A Promise Not Forgotten

Aidan:

Flying through the vortex was really something else. I have never experienced anything quite like it, though I suppose it is comparable to the teacups ride at a fair. God I hate those things... I came out of the portal face first into the ground with a loud snap.

"Ahhh... there goes me neck... again," I said as I shot Dan a look.

Dan was standing; he had a better landing than myself. One thing is for sure, he will never forgive Celestia. Knowing him, this will get out of hand… and quickly, maybe it should. The man had a look in his eye. I swear I could see the fire burning in his soul. I had never seen Dan this angry, not about anything.

“Hey man, you good?” I said standing up and moving my head to make sure everything popped back together as I walked to his side.

Dan looked at me, before returning his gaze to the ground, “Yeah…”

“Listen, we’ll fix all this. Don’t worry,” I said. That’s me, the group optimist. Walking over to Discord who was making sure the ponies were ok I said, “So… Discord.”

Discord looked me right in the eye; there was something extremely familiar about him…

“Aidan…”

“Where are we?” I asked, looking around the overgrown ruins, looked like a castle. “Don’t tell me it’s the Everfree…”

“Bingo…” He said with a crooked smile.

“Why here?” I asked.

“Why not? Celestia won’t be quick to follow us here. Even she knows it’s dangerous…” He said.

“And what, you’re afraid of some spooky forest?” I said. “Come on, with the Elements, you, a part of the royal guard, and us four humans, we are unstoppable!”

“You are sounding more and more like a conqueror... Are you sure Prophet is gone?” Discord asked, scrutinizing me closely.

Is he safe? I thought.

Best be kept a secret for now… We don’t know how they will react, and after all this, they might not be too trusting.

“Positive. I’m just different than most people, and I think it’d be best to examine all possibilities in a situation. Don’t you think?” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“Maybe,” Discord leaned in closely, “I’ll be watching you, boy.”

“Good,” I replied. “Now let’s get going to Ponyville; we can still gather supplies before Celestia sends her guards.”

Dan had walked over to Luna, who was still unconscious. She had been fully turned into a human; her wings and horn were gone. He took off his jacket, wrapped her in it, and took her into the next room. I watched the man as he covered her in the coat, walking to his side I said, “Hey, we’re going to head to Ponyville, need to gather up some supplies. You coming?”

Dan looked from Luna to me, “I can’t just leave her…”

I patted Dan on his shoulder, “Don’t worry, mate, we’ll handle it. You stay with her.”

“Thanks,” Dan said.

“No problem,” I said as I walked away to the ponies. “Listen up!” I half-yelled, “We have to go into Ponyville to gather supplies, do I have any volunteers?” We had the mane six, two night guards, and only one day guard stayed with Iron Hoof (big help they were). Immediately three hooves and a hand shot up. Colin was a given, we did everything together. I looked a little closer at the hooves and found that they belonged to a dark blue night guard, Iron Hoof, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. “Great, anypony else?” Silence. “Awesome. You four, with me,” I said as I started walking to the exit of the old throne room we were in.

“Got any big plans?” Colin asked.

“Nope,” I replied.

“Will there be a plan?” Colin asked again.

“Oh, what’s the fun in that?” I asked with a grin.

The three ponies followed us as we walked. “Sir,” The night guard said while saluting, “My name is Cobalt Crystal, sir!”

I rolled my eyes, “Ugh, don’t salute me, I don’t need your praise…”

Colin walked a little closer and whispered, “Hey, dude, what’s up? You seem a bit, well different.”

I glared back at Colin, “Can you blame me? I was almost killed and now we live as refugees.”

“No, this is different. You were all happy and whatnot two minutes ago, where did that go?” Colin said.

“ARGH!” I groaned as I fell to one knee while holding my head.

“Aidan! What’s going on?” Rainbow said as she dashed to my side.

I held my eyes shut for a few moments. In the darkness of my closed eyes, I saw a light. There was a door, and it was closed, but light was spewing from the cracks.

What the hell is going on?

Your mind is breaking. I can’t stop it anymore… Aidan, I’m sorry.

Don’t be. As long as that tyrant reigns I will fight on. To the ends of this world if I have to.

Aidan, there is a thin line between being brave and being stupid.

That’s irrelevant, nothing will stop me.

“Aidan!” Colin said as he grabbed my shoulder. “Aidan, what’s going on? AIDAN!”

I cracked my eyes open and saw the host of worried faces, “Nothing to worry about… just a headache,” I said.

“That aint no headache,” Applejack said. “What is it, Aidan? You can tell us.”

“It’s nothing, just leave it,” I said as I stood up and walked out of the ruined castle. The mares looked at each other as Cobalt and Colin followed me without question.

We began a fifteen minute walk back to the town. Not a word was said, besides, what was there to talk about? As far as I was concerned the only thing that mattered was getting rid of Celestia. The ponies can’t handle such a tyrant like her. Maybe the mane six and the guard, but there is no way the common ponies could take the change.

We walked over a small hill and looked at the town. “Crap…” I said as I noticed that some guards were looking around in the town. “How did they beat us here?”

“Guards are stationed everywhere in Equestria for quick response. We keep hidden though, to keep the element of surprise,” Cobalt said.

“Tricky…” Colin said from just behind me.

“How will we get in there now?” Applejack asked.

“Duh! I have wings remember! Cobalt, let’s just pop in and grab some gear,” Rainbow said.

“No… that isn’t going to work,” I said looking over the land, watching the guards on patrol.

“Then what should we do?” Rainbow asked, a little sad at my disapproval.

I coked an eyebrow in thought, “There’s only one way in…” I said as a smile crossed my face.

“And what might that be?” Colin asked.

“Heh, there’s more to that light of yours than you think, my friend,” I said with a toothy smile. “You can bend the light around us, making us completely invisible.”

“Oh, really? And six months under has taught you that how?” Colin asked.

“Are you complaining?” I asked in response.

“No, but, it’s just a little bit completely impossible,” Colin said.

“Call it knowledge from beyond the grave and leave it at that,” I said coldly as I looked back to the town. “Just do it already.”

Colin grunted as he conjured up the light, with a little manipulation it completely vanished, but was still there. “Ok, I think I’m ready.”

“Do it, then,” I said, growing impatient. Colin’s light covered us and quickly faded, leaving us invisible under the blanket. “Now let’s get going…” I said as I looked back into town.

We started walking, slowly at first, then gained pace as Colin grew more confident in his abilities. We walked to Sweet Apple Acres to get food for the four humans, one draconequus, and ten ponies. Needing a lot we filled a cart, I had no idea how long we would stay so I prepared for the worst.

“Okay,” Applejack said after finishing the cart. “Can I go say goodbye to my family?”

“Make it quick, we don’t have all day,” I said flatly. “And don’t tell them where we might be going. I can’t risk any loose ends.”

“Where did this come from, Aidan” Colin asked, surprised at my transition.

“It’s no secret that your wedge broke my mind… It’s taking full effect now; there isn’t anything anyone can do to stop it.” I sighed, “I don’t mean to be… this way, but I really can’t do anything about it now. The only thing you can do is keep me from doing anything irrational.”

“Yeah…” Colin said, walking away to check our gathered gear, which consisted of medical supplies, food, clothes, blankets, and a tank of water. If we were going into hiding, we are going to do this right.

“Sure!” Rainbow said energetically.

I looked down at her before kneeling, “Rainbow, I’ve been wanting to ask you… What was that all about back in the palace?”

She looked down nervously, “Uhh, well, you needed help, and I just can’t leave my friends hangin’ like that.” Rainbow looked at me again, “Listen, this whole broken mind thing… can you fix it?”

“I don’t know… Hopefully there is a way,” I said. I sat down leaning on the cart and letting out a small grunt before holding my head again, “It’s terrible… Feels like I’m being torn in half.”

“If you need anything…” Rainbow said, putting a hoof on my shoulder. “We’re here for you.”

“Right…” I said as she trotted after Colin.

Hey spooky…

Meh?

Any ideas of where we should go?

Yep.

Then, where?

Are you familiar with the southern wastes?

Sounds familiar, I think there was something about it in a history book.

It’s completely barren now. That’s where I waited for you to wake up.

Can it support life for a long term?

Deep inside there is an oasis, but there are circles progressively getting worse as you approach the oasis. I know it’s there, but I’ve never gotten that far.

So we are making a gamble?

Looks that way.

…Great, it’s the best we can do in the meantime. What do you mean by worse?

Well, there are creatures there. Creatures that… haven’t been seen in a long time. Prophet said, with his voice fading.

Something I should know about?

You will know them when you see them.

I looked at Applejack as she walked back under the invisibility blanket. “Everything ok?” I asked as she wiped away a tear.

“Yeh, just don’t like sayin goodbye, that’s all.”

“Understandable,” I said as I got off the ground. “You all ready to do?” I asked our group. Cobalt, who was put on surveillance, turned and nodded. “You aren’t one for words are you?”

“No, sir,” He said, dodging eye contact.

“Alright, let’s move out,” I said as I started pushing the cart.

Colin walked to my side and helped me push the cart, “Hey man. What do you think of all this?”

“All what?” I asked in a stoic voice.

Colin rolled his eyes, “Come on, man! This isn’t you. Where did you go?”

“I told you, my mind is tearing itself apart. What’s left of me won’t be there for very long,” I said before looking to Colin. “Which is why we have to move quickly.”

“Right, but come on man. You have to tell me, is there something HE can do about it?” Colin asked.

“Nothing…” I said, looking straight forward.

Colin sighed, “There has to be something! After all these months of studying I’m sure I can find a way! Maybe Twilight knows something.”

“Colin… It’s over,” I said, before looking at him. “I shouldn’t even be alive right now. I died back there, in the castle, six months ago… I was brain dead in the hospital, until Dan woke up.”

“What? You really meant that?” Colin asked, completely dumbfounded.

“Every word… Outside I’m alive, but inside I’m dying. There isn’t anything I can do, so we have to finish this,” I said.

“No, man… you can't do this to us,” Colin said.

“You’re stubborn, Colin. Believe me; it hurts to admit it, but it hurts inside. Whatever you knew of me will fade, and something terrible will replace it. Before that happens, Colin, let me do one last good thing,” I said.

Colin was tearing up at this point, but I had no emotions left to show. “Aidan, don’t talk like that… We can get you help, we can beat this…”

“Give it up, it’s over,” I said, with my last tear falling.

“How do you even know this? All of this?” Colin asked. “Did HE tell you?”

“No…”

“Then how, Aidan?” Colin asked, with teary eyes.

“I’ve seen the other side, and it was beautiful,” I said in a calm tone. “They showed me things… the horrors of what this world would become, what I would become. I can’t let that happen,” I said, looking to Colin. “But don’t for a second think that I’ve forgotten you… I will still do everything I can to protect you, all of you.”

“Aidan, there isn’t a small chance of hope that we can fix this?” Colin asked, his voice now shaking.

“No… You know I don’t like martyrdom, Colin. You know I think it’s a stupid thing to even think about. Believe me when I say I have considered every way out, every single possibility, but there was nothing. Please don’t tell the others, they will never look at me the same if they found out.”

Colin looked down, and began to accept that this was beginning of the end.