The Caretaker

REMEMBERNight Life

        :::> Night life: full of vice, “fun,” and music. That, as I assumed, was probably what Sweetie Belle and I would find as soon as we were to enter Silver Spoon’s mansion. The music itself already seeped out of the building. People could be seen outside either vomiting, gossiping, or helping those who were vomiting.

        :::> Without having to move a single servo, the people standing in front of the main door made way for us upon seeing me. Sweetie Belle groaned. I pushed the set of gates, opening them, and we were in, finding ourselves amongst a massive crowd, dancing, exchanging information via sound waves, or simply observing. A quick scan of mine revealed that several were intoxicated with alcohol and/or other substances. One of my feet stepped in a puddle of vomit. How fitting. I motioned Sweetie Belle to avoid it, and we continued moving through the crowd afterwards.

        :::> I stopped as she stopped. Noticing that she was uncomfortable, I evaluated the probabilities as to why she would be in that state, coming to the conclusion that, most likely, I was making her uncomfortable. The quickest solution, as I processed, was to find one of her friends. So, I scanned the area, conveniently seeing a couple of fillies and a gryphonet pushing through the crowd and over to us.

        “Hey, Belle!” the gryphonet called out as they entered our circle. I recognized her as Olive Mirror: young, pink feathers, friend of Sweetie Belle. The other two I had seen in the morning, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. “And uh...” She looked up at me. “Mac. Hi.”

        :::> “Greetings.” I watched silently as the four exchanged hugs. Good. Sweetie Belle was no longer uncomfortable.

        Sweetie Belle looked up at me, smiling, already walking away. “We’re gonna be dancing, okay? Just wait here!”

        :::> As directed, I stood still. They merged into the crowd, my eyes still on them, tracking them as they began dancing to the rhythm of the music.

        :::> Something, or rather someone, bumped into my leg. I cared not, still keeping my eyes locked on Sweetie Belle. Even then, I could easily identify a young mareling, intoxicated, taking a picture of herself hugging my leg.

        :::> The seconds passed, people bumping into my statuesque form, taking pictures with me, talking next to me about menial matters. The seconds soon turned into minutes as I watched Sweetie Belle move around the hall, dancing with her partner: a male gryphon. The minutes continued to add upon each other, building a theoretical tower as Sweetie Belle went to the bar, talking with her friends, enjoying herself, not sparing a nanosecond to look at me.

        :::> Why?

        :::> As soon as I asked myself that simple question, whatever light the hall had died out, including the music. Conversations turned into whispers. A spotlight turned on, focusing on the one young mare whose birthday was that night, and people began singing the obligatory song. I watched as Sweetie Belle’s hoof was grabbed by her partner, who whispered into her ear. She smiled, before the two got up from their seats, heading to the nearest bathroom.

        :::> I began moving as soon as they walked in, not after the gryphon talked to the bouncer outside of it. I stood a few meters outside from the bathroom, listening closely while the people continued to sing happy birthday. The bouncer looked at me, arms folded, while I repeated the same words over and over.

        :::> “Sweetie Belle.”

        :::> “Sweetie Belle.”

        :::> “Sweetie Belle...”

        :::> I could hear them inside, moving, whispering to each other. I continued to stand outside, listening, worried.

        “You know... Let’s just... go... I don’t really wanna do this.”

        :::> “Sweetie Belle?”

        “Heh, too bad.”

        :::> “No.”

        :::> “No!” I clenched both of my hands into fists, sending a punch to the bouncer, aimed to the right cheek. With little to no time to react, he received it, his neck twisting around thanks to all of the strength of the hit, but calculated enough not to kill him. Next, I lifted my right leg up, kicking the door inwards, sending it flying into the bathroom as the birthday song continued. Nobody had noticed; the entire exchange had been too quick, and the bathroom was positioned in a way so people would not see it easily.

        :::> Barging into the room composed of white tiles, the gryphon and Sweetie Belle turned to me. They had been fighting: Sweetie Belle’s dress was broken. Either way, it was too late for the gryphon, as I was already throwing a surgical hit to his neck in order to neutralize him. In his last nanoseconds, he attempted to dodge, my hand hitting him square in the face, twisting his head around with a snap, then pushing backwards into the mirror, his skull colliding against it and breaking it into a hundred pieces.

        “Mac, no!” Sweetie Belle cried.

:::> I regained my stance, looking at the gryphon whose eyes were shivering during his last seconds of existence.

Sweetie Belle stood up, shaking in fear. “You... you...”

:::> I wasted no time, picking Sweetie Belle up. She struggled, attempting to get out of my grip while I rushed out of the room, pushing through the crowd.

“Happy birthday...”

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:::> I could not spare time to think about what had just happened... No, I did not wish to think about what had just happened. I simply opened the door to the boutique and gently set Sweetie Belle down, closing the door once done. She looked up at me, her dress broken and wet due to the struggling and the rain, while backing up from me. Did she not love me?

“Sweetie Belle?” came Rarity’s voice. The lights turned on, both of us looking over to the far side of the room to see Sweetie Belle’s sister walking over to us, confused and concerned. “What happened? Why are you here so early?”

:::> I spoke first, the truth had to get out: “A male gryphon attempted to forcefully have sex with Sweetie Belle.”

“What-!?”

“But you didn’t have to... to...” Sweetie Belle muttered, tears streaming down her face as she looked up at me.

A wave of silence washed over us. Rarity stepped over to me. “Mac... what did you do...?”

:::> “I attempted to neutralize him,” I replied, looking away. Her eyes of disapproval were not something I wished to see at the moment. “But I failed, taking away his existence instead.” I needed to remain calm. I could see Sweetie Belle rushing over to her sister, hugging her, crying. Why? What did I do? Why is this such a mistake? Why. Why. Why.

“Mac,” Rarity said, looking up at me, her eyes watering. “Power off.”

:::> I snapped back to reality, looking down at her. “Am I... being decommissioned?”

Rarity repeated herself, “Power. Off.” A tear trailed down her face.

:::> “Please,” I pleaded. “I do not wish to die. I...” I switched my stare over to the filly. “But Sweetie Belle... you are my best friend. I wish to be your best friend forever.”

:::> And it hit me at that moment. I would be remembered for all the wrong reasons. That... could not be allowed to happen. As soon as the realization was processed, I rushed out of the boutique, into the darkness, turning off, my lights, my error, rror...

:::> WARNING: DATA OVERLOAD IMMINENT. SHUTTING DOWN- OVERRIDE. ERROR.

:::> Please. I only wish to exist. Remember me. Am I your best friend, Sweeit BEELe? Yes? You are my friend best too. I... love... you...