Friendship is Failure #12- Amending Hearth's Warming

by DakariKingMykan

Act 1: The three-legged pony

ACT ONE

The next day, the family went out for a winter walk. Twilight smelled the air and sighed, “Ah… smell that crisp cool air.”

Her brother smelled the air, “I guess I’ve been in the Crystal Empire too long. I miss this smell.”

“I just love this time of year.” said Cadance “There’s so much love and joy going around.”

A song played a band of stallion singers sang a small song for Hearth’s Warming, as all the ponies around began to give, share, and help one another.

(Lightning Dawn is in this)

The ponies were decorating houses and the street lights. Other ponies were ice-skating, and some kids were just playing in the snow, but that Christmas song was so wonderful.

Shining Armor extended his hoof to his wife, and Cadance blushed as they began to dance to the music. Velvet and Night began to dance with each other too, while Twilight and Spike stood side-by-side, rocking back and forth to the beat, and Twilight used her magic to rock little Flurry in her carriage to the point where she fell asleep.

When the song ended, ponies began to give donations to the singers. That was what they were singing for anyway; to help raise money to help the poor and homeless.

Twilight went up to the singers and graciously donated a few bits to the cause, and one of the singers held out a candy-cane to her as thanks. “Thank you very much.” said Twilight.

“No… Thank you, Princess.” one of the singers said.

No sooner did Twilight go back to her family did another pony approach. He was an indigo colored Earth Pony, about the same age as Twilight’s father. He had a dark navy blue mane and tail, but he had no Cutie Mark! Not that it really mattered as he was dressed in a thick black fur robe and a hood that hid his face from view, and his right hind leg was all bandaged up and in a wheel dolly.

He offered the singers a considerably handsome donation-- a small but very full bag of real gold coins. Not ordinary bits!

“Whoa!” one of the singers cried “Dude! This is awesome! How can we ever thank you enough?”

“Don’t mention it…” said the pony, and he suddenly growled “…Ever!” and then he walked off. His dolly made soft squeaking sounds. “Hey, wait, you forgot your candy cane!” another singer called. “I don’t want it!” snapped it the pony “You already got what you wanted. Now leave me alone!”

Lots of other ponies looked at him as he walked off, and Twilight’s family noticed him too, especially her parents. He noticed the pony’s bandaged leg, and could almost recognize his voice. “It can’t be…!” said Night. “I think it is…” added Velvet.

Shining Armor and Cadance didn’t know what they were getting at, but Twilight and Spike looked at the pony, and recognized his voice and his leg. “That’s the same grumpy pony from the dark house last night.” said Spike.

Twilight agreed. There was no mistaking it.

As the pony walked along he suddenly gasped as his leg began to hurt, and he suddenly slipped on a small patch of ice and tipped over off all his feet.

Twilight dashed over to help him, “Here, let me help you up.” she said as she used her magic to get him back up safely. “Oh, thank you.” the pony said, but when he turned to see who it was that helped him, he gasped, “Princess Twilight…?”

His hood had also fallen off exposing his face, and Twilight’s parents gawked at him. “It is…!” cried Velvet.

“Helper Soul.” added Night.

“You two know him?” asked Shining Armor, before his folks could answer, they all watched as Helper began to back away from Twilight with a strange look on his face. “What’s the matter?” Twilight asked as she tried to approach him. “No! Stay away! Keep away from me!!” and he ran away leaving a trail of footprints and wheel tracks in the snow.

Twilight stood where she was shocked and confused at the way he had just behaved.

“What was that all about?” Spike asked.

Velvet and Night looked very sad, “He still hasn’t forgiven me.” Night muttered. “Oh, Night Light.” His wife said comforting him.

“Um… sorry to sound nosy,” said Cadance “But who was that?”

“I’d like to know that too.” Twilight added as she came back up to the gang, but her father looked almost ready to cry as he cringed and tried to stay strong.

“Dad…?” said Shining Armor.

Night sighed and finally explained, “His name is Helper Soul, and he and I go way back.”

And his mind trailed off to many years ago when he was a colt.

“We were like brothers, we always did stuff together and we loved to share with one another.”

“You know what Night Light?”

“What Helper?”

“Someday, I want to be Captain of the Royal Canterlot Guard, just like my father was.”

“Hey, that’s a great idea. I bet your dad would be proud… you know if he were. Oh, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean--”

“It’s okay. I miss him, but I know he’s looking at me and helping me move forward, and you know what’s even better?”

“What?”

“That you got my back too.”

The family felt touched, “So, what happened between you?” asked Spike.

Night Light sighed and looked down, “The years went by and we were still close. We often lent helping hoofs to other ponies, and that’s how he got his Cutie Mark, for helping others.”

Velvet then spoke, “Then I met your father and Helper in our graduating High School Year. We all became close. We worked together, we helped each other. It was almost like I had two colt-friends.”

Cadance smiled at such an idea, one mare getting much love form two stallions.

“Still, my love was for Night Light!” Velvet said, and she pecked her husband lovingly on the cheek, flattering him.

“But then, one Hearth’s Warming Eve. Our school was having a little get together for family and friends.” said Night, “Though he seemed to be acting a little strange to me and Velvet. Almost cold and distant, but he seemed alright. He chatted with us, and we all hung out together.

…However, it was snowing so hard, the roof began to collapse!

I jumped free, but Helper and Velvet-- many of the tables were tipped over in the impact, and one of them fell onto your Velvet, pinning her down, and Helper was trapped under a mound of snow that had fallen on him.

Naturally, I wanted to save my love first. She assured me she was fine and that Helper needed the help more, but I just didn't listen-- I was in a panic. So I levitated the heavy table off of her until she could get free, but before I could go save Helper from the snow, the roof collapsed some more, and a huge metal beam fell on Helper, crushing his right hind leg that was exposed!”

Night Light shut his eyes tight remembering his friend SCREAMING in extreme agony, and the others all looked in shock and fright.

Velvet continued “We didn’t know what to say to him. His leg would never be the same again, and he wouldn’t ever be able to join the Knight Academy.”

Night Light looked the most remorseful, “I should've saved him first, but I didn't, and it cost him his leg, and his dreams! I feel I betrayed him!"

“Oh, Dad!” cried Twilight. She felt tears coming to her eyes.

Her father hung his head really low and looked near tears of shame. "Not a day or not has gone by that I don't feel remorse. I could have saved him. I should have saved!"

“Man!” said Shining Armor. “That’s so sad.” added Cadance, “But what happened after that?”

Her father in law looked up almost tearfully at her, “We never saw him again.”

“What?” snapped Spike “Just like that?”

Velvet nodded, “A week after the New Year began, we heard he had dropped out of school, and just moved from Canterlot. No pony knew where he went, but Night Light and I soon did, because a letter was addressed to Night Light’s home with no return address.”

“I remember that letter too well…”

“Night Light, Velvet Sparkle…

Goodbye, Forever!

Our friendship is no more; I want nothing to do with either of you two again for what you have cost me and the pain I am in.

I wish you both the best of luck.

…Helper Soul.”

Enclosed in the letter was a picture of the three friends, torn down the middle, separating Helper from the couple. This was his ultimate confirmation that the friendship was through.

Author's Note:

To those who actually MAY care (I know my haters don't)

If you're thinking of his leg being amputated, GUESS AGAIN!

Ponies and horses CANNOT have amputations. They cannot have their limbs removed like humans can and live. No, in the real world when a pony/horse is in that much pain it's either keep them alive and in pain... or they get put down.

Comments

[Pete100]

Our friendship is no more; I want nothing to do with either of you two again for what you have cost me and the pain I am in.

Wait, I can kind of understand why he doesn’t want to talk to night, but why is he upset with velvet?