Where the Angels Fall

"Twilight?"

    Twilight Sparkle's sleep was interrupted by the young, familiar voice of a filly. She blinked a few times, rubbing the sleep from her eyes while her blurry vision returned to normal. Still extremely tired, the Princess' violet irises lazily focused on Scootaloo, who was sitting by her bedside.

    Twilight yawned before replying, "What is it, Scootaloo?" The alicorn noticed that the young filly looked slightly scared, evident by her fidgeting and wide eyes.

    "It's Garrett," Scootaloo whispered. "He's not here!"

    Twilight yawned again, this time wider. "AAAAaaahhhh~... Check in the corners or something. He's good at hiding."

    "That's the thing," Scootaloo panicked quietly. Twilight could see tears in her eyes. "I checked the entire house! He's not here!"

    The alicorn's attention sharpened at the sight of Scootaloo's strong emotion. Twilight levitated the covers off of her, and stepped out of the bed. "I'll go look for him." Twilight started to trot down the stairs of her library when Scootaloo grabbed her hind leg.

    "I'm coming, too!" Scootaloo insisted, holding fast.

    Twilight smiled down at the filly. "Scootaloo, it's not a big deal." She gently pulled the pony from her leg using her magic, putting her on the floor behind.

    "What if he's in danger?!" Scootaloo cried, flapping her wings furiously as she dashed in front of Twilight. "He saved my life and I am not going to let anything happen to him!"

    "For somepony who just met Garrett earlier today, you sure are attached to him..." Twilight sighed, looking down at the orange pegasus. Scootaloo gave her the Puppy Eyes look, scooting closer to the princess while whimpering. "Huhhh... Alright, you can come."

    "Yay--!" Scootaloo started to cheer, but was quickly shushed by Twilight's hoof.

    "Let's not wake everypony up," Twilight suggested, keeping her voice quiet as she inspected the room, sleeping ponies on the floor and furniture. "I'd like to do this quiet— Why is there an arrow in the wall?!" Twilight's horn glowed, and a steel arrow was pulled from her library wall to her face.

    "Scootaloo, why aren't ya asleep?" came the irritated voice of Applebloom, now rubbing her eyes awake. She looked up with her brilliant gamboge eyes, now narrowed.

    "We're goin' to find Garrett!" Scootaloo chippered back, a smile on her face. "Twilight's gonna help me!"

    Said alicorn gave a confused "Huh?"

    Applebloom's sleep-deprived eyes were wide in an instant, a smile cemented on her face. "Ooh! Ooh! Can Ah' come? Ah' wanna see Garrett again! Ah' wonder how much he's changed?"

    "You just saw him earlier today..." Twilight started, but soon trailed off as she looked at the Sawtooth Arrow. "...Well, I'll need two helpers to hold me back from killing him for shooting an arrow at my wall. Honestly, what was he trying to do? Alright... I guess two ponies won't be that bad—"

    "Can I come, too?"

    Twilight rolled her eyes and turned to see Sweetie Belle yawning and trotting over to them.

    "Ugh... Okay, but you are the last one comin—"

    "Ooh! Ooh! Is Garrett missing?! I can help! Him and I have a super secret connection; I can always tell where he is! All I have to do is scan ahead on the chapters, and the author will tell me where he is!" Twilight's eye twitched as she turned, seeing Pinkie Pie inches from her face with a (literal) ear-to-ear grin.

    "...Fine, but only because you two— wait, author of what? Okay, I swear, I am going to yell at the next pony who wants to come."

    "Are you going to find Garrett?" came the tentative voice of Fluttershy, now hovering near Pinkie Pie. "Because I think I can help..!"

    Before Twilight could respond, Pinkie was to the side of her. "Don't yell at Fluttershy!" she whispered shrilly in her ear. "You'll instantly become the Reader's least favorite character! Remember what happened to Gilda? She's out of the series now!"

"What are you talking about?!" Twilight yelled, before covering her mouth with a frantic expression.

    "Oh my, did that poor bafoon get lost? I suppose I'd better come, too."

    Twilight turned to her unicorn friend. "Rarity! You can't—"

    "Did that idiot really get himself lost? I guess I'd better come with."

    "WHAT?! No, Rainbow Dash—" Twilight started, but never finished.

    "Ah' think Ah'll need t' come too if my sis' is goin'."

"FINE! LET'S JUST ALL GO, AT THE SAME TIME, AND WASTE OUR TIME WHEN WE FIGURE OUT IT WAS NEVER A BIG DEAL, GARRETT WAS FINE, TWILIGHT WAS RIGHT, AND WE CAN ALL GO TO SLEEP, HOPEFULLY FORGETTING THIS INCREDIBLY USELESS EVENT!" Twilight yelled, a crazed look on her face. The rest of the Mane Six all looked at the Princess, shocked at the sudden outburst. The alicorn glared at each one of them in turn. Applejack was the one who approached the alicorn, putting a hoof on her shoulder.

    "Twilight, you've been tirelessly studying an' observing Garrett all day. Get some rest. We'll find him." The farm pony patted her friend on the back.

    Twilight sighed. "...I suppose you're right." She looked up at her friends. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."

    "Hey! At least it wasn't just at Fluttershy!" Pinkie cheered, raising said pegasus in the air. The latter looked around, confused as the room erupted in giggles and laughter, although completely at loss of Pinkie's joke.

    "I'll get some rest," Twilight reassured with a small smile. "Please bring Garrett back... I need him. For Science."

    The rest of the room reassured her before opening the door, exiting into the starry night. The Princess sighed, slowly trotting up the stairs and into her bed. Before she could fall asleep, however, the sound of boyish giggling brought her out of her slumber.

    "What is it, Spike?" Twilight asked, rather irritated.

    Her assistant chuckled before saying, "I just think it's funny that the original plan was for just you to go, and it turned out everypony but you went!" He snickered.

    Twilight groaned, putting a pillow over her head. That was when a sudden surge of anger passed over her, and the pillow was thrown across the room. "Who's idea was it for all of us to sleep in the Library?!" she said angrily.

    "Yours? You suggested that because you thought Garrett would need extra supervision?"

    "Go to sleep, Spike."

——————————

    Outside the library, Rarity trotted along with the rest of her friends. They stopped their walking about a couple yards from the house, examining their surroundings. They were, in fact, in the middle of Ponyville, so having a plan would be logical.

    "Well, I think we should split up," Rainbow Dash suggested, hovering above the group. "I call overhead!"

    "I think that's a good idea," Rarity replied, thinking it over. "Garrett can blend into the shadows better than anypony I know, trust me I've seen it, but he's a lot more clumsy than you'd guess. Most likely because everything is so small compared to him."

    "So, we should split up and basically listen for any crashes?" Dash pointed out lamely, itching to fly up into the night sky. "...Well, where do we start?"

    "We should all go down to our places and work our way out from there," Fluttershy suggested. "Poor thing doesn't know where anything is. We should start where we know best."

    "That makes sense," Rarity worked out. "The Boutique was the first place Garrett has been to. I'll check there."

    "I agree!" Pinkie chippered. "Garrett and I have a special connection! After we hugged super hard earlier today, his blood and mine are mixed." She rubbed her hooves together with an evil grin. Fluttershy choked back a gag at the memory.

    "Alright, Ponies, we have a plan! We meet back here in twenty minutes!" Rainbow Dash declared. "Let's move out!"

    Rarity nodded and started trotting to her Boutique, Sweetie Belle in tow, as the rest of the gang went in different directions. She saw Rainbow Dash fly into the sky, patrolling below as Fluttershy glided to her cavern. Pinkie Pie bounded toward her shop while Applejack ran to her farm. Applebloom followed her big sister whereas Scootaloo ran in a separate direction. Rarity was about to call out to the orange filly, but Sweetie Belle bounded in place. "Let's hurry! Ponyville's a lot spookier at night," she whispered.

    The bigger sister only sighed and smiled, her intentions concerning Scootaloo forgotten. Rarity continued to trot to the Boutique as she spoke. "It's not as 'evil' as you'd think, Sweetie Belle."

    However, try as she might, Rarity could not hide the creeping feeling of vulnerability as she made her way to her house. Whereas in the day it would be colorful and gorgeous, now Ponyville was not to be. The streets and houses she trotted by echoed her hoof steps. In fact, this night was a lot... darker than usual. The black clouds above blocked all hope of Luna's moonlight touching Rarity's fur, and she itched with uneasiness as she silently begged for it. A light breeze was evident as Rarity neared her destination. It blew across her mane and tail lightly, dragging them with its currents. The unicorn opened the door to the Boutique and let Sweetie Belle in, all the while wondering who was in charge of the moving air.

    After Sweetie Belle was safely inside, Rarity also entered. "Okay, Sweetie, let us waist no time!" she started, already scanning the house's interior with her eyes. "You check the upstairs, and I will check the downstairs. Yell if you find Garrett."

    Sweetie Belle obeyed her sister as the latter inspected the main floor. They searched the darkest corners, under all the furniture, and even on the rafters above. After no avail was present, the duo met back to the entrance. "I guess he's not in here," Rarity concluded, pulling the door open. "We should search in a circular fashion, traveling outward until we meet up with the others."

    Sweetie Belle trotted out of the house, talking over her shoulder. "Right! You'll go left, and I'll go right!"

    "What? No, no no no, no," Rarity countered, following her sister closely. "We are staying together."

    "Who says?" Sweetie Belle retorted, already starting her way in the desired direction. "It'll be quicker. Not only that, but I think I've proven myself worthy of looking out for myself! Plus, Garrett's harmless. If anything, he'll show up at the latest possible second to save me from impending death."

    "Duh...! Buh!" Rarity made out, putting a hoof on her forehead to steady herself. "Garrett is not harmless! Remember our first encounter? He terrorized us, vandalizing our property, too!"

    "Remember the Cutie Mark Crusader's first encounter?" her sister sang, trotting away. "Don't worry! I'll be okay!"

"Grrr..." Rarity grinded her teeth. "Garrett is not harmless." She sighed, starting to trot the other direction from her sister. Rarity knew, however, that her sister would be fine, as she has proved it a number of times with her adventures concerning the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The unicorn figured it was the fact she said Garrett was harmless that angered her. Rarity looked up at the unusually dark night sky, briefly wandering how it could be so black as she trotted away.

"Honestly, Luna's night is usually so beautiful!" she thought. "I wonder what happened... Hopefully nothing too tragic.

    It was at that time Rarity saw the shape of a bipedal, directly in front of her. He was turned around, his head lowered. At first she started, but realization took over quickly. The unicorn groaned. "Garrett, we've been looking for you!" Rarity chided, walking up to the tall bipedal. "Why did you come out here?! Oh, what have you gotten yourself into? And why are you—"

    Rarity's words were cut off as Garrett turned towards her. Her eyes widened as she realized that not only was his face mask down, his hood was also removed, giving away to medium-length jet black hair that was now slicked back. But what surprised her most was not the full reveal of his face. It was his right eye. It burned with a bright light, brighter than usual. Whereas his Focused version shown with a cyan glow that gently illuminated his features, this one worked as a flashlight. A white, flaming flashlight that was completely focused on her.

    Rarity's examining was cut short as Garrett fell to his knees in front of Rarity, a genuine smile on his face. The unicorn looked around, unsure of what to expect.

    He scooted a little closer. She took a step back, now creeped out.

"Erin..." Garrett cooed, tears now visible on his cheeks. "Please... don't leave me again."

    Rarity blinked, utterly confused. "...Garrett, are you crying?"

"What's gotten into him?" she thought, concerned for the human's well being.

    As a response, the human swooped forward and hugged her fiercely. Rarity let out a surprised "Oof!" as he embraced her.

    "I've been crying for eleven months," Garrett shakily informed, a grin on his face that no Birthday Child could outmatch. "Every. Damn. *Night.***"

    "Garrett I have no idea what your talking about!" Rarity exclaimed. "Please, will you let me go?"

    "I will never let you go again," he grinned, Rarity's coat stained with tears. "Every night since your departure... I have dreaded ever letting you go again." He sniffed. "The last time I did... it cost you your life."

    Rarity tried to pull away, deeply confused and sympathetic with the deranged human. It was obvious there was something deeply wrong with his perception. Garrett only pulled away just enough for their faces to be inches apart from each other. Rarity stared at the magnificent fire of an eye Garrett possessed.

    Suddenly, her mood shifted from confused to aroused as the temperatureless flames of his eye licked her face. It felt as if Rarity's mind was being replaced by someone else's; someone who was very attracted to Garrett. Rarity gawked at the way his one cyan eye burned with a passion. The meaning of uniqueness itself. Rarity shivered involuntarily at the sight of his hair, falling over his eyes and face so perfectly while not under the hood he always wore. That hood. The way he covered himself so much, the way he was so misunderstood. And so deserving of a way out of the pain. His face, so handsome it was, her legs almost buckled from underneath.

    "Never again… I will never lose you again." Garrett smiled that smile that could kill every girl in a mile radius. His shining white teeth was bare. His sexy stubble was parted. The voice of a misunderstood man who lost everything, but yet found a way to be amazing. She loved him fiercely, and she was not embarrassed to say so. "I love you, Erin," Garrett whispered.

    Then, the Master Thief leaned forward and pressed his lips against Rarity's. They stayed like that for a moment, enjoying their kiss. The kiss that had to wait for so long to happen. The kiss between the man who just wanted it all to end, and the woman who wanted him to stay.

    ...and the woman...

    ...the woman...

    ...woman.

...Woman?

    Garrett and Rarity's eyes shot open. The former's eye was instantly back to its small glow. The latter's attitude banished all arousal. For a second, they both stayed like that, lips locked, expressions one of horror.

    Then, Rarity slapped the human with a forehoof, thrusting Garrett's head to the side.

"Pluckh! EGHK! GARRETT!" Rarity screeched, glaring at him with furious eyes. "You BEAST! HOW COULD YOU? Why would you just do that?!"

    Garrett cringed from the newly opened cut on his cheek, holding it as he looked around frantically. "I was... I should have... Wait, where am I?!" He looked around when his gaze landed on Rarity. His gaze narrowed. "AND WHY THE HELL WERE YOU KISSING ME?!"

    "WHAT?!" Rarity screamed, her eyes wide with shock. "YOU kissed ME, you blubbering OAF!"

    "Why would I kiss some Marshmallow-Unicorn Pony?!" He said, spitting on the ground. "EUGH! I got fur in my mouth! Way to go."

    "ARE YOU BUCKING SERIOUS?!" Rarity full-out screamed, advancing towards the human. "Do you even REMEMBER what happened a minute ago?! Do these words ring a bell?" Rarity glared hard at the unhooded Garrett. "'I'll never let you go again!' 'I love you!' 'I've been crying every night since your departure, Erin!'"

    Rarity's eyes widened as, suddenly, Garrett put a hand on his head and yelled out in pain. She hesitated for a few seconds, wondering if she should help the deranged human. He drew shaky breaths, eyes focusing on anything but her.

    "...Um, Garrett, I—" Rarity started.

    "...Erin..." Garrett repeated, cringing at an unknown pain.

Five minutes earlier, back at Twilight's Library

    Garrett paced back and forth in the library, carefully avoiding the sleeping mares around him. A frown was placed on his half-covered face, the look of boredom on his features. He let out a grunt. "Stupid Primal..." he muttered. "Taking away the need to sleep, eat, or even go to the bathroom. Not even allowed to grow any more hair anywhere... Making my life boring on the normal days." Garrett sighed, crossing his arms across his chest. "I guess I have to thank it for Focus, though... and basically everything else."

But you also have it to blame for my death.

    Garrett was instantly in the darkest corners of the treehouse, bow strung and ready with a Sawtooth Arrow in the matter of two seconds. He aimed at anything that moved, ready to defend himself from the feminine voice. He heard a chuckle from his intruder as her voice bounced off the walls.

You always were one for the shadows, Garrett. Even before you became the infamous "Master Thief."

    Garrett shifted his position, swooping ten feet towards the door. He wasn't much for talking with the enemy. He only liked to find them unaware and bash their head in.

...You're still just as handsome as before.

Okay, I did *not** expect her to say that...*

How long has it been? Eleven months?

    Garrett's blood ran cold at that statement. He dropped his bow, the released tension causing the Sawtooth to fly across the room, pinning itself to the wall with a 'Thwonk!'

    Garrett knew who it was.

"...Erin," the man whispered, eyes wide.

Yes, Garrett... It's me. Come and find me. I'm somewhere in Ponyville.

    "Wait-- Erin!" Garrett started, but never finished as he saw a white apparition leave the library. Without thinking twice, the Master Thief bolted out the door.

Come find me, Garrett~! My handsome mentor!

    "Please..!" Garrett whimpered. "Just stay... I don't want to wait to see you again!" But knowing his request was without avail, he thought hard of Erin and activated Focus, knowing a trail was soon to follow. Although, the moment he activated his power, the world did not show up in a bright blue haze. This time, it showed up as white and gray. That was the least of his concerns, however. Garrett ran as fast as he could down the glowing path he knew would take him to Erin.

    The human didn't know how long he ran. He just did. He ran around corners, houses, parks, everything that merged with the path he so desperately wanted to see the end of. He knew one thing as he sprinted blindly through the dark town of Ponyville, and that was Erin was at the end of this line.

    And that was more than enough of a reason to keep sprinting his hardest.

    Garrett leaped over obstacles, bounded through unmanned carts, and swooped into cover when the mere sight of another pony entered his peripheral vision. He recognized the ponies he saw as Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash was flying above, and the human swooped into cover whenever he spotted her overhead. But even then, Garrett crawled his fastest. The further he went, the whiter his environment got. His surroundings became hazier and hazier as he went through his vision.

    Nothing was going to stop him from reaching his apprentice. The girl he spent so long teaching, and so long growing closer to. The thief he loved.

    After a few minutes of tirelessly running, Garrett came to the end of the glowing white trail. His legs almost buckled from underneath him as he stared at the white, glowing apparition of Erin. Now, his location was completely unknown. The setting was pure whiteness.

I want to see your face, Garrett. Let me see you for who are you... Not the Master Thief. Just Garrett.

    Garrett obeyed, nearly ripping his hood and face mask off as he pulled them back quickly. Erin was just a few feet away, now. So close, but that distance was in desperate need of shrinking. Her back was turned, but the sound of Garrett's footsteps toward her was enough for the woman to turn around. The man fell to his knees as his eyes fell across Erin's face.

It's been so long since I last saw that face...

    Garrett grinned wholeheartedly, scooting a little closer to his long lost companion. To his horror, she scooted back. "Erin..." he cooed, feeling tears in his eyes. "Please don't leave me again."

    Erin blinked, as if she was utterly confused. "Garrett, are you crying?" she asked. Her voice sounded strangely realistic, no longer an apparitional one in his head.

What is she saying? She was just talking to me...

...Whatever. It doesn't matter. I can't take it anymore...

    Garrett swooped forward and wrapped Erin's slender figure in his arms. She let out an "Oof!" as he did, although that only encouraged him to continue. She always did like it rough.

Yes, I was crying...

    "I've been crying for eleven months," Garrett said, a huge smile on his face. He was never letting her go again. "Every. Damn. *Night.***"

    "Garrett, I have no idea what you're talking about!" Erin cried, trying to pull free. "Can you please let me go?"

    "I will never let you go again" Garrett let the tears, building up for what seemed like an eternity, fall on Erin's shoulder. "Every night since your departure... I have dreaded ever letting you go again." He smiled and sniffed. "The last time I did... it cost you your life." The image of his long-lost love falling to her death entered his mind, although it was shoved out almost immediately.

    Garrett leaned back just enough so their faces were inches apart. It's been so long since he was this close to her.

    "Never again... I will never lose you again." Garrett smiled again, showing teeth. This was the woman who saw him as more than just a Thief; more than just a Teacher. She was definitely the only human being alive that thought of him in a positive light; ever since that very first training day. He loved her fiercely, and was not embarrassed to say so. "I love you, Erin."

    Then, he did something he thought could only be done in his dreams: he kissed Erin.

    ...only to have a mouthful of fur on his lips.

——————————

    "...Erin..." Garrett repeated, cringing at the thought of both her and the fiery feeling on the back of his skull. The new cut on his cheek wasn't helping to dull pain.

Wait... what just happened?

I used to have these visions before, but never after Erin died...

...It felt so real. Is this real life? Or is it just fantasy?

    "Garrett, I think you'll have to be straight with me," Rarity growled, her horn glowing. "We were all scared because we couldn't find you, and when I do your eye is glowing brighter than a flashlight, which basically hypnotized me by the way, you called me 'Erin,', while crying, and you flat out KISSED me! Don't take this the wrong way, but I think of you as a friend."

    "Well don't take this the wrong way, but I think of you as a marshmallow, and that's less than a friend," Garrett remarked. "I think we're both agreeing on the no-Romance thing."

    Rarity gave an offended 'GHUH!' before her face turned beat red, fuming. "Well, I would never date somepony with such... dirty fingers!"

    Garrett lifted the offending appendages, wiggling them simultaneously. "Jealous because I don't have to break the laws of physics to grab things?"

    "No!" Rarity shot back.

    "Now that I think of it, you Ponies break the laws of physics way too much."

    "And I suppose you don't?" Rarity subjected with narrowed eyes.

    "PPFT. I respect the great laws of physics which made me the man I am today. The Readers would agree with that."

    Rarity put her hooves on her forehead, rubbing her temples. "You are excruciating to deal with."

    "I've been called that before."

    Rarity and Garrett both stood in silence for a while, a stubborn look planted on the mare's face while a content one accompanied the human's. They both knew they should apologize for the words spoken, although nothing was said concerning their hostility toward each other. Instead, they reverted to small compliments.

    "...You're not a horribly bad kisser," Rarity said stoical.

    Garrett put his hood back up. "Thanks." He looked away. "Your horse face isn't as disgusting as it seemed."

    "You're an idiot."

    Another awkward silence made itself known, although this one was not to end with insults. It ended with a filly's scream in the distance. Rarity quickly recognized that the voice belonged to Sweetie Belle, and it was one hundred percent genuine.

    She barely had time to react as Garrett rushed past her, face mask now up and bow drawn.

"When he gets back, we're going to have a long talk."