Fear Through the Eyes of Madness

Crow walked alone through the streets of Ponyville. He had always found the name to be completely uninspired, as if someone had just made it up one day without putting much thought or effort into it. He passed by Sugarcube Corner, the odd design setting it out amongst every other cookie-cutter building in the town. The smell of treats found their way to him, but no matter how deliciously they smelled, he wouldn't give in.

He had someplace to be.

As the smell of assorted pastries and cakes faded away, he began to think on his actions from earlier, back when he was at his house with Amber. He felt regret for the way he treated her, and he now knows in his mind that he shouldn't have, but he was just so angry at her.

As he thought more and more about the recent incident, he had trouble remembering one tiny, little thing: His reason for being angry with her. He tried and tried to remember, but he just couldn't. He stopped his walk through the town, sitting himself down on his haunches, and began to replay the event in his mind...

***

Amber walked into his bedroom at about 11:30 that morning, a smile on her face.

He had looked up from his book, placing the open tome down onto the sheets as he swiveled out, letting his hind-legs dangle off the side of the mattress. He noticed Amber's smile, and tried his best to return it, but what formed on his face looked more like a sneer. Amber quickly frowned, but went back to being smiley when she thought back to why she came into Crow's room in the first place. She did not say anything, however. Finally, Crow broke the silence.

"Can I help you with anything, Amber?"

She shook her head, replying, "No, Crow. I'm quite fine at the moment, but I would like to talk to you about some things."

He raised an eyebrow at her, suspicious, as he could never expect what Amber was going to do or say. He patted the spot on his bed next to himself, saying, "Alright then, Ambs. Sit yourself right here, and I'll talk about whatever you want."

Her smile grew wider than both he and herself had expected it to have been able to, and she hurriedly trotted over to where Crow was, lifting herself off of the ground with her wings to fly the extra few feet, then slowly letting herself descend on to the bed next to him. She adjusted so that she lay on her side, staring at Crow as he opened his mouth to begin their conversation.

"So, what's on your mind?"

She looked away from him for a moment, staring in to "space", as she thought about how she wanted to phrase everything she was about to tell him. She inhaled deeply, then began to speak.

"Well, as you know, I am your guardian. I was sent her to watch over you by Celestia herself, as she believed you had great powers. You remember this, do you not?"

Crow nodded his reply.

"Good. As displayed in the past, you do have formidable powers. You remember these instances of magic as well, do you not?"

Crow nodded once more, remembering both times where he had to save Equestria from certain doom. It seemed like something only a character in a story could've accomplished, but he'd managed to do it in real life. He twirled his hoof in the space in front of himself, signaling for Amber to continue.

"Great. As you may also know, as a result of both of the previously mentioned things, we've known each other for write sometime", she said, pushing her right hind-leg straight out behind herself. Crow noticed this action, but thought nothing of it, simply thinking that she was getting more comfortable. She, on the other hoof, knew exactly what she was doing, and was glad that he took notice.

"Yeah, quite a while..."

"Anyways, this is what I've come here to talk to you about; myself."

Crow was confused, the topic of conversation never before coming to him or her as beings. He listened on though, wanting to know where she was going with this.

I smile as I pull away from the journal, pen still in between my teeth. I can't believe that I had finished off the last part of my writing without showing this argument first, and curse myself for doing so. I couldn't turn back now, though.

No, now I had to play through and see where my mind wants this to go. I lean back in close to the book and begin to write again.

"Y-You-Yourself?” Crow managed to stutter out.

"Yes, myself. Don't fret though, it will not take very long", she said, putting the smile back on her face.

Crow looked her over once, allowing his eyes to quickly travel from the hoof at the end of her extended hind-leg to the tip of her nose. She still looked like the same Amber, and still sounded like her too, but he could never be too sure. His curiosity finally got the better of him, and he admitted that he was ready for the questions to Amber, who let out a small squeal of excitement. She took a second to calm herself before continuing.

"Thank you. First question: Do you think that I am fulfilling my duty as a guardian?"

Crow took a moment to think, but ended up nodding his head, saying, "Yes, you've done very well."

"Oh, excellent."

Her other hind-leg stretched out, joining the first one. Crow could not help but watch as she did so, and Amber noticed.

She smiled to herself before clearing her throat, causing Crow to snap back to attention, a small blush on his cheeks.

"Second question: What do you think of my personality? Annoying? Cute? Funny?"

She eyed him as he thought about each option. Even though Amber had always been there for him, she could get extremely annoying, but at other times, she could be the most amazing of people. He ran both scenarios through his head, first telling her she's annoying, the other telling her of her excellence. He didn't even need to guess which one was better.

"I think you're wonderful, Amber. I wouldn't change a thing about you."

She blushed, looking down and away from him, mumbling, "Oh, stop it you..."

"I'm serious. Every day, through light and ark, you've been by my side. When I felt that I couldn't defeat the Juggernaut from killing everyone in Ponyville, you were there, and I don't know how, but I was able to win that fight and save everyone. I can't pick out any one thing about you, but there's definitely something special."

These words told Amber exactly what she wanted to hear, and she pressed forward in her questioning. She was going to hear what she wanted to hear.

"So, how are things going with...her?"

Crow took note of the way Amber let out the last part of the question. He knew that she hated his marefreind, but he didn't know why, and he never felt like questioning it.

'Mares are mares', he thought. He knew he still had to answer.

"Who? You mean-"

"I don't ever want to hear her name."

He held up his hooves in front of him as she finished, seeing the hate in her eyes at even the thought of his marefriend.

"Things...things are going good between us."

This was not unlike a punch in the gut for Amber. Why couldn't Crow see that she had feelings for him, yet he continued to date that whore? She would never understand the mind of a stallion, and decided that know was the time to act. She prepared herself for what she was about to do.

"You know, I've been doing some thinking about...us..."

Crow's ears perked up, never before hearing both Amber and himself as "us". He grunted his reply, and she continued.

"Yeah. I think that we've known each other for a long enough time now that we try something new."

Crow's eyes widened as she said this, and gulped hard, beginning to panic at what "something new" would entail, and whether or not he would go through with it or not.

"Uh....yeah?"

"Yes. I think...", she began, slowly lifting up her hind-leg, revealing the slit in between the appendages, flicking her tail back and forth as she did so. Crow could do nothing more than watch as one of his best friends revealed herself to him. "I think it's time that we try something very different."

She released the words from her mouth in just the right way to not only keep the attention of the head between his shoulders, but also grab the attention of the head between his legs. He could feel his shaft slowly slipping out of its sheath as Amber continued to stare at him seductively. He knew he shouldn't be enjoying the sight, but there was just something so...alluring...about her. Was it the fact that they were such good friends? Was it the fact that he already had a marefriend?

"Wait", he thought, eyeing Amber as she crawled her way over to his un-sheathed member. "I have a marefriend. Shit! I have a marefriend! I can't do this!"

He began to back away, but Amber had gotten close enough to give the tip if his shaft a quick lick. His body wouldn't let him suppress a shudder, but he continued to try and leave.

"Where are you going, sweetie? Don't you wanna try something?"

Crow had to choose his words carefully. "I do want to, but I'm already with Feather, and-"

Amber stopped what she was doing, the smile instantly leaving her face. Her right eye twitched slightly as she looked up at Crow's face.

"What did you say?"

"I said, Feath-"

He was silenced as a hoof struck him in the crotch, the pain quickly spreading from a single area to all over his body. He felt as if all the air had just been knocked out of himself. He curled up into a ball, slowly slumping forward on to the mattress as Amber stood herself up, looking down at him, her frown now replaced with a look of panic.

"Oh, shit! Sorry! Please be alright!"

Crow's breathing returned to normal, and the pain subsided, but not after minutes of listening to Amber apologize. When he felt he could stand again, he stood up, beginning to walk out his door.

"Wait!” she yelled as he passed her. He continued to walk, not even looking at her as she continued to wail. He could see the front door from his spot at the end of the hallway. He began to walk the home stretch, Amber continuing to beg in the background.

"Please! Please stop! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

***

Crow shook as his memory finished with him slamming the door behind himself, bringing him to where he sat now. He still felt bad for Amber. After all, she was a being created by Celestia to watch over himself, and she probably just didn't know what she was doing. He brushed the thoughts off, standing back up on all fours. He knew where he had to go, and he knew what he wanted to do.

He slowly resumed his walk back to Feather's house.

I pull away from the journal for the final time today. I look up from the now-filled pages to see the sun about to set over the mountains. It looks beautiful, and I wish that I could stay to watch the event, but there comes a knocking on my front door.

I stand up very quickly, rushing downstairs, flinging the door open to see the mailmare waiting for me.

"This is for you, sir!” she says, saluting me as she hands over the letter. I wave a thank you, closing the door and walking back to the kitchen, sitting down at the table. I grip the note with my hooves, tearing a side off with my teeth. I dip the open side of the letter, letting the note within fall out.

I open it up, and what I see both shocks and amazes me:

Greetings,

It's been quite a while since we've seen each other, and I feel that I owe you both an apology and an explanation. I will be coming by tomorrow at noon. Can't wait to see you again!

Signed,

Miss Court

I sit still for a moment, letting the note's words process in my brain. I looked down at the piece of paper, and know what I must do. The next time Miss Court sees me will be her last time seeing anything.

I have to prepare.