Darkness. Darkness and pain. Both are hoof and hoof sometimes with the taste of copper in one’s mouth. But in Baen’s case, he had a throbbing pain in his skull…now how did that happen? Baen’s brain worked in overdrive to piece together the riddle that was this phantom pain. He had been in Vinyl’s house eating a cheese bagel that Octavia had offered him…then Applejack screamed at him to come outside and throw down for some reason. Applejack….that mare, like the rest of those six she had been just unbearable to even be in close proximity of. Then it started to come back to him, that lapse in his guard giving her an ample moment to seize his axe. Then he remembered the pain and the darkness that creeped in on him once more, oh the darkness, it can be so welcoming sometimes.
Baen gave a groan as a chorus of gasps caused his ears to flick from side to side. His groan turned to a pained one to one of annoyance. He slowly opened his eyes and was graced by six familiar faces, the scowl that appeared on his face gave them the assurance that he was alright. Baen raised an eyebrow when he noticed Applejack had white patches and bandages on sections of her body. A nice shiner was on her right eye and was being shielded by an ice pack. Baen blinked a few times when he realized he was missing something. Lifting his covers he noted with shock and mild anger his armor was gone.
“You disarmed me….”
Twilight got a tad closer to his bed, “You sustained quite a bad head injury, and your breathing was restricted. So after we got your armor off we got you and AJ here.”
Baen got out of his bed and glanced around for a moment, “Fantastic,” his flat tone turned to a slight embarrassed one when he noticed the eyes on him, “HEY! Don’t look!”
Baen quickly covered himself in a sheet and made his way over to the closet and shook his head at the dent in his chest plate, “Great.”
Applejack approached the stallion hesitantly, “Listen Baen…about what happened. Ah know now that it wasn’t right, the way I acted, and ah’m sorry.”
Baen’s stare was even and indifferent as he clipped his armor back on, “What’s there to apologize for,” his tone carried icy venom to it, “You bested me, end of story.”
Applejack wasn’t surprised by his response, but she saw something in his eyes. Some sort of flash…was it hate?
Rainbow Dash trotted briskly over to Baen as he donned his armored boots, “You know, the least you could do is show that you at least care about her apology!”
Baen glared into Rainbow’s eyes as he sheathed his axe, “Out of my way.”
Though Rainbow was a brave and quite exceptional mare in great regard, there were times when she could sense when somepony had the intention to rip her in half. This was no different. Reluctantly she moved as Baen stormed past the six mares and out of his room through the door. The elements of harmony looked at each other quickly and followed him. Baen’s mere aura that he radiated caused many ponies to give him a wide berth. Many ponies of this age did not know the ancient saying, ‘It is not wise to upset a barbarian,’ but they soon would. Baen could hear the girls calling his name but paid them no heed. A flash of purple in front of him stopped him immediately.
“Baen! Please just listen for a minute,” Twilight spoke pleadingly and pointed a hoof back toward the hospital, “You’re still injured and you need rest.”
Baen looked away from her, “There you go again, saying what I need,” he mumbled.
Twilight tilted her head, “Pardon?”
Baen glared at her, “I don’t need your help, I never did Princess.”
Rarity shook her head in surprise, “Why I never! Twilight has been doing everything in her power to assist in your assimilation into regular society. Why must you be so rude?”
Rainbow nodded with an equally frustrated look, “Yeah! Just what exactly is your problem with us,” Baen started walking past Twilight, “Why do you hate us so much!”
Baen stopped and chuckled, “Why?”
The girls blinked at his reaction as he turned to them, “You want to know WHY I hate you?”
Twilight nodded, “Yes. What exactly have we done to garner this behavior?”
“What have you done,” Baen nodded his head mulling the comment around in his head, “What have you done. Well allow me to elaborate with a few snippets of my life here.”
Baen gestured around, “THIS town though a change of pace for what I’m used to baffles me,” he pointed at the ponies who stopped in the street to stare at the scene; “These social norms of yours as well as your laws annoy and infuriate me.”
Baen’s expression grew darker as his eyes started to cloud with anger, “For close to TWO WEEKS. I have put up with all of you, for TWO WEEKS I have been as patient I can be and fashioned the mask I have worn. But every time I stare at either of you,” his teeth clenched, “It brings out so much anger and hate.”
He pointed at each of them, “You all boast the lessons of friendship you preach like a gospel and frankly, “ he stomped his hoof on the ground which cracked, “I am SICK OF IT!”
His insult caused the girls to step back as he advanced on them in threatening manner while he screamed at them in anger, “DID YOU KNOW FOR ALL THESE TIMES THAT I’VE BEEN AWAKE I HAVE BEEN TORMENTED BY VISIONS OF MY DEMISE?! DID IT MATTER TO YOU IN THE SLIGHTEST THAT I MAYBE WANTED TO BE LEFT ALONE TO MY OWN DEVICES!?!?!”
He shook his head still seething, “No of course not! It never did! You just kept trying to push your values on me and when I made it clear I didn’t want to be NEAR any of you,” his eyes bore holes into them, “You just persisted and that’s why I hate you all as a whole, but,” his gaze fell to Twilight and hissed, “I utterly curse your very existence Sparkle.”
Twilight was hit deep as Baen jabbed his armored hoof into her chest, “Because of you I’m having these nightmares! Staring at you and your friends constantly reminds me of what I had and what I’ve lost.”
Tears began to well in the barbarian’s eyes as his voice cracked but still carried his rage, “Because of you I live. I was content being a statue, though I couldn’t hurt or speak, think, breathe, I was content. But YOU,” he began to tremble, “You’ve cursed me to live, cursed me to live on while all those I cared for and love lay dead under my hooves. You haven’t saved me,” Baen’s next words caused everypony within earshot to gasp in shock and horror; “YOU HAVE DAMNED ME YOU WITCH!!!!!!!”
Twilight felt tears fall from her face, “Baen….”
Baen shoved her away and stomped past her, “We shall never be friends,” his glare pierced all six of them, “I detest the fact that all of you carry the title of heroes. I’m tired of you all and your friendship.”
Twilight then yelled back, “Fine then! If that’s how you feel, leave!”
Baen snorted, “With pleasure. But so help me, if you follow me. I’ll send you to the next life.”
The barbarian then crested the hill and vanished from sight leaving five mares to comfort their devastated friend.
*
Applejack knocked on Twilight’s door, “Twilight, are you alright?”
“No! I-I’m not,” her sniffling could be heard by the gathered friends.
Rarity attempted her hoof next, “Twilight dear, you mustn’t let what Baen said get to you. It’s not true.”
Twilight’s door opened to reveal the saddened alicorn, “But that’s just it,” she glanced at them with hurt eyes, “it is true. We thrust our ideals on him and attempted to force his assimilation without even taking into account what he could be going through.”
Fluttershy looked to the side, “Well…..,” she attempted to say more but nothing came to mind.
Pinkie Pie was sitting on the ground with a deflated mane as Rainbow attempted to cheer her up.
Twilight trotted past them but stopped when she saw the front door open to reveal Vinyl and Cheerilee. Both mares stared at Twilight with worry and approached.
“Twilight,” Cheerilee placed a hoof on her friend, “Are you alright?”
Twilight looked to the ground, “Baen…he left.”
Vinyl nodded, “Yeah we know.”
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie soon joined Twilight, “You saw him?”
Vinyl nodded, “Yeah. Actually he came to me and Octy and thanked us for putting up with him. When I asked him where he was going, he just said home.”
Twilight shook her head, “That’s not possible, his home…there’s no telling where it could be. Equestria has changed from the layout he might be used to.”
Cheerilee tapped her chin, “Is there a place that he could consider a home?”
Twilight’s eyes widened, “There is one place I can think of,” she shook her head, “But why should we go after him, he made it clear he would never accept our friendship and he practically curses the very ground we trot on.”
“C’mon Twilight,” Vinyl approached her, “Even though he probably said those things, he was just venting. He might not even mean it.”
Cheerilee nodded, “Exactly. Though I’ve only known Baen for a few days and spoken to him only a few times, I can tell there’s a nice pony in there. You just have to take it slow, give him some time.”
Twilight slowly nodded, “Give him his space and take his feelings into consideration…”
Rainbow Dash nodded with a firm stare, “Well what are we waiting for then, let’s go get him!”
Twilight and the girls stared at her with surprise as Dash looked back at them, “What? Jerk or not he’s still a pony of Equestria and we got to help him right?”
Twilight thought on this for a moment then became determined, “Right.”
All six of the mares then vanished in a flash leaving Cheerilee and Vinyl.
Vinyl glanced at Cheerilee, “Wanna raid her fridge?”
*
The girls appeared in a flash out front of the Everfree Temple; Twilight’s eyes were spinning after the long range teleport. Quickly maintaining her composure she and the girls galloped inside and began their search. For a while, the top floor was an uneventful endeavour, but then Twilight brought them to the hole.
“Alright girls,” Twilight levitated the stone she had used before as her platform, “hop on.”
All six mares then began their decent as they all took in the walls around them.
“Whatya suppose made these marks Twi?”
Twilight still couldn’t get over the marred walls as they lowered, “I’m not sure. But it must have been pretty big or powerful.”
Eventually the platform touched down and they saw Baen. He was seated where he had stood as a statue, but he did not turn. As the girls disembarked, his ears flicked slightly.
“I thought I said not to follow me.”
Twilight nodded for her friends to stay back as she approached, “Baen, I want to speak with you.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” he turned around, “Now leave before I-“
Twilight then yelled, “BE QUIET FOR ONE MINUTE AND LISTEN TO ME!”
Baen was shocked at the outburst as Twilight inhaled to calm herself as she continued, “Listen. I know that you hate me. You have every right to hate me because you were right. I never took how you felt into my decisions, but know that I care about you regardless of what you feel toward me,” she gave a small smile, “despite what you think, you have a home here. You are an Equestrian, a pony like us. Time, age, is not a factor. Cheerilee wants to get to know you better because she sees a good pony in you. Coco Pommel is your pen pal in Manhatten that you helped out of a bad situation Even Vinyl thinks you’re the coolest roommate ever and she even lets you LIVE in her home.”
Baen glanced away and mumbled, “And I suppose Octavia more or less tolerates my presence because of Vinyl.”
Twilight nodded with a larger smile, “EXACTLY! Baen, you’ve made an impact whether you know it or not. If you were to leave now and never return, you would hurt a lot of ponies.”
Baen then stared at her, “But what about you? Wasn’t I clear on my relationship with you and your friends?”
Twilight nodded, “Yes you were. But now I’ve decided we will take it slow with you,” Baen blinked in surprise, “We will take your feelings into account of everything. We won’t force you or coerce, we’ll merely suggest and point out. You want your space? You’ve got it, but Baen,” she extended a hoof to the stunned barbarian, “will you please return to Ponyville with us? To your new home?”
Baen glanced at her hoof then sighed, “If I refuse a suggestion, that’s the end of it. If I don’t want to be your friend-“
Twilight raised her extended hoof, “It’s your choice, whether you are or not is up to you. We won’t force you if it ends up that you never are we will accept it,” she then gave a warm smile, “but if you do accept our friendship, we’ll welcome it with all our hearts.”
The five mares voiced their agreements as Baen thought hard on it.
He gave a small chuckle, “Damn it…I really wanted to stay mad at you,” he took her hoof, “Just know that I’m holding you to these promises you’re making.”
Twilight nodded, “I thought as much.”
The ponies made their way from the dark place, but from the shadows, a cloaked pony watched their departure. When they exited the temple, Baen set himself for the coming days and what they would bring to him.