//------------------------------// // The Crazy Thing About Endings // Story: Jokers Wild // by blowngasket //------------------------------// Chapter 22: The Crazy Thing About Endings It was a rainy day in Ponyville. A plain, rainy day. Though rain beget sadness, the people standing in the graveyard remained calm, hiding under the umbrellas. A nice ornate casket was being lowered into the ground, while one of the group had played a slow sad song on a bizarre instrument. "I... I can't believe that any of this could have happened," a voice had spoken. The speaker, walking towards the casket, just stared slightly, unable to find any words to speak. The group consisting of Twilight and her friends, not including Fluttershy, who was still in the hospital from the battle that occurred almost a week ago. She had managed to pull through, surprising everyone with her tenacity to live. Zecora was found soon after, the crystal prison spell that Sombra used having vanished along with him. She was shaken up, but eventually felt confident enough to go back to her hut. A man wearing a nice suit, and a blue robed man walked towards the casket, next to Twilight. "I'll tell ya," started Catacomb, the nicely dressed man. "This is too good for that crazy psychopath...though the pink casket is a nice touch." "It was my idea," Rarity stepped forth. "Bright colors do demand to be seen, and I am sure he would have wanted to be noticed by as many as possible," it was a quiet scene, just the silence that usually followed the speaking of individuals that occurred occasionally. The battle had an effect on everyone in town. The Spell of Sombra left many of them unsure of their security. Thankfully, word was kept quiet about it being King Sombra's doing in the first place long enough to prevent a panic, and they were led to believe that it was the combined efforts of the Elements of Harmony that defeated him. That is the way T.E.S.T. preferred it though. To silently shape Equestria's future for the better, all from the shadows. The organization will never be the same again after the tireless battle. "A tragedy that thy battle had to end with such dramatic results," Reader said, approaching the casket alongside Catacomb now. "Come, we are to depart soon. So prepare thyself for the arduous journey back to Canterlot." "Yeah, I hear ya," Catacomb said. He looked around at the girls around him. "See ya gals around sometime. Nice town ya got here. Kinda a shame that the one area is scrapped, but im sure it will be better soon. Anyways, don't spend too much time here, go home and try to enjoy life," Catacomb started walking away, followed by Reader. They were interesting to be sure. Maybe one day they would be seen again. "Pinkie, I think you can stop playing now," Rainbow said to the girl playing the bagpipes as the casket was being buried now by the men operating the proceedings. "So, do ya think Perry would be happy with this?" Rainbow asked the group. They all nodded, Applejack taking a step forward and patting her friend on the shoulder. "Yup. It was the right thing to do. Come on, let's go see how Fluttershy is doin'," Applejack said. They all nodded and made their way back to the hospital. It was still raining. ---------- ---------- ---------- They arrived, gathering around their friends bedside while visiting hours were going on. She was on a respirator, but her injuries would heal up after some rest. She would most likely be in the hospital for several weeks, but is expected to make a full recovery thanks to the help of some excellent doctors that the T.E.S.T. members had sent in to handle the situation. Fluttershy's eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the light of the hospital room. She could finally make out the weak images of her friends around her, as they all started to gasp, smiling happily with tears in their eyes. Rainbow had to hold Pinkie back from dive tackling her for a hug, which would most likely be counterproductive to her recovery. "Fluttershy! You're awake!" Twilight said happily. Fluttershy looked around slowly, as if searching for something. Twilight looked at her friend and looked down. "Perry, right?" Fluttershy nodded slowly, unsure if she wanted the answer to her silent question. Twilight sighed, and walked over to the dividing curtain for the hospital room. She pulled it away, showing an unconscious Perry lying there in the bed. "The doctor's, as good as they are, were not sure if he would pull through. He had lost a lot of blood, but thankfully he didn't get hit where it mattered. Damned lucky too," Twilight decided mentioning the fairly big hole in him would only serve to scare her friend. Fluttershy looked across from her, and could only stare at him, tears starting to well up. The stupid tubes in her kept her from speaking, but if she could she would be begging for Perry to wake up. "He is an interesting man," Rarity said, looking over at Perry. "He fought hard, and through several injuries, and still managed to defeat that vile man. Oh the thought that we gave him a nice funeral still bothers me," she said, pouting slightly. "Hard to believe that after all of that, that was what Perry wanted," Applejack started to speak. His one friend was able to get into his head before he lost consciousness, and Perry just wanted a nice funeral...well...for his great grandpa," Fluttershy's eyes widened at the comment, indicating her surprise. "Yeah, kinda makes sense and all, same weird glowy eye thing, but ya can never tell the two were completely different folks," Fluttershy was unconscious through Perry's transformation, not actually having seen it that way. So there was definitely confusion on both parts. A doctor walked into the room, and looked over at the girls. "Visiting hours are up," he looked the part, white coat, stethoscope, the works. He noticed that Fluttershy had gained consciousness and smiled. "It looks like she finally woke up. Go now, I will have to do an examination on her. They all frowned, having only just arrived there, and already being shooed out. The doc closed the curtain after looking at the unconscious Perry for a few seconds. Asking a few simple yes and no questions, he tested Fluttershy's mental capabilities to make sure her mind hadn't suffered any ill effects from her injury. She functioned perfectly, nodding or shaking her head slightly. The doctor smiled and looked down to her. Alright now, I have to go check the other one over there. The doctor moved to the other side of the curtain, checking several of the vital signs of the patient. Fluttershy watched the silhouette of the doctor work. Her heart started to jump when she heard the heart monitor start beeping wildly from the other side. She could see the doctor backing off slightly as the body of Perry quickly rose. She could only smile happily when she heard his forceful voice. "MY MASK! WHERE'S MY MASK?!" Several minutes of screaming and flailing followed by an unconventional tranquilizer gun, and Perry was back to resting. This was all Fluttershy needed to know everything would be alright. ---------- ---------- ---------- The days in the hospital were colorful indeed. The doctor wasn't going to let up on the fact that he couldn't wear that thing, as it could impede his breathing, but it wasn't going to prevent Perry from complaining. He was happy to find that he shared a room with Fluttershy though, and even more so that she was doing fine. He took these opportunities to tell her all about him, since there was nothing else to really do to pass the time. Perry attempted to leave out the more nasty bits, trying to only tell what was necessary to convey the point. Fluttershy always showed an appreciation, taking the time to listen. The third day they were both awake, she even began to speak, as the breathing tube was no longer needed. The visits by her father were something to try an hide from as the stares he gave Perry while checking up on his little girl were more menacing than Sombra's, but thankfully the doctor knew enough to tell him that Perry was in fact the one who saved his daughters life. Speaking of the doctor, it turns out that Perry knew the doctor himself, having been sent to him for injuries from his prior jobs. He was a skilled man in his profession, having worked alongside the secret organization for some time. He was also, eccentric, to say the least, though Perry wasn't the average patient, and needed...less than average care, often consisting of yelling matches behind the closed curtain, and to Fluttershy's general concern, a shot from his tranq gun. All in all, Perry never liked hospital's, and this guy was the real reason. ---------- ---------- ---------- Following the weeks that have passed, both Perry and Fluttershy had made a full recovery. Deciding that his desire to kill no longer defined him after that fight with Sombra, he sent in his resignation letter from the T.E.S.T squadron to the Princesses. Celestia and Luna took Perry's resignation letter quite well. More or less Luna, who partied harder than a princess who controls a celestial body should. Celestia was slightly concerned at first, but she understood that along the cursed bloodline that belonged to Sombra, Perry was the exception. He had stared down the easy to follow path of evil, and struggled to avoid it. He was offered a chance to rule the world, and instead nearly gave his life to save them all. Possibly the strongest mortal she had ever met, Celestia could only deem Perry to be a hero. She was happy to learn about his desire to stay in Ponyville away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. He had gotten a job working with Pinkie as an assistant party planner, which might as well have been a full time job. He had moved into the little house permanently, using the rest of his vacation and retirement pay to buy the house, and make sure his aunt and uncle could live comfortably for quite some time. Perry still wore his goofy mask in public always causing the people of the town to gossip and talk. His eye returned to normal, simply a side effect of his inner turmoil. He cared a little less nowadays about the apperance, as he had not only an understanding of his roots and his reasons for the way he was, but he fought the source of his issues, the evil that tainted the minds of all of the Sombra bloodline. His victory over that accursed man was a partial victory over his inner demons, though that fight will still continue regardless. He hasn't really thought of killing anyone, minus the occasional idiotic friend, since the incident. It was an odd feeling to Perry, as he used to love the idea of chaotic bloodshed in the heat of battle. Perhaps he was just bored of it. Kill a millennia old super evil tyrant king with enhanced powers who only grew stronger on fear. You don't get any more exciting than that, so kind of down hill from there. ---------- ---------- ---------- Waking up has always been difficult, but it made it so much nicer waking up to Fluttershy in his arms. He normally was a late sleeper, but sometimes he tried to wake up early on the days he stayed at Fluttershy's or the other way around. Looking back on all the events in his life, he could only laugh slightly, causing his lover next to him to stir. It was hard to believe he had already been here past the two months he was scheduled for, and wouldn't be leaving. The girl next to him slowly opened her eyes an looked up into his. He smiled his usual smile and gently kissed her on the forehead. "Good morning, Flutters," Perry said. She blushed and nodded, smiling back as she bashfully cuddled against him for his warmth. "Did you have fun last night?" "...Yes, it was definitely something new, I had no idea your body could bend that way," Fluttershy said, a huge blush on her face. "Well, year of practice and training had to amount to something fun right. Especially since your friends joined in on it too," he chuckled, remembering the events that occurred. "I was no good, though..." she said, disappointedly. Perry gently kissed her lips and smiled. "You were fine, Flutters. The point is everyone had a good time. I mean, it's not often I get a chance to play twister. No one I know will play with me anymore," he sighed. "Well...to be fair, the part where you dislocated your arm kind of scared me a little, but it was a fun party. Your second month here. It is hard to believe that you decided to stay for us," Fluttershy said, smiling happily. "Well, for you, mainly...but it was time I settled down anyways. To much excitement for one man, and I'm sure things won't be that crazy around here anyways. Well, crazier than I could handle," he said with a quick laugh. "...umm, I wouldn't be too sure. I don't understand what it is, but trouble always seems to find this town It can be scary sometimes," she said, causing Perry to laugh more. "I doubt it can be that scary, after everything I have seen. There is no way it can get any scarier than I am used to," she looked at him and giggled. "Besides, nothing could be crazier than you last night..." he grinned towards her, as she blushed slightly, remembering the details of the night that followed the party. Having a few too many hard ciders at the request of Rainbow Dash, she proceeded to pull Perry into her own little after party. It was amazing, it was crazy, it was one of the most fantastic nights of Perry's life. He had no idea she was such an excellent prankster, though Rainbow had to have rubbed off her somewhere along the line, being good friends for the time that they had known each other. Perry was thankful for all of his new friends, and for the woman in his arms. "By the way," Perry said to Fluttershy as they gazed at each other. "You're also excellent in bed," he grinned causing her to turn several different shades of red. Perry knew this was definitely the beginning of a new, wonderful life for him. Sure, it had the occasional cog thrown into it, but with Perry, despite being retired, and his friends being the designated repairmen of Equestria, it was simply a minor inconvenience. It is amazing that when dealt a wild card, you can never be to sure of what it could become until all the other cards are dealt.