Advertisement
Not a member of Pastebin yet?
Sign Up,
it unlocks many cool features!
- >... You are Shimmer Light...
- >... Though, who is "Shimmer Light"?
- >It's been a week since you saw Hexferry.
- >... Broke down right in front of her, lost who you are...
- >... Started needing her...
- >You haven't been avoiding her, she's been avoiding you.
- >Probably.
- >Either that or your schedules don't actually coincide like you thought they did.
- >No, you never actually thought that. You knew she was searching you out.
- >She left when you left.
- >She even stopped hanging out with her friends to talk to you.
- >... You used to matter to someone...
- >You don't know if you actually care, but the words have force behind them.
- >You don't know what to feel.
- >... Empty...
- >That's all you have.
- >Nothing.
- >You have an amazing house, and everything in it is amazing too.
- >... You love them all so much, but...
- >Do you even love yourself?
- >How can you?
- >You don't even know who you are.
- >... That's how you've felt since that little... debacle.
- >You don't show it on your trips into town.
- >... You hope.
- >You've seen a lot of things today.
- >The stagnant brown one was walking with the peach one and the yellow one. They were up to... something...
- >Your senses are so dull, you could break a coconut with them.
- >... Though, you'd probably just smash your head against it instead.
- >You imagine this is what "sick" feels like.
- >It's no sickness you've ever heard of, but you certainly have all of the symptoms.
- >... You saw that bat-moth thing walking with the fat mare.
- >They're...
- >You can't even come up with insults anymore.
- >You just...
- >The hippie was probably hitting on some stallion.
- >The white one was messing with the bee...
- >You looked through the market for a few minutes then left...
- >Foals were running around, presumably having fun.
- >A mare with weird freckles was blushing alongside another mare.
- >... Tan coat, brown mane, green wings...
- >You think.
- >Your sight is getting worse.
- >You mistook a mare with green hair's wings for purple.
- >They were green.
- >... You saw that moth a few minutes ago walking with a very dark brown stallion.
- >Probably dark brown, at least.
- >... Maybe you should actually bottle yourself in your house for some time.
- >You thought about it for a while, but you turned it down.
- >It doesn't seem like a bad idea anymore.
- >What are the downsides?
- >... See? Nothing.
- >You're so...
- >... Alone...
- >...
- >Well, here you are.
- >"Here" is a few decameters from home, "are" is a word and "you" are...
- >Here. You are here.
- >Here you are...
- >... You wonder how depressed you've looked this whole time.
- >You're sure every glance you got was one of pity.
- >... Did they even glance at you?
- >Why do you care?
- >... Do you care?
- >Everything is perfect, just like you.
- >... Whoever this "you" you keep on thinking of is.
- >Your pace staggers.
- >... That's her house.
- >When did you turn to look at it?
- >Whatever, it doesn't matter.
- >If she sees you, it'll be difficult for her to pity you more than she already does.
- >You used to be strong!
- >... Well, that was unexpected.
- >Powerful, even!
- >You were perfect!
- >Then she...
- >... She came into your life and ruined you.
- >She came into your life, cursed you and made you depend on her.
- >That's what happened.
- >... Maybe that's what happened...
- >Well, you passed her house.
- >She didn't come out.
- >... It's probably for the best.
- >You're just going to... curl up by the bath, douse yourself in hair-care products and just... lay there for a while.
- >Or a few days.
- >Or until your house gets condemned and inspected for demolition.
- >Now you're just being insane.
- >... Though, you can't blame yourself.
- >... How long have you just been standing in front of your door?
- >Operation Just Lay There needs to begin.
- >... You pull the door open, walk in and shut the door.
- >... It's going to be a long time laying on that tiled floor, but you think you'll be up to it.
- >... What was that?
- >You swear you heard something.
- >Did something hit your door?
- >You turn around to look at it.
- >... Whatever hit it certainly isn't on this side.
- >You open the door again.
- >... Oh no...
- >Her.
- >You just... stare at her for a while.
- >She looks... calm but also worried.
- >About you.
- >Of course.
- >"Can I come in?"
- >... You slowly turn your head from her and get out of the way.
- >Odd, usually, others are in your way.
- >Have you been in the way before?
- >You don't like thinking about others' feelings.
- >They make you feel bad.
- >Hexferry walks over to your couch.
- >The one she put you on.
- >"Is it okay if I sit here?"
- >You nod.
- >She daintily places herself on the left side of the couch.
- >She's wearing a jacket.
- >... Was she outside for a long time?
- >It's been getting even colder recently.
- >You don't even remember how many layers you have on right now.
- >"Come on, sit with me."
- >Hexferry pats an empty spot on the couch.
- >You blink a few times before actually heeding her call.
- >You're a lot slower than she is.
- >... Even less graceful.
- >That's quite backwards from who you thought you were.
- >She looks straight into your eyes.
- >"Shimmer, what's wrong?"
- >... Nothing is wrong.
- >You've only lost sight of your sense of being.
- >Nothing.
- >... At least you still have your sarcasm. If it was gone, you'd truly be dead.
- >"Shimmer!"
- >Ah! Okay, that startled you.
- >You're heart - that thing you didn't know you had most of your life - pumps so hard it hurts.
- >Oh, it's good to be sarcastic.
- >... Or is that even sarcasm?
- >You're losing your sanity.
- >Fantastic.
- >"Please, tell me what's wrong!"
- >There's something wrong with this picture.
- >... Right there, in her eyes.
- >Tears.
- >Those shouldn't be there.
- >She shouldn't be crying for you.
- >... Or is she?
- >What if she isn't crying for you, she's crying because her little plan to convert you over to her side of "friends" isn't working?
- >... What if she actually feels guilty for what's happened to you?
- >She grabs your fore-hooves and pulls them close.
- >... Is she leaning toward you?
- >"I..."
- >... What?
- >She seems to be having a bit of trouble with her words.
- "You..."
- >... Who said that?
- >Hexferry looks shocked.
- "You ruined my life...
- >That voice sounds so... pathetic.
- >A lot like... your voice the last time you heard yourself...
- >Oh no...
- "I can't even tell who I am anymore."
- >... Well, that is how you feel.
- >Maybe you should let yourself continue.
- "I used to be someone, now I just sit around all day. I can't even figure out what I'm supposed to feel."
- >...
- "I hated you."
- >Well, she definitely looks hurt.
- >But you aren't done. You have much worse than that, if your past-self has anything to say about it.
- "You made me miserable. I've only really wanted three things: perfection, tranquility and quiet. You took my quiet and tranquility, and somehow you even took away my perfection."
- >You're getting to the good part.
- "I used to be perfect!"
- >...
- "Why couldn't you just leave me alone?"
- >Was that your "good part"? You certainly hope not...
- >"I..."
- >Right, Hexferry.
- >She isn't crying yet, but she looks like she's one more jab to her ego from bawling.
- >"I just wanted to get to know you."
- >She's used that one before.
- "Why?"
- >She seems surprised you even asked that question, even though it's obvious.
- >"I wanted to be your friend."
- "Why?"
- >You're on fire with these.
- >Hexferry pauses, then looks down.
- >You follow her eyes.
- >... Her hooves grasping yours.
- >"... I used to be all alone."
- >You just asked for her life-story, didn't you?
- >"I hated it. I always felt so empty inside. I just... couldn't stand it. But... then I met two ponies. They liked being with me! They even called me a friend..."
- >... Her voice gets softer.
- >"I've been friends with them since then. That pain has just been... gone."
- >She looks back up at you.
- >"I just couldn't keep myself from trying to help you. I... thought you were feeling what I felt, but I guess I was wrong."
- >She pauses for a few moments.
- >... Then she lunges at you and pulls you in for a tight hug.
- >"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you, I just..."
- >Great.
- >If you could do something about this, you would.
- >... Hexferry seems to be crying into your jacket.
- >"I wanted you to be happy..."
- >... Happy?
- >You don't even know if you've ever felt "happy".
- >"Content" is the closest you can think of... "Contempt" is the closest after that.
- >... She'll ruin one of your favorite jackets if she stains them too badly.
- "S-stop... crying..."
- >Your voice sounds even worse than before.
- >She slowly pulls herself to eye level.
- >... She's definitely crying.
- >Red, puffy eyes, tears streaming down her face...
- >She looks at you... expectantly.
- >What do you say?
- >You sort-of feel bad for making her cry, but...
- >... This is the mare who has been annoying you constantly.
- >The mare who "cares" about you.
- >She brought you to the hospital.
- >She saved you from the rain... brought you into her home...
- >... Let you cry into her chest...
- >...
- >You don't hate her anymore.
- >You wish you did but you don't.
- >Right now, she cares about you more than you do.
- >Maybe she'd be a better "Shimmer Light".
- >She's the one who cares the most about Shimmer, even more than the actual Shimmer.
- >... You know what you'll do.
- >You'll hate yourself forever, but you're doing this.
- >Slowly, you pull her closer to you.
- >... You hug her.
- >She doesn't respond for a while.
- >... That moment passes.
- >She hugs you back with ten-fold force.
- >If you weren't wearing six jackets, you'd probably be crushed.
- >... You're wearing six jackets.
- >You know how many layers you're wearing.
- >Maybe you're healing.
- >Hexferry sobs into your jacket some more.
- >... That's okay.
- >You have many more.
- >One tear-stained jacket won't hurt you.
- >...
- >After an eternity passes, her sobbing stops. All you can hear now is her steady breathing.
- >... Very steady breathing.
- >Actually, she fell asleep in your embrace.
- >... This can't go any way you might want it to.
- >Whatever.
- >You're too tired to care.
- >You position yourself to get comfortable.
- >... Sleep takes you only moments after...
Advertisement
Add Comment
Please, Sign In to add comment
Advertisement