My name is Buddyby CocaineChaptersFirst dayLack of a MelodyConfessions of a rainbow maned mareMr. B and the 3Party and PrideDay of the blanketBalls deepDeja VuFirst dayI take my first step into my brand new job. By first step, I mean working my first shift which happens to be an entire night. I don't mind it though, I've worked a bar before. It's quiet, cleaning out the mugs, washing the table, and listen to some calm music. My ideal evening indeed, so I'll gladly take the night shift. Looking down at a recently scrubbed glass cup, I can see past the residue of some alcohol, and ironically find my face. My brown, green eyed, murky looking face. Perhaps there's a hidden morale in this, like I just found myself at the bottom of the barrel, or cup in this case, coming to a realization that I took a job as a bar tender and could possibly aid someone in an irresponsible death...Naah, just need to scrub harder! Who's going to find a life lesson in a beer mug anyways? My well thought out philosophy is put on hold once a couple mares drop in through the door, chattering amongst themselves. I would write them off, but they look way too young to be walking into a bar like this. One with her mane all frilly, hung down her neck in a rainbow spectrum. Another looks like a more grown up, Texan type, given away by her Stetson hat. Following behind them both is a rambunctious pink mare with crazy, fluffy hair and an obnoxious voice, shouting about just how much she loves to bounce. Odd little patch of fillies...Regardless, I ponce my way over with an upbeat attitude and nod at the trio, carrying my rag stuffed into a mug with me as I continue cleansing it. "How can I help you?" Best to keep it nice, maybe they just a want a juice or something... The rainbow maned one spins around in her stool and lays her hoof on the counter pointing up. "Two cider, one regular." Shit. "Ahh...Would you remind an old folk what a 'regular' would be for you?" Really shouldn't be that obvious... "Uhh...A beer?" The rainbow'd mare raises an eyebrow and shakes her head. If she has a regular, then surely she's been here quite a bit and that means she's of age. The last bar tender wouldn't slack off....Right? "I see..." I turn around and begin to make some cider. It's no sweet apple acres, but it's a lot better than that garbage those jokers with the machine made. Scooping up a couple cups, wiping them out once again, then sliding them under the barrel spout and letting the cider fly. I've done this plenty of times before, as well as tons of other low end jobs. Even been a plumber once, but that didn't last. If these are the type of customers I'm gonna be serving here, this'll be a real laid back job. Couple ladies drinking, not causing a ruckus. They have only been in the bar for a few minutes though...I get way to into these kinds of things. Just give them the damn drinks. Behind me though... "So Applejack, do you ever go anywhere without your hat?" The rainbow mare asks from behind. "...No. I like it where it is, thank you." The Texan replies in a heavy southern accent. "Oh, oh! It's like me and my hair!" Yells the pink, loud mouthed pony "...Pinkie, I don't know if any of us would have a laugh without you." Chimes in the other obnoxious voice followed by a friendly chuckle. After hearing a slight silence, I turn around with the two apple ciders, and slide them into the rainbow mare's hooves, to which I then place the beer filled mug in front of her, assuming it's hers. "Enjoy girls." I say with a smile. I lay back against the counter, constantly cleaning the mugs and counter top as they talk on about each of their quirks. With all the cleaning I've done, I'm beginning to think I have OCD, but that doesn't do any harm. Makes me paranoid that the bar doesn't look good enough, and if it doesn't look good enough ponies might not come in, and if they don't come in, I'll look less professional, and...Wow, I really am paranoid... "Hey, why'd the music stop?" I hear the rainbow mare question, and I look around confused a bit. I didn't even realize there was music playing! Then, seeing the most obvious thing in the bar from the smell of heavy alcohol is a small stadium with two mares pointing hooves at each other. I realize now just how blind I was as there's a large cello, probably bigger than the ponies in the room, and a little DJ area set up adjacent to it. I, like the three stricken mares across from me, stay quiet and watch the scene before us. "You think that awful excuse for art is appealing?" The much more sophisticated pony questions with a rich Canterlot accent. "It sounds a lot better than your single note 'classical's'!" The other mare counters, dropping her hoof and instead stands much closer, flaring her eyes. "My music is made on a real instrument. Yours is made on that...Thing." She says, shying her hoof at the mares equipment like it might give her an infection if she gets too close. "All your music sounds the same!" The white mare counters, shoving a hoof inches from the classical ponies face. "All your music sounds the same!" She counters, doing the same. It's then that I realize it's not my customers I have to worry about...It's my fellow staff. This is going to be a long night... Lack of a MelodyI decide to let the girls deal with it their way. By the way they're yelling, it's like they've had this argument before. This music is better, that music is better. I personally don't mind the wubs that the DJ pony makes, but I do prefer the classical ponies style. "Ever since college you've been playing that punk music that you say has a theme. How many awards have you won, again?" The glowingly snobbish Canterlot pony asks with her hooves crossed. The other pony surprisingly stays quiet. I expected out of the two that she would back lash hard from something like that. Instead she bows her head down, and again to my surprise, the attacking pony apologizes. "I'm...Sorry Vinyl." Her voice sounds as defeated as the other's face looks. "Go take a break." Pretty soon after the white mare gets up, making her way to the counter, I get back to my scrubbing. I have been cleaning the same cup since I got in here...Maybe this should be my personal one, my trump card I could use to act like I'm doing something. Yeah, no one will fall for that. At this point, the other three mares are talking quietly in their spot, moving from the counter and stools to the back. I casually stroll over to the white mare who has one hoof laid over the counter and the other holding her head up barely. "What can I get for ya, ma'm?" Keeping my voice nice and soothing; if I just had an argument with a friend, I'd want someone with a gentle voice to talk to me. "Some real heavy stuff would do right now..." She mumbles in her hoof. "Oooh...Well you see, this is a high class bar. We got nothing but the good stuff. A whole menu of heavy 'You drink it and you won't even remember if you asked the person sitting next to you in bed to come home with you' drinks." I say with a friendly tone. She doesn't take too kindly to it though and just gives me a glare. "Alright, alright...How about...Some good ol' scotch?" I ask, giving her a grin. She doesn't nd, so I assume it's good enough. As I'm pouring out some clean yellow Scotch, the other three ponies leave the bar, the pink one having to bounce out. Really odd girl, that one... "Here ya are." I say sliding the large mug to her as it slyly gets cupped by her hoof. I lean on the tabletop. She looks so glum and awfully depressed like that. I know, even as a bar tender, that alcohol does not change your attitude from frustrated to happy. Especially the heavy stuff. I get paid to keep my mouth shut about what customers should and shouldn't drink though. "Drink everything!" Is what it's usually all about. I have a little more integrity than that... "You know...I kind of liked your style." I say, giving a light shrug as I admit it. I didn't really like it, but I thought it was better than the majority of new music these days. She leans her head up and stares at me with curious eyes. "Are you flirting with me?" Oh shit...That is not what I meant at all, way to go loser. "Oh nonono, that's not at all. I just...Heard your argument, and if I had an argument with a friend...I'd like o hear some encouragement. friendly encouragement." Good save... She drops her accusing look and sighs. "Yeah, all the 'Encouragement' I need is this right here." She takes a big swig from her mug. Judging by how easily she takes it down, I can decipher she drinks a lot, and I'm willing to bet most of the causes are from their arguments. "So you two have known each other for a while? Since college?" Ufh...Come on man, don't be too creepy! "Yeah...Do you have nothing better to do than listen to people?" She lays her head on the wooden counter, more or less smacking it actually. I hold up the cup I've been washing for about an hour now, shrugging as I pull the rag out of it. "I get paid to do that." Smooth, not like that's gonna be any more cre- "Heh...and I get paid to burn through hard liquor." She chuckles as she speaks, giving me a good sign I'm on the right path. So some dark humor does the trick for ya, huh? "Don't let that hard liquor get to you too much, otherwise you're gonna be getting paid to be an organ doner." That was just one of the worst jokes I've ever made... "Pfft! I got nothing for that." She is really cracking up now, and I smile, seeing I got through. really good sign, now to see the problem. "So I see you're a little brighter now." I give a smooth, friendly smile once again. "Yeah...Can't get much whiter than me though." She says with a single raised eyebrow and looking at her pale white hoof. I can't deny, it was kind of funny. I can't even see her eyes, but I imagine one is scanning her hand like it has something deep in it and is attempting to study it behind those large, blue lensed glasses. "You look fine." She gives a cool sigh, leaning back on the stool and nods appreciatively. I'm getting good at this already! "If it's not too personal, and I hope that drink there isn't influencing your opinion over this, but...Why do you two argue like that?" I really have to keep a gentle tone here, because she doesn't seem like the type that let's anyone into her personal things. She does however take in a deep breath and begin, so I take my Que and lean forward and listen attentively. "We've been friends for a while. Met at college and were roommates. I played my kind of music more often than she played hers, but...She didn't really mind it. I even found her moving to my sexy wubs sometimes. I figured she was just embarrassed, caught in the act, ya know? We both were taking musical classes, and...Well, I think she just got a little weird. More secluded from me and stuff. Since we've been doing gigs together for a while, and the past two years been working here for entertainment, all of the beef comes from the same thing...differences in music taste. I dunno, I think her music is cool. She just doesn't get me, I guess." That sounds pretty typical...Back when I was a kid, we argued about who had cooler baseball cards. Now it's over music...Guess every generation has their pet peeves. "I feel honored you would tell me that...But I think there's a deeper reason you two argue like that." going on a bluff here, but their arguments sound like husband and wife and not two friends bickering. She looks at me with narrowed eyes, then looks around the bar for a moment. Empty...No surprise, it's midnight. She leans in on the counter and nods a couple times, sparking a smile. "You're good...What are ya, a therapist?" Her voice is more friendly and playful before. Is that a sign she trusts me? I'll take it. "I'm just being natural." This is me being natural, but I can't help but be more curious than usual. Plus, I would much rather have cool headed co-workers than two hot heads. "Natural, huh? You should've gone to school for that." She sighs in a solemn mode, and I begin to speak in an apologetic tone, but I'm not able to utter a word. "Alright, alright...I'll cough it up." She throws up her hooves and I crack a smile. I'm getting really good at this. Or maybe this really is natural for me? "Well...We weren't roommates for any reason. we dated the entire time we went to college, and a bit into our gig here. It was nice...err, emphasis on 'was' there, bud. A few dilemma's here and there, double sided opinions, bias bitching, and...I kind of screwed it up." A filly fooler? Wait no, two filly foolers? Wow...That's something off the bucket list. Wait...Did she say bud? If only she new that's actually my real name. "Hmm...Personal indeed...It's not my place to put my two cents at all, but I think I could give a bit of advice." I take my hoof off my chin and lay both on the counter. I should look confident in my next proposal, because I sure ain't. "At this point..." She begins, looking into the bottom of her glass. "I'll take anything you got." She let's out a sigh, looking to the ground now. This mare sure does flop her mood a lot...As long as she listens. "I think it's that you both like each other..." Immediately she turns her head with a huff. "Now here me out! You both like each other a lot...But have a lot of pent up aggression that you haven't been able to get out. Maybe...Sex? Or, you couldn't bring yourself to tell her some criticism on her music?" She just glares at me, really narrowing her eyes and clutching her glass. That...Is not good. "Feel free to punch me in the mouth." I offer, leaning my face forward/ She makes an audible huff after a quiet moment, and nods slightly. "You nailed it. Real good, detective. Real good..." She sighs in defeat and let's go of the half full glass. Is it half full? Half empty...? Hmm... "Want to know something?" I begin, going on a limb here. I get her attention though, so I continue, "That there glass...Look in it." She gives me a questionable look, and I just nod, reassuring it's nothing stupid. She sighs, and hovers her face over it. "You see yourself, right?" I ask, and she nods, staring straight into the drink she just consumed earlier. "Do you think it's half empty...Or half full?" So cheesy, but if that joke earlier got her going, this can't be too bad. "...You going to give me a lesson on philosophy?" She asks after a few moments of silent, only the other ponies' melodies filling the room. "Did you not say you'd take anything just a minute ago?" She sighs and nods. Good...Now for the sinker. "Looks...Half empty to me." She brings her legs up, laying her hooves down and lowering her head on the cup. "Really? Cause I'm sure that the mare over there...Would disagree." I give a sly nudge to the pony on the stadium, lost in her music. The white mare in front of me lifts her head up, a ring around her forehead from the cup and she looks at her friend. "Yeah...So what?" She gives me a grim stare after a moment. This is going to either win it or lose it. "I'm sure if you saw it half full...Maybe you both could get along?" I propose, bringing a hoof up for emphasis. She stares at me with a raised eyebrow, and after a minute of me holding my hoof up, she drops her glare and sighs. "Yeah...Sounds like me." She admits, dragging her hind legs on wood. She cootches back in her stool and lays her head down on her hooves. I thought that would've done it...Uhh, think fast Bud..."Look at her." I begin, me too going to watch her play. The white mare perks her head up and seeing me already watching the cello player, she too joins me. Her hands move so methodically over the strings, like it's just coming to her as she breathes. She's had her eyes closed the whole time, moving and swaying to the slow, calm sound. It's very gentle, very low key and simply nothing else like it. Only a real musician can bring such calmness in a pony's heart with a musical number. "She's beautiful..." Confides the white mare, not breaking her locked stare at the other pony. I can't help it, she is gorgeous, but it's not my type to have a rich like accent. "Now look at the glass." I say, I too turning my head and looking at it. It worked even for me, as it looks fuller than before. "It...looks half full." She admits, curiously looking at it from different angles like some magic has happened. Perhaps some had just happened...But not by my doing. I'm just an ordinary colt. I stay quiet, just looking at her with a confident smile. I think I was made for this job, should make my mark a beer mug already. She glances up at me a few times with a dumbfounded look, then stops the third time, just shaking her head at me. "You are...Really good at this." She says, giving a good, heart filled chuckle. "Now that's better...How about you go to her now that you both see the this the same way?" I offer, crossing my legs over my chest. "Yeah...Yeah, I think I will." She gets up from her stool, dropping a few extra bits on the counter. I smile appreciatively, and she does as well, then begins to walk off. As I'm collecting the couple bits..."What's your name?" She asks, turning her head back to me. Hmm...can't say Buddy, that sounds like a kid's name. Or Bud...too happy. I got it..."Mr. B." I say, cracking a wide smile. She takes it in for a moment, surely she has to know quite a few names like myself. She then tips her hoof over her hair, like she would if she wore a hat. "Vinyl." She gives me a wink and walks back on the stadium. I don't mind that the gentle music stops for now, and instead the bar is whisked by a subtle conversation. I go across the bar, letting them have their privacy. Well done, Mr. b...Very well done. I don't know if I'll be able to give great advice like that every time some pony comes in with a glum look, but if working the bar is this easy...I won't mind staying here for a long time. As I'm cleaning out my personal glass like the crazy OCD stricken pony I am, I can hear a pony waltzing in once again. I walk up to the counter and find someone I've already met, the rainbow maned mare from earlier. I give a friendly smile like always and lay my glass down, putting my hooves on the counter. "Wha-" "Two beers." Well that was rude...Oh well, what can you expect this late at night. After a quick glance at the clock however, I can tell it's just hitting 1. So what's this little girl doing here? "Comin' right up." I immediately turn around and cook up a couple beers. It's not that bad, it's no vodka or Jack Denials, that's for sure. So I assume she still wants to be able to make conscientious decisions. After a few minutes, I slide them right to her hooves, to which she scarfs one down in record time, I'd say. "Wow...You do that pretty good!" I say, immediately realizing how stupid it was... "What's that supposed to mean?" She glares at me. That's been happening a lot to me tonight surprisingly. "That you drink beer like it's kitten chow...?" I inquire sheepishly. She chuckles and slaps her hand on the counter. "Kitchen chowder...Alright." I'm not about to correct her as she takes another swig, and instead go back to washing out my cup again. "So you like dick?" Uhh...This just got interesting... Confessions of a rainbow maned mareDo I like dick...What the hell kind of question is that? I don't, but I'm giving the wrong impression by just standing here, dumb founded at such an odd placed question. What do I say to something like that? Is this just going to be a kiddish joke or something? Whatever...What's the worst she can do. "No, I don't." So blandly put with a monotone voice, I didn't know I could bring myself to that low of complexion. "Yeah?" she replies, lowering one eye as she tilts her head to the side. "Me neither." She nearly finishes off her second mug with a sigh in the afterglow. Alright...So she's either trying to tell me she's gay, or...Just being dumb. Maybe both, but it doesn't matter. Just a kid's humor, way different from mine. "What's that supposed to mean?" I mimic her voice like she asked me a minute ago. Without skipping a beat, "Means I like pussy, dude." she coyly reveals before sliding one of the cups over to me. I take it in my hand, and ponder for a moment. This girl just doesn't care about anything, or...Really doesn't care about anything. Sometimes I wish I could be like that. "I see...Don't know what it adds to though. Beer?" I ask, grabbing the handle of the cup. A loud, boyish belch later and I take it as a yes. I turn around, fill it up in no time, and hand it back to her. Didn't even clean it out, no matter how horridly I wanted to...There's just so any germs everywhere and...Well, it's gross. "Thanks...err..." She takes the mug with an eyebrow raised, assuming I' just going to blurt my name. I kind of like my nick, it's catchy. She sure as hell isn't going to know it's Buddy, she is definitely the antagonizing type. "Mr. B." I inform her with a nod/smile. She shakes her head and takes a sip this time from her refill. "Mr. B? You sound like an English teacher." I think she purposely said that with her mouth in the cup so it sounded muffled. I've never heard of being called an English teacher as an insult, so I'm not sure how to take it... "You're too kind." I say with a hint of sarcasm. Is she the type of pony who likes sarcasm, or hates it? "Yeah, sure. Look, when does this place close, it's like..." She glances at the clock. "3 in the morning." Alright, now I know she's seeing blurs. because that says 1:20. I won't correct her though and just shrug. "When customers stop coming in." I say with a grin. That isn't true in the slightest, it never closes. She raises both eyebrows and points a hoof up like she realized something. "Ooooh...So, suddenly it's all about the consumer?" She surprisingly has a way with words...Not any words, but just...Yeah. I, being the good natured pony I am, just put my hooves at my side and nod. "I like to keep ponies happy." That's true, I do like it when people are happy. Just gives a better vibe to the environment. Like with Vinyl and her ex. They might not get back together, but they can be close friends and it just gives off a good energy flow. That's what I believe in. "What are you? God?" She leans her head forward, scanning my face. Oh boy...I' no god, far from it. "Just your average colt." She shrugs and leans back in her stool, hooves behind her head and watches the two musicians on the stadium. I glance over too, and pleased to see they are playing together. It's a nice site... "Mr. B?" She asks, much more serious than our last conversation. I turn my head and lay a hoof on the counter. "Yes ma'am?" I politely ask, absent mindedly searching for my personal cup. "Do you believe being gay is a crime?" She is still watching the two play. Now I see...I stop searching and keep my mind focused on her now. "What brought this up?" I'd like to know exactly what did. Seeing her just look at the two playing across from us gives it away and she stays silent. "Oh..." I take in a breath, swallow my confidence, and think up something. Thinking back to when I was little, my mother was very deep person. Perhaps she is where I get all this skill of talking to ponies, but that's not the point. She was also narrow minded... "My mom used an old saying a lot...'Birds have no business skipping with stones.' " I stop, letting it sink in for a moment, and she turns to me with a grim face. "And you know what I say...? Fuck my mom." I crack a smile, as she does too. Sorry mom, I love you. It just had to be done. "Pff...So you think gays are alright?" She asks, taking one hoof from behind her and laying on the table, while her other hands to her side. I haven't met many in my time, but it's crazy that I've met three in just one night. Or, two, or...Nevermind, I hate math an timelines. Let's just go with three: This mare, Vinyl, and her ex. I don't ind it, but it's not my thing to get into. "It's your life. You want to jump off a bridge because you think you'll see a higher power, it's all yours. I'm not going to give you a push, but...I won't be standing there mourning you when you splat either." That was dark... "Ha! Alright, funny dude, how about you give me some good old fashioned lectures next time?" She grins widely, rubbing her hoof over the table. Seems Ponyville likes some dark humor. That's good, I seem to be full of it lately. "I can try, but I don't want you to reveal anything you might regret after that has warn off..." I give a light nod to her near empty cup of low class beer and she shoves a hoof my way, gnawing. "Relaaaaaaax. I don't get krunk unless it's for some party." She leans over the counter, and quickly gets into what she wants me to help with. Seeing she obviously wants it quiet, I mimic her and lean down. "I got a friend, m'kay? She uhh...you know, she's a filly fooler. Well, she doesn't think she'll be accepted by her friends if she comes out with it..." She turns her gaze to the wood, giving herself away right then and there. "Got something for that, all knowing-wise one?" She asks with a smug grin. Yeah...I do. "You're that pony, aren't you?" I ask, getting up from my leaned in position and standing with my hooves crossed in a disappointed manner. She rolls her eyes and nods mischievously. "Of course I'm a dyke. I have rainbow hair, I like sports, I admitted I like pussy already, come on. Just give me the damn advice so I can go." She crosses her hooves over the table and looks down at their cyan color. Alright...going into some harsh territory, not so much as thin ice, but on some freaking lava. The fact she is staying and didn't just walk out, or just out right punch me shows she is somewhat desperate and afraid, even if terrible at showing it. Or hiding it for that matter. "They are called 'friends' for a reason. I know that you would only choose the best to label them with that grand title, so you must trust them...Who would they ever, ever think less of you because you choose a mare?" Who would've known...Two times in one night...Morning, whatever, that I would have to give deep, personal advice to some filly fooling...Never thought I would be doing less bar tending and more therapy. She looks at me with squinted eyes and a slightly ajar-ed mouth. She blinks a couple times, nodding that she understands. "Do you love her?" Dumb question, but it has be said... "No shit..." She says nonchalantly as she rubs her hoof over her eyes. "Do you love your friends?" again..Just have to ask it. She nods a little more furiously, rolling her eyes now. "Yeees...Come on man." She even looks impatient now. why are all the mares around here so Schizophrenic? "Then why do you need a random bar tender to tell you to go out and live life to it's fullest with those ponies?" Bam...just the look of realization on her face shows I got it down. Definitely a mood swing, but for the better this time. She isn't crying, but just staring at me, her eyes shifting a little bit as she analyzes everything in a new view. "You're good, Doctor B..." She admits, rubbing her hooves together. "Thanks man. You are a good pony." She offers her hoof over the table to me, and I take it with a big smile. Another case put in the bag... "Please, if I may...What is your name?" I tilt my head to the side, trying to be as casual as I can. She tips her head to the side, rolling her eyes like she just did something incredibly stupid. "Oh! Name's Rainbow Dash! r Dash...Or RD! I like em' all." She grins with her white teeth at me, placing her hooves at her hips. "Well, my name is Mr. B, Doctor B, and just B." Figured I should give her a giggle before we part, and it works. She rolls her eyes, a silent chuckle roaming over her. "I think I'll stick with Dr. B. Makes you sound like you actually did something with your life." She winks at me slyly, and I just shrug. "You give me too much credit. How about a drink, on the house?" She's a nice enough mare. Difficult, but not for me with my new found super nice powers. She raises an eyebrow, looking at the massacre of the beers she's drank already. " I haven't even paid for those." She admits kindly, shuffling through a little pouch I just now realized she had. I throw a hoof, shaking my head. "Naah...Just a few bits. We'll be getting some real apple cider tomorrow straight from sweet apple acres tomorrow, so I don't think these three puppies will be missed." I don't see anything wrong with it. If it was some high class wine, it would be different, but this was just some generic, unnamed alcohol. She smiles widely, bringing her hooves out wide and nodding her head back, gesturing me forward. Oh boy...Shaking hooves and now a hug. Never thought she'd be this affectionate after some easy going advice. "Alright, alright..." I sigh, leaning forward for a nice, calm hug...then crushing as she squeezes tight, making my back crack loudly. "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!" She is seriously gonna kill someone with an iron grip like that, and all she does is laugh a bit, then let go. "Heh...Not my fault you're like a twig to me." She gives me an evil grin, placing her hooves at her side. I stretch my back out, putting my hooves on my back as I do. "One more thing..." I leak from y timid voice before she walks away, getting her attention. "Who uhh...Is the lucky are? you know...So I can warn them to avoid a hug." Cracking a joke every now and then is good when you're trying to grab some info...I'm no detective, but I think I'm doing a fine job so far. She squints one of her eyes, rubbing her hoof under her mouth. "Remember the southern pony that was with me while ago? That one." She looks pretty confident, like I am with talking. guess she doesn't mind talking about her now..."She lives at Sweet Apple Acres, too." Really...? Now that's interesting. "I see...Should I...Happen to have forgotten we ever had this conversation if she happen to...I don't know, come up to me for a word or two?" I give a one sided smile, leaning my head forward. She shakes her head quickly, pulling her hooves up. "No..No no. that is completely wrong. She deserves to know absolutely everything about me, no secrets." Her voice is stern as well as her attitude. That's...Really, really loyal. I don't know love or anything like that, but that's a really good example for showing you are dedicated. "As you wish...Would you be stopping by tomorrow?" Tomorrow...I imagine there will be a lot more ponies coming in tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised if I don't even see her for a while. "Yeah! I come here pretty often. Ya know, rather swallow my sorrows then spit them out." She laughs at her own joke, clutching her stomach. Now that was a horrible joke. Funny, but horrible. I just laugh to myself, and shoo her away. "Go...go go go before you get me talking like a sailor." I did have a swearing problem when I was a little younger...A quick motherly lesson and it was gone, but I often contract personalities fro other people I meet. Someone obnoxious, I get obnoxious. Someone cocky, I get arrogant. Someone with a dark sense of humor, mine gets darker. Just something I do... "Alrighty then, Cap'n B!" She quickly dusts off out of the bar, gunning away like she had better be. Well, I think that settles the night for me...About to be 2 in the morning and I' not even used to the schedule yet. But more importantly...This night is certainly one for the books. I met three filly foolers, made two of the as friends, discovered I have really good social skills, obsession with cleaning, and a nack for getting harsh glares. What a night... I turn around and top my hoof over my head like I would if I had a hat to the two musician girls. Vinyl waves at me excitedly with a big dumb grin and her partner in crime just smiles from across the room. I grab my personal cup that couldn't be any cleaner and place it underneath the table in a small cupboard, and the rag in a bucket of water. As I'm walking out of the bar, I realize something...that was just the first night... -- There are some pretty lazy ponies nowadays. I admit sometimes I don't like to get up from the couch to change the channel, but that's something else entirely. Asking your co-worker you never met to take your shift, while still having theirs is a completely irresponsible thing to do. However...It's not his fault if he really is sick. I sure as hell doubt it, but if I was in his situation and needed the same, I guess I can find some comfort in it. Still isn't fair that I had to wake up with just four hours of sleep and get to the bar quick so I can pick up the delivery of Apple cider and have to work a near full 12 hours. Thank god for overtime! Making my way back into the bar the same way as always, I expect to see my new friend Vinyl and her close pony-friend playing some sharp music, but here I find I'm the only one in the bar. Looking around, it's actually kind of peaceful. It's quiet, kind of spooky since the lights are all out, but I don't mind the dark nearly as much as when I was young. I like it...It's nice. It's usually dimly lit anyways, so this isn't much of a change. I make some oddly loud tapping sounds with my hooves as I trot my way behind the counter and begin soaping up the cups. It's usual that a bar tender would just do them all at once, tossing the lot into the tub and clean them off with a rag, but that is disgusting. There's a way better chance of some crap to stick on, so I clean each on thoroughly, putting on some soap for each one like an assembly line. After some time passes, I hear a subtle knock from around the corner. Did I forget to unlock the door...? That's some customer service for ya right there! Putting down the mugs and making a mad dash for the door, leaping over the counter and turning the corner, I am met with a friendly smile from a familiar orange pony. "Hiya, mister. got yer apple cider here for ya." Voices the heavily southern accented mare, who I now know a little more about thanks to my friend Rainbow Dash... "Good morning! You uhh...Need some help there?" Noticing she has a rather large cart of barrels outside, which no doubt house the apple cider, I can't help but offer a hand. "Oh well that's a'mighty kind of you. You can haul them with Big' Macintosh if ya like." She turns around, walking out the door, talking from behind. Big Macintosh? I wonder who that could be. Brother, acquaintance. Whoever, it doesn't matter. I make my way outside with a casual, as always upbeat attitude. And then I find out just who Big must be, a giant of a pony if I've ever seen one. He's been carrying the cart since Sweet Apple Acres on his own, so no doubt this colt is nothing to mess with. He doesn't look muscular, but he's tall and looks the part of a southern folk with some what out his mouth. "Hi there, nice to met ya!" I offer coyly and he nods my way while the orange pony unhooks him. It's nice to see regular earth ponies now that I think about it...There's a lot of Pegasus' and Unicorns in Ponyville, it makes me feel kind of lonely. "So which one's are we taking?" There's about 4 total in the cart that could probably hold six or more. I know they give out apple cider as a tradition, so how am I supposed to know which ones are for the bar, and for them? "All of em'!" She answers with a snap as she frees Big. Well that shut me up... Getting up onto the cart, I look around the top until I find the grip on it. Biting down hard, I begin to drag it off and wow did I underestimate it's weight! This thing must be a hundred pounds! And It's not easy dragging a barrel of apple cider with your mouth that's 100 pounds. "Heh...Little trouble there, Mr.?" The mare asks as she makes her way beside me. Oh she has no idea. "Naah..I fink I goooot it..." I mumble while I try to yank it down, and drop off the cart and onto the ground. She just rolls her eyes as Big walks over and just straight up pulls a barrel off and already on the ground. I knew this colt must have been strong, but damn! It's like paper weight to him, I'm like paperweight to him. He drags it along while I follow behind at a much slower pace. the same thing happens again, I struggle, he shows me up until the job is done. Before Applejack heads back, I stop her for a moment. "Hey uhh...You want a couple free drinks?" Maybe I can get to talk to her and get a different side of the story Dash told me. She turns her head and shakes, givingb a slightly concerned face. "Sorry, but I got lot's of working to do, no time for relaxin'!" That's fine, I don't mind a hard worker. But at least..."Can I know your name?" She looks at me with a surprised face then stutters a bit as she speaks. "Uhh...I-t's Applejack." Why would she stutter? I know for sure it's not me, I don't have that kind of effect...Guess I'll find out in time. "Nice to meet you. I'm Mr. B." I offer my hoof forward with a friendly smile. "Likewise, friend." She takes my hoof and we shake for a moment as I take in a subtle, deep breath. "May I tell you something a bit...Random, Miss Applejack?" This is going to be so obvious, and I really hope Dash won't cut off my head for it... "Uuh..Ah don't see why not. go ahead." She puts her hooves down and smiles widely with squinted eyes, probably fro the sun beginning to poke to the sky. "Trust your friends..." That is so obvious Bud, come on...couldn't word it in a cool, hip way like the glass thing? Applejack looks a bit stunned, raising both her eyebrows and her pupils widen. Shit... "Relax, Applejack...Your secret is safe. It's up to you to tell them, not me." Good, real close save..whew. She looks still stunned, but looking to the ground now. No more words are exchanged, just a quiet farewell, and she's off. "Hmm...that could've gone better..." And now I'm talking to myself, great. after a couple minutes of taking a breath of fresh air outside, I walk back in the bar, this time leaving the door unlocked. Once I go back in, I realize it's completely dark again...I messed up with the locked door, but I know I turned on the lights, even if it was a little. I trek my way quietly down the room until I'm inches from the open doorway into the main part of the bar, and that's when I hear a distinctive sound of glass breaking. Mr. B and the 3Glass breaking? I swear to Celestia, on my second day of work, if there's a break in I'm gonna be pissed. It's not even supposed to be my shift! I clasp against the wall like it has a pony magnet, listening for anything else. I hear a quiet "Shh" and the pitter patter of hooves, but no words. Until..."I can't see anything!" A whisper/shout echoes in the darkness that is way to high pitched to be labeled as threatening. What are they, kids? Poking my head around the corner, I can't see a thing, but apparently whoever was in there could as I hear gasps. Going off that, "Alright, who's there?" I demand more than ask as I round the corner. I hold off on turning on the switch for lights and give them a chance to reveal themselves. Silence... I awkwardly shuffle my hoof over the wall until finally the lights burn up my eyes, having to squint for a few until I can see even a foot in front of me. I can hear fine though as tons of little steps and dashes are made through the bar like a herd of rabbits would make as they run from a predator. "Run!" "Hide!" "Which one?!" Once my vision un-blurs, I find a group of three fillies. A yellow pony underneath a table, a white one in the middle of the room staring at me, and just getting a glimpse of a small orange pony dashing behind the counter. Now what the hell is this? Why are there three fillies in the bar? In the dark? "What are you three doing in here?" After a moment, the orange pony defeatidly walks out from behind the counter as she realizes she isn't hiding from anyone and they stand together, quiet. They're just little kids, really little. I remember when I was young. I broke into my sisters room and messed up her bed like a mysterious villain, but I never broke into a bar! "I guess I should just go tell your parents..." "No!" they shout in unison, their prepubescent voices voices making a terrible shriek when done together. I don't even know their names, but they're young. How would they know that? "Mhm...So you mind telling me what you three are doing in here?" I try to be stern and all, but I look like I'm acting more than actually trying. And I'm not a good actor at all. "We're trying to be ninjas..." The yellow one mutters with yet another accent, one reminding me of Applejack's. Huh...That's a coincidence. "Ninjas? I don't remember thievery being part of the job description." I have no idea what being a ninja is about, or even if it is a job, but I know for sure these three don't know either. And they didn't steal anything, but why else would they break in? To hide for the whole day without me noticing? Sure that's sneaky, but it doesn't accomplish anything. "We weren't gonna steal anythin', we swear!" The accented filly quickly pleas, while another chimes in, "Yeah! We're just trying to get our cutie marks!" Oh...Cutie marks? That put me back. Cutie marks...So they don't have theirs either? That strikes so many emotions and memories in me I can't even focus on one. My parents, school, college, last job, hurt, hate, redemption, empathy, glory; all of that passing through my head like it's a blender. "Uhm...Mister?" One of them speaks up, moving a little closer with her head perched higher to look at me. I didn't even realize I was spacing out. Shaking my head very lightly, I smile down at them with a sigh. "Alright girls...You can get your cutie marks somewhere else, cause today...You got caught." Trying to be as sarcastic and humorous as I can, I put my hooves across my chest and tilt my head high. When I do, theirs drops low. "Sorry..." They mutter together and begin to walk away. Man...Not much more depressing than three depressed fillies walking away because you told them to leave. Before I speak, I sigh loudly and gesture them to stop. "Alright, alright...You can stay for a little while, but when I say go, you go." I look at each of them as I speak, like a security camera, or interrogator. Their faces glow and they all jump up and down, grinning widely. "Thank you!" It's like they're telekinetic; they say so much in perfect unison it's kind of creepy. Or maybe they say the same things so much, like thank you and sorry that they've kind of gotten used to the timing. That's also worrying! I make my way past them and behind the counter once again, while they look around the bar, now studying it in new light. "Glad you can see what you're looking at now?" I nonchalantly ask as I pull out my personal cup and a new wash cloth and start scrubbing. It got dirty over night...Excellent, now it looks like I'm actually making use of my time. "Yeah! this place is so cool..." The orange filly says with saucer eyes as she looks at some of the large painting over the walls ad at some of the colored lights. "Do you work here?" The little white one asks, spinning around. Well obviously, but I can't tell them what I do. "Well sure! I'm the guardsman; I make sure little fillies like yourselves don't come in and ruin the place. If ya do, you get in biiiiiiiiiiiig trouble!" I give a sly grin, mostly to myself for my childish work. They all believe it though and gulp down their wallows. "Golly...Wh-...what's your name mister?" The small yellow one tilts her head as she asks the same question I've been asked more ties in 24 hours than in my whole life. "Mr. B." I'm really getting used to saying that on command now. Am I really just that interesting that ponies ask my name five minutes after meeting me? I hope not, because that'd drop my standards of living. "What are yours?" I put my hooves on the counter and lean forward, hoping they all don't shout it together like everything else. They get together in a line each side to side, the yellow one to my left, then the orange one, and the white filly at the right. The girls at the ends lift up their hooves and shout one after the other, "I'm Sweetie Bell!" Then, "I'm Applebloom!" Finally, "I'm Scootaloo!" They drop their hoofs and give big toothy smiles. Well that was needlessly over the top, but I give a clap none the less and smile. For a moment, I wonder just how I'm able to clap... "and we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" They shout together, once again in perfect unison. So they search for cutie marks? I thought I was an odd ball when I was a kid, but that takes the cake. "So what does it mean to be a 'Cutie Mark Crusader'?" I really am curious cause it can mean a lot of things, and I have time to kill, so this is a perfect time waster until they have to go. "We have a clubhouse!" Scootaloo yells out tenaciously. "We were in the papers!" Follows in tune Sweetie Bell. "and we..Uhh..uhh...Do cool stuff!" Awkwardly chimes Applebloom. Yep...I remember when I was young like them. Didn't even know how to answer a question without bragging about something. "Well that's all really fascinating, but what does it mean to be a crusader of cutie marks? Do you just...Go out and look for them, or what?" I ask as slowly as I can, dragging this out. "Oh!" Begins Applebloom, "We do stuff for cutie marks!" Scootaloo quickly corrects her with a try-hard cool voice, "What she means is...We are on a quest for our cutie marks!" She gives a big dub grin while Applebloom glares at her. Now that, I definitely can relate to. It seems there's lot's of ponies out there that pursued bravely for their marks, doing whatever, even being a ninja. That's a really depressing thougt that these three share a lot of my sorrow. Maybe they don't need to go yet... "Why are you little fillies doing that? They're just marks." I say blankly, shrugging when I say 'Marks'. They gasp, pushing their heads together over dramatically. "Just marks?!" Sweetie Bell slithers out with her gasp. "They're only the most important part of any pony! It shows what their super special talent is!"Blasts Applebloom, once again yelling every line. "And they look really cool!" Adds Scootaloo with a big grin. Most important part? Such bullshit...I don't need a little mark on my flank to tell me what I'm good at, or for any pony to tell me what I'm qualified for. I'm tempted to go off on a rant right then and there, but I hold myself down. they're young, they wouldn't know. But...Perhaps I could show them a little something? "Cool huh? Want to see something cool?" I ask, raising an eyebrow for emphasis on 'cool'. They all shake their heads together without skipping a bit. It would be pretty funny to do something unexpected, like tell them to leave. It'd be funny for me at least. I walk back around the counter and once I do, I turn myself to the side, motioning to my flank. My blank flank. They each gasp, one after the other they like it was choreographed. "You don't have yer' cutie mark!" Applebloom blurts out to the world. The other two stay silent as Applebloom says all there was needed. I don't have my mark either. "See? You don't need your 'cutie mark' to be somepony." I say that, but I'm nobody. Just a schmuck bar tender that's trying to be philosophical to a trio of fillies. They all look at me like I'm a super pony though, their eyes wide, and mouths agape. "You should join the cutie mark crusaders!" Suggests Applebloom, to which I immediately shake my head. Her face, along with the other two, dim in excitement. "Why not?" Sweetie Bell asks, pouting her lips. That's just not my style..I've gone through that phase a long time ago. I know it's just a kids thing, but still. Maybe I could just agree and move on with it without really having to do anything. "I don't need mine." Good..Maybe now they'll let it go. Who am I kidding, they're kids. Little tenacious fillies with fire in their hearts, they aren't going to stop. "You don't need yours?!" Questions Scootaloo, more curious than surprised. Hmm...I probably don't need to tell them anything more than a 'Yes', but there's something in me that is just pushing me to tell them my reasoning. Why I don't believe in the whole 'cutie marks' thing, and why it agitates me so much. Yeah...I think I'll do that. "Do you fillies want to hear a story?" I should have said, 'Alright, storytime!' just to be ironic. They each jump up and plop down right in front of me, beaming at my face as they listen intently. Kids...Well, here we go. "I was much like you three at one point in time. when I was younger, yeah, but I can tell you girls got things with more optimism. I..Was alone. Maybe that's why you are more successful than me? Anyways, I got a lot of bad rep in school for it. Everyone else had theirs...Hoola hoops, flying, writing, creating, all of that. I had none of it. I have none of it. and I don't want it." I pause for a moment, letting my words sink in. "I was trying to get a job from a..." I can't tell them who he really was, they won't understand. They're too young. "Pony, and you know what the difference between a letter in your mail of approval and failure is?" I look at them, getting a little too into it. I have to calm down, they are just kids.."The fact your competition has a mark for it and you don't." I stare glumly at the ground, closing my eyes before I continue. "Can you tell me what a pony with a cutie mark does better than one who doesn't? I guarantee you that if I practiced hard enough at playing Poker, I'd be better than somepony with a Poker cutie mark!" My eyes get a little watery; I did not plan for that...They see it too, so I take a moment to collect myself. It's like I'm just pouring out my inner demons, not realizing I'm just talking to fillies. Little innocent fillies..."My point is: Experience over natural ability." I give a final sigh, looking at each of their faces. Scootaloo just stares at me, blinking a couple times before ducking her head. Sweetie Bell does the same, but instead keeps looking at me. Her eyes looks hurt, full of empathy, or sympathy. I don't know the difference at this point. Applebloom is just looking at the ground, I'm even able to see her eyes. It's like three different similar reactions. Scootaloo stares, then looks away. Sweetie Bell just stares. And Applebloom just looks away. Really odd... Who am I to say all this to a couple of little fillies? they didn't deserve any bit of that. "I'm sorry..." I rub a hoof against my face, wiping off the already dried couple of tears. The only one to respond, Sweetie Bell, mutters an "It's okay..." then she too, is looking at the floor. Now things have come full circle. Alright...I guess I have to do it. "I'll..." I dread the very word I'm about to speak..."be a Cutie Mark Crusader." I bow my head in defeat and sigh. What I didn't see is each of their heads shoot up with beaming faces and immediately surround me. Wonderful. "Yay!! Yur gon' be a cutie mark crusader, really?!" Applebloom excitedly asks, hopping up and down. That reminds me of that pink mare that bounced unnaturally everywhere. "Yes...I am." I grimly respond, raising an eyebrow as they all yell out, "Yes!!" Again, do they just plan their lines out or something? Oh Cellestia, what have I gotten myself into? "Yes, yes...Relax, Please." I rub a hoof on my head, beginning to get a headache. Now that is just wonderful. Having to tend bar with a headache is probably the worst thing ever. Then I remember that I have all day too. Well shit. They each stop bouncing, Scootaloo taking a liberty of just one extra. "Now we have four! this is so cool..." She barely contains her excitement as she rubs her hooves together mischeviously. "Ya! Now we're the four musketeers!" Applebloom says, bringing her hoof up to mine for a bump. I don't want to correct the little filly, so I just lightly tap my hoof on hers and smile. "So...What do I do as a Crusader?" I can guess already, but I'm just blowing time at this point. I really want a drink myself. They all stand there for a moment in silence, until finally Sweetie Bell breaks it. "You go on an adventure to find your cutie mark!" She yells out excitedly. Oh that's nice, definitely not going for that. "Oooh..That's what I do? Well, how about I try and get mine here? You know, as guard duty...For little fillies, like yourselves?" I grin a bit, cocking an eyebrow evilly. They all jump, huddling together. "Oh shucks..." Applebloom mutters. Well, that got it done pretty easy. "Relax...I'll be an undercover Crusader. That sound good?" Sounds pretty stupid to me, but anything that deals with a spy to kids is about the coolest thing ever. Their eyes glow as they see their opportunity here and nod quickly, this time nod in unison. "Alright then girls, run along. I'm sure there's many other ways to get your cutie marks than being rascals." Rascals...what the hell kind of name as that? My mom called me it a lot, but I don't even know what it means! "Okay!" they chant together before unsurprisingly running off together, scurrying out the bar. Finally...Gone. Making my way behind the bar, I put my own personal cup to good use and pour myself some wine. If I wanted to forget, I wouldn't got some Moonshine, but I'd rather get into a good mood. So thus, wine. I'm no experienced drinker or anything, I just know some things. Have to thank my father for that. While I'm drinking down a cup of some good, classic wine, something is always ringing in my head. 'Cutie mark' Most idiotic name for a little sticker on your ass you could give. Who the hell am I anyway? A bar tender? Yeah, sure. A friend? I can be, I guess. I've already shown to some young mares I can be a good pony. Or was I showing myself...? Is this all backwards, and really I am the one being given advice? That whole unnecessary speech was really made so I could come to an understanding? But...What? What the hell am I looking for? What's my mark? It's not bar tending, it's not talking, it's not magic, it's not heroism, it's not writing. If I would have a mark, it'd be being an idiot because I've wasted so much time all my damn life searching for something that I'll never need. I take another sip of my wine and try to slow my breathing. If I'm going to be tending bar with four hours of sleep going for me and just going through a rough memory, I definitely need a little something in me. I don't like to find comfort in drinking, but wine'll have to do. The wine has a slightly different effect on me though as I begin to go back...Back to a time when I was young, out going, ready, and willing to do anything. When I was with my father... -- "Dad!" I storm into my father's office where he is coincidentally having a talk with his new partner, Tanis. "Yes, Bud?" His voice is particularly annoyed as he takes his eyes from Tanis and plants them on me. "Why did you do this?" I ask, demanding an explanation with less anger and more shock. "Because Tanis is more qualified." My father nonchalantly responds. "More qualified?!" I ask, the shock gone and fully suppressed by my anger. "Yes...?" He says, holding his hoof out as if he has a plate in it where I'm meant to put my words on. "I've got a degree in Business & Trade! and I'm your son!" I cry out, smashing my hoof on the ground. I don't even pay attention to Tanis who is just sitting there like this is a daily occurrence. "He is a very intelligent young colt and I'm not about to give you an advantage because you're my son." Without letting another word come out of his mouth, I burst out, pointing a hoof accusingly as I yell, "No, fuck you! You think because he has a stupid ass mark on his flank that he will do infinitely better than anyone else?! Screw that! I know you don't like me and never will, so you can go rot like the old crackpot you are." They booth stay quiet, and I don't even look at their faces as I walk back to the large double doors. Before I leave however, I tone my voice down to a much more serious octave. "You are not my father." Party and Pride“Hiya!” A voice shouts from the darkness of my wine-coaxed day dream. “Hi…?” I reply before I am able to see just who I’m greeting. When my vision takes forever to come back, I’m flourished with the distinguished pink color of the same bounce-hungry filly from earlier. “You‘re new here!” She yelps, the biggest, craziest grin on her face. Her fluffy mane jiggles to the happy words spilling from her mouth. “Well…Yeah. I‘m the new bartender.” I state matter-a-factly as I reach underneath the counter to bring up my personal mug. Still clean as ever. “Can I get you something?” She shakes her head quickly, then plops onto a stool, her legs curving so she places her hoofs under her chin. “I meant that, like, you‘re new to Ponyville! I know every single diddly widdly face here, and I‘ve neeeeeeeeeeeeeveeeeeeeeerrrr seen yours before! I would remember, cause I know everypony!” She yells out to the whole bar, which happens to be empty. Well…That’s nice. “Okay then.” I reply, shaking my head as hers continues to bounce with an overabundance of excitement. “What‘s your name?!” She asks/yells, barely contained in her seat. Oh my Celestia, this mare’s voice. It’s so bubbly and hoarse. Not the kind of sound I want to hear in this kind of morning. Taking a shift that isn’t mine, waking up after four hours of sleep, and now this. “Mr. B.” I answer with a surprisingly calm tone. “WOW! That is a super extra magnificent totally radical name, Mr. B!!!” She yells, extending her hooves out for emphasis on her…excitement. “Thanks.” I reply, closing my eyes and shaking my head. This mare…I was exaggerating when I called Rainbow Dash a Schizophrenic mare, but this one…There’s no exaggerating. “Yours?” I might regret asking that, considering she talks for days. “Pinkamena Diane Pie, at your service!” She states quickly, a big wild grin on her face. That’s pleasant. Pink as a name? Well…Rainbow Dash isn’t exactly the most modest name either, so I can’t really say anything. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Pie.” She gasps immediately, shaking her head. “That is my mommy‘s name!” She corrects, mouth agape. “Oh, I‘m sorry. I tend to use nicknames.” I quickly retort, shrugging. “It‘s okay.” She replies, immediately her face changing to a wide smile. It’s ridiculous how fast her mood changes. “Have you ever gone to a party before, Mr. B?” She asks, tilting her head curiously. I shake my head, now scrubbing my personal mug with a fresh rag. Well, rag sounds too dirty. Cloth! That’s a good word. I’m cleaning my mug with fresh cloth. “Not lately.” I reply glumly, leaning over the counter. “How lately? Like this past week, or you mean this past month, or you mean you haven‘t been in a party in like ev- HHAAAAAAAA!” She speaks quickly, taking in a huge inhale at the end. “If you‘ve never been to a party before, then I HAVE to make you one! It is my duty, or my name isn‘t Pinkamena Diane Pie!!” She announces boastfully. What have I gotten into? “Well…I have gone to parties before. Just, I don‘t remember them. Or care for parties, really.” Pinkamena inhales deeply once again, her eyes widening. “You‘ve never had a good party?! PINKIE PIE TO THE RESCUE!” She shouts with immense force, pointing a hoof to the ceiling. Oh…My. Celestia, seriously, save me. Please. “Okay, Miss…Pinkamena.” Vinyl and her ex are so lucky they don’t come in until way later. Oh how I wish they were here to at least know how this feels though. “It‘ll be tonight! At Sugarcube corner! Tonight, tonight, tonight, the night of nights, oh how much FUN it will be!” She shouts, her eyes glazing over. I’m honestly worried what kind of parties this mare hosts. Like…Seriously. No one gets this excited over a party. “Alright…I‘ll be there.” I reply calmly. I might go, might not. Considering I’m working my co-workers shift…Wait. Maybe he did this on purpose so he wouldn’t have to deal with this filly. Or maybe I’m getting paranoid. I really need my sleep sometimes. “Yayayay! I‘ll get to work right away!” She yelps quickly, bouncing a few times in her seat until she falls out of it, and in turn, bounces away on her hooves. Does she even walk? Wait…She didn’t even buy any drinks. Why the hell did she come here? And as the pink mare leaves…It takes only minutes for Vinyl and her friend to walk in through the entrance. “Dude,” Vinyl begins, chuckling. “What was that?” She asks, grinning wildly. Her friend continues walking up to their stage, shaking her head. “Apparently,” I start with a huff of a breath, scraping my hoof over my cheek. “A party.” I state with a diligent tone. My hoof feels like it hasn’t been cleaned in forever. Ugh… “For real?” Vinyl asks, tilting her head. I can’t see her eyes, but I imagine she’s cocking an eyebrow. “Wow. You‘re lucky. Her parties are the bomb.” She boasts, nodding her head. Are you kidding me? Well, apparently this pink mares’ parties are popular. One for me can’t be that bad…”Yeah.” I reply, and Vinyl starts walking to the stage. “Too bad I can‘t go.” I say, now continuing to scrub my personal cup. Vinyl stops, shaking her head quickly like she just came over with a case of fleas. “What? Why?” She interrogates in that typical voice of hers. It reminds me of Dash. “I‘m working this guys‘ shift, and my night shift. Got four hours of sleep, too.” I inform her, perking my lips as I do. She nods, raising her head up and down. “As a fellow common-pony, I know what you mean.” She says, smirking. “But seriously. Her parties…Don‘t wanna miss that. You sure you can‘t like…Find someone else to take yours?” I shake my head, scratching my hoof into my forehead. “Nope. You two are the only ones I know. I don‘t even know who owns this place.” She grins, then continues taking her equipment over to the stage. It drops onto the carpet with a thud. “I think I can cover for you.” She says confidently, taking her musical arts-stuff out. Wow…That’s insanely kind of her. I think I’m feeling a bit of irony, though. I was asked in the ass crack of dawn to take a shift for a co-worker I don’t know, and now Vinyl is taking mine. “You‘d do that?” I ask, tilting my head with a genuine smirk. She nods quickly, the typical Vinyl-smirk coming over her. “Yeah! Nothing to it. Corona, Shevy Black Tail, Shock ten-Fold, Pink Diamond, Black Lotus, Cream-Scene; I think I know plenty enough about bartending.” She boasts, nodding her head as confident as ever. I clap my hoofs together, smiling admiringly. “I‘m impressed. Alright then. But…Are you sure? It‘s not like Pinkamena won‘t understand or anything, she seems like she would.” I ask one last time, percing my lips like I always do when asking questions. Vinyl sighs, nodding very slowly at me. “Yes, B. Don‘t sweat it.” She answers, speaking slowly. I cock an eyebrow, then perk up with a smile and nod to her. “Among other things…’Bout time you two got here. It‘s boring without music.” I say, leaning back against the cabinets of alcohol. Vinyl chuckles loudly, shaking her head. “I believe the phrase is…’The party has arrived!’, right?” She asks, grinning. I shrug, tilting my head to the side. “I wouldn‘t know. I haven‘t been to one yet.” I inform her, chuckling at my lame joke. She raises an eyebrow, tilting her head. “You‘ve never been to a party before?” She asks, obviously in complete denial. I shake my head quickly. “No, no. I meant, that…I haven‘t been to the party Pinkamena is making for me yet, so I wouldn‘t know if it arrived.” I correct, putting my hooves out to emphasize what I mean. She scratches her head. “What?” She asks, truly clueless. I slouch on the counter, sighing. “Nevermind. I‘m an idiot.” I say, yawning now. That was my first yawn all morning. She laughs, shaking her head as she finishes unloading her equipment. “Whatever dude…” I go back to scrubbing my own personal mug- my trump card, I would say. If somepony were walk in here right now and ask what I’m doing, I’d just hold up little trump-carding mug and tell them I’m scrubbing away. Even though it looks about as clean as possible. I like it though. The mugs are made specifically to fit an average sized hoof, and mine gets in easily. It fits just right with a cloth around so it scrubs perfectly. Decent craftsmanship, I must say. The intrusion of melodies sets me off, making me turn curiously to my right at the two musical mares. They both seem to be doing their own thing, playing music and all. Quite a calm beat, the kind I like. It’s not that rage-core stuff that most fillies and young colts are playing nowadays. Even Vinyl’s music is kind of slow right now. Loud and heavy, but slow. Both their music is melding together to make one soft, subtle, loud, thumping, fun beat. I’m enjoying the silence of it. Nopony but us. I lean back on the counter, crossing my hoofs over my chest as they play. I lean my head back, yawning once again. Hopefully, today won’t be busy. -- Busy it was!! My oh my Celestia, I’m so thankful I get night shifts! It’s awfully crowded! There’s ponies everywhere, several drinks on cue, tons of them wanting different kinds of drinks and all of them as impatient as a Manehatten lawyer. Scotch here, Fire Water here, Poppy Rocks here, Cream Scene here. It’s like my job is to be busy. I miss the bar being empty with nothing but the light tempo of music. I can’t have everything, but that was something. “Hey, Dude.” I hear a familiar voice speak behind me. “Yeah?” I reply, shaking up a bottle of Fire Water. “It‘s about 8 now. I‘ll take over, so you can go.” Vinyl says behind me. Now that I realize it, there has been a distinct lack of her music for the past minute. I turn around, still shaking the bottle. “You sure right now? She said at night, and I don‘t know what night would be considered around here.” I reply, looking from her pale white face to the clock. “Dude,” She begins, chuckling under the loud laughter of everyone else around the bar. “I live here. I know what night is. Just go have some fun, I‘ll handle this.” Oh, duh. Of course. She lives here. I am a total dunce when I’m busy. Or…when I’m tired. Pretty much all the time. “Alright then.” I say, letting her take the bottle of Fire Water from me, and she starts pouring drinks immediately. “Thanks again, Vinyl!” I shout to her as I round the corner, bumping my way through a couple people. I wonder if tending the bar would be like this every night. Did I just get lucky on my first night or something? I walk from the bar door to outside, taking in a bit of fresh air. And…another stench. Wow I smell like alcohol. It’s not very pleasant, to say the least. Not the best when I’m going to a party either. But hey, what can I do? Go take a quick shower? I trot my way from the bar into the skirts of Ponyville, sighing as I look around. Now that I think about it…I don’t know where the hell Sugarcube Corner is. I mutter a curse word as I continue walking, shaking my head at how unprepared I am. I come across lot’s of interesting places though. Like a tree house/library thing, and a beauty shop. I find the tree house more interesting though. I like it’s modesty. “There you are.” I mutter to what must be Sugarcube Corner, shaking my head. It looks ridiculous, but considering the host of the party, it’s mild. It looks like a large cupcake with window dressing. Whatever. I push open the door to the shop, and inside, I’m greeted by quite a few helloes. So many, I can’t recognize their voices. There’s a large table in the back that runs along all the walls with all different kinds of sweets. Then there’s a large sign hung over the ceiling that reads, “Welcome!” Just welcome? I thought it would’ve said a little more, considering Pinkamena is a mare of a thousand words. “Hiya mister!” The bubbly mare shouts out, appearing right next to me. I’m a little startled at first, backing to my left a little. “Hi…Ms. Pink. Seems like you went the whole nine yards.” I say, nodding in approval. I mean, I haven’t been to a lot of parties, but this was done in like…a few hours. Quite impressive, and there does seem to be quite a few ponies attending. Probably for the food, but none the less. And…I can see there’s a few ponies I already know. “Nine yards? More like a HUNDRED BILLION! This‘ll be the best party EVER!” She shouts, her eyes wide. Yup. Until another new pony comes along, then his party will be the best. I can’t help but feel a little comfort from Pinkamena, though. “Thanks. It‘s a nice party.” I thank, bowing my head to her. She perks up, her bouncing getting to a sporadic state. “You can just call me Pinkie, silly willy Mr. Billy!” She tells me, giggling wildly. Oh. So Pinkie, then? Alright…Pinkie Pie? Goodness that sounds dirty. “Okay then, Pinkie.” I reply, smiling warmly. Pinkie is about to continue on, probably into a lifelong speech about confetti, but she’s stopped when somepony nearby shouts for her. In mere seconds, she’s across the room. Gosh…You’d think she was a unicorn, teleporting and crap. “Hey!” A voice shouts in my direction. It’s familiar, but a lot of voices are becoming familiar these days. “Hmm?” I question, looking up from my daze. I notice Rainbow Dash across the room, standing with a few other mares. Including Applejack. “Get over here!” Dash commands, titling her head back as a non-verbal cue to get my ass over there. It doesn’t take long for me to be at the presence of five fillies, each of them giving me generous smiles. “Hello, everypony. Nice to meet ya‘ll.” I greet them, smiling as I do. “Hi d‘ere. We met aw‘ready, wit te apple cider and Big Mac.” The orange, Texan mare smiles, nodding her head at me. “Applejack, is it?” I ask, tilting my head. I have some pretty awful memory, even though it was only this morning I had met her. She nods her head, smirking a bit. “Eeyup.” She replies quickly, then starts to fix the hat on her head. “Hello, I‘m Twilight Sparkle.” A lavender unicorn speaks formally, smiling widely as she blows her purple hair from her face. I shake her hoof and bow my head to her. “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Sparkle.” The next pony waits a long time before our hand shake is finished to speak, and when she does, it’s barely audible. “Hello…I‘m…I‘m Fluttershy.” The meek little yellow Pegasus introduces herself, shying away a small smile. I huff a little bit, sporting a genuine smile. “It‘s a pleasure, Ms. Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash steps up, grinning widely with her chest prompt and her eyes proud. “Have we met?” She asks, grinning widely, showing off her canines. I shake my head, sighing. “Ma‘m…I don’t believe we have.” I reply, glancing to the other ponies for a glance, then back to Rainbow. “How you doing?” I ask, not sure of what else to say really. Dash smiles widely, nodding her head. “I‘m good, I‘m good.” She says, lowering her head and placing a hoof over her messy mane. “I am Rarity,” A pure white unicorn says, tilting her head from underneath a pretty green hat. She smiles at me warningly, her thick canter lot accent accentuating her wardrobe. “and you are?” She asks, tilting her head. Oh, I haven’t told them my name yet. Damnit, I’m a real tard sometimes. “My name‘s Mr. B. But…You can call me Buddy, on account of the informal situation.” I say quickly, bowing my head once again to the white mare. Her purple mane looks like it took hours to get right. It looks pretty…intricate. “Well…Tis is formal, Mr. B.” Applejack corrects me, smirking as she does. I shrug in response, to which the five mares giggle a little bit to themselves. “So does Pinkie throw a party every time some new pony comes along?” I ask curiously, dipping my head into their laughter. Twilight nods. “Pretty much.” Rainbow adds, chuckling a bit to herself. “So what‘s there to do, then?” I ask, glancing around the place for a few seconds. Looks like a whole lot of sweets, to me. The house is probably edible, but I won’t be the one to test that out. Applejack promptly answers me by smashing a tasty looking Oreo into her mouth. “Thissff.” She says, chewing it noisily. Rainbow laughs a bit, then turns around to demolish the table of it’s sweet snacks. The only pony that seems to not immediately annihilate the table of it’s contents is Fluttershy. The poor thing just looks across the table scarcely, then after much thought, she picks up a sucker. Seriously, just a sucker. There’s a huge amount of variety, and she goes with a tiny little lollipop. “Oohf…I really shouldn‘t, but...Pinkie‘s cupcakes are magnificent!” Says Rarity, plucking said cupcake from a tray. “Oh yeah!! She made Buckeyes! I freaking love Buckeyes!!” Rainbow shouts, grabbing a few of the chocolate/peanut butter combo treats. “I‘ma more leanin‘ tuh dem ore-what you call its.” Applejack states, grabbing another what you call it, and chomping it down to bits fast. “I enjoy the punch and the smores the most. They have a great blend of taste!” Twilight says, smiling as she pours herself a drink of red punch and gets a warm smore. “Oh, I don‘t know if I should…” Fluttershy says meekly, looking at the sucker. Come on Fluttershy, it’s just a little sucker. I mean…You’re not exactly an athlete by Pegasus standards, but a sucker isn’t going to make you bat shit insane either. “It‘s just a sucker, you know…Not like you‘re having an entire cake to yourself.” I tell the little Pegasus, smiling warmly. I’m not irritated by her. I’m just…I don’t know. Well I kind of am, but I really don’t like that word. “Hey!” Rainbow begins, shouting at Applejack. “Hmmff?” Applejack turns her head, raising her eyebrows in response. Her mouth is stuffed with all sorts of goodies, it looks kind of comical. “Bet I can eat a whooolleee cake before you!” She boasts, grinning widely with her mouth ajar. A large smirk comes over Applejack’s face, and she nods her head, accepting Dash’s challenge. Before she can respond, she proves she has what it takes and swallows a whole mess of snacks in one full gulp. “Yur on, Fruitcake!” Fruitcake…That’s a cute name. It’s meant as an insult, but I still think it’s cute. Like calling Rainbow Dash fruity loops, or skittles. Maybe it’d be a little too corny though. “Are there even enough cakes for you guys to have a contest?” I ask, shifting my gaze from the two. They stare at each other, unmoved. Twilight’s the first to speak, sighing before she does. “Pinkie Pie makes triples of everything, just in case of the very often occurring event that Rainbow and Applejack would want to do something.” She says in all her omnipotence. I imagine with all the parties that happen with Pinkie, there’s quite a few competitions going around. “Sounds like a fun time.” I say, scratching my face with my hoof. “Suuuure is…” Twilight says in a sigh, shaking her head. She’s still drinking her punch, levitating her cup in front of her. The two athletes make their way over to a neighboring table where two cakes sit conveniently. Twilight wasn’t kidding, this really must happen a whole lot. I won’t be taking any part in it, however. “So, then, Twilight. What do you do?” I ask, leaning against the table as I ask, and yawning all at the same time. “Oh, uhm…” She begins, turning to me a bit startled at my sudden question. “I write reports for Princess Celestia. I usually study in the library all the time, and…Uhm. Live there, too.” She smirks, chuckling to herself. She hides her mild blush by taking a sip from her drink. “Princess Celestia? That‘s some…Real high class stuff. I mean, I thought I had it pretty high when I worked for Starspiral.” I say diligently, smiling as I do. She perks up immediately, leaning her head forward. “You worked for Starspiral?!” She asks, more surprised than I’ve ever seen. Considering I have only seen her in the past twenty minutes, nothing to boast about. I nod confidently, biting the skin on my lips. I kick a hoof lightly at the ground, grinning. “Yeah, for a while. It was interesting.” Twilight shakes her head, smiling so brightly Celestia should take notes. “Wow…He was one of the most powerful, and credible, unicorns ever! Please, you have got to tell me everything!” She demands, leaning a little to close for comfort. I nod slowly, patting my hoof over my mane. “Alright, alright…I‘ll tell you all about my escapades with the great Starspiral. But uhh…Don‘t you think it would be a lot more convenient if we talked somewhere a little less…social?” I ask, glancing around the room for emphasis, and double glance at Rainbow and AJ. Their faces are completely plastered into their cakes. The sight brings a light chuckle from me, shaking my head. “Hmm…Later tonight, if you could please, come with me back to the library and tell me all about Starspiral? I can look up text books about him all day, but if I have a secondary source about him, it is way more credible than a book! Please, please, please?” She asks quickly, moving her mouth a thousand miles a minute. It seems this group of mares share the same quality so far: talking really, really, really fast. “Sure thing. But uhh…I do have work in th-” I stop myself, remembering I only have night shifts. Fucking co-worker messing with my head. “Actually, I‘m free all night.” Her face lights up so fast and she grins wildly. “Alright!! Thank you so, so, so much! You don‘t know how much this means to me!” She yelps, bouncing around the room, resembling Pinkie. Goodness…It’s like Pinkie’s bubbly attitude wears off on other ponies. “I‘m gonna go home then and get some reading materials ready! Can never be too prepared…” She says, looking around the room, and before I can even say goodbye, she’s gone with the speed of Pinkie Pie. “Well…That was pleasant.” I comment, and pipe down when I notice I’m standing by myself. “Boo-yah!” Rainbow Dash shouts, pointing a hoof at Applejack. Applejack picks her head up, narrowing her eyes at Rainbow. “Yall cheated! Ya had er‘ smaller cake dan me.” She confirms, nodding her head in confirmation. “Excuse me, my good fellow pony, but you mind if I had a word?” Rarity asks, turning her head in my vision to get my attention. “But of course, Rarity.” I reply, returning her smile with my own. “It will only take a moment,” She says, smiling warmly as she walks me to a slightly quieter part of the room. Not a lot of ponies here, but Rainbow and AJ arguing accounts for a party itself. I nod my head, tilting it back as I await for her to finish fixing her hat. “What‘s up?” I ask casually. Rarity takes in a deep breath, smiling warmly still. “You work as a bartender down the street, don‘t you?” She asks, clearly biting her bottom lip. I raise my eyebrows. How’d she known? Word spreads quickly, I suppose. “Yes…Yes I do.” Rarity nods, closing her eyes. “Well,” She begins, opening them back up with their usual brightness. “I own that bar.” She says with a powerful grin. Oh. So that’s how she knows. I bow my head, smiling. “Well, It‘s an honor to work for ya, boss.” I say with a hint of sarcasm, smirking a little. Her face gets serious. “You‘re fired, Buddy.” She says sternly. What. Fired…What? “Wait, what?” I ask, gulping down anything else I would say. She chuckles, shaking her head. “Oh, come now, I am only fooling around. You‘re not fired.” She says, grinning and obviously holding back a monstrous laugh. Fuck. That scared the hell out of me. “That‘s my excitement for the night.” I comment, sighing deeply. “No, no,” Rarity continues, gaining her composure. “What I stole you here for is a proposition.” She informs me, smiling still. She smiles a lot. All these mares smile a lot. “Mhm…I‘m listening.” I say, nodding in response to her offer. “How would you like to work for me personally?” She asks, tilting her head. Work for Rarity? Personally? What the hell would I do, be her foot stool? “What exactly does a servant of Rarity entail?” I ask, turning my head to the side suspiciously. Rarity shrugs. “Whatever I need done, really. Going to the store to get fabrics, researching, hauling wagons, assassinations, you know, minor work around the shop.” She tells me, keeping a straight face. Sounds promising. “Seems like a decent deal, but wha- wait what?” She immediately bursts out into a thunderous laugh, and I too, burst into a thunderous laugh. It seems contagious as ever, more so than Pinkie’s at least. “Okay…I won‘t ask you to assassinate any pony.” She says, regaining her cool, collective attitude. I shrug. “Ehh, I wouldn‘t mind taking out some childhood bullies. But seriously. What would you be paying me?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Rarity huffs, lowering her head as she thinks. It takes a couple seconds for her to raise her head. “Is 50 bits enough?” She asks curiously. Holy shit! 50 bits?! “Really? That‘s insanely generous! I get paid like…12 at the bar! When do I start?” I accept quickly, smiling the whole time. This day just got a hell of a lot better! 50 bits? With that, I’ll be able to do a whole hell of a lot! Rarity smiles, nodding her head. “Of course.” She says quickly, bowing her head to me. “50 bits is the least I could do for you.” I shake my head, denying it. “No, no. You made my day- No, you made my whole month. I‘ve been here for only a week, and you make me want to stay. Thanks, Rarity, seriously.” I say with honesty, crouching my legs as I bow my head to her. She laughs to herself, shaking her head. “Well…Twilight seemed very excited about that Starspiral conversation, and this party looks like it‘s about to end, so perhaps now’s the time, dearie.” She says with her genuine, cool, Canterlot voice as always. I nod my head, looking over the party quickly. Dash and AJ seem to be having a contest of chugging punch now. Appetizing. “I suppose so. I don‘t want to stay here all night just to watch these two get into an argument of who can eat the house first.” Rarity tilts her head, a new smile coming over her. “They‘ve done that before.” I shake my head, sighing deeply. “The mares here are completely insane.” I chuckle to myself a little, rubbing a hoof over my eyes. “Super high pay, eating houses, bouncing everywhere, partying all the time, it‘s wicked.” Rarity scoffs, turning her head. “I‘ll just be taking those 50 bits elsewhere then…” She teases. I whip around quickly, shaking my head. “Don‘t do that to me.” I say, chuckling as I speak. “Then you‘ll just have to go to the library and make sure you tell Twilight everything she wants to know.” Rarity says, tilting her head up high in a typical snobby way. I shake my head, remnants of my grim still on my face. “Yeah, yeah. I suppose I should, then. I’ll see you later, alright?” I say as I start to walk to the door. “Bright and early tomorrow.” Rarity replies, smiling as I begin to leave. “Thanks for the party Pinkie!” I yell just before I leave, closing the door behind me. -- I knock on the wooden, crooked door to the library. There’s a lot of light shining through the bottom of the door and the few windows throughout the tree house, and I wait patiently for somepony to answer the door. After waiting more than a few minutes though, I knock again. As soon as my hoof goes back to the ground, the door is swung open with Twilight there to greet me. “Hey!” She says, smiling widely. Now that the door’s open, I see inside tons of books scattered everywhere. There’s a table with a candle light sitting on it, a chair scooted neatly with it, but ironically no books are on it. All of them are just laying around the floor lazily. “Thanks for coming by on such short notice. And…Sorry for my organized mess. Spike went to bed, so I had to kind of…Mess up the orders and really look for good materials. But I found some!” She says quickly, still keeping me outside. I smile, nodding my head. “No worries, Twilight. I‘m always happy to help.” I say, still smiling as I speak. Twilight mentally scolds herself, shaking her head. “How stupid of me! Please, come in! Get out of the cold.” She demands, backing away from the door and ushering me inside. Admittedly, I was getting a little cold, and the feeling of the warmth secreting from the library only made it colder. I gladly trot my way inside, making sure not to step on any books. “Sit wherever you like, I‘ll be right there.” Twilight says, closing the door behind us as she runs off in search of…whatever she needs, I suppose. I find a humble spot near a warm fire, surrounded by books. There’s a nice spot where books seem to be vacant. I suppose this is where Twilight sat as she examined each of the books the library had to offer. I sat down quietly, waiting for Twilight. She came back quickly, a quill and paper levitating in front of her the whole time. “Okay, I‘m ready! I‘ve written down a few questions so you know what to talk about, so, shall we begin?” She asks quickly, not skipping a beat. This mare can talk pretty fast when she wants to. “As ready as I‘ll ever be.” “Okay…” She begins, biting her lips. “What did Starspiral most commonly practice?” She asks, lowering her paper so she can look at me. I shrug, shaking my head. “That‘s a simple question. Uhm…well he usually concentrated his efforts on the relation of pegasi and magic. You know, the magical capabilities that being a Pegasus entitles. Walking on clouds, immense wing strength. That stuff. But he also took up on teleportation magic, going so far as to teleporting really, really far distances. The farthest he ever teleported was 200 yards.” I respond, confident in my knowledge. Twilights’ scribbling on her paper is frantic, quick to write down every piece of information. “You‘re sure it was 200 feet?” She asks, moving the paper out of the way for a moment. I chuckle, nodding quickly. “Yeah, I remember all the facts. Also…Yards, not feet. I was the one that had to write down all the evidence. You know, scientific stuff, like the facts and procedures. I can‘t say I‘m fond of being permanently planted with all this knowledge, but if it helps you, I suppose it has a cause.” I reply, shrugging as I do. “200 yards…” She says, her eyes widening. “He teleported the farthest any Unicorn has ever gone! Farther than even Starswirl!” She exclaims, smiling so widely. “This is incredible! Please, tell me more!!” She demands, her quill ready for devastating her paper with ink. I smile happily. I’m glad I’m pleasing somepony. “Well…Another question would be useful.” I comment, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, right!” Twilight says, looking up an down the paper. “What were some of Starspiral‘s largest projects?” She asks, biting her bottom lip. I cock an eyebrow. “Largest? That‘s a broad term. Mind elaborating for me, please?” I ask, not quite sure what she meant. Twilight nods quickly, replying fast as usual. “Largest scale, such as…Taking a long time to complete, or that if completed, could change Equestria as we know it.” She corrects, still making sure she can see me over her paper. “Ahh,” I reply, nodding my head again. “That is easy. Starspiral wanted to prove that Pegasi, and even Earth ponies, are capable of performing magic like Unicorns. He believed that if trained properly, a Pegasus would be able to perform telekinesis. He also said that Earth ponies would be able to fly, and so on. He said that because each of the three types of ponies have some sort of magical capability, like Unicorns being most prominent with horns, Pegasi with wings and cloud walking, and Earth ponies having above average strength, then they could be able to access it from their magical points. Each race has their magical points, such as a Unicorn with a horn, Pegasi with wings, and Earth ponies with muscle. He said that if focused on with enough mental presence, even an Earth pony would be able to perform telekinesis. He said this is why Allicorns are much more powerful than any other race. They have the embodiment of each race: Earth pony, Pegasi, and Unicorns, each magnified. Of course, however, he hasn‘t finished it. When I was working for him, this was something he always came back to, and was most frustrated with.” I say slowly, making sure Twilight is able to write down everything. She just nods quickly, moving the paper below her head. “I‘ve read about the Pegasi and Earth ponies having minor magical capabilities, but…I…didn‘t read enough into Starspiral‘s work to know just how far it went. Is there anything else about his….project, that‘s noteworthy?” She asks, still speaking quickly. I take in a deep breath, looking to the ceiling for inspiration. “I suppose there was one more thing. He mentioned many times that if interbreeding were to happen, there is an extremely dismal chance that something…new might be born. Not an Allicorn, as you‘d undoubtedly guessed, just something different. I can‘t quite explain it as well as he did, but he basically said: with both races, and an unfathomable amount of luck, something Equestria has never seen before could be born.” I finish with a sigh, realizing I’m saying all this in one breaths’ worth. “Wow…” Twilight says, scribbling on her paper as her face is hidden from me. “Okay, okay…What about…Uhm, what about a large project that he did complete?” Ash asks, licking her lips I move my tongue around in my mouth as if it might find the words for me. “That would have to be…Time travel.” I say bluntly, as if it’s the most casual thing. Twilight’s eyes go huge, her head coming into view from above the paper. “Time travel? Starspiral…created a time travel spell?” She asks, her face truly bewildered. I shrug, squinting my eyes. “Kind of…He said that it would be simple to reverse time for any one thing, such as a rock. So after he concocted his spell, we experimented by throwing a rock into the air, and he would attempt to cause the rock to hit the ground twice. I threw the rock into the air so many times, my arms felt like jelly, until something really weird happened. When the rock hit the ground, it was much smaller. At first we suspected it just broke. After some studying of it‘s textures, Starspiral discovered that he caused the rock to go back 15 years in age. He said that it wasn‘t an aging spell, because all age spells only work on organisms. This was done on a rock.” I tell her slowly, still acknowledging she has to listen and write at the same time. She proves to be quite the student though, writing extremely fast. “Wow…I completely underestimated Starspiral!” Twilight says with huge amounts of excitement, her legs shaking with vigor. “Time travel…I have to make this a report to Princess Celestia!” She boasts. I can’t see her eyes, but I imagine their glazing over right about now. “Yeah…He was pretty fucking smart.” I say, chuckling a bit. “Indeed.” Twilight replies, obviously trying to concentrate. “Did he ever succeed on getting an Earth pony or a Pegasus to perform magic outside their boundaries?” She asks quickly, slurring her words slightly as she writes. I take in a deep breath, holding on to my words for a while. “No, he didn‘t.” I reply after a minute of thinking. “Ahh…” Twilight says, scribbling something off her paper. “What about…Teleportation? Wasn‘t he a master at it?” She asks, poking her head over the top of her exhausted paper. I contort my face as I look at the ceiling, once again relying on it for inspiration. “Yes, he was. He believed that to truly understand speed, the string theory, multiple dimensions, time travel, and time itself, he had to experience every type of teleportation.” I inform her, a perky smile forming across my face. She nods as she writes, mumbling something quietly to herself. “Do you mind if I ask you something a little more personal?” She asks quickly, moving her paper and quill out of the way. I raise my eyebrows, shrugging. “I uhh….I suppose so.” I reply awkwardly, watching the paper and quill drop to the floor. Or onto the books that clutter the floor, rather. “How did you get to work with him?” She asks bluntly, tilting her head curiously. I raise one of my eyebrows, smirking. “That‘s not personal, Twilight.” I tell her quickly, shaking my head at her dorkiness. “But uhh…Well, I just met him one day, and he asked me for some help. I proved to be reliable, so he had me stick around. Paid pretty well, too.” I say earnestly, sighing deeply when I finish. I can feel my exhaustion start to invade my conscious. Twilight nods, moving her jaw around as she ponders what to say next. “Do you…” She begins, then shakes her head. “Don‘t you work at a bar? Err, at…Rarity‘s bar?” She asks, tilting her head. I grin, smiling widely still. “Now that is a personal question.” I tell her, turning my head. She immediately lowers her head, batting her hoof to the floor. “I‘m sorry, I‘m just curious sometimes.” She apologizes, huffing. She couldn’t hide her disappointment if she had a brick wall. “Twilight,” I begin, smiling warmly at her. “I‘m only messing with you. You can ask whatever you want. I really don‘t mind.” I say, shaking my head again at her dorkiness. Twilight rolls her eyes, moving her tongue from cheek to cheek. “Ha ha ha…” She laughs sarcastically, then to add to her dorkful powers, she sticks her tongue out at me. “But seriously…” I begin, taking in a deep breath. “I worked at the bar the last couple of days. Met some pretty nice ponies, including some of your friends. But uhh…Upon meeting Rarity, she offered me a much, much more comfortable job. And uhh, I‘ll get a lot sweeter pay. She‘s just the most generous pony, seriously.” I say with a constant smile, tilting my head from side to side. Twilight grins, nodding. “Yeah, Rarity can be real giving sometimes. You should see her on holidays. She bought Pinkie an air balloon.” She tells me, widening her eyes for emphasis. I raise my eyebrows in sequence with hers. “An air balloon? Just what she needs.” I say, chuckling along with Twilight. Twilight sheepishly grins, nodding her head. “So…Why did you come to Ponyville, Buddy?” She asks, laying down on her stomach. Seeing her lay down on the floor surrounded by countless numbers of books seems like it would be her dream bed. “Well…I really came because I had to. Behind on bills, nopony around to help, and desperate need of a job, I just decided to move. I didn‘t have much to my name, luckily, so I just took the train.” I pour to her, smiling the whole time. Though she looks very sincere, I just act like it’s no biggie. I’ve had to move…a lot. I’m used to it. “I know what it‘s like to be forced to move.” Twilight admits, batting her eyes from my view. “It sucks.” I smile at her sudden drop in vocabulary. “Well…That‘s a lesser of a word I thought you‘d use.” I comment, grinning the whole time. She looks up, copying my smile. “Sorry. It‘s a nuisance.” She corrects herself, smirking mischievously. I shrug, shaking my head. “Now that you‘ve asked a dozen questions about me and my escapades with Starspiral…How about you tell me about you, and your fun little stories with your friends?” I ask, tilting my head forward. Twilight quickly raises, then lowers her eyebrows. Her shoulder blades shrug along with her eyebrows, like they’re all connected. “That‘s a broad question, Buddy.” She says mockingly, not able to hold back a grin. I tilt my head back, my mouth slightly ajar. “Ahh…I see.” I reposition myself before my legs fall asleep, laying on my stomach now. “Why did you move to Ponyville?” Twilight shrugs, taking in a deep breath. “Starting at the beginning, are we? I suppose it‘s best…Well,” She begins, waddling a little closer so she doesn’t have to talk as loud. “Princess Celestia had me sent here from Canterlot to learn about something I couldn‘t from text books. Leaving behind my home…Where I‘ve lived for so many of my young years, for this.” She says, her voice getting lower and lower. I lean my head forward, catching her eyes in my view. Seeing me catches her attention and she lifts her head back up. “Do you regret it?” I ask. A smirk appears over Twilight’s mouth, and she shakes her head. “Not one bit.” She replies with warmth. “I love my friends. I love this library. It‘s something…I can‘t explain.” She says, shaking her head as she looks around at the library. I nod my head, then answer quickly. “It‘s home.” I tell her. Immediately her eyes lock with mine, and she nods after a moment, a smirk still on her face. “Yeah…Home.” I turn my head around, admiring all the work put into this house. Or library, whatever it is. “I can see why. A nice home, good friends around you. This is a place worthy to be called home.” I say, finally stopping my admiration at Twilight. Well…There’s plenty to admire there as well. She smirks, nodding quickly. “What about you? Do you have any friends?” She asks curiously, dipping her head lower. I adopt her quickness for a moment and shake my head. “Besides you girls, I have no one.” I say, gulping down any words I might have said otherwise. Twilight’s head goes to the floor, her eyes still upon me. “That‘s sad.” She says coldly, blinking a couple times. I shrug, grinning still. “I don‘t plan on leaving. I can see a really, really bright future for me here.” I tell her reassuringly, mimicking her posture by laying my head on a book. “That‘s the attitude. Positive thinking always makes things better.” Twilight comments, nodding her head gently. I nod, agreeing fully with her. “So…Did Pinkie throw a party for you too?” I ask, smirking a bit. Twilight looks at me confused. “What?” She asks, tilting her head. Just as quickly as she speaks, she shakes her head. “Oh! I‘m sorry. Uhm…Yes, she did. Ours were pretty similar, actually.” She says, shrugging at her dorkiness again. I smile warmly, nodding in agreement, though I didn’t attend her party to really know the similarities. “Ahh…So…what‘s with Applejack and Rainbow Dash? They‘ve always been like that?” I ask, raising en eyebrow to emphasize my curiosity. Twilight nods a couple times, sighing deeply. “Oh yeah. Always competing with each other, always one-upping the other, and of course, always arguing.” She says, shaking her head. If only you knew that their competition goes beyond the cake devouring and into the bedroom, Twilight. “Yeah…I‘ve seen ponies like that before. Too much pride.” I say with a snort. “Well, their pride is well earned. Rainbow Dash is the fastest in all of Equestria, and nopony is a better apple bucker than Applejack. Their pride is well earned, but…They think it entitles them to share it with the world, is all.” Twilight comments, brushing her purple mane out of her face. The little pink streak running through it still lingers close to her nose even through her valiant effort. I shrug, percing my lips. “Yeah…I don‘t think I‘ve really earned any pride for myself, really. Heck, I ain‘t even got my cutie mark.” I say, moving my head out of the way so Twilight can see the truth. Her reaction is typical. She raises her eyebrows, her mouth slightly gaped open. “You don‘t have it yet?” She asks, tilting her head up, but quickly shakes her head. “No, no, you don‘t have to answer that. Stupid question…” She mumbles, bowing her head in embarrassment. I smile warmly, shaking my head. “It‘s alright. I don‘t mind talking about it, just a cutie mark. And, well…Yeah. I don‘t have mine.” I tell her truthfully, and I even have to glance back at it still. To this day, I wonder what it will be. Of course I hate cutie marks and all they entitle, but regardless, I do wonder what mine is. “Wow…” She says, blinking a couple times, obviously in wonderment. “You seem like a very successful colt for one without a mark…” She says, still trying to sport a comforting smile. I shake my head, smiling lightly. “Don‘t need one to be successful, Twilight.” I say, grinning still. Twilight obviously thinks about this for a while, shaking her head. “I‘m sorry, I can be really inconsiderate sometimes. You‘re a great pony, and…I respect you.” She says, putting her head in between her legs. Well…That made me blush. I give her the most honest, genuine smile I could muster. “Thanks, Twilight. I appreciate respect more than….Well, more than a 50 bit pay check.” I tell her with a comical grin. Twilight chuckles lightly to herself, shaking her head. “You’re welcome, Buddy.” I get my head nice and cozy between my legs, and snuggly bring my hind legs tucked together, enjoying the warm fire mere feet from me. “So then…Twilight Sparkle, student of Celestia, huh?” I say, smirking mischievously at Twilight. She nods her head, obviously getting tired. “Yeah…Her loyal student to the end.” She states matter-a-factly. I nod my head, then pick myself up a little before I fall asleep. “How did you two even meet?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Twilight picks up on her exhaustion, seeing me getting up. She gets up too, but not much more than lifting her head. “In Magic Kindergarten, she said I was the most talented, and told me I should come live with her and become her personal student. Ever since then…I‘ve learned everything from her. She‘s kind of…Well, like a mom, really.” She says, smirking in the silence. The fire coming from her chimney cracks lightly between our silence, reminding me that there’s warmth. “What did you do that got Princess Celestia‘s attention? Teleport a house?” I ask, chuckling a little to myself. Twilight shakes her head seriously, and moves her head forward. “I hatched a dragon.” She says quickly, nodding her head. A dragon? Fucking hell, that’s the real deal there. “Really? That‘s…sweet. Talking about Rainbow Dash and Applejack having too much pride…You got Princess Celestia as a mentor, hatched a dragon, and got this huge library for a home. Damn good bragging rights, if you ask me.” I praise, raising an eyebrow at her. Twilight shakes her head in response, smiling still. “No, no, that‘s a different kind of pride. I really like Spike, he‘s not something to be proud of, but to be thankful for.” She says. I tilt my head, perking my lips. “Spike?” I ask, confused. Twilight smacks her hoof into her face. “Oh! Spike is the dragon I hatched. He‘s my assistant and helps me with anything I need.” She says quickly, not letting me be confused for long. My confusion is quickly replaced by envy. “Excuse me as I have a hard time comprehending this. You have…A dragon. For an assistant. That…is…AWESOME!” I yell, my face full of admiration and emotion. Twilight laughs loudly, shaking her head. “Oh, well…He‘s a little guy, and the biggest help. Honestly…I wouldn‘t be this organized if it weren‘t for him.” She admits, sighing as she looks around the library. I look around too, mostly at how unorganized everything is. “Yeah…Organized.” I mock her, showing a playful smirk. “Oh, well, usually.” She blushes lightly, ducking her face. I nod my head, raising my eyebrows. “Ahh, I see. Usually.” I mimic her, grinning mischievously. She shakes her head, her eyes narrowing on me. “You should go to bed.” She commands, still smiling. Goodness, I haven’t even thought about that. “Right, right…I‘ll uhh…I guess I‘ll get going then.” I say, stretching out my legs, and especially my neck as I get up. Twilight seems to bite around her lips before finally speaking. “You…can stay the night, if you want. It‘s cold out, and I don‘t know how far you have to walk. So, yeah…If you want. You can sleep by the fire too, if you want. Oh! I actually have sleeping bags! Let me go get one!” She announces so spectacularly to the world, dashing away. I raise an eyebrow at the tenacity of Twilight Sparkle. “Alrighty then.” I say to myself, sitting back down on the small circle of books. As quick as she left, Twilight was back, and levitating a large sleeping bag above her. “I usually have lot‘s of these in the case of a surprise sleep over, cause they happen a lot. You know…Rainbow Dash and all.” She tells me with smirk, letting her spell go and the bag drops before me. “Couldn‘t ask for a better bed from a five star hotel.” I comment, then yank the sleeping bag in my direction, letting it spread out. “Heh…” Twilight mutters, then shrugs. “Hey. If you need anything, let me know.” She says, turning around to walk to where her bedroom probably is. I crawl into the large sleeping bag, and it is insanely cozy. I don’t even need the fire to keep me warm. I could probably take this outside and sleep on the pavement…But I’m not going to do that. “Oh, and uhm…Buddy?” Twilight meekly calls for me, walking over to my sleeping spot. I bring my head up, and I can see the drowsiness in her eyes. “Hmm?” Twilight fidgets around with her hooves, then smirks shyly. “Thanks for coming over…It was really generous of you.” She says, ducking her head. I smile warmly, tucking the covers closer. “Thanks for the cozy sleeping bag.” I say with a smirk. Twilight chuckles lightly, nodding at my gesture. “Anytime.” She says, turning around once again to what is probably her room. “Goodnight…Buddy.” I find a rather massive book and place it underneath my sleeping back, using it as a makeshift pillow. “Sweet dreams, Twilight.” -- I wake to the dim light, not from a fire, but from the windows. Where am I again? My house has like…One window, and don’t I have an alarm clock? It takes me a few minutes to figure out I’m in Twilight’s library. The books should’ve been a dead giveaway since I have absolutely none. I certainly don’t want to wake up Twilight or…her dragon. Spike, was it? Damn, I still can’t get over that. A dragon for an assistant. Clearly this mare has no idea how much instant coolness that gives her. Tip-toeing my way out of Twilight’s proves easy enough, just have to watch the books. It takes the cool breeze of the morning and very shy sun to remind of something: I have a new job! Gosh Rarity is so nice. But…What about Vinyl? And her friend? I guess I should go give them my last goodbyes. With my decision, I walk back to my old job at the bar, trotting as quickly as I can. Would they be there at this time? I usually am, and it doesn’t take long for them to get there. Pushing the door slightly ajar, I suppose they are here. I’m the one that opens up shop, usually. “Vinyl?” I ask, stepping down the steps and into the bar. Vinyl moves around from the counter, smiling widely. “I cover for you last night, now I cover for this guy‘s shift today. Strange how life works, isn‘t it?” She’s still grinning wildly. I nod my head courteously, mimicking her smile. “Yeah…and to think I took his yesterday.” I comment, raising my eyebrows. Vinyl shrugs generously. “Ehh, I don‘t mind.” She says, sighing deeply as she starts scrubbing mugs. I can see her friend is setting up both of their musical equipment on stage. Poor girl…I haven’t even met her yet. “Why you here early?” She asks curiously, not glancing up as she cleans. I bow my head a little, slightly against telling her so blatantly. “Well…I‘m going to be working for Rarity from now on.” I say loosely while slightly, playfully smiling. She smiles too, raising her eyebrows at my luck. “That‘s pretty sweet! I heard she pays real, real good.” She comments, putting a cup away and starting on a new one. I feel…Kind of bad. I like this place, genuinely. Vinyl is a really swell pony and I haven’t even met her partner in crime yet, and I’m already leaving. “Yeah it is. I‘ll put in a good word for you.” I say with a hint of sarcasm, smirking mischievously. She shakes her head, still cleaning. “Perhaps she‘ll let me be a foal sitter.” She says, raising worried eyebrows and a weary laugh. I shake my head, completely agreeing with her sarcasm. “I‘ll warn you if it comes to that.” I say with a smirk, beginning to walk out of the bar. Then…I remember something. My cup. My trump card mug. “Hey uhh…” I begin, going back to the counter. “There should be a really clean cup down there somewhere.” I tell her, pointing a hoof at the counter. She nods curiously, and moves her hoofs around until she pulls out the mug I mentioned. “This thing?” She asks, examining it. “What, it special?” She asks, then opens her eyes wide. “Oooooh…Oh no. Are we going to get into another philosophy about if it‘s half empty or half full?” She asks with that sarcastic glare again. I shake my head reassuringly at her, smiling. “No, not today Vinyl. I just wanted to take this one home with me. You know, as a souvenir.” I tell her with an admitting smile. Vinyl shakes her head side to side, clearly not understanding what it means to me. “Whatever, dude.” She says, and as I take my cup and begin to walk away, her hoof on mine stops me. “Oh yeah!” She begins, leaning her head forward. “You want to uhh…go to the movies, sometime?” She asks, raising a large smirk over her face. Hmm…Now that seems suspicious. I like to credit myself to ‘knowing’ ponies, but…well, I don’t know this one. She can be kind of random sometimes. Not Pinkie’s level, but still unpredictable. “You mean, do I want to go on a date with you?” I ask, tilting my head slightly. Her normal smirk turns mischievous, shrugging off my question. “Oh…Well, you said it.” She says with a strong, criminal smirk. I shake my head, rolling my eyes. “As long as you behave, I‘ll play along.” I accept slightly reluctantly. Her smirk turns to a full smile as she nods to my acceptance. “Alright. It‘s a date. I‘ll let you know when, mkay?” She informs me vigilantly. I have the distinct feeling she’s been planning this. “Alright Vinyl…I have to get going though, no idea when Rarity wants me working.” I tell her, shrugging at her inconvenience. Vinyl nods, understanding my situation. “Of course. Don‘t want to be late on the first day of work. But uhm…You know, if you ever need someone to take your shift, ya know…I‘ll be here.” She says with a wink. I roll my eyes again, and quickly make my way to the door. “See ya later Vinyl!” I bid farewell, waving to her. Well then…A date. Wonderful. Like, only a week into living here, and I have a date, a job, and a whole lot of friends. I’m really digging Ponyville. Oh wow…Digging? I’ve been hanging out with Vinyl too much. Making my way through the skirts of Ponyville once again, I pass by the library as I move on to my new job. I wonder when Twilight wakes up? But…Coming across the beauty shop that Rarity undoubtedly works at, I guess I’ll find out some other time. Ding dong! Rarity’s door bell goes off when I push it. Sounds pretty annoying if you ask me. I’d rather just have somepony knock. It takes a minute or two, but soon enough, Rarity swings the door open. “Come in, come in!” She demands, pointing her hoof inside, like I don’t know where to go. It’s…pretty. I mean, I thought the library was impressive because I’m a colt that appreciates modesty and humbleness, but Rarity’s shop is appealing to any eye. There’s gorgeous clothes all over, gowns, dresses, hats, and far off from the entrance of her store, I can see what looks like where she creates everything. There’s also countless windows undoubtedly made to show off the immediate attraction of her store. I guess I’m just stupid for not taking up on it an looking inside to see if she was awake first. “Good morning, Ms. Rarity.” I greet, walking in gratefully into the less than modest store. “And good morning to yourself, my friend!” She replies in her rich, rightful accent. I have to admit, I don’t like Canterlot accents that much, but Rarity pulls it off well. “So what you want me to do?” I ask quickly, getting to the point. Rarity huffs, tilting her head up. “Well I would hope this would be more than business, Buddy.” She says quickly, scolding my tenacity. Pretty blunt there, Rarity. “I apologize, Rarity. I uhm…Well my manners are out of practice.” I admit to her with a glum smile. She nods understandably. “No fretting, you‘re manners will be much more polished when I‘m finished.” She tells me with strict honesty. I mean…Not like I try to be rude. Then again, I suppose real rudeness is when you don’t even realize it. I guess that makes sense then. Alright Rarity, I’m game. “Alright then, Miss Rarity.” I accept her offer of manner-adjustment graciously, bowing my head. Then I look around, nodding in admiration. “Quite the place you have here. I mean…I really like modesty myself, but I think it’s spectacular by any pony’s standards.” I tell her truthfully, stopping my glance around the room on her. Rarity smirks at my envy, bowing her head at my compliment. “Thank you, kind sir.” She says, then turns around and starts a very controlled walk into the back room. I don’t know what it is about her walk. It’s like she practiced to get it just right or something. I mean, who am I to judge walking, but it’s just something I can’t help but notice. “I‘m going to be working on a special project for the next week, and because of it, I‘ll be having you run some errands.” She says very business-like. Thought I was going to learn about manners? Oh well, can’t argue really. “Of course. But, if I may, what is the project?” I ask, tilting my head forward as we walk. She tilts her head back with a proud grin. “I‘m going to be working on a present, for Twilight.” She boasts proudly, flicking her eyelashes like there was a reason to. A present, eh? I suppose that means a birthday is coming up. “I see…What is it going to be?” I ask curiously as we round a corner into the back room. Rarity’s pride suddenly drops and she kicks a hoof at a table, shaking the fabrics on it about. “I don‘t know yet…” She admits, disappointment masking her face. “Hmm…” I mumble gently, looking over the cloths. “Any ideas?” I ask, pondering my thoughts as I stroke my chin. Rarity immediately takes the chance, walking in a circle around the table. “Well, I was thinking a scarf! Because she gets really, really cold in the winter even in that lovely library. But…She has a lot of them already. So many, actually, that I‘m willing to bet she loses them on purpose. So then I thought about a blanket…But a blanket is so…bland! So then I was thinking of making her a dress! But…A fancy dress for her birthday is completely inappropriate. I just…Can‘t think of anything.” She says in what must have been one long breath. Well then! Rarity must give out a whole lot of scarves. “I think a blanket would be wonderful.” I comment half heartedly, then dip my head lower. “Maybe a blanket with…A little something?” I suggest, even curious as to where I’m going. “What do you mean?” Rarity asks, leaning forward over the table. I clear my throat before I speak, making sure I’m clear. “When I went through that whole…Book fanatic phase, I always read in my bed. It was cozy, warm, and most of all, comfortable. And…Well, this might be really stupid and corny, but I thought it would be cute to have a book as a blanket.” I say with a silly smile. My face speaks more than words, admitting my idea is stupid. Rarity chuckles, grinning very un-canterlot like. “That sounds very thoughtful. So…A book, on a blanket? Like the words on it, a cover, and everything?” She asks curiously, clearly trying to get the whole idea. I nod, shrugging. “Pretty much. I think that‘s something she would really, really appreciate. I mean…when I was in the library, I saw all the books laying on the ground and I imagine her dream bed would literally be having books all around her. So…Why not do just that?” I say, grinning at my corniness. “That‘s a really good idea!” She compliments, nodding in admiration. “But…It sounds like a real challenge. I mean…Getting every word right is going to be extremely time consuming.” She says, biting her bottom lip. “Well, I co-” I’m stopped as Rarity continues on, talking to herself. “And being sure each fabric blends together…The words will have to be stitched perfectly, and be all in the same format. And…No slanting the paragraphs. It will also have to be measured to see what size the words should be, and…and…” She continues on, too low for me to hear. I’m just going to let her do her own thing. I begin to step away, out of the room, but Rarity shoots a glance at me. “Where‘re you going, dearie?” She asks gingerly, still circling the table like a shark. I stop immediately. “You seem like you‘re thinking things through pretty thoroughly. I was just going to leave you at peace for a minute, until you have it all figured out.” I reply hesitantly. Rarity nods her head, still concentrating on the task at hand. “Okay, Mr. B. I‘ll steal you when I need you.” She says, shooing me away. I just bow my head to her, then back away out of the room, back to the entrance to the store. Once there, I’m greeted with a familiar face. “Hiya, mister!” A little white filly shouts, her head titling up high to look at me. I think I remember this ones name. Sweetie…Belle? “Hi there.” I say with slightly less enthusiasm. She still beams at me. How can these fillies get up this early? Good practice, I guess. “You‘re working for sissy now, aren‘t ya?” She asks with a big, hopeful smile. Oh…Sister? This Rarity’s sister, is it? “Yeah, I am. I‘m her assistant, for a lack of better words.” I say with raised eyebrows. Sweetie Belle snorts as she laughs. “My sister‘s assistant? Does that mean we can play together everyday?!” She asks with uber amounts of excitement. No, Sweetie Belle, I hope not. “Well…I‘m here to try and get my cutie mark. And to get it, I need to do it on my own. Sorry, Sweetie Belle.” I say, pouting my lips. Damn I’m good at quick thinking. “Awwwee…” Sweetie Belle whines in disappointment, sighing. “I sure hope you get yours though, mister!” She chants reassuringly, a big smile on her face. I find that…Kind of sweet. A kid’s innocence is a bit of a weak spot for me. “Thanks, Sweetie Belle. But uhm…Shouldn‘t you be off with the other crusaders?” I ask, looking around the room as if they’re going to burst from the windows. Yeah, a surprise cutie mark. Sweetie Belle nods, looking at the door. “I was about to go to our secret tree house, then I saw you! You should come see it sometime.” She suggests, still smiling. I nod, agreeing with her. “I plan on it. Now run along, I have cutie mark crusading to do.” I say, saluting to the little filly as she bolts out the door. “See ya later, Mr. B!” She shouts, her words just getting to me before the door closes. And there we go. Alone once again. “Alright!” Rarity shouts, appearing out of now-freaking-where. “Shit!” I shout, almost falling over. “My Celestia…Do all you mares have ‘scaring the hell out of ponies’ powers?” I ask, shaking off the startled look on my face. Rarity bows her head, puffing her cheeks. “I apologize, I suppose it is me who needs to work on manners as well.” She says, giggling to herself. I smirk at the irony, walking back over to her. “Alright then. So…I suppose you have it all figured out?” I ask, taking a glance back at the room. Nothing changed. Rarity nods, confirming my curiosity. “Yes, I do believe I know what has to be done. It‘ll be difficult to complete in just one week, but I can‘t back down from a challenge that‘s so tempting.” She says, glory in her eyes. What was that thing Twilight talked about last night? Having the right for pride, but no control over keeping it out of other pony’s lives? Yeah…The irony is baffling. “I believe in you, Rarity.” I tell her earnestly, then tilt my head up. “I‘m guessing you‘re going to have a huge wish list?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Rarity sparks a grin, her eyes glistening. I would guess that she even decorates her eyes, but it’s probably natural. “On the contrary, no. I have nearly all the materials I need here. I just need…Time. Something I‘m always constricted on.” She says, biting her bottom lip as she concentrates. I sigh, nodding my head. “I know how you feel. Would you like me to help out with other projects, so you can focus on this one, then?” I ask, tilting my head. Rarity thinks about it for a moment, then shakes her head at my offer. “No, no. Very kind, but no. I will simply push back those and focus on Twilight‘s blanket. She is my friend, after all.” She decides, confirming her decision with a nod. I raise, then unraise my eyebrows. “Sounds like a plan, Rarity.” I reply as I watch her walk back to the room. “So then, what would you like me to do?” She immediately turns around, her mouth open, but no words come out. She ponders for a minute, then plops her hoof on the ground. “Hmmf…First day of work and I don‘t have a thing for you…” She mutters, sighing disappointedly. I shrug, still smiling. “Hey, no worries. I‘ll just hang around, and if you need me, just holler.” I suggest, beginning to go back to the entrance to the room when she stops me. “Instead of helping me, you should go help out Applejack.” She suggests, smiling proudly that she came up with something. Applejack…Alright, I’m down for it. “Oh, well that sounds like a swell time.” I comment, still grinning like usual. Rarity then turns around to the back room, taking her sweet time. “Sweet Apple Acres is just down the road from Ponyville. Big sign near the end of town that‘ll point you in the right direction. Not that you wouldn‘t be able to tell, their barn is gigantically rubbish.” She informs me, scoffing at the supposedly huge barn. I chuckle to myself. Rubbish? That’s a new one. “Alright then, Rarity! I‘ll see you later, then!” I bid farewell, opening the door to the store. “Have a good day, Mr. B!” She shouts back from across the store. And with that…I’m off to yet another job. I find it really ironic that I came here looking for a job. I got several. The bar, Rarity’s assistant, and now doing some favors for Applejack. Along with that, I’ve gotten 6 friends. I honestly don’t know what to feel anymore. Happy, thankful, gracious, lucky: all in one. As I reach the end of town, I come across a sign reading, “Ponyville”, and “Sweet Apple Acres”, each pointing to their destinations. That’s convenient. Alright then! Off to Sweet Apple Acres. My pace is quick, not wanting to disappoint anypony. And…Rarity wasn’t kidding. Their barn is huge! I can see it like it’s a freaking statue blocking out the sun. As it all comes into view finally, I realize I’m walking through their fields. Far ahead to my right is the barn, and about equally straight ahead of me is what must be their house. It looks very cozy, like a typical farm house. Real big by anypony’s standards, but I know well enough that farms usually have some big families. After a short journey, I make it to the house. They don’t have a doorbell…Good, I hate doorbells. I knock gently on the wooden door, and I’m afraid it’s going to fall off if I hit any harder. Quicker than any other pony I’ve seen yet, Applejack whips the door mere seconds after I knock. “Howdy partner! Whu‘ can ah do for ya on tis‘ fine lookin‘ evenin‘?” She asks, still with that thick southern accent. And with that hat. I greet her with a bow. “Heya Applejack. I was wondering if you might need some help around the farm.” I say casually. Applejack shifts her jaw from side to side, looking over the barn real quick. “Yah, I s‘pose ah might need a lick‘a help today.” She accepts willingly, finally moving her gaze back to me. “Come on in, sugarcube.” She says, letting the door hang wide open. I take a couple steps inside willingly, looking around. Lot’s of wood, that’s for sure. I’m not an expert on architecture, but this house looks hand made. I can’t quite put my hoof on why, but it just feels a lot more personal than some architect building a house. “Thanks!” I say gratefully, shivering off any of the cold I brought in. “Quite the farm you got.” I compliment, walking behind her. This must be the living room, a rocking chair and rug around a fireplace. Looks really…homey. Applejack laughs fruitfully, turning her head back to look at me. “Real bueat‘, in’t she?” She asks, raising an eyebrow. I nod my head quickly. “Oh yeah. It looks really gorgeous. Especially those hills around the side.” I comment, walking into the kitchen. It doesn’t look too tidy…Dishes and all, real messy. Maybe just my OCD kicking in. “Is all this land really yours?” She nods her head proudly. “Eeyup! Every spec‘a dirt ya see here, all ah it owned by tuh Apple family.” She boasts proudly. Here we go again…More pride going around. Can’t really deny it though, the farm is pretty banging. Banging…? Damn you Vinyl Scratch and your catchy vocabulary! “It‘s really impressive.” I compliment, not letting Vinyl invade anything more than my subconscious. Applejack leans her head over the sink and sighs. “Applebloom…” She mutters, closing her eyes as she shakes her head. Where have I heard that name…”Applebloom?” I ask, poking my nose around. Applejack jerks her head up, apparently forgetting my presence. “Uhh…My lil‘ sis tends tuh make a mess, n‘ seems tuh never ever clean it up.” She says with cold annoyance. I grin, nodding understandably. “Hey, as a fellow clean-freak, I know how you feel. But…I can get that in tip-top shape in just a few minutes, if ya like.” I offer, turning my head sideways at the offer. She smiles widely, full of appreciation. “Well dat‘d be mighty gen‘rous of ya‘ll, but only if ya want to.” She says cheerily, moving away from the kitchen sink. I bow my head to her courteously. “Of course I want to. I can‘t go to sleep at night knowing this exists, anyways.” I comment, going wide eyed at all the dishes. Was this all from her little sister? Applejack laughs to herself, shaking her head. “Well, uhh…Ya‘ll can use whateva ya need. Tuh wash rags r‘ under ter sink, ah reckon, and ah do believe we have new dish soap aroun‘ dere. Enjoy yourself, partner.” She informs me, walking out of the room. “You aren‘t gonna stay?” I ask as I scrounge my way under the bottom of the sink, finding a plentiful bucket of rags. She stops, backing into the kitchen again. “Well, err…ah figured ya‘ll like‘ta be alone n‘ all.” She replies, watching me pick out rags. “Oh, if you have work, don‘t let me hold ya, but if not…I don‘t know, I don‘t mind talking while working.” I say before taking out a few rags of my selection and placing them on the edge of the counter. They aren’t spotless and clean like I’d hoped, but…They’ll work. “Aaah…” Applejack says, making her way to a small table behind me, pulling out a chair and sitting down. “Suh now it’s work, is it?” She asks sarcastically. It’s hard to pull off sarcasm with a thick accent like that. I shake my head, rolling my eyes all at the same time. “Life is work, Applejack.” I reply cleverly. Applejack huffs. “Ain‘t t‘at tuh truth.” She says quickly, moving around in her chair. I pour some soap over one rag, making sure it’s nice and warm before I go to town on this mountain of dishes. “So what do you do on a farm?” I ask, trying to make conversation. Applejack takes kindly to the small talk, taking in a deep breath. “Well, uhh…Ah usually jus‘ buck apples all day lon‘, den dependin‘ on tuh season, ah make apple cider, or apple pies.” She tells me absent mindedly. I don’t mind her attitude; pretty boring talking to a colt doing dishes. “Yeah? Sounds like a whole mess of work. Too hard working for my blood.” I admit, putting a few finished plates into a rack. Applejack laughs to herself. “Ya‘ll‘s blood mus‘a be a mystery to Equestria, cause I don’t even know who ya are.” She says with a hint of curiosity. I tilt my head back, smiling. “Oh, I see. Sly way to get me to tell you about myself.” I say matter-a-factly. “Tat‘s tuh idea.” She says with a sharp tone. “Alright, alright.” I sigh in defeat, half concentrating on talking and half concentrating on cleaning. “Well, I moved here out of convenience. Needed a job and started at Rarity‘s new bar. Worked there for about…Two days, then Pinkie showed up. I imagine wherever she goes, she effects some pony‘s life drastically. And well…At the party, Rarity told me I‘m fired, then hired me as a personal assistant. Now I‘m here.” I tell her, glancing every now and then back at her. “Wow,” Applejack says, putting her hoofs on the table. “Dat was a great story where ya tol‘ me diddly ‘bout yourself.” She says bluntly. “Come on, sugarcube.” I sigh, shaking my head. “Well, I really don‘t know what to tell you, Applejack.” I admit, getting half way finished with the dishes. Applejack stays quiet for a minute, then abruptly asks, “A‘ight…Why duh ya fin‘ jobs suh important?” I shrug, watching the hot water take away all the sticky leftovers off the plates while I scrub. “Why do you ask?” I ask interrogatively. Because I’m just cleaning off a plate, I’m able to turn around and look at her as she responds. She tilts her head to the side, her eyes going to the floor. “Leavin‘ home for work, fin‘in three jobs since ya came here, an‘ it‘s all ya focus on.” She says honestly. Brutally honest. I turn my head back, raising my eyebrows. “Well…For one, it‘s how I get paid, and I suppose it‘s just one of my necessities.” I reply sternly, scraping off something I can’t even identify. Might be food. Might be boogers. Might be alien crap for all I know. “Well, ah reckon ya‘ll jus‘ wan‘ tuh find you‘ cutie mark.” She says bluntly, honest as always. I turn my head around at her, staring at her for a moment. “Nice of you to notice.” I comment, going back to washing dishes. “Considerin‘ ah got‘s not‘in ta look at back here but your flank, I cudn‘t help but notice ya missing yours.“ She says, still upfront. Damn this mare really gets her opinion out there. “Yeah, well, I don‘t think I‘m going to be getting my dish washing cutie mark.” I tell her with a bit of an attitude. I don’t mean to, though. It just kind of…Happens. “So, no, I don‘t find jobs to get a cutie mark.” Applejack holds up her hoofs, clearly realizing her boundaries. “I‘ma sorry, don‘ mean ta tread on ya‘ll‘s thin ice. I‘m jus‘a wonderin‘ mare, is all.” She says, backing off. I sigh deeply, closing my eyes. “I‘m sorry, Applejack. Just something I get a little defensive about.” I apologize to her, reinforcing my words by turning around, showing the hurt on my face. She nods understandably. “No trouble, partner. An‘ it looks like ya almos‘ done dere.” She says, getting from her seat and walking over to my side. “Eeyup…Mighty clean.” I smile, bowing my head at her gracious compliment. “Thaaank you.” I say, putting the rags by the sink and letting them rinse. “Now what?” I ask, leaning slightly against the kitchen counter. Applejack brings her head up high, smirking. “How good are ya at apple buckin‘?” I back my gaze up a little, turning my head suspiciously. “Can‘t say I‘ve done it before.” I admit, shrugging at my inexperience. Applejack’s smirk grows. “Ah see…” She says, beginning to walk out of the kitchen. I follow behind quickly. “So does that qualify me as cheerleader?” I ask jokingly. Applejack turns her head back to me as we pass through the living room. “Ooooh no, mister. Ya gonna learn, an‘ it just so happens ya‘ll know tuh bes‘ apple bucker in Equestria.” She says, smirking proudly. Yup. Twilight, right again. “Ah mus‘ be tuh luckies‘ colt around these parts!” I boast, mimicking her voice as best I can. She glares back at me as we walk out the door still swung wide open. “Over ‘round dere is where we keep our apple trees.” She says, moving the conversation forward. “Dat‘s where we‘ll be apple buckin‘.” She tells me, walking ahead. I keep quiet, in case she wants to tell me anymore about her apple zoo. She doesn’t however, allowing me to just take in the full glory of the land. It’s the kind totally untouched by the industrial age. Canterlot, with it’s vast intricacies and huge architecture, is a great example of over doing it. I really like this place. The large, comfortable house. The gigantic barn. The huge fields. The big hills surrounding the farm. The way the sun just looks so crisp over the large hills and clouds. It’s a wonderful view. And not to mention all the trees! All the wonderful, bountiful apple trees. It seems to go on beyond my vision and…wait. Are we going to have to buck all of these? Oh Celestia…This mare is trying to kill me. “Ah got baskets layin‘ aroun’ up ahead‘a ways.” She says, moving her head up in the direction of the mass congregation of apple trees. “Alright then. So I just…Kick the tree? Then collect the apples?” I ask, trying to grasp exactly what apple bucking is. Applejack nods, confirming my assumption. “Dat‘s ta idea, sugarcube. Bu‘ if ya‘ll get real good, ya can jus‘ buck da tree an‘ all dem‘ apples‘ll fall righ‘ in.” She tells me, raising her eyebrows. “Oh…” I mutter, looking at the impending doom my legs are going to face. “And I suppose you can do it, huh?” I ask rhetorically. Of course she can. Best apple bucker in Equestria. She brings her head up proudly. “Wouldn’t call mah self best apple bucker in Equestria if I couldn’t.” Yep. I wonder what it’s like to be right all the time, like Twilight. “You really that good?” I ask, speeding up to get by her side. She turns to me, a real sage-like smile on her face. “Ah never lie, sugarcube.” “Can‘t disagree there.” I reply, remembering how brutally honest she was back in the kitchen. Applejack returns herself to a serious walk now that we reached the apple trees. “A‘ight, partner. Jus‘ grab a basket and start buckin‘.” She says quickly, taking one of the baskets in her mouth and trotting off. I too take a basket in my mouth, and because my lack of knowledge of the place, I follow Applejack. She finds a ripe tree for bucking and sets her basket down, glancing over at me sharply. “Didn‘t mean for ya ta follow me, but I s‘pose it‘s bes‘ for ya to watch an’ learn first.” I smirk as she realizes how inexperienced I really am. “Please, oh masterful one. Show me your wise apple bucking technique.” I say with a monotone, satirical tone. She takes kindly to it, turning around and firmly planting her hooves on the tree. In one powerful hit, apples drop like flies from the tree, and like she said, right into the basket. “Notin‘ to it.” She boasts proudly. I bow my head, recognizing her as the bucking master. “Alright, alright. I‘ll give credit where credit is dew.” I saw earnestly, then sigh. “You‘re the best apple bucker in all of Equestria.” I say half heartedly on purpose. Applejack smiles widely. “Thank you kindly.” I then smirk at her brashful nature. “Then again, coming from an amateur…Not a very credible acknowledgement.” I say, grinning mischievously. Applejack rolls her eyes, biting down on her basket and moving on to the next tree. I suppose I should get to bucking… I look at the tree before me, sizing it up and down. Lot’s of apples up there, too. I turn around, ready my legs, and then give a strong kick back onto the tree. I hear plenty of rumbles and cracks from above, but it’s when I get knocked in the head that confirms I did it right. Kinda… “Hahaha!” Applejack laughs, watching me from a tree nearby. “Look at tuh bright side! Ya‘ll got a few in ya basket!” She shouts, not able to contain her laughter further. Hahaha, Applejack. Ha ha ha…”Hey, I‘m trying.” I say, beginning to pick up the apples and put them in the basket. Applejack’s smile turns from fun, to gentle. “An‘ I appreciate it. It‘s uhm…” She ducks her head, batting a hoof at a nearby tree trunk. “Mighty kind of you.” She says, her accent a little less obvious for a moment. I look at her, absentmindedly still picking up apples. “Hey, no problem. Anytime you need some help, just let me know.” I tell her as honestly as I can. I can’t boast honesty like her, but I can try. Applejack bows her head slowly to me, then continues bucking them apple trees. Damn, she’s already on her fourth one. “I don‘t mean to be slow. I‘m just new to this.” I say apologetically, leaving the full basket at the tree. I go get a new one, and pick out another tree, making sure it’s still close to her. Applejack makes her around her tree, picking up a few stray apples. “Ah don‘ expect ya‘ll to fill in for Big Macintosh. Ya just do what ya can, and it‘ll be fine.” She says with a more gracious smile than usual. Oh, I see. So I’m filling in for that freaking HUGE pony, am I? I don’t suppose it’s a coincidence Rarity asked me to come down, she probably knew. “Big Macintosh? What‘s up with him?” I ask before I buck my tree finally, causing the apples to fall in routine. She just gives an annoyed huff. “Darn flu. Always comes when ya least expectin‘ it.” She says, shrugging her shoulders. “Ah,” I begin, knowing all too well of a sudden case of the flu. “Those can get nasty sometimes.” I comment, picking up my work of apples. “Eeyup, I s‘pose it can.” She replies shortly, then a loud thump resounds over me. Damn she can hit hard. Wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that! “Well…If you needed help, why isn‘t Rainbow Dash down here? She seems like quite the athlete.” I ask, still picking up the rest of my apples. Applejack sighs, ducking her head as she moves to another tree. “Winters‘a comin‘ up soon, an‘ Bow‘ tis‘ always busiest before winter. Ya know, weather control n‘ all.” She says, obvious sadness in her voice. Yeah…I honestly can’t feel empathy for not having my significant other around all the time, but…I know enough that it hurts. “I see…” I say, bucking the next tree, the apples falling around me. That’s when I realize I forgot a basket. Going back up a short walk and grabbing yet another basket, I make my way back, scouring through the trees to find one near Applejack. “So…How‘s your guys‘ situation going?” I ask, poking my head around a tree. Applejack chuckles a little from behind a freshly-bucket tree. “Ah knew ya‘d bring it up sooner or later.” She says, walking around her tree and picking up apples. “We‘re doin‘ fine, sugarcube.” She says reassuringly. Seeing her pick up apples reminds me I still have mine too. Before I pick up my first apple, I turn back to her. “Have you told them yet?” I ask, trying to be as friendly as possible. She shakes her head, but much more happily than I would’ve assumed. “Nah, Rainbow says we should wait ‘til we have things figured out.” She says, informing me of their plan. I turn back around, beginning to pick up my batch of apples. “So how did you two…hook up?” Applejack laughs to herself, making her way over to a tree. “Funny story, that.” She begins, bucking her tree moments after sizing it up. “She tol‘ me straight up she was intah me, an‘ wanted to get together. I tol‘ her, ‘Mah barn door don’t swing dat way, sugarcube.’” She tells me, then laughs to herself. “Was true, too. Til‘ she kissed me. I was sold from ten on.” She said. The kind of smile on her face…I’ve only seen it on blissful ponies. I nod my head, still picking up apples. “Sounds like a real love story.” I say, grinning mischievously. Applejack shrugs, sizing up another tree. “Wha‘ ‘bout you? Gots any mares ah should know ‘bout?” She asks, bucking a tree and sending it’s lush apples tumbling to the ground. I bow my head sheepishly. “Oh, well…” I begin, kicking a apple slightly. “Kind of have a date with one coming up.” I tell her, shrugging. She eyes me up, nodding. “Uh huh…” She says, moving on to another tree. “Nothing big, really. Just a friendly date.” I say, but truthfully, I’m not sure what kind of date it is. Applejack’s smile returns, and she continues bucking trees. I lost count of what she’s on. “No need ta be all bashful n‘ all.” She says with a bit of sly humor, taking up another tree that’s a lot closer to me. Oh…Right. Apple bucking. “Applejack…” I begin, looking up at her with worried eyes. “Are we going to do the whole apple tree farm today?” I ask, my eyebrows accentuating my worry. Applejack let’s out a loud, fun laugh. “Awe, goodness no, sugarcube! We‘re jus‘ gettin‘ a couple don‘! Ah have tuh res‘ of da season to buck the rest.” She says, shaking her head at my silliness. I let out a relieved sigh, the smiles coming back over my face. “Good, cause…I was afraid I might not be able to walk.” Just as Applejack’s laugh subsides, it starts back up. “Ah wouldn‘t put you through dat kinda labor, partner.” I sigh, still shaking my head. I’m…Quite relieved. Just a couple trees? I can handle that. Speaking of…I still got a few more to go. “So…Apples, huh?” I ask, eyeing her cutie mark as I make my way to another tree. She smiles, nodding proudly as I stare at her cutie mark. “Eeyup. Mah cutie mark tells it all, Doesn‘ it?” She asks, flaunting it around. I nod, admittedly admiring it. Just three little apples. I like it’s modesty. “Yeah, sure is. But…Did you ever want to do something else? Something that your cutie mark doesn‘t entitle?” I ask as I buck my next tree, sending the apples falling. She quickly shakes her head, looking around her. “Nah…Ah stay here, and buck all season cause it‘s my family‘s tradition. Jus‘…Notin‘ else I need in my life.” She says, looking around at the apple trees peacefully. “Not even Rainbow Dash?” I ask, grinning sarcastically as I pick up my apples, placing them in a nearby basket. Applejack rolls her eyes, scoffing me with a grin. “Come on, sugarcube, ya‘ll know what ah mean.” She says, making her way to yet another tree. I nod my head, knowing very well what she meant. “So…What do we do after this, then?” I ask, turning my head around a tree to look at the orange, blonde maned mare. “I s‘pose we‘ll jus‘ go back inside and ah‘ll make us some apple pie.” She says, bucking another tree. “Apple pie? I thought there was going to be hours of work.” I say, shaking my head at how easy going this was. She laughs, shaking her head. “Nah, dis season is not dat exciting. ‘Sides, I don‘ want‘a wear ya‘ll out so you‘re no good ta Rarity.” She says, smirking at me. I tilt my head back like I realize some ingenious plan. “I see…So I‘m just some handycolt that‘s passed around as a tool?” I ask like I have a grudge. She nods her head quickly. “Dat‘s tuh idea!” She tells me quickly, wrapping up the rest of her apples. I shake my head back and forth. So this is what I’ve become…A slave. Good pay though. “I‘ll live with it.” Applejack huffs, looking around us, specifically at the baskets we’ve filled. Mostly from her, really. “A‘ight den, ah think dats‘ enough for today.” She says, smirking my way. I was about to buck another tree, but…I shouldn’t do more work than I’m supposed to. Besides, my legs are staring to hurt. “Alright then, Miss Applejack. Apple pie then?” I ask, basing my assumption off my prior knowledge. She nods her head quickly, making her way back to the house before me. “Ah ain‘t the best with pies, but ah think ah can cook up somethin‘” She says with a prideful smirk. Nothing but pride going around these days. “Alright, I‘m psyched.” I purposely say in a feigned ecstatic tone. “What kind of pie?” Applejack looks back at me, raising an eyebrow. “Apple. Only tol‘ ya five times aw’ready.” She replies, shaking her head at my forgetfulness. I roll my eyes, bowing my head. “Right…Right. Sorry, I miss the small details sometimes.” I admit, chuckling to myself. “A lot.“ Chimes Applejack, still keeping her gaze on me. I slowly roll my eyes a couple times. “Alright, alright. A lot.” I admit, once again. Applejack seems to get plenty of comfort from being right all the time too, smiling widely. I would bet that we reached Applejack’s house faster than we got to the apple trees, but then again, when I go to so many places over and over again, the journey seems to get shorter. “Wait ‘til ya have some‘a mah apple pie.” She says, still full of pride. I nod my head, truthfully anxious to taste anything at this point. The very mention of food makes my stomach grumble, and I know she hears it. “Yeah…I haven‘t eaten all day.” I admit my lack of nutrition, walking up the porch to her house. “Really now?” She asks, walking past the still open door, turning her head back to me. “We‘re gonna have to fix dat, now won‘t we?” I follow quickly behind, politely closing the rickety door behind me. “Yes, please!” I say quickly, following her back into the kitchen. Luckily, the dishes are still all clean. Seems Applebloom didn’t ruin them again. I can’t even think of a cutie mark that would fit that quota. “So den,” Applejack begins, walking straight to the oven. “Ya‘ll‘s turn ta be bored.” She says, turning on the oven and setting it to it’s temperature. “What do you mean?” I ask, going to sit at one of the chairs still pulled out from the table. The orange mare moves her way over to the table, looking at me with irony in her eyes. “Cause it takes forty minutes for apple pie to cook.” A huge groan from my stomach croaks before I’m able to even do anything. “Ugh…Forty minutes is unbearable.” I say, putting my hoof on my cheek. She laughs whole-heartedly. “I’ma only kiddin’.” She says, looking back to her refrigerator. “Ah have plenty I can heat up in a few minutes.” My stomach still makes a loud grumble. “Heh…tease.” I mutter, putting my hoofs together. The teasing mare gets back up, turning around and pulling out a beautiful looking apple pie. She places it on the stove, then comes back, sitting across from me. “I‘m half tempted to just eat it cold.” I say, still staring at the gorgeous pie behind her. She laughs loud, putting both her hooves on the table now. “Ya could do dat. Or ya‘ll can wait ten minutes and eat it warm.” She says all sage-like. I shake my head, looking over the Texan mare. “I don‘t understand…I bucked maybe…4 trees, while you did like 12! And you do this all the time! How are you not hungry?” I ask, truly baffled. She shakes her head at my foreignness. “Ah don‘t know, really. I jus‘ don‘t feel tuh burden of hunger all da time.” I nod very slowly, still not quite understanding. I guess when you’re a finely tuned athletic machine, you suddenly lose all natural necessities. “Whatever you say, Applejack.” Just as Applejack is going to make a witty comeback, the timer goes off for the oven. She gets up, pulling open the oven door and placing the apple pie inside, then closes it. She messes with a few knobs, undoubtedly setting another timer. “Ugh…” I groan, gripping my troubled stomach. “I am going to completely devour that pie.” I say with complete seriousness, staring at Applejack. She joins me in a friendly laugh, walking back to her seat. “Hearin’ all this talk is makin‘ me a little peckish.” She says honestly, raising her eyebrows. “Yeah, well, go get your own pie.” I say, chuckling at how rude that was. I mean, that is her pie. She just shrugs an arm, leaning back in her chair. “Uhh…” She begins, biting around in her gums for an answer. “What you plannin’ on doin‘ after this?” She asks, looking at me a bit shyly. Applejack shy? I should take a picture. “You mean after I completely destroy this pie? I…Guess nothing. I‘m pretty much free all night.” I say, and as I mention night, I look out the window. The sun is just coming over head, telling me it’s around 6. We must have been out there a lot longer than I thought! “Oh, cause I was wonderin‘ if ya’ll wouldn‘t mind stayin‘ over for a while.” She says, tapping her hoof on the floor at a steady pace. I raise an eyebrow, and after a quiet silence, I shrug one of my shoulders. “Sure.” I say bluntly. Then my stomach grumbles, helping to break the silence. “How long is a while?” Applejack’s lips curve into a subtle smirk. “Ah, well…I was hopin‘ ya would stay tuh whole night, n‘ in the mornin‘ help apple buckin‘ some more.” She tells me, her smirk going into a curvaceous smile. I shrug, not really having a thought process more intricate than eat that freaking pie. “First time I‘ll ever stay the night at a farm.” Applejack continues with her smile. “Ah reckon ya‘ll find it nice n‘ cozy.” She says, looking back at the oven. “Tell me it‘s done.” I groan out, still clutching my stomach. She laughs heartedly, shaking her head at my hunger. “Ah s‘pose ah‘ll have tuh make one early tahmarrow, suh ya won‘ have tuh wait tis‘ long.” My eyes shoot wide. “Yes please!” I yelp, nodding my head real fast. Maybe…A pie already made in the morning, too. That would be amazing. “Aight sugarcube, it‘s done.” She tells me, yawning as she does. My stomach grumbles as loudly as ever, my legs shaking eagerly under the table. “I‘m gonna go at it like you and Dash on those cakes last night.” I boast, tilting my head back. Ugh…Those cakes! Now I regret not eating anything at the party. Applejack gets up, opening the oven and, with a cloth in hand, pulls out the pie. She brings it over quickly, placing it on the table before me. “Careful now, it‘s mighty hot.” She warns me, taking her hand away from the steamy looking pie. “No kidding? I thought I was just going to smash my face right in.” I say, cleverly making fun of how she ate cake at the party. She rolls her eyes, walking back over to the sink and pulling a plate, fork, and knife. “Ya‘ll sure ya want all of it tuh yourself?” I nod my head quickly as she comes back with my plate and fork. “I think I can. If not…Mind helping me out?” I ask, leaning my head forward to smell the pie. And…It smells sooooo good. Might just be my hunger intensifying the aroma, or it might be that Applejack is the bomb. She shrugs at my request, sitting back down in her seat. “Ah s‘pose ah could lend ya‘ll a hoof.” She says courteously. I waste no time, jabbing my fork carefully into the apple pie and slicing a decent sized piece. When it plops onto my plate, I like up the fork. “Mmf…” I mutter, tasting the sweet, scrumptious goodness. Applejack chuckles gently, watching me enjoy myself. “Good, ah take it?” She asks with an all-knowing smirk. I nod my head, taking my first real bite into my piece of the famous apple pie. And it tastes…fantastic. The sweetness is so strong, but it’s subdued by the subtle taste of cinnamon. It’s just the most perfect blend possible. “Seein‘ ya‘ll chow down is‘a makin‘ me hungry.” She admits, a gentle grin careening over her face. Like I said earlier, I pull my piece of pie closer protectively as I eye her up. “Mimef!” Applejack bursts into a chuckle, shaking her head. “Ah‘ll settle for jus‘ an apple.” She says, getting up and moving back to the kitchen counter where there’s a basket full of fresh apples. I didn’t even notice it’s presence. “Aaah.” I mumble, taking another bite of the pie. My stomach gurgles, still greedy for more. “Uhh…” Applejack stutters, coming back as she takes a chomp from her apple. “Enjoyin‘ tat‘ pie?” She asks, clearly not what she really wanted to Ask. I look over at her, still chewing. It takes a minute before it’s chewed enough so that I can swallow. “Yeah…Damn good. What else does the Apple family make?” I ask, making small talk. She sighs, dipping her head as she takes her seat. “Apple cider, apple pie, apple cake, apple-cheese cake, apple oreo-cake, apple corn, apple brownies, and orange juice.” She tells me blatantly like I’m at a fast-food restaurant. I can’t help but laugh at orange juice. “Orange juice?” I ask with obvious sarcasm and disbelief. She nods her head, lowering her eyes. “Ah don‘t like it, tuh be perfectly honest which ya.” I shake my head. I can’t wrap my head around that…Of all the apple related stuff…Orange juice? That’s hilarious. “Why not apple juice?” I question with a big grin, then take another chunk of my pie into my mouth. She raises her eyebrows, looking up to the ceiling. “Never thought of dat…” She mutters. Oh…wow. Apple juice? She has to be joking. “Only the most famous apple thing ever made.” I say with my usual know-it-all grin. She raises an eyebrow at me, shaking her head. “Of course we make apple juice, ah just forgot ta mention is all.” She corrects me, crushing my know-it-all grin. “Oh, I see. Well…” I say quickly, looking down at my pie. I forgot just how much I’m able to eat before my stomach starts to disagree. “I reckon I‘m full.” I say with a sheepish smirk. Applejack looks at me suspiciously. “Really now? Thought ya‘ll could chow down dat whole thing.” She says sharply. Clearly, she knew from the start I wouldn’t eat it all. “I guess I have a smaller stomach than I thought.” I say with an embarrassed smile. “Ah well.” She says, shrugging it off. “More for me!” She says, standing up from her chair. I get up from mine as well and watch her as she gets herself a plate and fork. “Ya‘ll can go sit out in tuh livin‘ room. Ah‘ll be t‘ere in a few.” With a nod, I make my way out to the living room where it is undoubtedly the coziest room I’ve ever been in. The library was really nice, but it didn’t seem to have a lot of personality. This place…Has nothing but history. The worn out wood on the floor, yet still staying strong with color. The fireplace in a wall where a couch and two chairs circle around it. The walls, each of them having some kind of picture on them. Nearly all of them have more than one pony in them, undoubtedly they are part of the Apple family. The couch looks like it has been through lot’s of trouble while the chairs look brand new. I’ll take the couch, gladly spreading my legs out on it and leaning my head back on one of it’s arms. It’s not the comfiest piece of furniture, but the hominess of the whole room makes it much more likeable. “Ah see ya gettin‘ comfy there, partner!” Applejack says, walking into the living room. I regrettably move my feet from taking up the whole couch, sitting upright. “This house is really nice.” I compliment, smiling admiring at the architecture surrounding me. “Was it hand made?” Applejack nods her head, clearly happy I’m able to detect it on my own. “It was, by mah ancestors.” She replies, taking a bite out of her slice of the pie. I tip my head to her. “It‘s gorgeous.” I compliment again. Applejack sits down next to me on the couch, placing her pie on a nearby table. “Thanks, Mr. B.” She says. That’s the first time she called bt my name all day. I smirk, tilting my head. “You can just call me Buddy, on account of the informal situation.” I say with a stupid smile, not able to contain a subtle laugh. It takes a moment for Applejack to get it, staring at me confused, but she joins me in a little laugh when she does. “Ah…Ya can call me AJ, Buddeh.” She says with an all too obvious mischievous grin. I don’t know why, but hearing her say my name with that accent is really funny. “So…” I begin, getting comfortable on the couch. “What to talk about?” I ask, attempting to make small talk. Applejack stuffs her face with a piece of apple pie. Well…Someone didn’t learn their manners from Rarity. She would probably be having an aneurism after seeing that. “What‘re you getting Twilight?” I ask, my memory now coming back to me since I have food in my belly. Applejack grins, swallowing her food. “Ah‘ma gettin‘ her her own Stetson.” She says with a very prideful smirk, dipping her head to give me a full view of her hat. A hat? I couldn’t have guessed. Honestly would’ve figured something related to apples. “A hat, huh? Sounds to me like a last minute gift.” I comment, smirking. I know all too well what a last minute gift is, and that’s definitely one of them. She shrugs with a kind of ‘I’ve been found out’ smile. “It‘s tuh thought dat counts.” She says, moving around on the couch to get comfy. “What ‘bout you?” Now it’s my turn to be prideful. I dip my head up, laying my hoofs down at my side. “Oh, well…Me and Rarity had this idea to make her an entire book as a blanket.” I tell her, a big smile coming over my face. She looks at me curiously, squinting her eyes. “What?” She asks, not understanding a word. I sigh, trying to find the right words. “Uhm…It‘s…Like a…It‘s a whole book. The letters in a book on a blanket, both sides. All across it, so she can read it while in bed.” I correct myself, still trying to hold up a prideful smile. She still stares at me curiously. “Ah still don‘t understand the meanin‘ of it.” She admits, taking the last bite of her pie. Damnit. Finally have something to boast to AJ and she has the perfect defense: not understanding it. “Nevermind.” I mutter, defeated at a game of pride. The orange mare across from me giggles playfully. “Ah understand tuh idea, but why a blanket? Not tuh most…Err…Convenient of things, ya know.” She says, smirking at me. Oh, so she does understand. Well now I’m all out of pride, so screw it. “It‘ll make her happy, and that‘s what counts.” I say, getting to the point. Applejack smiles, nodding at my point. “Dats true.” She admits, turning her head to watch the non-burning chimney. I too look over at it, and for a moment, I wonder what it would look like if it’s wood was on fire. “Pretty slick of you.” I say, turning my head back to her. She raises an eyebrow at me. “What ya mean?” She asks, suspicion clear in her voice. I lean my head back, smirking at her innocence. “Making the excuse of apple bucking tomorrow.” I say matter-a-factly. Her face slightly reddens, and it’s accentuated greatly over her orange coat and mane. “Ah…Uhh…” She mumbles, not being able to focus her eyes on anything. I shrug my shoulders, now full of confidence. “Either you‘re bad at hiding your emotions, or I‘m good at finding them.” I say with a stitch of benevolence. She gives a defeated huff, crossing her legs over her chest. “Ah don‘t know what tuh do anymore.” She mutters, her emotions now absent. I dip my head, dropping my arrogant smile. “What‘s wrong, Applejack?” I ask with the most concerned tone I can muster. She shakes her head, bringing her head into her legs. “Me n‘ ‘Bow…” She mutters. Oh…That. “What happened…?” I ask slowly, moving a little closer. She shakes her head in her legs, her hat almost falling off. “We‘re always separated!” She bursts suddenly. Her voice sounds more hoarse and uncontrolled than usual. “Weather control…Apple buckin‘…we almos‘ never see each other.” She tells me, her hat finally falling to the ground. Now I can see her mane. It looks really clean, well combed, and braided perfectly. “That‘s just because you two have very different lives.” I say, getting off the couch and coming to her side. “She‘s a Pegasus, an-” A very…hurt whimper escapes Applejack’s mouth. I clench my eyes shut, mentally scolding myself. “I‘m sorry…” I apologize, very concerned. I gently put a hoof on her shoulder, letting her know I’m here. “It‘ll all work out.” I say reassuringly, making sure she hears me under those soft whimpers. She ducks her head lower, clearly not wanting me to see her crying. “Everythin‘s all mucked up, su-…Sugarcube.” She says, trying to keep back her sniffles. I let it go quiet for a few minutes. The only sounds being emitted from Sweet Apple Acres are coming from the subtle weeps of the tough Applejack. One thing I remember when I cried a whole lot as a young colt was laughter always made everything better. Even if it was a joke completely out of context, as long as I laughed, it made me feel better. Might not be for every pony, but… “Hey, AJ.” I begin, getting her attention. She moves her head slightly, letting me know she heard me. “You know how Rainbow always boasts that she‘s the fastest in Equestria? Well, since you two are dating, I think you should know that she really is the fastest in Equestria.” I say with an extremely mischievous chuckle. It takes Applejack a minute, but she bursts into a bubble of weeping and laughing, sniffling in between laughs and gasping for air. “Heh, She…Tuh fas-…Fastest…In Eque-” She stops, moving her head back as she laughs. Ahh…The sweet sounds of laughing after crying. I join her in a subtle laugh, shaking my head at my terrible joke. “Thanks.” She says, still sniffling a little from the aftermath of her sorrow. I nod my head to her, picking up her classic Stetson hat and putting on her head. It’s a snug fit. “Anytime, partner.” I say, mimicking her accent. She smiles warmly, turning to me as she leaves her hat on her head sideways. Her eyes are slightly red from the aftershock of crying, her cheeks slightly puffy. “Sorry for droppin‘ this on ya all of da sudden.” She says apologetically, sighing as she fixes her hat. I shrug, still sitting by her side. “I came here to help, even if it‘s not the kind you expected.” I tell her, tinting my foreboding want to have just one more slice of pie. A very calm, collective smile comes over AJ. “Ah don‘t know what ah did in mah pas‘ life to deserve a frien‘ like you.” She says, looking from the chimney then back to me. I shake my head quickly, denying the praise. “You have the girls. They are far greater friends than I‘ll ever be. Besides…” I say, batting my eyes, huffing. “I just moved here.” I barely utter out, moving my tongue around in my mouth. I can taste some remnants of that apple pie. She shakes her head, denying my denial of her praise. “An‘ it only proves my point further.” She says confidently, leaning back on the arm of the couch. I lean my head back suspiciously, eyeing her up. “How so?” I ask, both curiously and full of suspicion. “In tis short amoun’ of time…” She starts, really focusing her gaze on me. “Ya‘ve gotten‘ three jobs, a party, a date, six new frien‘s, and some of em‘ are interested in ya.” She says, full of omnipotence. “If ya don‘t call that successful, I don‘t know what is.” I lean back a little, squinting my eyes. Did she say some are interested? What? “Wait, so…” I began, trying to grasp what she said. “I get your point, but…” I continue to pause, shaking my head. Which ones…? “They‘re interested in me?” Applejack raises her eyes like she just told something she shouldn’t have. “Whoops!” She says, revealing that it was a purposeful slip of the tongue. “Ah ain‘t the faintest idea what ya mean.” She says, smirking now that she has all the power. I stare at her glumly. “Who?” I ask bluntly, sitting down on the floor. She sighs, looking over at me with sincere eyes. “Ah can‘t tell ya tat cause it‘s personal.” She says, a bit of regret in her eyes. “Ah want to, cause you being really nice n‘ all, but ah can‘t jus‘ go aroun‘ telling‘ others‘ secrets n‘ all.” She says, her smirk turning to a frown. The first frown I’ve seen from anypony since I moved here. “Hey, no worries.” I say, nodding my head to her loyalty to her friends. “Knowing that is enough, anyways. I think I can figure it out for myself.” I say with a very mischievous grin over my face. She sighs, shaking her head at my arrogance. “Ah‘m sure ya can, sugarcube.” I tilt my head back, a glance of evil sparking in me. “I mean, I already have one down.” I say confidently, looking at her with dagger eyes. She blushes lightly, ducking her head. “Ah know…” She says in defeat, looking to the floor. “Why though?” I ask bluntly, shaking my head. I’m not…That interesting. She shrugs her shoulders, pulling her hind legs back up to her chest. “Ah like a hard workin‘ sort‘a pony.” She admits to me, still not looking me in the eye. I’m taken back a little by this. Hard working…Well, I suppose I am! I mean, not the best apple bucker, but yeah…Yeah, I guess I do work kind of hard. “I‘m flattered, Applejack.” I say with a hint of embarrassment. I dare not let blush come over me. She rolls her eyes, still looking at the floor. “An‘…I like brown.” She utters barely, shifting her eyes left and right as she hides under her legs. Brown? Heh…“Oh yeah?” I ask, now feeling an abundance of pride swelling in me. I flick my darker brown mane out of my face, just for good measure. She sighs, closing her eyes and ducking her head totally under her legs. “Laugh it up, sugarcube.” She mutters, perking her lips. I have myself one last chuckle, then go back to her side. “Well…” I begin, looking out a nearby window. The sun is completely gone, the only sight now is Luna’s infinite night. “You want to light that chimney, so you don‘t get cold?” I ask, not daring to tell her I get cold easy. She smirks, seeing right through my ruse. “Sure thing.” She says, getting up from the couch and trotting over to the fireplace. I jump back up onto the couch, getting myself nice and comfortable as Applejack lights the chimney, and it quickly builds into a relaxing fire. It looks exactly how I pictured it. “Hey now,” She says, walking back over to the couch and finding her spot back on the opposite side to me. “Ya‘ll don‘t think ‘bout sleepin‘ right’a ways now, ya hear?” She says with an accusing glare. I put my hoofs up defensively. “Wouldn‘t dream on it.” I say, laughing lightly at my awful pun. “Don‘t take me lightly. Jus‘ cause ah like ya don‘t mean ah won‘t stick mah hoof where it won‘t fit.” She threatens me with a crooked grin. I pipe down, nodding with a very subtle hint of scarce fear. “Yup. Now I‘ll have nightmares.” She laughs whole-heartedly, enjoying my fear of her. “Ya‘ll can relax. Ah‘m not gonna keep ya up all night.” She says, stretching her hind legs out. I don’t even know what time it is…I’d guess 9, but I’ve been wrong before. A lot. “Oh, well it‘s not like I don‘t enjoy your company.” I comment, glancing from her, then back to the gently rising fire. “Likewise, sugarcube.” She says courteously, and I can see out of the corner of my eye that she’s grinning like usual. “So you and Rainbow always have competitions like that?” I ask, still watching the fire crack and burn. She sighs, adjusting her hat on her head. “Like‘a married couple.” She says, laughing at her own awful joke. I join her in a subtle laugh, going along with it. “Is it always at parties?” I ask curiously, every now and then glancing over to her. She shakes her head, letting the cracking of twigs settle before speaking. “We‘ve raced a few times. O‘course she couldn‘t fly, though. An‘ sometimes it‘s drinkin‘ contests with apple cider.” She sighs, kicking her feet up and leaning over the arm of the couch. “Really depen‘s on what tuh occasion is.” She says, moving her gaze from me to the fire. I follow her, looking back to the fire as we make small talk. “I heard you Texan type‘s can really put it down.” I compliment, leaning my head just a little farther on the arm, letting my head rest. “Heh…” Applejack mumbles, rubbing her hoof over her chest. “’Bow can hold her own pretty good, but she ain‘t got nothing on this champion.” She boasts, once again, full of pride. Twilight, right again… I let a grin come over me as I close my eyes, letting the gentle cracks and warmth of the fire subdue me slowly. “Sounds like you.” I say tiredly, not able to contain a yawn. Applejack catches up on my exhaustion, getting up from her spot on the couch. “Ya‘ll a‘ight stayin‘ there for tuh night?” She asks, looking back at me before she retires for the night. I nod my head gently. “This couch…Real cozy.” I say, not really sure if it’s the couch or that Applejack put something in the pie. She chuckles to herself, and walks off, making her way up the stairs. “Night, sugarcube!” I didn’t even realize there were stairs in this house. Wow…I have to pay attention more. But not right now; right now…All I need to do is pass the hell out, and let this lovely fire put me away to dreamland. -- My drowsiness settles as I flutter my eyes open to the morning. Unlike staying the night at Twilight’s house, I know where I am this morning. “Applejack?” I call to the orange mare, testing her presence. My test fails however when I hear nothing back. I look over at the chimney, noting that it’s fire has been burned out long ago. I groggily get up, looking over at the nearest window and that’s when I huff loudly. It’s easily into the afternoon. Overslept…I hate oversleeping. Less time to get stuff done. Even though Rarity probably doesn’t have anything for me, I still don’t like it. No sense in staying in bed any longer now. Or couch, whatever. I hop off the couch, stretching my legs and neck out. I hear plenty of cracks and nicks, like twigs breaking in my body. At first it tickles, but the sweet numbness and relaxation swells over me. “Ahh…” I mutter to myself. With no one around. Quickly as I can, I go outside where Applejack probably is waiting, but instead of being greeted with the orange mare, I’m hit with a rush of scents. Honey, flowers, freshly cut grass, and of course, apples. It smells really nice. “Mornin‘, partner!” AJ yells from across the fields. Oh…Guess I don’t have to look far. “Afternoon!” I correct her, making my way to the apple trees. She too walks back from her apple bucking, probably so we don’t have to yell. “Ya‘ll always sleep tis‘ late?” I shake my head quickly, inhaling a deep sigh. “No, no I don‘t. I hate oversleeping, but I think you put something in that pie.” I interrogate with a sharp stare. An evil grin succumbs over AJ’s face. “Mah own recipe.” I roll my eyes, then exhale my kempt oxygen. “What we doing today?” I ask, looking back behind her. Still that huge field of trees… She shakes her head happily. “Ah‘ma get tuh res‘ of dat. Ya‘ll jus‘ go back ta Rarity now, Ah‘ll a holler if ah need ya again.” She ducks her head in the direction of Ponyville. I look back behind me, and I didn’t notice it before, but I can see all of Ponyville from up here. The bar, Sucarcube Corner, and especially Twilight’s tree house. “You sure?” I ask, turning back to her. She just gives a sure-as-heck nod. “Alright then…I‘ll see you when I see you.” I bid, turning back towards the road I came from. “Thanks for da help, sugarcube!” She shouts behind me, then she too begins her journey back to the apple trees. I’m just a whore now, aren’t I? Working for anypony that needs it. Rarity owns me basically, and let’s my handy-work be used by anyone that…needs it. So she’s my pimp, essentially. I don’t know which ones, but some of them like me. And to top it off, I’m getting paid. Can’t complain with 50 bits, though. I stop my pointless bickering with myself when I come across both the signs leading to Sweet Apple Acres, and the one for Ponyville. One thing I didn’t notice before…is a third road, leading to a place that has no sign. “Wonder what that is…” I mumble to myself, just glancing at the trail that looks like it hasn’t been walked in a long, long time. Continuing on my way down the path back to Ponyville, I can see it’s a lot more lively during this time of day. There’s ponies of all different types walking around, and several Pegasi flying above. Unicorns levitating food into their bags, Earth ponies dragging large carts around, and Pegasi doing whatever they do. Flying, I guess… “Hey!” A high pitched filly yells, and the sound it emitted from careens towards me. “Oh…Heya, Scootaloo.” I greet to the little dark-orange filly, smiling. “You‘re that bartender!” She says, now walking with me through a crowd of ponies. Luckily, I don’t have to push anyone out of the way for Scootaloo. I nod my head, confirming her question. “Yeah, I was. Now I-” “Do stuff for Rarity!” She shouts proudly, bouncing up and down. “I know, Sweetie Belle told me.” She says, still beaming with pride of her knowledge. I sigh, nodding my head to the little filly as I come to Rarity’s beauty shop. “Hey, Scootaloo.” I address, stopping in front of Rarity’s door. “I got crusading to do.” She looks up at me, nodding her head slowly. “Oh, okay mister! Let us know if you get your cutie mark!” She shouts still, announcing ‘us‘, even though there’s a distinct lack of cutie mark crusaders. “I sure will, Scootaloo.” I reassure her, smiling genuinely. With the bow of her head, she’s off, remarkably fast too. She is a Pegasus, but even with the lack of flight, she can run pretty quick. Probably all the freaking energy that youth brings. “Nice of you to stop by.” Rarity says with her chin up. I turn quickly to her, seeing the door hanging open with her blocking the way inside. “Sorry I‘m late. Kind of…Overslept.” I admit, bowing my head in embarrassment. She smiles, warmly as ever. “Not a problem. I have done it plenty of times, Mr. B.” She backs away from the door, holding a hoof out for me to walk inside. I take the kind gesture, trotting my way into the shop. “Thanks for understanding.” I say, making my way into the familiar shop. Beautiful as ever. “Right to business, then.” Rarity begins, skipping any morning commodities. I nod my head quickly, stopping in the middle of the room as I listen. “I ran into a small hitch…” Rarity says glumly, looking at the floor. “The blanket has to be triple layered, so each side of the blanket holds half of the book. But…” She pauses, pacing in an imaginary circle. “I don‘t know of a book!” She says, her pace getting much quicker. I put my hooves up, trying to contain her worry. “It‘s al-” “No it won‘t!” She shouts, her eyes bulging. “If I don‘t have something that she hasn‘t read yet, then I‘ll never be able to finish it! And…I have no way of finding out without her suspecting!” She shouts, her worry only cascading. I raise both my eyebrows. “What about Spike?” I ask on a total hunch. Immediately her worry sparks into an idea. “Perfect!” She shouts abruptly, a big smile over her face. I shake my head at how simple the solution was. “Alright….So you want me to go ask Spike, don‘t you?” I ask, raising one of my eyebrows. She ducks her head, making a pouty face. “Oh…It would be the most darlingest thing.” I roll my eyes very slowly, making sure she sees every bit of my sarcasm. “Not like I can disagree.” I mumble, already making my way to the door. “Oh!” She yells, stopping me for a moment. “And tell Spikey I have a present for him, too.” She says with a really…odd smirk. I nod my head suspiciously. “I have this really strange feeling that I wouldn‘t want my worst enemies to have this ‘present’.” She shakes her head, baffled at my assumption. “It‘s a very rare ruby.” She explains, and immediately shuts me up. “Oh.” I mutter, rolling my eyes. “Whatever works, I guess.” I say with minor discomfort. She bows her head. “Best be on your way, then!” She commands, the door still hung open by her hoof. I take in a deep breath, hesitating for a moment to leave. Maybe I could ask her about this whole…Crush thing. “Alright, Rarity. I‘ll see you in a bit.” I tell her with a contempt smile, deciding against asking. The door closes behind my abruptly, and I find myself back outside. No use standing around here; I’ve got stuff to do. I don’t even have to go far to be at Twilight’s library. In just a 2 minute’s walk, I’m at her door. I knock on it loud enough to be noticed from the crowd of ponies around me. The door opens, and at first I have my head too high to notice a small purple dragon below my gaze. “What can I do for ya?” He asks quickly with an accent I can’t recognize. So this is Spike…He’s pretty short for a dragon. “Hey, I‘m a friend of Twilight‘s.” I say with hope it gets me access into the library. He moves his grip off the door, walking back into the library. I can see a lot of the books have been picked up, but he still has plenty to do. “The Starspiral guy?” He asks, moving his head slightly to address me. I nod my head even though he can’t see. “Yeah, I worked with him.” I explain, awkwardly standing in the middle of the library. I can actually see the floor now. “So what do you want?” He asks kind of rudely. He probably doesn’t like new ponies, or dragons are just like that. How the hell would I know…I’ve never met one before. “Actually…” I begin, making my way over to him. “Woah, woah!” He yells, interrupting me. “You work for rarity, right?” He asks, dropping his voice a lot lower. After a couple seconds of pondering, I nod my head gently. His eyes glaze over, and he clenches his fists. “Could you do me a solid?” He asks, biting his lips. I didn’t know dragons had lips. I look at him curiously, shaking my head. “A solid?” I ask, not really understanding. He clenches his eyes shut. “A favor! Can you do me a favor?” He asks impatiently. I nod my head, now realizing what he means. “Ooooh…Well, it depends.” I answer, taking in a deep breath. He continues to bite his lips, obviously tense. “Could you swap with me for the day? Swap jobs?” He says, almost too fast for my comprehension. I thought Twilight and Pinkie talked fast, but…Wow. “You mean…” I begin, glancing around the room. “I become Twilight‘s assistant, and you become Rarity‘s?” I ask, trying to understand his benefit out of this. He nods his head quickly, tons of hope spewing from his soul. “Yeah yeah yeah!” He yells, his excitement in a bundle. I lay my hooves out, trying to calm him. “Alright, relax. Relax…” I say in a soothing voice. Doesn’t work, though. “Why?” I ask, shaking my head at how…sporadic his mood got. Immediately he goes from excited, to dreamy. “I get to spend a day with Rarity…” He mutters, clutching his hands together. “Oooooh…” I coo, a smirk rising over my face. This could work out beautifully. “Alright, I‘ll work with you. But!” I yell, making sure he hears my conditions before running off. “You have to do two things for me. One immediate, the other…not.” I say, my plan coming together greatly. Well…I’m still making the plan now, but still. He immediately leans his face forward, obviously prepared for whatever I got. “I‘m game. Whatcha need, bro?” He asks, his vocabulary taking a turn for…Childish. I lean my head back, crossing my hooves. “You have to give Rarity suggestions on books that Twilight hasn‘t read yet.” I then glance around the room, my eyes widening at the amount of books here. “I realize that would be…difficult, considering how many there are, but I believe in you.” I say slowly, making sure he takes in every detail. He nods his head quickly, then leans in closer. “And the second?” He asks, impatience in his voice. “I need you to do some detective work.” I tell him, lowering my voice. I don’t know where Twilight is…but I definitely don’t want her knowing anything. She’ll probably figure it out before any other pony anyways. “What?” He asks, backing up a moment curiously. “Detective? You want me to solve a murder?” He asks, his eyes wide. I smack my hoof into my face. “No…” I mutter, then take in a big sigh as I try to explain again. “I want you to…Well…” I pause, really thinking about what I want to say. His impatience boiling up doesn’t help. “I‘ve learned that some of the ponies in this group of 6 friends have…Interests in me.” I explain, raising my eyebrows. “I‘d like you to find out which ones.” His gaze turns to an unamused stare, blinking every so often. “I‘m not doing that.” He says stubbornly, shaking his head. Even though he denies, I tilt my head back confidently. “Rarity has a present for you.” I don’t need his words of acceptance to know he‘ll do it. His face tells it all. “I‘ll do it!” He yells, balling his little fists up. Or…claws. “But you have to do it.” I tell him, pausing for dramatic effect. “Right now.” I demand, shifting my head to the door. Immediately he bolts to the streets of Ponyville. I think he was trying to thank me among his mumbles…but I couldn’t hear a thing. “Buddy?” Twilight asks as she comes out from her study, looking at me curiously. “What are you doing here?” She asks, looking around the room, probably for Spike. “I decided you might need some help with sorting these books.” I quickly retort, trying to drive her attention from Spike’s absence. She immediately looks at me with an all too well knowing stare. “Spike went to Rarity‘s, didn‘t he?” I roll my eyes, nodding my head. “Yeah.” I admit embarrassingly. Sorry, little guy. She’s good. She shrugs, making her way over to me. “I can‘t blame him. He organizes them every day.” She says, almost apologetically. I raise my eyebrows. That little guy? Impressive. “A dedicated assistant.” I compliment, then laugh to myself subtly. “I feel as though I‘ve been issued a challenge.” I add, raising my eyebrows to her. She shakes her head at my Brashfulness. “I‘m sure you‘re a very reliable assistant to Rarity.” She comments, smiling warmly. I wonder if she’s ever made a joke to someone before? “Thanks, Twilight.” I reply, then glance around the room quickly. “So you want some help?” I ask earnestly, totally willing to do some simple book-shelving. Twilight smiles at my offer, and it takes her a minute to accept with a nod. “If you really want to.” I nod quickly, sure of myself. “Oh yeah, this‘ll be nothing after apple bucking with AJ.” I explain, looking at the books scattered around me. Not that many, a few here and there. Twilight dips her head, squinting her eyes. “You were over Applejack‘s?” She asks, walking over my way. “Yeah.” I answer dully before picking up a book and reading it’s cover. Vermithrax Kindred’s Hundred Thousand Year Reign That’s an excessive title. So V, then… “They‘re alphabetical.” Twilight informs me, still smiling as she too levitates a couple books. I don’t know of any other way to sort books. By color, I guess? Or author? “Thanks, I had no idea.” I say, looking at all the different labels of letters under each shelf, specifically looking for a V. “So what did you guys do?” Twilight asks, hovering some books into their places. I would reply, but Vermithrax’s huge book in my mouth disables me. Finally coming across V, I slide it into it’s place. “I washed her dishes for a while, then we went and collected some apples. Thank Celestia we didn‘t have to do the whole field…You‘d probably have seen me in the morgue.” I comment grimly, making my way back to get another book. “Did you sleep in her house?” She asks directly, still making books float around the room. And that’s when I feel suspicion…Is she one of them? Does she have a crush on me…? She’s only known me for a couple days. Then again…All of them have only known me for a couple days. “She pretty much forced me to. Baked us a pie, too! Was pretty good.” I say, testing to see how it would effect her. She huffs, squinting her eyes as she continues to move books around. “Oh…” She says, and continues to mumble something to herself. That seals it. I might be letting something as simple as ‘interested’ get to me, but…It interests me. A lot. “I like the library though.” I say, not able to hide a very wide smirk across my face, picking up a book in my mouth. War and Remembrance - Fall of Intrepad “Why is that?” She asks, some warmth coming back to her voice. I smile, taking the book to the W shelf, and sliding it in it’s place. “I don‘t know really…It just feels a lot more relaxed.” I explain to both her and myself, then I pick my head up, looking over to her. “Plus, Applejack‘s is like…well, I get the feeling that if I lived there, it would only be nice until I have to go work. It‘s like eating a really nice cupcake, then having to eat a whole bunch of broccoli.” I explain further, causing a roar of laughter between us. “That‘s a very unique analogy.” Twilight says, letting her laughter subside. “Helping me with my reports…Organizing my books…” She says slowly, moving her head left to right. “What next?” I look up at her, picking up another book. I shrug in response, looking at it’s title. Starswirl Makes History “Well…” She begins to speak, choosing her words carefully as I make my way to the S shelf. “I…was-…Uhmm…” She stutters, looking around the library and every now and then settles her eyes on me. Is Twilight about to ask me out on a date? “Hoping you and I could…Go somewhere.” She mutters, her face redder than ever. I place the book among the many others on it’s shelf, and turn around. I can’t help but smile so widely my jaw might fall off. “What do you have in mind?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Her face lights up, the embarrassment turning to an outburst of hope and vigor. “We could go to the movies, or…or the museum! We could visit Canterlot, or I can make spells for us to visit Cloudsdale, or I-” “How about a picnic?” I interrupt, looking at her very calmly. She blinks a couple times, and as the idea settles in her, she nods slowly. “That would be…Really nice.” She says slowly, beaming a great smile. I then have a spark go through my head, and my mouth slowly becomes more and more ajar as it forms into a big collage of ideas. “I…have this incredible idea, Twilight.” She tilts her head up, excitement coursing through her and me. “Yeah?” She asks enthusiastically. I make my way over to the V section, glancing at the book I placed earlier. “Are you familiar with Vermithrax?” I ask, looking back to her. She nods her head proudly. “Of course! He was the most powerful dragon ever and he ruled as the King of Equestria for a long time!” She announces her knowledge proudly. I bow my head admirably, then continue. “Yes, but…Do you know about his meteor?” I ask, pulling the book back out, taking it to the nearby table. She quickly follows me, nodding her head. “Of course I do! Anypony could tell you that it was created when he drew his last breath and created a never ending fireball.” Then, her eyes shoot out wide. “Are you…?!” She asks, looking at me with a big smile. “Every hundred years…It makes a trip around Earth, and can be seen as it cuts through the atmosphere.” I tell her, seeing the crazy amount of suspense welling inside her. “It‘s in twelve days.” She lowers her head on the table, closing her eyes. “Oh…That would be incredible.” She coo’s out, deeply sighing. I nod my head, pride swelling over me at my ingenious idea. “But…” I begin, making sure I get her attention. Even the possibility of this not happening would get her attention. “I was hoping you wouldn‘t mind if everyone went with us.” I say, looking at her with weary eyes. She sighs, closing hers. She exhales any of her remaining air, then inhales deeply. “I really, really want to be greedy…” She admits, then opens her eyes to mine. “But I love my friends.” I smile at her sacrifice, then flip open the book, near the back. It takes a couple page-flips to get what I want, but when it comes up…It catches both of our attention. It’s a picture of Vermithrax. Drawn, of course, but…It looks horridly scary. His wings spread out across the sky to impossible lengths, his eyes as big as the moon on a good night, and his talons are like a tear in the fabric of time. His mouth drools out greed, his scales each telling a story of evil, and his wings having many holes through their stretch across Equestria, yet they only aid in the fear swelling up inside me. “I‘m thankful I live now…and not then.” Twilight mumbles, shaking her head at the picture. I nod my head, flipping to the next page, showing a real picture of his meteor. “Oh yeah…He‘s a scary fuc-…He’s a scary dragon.” I mumble, looking over the text about the meteor. It is unknown how Vermithrax succumbed to death. Most scriptures suggest he fell to an alliance of Allicorns, and other less-credible sources suggest he left his remaining life force into his last breath; The Meteor of Vermithrax Kindred. With the power to burn forever through time, even in space, his meteor passes over Equestria’s skies every hundred years. Allicorns watch over it’s passing to be sure it doesn’t do anything more than slip into the atmosphere before moving on into space. Some less-credible sources suggest the Allicorns watch over it during it’s passing be- Then the page cuts off, a chunk torn from it. “Sorry…I try to take care of my books, but some of them are hand-me-downs…” Twilight says apologetically, batting her eyes across the page. I shrug, closing the book and looking over to Twilight. “Picnic on his Meteor passing, then?” I ask with a sly grin. She nods her head quickly. “They say…” She begins, tilting her head up to look at the ceiling. “That it‘s so big, it could be seen from the other side of the world!” She yells excitedly, then immediately goes to hug me. I pat my hoof on her back, smiling at the affection. This is my first hug since I came to Ponyville…“Make sure you let everyone know, alright?” I inform her, dipping my head down a little as she breaks from the hug. “Oh, of course! Pinkie will probably make some snacks…Rarity will make us all clothes…Applejack will probably bring some- Oh this is just going to be fantastic!” She shouts, each and every moment away from the event makes her more and more excited. “I‘m glad you like it so much. Now then…” I say, shifting the conversation. “Let‘s keep on p-” I stop myself, looking around the room. The floor is completely spotless. “Or not.” I say, chuckling a little. “Heh…” Twilight mumbles, her face reddening. “Thanks for the help.” I turn around, raising an eyebrow. “Help? I got like…three books and you put away at least twenty.” I say, denying the thanks. She shakes her head, rolling her eyes. “You tried, and that‘s what matters.” She says, her smile as warm as always. I’m about to reply with another warm comment, but we’re suddenly invaded by a certain white coated mare. “Yo!!” She shouts, her glare straight on me. “Vinyl?” I ask, looking at her with a surreal stare. “What are you doing here?” Better yet, how did she find me? Oh...Oh! We have a date…I can see this going down hill, real fast. She shakes her head, clenching her eyes shut as she gasps for air. “I…Have been looking for you…everywhere.” She says with big, exasperated eyes. I look at her with a weary smile, tilting my head to the side. “Yeah…I‘m s-” “Do you ever check your messages?” She asks, shaking her head in disbelief. Check my messages? I…haven’t even been home. Oh…I think I know what she did now. “Vi-” “I had to ask that guy that we both covered for to get your number. When I did, I left you three messages! Then, I asked around where Rarity is, and when I got there, she told me you were Sweet apple Acres. So…I went up there, and that mare…Applejock or whatever told me you were at Rarity‘s! SO! I ran all the way back there, and asked her again! She told me you were here…and here…you are.” She says, running out of breath. I walk my way over to her, patting a hoof on her back. “I‘m sorry I put you through that…I just haven‘t been home.” I explain, shaking my head. For want of a nail indeed… “It‘s cool.” She says, laughing hysterically with what breath she has left. I look at her, still worried. “So…Why‘d you go through all that trouble?” I ask, even though I know very well the reason. She promptly moves her head behind her, pulling something from a satchel hung over her back. It’s…My personal cup. I take it from her mouth gently, and place it on the ground, looking from it to her. “That‘s…all?” I ask, looking at her with disbelief. “Yup!” She says with a big smile. “You forgot it at the bar, and you made a big deal about me getting it for you, and well…Don‘t have anything better to do.” She says, scratching the back of her head with her hoof. A smirk comes over my face, and I sigh, relieved. “Wow…Uhm…Thanks.” I glance from her to my surroundings, and notice poor Twilight is standing awkwardly by the table, her gaze to the ground. “Oh!” I yell, moving between the two. “Twilight, this is Vinyl. Vinyl, this is Twilight.” I introduce them, backing away as they meet each other’s eyes. “Sup.” Vinyl greets, moving her head back. Ahh…Typical Vinyl. “It‘s a pleasure to meet you.” Twilight says, smiling widely now that she’s joined in the conversation. I sigh, relieved that things aren’t going too horribly. I mean…I kind of forgot about our date, but…It’s not like I purposely made this happen. I just really hope it is a friend date…but damn, that makes me feel so dirty…hoping Vinyl doesn’t really have a thing for me, so I won’t feel guilty. Damn, I lose no matter what. “Awe, I‘d love to stay and chat, but Octavia is all alone at the bar right now…And she doesn‘t even know how to shake!” She yells, a big smile over her face. “Gotta get going. Nice to meet ya!” She yells, running out the door with the speed of Pinkie Pie. “That was interesting…” Twilight comments with a subtle laugh. I don’t pay attention as I notice something inside my cup. It looks like a piece of paper… “What to do now?” Twilight asks, moving over to my side. I jump from my gaze and glance quickly at Twilight. “I…Don‘t know.” I mutter, my conscious still keen on figuring out what the paper is. Obviously, it’s from Vinyl…But what would it say? “Would you like to read some books together?” She ask with a big innocent smile. It’s…Kind of cute. I tilt my head, my thoughts for the moment on Twilight. “I‘d love to Twilight….But I think I‘m needed elsewhere.” She lowers her head, looking around the library. “Oh, okay…” She mutters, nudging her hoofs together. “Hey, if you ever get down…Just think about what‘s gonna happen twelve days from now!” I yell, my voice jolting to a much more fun tone. She raises her head, smiling at my attempt to brighten her mood. “Gladly.” I nod quickly, my curiosity burning into my mind. “I have to get going, though. I‘ll see you later, alright?” I say, picking up my cup, making sure the paper won’t fall out. She nods, mimicking me. “Have a good day, Buddy.” She says, following me to the door. As I step outside, I immediately tip the cup upside down and nudge the paper until it opens. It’s a small, torn up piece and the letters are so small, I have to nearly push my face against it’s fabric. Movie tonight? Hit me up! -Vinyl Hmm…So the movie is still on? Well…I have nothing to do now. Things just seem to be moving together perfectly… “Hey!” A voice comes out of freaking nowhere. “Shit!” I yell, jumping into the air. I look at the ghost-like pony, shaking my head. “Damn you, Vinyl!” She laughs hysterically, putting a hoof over her mouth. “Dumbass…” She mumbles, shaking her head at my gullibleness. “What do you want?” I ask, catching my breath. She shrugs, looking over at the paper laying on the ground. “That was pretty slick, right?” She asks with a big…Prideful grin. I look down at the piece of paper, then shake my head. “Wait…Aren‘t you supposed to be working?” I ask suspiciously. She shakes her head, backing up as she laughs at me. “What? I thought you would‘ve got it! The bar is closed today, dude!” She yells at me like it was the most obvious thing in…Well, actually…Considering I worked there, yeah, it is kind of obvious. I rub my hoof over my face, sighing. “Oh…I think I‘m getting the picture now…” I mumble, rolling my eyes. “So you wanna watch a movie or not?” She asks, moving pretty close to me. In return, I back away like a kitten in a corner, nodding my head hesitantly. “Sure…I think.” I squeak out. Immediately she moves back and smiles. “Sweet! Alright, come on.” She says, beginning to walk away. I pick up my cup and put the paper inside, walking behind her. “Sho fween! Whatch wev gonnfa waavtch?” I ask, slurring my words with the cup in my mouth. “You‘ll find out!” She yells back to me, smiling mischievously. Vinyl takes her journey to a slew of apartments and begins to unlock the door. I know their apartments because this is one of the places I thought of living at, and instead chose my own house. “Whif heveere?” I ask curiously, starting to get annoyed by my slurs. She turns her head back, opening the door. “Because I live here?” She says with a raised eyebrow, then walks inside. Lives here? In these? That’s…Worrying. I don’t have good memory by any means, but what I do…This place is real crummy. I don’t think the pluming even works properly. I keep quiet, following her up the only set of stairs and stopping with her as she gets to, presumably, her room. 17 The 1 on her door looks like it was painted, and the seven is upside down. That just proves my point further. “Welcome to the home of Vinyl. Watch your step, you might fall through the floor.” She says, laughing hysterically. She might be joking, but I take it to heart. Inside is a single room. A bed, which actually looks really nice, a massive TV that‘s inside an even larger entertainment center, stereos, and…that’s where the nice stuff ends. The floor does look worrying, but not to the point where it would fall in. At the far end of the room is what can only be described as an attempt at a kitchen. It has a sink, oven, cupboards, and tiny counter space. And…that’s really about it. There’s a basket with clothes laying all around it- not inside it, but that’s it. I make my way inside, the paranoia of the floor still in the back of my mind, and I take my steps carefully over to her bed, placing my cup on a nearby table. “Not Canterlot, but it‘s…Uhh…Well, it‘s nice to me.” Vinyl says, jumping on the bed with me. I shake my head worriedly. “I would go crazy.” I reply wide-eyed. Her gaze goes down, shrugging. “I like it…” She mumbles quietly. I realize I hurt her feelings, and quickly glance around the hou-…er…Room for something to compliment. “Well, that TV…That looks more expensive than my house.” I comment, smiling. Immediately she shoots up, nodding her head. “Oh yeah! Pretty fucking sweet, right?!” I laugh at her tenacity. Just get somepony started on their pride, and their mood goes way up. “Yeah…Is that what we‘re going to be watching the movie on?” I ask, then shake my head, realizing something. “Wait…I thought…We were going to like, watch a movie in the theatre.” I say cautiously. She looks back at me and shrugs, getting up from the bed. “Ahh…I looked up how much it would be, and it‘s 30 bits! So I said screw that, and just went and rented a movie.” She says with a big happy smile, making her way over to the TV. I can’t even name all the devices that are around it. Game systems, I guess. “Hey, you got the TV to host your own theatre, so I can‘t argue.” I say, looking around the room again. It looks a lot like what Vinyl would call home, now that I think about it. “Yeah, I hope you like science fiction!” She yells back to me, putting what is probably the movie in. I tilt my head. “Why? You get something…Spacey?” I ask, smiling as she makes her way back over to the bed. “Ehh…Cyber Ponies 2.” She says, jumping on the bed, causing it to bounce me around some. “I never saw the first one.” I admit, laying my legs out completely, trying to get comfortable. She shrugs like it means nothing. “Don‘t need to. They‘re totally different.” She says, then a light bulb goes off in her head as she scoots to the edge of the bed. “So you saw them before?” I ask, watching her hunch over the edge of the bed and search for something underneath. “Nope!” She yells from below. “Just heard about them.” “Ahh…” I mumble, and move back a little so she has more room once she resurfaces from the depths of under-the-bed. “Ah hah!” She yells, pulling out a remote like a sword of glory. “Knew it.” I shake my head, laughing too subtly for her to hear. “The little things in life.” I say sharply as she scoots next to me, and presses a few buttons on her remote. “Do you like it loud?” She asks, not looking over at me. I shake my head quickly. “Oh no, I‘m a total wimp when it comes to loud speakers.” I admit, slightly embarrassed. She shakes her head at my vulnerable nature. “Ahh…I won‘t kill ya.” She says with a mischievous grin, licking her lips. The speakers turn on, and to my delight, don’t murder my ear drums. It’s just right, but has that overwhelming presence that they could completely annihilate my sense of sound. “Thanks.” I say courteously, laughing at her generosity. “I‘m too nice sometimes.” She says, rolling her tongue around in her mouth. She seems to be enjoying herself. “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaddds…” She mutters in annoyance, hitting fast forward a couple times. “Heh…Let‘s just relax and enjoy the movie. Alright?” I suggest, leaning my head to her. She smirks at me, the kind that Vinyl only does every so often. “I‘ll behave.” She says in a sultry tone. I roll my eyes, retreating my gaze back to the movie. She lays her head down, snuggly settling it between her hoofs. And then…The movie begins. In a world where many have fallen to the machines known as ‘The Constructs’, the few that survive, the few that continue on with little purpose and little promise, continue to fight against the unbeatable odds that someday…Some day a pony would come along, and crush The Constructs like glass, and leave the land to flourish to it’s bountiful life once again. This…Is how it happened. -- THE END “Oh come on!” I yell out, half laughing as I yell at the movie’s absurdity. Vinyl laughs along with me, shaking her head. “That was some shit.” She joins me in my scolding, sighing deeply. “I mean…That ending…” I utter, still watching the movie’s credits. “Just…’Noooooooooo!’” I yell, mimicking the main character’s last cry of sorrow at the end of Cyber Ponies 2. Vinyl continues nodding her head in agreement. “Oh yeah, that was…Really something.” She says, laughing still. I continue to shake my head, sighing in defeat. “That movie was crap.” I say anger in my voice. Vinyl continues her laugh, probably at how mad I’m getting. “Hey…That main dude was really hot.” She informs me, nodding her head. I look at her with absurdity, then can’t contain a laugh. “That‘s what you got out of the whole thing? ‘He’s hot’?” I ask in disbelief. “No!” She replies, pausing for a moment. “…I thought the narrator was hot too.” I can’t help but laugh at her attention span, shoving her playfully on the shoulder. “Hey, you know that pink mare was pretty hot.” She comments, tilting to the side of me. I sigh, and after a few moments, I let her have the win. “Alright, alright…But let‘s have an agreement that the ending was awful.” I say, trying to make a compromise. She nods her head quickly, her eyes very expressive. “Oooh yeah. Real bad.” I sigh, laying my head between my hooves. “Well…What now?” I ask, looking over at her. She copies me, putting her head in her hooves. “I don‘t know.” She says, but I can tell she has…Something planned. “You sure?” I ask, attempting to be vigilant. She just looks at me calmly, unmoved. “Yeah. Could go to sleep, if you feel like it.” She says, tucking her head deeper between her hoofs. “It was a four hour movie.” Damn! Four hours? It seemed way shorter than that. “Wow…I didn‘t even realize.” I admit my ignorance, raising my eyebrows expressively. Her body loosens up, and she closes her eyes. “I‘m tired as hell. You can go home, if you want. Or stay here.” She offers, and much unlike Vinyl, no mischievous smirk spreads over her. “Well…” I begin, pondering my choices. I have been sleeping at pretty much every pony’s house that I met lately. It would be kind of rude to deny that from Vinyl. I already planned another date before ours even. “I think I‘ll stay the night. I just have to watch the floor, is all.” I comment, looking over the bed. I don’t even have to feign my worry. She rolls her eyes under her lids, sighing. “Do whatever you want.” She mumbles, biting down on her lips. Trying to make quick conversation, I pick my head up a little. “So how are you and your ex coming along?” It takes her a moment to respond, picking her head up lazily. “I see it half full, if that‘s what you‘re asking.” She says with a sharp stare. I duck my head, sighing deeply. “Yeah, but…Are you two like…Gonna try and get back together sometime?” She raises an eyebrow, shaking her head slowly. “No…Why do you think I asked you out on a date? Bored?” She explains, smirking. I imagine this is something Vinyl would do out of boredom. Fuck with me. “Sorry.” I apologize, then shake my head in spite. “I didn‘t even meet her.” She laughs, her mouth open wide. “She hates you.” She says with a cold laugh. Oh…I didn’t expect that. “Why?” I ask, baffled. Nearly every pony I met so far really likes me…Or maybe I’m just letting that get to my ego. “Says you don‘t deserve to work for Rarity, and that I should‘ve.” She says, rolling her eyes. And…That’s when I realize she isn’t even wearing glasses! Wow, I feel like such a bastard…Not paying any attention to the poor thing. “I kind of agree with her.” I say truthfully, lowering my head. “Oooh no, don‘t play that game with me.” She says quickly, like a sting from a bee. I…Didn’t even think about it. She’s been working there longer than me, and just because I met Rarity, I got a much better job. My heart feels real heavy all of the sudden. “Hey!” She shouts, easily getting my attention. “Don‘t feel bad for me.” She says with a lean, cold glare. That’s a really hard thing to do. I bow my head, still looking over at her big magenta eyes. Now that I’ve noticed them…I can’t even focus on them. “I don‘t know what to say right now.” I mutter, blinking more than usual. She rolls her eyes again. “I make a living out of nothing, dude. You see this place?” She points a hoof around the decaying room. “Lived here for three years. I deal with it without others‘ pitty.” She says with a strong, confident gaze. I lift my head up, nodding at her. “I admire you, Vinyl.” I admit, smiling at her. “Yup…” She continues on like I didn’t talk. “Me and Vinyl had our first…Well…’date’, right here.” She says, poking a hoof on the bed. She sighs tiredly, shoving her face between her hooves again. That reminds me of something…“Hey…” I begin, trying to get her attention. “I feel like I should tell you about something…” I mumble, making it barely audible. She picks her head up, inhaling a lot of air. “You have a date, I know.” She says quickly. Well…Fuck. How does she know that? “How…Do you know?” I ask, dipping my head forward in curiosity. “Come on, dude. I thought the note gave it away.” She answers quickly, then picks her head up just enough so her chin isn’t against the bed. “I just put two-and-two together.” “So you don‘t care?” I ask, biting my bottom lip gently. My relief is building up into a steady rhythm, right next to my worry. She shakes her head. “Nah, I know what you‘re going through.” She says understandably. And then the relief spills out. “Wow…” I gasp, looking at her with far more admiration than before. “You‘re pretty cool, you know that?” She tilts her head back. “Pretty fucking cool.” She corrects. I roll my eyes, then go along with it by nodding. “Alright, alright.” I say fast, not letting the pride go too far in her head. She shrugs, putting her head back into her spot between her hooves. “Yup. Now go to fucking bed!” She demands abruptly. I roll my eyes, sighing as I put my head between my own hooves. “Sweet dreams.” I say with a bit of spite. She huffs, pushing at me playfully with one of her hooves. A night with Vinyl…A lot more fun than I thought it would be. A terrible movie, huge TV, bunch of bickering, and hot ponies. Not what I expected at all. I wonder if my dreams are going to be about cyber ponies in a war with each other. Only one way to find out… Day of the blanketSchaaaaaaaawwww… Scchkkk-kkkkkaaaaa-kaaaawwwwssshh… Schaaaawkaaaaaaaa-kaaaa… …What the hell is that sound? Scchaaakaaaaww… It sounds like…A dying camel. Shhhkkkaaa-aaa-aaaa-aaaaaaaa-www…. Is that...Snoring? Schkkkkkaaaaaawwwwwwwwww… Fed up with wondering, I open my drowsy eyes to the familiar sight of Vinyl, and to praise my guess, it was snoring. How in Celestia did I sleep through that? I’m tempted to shove a shock in her mouth. “Sccchhhkaaaaaw…” Yep, I’m out of here. I jump out of bed, still not fully awake as I trot my way to the door. The floor creaks under my step until I get to the door, opening it. I look back once behind me, smiling at Vinyl. Without her snoring, she’s kind of c- “Schhhhaaaaakaaaaawwwwww…” Have a good day Vinyl! Quickly with gentle steps, I make my way back downstairs, still groggy. I don’t even know what time it is…Had I overslept again? Did I under sleep? Am I still dreaming? Did I die? Seeing the apartment’s door wide open and plenty of light shining through it, I can tell I haven’t under slept, and definitely didn’t die. I continue on outside, having to hold a hoof up to my face before my eyes adjust to the sudden light. Damn Celestia…Working overtime or something? I can barely think right now, other than ‘more sleep’, but there’s a bizarre visage in the back of my mind that’s telling me, ‘Go to work!’ So, for lack of a better reason, I follow it and make my way to Rarity’s shop. Luckily for me and my severe paranoia of other ponies when I’m half awake, there aren’t many walking around today. Few here and there, but Ponyville isn’t cluttered like yesterday. I’m at least a 5 foot reach from any pony nearest to me at all times, and- Why…Am I suddenly so paranoid? I really, really need my sleep sometimes. Before I know it, I’m standing outside of Rarity’s shop, and a recurring doom of the sun burning out my eyeballs. I smack my hoof on Rarity’s door a couple times, and wait patiently even though Celestia continues to murder my retinas. The door swings open, and Rarity immediately starts walking away. “Come in, dear.” Well…Business, I suppose? “How‘s our little project going?” I make my way inside, looking around for anything new. The shop looks the same as yesterday: bright, colorful, and dazzling. “Just a tiny hitch, is all.” She continues her walk nonchalantly to the work room. I follow behind her, easily matching her pace. “Did Spike give you a good book suggestion?” I glance around the room still, not really looking at anything in particular. She nods her head quickly, now circling the table that looks much different. There’s a very large sheet of cloth hung bellow a sewing machine and many, many, many strands of black string hanging off the edge. It looks like a massacre. “He offered a book. Goodness, I couldn‘t remember the name for the life of me.” She continues circling, then tips her head in the direction behind me. “It‘s over there, if you‘re interested.” I turn around, looking for said book. Doesn’t take long, considering it is the size of a freaking house. “This thing?” I chirp to her with wide-eyed stare. It must take a Herculean effort to even open the front page. Of course my hyperbole beliefs are put to shame when I open it with ease. The thing still looks like a monolith though. “That‘s it!” I can tell from the tone of her voice she didn’t look to check if it is. Considering how much I know of Rarity so far, she would be the least likely pony to own a monolith book. I flip through the first couple pages, making sure not to tear anything. Curteith’s Compendium of Copious Contingencies with Corneous and Pleximus: Making the Old Anew Are you kidding me? That title will take up a whole side of the blanket alone! Completely ridiculous…But, if this is the stuff Twilight reads, I guess it’ll have to do. I figured I could get a bit of knowledge of what the book would be about from the cover, but there’s no way I can figure all that out. “This book is crazy.” I snap back to Rarity, shaking a smile onto m face. “I mean, it‘s huge and it has a completely unnecessary name.” I close it, walking back into the room. She shrugs her shoulders at my complaining, starting her sewing machine. “If it‘s what Spikey says Twilight would like, then that‘s good enough for me.” I roll my eyes, sighing before I make my around to her side. I’ve been rolling my eyes a lot lately. I’m going to blame it on Vinyl. “So…You said you ran into a problem?” I attempt to get this conversation back on track, my drowsiness passing slowly. Rarity brings her head up now that we’re talking business. “Yes…I‘m going to need more polio stringed wool. Black, if possible.” She says more demanding than usual, then goes back to sewing. Really? There’s like…a hundred pounds of it here. “How much do you need?” I ask, looking at her with a cocked eyebrow. She continues sewing like she didn’t hear a word. “Ho-” “4.4 pounds.” She replies like a psychic. That was odd…“And where exactly am I supposed to get this magical string?” I place one of my hoofs on the table, leaning into it. She tips her head, similar to how she directed me to the giant of a book. “There‘s a fabric shop across from here.” I think I can see it from here, given that her shop gives a full 360 view of her surroundings. “Am I supposed to buy this with my good looks?” I give a smirk Like I would for a picture. She looks up at me with an amused glare, blinking very gently. She has real pretty, black eye lashes that resemble a butterfly’s wing. I‘m not really a fan of it…Too much ‘Pride and Prada‘. “There‘s a small pouch at the front desk. Just take that with you.” She says dully, not much emotion coming from her. She seems like she’s really concentrating…Though I could be wrong. Maybe she’s really annoyed with me for some reason. “I‘ll be back in a few.” I inform her, making my way back out. On my way, I munch down on the small pouch of coins and bust out the door, quickly finding my way to the store. Sounds easy enough… And it is easy enough. It’s right there in big letters. Fabric and Furnishes That was the quickest adventure I’ve had all week! Hmm…I should go on an adventure sometime. Rainbow Dash would probably hop on that chance. Don’t know what It’d be though. Leaving my thought provoking escapades aside, I slip my way into the store and smile as I’m greeted immediately. “Good morning, shur! How may I helpsh you?” A very young looking Earth pony asks behind a counter. Hung behind her is…Well, I’m no expert, but it looks like every type of cloth I can possibly think of. I thought Rarity had it all, but damn. “Yeah,” I begin, laying the money on the counter. “I‘m going to need four pounds, 4 ounces of black….Uhm…Folio stringed wool.” With a flick of her red tail and nod of her tan head, she takes the money pouch and goes into what I guess is the back room. I didn’t even realize there was a door right there. I’m starting I don’t realize a lot of things right away…I should really start paying attention to my surroundings. “Polio, rish?” Her voice echoes from the room. “Yeah!” I yell back, glancing around the room. Black, indigo, green, charcoal, grey, mixed red and yellow, mixed orange and blue, mixed green and white, mixed red and blue, red dye, blue dye, orange dye, black dye, red carpets, blue carpets, green carpets, yellow carpets- It just goes on and on and on. I don’t think there’s a singlee thing missing from the store. But I’m curious…Why would I need black dye? Just soak it in black tar; that’ll dye it real fast! “Okay, mishur! Four pounsh and four ounshesh of black Polio.” She plops down a pretty decent bag, some black strings popping out the top. “Ish Shere anyshing elsh I can helpsh you wish?” I can’t help but smile at the nice mare. I don’t know if I have a soft spot for lisps or something, but she seems like a really nice pony. First impressions, I guess. “No thank you.” I bite down on the bag, throwing over my back and begin to walk to the door. “Have a nishe day!” “Yoouuf tfoo!” I yell back, causing myself to have a lisp of my own. Now back to Rarity’s. Making my pace quick, but careful not to cause the bag of string to fall from my back, I get to Rarity’s in a flash. I knock like always, and I notice I always do three, the third slightly harder. I pay attention to the weirdest shit. The door swings open, Rarity there with a large smile. “Oh, thank you! You are the sweetest thing…” Her smile only gets wider as I slump my way inside, gently putting the bag on the nearest table. It wasn’t heavy, just awkward to carry… “No problem, Rarity. Anything else?” I move away from the bag, letting her inspect the string herself. She bats her eyes at me. “Oh, Rainbow Dash stopped by and asked for you.” She looks kind of suspicious…Like I did something wrong. Lowering her head, narrowing her eyes, and a wise smirk. “Me? What for?” I try to look inconspicuous, but considering Rarity can read me like a book, it won’t matter. “I don‘t know, dearie. Said to come help her with something out by Sweet Apple Acres.” She continues with her accusing stare at me, but shifts her cocked eyebrow to the other. What? Does she think I’m like, hitting on Dash, or something? “If there‘s nothing for me here, I‘ll get going then.” I try to say nonchalantly, but comes out like I’m trying to escape from a vice grip. She immediately breaks into her usual smile, and nods her head fast. “Best be going then! I‘ll see you tomorrow, Mr. B.” She moves back to the bag of string, plucking a few and trotting back to the sewing machine. That was weird. Staring at me and crap. These mares around here are weeeirrrd. “Alright, see you later Rarity. Good luck!” I shout back to her, opening the door and immediately making haste for Sweet Apple Acres. I wonder when I get paid? Probably at the end of the week. I can’t really complain about when though. 50 is plenty. Even though Rarity can be really weird with her sudden glares at me, I can’t say anything about it. I do some of the weirdest crap too, like count how many knocks I make, look at eyelashes, relate books to a monolith, and I’m a cutie mark crusader to top it all off. I’m just one big weirdo. In the distance, near the large hills by Applejack’s farm, I can see a very certain cyan Pegasus flying through the air. Any pony can spot her out in a crowd. Now that I think about it…Is her mane and tail natural? I mean, I’d figure since her name is Rainbow, but I have never seen a pony with a natural mane and tail like that. It’s real awesome though, as Rainbow would say. It definitely makes my monotone brown mane and tail look like crap. And…Crap is kind of brown, so- never mind. I’m fairly close now, that I can see there’s another Pegasus laying down at the top of the hill while the ‘Greatest flier in all of Equestria’ is soaring through the air. “Yay…” A soft cheer comes from the top of the hill. Once I finally get to the top, I realize the gentle-cheering pony is Fluttershy. “Heya, what you two doing?” I make a calm walk near Fluttershy, glancing above at Rainbow Dash. “Oh, uhm…” Fluttershy mumbles, looking at everything but me. “Rai-…Err…Uhm, Rainbow Dash just…Wanted, to, kind of…Practice.” She slithers from her mouth, every word sounding like a whisper. I walk a little closer, sitting next to the yellow Pegasus. Now I can hear the gentle-speaking mare. “Oh yeah? What for?” I look at her, then back to Rainbow. She’s just…Flying around. I would think practicing flying would be doing stuff like stunts of some kind. Fluttershy’s face reddens a lot, and she looks at the ground. “Oh. Well Rainbow Dash is going, to…Go and try for the Wonderbolts…” I can tell she is trying to talk louder, but all her meek little voice operates on is a whisper. I raise both my eyebrows, shifting my jaw around. “Yeah, that seems like her.” I comment, getting slightly distracted by looking at nearby clouds. “She practicing anything specific?” Fluttershy continues to look at anything but me, almost constantly blinking. Distancing my glances from the clouds, I notice her eye lashes are pretty long, like Rarity’s. While Fluttershy’s are probably natural, I’m betting Rarity’s aren’t. ust seems like they’re kin of personality. Wait…Am I seriously comparing eye lashes? What kind of weirdo am I? “So, uhh…Fluttershy?” I ask, moving my gaze back to the clouds. “…Yes?” She asks with an undertone of liveliness. “Why are you here?” Why am I so blunt today? She seems to get smaller, putting her head in her hooves. “To cheer on…Rainbow Dash.” Her voice gets even quieter now that she’s covered her face. I take in a deep breath, my minor attention on Rainbow’s flying. “You‘re doing a pretty good job.” I look over at her with a sarcastic smirk. She picks her head up, laying her eyes upon her hooves. “She can‘t hear me if I try…” She almost whimpers from her mouth. I can’t help but laugh a little, letting it settle into a chuckle. “Come on…Everypony can cheer. You just have to...Well, I guess you just have to yell, really.” I attempt to explain, using the most teachery voice I can. Then again, I hated teachers in school, so…Bad choice. “Oh…Okay.” Fluttershy continues to look down, uninterested. My smirk turns to a worried frown. “You alright?” I move my head a little closer, attempting to get her attention with sight over sound. She looks up at me, her big blue eyes shimmering under the miffed light. “I‘m okay.” She answers, clearly bluffing. This is the first time I’ve looked at her eyes real good. Better yet…This is the first time I’ve looked at any mare’s eyes real good. They’re so…Deep. “Really? I‘m here to help, you know.” My voice sounds a little scratchy, but keeps my usual smooth tone. A very shy smile spreads across Fluttershy’s face, and a deep red fills her cheeks. “Oh…Th-…Thanks, Buddy.” I huff a breath, then take a deep sigh. “So-” I turn my gaze back up to the sky and get myself comfortable on the grass. “-Practice, huh?” “Oh, yes. Rainbow Dash has gotten really, really good!” Her voice jumps up a whole octave. But, considering how low her default setting is, she’s still quiet. “Any sweet tricks?” I take a glance at Rainbow, and when I see she’s still flying around, I look back to the skies. These clouds look factory made. “Oh, yes! But…I don‘t remember all of them…” Her voice gets lower, and lower, and lower, until it gets to the point where the clouds seem to be making more noise than her. I change my gaze from the boring clouds to Fluttershy. “Biggest fan that doesn‘t know her moves?” I stare at her with a gentle smile. She digs her head into her hooves. “I‘m sorry…” I immediately shake my head, even though she can’t see. “Fluttershy, I‘m only messing with you.” Her head picks back up, remnants of a smile on her face. “Oh…” She utters, and from the faintest part of the universe, I hear a giggle. I laugh, much louder than her subtle giggle, and stare at her benevolence. “So uhh…” I stop myself, not really knowing what I’m saying. Should probably start a conversation. Not like Rainbow Dash needs a cheerleader. “What do you do all day?” She perks up, a real smile coming across her face. “Oh, I uhm…Well I feed the animals of the Everfree forest, and I give them baths, and I make them homes, and I make sure my farm is going well. Those pumpkins are tough…” She almost starts mumbling to herself. She seems really happy when it comes to animals. Then again…We’re all animals. Whatever. “You sound like a busy little mare.” I continue to stare at her, glancing around from her wings, her eyes, and her cutie mark. And it’s pretty interesting. A couple flowers…I’d guess that means nature? That’s really broad. “Busy as a bee!” She chimes, taking her vocal cords up a few notches. She has quite a content smile on her face. All I gotta do to make some mare happy is talk about their pride. Damn Twilight, are you ever wrong? “Need any help, busy bee?” I raise an eyebrow at my offer, shifting my hooves around. She looks clueless for a moment, then her eyes jolt to twice their size. “Oh! Oh, Iuhm…I…Don‘t…Wouldn‘t know if I- I mean…” She stops herself, the red on hr cheeks returning to their full glory. “…Yes.” She mutters finally, defeated from her lack of a direct answer. I broaden my smile, giving her a subtle nod. “After t-” “PARTY CANON!!!” …What? “Oh no…” KAPOW! My ears aren’t prepared for the onslaught of the sudden explosion, nor were they ready for the ringing coursing through my head. I can’t even think up a correct response, so I just clutch my head like a foal and wait until it’s over. “Are…Did…Can‘t…” A voice murmurs through my head, being pushed aside by the continuation of ringing. “Can…Hear…” Another voice finds itself in my lair of bells being rung. “YO!” I shoot my eyes wide open, taking a couple moments to find my bearings. And I see the definite color and shape of Rainbow Dash. “Dude…You good?” I hear faintly. Her mouth isn’t synched with her lips. “Am I deaf?!” I yell, and even my voice seems distant. Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes, then grabs my hooves, yanking them away from my ears. “No, dumbass.” She says clearly as day. I look at my hooves, then to Rainbow. “Oh…” I can feel my cheeks reddening in embarrassment. Fluttershy comes to my aid, looking down at me as Dash leaves, laughing loudly. “Are you okay…?” She asks meekly, her eyelids as low as her voice. I nod my head quickly, getting to my feet. “What the hell was that?” I can still feel ringing in the background of my mind. Or maybe it’s just trauma. “PARTY CANON!” On immediate reaction, I duck and cover my ears. No fucking way I’m going through that twice! “Hahaha!” A very cocky voice laughs. “Oh…” Fluttershy mumbles, bringing her head into my view as I rise from my feeble position. “Don‘t worry…It‘s over.” She says with a calm, soothing voice. “What was…” I stop myself, instead just finding for myself. Doesn’t take long, as I find clear as day the culprit. “Pinkie Pie…” I mutter, sighing. “Nice one, Pinkie.” Rainbow compliments, smacking hoofs with Pinkie. They both join each other in a loud, rambunctious laugh. Fluttershy still watches me with a worried face, frowning and lowering her eyes. “I‘m sorry…” I turn to her, shaking my head. “What? Why are you sorry?” Kind of rhetorical, since she probably blames herself for everything. “Uhm…I didn‘t warn you soon enough…” She mutters, her voice dropping below her default octave. Yep. Like I thought. “Don‘t worry about it. I just…” I look over at both Rainbow and Pinkie who are literally rolling on the ground laughing. “Want to go tend to the animals?” I ask, my mood pulling a 180. I perk my eyes up and smile widely at the young Pegasus. An enthusiastic smiles forms over Fluttershy’s face, and she nods slowly. “Oh-…Okay.” I bow my head to her, blinking a couple times from the bells that are still ringing. “Lead the way, Miss Fluttershy.” She looks around for a moment like she lost her way. “Oh…I…Okay, then…” She mumbles, taking a few seconds to take the first step. It takes her several more seconds until she starts walking away, down the hill. “Uhm..Bye Rainbow Dash…And Pinkie…” She barely mutters. I doubt they heard over their obnoxious laughter. “So…Party canon?” Might as well ask now that I’m a safe distance. Fluttershy attempts to hide a small grin on her face, batting her attention to our walk ahead. “Well, uhm…It‘s a canon Pinkie fires for…Instance parties…” Her mumbles are getting louder, I’ll give her that. Now that my ears aren’t exploding, I can hear her a little better too. “Yeah, I have a party in my head, if that‘s what you mean.” I rub a hoof against my ear, hoping in vein that it would help in some way. Fluttershy unleashes a gentle giggle. “Oh…I got used to it.” She says quickly. She may not be talking louder, but she’s being more clear and straight forward. That’s a start, I guess. We near the crossroads where the two signs point to Ponyville and AJ’s farm. “I would too if- Hey, where are you going?” I ask suddenly once she walks off the trail, walking where I haven’t even thought of. She stops, looking behind her. “Oh, I‘m sorry. I…Don‘t actually live in Ponyville.” She gives a sorrowful frown, bowing her head in shame. Goodness…I wonder how depressed she would get if something really bad happened. No…That’s a horrible thought. I hope that never happens. “No need to apologize, I just didn‘t expect it is all.” I quickly chirp my smile across my face, following behind her. Her bright mood returns as we make our way up a small hill, and that’s when I see what has to be her house. It looks like a true nature-lovers home. It’s surrounded by trees, near the forest, by a stream, a personal farm behind it, and most of all, there’s animals crowding all around the place. Birds, deer, squirrels, bunnies, and even bears. I’m a little worried now… “So, uhh…Those are all tamed, right?” I ask, raising an eyebrow as I slow my walk. She creates a gentle giggle again, shaking her head. “Oh no, I don‘t have to tame them. They‘re the most gentle little critters…” She coos, looking back over her home. A very settling smile comes over her face. She looks really…I don’t know the word for it. Calm. At peace. Or…The simplest and best, at home. “It looks really nice, Fluttershy.” I compliment as we make our way onto the bridge, and I notice fish swimming through the stream below. “Oh, thank you so very much. Oh, goodness, you have to see my garden!” That’s a better word for it: garden. A farm is…Applejack’s level. “Can‘t wait.” I continue following by her side, glancing around her house. It looks like it has a bit of nature growing on it. Vines, flowers, and even a trees branches seem to be going into a window. That’s hardcore. We go around the corner of her house, and to her garden. It’s a very quaint little thing. There’s plenty of vegetables being grown, and I can see three large pumpkins. “It‘s very pretty, Fluttershy.” I compliment. I…Could probably make a better one than that. “I really like those pumpkins.” Now I just sound weird… “Oh, they‘re just the cutest little things…” She mumbles, a large smile over her face. I feel like if I wasn’t here, she would be hugging the pumpkins and singing them nursery rhymes. “But my prize is right here.” She leans her head over the small fence guarding the precious garden. Her head hangs inches from a very odd looking plant. “What is it?” I ask with instant curiosity. It doesn’t look anything like I’ve ever seen. It’s big, bushy green petals seem to float around the top and from the middle flourishes a bright blue, red, and white set of petals. There’s not a lot of red petals, and the only ones are bundled together in the middle of the budding opening. The blue petals surround the red, and are the largest, but fewest. The blue is surrounded by many tiny little white petals. “I don‘t know…I found it one day in the Everfree forest, and it‘s just…The most beautiful thing!” Her voice rises a couple extra octaves excitedly, then she covers her mouth gently. “Sorry…I didn‘t mean to yell.” I chuckle lightly, shaking my head at how innocent this mare can be. “It looks amazing, Fluttershy.” Then, I tip my head up. I look over at her with a very sage-like grin. “You should name it!” Her eyes grow big, her mouth slightly slipping open. “I…” She starts, not finding anything else to add. She starts biting her bottom lip, looking from me, then back to the plant. “Anything you want…” I coax her, moving my head over the fence to look at the small, bigger than life plant. “Tsundere…” She umbles, barely loud enough for me to hear. “Huh?” I ask, not sure if I heard right. “Oh, uhm…” She stutters, looking back up from the plant. “I was thinking…Tsundere.” Her voice goes back to her default which is actually becoming more understandable for me. “What does it mean?” I take my head from over the fence, curving my eyebrows into a curious gaze. A very calm, gentle, lovely smile comes across Fluttershy’s mouth. “It means, ‘Rough and tough on the outside, sweet and innocent on the inside.’” She explains, holding her loveable smile the whole time. I try to recreate her one-of-a-kind smile, but I can’t. I’m no Fluttershy. “That‘s a gorgeous name for a gorgeous flower.” She bows her head, then starts to walk back around to the front of her house. “You have to meet Angel…” She says with her usual gentle voice. I would say it’s monotone, but…Fluttershy’s voice seems to not have the ability to go monotone. So it’s simply: Fluttershy’s voice. I pick my gaze from the ground, picking up my pace to her side. “Angel?” I ask curiously. She looks over at me, but stays quiet as we round to the front of the house. “Can‘t wait.” I follow her up the few steps she has to her front door - which is probably her only door. Even when opening a door, Fluttershy feels the need to be gentle and cautious. It takes her a couple seconds to open her door, and walk inside. I figured there would be vines, flowers, pumpkins- hell, I expected there to be a tree growing inside her house. But no, t looks very natural and Fluttershyish. A rocking chair over by a bright pink rug, a couch to my left, the ceiling decorated with twisted twigs and flowers, the floor all clean-cut wood, and only 3 windows. “Oh Angel…I have somepony for you to meet…” She calls with her usual voice. I find it ironic she’s calling for Angel, with an angelic voice. Jumping from the couch out of nowhere hops over a tiny white bunny. It looks so…Tiny. And fluffy. “Oh…Angel, have you missed me?” She leans her head low, smiling warmly at the little guy. She shakes his head quickly, standing firm. Wow! What a dick! “He‘s pretty cute.” I walk around to behind Angel, scratching the back of my head. “Oh, he‘s just cranky because he didn‘t get his super special treat.” She explains, still holding her bright smile. Angel just huffs, then hops away back onto the couch. Yeah…Seems like a real Angel to me. “So this is what you do all day?” I ask, glancing away from Angel and to Fluttershy. She lowers her head more, almost touching the floor. “I…uhm…Yes.” That was ore direct then usual. “Oh, uhh…You mentioned that you needed help?” I forgot all about that. I felt like I’ve been on a tour. Fluttershy picks her head up quickly. It seems she too forgot. “Oh, uhm…I…Guess I don‘t really.” She mumbles, rubbing a hoof against her cheek gently. I huff, a generous grin coming over me. “Heh…Don‘t worry about it. I enjoyed hanging out.” I once again try to mimic her one-of-a-kind smile, but I fail. Fluttershy’s mood brightens real fast, a genuine, heart-filled smile dawning on her. “Oh, yes. We should do it again, sometime.” Her face brightens even more at her offer. I nod very fast, immediately accepting. “Oh yes, definitely. I will gladly come back down here!” She continues her beaming smile, reminding me of the crusaders and their youthful happiness. It’s kind of sweet. “Oh, yes…But…It‘s starting to get late.” She mumbles, her face getting slightly red. Since her coat is a faded yellow, it’s extremely easy to spot her blush, and it’s only made more prominent by her pink mane and tail. “Yeah, sure is…” I drop to her level of quietness, glancing around the room. It looks to be around 8. Princess Luna is soon going to devour the sky with her gorgeous blanket of night. “Uhm…” She stutters, her hoof swinging against the floor. “If…If…You, would….Like…” She stops, her face far too heated to finish. I feel a subtle laugh in me, but I keep it down. “Stay the night?” I finish for her, leaning my head forward. “Uhm…Y-…Yeah.” She mumbles gently, clearly attempting to give direct answers. My laugh comes out a light chuckle, then I nod my head to the shy Pegasus. “I appreciate it a lot, Fluttershy. I‘ll happily stay the night.” Same with Vinyl…I feel like if I don’t stay the night at their house, then I feel like it’s unequal. Then, her one-of-a-kind smile pops up, and she happily trots over to the couch, a little more bounce to her step. “Oh, Angel…You can sleep with me tonight.” She picks the little Bunny up, and he doesn’t look to happy. I guess I took his bed. “Thanks again, Fluttershy!” I sit down on the couch, finding that it is made of thing wood. It sinks as I sit, and there are tons of soft, lovely blankets covering it. It’s really, really cozy and I can definitely get some hours on this. Then again…I do kind of miss my bed. “Have a wonderful night, Buddy.” Fluttershy chimes before retiring to her room, directly across from the couch. I must have been wrong about the time because in just a few minutes it shot to pitch dark. I guess I made a good choice about staying the night. And this couch, oooh…So snuggly, and it sinks with me. It’s like a natural cushion. I’m really digging- Damn you Vinyl! -- The days go by like wind. Rarity pays me, and it turns out that I am far luckier than I thought. It’s 50 bits an hour, which turns out to be around 550 a week. I didn’t even know what to do with the bucket full of bits at first, so I decided to just hold onto it. Might need it later, for a surprise. Hopefully not the party canon kind, though. Gosh…Time flies. It felt like just hours ago that I was staying the night at Twilight’s- a book making a little pillow. The warm fire keeping me company the whole time through Luna’s night. Applejack’s couch had nothing on Fluttershy’s, hers was just way more professional. Plus…I didn’t have to go apple bucking for Fluttershy. But, I did the next day though. Good sign that it’s making me way more fit. I feel empowered with my legs now, and I don’t like to let things go to my head, but whenever I see Big Macintosh, I’m a limp noodle. Had a conversation with him, too. Pretty much every response was, ‘Eeyup.’ Rarity gave me a free spa ticket. It was amazing. It costs 250 bits just for the hot bath, and Rarity got me a full ride! I got massaged, the bath, steam room, and then massaged again. I feel at least ten years younger after that. One day, I have to buy everypony a full ride to it. Then there’s Rainbow Dash. I got her good. She and Pinkie thought they got me with the party canon, but I made them scream like little fillies. While they were having a sleep over, I started toying with the lights, making noises, and I even got Fluttershy to get a bear to scare the jeebies out of them. Sweet, sweet revenge…But most importantly; It’s Twilight’s birthday. The day of birth, the day of joy, and the day of the blanket. “Haaaaaaappy birthdaaaay to you! Haaappy birthday to you! Haaaaappy birthday dear Twilight, Happy birthday to you!!” We all chant together, though Pinkie’s chanting more prominent than others. “Blow out the candle!” The tenacious pink mare yells out excitedly. And like on command, Twilight does. She blows out too any candles for me to count, and once the last flame is smoke, everypony else shouts out in joy. “Wooooooh!” Even Fluttershy attempts a slightly higher cheer than normal. “Yeah Twi‘!” Rainbow yells out, using the nickname I’ve grown to enjoy. “Feels good, don‘ it?” Applejack pats Twilight on the back as the young mare smiles too wide for her jaw to capture. “Oh, I‘m so happy for you Twilight…” Fluttershy chimes in, her voice gentle, but heard. “Woooooohhhhhhhh! Go Twilight! Chug, chug, chug!” Pinkie Pie yells, screams, and chants at Twilight. She doesn’t even have a drink near her to chug, silly Pinkie Pie. “Oh, darling, happy birthday!” Rarity repeats, finding time in all the chatter to be heard from the group. I can’t hear, but Spike says something quietly to Twilight, making her laugh with a scrunched facial expression. It’s the kind that somepony makes when they laugh so hard, they lose muscle control. Twilight steps up from her chair, looking around at all of us, stopping at me. “Thank you…This is…My…” She stops, putting a hoof over her face. “It‘s so special to me. Thanks.” She blabs out from in between sniffles, rubbing a hoof over her mouth. “PRESENTS!” Yells Pinkie Pie, jumping from her seat. Applejack promptly puts a hoof on Pinkie, slumping her back into her seat. “Let tuh lass deci‘ on what tuh do.” A fair enough nod from the rest, including me, and Pinkie Pie crosses her arms defiantly. “Actually…” Twilight begins, a sheepish smirk coming over her, immediately grabbing everypony’s attention- especially Pinkie’s. “I would like to open some presents.” “YEEEEEES!!!” Pinkie jumps up triumphantly, sticking her tongue out at Applejack. “Alrigh‘ alrigh‘, settle ya crazed yuppie.” Applejack can’t say something like that to Pinkie without perking up a real Texan grin. “I think that‘d be absolutely lovely.” Rarity stands up and follows Twilight into the main room of the library, nudging me. I haven’t said a word yet. “Presents, presents, presents, presents, presents!” Pinkie keeps repeating as she rushes into the room, and I follow behind quietly. “Oh, darn. I…Don‘t know which one to open first…” Twilight mumbles, coming across seven difficult presents. “How about this one?” Spike proposes a small little box with Pinkie’s name on it. There’s so much talking going on, I just try and focus on Twilight’s voice. “Oh…I guess that would be best- start small, right?” She looks around the room, and her friends encourage her. “Chug, chug, chug!” Pinkie continues to chant throughout the room. Twilight must have read some kind of birthday manual because she rips off the wrapping paper like it was…well, paper. “What the…?” She looks down in confusion, then pulls it up with her hoof in confusion. “Poke it!” Pinkie Pie yells, pointing a hoof at the small, tiny box. With hesitation and caution, Twilight barely pokes the box. When she does…It unfolds, an impossibly larger one flying out of it and landing in front of Twilight- It almost crushed Spike. “Wow…! That rumor about life flashing before your eyes is true!” He yells out for all of us to hear, rubbing his hands over his scaly body. “I lived!” Then he’s promptly flattened under the side of a box as it unfolds, revealing an extremely comfy chair. It looks at least 100x better than Twilight’s old wooden chair. “Ow…” Spike groans underneath the simple cardboard, pushing it off him. “Heh…Sorry Spike.” Twilight apologizes as he escapes the grasp of the deadly cardboard. She then points her gaze to Pinkie, a big appreciative smile forming over her mouth. “Thanks Pinkie Pie…I‘ll love reading in it!” Pinkie Pie just beams, her grin going really, really wide. Strikingly enough, she doesn’t say anything. “Ah, uh…” Applejack stutters, batting her eyes away from the group. “Kind‘er got ya tis‘.” She pulls from behind her a clone of her Stetson, and places it on Twilight’s head; a snug fit. “D‘aww…Thanks, Applejack.” Twilight rubs her hat against Applejacks, causing a roar of laughter and a minor blush on AJ’s part. “Hey! Open this one!” Spike demands, handing Twilight a small box. Twilight raises an eyebrow. “Is this one going to turn into a couch?” Her remark causes a commotion of laughter, and Twilight waits until it dies down to open the little box. It doesn’t even have wrapping paper, as little as it is. “Oh…?” Twilight mumbles something, squinting her eyes. “Awww….” She dips her down, rubbing her forehead against Spike’s. “Heh…It‘s nothing.” He has a gentle blush blow over his face. “Such a cute little pin.” She levitates the pin from the box, placing it in her hair. It removes her constant hair flipping, keeping even her highlight from her face. “Not like, I…Saved up my allowance, or anything…” Spike says, hands behind his back and making circles with his feet. Twilight rolls her eyes, then jumps as she’s given yet another present. “C‘mon, you‘re gonna love this one.” Rainbow Dash puts a decent sized box in front of her. The whole time, Rainbow Dash sits down, smirking with a big, cocky grin. Twilight looks slightly overwhelmed, but handles it fine as she starts opening the box up. She raises both her eyebrows, stepping back once the wrapping paper is off enough to give a good view of the gift. A freaking catapult. Rainbow Dash is crazy… “Pretty sweet, right?!” The cyan Pegasus jumps up, looking over the contraption. “Now you can fly, too!” Twilight smacks a hoof on her face, laughing whole-heartedly. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash…Now I can fly with you for a whole twenty seconds.” She mutters, causing yet again an uproar of laughter. I feel a nudge beside me. I forgot I was even here…This is all playing out like a dream. A dream that I’m not a part of. “Hey, ours is coming up soon…” Rarity smirks at me, then goes back to watching Twilight, like everypony else. I go back to the dream. Twilight is given another present, and she immediately starts tearing it open. “Shampoo?” She holds it up in her magical grip, staring at it questionably. “Not just any shampoo!” Fluttershy…Kind of shouts. “I made it myself…It‘s really, really nice.” She drops her voice back down to default, a red glow coming over her. Twilight levitates the shampoo back to the ground, nodding her head Fluttershy’s way. “Thank you, Fluttershy. I‘ll use it everyday!” Twilight beams her smile, then drops her gaze to the floor when Rarity nudges her- Our present at her feet. “Oh, thanks Rarity.” I feel like now…Now I’m awake. Now I am really here, not asleep. Rarity looks more excited than Twilight. That’s the gold of giving, I’d say. I’m glad she got finished with it in the knick of time… “Whaaaa…?” Twilight questions, levitating the thick cloth out of the box, and she has to bring it really high until it folds out completely, revealing every word. Her eyes shoot out wide. “Curteith’s Compendium of Copious Contingencies with Corneous and Pleximus: Making the Old Anew!!!” It didn’t even take her ten seconds to get the name right. “Uh….Ah wha?” Applejack asks, staring at the blanket like it’s from space. Twilight shakes her head like she hadn’t seen it, then looks back at the blanket. “Is the whole thing…?” She turns the fluffy cloth around, finding the rest on the other side. The whole blanket nearly takes up the whole room and goes all the way to the ceiling, so she must have pretty intense vision to read that title alone. “Wow…” She mumbles something to herself, her lips quivering and her eyes watery. Rarity is already crying. Tears of joy, but she’s crying. I’m not…I’m trying to really, really hard to feel for Twilight right now. I just…I feel so distant. “Thanks….Rarity…” She barely squeaks out, bowing to Rarity for her craftsmareship. “Buddy helped out more than you‘d think.” Rarity blurts out, not even dropping a syllable as she weeps tears of happiness. “Well…Catapults are still more fun.” Rainbow Dash says proudly, pointing at the toy. Twilight darts her way over to me, smashing against my body for a hug. Our bodies connect together, her hooves wrapped around me, her head on my shoulder, and mine on hers. I…Am here. I can see everything clearly now. Rarity’s smile of so many kinds of happy, Pinkie’s uncontrollable party-happy spirit, Applejack’s commendable restraint on her tears, Rainbow Dash’s pride on her gift, Fluttershy striking toughness and only sheds a tear, and Spike’s admiration grin at me. Twilight though…Just weeps over my shoulder. “Thank you.” I say with just enough volume that only she can hear. She pulls her head back, looking at me as she wipes her tears, only to have them rightfully replaced by fresh ones. “For what?” I shake my head, subtly licking my lips inside my mouth. She mocks me, shaking her head and gets back on all fours. “This night was…Just…Awesome.” Rainbow Dash grins widely, bringing her head up with her ego as Twilight uses her vocabulary. “Soreh it took so long tuh get all of it together n‘ all. ‘Bow wanted tuh throw herself from ya‘ll‘s new catatult through ya window.” Applejack explains, walking over to Twilight and still boasts strength in restraint as she keep from crying. “And…It took a while because I had to make some final adjustments on the blanket.” Rarity chimes in like a bell. Fluttershy gets up, her voice still as low, but heard throughout the party. “I‘m glad you had a fun birthday, Twilight.” Pinkie finally explodes of her pent-up happiness, going in the air and starting to bounce around like a maniac. Or like Pinkie Pie, rather. “I‘m super loki makarokie mega super lovebird mocko lotae messy wessy hessy like a vitamin cressy super mega ultra special happy!” She erupts, her breath seeming to go on forever. Twilight looks around the room, stopping at me. “Well…This was a long night…” Applejack immediately nods her head, more understanding than I thought. “Aight ya‘ll, now‘s we gotta clean up, den we hitch it.” She immediately starts cleaning up the wrapping paper, but Twilight stops her, which stops the rest of them as well. “No…I, uhm…Want it like this for the night. You know, to keep the moment going for as long as it can.” She requests, tilting her head to the side. A huff from Applejack later, Twilight smiles. “Ah s‘pose ah‘ll come around‘ tomorrow n‘ help clean.” She scratches the back of her head, tipping her hat over her eyes as she makes her way for the door. It seems the whole pack of friends follows AJ during a get-together, as the rest of them head for the door too. I don’t. “Oh yeah!” Twilight yells out, stopping them before they all leave abruptly. “Buddy has this amazing idea in a couple of days! How about we all go see Vermithrax‘s meteor?!” Pinkie jumps up, but the rest of the mares just bow their heads. “Ah uhh…Well, ah have a lotta apple buckin‘ to do.” Applejack says skittishly. Rarity graciously circles her hoof on the wooden floor. “I don‘t think I can make it…I‘m behind on a few projects.” Fluttershy lowers her head, really, really, really low. If it were any lower, she’d be 6ft under. “That‘s the day for the critters bathing…” Rainbow Dash rubs the back of her mane, not looking at Twilight. “I really, really need my practice…You know, Wonderbolts.” Pinkie Pie continues jumping up and down in excitement. “That’s th day I get to babysit! Oh goodie, goodie, goodie!!” Twilight bows her head in disappointment, but I know…I know inside, she is positively beaming. We get to have a date. “Sorreh, Twi‘. Ah‘m…Hey, happy birthday.” Applejack tips her hat, to which Twilight does the same with her own. “Happy birthday, Twilight!” The other four mares chime in, as well as the little dragon Spike. Twilight turns around to me. Her face looks like it’s constantly changing from hopeful, happy, disappointed, and concerned. “What‘s wrong…?” She asks, stopping a foot from me. Once she stops, Spike makes his way over to the study room, disappearing inside. I bat my eyes to the floor. It’s my turn to be embarrassed. “I don‘t know. I‘m sorry I was zoning out…” I fumble my words a little, but get it out there. She continues her paused walk, now her face close to mine. “Are you sure?” I keep quiet, still looking at the ground. I can literally feel Twilight get more and more concerned, so I bring my head up. “Want to go on a date with me?” I do my best to smile with a subtle hint of my smartass humor. I’m not even going to attempt Fluttershy’s one-of-a-kind smile. Twilight brightens up fast, her lips breaking into a large smile. “Oh, where to?” She asks innocently. I shrug, still playing along. “I was thinking…We could sit up on a hill. Have a quiet picnic. Enjoy the night. Watch a giant meteor fly over head.” Her eyebrows fall into grace, causing her to form the closest representation of Fluttershy’s smile. “Oh…In that case…I think I can tag along.” Abruptly, I turn my head around, pulling from a bag on my back something wrapped in a soft yellow cloth. I lay it on the ground, pushing it to Twilight’s feet. She looks from the book, then to me. Her face is all kinds of confused. “What…is- Another present?” She continues to look from me, to the book. I shrug, trying not to look at the lavender colored face. Or her purple moraine eyes. “I don‘t deserve the blanket‘s credit, so…I found this.” I dip my head in the gift’s direction. She continues her baffled actions, going from me, to the present, then back and forth until she just nods. Instead of using her levitation magic, she lowers her head down, moving the cloth out of the way until it unfolds into a small blue book. She stays quiet, looking over the cover, then opening to the first page. After glancing her purple eyes over the first page, she jolts her head up to me, her expression wide. “Are you serious?” She looks at me, the most unbelievable glare. I nod gently, and I have to pry at my will to bring a smirk over my face. She clings to me, embracing in the second hug in one night. I wrap my hooves around her, rubbing my head against her shoulders. Her first hug this night. “How did you get it…?” She moves back, sitting down. She’s probably too stunned to really think right now. “I worked with him, silly.” I explain simply, shaking my head at her recurring dorkiness. She smiles up at me, rubbing a hoof through her mane. “Starspiral‘s journal…I don‘t know if anypony can top that.” She sniffled a little, rubbing a hoof over her nose. I guess she’s too lazy, or too preoccupied to levitate a tissue over. “I wanted to put it on the blanket, but…I assumed you would like the real thing more.” I explain my reasoning, my monotone voice breaking into a subtle hoarse, almost losing my balance of octaves. She continues her loveable glances at me, her big purple eyes giving me something to focus on. “You assumed correctly. But…Are you sure you‘re okay? I thought you of all the ponies would have been crying a lot.” She leans forward worriedly. I shake my head, denying her help with regret. “No, no. Really, Twi‘, I‘m alright. I just need my sleep. Apple buckin‘, ya know?” I give a genuine smirk. A small one, but it comes out of the reactive muscles, not from my feigning hope that Twilight will accept it. Twilight tilts her head up. I can tell she isn’t falling for my shit, but…”Okay, Buddy. I‘ll trust you.” Oh…That hurts. I really need to lighten up, but…I’m terrible in these situations. “Thank you, Twilight. It means a lot.” Twilight leans her head forward, now dangerously close to me. “I remember you said you appreciate respect. Well, Buddy, I have so much for you. The way you talk, the way you explain yourself, Gosh…Darnit! You‘re just…Somepony I really want to get to know.” She goes quiet, but her eyes keep screaming at me to fall inside. I just might, if I stare long enough. I look into her for a long time, concentrating thoroughly on her purple eyes. When I finally come to a conclusion, I close my eyes. “I search your ocean for an answer-” I open my eyes, looking straight into her. “-but all I hit are waves.” Her eyes start to water, and she bows her head slowly. “…Oh…” I bring my head closer to hers, inhaling a deep breath. “Until I find your moraine.” She tilts her head up, her eyes more watery than before. “You‘re a poet.” She fumbles her words from her mouth, rubbing her hoof over her nose again. “I try.” Is all I say in reply before our foreheads meet. We gently lean on one another, sighing, just looking into each other’s eyes. I’m sure after tonight…I’m gonna feel it. “You have to go to bed, sir.” She whispers to me, her eyes still searching into mine. “What color eyes do I have?” I try and keep my eyes focused on a single spot in hers, but I can’t help but inspect every inch of her color. “Don‘t change the subject, mister…” She mutters, a minor chuckle escaping her as it rocks our heads gently like a crib. “Yours are purple.” I inform her, completely unnerved. She sighs, her eyelids relaxing into me. “Golden. Your eyes…Are golden.” I smile, nudging my forehead left and right against hers. “Stop distracting me, I have a bed to get to.” I perk up a sarcastic smirk across my lips. She rolls her eyes, and like a true dork, she sticks her tongue out. “Hahaha…Oh! You don‘t want to…Spend the night, again?” She looks really hopeful, with that big kid-like grin and her wide, luscious eyes. “No…This is your night. Ours will be soon enough.” I settle my eyes on hers as she relaxes. And then…We find a crescendo. A point of which we both realize there’s no return. There is no succumbing to one another- simply allowing the energy flow of one’s self into the other. “Uhm…Buddy?” Twilight’s voice breaks my concentration, but not my dedication to the infinite search in her eyes. “Hmm…?” “We‘re floating.” What? “Ow!” “Ugghf!” “Oww….I‘m sorry Buddy! I didn‘t even realize we were…I didn‘t mean to!” She shouts, immediately coming to my aid. I give a subtle smirk, shaking my head at her as I get up. “No worries. If you hadn‘t, I uhm…I may have never wanted that to end.” She blushes, the red looking so prescient on her cheeks. “Oh, shush. You need your sleep.” She bats a hoof at me shyly, rolling her eyes. She’s still blushing though. “Says the mare that just levitated us by accident.” I lash back, grinning mischievously. She rolls her eyes, snorting. “I‘ll see you tomorrow…Okay?” She sounds really worried, like I might not come back to her. “Yes Twilight…I‘ll see you tomorrow. And the day after, and after that, and after that, and after that, and definitely…On that day, I‘ll see you.” I reply with the most reassuring tone I could pull off. Her head bats away, her eyes going in the opposite direction. “Oh…That sounds like a fun time.” I shake my head. “You‘re doing the same thing as me.” “Hmm?” She asks, raising her eyebrows, not having a clue. I shift my jaw from left to right, hoping the words just pop from my mouth eventually. “We‘re distracting each other.” For the first time I’ve seen, Twilight smirks like a criminal. Like a fugitive. Like she did something perverse. “I have the distinct feeling that is going to happen a whole lot now.” I nod my head quickly, raising my eyebrows like her in emphasis. “Oh yeah…I know.” She keeps her smirk going for a while, but eventually she exhales the rest of her breath into a sigh. “At least the night ended really…Really nicely.” She giggles a little to herself, slowly starting to get up. I match her speed, getting up no later than her. “Want to show me to the door?” I glance in the direction of the door, then back to her. “I want to show you to my-” She immediately smacks her hoof over her mouth, her eyes wide. “Uuhhf…Uhm…” She murmurs, a laugh escaping behind her protective hoof. I raise an eyebrow as high as it can go. “What was that…?” I put a hoof up to my ear, leaning over to her. “I…Show…” She mumbles, not nearly enough for me to hear. I take my hoof down and just look at her with an all knowing grin. It takes her a minute of tension build up, but finally…“Iwanttoshowyoutomybed.” Then her hoof slaps right back over her mouth, her eyes exceeding their widening limit. I raise both my eyebrows. “Wow…That‘s a drop in your vocabulary…You read that in a ‘How to talk to talk to colts’ manual?” I lean my head forward, teasing the poor mare. She shakes her head fast, her eyes still wide. She’s probably in shock that she even thought of it still. “I…Kind of just…Went on instinct…” She mumbles gently, her hoof sliding back down to the floor. I shake my head, my senses slapping me in the face. “I know what you mean…I think it‘s that we‘re both really…Tired.” I look at her, my head dipping to an angle. She bats her eyes away, still looking at me though. “Yeah…Tired.” I begin my way to the door, but I start with the notion that I definitely won’t make it without Twilight stopping me. “Buddy?” She gets up, her voice reminiscent of her worry from earlier. I turn around, my genuine care for her showing through. “Mhm…?” I think she sees it too, because a real special smiles rolls over her lips. “If something was wrong, you‘d tell me…Right?” I nod my head very slowly. “I‘d tell you with every stitch of my soul.” Her eyes paralyze at me, her smile sterilizing my body. “Thanks, Buddy…Sweet dreams.” I bow my head to the lavender Unicorn. “Happy birthday, Twilight.” And then…I take my leave, closing the door behind me. I gave her the journal. So many secrets…So many folios can be described in three words from that journal. So much can be told about me, Starspiral, and…I gave it to her. She deserves it. And…We shared that moment. That moment of precious commodity, the jewel of a second between us, the sacred minute of success between our heart strings tying together to make a crescendo beat. There’s no going back. No second chances. Not making a second-hoof idea my first because of doubts. Now…It’s all in the stream of natural happenings. And now I have a date with Twilight. Alone. Under Luna’s night. Against a burning star. This week is going to go by really fast. -- This is it. This is the night I’ve been waiting for. The night Twilight, Ponyville, and Vermithrax have all been waiting for. Even now, as I sit next to her on top of a hill, I have to distance my gaze from her. “Rarity‘s so nice…” She speaks the first words of the night, looking over her white dress. Rarity insisted we go together in style. From her comment, I too look over my black and white get-up, a rose tipping out from the white undershirt. I feel like a lawyer. “Yeah…” Twilight shifts over to me, moving a little closer. We’re only inches apart now, her hooves laying on the ground, fittling with the grass. “Do you know when it starts?” She continues to look at me, her jaw making slight movements. The kind I make when I’m nervous. “In an hour or so.” I pry my attention from the sky, and look at the lavender colored Unicorn. “Anxious?” She lowers her head, drawing circles in the dirt. “Kinda.” “Anything you want to talk about?” I continue to look upon her, attempting to not get lost in her eyes. I need to retain some of my focus. She stays quiet. I can tell she definitely has some things on her mind, but Twilight isn’t the type to be up front with her mind. That’s Applejack’s department. “Twilight?” I bring my head to dusk, putting my eyes to hers as our faces become inches apart. “Are you sure?” She asks, not giving any context. I know you Twilight, but I’m not psychic. I twist my head to the side, my confusion clear as day on my face. She closes her eyes, keeping them tight. “…That you want me?” She pulls from her mouth with Herculean effort. I’ve thought about that a lot. Clearly, I have choices, but from what I’ve seen through my short years of life is that love is found through chance. You don’t know how it’s found, or what’s it’s like, until you have it. You just know. And I know. “My rationale conscience is telling me I‘m too young to make a decision…” I continue to stare at her, right into those wavy eyes. She stays quiet, tension shown over her face. She couldn’t hide her suspense if she had a twenty foot high brick wall. “But I depend on my conscience too much.” I continue after my long pause, leaning my head just an inch closer, our heads meeting once more. A very omniscient smile is born from Twilight’s lips. “Is that another way of saying, ‘I want to show you to my bed’?” Her omniscience turns to mischief, a subtle giggle popping from her. I shake my head, her horn brushing through my mane. “Is there anything else…Before the meteor comes out and shows up your eyes?” I tease the mare before me. For a moment, her purple irises glow a slightly brighter purple. “Oh…I was going to say yours were pretty, but…Now I‘m not so sure.” It’s a shame we can’t move any closer. Er…We can, but…”You tell me mine, I‘ll tell you yours.” I offer an ultimatum, a striking smirk careening off my lips. She rolls her eyes, but half-roll in, she locks right back onto me with confidence. “They‘re gold…It reminds me of the first time I saw bits. Some were being tossed into a fountain, and I asked my brother why they were throwing money away. He told me they weren‘t, they were wishing for more.” She pauses, her over-confidence vanishing and now she loses her will to move, just letting her body lean onto mine. I keep her steady, our cheeks gracing each other as she falls into my lap, our eyes staying locked the whole time. “Bits, huh?” I briskly move my hoof over her mane, making sure not to disconnect the pin. She nods her head slowly, moving ever-so slightly more into my lap. “It makes me think of what you see in mine.” She gives me the most hushed smile, a smidge of red forming over both her cheeks. I gaze into her eyes, attempting to reenact the moment when we both hit the high note on her birthday; when we floated. “They‘re an ocean. They don‘t share the colors, but they have the emotion. I look into them, always searching for something I‘m never going to comprehend. I‘m a ship that set sail, and my journey is ever going to end. But…While your iris is the pacific, your black is the current.“ I suck down any available air and gulp it into my lungs. Her eyes constantly shift, looking from both of mine. Her eyes don’t get the least bit watery, but her lips do begin to quiver. “Can you write that down?” Her voice drops to a slightly sheepish octave, a continues smile dawning over her. “Why?” I shrug my shoulders gently, placing one of my hoofs underneath her head, holding it cautiously. “I don‘t want to forget it.” Her lips clasp into a restrained whimper, and nearly a cry. My lips spread wide, and I nuzzle her forehead onto mine. “I won‘t forget it.” She lowers her head, but continues to look up at me, her irises having to swim their limit to the top. “You‘re the best.” Considering she has five other particular friends and a very loyal assistant that are well worthy of that title, I take it to heart. “Is there anything else?” I continue to gently massage her head with my own, both my hooves going through her mane. She looks around the sky that my head doesn’t block, and she finds herself landing right back into my bit-flavored eyes. “How about…” She begins, loathing her jaw back and forth as she ponders. “Tell me why you choose me?” I roll my eyes, retracting my forehead from hers for just a moment. “Oh…For your pride, I‘m guessing?” I assume, raising an eyebrow. She nods her head quickly, moving her head up to mine once more and we lock again. “I would say…” I begin, leaning her back into my lap snuggly, my hooves continuing to brush her mane. “It‘s that you are you. Mature, intelligent, genuine, a dork, and freaking gorgeous.” I can’t help but utter a minute chuckle, nuzzling myself further against her. “Oh…Is that all?” She asks rather politely, then she takes a turn for sporadic and twists her head to the side, raising her suspicion upon me. “And how am I a dork?” I just smile at her, continuing my gentle strokes through her mane. “You just are. That‘s that.” I tell her with a firm tone, briskly rubbing my nose against hers. “Uh huh…” She mumbles something to herself, but sighs once she comes back to staring into my eyes. We no longer look at each other. We just…Stare into our eyes, locating the words inside. “Something else on your mind?” She closes her eyes, letting my hooves sooth her. “Why were you so reclusive at my birthday party?” She seems to have taken lessons from AJ to ask so directly. I continue to sooth her, regardless of the tough question. “I don‘t do well with parties.” I explain, then gently put a hoof over her mouth to keep her from talking too hastily. This is the first time I’ve touched her lips…“I‘ve never had a birthday party before.” Her eyes drop to reality. She gently, cautiously brings my hoof to the ground with hers. “I‘m so sorry…I should‘ve as-” “I loved how happy you were.” I interrupt, pushing her apologies to the side. She opens and closes her mouth several times, stopping herself before she speaks. “It‘s okay Twilight.” I reassure her, a big dumb grin popping from my lips. “I trust you.” She says again, planting her forehead onto mine. It wrenches my heart to hear that. “Trust me enough to ask the question that‘s really on your mind?” I seem to have taken lessons from AJ as well. Her face shifts slightly, getting a little uncomfortable. “If you trust me enough to answer.” I nod my head slowly, letting the quiet nature of Luna’s sky forebode the curiosity from her. “What happened with you and your dad?” She asks, a very strong sense of sincerity in her voice. I knew she got that far in the journal. I knew she wanted to know since she got it. Was only a matter of time…And now it’s only a matter of seconds for her to hear it. “He thought I was worth nothing.” She continues to look at me, and for the first time I think ever in my life, somepony is listening to me. “Told me I was dirt.” I try my best to look at Twilight, hoping that her ocean will aid me. “Told me I was…-” I pause. I was going to clench my eyes closed, but I can’t. I still gaze far into her purple eyes, and start to set sail. “-I wasn‘t his son.” She shakes her head, disgust in her snort. “He was a-” “He wasn‘t my father.” I stop her. I forgot I wasn’t stroking her mane anymore… “You deserved better than that.” She coos, bringing one of her hoofs up to graciously rub my shoulder. I smile at Twilight; her sea can sail me through the roughest storms. “Haven‘t told anypony about that before…” I say skittishly, returning my hooves back to brushing her mane. “Then why do you tell me now?” She tilts her head at an angle, her smile brightening the night. Vermathrax is going to have to bring his A-game if he wants to top it. “Because I trust you.” I move her highlight out of her face, but most importantly, out of her eye. Twilight’s lips create one of the best representations of Fluttershy’s one-of-a-kind smile yet. “But…One more thing…” She mumbles, blinking a couple times to bring herself out of her trance. I lean my head closer, our foreheads locking for the ten thousandth time tonight. “Mhm…?” She plays with her lips as she puts her words together. “What about Starspiral?” She finally blurts out. I keep my cool, relaxed look over my face, shifting my head to the side. Our noses bump into each other, leaving us there. “What about him?” She gulps down her long awaited breath, then to further postpone her reply, she sighs. “I know you weren‘t ‘working’ for him.” She barely slithers from her mouth, her eyes looking like they have more than a few icebergs ahead. I sigh, and after a moment of silence, I nod my head against hers. “He was more of a father than…The other guy.” My breath heaves itself onto her, only aiding in my attempt to get across my unease. She keeps her usual concerned face upon her, already knowing what I tell her. My words are just the further credible evidence of her theory. “It sounds like he cared about you.” I swallow her words into my lungs, sighing it back out. “Can we talk about something else?” I request abruptly, not letting up on my gentle stroking of her mane. Instead of looking annoyed, or really concerned, Twilight nods her head, completely understanding. “Okay, Buddy.” Her hoof leaves my shoulder and gracefully falls onto her stomach. I stare at her for a long, long time. Just…Sailing. Swimming. Flying above the ocean in her eyes until I fall to grace. “What about you?” I ask gently, kneading her mane in between my hooves. She blinks a couple times, seeming as though her senses were lost in my gold. “What?” She asks, a childish smirk flashing from her lips. “What about you and Celestia?” I ask again, making sure she can see the care in my golden irises. Some color flows to her face, and she nods her head gently onto mine. “Oh…Uhm…What about her?” She shifts her gaze from my left, to my right eye, and repeats until finally settling on my right. I shrug as subtly as I can. “Don‘t you miss her?” I keep my sails strong as I venture further. A very genuine laugh comes from the deepest part of her, and she rubs her nose against mine like a dog would to it’s lover. “Of course, and it makes me really…Sad to be without her all the time, but…” She pauses, flashing a blink and focusing her eyes fully inside mine. “I would die without you.” I laugh a little to myself, watching intently as more and more color flows over her. “Princess Celestia as my mom…That would be worrying.” I flush out with a bit of spite, bursting a smirk from my lips. She rolls her eyes at my remark, taking in a deep breath under my gaze. “She‘s not that bad…” As I’m sailing through her ocean, the waves brushing underneath my ship of curiosity and bravery, I notice something in the sky…Something large, burning, and heading right for me. It rips me from my adventure into her purple eyes, and I can see now that I’m in reality. Vermithrax’s meteor is careening towards us through Twilight’s reflection. I jolt my head up in attention, gazing upon the sight with innocence. Twilight as it seems noticed it as well and gets up from my lap, settling herself right next to me. Her cheek grazes against mine as we stare upon the meteor. The hundred year meteor. I can tell that the meteor is extremely far away, yet it’s still a massive hunk of burning material and energy. A trail lurks behind it, stretching over Equestria as it cuts through our atmosphere. It almost takes up the entire sky and pushes Luna out of the way. It completely engulfs us in it’s infinite light, creating new and old emotions we didn’t even know were there. I turn to Twilight, and as I do, she turns to me. We face each other, the meteor continuing to light up only our hill. Inside her eyes…I am at peace. I can sail forever throughout time, come across treasures, find words, and create worlds. All inside her landless sea. But her lips…That is an adventure I have yet to take. I lean my head forward, as does she, and our mouths clash in a heap of fire and intensity, throwing Vermithrax’s last breath to the sun. Her lips taste of vigor, vitality, and sustenance. I can’t find myself in her sea as I’m too lost in her liveliness, bellowing myself around and around in a whole new dimension. This feeling…This flavor; it cannot end. I refuse to let anything come between me, Twilight, and this moment. This moment of explosive passion, gentle acquisition, and full-blown tension. I have her. She has me. We are together, on a hill, alone, in the night, while a meteor passes by over head. All I can think is: This is the greatest journey I’ve ever taken. Our lips unclasp from each other, and instantly our eyes are met. We stay quiet, letting the heavy beats of our hearts drown out any other noise, and the heaving of our breathing together form a furnace that warms our bodies. “Will you…” Twilight squeaks out, her lips discovering that any form of language is foreign. “Be mine?” I swallow all the tension and need to push my lips over hers again and decide to instead nod my head. “I‘m yours, my Sea.” She looks at my with her eyes lowered, a very sultry dampness boiling over her. “And I am yours, my Golden Bit.” And there we are. Sharing with each other our moment. The moment that she wanted, the moment I wanted. But this stretches farther than just a moment- this opens the door to so much more, so many more adventures and discoveries. This is not a moment for the ages, this is the ages’ discovery of our moment. Above all else that happened tonight, from the truth coming out, cuddling, swimming; I ventured into something more than the sea. I took a journey into the fruitful flavor of cherry. Balls deepFor the keeper of the only library in Ponyville, Twilight sure gets her books mixed up a lot. Leaving it all to little old Spike to clean up. Today, however, I came by and Spike informed me that if I wanted his information regarding certain mares and their crushes, I’d need to swap jobs again. I declined, however. Twilight is all I need, but…That does give me an excuse to hang around the library. Not that I need one, though. To strengthen my bond with Twilight, I politely declined Spike’s info, and just let him go drool on Rarity for the day. “How was the spa?” Twilight shouts from the study room, busy at work with…Studying, I guess. I place a book, Capera’s Clues, into the C section and then look for another book to reorganize. “Awesome, duh! You should come along sometime!” She stays quiet in her room. “Twilight?” I question her attention before picking up another book in my mouth. Ucharriot’s Mentally Lucratively Life In- I ain’t reading all that. So U. “Huh?” She yells back, inattentively. I put the back in the U section, making my way back to the countless number of books on the floor. “Would you like to go to the spa with me?” I can hear the familiar sounds of paper flipping busily, levitation spells, and the occasional, “Oooh!” Until finally Twilight catches up with reality. “Oh, uhh…Sure!” I guess I should leave her be, what with all the studying she has to do for Princess Celestia. It is a never ending cycle with her. Snuggling Loving Studying Studying And more studying. Gets kind of ridiculous, to the point where I worry for her safety. But…She’s been doing this all her life. I can’t tamper with that. I pick up the next book, only noting that it’s title starts with an R. I quickly trot my way over back to the section, and slide it in, then make my way back. Even though I’m dedicated to Twilight…I still can’t help but be immorally curious about just who has those crushes on me. Rarity? That would be awkward. My boss having a crush on me. That’s something I’ve never experienced in the employment line. But she’s so generous. I can’t even fathom being kind enough to pay my employee 50 bits an hour. It’s still alien to me, and when I accept my pay, I still feel a sense of foreignness to it all. Rainbow Dash? Really not my type. Cocky, slightly arrogant, and overly-athletic. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a body, but I prefer modesty over gloating. Regardless…I admire Dash for her strong loyalty to her friends. She’s even showing a touch of warmth my way, being a little more nice, and not insulting me so much. Still calls me Doctor B though. Fluttershy is probably one of them. She’s always shy, reclusive, and blushes a whole lot. But, then again…When we all went to a play a while ago, she was blushing when I wasn’t even around. So, maybe, she is just like that all the time. And…That’s not my type, either. The kind that just completely secludes their self from everything. She even lives in a house where no road leads to, so it’s clear she doesn’t like social interactions. But…She’s the gentlest pony I have ever met. Her tiny little voice, squeamish cheers, and love of nature; I’m lucky to call her my friend. Saw her do this death-stare at a moose once, though. Scared the shit out of me. Pinkie Pie…I don’t think so. I wouldn’t want it, but I doubt she really has a thing for me. She doesn’t showcase it at all. But…Then again, she doesn’t showcase anything other than a big smile and her bountiful amount of happiness. I don’t know, but I can’t deny that she can make some pretty banging- Damn you Vinyl!- parties. Always happy, always there, and always playing pranks. Rainbow told me about the time Pinkie Pie wasn’t happy though. I have a hard time believing it; probably another one of her really conniving pranks. Applejack, as I’ve discovered on my own, does. So that’s one off my list, but…Why? Who does she like me? Because I work hard, she says, but there has got to be a more concrete reason than that. Besides…Her and Rainbow really get along like peanut butter and jelly. I can’t come between that, and I never will. One of the most dependable ponies I’ve ever met, even if she can be brutally honest. Then Twilight…Oh, Twilight, how she makes me whole. Her eyes- or ocean, as I have come to call it -take me on adventures everyday. I can’t explain why she is the one. I have felt some serious liking for some ponies before, even to the point where I thought I was obsessing, but that was nothing. I worry about her every moment of every day and every night. Just the other day she wanted to go to Rarity’s for a while. I stayed at the library, waiting at least an hour until I decided to go see what they were doing. When I got there, I found out Twilight left a half an hour ago, and I flipped out. I wasn’t mad, I was just worried. I didn’t convey it to well to her when I found out she was stopped for a really, really long conversation with Pinkie about the history behind confetti. It’s understandable; I too was almost caught in that situation. It doesn’t however distain from the fact that I was worried sick. But one look into those purple-ocean eyes, and I was sold. I don’t know why she’s the one for me. She just is, and always will be mine. “Hey…Buddy?” Twilight’s voice echoes throughout the library. Oh…I didn’t even realize I was just standing in the middle of the library. “Yes?” I shout to the study room where Twilight is supposedly hiding. The lavender Unicorn walks out of the darkened room with a worried stench droning over her face. I immediately stop what I’m doing and look up at her, coming to her side. “What‘s wrong?” She continues with her worried gaze, and in turn, I equalize it with my own. “I…Uhm…” She fumbles her words, only getting more and more worried. “Twilight?” I bring a sincere hoof around her shoulders, bringing my face close to hers for extra comfort. It seems it helped, but not much as she slowly follows me to her new chair. “There‘s…Something…I-…Erraaah…” She continues to mumble to herself, far too low for me to hear. I coax her up the chair, and she sits down, not bothering to get comfortable in the cotton seat. “It‘s okay, honey. Just relax.” I move back, and sit down in front of her on the floor. I have to tilt my head up a little higher to meet her ocean, but I’ll deal with anything to make sure she’s okay. Even an hour conversation with Pinkie Pie about confetti. “What‘s wrong?” Her worry dies down some, but it’s omnipresent element still weighs heavily on her mood. “Okay, okay…I…I‘m not sure what to say…” I dip my head lower, letting the silence of the room speak for me. Like she listened to me, I am listening to her. She sucks in a deep breath, then lets it ooze from her lungs. “I‘ve been looking into Starspiral‘s work lately. His views are…Fascinating on the capabilities of ponies, but I came across…A…Uhm…Worrying section of his work.-” Oh no…Had she figured it out? “-He talks about the possibilities of many theories and says that centuries have gone by where opportunities have been missed to get just the right one, and with the help of his journal, I…Uhm…-” She has. That’s why the library is like this. she’s been searching for Starspiral’s work…I think I should tell her; then at least it will be me who spilled the truth, not Starspiral. “-I think I‘ve concluded with his data that he-” “I‘m a freak.” I duck my head in shame, keeping my eyes from hers. I’m not allowed to venture any further, not when I’m guilty. “What…?” Her voice turns hoarse, and I can hear the chair start to creak. “I know what you found. I‘m…Sorry I never told you.” My voice gets lower and lower, hoping in vein that it helps my apology get across effectively. It doesn’t at all. “Please tell me that isn‘t true…” She gets out of the chair, coming right onto me. Her face is about to explode in tears. If I was worthy of adventuring into her sea, I would hit more than waves. “I am a hybrid, Twilight.” I pick my head up, even if it’s temporary, and gaze at her with true hurt in my eyes. She chokes up, her tears not falling just yet. “Why wouldn‘t…Why…” She stops, clenching her eyes shut as her legs lose all control, falling onto my body. I hold onto her, gently laying us down so that she is in my lap. This resembles…The night. When we first vouched our love for each other. Our first venture into each others lips. “If I told you-” I pause, watching a single tear make its short journey to her lavender fur. “-…You wouldn‘t have accepted me.” She shakes her head, her lips shaping into a smile, but still with the remnants of a deepened frown. “Yes I would.” It makes me cringe to hear that. In the back of my heart, I wanted her to say that I was right so I wouldn’t feel as much guilt…And realizing that, I am just all ten levels of asshole. “I‘m sorry…I wronged you, and there‘s not a single thing in the world I can do to make it better. I am sorry, Twilight.” I shake my head, lowering my gaze to the floor in shame. She gently coaxes my head back up with a hoof, bringing me back to her. “No…I am sorry.” She leans her head upwards, to which I lay my hooves behind her as a pillow. “Hybrid or not, you are still Buddy. I…I just need to accept that.” I gulp down the spit building up in my mouth, my breath shuddering out my mouth. “I-” “And the sooner I accept that, the sooner you will accept that part of you.” She finishes, then clenched her eyes shut for a moment, then reopens them to fall into my golden eyes. I sniffle, still staring down at her. I hate looking down at her…It make me feel too powerful. When I’m an empowered condition, I make stupid decisions, like keeping secrets from ponies I love. “Buddy…?” She leans her head up gently, blinking a couple times as her tears start to die down. Her voice springs me from my stupor. “I‘m so, so sorry Twilight…I…You deserve better than me.” I continue to distance myself from her; my skin isn’t even worthy of hers. She shakes her head quickly, yanking me back down to inches from her face. “No…Don‘t you say that.” Her voice goes to a much sterner tone, and she stares at me with those watery, lovely eyes. “You have treated me better than…Than anypony. Ever.” I suck down the air I’ve been holding in my mouth, and I’m able to lean my head back again. “No pony has lied to you like I have, either.” Her hooves settle underneath me, laying across her stomach. “Yet, you‘re still perfect for me.” Amidst all this crying, lying, and truth telling, she smiles. I bring myself to smile back at her, and pull her body against mine for a hug. “I‘m sorry…” My breath hits against her shoulder. She laughs behind me, her lips rubbing against my fur. “How many times are you going to apologize?” “As many times as it takes.” I reply with haste, laying her back down into my lap. She may not have gotten comfortable in the chair, but she is now in my hold. She shakes her head, her smile widening. “But…I just don’t understand a couple things…” She looks up at me with wonderment in her voice, her tears drying up. I lean my head forward, not quite sure if I want to answer anything about myself right now. She moves her lips around, her teeth grazing over them slightly. “If…You…” She takes in a deep breath, taking a moment to find her words. “Starspiral said that a Hybrid would have…Abilities that no pony has ever seen before.” I close my eyes, sighing gently overhead of my precious, curious Twilight. “It‘s not like that, Twilight.” “But you…” She starts, her eyes going wide with anticipation and excitement. “You…You have so much potential! He said that you‘d be able to fly, move mountains, crea-” “I‘m not a fucking specimen!!” Twilight stops. I open my eyes. Horror. That’s what I see. Absolute horror on Twilight’s face. There’s a darkening specter looming over us now, aiming its divine retribution at my head. I just yelled at Twilight. For no reason, for nothing that she deserved. She wants to run away, right now. I can see it in her frightened, wide eyes. I want to throw up. “I‘m…I didn‘t mean…” I stutter, gulping down dry air. “I…” Her breathing begins to shake her body, and she takes her gaze to the dusk. “I‘m sorry. I got overexcited.” Her apology clips my heart in half. She should never apologize for anything, ever. I deserve to be gutted, right here, right now. The amount of dread crushing onto me is just unfathomable. “Don‘t cry…Please, honey.” I’m…Crying? I didn’t even realize it. Good. I deserve to be weakened in front of Twilight. “If you want…” She pauses, and pulls me down to her as we embrace in a hug. I’m only half with it, though. “We can never talk about it again.” I can’t live with that. I’ve done enough to her already, she at least deserves to cure her curiosity. “No…No, it‘s something I have to get out eventually.” I can feel her nod her head against me, as well as her lips move as she talks. “Do you want to talk about it?” I gulp down my air that I’ve been holding for safe keeping, then sigh it from the deepest part of my lungs. “Yes…I would.” I feel her nod her head again, and begin to move her body from mine. I keep her in place however, clinging our souls together. “Please…Let‘s stay like this for a while.” I plead, bringing one of my hoofs up to stroke gently into her mane. She squeezes tighter, nuzzling her cheeks against my neck. And now she knows…She knows damn near everything about me now. My quirks, favorite foods, favorite places, backstory, gimmicks, hardships, relationships, and now she knows I’m a freak. A weirdo. A cross between Pegasus and Unicorn. With a whole lot of luck. “Okay…” I pry from my voice box, gently releasing her from our intoxicating hug. She looks at me, still concerned as she always is. “Are you sure?” Her eyelashes flash over her eyes, keeping me from surfing for only a second. I nod my head, promptly getting to my hooves. “Yeah…It‘s about time I am.” I release a small, well needed chuckle from my lungs. Twilight smiles meekly as she too gets up, and walks back over to her chair. This feels like a therapy session. I’ve been to plenty of those… “Oh…Uhm…” She turns around just before hopping into her chair. “Would you mind…If I wrote a letter to Princess Celestia about this? I think…It would be interesting to her.” She makes sure her voice is polite, and I know why. She doesn’t want to cause another out lash. I feel my heart sink into my gut just a little from that. “I don‘t mind. As long as you make me sound handsome.” I smirk at her, sitting my flank comfortably on the floor. Levitating a quill and paper to herself, she begins to write before I even speak. “Okay…So…Do you want me to ask questions? I…Haven‘t prepared any, if so. And…If you want, I co-” “I‘ll be okay Twilight.” I stop her before she gets too caught up, like she often does. My lips course into a typical smile. “Oh…Well, uhm…Okay. I‘m ready, when you are.” And so I tell her everything. I really tell her everything. I start with the beginning. How I didn’t even know for the longest time that I was an abomination, and nor did my mother or father. I went on with life like a normal colt. Father-son problems, school bullies, and a whole shit load of homework. But…When Starspiral found me, he insisted I helped him with a project. He had best intentions in mind, but some of the worst things imaginable have been done with the best intentions. I pursued his goal along his side, regardless, and he was keen on having me being on the front lines of his work. When he figured out what I was, he took it upon himself to train me. I didn’t take it lightly. Considering I just yelled at Twilight, my lover, for even mentioning it, I didn’t need to explain just how furious I was with him. But he pressed on how important I was to history, to the world, to Equestria, and most of all, to him. So I let it happen…Besides, an untrained magic-user is dangerous. He even made a name for a ‘Hybrid’, since I complained very continuously that Hybrid made me sound freakish. He named my race Hollicorns. But that was another excuse. I let it go, though, and saw for myself when I performed magic. When I concentrate really, really hard, I am able to accomplish impossible tasks. One thing I’m not proud of, but had to tell Twilight, was that it wasn’t her that caused us to float on her birthday. It was me. When we had met that crescendo and I found a harmony with her, I was so focused on us together that I made the ground not even come between our touch. I don’t like to think of what else I’m capable of, but Starspiral was persistent on telling me exactly what I could do. Lift mountains Change the weather Alter the climate Levitate houses Fly through space Breathe water Consume rock Absorb plutonium Create worlds Each and every one of them felt like a bullet to me. Ability to create worlds…That’s sickening. But…He proved my denial wrongly accusing when I created a crater. From then on, I vowed to do everything in my power- which was a lot- to not use it ever again. I broke that promise that night with Twilight. I told her everything. From my short, scary training with Starspiral, my abilities, and my vows, to leaving Starspiral, getting a job, and moving twelve times. I told her my life. Every. Single. Bit. Once her letter was sent, I was glad to spend the night at the library. Cuddling and wrapping myself against Twilight in her bed as we drift into a silent, cool night, I can feel a large weight off my chest. I shared my entire life with this mare, and not because she asked, or because I needed to vent it in some way, but because I trust her. I trust Twilight Sparkle, my own private Sea. -- “Buuuurp!” A letter shoots from Spike’s mouth unexpectedly, leaving behind a trail of green mist. “Oh!” Twilight shouts, quickly jumping to the letter and holding it in front of her. “She gets up early.” I don’t know how Twilight deals with that burping. I’ve seen him do it at least twenty times now, and it smells awful when he does it. That letter is no exception, I’d bet. Her face falls to a worried glare as her eyes scan lower and lower down the letter. “Oh…” I walk to her side, and place my chin over her shoulder. “What‘s up?” I ask casually, glancing at the letter for just a second. She let’s the letter drift to the ground and begins to bite her gums. “She wants you to go to Canterlot.” I keep a happy mood going, raising an eyebrow. “Oh? What for? Wants to put a magnifying glass over me?” Since I told her, I feel a little more open about it now. Haven’t vented something like that ever in my life, and it feels good to have something as huge as a life secret off my back. She shakes her head, closing hr eyes. “I don‘t know…But I‘m coming with you.” That’s worrying. Now she is concerned about me going somewhere? “I don‘t think you have to, I mean it‘s no-” “ I want to.” She stops me, her eyes already set for her destination. I swallow the rest of my speech, and sigh. “Okay, Twilight.” I walk away into the study room, yelling behind me. “How are we supposed to get there?” “She said…There will be a chariot waiting for you.” She raises her voice halfway, trying to make sure it reaches me. I roll my eyes, a sigh escaping me. “Sounds like a really long ride.” “Only an hour!” She shouts back to me, trying to be as reassuring as she can. Yeah…An hour to, and from. I can handle it, though. No problem, just a quick talk, long ride, and then I’m back alone with Twilight. “Alright…When do we go?” She stays quiet, and I can hear the sound of paper crinkling. “Immediately.” I look back at her from the study room, picking my head up from a minorly distracting book. “Oh…Alright then.” I exhale the rest of my breath in a huff, then make my way back to Twilight. “I‘m worried. Princess Celestia is never this…I don‘t know. She‘s just not like this.” She paces around the library, her head bowed. “Yeah…But she probably hasn‘t had some Hollicorn in her kingdom, either.” I appear from the study room, placing a gentle hoof over Twilight. “Don‘t worry, Twi‘, She‘s probably just curious. Kind of reminds me of somepony…” I smirk at her, a very devious look in my eye. She rolls hers, sighing. “Okay, honey. I can only hope she isn‘t as tenacious.” She obtains her own devious grin, chuckling along with me. A golden chariot…That’s a way to travel; especially when it’s being pulled by two Pegasi. Admittedly, I’ve never been in one before, but I’m not looking forward to an hour flight to Canterlot, then back. But most of all…I hope Princess Celestia doesn’t have the same mindset as Starspiral. -- Me and Twilight mess around the whole ride there. Talking about funny pranks Rainbow and Pinkie had made, some very particular incidents involving Pinkie and her insta-party canon, and what we think Princess Celestia wants. I told her that Celestia is just curious and wants to see for herself. She doesn’t see me from the same perspective as Twilight, or any of the others. I’m just somepony her student told about in a letter. Twilight started to get paranoid, saying radial things like I’m going to have to be put under surveillance or something. I can only hope Twilight is wrong this one time. “Come on! You‘re taking forever!” I roll my eyes, puffing my cheeks up. I just want to look at this fascinating place before I had to leave. There’s tons of gold, silver, and I swear I saw some house made out of diamonds. That’s home improvement! “I don‘t want to keep Princess Celestia waiting…” She shifts her eyes back and forth as she walks towards the Royal Palace, her face to the floor. I glance from her, to the guards at the gate, then back to her. “Don‘t sweat it, Twi‘.” That’s something Rainbow always says. She stays quiet until we get to the guards. With the glow of her horn, a paper appears in front of one of the guards. In mere seconds, they step aside. My curiosity is provoked, to say the least. “What‘d you show him? His taxes if he doesn‘t move?” I joke as we make our way up a red-rugged staircase. “Royal seal. Means I can go anywhere I want.” She says with authority, reminding me of Rarity with distinction. I tilt my head back, raising my eyebrows. “I see…” I look back to the ground, noticing it’s change from red to a milky white marble. “One thing, honey…” I jump myself to attention, looking over to her purple eyes. “Be honest, please. I know it‘s a touchy subject, but…She has to know.” She pulls her gaze from ahead, and let’s me look into her sea for a second. There are plenty of waves coming in. “Alright, Twily.” She told me that only Shining Armor calls her that, and I love it when she gets angry about her nicknames. Twilight narrows her eyes, but is immediately brought to attention as we enter the throne room. And there she is; the Princess. Err…One of them, at least. Her mane…Tail…It’s extremely distracting. “Ahh…My wonderful student, Twilight Sparkle.” Her voice echoes throughout the room, sending shocks of blessings throughout me. I, along with Twilight, bow before the Princess. I guess being a student of the Princess doesn’t come with all the privileges. “Princess Celestia, we came as soon as possible.” Twilight is remarkably more well spoken. I guess she just talks lesser around me, for whatever reason. “How are you?” Princess Celestia perks a petite smile over herself, making her way off the throne and down the steps, stopping in front of Twilight. Twilight picks herself up, and seeing her, I do too. “I am excellent! I‘ve been making many new additions to old projects, and I‘ve started a unique one on Curteith’s Compendium!” She yelps excitedly, bringing her head up like a proud dog. “Oh, that‘s fantastic, my bright student.” She smiles so wide that it squints her eyes closed. I don’t know how I noticed, considering her multicolored mane and tail are so freaking distracting. “It sure is, Princess!” Twilight continues her very wide smile, head high and eyes closed. Princess Celestia’s face becomes relaxed. As she takes in a deep, subtle breath, I know what’s going to happen. “This must be the once fabled Buddy?” She opens her eyes to a very welcomed gaze, as well as spreading her polite smile. Damn I’m good. I knew she was going to come to me next. I stay quiet, thinking the Princess was addressing Twilight. She nods her head to me quickly, biting her bottom lip. I look unprofessional as I stutter my hooves around on the floor, all while Princess Celestia continues with her politeness. “It‘s a pleasure to meet you, Princess Celestia.” She bows her head to me- something I never thought in a million years I would get to see- then stops in front of me. “How are you?” Wow…The Princess asking me how I am? This day is turning out to be weird. “I‘m just peachy. How are you, Princess?” How is the Princess? Probably pretty freaking happy, considering she’s the Princess. There’s at least more than one of her running around. Just one Hollicorn in the world, and it’s me. “I am wonderful, Buddy. Thank you dearly for asking.” She still has that bright, homey smile on her. Really friendly. I hope it isn’t temporary. I bow before her once again, then look to Twilight to see what she thinks of my manners. She grins widely, winking my way. Thank you, Rarity. Now my manners really are polished. Princess Celestia walks before me, now standing right ahead of my line of sight. “You‘re the Hollicorn, yes?” She still has that smile. That big, friendly smile over her face. Normally I would be creeped out by it, but…It’s actually kind of nice. “I…Am.” I stutter, not sure of just how to answer it. A simple yes probably would have done fine… “Then Starspiral was right all along.” Her head goes to dusk, rising high, as well as her gaze. “Fascinating.” I bow my head to the Princess. All those times I yelled at her for burning out my eyes with the sun are long gone now. I wouldn’t dare rip on her sun-control now. She returns herself to me, her friendly smile a little more vacant now. “As the Princess, I take responsibility for the safety of anything out of the control of Equestria.” She pauses, undoubtedly so her words sink deeper in my skin. “You are one of those safety precautions.” Gulping down possibly the biggest chunk of air ever, I nod my head. I dare not speak; I’d rather keep my tongue. She turns around, walking slowly back up the stairs. “If I were to allow you to follow up with your life as you have been, it could cause problems. An untrained magical being is in some cases more dangerous than a well trained evil one.” She turns around at the top of the steps. Both Twilight and I keep quiet, not even glancing at each other. I can feel the tension pouring from her just three feet away. Princess Celestia looks from both me and Twilight until settling on the lavender Unicorn. “In your report, you mentioned that Buddy levitated without trying, did you not?” Though her attempts to keep it going, I can see that her friendly smile has faded. Twilight picks her head up only to nod it once firmly. “That‘s right.” Princess Celestia stays silent for a few seconds- hours to me- then turns herself to my frightened eyes. “What should I do?” What should she do? What the hell is she asking me for; she’s the P- okay…She’s just testing you. Relax, be calm…Damn, I was calm before I got here, but now…I feel the weight of all this pressing on me fast. She can end my life in a second, if she wanted. Just off me, say it was a matter of Equestrian Security, then be done with it. “I don‘t know, Princess.” I mutter truthfully of my ignorance. I can see in the corner of my eye that Twilight is just buzzing of worry. It grows quiet as Princess Celestia closes her eyes, standing above both of us. What the hell was I thinking? This wasn’t going to be simple as, “Oh hi Princess! Yeah, I‘m a one-of-a-kind Pegasus-Unicorn-Earthpony mix with super-powers and can destroy things. Okay, see you later!” Damnit…If I just hadn’t given her that journal…No, no. She’s smart. She would’ve figured out eventually. But…Only she would. No pony else would have. She shouldn’t have wrote that letter. I shouldn’t have agreed to it… Fucking hindsight. “Because of my concern for all of Equestria,” She begins, immediately shaking me out of my thoughts. “you will be negated of all your magical abilities, as well as any other mythical stances you may hold. I am sorry, Buddy, but I cannot al-” “I‘ll vouch for him!” Twilight shouts instantaneously. What…? Don’t do anything stupid, please Twilight. For the first time, and only time, I can see a real genuine, unexpected stare at Twilight. Her eyes are leaking hurt, and it sends me through a roil of depravity. “Twilight Sparkle, my trusted student,” She starts to walk down the stairs, looking at Twilight with a kind of gaze I am completely unfamiliar with. “You know what your vouch entails?” She stops in front of her, still holding that foreign gaze. Twilight nods firmly, clenching her eyes shut. “I do.” “And you accept the terms?” Princess Celestia’s head goes lower, the kind of action a concerned mother would make. That’s when I realize it…Celestia is being a mother. And I’m coming between it. Twilight clenches her eyes tighter. “I do.” Princess Celestia holds her stance still for a time, then moves back to the top of the stairs. “Buddy will undergo training with you, Twilight Sparkle, and once he is safe, he will demonstrate it. Until further notice,” She pauses, her eyes closing halfway. “you are dismissed.” She turns around, her head pointing to a painted window. That wasn’t so bad. Twilight took a blow for me, but…We didn’t die. That’s a win, I’d say. Except for me being in the way of their relationship. That’s…Heart crushing. Seeing Twilight hunched over as she takes her leave doesn’t keep me positive for long, though. I keep quiet, following behind her with haste. Seeing a distinct lack of her purple eyes sets me off in sadness, and I’m not sure how to thank her. “Hey, Twilight…” I try that coltfriend voice, a real smooth, lovey-dovey kind. She doesn’t budge as we pass by the guards, making our way to the golden chariot. “Twilight…?” I bring my head close to hers, nudging her neck slightly. She brings her head up to attention, sucking in a deep breath. “Hmm?” “What does your vouch…mean?” I barely get out, still trying to comfort her by stroking her neck. “I‘m no longer her student.” I stop. I breath. I choke. “What?!” I move my head back, and she stops in the middle of Canterlot. Did she just give up her entire life so that I would live? No, wait. Princess Celestia said she only wanted to negate my magic, so I would have been fine! She did this so we could be together…She sacrificed herself! “Why?!” My voice goes to a much higher pitch than I wanted. Surprisingly, her breathing is very calm. “Please, don‘t yell.” Her voice tells me all I need to know. She’s trying her hardest to hold back tears. I clench my eyes shut. I’m not…Yelling at her. I mean I am, but it wasn’t like before. That had no reason, this…She just gave up nearly her entire life for me. “I‘m sorry. I just…I don‘t get your reasoning.” She continues her walk to the chariot, and I follow. “I can‘t bare to see you live your whole life while being restricted from being whole because what you‘re born with.” I lower my head, slowly blinking until my vision blurs. I might cry. “Oh…” I utter from my pathetic, unworthy lips. “I…I think I‘m going to…” She pauses before she gets into the chariot, looking around. “I‘m going to stay with Shining Armor for a day or two.” There’s a single tear rolling down her cheek. I watch that tear intently, hoping that it will shout to me what her reasoning is. “O-okay…” I don’t get up into the chariot. I’m going to take my sweet time. She clings to me, nuzzling her face against mine. “Stay safe, Buddy.” I tilt my head against her, wrapping a hoof over us. “You too, Twily.” I hear a crying laugh against me; the best kind. She gently releases, raising her eyelids off of her sea. I’m able to have one last quick sail into her ocean before I depart, even if it’s in a storm. I slowly take my steps up into the golden ride, and before the door closes behind me, I turn around. “I love you, my Sea.” Her lips begin to quiver. “I love you more, my Golden Bit.” The door closes, and I’m off before I know it. And here I am…Alone, depredated, powerless to help Twilight, and on an hour flight to Ponyville. Had Celestia made the right decision? Had I? Had Twilight? She took something from her life so she can keep what she has with me. In the short amount of time together, she’s already prepared enough to be that sure? Or was she acting on instinct. Everything is up in the air now. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know what Twilight’s going to do. She doesn’t deserve to be ripped of her life’s work. She doesn’t deserve me yelling at her. She doesn’t deserve to be pried away from her mother. I don’t deserve to have her life. I don’t deserve 50 bits an hour. I don’t deserve her. Deja VuThere’s a perfect depicture of black and blue throughout the skies. The weather team must have been working overtime to make it look so gorgeous; mixing colored clouds, stars so deep in the ocean above the ground, and the moon settles comfortably behind a cluster of multi-colored contrastive clouds. I don’t care for it. I’m more of a clear-sky kind of colt, but right now, I’m not out for the sky. I’m here for comfort. Bumping my way through the bar door, I make my way down a couple steps and find myself back where I first started. The bar looks calm tonight, lucky for Vinyl. Only seems to be a few ponies in the corner of the bar, Vinyl’s partner in crime, and herself in all her glory. “Sup dude!” She shouts, waving a hoof from over the counter. I slump my way over, taking a seat on a stool. “What can I get for ya?” She asks casually, and from the edges of my drowsy-layered eyes, I can see a grin. “Some real heavy stuff would do right about now…” I mumble, laying a hoof underneath my chin. A real big toothy smirk comes over her face. “Oh, we got nothing but real heavy stuff here. Take your pick.” She waifs a hoof behind her at the large selection. I take in a deep breath, shaking my head. My eyelids feel like they’re a hundred pounds. “Alirght, alright…Scotch?” She still has a real devious smile on her face. I would be curious…But I don’t care right now. I just shrug, my eyes completely closing as I feel like I might get drunk off of a severe lack of sleep. “Here ya are.” She slides me a large mug that’s nearly overflowing with alcohol. I take a quick swig, and it hits me in the gut. It’s the kind of hit where it hurts, then has a sweet sigh of relief right after, and only aids in my shitty-sleep stricken daze. “I‘m getting this real odd feeling in the long part of my stomach right now.” She leans on the counter, her back to me. I can’t see, but depending on her voice, she’s smirking wildly. “Yuuup…” I don’t even know why I replied. Doesn’t matter. “I think it‘s called déjà vu?” She tilts her head back, and there’s a space between her face and the shades where I’m able to get a glimpse of her eyes. Oh…I guess there is. A while ago, when I first worked here, she’s the first pony I’ve helped. And I’ve helped a lot since then. Whatever, it doesn’t matter right now. “Yeah, whatever.” She turns to her side, leaning over the counter and getting dangerously close to me. “You sound like a pissed off teenager.” I look up and see a real smirk, the kind that says “I told you so.” I sigh, rolling my eyes. Maybe if I condoned her talking a little, she’d leave me alone. “Feel like it.” “Ahh…That kind of night, huh?” She brings her head low enough so I’m forced to see her. “Looking pretty pale, too.” I tuck my eyes closed and inhale deeply. “I‘m in a real shit mood, Vinyl.” She leans her head forward quickly, placing herself over her hooves. “Don‘t let up! Gimme all the juicy details.” I can see through her glasses; she has a sea made of rocks and knives. Fuck it, why not. “Good news, or bad news?” I give her enough attention to lift my head up, but not enough to open my eyes. “I like desert.” One of her cheeks goes up wide as she grins. “I‘m a mega-powerful hybrid of Unicorns, Pegasus’s, and Earth ponies and I‘m being trained to use my magical-powers for good.” I say so casually that it’s actually kind of worrying. But my worry is put aside when Vinyl just looks at me with a continuingly building smirk. “Alright. How about that broccoli?” What? Nothing to say about me being a freak? “Well…” I begin, opening my eyes for her. “My marefriend sacrificed her life‘s work so we could be together.” Again…So casual. It’s probably the alcohol, though. Yeah, definitely the alcohol. She gets back up, her face the same as usual and begins to clean more cups. “Sounds like shit.” I narrow my eyes, trying to focus on hers. Not too easy, considering she has glasses on. “So…what? You don‘t care that I‘m some sort of volatile bomb?” My voice raises to a dangerous octave. Definitely the alcohol. She shrugs to a blunt degree, placing her cup on the counter. “So what?” I can feel the anger swelling inside me like a balloon. “So?! I could levitate this whole bar and kill all of you without even trying!” I boast, a true dark spot forming in my heart. She places her hooves on the counter, leaning forward. “So?” My fumes start burning, my gears start turning, and my eyes start flaring. “I‘m a fucking freak!” Vinyl keeps a straight face the whole time, looking at me with the true definition of patience. “And you‘ll still be Buddy.” I slump down in my stool. I’m done…She isn’t worth the energy…”What the hell you mean?” I mutter, laying my head on the counter with a rough ‘thump.’ She moves away from the counter, presumably to continue cleaning. “What I mean is; you can lift all the bars you want, be all the godly you want, and do all that jazz. You‘ll still be Buddy to me.” I shake my head, huffing loudly. “No I won‘t. I‘ll be a freak…I‘m a fucking hybrid, Vinyl.” I mumble against the wood of the counter, drool oozing from my mouth. She slithers out a heavy sigh, putting down another cup. “You‘re missing the point, papi.” I close my eyes, shaking my head as subtly as possible. “I don‘t need to. I‘m the only kind of my race. I was born alone, and I‘ll die alone.” “If that‘s your choice, do what you want.” She poises me to the bone, getting finished with another glass mug. I sigh deeply, picking my head up. The wood is starting to hurt against my temple. “My choice? It wasn‘t my choice to be born with this crap!” My voice suddenly rises to anger once again. This alcohol really puts me in a bad place…But fuck it takes away the pain. She shrugs calmly, leaning onto the counter again. “That‘s not what I meant, dude.” I clench my eyes shut, my anger going as quickly as it came. “Then what are you saying?” My heart is only half in the conversation. I’m only shitting by time until I knock myself out. “I mean,” She begins, pulling out another cup. “it wasn‘t your choice to be a ‘hybrid’, ye-” “Hollicorn.” I correct her, my eyes squinting. Why am I correcting her? I don’t even like the fucking name. “- Hollicorn, sorry. Wasn‘t your choice, but it’s your choice what to do with it.” She finishes, oh so sage-like. I roll my eyes, now peaking my minor interests. “Go on…” I mumble, mostly coaxed in by the alcohol. She tosses a rag behind her, now focusing all her efforts on me. “Power, no power, mare, no mare, scotch, no scotch- you‘re still going to be Buddy. It‘s what you choose to do with what you‘re given that will define you.” I lean my head back, my reality coming out of the pool of alcohol for the moment. My gaze narrows, my mind taking a little longer to process her words. I guess she’s right. Doesn’t make me happier, though. Thanks to the scotch, probably. “Don‘t do this to me, Vinyl.” She tilts her head for the first poke of curiosity on her face I’ve seen all night. “Do what?” She’s the type of pony that does the exact opposite. And…That’s what defines her. Damn you Vinyl, how are you showing me up at my own game? “You‘re making me feel empathetic for that first night here.” A very omniscient smirk spreads over her. “I get paid to do that.” Now that I remember. I told her ‘I get paid to do that’ as a remark to stalking on their argument that night. Damn, it’s crazy how things work sometimes. “And I get paid to burn through hard liquor.” Don’t know how I remember that. “Hahhaa!” She shouts, throwing her hoofs up high. “I can‘t believe you remember.” I roll my eyes, a slight jump in my ego forming. “Yeah, it‘s all I got though.” Probably cause the alcohol. “You made my night, dude.” A good, heart-felt chuckle coos from her mouth as she rubs a hoof over the counter. I can feel my dignity make a slow comeback to my soul. “So…You really don‘t care that I‘m like this?” She shakes her head, moving her lower lip underneath her upper. “Not really.” My curiosity fused with depression works well to ask stupid questions. “Why?” “Why?” She picks her head up as she seems to ask herself as well. “I‘d guess it‘s because I have no reason to.” I shake my head, confusion quickly replacing my curiosity, but not my depression. “I still don‘t understand…” Vinyl seems to have had enough with me not understanding and smacks both her hooves on the counter. “Listen.” She says firmly, her face real close. My eyes flutter open, my brain taking longer and longer to process her tone. I just nod my head, more shock than fear in me. She pulls off her glasses, staring at me real hard. “What do you think of me?” I open my mouth, but it takes a minute for words to come out. “I think you‘re a striking young mare.” I flatter her, a bird-like smirk forming over me. She continues to stare at me hard. “I am the daughter of the richest colt in Fillydelphia.” She states with a firm grip on my attention. I raise an eyebrow, nodding my head. “That‘s…Pre-” “All my life he‘d offer to buy me through college, buy me my house, pay my rent, send me shit, and all of that.” She continues on, pausing as she shakes her head. I open my mouth, and it again takes a minute for anything to come out. “Wh-” “And you know what I did?” She asks, an almost accusing stare on her face. I just stay quiet this time, letting her continue with her rant as I sit patiently. “I chose not to use a dime of it. I chose not to take the easy way, and instead make it all on my own. I went to school to get my own career, get my own job, and get my own income. There were times where I really, really could have used even twenty bits, and I had a ready stash from him, but I refused to go back on my word.“ She moves her hooves off the counter, and instead leans into it on her stomach. “Know why I did all that?” The only thing I can do when hit with a bunch of philosophy is shake my head. “Because I refuse to let him define me.” She leans back, placing her hooves on her waist. I never thought Vinyl to be so good with advice. It seems only a day ago that I was in her place, giving her the advice. Now it’s me, and I can feel the pressure. “I admire you a lot, you know?” I smirk up at her. Definitely not the alcohol doing that. She nods her head quickly, pride gushing from her. “I get that a lot.” I let her have her moment, nodding my head slowly. “Seriously, I appreciate it. You‘re a good pony.” I smile the most genuine one I have all day. She gets a little more serious with my praise, bowing her head slowly. “Hey, I have to really try to beat you in therapy.” I roll my eyes, moving the mug full of scotch away. “Don‘t let it go to your head now.” She gives a big toothy grin, showing off her bright-white teeth. “Eeeeh…You‘re easy. I won‘t put it on my goodness calendar.” She walks off and pulls out another cup, scrubbing it clean. I raise an eyebrow, putting both my hooves up on the counter. “Goodness calendar?” She picks her head up, putting the unfinished mug down. “Oh, ha! Well uhh…Octavia told me that I‘m not nice enough to ponies, so I decided to make a goodness calendar. Everyday I have to try to do something nice for somepony so I can mark the day, and when I don‘t I can‘t mark it on the calendar.” She explains really fast, then stuffs her cloth back inside the cup. I shake my head, gulping down the remnants of the scotch. Wow it tastes bitter…Alcohol is awful when I’m not in a shit mood. “That‘s a sure sign you‘re a dick.” She leans forward, finishing off the cup and gives me the most devious smirk of all time. “But I got your job, didn‘t I?” “Wow…You‘re an ass.” I laugh with much more heart, and I perk up from the counter. I could boast that I get paid more…But I remember that’s the whole reason why her friend hates me. “Yeah, but I have a nice ass.” She turns around, walking around the bar and uses it as an excuse to swing her hips around. I roll my eyes again, with extra wide eyes. “Yeah, well, Vinyl…I can‘t stay here all night, I have a bed calling my name.” I sit up from the stool, still looking over the counter at Vinyl. “Whatever, dude. Stop by tomorrow, uh huh?” She yells at me as she messes around in a sink. I nod my head to her, even though she isn’t looking. “It‘s a date.” I confirm and walk back around to the door. “Night!” She shouts loud across the bar. “Goodnight!” I yell back, then promptly shut the door behind me. I should’ve known Vinyl would find some way to make a big circle of fuckery. I don’t remember a lot about that first night…Bunch of philosophy; that’s all that is important. I’m surprised she didn’t get a “Is it half empty, or half full?” reference somewhere in there. That would’ve earned a big laugh from me. But…She’s right. In all her cocky, arrogant, asshole-righteousness, she’s totally correct. I shouldn’t let what I’ve been born with decide what I am. Nor should I allow other ponies to decide for me; I have to advocate for myself, and only I can make it happen. I am the master of my destiny. And tonight, I choose to go to damn bed! I couldn’t even sleep on that stupid ride because it was that boring. With haste, I make my way to my house. Luckily enough for me, it’s only a short walk away, and I don’t even have enough time to look at the sky and appreciate it. As I’m unlocking my door, pulling it open, I here the clear sound of hooves clacking against dirt. My minor paranoia has been on fire lately, and the coldness of the night isn’t helping. I jerk around, scanning through the dark streets of Ponyville. My attention is caught by a tan-looking pony emerging from a dark alley. “I fancy you the pony that all isuh telling about?” The deep voice speaks from the darkness, revealing it to be a stallion. I narrow my eyes, getting a good look at the pony’s dark red mane and his cold, sleepless eyes. “Depends. Lot‘s of ponies, lot‘s of telling.” The stallion opens his mouth to laugh, but nothing comes out. “You hear that?” He drops the act, making his way towards me with a superior stare. “It‘suh the sound of nopony around.” My eyes narrow at the stallion, and I make sure he is directly in front of me as he attempts to circle. “Don‘t do something you might regret.” My voice is surprisingly cool and collective even though I am feeling the swelling spores of fear. He stops, his side to me. “I didn‘t fight for my country to just let some freak waltzuh hisuh way in.” His ribbon-like eyes are glued onto me. Though I am clearly older than this colt, he looks like has been through more situations than I. A scar over his eyes, several on his hooves, and it looks like he has had plenty of nights without sleep. “I‘ll be trained by Twilight Sparkle. I bring no thr-” “Shut up.” His voice is rough, rigged, and solid. I narrow my eyes, planting my hoofs on the ground. I don’t move an inch other than my eyes, dead on my target. He follows me like predator, his eyes interlocking with mine. His mouth constantly moves, yet no words come out. I can only get a glimpse into what can only be described as a vanquished sea. His eyes…There’s no ocean. It’s only a plane of terrestrial death and decay; a dessert. I move my forehooves ever so slightly, my destination for the door. My subconscious picks up in the back of my mind that I am biting down on my lips too hard, but my primary focus is far too important to fully acknowledge the possibility that I am breaking skin. He moves his head forward, noticing my subtle movements. I can’t think: I have to do. My instincts speak to me, and I twist as quickly as I can, yanking open the door. Behind me, I hear the racketing sound of hooves, to which I continue to follow my instincts and bring my hind legs up and kick. The sickening sound of bone, flesh, and blood roars over me as I feel the crunch of the colt behind me. I jump at the moment, diving into my house and closing the door behind me. Now I can think, but my instincts flourish my whole circulatory system as I jerk my body to the wooden floor, rushing my way to my kitchen. It’s about as shitty as Vinyl’s. I curse to myself as I don’t find a weapon right away, my thoughts starting to become cluttered as I attempt to think of something- anything. The horrible sound of glass shattering and a series of thuds causes me to jerk my head back. There he was, like the mad-stallion he is, laying on the wooden floor with plenty of new scars to add to his collection. His face looks horrible with his left eyes barely open, his jaw already bruising, and his neck cut up. It’s a terrible thing to think about anything but survival right now, but I can’t help but mentally thank Applejack for all those Apple bucking sessions. His face looks like it has been through a few wars recently thanks to it. I stare too long as he picks himself up, scrapping his hooves against the icy floor. I turn back around, yanking open drawers and cabinets, swinging silverware and plates about. The harsh language of curse words being shouted behind me causes my attention to flare to the tan-colored stallion. I start to breathe heavily, realizing I am going to have to fight this trained warrior with hopes and dreams. Turning to face the rage-struck colt, I step from the kitchen and stand firm, waiting for him. He stands up with a firm stance, seeming to come back from his daze: a missed opportunity to strike. He circles me slowly, his right forehoof limping slightly. I eye him, noticing the limp and putting that knowledge in the back of my mind. We’re at a stalemate yet again, just like outside my door. He seems to whisper something, constantly moving his mouth, but still no words come out. I attempt to see farther than I really can, like I have the ability to zoom by squinting my eyes. His breath quickens into loud, rage-filled huffs until finally he bursts a sprint towards me, his head lowered to ram. I attempt to side-step his attack, and am met with a rough beat to my side at my failure. I lay sprawled on the ground, and quickly look for the attacker. He’s getting up, shaking his head as he too seems to be dazed from his double-edged attack. I leap at the chance, wincing as I climb to my hooves and charge the stallion. His eyes come to terms with my intentions and he braces himself for me, his flank high and forehooves low. I smash into him, our bodies colliding like thunder. Our muzzles meet as we try and struggle for an advantage, yanking and tugging at each other’s shoulders. Curses are exchanged between us as I start to become overpowered, my hind legs failing me. Realizing this, the superior colt smiles down at me wickedly, then tilts his head back as if he is charging energy, then screams as our heads collide. I can’t see anything, and I’m lucky to hear the faintest groan as I stumble to my hooves and wearily trot my way around the room. The very subtle sound of glass crunching causes me to lazily bring my gaze to the floor, and I find that I am stepping on glass. I’m hit with both a war cry and body as I’m sent onto the glass, the crazed attacker on top of me. He shouts profanities as he brings one of his hoofs up, ready to strike. With the aid of my distant instincts still guiding me, my hoof swings across and slams into his face, throwing him off of me. He crashes into a wall head first, creating a sizeable hole. Seizing the moment, my mind looks for the first exit and immediately clings to the stairs, and I find myself already half way up before I realize what I am doing. I am going on full adrenaline right now, blood pouring off my head and splashing- not dripping, splashing onto the floor beneath me. Once I get into my room and make my way to a dead end, I turn around to find the ever-moving pursuer. I clench my teeth, blood spurting from my mouth as I do. The crazed stallion chooses not to circle me like before, and instead just charges right after me, his head lowered again. Instead of leaping out of the way like last time, I duck just before he is going to hit and then lift my body up with all my strength as he hits me, causing him to fly through the air. I slump onto the ground, my hooves about to fall off. I have enough to turn my head around, looking at the destroyed colt with his head through my wall, narrowly missing the window. He proves to have greater endurance as he pulls himself from the second wall he has made friends with tonight and turns around, blood absolutely gushing from his wounds. It’s a miracle he can see. With a burst of my last remaining energy, I launch my body forward, tackling him into the window- then out. We both fumble our bodies onto the roof of my house, and I crunch my hooves into the tiles until I come to a stop. He does the same, and recovers much quicker as he gets away from the edge and walks to me diligently, limping from every one of his legs. I groan as I get to my hooves, now my adrenaline beginning to fail. I stare at him, one of my eyes not opening properly. The one that does work is being blinded with red splotches of blood and fading color. Still, my perseverance gets a hold of me as I take a stance, and prepare for him. He launches towards me, leaving behind a trail of his stained blood. Not really sure of what to do this time, I turn around quickly and try to catch him off guard with another one of my apple bucking kicks, compliments of Applejack. He doesn’t fall for it again as I’m lifted into the air, and we’re both launched back inside my house through the wall and then continue to rip through my cardboard house’s ceiling. I roll over the opposite side of my roof, and he follows my tumbling as we nearly fall off. I brace myself however, finding strength that I never knew I had. He, however, has a lot more than me and is already up, rushing to me with a purpose. I wince, getting to my hooves just before he comes within feet of me. He stops himself, panting heavily. Blood gushing from his head, mouth, neck, eyes, and legs as he keeps himself locked onto me. Seeing how extensive his injuries are, my curiosity is provoked and I look over myself, taking note that I can barely see him in front of me. My hooves look like they’re almost broken and my neck feels extremely stiff. I’m glad I don’t have a mirror. He limps towards me, and I see the first glimpse of exhaustion on the difficult stallion. Though I am in a far less favorable state, my confidence starts to build back up and I take my final stand, my tail swishing in the breeze of Luna’s night. He increases his pace until he completely regains his speed and jumps at me. I leap to him, and our bodies create lightning over my house as we collide. I shove my hoof against his chest, trying to push him away from me as we both slowly slide down my roof. He rolls over me, giving us both some much needed space before bringing a hoof up. My instincts come a little late and before I am able to smack him away, I see his tan color through the red in my eye before nothingness. I can’t see anything more than a single color: tan. And just before it clutters my eyesight further, I rocket my hoof up in response and feel the familiar cracking of bones and blood splattering on me as I connect. I definitely didn’t just suckerpunch the moon, so my guess is, I hit him. And I hit him hard. I hear a tumbling sound, presumably him rolling over the roof until I find the lonely sound of struggling. He’s trying to stop himself from falling off. I rush over to the sound, finding my footing and making it my mission in life to detect exactly where he is. He huffs loudly, his hooves screeching against the roof’s tiles until he stops, right in front of me. With a complete hunch, I swing my hoof in front of me, and I meet the horrible sound once again. The crunching of his jaw erupts from the silent of the night, the spurting of blood and teeth from his mouth creating chatter in my own, and the horrible cry of agony bellowing from him as he begins to fall. I feel a tug on my hoof, and before I can comprehend anything else, I feel the rush of wind against me as my mane swooshes over my face and my tail rockets between my legs. I’m falling to my death. From atop my new home- my new smashed up home- I am falling in the night, and the only company I have is a fellow stallion who also has a meeting with death. Even though we just had the brawl of a lifetime, I can feel sympathy for this colt. I’d guess that when you are about to die, and you know it, you really think about things. I am just a random pony who came into Equestria, and was born this way. In a kind of sense, I learned something without him even telling me. He beat it into me, more like it. I was born to be special. Vinyl is right, it is what I do with what I’m given that defines me, but this colt…This pony falling with me right now taught me something. I was given more choices than any normal pony. Vinyl chose not to live the easy way because she could make that choice. Some ponies are forced to take the hard way, like my fellow soon-to-be-dead friend. As I’m falling…I wonder if this colt would be friends with me? If it were different circumstances; if he knew then that I understood his choice, would we have still killed each other? I just hope that maybe, maybe in some part of this pony’s heart, that we could have been friends. That would be nice. Friends with somepony that, in an alternate universe, kills you. I wouldn’t mind it though. I guess, when you’re falling, you think about a lot of things- especially with the all encompassing presence of death- such as what you’ve done, how you’ve lived, and who you’ve loved. But not me. I look at the future: what will Twilight do? Will she blame herself? Probably. What about Vinyl? She probably would too, and use some excuse that if she had kept me a little longer, I would be alive. Silly Vinyl, always about yourself. I wonder what the rest of them would do? Fluttershy would undoubtedly be more sincere, heartbroken, and severely cut from any emotion other than utter-depression. Applejack would be horrified, but would most likely be the pony that pulls the rest together, making those morale’s high. Rainbow Dash would most likely let her pride subside, even if it’s for a second, and let me have a sense of dignity with her mourn. Rarity would be absolutely devastated- we’ve shared many days and nights together. We made tons of gifts for our friends, and I guess she’ll be keeping this week’s check. Pinkie Pie…I still remember when Rainbow Dash told me about the time Pinkie’s hair went flat and she went a little nutty. I imagine something like that would happen, and it’s awful that I am one of the causes of her extremely rare mood drops. Spike, my little solid dude, he would probably mourn me mostly because he saw how strong of a connection me and Twilight had. And Twilight…Oh, how I beg for a chance to go to her in the afterlife. If there is some malevolent force that I meet in the afterlife, I hope they have mercy so I may look upon her one last time- so I may sail just one last time before I depart on my last adventure. And as I fall…I think of something. If I could talk to just one pony- just one- before I die, what would I tell them? What words would be so structured and meaningful coming from a dying pony that would strike them throughout their entire compendium of secrets in their minds? If I could say just one thing to any pony that would listen, I would tell them, “Nights last forever when you‘re falling.”
First dayI take my first step into my brand new job. By first step, I mean working my first shift which happens to be an entire night. I don't mind it though, I've worked a bar before. It's quiet, cleaning out the mugs, washing the table, and listen to some calm music. My ideal evening indeed, so I'll gladly take the night shift. Looking down at a recently scrubbed glass cup, I can see past the residue of some alcohol, and ironically find my face. My brown, green eyed, murky looking face. Perhaps there's a hidden morale in this, like I just found myself at the bottom of the barrel, or cup in this case, coming to a realization that I took a job as a bar tender and could possibly aid someone in an irresponsible death...Naah, just need to scrub harder! Who's going to find a life lesson in a beer mug anyways? My well thought out philosophy is put on hold once a couple mares drop in through the door, chattering amongst themselves. I would write them off, but they look way too young to be walking into a bar like this. One with her mane all frilly, hung down her neck in a rainbow spectrum. Another looks like a more grown up, Texan type, given away by her Stetson hat. Following behind them both is a rambunctious pink mare with crazy, fluffy hair and an obnoxious voice, shouting about just how much she loves to bounce. Odd little patch of fillies...Regardless, I ponce my way over with an upbeat attitude and nod at the trio, carrying my rag stuffed into a mug with me as I continue cleansing it. "How can I help you?" Best to keep it nice, maybe they just a want a juice or something... The rainbow maned one spins around in her stool and lays her hoof on the counter pointing up. "Two cider, one regular." Shit. "Ahh...Would you remind an old folk what a 'regular' would be for you?" Really shouldn't be that obvious... "Uhh...A beer?" The rainbow'd mare raises an eyebrow and shakes her head. If she has a regular, then surely she's been here quite a bit and that means she's of age. The last bar tender wouldn't slack off....Right? "I see..." I turn around and begin to make some cider. It's no sweet apple acres, but it's a lot better than that garbage those jokers with the machine made. Scooping up a couple cups, wiping them out once again, then sliding them under the barrel spout and letting the cider fly. I've done this plenty of times before, as well as tons of other low end jobs. Even been a plumber once, but that didn't last. If these are the type of customers I'm gonna be serving here, this'll be a real laid back job. Couple ladies drinking, not causing a ruckus. They have only been in the bar for a few minutes though...I get way to into these kinds of things. Just give them the damn drinks. Behind me though... "So Applejack, do you ever go anywhere without your hat?" The rainbow mare asks from behind. "...No. I like it where it is, thank you." The Texan replies in a heavy southern accent. "Oh, oh! It's like me and my hair!" Yells the pink, loud mouthed pony "...Pinkie, I don't know if any of us would have a laugh without you." Chimes in the other obnoxious voice followed by a friendly chuckle. After hearing a slight silence, I turn around with the two apple ciders, and slide them into the rainbow mare's hooves, to which I then place the beer filled mug in front of her, assuming it's hers. "Enjoy girls." I say with a smile. I lay back against the counter, constantly cleaning the mugs and counter top as they talk on about each of their quirks. With all the cleaning I've done, I'm beginning to think I have OCD, but that doesn't do any harm. Makes me paranoid that the bar doesn't look good enough, and if it doesn't look good enough ponies might not come in, and if they don't come in, I'll look less professional, and...Wow, I really am paranoid... "Hey, why'd the music stop?" I hear the rainbow mare question, and I look around confused a bit. I didn't even realize there was music playing! Then, seeing the most obvious thing in the bar from the smell of heavy alcohol is a small stadium with two mares pointing hooves at each other. I realize now just how blind I was as there's a large cello, probably bigger than the ponies in the room, and a little DJ area set up adjacent to it. I, like the three stricken mares across from me, stay quiet and watch the scene before us. "You think that awful excuse for art is appealing?" The much more sophisticated pony questions with a rich Canterlot accent. "It sounds a lot better than your single note 'classical's'!" The other mare counters, dropping her hoof and instead stands much closer, flaring her eyes. "My music is made on a real instrument. Yours is made on that...Thing." She says, shying her hoof at the mares equipment like it might give her an infection if she gets too close. "All your music sounds the same!" The white mare counters, shoving a hoof inches from the classical ponies face. "All your music sounds the same!" She counters, doing the same. It's then that I realize it's not my customers I have to worry about...It's my fellow staff. This is going to be a long night...
Lack of a MelodyI decide to let the girls deal with it their way. By the way they're yelling, it's like they've had this argument before. This music is better, that music is better. I personally don't mind the wubs that the DJ pony makes, but I do prefer the classical ponies style. "Ever since college you've been playing that punk music that you say has a theme. How many awards have you won, again?" The glowingly snobbish Canterlot pony asks with her hooves crossed. The other pony surprisingly stays quiet. I expected out of the two that she would back lash hard from something like that. Instead she bows her head down, and again to my surprise, the attacking pony apologizes. "I'm...Sorry Vinyl." Her voice sounds as defeated as the other's face looks. "Go take a break." Pretty soon after the white mare gets up, making her way to the counter, I get back to my scrubbing. I have been cleaning the same cup since I got in here...Maybe this should be my personal one, my trump card I could use to act like I'm doing something. Yeah, no one will fall for that. At this point, the other three mares are talking quietly in their spot, moving from the counter and stools to the back. I casually stroll over to the white mare who has one hoof laid over the counter and the other holding her head up barely. "What can I get for ya, ma'm?" Keeping my voice nice and soothing; if I just had an argument with a friend, I'd want someone with a gentle voice to talk to me. "Some real heavy stuff would do right now..." She mumbles in her hoof. "Oooh...Well you see, this is a high class bar. We got nothing but the good stuff. A whole menu of heavy 'You drink it and you won't even remember if you asked the person sitting next to you in bed to come home with you' drinks." I say with a friendly tone. She doesn't take too kindly to it though and just gives me a glare. "Alright, alright...How about...Some good ol' scotch?" I ask, giving her a grin. She doesn't nd, so I assume it's good enough. As I'm pouring out some clean yellow Scotch, the other three ponies leave the bar, the pink one having to bounce out. Really odd girl, that one... "Here ya are." I say sliding the large mug to her as it slyly gets cupped by her hoof. I lean on the tabletop. She looks so glum and awfully depressed like that. I know, even as a bar tender, that alcohol does not change your attitude from frustrated to happy. Especially the heavy stuff. I get paid to keep my mouth shut about what customers should and shouldn't drink though. "Drink everything!" Is what it's usually all about. I have a little more integrity than that... "You know...I kind of liked your style." I say, giving a light shrug as I admit it. I didn't really like it, but I thought it was better than the majority of new music these days. She leans her head up and stares at me with curious eyes. "Are you flirting with me?" Oh shit...That is not what I meant at all, way to go loser. "Oh nonono, that's not at all. I just...Heard your argument, and if I had an argument with a friend...I'd like o hear some encouragement. friendly encouragement." Good save... She drops her accusing look and sighs. "Yeah, all the 'Encouragement' I need is this right here." She takes a big swig from her mug. Judging by how easily she takes it down, I can decipher she drinks a lot, and I'm willing to bet most of the causes are from their arguments. "So you two have known each other for a while? Since college?" Ufh...Come on man, don't be too creepy! "Yeah...Do you have nothing better to do than listen to people?" She lays her head on the wooden counter, more or less smacking it actually. I hold up the cup I've been washing for about an hour now, shrugging as I pull the rag out of it. "I get paid to do that." Smooth, not like that's gonna be any more cre- "Heh...and I get paid to burn through hard liquor." She chuckles as she speaks, giving me a good sign I'm on the right path. So some dark humor does the trick for ya, huh? "Don't let that hard liquor get to you too much, otherwise you're gonna be getting paid to be an organ doner." That was just one of the worst jokes I've ever made... "Pfft! I got nothing for that." She is really cracking up now, and I smile, seeing I got through. really good sign, now to see the problem. "So I see you're a little brighter now." I give a smooth, friendly smile once again. "Yeah...Can't get much whiter than me though." She says with a single raised eyebrow and looking at her pale white hoof. I can't deny, it was kind of funny. I can't even see her eyes, but I imagine one is scanning her hand like it has something deep in it and is attempting to study it behind those large, blue lensed glasses. "You look fine." She gives a cool sigh, leaning back on the stool and nods appreciatively. I'm getting good at this already! "If it's not too personal, and I hope that drink there isn't influencing your opinion over this, but...Why do you two argue like that?" I really have to keep a gentle tone here, because she doesn't seem like the type that let's anyone into her personal things. She does however take in a deep breath and begin, so I take my Que and lean forward and listen attentively. "We've been friends for a while. Met at college and were roommates. I played my kind of music more often than she played hers, but...She didn't really mind it. I even found her moving to my sexy wubs sometimes. I figured she was just embarrassed, caught in the act, ya know? We both were taking musical classes, and...Well, I think she just got a little weird. More secluded from me and stuff. Since we've been doing gigs together for a while, and the past two years been working here for entertainment, all of the beef comes from the same thing...differences in music taste. I dunno, I think her music is cool. She just doesn't get me, I guess." That sounds pretty typical...Back when I was a kid, we argued about who had cooler baseball cards. Now it's over music...Guess every generation has their pet peeves. "I feel honored you would tell me that...But I think there's a deeper reason you two argue like that." going on a bluff here, but their arguments sound like husband and wife and not two friends bickering. She looks at me with narrowed eyes, then looks around the bar for a moment. Empty...No surprise, it's midnight. She leans in on the counter and nods a couple times, sparking a smile. "You're good...What are ya, a therapist?" Her voice is more friendly and playful before. Is that a sign she trusts me? I'll take it. "I'm just being natural." This is me being natural, but I can't help but be more curious than usual. Plus, I would much rather have cool headed co-workers than two hot heads. "Natural, huh? You should've gone to school for that." She sighs in a solemn mode, and I begin to speak in an apologetic tone, but I'm not able to utter a word. "Alright, alright...I'll cough it up." She throws up her hooves and I crack a smile. I'm getting really good at this. Or maybe this really is natural for me? "Well...We weren't roommates for any reason. we dated the entire time we went to college, and a bit into our gig here. It was nice...err, emphasis on 'was' there, bud. A few dilemma's here and there, double sided opinions, bias bitching, and...I kind of screwed it up." A filly fooler? Wait no, two filly foolers? Wow...That's something off the bucket list. Wait...Did she say bud? If only she new that's actually my real name. "Hmm...Personal indeed...It's not my place to put my two cents at all, but I think I could give a bit of advice." I take my hoof off my chin and lay both on the counter. I should look confident in my next proposal, because I sure ain't. "At this point..." She begins, looking into the bottom of her glass. "I'll take anything you got." She let's out a sigh, looking to the ground now. This mare sure does flop her mood a lot...As long as she listens. "I think it's that you both like each other..." Immediately she turns her head with a huff. "Now here me out! You both like each other a lot...But have a lot of pent up aggression that you haven't been able to get out. Maybe...Sex? Or, you couldn't bring yourself to tell her some criticism on her music?" She just glares at me, really narrowing her eyes and clutching her glass. That...Is not good. "Feel free to punch me in the mouth." I offer, leaning my face forward/ She makes an audible huff after a quiet moment, and nods slightly. "You nailed it. Real good, detective. Real good..." She sighs in defeat and let's go of the half full glass. Is it half full? Half empty...? Hmm... "Want to know something?" I begin, going on a limb here. I get her attention though, so I continue, "That there glass...Look in it." She gives me a questionable look, and I just nod, reassuring it's nothing stupid. She sighs, and hovers her face over it. "You see yourself, right?" I ask, and she nods, staring straight into the drink she just consumed earlier. "Do you think it's half empty...Or half full?" So cheesy, but if that joke earlier got her going, this can't be too bad. "...You going to give me a lesson on philosophy?" She asks after a few moments of silent, only the other ponies' melodies filling the room. "Did you not say you'd take anything just a minute ago?" She sighs and nods. Good...Now for the sinker. "Looks...Half empty to me." She brings her legs up, laying her hooves down and lowering her head on the cup. "Really? Cause I'm sure that the mare over there...Would disagree." I give a sly nudge to the pony on the stadium, lost in her music. The white mare in front of me lifts her head up, a ring around her forehead from the cup and she looks at her friend. "Yeah...So what?" She gives me a grim stare after a moment. This is going to either win it or lose it. "I'm sure if you saw it half full...Maybe you both could get along?" I propose, bringing a hoof up for emphasis. She stares at me with a raised eyebrow, and after a minute of me holding my hoof up, she drops her glare and sighs. "Yeah...Sounds like me." She admits, dragging her hind legs on wood. She cootches back in her stool and lays her head down on her hooves. I thought that would've done it...Uhh, think fast Bud..."Look at her." I begin, me too going to watch her play. The white mare perks her head up and seeing me already watching the cello player, she too joins me. Her hands move so methodically over the strings, like it's just coming to her as she breathes. She's had her eyes closed the whole time, moving and swaying to the slow, calm sound. It's very gentle, very low key and simply nothing else like it. Only a real musician can bring such calmness in a pony's heart with a musical number. "She's beautiful..." Confides the white mare, not breaking her locked stare at the other pony. I can't help it, she is gorgeous, but it's not my type to have a rich like accent. "Now look at the glass." I say, I too turning my head and looking at it. It worked even for me, as it looks fuller than before. "It...looks half full." She admits, curiously looking at it from different angles like some magic has happened. Perhaps some had just happened...But not by my doing. I'm just an ordinary colt. I stay quiet, just looking at her with a confident smile. I think I was made for this job, should make my mark a beer mug already. She glances up at me a few times with a dumbfounded look, then stops the third time, just shaking her head at me. "You are...Really good at this." She says, giving a good, heart filled chuckle. "Now that's better...How about you go to her now that you both see the this the same way?" I offer, crossing my legs over my chest. "Yeah...Yeah, I think I will." She gets up from her stool, dropping a few extra bits on the counter. I smile appreciatively, and she does as well, then begins to walk off. As I'm collecting the couple bits..."What's your name?" She asks, turning her head back to me. Hmm...can't say Buddy, that sounds like a kid's name. Or Bud...too happy. I got it..."Mr. B." I say, cracking a wide smile. She takes it in for a moment, surely she has to know quite a few names like myself. She then tips her hoof over her hair, like she would if she wore a hat. "Vinyl." She gives me a wink and walks back on the stadium. I don't mind that the gentle music stops for now, and instead the bar is whisked by a subtle conversation. I go across the bar, letting them have their privacy. Well done, Mr. b...Very well done. I don't know if I'll be able to give great advice like that every time some pony comes in with a glum look, but if working the bar is this easy...I won't mind staying here for a long time. As I'm cleaning out my personal glass like the crazy OCD stricken pony I am, I can hear a pony waltzing in once again. I walk up to the counter and find someone I've already met, the rainbow maned mare from earlier. I give a friendly smile like always and lay my glass down, putting my hooves on the counter. "Wha-" "Two beers." Well that was rude...Oh well, what can you expect this late at night. After a quick glance at the clock however, I can tell it's just hitting 1. So what's this little girl doing here? "Comin' right up." I immediately turn around and cook up a couple beers. It's not that bad, it's no vodka or Jack Denials, that's for sure. So I assume she still wants to be able to make conscientious decisions. After a few minutes, I slide them right to her hooves, to which she scarfs one down in record time, I'd say. "Wow...You do that pretty good!" I say, immediately realizing how stupid it was... "What's that supposed to mean?" She glares at me. That's been happening a lot to me tonight surprisingly. "That you drink beer like it's kitten chow...?" I inquire sheepishly. She chuckles and slaps her hand on the counter. "Kitchen chowder...Alright." I'm not about to correct her as she takes another swig, and instead go back to washing out my cup again. "So you like dick?" Uhh...This just got interesting...
Confessions of a rainbow maned mareDo I like dick...What the hell kind of question is that? I don't, but I'm giving the wrong impression by just standing here, dumb founded at such an odd placed question. What do I say to something like that? Is this just going to be a kiddish joke or something? Whatever...What's the worst she can do. "No, I don't." So blandly put with a monotone voice, I didn't know I could bring myself to that low of complexion. "Yeah?" she replies, lowering one eye as she tilts her head to the side. "Me neither." She nearly finishes off her second mug with a sigh in the afterglow. Alright...So she's either trying to tell me she's gay, or...Just being dumb. Maybe both, but it doesn't matter. Just a kid's humor, way different from mine. "What's that supposed to mean?" I mimic her voice like she asked me a minute ago. Without skipping a beat, "Means I like pussy, dude." she coyly reveals before sliding one of the cups over to me. I take it in my hand, and ponder for a moment. This girl just doesn't care about anything, or...Really doesn't care about anything. Sometimes I wish I could be like that. "I see...Don't know what it adds to though. Beer?" I ask, grabbing the handle of the cup. A loud, boyish belch later and I take it as a yes. I turn around, fill it up in no time, and hand it back to her. Didn't even clean it out, no matter how horridly I wanted to...There's just so any germs everywhere and...Well, it's gross. "Thanks...err..." She takes the mug with an eyebrow raised, assuming I' just going to blurt my name. I kind of like my nick, it's catchy. She sure as hell isn't going to know it's Buddy, she is definitely the antagonizing type. "Mr. B." I inform her with a nod/smile. She shakes her head and takes a sip this time from her refill. "Mr. B? You sound like an English teacher." I think she purposely said that with her mouth in the cup so it sounded muffled. I've never heard of being called an English teacher as an insult, so I'm not sure how to take it... "You're too kind." I say with a hint of sarcasm. Is she the type of pony who likes sarcasm, or hates it? "Yeah, sure. Look, when does this place close, it's like..." She glances at the clock. "3 in the morning." Alright, now I know she's seeing blurs. because that says 1:20. I won't correct her though and just shrug. "When customers stop coming in." I say with a grin. That isn't true in the slightest, it never closes. She raises both eyebrows and points a hoof up like she realized something. "Ooooh...So, suddenly it's all about the consumer?" She surprisingly has a way with words...Not any words, but just...Yeah. I, being the good natured pony I am, just put my hooves at my side and nod. "I like to keep ponies happy." That's true, I do like it when people are happy. Just gives a better vibe to the environment. Like with Vinyl and her ex. They might not get back together, but they can be close friends and it just gives off a good energy flow. That's what I believe in. "What are you? God?" She leans her head forward, scanning my face. Oh boy...I' no god, far from it. "Just your average colt." She shrugs and leans back in her stool, hooves behind her head and watches the two musicians on the stadium. I glance over too, and pleased to see they are playing together. It's a nice site... "Mr. B?" She asks, much more serious than our last conversation. I turn my head and lay a hoof on the counter. "Yes ma'am?" I politely ask, absent mindedly searching for my personal cup. "Do you believe being gay is a crime?" She is still watching the two play. Now I see...I stop searching and keep my mind focused on her now. "What brought this up?" I'd like to know exactly what did. Seeing her just look at the two playing across from us gives it away and she stays silent. "Oh..." I take in a breath, swallow my confidence, and think up something. Thinking back to when I was little, my mother was very deep person. Perhaps she is where I get all this skill of talking to ponies, but that's not the point. She was also narrow minded... "My mom used an old saying a lot...'Birds have no business skipping with stones.' " I stop, letting it sink in for a moment, and she turns to me with a grim face. "And you know what I say...? Fuck my mom." I crack a smile, as she does too. Sorry mom, I love you. It just had to be done. "Pff...So you think gays are alright?" She asks, taking one hoof from behind her and laying on the table, while her other hands to her side. I haven't met many in my time, but it's crazy that I've met three in just one night. Or, two, or...Nevermind, I hate math an timelines. Let's just go with three: This mare, Vinyl, and her ex. I don't ind it, but it's not my thing to get into. "It's your life. You want to jump off a bridge because you think you'll see a higher power, it's all yours. I'm not going to give you a push, but...I won't be standing there mourning you when you splat either." That was dark... "Ha! Alright, funny dude, how about you give me some good old fashioned lectures next time?" She grins widely, rubbing her hoof over the table. Seems Ponyville likes some dark humor. That's good, I seem to be full of it lately. "I can try, but I don't want you to reveal anything you might regret after that has warn off..." I give a light nod to her near empty cup of low class beer and she shoves a hoof my way, gnawing. "Relaaaaaaax. I don't get krunk unless it's for some party." She leans over the counter, and quickly gets into what she wants me to help with. Seeing she obviously wants it quiet, I mimic her and lean down. "I got a friend, m'kay? She uhh...you know, she's a filly fooler. Well, she doesn't think she'll be accepted by her friends if she comes out with it..." She turns her gaze to the wood, giving herself away right then and there. "Got something for that, all knowing-wise one?" She asks with a smug grin. Yeah...I do. "You're that pony, aren't you?" I ask, getting up from my leaned in position and standing with my hooves crossed in a disappointed manner. She rolls her eyes and nods mischievously. "Of course I'm a dyke. I have rainbow hair, I like sports, I admitted I like pussy already, come on. Just give me the damn advice so I can go." She crosses her hooves over the table and looks down at their cyan color. Alright...going into some harsh territory, not so much as thin ice, but on some freaking lava. The fact she is staying and didn't just walk out, or just out right punch me shows she is somewhat desperate and afraid, even if terrible at showing it. Or hiding it for that matter. "They are called 'friends' for a reason. I know that you would only choose the best to label them with that grand title, so you must trust them...Who would they ever, ever think less of you because you choose a mare?" Who would've known...Two times in one night...Morning, whatever, that I would have to give deep, personal advice to some filly fooling...Never thought I would be doing less bar tending and more therapy. She looks at me with squinted eyes and a slightly ajar-ed mouth. She blinks a couple times, nodding that she understands. "Do you love her?" Dumb question, but it has be said... "No shit..." She says nonchalantly as she rubs her hoof over her eyes. "Do you love your friends?" again..Just have to ask it. She nods a little more furiously, rolling her eyes now. "Yeees...Come on man." She even looks impatient now. why are all the mares around here so Schizophrenic? "Then why do you need a random bar tender to tell you to go out and live life to it's fullest with those ponies?" Bam...just the look of realization on her face shows I got it down. Definitely a mood swing, but for the better this time. She isn't crying, but just staring at me, her eyes shifting a little bit as she analyzes everything in a new view. "You're good, Doctor B..." She admits, rubbing her hooves together. "Thanks man. You are a good pony." She offers her hoof over the table to me, and I take it with a big smile. Another case put in the bag... "Please, if I may...What is your name?" I tilt my head to the side, trying to be as casual as I can. She tips her head to the side, rolling her eyes like she just did something incredibly stupid. "Oh! Name's Rainbow Dash! r Dash...Or RD! I like em' all." She grins with her white teeth at me, placing her hooves at her hips. "Well, my name is Mr. B, Doctor B, and just B." Figured I should give her a giggle before we part, and it works. She rolls her eyes, a silent chuckle roaming over her. "I think I'll stick with Dr. B. Makes you sound like you actually did something with your life." She winks at me slyly, and I just shrug. "You give me too much credit. How about a drink, on the house?" She's a nice enough mare. Difficult, but not for me with my new found super nice powers. She raises an eyebrow, looking at the massacre of the beers she's drank already. " I haven't even paid for those." She admits kindly, shuffling through a little pouch I just now realized she had. I throw a hoof, shaking my head. "Naah...Just a few bits. We'll be getting some real apple cider tomorrow straight from sweet apple acres tomorrow, so I don't think these three puppies will be missed." I don't see anything wrong with it. If it was some high class wine, it would be different, but this was just some generic, unnamed alcohol. She smiles widely, bringing her hooves out wide and nodding her head back, gesturing me forward. Oh boy...Shaking hooves and now a hug. Never thought she'd be this affectionate after some easy going advice. "Alright, alright..." I sigh, leaning forward for a nice, calm hug...then crushing as she squeezes tight, making my back crack loudly. "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!" She is seriously gonna kill someone with an iron grip like that, and all she does is laugh a bit, then let go. "Heh...Not my fault you're like a twig to me." She gives me an evil grin, placing her hooves at her side. I stretch my back out, putting my hooves on my back as I do. "One more thing..." I leak from y timid voice before she walks away, getting her attention. "Who uhh...Is the lucky are? you know...So I can warn them to avoid a hug." Cracking a joke every now and then is good when you're trying to grab some info...I'm no detective, but I think I'm doing a fine job so far. She squints one of her eyes, rubbing her hoof under her mouth. "Remember the southern pony that was with me while ago? That one." She looks pretty confident, like I am with talking. guess she doesn't mind talking about her now..."She lives at Sweet Apple Acres, too." Really...? Now that's interesting. "I see...Should I...Happen to have forgotten we ever had this conversation if she happen to...I don't know, come up to me for a word or two?" I give a one sided smile, leaning my head forward. She shakes her head quickly, pulling her hooves up. "No..No no. that is completely wrong. She deserves to know absolutely everything about me, no secrets." Her voice is stern as well as her attitude. That's...Really, really loyal. I don't know love or anything like that, but that's a really good example for showing you are dedicated. "As you wish...Would you be stopping by tomorrow?" Tomorrow...I imagine there will be a lot more ponies coming in tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised if I don't even see her for a while. "Yeah! I come here pretty often. Ya know, rather swallow my sorrows then spit them out." She laughs at her own joke, clutching her stomach. Now that was a horrible joke. Funny, but horrible. I just laugh to myself, and shoo her away. "Go...go go go before you get me talking like a sailor." I did have a swearing problem when I was a little younger...A quick motherly lesson and it was gone, but I often contract personalities fro other people I meet. Someone obnoxious, I get obnoxious. Someone cocky, I get arrogant. Someone with a dark sense of humor, mine gets darker. Just something I do... "Alrighty then, Cap'n B!" She quickly dusts off out of the bar, gunning away like she had better be. Well, I think that settles the night for me...About to be 2 in the morning and I' not even used to the schedule yet. But more importantly...This night is certainly one for the books. I met three filly foolers, made two of the as friends, discovered I have really good social skills, obsession with cleaning, and a nack for getting harsh glares. What a night... I turn around and top my hoof over my head like I would if I had a hat to the two musician girls. Vinyl waves at me excitedly with a big dumb grin and her partner in crime just smiles from across the room. I grab my personal cup that couldn't be any cleaner and place it underneath the table in a small cupboard, and the rag in a bucket of water. As I'm walking out of the bar, I realize something...that was just the first night... -- There are some pretty lazy ponies nowadays. I admit sometimes I don't like to get up from the couch to change the channel, but that's something else entirely. Asking your co-worker you never met to take your shift, while still having theirs is a completely irresponsible thing to do. However...It's not his fault if he really is sick. I sure as hell doubt it, but if I was in his situation and needed the same, I guess I can find some comfort in it. Still isn't fair that I had to wake up with just four hours of sleep and get to the bar quick so I can pick up the delivery of Apple cider and have to work a near full 12 hours. Thank god for overtime! Making my way back into the bar the same way as always, I expect to see my new friend Vinyl and her close pony-friend playing some sharp music, but here I find I'm the only one in the bar. Looking around, it's actually kind of peaceful. It's quiet, kind of spooky since the lights are all out, but I don't mind the dark nearly as much as when I was young. I like it...It's nice. It's usually dimly lit anyways, so this isn't much of a change. I make some oddly loud tapping sounds with my hooves as I trot my way behind the counter and begin soaping up the cups. It's usual that a bar tender would just do them all at once, tossing the lot into the tub and clean them off with a rag, but that is disgusting. There's a way better chance of some crap to stick on, so I clean each on thoroughly, putting on some soap for each one like an assembly line. After some time passes, I hear a subtle knock from around the corner. Did I forget to unlock the door...? That's some customer service for ya right there! Putting down the mugs and making a mad dash for the door, leaping over the counter and turning the corner, I am met with a friendly smile from a familiar orange pony. "Hiya, mister. got yer apple cider here for ya." Voices the heavily southern accented mare, who I now know a little more about thanks to my friend Rainbow Dash... "Good morning! You uhh...Need some help there?" Noticing she has a rather large cart of barrels outside, which no doubt house the apple cider, I can't help but offer a hand. "Oh well that's a'mighty kind of you. You can haul them with Big' Macintosh if ya like." She turns around, walking out the door, talking from behind. Big Macintosh? I wonder who that could be. Brother, acquaintance. Whoever, it doesn't matter. I make my way outside with a casual, as always upbeat attitude. And then I find out just who Big must be, a giant of a pony if I've ever seen one. He's been carrying the cart since Sweet Apple Acres on his own, so no doubt this colt is nothing to mess with. He doesn't look muscular, but he's tall and looks the part of a southern folk with some what out his mouth. "Hi there, nice to met ya!" I offer coyly and he nods my way while the orange pony unhooks him. It's nice to see regular earth ponies now that I think about it...There's a lot of Pegasus' and Unicorns in Ponyville, it makes me feel kind of lonely. "So which one's are we taking?" There's about 4 total in the cart that could probably hold six or more. I know they give out apple cider as a tradition, so how am I supposed to know which ones are for the bar, and for them? "All of em'!" She answers with a snap as she frees Big. Well that shut me up... Getting up onto the cart, I look around the top until I find the grip on it. Biting down hard, I begin to drag it off and wow did I underestimate it's weight! This thing must be a hundred pounds! And It's not easy dragging a barrel of apple cider with your mouth that's 100 pounds. "Heh...Little trouble there, Mr.?" The mare asks as she makes her way beside me. Oh she has no idea. "Naah..I fink I goooot it..." I mumble while I try to yank it down, and drop off the cart and onto the ground. She just rolls her eyes as Big walks over and just straight up pulls a barrel off and already on the ground. I knew this colt must have been strong, but damn! It's like paper weight to him, I'm like paperweight to him. He drags it along while I follow behind at a much slower pace. the same thing happens again, I struggle, he shows me up until the job is done. Before Applejack heads back, I stop her for a moment. "Hey uhh...You want a couple free drinks?" Maybe I can get to talk to her and get a different side of the story Dash told me. She turns her head and shakes, givingb a slightly concerned face. "Sorry, but I got lot's of working to do, no time for relaxin'!" That's fine, I don't mind a hard worker. But at least..."Can I know your name?" She looks at me with a surprised face then stutters a bit as she speaks. "Uhh...I-t's Applejack." Why would she stutter? I know for sure it's not me, I don't have that kind of effect...Guess I'll find out in time. "Nice to meet you. I'm Mr. B." I offer my hoof forward with a friendly smile. "Likewise, friend." She takes my hoof and we shake for a moment as I take in a subtle, deep breath. "May I tell you something a bit...Random, Miss Applejack?" This is going to be so obvious, and I really hope Dash won't cut off my head for it... "Uuh..Ah don't see why not. go ahead." She puts her hooves down and smiles widely with squinted eyes, probably fro the sun beginning to poke to the sky. "Trust your friends..." That is so obvious Bud, come on...couldn't word it in a cool, hip way like the glass thing? Applejack looks a bit stunned, raising both her eyebrows and her pupils widen. Shit... "Relax, Applejack...Your secret is safe. It's up to you to tell them, not me." Good, real close save..whew. She looks still stunned, but looking to the ground now. No more words are exchanged, just a quiet farewell, and she's off. "Hmm...that could've gone better..." And now I'm talking to myself, great. after a couple minutes of taking a breath of fresh air outside, I walk back in the bar, this time leaving the door unlocked. Once I go back in, I realize it's completely dark again...I messed up with the locked door, but I know I turned on the lights, even if it was a little. I trek my way quietly down the room until I'm inches from the open doorway into the main part of the bar, and that's when I hear a distinctive sound of glass breaking.
Mr. B and the 3Glass breaking? I swear to Celestia, on my second day of work, if there's a break in I'm gonna be pissed. It's not even supposed to be my shift! I clasp against the wall like it has a pony magnet, listening for anything else. I hear a quiet "Shh" and the pitter patter of hooves, but no words. Until..."I can't see anything!" A whisper/shout echoes in the darkness that is way to high pitched to be labeled as threatening. What are they, kids? Poking my head around the corner, I can't see a thing, but apparently whoever was in there could as I hear gasps. Going off that, "Alright, who's there?" I demand more than ask as I round the corner. I hold off on turning on the switch for lights and give them a chance to reveal themselves. Silence... I awkwardly shuffle my hoof over the wall until finally the lights burn up my eyes, having to squint for a few until I can see even a foot in front of me. I can hear fine though as tons of little steps and dashes are made through the bar like a herd of rabbits would make as they run from a predator. "Run!" "Hide!" "Which one?!" Once my vision un-blurs, I find a group of three fillies. A yellow pony underneath a table, a white one in the middle of the room staring at me, and just getting a glimpse of a small orange pony dashing behind the counter. Now what the hell is this? Why are there three fillies in the bar? In the dark? "What are you three doing in here?" After a moment, the orange pony defeatidly walks out from behind the counter as she realizes she isn't hiding from anyone and they stand together, quiet. They're just little kids, really little. I remember when I was young. I broke into my sisters room and messed up her bed like a mysterious villain, but I never broke into a bar! "I guess I should just go tell your parents..." "No!" they shout in unison, their prepubescent voices voices making a terrible shriek when done together. I don't even know their names, but they're young. How would they know that? "Mhm...So you mind telling me what you three are doing in here?" I try to be stern and all, but I look like I'm acting more than actually trying. And I'm not a good actor at all. "We're trying to be ninjas..." The yellow one mutters with yet another accent, one reminding me of Applejack's. Huh...That's a coincidence. "Ninjas? I don't remember thievery being part of the job description." I have no idea what being a ninja is about, or even if it is a job, but I know for sure these three don't know either. And they didn't steal anything, but why else would they break in? To hide for the whole day without me noticing? Sure that's sneaky, but it doesn't accomplish anything. "We weren't gonna steal anythin', we swear!" The accented filly quickly pleas, while another chimes in, "Yeah! We're just trying to get our cutie marks!" Oh...Cutie marks? That put me back. Cutie marks...So they don't have theirs either? That strikes so many emotions and memories in me I can't even focus on one. My parents, school, college, last job, hurt, hate, redemption, empathy, glory; all of that passing through my head like it's a blender. "Uhm...Mister?" One of them speaks up, moving a little closer with her head perched higher to look at me. I didn't even realize I was spacing out. Shaking my head very lightly, I smile down at them with a sigh. "Alright girls...You can get your cutie marks somewhere else, cause today...You got caught." Trying to be as sarcastic and humorous as I can, I put my hooves across my chest and tilt my head high. When I do, theirs drops low. "Sorry..." They mutter together and begin to walk away. Man...Not much more depressing than three depressed fillies walking away because you told them to leave. Before I speak, I sigh loudly and gesture them to stop. "Alright, alright...You can stay for a little while, but when I say go, you go." I look at each of them as I speak, like a security camera, or interrogator. Their faces glow and they all jump up and down, grinning widely. "Thank you!" It's like they're telekinetic; they say so much in perfect unison it's kind of creepy. Or maybe they say the same things so much, like thank you and sorry that they've kind of gotten used to the timing. That's also worrying! I make my way past them and behind the counter once again, while they look around the bar, now studying it in new light. "Glad you can see what you're looking at now?" I nonchalantly ask as I pull out my personal cup and a new wash cloth and start scrubbing. It got dirty over night...Excellent, now it looks like I'm actually making use of my time. "Yeah! this place is so cool..." The orange filly says with saucer eyes as she looks at some of the large painting over the walls ad at some of the colored lights. "Do you work here?" The little white one asks, spinning around. Well obviously, but I can't tell them what I do. "Well sure! I'm the guardsman; I make sure little fillies like yourselves don't come in and ruin the place. If ya do, you get in biiiiiiiiiiiig trouble!" I give a sly grin, mostly to myself for my childish work. They all believe it though and gulp down their wallows. "Golly...Wh-...what's your name mister?" The small yellow one tilts her head as she asks the same question I've been asked more ties in 24 hours than in my whole life. "Mr. B." I'm really getting used to saying that on command now. Am I really just that interesting that ponies ask my name five minutes after meeting me? I hope not, because that'd drop my standards of living. "What are yours?" I put my hooves on the counter and lean forward, hoping they all don't shout it together like everything else. They get together in a line each side to side, the yellow one to my left, then the orange one, and the white filly at the right. The girls at the ends lift up their hooves and shout one after the other, "I'm Sweetie Bell!" Then, "I'm Applebloom!" Finally, "I'm Scootaloo!" They drop their hoofs and give big toothy smiles. Well that was needlessly over the top, but I give a clap none the less and smile. For a moment, I wonder just how I'm able to clap... "and we're the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" They shout together, once again in perfect unison. So they search for cutie marks? I thought I was an odd ball when I was a kid, but that takes the cake. "So what does it mean to be a 'Cutie Mark Crusader'?" I really am curious cause it can mean a lot of things, and I have time to kill, so this is a perfect time waster until they have to go. "We have a clubhouse!" Scootaloo yells out tenaciously. "We were in the papers!" Follows in tune Sweetie Bell. "and we..Uhh..uhh...Do cool stuff!" Awkwardly chimes Applebloom. Yep...I remember when I was young like them. Didn't even know how to answer a question without bragging about something. "Well that's all really fascinating, but what does it mean to be a crusader of cutie marks? Do you just...Go out and look for them, or what?" I ask as slowly as I can, dragging this out. "Oh!" Begins Applebloom, "We do stuff for cutie marks!" Scootaloo quickly corrects her with a try-hard cool voice, "What she means is...We are on a quest for our cutie marks!" She gives a big dub grin while Applebloom glares at her. Now that, I definitely can relate to. It seems there's lot's of ponies out there that pursued bravely for their marks, doing whatever, even being a ninja. That's a really depressing thougt that these three share a lot of my sorrow. Maybe they don't need to go yet... "Why are you little fillies doing that? They're just marks." I say blankly, shrugging when I say 'Marks'. They gasp, pushing their heads together over dramatically. "Just marks?!" Sweetie Bell slithers out with her gasp. "They're only the most important part of any pony! It shows what their super special talent is!"Blasts Applebloom, once again yelling every line. "And they look really cool!" Adds Scootaloo with a big grin. Most important part? Such bullshit...I don't need a little mark on my flank to tell me what I'm good at, or for any pony to tell me what I'm qualified for. I'm tempted to go off on a rant right then and there, but I hold myself down. they're young, they wouldn't know. But...Perhaps I could show them a little something? "Cool huh? Want to see something cool?" I ask, raising an eyebrow for emphasis on 'cool'. They all shake their heads together without skipping a bit. It would be pretty funny to do something unexpected, like tell them to leave. It'd be funny for me at least. I walk back around the counter and once I do, I turn myself to the side, motioning to my flank. My blank flank. They each gasp, one after the other they like it was choreographed. "You don't have yer' cutie mark!" Applebloom blurts out to the world. The other two stay silent as Applebloom says all there was needed. I don't have my mark either. "See? You don't need your 'cutie mark' to be somepony." I say that, but I'm nobody. Just a schmuck bar tender that's trying to be philosophical to a trio of fillies. They all look at me like I'm a super pony though, their eyes wide, and mouths agape. "You should join the cutie mark crusaders!" Suggests Applebloom, to which I immediately shake my head. Her face, along with the other two, dim in excitement. "Why not?" Sweetie Bell asks, pouting her lips. That's just not my style..I've gone through that phase a long time ago. I know it's just a kids thing, but still. Maybe I could just agree and move on with it without really having to do anything. "I don't need mine." Good..Maybe now they'll let it go. Who am I kidding, they're kids. Little tenacious fillies with fire in their hearts, they aren't going to stop. "You don't need yours?!" Questions Scootaloo, more curious than surprised. Hmm...I probably don't need to tell them anything more than a 'Yes', but there's something in me that is just pushing me to tell them my reasoning. Why I don't believe in the whole 'cutie marks' thing, and why it agitates me so much. Yeah...I think I'll do that. "Do you fillies want to hear a story?" I should have said, 'Alright, storytime!' just to be ironic. They each jump up and plop down right in front of me, beaming at my face as they listen intently. Kids...Well, here we go. "I was much like you three at one point in time. when I was younger, yeah, but I can tell you girls got things with more optimism. I..Was alone. Maybe that's why you are more successful than me? Anyways, I got a lot of bad rep in school for it. Everyone else had theirs...Hoola hoops, flying, writing, creating, all of that. I had none of it. I have none of it. and I don't want it." I pause for a moment, letting my words sink in. "I was trying to get a job from a..." I can't tell them who he really was, they won't understand. They're too young. "Pony, and you know what the difference between a letter in your mail of approval and failure is?" I look at them, getting a little too into it. I have to calm down, they are just kids.."The fact your competition has a mark for it and you don't." I stare glumly at the ground, closing my eyes before I continue. "Can you tell me what a pony with a cutie mark does better than one who doesn't? I guarantee you that if I practiced hard enough at playing Poker, I'd be better than somepony with a Poker cutie mark!" My eyes get a little watery; I did not plan for that...They see it too, so I take a moment to collect myself. It's like I'm just pouring out my inner demons, not realizing I'm just talking to fillies. Little innocent fillies..."My point is: Experience over natural ability." I give a final sigh, looking at each of their faces. Scootaloo just stares at me, blinking a couple times before ducking her head. Sweetie Bell does the same, but instead keeps looking at me. Her eyes looks hurt, full of empathy, or sympathy. I don't know the difference at this point. Applebloom is just looking at the ground, I'm even able to see her eyes. It's like three different similar reactions. Scootaloo stares, then looks away. Sweetie Bell just stares. And Applebloom just looks away. Really odd... Who am I to say all this to a couple of little fillies? they didn't deserve any bit of that. "I'm sorry..." I rub a hoof against my face, wiping off the already dried couple of tears. The only one to respond, Sweetie Bell, mutters an "It's okay..." then she too, is looking at the floor. Now things have come full circle. Alright...I guess I have to do it. "I'll..." I dread the very word I'm about to speak..."be a Cutie Mark Crusader." I bow my head in defeat and sigh. What I didn't see is each of their heads shoot up with beaming faces and immediately surround me. Wonderful. "Yay!! Yur gon' be a cutie mark crusader, really?!" Applebloom excitedly asks, hopping up and down. That reminds me of that pink mare that bounced unnaturally everywhere. "Yes...I am." I grimly respond, raising an eyebrow as they all yell out, "Yes!!" Again, do they just plan their lines out or something? Oh Cellestia, what have I gotten myself into? "Yes, yes...Relax, Please." I rub a hoof on my head, beginning to get a headache. Now that is just wonderful. Having to tend bar with a headache is probably the worst thing ever. Then I remember that I have all day too. Well shit. They each stop bouncing, Scootaloo taking a liberty of just one extra. "Now we have four! this is so cool..." She barely contains her excitement as she rubs her hooves together mischeviously. "Ya! Now we're the four musketeers!" Applebloom says, bringing her hoof up to mine for a bump. I don't want to correct the little filly, so I just lightly tap my hoof on hers and smile. "So...What do I do as a Crusader?" I can guess already, but I'm just blowing time at this point. I really want a drink myself. They all stand there for a moment in silence, until finally Sweetie Bell breaks it. "You go on an adventure to find your cutie mark!" She yells out excitedly. Oh that's nice, definitely not going for that. "Oooh..That's what I do? Well, how about I try and get mine here? You know, as guard duty...For little fillies, like yourselves?" I grin a bit, cocking an eyebrow evilly. They all jump, huddling together. "Oh shucks..." Applebloom mutters. Well, that got it done pretty easy. "Relax...I'll be an undercover Crusader. That sound good?" Sounds pretty stupid to me, but anything that deals with a spy to kids is about the coolest thing ever. Their eyes glow as they see their opportunity here and nod quickly, this time nod in unison. "Alright then girls, run along. I'm sure there's many other ways to get your cutie marks than being rascals." Rascals...what the hell kind of name as that? My mom called me it a lot, but I don't even know what it means! "Okay!" they chant together before unsurprisingly running off together, scurrying out the bar. Finally...Gone. Making my way behind the bar, I put my own personal cup to good use and pour myself some wine. If I wanted to forget, I wouldn't got some Moonshine, but I'd rather get into a good mood. So thus, wine. I'm no experienced drinker or anything, I just know some things. Have to thank my father for that. While I'm drinking down a cup of some good, classic wine, something is always ringing in my head. 'Cutie mark' Most idiotic name for a little sticker on your ass you could give. Who the hell am I anyway? A bar tender? Yeah, sure. A friend? I can be, I guess. I've already shown to some young mares I can be a good pony. Or was I showing myself...? Is this all backwards, and really I am the one being given advice? That whole unnecessary speech was really made so I could come to an understanding? But...What? What the hell am I looking for? What's my mark? It's not bar tending, it's not talking, it's not magic, it's not heroism, it's not writing. If I would have a mark, it'd be being an idiot because I've wasted so much time all my damn life searching for something that I'll never need. I take another sip of my wine and try to slow my breathing. If I'm going to be tending bar with four hours of sleep going for me and just going through a rough memory, I definitely need a little something in me. I don't like to find comfort in drinking, but wine'll have to do. The wine has a slightly different effect on me though as I begin to go back...Back to a time when I was young, out going, ready, and willing to do anything. When I was with my father... -- "Dad!" I storm into my father's office where he is coincidentally having a talk with his new partner, Tanis. "Yes, Bud?" His voice is particularly annoyed as he takes his eyes from Tanis and plants them on me. "Why did you do this?" I ask, demanding an explanation with less anger and more shock. "Because Tanis is more qualified." My father nonchalantly responds. "More qualified?!" I ask, the shock gone and fully suppressed by my anger. "Yes...?" He says, holding his hoof out as if he has a plate in it where I'm meant to put my words on. "I've got a degree in Business & Trade! and I'm your son!" I cry out, smashing my hoof on the ground. I don't even pay attention to Tanis who is just sitting there like this is a daily occurrence. "He is a very intelligent young colt and I'm not about to give you an advantage because you're my son." Without letting another word come out of his mouth, I burst out, pointing a hoof accusingly as I yell, "No, fuck you! You think because he has a stupid ass mark on his flank that he will do infinitely better than anyone else?! Screw that! I know you don't like me and never will, so you can go rot like the old crackpot you are." They booth stay quiet, and I don't even look at their faces as I walk back to the large double doors. Before I leave however, I tone my voice down to a much more serious octave. "You are not my father."
Party and Pride“Hiya!” A voice shouts from the darkness of my wine-coaxed day dream. “Hi…?” I reply before I am able to see just who I’m greeting. When my vision takes forever to come back, I’m flourished with the distinguished pink color of the same bounce-hungry filly from earlier. “You‘re new here!” She yelps, the biggest, craziest grin on her face. Her fluffy mane jiggles to the happy words spilling from her mouth. “Well…Yeah. I‘m the new bartender.” I state matter-a-factly as I reach underneath the counter to bring up my personal mug. Still clean as ever. “Can I get you something?” She shakes her head quickly, then plops onto a stool, her legs curving so she places her hoofs under her chin. “I meant that, like, you‘re new to Ponyville! I know every single diddly widdly face here, and I‘ve neeeeeeeeeeeeeveeeeeeeeerrrr seen yours before! I would remember, cause I know everypony!” She yells out to the whole bar, which happens to be empty. Well…That’s nice. “Okay then.” I reply, shaking my head as hers continues to bounce with an overabundance of excitement. “What‘s your name?!” She asks/yells, barely contained in her seat. Oh my Celestia, this mare’s voice. It’s so bubbly and hoarse. Not the kind of sound I want to hear in this kind of morning. Taking a shift that isn’t mine, waking up after four hours of sleep, and now this. “Mr. B.” I answer with a surprisingly calm tone. “WOW! That is a super extra magnificent totally radical name, Mr. B!!!” She yells, extending her hooves out for emphasis on her…excitement. “Thanks.” I reply, closing my eyes and shaking my head. This mare…I was exaggerating when I called Rainbow Dash a Schizophrenic mare, but this one…There’s no exaggerating. “Yours?” I might regret asking that, considering she talks for days. “Pinkamena Diane Pie, at your service!” She states quickly, a big wild grin on her face. That’s pleasant. Pink as a name? Well…Rainbow Dash isn’t exactly the most modest name either, so I can’t really say anything. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Pie.” She gasps immediately, shaking her head. “That is my mommy‘s name!” She corrects, mouth agape. “Oh, I‘m sorry. I tend to use nicknames.” I quickly retort, shrugging. “It‘s okay.” She replies, immediately her face changing to a wide smile. It’s ridiculous how fast her mood changes. “Have you ever gone to a party before, Mr. B?” She asks, tilting her head curiously. I shake my head, now scrubbing my personal mug with a fresh rag. Well, rag sounds too dirty. Cloth! That’s a good word. I’m cleaning my mug with fresh cloth. “Not lately.” I reply glumly, leaning over the counter. “How lately? Like this past week, or you mean this past month, or you mean you haven‘t been in a party in like ev- HHAAAAAAAA!” She speaks quickly, taking in a huge inhale at the end. “If you‘ve never been to a party before, then I HAVE to make you one! It is my duty, or my name isn‘t Pinkamena Diane Pie!!” She announces boastfully. What have I gotten into? “Well…I have gone to parties before. Just, I don‘t remember them. Or care for parties, really.” Pinkamena inhales deeply once again, her eyes widening. “You‘ve never had a good party?! PINKIE PIE TO THE RESCUE!” She shouts with immense force, pointing a hoof to the ceiling. Oh…My. Celestia, seriously, save me. Please. “Okay, Miss…Pinkamena.” Vinyl and her ex are so lucky they don’t come in until way later. Oh how I wish they were here to at least know how this feels though. “It‘ll be tonight! At Sugarcube corner! Tonight, tonight, tonight, the night of nights, oh how much FUN it will be!” She shouts, her eyes glazing over. I’m honestly worried what kind of parties this mare hosts. Like…Seriously. No one gets this excited over a party. “Alright…I‘ll be there.” I reply calmly. I might go, might not. Considering I’m working my co-workers shift…Wait. Maybe he did this on purpose so he wouldn’t have to deal with this filly. Or maybe I’m getting paranoid. I really need my sleep sometimes. “Yayayay! I‘ll get to work right away!” She yelps quickly, bouncing a few times in her seat until she falls out of it, and in turn, bounces away on her hooves. Does she even walk? Wait…She didn’t even buy any drinks. Why the hell did she come here? And as the pink mare leaves…It takes only minutes for Vinyl and her friend to walk in through the entrance. “Dude,” Vinyl begins, chuckling. “What was that?” She asks, grinning wildly. Her friend continues walking up to their stage, shaking her head. “Apparently,” I start with a huff of a breath, scraping my hoof over my cheek. “A party.” I state with a diligent tone. My hoof feels like it hasn’t been cleaned in forever. Ugh… “For real?” Vinyl asks, tilting her head. I can’t see her eyes, but I imagine she’s cocking an eyebrow. “Wow. You‘re lucky. Her parties are the bomb.” She boasts, nodding her head. Are you kidding me? Well, apparently this pink mares’ parties are popular. One for me can’t be that bad…”Yeah.” I reply, and Vinyl starts walking to the stage. “Too bad I can‘t go.” I say, now continuing to scrub my personal cup. Vinyl stops, shaking her head quickly like she just came over with a case of fleas. “What? Why?” She interrogates in that typical voice of hers. It reminds me of Dash. “I‘m working this guys‘ shift, and my night shift. Got four hours of sleep, too.” I inform her, perking my lips as I do. She nods, raising her head up and down. “As a fellow common-pony, I know what you mean.” She says, smirking. “But seriously. Her parties…Don‘t wanna miss that. You sure you can‘t like…Find someone else to take yours?” I shake my head, scratching my hoof into my forehead. “Nope. You two are the only ones I know. I don‘t even know who owns this place.” She grins, then continues taking her equipment over to the stage. It drops onto the carpet with a thud. “I think I can cover for you.” She says confidently, taking her musical arts-stuff out. Wow…That’s insanely kind of her. I think I’m feeling a bit of irony, though. I was asked in the ass crack of dawn to take a shift for a co-worker I don’t know, and now Vinyl is taking mine. “You‘d do that?” I ask, tilting my head with a genuine smirk. She nods quickly, the typical Vinyl-smirk coming over her. “Yeah! Nothing to it. Corona, Shevy Black Tail, Shock ten-Fold, Pink Diamond, Black Lotus, Cream-Scene; I think I know plenty enough about bartending.” She boasts, nodding her head as confident as ever. I clap my hoofs together, smiling admiringly. “I‘m impressed. Alright then. But…Are you sure? It‘s not like Pinkamena won‘t understand or anything, she seems like she would.” I ask one last time, percing my lips like I always do when asking questions. Vinyl sighs, nodding very slowly at me. “Yes, B. Don‘t sweat it.” She answers, speaking slowly. I cock an eyebrow, then perk up with a smile and nod to her. “Among other things…’Bout time you two got here. It‘s boring without music.” I say, leaning back against the cabinets of alcohol. Vinyl chuckles loudly, shaking her head. “I believe the phrase is…’The party has arrived!’, right?” She asks, grinning. I shrug, tilting my head to the side. “I wouldn‘t know. I haven‘t been to one yet.” I inform her, chuckling at my lame joke. She raises an eyebrow, tilting her head. “You‘ve never been to a party before?” She asks, obviously in complete denial. I shake my head quickly. “No, no. I meant, that…I haven‘t been to the party Pinkamena is making for me yet, so I wouldn‘t know if it arrived.” I correct, putting my hooves out to emphasize what I mean. She scratches her head. “What?” She asks, truly clueless. I slouch on the counter, sighing. “Nevermind. I‘m an idiot.” I say, yawning now. That was my first yawn all morning. She laughs, shaking her head as she finishes unloading her equipment. “Whatever dude…” I go back to scrubbing my own personal mug- my trump card, I would say. If somepony were walk in here right now and ask what I’m doing, I’d just hold up little trump-carding mug and tell them I’m scrubbing away. Even though it looks about as clean as possible. I like it though. The mugs are made specifically to fit an average sized hoof, and mine gets in easily. It fits just right with a cloth around so it scrubs perfectly. Decent craftsmanship, I must say. The intrusion of melodies sets me off, making me turn curiously to my right at the two musical mares. They both seem to be doing their own thing, playing music and all. Quite a calm beat, the kind I like. It’s not that rage-core stuff that most fillies and young colts are playing nowadays. Even Vinyl’s music is kind of slow right now. Loud and heavy, but slow. Both their music is melding together to make one soft, subtle, loud, thumping, fun beat. I’m enjoying the silence of it. Nopony but us. I lean back on the counter, crossing my hoofs over my chest as they play. I lean my head back, yawning once again. Hopefully, today won’t be busy. -- Busy it was!! My oh my Celestia, I’m so thankful I get night shifts! It’s awfully crowded! There’s ponies everywhere, several drinks on cue, tons of them wanting different kinds of drinks and all of them as impatient as a Manehatten lawyer. Scotch here, Fire Water here, Poppy Rocks here, Cream Scene here. It’s like my job is to be busy. I miss the bar being empty with nothing but the light tempo of music. I can’t have everything, but that was something. “Hey, Dude.” I hear a familiar voice speak behind me. “Yeah?” I reply, shaking up a bottle of Fire Water. “It‘s about 8 now. I‘ll take over, so you can go.” Vinyl says behind me. Now that I realize it, there has been a distinct lack of her music for the past minute. I turn around, still shaking the bottle. “You sure right now? She said at night, and I don‘t know what night would be considered around here.” I reply, looking from her pale white face to the clock. “Dude,” She begins, chuckling under the loud laughter of everyone else around the bar. “I live here. I know what night is. Just go have some fun, I‘ll handle this.” Oh, duh. Of course. She lives here. I am a total dunce when I’m busy. Or…when I’m tired. Pretty much all the time. “Alright then.” I say, letting her take the bottle of Fire Water from me, and she starts pouring drinks immediately. “Thanks again, Vinyl!” I shout to her as I round the corner, bumping my way through a couple people. I wonder if tending the bar would be like this every night. Did I just get lucky on my first night or something? I walk from the bar door to outside, taking in a bit of fresh air. And…another stench. Wow I smell like alcohol. It’s not very pleasant, to say the least. Not the best when I’m going to a party either. But hey, what can I do? Go take a quick shower? I trot my way from the bar into the skirts of Ponyville, sighing as I look around. Now that I think about it…I don’t know where the hell Sugarcube Corner is. I mutter a curse word as I continue walking, shaking my head at how unprepared I am. I come across lot’s of interesting places though. Like a tree house/library thing, and a beauty shop. I find the tree house more interesting though. I like it’s modesty. “There you are.” I mutter to what must be Sugarcube Corner, shaking my head. It looks ridiculous, but considering the host of the party, it’s mild. It looks like a large cupcake with window dressing. Whatever. I push open the door to the shop, and inside, I’m greeted by quite a few helloes. So many, I can’t recognize their voices. There’s a large table in the back that runs along all the walls with all different kinds of sweets. Then there’s a large sign hung over the ceiling that reads, “Welcome!” Just welcome? I thought it would’ve said a little more, considering Pinkamena is a mare of a thousand words. “Hiya mister!” The bubbly mare shouts out, appearing right next to me. I’m a little startled at first, backing to my left a little. “Hi…Ms. Pink. Seems like you went the whole nine yards.” I say, nodding in approval. I mean, I haven’t been to a lot of parties, but this was done in like…a few hours. Quite impressive, and there does seem to be quite a few ponies attending. Probably for the food, but none the less. And…I can see there’s a few ponies I already know. “Nine yards? More like a HUNDRED BILLION! This‘ll be the best party EVER!” She shouts, her eyes wide. Yup. Until another new pony comes along, then his party will be the best. I can’t help but feel a little comfort from Pinkamena, though. “Thanks. It‘s a nice party.” I thank, bowing my head to her. She perks up, her bouncing getting to a sporadic state. “You can just call me Pinkie, silly willy Mr. Billy!” She tells me, giggling wildly. Oh. So Pinkie, then? Alright…Pinkie Pie? Goodness that sounds dirty. “Okay then, Pinkie.” I reply, smiling warmly. Pinkie is about to continue on, probably into a lifelong speech about confetti, but she’s stopped when somepony nearby shouts for her. In mere seconds, she’s across the room. Gosh…You’d think she was a unicorn, teleporting and crap. “Hey!” A voice shouts in my direction. It’s familiar, but a lot of voices are becoming familiar these days. “Hmm?” I question, looking up from my daze. I notice Rainbow Dash across the room, standing with a few other mares. Including Applejack. “Get over here!” Dash commands, titling her head back as a non-verbal cue to get my ass over there. It doesn’t take long for me to be at the presence of five fillies, each of them giving me generous smiles. “Hello, everypony. Nice to meet ya‘ll.” I greet them, smiling as I do. “Hi d‘ere. We met aw‘ready, wit te apple cider and Big Mac.” The orange, Texan mare smiles, nodding her head at me. “Applejack, is it?” I ask, tilting my head. I have some pretty awful memory, even though it was only this morning I had met her. She nods her head, smirking a bit. “Eeyup.” She replies quickly, then starts to fix the hat on her head. “Hello, I‘m Twilight Sparkle.” A lavender unicorn speaks formally, smiling widely as she blows her purple hair from her face. I shake her hoof and bow my head to her. “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Sparkle.” The next pony waits a long time before our hand shake is finished to speak, and when she does, it’s barely audible. “Hello…I‘m…I‘m Fluttershy.” The meek little yellow Pegasus introduces herself, shying away a small smile. I huff a little bit, sporting a genuine smile. “It‘s a pleasure, Ms. Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash steps up, grinning widely with her chest prompt and her eyes proud. “Have we met?” She asks, grinning widely, showing off her canines. I shake my head, sighing. “Ma‘m…I don’t believe we have.” I reply, glancing to the other ponies for a glance, then back to Rainbow. “How you doing?” I ask, not sure of what else to say really. Dash smiles widely, nodding her head. “I‘m good, I‘m good.” She says, lowering her head and placing a hoof over her messy mane. “I am Rarity,” A pure white unicorn says, tilting her head from underneath a pretty green hat. She smiles at me warningly, her thick canter lot accent accentuating her wardrobe. “and you are?” She asks, tilting her head. Oh, I haven’t told them my name yet. Damnit, I’m a real tard sometimes. “My name‘s Mr. B. But…You can call me Buddy, on account of the informal situation.” I say quickly, bowing my head once again to the white mare. Her purple mane looks like it took hours to get right. It looks pretty…intricate. “Well…Tis is formal, Mr. B.” Applejack corrects me, smirking as she does. I shrug in response, to which the five mares giggle a little bit to themselves. “So does Pinkie throw a party every time some new pony comes along?” I ask curiously, dipping my head into their laughter. Twilight nods. “Pretty much.” Rainbow adds, chuckling a bit to herself. “So what‘s there to do, then?” I ask, glancing around the place for a few seconds. Looks like a whole lot of sweets, to me. The house is probably edible, but I won’t be the one to test that out. Applejack promptly answers me by smashing a tasty looking Oreo into her mouth. “Thissff.” She says, chewing it noisily. Rainbow laughs a bit, then turns around to demolish the table of it’s sweet snacks. The only pony that seems to not immediately annihilate the table of it’s contents is Fluttershy. The poor thing just looks across the table scarcely, then after much thought, she picks up a sucker. Seriously, just a sucker. There’s a huge amount of variety, and she goes with a tiny little lollipop. “Oohf…I really shouldn‘t, but...Pinkie‘s cupcakes are magnificent!” Says Rarity, plucking said cupcake from a tray. “Oh yeah!! She made Buckeyes! I freaking love Buckeyes!!” Rainbow shouts, grabbing a few of the chocolate/peanut butter combo treats. “I‘ma more leanin‘ tuh dem ore-what you call its.” Applejack states, grabbing another what you call it, and chomping it down to bits fast. “I enjoy the punch and the smores the most. They have a great blend of taste!” Twilight says, smiling as she pours herself a drink of red punch and gets a warm smore. “Oh, I don‘t know if I should…” Fluttershy says meekly, looking at the sucker. Come on Fluttershy, it’s just a little sucker. I mean…You’re not exactly an athlete by Pegasus standards, but a sucker isn’t going to make you bat shit insane either. “It‘s just a sucker, you know…Not like you‘re having an entire cake to yourself.” I tell the little Pegasus, smiling warmly. I’m not irritated by her. I’m just…I don’t know. Well I kind of am, but I really don’t like that word. “Hey!” Rainbow begins, shouting at Applejack. “Hmmff?” Applejack turns her head, raising her eyebrows in response. Her mouth is stuffed with all sorts of goodies, it looks kind of comical. “Bet I can eat a whooolleee cake before you!” She boasts, grinning widely with her mouth ajar. A large smirk comes over Applejack’s face, and she nods her head, accepting Dash’s challenge. Before she can respond, she proves she has what it takes and swallows a whole mess of snacks in one full gulp. “Yur on, Fruitcake!” Fruitcake…That’s a cute name. It’s meant as an insult, but I still think it’s cute. Like calling Rainbow Dash fruity loops, or skittles. Maybe it’d be a little too corny though. “Are there even enough cakes for you guys to have a contest?” I ask, shifting my gaze from the two. They stare at each other, unmoved. Twilight’s the first to speak, sighing before she does. “Pinkie Pie makes triples of everything, just in case of the very often occurring event that Rainbow and Applejack would want to do something.” She says in all her omnipotence. I imagine with all the parties that happen with Pinkie, there’s quite a few competitions going around. “Sounds like a fun time.” I say, scratching my face with my hoof. “Suuuure is…” Twilight says in a sigh, shaking her head. She’s still drinking her punch, levitating her cup in front of her. The two athletes make their way over to a neighboring table where two cakes sit conveniently. Twilight wasn’t kidding, this really must happen a whole lot. I won’t be taking any part in it, however. “So, then, Twilight. What do you do?” I ask, leaning against the table as I ask, and yawning all at the same time. “Oh, uhm…” She begins, turning to me a bit startled at my sudden question. “I write reports for Princess Celestia. I usually study in the library all the time, and…Uhm. Live there, too.” She smirks, chuckling to herself. She hides her mild blush by taking a sip from her drink. “Princess Celestia? That‘s some…Real high class stuff. I mean, I thought I had it pretty high when I worked for Starspiral.” I say diligently, smiling as I do. She perks up immediately, leaning her head forward. “You worked for Starspiral?!” She asks, more surprised than I’ve ever seen. Considering I have only seen her in the past twenty minutes, nothing to boast about. I nod confidently, biting the skin on my lips. I kick a hoof lightly at the ground, grinning. “Yeah, for a while. It was interesting.” Twilight shakes her head, smiling so brightly Celestia should take notes. “Wow…He was one of the most powerful, and credible, unicorns ever! Please, you have got to tell me everything!” She demands, leaning a little to close for comfort. I nod slowly, patting my hoof over my mane. “Alright, alright…I‘ll tell you all about my escapades with the great Starspiral. But uhh…Don‘t you think it would be a lot more convenient if we talked somewhere a little less…social?” I ask, glancing around the room for emphasis, and double glance at Rainbow and AJ. Their faces are completely plastered into their cakes. The sight brings a light chuckle from me, shaking my head. “Hmm…Later tonight, if you could please, come with me back to the library and tell me all about Starspiral? I can look up text books about him all day, but if I have a secondary source about him, it is way more credible than a book! Please, please, please?” She asks quickly, moving her mouth a thousand miles a minute. It seems this group of mares share the same quality so far: talking really, really, really fast. “Sure thing. But uhh…I do have work in th-” I stop myself, remembering I only have night shifts. Fucking co-worker messing with my head. “Actually, I‘m free all night.” Her face lights up so fast and she grins wildly. “Alright!! Thank you so, so, so much! You don‘t know how much this means to me!” She yelps, bouncing around the room, resembling Pinkie. Goodness…It’s like Pinkie’s bubbly attitude wears off on other ponies. “I‘m gonna go home then and get some reading materials ready! Can never be too prepared…” She says, looking around the room, and before I can even say goodbye, she’s gone with the speed of Pinkie Pie. “Well…That was pleasant.” I comment, and pipe down when I notice I’m standing by myself. “Boo-yah!” Rainbow Dash shouts, pointing a hoof at Applejack. Applejack picks her head up, narrowing her eyes at Rainbow. “Yall cheated! Ya had er‘ smaller cake dan me.” She confirms, nodding her head in confirmation. “Excuse me, my good fellow pony, but you mind if I had a word?” Rarity asks, turning her head in my vision to get my attention. “But of course, Rarity.” I reply, returning her smile with my own. “It will only take a moment,” She says, smiling warmly as she walks me to a slightly quieter part of the room. Not a lot of ponies here, but Rainbow and AJ arguing accounts for a party itself. I nod my head, tilting it back as I await for her to finish fixing her hat. “What‘s up?” I ask casually. Rarity takes in a deep breath, smiling warmly still. “You work as a bartender down the street, don‘t you?” She asks, clearly biting her bottom lip. I raise my eyebrows. How’d she known? Word spreads quickly, I suppose. “Yes…Yes I do.” Rarity nods, closing her eyes. “Well,” She begins, opening them back up with their usual brightness. “I own that bar.” She says with a powerful grin. Oh. So that’s how she knows. I bow my head, smiling. “Well, It‘s an honor to work for ya, boss.” I say with a hint of sarcasm, smirking a little. Her face gets serious. “You‘re fired, Buddy.” She says sternly. What. Fired…What? “Wait, what?” I ask, gulping down anything else I would say. She chuckles, shaking her head. “Oh, come now, I am only fooling around. You‘re not fired.” She says, grinning and obviously holding back a monstrous laugh. Fuck. That scared the hell out of me. “That‘s my excitement for the night.” I comment, sighing deeply. “No, no,” Rarity continues, gaining her composure. “What I stole you here for is a proposition.” She informs me, smiling still. She smiles a lot. All these mares smile a lot. “Mhm…I‘m listening.” I say, nodding in response to her offer. “How would you like to work for me personally?” She asks, tilting her head. Work for Rarity? Personally? What the hell would I do, be her foot stool? “What exactly does a servant of Rarity entail?” I ask, turning my head to the side suspiciously. Rarity shrugs. “Whatever I need done, really. Going to the store to get fabrics, researching, hauling wagons, assassinations, you know, minor work around the shop.” She tells me, keeping a straight face. Sounds promising. “Seems like a decent deal, but wha- wait what?” She immediately bursts out into a thunderous laugh, and I too, burst into a thunderous laugh. It seems contagious as ever, more so than Pinkie’s at least. “Okay…I won‘t ask you to assassinate any pony.” She says, regaining her cool, collective attitude. I shrug. “Ehh, I wouldn‘t mind taking out some childhood bullies. But seriously. What would you be paying me?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Rarity huffs, lowering her head as she thinks. It takes a couple seconds for her to raise her head. “Is 50 bits enough?” She asks curiously. Holy shit! 50 bits?! “Really? That‘s insanely generous! I get paid like…12 at the bar! When do I start?” I accept quickly, smiling the whole time. This day just got a hell of a lot better! 50 bits? With that, I’ll be able to do a whole hell of a lot! Rarity smiles, nodding her head. “Of course.” She says quickly, bowing her head to me. “50 bits is the least I could do for you.” I shake my head, denying it. “No, no. You made my day- No, you made my whole month. I‘ve been here for only a week, and you make me want to stay. Thanks, Rarity, seriously.” I say with honesty, crouching my legs as I bow my head to her. She laughs to herself, shaking her head. “Well…Twilight seemed very excited about that Starspiral conversation, and this party looks like it‘s about to end, so perhaps now’s the time, dearie.” She says with her genuine, cool, Canterlot voice as always. I nod my head, looking over the party quickly. Dash and AJ seem to be having a contest of chugging punch now. Appetizing. “I suppose so. I don‘t want to stay here all night just to watch these two get into an argument of who can eat the house first.” Rarity tilts her head, a new smile coming over her. “They‘ve done that before.” I shake my head, sighing deeply. “The mares here are completely insane.” I chuckle to myself a little, rubbing a hoof over my eyes. “Super high pay, eating houses, bouncing everywhere, partying all the time, it‘s wicked.” Rarity scoffs, turning her head. “I‘ll just be taking those 50 bits elsewhere then…” She teases. I whip around quickly, shaking my head. “Don‘t do that to me.” I say, chuckling as I speak. “Then you‘ll just have to go to the library and make sure you tell Twilight everything she wants to know.” Rarity says, tilting her head up high in a typical snobby way. I shake my head, remnants of my grim still on my face. “Yeah, yeah. I suppose I should, then. I’ll see you later, alright?” I say as I start to walk to the door. “Bright and early tomorrow.” Rarity replies, smiling as I begin to leave. “Thanks for the party Pinkie!” I yell just before I leave, closing the door behind me. -- I knock on the wooden, crooked door to the library. There’s a lot of light shining through the bottom of the door and the few windows throughout the tree house, and I wait patiently for somepony to answer the door. After waiting more than a few minutes though, I knock again. As soon as my hoof goes back to the ground, the door is swung open with Twilight there to greet me. “Hey!” She says, smiling widely. Now that the door’s open, I see inside tons of books scattered everywhere. There’s a table with a candle light sitting on it, a chair scooted neatly with it, but ironically no books are on it. All of them are just laying around the floor lazily. “Thanks for coming by on such short notice. And…Sorry for my organized mess. Spike went to bed, so I had to kind of…Mess up the orders and really look for good materials. But I found some!” She says quickly, still keeping me outside. I smile, nodding my head. “No worries, Twilight. I‘m always happy to help.” I say, still smiling as I speak. Twilight mentally scolds herself, shaking her head. “How stupid of me! Please, come in! Get out of the cold.” She demands, backing away from the door and ushering me inside. Admittedly, I was getting a little cold, and the feeling of the warmth secreting from the library only made it colder. I gladly trot my way inside, making sure not to step on any books. “Sit wherever you like, I‘ll be right there.” Twilight says, closing the door behind us as she runs off in search of…whatever she needs, I suppose. I find a humble spot near a warm fire, surrounded by books. There’s a nice spot where books seem to be vacant. I suppose this is where Twilight sat as she examined each of the books the library had to offer. I sat down quietly, waiting for Twilight. She came back quickly, a quill and paper levitating in front of her the whole time. “Okay, I‘m ready! I‘ve written down a few questions so you know what to talk about, so, shall we begin?” She asks quickly, not skipping a beat. This mare can talk pretty fast when she wants to. “As ready as I‘ll ever be.” “Okay…” She begins, biting her lips. “What did Starspiral most commonly practice?” She asks, lowering her paper so she can look at me. I shrug, shaking my head. “That‘s a simple question. Uhm…well he usually concentrated his efforts on the relation of pegasi and magic. You know, the magical capabilities that being a Pegasus entitles. Walking on clouds, immense wing strength. That stuff. But he also took up on teleportation magic, going so far as to teleporting really, really far distances. The farthest he ever teleported was 200 yards.” I respond, confident in my knowledge. Twilights’ scribbling on her paper is frantic, quick to write down every piece of information. “You‘re sure it was 200 feet?” She asks, moving the paper out of the way for a moment. I chuckle, nodding quickly. “Yeah, I remember all the facts. Also…Yards, not feet. I was the one that had to write down all the evidence. You know, scientific stuff, like the facts and procedures. I can‘t say I‘m fond of being permanently planted with all this knowledge, but if it helps you, I suppose it has a cause.” I reply, shrugging as I do. “200 yards…” She says, her eyes widening. “He teleported the farthest any Unicorn has ever gone! Farther than even Starswirl!” She exclaims, smiling so widely. “This is incredible! Please, tell me more!!” She demands, her quill ready for devastating her paper with ink. I smile happily. I’m glad I’m pleasing somepony. “Well…Another question would be useful.” I comment, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, right!” Twilight says, looking up an down the paper. “What were some of Starspiral‘s largest projects?” She asks, biting her bottom lip. I cock an eyebrow. “Largest? That‘s a broad term. Mind elaborating for me, please?” I ask, not quite sure what she meant. Twilight nods quickly, replying fast as usual. “Largest scale, such as…Taking a long time to complete, or that if completed, could change Equestria as we know it.” She corrects, still making sure she can see me over her paper. “Ahh,” I reply, nodding my head again. “That is easy. Starspiral wanted to prove that Pegasi, and even Earth ponies, are capable of performing magic like Unicorns. He believed that if trained properly, a Pegasus would be able to perform telekinesis. He also said that Earth ponies would be able to fly, and so on. He said that because each of the three types of ponies have some sort of magical capability, like Unicorns being most prominent with horns, Pegasi with wings and cloud walking, and Earth ponies having above average strength, then they could be able to access it from their magical points. Each race has their magical points, such as a Unicorn with a horn, Pegasi with wings, and Earth ponies with muscle. He said that if focused on with enough mental presence, even an Earth pony would be able to perform telekinesis. He said this is why Allicorns are much more powerful than any other race. They have the embodiment of each race: Earth pony, Pegasi, and Unicorns, each magnified. Of course, however, he hasn‘t finished it. When I was working for him, this was something he always came back to, and was most frustrated with.” I say slowly, making sure Twilight is able to write down everything. She just nods quickly, moving the paper below her head. “I‘ve read about the Pegasi and Earth ponies having minor magical capabilities, but…I…didn‘t read enough into Starspiral‘s work to know just how far it went. Is there anything else about his….project, that‘s noteworthy?” She asks, still speaking quickly. I take in a deep breath, looking to the ceiling for inspiration. “I suppose there was one more thing. He mentioned many times that if interbreeding were to happen, there is an extremely dismal chance that something…new might be born. Not an Allicorn, as you‘d undoubtedly guessed, just something different. I can‘t quite explain it as well as he did, but he basically said: with both races, and an unfathomable amount of luck, something Equestria has never seen before could be born.” I finish with a sigh, realizing I’m saying all this in one breaths’ worth. “Wow…” Twilight says, scribbling on her paper as her face is hidden from me. “Okay, okay…What about…Uhm, what about a large project that he did complete?” Ash asks, licking her lips I move my tongue around in my mouth as if it might find the words for me. “That would have to be…Time travel.” I say bluntly, as if it’s the most casual thing. Twilight’s eyes go huge, her head coming into view from above the paper. “Time travel? Starspiral…created a time travel spell?” She asks, her face truly bewildered. I shrug, squinting my eyes. “Kind of…He said that it would be simple to reverse time for any one thing, such as a rock. So after he concocted his spell, we experimented by throwing a rock into the air, and he would attempt to cause the rock to hit the ground twice. I threw the rock into the air so many times, my arms felt like jelly, until something really weird happened. When the rock hit the ground, it was much smaller. At first we suspected it just broke. After some studying of it‘s textures, Starspiral discovered that he caused the rock to go back 15 years in age. He said that it wasn‘t an aging spell, because all age spells only work on organisms. This was done on a rock.” I tell her slowly, still acknowledging she has to listen and write at the same time. She proves to be quite the student though, writing extremely fast. “Wow…I completely underestimated Starspiral!” Twilight says with huge amounts of excitement, her legs shaking with vigor. “Time travel…I have to make this a report to Princess Celestia!” She boasts. I can’t see her eyes, but I imagine their glazing over right about now. “Yeah…He was pretty fucking smart.” I say, chuckling a bit. “Indeed.” Twilight replies, obviously trying to concentrate. “Did he ever succeed on getting an Earth pony or a Pegasus to perform magic outside their boundaries?” She asks quickly, slurring her words slightly as she writes. I take in a deep breath, holding on to my words for a while. “No, he didn‘t.” I reply after a minute of thinking. “Ahh…” Twilight says, scribbling something off her paper. “What about…Teleportation? Wasn‘t he a master at it?” She asks, poking her head over the top of her exhausted paper. I contort my face as I look at the ceiling, once again relying on it for inspiration. “Yes, he was. He believed that to truly understand speed, the string theory, multiple dimensions, time travel, and time itself, he had to experience every type of teleportation.” I inform her, a perky smile forming across my face. She nods as she writes, mumbling something quietly to herself. “Do you mind if I ask you something a little more personal?” She asks quickly, moving her paper and quill out of the way. I raise my eyebrows, shrugging. “I uhh….I suppose so.” I reply awkwardly, watching the paper and quill drop to the floor. Or onto the books that clutter the floor, rather. “How did you get to work with him?” She asks bluntly, tilting her head curiously. I raise one of my eyebrows, smirking. “That‘s not personal, Twilight.” I tell her quickly, shaking my head at her dorkiness. “But uhh…Well, I just met him one day, and he asked me for some help. I proved to be reliable, so he had me stick around. Paid pretty well, too.” I say earnestly, sighing deeply when I finish. I can feel my exhaustion start to invade my conscious. Twilight nods, moving her jaw around as she ponders what to say next. “Do you…” She begins, then shakes her head. “Don‘t you work at a bar? Err, at…Rarity‘s bar?” She asks, tilting her head. I grin, smiling widely still. “Now that is a personal question.” I tell her, turning my head. She immediately lowers her head, batting her hoof to the floor. “I‘m sorry, I‘m just curious sometimes.” She apologizes, huffing. She couldn’t hide her disappointment if she had a brick wall. “Twilight,” I begin, smiling warmly at her. “I‘m only messing with you. You can ask whatever you want. I really don‘t mind.” I say, shaking my head again at her dorkiness. Twilight rolls her eyes, moving her tongue from cheek to cheek. “Ha ha ha…” She laughs sarcastically, then to add to her dorkful powers, she sticks her tongue out at me. “But seriously…” I begin, taking in a deep breath. “I worked at the bar the last couple of days. Met some pretty nice ponies, including some of your friends. But uhh…Upon meeting Rarity, she offered me a much, much more comfortable job. And uhh, I‘ll get a lot sweeter pay. She‘s just the most generous pony, seriously.” I say with a constant smile, tilting my head from side to side. Twilight grins, nodding. “Yeah, Rarity can be real giving sometimes. You should see her on holidays. She bought Pinkie an air balloon.” She tells me, widening her eyes for emphasis. I raise my eyebrows in sequence with hers. “An air balloon? Just what she needs.” I say, chuckling along with Twilight. Twilight sheepishly grins, nodding her head. “So…Why did you come to Ponyville, Buddy?” She asks, laying down on her stomach. Seeing her lay down on the floor surrounded by countless numbers of books seems like it would be her dream bed. “Well…I really came because I had to. Behind on bills, nopony around to help, and desperate need of a job, I just decided to move. I didn‘t have much to my name, luckily, so I just took the train.” I pour to her, smiling the whole time. Though she looks very sincere, I just act like it’s no biggie. I’ve had to move…a lot. I’m used to it. “I know what it‘s like to be forced to move.” Twilight admits, batting her eyes from my view. “It sucks.” I smile at her sudden drop in vocabulary. “Well…That‘s a lesser of a word I thought you‘d use.” I comment, grinning the whole time. She looks up, copying my smile. “Sorry. It‘s a nuisance.” She corrects herself, smirking mischievously. I shrug, shaking my head. “Now that you‘ve asked a dozen questions about me and my escapades with Starspiral…How about you tell me about you, and your fun little stories with your friends?” I ask, tilting my head forward. Twilight quickly raises, then lowers her eyebrows. Her shoulder blades shrug along with her eyebrows, like they’re all connected. “That‘s a broad question, Buddy.” She says mockingly, not able to hold back a grin. I tilt my head back, my mouth slightly ajar. “Ahh…I see.” I reposition myself before my legs fall asleep, laying on my stomach now. “Why did you move to Ponyville?” Twilight shrugs, taking in a deep breath. “Starting at the beginning, are we? I suppose it‘s best…Well,” She begins, waddling a little closer so she doesn’t have to talk as loud. “Princess Celestia had me sent here from Canterlot to learn about something I couldn‘t from text books. Leaving behind my home…Where I‘ve lived for so many of my young years, for this.” She says, her voice getting lower and lower. I lean my head forward, catching her eyes in my view. Seeing me catches her attention and she lifts her head back up. “Do you regret it?” I ask. A smirk appears over Twilight’s mouth, and she shakes her head. “Not one bit.” She replies with warmth. “I love my friends. I love this library. It‘s something…I can‘t explain.” She says, shaking her head as she looks around at the library. I nod my head, then answer quickly. “It‘s home.” I tell her. Immediately her eyes lock with mine, and she nods after a moment, a smirk still on her face. “Yeah…Home.” I turn my head around, admiring all the work put into this house. Or library, whatever it is. “I can see why. A nice home, good friends around you. This is a place worthy to be called home.” I say, finally stopping my admiration at Twilight. Well…There’s plenty to admire there as well. She smirks, nodding quickly. “What about you? Do you have any friends?” She asks curiously, dipping her head lower. I adopt her quickness for a moment and shake my head. “Besides you girls, I have no one.” I say, gulping down any words I might have said otherwise. Twilight’s head goes to the floor, her eyes still upon me. “That‘s sad.” She says coldly, blinking a couple times. I shrug, grinning still. “I don‘t plan on leaving. I can see a really, really bright future for me here.” I tell her reassuringly, mimicking her posture by laying my head on a book. “That‘s the attitude. Positive thinking always makes things better.” Twilight comments, nodding her head gently. I nod, agreeing fully with her. “So…Did Pinkie throw a party for you too?” I ask, smirking a bit. Twilight looks at me confused. “What?” She asks, tilting her head. Just as quickly as she speaks, she shakes her head. “Oh! I‘m sorry. Uhm…Yes, she did. Ours were pretty similar, actually.” She says, shrugging at her dorkiness again. I smile warmly, nodding in agreement, though I didn’t attend her party to really know the similarities. “Ahh…So…what‘s with Applejack and Rainbow Dash? They‘ve always been like that?” I ask, raising en eyebrow to emphasize my curiosity. Twilight nods a couple times, sighing deeply. “Oh yeah. Always competing with each other, always one-upping the other, and of course, always arguing.” She says, shaking her head. If only you knew that their competition goes beyond the cake devouring and into the bedroom, Twilight. “Yeah…I‘ve seen ponies like that before. Too much pride.” I say with a snort. “Well, their pride is well earned. Rainbow Dash is the fastest in all of Equestria, and nopony is a better apple bucker than Applejack. Their pride is well earned, but…They think it entitles them to share it with the world, is all.” Twilight comments, brushing her purple mane out of her face. The little pink streak running through it still lingers close to her nose even through her valiant effort. I shrug, percing my lips. “Yeah…I don‘t think I‘ve really earned any pride for myself, really. Heck, I ain‘t even got my cutie mark.” I say, moving my head out of the way so Twilight can see the truth. Her reaction is typical. She raises her eyebrows, her mouth slightly gaped open. “You don‘t have it yet?” She asks, tilting her head up, but quickly shakes her head. “No, no, you don‘t have to answer that. Stupid question…” She mumbles, bowing her head in embarrassment. I smile warmly, shaking my head. “It‘s alright. I don‘t mind talking about it, just a cutie mark. And, well…Yeah. I don‘t have mine.” I tell her truthfully, and I even have to glance back at it still. To this day, I wonder what it will be. Of course I hate cutie marks and all they entitle, but regardless, I do wonder what mine is. “Wow…” She says, blinking a couple times, obviously in wonderment. “You seem like a very successful colt for one without a mark…” She says, still trying to sport a comforting smile. I shake my head, smiling lightly. “Don‘t need one to be successful, Twilight.” I say, grinning still. Twilight obviously thinks about this for a while, shaking her head. “I‘m sorry, I can be really inconsiderate sometimes. You‘re a great pony, and…I respect you.” She says, putting her head in between her legs. Well…That made me blush. I give her the most honest, genuine smile I could muster. “Thanks, Twilight. I appreciate respect more than….Well, more than a 50 bit pay check.” I tell her with a comical grin. Twilight chuckles lightly to herself, shaking her head. “You’re welcome, Buddy.” I get my head nice and cozy between my legs, and snuggly bring my hind legs tucked together, enjoying the warm fire mere feet from me. “So then…Twilight Sparkle, student of Celestia, huh?” I say, smirking mischievously at Twilight. She nods her head, obviously getting tired. “Yeah…Her loyal student to the end.” She states matter-a-factly. I nod my head, then pick myself up a little before I fall asleep. “How did you two even meet?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Twilight picks up on her exhaustion, seeing me getting up. She gets up too, but not much more than lifting her head. “In Magic Kindergarten, she said I was the most talented, and told me I should come live with her and become her personal student. Ever since then…I‘ve learned everything from her. She‘s kind of…Well, like a mom, really.” She says, smirking in the silence. The fire coming from her chimney cracks lightly between our silence, reminding me that there’s warmth. “What did you do that got Princess Celestia‘s attention? Teleport a house?” I ask, chuckling a little to myself. Twilight shakes her head seriously, and moves her head forward. “I hatched a dragon.” She says quickly, nodding her head. A dragon? Fucking hell, that’s the real deal there. “Really? That‘s…sweet. Talking about Rainbow Dash and Applejack having too much pride…You got Princess Celestia as a mentor, hatched a dragon, and got this huge library for a home. Damn good bragging rights, if you ask me.” I praise, raising an eyebrow at her. Twilight shakes her head in response, smiling still. “No, no, that‘s a different kind of pride. I really like Spike, he‘s not something to be proud of, but to be thankful for.” She says. I tilt my head, perking my lips. “Spike?” I ask, confused. Twilight smacks her hoof into her face. “Oh! Spike is the dragon I hatched. He‘s my assistant and helps me with anything I need.” She says quickly, not letting me be confused for long. My confusion is quickly replaced by envy. “Excuse me as I have a hard time comprehending this. You have…A dragon. For an assistant. That…is…AWESOME!” I yell, my face full of admiration and emotion. Twilight laughs loudly, shaking her head. “Oh, well…He‘s a little guy, and the biggest help. Honestly…I wouldn‘t be this organized if it weren‘t for him.” She admits, sighing as she looks around the library. I look around too, mostly at how unorganized everything is. “Yeah…Organized.” I mock her, showing a playful smirk. “Oh, well, usually.” She blushes lightly, ducking her face. I nod my head, raising my eyebrows. “Ahh, I see. Usually.” I mimic her, grinning mischievously. She shakes her head, her eyes narrowing on me. “You should go to bed.” She commands, still smiling. Goodness, I haven’t even thought about that. “Right, right…I‘ll uhh…I guess I‘ll get going then.” I say, stretching out my legs, and especially my neck as I get up. Twilight seems to bite around her lips before finally speaking. “You…can stay the night, if you want. It‘s cold out, and I don‘t know how far you have to walk. So, yeah…If you want. You can sleep by the fire too, if you want. Oh! I actually have sleeping bags! Let me go get one!” She announces so spectacularly to the world, dashing away. I raise an eyebrow at the tenacity of Twilight Sparkle. “Alrighty then.” I say to myself, sitting back down on the small circle of books. As quick as she left, Twilight was back, and levitating a large sleeping bag above her. “I usually have lot‘s of these in the case of a surprise sleep over, cause they happen a lot. You know…Rainbow Dash and all.” She tells me with smirk, letting her spell go and the bag drops before me. “Couldn‘t ask for a better bed from a five star hotel.” I comment, then yank the sleeping bag in my direction, letting it spread out. “Heh…” Twilight mutters, then shrugs. “Hey. If you need anything, let me know.” She says, turning around to walk to where her bedroom probably is. I crawl into the large sleeping bag, and it is insanely cozy. I don’t even need the fire to keep me warm. I could probably take this outside and sleep on the pavement…But I’m not going to do that. “Oh, and uhm…Buddy?” Twilight meekly calls for me, walking over to my sleeping spot. I bring my head up, and I can see the drowsiness in her eyes. “Hmm?” Twilight fidgets around with her hooves, then smirks shyly. “Thanks for coming over…It was really generous of you.” She says, ducking her head. I smile warmly, tucking the covers closer. “Thanks for the cozy sleeping bag.” I say with a smirk. Twilight chuckles lightly, nodding at my gesture. “Anytime.” She says, turning around once again to what is probably her room. “Goodnight…Buddy.” I find a rather massive book and place it underneath my sleeping back, using it as a makeshift pillow. “Sweet dreams, Twilight.” -- I wake to the dim light, not from a fire, but from the windows. Where am I again? My house has like…One window, and don’t I have an alarm clock? It takes me a few minutes to figure out I’m in Twilight’s library. The books should’ve been a dead giveaway since I have absolutely none. I certainly don’t want to wake up Twilight or…her dragon. Spike, was it? Damn, I still can’t get over that. A dragon for an assistant. Clearly this mare has no idea how much instant coolness that gives her. Tip-toeing my way out of Twilight’s proves easy enough, just have to watch the books. It takes the cool breeze of the morning and very shy sun to remind of something: I have a new job! Gosh Rarity is so nice. But…What about Vinyl? And her friend? I guess I should go give them my last goodbyes. With my decision, I walk back to my old job at the bar, trotting as quickly as I can. Would they be there at this time? I usually am, and it doesn’t take long for them to get there. Pushing the door slightly ajar, I suppose they are here. I’m the one that opens up shop, usually. “Vinyl?” I ask, stepping down the steps and into the bar. Vinyl moves around from the counter, smiling widely. “I cover for you last night, now I cover for this guy‘s shift today. Strange how life works, isn‘t it?” She’s still grinning wildly. I nod my head courteously, mimicking her smile. “Yeah…and to think I took his yesterday.” I comment, raising my eyebrows. Vinyl shrugs generously. “Ehh, I don‘t mind.” She says, sighing deeply as she starts scrubbing mugs. I can see her friend is setting up both of their musical equipment on stage. Poor girl…I haven’t even met her yet. “Why you here early?” She asks curiously, not glancing up as she cleans. I bow my head a little, slightly against telling her so blatantly. “Well…I‘m going to be working for Rarity from now on.” I say loosely while slightly, playfully smiling. She smiles too, raising her eyebrows at my luck. “That‘s pretty sweet! I heard she pays real, real good.” She comments, putting a cup away and starting on a new one. I feel…Kind of bad. I like this place, genuinely. Vinyl is a really swell pony and I haven’t even met her partner in crime yet, and I’m already leaving. “Yeah it is. I‘ll put in a good word for you.” I say with a hint of sarcasm, smirking mischievously. She shakes her head, still cleaning. “Perhaps she‘ll let me be a foal sitter.” She says, raising worried eyebrows and a weary laugh. I shake my head, completely agreeing with her sarcasm. “I‘ll warn you if it comes to that.” I say with a smirk, beginning to walk out of the bar. Then…I remember something. My cup. My trump card mug. “Hey uhh…” I begin, going back to the counter. “There should be a really clean cup down there somewhere.” I tell her, pointing a hoof at the counter. She nods curiously, and moves her hoofs around until she pulls out the mug I mentioned. “This thing?” She asks, examining it. “What, it special?” She asks, then opens her eyes wide. “Oooooh…Oh no. Are we going to get into another philosophy about if it‘s half empty or half full?” She asks with that sarcastic glare again. I shake my head reassuringly at her, smiling. “No, not today Vinyl. I just wanted to take this one home with me. You know, as a souvenir.” I tell her with an admitting smile. Vinyl shakes her head side to side, clearly not understanding what it means to me. “Whatever, dude.” She says, and as I take my cup and begin to walk away, her hoof on mine stops me. “Oh yeah!” She begins, leaning her head forward. “You want to uhh…go to the movies, sometime?” She asks, raising a large smirk over her face. Hmm…Now that seems suspicious. I like to credit myself to ‘knowing’ ponies, but…well, I don’t know this one. She can be kind of random sometimes. Not Pinkie’s level, but still unpredictable. “You mean, do I want to go on a date with you?” I ask, tilting my head slightly. Her normal smirk turns mischievous, shrugging off my question. “Oh…Well, you said it.” She says with a strong, criminal smirk. I shake my head, rolling my eyes. “As long as you behave, I‘ll play along.” I accept slightly reluctantly. Her smirk turns to a full smile as she nods to my acceptance. “Alright. It‘s a date. I‘ll let you know when, mkay?” She informs me vigilantly. I have the distinct feeling she’s been planning this. “Alright Vinyl…I have to get going though, no idea when Rarity wants me working.” I tell her, shrugging at her inconvenience. Vinyl nods, understanding my situation. “Of course. Don‘t want to be late on the first day of work. But uhm…You know, if you ever need someone to take your shift, ya know…I‘ll be here.” She says with a wink. I roll my eyes again, and quickly make my way to the door. “See ya later Vinyl!” I bid farewell, waving to her. Well then…A date. Wonderful. Like, only a week into living here, and I have a date, a job, and a whole lot of friends. I’m really digging Ponyville. Oh wow…Digging? I’ve been hanging out with Vinyl too much. Making my way through the skirts of Ponyville once again, I pass by the library as I move on to my new job. I wonder when Twilight wakes up? But…Coming across the beauty shop that Rarity undoubtedly works at, I guess I’ll find out some other time. Ding dong! Rarity’s door bell goes off when I push it. Sounds pretty annoying if you ask me. I’d rather just have somepony knock. It takes a minute or two, but soon enough, Rarity swings the door open. “Come in, come in!” She demands, pointing her hoof inside, like I don’t know where to go. It’s…pretty. I mean, I thought the library was impressive because I’m a colt that appreciates modesty and humbleness, but Rarity’s shop is appealing to any eye. There’s gorgeous clothes all over, gowns, dresses, hats, and far off from the entrance of her store, I can see what looks like where she creates everything. There’s also countless windows undoubtedly made to show off the immediate attraction of her store. I guess I’m just stupid for not taking up on it an looking inside to see if she was awake first. “Good morning, Ms. Rarity.” I greet, walking in gratefully into the less than modest store. “And good morning to yourself, my friend!” She replies in her rich, rightful accent. I have to admit, I don’t like Canterlot accents that much, but Rarity pulls it off well. “So what you want me to do?” I ask quickly, getting to the point. Rarity huffs, tilting her head up. “Well I would hope this would be more than business, Buddy.” She says quickly, scolding my tenacity. Pretty blunt there, Rarity. “I apologize, Rarity. I uhm…Well my manners are out of practice.” I admit to her with a glum smile. She nods understandably. “No fretting, you‘re manners will be much more polished when I‘m finished.” She tells me with strict honesty. I mean…Not like I try to be rude. Then again, I suppose real rudeness is when you don’t even realize it. I guess that makes sense then. Alright Rarity, I’m game. “Alright then, Miss Rarity.” I accept her offer of manner-adjustment graciously, bowing my head. Then I look around, nodding in admiration. “Quite the place you have here. I mean…I really like modesty myself, but I think it’s spectacular by any pony’s standards.” I tell her truthfully, stopping my glance around the room on her. Rarity smirks at my envy, bowing her head at my compliment. “Thank you, kind sir.” She says, then turns around and starts a very controlled walk into the back room. I don’t know what it is about her walk. It’s like she practiced to get it just right or something. I mean, who am I to judge walking, but it’s just something I can’t help but notice. “I‘m going to be working on a special project for the next week, and because of it, I‘ll be having you run some errands.” She says very business-like. Thought I was going to learn about manners? Oh well, can’t argue really. “Of course. But, if I may, what is the project?” I ask, tilting my head forward as we walk. She tilts her head back with a proud grin. “I‘m going to be working on a present, for Twilight.” She boasts proudly, flicking her eyelashes like there was a reason to. A present, eh? I suppose that means a birthday is coming up. “I see…What is it going to be?” I ask curiously as we round a corner into the back room. Rarity’s pride suddenly drops and she kicks a hoof at a table, shaking the fabrics on it about. “I don‘t know yet…” She admits, disappointment masking her face. “Hmm…” I mumble gently, looking over the cloths. “Any ideas?” I ask, pondering my thoughts as I stroke my chin. Rarity immediately takes the chance, walking in a circle around the table. “Well, I was thinking a scarf! Because she gets really, really cold in the winter even in that lovely library. But…She has a lot of them already. So many, actually, that I‘m willing to bet she loses them on purpose. So then I thought about a blanket…But a blanket is so…bland! So then I was thinking of making her a dress! But…A fancy dress for her birthday is completely inappropriate. I just…Can‘t think of anything.” She says in what must have been one long breath. Well then! Rarity must give out a whole lot of scarves. “I think a blanket would be wonderful.” I comment half heartedly, then dip my head lower. “Maybe a blanket with…A little something?” I suggest, even curious as to where I’m going. “What do you mean?” Rarity asks, leaning forward over the table. I clear my throat before I speak, making sure I’m clear. “When I went through that whole…Book fanatic phase, I always read in my bed. It was cozy, warm, and most of all, comfortable. And…Well, this might be really stupid and corny, but I thought it would be cute to have a book as a blanket.” I say with a silly smile. My face speaks more than words, admitting my idea is stupid. Rarity chuckles, grinning very un-canterlot like. “That sounds very thoughtful. So…A book, on a blanket? Like the words on it, a cover, and everything?” She asks curiously, clearly trying to get the whole idea. I nod, shrugging. “Pretty much. I think that‘s something she would really, really appreciate. I mean…when I was in the library, I saw all the books laying on the ground and I imagine her dream bed would literally be having books all around her. So…Why not do just that?” I say, grinning at my corniness. “That‘s a really good idea!” She compliments, nodding in admiration. “But…It sounds like a real challenge. I mean…Getting every word right is going to be extremely time consuming.” She says, biting her bottom lip. “Well, I co-” I’m stopped as Rarity continues on, talking to herself. “And being sure each fabric blends together…The words will have to be stitched perfectly, and be all in the same format. And…No slanting the paragraphs. It will also have to be measured to see what size the words should be, and…and…” She continues on, too low for me to hear. I’m just going to let her do her own thing. I begin to step away, out of the room, but Rarity shoots a glance at me. “Where‘re you going, dearie?” She asks gingerly, still circling the table like a shark. I stop immediately. “You seem like you‘re thinking things through pretty thoroughly. I was just going to leave you at peace for a minute, until you have it all figured out.” I reply hesitantly. Rarity nods her head, still concentrating on the task at hand. “Okay, Mr. B. I‘ll steal you when I need you.” She says, shooing me away. I just bow my head to her, then back away out of the room, back to the entrance to the store. Once there, I’m greeted with a familiar face. “Hiya, mister!” A little white filly shouts, her head titling up high to look at me. I think I remember this ones name. Sweetie…Belle? “Hi there.” I say with slightly less enthusiasm. She still beams at me. How can these fillies get up this early? Good practice, I guess. “You‘re working for sissy now, aren‘t ya?” She asks with a big, hopeful smile. Oh…Sister? This Rarity’s sister, is it? “Yeah, I am. I‘m her assistant, for a lack of better words.” I say with raised eyebrows. Sweetie Belle snorts as she laughs. “My sister‘s assistant? Does that mean we can play together everyday?!” She asks with uber amounts of excitement. No, Sweetie Belle, I hope not. “Well…I‘m here to try and get my cutie mark. And to get it, I need to do it on my own. Sorry, Sweetie Belle.” I say, pouting my lips. Damn I’m good at quick thinking. “Awwwee…” Sweetie Belle whines in disappointment, sighing. “I sure hope you get yours though, mister!” She chants reassuringly, a big smile on her face. I find that…Kind of sweet. A kid’s innocence is a bit of a weak spot for me. “Thanks, Sweetie Belle. But uhm…Shouldn‘t you be off with the other crusaders?” I ask, looking around the room as if they’re going to burst from the windows. Yeah, a surprise cutie mark. Sweetie Belle nods, looking at the door. “I was about to go to our secret tree house, then I saw you! You should come see it sometime.” She suggests, still smiling. I nod, agreeing with her. “I plan on it. Now run along, I have cutie mark crusading to do.” I say, saluting to the little filly as she bolts out the door. “See ya later, Mr. B!” She shouts, her words just getting to me before the door closes. And there we go. Alone once again. “Alright!” Rarity shouts, appearing out of now-freaking-where. “Shit!” I shout, almost falling over. “My Celestia…Do all you mares have ‘scaring the hell out of ponies’ powers?” I ask, shaking off the startled look on my face. Rarity bows her head, puffing her cheeks. “I apologize, I suppose it is me who needs to work on manners as well.” She says, giggling to herself. I smirk at the irony, walking back over to her. “Alright then. So…I suppose you have it all figured out?” I ask, taking a glance back at the room. Nothing changed. Rarity nods, confirming my curiosity. “Yes, I do believe I know what has to be done. It‘ll be difficult to complete in just one week, but I can‘t back down from a challenge that‘s so tempting.” She says, glory in her eyes. What was that thing Twilight talked about last night? Having the right for pride, but no control over keeping it out of other pony’s lives? Yeah…The irony is baffling. “I believe in you, Rarity.” I tell her earnestly, then tilt my head up. “I‘m guessing you‘re going to have a huge wish list?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Rarity sparks a grin, her eyes glistening. I would guess that she even decorates her eyes, but it’s probably natural. “On the contrary, no. I have nearly all the materials I need here. I just need…Time. Something I‘m always constricted on.” She says, biting her bottom lip as she concentrates. I sigh, nodding my head. “I know how you feel. Would you like me to help out with other projects, so you can focus on this one, then?” I ask, tilting my head. Rarity thinks about it for a moment, then shakes her head at my offer. “No, no. Very kind, but no. I will simply push back those and focus on Twilight‘s blanket. She is my friend, after all.” She decides, confirming her decision with a nod. I raise, then unraise my eyebrows. “Sounds like a plan, Rarity.” I reply as I watch her walk back to the room. “So then, what would you like me to do?” She immediately turns around, her mouth open, but no words come out. She ponders for a minute, then plops her hoof on the ground. “Hmmf…First day of work and I don‘t have a thing for you…” She mutters, sighing disappointedly. I shrug, still smiling. “Hey, no worries. I‘ll just hang around, and if you need me, just holler.” I suggest, beginning to go back to the entrance to the room when she stops me. “Instead of helping me, you should go help out Applejack.” She suggests, smiling proudly that she came up with something. Applejack…Alright, I’m down for it. “Oh, well that sounds like a swell time.” I comment, still grinning like usual. Rarity then turns around to the back room, taking her sweet time. “Sweet Apple Acres is just down the road from Ponyville. Big sign near the end of town that‘ll point you in the right direction. Not that you wouldn‘t be able to tell, their barn is gigantically rubbish.” She informs me, scoffing at the supposedly huge barn. I chuckle to myself. Rubbish? That’s a new one. “Alright then, Rarity! I‘ll see you later, then!” I bid farewell, opening the door to the store. “Have a good day, Mr. B!” She shouts back from across the store. And with that…I’m off to yet another job. I find it really ironic that I came here looking for a job. I got several. The bar, Rarity’s assistant, and now doing some favors for Applejack. Along with that, I’ve gotten 6 friends. I honestly don’t know what to feel anymore. Happy, thankful, gracious, lucky: all in one. As I reach the end of town, I come across a sign reading, “Ponyville”, and “Sweet Apple Acres”, each pointing to their destinations. That’s convenient. Alright then! Off to Sweet Apple Acres. My pace is quick, not wanting to disappoint anypony. And…Rarity wasn’t kidding. Their barn is huge! I can see it like it’s a freaking statue blocking out the sun. As it all comes into view finally, I realize I’m walking through their fields. Far ahead to my right is the barn, and about equally straight ahead of me is what must be their house. It looks very cozy, like a typical farm house. Real big by anypony’s standards, but I know well enough that farms usually have some big families. After a short journey, I make it to the house. They don’t have a doorbell…Good, I hate doorbells. I knock gently on the wooden door, and I’m afraid it’s going to fall off if I hit any harder. Quicker than any other pony I’ve seen yet, Applejack whips the door mere seconds after I knock. “Howdy partner! Whu‘ can ah do for ya on tis‘ fine lookin‘ evenin‘?” She asks, still with that thick southern accent. And with that hat. I greet her with a bow. “Heya Applejack. I was wondering if you might need some help around the farm.” I say casually. Applejack shifts her jaw from side to side, looking over the barn real quick. “Yah, I s‘pose ah might need a lick‘a help today.” She accepts willingly, finally moving her gaze back to me. “Come on in, sugarcube.” She says, letting the door hang wide open. I take a couple steps inside willingly, looking around. Lot’s of wood, that’s for sure. I’m not an expert on architecture, but this house looks hand made. I can’t quite put my hoof on why, but it just feels a lot more personal than some architect building a house. “Thanks!” I say gratefully, shivering off any of the cold I brought in. “Quite the farm you got.” I compliment, walking behind her. This must be the living room, a rocking chair and rug around a fireplace. Looks really…homey. Applejack laughs fruitfully, turning her head back to look at me. “Real bueat‘, in’t she?” She asks, raising an eyebrow. I nod my head quickly. “Oh yeah. It looks really gorgeous. Especially those hills around the side.” I comment, walking into the kitchen. It doesn’t look too tidy…Dishes and all, real messy. Maybe just my OCD kicking in. “Is all this land really yours?” She nods her head proudly. “Eeyup! Every spec‘a dirt ya see here, all ah it owned by tuh Apple family.” She boasts proudly. Here we go again…More pride going around. Can’t really deny it though, the farm is pretty banging. Banging…? Damn you Vinyl Scratch and your catchy vocabulary! “It‘s really impressive.” I compliment, not letting Vinyl invade anything more than my subconscious. Applejack leans her head over the sink and sighs. “Applebloom…” She mutters, closing her eyes as she shakes her head. Where have I heard that name…”Applebloom?” I ask, poking my nose around. Applejack jerks her head up, apparently forgetting my presence. “Uhh…My lil‘ sis tends tuh make a mess, n‘ seems tuh never ever clean it up.” She says with cold annoyance. I grin, nodding understandably. “Hey, as a fellow clean-freak, I know how you feel. But…I can get that in tip-top shape in just a few minutes, if ya like.” I offer, turning my head sideways at the offer. She smiles widely, full of appreciation. “Well dat‘d be mighty gen‘rous of ya‘ll, but only if ya want to.” She says cheerily, moving away from the kitchen sink. I bow my head to her courteously. “Of course I want to. I can‘t go to sleep at night knowing this exists, anyways.” I comment, going wide eyed at all the dishes. Was this all from her little sister? Applejack laughs to herself, shaking her head. “Well, uhh…Ya‘ll can use whateva ya need. Tuh wash rags r‘ under ter sink, ah reckon, and ah do believe we have new dish soap aroun‘ dere. Enjoy yourself, partner.” She informs me, walking out of the room. “You aren‘t gonna stay?” I ask as I scrounge my way under the bottom of the sink, finding a plentiful bucket of rags. She stops, backing into the kitchen again. “Well, err…ah figured ya‘ll like‘ta be alone n‘ all.” She replies, watching me pick out rags. “Oh, if you have work, don‘t let me hold ya, but if not…I don‘t know, I don‘t mind talking while working.” I say before taking out a few rags of my selection and placing them on the edge of the counter. They aren’t spotless and clean like I’d hoped, but…They’ll work. “Aaah…” Applejack says, making her way to a small table behind me, pulling out a chair and sitting down. “Suh now it’s work, is it?” She asks sarcastically. It’s hard to pull off sarcasm with a thick accent like that. I shake my head, rolling my eyes all at the same time. “Life is work, Applejack.” I reply cleverly. Applejack huffs. “Ain‘t t‘at tuh truth.” She says quickly, moving around in her chair. I pour some soap over one rag, making sure it’s nice and warm before I go to town on this mountain of dishes. “So what do you do on a farm?” I ask, trying to make conversation. Applejack takes kindly to the small talk, taking in a deep breath. “Well, uhh…Ah usually jus‘ buck apples all day lon‘, den dependin‘ on tuh season, ah make apple cider, or apple pies.” She tells me absent mindedly. I don’t mind her attitude; pretty boring talking to a colt doing dishes. “Yeah? Sounds like a whole mess of work. Too hard working for my blood.” I admit, putting a few finished plates into a rack. Applejack laughs to herself. “Ya‘ll‘s blood mus‘a be a mystery to Equestria, cause I don’t even know who ya are.” She says with a hint of curiosity. I tilt my head back, smiling. “Oh, I see. Sly way to get me to tell you about myself.” I say matter-a-factly. “Tat‘s tuh idea.” She says with a sharp tone. “Alright, alright.” I sigh in defeat, half concentrating on talking and half concentrating on cleaning. “Well, I moved here out of convenience. Needed a job and started at Rarity‘s new bar. Worked there for about…Two days, then Pinkie showed up. I imagine wherever she goes, she effects some pony‘s life drastically. And well…At the party, Rarity told me I‘m fired, then hired me as a personal assistant. Now I‘m here.” I tell her, glancing every now and then back at her. “Wow,” Applejack says, putting her hoofs on the table. “Dat was a great story where ya tol‘ me diddly ‘bout yourself.” She says bluntly. “Come on, sugarcube.” I sigh, shaking my head. “Well, I really don‘t know what to tell you, Applejack.” I admit, getting half way finished with the dishes. Applejack stays quiet for a minute, then abruptly asks, “A‘ight…Why duh ya fin‘ jobs suh important?” I shrug, watching the hot water take away all the sticky leftovers off the plates while I scrub. “Why do you ask?” I ask interrogatively. Because I’m just cleaning off a plate, I’m able to turn around and look at her as she responds. She tilts her head to the side, her eyes going to the floor. “Leavin‘ home for work, fin‘in three jobs since ya came here, an‘ it‘s all ya focus on.” She says honestly. Brutally honest. I turn my head back, raising my eyebrows. “Well…For one, it‘s how I get paid, and I suppose it‘s just one of my necessities.” I reply sternly, scraping off something I can’t even identify. Might be food. Might be boogers. Might be alien crap for all I know. “Well, ah reckon ya‘ll jus‘ wan‘ tuh find you‘ cutie mark.” She says bluntly, honest as always. I turn my head around at her, staring at her for a moment. “Nice of you to notice.” I comment, going back to washing dishes. “Considerin‘ ah got‘s not‘in ta look at back here but your flank, I cudn‘t help but notice ya missing yours.“ She says, still upfront. Damn this mare really gets her opinion out there. “Yeah, well, I don‘t think I‘m going to be getting my dish washing cutie mark.” I tell her with a bit of an attitude. I don’t mean to, though. It just kind of…Happens. “So, no, I don‘t find jobs to get a cutie mark.” Applejack holds up her hoofs, clearly realizing her boundaries. “I‘ma sorry, don‘ mean ta tread on ya‘ll‘s thin ice. I‘m jus‘a wonderin‘ mare, is all.” She says, backing off. I sigh deeply, closing my eyes. “I‘m sorry, Applejack. Just something I get a little defensive about.” I apologize to her, reinforcing my words by turning around, showing the hurt on my face. She nods understandably. “No trouble, partner. An‘ it looks like ya almos‘ done dere.” She says, getting from her seat and walking over to my side. “Eeyup…Mighty clean.” I smile, bowing my head at her gracious compliment. “Thaaank you.” I say, putting the rags by the sink and letting them rinse. “Now what?” I ask, leaning slightly against the kitchen counter. Applejack brings her head up high, smirking. “How good are ya at apple buckin‘?” I back my gaze up a little, turning my head suspiciously. “Can‘t say I‘ve done it before.” I admit, shrugging at my inexperience. Applejack’s smirk grows. “Ah see…” She says, beginning to walk out of the kitchen. I follow behind quickly. “So does that qualify me as cheerleader?” I ask jokingly. Applejack turns her head back to me as we pass through the living room. “Ooooh no, mister. Ya gonna learn, an‘ it just so happens ya‘ll know tuh bes‘ apple bucker in Equestria.” She says, smirking proudly. Yup. Twilight, right again. “Ah mus‘ be tuh luckies‘ colt around these parts!” I boast, mimicking her voice as best I can. She glares back at me as we walk out the door still swung wide open. “Over ‘round dere is where we keep our apple trees.” She says, moving the conversation forward. “Dat‘s where we‘ll be apple buckin‘.” She tells me, walking ahead. I keep quiet, in case she wants to tell me anymore about her apple zoo. She doesn’t however, allowing me to just take in the full glory of the land. It’s the kind totally untouched by the industrial age. Canterlot, with it’s vast intricacies and huge architecture, is a great example of over doing it. I really like this place. The large, comfortable house. The gigantic barn. The huge fields. The big hills surrounding the farm. The way the sun just looks so crisp over the large hills and clouds. It’s a wonderful view. And not to mention all the trees! All the wonderful, bountiful apple trees. It seems to go on beyond my vision and…wait. Are we going to have to buck all of these? Oh Celestia…This mare is trying to kill me. “Ah got baskets layin‘ aroun’ up ahead‘a ways.” She says, moving her head up in the direction of the mass congregation of apple trees. “Alright then. So I just…Kick the tree? Then collect the apples?” I ask, trying to grasp exactly what apple bucking is. Applejack nods, confirming my assumption. “Dat‘s ta idea, sugarcube. Bu‘ if ya‘ll get real good, ya can jus‘ buck da tree an‘ all dem‘ apples‘ll fall righ‘ in.” She tells me, raising her eyebrows. “Oh…” I mutter, looking at the impending doom my legs are going to face. “And I suppose you can do it, huh?” I ask rhetorically. Of course she can. Best apple bucker in Equestria. She brings her head up proudly. “Wouldn’t call mah self best apple bucker in Equestria if I couldn’t.” Yep. I wonder what it’s like to be right all the time, like Twilight. “You really that good?” I ask, speeding up to get by her side. She turns to me, a real sage-like smile on her face. “Ah never lie, sugarcube.” “Can‘t disagree there.” I reply, remembering how brutally honest she was back in the kitchen. Applejack returns herself to a serious walk now that we reached the apple trees. “A‘ight, partner. Jus‘ grab a basket and start buckin‘.” She says quickly, taking one of the baskets in her mouth and trotting off. I too take a basket in my mouth, and because my lack of knowledge of the place, I follow Applejack. She finds a ripe tree for bucking and sets her basket down, glancing over at me sharply. “Didn‘t mean for ya ta follow me, but I s‘pose it‘s bes‘ for ya to watch an’ learn first.” I smirk as she realizes how inexperienced I really am. “Please, oh masterful one. Show me your wise apple bucking technique.” I say with a monotone, satirical tone. She takes kindly to it, turning around and firmly planting her hooves on the tree. In one powerful hit, apples drop like flies from the tree, and like she said, right into the basket. “Notin‘ to it.” She boasts proudly. I bow my head, recognizing her as the bucking master. “Alright, alright. I‘ll give credit where credit is dew.” I saw earnestly, then sigh. “You‘re the best apple bucker in all of Equestria.” I say half heartedly on purpose. Applejack smiles widely. “Thank you kindly.” I then smirk at her brashful nature. “Then again, coming from an amateur…Not a very credible acknowledgement.” I say, grinning mischievously. Applejack rolls her eyes, biting down on her basket and moving on to the next tree. I suppose I should get to bucking… I look at the tree before me, sizing it up and down. Lot’s of apples up there, too. I turn around, ready my legs, and then give a strong kick back onto the tree. I hear plenty of rumbles and cracks from above, but it’s when I get knocked in the head that confirms I did it right. Kinda… “Hahaha!” Applejack laughs, watching me from a tree nearby. “Look at tuh bright side! Ya‘ll got a few in ya basket!” She shouts, not able to contain her laughter further. Hahaha, Applejack. Ha ha ha…”Hey, I‘m trying.” I say, beginning to pick up the apples and put them in the basket. Applejack’s smile turns from fun, to gentle. “An‘ I appreciate it. It‘s uhm…” She ducks her head, batting a hoof at a nearby tree trunk. “Mighty kind of you.” She says, her accent a little less obvious for a moment. I look at her, absentmindedly still picking up apples. “Hey, no problem. Anytime you need some help, just let me know.” I tell her as honestly as I can. I can’t boast honesty like her, but I can try. Applejack bows her head slowly to me, then continues bucking them apple trees. Damn, she’s already on her fourth one. “I don‘t mean to be slow. I‘m just new to this.” I say apologetically, leaving the full basket at the tree. I go get a new one, and pick out another tree, making sure it’s still close to her. Applejack makes her around her tree, picking up a few stray apples. “Ah don‘ expect ya‘ll to fill in for Big Macintosh. Ya just do what ya can, and it‘ll be fine.” She says with a more gracious smile than usual. Oh, I see. So I’m filling in for that freaking HUGE pony, am I? I don’t suppose it’s a coincidence Rarity asked me to come down, she probably knew. “Big Macintosh? What‘s up with him?” I ask before I buck my tree finally, causing the apples to fall in routine. She just gives an annoyed huff. “Darn flu. Always comes when ya least expectin‘ it.” She says, shrugging her shoulders. “Ah,” I begin, knowing all too well of a sudden case of the flu. “Those can get nasty sometimes.” I comment, picking up my work of apples. “Eeyup, I s‘pose it can.” She replies shortly, then a loud thump resounds over me. Damn she can hit hard. Wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that! “Well…If you needed help, why isn‘t Rainbow Dash down here? She seems like quite the athlete.” I ask, still picking up the rest of my apples. Applejack sighs, ducking her head as she moves to another tree. “Winters‘a comin‘ up soon, an‘ Bow‘ tis‘ always busiest before winter. Ya know, weather control n‘ all.” She says, obvious sadness in her voice. Yeah…I honestly can’t feel empathy for not having my significant other around all the time, but…I know enough that it hurts. “I see…” I say, bucking the next tree, the apples falling around me. That’s when I realize I forgot a basket. Going back up a short walk and grabbing yet another basket, I make my way back, scouring through the trees to find one near Applejack. “So…How‘s your guys‘ situation going?” I ask, poking my head around a tree. Applejack chuckles a little from behind a freshly-bucket tree. “Ah knew ya‘d bring it up sooner or later.” She says, walking around her tree and picking up apples. “We‘re doin‘ fine, sugarcube.” She says reassuringly. Seeing her pick up apples reminds me I still have mine too. Before I pick up my first apple, I turn back to her. “Have you told them yet?” I ask, trying to be as friendly as possible. She shakes her head, but much more happily than I would’ve assumed. “Nah, Rainbow says we should wait ‘til we have things figured out.” She says, informing me of their plan. I turn back around, beginning to pick up my batch of apples. “So how did you two…hook up?” Applejack laughs to herself, making her way over to a tree. “Funny story, that.” She begins, bucking her tree moments after sizing it up. “She tol‘ me straight up she was intah me, an‘ wanted to get together. I tol‘ her, ‘Mah barn door don’t swing dat way, sugarcube.’” She tells me, then laughs to herself. “Was true, too. Til‘ she kissed me. I was sold from ten on.” She said. The kind of smile on her face…I’ve only seen it on blissful ponies. I nod my head, still picking up apples. “Sounds like a real love story.” I say, grinning mischievously. Applejack shrugs, sizing up another tree. “Wha‘ ‘bout you? Gots any mares ah should know ‘bout?” She asks, bucking a tree and sending it’s lush apples tumbling to the ground. I bow my head sheepishly. “Oh, well…” I begin, kicking a apple slightly. “Kind of have a date with one coming up.” I tell her, shrugging. She eyes me up, nodding. “Uh huh…” She says, moving on to another tree. “Nothing big, really. Just a friendly date.” I say, but truthfully, I’m not sure what kind of date it is. Applejack’s smile returns, and she continues bucking trees. I lost count of what she’s on. “No need ta be all bashful n‘ all.” She says with a bit of sly humor, taking up another tree that’s a lot closer to me. Oh…Right. Apple bucking. “Applejack…” I begin, looking up at her with worried eyes. “Are we going to do the whole apple tree farm today?” I ask, my eyebrows accentuating my worry. Applejack let’s out a loud, fun laugh. “Awe, goodness no, sugarcube! We‘re jus‘ gettin‘ a couple don‘! Ah have tuh res‘ of da season to buck the rest.” She says, shaking her head at my silliness. I let out a relieved sigh, the smiles coming back over my face. “Good, cause…I was afraid I might not be able to walk.” Just as Applejack’s laugh subsides, it starts back up. “Ah wouldn‘t put you through dat kinda labor, partner.” I sigh, still shaking my head. I’m…Quite relieved. Just a couple trees? I can handle that. Speaking of…I still got a few more to go. “So…Apples, huh?” I ask, eyeing her cutie mark as I make my way to another tree. She smiles, nodding proudly as I stare at her cutie mark. “Eeyup. Mah cutie mark tells it all, Doesn‘ it?” She asks, flaunting it around. I nod, admittedly admiring it. Just three little apples. I like it’s modesty. “Yeah, sure is. But…Did you ever want to do something else? Something that your cutie mark doesn‘t entitle?” I ask as I buck my next tree, sending the apples falling. She quickly shakes her head, looking around her. “Nah…Ah stay here, and buck all season cause it‘s my family‘s tradition. Jus‘…Notin‘ else I need in my life.” She says, looking around at the apple trees peacefully. “Not even Rainbow Dash?” I ask, grinning sarcastically as I pick up my apples, placing them in a nearby basket. Applejack rolls her eyes, scoffing me with a grin. “Come on, sugarcube, ya‘ll know what ah mean.” She says, making her way to yet another tree. I nod my head, knowing very well what she meant. “So…What do we do after this, then?” I ask, turning my head around a tree to look at the orange, blonde maned mare. “I s‘pose we‘ll jus‘ go back inside and ah‘ll make us some apple pie.” She says, bucking another tree. “Apple pie? I thought there was going to be hours of work.” I say, shaking my head at how easy going this was. She laughs, shaking her head. “Nah, dis season is not dat exciting. ‘Sides, I don‘ want‘a wear ya‘ll out so you‘re no good ta Rarity.” She says, smirking at me. I tilt my head back like I realize some ingenious plan. “I see…So I‘m just some handycolt that‘s passed around as a tool?” I ask like I have a grudge. She nods her head quickly. “Dat‘s tuh idea!” She tells me quickly, wrapping up the rest of her apples. I shake my head back and forth. So this is what I’ve become…A slave. Good pay though. “I‘ll live with it.” Applejack huffs, looking around us, specifically at the baskets we’ve filled. Mostly from her, really. “A‘ight den, ah think dats‘ enough for today.” She says, smirking my way. I was about to buck another tree, but…I shouldn’t do more work than I’m supposed to. Besides, my legs are staring to hurt. “Alright then, Miss Applejack. Apple pie then?” I ask, basing my assumption off my prior knowledge. She nods her head quickly, making her way back to the house before me. “Ah ain‘t the best with pies, but ah think ah can cook up somethin‘” She says with a prideful smirk. Nothing but pride going around these days. “Alright, I‘m psyched.” I purposely say in a feigned ecstatic tone. “What kind of pie?” Applejack looks back at me, raising an eyebrow. “Apple. Only tol‘ ya five times aw’ready.” She replies, shaking her head at my forgetfulness. I roll my eyes, bowing my head. “Right…Right. Sorry, I miss the small details sometimes.” I admit, chuckling to myself. “A lot.“ Chimes Applejack, still keeping her gaze on me. I slowly roll my eyes a couple times. “Alright, alright. A lot.” I admit, once again. Applejack seems to get plenty of comfort from being right all the time too, smiling widely. I would bet that we reached Applejack’s house faster than we got to the apple trees, but then again, when I go to so many places over and over again, the journey seems to get shorter. “Wait ‘til ya have some‘a mah apple pie.” She says, still full of pride. I nod my head, truthfully anxious to taste anything at this point. The very mention of food makes my stomach grumble, and I know she hears it. “Yeah…I haven‘t eaten all day.” I admit my lack of nutrition, walking up the porch to her house. “Really now?” She asks, walking past the still open door, turning her head back to me. “We‘re gonna have to fix dat, now won‘t we?” I follow quickly behind, politely closing the rickety door behind me. “Yes, please!” I say quickly, following her back into the kitchen. Luckily, the dishes are still all clean. Seems Applebloom didn’t ruin them again. I can’t even think of a cutie mark that would fit that quota. “So den,” Applejack begins, walking straight to the oven. “Ya‘ll‘s turn ta be bored.” She says, turning on the oven and setting it to it’s temperature. “What do you mean?” I ask, going to sit at one of the chairs still pulled out from the table. The orange mare moves her way over to the table, looking at me with irony in her eyes. “Cause it takes forty minutes for apple pie to cook.” A huge groan from my stomach croaks before I’m able to even do anything. “Ugh…Forty minutes is unbearable.” I say, putting my hoof on my cheek. She laughs whole-heartedly. “I’ma only kiddin’.” She says, looking back to her refrigerator. “Ah have plenty I can heat up in a few minutes.” My stomach still makes a loud grumble. “Heh…tease.” I mutter, putting my hoofs together. The teasing mare gets back up, turning around and pulling out a beautiful looking apple pie. She places it on the stove, then comes back, sitting across from me. “I‘m half tempted to just eat it cold.” I say, still staring at the gorgeous pie behind her. She laughs loud, putting both her hooves on the table now. “Ya could do dat. Or ya‘ll can wait ten minutes and eat it warm.” She says all sage-like. I shake my head, looking over the Texan mare. “I don‘t understand…I bucked maybe…4 trees, while you did like 12! And you do this all the time! How are you not hungry?” I ask, truly baffled. She shakes her head at my foreignness. “Ah don‘t know, really. I jus‘ don‘t feel tuh burden of hunger all da time.” I nod very slowly, still not quite understanding. I guess when you’re a finely tuned athletic machine, you suddenly lose all natural necessities. “Whatever you say, Applejack.” Just as Applejack is going to make a witty comeback, the timer goes off for the oven. She gets up, pulling open the oven door and placing the apple pie inside, then closes it. She messes with a few knobs, undoubtedly setting another timer. “Ugh…” I groan, gripping my troubled stomach. “I am going to completely devour that pie.” I say with complete seriousness, staring at Applejack. She joins me in a friendly laugh, walking back to her seat. “Hearin’ all this talk is makin‘ me a little peckish.” She says honestly, raising her eyebrows. “Yeah, well, go get your own pie.” I say, chuckling at how rude that was. I mean, that is her pie. She just shrugs an arm, leaning back in her chair. “Uhh…” She begins, biting around in her gums for an answer. “What you plannin’ on doin‘ after this?” She asks, looking at me a bit shyly. Applejack shy? I should take a picture. “You mean after I completely destroy this pie? I…Guess nothing. I‘m pretty much free all night.” I say, and as I mention night, I look out the window. The sun is just coming over head, telling me it’s around 6. We must have been out there a lot longer than I thought! “Oh, cause I was wonderin‘ if ya’ll wouldn‘t mind stayin‘ over for a while.” She says, tapping her hoof on the floor at a steady pace. I raise an eyebrow, and after a quiet silence, I shrug one of my shoulders. “Sure.” I say bluntly. Then my stomach grumbles, helping to break the silence. “How long is a while?” Applejack’s lips curve into a subtle smirk. “Ah, well…I was hopin‘ ya would stay tuh whole night, n‘ in the mornin‘ help apple buckin‘ some more.” She tells me, her smirk going into a curvaceous smile. I shrug, not really having a thought process more intricate than eat that freaking pie. “First time I‘ll ever stay the night at a farm.” Applejack continues with her smile. “Ah reckon ya‘ll find it nice n‘ cozy.” She says, looking back at the oven. “Tell me it‘s done.” I groan out, still clutching my stomach. She laughs heartedly, shaking her head at my hunger. “Ah s‘pose ah‘ll have tuh make one early tahmarrow, suh ya won‘ have tuh wait tis‘ long.” My eyes shoot wide. “Yes please!” I yelp, nodding my head real fast. Maybe…A pie already made in the morning, too. That would be amazing. “Aight sugarcube, it‘s done.” She tells me, yawning as she does. My stomach grumbles as loudly as ever, my legs shaking eagerly under the table. “I‘m gonna go at it like you and Dash on those cakes last night.” I boast, tilting my head back. Ugh…Those cakes! Now I regret not eating anything at the party. Applejack gets up, opening the oven and, with a cloth in hand, pulls out the pie. She brings it over quickly, placing it on the table before me. “Careful now, it‘s mighty hot.” She warns me, taking her hand away from the steamy looking pie. “No kidding? I thought I was just going to smash my face right in.” I say, cleverly making fun of how she ate cake at the party. She rolls her eyes, walking back over to the sink and pulling a plate, fork, and knife. “Ya‘ll sure ya want all of it tuh yourself?” I nod my head quickly as she comes back with my plate and fork. “I think I can. If not…Mind helping me out?” I ask, leaning my head forward to smell the pie. And…It smells sooooo good. Might just be my hunger intensifying the aroma, or it might be that Applejack is the bomb. She shrugs at my request, sitting back down in her seat. “Ah s‘pose ah could lend ya‘ll a hoof.” She says courteously. I waste no time, jabbing my fork carefully into the apple pie and slicing a decent sized piece. When it plops onto my plate, I like up the fork. “Mmf…” I mutter, tasting the sweet, scrumptious goodness. Applejack chuckles gently, watching me enjoy myself. “Good, ah take it?” She asks with an all-knowing smirk. I nod my head, taking my first real bite into my piece of the famous apple pie. And it tastes…fantastic. The sweetness is so strong, but it’s subdued by the subtle taste of cinnamon. It’s just the most perfect blend possible. “Seein‘ ya‘ll chow down is‘a makin‘ me hungry.” She admits, a gentle grin careening over her face. Like I said earlier, I pull my piece of pie closer protectively as I eye her up. “Mimef!” Applejack bursts into a chuckle, shaking her head. “Ah‘ll settle for jus‘ an apple.” She says, getting up and moving back to the kitchen counter where there’s a basket full of fresh apples. I didn’t even notice it’s presence. “Aaah.” I mumble, taking another bite of the pie. My stomach gurgles, still greedy for more. “Uhh…” Applejack stutters, coming back as she takes a chomp from her apple. “Enjoyin‘ tat‘ pie?” She asks, clearly not what she really wanted to Ask. I look over at her, still chewing. It takes a minute before it’s chewed enough so that I can swallow. “Yeah…Damn good. What else does the Apple family make?” I ask, making small talk. She sighs, dipping her head as she takes her seat. “Apple cider, apple pie, apple cake, apple-cheese cake, apple oreo-cake, apple corn, apple brownies, and orange juice.” She tells me blatantly like I’m at a fast-food restaurant. I can’t help but laugh at orange juice. “Orange juice?” I ask with obvious sarcasm and disbelief. She nods her head, lowering her eyes. “Ah don‘t like it, tuh be perfectly honest which ya.” I shake my head. I can’t wrap my head around that…Of all the apple related stuff…Orange juice? That’s hilarious. “Why not apple juice?” I question with a big grin, then take another chunk of my pie into my mouth. She raises her eyebrows, looking up to the ceiling. “Never thought of dat…” She mutters. Oh…wow. Apple juice? She has to be joking. “Only the most famous apple thing ever made.” I say with my usual know-it-all grin. She raises an eyebrow at me, shaking her head. “Of course we make apple juice, ah just forgot ta mention is all.” She corrects me, crushing my know-it-all grin. “Oh, I see. Well…” I say quickly, looking down at my pie. I forgot just how much I’m able to eat before my stomach starts to disagree. “I reckon I‘m full.” I say with a sheepish smirk. Applejack looks at me suspiciously. “Really now? Thought ya‘ll could chow down dat whole thing.” She says sharply. Clearly, she knew from the start I wouldn’t eat it all. “I guess I have a smaller stomach than I thought.” I say with an embarrassed smile. “Ah well.” She says, shrugging it off. “More for me!” She says, standing up from her chair. I get up from mine as well and watch her as she gets herself a plate and fork. “Ya‘ll can go sit out in tuh livin‘ room. Ah‘ll be t‘ere in a few.” With a nod, I make my way out to the living room where it is undoubtedly the coziest room I’ve ever been in. The library was really nice, but it didn’t seem to have a lot of personality. This place…Has nothing but history. The worn out wood on the floor, yet still staying strong with color. The fireplace in a wall where a couch and two chairs circle around it. The walls, each of them having some kind of picture on them. Nearly all of them have more than one pony in them, undoubtedly they are part of the Apple family. The couch looks like it has been through lot’s of trouble while the chairs look brand new. I’ll take the couch, gladly spreading my legs out on it and leaning my head back on one of it’s arms. It’s not the comfiest piece of furniture, but the hominess of the whole room makes it much more likeable. “Ah see ya gettin‘ comfy there, partner!” Applejack says, walking into the living room. I regrettably move my feet from taking up the whole couch, sitting upright. “This house is really nice.” I compliment, smiling admiring at the architecture surrounding me. “Was it hand made?” Applejack nods her head, clearly happy I’m able to detect it on my own. “It was, by mah ancestors.” She replies, taking a bite out of her slice of the pie. I tip my head to her. “It‘s gorgeous.” I compliment again. Applejack sits down next to me on the couch, placing her pie on a nearby table. “Thanks, Mr. B.” She says. That’s the first time she called bt my name all day. I smirk, tilting my head. “You can just call me Buddy, on account of the informal situation.” I say with a stupid smile, not able to contain a subtle laugh. It takes a moment for Applejack to get it, staring at me confused, but she joins me in a little laugh when she does. “Ah…Ya can call me AJ, Buddeh.” She says with an all too obvious mischievous grin. I don’t know why, but hearing her say my name with that accent is really funny. “So…” I begin, getting comfortable on the couch. “What to talk about?” I ask, attempting to make small talk. Applejack stuffs her face with a piece of apple pie. Well…Someone didn’t learn their manners from Rarity. She would probably be having an aneurism after seeing that. “What‘re you getting Twilight?” I ask, my memory now coming back to me since I have food in my belly. Applejack grins, swallowing her food. “Ah‘ma gettin‘ her her own Stetson.” She says with a very prideful smirk, dipping her head to give me a full view of her hat. A hat? I couldn’t have guessed. Honestly would’ve figured something related to apples. “A hat, huh? Sounds to me like a last minute gift.” I comment, smirking. I know all too well what a last minute gift is, and that’s definitely one of them. She shrugs with a kind of ‘I’ve been found out’ smile. “It‘s tuh thought dat counts.” She says, moving around on the couch to get comfy. “What ‘bout you?” Now it’s my turn to be prideful. I dip my head up, laying my hoofs down at my side. “Oh, well…Me and Rarity had this idea to make her an entire book as a blanket.” I tell her, a big smile coming over my face. She looks at me curiously, squinting her eyes. “What?” She asks, not understanding a word. I sigh, trying to find the right words. “Uhm…It‘s…Like a…It‘s a whole book. The letters in a book on a blanket, both sides. All across it, so she can read it while in bed.” I correct myself, still trying to hold up a prideful smile. She still stares at me curiously. “Ah still don‘t understand the meanin‘ of it.” She admits, taking the last bite of her pie. Damnit. Finally have something to boast to AJ and she has the perfect defense: not understanding it. “Nevermind.” I mutter, defeated at a game of pride. The orange mare across from me giggles playfully. “Ah understand tuh idea, but why a blanket? Not tuh most…Err…Convenient of things, ya know.” She says, smirking at me. Oh, so she does understand. Well now I’m all out of pride, so screw it. “It‘ll make her happy, and that‘s what counts.” I say, getting to the point. Applejack smiles, nodding at my point. “Dats true.” She admits, turning her head to watch the non-burning chimney. I too look over at it, and for a moment, I wonder what it would look like if it’s wood was on fire. “Pretty slick of you.” I say, turning my head back to her. She raises an eyebrow at me. “What ya mean?” She asks, suspicion clear in her voice. I lean my head back, smirking at her innocence. “Making the excuse of apple bucking tomorrow.” I say matter-a-factly. Her face slightly reddens, and it’s accentuated greatly over her orange coat and mane. “Ah…Uhh…” She mumbles, not being able to focus her eyes on anything. I shrug my shoulders, now full of confidence. “Either you‘re bad at hiding your emotions, or I‘m good at finding them.” I say with a stitch of benevolence. She gives a defeated huff, crossing her legs over her chest. “Ah don‘t know what tuh do anymore.” She mutters, her emotions now absent. I dip my head, dropping my arrogant smile. “What‘s wrong, Applejack?” I ask with the most concerned tone I can muster. She shakes her head, bringing her head into her legs. “Me n‘ ‘Bow…” She mutters. Oh…That. “What happened…?” I ask slowly, moving a little closer. She shakes her head in her legs, her hat almost falling off. “We‘re always separated!” She bursts suddenly. Her voice sounds more hoarse and uncontrolled than usual. “Weather control…Apple buckin‘…we almos‘ never see each other.” She tells me, her hat finally falling to the ground. Now I can see her mane. It looks really clean, well combed, and braided perfectly. “That‘s just because you two have very different lives.” I say, getting off the couch and coming to her side. “She‘s a Pegasus, an-” A very…hurt whimper escapes Applejack’s mouth. I clench my eyes shut, mentally scolding myself. “I‘m sorry…” I apologize, very concerned. I gently put a hoof on her shoulder, letting her know I’m here. “It‘ll all work out.” I say reassuringly, making sure she hears me under those soft whimpers. She ducks her head lower, clearly not wanting me to see her crying. “Everythin‘s all mucked up, su-…Sugarcube.” She says, trying to keep back her sniffles. I let it go quiet for a few minutes. The only sounds being emitted from Sweet Apple Acres are coming from the subtle weeps of the tough Applejack. One thing I remember when I cried a whole lot as a young colt was laughter always made everything better. Even if it was a joke completely out of context, as long as I laughed, it made me feel better. Might not be for every pony, but… “Hey, AJ.” I begin, getting her attention. She moves her head slightly, letting me know she heard me. “You know how Rainbow always boasts that she‘s the fastest in Equestria? Well, since you two are dating, I think you should know that she really is the fastest in Equestria.” I say with an extremely mischievous chuckle. It takes Applejack a minute, but she bursts into a bubble of weeping and laughing, sniffling in between laughs and gasping for air. “Heh, She…Tuh fas-…Fastest…In Eque-” She stops, moving her head back as she laughs. Ahh…The sweet sounds of laughing after crying. I join her in a subtle laugh, shaking my head at my terrible joke. “Thanks.” She says, still sniffling a little from the aftermath of her sorrow. I nod my head to her, picking up her classic Stetson hat and putting on her head. It’s a snug fit. “Anytime, partner.” I say, mimicking her accent. She smiles warmly, turning to me as she leaves her hat on her head sideways. Her eyes are slightly red from the aftershock of crying, her cheeks slightly puffy. “Sorry for droppin‘ this on ya all of da sudden.” She says apologetically, sighing as she fixes her hat. I shrug, still sitting by her side. “I came here to help, even if it‘s not the kind you expected.” I tell her, tinting my foreboding want to have just one more slice of pie. A very calm, collective smile comes over AJ. “Ah don‘t know what ah did in mah pas‘ life to deserve a frien‘ like you.” She says, looking from the chimney then back to me. I shake my head quickly, denying the praise. “You have the girls. They are far greater friends than I‘ll ever be. Besides…” I say, batting my eyes, huffing. “I just moved here.” I barely utter out, moving my tongue around in my mouth. I can taste some remnants of that apple pie. She shakes her head, denying my denial of her praise. “An‘ it only proves my point further.” She says confidently, leaning back on the arm of the couch. I lean my head back suspiciously, eyeing her up. “How so?” I ask, both curiously and full of suspicion. “In tis short amoun’ of time…” She starts, really focusing her gaze on me. “Ya‘ve gotten‘ three jobs, a party, a date, six new frien‘s, and some of em‘ are interested in ya.” She says, full of omnipotence. “If ya don‘t call that successful, I don‘t know what is.” I lean back a little, squinting my eyes. Did she say some are interested? What? “Wait, so…” I began, trying to grasp what she said. “I get your point, but…” I continue to pause, shaking my head. Which ones…? “They‘re interested in me?” Applejack raises her eyes like she just told something she shouldn’t have. “Whoops!” She says, revealing that it was a purposeful slip of the tongue. “Ah ain‘t the faintest idea what ya mean.” She says, smirking now that she has all the power. I stare at her glumly. “Who?” I ask bluntly, sitting down on the floor. She sighs, looking over at me with sincere eyes. “Ah can‘t tell ya tat cause it‘s personal.” She says, a bit of regret in her eyes. “Ah want to, cause you being really nice n‘ all, but ah can‘t jus‘ go aroun‘ telling‘ others‘ secrets n‘ all.” She says, her smirk turning to a frown. The first frown I’ve seen from anypony since I moved here. “Hey, no worries.” I say, nodding my head to her loyalty to her friends. “Knowing that is enough, anyways. I think I can figure it out for myself.” I say with a very mischievous grin over my face. She sighs, shaking her head at my arrogance. “Ah‘m sure ya can, sugarcube.” I tilt my head back, a glance of evil sparking in me. “I mean, I already have one down.” I say confidently, looking at her with dagger eyes. She blushes lightly, ducking her head. “Ah know…” She says in defeat, looking to the floor. “Why though?” I ask bluntly, shaking my head. I’m not…That interesting. She shrugs her shoulders, pulling her hind legs back up to her chest. “Ah like a hard workin‘ sort‘a pony.” She admits to me, still not looking me in the eye. I’m taken back a little by this. Hard working…Well, I suppose I am! I mean, not the best apple bucker, but yeah…Yeah, I guess I do work kind of hard. “I‘m flattered, Applejack.” I say with a hint of embarrassment. I dare not let blush come over me. She rolls her eyes, still looking at the floor. “An‘…I like brown.” She utters barely, shifting her eyes left and right as she hides under her legs. Brown? Heh…“Oh yeah?” I ask, now feeling an abundance of pride swelling in me. I flick my darker brown mane out of my face, just for good measure. She sighs, closing her eyes and ducking her head totally under her legs. “Laugh it up, sugarcube.” She mutters, perking her lips. I have myself one last chuckle, then go back to her side. “Well…” I begin, looking out a nearby window. The sun is completely gone, the only sight now is Luna’s infinite night. “You want to light that chimney, so you don‘t get cold?” I ask, not daring to tell her I get cold easy. She smirks, seeing right through my ruse. “Sure thing.” She says, getting up from the couch and trotting over to the fireplace. I jump back up onto the couch, getting myself nice and comfortable as Applejack lights the chimney, and it quickly builds into a relaxing fire. It looks exactly how I pictured it. “Hey now,” She says, walking back over to the couch and finding her spot back on the opposite side to me. “Ya‘ll don‘t think ‘bout sleepin‘ right’a ways now, ya hear?” She says with an accusing glare. I put my hoofs up defensively. “Wouldn‘t dream on it.” I say, laughing lightly at my awful pun. “Don‘t take me lightly. Jus‘ cause ah like ya don‘t mean ah won‘t stick mah hoof where it won‘t fit.” She threatens me with a crooked grin. I pipe down, nodding with a very subtle hint of scarce fear. “Yup. Now I‘ll have nightmares.” She laughs whole-heartedly, enjoying my fear of her. “Ya‘ll can relax. Ah‘m not gonna keep ya up all night.” She says, stretching her hind legs out. I don’t even know what time it is…I’d guess 9, but I’ve been wrong before. A lot. “Oh, well it‘s not like I don‘t enjoy your company.” I comment, glancing from her, then back to the gently rising fire. “Likewise, sugarcube.” She says courteously, and I can see out of the corner of my eye that she’s grinning like usual. “So you and Rainbow always have competitions like that?” I ask, still watching the fire crack and burn. She sighs, adjusting her hat on her head. “Like‘a married couple.” She says, laughing at her own awful joke. I join her in a subtle laugh, going along with it. “Is it always at parties?” I ask curiously, every now and then glancing over to her. She shakes her head, letting the cracking of twigs settle before speaking. “We‘ve raced a few times. O‘course she couldn‘t fly, though. An‘ sometimes it‘s drinkin‘ contests with apple cider.” She sighs, kicking her feet up and leaning over the arm of the couch. “Really depen‘s on what tuh occasion is.” She says, moving her gaze from me to the fire. I follow her, looking back to the fire as we make small talk. “I heard you Texan type‘s can really put it down.” I compliment, leaning my head just a little farther on the arm, letting my head rest. “Heh…” Applejack mumbles, rubbing her hoof over her chest. “’Bow can hold her own pretty good, but she ain‘t got nothing on this champion.” She boasts, once again, full of pride. Twilight, right again… I let a grin come over me as I close my eyes, letting the gentle cracks and warmth of the fire subdue me slowly. “Sounds like you.” I say tiredly, not able to contain a yawn. Applejack catches up on my exhaustion, getting up from her spot on the couch. “Ya‘ll a‘ight stayin‘ there for tuh night?” She asks, looking back at me before she retires for the night. I nod my head gently. “This couch…Real cozy.” I say, not really sure if it’s the couch or that Applejack put something in the pie. She chuckles to herself, and walks off, making her way up the stairs. “Night, sugarcube!” I didn’t even realize there were stairs in this house. Wow…I have to pay attention more. But not right now; right now…All I need to do is pass the hell out, and let this lovely fire put me away to dreamland. -- My drowsiness settles as I flutter my eyes open to the morning. Unlike staying the night at Twilight’s house, I know where I am this morning. “Applejack?” I call to the orange mare, testing her presence. My test fails however when I hear nothing back. I look over at the chimney, noting that it’s fire has been burned out long ago. I groggily get up, looking over at the nearest window and that’s when I huff loudly. It’s easily into the afternoon. Overslept…I hate oversleeping. Less time to get stuff done. Even though Rarity probably doesn’t have anything for me, I still don’t like it. No sense in staying in bed any longer now. Or couch, whatever. I hop off the couch, stretching my legs and neck out. I hear plenty of cracks and nicks, like twigs breaking in my body. At first it tickles, but the sweet numbness and relaxation swells over me. “Ahh…” I mutter to myself. With no one around. Quickly as I can, I go outside where Applejack probably is waiting, but instead of being greeted with the orange mare, I’m hit with a rush of scents. Honey, flowers, freshly cut grass, and of course, apples. It smells really nice. “Mornin‘, partner!” AJ yells from across the fields. Oh…Guess I don’t have to look far. “Afternoon!” I correct her, making my way to the apple trees. She too walks back from her apple bucking, probably so we don’t have to yell. “Ya‘ll always sleep tis‘ late?” I shake my head quickly, inhaling a deep sigh. “No, no I don‘t. I hate oversleeping, but I think you put something in that pie.” I interrogate with a sharp stare. An evil grin succumbs over AJ’s face. “Mah own recipe.” I roll my eyes, then exhale my kempt oxygen. “What we doing today?” I ask, looking back behind her. Still that huge field of trees… She shakes her head happily. “Ah‘ma get tuh res‘ of dat. Ya‘ll jus‘ go back ta Rarity now, Ah‘ll a holler if ah need ya again.” She ducks her head in the direction of Ponyville. I look back behind me, and I didn’t notice it before, but I can see all of Ponyville from up here. The bar, Sucarcube Corner, and especially Twilight’s tree house. “You sure?” I ask, turning back to her. She just gives a sure-as-heck nod. “Alright then…I‘ll see you when I see you.” I bid, turning back towards the road I came from. “Thanks for da help, sugarcube!” She shouts behind me, then she too begins her journey back to the apple trees. I’m just a whore now, aren’t I? Working for anypony that needs it. Rarity owns me basically, and let’s my handy-work be used by anyone that…needs it. So she’s my pimp, essentially. I don’t know which ones, but some of them like me. And to top it off, I’m getting paid. Can’t complain with 50 bits, though. I stop my pointless bickering with myself when I come across both the signs leading to Sweet Apple Acres, and the one for Ponyville. One thing I didn’t notice before…is a third road, leading to a place that has no sign. “Wonder what that is…” I mumble to myself, just glancing at the trail that looks like it hasn’t been walked in a long, long time. Continuing on my way down the path back to Ponyville, I can see it’s a lot more lively during this time of day. There’s ponies of all different types walking around, and several Pegasi flying above. Unicorns levitating food into their bags, Earth ponies dragging large carts around, and Pegasi doing whatever they do. Flying, I guess… “Hey!” A high pitched filly yells, and the sound it emitted from careens towards me. “Oh…Heya, Scootaloo.” I greet to the little dark-orange filly, smiling. “You‘re that bartender!” She says, now walking with me through a crowd of ponies. Luckily, I don’t have to push anyone out of the way for Scootaloo. I nod my head, confirming her question. “Yeah, I was. Now I-” “Do stuff for Rarity!” She shouts proudly, bouncing up and down. “I know, Sweetie Belle told me.” She says, still beaming with pride of her knowledge. I sigh, nodding my head to the little filly as I come to Rarity’s beauty shop. “Hey, Scootaloo.” I address, stopping in front of Rarity’s door. “I got crusading to do.” She looks up at me, nodding her head slowly. “Oh, okay mister! Let us know if you get your cutie mark!” She shouts still, announcing ‘us‘, even though there’s a distinct lack of cutie mark crusaders. “I sure will, Scootaloo.” I reassure her, smiling genuinely. With the bow of her head, she’s off, remarkably fast too. She is a Pegasus, but even with the lack of flight, she can run pretty quick. Probably all the freaking energy that youth brings. “Nice of you to stop by.” Rarity says with her chin up. I turn quickly to her, seeing the door hanging open with her blocking the way inside. “Sorry I‘m late. Kind of…Overslept.” I admit, bowing my head in embarrassment. She smiles, warmly as ever. “Not a problem. I have done it plenty of times, Mr. B.” She backs away from the door, holding a hoof out for me to walk inside. I take the kind gesture, trotting my way into the shop. “Thanks for understanding.” I say, making my way into the familiar shop. Beautiful as ever. “Right to business, then.” Rarity begins, skipping any morning commodities. I nod my head quickly, stopping in the middle of the room as I listen. “I ran into a small hitch…” Rarity says glumly, looking at the floor. “The blanket has to be triple layered, so each side of the blanket holds half of the book. But…” She pauses, pacing in an imaginary circle. “I don‘t know of a book!” She says, her pace getting much quicker. I put my hooves up, trying to contain her worry. “It‘s al-” “No it won‘t!” She shouts, her eyes bulging. “If I don‘t have something that she hasn‘t read yet, then I‘ll never be able to finish it! And…I have no way of finding out without her suspecting!” She shouts, her worry only cascading. I raise both my eyebrows. “What about Spike?” I ask on a total hunch. Immediately her worry sparks into an idea. “Perfect!” She shouts abruptly, a big smile over her face. I shake my head at how simple the solution was. “Alright….So you want me to go ask Spike, don‘t you?” I ask, raising one of my eyebrows. She ducks her head, making a pouty face. “Oh…It would be the most darlingest thing.” I roll my eyes very slowly, making sure she sees every bit of my sarcasm. “Not like I can disagree.” I mumble, already making my way to the door. “Oh!” She yells, stopping me for a moment. “And tell Spikey I have a present for him, too.” She says with a really…odd smirk. I nod my head suspiciously. “I have this really strange feeling that I wouldn‘t want my worst enemies to have this ‘present’.” She shakes her head, baffled at my assumption. “It‘s a very rare ruby.” She explains, and immediately shuts me up. “Oh.” I mutter, rolling my eyes. “Whatever works, I guess.” I say with minor discomfort. She bows her head. “Best be on your way, then!” She commands, the door still hung open by her hoof. I take in a deep breath, hesitating for a moment to leave. Maybe I could ask her about this whole…Crush thing. “Alright, Rarity. I‘ll see you in a bit.” I tell her with a contempt smile, deciding against asking. The door closes behind my abruptly, and I find myself back outside. No use standing around here; I’ve got stuff to do. I don’t even have to go far to be at Twilight’s library. In just a 2 minute’s walk, I’m at her door. I knock on it loud enough to be noticed from the crowd of ponies around me. The door opens, and at first I have my head too high to notice a small purple dragon below my gaze. “What can I do for ya?” He asks quickly with an accent I can’t recognize. So this is Spike…He’s pretty short for a dragon. “Hey, I‘m a friend of Twilight‘s.” I say with hope it gets me access into the library. He moves his grip off the door, walking back into the library. I can see a lot of the books have been picked up, but he still has plenty to do. “The Starspiral guy?” He asks, moving his head slightly to address me. I nod my head even though he can’t see. “Yeah, I worked with him.” I explain, awkwardly standing in the middle of the library. I can actually see the floor now. “So what do you want?” He asks kind of rudely. He probably doesn’t like new ponies, or dragons are just like that. How the hell would I know…I’ve never met one before. “Actually…” I begin, making my way over to him. “Woah, woah!” He yells, interrupting me. “You work for rarity, right?” He asks, dropping his voice a lot lower. After a couple seconds of pondering, I nod my head gently. His eyes glaze over, and he clenches his fists. “Could you do me a solid?” He asks, biting his lips. I didn’t know dragons had lips. I look at him curiously, shaking my head. “A solid?” I ask, not really understanding. He clenches his eyes shut. “A favor! Can you do me a favor?” He asks impatiently. I nod my head, now realizing what he means. “Ooooh…Well, it depends.” I answer, taking in a deep breath. He continues to bite his lips, obviously tense. “Could you swap with me for the day? Swap jobs?” He says, almost too fast for my comprehension. I thought Twilight and Pinkie talked fast, but…Wow. “You mean…” I begin, glancing around the room. “I become Twilight‘s assistant, and you become Rarity‘s?” I ask, trying to understand his benefit out of this. He nods his head quickly, tons of hope spewing from his soul. “Yeah yeah yeah!” He yells, his excitement in a bundle. I lay my hooves out, trying to calm him. “Alright, relax. Relax…” I say in a soothing voice. Doesn’t work, though. “Why?” I ask, shaking my head at how…sporadic his mood got. Immediately he goes from excited, to dreamy. “I get to spend a day with Rarity…” He mutters, clutching his hands together. “Oooooh…” I coo, a smirk rising over my face. This could work out beautifully. “Alright, I‘ll work with you. But!” I yell, making sure he hears my conditions before running off. “You have to do two things for me. One immediate, the other…not.” I say, my plan coming together greatly. Well…I’m still making the plan now, but still. He immediately leans his face forward, obviously prepared for whatever I got. “I‘m game. Whatcha need, bro?” He asks, his vocabulary taking a turn for…Childish. I lean my head back, crossing my hooves. “You have to give Rarity suggestions on books that Twilight hasn‘t read yet.” I then glance around the room, my eyes widening at the amount of books here. “I realize that would be…difficult, considering how many there are, but I believe in you.” I say slowly, making sure he takes in every detail. He nods his head quickly, then leans in closer. “And the second?” He asks, impatience in his voice. “I need you to do some detective work.” I tell him, lowering my voice. I don’t know where Twilight is…but I definitely don’t want her knowing anything. She’ll probably figure it out before any other pony anyways. “What?” He asks, backing up a moment curiously. “Detective? You want me to solve a murder?” He asks, his eyes wide. I smack my hoof into my face. “No…” I mutter, then take in a big sigh as I try to explain again. “I want you to…Well…” I pause, really thinking about what I want to say. His impatience boiling up doesn’t help. “I‘ve learned that some of the ponies in this group of 6 friends have…Interests in me.” I explain, raising my eyebrows. “I‘d like you to find out which ones.” His gaze turns to an unamused stare, blinking every so often. “I‘m not doing that.” He says stubbornly, shaking his head. Even though he denies, I tilt my head back confidently. “Rarity has a present for you.” I don’t need his words of acceptance to know he‘ll do it. His face tells it all. “I‘ll do it!” He yells, balling his little fists up. Or…claws. “But you have to do it.” I tell him, pausing for dramatic effect. “Right now.” I demand, shifting my head to the door. Immediately he bolts to the streets of Ponyville. I think he was trying to thank me among his mumbles…but I couldn’t hear a thing. “Buddy?” Twilight asks as she comes out from her study, looking at me curiously. “What are you doing here?” She asks, looking around the room, probably for Spike. “I decided you might need some help with sorting these books.” I quickly retort, trying to drive her attention from Spike’s absence. She immediately looks at me with an all too well knowing stare. “Spike went to Rarity‘s, didn‘t he?” I roll my eyes, nodding my head. “Yeah.” I admit embarrassingly. Sorry, little guy. She’s good. She shrugs, making her way over to me. “I can‘t blame him. He organizes them every day.” She says, almost apologetically. I raise my eyebrows. That little guy? Impressive. “A dedicated assistant.” I compliment, then laugh to myself subtly. “I feel as though I‘ve been issued a challenge.” I add, raising my eyebrows to her. She shakes her head at my Brashfulness. “I‘m sure you‘re a very reliable assistant to Rarity.” She comments, smiling warmly. I wonder if she’s ever made a joke to someone before? “Thanks, Twilight.” I reply, then glance around the room quickly. “So you want some help?” I ask earnestly, totally willing to do some simple book-shelving. Twilight smiles at my offer, and it takes her a minute to accept with a nod. “If you really want to.” I nod quickly, sure of myself. “Oh yeah, this‘ll be nothing after apple bucking with AJ.” I explain, looking at the books scattered around me. Not that many, a few here and there. Twilight dips her head, squinting her eyes. “You were over Applejack‘s?” She asks, walking over my way. “Yeah.” I answer dully before picking up a book and reading it’s cover. Vermithrax Kindred’s Hundred Thousand Year Reign That’s an excessive title. So V, then… “They‘re alphabetical.” Twilight informs me, still smiling as she too levitates a couple books. I don’t know of any other way to sort books. By color, I guess? Or author? “Thanks, I had no idea.” I say, looking at all the different labels of letters under each shelf, specifically looking for a V. “So what did you guys do?” Twilight asks, hovering some books into their places. I would reply, but Vermithrax’s huge book in my mouth disables me. Finally coming across V, I slide it into it’s place. “I washed her dishes for a while, then we went and collected some apples. Thank Celestia we didn‘t have to do the whole field…You‘d probably have seen me in the morgue.” I comment grimly, making my way back to get another book. “Did you sleep in her house?” She asks directly, still making books float around the room. And that’s when I feel suspicion…Is she one of them? Does she have a crush on me…? She’s only known me for a couple days. Then again…All of them have only known me for a couple days. “She pretty much forced me to. Baked us a pie, too! Was pretty good.” I say, testing to see how it would effect her. She huffs, squinting her eyes as she continues to move books around. “Oh…” She says, and continues to mumble something to herself. That seals it. I might be letting something as simple as ‘interested’ get to me, but…It interests me. A lot. “I like the library though.” I say, not able to hide a very wide smirk across my face, picking up a book in my mouth. War and Remembrance - Fall of Intrepad “Why is that?” She asks, some warmth coming back to her voice. I smile, taking the book to the W shelf, and sliding it in it’s place. “I don‘t know really…It just feels a lot more relaxed.” I explain to both her and myself, then I pick my head up, looking over to her. “Plus, Applejack‘s is like…well, I get the feeling that if I lived there, it would only be nice until I have to go work. It‘s like eating a really nice cupcake, then having to eat a whole bunch of broccoli.” I explain further, causing a roar of laughter between us. “That‘s a very unique analogy.” Twilight says, letting her laughter subside. “Helping me with my reports…Organizing my books…” She says slowly, moving her head left to right. “What next?” I look up at her, picking up another book. I shrug in response, looking at it’s title. Starswirl Makes History “Well…” She begins to speak, choosing her words carefully as I make my way to the S shelf. “I…was-…Uhmm…” She stutters, looking around the library and every now and then settles her eyes on me. Is Twilight about to ask me out on a date? “Hoping you and I could…Go somewhere.” She mutters, her face redder than ever. I place the book among the many others on it’s shelf, and turn around. I can’t help but smile so widely my jaw might fall off. “What do you have in mind?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Her face lights up, the embarrassment turning to an outburst of hope and vigor. “We could go to the movies, or…or the museum! We could visit Canterlot, or I can make spells for us to visit Cloudsdale, or I-” “How about a picnic?” I interrupt, looking at her very calmly. She blinks a couple times, and as the idea settles in her, she nods slowly. “That would be…Really nice.” She says slowly, beaming a great smile. I then have a spark go through my head, and my mouth slowly becomes more and more ajar as it forms into a big collage of ideas. “I…have this incredible idea, Twilight.” She tilts her head up, excitement coursing through her and me. “Yeah?” She asks enthusiastically. I make my way over to the V section, glancing at the book I placed earlier. “Are you familiar with Vermithrax?” I ask, looking back to her. She nods her head proudly. “Of course! He was the most powerful dragon ever and he ruled as the King of Equestria for a long time!” She announces her knowledge proudly. I bow my head admirably, then continue. “Yes, but…Do you know about his meteor?” I ask, pulling the book back out, taking it to the nearby table. She quickly follows me, nodding her head. “Of course I do! Anypony could tell you that it was created when he drew his last breath and created a never ending fireball.” Then, her eyes shoot out wide. “Are you…?!” She asks, looking at me with a big smile. “Every hundred years…It makes a trip around Earth, and can be seen as it cuts through the atmosphere.” I tell her, seeing the crazy amount of suspense welling inside her. “It‘s in twelve days.” She lowers her head on the table, closing her eyes. “Oh…That would be incredible.” She coo’s out, deeply sighing. I nod my head, pride swelling over me at my ingenious idea. “But…” I begin, making sure I get her attention. Even the possibility of this not happening would get her attention. “I was hoping you wouldn‘t mind if everyone went with us.” I say, looking at her with weary eyes. She sighs, closing hers. She exhales any of her remaining air, then inhales deeply. “I really, really want to be greedy…” She admits, then opens her eyes to mine. “But I love my friends.” I smile at her sacrifice, then flip open the book, near the back. It takes a couple page-flips to get what I want, but when it comes up…It catches both of our attention. It’s a picture of Vermithrax. Drawn, of course, but…It looks horridly scary. His wings spread out across the sky to impossible lengths, his eyes as big as the moon on a good night, and his talons are like a tear in the fabric of time. His mouth drools out greed, his scales each telling a story of evil, and his wings having many holes through their stretch across Equestria, yet they only aid in the fear swelling up inside me. “I‘m thankful I live now…and not then.” Twilight mumbles, shaking her head at the picture. I nod my head, flipping to the next page, showing a real picture of his meteor. “Oh yeah…He‘s a scary fuc-…He’s a scary dragon.” I mumble, looking over the text about the meteor. It is unknown how Vermithrax succumbed to death. Most scriptures suggest he fell to an alliance of Allicorns, and other less-credible sources suggest he left his remaining life force into his last breath; The Meteor of Vermithrax Kindred. With the power to burn forever through time, even in space, his meteor passes over Equestria’s skies every hundred years. Allicorns watch over it’s passing to be sure it doesn’t do anything more than slip into the atmosphere before moving on into space. Some less-credible sources suggest the Allicorns watch over it during it’s passing be- Then the page cuts off, a chunk torn from it. “Sorry…I try to take care of my books, but some of them are hand-me-downs…” Twilight says apologetically, batting her eyes across the page. I shrug, closing the book and looking over to Twilight. “Picnic on his Meteor passing, then?” I ask with a sly grin. She nods her head quickly. “They say…” She begins, tilting her head up to look at the ceiling. “That it‘s so big, it could be seen from the other side of the world!” She yells excitedly, then immediately goes to hug me. I pat my hoof on her back, smiling at the affection. This is my first hug since I came to Ponyville…“Make sure you let everyone know, alright?” I inform her, dipping my head down a little as she breaks from the hug. “Oh, of course! Pinkie will probably make some snacks…Rarity will make us all clothes…Applejack will probably bring some- Oh this is just going to be fantastic!” She shouts, each and every moment away from the event makes her more and more excited. “I‘m glad you like it so much. Now then…” I say, shifting the conversation. “Let‘s keep on p-” I stop myself, looking around the room. The floor is completely spotless. “Or not.” I say, chuckling a little. “Heh…” Twilight mumbles, her face reddening. “Thanks for the help.” I turn around, raising an eyebrow. “Help? I got like…three books and you put away at least twenty.” I say, denying the thanks. She shakes her head, rolling her eyes. “You tried, and that‘s what matters.” She says, her smile as warm as always. I’m about to reply with another warm comment, but we’re suddenly invaded by a certain white coated mare. “Yo!!” She shouts, her glare straight on me. “Vinyl?” I ask, looking at her with a surreal stare. “What are you doing here?” Better yet, how did she find me? Oh...Oh! We have a date…I can see this going down hill, real fast. She shakes her head, clenching her eyes shut as she gasps for air. “I…Have been looking for you…everywhere.” She says with big, exasperated eyes. I look at her with a weary smile, tilting my head to the side. “Yeah…I‘m s-” “Do you ever check your messages?” She asks, shaking her head in disbelief. Check my messages? I…haven’t even been home. Oh…I think I know what she did now. “Vi-” “I had to ask that guy that we both covered for to get your number. When I did, I left you three messages! Then, I asked around where Rarity is, and when I got there, she told me you were Sweet apple Acres. So…I went up there, and that mare…Applejock or whatever told me you were at Rarity‘s! SO! I ran all the way back there, and asked her again! She told me you were here…and here…you are.” She says, running out of breath. I walk my way over to her, patting a hoof on her back. “I‘m sorry I put you through that…I just haven‘t been home.” I explain, shaking my head. For want of a nail indeed… “It‘s cool.” She says, laughing hysterically with what breath she has left. I look at her, still worried. “So…Why‘d you go through all that trouble?” I ask, even though I know very well the reason. She promptly moves her head behind her, pulling something from a satchel hung over her back. It’s…My personal cup. I take it from her mouth gently, and place it on the ground, looking from it to her. “That‘s…all?” I ask, looking at her with disbelief. “Yup!” She says with a big smile. “You forgot it at the bar, and you made a big deal about me getting it for you, and well…Don‘t have anything better to do.” She says, scratching the back of her head with her hoof. A smirk comes over my face, and I sigh, relieved. “Wow…Uhm…Thanks.” I glance from her to my surroundings, and notice poor Twilight is standing awkwardly by the table, her gaze to the ground. “Oh!” I yell, moving between the two. “Twilight, this is Vinyl. Vinyl, this is Twilight.” I introduce them, backing away as they meet each other’s eyes. “Sup.” Vinyl greets, moving her head back. Ahh…Typical Vinyl. “It‘s a pleasure to meet you.” Twilight says, smiling widely now that she’s joined in the conversation. I sigh, relieved that things aren’t going too horribly. I mean…I kind of forgot about our date, but…It’s not like I purposely made this happen. I just really hope it is a friend date…but damn, that makes me feel so dirty…hoping Vinyl doesn’t really have a thing for me, so I won’t feel guilty. Damn, I lose no matter what. “Awe, I‘d love to stay and chat, but Octavia is all alone at the bar right now…And she doesn‘t even know how to shake!” She yells, a big smile over her face. “Gotta get going. Nice to meet ya!” She yells, running out the door with the speed of Pinkie Pie. “That was interesting…” Twilight comments with a subtle laugh. I don’t pay attention as I notice something inside my cup. It looks like a piece of paper… “What to do now?” Twilight asks, moving over to my side. I jump from my gaze and glance quickly at Twilight. “I…Don‘t know.” I mutter, my conscious still keen on figuring out what the paper is. Obviously, it’s from Vinyl…But what would it say? “Would you like to read some books together?” She ask with a big innocent smile. It’s…Kind of cute. I tilt my head, my thoughts for the moment on Twilight. “I‘d love to Twilight….But I think I‘m needed elsewhere.” She lowers her head, looking around the library. “Oh, okay…” She mutters, nudging her hoofs together. “Hey, if you ever get down…Just think about what‘s gonna happen twelve days from now!” I yell, my voice jolting to a much more fun tone. She raises her head, smiling at my attempt to brighten her mood. “Gladly.” I nod quickly, my curiosity burning into my mind. “I have to get going, though. I‘ll see you later, alright?” I say, picking up my cup, making sure the paper won’t fall out. She nods, mimicking me. “Have a good day, Buddy.” She says, following me to the door. As I step outside, I immediately tip the cup upside down and nudge the paper until it opens. It’s a small, torn up piece and the letters are so small, I have to nearly push my face against it’s fabric. Movie tonight? Hit me up! -Vinyl Hmm…So the movie is still on? Well…I have nothing to do now. Things just seem to be moving together perfectly… “Hey!” A voice comes out of freaking nowhere. “Shit!” I yell, jumping into the air. I look at the ghost-like pony, shaking my head. “Damn you, Vinyl!” She laughs hysterically, putting a hoof over her mouth. “Dumbass…” She mumbles, shaking her head at my gullibleness. “What do you want?” I ask, catching my breath. She shrugs, looking over at the paper laying on the ground. “That was pretty slick, right?” She asks with a big…Prideful grin. I look down at the piece of paper, then shake my head. “Wait…Aren‘t you supposed to be working?” I ask suspiciously. She shakes her head, backing up as she laughs at me. “What? I thought you would‘ve got it! The bar is closed today, dude!” She yells at me like it was the most obvious thing in…Well, actually…Considering I worked there, yeah, it is kind of obvious. I rub my hoof over my face, sighing. “Oh…I think I‘m getting the picture now…” I mumble, rolling my eyes. “So you wanna watch a movie or not?” She asks, moving pretty close to me. In return, I back away like a kitten in a corner, nodding my head hesitantly. “Sure…I think.” I squeak out. Immediately she moves back and smiles. “Sweet! Alright, come on.” She says, beginning to walk away. I pick up my cup and put the paper inside, walking behind her. “Sho fween! Whatch wev gonnfa waavtch?” I ask, slurring my words with the cup in my mouth. “You‘ll find out!” She yells back to me, smiling mischievously. Vinyl takes her journey to a slew of apartments and begins to unlock the door. I know their apartments because this is one of the places I thought of living at, and instead chose my own house. “Whif heveere?” I ask curiously, starting to get annoyed by my slurs. She turns her head back, opening the door. “Because I live here?” She says with a raised eyebrow, then walks inside. Lives here? In these? That’s…Worrying. I don’t have good memory by any means, but what I do…This place is real crummy. I don’t think the pluming even works properly. I keep quiet, following her up the only set of stairs and stopping with her as she gets to, presumably, her room. 17 The 1 on her door looks like it was painted, and the seven is upside down. That just proves my point further. “Welcome to the home of Vinyl. Watch your step, you might fall through the floor.” She says, laughing hysterically. She might be joking, but I take it to heart. Inside is a single room. A bed, which actually looks really nice, a massive TV that‘s inside an even larger entertainment center, stereos, and…that’s where the nice stuff ends. The floor does look worrying, but not to the point where it would fall in. At the far end of the room is what can only be described as an attempt at a kitchen. It has a sink, oven, cupboards, and tiny counter space. And…that’s really about it. There’s a basket with clothes laying all around it- not inside it, but that’s it. I make my way inside, the paranoia of the floor still in the back of my mind, and I take my steps carefully over to her bed, placing my cup on a nearby table. “Not Canterlot, but it‘s…Uhh…Well, it‘s nice to me.” Vinyl says, jumping on the bed with me. I shake my head worriedly. “I would go crazy.” I reply wide-eyed. Her gaze goes down, shrugging. “I like it…” She mumbles quietly. I realize I hurt her feelings, and quickly glance around the hou-…er…Room for something to compliment. “Well, that TV…That looks more expensive than my house.” I comment, smiling. Immediately she shoots up, nodding her head. “Oh yeah! Pretty fucking sweet, right?!” I laugh at her tenacity. Just get somepony started on their pride, and their mood goes way up. “Yeah…Is that what we‘re going to be watching the movie on?” I ask, then shake my head, realizing something. “Wait…I thought…We were going to like, watch a movie in the theatre.” I say cautiously. She looks back at me and shrugs, getting up from the bed. “Ahh…I looked up how much it would be, and it‘s 30 bits! So I said screw that, and just went and rented a movie.” She says with a big happy smile, making her way over to the TV. I can’t even name all the devices that are around it. Game systems, I guess. “Hey, you got the TV to host your own theatre, so I can‘t argue.” I say, looking around the room again. It looks a lot like what Vinyl would call home, now that I think about it. “Yeah, I hope you like science fiction!” She yells back to me, putting what is probably the movie in. I tilt my head. “Why? You get something…Spacey?” I ask, smiling as she makes her way back over to the bed. “Ehh…Cyber Ponies 2.” She says, jumping on the bed, causing it to bounce me around some. “I never saw the first one.” I admit, laying my legs out completely, trying to get comfortable. She shrugs like it means nothing. “Don‘t need to. They‘re totally different.” She says, then a light bulb goes off in her head as she scoots to the edge of the bed. “So you saw them before?” I ask, watching her hunch over the edge of the bed and search for something underneath. “Nope!” She yells from below. “Just heard about them.” “Ahh…” I mumble, and move back a little so she has more room once she resurfaces from the depths of under-the-bed. “Ah hah!” She yells, pulling out a remote like a sword of glory. “Knew it.” I shake my head, laughing too subtly for her to hear. “The little things in life.” I say sharply as she scoots next to me, and presses a few buttons on her remote. “Do you like it loud?” She asks, not looking over at me. I shake my head quickly. “Oh no, I‘m a total wimp when it comes to loud speakers.” I admit, slightly embarrassed. She shakes her head at my vulnerable nature. “Ahh…I won‘t kill ya.” She says with a mischievous grin, licking her lips. The speakers turn on, and to my delight, don’t murder my ear drums. It’s just right, but has that overwhelming presence that they could completely annihilate my sense of sound. “Thanks.” I say courteously, laughing at her generosity. “I‘m too nice sometimes.” She says, rolling her tongue around in her mouth. She seems to be enjoying herself. “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaddds…” She mutters in annoyance, hitting fast forward a couple times. “Heh…Let‘s just relax and enjoy the movie. Alright?” I suggest, leaning my head to her. She smirks at me, the kind that Vinyl only does every so often. “I‘ll behave.” She says in a sultry tone. I roll my eyes, retreating my gaze back to the movie. She lays her head down, snuggly settling it between her hoofs. And then…The movie begins. In a world where many have fallen to the machines known as ‘The Constructs’, the few that survive, the few that continue on with little purpose and little promise, continue to fight against the unbeatable odds that someday…Some day a pony would come along, and crush The Constructs like glass, and leave the land to flourish to it’s bountiful life once again. This…Is how it happened. -- THE END “Oh come on!” I yell out, half laughing as I yell at the movie’s absurdity. Vinyl laughs along with me, shaking her head. “That was some shit.” She joins me in my scolding, sighing deeply. “I mean…That ending…” I utter, still watching the movie’s credits. “Just…’Noooooooooo!’” I yell, mimicking the main character’s last cry of sorrow at the end of Cyber Ponies 2. Vinyl continues nodding her head in agreement. “Oh yeah, that was…Really something.” She says, laughing still. I continue to shake my head, sighing in defeat. “That movie was crap.” I say anger in my voice. Vinyl continues her laugh, probably at how mad I’m getting. “Hey…That main dude was really hot.” She informs me, nodding her head. I look at her with absurdity, then can’t contain a laugh. “That‘s what you got out of the whole thing? ‘He’s hot’?” I ask in disbelief. “No!” She replies, pausing for a moment. “…I thought the narrator was hot too.” I can’t help but laugh at her attention span, shoving her playfully on the shoulder. “Hey, you know that pink mare was pretty hot.” She comments, tilting to the side of me. I sigh, and after a few moments, I let her have the win. “Alright, alright…But let‘s have an agreement that the ending was awful.” I say, trying to make a compromise. She nods her head quickly, her eyes very expressive. “Oooh yeah. Real bad.” I sigh, laying my head between my hooves. “Well…What now?” I ask, looking over at her. She copies me, putting her head in her hooves. “I don‘t know.” She says, but I can tell she has…Something planned. “You sure?” I ask, attempting to be vigilant. She just looks at me calmly, unmoved. “Yeah. Could go to sleep, if you feel like it.” She says, tucking her head deeper between her hoofs. “It was a four hour movie.” Damn! Four hours? It seemed way shorter than that. “Wow…I didn‘t even realize.” I admit my ignorance, raising my eyebrows expressively. Her body loosens up, and she closes her eyes. “I‘m tired as hell. You can go home, if you want. Or stay here.” She offers, and much unlike Vinyl, no mischievous smirk spreads over her. “Well…” I begin, pondering my choices. I have been sleeping at pretty much every pony’s house that I met lately. It would be kind of rude to deny that from Vinyl. I already planned another date before ours even. “I think I‘ll stay the night. I just have to watch the floor, is all.” I comment, looking over the bed. I don’t even have to feign my worry. She rolls her eyes under her lids, sighing. “Do whatever you want.” She mumbles, biting down on her lips. Trying to make quick conversation, I pick my head up a little. “So how are you and your ex coming along?” It takes her a moment to respond, picking her head up lazily. “I see it half full, if that‘s what you‘re asking.” She says with a sharp stare. I duck my head, sighing deeply. “Yeah, but…Are you two like…Gonna try and get back together sometime?” She raises an eyebrow, shaking her head slowly. “No…Why do you think I asked you out on a date? Bored?” She explains, smirking. I imagine this is something Vinyl would do out of boredom. Fuck with me. “Sorry.” I apologize, then shake my head in spite. “I didn‘t even meet her.” She laughs, her mouth open wide. “She hates you.” She says with a cold laugh. Oh…I didn’t expect that. “Why?” I ask, baffled. Nearly every pony I met so far really likes me…Or maybe I’m just letting that get to my ego. “Says you don‘t deserve to work for Rarity, and that I should‘ve.” She says, rolling her eyes. And…That’s when I realize she isn’t even wearing glasses! Wow, I feel like such a bastard…Not paying any attention to the poor thing. “I kind of agree with her.” I say truthfully, lowering my head. “Oooh no, don‘t play that game with me.” She says quickly, like a sting from a bee. I…Didn’t even think about it. She’s been working there longer than me, and just because I met Rarity, I got a much better job. My heart feels real heavy all of the sudden. “Hey!” She shouts, easily getting my attention. “Don‘t feel bad for me.” She says with a lean, cold glare. That’s a really hard thing to do. I bow my head, still looking over at her big magenta eyes. Now that I’ve noticed them…I can’t even focus on them. “I don‘t know what to say right now.” I mutter, blinking more than usual. She rolls her eyes again. “I make a living out of nothing, dude. You see this place?” She points a hoof around the decaying room. “Lived here for three years. I deal with it without others‘ pitty.” She says with a strong, confident gaze. I lift my head up, nodding at her. “I admire you, Vinyl.” I admit, smiling at her. “Yup…” She continues on like I didn’t talk. “Me and Vinyl had our first…Well…’date’, right here.” She says, poking a hoof on the bed. She sighs tiredly, shoving her face between her hooves again. That reminds me of something…“Hey…” I begin, trying to get her attention. “I feel like I should tell you about something…” I mumble, making it barely audible. She picks her head up, inhaling a lot of air. “You have a date, I know.” She says quickly. Well…Fuck. How does she know that? “How…Do you know?” I ask, dipping my head forward in curiosity. “Come on, dude. I thought the note gave it away.” She answers quickly, then picks her head up just enough so her chin isn’t against the bed. “I just put two-and-two together.” “So you don‘t care?” I ask, biting my bottom lip gently. My relief is building up into a steady rhythm, right next to my worry. She shakes her head. “Nah, I know what you‘re going through.” She says understandably. And then the relief spills out. “Wow…” I gasp, looking at her with far more admiration than before. “You‘re pretty cool, you know that?” She tilts her head back. “Pretty fucking cool.” She corrects. I roll my eyes, then go along with it by nodding. “Alright, alright.” I say fast, not letting the pride go too far in her head. She shrugs, putting her head back into her spot between her hooves. “Yup. Now go to fucking bed!” She demands abruptly. I roll my eyes, sighing as I put my head between my own hooves. “Sweet dreams.” I say with a bit of spite. She huffs, pushing at me playfully with one of her hooves. A night with Vinyl…A lot more fun than I thought it would be. A terrible movie, huge TV, bunch of bickering, and hot ponies. Not what I expected at all. I wonder if my dreams are going to be about cyber ponies in a war with each other. Only one way to find out…
Day of the blanketSchaaaaaaaawwww… Scchkkk-kkkkkaaaaa-kaaaawwwwssshh… Schaaaawkaaaaaaaa-kaaaa… …What the hell is that sound? Scchaaakaaaaww… It sounds like…A dying camel. Shhhkkkaaa-aaa-aaaa-aaaaaaaa-www…. Is that...Snoring? Schkkkkkaaaaaawwwwwwwwww… Fed up with wondering, I open my drowsy eyes to the familiar sight of Vinyl, and to praise my guess, it was snoring. How in Celestia did I sleep through that? I’m tempted to shove a shock in her mouth. “Sccchhhkaaaaaw…” Yep, I’m out of here. I jump out of bed, still not fully awake as I trot my way to the door. The floor creaks under my step until I get to the door, opening it. I look back once behind me, smiling at Vinyl. Without her snoring, she’s kind of c- “Schhhhaaaaakaaaaawwwwww…” Have a good day Vinyl! Quickly with gentle steps, I make my way back downstairs, still groggy. I don’t even know what time it is…Had I overslept again? Did I under sleep? Am I still dreaming? Did I die? Seeing the apartment’s door wide open and plenty of light shining through it, I can tell I haven’t under slept, and definitely didn’t die. I continue on outside, having to hold a hoof up to my face before my eyes adjust to the sudden light. Damn Celestia…Working overtime or something? I can barely think right now, other than ‘more sleep’, but there’s a bizarre visage in the back of my mind that’s telling me, ‘Go to work!’ So, for lack of a better reason, I follow it and make my way to Rarity’s shop. Luckily for me and my severe paranoia of other ponies when I’m half awake, there aren’t many walking around today. Few here and there, but Ponyville isn’t cluttered like yesterday. I’m at least a 5 foot reach from any pony nearest to me at all times, and- Why…Am I suddenly so paranoid? I really, really need my sleep sometimes. Before I know it, I’m standing outside of Rarity’s shop, and a recurring doom of the sun burning out my eyeballs. I smack my hoof on Rarity’s door a couple times, and wait patiently even though Celestia continues to murder my retinas. The door swings open, and Rarity immediately starts walking away. “Come in, dear.” Well…Business, I suppose? “How‘s our little project going?” I make my way inside, looking around for anything new. The shop looks the same as yesterday: bright, colorful, and dazzling. “Just a tiny hitch, is all.” She continues her walk nonchalantly to the work room. I follow behind her, easily matching her pace. “Did Spike give you a good book suggestion?” I glance around the room still, not really looking at anything in particular. She nods her head quickly, now circling the table that looks much different. There’s a very large sheet of cloth hung bellow a sewing machine and many, many, many strands of black string hanging off the edge. It looks like a massacre. “He offered a book. Goodness, I couldn‘t remember the name for the life of me.” She continues circling, then tips her head in the direction behind me. “It‘s over there, if you‘re interested.” I turn around, looking for said book. Doesn’t take long, considering it is the size of a freaking house. “This thing?” I chirp to her with wide-eyed stare. It must take a Herculean effort to even open the front page. Of course my hyperbole beliefs are put to shame when I open it with ease. The thing still looks like a monolith though. “That‘s it!” I can tell from the tone of her voice she didn’t look to check if it is. Considering how much I know of Rarity so far, she would be the least likely pony to own a monolith book. I flip through the first couple pages, making sure not to tear anything. Curteith’s Compendium of Copious Contingencies with Corneous and Pleximus: Making the Old Anew Are you kidding me? That title will take up a whole side of the blanket alone! Completely ridiculous…But, if this is the stuff Twilight reads, I guess it’ll have to do. I figured I could get a bit of knowledge of what the book would be about from the cover, but there’s no way I can figure all that out. “This book is crazy.” I snap back to Rarity, shaking a smile onto m face. “I mean, it‘s huge and it has a completely unnecessary name.” I close it, walking back into the room. She shrugs her shoulders at my complaining, starting her sewing machine. “If it‘s what Spikey says Twilight would like, then that‘s good enough for me.” I roll my eyes, sighing before I make my around to her side. I’ve been rolling my eyes a lot lately. I’m going to blame it on Vinyl. “So…You said you ran into a problem?” I attempt to get this conversation back on track, my drowsiness passing slowly. Rarity brings her head up now that we’re talking business. “Yes…I‘m going to need more polio stringed wool. Black, if possible.” She says more demanding than usual, then goes back to sewing. Really? There’s like…a hundred pounds of it here. “How much do you need?” I ask, looking at her with a cocked eyebrow. She continues sewing like she didn’t hear a word. “Ho-” “4.4 pounds.” She replies like a psychic. That was odd…“And where exactly am I supposed to get this magical string?” I place one of my hoofs on the table, leaning into it. She tips her head, similar to how she directed me to the giant of a book. “There‘s a fabric shop across from here.” I think I can see it from here, given that her shop gives a full 360 view of her surroundings. “Am I supposed to buy this with my good looks?” I give a smirk Like I would for a picture. She looks up at me with an amused glare, blinking very gently. She has real pretty, black eye lashes that resemble a butterfly’s wing. I‘m not really a fan of it…Too much ‘Pride and Prada‘. “There‘s a small pouch at the front desk. Just take that with you.” She says dully, not much emotion coming from her. She seems like she’s really concentrating…Though I could be wrong. Maybe she’s really annoyed with me for some reason. “I‘ll be back in a few.” I inform her, making my way back out. On my way, I munch down on the small pouch of coins and bust out the door, quickly finding my way to the store. Sounds easy enough… And it is easy enough. It’s right there in big letters. Fabric and Furnishes That was the quickest adventure I’ve had all week! Hmm…I should go on an adventure sometime. Rainbow Dash would probably hop on that chance. Don’t know what It’d be though. Leaving my thought provoking escapades aside, I slip my way into the store and smile as I’m greeted immediately. “Good morning, shur! How may I helpsh you?” A very young looking Earth pony asks behind a counter. Hung behind her is…Well, I’m no expert, but it looks like every type of cloth I can possibly think of. I thought Rarity had it all, but damn. “Yeah,” I begin, laying the money on the counter. “I‘m going to need four pounds, 4 ounces of black….Uhm…Folio stringed wool.” With a flick of her red tail and nod of her tan head, she takes the money pouch and goes into what I guess is the back room. I didn’t even realize there was a door right there. I’m starting I don’t realize a lot of things right away…I should really start paying attention to my surroundings. “Polio, rish?” Her voice echoes from the room. “Yeah!” I yell back, glancing around the room. Black, indigo, green, charcoal, grey, mixed red and yellow, mixed orange and blue, mixed green and white, mixed red and blue, red dye, blue dye, orange dye, black dye, red carpets, blue carpets, green carpets, yellow carpets- It just goes on and on and on. I don’t think there’s a singlee thing missing from the store. But I’m curious…Why would I need black dye? Just soak it in black tar; that’ll dye it real fast! “Okay, mishur! Four pounsh and four ounshesh of black Polio.” She plops down a pretty decent bag, some black strings popping out the top. “Ish Shere anyshing elsh I can helpsh you wish?” I can’t help but smile at the nice mare. I don’t know if I have a soft spot for lisps or something, but she seems like a really nice pony. First impressions, I guess. “No thank you.” I bite down on the bag, throwing over my back and begin to walk to the door. “Have a nishe day!” “Yoouuf tfoo!” I yell back, causing myself to have a lisp of my own. Now back to Rarity’s. Making my pace quick, but careful not to cause the bag of string to fall from my back, I get to Rarity’s in a flash. I knock like always, and I notice I always do three, the third slightly harder. I pay attention to the weirdest shit. The door swings open, Rarity there with a large smile. “Oh, thank you! You are the sweetest thing…” Her smile only gets wider as I slump my way inside, gently putting the bag on the nearest table. It wasn’t heavy, just awkward to carry… “No problem, Rarity. Anything else?” I move away from the bag, letting her inspect the string herself. She bats her eyes at me. “Oh, Rainbow Dash stopped by and asked for you.” She looks kind of suspicious…Like I did something wrong. Lowering her head, narrowing her eyes, and a wise smirk. “Me? What for?” I try to look inconspicuous, but considering Rarity can read me like a book, it won’t matter. “I don‘t know, dearie. Said to come help her with something out by Sweet Apple Acres.” She continues with her accusing stare at me, but shifts her cocked eyebrow to the other. What? Does she think I’m like, hitting on Dash, or something? “If there‘s nothing for me here, I‘ll get going then.” I try to say nonchalantly, but comes out like I’m trying to escape from a vice grip. She immediately breaks into her usual smile, and nods her head fast. “Best be going then! I‘ll see you tomorrow, Mr. B.” She moves back to the bag of string, plucking a few and trotting back to the sewing machine. That was weird. Staring at me and crap. These mares around here are weeeirrrd. “Alright, see you later Rarity. Good luck!” I shout back to her, opening the door and immediately making haste for Sweet Apple Acres. I wonder when I get paid? Probably at the end of the week. I can’t really complain about when though. 50 is plenty. Even though Rarity can be really weird with her sudden glares at me, I can’t say anything about it. I do some of the weirdest crap too, like count how many knocks I make, look at eyelashes, relate books to a monolith, and I’m a cutie mark crusader to top it all off. I’m just one big weirdo. In the distance, near the large hills by Applejack’s farm, I can see a very certain cyan Pegasus flying through the air. Any pony can spot her out in a crowd. Now that I think about it…Is her mane and tail natural? I mean, I’d figure since her name is Rainbow, but I have never seen a pony with a natural mane and tail like that. It’s real awesome though, as Rainbow would say. It definitely makes my monotone brown mane and tail look like crap. And…Crap is kind of brown, so- never mind. I’m fairly close now, that I can see there’s another Pegasus laying down at the top of the hill while the ‘Greatest flier in all of Equestria’ is soaring through the air. “Yay…” A soft cheer comes from the top of the hill. Once I finally get to the top, I realize the gentle-cheering pony is Fluttershy. “Heya, what you two doing?” I make a calm walk near Fluttershy, glancing above at Rainbow Dash. “Oh, uhm…” Fluttershy mumbles, looking at everything but me. “Rai-…Err…Uhm, Rainbow Dash just…Wanted, to, kind of…Practice.” She slithers from her mouth, every word sounding like a whisper. I walk a little closer, sitting next to the yellow Pegasus. Now I can hear the gentle-speaking mare. “Oh yeah? What for?” I look at her, then back to Rainbow. She’s just…Flying around. I would think practicing flying would be doing stuff like stunts of some kind. Fluttershy’s face reddens a lot, and she looks at the ground. “Oh. Well Rainbow Dash is going, to…Go and try for the Wonderbolts…” I can tell she is trying to talk louder, but all her meek little voice operates on is a whisper. I raise both my eyebrows, shifting my jaw around. “Yeah, that seems like her.” I comment, getting slightly distracted by looking at nearby clouds. “She practicing anything specific?” Fluttershy continues to look at anything but me, almost constantly blinking. Distancing my glances from the clouds, I notice her eye lashes are pretty long, like Rarity’s. While Fluttershy’s are probably natural, I’m betting Rarity’s aren’t. ust seems like they’re kin of personality. Wait…Am I seriously comparing eye lashes? What kind of weirdo am I? “So, uhh…Fluttershy?” I ask, moving my gaze back to the clouds. “…Yes?” She asks with an undertone of liveliness. “Why are you here?” Why am I so blunt today? She seems to get smaller, putting her head in her hooves. “To cheer on…Rainbow Dash.” Her voice gets even quieter now that she’s covered her face. I take in a deep breath, my minor attention on Rainbow’s flying. “You‘re doing a pretty good job.” I look over at her with a sarcastic smirk. She picks her head up, laying her eyes upon her hooves. “She can‘t hear me if I try…” She almost whimpers from her mouth. I can’t help but laugh a little, letting it settle into a chuckle. “Come on…Everypony can cheer. You just have to...Well, I guess you just have to yell, really.” I attempt to explain, using the most teachery voice I can. Then again, I hated teachers in school, so…Bad choice. “Oh…Okay.” Fluttershy continues to look down, uninterested. My smirk turns to a worried frown. “You alright?” I move my head a little closer, attempting to get her attention with sight over sound. She looks up at me, her big blue eyes shimmering under the miffed light. “I‘m okay.” She answers, clearly bluffing. This is the first time I’ve looked at her eyes real good. Better yet…This is the first time I’ve looked at any mare’s eyes real good. They’re so…Deep. “Really? I‘m here to help, you know.” My voice sounds a little scratchy, but keeps my usual smooth tone. A very shy smile spreads across Fluttershy’s face, and a deep red fills her cheeks. “Oh…Th-…Thanks, Buddy.” I huff a breath, then take a deep sigh. “So-” I turn my gaze back up to the sky and get myself comfortable on the grass. “-Practice, huh?” “Oh, yes. Rainbow Dash has gotten really, really good!” Her voice jumps up a whole octave. But, considering how low her default setting is, she’s still quiet. “Any sweet tricks?” I take a glance at Rainbow, and when I see she’s still flying around, I look back to the skies. These clouds look factory made. “Oh, yes! But…I don‘t remember all of them…” Her voice gets lower, and lower, and lower, until it gets to the point where the clouds seem to be making more noise than her. I change my gaze from the boring clouds to Fluttershy. “Biggest fan that doesn‘t know her moves?” I stare at her with a gentle smile. She digs her head into her hooves. “I‘m sorry…” I immediately shake my head, even though she can’t see. “Fluttershy, I‘m only messing with you.” Her head picks back up, remnants of a smile on her face. “Oh…” She utters, and from the faintest part of the universe, I hear a giggle. I laugh, much louder than her subtle giggle, and stare at her benevolence. “So uhh…” I stop myself, not really knowing what I’m saying. Should probably start a conversation. Not like Rainbow Dash needs a cheerleader. “What do you do all day?” She perks up, a real smile coming across her face. “Oh, I uhm…Well I feed the animals of the Everfree forest, and I give them baths, and I make them homes, and I make sure my farm is going well. Those pumpkins are tough…” She almost starts mumbling to herself. She seems really happy when it comes to animals. Then again…We’re all animals. Whatever. “You sound like a busy little mare.” I continue to stare at her, glancing around from her wings, her eyes, and her cutie mark. And it’s pretty interesting. A couple flowers…I’d guess that means nature? That’s really broad. “Busy as a bee!” She chimes, taking her vocal cords up a few notches. She has quite a content smile on her face. All I gotta do to make some mare happy is talk about their pride. Damn Twilight, are you ever wrong? “Need any help, busy bee?” I raise an eyebrow at my offer, shifting my hooves around. She looks clueless for a moment, then her eyes jolt to twice their size. “Oh! Oh, Iuhm…I…Don‘t…Wouldn‘t know if I- I mean…” She stops herself, the red on hr cheeks returning to their full glory. “…Yes.” She mutters finally, defeated from her lack of a direct answer. I broaden my smile, giving her a subtle nod. “After t-” “PARTY CANON!!!” …What? “Oh no…” KAPOW! My ears aren’t prepared for the onslaught of the sudden explosion, nor were they ready for the ringing coursing through my head. I can’t even think up a correct response, so I just clutch my head like a foal and wait until it’s over. “Are…Did…Can‘t…” A voice murmurs through my head, being pushed aside by the continuation of ringing. “Can…Hear…” Another voice finds itself in my lair of bells being rung. “YO!” I shoot my eyes wide open, taking a couple moments to find my bearings. And I see the definite color and shape of Rainbow Dash. “Dude…You good?” I hear faintly. Her mouth isn’t synched with her lips. “Am I deaf?!” I yell, and even my voice seems distant. Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes, then grabs my hooves, yanking them away from my ears. “No, dumbass.” She says clearly as day. I look at my hooves, then to Rainbow. “Oh…” I can feel my cheeks reddening in embarrassment. Fluttershy comes to my aid, looking down at me as Dash leaves, laughing loudly. “Are you okay…?” She asks meekly, her eyelids as low as her voice. I nod my head quickly, getting to my feet. “What the hell was that?” I can still feel ringing in the background of my mind. Or maybe it’s just trauma. “PARTY CANON!” On immediate reaction, I duck and cover my ears. No fucking way I’m going through that twice! “Hahaha!” A very cocky voice laughs. “Oh…” Fluttershy mumbles, bringing her head into my view as I rise from my feeble position. “Don‘t worry…It‘s over.” She says with a calm, soothing voice. “What was…” I stop myself, instead just finding for myself. Doesn’t take long, as I find clear as day the culprit. “Pinkie Pie…” I mutter, sighing. “Nice one, Pinkie.” Rainbow compliments, smacking hoofs with Pinkie. They both join each other in a loud, rambunctious laugh. Fluttershy still watches me with a worried face, frowning and lowering her eyes. “I‘m sorry…” I turn to her, shaking my head. “What? Why are you sorry?” Kind of rhetorical, since she probably blames herself for everything. “Uhm…I didn‘t warn you soon enough…” She mutters, her voice dropping below her default octave. Yep. Like I thought. “Don‘t worry about it. I just…” I look over at both Rainbow and Pinkie who are literally rolling on the ground laughing. “Want to go tend to the animals?” I ask, my mood pulling a 180. I perk my eyes up and smile widely at the young Pegasus. An enthusiastic smiles forms over Fluttershy’s face, and she nods slowly. “Oh-…Okay.” I bow my head to her, blinking a couple times from the bells that are still ringing. “Lead the way, Miss Fluttershy.” She looks around for a moment like she lost her way. “Oh…I…Okay, then…” She mumbles, taking a few seconds to take the first step. It takes her several more seconds until she starts walking away, down the hill. “Uhm..Bye Rainbow Dash…And Pinkie…” She barely mutters. I doubt they heard over their obnoxious laughter. “So…Party canon?” Might as well ask now that I’m a safe distance. Fluttershy attempts to hide a small grin on her face, batting her attention to our walk ahead. “Well, uhm…It‘s a canon Pinkie fires for…Instance parties…” Her mumbles are getting louder, I’ll give her that. Now that my ears aren’t exploding, I can hear her a little better too. “Yeah, I have a party in my head, if that‘s what you mean.” I rub a hoof against my ear, hoping in vein that it would help in some way. Fluttershy unleashes a gentle giggle. “Oh…I got used to it.” She says quickly. She may not be talking louder, but she’s being more clear and straight forward. That’s a start, I guess. We near the crossroads where the two signs point to Ponyville and AJ’s farm. “I would too if- Hey, where are you going?” I ask suddenly once she walks off the trail, walking where I haven’t even thought of. She stops, looking behind her. “Oh, I‘m sorry. I…Don‘t actually live in Ponyville.” She gives a sorrowful frown, bowing her head in shame. Goodness…I wonder how depressed she would get if something really bad happened. No…That’s a horrible thought. I hope that never happens. “No need to apologize, I just didn‘t expect it is all.” I quickly chirp my smile across my face, following behind her. Her bright mood returns as we make our way up a small hill, and that’s when I see what has to be her house. It looks like a true nature-lovers home. It’s surrounded by trees, near the forest, by a stream, a personal farm behind it, and most of all, there’s animals crowding all around the place. Birds, deer, squirrels, bunnies, and even bears. I’m a little worried now… “So, uhh…Those are all tamed, right?” I ask, raising an eyebrow as I slow my walk. She creates a gentle giggle again, shaking her head. “Oh no, I don‘t have to tame them. They‘re the most gentle little critters…” She coos, looking back over her home. A very settling smile comes over her face. She looks really…I don’t know the word for it. Calm. At peace. Or…The simplest and best, at home. “It looks really nice, Fluttershy.” I compliment as we make our way onto the bridge, and I notice fish swimming through the stream below. “Oh, thank you so very much. Oh, goodness, you have to see my garden!” That’s a better word for it: garden. A farm is…Applejack’s level. “Can‘t wait.” I continue following by her side, glancing around her house. It looks like it has a bit of nature growing on it. Vines, flowers, and even a trees branches seem to be going into a window. That’s hardcore. We go around the corner of her house, and to her garden. It’s a very quaint little thing. There’s plenty of vegetables being grown, and I can see three large pumpkins. “It‘s very pretty, Fluttershy.” I compliment. I…Could probably make a better one than that. “I really like those pumpkins.” Now I just sound weird… “Oh, they‘re just the cutest little things…” She mumbles, a large smile over her face. I feel like if I wasn’t here, she would be hugging the pumpkins and singing them nursery rhymes. “But my prize is right here.” She leans her head over the small fence guarding the precious garden. Her head hangs inches from a very odd looking plant. “What is it?” I ask with instant curiosity. It doesn’t look anything like I’ve ever seen. It’s big, bushy green petals seem to float around the top and from the middle flourishes a bright blue, red, and white set of petals. There’s not a lot of red petals, and the only ones are bundled together in the middle of the budding opening. The blue petals surround the red, and are the largest, but fewest. The blue is surrounded by many tiny little white petals. “I don‘t know…I found it one day in the Everfree forest, and it‘s just…The most beautiful thing!” Her voice rises a couple extra octaves excitedly, then she covers her mouth gently. “Sorry…I didn‘t mean to yell.” I chuckle lightly, shaking my head at how innocent this mare can be. “It looks amazing, Fluttershy.” Then, I tip my head up. I look over at her with a very sage-like grin. “You should name it!” Her eyes grow big, her mouth slightly slipping open. “I…” She starts, not finding anything else to add. She starts biting her bottom lip, looking from me, then back to the plant. “Anything you want…” I coax her, moving my head over the fence to look at the small, bigger than life plant. “Tsundere…” She umbles, barely loud enough for me to hear. “Huh?” I ask, not sure if I heard right. “Oh, uhm…” She stutters, looking back up from the plant. “I was thinking…Tsundere.” Her voice goes back to her default which is actually becoming more understandable for me. “What does it mean?” I take my head from over the fence, curving my eyebrows into a curious gaze. A very calm, gentle, lovely smile comes across Fluttershy’s mouth. “It means, ‘Rough and tough on the outside, sweet and innocent on the inside.’” She explains, holding her loveable smile the whole time. I try to recreate her one-of-a-kind smile, but I can’t. I’m no Fluttershy. “That‘s a gorgeous name for a gorgeous flower.” She bows her head, then starts to walk back around to the front of her house. “You have to meet Angel…” She says with her usual gentle voice. I would say it’s monotone, but…Fluttershy’s voice seems to not have the ability to go monotone. So it’s simply: Fluttershy’s voice. I pick my gaze from the ground, picking up my pace to her side. “Angel?” I ask curiously. She looks over at me, but stays quiet as we round to the front of the house. “Can‘t wait.” I follow her up the few steps she has to her front door - which is probably her only door. Even when opening a door, Fluttershy feels the need to be gentle and cautious. It takes her a couple seconds to open her door, and walk inside. I figured there would be vines, flowers, pumpkins- hell, I expected there to be a tree growing inside her house. But no, t looks very natural and Fluttershyish. A rocking chair over by a bright pink rug, a couch to my left, the ceiling decorated with twisted twigs and flowers, the floor all clean-cut wood, and only 3 windows. “Oh Angel…I have somepony for you to meet…” She calls with her usual voice. I find it ironic she’s calling for Angel, with an angelic voice. Jumping from the couch out of nowhere hops over a tiny white bunny. It looks so…Tiny. And fluffy. “Oh…Angel, have you missed me?” She leans her head low, smiling warmly at the little guy. She shakes his head quickly, standing firm. Wow! What a dick! “He‘s pretty cute.” I walk around to behind Angel, scratching the back of my head. “Oh, he‘s just cranky because he didn‘t get his super special treat.” She explains, still holding her bright smile. Angel just huffs, then hops away back onto the couch. Yeah…Seems like a real Angel to me. “So this is what you do all day?” I ask, glancing away from Angel and to Fluttershy. She lowers her head more, almost touching the floor. “I…uhm…Yes.” That was ore direct then usual. “Oh, uhh…You mentioned that you needed help?” I forgot all about that. I felt like I’ve been on a tour. Fluttershy picks her head up quickly. It seems she too forgot. “Oh, uhm…I…Guess I don‘t really.” She mumbles, rubbing a hoof against her cheek gently. I huff, a generous grin coming over me. “Heh…Don‘t worry about it. I enjoyed hanging out.” I once again try to mimic her one-of-a-kind smile, but I fail. Fluttershy’s mood brightens real fast, a genuine, heart-filled smile dawning on her. “Oh, yes. We should do it again, sometime.” Her face brightens even more at her offer. I nod very fast, immediately accepting. “Oh yes, definitely. I will gladly come back down here!” She continues her beaming smile, reminding me of the crusaders and their youthful happiness. It’s kind of sweet. “Oh, yes…But…It‘s starting to get late.” She mumbles, her face getting slightly red. Since her coat is a faded yellow, it’s extremely easy to spot her blush, and it’s only made more prominent by her pink mane and tail. “Yeah, sure is…” I drop to her level of quietness, glancing around the room. It looks to be around 8. Princess Luna is soon going to devour the sky with her gorgeous blanket of night. “Uhm…” She stutters, her hoof swinging against the floor. “If…If…You, would….Like…” She stops, her face far too heated to finish. I feel a subtle laugh in me, but I keep it down. “Stay the night?” I finish for her, leaning my head forward. “Uhm…Y-…Yeah.” She mumbles gently, clearly attempting to give direct answers. My laugh comes out a light chuckle, then I nod my head to the shy Pegasus. “I appreciate it a lot, Fluttershy. I‘ll happily stay the night.” Same with Vinyl…I feel like if I don’t stay the night at their house, then I feel like it’s unequal. Then, her one-of-a-kind smile pops up, and she happily trots over to the couch, a little more bounce to her step. “Oh, Angel…You can sleep with me tonight.” She picks the little Bunny up, and he doesn’t look to happy. I guess I took his bed. “Thanks again, Fluttershy!” I sit down on the couch, finding that it is made of thing wood. It sinks as I sit, and there are tons of soft, lovely blankets covering it. It’s really, really cozy and I can definitely get some hours on this. Then again…I do kind of miss my bed. “Have a wonderful night, Buddy.” Fluttershy chimes before retiring to her room, directly across from the couch. I must have been wrong about the time because in just a few minutes it shot to pitch dark. I guess I made a good choice about staying the night. And this couch, oooh…So snuggly, and it sinks with me. It’s like a natural cushion. I’m really digging- Damn you Vinyl! -- The days go by like wind. Rarity pays me, and it turns out that I am far luckier than I thought. It’s 50 bits an hour, which turns out to be around 550 a week. I didn’t even know what to do with the bucket full of bits at first, so I decided to just hold onto it. Might need it later, for a surprise. Hopefully not the party canon kind, though. Gosh…Time flies. It felt like just hours ago that I was staying the night at Twilight’s- a book making a little pillow. The warm fire keeping me company the whole time through Luna’s night. Applejack’s couch had nothing on Fluttershy’s, hers was just way more professional. Plus…I didn’t have to go apple bucking for Fluttershy. But, I did the next day though. Good sign that it’s making me way more fit. I feel empowered with my legs now, and I don’t like to let things go to my head, but whenever I see Big Macintosh, I’m a limp noodle. Had a conversation with him, too. Pretty much every response was, ‘Eeyup.’ Rarity gave me a free spa ticket. It was amazing. It costs 250 bits just for the hot bath, and Rarity got me a full ride! I got massaged, the bath, steam room, and then massaged again. I feel at least ten years younger after that. One day, I have to buy everypony a full ride to it. Then there’s Rainbow Dash. I got her good. She and Pinkie thought they got me with the party canon, but I made them scream like little fillies. While they were having a sleep over, I started toying with the lights, making noises, and I even got Fluttershy to get a bear to scare the jeebies out of them. Sweet, sweet revenge…But most importantly; It’s Twilight’s birthday. The day of birth, the day of joy, and the day of the blanket. “Haaaaaaappy birthdaaaay to you! Haaappy birthday to you! Haaaaappy birthday dear Twilight, Happy birthday to you!!” We all chant together, though Pinkie’s chanting more prominent than others. “Blow out the candle!” The tenacious pink mare yells out excitedly. And like on command, Twilight does. She blows out too any candles for me to count, and once the last flame is smoke, everypony else shouts out in joy. “Wooooooh!” Even Fluttershy attempts a slightly higher cheer than normal. “Yeah Twi‘!” Rainbow yells out, using the nickname I’ve grown to enjoy. “Feels good, don‘ it?” Applejack pats Twilight on the back as the young mare smiles too wide for her jaw to capture. “Oh, I‘m so happy for you Twilight…” Fluttershy chimes in, her voice gentle, but heard. “Woooooohhhhhhhh! Go Twilight! Chug, chug, chug!” Pinkie Pie yells, screams, and chants at Twilight. She doesn’t even have a drink near her to chug, silly Pinkie Pie. “Oh, darling, happy birthday!” Rarity repeats, finding time in all the chatter to be heard from the group. I can’t hear, but Spike says something quietly to Twilight, making her laugh with a scrunched facial expression. It’s the kind that somepony makes when they laugh so hard, they lose muscle control. Twilight steps up from her chair, looking around at all of us, stopping at me. “Thank you…This is…My…” She stops, putting a hoof over her face. “It‘s so special to me. Thanks.” She blabs out from in between sniffles, rubbing a hoof over her mouth. “PRESENTS!” Yells Pinkie Pie, jumping from her seat. Applejack promptly puts a hoof on Pinkie, slumping her back into her seat. “Let tuh lass deci‘ on what tuh do.” A fair enough nod from the rest, including me, and Pinkie Pie crosses her arms defiantly. “Actually…” Twilight begins, a sheepish smirk coming over her, immediately grabbing everypony’s attention- especially Pinkie’s. “I would like to open some presents.” “YEEEEEES!!!” Pinkie jumps up triumphantly, sticking her tongue out at Applejack. “Alrigh‘ alrigh‘, settle ya crazed yuppie.” Applejack can’t say something like that to Pinkie without perking up a real Texan grin. “I think that‘d be absolutely lovely.” Rarity stands up and follows Twilight into the main room of the library, nudging me. I haven’t said a word yet. “Presents, presents, presents, presents, presents!” Pinkie keeps repeating as she rushes into the room, and I follow behind quietly. “Oh, darn. I…Don‘t know which one to open first…” Twilight mumbles, coming across seven difficult presents. “How about this one?” Spike proposes a small little box with Pinkie’s name on it. There’s so much talking going on, I just try and focus on Twilight’s voice. “Oh…I guess that would be best- start small, right?” She looks around the room, and her friends encourage her. “Chug, chug, chug!” Pinkie continues to chant throughout the room. Twilight must have read some kind of birthday manual because she rips off the wrapping paper like it was…well, paper. “What the…?” She looks down in confusion, then pulls it up with her hoof in confusion. “Poke it!” Pinkie Pie yells, pointing a hoof at the small, tiny box. With hesitation and caution, Twilight barely pokes the box. When she does…It unfolds, an impossibly larger one flying out of it and landing in front of Twilight- It almost crushed Spike. “Wow…! That rumor about life flashing before your eyes is true!” He yells out for all of us to hear, rubbing his hands over his scaly body. “I lived!” Then he’s promptly flattened under the side of a box as it unfolds, revealing an extremely comfy chair. It looks at least 100x better than Twilight’s old wooden chair. “Ow…” Spike groans underneath the simple cardboard, pushing it off him. “Heh…Sorry Spike.” Twilight apologizes as he escapes the grasp of the deadly cardboard. She then points her gaze to Pinkie, a big appreciative smile forming over her mouth. “Thanks Pinkie Pie…I‘ll love reading in it!” Pinkie Pie just beams, her grin going really, really wide. Strikingly enough, she doesn’t say anything. “Ah, uh…” Applejack stutters, batting her eyes away from the group. “Kind‘er got ya tis‘.” She pulls from behind her a clone of her Stetson, and places it on Twilight’s head; a snug fit. “D‘aww…Thanks, Applejack.” Twilight rubs her hat against Applejacks, causing a roar of laughter and a minor blush on AJ’s part. “Hey! Open this one!” Spike demands, handing Twilight a small box. Twilight raises an eyebrow. “Is this one going to turn into a couch?” Her remark causes a commotion of laughter, and Twilight waits until it dies down to open the little box. It doesn’t even have wrapping paper, as little as it is. “Oh…?” Twilight mumbles something, squinting her eyes. “Awww….” She dips her down, rubbing her forehead against Spike’s. “Heh…It‘s nothing.” He has a gentle blush blow over his face. “Such a cute little pin.” She levitates the pin from the box, placing it in her hair. It removes her constant hair flipping, keeping even her highlight from her face. “Not like, I…Saved up my allowance, or anything…” Spike says, hands behind his back and making circles with his feet. Twilight rolls her eyes, then jumps as she’s given yet another present. “C‘mon, you‘re gonna love this one.” Rainbow Dash puts a decent sized box in front of her. The whole time, Rainbow Dash sits down, smirking with a big, cocky grin. Twilight looks slightly overwhelmed, but handles it fine as she starts opening the box up. She raises both her eyebrows, stepping back once the wrapping paper is off enough to give a good view of the gift. A freaking catapult. Rainbow Dash is crazy… “Pretty sweet, right?!” The cyan Pegasus jumps up, looking over the contraption. “Now you can fly, too!” Twilight smacks a hoof on her face, laughing whole-heartedly. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash…Now I can fly with you for a whole twenty seconds.” She mutters, causing yet again an uproar of laughter. I feel a nudge beside me. I forgot I was even here…This is all playing out like a dream. A dream that I’m not a part of. “Hey, ours is coming up soon…” Rarity smirks at me, then goes back to watching Twilight, like everypony else. I go back to the dream. Twilight is given another present, and she immediately starts tearing it open. “Shampoo?” She holds it up in her magical grip, staring at it questionably. “Not just any shampoo!” Fluttershy…Kind of shouts. “I made it myself…It‘s really, really nice.” She drops her voice back down to default, a red glow coming over her. Twilight levitates the shampoo back to the ground, nodding her head Fluttershy’s way. “Thank you, Fluttershy. I‘ll use it everyday!” Twilight beams her smile, then drops her gaze to the floor when Rarity nudges her- Our present at her feet. “Oh, thanks Rarity.” I feel like now…Now I’m awake. Now I am really here, not asleep. Rarity looks more excited than Twilight. That’s the gold of giving, I’d say. I’m glad she got finished with it in the knick of time… “Whaaaa…?” Twilight questions, levitating the thick cloth out of the box, and she has to bring it really high until it folds out completely, revealing every word. Her eyes shoot out wide. “Curteith’s Compendium of Copious Contingencies with Corneous and Pleximus: Making the Old Anew!!!” It didn’t even take her ten seconds to get the name right. “Uh….Ah wha?” Applejack asks, staring at the blanket like it’s from space. Twilight shakes her head like she hadn’t seen it, then looks back at the blanket. “Is the whole thing…?” She turns the fluffy cloth around, finding the rest on the other side. The whole blanket nearly takes up the whole room and goes all the way to the ceiling, so she must have pretty intense vision to read that title alone. “Wow…” She mumbles something to herself, her lips quivering and her eyes watery. Rarity is already crying. Tears of joy, but she’s crying. I’m not…I’m trying to really, really hard to feel for Twilight right now. I just…I feel so distant. “Thanks….Rarity…” She barely squeaks out, bowing to Rarity for her craftsmareship. “Buddy helped out more than you‘d think.” Rarity blurts out, not even dropping a syllable as she weeps tears of happiness. “Well…Catapults are still more fun.” Rainbow Dash says proudly, pointing at the toy. Twilight darts her way over to me, smashing against my body for a hug. Our bodies connect together, her hooves wrapped around me, her head on my shoulder, and mine on hers. I…Am here. I can see everything clearly now. Rarity’s smile of so many kinds of happy, Pinkie’s uncontrollable party-happy spirit, Applejack’s commendable restraint on her tears, Rainbow Dash’s pride on her gift, Fluttershy striking toughness and only sheds a tear, and Spike’s admiration grin at me. Twilight though…Just weeps over my shoulder. “Thank you.” I say with just enough volume that only she can hear. She pulls her head back, looking at me as she wipes her tears, only to have them rightfully replaced by fresh ones. “For what?” I shake my head, subtly licking my lips inside my mouth. She mocks me, shaking her head and gets back on all fours. “This night was…Just…Awesome.” Rainbow Dash grins widely, bringing her head up with her ego as Twilight uses her vocabulary. “Soreh it took so long tuh get all of it together n‘ all. ‘Bow wanted tuh throw herself from ya‘ll‘s new catatult through ya window.” Applejack explains, walking over to Twilight and still boasts strength in restraint as she keep from crying. “And…It took a while because I had to make some final adjustments on the blanket.” Rarity chimes in like a bell. Fluttershy gets up, her voice still as low, but heard throughout the party. “I‘m glad you had a fun birthday, Twilight.” Pinkie finally explodes of her pent-up happiness, going in the air and starting to bounce around like a maniac. Or like Pinkie Pie, rather. “I‘m super loki makarokie mega super lovebird mocko lotae messy wessy hessy like a vitamin cressy super mega ultra special happy!” She erupts, her breath seeming to go on forever. Twilight looks around the room, stopping at me. “Well…This was a long night…” Applejack immediately nods her head, more understanding than I thought. “Aight ya‘ll, now‘s we gotta clean up, den we hitch it.” She immediately starts cleaning up the wrapping paper, but Twilight stops her, which stops the rest of them as well. “No…I, uhm…Want it like this for the night. You know, to keep the moment going for as long as it can.” She requests, tilting her head to the side. A huff from Applejack later, Twilight smiles. “Ah s‘pose ah‘ll come around‘ tomorrow n‘ help clean.” She scratches the back of her head, tipping her hat over her eyes as she makes her way for the door. It seems the whole pack of friends follows AJ during a get-together, as the rest of them head for the door too. I don’t. “Oh yeah!” Twilight yells out, stopping them before they all leave abruptly. “Buddy has this amazing idea in a couple of days! How about we all go see Vermithrax‘s meteor?!” Pinkie jumps up, but the rest of the mares just bow their heads. “Ah uhh…Well, ah have a lotta apple buckin‘ to do.” Applejack says skittishly. Rarity graciously circles her hoof on the wooden floor. “I don‘t think I can make it…I‘m behind on a few projects.” Fluttershy lowers her head, really, really, really low. If it were any lower, she’d be 6ft under. “That‘s the day for the critters bathing…” Rainbow Dash rubs the back of her mane, not looking at Twilight. “I really, really need my practice…You know, Wonderbolts.” Pinkie Pie continues jumping up and down in excitement. “That’s th day I get to babysit! Oh goodie, goodie, goodie!!” Twilight bows her head in disappointment, but I know…I know inside, she is positively beaming. We get to have a date. “Sorreh, Twi‘. Ah‘m…Hey, happy birthday.” Applejack tips her hat, to which Twilight does the same with her own. “Happy birthday, Twilight!” The other four mares chime in, as well as the little dragon Spike. Twilight turns around to me. Her face looks like it’s constantly changing from hopeful, happy, disappointed, and concerned. “What‘s wrong…?” She asks, stopping a foot from me. Once she stops, Spike makes his way over to the study room, disappearing inside. I bat my eyes to the floor. It’s my turn to be embarrassed. “I don‘t know. I‘m sorry I was zoning out…” I fumble my words a little, but get it out there. She continues her paused walk, now her face close to mine. “Are you sure?” I keep quiet, still looking at the ground. I can literally feel Twilight get more and more concerned, so I bring my head up. “Want to go on a date with me?” I do my best to smile with a subtle hint of my smartass humor. I’m not even going to attempt Fluttershy’s one-of-a-kind smile. Twilight brightens up fast, her lips breaking into a large smile. “Oh, where to?” She asks innocently. I shrug, still playing along. “I was thinking…We could sit up on a hill. Have a quiet picnic. Enjoy the night. Watch a giant meteor fly over head.” Her eyebrows fall into grace, causing her to form the closest representation of Fluttershy’s smile. “Oh…In that case…I think I can tag along.” Abruptly, I turn my head around, pulling from a bag on my back something wrapped in a soft yellow cloth. I lay it on the ground, pushing it to Twilight’s feet. She looks from the book, then to me. Her face is all kinds of confused. “What…is- Another present?” She continues to look from me, to the book. I shrug, trying not to look at the lavender colored face. Or her purple moraine eyes. “I don‘t deserve the blanket‘s credit, so…I found this.” I dip my head in the gift’s direction. She continues her baffled actions, going from me, to the present, then back and forth until she just nods. Instead of using her levitation magic, she lowers her head down, moving the cloth out of the way until it unfolds into a small blue book. She stays quiet, looking over the cover, then opening to the first page. After glancing her purple eyes over the first page, she jolts her head up to me, her expression wide. “Are you serious?” She looks at me, the most unbelievable glare. I nod gently, and I have to pry at my will to bring a smirk over my face. She clings to me, embracing in the second hug in one night. I wrap my hooves around her, rubbing my head against her shoulders. Her first hug this night. “How did you get it…?” She moves back, sitting down. She’s probably too stunned to really think right now. “I worked with him, silly.” I explain simply, shaking my head at her recurring dorkiness. She smiles up at me, rubbing a hoof through her mane. “Starspiral‘s journal…I don‘t know if anypony can top that.” She sniffled a little, rubbing a hoof over her nose. I guess she’s too lazy, or too preoccupied to levitate a tissue over. “I wanted to put it on the blanket, but…I assumed you would like the real thing more.” I explain my reasoning, my monotone voice breaking into a subtle hoarse, almost losing my balance of octaves. She continues her loveable glances at me, her big purple eyes giving me something to focus on. “You assumed correctly. But…Are you sure you‘re okay? I thought you of all the ponies would have been crying a lot.” She leans forward worriedly. I shake my head, denying her help with regret. “No, no. Really, Twi‘, I‘m alright. I just need my sleep. Apple buckin‘, ya know?” I give a genuine smirk. A small one, but it comes out of the reactive muscles, not from my feigning hope that Twilight will accept it. Twilight tilts her head up. I can tell she isn’t falling for my shit, but…”Okay, Buddy. I‘ll trust you.” Oh…That hurts. I really need to lighten up, but…I’m terrible in these situations. “Thank you, Twilight. It means a lot.” Twilight leans her head forward, now dangerously close to me. “I remember you said you appreciate respect. Well, Buddy, I have so much for you. The way you talk, the way you explain yourself, Gosh…Darnit! You‘re just…Somepony I really want to get to know.” She goes quiet, but her eyes keep screaming at me to fall inside. I just might, if I stare long enough. I look into her for a long time, concentrating thoroughly on her purple eyes. When I finally come to a conclusion, I close my eyes. “I search your ocean for an answer-” I open my eyes, looking straight into her. “-but all I hit are waves.” Her eyes start to water, and she bows her head slowly. “…Oh…” I bring my head closer to hers, inhaling a deep breath. “Until I find your moraine.” She tilts her head up, her eyes more watery than before. “You‘re a poet.” She fumbles her words from her mouth, rubbing her hoof over her nose again. “I try.” Is all I say in reply before our foreheads meet. We gently lean on one another, sighing, just looking into each other’s eyes. I’m sure after tonight…I’m gonna feel it. “You have to go to bed, sir.” She whispers to me, her eyes still searching into mine. “What color eyes do I have?” I try and keep my eyes focused on a single spot in hers, but I can’t help but inspect every inch of her color. “Don‘t change the subject, mister…” She mutters, a minor chuckle escaping her as it rocks our heads gently like a crib. “Yours are purple.” I inform her, completely unnerved. She sighs, her eyelids relaxing into me. “Golden. Your eyes…Are golden.” I smile, nudging my forehead left and right against hers. “Stop distracting me, I have a bed to get to.” I perk up a sarcastic smirk across my lips. She rolls her eyes, and like a true dork, she sticks her tongue out. “Hahaha…Oh! You don‘t want to…Spend the night, again?” She looks really hopeful, with that big kid-like grin and her wide, luscious eyes. “No…This is your night. Ours will be soon enough.” I settle my eyes on hers as she relaxes. And then…We find a crescendo. A point of which we both realize there’s no return. There is no succumbing to one another- simply allowing the energy flow of one’s self into the other. “Uhm…Buddy?” Twilight’s voice breaks my concentration, but not my dedication to the infinite search in her eyes. “Hmm…?” “We‘re floating.” What? “Ow!” “Ugghf!” “Oww….I‘m sorry Buddy! I didn‘t even realize we were…I didn‘t mean to!” She shouts, immediately coming to my aid. I give a subtle smirk, shaking my head at her as I get up. “No worries. If you hadn‘t, I uhm…I may have never wanted that to end.” She blushes, the red looking so prescient on her cheeks. “Oh, shush. You need your sleep.” She bats a hoof at me shyly, rolling her eyes. She’s still blushing though. “Says the mare that just levitated us by accident.” I lash back, grinning mischievously. She rolls her eyes, snorting. “I‘ll see you tomorrow…Okay?” She sounds really worried, like I might not come back to her. “Yes Twilight…I‘ll see you tomorrow. And the day after, and after that, and after that, and after that, and definitely…On that day, I‘ll see you.” I reply with the most reassuring tone I could pull off. Her head bats away, her eyes going in the opposite direction. “Oh…That sounds like a fun time.” I shake my head. “You‘re doing the same thing as me.” “Hmm?” She asks, raising her eyebrows, not having a clue. I shift my jaw from left to right, hoping the words just pop from my mouth eventually. “We‘re distracting each other.” For the first time I’ve seen, Twilight smirks like a criminal. Like a fugitive. Like she did something perverse. “I have the distinct feeling that is going to happen a whole lot now.” I nod my head quickly, raising my eyebrows like her in emphasis. “Oh yeah…I know.” She keeps her smirk going for a while, but eventually she exhales the rest of her breath into a sigh. “At least the night ended really…Really nicely.” She giggles a little to herself, slowly starting to get up. I match her speed, getting up no later than her. “Want to show me to the door?” I glance in the direction of the door, then back to her. “I want to show you to my-” She immediately smacks her hoof over her mouth, her eyes wide. “Uuhhf…Uhm…” She murmurs, a laugh escaping behind her protective hoof. I raise an eyebrow as high as it can go. “What was that…?” I put a hoof up to my ear, leaning over to her. “I…Show…” She mumbles, not nearly enough for me to hear. I take my hoof down and just look at her with an all knowing grin. It takes her a minute of tension build up, but finally…“Iwanttoshowyoutomybed.” Then her hoof slaps right back over her mouth, her eyes exceeding their widening limit. I raise both my eyebrows. “Wow…That‘s a drop in your vocabulary…You read that in a ‘How to talk to talk to colts’ manual?” I lean my head forward, teasing the poor mare. She shakes her head fast, her eyes still wide. She’s probably in shock that she even thought of it still. “I…Kind of just…Went on instinct…” She mumbles gently, her hoof sliding back down to the floor. I shake my head, my senses slapping me in the face. “I know what you mean…I think it‘s that we‘re both really…Tired.” I look at her, my head dipping to an angle. She bats her eyes away, still looking at me though. “Yeah…Tired.” I begin my way to the door, but I start with the notion that I definitely won’t make it without Twilight stopping me. “Buddy?” She gets up, her voice reminiscent of her worry from earlier. I turn around, my genuine care for her showing through. “Mhm…?” I think she sees it too, because a real special smiles rolls over her lips. “If something was wrong, you‘d tell me…Right?” I nod my head very slowly. “I‘d tell you with every stitch of my soul.” Her eyes paralyze at me, her smile sterilizing my body. “Thanks, Buddy…Sweet dreams.” I bow my head to the lavender Unicorn. “Happy birthday, Twilight.” And then…I take my leave, closing the door behind me. I gave her the journal. So many secrets…So many folios can be described in three words from that journal. So much can be told about me, Starspiral, and…I gave it to her. She deserves it. And…We shared that moment. That moment of precious commodity, the jewel of a second between us, the sacred minute of success between our heart strings tying together to make a crescendo beat. There’s no going back. No second chances. Not making a second-hoof idea my first because of doubts. Now…It’s all in the stream of natural happenings. And now I have a date with Twilight. Alone. Under Luna’s night. Against a burning star. This week is going to go by really fast. -- This is it. This is the night I’ve been waiting for. The night Twilight, Ponyville, and Vermithrax have all been waiting for. Even now, as I sit next to her on top of a hill, I have to distance my gaze from her. “Rarity‘s so nice…” She speaks the first words of the night, looking over her white dress. Rarity insisted we go together in style. From her comment, I too look over my black and white get-up, a rose tipping out from the white undershirt. I feel like a lawyer. “Yeah…” Twilight shifts over to me, moving a little closer. We’re only inches apart now, her hooves laying on the ground, fittling with the grass. “Do you know when it starts?” She continues to look at me, her jaw making slight movements. The kind I make when I’m nervous. “In an hour or so.” I pry my attention from the sky, and look at the lavender colored Unicorn. “Anxious?” She lowers her head, drawing circles in the dirt. “Kinda.” “Anything you want to talk about?” I continue to look upon her, attempting to not get lost in her eyes. I need to retain some of my focus. She stays quiet. I can tell she definitely has some things on her mind, but Twilight isn’t the type to be up front with her mind. That’s Applejack’s department. “Twilight?” I bring my head to dusk, putting my eyes to hers as our faces become inches apart. “Are you sure?” She asks, not giving any context. I know you Twilight, but I’m not psychic. I twist my head to the side, my confusion clear as day on my face. She closes her eyes, keeping them tight. “…That you want me?” She pulls from her mouth with Herculean effort. I’ve thought about that a lot. Clearly, I have choices, but from what I’ve seen through my short years of life is that love is found through chance. You don’t know how it’s found, or what’s it’s like, until you have it. You just know. And I know. “My rationale conscience is telling me I‘m too young to make a decision…” I continue to stare at her, right into those wavy eyes. She stays quiet, tension shown over her face. She couldn’t hide her suspense if she had a twenty foot high brick wall. “But I depend on my conscience too much.” I continue after my long pause, leaning my head just an inch closer, our heads meeting once more. A very omniscient smile is born from Twilight’s lips. “Is that another way of saying, ‘I want to show you to my bed’?” Her omniscience turns to mischief, a subtle giggle popping from her. I shake my head, her horn brushing through my mane. “Is there anything else…Before the meteor comes out and shows up your eyes?” I tease the mare before me. For a moment, her purple irises glow a slightly brighter purple. “Oh…I was going to say yours were pretty, but…Now I‘m not so sure.” It’s a shame we can’t move any closer. Er…We can, but…”You tell me mine, I‘ll tell you yours.” I offer an ultimatum, a striking smirk careening off my lips. She rolls her eyes, but half-roll in, she locks right back onto me with confidence. “They‘re gold…It reminds me of the first time I saw bits. Some were being tossed into a fountain, and I asked my brother why they were throwing money away. He told me they weren‘t, they were wishing for more.” She pauses, her over-confidence vanishing and now she loses her will to move, just letting her body lean onto mine. I keep her steady, our cheeks gracing each other as she falls into my lap, our eyes staying locked the whole time. “Bits, huh?” I briskly move my hoof over her mane, making sure not to disconnect the pin. She nods her head slowly, moving ever-so slightly more into my lap. “It makes me think of what you see in mine.” She gives me the most hushed smile, a smidge of red forming over both her cheeks. I gaze into her eyes, attempting to reenact the moment when we both hit the high note on her birthday; when we floated. “They‘re an ocean. They don‘t share the colors, but they have the emotion. I look into them, always searching for something I‘m never going to comprehend. I‘m a ship that set sail, and my journey is ever going to end. But…While your iris is the pacific, your black is the current.“ I suck down any available air and gulp it into my lungs. Her eyes constantly shift, looking from both of mine. Her eyes don’t get the least bit watery, but her lips do begin to quiver. “Can you write that down?” Her voice drops to a slightly sheepish octave, a continues smile dawning over her. “Why?” I shrug my shoulders gently, placing one of my hoofs underneath her head, holding it cautiously. “I don‘t want to forget it.” Her lips clasp into a restrained whimper, and nearly a cry. My lips spread wide, and I nuzzle her forehead onto mine. “I won‘t forget it.” She lowers her head, but continues to look up at me, her irises having to swim their limit to the top. “You‘re the best.” Considering she has five other particular friends and a very loyal assistant that are well worthy of that title, I take it to heart. “Is there anything else?” I continue to gently massage her head with my own, both my hooves going through her mane. She looks around the sky that my head doesn’t block, and she finds herself landing right back into my bit-flavored eyes. “How about…” She begins, loathing her jaw back and forth as she ponders. “Tell me why you choose me?” I roll my eyes, retracting my forehead from hers for just a moment. “Oh…For your pride, I‘m guessing?” I assume, raising an eyebrow. She nods her head quickly, moving her head up to mine once more and we lock again. “I would say…” I begin, leaning her back into my lap snuggly, my hooves continuing to brush her mane. “It‘s that you are you. Mature, intelligent, genuine, a dork, and freaking gorgeous.” I can’t help but utter a minute chuckle, nuzzling myself further against her. “Oh…Is that all?” She asks rather politely, then she takes a turn for sporadic and twists her head to the side, raising her suspicion upon me. “And how am I a dork?” I just smile at her, continuing my gentle strokes through her mane. “You just are. That‘s that.” I tell her with a firm tone, briskly rubbing my nose against hers. “Uh huh…” She mumbles something to herself, but sighs once she comes back to staring into my eyes. We no longer look at each other. We just…Stare into our eyes, locating the words inside. “Something else on your mind?” She closes her eyes, letting my hooves sooth her. “Why were you so reclusive at my birthday party?” She seems to have taken lessons from AJ to ask so directly. I continue to sooth her, regardless of the tough question. “I don‘t do well with parties.” I explain, then gently put a hoof over her mouth to keep her from talking too hastily. This is the first time I’ve touched her lips…“I‘ve never had a birthday party before.” Her eyes drop to reality. She gently, cautiously brings my hoof to the ground with hers. “I‘m so sorry…I should‘ve as-” “I loved how happy you were.” I interrupt, pushing her apologies to the side. She opens and closes her mouth several times, stopping herself before she speaks. “It‘s okay Twilight.” I reassure her, a big dumb grin popping from my lips. “I trust you.” She says again, planting her forehead onto mine. It wrenches my heart to hear that. “Trust me enough to ask the question that‘s really on your mind?” I seem to have taken lessons from AJ as well. Her face shifts slightly, getting a little uncomfortable. “If you trust me enough to answer.” I nod my head slowly, letting the quiet nature of Luna’s sky forebode the curiosity from her. “What happened with you and your dad?” She asks, a very strong sense of sincerity in her voice. I knew she got that far in the journal. I knew she wanted to know since she got it. Was only a matter of time…And now it’s only a matter of seconds for her to hear it. “He thought I was worth nothing.” She continues to look at me, and for the first time I think ever in my life, somepony is listening to me. “Told me I was dirt.” I try my best to look at Twilight, hoping that her ocean will aid me. “Told me I was…-” I pause. I was going to clench my eyes closed, but I can’t. I still gaze far into her purple eyes, and start to set sail. “-I wasn‘t his son.” She shakes her head, disgust in her snort. “He was a-” “He wasn‘t my father.” I stop her. I forgot I wasn’t stroking her mane anymore… “You deserved better than that.” She coos, bringing one of her hoofs up to graciously rub my shoulder. I smile at Twilight; her sea can sail me through the roughest storms. “Haven‘t told anypony about that before…” I say skittishly, returning my hooves back to brushing her mane. “Then why do you tell me now?” She tilts her head at an angle, her smile brightening the night. Vermathrax is going to have to bring his A-game if he wants to top it. “Because I trust you.” I move her highlight out of her face, but most importantly, out of her eye. Twilight’s lips create one of the best representations of Fluttershy’s one-of-a-kind smile yet. “But…One more thing…” She mumbles, blinking a couple times to bring herself out of her trance. I lean my head closer, our foreheads locking for the ten thousandth time tonight. “Mhm…?” She plays with her lips as she puts her words together. “What about Starspiral?” She finally blurts out. I keep my cool, relaxed look over my face, shifting my head to the side. Our noses bump into each other, leaving us there. “What about him?” She gulps down her long awaited breath, then to further postpone her reply, she sighs. “I know you weren‘t ‘working’ for him.” She barely slithers from her mouth, her eyes looking like they have more than a few icebergs ahead. I sigh, and after a moment of silence, I nod my head against hers. “He was more of a father than…The other guy.” My breath heaves itself onto her, only aiding in my attempt to get across my unease. She keeps her usual concerned face upon her, already knowing what I tell her. My words are just the further credible evidence of her theory. “It sounds like he cared about you.” I swallow her words into my lungs, sighing it back out. “Can we talk about something else?” I request abruptly, not letting up on my gentle stroking of her mane. Instead of looking annoyed, or really concerned, Twilight nods her head, completely understanding. “Okay, Buddy.” Her hoof leaves my shoulder and gracefully falls onto her stomach. I stare at her for a long, long time. Just…Sailing. Swimming. Flying above the ocean in her eyes until I fall to grace. “What about you?” I ask gently, kneading her mane in between my hooves. She blinks a couple times, seeming as though her senses were lost in my gold. “What?” She asks, a childish smirk flashing from her lips. “What about you and Celestia?” I ask again, making sure she can see the care in my golden irises. Some color flows to her face, and she nods her head gently onto mine. “Oh…Uhm…What about her?” She shifts her gaze from my left, to my right eye, and repeats until finally settling on my right. I shrug as subtly as I can. “Don‘t you miss her?” I keep my sails strong as I venture further. A very genuine laugh comes from the deepest part of her, and she rubs her nose against mine like a dog would to it’s lover. “Of course, and it makes me really…Sad to be without her all the time, but…” She pauses, flashing a blink and focusing her eyes fully inside mine. “I would die without you.” I laugh a little to myself, watching intently as more and more color flows over her. “Princess Celestia as my mom…That would be worrying.” I flush out with a bit of spite, bursting a smirk from my lips. She rolls her eyes at my remark, taking in a deep breath under my gaze. “She‘s not that bad…” As I’m sailing through her ocean, the waves brushing underneath my ship of curiosity and bravery, I notice something in the sky…Something large, burning, and heading right for me. It rips me from my adventure into her purple eyes, and I can see now that I’m in reality. Vermithrax’s meteor is careening towards us through Twilight’s reflection. I jolt my head up in attention, gazing upon the sight with innocence. Twilight as it seems noticed it as well and gets up from my lap, settling herself right next to me. Her cheek grazes against mine as we stare upon the meteor. The hundred year meteor. I can tell that the meteor is extremely far away, yet it’s still a massive hunk of burning material and energy. A trail lurks behind it, stretching over Equestria as it cuts through our atmosphere. It almost takes up the entire sky and pushes Luna out of the way. It completely engulfs us in it’s infinite light, creating new and old emotions we didn’t even know were there. I turn to Twilight, and as I do, she turns to me. We face each other, the meteor continuing to light up only our hill. Inside her eyes…I am at peace. I can sail forever throughout time, come across treasures, find words, and create worlds. All inside her landless sea. But her lips…That is an adventure I have yet to take. I lean my head forward, as does she, and our mouths clash in a heap of fire and intensity, throwing Vermithrax’s last breath to the sun. Her lips taste of vigor, vitality, and sustenance. I can’t find myself in her sea as I’m too lost in her liveliness, bellowing myself around and around in a whole new dimension. This feeling…This flavor; it cannot end. I refuse to let anything come between me, Twilight, and this moment. This moment of explosive passion, gentle acquisition, and full-blown tension. I have her. She has me. We are together, on a hill, alone, in the night, while a meteor passes by over head. All I can think is: This is the greatest journey I’ve ever taken. Our lips unclasp from each other, and instantly our eyes are met. We stay quiet, letting the heavy beats of our hearts drown out any other noise, and the heaving of our breathing together form a furnace that warms our bodies. “Will you…” Twilight squeaks out, her lips discovering that any form of language is foreign. “Be mine?” I swallow all the tension and need to push my lips over hers again and decide to instead nod my head. “I‘m yours, my Sea.” She looks at my with her eyes lowered, a very sultry dampness boiling over her. “And I am yours, my Golden Bit.” And there we are. Sharing with each other our moment. The moment that she wanted, the moment I wanted. But this stretches farther than just a moment- this opens the door to so much more, so many more adventures and discoveries. This is not a moment for the ages, this is the ages’ discovery of our moment. Above all else that happened tonight, from the truth coming out, cuddling, swimming; I ventured into something more than the sea. I took a journey into the fruitful flavor of cherry.
Balls deepFor the keeper of the only library in Ponyville, Twilight sure gets her books mixed up a lot. Leaving it all to little old Spike to clean up. Today, however, I came by and Spike informed me that if I wanted his information regarding certain mares and their crushes, I’d need to swap jobs again. I declined, however. Twilight is all I need, but…That does give me an excuse to hang around the library. Not that I need one, though. To strengthen my bond with Twilight, I politely declined Spike’s info, and just let him go drool on Rarity for the day. “How was the spa?” Twilight shouts from the study room, busy at work with…Studying, I guess. I place a book, Capera’s Clues, into the C section and then look for another book to reorganize. “Awesome, duh! You should come along sometime!” She stays quiet in her room. “Twilight?” I question her attention before picking up another book in my mouth. Ucharriot’s Mentally Lucratively Life In- I ain’t reading all that. So U. “Huh?” She yells back, inattentively. I put the back in the U section, making my way back to the countless number of books on the floor. “Would you like to go to the spa with me?” I can hear the familiar sounds of paper flipping busily, levitation spells, and the occasional, “Oooh!” Until finally Twilight catches up with reality. “Oh, uhh…Sure!” I guess I should leave her be, what with all the studying she has to do for Princess Celestia. It is a never ending cycle with her. Snuggling Loving Studying Studying And more studying. Gets kind of ridiculous, to the point where I worry for her safety. But…She’s been doing this all her life. I can’t tamper with that. I pick up the next book, only noting that it’s title starts with an R. I quickly trot my way over back to the section, and slide it in, then make my way back. Even though I’m dedicated to Twilight…I still can’t help but be immorally curious about just who has those crushes on me. Rarity? That would be awkward. My boss having a crush on me. That’s something I’ve never experienced in the employment line. But she’s so generous. I can’t even fathom being kind enough to pay my employee 50 bits an hour. It’s still alien to me, and when I accept my pay, I still feel a sense of foreignness to it all. Rainbow Dash? Really not my type. Cocky, slightly arrogant, and overly-athletic. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a body, but I prefer modesty over gloating. Regardless…I admire Dash for her strong loyalty to her friends. She’s even showing a touch of warmth my way, being a little more nice, and not insulting me so much. Still calls me Doctor B though. Fluttershy is probably one of them. She’s always shy, reclusive, and blushes a whole lot. But, then again…When we all went to a play a while ago, she was blushing when I wasn’t even around. So, maybe, she is just like that all the time. And…That’s not my type, either. The kind that just completely secludes their self from everything. She even lives in a house where no road leads to, so it’s clear she doesn’t like social interactions. But…She’s the gentlest pony I have ever met. Her tiny little voice, squeamish cheers, and love of nature; I’m lucky to call her my friend. Saw her do this death-stare at a moose once, though. Scared the shit out of me. Pinkie Pie…I don’t think so. I wouldn’t want it, but I doubt she really has a thing for me. She doesn’t showcase it at all. But…Then again, she doesn’t showcase anything other than a big smile and her bountiful amount of happiness. I don’t know, but I can’t deny that she can make some pretty banging- Damn you Vinyl!- parties. Always happy, always there, and always playing pranks. Rainbow told me about the time Pinkie Pie wasn’t happy though. I have a hard time believing it; probably another one of her really conniving pranks. Applejack, as I’ve discovered on my own, does. So that’s one off my list, but…Why? Who does she like me? Because I work hard, she says, but there has got to be a more concrete reason than that. Besides…Her and Rainbow really get along like peanut butter and jelly. I can’t come between that, and I never will. One of the most dependable ponies I’ve ever met, even if she can be brutally honest. Then Twilight…Oh, Twilight, how she makes me whole. Her eyes- or ocean, as I have come to call it -take me on adventures everyday. I can’t explain why she is the one. I have felt some serious liking for some ponies before, even to the point where I thought I was obsessing, but that was nothing. I worry about her every moment of every day and every night. Just the other day she wanted to go to Rarity’s for a while. I stayed at the library, waiting at least an hour until I decided to go see what they were doing. When I got there, I found out Twilight left a half an hour ago, and I flipped out. I wasn’t mad, I was just worried. I didn’t convey it to well to her when I found out she was stopped for a really, really long conversation with Pinkie about the history behind confetti. It’s understandable; I too was almost caught in that situation. It doesn’t however distain from the fact that I was worried sick. But one look into those purple-ocean eyes, and I was sold. I don’t know why she’s the one for me. She just is, and always will be mine. “Hey…Buddy?” Twilight’s voice echoes throughout the library. Oh…I didn’t even realize I was just standing in the middle of the library. “Yes?” I shout to the study room where Twilight is supposedly hiding. The lavender Unicorn walks out of the darkened room with a worried stench droning over her face. I immediately stop what I’m doing and look up at her, coming to her side. “What‘s wrong?” She continues with her worried gaze, and in turn, I equalize it with my own. “I…Uhm…” She fumbles her words, only getting more and more worried. “Twilight?” I bring a sincere hoof around her shoulders, bringing my face close to hers for extra comfort. It seems it helped, but not much as she slowly follows me to her new chair. “There‘s…Something…I-…Erraaah…” She continues to mumble to herself, far too low for me to hear. I coax her up the chair, and she sits down, not bothering to get comfortable in the cotton seat. “It‘s okay, honey. Just relax.” I move back, and sit down in front of her on the floor. I have to tilt my head up a little higher to meet her ocean, but I’ll deal with anything to make sure she’s okay. Even an hour conversation with Pinkie Pie about confetti. “What‘s wrong?” Her worry dies down some, but it’s omnipresent element still weighs heavily on her mood. “Okay, okay…I…I‘m not sure what to say…” I dip my head lower, letting the silence of the room speak for me. Like she listened to me, I am listening to her. She sucks in a deep breath, then lets it ooze from her lungs. “I‘ve been looking into Starspiral‘s work lately. His views are…Fascinating on the capabilities of ponies, but I came across…A…Uhm…Worrying section of his work.-” Oh no…Had she figured it out? “-He talks about the possibilities of many theories and says that centuries have gone by where opportunities have been missed to get just the right one, and with the help of his journal, I…Uhm…-” She has. That’s why the library is like this. she’s been searching for Starspiral’s work…I think I should tell her; then at least it will be me who spilled the truth, not Starspiral. “-I think I‘ve concluded with his data that he-” “I‘m a freak.” I duck my head in shame, keeping my eyes from hers. I’m not allowed to venture any further, not when I’m guilty. “What…?” Her voice turns hoarse, and I can hear the chair start to creak. “I know what you found. I‘m…Sorry I never told you.” My voice gets lower and lower, hoping in vein that it helps my apology get across effectively. It doesn’t at all. “Please tell me that isn‘t true…” She gets out of the chair, coming right onto me. Her face is about to explode in tears. If I was worthy of adventuring into her sea, I would hit more than waves. “I am a hybrid, Twilight.” I pick my head up, even if it’s temporary, and gaze at her with true hurt in my eyes. She chokes up, her tears not falling just yet. “Why wouldn‘t…Why…” She stops, clenching her eyes shut as her legs lose all control, falling onto my body. I hold onto her, gently laying us down so that she is in my lap. This resembles…The night. When we first vouched our love for each other. Our first venture into each others lips. “If I told you-” I pause, watching a single tear make its short journey to her lavender fur. “-…You wouldn‘t have accepted me.” She shakes her head, her lips shaping into a smile, but still with the remnants of a deepened frown. “Yes I would.” It makes me cringe to hear that. In the back of my heart, I wanted her to say that I was right so I wouldn’t feel as much guilt…And realizing that, I am just all ten levels of asshole. “I‘m sorry…I wronged you, and there‘s not a single thing in the world I can do to make it better. I am sorry, Twilight.” I shake my head, lowering my gaze to the floor in shame. She gently coaxes my head back up with a hoof, bringing me back to her. “No…I am sorry.” She leans her head upwards, to which I lay my hooves behind her as a pillow. “Hybrid or not, you are still Buddy. I…I just need to accept that.” I gulp down the spit building up in my mouth, my breath shuddering out my mouth. “I-” “And the sooner I accept that, the sooner you will accept that part of you.” She finishes, then clenched her eyes shut for a moment, then reopens them to fall into my golden eyes. I sniffle, still staring down at her. I hate looking down at her…It make me feel too powerful. When I’m an empowered condition, I make stupid decisions, like keeping secrets from ponies I love. “Buddy…?” She leans her head up gently, blinking a couple times as her tears start to die down. Her voice springs me from my stupor. “I‘m so, so sorry Twilight…I…You deserve better than me.” I continue to distance myself from her; my skin isn’t even worthy of hers. She shakes her head quickly, yanking me back down to inches from her face. “No…Don‘t you say that.” Her voice goes to a much sterner tone, and she stares at me with those watery, lovely eyes. “You have treated me better than…Than anypony. Ever.” I suck down the air I’ve been holding in my mouth, and I’m able to lean my head back again. “No pony has lied to you like I have, either.” Her hooves settle underneath me, laying across her stomach. “Yet, you‘re still perfect for me.” Amidst all this crying, lying, and truth telling, she smiles. I bring myself to smile back at her, and pull her body against mine for a hug. “I‘m sorry…” My breath hits against her shoulder. She laughs behind me, her lips rubbing against my fur. “How many times are you going to apologize?” “As many times as it takes.” I reply with haste, laying her back down into my lap. She may not have gotten comfortable in the chair, but she is now in my hold. She shakes her head, her smile widening. “But…I just don’t understand a couple things…” She looks up at me with wonderment in her voice, her tears drying up. I lean my head forward, not quite sure if I want to answer anything about myself right now. She moves her lips around, her teeth grazing over them slightly. “If…You…” She takes in a deep breath, taking a moment to find her words. “Starspiral said that a Hybrid would have…Abilities that no pony has ever seen before.” I close my eyes, sighing gently overhead of my precious, curious Twilight. “It‘s not like that, Twilight.” “But you…” She starts, her eyes going wide with anticipation and excitement. “You…You have so much potential! He said that you‘d be able to fly, move mountains, crea-” “I‘m not a fucking specimen!!” Twilight stops. I open my eyes. Horror. That’s what I see. Absolute horror on Twilight’s face. There’s a darkening specter looming over us now, aiming its divine retribution at my head. I just yelled at Twilight. For no reason, for nothing that she deserved. She wants to run away, right now. I can see it in her frightened, wide eyes. I want to throw up. “I‘m…I didn‘t mean…” I stutter, gulping down dry air. “I…” Her breathing begins to shake her body, and she takes her gaze to the dusk. “I‘m sorry. I got overexcited.” Her apology clips my heart in half. She should never apologize for anything, ever. I deserve to be gutted, right here, right now. The amount of dread crushing onto me is just unfathomable. “Don‘t cry…Please, honey.” I’m…Crying? I didn’t even realize it. Good. I deserve to be weakened in front of Twilight. “If you want…” She pauses, and pulls me down to her as we embrace in a hug. I’m only half with it, though. “We can never talk about it again.” I can’t live with that. I’ve done enough to her already, she at least deserves to cure her curiosity. “No…No, it‘s something I have to get out eventually.” I can feel her nod her head against me, as well as her lips move as she talks. “Do you want to talk about it?” I gulp down my air that I’ve been holding for safe keeping, then sigh it from the deepest part of my lungs. “Yes…I would.” I feel her nod her head again, and begin to move her body from mine. I keep her in place however, clinging our souls together. “Please…Let‘s stay like this for a while.” I plead, bringing one of my hoofs up to stroke gently into her mane. She squeezes tighter, nuzzling her cheeks against my neck. And now she knows…She knows damn near everything about me now. My quirks, favorite foods, favorite places, backstory, gimmicks, hardships, relationships, and now she knows I’m a freak. A weirdo. A cross between Pegasus and Unicorn. With a whole lot of luck. “Okay…” I pry from my voice box, gently releasing her from our intoxicating hug. She looks at me, still concerned as she always is. “Are you sure?” Her eyelashes flash over her eyes, keeping me from surfing for only a second. I nod my head, promptly getting to my hooves. “Yeah…It‘s about time I am.” I release a small, well needed chuckle from my lungs. Twilight smiles meekly as she too gets up, and walks back over to her chair. This feels like a therapy session. I’ve been to plenty of those… “Oh…Uhm…” She turns around just before hopping into her chair. “Would you mind…If I wrote a letter to Princess Celestia about this? I think…It would be interesting to her.” She makes sure her voice is polite, and I know why. She doesn’t want to cause another out lash. I feel my heart sink into my gut just a little from that. “I don‘t mind. As long as you make me sound handsome.” I smirk at her, sitting my flank comfortably on the floor. Levitating a quill and paper to herself, she begins to write before I even speak. “Okay…So…Do you want me to ask questions? I…Haven‘t prepared any, if so. And…If you want, I co-” “I‘ll be okay Twilight.” I stop her before she gets too caught up, like she often does. My lips course into a typical smile. “Oh…Well, uhm…Okay. I‘m ready, when you are.” And so I tell her everything. I really tell her everything. I start with the beginning. How I didn’t even know for the longest time that I was an abomination, and nor did my mother or father. I went on with life like a normal colt. Father-son problems, school bullies, and a whole shit load of homework. But…When Starspiral found me, he insisted I helped him with a project. He had best intentions in mind, but some of the worst things imaginable have been done with the best intentions. I pursued his goal along his side, regardless, and he was keen on having me being on the front lines of his work. When he figured out what I was, he took it upon himself to train me. I didn’t take it lightly. Considering I just yelled at Twilight, my lover, for even mentioning it, I didn’t need to explain just how furious I was with him. But he pressed on how important I was to history, to the world, to Equestria, and most of all, to him. So I let it happen…Besides, an untrained magic-user is dangerous. He even made a name for a ‘Hybrid’, since I complained very continuously that Hybrid made me sound freakish. He named my race Hollicorns. But that was another excuse. I let it go, though, and saw for myself when I performed magic. When I concentrate really, really hard, I am able to accomplish impossible tasks. One thing I’m not proud of, but had to tell Twilight, was that it wasn’t her that caused us to float on her birthday. It was me. When we had met that crescendo and I found a harmony with her, I was so focused on us together that I made the ground not even come between our touch. I don’t like to think of what else I’m capable of, but Starspiral was persistent on telling me exactly what I could do. Lift mountains Change the weather Alter the climate Levitate houses Fly through space Breathe water Consume rock Absorb plutonium Create worlds Each and every one of them felt like a bullet to me. Ability to create worlds…That’s sickening. But…He proved my denial wrongly accusing when I created a crater. From then on, I vowed to do everything in my power- which was a lot- to not use it ever again. I broke that promise that night with Twilight. I told her everything. From my short, scary training with Starspiral, my abilities, and my vows, to leaving Starspiral, getting a job, and moving twelve times. I told her my life. Every. Single. Bit. Once her letter was sent, I was glad to spend the night at the library. Cuddling and wrapping myself against Twilight in her bed as we drift into a silent, cool night, I can feel a large weight off my chest. I shared my entire life with this mare, and not because she asked, or because I needed to vent it in some way, but because I trust her. I trust Twilight Sparkle, my own private Sea. -- “Buuuurp!” A letter shoots from Spike’s mouth unexpectedly, leaving behind a trail of green mist. “Oh!” Twilight shouts, quickly jumping to the letter and holding it in front of her. “She gets up early.” I don’t know how Twilight deals with that burping. I’ve seen him do it at least twenty times now, and it smells awful when he does it. That letter is no exception, I’d bet. Her face falls to a worried glare as her eyes scan lower and lower down the letter. “Oh…” I walk to her side, and place my chin over her shoulder. “What‘s up?” I ask casually, glancing at the letter for just a second. She let’s the letter drift to the ground and begins to bite her gums. “She wants you to go to Canterlot.” I keep a happy mood going, raising an eyebrow. “Oh? What for? Wants to put a magnifying glass over me?” Since I told her, I feel a little more open about it now. Haven’t vented something like that ever in my life, and it feels good to have something as huge as a life secret off my back. She shakes her head, closing hr eyes. “I don‘t know…But I‘m coming with you.” That’s worrying. Now she is concerned about me going somewhere? “I don‘t think you have to, I mean it‘s no-” “ I want to.” She stops me, her eyes already set for her destination. I swallow the rest of my speech, and sigh. “Okay, Twilight.” I walk away into the study room, yelling behind me. “How are we supposed to get there?” “She said…There will be a chariot waiting for you.” She raises her voice halfway, trying to make sure it reaches me. I roll my eyes, a sigh escaping me. “Sounds like a really long ride.” “Only an hour!” She shouts back to me, trying to be as reassuring as she can. Yeah…An hour to, and from. I can handle it, though. No problem, just a quick talk, long ride, and then I’m back alone with Twilight. “Alright…When do we go?” She stays quiet, and I can hear the sound of paper crinkling. “Immediately.” I look back at her from the study room, picking my head up from a minorly distracting book. “Oh…Alright then.” I exhale the rest of my breath in a huff, then make my way back to Twilight. “I‘m worried. Princess Celestia is never this…I don‘t know. She‘s just not like this.” She paces around the library, her head bowed. “Yeah…But she probably hasn‘t had some Hollicorn in her kingdom, either.” I appear from the study room, placing a gentle hoof over Twilight. “Don‘t worry, Twi‘, She‘s probably just curious. Kind of reminds me of somepony…” I smirk at her, a very devious look in my eye. She rolls hers, sighing. “Okay, honey. I can only hope she isn‘t as tenacious.” She obtains her own devious grin, chuckling along with me. A golden chariot…That’s a way to travel; especially when it’s being pulled by two Pegasi. Admittedly, I’ve never been in one before, but I’m not looking forward to an hour flight to Canterlot, then back. But most of all…I hope Princess Celestia doesn’t have the same mindset as Starspiral. -- Me and Twilight mess around the whole ride there. Talking about funny pranks Rainbow and Pinkie had made, some very particular incidents involving Pinkie and her insta-party canon, and what we think Princess Celestia wants. I told her that Celestia is just curious and wants to see for herself. She doesn’t see me from the same perspective as Twilight, or any of the others. I’m just somepony her student told about in a letter. Twilight started to get paranoid, saying radial things like I’m going to have to be put under surveillance or something. I can only hope Twilight is wrong this one time. “Come on! You‘re taking forever!” I roll my eyes, puffing my cheeks up. I just want to look at this fascinating place before I had to leave. There’s tons of gold, silver, and I swear I saw some house made out of diamonds. That’s home improvement! “I don‘t want to keep Princess Celestia waiting…” She shifts her eyes back and forth as she walks towards the Royal Palace, her face to the floor. I glance from her, to the guards at the gate, then back to her. “Don‘t sweat it, Twi‘.” That’s something Rainbow always says. She stays quiet until we get to the guards. With the glow of her horn, a paper appears in front of one of the guards. In mere seconds, they step aside. My curiosity is provoked, to say the least. “What‘d you show him? His taxes if he doesn‘t move?” I joke as we make our way up a red-rugged staircase. “Royal seal. Means I can go anywhere I want.” She says with authority, reminding me of Rarity with distinction. I tilt my head back, raising my eyebrows. “I see…” I look back to the ground, noticing it’s change from red to a milky white marble. “One thing, honey…” I jump myself to attention, looking over to her purple eyes. “Be honest, please. I know it‘s a touchy subject, but…She has to know.” She pulls her gaze from ahead, and let’s me look into her sea for a second. There are plenty of waves coming in. “Alright, Twily.” She told me that only Shining Armor calls her that, and I love it when she gets angry about her nicknames. Twilight narrows her eyes, but is immediately brought to attention as we enter the throne room. And there she is; the Princess. Err…One of them, at least. Her mane…Tail…It’s extremely distracting. “Ahh…My wonderful student, Twilight Sparkle.” Her voice echoes throughout the room, sending shocks of blessings throughout me. I, along with Twilight, bow before the Princess. I guess being a student of the Princess doesn’t come with all the privileges. “Princess Celestia, we came as soon as possible.” Twilight is remarkably more well spoken. I guess she just talks lesser around me, for whatever reason. “How are you?” Princess Celestia perks a petite smile over herself, making her way off the throne and down the steps, stopping in front of Twilight. Twilight picks herself up, and seeing her, I do too. “I am excellent! I‘ve been making many new additions to old projects, and I‘ve started a unique one on Curteith’s Compendium!” She yelps excitedly, bringing her head up like a proud dog. “Oh, that‘s fantastic, my bright student.” She smiles so wide that it squints her eyes closed. I don’t know how I noticed, considering her multicolored mane and tail are so freaking distracting. “It sure is, Princess!” Twilight continues her very wide smile, head high and eyes closed. Princess Celestia’s face becomes relaxed. As she takes in a deep, subtle breath, I know what’s going to happen. “This must be the once fabled Buddy?” She opens her eyes to a very welcomed gaze, as well as spreading her polite smile. Damn I’m good. I knew she was going to come to me next. I stay quiet, thinking the Princess was addressing Twilight. She nods her head to me quickly, biting her bottom lip. I look unprofessional as I stutter my hooves around on the floor, all while Princess Celestia continues with her politeness. “It‘s a pleasure to meet you, Princess Celestia.” She bows her head to me- something I never thought in a million years I would get to see- then stops in front of me. “How are you?” Wow…The Princess asking me how I am? This day is turning out to be weird. “I‘m just peachy. How are you, Princess?” How is the Princess? Probably pretty freaking happy, considering she’s the Princess. There’s at least more than one of her running around. Just one Hollicorn in the world, and it’s me. “I am wonderful, Buddy. Thank you dearly for asking.” She still has that bright, homey smile on her. Really friendly. I hope it isn’t temporary. I bow before her once again, then look to Twilight to see what she thinks of my manners. She grins widely, winking my way. Thank you, Rarity. Now my manners really are polished. Princess Celestia walks before me, now standing right ahead of my line of sight. “You‘re the Hollicorn, yes?” She still has that smile. That big, friendly smile over her face. Normally I would be creeped out by it, but…It’s actually kind of nice. “I…Am.” I stutter, not sure of just how to answer it. A simple yes probably would have done fine… “Then Starspiral was right all along.” Her head goes to dusk, rising high, as well as her gaze. “Fascinating.” I bow my head to the Princess. All those times I yelled at her for burning out my eyes with the sun are long gone now. I wouldn’t dare rip on her sun-control now. She returns herself to me, her friendly smile a little more vacant now. “As the Princess, I take responsibility for the safety of anything out of the control of Equestria.” She pauses, undoubtedly so her words sink deeper in my skin. “You are one of those safety precautions.” Gulping down possibly the biggest chunk of air ever, I nod my head. I dare not speak; I’d rather keep my tongue. She turns around, walking slowly back up the stairs. “If I were to allow you to follow up with your life as you have been, it could cause problems. An untrained magical being is in some cases more dangerous than a well trained evil one.” She turns around at the top of the steps. Both Twilight and I keep quiet, not even glancing at each other. I can feel the tension pouring from her just three feet away. Princess Celestia looks from both me and Twilight until settling on the lavender Unicorn. “In your report, you mentioned that Buddy levitated without trying, did you not?” Though her attempts to keep it going, I can see that her friendly smile has faded. Twilight picks her head up only to nod it once firmly. “That‘s right.” Princess Celestia stays silent for a few seconds- hours to me- then turns herself to my frightened eyes. “What should I do?” What should she do? What the hell is she asking me for; she’s the P- okay…She’s just testing you. Relax, be calm…Damn, I was calm before I got here, but now…I feel the weight of all this pressing on me fast. She can end my life in a second, if she wanted. Just off me, say it was a matter of Equestrian Security, then be done with it. “I don‘t know, Princess.” I mutter truthfully of my ignorance. I can see in the corner of my eye that Twilight is just buzzing of worry. It grows quiet as Princess Celestia closes her eyes, standing above both of us. What the hell was I thinking? This wasn’t going to be simple as, “Oh hi Princess! Yeah, I‘m a one-of-a-kind Pegasus-Unicorn-Earthpony mix with super-powers and can destroy things. Okay, see you later!” Damnit…If I just hadn’t given her that journal…No, no. She’s smart. She would’ve figured out eventually. But…Only she would. No pony else would have. She shouldn’t have wrote that letter. I shouldn’t have agreed to it… Fucking hindsight. “Because of my concern for all of Equestria,” She begins, immediately shaking me out of my thoughts. “you will be negated of all your magical abilities, as well as any other mythical stances you may hold. I am sorry, Buddy, but I cannot al-” “I‘ll vouch for him!” Twilight shouts instantaneously. What…? Don’t do anything stupid, please Twilight. For the first time, and only time, I can see a real genuine, unexpected stare at Twilight. Her eyes are leaking hurt, and it sends me through a roil of depravity. “Twilight Sparkle, my trusted student,” She starts to walk down the stairs, looking at Twilight with a kind of gaze I am completely unfamiliar with. “You know what your vouch entails?” She stops in front of her, still holding that foreign gaze. Twilight nods firmly, clenching her eyes shut. “I do.” “And you accept the terms?” Princess Celestia’s head goes lower, the kind of action a concerned mother would make. That’s when I realize it…Celestia is being a mother. And I’m coming between it. Twilight clenches her eyes tighter. “I do.” Princess Celestia holds her stance still for a time, then moves back to the top of the stairs. “Buddy will undergo training with you, Twilight Sparkle, and once he is safe, he will demonstrate it. Until further notice,” She pauses, her eyes closing halfway. “you are dismissed.” She turns around, her head pointing to a painted window. That wasn’t so bad. Twilight took a blow for me, but…We didn’t die. That’s a win, I’d say. Except for me being in the way of their relationship. That’s…Heart crushing. Seeing Twilight hunched over as she takes her leave doesn’t keep me positive for long, though. I keep quiet, following behind her with haste. Seeing a distinct lack of her purple eyes sets me off in sadness, and I’m not sure how to thank her. “Hey, Twilight…” I try that coltfriend voice, a real smooth, lovey-dovey kind. She doesn’t budge as we pass by the guards, making our way to the golden chariot. “Twilight…?” I bring my head close to hers, nudging her neck slightly. She brings her head up to attention, sucking in a deep breath. “Hmm?” “What does your vouch…mean?” I barely get out, still trying to comfort her by stroking her neck. “I‘m no longer her student.” I stop. I breath. I choke. “What?!” I move my head back, and she stops in the middle of Canterlot. Did she just give up her entire life so that I would live? No, wait. Princess Celestia said she only wanted to negate my magic, so I would have been fine! She did this so we could be together…She sacrificed herself! “Why?!” My voice goes to a much higher pitch than I wanted. Surprisingly, her breathing is very calm. “Please, don‘t yell.” Her voice tells me all I need to know. She’s trying her hardest to hold back tears. I clench my eyes shut. I’m not…Yelling at her. I mean I am, but it wasn’t like before. That had no reason, this…She just gave up nearly her entire life for me. “I‘m sorry. I just…I don‘t get your reasoning.” She continues her walk to the chariot, and I follow. “I can‘t bare to see you live your whole life while being restricted from being whole because what you‘re born with.” I lower my head, slowly blinking until my vision blurs. I might cry. “Oh…” I utter from my pathetic, unworthy lips. “I…I think I‘m going to…” She pauses before she gets into the chariot, looking around. “I‘m going to stay with Shining Armor for a day or two.” There’s a single tear rolling down her cheek. I watch that tear intently, hoping that it will shout to me what her reasoning is. “O-okay…” I don’t get up into the chariot. I’m going to take my sweet time. She clings to me, nuzzling her face against mine. “Stay safe, Buddy.” I tilt my head against her, wrapping a hoof over us. “You too, Twily.” I hear a crying laugh against me; the best kind. She gently releases, raising her eyelids off of her sea. I’m able to have one last quick sail into her ocean before I depart, even if it’s in a storm. I slowly take my steps up into the golden ride, and before the door closes behind me, I turn around. “I love you, my Sea.” Her lips begin to quiver. “I love you more, my Golden Bit.” The door closes, and I’m off before I know it. And here I am…Alone, depredated, powerless to help Twilight, and on an hour flight to Ponyville. Had Celestia made the right decision? Had I? Had Twilight? She took something from her life so she can keep what she has with me. In the short amount of time together, she’s already prepared enough to be that sure? Or was she acting on instinct. Everything is up in the air now. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know what Twilight’s going to do. She doesn’t deserve to be ripped of her life’s work. She doesn’t deserve me yelling at her. She doesn’t deserve to be pried away from her mother. I don’t deserve to have her life. I don’t deserve 50 bits an hour. I don’t deserve her.
Deja VuThere’s a perfect depicture of black and blue throughout the skies. The weather team must have been working overtime to make it look so gorgeous; mixing colored clouds, stars so deep in the ocean above the ground, and the moon settles comfortably behind a cluster of multi-colored contrastive clouds. I don’t care for it. I’m more of a clear-sky kind of colt, but right now, I’m not out for the sky. I’m here for comfort. Bumping my way through the bar door, I make my way down a couple steps and find myself back where I first started. The bar looks calm tonight, lucky for Vinyl. Only seems to be a few ponies in the corner of the bar, Vinyl’s partner in crime, and herself in all her glory. “Sup dude!” She shouts, waving a hoof from over the counter. I slump my way over, taking a seat on a stool. “What can I get for ya?” She asks casually, and from the edges of my drowsy-layered eyes, I can see a grin. “Some real heavy stuff would do right about now…” I mumble, laying a hoof underneath my chin. A real big toothy smirk comes over her face. “Oh, we got nothing but real heavy stuff here. Take your pick.” She waifs a hoof behind her at the large selection. I take in a deep breath, shaking my head. My eyelids feel like they’re a hundred pounds. “Alirght, alright…Scotch?” She still has a real devious smile on her face. I would be curious…But I don’t care right now. I just shrug, my eyes completely closing as I feel like I might get drunk off of a severe lack of sleep. “Here ya are.” She slides me a large mug that’s nearly overflowing with alcohol. I take a quick swig, and it hits me in the gut. It’s the kind of hit where it hurts, then has a sweet sigh of relief right after, and only aids in my shitty-sleep stricken daze. “I‘m getting this real odd feeling in the long part of my stomach right now.” She leans on the counter, her back to me. I can’t see, but depending on her voice, she’s smirking wildly. “Yuuup…” I don’t even know why I replied. Doesn’t matter. “I think it‘s called déjà vu?” She tilts her head back, and there’s a space between her face and the shades where I’m able to get a glimpse of her eyes. Oh…I guess there is. A while ago, when I first worked here, she’s the first pony I’ve helped. And I’ve helped a lot since then. Whatever, it doesn’t matter right now. “Yeah, whatever.” She turns to her side, leaning over the counter and getting dangerously close to me. “You sound like a pissed off teenager.” I look up and see a real smirk, the kind that says “I told you so.” I sigh, rolling my eyes. Maybe if I condoned her talking a little, she’d leave me alone. “Feel like it.” “Ahh…That kind of night, huh?” She brings her head low enough so I’m forced to see her. “Looking pretty pale, too.” I tuck my eyes closed and inhale deeply. “I‘m in a real shit mood, Vinyl.” She leans her head forward quickly, placing herself over her hooves. “Don‘t let up! Gimme all the juicy details.” I can see through her glasses; she has a sea made of rocks and knives. Fuck it, why not. “Good news, or bad news?” I give her enough attention to lift my head up, but not enough to open my eyes. “I like desert.” One of her cheeks goes up wide as she grins. “I‘m a mega-powerful hybrid of Unicorns, Pegasus’s, and Earth ponies and I‘m being trained to use my magical-powers for good.” I say so casually that it’s actually kind of worrying. But my worry is put aside when Vinyl just looks at me with a continuingly building smirk. “Alright. How about that broccoli?” What? Nothing to say about me being a freak? “Well…” I begin, opening my eyes for her. “My marefriend sacrificed her life‘s work so we could be together.” Again…So casual. It’s probably the alcohol, though. Yeah, definitely the alcohol. She gets back up, her face the same as usual and begins to clean more cups. “Sounds like shit.” I narrow my eyes, trying to focus on hers. Not too easy, considering she has glasses on. “So…what? You don‘t care that I‘m some sort of volatile bomb?” My voice raises to a dangerous octave. Definitely the alcohol. She shrugs to a blunt degree, placing her cup on the counter. “So what?” I can feel the anger swelling inside me like a balloon. “So?! I could levitate this whole bar and kill all of you without even trying!” I boast, a true dark spot forming in my heart. She places her hooves on the counter, leaning forward. “So?” My fumes start burning, my gears start turning, and my eyes start flaring. “I‘m a fucking freak!” Vinyl keeps a straight face the whole time, looking at me with the true definition of patience. “And you‘ll still be Buddy.” I slump down in my stool. I’m done…She isn’t worth the energy…”What the hell you mean?” I mutter, laying my head on the counter with a rough ‘thump.’ She moves away from the counter, presumably to continue cleaning. “What I mean is; you can lift all the bars you want, be all the godly you want, and do all that jazz. You‘ll still be Buddy to me.” I shake my head, huffing loudly. “No I won‘t. I‘ll be a freak…I‘m a fucking hybrid, Vinyl.” I mumble against the wood of the counter, drool oozing from my mouth. She slithers out a heavy sigh, putting down another cup. “You‘re missing the point, papi.” I close my eyes, shaking my head as subtly as possible. “I don‘t need to. I‘m the only kind of my race. I was born alone, and I‘ll die alone.” “If that‘s your choice, do what you want.” She poises me to the bone, getting finished with another glass mug. I sigh deeply, picking my head up. The wood is starting to hurt against my temple. “My choice? It wasn‘t my choice to be born with this crap!” My voice suddenly rises to anger once again. This alcohol really puts me in a bad place…But fuck it takes away the pain. She shrugs calmly, leaning onto the counter again. “That‘s not what I meant, dude.” I clench my eyes shut, my anger going as quickly as it came. “Then what are you saying?” My heart is only half in the conversation. I’m only shitting by time until I knock myself out. “I mean,” She begins, pulling out another cup. “it wasn‘t your choice to be a ‘hybrid’, ye-” “Hollicorn.” I correct her, my eyes squinting. Why am I correcting her? I don’t even like the fucking name. “- Hollicorn, sorry. Wasn‘t your choice, but it’s your choice what to do with it.” She finishes, oh so sage-like. I roll my eyes, now peaking my minor interests. “Go on…” I mumble, mostly coaxed in by the alcohol. She tosses a rag behind her, now focusing all her efforts on me. “Power, no power, mare, no mare, scotch, no scotch- you‘re still going to be Buddy. It‘s what you choose to do with what you‘re given that will define you.” I lean my head back, my reality coming out of the pool of alcohol for the moment. My gaze narrows, my mind taking a little longer to process her words. I guess she’s right. Doesn’t make me happier, though. Thanks to the scotch, probably. “Don‘t do this to me, Vinyl.” She tilts her head for the first poke of curiosity on her face I’ve seen all night. “Do what?” She’s the type of pony that does the exact opposite. And…That’s what defines her. Damn you Vinyl, how are you showing me up at my own game? “You‘re making me feel empathetic for that first night here.” A very omniscient smirk spreads over her. “I get paid to do that.” Now that I remember. I told her ‘I get paid to do that’ as a remark to stalking on their argument that night. Damn, it’s crazy how things work sometimes. “And I get paid to burn through hard liquor.” Don’t know how I remember that. “Hahhaa!” She shouts, throwing her hoofs up high. “I can‘t believe you remember.” I roll my eyes, a slight jump in my ego forming. “Yeah, it‘s all I got though.” Probably cause the alcohol. “You made my night, dude.” A good, heart-felt chuckle coos from her mouth as she rubs a hoof over the counter. I can feel my dignity make a slow comeback to my soul. “So…You really don‘t care that I‘m like this?” She shakes her head, moving her lower lip underneath her upper. “Not really.” My curiosity fused with depression works well to ask stupid questions. “Why?” “Why?” She picks her head up as she seems to ask herself as well. “I‘d guess it‘s because I have no reason to.” I shake my head, confusion quickly replacing my curiosity, but not my depression. “I still don‘t understand…” Vinyl seems to have had enough with me not understanding and smacks both her hooves on the counter. “Listen.” She says firmly, her face real close. My eyes flutter open, my brain taking longer and longer to process her tone. I just nod my head, more shock than fear in me. She pulls off her glasses, staring at me real hard. “What do you think of me?” I open my mouth, but it takes a minute for words to come out. “I think you‘re a striking young mare.” I flatter her, a bird-like smirk forming over me. She continues to stare at me hard. “I am the daughter of the richest colt in Fillydelphia.” She states with a firm grip on my attention. I raise an eyebrow, nodding my head. “That‘s…Pre-” “All my life he‘d offer to buy me through college, buy me my house, pay my rent, send me shit, and all of that.” She continues on, pausing as she shakes her head. I open my mouth, and it again takes a minute for anything to come out. “Wh-” “And you know what I did?” She asks, an almost accusing stare on her face. I just stay quiet this time, letting her continue with her rant as I sit patiently. “I chose not to use a dime of it. I chose not to take the easy way, and instead make it all on my own. I went to school to get my own career, get my own job, and get my own income. There were times where I really, really could have used even twenty bits, and I had a ready stash from him, but I refused to go back on my word.“ She moves her hooves off the counter, and instead leans into it on her stomach. “Know why I did all that?” The only thing I can do when hit with a bunch of philosophy is shake my head. “Because I refuse to let him define me.” She leans back, placing her hooves on her waist. I never thought Vinyl to be so good with advice. It seems only a day ago that I was in her place, giving her the advice. Now it’s me, and I can feel the pressure. “I admire you a lot, you know?” I smirk up at her. Definitely not the alcohol doing that. She nods her head quickly, pride gushing from her. “I get that a lot.” I let her have her moment, nodding my head slowly. “Seriously, I appreciate it. You‘re a good pony.” I smile the most genuine one I have all day. She gets a little more serious with my praise, bowing her head slowly. “Hey, I have to really try to beat you in therapy.” I roll my eyes, moving the mug full of scotch away. “Don‘t let it go to your head now.” She gives a big toothy grin, showing off her bright-white teeth. “Eeeeh…You‘re easy. I won‘t put it on my goodness calendar.” She walks off and pulls out another cup, scrubbing it clean. I raise an eyebrow, putting both my hooves up on the counter. “Goodness calendar?” She picks her head up, putting the unfinished mug down. “Oh, ha! Well uhh…Octavia told me that I‘m not nice enough to ponies, so I decided to make a goodness calendar. Everyday I have to try to do something nice for somepony so I can mark the day, and when I don‘t I can‘t mark it on the calendar.” She explains really fast, then stuffs her cloth back inside the cup. I shake my head, gulping down the remnants of the scotch. Wow it tastes bitter…Alcohol is awful when I’m not in a shit mood. “That‘s a sure sign you‘re a dick.” She leans forward, finishing off the cup and gives me the most devious smirk of all time. “But I got your job, didn‘t I?” “Wow…You‘re an ass.” I laugh with much more heart, and I perk up from the counter. I could boast that I get paid more…But I remember that’s the whole reason why her friend hates me. “Yeah, but I have a nice ass.” She turns around, walking around the bar and uses it as an excuse to swing her hips around. I roll my eyes again, with extra wide eyes. “Yeah, well, Vinyl…I can‘t stay here all night, I have a bed calling my name.” I sit up from the stool, still looking over the counter at Vinyl. “Whatever, dude. Stop by tomorrow, uh huh?” She yells at me as she messes around in a sink. I nod my head to her, even though she isn’t looking. “It‘s a date.” I confirm and walk back around to the door. “Night!” She shouts loud across the bar. “Goodnight!” I yell back, then promptly shut the door behind me. I should’ve known Vinyl would find some way to make a big circle of fuckery. I don’t remember a lot about that first night…Bunch of philosophy; that’s all that is important. I’m surprised she didn’t get a “Is it half empty, or half full?” reference somewhere in there. That would’ve earned a big laugh from me. But…She’s right. In all her cocky, arrogant, asshole-righteousness, she’s totally correct. I shouldn’t let what I’ve been born with decide what I am. Nor should I allow other ponies to decide for me; I have to advocate for myself, and only I can make it happen. I am the master of my destiny. And tonight, I choose to go to damn bed! I couldn’t even sleep on that stupid ride because it was that boring. With haste, I make my way to my house. Luckily enough for me, it’s only a short walk away, and I don’t even have enough time to look at the sky and appreciate it. As I’m unlocking my door, pulling it open, I here the clear sound of hooves clacking against dirt. My minor paranoia has been on fire lately, and the coldness of the night isn’t helping. I jerk around, scanning through the dark streets of Ponyville. My attention is caught by a tan-looking pony emerging from a dark alley. “I fancy you the pony that all isuh telling about?” The deep voice speaks from the darkness, revealing it to be a stallion. I narrow my eyes, getting a good look at the pony’s dark red mane and his cold, sleepless eyes. “Depends. Lot‘s of ponies, lot‘s of telling.” The stallion opens his mouth to laugh, but nothing comes out. “You hear that?” He drops the act, making his way towards me with a superior stare. “It‘suh the sound of nopony around.” My eyes narrow at the stallion, and I make sure he is directly in front of me as he attempts to circle. “Don‘t do something you might regret.” My voice is surprisingly cool and collective even though I am feeling the swelling spores of fear. He stops, his side to me. “I didn‘t fight for my country to just let some freak waltzuh hisuh way in.” His ribbon-like eyes are glued onto me. Though I am clearly older than this colt, he looks like has been through more situations than I. A scar over his eyes, several on his hooves, and it looks like he has had plenty of nights without sleep. “I‘ll be trained by Twilight Sparkle. I bring no thr-” “Shut up.” His voice is rough, rigged, and solid. I narrow my eyes, planting my hoofs on the ground. I don’t move an inch other than my eyes, dead on my target. He follows me like predator, his eyes interlocking with mine. His mouth constantly moves, yet no words come out. I can only get a glimpse into what can only be described as a vanquished sea. His eyes…There’s no ocean. It’s only a plane of terrestrial death and decay; a dessert. I move my forehooves ever so slightly, my destination for the door. My subconscious picks up in the back of my mind that I am biting down on my lips too hard, but my primary focus is far too important to fully acknowledge the possibility that I am breaking skin. He moves his head forward, noticing my subtle movements. I can’t think: I have to do. My instincts speak to me, and I twist as quickly as I can, yanking open the door. Behind me, I hear the racketing sound of hooves, to which I continue to follow my instincts and bring my hind legs up and kick. The sickening sound of bone, flesh, and blood roars over me as I feel the crunch of the colt behind me. I jump at the moment, diving into my house and closing the door behind me. Now I can think, but my instincts flourish my whole circulatory system as I jerk my body to the wooden floor, rushing my way to my kitchen. It’s about as shitty as Vinyl’s. I curse to myself as I don’t find a weapon right away, my thoughts starting to become cluttered as I attempt to think of something- anything. The horrible sound of glass shattering and a series of thuds causes me to jerk my head back. There he was, like the mad-stallion he is, laying on the wooden floor with plenty of new scars to add to his collection. His face looks horrible with his left eyes barely open, his jaw already bruising, and his neck cut up. It’s a terrible thing to think about anything but survival right now, but I can’t help but mentally thank Applejack for all those Apple bucking sessions. His face looks like it has been through a few wars recently thanks to it. I stare too long as he picks himself up, scrapping his hooves against the icy floor. I turn back around, yanking open drawers and cabinets, swinging silverware and plates about. The harsh language of curse words being shouted behind me causes my attention to flare to the tan-colored stallion. I start to breathe heavily, realizing I am going to have to fight this trained warrior with hopes and dreams. Turning to face the rage-struck colt, I step from the kitchen and stand firm, waiting for him. He stands up with a firm stance, seeming to come back from his daze: a missed opportunity to strike. He circles me slowly, his right forehoof limping slightly. I eye him, noticing the limp and putting that knowledge in the back of my mind. We’re at a stalemate yet again, just like outside my door. He seems to whisper something, constantly moving his mouth, but still no words come out. I attempt to see farther than I really can, like I have the ability to zoom by squinting my eyes. His breath quickens into loud, rage-filled huffs until finally he bursts a sprint towards me, his head lowered to ram. I attempt to side-step his attack, and am met with a rough beat to my side at my failure. I lay sprawled on the ground, and quickly look for the attacker. He’s getting up, shaking his head as he too seems to be dazed from his double-edged attack. I leap at the chance, wincing as I climb to my hooves and charge the stallion. His eyes come to terms with my intentions and he braces himself for me, his flank high and forehooves low. I smash into him, our bodies colliding like thunder. Our muzzles meet as we try and struggle for an advantage, yanking and tugging at each other’s shoulders. Curses are exchanged between us as I start to become overpowered, my hind legs failing me. Realizing this, the superior colt smiles down at me wickedly, then tilts his head back as if he is charging energy, then screams as our heads collide. I can’t see anything, and I’m lucky to hear the faintest groan as I stumble to my hooves and wearily trot my way around the room. The very subtle sound of glass crunching causes me to lazily bring my gaze to the floor, and I find that I am stepping on glass. I’m hit with both a war cry and body as I’m sent onto the glass, the crazed attacker on top of me. He shouts profanities as he brings one of his hoofs up, ready to strike. With the aid of my distant instincts still guiding me, my hoof swings across and slams into his face, throwing him off of me. He crashes into a wall head first, creating a sizeable hole. Seizing the moment, my mind looks for the first exit and immediately clings to the stairs, and I find myself already half way up before I realize what I am doing. I am going on full adrenaline right now, blood pouring off my head and splashing- not dripping, splashing onto the floor beneath me. Once I get into my room and make my way to a dead end, I turn around to find the ever-moving pursuer. I clench my teeth, blood spurting from my mouth as I do. The crazed stallion chooses not to circle me like before, and instead just charges right after me, his head lowered again. Instead of leaping out of the way like last time, I duck just before he is going to hit and then lift my body up with all my strength as he hits me, causing him to fly through the air. I slump onto the ground, my hooves about to fall off. I have enough to turn my head around, looking at the destroyed colt with his head through my wall, narrowly missing the window. He proves to have greater endurance as he pulls himself from the second wall he has made friends with tonight and turns around, blood absolutely gushing from his wounds. It’s a miracle he can see. With a burst of my last remaining energy, I launch my body forward, tackling him into the window- then out. We both fumble our bodies onto the roof of my house, and I crunch my hooves into the tiles until I come to a stop. He does the same, and recovers much quicker as he gets away from the edge and walks to me diligently, limping from every one of his legs. I groan as I get to my hooves, now my adrenaline beginning to fail. I stare at him, one of my eyes not opening properly. The one that does work is being blinded with red splotches of blood and fading color. Still, my perseverance gets a hold of me as I take a stance, and prepare for him. He launches towards me, leaving behind a trail of his stained blood. Not really sure of what to do this time, I turn around quickly and try to catch him off guard with another one of my apple bucking kicks, compliments of Applejack. He doesn’t fall for it again as I’m lifted into the air, and we’re both launched back inside my house through the wall and then continue to rip through my cardboard house’s ceiling. I roll over the opposite side of my roof, and he follows my tumbling as we nearly fall off. I brace myself however, finding strength that I never knew I had. He, however, has a lot more than me and is already up, rushing to me with a purpose. I wince, getting to my hooves just before he comes within feet of me. He stops himself, panting heavily. Blood gushing from his head, mouth, neck, eyes, and legs as he keeps himself locked onto me. Seeing how extensive his injuries are, my curiosity is provoked and I look over myself, taking note that I can barely see him in front of me. My hooves look like they’re almost broken and my neck feels extremely stiff. I’m glad I don’t have a mirror. He limps towards me, and I see the first glimpse of exhaustion on the difficult stallion. Though I am in a far less favorable state, my confidence starts to build back up and I take my final stand, my tail swishing in the breeze of Luna’s night. He increases his pace until he completely regains his speed and jumps at me. I leap to him, and our bodies create lightning over my house as we collide. I shove my hoof against his chest, trying to push him away from me as we both slowly slide down my roof. He rolls over me, giving us both some much needed space before bringing a hoof up. My instincts come a little late and before I am able to smack him away, I see his tan color through the red in my eye before nothingness. I can’t see anything more than a single color: tan. And just before it clutters my eyesight further, I rocket my hoof up in response and feel the familiar cracking of bones and blood splattering on me as I connect. I definitely didn’t just suckerpunch the moon, so my guess is, I hit him. And I hit him hard. I hear a tumbling sound, presumably him rolling over the roof until I find the lonely sound of struggling. He’s trying to stop himself from falling off. I rush over to the sound, finding my footing and making it my mission in life to detect exactly where he is. He huffs loudly, his hooves screeching against the roof’s tiles until he stops, right in front of me. With a complete hunch, I swing my hoof in front of me, and I meet the horrible sound once again. The crunching of his jaw erupts from the silent of the night, the spurting of blood and teeth from his mouth creating chatter in my own, and the horrible cry of agony bellowing from him as he begins to fall. I feel a tug on my hoof, and before I can comprehend anything else, I feel the rush of wind against me as my mane swooshes over my face and my tail rockets between my legs. I’m falling to my death. From atop my new home- my new smashed up home- I am falling in the night, and the only company I have is a fellow stallion who also has a meeting with death. Even though we just had the brawl of a lifetime, I can feel sympathy for this colt. I’d guess that when you are about to die, and you know it, you really think about things. I am just a random pony who came into Equestria, and was born this way. In a kind of sense, I learned something without him even telling me. He beat it into me, more like it. I was born to be special. Vinyl is right, it is what I do with what I’m given that defines me, but this colt…This pony falling with me right now taught me something. I was given more choices than any normal pony. Vinyl chose not to live the easy way because she could make that choice. Some ponies are forced to take the hard way, like my fellow soon-to-be-dead friend. As I’m falling…I wonder if this colt would be friends with me? If it were different circumstances; if he knew then that I understood his choice, would we have still killed each other? I just hope that maybe, maybe in some part of this pony’s heart, that we could have been friends. That would be nice. Friends with somepony that, in an alternate universe, kills you. I wouldn’t mind it though. I guess, when you’re falling, you think about a lot of things- especially with the all encompassing presence of death- such as what you’ve done, how you’ve lived, and who you’ve loved. But not me. I look at the future: what will Twilight do? Will she blame herself? Probably. What about Vinyl? She probably would too, and use some excuse that if she had kept me a little longer, I would be alive. Silly Vinyl, always about yourself. I wonder what the rest of them would do? Fluttershy would undoubtedly be more sincere, heartbroken, and severely cut from any emotion other than utter-depression. Applejack would be horrified, but would most likely be the pony that pulls the rest together, making those morale’s high. Rainbow Dash would most likely let her pride subside, even if it’s for a second, and let me have a sense of dignity with her mourn. Rarity would be absolutely devastated- we’ve shared many days and nights together. We made tons of gifts for our friends, and I guess she’ll be keeping this week’s check. Pinkie Pie…I still remember when Rainbow Dash told me about the time Pinkie’s hair went flat and she went a little nutty. I imagine something like that would happen, and it’s awful that I am one of the causes of her extremely rare mood drops. Spike, my little solid dude, he would probably mourn me mostly because he saw how strong of a connection me and Twilight had. And Twilight…Oh, how I beg for a chance to go to her in the afterlife. If there is some malevolent force that I meet in the afterlife, I hope they have mercy so I may look upon her one last time- so I may sail just one last time before I depart on my last adventure. And as I fall…I think of something. If I could talk to just one pony- just one- before I die, what would I tell them? What words would be so structured and meaningful coming from a dying pony that would strike them throughout their entire compendium of secrets in their minds? If I could say just one thing to any pony that would listen, I would tell them, “Nights last forever when you‘re falling.”
