The Broken One

I greeted Twilight at the front door of the castle a mere two days after I had sent a request for her presence. We made our way to Shadow’s tower and the Element of Magic gasped when she saw Shadow lying inside the glass coffin.

“Jackson”, she whispered. “What’s going on here?”

“I need you to put a stasis spell on Shadow’s body”, I replied quietly. “At least until I can find a way to bring her back.”

“Jackson, that’s… You need to let go, Jackson.”

“If you won’t do it then put me into stasis so I can learn the spell”, I spat.

“What are you talking about”, she asked with a cocked head.

“I can learn spells that are used on me”, I said hurriedly. “Are you gonna do it or do I have to learn the spell the hard way?”

“Jackson, it’s been two days. The body has-“

“SHADOW”, I roared. “Do not talk that way about her.”

“Jackson, this isn’t healthy”, she argued. “You need to grieve!”

She leapt forward and pulled me into a hug I didn’t want.

“Jackson, there are others that love and need you”, she whispered as tears began to roll from her eyes. “Think about Cindra! Or Aliya! Or even me.”

I turned my gaze to her and was flabbergasted when I felt a pair of lips on mine. My shock turned to anger quickly. I grabbed her by the mane and threw her away from me. She cried out in shock and pain when she hit the floor.

“What the fuck”, I shouted angrily. “What are you doing Twilight?!”

“I’m sorry”, she sobbed as she curled into a ball on the floor. “I don’t know what came over me!”

“Don’t you ever do that again”, I hissed as I crouched over her inches from her face. “If I want to be kissed you would know it.”

“I just can’t stand seeing you like this”, she whispered.

“That’s no excuse”, I shouted as I slammed my fist into the floor.

“I just wanted to help”, she whimpered and shivered.

“Then do as I asked”, I hissed. “Put one of us in stasis.”

She nodded and her horn lit up. The next thing I knew I was dealing with the Shiver as I stared into the concerned faces of my family and friends. I tried to get up but my muscles wouldn’t cooperate. I turned my cold gaze on Twilight and stared into her teary eyes.

“I’m going to kill you when I can move again”, I said calmly gaining a gasp from everypony.

“Please don’t hate me”, she sobbed. “I was just so scared for you!”

“Were you scared for me or of me”, I hissed showing my fangs.

“Both”, she whispered in shame. “Jackson, nopony should ever have to fear their friends. You’ve changed so drastically so quickly and I understand you’re beyond distraught, but this is almost necromancy!”

“Have you forgotten what I am”, I laughed darkly. “Grim Reaper. Soon to be the Lord of Chaos when Discord decides to retire. Soulless golem. Vampony.”

“That’s not who you are, son”, my mother said soothingly. “You are a caring, loving and carefree stallion full of potential. You have many ponies that love you and only want the best for you.”

“Like that fucking rapist”, I spat as I nodded my head at my aunt.

“What”, the mare in question asked in surprise. “I have done no such thing!”

“Discord went bumbling through my mind”, I shouted. “You got me high and fucked with my memory so that I would fuck you!”

Everypony gasped and turned to my aunt in shock. They began to share glances before my mother spoke up.

“I suppressed those memories at your request”, mom sighed. “I should have removed them.”

“That never should have happened in the first place”, Dash jumped to my defense.

“That’s rich coming from a little… pervert”, Fluttershy gasped.

“Everypony, stop”, my mother said loudly.

“Release me and get the hell out”, I growled.

My mother hung her head as her horn glowed for a second. I was finally able to stand and strode over to Twilight. I drew back my right hand but I just didn’t feel like slapping her so I turned and stalked out of the room onto the balcony. I began to see red and focused all of my anger into my palms. I turned and fired blasts of pure red energy from my hands into the mountain several miles away. A massive cloud of smoke rose up from the point of impact and several seconds later a wall of compressed air slammed into us knocking the others from their hooves.

I turned to stare at the ponies gathered around with a mixture of fear, awe and, in my mother’s case, conflicted pride. Every single one of them stared at my face and I realized my eyes had changed in front of everypony. I squeezed my eyes shut and shouted for everyone to go away. They all grouped together as they left but for some reason a flat haired Pinkie walked toward me. I could tell from the scent of vanilla and sugar coming off of her.

“It’s gonna be okay”, Pinkie said in the quietest voice I had ever heard her use.

She hopped up and wrapped her hooves around my neck and hugged me tightly. I couldn’t help but return her hug and I had to admit that it felt good. She leaned back and stretched her neck up to kiss me on the forehead before dropping back to all fours. She smiled sadly up at me.

“Just remember the good times”, she whispered through her tears. “And Jackson? Try to smile at least once a week.”

She turned and slowly made her way out the door. I felt bad for her and as suddenly as my eyes changed they returned to normal. I rested my fists on the banister and stared out into the darkening sky. I saw Dash’s rainbow trail streak away toward Ponyville and sighed. I was finally alone and I was okay with that.

I returned to the tower and made my way to the coffin. I looked down on my wife as I opened the lid. Even in death she was beautiful. She lay on her back with her hooves together on her abdomen. A flowing white gown had been fashioned for her and fitted to her by me personally. Rarity had even complimented me on the dress, but it meant little to me.

I reached down and cupped her cheek as I performed the stasis spell on her. A single tear slipped from my eye as I closed the lid and rested my forehead against the coffin. I closed my eyes and thought for several minutes in silence. I heard hooves in the stairway and stood up straight.

“I don’t care how long it takes, I’ll find a way to bring you back to us, I promise you”, I whispered.

I touched the glass one more time before turning and meeting Cindra at the door. She had Aliya bundled up and held her with one foreleg somehow. I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous and cautiously offered to carry her. She gratefully handed over the tiny alicorn and turned to walk beside me. I felt a sudden strange calm fall over me as we walked.

“After everypony leaves, have the portcullis closed”, I said quietly.

“Yes, master”, she nodded but cocked her head. “Why, though?”

“I am no longer your master”, I sighed. “I want you to stay if you want to, not because you’re bound to me. From now on, I’m just Jackson. We’re a family.”

“I can’t tell you how much that means to me”, she whispered.

“We’ve been a family for a long time”, I smiled sadly.

“I suppose so”, she replied. “But why are we shutting the gates?”

“It’s for the best”, I replied darkly.

I made my way to the nursery as the cute bug pony left to do as I asked, not ordered her to do. I looked around the room and saw that the remnants of the crib had been disposed of but a scorch mark remained as proof. I focused my will and materialized a crib of metal with a soft mattress and padding around the sides. I laid Aliya down on her back and stared down at her.

I despised the way that she came into the world, but I realized I couldn’t blame her. Now that I actually had a chance to look at her I saw just how beautiful she truly was. Her mane was darker than the depths of night and silky like her mother’s. She rubbed one golden slit eye sleepily and yawned cutely. At that present moment nothing could have been more precious to me.

Cindra stepped in as I was leaning down to kiss her forehead and giggled happily. She stepped up beside me and gazed into the crib as Aliya fell asleep. We turned and left the room nodding to the guards as we left. We went right next door to our chambers and as Cindra made the bed, something I wouldn’t allow the staff to do considering the activities that occurred there, I turned the shower on and got the temperature just right.

I stripped down as steam filled the bathroom and slipped under the stream of hot water. I closed my eyes and held onto the wall as I just let the water pour over me. I don’t know how long I stood there but a pair of hooves wrapping around me from behind triggered something inside. I grabbed the hooves and ducked under them, causing the other pony to crash to the floor of the shower. I was on top of them in an instant with fangs bared before I realized it was Cindra.

Her eyes were wide open and her pupils were so tiny I could hardly see them. Her nostrils flared in fear as she panted beneath me. She was shaking as I moved away from her.

I almost killed my… What is she to me? She’s not my servant. She could be considered my friend, but we’re more than that. What is she to me?

My interior monologue was broken when I noticed a purple tint to the water coming from beneath Cindra’s head. I carefully lifted her up and checked the back of her head. I winced when I saw the cut caused by her fall. I instantly felt even worse.

“Well, fuck.”