Friendship is Failure #26- A Hearths Warming Battle

by DakariKingMykan

Final Act: Inspiring Death

ACT FOUR

Jack was immediately sent to a psychiatric hospital where it hoped he would get the help and treatment he needed to get his life back on track.

Twilight spent a few days restless and sleepless, worrying about him and wondering if he was going to be okay.

She just stared down blankly at her breakfast with sleepy eyes.

“Come on, Twilight. You’ve got to eat.” said Spike.

She could only shake her head grimly. “I’m just not that hungry, Spike. I can’t stop thinking about Jack.”

Starlight sighed, “We’ve though this before, Twilight… You’ve done everything you can. At least you got him into help he could use.”

Twilight still didn’t feel any better. “How do I know it will work out? How will I know if he’s going to get better?”

“You don’t,” replied Starfleet. “And anyway… it isn’t up to you to decide. Getting better doesn’t just happen overnight; it can take a really, really long time. There is no magic spell, or instant cure for things like this.

…I know this better than any pony.” She referred to how it took a while for her to see the light and turn her life around.

Twilight managed a soft smile and found strength to eat up.

After breakfast, she decided to go out for a long walk and try to clear her mind.

She thought the joy of seeing all ponies prepare for Hearths Warming would cheer her up a little, and for a while it did seem to.

Lots of ponies seemed happy and joyful as they walked or skipped through the streets with joy and giddiness.

Twilight assumed it was because the holidays were just around the corner-- only a few days away.

She even thought to herself, “It would be a Hearths Warming miracle if Jack would get better.”

More, and more ponies were acting so joyful and happy, but Twilight suddenly realized they were cheering for something else…

“He’s gone!”

“About time he went.”

“I wish I could’ve seen him when it happened.”

“What’s happening?” Twilight asked, but no one stopped to give her an answer.

Then she saw a whole herd of ponies crowding by the newsstands, asking/demanding for papers with the story everyone was so excited about.

She excused herself past the crowds-- being Princess of Friendship, the ponies graciously parted ways to let her in.

She reached the stand, and took one look at one of the newspapers to which the front page read:

“Psychiatric Patient Dies in Hospital.”

“What?!” Twilight’s heart skipped a beat, and her insides felt they were shredding even more to learn it was indeed Logger Jack who had died.

The story read that there was a struggle between him and the doctors to take a sedation to calm him down when he was caught trying to hang himself.

“The doctors attempted to sedate him with an injection,” the story read, “But in a frantic struggle, he was accidentally jabbed directly in the heart, and the sedation caused him to go in cardiac arrest.

He died while smiling gleefully.”

Twilight could not believe this at all. “He’s dead!” she cried. “And not a minute too soon.” the news dealer said, further shocking her.

All the ponies seemed to be rejoicing over Jack’s death.

“He was a loser.”

“We’re better off having lost him.”

“This is best Hearths Warming ever-- he’s gone.”

More taunting and heckling heard from all the passersby. Twilight remembered what Jack had warned her; about nobody caring about helping him, or anything of the sort.

She finally burst out shouting. “WHAT IS WITH ALL OF YOU?!!”

The streets went silent, and every pony gazed at her in shock and confusion.

One of the civilians asked, “Princess Twilight, don’t tell me you actually showed compassion to that creep?”

Another one of the civilians spoke up, revealing herself to be Jack’s ex-wife. “I was glad when I divorced him. He wasn’t going anywhere after he was given that trial. They should’ve locked him up when they had the chance.”

That blow really hit Twilight’s heart hard, and she scolded the mare. “A true wife would have stood by while her husband was being wrongfully treated for a crime he didn’t commit!”

The mare fell silent.

Then Twilight scolded everyone else and told them about her confrontation with Jack and how he asked her to kill him.

“He battled you?” exclaimed a civilian.

“You didn’t even have the freak arrested?!” expressed another.

“I would’ve had him sent to Tartarus just for being seen.”

It seemed everyone seemed to have their reasons for unjustly hating Jack-- exactly as Jack had warned Twilight about, and then it got worse.

“Are you actually concerned for him?”

“What’s wrong with you, Princess?”

“If you had any sense, you’d be joyous like we all are.”

Everyone scolded Twilight for showing any compassion for Jack-- again, he warned her it would happen.

Everyone began to cheer and chant. “JACK IS DEAD! JACK IS DEAD! JACK IS DEAD!”

Overly and incredibly outraged, and her cheeks turning red with anger, Twilight dashed off and vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the town’s ponies more confused than ever.

“What’s eating her?”

“She’s as crazy as Jack was.”

“Ah, she’ll come around.”

Twilight went back to the castle and explained everything to Spike and Starlight.

“I can’t believe how cruel they were!” she said while clutching a cushion. “It’s no wonder Jack was so unhappy, and now he’s… he’s…!”

She could barely control herself, and a small tear fell from her eye. Not that she was friends with Jack, but she felt so bad for him, and was outraged by the heartlessness of others.

This was more than just a mere saddening; she felt her Hearths Warming spirit crushed, and so close to Hearths Warming itself.

Starlight and Spike tried to comfort her, but they both felt equally outraged, and honestly didn’t know what to say to her.

Twilight let out a soft lecture. “Hearths Warming is supposed to be about kindness, caring, and sharing. To be thinking about others, and not just yourself! Other ponies don’t have it as big or as warm as some do, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t entitled to it just because you don’t like them or have misjudged them. It’s Peace in the world, and good will to “All” not just “Some.”

Those who think like that don’t know the true meaning of Hearths Warming and disgrace its gentle warmth and spirit, and yet even then, they are entitled to just a little bit of peace and comfort.”

Spike and Starlight were astounded by what she had just said.

Twilight then excused herself to go and lie down in her room for a while.

Still inspired by Twilight’s speech, Spike and Starlight happened upon the same idea, and they secretly got to work.

They spent the next few nights on their project when Twilight was asleep.

Spike used a quill to write down Twilight’s speech on blank cards, and Starlight enchanted several quills to write out the speech again and again on more cards-- enough to be sent to every home in all Equestria.

Spike’s claw began to ache from all the writing and folding cards, and Starlight was exhausted too, especially from overusing her magic, but they both knew it was worth it.

Hearths Warming Day came. The snow was falling in the beautiful morning.

Twilight was up and about, having gotten over a bit of her disgust and sorrows. She wanted to try and do her best to be merry on this Hearths Warming Day.

Suddenly, Pinkie burst through into her bedroom, without even knocking, surprising her, while throwing confetti and shouting, “HAPPY HEARTHS WARMING!”

Twilight nearly had a heart attack from the sudden burst.

“Uh… Happy Hearths Warming…” she started to say, before Pinkie took her by the tail and began to rush her out of the bedroom. “No time for that now. You’ve got to see all this!”

Before Twilight knew it, there she was in the castle living room, and she could not believe her eyes.

All her friends, including Applejack and Fluttershy were there helping to answer mountains of mail that had come in for Twilight.

“What’s all this?” Twilight asked.

“What are you talking about?” replied Applejack “Every Creature in all of Equestria was moved by the cards you sent them.”

Twilight was more confused now. “Cards? What cards?”

Fluttershy then held up a card she had received that very morning. “You mean, you didn’t write this?”

Twilight took the card and read it, recognizing the very words she had used about the true meaning of Hearths Warming.

She recognized the handwriting. “Spike?”

He and Starlight acted sheepish.

“We wanted to help lift up your spirits for Hearths Warming.” said Spike.

Starlight nodded and added, “There’s more. Keep reading.”

Below Twilight’s speech, there was a picture of Jack, and a little honor for him.

“In Memory of Logger Jack who was driven insane by the negligence of the spirit of Hearths Warming.”

Twilight felt a little sad, but pleased and touched that her friends did such a thing.

Rarity looked at all the responses in the mail. “I’ve never seen such praise. Many of them have even apologized to you whole heartedly, darling.”

Rainbow opened one letter, then another, and then more, and then a whole pile fell, burring her.

“I’m okay.” she called from under the pile.

Pinkie popped up from another pile. “Oooh… Here’s one from Princess Celestia.”

She quickly threw at Twilight, and she caught it with her magic.

The letter read:

“Twilight, I am very awed and inspired by your speech.

You have helped to remind other ponies the true meaning of Hearths Warming, and how they should stop and realize that things are not always as simple as they seem.

Others should really take time to help when it is needed, or see if they can help, and even if they cannot help, or their efforts were all in vain, at least they tried.

I’m only sorry that Jack had lost his life to help you help others see this.

Try to have a good Hearths Warming.

--Princess Celestia.”

Twilight felt a mix of joy and sadness equally balanced inside of her.

“Twilight… are you okay?” asked Spike.

She said nothing, but merely nodded as she looked out at the sky on Hearths Warming Day and thinking softly to herself. “I’m so sorry, Jack. I wish you were still here. Things could have been different for you.

Rest in Peace.”

All her friends huddled around her, joining her in prayer.

Some would love the joys of Hearths Warming, but there would always be some in distress, misery or at a loss of hope, and while it was impossible to fully understand what someone was truly feeling-- what went on in their minds-- all they could was try to offer help if they could.

And if it did no good, and the ending was still tragic…

…That’s just sometimes how it ends.

Author's Note:

I won't bother with the "Filthy animal" thing this time...

But what I have to say next is too long for here, so I'll blog it...

https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1028436/hearths-warming-battle-authors-note-dealing-with-suicidal-people

Comments

[GamePlayer64]

I think you made was a good example of showing those the ugly side of harmony. The hidden arrogances, selfishness and cruelty of creatures on the side of harmony. This should be a lesson for Twilight to see what she'll expect within her unity within friendship. A dark side that she refused to believe existed within harmony. She'll might explore Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow's past to see how or maybe who made them the way they are. She'll might even find corrupted creatures who use harmony as an excuse to harm innocent creatures or criminals for selfish and corrupted ways.

[DakariKingMykan]

11770113

It's not the first time either... Try this story

Friendship is Failure #24- Twilight in Therapy

Twilight learns there are more sides than just friendship, and she also learns she mustn't' be so paranoid, and there are times when she should and should not butt in.