A Troublesome Life

“Agghhh… my head…”

Okay, maybe I should start from the beginning: My name is Strumming Chords, but, everyone calls me Strum. Um, well, I have spiky, blonde hair, that is, more or less, a bit green. My eyes are a bright blue. My fur is a pale shade of beige. I… think that’s it.

Well, anyways, I used to live in Canterlot. I know, I know, you think “Oh, one of the rich, spoiled kids, eh?” Well, no, rude-thinking-person. My mom; Viola, my dad; Lute, my brother; Fret, and I were a… middle class family. We usually got money from our little family band. Oh, I forgot to mention, my cutiemark is a guitar, because, well… I love the guitar.

Wait, okay, I’m trailing off. Anyways, when Canterlot started to get a bit old, what with the rich folks all around, and the same old boring routine, I decided to move. I could’ve moved to say, Manehattan, or, Las Pegasus. But, hey, I grew up in the freakin’ capital of Equestria: I’d had enough of big cities. Well, I ended up deciding to move to Ponyville.

And… then I was pick pocketed on the train. So, what else to do but go ape-shit on the guy? Yeah… I’m pretty quick to anger as well… Anyways, I beat him down with my guitar case… and… tried to… gouge his eyes out. I got my money back, but… I kinda… blacked out. Y’know how sometimes you might get so angry, so worked up, that you kinda pass out from anger? Yeah, I think that’s what happened.

Anyways, I woke up at the train station. I had no clue who had helped me off the train, but, I wish I could thank them. Oh, also, I hate to be mean, unless the situation calls for it. And, that’s where this story shoots off:

“Agghhh… my head…” I groaned. I looked around. This must be Ponyville, I thought. Then I remembered what happened. I immediately checked my saddle bags. Good, everything’s still there. I looked to my left, and I saw the familiar shape of my guitar case. I let out a sigh of relief. I stood up, a bit groggily. A ringing hit my ears. I looked to the ground. Some bits had fallen off of me. Great, people thought I was some sort of homeless guy, I thought. Still, though: There must’ve been twenty bits. I picked them up. I mean, seriously, who’d leave them there?

I stood up, and lugged my case unto my back. I looked around again. Then I realized, how’ll I find my way around? I looked around for anyone who could help me. There weren’t many people around, and the ones I did talk to thought I was… a homeless man. I let out a sigh of frustration. I walked away from the train station, and wandered aimlessly.

“Are you lost?” Asked a mare’s voice. I turned to face a lavender mare with dark purple hair with a pink streak in it. I realized that she had wings… and a horn. Then I bowed down. How’d I not recognize princess Twilight Sparkle?

She looked a bit confused. I stood up, and apologized. She asked me again.

“Uh… heh, yeah.”  I said, a bit stupidly.  She laughed.

“I’m guessing you’re new here?” She asked

“Uh, yeah… this is Ponyville… right?” I asked, a bit worried that I ended up somewhere completely different. She laughed again.

“Yes, this is Ponyville. I’m Twilight Sparkle, nice to meet you.” She said.

“Strumming Chords, but everyone calls me Strum.” I said automatically. Whenever I meet new people, I say that. It’s become an automatic function in my mind. When you’re in the music business, you meet a lot of people… well, I wasn’t THAT famous.

“Well, Strum, maybe I can show you around?” She said, cutting off my train of thought.

“Yeah, that’d be gre-“

“Twilight! There you are! I need your help over at Sweet Apple Acres!” Yelled a mare’s voice with a southern accent.

I looked past Twilight to see an orange mare with a Stetson. She had a blonde mane, tied in a (wait for it) a ponytail. Her tail was similar. She ran up to Twilight, panting. I stood for a moment. Obviously, these two must be friends… or… Twilight’s the ‘go-to-gal’ for people’s problems. The latter seemed a bit ridiculous.

“There’s… somethin’… terrible…” The orange mare panted. Twilight seemed to be worried.

“What is it?” She asked her. The orange mare was still gaining her breath.

“Sheesh, it’s like you just ran a few miles… sorry.” I said. I had apologized, because I felt it was a bit rude. Ah, yes, about that; I try to be as kind as I can, and I am a bit… shy. That’s usually why I stutter around new people.

Got off track again. The orange mare looked up to me. She laughed a bit, and regained her posture.

“Howdy, there. I’m Apple Jack.” She said with a smile. She held out her fore-hoof, and I shook.

“I haven’t seen you before, you new around here?” She asked.

“Uh, y-y-y-yeah, I-I-I a-am.” I said. I wasn’t stuttering, it’s just that the force of her hoof-shake was making me bounce up and down.

“Nice to meet you… uh…” She said.

“Strumming Chords, but everyone calls me Strum.” I said. There was that damn introduction function.

“Nice to meet you Strum.” She said, smiling. That smile disappeared, and she turned back to Twilight.

“Twi, you need to come with me.” She said, sternly.

“Oh, well, okay, but I was about to show Strum arou-AAGH.” Apple Jack had grabbed her, and started pulling her. I didn’t know what to do, so I ran after them. Hey, I said earlier, I try to be kind, and, I thought that I may be of service to this problem.

~~~~~~~~~~

I was panting and huffing when we got there. Hey, I’m not the fittest of people. Anyways, when we got there, I saw a few more people around. There was a white unicorn with curled purple main and tail, a cyan pegasus  with a rainbow main and tail, a butter-yellow Pegasus with light pink hair, a pink pony with pink, cotton-candy-like hair, a large, red stallion with blonde hair, and three fillies who didn’t have there cutiemarks. They were crowded around something. We ran up to them, and they made way. We looked at what they were crowded around.

An apple.

I laughed so hard. I thought I would start crying. Twilight looked confused. I continued to laugh. I then realized that everyone was giving me cold glares. I coughed a bit, and said, “Sorry,” a few times. Twilight asked a few questions to them, as to why it was such a problem.

Okay, so, here’s the problems with the apple: 1) It’s not one of theirs 2) It’s relatively large for an apple, and 3) It just ate a squirrel. I laughed a bit at the part about the squirrel, and apologized again. Twilight’s horn shone and the apple… thing, shone with a pink-ish aura. It’s mouth opened, and showed two rows of razor-sharp teeth, and a long, slug-like tongue.  It gnashed at us, and I jumped back a bit. It made a sort of screaming sound. I then realized what it was. And I giggled a bit excitedly.

“I can’t believe I’m seeing one in real-life! This is SO AWESOME!” I yelled. Everyone turned to me confused. They looked at me as if I were a lunatic.

“Uh… what?” Asked the cyan Pegasus.

“Do you know what this is?” asked one of the little fillies. I looked down to meet the face of a yellow filly with a large red bow in her hair. I looked back to everyone, a huge grin on my face.

“It’s a mimic! They’re creatures that take form of every-day objects, and catch pray that stray close to them! They’re so cool! I never thought I’d see one in real-life!” I said, letting out a few more excited giggles. Again they looked at me as if I were insane. Twilight’s face then turned to an expression of understanding.

Oh, another thing. How’d I know about this? Well, my uncle had traveled Equestria, and had taken notes on all of the creatures and plants he found. Somehow, he fit it into a small journal… well, I think magic was used, he was a unicorn, after all. Anyways, he gave them to me when he finished his travels. He had retired from his hobby. He’s a great hero in my eyes. I read the journals almost all the time, and re-read the entries I really liked, like, the Colossi myths. My mom had made sure what I was reading was appropriate, and wouldn’t let me read s a few entries, like, the succubus, or the Mata hemlock plant.

Anyways, Twilight used a few spells, and put the mimic in a four-boding forest. I took out my uncle’s journal, and wrote on an empty page: DON’T GO INTO THE EVERFREE. I did that more-or-less for my future children, or, anyone who found it.

“I’m happy that’s dealt with.” Said Apple Jack.

“Eeyup.” Said the large stallion.

Then they all turned to me.

“How’d you know what that thing was?” asked the cyan Pegasus. I looked up at her, and smiled.

“I have a source in which would melt the weak’ s eyes, and make the strong cower.” I said in a dark tone. Her eyes widened as if in terror, then went to a look of a challenge.

“Oh yeah? Well, what is this source, and, can I see it?” She said. I laughed pretty loudly.

“I was kidding. It’s all in this journal.” I said, opening my saddle bag, and producing the small, tattered, brown book. She snatched it up, and started to read. I was about to… well… in all truth, beat the shit out of her. I hate it when people take things dear to me, and treat them with the slightest care. If she had ripped a page, it would’ve been the last thing she’d seen. She handed it back to me, with a bit of distaste. She looked into my eyes, and, she froze. I realized that I was literally giving her a ‘death look’, you know, the one you give to people you want to kill. I took the book, put it back in my saddle bag, and regained my composure, as; I had also gotten ready to pounce on her. I cleared my throat.

“I’m sorry, it’s just that the journal is very precious to me.” I said. The cyan mare flew back a bit. A few others took a step back, as well.

“Anyways, I suppose I should introduce myself: Strumming Chords, but everyone calls me Strum.” Again, it was automatically said. Almost all of them introduced themselves. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Big Macintosh, Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo. And, all except one had introduced themselves. The only one who hadn’t was the butter-colored Pegasus with pink hair.

“And how about you?” I asked with a smile. I was just trying to be friendly. She was hiding behind her hair. She avoided eye-contact with me. My smile faded a bit. I never thought I’d meet someone more shy than me. The others looked at me, and I started to feel a bit awkward. I shifted my hooves, and she kicked at the ground. I coughed, and looked to the others.

“Um… can you please stop starring at me? It’s… uncomfortable.” I said. Apple Jack spoke up.

“C’mon Applebloom, Big Mac, we gotta get back to the barn.” She said.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac said. Sheesh, did he know any other words?

“I gotta get back to work.” Said Rainbow Dash, as she stretched and yawned. I had a feeling ‘work’ meant sleeping on the job.

“Well I-OOF” I said while the wind was knocked out of me. Pinkie had jumped onto me, and gave me a bear-hug. I swear I felt a few ribs crack and pop, as well as my life flashing before my eyes. Huh… so that’s where I left my favorite toy when I was five… Anyways, she yelled something, but it was faint and far away. I heard another voice, and then I fell to the ground, gasping for air. I stood up, coughing.

“What the hell!?” I yelled “Do bears even hug that hard?!” Pinkie gave me the ‘puppy-dog eyes’. Frankly, I haven’t seen a pony be able to pull it off. Somehow, she managed, and it made me feel bad.

“Sorry.” I said. She gave me a huge grin, and started talking about a welcoming party. I started to get a head ache. She hopped of… literally, hopping, and continued to talk to herself. I looked to Twilight, Rarity, and the butter-colored mare.

“Is she always like that?” I asked, moving around a bit to make sure my ribs were all right.

“Yes” Rarity and Twilight said in unison. I looked to the butter-yellow mare.

“So, what was your name, again?” I asked, smiling. She mumbled something that sounded like “butter pie”. It suited her fur color. To be sure, I repeated what I heard.

“Sorry, but, did you say ‘butter pie’?” I asked, still smiling. She hid a bit behind Rarity, and made a ‘squee’ sound, like a tiny scream. It was adorable, and heart-breaking at the same time. I felt like saying ‘bawwwww’, but held myself.

“It’s… fluttershy “ She said… or… whispered.  I tried to put it together, resulting in an odd silence between us all.

“Fluttershy?” I said.

“…yes…” She whispered. Well, I suppose the name suits her personality. I smiled at her warmly. Her face was already red, and it turned a darker hue of said red. Wow… I thought I was shy. She seemingly can’t talk to me. I held out a hoof for a shake. Her hoof stayed on the ground. I put mine down awkwardly. She still didn’t make eye contact. I rubbed the back of my head. This was really awkward. Twilight and Rarity were suppressing smiles, though, not too well.

“Well, I need to get back to the boutique.” Rarity said. She trotted off. I felt a bit more uncomfortable. Twilight looked to me.

“So, would you like a tour around Ponyville?” She asked. I looked at her, and smiled, a bit relieved that the silence was breaking.

“Heh, yeah, that’d be great.” I said enthusiastically. I looked back at Fluttershy. For a moment, her eye darted from me, back to the ground, and once again, she hid behind her hair. Again, I felt like ‘bawing’ because, once again, it was an adorable gesture. Usually I don’t find full-grown mares adorable, but, she pulled it off. I looked back at Twilight.

“Allons-y” I said… I never really knew much French.