Horn And Wings

by Nameless Narrator

Hidden: One Nostalgic Session

Love and desire are the spirit's wings to great deeds.

---

Blazing Light howled victoriously when his hoof stomped the fallen earthpony into the ground. He wasn't thinking about the bronze armor that had replaced his coat few moments earlier. He wasn't thinking about the distant shouting aimed at him. All he was thinking about was the earthpony that had hurt him so much, had hurt - why couldn't he remember the name? - so much. He shook his head and bared his suddenly sharp teeth.

Little green sparks kept leaping through his new armor and became stronger as he buried his muzzle into Valiant Charge's chest and ripped out a chunk of steel and flesh as he bit through the Royal Guard breastplate. The earthpony's scream rang through the nighttime air of Canterlot castle gardens. Somepony bumped to him from the side but he barely felt it and just shook the assailant off his body and his sharp teeth buried themselves into his enemy again. After some effort he ripped out the heart of the wretch that dared to touch her, that dared to touch him as well.

He crushed the still beating organ in his mouth, turned around and saw a batpony backing away from him with a disgusted and horrified expression. Why was she acting like that? Didn't he do all this for her? Didn't he save her from that bastard who had bothered her for past years? Yes, he did! So why did she look as if she was going to start crying?

A flash of bright light coming from the castle entrance blinded him and an another impact hit his body. He tried to take a step towards the ungrateful batpony who just shuffled back again but he fell down. He didn't notice the approaching blue princess. He didn't notice that half of his body had evaporated in the blast. He didn't notice anything anymore.

Princess Luna successfully eradicated the monster.

---

The end of my first month in Ponyville is close and I think I'm getting used to the routine. Get up, grab breakfast at the Sugarcube Corner, bring something back to Doom Star, get thanked by the happy batpony and then go to work. I don't think either of us is thinking about the future. She's just happy to have something warm to eat and she doesn't get snowed on and I... am simply glad I don't have to pay rent now that I have my own house.

Working at the asylum gets weird from time to time due to random screams and ponies just walking into walls and ignoring their surroundings. There isn't that much to do around the place but since there's only me, doctors Bright and Stable and two other nurses for both day and night shifts it feels like a lot. It might be a bit cynical but I'm thankful for not many ponies visiting their relatives or friends during the snowy days.

I'm thankful because it allows me to spend more time here, in the little room with one bronze unicorn looking out of the window. Well, sitting on the bed turned towards it. I must admit I feel a bit nostalgic as all this reminds me of the first winter when he arrived in Canterlot. It's funny how things have a way of coming back in circles.

"Remember the day ya thought Sharpie would eat ya?"

I've been talking his ears off since the day Bright Eye told me that reminding the patient of something might help in bringing him back. It hasn't been working at all but heck, I like sorting through the good memories. Nopony would have me pinned as one to sit and reminisce about 'good old days' but I guess everypony has moments like this.

"Your first day in Canterlot when I saw ya talking to him, well, his neck. Ya looked so small then and somehow, without growing up too much, ya now feel much taller."

Maybe the change wasn't only inside him.

"All I saw in ya was a squeaky, young unicorn trying to land a job at the castle and work his way up to be the right hoof of one of the princesses. Heck, I had no idea ya were two years older than me at the time, ya didn't look it at all or maybe I was just too stupid to notice. I think it was a bit of both."

I grin. My life full of paperwork, parties and fun got turned around pretty hard thanks to this pony.

"Then I noticed ya actually liked the small room ya lived in. Ya had no interest in gaining status and just wanted everypony to stay away from ya as long as your job allowed you to stay warm and not starve, ya had literally no ambitions and no... future, I guess?"

I wipe a tear. I'm not really sad, it's just that I can see much more now than I was able to see before or maybe it's just the hindsight of knowing him that helps.

"And ya were happy! I was happy. Practicing and imagining kicking Valiant in the face under night sky or at the gym with Sharpie was fun to me then. I would never have thought that he would try to kill ya. Well, I drove both of ya crazy."

There's a memory that used to be painful but makes me smile now.

"Ya know? Even the changeling invasion wasn't that bad. Shining and Cadence did forgive ya eventually, especially when they found out that our holding Chrysalis' forces outside held her attention long enough for the 'real heroes' to do their job."

Reminding him the bad stuff that happened might not be the best idea but all that was sprinkled with little bits of fun we had, I hope he remembers that as well.

"I think I fell for ya after that when I saw how happy Heavy and Sharpie were together. When you personally tried to persuade the princess that almost killed ya to SAVE the changelings who had real, loving partners in ponies right after the invasion. Ya may have hated yourself but ya had those who couldn't do that no matter what around ya."

Is this how it ends, after all that?

"I'd love to remind ya of the good times. I'd love to tell ya I've always been there for ya after that... but that wouldn't be true, would it? I could have made the first move, I knew ya would never do it, yet I didn't. Then... Nightmare Night happened and ya killed Blaze and told me it was better than what was going to happen to him. I'm getting the two of ya mixed together. Is it a good thing?"

He doesn't answer, obviously.

"Ya travelled to the mirror world alone, BY YOURSELF. No princess, no Discord, not a single super-awesome being set on saving this world wanted to go but ya. I know why, Void told me, but they didn't do anything. He also told me how it was supposed to end. Then it was all over, or so we thought, and ya were just lying there and looking at Void and Scream. Not at the princesses happy that their world is safe but at the two other alicorns whom ya helped to be together again."

That was the point when I finally understood how wrong you were about everything. I couldn't tell you, obviously, because that wouldn't change anything so I wanted to show you.

"Then ya moved to my place and shone a bit of light into my darkness. Bleh, even I can't stomach that innuendo. I thought everything was going to be fine despite your daughter and all the ruckus around."

I grin.

"Yeah... that was dumb. Everything could have been just fine but mirror Sombra had other plans. I don't know why he was so set on getting ya. Revenge, something else? Well, he got ya in the end and turned into one of his tools. Thanks for giving me Betty to protect me. Without his advice I would have had no idea what happened to ya."

Now comes the part that was entirely my fault.

"I should have told Sharpie what was going to happen. I should have told Luna so she would spare your life, she probably wouldn't though. When she returned even batponies were worried about her being fake and their recovering social status disappearing. She met him on her first day back in Canterlot and while he was a guard his little problem kept him isolated. Knowing how painful loneliness is, he decided to keep the exiled princess company day after day. Did ya really think Luna needed a bodyguard?"

No, nothing I could have said would have changed the outcome.

"Celestia could have said something but she fell unconscious after the assassination attempt and had no idea what ya did. Then there was only Fading Light, Sombra's unbreakable general leading every charge against Equestrian forces who killed Luna's closest friend. She would have cursed ya no matter what. That pissed me off, it makes me boil even now. Ya did so much for them and not a single pony even tried to bring ya back. Ya were just an enemy and the bearer of the Element of Betrayal. When Luna told me to take a break I decided I wanted to be by your side no matter if that was under the princesses or Sombra."

I will keep telling this to you until some little part of you comes back.

"And here we are, hiding from Luna. Me hoping I've got the right unicorn and talking to a brick wall. Ya know? It's not just ya. I actually like helping all these wrecks around here. It's nice not doing paperwork and beating up drunks for once. Too bad ya aren't around to keep me warm at night."

My ear twitches as I hear something scratch the wall near the door. The face of doctor Bright Eye quickly disappearing behind it doesn't go away fast enough when I jump and rush outside. Slamming the doctor to the wall, I put the razor in my horseshoe to his eye while my other hoof is pinning him by the neck.

"How much did you hear?" I growl.

"I-"

"Why did you eavesdrop on me?"

"I-"

"One wrong word and you're a stain on the wall."

With everything being clear I stop choking him. The blade stays where it was though.

"I've been standing here since you started."

"And you didn't have the decency to, I dunno, COUGH?"

"I must admit my curiosity got the better of me."

"Curiosity killed the cat... it might aim higher."

"Let me start by saying I mean no harm to you or your... friend, no matter who he is. The crazy glint in your eye isn't helping though."

"This is no joke," I push him hard.

"Ouch. I don't know how I can make you trust me. Maybe you could think about the fact that I haven't asked anypony about your 'being a Canterlot guard' story and a strange unicorn walking out of the Everfree forest."

His eyes focus behind me and somepony yanks me away from the doctor holding my neck in a perfect choke hold.

"I'll kill you if you tell anypony!" I groan at the doctor who ignores me.

The hooves holding me are weak but the hold doesn't allow me to escape easily. I hold my breath, kick back and tense my neck muscles. The choke around my neck breaks and I jump to the side so I have clear sight of the doctor and the ambusher.

I stop dead in my tracks when I see why the doctor was ignoring me. The pony holding me from behind was Blaze who is now, after my blow, trying to look as small as possible and fuse into the wall. When I take a step forward he hides his head in his hooves and sobs.

"Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry," he just keeps mumbling.

Bright Eye groans.

"I-I think your friend doesn't think you slitting my throat would be a good idea."

I just stand there, unable to comprehend what has just happened.

Author's Note:

End of chapter one.

Comments

[Anonymous Critic]

Wait... aside from being just the hallucinations Blazing had; spawned from his own insanity, is it possible all of those 'hallucinations' were also visions of what happened in certain alternate universes?

[Nameless Narrator]

9235235
It's not only Blaze inhabiting that mind right now, and someone is trying to make Blaze give up completely. These are Blaze's memories turned against him or as it "should have happened".

After all, someone like Blaze doesn't deserve to live.

EDIT: Goddamnit, I really should start thinking about these responses. The answer is right in the next chapter. Fml.