Communication Errorby cAPSlOCKChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 1A silhouette wandered aimlessly down a dimly lit Ponyville street. Late at night, the only light was from the Princess Luna’s moon, reflecting the light of its elder. The shadow walked, keeping pace with a piece of garbage effortlessly skipping down the road by the wind, his only company during the quiet night. He made a turn and entered a small house in need of some repair. The paint hasn’t stood the test of time, only fifty percent of the house is colored white, and even then its shine has been lost to filth. The interior wasn’t any better, what remains of the carpet is stained beyond the power of any detergent. There wasn’t a corner without a dinner-plate sized cobweb in it. The internal temperature was at the mercy of the weather, for there was no heat or air conditioning. The electricity had been long shut off, and the dwelling was supposed to be empty. The previous owners had moved years ago, and the house had been devoid of everything but the roof itself for years. The figure carefully walked through the pitch-black house, trying not to make a sound despite the fact that there was nobody he could disturb. He knew the house like the back of his hand. He made his way to a small table. He didn’t worry about tripping over anything – there was nothing there. He lit a candle, and the room around him suddenly came into light. There was a small sofa, terribly uncomfortable, that served as the centerpiece to the room. There were many other rooms, but they served no purpose. All were empty except the kitchen, which featured a wood stove. This would have been an asset, but the only wood that could be gathered was in the Everfree Forest, and it wasn’t worth the effort or the potential danger. The shadowy figure also was revealed in the flicker emanating from the wick’s glow. He was an earth pony, young – but not a small child. He was no older than seventeen. His green coat was filthy and matted, but that didn’t matter. He was home. He called it home, anyway. The house was by no means his, and he was trespassing. But nobody cared about the status of this particular house, so he didn’t worry about being discovered. Besides, if somepony had decided to buy that house among all of the other vacant homes in Ponyville, they probably needed it more than he did. He carried the dish that held the candle between his teeth and he laid down on the sofa. It was small and uncomfortable, but still better than the floor. He set the candle down on the floor next to him, careful to keep the candle from tipping. He curled up in a ball and shivered. Without blankets, some nights in Ponyville were brutal, especially then, in the late autumn. The young stallion rose from the couch and made his way to table once again. There, he took a few more candles, and lit them all at once. There were seven in all, each decently sized. That was what he had. Seven candles were his only option for warmth. Though the small flames provided next to no heat, perhaps the thought of there being fire nearby would have had a psychological impact on him, making him think he was warmer than he was. He slept, despite the cold and the discomfort. The cold comes around every year, and though he couldn’t say he was used to it, he was at least familiar with it, and knew that he had survived worse. He woke up the next morning and looked around. Celestia’s sun had just peeked over the horizon and the chill of the night hadn’t completely vanished. He stood, and stretched out his legs. The morning traffic hadn’t started yet, and then was the perfect time to leave without anypony noticing. He stepped out, careful not to alert anyone who may be nearby. He had nothing to do in the mornings, or at any time for that matter. He just had one job, and that was to survive. Food. That was important. He had no job or money, and had to find something to eat. Despite his situation, garbage was below him, and he refused to scavenge. He wasn’t a thief, either. He survived on the wild apples that grew in the more remote areas. He had discovered a location on the edge of the Everfree Forest where the fruit was abundant. He rarely went there, for there was a cottage nearby, and he often saw a yellow pegasus pony out and about with the local animals. That particular day, he decided to risk it. He made his way toward the apple trees and examined the available selection. There were about six trees in all, and they were right next to each other. As he approached the one with the ripest fruit, a squirrel moved nearby, causing him to jump. He took a few worried glances around him; he didn’t want to be seen. He was a timid young stallion, self-conscious as can be. It would be better if nopony knew he existed. The only thing worse than poverty was the harsh judgments of the middle and upper classes. He got in a position to buck the tree, his hind legs lifted into the air. “Umm… excuse me?” He turned and made eye contact with a yellow pegasus for a split second, then ran away as fast as his legs would take him. He ran until he couldn’t anymore. It wasn’t very far, considering his malnourishment, but it was far enough to be out of the eyes of any and everypony. He collapsed at the top of a hill, exhausted, hungry, and lost. That was when he fell apart. He was a strong pony, hardened from his experiences, but even he wasn’t made of stone. He shielded his face in his forehoofs and sobbed. Every terrible event he had ever experienced rushed back to him to assist his despair in tormenting him. In school, he was as shy as ever, and his fears were real. Bullies had their fun with him; he had no Cutie Mark. His flank was still bare at the age of ten. He was unintelligent, nearly failing every class he was enrolled in. He had no real friends; his only company had ever been inanimate. He was awkward, in both appearance and personality. His legs were unnaturally short and his thick mane couldn’t be maintained. He wasn’t a people pony, his sense of humor was pathetic and he didn’t know how to make friends. There were many ponies that had similar traits, but they were unaware, and the burdens had no effect on them emotionally. But he was the exception; He was brutally aware of his shortcomings. Maybe he couldn’t do long division, or tell you what year Princess Celestia banished Nightmare Moon, but he knew that he was an outcast. He lived in a never-ending rut until he was thirteen. His mother had fallen ill, and he took care of her. His father worked to support his family, and the medical bills took up a vast majority of the paycheck. Despite the effort put in by everypony, her condition never improved, and it was only a matter of time before Death had tightened his grip. He and his father never were the same. His father entered a depression that led to alcohol abuse, and the poisoning that followed took his life, orphaning a fourteen year old son. The depression inevitably spread to him. But rather than seek help, he began to fear the ponies around him, and the inevitable pain associated with each and every one. He fled his home town without another word, and has been living in the Ponyville streets for three years. He regrets leaving, for he has faced more hardship than he could have imagined. It wasn’t as simple as walking into town and talking to somebody. He was shy, and feared the reactions of the people if he made himself known. His life was hard, but it was predictable. He had a routine. He was locked in a daily plan for survival, doing nothing more, and nothing less. He had no future, no destiny. And at age 17, his bare flank reminded him of that every day. Chapter 2His eyes opened as the sun was setting on the horizon. He stood up, frantically looking around. The events that had occurred at the apple trees suddenly came back to him. He had cried himself to sleep, and remembered why. He sat back down on the ground, on the patch of grass that his body had flattened during his unconsciousness. He remained silent and motionless until he couldn’t take it anymore, and he stood. He looked around, this time for a reason. He had to find out where he was, and get back to a place he knew – home or not. He saw no signs of civilization; a vast meadow expanded in three directions, the fourth being the tree line that he had come from. He could go there, but that wouldn’t guarantee he’d be in an area he was familiar with. He wandered around, the ground being so flat that he wouldn’t have to worry about becoming more lost. He stopped at every individual flower, at every pebble out of place, and observed it. He had no reason, and he knew that aimlessly wandering would get him nowhere, but it kept him occupied. He continued to do this until the sun was reduced to a sliver, and the light faded marking another day done. He had found a particularly padded patch of grass and decided to make that his bed. He hadn’t been awake for an hour, but he was exhausted as if he had gone days on end without a wink of sleep. He had settled in, and was about to drift back into the land of dreams when a light caught his attention from the distance. He was suddenly alert, and tried to make sense of the light. He crept closer, being careful not to be seen. This was hard, considering the lack of hills and trees that he would have used to aid in his camouflage. He approached the light and was able to make out that the light had a shape. It was no doubt a flame. A campfire, perhaps? Yes. That was it. He got closer to see exactly who was camping out in the middle of nowhere. Before he was able to make out a face, or even a body for that matter, whoever was over there yelled to him. “Howdy, stranger!” He immediately froze. He was still relatively far away, and in the light, there was no way he could have been seen from that distance. He turned around and was about to run, but he stopped himself before he took a step in the other direction. He was desperate for help, and there was no point hiding from somepony when there was nowhere to hide, and that pony knew he was there. “You wanna come get warm?” He had nothing to lose, but he was still cautious. He hadn’t spoken to a soul in years, and he wasn’t exactly comfortable striking up a conversation with somepony he didn’t know in the slightest. But more importantly, he didn’t know how this stranger would react to him. Many of his notable physical flaws had been fixed by aging, but he had no chance of making a friend. He was a terrible talker, never able to focus on a topic, and years without social interaction weren’t going to fix that. He put his worries aside and hesitantly took a step toward the mystery pony. One became two, then ten, each step less hesitant than the last. Eventually, he was at a brisk jog and stopped himself right next to the fire. He embraced its warmth, for he hadn’t had a real fire or a real heat source (other than the sun) in ages. He was entranced by the glow up close, an unpredictable yet controlled pyrotechnic display that radiated light and the warmth he had longed for. He was lost in the blaze’s beauty until the real world snuck up on him in the form of a voice. “What are you doing all the way out here, anyway?” the stranger asked. The green stallion said nothing and stared at the ground, his mind trying to travel, but going nowhere. He opened his mouth to speak, but he coughed. He hadn’t muttered a word in years; he hadn’t needed to. He cleared his throat, then still staring at the ground, he managed to utter “I’m lost.” The stranger chucked. “I can see that. Where do you live?” His only response was an empty stare. “You know, your home?” He let his eyes leave the ground, and he got his first look at the stranger. He was an orange earth pony stallion with his eyes a deep emerald green. He had no particularly notable features other than his curly brown mane, which though unkempt, appeared almost fashionable; and a yellow shirt, which was somewhat unusual because ponies only wore clothing on special occasions or gatherings. His cutie mark featured an accordion-shaped grilled cheese sandwich, the black keys being the grill lines. It was an odd combination, an accordion as one’s special talent was reasonable… but a sandwich? “I don’t… I don’t have one.” “Oh boy…” the orange stallion frowned, “This is worse than I thought.” The youth cocked his head to the side in confusion. “Oh, right. The name’s Cheese Sandwich: Party Pony Extraordinaire. I travel Equestria throwing parties and delivering smiles. I was on my way to Ponyville to meet up with some friends of mine and was camping here for the night.” The young stallion still appeared confused. “Oh, that. I have a Cheesy Sense.” He only blinked. “It’s a bizarre sixth sense that tells me where I need to spread smiles, and I picked you up from all the way over there. Normally, I can tell when something is happening from across Equestria, but you’re just one pony. Now enough about me. What do you call yourself?” That question took him by surprise. It was a standard question, but he hadn’t heard it in he didn’t know how long. He paused and was speechless, despite the simplicity of the question. “Don’t tell me you don’t have one of those either!” He definitely had a name, but for a split second, he couldn’t remember it. He manages to respond: “Wintergreen.” “Mind if I call you Greenie?” Cheese Sandwich asked, “I’m gonna call you Greenie.” Wintergreen shrugged. “Anyway,” Cheese Sandwich continued, “if I want to get to the bottom of all of this depression, I’m gonna have to know where it all started.” Wintergreen’s expression suddenly changed from one of exhaustion to one of anger. “You can forget it. I’ve lived it all once. There’s no way I’m going to make myself live it over again.” Cheese Sandwich was shocked. “Come on, Greenie,” Cheese Sandwich pleaded, “How bad could it really be?” That was a stupid question, and Cheese Sandwich knew it right after it left his mouth. His response was a deadly glare. Wintergreen growled under his breath, regretting ever leaving his cold, abandoned dwelling that morning. Cheese had immediately regretted his inquiry. He stood, and walked toward his tent, which he already had pitched. He entered his temporary habitation, and emerged with a rolled up sleeping bag. “Here,” he said, “It’s an extra. You can stay by the fire if you like, but you can take this and leave, if that’s what you want.” He set the sleeping bag on the ground next to Wintergreen and reentered his tent. He was a party pony, a bringer of smiles, and he would not rest until he had done his duty. The next morning, Cheese Sandwich emerged to see Wintergreen asleep by the fire, wrapped in the sleeping bag like a newborn foal. It was a start, but it would take more to transform Wintergreen. A lot more. Chapter 3Cheese Sandwich decided to let Wintergreen sleep. His destination was Ponyville, which was only about a two hour walk, and he wasn’t supposed to meet Pinkie and the others until tomorrow. He had left from Manehattan far too early out of sheer excitement, and he felt amazing just being on his way to see his role model and her friends. But being early could wait. He had more important things to tend to. Wintergreen was in need of a friend, and he was the closest thing to one. They got off on the wrong hoof, but Cheese Sandwich was sure he could patch things up. He wasn’t an insensitive pony, quite the opposite. He had sympathy for the abandoned, for he was once one of them. Cheese Sandwich promised to make everypony smile, and he was going to work especially hard on Wintergreen. He put out the remaining fire that flickered, trying to spread itself and expand, only to be stopped by the matter it had already laid to waste. He retrieved a relatively large pouch from the tent and poured its content on the ground. Some hay, a few slices of bread, a few apples, but a majority of the bulk consisted of sweets. Candy of all assortments and colors laid out before him. The chocolates were melted and deformed, but by all means edible. His eyes scanned his food stash and he reached for an apple, only to push it away and grab a hoofful of gummy worms. As he filled his face with sugar, Wintergreen stirred in his sleeping bag, then drearily let his eyes find their way open. He sat up and looked around, observing the small campsite he had neglected to pay any real attention to. The previous night, he only focused on two things: the fire and Cheese Sandwich. The site consisted of Cheese’s tent, the fire pit (which was a pile of ash inside a rock circle), and a tarp, which he assumed was in case of rain. Whatever else Cheese had packed was in his tent. As he finished looking around the crude little campsite, his gaze stopped on Chesse Sandwich, who made eye contact back. “Mornin’, Greenie,” Cheese Sandwich said with a mouth full of food, “You sleep well?” Wintergreen nodded . “Better than I have in years.” “That’s good to hear. Here, have one of these,” Cheese Sandwich said as he tossed an apple to Wintergreen. Rather then catch it, Wintergreen panicked and dodged it, moving to one side. The apple landed in the tall grass a few feet behind him, and was instantly concealed by the uncut vegetation. Realizing his error, he trotted over to where he thought it had landed, looked around, and recovered the red fruit. He devoured it in three large bites. He was no stranger to hunger, but he was no stranger to eating, either. “Want something else?” Cheese asked, showing him the pile of assorted food and candy. Wintergreen nodded and went to where Cheese Sandwich was sitting. He scanned the pile until grabbing a blue ball. “You don’t want that,” Cheese Sandwich said, “That’s gum.” He set the gumball down and settled on a hay sandwich and a piece of chocolate. “I can’t remember the last time I had an actual meal,” Wintergreen said as he was finishing the first half of his sandwich, “I don’t think I can finish this. My body is used to a couple apples a day, or maybe a fish.” He set the other half of his sandwich on the ground and sat. “If you don’t mind me asking,” Cheese Sandwich said, “Why are you here? I mean, there’s nothing here for you to live on. You can’t tell me you’ve survived for years out here.” “I was on one of my daily food runs and a pony found me. I ran away as fast as I could.” “What, were you stealing?” “No. I just don’t like ponies.” That statement was unsettling for Cheese Sandwich, who paused in the middle of cleaning up camp upon hearing it. “Well,” Cheese Sandwich said, concerned, “Is that why you left your home and your family?” Wintergreen winced at that question. “Yeah,” Wintergreen sighed, “You can say that.” “Do you know where you’re going?” “I don’t have a deed or anything, but there’s an abandoned house in Ponyville that I usually stay. No electricity, no plumbing; nothing but the walls, the roof, and a couch.” “Do you want to travel with me?” Cheese Sandwich offered, “I’m going to Ponyville to visit some friends of mine.” “If you know the way, I guess I can follow.” He helped the party pony pack up, and was surprised to see that everything fit in a couple saddlebags, which Cheese Sandwich was able to comfortably carry on his back. “We should probably get moving. Can you grab the compass out of my left saddlebag?” Wintergreen grabbed the compass. “Which direction is north?” Wintergreen examined the needle, and when it settled, he pointed in the same direction, and they set off. While they walked, Cheese Sandwich tried starting a conversation that he could carry on, but Wintergreen wasn’t aware of anything current. “Hey,” Wintergreen said, “What’s happened in the last few years?” Cheese Sandwich told him about Nightmare Moon, who desired eternal night; about Discord, who tried to plunge the world into chaos; and about King Sombra, who tried to reclaim his empire. But what really made Wintergreen think was how they were all stopped: by the wielders of the Elements of Harmony. They were Equestria’s heroines, and they seemed surreal. Six average ponies that came together to save the world on more than one occasion. He thought about how everything changed for them, how they became celebrities, immortalized in history overnight. Then he thought about himself, whose life went from bad to worse overnight. Life was unpredictable, and he was doomed from the start. He had enough problems getting along with everypony, but when his parents, his only solace from the world of judgment around him, died, he knew he had no hope finding his way through his life with everypony, so he removed himself from the problem. He turned and ran. He envied the Elements, their fortune, all of it. They just kinda waltzed in and said “We’re here, everypony look at us.” He made it clear to Cheese Sandwich that he was angry about how easy they had it, about how they bathed in luck while he bathed in filth. As a result, Cheese Sandwich decided not to tell him that the ponies he was on his way to visit, his greatest friends, were those very ponies that Wintergreen detested. The rest of the trip was uneventful. They simply walked without a word to one another, keeping their eye on the prize, and that prize was Ponyville. When they finally arrived in the square, Cheese Sandwich reached into his saddlebag and gave Wintergreen a small amount of money. “This is for whatever you need. Batteries, food, whatever.” Wintergreen looked at the hooffull of bits and then at Cheese. “I’m… uh… not too uh… good at this… but… thanks.” “No problem!” Cheese Sandwich said with jollity, “It was good to make another friend. You CAN’T have too many of those!” They went their separate ways: Wintergreen to his “home”, and Cheese Sandwich to Sugarcube Corner. Chapter 4The party pony was hyped with anticipation as he made his way through the city streets. The hustle and bustle of the smiling citizens overjoyed him, and the only thing on his mind was seeing his role model, Pinkie Pie. He liked Applejack, and Rarity, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash (He and Pinkie pulled off a killer party for her), but Pinkie had a special place in his heart. She was his superior, her only weakness being formality, and was just an all around good friend. On top of that, it was her that introduced Cheese to parties, and is therefore responsible for his actions; his smiles spread, his friends made, and his days lightened. As that thought crossed his mind, he stopped in the middle of a busy sidewalk. His enthusiasm had been instantly drained, and a frown appeared on his face, which was rarer than anything. His thoughts had moved to his latest project, a certain green pony that had abandoned all hope for himself. He remembered his vow, and remembered he had failed. Time had gone by too quickly, and now, all he was was an escort. He had promised to make Wintergreen smile, and brighten up his life. All he had succeeded in doing was carry on an idle conversation. He never smiled once. He never laughed once. He was alone. He knew what had to be done. Pinkie Pie was an expert. She could definitely fix this. After all, she was the best party pony out there. Chimes rang as the door to Sugarcube Corner opened. The sweet notes alerted the Cakes of their customer, and Carrot Cake was at his service in seconds. “Hello, sir. I was told I could find Pinkie Pie here.” “You must be Cheese Sandwich. Pinkie’s upstairs in her room. You’re welcome to go up there. I’m sure she won’t mind. Just go up that flight of stairs, and it’s the second door on the left.” Pinkie’s door was shut when Cheese approached it. He rapped on the door three times, and before he was able to knock a fourth time, the door opened. Had Cheese blinked at that instant, he would have hit Pinkie Pie square in the face. Pinkie scooped Cheese up in a giant hug. “CHEESIE!!!” she exclaimed, “YOU’RE EARLY!” “I sure am!” Cheese said. “I was getting super duper excited and I couldn’t wait so I started to do this! But when you have a party cannon, it doesn’t take too long.” Cheese Sandwich looked inside Pinkie’s room and loved everything his eyes took in. Streamers of all colors were spread around the room. The floor was littered with confetti. There was a small table with assorted sweets and baked goods piled halfway to the ceiling. A banner hung from the far wall, with WELCOME CHEESIE in large orange letters painted on it. “Personally not my best,” Pinkie shrugged, staring at the decorations, “But I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow. I always refine everything last-minute. Oh, and the guests are supposed to be here tomorrow too.” “Well, now that greetings are out of the way,” Cheese Sandwich’s face suddenly became serious, “I need your help.” Pinkie Pie frowned. “What’s wrong, Cheesie?” “There’s a pony here in Ponyville that goes by the name of Wintergreen and-” “Wait a minute,” Pinkie interrupted, “I don’t know him. And I know everypony in Ponyville,” she mashed her face against Cheese’s, “EVERY. PONY.” “Anyway,” Cheese continued, he’s a really sad pony, the worst case I’ve ever seen. He needs to smile, and I don’t know how to make that happen.” “Let me meet him! There’s no way we’ll fail if we work together!” “It’s not that simple…” Cheese Sandwich explained the walk to Ponyville, and what Wintergreen had said about the Elements. Pinkie Pie sat down, frowning. “Ugh… this is IMPOSSIBLE!” Pinkie cried. “How can I make him smile if he doesn’t like me? I know! What if… no… that won’t work… maybe… no… UGGHHHH!” “I’ve got it!” Cheese Sandwich exclaimed, “You could teach me!” “Teach you? Okay Cheesie, why not?” Cheese hugged Pinkie Pie. “I won’t let you down. You OR Wintergreen.” Wintergreen carefully avoided the everyday pony pedestrians that filled the streets. The task was near impossible, for the sun was high in the sky, and each and every pony in town was out and about with their lives. After several detours, he found his way to his usual house without too many problems. There was that one grumpy old mare that threw a rolling pin at him for cutting across her lawn, but she missed, and wasn’t able to see him well enough to recognize him in the future. He entered the house, then curled up into a ball on the couch. He had nothing to occupy his time, but that was normal for him. He was well fed for the day, and had no reason to venture outside. He began to think about Cheese Sandwich, and the events that happened. He had managed to kill three hours being lost in thought. He had quite a lot on his mind. The Elements of Harmony, the ponies he had heard about, and their feats that turned them from normal ponies into heroines. They had been given more power than the being of Chaos, who ruled Equestria millennia ago. And why? Friendship. He despised them, even though he knew in the back of his head that it was wrong. He envied their bond, and what came of it. He was unable to make friends, and it got him to where he was today. Before he knew it, the sun was setting over the horizon, and he fell asleep. He awoke the next morning to the chirping of the birds. It was peaceful as usual in Ponyville, but he seemed surprised by how much he enjoyed it. Normally, he didn’t care, but that day, he seemed particularly interested in the outside world. It must have been Cheese Sandwich. The brief time they had talked gave him confidence. It wasn’t until he saw the morning sun that made him realize that. His growling stomach interrupted his awe. He had no source of food; he didn’t want to return to the apple trees any time soon. That’s when he remembered his donation from Cheese Sandwich. Maybe he was being crazy. Maybe now that he had matured, there was no need to hide. He hadn’t failed with Cheese Sandwich. Maybe he could let himself out of hiding. He emerged with his only worry being that somepony would see him come out of a house he didn’t own. He made his way to a small restaurant that seemed reasonably priced. He opened the door and took a seat close to the window. The waitress approached the table, then hesitated when she saw the pony in the seat. It wasn’t hard to tell he was homeless. His mane was matted, he smelled like he hadn’t bathed in years (because he hadn’t), and he looked no cleaner. “Can I take your order, uhh, sir?” “Umm… I’ll have umm… some… oatmeal.” “Okay. I’ll be back with that soon.” Several ponies entered the restaurant while he waited, and each one gave him a bad look. Some ponies that entered turned around and left when they saw him sitting at a table. A family sat a couple tables away, a mare, a stallion, and two colts. Wintergreen heard one colt, the one that appeared to be younger, ask, “What’s wrong with that stallion?” His older brother added, “He’s a bum, His older brother added, “He’s smelly and he prob’ly don’t got no family.” “Stay away from him, kids,” the father said, “He isn’t the kind of pony you want to be around. He shouldn’t even be in this restaurant. It’s too clean for somepony like him.” Wintergreen didn’t know what to think. He got up and ran out of the restaurant, leaving his bits behind. He entered his abode and slammed the door behind him. He plopped onto the couch and cried. He had every reason to.
Chapter 1A silhouette wandered aimlessly down a dimly lit Ponyville street. Late at night, the only light was from the Princess Luna’s moon, reflecting the light of its elder. The shadow walked, keeping pace with a piece of garbage effortlessly skipping down the road by the wind, his only company during the quiet night. He made a turn and entered a small house in need of some repair. The paint hasn’t stood the test of time, only fifty percent of the house is colored white, and even then its shine has been lost to filth. The interior wasn’t any better, what remains of the carpet is stained beyond the power of any detergent. There wasn’t a corner without a dinner-plate sized cobweb in it. The internal temperature was at the mercy of the weather, for there was no heat or air conditioning. The electricity had been long shut off, and the dwelling was supposed to be empty. The previous owners had moved years ago, and the house had been devoid of everything but the roof itself for years. The figure carefully walked through the pitch-black house, trying not to make a sound despite the fact that there was nobody he could disturb. He knew the house like the back of his hand. He made his way to a small table. He didn’t worry about tripping over anything – there was nothing there. He lit a candle, and the room around him suddenly came into light. There was a small sofa, terribly uncomfortable, that served as the centerpiece to the room. There were many other rooms, but they served no purpose. All were empty except the kitchen, which featured a wood stove. This would have been an asset, but the only wood that could be gathered was in the Everfree Forest, and it wasn’t worth the effort or the potential danger. The shadowy figure also was revealed in the flicker emanating from the wick’s glow. He was an earth pony, young – but not a small child. He was no older than seventeen. His green coat was filthy and matted, but that didn’t matter. He was home. He called it home, anyway. The house was by no means his, and he was trespassing. But nobody cared about the status of this particular house, so he didn’t worry about being discovered. Besides, if somepony had decided to buy that house among all of the other vacant homes in Ponyville, they probably needed it more than he did. He carried the dish that held the candle between his teeth and he laid down on the sofa. It was small and uncomfortable, but still better than the floor. He set the candle down on the floor next to him, careful to keep the candle from tipping. He curled up in a ball and shivered. Without blankets, some nights in Ponyville were brutal, especially then, in the late autumn. The young stallion rose from the couch and made his way to table once again. There, he took a few more candles, and lit them all at once. There were seven in all, each decently sized. That was what he had. Seven candles were his only option for warmth. Though the small flames provided next to no heat, perhaps the thought of there being fire nearby would have had a psychological impact on him, making him think he was warmer than he was. He slept, despite the cold and the discomfort. The cold comes around every year, and though he couldn’t say he was used to it, he was at least familiar with it, and knew that he had survived worse. He woke up the next morning and looked around. Celestia’s sun had just peeked over the horizon and the chill of the night hadn’t completely vanished. He stood, and stretched out his legs. The morning traffic hadn’t started yet, and then was the perfect time to leave without anypony noticing. He stepped out, careful not to alert anyone who may be nearby. He had nothing to do in the mornings, or at any time for that matter. He just had one job, and that was to survive. Food. That was important. He had no job or money, and had to find something to eat. Despite his situation, garbage was below him, and he refused to scavenge. He wasn’t a thief, either. He survived on the wild apples that grew in the more remote areas. He had discovered a location on the edge of the Everfree Forest where the fruit was abundant. He rarely went there, for there was a cottage nearby, and he often saw a yellow pegasus pony out and about with the local animals. That particular day, he decided to risk it. He made his way toward the apple trees and examined the available selection. There were about six trees in all, and they were right next to each other. As he approached the one with the ripest fruit, a squirrel moved nearby, causing him to jump. He took a few worried glances around him; he didn’t want to be seen. He was a timid young stallion, self-conscious as can be. It would be better if nopony knew he existed. The only thing worse than poverty was the harsh judgments of the middle and upper classes. He got in a position to buck the tree, his hind legs lifted into the air. “Umm… excuse me?” He turned and made eye contact with a yellow pegasus for a split second, then ran away as fast as his legs would take him. He ran until he couldn’t anymore. It wasn’t very far, considering his malnourishment, but it was far enough to be out of the eyes of any and everypony. He collapsed at the top of a hill, exhausted, hungry, and lost. That was when he fell apart. He was a strong pony, hardened from his experiences, but even he wasn’t made of stone. He shielded his face in his forehoofs and sobbed. Every terrible event he had ever experienced rushed back to him to assist his despair in tormenting him. In school, he was as shy as ever, and his fears were real. Bullies had their fun with him; he had no Cutie Mark. His flank was still bare at the age of ten. He was unintelligent, nearly failing every class he was enrolled in. He had no real friends; his only company had ever been inanimate. He was awkward, in both appearance and personality. His legs were unnaturally short and his thick mane couldn’t be maintained. He wasn’t a people pony, his sense of humor was pathetic and he didn’t know how to make friends. There were many ponies that had similar traits, but they were unaware, and the burdens had no effect on them emotionally. But he was the exception; He was brutally aware of his shortcomings. Maybe he couldn’t do long division, or tell you what year Princess Celestia banished Nightmare Moon, but he knew that he was an outcast. He lived in a never-ending rut until he was thirteen. His mother had fallen ill, and he took care of her. His father worked to support his family, and the medical bills took up a vast majority of the paycheck. Despite the effort put in by everypony, her condition never improved, and it was only a matter of time before Death had tightened his grip. He and his father never were the same. His father entered a depression that led to alcohol abuse, and the poisoning that followed took his life, orphaning a fourteen year old son. The depression inevitably spread to him. But rather than seek help, he began to fear the ponies around him, and the inevitable pain associated with each and every one. He fled his home town without another word, and has been living in the Ponyville streets for three years. He regrets leaving, for he has faced more hardship than he could have imagined. It wasn’t as simple as walking into town and talking to somebody. He was shy, and feared the reactions of the people if he made himself known. His life was hard, but it was predictable. He had a routine. He was locked in a daily plan for survival, doing nothing more, and nothing less. He had no future, no destiny. And at age 17, his bare flank reminded him of that every day.
Chapter 2His eyes opened as the sun was setting on the horizon. He stood up, frantically looking around. The events that had occurred at the apple trees suddenly came back to him. He had cried himself to sleep, and remembered why. He sat back down on the ground, on the patch of grass that his body had flattened during his unconsciousness. He remained silent and motionless until he couldn’t take it anymore, and he stood. He looked around, this time for a reason. He had to find out where he was, and get back to a place he knew – home or not. He saw no signs of civilization; a vast meadow expanded in three directions, the fourth being the tree line that he had come from. He could go there, but that wouldn’t guarantee he’d be in an area he was familiar with. He wandered around, the ground being so flat that he wouldn’t have to worry about becoming more lost. He stopped at every individual flower, at every pebble out of place, and observed it. He had no reason, and he knew that aimlessly wandering would get him nowhere, but it kept him occupied. He continued to do this until the sun was reduced to a sliver, and the light faded marking another day done. He had found a particularly padded patch of grass and decided to make that his bed. He hadn’t been awake for an hour, but he was exhausted as if he had gone days on end without a wink of sleep. He had settled in, and was about to drift back into the land of dreams when a light caught his attention from the distance. He was suddenly alert, and tried to make sense of the light. He crept closer, being careful not to be seen. This was hard, considering the lack of hills and trees that he would have used to aid in his camouflage. He approached the light and was able to make out that the light had a shape. It was no doubt a flame. A campfire, perhaps? Yes. That was it. He got closer to see exactly who was camping out in the middle of nowhere. Before he was able to make out a face, or even a body for that matter, whoever was over there yelled to him. “Howdy, stranger!” He immediately froze. He was still relatively far away, and in the light, there was no way he could have been seen from that distance. He turned around and was about to run, but he stopped himself before he took a step in the other direction. He was desperate for help, and there was no point hiding from somepony when there was nowhere to hide, and that pony knew he was there. “You wanna come get warm?” He had nothing to lose, but he was still cautious. He hadn’t spoken to a soul in years, and he wasn’t exactly comfortable striking up a conversation with somepony he didn’t know in the slightest. But more importantly, he didn’t know how this stranger would react to him. Many of his notable physical flaws had been fixed by aging, but he had no chance of making a friend. He was a terrible talker, never able to focus on a topic, and years without social interaction weren’t going to fix that. He put his worries aside and hesitantly took a step toward the mystery pony. One became two, then ten, each step less hesitant than the last. Eventually, he was at a brisk jog and stopped himself right next to the fire. He embraced its warmth, for he hadn’t had a real fire or a real heat source (other than the sun) in ages. He was entranced by the glow up close, an unpredictable yet controlled pyrotechnic display that radiated light and the warmth he had longed for. He was lost in the blaze’s beauty until the real world snuck up on him in the form of a voice. “What are you doing all the way out here, anyway?” the stranger asked. The green stallion said nothing and stared at the ground, his mind trying to travel, but going nowhere. He opened his mouth to speak, but he coughed. He hadn’t muttered a word in years; he hadn’t needed to. He cleared his throat, then still staring at the ground, he managed to utter “I’m lost.” The stranger chucked. “I can see that. Where do you live?” His only response was an empty stare. “You know, your home?” He let his eyes leave the ground, and he got his first look at the stranger. He was an orange earth pony stallion with his eyes a deep emerald green. He had no particularly notable features other than his curly brown mane, which though unkempt, appeared almost fashionable; and a yellow shirt, which was somewhat unusual because ponies only wore clothing on special occasions or gatherings. His cutie mark featured an accordion-shaped grilled cheese sandwich, the black keys being the grill lines. It was an odd combination, an accordion as one’s special talent was reasonable… but a sandwich? “I don’t… I don’t have one.” “Oh boy…” the orange stallion frowned, “This is worse than I thought.” The youth cocked his head to the side in confusion. “Oh, right. The name’s Cheese Sandwich: Party Pony Extraordinaire. I travel Equestria throwing parties and delivering smiles. I was on my way to Ponyville to meet up with some friends of mine and was camping here for the night.” The young stallion still appeared confused. “Oh, that. I have a Cheesy Sense.” He only blinked. “It’s a bizarre sixth sense that tells me where I need to spread smiles, and I picked you up from all the way over there. Normally, I can tell when something is happening from across Equestria, but you’re just one pony. Now enough about me. What do you call yourself?” That question took him by surprise. It was a standard question, but he hadn’t heard it in he didn’t know how long. He paused and was speechless, despite the simplicity of the question. “Don’t tell me you don’t have one of those either!” He definitely had a name, but for a split second, he couldn’t remember it. He manages to respond: “Wintergreen.” “Mind if I call you Greenie?” Cheese Sandwich asked, “I’m gonna call you Greenie.” Wintergreen shrugged. “Anyway,” Cheese Sandwich continued, “if I want to get to the bottom of all of this depression, I’m gonna have to know where it all started.” Wintergreen’s expression suddenly changed from one of exhaustion to one of anger. “You can forget it. I’ve lived it all once. There’s no way I’m going to make myself live it over again.” Cheese Sandwich was shocked. “Come on, Greenie,” Cheese Sandwich pleaded, “How bad could it really be?” That was a stupid question, and Cheese Sandwich knew it right after it left his mouth. His response was a deadly glare. Wintergreen growled under his breath, regretting ever leaving his cold, abandoned dwelling that morning. Cheese had immediately regretted his inquiry. He stood, and walked toward his tent, which he already had pitched. He entered his temporary habitation, and emerged with a rolled up sleeping bag. “Here,” he said, “It’s an extra. You can stay by the fire if you like, but you can take this and leave, if that’s what you want.” He set the sleeping bag on the ground next to Wintergreen and reentered his tent. He was a party pony, a bringer of smiles, and he would not rest until he had done his duty. The next morning, Cheese Sandwich emerged to see Wintergreen asleep by the fire, wrapped in the sleeping bag like a newborn foal. It was a start, but it would take more to transform Wintergreen. A lot more.
Chapter 3Cheese Sandwich decided to let Wintergreen sleep. His destination was Ponyville, which was only about a two hour walk, and he wasn’t supposed to meet Pinkie and the others until tomorrow. He had left from Manehattan far too early out of sheer excitement, and he felt amazing just being on his way to see his role model and her friends. But being early could wait. He had more important things to tend to. Wintergreen was in need of a friend, and he was the closest thing to one. They got off on the wrong hoof, but Cheese Sandwich was sure he could patch things up. He wasn’t an insensitive pony, quite the opposite. He had sympathy for the abandoned, for he was once one of them. Cheese Sandwich promised to make everypony smile, and he was going to work especially hard on Wintergreen. He put out the remaining fire that flickered, trying to spread itself and expand, only to be stopped by the matter it had already laid to waste. He retrieved a relatively large pouch from the tent and poured its content on the ground. Some hay, a few slices of bread, a few apples, but a majority of the bulk consisted of sweets. Candy of all assortments and colors laid out before him. The chocolates were melted and deformed, but by all means edible. His eyes scanned his food stash and he reached for an apple, only to push it away and grab a hoofful of gummy worms. As he filled his face with sugar, Wintergreen stirred in his sleeping bag, then drearily let his eyes find their way open. He sat up and looked around, observing the small campsite he had neglected to pay any real attention to. The previous night, he only focused on two things: the fire and Cheese Sandwich. The site consisted of Cheese’s tent, the fire pit (which was a pile of ash inside a rock circle), and a tarp, which he assumed was in case of rain. Whatever else Cheese had packed was in his tent. As he finished looking around the crude little campsite, his gaze stopped on Chesse Sandwich, who made eye contact back. “Mornin’, Greenie,” Cheese Sandwich said with a mouth full of food, “You sleep well?” Wintergreen nodded . “Better than I have in years.” “That’s good to hear. Here, have one of these,” Cheese Sandwich said as he tossed an apple to Wintergreen. Rather then catch it, Wintergreen panicked and dodged it, moving to one side. The apple landed in the tall grass a few feet behind him, and was instantly concealed by the uncut vegetation. Realizing his error, he trotted over to where he thought it had landed, looked around, and recovered the red fruit. He devoured it in three large bites. He was no stranger to hunger, but he was no stranger to eating, either. “Want something else?” Cheese asked, showing him the pile of assorted food and candy. Wintergreen nodded and went to where Cheese Sandwich was sitting. He scanned the pile until grabbing a blue ball. “You don’t want that,” Cheese Sandwich said, “That’s gum.” He set the gumball down and settled on a hay sandwich and a piece of chocolate. “I can’t remember the last time I had an actual meal,” Wintergreen said as he was finishing the first half of his sandwich, “I don’t think I can finish this. My body is used to a couple apples a day, or maybe a fish.” He set the other half of his sandwich on the ground and sat. “If you don’t mind me asking,” Cheese Sandwich said, “Why are you here? I mean, there’s nothing here for you to live on. You can’t tell me you’ve survived for years out here.” “I was on one of my daily food runs and a pony found me. I ran away as fast as I could.” “What, were you stealing?” “No. I just don’t like ponies.” That statement was unsettling for Cheese Sandwich, who paused in the middle of cleaning up camp upon hearing it. “Well,” Cheese Sandwich said, concerned, “Is that why you left your home and your family?” Wintergreen winced at that question. “Yeah,” Wintergreen sighed, “You can say that.” “Do you know where you’re going?” “I don’t have a deed or anything, but there’s an abandoned house in Ponyville that I usually stay. No electricity, no plumbing; nothing but the walls, the roof, and a couch.” “Do you want to travel with me?” Cheese Sandwich offered, “I’m going to Ponyville to visit some friends of mine.” “If you know the way, I guess I can follow.” He helped the party pony pack up, and was surprised to see that everything fit in a couple saddlebags, which Cheese Sandwich was able to comfortably carry on his back. “We should probably get moving. Can you grab the compass out of my left saddlebag?” Wintergreen grabbed the compass. “Which direction is north?” Wintergreen examined the needle, and when it settled, he pointed in the same direction, and they set off. While they walked, Cheese Sandwich tried starting a conversation that he could carry on, but Wintergreen wasn’t aware of anything current. “Hey,” Wintergreen said, “What’s happened in the last few years?” Cheese Sandwich told him about Nightmare Moon, who desired eternal night; about Discord, who tried to plunge the world into chaos; and about King Sombra, who tried to reclaim his empire. But what really made Wintergreen think was how they were all stopped: by the wielders of the Elements of Harmony. They were Equestria’s heroines, and they seemed surreal. Six average ponies that came together to save the world on more than one occasion. He thought about how everything changed for them, how they became celebrities, immortalized in history overnight. Then he thought about himself, whose life went from bad to worse overnight. Life was unpredictable, and he was doomed from the start. He had enough problems getting along with everypony, but when his parents, his only solace from the world of judgment around him, died, he knew he had no hope finding his way through his life with everypony, so he removed himself from the problem. He turned and ran. He envied the Elements, their fortune, all of it. They just kinda waltzed in and said “We’re here, everypony look at us.” He made it clear to Cheese Sandwich that he was angry about how easy they had it, about how they bathed in luck while he bathed in filth. As a result, Cheese Sandwich decided not to tell him that the ponies he was on his way to visit, his greatest friends, were those very ponies that Wintergreen detested. The rest of the trip was uneventful. They simply walked without a word to one another, keeping their eye on the prize, and that prize was Ponyville. When they finally arrived in the square, Cheese Sandwich reached into his saddlebag and gave Wintergreen a small amount of money. “This is for whatever you need. Batteries, food, whatever.” Wintergreen looked at the hooffull of bits and then at Cheese. “I’m… uh… not too uh… good at this… but… thanks.” “No problem!” Cheese Sandwich said with jollity, “It was good to make another friend. You CAN’T have too many of those!” They went their separate ways: Wintergreen to his “home”, and Cheese Sandwich to Sugarcube Corner.
Chapter 4The party pony was hyped with anticipation as he made his way through the city streets. The hustle and bustle of the smiling citizens overjoyed him, and the only thing on his mind was seeing his role model, Pinkie Pie. He liked Applejack, and Rarity, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash (He and Pinkie pulled off a killer party for her), but Pinkie had a special place in his heart. She was his superior, her only weakness being formality, and was just an all around good friend. On top of that, it was her that introduced Cheese to parties, and is therefore responsible for his actions; his smiles spread, his friends made, and his days lightened. As that thought crossed his mind, he stopped in the middle of a busy sidewalk. His enthusiasm had been instantly drained, and a frown appeared on his face, which was rarer than anything. His thoughts had moved to his latest project, a certain green pony that had abandoned all hope for himself. He remembered his vow, and remembered he had failed. Time had gone by too quickly, and now, all he was was an escort. He had promised to make Wintergreen smile, and brighten up his life. All he had succeeded in doing was carry on an idle conversation. He never smiled once. He never laughed once. He was alone. He knew what had to be done. Pinkie Pie was an expert. She could definitely fix this. After all, she was the best party pony out there. Chimes rang as the door to Sugarcube Corner opened. The sweet notes alerted the Cakes of their customer, and Carrot Cake was at his service in seconds. “Hello, sir. I was told I could find Pinkie Pie here.” “You must be Cheese Sandwich. Pinkie’s upstairs in her room. You’re welcome to go up there. I’m sure she won’t mind. Just go up that flight of stairs, and it’s the second door on the left.” Pinkie’s door was shut when Cheese approached it. He rapped on the door three times, and before he was able to knock a fourth time, the door opened. Had Cheese blinked at that instant, he would have hit Pinkie Pie square in the face. Pinkie scooped Cheese up in a giant hug. “CHEESIE!!!” she exclaimed, “YOU’RE EARLY!” “I sure am!” Cheese said. “I was getting super duper excited and I couldn’t wait so I started to do this! But when you have a party cannon, it doesn’t take too long.” Cheese Sandwich looked inside Pinkie’s room and loved everything his eyes took in. Streamers of all colors were spread around the room. The floor was littered with confetti. There was a small table with assorted sweets and baked goods piled halfway to the ceiling. A banner hung from the far wall, with WELCOME CHEESIE in large orange letters painted on it. “Personally not my best,” Pinkie shrugged, staring at the decorations, “But I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow. I always refine everything last-minute. Oh, and the guests are supposed to be here tomorrow too.” “Well, now that greetings are out of the way,” Cheese Sandwich’s face suddenly became serious, “I need your help.” Pinkie Pie frowned. “What’s wrong, Cheesie?” “There’s a pony here in Ponyville that goes by the name of Wintergreen and-” “Wait a minute,” Pinkie interrupted, “I don’t know him. And I know everypony in Ponyville,” she mashed her face against Cheese’s, “EVERY. PONY.” “Anyway,” Cheese continued, he’s a really sad pony, the worst case I’ve ever seen. He needs to smile, and I don’t know how to make that happen.” “Let me meet him! There’s no way we’ll fail if we work together!” “It’s not that simple…” Cheese Sandwich explained the walk to Ponyville, and what Wintergreen had said about the Elements. Pinkie Pie sat down, frowning. “Ugh… this is IMPOSSIBLE!” Pinkie cried. “How can I make him smile if he doesn’t like me? I know! What if… no… that won’t work… maybe… no… UGGHHHH!” “I’ve got it!” Cheese Sandwich exclaimed, “You could teach me!” “Teach you? Okay Cheesie, why not?” Cheese hugged Pinkie Pie. “I won’t let you down. You OR Wintergreen.” Wintergreen carefully avoided the everyday pony pedestrians that filled the streets. The task was near impossible, for the sun was high in the sky, and each and every pony in town was out and about with their lives. After several detours, he found his way to his usual house without too many problems. There was that one grumpy old mare that threw a rolling pin at him for cutting across her lawn, but she missed, and wasn’t able to see him well enough to recognize him in the future. He entered the house, then curled up into a ball on the couch. He had nothing to occupy his time, but that was normal for him. He was well fed for the day, and had no reason to venture outside. He began to think about Cheese Sandwich, and the events that happened. He had managed to kill three hours being lost in thought. He had quite a lot on his mind. The Elements of Harmony, the ponies he had heard about, and their feats that turned them from normal ponies into heroines. They had been given more power than the being of Chaos, who ruled Equestria millennia ago. And why? Friendship. He despised them, even though he knew in the back of his head that it was wrong. He envied their bond, and what came of it. He was unable to make friends, and it got him to where he was today. Before he knew it, the sun was setting over the horizon, and he fell asleep. He awoke the next morning to the chirping of the birds. It was peaceful as usual in Ponyville, but he seemed surprised by how much he enjoyed it. Normally, he didn’t care, but that day, he seemed particularly interested in the outside world. It must have been Cheese Sandwich. The brief time they had talked gave him confidence. It wasn’t until he saw the morning sun that made him realize that. His growling stomach interrupted his awe. He had no source of food; he didn’t want to return to the apple trees any time soon. That’s when he remembered his donation from Cheese Sandwich. Maybe he was being crazy. Maybe now that he had matured, there was no need to hide. He hadn’t failed with Cheese Sandwich. Maybe he could let himself out of hiding. He emerged with his only worry being that somepony would see him come out of a house he didn’t own. He made his way to a small restaurant that seemed reasonably priced. He opened the door and took a seat close to the window. The waitress approached the table, then hesitated when she saw the pony in the seat. It wasn’t hard to tell he was homeless. His mane was matted, he smelled like he hadn’t bathed in years (because he hadn’t), and he looked no cleaner. “Can I take your order, uhh, sir?” “Umm… I’ll have umm… some… oatmeal.” “Okay. I’ll be back with that soon.” Several ponies entered the restaurant while he waited, and each one gave him a bad look. Some ponies that entered turned around and left when they saw him sitting at a table. A family sat a couple tables away, a mare, a stallion, and two colts. Wintergreen heard one colt, the one that appeared to be younger, ask, “What’s wrong with that stallion?” His older brother added, “He’s a bum, His older brother added, “He’s smelly and he prob’ly don’t got no family.” “Stay away from him, kids,” the father said, “He isn’t the kind of pony you want to be around. He shouldn’t even be in this restaurant. It’s too clean for somepony like him.” Wintergreen didn’t know what to think. He got up and ran out of the restaurant, leaving his bits behind. He entered his abode and slammed the door behind him. He plopped onto the couch and cried. He had every reason to.
