//------------------------------// // Concord // Story: Death Be Not Proud // by ShinigamiDad //------------------------------// Twilight materialized a few minutes later on the outskirts of Vanhoover, and turned around once to get her bearings: “I know you’re here somewhere, spirit…” She walked slowly toward a block of brightly-colored row houses, scanning side-to-side, brow furrowed with concentration. A small colt walked up to her, stopped and nervously backed up a pace: “Wha-whatch’a doin’, Princess?” Twilight smiled: “I’m looking for something lost. Do you know if any of your neighbors have been very sick or worse lately?” The little brick-red earth pony tipped his head sideways and stared into the distance: “Hmm, well old Mr. Concord was pretty sick for a bit, and I haven’t seen him since they had a party in his house a couple of days ago.” “A party?” “Yeah, a bunch ‘a ponies from somewhere else--I didn’t know ‘em--showed up with the doctor and a big box, then music, then they all left the next day.” Twilight concealed her grin behind a hoof: “A big party, huh? Did everypony seem happy and excited?” “No, it was kinda weird; they all seemed sad.” Twilight nodded: “I understand, and I’m also here to see Mr. Concord.” The colt’s ears drooped: “You’re not gonna hurt him, are you?” “No. He’s lost and I’m here to help him find his way.” “Where to?” Twilight frowned: “I’m not really sure…” “Does Mr. Concord know?” “Where he’s going?” “Yeah.” “Maybe. Maybe he and I will figure it out together.” “Does he know you’re coming?” “You know, I don’t think so, but I’m beginning to wonder…” The colt pointed back at the row houses, to the unit on the right end of the building: “Well, he lives in that one.” Twilight smiled and reached out a hoof to pat the child on the head. He shied away and eyed her nervously. Twilight sighed: “Thank you very much for your help. Run along and play now! The colt trotted away a few feet and looked back over his shoulder: “Well, I hope you can help Mr. Concord. He’s always been nice!” Twilight turned toward Concord’s house: “So do I.” She walked up the steps to the front door, checked to see if anypony was watching, then phased through the brightly-painted wood. She entered a darkened room with shrouded and draped furniture. Several bouquets of flowers stood arrayed on a large table. Twilight closed her eyes: “Where are you, old timer?” She listened intently as faint hoof-falls echoed through the room, ending at a drape-covered window. She approached the window, pulled back the drapes, and saw her face reflected in the glass. As she pondered her own image, the features twisted and distorted for a moment, taking on the appearance of an old, blue stallion. She turned around quickly and saw the front door swing open. She dashed outside. Twilight heard the hoofbeats again, heading across a courtyard, toward a small, carefully-tended grove of aspen trees. She hurried toward the grove, and saw shadows playing across the dappled sunlight falling through the trees’ leaves. She stared intently, trying to discern a pattern. “Dammit, Concord! I’m just trying to help you move on!” she growled. Suddenly a branch struck Twilight hard across her back, stinging, and knocking her breath out. She phased and turned to look behind her. There was no one there, but the largest tree in the grove appeared to be swaying out of sync with the breeze. “What in Tartarus is going on?” She drew her sword and advanced on the tree, head tipped slightly to one side. The blade began to glow with a faint gold aura. “I don’t know how you ended up in a tree, but it’s time to go!” She thrust her sword a foot deep into the tree’s trunk. At once the tree shuddered violently, and a pale blue light flickered along its lowest limbs, coalescing into a thin cloud, which settled on the ground. Twilight leaned down and touched the cloud with her horn: “About time!” An old blue earth pony stood up on the featureless plain of the Waiting Room and furrowed his brow. “Hullo?” He called. “Where am I?” “You’re in my Waiting Room, Concord” Twilight answered, materializing behind him. “Wha-what happened?” “You died almost three days ago. Do you remember anything?” “No, just that I went to bed with an awful headache, then I woke up here.” Twilight closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment: “Stroke. I don’t see anything in your death vision beyond your last memories of your wife, Iris.” Concord looked away wistfully: “Yeah, I miss the old girl…” He looked off in the distance as though trying to focus on something: “Will I see her again?” “I don’t honestly know.” “That’s OK--I guess I’ll find out in a bit!” Twilight smiled: “I hope so. Oh, hey--I have a question first!” “Shoot.” “Did you have any particular attachment to that small stand of aspen trees across from your house?” Concord frowned: “Well, yes--a couple. Iris and I planted those trees years ago after we were first married. But I avoided them after the incident some years back, shortly after my wife died.” Twilight stepped forward and leaned up to touch her horn to Concord’s head: “May I touch you for a moment?” He tipped his head down: “Sure.” Images flooded in of his wife’s death, and then of an accident that had killed a young filly who had been climbing the tree that Concord had possessed. Twilight stepped back: “Did you know the filly well?” “Sun Catcher? Yeah. She helped Iris with the garden. Damn shame about the fall. The grove was too sad to visit after that.” Twilight nodded: “I understand. Thank you for the memories.” Concord smiled: “Maybe I’ll get to see Sun Catcher, too!” Twilight pointed with her sword into the distance off to their left: “I certainly hope so, Concord. Farewell!” Concord nodded and walked away, dissolving with each step until no trace remained. Twilight reappeared silently at the base of the tree she had seen in Concord’s vision, and peered intently up into its branches, thick with spade-shaped, pale-green leaves. “Why were you moving? How were you moving?” She walked slowly around the tree, then stopped and touched her horn to its trunk, and sent out a short pulse of dark magic. Streaks of blood briefly flashed on the tree’s white bark, matching a shadowy pool of blood on the grass at its roots. Twilight took a step back and wrinkled her nose: “Wasn’t an accident…” Her sword flashed out of its scabbard in a glittering golden arc that sheared effortlessly through the tree’s trunk. The air was shattered by a high, keening wail that dissipated quickly, as the the tree crashed to the ground. Twilight pointed her horn at the fallen aspen and poured out a burst of bright magenta magic, consuming the tree with magical flames. She sat next to the scorched stump for a moment and closed her eyes: “A haunted location I understand, but it was almost like this tree was infected...I don’t get it.” Twilight stood and sheathed her sword. She looked up into the canopy and listened carefully to the wind stirring the leaves. There was no trace of anything beyond rustling foliage. She chewed her lip for a moment, glanced back at the smoldering embers of the old aspen, and faded out like a passing shadow.