Chapter 8 - To Part (R)
“Did you see where Silver landed?”
“He's over by the statue. Quick!
"Oh my, I hope he's ok.
“Is that smoke coming from him? Why did he do a stupid thing like that?”
“If he lives you can ask him yourself Rainbow. Looks like his shirt is nothing but ash.”
“Oh my, burns are hard to treat. He'll need an ambulance.”
“That tears it, ah'm calling 911.”
“No, it'll be faster to take him through the portal.”
“You sure he'd survive that darling? My goodness . . . what happened to him?”
“Those are the same scars I saw earlier but . . . is he uninjured?!”
“Darling, when did you see him without a shirt?”
“Now is not the time Rarity. Fluttershy, how is he?”
“What the heck. How does a wuss- uuhhh, how does he have abs?”
“Quiet Dash! Ah' think you've said quite enough. Fluttershy?”
“His breathing is steady. He's not bleeding or burned where I can see.”
“He just took a fireball to the face, how is that possible?!”
“Thank Celestia. Silver please wake up!”
“Don't try to move him Twilight. He might still be fighting when he wakes up.”
“Fluttershy is right. Back up and give them some space!”
“Silver? Can you hear me? Please wake up.”
A gust of wind blew across my chest, making me shiver. Being chilled didn’t come to mind when I thought about what it might feel like to be dead. The voices that were cutting through the ringing in my ears and the fingers checking for a pulse on my neck didn’t quite match up either. I cracked my eyes open to see what was going on, bracing for pain but it never came.
I was still lying on my side next to the statue, exactly where I had blacked out. I rolled over to my back to see what was going on. Two friendly faces with frightened purple and teal eyes were watching me. I blinked a couple times and began to cough. My voice was a raspy whisper when I spoke.
“Hey there. You ok?” I croaked.
Twilight and Fluttershy’s faces both relaxed and they smiled. Those smiles quickly vanished though and Twilight took my hand in hers. I squeezed it to reassure her. Her eyes filled with tears and her wings fluttered briefly. Wings. There were wings on her back. I reached up with my other hand and brushed a single feather to confirm I wasn't hallucinating. They were incredibly soft to the touch and they twitched a bit. When she spoke her voice was small and sad.
“What were you thinking Silver?” Twilight asked. “Why would you risk yourself like that?”
I coughed a few times to clear the dust out of my throat and then looked straight into those beautiful purple eyes. There was a tear running down her cheek that brushed away with my finger.
“I had to. I made a promise to make sure you got home safely. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if you or your friends had been killed while I stood by doing nothing. My life seemed like a small price to pay for your safety.”
“Thank you,” she sniffled. “I wish . . . I wish you didn’t believe your life was worth so little. Please don’t scare me like that again.”
“I’ll do my best but I’m glad you’re safe,” I responded. “If I had to make the choice again, I wouldn't do anything different.”
Twilight sighed and got up to her feet. “Silver, I really need to talk to you before I head home but first I have to deal with Sunset. Fluttershy, can you check and make sure the Elements actually healed all his injuries?”
Fluttershy nodded at Twilight who then turned and walked towards the school. As she walked her posture changed completely. Normally she felt friendly and welcoming but this was something new. Twilight was standing up straight with her head held high. Her wings were spread wide and every step revealed her confidence and authority. At that moment she reminded me of the princesses I had met through the looking glass. My eyes were drawn to a massive smoking crater in the middle of the courtyard which she was walking towards. The other students had gathered around it and were staring at something inside.
Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack were standing in a small group halfway between the statue and the pit. The long hair, pony ears, tails, and wings were all clearly visible. I noted they looked very similar to their pony counterparts. They were watching Twilight and talking in low voices but occasionally one of them would glance where I was lying.
While I was watching Twilight's abrupt change, Fluttershy did a rapid body assessment, looking for breaks or bleeding. I jumped when I felt her hands on my bare chest while she checked for broken ribs. I felt guilty that she was having to touch me at all. As soon as she finished, I sat up and scrambled up against the statue. I wrapped my arms around my bare chest nervously and gave myself a look over. My new shirt had been reduced to two scorched sleeves, part of the collar and a ragged piece of fabric on my back. My pants were only scorched and I was relieved to see my bracers and gloves were fine. A quick glance confirmed all my scars were unchanged and I felt my face flush.
“Looks like I’m ok,” I sighed. “You should go join your friends.”
“I am with a friend,” she mumbled. “I was so scared when I saw you crumpled on the ground like that. If you just wait here, I’ll make sure the other students don’t see you.”
“I- I- thank you,” I stuttered. “I wish you didn't have to see this. I can’t imagine it’s good for your stomach.”
Fluttershy spread her wings to provide me with shelter from the cold evening breeze and from the eyes of the other students. She took my hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.
“I can understand why you’re self-conscious,” She said gently. “I hate feeling like people are staring at me too but it’s not that bad. No, I’m the one who should say I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“I could have done more,” she apologized. “I should have said something in the library. Sunset bullied everyone and I should have believed you wouldn’t help her. You did so much and got so little credit. I’m sorry.”
“Fluttershy, you of all people have nothing to apologize for,” I replied quietly.
The ringing in my ears made it impossible to hear anything other than voices right next to me. Fortunately, it was fading away but I was missing something. While I spoke with Fluttershy, Twilight pulled a grubby and disheveled Sunset Shimmer out of the crater. Her face was streaked with tears and the vicious anger that characterized her every action was completely absent. I hadn’t ever seen Sunset Shimmer vulnerable or scared. Twilight was speaking with Sunset and then gestured at the girls.
I shrank back behind the statue and Fluttershy’s wing while Principal Celestia returned the crown to Twilight in a small ceremony. I slumped as I tried to figure out what was next in my life but I couldn’t come up with anything positive. Twilight had the crown and would be leaving in no more than an hour. The energy I had brought with me from Equestria was long gone and the weight of nearly dying twice in one day crowded in on my shoulders.
Flash Sentry walked up to Twilight after the ceremony ended and held out his hand. It looked like he was asking her something. She glanced over her shoulder at me and then turned back to him. He nodded and Twilight started walking towards me. The instant her back was turned, Flash shot me a furious glare. Meanwhile, the other students began walking back to the gym.
Things aren’t going to change are they?
You never know. Chin up.
Twilight smiled when she saw me sitting up. “Thank Celestia you’re ok. How are you feeling?”
“My ears are ringing and I’m exhausted,” I said. “However to my surprise, I'm alive, breathing and feeling better than I have in months. So what does Flash want?'
“Right,” Twilight replied, her voice clearly torn as she glanced back at the other students. “I kind of promised him a dance earlier. With all the craziness, I haven’t actually had a chance yet. I told him I had to make sure you were alright first and I don’t want to leave you alone.”
I felt a pang of something in my heart but I pushed it away and forced a smile. “You should go enjoy the last of your time here. Take the girls and go have fun at the dance. I need to go get some clothes that aren't scorched. Or completely destroyed.”
“OK . . . Are you – I mean will you- I’ll see you at the dance then?” she stuttered.
I shook my head. “I don’t have a ticket and I don’t think I’d feel comfortable in a crowded space. I promise I’ll be out here waiting when you’re ready to leave. Please, go have some fun, you’ve earned it.”
What are you doing?
I don’t want to ruin her evening.
She's leaving for so long though.
I know. That's why she deserves to enjoy the time left.
Twilight hesitated for a moment before walking back to talk to the other girls. Then she took Flash’s arm and let him escort her into the school followed by the other girls. I felt a bit of envy as I watched them vanish through the door. Once the courtyard was empty, I slowly got up to my feet. I immediately began to sway and had to use the statue to steady myself.
Ok, I’m in worse shape than I expected.
We did almost die twice.
I just about jumped out of my skin when a mass of curly pink hair popped out from under my arm. I could swear I just watched the owner of that hair head into the dance. Pinkie Pie had slipped up behind me, somehow and was helping me keep my balance. Fluttershy walked over and took my other arm. The attention made me feel a bit self-conscious and I wasn't sure what to make of their help.
“Hey, you two don't have to worry about me,” I said nervously. “Go enjoy yourselves at the dance!”
“I don't mind,” Fluttershy whispered. “I came to be with my friends. I just want to make sure you're ok.”
“Don't be silly Silver!” Pinkie giggled. “Silly Silvy! We danced earlier but now I have to help my new friend out. Ooh, what kind of food should we have at your 'Congrats on not dying in a fire' party? Do you think sriracha cupcakes would be good? Oooh, or we could have a barbecue!”
“Maybe a bit too close to home considering I was almost barbecue a few minutes ago,” I replied. “Not sure celebrating me not burning to death would attract much enthusiasm. Don't you think it might be a bit early to plan a party?”
“Blasphemy!” Pinkie gasped theatrically. “It's never too soon to start planning parties.”
I just shook my head and started walking to the car. Honestly, even though I had suggested Pinkie and Fluttershy should go to the dance, I was glad they were with me. My legs felt like jelly for the first portion of the walk but slowly the strength was coming back. It was like I had briefly forgotten how to walk. I had to assume I was badly hurt before the magic healed me. Speaking of magic, I glanced at the new features poking out of the girl's hair.
“Those wings, hair, and ears look pretty cool. How does it feel?”
Pinkie's ears began twitching and dancing on top of her head. “It feels so neato, these ears are sooo much fun and I feel even more energetic! Twilight says I'm the element of laughter which is just perfect don't you think?!”
I could only nod in agreement at her incredible excitement. Fluttershy was a bit more reserved in her enthusiasm.
“Oh yes, they're very nice,” Fluttershy mumbled while fluttering her wings nervously. “This is all very strange. Did you know Twilight is a pony princess from another world and Spike is actually a dragon?”
“Huh, I knew about Twilight but Spike's identity never came up. I'm just glad I don't have to keep the secret anymore.”
Pinkie looked over at me with a look of surprise. “You knew about her before we did? HOW? Are you psychic?”
I couldn't help but laugh out loud as I thought back over the past couple of days. “Twilight and Sunset got into an argument about the crown while I was nearby. I thought I'd finally snapped when I heard Spike talk. I spoke to her about it after we finished up last night..”
“Wow! That sure was lucky.”
It was equally lucky I had an old sweat-shirt and pants in my sports bag in the car. It was a relief to be able to hide my scars again. The three of us walked back to the school and I settled down on a bench in the school lobby. I was feeling much steadier so I convinced Fluttershy and Pinkie to go to the dance. They deserved to have a bit more fun with Twilight and I needed a minute of quiet to think.
I have no idea what to do anymore.
No surprise there. We didn't exactly know before either.
Yes, but Luna said to find a purpose.
Rome wasn't built in a day. We helped Twilight and that's enough for now.
I've got thirty moons to fill before I can see her again.
It's going to be lonely but we will make it through.
I guess so. It was nice to spend the morning with someone.
Sweet Luna, that was only this morning?
This day has been insane.
I was pulled out of my introspection by footsteps coming up the hallway. Sunset, Snips, and Snails were following Vice Principal Luna. I shrank back against the wall and tried not to move. Honestly, I didn't really want to speak with anybody here. Vice Principal Luna had an angry frown on her face when she turned to face the three of them.
“I expect the three of you back here at nine sharp tomorrow, ready to stack up as much salvage as possible and to help the contractors repair this mess. For now, I need you to sweep the loose dust and debris up as best you can while staying well away from the damage. Once the dance is done, you can clean that up as well. You should thank your lucky stars Celestia is writing this up as an accident to keep the police out of it. We'd be having a very different conversation otherwise. You'll be spending a lot of time making up for this.”
It's uncanny how much she sounds like Princess Luna.
This is going to be terribly confusing.
At least we won't be running into both Lunas at the same time.
Sunset was staring at the ground while the Vice Principal spoke. When she finished speaking, Sunset looked her in the eye with a surprising amount of confidence.
“With respect Vice Principal Luna, Snips and Snails are not to blame,” Sunset replied. “I was the one who did all this damage, they simply followed my orders. Even when they were obeying, they didn't damage school property. I'm the only one who should be receiving this punishment.”
“Are you sure about this Sunset?”
“Yes.”
Luna crossed her arms and looked at Snips and Snails. “Very well, it looks like you two are off the hook for the repairs. Go home. I still expect to see you two in detention after school for the next month.”
I was honestly surprised that Sunset was willing to shoulder all the blame for her actions. Snips and Snails nodded enthusiastically and ran off towards the side door without another word. The Vice Principal handed Sunset a broom and walked away leaving her alone in the lobby. I watched Sunset like she was a snake about to strike. There were tears on her face as she silently began sweeping the lobby.
After a couple of minutes, she paused and looked around to plan her next move. That's when she spotted me sitting on the bench by the trophy case. I felt fear run down my spine while her sorrow-filled aquamarine eyes seemed to search my face. Her mouth opened and closed several times as if she was trying to speak but no sound came out. Finally, she just shook her head and turned back to sweeping.
I don't know what to say to her either.
We can deal with that another day. Let's leave her be.
Instead of waiting around in uncomfortable silence, I stood up and wandered out into the courtyard. My feet took me over towards the gym window I had been peeking through earlier. The dance was crazy at this point. The girls with their pony features were easy to pick out of the crowd. I spotted Rainbow Dash first, as she soared around the room giving a younger girl a ride on her shoulders. The other girls were dancing with other groups and it took me a while to spot the one girl I was really curious about.
I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw Twilight dancing on all fours. It made perfect sense since she was a pony. So she was dancing like a pony which was just adorable and cute, especially because her wings were moving in time to the music as well. On the other hand, seeing Flash Sentry there copying her moves was a bit irritating. Honestly, he was just another random bully in my eyes and one I'd have to deal with on Monday. I slipped down and drifted back to the statue. It would be an adequate place to wait to say goodbye.
Twilight left the dance about twenty minutes before the portal was due to close. I was leaning on the statue right beside the portal and I stood up to greet them. The girls were trailing close behind her. Most of them were looking at me but Rainbow Dash and Rarity seemed to be avoiding my gaze. As it was, I did my best to avert my eyes to avoid offending the girls any more than necessary. Twilight stopped in front of me and looked me in the eye.
“Silver, before I go, can I ask you a question?”
“Go right ahead Twilight,” I replied. "Anything you want.”
“What happened when you disappeared? The rumors that cropped up this afternoon about you wrecking the gym were just awful but I doubt that's what happened. If you're willing, I think we all need to hear the truth.”
I kept my eyes squarely on Twilight's face, but I could see the others out of the corner of my eyes. Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy were watching me carefully but at least there were smiles on their faces. Applejack had a frown on her face and I was worried she was angry at me. Rainbow and Rarity were absolutely silent and refused to even look in my direction. I ignored them all and just spoke to Twilight. This explanation was for her and her alone as far as I was concerned. The fact that others were listening was irrelevant.
“As planned, I distracted Sunset by luring her out to this statue while you did your show,” I explained. “That was about the time my headache caught up with me and I passed out. Sunset dumped me through the portal to get me out of her way. Apparently, the Princesses were waiting by the portal. They healed my physical injuries but I didn't wake up."
I paused and shivered at the memory of the dreams that had tormented me. Then I pushed onwards.
"Princess Luna discovered I had been stabbed with a cursed weapon brought here from your world. That happened during the same incident that gave me the scars before I moved here. It has been mostly dormant but the magic from the portal triggered the final stages. She didn't give a specific timeline but I got the impression I wouldn't have lasted the night without treatment. Once she cleared the curse away, I regained consciousness and returned just before you got the crown. I guess you know the rest.”
Twilight's eyes widened with every word I spoke. She covered her mouth with her hand and tears dripped out of her eyes when I got to the part about nearly dying. Her wings were visibly wilting as she spoke.
“Twice?” she whispered in horror. “You nearly died twice in one day? Dear Celestia, I'm so sorry!”
I smiled to try and reassure her. “Hey, hey now, it's not your fault. I'm going to be fine thanks to you. You gave me enough courage to trust Luna was actually there to help me. You saved me. Twice I nearly died and twice you helped save my life Twilight.”
Suddenly, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms and wings around me in the most incredible hug I'd ever experienced. The wings enhanced the closeness of the moment and I instinctively put my arms around her to gently reciprocate. I was struggling to hold my emotions in check. There was so much I wasn't going to be able to ask her about magic, Thestrals, souls, and her life back in Equestria. Time was running out and I needed to see her leave with a smile on her face. She wouldn't do that if I was crying.
“Twilight, I met your friends back in Equestria,” I whispered in her ear while she held me. “They were incredibly familiar but I'm guessing you've never met my counterpart.”
“No, I haven't. Why do you ask?”
“I'm worried about him,” I explained. “I was in a bad place when we met and I fear he might be in similar trouble. Please try to find him and help him if you can. Luna will be able to help you track him or my parent's counterparts down.”
“I will do my best,” she pledged. “I wish I could stay longer.”
“They need you back in Equestria Twilight,” I replied, letting go of the hug and taking her hand. “If you or Equestria ever need my aid, seek me out. I will be there just as you and the princesses were for me.”
In an uncharacteristically bold move, I lifted the back of her hand up to my mouth and gave it a very quick, gentle kiss before letting her go. When I stepped back, there was a small smile on her face and her cheeks were blushing a bit. She straightened up and her next words had that same undertone of authority and confidence.
“I thank you Silver Spark. Your aid shall not be forgotten and your offer will be remembered if such a time should arrive.”
“By the way, you look absolutely stunning tonight,” I said in a more playful voice.
Twilight's rosy cheeks turned even redder. “Thank you. Maybe I'll get to see you in formal wear next time I see you.”
“I'll see what I can do,” I promised. “No matter what, Luna willing I'll be here to meet you in thirty moons. Cross my heart. Hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye. Goodbye Twilight Sparkle.”
Safe journey my princess.
I stepped away from her and the cluster of girls who had been completely silent while I spoke to Twilight. The girls rushed in to get hugs from the princess. I noticed a few of the girls had rosy cheeks and I figured it was safe to assume they were offended I had touched Twilight. I'd probably pay for that later. While they said their goodbyes to her, I knelt down and held out my hand to Spike.
“You were right to be worried about my headache Spike,” I said. “You're a perceptive guy and that will carry you far in life. Take care of yourself and Twilight.”
“You take care of yourself too Silver,” Spike replied putting his paw in my hand. “It's been fun when we weren't running for our lives. Maybe I'll bring some of my comics to show you next time.”
“That would be pretty awesome. See you around.”
He walked over to Twilight who had finished the group hug with the girls. She looked each of us over as if memorizing the faces she wouldn't see for a long time. Her eyes were sad but she put a smile on her face anyhow.
“Thank you for everything. Even though we've only been friends for a short time, I'm going to miss you all so much. You'll look out for Sunset as well won't you? She's going to need your help.”
We all glanced back towards the school where Sunset was working on sweeping up the lobby. She looked up and met our gaze briefly before turning back to her work.
“Of course, we will” Rarity replied. “I do expect an apology for last spring's debacle though.”
“I'm sure she'll be handing out a lot of apologies. Thank you for everything.”
She took a deep breath, turned, and walked towards the statue with Spike. The portal shimmered like a pool of water as the two of them vanished from this world. A minute later the moon and the portal both seemed to brighten. The girl's ears and hair extensions glowed before fading away. Rainbow Dash crashed to the ground as her wings evaporated. Pinkie of course ran at the portal as if she wanted to go through but she hit the closed portal and fell down.
The other girls ran over to her and helped her up. I could dimly hear them talking to each other but it wasn't my place to listen. I could still hear the sounds of the dance in the gym so I figured they would be heading back. With my purpose here complete, I began walking towards the parking lot where my car was waiting. There were decisions about my future I would have to make but I wasn't going to make any of them before I had a good, long sleep.
So that's it then.
Yeah. It's all done.
What do I do now?
Go back to our house and sleep?
I suppose I could try. I'm not exactly tired though.
“Where do you think you're going?” Rainbow Dash's voice piped up.
The moment I had feared had arrived but I wasn't going to ignore Luna's advice just because Twilight was gone. I clenched my fists and spun around to protect myself from the attack. I wasn't surprised to find Rainbow Dash reaching out to grab me. My arm came up and deflected her hand before it could reach me, while I took two steps backward to get out of her reach. I adjusted my hands to defend myself and my posture just automatically moved into a sparring stance. The surprise on her face just made me angrier.
“Back to my house and probably to bed!” I snapped at her. “What else would a creep like me do on a Friday night?”
Pinkie bounced over and put her hand gently on my tense right arm. I realized then that we had an audience. Rarity looked like someone had slapped her, Fluttershy was halfway behind Applejack who was looking at me like I was an angry rattlesnake. Rainbow Dash had crossed her arms and was staring at the ground. I took a deep breath to try and calm my racing heart.
“Come on silly, weren't you listening?” Pinkie Pie asked. “We're gonna go make friends with Sunset, help her clean things up and then grab a late-night snack at the Sweet Shoppe! I've got a key and everything. Don't you wanna come?”
“Uhhh, no, I missed that,” I said. “I didn't think it was a conversation I had any business participating in. Twilight's gone anyhow and I'm not comfortable spending time with people who hate me.”
“Ugh, yeah about that,” Rainbow Dash said. She was just staring at her feet while she spoke. “I think I made a mistake and I kinda want to make up for it.”
“A mistake?” I snorted in disbelief. "Be serious. Twilight is gone, you don't have to pretend to tolerate me."
“I am serious!” She snapped, glaring at me. “In fact, you know what? Take a shot, right here.”
Rainbow Dash straightened up and stuck her chin out at me. She gestured at it with her hand and put a brave expression on her face. I stared at her for a moment and then put up my hands and started to back up. My heart had started racing with panic. I looked around the courtyard for signs of anybody else but everything was quiet.
“N-N-No,” I stuttered. “Nooo. No, no way, not a chance.”
“Why not?” Applejack asked. “Don't get me wrong, ah think it's a dumb idea too but why are ya turning pale?”
“Yeah, what's your problem?” Dash added her voice a mixture of impatience and fear. “Come on, just give me the best punch you have and we can start over.”
“Oh come on,” I replied incredulously. “I've been the school's punching bag for a month over RUMOURS! This is a trap, isn't it? One punch and I turn rumor into reality. Explain what's going on or I'm out of here!”
Rainbow Dash's face fell and she took a step back. Her hands fidgeted for a moment and she finally settled on nervously rubbing the back of her head with her hand.
“Look, I'm not good at talking so I thought that would help break the ice,” Rainbow Dash sighed. “I screwed up, just like I did from the first time I hurt you. Those rumors fooled me and I still used them to judge you after I knew Sunset was manipulating friendships. When you told us Sunset had tried to recruit you . . . well yeah, I was mad and I assumed the worst."
She looked at the ground and clenched her fists but it didn't look like her anger was directed at me. "Twilight and Fluttershy were right about everything and I should have listened. Well, I paid attention when she said I carry the Element of Loyalty. You almost died trying to protect us even after everything I did and it kills me knowing I almost didn't have a chance to make things right. So yeah, I want you to come with us so I can find out who you really are.”
Before I could answer, Rarity cleared her throat. Her eyes were misty but there was a smile on her face as she looked at me. She still seemed to be blushing as well but I figured that was just a trick of the light.
“Rainbow Dash is telling the truth,” she said sadly. “I've been absolutely horrible to you even after Twilight argued on your behalf. Even before that, I was a fool to not question the stories I was hearing. I've never met someone who would risk their life the way you just did.”
“It's just a relief you're still here so we can get to know you as a friend,” Fluttershy whispered. “Properly this time.”
I stared at Rainbow and Rarity, nearly choking on my utter disbelief. Even crazier was Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy quietly indicating their agreement with the words of the two worst offenders. Part of me really wanted to tell them both to go to hell at that moment. After how poorly they treated me, it was a tempting path to take. Only two things stopped me. The first was the expressions of concern on the faces of the five girls. The second was Princess Luna's advice that bubbled up in my mind.
What has been done cannot be changed. All we can control is how we use the knowledge and experience we have gained.
Even after how they treated me?
Rainbow Dash still never hurt us as badly as Gilda or Sunset.
True. But is it worth the risk?
What do we have to lose by trying?
Nothing actually. Huh. Should I be happy or sad about that?
Not a clue.
“You want to see if we can be friends?” I asked quietly. “You know what, sure, why not. It's a nicer way to end this bizarre day than what I had planned.”
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie burrowed her way under my arm yet again. “Woohoo! We've got a new friend in our group! It's all proper and official now. Let's go get another one!”
We’ll see Pinkie. I wish I shared your confidence.
This is going to be awkward.
Incredibly.
Sunset will probably fit in better than we will.
We followed the rest of the girls towards the school. I looked down at the pink puff of hair under my arm with a raised eyebrow.
“You comfortable under there Pinkie?”
“Yuppers! It's nice and cozy!”
“Fair enough.”
It was a short walk to the lobby where Sunset was waiting. She was still slowly sweeping the lobby. It looked like some piles had been spilled or kicked. She only briefly glanced at the six of us when we walked in but the sorrow and anger were clearly visible in her expression. Her voice was that of someone who really wanted to be angry but could only muster the energy to be bitter and sad.
“Here come the heroes of the hour,” She spat. “Come to gloat about your victory and kick the demon further out to the curb? Go ahead, I deserve it.”
“Not our style,” Applejack responded, crossing her arms. “We're gonna give you a helpin' hand with yer chores and then we're treating you to a snack at the Sweet Shoppe.”
Now she did try to glare at Applejack. “Seriously? What am I, some kind of charity case to you? A friendship project assigned by Princess Twilight Sparkle? If that's all I am, you can all go to hell and leave me alone!”
Is that all I am as well?
That would suck but we should be ok.
I hope not. Twilight said these five were worth the risk.
“While Twilight did ask us to watch out for you, that’s not all there is to it,” Rarity added. “You seemed genuine in your regret for what happened afterward and I don't believe you were in your right mind during the- er incident. Besides, if we didn’t give you a chance, we'd be making the same mistake we made with Silver Spark when he moved here.”
“Yeah?” Sunset asked defiantly. “Well, that’s my fault anyhow. Who do you think started those rumors in the first place?”
I'm not surprised by that.
We pretty much knew already.
Is she trying to push the girls away?
I think she is. Exactly like we did a few minutes ago.
I still have no idea what to say, do we?
Not a clue. I was seriously considering hating her.
Same. I don't know if I have it in me to do that now.
We're going to have to wing it.
Surprisingly it was Fluttershy who spoke next while I was struggling to figure out what to say. “Are you sorry about what you did?”
The defiant fire seemed to drain out of Sunset. She slouched and looked at the floor.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I did terrible things to keep control of this school. I don’t deserve to be forgiven.”
“You might be right about that Sunset,” I interjected before anyone else could speak.
The girls all drew in gasps of horror at my words but they didn't make any move to stop me. Sunset turned and looked at me with her sad aquamarine eyes. She was clearly waiting for me to tear into her but that was far from my plan.
“Yes, I said it. You might not deserve to be forgiven for what you did to so many other students in this school or for how you personally ensured the other students would hurt and torment me. All that doesn't mean you don't deserve a chance to earn it.”
Sunset had been listening to me with an expression of resigned expectation but my last words made her eyes widen.
“Wait, I ruined your reputation before you even arrived and painted a target on your back. I even knocked you out at the statue and then nearly killed you this evening! How could you possibly be willing to give me a chance!”
“True, you did almost kill me this evening,” I replied. “On the other hand, if you hadn't knocked me out and dumped me into the portal, you wouldn't have had the chance. By sending me through that portal you saved my life. Maybe not intentionally but that doesn't really matter does it? I'm willing to let you prove to me there's more to you than what you've shown so far.”
Sunset didn’t say anything in response; she just stared at the ground. I think there were tears on her cheek but I wasn't in the mood to provide any comfort. I’d extended the olive branch as far as I could bear today. I felt like if I continued speaking I'd get mad and say something cruel or hateful. I couldn’t be that person, not after everything I had been through. Instead, assuming Sunset would agree, I took it upon myself to get the rest of this plan started.
“Could someone come with me? We can grab some more brooms and garbage bags from Discord’s storage room. He gave me a key a while back.”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash walked over to go upstairs with me. “We're comin' with ya. Let’s get this job done.”
For the next hour, we cleaned the lobby and the gymnasium once the dance wrapped up. A few students leaving the dance glared at me just like usual. Honestly, it was far too familiar and even the potential friendship from the five girls wasn't enough to soothe the burn. I noticed Sunset was getting the same treatment and I hate to say I felt a bit of vindictive glee at that. Even with what I said about giving her a chance, I was still hurting inside. Every glare reminded me of what she had done.
As we came to the end of our cleanup project and got ready to go I had reached the end of my rope. I wasn't in pain but my body simply couldn't keep going. As we walked out to the cars I came to a difficult decision.
“I'm sorry Pinkie but I'm going to have to skip the trip to the Sweet Shoppe this time.”
“Awwww!” Pinkie pouted a bit. “Why Silvy?”
“I'm barely awake at this point. The magic saved my life but it didn't exactly replenish me. I feel like I've run a marathon or two.”
“Okie Dokie!” Pinkie said, cheering right up. “Will we see you here in the morning to help fix the school?”
“Assuming I can actually move and get out of bed, yes,” I replied. “You have fun.”
I started to walk over to where my car was parked. Suddenly something ran into me from behind and a pair of arms wrapped around me. I twisted around and found a mass of curly pink hair over my shoulder. Pinkie had run up and wrapped her arms around me in a big hug.
“Thank you for being brave, Silvy. Sweet dreams,” she whispered in a surprisingly quiet voice.
Then she let go and skipped back to the group. That's when I realized there was a second pair of arms wrapped around me. Looking to the other side, I found Fluttershy gently holding me. When she realized she had been spotted she let go, her face blushed bright right.
“Goodnight Silver,” she whispered.
She scurried back to the rest of the group and I watched them pile into a couple of cars. My mind would have been a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions if I had any energy left. I gave the girls a quick wave and climbed into my car. I saw a few hands raise to wave back but I couldn't tell who they belong to.
My mind was strangely calm as I drove along the road towards my house. A part of me was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. This all seemed too good to be true. From no friends to this in three days was hard to believe. I idly wondered if I was in a coma in a hospital and this was all just created by my slowly expiring brain.
We shouldn't go there.
What? Why not.
That thinking leads to madness. What is left if we don't trust our senses?
It was nearly midnight when I pulled into my driveway. I hopped out and I began the short walk towards the front door of my house. As I walked, I began noticing things that hadn't been important to me before. I hadn't been taking care of things around my house and now it was becoming painfully clear. There were leaves to rake and loose branches to cut down on several trees. It also occurred to me that if I was going to park my car inside during the winter I would have to actually clear out the boxes and furniture in the garage. But that would mean sorting through the boxes of . . . of memories.
Nope, nope, nope.
Not tonight. Sleep time.
I managed to drag myself up to my room and stripped down. I dumped my new bracers and gloves on the bedside table before falling into the bed. It felt like an eternity since I had gotten up this morning. I almost forgot I hadn't slept in this bed. As I started to doze off I noticed a pleasant perfume in the air. My addled mind couldn't put a name to the scent but it made me smile. I was just about asleep when the source of the scent came to me.
Twilight was here.
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Really good man keep going
7657750 Thank you! Glad you're enjoying the story so far.
nice chapter/ Arc closer
7876683 Thank you very much! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far.
Geez I was not expecting this to be so good!