//------------------------------// // Mercy is for the Weak Part 2 // Story: She Drives Me Batty // by I Thought I Was Toast //------------------------------// Lost in the warm, comforting shadows of home, I brooded. I had the house to myself, and had claimed the couch as I waited for word of Aunt Mercy. None had come; I had waited for over an hour before I stopped keeping track and just curled up. I didn’t dare look up from my spot on the couch as the door opened. My ears swiveled around, and I bounced a click off the wall. Most of it was absorbed by the cloud, but an echo of an echo was all I needed to tell that it wasn’t Aunt Mercy slipping in. “Hey, sport.” Dad’s hooves made no noise as he approached. “Pinkie said you had one doozy of an argument with your Aunt.” “That’s one way of putting it,” I muttered into the clouds. “Did you find her? Is she alright?” “She’s at Rarity’s. Your mom and I already checked in on her. Morning’s still there, but I wanted to check in on you.” His hoof rested itself on my back, rubbing in slow, methodic circles. “Mmmrgff!” I couldn’t help burying my head further in the couch and punching it hard enough for the house to rumble with lightning. All my anger rushed out of me, though, no matter how hard I tried to cling to it, and my ears flattened against my skull as I pulled my head up to look at Dad. “Of course, she is…. How is Mom able to do it, Dad?” “Do what, Night?” “How is she able to put up with Aunt Mercy trying to steal you?! I’m trying to give her a chance, but every time I see her getting chummy with Mom now, I’m afraid Mom is gonna say yes. The dates, the showers, the cuddling…” I trail off, shivering. “I try not to even think about what else you guys could be doing.” “Awww, what’s the matter? Don’t want any more brothers and sisters?” Dad’s cocky grin quickly fell as I thwapped him with a wing. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. Would be nice if you could laugh it off, though, right?” “Is that what you and Mom are doing—just laughing it off like there isn’t a problem?” “No, Night.” He settled on the couch beside me, sighing. “We’re well aware of the problem. Kicking your Aunt while she’s down won’t solve it, though. You know that.” “So you’re saying I’m the problem, then?” Dad was quiet for a moment, and my heart pounded in terror over the fact he didn’t instantly say no. “No…. I’m saying that your Mom and I can only do so much right now. The problem is bigger than you realize—much bigger—and your Mom and I are doing our best to enjoy what we can while we can. Your Aunt may be crazy, but she makes us smile. She used to make you smile, too. Is it really worth getting so hung up on what might end up happening?” His last few words seared my ears like they were solfire. The way he said ‘might’ burned with the horrible, awful truth; Mom and him were actually considering it now. Things were serious. Everything I knew was collapsing around me and Dad was sitting here just telling me not to worry about it. “What…” I needed to focus on something, fight through the pain. “What do you mean the problem is bigger?” Dad slouched further into the couch. “Your Aunt didn’t tell us everything when she first showed up. Your Mom and I only found out recently just how deep the rabbit hole goes.” “And you didn’t tell me?” My wings rustled and my coat bristled. A growl rumbled in my chest, doing its best to claw out and become a roar. “It was right after your fight with Crusty, Night. You already had so much on your plate…. Your mother and I didn’t want to add to it.” I bared my fangs and snarled. “I’m eighteen, Dad! I’m an adult! That’s more than can be said about Aunt Mercy half of the time! You think this is any better?! I’ve been sitting here thinking that I chased her off! That she ran away because of me! And I feel awful about it! If there’s something I don’t know, then by the fucking Nightmother, please tell me about it!” Closing his eyes, Dad looked down and away. “No. If anypony tells you, it’s going to be your aunt, and I don’t know if she’s ready for that. Please, Night. I need you to trust me on this. It’s in your best interest to let it go for now. You can’t carry the world on your shoulders.” “I have a right to know. This is my house too, you know!” At some point—I didn’t know when—I’d gotten to my hooves. My wings were flared, my teeth were gnashed. Dad just stayed slumped on the couch looking old and tired. He was working his butt off because Mom was stuck with me. My stupid fight had lumped so much extra stress on him, and he dared pull the ‘it’s for your own good card’ now of all times? “Are you saying your brothers have a right to know too, then? Do you really think your mom and I should suck a bit of their fun and innocence away just because they live here?” Dad was quiet, but his words made my mouth click shut for a moment. “That’s different. They’re just foals, Dad.” “Aye, and you’re barely an adult.” “I’m mature for my age! You and Mom always go on and on about that!” “No pony should ever be ‘mature’ enough for this, Night. I know I wasn’t.” Dad finally opened his eyes and I took a step back at how much raw, unbridled fury smoldered in them. “Night, there’s a verdammt scheißkerl who hurt your Aunt so bad that every night and day I have to fight the urge to fly out and gut him.” Reaching out, he rested his hoof on my nose, and the embers of hate buried themselves as he smiled at me. “Your mom and aunt keep me grounded; your brothers keep me grounded; you keep me grounded.” Slumping to my haunches, I stared at him, not knowing what to say. His smile turned into a chuckle as his hoof moved from my snoot to ruffle my mane. “Maybe you’re right, and your Mom and I are laughing the problem off—pretending it doesn’t exist—but the problem isn’t your Aunt, and it isn’t you. If you don’t believe me, you should go talk to her. ” “Would she even want to?” My ears folded back, as I looked down and away. “Are you kidding, sport? She’s just itching to apologize. She said the exact same thing when I said she should apologize to you.” “She… did?” I looked up, eyes wide. Throwing back his head to laugh, Dad nodded. “Her exact words were, ‘No! I’m a bucking piece of shit, and anything I say is just gonna make things worse!’ but I think you can read between the lines.” “Dad… are you sure you can’t tell me what’s wrong? She shouldn’t be…” I fumbled for the words and just couldn’t find them. “No, she shouldn’t, but that’s why I need you to be strong for her.” Sweeping me into a hug, Dad squeezed me tight. “I’m sorry to ask that; it isn’t fair I ask you to muscle through your problems like they’re not important.” “I’m the one who asked for it.” Managing a smile somehow, I squeezed back. “I’m still mad you won’t tell me what’s going on, but knowing you trust me to soldier on better than her is a close second.” “Ha! That’s my girl. You're good to go have a chat with your Aunt, then?” “Only if you’ve got my back.” “I always got your back, sport. You know that.” Dad and I landed in front of Carousel Boutique with a thud that shook the earth. The streets immediately around Rarity’s bustled as busily as ever, yet it was impossible to ignore the occasional glance and frown. Ponies could ignore a monster attack like it was just another Tuesday by now, but it wasn’t just some random monster that was wailing like a banshee inside of the boutique. “Get off of me, Morning! You can’t stop me from leaving! I’ll bite you! I really mean it! Quit hugging me! Damn it!” There were several loud cracks, a few thuds, the scrabbling of hooves at the door, and a much more muffled fwump of something hard landing on something soft. “Ah, horseapples.” Shaking his head, Dad rustled his wings, and moved to push his way into the boutique. The door screamed like it was in its death throes as it opened, the hinges were bent, and the inside had deep scratches that could only have come from fangs. “Are you alive in here, Rarity?!” “Call Fluttershy, darling. I’m pretty sure rabid beasts are her specialty, not mine.” Rarity moaned from where she lay on her back, hoof draped over her eyes. Her fainting couch was probably the one piece of furniture that wasn’t broken. “I think a piece of me died when she tore that newest dress to shreds, though.” Aunt Mercy was trapped in Mom’s grip and getting hugged to death on top of a pile of cloth. Her ears twitched at Rarity’s words, and she gave a raspy laugh. “Bitch, you think I deserve anything that pretty?!” Her voice was a little hoarse and tear stains darkened her cheeks. She squirmed around until she was able to glare at Rarity, but the glare quickly melted as she saw both me and Dad. She buried her face in the fabric to blow her nose, and refused to look up when she was done. “Just let me go, Morning…. Please…. I shouldn’t be here.” Cartons of sea salt ice cream littered the floor alongside bottles of wine, bourbon, and whiskey. More than a few were scattered as Dad muscled Rarity’s couch into another room. I followed, unable to look at my Aunt as she curled up in Mom’s grip. “What happened?” Dad leaned down to whisper in Rarity’s ear. “I don’t know, darling.” Rarity lit her horn, and without even looking, she pulled another carton of ice cream from somewhere. “Things were going swimmingly. We had her calmed down, and I was just finishing up the dress. Morning even complimented her on it! For a moment, I thought they were going to kiss! Next thing I know, she’s back to swearing at herself and trying to run away. If I hadn’t started throwing furniture in front of all the exits, she might have!” I glanced back over my shoulder at the entrance to the other room. “Don’t you collect priceless antiques?” “I did.” Rarity jammed a used spoon into the ice cream to take a large and unladylike bite. “I imagine I’ll need to stick to replicas after today. It’s somehow worse than when Soarin turned down Rainbow Dash, Captain.” Dad arched his eyebrow at Rarity and chuckled. “If I remember correctly, you saw that disaster more than a mile away, though. You had plenty of time to get all your stuff in the basement before the tornado hit ground zero.” “I did tell Rainbow it would never work out for her.” Rarity sniffled, her eyes twinkling with tears but never actually crying. “Though, I suppose I was wrong about why.” Shaking her head, her mane fell back to cover her face once more. “And now I was wrong again! I was so sure it would work out with you three! This is just the worst possible thing! I was already drawing up plans for the wedding dresses!” “Don’t count us out just yet.” Dad’s words stabbed me like a knife. “That said, I think I know what’s going on, now. Don’t worry, I’ll pay for all the damages myself.” “Oh no you don’t!” Rarity huffed and sat up, the fire in her eyes evaporating all traces of tears. “I am more than equipped to pay for all the same antiques and more if I wanted. Money is not the issue, and the only pony I will allow that sort of talk from is Mercy herself.” “Oh? Are you going to make her pay you back in modeled dresses?” “Of course, I am! Who do you take me for?” Booping dad with the empty ice cream cartridge, she replaced it with a glass of wine. “That’s only if she insists, though, so no mentioning it!” “Darn.” Dad somehow managed to grin like a guano-guzzler even now. “There go all my schemes to have my own personal fashion show.” Son of a sun witch! “Dad, can you please stop joking?” My tail lashed and my wings rustled as he turned to look at me. “What’s wrong with Aunt Mercy and how do we help?” Dad ruffled my mane before starting to push me towards ground zero. “Go have your talk with her, and you’ll find out.” “What? No fair! Tell me what’s wrong first!” I locked up and tried to stop him, but my hooves still skidded over the floor. “Gotta scout things out if you want to win the war, soldier.” With another good shove, we were both through the door. “Hey, Mercy! You promise not to run if Morning lets you out of that choke hold?” “Just go away….” Aunt Mercy already looked impossibly small as she was. Curled up under Mom’s wing, it looked like a single ray of sunlight might make her just evaporate. When Dad nudged me forward, she squirmed and tried to shrink even more. She inched down into her shadow, and Mom squeezed her wing tighter to stop a full retreat. Opening my mouth to say something, I only let the silence hang. Dad nudged me again and waved me forward, so I looked to Mom for help. She was too busy to help me, stroking Aunt Mercy with her wing and whispering the same sorts of words she usually gave me. I could feel my soul leaving me as I watched. I was nothing but a crumbling cavern—hollow inside, and only growing emptier as the walls fell away. It was Aunt Mercy who made the first move, looking up to first glare at Mom then at me. “Fine. I see how it is. What do you want, pipsqueak? Are you here to apologize like a weichei or are you gonna tell your parents how it really is?” “I…” Swallowing hard, I bit my lip until I tasted iron. “I don’t know. I think Dad wants me to apologize, but…” “Ah, is he doing that cryptic ‘better you scout your own battles’ guano again? I feel for you, squirt. Lemme make it easy for you.” She glared bloody murder at both Mom and Dad. “Your parents are bloody idiots wasting their time on me, and the fact they came here first tells me all I need to know. They won’t bucking believe me, and they won’t bucking let me leave. I already almost fell for it once; maybe you can convince them.” “Convince them of what?” My ears splayed as Mom and Dad both instantly sucked in a breath. Aunt Mercy just gave a dry, raspy cackle. “That I’m a piece of filthy trash? That I don’t belong here and only hurt you? Take your pick. You got a million choices.” Her whole body wracked itself in soul wrenching shivers. “I almost ran and left Pushing behind. I don’t deserve—” Mom didn’t let her finish the thought, swooping in to peck her on the lips. “Damn it, Morning, stop that!” Nightmother above and below… Stars give me strength. Moon give me guidance. I prayed Princess Luna would find my dreams tonight; the sheer agony in my Aunt’s voice as it cracked was going to haunt me. I was going to have nightmares about that. I just knew it. What the buck had happened to my Aunt? Did I even want to know? Was Dad right? Should I just let it go? My face twisted as I took a step back and into a solid wall of Dad. My mouth was flapping, but nothing came out. I couldn’t apologize. I couldn’t tell her she was right. Not like this. How the buck did Dad expect me to help?! Oh, stars. Now she was glaring at me. I was showing weakness—being a weichei. I had to think fast. Do something. Think! Think! Think! Think! Think! No! Don’t think! Act! Before I knew it, I took a step forward and growled. All my anger. All my frustration. All my helplessness. It surged through me, and my face twisted into a snarl as I rumbled like a storm. Muscles tensed. Wings flared. And when I reared up, Mom and Dad were too slow to stop me. I stomped into the floor hard enough to crack and crater the wood. “Do you even bucking hear yourself, right now?!” And it was gone. All of it was gone like lightning. I felt so tired and heavy. Somepony was crying. It might have been me. Fuck liquid pride. There was nothing to be proud of here. She was right. My Aunt was trash, and it was the worst thing ever. “Where the buck would you have even gone?! Who else would possibly put up with you for more than five minutes?! You think I’m a weichi for wanting to apologize? You think I’m a wimp for worrying about you? Get real! You’re not my Aunt! You’re just a coward who’s constantly running away, and I was an idiot for thinking otherwise!” “Night!” Dad hissed and stepped forward to try and pull me back, but I wouldn’t let him. Aunt Mercy was staring up at me with her ears splayed back. I almost backed down as Mom glared at me with all the heat of a thousand suns. But Aunt Mercy didn’t need more sympathy. “Well?! Gonna say anything? Or are you gonna prove me right?” I pulled away to step forward, and my heart wrenched as Mom actually shifted to put herself between me and my Aunt. Just remember the training. Keep up the facade. Don’t break. Not now. They were the good guards. I was the bad. “Nightingale Mooncrest! What is wrong with you?!” Mom’s voice cut me like a knife, but her oncoming tirade was stopped short as Aunt Mercy threw back her head to laugh and stand up. “So the little warmduscher wants to dive head first under the ice now, huh? Calling me coward? Like you even know what I’ve been through. I should put you in your place right here right now.” Mom immediately turned to keep an eye on both of us from where she stood between us. “Oh for Celestia’s sake, Mercy. Are you really gonna—” “Oh? You think you can actually take me, you flat-toothed raisin? You’ve been here for months, slacking off as a civvy!” Part of me cringed at cutting off Mom, but the beast in me grinned as my blood boiled. Aunt Mercy was up. Time to go for the throat. “When was the last time you trained? You’re nothing but a lustmolch looking to race the eight-legged horse!” “Pffft!” Rolling her eyes, Aunt Mercy slipped into her shadow and shot past Mom to pop out beside me and poke my chest. “Get the math right, pipsqueak! It’s the thirteen-legged horse—don’t forget your Dad!” Both Dad and Mom blinked as she stepped forward to hug me. Dad reached out a hoof only to pull it back as Aunt Mercy looked at him. “Are… are you alright, Mercy?” “Pffft! Hay, no!” My aunt snorted and leaned down to nuzzle me despite my glowering. “But I’m a little bit better… I think…. You guys gotta remember I’m not used to getting showered with kindness.” “Mercy, I swear to Celestia if you’re about to make a dirty joke.” My mom growled, and Aunt Mercy laughed again. It might have been dry and raspy, but it was real and I felt my insides starting to warm. “There! You see?! Thank Luna, the pity party is finally over!” “Pity? Is that what this is about?” Dad flicked his ear, face twisting as if he’d been stabbed. I may have felt a little schadenfreude at the sight, but I was quick to claw the guano out of it as viciously as I could. An ear for an ear left the whole world deaf. “Nah, you big lug. I’m still pissed you picked me over Night, but I’m just too damn broken for my own good.” She booped my nose, and I instantly tried to bite her. “Love me, and I can’t run. Pity me, and I can. Isn’t that right, Night?” “Bite me.” I rolled my eyes only to screep as she nipped my ear. “There! You see!” Aunt Mercy squeezed me so tight I felt my bones crack a bit. “Ohhhhh, that’s the good stuff. She says it just like I did. I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.” “See what, Mercy?” Mom was rubbing her temples. “Please, enlighten us.” “She’s a bloody teenager! Of course she’s not gonna wanna give me a chance!” Her grin turned predatory, and I felt my blood run cold. “I bring out her inner rebel—her Mercy, Merci~ She just needs to challenge you to Schattenkrieg, Morning, and she’ll be my spitting image!” My life flashed before my eyes at her words. Nightmother protect me if that was true.