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// 29: The Famous Final Scene  
// Story: Bring the Thunder 
// by Ze Guest 
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The eighteenth, November. A depressing day in my eyes, but things do tend to change every now and then. I, myself still wasn't too fond of this day, but maybe with someone to care about it.... Now, like I said, it's not my exact birthday but it's as close as we're ever going to get.

I left early that day. Took a stroll around town, not much. I looked around at the faces that had finally returned to Ponyville. Some cared to take notice of me. Give thanks for everything and all that But they didn't surround me to the point I just wanted to snap their necks, unlike when they all came back. Hugging and kissing me like I was some kind of God or something like that. I don't know. But now they would once in a while come up and shake my hoof or whatever. That was good enough.

I was passing by Fluttershy's house with no real intent go inside. I did, however, pass by that one spot. A flat piece of land that looked so familiar. Because it was. I remember standing here about a month ago, cigar in my mouth and cherishing the atmosphere and all that. Then along came a brown bear. I saw Brown Bear about to kill me. That's where it all really started, for me at least. My life might not be the same again. I honestly just hope I don't have to do anything like that again. The sun was high and the birds were doing bird things as they often tend to do. Just like that one time. The leaves on the trees were red and yellow and brown and all that stuff. 

Rarity came running up around the bend shouting my name.  "Volt! I really need you're help! Quick, follow me!"

She was speaking at 45 miles a minuet. I tried to slow her down but she wouldn't listen. She just led me to Twilight's house where the problem must have been arising. The strange thing was that why did she come for me? I obviously wasn't in any close proximity to Twilight's house and for that manner, anything, and if she had the time to look all over kingdom come for me then the problem must not really matter that much. So what was going on? Only two ways to find out. I go in and see what's wrong or I just give up and leave and I'll be told later after being reminded that I am, in fact, a jackass. Oh screw it, I'll just go.

Rarity ran inside Twilight's house, but of course, she couldn't have done it without slamming the door on my face. I laid on the ground as I felt my face throbbing and checking to see if I got any splinters in which when it was found was taken care of. I slowly got up and opened the door. The entire room was pitch black.

I heard a popping sound that might have came from upstairs and then some flicking. I stepped further into Twilight's house where it was void of almost all light. I heard whispering, a lot of it. "Who's there?" I asked. I took another step in. Someone ran up the stairs. I stopped to listen as hoof-steps scattered around the top floor. "You know, I just saved this damned country so I would like to point out that I could simply shove you back up you're mother's-"

The lights blared on and everyone sprang out of nowhere, I think Pinkie fell from the ceiling. "Surprise!" everyone shouted.


"What the hell?!" I shouted, flying backwards onto the floor again. Now, I wouldn't have said what I did if I knew that there were ponies here under the age of thirteen. Pinkie Pie jumped on top of me and stared at me directly in the face with the biggest smile I've ever seen.

"Happy birthday!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, almost rupturing my eardrums. Wait, how did they know? It's not like I ever told anyone nor had the audacity to do so.

"H- how did you know?" I asked.

Twilight walked up to me. "What are you talking about? You left a note on the counter."

I did? "I did?" I asked.

Twilight looked confused. "Yeah, It's still there if you want to see it." I got up off the ground and headed towards the kitchen. There was a little yellow Post-It note on the counter and I picked it up and read it.


Dear Twilight,
I'm going out for a bit. BTW, It's my Birthday. Just don't make too much of a big deal of it. K?
-V 
 

"Happy birthday you son of a bitch." Rock Well said behind me, smiling.

I turned around to face him. "You did this, didn't you?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Well hay, some-pony has to do it." 

"You're insane." I said.

Rock Well looked out the window as the light shone through him. His smile slowly shrunk. "I've come to tell ya something important." he mused. "I have to be quick about this before ponies start to think you've gone insane."

I didn't know what he was talking about. I could see him. I knew other ponies could see him "What do you mean?" I asked.

Rock Well looked to the ground. "I'm moving on. I just came here to say good bye." He looked back up to me, his eyes looking tired and old. "No pony else can see me. That's why I want to make this quick." 

I almost didn't want to believe him. Why? I don't know, really. I was the guy who killed him, I wasn't expecting any of this to happen. I said something that me from six months ago would never think to say. "Will I see you again?"

Rock Well was quiet. He stood there, observing the kitchen. "I'm not to sure. I need to go now." Rock Well opened up the window and looked out one last time. "Did you learn anything through this?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Was I supposed to?" I asked.

Rock Well shrugged again. "How about this." He was still looking out the window. A smile grew back. "Things in life aren't always what you would expect. They seem to be so obvious but you soon learn it wasn't like that at all. Basically, just look at the bigger picture and learn from your mistakes. Make sense?"

I thought about it and realized he was right. We thought that beating Malice was so easy that we didn't really think it wouldn't be something so complex. "Yeah. I get it."

Rock Well started to smile again. "Good. My deed is finally done." Rock Well was getting harder and harder to see. He never looked back at me, though. But I'll always remember his face those last seconds I saw him. Relaxed, looking accomplished and determined. I lifted my right hoof and saluted.

"What are you doing?" Twilight asked.

I turned to face her and I smiled. "You know what, Twi. I think I learned something today. A lesson I'll never forget."

Twilight looked surprised. "Really? Well, in that case, let me show you something. In the meantime, come on out! Everybody is waiting for you."

I walked out of the kitchen and Twilight ran upstairs. I wondered why Twilight always had to put emphasis on the body in anybody or something like that. I hung out for a little while and talked to a few ponies. Remember that little filly from Appaloosa? Well apparently, her and her friends were begging me to join their little club due to my deprivation of a cutie-mark. After about five minuets of them begging and me getting clearance from both Applejack and Rarity, I finally accepted to join the Cutie-Mark Crusaders. All I need to do is not screw up.

When the presents came around, things got... interesting.

Rarity's gift was one of the last. It was a wide box so it must have been some kind of clothing. It was when I opened the box things got weird. "Wow... It's- it's a pink dress?"

Everyone just started laughing at Rarity's little joke. Especially Rarity. "You said yourself, Volt. You liked my dresses. You wanted to wear them." she said half-jokingly.

Oh! But there was more in there. She also gave me make up to pretty up my little face. And something at the bottom. It was another dress alright. But not exactly the type you would wear in public. "Is-is- is this a lingerie!?" Rarity was laughing even harder. Of course it was just another adult joke just like everything is. I was just wondering if I was keeping these. Rarity stopped laughing and gave me my real present. It was a picture frame. It looked nice. The edges was kind of a pearly color.

Twilight's gift was a little more practical. She handed me a purple book. It was no doubt it was her own considering the fact that it had her brand all over it. I flipped through the pages. All the words it had were in hoof-writing. Not all of the pages were filled either. I looked up at Twilight. "What's this?" I asked.

"You said you learned a lesson. Why don't you put it down in here. This is where we put in all the lessons we've learned over time. I'd love to see you write in it." she said.

Well, chances are, I won't remember it unless it put it down somewhere. Twilight gave me a quill and I wrote what I had learned. The truth was, I did learn form my mistakes. I learned that things aren't as predictable as you would really expect. I can't even believe it took me this long to finally figure that all out. Something so obvious. 

Now I know for sure that I won't forget this.