Opposites Attract
"Ponyville."
The name alone disgusts me. It's a sugarcoated world of fake happiness. It's not possible for mankind to be this happy. Sorry, guess I should have said "ponykind". Somewhere along the line I picked up a different vocabulary than the rest of these emotionally masked beings. I've heard rumors of a place called Earth in another realm somewhere. It's used as a story to scare kids- because apparently this place is plagued with sadness and depression. Despite the fact that it probably isn't real, I would love to be there.
Unfortunately, Ponyville is my home now. It's my own fault, too. Now I'm stuck here with these weird...things. According to everyone else, I'm the weird one. However, I always considered myself rational. There are problems in the world, and while everyone else masks it with false happiness, I see things for what they really are.
I got up from the bench i'd been pondering on. The old guy next to me was creeping me out. In all honesty, I was just eyeing the church. I never understood churches. I wasn't religious. Nearly everyone in Ponyville went to the "Equestrian National Church of Celestia". I mean, yeah, Celestia is great and all, but she's certainly nobody- er, "nopony"- to make a religion over! I do have a lot of respect for her though. Unlike these other ponies, she faces hardships head on, her and her sister. That other pony, too, what was her name...Sparkle something. I don't really care.
"Hey, watch it, pal!" said a tomboyish voice. I wasn't paying attention, and bumped into a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane.
"Bite me, skittles." I muttered under my breath. She grabbed my shoulder.
"EXCUSE me? Who do you think you are, messing with me? I'll have you know I'm the fastest flier in all of Eques-" She droned on. It took all of my strength to stop myself from slamming my hoof into her face. I sighed.
"Calm down, I didn't mean it. I don't want any trouble." I lied. I feed off of trouble. I love it. Especially when I cause it, and especially when I solve it violently. The pegasus sighed, gave me an angry look that failed to intimidate me, and flew off. I shrugged and kept walking, realising I had ended up at the church. An earth pony approached me. He had a bright orange body, with a dark purple mane. He spoke with a minor lisp, and I felt kinda bad for him.
Then I shrugged it off. I forbid sympathy. They don't deserve it.
"Hey there, mithter. Welcome to the Equethtrian National Chruch of Celethtia. Would you like-"
"Not interested, sorry." I said, walking away. He sighed and shook his head, walking back into the church. I looked back at him and bumped into another pony, swearing under my breath. Why can't I do something as simple as watch out in front of me!
Then I heard a giggle. I looked at who I'd bumped into and froze.
"Sorry mister." She said happily.
She was a young, white, earth pony mare, with a light blonde mane, wearing a white robe and hood. She was practically a young Celestia with all of that white on her. Her cutie mark was an iron cross wrapped in a sort of spiked wire. She was beau-
NO. She wasn't. I'm not attracted to these ponies. None of them.
"I'm Holy Cross, what's your name?" she offered a hoof.
"Hazy Dreams." I responded abruptly, then I froze again. This one...it had an effect on me. I never told anyone my real name. Ever. She giggled again.
"I know. It's a mare's name." I said, sighing.
"It's a pretty name. I like it." She said, with another smile that struck pain into my heart. I just don't know why. I'm not like them, I DON'T like them.
However, I noticed something odd. A twinge of sadness, as if a hole were in her heart where something used to be. I always notice things like that. It's why my cutie mark is what it is.
A heart surrounded by crosshairs.
"Are you okay, Mrs. Cross?" I asked. What the hell! Mrs. Cross? Why was I treating her with such respect!
"I'm fine." She said insincerely, in a less peppy voice than before. I knew something was wrong, and I knew I shouldn't get involved...
"You wanna...talk about it?"
"I...I don't know you that well..." she said. I blushed. I'm such an idiot. Of course! She wouldn't talk to some stranger, especially not one looking like me. I've got a coat of light brown with a dark black mane. I'm practically just a husk of a soul.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound creepy...I'm just good at helping people." I said, even though I'm better at hurting than helping, to be honest.
"I...I would like someone to talk to...I guess..." She said softly. I smiled.
I eventually convinced her to go out and eat with me. It wasn't a date, there will never be a date, it was a friendly gesture. We're...friends.
I've never had a friend before.
"Thanks for this...It takes a good heart to be so kind to a stranger."
"No biggie, I'm all for helping out others." I lied.
She sighed and looked ath the ground. Something was killing her inside, I could tell. She wasn't used to sharing it. I felt bad for driving her to this. But not too bad. No sympathy, no love.
"Well...I don't know where to start..."
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Heavenly Cross crept down her steps, trying not to make a single sound. She feared that she would wake up who was sleeping in the next room. Reaching, the bottom of the stairs, she walked into the kitchen for a late-night meal, and was shocked as a light flickered on, blinding her for a few seconds. As her vision returned, she saw her husband, Icy Winds sitting in front of her. She gasped lightly. The sky blue unicorn shifted in his seat and spoke.
"You know what time it is, dear?"
"Y-yes, it's, um, 12:45..." she muttered.
"What's your curfew again, dear?" he said angrily.
"You said to be in bed by 10:00 and not get up until 8 AM..."
"Correct." He rose up from his chair and used his magic to throw her onto the ground. He stood over her as she trembled.
"Apologize."
"I'm sorry, Icy! P-please forgive me?"
He looked at her for a moment and scoffed before returning upstairs.
"Get moving, Cross. Back in bed." he said angrily.
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"He wasn't always so assertive..." she said through light tears.
I didn't expect this...I don't know how to deal with these things unless...no, stay out of it, Haze, don't get involved. I fumbled through my jacket's pockets and pulled out a carton of cigarettes.
"Here, you could use one." I said. She looked at the cigarette I had pulled out, and offered her.
"I shouldn't...really..." she said. Ignoring her own words, she reluctantly took it from my hand and I lit it for her.
"I wish he would go back to being that nice, sweet unicorn I first met. He just...he changed..." she said softly, coughing a bit. I could tell she hadn't smoked much. I had started when my sister had...passed on...
"If it makes you feel any better," I began, "I've had some tough shit going on too recently."
She shot me an angry look. "Sorry, I'll watch my language..." I said. She sighed.
"What's wrong on your end?" She sounded different now, more...like me. More real.
"About two months ago, I lost the last member of my family..."
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I was walking home from the bar, after a somewhat boring night sitting around and drinking a bit. I was slightly loopy, but sober enough to be aware of my surroundings. I found my door ajar, and the lights bright open. I swore under my breath. My sister was supposed to keep the door shut and locked. I told her that. She was 9 years younger than me, and ever since our parents died, I looked after her. I walked in and before I could turn to close the door, I saw her...
Someone had gotten in, it was clear. They were armed with something sharp, given by the deep stab wounds. I sprinted to her and held her in my arms, speechless. Tears rapidly flowed down my cheek.
She couldn't even talk, she just looked at me. Her breathing became slower...and slower...and stopped...I looked into her eyes as she died...
Soon enough, the Royal Guard caught her killer. Some dirtbag pegasus whose name I forced myself to forget. However, due to an incompetent judge, there was a mistrial, and the prick got off with a fucking WARNING.
I had no choice but to kill him, of course. I stalked him to a bar, provoked him and brought him into the alley, and stabbed him with a loose piece of metal lying in the dumpster. (I kept that part out of the story I told her.)The Royal Guard looked the other way- they all wanted him dead too, after what he did. The mistrial didn't help matters.
Ever since, I had been the way I am now. Emotionally scarred, incapable of love.
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"I'm...sorry for your loss..." she said sadly. "I'm sorry, I don't really know what to say..."
"It's okay," I began. "You don't have to say anything. I'm just glad to be able to talk to someone." I didn't have the heart to tell her that it made no difference. I'd give anything to feel like a normal pony for once. I looked at her, seeing fresh tears forming in her eyes. I put a hoof around her and we walked out into the cool night air. We'd been talking for quite some time.
"I should get home..." she said through tears. I didn't want her to leave. I enjoyed her company. It bothered me, but it was true. However, I knew if she didn't get home soon enough, she'd be hurt. I saw scars around her collarbone but didn't want to mention it...probably just bad memories that didn't need to be brought up.
I opened my mouth to speak, but then she suddenly jolted towards me, wrapping her arms around me. I was shocked. After all, the last time someone was in my arms they were dying slowly. This felt different, though...nice, even. I listened as her crying grew softer and softer...and stopped. I looked down to see her asleep in my arms.
After about 10 minutes of trying to carry her comfortably, I arrived at what I hoped was her house. It was the address on her church membership card. Then, something struck me.
If this WAS her house, I was about to run into Icy Winds, her abusive husband. I couldn't leave her out here to freeze to death, and couldn't take her to my home because it'd be even worse for her...
I opened the door. All was quiet, nobody in sight. I sighed in relief and laid Cross down gently on the sofa. I looked at her one last time and turned around, about to head for the door.
I bumped into Icy Winds.
"You're in a heap of trouble, asshole." He swore. "What the hell were you doing with my girl?"
"Shh," I started. "She's sleeping. We can do this outside."
"I don't give two shits if she's sleeping!" He exclaimed, keeping up his streak of swearing in every sentence he said.
"Please, we just ne-"
He was on me. It happened so fast, I barely had time to react. He was wailing on me, throwing punches left and right. I had way underestmated his speed. Just as I had regained my composure and tried to retaliate, he began strangling me.
I was ashamed. I'd fucked up, got involved, and I was gonna die for it. I always, deep down, kinda wanted to die a hero, valiantly, but no. This was it. Against some abusive fucking unicorn.
Everything was going dark. I couldn't hear, my face was getting hot, and I knew my life was coming to a close. I closed my eyes myself, expecting my fate.
The last thing I heard was the shattering of glass, and everything went black.