Bliss in Darkness

Truth and Reconciliation

What. The. Fuck.

After about a half hour of explanation on the girl's part, I learned that all my friends and this whole world I'm living in is from a T.V. show called My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. No wonder the place reeks of a little girls cartoon. But how was this possible? I have been physically living here for quite some time and as far as I know, everything exists. I wonder what the creator of the show would think if she knew about this...

Weird shit.

***

"Rainbow Dash?" She suddenly said as she opened her eyes.

"How do you know me?!" Exclaimed the cyan pegasus mare.

"Pinkie Pie? Rarity? Twilight? Fluttershy? Applejack??" She named each one of my friends in order of which they were standing.

"Uh... could you explain to me where you know my friends from?" I asked the girl, who had now jumped out of my arms and was hugging Fluttershy.

"They are from My Little Pony! It's my favorite T.V. show!" She said with much gusto.

"Ah'm from... mah little what now?" Applejack said eyeing her curiously.

"It's a cartoon from my world!" She said, now hugging Twilight Sparkle. She obviously loved the shit out of the ponies.

"Uh... what exactly is a... cartoon..." Fluttershy piped up from behind Applejack.

"I don't know but that word sounds sooo funny! Ohmigosh I think I should throw a our-whole-world-is-the-figment-of-somebody-else's-imagination PARTY!!" Pinkie Pie managed in only one breath. That mare sometimes... I wonder if she was a professional freediver.

"Chill, Pinkie," I stepped in to enlighten them, "a cartoon is a certain form of animation from my world..."

I then took several minutes to explain the intricate workings of the television, modern programs, and animation to the ponies. Rarity looked in interest of the situation, but not my actual explanation. Fluttershy hid behind the flanks of Applejack. Applejack looked at me as if I was trying to explain the theory of relativity. Twilight was the only one who seemed to grasp what I was talking about at all. Pinkie was out jumping in the moonlight, probably planning a world ending party. After my speech was up, Twilight finally spoke up.

"That actually... Makes sense in a way. I remember studying something like this a little while ago, but I never thought it would be relevant, so I moved on. There is a unicorn that lives in Canterlot whose name eludes me at the moment, but he wrote a book on alternate universes and the 'imagionation theory'. Basically, if enough people believe something exists, it appears exactly as they imagine it." Twilight said to my amazement.

That explained everything. No wonder this world was so happy and nice and perfect. It was somewhere for the people of earth to escape to. It entertained the masses and they truly believed it making it real.

"Mah brain hurts ya'll. I think ahm gonna go home." Said Applejack with a yawn. I then turned to the girl.

"So... what have you been doing all this time?" I asked her harmlessly.

"Well after you killed..."

"THAT'S quite enough explanation, sorry girls but I am exhausted, we should meet tomorrow back at the library, how does noon sound? Great. Let's go!" I cut her off before she could say anything else, somehow managing to say all that in a Pinkie-Pie-esque breath.

Everypony let out a sigh of unidentifiable emotion and each went their separate ways. I turned to the girl again, who was standing next to Twilight.

"I never got your name. What is it?" I asked her.

"It's Eliza, but I haven't forgotten what you've done."

"Eliza, you're coming with me."

***

The walk back to the library was a very long one. Not in distance, but in frame of mind. Twilight kept eyeing me with a piercing stare as I tried to keep up awkward small talk with Eliza. Twilight knew I had cut her off intentionally. I just hoped she wouldn't make me explain it. Our topics ranged from her favorite pony on the show, Fluttershy, to my favorite pony. I told her that all six of them were my friends and I couldn't just pick a favorite. All the way back to the library, Twilight's eyes burned holes in the side of my cranium.

"It's the library!" She suddenly exclaimed upon gaining sight of the tree, "Where’s Spike?! Can I meet him?!" Her enthusiasm numbing my head with angst. The sooner I could get her in bed, the better.

"Spike should be inside." Twilight replied with awkward tension."Sorry, it's just a little odd that you already know everything about us and this is our first time meeting."

We approached the library door and entered it. Instead of Spike coming to greet us, we heard a light snoring from atop the stairs. Much to Eliza's disappointment, Twilight suggested we should get her to bed so we could...talk. The way she said talk sent a shiver down my spine. I don't know why Twilight was so intimidating at this point, it's not like I couldn't just kill her if she started some kind of fight. I then pushed that thought from my mind... what's wrong with me that I even considered that?

Me and Twilight tucked Eliza in my tiny broken bed. It would fit her much better anyways, being that she was at least three feet shorter than me. Being almost seven feet tall had its advantages, but not being able to sleep in a non-custom bed wasn't one of them. I started leaving the room when I heard barely audible whispers behind me. Too tired and ornery to care, I just left the room and awaited my meeting with Death. A.K.A Twilight Sparkle.

Several minutes passed and in trotted the purple unicorn herself. Her eyes were teeming with... was that anger? This day was getting worse and worse and I feared I would be sleeping outside tonight. She came and sat beside me on the floor and a purple aura began glowing around us. It almost... tickled but it felt very warm as well. It was like we were sitting in a satin glove made of purple mist. If that even makes any sense.

"In case you are wondering, this is a sound elimination spell SO THAT NOBODY CAN HEAR ME WHEN I KILL YOU!!!!" She screamed. "You killed her parents?! You almost killed her? What are you? No wonder those people are tracking you down. I don't know if I want you here anymore Charles!" Her words stung, but nothing stung like my old wounds being reopened. Why me? I had tried my best to forget what I had done and here this little girl came and ruined it all over again!

"Twilight... will you at least let me explain this?" I said as calm as I could, the tension in the room now had the viscosity of maple syrup.

"You better have a good bucking explanation for all of this before I call Celestia down here!" Twilight said, her anger unwavering.

"First of all, Celestia already knows. So does..." My heart skipped a beat as I recited the name, "Luna. This is why we had so many meetings. The old me died when you used the Elements of Harmony on my nightmare-possessed body. It took all the anger and hate out of me, the things that caused me to kill innocent people. I have been doing my best to atone for it, but it seems no matter where I go I will be plagued by my past."

“A past that you chose! You killed them! I don’t know what that means where you come from, but here in Equestria that is an unforgivable crime!” She yelled again.

“Twilight, I understand your anger, but please. You can stop yelling.”

"I just..." She started, her voice becoming less of a yell and more of a pout. "I don't know what to think. You should go. I need time away from all this before I'll know if I can forgive you."

I understood that. I honestly did. At least when I told the Princesses, I told them myself. In this situation it was revealed to her by a little girl. A little girl that I was rapidly coming to hate. I couldn't blame her though. I would probably be pretty pissed if some dude waltzed into my life, almost killed me, and then killed my parents. I thanked Twilight honestly for the hospitality, and hoped that we could remain friends. With that, I took my leave.

It was then, something happened. My mind was wandering through time and space to a time when everything was fine. Everybody was happy. Well, somewhat happy. There were the boys at school either laughing at me, or making lizard-eye jokes. Whenever I had a rough day at school, I walked home playing my favorite song. So that night, I sung. I sung as I walked from Twilight's back to the everfree forest.

"Something has to change.

Un-deniable dilemma.

Boredom's not a burden

Anyone should bear."

I sung the first verse as I passed Ponyville park. It was hard not to smile on such a beautiful night. A night... She created.

"Constant over stimulation numbs me

but I would not want you

Any other way."

I sung the next verse thinking about the beautiful Princess of the Night I had left behind in Canterlot. I was sad, but music always seemed to help me through the darkest of times. If only I had my CDs when the government was torturing me.

"It's not enough.

I need more.

Nothing seems to satisfy.

I don't want it.

I just need it.

To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive."

I sighed as I put meaning to the lyrics. It reminded me of the time I had slaughtered innocents. Countless guards who were just doing their jobs. They all probably had families they wanted to return to. I shed a tear as I sang the next verse.

"I can help you change

Tired moments into pleasure.

Say the word and we'll be

Well upon our way.

Blend and balance

Pain and comfort

Deep within you

Til you will not want me any other way."

I was passing Pinkie Pie's cupcake home at this point. The stars were twinkling more than usual for some reason or another, as I looked in the window and saw her shadow. It wasn't just one, it was two shadows? They were chasing each other around. I laughed silently as I thought she may have a special someone. Maybe I would throw her a "You-can’t-keep-secrets-from-me-I-know-you-have-a-stallion-friend-you-silly-mare party.

"Something kinda sad about

the way that things have come to be.

Desensitized to everything.

What became of subtlety?

How can it mean anything to me

If I really don't feel anything at all?"

I approached Fluttershy's cottage at this point. I saw lights on and singing coming from inside. Cute. I sung the last verse as the clouds in the sky started shifting around, as if they were nervous about something.

"I'll keep digging till

I feel something.

Elbow deep inside the borderline.

Show me that you love me and that we belong together.

Shoulder deep within the borderline.

Relax. Turn around and take my hand."

Just as I finished the last word, I heard a swooping sound behind me. I turned around and found myself face to face with the beautiful Mare of the Moon.

Authors Notes: I have a lot to talk about here.

First off, I would like to say yes, the title of this chapter is indeed a 'Halo: Combat Evolved' reference. My shout out to all the nerds in the audience! The cake is a lie anyone? :P

Second, if anybody knows what song Charlie is singing, ten internet points to you.

Third, how did that last part of the chapter turn out? Music has always been a great influence to me (I am a drummer, and singer) and I wanted to know if the lyrics made as much sense to you as they did to me. I have countless lyrics and songs I'd love to share in this story, but I'm afraid it will turn out cheesy or stupid. I need input here guys!

Anyways, thank you for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter!