Second Chances

Second Chances
By Hero541
Chapter 23: I Have To Go

Vinyl awoke from the bright sun shining in through her bedroom window. She sat up in her bed, yawning and stretching her hooves. Yesterday had been an awesome day, even though Josh had seemed a little off on their train ride home. She simply attributed that to his lunch not agreeing with him, perhaps. A smile formed on her face at the thought of seeing him again today.

She loved Josh more than anything in all of Equestria. Every day she with him was the best day she could have ever asked for in her life. It made her feel so blessed to have a special somepony like him, one who, every dingle day, would hold her and kiss her and tell her that he loved her. Vinyl didn’t know what she’d ever do without him in her life.

Vinyl made her way downstairs, hoping that Octavia had begun making breakfast. As she arrived at the bottom of the stairs, she saw Octavia standing in the doorway chatting with the gray and blonde mailmare, Derpy Hooves. Shortly after Vinyl made it to the ground floor, Derpy flew off and Octavia walked in with a scroll in her mouth.

“Isn’t it a little early to be getting mail?” asked Vinyl as Octavia set the parchment down.

“It says here it’s for you.”

Raising an eyebrow, Vinyl levitated the scroll over to herself and unrolled it.

“It’s from Josh. Why would Josh send me a letter?”

Slowly, Vinyl began to read the letter

Dear Vinyl,
These last few weeks have been the most wonderful time of my life. Never have I been so in love with someone, and even less have they loved me back just as much. It is because of my love for you that I’m doing what I will do today. The action I take this day will hurt us both, I know it will. I’m hurting as I think about it right now.
However, I’m doing this as a way to protect you from future heartbreak, should it ever occur. Today, I will be leaving the world of Equestria and returning to my own. I have made the decision to do this with a heavy heart. I truly do love you Vinyl, but you can find someone much better than me to be with. The truth is, I don’t deserve to live in such a perfect world, to call this land home.

You and I will hurt a lot for awhile, and it won’t be easy to recover from. However, I know that you are a strong enough and loving enough mare that you will be alright. Again, I love you Vinyl. I’ll never forget you for as long I live.
Sincerely, your friend for life, Josh Daniels

Tears streamed down Vinyl’s face as she finished the letter. How could he just leave? Had she done or said something wrong to him? Did she move too fast in the relationship? Why did he say he didn’t deserve to live in Equestria? If they were having problems, why didn’t he approach her to talk about them?

Vinyl turned around as she heard Octavia walk back into the room.

“Vinyl, dear. Breakfast is… Vinyl, what’s wrong?”

Vinyl levitated the letter to Octavia, struggling to hold it in her magic as she shook from her crying. Octavia finished the letter, then looked to Vinyl once more. Her own violet eyes were filled with tears as she glanced at the unicorn.

“W-why?” asked Octavia, her voice shaking heavily as she felt the tears begin to flow from her eyes.

Vinyl merely shook her head, then collapsed to the floor, sobbing heavily. He was going to leave. Just like that, he was going to leave, and she’d never see him again. Octavia soon walked up to Vinyl, lay down next to her, both of them heaving as tears rolled down their cheeks. All Vinyl could do as she sobbed was wonder, where had she went wrong?

*****

Josh wandered through Canterlot castle. It was still rather early in the morning, and he hoped that Celestia was done raising the sun. As much as it hurt him to do this, it had to be done. Discord had been right, he was using Vinyl as an excuse to stay in a world he wasn’t meant to be in. In his mind, he would always be faithful to the cream colored unicorn, but he knew better than anyone that old habits die hard.

Plus, why would she stay with him once she knew about his past, about all the wrong he’d done, all the hearts he’d broken, all the hurt and pain he’d spread…

Josh approached the end of the long hallway where two giant doors stood. Outside their gilded surface, two unicorns stood, covered in the gold armor of Princess Celestia’s guard. They stared at Josh as he approached, their spears crossed over the entrance.

“The princess sees no one this early in the morning.” said the left guard, not looking at Josh.

“I have an appointment.”

“What’s your name?”

“Josh. Daniels. I had a letter sent to her very early this morning. She said to come to Canterlot as fast as I could.”

The guards didn’t move for a moment as they processed his words. Finally, after a few seconds, they pulled their spears back and opened the doors with their magic. Josh nodded at them both as he walked into the large throne room. Princess Celestia sat at the very back, reclining on her regal throne.

“Hello, Josh Daniels.” she said as he made his way forward, “You arrived much earlier than I thought you would.”

“I left as soon as I got your reply this morning.”

“I figured you must have.”

Celestia climbed down from her throne and met the human halfway. She looked at him with warm, caring eyes, smiling. Her gold crown and cuirass glinted in the morning sun pointing towards Canterlot. She was about Josh’s height, her horn making her just a few inches taller. Josh was surprised he’d actually found a pony who could match his eye level.

“Your message said you’re ready to return home.” said the alicorn, peering into Josh’s face, “Is this true? Are you truly ready to leave Equestria?”

“No. I’m not.” said Josh, an image of Vinyl passing through his mind, making a lump form in his throat, “But, it’s better if I go before I hurt someone I care about again.”

“The unicorn, Vinyl Scratch?”

“How’d you know?”

Celestia smiled, “Twilight has told me all about you and Vinyl. You two seem so happy together, so carefree. And you, Josh, are a very different man from when you arrived in this world.”

Josh thought back to when he first woke up in Equestria. Applejack and the others had been the first to greet him, showed him an unbelievable amount of kindness, and he’d treated them horribly. He’d just wanted to go home, back to doing what he did best. He never cared about anyone’s feelings here, never wanted to make friends or even be around these ponies.

Now, however, he always loved seeing them. Any time he’d pass by one of them in town, he’d go out of his way to spend some time with them. Vinyl was the love of his life, but he loved each and every little pony here. A tear rolled down his cheek as he thought about how much they’d be hurting once they realized he was gone. Especially little Sweetie Belle…

“I am different.” he said simply, not looking at the Princess, “I can take that home with me now, live my life differently. I can be a better man than I was before. I just wish I didn’t have to leave everyone here behind. I… I love them all, s-so much.”

Josh heaved as the feeling of sadness washed over him, making him collapse to the ground and cry. Princess Celestia knelt and placed her forelegs around the sobbing human, embracing him lovingly.

“I can tell that this hasn’t been an easy decision for you to make, and you’re coming to me with a heavy heart.”

Josh simply nodded, still quivering.

“I j-just don’t wanna hurt them anymore. I don’t deserve to be in this beautiful and peaceful world. They do, but I’m hardly worthy. I’m a goddamn pockmark here.”

“WAIT!”

Josh and Celestia looked to the giant doors towards the sound of the voice. Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, and Vinyl all rushed in. They stopped short of the princess and human, except for Vinyl who ran right up to Josh.

“J-Josh,” she said, looking up at him with tear filled crimson-magenta eyes, “Why’re you l-leaving? D-don’t you love me anymore?”

Josh looked into her swollen eyes, feeling tears return to his own.

“I’ll never stop loving you, Vinyl. You’re everything to me. It’s because I love you that I’m leaving. I’m protecting you.”

“From what?! From the stares and whispers I’ll get for being seen with somepony who isn’t even the same species as me?!”

“No, baby. That’s not-“

“Then tell me! Tell me why you’re leaving me!”

Vinyl pounded the ground, tears flowing from her eyes fast. Josh couldn’t look at her, instead choosing to look at the ground as he spoke.

“Because I don’t want to hurt you again. I don’t deserve to be in this world with you. This place is too wonderful for a creature like me to taint it.”

“I forgave you for all that! You know that!”

“I just don’t wanna risk doing it again, okay?!”

Vinyl looked taken aback. Josh had never raised his voice at her.

Unable to say anything more, he turned to the princess once more. As he did so, Rarity rushed up behind him.

“W-what about us, Josh?” she asked, tears pouring from her eyes, “Did you even think about how we’d feel?”

Josh said nothing to that. He held back his tears once more, looking over his shoulder.

“Tell Sweetie Belle that I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye and that I love her.”

“You’re ready?” asked the princess.

“… Yes. I’m r-ready.”

Vinyl screamed and lunged forward, grabbing Josh’s leg.

“P-please.” she said weakly, holding his leg tightly, “Please. Don’t l-leave m-me. I-I love you so much. D-don’t leave me.”

Josh tried to ignore the crying mare, but to no avail. He knelt down and held her, stroking her mane softly as she cried into his shoulder.

“I n-need you, Josh. Please don’t go. I c-can’t be without you!”

“I love you more than I can ever say Vinyl. I’m saving you a lot of trouble by doing this. I’m so sorry it has to end like this. I really am.”

He motioned to Twilight, who was crying along with everypony else gathered. She grabbed Vinyl in her magic and slowly pulled her away from Josh.

“NO!” she yelled, kicking furiously, “Please! Don’t go!”

Princess Celestia looked to Josh once more. The human nodded his head, and her horn began to glow with a bright
golden aura. A loud whooshing sound filled the throne room as energy began to swirl all around Josh’s body. A bright light flashed, a loud pop sounded, and when everypony looked where Josh had been standing, the tall human was gone.

Vinyl, who was in the middle of the group of ponies, collapsed and sobbed. Everypony gathered around her and held her, each one crying along with the unicorn. None of them could believe it. Josh, who they had all loved so much, who they had seen and cared for for the last few months, was gone. And, as far as they all knew, they’d never see him again.