It had taken firefighters an hour and a half to put out all the fires. By the time everyone was accounted for, several people were injured, but there was only one casualty.
Twilight was giving a report to the Princesses, leaving me sitting on top of the charred hospital. They had moved my body to Canterlot, under constant surveillance.
I look over, hearing Applejack climb up onto the roof.
“What do you want?” I ask coldly.
“That girl….was yer friend, wasn’t she?”
“Yes….and it’s my fault that she’s...she….” I feel tears fill my eyes.
“Hey….It ain’t yer fault….”
“I drove her mad….I filled her mind with darkness. This was my doing.”
“Hey, ya listen ta me. Ya might’ve said all that, but she had a screw er two loose ta begin with.”
I chuckle. “It’s true. In a sick, twisted sort of way, I loved her like a sister. She replaced his for a while.”
She sits next to me and chuckles.
“What’s so funny?”
“Ya sound just like Discord.”
“Don’t insult me…”
“Ya ought ta meet him. Think he’s stayin at Shy’s place.”
“I’d like to get my body back first, if you don’t mind. I’m not in the mood to have visitors.”
“Alright. Well, Princess Celestia says that they ought ta have ya out of yer coma soon, so that’s a plus.”
“She was so obsessed with me...that she cleaved off her head right from her shoulders….She….” I sigh sadly.
“Hey. None of that. You’ll get through this. We all will. So, chin up Mister.”
I chuckle. “You know, you really do have a nice ass.”
She blushes madly, and I laugh.
Not cool, man….
Better me say it than you do nothing.
“S-scuse me…” She climbs down. I laugh harder.
“Oh, she’s flustered!” I chuckle, calming down a bit.
I spend the rest of the day staring up at the sky.
“I know you’re up there, old man. And I know you can hear me. So hear this: Cinder was a good, smart, and very caring girl...She didn’t deserve what she got. So, you’d better not send her to Hell….or I’ll come up there and kick your celestial ass myself! And that’s a promise!”
I sigh, glad I got that out of my system. I start to climb off the roof when I feel a tug on my soul.
“Gaah! What the…?” I suddenly snap my eyes open, back in my body. The princesses over me, their hands glowing.
“Sister, I think he’s awake! Six, can you hear us?” Luna asks.
Back to you, big guy.
I’m sorry for your loss, Shade…
Don’t pity the Devil.
“Uugh...yeah...Everything tastes like ash…”
“You did just survive a fire...But you already knew that. Twilight told us everything. Is Shade still around?” Celestia asks.
“He’s mourning right now.”
“Ah...Well, give him time. He saved your life today.”
“Yeah...I guess he did.”
Jackass.
I chuckle, sitting up. I look over myself, the bandages removed. My body had a few burn scars on it left, and there was a hand-shaped burn scar on my right forearm.
“This….is where She grabbed me before she….”
“It is...We also searched for your arm in the castle in the forest. We found it, but whatever spells she used on the box incinerated it when she died…” Luna explains bluntly.
I look at my shoulder, which was the only part of me still bandaged.
“Is there nothing we can do? I’ll just be...armless?”
“Sadly...There’s no magic to regrow limbs. I’m sorry..” Celestia says sadly.
“It’s….It’s alright. I’ll learn to live without it. Hell, it might be even easier. Who knows?”
I shakily stand up, and Celestia grabs onto me. “Easy. You haven’t gotten used to your balance yet.”
I nod and take a few steps, my body wanting to lean right.
“This is gonna be annoying for a while….Can...I go home now?”
They both nod. “We’ll be keeping an eye on you. Keep out of trouble, alright?” I nod, and suddenly appear back in Ponyville square with a snap.
I sigh, looking at the stump of an arm again.
Is there anything you can do to help this?
No. If Suntits and her fatass sister couldn’t do it, why would I be able to?
Good point...And she’s not a fatass…
Did you even see that thing? Shit, she could crush a skull with that thing!
You looked?!
We both did. We share eyes, moron.
Right. Well, where do you want to go?
I want to see her.
Shade….You know I can’t…
Six. You’ve avoided her for nearly fifteen years. Go get your blindfold back, then go see her.
I sigh and shut my eyes, using my third sight to walk back to the castle. When I eventually get there, I’m charge-tackled by two incredibly dense girls.
“Six, you’re back!”
“Or are ya Shade?”
“ow….it’s me….” They both hug me tightly. I chuckle.
“Nice to see you too. Can you help me up now?” They get up, both blushing hotly. They pull me to my feet, and I dust myself off.
“Oh, Princess Celestia wanted me to give you this when you came back.” She pulls a black blindfold out of her back pocket.
“Is that the new blindfold?”
“Fully enchanted and everything. Hang on.” She walks behind me and ties it around my eyes. My third vision shimmers for a moment before returning to normal.
“Thanks...Twilight, I’m going to go visit someone….I don’t want you two following me, okay? This is….” I sigh. “This is gonna be tough for me…”
They both nod. I turn around, and head to the cemetery.
I look to the back left of the lot and make my way through the headstones until I find the one I’m looking for: Rose…
I kneel down in front of it and rest my forehead against it, tears streaming down my face already.
“Hey, sis….”
I feel a warm hand on my shoulder, and I look up. Rose smiles down at me, standing to my right. She was a soft pink with green hair and deep green eyes. She was still wearing the little dress she wore when she….
I sob, and she chuckles.
“You got big, baby brother. No crying, okay?”
“I’m….I’m so sorry….It’s my fault that you died….”
“Sixie, don’t say that. I’m glad it wasn’t you. You have something great now. I’ve been watching you, Sixie. You’ve made so many friends. I’m proud of you.”
I cry openly, and she pats my back.
“You’re an adult now, Sixie. No crying.” I sniffle and wipe my eyes.
“I miss you….so much….I’ve needed you here so badly….But I was so afraid that you’d hate me that I…..I never talked to you….”
“Why would I hate you, Sixie? You’re my baby brother! It’s my job to watch over you! And I’ll keep doing it. Nothing will stop me!”
“Heh….Just as stubborn as always….” I chuckle softly.
“You know it! So, does this mean you’ll come to see me now?”
“Yeah...I’ll come to see you...And can you tell Maple that I’ll visit her when I can, too.”
Rose chuckles, tearing up herself. “Of course. You know, all the people you saved are up here. You’ve done so much good, Six. Keep it up. The Big Guy’s proud of ya.”
“I could care less what he thinks...I care about what you think.”
“I think you should keep saving people. You’ve done so much good. And don’t ever hurt yourself again! Promise me, Sixth Sense!” She grabs my ear.
“Owowowow! Okay, I won’t!”
“Good!” She lets go. “I’ve gotta go...Come see me anytime, okay?”
“I will…” Her warmth disappears, and I sob softly, hugging her gravestone.
“I will…….”
I stand and wipe the tears from my eyes again.
Six, we have a problem.
What is it now?
Hello, Lover!
WHAT THE HELL!? CINDER?!
Not quite….Uh….I think we took her burden before she...died….and we’ve somehow adapted her personality into ourself.
What?! You mean to tell me I have a third personality...and it’s a psychotic killer woman?!
Sounds right to me….
No one asked you!
Master, he’s mean! Make him stop!
Oh, God…would you please stop calling me that? And for Heaven’s sake, what do we call this one!?
This is too weird….it sounds like me….but it has Cinder’s tone….
We can call him Pyre?
Ooh, I like it! Can I kill someone now?
No!
Awe...You’re no fun….
I need to talk to Twilight….This is really bad…
I rush out of the cemetery, back towards the castle.
I burst through the double doors and head straight to the library. “Twilight!!”
Twilight appears in the room, looking frantic. “Six, what’s going on?!”
“We have a problem! A huge problem!”