Without Her (Sci-Twi x Anon) (JeffMango)


                                            >The knocking on your door startles you out of sleep, and you try to tell whoever is there to leave you alone.

                                            >However, your voice comes out as little more than a groggy croak, and the visitor knocks again.

                                            >"Anon?  You in there?"

                                            >Sunset's voice.

                                            >You roll out of bed and grab your alarm clock, finding that it's already noon.

                                            >For a moment, the significance of the time doesn't register.

                                            >Then you remember: Sunset had wanted to meet you down at Sugarcube Corner today, didn't she?

                                            >At like ten in the morning…

                                            >Not even bothering to dress yourself, you open the door to your dorm room in your pajamas.

                                            "Hey, Sunset."

                                            >"Um, hey dude.  Is it cool if I come in?"

                                            "Oh, yeah.  The place is a little messy though, sorry…"

                                            >Sunset steps inside, her eyes taking in the cardboard boxes and various scraps of takeout trash that litter your dorm.

                                            >"Eh, it's fine."

                                            >She brushes a Chinese takeout box off your single chair, and sits down, fidgeting with the buttons of your jacket.

                                            >"So, uh… how are you?"

                                            "I'm fine.  Sorry I missed this morning.  I, uh… I dunno.  Must have forgotten to set an alarm."

                                            >"No, that's okay.  I mean, given the circumstances…"

                                            >She glances at the ground, and an awkward silence falls over the two of you.

                                            >"Are those…"

                                            >Sunset points towards the stack of boxes in the corner of your room.

                                            >"Are those hers?"

                                            "Yeah.  Mostly just a lot of her figures and DVD's and… you know, all that geeky stuff she loved.  Her parents couldn't figure out what to do with it."

                                            >"I can imagine.  I mean, it wouldn't be right to throw those away.  Not when she was always so proud of the collection."

                                            >Sunset opens the flap of one of the boxes, peering inside.

                                            >"Wow.  I kinda forgot how much of this stuff she actually *had.*"

                                            "Heh, yeah.  This isn't even all of it.  Her parents wanted to keep some too, of course."

                                            >"Yeah, right.  But still… wow."

                                            >Sunset pulls out one of the figures, a Power Ponies character in some hyped-up action pose, little plastic lightning bolts crackling around her in frozen dynamism.

                                            >"I wonder where she got these?"

                                            "That shop down by Rarity's house."

                                            >"Oh, ha.  Of course.  She pretty much lived there, didn't she?"

                                            "Yeah.  She'd drag me there every weekend, back when we first started going out.  I used to hate it."

                                            >"Really?  Was it that bad?"

                                            "You have no idea.  Like 90% of the people there were gross and sweaty as fuck, and she'd just stay for hour after hour, talking about all these random stats and cards and crazy nerd shit…"

                                            >"Sounds awful."

                                            "It was.  I had a couple of the people from the store call me, asking where she was."

                                            >"Oh…"

                                            "Yeah…"

                                            >Sunset puts Twilight's figure back into the box, shutting it.

                                            "Sorry.  Didn't mean to kill the mood."

                                            >"Nah, it's cool.  That's actually why I came here.  Wanted to make sure you were… you know, holding up alright."

                                            "Me?  I'm good."

                                            >"You sure?  I mean, sleeping until noon, that's not always the best sign."

                                            "Eh.  I mean, I'm a little down, sure.  But I'm not super torn up.  I mean, she wouldn't have wanted me to be, right?"

                                            >"Definitely.  But I also don't think she'd want you stuck in your room all day."

                                            "No, no, she wouldn't.  I dunno.  I just haven't felt like doing much, I guess.  It's just… I miss the little things, you know?  Not much really feels the same without them."

                                            >"Like what?"

                                            "I dunno.  Like, did she ever do that thing where she'd text you her reactions to her favorite shows?"

                                            >"No?"

                                            "Huh.  Maybe that was just to me.  But she'd be watching some anime show, or whatever, and something would happen, and she'd just spam the fuck out of my phone with 'oh my god!  So-and-so just killed this-other-guy!'"

                                            >"Ha!  Oh my God, that's such classic Twi."

                                            "It is!  They used to annoy the shit out of me, but…"

                                            >You glance over at your desk, where your phone sits silent and untouched.

                                            "I dunno.  I keep pulling my phone out expecting to see her spazzing out over The Adventures of Starswirl the Bearded, or whatever.  It feels so quiet without them."

                                            >Sunset nods, looking like she doesn't quite know what to say.

                                            "It's just stuff like that, I guess.  Like, I tried to go to the Kroger for some dinner the other night.  And all I could think about was that time she got super obsessed with us having a romantic 'cook dinner for each other date.'  She dragged me out to the store, and I thought we were gonna get like, you know, pasta or something.  Something you could for-real cook.  But she went right for the Hot Pockets and Pizza Rolls."

                                            >Sunset's staring into one of the boxes now, chuckling to herself.

                                            "Sorry.  I'm being really mopey."

                                            >"No, you're not.  I mean… I think this is what she would want us to remember about her.  All the fun times."

                                            "Yeah.  Honestly, though, sometimes I wish I could forget them.  I really miss her, Sunset."

                                            >"I know…"

                                            >Sunset tips the chair toward you, placing a hand on your shoulder.

                                            >"Me too.  And yeah, it'd be so much easier if I could forget how much fun I had with her.  All those times she tried to make me watch that stupid giant robot show…"

                                            "Oh, God.  Eva."

                                            >"Yeah!  She'd never shut up about it!"

                                            "She really wouldn't.  Those dumb robots were her life."

                                            >"Yeah.  But… I don't want to forget it.  Even if it hurts, those times were all that was keeping me going for most of Junior and Senior year."

                                            "Same, honestly.  I didn't mean I *want* to forget her, it just hurts."

                                            >"I know.  Believe me, I know."

                                            >You and Sunset fall silent for a while.

                                            "I think I'm gonna head out for a bit.  Sorry."

                                            >"No, that's good.  Where you gonna go?"

                                            >You force yourself to stand, pushing your hair out of your eyes.

                                            "Don't know yet.  Somewhere."


                                            >The weather is almost mockingly sunny, and your eyes begin to water the second you step outside.

                                            >A light breeze creeps across your left cheek as you wander into the neighborhood outside of campus.

                                            >You pass a small coffee shop, remembering how much Twilight would rant about hipsters every time you passed it.

                                            >"Ugh.  Does anyone honestly think sitting in a coffee shop all day on their computer makes them cool?"

                                            "I sure hope not.  Everyone knows, it's sitting in your basement on your computer that makes you really cool."

                                            >"Hey!"

                                            >You can still feel the resulting sting of her little play slap.

                                            >It was always so easy to get under her skin…


                                            >A small side-street leads away from campus, down through a few rows of run-down apartment buildings turned into extra student housing, and terminates in a row of soccer fields.

                                            >You creep through the fields, remembering how Twilight would watch you and Dash kick a soccer ball around, always faking some ridiculous excuse for why she couldn't join.

                                            >"My legs hurt!  I'm just gonna sit here and read!"

                                            >"My glasses need to be adjusted.  I can't see properly."

                                            >"I have a lot of homework to get done."

                                            >"I haven't been able to catch my breath all day!  I'm just gonna lay down for a bit."

                                            >At the end of the soccer fields, a thin line of trees separate you from a trail leading down to a muddy lake.

                                            >Down by the end of the path, you take a seat on a bench, watching the breeze push little waves across the murky water.

                                            >The sun is directly overhead now, seeming to bear down on your shoulders with the springtime heat.

                                            >But gradually it creeps away, sinking down towards the tree line as the hours pass.

                                            >When was the last time you and Twilight were here?

                                            >Two years ago?

                                            >It had to be before she was admitted to the hospital, of course, but how long?

                                            >Couldn't have been more than two years, but it feels like a decade.

                                            >The summer you first started dating, it felt like the entire place belonged to you.

                                            >You'd spend entire days here; pack a picnic, a few drinks, and just laze around in the shade while she read.

                                            >It's hard to believe those days used to feel so boring.

                                            >You'd give anything for another...


                                            >Just as the haze of sunset has settled over the lake, you hear footsteps squishing in the sand behind you.

                                            >"Anon?"

                                            >Turning, you find Twilight's mother, Velvet, looking like she just got out of work.

                                            >Her hair is down, and she holds her shoes in her right hand.

                                            "Oh.  Hey, Ms. Velvet."

                                            >"Is it alright if I join you?"

                                            >You're already scooting over to give her room, and you nod.

                                            >She takes a seat, groaning as a join pops somewhere in her leg.

                                            >You open your mouth to say something, but only end up staring silently past her.

                                            >She doesn't say anything either, just crosses her legs and watches the water lap at the edge of the beach.

                                            >"Wow.  It feels like forever since I've been here…"

                                            "Yeah.  I was just thinking that."

                                            >"I used to take her here all the time.  Back when she was little.  It was her favorite place, and if we didn't go at least once a week, she'd get all pouty."

                                            "Heh.  That sounds like Twi, alright."

                                            >"Of course.  We all know how she could get when she really wanted something…"

                                            >The scrap of conversation dies out, and Velvet stares at the sand, burying her toes beneath the grains.

                                            >"How have you been?  Doing alright?"

                                            >You shrug.

                                            "I'm not really sure.  It doesn't feel real.  We knew it was coming, but…"

                                            >"Yeah."

                                            "I guess it kinda still feels like I should be visiting her.  After school yesterday, I drove halfway to the hospital before I remembered."

                                            >Velvet nods, her mouth tightly shut.

                                            >You see her lower lip begin to quiver, and turn away.

                                            >When she speaks, however, her voice is unnaturally steady.

                                            >"I know."

                                            "Are you… are you doing alright?"

                                            >She shrugs.

                                            >"I'm trying my best.  But it doesn't feel right, having her room be empty, and knowing it's not going to be filled.  The house is so quiet now…"

                                            >She wipes a hand across her eyes.

                                            >"Sorry we pawned so much of her stuff on you, by the way.  I just didn't know what to do with it."

                                            "Don't apologize.  I was going to thank you, actually.  As soon as I can, I'm going to find a place to keep them.  All nice and neat, just like… just like she'd want."

                                            >Velvet smiles, sniffling.

                                            >"Thank you, Anon."

                                            "Yeah.  Don't mention it."

                                            >The sunset is fading now too, the vibrant orange replaced by purples and grays.

                                            "You know… this is where I first met her."

                                            >"It was?  When?"

                                            "Back when we were eight.  I think.  Remember?"

                                            >"Oh, right… that little episode.  Hah."

                                            >Velvet chuckles to herself.

                                            >"She kept chasing you around because you had some action figure she wanted."

                                            "Yep."

                                            >"That girl… what a character she was."

                                            >Velvet chokes, swallowing hard.

                                            >"Anyway, I just wanted to stop by for a bit.  Thought it seemed… I don't know, fitting.  I'll see you around, Anon."

                                            "Yeah.  Take care, alright, Ms. Velvet?"

                                            >"Of course, of course."

                                            "And if you need anything, just let me know."

                                            >She nods, keeping her face turned away from you.

                                            >"I will."

                                            >You hear Velvet's footsteps sinking in the sand as she walks away.

                                            >The sunset is nearly gone now, and darkness begins to settle over the park.

                                            >You ought to get home too, you know.

                                            >But you can't bring yourself to leave just yet.

                                            >It sounds stupid, but you feel so *close* to her here.

                                            >Just a few feet away from where you're standing now, you first met her.

                                            >Eight-year-old you had no idea what he was in for.

                                            >Smiling to yourself, you lean back in the bench, staring up at the sky as the stars slowly peak through the veil of sunset.

                                            "I miss you, Twi."


                                            >It's the middle of July, and the sun bears down with the oppressive, muggy heat only the dead of summer can bring.

                                            >A young boy sprints across the beach, his feet kicking up clouds of sand, as if to stymie the pursuit of the girl behind him.

                                            >"Just lemme see it!"

                                            "No!  It's mine!"

                                            >He turns back to stick his tongue out at the girl, but trips over a rock.

                                            >After a quite spectacular trip through the air, he impacts the ground with a *splat* and a resulting puff of sand.

                                            >The girl finally catches up, violet pigtails bouncing.

                                            >"I just wanna see it!  You got the secret Ultra-Action-Pose Mistress Marevelous!  She's the only one I don't have!"

                                            >The boy recoils, holding the action figure against his chest.

                                            "But it's mine!  I bought it!"

                                            >The girl frowns.

                                            >"I don't wanna have her!  Just lemme play with her for a bit!  Pleeeeease?"

                                            "No."

                                            >The look the girl gets on her face is one that the boy, after many years, would come to know well.

                                            >And to fear.

                                            >Deep inside Twilight's head, the gears were turning as she planned her next words carefully.

                                            >"If you let me play with her, I'll… I'll be your best friend!"

                                            "Ha.  No."

                                            >"Please?  My mom brought pizza!  You can come eat with us!"

                                            "Eh…"

                                            >"And I've got the Heavy-Combat Saddle Rager too!  We can make them fight!  Please?"

                                            "Ugh.  Fine."

                                            >The boy passed his action figure over, and the girl offered a hand to help him up.

                                            >"My name's Twilight!  What's yours?"

                                            "Anon."

                                            >"Hey!  So you like Power Ponies too?"

                                            "Uh, yeah.  I guess."

                                            >"That's awesome!  Here, come on, you should meet my mom!"

                                            >The two ran off, and the afternoon was filled with snacks, swimming, and much talk of superhero equines.

                                            >It was the first of many days they would share together.

                                            >And it was the last either of them would ever want to forget.


                                            The End