I'm standing in front of the floor mirror, inspecting the small flab of fat on my stomach with my hands. There's not much but still has me concerned on how I quickly gained a few pounds. And to those inquiring about where I acquired such a mirror, I found it in Fluttershy's attic. No, I'm not yanking anyone's chain. Fluttershy has an attic. When I had discovered this, I had to inquire why she never mentioned it before. She indeed admitted she had one. I asked if she had been up there before. Again she admitted it but said it was her last visit. Her reason was this:
"It's too dark and scary."
Hahaha. That never gets old.
Back to the matter.
I'm standing in front of the mirror, even when not too long ago was I ordered to lie down and get some rest. You could say that I'm quite the defiant kind of guy. I am feeling slightly better, thanks to the medicine I drank earlier. Perhaps one day I'd get to meet this "Zecora" in person. If this- uh- Zebra? I believe that's what Twilight described. If this zebra knows her thing about plants, then maybe I should ask if she also knows some "herbs" that I can have for... "health problems". Sure, let's roll with that.
Meanwhile, seeing through the mirror's reflection, Applejack and Rarity trot into the bedroom side-by-side.
"So that thingamajig Twilight showed us downstairs, is it some sort of alien contraption?" Applejack asks.
"It's called a Game Boy, for your information," I correct her as I moved on examining my face. A little bit of softness there, but it warranted a vow to lay off the sweets.
"What a peculiar name for a peculiar thing," Rarity comments.
I frown, but not because of Rarity's statement. "There a reason why you both are here?" I ask in a bitter tone.
"Ah wanted to meet ya face to face so Ah can say that Ah'm terribly sorry for what happened," Applejack apologizes as she doffs her hat.
"And there's no need to be rude, Darling," Rarity butts in. "Applejack here is genuinely sorry for that..." She then makes a face. "That horrible incident. I was terribly afraid some of it might have gotten on my dress!" Noticing my glare from the mirror, she quickly adds, "A-and I'm truly sorry about your suit, too, deary! It was such a fabulous outfit."
An action so abrupt, I spin around and my eyes glare harder- so hard that Rarity could feel it piercing through her soul (if it hasn't already jumped out from my sudden movement). I close my eyes and puff out an exasperated sigh. "It's fine, it's fine. Let us be thankful that I didn't DIE out of embarrassment. A moment where I could've made a huge first impression to the public. Instead that sail sunk, because now I will be remembered as 'that guy who vomited everywhere' kind of guy. The worst of it, though? Some poor bystander somehow got caught in the midst of that bile. Because of that, that poor soul also vomited across the floor. Everypony then had to evacuate the buffet to avoid any further catastrophes.
"In other words: your stupid pie ruined that moment!"
Applejack and Rarity look away, their ears fold against their head in shame. Seeing the two looking down at the floor with sad faces, I take a moment to think that I might have lashed out at them too harshly. I sigh once more. "Look, I didn't mean to take my anger out on you two. I'm just sort of upset about the whole thing."
The two ponies glance back at me, beaming weak smiles.
"We understand transparently, and we're very sorry about that," Rarity consoles.
Applejack dons her hat as she makes a step forth. "So whaddya say, Rick, should we let bygones be bygones?"
"Well..." I begin, stroking my chin thoroughly. Ugh, even my chin feels a tad pudgy. I definitely am thinking about cutting off the sweets. I know I said it before, but this time I mean it. But before I make the resolution, I think this was my golden opportunity for one last dessert. "I suppose," I say with a sly smile, "IF you bring me, say..." I tap my fingers, "a slice of one of your freshly made apple pies, I'll accept your apology. With no hay, though!" I quickly add.
What? Can't a guy bargain over an apology?
Applejack hums and itches her chin with the base of her forehoof. "Ah suppose Ah do owe ya one," she murmurs. She then promptly nods. "Consider it a deal, then." I flash the farmer a grateful smile.
"Splendid," I say. I begin sauntering over to give the pony a handshake but immediately stop dead when my vision starts to blur. The entire room is warping, my legs tingling, as numbness slowly courses through every nerve as my balance gradually becomes unstable.
"Ya all right, Rick?" Applejack asks concernedly, a distorted frown on her face, much as I could discern from my contorting vision.
Rarity's lips are moving, but the sound of her voice is being drowned out by the ringing in my ears.
I rapidly blink in hopes it would help. Alas, it doesn't. Instead, it somehow has given me a throbbing, massive headache. It feels as if there is a person pounding away at my skull with a hammer. The pain is unbearable. Soon the entire world in front me begins to spin and shortly later my whole vision falls into darkness.
But honey. Isn't taking a child out to the woods for shooting kind of irresponsible? You know he's too young to be handling firearms.
Quit your bellyaching. My dad taught me how to shoot when I was the boy's age, and we've gone out there every week for over ten years. I know the forest like the back of my hand. I'll make sure we return home safe and sound.
Well... Okay. Just don't run into any psychopaths flailing machetes around while you're out there. Okay?
Ahaha. Hun, you watch too many horror movies!
Ah, darkness. Whether one falls unconscious or stands in an unlit room, or when the sun goes down, or when one closes his or her eyes; a rather familiar acquaintance, is it not?
It's an uneasy feeling: being surrounded by pitch blackness, unable to speak or budge a single muscle. Should one be in this state — should one be obligated to speculate that this may be the result of, daresay, death? And that this void could only mean they're in purgatory.
In this void all I could do is idle by- nobody to see, nobody to talk to. There is no heat, nor is there coolness. Just plain nothingness.
A ball of light appears, far across the invisible horizon from where I'm standing. I urge to move forward. Surprisingly, the distance between me and the light is thinning. It's almost like my body is moving on its own free will. That or the orb is coming towards me.
The latter sounds more plausible.
I'm able to distinguish something within the luminescence. It's a lily. It has a stem, with a buttery-yellow color. The petals, however, are that of light pink with white trimmed edges. It hit me: this flower bears the same colors as my dear Shy. Even when I want to feel confused, I couldn't. This forsaken void deprives me of expressing emotions.
At this very moment, though, my whole being begins to form, like something from a fantasy movie; first is my hand as small bits of dust swirl around and connect themselves little by little. Slowly, but surely, the fingers start coming into view. Then my hand, and all the way down from my arm down to my shoulder. There, it stops, leaving only my right arm to be exposed. Despite whatever happened, I still couldn't feel anything.
Though with an arm, I proceed to reach for the flower. The light surrounding it envelopes my hand. Suddenly warmth rushes through it. It feels... soothing. Not to my hand but directly to my soul. It is as if this flower represents my daughter, showering me with great affection.
As I continue reaching out to touch it, the light disperses in an abrupt manner. The glowing warmth I felt also dissipates at that same time, and the lily's colors melt away into a gooey puddle, leaving it completely monotonously-grey. Its petals shrivel up, falling off one by one, with the stem tumbling over, almost like I am somehow draining its life away.
I retract my hand as I am unable to comprehend why this has occurred.
I'm slowly coming to, with incoherent voices drumming against my ears. Oh God, my freakin' head. Seconds of gaining consciousness am I already having another headache; this aching pain is driving my nerves crazy, and whoever's talking is only making it worse. I feel nauseous, but with reserved mental strength, I steadily open my eyes. I see that I'm back on the bed, nerves tingling just by making the slightest movement. I blink twice to clear my vision, and here I swear to myself that I must be in heaven for I see two winged angels before my naked eyes: one that is purple to my right and one that is yellow to my left.
I blink one more time. The angels disappear, and in their place are ponies instead: one being a worried yellow pegasus, whose eyes are glossed with tears. This is, without a doubt, my dear Shy.
And then there's an angry purple alicorn. This is, without a doubt, someone who's about to scold the shit out of me.
I slowly raise my head up with a faint smile, "Are you two my guardian angels?" I question wittily. I supposed to myself that that remark wasn't quite the best to lighten the mood. My daughter lunges herself at me, wrapping her hooves around my neck almost vice-like that I wheeze.
Fluttershy croaks through sobs, tightening her grip as she does so, "I thought something terrible had happened to you! You had me so worried!"
"Fluttershy!" Twilight begins. "We're supposed to be angry at him! Must I remind everypony that he disregarded my instructions?"
As I weakly struggled for release, my daughter looked back at Twilight, unknowingly strangling me breathless. By the time my head flushes red as a beet, Fluttershy snaps her attention back to me. With a small yelp, she releases her hold and I immediately gasp deeply for oxygen. I hack a couple of times before being able to speak.
"But I-" I let out another cough. I clear my throat, but before I could explain any further Twilight cuts me off.
"But nothing! I thought I specifically told you to lay down and get some rest," Twilight reprimands, she then starts pacing left and right (from my perspective, obviously). "When we heard that loud thud from downstairs, we rushed upstairs to find out what had happened." She ceases her pacing. She throws her hooves on the foot of the bed and stands up on her hind legs so her eyes can meet mine. Her visage of anger slowly fades into one of worry. "As we entered the room, we saw you flat on the floor face down.
"You weren't responding to either mine or Fluttershy's calls. We thought of the worst..." Beady tears form on the corners of her eyes. Her doleful expression suddenly turns to mild anger, matching her tone, "Though when Rarity and Applejack told me you were standing up looking at the mirror, I was furious- Furious because you ignored to do what I told you to do," Twilight says as she points a hoof at me.
I gesture both hands as a means of calming her down with an anxious grin on my face. "Now, now. No reason to overreact-"
"Overreact?!" Twilight hollers. I flinch and lower my hands, realizing that overreact might have been the wrong term to use. Maybe. I don't know. All I could say in my defense is that this headache is intervening my focus. "Rick, there's a solid reason why Zecora was serious about this medicine. Its healing properties are profound, and like many types of medicine, it has its side effects that include: numbing, nausea and weariness. Any exertion during the digestion process will trigger these symptoms.
"Rick," Twilight says, ambling up to my side, her anger diminishing as she places a gentle hoof on my arm, "I'm mad not just because you're ignorant, but it is because I care about you; me, my friends, and Fluttershy care about you." The mare rubs her hoof on my arm. Something in my heart ticks. It's a familiar feeling, and it is making me feel more guilty for my ignorance. "So do you understand?"
I fight the urge to look yet for the life of me, I couldn't. I turn to stare deep into her shiny, lavender eyes. Inside there was that spark, just like before when I first saw them. I bring my other hand and caress the fur of her foreleg. Her worried frown disappears as a warm smile takes its place. My comprehension has wrought reassurance to her. Even my dear Shy shares the same relaxed expression.
I match their smiles with my own and say to the alicorn with sincerity, "I... I'm sorry. I just thought it wasn't a big deal. But clearly I was stupid enough not to know any better."
"It's fine, Rick," Twilight reassures. "I'm just glad that you're all right. Just... Please rest."
With that, Twilight is the first to head out of the room, with Fluttershy following suit. Right before Fluttershy goes out the door, she turns around. "Rest well, Father." I nod.
"I will," I reply.
"I love you, Father," Fluttershy coos as she closes the door behind her.
I lay on my right side as I pull the comforter over me, whispering, "And I love you, too, my dear Shy."