Chapter 18: Crash

"Woah, old friend it's bittersweet... Woah, how could you do this to me?"

xXx

Laughter echoed down from the orchards. A group of ponies trotted down the path, headed back towards the farmhouse. “You were really friends with Daring Do, Brae?” Caramel asked.

Braeburn shrugged. “That was years ago, Caramel. Yeah, Ah guess Ah was.” As the conversation carried on between the others, Applejack slowed her pace so that she was next to him.

“That’s the first time in a while you brought her up, Brae.”

Braeburn sighed. “It’s been a few years since she left, AJ. Ah ran out of tears a while ago.”

Applejack sighed. “Ah think you’ve done her proud, cuz.”

“Reckon so. Ah didn’t want to let her down, so Ah grew up to be the pony she wanted.”

“You really have changed, cuz. Ah’m proud of you.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s just time, AJ. Ah’ve still got a few years ahead of me. Ah’ll see you back at the farmhouse.”

Braeburn entered the barn, dropping some empty baskets in the corner. A rustle behind him made him freeze. “Ah said Ah was comin’, AJ.”

“Did you?” The voice sent a chill down his spine.

He didn’t need to turn around to see the pegasus standing there. Setting the bucket on the ground, he turned around. “Darin’. Nice to see you again.”

Daring Do stared at the ground, not meeting his eyes. The stallion pushed passed her heading back to the farmhouse. “Wait, Brae-”

“Wait?” He stopped. “Ah’ve been waitn’. Do you have any idea how long it’s been since Ah’ve been sure of anythin’? Of what Ah want? Of where Ah’m goin’?” Taking a deep breath, Braeburn calmed down. “Look, Darin’. Ah let you go some time ago, and now you come back again… Seein’ you is… bittersweet, ah guess.”

“I know, Brae. I know.”

“How could you do this to me, Darin’?”

The pegasus flinched. “Me? What about you? You’re not who you think you are, Brae, I thought I made that clear.”

“Yeah, you did. Ah could have been jealous of you, runnin’ off from home to find success. But Ah’m not. Ah’m proud of you.”

“Were you?” There was an awkward pause. “I waited… for so long to get a letter. And when it finally came…” she dug into her vest pocket and threw a letter on the ground. “It killed me. ‘Goodbye, Daring.’ Do you know how much it hurts to wait for so long, and end up with ‘Goodbye, Daring?!”

“You’re the author, not me! And you have no right to say that! At least Ah wrote somethin’! You? Not a single letter!”

Daring fell silent, seething in anger.

“All Ah had were those stupid books of yours! And as Ah read them, those words mocked me. They proved you were still alive, still out there. But not one damn letter!” He advanced now, his voice raising. “You know what? Ah’d prefer the silence over a fake smile or a fake laugh.”

“Fake?! What we had was real! None of it was fake!”

“Then why didn’t you say anythin’?!”

“BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!” She shouted, tears streaming down her face. The world bent around them, ceasing to matter.

“Well, you have an odd way of showin’ it. Is this what love is? Blockin’ out the one you want, pushin’ them away?” He wasn’t yelling anymore, but his eyes were red and wet.

“I didn’t want to tell you… I couldn’t,” she sobbed. “I loved what we had. Lying under the sky, saying whatever came to mind… That was real, Brae. I didn’t want us to read from a script, and say things because we had to.”

“Darin’... All this time, Ah thought Ah was growin’ up. Ah found out that Ah’m really just fallin’.” He took a deep breath. “Ah’m sorry.” He threw her hooves around her and pulled her into a hug.

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” she murmured. “I’m the one who’s been haunted by my thoughts, drowning in them.”

“Then why didn’t you say so?” he whispered. “Ah’ve been there, Ah can help you.”

“Because I’m Daring Do, damn it. If I can’t help myself, no one can. That’s how it’s been for me, Brae, and that’s how it’ll always be.” She rubbed her eyes and smiled. “You were the only one who made me doubt that belief. You… messed me up, Brae.”

“Yeah, you did too.” Braeburn took a step back. “When you left… Ah ran out of things to say. AH guess that isn’t true. Ah have so much to say, but Celestia help me, Ah can’t find the right words. So… Ah guess Ah’ve got nothin’ to say to you.”

Daring nodded. “It’s fine. You’re right, too much time has passed. I’ve moved on… I think we both have.” She hesitated. “You know… as much as I say I’m over it… I’m still hurting. Celestia knows I’ve tried to be strong, but… It hurts, Brae.”

“Ah know it does, Darin’. You’re not alone there. You can tell yourself a thousand times you’re over it, but that won’t make it disappear.” He lay a hoof on her shoulder. “Hey, you know… Maybe Ah have been growin’ up. Ah realize now Ah’m more than just lonely.”

She chuckled. “Maybe. Keep fighting, Brae.”

“You too, Daring.”

The pegasus spread her wings, ready to fly.

“Darin’...Ah think it’s best if you don’t come back. For both of our sakes. Ah need time to heal, and Ah think you do too.”

“And I haven’t seen your face or heard your voice in so long…”

She nodded. “Yeah, I know. So long, Braeburn.”

“...So, so long…”

“So long, Darin’.”

“... We had a good run…”

The adventurer spread her wings and took off flying.

“...It’s over now…”

“... Course. Everythin’ has an end.”

xXx