I'm Scared

Todd sat uncomfortably in the center of the blackened room of his subconscious. Echos jumped from the inky black walls that surrounded him

She needed you...

Failure...

Too weak...

Stick to the pack...

Not strong enough...

Never forgiven, never forgotten...

Not strong enough...

"Go away."

Not Strong enough...

You could have saved them...

Negligent, and incapable...

"I said GO AWAY!"

"Do you fear them Todd? The voices that is."

"No. I'm not afraid, I'm not weak."The clack of Luna's armored slippers echoed as she slowly materialized from the dark. Looking to his feet the human responded with shame in his voice. The clamor in his voice was something that only Luna knew to her knowledge. Still, to see what most ponies would consider a monster, a merciless killer, in a state of such self loathing. It was nearly too much to bear.

"Fear isn't weakness Todd, everypony fears something."

"Pfft, I'm not a fucking pony."

Anger to hide fear, how mature.Though I can sympathize. "Yes, I know that. Perhaps though you bear some similarities to ponydom. Can I ask you something personal?" Todd took a moment and spoke a simple and bemused,

"Sure."

"How do you feel about Twilight Sparkle?"

What kind of question is that? "She's alright, no different than anyone else."

"Then why did you take her with you?" It was clear that Todd was in no hurry to respond. "Are you ashamed that you enjoy her company?"

"I don't enjoy her company."

"Well she enjoys yours. In fact she's been waiting for you to wake, I can't imagine spending days in a hospital just waiting for--"

"Hospital? Why am I in a hospital?"

"You stood between her and the wendigo. You nearly died defending her."

"That doesn't mean I like her. That's my job."

Well this is about as lost as a cause can get. "Fine, If you are unwilling to learn then I will not waste any more of my time trying to teach. It is time you return anyways."

Todd's eye lids cracked weakly to expose the white paneled hospital ceiling. The smell of a hot summer day was replaced with the sterile bleached air of a medical environment. Lying immobilized in the uncomfortable bed the hunter looked over to see a startled purple unicorn.

"Todd! You're awake!" Before breaking out into a fit of coughing he managed to force a ragged

"No shit Sherlock."

"Well I'm glad I could sit here for three days worrying about you so you could insult me for it."

"You're welcome. Are you okay?"

Well that was nice... and a little unexpected.

Todd looked concerned to her and asked again, "How's your face?"

"Huh? My face is fine."

"Well it's killing me."

I wonder if he's always told jokes that no one thinks are funny.

I wonder if she didn't get the joke.

"You know Todd, it amazes me that you can kill a windigo-- even thought that was most definitely NOT a windigo-- but, you can't even pretend to care that you nearly died. I mean, you're in the hospital with some very serious injuries, yet you make a bad joke instead of asking about them."

Bad joke?! I thought it was funny... "My wrist feels funny."

"Your wrist! Look at your abdomen!"

"I know about that, and I'm over it. I want to know whats wrong with my wrist."'

"Ugh! You are driving me cra-zy!"

"Could you just answer me?"

"Fine, its broken, and you suffered massive damage to the cartilage. On the plus side, your tendons seem to be fine."

"Well that's good." She's too adorable to even take seriously! Especially when she's upset. Todd dropped his head back against the pillow and stared at the ceiling. No wonder the moon horse brought me here, they can't even defend themselves from criticism. "So when am I out of here?"

"Probably not for a while. Even if you could leave where would you go? You really don't have a home."

"I'll stay with you."

"I'm glad I was involved in making that decision."

"What, do you not enjoy my company?"

Could you get any more sarcastic? "No, as a matter of fact. I don't."

"Then why did you follow me into the... well I forgot the name, but the spooky forest?"

"Seriously? Spooky forest?"

"Don't dodge the question."

"FINE, you can stay with me."

"It's settled then. Now help me out of this bed."

Three days and he wants to go home! That's completely negligent of his own health! Not to mention there's no way they'll discharge him. "Um, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad." As he spoke Todd made attempt to lift his body from the sweat-logged, overheated hospital bed. Quickly he collapsed back groaning in visible pain. "Okay, so maybe its that bad."

"As soon as you've healed up you can come home with me. Until then I brought some books for you!"

Well, someone likes books. Ah, and I see she's brought twenty of them. "Daring Do and the Wizards Stones, that sounds really gay. Football Star: The Fighting Dogs. Well, well, Michael Vick really is famous. Look, Twilight these really aren't my kind of thing." A look of disappointment spread quickly across her face.

"Did I not bring books that interest you?"

"No, no, Its nothing like that. I can't read."

What? "You just read the titles!"

"Yeah... by can't I meant don't want to."

Ugh...