Is this how it ends?

by Slick Dash

Visions and voices

Somewhere quiet! Somewhere secluded. In a city like this there must be abandoned houses or flats. The vision of Spike’s older appearance haunted me! I couldn’t let myself take too long to get back, I wouldn’t let the world of Equestria slip away from me! My hand felt as though it was on fire, but I didn’t dare take it out of my pocket. I couldn’t afford to release even more magic and drawing attention to myself!

I just waded through the crowded streets aimlessly. My eyes searching for a place to be alone but all that greeted me were the sights of busy business’s and skyscrapers filled with offices. As the time wore on I began to lose faith in my plan. My mind was given far too much time to over think the idea, I’d never seen anything to suggest Celestia could even travel from one dimension to another. All she had ever done was show a small amount of knowledge of why I couldn’t leave.

I stared up into the sky, trying to find something calming in the bright blue cloud filled sky. A single plane flew across my vision, its white jet stream flowing out behind it. My head tilted slightly, it was strange seeing a white stream behind a flying object. Why couldn’t it be more colourful? Like a rainbow?

No sooner had the thought passed through my mind, yet another shot of pain spike through my mind. My eye’s refused to close, they stared at the plane as it began to shift into a new form. It picked up speed, and flew down closer to the ground. Rainbow! The mare zoomed past me by inches, I even felt the breeze created by her pushing the air out of her way. I stared as she picked up more speed, and for a moment she seemed to vanish. A second later, there was an ear splitting explosion.

I realised what I had just witnessed! I stared as a circular rainbow spread across the sky, approaching me with tremendous speed. The sonic rain-boom! The explosion of colour passed over me, and to my surprise a huge wall of air slammed into me. I was caught off guard, and was sent hurtling backwards. My head came into contact with something solid! And just as before, the vision began to fade away.

I was lying against the wall of an office building, people were staring at me again. Had I screamed? From the pain or the explosion? Their frightened faces gave me my answer. I had screamed! I stumbled to my feet, my head still hurt but I tried my best to ignore it. I caught a glimpse of a sign on the wall I had just hit. “Closed due to renovations” A quiet place maybe? I looked around, and saw a sloping ramp heading down into an underground car park. Perfect! Ducking under the red and white barrier bar, I rushed into the dark submerged space below.

The entire dark pillared room was abandoned except for one single car. It stood stationary in the centre of the room, blurred by the creeping darkness brought on by the lack of lights in the ceiling. My steps echoed loudly as I moved across to a more open space devoid of pillars. I turned on the spot to ensure I was alone, it seemed that I was. So I took a breath and called out.

“Celestia! If you can hear me, please come out!” There seemed to be no response, the car park remained silent. “Celestia!? PLEASE!” still nothing. I felt my hand burn slowly in my pocket, was my magic trying to tell me something? I looked to the little car; it seemed to have been simply abandoned. I took out my hand, it was now red raw on the back and hurt at the slightest movement.

I clicked my fingers, the snap sounded out across the cavernous room. The lights of the car burst into life before me. I stagger back slightly due to their brightness, but I soon recover. I snapped my fingers again, and the lights went off. How was I supposed to use magic to call Celestia? I can’t do anything but make a car do what I want! I’m such a waste! The thought began to creep into my mind, it was dark, and wretched, but the more time I spent in this world the more I believed it to be true.

‘You can’t make it back!’ I shook my head, fighting against the dark thoughts. “No! I can make it back! I just need to find a way!” ‘There IS no way’ the little voice began to purr. ‘Dash is going to grow old without you, find a new PONY to love! And she’ll soon forget all about you!’ I bit my lip hard as the voice pulled out its trump card! That was impossible! How much time had passed in Equestria? Surely not much! I’ve only been gone for a day!

‘Maybe she’ll find a way to move on... in fact, she WILL find a way to move on! You were just a freak in that world, maybe she can finally realise who she belongs with... maybe Soarin’?’ If it hadn’t have been inside my own head, I would have punched the owner of that voice! “NO! SHE DOESN’T LOVE HIM! SHE LOVES ME!” ‘DID love you...’ The three words began to echo in my head. Repeating themselves again and again growing ever louder as I stood there.

I took a hold of my head with both hands, the noise inside was getting unbearable! I dropped to my knees, “She won’t move on! She CAN’T move on! NOT ONLY IN ONE DAY!” The voices stopped, and I slumped to the floor in relief. My breath was heavy, as though I had just run a mile. But as I lay there I heard it again, the little dark side of my mind, brought back to life by the return to the dark world of the earth. ‘Don’t worry, you’ll always have Twilight. Everyone’s second choice! Then again, maybe you won’t even have a chance now...after you rejected her!’ My stomach clenched at the memories of that night so many months ago, the night that Twilight had advanced on me and I had turned her down. “She’s still my friend.” I whimpered pitifully.

My head erupted with pain once again. I screamed fully now, the pain and the torment mixed and simply broke me down in a manner of seconds. The vision came quickly, I was lying on a bed, no longer a concrete floor. I’m laid on my side, and somepony lies in front of me, she shifts around under her covers until she faces me. Her eyes open blearily, and she smiles when she recognises me.

“Tom...” she whispers, and then the realisation hits her. Her eyes become filled with shock and surprise. “TOM?!?!” I open my mouth to speak, but the vision cuts out and I find myself back on the cold floor of the car park. “W-why was she...” ‘So surprised?’ the voices finished in unison. They sounded as though they were laughing at me now, ‘Maybe it’s because you’ve been gone for so long!’ My temper rose suddenly. “I’VE ONLY BEEN GONE ONE DAY!” Silence.

‘It hasn’t just been a day though has it?” The voices began again, this time much quieter. ‘Those images you keep seeing proove it! Would the crusaders be so happy the day after you died? Would they be trying to ride the dragon? Would the dragon be so tall after just one day? Face it; you’ve been gone a lot longer than one day!’ The voice’s faded away, and my heart knew their words were true! I curled up into myself unsure what to do now. If it’s true should I go back? Yes, Dash is there! No, she would have begun to heal if it had been longer than a few days, going back would just cause pain!

My eyes began to burn, tears began to rise from the corners and fall down my face. I began to sob, I sobbed at the thought of loosing Dash, loosing Twilight, my other close friend Applejack. What should I do? I called out one final time, but the call couldn’t even reach a person stood a foot away from me, let alone an Alicorn in a different dimension. “C-C-Celestia... You said I belonged in your world... help me get back there! P-please...please...” I felt cold, and yet my hand grew warmer still, it felt as though it threatened to catch fire at any moment. The car’s lights began to flash, as though someone sat inside toggling the switch.

The changes of light temporarily brought me out of my miserable state to look up. The door was now ajar, and through the gap between the body of the car, and the curve of the door: I saw a pair of red, luminous, mismatched eyes...

Comments

[The Professor]

Lovin the story man.
Keep up the good work!
Can't wait for the next chapter.

[Sonicbrony66]

Fucking cliffhangers. Also, please for the love of everything that is sweet and holy, if he makes it back and anyone says that he was dead, say "I got better." PLEASE!

[8chill]

Uh oh. Seems Tom is beginning to doubt. Don't give in, you can win!

Loving these updates and wishing you an early happy birthday.

Also, I'm attempting to submit it again today, so it might be up some time today or tomorrow.

See ya then.

~8chill

[Derpy_pie]

So sad! poor tom, he's gotta make it back, hes just gotta!

[Slick Dash]

312912 i came up with the design myself and I'm glad to let you use it once i post it, but though it was my design the picture i'm using later on was made by kbrony so maybe ask him too? But i would be glad to let you

[Slick Dash]

313160 Monday betwean 9-10pm as always buddy. The time is 00:01 and is officially my birthday! Need Pinkie Pie to throw me a party! NOW!

[Noble]

dont let doubt overcome you tom..yerh eart knows where it belongs and it belongsi n equestria with dash and the others..you know it to be true

[Android]

Thanks man

[fire]

amazing story keep it up

[Flint Easthoof]

I see what's going on! The part with Twi tipped me off, you clever devil you. If this hypothesis of mine is correct then Tom is gradually going back, fading between the different worlds, that's why Twi reacted the way she did. Also on a side note, when I read the summary for this story I though you meant Tom as in 'Tom the Rock', and I wouldn't have read it, but yeah... Anyway I... Fucking... Love... This... STORY! Absolute favorite without a doubt.