Chapters Paradise CHPTR 2: Luna's Flashback
Luna’s face was a mask of confusion. She wanted to tell him what she was doing here. But Celestia had said not to say anything about their agenda with the young Human. She slowly looked into his eyes, and finally remembered why she felt so nervous around this man.
His eyes, they were different than others. They started off as blue surrounding the iris, but the expanded into a sea of green. It was almost magical to behold. The fact also remained that those were not the eyes of the young man that had helped her sister and herself so many years ago. His eyes had changed to ones that had seen hardships, beyond that which mortals should see.
He looked into her eyes, and said it again “Why are you here, on earth.” She sighed as she looked off into the night sky. She finally looked back after a few minutes. “Tis because off what thou did so many years before.” He looked at her with what could only be described as confusion. “What did I do that caught the attention of a goddess?”
She looked back up towards the night sky, looking at the full moon. “This is not our first visit to this world. Or the first time we have met thou.” Needless to say he looked surprised at what she had said. With his eyebrows raised he said “We’ve met before? How come I don’t remember it? And what do you mean it’s not your first time on Earth?” she looked back towards him with a smile on her face.
“Twas not a long time ago, we think it may have been five years, six maybe eight...”
Luna’s Flashback
A young girl was crossing the street on a cool summer’s night walking with her sister, in this world they were known as Lucy and Chelsea. While they both had some family resemblance, their hair was completely different. Lucy’s hair was a deep blue, which resembled the night sky. And her eye colour was that of the blue sea. Chelsea’s hair looked as if it had been dyed. Her hair was a very light pink. And her eye colour closely resembled a pinkish hue.
Both girls were laughing with each other after spending time at the amusement park. Lucy was holding what the man at the stall had called ‘cotton candy’ in a wrapped up bag, while Chelsea was holding bags that contained a multitude of stuffed animals she and Lucy had won off the games at the park. The girls were walking towards the location that they needed to reach in the time they had left that day. And going to the amusement park had taken up most of the time they had left.
Lucy looked towards her sister with a concerned face “Tia should we not travel back home?” Celestia looked towards her little sister with a warm smile “In this world Lulu you will need to call me Chelsea” she said with a warm laugh “And yes. We should get back soon. It is getting rather dark.” She now had a frown on her face. Lucy turned toward her older sister with a confused look. “Sister, is something wrong?”
Chelsea looked over her shoulder, noticing a peculiar shadow in the darkness. She leaned towards her sister. “Lucy” she whispered. “We must move quickly. We are being followed.” Lucy nodded quickly and pointed towards an alley “We may be able to lose our pursuer in there.” Quickly but surely, they moved into the alleyway, not noticing the man sitting behind the dumpster.
Changed Perspectives: Roderick
Though I was awake, I did not move from my spot behind the dumpster for fear of frightening the two women. When they had safely passed I let out a sigh of relief. I just wanted to be left in peace. A shadow walked past me and I saw a third person enter the alley. This man was different. Dark cloaks, shifty eyes. He didn’t look like he was travelling with the two girls ahead of him. He looked as if he was after something. With a wild look in his eyes, I noticed his eyes. They were eyes of a criminal. He moved slowly into the alleyway. Reaching into his jacket he pulled out a knife, and moved quietly behind the two girls. I had seen many situations like these before and had ‘dissuaded’ the other party from continuing their action many a times.
This man though, he was different, I just knew it. As he approached the girls he called to them in a hoarse voice. “Where do ya think yer going girlys?” both girls stopped in their tracks to star at the man behind them. The tall girl spoke out. “My good sir, my sister and I were just heading back to our apartment to rest for the night.”
The man looked at them and chuckled. “Is that so? I thought ya were going to hand over any jewellery ya had to me?” The younger of the two girls (at least she looked to be younger) said to the man “Now why would we give thou all our possessions?” Hang on a minute that voice sounds familiar! I thought to myself. The man chuckled again and spoke in a dark voice “cause if ya don’t im’a stick ya with this here knife!” he said as he approached the two girls.
The two girls now looked fearful at the man before them. I groaned as I looked at my bottle, standing up while taking a swig of the little in the bottle. I gripped the empty bottle before looking at the man. He had his back turned from me. Not a wise choice. I calmly walked up behind him before raising the glass bottle. I paused for a second. Before I tapped the man on the shoulder, and started to bring the bottle down.
The man turned around and was able to get out the words “what tha?” before the glass bottle fell on his head. The man collapsed in a heap. I stood over him, waiting. A groan was heard from the man on the ground. Nodding, confirming that he was still alive. I walked over to the two girls.
Coughing into my hand I said “sorry about that didn’t know if he was up to any good or not.”
The taller of the two, who I presumed was the older one spoke out first “It is no problem sir, we were about to call for help, but with you here that doesn’t seem to be a problem anymore.”
I smiled warmly at them before replying “you know this area isn’t safe at night. I might suggest that you would allow me to let you stay the night at my place?”
The smaller of the two girls spoke out in an angry tone “And how do we know that thou is any better than the man behind you?”
“Hush now Lucy.” The taller of the two one said “This man just saved us.” I smiled back at both of the girls before replying
“While your concern is misplaced it is admirable. I would be suspicious too if a man that knocked out a guy about to attack you, offered you a place to stay for the night, free of charge.”
The smaller dark haired one known as Lucy looked at the pink haired one and said with a triumphant smile before saying “See Chelsea, this one even agrees with me!”
Again I coughed into my hand catching both of their attention again. “If you would allow me to introduce myself” I said with a bow “Roderick Hallerway at your service”
The one known as Chelsea looked at me with a warm smile before saying “My name is Chelsea.” while pointing at herself “And this is my sister, Lucy.” She pointed at the younger of the two who had her arms folded and a frown on her face. She looked away with a “humph!” I chuckled slightly at that.
Hearing a noise behind me, I turned around. It seemed that the man who had threatened the two girls before was getting up again. He staggered a bit before grabbing his knife again pointing it at me. “Alright boy.” He said before cracking his knuckles and wiping away some blood from his mouth. “Im’a cut ya up good!” He then proceeded to charge at me in a way that had many opening in his sides and front.
Dodging his first attack by moving to the left of him, this gained a gasp from behind me from how quick I was to move. I clenched my fist and struck out at a blur. Needless to say the man tried to dodge, but wasn’t fast enough to dodge me. My fist connected with his face. My left hand a blur as it reached forward and grabbed his knife from his hand, discarding it to the side.
I then spun around him, grabbed his collar and threw him at the wall. Bouncing off it I grabbed him again before throat slamming him into the ground. I stood slowly looking down at the man. I moved my hand towards his throat and placed two fingers on it. In response I felt his steady pulse; nodding to myself I stood up and dusted myself off.
The two girls were staring at me, and then at the man on the ground. Catching their drift I raised my hands up in a peace offering before saying, “I’m not like him, I saw you all enter the alley and thought you could use some help.”
The oldest one that had pink hair locked my gaze with hers. Before saying “Although I am not fond of violence,” she then smiled at me “I suppose I should thank you for helping my sister and I.”
I smiled again and swiped at a bit of dust on my shoulder “It’s no problem. I can’t say that anyone else would have done the same.” I chuckled at my own expense “I suppose I’m just too different for this world” I shook my head slowly.
The taller one looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I smiled at her and coughed into my hand. I looked towards Lucy and smiled sadly. I said to her in a calm voice. “You know, you two look familiar to me, but I can’t place where I have seen you before....”
They both looked confused and shocked by what I had said. I sighed and said “Never mind, let us head to my apartment before more of these twats show up.” I then started walking towards the mouth of the alley, before stopping and looking over my shoulder with a smile saying “Well? Are you coming?” They looked towards me, Chelsea asked me with a smile on her face “where are we going to?”
I smiled even broader than before while saying “You two look like tourists. So you can hang with me and stay out of the streets for a night or two, or stay here to get attacked again, your choice.”The two girls looked to each other before nodding. They followed me out of the alleyway, a skip in their step and a smile on their faces. As I continued leading them to my place I thought to myself.
Now what am I going to do with you two?
Paradise CHPTR 3: Remebering
Roderick’s Apartment
Celestia’s Perspective
“Wait a minute, let me get this straight.” The young man known as Roderick says, “You say, that not only are you not from here, BUT! You are from another dimension?” I nodded, fully understanding if he thought my sister and I were crazy. He laughed softly at that before saying.
“Well not as crazy as I thought it would be. But still less crazy than my story.” I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He slowly shook his head, as if saying no. I suppose it wasn’t easy to explain his story. Either way I wasn’t expecting him to believe us anyway so I wasn’t fazed in the slightest.
He slowly looked away in thought for a moment, his gaze going to the window. After a couple of minutes he looked back towards my sister and me. “Ladies, if you excuse me for a second I have something to take care of.” Roderick walked towards the doors that lead to the balcony. Opening it he walked outside and shut it behind him.
I looked over to my sister and said. “He doesn’t seem that bad Luna, maybe you were wrong?” Lucy looked toward her sister with an audible sigh. “We do not know what it is sister. We feel as though this man is as thou would put it, ‘weird’ .” I chuckled at my little sister’s elegant choice of words. Before I heard a soft voice, it sounded beautiful.
Lucy and I looked over towards the door to the balcony. And when we strained our ears to hear, we heard Roderick singing.
“Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed
Lucy’s eyes grew wider as Roderick continued with the lullaby they knew all too well.
Drifting off to sleep
Exciting day behind you
Drifting off to sleep
Let the joy of dream land find you
Lucy looked at me in surprise and confusion, I did the same. They knew this lullaby. But the question on both their minds was. How did he know it?!??
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed”
They moved away from the door before Roderick would get back inside. I moved towards the chair, while Lucy moved back to the bed and sat down. We waited for a couple minutes while Roderick was still outside. When he didn’t come back in we looked at each other. Lucy was the first to speak. “Sister, was that..?”
I cut her off mid sentence by simply nodding and saying in a hushed voice. “Yes Luna, it was Fluttershy’s lullaby.” Lucy looked toward the door before saying. “But how does he know of a lullaby not of this world?” I slowly shook my head saying. “I don’t know Lulu, I don’t know...”
I was cut off mid sentence when the balcony door opened again. Roderick walked in wiping his eyes of tears before looking back at the two of us. He smiled sadly, as if he was remembering something. I moved toward him and he said to me, in a calming tone. “It’s alright, I’m fine. I was just remembering. Some stuff which I need to remember.”
Lucy looked at him with confusion clearly etched in her face. “What were thou remembering that made thee cry?” He looked at Lucy before looking back at me. He frowned at nothing. I looked towards Lucy with a frown on my face “Lucy. You know better than to ask someone about their private life.” He looked at me and smiled again. “It’s quite alright. It is just something special to me.”
He then looked towards a picture on the wall. I moved closer so I could get a look at the photo. It was of a young girl, lying down under an oak tree. The clear blue sky was easily visible between the branches. He again, smiled at the photo before saying. “I was remembering about someone special to me.” Lucy who was interested by this looked at him again with curiosity. “Who was she?”
He looked towards Lucy with a smile so warm it rivalled my own. He blinked slowly and said. “She was my wife.” I noticed the emphasis on the word ‘was.’ Lucy didn’t notice and asked the question I had withheld myself from asking. “Where is thou wife, shouldn’t she be here with thee then?”
A pained look crossed his face and again he looked out the window. Lucy, only now just noticing his expression, looked at him in sadness. “We are sorry .We did not know that the wife thou hold so dear was gone.” He looked towards Lucy with a smile and chuckled a bit before looking away again and said.
“You know if I didn’t know any better, I would say that you were trying to imitate Princess Luna.” Lucy’s eyes opened wide at this, as did my own. I looked towards my sister when she looked at me. I silently mouthed the words ‘don’t tell him anything’ and received a curt nod from my sister.
“Anyway.” He said, turning back to us. “It’s getting dark and I’m sure we are all tired, right?” he looked at both of us. While I nodded, my sister shrugged. He chuckled and pointed towards the door at the end of the hall. “I’m sure you two won’t mind sharing a room?” I smiled at him, and before Lucy could answer him. “Sharing a room would be fine, right Lucy?” Lucy looked at me, huffed then walked down the hall towards our room for the night.
Roderick chuckled at this and I looked at him. He smiled at me and said. “She sure seems like a handful” I chuckled to myself and said to him while walking down the hall. “You have no idea...”
Perspective change Roderick
I smiled as Chelsea and Lucy went into their room, I don’t know what it was. But I felt like I knew them. Felt like I could trust them. Maybe that’s why I told them about Olivia? I thought to myself. I sighed slowly as I walked back onto the balcony. I used to think at times like these, but now I didn’t think. all that alcohol just numbs me sometimes. I slowly looked up towards the full moon. Tears slowly, making their way down my cheeks. I wonder what you are doing now Princess....
I heard a crack behind me, I don’t know how. But I knew it was Lucy. Without looking at her, I smiled and said “Can’t sleep can you?” She moved up next to me and stared at the moon as well. “We are not used to sleeping though the night.” I looked at her. “Ah, a fellow night owl.” She looked at me with a confused expression on her face “Night... Owl..?” she said slowly.
I looked at her after about ten seconds and smiled. “Yes, a night owl. You know, stay up through the night, sleeps during the day?” She looked at me with a dawning expression of surprise before saying. “Thou... Stay up all night?” I look at her, a confused expression on my face before slowly nodding. She scrunched up her face before looking at me again. “Why?”
Again I chuckled at her naivety. “I stay up, because I can. And because I want to, the night gives me time to think, time to remember.” I looked up towards the night sky that held so many specks of light. “But also time to forget.” I looked at the ground below, looking at the cars drive by. “I also stay up because I like the night far better than the day. I don’t know why, I just feel calmer than usual when it’s night.” Lucy looked at me with more than delight, to say I was surprised when she downright HUGGED me. Would be an understatement, HOW am I supposed to respond to THAT?
I looked at the girl who was hugging my waist. I smiled, you know what? This isn’t half bad. Besides the fact I barely know the girl.... Brain why you ruin everything..... Then I noticed I couldn’t breathe and looked back at Lucy. And very softly I said her name “Lucy....” She didn’t look up, or even acknowledge my voice. So I said it again, a bit more loudly this time. “Lucy...” This time she looked at me. “Hmmmm?” My god, she was blushing..... I said her name again only this time. “Lucy.... I can’t.... Breath....!”
Her eyes widened and she let go with an “Oh! Sorry” I slowly breathed in and out, looking down at the girl and she smiled at me and blushed. Strangely though, as she did I heard an odd squeaking noise. She was about to say something but I put my hand up to shush her and said “Did you hear that?” She clamped her hands on her mouth, looking frightened now. She looked around before looking back at me and said “Hear what?”
I slowly shook my head and mumbled to myself. “Probably nothing, never mind...” I looked at the time before moving inside. I then did a double take of the clock again. “Wow, we were talking for 4 hours?” I then unconsciously yawned. Wow I’m tired.... Probably cause of these two I thought while looking down the hallway and back at Lucy.
I yawned again and looked at Lucy. “Well, I’m tired. And stiff. So I’m going to bed now.”
She looked at me confused. “I thought you said you were a ‘night owl’” I smiled at her before replying. “I may be a night owl, but I can’t stay up every night to admire the moon. If I did I might go unconscious from lack of sleep.”
“Oh....” Lucy looked at me, “well Good night Roderick”
I smiled at her as I headed into my room. I looked over my shoulder and called out “Goodnight... Lucy...”
Paradise CHPTR 4: Roderick's Depression
Roderick’s Apartment 8:30 am
Roderick’s Perspective
I awoke to the smell of something familiar, something I hadn’t eaten in a long time. My eyelids shot open and I screamed out one word “PANCAKES!!”
Throwing the covers off me bolted off the bed and into the hall. A startled and in shock Lucy was awaiting me in the hallway, my eyes widened as I knew I was going too fast to stop so I did the next best thing.....
Perspective Change Luna
I watched in shock as Roderick came screaming out of his room, barrelling straight towards me. His eyes widened when he saw me and he jumped to the left of me, his speed almost that of a blur. I was still watching as he was heading directly towards the wall, with no sign of stopping.
I then watched in awe as his foot sped out in a blur that hit the wall and propelled him in the direction of the dining room.....
Perspective Change Celestia
I was up bright and early in the morning, as my duty as the sun princess makes me. I was wondering what I could do for the man that had ‘saved’ us from being mugged last night, and invited us to stay at his place until we recover from our ‘ordeal’.
I remember when my sister and I were younger, that I always used to make Lulu pancakes in the mornings when she had a bad dream. So I decided to make Roderick and Lulu pancakes for breakfast.
I moved into the kitchen and over to the cupboards. After finding the ingredients I required to make said pancakes, I got started on them. First list off all the ingredients required to make said pancakes. 3 cup all-purpose flour, 3 cup of milk, check! 3 eggs check! 3 tablespoon of sugar, check! 6 tablespoons of baking powder, check! 3 1/4 teaspoons of salt, hmmm salt... oh its right there! 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil checkaro! 3 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract done! And 1/4-1/2 cup of chocolate chips!
Mmmmmmh chocolate chips. She hummed to herself as she started cooking the pancakes in the pan. Both Lulu and the human Roderick were not up as of yet, it would take a while for them to get up. At least that’s what I thought....
I heard someone shouting down the hallway, thinking that my sister had gotten into an argument with our host. I started to turn my head around, only to see Roderick smiling broadly at me from the dining table. To say I was shocked that he moved so quickly from his room to the table would be an understatement.
I stared at him for a few seconds, my eyebrow rising in a silent question. This in turn, only made him smile all the more. I then looked towards the hallway to see Lulu staring in shock at the human sitting at the table. He looked between my sister and me, a smile still on his face. He stopped looking between us and laughed.
“You two look better than yesterday.” He still had that smile on his face. Something was niggling at the back on my mind. I recognised it as my sister trying to speak to me.
“Tia... this human is different.” I looked at my sister and responded to her.
“How different Lulu?” She looked at the human and frowned.
“Well, what he did a few moments before entering here does not seem physically possible for a human to do, it is unnerving.”
I frowned at my sister “What did he do Lulu?”
She looked at me with an expression that closely resembled that of fear and shock. “He moved faster than a blur Tia, I don’t-”
“You know it’s rude to talk about someone when they are in the same room yes?
My sister and I looked towards Roderick in shock. Lulu was too shocked to speak, so I spoke instead. “How did you...?”
“Know you were talking about me?” he smiled at me and looked towards my sister. “It’s pretty simple when she looks at me then back to you again and again...”
My sister looked off to the side and blushed. I raised an eyebrow at this. “Yes that may be simple to see. But how did you know?”
He smiled at us again. “That, my lovely ladies, is a story for another time, another place.”
He slowly looked at me and said. “So, when’s breakfast?”
I regained my composure and looked him in the eyes. “It should be ready in but a few minutes....” I continued to stare at him. He sighed and looked at me.
“As I said before, that is a story for another time. Another place, I do not feel like explaining what I do and how I do it.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “And I know that your curiosity won’t be sated until I tell you. But do not fret I will tell you. When the time is right I will... But until then you will have to keep your curiosity in check.”
I nodded and dished out the finished pancakes. While Lucy and I started eating, he was staring at them. Slowly he looked up from breakfast, staring at me. “Is there something wrong Roderick?” I asked concern in my voice. It was then that I noticed that he was silently crying. My eyes widened as he said. “Are these... Chocolate Chip pancakes?” I could hear his voice crack and I knew immediately that I had done something wrong.
He stood up from the chair, not looking at either of us. “I... I have to go.” Lucy was the first to try to stop him. “Wait, Roderick! We did not know!” but she was too late. I heard the door slam shut as he left.
Lucy looked at me and, silently asking if we should go after him. I nodded quickly and headed toward the door. Gripping it in my hand I threw it open and rushed out, seeing the elevator close just as we stepped out. “Tia, he is headed toward the roof....” Her face was marked in confusion. “Why is he headed toward the roof? There is no exit up there?”
I looked at her pain on my face “Lulu.... do you think I might have dragged up some bad memories for him when I had made us breakfast?”
Lucy looked at me “Tia... not now, we need to get to the roof, before he does something stupid.”
Perspective Change Roderick
I exited the elevator quickly moving towards the door to the roof, tears streaming down my face in a mad race to reach the floor. That breakfast was the one Olivia made for me on the last Valentine’s Day we had together.... the day I had proposed to her....
I opened the door to the roof, ripping the door open I ran out onto the roof towards the ledge. There I let out all my rage, pain and sadness in one primal scream. The roof started to tremble as I let all my emotions go, all my memories of the good times with Olivia, my family, my friends. All of it gone.
I had finally reached the one stage of depression that no one should have to reach. Suicide.....
Perspective Change Luna
I ran up the stairs faster than I had even go before, I didn’t want him to die. We had only just met and now he was going to die. That was when I heard it, a scream so primal and powerful that it shook the foundations of the building to its very core. A scream so filled with sadness and pain that I gasped at what I knew was going to happen.
We reached the roof of the building a few seconds later. I grabbed the door and flung it open to reveal what was on the other side.
What I saw when I opened the door was a screaming Roderick, howling at the skies. That was not what stopped me dead in my tracks though. What did were the bolts of Lightening being flung in every direction from Roderick’s body. He looked up at the skies a final time before his scream stopped. Then a new sensation flowed through the air around us.
It was a sensation that my sister and I had come into contact with many times when we were younger.
That sensation was...
Death......
Paradise CHPTR 5: Cat's Outa The Bag
"Wait. Let me get this straight.” I looked towards Luna with absolute confusion on my face. “Are you saying that I went bat-shit insane and tried to destroy an ENTIRE city?”
Luna looked over to me and cocked her head “Well, yes that is what I am saying”
“Excuse me, but I find that hard to believe.”
“Well if you would let me explain then it might make more sense.”
“Nope pretty sure it would still make absolutely ZERO sense to me”
I emphasised my point by raising my hands to the roof. I looked towards Luna to only see her eye twitching. Holy... did I break the royal poker face? Luna holds a hoof out to stop me from saying anything as she lifts the other one to her face, giving a shuddering sigh as she held her hoof in place.
I looked towards the clock 7:45 pm well that isn’t so... WAIT 7:45 PM!?!?! I leapt of my seat barrelling towards the door “Wait where are you going???” Luna calls after me “I’M LATE!!!”
“What would you have to be late for!?!”
“I’ve got to pick something up from the shops!!”
1 hour later – Store
The store clerk looks at me as I approach the counter “Hi what can I do for you today!”
“Uh... I’m Roderick. I’m here to pick up my order...” I say quietly, Hey don’t blame me I’m not used to talking to others!
The store clerk looks me up and down, then nods to me and reaches below the counter. “This is some pretty high grade stuff you ordered sir, I don’t know if I should rightly give it to you.” I sigh as I look around me.
“Look I can show you my ID or we can argue in front of the other customers, your choice...” The store clerk.... what is his name? I look to his badge Paul... “Paul” Paul looks to me then back under the counter.
“Alright sir, I don’t know why you need all of these tools...” I bet you guys thought it was drugs..... “But I will need to see some ID before I had these over”
I nodded as I reached into my pocket, pulling out my wallet I showed him my ID. Roderick Hallerway, 21/02/1990. Paul nodded as he pushed the bag towards me. “Thanks Paul. Have a great day.”
He smiled at me then. “You have a good day to sir.”
On the road home – 40 minutes later
I was listening to a song by Hollywood Undead as the rain poured onto the roof on, kind of ironic that the song is called Rain. Anyway I started to sing along to the song as I drove along the wet road.
“I don't mind, no I don't mind, I don't mind the rain
Simple things and subtleties, they always stay the same
I don't mind, that I don't mind, no I don't mind the rain
Like a widow's heart, we fall apart and never fade away (fade away)”
“Run like a child do you know where I came from?
No I don't, but I'm singing all the same songs
I'm alone, and you're looking for your anyone
Does it hurt just to know that it's all gone?
“I can feel the pain in the words that you say
Hidden in the letters that were written to no name
Let me be the hands that you hold to your face
Cause' I'd give it all up if I could take it away”
“Buried in red, white, and a side of some blue
Some will die too late, and somebody too soon
If he could come back, we'll see what it cost him
We had to lose it all, just to know that we lost one”
“Hi, I'm just a shape in the shadow of grates
Hi, I'm just a voice in the choir of saints
Oh all the souls that nobody could save
and just like a light, we faded away”
“I don't mind, no I don't mind, I don't mind the rain
Simple things and subtleties, they always stay the same
I don't mind, that I don't mind, no I don't mind the rain
Like a widow's heart, we fall apart and never fade away (fade away)”
“Fade away, as I fade away, away, away”
“If I could take it all back
Before the flags were forces to wave at half mast
That was long before my heart became black
There's no way to make it change or go black
You know that some of us grow old, with no homes
Some of us die in a cold house, with no hope
Still surrounded by the people you don't know, so don't go”
“Cause it's over the time fades your photo
how many goodbyes can fit in a lifetime?
How many good lies can make it seem alright?
What do you see when you look into my eyes?
Or in the sky right before you say goodnight?”
“I could be the son that stands beside of your bed
and I could be the voice right inside of your head
I could say goodbye and you know where I went
I just wrote a letter that'll never be sent”
“I don't mind, no I don't mind, I don't mind the rain
Simple things and subtleties, they always stay the same
I don't mind, that I don't mind, no I don't mind the rain
Like a widow's heart, we fall apart and never fade away (fade away)
Fade away, as I fade away, away, away
As I fade away, away, away
As I fade away, away, away
As I fade away....”
At the end of the song I couldn’t help but remember all of those who were lost to me. My parents, my brother, Olivia..... I couldn’t hold the tears back any longer and my vision started to go hazy, so I stopped the car and pulled over to the side of the road, hoping that I could hold them off.
A chocked sob escaped from the confines of my throat; undoing the belt around me I brought my knees up to my chest and gripped them with my hands. I opened the door and fell to the ground, hot tears mixing in with the cold rain. I got up and walked, no direction, not going anywhere. I just walked.
After I don’t know how long of walking, I came upon a single tree upon a hill with a root sticking out of the ground. On the trunk of the tree was a symbol, I remembered that from somewhere.... but where? Looking closely I saw two red angle wings with a golden sword in the middle. The carving had six glyphs that I couldn’t make out surrounding the symbol.
“Well my boy, it looks like you are wallowing in sadness and pity.” Turning around I saw a man with a.... IS HE WEARING A POLKADOT SUIT?!?!?!?
“Are you wearing a polka dot suit?” I laughed wiping the tears from my eyes.
“My good sir this is one of my best suits!” He smiled at me, and I laughed. Oh god did I laugh.
“Well congrats you just brought me out of my bad mood.” I patted him on the shoulder then moved to the upraised root and sat on it. “Well what do you want with me then? Mister crazy hairdo, polka dot suit man...”
He raised a bushy eyebrow at me and stroked his white goatee. “Now what makes you think I want something to do with you?”
I smiled at the white haired man. “Well I can take three guesses at who you are and what you want with me. But I’m just going to guess once, Discord what do you want from me?”
The man with the white hair’s eyebrows rose up in surprise at being found out. “Okay Roderick Hallerway, you found me out. Yes I am Discord, and I have a proposition for you my friend.” He smiled warmly at me.
Smiling I looked him in the eye. “Oh my friend and what would this proposition from you be?”
Smiling manically he summoned a pad and pen. “It’s easy, just sign here and agree to cause havoc in Equestria and I’ll give you whatever you want.”
Hmmmmm. It was a good offer, but agreeing to cause havoc in Equestria? As fun as that sounded I had a counter offer.
Smiling manically myself I said. “Ok Discord, I have a counter offer for you. I’ll agree to cause havoc in Equestria WHEN and WHERE I choose, not whenever you say. Also, I want to be able to do ANYTHING I want. Do anything I choose. But in the end I WILL still cause havoc.”
Discord smiled at the human named Roderick, “You sir, are an interesting specimen of your kind. Only a few agreed to what I had said but they didn’t want to go in the end.” He scowled at me. “Family, they said. Didn’t want to leave them behind.” Waving a.... was he wearing a giant mitten on one hand? I looked at him with a look saying ‘are you serious?’ He laughed at me and smiled.
“Anyway, I LIKE these terms you put up.” Cracking his knuckles he moved towards me. I quickly put my hands in front of me.
“You are not fucking PUNTING me into Equestria.” He frowned at me.
“How did you know I was going to do that?” I smiled at him mischievously.
“I’ve read too much Fan-Fiction for you to be able to pull off that move on me.”
We both laughed at each other. “Well Discord, I think I’m cured of my depression.” I stopped dead in my tracks.
“What’s the matter friend?” Discord asked, cocking his head to the side.
I looked at him and smiled sadly. “I left Luna at home.”
He scowled when I said Luna’s name. “What’s she doing here; we agreed you were to go with me !”
I raised an eyebrow at Discord’s ranting. “Anywho, Discord what’s going to happen to me now, now that we have this....? Deal between us.”
He stopped and looked at me. “Oh well what happens is that you get to choose what you want to be.”
I looked at him in confusion. “Wait...... I get to choose?”
“Well yes. You get to choose.”
“Huh.....” I put a hand to my chin in thought; I could be a Griffin... or a Pegasus! I know I want to be something with wings. Anything that could fly, but would be able to protect myself...... Maybe a Dragon...? Yea.... A Dragon! I want to be a Dragon! No one can fuck with a Dragon and get away with it! Im’a BURN YO ASS BOY! I started to laugh manically and Discord raised an eyebrow.
“What’s the most destructive, most chaotic, long living creature that you can think of that’s not you?” He looked at me, then raised a hand and started to scratch his chin.
“Well, the only thing I can think of is..... Oh boy. Are you sure?” He looked at me with a scared expression.
I shook my head, “No not a complete Dragon. I still want my form. But more of a Draconic image in nature, more imposing. And! I want to have the same abilities you have, plus a few other things that I’ll throw into the mess. But that’s for me to know and you to never find out!”
I laughed manically at Discord, and after a few minutes he said. “You are either so stupid that you think I’ll let you have my abilities or-”
I interrupted him saying. “Discord, my brain functions on stupid and insane. Just like yours! I’ve been in a depression for over seven years; you have just given me the greatest gift any man can ask for. Ever since my family died I’ve had no reason to stay here. I WILL cause the chaos you so wish upon the fun and happy land of Equines. But in exchange I want the freedom to do so whenever I want. Not when you say so, when I say so.....”
He looked at me with hatred in his eyes. I smiled; time to let the cat out of the bag, but only a little . I felt my back itching and my mouth burn; my eyes began to be tinged with a red hue, lightening began to trail up and down my arm and the storm above intensified, lightening streaking down and hitting my back, turning my shirt into ashes revealing the red winged tattoo upon my back.
“You were right when you said I was different from the rest of my kind Discord.” I smiled revealing the fangs now that had replaced my teeth. Discord flinched and moved back a bit. I matched him foot for foot, lightening still hitting me and the ground around me. “You see, several years ago. I had no control over my emotions, any type of emotion set of a response that I had no control over. But that’s why I came back out here, to learn to control my mind, my body. The government tried to figure me out and couldn’t. And right now. You couldn’t do a thing to hurt me. So like I said,” I lowered my voice several pitches, for more effect. “I WILL CAUSE HAVOC AND CHAOS IN EQUESTRIA BUT I AND ONLY ME WILL CHOOSE WHEN AND WHERE I DO SO. AND YOU WILL GIVE ME THE POWERS THAT I WILL USE TO DO SO. Do you understand what I am saying?”
I watched as Discord sweated bullets down unto the ground. I’m serious; he sweated BULLETS unto the ground. He finally nodded at me and snapped his fingers.
Paradise CHPTR 1: A Strange Visitor
Paradise
Has anyone found it? This question constantly plagued the young man as he was lying down on his bed. It’s so quiet tonight. As if there is no noise. Many thoughts like these, rolled through the man’s head as he looked out the window into the crystal clear sky.
It’s so peaceful. So quiet. I enjoyed the night time far more than the day. Some nights I spend the entire time awake. Because of this I had become almost nocturnal in my sleeping habits. Sleeping some of the day away, awaking sometimes earlier than normal for me to look after animals, or to check the crops. I used to spend the days awake with those I loved. I sighed as I remember them.
Most of my family had passed away. My father had left and was never heard from again. My brother Doug was shot during the war. My mother had passed away from overuse of drugs in her system. I had no one left to live with. So I simply lived by myself now. Barely, growing the food I needed, and hunting in the forest nearby for meat and whatever else I needed. It was hell trying to get the food before the winter months settled in. But worth it in the end
I smiled a bit, not for many days now, have I spent a night like this awake. The night time always calmed me. The feeling when it happened was impossible to describe. Almost like someone was watching over me. I always wrote it off as nothing. But I secretly hoped that somewhere out there she was watching over me.
Sighing, I stopped leaning on my balcony, and went into my room, passing family portraits along the way, one of my mother, brother and myself in Hawaii. another of them before the war. On our farm, life was simple on the farm. Get up, work, eat then sleep. I stopped before one portrait. This one of a young girl, she had blond hair and blue eyes. She was lying underneath the oak tree on the farm, smiling at the clear blue sky. One word was swimming inside my head as I stared at that picture. “Olivia”.
I vividly remembered that day. For that was the day I had asked her if she wanted to live with me. She seemed to burst with excitement at the time. I weakly smiled as I looked at the picture on the wall. She was always smiling, always happy. Those times were the best in my life. And then it was torn away from me.
She had died during an accident. That was one of the most depressing things in my life. For during a trip up north, there was a freak storm, they said that it was too dark to see the road that night. Her car had swerved off the road, going front first into a tree. By the time I had got to the local hospital, she was gone. The doctors had said that she when she passed she didn’t feel any pain. I had almost followed her into the abyss then. A tear slowly made its way down my cheek, raising a hand I wiped it away and continued out of my room heading down the stairs.
Turning around the corner at the bottom of the stairs, I reached the door leading down to the basement. Calmly I grabbed a lantern from the wall and opened the door. After opening the door, I reached into a drawer and grabbed the matches to light the lantern. After doing so I calmly walked down the stairs.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I immediately went over to the generator to turn it off for the night. Plopping the lantern down beside me, I stared at the generator. “Never could figure this thing out.” I mumbled to myself. I started off by flipping a couple of the switches on the generators side. The darkness engulfed the room whenever I managed to flip the right one to turn it off. Sighing to myself, I then proceeded back up the stairs, replacing the lantern to where it belonged.
Heading back toward the stairs, I stopped at the front door. Remembering what I used to do on nights such as these. Either I would go to the computer to watch the newest episode of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. I wasn’t that much of a brony. Didn’t buy the merchandise or anything like that. Just watched the show, it was the only thing that got me to really laugh nowadays. Or I would stand outside and sing a lullaby towards the moon. I always used to think that Olivia or Princess Luna heard me sing to them. It also calmed me down when I felt agitated by something.
This was one such night I felt agitated by something, no idea what I had to be agitated about. Heading outside from the front door, I sat down on the porch. I started thinking about what lullaby to sing. Mulling it over for a couple minutes, I decided on the normal one that I always sung. One that I knew I could recite without fault. It was one of my favourite lullabies from the show. It was a particular lullaby by a yellow Pegasus with a pink mane. Clearing my throat he began.
“Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed
Drifting off to sleep
Exciting day behind you
Drifting off to sleep
Let the joy of dream land find you
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed”
Sighing as I finished the timid Pegasus’s lullaby. I thought to myself. If only I knew that you heard me. I could at least live in peace then. I smiled weakly as I wiped more tears from my cheeks. I looked up towards the moon. Every since I was young I loved to stare at the moon. I had hoped that as usual it would calm me, tonight was different however. I didn’t feel at peace. I felt happy, truly happy. That was a feeling I hadn’t felt in a long, long time. Touching my chest I felt the beat of my heart. Weird, I haven’t felt like this since I met Olivia.
Shrugging it off, I got up and went back inside. Turning the light off as I enter the house. I yet again passed the pictures of my loved ones as I climbed up the stairs. Again I stopped at the picture of Olivia. But only for a minute then I continued my trek upstairs. As I enter my room, I hear a sound from the door to the deck. Quickly writing it off I continued toward my bed, I’ll look into it tomorrow, not much I can do in the dark anyway. I thought to myself. I went to my bed turning the lamps off as I go. I lied down on the bed. Thinking that tonight I could drift off peacefully. I heard the sound again. The faintest of noises, almost sounded like a bird flapping its wings.
Huh, that’s weird. Did I leave the door to the deck open again, and did a bird get in? I got up slowly grabbing the bedpost as leverage to pull myself up. Heading toward the door, I looked casually towards the lock. Nope it’s locked. So what was that noise then? I calmly unlocked the door, opened it and headed outside for the second time that night.
What I saw when I stepped out was never in a million years did I think was possible. For sitting there, on the deck under the stars, was none other than the one I had sung to every night. There in all her glory and all her beauty was the Princess of the night. Princess Luna.
I just looked at her. Dumbfounded, my mind and heart saying I don’t believe it. What was even more interesting was that she hadn’t noticed me open the door out onto the deck.
I stood there for good two or three minutes before I finally thought of something to do. I did the only sensible thing in this situation. I coughed into my hand to get her attention. I saw the look of surprise in Luna’s face when she turned around. “I did not think you were real your Highness” I said with a formal bow, she looked at me with a look of curiosity and maybe a bit of recognition? Before saying “Were thou the one singing to us every eve?”
I nodded with a smile on my face. The Princess looked at me again. “Would thou minded if we ask thee to sing again?” she said with a smile on her face. I thought for but a moment. “Your Highness-” “I bid you. Call us Luna” she said with a casual smile. I raised an eyebrow at that, but nodded again “Luna.” Ok that felt weird. “I have sung to you every night since ever since I started to look at the moon. I would not mind singing again” She looked at me with a look of joy on her face while clapping her hooves together. “Splendid! Please Begin.”
Again I coughed into my hand to clear my throat. And as Luna had asked, I began to sing again.
“Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed
Drifting off to sleep
Exciting day behind you
Drifting off to sleep
Let the joy of dream land find you
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed”
She looked calm throughout the entire lullaby. When I had finished she looked at me “May we ask thee, how thou know of that lullaby?” His eyebrows raised a look of surprise crossing his face. I was scared to tell her how I knew of Fluttershy’s lullaby. After thinking for a good amount of time I just sighed and looked at her.
“You may want to be prepared for this.” I said motioning for her to follow me back inside. Sitting down on a chair I motioned for her to do the same. Once we had both sat down, I looked at her and asked. “Alright, what do you want to know?”
“Everything”
This is going to take a while..... I smiled. “Well then, let me begin.”
I first went into a detailed account of how many wars there had been on Earth, about how bad everyone was to each other. Telling Luna how everything worked here was a bit more difficult. Simple things, like what a car was. To more complicated thing like aeroplanes and space shuttles seemed alien to her. Although I probably think that’s because she’s from another dimension? Or is it a universe? I rightly didn’t know how they worked at all. But I tried my best to explain.
I then went on to explain my life to Luna. Only excluding what happened to me when I was younger, purposefully not explaining my accident to her. But I did explain all the hardships and all the pain, joy and sorrow, happy times and sad. Going on to explain how one show changed my own opinion on Mankind, I had thought I could help them be more peaceful if only they adopted the same ideals as those held in Equestrian society. But they rejected my opinions, calling me crazy. I explained it all in detail to the Princess. And then after I had said all of that, I sighed and told her about the show that changed my opinion. My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
At first it seemed the Princess was horrified by the thought of every movement being watched by people she didn’t even know. But I explained that the show taught children about the meaning of friendship. It had even helped some people.
“Take me for example. My life was seriously fucked up. I had gone through so much pain, so many accidents. But then I watched the show, and I didn’t feel so bad anymore. I knew that there would be someplace better to look towards.” I said with a weak smile tracing along my jaw.
I sighed. “Can I ask you a question Luna?” She nodded and I continued. “Why are you here?”
“What dose thou mean?”She had a confused look on her face. I just sighed knowingly.
I looked into her Blue eyes, after taking a moment to examine the floor for a good minute. I spoke up again. “What are you doing here, on Earth?”