Chapter Seventeen
“What It Means To Be A Hero”
Okay, I was wrong about my previous statement.
Rainbow Dash was getting a big head from all the attention and it was starting to bug her friends.
She held an honest-to-God press conference in Sugarcube Corner, and had apparently “hired” Spike to write down every word she said (I think he took it a little too seriously, because he literally wrote down every word she said).
Twilight and Rarity came up with a plan to teach her some humility by having the girls all dress up as the same superhero.
Oh, right. It’s that episode.
Anyway, I agreed it was a brilliant plan and Rarity pulled them all aside to begin work on the outfits. Unfortunately, Sakura couldn’t be included in this endeavor because she was not a pony so I took the fox-girl home since it was starting to get late.
I bid her goodnight and returned to my own home, which was empty save for me and it reminded me of the way I used to live, going about each day the same way and watching as my world continued to spiral down into depravity.
But that was behind me now.
‘Doesn’t seem like it is.’ Nica said, her voice calm ‘It sounds like you feel sad for leaving it behind.’
“I suppose, in a way, I do…” I replied solemnly, sitting in my recliner and staring at my blank TV “At some point, the rage just turned to pity; my people forgot what it truly meant to be strong and they allowed corrupt individuals to determine how they should be living their lives and eventually complacency swallowed whatever desire people had to want to take their future back.”
‘Did you want to change it?’
“No.” I replied curtly “After what happened to my friend… I want nothing more to do with that world. They can burn in the Hell they created for themselves while I roast marshmallows.”
‘Wow, jeez. I thought you said your anger became pity; still looks like you’re pretty bitter, Leon.’
“Rage is fleeting, Nica. And while I pitied them, I also firmly believed they were unworthy of whatever aid I might’ve been able to provide when the system designed to protect people allowed psychopaths to walk free.”
‘What if the President were to walk in the front door right now, get on his hands and knees and beg for your forgiveness? Would you grant it and then try to help them?’
“No.”
‘Even if he offered you whatever your heart desired as compensation?’
“Even if he got God, Himself, to appear before me and bring my friend back from beyond, I’d still refuse. I will never forgive them for what they did and I will never help them.”
Nica grew silent, as though pondering what I’d told her.
‘Alright.’ Nica said ‘Perhaps you should call your marefriend over to ease your loneliness.’
“About that, Nica.” I said, bringing up a topic that’s been bugging me for a while “Why are you pushing so hard for Twilight and I to get… ‘intimate’?”
‘Because it’s plainly obvious you both want it, I just don’t understand why you keep insisting on holding back. What are you waiting for, Leon?’
I was quiet for a moment as I pondered the question. What was I waiting for? Or the better question, what was keeping me from going further in my relationship with Twilight? So far, the only times we’ve kissed is when she’s kissed me, it hasn’t been the other way, and I obviously have no problem with the whole “different species” thing.
“Because… I’m not sure if she actually likes me or if she just likes me because of him, and I’m afraid that if I do go further with her and it turns out she…” I let the question hang while my heart ached “I’m not sure I could handle it.”
I heard Nica give a deep sigh.
‘Okay. I’ll ease off of you about that.’ She replied and I gave a small smile.
“Thanks, Nica.”
‘You should go to bed early tonight, Leon. Tomorrow seems like it’s going to be busy.’
“Yeah… you’re right.” I replied and stood from my recliner, but stopped when Nica spoke up again.
‘You can’t be afraid forever, Leon… You’re going to have to confront this, one way or the other, so deal with it on your terms rather than someone else’s.’
I did not reply, instead nodding my head and continuing upstairs.
The next day, things in Ponyville became nuttier than a squirrel in a peanut factory. I’m still not certain how a balloon plummeting to the ground, a structure that was just beginning to be built collapsing and a dam nearly breaking all occurred within the span of a single day, but it did.
Anyway, the girls’ plan was working like a charm; Rainbow Dash was thoroughly pissed and ready to tear somepony’s head off. I was at “The Mysterious Mare-Do Well’s” award ceremony when Dash finally lost it.
So after attempting to confront Mare-Do Well about her true identity, she was lead on a merry chase through town and I was just barely able to keep up, though Pinkie in her costume always managed to keep me in the general area Dash was chasing them whenever they moved.
Eventually, Dash got a clever idea and caught Pinkie Pie unaware (Pinkie Sense covers a lot of things, but apparently not pissed-off Rainbow Dashes). The look on her face was priceless when she tore off the mask and saw the party pony’s sheepish grin.
With the charade revealed the girls all showed themselves and Dash’s jaw was practically dragging the ground and her eyes the size of the moon. I approached as well, since I didn't want to miss the whole encounter.
After a lengthy conversation on acting with grace and humility, she wrote a friendship report to Celestia and gave it to Twilight to deliver later (since both Spike and Pinkie Pie shot off when Rainbow Dash said something about a ghost). Just before she left, I caught a brief flash of regret come across her face.
“Are you ready to go, Leon?” Twilight asked me, to which I nodded (By the way; Anthro-Twilight in the Mare-Do Well costume? Way hot).
“Yeah, but I think I’m gonna go track down Rainbow Dash and talk to her for a moment.” I said, which garnered a surprised look from Twilight.
“What’s wrong?”
“I doubt she actually sprang back as easily as you’d like to think, Twi. She takes her pride very seriously and she’s also a bit of a sore loser.” I replied but I gave her a gentle smile “Don’t worry, I won’t be long.”
She looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, before nodding and turning to leave.
I proceeded to follow the direction I’d seen Dash fly off in, but I was still having trouble finding her. That is, until I saw Scootaloo staring in one particular direction and when I turned that way, I saw Rainbow Dash sitting on a hill by herself.
I approached calmly and sat down next to her, which got me a glance and nothing more.
“So… you knew?” She asked, her voice low and I nodded.
“Yep. I didn’t have any sort of hand in it, but I knew.”
She was quiet a moment before speaking again.
“Some hero I am, huh? I get attention and become a total stuck-up; I should’ve gone straight for that balloon as it was falling, but all I could think about was how awesome it’d be if I saved them at the last second that I…” She couldn’t finish the sentence and her eyes glistened slightly. I turned my head and made it seem that I didn’t notice “And that’s barely the start of my stupidity.”
“Hey Dash, you want some advice?” I asked her, but I didn’t turn my head to see if she’d nodded “A hero isn’t someone who’s never fallen. They aren’t shining examples of society or paragons of purity and justice; they are just as prone to mistakes as anybody else.”
“So what’s the point of being a hero if all you’re going to do is mess up?” She asked me quietly, and I turned my attention back to her.
“You do your best to avoid making that mistake again.” I stated “A hero is someone who continues fighting for what they believe in even if they make a mistake every step of the way. A hero may fall seven times, but they will always stand back up eight.”
Rainbow Dash looked at me, eyes wide in awe.
“Wow… that’s...” She said, but then looked away again “I don’t think I’m cut out to be a hero, though…”
“Says who, Dash?” I asked her, honestly confused “Last I checked, you’re an Element of Harmony; you helped defeat Nightmare Moon and turn her back into Princess Luna and you also brought an end to Discord’s chaos when he came back. I’d say that makes you a great hero.”
“Not really…” She replied, disbelief in her voice “With Nightmare Moon it was pretty much all Twilight, I didn’t do anything except fix a broken bridge. And Discord…” She looked away ashamed.
I stared at her for a second before looking behind me briefly, and an idea occurred to me.
“Well… if you don’t think you can be a hero to anyone else, at least be one to her.” I said, pointing behind RD, who glanced at me curiously before turning around to see Scootaloo looking at her with a worried expression on her face.
Rainbow Dash looked at the filly, who was still wearing her rainbow mane wig, thoughtfully for a minute before her face broke into smile and she stood up. She was about to walk away, but looked back at me.
“Thanks, Leon… I feel better now. And you’re right, I should definitely try to be a better role model for Scoots.” She said before hovering over to the filly and walking off with her into town, the two talking excitedly with each other, though Scootaloo looked back at me and smiled broadly before turning her attention back to Rainbow Dash.
I decided to continue sitting there and stare off into nothing, my mind thinking about the words I’d spoken to Dash. My thoughts were interrupted when someone took the spot Rainbow Dash had vacated. When I turned to look, I saw Twilight sitting next to me.
“I thought you went home, Twi.” I joked and she smiled at me.
“You continue to surprise me with your wisdom, Leon.” She said approvingly “You’re easily my age, yet you so often speak like you have as much experience as Princess Celestia… how do you do it?” I shrugged.
“I’ve had a lot of time to think in the past; I still do, really, but now I’ve got a constant second opinion with me and while she is also a constant pain in my ass… I wouldn’t trade her for anything.”
‘…Thank you, Leon.’
Twilight giggled, and I gave her a small smile.
“Anyway, I’m not that wise; I simply have a few nuggets packed away just in case.” I replied, ever modest.
“Leon… aren’t you ever going to acknowledge that you’re a great friend?” Twilight sighed, shaking her head, but there was still a smile on her face.
“Sorry, I just don’t like making myself seem like more than I am.” I replied with a sheepish grin “The complete polar opposite of Dash, I guess.”
And we continued sitting there, until my stomach began rumbling, signaling time for dinner.
“Well, today has been very eventful, but I think I’ll head on home.” I said and stood, though I didn’t go anywhere because Twilight had grabbed my arm.
“Do you want some company tonight, you seem… lonely.” She asked me with concern in her voice. I considered her offer, but I also thought back on what I’d told Nica the night before.
‘My suggestion is that you take a chance with her, but it’s up to you.’ Nica replied solemnly.
“Sure, Twi. But this time… you should stay in the guest bed tonight.” I said. She giggled at me and gave me a coy smile.
“If that’s what you want, but I could’ve sworn you enjoyed waking up with me next to you.” She teased, but it faded at my pained expression “Leon… what’s wrong? Did something happen earlier?”
I suppose it’s now or never.
“Twilight… I have a question for you, and I want you to answer me as honestly as you can.” I said, looking her straight in the eyes “Why are you dating me?”
She was more surprised than I’d ever seen her before. Her eyes blinked several times and her mouth moved as though trying to form words, but none came out. My heart sank at the realization.
“Is it... because of him?” I asked her, to which her face fell and she looked away from me.
“On second thought…” She said, and I felt a pang in my heart “I can’t stay with you tonight I… have some things I need to think about… I’m sorry.”
And before I could say anything, she teleported away. God... seeing that agonized expression on her face just killed me, but at the same time if she didn't love me for me, then my heart would only end up being completely shattered later. Better to get it out of the way now. Without another word I went home and made myself dinner.
That night, I lay in bed unable to sleep, remembering the conflicted expression on Twilight’s face.
‘She’ll be fine, Leon.’ Nica reassured me, for perhaps the hundredth time ‘Get some sleep or you’ll be wiped for tomorrow. You still have to get her a birthday present, after all.’
“Yeah… I know.” I murmured, before rolling over to sleep.
The next day, I went out to Sweet Apple Acres to see what work there was to be done. While I was there, Applejack asked if I knew what was going on with Twilight, because apparently her friends haven’t seen her that morning and she’d refused to see them, saying she needed to be alone while she thought about things.
I was half-tempted to go immediately to the library to try and get her out of there, but I chose not to, allowing Twilight to have her space so she could come to terms with her own feelings… for better or for worse.
Once the day was done, I returned home and showered after which I prepared a light dinner (Apple family food is surprisingly filling) and sat down with a copy of Daring Do, which I’d become addicted to after Twilight recommended it to me.
The next day, I ran various errands for various ponies (the most unusual was having to do Berry Punch’s grocery shopping because she was too hung over to do it herself). Rarity, on her way to the train station, expressed concern about Twilight, as she still hadn’t come out of the library. I reassured her that she was fine and that she just needed some time to herself.
After escorting the fashionista to the station and bidding her farewell, I stopped by Twilight’s favorite restaurant and picked up a daisy sandwich to go, which I dropped off with Spike at the library along with a message to Twilight saying she shouldn’t shut her friends out because of issues with me.
After which I’d returned home and took a nap before attending to various household chores and relaxing with more Daring Do.
It was the third day that something happened.
I’d spent the first half of the day helping Derpy with some packages that needed to be delivered to homes on the opposite end of her mail route, then helped Terra restock and reorganize the boutique (she made it extremely clear that I was not to go in Rarity’s workroom. At all. Period) and then I covered the register at Sugarcube Corner for a few hours while the Cakes tended to an emergency with their foals. It would’ve normally been Pinkie, but I volunteered so that she could focus exclusively on baking food.
Anyway, it was late at night and I was back home, again reading Daring Do. It was raining outside because a storm had been scheduled to run overnight.
I was just getting to a good part of the book when I heard a knocking at my door. I thought it was Vinyl, asking to crash again because she was too exhausted to make it home (I live closer to Aurora Hall than she does) but when I answered the door, I was surprised to see Twilight standing there, soaking wet.
“Twilight? Why are you knocking on my door, you usually teleport here.” I said, to which she gave me a pleading look.
“C-can I p-please come in?” She asked, her teeth chattering from the cold rain.
“Of course you can, Twi.” I replied, stepping aside so that she could step in.
I led her to the bathroom and ran hot water into the bathtub, and I told her to wait while I went and got her fresh clothes. She closed the door behind me and I went to the guest bedroom where she kept her spare clothes.
While she took a hot bath to shake the chill, I fixed a couple mugs of hot chocolate and was just setting them on the table when she walked in wearing her pajamas and toweling off her mane. She took a seat opposite me and stared at her mug quietly.
“What’s wrong, Twi?” I asked her, concerned “Why were you out in the rain when you could’ve teleported here?”
“Leon... I'm so sorry.”
At those words I froze. Wouldn't you after hearing the words most commonly used to bring bad news, like a break up. I sighed inwardly and braced myself for heartache.
“Leon, you... you were right to be worried about my motives...” She said with a sigh “I originally thought that... if we dated... I could pretend you were him. I thought it would hurt less, but... I realize now that it wouldn't be fair to you and I'd only end up hurting you in turn. So I went home the other day and I thought about... well, everything.”
I blinked in surprise and stared at her carefully, forgetting that I had a hot drink in front of me.
“And… the entire time I was thinking, I found my thoughts constantly went to you, not him, and so… I’ve come to a decision.” She said, mustering her courage “I’m finally willing to accept that what I had before is always going to be significant to me, but that it needs to remain in the past. I’ve decided… that I want to be with you, Leon.”
My mind froze for a moment, trying to process what she’d said. My heart skipped a beat and I felt lighter, but I still had one more question.
“Are you sure about this? I’m not a great hero like he was, nor do I think I’m able to be.” I asked, though she gave me an exasperated smile this time.
“I’m sure, Leon. You may not be a hero, but you are a good man and a great friend. Besides… I don’t need a hero; I need a companion, somepony who will be there for me when I need him to be.”
I stood from the table and walked over to her, and she stood as well. We stared into each other’s eyes for a moment before she started to reach a hand up to my face, but I caught it gently in my own and held it.
She looked at me confused, but I just gave her a small smile before leaning in close and giving her a kiss. She was surprised at first, but it faded quickly and we stood there, melting into each other. When we finally broke the kiss, we stared at each other calmly.
“Unless I’m mistaken…” Twilight said, a coy smile on her face “Isn’t this the part where the stallion tells the mare he loves her?”
“Maybe.” I replied with a small chuckle “But I want the first time I say those words to you to be special. Until then…” I kissed her lightly “You’ll have to settle for that.”
She giggled, but it turned into a yawn. At that I led her upstairs to the guest bedroom and laid her down in bed, telling her good night. I went to my own room and laid down in my own bed, but I couldn’t sleep. Twilight must’ve been feeling the same way because she cracked my door open and asked if she could sleep in my bed with me, to which I gave my consent.
She climbed in and we held each other while the storm raged outside, and only one thought went through my mind as the rain lulled me to sleep.
This was my world now… right here beside Twilight.