The wind blows softly filling the air with the rustling of leaves being jostled together all the while having the faint sounds of hooves stepping against soft earth. Each step brings about a faint but still present squishing squelching noise of wet dirt noise. The land the Earth Pony walks upon is also border lined with a crystal blue lake that has leaves being moved by the wind and the ripples of the surface caused by their brethren and the wind. The blue pony lets a hoof run down his short yellow and white mane as the wind blows against his fur bringing about a cool sensation along his fur and skin underneath. The three hooves still connected to the ground continue walking, but more towards it than his before path of walking simply around it.
“Man… It’s such a cool night.” He speaks out softly to himself as he looks up to the moon and stars high above that look just in reach.
Despite the polished white orb to prove this as fact that it’s way out of his reach; he can’t help but think that something is... amiss. The stars and moon have never looked quite as brilliant and as glamorous as this night ever before. He figures that perhaps Luna is going out all night for somepony special. Or just herself.
Than his thoughts change from the vast ocean of darkness and far off objects to the small amount of water he’s currently walking around. He doesn’t quite remember what path brought him along this way, but he somewhat remembers leaving out with the sun. That’s probably the reason why everything seems amiss. Not the way they look or radiant a glorious light, but that fact that something in the back of his mind is telling him that it should still be afternoon with the sun shining. Not the moon. Though, he doesn’t seem quite sure of himself as he starts second guessing his thoughts and wondering why he would ever think such a thing.
“Maybe my mind is playing against me…” He speaks out as he walks slowly along the edges of the lake beside him never once looking at it.
He just feels like it’s right to walk around it and not looking into it’s reflecting smooth, bothered by the occasional ripple from the leaves and wind, blue surface. To look at it would probably help clear his mind of all the unsavory thoughts that are swirling around in his mind. Especially because of the events that have led him to this point. He just escaped his very own home after a very… very unfortunate incident. It wasn’t his fault. It was all out of his control He couldn’t stop the events from spiraling out of control. They were all above his power to control.
Or at least that’s what he’ll tell everypony no matter what evidence is brought against him. He knows what he’s capable of and nopony else can tell him otherwise. Nopony...
He looks off towards the dark woods of the Everfree. The very woods he’s always been told to avoid else bad things will happen to him and all those around him as well as the ones he holds dear.. Guess in a sense they’ve always been right about that. One bad thing after another… and it never seems to end. That’s why he walks.
He’s lived an average life since the day he was born. His parents were never poor nor were they rich. They always kept to the middle of, well, almost everything. They knew some of the relatives, but never went to the meetups and parties that they threw for the families. Even when things would look sour for his immediate family, he would get very worried for their livelihood; however, they never acted upon this worry. Than… they always come out of it some type of way or another. They never did explain how all this happened despite how grim the situation might look to him.
Though, that’s not what has really led him all the way out here to be so far from home. You see, he likes to take walks to get his mind off of things that challenge his, so far, easy life that he’s been leading since he’s been with his parents. Whether the problem being him behind a payment, his wife acting against him, his kids never listening, or his job is in danger. He’ll always go off to take a nice walk. Usually around the Everfree that the town lives so close to. He hardly ever walks through it, but when he does, nothing ever happens to him. He’ll come out, go home, and find that everything is back under control again.
Than there’s that feeling… That nagging feeling of wanting to go back into the woods and just walk and stay. That feeling you get when you find something so valuable and so good that you just never want to let go of it. that special feeling that, this is where you want to belong. Guess that’s what started the pattern all those years ago.
This so called pattern, all started back when he was a foal and was constantly getting bullied a lot. He would take those harbored feelings and instead of acting on them, he’ll simply take a walk and fume about it to himself. His mother and father always warned him about staying away from the Everfree, but he felt a calling to it more and more with each day that passed. Eventually, despite his best intentions of wanting to get rid of himself, he went into the Everfree; walked about; and eventually came out without a single scratch. His parents never knew about that either. Nor would they ever find about it while he was young.
He can’t help but think of his loving and caring parents. They’ve always been there for him… No matter what the situation was. When he accidentally fell of his roller skates and rolled into the lake…When he got caught with a paint filled balloon that wasn’t his… They’ve always been there in the background. Just watching and waiting to help their son... like all good parents do.
He stops walking and looks down into the crystal clear water to his left that spands out far from where he stands. He’s more relaxed than he was when he first started this long walk. A long walk? Has it truly been that long? Or is his mind just playing tricks on him again. After all, everything is short when you think about it.
“I’ve always walked away from my problems…” He says to his reflection quietly as the wind picks up around the area making the rustling of the trees louder and making more leaves fall upon the surface of the small lake. Small ripples collide with each other and spread out further and further.
Our protagonist would never say it, but he’s always been like this. The first to leave in the sight of trouble. The first to walk away from a tough choice. He’d rather watch from the sideline than actually take action. Rather fume and worry all alone than to actually ask for help. That’s just how he is. That’s just how his life works for him.
He reaches a hoof out towards the water and watches as his own reflection ripples before his eyes. It’s almost… hypnotic in a way. That’s probably why he feels so sleepy. No… he’s sure he feels sleepy because it’s night. Yeah… That seems right to him. Not some lake. The lake is... harmless. Nothing bad will ever happen near the lake.
He lays down staring into his own reflecting blue eyes all the while wishing that he could be a better husband and father. He wants his kids to live a better life, yet struggles with the harder decisions of how their life should go. He’s always submitted to his wife’s choices. He’s never once spoken against one of her bad ideas. That’s how life has always been easy for him. Whenever it does come down to him; he walks.
“I’m tired…. of… walking…” He speaks out with a loud yawn following the end of his statement.
It’s hard to keep his eyes open. His eyelids feel oh so very heavy. The more he tries to resist, the more it feels like he’s being dragged under. Dragged under? No… Falling asleep. Yes. Simply falling asleep. Because that’s what all ponies do. They fall asleep and wake up the next day.
“His eyes never opened the next day. As he laid there staring into his own eyes, his reflection reached out and traded places with him. Of course, no one ever knew this. They just thought he became a better Pony all around when his reflection came into town. He lived life almost like him. The reflection was just… better at everything.
Being a father was like second hoof. Being a husband came natural as well as being able to raise foals. Despite them not truly being his. Life became perfect for him. Though, he would never look into mirrors when other Pony folk were around. Nopony ever asked why either. They just accepted his life like me and you would. Nopony ever pressured him into letting them see his reflection. Because who would?”
“Gosh… That’s super creepy… Sweet Celestia.” A yellow Pegasus stallion says as he ruffles his wings a bit.
There’s only a faint light on all three occupants of the fire before them that burns lowly to the ground. The small fire is barely alive at this point. A yellow Pegasus with a brown mane and a guitar for his cutie mark is the first one who spoke at the end of the story. In front of him, is a purple Earth pony with a blue mane. The Purple stallion has been happily, but creepily, telling the story like he was there to witness it all. His cutie mark is that of a piece of paper with sound coming off of it. Just by glancing, you can tell why the story has made a good effect on his two listeners. To the right of that one lies a green Pegasus with a yellow mane and the cutie mark of a teddy bear.
A simple campfire story has left both Pegasi a bit shaken. The purple one scoffs before waving a dismissive hoof.
“It’s just a story man. You don’t have to worry about any of the junk coming true.”
“Yeah… I know…” The yellow one says folding his wings in tight, “But it just seems too… real. Ya know?”
“Well. Don’t think about it too much ya big flying foal.” The Earth Pony says while rising up to all fours.
He fetches the bucket of water nearby and throws it on the barely flame to signal that they should probably get some sleep in before the sun catches them all by surprise. None argue with this as they go into their respective tents telling each other good night all the while. The Pegasi easily fall asleep while the Earth Pony simply watch the tents from the entrance of his own. He listens and waits for their breathing to be slowed.
“You’re right bud… It does seem too real…” He says as he walks into the yellow Pegasus’ tent.
It doesn’t take that much effort, and it doesn’t take that much time. Slowly, but surely carefully, the Earth Pony brings the yellow Pegasus from out of his tent and into the forest.
Morning brings about the sun and the chirping of birds that fly high above the canopy of leaves that protects the camps occupants from the full force of the sun’s rays.. Only their shadows, that can be seen on the ground underneath them, let them know where the noisy morning birds fly. The green Pegasus gives a loud yawn as his comrades stand smiling and watching him.
“Sleep well?” The purple stallion ask cocking his head, “I know I did.”
“Same.” The yellow Pegasus says.
“How could I? I kept dreaming about somepony taking me off to be switched by somepony else. It was so creepy…” He says with a shudder, “I’ll feel a lot better when we get out of here…”
“Fine fine fine.” The purple stallion says, “But first… Come with us. We found that lake not too far from here! That way you can put your fear to rest before we all head home.”
“Heh okay! Whatever you guys say!” He says jokingly as he trots towards the direction the two pointed.
Before they follow after their friend, the two look into each other’s eyes. More important, the reflection in them. They see their true shadowy selves and the dark auras they bleed off.
“It almost seems real.” The yellow Pegasus says making the purple stallion chuckle.
Author's Note
The picture is drawn by Skull, yes from Stich and Skull, and I hope you enjoyed my little story I've made. If ya didn't *shrug* I tried.
