Raison D'être

by mechafone

9 - Lost In Ponyville Part 2

Spark Storm sighed. He laid in one of the guest rooms at the Apple Family's farmhouse. He hadn't slept in a bed for over a month, and it was heaven compared to the crook of a branch or on a pile of leaves. He'd bathed before lying down, of course. The feeling of being clean, well fed and a nice, fresh bed was something that he would surely miss when he left.

...If he left. He just wasn't sure. He, Big Mac and Applejack had gone over the maps the night before, and Sweet Apple Acres was it's own property, just outside the Ponyville borders. He could stay here as long as he wanted and the townspeople didn't have a single say in it.

But...was that what he wanted? To move in with the Apples and forget his training? Now there's the problem: Sapphire Snow would be back in Canterlot eventually. She had made a pact with the Princess to serve as a Fighter. He hadn't made that pact yet, although he was training to be ready for it.

Spark groaned and buried his face into his pillow. It was too early to be thinking of big, life-changing decisions. He was back home, he might as well go see it. He slipped out of bed and stretched, then headed downstairs. The Apples must've been up already, because there was a buffet waiting for him. About six different kinds of apple pies and strudles and biscuits with honey butter. Some of it was missing, so he assumed it was up for grabs. He ate his breakfast and then wandered outside into the morning sunshine.

He was blinded for a moment by the big, bright sun rising over the horizon. It felt like Celestia herself was giving him her most threatening glare, which might not be far from the truth, he thought with a chuckle. Looking down the road, he saw Applejack making her way towards the farmhouse. He was about to go meet her halfway when he saw a little grey dot in the air just over her.

His heart jumped in his throat when he realized it was Ditzy. Applejack had gone to get her, and who knows what other kind of trouble she was getting herself into around town. Trying to keep his emotions down, he let out a little cry of joy as he started to run towards the two. The little grey figure suddenly put on a burst of speed as she saw him moving. She met him halfway as they practically collided with one another in a pounce/hug that left them both laughing and crying with emotion at their reunion.

After a full five minutes of holding Ditzy while she cried and held onto him like she thought he was going to disappear, the grey Pegasus had finally calmed down enough to ask him questions. Where had he been? Did he find Sapphire? What was it like in Canterlot? He answered her questions, and then got to ask his own. What had happened in town after he'd left? Was Cheerilee all right?

These questions and more were answered and discussed among the three of them. Finally, Spark Storm had one final question for them: Where to find his mother. The girls looked at each other, worry on their faces.

---

Spark moved through the shadows among the buildings of Ponyville. It wasn't easy, considering the sun was still nearly at it's zenith. The girls had wanted him to wait until sundown, but that was too long to wait. He would see his mother now.

Market stalls were being set up. Ponies were going about their lives, completely oblivious of the presence that they themselves had forbidden from living among them not half a year ago.

Finally, after nearly getting seen three times, Spark Storm found himself in front of the new orphanage. This building was situated on the other side of town from the old one. It was new and shiny, and wasn't far from the new school building, which was refitted from an old house. Spark laid in the crook of an old tree, just overlooking his mother's grave.

Mounds of flowers had been laid around it, among many flowers that had been planted in the ground. Immaculate care had been given to this area. Many hours of care and attention had been had here.

Spark slowly came down from the tree and sat before his mother's grave marker. It, too, had been created with love. Made from fine stone, polished with respect, and tended to carefully over the months.

Emotions and memories slowly welled up within the Pegasus. Memories of his mother holding him, telling him he could do anything, be anything. That he would amaze the world with his talents, that the whole world would know his name. He found himself trembling with held back tears. He pressed his forehead to the polished marble, his tears falling onto the colorful flowers adorning his mother's grave.

---

Cheerilee watched the scene before her unfold. There, in the corner of her precious garden, was the Pegasus responsible for the death of her mother. She had gone outside to rip him a new one before letting Ponyville do the same, but...something held her back. Despite all the anger and resentment she held for Spark Storm, he was still her brother. And he still mourned the loss of their mother.

Cheerilee had grown since Spark had been gone. She was fifteen now, nearly fully grown. Her flanks displayed her newly acquired cutie mark, three smiling flowers. It had been four months, almost to the day, since she'd earned it.

A trip to the mayor's office had resulted in her being granted a position as teacher, as long as she worked hard at learning the trade and finishing school. A pony in her trade would be in a position to catch bullying long before it started, and teaching could spread happiness in such a way that bullying would be nearly nonexistent. She would make it her life's very purpose to educate future generations, and make sure that the horrible things she experienced would never happen for another pony again.

So as she watched her brother mourn their mother, she couldn't bring herself to face him. Today and today alone she would leave him be. What he'd done had been an accident, but the fact remained: He had ended their mother's life and taken away her chance to ask her mother's forgiveness for the way she'd treated her just hours before her death. She slipped back inside quietly, leaving the dark Pegasus to grieve.

---

That night, around a big bonfire at Sweet Apple Acres, Spark Storm shared his stories of life in Canterlot with his close friends. Anorax, Emerald Skies, Rarity, Lyra, Bon Bon and Allie Way had been informed of their friend's presence. Stories and information was passed around. Anorax was going to be learning how to make music from electronics. He was talking about going into business with his cousin, Vinyl Scratch, someday.

Emerald Skies had been thinking of learning how to be a librarian. Spark thought it was quite possibly the most boring job anyone could ever think of, but if it was something that Emerald wanted to do, he was all for his friend doing what he wanted.

Rarity, of no surprise to anyone, wanted to someday open her own fashion shop. She'd gotten really good at making clothes and designing. She had run back to her home, in fact, and had gathered some materials to measure Spark with so as to make him a hooded cloak. She was determined to see him able to move about town without being easily noticed. Being the social butterfly that she was, she made more than a couple remarks about his figure that made him blush.

Lyra and Bon Bon sat so close together, there really was no question of their feelings for each other. They had discovered their feelings one night shortly after returning from refusing to leave Spark Storm in the wild. A bond had been formed between them that very night, something that had grown over the last few nights and blossomed into young love. Their affection for each other made Spark miss Sapphire very much, and he wished that he had a nice fire to share with her.

Allie Way had since earned her cutie mark in bowling. Her discovery had lead her father to building a bowling alley just for her, a business that she would someday take over and run. The family business was growing stronger every day, as more and more ponies flocked to the alleyways after work and school.

As Spark sat around talking to his old friends, he thought more and more about his life in Canterlot. He wasn't having nearly as much fun there as he was here. His friends were all here, for one. He had a family that just kept growing. He'd already been accepted as one of the Apple family, they might as well have adopted him. He'd forever been a brother to Applejack and Big Mac, and now he had a baby sister, as well.

The pros and cons of this situation were confusing. So confusing, in fact, that it had taken him this long to figure out that there was a pony missing from this gathering. Pinkie Pie.

---

Fireflies. Dozens of them, floating lazily about in the air, signaling each other, looking for the perfect mate. They drifted about quietly in the air, completely oblivious to the pink mare gently swaying back and forth to the unheard song in her head.

She danced, pivoted, and leapt with a grace that was largely unseen by the ponies that were used to her usual blunt and sudden movements. Pinkie Pie danced among the fireflies. It was something she did while she was alone. For her, this was her escapism.

So many ponies knew and expected her to be nothing more than a partying force of nature, a mare who cared for little more than parties. Her inner circle of friends knew better, but even they had no idea what she did when she was alone. She never told anyone, she didn't expect that they'd understand. But there was one that understood.

Pinkie Pie paused in her dancing, her breath slowly returning to normal. She stood facing the Everfree, but she knew who was there behind her, watching her. She turned and saw him standing among the fireflies, a hopeful smile on his face.

She frowned at him, and sat on the ground, her gaze shifting to the grass in front of him. He took a few tentative steps toward her, then noticed the burn marks where the grass hadn't regrown. This place..."This is where it happened, isn't it." Pinkie Pie sighed and nodded her head.

This was indeed where Spark had discovered his natural ability to generate electricity. This was the place where he had sealed his fate and took the blame for his mother's death away from his sister and was exiled for it.

He took a few more steps, then drew Pinkie Pie into a hug, a hug that she melted into and held onto him tightly. She cried quietly, her shoulders shaking and putting dents in Spark's resolve not to join in.

---

That night, Spark slept by the fire surrounded by his best friends. Pinkie Pie lay snuggled against his left side, Ditzy on his right. At this point, he wasn't sure he'd be able to leave even if he wanted to. His friends' undying support and love felt so good after all this time, what would be the point of leaving?

As Spark slept, wary eyes kept watch on the small camp. Spark would soon learn that using his friends as a crutch was a terrible, terrible idea.

Comments

[Jacensolo43]

As Spark slept, wary eyes kept watch on the small camp. Spark would soon learn that using his friends as a crutch was a terrible, terrible idea. Something inside me is making me wanna say it's River,but i've been wrong before, and once more wouldn't be surprising.