What Happened When He Died

by Lady Spider

Life is a Storm and I'm Riding the Waves

Chapter Four
Life is a Storm and I’m Riding the Waves

The walk to Sugarcube Corner was silent. Something was bothering Storm, and I could see it. Probably the exchange Dressa and I had.

We reached the bakery in due time. Luckily, it was almost entirely empty. I took a seat against the wall while Storm went up to the counter.

“Heeeeeeelloooooo! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! What can I getcha?!” I heard the pink pony who was often at the counter greet him.

Storm ordered something for the two of us and I watched the ponies out the window. Everypony smiled at each other and greeted each other. A feeling of hurt and betrayal weighed in my chest.

No pony greets me like that...

Storm came over and sat across from me, blocking my view of the giant glass windows. “Here we go!” He said, smiling. The stallion set down a large chocolate cupcake in front of me. It was covered in chocolate frosting and had a yellow smiley face drawn on it in icing.

I had no choice but to giggle. “Um. I think there’s something wrong with my food.”

Storm’s expression became one of mock concern. “Oh? What might be wrong, Miss?”

“My cupcake is smiling at me. I feel threatened.” I smirked.

Storm laughed. “Well then you don’t want mine.” He turned his cupcake around so I could see. It was decorated with many smiley faces.

We both laughed and ate our smiling cupcakes. Over the frosting, I eyed Storm. He was grinning in laughter and seemed to be enjoying himself. His eyes were sparkling with a thousand jokes and he seemed relaxed.

He’s very nice. That’s for sure. Pretty cute too. Dressa was right.

The longer I looked at him, the funnier I felt.

I just want to sit here and smile at him. My heart is all fluttery and my mind keeps going blank on me. I haven’t felt this way since Sprint...

His voice jerked me out of my thoughts. “Easel? You’re staring at me. Are you okay?”

“Huh?” I shook my head and blushed.

Buck. He noticed.

“I’m fine. Just zoning out a little.”

Storm appeared skeptical but smiled anyway. “If you say so.” I dug a few bits out of my bag and tried to give them to him. “No, it’s on me.”

“But, those are like five bits each!”

“After seeing your appetite last night, I want to be sure you’re eating.”

“I...” I stopped myself. I wasn’t even sure what I had started to say. “Thanks.”

A silence fell on our table as I found myself caught in another stare. Only this time it was in his eyes. Our eyes were locked together, reading each other.

What is that? In his eyes? I know what it is... I’ve seen it before... Once... What is it...?

Then it dawned on me.

No... it can’t be... l-love...

I stood quickly, breaking the connection. “I should probably get going. Art order to finish that needs to be sent in next week.” I mumbled.

Storm stood as well. “Want somepony to walk home with?”

I shook my head quickly. “N-no, thank y-you but I really just.. I have to go.” My stammering was only making me feel worse. It felt so right to be around him but my heart and head were screaming protests at me.

“I’m sorry.” I all but galloped out of the bakery and trotted down the road at a fast pace, weaving through ponies.

“Easel!” His voice echoed behind me. “Easel!” I slowed and Storm appeared at my side. “Just let me walk you home, okay?”

I groaned. “Fine... You’re one stubborn stallion, you know that?”

He smiled. “Yeah. I get that alot.” The smile faltered for a moment. “I just want to be sure you’re okay, okay?”

“Okay.”

*******************************

Somepony asked.

Somepony asked.

Somepony asked.

...

Why?

He isn’t even involved. He’s an outsider. He shouldn’t care. Of all the ponies, he shouldn’t care. Of all the ponies, He. Shouldn’t. Care.

Why?

…

I sat, staring into my cracked mirror. The picture of Sprint and me was leaning against the broken glass. His look of pure joy was frozen in time.

“Sprint...”

What’s wrong Easel? His voice filled my ears. What’s wrong?

“Sprint. I miss you.” A tear escaped my eyes and fell onto the floor.

I know, Easel. I miss you too. It’s been so long. The Sprint in the picture seemed to look directly at me.

“Sprint. Why did it have to be you? Of all the ponies in Equestria it had to be you. You had to leave me. I haven’t been living without you. I should have been the one to die!” More tears joined the one on the floor. “You were everything to me! Not just me! Everypony! Everypony loved you. I loved you Sprint! I still love you...”

The picture blurred as my tears took over my sight. The entire house was silent except for my sobbing. This time, I couldn’t stop.

“Sprint.. I loved you.. and I never told you... and now it’s too late..”

Easel. I loved you too. I am always in your heart now. Whenever you need me I can be there for you. Through my tears, I thought I saw Sprint’s smile grow. It’s not too late for you. Somepony else is here now. They can love you because I’m gone.

“Storm...”

I am here but I am gone. He can love you.

“I’m scared of him, Sprint.”

Don’t be. You can trust him.

My tears fell slowly now. I felt as if Celestia had taken the world off my shoulders. I had finally told him. I could move on now.

I sat in front of my mirror until sundown. Over the hours, the tears stopped and a faint smile appeared on my face. As the moon began to glow outside my window, I stood and went downstairs to my front step.

“I can live.”

***********************************

Everypony’s looking for you.

“I know.”

Even the ponies who were so cruel to you in those years.

“I know.”

You’re not a filly anymore. You’re a mare. And you have a whole life ahead of you. You have somepony to live for now. Somepony to get up every morning for.

“...I know.”

I had walked away from Ponyville into the fields. Here it was entirely dark and only the moon and her stars glowed above me. I had been sitting here for hours on end, occasionally hearing a pony in the distance call out my name then disappear back into Ponyville.

Somewhere, I heard Sprint’s voice echo across my mind. It danced across my ears and into my open heart.

Easel, tell me that story again. The one you learned from your Grandmother. The one with Princess Celestia.

I smile. “Of course, Sprint.”

Sprint settles down into his hospital pillow and smiles that precious smile at me.

I opened my mouth and the words of the story I had told him so many times flew from my mouth into the night air around me.

“One night a pony had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with Princess Celestia. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of hoofprints in the sand; one belonged to him, and the other to Princess Celestia.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the hoofprints in the sand. He noticed that at many times along the path of his life, there were only one set of hoofprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him, and he questioned Princess Celestia about it. ‘Princess, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of hoofprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most, you weren’t there.’

Princess Celestia replied, ‘My little pony, I love you, and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of hoofprints, it was then that I carried you.’

I sat in the middle of the field staring up at the moon. I was amazed I could still remember that story. My voice had seemed too loud in the silence of the night.

Hoofsteps could be heard rustling the grass behind me. I didn’t turn. I had a feeling I knew who it was.

“Dreams are messages.” Stated Princess Luna. “What you dream is meant to tell you what to do next.”

I didn’t reply. Princess Luna sat in the grass beside me.

“I watched your dream.”

I turned and looked at the princess of the night. She was gazing up at her moon.

“I know what it means.” I whispered.

More hoofsteps were heard behind us. I turned farther to see Storm Half-Note running towards us. He reached me and swept me up into a hug.

“Don’t run away like that again.” He growled into my ear.

For the first time in a long time, tears escaped my eyes, and I smiled at the same time. I hugged him back and squeezed.

“I won’t...”

I turned my head to thank Princess Luna, but she was gone. Storm pulled back and held me by the shoulders.

“Easel. I love you. Please... don’t ever do that to me again...” His blue eyes stared into my violet ones. They were full of worry and love. In the words “I love you” I could almost hear Sprint saying it as well. As reassurance.

I leaned forward and rested my cheek against his neck. “Don’t worry. I’m back.” I breathed out slowly as I thought back to the story. “I’m back for good.”

Author's Note:

The original story “Footprints” belongs to its original writer (which is not me lol). Thank you original anonymous author.

Comments

[Word_Smith]

Oh I just gets better

[DemonRykuKyuubi]

Very nice work, Ela! A bit rushed with the Luna bit, but good all around. I love what you did with this. Fantastic.