The Revival of a Heart

by TheMessenger

Heart's Desire

Heart's Desire

"Do you understand, Twilight Sparkle?"

The white figure paced around Twilight, who found herself on her back, staring up at the endless ceiling. She could hear every step the Human took, as if he was walking on crystal or glass. Twilight struggled up to her hooves as the Human continued to speak over the echoes of his steps.

"Do you understand, Twilight Sparkle?" he said again. "Do you see the source, the cause of Ash's pain? It is not from guilt of his failure, least not entirely. It is not loneliness, the fact that he is only in this world. Nay, it is something I believe you would understand very well." He chuckled. It reminded Twilight of the shattering of a crystal glass and she flinched just the same. "After all, you are a sort of an expert on the subject, are you not?"

The echoes stopped. Twilight looked up into the face of the Human. Those dark eyes, the same color as Ash's but without any life, those eyes stared down into Twilight's own purple ones. The Unicorn gulped as he reached out. The small smile he wore did nothing to comfort her as he help her up to her feet.

The Human gestured to the side. Twilight followed the directed motion. Behold, the pitch-black tapestry from before hung before her. The Human made his way toward the ugly thing and motioned a wary Twilight toward him.

"It won't bite."

"I'm not entirely convinced," the Unicorn growled. "What, did you expect me to forget my first meeting with that...thing?"

"I should hope not," Ash's lookalike replied with another empty smile. He brushed his hand over the murky canvas. Like old cobwebs, the darkness was brushed aside, revealing a majestic image that incited a gasp from Twilight.

A large woven likeness of Ash stood before her, though it took a few seconds Twilight a few short seconds to recognize him. In the depiction he wore a light blue robe that seemed to shimmer despite the lack of light or that the entire thing was made of fabrics. Detailed runes were sown across his chest and in his left hand he clutched a large wooden staff, with silver symbols running down. He seemed to be staring intensely out beyond the tapestry, beyond Twilight and the Human who stood next to her, as if watching or waiting for something to approach.

And he was not alone. To his side stood another young man. Like Ash, he was cleanly shaved. A large red breastplate protected much of the man's torso. To his right side hung a sword, its scabbard red. His hand rested on the weapon's rounded hilt. Runes, like on Ash, adorn the armor and on the sheath, though they were golden as oppose to silver. The man's blue eyes stared out into the distance, though in a different direction than Ash. Golden strands of fair hair brushed over his eyes, as if a light breeze had passed through.

Both men rested their other arm by their side. A long silver chain was wrapped around their wrists, linking the two together. A brass lock was connected to the ends.

The Human smirked. He poked the center of the tapestry where the chain warped itself around the arms. The touch sent ripples through the entire image, creating distortions.

"Even now, the bond remains strong. Even after everything..." He turned to Twilight. "Do you understand, Twilight Sparkle? Do you understand the pain betrayal brings upon the betrayed?" Another chilling smirk. "It can keep you up at night."

"You told me in order to help I Ash had to destroy this." Twilight swallowed. "You...you meant to destroy..."

"Destroy the bond," the Human finished. He lost the the fake mocking smile and adopted a somber humorless expression. "Destroy the bond between Ash and Ramth." He glared at the woven image. It had received a sudden coat of dust, giving the image a musty aged presence. "The memories, the emotions, the camaraderie, everything...everything must be erased."

The Human stroked a finger over the embroidery. Dust clung to the appendage. "All must be erased," he repeated as he rubbed his fingers together in disgust. "As long as this stands, the dreams will continue."

"I-I can't just wipe away something like this," Twilight protested. "You're asking me to destroy-no, complete annihilate an entire friendship! You're asking me to go against every principle I have, ignore every lesson I've learned!" She took a deep breath.

"I saw...I saw Ash's life before he came to Equestria, before everything happened. He looked so happy, so peaceful when he was with his friends...much more so than I've seen him during his time with us," Twilight admitted gloomily. The purple Unicorn shook her head and when she spoke again, the strength and force in her voice was restored. "You're asking me to take that all away. I-I can't do something like that."

Twilight's front rose and fell rhythmically. The pattern quickened as the white-robed Human approached. He wore a cold frightening stare that nearly stopped Twilight's heart. His lips were curled into a snarl.

"I'm asking you to save Ash," he said coldly. "I'm asking you to remove the very source of his pain, to free him from the torture Ash inflicts on himself because he refuses or possible can't let go."

He was now right in front of the Unicorn. He took a step forward, forcing Twilight back. "Tell me, Twilight Sparkle, what would your princess say if she saw you prolonging Ash's suffering? What if this was Rainbow Dash here in pain, slowly shattering apart. Or Rarity? Fluttershy? What would you do then?"

Twilight gasped, grasping her head between her hooves. Images of Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy writhing on the ground and eroding away filled her head at each name.

"S-stop-"

"Pinkie Pie? Applejack?"

Pinkie Pie's weak cries sound almost real. Applejack slowly lifted her head and as their eyes met, Twilight watched as the farmmare's orange coat turned grey as ash and began to peel away as if caught in the wind...

"S-stop it."

"Spike?"

"SHUT UP!" Twilight roared, slamming her hooves into the ground. Large cracks began to form.

"Every moment you hesitant Ash suffers longer. It will eat away his soul, his very being, until there is nothing left but dust." The Human struck the tapestry with his fist in emphasis, creating a small musty cloud. "Friendship? Bah, this is a poison! From the very beginning, it was poison!"

The Human turned around with such force, the edge of his robes struck Twilight's cheek and pushed her back. He ignored her pained cry as he continued, his tone almost venomous.

"It blinded him from danger. It pushed him to make needless sacrifices. And now, it acts as the one barrier that stands between him and peace in this world."

He unclenched his fist. Blood trickled down his stained fingernails. Once again, he turned his attention to the horrified pony. Twilight backed away slowly until she found herself against a wall.

"This is your chance, our chance," he said in a softer, less threatening tone. "We can end it. We can finally have peace. Ash will finally be at peace. Isn't that what you want?"

"I-I-"

"No more dreams. No more visions. No more torments. End it. End it!"

"But-"

"eNd It! EnD iT! END IT ALL!"

*****

Twilight opened her eyes. The Human had disappeared, though his screams still rang violently in her eyes. She shivered.

She looked around and groaned. Of course there was nothing but shadows and the embroidered picture. The sudden isolation was both a blessing and a curse; in all honesty, Twilight found Ash's twin and his dark attitude extremely unsettling but the complete silence that the Human's insane rants had kept away was just as unnerving.

"Now what?" Twilight wondered out loud. As if in response, an open flame bursted in front of her, nearly singeing the Unicorn's mane. The flame rested on a thick rod that balanced perfectly on its head. The fire itself was violet, flooding the room with a similarly shaded light. It eerily reminded Twilight of her own magical light.

Carefully levitating the torch out of the ground, Twilight directed the light side to side. The shadows hid nothing of interest. Save for the tapestry, the Unicorn, and the purple torch, the hall was bare. As Twilight considered exploring the halls further, a gust of wind blew by, almost extinguishing the flame. Chill seemed to seep beneath her coat and skin and she shivered.

"...bUrN iT..."

The aura surrounding the torch flickered as Twilight struggled to maintain control. She looked around her for the source of the voice. Another gale passed through.

"...BuRn...It...eNd It..."

The winds now seemed to fan the flame, pushing it to grow until the torch was almost blinding. Twilight held the torch a safe distance away and shielded her eyes with a hoof as she looked past the raging purple blaze towards the tapestry.

"Is this what you really want?" Twilight asked Ash's woven image. The torch wavered in air as the Unicorn spoke, her voice just as shaky. She took an unsteady step forward. "To just forget everything? Is that what you really want?"

Ash did not reply. Those embroidered lips made no movements, those yarn eyes betrayed no thoughts...

Twilight lifted the torch a little higher as she took another step forward and then another. The flame grew larger in size and intensity with every step. The purple hue had faded until the flame was pale. Twilight looked past the fire, her eyes focused on the depiction of the Mage. Of a friend.

Of her friend.

"Is this what you really want?"

*****

I can't continue if I keep on holding onto the past...

What good memories I've had can't balance Sethiop's betrayal. If it means forgetting about that day, I can let them go...

*****

Author's Note:

Imagine if I ended the story right here. Aren't I a stinker?

Comments

[white_raven]

if you ended this story right there i would hunt you down and kill you.......great chapter by the way.

[BornEquestrian]

2496429

But killing would involve not being able to force him to write more. Torture is the way to go . Though I guess that could cause the quality to go down... (not sadistic at all )

Very well done chapter. It is silly that Other-Ash thinks Twilight would erase a friendship. I am curious for what is going to happen next.

[white_raven]

2497118 yes good idea but what type of torture are we talking mind rape or the more conventional car battery hooked up to his nipples or testies. ether way your call

[TheMessenger]

2497817>>2497118>>2496429

Keep away from me! I've got a pen and I'm not afraid to use it!

[white_raven]

2498628derpicdn.net/media/W1siZiIsIjIwMTMvMDEvMTAvMDlfMzFfNTlfNjQyXzIwODUwNF9fVU5PUFRfX3NhZmVfcHJpbmNlc3NfbHVuYV9wcmluY2Vzc19jZWxlc3RpYV92ZWN0b3JfZmlsbHlfcHJpbmNlc3NfY2FkYW5jZV9jdXRlX2FydGlzdF9iZWF2ZXJuYXRvcl9taWxrc2hha2UucG5nLnBuZyJdXQ/208504__safe_princess-luna_princess-celestia_vector_filly_princess-cadance_cute_absurd-res_artist-beavernator_milkshake_milkshake-ponies.png i have cuteness and i'm not afraid to use it.

[TheMessenger]

2498693
0-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/tg/image/1337/12/1337122218285.jpg

Nice. It's over. Everyone, go home. Writer's dead and story's done.

i.chzbgr.com/completestore/2012/2/4/bee09593-0bd7-4701-b50e-60e61f2ecde6.jpg

[BornEquestrian]

2498693
It was a bit to early to use weaponized cuteness. You have to wait until one's mind is so broken not even that much cuteness can cause it to overload to deadly levels. It usually takes... 3 months of advance techniques...
2497817
are not quite advanced or creative enough to do so...
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/211/984/The%20more%20you%20know.png

2499552

Don't worry, I am ready to do all that is necessary to bring you back to life... Anything...

However, I cannot be held responsible for your mental or spiritual well-being when you soul is forcefully moved back into your mortal coil.

(Ok, I'll stop now, as I am starting to creep myself out)