I Can Change

It had been five years since Equality and Geneva had their wedding. They already moved into the same house, which was hard for the stallion because he had cherished the home he and his mother had lived in. They had both become full-time teachers at Cheerilee's school, and they even had thoughts about starting a family. This, however, was made difficult by the fact that they were very busy with teaching, and having a filly or colt of their own would just make things more complex at the moment, so they held off on this decision.

It was about halfway through the school year, when Cheerilee came to the class, ready to make a big announcement.

"Hello, students. I've been teaching for a very long time now, and I feel like now is the time to tell everypony that I'm retiring." The students were all sad to hear about this, especially since some of them had been in her class since before Equality joined the staff. "But don't worry. Mr. Equality and Mrs. Geneva will become your permanent teachers, so there's no need to worry about who's taking my place." One student, a pegasus filly, asked,

"Excuse me, Ms. Cheerilee? Will you still be coming to see us once in a while?"

"That will be up to these two to decide, since they'll be running the school from now on." Equality and Geneva both agreed to allow her to visit.

Three days had passed since Cheerilee announced her retirement. The lesson for the day was about natural disasters, and how to be prepared for them. Geneva talked about weather-related disasters, such as floods, severe storms, and tornadoes, while Equality discussed spontaneous disasters, such as wildfires, landslides, and earthquakes. Cheerilee was visiting during this lesson, because she cared for the students, and wanted to be sure that they knew how to be safe. It was when the students were being released for lunch, when Equality's hardest experience yet hit him. A major earthquake, about 7.8 on our world's scale, had hit Ponyville. The students started to panic, while Equality and Cheerilee rounded them all up, and Geneva stayed inside to make sure nothing important would be destroyed. Equality decided to go back inside, wanting to make sure that Geneva would be safe, while Cheerilee stayed outside with the students. When Equality got in, an aftershock struck, and a support beam from the schoolhouse's roof broke off, and started to fall towards him. Geneva quickly flew into him, pushing the stallion out of harm's way, but at the highest personal cost. The beam fell onto Geneva, breaking her wings, and crushing her spine. Equality, who was still in shock from escaping death, now witnessed what had happened to Geneva.

The stallion's heart was shattered. He felt his wife's hoof, but couldn't pick up a pulse. He had just seen Geneva, the only mare he ever loved, been crushed to death by forces he could not control. The students, who heard his hysterical sobbing, had walked into the classroom to see if the two teachers were OK, but witnessed what had happened to the pegasus mare. As they walked to Equality, he yelled,

"EVERYPONY GET BACK OUTSIDE, IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!" This was the first time in years that Equality had raised his voice. Cheerilee, who had just heard Equality's yelling, started crying as she walked into the scene of the tragedy. The students did the same, the older ones because they knew this meant they'd never see one of their favorite teachers again, and the younger ones because they had been scared by Equality's yelling. Cheerilee had told the students that they should just go home now, because the adult ponies needed some time alone. The students all walked home, and Cheerilee was staying to console the now widowed stallion. Neither of them spoke, Cheerilee because she didn't know what to say, and Equality because he was too occupied with sobbing over the loss of his wife.

They had stayed at the schoolhouse until nightfall that day. By this point, Equality had passed out due to broken heart, and Cheerilee didn't want him to be alone in this tragic time, so the two stayed in the schoolhouse overnight. Equality's dream that night was one of his heaviest yet. He was walking home from the schoolhouse, when he saw Princess Luna waiting for him inside.

"Hello, once again, my subject," the princess opened. Still crying, even in his dream, Equality could barely respond.

"Oh, h-hello, Princess." He couldn't even bow in respect, he was so emotional.

"I offer my deepest condolences for your situation, as it must be overwhelming for you to have to experience the death of a loved one for the third time." Equality nodded in agreement, since he had no words to describe how he felt. "However, there's somepony here who wishes to have a few words with you." A pegasus mare walked toward them. It was Geneva. Her spirit, like in Equality's last discussion with Princess Luna so many years ago, had been allowed to speak with Equality, and give him some final words. "Is there something you wish to tell him, Geneva?"

"Yes, Princess Luna." The mare walked up to Equality, who had collapsed to the ground from grief, and was looking up at her. "Equality, I know what happened to me was sudden, and it wasn't your fault. You were just coming to make sure I would have been OK, like any concerned pony would have done. It was my decision to save you from facing what happened to me, so it's not your fault, it's mine.

"But, Geneva, because you saved my life, you had to give yours."

"Yes, I know, but it was worth it, because the best stallion I had ever met would have died if I didn't, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened." Equality was thinking the same thoughts about what happened. All he ever wanted for Geneva was for her to be happy, but now, she would be gone from Equestria forever. "I know you only wanted the best for me, but now, if you really want me to be happy, you should go back to the schoolhouse, and finish the job I never could, and give all those foals the education they deserve."

"But, Geneva, I was only able to do that because you were there with me. I'd never be able to work without a second hoof with the students. I mean, maybe Cheerilee could help me out, but it wouldn't be the same as you, my wife, my only love, being there with me."

"Equality, I will always be there with you. Maybe not physically, but definitely in spirit. It's our love that keeps us together, not our presence. I love you too much to just abandon you, and I'm sure that your parents want you to keep going just as much as I do." She was right. Equality remembered the talk his parents gave him the last time Princess Luna visited one of his dreams.

"If I may interrupt, I must say that you, Equality, have been through more unfortunate circumstances than any pony I have ever talked to. Losing your father before you were even born, witnessing the death of your loving and devoted mother, and now, having been able to survive because your wife was noble enough to sacrifice herself. This must be a sign that you deserve to go on." The stallion, now unable to speak, was grateful for everything Geneva and the princess had just told him. He was ready to go back, so Princess Luna waved her horn, and used a spell to wake him up.

It was morning, the next day. Cheerilee had already left the schoolhouse, and the scene of the tragedy had been cleared. There was no school that day, so no students were around to comfort the stallion. There was a note, apparently written by Cheerilee.

"I know what just happened to you was worse than words can put together, but I can only say that I'm sorry this had to happen. I told the students that you won't be able to teach for a while, and that I'll be filling in until you say you're ready. All I can ask is for you to go back home, and try to move on, because I know that's what Geneva would want." Equality did just that. He got up, walked back home, and just stayed inside for a few days, trying to cope with his third loss. That night, he said to himself,

"What's next? I have nopony left to comfort me, and the students will all be feeling miserable knowing that two of their favorite teachers may not be coming back." The stallion started crying again. "Mom, Dad, Geneva, I didn't want for any of this to happen. I just wanted to have a happy life, like you all wanted me to have. But how can I be happy when everypony that I ever loved is now gone? I have nothing left to hope for. No drive. No motivation. No reason to live." As he said this, he looked out his window and saw three stars, glowing brighter than ever, over the town hall roof. His next decision would change everything.

He walked out his front door, slowly making his way to town hall. He decided to do the one thing he had never done publicly since he was a student: transform. He gave himself wings, and flew up to the top of the roof. There was a pony with their window open, who saw everything out their window.

"What's that stallion doing? It's a little late for renovations on the town hall. I should go check it out." Another pony who lived nearby also noticed Equality on the roof. They also went to see the stallion out of concern. Soon enough, at least half the town came to town hall, all worried about him. One of them, a student in his class, came to the front of the pack, and yelled,

"Mr. Equality! What are you doing up there? And, really, how did you get up there?" Equality had never told any of his students his secret, so they didn't know he was half-changeling, and could change his form into anything he desired.

"I-I, well, I have no reason to keep going. Everypony I ever loved is gone, and I didn't want you or any of the other students to have to feel sorry for me, so... I'm going to jump." Everypony gasped in shock; they were witnessing a stallion who was about to commit suicide. Everypony started to panic. Suddenly, Cheerilee, who had just heard all the commotion, and left her home in a frenzy, ran next to the student, and, with tears in her eyes, yelled,

"Equality, you don't have to do this. You have too much to live for. All the students will miss you, and everypony in Ponyville will be sad knowing that one of their hardest-working, well-meaning citizens wanted to end his own life. Plus, I watched you grow up into the stallion you are today, from the day you joined my class as a colt. You may not have any family left, but without you, I won't either. In a way, you're the only family I have. I don't want to lose you, not after everything that's happened." The stallion was moved by her words. He decided to come back down, but then a strong, unexpected gust came to the roof, and he lost his footing, slipped, and came tumbling down to the ground, where his body went stiff on impact.

Equality was a simple stallion. He had a well-groomed black coat, an expertly coiffed white mane, and a personality that anypony could ask for. He led a great life, and had a few close friends growing up, but now here he is, ascending to the heavens because he couldn't shake his emotions. Equality saw himself lift away from his body, knowing that he had just died. He knew this meant he'd finally be free of all the trouble he had to deal with, and that he'd finally be back with his family. However, somepony was there trying to pull his spirit back down. Somepony familiar. A cream-coated pegasus. Yes, it was Geneva. Her spirit had come to him, trying to save him from dying before his time. She spoke.

"What are you doing? You know it's too soon for this, Equality." He agreed, he had meant to stop himself from suicide, and wanted to go back. Just then, two more spirits, those of his parents, came down to speak. His father spoke first.

"Son, the three of us have been talking, and we agree that we need you to go back to Equestria, and finish what you started." Constance then spoke.

"Son, your father and I have been watching you grow up, just like Cheerilee said she has, and we need you to keep going. It can't end this way. We'll never be happy if it does." All three spirits were crying, and Equality was even trying to pull himself downward, when Princess Luna came to offer what would be Equality's best chance yet.

"This stallion, Equality, has been the best example of, as you would say, a comeback colt I've ever witnessed. He has managed to survive many a heartbreaking circumstance, and he deserves to be alive today. He should be considered a hero for his valiance." Equality had never felt this flattered in his life. "If you four can agree to it, I can restore Equality's life, but he must give up a personal trait in exchange." All four wanted him to go on, but they could not agree on what to give up in exchange. Equality started to speak.

"Everypony, I've made a decision. Dad, you're the one changeling Equestria has known that ever decided to become a good figure. Mom, all you wanted was for me to have a normal, happy life, like all the other ponies. And Geneva, I know you just want me to go on, and finish my life, like you never could. Princess Luna, if you may, and if these three can agree, I'd like to give up my changeling powers, and become a regular earth pony, in exchange for being able to live again." All five nodded in agreement. Princess Luna waved her horn, and suddenly, Equality's spirit had started descending back to where his body had laid, and ended up returning to it.