"GIZ!! Get out of Twilight's room and come outside!" Shouted Rainbow Dash from outside my window. The blue, rainbow maned pegasus had been referring to my work space as Twilight's room on account of all the books and manuals I kept about. Twilight is the librarian back in town you see, the tree that makes up her home is filled to the brim with books. I creaked open the circular window so Dash wouldn't have to shout. "C'mon, you promised! ppleeeeeeaaaase?" she placed her hooves together and pleaded as her wings kept her at level with my second story window. I sighed and removed my compound goggles.
"Alright alright" Before I could say anything more she pumped her hoof with a victorious 'YESSSS' and flew off to wait where she normally did on these days, a hump of machinery that vibrated violently instead of doing what I had intended upon creating it. Today was racing day. Friday of every week I promised I would race Rainbow Dash at any location of her choosing.
Oh! Forgive me, I completely forgot to introduce myself. I am Gizmo Gearthrottle an inventor that lives just on the outskirts of Ponyville. I came here from Cloudsdale along with Dash when she moved here. I'm rather secluded most of the time and I don't like meeting new people so I decided to stick with my friend. Dash never argued. I actually met Rainbow Dash while she was still in flight school. I was an orphan in the city and tended to steal most of the food I needed. I had just made off with a satchel of apples and various flora and the guards were hot on my tail. As I sped my way through the city-ponies, like they had cleared a path for me, who would I zip past but a rainbow maned filly. She instantly took it as a challenge and raced off to get ahead of me. With the bag of food in my jaw I couldn't tell her I was just trying to escape, so I just kept moving. when she finally caught up to me she gave her signature cheshire grin and told me I was going down. I tried to let her know what was going on with hoof signals but she thought I was telling her the same thing.
It wasn't long before I really got into the race, I even dropped my satchel of food to keep ahead of her. I was the fastest of the ponies in town and this filly was about to beat me. Our raced ended in a crash while we were neck n' neck. we landed in a bakery at the end of town. We instantly broke into laughter and had been friends ever since.
I stepped outside with my flying goggles strapped over my eyes, ruffling my dark brown mane. "Alright Rainbow you ready to get stomped again?" She laughed from atop the inoperable machine's seat.
"Yeah right egghead!. You're going down." She leaned forward squinting at me with a taunting grin.
I pulled up on my rear legs and motioned towards myself with both front hooves. "Bring it sister. Last I recall the score was 321 to 323. I'm winning by two races!"
Dash lifted her head up and eyed me. "That's 322 bub. The last one didn't count because Fluttershy distracted me."
I lifted into the sky waving one hoof about. "yeah yeah, you're just a sore loser."
Dash gasped and lifted off, faex strutting in circles around me. "Oh I'm the sore loser. Remember last month when y-"
I placed my hoof in her mouth to cut her off. "Hey, we don't talk about that." She gave me a devilish grin and began flying off.
"I'll meet you at the finish line!" And just like that it was on.
I bolted off behind her. Today's race would take us around Ponyville three times and then end at Sugar Cube Corner. It was just as thrilling as ever, the rippling air about me, the wind through my mane, the adrenaline of competition with such a challenging opponent. I can truly see why she couldn't get enough of these races. At the first lap I was within biting distance of her multi-colored tail which was exuding a steam of rainbow colors directly in my face. She looked back at me with her cheshire grin. "Catching tailwind?" She laughed as she weaved from side to side to keep me from passing. At the second lap, about mid way through, I shouted up to dash.
"Hey!" She looked back, still sure she was going to win this one. I weaved off to the right using her tailwind as a slingshot rocketing me forward. I smiled as I past her. "Tailwind. haha!" I saluted her and put both hooves forward and punched through a cloud.
Around the third lap I looked behind me with a wide grin to check on Rainbow Dash. I frowned when I failed to see her racing behind me. Suddenly I felt a weight and four hooves trot off my back. In surprise my wings froze up and I tumbled down a bit, catching a hysterical Dash flying off towards the last turn. "You CHEATED!" I shouted as I caught myself and tried my best to catch up to her. Despite my best efforts we were already heading towards the Sugar Cube Corner and Dash had already put a great distance between us. Rainbow came to a halt just outside the front door and spiraled up into the air in victory.
"Take that Giz!" I could hear her shout as I came to a halt before her, chuckling lightly.
"Fine, we're tied. but only because you cheated." I pointed at her accusingly after lifting my goggles from my eyes.
Dash landed and strutted in circles, showing off her physique. "You're just jealous about being in the presence of some one so absolutely awesome that she can't contain it. HAHA!" I rolled my eyes at her and bonked her on the head with my hoof.
"Okay so why the strange finish line?"
Dash rubbed her head. "What I can't have a sweet tooth?" She stuck her tongue out at me and bounded through the swing-doors.
As I said earlier, I'm normally quite secluded, so I haven't met anypony in the years I've lived here aside from the occasional customer wanting something repaired. Even being in town was a tad strange for me, seeing everypony walking about doing their daily business. I stood their watching the ponies, catching the occasional wave of the friendly passerby or someone that had swung by my workshop in the past. Rainbow Dash stuck her head out of the building and scowled at me. "Well? Are you coming or not?"
I looked over to her quickly, slightly startled. "huh? oh yeah, sure." This made Dash smile as she zipped back inside. What I found strange as I pushed my way past the swing doors was the dead silence and the fact that all the lights had been switched off. As soon as the doors clicked shut, possibly the scariest thing that could happen occured. The lights switched on and a great number of ponies Began blowing noise makers and shouting. "SURPRISE!!" But that wasn't the scary part no.... The scary part had visited me not but a few weeks ago out of boredom and couldn't be stopped with any force known to pony kind. THE PINK ONE! She was sticking her face directly in front of mine with the most impossibly happy smile I had ever seen.
I instinctively pulled back, one hoof in the air to protect me. "ah... wha? wha?"
Suddenly the pink one began it's insane bouncing "OH'MGOSHWELCOMETOPONYVILLEICAN'TBELIEVEINEVERMETYOUBEFORECAUSEIKNOWEVERYPONYINPONYVILLEANDYOU'VEBEENHEREASLONGASRAINBOWDASHANDINEVERMETYOUSOIHADTOASKHERTOBRINGYOUHERESOWECOULDTHROWAWELCOMEPARTYSINCEYOUNEVERGOTONEWHENYOUFIRSTGOTHERE-" she gasped for breath. Before the pink one could begin more of it's frantic ranting a purple hoof filled her mouth.
A unicorn wearing a rather calming smile interrupted. "Pinkie! calm down. You're scaring the poor fellow." While she was speaking I spotted Rainbow Dash in the crowd practically dieing of laughter. the unicorn bowed her head and knelt briefly. "What Pinky is trying to say is... Since you never got an official welcome when you first came to town Pinkie decided to set up this party to welcome you." It was then I realized my eyes were wide open and my jaw was hanging slack. I set my raised hoof back down and gave the place a good look around. There were balloons and streamers, countless snacks and colorful drinks.
"I uhh.... um." I looked back to the purple unicorn who was now accompanied by a baby dragon. I finally came to terms with the situation and smiled. "heh. Thank you." The pink one, Pinkie, got her crazy smile back and bounced around joyfully.
Rainbow Dash trotted up next to the unicorn along with three other ponies. "These are my friends Giz. She motioned from my right to left. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and the random one is Pinkie Pie." My eyes stayed rather wide as I took a few nervous steps back, my tail brushing at the doors.
"oh heh... yeah it's great to meet you all... butihavebusinesselsewhereBYE!" They all gave each other puzzling looks as I bolted through the doors and off into the sky. I was freaking out. WAY too many people at once, on top of that the pink one nearly sent me into shock. I was breathing so hard I swore my lungs would collapse if I kept this up.
At the top speed I could move, under my panicked condition, I made my way back to my home. The small dome like structure with moving gears and pistons protruding from its walls that I called a house was the safest place I could think of. I pressed on a small hoof-lever at the bottom of my door, which caused it to swing open. I hurried inside and slammed the door, pulling on two panic levels which placed countless locks on my door with mechanical speed. I slouched against my door with a hoof to my chest, gasping for breath as I waited for my panic attack to go away. After a few minutes of listening to the gentle whirring and clattering of the inner workings of my home I finally felt at peace. I gathered myself off the floor and started up the stairs to my workspace.
I needed to rest, I pressed the petal to open the door and walked in. "Hey Giz...." I trotted along heading towards the bed I had tucked into the corned of the room.
"Hey Dash." I flopped onto my bed and shut my eyes. I rolled to my side and scowled after realizing Rainbow Dash was standing in my room. She stood there with a worried smile, her head tilted to one side. "How did you get in my house?" I grumbled.
Rainbow Dash motioned behind her towards my desk and the circular window behind it. "You left your window open smart guy."
Immediately after a soft nervous voice came from behind a shelf of spare parts. "I uh.. hope you don't mind we came in." The yellow Pony with her long pink hair, that I recognized as Fluttershy, stepped out from behind the shelf with her head and ears lowered. She smiled innocently.
I pulled my pillow over my head, but didn't protest to them being there. Rainbow Dash frowned and put a hoof forward. "Giiiz. Come on..." My only response was a muffled grumble.
Fluttershy stepped up to my bed. "Oh he's just a little shy Rainbow Dash. You should be a bit more gentle." She layed herself down on the floor and nudged at my pillow. "Hey now, come on out. I promise I won't bite you." She smiled brightly and lifted her head and ears as I pulled back my pillow.
I raised an eyebrow at her. "I know you're not going to bite me." I sat up straight and stretched out my wings. "I just... too many ponies..... sorry." My wings flopped to either side and I lowered my head a bit.
"Oh no. I understand!" Came Fluttershy nodding to me with a calm smile. She lifted herself to sit up straight. "Some times I have trouble talking to other ponies. You might not have known but, I'm pretty shy myself. You just need to meet everypony over time. They're all quite nice, really"
"Well..." I quickly grabbed a small useless device that wobbled about when you wound it up and began turning a loose gear. "I... I don't need other ponies. I have everything I need here, in my workshop."
Rainbow Dash gasped. "What?! Oh I suppose you don't need your ONLY friend either!" She scowled at me, her wings fluttering quickly with slight frustration.
"wuh-huh? n-no, hey you know I didn't mean it like that!..." I said with panic.
Flutter shy caught onto something and interrupted me before I could speak any further. "Hey. She has a point. if you didn't need any pony, why are you two friends?" She smiled softly leaning her head slightly towards me. There didn't seem like there was much of an answer for this question at the time. The truth was that I adored how free she was. She excited the pony in me that could go outside without being scared that other ponies were watching, but I couldn't tell her that.
"Well she's my friend because..... Well you know. There was that thing we did. and.... I... umm. " My dear friend had an answer that totally sunk my franken-sentance.
Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof forward and lifted her head. "We're friends because he needs me to even come close to functioning properly." She tossed her hair back and looked to one side. "pfft. I mean look at him. He sits in his house all week working on these.... thingys-" She dangled a wobbly set of clock parts. "-until I show up and make him get some fresh air." Her expression went from angry to a snide smile as she examined her own hoof. "I guess socializing is just another thing I'm better at than you." Through all the years we had known each other she had figured out exactly how to get under my skin. In fact she had used this many times to get what she wanted out of me.
I stood up on all fours and glared over Fluttershy at Rainbow Dash. "Oh really!? And what is that supposed to mean? I can do ANYTHING you can and do it better!" This of course was the wrong thing for me to say.
"Right then, the usual? I'll lead." She grinned devilishly, I assume she wanted this as payback for what I had said earlier but I took the bait hook, line, and sinker.
"Right! Tomorrow morning after breakfast. Pony See Pony Do. You're on!" This was a game we normally played to see who could do the most daring stunt. It started off with the challenger performing a trick and the challenged matching it, with increasingly challenging moves. Who ever chickened out first was the looser. She smiled triumphantly and walked over to my desk. "Come on Fluttershy, I got this one in the bag." She hopped up on leaped out the window.
"Oh um, okay. Bye Gizmo, it was nice meeting you." Came Fluttershy as she daintily made her way out the window.
So now I'm in this heap of a mess, and you're all caught up. I'm gonna fall apart tomorrow I just know it. But there's no way I'm going to let Rainbow Dash beat me twice in a row.... even if it means having to be near other ponies.
That's all for now journal, later.
Gizmo pushed the covers from his head and groaned as the morning light shown through the window. He looked over to his desk on the far side of the room, trying to straighten his ruffled mane. Sitting, wide open, was the journal he had written in last night, detailing his day. I thought crossed his mind that was so faint it nearly went unnoticed. 'Perhaps that's one of the reasons I'm alone.' He quickly shook the notion and pulled himself on all fours. He had to be ready for the 'game' today.
A shot of determination went through Giz as he grabbed his goggles and whipped them over his neck. He stepped on the mechanical door pedal and trotted down stairs for his breakfast. There was no way he was going to eat a big meal. He had knots in his stomach the size of Canterlot out of shear nerves. There was no way he was going to beat Rainbow Dash today. He wasn't about to throw a competition to her though so he had to go through with it. He choked down a piece of toast and an apple, which desperately tried to escape his upset stomach, before heading outside.
He hurried his way to the meeting place, watching the ground below him in a half daze. He wasn't to sure what he had gotten himself into and continued to think about what might happen. Would they laugh, push him away, or even out right tell him to get lost? At first he wasn't worried, when Rainbow Dash had issued the challenge, it had seemed simple enough. When the mailpony, Ms. Hooves, had delivered the message to meet in Ponyville Park Gizmo suddenly lost his nerve. Ponyville Park was always full of ponies having fun and talking about their day. Sure it wasn't the town square but there were still a lot of ponies there.
Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle were standing at the edge of the park, Rainbow Dash trotted in place in preperation. Gizmo landed gently next to Rainbow.
"About time, Giz. See? I told you he wouldn't chicken out Twilight." Rainbow Dash grinned wickedly at Giz after addressing Twilight. The Purple unicorn just rolled her eyes and stepped forward.
"Alright, so I'll be the referee for this, ummm. game?" Both Gizmo and Dash nodded at twilight's question. "Right. So here's how it's going to work." twilight levitated a quill and paper from her saddle bag. "Rainbow Dash will go first, starting with simply saying hello. Gizmo will follow up by matching the social action that Rainbow Dash completes. If Gizmo can't complete the action Rainbow wins. If Rainbow won't continue Gizmo wins." She smiled and lowered her paper. "Got it?"
"Y-yeah. This will be a piece of cake." Just as Gizmo completed this sentance he could almost swear he saw bouncey pink hair behind a bush.
He shook off the notion as Dash spoke to him. "A piece of cake huh? Watch your stutter Giz, people might catch you in a lie." He laughed lightly and began to trot forward, looking back at her friends. "Try not to fall too far behind." She came up to a brown pony, with an hourglass cutie mark, who was sitting on a bench enjoying the spring air. She made it look so simple. A tilt of her head and a smile, one hind hoof slightly tipped forward. "Hey there." Though this was an easy enough task for Gizmo it still came with worry and anxiety. The brown pony smiled and greeted her in return. And just like that Rainbow trotted off.
Giz ran forward to move up along side Dash. "Alright, big deal. I can do that." The two pegasi stopped near a fountain along side a light blue unicorn who was mindlessly staring into the fountain.
Rainbow dash nudged Giz and whispered to him. "Go on." He waved her away and stepped up next to the unicorn, her yellow mane was laying forward with its tip just barely dipping into the water. Before he was able to speak, the unicorn noticed Gizmo walk forward and turned to him with a bright smile.
"Oh, Hi there." She spoke sweetly, similarly to Fluttershy from the night before, but with more energy. Gizmo was expecting to speak first and was a little thrown off. He smiled nervously and blushed. The mare before him tilted her head as he blushed, looking slightly confused.
"H-hi." Gizmo managed to say through his sudden surprise. The unicorn blushed at his stuttered greeting and folded one hoof over the other, tilting her head off to one side with a smile. Rainbow Dash poked her head over to see the little scene the two made. She lulled out her tounge and made a barfing noise.
"Come on lover boy we have more to do!" She grabbed Gizmo by his goggles and dragged him away. The mare by the fountain looked slightly surprised and frowned as Giz got pulled away from her. Rainbow Dash let Giz's goggles fall from her mouth after they were a good distance away and near new 'targets'. "Okay, next up. Holding a conversation." She scanned the few ponies that were about and spotted a rather lonely looking pony. She was a pegasus who had one of her wings bandaged up. She was looking up at some flying birds as she walked along the cobblestone path. "Perfect. watch and learn egghead." She left Gizmo and walked up beside the troubled pegasus.
Out of the corner of his eye, Gizmo thought he saw something stalking about again. But wasn't quick enough to actually see it. He squinted his eyes and studied the bush to see if he might catch what ever had moved. It wasn't too long until Rainbow made her way back to Gizmo, leaving a rather happy new friend trotting away. "There."
Gizmo looked back to Dash with concern. "I dunno... what if they don't want to talk?"
"Thats oaky, here I'll help you find somepony." She reassured he. "hmmmmmmmm, THERE!" she pointed out to a small area where some proper stallions were chatting it up over tea. "Hehe, you'll fit right in." She used her head to push Gizmo forward. Gizmo was somewhat reluctant and actually dug his hooves into the ground for the first few feet but gave in to Rainbow's insistant pushing. The 'posh ponies' Stopped their gentle laughter and set down there tea as gizmo stumbled forward with his embarassed smile.
"Why hello there, my good gentlepony." Said the stallion closest to Gizmo. He was a white unicorn with a black mane, suit, mustache and shining monocle. The bag of money that was his cutie mark was a dead give away that he dressed this way most of the time. The other was a dark blue earthpony who had clearly spent too much time grooming his short indigo mane. His caped suit almost made him look pleasantly evil.
"Yeah, uhhmm. hi. I-I'm. I'm Gizmo-" The younger pegasus began.
He was quickly interrupted by the blue earthpony. "Ah yes! That quaint young inventor from just out side of town." He spoke with a greater than thou tone and displayed a smile as though he was looking upo a child.
"HAHA!" Laughed the Unicorn. "Quaint indeed." He levitated the goggles about Gizmo's neck. Which Gizmo just realized were rather old and raddy. "I mean just look at these old things. They must be antiques! You simply MUST tell me where you found these."
YES! Gizmo was in. Clearly this was a conversation that he could hold. Rainbow Dash was gunna eat her challenge. "Oh these? I got them from my father when I was just a foal. Before I he passed away he was supposedly an amazing racingpony. At least thats what the Matron told me." He lifted his goggles a moment and smiled in memory.
"The matron? You were an orphan? HOW absolutely precious." Cooed the unicorn, before laughing lightly and sipping from his tea cup.
"Oh my. I'll bet he lives about as stylishly as he dresses."Stated the caped pony, trying his best not to laugh.
Gizmo smiled brightly, proud of his home. "It's even better than that. I built my house myself. Every inch is-" Before he could finish the two posh ponies broke out into a tear filled laughter, banging their hooves on the table. Suddenly the whole world seemed expansive about gizmo, distant and lonely. He shrunk down, his smile fading into a terrified frown. This is exactly what he expected before this contest began, exactly what he feared. These two had been poking fun at him this whole time and for the first in a long time he really felt alone.
A cloud, that had been hovering just over head suddenly, dissapated and a rainbow colored force struck the ground like lightning. "HEY! WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM!?! For social ponies like your selves you sure do have a problem recognizing somepony who needs a little help!" Rainbow dash turned her back on the shocked stallions and bucked the table over. "C'mon Giz, We don't need these losers." Giz barely heard his friend but was able to follow her instructions as she lifted him upand lead him back to Twilight, who was waiting not to far off looking worried. She made a quick note on her paper before tucking it away in her saddle bag and trotting forward to meet Giz and Rainbow.
"oh my goodness. Is he going to be okay Rainbow?" She said looking over Gizmo as he shuddered and stared at the ground. He didn't seem very responsive.
Rainbow Dash Nodded, looking sorry. "Yeah, he's a tough pony. I guess they just got to him."
"Do you think we should take a break?" Twilight looked up to Dash.
"No," answered Rainbow Dash. " We should just stop all together and let him calm down."
The conversation continued as the two mares walked Gizmo to the library for some down time. But Giz wasn't listening. He had been thinking about what had happened, the way Rainbow Dash had leapt in like that. It was almost like what those Stallions said didn't matter anymore. He didn't have to worry about them because he already had a true friend and he knew she would never make fun of him like that. By the time they reached Twilight's home, Gizmo and started paying attention again and actually smiled a bit as he saw his friend walking with him.
A good friend is always Loyal.
