Clickity-clack, clickity-clack, the noise Tuck's cart made as he headed to his new home in Ponyville. He had bought a house, A small, neglected, brooding house. The paint was weathered and peeling off in spots, and the slats in the shutters on the upstairs windows were mostly broken out. A slight breeze made the shutters tap against the hose and the hinges squeaked. The sun low in the sky, illuminated the upstairs rooms making the two windows facing Tuck look like dim red eyes, and the door below a gaping maw. He could see inside the front door into the house which was littered with debris and past that a broke banister beside a stairway the led upstairs. He could hear a low moaning sound, perhaps nothing more than the wind blowing down the lopsided chimney. The house needed work. Lots of it.
Tuck quickly unpacked his things, locked the door- as best as he could considering the lock was busted.- and went back into town for supplies.As he walked out, he noticed some more small details. The garden was overgrown. Sickly green weeds were creeping over the path and the small garden pond was covered in slime. A small popping sound came from the pond, as if something was somehow still alive in there. The light of the setting sun was reflected in the grimy windows. Tuck, knew that he could clean this place for the rest of the life, and it still wouldn't be clean. That, was far-stretched, since he was Immortal. He took a long look at his house and jotted down the things he needed for the clean up. The list had plenty of things. He would also need a book on getting rid of grime and muck. He grabbed his cart and headed into town, towards Twilight's library.
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"Why hello there! Are you new in town?" The purple unicorn asked Tuck, as he walked into the library.
"Actually yeah. I just moved here from Tall Tale, I live a couple blocks away from Carousel Boutique." Tuck answered while looking at Spike, who was offering him a smore. Tuck grabbed the chewy smore.
"I have plenty of books on Home Repair. You can borrow them anytime. Applejack might be able to help you if you need help. Rainbow Dash can also help. Pinkie Pie can give you treats and stuff from Sugarcube Corner, and Rarity runs the Boutique!" Twilight gave Tuck a couple of books and walked to another bookshelf. She also gave him a book about Yard Work.
"Ask me if you need anymore books. I'm always just a couple of blocks away."
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Tuck had went to everypony, he went and got gardening supplies from Applejack, who agreed to help him with the gardens, Fluttershy, who would help him with the wild creatures living in the abandoned house, Pinkie Pie, who would help mop up and clean the dust off things, Twilight to help him scrub the windows, Rainbow Dash to work on the roof, and Rarity...well... Rarity was there just to help him move all his stuff back inside once they were done. Everypony helped out alot. Pinkie Pie, at one point used her mane to dust off all the railings and picture frames, which Rarity made a disgusted squeak at. Applejack had plenty of mud on her, after she wiped all the scum off the pond, and weeded both the garden and the pathway. Fluttershy found some baby mice in a dresser by the front door, which she quickly flew to her cottage and settled them down. Rainbow Dash had helped fix all the squeaky hinges and the chimney, and as well the shutters and glass on all the windows. After the house was fixed, they all got to work cleaning and moving all the old furniture out, and putting the new in.
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After they finished moving Tuck's bed upstairs, they started to spruce the place up further, Rainbow Dash gave Tuck a couple of expensive cloud pillows, Rarity gave him some expensive, one of a kind outfits to put in his dressers along with his old white shirts and suspenders. And Twilight gave him some new bed sheets, with all the constellations on it.
"I just want to thank everypony in the group project. It means alot to me that i have already made such good friends with all of you, and I've been thinkin' about having a big 'Welcome To Ponyville' party!" Tuck had said to the line of ponies staring at the now beautiful house.
"Ill Bring the streamers!!!" Pinkie Pie said while hopping off.
"I can make some totally cool party invites!" Rainbow Dash hollered as she sped off towards her house.
"I will bring in zesty cucumber sandwiches!" Rarity giggled and trotted off.
"Ill bring all the animals by so you can pick a new pet...I-if you don't mind that is.." Fluttershy asked nervously.
"Ill bring the Cider, And some Apple Cupcakes!" AJ said while galloping off.
With all the other ponies gone, that just left Twilight and Tuck, standing alone in the gateway. Twilight broke the silence,
"So...do you wanna head inside and make some final adjustments for the party? I should also grab a dress.Maybe
I can buy one from Rarity's shop." Twilight said while she headed
inside.
"Sure, I should throw on something for the party too." Tuck and Twilight walked to the main room. Tuck pulled out 2 outfits. A white shirt with suspenders and black pants. And a white shirt, with a black bowtie and a log black coat.
"Which one Twilight? I can't choose." Twilight stared at both the outfits
Wow, both of those outfits would look absolutely Gorgeous on him. Twilight thought.
"I think the one with the Tie. It...stands out more. We will start the party next Friday at about 4. See you then." Twilight said while walking out of the room.
"Yeah...see yah..." Tuck said. Tuck threw himself onto the bed. Thinking about Twilight.
"Oh...What To Wear?!?! WHAT TO WEAR?!?!" Twilight shouted as she flew around her bedroom, looking for the perfect outfit.
"Can't you just wear your birthday dress twilight?" Spike asked while he dusted the bookshelves.
"No Spike! I want to make a really good impression on Tuck! And also, that dress doesnt have enough glamour. I couldn't possibly wear it." Twilight kept trying on dresses. They all ended in 'Maybe, Yes,' Or 'No'. After hours of trying dresses on, it was 2:00 on the day of the party. Twilight had 2 more hours.
"Ugh! I'll never find the perfect dress!" She shouted as she slammed her closet doors. There was a knock at the door. I bet its pinkie pie, telling me to help her frost some cakes or whatever. Twilight thought. Twilight opened the door, but to her surprise, there was nopony there. Just a white box, labeled with a dress shop logo. Twilight pulled it inside and opened it on her bed. Laid on top was a note that read:
My Dearest Twilight,
I got a message from Spike saying you needed a dress to impress a guy friend. I happily went to a store and bought a dress I though would look lovely on you. I Hope You Have A Wonderful Time.
Signed, Princess Celestia.
Wow, I wonder what it looks like...
Twilight opened the huge white box and inside lay folded perfectly inside was a champagne colored gown folded into a square. Twilight drew it out of its box and shook it out, then it revealed its true glory as Twilight took in the beauty of it. The way the sequenced fabric flowed was elegant. If words could describe perfection, this would be it. Twilight was itching to try it on. Suddenly, She felt excited.
She tried to picture it: Her. at the party, wearing this amazing thing of beauty. She could already see the way that she wanted her hair to flow with it. She neatly folded it back up and got to work on her hair. After carefully combing, spraying, pinning, And even braiding, her hair was finally perfect. It was 3:47, so Twilight threw on the dress. She was about to throw on some old dress shoes, when Spike burped out a box. Another note was on top of the box. This one read:
My Dearest Twilight,
I Forgot to send the accessories! How silly am I? Anyways, have fun at the party! I will be expecting a letter to tell me how the party went.
Signed, Princess Celestia.
Twilight chuckled at the note. How could the Princess of Equestria forget something? Twilight opened the box, that contained silver shoes with straps. A flower pin, and a necklace that had Twilight's cutie mark on it. "Perfect Timing!!" It was 3:55 when twilight headed out the door.
"Oh there you are darling where on earth have you-" Rarity started, but was stoped by Twilight's shimmering gown.
"OH MY CELESTIA WHERE DID YOU GET THAT SIMPLY FABULOUS OUTFIT DARLING!?!?" Rarity shouted while looking over every inch of the dress. "Princess Celestia sent it to me personally. Doesn't it look Perfect?" Twilight asked while spinning around. "It Looks Simply Gorgeous, Darling." Rarity said reassuringly. The rest of their friends gathered at the front door of Tuck's cottage, and then they walked inside.
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"Oh, Hey guys!" Tuck said at they all walked inside, the stereos blasting. There were a bunch of other ponies there. Everypony there told Twilight how much they loved her gown. Everypony was having a fabulous time dancing, and Tuck even had rented a Karaoke machine! There was plenty of punch, and sweets, and zesty cucumber sandwiches. Everypony was having a blast! At one point in the night they played a slow song, and everypony paired up, except for Twilight and Tuck.
"Miss Twilight," Tuck started while bowing. "Could I perhaps have this dance?" Twilight stood silent for a minute and then replied "Why yes Sir Tuck." Tuck took her hoof and then led her to the middle of the dance floor. All Of Me came on and Tuck asked Twilight something special. "Twilight, I have something for you, once this song is over, we should head up to my room so I can show you." "Why Tuck...sure..." Twilight replied as she put her head on his shoulder. As they danced through the night, ponies begun filing out. By 12:00, everypony was gone. Only Twilight and Tuck remained, dancing to the final slow song. Even Pinkie Pie, the queen of parties, got tired and went home. Tuck guided Twilight up to the main bedroom. On his nightstand, was three things. A locket, A small bottle of clear water, And a small music box.
"Whats all this Tuck?" Twilight asked, curiously.
"My Love, please sit down. I have to explain." Twilight sat on the bed, where Tuck used his magic to levitate the locket around Twilight's neck.
"Twi, In Ponyville, I have had the time of my life. This Past Week? Its been the highlight of my life. But I have to explain something to you..." Tuck lifted the bottle in front of Twilight.
"In this bottle contains water from a spring I found 80 years ago. I drank some of it, and ive looked like this for 80 years. This water..it stops you in your tracks. We could be together for the rest of our lives. I'm letting you make the decision. But Twi, If i stay in town much longer, ponies will get suspicious, so, In this house, I will leave a very special set of clues of where I am going. In about 3 years, we will be the same age. Come find me. And we can live. Forever. But Twilight, I remember a poem I heard long ago. It went like this:stone walls do not a prison make nor iron bars a cage. Remember this Twilight, before you make the Ultimate decision. But, if you do drink the water, and find me, our love will be everlasting." With that, Tuck gently kissed Twi's cheek, and handed her the bottle. He started up the music box as Twi walked out, shocked.
"Hey, where did you get that music box anyway?" Twilight asked curiously before she left the room.
"I bought it at the Rainbow Falls Traders Exchange, I liked the music it played." Tuck answered as he put it in his closet.
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A couple of days later, Tuck had packed his things and was crossing the bridge that marked the end of Ponyville. Tuck unhooked himself from the cart, took a good long look at Twilight's library, then at the abandoned house that Twilight had rented, and sighed.
"I'll Miss You, Twilight Sparkle." Tuck whispered, He turned around, and walked out of the greatest adventure of his life.
The familiar clickity-clack of Tuck's cart towards Ponyville got the attention of Applebloom, who was all the way grown up now. But she ignored it and continued walking with her kids. It had been years since Tuck last visited Ponyville, he wanted to see if Twilight obeyed his wish, or if she had followed the course of life. Tuck headed towards the graveyard, where his old house used to be. He found a gigantic plot of a group of friends. The line of headstones read:
Pinkie Diane Pie
1958-2014
"The Funniest Pony Ever."
Rainbow Daring Dash
1956-2012
"She Just Had To Keep On Daring..."
Flutter Sane Shy
1959-2013
"The Kindest Pony."
Rarity Sapphire
1954-2011
"Everypony Misses Her Style."
Applejack Daniel
1960-2020
"She Is Apple-Bucking In Heaven."
Spike
1959-2002
"The Best Assistant Ever.
And as Tuck got to the last grave, it started to rain...which was good. Because as Tuck read the last tombstone he began to cry, and the rain covered his tears. The Last Tombstone read:
Twilight Shimmer Sparkle
1955-2014
"To My Darling Tuck, I Will Always Cherish You."
"So...she has been gone 26 years..." Tuck winded up the musical box, and placed it onto Twilight's grave. Then, Applebloom appeared behind him. "Did ya'll know Twi and mah sister?" Tuck stared at the grave. "Yeah, We were great friends, me and Aj, but me and Twi?We had an Everlasting Love."
And With that, they both walked off...
With the faint sound of the music box twinkling in the rain.
