//------------------------------// // Chapter 21: Justice // Story: Through Crimson Eyes // by Level Dasher //------------------------------// Ponyfeathers. I really could’ve used a visit from Princess Luna last night. Then again, it probably would’ve helped if I had actually gotten any sleep— too much thinking. My brain just kept going back and forth between thoughts like a pendulum. After Tess and Starry left, my parents came back in singing all sorts of praises about how mature I am. Figures they’d be listening at the door… I thought about repeating that mantra again. I thought it might help me go to sleep, but I decided against it. Fat load of good it had done so far. As I watched my parents sleeping beside each other in the corner, I started thinking again. Thinking about Blackhawk, Stripes, and the fact that… Maybe I was next… In the morning, Mom left for the arts center. She had a full day of lessons. After a few rounds of cards, I finally asked Dad to go to the parents’ lounge so I could try to make up for not getting any sleep. About a half-hour after Dad left, around midday, I got an unexpected visitor. I guess he had been excused… It was a school day, after all. I heard a set of galloping hooves coming from down the hall before my door slammed open. I recognized the colt, but he definitely didn’t give me the warm greeting that I had grown accustomed to getting from him, no matter how surprising it still felt. “YOU SAID YOU WOULD LOOK AFTER HIM! HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?! I ASKED YOU TO KEEP AN EYE ON HIM!” After locking eyes with him once, I hung my head and said, “I’m sorry, Brick. I didn’t think this would happen. I thought he was—” “Don’t give me ‘sorry’! You’re not sorry!” I stared at him. “What do you mean I’m not sorry? Of course I’m sorry! Blackhawk was my friend! You think I wanted him to go? I wanted him to stay here as much as you did!” “Then why didn’t he?! You should’ve kept a better eye on him! How come you got to stay if he didn’t?!” I could see tears flowing down his cheeks. “What makes you so special, huh?!” Tears welled up in my own eyes as I yelled, “I DON’T KNOW, OKAY?! I got lucky! I don’t get to make the decisions around here! You think I’m happy about this? I lost two friends who I could actually relate to about all this junk! Blackhawk wasn’t the only one!” Brick’s volume lessened as he said, “Yeah, sure, you lost your friends. I lost my brother. How’d you like it if you lost a family member, huh? What if—” “Brick, that’s enough!” A large, chocolate-colored pegasus stallion, with what looked like a cracked block of concrete for a cutie mark, opened my door and put a hoof over Brick’s muzzle. “You should know better than this! I cannot believe you’re actually accusing this colt of having anything to do with Blackhawk’s passing! If anything, you should be thanking him for being a good friend to your cousin!” The stallion turned to me and said, “I am so sorry, Crimson.” As I sat there, frozen, he nodded and said, “Yes, I know of you. Blackhawk spoke very highly of you. I’m sorry we did not meet sooner, or under better circumstances. I am Brick’s father, Aftershock. We were collecting Blackhawk’s things when he asked to come see you…” He looked down at Brick and continued, “…but it seems somepony needs to learn a lesson about gratitude first.” Aftershock looked back to me and tilted his head at Brick as he said, “I will get you an apology out of this one if it is the last thing I do. Please, Crimson, get well soon. Hopefully I will see you again, and in a more cheerful setting.” He let go of Brick’s muzzle and escorted him to the door. I could see Brick’s head hanging low, and a tear dropping from his muzzle to the floor. After the door closed behind them, a tear of my own dropped to my sheets. It may not have been my fault, but I still felt obligated to say, “Brick… I’m sorry.” How come you got to stay if he didn’t? Those words just kept running through my brain… and I didn’t have an answer. I’m not sure if I wanted to find one. Either way, Blackhawk was gone. There was no justice in it. If I was still here, he should have been also. Stripes too. They may have been said out of anger, but I had to admit, Brick’s words rang true. What made me so special? How come somepony else wasn’t getting all this luck? I mean, I can’t say I’m exactly lucky with all the junk I’ve dealt with, but the fact that I’m still here is luck enough for me. I’m sure there are, or have been, other kids that have dealt with the same stuff I have. How many of them have gotten the same luck? Am I the only one? Why am I so special? I didn’t tell my parents about Brick’s visit; I didn’t think it would do any good. I couldn’t blame him for his anger, and I figured Aftershock would take care of whatever lesson Brick needed to learn. When Tess came after school, I didn’t tell her about Brick coming to my room, either. She told me he’d been excused for the day, and asked if he had come by. I didn’t want to lie to her, but I didn’t want to tell her what he’d said to me, either. She was upset already; if she found out what Brick had said, Tess probably would have done something at school, and that was the last thing anypony needed. The two of them had finally started getting along to some degree, and I hoped that it could stay that way. If they do have any interaction at school, I hope it’ll be civil. Brick may not want to see me right now, but the next time I see him, I hope he’ll be willing to be my friend again. I hope… Despite those hopes, thinking about Brick’s words wasn’t easy. I looked at the painting on the opposite wall. Couldn’t Princess Luna have done something? Couldn’t she have prevented this? As I tried falling asleep that night, I turned away from my parents, who sat by the window. I didn’t want them to see my pillow getting wet again. It may not have been my preferred method, but I did manage to drift off.