Tempest Tossed

An accident, a stupid stumbled prank,
A rock that tumbled fast instead of slow,
A moment frozen, horrible and blank,

Extinguished every hope I'd ever know.
My screaming lasted days. I don't recall
Specifics, just the final, fatal blow.

The fault was mine, a phrase that sounds banal,
A breath of air that couldn't stir a cloud,
A string of words that shouldn't stab and squall.

But now I'm burning, speed that's disallowed
Within the normal flow of time and space,
A move I often pulled to make her proud.

It's all to catch her, smash the universe
That claims she's got to go. I'll make it curse!

"You can't, you know," a rumbling, almost bass
Informs my ear. My body flares a flinch
That skews me sideways, sprawled in pure disgrace.

My concentration snaps, and every inch
Of sky around me vanishes to black;
A spotlight wraps me tight, a glowing pinch.

"Forget it!" rings my shout. "For Applejack,
I'll chomp electrons, chew them, spin around,
And spit their ruptured shells! I'll bring her back!

"And don't pretend"—I drop my voice—"you're bound
To proper channels, Discord. Certainty's
A dirty word to you, the way you've clowned.

"Dispense with such theatrics! Let me go!
Prepare for chaos, guy! Enjoy the show!"

The only sound upon the lack of breeze?
My pounding heart. I wait for some reply.
As seconds stretch, my blood begins to freeze.

"Dispense," I say again, a quiet cry
That barely gets beyond my gritted teeth.
"For friendship's sake, I say you can't deny—"

"Enough," he says. His eyes appear beneath
Some jagged brows, a red and puffy mess,
Emitting sorrow's stink, a circling wreath.

"I'm only here because your rhymes impress.
I hadn't thought you'd last for very long,
Would fall to prose in stupidness and stress."

"You what?" I leap and hover, glaring hard.
His floating head exudes a cold regard.

"I'm stupid, yes," I say, "a clanging gong:
Annoying, endless, loud. But played with care,
I add a spice, enhancing any song.

"And stressed? You bet! For killing someone rare
And precious snaps the universe, creates
Distinctive fractures, cracks that need repair.

"Without her touch, I'm stuffed with leaden weights.
Without her presence, shards remain of joy.
Without her, nothing hums or resonates.

"Without dispute, my huge mistakes destroy,
So mine's the job to cross and bring her home.
You wanna come? Be placed in my employ?"

The darkness leaves his body. "Fine. We'll dare.
You try to call me Vergil, though, I swear..."