Chapter 51
The Haunting
Admiral Biscuit
I couldn’t focus on work.
At lunchtime, Thaler stopped by my desk and said that he could tell I wasn’t all there and should take whatever time I needed to sort things out. After his assurance that he didn’t think less of me for it, and the observation that some of my earth pony co-workers still hadn’t come back from their spring planting, I thanked him and left.
I could have gone home but I didn’t. I could have gone to Milfoil’s house, but I didn’t do that, either.
I went into the woods.
I went to Windflower’s little forest glade.
Not because I was expecting to see anything there—I wasn’t. But because it felt right. It felt like what I needed to do. It felt like it might be the place to get some closure.
I leaned up against a sturdy oak tree and listened to the sounds of the forest, and the song of the forest.
How often did people visit graves? I’d only ever visited my grandparents’ when they’d been buried, and sometimes I thought about them, but I never returned. That was different, though. They’d lived a full and proper life, and while it was important to go through the motions for closure, it wasn’t the same when it was a child. When it was an unfinished life.
Had she ever thought of it as her home? I didn’t think she had. She would have brought all her toys here if she had.
It was a place where she was trapped, bound to, and now she was free.
Small trillium flowers were poking up through the leaf-litter, the match to the one over her grave.
“Hey.”
I didn’t turn my head—I just reached my arm out and put it across Milfoil’s back.
“I thought I’d find you here.”
“Did Thaler tell you he sent me home?”
“No, but I’m not surprised. I told you that you didn’t have to go back to work until you’re ready.”
“Back on Earth, I’d be fired for that,” I said. “Maybe even in Manehattan.”
“Haywards Heath isn’t Manehattan.”
“I know.” I turned and kissed her forehead. “Believe me, you’re not missing anything. I wasn’t sure I was making the right choice when I moved here—there’s a lot Manehattan has to offer, but I was tired of paying rent and maybe that wasn’t the best motivation.”
“The why doesn’t matter.” Milfoil sat down next to me. “Sometimes I think that I should have stayed on the farm instead of moving into town, but I wanted to try something different and I was too stubborn, too proud, to admit at first how much I missed the fields and crops, and after a while I grew to love living in town. And there have been plenty of times where I’ve thought about how something I did or didn’t do made a change later on . . . if I hadn’t had a house in town, I wouldn’t have met you.”
“If I hadn’t bought my house, I wouldn’t have met you. Some people believe that fate or God has a plan for us all and we don’t always understand it.”
“Do you believe that?”
“I don’t know. When I add up all the decisions that led me to you, I have to wonder. What if—” What if Windflower had never decided to go in the woods to pick wildflowers? She would still be living in the house, and I wouldn’t have moved in. I wouldn’t have gotten punched by the old stallion, and I wouldn’t have piqued Milfoil’s curiousity by lying about it. We wouldn’t have fallen in love—but Windflower would still be alive. That would have been the best ending, for her if not for me.
But I couldn’t say that. That was a thought that should stay forever buried.
Milfoil knew what I was thinking. “’What if I’d planted oats instead?’ You can’t change the past, only the future.”
“All your pony magic, and that’s the best bit of wisdom you’ve got?”
“Not like it’s different for humans.”
“No, I guess it isn’t.”
The two of us fell silent, and regarded her glade. It was hallowed ground to us, to her, but to any other pony who happened to be walking through the woods, they wouldn’t see anything different about it. Maybe they’d have a feeling, a little bit of a chill as they went by, but they wouldn’t know why.
Maybe it was better that way.
•••
We stayed until sunset, and walked back home in the fading light of the day.
•••
It took a while to get used to Windflower not being at my house around nightfall, to not reading to her or helping her plan out her garden. Milfoil struggled with it, too; the two of us had gone to see a play and wound up leaving during the intermission. Even though we knew she wasn’t going to be waiting at home, we couldn’t focus on the play.
There was plenty of work to be done in the garden, and that helped provide closure. We’d talk about the plants as we worked, and my skills slowly improved, both the mundane and the magical. I could tell weeds apart from flowers, knew which insects were beneficial and which ones weren’t, and I could tell when the thirstier plants wanted more water.
“I just had an epiphany—it’s not just about how the flowers look together. There’s more to it than that. It’s like a symphony.”
“I wondered when you were going to figure that out.”
“It should have been obvious to me months ago,” I admitted. “As soon as I knew the forest had a different song than the town. It’s nice. She . . . she chose well. I wish we’d had more time together. The house feels empty without her.”
•••
I thought about going to the library and asking what the local traditions were, or asking other ponies in town, but that didn’t feel genuine. That might have cheapened the moment, turned it into a production rather than a genuine thing.
I could have gone down on a knee, but that didn’t feel right either. It felt too showy, like I was performing for an audience or a Hallmark movie, so one day when we were in the garden pulling weeds I just asked Milfoil if she’d marry me.
She tossed a weed at me. “I’m all sweaty and covered in dirt—don’t you know you’re supposed to ask me to marry you over a nice dinner? After I get all prettied up?”
I stuck my tongue out at her. “You're beautiful just like you are. Besides, I didn’t want to get a reservation if you were going to say no.”
“Of course I wouldn’t say no, you idiot.” She grabbed me in a tight hug.
“That’s a relief.” I wiped a bit of imaginary sweat off my brow. “Should I make reservations, then? At a nice restaurant?”
“You can make them at the Hayburger if you want to. I’ll still say yes.”
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That was one of the best proposals I've ever seen.
That is nice, to see two lovebirds begin to nest.
I just got a sudden feeling that Windflower is going to return because she misses her foster parents. Our authors stories do occasionally have surprising twists.
9617455
That or windflower ends up getting reincarnated as their kid lol
JUST BUCK ALREADY
Dawwww...
Awwww.
My parents had been living together. Their proposal was a nice day, turning to each other, and agreeing their parents would like it if they got married. Then they spent the day shopping for rings. They've been together thirty years now.
And so there's an end, and a beginning.
I've lost track of how many times I've gone to upvote this story but it's already done.
9617466
that would be the way to go.
Aw Milly, you're the best, fancy restaurant or fast food place, you don't care as long as it's him.
Man. How are they going to tell anyone how they got together?
It was really sweet, though. I hope Windflower is having a good time in whatever counts for the pony afterlife.
Good new: you can now hear Windflower!
Bad new: you are likely dead.
Nevermind, it's Milfoil.
It was a very nice way to close the fic.
Nice to see them finally married (well, fiances. Ponyville may still have a few surprises/invasions/timberwolf surprises before they get married). Looking forward to see how it plays out in the final chapter/chapters.
this would be a very nice ending but you are still not done jet hm
If you don't like your wife when she's covered in dirt and sweat and the blood of weeds, then you probably don't deserve her when she's all prettied up
That was sweet as heck
Wait, not yet marked complete...
You know, in a similar manner that's how we would think our own marriage proposal would go down. A mundane day doing mundane things and then all the sudden "hey, we should be married!". Gotta set up fate and write in some destiny though...
Keep going! ;)
Just that.
Next chapter:
Windflower crashes the wedding?
9618402
The ultimate twist
9618435
9618435
Better than a Shyamalan movie.
Though now I find myself wondering what to call a wake for a ghost. Still, very sweet moment.
9617897
If you don't like your wife when she's covered in the blood of your mutual enemies, why even propose?
That's just adorable.
Watch their kid turn out to be just like Windflower!
9618402 Windflower becomes the trees and tries to make all the ponies commit suicide in unintentionally hilarious ways.
9618446
Omae wa mo no shinderu
Well, there it is, the big M word. Really adorable, just like pretty much everything else between those two.
Also, still interested to see Milfoil's reaction to Earth (if it isn't dismay I'll be suprised).
Great to see the reflections on Windflower now that she's gone. It's like she's died, again.
9618636
A wake for a ghost? A ghost busting?
Go to sleep,
Lay your head.
Close your eyes.
Forever.
9618636
A wake for a ghost is still a wake I think, just like giving them closure is still a funeral.
9617453
Thank you!
9617455
Isn't it? They're about the perfect couple.
You're not wrong about my proclivities; however, this isn't the ending.
9617466
That is the kind of ending I could get behind. If ponies do reincarnate, that would be the best result.
9617475
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/3b771707-b994-47ea-8ef4-f87d5f8127d4/da5fv9s-8811f3e9-f5bd-474c-9a9f-cc60fcfbc9bb.png/v1/fill/w_444,h_250,strp/just_____already__by_fantast_kun_da5fv9s-250t.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NTc2IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvM2I3NzE3MDctYjk5NC00N2VhLThlZjQtZjg3ZDVmODEyN2Q0XC9kYTVmdjlzLTg4MTFmM2U5LWY1YmQtNDc0Yy05YTlmLWNjNjBmY2ZiYzliYi5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.RFVrLBrHJd5s3SvviRNleiMF-iIJXOm8bSyYekcXhDc
9617503
9617542
I feel like that's the right way to do it, rather than some sort of silly fancy proposal thing that you instagram.
Yes, indeed.
9617613
Knighty should fix it so people can upvote chapters. And blog posts, that'd be good, too.
9617616
Although honestly if she came back with all her memories but was still an infant, there'd be a couple of weird years, ending (and also getting weirder) when she finally says "Hey, guys, it's me."
9617624
It's true--she's a very practical pony that way.
9617714
"Well you see, there was this ghost, and...
Thank you!
I think she is. It's certainly a better condition for her than being left behind.
9617764
Yeah, that would be the implication...
Thank you!
9617858
Technically, Equestria--they don't live in Ponyville. Your point's the same, though; there's every chance of an unpleasant surprise or two before the wedding, and it's probably best that they do it quick before a monster levels the town or something.
Thanks!
9617868
Nope, still needed to wrap things up in the epilogue.
9617897
Exactly true. Love her then, and you'll love her always.
Thank you!
9618262
<hugs>
9618176
Not quite--still got the epilogue.
I really think that's the best way to do it. Not some big production, but just when the moment is right.
9618402
That would certainly be an unexpected ending. You gotta wonder if Steve or Milfoil considered that possibility during the planning.
9618515
Legit question, did he direct Lady in the Water? 'Cause I seem to remember liking that one.
9618636
I know, right? I suppose if they're needed enough, ponies would come up with a name for them and a ritual.
Thanks!
i.pinimg.com/originals/21/55/eb/2155eb8a05bbb2b4bd65159b49c2b648.jpg
9618833
That would be cute.
9619246
Well, that would be an unexpected twist at the end...