Mister, where are we going?
We're All Equal in the Eyes of the Reaper
~SCP Pinkamena
Is death the end? "No," I say.
Does death hurt? "No" I say.
Does death make you sad? Silence. I could not speak, would not speak. I was silent, thinking of an answer to her question. Finally, I bent down and leveled my eye sockets with her baby blue eyes, and answered honestly.
"Yes," I said, "There is nothing that makes me more sad than this..."
It had been a normal day at work. Flitter here, flutter there, reap the soul of pony or two here and there. I suppose I hadn't introduced myself yet have I?
My name is Rigor Mortis.
But everyone knows me as Death.
A lot of ponies, some griffons, even a few dragons know me. While I can say that they have met me personally, that actually don't know me do they? Oh, dear me I'm rambling again, forgive me. Anyways where was I? Oh yes, my name. With a name like 'Death' you can't imagine what I went through as a child right?
Hahahaha... You know, I don't like being the Reaper. It's so... stressful, so down right cruel. Now, I don't hate my job mind you, but I don't necessarily like it either. My job is sorta kinda a... love-hate thing I guess? Bah, rambling again...
Anyway, while fluttering around in the cool air of a small town-village called 'Ponyville', I caught whiff of something. Not something good, like a cupcake that Pinkie Pie sells, but rather something bad, like one of Twilight Sparkle's failed experiments. As I followed the horrible stench I came across something I would never forget. A foal, no more than a month old, dead in a dumpster. That... That is one of the most painful memories I have up-to-date. Being quick and merciful, I reaped the poor babes' soul and sent her way into the fields Elysium.
Despite the fact I had no stomach, I felt sick right there, where the ponies would call their 'Gut'. Putting a hoof on my forehead, I tried to clear my mind and look more towards the task ahead of me. I trotted down the golden brown dirt road late in the night, looking around for the right house. Finally stopping at the last left turn, I matched the address with that on my list.
Ponyville, Equestira.
1452, Hayseed Lane.
Now, I can't be seen by mortal eyes. That is why I am mostly undetected and mostly unpredictable. So, phasing through the pine door, I heard the commotion of a daughter and her mother in the midst of an argument.
"But Mama, I'm cold! I need that blanket!" The little light red pony said.
"Don't you 'but Mama' me!" the yellow mare screeched, "I'm your mother and you do what I tell you to do!" She finished her point by slapping the poor filly to the ground. She muttered curse after curse when she walked away watching as her daughter ran, tripped, and fell down the stairs. Those kinda ponies just me want to take them and...Raah! But, I only intervene when I need to, so I followed the filly up into her room, if one could call it that.
Her room was as dull as any room could get. No wallpaper, no toys, not even a proper bed. Just enough newspaper made into a cushion of sorts and the words 'Filthy Tramp' written all over the wall in what I hoped to be brown paint. This was NO way a filly should live. Realizing I would be doing her a favor, I waited for the filly to fall asleep.
3:00 A.M. The Witching Hour. That is when I decided I would do it. Seeing as I would free her from a torment no one should endure. So readying my scythe, I didn't slash at her still body like many think I do, but instead simply poked and prodded at her until a little bit of her soul was spilling out. Seeing as I made progress, I ladled the rest of my scythe into her body, spooning out her soul which landed on the ground with a thump.
"But Mama... I don't want to get up yet..." She mumbled, still sleepy from her nap... Little did she know that her nap was forever now. Not bothering to say anything, I stood on my hind legs and twirled the scythe out in front of me. The filly woke from the noise, and turned to see me, waiting by the portal. I waved a hoof to the portal, but she only mewled away.
"Fear not, my child..." my voice echoing from all directions, but carried a sweet, caring tone. "No harm shall come to you... Consider this a Shepherds Promise." My voice soothed her into coming out of hiding but not yet to the portal.
"Who are you, Mister?"
"I, am Death, and I am here to guide you my child..." I said, hoping that this wouldn't freak her out. The last thing I want is a scared filly.
"I'm... Dead?" The filly looked down at her transparent hooves. "Well," she said with a giggle, "I guess Mama should've listened to me!" She said, giggling like mad. "Mama always said I was so cold!" She joked even more about it. As funny as this is, it wasn't uncommon.
The filly looked at me and calmed down. "Sorry, just... wow. That's a lot to take in... So, you gave me your name, only fair I give you mine! I'm Red Velvet, pleased to meet you Mister Death!" She smiled...
Dear...Something, she smiled! She accepted it! Only those far and few can except Death as if he were their best friend! I stepped away from the portal and nodded for her to go in. She began walking forward before she stopped just at the threshold.
"Hey, come down here please?" Red Velvet asked.
I obliged.
And on that day, something happened to me that I would never forget.
She gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek before smiling at me running into the portal.
*sigh* Why can't they be more like her?
