//------------------------------// // What Does Music Really Mean? // Story: What Does Music Really Mean? // by Artist //------------------------------// Sunset sat at the foot of her bed, staring at her packed bags. "Hey Sunset, I heard that Jimmy got out again last night, did you find him?" Twilight’s voice came from behind the door. "No, we didn't find him, it was too late at night for a search, but Rainbow said that she would look for him this morning!" "Ok, thanks!" Twilight’s voice faded with her footsteps as she stepped away. Twilight stood in front of the door to Paul and Ringo's room. She knocked on the door. "Come in!" Paul's voice rasped from inside. It was clear he was growing weaker by the day. “How are you doing today, Paul?” Twilight opened the door, peeking inside. “I’ve been better, but hey, if I'm going to leave this world, I’ve at least lived a full life.” “Paul, don't say that!” Twilight sat down beside him on the bed, her eyes growing moist. “Hey, now you listen here, I'm ninety-nine, I think that it's time for me to leave this world. I don't want you to be sad now, you understand? “I understand, it's just… hard for me to accept it.” Twilight sniffed. “It’s ok to feel hurt, we all have to go at some point in our lives, ok?” Paul said. Yeah, I understand.” Twilight said. “Where is Rainbow?" Paul wheezed. "She'll come back soon!" Twilight replied. Paul nodded, each breath coming with a quiet rasp thanks to his cold, followed by a mechanical exhale from the ventilator beside him. "Paul, listen to me, we need to go find Jimmy before he hurts himself, will you be ok here?" "Will there be someone here just in case?" Paul asked. "Of course there will be.” Twilight smiled. “I would never leave you alone. There will always be someone here!" "Ok, good, I was afraid that you would not come back and just leave me here to die!" Paul laughed. Rainbow Dash poked her head into the room. "Hey Paul, don't talk like that, we don't want you to die!" She opened the door further, wandering in and sitting down on Paul's bed. "Hey Rainbow, can you stay here while I go to check on Fluttershy and Allen?" Twilight asked. "Sure!" “Thanks.” Twilight stood up and left the room. A Scream could be heard from behind Allen’s door before she could even knock. Twilight threw the door open, rushing inside to find Fluttershy at the man’s side. "Oh, Twilight! I'm so glad to see you!" Fluttershy turned away from Allen for a moment. “He’s… well, upset.” "Looks like you need some help." Twilight walked to Allen’s bedside. "Yeah I do, if that's ok." "Of course it is! Now, what’s the matter, Allen?" Twilight sat at the foot of his bed.“Do you mind telling me what’s going on?” “Jimmy is gone, and there's nothing you can say to change that, right?" Allen sniffed. “Is he ever coming back?” "I promise that we will find him, ok?" Twilight said. Allen threw his arms up. "What's the difference? If we do find him, Jimmy won’t know what's going on, and Paul is going to leave here soon!" He hopped out of bed. “If nobody else is gonna find him, I will!” "Allen, listen to me, no one here is going to leave, ok? I promise, we’ll find him and set everything straight." Fluttershy said calmly. "No, I don't believe you!" Allen stormed out of the room. Twilight stood up. "Wait--I think we should give him some time to calm down!" Fluttershy shouted. "...Okay.” Twilight glanced out the open door. “I just hope that he doesn't hurt anyone." "He would never do that!” Fluttershy gasped, “I know him, he’s actually really sweet!" “Hey Fluttershy, what you say about no one leaving, it’s just that—” Twilight’s voice wavered. “Twilight, what's going on? Did something happen?” “It’s Paul--he’s gotten weaker. I didn't want to tell you while Allen was in the room... he’d be even more upset than he already is.” “Oh Twilight, I'm so sorry!” Fluttershy placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “If you need anything, I'll be here for you.” “No noo,it's ok, I have seen a lot of people die, I'll be fine.” Fluttershy frowned. “Are you sure? I know this is hard for you. You certainly don't seem ok!” “I told you, I'm fine!” Twilight half-yelled, her eyes growing moist as she ran out of the room Stevie wandered in, narrowly avoiding her as she swerved around him.“What's wrong with Twilight?” He asked. “She’s upset about Paul.” Fluttershy replied. “Oh, I heard that he was not doing well. Didn’t know that Twilight was so upset about it.” Stevie said, as he felt his way to Allen’s bed and sat down. ~~~ Stevie walked with his white cane--a gift he’d received from Twilight. "Where are we going?" Stevie asked. "To find Jimmy, I told you that that's what we’re doing today." Fluttershy responded. "Oh right, I must've not been paying attention, I'm sorry." Stevie apologized as the friends kept walking until they got to a bar. "It's ok, you know now!" Twilight said as they went into the bar. The usual commotion coming from within turned to complete silence the moment they stepped inside. All eyes were on them--but especially Stevie. "Hey, you can’t come in here with that thing!" The barkeep yelled, pointing at Stevie's cane. "Why not? He needs it to get around, so please don't say such things!" Rarity said, getting up in the barkeeper's face. "Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am." The barkeeper mocked. Rarity ignored the remark. "We are looking for our friend, Jimmy Buffett, he got out of our group home, he's autistic, we need to find him, can you please help us?" Twilight asked. "I'm sorry, but I will not help you, now get out of my bar!" The barkeeper growled as he shoved the friends out the door. "Well, that was very rude!" Rarity exclaimed. "Now you know how I feel when me and Twilight go out." Stevie grumbled. They continued walking, though the electronic buzz emanating from a small computer shop seemed to catch Stevie’s attention. "Hey guys, I think that I might have found the thing that Jimmy loves the most, he loves computers." “Ok, but how is that going to help us find him?” Twilight asked. “To help us find him? A voice said behind Stevie. “Jimmy, is that you?" Stevie asked. "Jimmy is that you, yes!" Jimmy repeated as he nodded his head. "Jimmy, you had us worried, why did you run off?" Fluttershy asked. "Run off, run off!" Jimmy repeated as he went up to Stevie. "Jimmy, remember Stevie doesn't like it when you get so close to him." Rarity said. "Stevie doesn't like it when you get so close to him?" Jimmy asked. I don't like it." Stevie said. “Go home, go home?” Jimmy asked. “Yes, let’s go home.” Twilight said as the friends made their way back to the group home. Arriving at the group home and going inside, Twilight took Jimmy to his room. She opened the door, following Jimmy inside. She sat down on the bed. "Jimmy, do you understand that what you did was not ok?" "Was not ok, yes you understand!" Jimmy nodded along. Twilight stood up, pointing a thumb to the door. "Good, now let's go say sorry to Paul." "To say sorry, no time." "Why is there no time to say sorry to Paul?" Twilight sat back down again. "Was upset, no hitting, no hitting!" Jimmy half-yelled. "Oh, so you think that Paul is still upset with you?" Jimmy nodded in response. “Oh I see.” Twilight got off the bed, beginning to make her way to the door. “Well, would you like to have dinner in the dining room with the others, then? I don't think Paul will be joining us, though. He’s not doing well." “He is not well, yes you would like to have dinner!" Jimmy followed Twilight out and down the stairs. Twilight stopped mid-walk. “I won't be joining you for dinner, by the way. I need to talk with Paul. That's alright with you?" Jimmy nodded and walked into the dining room. Rainbow came running up to Twilight. "Hey Twilight--” she panted “--Paul wants you! C’mon!" She took off without another word. "Hey wait for me!" Twilight ran after her friend. Twilight flung the door open. "While you were looking for Jimmy, Paul's ventilator failed. I had to breathe for him with a manual vent. It’s… not working very well.” She stopped, sitting back. “Twilight, Paul is dying, I know it's hard for you to accept that, but we need to let him go." "No, I won't let him go!” Twilight kneeled down at the bedside. “Please don't leave me, Paul!" "Twilight come here,” Paul weakly gasped, turning his head. “I have to tell you about the magic of music." "What about it?" Twilight asked. "It is awesome, when I was younger I used to see the music, music was my life, now that I'm leaving, I can hear the music again!" Paul weakly said. Twilight cried as she sat down on his bed and hugged him goodbye. Then Paul closed his eyes and there was a long beep before the room went silent, the only thing that could be heard was Twilight crying. “Please no!" Twilight cried before running out of the room. Rainbow went back into the dining room and told everyone the bad news.