The Narrator Hates Us All

by TRIBOT 4000

Strawberry

warning this chapter may give you the feels.

---

In the bustling city of Knew York, in one of the many skyscrapers that pegasi still complain about, there lived a pony. Unlike most ponies living in this particular city, she was happy. Happy with her choices and happy with her losses. She was joyful, and made others around her joyful, including the accountant, the garbage stallion, and the hotel manager. Her home was apartment 18 on the second floor of the Terrible View Hotel. Yes, that is the actually name.

Her name was Strawberry. 'What is her full name?' you may ask. Well let me be the first to say that you are not the first one to ask. Strawberry is her only name, and ironically, she does not grow strawberries. Mondays through Fridays she wakes up, makes a pot of tea, exits the apartment complex, making sure to greet every pony she meets on the way with a smile, and heads to work at a construction site.

On this particular day she plans to do something very special.

Waking up, per the norm, she jumps out of bed especially giddily. Today was the day. Today she would accomplish her goal! Today was like no other. It wasn't yesterday, slouched in shame, nor was tomorrow hiding in fear, it was today jumping in anticipation. She hurried to the small kitchen she had and prepared a small breakfast. Nothing too big, just something to fill her stomach for the morning. She wanted to be in tip top shape after all.

Once finished she grabbed her tools before remembering it was Saturday. No work today. 'I must be jittery' she thought. After all, who wouldn't be in her current situation?

She quickly strapped on a saddlebag with her cutie mark on it, a red combination wrench with a green stem growing from it. After doing so, she exited the apartment and went downstairs, waving to each and every pony she passed, as per tradition. She mustn't get lax in her duties. Finally exiting the building, she could smell the smells and feel the feels of the day. Ponies walked from place to place, each with a goal in their mind. Strawberry had hers as well.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally found herself at Vennie's Vegan Vegie Tables. Going inside, she looked around for the stallion that awaited her, her knight in shining armor, her future partner, her hero. The one pony that could understand her, the one pony with a heart of gold, the one pony...speaking to...another...mare?

There before our dear littler Strawberry was a sight like none other, a sight she could never remove from her vision. There, in her seat, next to her stallion, was her mortal enemy, Fruit Salad. That jumble of cells destined to live their lives keeping the substance of pony that had only the purpose of making her life a living hell.

Strawberry looked to her stallion, who was laughing at some joke made by Tireks servant. From the look in his eye, he wasn't expecting this mare nor was he comfortable. Good, that solved at least one possible problem. Strawberry took another glance of her stallion, this time taking in his every feature. Dark Side, not to be confused with his brother, Darker Side, or father, Darkest Side, was a male unicorn with an ironically bright colored blue coat. His mane and tail were tricolor, Prussian Blue, Midnight Blue, and Oxford Blue. His cutie mark was silver star with an upside down navy blue star inside it.

Strawberry returned her thoughts to the mare he was talking to, or my like, barely dealing with. It was time for her to be hero.

---

'I just don't know what went wrong' Strawberry said, holding a bag of frozen pees to a bruise on her head.

'You came out swinging, that's what went wrong Berry' Dark Side said to his marefreind.

The two lovers sat on a curb by a fire hydrant, both staring down at the road, Dark Side in nervousness, Strawberry in shame. If only she had not been such a fool, maybe things wouldn't have went so terribly. After all, she is supposed to be the kind one out of the couple. Striking another pony had never been something she wanted or had to do. She was a peaceful pony by nature.

They spent several hours conversing about it, until Celestias sun started to lower in the distance. Strawberry looked into Dark Side's yellow eyes, they were almost glowing gold, like two yellow sapphires. His coat seemed to contrast so perfectly with the dark red sky. He noticed her staring and smiled. A perfect smile, usually hidden behind a mask of sorrow, glowed as bright as his eyes. Strawberry smiled back, and the two shared this moment together, a moment that belonged to them and no other.

Strawberry suddenly stopped smiling, which was something she rarely did. For Strawberry to stop smiling, nothing short of the world ending or someone he loved getting hit on by another mare would occur.

'Berry?' Dark Side asked 'what's wrong.'

The mare looked away from him as tears began to form in her eyes. She tried her best to hold them back, but to no avail.

'What's wrong?' Dark Side prompted. Strawberry looked back to him and spoke in a sad and solemn voice, filled with fear.

'Honey...' she began 'There is something I never told, and I...very much regret not doing so. There is something wrong with me, something...that's been there for years, long before I met you. I'll understand if you don't want to know me anymore after...' She paused for a moment, as if tasting the words on her own lips.

'Berry, I don't care what's wrong with you, I would never stop loving you, and I would never love you less.' Dark Side reassured her.

Strawberry nearly shouted, 'It's not like that!' she shrunk back at Dark Sides surprise and widened eyes 'It...it's something much different. It's...worse than some...some defect or physical injury.'

Dark Side held her shoulders and held tightly 'Tell me. What is it that's so terrible, you think I wouldn't want to know you?'

Strawberry breathed deeply, trying to find the right way to say the words, but finding no other way but to put it bluntly, she says 'I won't live a day after twenty-five.'

The air stood still, as if the entire world had decided this statement was more important than time itself. Dark Side didn't move, his mind trying to process the information, as if brain had been punched in the gut. When he regained his thoughts he spoke, very quietly 'What?'

Starwberry's voice broke as she explained 'When a mare hits eighteen or twenty, their body begins to regulate normally since the changes in puberty have recently finished. I have a rare blood disease that...that doesn't accept the changes as normal. In other words, my body will...break down, and simply...stop working at some point. Side from necromancy, I won't hardly make it past twenty-four. I'm sorry for not telling you this so long ago. I really should have. Like I said, I understand if you don't want to associ...' but her words were cut off as a sensation pressed against her lips and chilled her body. Dark Side ended the kiss almost as quickly as he started it and looked at Strawberry with teared up eyes, almost flooding with anger.

'Don't you dare finish that sentence Strawberry!' He yelled 'I don't care if you were bringing me and my whole family with you to the grave. I love you! And I will always love you! That's what you need to understand.'

Strawberry didn't know what to say. Dark Side had never been the type to show emotion like this before. He had gotten a lot better after meeting her, but something like this was very unlike him. She put a hoof to his cheek and looked into his eyes, and her smile returned.

'You...' she began 'have the biggest heart I have seen. From the day I met you I could see it, even when it was bottled up behind despair, it was there. You care for others so much but try to act like you don't. I always knew you cared for me, I'm happy knowing that when I go, you'll have realized this. Our time together was not wasted, please remember that. Your time here in Equestria was not a waste, no matter how much you say otherwise.' the stallion smiled a little and held Strawberry in his hooves.

They stayed there for the rest of the night as Dark Side whispered in her ear 'You'll always be the beat of my heart Berry.'

---

Ten years later, on a Friday, in the middle of summer, Dark Side sat on a large blanket with his son, Blueberry. The two had shared the entire day together playing hoofball, catch, and various other sports. At the moment they rested on the side of a green hill in Central Park.

Blueberry broke the silence 'Dad?'

Dark Side turned his head to face his son 'Yes?'

Blue berry hesitated, wondering if he should ask. Deciding he might as well he asked 'What was Mom like?'

The question surprised Dark Side but he sat up and smiled 'Your mother was an angel, sent from Celestia herself to protect me. She helped me through thick and thin both outwardly and inwardly. She cared for everyone else so strongly that she could lift hearts with her smile. She was the strongest warrior and the best warrior to protect me and to protect you.'

Blueberry crawled closer to his father 'When will she protect me?'

Dark Side chuckled and continued 'She is, right now. Can't you feel it? She's here' he motioned to his sons heart 'and she will always be there for you when you need her.'

And it was true. There beside them, though they could not see her, stood Strawberry, wings on her back, and smile on her face. She protect them in death as much as she would in life. Strawberry would build them up when they broke down, her very presence would instill them with strength, and she would be there until they could join her again.

Author's Note:

Sorry for making such a sad chapter. I know comedy is a tag on this, but so is slice of life, sooo...don't get too mad at me.

Comments

[Zapper Frost]

Sorry for making such a sad chapter. I know comedy is a tag on this, but so is slice of life, sooo...don't get too mad at me.

meh I've read fics who do this on a much larger scale