Fire of Friendship: For One

by Psychic Smith

4: Train of Thought

Author's Note:

This chapter has not been properly edited, due to the fact I don't have an editor, and haven't had the time to edit it extensively myself. Keep me updated on any errors you find.

Chapter 4: Train of Thought

Still Three Days to Hearths Warming

The sound of the train rumbling over the iron tracks filled in what would have been awkward silence as I sat in the royal coach, looking at the rolling landscape passing just beyond a pane of glass. Trees, villages, and towns blurred together as my eyes lost focus, my mind deep in thought. I occasionally let my mind wander, but it always came back to the same thing. The scene that happened on the train station platform played on repeat in my head, two different parts of my brain constantly arguing with each other.

“You shouldn’t have done that you idiot!”

“What the hell did you want me to do then, let that foal fall on the tracks and die?”

“N- no… I’m just saying you could have tried to do it more discreetly.”

“Well how do you suppose I could’ve done that then?”

“I have no clue, you’re usually the quick thinker. Now look what you’ve done. Not only have you let our secret slip in front of some mare we met at a bar, and now you go and let a whole train of ponies know. Not to mention the Princess of Friendship herself!”

“You know what, you are a real fucking sack of shit sometimes, you know that?”

“Yeah, well now since you have gone and let this slip up out, we’re both going to have our anuses stretched to moon sized proportions.”

“Spirit… you alright there dude?” A voice distracted me from my own internal quarrel. Looking down at the seat across from me, Spike was looking at me with worried eyes. A look that was mirrored on Twilight as well.

“You have been staring out that window for the past hour, and haven’t said a word,” Twilight said, shifting in her seat slightly.

Had time really flowed by that quickly? I had just been staring out the window, my mind constantly reminding me of what the world saw me as.

Freak.

Hornless.

Worthless trash.

That one was one of dad’s favorites.

The last thing I really remembered was Twilight rushing me onto the train as I heard the stomping of angry hooves about to run us down. I probably would have been taken by the mob if the princess hadn’t pulled the furious mother away from my neck, and into the private train car. Why she would help me though, I still didn’t understand.

“Thank you,” was all I managed to say, almost too shaken to say anything else.

“For what?”

My mind replayed that scene again. Watching the foal about to fall into the tracks. Pulling her from the tracks. The mothers tears as she stared, frightened at my weirdness. And the crowd...

“Getting me away from that angry mob of ponies at the train station.”

Twilight just looked at me with confused, owlish eyes.

“Is that what you think they were doing?” Twilight said. I turned to look at her, equally as confused.

“Yeah, what else would all that stomping be for? And the crying? And the mare trying to choke me to death for pulling her foal away from the tracks like that?”

Spike set his comic book aside, finding the two trains of thought more interesting than how the Power Ponies were going to thwart Maneiac this time. He just scratched his head with one of his claws.

“Dude, that’s not at all what happened. Is that why you froze up?” Twilight raised a hoof to silence Spike, before switching seats to sit next to me.

“Wild…” It was strange to hear Twilight say my first name. Hardly anyone but mom called me that anymore. Many just preferred spirit “Are you sure you are alright.”

“Yeah man, like seriously. You could end up in a loony bin if you keep talk-.“ Twilight was quick to cut the purple dragon off with a stern glare.

Before I could give Spike’s words any thought, I saw her horn light up, her magical aura drawing a rectangle in the air in front of us. When the edges connected, an image appeared. The Ponyville train station. A crowd of ponies waiting for the train. And a foal wandering dangerously close to the tracks under the radar of everypony besides a single, purple stallion. I watched the scene play out, not even giving a single thought to how the heck did Twilight manage to get this sort of angle while sitting right next to me. I saw the mother, beginning to gallop towards her child, mouth open in a silent scream.

Luckily the projection had no sound.

I watched the purple aura surround the foal’s tail, yanking her from the tracks, her muzzle just inches away from the side of the train that was cruising into the station. I saw the agonizing moments as the mother wept, clutching her now safe child. However, in the way she cried, I could almost sense a feeling of relief that I hadn’t seen before. I watched her stand up, and walk towards myself. I mentally screamed for myself to run away, that the mare was going to kill him. She stood a few feet away from him, tears still streaming down her face. She leapt at him, and I internally flinched, closing my eyes, knowing what came next.

“Spirit… Watch.”

I look back at the moving picture, expecting to see a mare strangling a stallion half to death.

But that wasn’t the image that was showing.

Instead I saw the mother weeping into the shoulder of the colt that had saved her daughter. I could barely track her lips saying ‘thank you’ between sobs.

But what about the mob?

As I looked in the background, I saw a single stallion amongst the crowd stomping a hoof, a smile on his face. The effect seemed to be contagious as, one by one, more and more ponies began stomping their hooves. Soon enough, the whole platform was either clapping or stomping in approval. I saw one in particular place a hoof to his mouth, as if to whistle.

Looking back to myself, I saw that I was trying to curl into a ball, ears plastered against my skull, and eyes screwed tightly shut.

I watched as the applause continue as Twilight pried me from the young foal’s mother’s arms.

The father walked over, comforting his wife as the princess, dragon, and cowering stallion got on the train. The pair waved, clutching their foal, with tears finally drying up, relieved and thankful smiles plastered on their faces.

As the image began to fade, I could now feel my jaw was practically touching the floor. I was brought out of my shocked state by a soft hoof being placed reassuringly on my back. Thank god I had in that moment remembered to breathe.

“They… They aren’t mad? Scared?”

“Well, I’m fairly certain they were more scared of the fact that their foal almost got hit by a moving train,” Twilight said clinically.

“Normally ponies would just look at me in disgust, confusion, or fear…” In my disbelief, I didn’t notice Spike sit next to me.

“Well, sure doesn’t look that way to me.”

My brain was struggling to recognize what I just saw. I had just witnessed ponies applauding the one thing I had been ridiculed for all my life.

My father…

The judgmental ponies of Manehattan…

Could they have been wrong this whole time?

My mom’s voice drifted into my thoughts.

“Spirit. No matter what you do, as long as you aren’t hurting anypony, I’ll always be proud of you.” An image of myself flashed in my eyes, throwing my father across the room. “You have a gift that nopony else has.”

“You’re talking about the magic right?” a younger version of myself spoke.

“No Wild honey,” I felt a phantom hoof press against my chest. “Your heart.” I could hear her giggle inside my brain, as if she was right there with me. “The magic is just the icing on the cake. It’s part of you. And if anypony tells you that any part of you is worthless, you tell them you’re mother has friends in the Manehattan mafia.”

At the time, I thought that those were just some cheesy, token words meant to make me feel better. Now, why did they make so much more sense?

I barely noticed tears I was holding back start rolling down my face. Clearing my throat, I knew there was one question I still needed answered.

“Twilight, can I ask one more favor from you?”

“Hm?”

I could barely contain the lightness in my chest in that moment.

“Could you help me give my mom the best Hearth’s Warming present ever?”

Twilight looked at me, slightly confused, until her eyes sparked with realization. A gentle smile and a nod. “On one condition.”

Now it was my turn to be confused. I eyed her suspiciously as she brought out a quill and sat it on the seat between us.

“You are going to let me study that magic of yours. For as many experiments I need.” Twilight's eyes sparkled (heh) with almost foal-like hopefulness. I couldn’t help myself. I nodded as a smile crossed my muzzle.

“Starting now,” the princess said, motioning towards the feather. I caught the sight of Spike rolling his eyes and giving me the ‘you don’t know what you just got yourself into’ look.

With some lingering hesitation, I forced my mind to focus on the pen, lifting it into the air. Looking at the pinkish aura felt different now. I still felt the anxiety boiling up again. I looked away, letting the pen fall back to the seat.

In frustration, more so with myself, I forced myself to focus on the quill again. This time holding it in the air. I turned, opening my eyes to stare at it, forcing the anxiety aside for a moment, until…

Until I barely felt it at all. A teeny bit of confidence coursed through me as I thought to myself:

“I guess all it takes sometimes is a train ride, and another perspective.”

----~+~----

On the outskirts of Manehattan, away from the towering skyscrapers of the city, cobble streets are lined with small rows of houses. Narrow in design, but perfect for fitting a lot of homes into smaller spaces. One particular wooden cabin style house stands out from the brickwork of the others, making it seem incredibly out of place.

Standing outside the oak door to the familiar house was nerve-wracking. Apparently, after talking with the doctor at the psychiatric ward, I found out mom had been discharged a couple days ago, although she needed to go back for checkups twice a week.

He said she was doing well enough to recover at home. Her memory still has some gaps in it, but she is doing much better than she was a few months ago.

I was suddenly really glad Twilight and Spike were still with me, even though it meant she would probably be late for her family gathering.

My hoof shaking, I placed it on the door, my brain wanting nothing more than to delay the inevitable. Reluctantly, and with Twilight’s encouraging smile, I let out a sigh.

Knock knock knock

“One moment!”

Hearing mom’s voice calling from inside the house triggered my legs to lock up. Would she be mad I hadn’t come to see her more? Would she be mad at what I did to dad? Both?

I heard her hooves against the wooden floor, stopping just before the door. I felt my lungs burning from involuntarily holding my breath as the door swung open.

“If you’re here for the brain damaged mare, she’s not here-.” Mom looked like she was about to continue, but stopped as soon as she looked up at me past her pink mane.

“Hi mom.”

She took another step closer, just within hoofs reach. In a flash of motion she rears up and bops me upside the head.

“Hey, what was that fo-“ I was quickly cut off by her wrapping her forehooves tightly around my neck. I could feel the tears in her eyes as she buried her face in my coat. I could almost feel my trachea collapsing from the hug.

“Mom, can’t breathe-“ I panted. Although reluctantly, mom pulled away to look at my face, streaks from her tears clearly visible on her light tan fur.

“That’s for not coming to visit sooner.”

I chuckle a bit, rubbing the back of my neck, not sure what to say. Turning back I saw mom’s eyes widen at the other two guests on her porch.

“Princess!” mom blurted out as she bowed down, trying to pull me down with her. “Forgive me, I didn’t see you there.”

Twilight just waved a dismissive hoof. “No need for formalities Rosemary. Spirit here is a friend of mine. He’s told me a lot of wonderful things about you.”

I never thought I saw a jaw hit the ground that fast before. Mom’s eyes darted between the princess and myself. Knowing what’s coming next, I took position next to my mom.

“3… 2… 1…” At one, Mom’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, lids fluttering as her legs buckled underneath her, causing her to fall to the side, where luckily I was able to catch her, my pink aura helping me ease her to the ground.

“Is she okay?” Twilight asked, a confused and concerned Spike on her back.

“She’ll be fine. She doesn’t usually get flustered so easily, but if it gets bad enough,” I motion to mom, leaning up against my side, unconscious. “Help me get her inside?”

Twilight nodded, her magical aura lifting mom into the house. Following behind, I entered my childhood home. The smell of freshly brewed tea filled my nose. Looking around, I can see that nothing major has changed. Everything was roughly in the same place it was when I left. Except…

No leather whip,

And a portrait of mom and I at a carnival hanging on the far wall of the living room. Lifting the frame, I found a stallion face sized crater in the wooden beam. I wince at the memory, and I’m suddenly thankful for the picture that now covers it.

Home sweet home indeed.

----~+~----

When mom finally woke back up, she had thought the princess and I on the doorstep was nothing but a dream. When she saw Twilight, Spike, and I having tea around her coffee table, she nearly fainted again, but was barely able to keep her composure when Twilight handed her a cup of tea. If there was one thing that could calm mom down, it was a good Chai tea.

I explained why the princess came with me to Manehattan, leaving out the train station mishap. Didn’t want to spoil the surprise.

I told mom I was just coming to stay with her for the holiday. I told her about moving to ponyville, and the ponies I met there. Mom seemed surprised when I told her I actually met a mare at a bar, then proceeded to ask if I had asked her on a date yet.

“So, Ms. Rosemary,” Twilight said. “I believe that Spirit here wanted me to show you something.”

“Oh? What could he possibly want me to see?” Mom flashed me a rather sly grin. The one she used to try and either embarrass me, or just get under my skin. That is one of the things I loved about mom. Never took herself too seriously.

Twilight, proceeded to show the same projection she’d shown me on the train. I wasn’t watching the projection as I was watching mom. As she watched the scene unfold, a hoof went to her mouth and her eyes seemed to double in size. She stayed like that a few minutes after the projection ended. I moved to sit next to mom, and in a flash of motion, she pulled me into a deep hug. Shocked, it took me a second to return her embrace, but when I did, she squeezed just a bit tighter.

“I’m so proud of you,” mom whispered, just barely audible. We sat like that in silence, the sounds of the city outside feeling so distant. We pulled apart only when we heard Twilight politely clearing her throat.

“Well, it has been a pleasure Ms. Rosemary, but I believe it’s time for Spike and I to be on our way to Canterlot. My parents must be waiting for us by now.”

“Of course Princess. Don’t let Spirit and I keep you from your own family now.”

“No worries. Besides, we won’t even need to take the train!” Twilight trotted over and gave me a quick hug and goodbye before heading out to the street with the purple and green dragon in tow.

“Twi,” Spike said, sounding a bit worried. “What do you mean we won’t need to take the train?”

Twilight gave Spike a quick smirk, lighting her horn. In a flash of light, the two disappeared into thin air.

I stood there, looking outward into the street. Watching tiny snowflakes float gently onto the street. I couldn’t see it before, but meeting Twilight now seemed like the start of something new for once. An actual friendship that might not end in getting left behind for being different.

Then again, Twilight is the literal princess of Friendship, so I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised.

“So. Any other interesting mares you haven’t told me about?”

Turning around, Mom was giving me that shit-eating grin she loved so much. I couldn’t do much else but shake my head and chuckle.

Two Days Later

Hearth’s Warming Eve

The snow picked up as the days grew closer to Hearth’s Warming. Soon the light dusting turned into two to three inches, and then to a foot. Hearth’s Warming eve was no different. And I had been outside the past hour, shoveling the walkway and sidewalk of my foalhood home.

I had stayed the past two nights at home, as I had planned. Mom seemed happier now that I was finally home. I didn’t ask anything about Dad, afraid of either sparking anger or fear in mom. If she didn’t remember what happened, it was better off staying that way.

The snow felt heavier with each bit of snow removed. I was almost done now, and my body ached from both the physical and mental exertion of shoveling the walkway. I had been alternating from using my physical strength and my telekinesis, as per my mom’s request. She always did want me to try and improve my magic whenever I could. Normally I would’ve been hesitant, using my magic out where other ponies could see, but with Twilight’s encouragement a few days prior, and my father behind bars, I was less nervous than I thought I would be. The fact that most ponies wouldn’t be out today in the snow helped too. The few that did had shot me sideways glances, but not out of fear. More out of curiosity than anything else.

I was actually enjoying myself as I moved the shovel in my telekinetic grip, placing it against the wooden frame of Mom’s cabin style home. Entering, I gratefully welcomed the embrace of the fire that crackled inside. I hug my earmuffs and scarf on the rack by the door, banging off my boots on the doorframe before entering.

“Wild? Are you finally done?” Mom called from the kitchen. A moment later she poked her head around the corner, seeing the snow that stuck to my coat that wasn’t covered by my various articles of clothing. “Celestia, you must be freezing. I hope your taste for hot chocolate hasn’t changed in the past three months.”

Mom new me too well.

Rounding the corner into the kitchen, My eyes lingered on the tray that mom had prepared. Two mugs sat atop it, one purple, one a light pink, steam drifting out of both of them. I levitated mine to my mouth, taking a gentle sip, careful not to burn my tongue. I barely noticed Mom smiling at me out of the corner of my eye.

“What are ya’ looking at?” I said, swallowing a bit of my favorite drink. A slight cinnamon taste tingling my throat as it went down.

“Just thinking that I have hardly ever seen you use your magic like that. And I’m your mother! Now here you are drinking hot chocolate like it’s nothing at all.”

I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t thinking about that at the time, but now that mom brought it up, she was right. I was definitely a little more confident with my magic, and that wasn’t something I thought I’d ever say. In my deep thought, I didn’t realize that I had been silent for a good couple minutes.

“I got the divorce papers back from your father a few days ago.”

That caught my attention. Mom was sitting on the sofa, looking solemnly at her cup of undrunk tea.

“Divorce papers? I didn’t think you remembered what happened.”

Mom shrugged, sighing to herself. “I don’t remember much. I remember him hitting you, then me, then you throwing him into the wall. Then you telling me not to move. Nothing past that.”

I moved to sit next to her.

“Spirit, as much as I am grateful that you got that stallion away from me, from us,” Mom looked up to me, sadness in her eyes. “Did you have to throw him like that?”

I sat there dumbfounded. Out of everything she could have asked, that was the last thing I expected to hear. I tried to get my brain to think of something to say. Anything to say. Something to put Mom’s mind at ease, but I couldn’t form the right words.

“Spirit, I’m not disappointed in you. I’m… upset. Upset with what you did, but I am thankful that you stood up to that awful, awful stallion.” Mom let out a hollow chuckle. “I’m not sure whether or not to ground you, or give you a hug.”

I decided to make the decision for her, closing the distance, and throwing my forelegs around her, as her tears flowed freely. We stayed like that for Luna knows how long. I had no idea how much she remembered, and she kept that bottled up for so long. I don’t even think she told the hospital staff or her psychologist.

I decided enough was enough, and pulled us apart. She looked up at me through a messy pink mane.

“Mom, we’re here now, and we never have to deal with that monster again.” I gave her the most reassuring smile I could muster. It seemed to work if the slightly upturned corners of her mouth had anything to say about it. “Now how about we finally enjoy this Hearth’s Warming, huh? Why don’t we open the presents now, brighten the mood a bit.” With that she nodded.

We exchanged various gifts between ourselves. Mainly small things. I got Mom some new cooking tools, a necklace with silver flowers at the end, and a new scarf. I ended up opening some new Daring Do books, my favorite, and some paintings for the walls back in ponyville. It was her third gift that ended up surprising me.

“I know this last one isn’t much,” Mom said, handing me a wrapped tube of some sort. “I think you’ll like it though.”

I carefully unwrapped the paper, pulling out a hollow cardboard tube, a poster rolled up inside. Unrolling it I loved what I saw.

A mare with a fiery mane saluting into the distance, wings outstretched. In bold letters it read, “’The sky is the limit.’” In the background, a squadron of uniformed pegasi flew in formation, flying through the symbol of the Wonderbolts, my favorite group of stunt fliers in Equestria, made out of clouds. I had a couple of their older posters still hanging in my room from when I was younger. The more closely I looked at the poster, the more I began to see something.

“Wild, honey, what’s wrong?” I ignored mom for the moment, laser focused on the poster.

That mare. I felt like I’ve seen her before. Looking closely, I recognized almost every detail of the mare’s two-tone orange mane. I recognized the confident smirk she wore, and the eyes behind the purple shades. The longer I analyzed the image, I could picture the same mare, wearing her mane down, navy saddlebags on her waist, and a blue scarf adorning her neck.

I got up, moving to the tree, grabbing the letter that was given to me at a bar in ponyville about a week ago. Hesitating, I read the words ‘don’t open until Hearth’s Warming’. Ignoring the instructions, I opened the envelope, taking out the piece of paper folded inside, and began to read.

Hey Spirit,
I’m no good with words, so I’m just gonna get right to the point. I really liked hanging out with ya, and I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself proper tonight. If I did, I can guarantee you we would’ve been swarmed by ponies the whole night. Trust me, it’s not as fun as it sounds. I’m actually surprised you haven’t figured out who I am yet.

Oh well. Anyways, I am enclosing a VIP pass to get you into any of my events for free. Thought it would be a good Hearth’s Warming Present, and a good thank you for being the first pony to treat me like a normal mare for once. You’d be surprised how many ponies forget that.

To top it off though, this is just a way to hang out more!

I’m doing a show in Canterlot for Hearths Warming. It would mean a lot to me if you came. It’s in the royal gardens, but that shouldn’t be an issue with that pass I gave you.

Oh, and definitely stay for the Hearth’s Warming party afterwards.

I hope we can become good friends. (Celestia, now I’m starting to sound like Crash’s friend Fluttershy)

But seriously, we should hang out more when I am not on duty. Or on duty as long as I still get my work done. I am the Captain after all.

Anyways, catch you on the flip side!

Spitfire

Captain of the Wonderbolts

Thank the stars no flies where around, or else one would’ve flown into my mouth.

“Spirit? What in that letter has gotten you all worked up?”

Without speaking, I just pulled the lanyard out of the envelope, levitating it for Mom to see. Her eyes went wide as she eyed the plastic card at the end. I passed her the letter, which she instantly took, mumbling to herself as she quickly read through the letter. Her jaw dropped reading the last part.

“Spirit…”

“Yeah Ma?”

“You’re gonna need a train ticket.”

Comments

[Witchrblizzad]

and i cant wait to see him get said train ticket.

[TheMistyJoke]

Whoa ! Good to see this colt flabbergasted and not scarred after his dad incident. I enjoy how you made him move past his background to learn about friendship and love, maybe a tad fast but cool none the less.
That's been one year I comment your two first chapter, I reaaaaaaaaly look forward to the fifth