• Published 30th Jul 2012
  • 1,989 Views, 169 Comments

Afraid Of My Shadow - Deyeaz



Sometimes, our most irrational fears can become our worst nightmares.... (Sequel to Horns, Hooves, and Fur)

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XVII - Arguments (Jace)

Afraid Of My Shadow

Written by CraimerX and ShadowWeaver

Proofreaded by the onlyoneofmeisyou

XVIII - Arguments (Jace)

I walked through the doors of our lustrous mansion, having ran from Canterlot all the way to Ponyville. I honestly couldn't care less for Praxis right now. He’s probably on the train, coming home. But I swear, if that idiot tries to fight Umbra, I wouldn’t mourn his idiotic death. If he wants to get torn limb from limb, fine by me.

I walked up the stairs and to the bedroom, Vinyl in my arms. She had fallen asleep during the run home, and I wanted to get her to bed so she could sleep better. I walked into the bedroom, and laid her down onto the bed, covering her up. I sat at the edge of the bed and just looked at her and her peaceful sleeping form.

“...I’m sorry...” I whispered. “I’m sorry that our perfect day was ruined...” I sighed and kissed her forehead before walking out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind me.

I went to the foyer of the mansion, pulled out a book, and started reading a book off the shelf, the fire crackling in the fireplace to my right. The warmth washed over me in the plush chair I was sitting in, the book getting more and more interesting.

*KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK*

The sound of the door being rapped upon caused me to get out of my stupor of laziness. “Damnit...” I groaned in frustration as I got up and shuffled to the door. Once I opened it, I saw Wubsy and Riku on the back of Trixie, who was covered in a light sheen of sweat. My brow twitched in agitation at seeing her again. Still... it’d be rude if I slammed the door in her face. “Trixie. Come in.” I stepped back in reluctance to allow her entry.

“Thank you,” she panted, nodding her head in respect before cleaning her hooves on the welcome mat.

“Daddy!” Wubsy cried in joy. My bad mood faded away the second my son jumped into my arms and hugged me. I looked back at Trixie, my view on her slowly changing for the better.

“Thank you for bringing him back,” I said. I noticed Riku holding Trixie around the neck, his head in her mane. “What’s wrong with him?”

“I’m scared,” he mumbled. “Trixie, is Baba gonna be okay?”

“He’ll be fine: he’s been in sticky situations and he’s always pulled through.” Trixie used her magic to put Riku on the ground in front of her. She patted him on the head. “I’m sure your Baba is gonna be just fine.”

I scoffed. “Yeah... sure....”

“What’s with you?” Trixie asked me.

“If you ask me, that idiot must’ve gotten killed by Umbra.” Riku gasped, and got teary-eyed.

“Trixie! That’s not true, is it?” he begged. “Please tell me that isn’t true!”

“Jace! Why are you acting this way? You’re scaring the pants off of Riku!” Trixie stamped her hoof on the ground.

“So?! I couldn’t give a shit about that fucking goat! I’m pretty sure he thought he could take Umbra on all by himself! Thought he could be a tough guy and save the day, didn’t he?!”

*SLAP!*

The next thing I knew, my left cheek was smarting in the most painful way. Trixie glared at me with the angriest of eyes, her hoof raised in the air. “You...” Another backhoof, this time across the right cheek. “...imbecile! He didn’t do it because he thought he could save the day! He didn’t think he could be a hero! He did it because if he didn’t do it, I would’ve died! Riku would’ve died! Even your own son Wubsy would’ve died! Be grateful that he didn’t decide to do it, otherwise nopony would’ve slapped some bucking sense into you!”

I sat back down, her words cutting through me like swords. So... that’s what happened?

“He cared, okay? He cared about you, about Vinyl, about his son; about everypony! It’d take a monster to think badly of him for what’s he’s trying to do,” Trixie finished.

*KNOCK... KNOCK... KNOCK...*

The knocking sound was a different pitch and occurred at a slower rate. “Wonder who could that be....” I said in anger. I don’t care for what Trixie said: Praxis was a moron for taking this lightly.

I opened the door and, speak of the Devil, Praxis was standing there, clutching his side, which were bandaged with shreds of... his own tuxedo? Moreover, the shreds were bloody all along the front. Rarity will kill him... and I’ll be watching.

“H... hey...” He said weakly. “Glad to see... you’re okay.” He fell to his knees and thudded pathetically and promptly on the ground, out cold.

“Hey! Stop bleeding on my floor.” I nudged him with a foot.

“Baba!” Riku ran over to his father’s body and shook it. “Baba, please wake up!”

I kneeled down and draped his arm over my shoulders. I stood him up and walked off into the mansion, going for a bedroom to put him in. "Idiot..." I scoffed under my breath.

I eventually got him into bed and then walked out, not paying any attention to the others. "Daddy?" I turned and looked down at Wubsy, who stared at me with big eyes. "Why are you mad at Uncle Praxis?" I sighed.

"...Because he could've been killed... Very easily." I turned for the stairs and went up them. "I'm not losing another friend... Not after Coal. I will not, shall not, lose Praxis." I turned to face Wubsy. "...Even if it means me who dies."

I continued my walk upstairs and carefully opened the bedroom door, peeking through to see Vinyl still asleep. I made my way through the room and grabbed the Calling Card, and put the chain around my neck and let the hourglass hang around my neck.

Next thing I did was change out of this tuxedo. I changed into a pair of robes that Lyniv, Aksheal's wife, had given to me before leaving for Stalliongrad. They still fit me.

From next to me, I heard covers rustling. I turned to the bed and saw Vinyl sit up in the bed and look right at me. I walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, and reach over to hold onto her hoof. "...I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault... At least he wed us, properly." She scooted forward and leaned against me. "Well... What now?"

"We fight... Again." I looked over at her. "Hey..." She looked up at me with her big crimson eyes. "How about you and me take a vacation after this? It'll be our honeymoon."

She smiled up at me and nodded, leaning in slowly. I followed her lead and met her halfway, meeting her lips softly in a gentle kiss. "Just... Be safe... Alright?"

"I will..." I nodded and hugged her tight, not wanting to let go of her. This mare has been in my life for the longest time, since the first week of me being in Equestria. "Don't worry... I'll win.. I swear it." I slowly moved away from her and stood, walking for the door.

As I opened the door, I felt something grab my robes and I turned, seeing Vinyl holding a bundle of my robes. "...Promise me that you won't leave me again." She looked up at me, tears brimming her eyes. "Promise me Jason... That I never have to wait years and years just for my son's father to see him.. That his wife doesn't have to wait to see him again!"

I kneeled down to her eye level, seeing the tears well in her eyes. I wiped the escaping tears and pulled her into a hug. “I can’t promise that.” I could feel her grip tighten. “What I can promise is that I’ll keep you and Wubsy safe.. No matter what.”

I stayed like that for a long time before moving away from Vinyl. I gave her a sweet kiss before standing and walking out of the room.

I pulled the Calling Card off my neck and made my way down the steps, my magic being pushed into the hourglass. It was a way of contacting Aksheal. Last time he was here, he taught me this little trick. The waves of energy made the sky light up in Markarth. Even though the world was in my head, the Calling Card still has some magical residue from when Aksheal was inside the hourglass.

I made my way back into Praxis’ room and right on cue, a fog expelled itself from the Calling Card, filling the whole room like some volatile toxic gas. The fog soon started swirling, coalescing into a small area. Eventually, the fog turned blood red and took the form of a man. Sure enough, the fog lit up like a floodlight, and after shielding my eyes from the brightness of it, there stood Aksheal.

Aksheal stretched out and held his staff in his hands, scratching his back with it. “Nnng... You wake me up from my nap for... what reason exactly, Jason?” The old mage looked at me with his deep blue eyes and I made a gesture towards Praxis who was laying on the bed. He looked over and went wide eyed, instantly getting on his knees to inspect the wound. “Ohhh, that does not look good...”

“Ya don’t say.” I walked around, going to the other side of the bed.

“What’s this from?”

“Umbra...” Aksheal looked me in the eyes, the fear apparent.

“He’s back..?” He looked down at Praxis and waved his hand over the wound. The Markarth god winced when he saw a mark rise from the bloody mess. “...A Silence spell infused with a Detainment spell...” He sighed. “He can’t use his magic or over exert himself in any way, or else it’ll drain his life essence...” He looked over at me and stood. “Where’s Eclipse?”

“With Umbra...” I felt the burn of a smack on my face, and the force was enough to make he fall over.

“WHAT?! YOU FUCKING IDIOT!” Aksheal screamed. He picked me up by the collar and shoved me against a wall, his hood going dark, blue glowing eyes staring at me. “THAT SCYTHE WAS TO BE ONLY USED BY YOU, AND YOU LOST IT?!”

“I DIDN’T KNOW I WOULD LOSE IT!”

“DON’T GIVE ME THAT!” He smacked me again. “WITH THAT SCYTHE, HE IS THE MOST POWERFUL THING IN THE ENTIRE WORLD NOW! POSSIBLE THE UNIVERSE!”

“What’s the big deal?! It’s just a scythe!”

“JUST A SCYTHE!? THAT WAS UMBRA’S SCYTHE, YOU MORON, AND NOW THAT HE HAS IT, WE’RE ALL FUCKED!” He released his grip on me and started to pace around the room, holding his head. “Fuck.. Fuck... Fuck! This is not good, not good at all Jace! You fucked up bi-” I got sick of his shit real fast.

I kicked him as hard as I could in the back of the head with a magical charge in my foot and he face planted into the floor, leaving a dent. He recovered quickly and stared right at me. I stared right back, my gaze stony and expressionless. “Wanna hit me again, fucker?”

Aksheal took in a deep breath and then turned back to Praxis, poking at the seal. “I need time to get this dispelled. In the meantime, go to Markarth. Get some new weapons... You need to train.”

I nodded in understanding and focused all my energy on the Card. Hopefully, it would tug me in and let me choose where I wanted to go.

I just hope that this pays off....

~End of Chapter XVIII~