The Legacy of IceHeart

by MineLittleDashie

Chapter 7: A Brief Reunion [re-written]

Honestly, I hadn't expected to see them again so soon.

Then again, I had trashed the Crystal Empire and flash frozen a few guards.

"Johnathan!" The positive emotion put into my name sickens me. How can they be so excited about seeing me?

"Um, who are those?"

I glance down at Powder Snow, who is shuffling her hooves nervously, her gaze constantly alternating between me and the approaching ponies.

"Powder, you might want to get back. In case this gets messy."

She nods a few times before retreating behind a barrel a couple of meters behind us.

I watch her until she's hidden, then turn my attention back to the approaching group, hardening my face into my classic, emotionless mask. I stand there quietly and motionless, watching my potential adversaries approach.

They stop a few meters in front of me, well except for Pinkie Pie who proceeds to launch herself at me, probably in an attempt to hug me. I raise a short ice wall that succeeds in halting the bouncing menace, then return my attention to the leader of the six.

Twilight, for whatever reason, seems ecstatic see me. The others just look angry or mildly upset.

"Oh my Celestia, Johnathan! I am soooooo glad we were able to find you!" Her overly happy attitude convinces me to be cautious and study her words for any carefully concealed bullshit.

"Are you now?"

Her ears drop slightly, meaning that she can sense the hostility in my words.

"I just want you to know that we know why the mirror was so important to you."

I raise an eyebrow.

"I found a spell that let me temporarily restore the mirror, and we saw the pictures."

The pictures in question flash through my memory and I find myself thinking about the place I had once called home.

Twilight drops her head and begins to slowly drag one of her front hooves through the snow. "I can't possibly say how sorry I am. We had no idea how important the mirror was to you, and now it's gone."

A blanket of depression seems to cover the area, and I am shocked to see small spots appear on the ground below Twilight.

Tears?

I take a step forward, kneel in front of Twilight, and put a hand under her chin, lifting her head to make her gaze meet mine. My emotionless mask now broken, Twilight can see the her pain and sadness reflected in my eyes.

"Twilight, you have nothing to be sorry for. It wasn't your fault."

"But it was!" The purple unicorn insists. "Instead of trying to find a peaceful solution, one that would help everyone, we chased you away. And friends shouldn't do that to friends."

Friend.

I paused, attempting to understand this new situation that had been presented to me. In my entire life, I'd never encountered this sort of......compassion? Kindness? How, after what had happened...... After what I'd done...... How could she still consider me a friend?

I drop my hand and straighten. "I don't understand."

Twilight looks up at me in surprise, then attempts to say something, only for Rainbow Dash to beat her to the punch.

"What is there to understand?!" Rainbow sounds exasperated. "We're sorry we chased you away, and we want you to come back!"

The others nod their heads and murmur almost unintelligible words of agreement.

I'm silent as I look over the six ponies, each with roughly similar expressions of grief or guilt.

Not aware that I had been holding my breath, I slowly exhale, watching as my breath drifts off into the sky, like smoke from a chimney. Then my eyes return to the ones before me.

"Is it truly that simple?" My words, though devoid of emotion, are soft and quiet.

The six mares look puzzled by my question.

"I may forgive the six of you, which I do now, but I cannot forgive myself. So while I am "glad" to call you friends, I must refuse to return with you to the Crystal Empire. Instead, I will continue to wander these frozen lands for a time longer. A self-appointed "exile", if you will. After then, perhaps, I will seek you out."

On the outside, It looked like my decision was no big deal, but on the inside, I was hurting. To go into "exile" again, after having found a place where I might belong.

As for my original home, I had looked over many maps in the windigo castle, but had not found a single mention of it. And so, I pushed it from my mind, self-assured that I would never see it again.

Rainbow's face takes on a more hostile appearance. "Are you serious? We come all this way to have a sappy heart-to-heart moment to convince you to come back, and you--"

"Rainbow," Twilight cuts her off. "I won't pretend to fully understand the reasons for his decision, but I do understand one thing, and that's that he doesn't hold any resentment towards us."

She looks at me for confirmation and I nod in solem agreement.

Applejack steps forward. "I reckon Twi's said everything we all feel, but it ain't gonna feel right unless I say it with my own mouth. I'm sorry for how we treated ya, Johnathan. And while I think your kinda crazy for wantin' to go and wander 'round out there, if that's what you feel will help you forgive yourself, then I'm behind you all the way."

The others voice their agreement, and for a moment, I feel a warmth inside. It feels strange, but it disappears quickly. What was it?

"Oh, wait! Before you go..."

I look up and see Pinkie Pie pull something from behind them. It's a large backpack, fully packed with the rest of my belongings and resupplied with food.

She drags it up and drops it in front of me. "We thought this would make a good 'We're Sorry, Will You Still Be Our Friend' present. Do you like it?"

I reach down and pick it up, testing its weight, then sling it over my shoulder.

"It's a fantastic present, Pinkie. Thank you."

"And don't forget this!" Rarity levitates a large, canvas bag over to me.

I take it and hear a clanking sound from within. Opening it, I am "elated" to find my armor inside. I take my helmet out and turn it in my hands, examining it. It seems...different somehow.

"I took the liberty of polishing it to perfection for you."

I flash the white unicorn a smirk, which probably looked a little too condescending due to my lack of joyful expressions. Thankfully, it seems that she was able to correctly interpret the action.

The next couple of minutes are passed in silence as I equip my armor, the slight chill of the cold metal seem more welcoming than the warmth of the yeti fur, which I fold up and place in my bag.

Accomplishing the task, I remove my helmet and gaze down at the ponies.

"It is nice to know that I have friends, should I ever need to call upon them."

A moment of inspiration hits me and I once again dig into my backpack, retrieving a small bag of light blue crystalline dust, which I present to Twilight.

"And if you should ever find yourself in dire need, scatter this to the wind, and I will come to you. But be warned, it only works once, so I suggest you split it up amongst yourselves."

Twilight grips the bag with her magic and places it in a saddlebag.

"Thank you. Hopefully we won't need it. I mean, it's not that we don't want to see you again! It's that..."

"I know what you mean, Twilight. I would also prefer it if you never had to use it."

She smiles at me in response.

"Now then," I straighten and nod at them. "Ladies."

I turn and begin to walk out into the icy wilderness.

"Powder!"

Twilight and her friends appear shocked as the filly jumps out from behind the barrels and charges past them after me.

A thought hits Twilight. "Wait! Who was that alicorn in the picture with you?!"

I look over my shoulder and flash a cryptic smirk at them.

"My mother!"

Twilight is still sputtering incoherent statements as Powder and I disappear into the cold wasteland.

Author's Note:

You know what's hard about writing a story? Figuring out what minor adventures or events that affect the characters between the big stuff.

I welcome any suggestions for events in this story, or Truth about Reapers, just post them in the comment section of the respective story, or PM me.

If you do comment with a suggestion, don't be offended if I don't reply or don't use your idea, it just means I thought there was something wrong with it, or that I'm considering it.

I will give credit for the ideas if I do use them, so you get some publicity.

Hope you people keep reading and keep the likes coming!

-MinelittleDashie

Comments

[Noctus Umbra]

Fast nerfing of that problem. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you wrote it, just: convenient is all

[MineLittleDashie]

>>yeah, I didn't have time to make the chapter longer. I plan on adding reworking it though

[grievousrommel]

It lives!!

[Midnight Crow]

I honestly thought it would at least be some rage....wish the separation could have lasted longer

[HopeForTheFew]

I can dig this chapter.

[avenger001]

The story is amazing I can hardly wait for new chapters to come out.I wish there were more stories with humans and less used creatures of equestria like windeoges I know i probably misspelled that.

[MineLittleDashie]

Indeed. That's a topic that has potential to be expanded upon drastically. Make for more interesting reads as well

[Ghosthunter160]

Interesting.