The one who needed no help
Twilight had fled the hospital...
And maybe she was overreacting, and maybe she should have known better and maybe we could have expected better from one of the most rational ponies in Equestria.
But she had fled nonetheless and couldn’t find the will anywhere to go back right at that instant. She wasn’t even fleeing the location itself, but the whole world altogether. There were just so many thoughts going through her mind like so many anvils dropping in a chaotic symphony, from which only the idea of running away seemed to be consistent. Her head was heavy, her eyes, covered in tears, were being hurt each time she opened them and saw the slightest bit of the lights from her surroundings. Her throat was dry, feeling the same way a cold would. Lower, her stomach was hurting, like it was trying to compete with the overbeating heart by twisting itself and dissolve in the most painful possible way.
Finally, she couldn’t feel her legs anymore. She knew she was ordering them to run, as fast and as far as they could bring her, but she just had no connection with them anymore and didn’t even care about that fact. She didn’t feel the ground when she finally fell.
She just stood there, on the ground, crying, having momentarily lost the capacity to stand up again. She wasn’t even sick, she was just sad, and overreacting. She should have known better and quite honestly, she would have expected better from herself.
But for a pony like Twilight who had always lived in a very rational and scientific vision of the world, the flow of emotion was something she wasn’t really good at handling.
She had come back to Ponyville after her journey to the city and had thought, at the time, that it was great to be home again, where everything is always so happy and peaceful. Pretty much always, but still.
However, she didn’t expect what had happened next and would have had no way to have expected it anyway. She didn’t expect to be brought to the hospital, she didn’t expect to see all of her friends there, she didn’t expect their sad faces and she didn’t expect that it would be as serious as it was.
But more problematic was the fact that each and every one of the looks of her friends was also saying: “She still doesn’t know…”
From that very moment, guilt began to develop in Twilight, because whatever had happened did when she was away. She was too late, coming after the storm to just acknowledge the damages.
So when she understood that Rainbow Dash was dying, not only did her whole perfect and happy world exploded in a million sharp painful pieces, but she irrationally felt it was somehow her fault. Because she hadn’t been there when it happened.
Twilight had been stupid. Twilight was still being stupid, sitting in the dirt, overreacting as she was. And under the sun of that day in Equestria, her flowing stupidity was creating tiny rainbows as each drop was falling from her cheek to join the other before her.
It took a while, but she calmed down eventually. She slowly remembered that she wasn't the only one suffering. She took upon herself to do what was right and finally found the needed strength to go back and see her dying friend.
Once back at the hospital, and after having said to Rainbow Dash how sorry she was, she asked the doctor to explain to her, for the twentieth time at least, why she couldn’t be cured.
Understanding the pain, the doctor just explained once again, without any anger or impatience, ready to say the same things another hundred times if necessary:
“Your friend hurt her head very badly. The damage has created multiple clots that will slowly but surely create a pocket of blood that will eventually crush her brain.”
She didn’t have to add that there was no hope in any operation or healing magic. She had already said that part enough times for Twilight to understand it. And the alicorn wasn’t even asking about that anymore.
“How much time?” asked Twilight, who had evaded that question for a while.
“One day.” answered the doctor. “If she is lucky, she shouldn’t feel much until the very end, when the pain will trigger a stress reaction and raise the blood pressure which should be the final blow. Due to the part of the brain that is being touched, she will very probably get blind a minute or two before she dies.”
The doctor lowered her head and added:
“I’m really sorry. All we can do is try to keep her blood pressure as low as possible and ease the pain when it comes.”
Twilight wasn’t satisfied, but she understood the doctor had already done everything she could. She decided to go back at Rainbow Dash’s bedside and try to comfort her friend. Unfortunately, the cyan pegasus didn’t seem to need much comforting.
Rainbow Dash had had more than two days to accept the situation and had received all the support she could have needed from her friends during that time. So, even if she was just pulling an act, for the others or for herself, she was smiling and laughing and overall behaving like it wasn’t the end of the world.
“Come on Twilight, you won’t be able to comfort me looking as sad as you’re doing right now!” joked the pegasus, seeing how depressed her friend was looking. As it wasn’t working very well, she tried another approach and added, with a much gentler tone: “Please Twilight, I feel bad for making you feel so bad. Couldn’t you try to smile? I assure you I’m fine.”
This was a very poor choice of words in such circumstances, but Rainbow Dash hadn’t really been used to choose her words carefully and hadn’t had the time to learn that trick in the last two days. She was just saying what her mind was telling her to say, forgetting to put any filter in between. That was who she was, a part of the awesome her that was about to disappear.
“Is there anything I can do to help you?” asked Twilight, for whom it was still very hard to accept. “Just ask me anything and I’ll do it.”
Another part of the less awesome but still Rainbow Dash woke up at those words. In normal times, she would have only taken the idea of asking for anything as a mere joke. But those weren’t normal times and during the process of having to accept her own end, she had lost a part of her grown up inhibitions. So, with a laugh, not caring if she would be taken seriously or not, she replied:
“Anything?”
“Absolutely anything. Just ask.” answered Twilight, who was suddenly smiling, comforting Rainbow Dash in the idea that she should actually ask.
“Alright.” said the pegasus. “Then I want a chocolate and fudge mountain with a slide, candy bars as trees and marshmallow and coconut icing as snow.”
Is it necessary to say she had been feeling a little hungry when inventing that wish? So the idea of a big sweet dessert was kind of appealing. Once again, she didn’t really expect Twilight to do it.
Twilight, on the other side, was trying to decide if she should take the wish seriously or not. She wanted to help, of course, but she couldn’t see how such a chocolate mountain could do any good at all. Just as well, a part of her was reminding her just how crazy the idea was to begin with.
Two other thoughts, however, changed everything. First, she had promised to do anything. Those were her exact words. Coupled with the guilt she had been feeling and her will to help, that was a very strong argument. And second and probably the most important one, she was Twilight Sparkle, the royal princess of Equestria. And even if she had never abused of her power before, or maybe because she had never abused her power before, that meant she was able to fulfill that wish.
Wanting as well as being able to do it, she kicked any logic out and went to fetch Pinkie Pie.
Two hours later, Twilight came back to Rainbow Dash and gently levitated her bed to the window, assuring her that she shouldn’t worry and that she had a surprise to show her. Which was, of course, a huge pile of chocolate and fudge in the shape of a mountain, with candy trees and marshmallow and everything. A lot of fillies and foals had come to see the dessert and were asking themselves if they would be invited to play in it and take a bite.
“Here you are.” said Twilight, happily, just like those children who don’t care if what they have done is good or bad, but just enjoy having done it.
Rainbow Dash had some difficulties believing her eyes. That was a little crazy. And scary as well. She looked at Twilight and saw how dedicated her friend was. She understood it wasn’t Twilight she found crazy or was afraid of, but herself.
And at that precise moment, Twilight let that craziness loose, with some very simple but unfortunate words:
“Is there anything else, anything at all that I can do to help you?”
Those were the words of a friend willing to sacrifice pretty much everything in the universe for the sake of the one she cared for. A genuine, pure and innocent will to help.
Not believing what she was about to say, regretting it in advance, knowing how selfish, stupid, horrible it was, Rainbow Dash breathed a little and then told Twilight:
“Yes. Actually, there is something else you could do for me. I want to go down there and have fun.”
The alicorn gulped. Her mind shouted not to obey. She could hear every logical part of her screaming at the idea and yelling how dangerous it would be, that Rainbow Dash needed to stay as quiet as possible, that this was everything that just shouldn’t be done. At the same time, a very simple and calm voice repeated what she already knew: “You’ve promised and you can do it. Why do you hesitate?”
“Are you sure you want that?” asked Twilight, with a pathetic tone, trying to get herself out of her promise.
And for a moment, Rainbow Dash thought that the joke had gone far enough. For a moment only, because she knew she would never again have such an opportunity. So, ignoring any sense of honor, she just answered, as the words burned her mouth:
“Yes, that is what I want.”
And just to drive in the nail, she added:
“Please Twilight, do that for me.”
And for the first time since the last great epic pony war, actual soldiers in armor came into the hospital, because Twilight had had to order them to restrain the doctors and nurses who were anything but willing to let the alicorn pursue her whim. Under the threat of the spears and understanding the princess wouldn’t hear the voice of reason, they reluctantly let Rainbow Dash come out of the hospital.
As soon as she got out, the pegasus went to the big dessert Twilight had had created for her, went to the top of it and just enjoyed the slide, just for the hell of it. Twilight could almost hear Rainbow Dash’s heart beating quicker under the rise of the adrenaline, and somewhere in her head, the blood that was accumulating, but she could also see the smile on Rainbow Dash’s face. And that smile was enough of a reason to make it worth it. As long as she was ignoring all the reprobating face behind her.
It seemed like Rainbow Dash had had quite a good time with Twilight’s gift as were all the fillies and foal who had joined her in the fun.
When she finally came back to Twilight, she just began to look at the alicorn in silence, with two very easily readable eyes. The look became unbearable to Twilight who felt she had no choice but to ask, once again:
“Is there anything else I can do for you?”
Oh the triumph on Rainbow Dash’s face.
“Yes. I want you to paint every building of Ponyville in pink. I’ve always loved pink.”
Twilight felt her heart ceasing to beat for a second. She tried to convince herself she still could go back, refuse and leave, but her heart refused to. The worst thing was that she really was feeling the need to do anything Rainbow Dash was asking, even if she knew she shouldn’t do it for just so many reasons.
She ignored the righteous complains of the ponies and gave the orders. Slowly, every building of Ponyville covered itself in pink.
But already, Rainbow Dash wasn’t paying attention anymore.
“I want a statue of me, a big one showing how awesome I am.” she told Twilight. “I also want a swimming pool full of bits to bath into, and a crowd shouting how wonderful I am. I want a law that forbids any pegasus to fly faster than me and another one that prevents unicorns from using magic period.”
Twilight was living a nightmare. She saw no escape between her will to just blindly do what she was asked and refuse as strongly as she knew she had to. But once again, she gave up and accepted. She gave the orders. All that she was able to add, with a broken voice and a broken mind, was:
“Is there anything else?”
Rainbow Dash looked at her in disdain and stayed silent for a moment. In fact, it seemed to last for an eternity, as if the pegasus was enjoying every second of what she was going to ask. Even so, Twilight waited for it, ready to take the blow, ready for anything, ready beyond reason.
“There is something else.” Rainbow Dash said, looking at the sky and the glorious sun. “I’m tired of the sun, I want the night.”
Twilight almost fainted. But as if it wasn’t enough, Rainbow Dash added:
“Oh, and don’t bring up the moon. I wish my night to have only stars.”
Twilight sighed. At least now, that was something that only Celestial and Luna could do. She felt some sort of relief at the idea she wasn’t able to do it anymore. But at the same time, that thought hurt her even more, because that meant she couldn’t help her friend anymore. She was suddenly feeling powerless, useless, and a failure just in front of the one she had done everything for.
Then, the anger came, anger against Rainbow Dash, for having asked for all the things she had asked for, anger against her pegasus friend for asking her something she wasn’t able to do and finally, anger against herself, for being so weak.
She refused to lose. And before Rainbow Dash’s eyes, Twilight began to cast all the magical power that she was able to find. The air got hotter, and Twilight’s horn began to burst in a purple magical aura. Her eyes disappeared behind two incredibly intense purple flames and soon, her whole body got caught into the magical wave she was casting. The ground began to vibrate under Rainbow Dash’s hooves, and for the first time in her life, the pegasus could feel what magic felt like as it was almost taking a tangible form. The grass was changing form in chaotic fashion and the air transformed into clouds that rained ice cubes pretty much all at the same time, as Twilight was trying to control everything that was.
Then, to Rainbow Dash’s horror, the alicorn began to scream, as the pain of holding so much magical power had become too great to bear. But Twilight still wasn’t giving up and, as her screams went from horrifying to soul breaking, the light of the sun disappeared, letting only a big empty black sky behind it.
Having exhausted everything she had, Twilight fainted and the magic evaporated as violently as it had come, leaving no trace behind.
When she opened her eyes again, Twilight was in a bed, at the hospital, in front of a giant window from where she could see Ponyville and the whole sky. It was the royal suit, for the very important guests. And she felt ashamed that, after everything she had done, they would have still considered she should be brought there.
She turned her head and saw her friends, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie. And even if she could see in their eyes that they weren’t satisfied at all with all that had happened, would it only be Rarity for the pink on the carousel boutique, they all looked very friendly and concerned with her well being. At that very moment, she could have hugged them all, probably begging for their forgiveness, but a more urgent matter came into her mind.
“Where is Rainbow Dash?” she asked, with fear.
“I’m here.” answered the voice of the pegasus, coming from before the window.
Looking over the bed, Twilight saw Rainbow Dash, quietly lying on the floor, watching the stars. Scootaloo was there too, under her wings, but had fallen asleep.
Twilight slowly went out of the bed and came near her friend, as the other just quietly watched, having already said everything there was to be said.
“I’m sorry.” began Twilight.
But she got interrupted by Rainbow Dash as soon as she had opened her mouth.
“Don’t you dare.” said the pegasus. “I’m the one apologizing here. I’ve been so stupid, I’ve been so mean to you and everypony else, I just wish I would die of shame. Which is quite practical, knowing the circumstances.”
“Stop that!” almost shouted Twilight, unable to accept the idea her friend would take the blame for what had happened. “I don’t care what you think, you didn’t do anything wrong. I did.”
But she understood there was no point in arguing over what had happened, of whose fault it was, or just arguing at all. It wasn’t going to change anything anymore. So she just said:
“Look… all I want to say is that you’re the best friend a pony could hope for.”
And she knew all of her friends were thinking the same thing as she was saying those words.
“Whatever you may think, you’re really awesome Rainbow Dash.” Twilight continued, “And nothing will ever change that fact. I’m proud to be your friend. I’m honored to be your friend. We all are.”
“Thanks Twilight.” replied the pegasus. “You are a wonderful friend too. You all are. I’ve been the luckiest mare in Equestria to have been able to hang around with you.”
Both the mares stayed silent, and then Twilight asked:
“Are you afraid?”
“I don’t know.” answered Rainbow Dash. “I’m nervous, yes, but, you know, in the end I think I’ve never really been afraid of dying.”
That answer surprised Twilight, but Rainbow Dash then added:
“I think I’ve always been, on the other hoof, very afraid not to live.”
She then smiled and said:
“Good thing you were all there so it never happened.”
A new silence came, during which Twilight just didn’t know what she should answer, or just say, or even if she should be saying anything at all. But as she just felt like she did want to cheer her friend up, she decided to change the subject:
“At least we can still enjoy the night together. Those stars are beautiful.”
“I believe you.” replied Rainbow Dash.
Twilight didn’t understand right away.
“What?” she asked.
“I believe you when you say the stars are beautiful.” repeated Rainbow Dash.
And only now Twilight noticed that her friend hadn’t been looking at anything during the whole conversation. Because her friend couldn’t look at anything anymore. She had gone blind. And the treatments were beginning to be unable to block all the pain.
“Can I be a jerk one last time Twilight?” asked the pegasus, with a tear in her eye.
“Be whatever you want, you’re my friend, you are our friend, you will always be.” answered Twilight, trying her best not to cry too as the others had come nearer.
“I’ve wished for a lot of crazy things today, but I think, I actually had only one wish, one I couldn’t ask you, you or anypony else.”
“What was it?” asked Twilight, already knowing the answer, or thinking she already knew the answer.
“I wish I could stay alive. To spend some more time with you all.”
They all hugged, trying to comfort each other, as Rainbow Dash was now almost crushing her teeth as she was trying to fight the pain, but then all of her muscles suddenly stopped fighting, a shiver went through her whole body and she expired one last breath through a smile, her eyes fixed on a point very far away.
The whole night passed and in the morning, both Celestia and Luna came to see Twilight. They had brought flowers for the lost friend, but had actually come to ask about certain events that had made some weird rumors. In fact, it let Celestia to ask, quite literally:
“I would like to know why Ponyville has been painted in pink, why I was asked to approve two of the strangest laws I’ve ever seen, one asking to forbid unicorns to use magic, and why we only had an eight hours long day yesterday.”
Luna smiled at that last part, because she had, on her side, quite enjoyed the agitation, and having been woken up to raise the moon and the missing stars.
And both princesses were, actually, a little impressed by Twilight’s feat there.
The purple alicorn explained everything and even if it wasn’t excusing what she had done, at least it reassured the princesses that she hadn’t gone mad with power. But after a lot of explanation, Twilight told Celestia:
“I tried so hard to help my friend. But in the end, I was just totally unable to. And I know it’s stupid, but I still wonder why the world is made so that it was impossible for me to help her.”
Luna, thinking it was logical, began to answer by saying a:
“Because she…”
But she suddenly understood, by her big sister’s look and silence, that it wasn’t a time to be logical. So, trying to make for it, she adopted another look on the whole thing and just answered:
“Sometimes, you just can’t help. But I’m sure your friend is very proud that you tried. It shows how much you cared for her.”
It wasn’t exactly the right words, but it was good enough for Twilight to be comforted. Still, there was a long way to go until she could fully accept the departure of her dear friend.
And before that, she was going to have to go and make some apologies to a lot of ponies for all the decisions she had taken the day before.
Because life was going on.
THE END
Author's Note
Okay, here, the story is completed and I didn't break my principle of only having completed story (being the only one who cares, but sill ^^).
I actually like this part more than the other one (still like the other one a lot though). Funny thing, it was supposed to be Fluttershy at first, over three days, and pretty much everything was different. Good thing I had one day to think over the whole thing (when I should have been working ! Aaaargh!).
Even if that part ended up longer than it was planned to be, I had to keep it as short as possible because:
- I didn't want to talk about how to manage the death of a relative (too risky, too hard)
- I had no time to do better than what I did there. (already used way too much of that precious time that I need so much).
Other funny thing, that story had been put in two parts following the raw idea of yin and yang (I don't know about the real concept of yin and yang). But thinking about it, The titles are more ambigous that predicted and I like that. I like those stories.
I just wish I'll be able to do the work I was supposed to do in the remaining time.
I don't know about the other wanna be artist like me, but I'm totally crazy to keep on doing what I do. Feels great to be crazy, but god that's pure madness.
Oh, by the way, yes, I forced the last dialogue in, because those were the only part I had when I began writing and I kind of wished for them to be in.
Only eight more stories to go. Will just need a year...
“Is that the right house ?” Twilight asked Spike.
The dragon was trying to decipher a map, or more precisely, a plan of the city, and tried to look confident when he answered:
“Yes, sure, that must be it.”
Actually, he was slowly growing that feeling that he may have taken the wrong direction after the park, or altogether the wrong city plan. Still, he was way too proud to admit the error right on and preferred to try his luck and knew, if it so happened that he was wrong, that he could always blame Twilight for it in a way or another.
The purple alicorn, blindly trusted her assistant even if everything was telling her this wasn’t the official house of the former very proud general of the Equestrian army. She knocked on the door and, after a little wait, a stallion opened the door, who was definitely not the former general she had come to meet.
The stallion didn’t let her time to explain who she was or even ask if she was at the right address. Which means, in reality, already asking for the right address, trying to avoid blaming the poor map reading skills of Spike. And what the stallion said surprised Twilight a little.
“Your majesty?” the stallion first asked, realizing he had one of royal princesses right in front of him, at his door, entirely officially dressed up as if she was, and she was, on a mission. “What can I do… it’s such an honor… I mean…” he then tried to say, not knowing what would be a proper way to greet a princess, but suddenly stopped and asked, very straight forward: “It may sounds weird, but… would you by any chance have come to help me?”.
Twilight, hearing those words, looked at Spike, who looked at her in return stating with only his eyes that he had no idea and didn’t care either.
“No, I’m sorry.” replied Twilight, having to face the fact she was slowly getting late, which meant, was already really very late, thanks to a lot of circumstances. “I thought your house was that of the general Proud Mouth. Please excuse the mistake. Could you by any chance show us the right way to his house?”
The stallion laughed, for many reason, the first and probably most important one being that the house they were searching for was on the other side of the city, and obviously accepted to help. He asked for the plan and showed the route with more practical details to make sure they couldn’t get lost. He offered to accompany them, but Twilight declined, being already very embarrassed by the whole incident.
She thanked the stallion, said goodbye, and then, as the door shut behind her, she and Spike went their way to the house of the very important general they had been appointed to meet.
The alicorn and the dragon walked side to side in the streets of the city for a little while, not hurrying anymore due to the fact it was already too late to try and make for the lost time. And in some way, Twilight even enjoyed the idea of being late. Because she didn’t like the mission she had, she didn’t like that general, who had always bothered her brother, and Celestia didn’t seem to like the general either. She knew it was wrong for her to think that way, but sometimes, even the best of us want a break and take it when they see an opportunity. Here, she could honestly say she had tried being in time, but everything from the lost luggage to a certain dragon had turned wrong. The excuse was good enough.
And even more, that break was making her feel really good. It was like her mind got freed from all the stress and pressure it was usually under. She could finally think about other things. Other things she considered way more important than meeting some old boring general. Other very urgent matter that she should take care of... She decided to do what was right in her heart and began to trot a little to her destination.
“Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle.” said Twilight as the door opened, “And I’ve come to help.”
The stallion didn’t quite understand why the princess had come back to his home, but he welcomed her almost instinctively and offered her to come in, which she did immediately, followed by her assistant.
“So, what’s your name sir?” Twilight asked.
He actually needed a few seconds to remind himself of his own name. Because there was one of the royal princesses of Equestria, rulers of all things, the most powerful and benevolent being in the world, right there, in his living room.
“Sir, are you okay? Don’t worry, I’ve come to help.”
“Help me with what?” the stallion asked, completely lost about what was going on.
Do I have to explain it wasn’t the reaction Twilight had expected? But actually, she didn’t take it too badly. In her mind, she thought it was probably part of the problem. Maybe a memory disturbance or something in those lines.
She decided to begin right away.
“Just before, the first time we met, you asked me if I had come to help you, you remember?” Twilight asked the stallion, trying to wake him up.
“Oh, that…” the stallion suddenly understood, to Twilight satisfaction. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that, it was stupid, I shouldn’t have expected from you to have come especially for me. You are a princess, you have way more important things to do.”
“It’s quite alright.” Twilight replied. “It’s true I had come for another matter, but it’s all alright now. Here I am, ready to help. So just tell me what is wrong and I assure you I’ll try my best to make it right again.”
But to Twilight’s surprise, the stallion just looked down and stayed silent for a moment. This was disappointing. She had thought that her dedication to solve his problems would make him happy, or that he would show some sort of relief. But that stallion was just sighing in front of her. And more frustrating was the fact that he stated he wasn’t being sad about his problem. In fact, what he said was:
“I don’t have a problem.”
Now Twilight was disappointed, frustrated and confused all at the same time. She was back at square one, with the memory problematic. She had thought it would only take a little bit of time, but now, she was beginning to regret her rash decision to come back. This was going to take the whole day just to figure out what was wrong. And she couldn’t allow herself to make the general wait that long, as Spike was trying to remind her with big movements of his arms.
“You don’t have a problem?” Twilight asked.
“I don’t.” assured the stallion. “Sorry to have made you waste your time. I really am.”
“But you do remember having asked me for help, right?”
She knew her tone was sounding horribly aggressive at that moment and she was trying to simmer down, but the whole thing looked more and more ridiculous by the minute.
“Yes, and I’m sorry about that. Like I said, I should have known better.” the stallion answered, with sadness in his voice, betraying the fact he was totally aware of the princess’s anger and the fact he was the cause of it.
“Okay, let’s try this again.” Twilight said, while ignoring Spike who was trying to explain that they really didn’t have the time for that. “You asked me for help, but you don’t have a problem.”
The stallion nodded in shame. Not daring to speak anymore.
“But why did you ask me for help if you didn’t have a problem for me to solve?”
The question was hurting as she was telling it. Because it felt so stupid, going so much against any possible logic, that she began to think she was being made fun of. And her pride wasn’t taking the fact very lightly.
“I know I shouldn’t have asked.” the stallion tried to explain, “I was surprised, I didn’t expect to see you, I mean, a royal princess, right there, knocking at my door… I just thought you could have come to help me. It was stupid, I’m really sorry. Please forgive me.”
“But!” began Twilight, who didn’t know how to continue her “but” because there were just too many things she wanted to say and none seemed to make any sense. She was more than confused, but totally utterly lost in an ocean of idiocy.
She breathed. Heavily breathed. Turning her attention to Spike, who was still showing how much time they were losing, she made him understand that she was totally aware of the situation and was about to end it.
Then, she finally came to a calm enough state to try one last time to find out what was going on.
“You don’t know what you need help with?” Twilight asked the stallion.
He nodded, trying to hide his face as much as he was able to.
“Maybe you are unhappy in love. Or having trouble with your children… Would that be it?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m married with a wife I adore.” replied the stallion. “And our children are the light of my life.”
“Maybe you are struggling with money, barely able to pay everything.” Twilight tried again.
“I’m actually quite rich I fear. Never known poverty, neither ever did any member of my family or my relatives for all I know.”
“A sickness?” tried Twilight once more, incapable of letting go. “You or someone close to you could be sick?”
“I’ve been sick, about three month ago, but it wasn’t anything serious. By chance my family is doing really well too.”
“You do have a cutie mark…” acknowledged Twilight, still trying to find what the problem could be. “Is it a conflict with another pony? Do you feel in danger? Is there something you would want to accomplish that you are being prevented from?”
It wasn’t any of those. The stallion knew only friends around him, had always been granted every opportunity he could have wanted and was living in the middle of Equestria, probably the safest place to be period.
Twilight had to face the fact that this stallion was even more boring than the general she should have met a long time ago already. That this stallion might have asked for help was making no sense. And it would have taken very little effort to convince Twilight he actually had never asked for any at all.
“Spike?” Twilight said, without really asking anything.
“Yes?” answered the dragon, worried about how much time had been lost in that house.
“We aren’t needed here. We are going.”
She had said that with a lot of frustration in her voice, but also a little pinch of sadness. She hated the idea of giving up, or abandoning somepony who had asked for help, even if it she knew that this pony had no problem at all for her to solve. She could do nothing for him, so there was no point in her staying.
She comforted the stallion, explaining that he hadn’t done anything “wrong”, more to make sure she wouldn’t create the first problem he would have probably ever faced in his life than because she believed what she was saying, as she was still very frustrated, and then said goodbye, just before definitely leaving the house.
Once again, she found herself walking side by side with Spike in the middle of the streets in the search of the general’s house.
And after a little while, they eventually found it. They announced themselves, the general accepted to receive them, and in a sense, it could be argued that he had no saying there, and the princess and her assistant entered the general’s living room, where the old pony was waiting for them.
“I’m sorry to have made you wait so long, general.” said Twilight, actually ashamed of herself, for various reasons, and mostly just wanting to apologize about anything.
But the general just stayed there, silently, observing with a very calm and strangely gentle face. He seemed to be hearing and thinking all at the same time, as if there were two minds into that sole body. It was beginning to make sense that he had become the general of the whole army of Equestria. His eyes were saying how smart, cunning and most importantly, loyal and dedicated he had been and probably still was.
“You see, general…” continued Twilight, “I’ve met that stallion who had asked for help and I thought I had to help him. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have made you wait for so long.”
This time, the general answered, and his voice was sounding the same way as his eyes were looking. With so much interest, curiosity and the will to serve.
“Did you help that stallion?” he asked the princess, as it was just some small talk.
“I wanted to. But it appeared that he actually had no problem whatsoever.”
Twilight just caught on that she was answering the same way she would have done at an exam, which was weird as she was actually the general’s superior. But something in her mind told her it wasn’t going to hurt her to play the game.
“Nonsense.” replied the general, just stating his opinion, telling it with a tone that didn’t seem to even try to contradict what Twilight had said. “All ponies have problems.”
“This one didn’t seem to. I really tried to find one, but everything in his life seemed perfect.”
The general heard her out and took a little time to think about it. Then, he came a little closer to the princess and just said:
“That was very kind of you to try and help that pony. But I shouldn’t have expected less from a royal princess of Equestria. It has always been an honor to serve them, and now I wish I could serve you.”
Twilight blushed a little, but tried not to show it too much. Still, she was certain the general was genuine about his statement.
“Still, even if I’m persuaded you did really try everything you could, it is my opinion that nopony can exist without having any problem. They can ignore the problems they have, but they do have some anyway.”
Curious, Twilight asked why, in the general’s opinion, nopony couldn’t have any problem.
“Because having problems is what defines being alive. Or because being alive is what creates problems.”
Twilight tried to think about it, didn’t understand it and decided she would have her whole life to decide if it was making sense, if she wanted to agree about it or not and, if she would want to agree about it, what to do with it.
But she would have all the time of her own life to do that anyway. For the moment, she had another problem to solve and therefore, she forgot about the strange stallion and the whole adventure to go back to business.
As she should have done from the very beginning.
Or not.
THE END
Author's Note
I wrote that story after a message from Twi-Guy. He may not be very satisfied with what came out of it, but... of well.
