A house without lights
On the empty streets of Ponyville a unicorn stallion slowly made his way home. His dark blue coat was covered in a thick, black cloak as he trudged through the cold wind and the winter snow.
Step-by-step, the house slowly drew into his sights.
All the homes in Ponyville this time of year were covered in head-to-toe in Hearth's Warming lights and decorations; filling the neighbourhoods with seasonal cheer and love as the day loomed ever closer. However, this particular stallion’s home was of one exception. Every year the home had been the brightest in Ponyville; fillies and colts would flock the street at night time to gaze at the brightly covered house, with it’s thousands of lights and hundreds of ornaments to spread the cheer. This year was different though, the house remained dark and undecorated, leaving the brightly lit street with a black, empty void in the chain of decorated homes.
The stallion reached his front door and looked at the dark outcrop of his home, a tear slipping past his defenses and joining his damp coat. He fought to keep back the others as he wiped his hooves on the sheltered doormat, unlocked the door and entered.
He turned on the lights and lit his small fire, hanging the wet cloak to dry on the mantle. He sat down on the couch and warmed his body by the hearth, another tear managing to stain his cheek. He looked up on shelving above the fire, to the photos that lay among the wilting flowers. He looked upon photos of himself and another stallion; the wedding day with him planting a kiss on the stallion in the photos, apicture of the two of them when a photographer had come to Ponyville and captured them together, a photo of his husband smiling at the camera, his back against a tree as the rolling hills of Sweet Apple Acres lay in the background. And finally at the end of the shelving, a funeral card.
It had been almost eleven months since Stethoscope’s husband, Silver Sky, had passed away. Not one day had gone by without the nurse mourning the loss. Work. Eat. Sleep. Mourn. Work. Eat. Sleep. Mourn. Work. Eat. Sleep. Mourn. The cycle continued, day after day, with no hope of solace in the stallion’s sights. Hearth’s Warming was the couple’s favorite holiday; always putting up the decorations together and going around town tossing candy canes to the children. It was a time for the couple to help fill the town with cheer and joy. However, this year there were no decorations, no candy canes, no presents, no carols, no singing and no Silver Sky.
Another tear rolled down the unicorns cheek before he got up and hastily threw together a small salad. As he was cutting up the lettuce he peered out the window as he caught a glimpse of something moving passed his window, a dark figure.
Stethoscope peered through the window to get a closer look through the window, however nothing was there. The stallion sighed and continued to make the salad. He placed the finished product in a bowl and made his way to the dining table to eat his dinner. As he sat at the table he noticed an envelope lying near the centre. He picked it up and looked for address to no avail, Stethoscope opened the letter and read the contents inside:
Stethoscope,
This is Dawn Star, I dropped in, but you were at work so I decided to leave this note here. I wanted to talk to you about your social life; you haven’t talked to anypony for months, we’re all so worried for you. I know you loved Silver Sky, he was an amazing stallion. I know that we are all still feeling the loss, I can’t begin to imagine how hard it is for you. I know that you have heard this a lot, but it isn’t healthy to be so shut off. Mum, Dad and I have all agreed that you need to get out and start meeting ponies again. I want to talk to you more about this, so I will drop in sometime on Hearth’s Warming Eve. Mum and Dad really want you to spend Hearth’s Warming with the family this year, we all love you and we want you to be happy. Hope you have a goodnight and we will talk soon.
Love, Dawn Star xx
Stethoscope crumpled up the letter and angrily threw it into the fire. He didn’t want to move on, he couldn’t move on, he loved Silver Sky and he couldn’t just move on from his death. He felt the all too familiar pain in his chest as he thought of moving on, tears came flowing before he angrily brushed them away and continued to eat his salad. He discarded his bowl in the sink, headed to the bathroom where he brushed his teeth, remembering all the moments he had missed with all his heart, how Silver Sky would sit on his back and clumsily brush his teeth. He looked across at the shower and was haunted with the image of all the showers they shared. Across to the bath where he remembered giving Silver Sky a bath when he was too sick to take a shower by himself.
The unicorn angrily finished brushing his teeth before turning off the lights and quickly getting into bed. Stethoscope laid on his side, closing his eyes he slowly, centimeter by centimeter moving his hoof forwards, expecting any moment to touch a warm chest, to hold onto that warm chest and wrap his hooves around the comforting body, to gently nuzzle the larger Pegasus’s cheek and slowly drift off to sleep. Instead he was greeted with an empty spot, he quickly clutched the pillow and hugged it tightly, tears spilling out as he slowly cried himself to sleep.
Light filled the room forcing its way through Stethoscope’s eyelids, pulling him from his slumber. He groggily opened his eyes as he realised that once again he had fallen asleep without shutting his curtains. He released the pillow that he had cried into during the night. He threw the pillow back into it’s regular spot before trudging into the living room. As he did he realised it was his day off at the hospital and that his sister was likely to try to call on him again. He hastily started writing a note explaining that he was to be out that day. He lay it on the table and turned around to face the long-since extinguished fire. He was not greeted with the sight of his fireplace however, instead he saw a particular pink princess in a gold trim silver cloak.
“Good morning, Stethoscope.” she greeted, just before a panicked shout came from the stallion.
Princess Cadence managed to calm and hush the stallion before letting him speak. “Princess Mi Amore Cadenza!” Stethoscope bowed and stood back up.
“Please there is no need for that here, please just call me Princess Cadence” She replied in a warm tone.
“Certainly Princess Cadence.” He finished, still standing in the same place.
“Now, I am here to talk with you Stethoscope. I can sense the pain in your heart and sadness in your eyes, let us sit and discuss.” She spoke warmly and soothingly to the broken pony across the room from her.
Stethoscope hesitated for a moment before slowly making his way to the couch and sitting down. Cadence used her magic to relight the fireplace and move a chair over to the couch so she was facing the stallion. “I come at times when ponies face a hurt in their heart and a life filled with a love once lost. During the time of Hearths Warming I can feel your sadness especially. I heard of your loss, Stethoscope, and I realise that you must hurt right now but what you must realise is that you need to keep moving forward.”
The unicorn was thrown back at the reason for the alicorn’s unexpected visit. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat trying to think of what to say to the princess.Fortunately, the princess noticed the tongue tied stallion and continued continued.
“We all lose things in our life, some great some small. But in order to feel happiness again we must move on; not forget, but remember, not show apathy, but love, and most of all, don’t linger, but move on; for if you don’t, I can see a very bleak future in your hooves, Stethoscope. You still have life left to live and love left to give.” The alicorn finished letting a silence fill the room and for all she had said to be processed by the stallion.
“I can’t just forget him. I cannot forget my love, I cannot love anyone else but him; all the times we shared, all the life we had. No matter what you say, I cannot just let that go and move on.”
The princess sighed, she had thought this may have been the result of this discussion. She stood up and moved the chair back to it’s original position a glow emanating from her horn as she replied to the stallion.
“You are right, I can see it. There is nothing I can say to help you move on. However, I do believe there is a pony that can.” She said increasing in volume. Her horn glowed brighter and brighter, her eyes shone as her hooves left the floor. Stethoscope slowly moved behind the couch as the fireplace started to glow a similar colour to the one Princess Cadence was emitting. A hoof stepped out the fireplace, another hoof. Suddenly out of the fireplace came a white pegasus stallion.
“No! This can’t be possible!” Stethoscope replied as his husband stepped into the living room, a tear reaching Silver Sky’s eyes as he examined his old house. The princess floated back down to the floor.
“This is quite possible, but a rare occurance and I will ask for you to never speak of this to anypony, else everypony will want their loved ones brought back. I will only be able to do this once. But yes, I have brought him from the afterlife to speak with you. By sundown I will have to take Silver Sky back, but until then, you have this time together.” Princess Cadence nodded to Silver Sky who nodded back before teleporting away.
“Silver!” Stethoscope exclaimed running up to him before putting him into a tight hug, nuzzling his neck as the unicorn cried in his lovers arms.
The two held the embrace, Silver Sky gently stroking Stethoscope’s mane and shushing him warmly as they warmly rocked in the now returned glow of the fire.
“I do not wish to speak about the afterlife, you will experience it in good time like all ponies but I was called here to speak to you of the future, and what you need to do.” Silver Sky firmly replied to the onslaught of questions he had received in the span of thirty seconds after their initial embrace.
Stethoscope reluctantly gave up -at least temporarily- his burning questions and allowed the pegasus to continue. The two moved to the couch where Silver Sky rested his love by his side, cuddling by the fire as he began to speak again.
“I loved you Stethoscope, I still do, more than anything. But everyday I look down on you from the afterlife and all I see is pain. You were the best husband I could have ever asked for, but your life since my passing has been nothing but sadness and everyday you awoke I found my heart was engulfed in guilt, for nothing could change you.” The angel spoke as he looked deep into his husband’s eyes.
Tears filled Stethoscope’s eyes as he thought of moving on and finding happiness somewhere else. “But I just can’t move on like that, you meant the world and so much more to me. I will never forget you, and even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. Not even all the love in Equestria could stop me from holding on to you.” The unicorn croaked as he clutched his love closer.
Silver Sky hugged him back closely, letting the words sink in before looking over to the fireplace. He slowly lifted his hoof and in doing so, the fire was replaced by white light. Images started projecting onto the screen. One of Dawn Star, Stethoscope’s sister, elderly and lying in a hospital bed, a grave face showing no signs of joy.
“This is Dawn Star in the future. She never forgave herself for failing to help you; she spent so much time with you and your mother, as she tried to bring joy to the family. All the love she was giving never gave her anything back. She turned into a lonely, bitter lady who didn’t have anypony when she passed.”
Another image came up onto the screen. This one of an unfamiliar yellow stallion, tears in his eyes, bloody hooves as he was bucking apricot trees.
“This here is of a colt no older than eighteen. His parents had passed away and he was left without anypony to take care of him. Mayor Mare tried to find a home for him here, but nopony was willing to take him in. He was forced to attend a horrible foster family who ran an apricot farm. His talent was forced out of him and his life was reduced to bucking apricots until his hooves were bloody and raw. He never had a happy life on this earth.” Silver Sky finished, looking down at Stethoscope.
“What does that have to do with me?” The Unicorn whispered, yet no answer came. Finally one more image appeared on the brilliant white light. It was of a middle aged stallion, a face vaguely familiar yet to no could be matched to the image. He was weeping over a gravestone with the word “Stethoscope” etched in large lettering with smaller, unreadable words underneath.
“This final image of your gravestone, the one crying over it was a stallion who was aware of me. He fell in love with you, but you never moved on from me. You never gave him the chance you gave me, you died early from your sorrows and he never found the love he wanted.”
Stethoscope managed to control himself and eventually managed to find words. “Why are you showing me all this.” He sniffled.
“Because you and many others alike will suffer, simply because you could never move forward.” The pegasus softly spoke. The fireplace gently lost it’s glow and once again the fire returned to it’s original state.
“But… I-I’m scared. What about when we are in the afterlife together, and I have met somepony else-” Stethoscope was cut off by a hoof planted softly against his mouth.
“The afterlife works in mysterious ways and while I am not allowed to talk about how it works, just know that it accommodates for such situations.” The pegasus reassured. A long silence filled the room, Stethoscope continuing to lean against his love as he thought about all of this, engulfed in the warmth of the spirit’s fur and the fire, he finally came to a decision.
“I trust you Silver, and while the future holds many mysteries, I promise you, Silver, I will try my hardest to move on with my life and to meet somepony else. But, for today, I will love you with all my heart, and some day, when I pass on to the other side, I will love you forever.” Stethoscope replied without a single hint of sarcasm. The larger pegasus smiled warmly down at his husband before nuzzling his soft head.
“I couldn’t think of a better plan myself.” He whispered before planting a kiss on the smaller unicorn’s lips.
The two ponies spent the day indoors together, talking, laughing and making every second count. Yet sadly it came time where the sun started to slowly fade among the mountain tops, the two looked out the window as their final minutes became a reality. Tears started falling down Stethoscope’s face as the daunting moment came ever closer. He moved over to the record player and played their favourite Hearth's Warming carol. The little stallion smiled up at his husband as the two got into position, Stethoscope placing his left hoof on Silver Sky’s waist, his right holding onto the larger hoof. The two slowly danced around the living room, Stethoscope resting his head on Silver Sky’s chest, gazing in his eyes as they lived their last moments together in the living world.
“I love you Silver Sky, I never got to say that to you when you died. I always regretted not being able to say that. I love you so much and neither life nor death will change that. While I will move on, nothing will stop me from seeing you again in the afterlife.” Stethoscope sniffled, letting his dance become instinctive; their bodies danced as one.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming, my love, live your life knowing that I love you, and I will be waiting for you in your own time in the heavens. I will be watching you. Stethoscope, I love you too. Keep moving forward, and just always know that this is not a goodbye, it is a ‘see you later’.” He finished as the song began the final chorus. The two stepped away from each other as Silver Sky began to slowly fade. He smiled and lifted a hoof to wave as he disappeared, leaving Stethoscope alone in the living room. No tears came from the smaller stallion, no sadness; only a smile, tears of happiness engulfing him, as he slowly walked into the kitchen, to where a small note lay on the table.
It was a week before your birthday when I passed. I never got to give you your birthday present. Consider it a Hearth’s Warming gift. It is in a small box in the top compartment of my old wardrobe. Give it to him with all the love you can give, because life is a journey. You gave me the ride of my life, thank you for all the memories, now go and make new ones.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming, my love.” Stethoscope whispered as he kissed the note softly. He slowly made his way to his room where he found a small black box in the top of Silver Sky’s old wardrobe. He slowly opened the black box to see a beautiful horn ring. A sapphire sat in the centre of the horn ring with a silver band and gold trim around the oval cut gemstone. He used his magic to slip the horn ring down the base of his horn. The elegant design fitting perfectly around the base of his horn. A smile spreading over his face upon inspection in a mirror.
Stethoscope looked up, a final tear sliding down his face as he spoke to his husband one last time. “Thank you sweetie, I love you so much. You know me so well that it’s scary, don’t watch me too much now. Happy Hearth’s Warming.” He finished. Whether it was just in his head or the spirit of Silver Sky, Stethoscope could swear he heard the words ‘Happy Hearth’s Warming’ whispered in his ears.
“Three... Two... One... HAPPY NEW YEAR!” Chorused the voices of hundreds of ponies gathered in the centre of Ponyville as the dawn of a new Equestrian calendar began. It was late but the festivities were in full swing. Somewhere, within the pack of celebrating ponies lay a smiling Stethoscope, as he stood around the friends he came to the new year celebration with.
The singing, dancing, talking and filling the night with cheer. Stethoscope broke away from his friends to go and get another drink from the large tent set up to accommodate the festive night. Drinks in his magical grasp he made his way back to his friends. Yet as he began to make the small trek back to his friends a grey stallion accidentally walked into the drinks held up by the Stethoscope’s magic. The drinks quickly spilt over his coat drenching the stallion’s coat in a fine mix of vodka, beer, scotch and lime. Shock lined both ponies faces as the apologies quickly came flowing from both ponies mouths.
“Please, my place is nearby we will quickly go there and get you cleaned up.” Stethoscope shouted above the noise of the night. The shocked unicorn just stared at Stethoscope in awe. The nurse helped up the shocked pony and convinced him to get cleaned up at his place. With that the two stallions made their way back to Stethoscope’s home.
“M-My name is Honey Cake” The nervous pony stammered, his cheeks reddening as the two moved away from the crowed. Stethoscope chuckled and walked a tiny bit closer.
“You are a nervous pony aren’t you,” He joked as the unicorn’s cheeks managed to go a shader redder as he smiled nervously. “I think I might have seen you somewhere actually, though I just can’t pin it. Well, my name is Stethoscope, nice to meet you, Honey Cake!”
“Alright, Colour Splash, ten years old, birthday June the Third. I just need you to sign these papers and he is all yours Mr Cake and Mr Stethoscope. I’ll just go fetch him for you.” The social worker smiled as she made her way out of the little office to the makeshift shelter.
The two stallions looked at each other and smiled as they held each other's hooves. A moment he had dreamed of coming true was happening in front of him. A small colt nervously stepped into the room, the social worker behind him gently coaxing him on.
“Go on, this is Honey Cake and Stethoscope, they are going to be your parents.” The little colt slowly made his way up to them, shaking hooves with both of them.
“Hi, umm, I’m, uh, I’m Colour Splash.” He stammered. The two stallions smiled at the little colt before Honey Cake took the suitcase from the social worker.
“Welcome to the family, Colour Splash, I’m Stethoscope and this is Honey Cake.” Stethoscope smiled before turning to the social worker. “Alright, we’ll be off, thank you, for everything.” He beamed.
The colt bid his farewell to the social worker before following his new dads from the building and towards his brand new home. The little colt took one last look back at the shelter, tears starting to fill his eyes.
“Are you okay Colour Splash?” Asked Stethoscope as he turned back to see the tears in the colt’s eyes.
“Yeah, it is just scary, moving on. I miss my mum and dad.” He said as the three ponies stopped walking towards home.
Stethoscope leant down and warmly spoke in Colour Splash’s ear, “Hey it’s okay, I know. I know it’s really scary moving on.. You know, a really wise stallion once told me that if we are going to be happy again, we must learn to remember the past,, but to let it go, because otherwise you stop enjoying the present. And Colour Splash, the present is the best part of life. And I promise you, Honey Cake and I will be here every step of the way to make your present the best it can be.” Stethoscope smiled, making the colt smile back. The colt hugged him tightly, taking the stallion completely by surprise.
“Thank you, so much, for everything. You have no idea how lucky I am to have both of you.” He said sniffling back more tears. After getting over his shock, Stethoscope hugged back.
“I have a feeling you are going to an amazing addition to our family Colour Splash, we are very lucky to have you too. Now let’s go home, It’s Hearth’s Warming in a few weeks and Honey Cake and I will need some help setting up all our decorations.” The unicorn smiled as the three walked through the early afternoon snow.