Jack stared out the window of his reserved car on 8:10 to Ponyville. The great thing, he decided, about the train he chose is that it moved slowly so it allowed him to time to reflect on his life and the life he lost. Ever since he died, and was reborn as Jack the Mutocorn, he never reflected on what happened after he died. What was his family doing without him? Were they surviving? Did they grieve? For the first time in a while, Jack felt lost. He was so caught up with is new life and abilities, he never considered what he was forced to leave behind. Subconsciously, Jack willed it to rain. The pain he suddenly felt in his heart was too great to contain and he cried silently. He cried until he fell asleep until he dreamed.

/--0--/

Jack blinked as he felt himself falling. It was weird. He could feel himself dreaming, but the feeling of falling felt too real. He spread his wings to slow his decent before he touched down onto the ground. Looking around to get his bearings straight, he froze in shock at what where he was. He was at the old playground he and his friends used to play at. The old swingset that was bent and broken partially, the old rusted slide, the jungle gym…it was all here.

‘W-what the…? What’s going on? Am I…am I home? Was I dreaming everything before?’ He rushed over to the old bathroom facility and headed in. He peered at himself in the mirror. Instead of the athro-pony-insect amalgamation he had grown used to, he was his old self. Messy brown hair that poofed up into a mini-afro, dark skin that was natural for the African American teen he was. He was even wearing the clothes he wore upon death, the old black winter jacket his aunt bought him, the old red tee depicting “Mario” jumping to his a question block, even his black baggy jeans that he had a hard time keeping around his waist. He was back to normal…except he was transparent.

‘I’m…I’m a ghost in this world? Well…I guess I did die…’ Suddenly the thought hit him. ‘My family! I need to see them again!’ Jack ran out of the bathroom and out of the part, as fast as his feet could take him. He ran past the corner store where he shopped frequently after class when he needed a quick snack. He ran past the McDonalds he worked part time at. He ran into the apartment complex where his family stayed. Running up the stairs, he found himself staring at the door. ‘Apartment Three-Oh-Five…’ He touched the door and wasn’t surprised he simply went through it. When he entered, he found his Mom and Dad staring at his little sister, the poor girl fell asleep in the chair.

“I think…this might be the Christmas that breaks her heart,” He heard his dad rumble in his deep voice.

“Without Eric around, it hasn’t been the same.” His mother said tearing up.

“You know what she wrote Santa?” His dad asked solemnly. His mom shook her head. “She wanted to see her big brother for one last time.”

“Oh…” He watched as his dad held his mom closely.

‘I…Its Christmas Eve and…the squirt…no…Eva…’ He thought tears falling from his face. ‘I…I don’t want her to stop believing. She loved Christmas! I’m not going to let her down!’

Jack concentrated. He pulled from deep within his being. He felt his magical core, the one he gained back in Equestria. Pulling deep onto the magic within, he kept chanting. ‘Corporate. Corporate. Corporate. Corporate!’

“What the hell?!” Jack ignored his dad’s surprised look. He just kept willing his magic to make him visible. When he felt exhausted he fell over onto the floor on his hands and knees panting. The noise woke up his sister and his parents looked at him in shock. “E-Eric? Son? I-is that you?”

“W-well…what do you know…I…I did it…” Jack, no, Eric said panting. “Hi mom, hi dad, sorry for waking you squirt.”

“H-how? This goes beyond anything I’ve ever heard of! You’re dead, Eric!” His mom screamed.

“I did die…I died pretty good.” Eric admitted as he got up. “I…just didn’t go to heaven or hell. I ended up being reborn in another world. I fell asleep on a train and well…found myself at the old playground.”

“So my baby boy is still gone?” His mom asked still crying. He walked over to her and hugged her, which he was surprised he could.

“I might be gone, Mom, but…” He looked at his dad. “I guess my time wasn’t it. The universe put me somewhere I can do some good, just like Grandpa did in the war, and what dad does now with his police work.”

“I’m glad to hear it son.” Eric’s dad said with a smile.

Eric turned towards his flabbergasted sister. “Looks like your wish came true.” Eva ran and hugged her big brother, crying.

“I missed you, bro! Why did you have to go!”

“I was at the wrong place at the wrong time is all kiddo.” Eric said holding her tight. “You’ve been good for Mom and Dad?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Good.” He stood up and gasped as he felt weak.

“E-Eric, you’re turning invisible!” Eva yelled.

“L-looks like my time here is done.” He looked at his parents and gave them a small smile. “T-theres a box underneath my bed, with a combination lock. 23, 46, 34. My last gift for you all…I love you all…”

“We love you too son.” Eric watched has his mom and dad smiled sadly. “Keep your nose clean.”

“I-I’ll try. You know me…”

“Brother, take this!” Eric blinked as Eva shoved something into his hand as he finally vanished. The apartment was silent for a while.

“Nobody is going to believe us,” Eric’s Dad said after the silence.

“They don’t have to.” Eva said with a crying grin. “Eric came back to see us…my Christmas Wish came true.”

“Shes right…”

/--0--/

“Jack…Your highness wake up.” Jack sat up quickly, startling Tempest. She jumped back as she noted his appearance. “Jack…were…were you crying?”

Jack blinked as he rubbed his face with one of his hands, the combination of sleep crust and tears went away quickly. He stopped when realized he was holding something in his left hand. Slowly opening his hand was a small felt box. He ignored Tempest’s inquisitive words as he slowly opened the box. It was small chain with a Gemini emblem hanging from it. He remembered he wanted to get it from the Jewelry store from the local mall but it was too expensive. He smiled has he took it out and put it on.

“-Are you even listening to me, Jack?!” Tempest yelled, her horn glowing teal in anger.

“Tempest.” Jack said calmly, throwing her off her anger.

“Y-yes?”

“Do you believe in miracles?” Jack asked.

“That’s a hard question to answer.” Tempest began. “Sometimes good things happen for a reason. Not a lot of citizens believe in a higher power and some believe that Celestia is the one responsible for those good deeds. Nobody knows what to believe.”

“What do you believe?”

She was quiet for a moment before answering. “The universe works in mysterious ways. When something good happens, why question it?”

Jack considered her answer for a moment and then smiled. He stood up and pulled the unicorn into a chaste kiss. “That why I love you. You always give me a straight answer. Now if you excuse me, I must find the bathroom.” Jack left the horribly blushing Tempest standing in the room contemplating what just happened.

Meanwhile back in Jack’s old world, Jack’s dad found the case and opened it. He was surprised to find several hundred dollars in cold cash in it. Apparently Jack was saving up to buy a new car and had accumulated over fifteen hundred dollars. That was Jack’s Christmas present for his family, his last present ever.

We tend to forget the small blessings in life. Sometimes life deals us a bad hand and we can’t recover. But it’s the small things in life and the miracle of friends and family that really shape our life. Without this miracle, this blessing, this love, life would be a darker place. This is what I believe Christmas is about.

Durate et vosmet rebus servate secundis. Per asper ad astra. Et dum vita est spes est.

Carry on and preserve yourselves for better times. Through difficulties to the stars. And while there’s life, there’s hope.
That’s what I believe in.

Author's Note

While this is an interlude, this is canon to the story. I wanted to write a small Christmas Story and it turned into a small origins story.

After this chapter, I'm going to spend more time working on the chapters than churning them out on spur of the moment.