Chapter 6

They say when someone experiences near death, they change both mentally and emotionally. The whole notion of the fear of death is not as prominent as it once was to those who have either knocked on Death’s door or have actually died and somehow came back to life. People always fear the day when their last breath is drawn. No one wants to die, yet sometimes it’s just what happens, either from natural causes or from unexpected circumstances. I guess that’s why people call life the beautiful lie and death the ugly truth: because people are always in denial of their apparent death approaching and want to always live as long as possible.

As my mind and body started to wake up, I noticed something different about where I was. I felt as if I was lying down on something, but it wasn’t the flat mattress in my cell I was all too familiar with. Instead it was much softer and surprisingly more comfortable. Not only that, my head felt like it was laying on an actual pillow, even though I wasn’t provided one. My eyelids felt like they were glued shut and every time I tried to open them, they’d stay stuck together. Thankfully, my arms were quick to regain their ability to move as I slowly raised my left hand up to my eyes. As I gently rubbed them, I could feel the crust on my eyes which meant I was probably unconscious for who knows how long. Once I brushed away the last of the crust, my eyes finally opened slowly, only to be met with the stinging light of the abnormally bright room.

As my vision was adjusting to my new surroundings, my hearing took the opportunity to make itself known. The faint beeping of a heart monitor was heard to my left and was getting louder by each passing moment. I tried to move my legs, but to no avail. After waiting a few more minutes for my vision to adjust, I saw that I was in fact no longer in my cell. I was in an all white room and was laying in an actual bed instead of the flat rug that was my usual bed in my cell. I glanced to my right and saw that it was day time and it wasn’t the barred window but a normal window. There was a door off to the side and a few chairs here and there. When I glanced down to look at my body, I saw that I wasn’t wearing my clothes but a typical hospital gown. I lifted the blanket up and looked under the gown to see my stomach area had a large bandage over it. Not only that, my leg was wrapped up in some sort of cast and even had a bunch of stuff drawn on it. There were little messages that said stuff like, “Get well soon,” or, “Thank you!” and even, “Sleep well, hero.” All of these little message confused me because I’m supposed to be public enemy number one, right?

I’m brought out of my thoughts when the door opens and in walks a nurse mare. Her fur is light green and her mane is beige brown and tied up in a bun. Her eyes are normal brown and she held a clipboard in her hand as she walked over to me. When she glances up to look at me, our eyes meet for a brief moment and she goes back to reading her clipboard. A minute goes by and she pauses from her reading and looks at me again and goes wide eyed when our eyes meet again.

“You’re…awake?”

I blink and slowly nod my head.

“You’re awake! Please wait a moment, I’ll be right back!”

And with that, she places the clipboard on the desk beside me and scurries out of the room and I’m once again alone.

Did she seem…happy when she saw me? Just what is going on here? I’m supposed to be hated by pretty much everyone, right?

I try to guess how long I must’ve been out. Judging by how crusty my eyes were, how numb my body was, and the fact that I’m now in some kind of hospital room instead of my cell could only mean I’ve been out for quite a while. But one thing perplexed me, what’s with the heartfelt messages on my cast and why did the nurse look happy when she saw me? Nothing really made any sense and I almost thought that I was still asleep, only for the sound of frantic hoofsteps to be heard outside the door and the door to swing open.

Shining Armor and Princess Luna, both out of breath from running, met their eyes with mine and smiled brightly at me.

“Oh thank the moon and stars, you’re alive!” Luna said.

“Sweet Celestia, I thought you’d never wake up!” Shining said.

I was about to talk but my throat was so dry that only a strained grunt escaped my lips.

“Oh right, here you go.” Shining said as he walked over a desk and poured me a cup of water and walks to me to hand it to me. I grab the cup and guzzle the whole thing down while also miraculously not spilling a drop. I reach the cup out to him for another and he obliged by pouring me another, to which I guzzle it down again.

“sigh…Thanks.” I said, my voice still sounding raspy.

“No problem.”

I try to sit myself up more but I wince from the slight pain.

“You shouldn’t strain yourself, your leg and stab wound still need more time to heal.” Luna inquired.

“How…long?”

“How long? Oh, you mean how long you were asleep. Well…you’ve been out for about a month.”

My eyes widened in disbelief, a month? A fucking month?!

“How…is that…possible?”

Luna and Shining looked at each other and frowned, which only made me more worried.

“That night, when you were attacked, I was wondering why you had not fallen asleep yet since I could not locate your dream in the dream realm.” Luna said. “Against my better judgment, I had no choice but to visit you in pony despite the risk of being discovered. But when I neared the dungeons, I discovered the slain guards and feared the worst. I still thank the moon and stars to this day I was able to arrive at your cell in time before that traitor stallion finished you off. I dispatched him with a blast of magic, which rendered him unconscious, and then my eyes fell on you. I tried to desperately stop the bleeding from your stab wound but you had already lost so much blood. I feared if I moved you it would worsen the injury so I teleported you to the medical wing of the castle. I declared a royal decree that you be saved and the ponies immediately got to treating you. It was then that…my sister arrived to confront me.”

Oh no, I already don’t like where this is going.

“I soon arrived at the medical wing after all the commotion and heard about all that had happened by one of the medical ponies.” Shining said. “Not only that, when I saw Princess Celestia and Princess Luna there, I was at a loss on what to do. Princess Celestia then sat us down in one of the staff rooms and demanded to know what happened and why Princess Luna and I were being so secretive and defiant.”

“You…told her…didn’t you?”

They both nodded reluctantly making my breath hitch a bit.

“We told her everything, from the night you took the blame to all the way to the night you were attacked. Everything you did and said, why you did and said it, we had no other choice but to tell the truth. When we finished our tale, Celestia was at a loss for words. She then asked to bring the traitor thestral to her and Sir Shining sent for him. When the traitor was brought forth, Celestia wasted no time but to use a memory spell and even a truth spell. The traitor then confirmed everything Blueblood had conspired with that organization, and even revealed the ponies’ names who were apparent spies within the nobility, the staff, and even revealed the locations of their hideouts.”

“Turns out Rain Claw accompanied Blueblood whenever he was called for secret meetings in the night.” Shining added.

“Even so, this news did not bold well for my sister.” Luna said sadly.

“What…happened?”

“Everything that has happened to you; the starvation, the beatings, the neglect, and physical and verbal abuse you endured seemed to come crashing down on Celestia. I even explained why you did what you did, but that seemed to have only worsened her mood.”

“After Rain Claw was sent away to life imprisonment, Celestia simply said to look after you until you woke up.” Shining said. “She’s locked herself in her chambers ever since.”

“I have tried to console with my sister, but she refuses to leave or even speak. The only time I would ever see her is when we rise and lower the sun and moon.”

“I guess, ahem…I guess hearing the whole truth must’ve shocked her.”

“More than that, it devastated her.” Luna said. “Hearing what Blueblood was up to, that you weren’t guilty of the crime, and how you took the fall without even needing to has caused my sister to fall in a depressed state. I now worry for her mental health, for that matter her physical health, since she has not left her chambers in so long. Meanwhile, I had to step in her place to look after ruling Equestria. I had the nobility who were working as spies, along with any of the staff members, rounded up and sent immediately to the dungeons. When ponies asked why I would do such a thing, Sir Shining and I revealed to everypony what we told Celestia.”

“So everyone knows now?”

“Yes, and thanks to the information we got from Rain Claw and the other spies, I’ve had my soldiers scour the city for their hideouts. During our hunt, we discovered these ponies have been around for quite some time and have been biding their time. Blueblood was supposed to speed their plans up but I guess, thanks to you, they were never able to. Not only that, but I’ve had everypony stationed throughout Equestria to investigate the area’s Rain Claw and the spies told us about any locations we discovered in the hideouts we raided. I’m confident to say that we have The Purest Ones on the run. It will take time to round them all up, but I don’t think they’ll be causing any trouble soon.” Shining explained.

“Guess that explains the stuff on my cast.”

“Indeed, everypony is calling you a selfless hero. They say you risked so much for the sake of others and endured it all despite all the allegations towards you.” Luna said with a smile.

“I wouldn’t call myself a hero, I still did something very stupid that shouldn’t have even happened in the first place. If I had just fessed up instead of keeping things to myself, I wouldn’t be here with my leg hitched up and a gut wound.”

“Be that as it may, you will be pleased to know that all charges against you have been dropped. As of now, you are a free human and respected by many.” Luna said.

Well I’ll be damned, it’s about time this happened. I almost believed I would spend the rest of my life in that cell. The Purest Ones are in the run, I’m no longer a wanted pariah to the public, and I’ll soon get to smell fresh air after all those months of confinement. I would be happy about all this, but there was one thing I had to do first.

“I…want to speak with Celestia.”

Luna and Shining look at each other, and back to me with worried expressions.

“Are you sure you wanna do that?” Shining asks.

“She’s tearing herself up for something I did. I won’t be satisfied with my freedom until I give her the closure she needs.”

“But you didn’t do anything.”

“Not the crime, but the unjust blame I took for no reason. You both remember what was said and done to me, she even did and said those things herself. If I leave it all as is, she’ll continue to besmirch herself and fall deeper into depression. She needs to know that I hold no ill will against her so she can move on.”

“Do believe your words will reach her?” Luna asks.

“They have to, it’s the only way.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Luna nods and leaves the room to try and get Celestia to come to my room.

“It’s been a crazy last few months, hasn’t it?” Shining said.

“In more ways than one, but it’s not over yet. If you don’t mind, I need the room for my conversation with Celestia.”

“Sure, I’ll be around if you need me.” Shining said as he left the room.

Some time later, I was properly sitting up straight after some help from the doctors and with the use of some healing magic here and there on my body, they were able to remove the bandages and stitches from my stomach. Now I’ve got a pretty badass looking scar which would be a pretty cool story to tell if anyone asked. To my surprise, many different ponies came in to visit me while I recovered and even some nobles came to pay respects. I was even visited by some of the guards who beat me up most of the time and they offered to let me take a swing at them to get even but I turned them down and told them it was water under the bridge. All the while, I patiently waited for Celestia to visit me so that we could properly talk to one another.

It was late in the afternoon and the sun’s rays were shining in through the window and I was getting my checkup from the doctor. There was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal the sun Princess herself. Despite her usual regal appearance, her face was riddled with emotions. Her eyes had bags and were bloodshot, probably from crying, her mane was flowing as usual but not wasn’t as flashy and magical, and her dress looked a tad raged. I could only imagine what she looked liked underneath all this, she must’ve just scraped this look together to look somewhat presentable to the public. I nodded to the doctor and he nodded back and bowed to the Princess before leaving the room. There was a bit of an awkward silence between the two of us until I cleared my throat.

“Would you like to sit down?”

Celestia looks away for a moment but nods slowly as she walks over and takes a seat beside my bed.

“You look good.”

“Oh, thank you but…I must look like a mess.”

“Nah, I don’t mind. I’m glad you came.”

“You’re glad? Why would you be glad to see me of all ponies?”

“It wasn’t your fault, you know. I’m the one who misled you for so long.”

“And yet I still did and said those terrible and downright cruel things to you. I’m the Princess of Equestria and I let my emotions spiral out of control which made me lash out to at you. I’m such a terrible pony…” Celestia said as her tears returned.

“Princess…”

“And what’s worse is that my own nephew was plotting against me and everypony else. I did my best to raise that colt but in the end it seems he was too far gone. He tried to kill you, my sister tried to stop him, and it costed him his life. So much bad has happened so fast and I was completely oblivious to it. You risked so much for the sake of me, my sister, and this kingdom even though you aren’t originally from here and asked for nothing in return.”

“And yet here I am, nearly dying for something that could’ve easily been avoided had I told the truth.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I don’t know, I guess I was under some foolish notion that if the truth had been brought to light, Luna would be harshly blamed even though she already had a bit of a rep and you’d blame her for his death because of her hatred towards him. Though that all just seems like a bad excuse since you’d never do anything to your sister for the life of you.”

Celestia looks away and frowns.

“You almost died.”

“But I survived.”

“I said those deplorable things to you.”

“Sticks and stones.”

“I…harmed you by my own hand.”

“Well to be fair, I did provoke you.”

“How can you be so nonchalant about this?!” Celestia demands. “Why don’t you say something back to me?! Call me a terrible ruler! Insult me! Tell me I’m the worst being you have ever met! Better yet, why don’t you get even with me and strike me down yourself!”

“Why would I hit you?”

“BECAUSE IT IS WHAT I DESERVE!” Celestia cried as she buried her face in her hands. “I tried my best, I really did, but in the end there are those who think I am unworthy of the throne an have turned to forming a cult to overthrow my sister and I so that they may take over. Have I allowed this kingdom to fall so low that my own subjects would turn against me?! Not only that, but my own blood?! Did Blueblood hate me so much he’d give my sister and I up like that?! I even went as far to harm somepony who was supposed to be my friend! I…I’m a disgrace! A horrible, horrible disgrace of a pony and Princess!”

I could only frown at the weeping princess before me. I knew this would happen, but I didn’t expect it to be taken so personally. All this drama, this violence, and the tears that are being shed were all kinda my fault. Celestia is a total mess and I wanted to console her, though there was only one thing I could say.

“I forgive you.”

Celestia looks up to me with tears still streaming down her muzzle.

“…What?”

“I forgive you.” I repeat.

“But I-”

I reach over and grab her arm and pull her into a hug, making her gasp.

“I forgive you, and I’m sorry.”

Celestia whimpers a little and wraps her arms around my torso and balls her eyes out. Her cries could be heard throughout the whole med wing but I didn’t care and neither did she. I just kept holding her close as she cried and rubbed her back. It was over…it was all finally over, yet it all still was bittersweet…

Author's Note

Holding a grudge doesn’t make you strong; it makes you bitter. Forgiving doesn’t make you weak; it sets you free.

Next chapter, the end.

~WurkyWilk has left the building…