Shatters of a Reflection Chapter 17: Remembrance

That night, I laid there against Mom on the carpeted floor in her library. We spent the better half of the night reminiscing on the good times we had together. Funny thing about being immortal, you would think one would be prone to forgetting things but she called me out on every little thing I had done. It was a wonder how much she kept an eye on me. But then again Mother knows best, right?

But at some point during out talk, I had slowly started to fall asleep, I tried to stay awake but I didn't know why but her voice sounded always had this way of soothing me. It made me feel safe, even after I had grown up all these years.

I guess I'd always be a momma's boy.

Her little colt, she called me that a lot and for a good hour she wouldn't stop. I told her to, but I knew she wouldn't.

And it's not like I didn't dislike being called that.

"Jake, Jake it's time to wake up." A voice made me stir awake but I was so comfortable that I just grumbled out some broken words before rolling over on my side and tried to fall back asleep but I heard a chuckle before I felt my body being rolled over as I stopped on my back.

"But I don't want to get up just yet." It was true, a part of me just wanted to stay but she was right.

She chuckled once more as I opened my eyes and leaned up as she was sitting there next to me, "Come now Jake, you have many things to do before…before…"

"Before I leave," I finished for her as she didn't want to finish the sentence but she nodded her head as I turned to her and reached out wrapping my arms around her neck, "It's going to be fine Mom. I told you that." I said to her trying to make her feel better but even I knew no matter what I said would make her feel better.

"Do you know what you are going to do when you get back there? To your world that is?" She asked, but truth be told. I had no idea what I was going to do.

"I don't know, but I'll think of something." I said pulling away from her but she looked concerned.

I flashed grin at her and she returned it with a smile of her own.

"I just want to make sure that you're taken care of Jake." She gave me this down casted look.

"You don't need to worry about me Mom." I told her as she just sigh and smiled slightly.

"A Mother will always worry about her child Jake." She told me, "Now go and get cleaned up for breakfast. I believe that you are going to have a long day ahead of you, no?" She said walking towards door, stopping to glance back at me before she took her leave.

I sat there looking at the door before I leaned back and fell against the floor spreading my arms and legs out as I stretched them.

"I have a really long day ahead of me."

I had less than two days to do anything it is that I wanted to do.

After eating breakfast, Cadance wasn't there because she was still working alongside the Ball committee to make sure everything was set and ready for tomorrow.

I met with Mom in the main chamber with her since she wanted to know what I was going to do today, "I'm going to see Shining first, we were going to hang out today anyway so I think I'll tell him then."

"Very well, if need anything Jake you know I am here for you."

"I know. I'll be back later on Mom."

I headed out of the castle and into the city towards the Sparkle residence.

Didn't take long for me to arrive at the Sparkle residence, their trademark star showing on their front door was a sure giveaway that it was there place.

I walked up the stars and knocked on the door, there was a distant 'Coming!' from inside as the sound of hooves clopping against wooden floor boards got louder as the door opened up to reveal a light gray mare with light blue eyes and a purple and light gray mane. If anything she was the splitting image of an older looking Twilight.

"Hello Mrs. Velvet, is Shining awake?" I asked as she just nodded and ushered me in.

"Oh your Highness. Shining told me you would be stopping by today. Please come in." She told me but the way she did made me groan lightly as she just chuckled into her front hoof.

"I thought I told not to call me by that title." I said halfheartedly as she just chuckled some more.

"Don't fret Jake. I'm only yanking your tail." She said walking out of the door behind me as I walking into the familiar household since I had been here more than a few times in the past years, "Shining is in his room still asleep if you want to go ahead and head up. I have to head out so you two have fun today." She called out to me as I had already been halfway up the stairs as she closed the door behind her.

I reached the top of the stairs and walked towards the large blue and white door. Stopping for a moment and I wondered how I was going to wake him up since I would always have to wake up Shining when I came over since he was a late sleeper on days that we had off.

And I thought of something, concentrating I blew into my hands as my magic gave birth to a swirl of white dust that gave off this cold chill on my hands.

"Gotta love magic." I said to myself as I prepared to strike.

I cracked open the door to see Shining's mane sticking out from under the blanket on his bed. And I couldn't help but shake my head at him. But then again, this was going to be good.

Pulling my hand back I tossed the swirl of magic into the room as I slammed the door shut loud enough that it would wake him up and it did.

"Wha!" I heard and not a second later, he was shouting a few obscenities as I noticed the floor beneath my feet frost over slightly before it retracted into the room as I opened the door to see Shining sitting on his bed a small trail of snot spilling from his nose.

"I'm…going…to…kill..you..one…day…" He said between shivers as I just crossed my arms and smirked at him.

"I'd like to see you try." I egged him on but he just smirked back at me, "Come on, I'll be down stairs waiting for ya." I told him as I walked out of his room and headed back down the stairs.

When I got there, I stopped and looked at the photos they had hanging on their walls.

Most of them were of family, and a few random ones of the Sparkles Family. And when I reached the more recent photos, there was one from Twilight's last birthday. That was a fun day, Cadance had made a cake for her while I had went and got her parents to come to the castle in secret since I knew she missed them. But this photo was of a day I wouldn't forget.

But it also reminded me that I wouldn't be here for Twilight's next birthday or even the one after that. And it hit me again how much I didn't want to leave.

"Why the long face?" I heard Shining ask as I turned to see him standing next to me. Wearing his white and blue hoody that he had started wearing recently.

But his question brought me back, "Say Shining?" I asked looking away from him and back to the picture of Twilight, Cadance, Shining and me.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"What would you say if I were to leave?" I asked.

"What like leave Canterlot?" He said, "Dunno, but hey it's your choice ya know. If you want to leave then you can. Who am I to stop you?" He said with a laugh as I couldn't help but smile at his optimistic attitude, "What brings this up?" He asked me as I place a hand on the picture.

I was silent for a moment but I shook my head, "No reason." I said shaking my head side to side as I turned to him and grinned, "Forget what I said, let's just head on out. We got a long day ahead of us." I told him but he just gave me this hesitant look before shrugging it off and turning around.

"Alright, let's head to the arcade first. And then get some grub." He said to me as just chuckled at how this was the same colt that said he was going to be captain of the guard someday, yet he was so easy going.

I followed him, but I didn't tell him anything yet. We had a whole day of hanging out ahead of us. And I didn't want to ruin that. It could wait, even if it's just for a little bit longer.

"Man, did you really need to glue those ponies to the wall like that? I mean, they were asking for it but that was a little harsh even for you Jake." Shining told me between breathes as we had just escaped Guards that just ran past us.

"Hey, they started it…and we finished it." I told him with a grin on my face.

While we were eating at the food court, two mares walked over and started talking to us. Shining gave me this look that meant to follow his lead which meant he was going to go after these mares.

And after some talking to them, and even going around with them just hanging out. They liked Shining more than me but I was fine with that, but apparently the mares already had coltfriends and they weren't too keen about us hanging out with them. And well, one thing led to another and they pushed me and Shining which he wasn't going to just take and neither was I.

So in the end, we proved to be the stronger colts but I may have used my magic to stick them to the wall of some shop that the owner didn't like very much which we promptly ran before the guards could come.

Not like I could get in much trouble but it was fun none the less.

"You know, for somepony that has two legs I forgot how fast you can move." Shining told me as we finally calmed from all the hype.

"Tell me about it, but we both know you can outrun me any day, the perks of being able to run on all fours." I told him making him laugh as we looked around once more to make sure the coast was clear so we walked out and pretended as if nothing ever happened.

We walked around the shopping part of Canterlot talking about random things when a certain topic came up.

"So Jake, did you ask anypony to the ball tomorrow night yet?" Shining asked me as I leaned against the railing overlooking one of the more higher points in Canterlot. It was a nice place to just chill. Most of the time, Shining and I would come here to just talk. Much like right now.

I shook my head side to side, "No, I didn't."

"Seriously?" He said in a surprised tone as I looked over at him.

"Yeah, I…I didn't think it would be a good idea to ask somepony I didn't know to the ball." I told him, but he had this serious look but he was just staring out towards the distant sky.

"So does that mean you asked Cadance to with you?" He asked me but I didn't say anything to him.

We stayed there silently staring out towards the sunset.

And then he spoke up.

"I'm going to ask Cadance to be my date to the ball." He said suddenly as I turned to him, and he slowly turned to me with the same serious look he had when his mind was set on something, "Is that alright with you?" He asked once more.

Truthfully, I wanted to tell him no. I wanted to tell him to find another mare, but deep down. I knew his old crush on her was still there. A long time ago Shining had told me that he liked Cadance and he wanted to ask her out, but when he saw how close we had become. He was understanding and backed off.

But that was then, back when I didn't know I was going to be sent back to my world. Back when there I could imagine us being something more than friends. But now, now I felt as if I didn't deserve her, I didn't want to break her heart but at the same time I didn't want to give her any false hope.

I just turned to him and gave a small smile, "Why wouldn't I be? Besides I think it would be for the best if you asked her rather than me." I told him and for a moment he was silent that is until.

"The buck is wrong with you Jake?" He said as I saw this questioning look on his face, "You and I both know Cadance doesn't want to go with any other colt unless it's you." He said getting slightly angry.

I bit my tongue, "I…I can't…"

"What do you mean you can't?!" He shouted at me and stomped a hoof on the ground to make his point, "Everypony knows that you and Cadance are head over hooves for each other."

Hearing those words I knew it was true and much as it was eating at me from the inside, "Listen, I have my reasons why I can't take her."

"And what reasons would that be?" He asked, "You know how much she cares for you Jake. And you know how this is going to make her feel if don't ask her to the dance."

"I know."

He got in my face, "I know you know, but do you understand what I'm trying to get across to you! She is in love with you!" He shouted at me, which only made me mad.

"You don't think I know that?" I shouted at him, clenching my fist, "I know she loves me."

"Then what's holding you back!" He put a hoof to my chest to make his point.

"I-I…" I guess now would be the best time to tell him, "There's a reason why I can't take her to the ball. And why I've been trying to push her away," He looked at me waiting for the answer as I let out a sigh, "Shining, you remember how I said I come from a different world right?" I asked him and he nodded, "Well you remember how I said I met that strange Alicorn in the Everfree forest too right?"

Once more he nodded, "Well, I lied when I said she didn't say any more to me then what I told you all."

"You mean you that mysterious Alicorn had more to say? What reason could she have to do with you act like such a dolt?" He said in the nicest way possible but it was clear he wasn't too happy with what I was saying.

"She told me that my time here in Equestria was limited. That one day she would come back for me because I don't belong in this world. That my being here was never supposed to happen." I told him which seemed to confuse him.

He was quiet for a while until, "If I was to believe this, then lets say. How much time do you have left?" He asked me, his face no longer upset but more mellowed out.

I let out another sigh, "Until tomorrow night." I told him which made him go wide eyed.

"So the reason you didn't want to take Cadance to the Ball and rejected her is because you going to have to leave Equestria the same night as the bal?"

I nodded to him, "Pretty much."

He was silent for a moment, I know this was a lot to take in. But Shining was my friend, my best bud. I know that he'll understand.

"You're an idiot Jake."

I was taken back, reason being that wasn't the response I was hoping for, then again. I didn't know what to expect from him.

"Why is that?" I asked him.

He just smirked at me, "Because I know how bad you have it for Cadance." He said making me face palm, "But I also know that the Jake I know wouldn't let something like being sent back to his old world stop him from give the mare of his life the night of her life." He said pausing once more, "You do love don't you Jake?"

"Of course I do!" I blurted out without thinking which I just saw his grin grow and I shot him a glare.

"Hey, I'm just poking fun Jake. But this isn't the time for joking." He said gaining a more serious tone, "What are you going to do now? You only have one day left before you have to leave right?"

"Honestly I don't know." I told him, "I'm scared Shining, I really am."

He gave me a light jab in the arm, "Hey, you've been through tough situations then this." He told me and I thought back to the things I went through since I got here and I have to say he was right.

He hooked a hoof around my neck and using me to support him as he stood up on his hind legs, "Now come on, I'm not going to let your last bro day we're going to have be wastes mopping around like this. We need to do something exciting!" He said with a cheer as he dropped and started pulling me along with him.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret this…"

Sure enough I did regret this.

Shining dragged me all around Canterlot taking me to random places trying to show me parts of the capital I had never seen before. It was truly a day I would never forget.

"Jake what is it with you and sticking ponies to the walls man?" He asked me as I fixed my clothes while trying to catch my breath.

"Says the one that was hitting on some colts mare, not once but twice in one day!" I told him which only got a laugh from him as we continued down the street, "Besides, it just seems like the easier thing to do rather them up."

"What can I say, the ladies love me. And I love them!" He said as arrogantly as he could which I had to agree with him. Shining was popular was popular enough that he was one of the most wanted colts in the whole academy. He was just the kind of colt that people wanted to follow. I knew he was going to fulfill his dream to become captain of the guard.

We headed down the street making small talk, he was a good friend. He made sure that to keep us doing something so that I could forget that tomorrow was going to be my last day here. But I think this was more for him then it was for me.

"Say Jake?" He called to me as I looked over at him, "You know your my best bud right?" He asked me and I just cracked a smile.

"Best friend would probably be an understatement. You're like my brother to me Shining. And that's the truth."

He smiled and stopped, raising a hoof to me as I knew the gesture and made a fist and bumped it against his hard hoof.

"Try not to forget about us when you go back ok. Because I know that we won't forget you."

"I know Shining." I told him as we shared in our little moment before we started laughing, "Man that was so cheesy." I said first.

"Yeah, definitely not going to do that again," He said wiping a tear from his eye, "I guess this is the end of the line for us, I'll see you tomorrow at the ball?" He told me and I agreed.

"Of course. Until then Shining." I told him as we parted ways he went one way while I turned to head down the road leading to the castle.

"Hey Jake!" I stopped and turned around to Shining, "You better ask Cadance to the dance or else I'm going to give you a right hoof to the face tomorrow!" He shouted at me with a stupid grin on his face that meant he was serious.

I didn't say anything as I turned and walked away with my hand held up telling him I 'bye'.

"Ask Cadance to the dance…that's …should I?" I questioned myself as I thought about it on the way back to the castle.

I took my time getting back because it was still early, the sun was setting which meant Mom would have dinner soon. But I didn't feel like eating which I'm sure she would understand why.

So many things happened since I first arrived here. So much has changed a lot since then but at the same time I so have I. I grew up in more ways than one since I got here.

I placed a hand over my shoulder where the Spear had pierced my skin after the first confrontation with the old Captain Knight, thinking back to all that I was so stupid, but then again things were complicated back then for me.

As I wondered in through the front gates of the castle, I waving to the guards at their post for the night watch and walked into the marble halls taking in every little detail. The smell of the clean and polished floors, the smell of the flowers on display, the feel of the long stretch of rugs that seemed endless, I used to think these halls were like a maze back when I first arrived and it was.

Every little thing, everything little thing I wasn't going to be able to see anymore.

A part of me wanted to break down and cry right there, but I knew crying wasn't going to change anything. Tomorrow was going to be my last night here in Equestria, the last time I'll be able to see everyone.

I wouldn't be able to see Mom, Twilight, Shining, and Cadanc-!

I stopped just in my trail of thoughts as this loud boom came from within my room.

"What the?!" I I opened the doors only to find a huge cloud of smoke that was making it hard for me to breath so I used my magic to open the balcony doors and a quick gust to make all the smoke leave just to find a coughing Twilight surrounded by what looked to be towers of books.

"Twilight? What are you doing? What are all these books in my room for?" I asked the little mare only watch as she turned to see me standing there as her body began to shake and tears started to well up in her eyes.

Without a missing a beat she let out a loud wail and I braced myself as she tackled into me nearly knocking me down but as I held her, she started to cry and it wasn't a normal crying either it. It was full on, her body was shaking uncontrollably and she wouldn't stop crying into my shirt.

"Twilight? Twi? What's wrong?" I asked her over and over again but everytime she stopped she would pick up again.

I tried my best to comfort her, rubbing circles into her back as I petted her mane, running my hand through it in an attempt to calm her down, but she was still in the state of every word she would try to say came out like a hiccup slash sob sound.

Finally after a what seemed like an hour she finally calmed down enough that she was just letting out these small cries into my now damp shirt.

I brushed my hand through her mane once more and asked again, "Twi, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong." This seemed to get her to stop as she pulled away from me, her eyes bloodshot from all the crying and snot coming out of her nose.

Using the sleeve of my shirt, I wiped the snot and any excess tears she had off of her face as she had trouble opening her mouth.

"I almost had it…" She whispered out, I barely hear her but I managed to catch that.

"Had what Twi?"

She looked from me before turning her head and using her magic to bring a book towards us. And when it was near I took it in my hand and read the cover.

It was a really high leveled spell book, something she shouldn't be reading but she was.

"Why are you ready this Twi? This is too dangerous for you to be practicing. Let alone practicing by yourself!" I scolded her, which made her whimper some more until she opened it up to a certain page.

"Binding Spells, Extremely dangerous, and harmful if not performed right. Able to bind one to a certain place…" So one and so forth, but as I read on it became clear to me what she was trying to do.

"Twi, don't tell me that you know?" I asked her as saw tears started to build up again as she nodded her head.

"I…sniff…heard you and Princess Celestia talking last night…I wanted to show you a new spell and then…and then…" She tried to say the rest but she started crying again.

This hurt me in more ways than one. I had completely forgotten about Twilight. How I was supposed to tell her about what was going to happen, and I come to find that she overheard me and Mom last night and she…she.

Looking closer at her, I saw that her coat was dirty, her mane was beyond messy and there were papers scattered everywhere with her writing on them.

She had been trying to find a way to make it so that I could stay. This whole time I was out with Shining she was working herself to the bone trying to find a spell that would let me stay.

I won't lie, I felt tears dropping from my cheeks as I clenched onto the little mare's body and joined her crying.

Twilight was my little sister, and this whole day she for me…

I felt like the worst Brother ever.

But I held onto her, she cried and cried. Throwing out words every now and then, how she didn't want me to leave, how she wanted me to stay here forever with her and everypony else.

She literally cried herself to sleep as I continued to hold onto her.

I brushed her mane as she was still crying even in her sleep.

I lifted her up and carried her to my bed, placing her underneath the covers as her hooves reached out and latched onto my wrist holding me in place as she whispered.

"Please…don't leave...me…alone…"

I felt a few tears fall down my face, "Ok Twi," I told her as I leaned down and brushed a few strands of her mane off of her face, "I won't leave. I'll stay by your side for as long as I can." I told her, kneeling down right there on the side of the bed, letting her hold onto me, even if it was killing me on the inside, if it made her feel better in anyway. I would do it.

Watching Twilight sleep, I couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the memories I had made with her, my little sister. She was such an egghead but that's what I loved about her. When she sets her mind to something she doesn't stop until she does whatever it is she is doing.

But I also remembered how much she had grown from that little mare that I found crying in the bushes. How much she reminded me of myself. How much I wanted her to never go through what I went through, and yet.

"Jake you idiot, even after all these years you're still hurting the ones you love." I told myself as I looked out the balcony doors at the stars and the slowly rising moon with the shadow of a mare's face on the side of it.

I took a moment to just stare at it, how it always seemed to bring me ease. And it was a reminder of where I got this bracer from. The black leathered bracer with the mark of a crescent moon on it. It was a keepsake that Mom had entrusted to me.

I let out a sigh as I heard my door open, "Jake?"

I heard somepony call out my name, after all these years I knew that voice from anywhere, but at the same time, it was the last pony I wanted to see right now.

"Cadance…"

TBC

Next time, the final chapter, "Shatters of A Reflection".