chapter 1: sleepover
It felt like you had spent all day with Fuze, even though you had only actually spent three or so hours with this bundle of unrestricted energy. Fuze. You test the name of this colt whose house you are staying in. Had it only been today that you had met him? the two of you had done a lot that day, in spite of your injuries. Not only had you two done a lot, but you also managed to talk up a storm. The both of you seemed to have pretty similar likes and dislikes. It seemed to you that you had known him your whole life. He is, unequivocally, your friend. If some one had told you last night that you could have a friend, you would have laughed at it like it was some cruel joke.
My whole life... The thought replays in your mind. Images and memories from the nightmare that you were ashamed to call a past flooded into your conscious thought. You slam your eyes shut and try to block out the torrent of pain with images of Fuze, your one and only friend. Instead of stemming the flow, a whole new idea comes into your mind. What if Fuze won’t like me for my past? then a worse thought rears it ugly form. What if Fuze isn’t really my friend, but is just doing this out of sympathy? You are on the verge of tears when a familiar hoof lands on your shoulder.
“You okay, Spark? You seemed troubled” Fuze says, lacking his usually joyous expressions.
You are instantly ashamed of letting your friend see you like this, and disgusted at yourself for stealing his happiness. Trying to convince him that you are fine, you pull out a long yawn, and choke back your emotions long enough for you to say “yah... thanks, I’m just kinda tired.” Putting on a weak smile, you let another yawn, laying it on thick.
Fuze seems unsure for a moment, but then a smile breaks over his face. “okaysies!” He then pulls a blanket over you, then lays on the floor next to the couch you are occupying.
You stare at Fuze incredulously. Is he really that good of a friend to let me stay on the couch while he lays on the floor?
He looks back up at you, his smile transitioning to one of confusion.
“There is no way I’m letting my friend lay on the floor while I hog the couch! Go to your own bed, or at the very least let me have the floor, and you sleep up here.” you say.
“No no no no!” he says defiantly, “What if you want a cup of water or something and need my help? And besides, you’re hurt! you can’t lay on this floor!” But, after one of his(what seemed to you) random blushes and a sly smile spread across his face, he added “ but I can share the couch with you, right? I mean, if you , don’t mind or-r anything.” His volume dropped to almost inaudible,and he stumbled over the last few words.
Taking no notice of his abrupt shyness, you agree. After all this is his house and his couch. A real yawn escapes from you, your eyes dropping, while you barely notice the warm mass settle next to you.
Darkness overtakes you, leading to a dreamscape that isn’t filled with nightmares, but instead a dream of you laying contented on a beach looking out at an peaceful ocean.
~~~~~~~~
For Fuze this had defiantly been the best day ever! He gained a new friend and was now warm and snuggly against this colt. A colt with such a soft coat... wait what? Fuze was deeply confused about this last thought. Yes, Spark's coat is indeed soft. That was a fact. But then why did that make me nervous and blush? Oh well, probably more of Aunty Pinkie's genes making me do crazy stuff. Maybe it’s some spell he has on himself, after all he is a unicorn. The thought hit him as Fuze realized that even though his friend was a unicorn he never used magic. Hmm, that's a weird way for a pony to act... maybe he’s related to Aunty as well! Wouldn’t that be a coincidence? I’ll have to ask him about it in the morning... Goodnight Spark... Fuze let night take him, slipping into the domain of those not awake.
~~~~~~~
You wake up in a start. Looking around, sunshine seems to illuminate everything in the modest living room. Pain scorches across your side, but your mouth is to dry too let out a moan. Where am I? As you see Fuze lightly snoozing next to you, you remember. All of your worries fade. You relax, letting yourself fall back onto the couch and stretch your stiff hoofs out. Fuze stirs and smiles.
“What’ya want for breakfast? he says while yawning. He gets off the couch and starts to walk towards the kitchen. as he enters into the kitchen you lose sight of the earth pony with the blue coat. A loud gasps makes its way to your ears, and you see an blue blur streak across the room and you are barely make out the words “late”, “work”, and a phrase that sounded like “banished and then imprisoned where I am banished to”. The blur pauses for a moment to give you an apology and explains that there are some oat flakes in the pantry, and that it has to get to work, then it disappears with speed that would make the Wonderbolts green with jealousy. The front door slams shut and everything returns to quiet. All to quiet for this empty house of your friend.
You are not sure what just happened, but are immensely hungry, so you go looking for the oat flakes Fuze told you about.
“I Wonder what Fuze does for a job anyways...” you ask yourself as you pour out a bowl of the delicious looking breakfast cereal.
After breakfast you start to clean everything up: the bowl, spoon, and the blanket left out from last night. You position yourself in a chair and wait on your friend. As time moves by, you start to become dangerously close to thinking about your past again, so you force yourself to do difficult things like balance on two of your legs, or rub your head and pat your stomach at the same time, to take your mind off of those disturbing memories. This works for long enough for you to fall asleep. Sleep consumes your mind once again.
~
Warm water cascades from the ocean you are wading in onto your hooves. You look next to you and see a lovely mare, her eyes the darkest black. Her coat the same color with streaks of silver, the tip of each one of her wings spotted with the same brilliant silver. The two of you share a kiss. Warmth and happiness flow through the two of you. As the kiss is broken, you hear your own voice call out, “I love you, Moonshine.” Moonshine... that name sounds familiar... Moonshine.... the skies that had once been clear have now turned dark,overcast with black clouds.What illumination that came from the sun replaced by lightning. You look around and can’t see Moonshine. Fear grips you, you shout out “Moonshine! Moonshine! I’m sorry! don’t leave me! please!” you sit down in the ocean. ‘Wait, the ocean is ice cold and sticky...’ you open your eyes and,to your horror, find that the water is now blood, blood that stains your coat. Panic fills you as you jump up. Something bumps into your leg. ‘oh Celestia...’ “moonshine?” the lifeless form of moonshine floating in the blood washes away leaving you feeling empty in this never ending sea of red. Sobs escape from you as cry, screaming up at the sky, cursing Celestia, Luna, any and everything. “why! why did you have to go like...” all of a sudden, everything fades and you hear one voice, brilliant light entering and clearing everything into a blinding white light.
~
“Wake up! Spark! You’re scaring me! please wake up!” your eyes open, seeing that you are in Fuze’s house, with Fuze next to you crying. Wait, Fuze is crying? worried, you ask “Fuze whats the matter?”
Obviously startled by your sudden response, he stammers, but then replies “you were scr-screaming, and cr-crying. It was really scaring me.” he buries his head into the floor and continues crying.
You let out a sigh of disappointment, which in turn Fuze states a apology between sobs. when you hear his apology, you to wince. “Fuze,” you say sternly successfully managing to grab his attention, “Stop crying. Nothing is your fault, I’m sorry I made you cry. And my sigh, the one that I just let out, it was directed at me for making you upset, not because you are.”
Fuze looks up excitedly. “Really?”
You laugh slightly “Really.”
Fuze returns to his regular state of hyper-ness.
The two of you get up as Fuze suggests "You ready for some dinner in town? I know this one great cafe."
“Dinner? But isn’t it like noon?” with a look out a window, you see that the sun is already setting “Oh, I guess I slept longer than I thought.”
“yup, I guess so sleepy head!” Fuze’s giggle relaxes you as the effect of the nightmare slowly dissipates.
“So how did work go?” you ask as the two of you exit his house “And if you don't mind me asking, what do you do at your job anyways?”
Another smile breaks out on his muzzle while he looks at you.
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authors note:
thanks for reading! and thanks to my editor, Mobius of the Moon, I hopefully have at least a few less grammatical and spelling errors!