private A New Life: Manehattan Story

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

Fender stared at Springsteps, tears still flowing down his cheeks, yet he was speaking to Winterglade, "Yes...yes, honey, I'm fine." He returned the hug. When they finished their hug, he looked her straight in the eyes. He was still unaware of why the tears kept falling from his eyes. It was a sad day, yes, but that gem had some sort of effect on him. "I..." He almost spoke of what he heard. He thought it better to not tell of the horrific screams he heard when he touched the gem. "I think we should wait on Springsteps." He positioned Winterglade right next to the filly, "Just...hug her, share the warmth, for now." He joined in on the hugging part from the other side of Springsteps, but also threw a blanket around the three of them. Fender simply looked down, the tears had stopped flowing, and had frozen to his face. He almost couldn't feel them, he almost didn't care. He had a lot to think about.

[Starshine 16,333]

Winterglade was scared. Fender's eyes, it was as if he had seen or heard something that he shouldn't be. She meekly followed Fender and sat next to Springsteps. What had just happened with the red gem? She was both scared and confused. "Springsteps? Are you there?" She nuzzled and hugged the filly, who was still silent as a rock. There was too much things happening this day, she had no idea what to think about it all.

 

Minutes had passed in silence, Springsteps hadn't made any move at all. Turned out they were sitting in the middle of some kind of a park. Droves of pegasi could be seen flying above them to the disaster site, many bringing along with them tools to excavate the snow. Some concerned earth ponies had noticed Winterglade and her family, they came and offered a place to stay and a warm food. Winterglade smiled at them and replied that they would like to be left alone a bit longer. They obliged. Slowly but surely, the city awoke, the sky started to clear and chirps of sunlight betrayed the season.

 

Springsteps snapped out with a start. She took a sudden intake of breath, which freaked Winterglade out of her mind. The filly paid no heed to the surprised mare and stared at Fender, a certain sadness and concern in her eyes. "Fender, what did you see?"

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

When questioned by Springsteps, Fender was genuinely afraid to answer. He rubbed away the frozen tears, and it was a little bit painful, but he made no sound. He looked down, his lip quivered slightly, tears fell once more. "I heard everypony who was in Vanhoover, screaming at me...I don't know why me." he bit his lip and rubbed his eyes, being sure to breath deeply. "I heard every voice of every pony who is gone. Ponies I never even met...I don't know what happened."

[Starshine 16,333]

Springsteps winced hearing Fender's description. That was... not supposed to happen. She had never managed to achieve such event. The experience must've been very traumatic. Springsteps slowly slid closer and hugged Fender as best as she could with her short hooves. The red gem under her cape twinkled once. "We are so sorry. It shouldn't go like that."

 

Winterglade was frozen on her spot. When she touched the gem, it merely connected her mind to Wonder Shrine, but something entirely different happened to Fender. She nuzzled her husband in meager attempt to ease his suffering. "It's okay, you're here with us, on the living land. It's... unfortunate, but I'm sure the rescue team will find everypony in the snow."

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

Fender still had a rather large headache from the whole ordeal when he touched the gem. He hugged Springsteps and Winterglade, and kissed them both on top of the head. "We need to find shelter..." He said flatly, "We can talk more then. Besides, it hurt a bit when I fell off of the clouds. The snow isn't that soft." He smiled weakly, and put Springsteps on his back. "Winterglade, where would the nearest place be that isn't covered in snow?"

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

Springsteps squeaked when Fender suddenly lifted her onto his head. Winterglade nodded, a blush on her cheeks. She kissed Fender briefly before looking around for shelter. Pretty much everything was still covered in thick layer of snow, leftover from the blizzard. She squinted her eyes to the north. "There's... something going on near the town hall, or at least the building looked like the town hall. I guess it's the angry ponies from the mountain. I see a hotel that way, come," she motioned Fender to follow him to a relatively large hotel.

 

Above the stallion, Springsteps was a bit agitated. Fender just did something to her gem, but she had no idea what was that. There was nothing different from the gems themselves, they still worked as they should be, but still, she felt something was off. A bit anxious, she decided to climb Fender's neck and splayed her hooves over his head. Her tail flicked once. "I'm a hat!" she exclaimed.

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

They started toward shelter. Fender couldn't help but smile and feel a bit uplifted when he saw Springsteps' behavior. She seemed to be handling the situation well. "I wish adulthood were that easy..." He almost spoke the thought.

 

Eventually they arrived at a building resembling a hotel, and it wasn't flooded in snow.

[Starshine 16,333]

The receptionist behind the table was listening to the morning radio when Winterglade and Fender arrived. To say that the receptionist was shocked would be an understatement, the young mare quickly gave Winterglade and Fender the key to their room without asking for any payment. The young mare said that she was sorry for what had happened to them, on which Winterglade only sheepishly nodded. After putting their name on the guest book, Winterglade and Fender followed a bellcolt into their room.

 

"Oh well, looks like everypony in the town already know about the avalanche," Winterglade sighed. She slowly staggered to the bed. Springsteps herself had jumped down from Fender and flopped onto the couch, and promptly snored. Looked like the communication earlier had taken a lot from her. Winterglade giggled. "Fender? Does it still hurt?" she motioned to the forehead, a bit reluctant to go into more details.

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

Fender was caught off guard by the question. It did still hurt. His head, his body, everything. He put on a confident smile, "Of course not, honey. I'm fine." He never liked lying, but he didn't want her to worry. He walked into the restroom for a moment, and quickly snuck some pain medicine out of the bag and straight into his system. Then he flushed the toilet and washed his hands, hoping she wouldn't be suspicious. When he reentered the hotel room, he grabbed a blanket and covered Springsteps while she was asleep on the couch. He smiled tiredly at his wife, "Guess this'll be one heck of a honeymoon story." A sigh left his mouth, "I'm sorry that this happened." He hugged her tenderly.

[Starshine 16,333]

Winterglade smiled weakly as Fender's hooves hugged her. She nuzzled the stallion, breathing in his hot breath. She could sense that he was still hurting. "No... It's me who should I apologize. If I didn't gave you the gem, you wouldn't get hurt."

 

Winterglade tenderly kissed Fender's lips, playing with his tongue for a bit. She knew that Fender was tired, but she could at least spoil him for a bit. With a giggle she pulled Fender onto the bed and laid him there, her cheeks flared. "Somepony as handsome as you should never have a sad face," she purred. She turned him around and started massaging his sore back. "Sleep. We can worry about everything later when we both are refreshed."

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

"Believe me, I was curious enough to go for the gem on my own...you had no fault in the matter, okay?"

 

After her kiss, kind words, and massage, Fender eventually fell into a realm of dreams, not sure whether he would wake up in the same place. The events seemed so unreal that he already thought he may be dreaming.

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

As Fender slowly fell asleep, Winterglade also started feeling the fatigue in her system. After locking the door twice and kissing the stallion a good night sleep, she curled next to him. Springsteps seemed to be very comfortable with herself on the couch, Winterglade didn't have the heart to move the filly. Another few seconds of nuzzling her husband, and she closed her eyes and drifted to the dreamland.

 

...

 

In her dream, Winterglade was alone on a barren snow wasteland. This kind of solitude wasn't a strange concept to her, but what really ringed the alarm in her mind was her flank. There wasn't any mark on it. "This is... weird," she mused loudly. Her voice was also a few pitch higher. After checking the length of her hooves she finally realized that she was a filly. "Now that's something new."

 

She tried trotting around to search for something to do to pass the time. She was lucid, but strangely she was unable to change anything in the dream. With only the clip-cloppy sounds of her hooves to keep her company, Winterglade soon grew restless. She started galloping. Galloped and galloped she did, but the everpresent fog around her didn't falter. Just when her breathing got heavier she noticed a familiar grey frame in the distance. Excited, she quickly galloped to the grey body and tackled it to the ground. "Fendy! Glad to see you here!" she grinned.

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

In his dream, it was again another plane of white...only this time...snow. Snow, and not eternal whiteness. Fender noticed he wasn't as high from the ground as usual, he was a colt in this dream. Suddenly, he was tackled, and greeted by a familiar face and voice. He smiled broadly, and laughed childishly as he rolled them both around in the snow, playfully. Everything seemed so innocent. It was the second time he seemed to have a dream that almost seemed completely connected to Winterglade. Was she thinking the same thing? Once the filly and colt had played themselves into exhaustion, Colt Fender simply wrapped his forelegs around filly Winterglade, and tiredly whispered, "...I love you..." with a sigh,  before finally waking to the real world.

 

Fender awoke slowly, peacefully. This time, rather than just little bits and pieces that meant nothing...he remembered the dream in full. In a way, it excited him, but also frightened him. Was it because of the gem? Did it mean something in reality? He looked down at the couch, to see Springsteps still asleep. A sigh of relief left him, he lightly rocked Winterglade awake now, "Good morning, sweetie."

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

The filly and the colt played together in the dreamland seemingly without any care. For once Winterglade was actually glad that her dreams were so unusual. She playfully kicked and tackled and nipped on Fender until both dropped in exhaustion. She smiled, happy. "I love you too." Slowly, everything faded. Fender was the first to fully disappear from the world, followed with the barren snow wasteland and the fog. Winterglade rolled onto her back and stared to the now clear sky. The usual monoliths was floating a few hundred feet above her, drifting lazily to an non-existent direction. Before she could do anything, something pulled her out from slumber.

 

In the waking world, Winterglade moaned. "Just another five minutes..." The bed was at least ten times more comfortable than yesterday, she could totally spend an entire week on it. It was rather unfortunate that her stomach had another plan, though. Powered by hunger she opened her eyes and drowsily pulled Fender to a hug until their snouts touching each other. "Did you dream anything?" she giggled.

 

From the kitchen area, a yellow unicorn mare walked into the room, a huge pot filled with vegetable soup floated in her telekinesis. The sweet scent of corn and carrots filled the room. "Oh my," the mare stopped on her track. She giggled. "Looks like you're already awake!"

 

Springsteps was the first to react to the sudden presence. The filly hobbled onto her hooves and bounced to the mare. "Mama!"

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"Did you dream anything?" she giggled.   From the kitchen area, a yellow unicorn mare walked into the room, a huge pot filled with vegetable soup floated in her telekinesis. The sweet scent of corn and carrots filled the room. "Oh my," the mare stopped on her track. She giggled. "Looks like you're already awake!"   Springsteps was the first to react to the sudden presence. The filly hobbled onto her hooves and bounced to the mare. "Mama!"

 

 

Fender was about to answer his wife, when the sudden appearance of Wonder Shrine took the moment away completely. Fender was sort of glad for that, but also glad Springsteps could see her mother again. Fender smiled, and turned back to Winterglade. "We'll talk soon." He said calmly, he got up and approached Wonder Shrine. "Hello again. How are you?"

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

Winterglade pouted. Just when she was having a good time, Wonder Shrine just had to show up. She stayed there for a moment before rolling onto her hooves. "Wonder Shrine... When did you come in?"

 

Wonder Shrine smiled at Fender and the rather upset mare. "Hello to you too, Fender and Winterglade. I just came in not an hour ago. I hope you're okay with me using the kitchen for cooking breakfast. You have my deepest gratitude for taking care of my little jewel here." She scooped up her daughter and nuzzled the now laughing filly. She then put down the pot the table looked apologetically back at Fender. "I'm truly sorry on what happened to you yesterday.The ruby wasn't supposed to act like that."

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

When Wonder Shrine apologized, Fender simply looked down and sighed. "Well...alright, thank you." He almost stopped, before he blurted out his real question, "What if it wasn't the Ruby?" He frowned, "What if the gem's behavior had to do with me? Who I am? My past?" He thought it could be any number of things.

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

Wonder Shrine's eyes looked fearful for a moment, she bit her lips. Sensing the uneasiness Winterglade quickly walked to Fender's side. Even Springsteps looked unsure. It took Wonder Shrine a while to gather her mind before finally spoke, "You see, it is a small school of magic that is passed down in each generations in our clan, the Greenhoof. Hundreds of years ago, my ancestors wished to fully utilize the world of enchantments, and they used the jewels to help amplifying and storing the magic. My mother, and her mother, and many generations before then had studied how the jewels interact with unicorn magic, but much of it is still a mystery. I couldn't even truly explain how I could transfer myself to Vanhoover with nothing but three topaz."

 

Wonder Shrine walked closer and brushed Fender's mane. She briefly touched the top of his forehead, where a horn would've been located if the stallion was an unicorn. "Are you, by any chance, a descendant from a family of unicorns?" she asked.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

Wonder Shrine walked closer and brushed Fender's mane. She briefly touched the top of his forehead, where a horn would've been located if the stallion was an unicorn. "Are you, by any chance, a descendant from a family of unicorns?" she asked.

 

 

Fender stood in silence for a moment. "This could be serious..." he sighed, then inhaled while biting his lip. "Yes...I have Unicorn blood in my family tree...though I'm the last remaining pony from my family. My parents were both Unicorn and Earth Pony, and my sister was a pegasus." He said flatly. He didn't know if the extra information would help or not, but he thought it right to give to Wonder Shrine. Fender took one of Winterglade's hooves in his own. He was...afraid, but moreso for Winterglade, to have to worry about him.

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

Unicorn, earth pony, pegasi. Wonder Shrine hummed between her teeth in deep thought. Fender couldn't be lying, but something just didn't exactly add up. "Rubies... their effects can simply be described with three words: Open, awake, and focus. Those are why Springsteps can communicate with me over great distances, even when most of her magic are still dormant." Wonder Shrine paused. Her horn dimly lit and she took a deep breath. She sighed. "I know not what's inside you, but it is now awake."

 

Winterglade gulped. That latest word can't be good. She leaned closer to Fender and nuzzled him. "But... it's not something fatal, right?" she asked, a bit hopeful. "Maybe it will just be there and not doing anything?"

 

Wonder Shrine bit her lips. She looked up at her daughter, who now had perched herself on top of her mother's head. They both shrugged and spoke in unison, "We have no idea."

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

Fender's eyes shut, seemingly by themselves. He still felt like the jewel was affecting him. He finally forced his eyes open, "Hey, I'll get some cups for tea and coffee." The hotel room had a small kitchen-like space in it that housed a few dishes, that's where Fender went. He acquired one cup, then started feeling warm. He brought out another cup, dizziness started coming in. A third cup- nausea. A forth cup...Fender fell over onto the floor and dragged two cups down with him, both of which crashed onto the floor and shattered.

 

If another pony were to enter the small space, they would find an unconscious pegasus, with shards of glass laying around him.

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

Winterglade shrieked in sheer horror when she heard Fender falling down in the kitchen. Everypony in the dining room quickly galloped in. Winterglade was quick to lift the unconscious stallion away from the glass shards. "Wonder Shrine, help me!"

 

In short order, Fender had lied down on the bed, blanket and wet towels on him. Springsteps had volunteered to clean up the broken glasses, while Wonder Shrine was standing next to Fender, looking for any signs of injury. Winterglade nervously paced around the room. "What happened to Fender? Until you told her about the ruby he was okay... Yesterday it was the avalanche, now this. Oh Celestia why is this happening?" Winterglade broke into a sobbing mess at the bottom of the bed.

 

Wonder Shrine sighed. Physically Fender was okay, no bruises or anything that could've knocked him out. Magically, she couldn't tell what was wrong. She was afraid that scanning the stallion magically would bring another terrible effect. She walked around and patted Winterglade's shoulder. "I'm sorry, but there is nothing we can do other than waiting until he comes to his senses."

[Fender 1,283]

@@Starshine, 

 

Fender's first dream was quick. He was back in the white plane from the first dream he had in Manehattan. Only this time, alone. He started to hear the pained sobs from his wife. Fender kept trying to call out to Winterglade, but no sounds left his mouth. Eventually the sobs faded away, and there was no sound once again. His hooves didn't make sound...his thoughts and memories were soundless as well. He felt truly alone. Suddenly, blackened, shaded forms appeared all around him. He was startled at first, but noticing they were motionless brought a certain comfort...but also worry, to Fender. He inspected one form closely...it was Winterglade. Suddenly the form brought itself into that of a pony sobbing, a hoof leaning on some low object...the bed. Fender looked away, he couldn't offer any comfort here. he inspected the other forms. Lyra, Hot Wing, Springsteps, Mayor Mare, Applebloom and Big Mac were the only one he could make out. He assumed the pony forms were all ponies he had met. He was about to reach out to touch one of the forms out of curiosity, when finally, another sound appeared. 

 

"STOP!" Fender jumped back, then stopped in his tracks, then slowly turning around. The only other colored pony in his dream now stood next to him, and patted him on the back with a hoof. He could finally speak, "...princess Luna?" "What is your name?" There was still a certain shock to seeing the princess in his dream with him. "...F-Fender. Princess..." "There's an unbalanced amount of magic inside of you, Fender." She sighed, "Magic has its own energy, and when that energy is unbalanced, it can cause sickness, much like a flu, and much like you have...only medicine can't do anything to help it. So, when you wake up, you will be in very much pain...but it will be worse in here. I can sense that your dreams will be excruciating to you-" Fender cut the princess off, "I'll make it through, Princess." She simply smiled weakly, "If it means I get back to Winterglade...nothing stops me." The princess nodded, "Good luck, it starts now."

 

Then, like the clap of two hooves, the princess was gone, the forms were gone. Fender was in a new dream. This time, he viewed his life in a different order...he saw himself as a colt...almost still a foal. He was with his parents and sister, then they all heard a large crack outside, and saw a lightning bolt fly by the window. The hazard of stray lightning causing the family to move from outside of Ponyville, right into it. There, he grew up with Rarity, Cheerilee, Bon Bon, and all of the other ponies he knew as an adult. He and Cheerilee grew to liking each other in this reality, eventually marrying. Then one year...new ponies flocked to the town. Among these ponies...Corkscrew, Gcdm...Winterglade. "I'm broke!" She shouted, while flying through the air. Only this time, nopony would be meeting her at Sugarcube corner, asking why she would be gorging herself with muffins. A time came when Winterglade would be called to Manehattan due to a family issue. A time also came, when Cheerilee, Fender, and their one foal would be inside Fender's parents' old house...and a stray lightning bolt would cause a fire, that would bring them all to perish. Now, Fender viewed Winterglade's life in that reality. Her father, not changed to be happier at all, or any more of a parent. Her mother, dying faster than expected. Hot Wing, leaving Manehattan in anger at life. Autumn glow, losing any cheered spirit she once had. Winterglade, taking her own life in a feeling of guilt...

 

All of what Fender had seen had now brought him to tears, he was sobbing in the dream, and anypony outside of the dream, would see tears falling from his face. Luna had now appeared at his side again, "It's okay...none of it was real...but you can wake up now...I will be there tomorrow." Her voice trailed, as she vanished, as everything vanished.

 

Fender opened his eyes, gasped for breath, and started sobbing once more. He got up and got to Winterglade, and hugged her, and cried into her fur. "...I..." another sob, "...lohve yhou..." he spoke through his sobs as well. He had no idea how much time had passed, or what was currently happening, but he didn't care, he was with Winterglade still.

[Starshine 16,333]

@,

 

Fender has been out for hours, or maybe just mere minutes, Winterglade couldn't really tell. Her tears were already dried out. She sat there beside the bed, longingly looking at the sleeping stallion, as if scared that his breath might stop when she stopped looking. Wonder Shrine and Springsteps had excused themselves to somewhere, she couldn't remember where they were going though. She sighed and laid her head on the bed, one forehoof touching Fender's. She felt terribly tired, maybe one quick nap wouldn't be so bad...

 

...

 

Winterglade took in a sharp breath when a familiar warmth hugged her. She quickly returned the hug and pulled Fender close. What did just happened? "I... I love you too, you stupid colt!" she whimpered and rocked him back and forth in attempt to calm him down. Fender was crying into her coat, that filled Winterglade with more dread than before. "What happened, Fender? Did you have a nightmare," she asked.

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

Winterglade took in a sharp breath when a familiar warmth hugged her. She quickly returned the hug and pulled Fender close. What did just happened? "I... I love you too, you stupid colt!" she whimpered and rocked him back and forth in attempt to calm him down. Fender was crying into her coat, that filled Winterglade with more dread than before. "What happened, Fender? Did you have a nightmare," she asked.

 

 

He continued his crying, "I....I dohn't knohw...what it was..." "But it was HORRIBLE!" He remembered the princess's last words to him, "I will be there tomorrow." His sobs stopped, he grabbed Winterglade's shoulders, "I might be in bigger trouble than we thought..." his head was pounding, "...Luna was in my dream, speaking to me, and said she'll be here tomorrow." He frowned.