Pessimism and Sarcasm

by Jerec the Ascendant

Chapter 20: Finding a Reason

Pessimism and Sarcasm

Chapter 20

Finding a Reason

We make our way down the castle halls and toward my personal study. It will be much easier to explain there. I glance over at them. They walk behind me, chatting idly and even laughing. This won’t be easy.

I certainly wasn’t expecting him to become a part of the family when he first arrived. And then to receive two more family members because of him. As much as this news will pain him, I must admit that I find it to be a relief. I’m glad he’s stranded with us, though that must be terrible of me. It hurts too much to be separated from family. Even Blueblood, as uptight as he is, would devastate me if anything happened to him.

However, being trapped here means he will have to bear that burden himself. Even more than he already has been. I know it’s been gnawing away at him since his arrival.

My magic opens the door and I usher them inside, laying out cushions on the floor. I’ve always thought it strange how Jake is so tall, even taller than myself. Yet when he sits, he becomes so small. It’s the same with Silhouette, massive as she is. According to Twilight, in fact, she is too big in reality.

His laughter brings me back to the situation at hoof. It’s time to tell him, and I must not put it off any longer.

“Jake,” I start, the two of them looking toward me. My heart pounds. I close my eyes. Pretend he’s not there. “As promised, we searched as hard as we could to find a way to get you home. But as you feared, we've found that there simply isn’t a way.” I breathe in, breathe out.

“I'm sorry."

I open my eyes. He sits there, staring back. He may not be saying anything, but I can see what's happening. His eyes dull, his fingers twitch.

"I understand,” he says. I was expecting some crying, maybe some shouting. It would be better than this. He stands up and leaves the room.

Silhouette looks at the tiled floor in front of us. Her ears are folded back and her wolf-like snout quivers. "Silhouette, you're not leaving with him?” I ask. “I thought you were having separation anxiety."

She looks up at me, tears trapped in the fur around her eyes. She pulls her knees to her chest. "I can stay with others. It's not easy but..." She puts her head on her knees, tears streaming all the faster. “Just now...even before he left, it felt as though he wasn’t there.”

My eyes widen. I spread my wings and rush into the hall. I can still see him, though he’s made some distance.

“Jake!”

He doesn’t respond, he just keeps moving.

I gallop after him, reaching him as soon as possible. The sound of padded feet tells me that Silhouette is following.

“Jake, listen to me. I know that it’s hard, but you must not give up. You still have a life to live, even if it’s here with us, instead of at home with the ones you love.” He just continues walking, so I step in front of him and rear up, grabbing him with my forelegs, wrapping him in a hug. He stops walking, but he doesn't do anything else. I look into his eyes and see what Silhouette meant. He’s in a daze, I can barely hear him breathing.

I let him go and move out of his way. We follow him into their suite, watching as he goes to his room and sits in the desk chair, staring off into space. Silhouette and I lie on his bed, waiting for him to come back to us.

Perhaps now is a good time to learn more about my newest niece.

I look over at her. She's resting her head on her forearms now, looking straight at Jake, her ears still flat, tears still slowly coming.

"Silhouette?" She looks at me for a moment, then her skin and clothing start to change. Her form ripples and converges in on itself. She gets smaller, until she's only slightly larger than a foal. Her form is a feral version of her usual one. I wonder what she'd refer to herself as in this form, a pup or a cub? Silhouette sidles up to me, weeping softly.

I rest one of my wings over her, drawing her closer. Come back, Jake. There's plenty who need you here.

Over the next few hours, Silhouette and I learn much about each other. For instance, at her true size, even as a cub or pup, she would be the one holding me to her chest. I taught her about Equestria, its history and its denizens. The whole time, Jake sat in the same spot, in the same position, not moving except to breathe or blink. It was truly as if his mind shut down.

Sunset Shimmer and Shade walk into the room at last, their eyes as red as ours. Shade runs to Jake immediately, making to jump onto his lap, which finally elicits a response from him. His arms move, allowing her up, and he swivels the chair to give her more room. His eyes find some of their color again as his sister wraps her forelegs around his neck, nuzzling him.

You see Jake? There are reasons for you to be here.

Author's Note:

Sorry for the short length of the chapter.

If anyone wants to do chapter art, please feel free to do so. Oh, and PM it to me if you do so I can place it within the chapter, and put your profile name in the author's notes to give you the credit you deserve if you do so. I mean, if you want to that is, it's good advertisement, I think.

Comments

[Equestrian Amaterasu]

I would like more and I will attempt character art

Equestrian Amaterasu

[Jerec the Ascendant]

6997813 Cool.

[TheVirginianist]

Huh?

He just continues walking, so I step in front of him and rear up, grabbing him with my forelegs, wrapping him in a hug. He stops walking, but he doesn't do anything else. I look into his eyes and see what Silhouette meant. He’s in a daze, I can barely hear him breathing.

What the hell's that "He's in a daze" even mean, Jerec? I'm confused by this.