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Pound and Pumpkin Tales 2

by Never2muchpinkie

Chapter 100: 11-24: Value

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They had to wait a few minutes, but Spring’s crying finally eased off.

Spring rose on shaky hooves and threw herself at Mayhem, hugging him tightly.

Mayhem returned the gesture. “Come on now. What happened? Why were you crying like that?”

She didn’t answer, just holding him tighter.

Mayhem just continued hugging her back, feeling disturbed. Everything had gone so well. Why was Spring so devastated?

After another minute of sniffing Spring finally spoke. “I… I finally realized something.”

“What’s that?”

“I… I still remember the day we met.” She let out a little whimper. “You weren’t any better off than I was.”

She squeezed harder, sounding like she was about to break down again. “We were so alike. We were both suffering so much. Our hearts were heavy with guilt. We felt like trash that didn’t deserve anything good in our lives anymore.

“You’re not like that anymore. You were able to pull yourself out of the darkness and confront your past. You found your courage and the will to live. And I…” She let out a sob. “I got to play a part in that. After you saved my brother and helped me reconnect with him I… I…” She let out another sob. “I was finally able to pay you back for everything you’ve done for our family.

“Every week I hurt a little less, and I fought because I wanted to be there for my brother, b-b-but e-even after all this time, I… I still didn’t think I really mattered. A part of me still wished my brother had been just a little bit slower, or that I hadn’t been punished enough for what I caused.

“B-b-but just watching you, seeing the new you, seeing how you were fighting so hard for me and knowing that I played a part in you finally overcoming the darkness, I finally... I…” She sobbed. “I finally feel like I really am necessary and important. I’m finally glad that I’m still alive, because I helped you become a better you.”

That brought a smile to Mayhem’s face. These were happy tears.

She pulled back, wiping her face. “I’m not selfish enough to think that I was the only one responsible, because I know everyone played a part, but at the same time I don’t think you could have done it without me.” She looked around a bit before asking, “Does that still sound selfish to say that?”

“Not at all,” said Twilight. “As you said, everyone played their own role in helping Mayhem overcome his past. That incomplete heart all of you made to help encourage Mayhem when he was struggling is a great metaphor.

“You’re not trying to claim solo credit. Without you as part of the group Mayhem wouldn’t have enough hearts lifting him up to succeed. Not to discredit any of the other children, but of all of them you were the most in need, and Mayhem’s drive to help you succeed was his main motivation. He had to step up for you, so I think you were indeed the main contributing factor in his success.”

Hearing that confirmation from Twilight made her legs go weak, and she fell to her knees gently sobbing again.

Forest put a hoof around her. “You’re very important, Sis. You’ve been helping me all this time.”

“More than you know,” said Twilight. “Do you remember what I said about how your guilt consuming you doesn’t help anyone?”

Spring gave a little nod.

“Now go back to what you were saying about the part of you that wished Forest had been too slow to save you. Your guilty side is so caught up in itself that you’re not thinking about what that would mean for him.

“Think about how you felt the whole time Forest was in the hospital, and try to imagine your positions being reversed. If you had crashed from that height there’s a good chance you would have died. At best you would have broken half the bones in your body.

“As Mayhem said at the hospital, making Forest conscious opened him up to feeling and hurting again. And if Forest had failed to grab you in time he wouldn’t have been in a coma, but every day he would have had to live with being just a few moments too slow. Just try and picture the shame and guilt he would have felt to have to go home and tell his parents he had let you die.”

Spring clenched hard, then her whole body shuddered. She got a pained look on her face as she grabbed Forest in a tight hug. What she had felt in the three months Forest had been in a coma were feelings she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy.

Twilight was absolutely right. She was so caught up that she didn’t think of how things would have changed if Forest had failed to rescue her. The week after he was woken up she had found out he already felt guilty for getting injured because it meant he couldn’t be there for her. He talked about how his mind came up with all sorts of ridiculous scenarios that would have stopped her from doing what she did that day. And all that was just from knowing she had been in emotional turmoil.

How would he have felt if he had missed her by an inch? How would he feel if he had seen her in his position, bleeding and unconscious or screaming in pain? She knew the pain of feeling responsible for causing someone she loved to get hurt. She couldn’t stand the thought of Forest feeling that way. It was why she got so riled up when he tried to blame himself.

Because she had survived she had been able to be there for him when he woke up, as well as Mayhem during his journey to improve.

She looked at Mayhem and called his name.

“Yes?” he said.

“It’s not over yet.”

“What’s not over?”

“I think you’ve become really cool and strong. I don’t want to live with these feelings anymore. I want to be cool and strong like you.”

Flash grinned. “So you’re ready to forgive yourself too?”

“That’s awesome!” said Sweet Pea.

Mayhem wanted to join in on their enthusiasm, but she was staring at him intensely like she had something else to say.

“What?” he finally said. “What is it?”

“Mayhem… can you make me my own Tantabus?”

Author's Notes:

Did a double upload today since this one is pretty short. Enjoy the next chapter too.

Next Chapter: 11-25: Willpower Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 40 Minutes
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