼色。
“Might look better on you,” Velvet countered, her cheeks flushed as she regarded me. “I do hope you’ll forgive us, but we let ourselves in. And you were occupied and... ahem...” They seemed to be waiting for me to do something.
"穿在你身上可能更好看,"维尔韦反驳道，她的脸颊因为注视我而涨得通红。"我真的希望你能原谅我们，但是我们自己进来了。你忙得不可开交......"他们似乎在等我做点什么。
Walking quite stiffly down to the bottom, I gave Velvet Remedy an easy smile. “Oh. No worries. I mean, I’m glad all of you are here. P-21 was just helping me with some problems I’d had.” I gave a deep sigh. “On the plus side, it was really good, on the negative side, my rear is really raw.” I beamed a smile at all of them. “Do you mind if I wash up, or do you want to talk first?” I said as I wiped some semen from my muzzle.
我僵硬地走到河底，轻松地微笑了一下。"哦。别担心。我是说，我很高兴你们都来了。P-21只是帮我解决一些我遇到的问题。"我深深地叹了口气。"从好的方面来说，它真的很好，从不好的方面来说，我的屁股真的很粗糙。"我向他们所有人微笑。"你介意我洗个澡吗，还是你想先谈谈?"我边说边擦去枪口上的精液。
Calamity and Velvet both gaped at me as little white gobs fell behind me...
当小白球落在我身后时，灾难和天鹅绒都张大了嘴巴看着我.....。
drip… drip... drip... My eyes went from one to the other as the silence continued.
随着寂静的继续，我的眼睛从一个转到另一个。
“What?” I asked in bafflement.
"什么?"我困惑地问。
“Dear Goddesses, she’s like the anti-Pip,” Velvet murmured, eyes wide in a mix of wonder and horror.
"亲爱的女神们，她就像反匹普的人,"维尔韦喃喃地说，眼睛睁得大大的，充满了惊奇和恐惧。
“What? It’s just semen and some bondage gear,” I said with a shrug and not even the barest hint of a blush. “I’ll be right back when I’ve stopped oozing out my backside,” I said as I headed to the door. There was a thump as I opened it, and I glanced over my shoulder to see Tenebra passed out on the floor. Whisper seemed unable to breathe in her wild mirth. I gave P-21 a baffled look as we stepped out into the rain. Surfacer ponies... who could figure them out?
"什么？只是精液和一些束缚工具,"我耸耸肩说，甚至没有一点腮红的迹象。"等我的屁股不再流血的时候，我会马上回来的,"我边说边朝门口走去。当我打开它的时候，有一声巨响，我回头看了一眼，发现Tenebra昏倒在地上。耳语似乎无法在她狂野的欢乐中呼吸。当我们步入雨中时，我困惑地看了P-21一眼。表面上的小马...谁能把它们弄明白呢？
* * *
* * *
After P-21 and I washed up and put the fun away and he’d put his hat back on, I felt... better. Guilty. Upset. Confused. I’d probably be a sobbing mess when it all came back on me. But right now, I was stable enough to do what had to be done.
在P-21和我洗完澡，把乐趣收起来，他又戴上帽子之后，我感觉...好多了。有罪。心烦意乱。困惑。当这一切又回到我身上时，我可能会哭得一塌糊涂。但是现在，我已经足够稳定，可以做必须做的事情了。
Our little troupe headed over towards Blueblood Manor. Velvet’s alicorn friends cast the rain shielding spell to keep us dry and let us talk. They were all beautiful
我们的小剧团朝蓝血庄园走去。维拉维特的阿里克朋友们施了保护雨的咒语，让我们保持干燥，让我们交谈。它们都很漂亮
and regal, but it just wasn't the same. I wondered how Psalm was doing. Most of my head, though, was occupied thinking about who might show up to the meeting and running through what I’d say. For all I knew, it would be just a dozen or two ponies curious about the Blackjack impersonator.
和帝王风格，但是不一样。我想知道诗篇怎么样了。不过，我的大部分脑子里都在想着谁会出席会议，以及我要说什么。据我所知，只有一两匹小马对这位黑杰克模仿者感到好奇。
The weather, which had been hammering down, now let up into a very un-Hoofingtonlike drizzle. The almost continuous lightning strikes had halted. The winds had died down to an eerie stillness. I didn’t like it. If the clouds disappeared, I might have a heart attack.
天气一直在猛烈地变化，现在变成了一场非常反常的毛毛雨。几乎连续不断的闪电停止了。风停了下来，一片怪异的寂静。我不喜欢。如果乌云消散，我可能会心脏病发作。
“Please tell me that this nice weather is LittlePip’s doing,” I asked Velvet plaintively.
"请告诉我，这么好的天气是小匹普干的,"我哀怨地问维尔维特。
“It’s LittlePip’s doin’,” Calamity said, straight-faced. Velvet glared at him, and the bandaged stallion smirked. “Wut? She said please.”
"这是小匹普在做的事,"卡拉米特说，面无表情。天鹅绒瞪着他，缠着绷带的种马得意地笑了。"怎么了？她说了请。"
“LittlePip hasn’t found a way to cut through the interference. Homage was working on a tower with Ditzy. Number thirteen, I think. She might have found a way and just not forwarded the message to us yet.” She looked over at me. “She should be at the meeting. She can tell us then.” She glanced at P-21 talking with Calamity, the former occasionally letting his eyes wander over the oblivious latter, and asked in a quieter voice. “Are you okay?”
"小皮普还没有找到解决干扰的方法。"敬意"正在和迪兹一起建造一座塔楼。我想是第十三条。她也许已经找到了办法，只是还没有把消息转发给我们。"她看着我。"她应该在会上。到时候她会告诉我们的。"她瞥了一眼正在和卡拉米特说话的P-21，卡拉米特偶尔让他的眼睛在不经意的后者上游荡，然后用更小的声音问道。"你还好吗?"
“Been a long time since I could answer that with a yes,” I said with a small smile. I checked behind me. Whisper was forcing Stygius and Tenebra to have a discussion about me and semen. Goldenblood walked behind them, silently, eyes downcast. I glanced over at Velvet. “Can I ask you a question? Why do you love Calamity?”
"我已经很久没有回答'是'了,"我微笑着说。我看了看身后。Whisper迫使Stygius和Tenebra讨论我和精子的问题。金布拉德在他们身后默默地走着，眼睛低垂着。我瞥了维尔维特一眼。""我能问你一个问题吗？你为什么喜欢灾难?"
The question seemed to surprise and even amuse her. “I don’t know. It was the wings, originally.”
这个问题似乎使她感到吃惊，甚至使她感到愉快。"我不知道。原来是翅膀。"
“Yeah, there’s just something about fliers,” I said with a rueful smile, making Calamity and Stygius nicker and P-21 roll his eyes.
"是啊，飞行员就是这样,"我苦笑着说，这让卡拉米蒂和斯蒂吉乌斯·尼克尔和P-21翻了个白眼。
“Not that,” Velvet laughed, then paused and reconsidered. “Well, not entirely that. He’s... good. A protector. Loyal. True. I don’t have to worry about him.”
"不是那样的,"维尔韦笑了笑，然后停下来重新考虑了一下。"好吧，不完全是这样。他...很好。一个保护者。忠诚。没错。我不用担心他。"
“So if you met a second pony who was just as good, you’d love him too?” I asked, in complete seriousness. A number of emotions ran over her features with
"所以，如果你遇到第二匹马也一样好，你也会爱上它吗?"我非常严肃地问。她的脸上充满了感情
embarrassment winning out.
尴尬赢了。
“Well?” Calamity asked with a grin. “I got to say I’m a mite curious myself.”
"怎么样?"卡拉米特咧嘴笑着问。"我得说，我自己也有点好奇。"
“No,” Velvet Remedy stated firmly.
"不,"维尔韦补救坚定地说。
“And... if he asked you to stay behind? To keep you safe?” I asked delicately.
"那么......如果他让你留下来呢？为了保护你的安全?"我小心翼翼地问。
“Why would he do that?” Velvet Remedy asked with a baffled smile. “He’s learned I can take care of myself.”
"他为什么要这么做?""天鹅绒药方"带着困惑的微笑问道。"他知道我能照顾好自己。"
“But what if it’s something that would kill you? Or hurt you. Or was different than what you wanted?” I looked at the brown stallion. “What would you do if she died? Or if he died?” I asked her. Both their smiles disappeared as I looked back at the ground. “I just didn’t want her to die.”
""但是，如果是会要你命的东西呢？或者伤害你。或者和你想要的不一样?"我看着那匹棕色的种马。"如果她死了，你会怎么办？或者他死了?"我问她。当我回头看地面时，他们的笑容都消失了。"我只是不想让她死。"
Velvet nudged my shoulder. “No one does. I guess we just try not to think about it. I saw Steelhooves’s head cut off right in front of me. It hurt. It almost changed who I was. And if it had been Calamity or LittlePip... maybe it might have. That’s the price paid for being in love.”
天鹅绒轻轻地碰了碰我的肩膀。"没有人知道。我想我们只是尽量不去想它。我看到斯蒂尔霍夫斯的脑袋就在我面前被砍掉了。这很伤人。它几乎改变了我。如果是卡拉米蒂或者小匹普的话......也许就是这样。这就是恋爱的代价。"
“And it ain’t just you that has ta’ pay it. Takes two ta tussle, tango, ‘n’ tic-tac-toe, as they say,” he said with a little nod.
"不只是你要付出代价。就像他们说的，需要两次扭打，探戈，井字游戏,"他轻轻点了点头。
Something in my face must have shown the shame, fear, and anxiety in my chest. Her amusement faded. “Hey, Blackjack. Are you...” she paused as I grimaced. “Something happened between you and Glory, didn’t it?” I gave a little nod, and she sighed and glanced at P-21. “When you both... Well... I mean... With you and your... ah... well...orientation... I didn’t know if something had happened.”
我脸上一定有什么东西表现出了我胸中的羞愧、恐惧和焦虑。她的娱乐消失了。"嘿，黑杰克。你是......"她停顿了一下，我做了个鬼脸。"你和晨辉之间发生了什么事，是不是?"我点了点头，她叹了口气，瞥了一眼P-21。"当你们俩......嗯......我是说......你和你的......啊......嗯......定位......我不知道是否发生了什么事。"
“It’s alright. It’s nothing I didn’t see coming a mile away,” I lied... or did I? After all, I knew she was upset. I’d blamed it on her transformation into Rainbow Dash. On her being from the sky. On... everything but me. “That was vigorous rebound sex. Good for the endorphins. I’ll pay for it in guilt later.”
"没关系。没有什么是我在一英里之外没有看到的,"我撒谎了......或者我有吗？毕竟，我知道她很难过。我把这归咎于她变成了彩虹冲刺。她从天而降。除了我之外的一切。"那是充满活力的反弹性爱。对内啡肽有好处。我以后会为此付出代价的。"
“Is this separation permanent?” Velvet asked with a sympathetic little smile. The question made me sick to my stomach.
"这种分离是永久性的吗?"维尔韦特带着同情的微笑问道。这个问题使我感到恶心。
“Probably should be,” I said, feeling that ache inside my chest. “I have things I
"也许应该,"我说，感觉到胸口的疼痛。"我有我的东西
have to do, and she’ll be better off with somepony else. Honestly, this should have happened long ago.” I faked a smile as happy as I could. Think of sexy, happy inner thigh nibbles. Don’t think about anything else. Pretend like nothing had changed. Self-delusion was so familiar that I could step into like it was nothing.
不得不这么做，她最好去找别人。老实说，这种事早就该发生了。"我尽可能假装高兴地笑了一下。想想那些性感的，快乐的大腿内侧的泡泡。不要想别的。假装什么都没有改变。自欺欺人是如此的熟悉，以至于我可以像什么都不是一样踏入其中。
But it wasn’t nothing. Part of me asked what was wrong with me. The other part questioned what was wrong with her. Part of me was afraid to find the answer, and another wondered if it was worthwhile.
但这并不是没什么。我心里有一部分在问自己到底怎么了。另一部分则质疑她到底出了什么问题。一部分的我害怕找到答案，另一部分的我想知道这是否值得。
‘Not the most focused pony in the Wasteland, are you, Blackjack?’ I thought to myself.
"你不是荒原上最专注的小马吧，Blackjack?"我对自己说。
Velvet sighed as we climbed up the hill towards Blueblood Manor. Or what remained of it. Between the Crusaders, the Harbingers, and Deus, most of the once-immense building was smashed. Even the wing that had held Vanity was gone. I started to feel both sad and upset. Silly, given all that had happened. Battlefields didn’t respect the dead. Still, I would have liked one thing to remain sacred.
维尔韦特叹了口气，我们爬上山朝BluebloodManor方向走去。或者还剩下什么。在十字军、先驱者和上帝之间，这座曾经巨大的建筑大部分被摧毁了。甚至曾经支撑着虚荣心的翅膀也不见了。我开始感到悲伤和沮丧。傻瓜，考虑到发生的一切。战场不尊重死者。尽管如此，我还是希望有一样东西能够保持神圣。
Then I spotted a stone slab beside the road that hadn’t been there months ago. About six feet high, the flat face had been worked smooth by what I suspected was an arcane disintegration beam. Then somepony had cut in the face:
然后我在路边发现了一块几个月前还没有的石板。大约六英尺高，扁平的脸被我怀疑是奥术解体光束平滑地雕刻着。然后一匹小马的脸被割伤了:
Vanity
虚荣心
Here lies a noble heart
这里躺着一颗高贵的心
Goodnight, Sweet Prince
晚安，亲爱的王子
I approached the slab slowly, my eyes tracing the carvings. Somepony had taken great pains to cut those letters an inch deep into the granite. At the base was a smaller phrase: ‘In Appreciation’. Then more than a dozen names. I read each one over and over again. “We wanted to remember him,” croaked a ghoul’s voice, and I started and looked at the teal ghoul pegasus in maid’s livery, looking as dry and desiccated as a feather duster even in the humid Hoofington air. Harpica smiled softly. “It’s too easy to forget some days. At least this way, his name won’t be forgotten.”
我慢慢地走近那块石板，眼睛盯着上面的雕刻。有个小马煞费苦心地把那些字母切成一英寸深的花岗岩。基础是一个较小的短语:在赞赏。还有十几个名字。我一遍又一遍地阅读每一本书。"我们想纪念他,"一个食尸鬼的声音低沉地说。我吃了一惊，看着身穿女仆制服的青色食尸鸟珀加索斯，即使在潮湿的胡芬顿空气中，它看起来也干燥得像鸡毛掸子一样。哈皮卡温柔地笑了。"有些日子太容易忘记了。至少这样，人们不会忘记他的名字。"
I choked as I regarded the stone. Forgotten. When I died, how would I be
当我看着那块石头时，我哽咽了。被遗忘。如果我死了，我会怎么样
remembered? Would any raise a stone with my name upon it? Probably not, and if they did, it would be undeserved. To be forgotten was true death. With flesh rotted and bones pulverized to dust and the great histories lost to the passage of time, what of the person who had lived? Or had they ever lived at all? There were twelve names on Vigilance’s mouthgrip, but what did I know of the first ten but their names? Almost nothing. And when Vigilance rusted away, would anyone ever know?
记得吗？会有人举起一块刻有我名字的石头吗？也许不会，如果他们真的这么做了，那也是不应该的。被遗忘才是真正的死亡。随着肉体腐烂，骨头粉碎成灰，伟大的历史随着时间的流逝而消失，那个曾经活着的人怎么办？或者他们曾经生活过吗？警戒手柄上有十二个名字，但除了他们的名字，我对前十个还知道些什么呢？几乎什么都没有。当警戒生锈的时候，会有人知道吗？
“Blackjack?” P-21 asked as I trembled, feeling all those happy endorphins falling away. No. Keep it together, Blackjack. Fake it! Smile.
"黑杰克?"我颤抖着问道，感觉所有那些快乐的内啡肽都消失了。没有。冷静点黑杰克。假装吧！微笑。
“I’m fine! I’m... fine...” I said as I struggled to regain my balance. I was in control. Or if I wasn’t, then I had to act like I was. Just as good. “Just fine.” Doubt lingered in his eyes, but he gave a small encouraging smile.
"我没事！我......没事......"我一边说，一边努力恢复平衡。一切都在我的掌控之中。或者如果我不是，那么我必须表现得像我是。一样好。"还好。"疑虑在他的眼中徘徊，但他还是露出了一丝鼓励的微笑。
“He would have been honored,” Goldenblood rasped silently from behind me. “I never knew a pony more inappropriately named.” Harpica blinked her milky eyes at the scarred unicorn but then gave a happy little squeak at the compliment.
"他会感到荣幸的,"金血王从我身后默默地叫道。"我从没见过一匹名字这么不恰当的小马。"哈皮卡对着这只伤痕累累的独角兽眨了眨她那乳白色的眼睛，但是听到这句恭维话，她高兴地发出了一声尖叫。
“Thank you,” she said as she looked at our party. “I was told to wait out here and bring you to the others when you’re ready.”
"谢谢,"她看着我们的聚会说。"有人告诉我在外面等着，等你准备好了再把你带到其他人那里去。"
“Did Homage, Ditzy, and Life Bloom make it back?” Velvet asked the teal ghoul.
"《致敬》、《迪兹》和《生活布鲁姆》回来了吗?"维尔韦特问那个青色的食尸鬼。
“I believe so, ma’am. Those are your friends from out west?” she asked. Velvet nodded. “Ah yes. They did ten minutes ago. They’re waiting in the garden.”
""我想是的，夫人。那些是你从西部来的朋友吗?"她问道。维尔韦特点点头。"啊，是的。他们十分钟前就这么做了。他们在花园里等着呢。"
“Garden?” I looked across the ruined manor and spotted the ballroom... the roof collapsed in due to a tank being driven through it.
"花园?"我望向废弃的庄园，发现了舞厅......由于坦克开过，屋顶塌了下来。
“It was the only place with enough space. The manor is a terrible mess. Those Crusaders were absolutely ghastly. Children can be so destructive at times,” the ghoul said in her whispery rasp. True, and having a battle and a tank driving through it too had done absolutely nothing for the structure. The exterior walls were still intact, but the interior rooms had collapsed in on themselves. There were still some signs of what the rooms had been used for, but I guessed that, in a year or two, the manor would be just another ruin dotting the Wasteland.
"这是唯一一个有足够空间的地方。庄园一片狼藉。那些十字军战士真是可怕。有时候孩子们是如此具有破坏性,"盗尸者用她那沙哑的声音说道。的确如此，一场战斗和一辆坦克从中穿过，对这座建筑完全没有任何帮助。外墙仍然完好无损，但是内部的房间已经倒塌了。仍然有一些迹象表明这些房间是用来做什么的，但是我猜想，在一两年内，这个庄园将成为另一个点缀在荒原上的废墟。
Provided Horizons didn’t kill us all. Didn’t kill Velvet and Calamity. Didn’t kill Glory. Didn’t kill P-21. Didn’t... didn’t...
如果地平线没有把我们都杀死的话。并没有杀死维尔维特和卡拉米蒂。没有杀死晨辉。P-21不是他杀的。没有...没有..。
“Blackjack?” P-21 said in alarm as I swayed. For some reason, I couldn’t quite breathe. It was all going to fall apart. I was going to get everypony killed. I’d fucked up too badly for too many reasons and I couldn’t do it! My heart thundered in my chest. What was I even doing? “Blackjack!” P-21 shouted.
"黑杰克?"P-21在我摇晃的时候警告我。由于某种原因，我无法呼吸。一切都将分崩离析。我差点害死所有的小马。因为太多的原因，我把事情搞得一团糟，我做不到！我的心怦怦直跳。我到底在做什么？"黑杰克!"P-21大声喊道。
“Anxiety attack...” I heard Velvet say, but it sounded like it was coming from far away. “She needs to go back to Star House. This is bad.”
"焦虑症发作了......"我听到维尔维特说，但听起来好像是从很远的地方传来的。"她需要回星空之家。这太糟糕了。"
“No!” I choked, trying so hard to keep it together. There wasn’t any more time.
"不!"我紧张得说不出话来，努力使自己镇定下来。没有时间了。
No more time for anything. Anything at all.
没有时间做任何事情。什么都行。
Then P-21 held me and murmured softly in my ears, “Breathe, Blackjack. Just breathe. You’re fine. We’ll find a way to get through this. Just breathe.” Somehow I started to actually take breaths rather than make choking noises.
然后P-21抱着我，在我耳边轻声说:"呼吸，黑杰克。深呼吸。你没事的。我们会想办法度过难关的。深呼吸。"不知怎么的，我开始呼吸，而不是发出窒息的声音。
“You said you’d kill me if I ever fucked up,” I whispered, pressing my face into his chest. I could hear his own heartbeat, slow and steady and sure. “I’ve gotten everyone killed.”
"你说过，如果我搞砸了，你就杀了我,"我低声说，把脸贴在他的胸前。我可以听到他自己的心跳，缓慢而稳定而确定。"我害死了所有人。"
“We aren’t dead just yet,” he told me quietly. “Now just breathe and calm down.”
"我们还没死呢,"他平静地告诉我。"现在深呼吸，冷静下来。"
It took me about three or four minutes before my heart resumed a normal rate and I no longer felt like I was going to pass out. Throw up, maybe, but not pass out. I wiped my eyes and gave a rueful smile to Whisper. “Must be funny. Seeing big bad Security losing it.”
过了大约三四分钟，我的心率才恢复正常，我不再觉得自己要昏过去了。也许会吐，但不会晕倒。我擦了擦眼睛，向Whisper苦笑了一下。"一定很有趣。看到大坏蛋安保公司失去控制。"
“Eh...” she tilted a wing back and forth. “Would be if your life wasn’t so fucked up. Way I look at it, you’re not psycho or dead, so there’s got to be something going for you.” I actually laughed a little at that.
"呃......"她前后摇动着一只翅膀。"如果你的生活不是这么糟糕的话。在我看来，你既不是神经病，也不是死人，所以肯定有什么东西对你有利。"事实上，我还为此笑了一下。
“Better?” P-21 murmured.
"好点了吗?"P-21低声说。
“Yeah,” I said, and together we continued around the side of the manor towards the back. There was a strange murmuring noise, like a babbling brook or overflowing storm drain. “Hopefully enough that I can address all ten people that actually came to hear me.”
"是的,"我说，然后我们一起绕着庄园的一边朝后面走去。有一种奇怪的低语声，像是潺潺的小溪或溢出的雨水沟。"希望我能向前来听我演讲的所有10个人发表演讲。"
“Ten?” Harpica asked, sounding alarmed.
"十个?"哈皮卡问道，听起来有些惊慌。
“Fine. Twenty then,” I said with a roll of my eyes as we approached a gate in desiccated hedgerow. “I mean, who in their right mind is going to go way out here for a probably-just-another-imposter Black… jack...” I trailed off as I stepped through.
"好吧。那就二十个吧,"当我们走近一扇干燥的篱笆门时，我翻着白眼说道。"我的意思是，哪个正常人会为了一个可能只是另一个冒名顶替的布莱克·················································。
That wasn’t twenty.
那不是二十。
That wasn’t a hundred.
那不是一百。
It was everypony.
每匹小马都这样。
Near as I could tell, everypony I knew sat on the stone steps of a classical amphitheatre. Stone columns decorated with proud, cracked unicorn stallions framed the stage. One wall of the dead hedge had been crushed flat, letting Deus point his turrets in. I wondered if that was intentional: making sure the rowdier guests behaved. The various ponies entertained themselves in a variety of ways. Bottlecap, Charity, and Finders Keepers seemed to have set up an impromptu swap meet with the Collegiate and Society. The Zodiacs appeared to be talking weapons with the Halfhearts and Flash Fillies. A small group of Highlanders had a jug band and were selling hooch to ghouls from Meatlocker. The Burner Boys were running gambling games with some Thunderhead ponies and a hoofful Steel Rangers. An enterprising trio of Crusaders in the back ran a little food booth and were giving a radroach burger to a sand dog. A trio of hellhounds lingered in the back, with everyone giving the beasts a wide berth.
据我所知，我认识的每一匹小马都坐在古典圆形剧场的石阶上。石柱上装饰着骄傲、裂开的独角兽种马，构成了舞台的框架。死树篱的一堵墙被压平了，这使得天王可以把他的角楼顶进去。我想知道这是否是故意的:确保那些吵闹的客人的行为。各种各样的小马以各种各样的方式娱乐自己。Bottlecap、Charity和FindersKeepers似乎与学院和社团组织了一次即兴的交换会。十二宫似乎是会说话的武器，带着半心人和闪光的小雌马。一小群高地人有一个罐乐队，他们把烈酒卖给来自Meatlocker的食尸鬼。燃烧者男孩经营赌博游戏与一些雷霆头小马和霍夫钢游骑兵。三个十字军战士在后面跑了一个小小的食品摊，给一只沙狗做了一个汉堡。三只地狱犬在后面徘徊，每个人都对这些野兽敬而远之。
But for all the busy spectacles the one that stuck out most to me was the simple fact that no one was killing anyone else.
但是对于所有这些忙碌的场景，最让我印象深刻的是一个简单的事实，那就是没有人在杀害其他任何人。
“What are they all doing here?” I gasped.
"他们都在这儿干什么?"我倒抽了一口冷气。
“You said you wanted everyone who could come. Once word got out that the Security at the Society was a fraud, and that the Lightbringer’s friends and Security’s team vouched for this one... well, suddenly everyone wanted to be here. Between alicorn teleportation, Enclave pegasi, and the clearing weather, this was the place to be,” Velvet Remedy said with a sweep of her hoof.
"你说你希望每个人都能来。一旦有消息传出，说协会的保安是个骗子，而且光明使者的朋友和保安团队为这个人做了担保......好吧，突然之间所有人都想来这里。在远距离传送、飞马飞地和空旷的天气之间，这就是我们要去的地方,"天鹅绒补救法用蹄子一扫说。
“They’re all people you helped in one way or another, Blackjack,” P-21 said quietly. I could pick out Windclop and a few other familiar faces from
"他们都是你以某种方式帮助过的人，Blackjack,"P-21平静地说。我可以认出Windclop和其他一些熟悉的面孔
Meatlocker, more alicorns than had arrived with Velvet, griffin Talons from back west... “They all want to return the favor.”
肉食者，更多的alicorns比已经抵达与天鹅绒，狮身鹰爪从后面的西部..."他们都想回报的恩惠。"
I just stared and felt everything spinning out around me. “I need... I need a moment.”
我只是盯着看，感觉周围的一切都在旋转。"我需要...我需要一点时间。"
“Take a few. Say an hour? As long as there’s food and entertainment, we can wait,” P-21 said.
"拿一些吧。比如一个小时？只要有食物和娱乐，我们可以等。"。
Velvet Remedy and Calamity trotted to meet Homage, Ditzy, and Life Bloom over by the band. Harpica went to mind the foals near the Crusader food stand. Not having a clue what else to do, P-21 and I trotted over to Deus. A camera swiveled down to me, and I gave a shaky little smile. “Hey, big guy. It’s me. Mind if we talk?”
天鹅绒弥补和灾难小跑，以满足致敬，迪兹，生命绽放的乐队。哈皮卡去照看十字军食品摊附近的小马驹。由于不知道还能做什么，P-21和我小跑着去找上帝。一架照相机朝我转过来，我微微一笑。"嘿，大个子。是我。介意我们谈谈吗?"
Deus’s engine let out a soft purr and the tank’s rear hatch popped open. I carefully wiggled in, P-21 slipping in behind me with far more ease. In the middle of the tank was the glass jar containing the metal-reinforced brain of the stallion. More cameras whirred to orient on me, and I gave a small smile. “Yeah. I’m really Blackjack. Security the reboot. I’m sure I’ll be shot and mangled all to hell inside a week.” I regarded the jar. It’d been a while since we’d parted ways. “Do you have something you need to tell me?”
天王的引擎发出轻微的咕噜声，坦克的后舱门砰地一声打开了。我小心翼翼地扭进去，P-21轻松地溜到我身后。坦克的中间是一个玻璃罐子，里面装着这匹种马的金属强化大脑。越来越多的摄像机旋转着对准我，我微微一笑。"是的。我真的是黑杰克。安全重启。我敢肯定，一周之内我就会被枪毙，血肉模糊。"我看了看罐子。我们分道扬镳已经有一段时间了。"你有什么要告诉我的吗?"
Deus’s cameras all bobbed up and down in unison. His aphasia might be killing his speech, but he’d adapted better than I probably would have to being stuck inside a war machine. I considered; I’d gotten better at memory magic since we’d last met. Maybe. “Is it okay if I go into your mind and find the memory of what you want to talk about?” The cameras paused and then moved slowly up and down.
天王的摄像机同时上下摆动。他的失语症可能会扼杀他的演讲，但是他比我更适应困在战争机器里。我考虑了一下，自从我们上次见面以来，我的记忆魔法变得更好了。也许吧。"我可以进入你的大脑，找到你想要谈论的内容吗?"摄像机停顿了一下，然后慢慢地上下移动。
Glancing at P-21, I pressed my horn to the glass. Not quite the same as a pony, but it wasn’t like I jabbed my horn into their brains. I concentrated, felt the connection forming, and waited. I had plenty of experience with mindplay at this point. I felt the world fall away as I dove in deeper than I ever had.
我瞥了一眼P-21，把喇叭按在玻璃上。不完全像一匹小马，但它不像我猛刺我的角进入他们的大脑。我全神贯注，感觉到这种联系正在形成，然后等待着。在这一点上，我有很多关于思维游戏的经验。当我比以往任何时候都更深入地探索时，我感到世界已经消失了。
Deus’s mind wasn’t like sinking into a pool of images. I floated in the middle of a plain of slaughtered zebras like a white ghost, looking at a colossal pony caught in the workings of an immense factory. A gargantuan collection of pain and rage and disappointment. I had no clue where to begin as the pony screamed and writhed against the steel pinning him in. Every few seconds, the gears tried
天王的思想并不像陷入一堆图像之中。我像一个白色的幽灵一样漂浮在一片被屠宰的斑马的平原中间，看着一匹巨大的小马被困在一个巨大的工厂里。一个巨大的集合痛苦，愤怒和失望。我不知道从哪里开始，因为小马尖叫着，扭动着，反抗着压在它身上的钢铁。每隔几秒，齿轮就会试一次
to turn, biting deeper into him. But he didn’t have a body anymore! I recalled Glory or Triage telling me brains can’t feel pain. So why...
转身，深深地咬住他。但是他已经没有身体了！我回想起晨辉或分类法告诉我大脑感觉不到疼痛。那为什么..。
When I’d lost my legs, I could still feel them. Just because they were gone didn’t mean they weren’t ‘real’ to my mind. Could all this pain be the same thing? I floated over to one immense gear and gripped it with my hooves. The thing was my size, and in the real world I’d never be able to budge it, but this was the mind. In the mind, will counted more than muscle, and willpower was just a nice way of calling a pony stubborn. I had stubborn coming out my ass.
当我失去双腿的时候，我还能感觉到它们。仅仅因为它们消失了，并不意味着它们在我的脑海里不真实。所有这些痛苦会是同一件事吗？我漂到一个巨大的齿轮上，用我的蹄子紧紧抓住它。这个东西是我的尺寸，在现实世界里我永远无法移动它，但这就是我的思想。在头脑中，意志力比肌肉更重要，而意志力只是一种称呼顽固小马的好方法。我曾经顽固地从屁股里爬出来。
With several pulls and yanks, I dislodged the gear. Instantly a deluge of words hammered into me as an explosion of gore erupted from his side. ‘No good rapist. Fucking rapist. Rapist scum. Rapist asshole. Deserves to die. Deserves to suffer. Just put a bullet in his head.’ I pushed through, forcing the gear free of the rest. Rapists fucked up and it was easy to say that all of them were scum, but nopony deserved this. I latched my hooves on another chewing pair and pulled with all my strength. ‘Not my boy. Not my child. My son’d never do this.’ hammered into me. Well, I’d done some things my mom would be ashamed of too. I pushed through the pain till those toothed wheels tore free.
经过几次拉扯，我卸下了装备。突然，我听到洪水般的声音，他的身边爆发出一阵血腥的爆炸。没有好的强奸犯。该死的强奸犯。强奸犯渣滓。强奸犯混蛋。死有余辜。罪有应得。一枪爆了他的头我使劲推过去，把其余的装备都推开了。强奸犯都是混蛋，说他们都是混蛋很容易，但是小马活该。我把我的蹄子拴在另一个咀嚼器上，用尽全力拉。""不是我的孩子。不是我的孩子。我儿子绝不会这么做灌输给我的。我做了一些我妈妈也会感到羞耻的事情。我在痛苦中奋力前行，直到那些带齿的轮子挣脱了。
Again and again I swooped around him, attacking the metal that encased him. I grabbed one and a single word screamed across the plain. ‘Cunt!’ It was accompanied by the images of dozens of different mares who had rejected and hurt him, hitting me like a sledgehammer. Well, I’d been a cunt in the past too. I strained and pulled as hard as I could, the gear groaning before it tore free in a waterfall of gore and a scream of rage and frustration. I seized another and heard Big Macintosh say solemnly, ‘I’m right disappointed in you.’ Well, I could empathize with that as well.
我一次又一次地向他猛扑过去，攻击包裹着他的金属。我抓起一个，一个单词在平原上尖叫起来。"婊子!"它还伴随着几十个不同的母马的形象，它们拒绝和伤害了它，像大锤一样打我。我过去也是个混蛋。我竭尽全力使劲拉，齿轮发出呻吟声，然后在血流的瀑布和愤怒和挫折的尖叫声中挣脱了。我抓起另一个，听到大麦金托什严肃地说,'我对你非常失望。'我对此也有同感。
I seized a gear and was instantly hit by sensations of all the mares he’d violated. I could feel him going inside them. I nearly cut the connection then and there, but I was here to help him. Then, after several seconds I realized something... he wasn’t getting off. It was as if he was just beating them up inside with his cock. I couldn’t forgive that... but I could understand why he had done it. He’d deserved punishment, but not this. A little empathy would have gone a long way towards helping Doof be a better pony.
我抓起一件工具，立即被他所侵犯的所有母马的感觉击中。我能感觉到他在进去。我几乎当场切断了连接，但我是来帮助他的。然后，几秒钟后我意识到一些事情......他没有下车。就好像他只是在用他的老二打他们的内心。我无法原谅这一点......但我能理解他为什么这么做。他应该受到惩罚，但不是这样。稍微表现出一点同情心对于帮助杜夫成为一匹更好的小马大有帮助。
Suddenly the machinery ripping into him shivered and began to come apart. Massive beams and girders began to collapse all around him as the crushed pony
突然，撕裂他的机器开始颤抖，并开始分崩离析。巨大的横梁和大梁开始崩溃周围他作为挤压的小马
within forced his way free. I backed off as he burst cables and bent steel. Finally, with a clanging clamor of an ironworks being dropped, his head burst free, and he screamed a single word that echoed across that plain of carnage.
在强迫他的方式自由。当他把电缆和钢筋弄断时，我往后退了退。最后，随着一个铁厂倒塌时发出的叮当声，他的脑袋爆开了，他尖叫了一个字，在这片屠杀的平原上回荡。
Not ‘Cunt’.
不是"逼"。
‘Why?’
为什么
As he sat there, gargantuan and alone, the gray stallion sobbed and bled. I hesitated, then slowly approached his colossal face. “I don’t know why, Doof. I’m sorry, but I don’t know why anypony put you through what you suffered,” I answered. I was just the last in a long life of pain and suffering. “I just know you want to be a better pony, and I just want to give you the chance.”
他坐在那里，巨大而孤独，灰色的种马抽泣着，流着血。我犹豫了一下，然后慢慢地走近他那张巨大的脸。"我不知道为什么，笨蛋。我很抱歉，但是我不知道为什么会有小马让你经历这些痛苦,"我回答。我只是这漫长痛苦生命中的最后一个。"我只知道你想成为一匹更好的小马，我只是想给你一个机会。"
He sobbed, blubbering in the midst of that plain. Finally he wiped his eyes. “I don’t hurt so bad no more. You do that?”
他在那片平原上抽泣着，哭得很伤心。最后，他擦了擦眼睛。"我不再那么痛苦了。你会这么做吗?"
“I think so?” I said with a nervous grin.
"我想是吧?"我紧张地笑着说。
“Why?” he asked as he looked up at my glowing, ghostlike form.
"为什么?"他一边问，一边抬头看着我发光的幽灵般的身影。
“‘Cause... who wouldn’t?” I asked back awkwardly.
"因为...谁不会呢?"我尴尬地问道。
“Nopony, if they think you’re scum,” he answered back, his voice deep and rumbling. “If you’re scum, nopony will give you the time of day. They’d rather you died then give a bit of help, ‘cause you fucked up, and you deserve it.”
"小马，如果他们认为你是人渣,"他回答道，声音低沉而隆隆作响。"如果你是人渣，没有小马会给你时间。他们宁愿你死，也不愿意给你一点帮助,'因为你搞砸了，这是你应得的。"'
“Well, I don’t care if you are scum. Nopony deserves that.”
"好吧，我不在乎你是不是人渣。这是Nopony应得的。"
The massive Doof just stared at me. He still had metal spurs and shrapnel embedded in him. Some of them just went too deep for me to pull out. I just knew it. There was a limit to how much I could do for him here. “Rampage is in trouble,” he rumbled.
大笨蛋只是盯着我。他身上还嵌着金属刺和弹片。其中一些已经深入到我无法抽身的地步。我就知道。我在这里能为他做的事情是有限度的。"暴怒有麻烦了,"他嘟囔着。
“Yes, she is,” I said. Then I balked. “Do you mean in general or something specific?”
"是的，她是,"我说。然后我犹豫了一下。"你是指一般情况还是具体情况?"
He pointed ahead of him, and in the air a massive window appeared. The image was grainy, as if captured through a camera. It showed Rampage confronting Cognitum outside the Elysium country club and... what in the world had she
他指着前面，空中出现了一扇巨大的窗户。图像呈颗粒状，就像是通过照相机拍摄的。它显示了狂暴在极乐世界乡村俱乐部外面对抗认知力......她到底有什么
done to my body? On top of the two beam rifles she'd added to her sides, she was flanked by two small hovering robots sporting a long beam weapon each. And she’d added spikes. Spikes! They covered the little filly and the cutie mark etchings and made her look utterly ridiculous. Had those been added before or after her little speech?
对我的身体做了什么？在她两侧添加的两条横梁式步枪上，两侧各有两个悬停的小型机器人，各自拿着一把长横梁式武器。而且她还加了尖峰。长钉！他们覆盖了小母马和可爱的标记蚀刻画，使她看起来完全可笑。这些是在她简短的演讲之前还是之后添加的？
The striped mare started out grinning. Then snarling. Then she lunged at Cognitum. The cybermare stopped her calmly and efficiently with a raised hoof, then telekinetically lifted her and slammed her once, twice, thrice into the ground. Then the hovering robots disintegrated her.
那匹有斑纹的母马开始咧着嘴笑。然后咆哮起来。然后她冲向Cognitum。赛伯母马用一只抬起的蹄子平静而有效地阻止了她，然后用意念力举起她并将她摔倒在地，一次，两次，三次。然后，盘旋的机器人将她分解。
Suddenly a targeting reticle appeared on Cognitum, and Deus charged towards her. Cognitum gave a chill stare at the tank. I could almost imagine her calculating precisely how to strike to destroy it in a single blow. Suddenly a filly Rampage rose up and threw herself in the path of the machine. The vehicle immediately halted.
突然，一个瞄准的十字线出现在了Cognitum上，上帝向她冲了过来。科涅图姆冷冷地盯着坦克。我几乎可以想象她精确地计算出如何一击摧毁它。突然，一只母马横冲直撞地跳起来，扑到了机器的轨道上。车辆立即停了下来。
“No, Deus! I need her!” Rampage sobbed. “Stop, you big idiot!”
"不，上帝！我需要她!"狂暴的抽泣着。"住手，你这个大白痴!"
“Interesting,” Cognitum purred as Deus ground to a halt. Cognitum smiled down at the little filly. “You will get what you want when I decide to give it. Perhaps in a century or two. But let me assure you that if I die, you’ll have eons to contemplate your meaningless, worthless existence, Rampage. I am the only one who can give you the death you seek.”
"有意思,"当上帝慢慢停下来的时候，认知神咕噜咕噜地说。科涅图姆朝着小母马微笑。"当我决定给你的时候，你就会得到你想要的。也许再过一两个世纪。但是我可以向你保证，如果我死了，你将有很长的时间去思考你那毫无意义的、毫无价值的存在，狂暴。我是唯一能给你你想要的死亡的人。"
Cognitum trotted away with a satisfied smirk that made me want to run her over with a tank too. But something bothered me. I turned to the mountain of gray and regret. “Why did you care about Rampage?” It would have been great if it’d been about keeping her safe or something, but I suspected that it was something else.
科涅塔姆带着满意的得意的微笑跑开了，我也想用坦克碾死她。但是有些事情困扰着我。我转向那座灰色和悔恨的山。"你为什么关心暴怒?"如果是为了保护她的安全或者别的什么，那就太好了，但我怀疑是别的什么原因。
He lifted his great brown eyes. “Because... she’s my daughter.”
他抬起他那棕色的大眼睛。"因为......她是我女儿。"
“What?” I asked in bafflement. “She’s... how? How do you know?”
"什么?"我困惑地问。"她......怎么了？你怎么知道?"
More memory windows. Wow, was I actually inventing vocabulary for this mind magic stuff? In it, a board of ponies faced Doof. Vanity was on the far side. The unicorn mare in judge robes in the middle slapped a gavel sharply. “Request for visitation rights denied. The court sees no reason to grant any privileges to a prisoner with such a contemptible record of behavior.” The ponies behind the
更多的内存窗口。哇，难道我真的在为这个神奇的东西发明词汇吗？在里面，一群小马面对着杜夫。虚荣心远在天边。法官袍中间的独角兽母马猛烈地拍打着木槌。"探视权申请被拒绝。法庭认为没有理由给予一个有如此可鄙行为记录的囚犯任何特权。"马背后的小马
board began to file out.
董事会开始排队了。
Doof lunged forward, and four guards wrestled him back. “Let me see her!” he roared. “I’ll fuck all of you cunts, let me see my daughter!”
杜夫冲上前去，四个警卫把他拉了回来。"让我看看她!"他吼道。"我要操你们所有人，让我看看我的女儿!"
Vanity stopped at the exit. The white stallion appeared... tired. There was gray at his temples and bags under his eyes. He glanced contemptuously at Doof. “Give it up, Doof. In twenty years you’ll be free. Sooner if the M.o.P. gives you psychological adjustments. Stop tormenting Twist with these endless appeals.”
虚荣心在出口处停了下来。白色的种马出现了...疲倦。他的太阳穴和眼袋都是灰色的。他轻蔑地瞥了杜夫一眼。"放弃吧，笨蛋。二十年后你就自由了。如果m.o.p能给你心理上的调整，那就快了。不要再用这些没完没了的呼吁来折磨扭扭舞了。"
“In twenty years she won’t be my daughter anymore. She’ll... she just be some stranger! I want to see her. I want to know what she looks like,” Doof said, pulling the guards forward as he leaned towards the unicorn.
"二十年后，她就不再是我的女儿了。她会...她只是个陌生人！我想见她。我想知道她长什么样,"杜夫边说边把警卫拉向独角兽边说。
Vanity stared at him flatly, then drew from his vest a small photograph. He levitated it in front of Doof’s face. In it were Twist, Shujaa, and a little filly with a curly mane. “Peppermint favors her mother,” Vanity said coolly.
瓦妮特直勾勾地盯着他，然后从他的背心里抽出一张小照片。他把它悬浮在杜夫的面前。里面有麻花、舒佳和一匹鬃毛卷曲的小母马。"薄荷糖喜欢她的母亲,"瓦妮特冷静地说。
“Can I have that? Please, let me have that, Vanity!” Doof begged.
""可以给我吗？求你了，把那个给我吧，虚荣!"杜夫央求道。
For a second, the unicorn seemed about to relent. Then one of the guards shoved Vanity aside. “Out of the way, we need to get the prisoner back to his cell,” the mare said sharply. Vanity hesitated, then returned the picture to his pocket, backing away as a squad of guards surrounded Doof, trying to get him out the door.
有那么一瞬间，独角兽似乎要松口了。然后一个警卫把瓦妮特推到一边。"让开，我们得把囚犯带回他的牢房,"母马厉声说。虚荣犹豫了一下，然后把照片放回口袋，退开了，一队警卫包围了杜夫，试图把他弄出门去。
“You cunts!” he roared as he was born away. “I’ll kill all of you! All of you!”
"你们这些混蛋!"他一出生就大吼大叫。"我要把你们全杀了！你们所有人!"
The window faded and disappeared. “The stripes are different, but I’ll never forget my little filly.” A dozen more windows opened up, some showing a desolate Arloste in the Stadium. A filly Rampage taking out a raider four times her size. An image of the mare pitting a radroach against Gorgon’s, and then when she lost, wrestling the monsterpony instead. An image of her getting fitted for her armor. I could almost imagine Doof looking on.
窗户消失了。"条纹不一样，但我永远不会忘记我的小母马。"十几扇窗户打开了，其中一些显示出体育场内荒凉的阿罗斯特。一只小母马横冲直撞，干掉了一只比她大四倍的掠袭者。一幅画面是一匹母马和一只栅栏马相撞的画面，当她输了的时候，她反而和那匹怪马摔跤了。一张她穿上盔甲的照片。我几乎可以想象杜夫在旁边看着。
“You never told her?” I asked.
"你从没告诉过她?"我问道。
“I was Deus. Baddest bastard birthed in the Wasteland, and I didn’t have a shred of proof. Not like they can do paternity tests anymore. So I tried to make sure she had a place in the Reapers. Besides, if I’d gone soft on her, it would have
"我是上帝。最坏的混蛋在荒地出生，我没有丝毫的证据。他们不能再做亲子鉴定了。所以我努力确保她在收割者中占有一席之地。而且，如果我对她温柔一点的话，事情就不会这样了
come back to hurt both of us. Reapers don’t do soft,” he said low and slowly. “Besides, who wants to know they had a monster for a father? Better I just stay back.”
回来伤害我们两个。收割者不会手软,"他慢吞吞地低声说。""而且，谁想知道他们的父亲是个怪物呢？我还是待在后面比较好。"
“She would have wanted to know,” I answered.
"她会想知道的,"我回答。
“It wouldn’t do any good now. I can’t even hold her like this,” he muttered. “I just think... I think she’s in a lot of trouble. I want her to be happy, and I can’t help her like this. Can you promise me... can you promise to help her?”
"现在不会有任何好处。我甚至不能这样抱着她,"他喃喃自语道。"我只是觉得......我觉得她有大麻烦了。我希望她快乐，但我不能这样帮助她。你能答应我......你能答应帮助她吗?"
“I don’t need to. I will help her. She’s my friend,” I said firmly. “I won’t give up on her just because she screwed up.”
"我不需要。我会帮她的。她是我的朋友,"我坚定地说。"我不会因为她搞砸了就放弃她。"
“Even though she stabbed you in the back?” Deus asked with a small smile. “I don’t know how you do it.”
"即使她在背后捅了你一刀?"上帝带着微笑问道。"我不知道你是怎么做到的。"
“I’m really... really... really stupid,” I said with a hapless grin. “I want my friends back, and I want everypony okay. And yeah, I know it’s immature and naive and... I just want it that way. Call me an idiot.”
"我真的...真的...真的很蠢,"我带着倒霉的笑容说。"我希望我的朋友回来，我希望每匹小马都好。是的，我知道这很幼稚，很天真，而且......我就是想这样。你可以叫我白痴。"
Deus stared at me with that same look Rampage always used to give me, then slowly shook his colossal head. “Be careful, Cunt,” he said, the word about as affectionate as he could manage.
天王用以往常常给我的那种眼神盯着我，然后慢慢摇了摇他那硕大的脑袋。"小心点，婊子,"他说，尽量表现得亲切些。
“You too, Doof,” I answered, then cut the connection. I opened my eyes and sighed. Well, as much of a screwup as I was, I could at least still help somepony a little.
"你也是，杜夫,"我回答，然后切断了连接。我睁开眼，叹了口气。好吧，虽然我是个失败者，但至少我还能帮点小忙。
I started to make my way back towards the hatch when I heard P-21 say sharply outside, “No. You need to go somewhere else right now, Glory.”
我开始朝舱口走去，这时我听到P-21在外面厉声说:"不。你现在需要去别的地方，晨辉。"
I froze, then slowly peeked out to see the pair arguing behind the tank. “But I need to tell her–” Glory began.
我呆住了，然后慢慢地往外看，看到两个人在坦克后面争吵。"但我需要告诉她——"晨辉开始了。
“You’ve told her enough already,” P-21 cut her off coldly. “Really. ‘Why do you love me?’ Isn’t it enough that you are loved? Period? Only you would want to quantify something as elusive and ephemeral as love!”
"你已经告诉她够多的了,"P-21冷冷地打断了她。"真的。'你为什么爱我?'有人爱你还不够吗？句号？只有你才会想去量化像爱这样难以捉摸、转瞬即逝的东西!"
“P-21, I–” Glory tried again, clearly flustered.
"P-21，我-"晨辉又试了一次，显然有些慌乱。
“No. Not you. You cut it off. You could have had her wrapped around your hoof. It should have been you trying to deal with the shitstorm going on in her life. But no, you had to pile it on with another shitstorm, and if there’s anypony that needs shit squared in her life, it’s Blackjack!” he stormed on, pointing a hoof away. “Just get out of here. She needs you like a baton to the kneecap.”
"没有。不是你。你把它切掉了。你可以把她缠在你的蹄子上。应该是你来处理她生活中的一切。但是，不，你不得不用另一场狗屎风暴来填补它，如果有任何一匹小马的生活中需要狗屎平方，那就是黑杰克!"他怒气冲冲地走了，把蹄子指向远处。"快离开这里。她需要你，就像用警棍敲击她的膝盖一样。"
She just stood there, her face stern. “I know you love her, P-21.” P-21 paled as if she’d slapped him. “I also know that as long as she and I are together, you and her wouldn’t be. It took three bottles of champagne to get us in the same bed. Not a good sign for an open relationship, even if it would make Blackjack happy. I know myself and I’m not going to pretend I’d be okay with something I’m not.”
她只是站在那里，脸色严峻。"我知道你爱她P-21。"P-21脸色苍白，好像她扇了他一巴掌。"我还知道，只要她和我在一起，你和她就不会在一起。我们喝了三瓶香槟才上了同一张床。这不是一个开放关系的好迹象，即使这会让Blackjack开心。我了解自己，我不会假装对自己不了解的事情感到满意。"
Ugh... but it would have been such a simple solution! Why couldn’t anything be simple? “You couldn’t have waited till this was over? Let her do what she has to and then break her heart?” P-21 muttered.
呃......但这本来是一个如此简单的解决方案！为什么事情就不能简单点呢？""你就不能等到这一切结束吗？让她做她不得不做的事，然后伤透她的心?"P-21低声说。
“There is no good time. You two have a baby together now. You’re...” Glory started to tear up. “Do you know how much it hurt to hear that? You two have something I’ll never have with her. And sure, I could pretend that the foal is mine or adopt or something, but it’ll never be the same as what the two of you share.” She hissed in pain and shook her head. “Better I find some mare I can share that with. Some mare who won’t make me wonder if I’m second best. Who won’t try and make me stay back, even if there’s risk.”
"没有什么好时机。你们俩现在有孩子了。你是..."晨辉开始撕裂。"你知道听到这个消息有多伤人吗？你们俩有我永远不会和她有的东西。当然，我可以假装这匹小马驹是我的，或者是领养的，但是它永远不会像你们两个一样。"她疼得发出嘶嘶声，摇了摇头。"最好我能找到一些母马，我可以分享。有些母马不会让我怀疑自己是不是第二好的。即使有风险，他也不会试图让我留下来。"
“I don’t know if Blackjack even loves me,” P-21 said uncertainly. “We had sex. Love... is different with Blackjack.”
"我甚至不知道Blackjack是否爱我,"P-21不确定地说。"我们做爱了。爱情......与黑杰克不同。"
“You’ll find a way,” Glory said with a small smile. “And what I wanted to say was that Rain– I mean, Mare Do Well has spotted the Blizzard and Sirocco to the southwest over the Luna Space Center. There’s a chance that Hoarfrost and Afterburner might be working with Cognitum. That’s all.”
"你会找到办法的,"晨辉微笑着说。"我想说的是，雨——我的意思是，MareDoWell在月球航天中心上空发现了西南方向的暴风雪和热风。有一个机会，霍尔弗罗斯特和加力可能是工作与认知。仅此而已。"
She turned and had started away when P-21 stammered, “Glory!” She paused and looked back at him, one brow raised. “I’m sorry it turned out like this.”
她转身离开时，P-21结结巴巴地说:"晨辉!"她停顿了一下，回头看了看他，扬起了一个额头。"我很遗憾事情变成这样。"
Again, that sad smile I hated so much. “You love her. You don’t have anything to be sorry about.” P-21 stared after her, his face troubled and helpless.
又一次，那个我讨厌的悲伤的微笑。"你爱她。你没什么好抱歉的。"P-21在她后面盯着她，脸上显出忧虑和无助的神情。
I ducked back into the tank, breathing hard. He loved me? Love? Captial-L love?
我低头回到水箱里，喘着粗气。他爱我？爱情？资本-l爱？
The reactions in my head varied from ‘Whoo hoo’, to ‘we need to carefully consider this’, to ‘aww yeah’, to ‘now calm down, Sugarcube’. But the overwhelming feeling I had rolling through me was...
我脑海中的反应从"呜呼"，到"我们需要仔细考虑这件事"，到"噢，是的"，再到"现在冷静下来，甜心立方"。但是我感觉压倒一切的感觉是..。
Huh?
什么？
How did that happen? Like me as a friend, maybe. I could understand that. We’d been through a lot together. But Love? Love. LOOOOOVE! El oh vee ee... No matter how I bounced the word off my brain it came back as a raging ball of doubt and uncertainty. How could he give it? How could I deserve it? Did I even want it at this point? And that horrible, nasty little ‘why’ popping up right, left, and center.
这是怎么发生的？也许像我这样的朋友。我能理解。我们一起经历了很多。但是爱？爱。爱死了！不管我怎么反复思考这个词，它回来的时候就像一个充满怀疑和不确定的愤怒的球。他怎么能给呢？我怎么配得上呢？我到现在还想要吗？还有那个可怕的，令人讨厌的小"为什么"突然出现在右边，左边，中间。
I closed my eyes, banging the back of my head against the hatch rim as I sat there in the tank. Why. Why why why? I had way too much going on right this second. I’d just have to focus on getting things with Cognitum finished. Once that was done, we’d have the rest of our lives to talk about love and family and... a wonderful life I could only barely imagine right now.
我闭上眼睛，坐在水箱里，用后脑勺撞击舱口边缘。为什么。为什么为什么？我现在有太多事情要做了。我只需要集中精力完成带有Cognitum的作品。一旦这样做了，我们将有我们的余生来谈论爱和家庭和...一个美好的生活，我几乎无法想象现在。
I slipped out of the hatch and gave P-21 as fake a smile as I could manage. “Hey. Somepony was talking about the Space Center?” I gave an exaggerated look around the hillside behind the tank, ignoring the purple tail disappearing around the corner.
我悄悄溜出舱口，对P-21假笑了一下。"嘿。有人在谈论太空中心?"我在坦克后面的山坡周围夸张地看了一眼，忽略了隐藏在角落里的紫色尾巴。
P-21 blinked and stared at me. “Oh. Yeah. There’s word that two Raptors were seen over by the Luna Space Center. The Sirocco and Blizzard. Might be they’ve hooked up with Cognitum.” He paused, uncertainty gnawing at him. “Blackjack...”
P-21眨了眨眼睛，盯着我。"哦。是的。有消息说月球太空中心看到了两架猛禽。热风和暴风雪。可能是因为它们和科涅塔姆有关系。"他停顿了一下，不确定性在折磨着他。"黑杰克......"
I hurried on before he got to a conversation that I just wasn’t going to be able to have. Not without a lot less stress and a lot more time for sex, cuddling, and soul searching. “Oh, that might be a problem. Well, we’ll deal with it. That’s what I do. Deal with things.” I let out a hearty laugh that I hoped didn’t sound like I was going to vomit. The laugh withered away as I grinned desperately at him. Nope. Not going to have it. Not in a million ye– “Do you really love me?” I asked plaintively.
我匆匆忙忙赶在他开始一段我无法进行的谈话之前。如果没有更少的压力和更多的时间做爱，拥抱和自我反省的话，就不是这样。"哦，那可能是个问题。我们会处理的。我就是干这个的。处理事情。"我发自内心地大笑起来，我希望自己的笑声听起来不像要呕吐的样子。当我拼命地朝他咧嘴笑时，笑声渐渐消失了。没有。不会有的。"你真的爱我吗?"我哀伤地问道。
Luna damn you, Blackjack.
去你的卢娜，黑杰克。
He gaped at me, his mouth moving silently. “You heard...” he finally muttered,
他目瞪口呆地看着我，嘴巴默默地动着。"你听到了......"他终于喃喃自语,
lowering his head so his mane obscured his face.
他低下头，鬃毛遮住了脸。
“I heard,” I said with a sigh as I sat down behind the tank and he joined me, flopping down with a sigh. “Love... you... me... yeah...” I muttered lamely. “If you want to put off this conversation till later I’d be just fi–”
"我听到了,"我在坦克后面坐下时叹了口气说，他也加入了我的行列，随着一声叹息扑通一声倒在地上。"爱......你......我......是的......"我一瘸一拐地咕哝着。"如果你想推迟这次谈话，我会..."
“Yes, I do,” he said simply, whacking my emotions across the knee with a baton. “While you were gone. Even before you left, I think, a little.” He lifted his head and smiled at me. “You’re not the mare who lived in 99 anymore, Blackjack.
"是的，我知道,"他简单地说，用警棍在膝盖上敲打着我的情绪。"你不在的时候。我想，即使在你离开之前，也有一点吧。"他抬起头向我微笑。"你已经不是99年的那匹母马了，Blackjack。
You’re... different. Better. You know things and you’ve been through things. So... yeah. I really think I do.” He swallowed hard and then asked, “Do you feel the same?”
你...与众不同。好多了。你知道一些事情，你也经历过一些事情。所以...是的。我真的这么认为。"他使劲咽了口唾沫，然后问道:"你也有同样的感觉吗?"
“Love...” I sighed and then made a face. “I hate that word. Looooove. Wuv. We need more words for it. Like the kind of love when you really like a person, and the kind of love when you feel like you’d die without them.” I slid sideways and rest my head on his shoulder. “I don’t know anymore. I was in love with Glory...
"爱......"我叹了口气，然后做了个鬼脸。"我讨厌这个词。爱死了。爱你。我们需要更多的词来描述它。就像那种当你真正喜欢一个人时的爱，以及那种当你觉得没有他们你会死去时的爱。"我滑到一边，把头靠在他的肩膀上。"我不知道了。我爱上了晨辉..。
but now I don’t know what I had with her. I like you a lot, P-21. And losing you... the idea just hurts. Is that love?”
但现在我不知道我和她之间发生了什么。我非常喜欢你，P-21。失去你......这种想法让人心痛。那是爱吗?"
“I don’t know. This is new for me too. I feel for you like I felt for him. That’s all I can say.” He gave a little shrug and kissed my ear.
"我不知道。这对我来说也是新鲜事。我同情你就像我同情他一样。我只能说这么多。"他轻轻地耸了耸肩，吻了吻我的耳朵。
I took a deep breath. “Well, I suppose you won’t get jealous if I have a three way with Stygius and his sister.”
我深吸了一口气。"好吧，我想如果我和斯提吉乌斯及其妹妹玩三人行，你不会嫉妒的。"
He chuckled, “Why would I? I’d definitely like to be there, though. That Stygius has a backside that makes my mouth water.”
他轻声笑道,"我为什么要这么做？不过我真的很想去。那个斯蒂吉乌斯的屁股让我流口水。"
“He’s so adorable when you nibble him down there too. And he has this tongue trick that makes it feel like he’s licking right through you straight to your tonsi–” I started to say when a stallion cleared his throat loudly beside us, and glanced over at Big Daddy. The bony old stallion definitely wasn’t looking too hot after getting blasted by my old body. “Oh, hiya. Come, join us. We were just talking about sex.”
"当你轻咬它的时候，它也是那么可爱。他有一个舌头的把戏，让人觉得他在舔你的舌头——"我开始说，这时一匹种马在我们旁边大声清了清嗓子，然后扫了一眼老爹。那匹瘦骨嶙峋的老种马在被我的老身体撞击之后，看起来一点也不热。"哦，你好。来加入我们吧。我们只是在谈论性。"
“Oh, I heard,” he said with a sigh. “But it just don’t have the same zing anymore when ya need ta take a potion ta have it.” He stared gravely down at me for several seconds. “I need you to come join us. We’re havin’ a war council.” I shared a serious moment with P-21, and then we both nodded and got up.
"哦，我听说了,"他叹了口气说。"但是当你需要药剂的时候，它就不再有同样的活力了。"他严肃地盯着我看了几秒钟。"我需要你加入我们。我们在开战争会议。"我和P-21一起度过了一个严肃的时刻，然后我们都点了点头，站了起来。
Some things were bigger than our love...
有些事比我们的爱更重要..。
“So, do you believe I’m Blackjack?” I asked him as we walked around the hedgerow surrounding the amphitheatre.
"那么，你相信我是黑杰克吗?"我们绕着圆形剧场周围的树篱走着时，我问他。
“Maybe,” he said as he glanced at me with his starry eyes. “When I saw ya before, it was blood and stars. The other you was just blood. You... you’re nothin’ but stars. Like all the stars in the heavens are watching you. So I dunno what ta believe. But you askin’ is better than the other you demandin’. That’s a start.”
"也许吧,"他一边说，一边用布满星星的眼睛看着我。"我以前看到你的时候，那是血和星星。另一个你只是血肉之躯。你们...你们什么都不是只是星星。就像天上所有的星星都在注视着你。所以我不知道该相信什么。但是你的要求比你要求的要好。这是一个开始。"
“So where are we going?” I asked, looking around, not sure where a ‘war council’ could be held.
"那么，我们要去哪里?"我问，环顾四周，不知道在哪里可以举行'战争会议'。
“That big dome thing over that way,” he said as he pointed a hoof off to the far side of the amphitheatre. I peered through a gap that opened up to the stage and spotted a large gray rotunda also decorated with unicorn stallions. He and P-21 kept trotting around, but I stopped and frowned.
"那边那个大圆顶,"他一边说，一边把蹄子指向圆形剧场的另一边。我透过一个通向舞台的缺口凝视着，发现了一个巨大的灰色圆形大厅，上面也装饰着独角兽种马。他和P-21不停地跑来跑去，但我停下来皱起了眉头。
“Hey, it’s just quicker to go this way,” I said as I trotted out on stage. The pair of stallions gaped at me as I walked out.
"嘿，走这条路比较快,"我边说边跑上舞台。我走出去的时候，那两匹种马瞪着我。
Why was it so silent all of a sudden?
为什么突然这么安静？
I froze in place as one of Deus’s spotlights illuminated me, suddenly aware of dozens... perhaps hundreds of eyes drilling into me. I glanced back at P-21 and Big Daddy, the latter with his jaw hanging and the former covering his face with a hoof. In the middle of the stage was a microphone that Homage and Scotch Tape were working on. Both of them stared at me with equally baffled expressions. Time seemed to freeze as I walked slowly over to it. “Um... hi?” I said, and from Deus’s speakers came my magnified voice, with a squeal of feedback.
当天王的聚光灯照亮我的时候，我愣在原地，突然意识到有几十只......也许是几百只眼睛钻进了我的身体。我回头看了看P-21和老爹，后者下巴垂着，前者用蹄子挡着脸。在舞台中央是一个麦克风,"致敬"和"透明胶带"正在制作中。他们俩同样困惑地盯着我。当我慢慢走向它时，时间似乎凝固了。"嗯......嗨?"我说，从天王的扬声器里传来我放大的声音，伴随着反馈的尖叫声。
Scotch Tape jumped down and did something to some equipment in the pit in front of the stage, and the feedback died away. “Um... thanks for coming. Really appreciate it. Um...” I peered over at P-21 as he mouthed something I guessed was ‘get off the stage!’
透明胶带跳了下来，对舞台前面坑里的一些设备做了些什么，然后反馈消失了。"嗯......谢谢你能来。真的很感激。嗯......"我盯着P-21看，他嘴里说着什么，我猜是'滚下舞台!'
“It’s a fake!” somepony in the crowd shouted.
"这是假的!"人群中有匹小马在叫喊。
“Another one of those damned impersonators!” yelled another.
"又是一个该死的模仿者!"另一个喊道。
“You don’t even have her cutie mark!” guffawed a third. “Get her off the stage!”
"你连她的可爱标记都没有!"大笑了三分之一。"把她从台上弄下来!"
“Now wait a minute,” I said, glad for the authority of the microphone, cutting off the hecklers. “I am Blackjack, also the pony known as Security. We are all here because this place... this horrible, dangerous place, is our home. It’s a home that is under attack by enemies seeking to either control us or destroy us.” The heckling died away as I took a deep breath. If I stopped, I’d probably never get going again.
"现在等一下,"我说，为麦克风的权威性感到高兴，切断了诘问者。"我是黑杰克，也是被称为安全的小马。我们都在这里，因为这个地方...这个可怕，危险的地方，是我们的家。这是一个受到敌人攻击的家园，他们要么控制我们，要么毁灭我们。"我深吸了一口气，质问声渐渐平息了。如果我停下来，我可能就再也不能继续下去了。
“All of you know me. For almost half a year, I’ve traveled all over the Hoof. Some of you know me personally, others through reputation. A few of you might have even fought against me. I’m that idiotic pony who always tries to do better. Who tries to give second chances. Who refuses to be an executioner. Stupid, I know. But stupid that doesn't stay down tends to stand out.
"你们都认识我。差不多有半年的时间，我走遍了霍夫。你们有些人认识我，有些人是通过名声认识我的。你们中的一些人甚至可能会反对我。我就是那个总是想做得更好的白痴小马。谁试图给第二次机会。他拒绝当刽子手。愚蠢，我知道。但是愚蠢的不停下来往往会脱颖而出。
“Now, some of you have seen another me that came out of the Core talking about unity. That everypony must work together and follow her lead. Has Security ever done that? Have I ever stood before any group and told them that they had to do what I say or die? No! ...Well... not if you don’t count slavers. But otherwise...” Okay, keep it together, Blackjack. “Anyway! That is not what I believe. If anyone is to stand with me, I want them to do it of their own free will. Because together, we are stronger than any of us alone.”
"现在，你们中的一些人已经看到另一个我，从核心出来谈论统一。每个人都必须团结一致，跟随她的脚步。安全部门曾经这样做过吗？我是否曾经站在任何一群人面前，告诉他们要么照我说的做，要么去死？不！如果不算奴隶贩子就不算。除此之外..."好了，冷静点，黑杰克。"不管怎么说！这不是我所相信的。如果有人愿意和我站在一起，我希望他们是自愿的。因为团结起来，我们比任何一个人都要强大。"
There was a softer murmuring at this and I bowed my head a little. “I know it’s a hard thing to believe. It’s an even harder thing to prove. All I ask is the opportunity to do so. Because I am Blackjack, and that other over-cyberized tyrant is the impostor. And if there is some way I can convince you, I’ll do it.”
听到这里有一种柔和的低语，我低了一下头。"我知道这很难让人相信。这是一件更难证明的事情。我所要求的只是有机会这样做。因为我是黑杰克，而另一个过度网络化的暴君是冒名顶替者。如果有什么办法可以说服你，我会去做的。"
“There is,” Triage said loudly as she, alongside Boo, trotted onto the stage with a metal box hovering above her. “Blackjack's story is that Cognitum stole her original body, and she ended up in a blank... a magical copy. Well, I happen to have a test for that.” There was more murmuring, some of the crowd angry but others curious. She arched a brow. “Anyone doubt the Collegiate running a scientific test here? Anyone?”
"是的,"伤检分类大声说道，她和Boo一起跑到舞台上，一个金属盒悬停在她的头顶。"Blackjack的故事是Cognitum偷走了她的原始身体，最后她变成了一个空白...一个魔法副本。好吧，我正好有个测试。"有更多的抱怨声，一些人很生气，但其他人很好奇。她挑起眉毛。"有人怀疑学院在这里进行科学测试吗？有人吗?"
“Science sucks,” someone in the back of the crowd yelled.
"科学糟透了,"人群后面的一个人喊道。
Triage stared flatly in the direction the voice had come from. “Duly noted,” she
分诊医生目不转睛地盯着声音传来的方向。"知道了,"她说
replied monotonically. She set down the box, opened it, and drew out a bucket, a radroach, and a Sparkle-Cola bottle full of rainbow fluid.
单调地回答。她放下盒子，打开盒子，拿出一个水桶、一把雨伞和一个装满彩虹液体的闪亮可乐瓶。
She hefted the bottle before the crowd. “This is pure taint. You all know what it does. Tumors. Deformities. Madness. Death. And in case you wondering if I’m lying...” She dropped the radroach into the bucket, then, turning her face away and covering her mouth with a hoof, popped the top of the bottle and dribbled a little of the rainbow glop onto the insect.
她在人群面前举起瓶子。"这纯粹是污点。你们都知道它的作用。肿瘤。畸形。疯狂。死亡。如果你想知道我是不是在撒谎......"她把耙子扔进桶里，然后转过脸，用蹄子捂住嘴，打开瓶盖，滴上一点彩虹色的水珠在昆虫身上。
The radroach gave a shriek, and then a multitude of legs, much more than a dozen, began to thrash and wiggle out the top. The bucket rocked wildly as something with tendrils or antennae tried to wiggle free. Triage pulled out a beam pistol and fired into the bucket repeatedly. It took several shots before the thing disintegrated. Wiping her brow, she then gestured to Boo. The assembled crowd seemed to draw in their breath sharply as Boo extended a hoof over the bucket. “Boo is a blank. And blanks...” She let the same goop dribble onto Boo to a gasp from some of the assembly. The rainbow sludge clung for a few seconds, then disappeared into her skin. Boo’s only response was a little giggle. “...are immune to taint.” Some in the crowd gave a disappointed ‘awww’.
雨貂尖叫了一声，然后一大群的腿，远远超过十二条，开始扭动和摆动出来的顶部。桶摇晃得很厉害，就像有卷须或触角的什么东西试图摆动一样。分诊医生拿出一把横梁式手枪，向桶里连续开了几枪。开了好几枪，那东西才解体。她擦了擦额头，然后向布做了个手势。当布把蹄子伸到桶上时，聚集在一起的人群似乎都屏住了呼吸。"Boo是一片空白。还有空包弹......"她让同样的黏糊糊的东西滴到了布身上，大会上的一些人倒吸了一口气。彩虹般的淤泥粘了几秒钟，然后消失在她的皮肤里。布的唯一反应是咯咯地笑了起来。"...对污染免疫"人群中有些人失望地"哇"了一声。
She then glared impatiently at me and nodded at the bucket. I sighed, stuck my hoof over it, and waited. Triage dribbled some of the goop onto me, and I winced, my mind filling with thoughts of wiggling eye-tentacle-penises, but nothing happened. My hoof tingled a bit, and I felt... good, actually. Like I’d had both a long night’s rest and a full meal. I inspected my leg. “Huh.”
然后她不耐烦地瞪着我，对着水桶点了点头。我叹了口气，用蹄子踩了一下，然后等待着。分类法把一些粘液滴到我身上，我退缩了，脑子里充满了扭动眼睛触手的阴茎的想法，但什么也没有发生。我的蹄子有点刺痛，我感觉......其实还不错。就好像我既睡了一个漫长的夜晚又吃了一顿丰盛的晚餐。我检查了我的腿。"哈。"
“Maybe you need more!” some wit shouted from the audience.
"也许你需要更多!"一些机智的人从观众中喊出来。
“Oh, for the love of Luna,” I snapped, rolling my eyes. I seized the bottle and tossed my head back, chugging down the sludge. There was a seminal texture to it, and a flavor that hovered somewhere among wallpaper paste, rust, and raw radroach. The benzene and cotton candy smell filled my nostril as I drained the bottle. When I finished, I looked over at the rapidly-retreating Triage. My guts rumbled, and I groaned as I clutched my stomach, then let out a phenomenally loud belch. A roiling ring of rainbow gas rose up from my mouth, expanded to slide over the unicorn statues atop the pillars, and transformed them into crude and uncouth depictions of Discord. I smacked my lips and peered at the residue sloshing in the bottom of the bottle. “Mmm, pretty good.”
"哦，看在上帝的份上,"我厉声说道，翻着白眼。我抓起瓶子，把头往后仰，咕噜咕噜地喝着污泥。它有一种开创性的质地，一种风味徘徊在墙纸糊，铁锈和生的栅栏之间。当我把瓶子喝干时，苯和棉花糖的味道充满了我的鼻孔。当我说完，我看了看急速撤退的伤员分类。我的内脏隆隆作响，我抱着肚子呻吟，然后打了一个非常响亮的嗝。一圈滚滚的彩虹气体从我的嘴里升起，扩展到滑过立在柱子上的独角兽雕像，把它们变成粗鲁粗野的不和谐描绘。我咂了咂嘴，盯着瓶底晃动的残渣。"嗯，很好吃。"
A ragged yellow earth pony stallion hopped up next to me, snagging the bottle with both hooves. “It’s a trick! See?” And before I could stop him, he drank the dregs of the bottle. He grinned as rainbow goop soaked into his lips. Triage sighed, putting a cigarette in her mouth and lighting it with a precise beam shot to the tip. “That wasn’t taint! They put the taint in the bucket ahead of time and used unicorn magic on them statues!” he said with a grin… that just kept getting bigger on half his face. The left side unzipped along the jaw and then along his throat. Tendrils began to wave from the breach as his stomach started to bulge like a sack of swelling worms. The crowd screamed in alarm as his head seemed to be in the process of turning inside out, his body jerking spasmodically and flipping over backwards.
一匹衣衫褴褛的黄色大地种马跳到我旁边，用两只蹄子抓住了瓶子。"这是个骗局！看到了吗?"我还没来得及阻止他，他就喝光了瓶子里的残渣。他咧开嘴笑着，嘴唇上沾满了彩虹般的糖浆。伤员分类医生叹了口气，把一支香烟放进嘴里，然后精确地点燃了烟头。"那不是污点！他们提前把污点放进桶里，然后用独角兽魔法把雕像变成独角兽!"他笑着说，脸上的笑容越来越大。左边的拉链沿着下巴拉开，然后沿着他的喉咙拉开。当他的肚子开始像一袋膨胀的蠕虫一样膨胀时，卷须开始从裂口处向外挥动。观众惊恐地尖叫起来，因为他的头似乎正处于向外翻的过程中，他的身体痉挛性地抽搐着，向后翻转。
Then Triage unloaded the beam pistol into him as I fell back. Thankfully, the incineration beams took hold and transformed the grotesque mass into a pile of dust. “Max charge cartridges. Never bother with anything else,” she said idly. She took a pull on her cigarette, looking indolently at the crowd, and levitated the bottle from the dust pile. “Well, that’s good enough for me. I believe her story. Anypony else want to check and see if there’s a trick?” she asked, pointing the mouth of the bottle at the crowd. As one, they all leaned back as if just the empty bottle were dangerous. Triage dropped the bottle into the bucket, set the bucket into the metal box, and flipped it closed with a resounding clang.
当我向后倒去的时候，分诊医生向他开了一枪。谢天谢地，焚化炉的光束控制住了，把这个奇形怪状的物体变成了一堆灰尘。"麦克斯给子弹充电。别为别的事烦恼,"她懒洋洋地说。她抽了一口烟，懒洋洋地看着人群，把瓶子从灰尘堆里抬起来。"好吧，这对我来说已经足够了。我相信她的话。还有其他人想看看是不是有什么诡计吗?"她问道，用瓶口指着人群。作为一个整体，他们都向后靠着，好像只有那个空瓶子是危险的。分诊医生把瓶子扔进桶里，把桶放进金属盒子里，砰地一声合上瓶盖。
One by one, Big Daddy, Finders Keepers, General Storm Chaser, Grace, and Paladin Stronghoof joined Triage on the stage, flanking me. “I don’t know about the rest of you,” Big Daddy said, the old earth pony pointing a hoof at the crowd, “but if I got a choice between this mare and that cyberized cunt, I’ll take this pony right here. If any one of you has a problem with her, you got a problem with yer Daddy.”
一个接一个，大老爹，发现者守护者，风暴追逐者，格雷斯，和游侠斯特朗霍夫在舞台上加入了分流，侧翼包抄我。"我不知道你们其他人怎么样,"大爸爸说，老地球上的小马指着人群,"但是如果让我在这匹母马和那个电脑化的婊子之间选择，我会选择这匹小马。如果你们中的任何一个人对她有意见，那么你们就是对你们的爸爸有意见。"
Finders gave a grin. “Well, I know that, until recently, in the last six months, scavenger casualties are down and caravan profits are up fifty percent. It wasn’t the Harbingers responsible for that. They confiscate anything they want. I’ll throw my lot in with a mare who asks for my help rather than demands it.” His smile faded. “Also, remember Riverside. We lost a lot of good people there.”
发现者咧嘴一笑。"嗯，我知道，直到最近，在过去的六个月里，拾荒者的伤亡减少了，大篷车的利润增加了百分之五十。这不是先驱者的责任。他们没收任何他们想要的东西。我会把我的命运交给一匹向我求助而不是向我求助的母马。"他的笑容消失了。"还有，别忘了河滨市。我们在那里失去了很多好员工。"
“Three months ago, we had a small problem in the skies,” Storm Chaser said, prompting a little laugh from the crowd. “This mare, who by all accounts had no reason to care about our problems, came to the sky and threw herself into the middle of a battle with the goal of saving as many innocent lives as possible.
"三个月前，我们在天空中遇到了一个小问题,"风暴追逐者说，引起了人群的一阵小笑。"据说这匹母马根本没有理由关心我们的问题，为了尽可能多地拯救无辜的生命，她冲向天空，投身于一场战斗之中。
Whichever side they might have been on. She didn’t want to conquer or condemn; she just wanted to stop the fighting. If we’d had more pegasi like her, we might not have had the war. More than that, if we had more like her, we might have come down to help generations ago.”
不管他们站在哪一边。她不想征服或谴责，她只想停止战斗。如果我们有更多的飞马座喜欢她，我们可能就不会有这场战争。更重要的是，如果我们有更多像她这样的人，我们几代人以前就可以下来帮忙了。"
Grace gave an elegant nod of her head. “Blackjack has changed every life she’s encountered, sometimes for the worse, but usually for the better. In spite of setbacks, she had never deviated from her ethos of doing better. It is an outlook that has spread beyond her. The Society is instituting reforms for the serfs that work our plantations, thanks in part to this mare’s generosity and compassion.” Her expression turned firm. “I saw none of that in Cognitum, the ‘Blackjack’ who came to us from the Core. In her was a mare who sees us all as her servants. For that, and for personal kindnesses rendered to me and my family, I stand with this mare.”
格蕾丝优雅地点了点头。"黑杰克改变了她遇到的每一个人的生活，有时候变得更糟，但通常是变得更好。尽管遭遇挫折，她从未偏离过做得更好的精神。这种观点已经超越了她的范围。该协会正在为我们种植园的农奴制定改革措施，这在一定程度上要感谢这匹母马的慷慨和同情。"她的表情变得坚定了。"我在Cognitum没有看到任何这样的东西，从核心区来到我们这里的'Blackjack'。在她身上有一匹母马，把我们都当作她的仆人。为此，也为了我和我的家人受到的个人恩惠，我站在这匹母马旁边。"
Paladin Stronghoof was silent for a moment, then spoke in his deep, sonorous voice. “I know the Steel Rangers do not possess a beloved status with most of you. For far too long we hid, safe within our bunkers, protected by technology we denied to others.” He lifted his head, his blue eyes hard. “We’ve often been met with hatred and resentment, and until recently, it has been deserved. We came to this place to restore a weapon we had no right to use. And when we were broken, by her hooves, no less, it was this glorious mare who gave us a new chance at building a future here!” He rose to his hindlegs, the light making his eyes shine and sparkles appear about his shoulders. “Never before have the Steel Rangers encountered such selfless generosity! It is a testament to–”
圣骑士斯特罗戈夫沉默了片刻，然后用他深沉而洪亮的声音说话。"我知道你们大多数人都不喜欢钢铁骑兵。我们躲藏的时间太长了，躲在我们的掩体里，受到我们不让别人知道的技术的保护。"他抬起头，蓝色的眼睛凝视着我。"我们经常遭遇仇恨和怨恨，直到最近，这都是理所当然的。我们来这里是为了修复一件我们无权使用的武器。当我们被她的蹄子折断的时候，正是这匹漂亮的母马给了我们一个在这里建立未来的新机会!"他站起身来，后腿站起，阳光使他的眼睛闪闪发光，肩膀上闪闪发光。"钢铁骑兵队从来没有遇到过如此无私的慷慨！这证明了——"
Triage’s magic surrounded the single lock of gold atop the massive unicorn’s head and yanked him back down to all fours. “Yeah. We get it. Enough of that,” she said sourly, taking a pull off the cigarette. “Point is, we stand behind her. Any of you have a problem with that, say it now.”
伤员分类法的魔法包围了巨大的独角兽头顶上的一把金锁，并把它拉回到四肢着地的状态。"是的。我们明白。够了,"她抽了一口烟，酸溜溜地说。"重点是，我们支持她。如果你们有任何问题，现在就说出来。"
The crowd murmured back and forth to themselves. I stepped forward. “This isn’t an easy place to live. In fact, I’m sure all of you have, at least once, thought how much it sucks to live here. But the Hoof is our home, and that doesn’t change no matter how hard it gets. We might all be different. Different people. Different values. Different dreams. But to all of us, this place is home, and all of us are family.” I turned and saw P-21 beaming on the edge of the stage. I looked back. “And whether you love your family or not, you stand by them no matter what! So that together, we all become stronger. So that together we rise up, with
人群自言自语地喃喃自语。我向前走了一步。"这不是一个容易生活的地方。事实上，我相信你们每个人都至少有一次想过，住在这里是多么糟糕。但霍夫是我们的家，不管它变得多么困难，这一点都不会改变。我们可能都是不同的。不同的人。不同的价值观。不同的梦想。但对我们所有人来说，这里就是家，我们都是一家人。"我转过身来，看到P-21在舞台边上笑逐颜开。我回头看了看。"不管你爱不爱你的家人，无论发生什么，你都要支持他们！这样我们才能一起变得更强大。所以我们一起奋起反抗
no one being left behind. Together we rise! Hoofington rises!”
不能丢下任何人。我们一起奋起！胡芬顿站了起来!"
Somepony began to stomp their hooves. Then another. A sand dog began to clap. Some more let out cheers. And then it was like a dam broke, and the amphitheatre filled with jubilation. “Holy shit, we pulled it off,” Triage muttered, barely in hearing range. “How about that?” The six on stage began to shift around, murmuring to each other.
有个小马开始跺蹄子。然后是另一个。一只沙狗开始拍手。更多的人发出了欢呼声。然后就像一个大坝决堤了，圆形剧场充满了欢呼。"我靠，我们成功了,"伤检员嘟囔着，勉强在听力范围之内。"怎么样?"舞台上的六个人开始转来转去，互相窃窃私语。
As the crowd continued to go nuts, I heard a mare say quietly, “Mother would be so happy right now.” I blinked over at Glory, who had come onto the stage with P-21, Scotch Tape, Velvet Remedy, and Homage. “You did it,” she almost whispered. “You brought the Hoof together.”
当人群继续发疯的时候，我听到一匹母马静静地说:"妈妈现在一定会很高兴的。"我对着晨辉眨了眨眼睛，他带着P-21、透明胶带、天鹅绒补救和敬意登上了舞台。"你做到了,"她几乎低声说。"你把蹄子召集在一起"
I stared at the cheering crowd. Ganger and Society, Collegiate and Steel Ranger, ghouls and griffins, and even sand dogs and hellhounds. “Not quite. I’m missing the zebras,” I answered, barely audible over the ruckus. “But give me some time.” I started to speak to her, hoping this was the perfect moment to mend things between us, but she turned and walked away.
我注视着欢呼的人群。甘格和社会，学院和钢铁骑兵，食尸鬼和格里芬，甚至沙狗和地狱犬。"不完全是。"我想斑马了,"我回答，在喧闹声中几乎听不见我的声音。"但是给我一些时间。"我开始和她说话，希望这是我们修复关系的最佳时机，但她转身走开了。
“War council now, girl,” Big Daddy muttered, then addressed the crowd. “Alright. We’re gonna plan the best way to stomp the Brood and the Remnant out of our valley, so just sit tight.” Spirits were so high right now that even I thought it was possible.
"现在是战争委员会了，孩子,"大爸爸喃喃自语，然后向人群发表讲话。"好吧。我们要想个最好的办法把布伦特一家和剩余者赶出我们的山谷，所以坐好了。"现在人们的情绪是如此高涨，以至于连我都认为这是可能的。
As we trotted off the other side of the stage, I asked him, “You think we can actually do it?”
当我们小跑着离开舞台的另一边时，我问他,"你认为我们真的能做到吗?"
He glanced back and snorted. “Right now, hell no. There’s at least five hundred Harbingers and probably five times that many Brood. But it never hurts to have high spirits.”
他回头看了一眼，哼了一声。"现在，绝对不行。这里至少有500个先驱者，可能是布鲁德病的5倍。但是，情绪高涨并没有什么坏处。"
The war council was taking place in a fancy marble rotunda next to the amphitheatre. A large round stone table occupied the center, and Grace, Triage, Finders Keepers, Paladin Stronghoof, Mayor Windclop, General Storm Chaser, Mare Do Well, and Rover were all crowded around it. There were a number of other ponies sitting further back in their own clumps. Goldenblood, Stygius, and Whisper stood off to the side. Velvet Remedy, Calamity, Homage, and Life Bloom were off on the other side. Sagittarius, Candlewick, Dazzle, Storm Front, and Xanthe formed a third knot. Glory, P-21, and Scotch Tape took their seats as a fourth. I tried to ignore the overhead friezes of superior-looking unicorn
战争委员会在圆形剧场旁边的一个漂亮的大理石圆形大厅里举行。一张巨大的圆形石桌占据了中间，格雷斯、分类、发现者、看守者、游侠斯特朗霍夫、市长温德克洛普、风暴追逐者、好马和流浪者都聚集在桌子周围。还有许多其他的小马在它们自己的丛中坐得更靠后。金色的血液，冥河，和低语站在一边。天鹅绒药方，灾难，敬意和生命绽放的另一边。射手座、蜡烛芯、眩目、暴风雨前锋和黄丝形成了第三个结。晨辉、P-21和透明胶带排在第四位。我尽量不去理会头顶上那些看起来比较高贵的独角兽
stallions leading earth pony brigades into battle and slaying dragons. It was easier to pay for art than to do half the things those images presented. Instead, I rushed to Rover and gave the big augmented brute a hug. “I thought she killed you!”
种马带领地球小马旅进入战场，屠龙。购买艺术品比做那些图片展示的一半要容易得多。相反，我冲向罗孚，给了这个强壮的大家伙一个拥抱。"我以为她杀了你!"
“Ponies...” he said with an exasperated sigh. “Dogs dig, and fast. Riverside gone, but sand dogs still here.” He made a face as he tapped my leg. “Why is pony always losing augments?”
"小马......"他气急败坏地叹了口气。"狗会挖，而且挖得很快。河边不见了，但沙狗还在这里。"他拍了拍我的腿，做了个鬼脸。"为什么小马总是失去增长?"
“I didn’t lose them this time, they were stolen. And I plan on getting them back!” Along with my baby, I added mentally.
"这次不是我弄丢的，是偷来的。我打算把它们找回来!"和我的孩子一起，我在心里加了一句。
“So, first order of business was going to be making sure you’re actually Blackjack, but I think the bit on stage took care of that,” Big Daddy said as he settled into his seat at the table. “Are any of you folks still not sure on that part?”
"所以，首要任务就是确保你真的是黑杰克，但我认为舞台上的那一小部分已经解决了这个问题,"大老爹一边坐下一边说。"你们还有人不确定吗?"
Everyone looked around to everyone else for confirmation, and then finally Big Daddy folded his hooves in front of him on the table. “So what’s going on, Blackjack? We’ve all heard bits and pieces, but we should be sure we have the full story.”
每个人都环顾四周，希望得到其他人的确认，最后大爸爸把他的蹄子叠起来放在桌子上。"怎么回事，黑杰克？我们都听到过一些零零碎碎的消息，但我们应该确信我们掌握了全部情况。"
I sighed and took a deep breath. “It’s a long story.” Then I recounted everything from the destruction of Shadowbolt Tower to the appearance of the Nightmare Citadel. I tried to be as succinct as I possibly could. The only things that I omitted were details about Horizons and about the Eater of Souls. All they needed to know was that Cognitum wanted to fire up an unimaginably powerful machine that would either make her unstoppable or kill everyone on the planet.
我叹了口气，深吸了一口气。"说来话长。"然后我详述了一切，从暗影闪电塔的毁灭到噩梦城堡的出现。我尽可能地简洁。我唯一遗漏的就是关于地平线和灵魂食者的细节。他们所需要知道的就是，科涅塔姆想要发动一台无法想象的强大机器，要么让她势不可挡，要么杀死这个星球上的所有人。
After I gave my brief and answered the questions I could, it was time for Goldenblood. The scarred, sour-faced pony gave a soft-spoken and far more detailed account of where Horizons was, how it worked, when it would align to fire, and how long it would take to impact.
在我做完我的简报并回答了我能回答的问题之后，金色血液的时间到了。这匹伤痕累累、面色酸楚的小马轻声细语地讲述了"地平线"号在哪里，它是如何工作的，它什么时候会与火焰对齐，以及它需要多长时间才能撞击地平线号。
“Now,” Calamity drawled from the side, “Maybe I’m missin’ somethin’ here but... why’d you build such a damned thing in the first place?”
"现在,"卡米特从旁边慢吞吞地说,"也许我错过了什么，但是......你当初为什么要造这么一个该死的东西呢?"
Goldenblood took a deep breath, his mouth working a moment like he was chewing on lemons, and muttered something.
金布拉德深深地吸了一口气，嘴巴像嚼着柠檬一样动了一下，咕哝着什么。
“What was that?” Homage pressed.
"那是什么?"表示敬意。
“Because Princess Luna was a complete cunt who had to be stopped before she took over the fucking world, okay?!” Whisper snapped from next to him.
"因为卢娜公主是个十足的混蛋，在她掌控世界之前必须被阻止，明白吗?"耳语从他身边传来。
“More or less,” Goldenblood said with a resigned sigh. “Luna had to be stopped if she, or any of the Ministry Mares, became a tyrant.”
"差不多吧,"金布拉德听天由命地叹了口气说。"如果卢娜，或者任何一个魔法部的母马变成暴君，我们必须阻止她。"
“So let me get this straight,” Mare Do Well rasped from inside her helmet. “You thought Luna might go completely out of control... and decided that the best thing to do was create a weapon that would kill everypony in the world?!”
"那么让我把话说清楚,"母马从她的头盔里发出刺耳的声音。"你认为卢娜可能会完全失去控制......并且认为最好的办法就是制造一种可以杀死世界上所有小马的武器?!"
Goldenblood threw his hooves in the air. “I made a mistake, okay? I screwed up. I was manipulated. I made a bad choice. I am sorry that it’s going to kill everyone in the world! Okay? I’m sorry!”
金布拉德把他的蹄子抛向空中。"我犯了个错误，好吗？我搞砸了。我被操纵了。我做了一个错误的选择。我很抱歉它会杀死世界上所有的人！好吗？对不起!"
“Sorry. He makes a superweapon to kill everypony, and he’s sorry,” Mare Do Well scoffed. “Ugh... whatever. At least that explains all the bits the O.I.A. kept dumping into the M.o.A. and mysteriously withdrawing again. That drove m-- er, drove Rainbow Dash nuts,” she huffed.
"对不起。他制造了一种超级武器来杀死每一匹小马，他很抱歉,"MareDoWell嘲笑道。"。"呃...随便了。至少这就解释了为什么o.i.a.不断地向m.o.a.投入资金，然后又神秘地退出了。这让我——呃，让彩虹·达什发疯了,"她生气地说。
“Well, Rainbow Dash had the least financial acumen of the Ministry Mares. I felt she’d never notice,” Goldenblood said with a shrug.
"嗯，彩虹·达什是魔法部的马里斯中最没有经济头脑的。我觉得她永远不会注意到,"戈登布拉德耸耸肩说。
“Give a mare two centuries to figure it out,” she muttered. Maybe it was the Flux I’d just drank, but everything seemed so much clearer and sharper to me. The map Stronghoof had made of the valley was laid out on the table, the red like the outer ring of a target. From Withers in the northwest, it formed an almost perfect circular arc along No Pony’s Land until it met with the sea on the north east.
"给母马两个世纪的时间去弄明白它,"她喃喃自语。也许是我刚才喝的弗拉克斯酒，但是对我来说，一切看起来都是那么的清晰和锋利。斯特罗霍夫绘制的山谷地图被摆放在桌子上，红色的地图像是目标的外环。从威瑟斯在西北部，它形成了一个几乎完美的圆弧沿着没有小马的土地，直到它遇到海在东北部。
“Turning Goldenblood into a punishment piñata wouldn’t do anything to stop Cognitum or Horizons,” I said as I looked at the council. “And that has to be our focus. She’s got a deal with the Legate. He has the Brood attack. The Harbingers kill them. Everyone loves her.”
"把金色血液变成惩罚性的皮塔，并不会阻止科格尼顿或者地平线,"我看着委员会说。"这必须成为我们的重点。她和特使达成了协议。布鲁德病发作了。先驱者杀死了他们。每个人都爱她。"
“And Cognitum insists we help or face dire consequences,” Paladin Stronghoof said grimly, his eyes narrowing dramatically. “A diabolical plan.”
"认知力坚持我们要么帮助，要么面对可怕的后果,"圣骑士斯诺戈夫严肃地说，眼睛急剧地眯起来。"一个恶魔般的计划。"
“Except that the Legate’s going to turn on her sooner or later. Either as soon as she leaves for the moon, or when she gets back. When that happens, the Brood is going to stop playing around. They’ll slaughter everypony in the valley,” I said with a frown. “We’re going to have to be ready for it when it comes.”
"除非特使迟早会背叛她。要么等她去月球，要么等她回来。当这种情况发生时，育雏就会停止玩耍。他们会屠杀山谷里的每一匹小马,"我皱着眉头说。"我们必须为它的到来做好准备。"
“Can the Brood really keep soaking up these casualties?” Storm Chaser asked. “Our scouts reported them taking severe hits from the Harbinger positions.”
"布鲁德一家真的能吸收这些伤亡人员吗?"风暴追逐者问道。"我们的侦察兵报告说，他们遭到了来自先驱者阵地的猛烈攻击。"
“Don’t think of blanks as ponies or zebras,” Triage explained. “If the bodies are recovered, the Flux can be alchemically extracted and shaped into a new blank instantly. Then a cybernetic control system is installed, combat routines implanted, and a new soldier is ready. Really, the only losses in combat so far are those on the Harbinger side.”
"不要把空包弹想成小马或者斑马,"分诊医生解释说。"如果尸体被回收，通量可以用金属化学方法提取，并立即形成一个新的空白。然后一个控制论的控制系统被安装，战斗程序被植入，一个新的士兵已经准备好了。实际上，迄今为止在战斗中唯一的损失是"先驱者"一方的损失。"
“The Harbingers have been getting more and more insistent on resupply from the Finders,” Keeper said with a snort. “I know they might have the fanciest guns in the Wasteland, but they’re using up all the bullets for them.”
"先驱者已经越来越坚持再补给从芬德尔,"守护者说与鼻息。"我知道他们可能拥有荒原上最好的枪支，但是他们已经用光了所有的子弹。"
“Which means that when the Brood stops playing around, they’re going to push in hard,” I said as I glared at the map.
"这意味着，当布伦特一家停止玩耍的时候，他们将会努力推进,"我说，同时我怒视着地图。
“But how will we do any better than the Harbingers?” Grace asked as she too stared down at the map. “If the Brood are effectively limitless, there’s no way we can win either.”
"但是我们怎么才能比先驱者做得更好呢?"格蕾丝也低头盯着地图问道。"如果布鲁德夫妇实际上是取之不尽用之不竭的，那么我们也不可能赢。"
“We can win because we’re going to be smarter than ‘shoot and then shoot some more’,” I said, turning to Triage. “They must be being produced by Trees of Life; if we destroy the trees, no more bottomless reserves, right?”
"我们能赢，因为我们会比'先开枪，然后再开枪'更聪明,"我说，转向分流。"它们一定是生命之树生产的，如果我们摧毁了这些树，就没有更深不见底的保护区了，对吧?"
“Right,” she said with a nod, and the glow of her magic lifted a pen to the map. “There’re three bunkers producing the Brood. Here, here, and here.” She drew three X’s, one west of Fluttershy Medical Center, one south of Elysium, and one northeast of Happyhorn. “If we can get some ponies in there and destroy the trees, we’ll still have thousands of Brood to contend with but won’t have to worry about them getting endless reinforcements.”
"是的,"她点了点头，魔法的光芒把一支笔举到了地图上。"有三个地堡孕育着魔龙军团。这里，这里，还有这里她画了三个x，一个在FluttershyMedicalCenter西部，一个在极乐世界南部，一个在哈比霍恩东北部。"如果我们可以在那里得到一些小马和摧毁树木，我们仍然有成千上万的布鲁德竞争，但不必担心他们得到无休止的增援。"
“That’s not going to be easy,” General Storm Chaser said as she regarded the three. “Any strike teams going in there would be facing severe odds. Infiltration would be extremely risky, too.”
"这可不容易,"斯托姆·查瑟将军一边说，一边注视着这三个人。"任何进入那里的突击队都将面临严峻的形势。渗透也是极其危险的。"
I took in the sight of the ponies gathered and a chill ran up my spine as I realized that whatever we planned here might mean the deaths of friends. “Leave it up to the Zodiacs,” Sagittarius said. “We’ll take out those bunkers.”
我看到了聚集在一起的小马驹，一股寒意掠过我的脊背，因为我意识到我们在这里的计划可能意味着朋友的死亡。"把它留给黄道带,"射手座说。"我们要干掉那些地堡。"
“Tough as you guys are, you can’t take all three,” Dazzle said. “The Reapers can
"尽管你们这些家伙很强硬，但你们不可能三个都拿下,"戴泽说。"收割者可以
get in there and tear down a bunker or two. Right, Big Daddy?” The old earth pony chuckled and nodded. “Candle, Storm Front, myself, and a few others should be able to get in and out without too much trouble.”
进去拆掉一两个碉堡。对吧，大老爹?"地球上的那匹老矮种马咯咯地笑着，点了点头。"Candle，StormFront，我自己和其他一些人应该可以进出，不会有太多麻烦。"
For a moment, Sagittarius seemed ready to argue, but then he smirked. “Bet we get our bunker first.”
有那么一瞬间，射手座似乎准备好了争论，但是他得意地笑了起来。"我打赌我们会先找到地堡。"
“You’re on,” Candlewick rasped with an eager grin.
"就这么定了,"烛芯急切地笑着，粗声粗气地说。
Xanthe shifted and fidgeted. “Well... I mean... we’re not Reapers or Zodiacs, but my friends and I should be able to get the third.” Two dozen ponies stared at her, and the stealth suit she wore chirped an ‘uh oh’.
赞斯动了动，坐立不安。"嗯......我的意思是......我们不是死神或者黄道带，但是我和我的朋友们应该可以得到第三个。"二十多匹小马盯着她看，她穿的隐形衣叽叽喳喳地叫着。
“Who are you again?” Triage asked, arching a brow.
"你是谁来着?"分诊医生问道，扬起了眉毛。
“This is Xanthe,” I said as I trotted to her. “She and her friends took down Red Eye’s forces at Paradise Mall. How are you doing, Xanthe?”
"这是赞斯,"我边说边向她小跑着。"她和她的朋友们在天堂购物中心击败了红眼的部队。你好吗，桑丝?"
“Cursed,” she replied with a tragic sigh. “But well. I am glad you are still alive, Maiden.” I grinned and gave her a hug, the zebra stiffening under my embrace. “Well... what’s a little more curse?” she muttered.
"被诅咒了,"她悲伤地叹了口气回答。"不过，好吧。我很高兴你还活着，少女。"我咧嘴笑了笑，给了她一个拥抱，那只斑马在我的拥抱下僵硬了。"那么......还有什么更多的诅咒呢?"她喃喃自语道。
“These three can get the bunkers,” I said, turning back to the table. “But that’s still going to leave us with a couple thousand Brood to deal with. How can we make that number more manageable?”
"这三个人可以得到掩体,"我说，转身回到桌子上。"但这还是会给我们留下几千个孩子要处理。我们如何才能使这个数字更易于管理?"
Triage took a thoughtful drag of her cigarette. “Well, since the Brood are more like organic robots than anything else, they’ve got to have some kind of control system that lets them act in an organized fashion.”
分诊医生沉思地抽了一口烟。"好吧，因为布伦特一家更像是有机机器人，他们必须有某种控制系统，让他们能够有组织地行动。"
“Then step two is their command and coordination. How can we disrupt it?” I asked as I looked to the smarter ponies.
"第二步是他们的指挥和协调。我们怎么能破坏它呢?"我看着那些更聪明的小马，问道。
“They’ve got to be using some kind of broadcast system. Maybe even the MASEBS,” Homage said as she peered more closely at the map. “I used every backdoor code I know, and I still couldn’t get control of the valley’s towers. Somepony has installed a superuser that's locked all root privileges systemwide, and I don’t have the time or expertise to remove it.”
"他们肯定使用了某种广播系统。也许甚至是MASEBS,"霍梅一边说，一边更仔细地凝视着地图。"我使用了所有我知道的后门代码，但我仍然无法控制山谷中的双子塔。Somepony已经安装了一个超级用户，锁定了系统范围内的所有root权限，我没有时间或者专业知识来删除它。"
“So we can’t shut them all down at once. If we could jam it, though, then instead
"所以我们不能一下子把它们全部关闭。但是，如果我们可以堵塞它，那么取而代之
of facing one monolithic force, we’d be fighting thousands of isolated cyberzebras. Much more doable.” I turned to Mare Do Well. “What do you think?”
面对一个巨大的力量，我们将会与数以千计的，孤立的网络斑马作战。更具可行性。"我转向MareDoWell。"你觉得怎么样?"
“Sabotaging the enemy’s communications? Sure. Fliers could do it. We can’t use the MASEBS anyway; might as well deny them access too. No big,” Mare Do Well said casually, getting a curious look from Goldenblood. The purple armored mare straightened a bit. “We’d need some help for the fireteams disabling them.”
"破坏敌人的通讯？当然。飞行员可以做到。我们无论如何都不能使用MASEBS;最好也拒绝他们访问。没什么大不了的,"MareDoWell漫不经心地说，从Goldenblood得到一个好奇的眼神。紫色披甲的母马稍稍挺直了身子。"我们需要一些帮助，让消防队禁用这些设备。"
“Why not just destroy them with one of those Raptors?” Whisper asked. “Boom. Gone. Problem solved.”
"为什么不用一架猛禽直接消灭他们呢?"小声问道。"砰。没了。问题解决了。"
“Aside from the fact that Cognitum might have two Raptors of her own,” Storm Chaser said, “if we destroy the towers, they’ll go to a network of smaller broadcasters. If we can jam the airwaves with garbage, they won’t be able to fall back on secondary broadcast systems. We’ll need some designated channels for our own communications, of course.”
"除了认知空间可能有两架猛禽战斗机这个事实,"斯托姆·查瑟说,"如果我们摧毁了双子塔，它们就会转向一个小广播公司的网络。如果我们能用垃圾信号干扰电波，他们就不能依靠二级广播系统了。当然，我们需要一些指定的通讯渠道。"
“What about the Legate himself?” Calamity asked. “Seems like one good shot’ll take the head off this here serpent.”
"那大使本人呢?"卡拉米特问道。"看来一枪就能把这条蛇的头打下来。"
“The Legate...” I paused, thinking of how to best put it. “He’s immortal. Shooting him in the head won’t kill him. I know. I tried it already.”
"特使......"我停顿了一下，想着该怎么说才好。"他是不朽的。朝他脑袋开一枪不会要了他的命。我知道。我已经试过了。"
Calamity, Velvet, Homage, and Life Bloom gave sickly smiles before they took in the utterly grim looks on everypony’s face. “Y’all are serious? Y’all got folk out here that won’t die?”
灾难，天鹅绒，敬意，和生命布鲁姆给了病态的微笑，然后他们采取在每匹小马的脸上完全冷酷的表情。"你们是认真的吗？你们这里有不死的人吗?"
Big Daddy, Grace, and Triage gave a little shrug. “It happens,” Big Daddy said simply. “I’ve dealt with a few in my time. Rampage was that way.”
大老爹、格蕾丝和伤检分类医生耸了耸肩。"这种事时有发生,"大爸爸简单地说。"我这辈子处理过一些。狂暴就是这样。"
Calamity sputtered, “This place is damned screwed up!”
灾难气急败坏地说:"这地方真他妈的糟透了!"
A multitude of ponies chuckled, along with myself. “Welcome to Hoofington, Calamity,” I said with a smile.
许多小马和我一起咯咯地笑了起来。"欢迎来到Hoofington，卡拉米蒂,"我微笑着说。
“Even if the Legate is immortal, he’s got to have a support staff,” Velvet said with a troubled frown. “...Unless he has some kind of direct control like the Goddess did.”
"即使使节是不朽的，他也需要一个支持团队,"维拉维特皱着眉头说。"...除非他能像女神那样直接控制一切。"
“Gee. That’s a wonderful thought. While he is immortal, though, I don’t think he has that level of control, or will. I was in Unity. The alicorns had their own semi-independence while in the hive. If the Brood are acting as just organic robots, then it’s different. So somepony has to be actually supporting the combat troops.”
"哎呀。这是一个美妙的想法。虽然他是不朽的，但是我不认为他有那种程度的控制力，或者说意志力。我当时在尤尼蒂。栖息在蜂巢中的橡树果具有半独立性。如果育雏就像是有机的机器人，那就不一样了。因此，必须有人真正支持战斗部队。"
“The Remnant is handling it,” Sagittarius said, but then the green unicorn frowned. “Though I can’t say they seem to be all that happy about it.”
"剩下的人正在处理,"射手座说，但绿色的独角兽皱起了眉头。"尽管我不能说他们似乎对此感到很高兴。"
“So we just go behind the lines and wipe out the zebras. Simple,” Whisper said with a happy shrug.
"所以我们只好越过界线，消灭斑马。很简单,"Whisper愉快地耸耸肩说。
“Not so simple,” I said firmly, before Velvet Remedy could object. “The Remnant are victims of the Legate and Cognitum too. We need to get in touch with Lancer and Sekashi. They have to be working on this.” Velvet Remedy seemed very approving of my comment.
"没那么简单,"我坚定地说，在"天鹅绒药方"可以反对之前。"残余者也是公使和同族的受害者。我们需要联系Lancer和Sekashi。他们必须努力解决这个问题。"VelvetRemedy似乎非常赞同我的评论。
“Even if we don’t directly target the personnel, we should try to take out their weapons,” Stronghoof said, pointing to the southeast corner of the map. “They’re bringing weapons from Dawn Bay by the cartload to a depot here, southeast of the Luna Space Center. It appears to be their base of operations.” He glowered at the paper. “Short of using a balefire bomb or megaspell, any attempts to wipe it out will be dearly paid for.”
斯特朗霍夫指着地图的东南角说:"即使我们不直接瞄准人员，我们也应该试着打掉他们的武器。"。"他们把武器从黎明湾一车一车地运到月球航天中心东南方的一个仓库。这似乎是他们的行动基地。"他怒视着报纸。"除了使用橡胶炸弹或者巨型炸弹，任何试图消灭它的行为都将付出沉重的代价。"
“Still, an unarmed Brood is a lot less dangerous than an armed one,” Storm Chaser said, then thumped her hoof on the table. “Damn you, Hoarfrost and Afterburner! A few Raptors could take out that depot easily if they didn’t have to deal with enemy aircraft.”
"尽管如此，一个没有武器的布鲁德家族比一个有武器的要安全得多,"风暴追赶者说，然后用她的蹄子敲了敲桌子。"去你的，霍尔弗罗斯特和加力！如果不需要对付敌机的话，几架猛禽战斗机就可以轻易地摧毁那个仓库。"
“Since when is anything easy for us?” I asked with a wan smile. “How many Raptors do we have?”
"从什么时候开始，对我们来说什么都是容易的了?"我带着苍白的微笑问道。"我们有多少只猛禽?"
“Three that are combat capable: the Sleet, the Cyclone, and the Gale-- ahem, the Rampage. They need at least another month of love and care to call them combat ready, though. The Castellanus... well...” Storm Chaser shook her head. “She won't drop out of the sky, but that’s about it.”
"三个有战斗能力的:雨夹雪，旋风，还有大风——嗯，狂暴。不过，他们至少还需要一个月的关爱才能称之为战斗准备。卡斯特兰纳斯......好吧......"风暴追逐者摇了摇头。"她不会从天上掉下来，但仅此而已。"
“What about attacking Dawn Bay directly?” Grace asked. “Could that draw them off? Is it even possible?”
"直接进攻黎明湾怎么样?"格蕾丝问道。""那能把他们引开吗？这真的可能吗?"
“If we’d had the HMS Celestia, possibly.” Stronghoof blew through his mustache. “Since we don’t...”
"如果我们有皇家海军舰艇塞莱斯蒂亚号的话，很有可能。"斯特朗霍夫吹过他的胡子。"既然我们没有......"
“The Legate probably wouldn’t care, even if we did. He’s concerned with this battle. He wants to wipe us all out and call it a day,” I said with a frown.
"即使我们这么做了，大使可能也不会在乎。他很关心这场战斗。他想把我们都干掉，今天就到此为止,"我皱着眉头说。
Storm Chaser regarded the map. “We’re going to have to pull back defensively. Concentrate our vulnerable populations into more easily defended camps and keep a line so the camps don’t get cut off.” She reached down and tapped the map. “Stable 99, Megamart, Miramare, the Halfheart headquarters, Elysium, Scrapyard, Meatlocker, the Nightmare Citadel, and the Burners’ headquarters,” she said, gesturing to each in turn as she moved counter clockwise around the map.
风暴追逐者看了看地图。"我们将不得不撤回防守。把我们的弱势群体集中到更容易防守的营地，保持一条线，这样营地就不会被切断。"她伸手触摸地图。"Stable99，Megamart，米拉马雷，Halfheart总部，Elysium，Scrapyard，Meatlocker，噩梦城堡，还有燃烧者的总部,"她一边说，一边在地图上以逆时针方向移动，一个接一个地指着他们。
Finders Keepers rubbed his chin. “And if we can’t hold those, we’re going to need somewhere to fall back to.”
管理员抚摸着他的下巴。"如果我们无法持有这些资产，我们就需要找到一个可以依靠的地方。"
“Stable 99 and the Citadel have stable doors to hide behind,” Whisper pointed out.
Whisper指出:"稳定的99和'城堡'有稳定的门可以躲在后面。"。
“Right. So their fighters can fall back and keep fighting.” Big Daddy nodded. “The Ironmare station on the bay is another place we can fall back to. Our arena. The Skyport. The Collegiate. And Chapel.”
"对。这样他们的战士就可以撤退并继续战斗。"大老爹点点头。"海湾上的Ironmare车站是另一个我们可以回去的地方。我们的竞技场。空中港口。学院派。还有礼拜堂。"
Triage sighed and tapped the end of her cigarette on the table as she regarded me coolly. “Any chance we could hold out in the Core? It was made to be a fortress.”
分诊医生叹了口气，在桌子上轻轻地点了点烟头，冷冷地看着我。"我们有可能在核心区坚持下去吗？它被建成了一个堡垒。"
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s a deathtrap. The Enervation will liquefy you in a few seconds. As far as I know, that’s the plan. Push us all the way into the Core and call it a day.”
"没有。"我摇了摇头。"这是一个危险的地方。这股能量会在几秒钟内将你融化。据我所知，这就是我的计划。把我们推进核心区，然后收工。"
“Well... it’s going to be brutal. We’re completely surrounded. We’re going to need more fighters. Lots more,” Storm Chaser said, glowering at the map. “This is shaping up to be an organizational nightmare.”
"嗯......这将是残酷的。我们被完全包围了。我们需要更多的战士。还有很多,"风暴追逐者说，怒视着地图。"这将成为一场组织上的噩梦。"
I sighed, tapping my hoof against the floor, before looking over at Velvet. If we just had LittlePip to help us coordinate things, we might... wait... “Stronghoof, how many broadcasters did they get out of Shadowbolt Tower and take to Stable 99?”
我叹了口气，用蹄子敲了敲地板，然后抬头看了看天鹅绒。如果我们让小匹普帮助我们协调事情，我们可能会......等等......"你个废物，到底有多少广播员从暗影螺栓塔出来，带到Stable99?"
“A few hundred,” he said, and then his eyes alighted. “Ah! You want to distribute them across the Hoof so we can organize our defense more effectively.” I grinned and nodded.
"几百个,"他说，然后他的眼睛落了下来。"啊！你想把它们分散在霍夫一带，这样我们就能更有效地组织防御。"我咧嘴一笑，点了点头。
Storm Chaser rubbed her chin. “With me organizing our air forces and Big Daddy organizing our ground forces, we might be able to pull it off. I will have to be in charge of course,” she said matter-of-factly. “We can’t squander the air power we have left.”
追风者摩挲着下巴。"有我组织我们的空军和大老爹组织我们的地面部队，我们也许能够成功。我当然得负责,"她实事求是地说。"我们不能浪费剩余的空军力量。"
“You in charge? You’re organizing a few Raptors and flight squads. I’ll be in charge of every gang and soldier in the Hoof. I’m the one calling the shots here, missy,” he snapped back.
"你是负责人？你们组织了一些猛禽和飞行队。我将负责霍夫的每个帮派和士兵。"我才是发号施令的人，小姐,"他厉声回答。
Stronghoof rose to his hooves. “I am not a neophyte to tactics myself, and I would be less likely to employ the brutal tactics you favor.”
斯特朗霍夫猛地站起来。"我自己并不是一个初学战术的人，我也不太可能采用你喜欢的那种野蛮战术。"
“Right. Till you fall back on the tried and true tactic of jumping in your bunker and closing the door, leaving us all alone,” Triage sneered.
"对。直到你回到那个屡试不爽的战术，跳进你的地堡，关上门，把我们一个人留在那里,"特里格冷笑道。
“Enough!” Windclop shouted. “It seems simple enough to me that Blackjack will be the one in charge. Right, Blackjack?”
"够了!"温德克洛普喊道。"在我看来，黑杰克将是负责人，这很简单。对吧，黑杰克?"
But now I frowned. “No. I can’t. I have to stop Horizons, or all of this is pointless.” I saw the defense we needed most falling apart. Somepony had to manage all of these factions so that we had a chance. My eyes surveyed the present ponies and stopped on the perfect candidate.
但是现在我皱起了眉头。"没有。我不能。我必须阻止"地平线"，否则这一切都毫无意义。"我看到我们最需要的防守崩溃了。一些小马必须管理所有这些派系，以便我们有一个机会。我的目光扫视了一下现在的小马，停在了那匹完美的候选马身上。
“Him,” I said, pointing a hoof at Goldenblood.
"他,"我说，用蹄子指着Goldenblood。
The silence was almost louder than the squabbling it replaced.
沉默几乎比争吵更响亮。
“Him?!” Mare Do Well growled. “Blackjack, have you lost your mind? That’s Goldenblood! That’s... you... you want him in charge?”
"他?!""母马做得好"咆哮着。"黑杰克，你疯了吗？那是金色血统！这就是......你......你想让他负责?"
“I do,” I said simply as I trotted over to stand beside the scarred unicorn.
"我愿意,"我边说边小跑过去站在伤痕累累的独角兽旁边。
“Are you insane?” Goldenblood hissed under his breath.
"你疯了吗?"金色的血液在他的呼吸中嘶嘶作响。
“Jury’s still out,” I said with a strained grin. “Goldenblood here liaised with all the ministries,” I said more loudly, “managing resources to keep Equestria going.
"还没有定论,"我紧张地笑着说。"这里的金色血统联系了所有的部门,"我更大声地说,"管理资源来维持小马国的运转。"。
He’s a neutral party. He doesn’t favor any one of you over any other. No axes to grind. No reason to stab any backs. You can trust him to get you through this.”
他是一个中立党派。他不喜欢你们中的任何一个。没有什么好磨的。没有理由背后捅刀子。你可以相信他会帮你度过难关。"
Mare Do Well made choking noises inside her helmet. I fixed a stare on her. “Unless you want to run the defense?”
MareDoWell在她的头盔里发出窒息的声音。我盯着她看。"除非你想做辩护律师?"
I doubted a Ministry Mare would fare much better in getting a half dozen factions to cooperate, even if she hadn’t been quite as controversial as Twilight or Rarity. Still, it was a plan B if she insisted on spiking plan A. The purple-power-armored pony sat back, then pointed a hoof at the scarred stallion. “You better not screw up this time, Goldenblood. Fool me once... shame on... just don’t mess it up!”
我怀疑一匹母马能否更好地让六个派系合作，即使她没有像《暮光之城》或《稀世》那样引起争议。尽管如此，如果她坚持执行a计划，那还是b计划。那匹穿着紫色盔甲的小马往后一靠，然后用蹄子踢了踢那匹伤痕累累的种马。"这次你最好别搞砸了，金血王。骗我一次......真丢脸......别把事情搞砸了!"
“Is this an acceptable compromise for everypony?” I asked as I looked from one to the next. “Goldenblood will keep everypony coordinated and working together.” None of them liked it, but all of them could accept it.
"这是每匹小马都能接受的妥协吗?"我一个接一个地问道。"金色血统会让每匹小马协调一致，团结一致。"没有一个人喜欢它，但是他们都能接受它。
“Blackjack, are you sure–” Goldenblood began.
"黑杰克，你确定吗?"金血王开始说。
I put my hooves on his shoulders. “I want everypony to live. Can you do that?”
我把我的蹄子搭在他的肩上。"我希望每匹小马都能活下去。你能做到吗?"
His mouth worked as his yellow eyes stared around. “I... I can try.”
他的黄眼睛盯着周围，嘴巴在动。"我.....。.我可以试试。"
“That’s all I want. Keep them from each other’s throats and keep every one of them alive. Listen to Big Daddy and Storm Chaser on tactics, but above all keep everyone alive. Don’t let anypony mess around with anypony else. No backstabby. No betrayal. None of that.” I took another deep breath. “Can you do that?”
"这就是我想要的。让他们远离对方的喉咙，让他们每个人都活着。听听大老爹和风暴追逐者的战术，但最重要的是让每个人都活着。不要让任何小马和其他小马混在一起。没有暗箭伤人。没有背叛。这些都不是。"我又深吸了一口气。"你能做到吗?"
He fidgeted for a few more seconds, closed his eyes as if searching his soul, and then gave a firm nod. “Good,” I said, patting him on the shoulder. Ponies at the meeting started to split up, talking in low voices, getting our resistance started. I waited till the eyes were off both of us before I asked with a sheepish grin, “How’d you like my speech?”
他又坐立不安了几秒钟，闭上眼睛，仿佛在深思熟虑，然后坚定地点了点头。"很好,"我说，拍了拍他的肩膀。小马在会议上开始分裂，低声说话，让我们的抵抗开始。我一直等到眼睛离开我们两个，然后带着羞怯的笑容问道:"你觉得我的演讲怎么样?"
His face was pensive, and he took a few seconds to answer. “It seemed hauntingly familiar. Hoofington rises?” He cocked his eyebrow.
他的脸沉思着，过了几秒才回答。"这似乎令人难以忘怀地熟悉。胡芬顿站起来了?"他翘起眉毛。
“What? I was terrified. It just seemed like an appropriate theme to rip off,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
"什么？我吓坏了。这似乎是一个合适的主题，以撕开,"我说，与我的眼珠子。
“Well, I hope your plagiarism won’t come back to bite you in the tail. After all, look what it did for me,” he said, staring in the direction of the Core. The city was so still and quiet. No lightning. No rain. Silent. “You understand the Legate will certainly try to personally kill whomever is in charge of our forces, don’t you?” I couldn’t reply. “Especially if it's me,” he added dryly.
"好吧，我希望你的剽窃行为不会反咬你一口。毕竟，看看它给我带来了什么,"他说，眼睛盯着核心的方向。这个城市是如此安静。没有闪电。没有雨。沉默。"你知道大使一定会亲自杀死任何指挥我军的人，对吧?"我无法回答。"尤其是我,"他干巴巴地补充道。
I didn’t answer immediately as I surveyed the city as well. “I’m sorry,” I murmured.
我没有立即回答，因为我也环顾了这座城市。"对不起,"我低声说。
He gave that soft, whispery laugh. “I’m sure you are.” He stared ahead. “I’m not. If I am to die, at least it’ll be fixing this mess I created. I’ll have contingencies in place for if... when... the Legate comes for me.”
他发出了那种温柔的、轻声细语的笑声。"我相信你会的。"他凝视着前方。"我没有。如果我要死了，至少也要解决我造成的这个烂摊子。我会准备好应急措施，以防......当......使节来找我时。"
“Did you ever think it would be this way?” I asked him, and he arched his brow. “Life, I mean?”
"你想过会是这样吗?"我问他，他皱起了眉头。"我是说生活?"
“No,” he said. “I was prepared for a simple life preparing lessons on history and politics, with a little rock collecting or sculpture on the side. That I’d doom the world...” He gave a tiny smile. “I never imagined I’d be so good at it, Blackjack.”
"不,"他说。"我准备过一种简单的生活，准备上历史和政治课，同时收藏一些石头或雕塑。我要毁灭这个世界......"他微微一笑。"我从没想过我会这么在行，Blackjack。"
I couldn’t help but smile a little too. “Do you know what your virtue is, Goldenblood?” I asked.
我也忍不住微微一笑。"你知道你的美德是什么吗，金血王?"我问道。
He shook his head. “No idea, but I hope it’s repentance.” He rose as Big Daddy, Stronghoof, Storm Chaser, and Mare Do Well waved him over. “Luna protect us all. I only hope we find some reinforcements soon,” he said solemnly before walking towards them.
他摇了摇头。"不知道，但我希望这是一种忏悔。"他站起来的时候，大爸爸、斯特罗霍夫、风暴追逐者和马都好向他挥手致意。"露娜保护我们所有人。我只希望我们能尽快找到增援部队,"他一本正经地说，然后朝他们走去。
I looked at the clear sky. Was it wrong of me to prefer the rain and storm?
我看着晴朗的天空。我喜欢暴风雨是错误的吗？
My gaze dropped down at the map. We needed more fighters. Needed... I furrowed my brow. “Velvet?” I called out, and the unicorn looked over. “I need to borrow some alicorns.”
我的目光落在地图上。我们需要更多的战士。需要......我皱起眉头。"天鹅绒?"我大声喊道，独角兽俯视着我。"我需要借一些橡子。"
 
Author's Notes:
作者笔记:
(Author’s notes: Okay! Another chapter down! This is another chapter that
(作者笔记:好吧！又一章结束了！这是另一个章节
started to grow on me and I had to cut it off. Next chapter should finally bring about other things. We are getting closer to the ending... promise. Really! This chapter was very hard to write and I’m sorry if it upset people. All these chapters are just going to get rougher to the very end as Blackjack works to try and stop Cognitum.
我开始喜欢上它了，我不得不把它剪掉。下一章最终会带来其他的东西。我们离结局越来越近了...承诺。真的！这一章很难写，如果让人们感到不安，我很抱歉。所有这些章节只是将得到粗糙的最后作为黑杰克工程，以尝试和停止认知。
I’d like to give the usual round of thanks: to Kkat for creating FoE; to Hinds, Bronode, swicked, and Heartshine for editing it; to everyone who put in the time to read it; and to everyone that gives feedback either at Cloudsville or FimFic. It’s very appreciated. Also, if anyone wants to help support the story, bits can be donated through Paypal to David13ushey@gmail.com.
我想像往常一样表示感谢:感谢Kkat创造了FoE;感谢Hinds、Bronode、swized和Heartshine编辑了它;感谢每一个花时间阅读它的人;感谢每一个在Cloudsville或FimFic给予反馈的人。非常感谢。此外，如果有人想帮助支持这个故事，可以通过贝宝捐赠给david13ushey@gmail.com。
Two other pieces of info! First, some incredibly talented and generous musical artists have made a Project Horizons Club soundtrack. It was supposed to get me to Bronycon this year but, sadly, that’s just not in the cards. Still, it is greatly appreciated and can be picked up at: http://hoofingtonrises.bandcamp.com for seven dollars.
另外两条信息！首先，一些非常有才华和慷慨的音乐艺术家制作了地平线俱乐部的原声带。这本来是我今年去Bronycon的机会，但遗憾的是，这根本不可能。尽管如此，它仍然非常受欢迎，并且可以在:以美元的价格购买。
Secondly, I have a new story project I’m working on though FimFic. http://www.fimfiction.net/story/204342/broken-accords It’s essentially a typically overly complex and horribly written story. If you’ve enjoyed Horizons, hopefully you will enjoy it too.
其次，我有一个新的故事项目，虽然我正在FimFic工作。本质上来说，这是一个典型的过于复杂和可怕的http://www.fimfiction.net/story/204342/broken-accords。如果你喜欢《视野》，希望你也会喜欢。
Again, thank you.)
再次感谢。)
(Heartshine: This was a fun and painful chapter to edit. Gotta love romantic situations! Also I twitched so much with Blackjack being ‘glazed.’ That stuff is hell to get out of your hair…)
(心灵闪耀:这是一个有趣和痛苦的编辑章节。一定要喜欢浪漫的场景！此外，我抽搐得太厉害了，因为Blackjack看起来很"迷人"那些东西就是地狱般的东西，让你不再烦恼...)
(Bronode: If anyone lost their lunches this chapter, that’s my fault. I pushed for most of the drippy descriptions. I’m not sorry.)
(布罗诺德:如果有人在这一章丢了他们的午餐，那是我的错。我努力写出了大部分模棱两可的描述。我不感到抱歉。)
(swicked: I enjoy working on these things way too much. And the ‘champ’ has finally been unseated! Long live our sexy blue demigod of love and his many-horned crown of pre-lubricated, vibrating appendages!) (Hinds: So... I think that the chapter lives up to its number. There’s a lot of good non-sex-related stuff in it too, of course (I’m interested to hear if anyone has thoughts on Blackjack’s speech; there’s a lot going on there), but… yeah. Chapter 69, everyone!)
(我太喜欢做这些事情了。冠军终于被拉下马了！万岁，我们性感的蓝色爱神和他的许多有角的王冠预先润滑，振动附属物!)(欣兹:所以......我认为这一章不辜负了它的数量。当然，里面也有很多与性无关的好东西(我很想知道有没有人对Blackjack的演讲有什么想法，里面有很多内容)，但是......是的。第69章，各位!)