Friendship is Failure #26- A Hearths Warming Battle

by DakariKingMykan

Act 2: I want to die

ACT TWO

Twilight stood where she was for a whole minute, still unable to believe what she had just been asked.

“Excuse me…?!” she asked in total shock. “What did you just say?”

The pony glared at her, with a new look of desperation in his eyes. “I want you to kill me… right here and now! You have the power. You can do it!”

The friends were more horrified than ever, and Twilight immediately snapped, “No! I’ll do no such thing!”

“Please! I beg you…!” wailed the pony. “I’m desperate!”

“No!!” Twilight shouted. Her voice echoed across the field.

The other pony looked ready to explode, but he stayed calm. “I don’t believe this… and I thought you always were willing to help those in need.”

The friends dashed up to Twilight, and they gave the other pony stern expressions.

“Look, pal…!” snapped Spike. “I don’t know who you are, but sane ponies don’t go around making requests like that!”

“Why in the world would you ask Princess Twilight to kill you?!” added Starlight.

“Because I’ve tried everything else!” the pony admitted.

“Everything else?!” gasped Rarity. “You mean you’ve attempted death before?”

The pony nodded, “Nothing worked, I was either too chicken to go through with, or everything else I wasn’t chicken with never worked.”

He reminisced all his failed suicide attempts…

-Hanging himself by a noose, but he was never able to find something strong enough to hang by-- the object would always break off

-He tried jumping off a high cliff-- he was too scared of heights.

-He tried staying out in the cold weather underdressed hoping to get sick from disease-- He caught a cold, but that was it-- nothing serious.

-He tried to drown himself in water, but his involuntary reflexes always made him book it back up for air again-- he was too chicken.

“…That’s just to name a few.” he admitted.

Twilight was so horrified she had nearly forgotten how to breathe. “…But why would you want to die?!” she asked in a deeply concerned tone.

The pony looked down at the snow-covered ground, heating. Then he finally admitted, “…I don’t want to live anymore, and I don’t want to see anyone or talk to anyone.

Everyone’s nothing but wrenching, greedy, selfish, snobs, who’d do anything to make my life worse than Tartarus, and I was nearly sent there.”

“You nearly went to Tartarus?!” cried Pinkie. “That’s nuts! That’s insane! That’s… That’s…!!”

“…That’s… enough, Pinkie.” said Twilight. “This pony needs help right now.”

“No, I don’t!” insisted the pony. “The only thing I need is death-- That is all!”

“How can you say that? Who exactly are you?”

“I’m no-pony important, and my death won’t make a difference to anyone! Now, again, kill me, and do it now!”

“I told you… No! I won’t do it! I want to try and help you, but I can’t if you don’t tell me your problem.”

“You couldn’t help me even if I did tell you!”

“Try me!”

At first, he was hesitant, and then he suddenly felt maybe it would help Twilight see his point of view, and he could convince her to go through with it.

“Fine, I’ll tell you…”

“Um… does it have to be here?” Spike asked with a shiver, “…No offense, but it’s freezing out here.”

“Agreed…” said Twilight, and she said to the pony, “You’re coming with me, to my castle.”

The pony stepped back, “I don’t want any hospitality from you.”

Starlight was losing her patience. “Okay, this going way too far. We’re all trying to be nice to you…” was as far as she got until Twilight held up her hoof silencing her.

“You all go back then, I’ll stay here.”

“But Twilight!” protested Rarity.

“No buts!”

She really wanted an explanation, and if this was only way to get it, she’d have to play by the guy’s rules and talk out in the cold.

Starlight relented. “All right, but you come straight home as soon as this is over.” Then she teleported herself and the others back to the castle where it was warmer.

Twilight stood waiting. “Go on… tell me everything.”

The pony sighed softly. He really didn’t want to have to tell his story-- it was too much for him to relive the horrible memories.

“My name is Logger Jack, and I used to lead the good life…

*Jack’s POV*

I used to be a fine lumber jack. I knew how to how to cut down trees-- which trees to pick, how to cut them down so they’d fall over smoothly, and how to grind and cut them up to make the right sized logs and woods.

My best specialty was cutting down trees for Hearths Warming-- hence my Cutie Mark.

No pony chose finer trees that could sparkle and glisten, and really give off that comforting glow.

I became so famous that I started my own logger business. Not only did we continue to distribute Hearths Warming trees, but we replanted new trees after we cut others down to grow more forest.

I had it all, money, a good company, stock investments, but most of all, I had a nice home and a loving wife. We were going to start a family together. I couldn’t wait for that. A family would be so wonderful…

…But it never happened!

The stocks that I invested in crashed and burned faster than a comet. The money was all gone, and my company was starting to fall with it!

My workers were angry and blamed me for it. I did invest their money in the stocks, but only because they wanted in on it, even though I warned them they’d be doing it at their own risk and expense.

They just kept blaming me for it, and some of them sued me, accusing me of theft and embezzling their money.

The case was taken to court, and despite my efforts I lost! It seemed that no one cared for facts, or evidence; they just wanted someone to blame for it. I suspected the trial was a farce set up to denounce and defame me, but I couldn’t prove it, nor could I convince the judge it wasn’t my fault!

I was given a choice: Sell my company to pay off all my former workers or go to prison in Tartarus!

It was a no-win for me! I lost my company either way.

…But that wasn’t all I lost. My wife up and left me, she said “There’s no way I’m staying married to a jobless criminal.”

I tried to find a new job, but everywhere I went it was the same story.

“You cost my friend his job.”

“I don’t want you.”

“I won’t have criminals in my company.”

Everywhere, ponies kept treating me like I wasn’t to be trusted.

I tried to go back to being a simple logger, but nobody would buy from me-- no longer trusting me.

My money was dwindling. I got evicted from my home, and I kept on losing, and losing, more and more each day, until all I had left was a few clothes I had on, and my criminal record!

*POV Ends*

Jack was cringing painfully and doing his best not to shed any tears!

Twilight could understand it all now, and she couldn’t believe this would happen.

“How could some ponies be so blind and cruel?!” she wondered.

Jack turned his head to look at Ponvyville, and how all the Hearths Warming lights made the town glisten in the distance.

“I especially hate Hearths Warming!” he grumbled while quivering miserably. “It’s bad enough the season reminds me of the life and comfort I used to have, but seeing every pony else being kind, caring, and giving to all others except me!

It’s just too much!”

Twilight protested, “But my friends and I tried to be nice to you. We tried to offer you kindness.”

“…And you’re lucky I refused it.” snapped Jack. “Some ponies did try to offer me some shred of care, hope, and kindness, but the majority who hated me were quick to scorn them for it, causing them to rescind their acts of kindness-- unless they wanted to be dragged down with me.”

“What?!” cried Twilight.

“You heard me! If you or your friends were seen being kind to me, you would’ve been just as easily denounced and mocked by those who have it out for me.

The bottom line is… I have nothing left to live for. I don’t even want to live anymore! What’s the point? I’m tired of being picked on, I’m sick of having things taken from me, and I can’t stand seeing all the happiness, cheer, and joy that I once had but won’t ever get again.

That’s why I brought you out here. I want you to kill me; right here, right now! It’s the best thing for it, and I’ll finally be free of all this pain and misery!

…KILL ME NOW!!”