Last

by Alan Smithee

Rage

Simon woke up to a purple pony sitting, her head hovering over him. A large smile was spread wide across her face.

“Goooooooood morning, Simon!”

The human sat up in his bed, and backed away from the eerie Twilight Sparkle.

“Do you remember what today is?”

He shook his head.

“Today, Princess Celestia’s visiting us all a royal visit! You get to meet her!”

Twilight reared up on her hind legs and flailed her forehooves in excitement. She landed with a grin plastered on her face,

“Okay, I’ll let you get ready!” she said, and disappeared in a purple flash.

Simon rose out of his bed. As he stretched, he felt his gun and holster tighten around his chest. It was a reminder to him what he planned to do: Destroy the Diamond Dogs, avenge Rarity, and save Ponyville. He hurriedly ascended the stairs, snuck across the library, and slipped out the door.

---

Simon walked down the dusty path leading to the rock fields. To his left, the glimmering city of Canterlot stood silent in the distance. His only companion was the sound of his breathing.

Something shot past him; he ducked. When he looked up, he saw the glimmering, graceful Princess Celestia galloping in front of him. Her wings were spread, and she was slowing to a canter, then to a halt. Her wings folded neatly to her sides. She carried her momentum around, and trotted up to him.

He looked up at her.

“Good morning!” She said brightly.

Simon nodded.

“What are you doing?”

Simon shrugged.

“Have you been making friends in Ponyville?”

Again, he nodded. He wished he could talk.

“Are we to see you during the casual get-together today?”

Simon nodded.

“Last we spoke, you were quite worried about what you were meant to do in this strange new world. Do you still feel the same way?”

Simon hastily nodded his head; he felt as though he were running out of time.

“Well, then, I hope you can share what you’ve learned with me while I’m here! See you soon!”

Celestia leapt over him and soared towards Ponyville.

Though he had felt hurried just a moment before, Simon was taken by a desire to stay where he was as the glorious white mare flew off toward her subjects. Somewhere, a songbird was chirping sweetly. Had he learned anything about his destiny in Equestria? Had he done anything to affect anyone since he’d arrived? Twilight was still his Angel and saviour, caring for him and asking nothing in return. He’d put weeks of effort into a deep study of Pinkie Pie and her supposed abilities, thoroughly debunking them. But that was just a one-time thing. He’d spent the whole winter writing tomes on everything the human race had achieved, many of which were piled up in Twilight Sparkle’s room. That project had come to nothing special.

What he was doing now...bringing justice to a sick, evil race of monsters, was that what he was meant to do? Simon turned and ran towards the rock flats. He would think about it later.

---

Twilight Sparkle felt as though she were forgetting something. Sugarcube Corner was a scene of somber excitement. Everypony enjoyed the Cakes’ refreshments and treats, but the brilliant figure of Princess Celestia as she sat at the seat of honour seemed to fill the room with a subtle glow that cast itself upon all the ponies present, and filled them with a reverent unease.

Mr. and Mrs. Cake were on the lookout for any sign of trouble.

Twilight was walking with Pinkie Pie when she noticed something as she passed the front door: A nervous Fluttershy facing the Royal Guards. The Guards had crossed their wings in front of the door to indicate to the yellow Pegasus that she was not allowed in. Fluttershy was dejectedly walking away when Twilight raised her hoof to touch the guards’ outstretched wings and said, “It’s all right, Sirs. She’s on the list”

Without changing expression, the two guards retracted their wings. Fluttershy smiled thankfully at Twilight.

“Thanks, Twilight,” she said as she walked in.

“I’m so glad you could make it, Fluttershy! It wouldn’t be the same without you”

A ding rang out; Spike was in the back, helping the Cakes by using his dragon breath to quickly bake batches of small cakes. He struck a bell each time a tray was ready.

As Mr. Cake strode out of the kitchen carrying the latest batch from Spike on his head, he called out, “How’s everypony doing? Good? Good”

Mrs. Cake was bowing before the Princess herself, “Anything else we can get for you, dearie...oh, I mean, esteemed guest!” She laughed nervously and smiled. Mr. Cake walked up to join his wife. She carried a tray of apple cupcakes balanced on her head.

Princess Celestia bowed her head and smiled with delight, “Everything is fine, Mr. and Mrs. Cake!”

Twilight and Fluttershy walked through the party together. Twilight had a nervous smile plastered across her face.

“Sorry I’m late,” Fluttershy began, “I had to finish taking care of a patient first”

“Oh, you and your tender loving care of little animals. I just know Princess Celestia’s gonna love that about you!” Her eyes shifted, as if she were reconsidering, “I mean, I hope she will” Sweat was pouring down her face, and her eyes were blinking with uncontrollable nervous tics, “I mean, of course she will!” She shot Fluttershy another nervous smile.

Fluttershy was surprised, “Wow, Twilight, I thought I was the only one who got nervous at social gatherings”

“Oh, it’s not that. I just want the Princess to approve of my friends!”

“But...she’s met us all before”

“...and read about you in my letters! But this is the first time she’s spent any real time with you. I want everypony to make a good impression”

“Well, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about! Besides, it’s just a casual get-together, right?”

“Don’t touch me!” Rarity’s voice called out. She was wearing the elegant pink gown she’d designed for herself for the Grand Galloping Gala. “Watch the dress!” As a pony approached her with a teacup, she reared. “Careful! You’re gonna spill that on me!”

Mrs. Cake came by with a tray of cupcakes hanging from her mouth. Rarity looked at them.

“Ooh! That looks delicious! What is it?” Then, with a complete change of tone, “Does it stain?! KEEP IT AWAY FROM ME!” Rarity crouched to the floor and quivered. Twilight and Fluttershy watched.

“...or perhaps not that casual” Fluttershy finished her thought.

Meanwhile, Applejack was at the dining table, her hat off, a bib tied around her neck, ready to eat. Yet she looked at the rich spread of food in front of her with apprehension.

“Uh...Which is the salad n’ which is the appetizer again? And which am I supposed to eat first?”

Applejack shot her neck out to a bowl of leafy vegetables on her left, then stopped. She reached instead for a sandwich on her right, then stopped. She reached for an apple fritter that sat right in front of her, then stopped. She raised her head, and gave up.

“Aw, never mind, I’m not hungry”

She pushed her plate away from herself.

Twilight cringed at Applejack’s struggle with proper table etiquette. Again, Fluttershy tried to reassure her.

“It’s okay, Twilight. So our friends’ manners aren’t perfect. I doubt the princess will even notice”

Before Fluttershy had even finished, Pinkie Pie leapt in front of them.

“Wooohoo! Cupcakes, candy, and pies, oh my!” she said just before she pushed an entire apple pie against the side of her head, splattering crust and apple filling all over her face. Then she sprung up next to the chocolate fondue fountain, and stared longingly at it.
“Oh...chocolate fountainy goodness!”

The pink pony stuck her entire apple-soaked head into the fountain, pulling it out with a rich coat of chocolate. It quickly hardened, cracked, and burst off with Pinkie trying to catch the falling pieces in the air. She chewed happily on the chocolate in her mouth.

Princess Celestia held a cupcake up to her mouth with her horn. Pinkie Pie shot across the length of the table, stopped right in front of the cupcake, and said,
“You gonna eat that?”

Without waiting for an answer, Pinkie nabbed the cupcake out of Celestia’s aura and ate it whole, chewing on it right in front of the smiling Princess Celestia. “MMMM” said Pinkie as she chewed and swallowed.

Mr. and Mrs. Cake gasped in horror. Mrs. Cake shot along the length of the table, catching Pinkie’s tail in her mouth as she sped by.

“HEY!” Pinkie shouted as she was dragged, still sitting, by her tail away from the Princess.

Mr. Cake sped up to the Princess with a fresh cupcake and cup of tea.

“A thousand pardons, your majesty!” he begged nervously. He bowed and backed away.

“That’s quite all right. Thank you”

Celestia took a bite from the cupcake, and a sip from her shallow saucer of tea. It was emptied in one sip. She placed it down on her saucer.

“Empty teacup at four o’clock!” Mrs. Cake called out.

“I see it, honey buns!” Mr. Cake replied, and immediately refilled it with a teapot.

“Oh! Um...thank you” the Princess said with some surprise.

“Not at all, your highness” he replied humbly.

Another sip, and this time Mrs. Cake appeared with a teapot and filled Celestia’s drink while she still held it with her horn.

“Thank you again!” the Princess said cheerfully.

“Oh, but of course your majesty!” Mrs. Cake bowed and said with some excitement.

Another sip. Another refill from Mr. Cake. Another sip. Another refill from Mrs. Cake. Princess Celestia shifted her eyes deviously and made a sipping noise without bringing her teacup to her lips. Mr. Cake immediately poured into her already-full cup, overflowing it.

“Gotcha!” the Princess whispered gleefully at the embarrassed Cakes.

“OOh!” Twilight groaned and sank beneath the table, as if not to be seen. Fluttershy stood next to her, leaning with her forehooves on the table. The Princess turned to them.

“And what about you, dear?” She asked, “Fluttershy, is it?”

“Me?” Fluttershy acknowledged, “Yes, your highness”

“I understand from Twilight Sparkle’s letters that you enjoy tending to the needs of woodland creatures!”
“Yes! I love to take care of animals!”

“As do I. As Princess, I care deeply about all creatures great and small!”

A loud cough burst from the cage next to Celestia, and a burst of tiny, pinkish feathers scattered out of it.

“Nothing means more to me than the well-being of all my subjects!”

The dry hacking and feathers continued to fly. From the bottom of the cage, a pink, fat, tiny, nearly featherless bird fluttered and sat on its perch, its head lolling from one side, as if it were to heavy to keep up.

“Ah! Philomena my pet! You’re awake! Do say hello to our gracious hosts!”

The bird greeted them with another dry, strangling cough and sputter.

Fluttershy’s ears drooped, and her mouth hung open in surprise. “Oh...my…” was all she could say.

“She is quite a sight, isn’t she?” the Princess said with pride.

Fluttershy hid behind the table, “I....I...I’ve n...never seen anything like it”

A royal guard skirted up to the Princess, cleared his throat, and whispered something quietly into her ear.

“Really?” She asked. The guard nodded, “Well...if I must,” she addressed the crowd, “I’m sorry, everypony. I’m afraid I have to cut the party short”

Twilight spat out the tea she was drinking, and covered her mouth with her hoof.

“The mayor has requested an audience with me. Royal duty calls! Thank you for a wonderful time. It’s been a joy getting to know you all better”

With a royal strut, the Princess left with her guard.

Applejack, still seated at the table, sighed, “Phew! Now I can eat somethin’! I’m starved!” She opened her mouth wide to dig into the food before her, but Mr. Cake had cleared the table before Applejack had a moment to blink. “MMMM” she said dejectedly as her ears drooped.

Pinkie Pie cartwheeled out the door, slamming into several ponies on their way out.

“Stay right where you are!” Rarity demanded as she backed towards the door, “All I want is a clear path to the exit! Nobody move, and my dress won’t get hurt! Stay back! Back I say!” She managed to leave without touching anypony.

Applejack left Sugarcube Corner with a whole stack of treats balanced on her nose.

Spike, still wearing a chef’s hat and apron for his work in the kitchen, joined Twilight in the now-empty Sugarcube Corner. Twilight sighed.

“Well, Spike, I don’t know for sure how things went with the Princess, but at least no big disasters happened!”

Meanwhile, the door of Philomena’s cage hung open; it was empty.

---

Simon Abraham Berkowitz was on the barren, craggy surface of the rock fields. The City of Canterlot loomed in the distance, silent and tiny and still, like a city in a snowglobe. Everything was calm where he stood. He was extremely nervous. He was standing in a den of ruthless, slavering, cruel, evil Diamond Dogs, who could appear out of the ground at any time to drag ponies - or him - to the deep, dark abyss below.

There was a hole in the rocky dirt. It was huge, large enough for a man to pass through. No doubt it was dug by a Diamond Dog. He crouched to inspect it. The hole was deep, and pitch-black. In the dirt-piles around the holes, there were straight, parallel grooves in the dirt. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought they might be claw marks made by the creatures that had dug the hole. He grabbed a clump of dirt, expecting it to disintegrate in his hand when he squeezed it. Instead, the dirt fell away to reveal a smooth, hard surface. He brushed the dirt away to find that he held a giant, yellow jewel, in the shape of a long rectangular prism. It was beautiful, and no doubt extremely valuable. He put it into his jacket pocket. A noise echoed from the hole.

“Hmmm”

Simon jumped away at the startling voice. He stared at the hole in rigid fear. Nothing happened. The voice came again.

“Hmmm?”

The voice sounded like it was right next to him. He looked around frantically; there was nothing around. His heart was pounding. Was he hearing voices?
“Hmmmmmmmm-”

A scratch in his throat sent him into a fit of coughing. Yellow phlegm sprayed out onto the white rock. His neck, head and joints all shook.

“Ughhhh…”

Simon straightened his bent back, wiping his wet mouth with his sleeve.

“AAAAhhhh…”

Before he could look for the source of the voice, he was taken by another fit of coughing, less violent than before. He stayed crouched over and wheezing for a moment. He finally stood up and looked around for the voice.

“Hello?”

He knew that voice; it was familiar, it was comforting.

“Hello!”

It was his own voice.

“HELLO!” he shouted, “HELLOOOOO, WORLD!”

His voice reverberated across the rocky plains, fading into the distance. A crow was startled and flew away.

Simon laughed heartily at the power of his voice. “I am the very model of a modern major-general,” he sang, “I’ve information vegetable, animal and mineral…” He skipped and jumped on the rocks, “I know the Kings of England and I quote the fights historical….”

He skipped and almost ran into a figure standing in front of him. Simon let out a cry of surprise and stumbled back.

It was one of them.

The Diamond Dog wore a tattered red vest, with pockets stuffed with jewels. It looked at him with narrow, green eyes.

Simon stared at it, paralyzed in fear. His mind raced. The Dog was an arm’s-length away from him; there was no way he could get his gun before the dog buried his teeth into his throat.

“Who are you?” it asked gruffly. His ears were flat against his skull and his eyebrows were arched. Simon thought he saw a look of annoyance on his face.

Simon’s mouth trembled.

“Go away!” it barked angrily, with a wave of its paw.

Simon’s body trembled.

“N-no. No!” he finally told the Dog.

The Dog bared his jagged teeth.

“...You come to my home, stamp on the ground above me, give me a headache, make awful noises from your mouth, and won’t leave?”

Simon shook his head. His hands were clenched tightly. The dog growled. He looked at Simon, up and down his body, sizing him up. His eyes caught the yellow diamond in Simon’s pocket. The Dog’s yellow eyes flared in primal rage

“...and you took my GEMS?”

The Dog lunged at him.

---

Twilight Sparkle breathed a sigh of relief. Everything had worked out: Fluttershy had taken Philomena; and Philomena had run away. In the frantic chase to find and catch her, Philomena had unexpectedly burst into flames. Everypony was certain that Celestia was going to be furious. Instead, the kindly Princess spoke to the pile of ash on the ground. Out of the ashes burst a majestic phoenix: The true Philomena.

Fluttershy was particularly relieved.

“Next time, I’ll ask before taking matters into my own hooves!” Fluttershy told Princess Celestia..

“Should I write you a letter about that lesson, Princess?” Twilight asked.

“...No, that’s quite alright” Celestia said as the newly-reborn Philomena landed on her back, “I think I can remember”

Philomena took off and soared over Princess Celestia and her two pony subjects. A bright red feather landed neatly in Fluttershy’s mane and stood atop her head like a decoration.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you, Philomena!” she said, “No hard feelings!”

As the two guards stood by Philomena’s cage, Rainbow Dash watched them, and came up with an idea. She flew up to the soaring Philomena, and whispered something in her ear. The phoenix nodded. She landed atop her cage, between the two stone-faced guards, spread her wings, and started brushing her feathers against their noses. The two guards tried to maintain composure, but quickly fell victim to ticklish laughter. Philomena rose up to meet Rainbow Dash, and her wing slapped Rainbow’s hoof.

“Yeah!” shouted Rainbow Dash. Before long, everypony was laughing.

---

Twilight Sparkle was overflowing with relief as she walked down the streets of Ponyville with her mentor. The day had been exhausting, and Twilight was happy to finally have a word with her teacher in private.

“Twilight, it means so much to see how far you’ve come; you see now how important Friendship and Harmony are to the safety and happiness of all of Equestria?”

“I do, Princess. I wouldn’t leave my Ponyville friends for anything!”

“I’m sure of it. But Twilight, you will find that some friendships are much harder than others. I trust you will find even in the face of greatest adversity, that you won’t abandon those you love and care about”

Twilight was perplexed by this strange assertion, “Princess?” she asked.

“I understand you have one more friend you’d like to introduce me to”

Twilight Sparkle’s blood ran cold.

“WHERE’S SIMON?!”

---

Twilight Sparkle’s heart was pounding; she’d never run as long or as fast in her life. Fear drove her forward; fear that her human was trapped, alone, or scared deep in the Diamond Dogs’ den. She should have paid attention! In hindsight, it was so clear what her Simon had been planning to do! As the sweat beaded on her forehead, she clenched her teeth and tried to coax more speed from her muscles.

The roads and houses of Ponyville disappeared behind her. She raced through quiet open meadows, green except for the occasional rock or tree. As she raced onward, the trees became shorter and fewer, while the rocks taller and more frequent. Everything became jagged, gray rock. At last, she rounded a rock and before her was a wide open space, marked by a short drop. Standing in the middle of the space, a few hundred paces away, there were two figures. At first, Twilight couldn’t tell which figure was which, since both were dirty, bloody, bruised and growling.

Simon and the Diamond Dog both crouched defensively, moving in a slow circle around each other. His shirt was torn and bloody. His face was black and bruised; his left eye was nearly swollen shut. His right sleeve was missing beneath his elbow, and the exposed skin of his forearm was shining crimson.

The Diamond Dog was covered in the dust and dirt kicked up from the fight. Its mouth and claws were sharp and bloody. Its chest had bruised outlines of boot prints on it.

As Twilight watched the horrific display, she was frozen and helpless but to watch.

Simon pulled his fist back and flung it across the gap between them. The Diamond Dog stepped aside easily, and Simon’s stumbled forward with the weight of the punch. The Dog quickly grasped Simon from behind, and sunk his teeth deep into his shoulder.

Simon’s scream echoed throughout the rocky quarry; it shocked Twilight Sparkle out of her stupor. Her horn lighted and she disappeared.

The Diamond Dog released its bite, and let go of Simon. The human fell forward limply and collapsed face-down on the ground with a dead thud. The Dog was filled with primal, base instinct. The intruder and thief was beaten. He now had only to finish the job. He opened his jaws wide and made for the human’s neck.

There was a loud noise and a blinding flash. When his eyes cleared, he was looking down the horn of a unicorn pony. Startled, the Dog backed away. Twilight Sparkle had materialized standing astride Simon’s body, with her neck lowered and her horn raised. She looked at the Diamond Dog squarely in the eye as her horn pointed squarely at his head.The two were locked in a staredown, motionless as they waited for the other to make a move. Twilight’s tail brushed the back of Simon’s neck. He stirred at the sensation. His hand reached to his chest, and unhooked his gun from its holster, but as he tried to lift it, his fingers gave out and it dropped to the ground. Simon fumbled for it, but eventually fell back into unconsciousness.

Twilight tensed her muscles. Her breathing was shallow and quick. As she looked into the eyes of the Diamond Dog, she saw a dumb, mangy monster that wanted to hurt someone she loved. Her jaw clenched. Her whole body shook. Her horn lit; she was primed to use it: One quick burst to end her foe…

The Diamond Dog’s countenance shifted slightly, minutely. Then she saw something in the Diamond Dog’s expression, something she recognized: it was fear. Her rage quickly shriveled at the horror she had almost committed. She continued to point her horn at the Dog’s face. The Dog’s eyes began to silently beg.

“Leave,” she finally growled. Without hesitation, the Dog turned and dove down the nearest hole in the ground.

Twilight Sparkle swayed as she stood alone in the field of rock. She had never felt so much hatred or anger before. She felt cold. She took a deep breath, and turned around to see her human. He wasn’t moving. Immediately all instinct and feeling dissolved into panic. She rounded his body and stood above his head.

“Simon! Can you hear me?”

Simon stirred, raising his head to look up at her. A spurt of blood shot out of Simon’s shoulder and splattered all over Twilight Sparkle’s face.

“Oh!” Twilight shouted and backed away. She wiped the thick, warm fluid out of her eyes. Simon fell back to the ground.

Twilight Sparkle approached him and lay down beside him.

“Please, Simon…” she begged. He gave quiet moan.

What could she do?

An idea came into her head; it came from deep inside her mind, and yet it seemed familiar, innate, natural.

Again she rounded Simon’s body, and lined herself up with his. She dropped down so that her chest was on the hard, rocky ground.

“Get on my back” she told him.

Simon’s eyes rolled up to meet hers.

“Do it!”

With an agonizing grunt Simon lifted his arm over Twilight’s neck. His leg found her flank and painfully lifted itself over her back and to the other side. Twilight shifted under him to hold him up. With a few more adjustments, he was mounted.

“Hold on”

Twilight pushed her body, and Simon, off the ground. He was heavy; but she was a pony, and she bore the burden with ease.

With her friend on her back, Twilight rode in the direction of Ponyville.

---

Dr. Horse sat in his empty office, tapping his hoof against his desk. He’d been at it for hours. The hospital’s administrator thought he was working on a case, but he’d lied about that.

Cases were invariably boring. He was the greatest doctor in all of Equestria, masterfully versed not only in pony anatomy, but also in the chemistry of the pony body and its interactions with pony medicine; in the physics of foreign bodies in the pony’s bloodstream, where such objects would be likely to end up, and what the symptoms would be.

Nothing was a mystery to Dr. Horse. He’d extended his knowledge to the donkey, cow and gryphon anatomies. No patient had entered in years who had offered his intellect any kind of challenge. With his tiny, nearly-shattered horn, he reached for a bottle of pills.

---

Dr. Horse was in the hospital lobby, heading out for lunch, a knapsack slung over his shoulder. He was about to walk out the hospital doors when a purple unicorn burst in. On her back was something that caught his attention. The unicorn ran right past him; Dr. Horse had always eschewed wearing a doctor’s coat to avoid having to talk to patients.

“Please, sir! Ma’am! Somepony! Help me!”

A testy nurse called out from behind the front desk, “Miss, we don’t treat pets. You’ll have to go to the vet”

“He’s not a pet! Please, you have to help me!” her voice became more shrill, and her eyes became tearful.

Dr. Horse approached her.

“What have you got?”

The purple pony turned to him, and exclaimed graciously, “Thank you, sir! His name’s....”

“Don’t care,” he growled, as he lifted the human’s arm and inspected his hands, “Hmm. Five digits....” He twisted the human’s fifth digit and rolled it around. “Opposable...probably some kind of primate. How old is he?”

“Uhhh...th-thirty something” She stuttered at the doctor’s imposing and intense figure.

“MMM...interesting” said the Doctor. A smile crept into his expression.

Dr. Horse tried to lift the human off the pony’s back, but his wilted horn couldn’t bear the weight.

“I need some help over here! I’ve got a bum horn!” He called out into the lobby.

With the authority of a doctor, suddenly the nurses sprang into action. A gurney was produced from nowhere, and the load was lifted off Twilight Sparkle’s back. As Simon was raised, Dr. Horse was sprayed with blood.

“Get him into surgery! Stat! We’ve got to stop the bleeding!”

“Horse!!” called a voice.

The Hospital’s Administrator stood in the doorway to the Operating Room, blocking the nurses and the human.

Dr. Horse limped up around the gurney, approaching the Administrator.

“Get out of the way” he shouted across the lobby.

“Have you ever heard the word ‘ethics’? You’re a pony doctor. You have no licence, no training to treat that...whatever it is....”

Dr. Horse reached the Administrator, stopping inches from her nose. He towered over her by half a foot.

“...And nopony else does, either. I can guarantee you nopony has ever seen anything like this creature before, and I’m the closest thing to a doctor this thing can have. Now how is it ethical to turn it out into the street?”

The Administrator broke eye contact with him, and looked worriedly past him.

“...I can do this!” he insisted.

She looked back to him, this time with worry in place of sternness. The Administrator rolled her eyes, but stepped aside. The nurses and the doctor rushed through into surgery.

---

Twilight Sparkle sat by her unconscious human. His face was torn, swollen, and contorted in pain. The doctors had done all they could to stop the bleeding, but it was impossible to know what would happen, given their limited knowledge of his physiology.

The doctors were also hesitant to prescribe any painkillers, not knowing how he’d react. Twilight used her magic to put him to sleep, but his face still told the story of great agony.

Had everything he’d done in the past nine months been a lie? Was this his true nature, to want to kill his fellow creatures and bring misery and fear to his friends? What was he? She remembered how she’d felt when she’d been face-to-face with the Diamond Dog, and the desire she’d felt to completely destroy it. She shuddered. She was scared, confused, and ashamed of how she’d felt, and what she’d wanted to do. Was that how Simon felt? Did being his friend mean she had to feel this way? And what about Zecora’s warnings about the evils of humanity, or Simon’s own writings on the atrocities they’d committed? Was she harming the world by continuing their existence? The endless stream of questions made her stomach turn.

A hoof fell lightly on her shoulder. Startled, she gasped and turned to see Princess Celestia towering above her. Scared and vulnerable as she felt, Twilight buried her face into her mentor’s strong broad chest in a deep embrace. Tears were streaming down her face.

“Oh, Princess, I’m so scared!”

The Princess returned her embrace. When Twilight pulled away from her mentor, she cringed: The blood on her face had left a crimson stain on the Princess’ pristine coat.

Princess Celestia looked down at her student with sad eyes. She said, “My dear Twilight, when Simon entered your life, you were scared because you thought he was a senseless killer. But you soon learned that there was more to him”

Before Twilight’s eyes, Celestia levitated a strange metal object. It was a long metal tube with a handle attached. Twilight shied away from it fearfully, even though she didn’t have the faintest idea what it was.

“Twilight, I wouldn’t wish this on anypony if there were any other way, but this must be your choice”

Celestia levitated the object to Simon’s pile of ruined clothes. Buried under the tattered, bloody remains of his jacket was a strange leather strap with a long pouch. The metal object slid neatly into it.

“Never underestimate the power of Friendship, Twilight. With it, you can heal all wounds, and right all wrongs” Celestia said softly, with a glance at Simon.

Twilight panted; her muscles ached, her legs felt like they could give out any minute.

---

Twilight slipped away from Simon’s bedside and went to the bathroom. When she caught sight of herself in the mirror, she stared: Her face was smeared with dark blood; her mane was tangled and knotted and smeared with more blood; her back, where Simon had sat, was filthier still. Her cutie mark was stained with a streak of red. She quickly levitated a white towel, soaked it in the sink, and rubbed her face vigorously. Her face was clean, but her face was still twisted with terror. She wrung the towel out as best she could, and brought it to her mane. She pulled at the strands of hair, glued together with blood, and much of it pulled away. But her mane felt tangled and heavy; the pink streak in her mane was eclipsed by a dark splotch. She began to smell it. She wrung the towel out again, and scrubbed her back. Here the blood refused to wash out: It was bound to the hair of her coat. Her purple, soft coat was now knotted, rough and brown. She wrung the towel out a third time, and brought it to her flank. She rubbed and rubbed at the stain on her cutie mark, but the blood would not yield. Her cutie mark - one of her most cherished things in all the world - was tainted. She tried to wring out the towel a fourth time, but the white towel was now a hopeless red rag, and the white porcelain of the bathroom sink was a bowl of crimson.
Twilight Sparkle felt dizzy. She sank to the cold floor of the hospital bathroom, curled into a ball, and cried.

---

Princess Celestia returned to Canterlot. As she walked the halls of her glorious castle, she was stopped by her sister. The two glorious alicorn pony princesses stood beneath the otherworldly light of a stained-glass window. The pony of the night looked at her sister with accusing eyes.

“What do you want of him?” she asked, “What is so important about him that you must burden an innocent pony with such darkness?”

“My dear sister, the path I hope for Twilight will be filled with such burdens. If she doesn’t learn now how to treat a friend who has lost their way…”

The Princess looked up at the window casting the light they basked in. Princess Luna followed her gaze. The window depicted a scene of a dark pony being cast by her sister into the moon for a millennium.

“...she may not know what to do”

---

As Twilight Sparkle grieved and worried, Simon was far away.

He opened his eyes on his bed in his house in New Jersey. He sat up and looked out the window; outside was plain white glow. There were no traffic noises, no wind rustling through trees, and no footsteps on the outside pavement; the stillness was unsettling. He looked to the opposite corner of the door; Mimi was curled up in her bed, looking at him with her intelligent eyes. He rose from his bed and went over to her; she sat up. He scratched the top of her head, running the thick wool on the top of her head between his thumb and fingers.She lifted her nose and nuzzled his arm. Mimi was just as Simon remembered.

The sound of porcelain echoed from the kitchen downstairs. Simon followed the sound. The clicking of nails against the hard floor behind him told him that Mimi was with him. He entered the kitchen to find Max at the table eating a bowl of cereal. Simon rounded the table to the chair opposite his friend, sat down, and smiled. Max didn’t look up. Max was just as Simon remembered.

“Am I dead?” he asked.

Max didn’t look up as he said, “I dunno”.

Simon chuckled at Max’s familiar demeanor. Mimi laid down on the floor beside him. The three of them sat in silence together, Simon stroking Mimi’s hair. It felt so familiar and comfortable, he wanted the moment to last forever. Deep inside, something told him it couldn’t.

“Do I have to go back?” he asked aloud.

“Yes” Max replied, looking up at Simon with an expressionless face.

Simon didn’t want to go back.

“What’s going to happen?”

“Some bad things; some good things” Max replied with his usual bluntness.

Then, without warning, Max stood up; it was time to go.

The two men and dog walked down the solemn grey hallway to the house’s front door. Simon turned to face the friends he once knew one last time. He nodded at Max, who nodded back. He bent down to face Mimi. He stroked her head, and she licked his palm.

Then, Simon rose, turned, and put his hand on the doorknob. The room disappeared in a flash of light.

Comments

[richfiles]

It's aliiive!
I, on the other hoof, barely am...

I shall read in the morning!

[bioskyrim]

It's lupus ....

[Alan Smithee]

6276686
There WAS one episode where they treat a magician where it actually was lupus.

[amiamera]

*sigh* what's the point of the gun if he isn't going to use it until he's already too beaten to even be able to use it? Shouldn't he have had the gun ready when he got to the hole? Just something that bugs me along with the vague stuff from Luna. I may have forgotten part of this story but I thought he was smarter than that.

[Alan Smithee]

6276897
You're right, that doesn't make much sense. I'll change the blocking of that scene to make it more realistic. Thank you for the input.

I've had some serious criticisms regarding vagueness in my story. I think, especially in the earlier chapters, I may have gone way too heavy on metaphors and symbolism to get my points across. I think I understand what's bugging you about the Luna scene, but it might help if I hear your thoughts in your own words.

Thanks.

[GMZ_Casper]

Poor Twilight and Simon. Twilight have to deal with humanity's worst qualities and her own dark side, while Simon got badly hurt trying to protect his pony friends. And all this after Simon finally was able to speak again.

C&Cs will be PM.

[Alan Smithee]

6283001
Nothing good can happen to Simon without something extremely bad happening alongside it.
Anything else will be too charitable.

[GMZ_Casper]

6284129
So far, that does seems to be his luck. Here's hoping fate will give him a happy ending...

[Vitae]

6284129
Why do I get the impression that you think humans are all bloodthirsty beasts deep inside and only ponies can save us?

Oh yeah, that's been pretty much the premise of this story so far.

[Lunar eclipse airsoft]

This dead?