//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: What We Lose // by Subsolar Drift //------------------------------// What We Lose Chapter 3 Those eyes. Those stunning bright violet eyes. Everything else faded into the background as I gazed into those eyes. The eyes I first saw that fateful day in Ponyville. The eyes that saved me from Discord. The eyes that stole my heart. The eyes I hadn’t seen in four months, twenty-seven days, and some hours. Her eyes were dazed and unfocused, full of confusion. She moved her head and groaned. Her pupils dilated, and her body went limp as she fell unconscious once again. The room went dead silent. Everypony was staring at Twi. The room sprung into motion around me, rushing towards her. Rarity, Fluttershy, AJ and Pinkie, rushed towards the bed, only to be stopped by a nurse and ushered out of the room. I sat down, hard. My brain was trying to process what just happened. Somepony helped me to my hooves and out the door. We went down the hall. She patted my shoulder and left me at the door. I stumble through and collapsed on a couch, my head spinning. She woke up. She actually woke up! A smile slowly grew on my face. After months of frowns and pain, I could finally smile again. Tears rolled down my cheek and I took a deep breathe in. Then, I laughed. I truly laughed. I laughed away all the bad times, the uncertainty, the fear, and let myself go. The others were watching me, all smiling, with tears in their eyes too. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I heard a giggle from the group. Of course, it was Pinkie. But it was Pinkie like I hadn’t seen in a long while. Her hair was back to a crazy mess, fluffy and bouncy. It was pure cotton candy like chaos, and seeing it made my grin even wider. But even better than her signature mane, were her eyes. Those bright blue eyes were back. They had a bright twinkle within. You could see the laughter there, waiting to be unleashed. The world turned pink as the party pony tackled me, squeezing the life out of me in a huge bear hug. After a second of shock, I wrapped my forehooves around her and hugged back, letting out a huge sigh. I heard a sniff, and back looked over towards the others. One look at the two of us hugging and the others all joined in. After everything we went through, we stayed there, enjoying the hugs and the company. The day looked brighter. Everything looked better. Hope had finally come back. I felt it in my heart. For the first time since the accident, I had hope, hope that everything would return to normal. Pulling AJ and Shy closer to me, I let out a sigh of relief, closed my eyes, and shed a tear. A tear of happiness. Pinkie froze. Her body stock still, as if she had just been hit. A smile died on her face, her eyes grew hollow. Her body spasmed in odd ways, parts moving, shivering, shaking, an incoming Pinkie Sense. Her mouth quivered, gasping around words she couldn’t get out. Her mane darkened and fell flat, tears falling down her face. The silence that had fallen was torn to pieces, a blood-curdling scream coming from down the hall. It was a scream like only one I had ever heard before. It was her. It was Twilights scream. I remember that scream. I remember all the sounds she made. I remember her mumbling when she was tired. I remember her soft kind lecturing tone, whenever she tried to teach you something. I remembered the little snore she had when she was sleeping. I remember how she whispered my name in her sleep, cuddling up close to me. I remember so much, but more than anything, I remember that scream. I remember every time I close my eyes, every time I look at myself in the mirror. I remember always and forever. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I closed my eyes and soared through the air, taking a moment to lose myself in the joy of flight. I did a flip, feeling the wind ruffle my primaries. I breathed out and emptied my lungs of oxygen. I breathed in and opened my eyes. I watched all the clouds in the sky, blown away by a rainbow shockwave. My Sonic Rainbooms were always awesome. I drifted for a bit, watching the colors spread, leaving the sky tinted by my wing. I took a minute to relish it. I didn’t need the Wonderbolts then. What could they give me? My wingbeats faltered as a scream cut through the air to my ear, echoing through the quiet afternoon. That scream... That was Twi! I came to a quick halt, frantically looking around, trying to see where she was. I scanned the ground around the lake and the surface , looking for her lavender coat. There! She was lying against a tree a book open next to her on the ground. It looked like she just fallen asleep reading. I might’ve been over reacting, assuming it was her who screamed. She always said I was too protective. Grinning at the memory of her telling me off, I flew down to check on her anyway. Better safe than sorry they said! I touched down a little ways away, my hooves crushing the soft grass beneath them, and trotted towards her. I watched her face. Her eyes were closed, clenched tight as if shutting out a bright light. Her face was locked in a tight grimace. My hoofsteps slowed and I called out, “Twilight? Hey Twi, wake up!” She didn’t move a muscle. I sped up into a sprint, quickly arriving at her side. I grabbed her and gently shook her. “Twi! Wake up! Please, please wake up!” Her body was limp and clammy in my grasp. My heartbeat sped up, my eyes starting to water. “No, please Twi! You’re scaring me, tell me this is a joke! W-why won’t y-you wake up?” My voice broke as I begged her to come around. “Somepony, anypony! Help! My wife needs help!” I screamed. I looked around the abandoned field. “Dammit! Don’t worry Twi, I’ll get you somewhere safe, just you wait and see. You’ll be fine!” I gently picked her up in my forehooves and took off as fast as I could safely go. “Just a little longer Twi, hold on.” I whispered. My eyes were blinded by tears I struggled to blink away. I flew off into the pure blue, cloudless sky, still colored by rainbow light. I held Twilight in my hooves. I held her close to my heart. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pinkie was collapsed on the floor, not able to hold herself up from the spasming sobs. Rarity was sitting next to her, rubbing her shoulder, trying to calm her down, her own face colored with tears and confusion. Fluttershy was quivering behind the couch, startled by the scream, only able to stare at the scene before her. AJ was moving towards the door, going to look down the hall. I rose to my unsteady hooves and walked slowly towards the doorway. I took it step by step, knowing I had to see her. AJ looked at me and frowned. “Rainbow, what ar--” I nudged past her and she stopped talking. I walked past her and out the door. I turned down the hall, looking straight ahead. My vision blurred and for a moment I saw throne room of Canterlot Castle. I saw seats to my right and left, filled with ponies I loved. I saw further away, Rarity, Pinkie, Shy, AJ, and Princess Celestia all beaming at me. I saw a mare, dressed in a gown of white. There for me. I blinked and the hall returned. I looked down towards my hooves and walked down the the hall. My hoofsteps echoed out, bouncing around the halls. They sounded lonely. I arrived at the door and stopped. I raised my hoof and knocked. I entered the room. There she was, sitting upright. She was looking out the window, out toward ponyville and the setting sun. She heard me enter and looked over. “Twi?” I whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear. Our eyes connected. I looked at those eyes, and I saw the mare that I love. I looked at those eyes and thought of all the times I had looked into them and said, “I love you.” I looked into those eyes, and was overwhelmed by the sea of confusion. Confusion and fear. I looked as deeply as I could, searching for it. Searching for that one spark of recognition. The one thing I needed to see there. Love. They weren’t there. No recognition. No love. No matter how hard I looked, they just were gone. “Who are you?” She asked cautiously. Everything in my mind just left. Who are you? The doctor turned towards me and said something. Who are you? He repeated him self louder. Who are you? He grabbed me and pulled me out the door. Who are you? He let go of me and I went over to the wall and slowly sat down next to it. Who are you? Three words ran through my head. Who are you?