//------------------------------// // The rules we live by // Story: Tom walks // by Mr Stargazer //------------------------------// Tom is broken. Rarity has denied him. Her last words echo in his skull. Looking down the road he sees his future. An eternity of regret awaits him. So much has gone wrong in just two weeks. ‘Love blinds,’ as the mortals say. He needed somepony to talk to. Somepony that would comfort him. Fluttershy came to mind. Perhaps he could visit her before he left… Yes. He would leave. Staying would only bring more pain. The trip was quick as he simply teleported to the door, not even trying to hide his use of magic. Celestia would try to pinpoint him and may even deduce... What did it matter. Knocking on the door, Tom waited until Fluttershy opened it. "...Hello, Tom. How are you?" "I am...not well." His stone-like eyes were dark. She could see so much pain. "What's wrong? Are you ok!?" "Well, physically yes...may I come inside?" "Of course, make yourself at home." Fluttershy took Tom over to a couch and left him there while going to get him some water to drink. Sitting down she looked at him with concern. "Now, what's wrong?" "...Rarity said she never wanted to see me again." Fluttershy gasped. "Why would she say that?" "I found out she was spying on me for the Princesses. I was...I was so hurt I said some things that were untrue. She told me to get out and never return." "...Oh my… Did you ask her why?" "...No, but I understand it. She barely knew me." "Why did Luna want her to spy on you?" "...They’re looking for somepony and they think I will lead them to him. They’re wrong, but that does not matter. I don't blame Rarity...how she could say no to her Princess?" "That's good to understand Tom." Fluttershy was smiling at him. Then the tears started. "Shh, it’s ok…it's ok." "NO! It's not ok. I've lost her." "Lost her?" "Yes, lost her...I love her, Fluttershy." "Love...love her?!?!" Fluttershy was so surprised. "B-but you only have known her for a short time! Are you sure?!" "Yes! Yes, I'm sure. That is why I came here." "...You came to Ponyville to meet Rarity." "Yes, we met before but she never noticed me... I must go." Tom suddenly stood up. He had to leave. "Wait!" Tom ignored her and ran out the door. The last Fluttershy saw of Tom was him running into the forest, tears still on his face. ************************************* Spike was running though the town. Few even spared him a second glance. Most were still scared of him. The young dragon ran on until he was outside of town. There, he lay next to a tree with tears in his eyes. He never even saw the two diamond dogs coming up behind him. The hit on his head knocked him out instantly. *************************************** At the time of Spike’s kidnapping, Rarity was sitting with Rainbow Dash and Applejack. The orange mare had overheard Sweetie Belle telling her friends how sad Rarity was. Grabbing Rainbow Dash, she went straight over. "Now, tell us what's wrong Rarity. Come on, don't be shy." Rarity was drinking a cup of hot chocolate and had a towel draped over her. "Oh, girls...it’s just terrible. I hurt him so badly...and then he said those awful things and I threw him out." Rarity took a moment to tell them what had transpired. Applejack was mad. "He had no right to say what he did about you an’ Sweetie bell. You got nothin’ to be ashamed of." "No, no, Applejack. He was just so angry. I know that he didn't mean it." Rainbow was sitting over there, her eyes wide. "Uh, Rarity? What exactly did you tell Tom to do...?" "I…I said I never want to see him again and to get out." "Yeah... Doesn't he take everything literally? Won't he actually think you never want to see him again?" Stunned silence. Then Rarity burst into tears. "What have I done?!" "Come on, Rarity, get a hold of yourself. Why are you so upset about this?" "Applejack, I...I love him." The two friends tried to comfort her to no avail. Eventually Rainbow went out to find Tom. It would be some time later when she came back saying he was nowhere to be found. ************************************** Tom ran into the forest away from Fluttershy. Drawing into his full strength, he feels Celestia but he just begins diversionary tactics. He runs for some time until he finds himself in a small clearing. Sitting in the middle lays his original body, cracked in half. He runs and sits between the broken parts and then brings them back together. His subconscious works to make air for his body to breath as he gasps in the dark. To his mind, there is no hope. It was some time before he calmed down. Celestia had a bead on his magic now. She would be able to find this body in a day. It was when he was considering this that he suddenly noticed something he missed before. A mile away there was a bundle of fear. Twelve ponies and...one baby dragon were underground and surrounded by diamond dogs. Tom simply grabbed reality and moved nearby... With a problem to solve, he could force himself to not think about Rarity. He could not just go in magic blazing, however. He would need troops. "Treeline I have need of thee. Come with your clan." An hour later, the former Timberwolves came out of the forest. Treeline walked toward Tom, an uncertain look on his face. Tom had called with more power than he had spoken with before. "What do you need of me, Great One?" "The time for you to be punished has come." The tree spirits froze, fear on their faces which turned to confusion as he continued to speak. "In the next valley there is a diamond dog hole. Inside are some ponies and a dragon they have taken prisoner. I want you to go in there and chase off the dogs. Kill if needed." His command was met with stunned silence. "Great One…we have not killed since our change. In fact, the thought of it sounds...unappealing." "Then it would be an appropriate punishment, now wouldn't it?" Tom had, in fact, considered their punishment paid but he needed them to do this. A small lie would be fine. "... We will do as you say, but afterwards... are we free?" "...Yes, I will never call on you again. You will be free to live in peace guarding the forest and those who enter it." Treeline looked at his brothers and sisters. Then gave a few short commands. They ran into the clearing and into any opening they could find. The Diamond dogs were caught completely by surprise. Most ran for it and the few who fought were either killed or knocked unconscious. Tom walked calmly in after the dogs had left. In a few minutes he was standing before a cage. He pulled the keys off a dead guard and released the ponies, all of which ran in terror. Nothing more needed to be said. The small dragon was staring at him and the wolves which passed by without a second glance. Only Treeline stopped to give a look. They left without a word. Tom grabbed Spike’s claw and pulled him out of the cave and they sat next to a tree. The whole affair took five minutes. "....That wolf looked at you strangely, Tom." The being looked at the small dragon, regret filling him. "They are called Tree spirits. They owed me a favor. Look, Spike… I'm sorry about how I've treated you." "...I am sorry too, Tom. Love makes us do strange things." "...Yes. That is true. Do you know the way back to Ponyville?" "Yes. It's about four hours that way." "...Kind of a long walk for a dragon." "Yeah...Twilight is going to be worried about me." "...I can get you there in a moment if you tell no one that I did so." They stare at each other a bit and then Spike nods his head. "If you can make friends with...Tree spirits, who knows what else you can do? Also, if I get there right now no one will realize I was in trouble... I’d rather avoid that." "Ah yes, of course...goodbye, Spike." Tom stomped the ground in front of the dragon who found himself suddenly in the town. Celestia was too busy trying to locate Tom to notice. ***************************************** Rarity was sitting with Sweetie Belle. Her friends had left a while ago. Tom was nowhere to be found. Sweetie Belle whispered in a quiet voice: "...I miss him." Rarity reached over and hugged the small filly "I do too." ********************************************* Tom was sitting next to a lake when he felt space warp. He was looking at Ponyville, his expression cold and dark. The pink mare who appeared out of the rift probably did not know how she did that...and he was not going to tell her. "HELLO MR. FROWNY FACE!" "Hello Pinkie Pie..." "Well, I know you’re really super-duper upse-" "Pinkie, stop. I do not want your comfort." "Oh, but I always have to help my friends and you are my fr-" "I am not you friend." The pink mare grew really still at this remark. "Of course you are, silly. Everypony is my friend!" "Not I." The mare did not know what to do no one had done this to her. Her hair grew flat. "But…but everypony is my friend and if you are not my frien-" "Go away, Pinkie Pie. I cannot be your friend... I'm sorry." "But, bu-" "Go away Pinkie Pie." The mare shuddered at his voice. The compulsion to obey was strong. "No! I won't go away! Pinkie Pie never lea-" "Why can't you just leave me alone? I want quiet!" "But if I leave you alone to the quiet you'll just fall further into sadness. Rarity wou-" The being in the visage of a pony stood tall. His eyes shined golden with fury. As the sun began to set, its owner shuddered at the power released so close. "BE SILENT!" In a moment everything was as he commanded. The flock of birds flying above fell to the earth around him as their hearts stopped to obey his command. The small creatures in the grass and earth died as well. Even bacteria stopped moving. The grass grew brown and the wind ceased. The pink mare. A bearer of the manifestation of his power fell to the ground. Her mouth clamped shut. The stallion stared down in horror at what he had done. He broke into tears over her body. His cries were unable to be heard through the spell of silence. He would bring the mare to the hospital crying. The doctors took her as she sat in a deep sleep. The stallion that brought her would not stay. He ran away. He ran far away.