BiE 66: The Life Span Talk.


                                            =BiE 66=


                                            >Year 2 in Equestria.

                                            >Your wedding was in a little over a week. You really couldn't be happier.

                                            >You emerge yawning from your room on a Saturday off and head for the kitchen to find Mous and Lotus curled up on the couch, the menu for From Russia with Love looping on the TV.

                                            >You creep up next to them. "Looks like you two should have kept your eyes open."

                                            >Mous waves an arm at you and moans under the pillow. "Fuck off James, no one likes you."

                                            >Lotus stretches on his chest. "I found him rather charming."

                                            >"Traitor." Mous grunts out.

                                            >The two of them roll off the couch as you head into the kitchen, Rainbow trotting out of your room as you did.

                                            >"Good morning." You sing out as you bend down and give her a peck on the nose.

                                            >Rainbow yawns. "Hey Anon..." she mumbles out and heads to the table. Even after all this time, Rainbow hated mornings.

                                            >You went scrounging through the cupboards as the girls sat down and Mous came into the kitchen.

                                            >You pulled out the singular can at the back of the cupboard. "Don't tell me..." Mous said as you did.

                                            >And the prize today was! "Beans."

                                            >Mous buries his face in his hand. "Brilliant..."

                                            >"Guess we haven't had much time to go shopping with all the wedding planning, huh?" You chuckle out.

                                            >Everyone pouts at the realization that there is no food.

                                            >"...Cafe?" Rainbow asked.

                                            >Lotus and Mous exchange looks, then the two of you. "Cafe?" he says.

                                            >You look at the desolation on your kitchen. "Cafe."


                                            >The four of you head to town and make a beeline for the cafe.

                                            >Never get in the way of food on a Saturday morning, mom used to say.

                                            >Mous decides to be boring and orders bread and water, Lotus getting some tea.

                                            >You and Rainbow both share a salad.

                                            >"You're gonna be hungry as hell if that's all you're eating for breakfast." Mous says through his full mouth.

                                            >"And you're gonna choke if you keep talking with your mouth full." You say.

                                            >Mous shrugs. "I've had worse."

                                            >"Dear, please, don't make my drag your corpse to the hospital in public." Lotus chimes in as drinks her tea.

                                            >Mous grumbles and goes back to eating.

                                            >You take a deep breath and lean back.

                                            >This was nice...just relaxing with friends a week before you got married.

                                            >Times like this make you glad that you were sent here.

                                            >Your eyes drift over the town of ponies you had come to call your neighbors.

                                            >They stop right in front of Twilight's tree house. Or rather, the object in front of it. "Is that the royal carriage?"

                                            >The others all turn and look over. "What's that doing here?" Rainbow asked.

                                            >"Maybe Twilight is giving her report in person this time?" Mous asks.

                                            >He turns to look at you. "Should we check it out?" He asks.

                                            >"Is it any of our business?" You didn't want to stick your nose into Twilight's life.

                                            >Mous leans back in his chair. "I'd just prefer to find out if we should be expecting another Diamond Dog invasion. Except they're goats now, or something."

                                            >You turn to Rainbow. "What do you think?"

                                            >Rainbow glances at the carriage. "This isn't normal...If Twilight wasn't running around town trying to prepare everything, then she might not have known about it."

                                            >You exchange a glance with Mous.

                                            >"Okay...but just a quick check-in."


                                            >The four of you walk are almost to Twilight's when the door opens and spike runs out.

                                            >Spike's head swivels around nervously before he spots you and runs up. "Anon! Mous! You gotta come with me!" he shouts.

                                            >Your worst fears seemingly confirmed, Mous shouts out. "Lead the way!"

                                            >You break off into a run as Spike leads you...ten feet down the road and right back into Twilight's house.

                                            >"What's happening? What's going on!?" you shout as you burst in through the door.

                                            >Inside the Library stood both Celestia and Luna as well as Twilight and the Grand Magister.

                                            >Twilight turns to you."Oh! Boys! I just sent Spike out to find you."

                                            >"Yeah, we know that, what's wrong?" Mous asks.

                                            >Twilight and her teacher exchange glances. "Uh...nothing? We just needed to talk."

                                            >You turn to Spike. "Why did you make it sound so urgent?"

                                            >Spike looks at you like you had just grown another head. "Uh...both of the Princesses are here? Did you want to keep them waiting?"

                                            >What.

                                            >You sigh in relief, Mous just growls "You cheeky little..."


                                            >Spike dashes up the stairs before Mous can turn him into boots.

                                            >Celestia clears her throat. "Yes, well, it is a good thing that you have gotten here so fast. We have an important matter to discuss with you."

                                            >You put your hand on Mous's shoulder and hold him back."What is it, Princess?"

                                            >Twilight and her teacher exchange a nervous glance, The Grand Magister has to speak up. "We have completed out research onto your magical immunity, gentlemen."

                                            >Well, that was fast. "So, is it replicable?"

                                            >Luna steps forward. "The immunity to magic thou share is a result of the Waygate that brought thee here. We cannot reproduce those magics."

                                            >Well damn, that was a shame. "So, what did you guys need us here for?"

                                            >A bit of magical study didn't seem to warrant sending Spike out looking for you.

                                            >Celestia closes her eyes for a moment. "When you arrive here, you told me that your kind live to about eighty years of age...was that...an average?"

                                            >Mous and you exchange a glance. What was this?

                                            >"Yes, humans had a general lifespan of around seventy or eighty when we were last on Earth." Mous says.

                                            >Celestia closes her eyes again and sighs."What's going on Princess?"

                                            >You were getting slightly nervous.

                                            >Twilight looks up at the two of you, her eyes large and worried. "We studied your magical immunity and we found...a... side effect."

                                            >Okay, now you're worried. "Well, tell us!" you shout a bit louder then you mean to.

                                            >"W-well..." Twilight says before the words die in her throat.

                                            >Celestia steps up and takes Twilight under her wing.

                                            >"Even I find myself at a loss for words as to how to say this, so I'll just say it." She says.

                                            >"Anon, Mous, so long as you remain in Equestria, neither of you will age."


                                            >The room is silent for an eternity.

                                            >Not...age?

                                            >Did that mean you were immortal?

                                            >You could still be hurt, Mous had the scars.

                                            >Judas H. Priest, you weren't going to age.

                                            >"WHAT." Mous shouts.

                                            >"I said that neither of you will ag-"

                                            >"I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!"

                                            >You can hear Mous's breathing increase. "Sweetheart..." Lotus says.

                                            >"NO! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? WHAT IS THIS!?" Mous shouts.

                                            >"Calm. Down." Celestia booms.

                                            >She succeeds in quieting Mous, if temporarily. "We do not know what the cause of this is, Waygate magic has always eluded us. We aren't sure if time simply runs differently here or if some form of magic from the Waygate affected you. All we know is that there isn't a cell in your bodies that has aged in the two years you have been here."

                                            >Rainbow flutters up and grabs your shoulder. "You okay Anon?"

                                            >You finally speak up. "How? How can you know that?"

                                            >"There is an antiquated system in Canterlot used for magical defense." Celestia says. "Whenever something enters Canterlot, it records everything about them. This system recorded the both of you when you entered Canterlot for the first time, and again during the Diamond Dog invasion. There was zero change in the results."

                                            >Your head falls. "That should not be." Celestia said.

                                            >You stare at your own hands. Had you missed something that could have given you a clue? Your hair grew while you were here and any cuts you had healed fairly normally.

                                            >Mous is glaring daggers at Celestia and Luna. "Fuck this." he says.

                                            >Mous turns and walks out of the Library."Mous!" Lotus calls out.

                                            >"I need to think, Lotus!" he calls back.

                                            >You needed to think too.

                                            >You silently turn and follow Mous as everyp0ny behind you cries out.


                                            -Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyUwUW-lRjY&feature=related-

                                            >The two of you silently trudge through the winter air.

                                            >There is no speaking as you walk, simply silent contemplation.

                                            >You aren't going to age...

                                            >The two of you walk for hours.

                                            >You walked into the Everfree Forest, attracting the attention of a pack of Timber Wolves.

                                            >They were scared away by a "FUCK OFF!" that could have been heard back on Earth.

                                            >You walked up a mountain, each of you silently helping the other.

                                            >You remember Rainbow telling you about this mountain...she had had one of her adventures here.

                                            >Rainbow...she was still going to age.

                                            >It was sunset by the time the two of your stopped. You simply sat at the edge of a cliff and thought to yourselves.

                                            >The silence was eventually shattered. "AAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Mous yelled, his roar echoing through the valley below.

                                            >"Feel better?" You ask as you turn to him.

                                            >Mous curls his knees up and rests his arms on them. "No."

                                            >"Well, can you not do that? Non-aging aside, I don't want an avalanche. Or to go deaf."

                                            >"Pfft...Why not? We have all the time in the universe to dig our way out, now." Mous says.

                                            >The two of you sit for a while.

                                            >You sigh and lean back on your hands as you watch the sun set over the mountains. "Gotta say...I didn't anticipate this when we first got here."

                                            >"Yeah..."

                                            >"Not the best train of thought to go into a wedding to."

                                            >"..."

                                            >You rest your chin on your hand as you think of your future now. Your unendingly long future.

                                            >"It'd be so easy..." Mous said.

                                            >"Hm?"

                                            >He shifts his eyes to you. "Leaving."


                                            >...Leaving? "What, man?"

                                            >"You heard me." he says as he rises to his feet. "Leaving. Going away. Just walking down this mountain and following that sunset until we can't anymore."

                                            >You rise to your feet as well. "And why would we do that?"

                                            >Mous still looks irritated. "Isn't that what immortals do? Wander around and do nothing as they forget what year it is?"

                                            >"That still isn't a reason why we should do it."

                                            >"Why not? We both know how this wedding story of yours is going to end now. Why keep going if the reason you have is gonna be gone long before you get to the end?"

                                            >"Just because I know how a story ends doesn't mean I don't want to enjoy the ride there." You say.

                                            >Mous walks over to the edge of the cliff and kicks a rock off in silence. "You're scared..."

                                            >Mous shoots a glare at you. "You're scared...Scared that you've finally found a place with people you like and you don't want to be here when they're gone..."

                                            >Mous quickly turns back and glowers over the cliff edge.


                                            >You sigh and walk up next to your bro. "You know." You start. "I remember something someone once told me when I got scared once. It was a dumb line that he got from some lame cartoon, but it worked." You turn your bro and look him in the eyes. "Ya gotta keep moving forward, even when you're scared."

                                            >The anger in Mous's eyes fades, replaced by melancholy stare. "How do we know that the way forward isn't away from here?"

                                            >"Hey!" Mous turns back to you. You aren't used to playing this role, so you kinda just wing it.

                                            >"Force your way down a path you choose to take, but don't do it by yourself." Sound familiar?" You say as you jam a finger in his face.

                                            >Mous smiles for the first time in a while. "Yeah...a bit."

                                            >You spread your arms and the two of you embrace in the most deserved bro-hug you've had.

                                            >As you separate, Mous jams his hands in his pockets, but keeps a smile on his face. "So that's it, huh? You and me from here to eternity, just enjoying the ride?"

                                            >"I can think of worse fates." you say with a laugh.

                                            >"Not to mention worse people do spend it with..." Mous says with a laugh of his own.

                                            >You turn and start down the path, the rising moon lighting it for you."Come on, man. I think we may have scared the best parts of this story when we left."


                                            -Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3LEZGJTdEQ-

                                            >The two of you make decent time back to town. It helps that you scared away half the Everfree Forest the last time you came through.

                                            >You can see the house in the distance. "They are going to be so pissed..." Mous says.

                                            >"Lotus might. All I have to do is remind Rainbow that we have a wedding and I'm home free."

                                            >Mous makes a face as you open the door. "We're home!" you call out.

                                            >"Anon!?" Comes a voice from your room.

                                            >You open your arms for a hug as the rainbow streak flies out of your room. You are rewarded with a hoof to the face instead. "You bucking jerk! Don't ever scare me like that again!" Rainbow shouts.

                                            >You hold your face. "Dash, come one, I don't want a broken nose when I get married."

                                            >"You're lucky I'm still letting you marry me after the crap you pulled!" Rainbow shouts.

                                            >Your plan has failed. You are up shit creek. "Nice save." Mous says as he scoots behind you.

                                            >You spot Lotus walking out of Mous's room. The two of them simply look at each other once they meet.

                                            >"Hey." Mous says.

                                            >Lotus silently trots up to Mous as he kneels down to her eye level. "Never do that again." She says as she nuzzles his face.

                                            >Wait. What just happened?


                                            >Dash wraps her hooves around you suddenly. "What she said goes double for you mister."

                                            >You remain silent as you let your hand swim through her mane.

                                            >"Where did you both go?" Lotus asked.

                                            >"Well.. we went to a big ass mountain to think for a while on today's...news." Mous said.

                                            >"Did you think of anything big?" She asked.

                                            >You hug Rainbow close to you as you sit against the wall. "We decided that an eternity in our twenties would be shit without you two here."

                                            >Lotus looks up at Mous. "What he said. Just, you know, with more swearing."

                                            >You nuzzle Dash's head with your own. "Hey you..."

                                            >Rainbow finally rises from your chest and plants her forehead against yours. "Hey..."

                                            >"You ready to get married?" You ask.

                                            >Rainbow plants a kiss on your lips and pulls back with a big smile. "Yeah."

                                            >That alone made today worthwhile.