Chapters Friendship is Failure #26- A Hearths Warming Battle
ACT ONE
It was that time of the year again…
The grounds were white with snow, kids were ice-skating, tobogganing, or just having friendly snowball fights.
Others were decorating, wrapping gifts, setting up trees and everything else.
Donations were being made to help feed the poor and homeless too.
Still, the one thing Princess Twilight loved was all the jolliness, smiling faces, and warmth coming from everyone as she strolled through Ponyville with Starlight and Spike—as part of their Hearths Warming Preparation duties.
Twilight shut her eyes and breathed in softly but deeply.
“Are you alright?” asked Starlight.
“I’m fine, I’m just smelling the sweetness of Hearths Warming. I can just feel it all around me.”
She looked all over at all the ponies and other creatures giving helping hooves to others-- holding doors open, reaching for high places, or giving others a boost up to help with the decorating.
Some were already exchanging presents, despite Hearths Warming being a week away.
“That’s the part I love most.” Spike said, eyeing all the presents.
Twilight looked disappointed, “Spike, you know Hearths Warming is more than just the presents.”
“I know, but I still love it.”
Starlight chuckled, “He’s got a point, I like presents too…”
Twilight looked cross with them both.
“…But I do love all the warmth too.” Starlight quickly said.
Many ponies passed by wishing the group, “…Happy Hearths Warming.”
The Cutiemark Crusaders were going around selling fresh-baked cookies for their own school charity.
“Would you like some?” asked Sweetie Belle.
Spike couldn’t stop drooling at the sight of how delicious those cookies all looked.
Twilight decided to buy a whole box, much to the Crusaders’ delight.
“Yee-Haw! We just made a big sale!” cheered Applebloom.
“Thank you, Twilight.” Said Scootaloo.
“You’re very welcome, girls, and Happy Hearths Warming.”
“Happy Hearths Warming!” the girls replied as they went off on their merry way.
“That was so nice.” said Starlight.
Spike was too busy in a daze over the cookies in the box, but Twilight only took out three-- one for each of them.
The rest she intended to share with passersby for free, as her own gesture-- much to Spike’s slight chagrin.
“Thank you…”
“That’s so nice.”
“I’d expect nothing less from you, Princess.”
Many nice comments, and all the smiling faces just warmed Twilight’s heart to the point where she felt she had to loosen her scarf.
Then she looked in the box and saw, “Aw, there’s one cookie left.”
Spike wanted himself, but Starlight shook her head at him, leaving him sulking in disappointment.
One pony came along-- a pale green coated Earth Pony with a soft brown mane, and his cutiemark was that of a Pinetree with snow all over it…
…He didn’t look very happy, though. He even looked a bit disheveled-- he had tiny bit of facial hair, his mane looked a little frazzled, and he was wearing a ragged coat, beat up boots and a very old looking scarf.
“Happy Hearths Warming…” Twilight said offering him the last cookie, but much to her surprise, the pony gave her a weak smile while holding up his hoof and gave her a polite, “No thank you.” and he just walked off.
Twilight kept looking at him with wide eyes until he disappeared around the corner.
“What was that about?” asked Starlight.
Even Spike was shocked, he didn’t even bother to jump for the cookie that Twilight was still holding in her hoof.
Just then, Pinkie Pie came galloping up the road calling, “Twilight! Twilight…!” she stopped before her, catching her breath. “…Need to… talk about… something…”
Then she saw, “…Ooh, cookie, and she just chomped it down on impulse.”
“Ah, rats!” grumbled Spike.
“What’s wrong?” asked Starlight.
Pinkie asked, “I was out giving my usual holiday cheers-- you know I love doing that.” She then revealed a sack of candy canes she had on her saddle.
Spike nearly fell into another daze again at the sight of those shining candies, but this time he kept his head.
Pinkie went on explaining, “…I came across this green pony. He looked as if he could use a friend, and I offered him a candy cane, but he said, “No thanks” and just went off.”
“Green pony?” murmured Twilight. It couldn’t just be a coincidence that it was the same one who just refused her too.
Rarity then came along, and she looked ready to pass out, but not from walking through the snow. She was nearly having one of her fits again.
“Oh, Twilight, thank goodness I’ve found you! The worst thing I have ever seen has happened! It’s so horrible!!”
She kept on ranting and whining until Starlight gave her a hard stare telling her, “…Say it!”
Rarity explained how she, too, came across a green pony, “He seemed badly dressed in such rags and filth. I offered him to shop in my boutique-- I have the best winter garments, not to mention most fashionable-- and he had the nerve to brush me off!”
“He brushed you off?!” snapped Spike. He hated it when others acted shameful towards her. “How dare he! Just what did he say?”
Rarity then felt embarrassed and admitted, “Well… perhaps he didn’t really brush me off. He said, “Thank you, but no” rather politely.
…But that still is no reason to reject a fashionable offer from moi, especially considering the clothing he had.”
The others were far from amused, but Twilight felt it had to be that pony who passed her.
“Who is he?” she wondered. “And more importantly, why does he look so down, and at Hearth’s Warming, of all times.”
“Uh, oh…” Spike groaned “…I think I know what’s coming.” He was right-- Twilight had that look in her eye.
“I think we’ve got a Friendship Mission.”
The other ponies agreed.
“First we have to find that pony and talk to him.” suggested Twilight.
“Uh… just one problem,” said Starlight. “…Does any-pony know where he is?”
They had all seen the guy, but by now he was probably miles away.
“No problem. I got this.” said Pinkie, and she mysteriously bounded her way up a lamppost and shouted into a megaphone. “HEY, EVERY-PONY!! WE’RE LOOKING FOR A GREEN PONY WITH RAGGED CLOTHES!
ANY PONY SEEN HIM?!!”
Naturally, none of the civilians had any idea of who she was referring to. Some others even ignored her, and they all went about their ways.
Pinkie hopped back down to the ground. “Well, I tried.”
The others shook off the shock and awkwardness from her antics.
“Well, what do we do now?” asked Spike.
“He’s got to be around here somewhere.” said Twilight. “Let’s split up and look for him.”
The group agreed, and split up, but Spike stayed with Twilight.
Pinkie searched all kinds of places, especially unusual-- under rocks, in trashcans, up the lampposts… typical of her.
The others didn’t have much luck either.
Every pony they questioned always shook their heads, unaware of the pony they were talking about.
A few hours later, the gang all met up at Sugar Cube Corners for some hot cocoa.
“Boy, did that feel like a waste of time.” grumbled Spike.
Rarity could barely bring herself to levitate her hot cup to her lips; she couldn’t stop thinking of that pony, whoever he was.
“He could freeze out there with the clothes he has on!” she cried “We simply must find him! We must!”
“Keep it down!” scolded Starlight. “We don’t need the entire café to hear us.”
Twilight was too lost in her own daze, constantly stirring her cocoa to the point that it started to thicken from evaporation…
…Until Carrot Cake came along with a letter. “Twilight, this came for you. It doesn’t say who it’s from though.”
“Thank you.” replied Twilight.
The letter simply read…
“If you seek me, then meet me in the meadows, by the lone redwood after dark.”
Was it that much a coincidence, or some kind of trick?”
“It can’t be from him.” said Starlight.
“But we can’t prove that it isn’t.”
Spike examined the letter. “Why would he ask us to meet him after dark, and in the meadows?” he shivered with thought. “It’s even colder at night, especially out there.”
Twilight narrowed her eyes at the letter.
“Twilight are you actually thinking…” Spike said, but Twilight already nodded. “I’m going to do it.”
“Twilight, you can’t!” cried Rarity. “You know it’s dark out there in the meadows at night, and Spike is quite right. It will be positively freezing!”
“Besides…” added Pinkie “You know the curfew-- Ponies are supposed to be at home after sundown.”
Twilight was well-aware, but the temptation was too great. “…This is an important matter, and besides. What if he stands out there all night and I don’t show up.
He’s already violating curfew. I can use the excuse to investigate.”
She then looked around at all her friends, “I could use some company out there.”
The friends all looked back and forth at one another…
…Then, at night, they were all out in the meadows. It was dark-- being out of town, away from all the streetlights-- it was snowing, and cold. The friends had wrapped themselves in extra warm clothes, and blankets, and had a little bonfire… but it was all starting to lose its charm.
“I wish I was home in my nice warm bed!” shivered Spike.
Pinkie gave a huge sniff. Her nostrils were so cold she could hardly feel it. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”
Twilight was the only one who didn’t seem cold. Her mind was far too fixated on meeting the strange pony to let the cold bother her.
“Come on, Twilight…” Starlight said “This is just one big hoax. We’re all getting cold.”
Twilight sighed. She was beginning to feel that this was a waste of time… until…
…She could see someone in the distance coming up to the tree.
“Who’s that?” asked Rarity. It was still rather dark to make things out clearly.
Twilight stepped out into the open, and the stranger came into full view-- the Green Pony she had been hoping to meet.
“So, you’ve come.” he said in a rather gloomy voice.
“What’s your name?” Twilight asked.
The pony shook his head, “That’s not important. Nothing is now.”
Twilight didn’t like the way his voice sounded-- all gloomy and shaky. These were signs of a downhearted creature.
“Why have you called me here?” she asked.
“I need you to do me a huge favor.” the pony paused, trying to find it in himself to say it out loud. “Princess Twilight Sparkle… I want you to--” he paused again “What I mean is--” he stopped again, and then finally he let it out.
“…I need you to kill me!”
Twilight’s eyes bulged!
“What?!” snapped Rarity.
Pinkie gasped in so hard she practically vacuumed up the falling snowflakes into her mouth.
“What did he just say?!” exclaimed Spike.
Starlight was totally speechless!
Friendship is Failure #26- A Hearths Warming Battle
ACT TWO
Twilight stood where she was for a whole minute, still unable to believe what she had just been asked.
“Excuse me…?!” she asked in total shock. “What did you just say?”
The pony glared at her, with a new look of desperation in his eyes. “I want you to kill me… right here and now! You have the power. You can do it!”
The friends were more horrified than ever, and Twilight immediately snapped, “No! I’ll do no such thing!”
“Please! I beg you…!” wailed the pony. “I’m desperate!”
“No!!” Twilight shouted. Her voice echoed across the field.
The other pony looked ready to explode, but he stayed calm. “I don’t believe this… and I thought you always were willing to help those in need.”
The friends dashed up to Twilight, and they gave the other pony stern expressions.
“Look, pal…!” snapped Spike. “I don’t know who you are, but sane ponies don’t go around making requests like that!”
“Why in the world would you ask Princess Twilight to kill you?!” added Starlight.
“Because I’ve tried everything else!” the pony admitted.
“Everything else?!” gasped Rarity. “You mean you’ve attempted death before?”
The pony nodded, “Nothing worked, I was either too chicken to go through with, or everything else I wasn’t chicken with never worked.”
He reminisced all his failed suicide attempts…
-Hanging himself by a noose, but he was never able to find something strong enough to hang by-- the object would always break off
-He tried jumping off a high cliff-- he was too scared of heights.
-He tried staying out in the cold weather underdressed hoping to get sick from disease-- He caught a cold, but that was it-- nothing serious.
-He tried to drown himself in water, but his involuntary reflexes always made him book it back up for air again-- he was too chicken.
“…That’s just to name a few.” he admitted.
Twilight was so horrified she had nearly forgotten how to breathe. “…But why would you want to die?!” she asked in a deeply concerned tone.
The pony looked down at the snow-covered ground, heating. Then he finally admitted, “…I don’t want to live anymore, and I don’t want to see anyone or talk to anyone.
Everyone’s nothing but wrenching, greedy, selfish, snobs, who’d do anything to make my life worse than Tartarus, and I was nearly sent there.”
“You nearly went to Tartarus?!” cried Pinkie. “That’s nuts! That’s insane! That’s… That’s…!!”
“…That’s… enough, Pinkie.” said Twilight. “This pony needs help right now.”
“No, I don’t!” insisted the pony. “The only thing I need is death-- That is all!”
“How can you say that? Who exactly are you?”
“I’m no-pony important, and my death won’t make a difference to anyone! Now, again, kill me, and do it now!”
“I told you… No! I won’t do it! I want to try and help you, but I can’t if you don’t tell me your problem.”
“You couldn’t help me even if I did tell you!”
“Try me!”
At first, he was hesitant, and then he suddenly felt maybe it would help Twilight see his point of view, and he could convince her to go through with it.
“Fine, I’ll tell you…”
“Um… does it have to be here?” Spike asked with a shiver, “…No offense, but it’s freezing out here.”
“Agreed…” said Twilight, and she said to the pony, “You’re coming with me, to my castle.”
The pony stepped back, “I don’t want any hospitality from you.”
Starlight was losing her patience. “Okay, this going way too far. We’re all trying to be nice to you…” was as far as she got until Twilight held up her hoof silencing her.
“You all go back then, I’ll stay here.”
“But Twilight!” protested Rarity.
“No buts!”
She really wanted an explanation, and if this was only way to get it, she’d have to play by the guy’s rules and talk out in the cold.
Starlight relented. “All right, but you come straight home as soon as this is over.” Then she teleported herself and the others back to the castle where it was warmer.
Twilight stood waiting. “Go on… tell me everything.”
The pony sighed softly. He really didn’t want to have to tell his story-- it was too much for him to relive the horrible memories.
“My name is Logger Jack, and I used to lead the good life…
*Jack’s POV*
I used to be a fine lumber jack. I knew how to how to cut down trees-- which trees to pick, how to cut them down so they’d fall over smoothly, and how to grind and cut them up to make the right sized logs and woods.
My best specialty was cutting down trees for Hearths Warming-- hence my Cutie Mark.
No pony chose finer trees that could sparkle and glisten, and really give off that comforting glow.
I became so famous that I started my own logger business. Not only did we continue to distribute Hearths Warming trees, but we replanted new trees after we cut others down to grow more forest.
I had it all, money, a good company, stock investments, but most of all, I had a nice home and a loving wife. We were going to start a family together. I couldn’t wait for that. A family would be so wonderful…
…But it never happened!
The stocks that I invested in crashed and burned faster than a comet. The money was all gone, and my company was starting to fall with it!
My workers were angry and blamed me for it. I did invest their money in the stocks, but only because they wanted in on it, even though I warned them they’d be doing it at their own risk and expense.
They just kept blaming me for it, and some of them sued me, accusing me of theft and embezzling their money.
The case was taken to court, and despite my efforts I lost! It seemed that no one cared for facts, or evidence; they just wanted someone to blame for it. I suspected the trial was a farce set up to denounce and defame me, but I couldn’t prove it, nor could I convince the judge it wasn’t my fault!
I was given a choice: Sell my company to pay off all my former workers or go to prison in Tartarus!
It was a no-win for me! I lost my company either way.
…But that wasn’t all I lost. My wife up and left me, she said “There’s no way I’m staying married to a jobless criminal.”
I tried to find a new job, but everywhere I went it was the same story.
“You cost my friend his job.”
“I don’t want you.”
“I won’t have criminals in my company.”
Everywhere, ponies kept treating me like I wasn’t to be trusted.
I tried to go back to being a simple logger, but nobody would buy from me-- no longer trusting me.
My money was dwindling. I got evicted from my home, and I kept on losing, and losing, more and more each day, until all I had left was a few clothes I had on, and my criminal record!
*POV Ends*
Jack was cringing painfully and doing his best not to shed any tears!
Twilight could understand it all now, and she couldn’t believe this would happen.
“How could some ponies be so blind and cruel?!” she wondered.
Jack turned his head to look at Ponvyville, and how all the Hearths Warming lights made the town glisten in the distance.
“I especially hate Hearths Warming!” he grumbled while quivering miserably. “It’s bad enough the season reminds me of the life and comfort I used to have, but seeing every pony else being kind, caring, and giving to all others except me!
It’s just too much!”
Twilight protested, “But my friends and I tried to be nice to you. We tried to offer you kindness.”
“…And you’re lucky I refused it.” snapped Jack. “Some ponies did try to offer me some shred of care, hope, and kindness, but the majority who hated me were quick to scorn them for it, causing them to rescind their acts of kindness-- unless they wanted to be dragged down with me.”
“What?!” cried Twilight.
“You heard me! If you or your friends were seen being kind to me, you would’ve been just as easily denounced and mocked by those who have it out for me.
The bottom line is… I have nothing left to live for. I don’t even want to live anymore! What’s the point? I’m tired of being picked on, I’m sick of having things taken from me, and I can’t stand seeing all the happiness, cheer, and joy that I once had but won’t ever get again.
That’s why I brought you out here. I want you to kill me; right here, right now! It’s the best thing for it, and I’ll finally be free of all this pain and misery!
…KILL ME NOW!!”
Friendship is Failure #26- A Hearths Warming Battle
ACT THREE
“Please… just kill me!” Jack begged, but once again, Twilight insisted, “I’ll do no such thing! Killing yourself won’t solve anything, and I won’t be responsible for the murder of someone.”
“Look around you!” protested Jack. “There are no witnesses. Why do you think I called you here? And even if others find out, they won’t care that you did it. No pony cares about it, it’s best for everyone!”
“ENOUGH!!!” Twilight bellowed. Her shout was so strong, she nearly blew the snow around her in a magical shockwave.
She took a moment to cool down, and then she spoke calmly. “I won’t kill you. I want to help you. Let’s go back to Ponyville and work this out. I can help you get your life back on track.”
“And I told you that you can’t and shouldn’t even try, or you’ll just be brought down with me!” growled Jack, but he could see that there was no other alternative.
“I hoped it wouldn’t come to this…!”
He reached in under his scarf and held up a small, shining red orb, which Twilight recognized almost at once, and before she could do anything, Jack had smashed the orb on the ground…
POW!! A magical burst of energy erupted, spreading across the fields, and trapping them both in a wide, glowing force-field!
“What have you done?!” shouted Twilight.
Jack snickered with insanity, “I’d figure you’d recognize a Duel Field of al ponies.”
Twilight cringed. They were now both trapped in a magical field that would only be dispelled… when one of them died!
Even Twilight’s best spells could not break it from the inside-- especially if she was one of the subjects being forced to fight. She couldn’t teleport out of the barrier either.
“Now you have no choice,” laughed Jack. “You have to kill me, or you’ll never get out of this!”
Twilight could not believe this, but she still refused to do so, or even make a move.
“Still refuse?” sneered Jack. “I can change that too…” he reached down into the snow and pulled out a long spear. With a wide bayonet blade at its tip, with an alicorn marking on the face and back.
Twilight gasped at the sight of it. “I know that!” she cried. “That’s the Magical Bayonet of Wonders!”
It was an ancient weapon said to hold great power to match an alicorn’s strength. Twilight had read about it in history, but she didn’t think it existed.
“I was just as amazed myself.” Jack explained. “Years ago, I was cutting down a very old, and large tree out in the Badlands, and there it was-- hidden there for centuries.
It was always kept secret, and I never thought I’d have to use it for such a thing, but now… it calls for it!”
He let out a huge roar and charged towards Twilight, forcing her to leap up high and out of the way. She still made no attempt to fight back.
“Stop this!!” she begged, but Jack’s sanity was far too gone for him to be reached.
He then aimed the blade up high and fired magical blasts from it, forcing Twilight to fly about to avoid them.
“You think you can escape this one?!” Jack shouted. “Make it easier on yourself and do me in!!”
He fired another shot, bigger than the others. Twilight put up a magical wall to protect herself, but the blast was so hard that it knocked her back hard, and she crashed to the ground.
The blade’s power was just as the legend read!
Twilight was finally starting to realize the danger she was in, and since reasoning with Jack at this point was growing more and more hopeless, she decided to try and at least disarm him.
Jack roared and came at her, and she teleported herself out of the way causing him to plop hard into the snow.
Twilight then tried to yank the weapon away with her magic, only to find it was impervious.
“No!” Twilight groaned.
“Sorry, you’ll have to do better than that!” teased Jack, and fire a huge burst of burning energy at Twilight, forcing her to dodge again.
“You can’t keep up like this forever!” shouted Jack. “You know the only way to out of this! You have to kill me!”
He fired another blast, dlibertly missing Twilight, making the ground explode, and the force of which sent her sailing through the air and crashing down hard.
She got up and saw Jack walking towards her with the weapon ready. She knew Jack could not be reasoned with, and her magic was powerless aginast the weapon.
“Wait a minute…” she said to herself. “It’s not the weapon I should focus on, by Jack himself.”
She had a plan.
“Alright!” she suddenly shouted. “You win-- I’ll do it.”
Jack stopped, unable to believe his ears. “You will? You’ll kill me?”
With a look of extreme regret on her face, Twilight nodded. This made Jack drop the weapon down.
“Thank you.” He said kindly. Every last bit of his teroristic attitude had faded, and he stood tall with his front limbs up high, “Make it quick.”
Twilight stood ready, and she powered up her horn for a really big blast, aiming straight at Jack’s heart…!
Then she quickly lowered her head and shot at the ground just a few feet in front of him, making a big explosion which blew both jack and the weapon to opposite ends of the dome.
Jack landed flat on his back, and before he knew it, Twilight had teleported to him and used her magic to hold him down!
“You tricked me!!” he screamed.
“Stop it!” shouted Twilight. “Stop this right now! I’m going to get you some help and that’s final!”
“NO!!!” wailed Jack. “The only help I want is death!!”
“I said knock it off! You can’t do this to yourself! It doesn’t have to be this way! I can help you get back on your feet again.”
“No, you can’t!”
“Yes, I can! Just give me a chance!”
She still had one problem: how to break the barrier down without either of them dying. Her spells couldn’t do a thing from inside.
As for Jack, he wasn’t beaten quite yet. Though he couldn’t move, he could see the weapon far on the other side of the area, and he knew something about it Twilight was overlooking…!
He quickly concentrated his eyes squarley on the weapon, which began to vibrate…!
“Huh?” Twilight looked behind just in time to see the weapon coming straight at her like a missle, forcing her to hit the dirt.
The weapon soared past her and pierced the magic over Jack, dispelling it. “Looks like you forgot about reading the weapons history.” he sneered. “It can react strongly to the one who weilds it an come to their aid.”
He got up on his feet and grabbed it again, and he was furious.
“You lied to me! You got my hopes up! I’m not falling for it again!”
Twilight sighed irritably. She couldn’t believe how crazy this pony was.
Jack roared as he rushed to attack her, hoping she would come to her senses and finally do him in.
As for Twilight, she was starting to get tired from all the dodging and running around, while Jack was able to keep on going-- fueled by his insanity and rage.
By this point, Jack was so desperate to have Twilight do what he wanted that he stood in the dead center of the area and held the weapon above his head.
The weapon began glowing brightly charging up with more and more power.
“Oh, no!” cried Twilight.
“Oh, yes!!” shouted Jack. “The weapon’s most powerful ability. It absorbs my life energy, combining it with its own magic into one super, concentrated blast! There’s no avoiding this!”
Twilight looked around and realized there was no place for her to run, and even if she teleported, what was to stop Jack from spinning around and shooting in that very direction?
“There’s no way out this time!” hollered Jack. “You know the only way out this-- you’ll have to reflect the blast back at me.”
“No! I won’t!” barked Twilight. She knew that was exactly what he wanted, and she was still not willing to kill him or anything, but she couldn’t see any other way to get out of this predicament…
…Except when she thought to herself. “He wants me to kill him… But if he kills me, there won’t be any-pony left to kill him. Then why is he--”
It dawned on her, he had no intention to kill her with this big blast, or even at all, an given the fact from what he said earlier, she was willing to stake her life on something.
So, she just stood there idly, and did absolutely nothing.
“Huh?” Jack was most surprised. She wasn’t moving or making any attempts to defend herself or stop him; not even when the blast was fully empowered and ready to fire at her.
Twilight remained where she was, feeling incredibly nervous inside, but still well-prepared for anything.
“I’m going to kill you now!” Jack shouted, hoping Twilight would at least say something, but she still said and did nothing. She just stared at him blankly with an unimpressed expression.
Jack angrily pointed the weapon at her ready for the kill, but his nerves were racking up making him quiver nervously.
He didn’t want to kill Twilight at all, or he’d have no one to kill he himself, and he knew she didn’t deserve it.
Now that he thought about it, “The blast is still at full power.” he said to himself, and he realized “This is my chance!”
He thought of just ending it all right here and blasting his own self, except, his nerves were still shaking-- he didn’t seem to have the courage to do it.
The energy was starting to get brighter and hotter, as if it were overloading. It needed to be unleashed.
…Twilight could see this too, and finally her chance had arrived.
While Jack was distracted by his nerves, she shot a blast of magic near where he stood, making a small explosion that knocked him back, causing him to throw the weapon up high into a spin.
*Slow-motion*
“NOOOOOOOOO…!!!” Twilight shouted as she leapt up high, catching the weapon in her limbs, and the blast fired with a great bit burst!
*Normal Speed*
KAPOW!! The blast struck the roof of the barrier with incredible force, making a huge explosion that threw Twilight to the ground hard as blew snow all over her!
The energy bled away into nothing, and all was quiet.
Twilight pushed her way through the snow that covered her, with the weapon still in her possession.
She fell on her tail with a huge sigh of relief. “I don’t want to begin to think how close that was!”
Unfortunately, the barrier was still intact, for neither she nor Jack had died…
…But suddenly!
There was a bright flash of light coming from outside, a light which struck the top of the barrier causing it to slowly dispel away.
“What?”
She was surprised and couldn’t understand it at first, until she saw none other than Princess Celestia and Princess Luna descending from above, both shrouded in bright aura.
Twilight was ever so happy to see them, and she bowed to them graciously. “Thank you so much!” then she asked, “But how did you know…?”
Celestia motioned over to her left where all of Twilight’s friends stood.
Starlight was at the head of the group, smiling warmly.
“She sent us message immediately.” explained Celestia. “We were also able to feel the massive energies, and we could tell something was quite wrong.”
Luna then spotted the weapon on the ground next to Twilight, and she picked it up.
“This has been lost for many centuries. We will ensure it is properly sealed. In the wrong possession, it can cause grave devastation.
Twilight gasped when she realized…
She could see up ahead-- Jack was lying half buried in the snow. He was curled up into a ball shaking miserly and sobbing softly. “I wanna die! I just wanna die!”
Regardless of the insanity and horrible acts he had committed, Twilight felt positively heartbroken for the poor pony. Seeing him like this, so incredibly miserable and lost.
“He needs help, really bad.”
The Princesses and the friends all agreed.
Friendship is Failure #26- A Hearths Warming Battle
Final Act: Inspiring Death
ACT FOUR
Jack was immediately sent to a psychiatric hospital where it hoped he would get the help and treatment he needed to get his life back on track.
Twilight spent a few days restless and sleepless, worrying about him and wondering if he was going to be okay.
She just stared down blankly at her breakfast with sleepy eyes.
“Come on, Twilight. You’ve got to eat.” said Spike.
She could only shake her head grimly. “I’m just not that hungry, Spike. I can’t stop thinking about Jack.”
Starlight sighed, “We’ve though this before, Twilight… You’ve done everything you can. At least you got him into help he could use.”
Twilight still didn’t feel any better. “How do I know it will work out? How will I know if he’s going to get better?”
“You don’t,” replied Starfleet. “And anyway… it isn’t up to you to decide. Getting better doesn’t just happen overnight; it can take a really, really long time. There is no magic spell, or instant cure for things like this.
…I know this better than any pony.” She referred to how it took a while for her to see the light and turn her life around.
Twilight managed a soft smile and found strength to eat up.
After breakfast, she decided to go out for a long walk and try to clear her mind.
She thought the joy of seeing all ponies prepare for Hearths Warming would cheer her up a little, and for a while it did seem to.
Lots of ponies seemed happy and joyful as they walked or skipped through the streets with joy and giddiness.
Twilight assumed it was because the holidays were just around the corner-- only a few days away.
She even thought to herself, “It would be a Hearths Warming miracle if Jack would get better.”
More, and more ponies were acting so joyful and happy, but Twilight suddenly realized they were cheering for something else…
“He’s gone!”
“About time he went.”
“I wish I could’ve seen him when it happened.”
“What’s happening?” Twilight asked, but no one stopped to give her an answer.
Then she saw a whole herd of ponies crowding by the newsstands, asking/demanding for papers with the story everyone was so excited about.
She excused herself past the crowds-- being Princess of Friendship, the ponies graciously parted ways to let her in.
She reached the stand, and took one look at one of the newspapers to which the front page read:
“Psychiatric Patient Dies in Hospital.”
“What?!” Twilight’s heart skipped a beat, and her insides felt they were shredding even more to learn it was indeed Logger Jack who had died.
The story read that there was a struggle between him and the doctors to take a sedation to calm him down when he was caught trying to hang himself.
“The doctors attempted to sedate him with an injection,” the story read, “But in a frantic struggle, he was accidentally jabbed directly in the heart, and the sedation caused him to go in cardiac arrest.
He died while smiling gleefully.”
Twilight could not believe this at all. “He’s dead!” she cried. “And not a minute too soon.” the news dealer said, further shocking her.
All the ponies seemed to be rejoicing over Jack’s death.
“He was a loser.”
“We’re better off having lost him.”
“This is best Hearths Warming ever-- he’s gone.”
More taunting and heckling heard from all the passersby. Twilight remembered what Jack had warned her; about nobody caring about helping him, or anything of the sort.
She finally burst out shouting. “WHAT IS WITH ALL OF YOU?!!”
The streets went silent, and every pony gazed at her in shock and confusion.
One of the civilians asked, “Princess Twilight, don’t tell me you actually showed compassion to that creep?”
Another one of the civilians spoke up, revealing herself to be Jack’s ex-wife. “I was glad when I divorced him. He wasn’t going anywhere after he was given that trial. They should’ve locked him up when they had the chance.”
That blow really hit Twilight’s heart hard, and she scolded the mare. “A true wife would have stood by while her husband was being wrongfully treated for a crime he didn’t commit!”
The mare fell silent.
Then Twilight scolded everyone else and told them about her confrontation with Jack and how he asked her to kill him.
“He battled you?” exclaimed a civilian.
“You didn’t even have the freak arrested?!” expressed another.
“I would’ve had him sent to Tartarus just for being seen.”
It seemed everyone seemed to have their reasons for unjustly hating Jack-- exactly as Jack had warned Twilight about, and then it got worse.
“Are you actually concerned for him?”
“What’s wrong with you, Princess?”
“If you had any sense, you’d be joyous like we all are.”
Everyone scolded Twilight for showing any compassion for Jack-- again, he warned her it would happen.
Everyone began to cheer and chant. “JACK IS DEAD! JACK IS DEAD! JACK IS DEAD!”
Overly and incredibly outraged, and her cheeks turning red with anger, Twilight dashed off and vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the town’s ponies more confused than ever.
“What’s eating her?”
“She’s as crazy as Jack was.”
“Ah, she’ll come around.”
Twilight went back to the castle and explained everything to Spike and Starlight.
“I can’t believe how cruel they were!” she said while clutching a cushion. “It’s no wonder Jack was so unhappy, and now he’s… he’s…!”
She could barely control herself, and a small tear fell from her eye. Not that she was friends with Jack, but she felt so bad for him, and was outraged by the heartlessness of others.
This was more than just a mere saddening; she felt her Hearths Warming spirit crushed, and so close to Hearths Warming itself.
Starlight and Spike tried to comfort her, but they both felt equally outraged, and honestly didn’t know what to say to her.
Twilight let out a soft lecture. “Hearths Warming is supposed to be about kindness, caring, and sharing. To be thinking about others, and not just yourself! Other ponies don’t have it as big or as warm as some do, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t entitled to it just because you don’t like them or have misjudged them. It’s Peace in the world, and good will to “All” not just “Some.”
Those who think like that don’t know the true meaning of Hearths Warming and disgrace its gentle warmth and spirit, and yet even then, they are entitled to just a little bit of peace and comfort.”
Spike and Starlight were astounded by what she had just said.
Twilight then excused herself to go and lie down in her room for a while.
Still inspired by Twilight’s speech, Spike and Starlight happened upon the same idea, and they secretly got to work.
They spent the next few nights on their project when Twilight was asleep.
Spike used a quill to write down Twilight’s speech on blank cards, and Starlight enchanted several quills to write out the speech again and again on more cards-- enough to be sent to every home in all Equestria.
Spike’s claw began to ache from all the writing and folding cards, and Starlight was exhausted too, especially from overusing her magic, but they both knew it was worth it.
Hearths Warming Day came. The snow was falling in the beautiful morning.
Twilight was up and about, having gotten over a bit of her disgust and sorrows. She wanted to try and do her best to be merry on this Hearths Warming Day.
Suddenly, Pinkie burst through into her bedroom, without even knocking, surprising her, while throwing confetti and shouting, “HAPPY HEARTHS WARMING!”
Twilight nearly had a heart attack from the sudden burst.
“Uh… Happy Hearths Warming…” she started to say, before Pinkie took her by the tail and began to rush her out of the bedroom. “No time for that now. You’ve got to see all this!”
Before Twilight knew it, there she was in the castle living room, and she could not believe her eyes.
All her friends, including Applejack and Fluttershy were there helping to answer mountains of mail that had come in for Twilight.
“What’s all this?” Twilight asked.
“What are you talking about?” replied Applejack “Every Creature in all of Equestria was moved by the cards you sent them.”
Twilight was more confused now. “Cards? What cards?”
Fluttershy then held up a card she had received that very morning. “You mean, you didn’t write this?”
Twilight took the card and read it, recognizing the very words she had used about the true meaning of Hearths Warming.
She recognized the handwriting. “Spike?”
He and Starlight acted sheepish.
“We wanted to help lift up your spirits for Hearths Warming.” said Spike.
Starlight nodded and added, “There’s more. Keep reading.”
Below Twilight’s speech, there was a picture of Jack, and a little honor for him.
“In Memory of Logger Jack who was driven insane by the negligence of the spirit of Hearths Warming.”
Twilight felt a little sad, but pleased and touched that her friends did such a thing.
Rarity looked at all the responses in the mail. “I’ve never seen such praise. Many of them have even apologized to you whole heartedly, darling.”
Rainbow opened one letter, then another, and then more, and then a whole pile fell, burring her.
“I’m okay.” she called from under the pile.
Pinkie popped up from another pile. “Oooh… Here’s one from Princess Celestia.”
She quickly threw at Twilight, and she caught it with her magic.
The letter read:
“Twilight, I am very awed and inspired by your speech.
You have helped to remind other ponies the true meaning of Hearths Warming, and how they should stop and realize that things are not always as simple as they seem.
Others should really take time to help when it is needed, or see if they can help, and even if they cannot help, or their efforts were all in vain, at least they tried.
I’m only sorry that Jack had lost his life to help you help others see this.
Try to have a good Hearths Warming.
--Princess Celestia.”
Twilight felt a mix of joy and sadness equally balanced inside of her.
“Twilight… are you okay?” asked Spike.
She said nothing, but merely nodded as she looked out at the sky on Hearths Warming Day and thinking softly to herself. “I’m so sorry, Jack. I wish you were still here. Things could have been different for you.
Rest in Peace.”
All her friends huddled around her, joining her in prayer.
Some would love the joys of Hearths Warming, but there would always be some in distress, misery or at a loss of hope, and while it was impossible to fully understand what someone was truly feeling-- what went on in their minds-- all they could was try to offer help if they could.
And if it did no good, and the ending was still tragic…
…That’s just sometimes how it ends.
Author's Note
I won't bother with the "Filthy animal" thing this time...
But what I have to say next is too long for here, so I'll blog it...
https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1028436/hearths-warming-battle-authors-note-dealing-with-suicidal-people