//------------------------------// // Old Friends, Future Friends // Story: Twilight and the Volcanologist // by Razor Flake //------------------------------// Ponyville Jonathan was utterly confused as to what was going on. One moment, he had been awaiting his death by fire, then was in some room that Twilight had somehow gotten him to, and the next he was back by Charlotte’s side, hoping beyond all hope that she wouldn’t leave him. Then, he felt something on his shoulder, and out of his grief for his friends and anger at the world he had lashed out, but in a completely unexpected way. One second a taller, white full sized horse had a put its hoof on JOnathan’s shoulder, the next said horse was reeling from… Something. However, Jonathan heard her words through his thoughts, said words rerailing his train of thought with no survivors. “Magic outburst” I had a… Magic outburst? What does that even mean? How could this have happened? Did I- As if reading his thoughts, Celestia answered the half formed question in Jonathan’s mind. “You are very distressed by your friend’s condition, and thus your magical energy coincided with your emotional turmoil, which I unfortunately aggravated. I deeply apologize for my action. However, I know many madical spells that will help your friend until she can be properly treated.” Jonathan was at a loss for words. He was always someone who took each day as it came, always expecting the unexpected. As such, he filed away the several questions he had about this situation for later. For when Charlotte was okay. “Please. Help her. She’s.. She’s all I have left.” “I will do all I can to help her, young one. I am afraid I never introduced myself. I am Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria. I assume you are already acquainted with Twilight?” Jonathan gave a nod. However, internally he was terrified about what would happen to him. He had just assaulted royalty. “Now please, tell me your name.’ “I am Jonathan Sigurd. Pleased to meet you. Please… Please help Charlotte. And.. let me stay with her. I want to be with her when she wakes.” “As you wish, Jonathan. Twilight. Get to the hospital right away and inform them we have a serious burn victim.” Twilight was knocked out of her daze at the princess’ words. “R-right away, Princess!” Twilight disappeared in a flash of purple light. Celestia made her way back to the figure on the cot, who she now knew to be Charlotte. What a beautiful name Jonathan watched Celestia warily as she approached Charlotte’s sleeping form. The white horse’s horn glowed a bright yellow as she began to cast some sort of spell on Charlotte. Jonathan noticed Charlotte’s breathing become fuller and less wheezy, but that was about it. Jonathan placed a hand on Charlotte’s, and simply stayed there. “You are very close to her, are you not?” Jonathan was a little startled by Celestia’s voice breaking the silence. He looked up at her and nodded. “She’s been my closest friend for as long as I can remember, even more so after my mother died. She was always there for me, kept me from doing stupid stuff, and never failed to help me through the loss of my mom.” Jonathan smiled as he remembered all the memories he had with Charlotte. Celestia, however, suddenly looked more serious. “The medics are here. Do you want me to carry Charlo-” “No. I’ll do it myself.” Jonathan’s answer was filled with a determination Celestia had rarely seen. Yet, in his eyes, Celestia saw so much sorrow, and below that, a downright terrifying coldness. A coldness that froze all who came near. Jonathan picked up Charlotte, and located a staircase. Making his way up, he saw he was now in a library. Not thinking about this fact, he walked out the nearest door to the outside. Not caring about his surroundings, he only made his way to a stretcher where a unicorn and an earth pony waited. To their credit, they asked no questions, and only let Jonathan put his life long friend on the stretcher. Ponyville Hospital The doctors had done the best they could for a patient type they had no experience with. Jonathan was surprised by how effectively they had worked, and he admired how much the personal seemed to genuinely care about Charlotte. Soon, he was finally permitted to enter Charlotte’s room, and he took a seat next to her bed. Once he had told the nurse to give him some time alone, and he was certain no one else was in the room, He took Charlotte’s hand, Put his head down, suddenly realizing how exhausted he was. Before letting himself slip into sleep, he said one last thing to Charlotte. “Don’t die on me. Please…” And so, Jonathan slept. Ponyville Hospital, Waiting Room Twilight paced back and forth. So many thoughts were running through her mind, she could barely keep track of them all. It wasn’t yet dawn, but Celestia had just left to prepare to raise the sun. Soon, she would have to explain everything to her friends. Golden Oaks Library All of Twilight’s friends where buzzing with excitement at their dear friend’s return. Pinkie was about to pitch a Twilight-Was-Found-and-is-Okay Party when the mare in question walking through the front door, looking exhausted. The look on her face said that she had something to say, and that she wasn’t going to be interrupted. Wordlessly, the five ponies all nodded to each other and gave Twilight their full attention. “It all started with a stray cable…” And so Twilight told her tale of being trapped in another world for a month, describing in great detail everything except her last day there. “Come on girls, Jonathan may need a friend right now.” Jonathan had woken up at around noon, judging by the sun's position in the sky. Charlotte was still unconscious, and was going to follow through his promise. He would wait for her to wake up, no matter what. And nothing could take him from her side. It was around then Jonathan heard a knock on the door. “Who is it?” “Jonathan, it’s me! I brought my friends, too! Can we come in?” “Yes, you can. Warn them, though.” Applejack looked confused. “What’d He mean ‘bout a warning now?” Twilight tensed a little. “Well, you see girls, Jonathan wasn’t the only one who came back. His friend did, too. But the fire didn’t leave her unscathed. Fluttershy put a hoof to her mouth in shock. “O-oh my gosh. Tha-that’s awful! Are they ok? How are they? Is it bad?” Twilight grimaced. “It’s… It’s pretty bad, girls. Anyone who can’t handle it can stay here, no hard feelings.” No one opted to stay. “Alright then.” The six walked into the hospital room, and the first thing they noticed was the odor, subsequently the source of the odor. Charlotte was in marginally better condition than before. Since the unicorn doctors had cast a spell that essentially mimicked a bandage, there was no need for any. So the five ponies’ first sight of Charlotte was her condition. Her skin was horrifyingly burned and cracked. She still had her hair, but the ends were frayed and burned. One of her eyelids were fused shut, and she was missing part of her left ear. The five ponies let out a gasp of surprise and horror. Then, they noticed the one who was presumably Jonathan talking to Charlotte. He kept apologizing for not being fast enough, for not being able to save her, and for not being in her place instead. Just as AJ was about to introduce herself, Charlotte moved. Slowly, she opened her right eye, it spun for a bit before centering on Jonathan. “Hey Jon. We dead yet?” Jonathan smiled. He smiled more than Twilight ever saw him smile before. He hugged Charlotte before she had time react, and reciprocated as best she could. “No, Charlotte, we aren't dead. You're not dead.” They shared a moment together, before Jonathan spoke. “Hey Charlotte. Remember when they pulled me from the wreckage of that car, limbs bent and screaming before I fell unconscious?” “Yeah. How could I forget? I thought you were going to die!” “I know how you felt now. Guess we're even now, huh?” “I guess so.” They laughed before Charlotte noticed the other present company. “Jon. Why are there multicolored horses in my hospital room?” “Oh, yeah. How do I say this. I'm pretty sure we are on another planet right now.”