//------------------------------// // Chapter 14 Aftermath // Story: The Phoenix Project // by Cydon //------------------------------// Chapter 14 Aftermath Two Days Later Sky Dasher Listen to this for extra feeling. Pain, that was all being awake anymore meant. The pain of knowing that he was gone, buried under a mountain. I roll over in bed not yet ready to get up just to start another day without him. I wishing I could just go back to sleep, in my dreams he's still here with me. We go on adventures and he does something to make me laugh. But then I wake up and return to cold reality. I'm about ready to just lie here for the rest of the day when I remember something. A letter placed on the desk when I woke up on that fateful day. I sit up and get out of bed. Every effort to move made all the more difficult by the overbearing sadness I feel. I search the desktop but cannot find it. 'Where is it?' I open and search the drawers but still cannot find it. 'Maybe?' I check behind the desk and sure enough it lies just out of reach. 'Found it. But how do I get it out?' I go over to the door and head downstairs. Twilight and the others insisted on staying over until the Professor and I had fully recovered. The clattering of plates in the kitchen draws me in, I find them sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast. "Sky darling, your awake. Would you like something to eat?" I shake my head. 'Food can wait. This is more important.' "Twilight can you help me?" Twilight stands up from the table. "Sure Sky what do you need?" I motion for her to follow me and lead her back upstairs. "I lost a letter behind the desk and I can't seem to reach it." "I can get it." Twilight's horn glows and the letter floats out from behind the desk. "If I may ask, who is it from?" I take the letter and read the front. "It's from Cyd. To all of us." Twilight's eyes widen. "I'll go get the girls." Twilight hurries from the room. I sit down on the bed holding the letter. 'This is it. My last piece of him.' Twilight leads the girls and Professor Bones into the room. "What's going on sugar cube? Twi said something about a letter." They spot the letter and my solemn look and sit down. "Whats it say sugar?" I open the letter and read aloud. "To the best friends anyone could ever ask for. After the Changeling ambush on the streets of Ponyville I knew that the longer I stayed the more danger you would all be in. So, with a heavy heart I decided it would be best for me to leave. I know that you all would disagree with me so I left without telling you the night of the party. I'm headed for the Changeling Hive in the Macintosh Hills but please don't try and stop me, the reason I left was to keep you safe." Every head hung low as I continued to read, each one remembering the times shared with Equestria's only human. "I will miss you all, Professor If I do manage to save you. I know we didn't get to know each other for long but your quick wit and powerful mind impressed me greatly I know you will discover many great things." A small grin spread on his face as he wiped away a tear. "Pinkie Pie my first friend in Ponyville, I know it is hard right now but please keep smiling, you have no idea how much joy you bring to others with such a simple act." Pinkies mane which had been flat since the cave collapse poofed up a little regaining some of its former frizziness. A smile spread across her lips, small at first but growing as the seconds rolled by. Brightening the room ever so slightly. "Applejack the hardworking and honest apple farmer. It was a pleasure to know you, the connection you share with your friends and family is one of the strongest bonds I have ever seen. Never let it go." The apple farmer took off her prized hat and closed her eyes putting her hoof over her heart a small smile on her face as a tear rolled down. "Rainbow Dash the most talented flier in Equestria. I know how you hate to get all sappy and emotional but I have a final request. I would like you to perform the Sonic Rainboom for me." Rainbow was trying very hard to hold back tears but when she heard Sonic Rainboom a determined look entered her eyes. "Fluttershy the kindest pony in Equestria. We didn't talk much but it was enough to know that you are indeed the kindest most caring pony I have ever met. No human could ever say they were as kindhearted as you." Fluttershy hid behind her mane but couldn't hide the tears. "Rarity someday your designs will be world renowned. I never got to really thank you for the clothes you made for me. So here is my most heartfelt thank you." Rarity pulled out a couch with her magic and fell onto it dramatically for the first time crying real tears into it. "Twilight Sparkle I give to you all my remaining electronics as I know you will be able to use them the best." Twilight's eyes lit up at the prospect of all the new knowledge but quickly dimmed when she remembered how she got it. "And last but certainly not least Sky Dasher my very first friend in this land. I had hoped that I would have had the time to tell you in person but it seems that fate has decided it will be like this. When I first met you under that tree in the orchard I saw a scared pony with a sad past. But when I look at you now as I write this letter I see a beautiful mare who suffered through hardships and became stronger for it. It was a very strange thing for me because humans were the only sentient beings on our planet. But. Sky Dasher, the pony I have spent most of my time with and the pony I would like to spend the rest of my life with. I..I.." I stopped reading. I was trying to process everything that had happened since we met from the orchard to Canterlot and our time in Ponyville. Twilight put a hoof around me. "Sky? Are you okay? What does it say?" "It says... it says..I... I love you." The room went silent as the words and their meaning sunk in. Twilight hugged me tighter as I continued. "My only regret is that I didn't tell you sooner. But if this is the end for me I wanted you to know. Goodbye my friends." I dropped the letter, it floated gently to the ground as my world came crashing down. 'He loved me.' Seeing my distress I was immediately covered in ponies as they gave me a group hug. The comforting warmth of my friends pulled me out of the downward spiral that would have led to depression. "Your not alone sugar cube we will always be here for you." I returned the hug and cried, we all did. We cried for a long time letting out all the pain of a friend never coming back and for me the pain of never getting the chance for that friend to be something more. When we finished we broke the hug all of us feeling a little better. A knock on the front door gathered our attention. I went downstairs to open it cautiously being followed by my curious friends, I open the door with my head hanging low so I can only see the hooves of the pony in front of me. "Are you... Sky Dasher?" I look up. A pegasus pony gilded in the armor of the Royal guard stands before me. He looks up from the parchment in his hooves to look at me. "Yes. Can I help you with something?" "Princess Celestia has summoned you and your friends to Canterlot." "Canterlot? Why does the Princess need us?" The girls and the Professor come to the door. "I am not at liberty to discuss it, but it was very important. I will be waiting at the chariot." The armored pegasus turned and trotted off to the chariot near the hill. "Lets go everypony the Princess is waiting for us." We file out the door and head for the chariot I close the door behind us and turn to catch up, and almost run right into Twilight. "Sky. Are you feeling any better?" "Yes,,, and no. I don't know how to feel right now. I'm sad he's gone but happy he felt that way about me but then sad we never got a chance." My head droops towards the ground. "Don't forget your not alone. We will always be here for you." Twilight places her hoof on my shoulder. "Come on you two! I'm getting bored with all this waiting around." Rainbow shouts from the chariot. "Coming Rainbow!" I look up and Twilight gives me a smile. I smile back weakly and we head to the chariot. Once we climb aboard the pegasi set off. _______________________________________________________________________________ One Pegasus Chariot Ride Later "Thank you for the ride gentlecolts." Rarity says as she gets out of the chariot. A familiar voice shouts from nearby. "Twiley!" "Shiny!" The siblings rush forward and embrace each other in a warm hug. "I heard about what happened. I'm sorry we weren't there." He says looking me in the eye his expression one of remorse and guilt. "It's not your fault, he wanted to go alone." "I know but that doesn't make it any better. Although i'm glad the rest of you are safe. Come, Princess Celestia is waiting." Shining Armor led the way through the long passageways and corridors that make up Canterlot castle. 'I remember the first time we came here Cyd was staring at everything we passed. *giggle* I didn't think his jaw could drop that low when we walked past the kitchens. All that food.' I was snapped from my memories when Shining Armor opened the massive wooden doors to the throne room. "Were here." Princess Celestia stood as regal as ever by the stain glass window overlooking the gardens. Princess Luna by her side. "Princess!" Twilight said rushing forward to hug her teacher. "Twilight Sparkle and friends so good to see you again." "It's good to see you too, but why are we here?" "I believe it would be best explained by someone else." "What do you mean?" Celestia gave a knowing smile and turned her head towards a nearby door. "If you would be so kind as to let him in. Shining Armor." Shining Armor approached the door. Stopping before it and standing to the side as he slowly opened the door. The door opened revealing a familiar face. "Hey everypony did ya miss me?" There clad in dusty and ripped clothing and covered in bruises and cuts with a particularly large bandage on his side was none other than Cyd himself seemingly back from the dead. "CYD!" My heart soared and so did I as I rushed him in a tackle hug. "Ahh...Pain!" I grinned sheepishly as I released him. "Whoops sorry!" He smiled and ruffled my mane. "What happened to you? How did you get out of the Hive? We saw the entrance collapse!" Twilight and the others rush over giving their own hugs. Causing him to groan in pain. The Professor just stuck out his hoof, Cyd made a fist and bumped it. Making both smile. "That Twilight is a long story, one that contains the biggest discovery in Equestrian history." "What did you find?" Twilight looked at me eagerly her curiosity showing. "I found a door."