How my Little Brother Became an Alicorn

by WiseFireCracker

Questions

This was it! This had to be IT!

Febrile, I started reading the notes and scribbles Tom had written all over that pile of paper. Okay, the fact that it included things like “Throw a penny in a fountain” or “Learn lucid dreaming” had a sobering effect, but even that was not enough to douse my enthusiasm completely.

For the first time, there actually was a possible solution to this disaster! If I could find how he got there, then maybe I could find the way to get him back! Then this nightmare would be over!

Alright, alright, I had to organize myself. First of all, I should establish a list of the methods described here, then separate the ones that could have likely been used by Tom two days ago. In the evening. Probably from his room.

“Hum… not this one… not thi- wait!” I looked up from the document, staring blankly into the empty air. “Can some of these be a delayed reaction? Like a wish being granted retroactively or something?”

I… I had no answer to this.

I sighed. “I should just focus on the ones I realistically think could be used and then adjust if it’s not that.”

That compromise made, I went back to my reading, delving deeper into my little brother’s mind. Some of these… well, were creative, to say the least.

After cleaning up the list, I had gotten about a dozen methods that could have been put into place by Tom during the timeframe of his disappearance. It gave me a bit of hope, to have established something like a concrete plan of action, but there was one item on that list I was praying wasn’t the right way.

Wish on a shooting star… if that’s it…

Then Tom was gone, perhaps forever. There was no telling if I’d ever get to see one myself, even if I spent all my nights staring at the sky. Heck, the weather would have to be perfect too. A few clouds to hide might be more than enough to screw away the opportunity of a lifetime.

The idea that this was the solution made me nauseous.

I shook my head, willing the unease and the fear to disappear. “Time to go read up on lucid dreams… I guess.”

--

She could not sleep. Oh, her bed was very comfortable and she had no intentions at all to complain to the manufacturers of her bedframe. She was certain they had done the best they could for the satisfaction of their customers and that was all that mattered to her.

No, Fluttershy could not sleep because she was worried about the manticores. The monsters were resting in her backyard, nicely sharing the space with her other animal friends. With a little bit of persuasion, everyone had reached a compromise.

Yet something was tugging at her conscience. The manticores had been frightened, of her, HER! Not just a kneejerk reaction either, which would have been perfectly understandable after that foal had grossly exaggerated his means of subduing the poor monsters, but a full blown panic attack. They had been terrified of her, cowering at the sight of her shadow.

From the start, the animal caretaker could not understand why the beasts would willingly leave their natural habitats to angrily roam through a settlement if they were so afraid of a single pony like her.

There was something fishy about this. It tugged at her mind. She could not figure out what.

And so, Fluttershy spent the night at her window, observing the manticores, who, under all their bandages, slept peacefully. From times to times, she glanced at the forest beyond her backyard.

What could be so terrible in the Everfree Forest that they’d leave in such a hurry?

She had no answer.

--

I woke up as normal. I didn’t get a single dream, even if I had spent the better part of my evening reading all about it. Usually, my dreams are quite unpleasant. Now, I was disappointed not to have any.

There was an irony somewhere here…

Like how the world hadn’t stop going on its merry way, when I felt like mine had crashed down. Namely, I had school today.

My parents had had a heated discussion on that. Some screaming had been involved. Dad insisted I took the day off to help him search around town; Mom wanted me back in school, so I did not screw up my incoming finals. They had argued back and forth, to the point their arguments had been exchanged.

It was just messed up.

I had taken the decision out of their hands. I went up to them and told them I would be going back to school, but I would use that time to ask my friends around for sighting of Tom or anything suspicious.

Truth was I didn’t feel like doing either. I had the conviction it would all be for naught. Some part of me simply told me to go around as if I was mostly fine, as if my vision of reality had not been shattered to pieces.

Really, my little brother, sucked in a cartoon? It was ridiculous, but I could not find it in me to deny any longer.

I was probably just clinging to a mad hope.

And so, I left the house late, after Mom and Dad had both gone their respective way. The drive to school was done in a strangely mechanical manner. I could have been a robot for all that mattered.

My friends commented on it pretty early, at least those that had not listened to the news. The joking tones and the jabs died out in a blink once Cassandra had snapped at them. Then it was like a funeral. Very awkward, very sad, with no one knowing what to tell me to make me feel better.

In a way, it ought to be aggravating, but I preferred it like that, to be honest. Empty words and promises would have gotten me mad. What use would they be to me? To Tom?

“You… huh…” It was Eric. We weren’t longtime friends, just pals that met in this class. Eric, just shut up, please. “You watched the latest ‘My Little Pony’ episode?”

My body became as still as a statue.

Of all things he could have asked me about, he chose that topic?! Of course, the one guy about my friend that was a brony had to ask me about this!

Slowly, I looked up from my meal, the muscles of my face frozen in place.

Eric flinched at the look I sent his way and twisted his hands nervously. “N-no, forget it, stupid question,” he whispered.

“I did.” That was all I said, fighting with all my heart not to throw up, not to scream, not to go mad.

“Oh.” His eyes widened a bit at that. If you were expecting me to say ‘no’, why did you ask? “Then, huh, what did you think of it?”

I stayed silent. I really had no word for this. Besides, if I opened my mouth, I might throw up.

“…Yeah…” Eric’s speech devolved into rambling. A twinge of sympathy pierced through this veil of disgust surrounding my heart, but it was crushed quickly. “I-it was not really up to par, you know? What’s with that plot?”

If you’re going where I think you are, stop. Seriously. Unfortunately, Eric was no telepath, so he kept going on about it. Cassandra would have bet it were the nerves. The morning had been much too awkward between us.

“Oh and the background ponies weren’t very in-character, you know? Come on, why would all those foals suddenly start cheering that little alicorn?!”

I clenched my knuckles so hard they turned white. My whole body literally screamed of hostility. “Eric…” I said with a warning tone.

He missed it by a mile.

“And don’t even get me started on that guy! Blade Darkblaze?! If that is not a bad OC Gary Stu, then I-”

His ranting was cut short when my fist collided with his face.

--

“Spike?” Twilight called, letting her magic flicker out of existence and dropping the bags and books she carried around. “Did you send that letter to Princess Celestia like I asked you to?”

The little dragon huffed and frowned. “What do you think, Twilight? What kind of assistant would I be if I hadn’t?”

“I know…” The purple alicorn bit her lips. “I’m just getting worried. I would have thought this kind of event would have warranted a faster response. You’re sure she hasn’t sent her reply already and you forgot to give it to me?”

Spike threw his arms in the air. “For the seventh time, YES! I think I would have noticed if my stomach had been used as a mean of communication, again.”

“Sorry, Spike, but this just isn’t making any sense!”

With no update from her mentor, Twilight could not tell what to make of this newcomer. He had come and gone thrice already, each time causing trouble like any other foal – or at least like three little fillies... Unfortunately, this particular foal happened to be an alicorn and his magical prowess implied that it was not simply an unusual genetic lottery result.

Then, why in the name of Starswirl the Bearded was there no mention of such a pony in any of her books?!

--

“What were you thinking?!” Mom screeched. “Were you trying to get in trouble?!”

My eyes were locked on the ground. I felt as small as a mouse. Eric’s a nice guy. He didn’t deserve that.

‘That’ being a black eye and a broken tooth. That was all I had gotten in before Cassandra and two other guys pulled me off him. I would have kept going.

For a moment, there had been nothing but the desire to hurt, focused entirely on him. The objectives had been clear, the means too, I had simply dove headfirst into an opportunity to let out a bit of the pent up stress. It was disgusting.

“Human,” the principal had told me. Then he suspended me for three days.

Rules are rules.

“Do you honestly believe this is the time for you to exhibit such stupid behaviors?!”

No. “No, Mom. It isn’t.”

“Then what were you thinking?! We have enough problems as it is! Now they demand you see a psychologist?!”

They had mentioned that, but I hadn’t really paid attention at that part. The idea of actually seeing a psychologist… it made fear grip my heart. Could I hide my thoughts? If I didn’t, what would he or she do with me?

I… I couldn’t let them know the truth! If they put me in a nut house, I would not be able to help Tom! I was the only one that knew!

I’ll save you, Tom. I’ll bring you back!

Though… it might be good for me. Perhaps... perhaps talking about the whole thing, about the general state of affair would clear my thoughts, give me more focus. Yes, it could help, I nodded. And not just me.

“I… I will, Mom, but…” I looked away, heat rushing to my face from the shame and the uneasiness.

“What?” She spat, mouth twisted into a stern snarl.

“D-don’t you think that would be good for you and Dad too?”

A different kind of heat spread from my cheek, one that stung, one that hurt, from the spot she had slapped. My strength left my body. I was left unable to move, stunned. I could not even turn my head back, to look at my mother.
It had been the first time she ever laid a hand on me. It struck a chord inside.

I heard the sound of something being ripped apart.

I still don’t know what it was.

--

I was standing alone; the waiting room was empty. My arm slid off my sides, slowly regaining a more natural position after those three knocks on the door. It wasn’t a big one, by any means, but I felt so small in front of it. All because of three small words…

Mrs. Thompson, Psychologist.

A brown-haired woman opened the door with a smile and motioned for me to come inside. “Hello, Mr. Miller. I was waiting for you.”

“Sorry about the time…” I mumbled, though not feeling very sorry. “I overslept…”

“Oh, I understand, it is not that important.” She nodded, though I saw a small change in her expression. Her eyes had narrowed slightly and she gave me a vibe of… concern?

My feet carried me to the chair waiting in front of her desk. On my far right, there was a couch and another chair. My eyes narrowed at these. It felt a bit too much like clichés.

“Don’t worry, we will never use them until you feel comfortable with that form of counseling,” Mrs. Thompson assured me quickly, making her way around the desk and sitting in her chair.

That made me blink. Whoa, she’s good. Or everyone reacts the same way…

“I don’t think I will ever feel quite that comfortable.” I grimaced, resolutely avoiding that couch with my eyes.

For a second, her lips formed a sly smile. Now I knew this was a recurring situation… and I could guess how they ended up based on her reactions too.

“I certainly hope we will reach an adequate level of trust, Mr. Miller.”

I cringed. “Then, please, just call me Sam. I’m expecting to hear my father answer you every time you say ‘Mr. Miller’.”

“Very well, and I invite you to use an appellation for me that makes you feel more comfortable, as long as you stay away from more indecent nicknames.” Her eyes flashed with a severe light at that, as if expecting me to try. The way her lips pinched, I could tell this would not be a smart move.

“Got it, Mrs. Thompson.” I nodded.

“Great,” she exclaimed, deliberately putting her notepad and her pen down.

Okay, I’ll bite. “You’re… not going to take note?”

“No, Sam.” Her smile remained engaging, though it held a bit of a… rehearsed quality that had me on my guards. “Today, we will simply talk.”

“About what?”

“Anything you feel like telling me. Today, we’re learning a bit about each other.” She folded her hands.

“I don’t want to talk.” I crossed my arms. This was much too sudden. This was too fast and I did not like it.

“Then, perhaps I should tell you more about myself,” she offered patiently.

For a moment, I did not move, then…

“Okay…”

Mrs. Thompson instantly took the hint and started weaving a nice, casual conversation. She talked about such insignificant things… but her words were light and her eyes were free of any judgment. I did not realized how much I craved for it until the wave of relief crashed down on me.

I had to fight back some tears right as she started recalling an anecdote about her cat.

T-this was pathetic, but I so, SO needed some release.

The hour went by much too fast and the world became heavy before I could appreciate the lack of weight on my shoulders. I spent my first time with a psychologist saying no more than a few sentences.

I did not feel nearly as bad as I could be.

--

“Place a coin under your pillow and make a wish…” I whispered, dropping the small piece of metal and pulling my arm out from underneath the item.

Tom, please come back.

My eyelids dropped down soon after and I fell asleep.

Comments

[WIL_I_ZIN]

I'm starting to feel more and more for this dude.

Hope something goes right for him soon.

[TundraStanza]

~When you wish upon a star...~
...
Why do I suddenly have an urge to strangle a cricket named Jiminy?

[MLPFanForever]

Crap, man! This sucks balls! While Tom is off playing "Super Alicorn", his older brother and folks are falling apart, worried sick about him! Jesus, I hope Sam gets to Equestria in the next chapter already!

[WiseFireCracker]

2276167 ...Define "soon"?

2278351 Beats me. *whistle* Okay, maybe I do have an idea... just strangle him. It'll be for the best.

2282020 Ermm... next chapter you say? ... errr... well... temporary title for the next chapter is "Failure"... Just saying... wait a few more

[WIL_I_ZIN]

2285671
Soon as in, about 3 chapters or so.

[WiseFireCracker]

2285741 Hum... sorta? There will be at least one great thing going right for Sam in that span and if not, then the fourth (depends on how the chapters write themselves...)

[FashionablyHospitable]

Aw man not child abuse. That's not going to help.

[WiseFireCracker]

3957993 What child abuse?

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

3958032
When his mother slapped him