Orchestra of Death

~James POV~

I ran after Amy as she headed down the streets for the bakery. I followed her for hours until I caught up. She was about to turn a corner when I grabbed onto her shirt and started to dig my feet into the ground. She kept going at a noticeably slower pace as I made an increasingly deep trench. “Amy..... Slow..... Down.....”

She looked back at me with this glazed over look on her face. “But I need to be on schedule.” I stared at her in shocked confusion. Just what the fuck did that spell DO!? Is she so adamant that she doesn’t realize Sugarcube corner is CLOSED!? AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN!!

Megan ran up and looked at me. “Oh dear....” I nodded my head to the woman dragging me and Megan went to push on her chest. The moment that she came in contact, Amy stopped walking.

She blinked a couple times before shaking her head. “James, what the hell just happened?”

He shrugged and climbed out of the hole in the street. “Alex cast a spell, it redirected into you, and you ran out of the library.”

She looked at me confused we started to walk around the corner. “Really? Huh....”

“Yeah really, and I’ve been trying to get you to stop walking for the past two hours.” We all stopped in our tracks when we could hear someone calling out to us. “James! Amy!... I forgot your name! I got someone I want you all to meet!”

I looked over and did a double take. I thought I saw Sarah and... oh god... “Oh, god THERE’S TWO OF THEM!!” I AM SO FUCKING DOOMED RIGHT NOW!! TWO SARAHS?! I’M GOING TO FUCKING DIE!! AGAIN!!

I felt an overwhelming pressure on the back of my head and I faceplanted into the ground. “Stop being such an ass. I don’t care if she slightly traumatized you, you’re being rude.” FUCK YOU AMY!! I WANT TO FUCKING LIVE AS MUCH AS A WRAITH CAN!!!

I heard Sarah start talking “Besides, she’s my sister. So there are not two of me, just me and my twin.” Please don’t let the other one’s personality be a carbon copy...

I heard Megan sigh as I started to pry my head from the ground making absolutely no progress. “This place is getting so weird... I wish I was back home...” You’re telling me, I’ve got my head stuck in the dirt!

“Yep, well, you’re fucking dead now. Too late.” Geez Sarah, be a bigger insensitive bitch why don’t you? AND CAN I GET SOME HELP DOWN HERE!?

Megan sighed again. “I know... but I still miss my family.” In an instant my mental triade screeched to a halt. ...Don’t we all...

I started to make some progress with my head to see Amy’s shadow cross the ground in front of me. “You get used to it... I was elated and somewhat hurt when I found out James became a wraith.”

I saw Sarah’s shadow bob slightly. I think it was her’s anyways. “And I never had family until now, and she had died already without me knowing it, so it wasn’t too sad for me. You’ll get over it.”

I had managed to get my head mostly free when I felt someone grab my arm. I looked over to see Megan smiling at Sarah as she helped me to my feet. “Thanks.”

I looked over to Sarah and saw that she and her sister had stopped to talk to us. I blinked a couple times at her sister. Holy shit... She had an identical outfit as Sarah, and had no scars littering her body. I’ll be able to tell them apart.

“Anyway, yeah, this is my sister Mary” Sarah motioned to her sister, “She was trapped in purgatory while a bit of her soul stayed with me and turned into that split personality of mine that almost made me kill you, James. Say hello.” …...............wat...................

Mary waved a hand somewhat shyly, “Hello...” Wat...... I thought she was Sarah’s sister. How is she being so shy? I thought they were related.

Megan smiled and walked up to Mary. “Um... Hi, my name’s Megan. It’s nice to meet you.”

Mary shuffled her feet and moved back a bit, “Um, yeah, nice to meet you...”

I realized I was staring at them and quickly blinked my self into reality. “Oh... so that’s what happened. I wasn’t really sure with all the bits and pieces I kept getting. That and the state of slight trauma and shock wasn’t helping any.” It seriously doesn’t... I may need to see a psychiatrist if I keep seeing that asshole....

Sarah just shrugged and kept talking. “Sucks. Anyway, you guys know where Michael is, if you’ve seen him? There was a woman with him that I wanted to apologize to, I kind of snapped at her. Not totally my fault, I was kind of losing my mind, but I’m trying to be nicer to people, so I feel I should say something.”

I shook my head, and strangely so did Amy and Megan. Thankfully only I spoke. “Nope.” At least we didn’t all talk at the same time... That would have been creepy as all fuck.

“Damn. Well, I might as well sniff Michael out, that would probably work.” She started walking away towards the library with Mary following close behind, “See you around!” It’s good to see she’s still a bit of a bitch without trying to murder me. The sniffing thing is a little weird but I’ve seen weirder...

Amy and I started to wave. “Bye!”

“Later!”

Megan did this small bow again. Seriously need to ask her about that. “Um... Goodbye...”

I started to lead the others back to the inn and Amy started to veer to the side. I quickly grabbed her shirt and turned her towards the right direction. Everything’s back to the way it should be... well, almost everything.

Megan looked at Amy worriedly “Are you going to be alright?”

Amy grinned, “Of course I am!” She tried to laugh but was cut short by a yawn. “I’m pretty tired right now though.”

I walked to the Inn’s doorway and opened it for them. “Then maybe it’s a good Idea to call it a day. I have no idea what’s going on with that spell Alex casted or why it would redirect like it did, but maybe all you need is some bed rest?” I looked over at Megan for some support but she seemed just as confused as I was.

Amy yawned and passed me. “Yeah, maybe you’re right... I’m calling it a day. Night.”

“Night.” She shuffled up the stairs and I could hear to door upstairs open and slam shut. “Wow, she must be more exhausted than I thought.”

Maybe I’ll join her.... Megan and I walked up stairs and got to the room to see Amy sprawled across one of the beds. I laid down on one and stared at the ceiling for a while before sighing. This isn’t working.

I glanced over at the dresser and saw a card deck. I still wonder if that was left by the last person to use this room or if the Inn provides poker lessons. I looked up and Meg who was sitting on the other bed. “Hey, Meg?”

She was slightly spooked and shut her book. “Oh.... um, yes?”

I got up and picked up the deck. “You know any good card games?”

I stared at my hand for the twentieth time that night. This just shouldn’t be possible.

I took a quick glance at Megan as she calmly looked at her hand. Just what hand does she have?

I nervously looked at mine, it was pretty good, but she could still beat it if she has the right cards. The chances of that though are slim... but...

She continued to look at her hand in serene calm. Just why is she being so CALM!? I mean does she have.... there’s no way she could....Screw it I’m showing my cards now!

I laid my hand down and grinned. “HA! Beat that!”

She started to glow slightly. “Oh... um... I’m sorry, but I think I won again James.... sorry.” She lowered her hand to reveal a quartet of Aces. My brain started to shut down as I looked at her hand. Just...............................WAT!

I threw up my hands. “Okay, we’re done playing poker.” She nodded and we both silently agreed to head to bed and sleep. It would have been nice if being in a different town would improve my luck at poker at least a little!

I awoke with a yawn and looked out the window. Just before sunrise. Again. I sighed and got out of bed and stretched. Braeburn’s rubbing off on me. I looked at the beds and saw that Megan and Amy were still asleep, so I left a note and went outside.

Looking to the sun as it rose I breathed in the morning air. “I’ll never get tired of that. Releasing first restriction, Solar Winds.” Golden flames engulfed me and the wings took form. They were less detailed at the moment but could still be used to lift off the ground. I launched myself into the air and saw some clouds hanging low.

A thought about my wings came to mind as I recalled some of the pegasi laying on clouds. Time to test something... For science of course. I hovered over a cloud and was about to make contact when I stopped. Just to be safe though... I formed a platform under the cloud and closed my wings.

I landed on the cloud and bounced some before I came to rest on what could only be described as the most fucking awesome pillow in the history of the universe. Oooooooooooooooh sweet Jesus this thing is soft.

The sun started to hit my face and warmed the area around me. I looked at my spread wings and saw the details from my earlier flights slowly paint themselves onto each feather. Folding my wings, I leaned back on the cloud and was content to let the giant puffball of vapor float around lazily.

Only for my morning relaxation to be cut short when the cloud I was on broke apart. Shit.

I fell a ways before spreading my wings and righting myself. “Woah! Hey, watch it!” I looked at the pegasus who broke my cloud and took note of her rainbow mane n’ tail.

She looked back and yelled as she continued bucking the clouds into nothing. “Hey buddy! I’m just doing my job! What are you doing up here anyways!”

I glared and flew up to her face some. “Going for a morning flight, and breathing in some fresh air. I was taking a break to look at the sunrise when you bucked my seat from under my ass!”

She blinked and laughed. “That all? Well then, I’m sorry about taking your cloud, but I need to clear the skies for today. Schedule says it’s supposed to be sunny today.”

I leaned back and sighed. “Alright then... but before I go, care to tell me your name?”

She puffed out her chest and smirked. “Rainbow Dash, Fastest flyer in all Equestria!” Well someone has an ego...

“James, It’s been a pleasure.” I flew down to the ground and my wings disappeared in a flash. I started walking down the street and sighed. Wonder what I can do here....

I soon entered the town square and stopped to look at the statue.

or rather, the person ON the statue.

I looked at him as Michael slept soundly on the statue of Celestia. Don’t ask..... just don’t. It would probably be the funniest thing in history... but I just don't have time for that now... I went with my brain’s suggestion and left the area. Looking up at the sky again, I couldn’t help but grin. Maybe an endurance flight will help pass the time. I brought my wings back into existence and took off.

I spent the next couple of hours flying around, and I even fixed the issue with light getting refracted everywhere I went before I bumped into Rainbow again. Huh.... the odds. “Ohp. Sorry bout that.”

She righted herself and waved it off. “Nah, It’s cool. Just watch where you’re going next time.” I laughed and we kept chatting for a while. I lost track of time as we flew around town and just had fun chatting.

I was about to ask if she had any friends here in Ponyville when I saw that Amy was running around town like crazy. “I’ll see ya later Dash, I think I see my sister down there...”

“Alright, See ya James!” She flew off and started to have a nap above the library. ON. A. CLOUD! Hypocrite...

I saw Amy headed to Sugarcube Corner and landed down the street making my wings vanish. I could hear some commotion coming from inside. Alright let’s see what’s going on...