------Eclipse (9:29 PM) ------
I looked at my watch, the small LCD being lit by a digital clock face. The time read 9:30 PM. The date, 5/27/2012 I hadn’t seen this watch in forever. And then some crazy god invades a dream, and suddenly I have it back… Shit just doesn’t make sense… But still. If I ever meet that cheeky bastard… I may have to hug him.
“Hey zecora.” I turned as she was staring at me. Most likely sizing up my mental health.
“Yes eclipse?” She was concerned at least. I just smiled. I never thought I would ask this.
“Can I cry on your shoulder?” I wasn’t sure if it was happiness or pity in her eyes. But right now I needed someone to hold. Because I finally let it sink in… I’m in Equestria. My family thinks I’m gone. But I won’t let myself die inside because of it. I won’t just lock my emotions away. I’ll use this, and I will move past it. I have great friends. A beautiful mare who loves me, a son who has my soul… And now I have the power of Discords spark. I would make this life as happy as possible. While changing as little as possible. But first… I needed a hug.
------Twilight (9:45) ------
Everfree…Dark… At least the path to zecora’s isn’t all…Populated, aside from that ONE TIME I got hit by a cockatrice there hasn’t been much else to ever cross this path. And if what mist and Light said is true, then there is only one place I can think of that eclipse would go in the everfree. To Zecora’s. Most likely to thank him for that awesome pony potion! Oh but I hope he didn’t use it. I would really have liked to see what he looked like… I wonder if he was cute? He most likely was pretty big… At least as big as light before he started shrinking… And a colt that size must have a really big…
I felt my face get really warm as I shook my head. Fantasizing on the path to zecora’s wouldn’t help me reach her house any…”Oh...I’m here.”
I walked up to the door and was about to knock when I heard crying. Sounded like eclipse! I sat and listened. But aside from the occasional sobs, the only thing I would hear would be Zecora saying “There there” Or other comforting and ambiguous comments. Nothing she said offered any clues as to what he was sad about… It was making ME sad thinking about HIM being sad. That’s…No good at all. I walked back down the path a little ways and rested against a tree. This is to say, I sat under it. I didn’t like everfree trees. They may carry some unknown fungus. Or disease… Or bacteria… Or they may just be ugly.
“Oh… I want to go inside…” I hung my head as I waited for the crying to subside.
-------Eclipse (9:50) -------
I felt… Better. Zecora had just hugged me and said stupid things like “It will be alright” But it was what I needed. Bottling up your emotions is definitely not the way I should do things anymore. I used to in order to appear normal. But… I’m still going to anyway... It’s not like the human race can silently judge my life like I’m some sort of open book. That would be silly. I’m dead to them and knowing that? And being able to admit it? Feels like a weight off my chest. I was so caught up with how these ponies were in my world, that I never really took the opportunity to really look around. And now I’m seeing things with a whole new light.
This really is my home. And everything I may have thought was true about it from the show may not hold true here. Everything is different and frankly, better than the show. I loved it here. This is truly my home. And I don’t think I can ever go back to earth… Not without really hurting myself… I just hope it doesn’t come back to that.
I gave zecora one last squeeze and wiped my eyes while she gave me a small smile.
“Thanks zecora… I guess I had been holding in some pretty fucked up feelings.” She just laughed.
“You are a pony eclipse. You may be human, but even so. We all make mistakes. Do not beat yourself up over silly things.” I just nodded as a knock came from the door. I was honestly too exhausted to care anymore. I just wanted to go home and sleep… Then tomorrow, maybe visit Celestia and try and make another damn cloud… I need to know if what I saw was real, or just some fucked up subconscious acting off of my thoughts and feelings. But I still really am scared. The idea of becoming that… Becoming chaotic like that… The idea of hurting those that I love… It still scares me shitless. And I hope I never have to make the choice between madness and those I love. Bah, I’m thinking too much.
“Come in please, all are welcome.” Zecora was talking in the general direction of the door when twilight entered. She looked really cold, and she immediately looked at me with some form of sadness in her eyes. I just smiled at her. I knew it wasn’t much because my facial muscles were pretty much DEAD. But hey, I tried.
“Hey, zecora… Eclipse. I was told eclipse came here so I wanted to come and check on him…Is everything alright?” I laughed a little. Zecora and twilight both looked at me.
“You know… I think it is… I think, through all this… I may just be okay…” They smiled at that. Me? I set about plugging the headphones into my watch. I hit music, and immediately scrolled down until I found “Dreams” by Zug Island. I played it and smiled. It’s true what he said… Music is definitely what keeps me sane. And, maybe I don’t need to understand.
I laid back on Zecora’s couch. And I shut my eyes.
------Twilight (10:01) ------
“Is he okay?” I asked as zecora went over to look him over.
“Yes, he is exhausted… He will be fine.” Whoa…
“Zecora, you’re not rhyming...” She laughed a little and turned to me.
“I need not rhyme young twilight. I do it to make me feel more mysterious. It’s better for business. But you’re not here to shop, you are here for eclipse. So please, lay on him. Do as you please. In the morning I will send him home. He has had a very traumatic experience. The potion I gave him would have sent into a state of insanity had I not been right next to him. Thankfully it appears he simply had a revelation, quite quickly as well. He will be fine. Just needs rest.” State of insanity!? I know I had a little panic attack as I ran over to him. I noticed little Luna work her way from his pocket and onto his chest. They both looked to be in decent health.
“He’s not going to die? Or go insane?” Oh…that was grim!
“No no dear twilight, you need not fear for him. He will be good as new in the morning.” She poked a dark blue substance in a large vial.
“This is the extract of poison joke you see, but it is modified to allow access to all memory. Even those of your spirit. Sometimes it even assigns a guide. Once I used this and was guided by a polar bear. It was very interesting.” I just shook my head. This is weird even for me. And I deal with pinkie sense.
“Zecora, do you mind if I… Stay here? Near him?” She smiled at me and nodded.
“You may stay, I do not mind. Feel free to read some of my tomes in the meantime.” Oh... Alchemy tomes… I don’t have many of those. I grabbed a nearby book in my magic and laid down near eclipses bed…Couch. And began reading.
-----Eclipse (9:43 AM) -------
I woke…Happy. And hearing Animus vox just made me that much happier! I sat up and caught little Luna who had apparently moved to my chest at some point. I placed her back into my pocket and killed the music on my watch. I checked the battery life. Still full. In fact, the readout said it was charging. I won’t question it.
I swung my legs over the edge and heard a sleepy twilight grunt at me. I readjusted so I could look over the side and found twilight sleeping with her head inside of a copy of “Novice alchemy: Herbs and you!” I just smiled as zecora noticed I was up and about.
“Good morning eclipse. Did you sleep well?” I did.
“I believe I did yes.” I looked at her and she smiled.
“Then get out!” Aww what! I smiled as she laughed.
“You keep stealing my potions, you never pay! I cannot live this way!” I just laughed and stood, thankfully twilight is small so I was able to just stand over her. I reached in my pocket and withdrew a few gold bits. These things were useless to me anyway. I handed them to her.
“I appreciate you over paying; do you want your change?” I just smiled and shook my head. Then I turned and bent down, picking up the sleepy twilight I stood up and turned to zecora.
“Thanks… For everything, I mean.” She smiled at me as I practiced teleportation. This time I managed to do it without stumbling, and standing in front of twilight’s house I still had to stand a moment
“Woo…..” My world spins far too fast. The door to the library opened and spike saw me standing there, twilight being adorable, he let us in and I placed her on the bed. A quick low-five to the little man and I was headed back to the house.
And maybe apologize to rainbow dash… Ugh.