Home (Pastejam 2023)


                                            1.
                                            
                                                >She set it ablaze.

                                            2.
                                            
                                                >In a moment, the quiet, pale and cold hospital room was lit a faint glow of colorful amber that rose and fell in intensity.

                                            3.
                                            
                                                >Twilight could feel the warmth of the candle fire already on her cheeks.

                                            4.
                                            
                                                >It was a subtle, yet welcoming contrast to the rather cold atmosphere around her.

                                            5.
                                            
                                                >Apart from the sound of falling snow outside, or the sound of clattering hooves just outside the door to the hallway, it was almost completely silent where she sat.

                                            6.
                                            
                                                >His breathing was the loudest of them all.

                                            7.
                                            
                                                >It was calm and deep, yet she could tell he was struggling, through it all.

                                            8.
                                            
                                                >For the last hour she'd been here, she said nothing—nothing to disturb his sleep.

                                            9.
                                            
                                                >He needed the rest; he earned it.

                                            10.
                                            
                                                >But still, there was a part of her that wanted to wake him up and just... talk to him.

                                            11.
                                            
                                                >Ask him anything, remind him of all the good times, promise him so much more was to come.

                                            12.
                                            
                                                >Maybe it was just nothing but false hope.

                                            13.
                                            
                                                >She knew it was coming.

                                            14.
                                            
                                                >She knew it for years, and she still kept pushing him away.

                                            15.
                                            
                                                >It wasn't his fault; she was a princess now.

                                            16.
                                            
                                                >But she should've known better.

                                            17.
                                            
                                                >A hum escaped his lips, and he stirred, catching Twilight's gaze.

                                            18.
                                            
                                                >He opened his eyes and saw the regal figure staring down at him.

                                            19.
                                            
                                                >All he could do was smile.

                                            20.
                                            
                                                >"There's my girl."

                                            21.
                                            
                                                >Twilight grinned back.

                                            22.
                                            
                                                "I didn't want to wake you."

                                            23.
                                            
                                                >"I know. But you know I hate keeping you waiting."

                                            24.
                                            
                                                "I don't... I don't mind."

                                            25.
                                            
                                                >He laughed quietly, doing his best not to exert too much.

                                            26.
                                            
                                                >"Here. Let me look at you."

                                            27.
                                            
                                                >Weakly, he raised his hoof, and pressed it delicately against her left cheek, angling her face perfectly towards his.

                                            28.
                                            
                                                >Her eyes were so sad, he noticed.

                                            29.
                                            
                                                >And yet, they were still so young.

                                            30.
                                            
                                                >"Don't cry, you hear me?"

                                            31.
                                            
                                                >It was another promise she broke.

                                            32.
                                            
                                                "I don't want you to go..."

                                            33.
                                            
                                                >"I know. I know."

                                            34.
                                            
                                                >No matter how hard she resisted, the tears still fell down her cheeks.

                                            35.
                                            
                                                >And he was there to wipe them away.

                                            36.
                                            
                                                "I don't want to be alone..."

                                            37.
                                            
                                                >It hurt him so much to see her like this.

                                            38.
                                            
                                                >Knowing there was nothing he could do.

                                            39.
                                            
                                                >Well... almost.

                                            40.
                                            
                                                >He used whatever strength he had to pull her in for a hug.

                                            41.
                                            
                                                >She had to slow herself down, afraid that she'd hurt him, so frail as he was.

                                            42.
                                            
                                                >It was funny: He thought the same thing.

                                            43.
                                            
                                                >Together, they sat there, holding each other for such a long time, that everything had drowned out, and it was nothing but just the two of them.

                                            44.
                                            
                                                >All that was left.

                                            45.
                                            
                                                >All she had left.

                                            46.
                                            
                                                >He snorted and smiled.

                                            47.
                                            
                                                >"Do you remember that time your mom dropped your birthday cake? When you were eight?"

                                            48.
                                            
                                                >She didn't react at first, but eventually she replied.

                                            49.
                                            
                                                "Y-Yeah."

                                            50.
                                            
                                                >"She was up all night baking that thing. I helped her put some sprinkles on top. I guess we wanted it to be a kind of "reach for the stars" kind of thing."

                                            51.
                                            
                                                >She laughed quietly through a sob.

                                            52.
                                            
                                                "That makes sense."

                                            53.
                                            
                                                >"When she dropped it, all I could see was just... the color in her face just disappear. Weak and tired, and just... broken."

                                            54.
                                            
                                                >He hugged her tighter.

                                            55.

                                            56.
                                            
                                                >"Then you just scooped it off the floor with your magic, took out all the dirty bits, and dug in."

                                            57.
                                            
                                                >She laughed again.

                                            58.
                                            
                                                "I didn't want it to go to waste. And I knew it was already gonna be good. She made it for me."

                                            59.
                                            
                                                >He smiled.

                                            60.
                                            
                                                >"Yeah. She did. I took a lot of pictures of that thing. I guess I figured it was gonna happen."

                                            61.
                                            
                                                "I could never find them."

                                            62.
                                            
                                                >"They're in the attic. Under the window sill."

                                            63.
                                            
                                                "... Really...?"

                                            64.
                                            
                                                >"Mm-hmm. A lot of photos in that box. I didn't wanna miss a thing, even if I wasn't there for it. Your mom always told me that never made sense, but..."

                                            65.
                                            
                                                >He didn't finish before Twilight started giggling, before it turned into a full-blown laugh.

                                            66.
                                            
                                                >The pair laughed in each other's grasp.

                                            67.
                                            
                                                >The tears were still coming fresh down her face, but he'd embraced it by now.

                                            68.
                                            
                                                >Once he wound down, he sighed and rested his cheek against her shoulder.

                                            69.
                                            
                                                >"I'm proud of you. You know that, right?"

                                            70.
                                            
                                                >She nodded shakily.

                                            71.
                                            
                                                >"I don't know what's coming next... but I'm gonna keep being proud of you no matter what."

                                            72.
                                            
                                                >Twilight felt another fit of sobs coming on, and she tried to suppress them as best as she could.

                                            73.
                                            
                                                >She held him tighter in her grasp, afraid to ever let go.

                                            74.
                                            
                                                >"And don't be getting into trouble... or I might just come back and ground you."

                                            75.
                                            
                                                >She didn't laugh this time.

                                            76.
                                            
                                                >She sniffled.

                                            77.
                                            
                                                "... I love you, Dad."

                                            78.
                                            
                                                >Through his own fresh set of tears, Night Light smiled and kissed her cheek.

                                            79.
                                            
                                                >"I love you too, baby girl."

                                            80.
                                            
                                                "I'm gonna make you proud."

                                            81.
                                            
                                                >He just laughed quietly again.

                                            82.
                                            
                                                >"You already have."

                                            83.
                                            
                                                >They held each other just a little while longer, until the tears finally ran dry.

                                            84.
                                            
                                                >Eventually, when the sun had gone down, and the wind began to howl outside, he had finally grown tired... and just wanted to rest.

                                            85.
                                            
                                                >Twilight knew it was coming.

                                            86.
                                            
                                                >She knew she'd never be ready for it.

                                            87.
                                            
                                                >As his eyelids grew heavy, and he found the world drowning itself out, there was only one thing that stuck out amongst the dark.

                                            88.
                                            
                                                >His daughter's touch, and her comforting voice.

                                            89.
                                            
                                                /I sat in the meadow and counted the roses/

                                            90.
                                            
                                                /You took me to the place where the sunflowers grow/

                                            91.
                                            
                                                /You sang me a lullaby along the way to/

                                            92.
                                            
                                                /the place only children and angels will know/

                                            93.
                                            
                                                /Home is more than a place/

                                            94.
                                            
                                                /Home is more than a place/

                                            95.
                                            
                                                /Home is more than a place/

                                            96.
                                            
                                                /Home is where you are/

                                            97.
                                            
                                                /Home is where you are/

                                            98.
                                            
                                                >He gave her one final smile.

                                            99.
                                            
                                                >He did her right.

                                            100.
                                            
                                                >Twilight sang to her father until it was over.

                                            101.
                                            
                                                >A final sigh, a steadiness of his body.

                                            102.
                                            
                                                >His face was so peaceful now.

                                            103.
                                            
                                                >His hoof fell to the side.

                                            104.
                                            
                                                >Tears welled in her eyes.

                                            105.
                                            
                                                >Her home was gone.

                                            106.
                                            
                                                >And so, she blew out the candle.