//------------------------------// // Help and Friendship forced on me // Story: One Way Trip // by SoulSpirit //------------------------------// My mind is now empty, relaxed in a calm bliss like no other. Just laying there in the open field of grass. The grass waving in the wind looks resembling an ocean of dark green. A bright, full, fluorescent moon hanging there in the night sky with its millions of stars spread out around it. That’s all. Just me, the grass, and the moon. But that didn’t last long. In an instant, the sun rose up and took position to assist the moon to form an eclipse. The grass melted and changed color and shape. The field took the form of a plane, no, a grid. Different planes of the grid had a checker pattern with unique color combinations. Then, popping into existence, appeared a freaky red chair with what appeared to be antlers, facing away from me. I couldn’t make out much more than that. A shadow started to form around it like a thick fog, impossible to look through. I slowly crept around the chair, which I am now considering to be more like a throne maybe. I stopped when I was standing approximately two yards in front of it. I just sat there, staring. Then nothing. Nothing but darkness. My eyes snapped open. The hell is with that dream? I wondered. It’s always the same one. Fucking annoying. Then I noticed something. A sound came from behind the tree, from behind me. I didn’t say anything, didn’t think anything, just waited then acted. I heard it approaching me. Now. my muscles tightened as I leaped up off the ground and onto whatever was coming my way. “Wait, what the buck dud?” It took me a minute to realize what I had pinned under me. I looked down to see a blue pegasus mare with pink eyes along with rainbow mane and tail struggling under me. “Thought you could get the drop on me? Who are you and what do you want? I demanded. I kept her pinned down for good measure, gotta keep safety in mind after all. “Just seeing if you are alright.” “My ass,” I snapped. “Only two residents of Ponyville know I exist and even they don’t know I sleep here. Suspicious if you ask me.” “N-no, really. I noticed you while flying by.” She claimed. I didn’t buy it, but the only real muscles I can see is her wings so I guess she isn’t really a threat unless if it were come to speed. “Still haven’t answered who you are. Do that, and I’ll let you go without knocking your ass out cold first.” “Rainbow Dash” She response time was so fast that it almost felt like she started answering before I finished my sentence. “How appropriate,” I said as I got off her, careful not to step on her wings in the process. I’m not stupid, I know how wings worked. Mess up those feathers too much and it would be as bad as leaving her unconscious. “I recommend not sneaking up on others first thing when they wake up.” “Noted” Rainbow had some tact in that statement. Then I heard my stomach. Damn, not now. Hope he didn’t hear that. I thought. I didn’t notice that at this point I started mumbling, “I’m going to have to find a new place to sleep now.” She heard somehow. “Why’s that? Don’t want anypony to know where you nap?” then it donned on her after she got done trying to tease me that is. “Wait? You sleep here, as in, overnight?” She was starting to get annoying now. “Ya, problem with that?” “Why not sleep at home, in your bed? I paused, “I don’t have one.” “A bed?” “A HOME, OKAY. Any more QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE I SLEEP?” I shouted my ass off like there was no tomorrow. Then, Breath, calm down. So I did. “Never met somepony homeless before.” Rainbows voice getting deeper as she said this. “I’m fine.” No, to be honest, I’m not fine. I haven’t had food for in two days and my only source of water is a river a few miles away from here. Have you tried to cup hooves before? You can’t. But it was a great motivator that got me to figure out to hold things with these damn hooves. Practiced on a cup. Oddly enough, all I have to do is have my brain fissure the same commands that it issued when I had hands. It is still pretty hard though. “What’s your name?” “What?” “I told you my name, what’s yours?” Fair enough. “Spirit.” “Spirit...what?” “Just Spirit.” This seemed to surprise her. “I think you might want to go the Golden Oak library right now.” Sounding worried. “Why, trouble?” “Twilight Sparkle is looking for you if-” “Oh shit!” I bolted straight to the library. Yep, also got good at sprinting too. It’s a surprise the things you have time to work on when you didn’t live with a princess. ____________________________________________________________________________ I finally arrived at the library. I got up the stairs and knocked on the door. It only took a minute before I was greeted by Spike. “ Enter at your own risk.” cautioned Spike. “Why’s that?” “Twilight.” That’s all I needed to be told to understand the message. Spike moved to the side as to let me in. Before I even started to move, I noticed Twilight sitting in the room. The look on her face filled me with grim and caution. I slowly made my way past Spike and toward the couch where she sat. “A little annoying blue pegasus told me you were looking for me?” She nodded. “Sorry about that, I overslept.” “Where?” She asked. Did I hear suspicion in her voice? “Excuse me?” “Where did you sleep?” Twilight clarified her question. At this point, Spike just continued his normal chore of organizing the books of the library. “I told you, I’m staying a-” “Don’t say at the Inn, because I found that Ponyville doesn’t have one.” Twilight interjected. I froze, didn’t know what to say. Of course, this would have happened. Celestia told me of how clever Twilight is. I knew that there would be no lie at this point that would get me out of this. I sighed, ‘cause there is no telling what she’ll say or do at this point in the game. “I slept under a tree under a tree, about a five-minute walk out of Ponyville.” I explained. “You slept outside!? Why?” I didn’t like where this is going. “Never mind that, what id you need me for?” I tried to change the subject, only to not be so successful. “You are not avoiding this.” Twilight declared. “Why were you-” she paused, then took notice of my physical condition. I can tell that she is going to probably going to figure out everything I’ve lied to her for the last two days in the next thirty seconds. Her facial expression now changed from one of being cross with someone to one of worry with fear added to the mix. Fuck! “I can tell you haven’t eaten. Either in a long time or just not much.” Now her voice started to waver. “When was the last time you had anything to eat?” I hesitated, but I know that I have lost the battle before I have even gotten into the library. “Before I left Canterlot.” She gasped, and I gulped. “Now tell me where you have been living since you got to Ponyville.” “Under the tree I mentioned earlier.” And that’s what did it. I am looking into her eyes, I can also see that at that moment both her mind and heart shattered. Did she feel sorry for me? Fucking shit, she’s crying now. “Why?” Twilight asked, her voice now wavering and begging. No, anything but that. “Excuse me?” “Why didn’t you ask me, or anypony else for help?” Her eyes now so huge and pleading, it was ludacris and should be illegal. “Because lover boy there is scared!” Mine and Twilights attention now diverted, noticed Rainbow Dash hovering in front of an open window. “Want me to knock you the fuck out or should I fuck up your wings like I should have done last time instead of leaving them alone?” I threatened. “Sorry, sorry. I’ll wait outside.” And just like, she left. “Like I said, annoying.” “Again, why?” This mare is pretty damn persistent. I noted. “It’s a moral thing.” “Not good enough. Explain.” Twilight demanded I hesitated. “I’ll tell you only when everyo-, I mean, everypony, whatever, is out of earshot. Including the dragon.” Now that face right there is a face of surprise. “Why!?” “Because I’m not ready for others to know this part of me yet, but you right now are the only one that has the right to know right now.” Twilight paused. She hesitated, then compiled. “Spike, go outside and hang out with Rainbow for a bit please?” “Sweet, a break,” Spike said on his way out. I made my way to the open window and closed it. I waited for about three minutes before I poked my head out the door to see if those two were trying to eavesdrop or not. When I felt comfortable enough to give my explanation, I joined Twilight on the couch. “Sorry if this all seems kinda sketchy, I just don’t know anyone here. Therefore, trust no one.” “Now please, explain.” “To me, it feels wrong to ask for anything, no matter what it is, without first trying to get it yourself first. Especially when the per- um, pony being asked seems like they can only, just barely get it themselves. But there’s a case that will make me absolutely, not ask for anything. It’s also the reason why I didn’t tell you that Celestia told me to live with you when I got here.” I paused. Fuck, how did she convince me to tell her? I asked myself, feeling guilty as all hell. “That reason being?” Twilight pushed on. “You.” You know what? After all, Celestia told me about Twilight, I thought she wouldn’t be surprised so many times in under two hours. Add another tally to the chalkboard. “You looked so happy that night when we met. But you also looked like you were just getting by too. You not only have yourself to feed but Spike too. Then there is the rent. I would only just make it harder for you. How could I even ask for such a thing? You don’t know me, we aren't friends, so with that being the way things are at the time I would be nothing but another mouth to feed. I wouldn’t be able to help with chores because I can barely hold a cup and I don’t know how to use magic, so I can’t earn my keep. The stress would probably cause you to have a mental break down. If that didn’t happen first, then you would no longer be able to pay the bills needed to keep a roof above your head. What goo-” And just like that, I found the purple mare on me, hugging me, crying. I didn’t realize it until now, but I must have started crying halfway through my rant.  But it’s what Twilight said next that took the cake. “Don’t!” She started. “Don’t finish that next sentence. Noponys worthless. And don’t let your morals lead you to starvation, it’s not good for you.” Her crying didn’t let up. “And don’t think you don’t have any friends.” “But Twilight.” “No, I won’t allow it. I can’t allow such a thing. It’s not fair toward you.” “Twilight, please.” She ignored my protest. I can’t tell her why I just can’t. But it’s what she did next that dealt the final blow. “ You are MY friend now, and you will always be.” Then, while still holding her embrace, brought up her head to mine and planted a kiss on my forehead in a way that reminded me of a mother. Right when she planted that kiss on my head, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I broke out bawling in a way that was worse than Twilight. Sadness. It was draining the strength from my body. I collapsed into Twilight. It only got worse as she continued to comfort me. My body became limp. But she didn’t let be keep my meeting with the floor. Instead, she crossed her hind legs (don’t ask me how it is that ponies can do that) and guided my head…. to her lap. I couldn’t take it anymore. I closed my eyes, not that I could see through the build-up of tears, and just cried myself to sleep.