Author's Note

Okay, so this is my first attempt at sad/bitter-sweet. I need the practice for a project I am currently working on.
If you could tell me how it seems, it would be appreciated.

Chapter 06

“Oh no, I’ve been brought before Nightmare Moon! I must repent my sins to enter Celestia’s Paradise!” The glare which you received from the midnight blue alicorn did not change your stance, so you just ignored her, and began to walk freely around the throne room. “That window sucks, and that one… and that one… Any good windows in this castle?”

“Dost thou know why thou is here upon this night?”

“Huh? Yeah, yeah, I’ll be with you when I’m ready.”

“Dost thou not fear us?”

“A mare that hides in the shadow of her sister, mainly ignored by ponies as they sleep through the nights. No wonder you don’t…” Your words were stopped by a crack of thunder inside the throne room, a swirling dark cloud with bolts of lightning shooting from it forming at the top of the dais, moving as the mare did, slowly trotting towards you.

“YOUR WORDS MEAN NOTHING, KNAVE! WE RULE WITH OUR SISTER, NOT AGAINST, AND SUPPORT OUR PONIES AS THEY SLUMBER! THOU SPEAK OF THINGS THOU DOST NOT UNDERSTAND!”

“Luna, please let his muzzle go.” The two of you broke your mutual glare and turned to the side, where Princess Celestia was watching on with some amusement. A golden glow removed the blue aura from your mouth, allowing you to speak again. “I would be interested in hearing what he has to say.”

“So what if I attacked somepony? He and his cohorts were antagonizing an Equestrian princess, and things would have escalated if I didn’t step in.” Princess Luna’s mouth dropped open in shock, whilst Princess Celestia smiled at you, not that you cared as you casually trotted up the dais and hopped onto one of the twin thrones, then changed to the other one. “I can see why she’s a bit more ratty, her chair is a bit more harsh.”

“WE HAPPEN TO LIKE IT!”

“LUNA, volume! Now then, Mr Dawn?” Turning your head towards the solar diarch, you nonchalantly waved a hoof at her, the alicorn mare giving a small giggle as she bowed her head a little. “Thank you. Now, why are you not having your wounds seen to?”

“Ain’t got time.”

“That is a poor excuse.” You just shrugged, hopping down from the throne and trotting to the entrance. The twin sisters had a whispered conversation about you, but you didn’t slow down, stopping at the doors and frowning. You still had the magic sealing ring around your horn, and couldn’t open the door. Not that it mattered, as it opened in a purple aura… right into your muzzle. “Oh dear, that’s not good.”

“Celestia! I found it! The law that I can use to ensure Polter gets the care he needs, and I can do it!” You just groaned as you shook off your daze, slowly crawling around from behind the door. You glanced up to see three alicorns staring down at you, two with a soft smile and one confused. “Polter? What are you doing here?”

“You should know, you had me arrested!”

“Arrested? I thought they wanted to interview you!” She offered you her hoof to get back up, but you disregarded it, standing under your own power. The three mares watched as you turned your back on them, trotting out of the throne room. “Polter!”

“Interview with a magic sealing ring? Grow up.” You heard Twilight give a shocked gasped, before a purple flash went off in the corridor, the mare appearing in front of you with a stern glare. You couldn’t help but back pedal as she stalked towards you, wings spread and horn glowing. “P-p-princess!”

“By the power granted me as a Princess of Equestria, I am hereby ordering you to comply with The Treatment of Ponies Injured In Duty To The Crown, Article thirty-six, which states that the injured party will only be released from care whence a medical professional has declared them fit.” You stared at the mare, trying to think of something with which to fight back, but nothing came to mind. Your flank hit the bottom steps of the dais, Twilight pressing her muzzle close to yours. “And to that end, you are not seeing a medical professional until I say so!”

You were breathing heavily, trying to think of a way out of it, but your body instead took a different reaction. Your neck moved of its own accord, bringing your lips softly to hers, her eyes shooting wide as she looked into yours. Then they closed as she wrapped her forehooves around your neck and pulled you close. After a moment she pulled away, a light blush on her cheeks as she smiled softly at you. "I prefer this physical contact to what you used to do to me."

The sound of a pony clearing their throat caused you both to look to the side, Twilight’s cheek pressed against your own as you beheld the smirking face of Princess Celestia. There seemed to be a strange spark in her eyes, as if she knew something you or the mare with her hooves around your neck didn’t. “I trust you will comply with the law, Mr Dawn?”

You just nodded dumbly, still unsure what to make of the events that just transpired. You were also disappointed when Twilight removed her hooves from you, stepping away to allow you to stand. You did so shakily, Princess Celestia using her magic to remove your horn ring and then nodding towards the door.

In a daze, not caused by head trauma for once, you trotted out of the throne room, not sure where to go. A pony nudging your side sent you left at an intersection, and it was then you noticed Twilight pressed firmly against your side with a soft smile on her face. You felt your lips curling up into one as well, turning your gaze back to the corridor ahead of you. With a guide subtly directing you, the path took you to the castle infirmary.

With a cloak over your back that slowly let burn cream spread to your wounds, you looked around the large room, giving a low whistle at the amount of books on shelves. The mare still at your side let out a small giggle, then pulled away and walked up some stairs, leaving you alone. Knowing she more than likely had official work to do, you instead chose to peruse the titles around you. Most of them were books on non fiction, dealing with facts and figures, but one shelf caught your eye.

You levitated a book over, chuckling as you read the title, then started pulling books out. Each and every one was a book on myths and legends, some of which you recognised the titles of. Following the direction Twilight had gone, you stopped and blinked in surprise when you saw her, laying on her front on a bed, a book under her muzzle and her tail slowly flicking from side to side.

Your magic suddenly cut out, the books in your brown aura clattering to the floor, the mare turning and glaring at you. She slowly stood from the bed, trotting over to you and raising a hoof to your muzzle. “Quiet in my library, please.” You blinked as she gently bopped your nose, poked her tongue out, then returned to the bed.

Shaking your head with a grin, you picked the books back up and joined her on the bed, trying to see what she was reading, but she didn’t let you. Her tome was closed and disappeared in a purple flash before she looked at your selection, raising an eyebrow at you. “What?”

“You believe in this stuff? I mean, look at this!” She slid a book over to you, and you glanced at the title, then back to the mare frowning at you. “The Banshee Of Baltimare? There hasn’t been a sighting of it for four years!”

“Five, actually. It was a spell put on the ‘haunted house’ by a mage about seven hundred years ago, to protect his research. Turning it off was pretty easy once I worked out how to read his hoof writing.” Twilight’s eyes had grown large in surprise as you spoke, and she quickly looked for another book, pushing it under your muzzle. “Let’s see, The Wraith Of Ravenhoof? That actually was a spirit for once. Do you recall the tragedy of Ravenhoof?”

“Of course. It was a bustling settlement set up in the year two hundred and seventy three Post Somnum Exterreri. Back then the griffons were aggressive in expanding their lands, and… burnt the town to the ground.” You smiled softly at the mare, amazed at her memory. It was like she had just read the book. “By the time the guard had arrived to back up the local militia, it was just a pile of smouldering wood. Princess Celestia then led a campaign to Griffon Lands, laying siege to the capital and demanding every single attacker to be hoofed over or the city would meet Ravenhoof's fate. They refused… Celestia showed no mercy.”

“That’s correct. but the wraith, the soul of a pony, remained there until about two years ago.”

“What happened?” Your gaze became unfocused, this being the only ‘myth’ that you had not recorded, for the tale was a sad one. A hoof snapped you out of your daze as it was gently placed on your shoulder, Twilight laying her head over you neck. “I would like to know, but if you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to.”

You just gave a small sigh, twisting your head around and gently laying it over her withers. “There was a travelling merchant, who helped set up the town and was going to retire there, his wife and three foals having already selected their home. He had one more delivery to do, and would be returning in two days, promising to spend the rest of his life with them.”

“So… why was his soul still there?”

“The attack came during those two days.” Twilight’s hooves moved around your neck and squeezed gently, her cheek lightly nuzzling against yours, and you drew the strength to continue from her. “He has been waiting for seven hundred years to fulfil his promise. He came home on the second day, just like he promised. The guards tried to get him to go with them, but he just lay down in the ruins of his home. It took time, but he eventually passed. He had been wandering the marshes looking for his family ever since.”

“But… is he still there?”

“No. I arrived and waited at the spot where a ghostly glow had been seen. It didn’t take long for him to appear, aimlessly wandering through the ruins. I wasn’t going to follow in the dark, so waited until he came and lay down on the rotten wood, and that’s when I did it.”

“Did what?”

“Said; ‘hello’. He stood up in shock, his gaze fixated on me.”

“But... only alicorns can talk to spirits! And not just any, but ones who have been around for millennia! Even I can’t do it! How can you?”

“I will explain after this. He didn’t say anything, and I had already looked into the history of the area. So there I was, sitting on the planks with this spirit staring at me. Let me see if I can remember the conversation. ‘Don’t be afraid, I’m here to help.’”

“My wife and foals, have you seen them? I am meant to meet them here, but I can’t find them.”

“I… your family. I’m sorry, but they are dead.”

“Dead? How? The village is in full swing, and soon will be part of the trade route. My contacts in Manehatten will be along to set up a trade post.”

“Okay, I’m going to help you’. It was at this time I had to use my talent, summoning my magic. It took a lot out of me, but I managed to connect to the other side, letting a stable portal open. ‘Call your wife, she will help you.’”

“Tulip, are you there? Tulip?”

“Daddy?’ I watched as a small glow came forth from the the portal, roughly the size of a young filly, and she jumped at the astral projection of the stallion, wrapping her forehooves around his neck. Three more spirits followed, their glows brightening as the family was reunited.” You pulled back at the sound of sniffing, wiping the tears from where they started to fall down Twilight’s cheeks, giving her a sad smile. “I then told him his promise was complete, and he could follow with his family.”

That was it, the floodgates broke, Twilight’s tears falling to your fur as you pulled her close, melting into your embrace. Closing your eyes to stop your own tears from falling, you raised a hoof and began to run it through her mane, doing your best to comfort her. At length she calmed down, pulling away and wiping her eyes with a forehoof. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

You leant forward and pressed your forehead against hers, gently resting a hoof over one of hers, looking deep into her eyes. “They were happy tears, and it’s okay to cry happy tears, Princess.” She gave a small giggle at you using her title, lighting her horn and clearing the books from the bed. You went to rise and move to the couch in the corner, but a hoof on your shoulder caused you to look back down.

“Please… stay with me until I am asleep.” You glanced at the couch, then down to the main door which was closed in a golden aura, then back to the mare. Giving a small nod, you laid down as she lifted the blankets, then slipped between your hooves, her back pressed firmly against your chest and head under your chin. Even as an alicorn, she was still smaller than you. “Tell me how you got your cutie mark.”

“Sure. It was when my family moved to Detrot…”

You awoke in your new room, the thunderstorm outside rattling the windows. You pulled the covers over your head when you saw an ethereal glow under the door, and chose to ignore it. You were only eleven, and this kind of thing was reserved for adults, so you were content to let it pass until the morning, even if your mother and father had explicitly told you there was no such things as ghosts. “Polter, are you awake?”

You shot up on your mattress, your ears pricked as you recognised the voice. Pulling down the covers slowly, you noticed it was indeed a pony you knew, all too well, except there was a strange blue glow to him. The unicorn stallion bent down and nuzzled your cheek, making you shiver from the cold touch. “G-g-grandpa? Have you come to visit?”

“No, I’ve come to say goodbye. I will be leaving the world this night, and not be returning. Tell your mother I love her, and I love you too.” Slowly, the ghostly form of your grandfather began to fade away, and you hopped out of bed, trying to wrap your forelegs around his neck, but just fell through him.

Shaking off your daze, you got up and bolted from the room, entering your parent’s bedroom and jumping on the bed, shocking them awake. You could see they were about to tell you off for doing so, so spoke before they could. “Mom, dad! Come quick, grandpa is here!”

“Polter, what are you talking about? He’s in Manehatten, like always.”

“But… but he just came to see me! He said… said something about saying goodbye, and that he loves you, mom.”

“It was just a bad dream, nothing more. Now come on, back to sleep.” You tried to resist, but she pulled you close and held you tight against her chest, and you soon drifted off to sleep.

The morning came around and you were trying to make sense of your dream, when a shocked gasp came from your mother, who was holding an official letter from the offices of Manehatten. Your father moved over and had a read, wrapping his forehooves around your mother as she began to cry. “I told you grandpa came here last night. He said he was leaving.”

Your parents turned to look at you, their eyes going wide as they pointed to your flank. Upon looking you discovered that a cutie mark had appeared. A closer inspection revealed a black board with a strange inscription, surrounded by a swirling grey mist. “Polter… what did ‘grandpa’ tell you?”

“That he was leaving the world last night, or something, and wouldn’t be coming back. Mom, is grandpa moving from Manehatten?” The mare waved you over, and you followed her instructions, confused when she held you close to her chest. It was then you caught sight of the letter, reading the first line of the passage. You weren’t stupid, you knew what death was… but you didn’t think it would come for your grandfather, not a strong pony like him. “Grandpa’s… dead? But… I talked to him last night!”

“You… you talked to his ghost, son. He’s gone, it’s just you, me, and your mother now.” The sad news finally hit home, and you sank your face against your mother’s chest, her hoof running through your mane as your tears began to flow.

Twilight had rolled over to look at you, and once more your hoof wiped away her tears, before you bent down and softly kissed her. Her hooves wrapped around your neck, and you held her close as she drifted off to sleep. Without waking her you managed to break free, heading over to the window and opening it, letting the cool evening air wash around you. “I… wish you were still here, dad. And you, grandpa. I… hope you’d be proud of me.”

There was a slight tingling on your flanks, and your horn glowed a dull brown, yet you were not using magic and it did not concern you. Two blue ethereal glows rose from the floor to either side of you, and the sense of standing with two other stallions fell over you. One just looked at you with happiness, whilst the other turned and looked towards the bed. “Damn, an alicorn? Go on, Polter, give her one from me!”

“Grandpa, no, just… no. It’s kinda creepy to hear you say that.”

“So, you made peace with your past then, son? Good.”

“Yeah, dad. I’ll tell mom you popped by next time I see her.” That was the other part of your talent, which was more like a curse, one you were trying to stop. Strong spirits could use you to come back for a short time… and some of the ones you had met were not the kind that should be allowed free. “So, how’s things in Celestia’s Paradise?”