We’re both tired tonight.
It’s been two weeks since she visited during the power outage. Since then I’ve been to the doctor twice, once to get the cough checked out, and then to some expensive specialist who did nothing. All I have to show for my efforts is a bottle of expensive pills to take twice a day. I don’t think they do anything. I’m still coughing, I’ve lost more weight, and now I can’t stop yawning. I should probably just drop the two classes I’m taking; I can’t stay awake through them anymore.
Twilight’s tired too, for some reason. She’s leaning back on the couch with her eyes half closed. Tonight’s episodes, the two part season finale, explain why.
I don’t bother saying anything until it’s all over. The finale almost makes the months of reruns that lie ahead worth it.
“That was pretty good, actually. The second part might’ve been my favorite episode ever.”
“Great.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me what they left out?”
“Not much. Just an hour or so of Tirek and me tearing up Equestria.”
“I wish I could’ve seen that. What was it like to have all the magic?”
“Like the rest of the world was made out of paper… everything I touched broke… all except Tirek.”
“It still made for a crazy fight.”
“I don’t really want to talk about it.”
“Aren’t you proud? You saved the world again, you got your own castle…”
She’s staring at the ground. “I didn’t want to do it.”
“Do what?”
“Imprison Tirek again.”
“Wasn’t he going to destroy everything if you didn’t?”
“That’s not was I mean. After he blew up the library I was so furious… It’s a miracle that I didn’t kill him with all that magic. It’s an even bigger miracle that I didn’t wipe out half of Equestria.”
“What’s the big deal? You were mad.”
She stares at me. “Not mad. Furious. Out of control. I actually thought Tartarus was too good for him; I wanted him dead.”
“I can understand that.”
“No, you can’t. Being sent to Tartarus is the worst punishment imaginable in my world. We don’t have a death penalty, not even for murder. There’s only been a handful of pony murderers in history, King Sombra being the most infamous one. Still, when Tirek destroyed my home, threatened my friends…”
If she had fingers, they'd be balled up in white-knuckled fists. She takes a deep breath and leans back on the couch.
“I haven’t been sleeping well ever since. I thought maybe if I came here and talked to you about it… never mind.”
I don’t really know what to say to that. Her world really is different. Coming up with anything at all to say takes a minute or two.
“I’m not sure I’d be able to sleep either if I was stuck with the title Princess of Friendship.”
Her rebuke never comes.
I look over and see her head on the armrest.
“Twilight?”
She starts to snore. Loudly. It’s so comically loud that I want to laugh. She might actually make more noise when she’s asleep than when she’s awake.
I’m not sure what to do. She just finished telling me she hasn’t been able to sleep. Am I just supposed to wake her up and let her toss and turn at home? For once a girl is sleeping in my apartment. Too bad she’s a cartoon pony.
I drag myself off the couch and start cleaning things up. I turn off the TV, put away the snacks we were too tired to eat, and make sure the front door is locked. None of these are particularly loud activities, thankfully. When I’m all done I peek back in the living room and see that she’s still asleep. I guess she’s going to be there for a while.
I find a folded up blanket in my closet. I’m not sure how long it’s been there, but at least it doesn’t smell. It’s probably cleaner than the one on my bed. This way she’ll be warm and might even feel refreshed when she wakes up.
Draping the blanket over her should be easy. Emphasis on should. Right as I’m about to pull my hand away one of her hooves folds over my arm. I’m kneeling in front of the couch with my hand trapped next to her face like a favorite teddy bear. It could be worse, and if she wakes up like this she’ll probably make it so. Tirek got off easy by comparison.
I think I said before that we never touch. That’s suited me just fine. To me she’s always been half-there: a purple apparition that appears and, through means unknown, interacts with physical things like apples and soda bottles. That idea doesn’t hold up when my hand is being tickled by her fur and warmed by her breath.
She’s real. That’s all I can say. I’m not smart enough to have this realistic of a hallucination. She’s real, covered in purple hair, and asleep on my couch. I’d better pull my hand away while all the fingers are still attached.
---
She’s gone by the time I get up the next morning. In her place there’s a folded up blanket and a note with four words: You’re the best! -Twilight.
too bad it's ending, it was funny,
The end is near, time to go out with a bang!
For my money, that moment might be the best moment of this story. Great job.
Seems like something missing what i dont know but thsts how it feels to me.
I don't want him to die....
Very good chapter however on friendship and being overwhelmed.
i still say princess of magic is a better title than friendship and i will always stick to that
Welp, I'm not sure what I can say that has not already been said.
WHAT! NO! YOU MUST CONTINUE THIS STORY WHEN SEASON 5 COMES OUT!
RIP dude
Twilight gave you cancer.
All that talk about ponies being the cancer of the internet?
Scary true.
4653252 Nah, the world's magnetic core does that all on its own so it'd be safe to assume that Twilight's world does the same. She'd be used to it.
Could just be magic alone makes him sick (hey, he might simply be allergic to magical radiation). So the solution would be a simple one: turn him into a pony and take him to Equestria. At least that's my bet.
If you end this with the human dying I might just kill you.
Then bring you back from the dead and hug you for being such a magnificent bastard and writing such a great story.
I'll still hate you though.
4653382 Is it bad I think the same as you
And now I'm reminded of how nonsensical everything in that finale involving Discord was. Le sigh.
So it wasn't lung cancer? Well that's good news for him I guess.
Everyone seems to think he's going to die... sheesh, it's probably just a cold.
It's something to do with the magic. Remember kids never eat anything that glows.
4653632
That reminds me of an extremely scary (medically speaking) story from school. Nothing says awesome like a physics lab specifically focused on radiation sources
4653627 colds do not cause weight loss and last no longer than a week... Sorry man.
4653119
That makes my night. Thanks
4653648 I'm guessing those radiation sources are most definitely not alpha isotopes.
4653709
We used all three. They were kept in a locked drawer. The professor explained that the overall dose we'd receive from the class (it only lasted a few weeks) was less than a medical x-ray. Anyway, he opened the class with lots of safety information (ie don't eat the gamma source ) as well as a sad story about the dangers of radiation in general. The story goes something like this:
Two brothers in South America were scavenging in a dump and found the remains of an x-ray machine. Not knowing what it was, they pulled it apart for scrap and found a heavily reinforced container of blue powder that glowed in the dark (the machine's radiation source). Again, not knowing what this stuff was, they brought it home to show the family. Several members of the family died, including a toddler who ate some of the powder.
4653399
AFAIK some of the symptoms of a cold are side effects caused by your body FIGHTING the disease.
Eg fever - your body is raising your temperature to kill off the virus.
Intriguing... I kinda knew that Twilight would have a bit of trouble sleeping after her home and half of Equestria was destroyed, so kudos to that.
Can't wait for the finale, my friend!
4653661 I'm just trying to stay optimistic.
4653782
4653844 Nothing wrong with that.
...
More...
Guys... He has been coughing for 4 to 5 weeks. Not 2.
I'm going with magic poisoning, equestrian virus, or he has pneumonia and the doctors are acting like the doctors where I live who will claim they don't know or that your fine till your on your death bed before they actually try to help you so they can make more money. Many people die from this, which these doctors then over bill the families or the person can't fully recover and needs constant medical help which means more money. ... and I just went on a ramt.... Sorry.
4653972 I can imagine the scenario then.
A purple flash filled the room as it faded away revealing a purple alicorn. Twilight looked around the room a grin on her face before it faded away as she saw all the boxes stacked near the door.
Is he moving?
Twilight trotted up to the boxes before peering into them. Her eyes meeting photos and his possessions. She rummaged through the box her hooves pushing aside books, video games, and dvd's. She blushed wondering what he would say if he found her looking through his stuff.
If he's moving, why can't I find any of his clothes?
Last time, I came he said he was.....sick.
She froze at what she just realized.
He said it was just a cough! He can't be!
She whimpered as tears filled the brims of her eyes. Her only friend in the human world gone.
Sucks I know.
Plot Twilight is succubus and is feeding off his life force.
Sad to hear its ending. Need to know what is wrong with Jake though. If you pull a twist ending, it better be good.
I'm lovin' it.
4654108 That's just evil
4654029 Um, they're both magnetic waves. I checked with my best friend (who's a professor of physics).
An just because one creature is immune to an environment doesn't mean all others are. There is a species of monkey that a plant which has enormous amounts of cyanide in it. Few mammals could survive that level of toxicity, and no other primates could (which, admittedly is the opposite of our debate).
But to sum it up, its entirely possible for one organism to be able to survive another's environment, but not the opposite. I mean, haven't we had plenty of environmental change here on earth were several species died off due to some pollution becoming present, but not all of them?
daww
That ROMANCE tag is staring into my very soul
and then they all died, the end.
4654342 Good idea, I'd like to see more of this guy's writing.
Theory: Equestrian virus unknown to human doctors, and Twilight must return the favor Jake's been doing her (visits once a week) with Earth-to-Equestria "outpatient visits" for treatment. Nicely symmetrical, if it turns out to be true. /)
Damn. for a less-than-1000-word chapter, this was powerful. If not the best chapter of the story.
Good sir, you know what the hell you're doing when you write. I may have to consider you for one of my favorite fimfiction writers now.
4655344 Satan is that you
I cannot see how an eternity in Tartarus is more merciful than death.
4657668
One word: bloodlust
How touching of her to leave that note.
~Skeeter The Lurker
This is actually rather heartwarming.
4653119 Couldn't have said it better. My thoughts exactly.
This is nice, I like it. FRIENDSHIP!
Keep it up!