//------------------------------// // 3: Things Time Can't Heal // Story: Fire of Friendship: For One // by Psychic Smith //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Things Time Can’t Heal Three Days to Hearth’s Warming “One for Manehattan please,” I said, hoofing over a few bits to the stallion behind the iron bars of the train station ticket booth. Without saying anything more than a slightly annoyed huff, he slipped a train ticket through the bars handing it to me. “Have a good day,” I smiled sheepishly, to which he huffed again. Must not be a morning pony. I trotted over to a wooden bench dusted with a light coat of snow, which I promptly wiped off before sitting down. Luckily it wasn’t terribly cold out this morning, or else I’m not sure if I could hold back an outburst at the first weather pony I saw. I looked down to my ticket, and breathed a heavy sigh. It had been about three months since the incident with my father. The first, I had spent staying in a hotel close to the hospital where mom was being cared for. When Coarse struck mom in the head, he cracked her skull pretty bad. The docs said that Mom had only a moderate concussion, but I really didn’t see how the word ‘moderate’ was appropriate. She was asleep for most of the first week, but whenever she woke up, she always had a dazed look in her eyes. Confused, she didn’t remember anything about that night. The doctors warned me not to mention anything regarding my father. After I was bandaged up by the doc’s, I was free to go. That was, until I was summoned to court in Canterlot for a proper ruling. What I wasn’t expecting was to have a one on one conversation with sun god horse. The fact that the whole situation was important enough to get the attention of one of the princesses was a big red flag. Like the kind of flag that was large enough you could cover the moon with. Celestia was equally beautiful and terrifying, her presence alone sending shivers down my spine. I recounted everything I remembered before passing out, omitting the fact that I used telekinesis to embed a stallion’s head in a wooden pole. I told her I bucked him across the room for that part. Luckily for me, Celestia pardoned me, and sentenced my father to 60 years for one count of attempted ponicide, and two counts of domestic abuse. She did however, gave me a stern glare as I left, and told gave me a piece of parchment. I was to see her again after half a year, which was only three months away in the present. I returned to the hospital as quickly as I could. I didn’t want to stray far from mom, knowing something could happen while I was gone. There was no way I was going to let something or somepony hurt her again on my watch. One night, through slurred speech, mom told me that she wanted me to get out of Manehattan. Somehow, I think she knew city life wasn’t for me, and I needed to get away from it all. Even in her state, she was wiser than I’d ever be. She said that I could go live with my cousins in Appleloosa. I just laughed and declined saying I didn’t want to go live on some dude ranch. Instead I went to ponyville, rented a place to stay, and got a job that paid just enough for the rent. I spent the last two months living the small town life. I had to admit, the place has a way of growing on you. Then something came in the mail. According to the letter I received from Mom’s doctor a few weeks ago, mom said she wanted to see me before the holiday. She was still recovering at home, but the doc thought it would be a good thing to see some family. Family that was not dad of course. At least that monster wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while. The prison guards outside his room in a different hospital would make sure of that. I was snapped out of my daydream by a heavy mass of fabric bumping into my head. “Hey what’s the big idea?” I instantly regretted saying that, as my jaw dropped to the ground upon seeing the purple mare in front of me… adorned with a horn… and wings… and was currently levitating a pile of suitcases. Oh Celestia rape me with the sun. I instantly hop off the bench and kneel, knowing full well what my place was. “Your Highness! My apologies, I didn’t know that was you.” Even though I was busy focusing on the ground, I couldn’t help but catch the princess wince out of the corner of my eye. “Th- there is no need for that. Besides, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. I should be the one apologizing.” “Still, I should not have been so disrespectful. Forgive me Princess Twilight, I was… thinking about somepony.” The awkward pause we lapsed into, was strange to say the least. I decided to just keep my focus on a particular pebble on the station platform. “Please, just call me Twilight.” A purple hoof entered my vision, blocking my view of that perfect rock. It beckoned me to stand. “Princess just sounds too… formal. You would think I’d be used to it already.” “Oh. Well. Sorry Prin- I mean, Twilight.” Twilight just gave me a sheepish smile, before her eyes suddenly brightened in recognition. “I’ve seen you around Ponyville, haven’t I? I don’t think we have been properly introduced.” I hesitated in shaking the princess’s hoof, but I tentatively reached my own out and reciprocated the gesture. Talking with one of the four princesses in such a casual manner was a rather strange experience. Even Celestia didn't seem so down to earth. She really just listened and nodded when I spoke with her. Eventually, Twilight opted to sit on the bench next to me, as we engaged in small talk. Why a princess was taking a train piqued my curiosity however. What really shocked me was how crazy smart she was. She went on and on for what seemed like hours on a pet project of hers. Something about portals and things called ‘hoo-mans’. Most of which just went over my head. This mare sounded like a walking, talking encyclopedia. “If you don’t mind me asking, Twilight,” I asked, her ears swiveling to listen to my words. “Where are you going? I mean, this is a train station. I’d think you’d be spending this time of the year in your castle.” “Oh. Well I’m going to visit family in Canterlot. Sure I’ll be here to spend Hearths Warming day with my friends, but it’s our tradition that we always spend at least Hearths Warming eve with my parents.” A bit of pride swelled in the princess’s chest and her voice as she talked on about her Hearths Warming traditions. She sure liked to talk, but I was more than happy to listen. However, I was distracted for a brief moment as I heard small hooves, or feet as it were, running onto the platform. A moment later, a small purple and green dragon popped into view, a small backpack strapped over his shoulders. “Twilight! I thought you were going to wake me up like you always do,” the young reptile scolded. Twilight, turning to the little guy, giggled softly. “Sorry Spike. I thought you’d like to sleep in after all of your hard work. I was going to come get you after a quick walk, but i got sidetracked.” “So… Who’s this?” As the dragon said this, I mentally facehoofed at the fact that, once again, I forgot to introduce myself. “Sorry. Spike, was it?” I inwardly cringed at how awkward my voice sounded. “Name’s Wild Spirit, but just call me Psychic.” Upon mentioning my nickname, I recognized that look in the dragon’s eyes, and immediately realized my mistake. “Psychic?” the dragon said confused. “Why do ponies call you that?” Shit. Why in the name of Celestia does everybody ask that? “U-umm… Well. You see…” Great, my stuttering caused the princess of friendship to be curious. She was already examining me with a studious gaze. Curse my lack of ability to lie. “It’s… It’s not necessarily something I like to do in public…” For a moment, Twilight’s eyes shifted from an analytical gaze, to one of concern. Almost motherly in a sense. Spike on the other hand just looked confused. He was about to ask something, I was sure of it. Twilight, however, quickly gave him a warning glance before addressing me again. “Spirit, I understand if it would make you uncomfortable, but… I would like to at least see what’s got you so bothered. As princess of friendship that is.” I felt her gentle smile kind of ease my uncertainty. “Well, I am on my way to Manehattan. Traveling alone by train isn’t much fun anyways. But i can't keep you from your own business.” Twilight just seemed to ignore me. “That is a bit of a ways from Canterlot, but I should be able to make a short detour.” Yeah. A short detour of around 5 hours by train. “Princess, I can’t ask you to go out of your way just for me.” “Nonsense! I can just get a free ticket back. The one thing that I enjoy about being a Princess is the free transportation.” “And the private coach!” Spike added on the side. Celestia-dammit. Seeing no way out of it, I opted to just nodding in defeat. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, you know that right?” Twilight said, forcing me to turn my attention back to her, to which I just nodded again. As much as didn’t want to go through with Twilight’s plan, I knew how intellectual ponies like her worked. I had known many mares like that back in Manehattan. Their insatiable curiosity held no bounds, and were always really persistent in getting their way. It was rather fucking annoying sometimes. As the moment of silence persisted, Twilight began to read a book she had pulled out from one of her many suitcases, and Spike pulled out an old Power Ponies comic book to read. At this point, the train station had begun to become livelier as the number of ponies around seemingly increased since I had first began talking with Twilight. One group in particular happened to catch my eye. A simple family of three. The pegasus mother was looking after their young foal who was currently playing with a ball in the snow. The father seemed to just be looking on, looking on proudly as he watched his wife and daughter. I can only imagine how the longing feeling in my chest showed on my face. In the distance, I heard the approach of the ten o-clock train from down the tracks. I watched as the train came rolling from around a snow topped hill, seemingly materializing from the blanket of snow. It was in that moment when the mother of the family of three became distracted by a conversation with her husband, and didn’t happen to notice that their foal rolling the ball dangerously close to the railroad tracks. It wasn’t until the train’s whistle started blowing that both the mother and I looked back to see the foal about to follow the ball into the path of the oncoming train. The mare let out a horrified scream that was drowned out by the whistles and screeching of the approaching iron horse. She broke into an all-out sprint towards her baby, wings flared out wide. It didn’t take a physicist to know that she wasn’t running fast enough to beat a train. Fuck it. In that moment, I focused all of my brainpower on willing the small filly up, and into the air, doing everything in my power to just to get her away from the tracks. I felt the familiar pressure behind my eyes as a pink aura began to surround the tail of the filly. In a desperate last-ditch effort, I closed my eyes, and mentally pulled as hard as I could. There was a high pitched cry of shock… Followed by the train roaring past with breaks squealing to as it slowed down. Oh Celestia no… I hesitantly opened my eyes, and saw the mother quivering… Holding the small filly in her arms, looking directly at me and my glowing eyes. As I looked around I noticed that it wasn’t just the mother, but the father, Twilight, Spike, the grumpy ticket booth worker, and some of the other folks waiting that were waiting for the train. All of the ponies were staring at me with faces ranging from gratitude, awe, fear, relief and confusion. All eyes on me… Luna fuck me in the ass with her moon.