Happiness

by Protector of Light

Interlude

Once again we’re in a van, travelling. But this time, we have so much farther to go than across a couple of states. No, we have to go across countries to reach our destination. Well, nothing to do other than get going, I supposed when we were done conversing with Tracy and the rest of the gang. The Elements of Harmony aren’t going to find themselves, now were they?

But now, I’ve grown quite weary of our travels. I believe that everyone has. Everyone takes turns driving, allowing the others to rest. We have neither the time nor the money to stop at hotels on our journey. Why do the Elements have to be so blasted far away? Alaska. The worst. Possible. Place.

At least I’m starting to get used to the whole ‘I’m Rarity’ thing. No longer do I hold it against my friends that they kept that fact secret from me for so long. I mean really, would I have taken it any different if told earlier? Why am I worrying so much about the details? I’m supposed to be sleeping. Yet here I sit, lost in my own thoughts and living my life through a veil of what ifs. Rarity wouldn’t worry so much. Well, I guess she would worry a lot, but trust me, not this much. This really isn’t the worst thing in the world, and I guess I’m handling it a bit better than my pony self would. Rarity isn’t very good at dealing with even minor things, but I suppose she was good at keeping a cool head in the situations when it was truly needed. You keep your cool. You just don’t think that you do. You’ve also been through a lot worse than Rarity ever could dream of. Earth is a dark, dark place. Equestria is a paradise. There really is no comparison to be made. I suppose you’re right.

Then again, you’re right a lot of the time. You used to just be a bully but there is so much more to you, Misery. It sickens me to think that you used to just be there to tell me that I was worthless. I guess that it’s all that I wanted to hear. You’d be right. Ah well. What’s done is done and I hold no grudge against you for what you did. You did what I wanted you to. That’s all there is to it, really…

Remember what has been

Look for what will be.

What have we seen?

What will we see?

You’re guess is as good as mine.

I dozed off finally. I guess that’s a good thing, since now that I’ve awoken, it’s my turn to drive. Driving has never been my favorite activity. It’s something that I would not do given the choice, but here we are; it wouldn’t be fair for me to say that I would not take up such a simple and harmless task. But I’ve never felt that I’ve had control of the vehicle, much like I have never felt as though I controlled my life, at least here. Maybe back in Ponyville I felt some semblance of power. I really can’t remember right now. What is here and now seems real, not what I thought to simply be dreams that I created to escape from my problems. So far, we are about halfway through our journey. We have just passed the border and entered Canada. My geography has never been the best, but if we keep on the way that we are going, we will reach Alaska soon enough.

“Rachel, your turn,” whispers Penelope from behind the wheel, trying not to disturb our friends with her usual exuberance. Then again, she is probably as weary of traveling as I am. I would love to be back home, safe and sound.

We stop and the side of the road and trade places. I climb behind the wheel and begin to drive. At least my shift is during the day, not at night. I was greedy enough to request a day shift, rather than being open to take a night shift. Maybe it was less greed and more to protect the safety of the others. I’ve never felt comfortable driving at night, and I could be dangerous. My shift creeps into the night as it is, with us getting farther north.

Ah well, time to drive.

It feels like I’ve been driving for centuries. I guess that I’m just impatient. It’s only been four hours. We even stopped at a rest stop and got some food, yet it still feels like I haven’t stopped. Oh well, just another hour and then I trade shifts.

It’s getting dark. We’ve reached a mountainous region. I hate driving in the mountains. Roads seem to get narrower and it seems that there is less and less civilization the farther we travel. They do say that seventy-five percent of the population of Canada lives within one hundred miles of the boarder, or something like that. I believe it, that’s for sure.

I drive the car around a corner. I see a car coming in the distance. The car is taking up the middle of the road. They’ll move over, I’m sure. They aren’t moving over. There’s still time. They aren’t moving over! I see the driver: my biological father, Mr. Roy, whatever you want to call him. He smirks and moves the car just to hit it from the side. The others all come to attention. “What’s going on?” they ask, panicked. I try to stay on the road. He’s turning around. He’s ramming us again. I lose control. The car is careening of the cliff! I feel my hands grip the wheel, but I have no control. I’ve got this. Don’t worry, Misery says. Everything goes black...

We go to the great beyond,

Your hand guiding mine,

Or is it mine that guides yours?

Who is to say?

But we go beyond.

You save me,

I save you.

Alone we are nothing.

Together we are unstoppable.

What you fear I do not.

What I fear you do not.

What I can do you can do.

You are me,

And I am you.