What We Haven’t Had
Chapter 7: Her Reason
A My Little Pony Fanfiction
By: GhostWriter17
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life can bring us many challenges, Samael. We all face difficult decisions. For many years, I have met many a special pony. You, Samael, are no exception. All ponies, however, can be considered as special, unique. Twenty two years ago, something happened to me. To you. To someone very special to you. Now, however, is the time for the story I must tell...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a glorious day in Ponyville, of that I was sure of! The sun was shining gloriously over the land, warming everything with its glorious gloriousness. Was 'gloriousness' even a word? No matter. All I knew that today felt glorious! Nothing could go wrong, truly! I breathed in the fresh morning air as it entered my lungs. It. Was. Refreshing. Nevertheless, there were things that needed to be accomplished, to be done. Today was going to be a busy day, for sure.
I opened the saddlebag on my back, opening a list of what needed to be done for the day. I'll admit, it was not my best writing. Some of the swirls were a tad too swirly, and nothing was really very even, but that was unimportant. The list read as follows:
1. Wake up to a (hopefully) glorious day! 2. Make breakfast.
3. Go to Samael's house to discuss her "plans".
4. Visit Rain Shimmer and Ella Sundance.
5. Go home and work on current projects.
6. Try to find the time to spend time with Opal (preferably dinner).
7. Make a list for tomorrow's activities.
8. Get through the day with a smile. Always.
Right. Samael. She was always a tough one, that griffon. Most griffons were fairly stubborn, and Samael was bound to be no exception. However, she seemed pleasant enough, so it shouldn't be much of a problem. Not at all.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You may remember this griffon, Samael. The one who shares your name, the darling, if slightly brutish, griffon, she. I went through Ponyville on that absolutely FABULOUS morning and knocked on Samael's door...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Samael's house seemed to be just like any other house in Ponyville. Maybe it was because the owner wished not to attract any attention to herself, being a griffon. I did not know and, at this moment, I did not care. The door, not to my surprise, after I knocked, opened. I was met with the glare of a hauntingly beautiful griffon.
"Rarity, thank the Goddess. Please, come in. We have a lot to discuss." The griffon known as Samael let me through, into her house. She walked me to her humble, if rather plain, kitchen table, and we sat down. Samael, with her large, powerful wings tucked neatly at her sides, amber colored feathers, and crimson red eyes on her head. Her body was that of a lion, with finely trimmed, groomed fur. It simply shone so well under the light! It was so clean and healthy looking! Truly, Samael cared deeply about her looks. That was something I could appreciate!
"So, you know why you are here, right, Rarity?" The griffon asked, staring intently at me. I nodded. "Good. Now, listen carefully, Rarity. I need you to make garments for myself, Ella, and Rain. They must be multi-layered, insulated. We must be able to withstand cold, ferocious weather. But, we must also be able to carry supplies. Oh, and before you ask, or rather, insist," she paused, putting a claw on the table, "it does not need to be fashionable. Where we are going, fashion will be the last thing we need to be worried about."
I was rather puzzled. "Wherever are you going off to? Also, correct me if I am wrong, but Ella and Rain have a son, correct? Shouldn't I make something for him if you are to be traveling?"
Samael's eyes widened suddenly. "NO!" she exclaimed, "You mustn't do that! We are leaving to head north, to where my species live. There has been an outbreak, a virus. Ella and Rain shall accompany me there, but we are going to leave their son behind. He cannot grow up where we are going, and would surely die on his way."
"If the virus has affected griffons, why are you going? Wouldn't you be affected, as well?"
"No, Rarity. I am immune. My red eyes are an indication of this. I am going there to see if there is a cure of some sort, something we can do to help. Ella is one of the best nurses in all of Equestria, renowned all across the country. Rain is a brilliant chemist, and will help with making cures or, at the very least, antibiotics or other medicines. We need them. My people need them."
"I see... What will happen to the son?"
Samael looked down somberly. "I do not know. The parents will not tell me of their plan. Believe me, I would change things if I could, but I cannot. You must speak to them yourself. It is not my place, no matter how close I am to Ella, to decide what must be done with their son."
"That is so unfortunate! It's so... So sad." I turned my head away, as well, tears welling up in my eyes. I could not imagine such a burden as leaving a young one alone.
"Yeah, it is. Look, I need you to do this, Rarity. You're the only one I know who can. I have all our measurements on this piece of paper." She took, from under one of her wings, a large sheet of paper with various measurements and models for the three clients. "I shall pay up front, for all three of us."
I looked over the paper, ideas already flooding my mind. There were so many possibilities, so many variations in which I could make their garments! However, I had to think of survival, first and foremost, whilst also making the garments comfortable. "That's fine, my dear," I said, putting a hoof over her claw in reassurance, "I shall not fail you."
Samael, slightly uncomfortable, shifted her claw so it was wrapped around my hoof. "I know you won't, Rarity. I thank you. Honestly, for everything you've done, I thank you. Here," she pulled a fairly large bag of bits onto the table from under her, "this is my payment. Just take it, it should be more than enough." She seemed extremely sad, as if I were some best friend she had just lost. But the truth of the matter was that I hardly even knew Samael. Samael had always been a bit reclusive, but I never once prodded. I am quite sure she had her reasons for not sharing things with other ponies. I took the bag of bits and put them into my saddlebag.
"No, my dear, thank you! It is very brave for such a strong, independent and, dare I say, beautiful griffon such as yourself to do something like this!" She blushed when I said that, turning away slightly. "I promise not to let you down! I will have the clothes ready in a week at most."
"Thank you, again, Rarity. We were actually planning to leave within next week. I'm sorry for not informing you earlier. But nevertheless, it's outstanding that you say you'll be able to make the clothes in a week. Just... Don't overwork yourself, alright?" I reassured her that I would be alright, and that she should rather be worrying about the journey she was about to partake in instead of my health. With a few more words of encouragement and thanks from Samael, I left and set off to my second destination for the day.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Samael was, to my surprise, one of the kindest griffons I'd ever met. However, considering the danger of her mission, the enormous stress that had to have been weighing on her shoulders, and the obviously unknown fate of her best friends' son, I was hardly surprised at her attitude. If you had truly known her, Samael, I am sure she would have made a wonderful friend to you... Unfortunately, there was a complication with my second destination. It disheartens me to say this, Samael, but when I stepped into your home, I was not suspecting what I found, and what I found was a rather frightening sight...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I trotted up the hill that led to the house of Rain Shimmer and Ella Sundance. I had known Ella for quite some time, and we had been very good friends for several years. I must confess that I was quite surprised when she had told me she was betrothed to a stallion, considering her rather... Questionable past. I in no way judged Ella Sundance, and I could understand that she had to do what she had to do to get through medical school. Even so, it still came as a shock to me.
The hill that ran up to Ella's house was rather large, ever so slightly secluded from the rest of Ponyville. Most ponies would be fine with living comfortably in the bustling streets, but not Ella and Rain. No, they spent extra money to extend one of the roads and build a house on a hill. That being said, it was obvious that the two ponies enjoyed the seclusion, the tranquility, the calmness. However, unbeknownst to me, some terrible things were happening inside that house... Terrible things that I was about to witness.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My reason, Samael, my poor, poor Samael, for all of this, stems from what I was about to witness on that previously wonderful day. You must be strong, Samael. Please, be strong. It pains me to recall the memory, but it must be done. All of this madness inside of you, inside of me, whether you realize such madness or not, must be quelled. I cannot hold my silence any longer, and I must free you from your burdens, the burden of the feelings you have for me. I can only pray that what I am to tell you does not break your heart beyond repair...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------