The Mortal Sin

by Humanarian

Chapter 3: Healing

I have returned to Apple Bloom's room, quietly closing the door behind me. The filly must be asleep by n...

"Why?"

The voice of the mentioned filly had proven me wrong. And had immediately filled me with concern. What is she still doing out of her bed? Why is she still not asleep? Has she seen me out there? I tried to calm myself down and process that step by step. But her question had been repeated again.

"Why?"

In the same voice... which sounded almost monotonous. What is she up to? What is she asking about? The best cource of action, it seemed, was once again putting on a mask of an innocent child.

"Why... what?" - I asked, trying to sound genuine. Her reaction was going to tell me if my concerns were empty, after all, and she didn't see me crushing that creature... or the opposite, - "What are you talking about, Apple Bloom?"

She was sitting there, in the middle of her room, facing away from me and looking at the beautiful night sky. Hm... the night sky in this world is more beautiful than it used to be where I'm from.

"Why... why did ya do it?" - her anwer was only rising my concerns, but then I had noticed something I didn't pay attention to before: she was sniffling. Is she crying? - "Why didn't ya'll just run away? Why did ya put yaself in such danger? Why did ya do something like that... for me?"

Her questions seemed... silly at first. But that impression had been completely ruined as soon as I actually tried answering them. My mouth was just left open, no sound coming out. Because I had no idea. Why did I care? I could have just left her and run away, then find an excuse, put on a teary face mask if needed. I didn't need to save her. Then... why?

"I... don't know," - I had chosen to answer the question honestly, - "I just... did."

We remained silent for a couple of minutes. None of us knew what to say, so I had decided to change the topic.

"It's night, Apple Bloom. You shouldn't be sitting there..." - I said, but got no reply in return. I stepped closer and tried helping her up. Jumping onto the bed can't be easy when the leg is ingured. Surprisingly, I had met no resistance at all. In fact, it seemed that Apple Bloom had even relaxed in my embrace. Her behaviour is strange...

I helped her climb onto the bed, where we both fell onto the soft sheets, facing each other. The look on her face, though, suggested that instead of me, she had been looking onto something completely different, something that was far away and could be seen through my body.

"What are you looking at?" - I asked an innocent question, and so didn't expect the reaction I had witnessed. The dreamy smile had found it's way onto her face. It was the first time she smiled after the incident.

"My hero..." - she said dreamily. What? It seemed that her mind had asked her the same question as she quickly raised her hoofs to cover her mouth and turned away from me. It was dark, but to the shadow creature like me, it was clear that her face had changed colour once again. I for once, didn't know how to react to such an answer, so I simply reached to her and gave her a hug. It's going to be a long night...

---

"Say, Dark Side... How much do ya'll remember 'bout yer life?" - the poor filly didn't feel like falling asleep that night. So, we ended up having a conversation. Perhaps, I'll manage to coax out a bit more information about my suroundings...

"Not much. I just remember it was a loving family, but then... I can't tell you how I ended up in the Everfree forest."

She didn't know I could watch her from the shadows, so, she didn't supress her facial expressions, thinking that facing away from me would keep them secret. But I knew she was saddened by my reply.

"It must feel horrible... to be separated with yer family."

"If you have all of your memories, that is," - I countered, - "But I don't, and as for the feelings... I feel loved and cared for in your family."

After that, we were lying in silence. If I couldn't see her face, I might have thought she had fallen asleep.

"Ya know... It's like ya'll are already a part of our family."

The sudden conclusion had caught me completely off-guard. And it wasn't the phrase itself, but something that happened to me as soon as I had heard it. It felt like something warm had started to fill my body, focusing more on my chest. And it felt... nice. I didn't reply to that, only tightening my grip on Apple Bloom a little bit.

"Please... never go away..." - the filly mumbled, and I could tell that she had fallen asleep right after those words, the exhaustion and the weight of the day finally getting to her.

Where would I even want to go in this world I know so little about?...

---

The night had passed eventually, and the new day had begun. Trying to use the filly's exhausted state to my advantage and exploring the farm with my shadows didn't bring much of a valuable result: I hadn't discovered anything I hadn't seen with my body's eyes. But keeping an eye on it for the night wouldn't hurt, since I had no idea what kind of other creatures could pose a threat to ponies. My shadows had to retreat when I had noticed Granny Smith waking up though. She didn't wake up this early yesterday... Is something wrong? About two hours later, Apple Bloom began to stir awake as well. I was about to greet her, but she just buried her face deeper into my coat, as if I was her pillow.

"Good morning, Apple Bloom," - I said after giving the filly a few more moments to enjoy that sweet lie. Her eyes started to open slowly, then shot completely open when she had realized she had been snuggling me in her sleep again. However, I had avoided the fate of being pushed from the bed once again. Yes, her body tensed at first, but then, she let out a defeated sigh.

"Ah did it again, didn't ah?"

"Yes, you did," - I said, allowing my hoof reach and ruffle her mane a little bit. I could swear I had seen a faint blush creeping on her cheeks, but the next second it already hadn't been there, - "But I don't mind it at all."

She waited a few moments before pushing my hoof away and trying to get up, leaving our cozy "predicament". But then a painful expression had crossed her face as the wound on her leg had reminded about itself. I had noticed that and offered my help.

---

"Ah, there you two are!" - Applejack had greeted us as I was helping the filly walk down the stairs, - "And 'bout time for breakfast!"

"Good morning, Applejack, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith," - I said like a polite child my disguise was, - "Are you having a good morning?"

"Good? Ah'll be! It's a special morning. The morning we celebrate our little hero!" - she said and winked at me. Celebrating... me? Indeed, I could understand that they valued the fact of me saving Apple Bloom a lot, but... celebration? How generous of them...

"Let's wait no longer. Join the table, ya two!"

I looked at Apple Bloom, and she smiled brightly back a me. She looks so... happy. It hit me that I had never thought about what the true happiness could be like. And how it would feel to be happy. Maybe... with those ponies I'll manage to figure it out.

---

Now it was clear why Granny Smith was awake so early that day. It appeared, she had woken up Applejack and Big Macintosh to cook that luxority of a breakfast. I didn't even know that it is possible to cook so many different meals from apples. Needless to say, I was really impressed.

I am Pride, the first Homunculus. The emotion of pride is what I am, I embody it. Pride has always been the only thing I feel, it defined my lifestyle, my mindset, my everything. And having such a celebration being done in my name was supposed to make me feel proud of myself. Wasn't it natural to be proud of your own achievements? It's been just a couple of days in this completely different world, and I've managed to get it's inhabitants treating me like a hero, seeing me as their hero. Isn't that something to be proud of? Something to brag about? Of course it is... but then, why is it not how I'm feeling now?

That was true. Instead of pride, my entire existance was being filled with something else... Something I was familiar with by that point. It was the same warm feeling that I had experienced when Apple Bloom cuddled me on the first night. Or when she said that I'm already the part of their family.

Family... Why is that word beginning to mean more and more to me?

I couldn't find a logical answer, no matter how many times I had asked myself that question. But the truth remained the same: it just did. I was so lost in the thought that the voice of Big Macintosh from behind me had almost caused me to ready my shadows for an attack. Luckily, that's not what I did.

"A bit for yer thoughts, little fellah?"

The luxorious breakfast had come to an end, but only at that moment it occured to me that I was still at the table, lost in my own thoughts. I, however, remembered what happened the day before, and had decided to tease the big stallion a little bit. After all, that's what kids do from time to time...

"Eeeenope!" - was my answer. Big Macintosh had a confused look on his face at that for a few moment, until the gears in his head had finally connected. That had caused him to smile sheepishly and scratch behind his head nervously. He tried some excuse.

"Look, Ah know it wasn't polite of me, but Ah... just couldn't discuss it at the table. Ya know... it's a grown up pony kahnd of talk."

I'm centuries older than you...

"You're still guilty for not trying," - it seemed, I had confused the big red stallion even more with that phrase, so I decided to get my point across, - "Saying that it's a grown up pony business is a nice excuse, but it's still an excuse. You never know which pony might prove themselves helpful until you talk to them and open up a bit."

I'm talking too much... that might ruin my innocent mask. And so, I've decided to stay silent and let the big pony continue the conversation. He didn't. It looked like he was about to say something, but each time he opened his mouth to speak, no sound came out, so he closed it. I think I read somewhere that something like that happens when a person is experiencing a "battle" in their mind. What is he thinking about?

"Yo're right. Ah shouldn't have shut you out for silly reasons."

I had given him an innocent smile in return.

"I understand, Applejack has already had a talk with you. But next time, perhaps, it'll be better not to wait 'till she shakes it out of you, huh?" - I said, leaving the table and walking away to meet a brand new day. As I was about to walk out of the house, my ears had caught a familiar "Eeeyup".

Glad you agree...

---

As I had walked outside, the sound of some wooden construction works going on had filled my ears. It was something new. What would they need to...? Oh, no. The memories of the broken clubhouse and the sadness on Apple Bloom's face returned to me, and before I knew it, my legs were carrying me in that direction. Expectedly, I had found Applejack and the little filly doing their best to repair the poor clubhouse, which, as I remembered, was left in ruins. And I had to admit, they did an impressive job.

"Wow..." - I called out to them, - "If you keep going at this rate, the clubhouse will be fixed in no time at all! How may I help?"

Applejack just chuckled at my eagerness.

"Ya helped mighty well already, little fellah. Leave the rest to us. Though... ya'll could keep little Apple Bloom here a company while Ah'm at it."

Indeed, due to her injured leg, the little filly couldn't provide her big sister much help. But she still tried her best, and was quite tired by the time I stepped in. I walked to her side, trying to start a friendly conversation and distract her from feeling useless. Or at least that's what I thought she felt like judging by the expression on her face.

"You have a wonderful big sister," - I said in a gentle tone. That caused her to smile. That's some progress...

"That ah do... Ah wouldn't trade mah family for anything else in the world."

"That means you are not going to let me go, are you?" - I chuckled, giving her a playful poke on a shoulder. The red colour had appeared on her cheeks as she had realized what I was refering to. But soon, the sadness had taken over her face once again.

"Ah really don't want to... Ah don't want you to go," - she started sniffling, but I had put my hoof on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Even if I have to go, that doesn't mean I won't visit. And why wouldn't I want to visit a filly like you?"

She blushed even deeper at that.

"Ah suppose..."

"Say, Apple Bloom... What is a family to you?"

My question had caused the young filly to pause, a thoughtful expression had appeared on her face. I could tell it was an important topic for her... and, it seemed, for everypony in the Apple Family. I was yet to meet another ponies, but I couldn't help wondering if they all put their families about all else.

"A family... is where ya're always welcome. Where ya feel at home, even if ya're far away from yer homeland. Family is where yer heart lies, and where it feels the most safe. Family is a bond stronger than a rock or a metal, nopony can break it. Family... is a part of who ya are."

Wow... that is a rather impressive phylosophical speech for a young filly. Perhaps, I had even underestimated how important that topic was to her. The sound of a gentle sniffling had caught my attention, and I turned my head to find it's source.

Applejack was crying, but there was a big smile on her face. And I felt something... the emotion she was experiencing. It was so familiar to me, yet so different from what I used to feel. That emotion was...

Pride.

Author's Note:

I'm happy to realise that I've managed to force myself to sit down and finally write something after such a long break. Hope you enjoy this sweet chapter!

Comments

[Soleam]

WOOT UPDATE!!! It's not DEAD!!

[Soleam]

Brains!!!! ty for updating. write more when your inner muse feels acting up.

[Humanarian]

7383172 Well, I sure hope you have enjoyed the latest chapter then.