Act XXXV - The First and Last
Luna smiled at David, only for her countenance to fall. “Dear, are you bleeding?” she gestured to his lip.
David reached up with his hand, only to pull it back covered in blood.
Suddenly, Luna shrieked, causing everypony to turn. David had gone from all smiles to doubled over on the ground and was now coughing up blood.
The crowd gasped, then went eerily silent as Luna’s face went pale. Luna called back to her sister, “Tia, come quickly!” only for Celestia to arrive in a near instant. “Tia, this is physical, right, you can heal him!” Luna pleaded maniacally.
Celestia looked on, unsure, but the panic in Luna’s eyes spurred her on. She powered her horn, only to hear David’s scream gurgle through the blood in his throat. She quickly stopped her efforts.
Twilight was the second to arrive. “Discord!”
I popped over. With a wave of my paw, I once again laid bare his mysteries.
The magic was still separated, but now the pool itself violently thrashed around, pushing and stretching against his physical body, making his flesh and muscles ripple as it pulsed within him. There was also something new, something scary. A black void now sat at the center, pushing back against the princesses’ magic.
“I… I don’t know, I don’t know! What is that!?” Twilight yelled out.
“It’s the void,” I answered. “It feels the same as when he arrived. It even has traces of chaos in it.”
“Can you fix it!?” she pleaded.
I stared into Twilight’s eyes; tears welled up inside her even as her anger and frustration grew. I turned back to look at David. “I… I don’t think so. It’s much too different from my own magic. I’m sorry, Twilight.”
Luna snapped back to reality, finally finding her words. “HELP HIM!” she screamed into the air, aimed at nopony.
Her pained voice pinned my ears back to my skull. I looked down at the ground; I couldn’t help but feel somewhat responsible. “I don’t know how,” I whimpered.
David grunted as he lay on his back. He looked up at us, at me, and held out his bloodied right hand while staring at me with one unclenched eye. He grinned.
I looked at him, lying there, then up to the others for guidance. Twilight caught my eye and nodded. I’d never been so scared.
I summoned all my strength and reached out with my paw, only for David to grab it firmly.
(Forgive me, this last bit had to be recalled to me because I remembered nothing.)
Apparently, when he touched me my eyes went white, and I went completely rigid. David glowed brightly, then a pulse of raw energy shot out and pushed all the others away.
They said the brightness continued to grow until it fully enveloped him and white light was pouring out of my orifices. I then cried out, and a rainbow beam not dissimilar to what Twilight used shot out of me and split, hitting everypony in the area. They too were encompassed by an aura, each shining in colors respective to their magic or talent, while I glowed a faint quasi-grey with purple stripes. The magic then surged again and reversed course, pulling energy from each pony and myself back through me and into David.
As the mass of magic reached him, a loud crack could be heard, and I was thrown back and finally regained control of my senses. The power must have been massive, as I noticed moments later that it had shattered the rock David had previously been leaning against.
David now shone with a magical aura that cycled through every color in the spectrum. As it flicked around him like a flame, the ponies and I were forced to shield our eyes from its brilliance.
David screamed again, louder than ever before. He twisted on the ground, racked with pain as he knelt on his hands and knees. He balled his hands into fists and struck the earth as the power caused his muscles to cramp under the great strain.
As I continued to stare, I noticed in horror that the magical flames burned away at his clothing, his sheets, even vaporised the apple blossom talisman he wore around his neck. He let out another groan after the fabric was gone, but the flames continued to burn, scorching the grass and tearing away at his own skin in places, leaving it dead and blackened.
Luna cried out in pain and buried her head in her hooves rather than watch her loved one being torn apart.
David’s magical fields were still visible due to my spell, and as we watched his demise, the vessels of magic ruptured from the inside, warping his body and causing his bones to snap under the immense pressure. The separate magics of the princesses twisted and flowed, seemingly to be gobbled up by the void.
Many could not stand to look and took solace in their friends’ embrace. I, however, was struck dumb by the sight and could not move.
David howled again as his tensed limbs started to break down, tendons snapping and muscles tearing under his skin.
I looked on and could not help but shed tears for the man. He didn’t deserve this, though I couldn’t think of anypony who did. Then, I too closed my eyes.
David gasped one last time as another powerful wave of magic erupted out of him and was felt by all. It was the last.
As the magical wave passed, ponies looked back to the carnage. David lay crumpled on the ground, burnt, broken, and still. A smoldering black scorch mark encircled him where the grass had been singed and the rock once stood.
I gathered my bearings and walked over to him. As I touched his still smoldering form, I dropped my head. A quick snap of my claws covered his body with a clean white sheet.
***
***
‘Beeping, stupid beeping.’
“Ugh.”
I reached over, grabbed my phone, and swiped to turn off my alarm.
‘Crap, I gotta get up, or I’m going to fall asleep again.’
I got out of bed, stretched, reached for the cord and pulled it, turning on the light.
‘Okay, I’m up. Let’s do this. Bathroom first; right.’
A few minutes later, I sat in front of my computer and logged in. The news was somewhat boring. I checked the weather. Clear. Sigh. I did some random surfing to pass the time, and… gone. Time to get ready for work.
‘Shower, hair, teeth, deodorant. Check.’
Back to the bedroom.
‘What to wear? Looks like a shorts day. Gotta remember to do a cold laundry load tonight.’
Finally, I was clean, dressed, and ready, so I checked my things. ‘Wallet, badge, phone, keys… check. Ready. Oops, it’s Monday.’
I went to the fridge and pull out some pre-cooked meals, put em in a cloth bag and headed for the door.
‘Okay, now I’m ready. Off to work.’
***
***
Another night. I was back John and Katie’s house again to babysit. They never get a night out for themselves; it’s the least I could do.
Their kids, Kylie and Susan, were curled up on the floor, working their way through Netflix.
‘Hmm, looks like they’re growing up: Jake and the Pirates, Phineas & Ferb, …oh, ponies.’ I chuckled to myself. ‘Maybe they’re not grown up yet.’
They started an episode.
‘Hmm, I think they watched this last time… the Halloween episode, “Luna Eclipsed.” Meh, who am I fooling, I remember it pretty well. I guess I’m not grown up either.’
I watched the episode with the kids.
“Ah. The ringleader of the frightened children. Hast thou come to make peace?”
‘Hah. Princess, you need to relax.’
Ugh, another headache. I closed my eyes.
***
***
Just another work day. I was minding my own business, checking up on some work tickets, when I heard some voices from the cubicle across the way.
“Oh, Chris, I didn’t know you were a brony!”
“Uh, yeah,” Chris replied sheepishly.
“So you like that kid’s show?”
“…”
I turned to see what was up. ‘Ahh, it’s Craig, what a jerk.’
“Well?” Craig goaded Chris into answering.
Chris turned away to face his monitor and ignored him.
Craig smirked and reached down for something on the desk.
Somehow, I got there first and picked up the figure. “Oh, Rainbow Dash, huh. Not bad, but I’d have gone with a princess,” I commented.
Chris looked up at me, Craig too.
“You watch that show?” Craig asked accusingly.
I shrugged. “Not much. Only when I’m taking care of my friends’ kids.”
It was true, I’d only seen it off Netflix while ‘sitting their kids. Not that I minded.
“You a brony too?” Craig poked me in the shoulder.
I gave him a puzzled look. Chris looked at me. I looked at the figure.
“I kinda like it; yeah, I guess I am.”
“Whatever.” Craig out.
Chris turned to me. “Really, David?” He shot me an odd look.
I shrugged again, this time wearing a quiet smile over defeating Craig. “Well, I know all the characters by now and have seen a bunch of episodes.”
Chris smiled. “Oh, what’s your favorite?”
I thought back to the last time with John’s kids.“I guess ‘Luna Eclipsed.’ ”
Chris looked genuinely surprised. “Really? Huh, they almost never show that episode on TV.”
“Well, the kids really like it, so I’ve seen it plenty of times.”
“Got a second-best?”
I thought silently for a moment. “Uh… season 4 finale? They really went DBZ there.”
“You liked that one?” he laughed.
“Meh, Twilight was funny when overpowered.” I handed his figure back.
Chris smirked. “Whatever man. That’s cool. Thanks for having my back.”
***
***
‘Another day, another errand.’
I found myself at my local grocery store. I wanted to bring something to the office potluck and needed ingredients.
‘Let’s see, garlic, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco. That’ll do for the dip. A bag of in-house fried tortilla chips, and I’m set for the snack, now what to do for the entree?’
I pushed the cart around the aisles looking for inspiration, but it was not coming easily.
‘Seven-layer bean dip? No, that’s another dip, you dip, hehe. Oooh, green chile cheese enchiladas!’
I knew my coworker was bringing his awesome salsa, and that would go well with my dish, so I settled on that.
I raced back to the produce section and picked up some white onions and Anaheim peppers. After securing the produce, I went and collected some corn tortillas, some canned green chili sauce, a cubed blend of Mexican cheeses, and sour cream.
I thought back. ‘I’ve got cilantro and tomato at home for a garnish. Uhh, am I out of EVOO?’
I went back and picked up a new bottle of olive oil, just in case.
Now standing in the checkout line, I let my eyes wander while I waited. On the far wall were a bunch of reusable shopping bags for sale and I noticed a familiar bright pink bag. On the front was both Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.
‘Hmm, not what I would’ve gone with, but I’m not in marketing or brand management. I kinda wonder what’s on the back, though.’
“Good evening, did you find everything?” the cashier asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Oh, yeah. Thanks,” I replied, putting the rest of my stuff from the cart onto the belt.
“Do you need bags?”
“Oh, right. Sorry,” I said, hefting my ratty green bags up onto the belt as well. “Just one of those days I guess.”
***
***
I hung up the phone, somewhat exasperated after talking to my friend who just happened to be a long-lost ex.
‘Why do I even talk to her anymore. Well, ‘talk’ isn’t quite the word. I listen, she talks. I mean, I’m glad she’s doing well, even though I can’t say the same. Sometimes I’d like to vent too, ya know.’
I turned on the TV to decompress. Discovery was airing another ad for their sister channel, Discovery Family. Transformers, Littlest Pet Shop, and… ponies.
‘Oh, so that’s where they’re on.’
I pressed ‘Guide’ and looked up the channel. There was a veritable marathon of episodes every day.
‘Wow. Well if the kids ever have to come over here, I know where to find it.’
I pressed “List” and tried to catch up on some of my DVR’d shows.
***
***
It was a dark night; that much I remembered.
‘Sirens, talking, pain. Lots of pain.’
“Pulse is at 150, blood pressure is a bit low. Minor first degree burns all over his body.”
Light entered my eyes for a moment; it was blindingly bright.
“Pupils are slow. Breathing is shallow, be prepared if he crashes.”
A different voice came, “Sir, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me.”
‘I can’t feel my hands.’ I squeezed everything but started to black out.
“VFib, he’s crashing. Charge to one twenty!”
“Charging… ready.”
“Clear!”
‘Unnnnnngh!’
“Still in VFib.”
“Bag him. Charge again, one sixty.”
“Charging… …ready.”
“Clear!”
‘Unnnnnnnnngh!’
“Bag! One mil epi.”
“He’s back; good sinus. Pressure is rising.”
“Uhhh,” I mumbled.
“Hey, stay with us, okay? Can you hear me?”
I think I nodded.
“You were shocked pretty bad when a tree was hit by lightning. We’re taking you to Mercy.”
I nodded again.
***
***
‘Beeping again, stupid beeping! The sounds, the smells, so clinical. They’re all wrong…’
Somebody came beside me and murmured. I tried to respond, but they left.
‘Beeping… beeping…’
A voice. “Da…id.”
“Luna?…” I tried to squeak out.
‘More beeping, always beeping!’
“…”
Silence.
“…”
‘Crying, lots of crying.’
‘The wind and the smell of burning. Pain.’
A gasp, more silence.
“…what d— it…”
“That… was a true…”
***
***
Luna and Celestia sat sobbing together.
Twilight huddled with Cadance and Shining.
I sat with Fluttershy and Rarity.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Cherry sat quietly together.
As I consoled Fluttershy, I happened to notice something near David’s corpse… a soft glow.
I thought it might be just a glare off the sheet, but I turned to get a better look anyway.
No, it was a faint blue light… and it was growing.
After wrapping Fluttershy in Rarity’s embrace, I stood up and wandered back over to where he lay.
It continued expanding, growing tall and taking shape… an odd shape.
Fluttershy must have been watching me as she noticed it too and gasped, causing heads to turn.
Celestia and Luna broke their embrace and looked on through tear-stained faces.
A form was growing above David’s husk, translucent and ghostly.
It was soon bigger, wider and longer than the man ever was.
Ethereal blue flames flowed from the form.
A head raised from the sheet. A muzzle, long, angular. Pointed ears. Black depths filled the eyes.
From the head, a neck, then shoulders and forelegs. It was equine in form… probably.
The chest, muscular and barrel shaped, lead to a wide back and then haunches.
Long, sturdy legs appeared, then a tail. A tail of pale blue fire.
The head raised up and shook, a pointed spear of a horn now visible at the top. It’s short mane flickered in the sunlight.
The fully formed ghost horse reared back and cast a blue tint across the garden as it stretched its wings wide.
Now again on all fours, it closed its wings but the pure sunlight did not return.
All looked to the sky to see both sun and moon above in the once-noonday sky, now bisected into perfect day and night.
No pony had seen such a thing in years… not since the plunderseeds.
Silence…
The ethereal equine scanned the crowd, raised its head, then vanished in a bright flash, and suddenly the sky was back to normal.
Luna gasped. “Sister, what does it mean? What was that, that thing?”
Celestia stood with her mouth slightly agape. ‘It is impossible. Were it true, it would be the greatest loss we will ever face.’ She closed her mouth and looked up to the sky. “That, …my dear Lulu, was a true prince. The first, but now he is gone.”
Luna dropped her head, and Celestia nuzzled her sister tenderly as they both wept.
I looked around at the stunned faces, then to back to David’s tortured corpse. “Goodbye,” I said, then stood and turned.
“…”
“Uuuuunfh…” It was a small sound.
I wheeled around and cast my magic over the sheet.
There lay the large, ethereal, alicorn pony, superimposed over David’s shrouded body. It was huge, majestic, and full of every color of magic imaginable.
I ripped off the sheet, causing the crowd to gasp in horror, then bent down.
“Help,” he muttered.
I turned to Celestia. “He’s… he’s alive.”
The sisters reeled in shock, incapable of believing such a thing could be possible after what they witnessed before. They were too scared to believe.
Luna and Celestia cautiously came over to join me.
David took shallow breaths; his body still broken from the ordeal.
We all searched the scene for his magic, but it was not found like before. Now, the pony was the magic. There were no connections, no vessels, and no void.
“This cannot be,” Luna stammered.
I turned to Celestia. “You need to heal him; he won’t last much longer.”
She looked away. “I will not hurt him. You know what it would do to him in this state!” she yelled.
I shook her, staring into her fear-filled eyes. “Celestia, you must, or he will perish.”
Celestia wept as she charged her horn but David did not budge. She pointed it at the broken man’s body, whispered, ”Forgive me,” then released her spell, blinding us all.
Sounds of popping bones and sizzling flesh filled our senses as the sun burned all the damage away and replaced what was lost with new life.
Finally, David gasped, taking in air.
“David!” Luna yelled as she tackled him.
Celestia, now spent, crumpled to the ground. I picked her up the best I could and placed her at David’s side. She looked up at him tentatively with tears in her eyes. “Is it really you?” she asked.
David blinked, smiled at his lovers, then fell into a deep sleep.
***