• Published 22nd Jun 2012
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Elements of Insanity - Emeral Bookwise



Lunaverse; Twilight plans to prove herself superior to Trixie by forming her own Elements of Harmony

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Chapter 5: "Sharing Kindness"

Siliverstar pondered to himself once again just how it was he'd let himself get roped into this. He sighed as he reassured himself that he hadn't actually made any personal promises – yet – but he had the sinking feeling he was just trying to come up with an excuse to walk away if things didn't work out.

…or maybe it was the idea that things might actually work out that scared him more.

He'd finally gotten the lass to explain to him all the details of what she'd been through. Too be perfectly honest with himself there were parts that sounded suspect, but Twilight didn't seem to have a deceptive bone in her whole body, even using her real name when they'd met, which given her situation really wasn't the kind of risk she should be taking with perfect strangers.

Part of him knew that he should have taken this matter to the proper authorities. The old Silverstar would have done just that, but that was back before he'd learned that life couldn't always be viewed in such a stark black & white fashion. Twilight had seemed absolutely certain that this Lulamoon was manipulating the whole system, and Silverstar had met enough two-faced politicians in his day to know that was a distinct possibility.

Then again, Twilight didn't seem all that good a judge of character either. The fact she'd singled him, of all ponies, out as some paragon of loyalty was proof of that. Still, given her situation it was only natural she'd have to scrape the bottom of the barrel, such as it were. Silverstar knew all too well that he wasn't the pony she needed to round out this team she was building, and couldn't be even if he wanted too – which he emphatically reminded himself he didn't. Still, maybe, just maybe he was the best she could hope to find, and if that were the case, could he really turn her down?

Silverstar shook his head, to banish the vision of her pleading face, of those hopelessly forlorn eyes begging for somepony to swoop in and take away all her pain – NO! – he couldn't let himself think that way, not anymore. The former sheriff sighed... he was a bad pony, and would only bring her further pain if he so much as tried to join her cause.

Still, there was just something about those eyes that compelled him, reached into the very depths of his soul and dredged up past emotions he'd thought long drowned under all the drink he could afford.

Bah! Now was not the time to let himself get all sentimental like this. He might not have promised to actually join her team – not yet at least, that nagging urge in the back of his head insisted again. What he had promised though was to find one of the ponies she was looking for.

He'd seen her list and having no claim by which to judge, he figured most of them were perfectly fine candidates. The young girl seemed to do her research well enough, even if she'd erred in picking him. What he knew with certainty though was that if she was to have any chance at success one pony she needed wasn't on that list. After all, he'd already met the kindest and sweetest pony of them all.

Now if only he could bring himself face-to-face with her... after what happened.


Birds chirped in a tree outside a peaceful house, two stories tall with faded white siding and surrounded by a spacious yard with a picket fence. It was the very picture of an idyllic home, the kind most everypony thought of raising a family in. Well, the grass was a bit overgrown and the bushes could use a good trimming, but it was still a fine house.

Inside, the house was quiet, the loudest sound to be heard was a grandfather clock ticking away the minutes in the hallway. In a side study, decorated with portraits and lined with shelves that bore all sorts of carved wooden knickknacks, there sat a single solitary pony.

The earth pony mare sat at the window staring out, just like she did every day. Her cyan coat and light gray mane were kept neatly groomed, but not by any effort of her own. As she sat, no particular focus held the empty gaze of purple eyes, nor did any meaningful thought occupy her mind – even here own existence was something that barely registered.

There was a gentle knock at the door, but the mare didn't react nor did her visitor seem to expect any as he opened the door with little hesitation. A pegasus colt, nearly a full grown stallion, with a light navy coat and dull brown mane stepped into the room. Balancing a tray of food on his back, he walked slowly over to the mare at the window.

"Good morning, mother. I brought breakfast." He smiled as he tried to catch her gaze, but today was no different than the day before and she gave no response or in any other way acknowledged his presence. That was okay – he'd not really expected anything else, and much as he might hope for even the most subtle acknowledgement, the greeting was more a matter of due courtesy than anything else.

He moved the tray from his back over to a nearby stand. He then gently took up a knife and fork with his hooves, to cut the food and one-by-one place a single bite at a time in the mare's slack mouth. She slowly chewed and swallowed each, but otherwise continued to remain oblivious to all surroundings.

The colt smiled, with only the barest hint of sadness, as he went about what had become a thrice daily ritual, among all the other duties he went about each day to ensure his mother was in the best of physical health. She had taken care of him for longer than he could remember and it was least he could do to return the favor now.

After she swallowed the last bite of food the colt brought a napkin to her face to clean it, and even knowing how futile it was, again he searched her eyes for any semblance of thought or recognition, of the vibrancy and life she used to have, but as always she stared at him with the same empty hollowness with which she stared at everything else since that fateful day.

...

The moment was interrupted by the chime of the front doorbell.

The colt paused in curiosity; he'd not been expecting company this morning. Since coming back to Equestria he'd had little free time to reacquaint himself with the other ponies his age. His mother, and late father, still had some old friends in town, but most of them barely stopped by anymore, and even less so at this early hour of the day.

"Just sit patiently, mother. I'll be right back," he said before he rose and left the room. The colt knew such words were unnecessary; in her condition, his mother never moved of her own volition. If guided, she would stand and even walk, but otherwise she would just sit aimlessly without end. So again, his words were little more than a token courtesy, born out of his hopes that even if she couldn't respond, that she could still hear and take comfort from his voice.

Stopping at the front door, he pressed his face to the peephole to see who might be calling, and was greeted by a face he'd not expected to ever see again. Quickly throwing open the door he declared, "Sheriff Silverstar!"

...

The former law pony stood, eyes down turned and hat held against the barrel of his chest with one hoof. "I'm sorry," he said, "I knew this was a mistake. I'm probably the last pony you ever wanted come knocking at your door." Placing his stetson back on his head, the brim tipped low to hide his eyes from the pained or hateful gaze of another pony he'd wronged. "Best I just leave now I reckon and not bother you anymore," and with that he turned and started to walk away, but scarcely made it two paces before.

"Wait!"

Silverstar turned and genuinely looked at the young lad's face, a face that bore no hint of malice on condemnation. No, instead it bore an expression so much worse – excited enthusiasm and even... beaming admiration.

"How could I ever be anything but happy to see the pony who saved us?"

With a sigh of resignation Silverstar thought to himself, Yeup, this was definitely a mistake.



Author's Note:

• Proof reading by ColdGoldLazarus (formerly LDLUYAB)
• Additional proofing by Georg and The Great Derpsby