"That should do it, another project done!" I've just finished working on yet another part of the surprise for Dashie's arrival. So far, I've made most of the food tables, as well as some drinking cups, and I've even managed to make a party cannon! As for how I ever managed that, I haven't the slightest clue. There's no way I'd ever be able to pull off something like this back on Earth. At least, not without buying everything, instead of making it. There must be some sort of magic involved with it, or maybe I just got lucky.
This has all taken me quite a while, though. About six months, but I'd say that's six months well spent. I mean, it's not like I have anything better to do.
In fact, I'd probably be bored out of my mind by now if this project hadn't been keeping me busy, and to be honest, I wouldn't want to spend my time here in any other way. Sure, relaxing sounds nice. But being in the afterlife gives me the benefit of so much energy. It'd be a shame to let all of it go to waste.
After all, my parents had a welcoming party for me when I got here, as well. It was pretty humble compared to what I've got planned. But then again, it was just Granny Smith and my parents.
Granny Smith made me her awesome apple pie, which for some reason tasted even better than it did in Equestria. And, my parents made me all my favorite foods from my childhood, which gave me quite a feeling of déjà vu.
It might sound small, but it was more than enough of a welcome. There was no need to make it any bigger than it was, but my daughter needs the best that I can possibly manage. Even if it takes me years to complete the preparations, it’s the least that I can do for exiting her life so soon...
Although I'd prefer not to talk about that sort of thing, it's one of the few subjects that can still sadden me at this point.
On a different note, I sure could use Pinkie's help around here. It'd make things move along a whole lot smoother. By now, I don't consider saying stuff like that to be rude. Of course, I want them to live a long happy life, but that doesn't change the fact that things would be a whole lot easier with her around. With all of them around, really.
Pinkie, of course, could help me with planning as well as baking cakes and whatnot.
Rarity could help “bedazzle” the scenery, and maybe make us special outfits for the occasion
Fluttershy could organize some woodland creatures to help with the chorus, as well as helping us set up with her flight.
Applejack could obviously farm apples and make her famous apple cider that Dashie goes crazy for.
And lastly, Twilight could use her magic to help with the fireworks display to really make them pop, as well as levitate things to help us with the setup.
But, chances are, I'll be doing most of this on my own. I wouldn't want to interrupt my parent's relaxation to even ask if they could help me out. Their life was a whole lot worse than mine overall, so they deserve to enjoy every second up here.
I’ve thought about asking Granny Smith to help out, but I don't think she could do very much. Then again, I don't even know if I could find her if I tried. She's all over the place now, which kind of reminds me of Pinkie Pie, but with more country. Well, they are both related, supposedly.
I might stumble across her every once in a while when I'm going on my walks, which I've actually started up again.
When I'm happy, I walk. When I'm excited, I walk. When I feel like walking, I walk. Walking has once again become a second life in a sense. Or is it a third life, considering I’m in my second life right now? Regardless, this time, it's not to distract me from my once sad and lonely life. Now I walk because I enjoy it. I walk because it gives me time to imagine what it will be like once Dashie gets here.
Speaking of her, I wonder what she's up to right about now? Over the last few months, I've learned how to see the world below me on command. It almost makes me feel like some kind of god, it's pretty awesome.
I take the short walk from the center of town and get back home. I reach our door that is now always unlocked. There's no need for locks up here, they just aren't necessary.
I open the door, walk inside, and hear my parents watching old movies from their younger years upstairs. Deciding not to disturb them, I head into the living room and find the couch. I then sit down and close my eyes.
The next thing I know, I'm in Equestria, still in my usual spot in the beautiful sky. I look around, life is still as busy as always for these ponies it seems. I can hear faint chatter on the ground, which must be all the ponies in the marketplace enjoying their day.
I look off into the distance for my daughter's cyan color, spotting it just in front of SugarCube Corner. Either she's seeing Pinkie right now, or she's getting some cupcakes to take home. Looking at the sun, it should be mid-to-late-afternoon, so she must've finished her daily training not too long ago.
I see her glide down to Pinkie's window, immediately followed by two pink hooves snatching her up and pulling her inside of the room. I can’t see what’s going on for what feels like the longest time, but in reality, it's probably only been a minute or two.
I'm getting a bit anxious for some answers as to what might be happening. Sensibly, I should be thinking that it's just Pinkie being Pinkie and they'd come out of Sugarcube Corner any second laughing up a storm. But, for some reason, I have a bad feeling about all of this.
What happens next only gives me more questions as to what's going on. All I manage to see is a blue blur that must've been Dashie flying out of the window with something yellow on her back. Before I can analyze further, she darts to the left and quickly leaves my field of view.
As I look around for where she may've gone, I spot Pinkie Pie galloping in a specific direction. Chances are she's heading to the same place as Dashie, so I follow her with my eyes until a big white building comes into view.
I look over at it to confirm what it is as Pinkie darts through the automatic doors. I examine the area above the blocked entryway and spot something that both shocks and confuses me: a giant red cross...
I haven't seen this place since... well, you know.
Upon seeing the cross, certain flashbacks start to float in my mind. Flashbacks to my last month or so alive, back when the darkness was doing everything in its power to take me away, but I quickly fix my attention to something different, and frankly, something a whole lot more important.
Why are they in there? Who are they in there for? Is there any way that I can find out? Why can't I look inside buildings, anyway?
These questions are all fighting for the spotlight of my attention, but then it hits me. When Dashie flew out of Pinkie's bathroom window, there was a yellow blur that seemed to be dangling on her back.
Could that really be who I'm thinking it is? No way, it's got to be something else. Maybe it was some other pony and I'm getting paranoid. I know that sounds rather selfish to say, but, we all have our priorities.
I wait and wait for some sort of relief to my ever-growing concern. But, after fifteen minutes of staring at the hospital doors, nothing happens.
I decide to distract myself from what’s happening and I begin to think happier thoughts. One of my more cherished of these thoughts just so happens to be Dashie's first birthday. A birthday celebration sure sounds nice right about now, I think I'll reimagine it for a bit to pass the time.
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"Good morning, my little Dashie," I whispered into her ear as the sun started to rise. Today would be big, and I wanted to make sure that we made the most of it. I had stuff planned for the entire day.
We would start with her favorite breakfast and later pick out a cake. Then onto what I thought would be her favorite part of the day, going outside of this stuffy house and playing at my childhood park.
It'd been an entire year at that point. Dashie could fully communicate with me and she was even starting to learn how to read English! And yet, after all that time, she never stepped hoof outside of that house.
It wasn't like I didn't have a good reason to keep her inside for all that time, but every day for that past month or two, I'd see her sitting next to the window right next to my front door. She'd just stare off into the vast distance of the outside world.
I wasn’t worried about her ever being spotted, we lived on a dead end street, so that was the least of my worries. But I could see the longing for fresh air in her eyes. So, for those past few days leading up to her birthday, I poked around after work looking for the best spot for her to play where no one could spot her.
Oddly enough, the old playground where I played at as a child seemed to be the best place for her. So, I decided that I shall take her to the park. The only question at that point was, how would I get her there?
She was still relatively small, so I was able to hide her in the same leather jacket that I'd used to bring her to my home on that day a year ago.
I looked back at my then six-year-old Dashie, who'd finally started to wake up. I wanted more than anything else to see her eyes, both on that day as well as now. They had always managed to make my day the moment that I saw them.
I heard her yawn, as she rubbed her eyes. She then pushed herself up and stretched. Upon finishing, she began to open her eyes and mouth.
"Good morning, Dad." Her voice filled me with joy, but before I could respond, a sudden feeling hits me in my shoulders and it's enough to force me out of my memory, as well as my view of Equestria.
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As I come back to my normal stance, I see my father shaking me, trying to wake me up. I hear him spout some words, something like, "Get up, son. You have to see this!"
Upon hearing his words, I quickly stand up and drowsily follow my father outside of the house. I rub my eyes as I fully come to, not yet realizing what’s going on. As I look around for some answers, I see my mother come out of the house right behind us and come to a stop right next to my father. Before I can ask any questions, she speaks.
"Honey, who do you think it is this time?"
More confusion is poured onto me as I look around for whatever my parents are talking about. Right in front of me, what seems to be a half-yellow, half-pink portal appears in the ground. The wind seems to pick up a bit as the portal starts to grow in size. I can't hold back from asking something.
"Dad, what's going on?"
"The same sort of thing happened when you showed up. Judging by the colors, I'd say that the Element of Kindness is coming to us earlier than expected..."
His voice is mellow and indifferent. How could he be alright with what's happening? This is horrible! Not only is Fluttershy's life ending far too early, her Element of Kindness won't work anymore. What if something bad happens down there? How will they defend themselves?
I struggle to make complete sense of what's going on, but the portal starts spinning so fast to the point where I have to look away or I'll get dizzy.
A loud noise emanates from it, startling me. Before I can contemplate what it might've been, the sound of a small explosion passes by as the spinning becomes hypnotic. I'm forced to shut my eyes and my world turns to black. Then, silence...