Episode 2: The Return to Flatts

by mr lovecolt

Conclusion: Forgiveness

A single torchlight lit the way for Edger and Pinkie Pie as the cart made its way along the tracks. The circle of light traveled alongside of them, and bits of light caught on the leaves on the trees at the edge of the Everfree Forest. A pair of green eyes would occasionally peer out from the darkness, but the two ponies paid no attention to them. They knew that they would remain inside the confines of the forest. A breeze pushed against them; a chorus of leaves and the hum of sand particles joined the sound of the squeaking of the cart’s lever as it moved up and down.

“I think he’s finally asleep.” Pinkie Pie said as she looked down behind Edger where Caramel lay.

“Rainbow Dash is, too.” Edger replied as he looked down at the sleeping form of Rainbow Dash behind Pinkie Pie. “There’s a streak of white in her mane where there used to be red.”

“I saw that, too.”

The squeaking of the cart continued into the night as they left the conversation at that for a while. Edger looked to his right and saw the gleaming spire of the old ruins in the distance. As the moon continued on its path across the sky, Edger saw its light catch against the stones and glass. They were lucky that there were no night trains that went this way. They would have the rest of the evening to reach Ponyville. After that, Edger knew he would have to return to Canterlot to see Princess Luna. There were so many things that she hasn’t told him. He imagined she probably hadn’t told any of the others what she knows, either.

“Edger?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Yes, Pinkie?”

“Do you think that our fathers acted the way they did was because they were being controlled by that thing?”

Edger thought back to the night of the gelding. In every memory, he had never remembered seeing that glistening in the eye of the glyph. He remembered seeing the blank expression on his father’s face, the expressions of disgust in Ag’s. But the glyph was merely that – a painted image that held no power over what they did. For Edger, they didn’t matter anymore. Anything that they had thought back then meant nothing now. They were all gone, including his father.

“I don’t think I can honestly answer that question.” Edger lied.

“I looked into my father’s eyes just before he died,” Pinkie Pie said, “He was about to say something. But I remember seeing that his eyes had changed. So maybe he was about to ask for forgiveness.”

“If you want to believe that he wanted forgiveness,” Edger replied, “Then why not believe it?”

“Do you want to believe that your father wanted you to forgive him?”

“I can’t bring myself to believe that.”

The conversation stopped again. As the wind picked up, Edger could smell the scents of Foggy Bottom Bog. The smell of rotten wood, decomposing leaves, and moldy water infiltrated his nostrils. I can’t bring myself to believe it, Edger thought, and it doesn’t matter if I could. Another memory flooded his mind. Something Princess Luna had said to him on that first morning. Those scars are the source of your nightmares, and until you accept their reality, you will never be able to truly control your abilities.

“The ponies of Flatts scarred me in so many ways,” Edger said, “Now that I know they’re all gone, it doesn’t matter. I don’t care about forgiving them anymore. They’re gone. Maybe that’s what it means to accept the reality of what happened.”

“Edger?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Yes?”

“Nevermind.”

The pair continued to move the cart forward. Having almost reached the area of Foggy Bottom Bog, they knew that it was an hour’s ride to Ghastly Gorge. Once they reached the bridge over Ghastly Gorge, they knew they would reach Ponyville an hour or two after that. If all went well, they would reach home before midnight.

At the back of the cart, Caramel watched as the circle of light followed them. He watched as the rails disappeared into the darkness, as the light that caught the leaves left them a moment later. Every mention of Edger’s father made him want to move to tell him what he had found. He remembered reading the letter.

*****

My Dearest Son,

So many times have I tried to write this letter to you. So many failed attempts.

I remember when I first saw you, Tiller. I remember the first time holding you. Your blue fur bundled up in the clinic’s cloths. All I could see were your eyes and your horn. The other elders looked at your horn and told me how blessed I was. All I had to see were your eyes as they looked into mine to know that I was. I had been entrusted to take care of a child. My child.

I broke that trust. I broke that trust due to my own cowardice.

I remember, because you are a unicorn, how it was more difficult for you to do the work of earth ponies. I remember you never gave up. It was in your eyes. No matter what the other colts said, you never gave up that look of determination in your eyes.

I’m the pony who took that look away from your eyes that night.

I can never be asked for forgiveness for what I have done. I know that everything that is happening here is because of what occurred that night. And I know there is nothing that can be done to change that.

I’m sorry. What’s worse is that I know that sorry is merely a word. Just like forgiveness. They’re only words, and in this case, they cannot possibly erase what I have allowed to happen to you.

I had said that night that you are not to call me your father again. I’m right. After what I’ve done, how can you call me that? The elders say that you were the one who brought me shame. I am the one who made you ashamed to call me your father.

There are rumors that you’ve changed your name and that you’re in Manehatten. If I can discover those rumors are true, then maybe this letter will find you, somehow. But until then, I know that this burden is of my own creation. I will remain here as long as it takes to let you know how sorry I am.

*****

A lone timberwolf stood at the edge of a clearing in the Everfree Forest. He edged closer to the stallion that sat near a small fire in front of the ruins. The timberwolf licked its teeth and moved closer towards the unicorn. Before he leapt, the unicorn simply turned and faced it.

“Jump.” Script said.

The timberwolf’s green eyes dulled. Without thinking, it turned to the edge of the cliff and leapt off. A moment later, Script heard the sound of pieces of wood breaking apart.

“Well,” Script said to himself, “It looks like my powers are getting stronger, too. Now, to just learn how to truly control a pony mind.”

Script turned his attention back to the letter he was holding. He reread the letter written to Edger a few times before laughing to himself and tossing it into the fire. The old paper was immediately consumed by the flames. Script opened his saddlebags and levitated the papers and the small gemstone to his face. He took the papers but let the gemstone hover in front of him. The gem glowed dark purple to the point of almost black.

“Well now,” Script said, “I wonder how those earth ponies got their hooves on you. I know that one of the vessels had to have brought you to it in order to put you in.”

Script laughed again.

“No matter. You’re with me now, and that is all that matters. I have you, and I have Psukeineuma. I just need to search the Crystal Empire caves for the third, and then I’ll finally be able to finish what my dear king started. All I have to do is find a way to destroy the other Elements of Harmony.”

*****

Leila stood once again on the balcony just below the turret of Princess Luna’s bed chambers. Her eyes darted back and forth along the night sky, never settling on any particular location. Shale stood behind her and watched patiently as she continued to look up at the sky. The door behind them opened, and Aloga emerged from the hall and joined the other two.

“Quiet,” Shale said, “She’s reading.”

Aloga nodded and joined Shale.

“Is this like what happened when she interacted with-”

“No,” Shale replied, “She’s decided against doing that from now on. This is different. She’s just reading.”

Leila’s eyes darted faster and faster against the night sky. Her eyes went from Luna’s moon and then from star to star. In her mind, each star became connected by a line which formed patterns. To Leila, these weren’t simply constellations, but they were reading the stories of countless lives. The lines met up, ran alongside one another, and crossed over one another. Leila began to blink as the meanings of the lines began to coalesce into one story. She started sobbing as she fell to the floor. Shale immediately ran over to her and held her up.

“What is it?” Shale asked.

“They’ve made their decisions. Most of them have, at least.” Leila began to sob quietly. “And now, most of our strings are beginning to conjoin, too.”

Leila pushed Shale away and entered the castle. Shale and Aloga were left alone on the balcony.

“What did she mean by our strings?” Aloga asked.

“I get the feeling that we’re all going to be part of something together.” Shale replied.

Shale and Aloga looked at one another, and then to the sky. They tried to see what Leila saw, but to them, it was merely a collection of points of light in a night sky. They sighed and then returned to the safety of the castle tower.

*****

The bell at the entrance to Golden Oak Library tinkled, and Twilight Sparkle stood in the middle of the room. The entire library was sparkling clean, and she nodded to herself at Spike’s efforts. The sound of claws as they descended the stairs caught her attention, and she looked up to see Spike emerge from the bedroom.

“Twilight?” Spike asked, “Where have you been?”

Twilight Sparkle’s eye twitched, but she turned away from Spike before he could notice.

“I’ve just had to travel to gather some rare books. I was in Canterlot and the Crystal Empire.”

“Oh wow.” Spike replied with a yawn, “Did you find what you needed?”

“Yes.”

Twilight spun around and faced Spike again. She thought for a moment of how to get rid of him for the next few days. But he’s my number one assistant, she thought to herself. Besides, there are other pieces that I need help collecting to help restore her.

“Hey Spike?” Twilight Sparkle asked.

“What’s up?”

“You know how you’re my number one assistant?”

“Yes ma’am, that’s me, your number one assistant!”

“That’s great, because we’re going to try a brand new experiment.”

Comments

[mr lovecolt]

So that's that. The next genre of horror story that I want to write is in the standard "Monster" genre. For those of you reading, any particular confusing parts to the story (i.e., simply don't make sense) as opposed to just curious as to what happens next? Is the writing too dry? Did I do well with Cheery Jubilee's accent?

[mr lovecolt]

3908906 Yes, and you will see that he is very important, indeed, in the later stories that I write. You will also see a very interesting ability that Pinkie Pie has in this story. I won't give it away, but needless to say, it, too, will reappear later on. Whereas the first story was meant to explore the traditional "slowburn" horror, this one is meant to imitate the "survival horror" genre, typically seen in Silent Hill and the early Resident Evils. I do hope you find this one interesting, and Mageismoiras will be fascinating, as well.

[PaulAsaran]

You can has review!