10 years ago…
It’s kinda funny. Or maybe it’s sad. Despite how long I’ve had to forget that day, I can still remember each detail about it vividly.
It was a Friday afternoon in February. It was my second year enrolled at the School for Gifted Unicorns in Canterlot and I had just finished Enchantment class. My last class that day was Astromancy, so our classroom was the observatory, near the very roof of the school. I walked in with my supplies in my saddlebag and took my seat at the front row of all the desks. I was so eager that I brought out my inkwell, quill, and fresh sheets of paper.
I remember how much I loved it, learning about fortune-telling by reading the stars. The observatory had a huge glass dome that let you see a huge chunk of the sky from all angles. The supply closet was fully stocked with so many telescopes, and star maps and charts decorated the walls. Once a month our teacher, Professor Dazzle, would host stargazing nights and let students bring snacks and games while she pointed out the constellations. However, there was a rainstorm scheduled that day, so the only things you could see through the dome were grey clouds and raindrops on the glass.
After I made sure my desk was well prepared for class, I reached into my saddlebag and pulled out my assigned project. It was a diagram of the Carina constellation, drawn with white crayon on a piece of dark blue construction paper. Just below it was a short summary about the meaning behind Carina, written with white ink. Just as I was ready, I noticed my other classmates entering the observatory. Then, as soon as the school bell rang, Professor Dazzle entered.
She was a very kind mare, and a bit eccentric, looking back on it. Her coat was a deep ocean blue and her frizzy mane and tail were a bright orange, kept up in a beehive style.
“Good afternoon, class,” she cheerily greeted us, as usual, “Today, we’ll be reviewing all your constellation charms and then we’re going over Chapter 5 in our textbooks. Before we get started, there’s a small announcement from the school council I must let you all know about. Due to a rather explosive incident from Miss Honeybrew’s Potions class this morning, the southern courtyard is strictly off limits until further notice.”
While I was writing a reminder on a sticky note, my eye was caught when a familiar coat of neon yellow took a seat to my left. It was him…Crackle Zap. He was a fourth-year student at the time. I remember the way a short strand of his peach-colored mohawk curled like a bolt of lightning over his forehead. His cutie mark pictured magic wands clashing with electric ferocity. He looked over at me and greeted me with that confident, winning smile.
I couldn’t tell you how goofy I might have looked smiling back, but it was most likely an embarrassing sight.
“Now that everypony’s here, please have your constellation charms out and ready. We’ll start with you, Minty Fresh,” Professor Dazzle announced.
Our homework was simple. All we had to do was to choose a constellation, explain in a paragraph or two what it represents, and enchant a diagram to make the stars float off the paper. Professor Dazzle soon came around to check Zap’s work. From what I could tell, he had done his assignment on Caelum, but he seemed to have confused it for another constellation. When he cast his charm, his horn glowed with yellowish light and the stars started to come off the page, but they flickered for a few seconds before fizzling into specks of light. I felt sorry for him, seeing the look of subdued frustration on his face.
“Very good attempt, Crackle,” the professor encouraged, “but, I should point out that the constellation you’ve drawn isn’t Caelum, but, actually Horologium. Aside from that, you’ve done good work on your research.”
Then, after writing performance notes on her notepad, she looked at me and I knew it was my turn to present. I looked down at my diagram and closed my eyes. I felt the magic in my horn flow and pictured the constellation in my head. Then, when I opened my eyes, I saw the stars from my drawing were floating before me and a blue glowing apparition of the keel of a ship formed around them.
“Ah! Well done, Bright! Very well done! It’s no wonder you’ve advanced in your studies.” Professor Dazzle applauded.
“Thank you, Professor.” I grinned, though I noticed Zap from the corner of my eye, looking at me with discouragement.
As a colt, I never enjoyed seeing somepony else feeling down, so whenever I could, I’d try and lift their spirits. While the professor continued checking the rest of the class, I took a spare sheet of paper and wrote a note for Zap. “Hey, it’s okay to get it wrong. I’m sure you’ll get better.”
I folded the note and subtly passed it to him with levitation. He grabbed it and read before he smiled back at me. Then, he wrote something himself in a more crude horn-writing style.
“You’re lucky to be so smart. I’m not so good with learning. I wish class was over already so we could go to the club right now.”
Zap and I were both members of our school’s Dueling Club. Students would meet every late Friday afternoon at the buckball court and compete in one-on-one duels. I signed up for the sake of having some extracurriculars on my school record, but Zap was far more enthusiastic about it.
“I know how much you love to duel, but it’s important to learn other uses for magic too,” I wrote.
“I’m so good at it though and I’ve even been working on a new spell to show off at our club meeting today! You remember how I got Fireball to yield in fifteen seconds last week? Coach said I was the best magic duelist my age he’s ever seen. I could be a pro duelist!”
I chuckled softly and Zap shot an expression my way that said “Don’t you think?” I took a moment to think of how to respond.
“Think of it like this. If you learn different types of magic, you could use them in duels in different ways. Like, you could have a spell for any kind of situation. That way, you can be prepared for anything.”
After Zap read the note, he seemed to be thoughtful about what I told him. His eyes widened, like a lightbulb went off in his head.
“You are REALLY smart! I’ll try to remember that. You’re a really cool colt, Bright. I like you.”
Before that day, I only knew Zap as an acquaintance and a classmate. We had talked and worked together before then, but I think that was the first time he had ever complimented me. Just the idea of somepony like him calling me “cool” just blew my mind.
I admired him a lot in those days. I didn’t understand why then, but I kept getting butterflies in my stomach whenever Zap looked at or talked to me. He was a fourth-year and three years older than me. He was bigger and stronger than I was and, whenever he was around, he never failed to make me feel strange things I hadn’t ever experienced before. Crackle Zap…was my first crush.
Bright paused. A shiver ran up his spine when a cold breeze swept past and he realized how frigid it was outside. His initial panic-induced heat flash was subsiding and Bright started to feel like his normal self again.
“You okay, Bright?” Big Mac asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine…” He nodded.
“Wanna get inside?”
“I’d like to, but I’d rather not share the rest of this story with your family. It’s a bit much to handle all at once, y’know?”
“I understand.” Big Mac pondered on an alternative, scratching his chin. “We still got the barn. Should be a bit warmer there.”
“That sounds good.”
Bright slowly stood up from his haunches and found himself good to walk. Big Mac led as they ambled back inside the gates of the farm. The workhorse was slow, staying at Bright’s side, should he start getting woozy.
“So, this is the same Zap ya said ya wanted to forget?” Big Mac asked, looking back at Bright.
“Yeah, he is.” he nodded, looking down at the snowy hoof prints Big Mac left.
“And, he was yer first crush?”
Another nod from Bright.
“…Ya mind if I ask what ya liked about him?”
Bright considered the question. After a brief silent pause, he answered, “As a colt, I saw Zap as bold and confident. I thought he was somepony who was larger than life, like he was destined to be something amazing. I used to think that I was such a lucky colt because somepony so cool wanted to talk to me.” As the two of them arrived at the barn, Bright’s face soured into a scowl, slapping his hoof against his forehead. “I must’ve been so stupid.”
“That ain’t true, Bright,” Big Mac objected, turning to Bright and placing a hoof on his shoulder, “It ain’t ever foolish to trust yer heart and believe in love. You were young and discoverin’ yer feelin’s. There ain’t no shame in that. Ever.”
The way that Big Mac put it made Bright think. It’s not foolish to believe in love…Is it really okay for me to like who I like? Am I good enough to be loved?
“Now, wait here for a sec, Bright,” Big Mac bade, stepping into the barn and rummaging around in the dark. Bright could hear a bit of clattering as Big Mac felt around for whatever it was he was looking for. Then, Big Mac poked his head out of the barn doors. “Alright. C’mon in.”
Bright followed him inside and saw Big Mac igniting an oil lamp with a match. After setting the lamp on a nearby crate, Big Mac sat himself on a quilted blanket, spread over a light pile of hay. The quilt pattern looked intricate, but Bright couldn’t make out the details. The lamp’s glow was just enough to illuminate the front of the barn.
“I didn’t want ya to trip on somethin’ in the dark. C’mere.” He pat his hoof on the spot right next to him.
Bright gave a small smile and obliged, taking a seat. Then, he closed the barn door with his magic. The inside of the barn was warm enough. Better than just being out in the snow.
“Thanks. This is better,” he said before he got settled on the blanket. “Anyway…”
Class ended at about 4 PM. When the bell rang, Zap was quick to leave, but not before he told me, “See you in Duel Club!” Club didn’t start until an hour from then, so I had time to myself for a little while. I packed my school supplies into my saddlebags and left the observatory, heading downstairs.
Since I was a student dorming in a school far from home, I’d gotten into a habit of writing letters to my dad every other day just to let him know how I was doing. The School for Gifted Unicorns had a small post office for student mail nearby the teachers’ lounge, so I liked to drop by each day to see if dad sent me any replies.
After descending the spiral staircase from the observatory all the way down to the ground floor, I trotted to the post office’s front desk. There, I saw Express Stamp, the pastel blue mail carrier pegasus that worked the office every weekday, though the students called him “Mr. X.” I came to know him more than most of the other students with how frequent I like to send letters. He was in the middle of sorting mail into cubbies on the wall.
“Good afternoon, Mr. X!” I greeted.
“Hey, little Bright! What can I do for ya?” he asked with his West Manehattan accent, removing the cap off his head and scratching his blonde flat-top-styled mane.
“Do you know if there’s any mail for me today?”
“Huh. Let’s see here.” Mr. X flipped through perhaps a dozen envelopes a second with very dexterous wings. He scanned the cubbies, but found nothing. “Sorry, Bright. No mail from your pops.”
“Oh…Well, thanks anyway.” I managed a smile as I turned to walk away.
“Hey, if ya wanna send him another letter, you’re welcome to write it here,” he offered, gesturing to the door that led inside of the post office. “I’ve only got less than thirty minutes until I gotta send all the outgoin’ letters to the EQPS center, though. So don’t take too long.”
“A-Alright! Sure!” I nodded and turned back, entering the office.
Inside, the room was small, but not cramped. There was the desk where I’ve occasionally seen Mr. X working, cluttered with some documents. I just collected them neatly and set them aside to make room for writing. I sat on his rotating chair and pulled out a pencil, a fresh sheet of paper, and an envelope from my saddlebag.
Dear Dad, I started.
Usually, I could easily find something to write about, but it was different at that time. I think the last time I had received a letter from my dad was about a week and a half before then. I was so used to getting a response from him every couple days, almost as frequently as I wrote to him. I wondered what kept him from writing back.
It’s been a little while since I’ve heard from you. I hope you’re feeling okay.
Around this time in my life, I had started to realize there was a certain trend to my dad’s behavior. It was February: my mom’s birth month. Dad used to get so depressed around that time of year. When I was a smaller colt living with him, he’d barely talk or emote. I used to get so scared that Dad would never be able to smile again.
Mom’s birthday is coming up. Are you going to do something special for her this year? Will you play her a song on your guitar?
I stopped and thought about her. At that time, I only ever knew about her through the stories that Dad told me. I remember that, whenever I missed her, I’d wish so hard just to be able to touch her once and feel her hugs. Dad knew her so well and I couldn’t have comprehended how devastating it was to lose her. I kept writing.
Does it hurt so much to think about her?
I was at that age where sometimes you just say what’s on your mind without thinking about what somepony else might feel about it. Without that filter, my mind steered to someplace that wasn’t a healthy place to be.
You told me she passed away when I was born. Was it because of me? Was it my fault?
There was a rumble of thunder from outside. I stopped writing again and pondered on that last sentence. Would she still be alive if she didn’t have me? I asked myself. Does Dad blame me? Is that why he doesn’t want to talk to me? I worried. It was a scary mindset to be in, but I couldn’t shake it away.
I’m sorry,
Bright
I didn’t realize I started to cry until a teardrop fell from my cheek onto the paper. I wiped my eyes and wondered if I should send that letter. Of course, I shouldn’t have, but I didn’t know any better. I hadn’t written or talked to Dad like that before. Then, there was a knock on the door.
“Hey, Bright. You almost done? I gotta go in a bit!” Mr. X warned from outside the office.
“Y-Yes! I’m done!” I didn’t think further about it and slipped the letter into the envelope, sealing it up and addressing it for home. I grabbed my bags and marched out, giving Mr. X my letter. “Thank you, Mr. X.”
“Aw, don’t mention it, Bright,” He smiled, storing it in one of the mail bags he was hauling on his back. “Say, I heard that the cafeteria’s servin’ some hot chocolate. I’d say it’s a perfect thing for this cold, yeah?”
The thought of hot chocolate was able to get my mind off of my Dad. I’m sure you know by now, but it’s my favorite drink for cold winter months, especially during rainy or snowy days.
“Oh, yeah! I’m gonna get some!” I grinned while I started trotting. “Bye, Mr. X! See you Monday!”
My mouth was watering for that hot chocolate as I headed to the lunch hall. Along the way, I noticed through the windows that the rain was pouring harder than it was earlier. I could even hear more rumbles of distant thunder as well as the following excited cries of the other students in the halls. When I arrived, the benches that lined the inside of the lunch hall were nearly empty, save for a few other unicorns that were working on homework. There was a short line that led up to the lunch counters at the kitchen. I could smell the warm chocolate wafting throughout the hall. As I trotted to the back of the line, I noticed some students taping up some red and pink posters around the cafeteria. They looked like they were spreading word about a new school event. Then, when I was already at the counter and one of the lunch ladies slid me a cup of chocolate, I heard somepony call for me.
“Hi, Bright!” It was Rosebud, another second-year student. She was a bubbly filly with her rosy pink coat and scarlet mane, styled into a curly ponytail. She had just finished putting up one of her posters before she came trotting.
“Hey, Rosebud!” I greeted her with a wave. “What’s that flyer that you put up?” I asked before I took the cup with magic and blew away some of the heat.
“We’re going to have a school dance for Hearts and Hooves Day next Saturday! I was just helping the older kids on the planning committee put the signs up around the school. All the students are welcome to come,” she grinned excitedly. “Oh! And everypony can bring their special somepony as a date!”
“Wow! That sounds like a lot of fun!” I said, trotting to an empty lunch table to take a seat. “Are you going with somepony?”
Rosebud followed and took a seat across from me, shaking her head. “Aw, none of the colts have asked me to go with them.”
“Then why don’t you ask them? Is there anypony that you wanna ask?”
“Well…” she thought for a second, growing a small blush on her cheeks. “I think Firecracker is kinda cute. He might be a little hot-headed and clumsy, but he can be sweet and funny too. Did you hear about that incident from the Potions class?”
“Yeah?”
“Firecracker was trying to make a special, one-of-a-kind brew he made up. He called it ‘Bottled Rockets’. He said it would be the next best-selling potion at joke and gag shops everywhere,” she giggled. “It didn’t go so well, as you may have heard.
I shared a laugh with her. “Then go and ask him to the dance! Anypony would be lucky to go with you!”
Rosebud adorably brushed some of her mane behind her ear. “Alright, alright. I’ll give it a try. You’re too kind, Bright. What about you? Is there anypony that you’d like to ask?”
I considered the question for a bit while taking a sip from my chocolate. I thought that asking somepony to a dance was exclusively between fillies and colts and I wasn’t friends with a lot of fillies, aside from Rosebud. “Hmm…I don’t really know any fillies I’d like to dance with.”
“What about any colts?” she asked.
I flinched. “Colts can’t ask colts to a dance, can they?”
“Why not? My mommy tells me that anypony can like who they like. It doesn’t matter who.”
“Huh…Well, there is one colt that I’d want to ask.” I replied with a little warmth on my face. “You know about Crackle Zap?”
“The fourth-year? Yeah, I do. You wanna ask him?”
I nodded, sheepishly.
“Ooh, then I know just what you need!” She excitedly clapped her hooves as she used her magic to pull from her saddlebag a small red greeting card that had a small cherry lollipop taped to it. “The planning committee is giving out candy grams for students to ask their special somepony to the dance. Here!” Rosebud smiled, sliding the card across the table to me.
I looked at the card more closely. It was decorated with hearts and hoof stamps and there were some blank lines for writing a personal message. “Oh, okay then. I’ll give this to him after Dueling Club!”
“And we’ll have a lot of fun at the dance!” Rosebud added. “Oh! Speaking of, I better get back to putting up these posters.”
“Alright! Tell me how it goes with Firecracker later. And thanks a lot for the candy gram!” I grinned and waved my hoof.
“You’re welcome, Bright. See ya later!” she waved in return and cantered away.
I looked down at my hot chocolate, then to the card and I wondered to myself. Will Zap say yes? Will he want to go to the dance with me?
When it was almost time for Dueling Club to start, I was running a bit late because I spent so much time trying to figure out what to write to Zap on the card. I was able to make it to the buckball court at the school’s gym just in time, though. As I walked in, I noticed our instructor and coach, a light brown unicorn with wavy dark brown mane called Mr. Bullseye, and the other club members, including Zap.
Mr. Bullseye called on me. “Nice of you to join us, Mr. Sight!”
I chuckled as I hurried over to sit with the rest of the students on the bleachers. We were a small club of twelve unicorns. Each of us were randomly paired to duel each other every week, with Mr. Bullseye supervising and giving us tips to improve our performance. The court lines of the buckball court were erased, leaving only a large circle to show the boundary of the field. As usual, Coach enchanted it with a barrier to keep spells from flying out at spectators.
“Alright, fillies and colts,” Mr. Bullseye announced, “it’s another week and another round of duels for you to practice. Like always, let’s start with a stretch and warm up.”
Another perk of having Dueling Club as an extracurricular activity was that it also doubled as credit for physical education. I wasn’t very big on sports, but I thought dueling would be more fun than huffing for breath while running around on a track or playing some really bad hoofball. After we had our warm up, all of us sat around the duel arena, just a foot outside the perimeter line. Mr. Bullseye stood at the center and he checked his notes on his clipboard.
“Now, the first ones up for today will be…Minty Fresh and Bright Sight. Come up and take your positions inside the ring, please,” he called.
Being one of the first to duel was nerve-wracking for me. It was a position where I was compelled to do my very best, or risk making a fool of myself in front of everypony if I trip over a spell or my own hooves. I took an anxious deep breath and walked to one side of the dueling field. Minty Fresh stood across from me. She was one of the only two fillies that enrolled in the club. She was a pale bluish-green with a deeper green mane, braided into two long pigtails that rested on either side of her shoulders.
“Good luck, Minty,” I wished.
“Thanks! You too, Bright.” She smiled.
Coach reminded everypony, “You all know the rules of the duel. If you step outside the circle, you lose the duel. Only use spells to subdue or hinder your opponent or force them out of the ring. Lastly, and most importantly, absolutely no roughhousing, physical or magical. We don’t want Nurse Peachy Keen to get a visit from anypony, do we?”
“No, sir!” everypony simultaneously agreed.
“Perfect! Now, duelists, on the count of three, your match will begin! Take your ready stance!”
I crouched slightly, prepared to dodge at the first attack. I could see Minty Fresh’s determined smirk while her eyes were fixated on me. I knew she was good at aiming so I had to be on my horseshoes. I shifted my gaze to Zap, who was sitting right behind where Minty was. He was looking right back at me with a confident grin, as if he was telling me “You’re going to do great.”
“One!”
My cheeks were warm and my mouth felt dry. I licked my lips.
“Two!”
I prepared a spell, channeling the magic in my horn.
“Three!”
A flash of green light burst towards me and I jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding it. I quickly discharged a blue beam from my horn, targeting a tickle spell at Minty. She was prepared, catching my offense with a small protective barrier. I knew wildly shooting magic her way wasn’t going to give much results. Minty Fresh was no slouch. She was a smart filly who knew her way around a healthy toolset of spells. I had to catch her off guard somehow.
Then, before I could try a new tactic, Minty shot a second beam my way before she aimed a green spark up into the air. While leaping away from the beam, it managed to graze my left hind leg. I could feel it starting to grow numb, as if it was falling asleep after I’ve been sitting on it for too long. At the same time, the spark up in the air burst into a white snowfall that fell over the field, turning to ice.
Oh boy… I thought.
The pins and needles started to prickle my leg and I could barely move it without squirming. The snow made the floor so slippery that my next step was uneasy. I could see Minty preparing another spell from the corner of my eye. I had to act before she knocked me off of the field. I braced my nerves and dove onto the floor, sliding along the snowy ice on my belly toward Minty. My spasming leg made me cringe with a strong tingling sensation. Minty tried to secure a win with a secondary shot, but her beams missed as I slid past her and managed to get close enough to land a tickle spell on her flank. Then, Minty couldn't help but roll on the floor, laughing and temporarily subdued.
The ice on the field started to evaporate. I slid to a stop near the edge of the field and stretched my leg out to wake it up. Now was my chance to earn an advantage. While Minty was composing herself, I charged my horn and cantered around the perimeter. I cast my nebulae spell and blue, purple, and gold clouds of space dust and stars steamed from my horn, obscuring the court. I only had a few seconds, but I managed to discreetly crawl my way toward Minty Fresh while she couldn’t see me. I got close and when Minty turned her head in my direction, I cast my sleep spell on her, point blank. Then she dropped to the floor, snoring away. When the cover of the nebulae cleared, everypony could see me standing over Minty.
“The duel has been decided!” Mr. Bullseye declared. “Bright Sight is the victor!”
The hoofstomps and cheers of the other club members echoed around the gymnasium. Out of all of them, I noticed Zap was stomping the loudest. I couldn’t help but smile. Then I looked down at Minty and I nudged her body until she stirred awake.
“H-Huh…?” she groaned.
“Looks like I got you this time, Minty.” I chuckled, offering my hoof.
“Aw, darn it!” she giggled, accepting as I helped her to stand. “That was a good duel, Bright. You were wonderful!”
“So were you! Turning the floor into ice! That’s such a cool spell!”
Minty bumped my shoulder and stuck her tongue out before Mr. Bullseye came forward with a pleased smile.
“Excellent performance from both of you. Minty, that was a very good idea to try and isolate Bright by making the floor slippery. It’s always a treat to see you duel. Bright, you had the odds against you, but your quick thinking saved your flank. Amazing strategy to use the ice to your advantage like that.”
“Thank you, sir!” We both grinned at each other.
“Go and take your seats. Again, great work.” Mr. Bullseye said as he looked down at his clipboard.
I was a fairly decent duelist, but that particular duel made me feel like I could take on anypony. I was so proud of myself and, as I sat at my spot outside the dueling perimeter, I looked over at Zap and he shot me a smirk.
“For the next round, I’m calling on Crackle Zap and Sour Patch.” Mr. Bullseye called.
All the other students filled the gym with their warning and knowing “oohs”. Everypony knew how good Crackle Zap was at dueling. Basically, if you were paired to duel him, you were almost certainly going to lose. Sour Patch, a sunshine yellow colt, knew it as well and he had a reluctant grimace on his face as he stood up and stepped forward.
“Now, now. Everypony calm down,” Mr. Bullseye admonished, “It doesn’t matter who wins or loses. What really matters here is what you learn.”
Zap grinned and winked at Sour Patch. “Don’t you worry, Patchy. I’m sure you’ll learn a lot from me.” I guess it flew over my head at the time, but I realize now that what he said was rather arrogant. Just one of the many warnings I missed I guess.
“Please, take your positions inside the ring.” Mr. Bullseye called.
Sour Patch stood across from Zap, unsteady in stance and unnerved in expression. Zap, on the other hoof, was dauntless and, perhaps, a bit smug. I couldn’t tell you what he could’ve been thinking, but maybe his reputation was getting to his head.
Coach began his count. “One! Two! Three!”
VrrrRRMM…
On three, Zap’s horn revved with electric magic. A string of crackling energy emerged from the tip as he lassoed it around his head. I was certain it was the new spell he said he was working on.
Sour Patch did his best to prepare for the worst that Zap had in store for him, erecting a magic barrier between them. However, I don’t believe he could’ve deflected such a wild spell. Then, Zap unleashed his wh-…his new spell and it moved so fast that I flinched when it snapped outwards toward Sour.
Crack!
When I opened my eyes again, I was surprised to see that a more powerful golden barrier was conjured in front of Sour and the electric strand that Zap made was nullified and disappeared.
“Time out!” Mr. Bullseye’s voice broke the duel just as it had started.
Zap was stunned for a second from the interruption, but then he turned to Mr. Bullseye and said, “Hey, Teach! What gives?”
“Crackle, what in Celestia’s name was that spell you were using!?” I’ve never heard our coach raise his voice before.
Zap gave a smirk and he chuckled. “Isn’t it cool? It’s a new spell that I made myself! Makes it a cinch to disable any opponent.”
“Disable? Crackle, that spell’s bound to put somepony in the hospital. Can’t you see how dangerous it is?” Mr. Bullseye asked earnestly.
“Aww, come on, Coach. A little shock’d never hurt anypony. Besides, can’t you see a world-class dueling pro using a spell like this?”
Mr. Bullseye scoffed in disbelief and shook his head. “No, Crackle. I can’t. And I don’t appreciate this cocky attitude of yours. I’m cutting this duel short.”
“What!? Coach, you can’t be serious!” Zap griped.
“Take your seats, gentlecolts.” Mr. Bullseye ordered with a steely tone. “Crackle, I want you to stay after club ends so that the principal can have a word with you.”
Sour Patch looked as though he could finally breathe again while Zap, with outrageous shock on his face, could only groan and roll his eyes as both of them returned to their spots. I heard murmurs among the rest of the club members. “Was that spell really that dangerous?” “Does that mean Sour Patch wins?”
All I could see from Zap’s scowl as he sat down was disappointment. I understood what Coach meant about the spell. There was a moment when I was worried that Sour Patch was going to get hurt. While I was glad he didn’t, I couldn’t help but foolishly sympathize with Zap. I should’ve taken the brazen and irresponsible use of that spell as another sign, but that…stupid crush persisted.
The club meeting continued as normal. Everypony else got to spar with each other and then, after a short evaluation from Mr. Bullseye, he dismissed us. Some of the other students left the gym to return to the dorms or to go to the lunch hall for dinner. Some stayed and chatted. Mr. Bullseye stepped out to fetch for the school principal. Zap stayed behind, as he was ordered to, sulking alone on the bleachers, rummaging around in his saddlebags.
I-I thought to myself…that it was my best opportunity to a-ask him to the dance…
The flame from the oil lamp flickered from a passing draft. There was a lengthy moment when the only thing Big Mac could hear was the wind blowing outside the barn. He looked over at Bright. Bright’s gaze was down at the quilt, but his eyes were glazed over and his body trembled lightly.
“Bright…?” he softly called, placing a hoof on his back.
Bright jumped slightly and let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “S-Sorry. It’s…hard to think about what comes next,” he said, looking up at Big Mac.
“We can stop, if ya wanna. I think I understand what happened after,” Big Mac offered.
Bright briefly considered it, but he shook his head. “No, I’ll be fine. I…It’s all in the past and I’m fed up with still being so afraid of it.”
“But, you’re sure you can handle it?”
“To be perfectly honest…I don’t really know,” Bright turned his gaze aside, pressing his hoof to his chest, as if clutching it, “but I want to try. Having you here to listen does help, I think. You’re the only pony I’ve ever shared this with. Heck, I never told Ivory this much.”
A beat skipped in Big Mac’s heart. Bright put an incredible amount of trust in him to tell his tale. It reaffirmed the farmpony’s desire to make good on that trust and do everything in his power to protect him. No more fears. No more pain. In Big Mac’s eyes, Bright was a treasure of a stallion that deserved all the happiness in the world. With that in mind, Big Mac twisted and reached his hoof back, grabbing the far edge of the quilt and pulling it up and over his shoulders.
“C’mere, Bright.” he smiled, extending his foreleg and gesturing for Bright to scoot close against him.
Bright gave a quizzical look for a second before he understood what Big Mac was requesting. His cheeks flushed with warmth and he chuckled awkwardly. “Heh…What’s this about?” he asked while he obliged.
As soon as Bright was seated next to him, Big Mac pulled him close, bundling the both of them within the blanket. Bright was snugly pressed to Big Mac’s side. His red coat was thicker than Bright’s, most likely because his home was naturally cooler than Bright’s old Coltifornian home. He felt so warm and his embrace was so comforting.
“I want ya to be as cozy as a canary. If ya start panickin’ durin’ yer story, jus’ remember I’m right here. Go slow and breathe if ya need to,” Big Mac assured.
It was some sort of magic that Big Mac worked that put Bright at ease. Perhaps it was how he could hear a strong heartbeat while his ear was to Big Mac’s chest or just the simple fact that he was snuggling up with the stallion he had been crushing on since they had met. The warmth Bright shared with Big Mac was enough to quickly do away with any lingering chills he felt. A pleasant shiver ran up Bright’s spine as he got settled, lifting his head to rest against Big Mac’s shoulder.
“Thank you, Big Mac…So, so much,” Bright sighed before he recalled where he left off, “Alright…”
When I saw Zap was still looking glum from what happened during club, I thought it might cheer him up if he had somepony to go to the dance with. I reached into my bag and pulled out the candy gram that Rosebud gave me and held it close before trotting over to the bleachers. Zap fished out a crumpled sheet of parchment from his saddlebags and spread it out on the seat next to him.
“Hey, Zap…You okay?” I asked.
“Eh…I’m whatever,” he replied, dejectedly, stamping his hoof on his paper to point out his notes. “My spell would’ve made any duel a cakewalk and I thought Coach would’ve been so impressed that he’d want me to go pro. I mean, you thought it looked cool, right?”
I couldn’t think of an honest answer that Zap might have liked to hear. Regardless, I tried to lift him out of his slump. “I was a bit worried for Sour Patch, but I still think you can be a great pro duelist. You just gotta keep learning.”
Zap growled and rolled his eyes as he swiped the crumpled paper aside, off the bleachers. “But I’m so ready, Bright! Ponies everywhere are gonna see me as the young dueling prodigy. I know that I’m destined for greatness! That’s what I felt when I earned my cutie mark,” he argued, pointing at his flank.
“I-I know what you mean!” I nodded. “I think that you will be amazing! A-Actually…I think you already are amazing.” My voice grew soft as I started to grow a bit shy about asking, but I thought that now wasn’t the time to be timid. I had to be bold and confident, like him. “Zap, you know about the Hearts and Hooves Dance we’re gonna have next week?”
Zap looked at me and then looked at my hoof, seeing the candy gram. His demeanor shifted into a more suggestive tone. “Oh, I see. You wanna ask somepony to the dance, right? Who is it?”
I smiled and felt the blush in my cheeks before I said, “Well…I wanted to ask you.”
Zap paused, then his face turned unamused and he gave a half-hearted laugh. “Hah…That’s not a very funny joke, Bright.”
My heart stopped. My smile faded. My ears folded backwards. I had a feeling that something was wrong. I should’ve listened to it and just played it off, but I didn’t…
“I…I wasn’t joking. I really want us to go to the dance together,” I said, extending my hoof to give him the candy gram. “Here, I-”
“No, no, no,” Zap cut me off with a more aggressive tone, bumping my hoof aside. The note slipped out of my grip and dropped to the floor. “You can’t ask a stallion to a dance, Bright. Look, you’re a smart kid and I think you’re cool, but don’t be a coltcuddler, trying to make me like other stallions.”
Coltcuddler. That was the first time I had ever heard that word. I didn’t understand what it meant, but this was the day I learned that I’d always be branded as one.
“I-I’m sorry…” I apologized. I didn’t know why Zap was suddenly so agitated, so…angered. It was a side of him I’ve never seen and it scared me. “I just thought…I thought you liked me too…”
…
I’ll never be able to forget the way he looked at me. All that seething rage and bitter disgust boring into me through that paralyzing glare. Zap’s horn began to buzz with energy as strands of lightning electrified the air around him. The lariat emerged from the tip and it flared with wild, untamed power. I…I was frozen in place.
VrrRRMM…
“I said I’m not a damn coltcuddler!!!”
CRACK!
…
Next thing I knew, I was on the floor. I felt my body spasm and jerk from the electricity coursing through me. My right eye burned. For a minute there, I could barely breathe.
“Stop!!!” “What are you doing!?” I heard the other students shout.
I managed to open my eyes, but all I could see was red through my right. I-I was bleeding and the first thing I saw was Zap looking down at me, his horn still sparking from the lingering spell. I couldn’t read his face at all, but it looked like some mix of stunned shock and delight.
“Are you okay, Bright!?” “What’s wrong with you, Zap!?”
He…hurt me. He really hurt me. That realization slowly set in. I opened my heart to somepony I admired and looked up to…and he struck me down. A torrent of emotions washed over me. Betrayal. Embarrassment. Heartbreak. I couldn’t handle it all at once. The only thing I could think of doing was getting up to my hooves and running. I broke past the students that surrounded me and I ran as fast as I could. Bursting through the doors of the gym, I frantically galloped down the hall. I didn’t know where to run. I just wanted to escape somewhere.
Why!? What did I do wrong!? I remember thinking. I thought we were friends! I kept repeating this over and over in my head while tears started to stream down my face. I clumsily bumped against other students as I ran past before I approached a door that led outside. I shoved my way through and ran out into the pouring rain. It was barely light out and I could hardly see through the deluge.
“Wait! Stop! You can’t go there!!!” I heard somepony shout.
Before I could register the warning, I ran through a barricade of warning tape and my hooves got tangled. I tripped over and skidded along the wet, slippery concrete and fell into a muddy ditch. It was then that I realized where I was: the southern courtyard. The explosion from that Potions incident blasted away the wall that protected the school from the cliffs of Canterlot Mountain and I happened onto the crater very near a precarious edge.
I had slowed to a crawl before the sloped ditch dropped off into the cliffs below, but the downpour of rain made the mud loose and uneasy. I couldn’t stand up and I was sliding toward the edge.
“Help! Somepony please help!!!” I screamed, hoping somepony could hear me while I tried to secure some sort of solid foothold.
“Hold on!!!” I heard over the rain. Help was coming.
However, the ground below my hooves made a sloshing groan. I felt my hind legs suddenly drop as chunks of muddy earth collapsed below them. I cried out and clung onto the edge with as much strength as I could muster. One glance behind me and I saw my legs were now dangling in open air over a dark and hazy abyss. I couldn’t see any ground below me. My heart raced faster and I started to panic. “Hurry!!! I-I’m slipping!!!” I shouted desperately as the earth made another lurching grumble.
“We’re coming!” I heard along with the hoof clops of other adults arriving. I had a chance…
…until the ground under me gave way.
…I fell.