I spent a few hours talking with AJ while she bucked her apple trees. She told me about how the girls all met, and a few of the crazy adventures they went on.
“Wait, wait. So, Spike is only the savior of the Crystal Empire because this Princess Cadance threw him at that heart basically?”
She rubs the back of her neck. “Guess so. But, he still saved the Crystal Heart. Say, ain’t you two friends? Ya haven’t really talked much.”
My heart sinks. “I, uh...Spend so much time with so many people that I don’t have time to see him…”
“Well, why don’t ya send him a letter?”
I blush softly, very upset on the inside. “I….can’t….”
“Whut? Why not?”
I sigh. “I…..never learned how….”
“What?! How the hay not?”
“My mother, she...never let me go to school because I was an embarrassment to her. So I was kept home with my sister.”
“Didn’t yer sister know?”
I shrug. “She wrote somethings, but I didn’t understand the language...I’m thankful she taught me to read, though.”
“Well, then go see Spike! He’s probably over at the Boutique.”
“What? Why?”
“Spike’s got a thing fer Rarity, but she can’t tell him that she ain’t interested. Spike’s a gentle drake, but….Rares ain’t into dragons.”
“Oh….jeez, that sucks…”
I bet there’s something wrong with her.
Eh?
I think that something might be upsetting her.
Why do you think that?
Because she hasn’t talked to us since the Sombre incident.
Not that, idiot. About the dragon thing.
I know that. But, I figure she doesn’t like dragons because it’s crossbreeding, and she’s the pure, uppity type.
Oh…
And I think she’s upset at us because we forced her to tell her feelings in front of everyone against her will.
Oh...right….
“Hey, Six?” AJ says.
“Hm?” I look over at her.
“Do ya...love...me?”
I gasp, turning bright red. “E-Eeeeh?!”
“Ya never told any of us how ya felt about us...And ah wanted ta know if ya even felt the same way.”
“You’re cornering him, Applejack.” She jumps as my voice deepens.
“Shade, ah didn’t ask you.” She huffs.
“But I’m telling you. Six spend a majority of his life cut off from everyone. And for you all to back him into a corner like that is unforgivable. He hardly knows any of you, and you suddenly expect him to just love you? Just like that? He doesn't work that way. I found that out over the last fourteen years that he expresses his emotions differently, if at all. If you want him to love you, then just get to know him first. You two haven’t really talked outside of today, so talk to him. Oh, and be assertive. He may be stubborn, but he’s not a fighter.”
She nods. “Alright….Thanks, Shade.”
“Wait, what just happened? Did one of them just….Damn it! I told them not to take over without telling me first!”
“It’s alright, Six.” I look back at her, and she had her head down slightly.
“Applejack? Are you okay? What did they say?”
“Go on a date with me, Six.”
My heart just exploded.
“Wh-what?” I ask.
She looks up at me and grabs my shirt collar, pushing me against a tree. “Yer goin on a date with me!”
“B-b-but, it’s so sudden. I-I don’t know…”
“Ah wasn’t askin. Meet me here tonight. Eight. Don’t be late, er ah’ll come fer ya mahself.”
She drops me and smiles. “Now, git.”
I nod and rush back towards town, just as the tower bell sounds that school is out. I run the whole way back to the school, where Diamond and a little girl with glasses and grey hair were sitting on a bench.
Sombre teleports the cupcakes back to my hands as I approach.
“Hey, Sis. How was school?” I ask, smiling.
“Yaaay!” She hops off the bench and nearly tackles me to the ground.
“Hey! Haha! Nice to see you too!”
I hope she’s not something, too…
I doubt it. Her energy signature is similar to yours.
Oh, so normal? Good.
“Didja bring the cupcakes?” She asks excitedly. I smile and kneel down, handing her the box.
“Of course I did. Who’s your friend? Is this Silver?” I ask her.
The girl blushes and cowers away a little.
Diamond takes her hand and pulls her over. She had a grey dress on. She must be wealthy, too.
“Silver, this is my brother, Six!”
“H-Hi…” She says bashfully.
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you. Diamond, why don’t we bring Silver with us to the house to have cupcakes, too?”
“I was gonna share! I wasn’t gonna eat a dozen on my own!”
I laugh. “I know. I’m teasing you.” I rub her head. She pouts with puffed up cheeks.
“Big Brother, can we go to the park?”
“Ah don’t see why not. And we can b-”
“Six! What’re ya doin here?” I hear Applebloom shout.
I look over, seeing the three girls standing together a few feet away, under a tree.
“Just picking up my little sis from school. AJ not come yet?”
“Little sister?! Diamond Tiara’s your little sister?!”
“That’s right! Jealous?” Diamond says smugly. I bop her a little on the back of the head.
“None of that. Don’t bully them anymore, or no happy eyes for you. Got it?”
She whines and rubs the back of her head.
“Diamond Tiara, I will not tolerate my little sister being a bully.” I say sternly.
She looks up at me with tears in her eyes. “O-okay…”
“Good. You too, Silver. I may not be your brother, but I won’t tolerate bullying at all.” I lift my blindfold just enough so her eyes meet my gold ones. She gasps and stumbles back a little, tearing up. She nods.
“Good.” I put it back on. “Applebloom, why don’t you and the other girls come with us? We have enough for everyone.”
“Alright!” She smiles, tugging along Sweetie and Scootaloo.
Diamond tugs on my shirt, and I look down at her.
“What’s up?”
“I’m sorry…”
“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to them.”
She gives me the box of cupcakes and walks up a little, bowing slightly.
“S-Sorry for bullying you so much…”
The girls look shocked. “I-It ain’t that big a deal… Ah want us ta be friends!”
Diamond stands back up straight. “R-Really? You do?”
“Yeah! We saw you standing up to your mom! That was awesome!” Scootaloo exclaims.
“Yeah! You were really brave!” Sweetie adds.
“You...think so?”
“Yeah!” They all hug Diamond and Silver, and they hug back. I smile.
“Well, come on, girls.” I chuckle and start going towards the park, and I smile as they rush up to keep up with me.
As we get into the park, I notice Fluttershy over by a dead tree, seemingly talking to a flock of various birds.
I chuckle and sit down under a tree, leaning back. I hand Diamond the cupcakes and smile. “Careful not to spoil dinner, sis.”
They sit around me and open the box, chittering amongst themselves as they eat.
This is very peaceful. I could get used to this.
I agree. It’s very pleasant.
“Mr. Six?” Silver asks. I sit up and look at her.
“Hmm?”
“How can you see me with that blindfold on?”
“He’s got funky magic powers!” Applebloom exclaims.
I laugh. “Yeah. Something like that.”
“And he can see and talk to ghosts!” Scootaloo adds.
Diamond and Silver both look at me, surprised. “You can!?”
I rub the back of my neck. “Yeah...It’s not that big of a deal…”
Diamond grabs my face and squishes it. “Are you kidding?! That’s so cool!”
“Yoo fink sho?” I ask.
“Yeah! Do you see them all the time?”
“Cam yoo wet go of my fafe?”
“O-Oh. Sorry.” She lets go.
“Not all the time. I usually have to be in the place where they died. Or where they’re buried if they died peacefully or were put to rest.”
“Oooh!” They all say unanimously.
“Mr. Six…” Scootaloo starts.
“Just Six, please. Mr. Six makes me sound old.”
“R-Right. Six, is it scary?”
“To see them? Not anymore. I used to be terrified if I saw one that died violently. They look how they did as they died, so you can imagine how twisted and mangled some ghosts have been.”
They all look scared.
“But, I help them get closure, and they can ascend to Heaven.”
“Wait...Do ya believe in Heaven?” Applebloom asks.
“Yeah…”
I should keep these kids as innocent as I can.
Six, it would be better to be honest with them about it. They might avoid poor decisions in the future.
You’re right.
“...because I’ve been to Hell.”
They jump a little as I say that.
“Y-Ya mean Tartarus, right?”
“No. I mean Hell.” I say solemnly.
They all look scared. “I-It’s real?”
“Very. And it’s worse than you can ever imagine…”
They cuddle together, shaking a little. “H-How did you get there?” Sweetie squeaks.
“.....” I roll up my sleeve, showing them the deep gash running from wrist to elbow. “The Express way…”
They tear up. “Y….You d-d-d….”
“I died.” I finish flatly.
“Why?!” Diamond shouts.
“.....I couldn’t take life anymore. I was completely alone. My father left when I was young, my mother was gone, and my sister….was dead.”
Diamond reels back a little.
“When I got there, the Devil himself met me there. And he took pity on me, saying I was too young to deserve to be in Hell. But, I was sent there for all the burdens I had taken from everyone.”
“Th-The Devil?!”
“Yes. So, he made a deal with me. He knew about my ability, so he said to me that if he could possess me and use me to send demons back to Hell, I could live again and earn my way to Heaven. And I agreed.”
They look really scared, except Diamond. Diamond looks really sad.
“S-So, you’re possessed by the Devil?” Scootaloo squeaks.
I slowly take the blindfold off, letting Shade take over.
They squeak when they see my red, goat eyes.
“Yes. He is. It’s not ideal, but I’m here.”
They back away a little.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m not evil. I only punish the guilty. And none of you are guilty.”
Diamond shakily walks up to me, and I look up at her. She suddenly slaps me hard across the face. Everyone gasps, but she cries.
“WHY DID YOU TAKE HIM!? HE’S SO NICE! AND YOU TOOK HIM TO...to...HE DIDN’T DESERVE IT!”
I rub my cheek. It didn’t hurt my face, but it hurt my heart.
“I didn’t want to. I have no control over who goes where. But, I sent him back here because I agree with you. He doesn’t deserve to be in Hell.”
“....I’m not thanking you…”
“I wasn’t expecting you to.”
My eyes turn to normal and I grab her, hugging her close. “I’m not going anywhere ever again.”
She sobs into my shoulder, squeezing me tightly. “I won’t forgive you if you do…”
“It’s a promise.” I smile.