//------------------------------// // Faith's Abuse // Story: Return to Society // by Silent Sir 224 //------------------------------// "Duusk, you awake?" Fluttershy gently shook him until his eyes cracked open. "You must have worn yourself out yesterday, you've been out for about half a day, maybe more." He sat up, "really? How long before the spa trip?" "Long enough for some breakfast," she explained. "I have some waffles ready for you at the table, you ready to try to stand up?" "Yeah," he sighed, "One... two... three!" He forced himself up on his hooves, faltering slightly when his weight fell on his legs but stabilizing. "Okay, so far so good, now I'm going to try to walk to the table," he felt her hoof on his shoulder and knew she wouldn't let him fall. The two walked slowly to the table, Dusk felt one of his legs give, but before he could fall far Fluttershy pulled him back up. She held him up until he could start walking again, the last leg of the trek was traveled without any other slip ups or falls, once he made it to the table he pulled himself on one of the chairs. "You did it, I knew you could!" In the excitement of the moment, she kissed him passionately, neither of them tried to separate for a few minutes. Dusk finally pulled away, "That will never get old," he declared. Fluttershy cheeks grew crimson, "No, no it won't, now eat up, you need to get your strength back. Unless you want me to carry you again." "No, I don't want you to try that again," he started digging in to his breakfast, as she walked out of the room. Once he finished, he got himself up and managed to walk back to the living room and sit back down on the couch for a moment. Fluttershy walked in from upstairs, "Looks like you learned how to walk again, you ready to go?" "Sure, I'm good to go," he stood up a little shakily and managed to walk to the door without complication. "Don't want to keep our friends waiting." He pulled the door open, allowing his love to pass in front before closing the door behind him. Dusk walked slowly at first, but managed to get comfortable enough to pick up his pace, Fluttershy did her best to match his pace, but always had to look back to see he was close enough behind her. The two made it to the spa in good time, only Rarity, Twilight and Spike were there in the waiting area, all three were shocked to see Dusk up and around again. "Glad to see I'm not the only guy here today," Spike commented. "Dusk, darling aren't you a sight for sore eyes! How are you feeling?" Rarity greeted. "A whole lot better now." "I'm so sorry!" Twilight shouted, "My stupid decision nearly put you in a coma, if not that then worse! I had no right to do any of those things!" She started to tear up before he placed his hoof on her shoulder. "No, no you didn't. But, I trust you learned your lesson." Twilight looked Dusk in the eye before stepping back. "I did, believe me I did. I should've been smarter about this, I should've done a lot things differently." "Yes. You should have. Every time you do something like this and for lack of better words 'stab me in the back' it get's harder to put my trust back in you. I'm sorry to say, I am giving you one more chance, after that, I just can't." "I... that's more fair than I would be. I promise to never go behind your back again." "I do hope you are right." Fluttershy walked up to Twilight, "The same goes for me. If Dusk is willing to give you one more chance, I can do the same." "Fluttershy, you mean that?" Twilight asked. "Yes, so long as the next time you plan on doing something like that you tell us about it," Fluttershy answered. The two hugged for a moment. Soon after an earth pony walked in the from behind the counter, she had a pink coat and light blue mane and tail. "We are ready for you now, please do enjoy your visit." "So, what will you do Dusk? A day at the spa doesn't really seem to be your cup of tea," Rarity inquired. "I'm going to the sauna, I need to loosen up and unwind after being stuck on a couch for two days," he answered. "Well, don't forget to take off that battery, don't want it shorting out on you in there," Twilight advised. He nodded, took off his necklace and placed it on a nearby table before walking into the sauna while the others relaxed in different ways. The sauna was a large wooden box with a pile of hot coals in the middle with a bucket of water next to it. He heard the bell of the front door ring as it opened, as another one of their friends joined them. "AppleJack, so glad to see you again," Rarity greeted. "Howdy y'all," AppleJack greeted before turning to Fluttershy, "Ya convince Dusk to come along?" "Yes she did!" Dusk shouted from his little room. "Ya decided to go with the sauna?" AppleJack asked. "Sounds a lot better than getting a hooficure, that's for sure!" He joked. "I reckon so, I take it ya got yourself back up to par?" "Yes ma'am," he replied. "Fantastic, now if no one objects I'm gonna get me a massage," AppleJack declared. The bell chimed again, "Hi girls isn't this the best day for a spa trip?" "Sure is Pinke," Twilight replied, Pinkie's response was a loud splash so it was clear she was soaking in one of the therapeutic baths. After a little while, every pony in the spa was absolutely relaxed, Dusk just stepped out of the sauna as there was a time limit for how long one can stay in there, he made sure he dried off and put his battery back around his neck. He saw Rainbow Dash running in from one of the windows before bursting through the door with a newspaper in tow, "girls the new Gabby Gums came out today, 'The Great and Powerful Trixie: Secrets Revealed!" "We already read that one dear, come relax get a hooficure it feels fantastic!" Rarity suggested. "Yeah, no I have a reputation to uphold," she replied flatly. "Gabby Gums?" Dusk asked in confusion. "Oh, it's this article in the Foal Free Press, it's hilarious and I need to read this issue before I go crazy with anticipation!" Rainbow Dash answered gleefully. "It's true that she is popular, but don't you think she can be a little mean about what she writes?" Twilight inquired. "She's not mean Twilight, she's a hoot and a half," AppleJack explained. "'Princess Celestia: Just Like Us,'" Twilight read the article title. "She doesn't seem to put much value in a pony's privacy, does she?" "Please Twilight, it's just idle gossip, nothing to get concerned about," Rarity stated. "Yeah! Check out this story, 'Mayor Mare Not Naturally Grey' the mayor in a mane dying scandal, I can't think of one pony who wouldn't want to read about that!" Pinkie concluded. "But the ponies in these articles, this can't be a positive experience for them," Twilight retorted. "Twilight, every pony wants to get there name in the paper," Rainbow Dash claimed. "Rainbow Dash, are you sure you don't want a hooficure? It's simply heavenly!" Rarity declared. "Really Rarity, heavenly? Alright, I'll try it," Rainbow Dash gave in, she dropped the newspaper and laid down on one of the stations. The pony who had greeted them earlier happened to be the one administering the hooficures, but every time she tried to get close to Rainbow Dash's hoof, she pulled it away. After three attempts, Rainbow Dash decided against her earlier decision, "never mind, I can't stand ponies touching my hooves." She flew off the station and picked up her newspaper, "I wouldn't mind having Gabby Gums put me in one of her articles." "I have one she's doin' on me?" Spike said nonchalantly. Immediately, the six mares surrounded him, "WHAT?" they exclaimed simultaneously. "I as well," Dusk stated. "Oh right, I forgot the Cutie Mark Crusaders came by and interviewed you," Fluttershy recollected. "Cutie Mark Crusaders?" Dusk asked, feeling a little less than intelligent. "Oh that's what Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo call their little ensemble," Rarity answered. "That's so awesome! I hope I'm next!" Rainbow Dash flew out the door. "Well, I think we're done here girls, would you care to join me for lunch?" Rarity offered. The four mares all agreed, "Sorry Rarity, I need to check on my room at the inn since I haven't been there in two days," Dusk admitted. "Oh that's alright dear, another time." The group left together, but Dusk broke off heading for his home shortly after until a voice stopped him, "Dusk! Please wait up!" He turned to see Fluttershy running up to him, before he could respond she nearly knocked him over hugging him tightly. "We never told each other goodbye!" Dusk just chuckled to himself, "I suppose you're right, so I'll see you soon?" She looked up at him and smiled, "Of course." He kissed her on the cheek, "I love you." "I love you too," she held onto him for a moment. "Fluttershy, I'm sure the girls will wait for you before they get lunch, we don't want to keep them waiting too long," as much as he didn't want to, Dusk let her go. "Okay, goodbye Dusk," she flew off, it hurt him a little to see her leave but he needed to make sure his home was in order. After a particularly lonely walk, he made it to the Ponyville Inn and walked past the receptionist. "Haven't seen you in a few days, began to worry you took off and left your stuff." "No ma'am, I wouldn't leave you the work of emptying that room," he smiled before walking up the stairs. Walking through the door of his room, Dusk saw all of the work that was put into making his room an actual home. All of the pictures and accents that gave the place some personality, the longer he looked at it, the more he thought of the pony responsible for them. Even his little bird friend couldn't distract him, being just another reminder. How can I miss her so much? I was just with her for two whole days! I don't understand why I feel this way, shouldn't I want some space or something? His heart and his brain were disagreeing again and it was clear which was going to be the victor. After a whole day of thinking, there was no doubt which half of him won the day. Heart: 2 - Brain: 0 Now that that was decided, the sun was about to set and Dusk figured he should do the same, he slipped into his bed for the first time in a few days and drift into sleep. *** The morning sun greeted Dusk by burning his retinas and forcing him to wake up, he slumped out of bed and made some toast. He let Hummingway out the window before he walked out of his home and headed to the market, since he still hadn't done any proper restocking of his kitchen in a few days. He walked past the receptionist reading a newspaper, "good morning," he greeted, her response was a ruffling of her newspaper. Okay, not exactly a good morning for her I guess, he figured as he walked out of the inn. As he walked through town an assortment of strange looks fell on him: some held fear, others curiosity, a small number had anger. What is going on here? He thought, until a familiar voice called him, "Hey Dusk!" He looked up to see Ditsy Doo, more commonly known as 'Derpy', a pegasus he met last week with a tell tale lazy eye. "Good morning Derpy, how are you today?" "Good, how 'bout you?" She asked. "Uh... confused from all the looks I'm getting, they look at me like I'm a leper or something," he answered. "Oh, well I have no clue what a leper is, but I bet it's from the Gabby Gum's story on you," she replied. "A Gabby Gums story... about me?" His heart sank, what could she have said to make the entire town turn on me like that? "Yeah, I thinks it's really cool that you got in the paper, but I gotta go, the mail won't deliver itself around here," she flew off. Dusk ran to the nearest news stand and picked up the last copy of the Foal Free Press and immediately flipped to the Gabby Gums section, it read: The Creature Among Us! The newest citizen of Ponyville, Dusk Light, isn't all he appears to be, in an interview he said that he has been living in the Everfree Forest for a number of years. When he was interviewed, he refused to answer the reason why, is it because he's not a pony at all? This pony showed our interviewers an interesting little device he wore around his neck that he said 'keeps his heart beating.' Does this mean that it powers his heart? Like some science experiment that pushes the law of nature? This writer thinks so. The paper was then torn in half, just like Dusk's mind, one half fearing what will happen now and the other half wanting to find who is responsible and why they did this. With nothing else he could think to do he ran to the nearest friend he had, which in this case was Pinkie Pie in the Sugarcube Corner. He opened the door and realized that he was discharging into the air because before he opened the door he could hear his friends talking. The second he opened the door, the conversations died and every pony stopped and stared at him and a moment passed before anything was said. "Dusk are you alright?" Rarity asked. "No, no I'm not, everything good that has happened here just came crashing down around me!" He threw half of the paper he picked up on the table revealing the article. The six scanned the article and looked up at Dusk, but not with fear or anger, their eyes held compassion and concern. Fluttershy walked up to him and held a hoof up to his cheek. "We don't believe a word of this," she turned to the others. "Right girls?" The five nodded in agreement, "Someone needs to talk to those fillies, and I think it goes without saying that I can't do it," Dusk declared. "I will, I need to teach my little sister exactly what happens when you betray the trust of friends and family," Rarity volunteered. "Y'know, I don't know who I'd be more afraid of in that situation, the living lightning rod or Rarity, both sound like they could end in equally bad ways," Rainbow Dash commented. "But definitely worse with Rarity, I know my sis' is looking at an equally bad situation when I get my hooves on her," AppleJack stated. "Well, while you two deal with your sisters, I'll find Scootaloo and deal with her," Rainbow Dash promised. "That leaves the rest of us to try to calm the town back down, assure them that this is a lie," Twilight looked at Pinkie Pie and then at Fluttershy, who was on the verge of tears. "On second thought, Fluttershy, stay here with Dusk try to help him relax, Pinkie and I will handle the town." "Okey, dokey, lokey," Pinkie followed Twilight out, the other three followed leaving Dusk and Fluttershy in the bakery. Dusk saw how close Fluttershy was to breaking down on him, and did his best to comfort her, "hey, everything is gonna be alright, our friends will set things right." His words seemed to be little help, she started to cry on him, he hugged her tightly before she quieted down and pet her mane softly. "What's going on? I know this isn't about my problem alone." She looked up at him, "You don't think I have tail extensions, do you?" "Of course not," he nuzzled her neck. "Is that what they said about you?" "Yes," she sniffled. "I don't believe a word, even if it was true I wouldn't love you any less," he kissed her on the forehead. "I know you wouldn't, but still..." she started to cry again. "Come on, let's get you home," Dusk turned to Mrs. Cake at the counter. "If our friends come back, can you tell them we went to Fluttershy's?" "Sure thing," she answered. He picked Fluttershy up on his back and opened out the door, "Thank you." "You... you don't have to carry me," she protested. "You're right, I don't have to, but I want to." Dusk turned his head to see Fluttershy trying to smile, but as he walked he could see all of the looks he was getting and ignored them. His only focus was the mare he was carrying and getting her back to her home. When he made it to her cottage he carried her to the couch and gently placed her on one end, and sat down on the other end. He stroked her mane as she buried her head in the one of the arms of the couch, trying to muffle the sound of her cries no doubt. Her white rabbit, Angel, came up and helped Dusk calm her down some. "Shh, it's okay, I'll be here as long as you need me to be," Dusk promised. She raised her head, "I... I know you will," she turned and buried her head in his chest with tears running down her face. "Let it all out, everything will be just fine, just let it all out," he kissed her on the forehead and rubbed her back. This lasted for about twenty minutes, until a knocking came from the door, "Angel, can you get the door?" Dusk asked. The rabbit nodded and hopped to the door, and upon pulling it open, Dusk immediately regretted having the door answered at all. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, the whole reason that Dusk was labeled a freak and Fluttershy was crying, stood at the door. "Hello Angel, is Fluttershy here?" Sweetie Belle asked. Angel just turned back to Dusk, the look they shared was in agreement and Angel simply closed the door and returned to the couch. "Thank you, Angel," Dusk patted him on the head. He looked like he had just been given a medal of honor, but he remembered his caretaker's condition and immediately returned to her side. Fluttershy pulled away from Dusk and picked up Angel, "You're such a good bunny," she gave him a warm hug. She put him back down and turned back to Dusk, "And you're such a good coltfriend." They kissed for a moment before she buried her face in his chest again. He comforted her for the next few hours or so before another knock came from the front door, "Angel?" he asked. The rabbit was already hopping to the door, he opened it to reveal a much more friendly face. "How are you two holding up?" Twilight asked. "I'm as close to fine as I'm going to be right now," Dusk looked down at Fluttershy, "She's getting there." "I suppose that's the only good news we have right now, the town is in a grip of fear about you," Twilight explained. "A few ponies genuinely believe you're no threat, but the rest of the think you could be a danger to them." His heart sank, the very thing I worried about when I first came here, only it's probably worse because I already have too much to want to leave. "You did your best, I just have to get used to it again," he gulped. Fluttershy started to cry more audibly, causing his heart to sink even further. "Shh, don't cry Fluttershy, everything is alright, it won't be that bad." She pulled her head from his chest, "It's just not fair, to you, to me, to our friends! Why does this have to happen? Why did those girls do this to us?" "I don't know, only those three and maybe their sisters really know why, but their just foals we can't hold this against them forever. They probably don't see the full ramifications of their actions," he turned to Twilight for support to his claim, "Right?" "I think so, I don't see why they would do any of this on purpose," Twilight explained. "If anything this probably another attempt to get their cutie marks." "But that doesn't make what they did right!" Fluttershy shouted, tears still rolling down her cheeks. "We're not saying what they did is right, what we are saying is that foals do dumb things, we did too when we were there age," Dusk wipe a tear from her eye. "We just need them to know that they did is wrong and from there just let it go, holding a grudge doesn't help them learn from there mistakes." "He's right you know, we can't blame them for wanting to find there cutie marks," Twilight agreed. "I hear you, both of you," she began to calm down. "But I still don't understand, the entire town thinks you're some kind of monster or a freak. How will you deal with that?" "I won't try to hide it, my earlier years were spent being hated and I think they went easy on me because I was young," Dusk explained. "I simply have to ignore it, let their cries and transgressions go unanswered until they realize that if any pony is the monster here it's them." "That's your plan? Just wait until they stop?" The two mares asked. "Anything else would just add more fuel to the fire, all I can do is let it burn itself out, like I said I had to deal with it before," Dusk answered. "I don't like it, but I trust you," Fluttershy admitted. "But I don't want you walking through town right now, night's almost here and I don't want any pony to try to hurt you. You're staying here tonight." It wasn't a command or a request, just a statement. Dusk smiled and nuzzled her neck again. "Okay I'll stay here tonight." Twilight saw that she was a third wheel and saw herself out, she slipped out while her friends were paying more attention to each other than they were anything else. "Do you feel better now?" He asked, Fluttershy replied with a smile, "Good I hate to see you cry like that, especially over me." She kissed him tenderly on the lips, "If I don't, then who will?" "Okay, valid point," he admitted. The two cuddled and fell asleep after a while. Dusk woke up for a moment, went up to her bedroom and grabbed a blanket and two pillows. He sneaked one of them beneath Fluttershy's head without disturbing her, got himself comfortable with a pillow for himself, and threw the blanket over the two before drifting off again...