The Reaper

by Blade Trail

Chapter 7: This Is My Curse

The next day, Twilight, Starlight, Spike, and Reaper set out towards the outskirts of Ponyville where Sweet Feather Sanctuary was located. It was a long walk, and while Reaper insisted that he could handle himself, Starlight picked him up and forced him to ride on her back after a few minutes of him running to keep pace with the rest of the group.

Why do we always end up being carried by her? Reyes’ voice asked.

“Why do I always end up being carried by you?” Reaper asked aloud at nearly the same time.

Jinx, Reyes’ voice teased, causing Reaper to scowl.

“Because you’re stubborn, I’m pushy, and of the two of us, only I know what’s good for you,” Starlight replied cheerfully. “Besides, it’s not like there are any other options today. Sure, Spike could carry you, but since he walks on two legs and you’re about as tall as his shoulder, it’d be awkward. And Twilight brought Owlowiscious along today, so that seat’s taken.”

“Who,” Owlowiscious said from atop Twilight’s back.

Starlight glanced back at Reaper and noticed his scowl. “Oh, don’t be like that. I’m just helping out a friend.”

Spike smiled up at Reaper. “Hey, I know what it’s like to have short, stubby legs. Usually, I can keep up just fine, but I end up riding on Twilight’s back any time she starts to really pick up the pace. There’s no shame in it.”

“Whatever,” Reaper grumbled.

Twilight had tolerated Reaper’s single-word responses so far - he was obviously still new to the magic of friendship - but she decided that it was time to start him on the path to using full sentences.

His first friendship lesson! Twilight thought to herself. Then, using her best teacher tone, she said, “You know, Reaper, it’s important to let your friends know when something’s bothering you. If you don’t open up and talk about your feelings, nothing’s ever going to get better. Left alone, negative emotions can get progressively worse until they eventually reach a boiling point. At that point, everypony gets hurt, and nopony wins.”

And sometimes, somepony ends up as an undead, life-leeching wraith bent on revenge, Reyes’ voice added lightly. Then, the voice’s tone turned serious. For the record, we never talked to Jack.[1]

Reaper growled softly, a warning that this was not a topic he wanted to discuss. The voice had already plagued him with it too many times before.

Reyes’ voice continued nonetheless, When it was just us and Jack in the room, everything was a joke, every other line a sarcastic quip. When we were in front of the brass, it was always ‘Yes, sir. No, sir. Three bags full, sir.’

Visions of the past replayed themselves in Reaper’s mind: him making another joke about Jack being a boy scout; him standing at attention as Jack was awarded command of Overwatch, a job that was supposed to be his; him alone in his room, slamming his fist against the wall in a display of the frustration that no one else ever saw. Reaper clutched his head, trying to will the memories away, but they kept coming.

As scene after scene flashed, Reyes’ voice kept speaking. We were too stubborn to change, and too proud to show anyone our pain. We wanted our recognition, but we wanted to earn it. So we worked. Harder and harder and harder, we worked. We did the things that needed to be done, the things that Jack ‘Hero of the People’ Morrison couldn’t bring himself to do.

Owlowiscious noticed Reaper’s distress. “Who?” he asked, tilting his head in concern.

Twilight noticed as well. “Reaper?” she asked, stopping. “Are you alright?”

Reaper didn’t hear them, and Reyes’ tirade continued unabated. But it was never enough! Sometimes it was too little, and they’d say ‘You’ve risked everything for nothing!’ Sometimes it was too much, and they’d ask us, ‘And how do we clean up the mess you’ve left behind?!’ But it was never ever enough. Every day, we lost more respect. Every day, more people turned to Jack instead of us. It wasn’t long until everyone at Overwatch looked down on us, at least when they weren’t too busy looking up at Jack. Not even McCree, the boy we took in, the boy we saved from the streets, respected us in the end. And so we grew to hate them all...but through all those years, we never told a soul.

Reaper shook his head. “It was obvious,” he grumbled weakly.

By now the whole group had stopped walking, and everyone was looking at Reaper with concern.

“What was that?” Starlight asked, leaning her head closer to Reaper. “I didn’t quite hear you.”

Was it obvious? Reyes’ voice asked, drowning out Starlight’s. Or were we just scared?

“What do you know?!” Reaper shouted, startling everyone as he pulled out his shotguns. “I don’t have to listen to this!”

Starlight quickly grabbed him with her magic, lifting him up into the air and rendering him unable to move.

Try, try, and try again, Reyes’ voice mocked. Fail, fail, and fail every time.

Reaper let out a wordless scream of rage.

Twilight winced, her ears going flat against her head as she did so. “Is this...is this about what I said?” she asked.

“Shut up! Shut up!” Reaper screamed, his body starting to generate a faint mist. “DIE! DIE! DIE!”

He needed to drown it out. He needed the voice and the visions to stop. He needed to shoot. He struggled against the magic holding him in place, his entire being driven by a single thought: for once in his life, he needed to win!

Starlight’s horn glowed brighter as she exerted more magic to keep Reaper restrained. She closed her eyes and grit her teeth. Despite her best efforts, she could feel Reaper starting to break free.

How could he be this strong? He wasn’t before! she thought to herself. Aloud, she managed to say, “Something’s...gotten into him! I can’t...hold him...much longer!”

Spike knew a mental breakdown when he saw one. “Reaper, snap out of it!” he pleaded. “Whatever it is, it’s all in your head!”

Twilight realized that Spike was right. Reaper wasn’t talking to them right now. Somehow, he was caught in a nightmare - trapped inside his own mind. Her expression resolute, she trotted up to Reaper and laid her horn against his head, casting a spell to connect their minds.

Immediately, she was assaulted by visions, rapid flashes of places she had never seen and humans that she didn’t recognize. It was all too much and too fast for her to process, but she felt the underlying emotions behind them all as they passed: frustration, anger, and pain...so much pain.

She could feel tears form in her eyes as she sought to calm the storm. “Reaper, please...” she whispered. Something responded, but it wasn’t Reaper.

I can feel you...so much life!

Twilight shuddered as the new voice laughed. She felt its hunger...its need to kill. It terrified her, and all of her instincts told her to break away, to run, but she stood firm.

“I know my friend is in here,” she said, her voice steady and commanding. “Give him back!”

“Yeah! Come back to us, buddy!” Spike shouted. He didn’t know what Twilight was seeing, but he knew that he wanted to help.

Starlight could feel Reaper’s struggles beginning to weaken. “We won’t leave you,” she said. “No matter how hard you push us away. Friends are always there for each other, and we are friends!”

In Reaper’s mind, Twilight saw the visions slow to a stop. A different voice, too smooth to be Reaper’s, spoke.

Sorry, it said. So sorry...Started out trying to help. Went too far again. Heh, another failure…

The voice sounded so tired. It had tried to laugh off its last statement, but Twilight could feel its pain - it was Reaper’s pain.

Reaper? Twilight wondered.

Don’t wanna be called Reyes anymore, the voice replied cryptically.

“It’s alright,” Twilight said aloud. “It’s in the past. You’re not a failure. You matter to us.”

“Why?” Reaper asked aloud in his raspy voice.

“Because we’re friends,” Twilight said.

New visions slowly filled Reaper’s mind, pushing away the hunger and the pain: Daring Do saving him from Ahuizotl, everypony welcoming him to Ponyville, hanging out with Spike and Starlight, playing with the Cake twins and Pinkie Pie. All memories of the past few days. There weren’t many.

But they’re enough, Twilight heard the smooth voice say.

Twilight cut off the spell, and slowly backed away from Reaper.

“You ponies and your friendship,” Reaper scoffed. He paused. Refusing to meet their eyes, he added, “Thanks.”

Twilight, Starlight, and Spike smiled at Reaper. Starlight floated him over and pulled him into a hug, the others - even Owlowiscious - joining in. Reaper did not complain, and no voices spoke in his mind.

When the group hug ended, Spike asked, “So...what was that just now?”

Reaper let out a heavy sigh. “My curse,” he replied.

“Who?” Owlowiscious asked, obviously pressing for details.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Reaper said. He looked up and met Twilight’s gaze. “Not yet. But...I will. Just not today.”

Twilight nodded. “We understand. Just remember that whenever you’re ready...we’re here for you.”

“Thank you,” Reaper said. It was all he could say. He still wasn’t sure how he really felt about all of this. It had been so long since someone cared. He didn't know how to react to it. He didn't know if he deserved it. He didn't know if that even mattered.

Starlight gently lifted Reaper up with her hooves and deposited him on her back. “Do you wanna go back to the castle?” she asked with a friendly smile. “It’s fine if you’re not up for a busy day helping Fluttershy right now.”

Reaper shook his head. “No. I...”

Reaper trailed off and looked away. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what he wanted right now. He just knew that he didn’t want to be alone. But he also didn’t want to admit that out loud.

Reaper unconsciously pulled some of Starlight’s mane closer to himself. Seeing this, Starlight lifted him off of her back with her hooves and lightly nuzzled him. She chuckled at his discomfort, but noted that he neither protested nor pulled away.

“Alright then,” Starlight said, once again placing Reaper on her back. “Let’s head on down to Fluttershy’s!”

Twilight and Spike agreed, and the whole group once more set off to Sweet Feather Sanctuary. Despite what had happened, the mood for the rest of the journey was cheerful, and everyone spent it chatting and smiling.

Even Reaper.

Author's Note:

[1] Jack Morrison, former leader of Overwatch. Currently operating under the alias Soldier: 76.

Comments

[HydraLightning]

....I really wanna see it go where Reaper is brought to Celestia and Luna and the voices come back as well as his true form. He then goes on a rampage and....well.....DIE......DIE......DIE........

[Autumn breeze24]

8430312
Honestly so do I at this point..... this is actually pissing ME off at how he is being treated like a child that is just not okay...... it makes me want to take one of reapers REAL shotguns and use it to blow starlight’s horn clean to pieces.

[Late_Night]

9533412

8430312
lads and lasses, here you see the true form of reaper mains
edgy little faggots who need their shit slapped

[Derpy_DragonV1]

9840493
I'm pretty sure I would be angry too if my character I main went from "Some weird demon thing (idk I don't play overwatch)" to "baby boi that shoots dust."