//------------------------------// // 47. I Did Good, Kid // Story: Never Alone // by JeSuisLaPorte //------------------------------// A faint light in the distance, a broken lantern at her side, Octavia woke up to the most unwelcoming of dungeons. Dark, made entirely of stones and with only a meager window behind her to shed some light in her prison. Her gag was gone, so were her binds. The only thing keeping her in place was a chain around her neck connected to the brick wall behind.  Panicked, she searched for Vinyl with her eyes, finding the mare right next to her, wide awake. The unicorn was staring, wide eyed in the corner of the room instead of the window. Octavia wondered why. Her question was answered quickly simply by following her marefriend’s gaze.  There was something in there with them! Right there, in the corner of this dungeon, two faint emerald eyes stared back. Octavia could barely make out the form of the thing that abducted them. All she knew, was that it was big, really big. It towered over everypony she’s seen before, and yet, it had hooves, a tail and a mane, a muzzle and a cutie mark, but it all looked like a sinister mockery of what a pony was supposed to look like.  Even its teeth followed that principle, pony-like yet also not at the same time.  Sweet Celestia, it moved! Its bones rumbled with every step it took. Deep, heavy thuds on the stone floor. Blood dripped from its eyes, splashing on the cold stones of the dungeon. Otherworldly growls greeted them to this cruel world of darkness.  The two mares held each other tight, ready to face their imminent demise together. But then, the beast sat a few steps away from them.  Now illuminated by the moonlight, Octavia and Vinyl could see the permanent smile carved onto its face. A symbol of power, for only the strong could smile in such a dire situation. Its horn glowed, levitating three lecterns, one for each of them.  The two lovers exchanged confused glances.  The beast chuckled. “Don’t tell me you don’t recognise these, do ya? I know you’re amongst the best here in Ponyville. That’s why I need your help with something.” Music sheets flew and placed themselves onto the lecterns. “Octavia Melody and Vinyl Scratch, I waited so long to play with you two again.”  Octavia gasped. “H-How do you know our names?”  The creature raised its head, a mocking smile on its horrendous face. “Oh? Am I already old news? Last I heard, they still played my songs on the radio. You know the ones, a stallion shining as bright as the moon longing for his love.”  The mares’ mouth were agape. “J-Jolly Melody?”  “In the flesh.”  During her entire life, Octavia idolised Jolly Melody. A handsome stallion that simply knew how to speak to a mare and with such poetry of course. If she wasn’t so young and shy back then, she’d have asked him out on a date. But now, he was anything but handsome. Only his charisma remained. Everything else was gone.  “I brought your instruments too, so considerate of me. Read the sheets, I’ll give you five minutes before we start.” Anarchy barely looked at his own sheets, swinging in place, eyes locked on the ceiling while he muttered something incomprehensible.  Octavia and Vinyl tried their best to memorise the sheet. Not easy to learn an eight-minute-long song in just five minutes and under such pressure. Anarchy’s hooves clapped out of nowhere, startling the two musicians.  “Time’s up! Now, we play.”  Octavia picked up her cello. Vinyl jumped on her synths. As for Anarchy, he held his legendary guitar, the one that could sell for tens of thousands of bits on the market. No, it will be hung at a museum should it ever be found. “Whatcha staring at? Impressed to see I still have it?” The beast chuckled as he noticed the two mares practically drooling over this musical relic.  The song started easy enough. The tempo was fast, but not too fast and the music had an overall sorrowful tone despite its creepy undertone. For the first minute, it was manageable, then Anarchy completely changed the course of the song. The tempo changed, and so did the tone. It sounded menacing, almighty and powerful like a doomsday device being activated. Anarchy even sang during that section.  The two musicians never heard a voice quite like this before. Deep, harmonious and with synths fully integrated into his voice.  Then, the song calmed down. The nuance of the song has changed from forte to piano. Despite that change in tone and tempo, the melody was still somewhat fast. Octavia’s hooves were starting to tire from the frost and the song. She slipped, missed and...  Anarchy stared her down, displease. “Enough.”  “I-I’m sorry! It won’t-”  “Start it over. I won’t tolerate mistakes when the time comes.”  Octavia lowered her head sadly. “Yes, Jolly.”  “Forget Jolly. I am Anarchy, you’d do well to remember that fact.”  Two grueling minutes later, they were finally able to push further in the song. The melody was still fast despite being entirely in piano. Octavia’s hooves trembled, a fact that made playing this section in the desired nuance harder.  A slow crescendo eventually exploded into a forte section in which the melody slowed down considerably. Anarchy resumed singing. The two mares couldn’t believe what they were hearing. The mad stallion was able to harmonise his voice... with his own voice! He sang the same melody twice at once!  And then, the music accelerated further. The tempo went into presto, and in overdrive too! No time for mistakes, the two mares poured everything they had into not screwing up. Their faces drenched in sweat played everything to perfection whilst Anarchy laughed menacingly in his demonic voice.  Finally, the song took a short break on the instrumental, leaving Octavia some time to take a breather... only to go even faster. To prestissimo and beyond! Anarchy kept up with the tempo without breaking a sweat, singing so rapidly that she couldn’t even understand a single word.  For two entire minutes, the song kept that frantic energy. Finally ending on a long note, draining the last energy the two mares had. They crumbled in exhaustion, panting.  “Very good! Now, we practice. Pick up your instrument.”  Octavia’s eyes widened. Her hooves were sore, her legs tired and in pain. Her lungs were still recuperating. She wasn’t ready, not yet! “B-But w-we're not ready to pl-”  Anarchy cracked the stone tiles of the dungeon in one stomp, shutting her instantly. “But I am ready to play, and so I command you to do the same. If you can’t keep up, I’ll find another use for you.” he licked his teeth, opening his mouth wide to get the message across.  Then, he jumped on all four and looked behind, surprised. “Oh? Somepony’s joining the party.” He grinned, his stomach growling. “Good, I was wondering when you’d crawl back to me.”      Where could Anarchy hide? A question Looking Glass asked himself before going out. He was great at placing himself in the mind of a criminal. He knew how they thought, what they wanted and how to achieve it. By knowing your enemy, you can anticipate their next move.  So, where could Anarchy hide? The answer had to be the Everfree forest. Close to Canterlot but just far enough to avoid detection. Dark and easy to blend in. And where better to hide in the Everfree than the old castle of the two sisters?  Dawning the crimson mask, Looking Glass trotted solemnly towards the castle in the wasteland of a forest. The trees have lost all their leaves, the signature darkness of the forest gone. There was almost no life to be found in there. All animals were caught off guard by the sudden winter. They had no time to adapt to this change. Nature was being torn apart by the very existence of this dark unicorn. He had to stop him.  His final battle, his last chance at saving face before the inevitable downfall. The only thing he ever wanted to hear was the chanting of his name, a victorious return to Canterlot, branded as a hero one last time. One last medal of courage, it was the only thing that kept him going at this point.   Ever since he chose to go at it alone, he at least hoped he could get retribution for his partners’ death. So many of them, young and promising, gone because of Anarchy. He was the last one standing, the final detective at the bureau willing to take him on. He cannot back down, even if they all tell him to.  The ghost returned to torment him one last time.  “So, is this how you plan on going out? With a bang, followed by a pitiful whimper?” The ghastly ghost’s jaw unhinged, revealing dozens of eyes underneath. “I’ll watch your downfall with great interest, and so will Equestria. You’re doomed, unless... you choose another path, one that can save you from the end.”  “Beat it.” Looking Glass refused confidently. “I won’t run and hide like Anarchy. I won’t become like you. My vengeance will end tonight and so will yours.”  The ghost frowned, floating in front of the dark blue stallion. “I understand this is your end, but what says it will be mine? I will outlive you, Anarchy and all the other fools that thought they could surpass me.”  For once, Looking Glass chuckled before the ghost. “You call being locked as a spirit in a feeble mask a victory? You do realise if I perish, you will as well.”  Now it was the ghost’s turn to feel uncomfortable, scared even. "Bah! You speak as if you intend to get in there and croak.”  “I won’t bite the dust, but I’ll make sure you will once my mission’s over. You’ve lived long enough, Crimson Mask. It’s time you bury the hatchet and move on.”      Stepping inside the old castle, Looking Glass felt the evil in the air. Anarchy was here, he was now certain of it. In the distance, below him he could hear soft whining. As expected of him, he nabbed some ponies for his twisted plans. I must save them before I deal with Anarchy.  He had so much time to ponder about the trajectory he took in his life whilst he trotted down the decrepit halls of the castle. Why was he even here? Why did he even choose to work for the bureau? Where was the spark that kept him going all these years, was it still there, with him?  He nearly jumped once he got a glimpse of his reflection. The dreadful crimson mask startled him. Looking at the mirror, it reminded him of the vow he made decades ago.      There never was a defining event that brought him to this path, was there? It was a long string of events one after another that motivated him. He still vividly remembered the times in Manehattan when he saw his father grumbling through his beard as he read the news. Many good things happened in that city, but for every good thing, there was a bad one waiting around the corner. Buildings being robbed, ponies found dead in the street, carnages orchestrated by the Crimson Mask. It always led back to him, that cursed pony who plunged the city in perpetual fear with his mere presence. Always felt, but never seen.  “Dad, what’s going on?”  His father looked over the newspaper, sighing. “More Crimson Mask. What can I tell ya? Go play with your toys again.”  It was difficult to play, especially when that persistent fear loomed in the back of his mind. “Is he going to hurt us, dad?”  “... No. He won’t hurt us. I’ll keep you safe.”  And this kept on going for years. He grew to discover more of the sad nature of Manehattan and its evil underbelly. The worst he saw was a building up in flame, courtesy of the Crimson Mask. Many ponies died in that fire, and many more were injured, some temporary, others permanent.  He couldn’t take it anymore. Why was this world so cruel? What did these ponies do to deserve such agony? It wasn’t fair to see them suffer and not do a thing about it! Where was Princess Celestia? Where was the police? Why couldn’t anypony stop him?  “Dad, do you think somepony’s going to come save us?”  “I don’t know. I really don’t know.”  Standing before his bedroom mirror, he stared at his reflection for long periods of time. He was just a tad taller than his classmates and certainly more athletic. He was good at sports and super smart. That’s when something clicked in his mind. If he was so good at almost everything, why doesn’t he use it to help ponies? If there are no heroes out there to save them from the Crimson Mask, then he’ll have to become one himself.  It doesn’t matter how cruel and unforgiving the world may be, all that matters is what you do in it. “I want to become a hero. A super cool hero that everypony will love and feel safe just knowing I’m out there fighting evil! I’ll be there for all the colts like me who are scared of the dark and of these mean ponies. I’ll smile through it all and show the whole world that I’m here for them! I’ll show the Crimson Mask that he can’t trot all over us! I’ll show to everypony that justice always reigns supreme!”  Before the mirror, he practiced putting on a scary face, one that’ll make these evil ponies think twice before picking a fight with him.      “I’m sorry I didn’t become the hero you wanted me to be.”  When was the last time he threw on a comforting smile in the face of danger? He had to state the obvious at this point; he was jaded, hurt and sad inside. A pathetic hero.  Following the source of the noise, the dark blue stallion descended the circle stairs, gazing in the abyss below. Nopony’s afraid of the dark, they’re scared of what’s in it. Just to be sure, he formed an orb of light and let it float down, making sure the beast isn’t at the bottom waiting for him.  The coast was clear, so he continued his descent once again pestered by the ghost floating at his side. “What do you think you’re doing? You should know by now you’re not the hero you thought you were! Heroes don’t lose to villains. Failures do, and you’ve shown the world you’re undeserving of all the titles and medals given. Go back and get some back-up.”  Looking Glass grunted. “I would have considered this option, but now that we know there are captives down there, we can’t turn back. Keyword for you being, can’t.”  The ghost screamed in frustration. “Celestia damned goody four shoes. Take off that damn mask and throw it somewhere else. You don’t need it to fight him!”  “He’s stronger, more than ever. I’ll need the powers of the mask to fight him.”  Crimson Mask growled, his eyeholes turning to rows of teeth. “The mask doesn’t make you stronger! Turn back before he gnaws on your bones!”  The detective shook his head sadly, resuming his course. No turning back.   Finally at the bottom, he only had to walk down an empty hallway to reach the kidnapped ponies. One mare judging from the sound of her voice. Looking Glass slowed his pace, wanting to hear every little sound. Anything that could reveal Anarchy’s position. The monster was close, the detective could feel his all-encompassing evil tainting the sacred castle with his mere presence.  The whining was louder, he was close! Looking Glass carefully accelerated, making almost zero noise with his hooves. The close he got, the colder the back of his head got. The cloak was frozen, stabbing little icepicks in his rear. Something’s wrong...  The stallion spun around just in time to avoid decapitation. The giant teeth of the beast missed his face, closing inches away from his mask. Time slowed as he stepped back, getting a good scale of the evil unicorn’s size. Sweet Celestia, he was way bigger than he imagined. Way stronger too. Too strong. He can’t compete with power this godly. Anarchy had surpassed the strength of even the strongest of unicorns. Above and beyond, he was more powerful than an alicorn!  Fighting him head on was no longer a viable option. The only thing he could reasonably do was escape with the kidnapped ponies. If he could just save them then, maybe that will be enough for him. One last heroic act. There was no escaping a being this powerful, to think otherwise would be foalish.    Drowning drowning,  Sinking sinking  I will make, you will break, at the hooves, of a god  Do you still cling to your false hope?  You’ll never get out of my scope!  Finally ending your dumb tropes  Hanging you by the devil’s rope!    This is the end, there’s no denying it anymore. Even in the face of certain death, Looking Glass didn’t back down. This whole song and dance had become an old habit at this point. He knew how to do it, how to fight Anarchy. He just had to avoid repeating the same mistake. And so, he laughed before the beast, surprising it.  “Hu hu ha ha!” He was no longer scared.  Anarchy grinned, thrilled to meet his old nemesis again after so long. “Aren’t we making an old habit out of this! Looks like we’re at the top of our game. Let’s fight, you and me one on one, no dirty tricks this time! I will best you using only my might. I’ll show Equestria who’s the most powerful unicorn, ending all debates once and for all.”  Looking Glass chuckled under his mask. “Alright then, show me.”  Anarchy swung his hoof, barely missing the smaller unicorn. He was fast, but the detective’s reflexes were as sharp as ever.  Looking Glass retaliated with a strong kick to the chin.  The hit knocked the beast’s crystal head back, but had not much effect. “Hit me if you want, my chin is like granite! Keep throwing your best, but you’ll see I’m still left standing!”  The dark blue unicorn aimed for the knee next, bucking as hard as he could on the Carpus. The hit didn’t even crack the bone, merely inconveniencing the giant who chuckled at his best shot.  Anarchy smashed Looking Glass, sending him flying like a ragdoll. The hit was dampened by a magical barrier he casted at the last second, but still... it hurt like Tartarus. The gap in power between them only got bigger with time. Now being a giant crevice, seemingly impossible to cross.   The blue stallion found himself in a hallway filled with statues of ancient royal guards. The weapons they held were real, still in good enough condition to chop a pony’s head off, and that’s what they intended to do now. A halberd swung down, nearly decapitating Looking Glass. Backing off, he only got in range of another halberd.   Anarchy’s magic could affect multiple statues at once, effectively transforming this hallway into a death trap of living armor. One statue at the far end had yet to be controlled, and so the detective grasped the halberd in telekinesis and chucked it at the mad unicorn.   The halberd stopped inches away from Anarchy’s eyes. The beast chuffed. “I am amused.” In response, all the halberds flew in the air, looming ominously above Looking Glass. Then, they dived down, breaking through the stone tiles just as the stallion teleported out of harm’s way.  Looking Glass seized his moment, lifting all the halberds and throwing them at once towards Anarchy. Another failed attempt, for the strong unicorn made himself intangible, watching as the weapons passed through him. “Isn’t it becoming clear? You will die for your country tonight, and my amusement!”  Anarchy casted a powerful spell, one that rippled across the entire forest. Worried, Looking Glass took a step back, quickly. A bit too fast. His leg moved much faster than his brain. In fact, his entire body was as quick as lightning. So was Anarchy.  Any movement they made was rapid and over in an instant. Surprised, he kicked a pebble, watching as it was knocked back at impressive speed. Everything was accelerated! Time was accelerated!  Seizing the opportunity, he fired a powerful beam of magic at Anarchy’s horn. The attack was much faster in the accelerated time, successfully hitting the beast before he could even react. That did some damage, but not enough. The beast only felt dull pain. "Oh? That spell is too much of a double-edged sword. Begone!" Anarchy grinned and fired another spell, then took a step forward. His mouth opened wide, slowly. Time now slowed down. Their body were sluggish, comparable to that of a turtle. The cackling demon fired his own beam at Looking Glass.  The attack was scary. He had all the time in the world to see it coming and dodge it, but his body was so slow. He had to watch as all limbs moved individually to narrowly avoid the hot beam that grazed his fur. Just as it passed by him, time resumed as normal. The attack vaporised the wall behind him.  “Isn’t magic fascinating? I’ve yet to learn all its spells, especially those that are ranked as alicorn level!”  The giant casted another spell, one who’s effect weren’t immediately felt. It’s like last time. There’s a catch here, I must figure it out before making a single move. Or, I can stand here and wait for Anarchy to reveal the true nature of his spell.  “Why’re you looking at me like that? I’m not saying anything. Unlike last time, here I have all the time in the world to kill you. I’m in no hurry.” Anarchy lifted a pebble and flung it.  It landed just at Looking Glass’s hooves. Worried he took a step back, his eyes focused on both his opponent and the pebble. Moving back, he heard something slither around the air. That’s when he realised, he misplaced his attention. The danger was in the air, roaming above him.  Beams of light slithered around him until one of them lunged at the detective. Barely avoiding it, Looking Glass had a first-row seat to the destructive potential of these strange beams as it vaporised the stone floor. Steam came from the crater produced. With power like that, one hit would be fatal. It would split him in half.  Anarchy banged on the wall next to him, muttering something in it, grinning widely. “Do you hear that commotion? He’s here. Hurry up and call for help!”  Just then, Looking Glass heard two young voices calling out for help. Just beyond this wall, there were two mares locked in this decrepit castle! The beams slithered around him, putting some pressure on the stallion to act quickly.  Anarchy sat down cackling. “Now can you hear her chanting your name? Looking Glass! Looking Glass! Looking Glass! They’re placing all their hopes on you, their hero to come and save them just in time! You’ve been chasing trouble for the night, now it’s time you save the day!”  Sweat dripped down the masked stallion’s face. To make matters worse, the ghost returned in the most inopportune of times.   “Are you really going to fall for this cheesy bait? He’s going to kill us both! Get the hay out of here and forget about the mares! They’re done for anyway, we, however, will get another chance at fighting him with reinforcements!”  Anarchy’s smile dropped, his face darkening. “Come.”  The detective’s mind warped. Any thoughts he had previously were gone. There was nothing but darkness around him, and the beast forward. “Come to the light.” Many beams of light slithered in front of him, inviting the stallion to touch them. “Forgo the cold, and embrace the warm light.”  Compelled, he took a step forward.  “Touch them, let them help you.”  He took another step forward.  “Yes, come closer. Feel the heat.”  He moved closer to the slithering light, feeling their warmth upon his face.  “Touch them. Abandon the dark and come in the light.”  He was close to the light. So close he could see his own reflection in it. The one of a frightened colt putting on a tough appearance. One who was scared to enter the dark yet did so anyway, for those who were too scared to take the first step. “N-No!” Looking Glass stopped moving, the beams stopped shortly after. The stallion took off his cloak much to the surprise of Anarchy.  “Huh?”  “I’m done with this charade. I can see now I was wrong all along.” Looking Glass removed the Crimson Mask, cutting him off from the voice of the ghost. “This is my final battle; I won’t hide behind a mask.”  The mask was tossed just before Anarchy. Bewildered, the stallion cancelled his previous attack. His eyes lit up, sensing a spiritual energy within. Raising an eyebrow, he chuckled. “You do realise you’ve just committed an assisted murder?”  “It’s no murder. The dead cannot be killed. Send him to limbo.”  “Oh, I was planning to do that. Not because you’ve told me to, no, I waited for so long to finally have the last laugh.” Anarchy lifted the mask, seeing the ghost’s reflection in its hollow eyes.  “Don’t do it! The mask gives you power! With it, you can be even stronger than before. Nopony will be able to stop you if you put-”  “Nopony is as stupid as you, Crimson Mask.” Tossing it in the air, Anarchy savoured his ultimate victory. As the mask fell before his head, he crushed it with his bare hooves, revelling in the ghost’s death rattle. The impact created a powerful shockwave that shook the very foundation of the earth. With this, he cemented himself as the most powerful criminal to have ever existed and as the ultimate winner of this eight year long war. “The world will thank me for it, you monster!”  “And do you believe they’ll thank you for what’s to come?” Looking Glass loosened up, smirking. He’s never felt this good before. He’s done hiding behind the mask and placing the blame on others. Tonight, he’ll end it all as himself.  “Hardly. A villain is never cheered, only jeered. I know what I am and what I want. I can see you’ve made your mind tonight. That’s really good. For once, I think I may be learning what honor means!” Anarchy chuffed. “Then again, I was thinking about pulling a cheap trick on you. I guess you can’t teach an old dog new tricks!”  “I suppose you can only help it perfect its skillset. You can’t change the path you chose to walk. We can only face its consequences and strive to be, better ponies.”  Anarchy chuckled, standing on all four. “Now you’re trying to make me sad. Well, here’s a little confession for ya; I’ll be a little sad when you’re gone. No stallion amuses me as much as you. I’ll keep a piece of you to remember you by.”  Looking Glass smiled, and in a bright flash, he was gone, teleported beyond the castle’s walls. “But I’m not an old dog.” Following the sources of the call, he found the kidnapped mare chained in the dungeon, only they were two. Their hooves sore and their instrument a little bloody. Their body was weak, struggling to stay awake. Why didn't the other one call for help? Not important, he had to save them now! This was his one and only chance to free them. His last chance to be the hero. The walls rumbled with each stomp Anarchy made. He wasn’t far, better get to work immediately.  “Thank Celestia you’re still alive! Get us out of here, please!” Octavia cried out, tears streaming down her face. Her mouth slowly raised into a happy smile. She recognised the face of the great hero coming to save them!  Vinyl cried happily, smiling before her savior. No inhibitor ring, of course, the average unicorn knows next to no spell. Anarchy is too confident for his own good. Looking Glass teleported them out of their binds. Feeling his mana slowly running out, he looked to the window for an escape. “Stand back, I’ll get you out of here.” He blasted a hole in the wall, one big enough to fit two mares but too small for a stallion the size of Anarchy.   Just then, evil returned with a sinister grin. The creature roared, scaring the colors out of the two mares but not Looking Glass. They fell on their flank, staring into the cold eyes of Anarchy.  Octavia and Vinyl were not getting up, paralysed by fear.  Anarchy drooled, his saliva mixing with his bloody tears as he ominously trotted towards them. “They aren't running. What will you do now?”  Looking Glass winced. Stomping the ground, he shouted with all his iron might. “Get up!”  The shock got the two musicians to stand up.   “Run, you fools!”  Stressed out of their minds, the two mares somehow found the strength to leap out of the castle, fleeing in the frozen wasteland below.  “What? How did you...”  Looking Glass took a defiant step towards the beast. Anarchy lost any semblance of attention he had for his prisoners, that’s the most the detective could do in the moment. “You underestimate the strength of a pony. We are not toys you can break on a whim. Each and every single one of us is a hero in their own way. It doesn’t matter how weak we are, how scared we are, we will never let you win.”  Anarchy tilted his head to the side, a sickening crack echoing in the empty castle. “Heroes? Well that’s a shame. I’m sure you’ve been dying to know why you’ve never beated me. I’ll clue you in. You are a hero, that can’t be denied but what am I? A legend. Heroes always get remembered but you know legends never die.” He pointed with his hoof at seemingly nothing.  Looking Glass glanced quickly, only to find one of the slithering beams was still following him. Before he could react, it smashed into his rib cage. Strangely, he felt no pain as his body fell to the floor, unable to move. The wind was knocked out of him, and darkness now surrounded him.  This is it. At least, I’ve saved them. That's all that matters... in the end.  “Remember all these weeks ago? I promised you I’d put you through Tartarus before you die. Well... I’m a stallion of my word. In the end, my point still stands. You are strong, Looky, but I am beyond strength. Now, I am truly more than a unicorn, more than a pony. So let me ask you this one last time; what chance did you even have?”  Glancing up, he saw the silhouettes of the two mares disappearing in the night, fleeing to safety. In the fractured shards of glasses next to him, Looking Glass saw his reflection for one last time. He saw the eyes of a colt staring back at him. The blue colt smiled at him.  I want to become a hero. A super cool hero that everypony will love and feel safe just knowing I’m out there fighting evil! I’ll be there for all the colts like me who are scared of the dark and of these mean ponies. I’ll smile through it all and show the whole world that I’m here for them!  He mustered a weak smile as his eyes watered. I did good, kid.