//------------------------------// // Total Loss or Not // Story: Friendship is Failure #1: Writer's Blockade // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// ACT FOUR The whole place was still a mess, Sandy was near tears, and Shining still felt a mix between hurt feelings and outrage, but more the hurt. Twilight had told everything to Spike, “Wow…” Spike said “Talk about a bad night.” “I was afraid something like this would happen.” Starlight said “Even though Stone tried, the others didn’t play their part very well either. I’m not picking sides, I’m just saying things are worse than we realized, perhaps… irreparable.” Twilight and her friends felt shocked that she would say such a thing. “How can you say that?” Twilight asked “I gave you the chance for a turnaround and you took it.” “I know…” said Starlight “But remember the first time; I ran out on you, rejecting your offer. To be honest, I wonder if I still would have accepted you the second time if things were bad enough.” “Wait, what are you saying?” asked Spike. “I’m saying that Friendship may be a good thing, but… well… maybe it’s just not for every-pony. I mean, we can’t really enforce others to accept our ways, especially if it may not be good enough for them, or maybe they just don’t feel the same way.” Something deep down inside of Twilight clicked; she remembered once the situation of Pinkie Pie and Cranky Doodle. Though it worked out in the end, it almost didn’t because Cranky wasn’t like others. She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard some of the ponies say. “That, Stone Heart, what a big baby.” “Yeah, can’t handle a little criticism or a joke.” “No wonder he’s doomed to fail at life.” Mandy of the ponies laughed at him, but Twilight was infuriated and shouted “ENOUGH!!” At once the ponies quieted down and looked frightfully at her as she ranted, “I can’t believe all of you! Stone Heart came here to try and make amends, and all you do is laugh at him and poke fun at him, and make him feel like he’s not special!” Many of the ponies were speechless, as if they were realizing for the first time that maybe they had gone too far, but some were still unmoved. “It’s not our fault if he can’t make a good story, or take some criticism.” one pony said, but Starlight stepped in and chastised him, “There is a difference between Criticising, and just being plain mean-hearted.” She knew the feeling better than anyone, but did not wish to say for fear of her past coming back to harm her. Twilight’s friends agreed with her. “I admit, he wasn’t acting very fine either, but at least he was trying.” said Minuette. Lemon Hearts picked up a copy of the book, one of few that hadn’t been destroyed, “I’ll admit I didn’t like the story very much, but I didn’t try to laugh at him or say horrible things.” The few unmoved ponies were still unmoved, “What’s the big deal? All we did was tell him the truth, how we felt about it.” “You could’ve been more civil about it.” snapped Twinkleshine “Sometimes the truth hurts, and after what we’ve seen, I don’t know what to believe… right now.” Now the unmoved ponies were starting to feel ashamed. “Maybe we should try talking to Stone Heart one more time?” Spike suggested, and Twilight and the others gawked at him, “What? I haven’t said anything in a bit.” The next day, after the mess was cleaned up from the other night, Twilight and Starlight set out for Stone’s house in the meadows. Sandy and Shining were with them, and so was Spike. “I don’t know if this is such a good idea.” Spike said. “Well, we can’t just sit and do nothing about it...” said Twilight. As much as Starlight agreed with Twilight, she just had to say what she was feeling, “Giving Stone another chance may be noble, but remember what I said… what if he just won’t accept it?” Sandy and Shining anticipated this too, but they were not willing to give up on their friend. They just hoped they could persuade him. Upon arriving at Stone’s house, it all looked the same except for a small “No” sign with a picture of friends on it. “Oh, dear…!” Twilight muttered “Hey, I’m not on it. That’s a good thing.” said Spike, but the others gave him a strict look. The approached the door and Twilight knocked at it “Stone Heart…” she called “It’s me, Princess Twilight.” Stone walked up to the door, not opening it, opened the shade cover glaring angrily and sneered, “I do not want to see you.” He closed the shade! “Stone, please…” Sandy called “We just want to talk to you.” but Stone called to her through the door, “You’ve done enough! Now, leave me alone!” Though it was normally against her better judgement, Twilight set Spike down off her back, and she teleported inside the house, and then poofed back out again with Stone, just as he was dressed to leave for work, with his tools. “This is harassment!” snarled Stone “I will write to Princess Celestia about this!” “Good, then maybe she’ll make you realize how foolish you’re being!” said Twilight. “Huh?” Shining and Sandy stepped forward “Stone, look at you…” said Shining “Look what you’ve become. You’re angry, miserable, and you alienate yourself from everyone.” Stone scoffed, “You act like it’s a big deal.” “It is a big deal.” said Twilight “They’re your friends, they care about you, and they hate to see you like this.” Stone chuckled softly, and then burst out laughing almost manically “That’s the most ridiculous thing I ever heard.” he said “If they were my friends then why did they tease and scold me, just like everyone else?” He went on explaining how his current life style wasn’t just by choice, but rather all he could possibly do. Writing was all he felt he was good at, but because others couldn’t respect his style and taste what was the point to it. He had no other skills and talents, hence why he was a trash-picker “…even there it isn’t good enough!” he grumbled. “All any-pony does is scoff at me, even when I do as they say. I get a job, I stop writing, I even keep out of their lives so they don’t have to put up with me, but it’s just not enough for them. It’s always what THEY wanted, and what OTHERS wanted. Well what about ME? Did anyone ever to think for one minute of things I wanted instead of getting bashed at and made fun of? I don’t think so. And now, I’m getting more grief from the likes of all of you; you’re enforcing your beliefs on me and trying to get me to believe something I no longer need nor desire.” Sandy gasped, “Stone, what are you saying?” Stone walked right up to her and looked her dead in the eyes, “I’m saying, and I’ll put this in terms of writing… We are so not on the same page anymore; in fact I don’t want to even be in the same story as you, or any of you. I don’t wish you any harm, and I hope you don’t find any misfortune… but what you need to find is some-pony else to be your friend, because I’m not interested.” With that said he grabbed his tools and prepared to walk off to work. Tears we’re falling down Sandy’s face, “But… you said we’d be friends forever.” “Yeah, don’t you remember that… the vow we all made a long time ago?” added Shining. Stone remembered it all too well, the three of them in school, all getting along well and promising to be close friends forever. Stone remained unmoved and had to be true to himself, “That’s not how the story goes, not this page anyway. You can’t act like my friends and then make things so hard for me. Are you a good friend or a bad friend; Pick one.” Then he cast a look at Twilight and the others and said very deeply “Now I mean it. I don’t need Friendship to live, and I don’t need other ponies telling me what’s right and wrong for me, and I don’t need you… or them! What I do with my life and how I choose to live it is my choice, and it’s no concern of yours. …Princess of Friendship… Good grief!” Then he was gone, leaving all the others with sad and very concerned expressions on their faces. Sandy cried softly, and her husband held her tight, but he too felt like she did. As for Twilight, she never felt so lost, confused and above all things, hurt, in her life. “Let it go, Twilight.” Spike said “He’s not worth the time… not right now, anyway.” Starlight sighed, believing that Stone Heart was probably more like her in many ways; the way he was unwilling to forgive and start over, but the way he did, “Do you think he’ll ever be okay?” she asked. Twilight wanted to believe that eventually Stone Heart would find in his heart to one forgive and forget all the troubles and maybe turn his life around from what it was, but after the way he had just behaved, “I just hope he will, but he is right… …It’s never a good idea to force your own views on someone else, especially when it may not be right for them. It might only make things worse.” Sandy and Shining were inclined to agree. A couple of days later, Twilight and Starlight were all packed and ready for the train ride back to Ponyville, but she had sent a letter to Princess Celestia informing her of all that had happened, and she got her reply. Dear Princess Twilight… I am very sorry to hear that things did not turn out so well, but know that I do not hold you responsible, nor any-pony else. You were only trying your best. Perhaps it would be best to leave Stone Heart alone for the moment and see how things turn out later on. I do hope he comes round. Give my reguards to Starlight Glimmer… : Princess Celestia The girls smiled at the letter, but they both still felt pretty bad that things didn’t go very well, regardless, Sandy and Shining held no grudge against Twilight or Starlight. “You are both welcome in our home any time.” said Shining. Sandy nodded “It’s just our way of saying thank you for trying to help us, even though it didn’t work.” The girls were grateful to their two new friends, so it wasn’t a total loss after all. Twilight then bid farewell to her three friends; Minuette, Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine, each extended their goodbyes to them both. “Come back soon…” said Minutette. “Yeah, we still owe ourselves that sleepover.” added Lemon. “And don’t worry about Sandy and Shining, I can look after them.” said Twinkle. Twilight smiled and hugged her friends, “Thank you, all.” Starlight said nothing, she didn’t know what to say, but Spike on the other hand, he groaned as he pushed the heavy load of luggage up the ramp “Will someone please give me a hand here?!” Suddenly, all the baggage fell on him. “Spike!” cried Twilight, and she and the others worked and worked to dig him out. “Oh!” Spike groaned “Next time, can we travel lighter?”