Dear Journal

Chapters

The Longest Day Part 2
The Longest Day Part 3
Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and the Boring Bit.
Divergent Paths
Pink Friday
First
To Burn...
From the Ashes
A Head Trip Ahead
The Penultimate Decision
Parties, Cakes, and Happy Endings
<B> In Brightest Day
<Y>Unexpected Assertiveness
<B> As Darkness Approaches
Delirium
The Longest Day Part 1
<Y>Choosing Not to Hide

The Longest Day Part 2

I opened the door quietly, and walked toward something that smelled rather good. Once inside I dropped my guise. Rarity was in the kitchen. “Well miss Rarity thank you for letting me stay.”

She turned around to greet me. “Salieri! Or should I say Dolce? I got your note, but you’re not in disguise.”

I chuckled remembering the note. “Oh, no. I don’t like to waste my magic, and I see no reason to keep it up here. After all you already know who I am.”

“Well yes I do,” She told me caringly, “But a customer might walk in at any moment, and I’m expecting Fluttershy later. How long do you think you’ll be staying dear?”

Well that was a relief, now I didn’t have to bring it up awkwardly. “Actually I don’t know. I was hoping to learn a bit about being a fashion designer from you. I’ve been good at sewing since I was quite small, but I never developed the talent.” Then I commented on the other thing she mentioned. “Also Fluttershy already knows who I am...”

“What? I thought you said you were trying to keep it secret? Does anypony else know? I mean of course I’ll teach you about fashion, but am I going to have everypony in town trying to beat down my door to see you instead of muah?”

The sudden stream of questions caught me off guard. “Um... I... Um...” I stammered trying to figure out which question to answer first. I shook my head and focused. “Yes, I’m trying to keep it secret, but if I get startled when I’m not focusing the illusion sometimes breaks. No one else knows, and I even convinced Pinkie to wait a few days before throwing me a party. Fluttershy only knows because I...” I blushed. “I got scared by a bird and fell into the stream... Falcons are scary.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure that nopony else knows?”

“Nopony else knows that I know of. Just you, Lyra, and Fluttershy. If everypony finds out it’ll be Buckingham all over again.”

“What happened in Buckingham?”

“One little pony revealed my secret carelessly. Everypony found out, and I couldn’t get a moments peace for the next three days. I was asked to perform a concert. I never liked large crowds, so I disappeared in the middle of the night, and then I tried my hoof at amateur hoofball in another town. So now I’m also famous under a different name as one of the worst hoofball players of all time...”

She smiled. “Do you always make a name for yourself wherever you go?”

“Oh no. Sometimes I just leave because I’ve nothing more to learn in that disguise. Like when I was a watchmaker, a construction worker, a mail colt, a candy maker, or an explosives expert. That last one has actually been useful a few times now...” I thought back for a moment and shuddered. “Well, you get the picture. I mostly try to avoid the spotlight. The main issue is that I’m good at a lot of things, but none of them have been my talent.”

She sighed. “Once again I ask you Mr. Star, I thought you said you liked keeping your life secret.”

I blushed a bit. “Well... This is actually the first time that anypony has known and helped keep my secret. And since you already know the big secret, what is the harm in knowing a few more?” I looked right into her gentle eyes. “Also I don’t think there should be secrets between friends. Even if we were only friends for three days back then.”

Rarity was confused for a moment, then lost in thought, then a wave of realization hit her. “No... you weren’t... were you?”

I put on one of my first disguises. My fake cutie mark was a sleeping white wolf, and my coat was a plain grey. “One of my first fake jobs was being a lone wolf. I thought that this disguise was so cool back then. I also thought that that was actually a job. I had thought almost everything out, but there was one issue.” I still remembered those three days very well. “Food and water weren’t an issue, but hotels don’t really like renting rooms to little colts who can afford to pay them in bits up front. They tend to get suspicious...” I laughed. “I really did like it here though, you were the first pony that felt like a real friend to me in a long time.”

Rarity looked shocked. “Oh my dear, where did you sleep?”

“Well... that’s kinda why I left after three days. I was fine sleeping on a bed of leaves, but apparently adults don’t like when a foal is sleeping in the woods. I wanted to say goodbye, but I’d just barely escaped the adults once, and I was afraid I’d get caught.” I looked at her still shocked face.

“Y-you.... you...” She stammered, “You slept on the ground?!? OUTSIDE!?!” I probably shouldn’t have told her that part. “Outside! With all the bugs and the dirt and the wild BEASTS of the forest-”

I cut her off. “It was either that or not get to be friends with the pretty mare I saw at all.” Rarity got a slight blush. “Back then all I knew was that my talent wasn’t music. I didn’t know where to go, or what to do to get hired. After that I looked through newspaper want ads before entering towns, and I always had a good sob story to make sure somepony would take me in. Each time I left I left some bits to pay for the hospitality though, of course.” I smiled at her. “I’ve always wanted to come back here. Will you still be my friend?”

She wrapped her hooves around my neck so fast that all I saw was a blur. “Of course you idiot!” She was teary eyed, and beautiful, but she’d always just be a friend. (((RARITY SHIP DENIED))) I couldn’t think of her as more than that.

I hugged her back. After a few moments the embrace ended. “Now I was serious about wanting to learn about sewing, and all the other ins and outs of dress-making while I’m here. Oh! And to avoid scandal I’ll be renting a room somewhere in town starting Sunday. Due to that I’ll be out of town on Saturday.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well I need to visit my parents and get some money if I want to rent a room don’t I? All the money from record sales and music rights goes to them because I don’t have a permanent address, but the money’s mine, so I get it when I need it.”

“Besides, I met you once a long time ago.” I changed into the same disguise I had used back then, if an older looking version of it.

She stood there a moment in thought before a look of realization appeared on her face. “You were that colt who was only in town for three days! Nopony knew who you were so my old teacher, and some concerned parents went searching for you, and after that we never saw you again.”

I was a bit shocked. “You remember all that, huh? I heard them searching, so I did what I always do. I hid, then ran. That’s not what mattered though.” I smiled as I was lost in thought. “Even if I was only in town for three days it was the kindest place I’d ever stayed. Not the easiest, but the kindest. When I looked hungry ponies offered to buy me food. I turned them down and bought my own, but they actually offered. Anypony I tried to talk to actually listened to me. Colts, fillies, and even the adults stopped if I asked them a question. I even got to play with other ponies my own age for a while.” a single tear rolled down my cheek, but my smile remained.

“I never ran into another town like that. They were suspicious of me as an outsider, or they were too busy to listen to some adolescent colt who just wanted to know a good place to eat. It might have been easier to get work and a place to stay, but I think that’s just because I was getting older.” No more tears came. “Though there’s one thing that made me want to come back here more than anything.

“I met you, Fluttershy, and the Apple family, and Rainbow Dash and so many other great ponies. I only talked to you all once, but I knew there was something more about all of you. I just felt it. I felt it about Twilight when I met her once in Canterlot, and I felt it about the five of you that lived here. When I saw you all in the papers years later I knew that I was right. I don’t know what my true role in life is, but I think it has something to do with you six.”

Rarity looked stunned. She didn’t know how to respond. She looked like she was trying to form the words, but her mind was processing all that information she had received at once.

I decided to add something easier to talk about. “Also I’ll be leaving on Saturday, but I’ll be back sunday. I’ll have enough money to put myself up somewhere until I can find a more permanent residence after that.”

“Wait, what? You’re just going to leave and get money?” It seemed she had decided to leave the heavy information at that for now.

I shrugged. “Well, yeah. I’m going to visit my parents for the day and get some money. Since I don’t have a real address and we still get money from my songs it gets sent to them. They decided that it’s all really my money, so I stop by every once in awhile.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You just casually trot back home for money and leave as you please?”

“Well of course! I’m going to be with them all of next month.”

Her eyebrow went up just a bit farther. “I thought you ran away when you were little.”

I laughed. “Yes I did, and I got a right good scolding after a tearful reunion three years later, but they understood my need to find out who I was.” Right then I noticed how overwhelmed she looked and how much information I had just unloaded. “All that matters is that no one will be worried about a colt living in your house with you after this weekend.” I smiled as a blush spread across Rarity’s face. “Don't let anything burn.”

She quickly turned back to what she was cooking, which luckily hadn't burnt yet. She muttered something I couldn't hear as she did so. She clearly had made enough for at least two. Did she have somepony visiting? I got my response quickly. “Would you like some breakfast? I'd be an awful hostess if I didn't feed my guest.” Oh yeah... I was visiting.

“Well of course. What have you made?” Whatever it was it smelled great.

Rarity turned off the burners, and set the last item that had been cooking on a plate with several others. “Nothing to fancy. Just pancakes, apples, and some juice.”

That would probably cost about 10 bits. She might think of me as a guest, but I planned on paying her back for everything during my stay. “That sounds great!”

She brought the two plates to the table, and we began making light conversation. We talked about some of her adventures which were only vaguely outlined in the news papers that I'd read, and we talked about the ponies that I'd met in town, and about food, and then the important topic came up.

“I've actually known how to sew since I was little, and I've made a few outfits for myself, but they were all using premade sewing patterns.” My plate was almost empty at this point.

Rarity smiled. “Well that's a start, but it just doesn't compare to designing it yourself! The thrill of knowing that you have produced a purely unique creation for somepony to show off is just wonderful.”

I hadn't felt that in a long time.“Well... while I stay in town can you teach me a little something about fashion?”

Her face lit up. “Of course!” She said eagerly. “I just had a large order come in, and I have the designs drawn out for everything, but to tell the truth I might not have completed it on time alone.”

We finished eating quickly, and washed the dishes before she showed me to her creating room. For some reason I thought she meant that I would be helping by actually helping MAKE the clothes, but for the most part, that was not the case. I was used as a mannequin for some of the process, and for some of the process I was simply keeping materials ready for Rarity to use. I only actually used my sewing skills to put the finishing touches exactly as asked on the cuffs of a rather nice improved tuxedo.

These dresses and suits were a bit to intricate for me to describe well enough to do them any justice, and enough that I really couldn't learn anything from being there during their creation. In the coming days we would be working on things that were a bit simpler so that I could learn a bit more, and because ever since Fancy Pants stated that he liked the ultra simple dresses they had been in rather high demand. I had just barely finished sewing the finishing touch on the last cuff when there was a knock at the door.

I prepared my disguise while Rarity answered the door. I was actually surprised that Rarity had said that we were done, then I remembered her exact wording. She just didn't have anything more for me to do for the day. Though that is rather unimportant. I walked toward the doors and saw who was standing there. It was one of the ponies that made this town famous. Some of the facts were skewed of course, as her eyes weren't glowing and pure white, but the descriptions had been mostly correct.

“Come in Twilight! I completely forgot that you were coming for lunch.”

“That's okay Rarity. I see you just got distracted with your... friend.” Twilight said with a smirk.

Before that moment I was completely unaware of exactly how red a ponies cheeks could turn. She sputtered out a response. “Oh no, Twilight! It's nothing like that! He's just learning about fashion and-”

I interrupted at that point. “Rarity, I think she was joking.” As Rarity turned to hide her blush that was just starting to fade I turned to Twilight. “So you must be Twilight Sparkle. Librarian, disciple of Princess Celestia, and the element of magic.” I smiled. “The tabloids were almost right about your appearance.”

She blushed ever so slightly. “Yes I am, and who might you be?”

“Oh! How rude of me. I'm Dolce N. Gabana. Right now I'm really just a talented sewer, but with some tutelage I hope to be my own fashion designer instead of just mending old things, and using premade patterns. Now if you two lovely mares will excuse me I have to be going.”

“You're leaving?” Twilight was surprised. “But we've just met! You've only just introduced yourself.”

I couldn't help myself when a great line came to me. “Exactly! We've just met and you're going to ruin your scheduled plans with a close friend to talk to me? Shame!” With that I was out the door, trotting off leaving the two ponies stunned. My job was done, and I was off to see a mare about some jam and a party.

It didn't take long at all to get back to the little bakery where I would find Pinkie. She was waiting inside behind the counter. It looked like she was decorating something, but when I opened the door she gasped, and hid whatever it was. She was odd, but cute. She welcomed me to the bakery. I simply walked up to the counter with a completely normal smile right up until I began speaking.

When I started speaking my face got serious. “That jam. The zap apple stuff. Where can I get more of it and is it still in season?” I didn't wait for an answer. “I need as much as I can get right now it is the best thing I've ever tasted and normal food seems bland in comparison.” I needed answers. Answers and jam.

Pinkie tried to put on a serious face as well, but it just came out looking silly and a little cute. “There's only one place to get that jam, and they may only have a little bit left in stock.” She looked left, and right, then back to me. “Sweet apple acres.” Her smile returned quickly. “Say hi to Applejack for me!”

I couldn't help but smile as well. “I'll do that. Thanks.” I chuckled as I trotted back out the door. Off to Sweet Apple Acres to see a mare about some jam. I remembered passing it when I was on my way back from the boutique that morning. It should only take a few minutes if I hurried, but who needed to hurry? I walked slowly and hummed my favorite drinking song about Luna. Something rainbowy, and fast flew by in the sky. I didn't get a good look at it as it passed. I assumed that I already knew, but only time would tell.

I passed by Lyra who was sitting with another mare and said hello. She introduced me to her 'friend' Bonbon, and we chatted for a bit. As I started on my way again I saw the colorful blur once more. Was she following me? Was it for sure the she that I thought it was? Was I asking myself too many questions in a row? When did I leave the market area? The street I was on was nearly empty. I decided to walk down an alley that would lead me back to the main road out to the farm as a short cut.

I was half way down the alley when the blur landed in front of me. “Gah!” It may have surprised me a little. A cyan form with a rainbow mane and tail emerged from the dust. It was exactly who I thought it was.

She on the other hand had no idea who I was, and seemed to not be entirely trusting. “Why have I seen you with almost all of my friends today? First you left Fluttershy's cottage as the sun rose, then you were in Rarity's house for forever. After Twilight showed up you left and went straight to Pinkie, and now you're going toward Sweet Apple Acres.” She moved closer, she was pretty much uncomfortably close at this point. “Are you spying on the Elements of Harmony?”

I was once again surprised. I took a step back before answering. “No I'm not spying. Though you are all awesome. The fact that I went to all of these places is actually mostly coincidence.” Rainbow Dash was almost exactly as she had been described. “I was at Fluttershy's because I needed something to do in the morning, and nopony else was awake yet. I'm staying at Rarities to learn about fashion,” At that point I gestured to my illusory cutie mark. “And the last two are really one in the same. I got some bagels and zap apple jam from Pinkie, and I needed to know where I could get more.

If the descriptions were entirely true this next part would help me greatly. “I had no idea that I'd be running into the faster flier in Equestria AND famous element of loyalty on the way. In just a few days I've met five of the most famous mares in Equestria!”

Stroking her ego worked exactly how I was told it would. “Well that may be true about me, but you haven't convinced me yet.”

I feigned sadness and fell to the ground. “Oh! You're right! I'm really a famous musician using a disguise to sneak around a small town to learn things!” Even the truth seems silly when you say it right, and I had said it perfectly. She showed no signs of believing a word of what I'd said.

Dash laughed. “Yeah right. You're another Twilight in disguise.” She sighed. “You really just wandered into all of us by accident?”

Half confession time. “Not entirely. I ran into the element of generosity first on purpose, but the rest of you really are coincidence. Rarity can teach me everything I need to know about fashion while I'm here, and nopony else could.” Now time for the part that was a bit funny. “Then after sleeping for about 28 hours Pinkie's shop was the only one open to get some food. I spent most of the night in the forest after that, and as the sun was rising Fluttershy seemed to be the only other pony awake, so I helped her feed her animals.” A thought then occurred to me. “What were you doing there to know that I was there though?”

She shrugged. “Clearing the early morning sky for the sunrise. I saw you leaving on my way back home.”

Aw... nothing nefarious. It was good that she hadn't seen my lose my disguise though. “So were you following me the rest of the day, or just since left Rarity's?” My snark was showing again. I had to work on that.

She fumbled a bit with that answer. “Well... I always keep a watch over Ponyville. My house is right up there” She pointed to a cloud that was barely in sight from where we were.

“So you're saying you're a spy?” This game was always fun.

Her expression had turned from confident to almost timid at that. “No! I mean um... wait a minute!” Her expression turned back to confident. “I was the one investigating you!”

I laughed. “I suppose you were. Well can we walk while we talk? I need to see if I can get any more of that Zap Apple jam or if they're sold out.” I started walking and she walked beside me.

She let out a laugh at that. “You really are running into the rest of us by accident, aren't you?”

“Huh?”

“You're heading out to Applejack's family's farm in search of their famous jam, and you didn't even realize it, did you?”

I laughed. “I wouldn't have if Pinkie hadn't told me to say hi to Applejack for her.” Something clicked just then. “Wait. Her name is Applejack Apple? Did they just want to be sure that we knew she had something to do with apples?”

“I know, right? Her little sister's name is Applebloom! Big Mac though...”

She trailed off at the end. That was odd. “What about Big Mac?”

“Oh nothing. Well if that's all I'll see you later.” She said hurriedly.

She quickly flew off before I could respond. I couldn't quite tell, but I swear she was blushing as she flew off. The rest of the trip was rather uneventful. Mostly just a walk down empty streets until I saw the acres of apple trees. This is where I ran into my first obstacle.

The Longest Day Part 3

What is the proper educate when approaching a farm? There was no doorbell at the gate, and I severely doubted that anypony would hear me if I knocked on the fence. Do I just walk up to the barn, or the farmhouse and knock there? Am I supposed to call out for somepony to answer? What were business hours? Didn't I see an apple cart in town at some point? Do only guests of the family actually show up to the farm, and the things they make are sold at third party venues that are better at distribution because they have more locations, and it is easier to sell to one company and let them do the distribution work while you just sit back and continue making the base product speeding up the process to-

At that point my thoughts were cut off by three fillies that had walked up behind me, apparently on their way to the farm. The red and yellow one talked first. “Um... mister? Is there something ya need at the farm?”

The pegasus chimed in next. “You here to hit on Applejack?”

The first pony turned on her friend at that. “What my sister does with colts ain’t none of your business!”

“Sheesh. I was just kidding.”

I decided to answer the first question and ignore the second. “I've actually never been to a farm, so I didn't know the etiquette for approaching one.”

They looked at me oddly for a second.

I rephrased myself. “I didn't know if I should just walk in, or if that was a bad thing to do.”

They seemed to understand that better. The yellow one spoke up again. “Well if no pony's expecting you it'll be fine during the day time as long as you don't interrupt Granny's nap. Is there somethin' in particular you need?”

“Yes actually. I was stopping by to see if there was any zap apple jam I could purchase.”

“Sure, follow me, I'll check.” The little filly led her friends and I into the farm.

The trees themselves were gorgeous. The apples all looked perfect! Though the size varied slightly, the shape was perfect on each one, as was the color. If I'd been any good at painting I would have to paint some. We had reached halfway to the barn when Applebloom called out.

“HEY APPLEJACK!” She shouted much to my surprise, “SOMEPONY WANTS TO BUY SOME JAM!”

A voice that I assumed was Applejack's responded from a distance. “STOP SHOUTIN'! I'M COMIN'!”

The yellow filly turned to me once again. “Wait here, she'll be with you shortly.” With that she and her friends strode off to play, or whatever it was they were going to do. I didn't really care, I just needed more of that jam.

After a moment an orange mare strode up to me. I assumed it was Applejack.

“Hi, I'm Applejack.” I was right. “I heard somethin' about you wantin' some Jam?”

I contained my excitement as much as I could. “Yes, indeed. I would like to purchase any zap apple jam that I can. I was given some last night, and I simply must have more.”

She nodded. “Yep. It's mighty good stuff. We have about 10 jars left, you want all of 'em?”

I smiled and nodded. “Of course! How much would that be?”

We bartered for a short time and settled on an amount. An amount just barely less than what I could afford. It didn't matter though, I was giddy. I had just purchased 10 jars of the most delicious thing ever and it was all mine!

“It's a deal then pardner.” We shook on it, and she led me to the jars.

My smile grew as they came into site, and I gave her the amount we had agreed upon. “How long is the shelf life on the jam?”

She grabbed the first jar off the shelf and helped me put it into one of my saddle bags. “It should keep for at least three months in the open, and up to 10 if you keep it cool.”

I levitated the next few jars into the other saddle bag. “How long until you get more of it?”

She continued helping with the jars. “Well, the season just ended, so about another 11 months or so.”

I stopped moving jars and looked at her. The shock was evident in my voice. “WHAT?!? I'm going to have to wait almost an entire year until I can get more? But this is the most delicious thing I've ever tasted, and I've been to several equestrian dessert competitions, as well as large cook offs, but nothing even compares to this! ELEVEN MO-”

The hoof in my mouth stopped me from continuing. “Whoa there, calm down. It's not that big a deal.” She removed her hoof and smiled at me. “Think about it this way, it can be a nice yearly treat. Sure it's good, but too much of a good thing can be bad. Right?”

Her words helped me calm down a bit. “I guess you're right. But it's just so good!”

She laughed and spoke as we loaded up the last of the jars. “So's apple spice cake, but I didn't have any for dinner last night.”

I laughed. “Point taken. Thank you for the jam.” We started on our way out. I then remembered what Pinkie asked. “Oh! Pinkie Pie says hi.”

“Oh? Tell her that Friday's fine if she can't find another place for it.” With that she went off to the fields to work some more, and I walked toward the gate. Unless Pinkie had something else planned for Friday I assumed she meant my welcome party. I guess that my knowing didn't really effect anything, so it was fine. Actually... now that I thought about it that was vague enough not to really tell me anything.

It was nearing one pm when I arrived back in town. I would have gotten there faster, but 10 full jars slow a pony down a bit. Before returning to Rarity's house I must complete the task given me. I must relay the message to Pinkie.

I was planning on stopping by her shop again to tell her there, but while I was still two blocks away a pink figure started walking next to me.

“So didja get some jam?” Pinkie asked.

I took a step away and turned my head so I could see her better. She could be a bit startling. “Um... yes. 10 jars. Can you believe they won't have more for almost another year?”

“I know, right? I mean that's like waiting a whole month to get more spicy cupcakes. Who has the time?”

Spicy cupcakes? I decided to ignore it. “Oh. Applejack told me to tell you that Friday's fine if you can't find another place for it.”

“That's great!” She seemed to hover in the air as she said it. The tabloids were right, physics didn't apply to her. “It's going to be so much fun!” She landed and calmed down simultaneously. “So... what're you going to do for the rest of the day?”

“Well, I was planning on writing some letters, and practicing my magic for a while. I might get out some coloring books later though.”

She tilted her head to the side.“Coloring books?”

I nodded. “Coloring books.”

She closed one eye and looked at me closely. “The kind of coloring books where you use crayons and have tons of fun?”

I smiled. “Is there any other kind?”

Her face grew serious. The most adorable kind of serious. The kind that only ever meant good things. “Tell me when and I will meet you there with all 524 colors of crayons. 3 of each crayon. There will be no empty pages by the end of the night.”
I had to giggle a bit at that. “I'll just bring them by the bakery when I'm ready to start.” She made me smile. “Don't wait up though, they are the last thing on the list. Work some more on that super surprise party cannon design. I'll try to show up around six.” I smiled at her as I said it.

“Okie, dokie, lokie!” her face had returned to her standard smile. She started bouncing away and said one last thing to me over her shoulder in a sing song voice. “You better remember!”

I shook my head laughing and continued on my way. She was the best kind of nut. I walked almost all of the way back to the boutique without further incident. I was only about 30 paces away when a certain unicorn who lived in a library approached me from where she had been waiting under a tree.

“Well hello Twilight. Did lunch last until now?” I smiled knowing that it most certainly hadn't.

She half smiled back. “Oh, no. I was actually waiting to see you.”

I feigned half shock and responded. “Oh, how forward of you.”

She got a little bit mad and her cheeks flushed slightly. “You know that's not what I meant.”

I smiled. It was fun making her blush. “No, but I can't get out of this situation as easily as our last encounter, so I decided to make it fun.” We stood there in silence for a few moments. “What did you want to see me about?”

She shook her head and applied a hoof softly to her face. “I just wanted to know about the colt that's staying with my friend. There's something... off about you.”

My smirk returned. “Oh, you say that to all the boys.”

Her scoff returned. “No. I mean... You're a colt getting along with Rarity, but not fawning after her.”

My smirk remained. “I'm a colt that knows where not to mettle. One of those places is in the heart of the famous.”

Twilight frowned a bit harder. “You don't seem to be after a mare whom you're even sharing a house with, but you don't seem to have any mare of your own.”

“Does that mean you're volunteering?”

That one took her by surprise. “What?! No!” She calmed down a bit before continuing. If I'd payed closer attention I'd have seen the faint glow that began surrounding her horn. “I just want to make sure my friend is safe with a colt that uses a fake accent.”

That one surprised me. I changed my voice to sound more normal, and quieted myself to a whisper. “Was it that obvious?”

She nodded.

I sighed. “They don't take anypony in the fashion world seriously if they don't have a nice accent.”

She smiled and arched one eyebrow. “No snappy comeback?”

I returned the expression. “Oh, you'll come back.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Besides, I might only be staying for one more night, and at the latest I'll be leaving her home on Saturday morning.”

She let out a big breath. “Well that's a relief, ponies were starting to talk.” At this point the glow on her horn had become more noticeable. Her eyes narrowed. “There's some sort of weak magical field surrounding your body.”

My mocking smirk returned. “Oh? So you've been probing me?”

Crud. I was found out if I didn't think fast. My expression remained the same smirk even if my mind was racing like the Wonderbolts doing cardio. “It's a very useful spell. It repels dirt and dust from sticking to my coat.” I didn't love lying, but I hoped that one was good enough to work for now. Either way staying near her for much longer would be a bad thing. “Will you be much longer? I still have to practice some spells, and see if Rarity needs help with anything before I meet with Pinkie Pie for some coloring.”

“Coloring?”

I nodded. “With crayons.”

She shrugged. “Sounds like Pinkie Pie. Well, have fun, but I'm keeping my eye on you Dolce.”

She was about to turn away when I made a decision. I liked this town. I REALLY liked this town. It had the famous Elements of Harmony in it, and everypony else had been nothing but kind. If I was actually going to live here, how long could I keep up the lie? What if sewing failed me? I would come clean. I had to come clean. To everypony.

I swallowed hard. “Don't worry. You'll learn everything you need to know about me at Pinkie's welcome party on Friday.”

“I'll see you then.” With that Twilight walked off toward her home. Presumably to read until the wee hours of the night if the tabloids were correct.

My head was filled with troubling thoughts of possible repercussions and potential plans for how to reveal myself as I walked into the boutique. I shook it all off for the moment as I walked through the doors. I had things to do before my date with some crayons.

“Rarity!” I called out in a sing song voice. What? Just because I'm stressing doesn't mean I can't still be sarcastic? Whatever. She wasn't in the main room as I entered.

“Yes, Dolce?” She called from another room.

“Are there any chores of any kind that you might want me to do?”

She appeared in the doorway. “Well, if you could clean the room you're using, and maybe sweep up a bit that would be fine darling, but you really don't have to fuss.”

I smiled. “It's as good as done, also I'll no longer be staying at your house as of tomorrow.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Tomorrow?”

I matched her eyebrow raise and rose it a smile. “Indeed.”

“I thought you said you'd be here until the weekend.” She questioned.

I lowered my eyebrow. “I would have been, but I now have just barely more than enough money for a train ride home. Jam wasn't in the original plan.” I removed a jar from my pack.

She lowered her eyebrow. “Ah. Apple family jam. That would explain it. Well if you need me darling, I'll be inventing. Ciao!” With that she was off again to her studio.

As I had thought the cleaning really didn't take long. Rarity kept her home very clean as it was also her place of business, and a dirty shop could lose customers. Cleaning the room I had stayed in took all of 5 minutes. I made sure the bed looked pretty, and I used a dust removal spell as well as a wind charm to clean the floor and remove all the dust that was present in the room. I deposited the detritus in the wastebasket in the corner.

I wanted to try something in the next room, and it worked rather well. I took a broken quill from my pack and used a spell on it that should attract dirt, and dust. All I had to do was pass the quill over the floor and behind things and all of the dirt and dust within 6 inches was sucked onto it. The only issue was that when it got too full it was rather difficult to get anything off of it without removing the enchantment. Regardless it took me a little over a half an hour to clean the entire main floor, and nearly every room that wasn't being used for creation. With my chore done I returned to my domi pro tempore to write my letters.

The first letter was a simple letter to my parents explaining that I would be visiting them tomorrow. I also requested that the send me all of my coloring books. The second was a more personal letter that took a bit longer to write. In fact it took about 20 sheets of parchment before I was done. I wasn't going to send them all of course. 18 of the sheets were failed drafts that I would later have to burn. I rolled the failed drafts up and hid them as best I could in my pack.

The third letter was written in a very fun code. To anypony other than myself and the pony receiving the letter it would simply look like a very very strange musical piece. It took nearly an hour to write it out in its entirety due to the complexity of the code, but it was well worth it. It translated out to 'When the sky is gray, look out to sea. I'll be on the horizon, smiling. Also tell your mom I said hi. I haven't seen you in forever! ~Salieri'

The final letter wasn't so much a letter as a formal document that I would hoof deliver to the town hall so that I could purchase a home and become a legal resident of Ponyville. I had filled out the official form twice before, and had memorized it. Partly because I had gotten so bored one day when I was out of reading material that I challenged myself to memorize a legal document. I added one addendum to it stating that if anything else was required I would provide it. I then signed my actual name, and got ready to deliver each letter.

I used my own magic to send the first letter, as it was simple enough to send a letter home when I needed to, but I couldn't do the other two on my own. I made my way to the post office. Both letters were sealed, and marked for delivery. After getting them sent off on their way I went to the mayor's office.

The town wasn't big enough to have a major government building, so the mayor's office handled most legal forms. I walked in and was greeted kindly by a gray mare.

“Hello. Is there anything you need help with today?” Her smiled was warm.

“Just this.” I levitated the document to her.

She smiled as she read the document... right until she got to the end that is. She looked at the signature, then to me, then to the signature, then I dropped my disguise as she looked back to me, then she jumped a little and gasped. I loved that gag.

She looked on in awe. “You're... are you really?...”

I smiled and nodded. “Yes. I really am. Though until the party is over on Friday just call me Dolce.” I replaced my disguise. “I believe I'll be living in the old house on the east edge of town. Do I just pay the current lease owners then?”

The mayor closed her mouth and shook her head to return to reality. “Yes, that should be fine. If you choose to stay you will become a legal resident on the first of next month.” She was still slightly dumbstruck, but that was to be expected.

The smile in my eyes grew. “Splendid! It was a pleasure doing business with you.” We shook hooves and I turned to leave.

“Tell Racer I said hello next time you see him.” As I walked out the door I couldn't help but remember the last time I saw
Racer's aunt. I knew she was a mayor, but I never knew it was here. Small world I guess.

It was 4pm when I returned to my room in the boutique to practice some magic. First I did some spells to make me appear smaller or larger in front of the mirror. The ones that made me look larger were much easier, and looked much better, but I was having trouble matching where the head was looking to where I was looking. I seemed to have gotten it perfect after a few minutes. Making myself smaller was a much more exhausting spell. It was part illusion, part puppet (making the head look where I wanted it to again), and part invisibility. Changing colors was one thing, but making something completely clear? Much harder. I returned to my normal disguise, and rested for a few minutes before attempting my next spell.

This spell was very easy to maintain once it was started, but well... starting wasn't so easy. I sat on the bed sitting and resting on my front hooves to prepare. I got out the needed materials and placed them on the bed in front of me. When I felt ready I started. The tips materialized. The feathers formed slowly and connected to the still forming skin and muscle. I felt a pulse just below my horn, but kept my focus. The muscles knitted well, and the tendons and ligaments began forming. The bones were made, and the muscle attached itself properly. The skin covered it perfectly. The feathers coated the skin properly. In truth the bone wasn't bone, but had a chemical composition similar to wood. It was about as strong as if it were made of glass. The skin was as thick as normal skin, but it was essentially paper. The muscle itself was made of a material similar to the skin. The feathers were actually just my own fur, but they looked and felt like real horse feathers.

About a half second before the wings could fully form I passed out. The spell was still too much for me to do alone, and since the only copy of the spell was destroyed I was out of luck. When I awoke the clock said 5:40, and my horn was glowing. A moment later my coloring books appeared on the bed in front of me, and I shook the sleep out of my head. I remembered why I needed them, and I had 20 minutes to get there.

As I looked at the books on the bed in front of my nose I became very very happy. They had sent more than I expected, and that was a good thing. I gathered all of the books into a neat pile, and placed them on my back. As I walked out Rarity was leaving her studio to head for the kitchen. “I'm heading over to Pinkie's for some coloring. I'll be back around 8!”

She looked at me quizzically. “Coloring?”

I let out a chuckle. “With crayons. Have a good evening.” I continued three steps closer to the door.

“You don't want some dinner first?”

I shook my head. “I'll just get something at the bakery. I'll see you tomorrow night if you want to stop by my new house!”

“You're moving in already?”

I laughed. “Yes, now go make yourself something to eat, and I'm going to go color!” With that I turned and trotted out the door. It was 5:50 when I entered the bakery, and asked the colt behind the counter about Pinkie's whereabouts. I was going to buy a crepe from him, but he told me Pinkie had made food for us already. He pointed me up the stairs to the door on the left.

As I opened the door I was blasted in the face with confetti. “Gah! Pinkie! That was surprising!”

“I know, right? It's all like POOF! And you totally didn't expect it at all! Want some cupcakes? Cheesecakes? Double-takes?”

“What was that last one?”

“Cheesecakes?”

I shook my head and smiled. “I get it!” Oh, Pinkie. “I'll have a cupcake and some cheesecake.”

She gave me a plate with three cupcakes and three slices of different kinds of cheesecake organized to look like ice cream cones.

She smiled with her eyes closed. “I'll take your order, and raise you two!”

I don't know how she'd stolen a joke from my inner monologue from earlier in the day, but I didn't question it. I took the plate graciously, and began eating.

As soon as we were done eating I asked Pinkie about the crayons, and BOY did she deliver. Pinkie wasn't lying about the crayons. It was more than I'd ever seen. She had three of every color that I'd heard of, and some that I hadn't. Puce and periwinkle. Plum, peach, and plain purple. Salmon, chartreuse, and several scores more. If ever there was a time for coloring, it was now.

I stared at them all. “By my love of Luna this is going to be the best possible use of wax in all of the existence of pony kind.” I set all seventeen 200-page coloring books on the ground, and one sketch pad. Her expression as well as mine, without losing our smiles, grew serious.

Simultaneously we stated, “Coloring time!”

We made purple giraffes, and green primates, and so many other things that I couldn't comprehend the countless creatures and copious creations we had colored. 2 hours later, smelling strongly of wax, we stopped. I had to follow my schedule, and she had to work on something relating to gunpowder and parties. She wished me a super duper awesome fun night, and I wished her the same.

On my way back to Rarities I took a detour by the train station, and purchased my ticket for the next day. It was 8:30 by the time I wrote a letter apologizing to Luna for not staying up with her that night (I know it's silly, and I never sent any of them, but it was still a fun practice to follow) and got into bed. Early for most, but I had a promise to keep, and I was ready to help take care of some animals.

Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and the Boring Bit.

Bit of a short one. As in many stories there is indeed filler. Sorry, but It'll help make things faster later I promise!

I woke up early, as promised. The sun hadn't risen yet, and might not rise for another hour. This would be the first time I had ever woken up at 5am. I had gone to sleep at that time rather often, but never woken up. It took me a few moments to remember what I had planned. I took a quick shower as quietly as I could before stepping out the door. The streets were nearly empty as I strolled across Ponyville to my destination. There was one pony simply out for an early morning trot, and one who seemed to be rather inebriated, but other than that the streets were empty. I approached the cabin without incident. I walked along rather slowly, so it took nearly a half hour to get there.

It was almost five thirty when I arrived. I saw that Fluttershy was tending to the bats, so I trotted up to her quietly. I made sure she noticed me before I was too close. When I got closer I noticed her humming quietly. She only kept fruit bats at her home, but that was mostly because they were the only bats native to the area. Slightly because she didn't feel comfortable even with harming gnats and mosquitoes to feed her animals, and certainly not giving BLOOD to any vampire bats. Though I didn't find that out for a few weeks.

“Hello.” I said, with a pitch quiet enough to match the predawn light.

A soft smile spread across her lips. “Hello. I'm glad you came back.”

I sang quietly. “You should know when I make a deal I mean it.” I hummed the next bit, as singing what can be seen as a love song to somepony you hardly know is hardly appropriate. I loved the song Hedwops. Even if I was the only pony I knew who listened to Nemes.

She giggled softly.

“What would you have me do?” I bowed my head curtly.

The small smile she had so often was there on her face. “Can you wait just one second... if that's okay.” I nodded. She finished the final few things she needed to do with the bats and turned to me. “Well... um...” she looked down and ran a hoof through the back of her mane. “The bats, and most of the nocturnal animals are all taken care of. Could you help me with the skunks?”

I helped her finish feeding and tending to the nocturnal animals, and we got everything ready for the early birds, and this time I wasn't frightened into a stream by any falcons. Falcons are scary. As we worked we talked. Fluttershy told me about how she actually raised many of the animals to be pets, but she also raised endangered or injured animals that needed care. She also was one of the best pet food providers in the area, and that was a large part of how she supported herself. She was very nice to be around. It didn't take long to get everything done, and we both sat together to watch the sunrise. We said our quick goodbyes and I was on my way to get my things and go to the train station. I would write about this in more detail, but... I honestly don't remember much more of what happened.

It took nearly another half an hour to get back to the boutique and gather my things without waking Rarity. I was glad that I was good at being quiet. It was nearly seven thirty by the time I got to the train station. My train wasn't scheduled to leave until eight, so I set my things down by a bench and sat down. I sat there and began admiring the well groomed potted plant that was near me.

“Where do you think you're going?!?” Pinkie said as she jumped out of the pot that was actually smaller than she was, and landed on the bench next to me. The plant landed back in place perfectly.

“Huh? Whu. How did... Huh?” I sputtered.

“You were trying to skip out on your own welcome party weren't you!” She accused.

I had to explain myself. “No. You've got it all wro-”

“After I planned it all out, and got out the invitations, and everything!” Pinkie interrupted.

I tried to get a word in edgewise. “Pinkie, I'll be back befo-”

“I've already designed the cake, and ordered the ingredients for the punch! I hired a DJ and we got everything ready already and-”

It was my turn to cut her off. “The party will be great, and I will be there, just LET ME EXPLAIN MYSELF!” I didn't intend to yell, but I got easily flustered some times. “Eh. Ehm.” I cleared my throat before continuing. “Sorry. I'm only going to be gone for a day Pinkie.” I mussed her hair. “Besides, nopony is allowed to miss a Pinkie Pie Party. We all know that.”

She looked at me accusingly, but adorably. “Well, okay. But you better be there.”

I smiled back at her. “I'll be there, and I'll bring a surprise of my own for the party, okay?”

A big smile, not huge, but big, spread across Pinkie Pie's face. “A surprise?!? Is it a good surprise? How big of a surprise?”

My favorite smirk came back once again. “I'll make that a surprise too.”

Her face returned to a slight huff, then she giggled and smiled again. “Okie dokie! Get back safe sweetie!” With that she bounced off back to town.

I smiled as my right hoof collided with my forehead. “I'll never get used to that.” I said to myself.

I sang songs in my head to pass the time until the train arrived. At precisely eight o' clock, or perhaps a few seconds sooner, depending on the clock, the train arrived. The train ride was uneventful, and for lack of a better word, boring. I would write what I did back in my home town but... I'm not legally allowed to. I can only really say that my parents and I had a good time, and afterwords I collected all of my things, and was on my way to my new home.

The train back to Ponyville was mostly empty. Myself, four unicorn movers and two cars of my own luggage made up the bulk of the passenger weight. We arrived some time after eleven, to empty streets. The train would be stopped in Ponyville for the night, so I made my way to the home of the colt who owned the house that was soon to be my own. He was very accepting. The deed was signed over to me, and I payed him in full for the home on the spot. With that the movers helped me move everything into my house in under an hour. I was exhausted, and very glad that I only had to keep the secret for one more day. I went to my new bedroom, and was asleep before my head was down.

Divergent Paths

It was warm. I liked when it was warm. I didn't need to spend anything on a room when it was warm. I couldn't decide on what to do next. Watch making was definitely not my talent. All I was really good at were my illusions, my tricks, my... my lies. Could that be my true talent? No. No! I couldn't just be a liar my whole life! That was worse than being a fake! When I was a fake a few ponies got hurt, but if all I had was lies, then what?! I settled down. The sun would be down soon, so I gathered some leaves together to make a bed for the night. I guess I could try something with toys. I liked toys. I mean... who didn't like toys? But... I had nothing else to go on. My bed was done so I settled down for the night. The sounds of the woods didn't frighten my any more. Even so far from any road, I was fine. My eyelids shut slowly.

As I awoke I was sad. The half memory of what my dream had been about quickly faded, but I still felt sad. Not sad like I was going to cry, more... lonely. I decided to ignore it. After all I had to greet my new neighbors, and visit a few ponies in town today! All while keeping myself secret for just one last day. Tomorrow I'd finally be free. Tomorrow I'd surprise everypony, and hope against hope that they'd accept me. That's all I had. Hope.

If I had to be sad, it would at least be better if I chose a focus for it. I chose to be sad that I would be saying goodbye to Dolce tomorrow. He did have a fun accent to fake. Also if I chose that, then I could at least have some laughter in my sadness. I got out of bed smiling, though the twinkle wasn't there in my eyes. I took a slow shower, soaking my mane and coat thoroughly. The lavender scented shampoo and the mint and rosemary conditioner smelled glorious. The dream still stayed just out of my memory's grasp as I turned off the water. I sent a small electric charge through my coat to turn the water all into gas. I liked when I learned that trick. It wasn't hard, and it was nearly instant. H2O becomes hydrogen and oxygen with a small electric charge. I put on my disguise even though I wouldn't leave my house for another half an hour. It was a just in case. As I walked downstairs I was very glad that I did.

Something smelled good coming from my new kitchen. Why did something smell good from my kitchen? Everything was well sealed, wasn't it? Did one of the movers accidentally leave something open on the counter? Walking into the room would solve the mystery. Walking into the room would also cause even more confusion.

“Gah! Pinkie! How did you get into my new house?” Seriously, how?

“I walked in. Duh!” She said while continuing to cook.

“But all the doors were locked, and so were the windows!” I was truly exasperated.

“So?” She pushed the lever down on my toaster.

My hoof collided with my face. “So you shouldn't of been able to get in!”

“Why would that stop me?” She said while flipping a two pancakes but looking at me.

Logic clearly was not applicable in this conversation. I gave up. “Just ask before you come into my house from now on, okay?”

Pinkie nodded and giggled. “You want OJ?”

I smiled despite myself. “Sure. What in all did you make?”

“Well.” She had two plates set out. “You didn't have much, so I made toast,” the toast popped into the air at that moment, much higher than a toaster would normally launch it, and she buttered both slices before they landed on the edges of both plates. “and some pancakes.” She flipped both pancakes and having them land perfectly one on each plate. “I didn't need to make the juice, and I brought some blueberry muffins from Sugarcube Corner.” She grabbed the muffins out of a bag on the counter, and placed one on each plate.

I walked from the kitchen entrance to my new table. “Sounds tasty. Now, why did you sneak into my house to make breakfast?”

“You've been staying with Rarity for a few days, so I didn't want you to be lonely waking up all alone.” I had the feeling she was blushing, but her face was away from me. Maybe that's why I had that feeling. She hadn't faced directly away from me until that moment.

My favorite little smirk showed up again, though I meant what I said. “Thank you, Pinkie. Thanks for thinking of me.”

Pinkie bounced over to the table carrying both plates, and twin glasses of orange juice. “Well of course! I'm always there for my friends. Even the new new new ones! Like when this donkey showed up in...”

She kept talking but she was speaking so fast that I couldn't really follow what she was saying. Something about a bald friend. A few seconds later she was done. “...Then he found his true love again, and now I made you breakfast.”

I had grabbed a fork, and started eating by this point. “Wow, Pinkie. This is really good! What did you use on these pancakes?”

“Just birch syrup, and cinnamon.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Birch syrup?”

She took a rather large bite. “Yeah! It's a lot like maple syrup, but instead it comes from birch trees and it costs a bit more.”

We talked for a while finishing our food slowly. The muffins were amazing, and the toast was toast. What? Even the most amazing toast is still just toast. All she added to it was butter. Pretty soon she bounced away, and I had to get through the rest of my day. It took me a minute before I remembered that I had woken up sad. All it took was a surprise visit and breakfast for Pinkie to already make my day better. She was a great friend.

It was on to my daily rounds after that. First on the agenda was paying back Rarity for her time, food, and space. I had to pay her back whether she wanted me to or not! It turned out the answer was not. “Oh, come now. I consider you a friend, and helping a friend for a few days doesn't require compensation.”

I rolled my eyes. “I consider you a friend, and I would never give a friend anything less than what they deserve!”

She sighed. “You already spent a day helping me sew, and we were going to do another soon.”

It was hard convincing generosity to accept your money. “You spent a day teaching me, and I always pay for my lessons. Besides, I'm only good at sewing. I can't create like you can at all.”

“Exactly. You learned nothing from my lessons, so I can't charge you.”

I rolled my eyes. “On the contrary, you learn much more from failure than success. Also I learned something very important that I'm telling everypony at the party tomorrow.”

She still held firm. “I can't take your money, and you know it.”

I sighed. Half defeated. It was time for drastic measures. I looked back up at her with determination in my eyes. “I'll need a tuxedo for the party tomorrow, and I want you to design it. I will pay full price, and that is not negotiable. It should be simple, but material is key.” I grabbed a list out of my pack, and placed it in front of her. “I need it made of these materials. Do you need my measurements?”

She looked torn between emotions. She wasn't done with our argument yet, but her love of fashion was calling to her. “Why this material?”

The camera of my mind panned to a slanted shot of just my mouth with a cocky smirk. “It's the suit I got famous in.”

As the hypothetical camera zoomed out from a window view of the room I explained my plan for the party to her, and she finished my measurements. She told me the suit would be ready in a few hours, and to come back any time to get it. I was off to see a pony about a surprise.

The plan was for me to walk back to the bakery, but instead I found Pinkie hiding inside of a bush. It was a rather large bush, so I climbed in next to her. “Why are we in a bush?”

“Because I'm hiding.”

“Why are you hiding?”

“Because pony watching is easier when no pony can see you.”

What. “You're just watching ponies walk by?”

She nodded. “Yep. We've probably been to loud now, and it's ruined my cover, but it was fun while it lasted.”

“Pinkie...” I sighed. “You confuse and amaze me. Now I need to ask you about the party.”

Her face grew slightly stern. “I'm not canceling it.”

I let out a single laugh. “No. Of course not. I just need to know about the layout of the party.”

Her smile returned. “Oh! Follow me!” She put a hoof around my shoulder, and in a blur we were inside of a barn at a table made of a bale of hay with a map of sorts spread out upon it.

“How did...? What just...?” I looked around to make sure I was seeing what I was seeing. “We were in the middle of town. How did you do that?”

She looked at me confused. “Do what?”

I stood there for a moment eying her in silence. “Never mind.” I thought it best not to try to understand this. It might break me. “All I really needed to know was if we would have a decent stage.” I looked at the map and saw that indeed there would be a stage. Also the size of the snack tables would probably hold enough food and drink to feed the town. “Cool. Who in all is coming to this?”

“Probably the whole town.”

Perfect! “Ooh. That'll make the surprise extra fun!”

“You mentioned a surprise yesterday.” she leaned in a bit too close for comfort. “What is it?”

I booped her nose and took a step back. “If I tell you then it won't be a surprise, now will it?”

She thought about it for a moment. She had a cute thinky face. “I guess not.”

I stood. “Well, do you need anything from me?”

“Not until the party. Right here, tomorrow at 5, okay?”

“Okay. I guess that's goodbye for today then.” I gave a slight bow before leaving.

“Bye sweetie!”

I stopped for a second thinking if I should say something about that, but then continued walking. I waved a hoof over my shoulder as I did. It'd surely go away tomorrow anyway. She was fun.

I was amazed that it wasn't long after mid-day and I was already done with nearly everything. I gave a friendly nod to Applejack as I left the farm, and she responded in kind with one hoof on her stetson. It was a nice day for walking. Rarity was done with my tux by the time I showed up, and everything went well. After dropping it off at my home I decided to stop by the local library to get something to read. It wasn't until I had actually gotten there that I remembered the one issue with going there.

I hoped against hope that Twilight wouldn't press me further about the magic field surrounding me. Calling it a dust prevention spell was only half lying... it did stop slight dust and dirt from messing up my coat, but it was still mostly just illusion. Oh well. I needed a book. I felt like having fun.

I walked into the library standing tall. “I require assistance!” I said with practiced Canterlot snootiness.

Spike walked up. “Um, hello.”

I looked down on him, and returned to a more normal stance. “Oh good. I thought I would run into Twilight. Can you recommend a good novel?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Sure. I assume you've read the Daring Do series?”

I shook my head. “Never heard of it. Is it good?”

He stopped instantly. “You haven't even heard of it?”

I rolled my eyes slightly. “The kinds of ponies that are usually around me only read magazines if they read anything. The last five books I've read have each been over 30 years old.”

As I spoke he had grabbed three of the books and returned to standing next to me. “Read these, and see me again in a week. Dr. Spike will be your guide back to proper literary health.”

I was about to offer slight protest, but the small dragon was at this point ushering me out the door. “Will I see you at the party tomorrow Dr.?”

He let out a laugh. “You think I'd miss one of Pinkie's parties? Of course I'll be there!”

“See you then!” We both waved goodbye and I was on my way home with some books this time.

I went inside, and went to my bedroom. I began reading, and was almost immediately glad that these books had been suggested. I read through the entire first book before too long, and took a break for a late dinner. The sun was long past set as I opened the next and began reading, and I placed the bookmark right before falling asleep. The heroine had been following a trail, when the path split into four directions. Two would lead her to treasure, one would lead to safety, and one lead to sure demise. I set down the book for the night, and had dreams about a jungle, and a party.

Pink Friday

The dream was strange yet familiar. I was in a dark cave. I had walked this dark cave for a very long time, and I didn't know how long that was any more. I saw light up ahead, but when I approached it I came upon five tunnels. One was filled with rose quarts, shiny, pink, going in all directions, and it smelled of sweetness. The next was dark, darker than the tunnel I came from. The third had a dim light to it, a grey tone with some hope in it. The fourth shone a gentle yellow, sloping gently upward, and the sound of a gentle stream and small animals could be heard. The final tunnel was long, but there was a bright light at the end of it. I followed the sweet scent down the first tunnel

I woke up early, and gently. The morning was quiet, and I didn't really have anything planned until the party started. So I decided to do something extra dangerous... I went to the library and read a book.

The walk through Ponyville was quiet, and not much happened. In my constant disguise no pony really noticed me. I knocked gently when I got there, and the door was opened by a cute little purple dragon.

Spike looked up at me, not used to new comers actually wanting to go to the library. "Whoa, um, hello. I don't see new faces in the library all that often. What can I help you with?"

I just smiled. Books were sadly not the most popular thing. "Well, if you could guide me to any good fiction or comics that would be nice. I just need something to pass the time for a few hours."

His face lit up. "Comics? Follow me!" He started half running down toward what I assumed was his favorite part of the library. "Twilight doesn't like comic books all that much, but since they are a type of book she let me fill a shelf with some of them."

I looked at the rather impressive selection shoved into a rather small area. They weren't individual monthly releases, but the big combined series. Things like the Batmare comic Shh and older comics like 'What if the Discord War Had Happened on the Moon?' were there. It was great. "Nice collection, let's see, do you have..." I found it before finishing the sentence. "Woo! Culinary Prince. Nice." He gave me a rather expected odd look. "I like cute things. I mean, sure explosions are fun too, and super hero comics are nice, but I've fallen behind on this series."

He shook his head to get rid of the confused look. "I kinda left that there because a couple of fillies wanted it. Super heroes, though, those are my favorites."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Well, duh, everyone loves super heroes. Who wouldn't want to fly and shoot lasers out of their eyes, or run at the speed of sound, or control weather?"

"I know, right? Even the sidekicks that don't have any powers get to do such cool stuff!"

I don't remember the rest of the conversation, but it lasted a WHILE. Talking about comics was always a great way to pass the time.

Eventually I looked at a clock on the wall, and decided it was time to leave. "It was cool talking to you. I'm Dolce by the way." It didn't feel like a lie, even if it was a bit of one.

Spike put his claw out to shake my hoof. "Spike. Come back any time you want to talk about comics, or just to see the library. I don't have a lot of ponies to talk to about comics around here."

"Small town problems. Hope to see you at the party tonight! See ya." He waved goodbye, and I trotted out the door into Ponyville.

It wouldn't take long to get ready for the party, so I was in no rush that day. Though I was looking forward to being at one of the most famously fun parties in Equestria. My tuxedo was perfect. It was also made of one of the easiest materials to recolor with magic. Based purely on that fact I wasted quite a bit of time trying out different colors. When I settled on the three colors I wanted I chose the proper scent for the party. It was called up quark. I don't expect anyone to get the reference.

I left with plenty of time to spare. Should I arrive early for my own party? Well surely I couldn't arrive late. I would be twenty minutes early at most. That should be fine, right? The only way to know was to be there was it not?

I was just under twenty minutes early upon arrival. As I opened the door a blindfold was placed over my eyes immediately.

"You can't peek until we're done."

I was confused, but decided to go with it. "Okay, Pinkie. Can you direct me to a seat then?" I sat by what I assumed was the wall.

"Okay, that goes over there, and that one there. No not THERE, that's the dance floor." The voice sounded almost like Pinkie's, but it was a bit off.

Pinkie's voice came out of the speakers quite loudly. "Testing, testing. This is the party announcement and music system." Then her voice came much quieter from somewhere to my right. "Turn it down a bit until the party is really going. 'Kay?"

"Got it Pinks." I didn't really recognize that voice. Music started playing and she dialed down the volume a bit.

After a few more minutes of Pinkie and the voice that was almost Pinkie giving directions my blindfold was removed.

Pinkie smiled. "Ready! What do you think. Too much? Not enough? Does it need more green?"

She always made me laugh. "It would be easier to tell if your nose wasn't against mine."

"Oh, yeah." She moved next to me. "Do you like it?"

I was amazed at what they'd set up in such a short time. "It's great Pinkie! How long is the party going to be?"

"Three hours."

"So I'll give the first surprise one hour in, and the second on at the second hour. Cool."

She let out a little happy gasp. "Two surprises? I thought you only had one! Surprise will be so happy! She, loves, surprises."

My left eyebrow arose. "Who?"

"Me!" A new face appeared inches from my own.

"Gah!" I then did probably the most multitasking I had ever done at once. My other eyebrow rose, both eyes opened wide as well as my mouth, and I raised my front hooves and heartrate, all while falling out of a chair. Both of the girls giggled. After my head cleared I looked up and saw a pegasus that looked like a white winged Pinkie pie.

I looked back and forth between the two. "Are you two related?"

They looked at eachother shrugged and giggled. Then Surprise spoke up. "So... what're the surprises? Huh? Huh? Are you going to declare your love for somepony? Did you buy somepony a really great gift?" She gasped quietly before whispering her last guess. "Did you invent a time machine?"

I leaned up to her ear and whispered loud enough so they both could hear. "If I tell you then they won't be a surprise."

Pinkie giggled as I passed a pouting Surprise. She positioned me near the door to introduce me to the first guests. Ponies poured into the party rather quickly and the music started.

After greeting at least fourty ponies I made my way to the snack table. I grabbed a slice of cake. Then some chips. Also a cupcake. Basically I got one of everything, and there was a lot of stuff. After I finished off my food I hit the dance floor and soon enough it was tine for my first announcement.

I made my way to the stage, and the music quieted. "Fillies and gentlecolts, I would like to announce that Ponyville will have a new public utility starting tomorrow. The workshop is a place to learn to make whatever you want to make. There will be one more much bigger announcement before the party is over, so let's get back to dancing!" With that I slid to the middle of the dance floor as the music turned back up. There were a few murmers about the second announcement, but only one direct confrontation. "No, Surprise, I still won't tell you."

"Hmph"

The party was fun. It seemed to go by really fast though. It seemed only minutes when it was time for the second announcement. My heart was beating hard in my chest. The room fell almost silent and the music quieted again. I stepped up to the microphone.

I cleared my throat. "I've lived in many places in my life. I've traveled far to find my purpose, but I've never found that." Tears were almost flowing down my cheeks. "What I did find was a place where I'd like to stay. I can't live here as a lie though. Dolce N. Gabana is an assumed name." I dropped my disguise, and madr the tuxedo blue. "My name is Salieri Starr. And this is where I want to live." The room was silent for a few moments until a fangirlish scream came from somewhere in the crowd. Ponies began charging the stage trying to climb up. It didn't take long before I was surrounded. Questions came at me from all sides. I couldn't make out any of them though.

I used my magic to amplify my voice this time. "QUIET." Once the room quieted I continued at a more regular volume. "I'll be living in town. Just come by the workshop and ask me anything." I smirked and added, "anything not about hoofball that is."

The party wound down slowly from there. I offered to help clean up, but I was told to just go home. I had just left the barn, and was on my way when a familiar pink voice stopped me.

"Hey, Dolce."

I turned to see Pinkie. "I told you that's not my real name."

She nodded and trotted up right next to me. "Maybe not, but you'll always be my sweetie."

"Huh?"

Then ... she kissed me. She KISSED me, and ran off before I could stop her.

I hadn't tried it in a while, but it was my only shot. I ran then did a short range blink and I was standing in front of her. I leaned in, and kissed her back. "I'll walk you back home."

We went along in silence for a while, but it was nice. I was the one that broke it. "Why me?"

"Huh?"

"Why pick me over every other colt?"

"Well, you're pretty good looking for a colt, and you told everypony who you were after hiding it for so many years, and you like coloring."

My expression grew stern. "Everypony likes coloring. If they ever tell you they don't they're lying."

She smiled. "Pff, yeah, but you actually still get coloring books!"

It was my turn to smile. "Actually I saved those from when I was little. I have about 20 more at home."

By that time we were already at her door. I didn't want to say goodbye so I did something better. "What are you doing for lunch tomorrow?"

"Nothing special unless you are."

She was good at that. "Meet me at the workshop around noon. 'Kay? I'll cook you something."

She gave me one more kiss in response. "It's a date."

"See you then. Have a good night."

It was a long walk home, but only because I made it so. It gave me time to smile. Tonight was a good night. I'd better get to bed early to be ready for tomorrow. After all there were bound to be numerous townsponies with questions for me. I did tell them to come by... oh well. I couldn't let that ruin my mood.

When I'd arrived home I made my way upstairs to get ready for bed, despite the early hour I found sleep quickly, and had the best dreams I'd ever had.

Author's Note

Finally updated the beginning of this so that he had a morning. The comics referenced are Batman: Hush, What if Sgt. Fury Fought World War Two in Outer Space?, and Kitchen Princess.

First

In the main room was everything needed to make anything I'd ever made: sculpting tools for stone and for clay, a powerful lathe, fine tools for watch making, pottery wheels, dress mannequins, oil paints with canvas, a large loom, and a carpenter's table with a full set of tools. That left about half of the room empty. I'd fill it with new things as needed. The children's room had modeling clay, building blocks, water color paints as well as paper, and everything needed for paper mache. I'd need to get more things for that later as well.

My favorite part was always the kitchen. Two ovens, a twelve burner stove, toaster oven, and a counter that doubled as a cutting board mafe up the preperation area. I always kept the fridge fully stocked, as well as the cupboards. I liked the kitchen because although it wasn't my special talent I could make something that made other ponies smile. Cakes and pasteries were good, but hay fries and stir fry made better lunch. It was also a good tool for a bachelor on his own. Knowing how to make something more than chips and salsa was a benefit. Though home made salsa was good.

What would I make for lunch though? I could make bread for sandwiches, or something more romantic. What food was romantic? Pasta? I didn't really have time to make noodles though unless I got a bunch of free time before Pinkie got here. I'd probably only have the two hours for lunch though. Have I really been lying in bed thinking about this for so long without opening the shop?

I got out of bed. The sun had barely risen, and I didn't expect anypony for a while, but you could never be sure. I showered quickly and went down to the kitchen. Two apples made up breakfast. I went to the front door to turn the sign to the open sign and found none other than Twilight Sparkle waiting there.

"Oh good you're open. I thought I might have to come back later."

I looked down smiled an shook my head. "Were you waiting long? I thought most of th town was still asleep."

"Most of them are. I wouldn't normally be up this early, but I needed to see you."

I feigned shock. "Did you fall in love with me too? Oh no. I don't think Pinkie would like sharing."

She blushed and a slight hint of annoyance entered her voice. "I meant I needed to see you about Pinkie."

I held the door open wide. "Then come in." I flipped the sign so it read open on the outside. "What would you like to talk about?"

At first she was a bit distracted by all of the tools in the main room, but soon she noticed that I had spoken. "Wow... I mean, um. Pinkie is my friend. I just don't want to see her get hurt."

That confused me. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I don't want some stallion to come out of nowhere and sweep her off her hooves just to leave her." Her expression had grown intense.

"Well who's the stallion? She's the one that kissed me."

Her intensity deflated. "What?"

I had a half smile as I spoke. "I decided to stay in this town a few days ago, but I only thought I'd make a few friends. I never planned on starting a relationship. From the start Pinkie made me smile, and she called me 'sweetie' but I thought she was just playing around." I looked down at the floor. "The truth is I've never asked another pony to be in a relationship before. I don't have that kind of confidence."

"Oh..."

I looked back up to her. "Are you going to ask the other thing you were going to ask?"

She looked a bit confused. "How did you know I was going to ask something else?"

I smirked. "If that was all then you wouldn't have woken up so early to see me. You have to have more exciting questions than that."

"Well yes. I just want to make sure your right for Pinkie, but I don't know if I or any of the girls can trust you."

"Because I'm such a good liar?"

"Precisely."

"But I never lied."

"Huh?"

I was good at that. "Everything I said in town was at least part true. My illusion spell does repel dust so that was true, and the name I used was an old pen name from past ventures. I submitted a poem to be published under that name. It turned out not to be my true talent. Also the poem never got published."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. I never was." I leaned closer. "It was an awful poem when I read it again a year later."

She still wasn't sure. "How can I know you're right for her though?"

I stood in thought for a moment before speaking. "I guess you can't." Smiling I continued. "Though she makes me happy and I hope I make her happy and I hope that's enough."

That seemed to be all she needed to hear for now. Twilight turned to leave when I added one more thing.

"Plus she has three of every color of crayon and I have so many coloring books that are still unfinished." I was a bit excited as I said it. I REALLY liked coloring.

She laughed once before responding over her shoulder. "Well that certainly sounds like Pinkie."

"Stop by the workshop some time. I can show you how to make a watch."

"I might. I think I'd like that." With that we said goodbye and she was on her way.

It would likely be some time before anypony else would arrive so I began making a watch. It was an odd way to pass the time I'll admit, but I had gotten good enough at it that it didn't feel like work. The chain would have to come later, but I definitely had the tools for it. It was nearly half assembled when the door opened and three mares walked in. I recognized them from the party, but nowhere else.

The first one approached me after whispering to her fiends. "Um..."

"Yes?"

"Are you really Salieri Starr?"

It was to be expected. "Yes. I promise I am."

She looked to her friends then back to me. "But you don't have the cutie mark." She was looking at my blank flank.

"Now a lady shouldn't look there." My horn glowed and I moved my hoof over the spot in question. "But if you must look again it's there now" That trick was always fun. I displayed the illusory mark then my horn glowed again and it was gone.

They were all whispering to eachother again. The second one approached me this time. "Sign this for me." She had retrieved a piece of paper from her saddle bag and was holding it out for me.

"Should I sign like I did back then?"

"Huh?"

I shrugged. "Well, my hoofwriting's certainly gotten a lot better since then so I sign more like this." I floated a quill from a storage cabinet as well as an ink well and a small paint brush. With a few quick strokes of the quill I'd signed my name. "However I used to sign more like this." A few more quick strokes and a second more childlike signature appeared next to it. "Also for a few weeks I only signed by brush." I dipped the brush into the ink and with a few strokes my name was on the paper a third time. I floated the page back to her.

She took a small picture from her bag and held it next to the page.

Something sank in right then. "I remember you. It was my fifth show on a small tour. You were sad that your parents wouldn't let you go to my next show two towns over and I gave you a picture. I signed in the top right." She was staring at me half in awe. "What? I would never forget a crying filly."

They talked to eachother again before the third mare approached. "I was going to give a third test, but I guess I don't need to. Instead... can you show me how to do that illusion thing?"

I had expected this as well. "Truthfully? No. I figured out how to do this spell when I was very young, but I don't know how to teach it to anypony. Even if I did..." I was almost crying. "This spell is nothing but a curse to me. I've lived most of my life in lies. I don't want anypony to live like that ever again." My smile was sad, but returned to normal quickly. "Is that all?"

She nodded with an astonished look on her face.

They nodded to eachother, then in unison they said "Goodbye Salieri."

"Bye girls." I walked them to the door and what I saw was rather surprising. It looked as if half the town was on my doorstep.

The girls stood tall and called out to the crowd. "It's really him." With that they ran off and a cheer crossed the crowd.

I was filled with a mixture of bafflement, happiness, and fear. I didn't think all of them could fit at once if they came. I was astounded that they all arrived without my noticing, but mostly I wondered if they were all here for me, or if some had come to use the workshop.

It was mostly the first one. Dozens came charging in at once. I was berated with questions. Mostly about myself, but every once in a while a question about a tool or the price of materials slipped in. The prices for things were of course very low. I answered everypony as best I could until it was 11:30. I was amazed at how fast the time had gotten away from me. At that time I grabbed a megaphone and aimed it straight into the air. "The Workshop is closing for lunch. Please come back after one thirty or on another day."

A voice rose out from the crowd. "But we have more questions!"

Then the whole crowd chimed in "Yeah!"

Today was expected, but still a bit aggrivating. "Well I have a date!" After a few more minutes of coersion I was able to get them out the door.

I looked at the clock. Supposing she showed up exactly at noon, I had 18 minutes. That wasn't enough time to make something and tidy up before she got here. Maybe she'd like cooking with me. She was a baker after all. If worst came to worst I would just explain that I had no time to prepare something special.

I began setting up the dining room table. I put out a nice table cloth, decided that candles would only work for a romantic dinner and weren't appropriate for lunch, got out place mats, and set out silverware. I didn't know if earth ponies used silverware all that much around here, but either way it looked nice.

I made two small salads with spinach, lettuce, apple slices, and walnuts, and when I was putting them on the table Pinkie showed up. Her perfect smile lit up the room as she entered. She had a way of just letting herself in it seemed. I had a way Of letting her.

"Sorry I didn't have time to make more. Ponies just didn't want to leave."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, yeah. What do you expect when you announce such a big Q&A session like that." She had a small plastic container balanced on her back. "I brought muffins!" She said in a sing song voice.

She was too good at making me giggle. "Want to help me make something else?"

Pinkie closed her eyes as she smiled. "Like what?"

I shrugged. "Like sandwiches, or stir fry, or taiyaki (pronounced tie+yah+key), or whatever else I have ingredients for."

She bounced a little in excitement. "Ooh! Ooh! The tie one! I've never had that!"

I smiled. "I'll make some sweet red bean paste then." I led her to the kitchen and pointed to a cook book. "Can you check what we need for the pastry part? It should be the page marked with a purple sticky tab."

"Aye aye, captain!" After a quick serious salute she bounced over to the cookbook, and the slight gust from her landing was enough to turn it to the right page. I swear that mare could use magic. She read the ingredients and began preparing her half of the dish as I worked on mine. Every once in a while, since my part wouldn't take as long, I had time to move something she would need. Just little things like moving a single ingredient a yard to the left, or scooting the mixing bowl a few centimeters, or putting a utensile or two away. She countered by tackle hugging me.

"Now stop it or this'll take too long." It was a good response.

"Hmm." I kissed her nose. "'Kay."

With that we shared a giggle and got back to work. The bean paste was done, and Pinkie was almost done mixing the batter ingredients. I got out the cooking pan.

She looked at it oddly. "What's that?"

I smiled. "It's my taiyaki-ki."

She tilted her head sideways and arched an eyebrow.

I laughed. "A special fish shaped pan for taiyaki."

She righted he head, but her arched brow remained. "Why would you want to eat a little fishy?"

I then remembered how sheltered most ponies are from the outside world. I rubbed a hoof against the back of my head. "Have you ever left Equestria?"

"Huh? Um... no."

She was cute when she was confused. Well, she was always cute, but especially when confused. "Not everyone out there's vegetarian. I discovered this recipe while in Griffin lands. The town I was in was mostly epescitarian."

She repeated herself. "Huh?"

I couldn't help but chuckle. "They eat fruits, vegetables, and fish. They had gotten the recipe from foreign traders, so I don't know where it's really from."

Pinkie stopped mixing and stood in thought for a moment with a hoof on her chin. "Foreign fish shaped pancakes with sugary beans. I guess that's why I haven't heard of it." She left it at that and stirred the batter a few more times.

I ignited the wood which quickly heated the thick stove.

"Ooh! Your stove's all old fashiony!"

I chuckled once again. "I guess so." It was the only stove I'd ever owned. It worked, so I kept it. "I like my old fashiony stove though. It cooks things better than I do." I placed the pan onto the stove. "We need to fill half the pan with batter." She did so. I added some of the bean paste to the middle. "Now fill the pan the rest of the way."

"Aye aye, captain!"

That was her second time saying it. "I don't want to be a captain. Can I be admiral?"

"Okey doke, admiral."

"Not aye aye?"

She shrugged. "Too many 'A's."

"Fair enough." I closed the taiyaki-ki and flipped it a few times over the stove. After repeating the process we had two nicely made fish shaped pancakes filled with sweet azuki bean paste. Taiyaki was fun.

We sat back down at the table to eat. I looked at her as she took her first bite of salad. I was... a bit self consious about my cooking. Even the salad preparation. She smiled as she chewed it. What a relief, she liked it. We had a good conversation as we ate. It was nice just being with her. I was sad when it passed one. We saved the muffins for last. She was a great baker. It was almost time for her to leave when the conversation switched to an interesting topic.

She brushed some crumbs from her lips before she spoke. "So what are your impressions of the girls?"

I really hadn't done much with three of them. "Well Rarity's nice, and it's really easy to make her blush. She doesn't have much skill when it comes to teaching, but she is a dilligent worker when her goals are in sight." She was a good friend. "Fluttershy is kind and as timid as Angel should be. She's a much better teacher than Rarity. Did you know she wakes up before dawn to take care of her animals?"

Pinkie looked at me oddly. "No I didn't. Thats crazy early. I just wanna know how YOU know that." She poked me playfully in the chest as she said it.

I smiled at the memory. "Remember the night when I came by the bakery and you were working on blueprints for a party cannon?"

"When I first met you?"

"Yeah. I had just woken up from sleeping for 26 hours or so. I spent most of the night in the forest talking with Zecora. I left just before sunrise as she went to sleep" I left the part about alcohol out. "When I got to Fluttershy's the sun was barely up, and she was the only pony in town awake. She was almost finished tending to the nocturnal animals so I helped her with the early birds. I also learned that I am afraid of Falcons." They're still scary.

She accepted that explanation. "What about the rest of the girls?"

I was slightly amazed that she was sitting and listening to me speak for so long. "To be honest I haven't really talked to them much. I only talked to Applejack for a few minutes when I bought zap apple jam, and a few more minutes at the party. I only talked to Rainbow for a few minutes on the way to buy the zap apple jam. I think I might have found out about a crush she has though."

Pinkie turned to full excitement mode. "Ooh! Ooh! Who is it? Is it Caramel, or Twilight, or Soarin?"

I giggled. "Don't you know the rule about crushes?"

She shook her head.

"If somepony else tells you who the crush is, then your friend will feel crushed." I know it was a terrible metaphor, but it was from grade school, so lay off. "Wait. Did you say Twilight? Why would you think Twilight?"

She looked away. "Um... no reason."

I decided to leave it at that. "Well I've talked to her a bit more than the others. She stopped by this morning. She really seems to care a lot about you girls."

She nuzzled my face with her own. "Of course she cares about her best friends."

I nuzzled her back. "Are you free tomorrow?"

"I am for part of the day."

"How about around eighteen O'clock."

"Am or pm?"

I was stunned for a moment. "Well, I never expected that response. How about six PM?"

"Actually it's girls night. How about Monday?"

I was about to make it a date when I rememered that Monday was the first. "Actually I'm spending next month with my parents. I'll be taking the eleven AM train out of town."

"How about breakfast somewhere by the station then?"

I smiled at her. "Let's meet here around eight then choose a spot." I then looked at the clock. "What time do you have to be back?"

She put a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. "One thirty-two, on the dot."

"You have four minutes."

She quickly glanced at the clock then with a quick goodbye kiss as I opened the door she was off.

It was then that I noticed the long line formed waiting to ask more questions. I sighed and gestured for them to come in. For the next several hours it was all sorts of questions non-stop. About me, my life, the ponies (and other creatures) I'd met, and, much to my happiness, a few actually about The Workshop. They were pretty much non-stop until almost eight-thirty. As the last pony left I flipped the sign to closed and made a quick dinner. I finished the watch I had started and realized how very tired I was. It was almost ten, so I got ready for bed. In the rush of the day I never noticed that I had gotten a letter. I am glad of that now. I at least got one night of good sleep that week.

To Burn...

I woke up as early as I had grown accustomed. It was scarcely six am as I showered and went down stairs. Breakfast was hash browns and pancakes. I remember because that was the highpoint of the day.

After finishing up I went to my front porch to flip the sign. Before I did however I noticed something sticking out of the small mailbox near the door. A letter with a red border. It was addressed from my old doctor from Canterlot. Knowing him I thought it was just asking me to come in for a check up.

I was mistaken. Very sadly mistaken.

I took it inside to read at the kitchen table. I opened it carefully, and began to read. I don't remember the words so I'll write what is still legible.

Dear Salieri,

I regret to inform you that your mother is very ill. We don't quite know what it is so both of your parents are under quarantine as well as their Canterlot home. The quarantine will end in two weeks at the earliest. We~~

The rest is blurred from tears. If I could cry any more, I would.

I decided to make a new sign. I had what I needed. I moved in a fog. The new sign was simple. Closed: Personal Reasons.

I put the new sign outside the door quickly, and locked it on my way in. I got back to the kitchen table before sobbing again.

It could have been minutes or hours before I heard a knock on the door. The table was wet under my face. I stood slowly and went to the door. I was glad that they were patient. I put the chain on the door and opened it the few inches the chain allowed.

My voice was weak. "I'm sorry. The workshop is closed today."

The mare's voice on the other side was unmistakeable. "Ah' saw the sign. Ah' just want to talk to ya."

"I'm closed too." I moved to close the door.

Her hoof stopped it closing. "Wait. Come on Sal'. What's wrong?"

A tear hit the floor as I spoke. "I'm sorry, but we're not close enough for me to tell you."

"Pardon?"

I tried to keep the anger out of my voice, but it was there. "I don't care if you're the element of honesty. I. Don't. Trust you. We've spoken, what? Twice? I've had ponies I've thought I could trust hurt me before. I... I just can't trust you yet." My knees were trembling. I calmed myself a little before speaking again. "I'm sorry. Have fun at your girls night. Say hi to Pinkie for me. Don't let me ruin your plans."

There was a slight amount of shock in her voice, but she still sounded quite caring. "Sal. Ah don't know what's wrong, but if you need somepony Ah'm here for ya." She paused for a moment. "Should I go get Pinkie?"

"NO!" It was louder than I had intended it. My voice quieted again. "I mean, no. I'll tell her tomorrow. I... I just need to get my head straight. Okay?"

"Alright. Bye-"

I shut the door and locked it again. I didn't mean to cut her off. I'd apologize later. I went upstairs. I turned the shower on. The hot water always calmed me. I was hopeless. Somepony I loved might be dying, and I couldn't do anything for her. My dad might be sick too. I didn't even know. I heard knocking later, but the window proved it wasn't Pinkie. I don't know how much time passed while I was there. I don't think the tears stopped. There was more knocking, but I would only open the door for one pony in town. I tried to sleep, but at best it was fitful. How could I sleep when I felt like this? It was just too much. It didn't help that my pillows were wet. I put them in them in the hamper and grabbed a few good pillows from the closet. At some point it had gotten dark, but there was no way I would sleep tonight. I did what I always did at times like this. I wrote down my past few days to look for the good. If the next few days are good then I'll keep this one. If not... it will be the same as the rest. Hopefully this won't just be another Journal to burn.

Author's Note

We're approaching the first ending. In case you hadn't guessed this is the SHIPPING ENDING. It ends with mushiness and stuff like that. I'll probably put in a poem and there'll be something about love and it'll be great. Also in case you didn't know I'm writing a lot of things that I don't like doing into this story, and this is the biggest one of them. I very much dislike the idea of one thinking their character is good enough to capture the heart of another's creation at all, much less in only days. This is my least favorite ending so I'll put it first. Yeah... writing things that you hate can be fun too!! ^_^ Don't worry. I'll do my favorite ending second, and save then end on a grey note.

From the Ashes

I saw her coming from the window. The sun had risen at some point, but I hadn't noticed until now. She came by early. I think it was early. It was hard to tell. I didn't really check the clock.

She was... she was beautiful. She always was. Why had it taken me so long to notice? While I thought that. I still knew that the only reason I wasn't still crying was that I'd run out of tears.

She was smiling as she approached the door. Bouncing like she always did. Humming a tune that I only half remember. She brought some pastries with her for my trip. I wish they would have been used for their intended purpose.

I was a bit out of it when we talked, but I still remember most of it.

I waited for her to knock. She didn't take long. I put on my best imitation of a smile that I could to open the door.

She hopped in with her close-eyed smile. "Are you ready for your trip?" Her smile changed to a look of concern. The tear stains were still plain on my cheeks, which was probably the biggest giveaway. "What's wrong sweetie?"

As soon as she said it my smile broke. My head hung, and my tear ducts ached, but no tears came. My front legs almost gave out, but right before I could fall she was there.

Her front hooves wrapped around my neck. Her face next to mine. We stood there for a few moments just in silence before I was able to talk again. "It's... the trip it's..." I turn and led her to the kitchen. I sat down at the table, and pointed to the letter.

She sat down, and as she read it the concern in her look only grew. Before she could finish reading my head was on the table. "Oh, sweetie." She set the letter down and put her hooves around me again. I sat up and looked at her. She was so kind. She was so beautiful. She was blurry.

I didn't hear her next words as I fell to the floor.

I woke up in my bed. The room was just as light as when I passed out, so I didn't think I'd been out for long. A glass of water was sitting on my bedside table. I drank it quickly. I hadn't realized how thirsty I had been. There was a sound coming from downstairs that I couldn't place for a moment. It was Pinkie talking to somepony. A door closed, and I heard her coming up the stairs. She opened the door and came in slowly. I waved and smiled meekly.

She rushed to my side, and explained what had happened. Apparently the combination of high stress, sleep deprivation, and dehydration didn't agree with me. The doctor had just left, and gave her instructions on what to do to help me get better.

"Thank you." It was all that I could think to say as fresh tears came to my eyes. I wrapped my hooves around her. These weren't sad tears. They were happy. This was why I wouldn't burn the journal. She was why. "Thank you." Even when everything of my life was burning down, when everything was changing all at once, she was the one shining light. I sat up as best I could and pressed my lips to hers. "I love you."

She giggled. "Well, duh." She kissed me back.

I didn't think it was possible to laugh after what had happened, but she found a way. After that I explained a bit about why this was so devastating. My mother had never had the best immune system. She would often be sick when I was growing up. My father always kept her strong, and never got sick. Hearing that my mother was sick would be distressing, but not a big deal, she did that all the time. Hearing that my father was sick was what made it worse. If it was bad enough to get him sick, then it was bad.

I told her about this and more, and she came to one simple conclusion. We would visit Canterlot to see the doctor tomorrow. I had almost no information here, and he might be able to tell us something more. I wanted to go alone, but she insisted, and I didn't really resist. This was something that I needed to do. She didn't need to help, but she wanted to. She would help me stay strong, no matter what happened.

For a while we just sat there. It was nice just being together. Our stomachs however had other plans. Hers growled just moments after mine, and she let out a cute giggle.

She smiled. "I guess I should make us some dinner huh?"

"I can make it." I began to stand up, but she pushed me back down.

"You just woke up from passing out from doing to much on your own. You rest."

I was about to protest when she silenced me with a kiss then placed a hoof on my nose. "Rest."

I laughed. "Fine, you win." She was fun. "Just don't make it all too sugary. We can't all survive on an all cake diet."

"Aw..." She huffed, a half second later she was back to smiling and on her way to the kitchen. "Be back in a minute!"

I can hear her coming up the stairs now. I'm glad I met her, I'm glad I came here, and I'm glad that this isn't just another journal to burn.

Author's Note

I think I'll only add two more chapters before the first ending. Maybe three. SHIPS AHOY!

A Head Trip Ahead

She walked back in with the food, and we talked a while while we ate. It had gotten dark while we sat there. Apparently I had spent the whole middle of the day out cold. It was about then that she pointed out that it was almost 10. I might not be tired because I had slept throughout the middle of the day, but we were going to Canterlot the next day, so I'd have to try my hardest to rest anyway.

We were dating, but it was still a tough call to make. Should she spend the night? We hadn't been dating very long, but it was only one night, and we were taking a train together rather early the following morning, but I didn't want anypony in town to think poorly of us as a couple for spending the night together after so little time. I would be fine with it, and I'd even let her take my room and I could sleep on the couch, or would that be worse? This wasn't an area that I had a lot of experience in. I know that in some of the places that I had lived it was normal behavior, but in many it was unacceptable to even be alone together until we were married. Which one was Ponyville? The other big issue with it was that if I didn't let her stay then I was kicking her out of my house to walk home in the night after she spent the whole day taking care of me. Was I over thinking this?

Then I didn't have to decide.

"The doctor said I should stay over night just in case. No passing out again, okay?"

I smiled and nodded. "Okay. But only on one condition."

She raised one eyebrow and tilted her head the left. "What's that?"

My smile turned mischievous. "This." I kissed her. "Goodnight."

Pinkie giggled and tackled me back onto my bed. She nuzzled my neck and kissed me back. "Best night."

She just stayed there next to me when she fell asleep. I used my horn to move the extra blanket I keep at the foot of my bed over her. She was so cute, beautiful, and kind. I ran my hoof through her mane as I got ready to try to sleep. This situation was almost ideal in my mind. The only issue I had was that there would be no way that I could actually sleep right now. I'd do something I'd done only a few times before, but it usually worked. I closed my eyes and started imagining things.

It was kind of like sleep, but you wake up every twenty minutes, or an hour, or ten seconds. There was never a way of telling how long it was. It usually left me a bit groggy. I'd still be better off than I would be staying up all night though. Time passed quickly, but slowly. You kind of lose your concept of time when you're doing this, well at least I do. Whatever. The sun had barely risen when I decided to get up.

I kissed her forehead and smiled before going downstairs. I know I've used the word a bit too much already, but to me it was still true. She looked perfect. It was hard getting myself to leave that room, but I somehow managed. I took a quick shower before I went downstairs.

A while later she walked into the kitchen to the smells of everything that I had made. Guacamole, pancakes, oatmeal with cinnamon and honey and marshmallows, and four kinds of muffins. I turned to face her, smiling. "Did you sleep well?"

She yawned. "Yeah. Did you make all this?"

I feigned shock. "Pinkie Pie, tired? That's impossible!" I let out a little laugh. "Yes. I made breakfast for us." The oven dinged, and I took the last item I had prepared, and set it out to cool.

Her eyes grew wide. "Is that what I think it is?"

I smiled, not letting my eyes meet hers. "Maybe." I pulled the covering off of the dish, and turned to look her in the eyes. "Did you think it was chocolate fudge?"

She took a few steps closer to me. "No, because it's coffee fudge." She inhaled deeply through her nose. "Wait, it's mocha. Chocolate with coffee and a little bit of vanilla."

I raised my front hooves into the air. "Correct! You win the first bite!" I removed a corner of the still cooling fudge with a spoon. "Wait for it to cool though."

She was staring at it greedily. "What?! But it smells so good! I want it now! Can't I just have it now? I'll be fine. Give it to me now. Give it. Give it. Give it." She was hopping in circles around me as I rolled my eyes and moved the spoon away from her. "Give it, give it, give it give it give it giveitgiveitgiveitGIVEITGIVEIT!" At that point she tripped on her own tail while trying to dive for it.

I managed to catch her, and still keep the fudge on the spoon. "It should be cool enough now." I moved the fudge to her lips.

She greedily wrapped her mouth around the spoon cleaning the spoon off in a fraction of a second. "Mmm. Chocolate, coffee, and vanilla."

She was silly. It was great. "Now, do you want oatmeal, pancakes, or muffins? I'm saving the guacamole for later."

"So... I can't have guacamole pancakes?"

I gave her a knowing smile and pressed my nose to hers. "No. You can put syrup on muffins, though."

"Aw..." Her ears when flat against her head, and her hair sank a bit, but then she smiled again, and bounced right back up to normal. I still think she has magic hair.

I don't remember the rest of breakfast other than that I needed to shower afterwards. Then we made our way to the train station.

She turned to me concerned. "You're sure that you're ready?"

I had a sad smile, but it was still strong. "Yes. I have to know if they're okay."

She grabbed my hoof. "Let's go."

The train ride was... well it was a train ride. It was a bit bumpy, and it took a while to get there. We ate the remaining muffins while we traveled. We got off, and I led the way to my parents' house. Deliberately going a few blocks out of the way when I lost my nerve, but continuing on when Pinkie helped me find my nerve again. This was hard to do.

I turned to Pinkie. "I don't know what to do."

She tilted her head cutely. "What do you mean?"

"What if they're really sick and I'm not allowed in to see them?"

"Then we'll wait until we can"

That didn't help me. "What if they've got gross stuff coming out of their faces?!?"

She rolled her eyes at me. "Then we won't touch it."

"What if--!"

She cut me off and hugged me. "We'll get to what if when we get there. I learned a long time ago that worrying about stuff you can't change isn't worth it." Then she broke the hug, but still held my hooves. "Let's just go."

She knew what to say to get me there, but I don't think she could have prepared me for what was inside.
When we got to the house it was sealed in a big plastic tent, and the doctor was at the door.

Pinkie held my hoof, and pressed her shoulder to mine. "It's okay."

She was right, and I knew it, but I was nervous. The doctor knew I was coming, and came toward us smiling with a hazmat suits, and wearing one of his own. "Sali! I've been expecting you. You'll need to put one of these on to go inside. It might be contagious." He held up a special suit with one hoof. "I'll have to grab another. I didn't know you'd be bringing a friend."

I laughed. "Yeah. You do remember me asking you not to call me that?"

"Oh, yes, not in front of others, I forgot." He hurried off to a nearby medical tent.

"Hey!" Pinkie noted. "He didn't even say hi to me." She put on a cute scrunched pouty face that would have made me laugh any other day.

"He's not always good with social interactions. He's a good doctor. Can you forgive him?"

"I guess... it really hurts his bedside manner, though."

He came back from the small tent with another suit. "I'll keep that in mind. Let's go in!" He offered the suit to Pinkie. "I am Dr. Copper. What's your name?" He asked, putting the helmet on his suit.

"I'm Pinkie Pie."

"I've heard that name... it was a few years back, and it was after the royal wedding..." I was amazed that he didn't recognize her. She was quite famous. I was sure that he would remember eventually. "You beat my nephew in a pie eating contest!" Eventually he did. "Oh, and helped save Equestria, right?"

She nodded yes happily as she finished putting her suit on. "I'm glad somepony remembers that eating contest."
I stopped them there. "Can we go inside? I'm rather worried about my parents right now."

The Dr. smiled. "Of course." He held open a flap to a small entrance way, and closed it behind us.

I opened the door, and walked in to find... both my parents sitting on the couch reading. "Mom? Dad?"

They smiled, and responded at the same time. "Salieri!"

As they got up to hug me the doctor spoke. "I swear they were horribly ill just yesterday..."

They hugged me together amidst utterances of "we missed you." and, "Write us more often!" Until they noticed Pinkie.

My father spoke first. "I know you! You're the mare that won the pie eating contest a few years back!" He remembers the strangest things, and didn't pay much attention to news or pop-culture.

I was stunned. "Um... well not what I was expecting. Uh... this is my marefriend." I said hugging Pinkie with one foreleg. "Well... I don't know if we made it official or anything but-"

She cut me off. "I'm so glad to see that you're doing well! I felt awful when I heard that you were feeling awful."

My father tapped a hoof on his chin for a moment, looking at the two of us, then his eyes opened with realization. "I know you! You're Pinkie Pie! I was in the third row for your big cupcake competition! It was amazing."

My left hoof became quickly planted upon my face. Yes. He didn't remember the whole saving Equestria more than once, but THAT he remembered.

Yet for her it was an achievement she was much more proud of. "There's no WAY any of those chumps were gonna eat more confetti cake cupcakes than Pinkie Pie." She nodded confidently to punctuate her point, and her signature smile spread across her face.

"Thank you for giving my son a chance." My mother stated with about a half ounce of tact.

I rolled my eyes. "Mom, she's the one that asked ME out."

"Really? Well that's new. How did that happen?" She seemed genuinely interested.

Pinkie smiled big and simply stated, "Coloring books."

Mom was confused. "Coloring books?"

We looked at each other and smiled, then turned in unison, and nodded. "Coloring books and a party."

Then we related the details happily (I don't feel I need to write it down if it's already in here.)

I remembered something, then. "Where are my old coloring books?"

"Still in your bedroom closet." Mom recalled.

"Want to go grab them, Pinkie?"

Dad cut in at that point. "Inviting a girl to your bedroom so soon, and in front of your parents no less? How forward!" He jested.

I couldn't help but smile as my hoof planted itself on my face. "You know very well that my bed is too small for that."

I smiled more when Pinkie added, "The suits don't help either. We could try, but I don't think we'd get too far."

We all paused a moment to imagine that, then broke out laughing.

When the laughing subsided the doctor spoke up. "In seriousness I'd still like to keep you two under a forty-eight observation. If everything's good I'll lift the quarantine."

My father responded, "Fine, fine. Two more days of rest."

My mother preferred lighter topics. "How about a tour of the house?"

Pinkie somehow managed to put a blindfold on before answering. "Start at the top, and work our way down!"

I giggled, and grabbed her hoof to lead the way. As agreed we started at the top, and I nudged her to undo the blindfold. I still have no idea how she put that on with the hazmat suit on. "This is the very top, the roof patio. Normally there's a good view, but today we have some tarp in the way." It was just the two of us on the tour since I grew up here, and mom wanted us to be alone together.

"Wow! I've never been on a roof patio before!"

I raised an eyebrow confused. "Doesn't Twilight have one?"

Pinkie shook her head and giggled. "Trees don't have roofs silly."

I just shrugged. "I guess you have a point."

She licked my cheek, and started bouncing around me. "Next room! Next room!"

I just smiled and led the way. "Next room, attic. Storage space, quiet place, and dust factory." I said leading the way into our rather sizable attic. ...We might have played hide & seek for a little while after that. Next was, "The guest room. Queen sized bed, and lots of white." The room had white walls, ceiling, carpet, blankets, lights, and drapes.

Pinkie tilted her head back and voiced her opinion. "Booooring."

She always made me smile. "Next room?"

"Next room!" She said hopping back out to the corridor.

Next was my old bedroom. I sauntered in and sat on the big three-pony beanbag-chair. "My room."

There was a race-car bed, a big bean bag chair with myself and Pinkie on it, two small beanbag chairs, Blue walls with glow in the dark stars on them, a small book case that was half comics, a small bedside table with rocket-ship lamp, shag carpeting the color of the night sky, a small TV with two old consoles plugged into it, and a near black ceiling with disco ball. My room was awesome.

The closet had way more cool stuff in it too. Coloring books, water color paints, five squirt guns, eight different board games, a box of trading cards (assorted), a Batmane sleeping bag, a Mare-do-well sleeping bag, lots of costumes, a few nice suits, a cello, four violins, a ukulele, more comic books, brandless snap together building blocks, two toy laser swords, and a mare in the moon poster. There were also some little odds and ends that I can't remember.

Needless to say, Pinkie loved it. After half an hour of playing with all the toys, and a few rounds of kart racer, we moved on. Next was my parent's room, (standard married bedroom) the master bathroom, (unremarkable baby blue and white bathroom with jacuzzi-tub) the guest bathroom, (yellow tile, white upper wall/ceiling, normal fixtures) and the hall closet (linen, cleaning supplies, misc.)

That finished the upstairs, so we went back down to my parents in the living room with the doctor.

We walked in on my father telling what was apparently a really bad joke.

"...So I said, 'we don't pander to ANY bears!'" My father laughed at least...

My mother noticed us and made a better joke. "Look who finally came back! My tours never take this long. I wonder what you two were doing up there."

Pinkie chimed in happily. "Hide N' Seek and video games."

I smiled braggingly. "My tours are way cooler than yours."

Author's Note

So... I was working on this, then forgot about it for a while, and now I'm putting up what I have done of this chapter for people to read because I'm going to boot camp tomorrow. I won't be able to add a single thing to this for about thirteen weeks, and then I'll only have ten days of freedom (potentially forty, but probably ten) before I will go to rifle training. I don't know how long off I'll have after that, but then I'll either wait a while, and be able to do things, or I'll just go to intel school, and work on this when I can, or forget about it completely.

See you space cowboy.

*Uptate!* I survived boot camp, but it took three weeks longer than expected. Tonight's update was entirely written at boot camp.

The Penultimate Decision

The next hour or so was... it was like most hours sitting inside with my parents were. Rather boring, but still left me feeling good. Pinkie was amazingly sitting still with us the entire time. We talked about everything we normally did. All of the things I'd done over the past year since I'd seen them, everything they'd done in that time, the memorable things from before then, the things my mom thought would embarrass me in front of my marefriend... normal things. Then it was time to go. It felt like dinner time, and even if it looked safe, we weren't allowed to take the suits off inside to eat with my parents.

I smiled at my parents, and did a combination yawn and stretch. "Well, I think it's time that we go for the night. Should I stop by tomorrow, or just wait until you guys can be outside again?"

"Honey, this is a city full of things to do, and almost none of them are in here. Just enjoy yourselves, and wait for our visit in two months. We've always wanted to visit you in previous years, and now you finally have a place for us to visit." She smiled gently. "We settled on the time so that you could settle in before we come over. We'll try not to embarrass you too much."

I was a bit teary as I smiled, but only a bit. "Okay, mom. I guess I can go back home the day after tomorrow. No point in staying here all week if you're better." I gave her a hug through the suit, and Pinkie hugged me from behind also hugging my mom a little bit, then my dad joined in making it a strange for pony hug, and thank Luna that the doctor decided not to join the group hug.

After goodbyes Pinkie and I made our way to a nearby hotel that I had set up reservations at. One room with two beds on the third floor. Room 321. I wanted two rooms, but they were overbooked. Not much happened that night, though.

I took Pinkie out to dinner at a basement restaurant that was less famous in the area, but had great sandwiches and ice cream. Dessert was the fun part. I got a small hot fudge shake, and she got strawberry, and we split a banana split. She got some whipped cream on her nose from her drink, and I licked it off as a joke, then a few minutes later I had some milkshake on my lip, and she licked that off, then she picked the cherry off of the banana split, and we split it with a kiss. After a few odd looks and a laugh from the table next to us we each took our spoons and finished by feeding eachother scoops of banana split.

When we got back to the hotel we took turns taking showers, rented a movie from the hotel, then brushed our teeth, and sat lay together on to of one bed watching the movie. It was a silly comedy about two stallions that pretended to be cops. I don't want to write it all down. Pinkie fell asleep during the credits, and I tucked her in and gave her a pillow. I moved to the other bed, and it wasn't long until I fell asleep as well.

I dreamt of sweetness and laughter. Beds made of cotton candy, and smiles and joy all around. There were some storm clouds on the horizon, but they were small and far away. They didn't matter. Some days are dark and lonely, but something made me feel that they wouldn't be that bad.

Morning came gently for her it seemed, and although I slept well, it was a bit more of a surprise for me to wake up to Pinkie landing on top of me. "Oof." I grunted a little more from surprise than pain. "You couldn't wake me gently?"

She shook her head no. "That's not as fun." With a kiss on my nose she hopped off of me and was waiting by the door. "Come on! They have breakfast ready downstairs! Pancakes and syrup, waffles and syrup, hot cocoa, french toast and syrup, cereal, everything!"

It was hard to argue with that. I hopped out of bed and we went down to breakfast together a bit faster than we probably should have been walking in a hotel. I had orange juice, she had hot cocoa, I had cereal, she had one waffle with a pancake on that and a slice of french toast on top, and I finished with some toast and jam, but she got the last bite of it.

We made our way back to the room to brush our teeth for the morning, because even if you love sugar, you should also try and keep all your teeth. Then we made plans for the day. The hotel had a pool, so we decided to go swimming for a bit before we went anywhere. There were a few children in the water with their parents relaxing at the side of the pool. We got roped into a game of Marco Polo followed by sharks and minnows, but I think we would have joined even if they didn't ask us to. What was the point of a pool if there weren't any games to play?

After drying off we made our way around the city, and mostly ignored our plans. We stopped at Pony Joe's donuts, made our way to look at the waterfall, and even watched a play before a late lunch at one. I don't even remember where we ate. The rest of the day was a blurr of different things. Visiting the castle quickly, though we'd both been there before, finding a place to go dancing in the middle of the day, shopping, playing at an arcade, playing even more at the arcade, we probably spent fifty bits at the arcade, grabbing fries, falafel, fritters, and fritatas from four different food carts, and eating them while watching the sun set.

When we got back to the hotel we rearranged some of the furniture to make a fort in the middle of the room, and we got another movie. It was an animated movie about computers, and an evil program that tried to use its powers to hurt people, but in the end it failed. Movies staring humans were always fun. We had gotten popcorn at some point, and ate it while we watched. After the movie ended we just lay there for a while, and talked.

I remember the most important part. "Pinkie?"

"Yeah?" She was happy and sounded excited, but we were both tired and you could hear it.

"Thank you for being here with me."

She yawned and gave me a hug. "Where else would I be when somepony needs me?"

Pinkie could always make me smile. "Right by their side."

She nodded with her head next to mine, so it turned into sort of a nuzzle. We fell asleep on the floor instead of in the beds that night. I thought that visit was going to be the worst days of my life, but instead she made those two days some of the best.

I woke up first around seven, and woke Pinkie with a big kiss on the lips. He eyes opened and she smiled returning the kiss. I used my magic to move the blanket covering the fort back onto one of the beds. "THAT's how you wake somepony up."

She stretched before rolling onto her feet. "Or you can lick their nose."

We both giggled trading back and forth with other fun ways to wake eachother up, and putting the room mostly back where it belonged. Breakfast was apple juice, and oatmeal with honey for Pinkie, and fruit ring cereal, a bagel, and a french vanilla latte for me. Our train back home left around eight, so we had a bit of a rush in getting there, but we made it in time. Once we got back to Ponyville we went straight from the train station to my house. I took the closed sign down because it felt like the right thing to do even if we weren't scheduled to open for another few days.

I was once again very glad that Pinkie was there.

At first one or two ponies at a time wandered in, and left an hour or so later after painting, sculpting, or learning a little bit of how to do something else from me or Pinkie. Then school got out... It got really busy really fast. Pinkie could handle the kitchen well enough helping anypony that wanted to learn how to cook or bake anything, and I was stuck between helping three colts that were working on game design projects on the computers, five fillies finger painting, a colt and a filly working with oil paints, a colt doing wire sculptures, two mares that wanted to make simple jewelry, and a stallion that needed help repairing a very complicated watch, while also making sure that nopony left without paying the little bit that it cost them, or opening an account that could get payed of later.

In the middle I somehow managed to eat something for lunch, and it was almost seven when we closed for dinner. Pinkie made her way back to Sugar Cube Corner, and I made a microwaveable pizza. After eating I relaxed in a warm bath. We were closed for the day, and I was not going to change that. I finished the night by writing in here. I don't know why, but I felt like I needed to. It is sort of relaxing writing it all down, and sorting it all out. Making sure that everything that happened makes sense. It made enough, and I can sleep happy tonight. Even if half my days with Pinkie are a blur, I'm smiling the whole time.

It's been three weeks and I don't think I'll have any reason to write in here again. Everything... has been happy. My workshop is doing pretty well, and I am now employing two teenagers. One of which got their cutie mark right in the store. A late bloomer, but... not as late as most. She got it in child care. She learned here that helping take care of colts and fillies was really rewarding and what she wanted to do. The other worker is a stallion, and he had a talent for computer work, but also really liked helping with anything the kids wanted. His cutie mark was in game design, but he was also the oldest brother of four, so was used to taking care of little fillies, colts, and foals.

A group of frequent workshoppers, spearheadded by the little colt that comes to make wire statues, and his friend that is a filly that is not at all his fillyfriend, asked me to set up an art show for things that anypony that made something here could submit art for. There are four weeks for submissions, then it will be a two night event. I've been working with Pinkie on how to set up everything for it, and it looks to be a great event for publicity, and for letting everyone show off their art.

Two short games are going to be available for play on the computers if the second gets done. The first was submitted by my own store worker, and it's a learning game for kids to try and make math more fun. He incorporated aliens and calls it Blaster Math. The second is being made by two colts that come in almost every day to work using the Surreal gaming engine. They won't tell me what it is, but they are required to keep it rated T or less, so they aren't going too overboard. From the peeks I've gotten at their screens it looks like it will be a simple 3D platformer with only three levels that take a few minutes to beat if you know what you're doing. They're almost halfway done with the levels, but haven't even started on the character skins and the textures for the levels, so it's all grey on grey at the moment.

I might point out to them the few models that I may have put on the computers in my spare time, and the ones that I saved a long time ago when I first got into computers, but I'll see how much help they need first.

Because most of my clientel are kids, and most adults are busy during the week Tuesday has become my day to go to the library. Spike and I have become pretty good friends, and most weeks we talk about comic books, I reccommend a few to him, he reccommends a lot to me, I check them out and spend a few hours before school gets out reading them. Every time I finish a non-graphic novel I return it and get a new one as well. Twilight is busy a lot with other duties, but the times that we've talked we've had good conversation.

On the note of Pinkie's friends I have now attended two girls' night outings. It might become part of my regular week from now on. They all seem to like me enough. Rarity and I have been friends longer than the rest of them have been friends technically, even if there was that whole huge gap from when I was a kid until last month, but still. Fluttershy is always quiet, but she's been kind and opened up enough that I can actually hear her when she talks most of the time. Applejack was very quick to be friendly, and we've even exchanged recipies once. Rainbow Dash was acting rather jealous of Pinkie and I for a while, but I think she's gotten over it. At least I hope so. She is really good at over reacting.

Pinkie and I are taking things faster than I thought we would, but everything still just feels right. Last night in fact... I asked her to move in with me. Just because she is only living in a room above her employer's business, and I think it would be better if she had a more permanent place to live. Maybe so that we could stay with eachother later at night, and not have to have either of us go home alone. Probably so that we could brush our teeth next to eachother, then watch something on the couch, fall asleep there, then wake up and go to our rooms to sleep. We would still have separate rooms of course. It isn't like we're married or anything. She hasn't said yes yet, but It's almost dark. I hear a knock at the door, so I'll finish writing later.

Dear Salli's journal,

I'm Pinkie Pie and of course I said yes, because he and I get along so well, and we haven't done any funny stuff or anything, but kissing is really fun, and he's good at it, or at least as good as I've had, but I haven't really kissed a lot of ponies other than him. Anyway, I was at the door with almost all of my stuff, and he already had a room with everything set up for me other than a bed, so for tonight I'm going to use his bed, because he said that he couldn't stand making me sleep on the couch, and it was totally sweet of him. It's totally gonna be like a slumber party, only every night from now on. We're going to have snacks, and play with coloring books and crayons, and watch movies, and play truth or dare, and other fun stuff all the time! (maybe not ALL of that every night, but some of it) He has a lot of stuff in his kitchen that we don't have back at Sugar Cube Corner because we only have stuff for baking, but he has things for baking, cooking, grilling, flambaying, and a bunch of other ways to make food! There's even one of the fancy food torches that you use for making creme bru le, and other fancy desserts from across the sea! I still think lady's fingers sound weird for a dessert food. I don't have to work every day, and on some days that I don't have to work I don't have plans set up with Twilight, or Rarity, or Applejack, or Rainbow, or Fluttershy, or Salli, so I'm going to give baking lessons to some of the ponies that come through here! Mr. and Mrs. Cake didn't think it would hurt business at all, and said that it was okay. I'm probably going to miss being over there so much, but I'll still be there almost every day, instead of every day, and it's just a few blocks away, so it's not a big deal. Sallieri's been super nice to me, and he's the best coltfriend that I've ever had. We might be going fast with a few things, but not faster than I think the two of us can handle, and we aren't doing anything that either of us are uncomfortable with I don't think, so it's great. I read a little bit before, and I really do hope that we don't have to write in here any more about bad things, because if good things could happen to him all the time from now on, then I know I could keep smiling by his side, unless I got sick or something, then I would have to get better first, and if he got sick I could take the day of work and make him soup, and dress up like a nurse, and take care of him until he got better, and if I was sick maybe he would do that for me! I wonder what he would look like dressed up as a nurse... Probably really cute and embarrassed, I'll try and get him in my nurse costume some time. Bye bye journal! I'll be back to read the rest of you later if Salli says that it's okay, but I think he will. Why write it down if you don't want anypony to read it?

Dear Salieri's journal,

I... I didn't know that it was that hard. He told me of the stuff before too. Of growing up like that. Nopony deserves that, and no journal deserves that. Together I think we can make it so that we never have another journal to burn.

Author's Note

Turns out all I needed to finish a storyline was be locked in a room with a computer, but no internet for a few days.

Parties, Cakes, and Happy Endings

The pink path led me to a place where it almost never rained, I had no worries, and every day felt like a party. Even when the rain drops fell, she was always there with an umbrella and hot cocoa to help stay warm and dry. Usually a few other snacks too.

It was twelve years ago that I moved to Ponyville. It wasn't much longer after that that she moved into my life, then into my house. Nothing ever stops her energy, and I think everyone's happy for that. It was in the late winter eleven years ago that I asked her to marry me. She tackled me so hard with a combination of a kiss and a hug that I almost broke my back, and she didn't stop saying yes for at least five minutes when I got her to be quiet using funnel cake. The wedding was held in the summer. The season of playing outside, getting time off work for yourself, and where friendship reigns supreme. At least that's what Pinkie said when she decided everything else for the wedding. I found out later from Twilight that Pinkie was planning to propose to me about a week after, but I beat her to it.

We were just having a Sunday night out together like we normally did and decided to visit a fair that was not too far away. I didn't put the ring on the handle of the cotton candy we ate, or around one of the churros, or funnel cakes. I didn't wait until the top of the Ferris wheel because it was too obvious. There is no way that I would give her a ring on the silly tunnel of love ride. It wasn't in the house of mirrors, or on a roller coaster, although that one might have been fun. It was when we got to the bouncy castle that I asked her to marry me.

Pinkie planned the perfect wedding for us. Instead of the boring white that was tradition we had a rainbow of colors in the decorations. From warm colored bunting to cerulean table cloths and pink dinner plates. She managed to find glasses that when full and cold were white, but as they heated and emptied they turned orange, just like the white disguise that hid my orange coat all those years ago. Wildflowers decorated every table, and the cake was something wonderful. Five layers, each a different flavor, each a different decoration style, and each having a deeper meaning. The first on the bottom was the largest, and it was chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and strawberry filling between the pieces decorated with all sorts of different kinds of candy. The second was marble cake with a butter cream frosting and decorated with frosting drawings made to look like a child's drawings made with crayon. The third I didn't try the flavor of, but looked like a lemon cake with pink frosting and covered with fondant balloons and edible confetti. The fourth was confetti cake with blue frosting and with cinnamon sand to make it look like a beach. We both did love the beach, but that story doesn't matter here. The final layer on top was traditional vanilla cake with vanilla frosting, and topped with an orange groom, and a pink bride, both making funny faces for the sculptor.

We stayed boring long enough that our parents could watch us walk down the aisle and kiss and all that, then she threw the bouquet and the music changed from Palchelbel's cannon in D to the Palchelbel Mashup, and we threw off our boring wedding clothes to show her party dress, and my party vest. We needed to make this party the best. It was in a nice area on the edge of Ponyville. The reception was nothing short of what you would expect from Pinkie. It was crazy, and super fun. There was a DJ playing everything we needed on the dancefloor, and there were enough snacks to feed everyone three times over. There was even a quiet section away from the rest for people to just talk or just enjoy the quiet for a while, because not everypony likes loud music and going crazy. We had party games, card games, and for some reason no one was touching any of the board games, but the best part was the karaoke. Pinkie and I both sang about ten songs, but four of them were duets, so between us it was only sixteen songs, not twenty. Pinkie showed everyone how to play twister, and I showed them how to play Ninety-nine and Tunk (card games). The reception ended with me carrying Pinkie off to a carriage ride back home.

I don't think I should write about what we did once we got there. I'll just say it involved a hot bath, the bedroom, and scratch and sniff stickers.

It was ten years ago next week that our daughter Jasmine was born, and it was nine years ago that we adopted her. Pinkie and I have now adopted three children. We thought of having our own, but both agreed this was more meaningful. Her older brother (who turned fifteen last month) Rock became our son five months after her, and their little sister Horloga joined us at age two when Jasmine was five.

When Rock met us he already had his cutie mark for music, and he loves visiting my parents, and especially the recording studio below their house. His dream is to perform on huge stages for huge crowds, but for now he's in a garage band, and not half bad.

Jasmine got her cutie mark helping her momma Pinkie in the kitchen. They were making tea cakes, and brewing some chai when it happened, though she enjoys cooking other things as well.

Horloga hasn't gotten her cutie mark yet, but she's still young, and we're all pretty sure it will have to do with making things. After all, she can make clockwork machines twice as complicated as anything I ever learned to make. She just has to realize it first.

She was actually right next to me when I did finally get my cutie mark. It was for taking care of all of them, and realizing that this is what I want to do. I want to do everything I can with everything that I have to make others happy, and just make the world a better place. Whether it's showing love to my new family, or just showing somepony how to cook lasagna. I've finally found my place. I'll never again have a journal to burn.

Author's Note

This is the first ending. Instead of posting each of the next storylines one at a time I am going to post what I've written of two of them. The rest will not be strictly linear. I will place a letter tag in quotes at the beginning a chapter to mark which arc it is part of. (Y) for yellow, (G) for grey, (B) for black, and (W) for the bright path at the end of the long tunnel.

<B> In Brightest Day

Something in the darkness called out to me, barely a whisper, but it sounded like it needed me.

I hadn't meant to sleep in, but since I didn't have anything happening until the party it was fine. From the look of the sky, it was almost noon. I made my way to the shower, and woke up the rest of the way to the warm wetness soaking into my mane and coat. After toweling off the kitchen was my next destination. A begonia lettuce tomato sandwich for late lunch hit the spot nicely. I drank some nice ice water and thought of what else to do before the party. Not thinking of anything else I made my way to the semi-famous Ponyville library.

I reupped my disguise before going of course. It was a nice walk all in all. The weather pleasant, and the townsfolk were friendly enough. Some smiled, but most went about their own business. When I knocked on the door I was greeted by a small purple dragon.

He seemed happy to see a new face. "Welcome to the library. Can I help you?"

"I wouldn't doubt it." I joked. "Do you have any light reading just to last me a few hours? Some comic books maybe?"

The little dragon's face lit up. "Well if you like comic books, you came to the right dragon." He led me to a corner of the library where one small shelf was tucked away with lots of comic books. "Twi doesn't think that comics are real books, but I did convince her to let me keep a few in here. I couldn't even fit a quarter of the Batmare comics if I wanted to, but I have a few of the more famous volumes, and two bigger compilations. If you haven't read Shush, then I recommend it. Dark, but well made. About half are super hero comics because that's what I read the most, but Twilight said I had to have some variety, so there's a few girlier comics, like Culinary Queen, and Mariner Moon. Then there's some joke comics like the one about a colt and his tiger, and Walnuts, but you look like you'd be more interested in the real comics instead of the strips. I've been trying to get some Manga in here, but that'll take up at least another shelf to have any real variety, if not having its own section."

I probably could have let him keep going for another hour about comics, and I know that I could have as well, but instead I chimed in about one of the comics in particular. "Shush was so good! I did not expect him to be the bad guy at all!"

Spike was at least as excited as me. "I know! I thought it would be Pangolin or Splitface at first, but it couldn't be them. It would have been obvious, but he was supposed to be dead."

"I know, right? Why bring him into the comic if he didn't matter. I thought it was just to..." We talked about comics for half an hour. I don't really want to write out that whole conversation. Twilight walked by and made her way out the door as we talked, but payed us little heed as she overheard that it was comic books in the conversation, and was likely very busy. After all, she was walking, taking notes, and reading something at the same time. She managed to only bump into one table on the way out, though.

I settled on reading Planet Bulk. The Fantastical Bulk was always fun to read about. Spike went off to clean his and Twilight's room, as she had left it without cleaning up like she always did when she was focusing on too many things at once. He came back down in time to see me off as I read about Bulk's blood being what was needed to regrow the plants of the planet, and his strength what was needed to overthrow the tyrannical leader. "I've gotta go now, but thanks for the recommendation. I haven't read too much about Bulk that wasn't part of the Vengers series."

He raised an eyebrow. "Who has? In half the comics all it is is him smashing things, or being depressed about not controlling the beast within."

He made a good point I suppose. "Will I see you at the party, then?"

"No one in town would miss a Pinkie Pie welcome party. I'll be about an hour late, but I'll be there."

"Radical." I didn't often use the word, but it was fun. "See you then."

He waved his goodbye as I made my way back home to grab my suit, then continued on towards the party. The party wouldn't start for an hour at least, but I wanted to help with setup, so that was fine. They were almost done, but I helped arrange the food on the tables, and adjusted the sound levels for one of the bands setting up. Then greeted early arrivals until the party started.

Early on I asked Surprise about when the best time to surprise everypony at the party would be. She... was way too happy about it.

"A surprise in the middle of the party!!! Do it! It's just starting now and it's not even seven o'clock, but you can't do it now because not everyone is here and you want the surprise to be as big as it can be, so it has to be for as many ponies as it can be a surprise for!"

I did find places to get a word in edgewise. "Plus my new dragon friend Spike won't be here for at least another half an hour."

As she continued talking she probably didn't know she was doing it, but her wings flapped as she spoke and she lifted a little bit higher every second. "Dragons are so cool! Well, you have to wait for your dragon friend to be here, and you can't do it on the hour or the half hour because that's all predictable and boring, but if it's too big a surprise it'll be distracting from the rest of the party, and early leavers will start to go around 8:30 to nine, so it should be before then, so do it at eight twenty four!" When she finally stopped for breath her wings stopped, and she landed on all fours.

I couldn't help but laugh. She was a silly pegasus. "Sounds like a plan. My big surprise will happen then, Surprise. I knew you would know best about this sort of thing."

She stood tall and proud for just a few moments. "Of course, Surprise is the best at surprises." Then she couldn't help but stop being serious. "So, what's the surprise?" She leaned in close and lowered her voice to a whisper as she asked.

I looked left, looked right, and whispered back, "If I tell you... it's not a surprise." Then made my way to get some cider.

She followed close behind. "No seriously, tell me."

I just smiled as I filled a cup with some of the apple based beverage. "I can't ruin a surprise for Surprise."

"But you CAN!" She insisted. "I can even help with it!"

I considered it for a moment. Well... I pretended to consider it. "Nah." Her excited smile turned to a pouty face. "I'll take a few suggestions, though." That brought her smile back. "How flashy?"

"Blindingly."

She was taking this a bit literally, but that was okay. "How much build up?"

"No more than two minutes. Probably less. More than two minutes and all the ponies start to wonder why someone put a big rubber duck in the middle of the room."

That story would have to wait for later. "What song should I use?"

She had to ponder that one for a moment... "Something quick paced, and difficult sounding, but not super hard to play."

"Thank you! Now go have fun. You know when and where it'll be." I knew she was the proper expert to come to for surprises. It wasn't just her middle name. It was her FIRST name.

She was satisfied for the moment, and nonchalantly flew over to where Pinkie Pie was. After a moment of whispering they both giggled, smiled really big, and started whispering back and forth quickly, probably trading guesses on what the surprise would be. I just went back to bobbing around the party. I talked with a few of the local bands that were going to be playing. Pinkie had apparently gotten in with a lot of them as the pony to go to to get your first few gigs. She always knew just when to put on which bands. Especially when to put on the bands that best cleared out the room at the end of the party. Not in a mean way. Just in a 'you need to practice more before your next gig...' sort of way. After a while of talking to whatever ponies happened to be around Spike showed up, and I made my way to meet him.

"There's my favorite dragon. Glad you could make it." I smiled as I walked up.

He let out just one laugh before responding. "You kiddin'? I can't miss my new comic buddy's party, or a Pinkie Pie welcome party."

We made our way towards the refreshments. "I suppose not. Especially the second one. She's famous for them after all. Isn't she? Though I suppose you're always a part of the tales of the famous six, are you not?"

He laughed again. "Yeah, the part everypony forgets about. I'm not an element or anything, but I am always glad to help. Everypony needs an assistant sometimes. Oh, and I'm famous among the crystal ponies. "

I did remember hearing a few stories about that. "Their hero twice over. Though there was some rumors of you going crazy in the crystal kingdom as well..."

"Hehe..." His cheeks turned red, and one claw brushed the back of his neck. "Twilight lit the flames for me, and I thought I could make fire with my mind. Only for a few hours, though."

I rubbed his head in a way that would have been mussing his hair if he were a pony, or other hairy creature. "Don't worry. We've all done a few embarrassing things. Myself more than most." We switched the conversation back to comics for a while. Discussing heroes and villains, and upcoming movies that were sure to be disappointingly different from the comics, but still entertaining in their own right. Discussing how certain films that were actually closer to the comics than their predecessors for the same heroes did worse, and how the resurgence of comics was a beautiful thing. We also talked of novel literature, and stupid things that we had done when younger. After half an hour of conversation interrupted by snacks Twilight cam over to talk to Spike, and he brought me with them to meet up with the rest of the elements. I thanked Pinkie for arranging the party as soon as we got there. Her reaction was as over the top as expected.

She pulled me into a big hug. "Every new friend deserves a welcome party." She released me, but her hooves remained on my shoulders for a few moments as she continued speaking. "Usually we do them faster than this, but you didn't have a house when you got here, so I couldn't do a super surprise party like with Twilight, but it did mean I had more time to organize it and make it fun."

I then brought up a point that had been in my mind and the minds of a few others that I'd spoken to. "Do you ever make any money off of your parties? I know plenty of ponies that would give a large load of bits to have this kind of shindig thrown for them."

She placed a hoof on her chin. "I guess I never thought about it."

Twilight broke in. "Really? How did you afford all of the ridiculous things that you used at Rainbow's big birthaversary party?"

This was a story that I had not heard of, but it sounded personal, so I suppose it didn't entirely matter.

Pinkie just shrugged. "I make most of it, and materials are pretty cheap. Plus being friends with everypony in town I usually get a discount. Sometimes they even give it to me for free just to see what I can do with it. Especially if they know I'll return it. Like with all of the instruments I borrowed during the parasprite invasion. They knew I could play all of them, but not what I was going to do with them. Good thing I always return everything safe."

Twilight and I seemed to have the exact same thought process for the next few seconds, and we both stood aside and whispered back and forth our thoughts, starting with me. "Wait... she knows how to play ten instruments well by my count. Drums, accordion, piano, trombone... well, a lot."

The friendship princess nodded in agreement. "At least. She can also remember what everypony in town does, and their names instantly."

"She can bake at a ridiculous level."

"Sometimes she even has amazing insight on things that even I never would have thought of."

After a few seconds of silence it dawned on us, and we returned to the group without a word. It was confirmed. Pinkamena Dianne Pie was a hyperactive crazy genius. Even if she didn't focus her intense brain power on science, it was clearly there. ((I did only use show sources for the information sited in the above realization. She is. It is hilarious.))

I turned to Applejack after that. "Thank you for letting us use your barn for the party as well." Twilight and my conversation didn't need to be mentioned during the rest of the party.

"Aw shucks, it's no bother. Besides, I haven't been to a good hoedown in a while. Gotta cut loose every once in a while." She brushed her hoof through her mane absentmindedly as she spoke.

Rarity shared her sentiment. "Indeed. It might be fun to be a proper lady most of the time, but if you never eat something sugary and dance like no pony is watching... I just can't imagine. Everypony loves a Pinkie Pie party."

Pinkie pie cut in insistently. "No. This is a Dolce party. The next Pinkie Pie party isn't until my birthday."

We all shared a laugh at that. "I guess you're right." I smiled, and looked at the time. "Ooh, it's almost time for my surprise, too."

Amazingly it wasn't Pinkie who spoke up first. "What kind of surprise?" It was Fluttershy who said the words, though with a bit of a smirk since she already knew.

All eyes were on me. "If everypony knows, then it isn't much of a surprise!"

Rainbow Dash was about to speak when a white pegasus appeared seemingly from nowhere. "SURPRISE!!!" She smiled big, though Fluttershy was almost scared stiff, Rarity dropped her drink, and everyone other than Pinkie Pie had certainly been startled. "Did somebody say Surprise?"

Pinkie was laughing, and almost fell on the floor from it. "Not you, silly. We were talking about Dolce's surprise."

I couldn't tell if what she said next was joking or not. "He has his own me? Oh, wait, you mean the surprise he wants to surprise everypony with, but he won't even tell a pony like Surprise about ahead of time, even if I could TOTALLY help with the surprise."

Incidentally I did have a toy pony back at my parents house that did look a lot like Surprise, but she would have had no way of knowing that. "It's only twenty minutes away. Can't we all wait until then to find out? Or you can ask Fluttershy and Rarity because they already know."

That temporarily cut our group down to five speaking as Surprise, and Pinkie berated Fluttershy and Rarity with questions. Spike was laughing a little at the spectacle. "Wow, those two sure are full of energy."

Rainbow Dash finally found a spot to speak. "So, what do you plan to do in town now that you're here?"

"Find a beautiful mare to marry, settle down, make my parents happy, and adopt two or three children to raise into happy lives, but long term goals aside I'm opening a small workshop where ponies can make all sorts of things."

Stunned silence was the response until Spike found some words. "Workshop? So like robots and potions and stuff?"

I laughed. "No. More like watches, and paintings. Clay statues and wire frame figures. Cakes and canollis and computer games. Everything that I've learned how to make in my life and more."

Twilight looked intrigued. "You know how to make watches by hoof?"

"I was a watch maker's apprentice for a while. Never the best at it, and I can do it faster using only magic, but I can make a functional watch in a few hours with my hooves. Lots of little gears."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "If you know how to make so much stuff, then what's your cutie mark got to do with sewing?"

I returned an amused smile. "That's part of the surprise."

After a bit more conversation on this and that it was time for me to approach the stage. It was between two bands, and the DJ was playing something upbeat and danceable with a fun electronic sound. I asked him to turn the music down for a moment, and requested him to play something in 4:4 time at about 140bps when I gestured to him. I took the stage.

"Good evening party ponies, and donkeys, and dragon, and I think I saw a gryphon earlier, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I have an announcement." I gestured to the DJ and the music started quietly, but was building. "I am opening a workshop at the edge of town, and..." My horn glowed as a violin lifted up, and it started playing along with the music. I was glad that classical had not died out in these parts. "I" The second violin began playing a different part of the piece than the first. I had spaced my words so that there would be about ten seconds between them. "am" A large double bass lifted and played longer notes than the violins, but still at pace with the song. "Salieri" A cello lifted and played along completing the quartet as the background track accompanied the song nicely. My disguise began to fade starting from my horn and going down toward my tail. "Star." As I said the last word my disguise was completely gone, and the short piece finished moments later. "I will be having a question and answer session at my new home and place of work, The Workshop. Please hold most of your questions until then." I quickly set the instruments down, and with a flash blinked over to Surprise's side.

"Flashy enough?" I joked.

She just smiled one of the largest smiles I'd ever seen, and nodded. Pinkie showed up behind me about that time, and startled me, though. "THAT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME!" I jumped a little.

The inevitable obvious questions came quickly from multiple sources.

First from Dash. "Wait, so you're...?"

I cut her off. "Yes. I'm really Salieri Starr."

Twilight jumped in next. "Was that changeling magic, or...?"

She simply didn't finish her sentence. "No, just a simple illusion. Similar to what I used as a child to fake my cutie mark."

At that point the group all looked to the blank spot on my flank.

Applejack asked the best question of all. "You faked yer cutie mark?"

I laughed at the question that I knew was coming, and would come again and again. "As a child, yes, and many times since then in disguises. On the other hoof we have a party to get back to."

Spike agreed with that sentiment. "Alright! Let there be no leftovers!" I raced with him to the snack table. The next band played amazingly, but I was pretty much the definition of a tough act to follow, so not many ponies seemed to notice. I did note that they were unsigned, and gave them my uncle's card for later. He owned a music label that might be interested in them.

The rest of the party was a blur of fun conversation, constantly asking for ponies to please stop by the shop tomorrow so that I can answer their questions better, and for the last twenty minutes signing autographs. Spike, the six elements and the rest of the Apple Family were the last to leave, as they stayed for the cleanup. I helped as well, and they all promised to stop by at some point tomorrow. I waved goodbye to the apples, and as we all left only Twilight, Spike, and I were walking in the same direction.

Spike and I were once again talking about comics, but the party at the same time. The dragon started. "It was just like when Deathpuddle-"

I had to stop him right there. "Woah, no. I am nothing like that girl. She's a jerk half the time, and her story is way too depressing. More like when the Scarlet Warlock teleports right into the middle of the X-Mares for an introduction."

He rolled his eyes. "So you're on the anti Death Puddle side then. Huh?"

"No, no. Not at all. I think she gets over-hyped, but nothing more than that. Most of the time her stories are really fun. It just don't like being compared to her. That would be like me comparing you to my first girlfriend." I laughed at that.

Twilight cut in at that. "Don't you mean marefriend?"

I shook my head. "The first girl I dated was a gryphon. It was all fine and good for a while, but it ended when she sort of broke my trust in a big way."

Spike had to expand on that a bit. "Ever dated a dragon?"

This one was too easy. "No, but thanks for the offer. I did date a gazelle for a short time, but we had very little in common, and had a bit of a fling with a donkey girl. She worked with a circus, though, and was out of town two weeks after we met. I still keep in contact with the zebra my cousin introduced me to. She's a dancer who likes star gazing. We're okay friends, but we just didn't click."

He stopped walking entirely for a few seconds, but by the time I finished talking he had caught up. "You KNOW that's not what I meant."

I just smiled. "I don't care if a girl is a little big, but twenty times my size is a bit much. You're one of the only small dragons I've ever seen, and it's really awkward when folks keep saying that you're dating a baby dragon."

He rolled his eyes and frowned. "Ugh. I know, right? Just because we didn't go through a greed spurt and keep our horde they think we're all not even ten years old. Heck, I'm turning twenty three in a few months."

Twilight confirmed it. "It's true. I was five when I hatched his egg, but other than the birthday incident a few years back he hasn't grown a lot at all."

His claw dragged gently down his face. "Can we please not bring that up. I had to apologize for that so many times, and some of the Wonderbolts are STILL afraid of me."

My smile never fell. "Just be glad the news of that didn't spread too far. After all, this is my first time hearing of it. It was probably only in gossip pages anyway because it's so hard to prove anything if a dragon gives everything back."

Spike nodded his agreement. "Though it is good to be a little taller than I used to be. Found a way to grow about eight inches since Twilight got her castle." He was quick to get back to the more important topic. "Ideas on the Death Puddle movie coming out?"

I let out one sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, one. Why did they cast the same mare that played the Azure Torch as another super hero? It would be cool to combine their powers of being impossible to kill, and the ability to create whatever you can will with your mind into creation."

He smiled as Twilight distracted herself with anything that wasn't talking about comic books in the vicinity. "Heh, yeah. She's a good enough actress, and it fits her personality, but they could have at least waited a few more years. You think it's gonna be good or bad, though?"

"Nah. I don't make opinions like that before the movie comes 0ut. I really hope they take at least a good twenty minutes on his origin, though, before they dive into it." It was never good to prejudge a movie.

He shrugged. "Well, I'm excited for it. She always makes me laugh."

At that point we reached their house. "See you two tomorrow?"

Spike gave a thumbs up. "You bet!"

"Promise I won't have to talk about comic books?" Twilight joked.

I bowed my head smiling, and raised one hoof to my chest. "I promise. I would never make the princess do something she didn't want to do." She blushed just a little angrily, and I responded with laughter. "Though it is super fun making you do that."

She let out a huff, but relaxed and smiled. "Goodnight Salieri."

"See you, Sal." Spike waved his goodbye.

I waved back as I started turning to leave. "I'll probably stop by on Tuesdays to exchange books. See you guys tomorrow! If you come after dinner the shop will be closed, so we can have a normal conversation."

"Sounds cool. See you then!" It was Spike that finished the conversation.

My house was only a few minutes walk from the library/castle, so I was soon home. After a shower, and the rest of my goodnight routine
I made my way to my newly moved in bed, and slept well not knowing just how much the next day would bring. All the questions, all the smiles, and one very bad letter.

Author's Note

I will be checking back in the story so far to alter things that break with the current way of the world in Ponyville. Since the story is set after the current time of the show, and I believe I mentioned land marks that no longer exist, I will be making minor alterations. Also, as this is the darkest story line of the five, this one will also have one joke chapter in it just for funzies. Also, if you think that Twi was older or younger than five when she hatched the egg, I based it on the fact that she said magic training starts in magic kindergarten. Kindergarten of course starts for most kids at age five.

<Y>Unexpected Assertiveness

I woke up early and made my way to the kitchen. It was around six. I made a quick breakfast, then brushed my teeth and put on a grey shirt with a name tag. The official uniform of my new business. I walked to the front door thinking I would check my mail, but when I opened it found a large line outside my door. leading around the corner of the block. It was before I was supposed to open, but opening early never hurt anyone. I flipped the sign from closed to open, and went inside. The first floor was quickly full to capacity, and the line was still out the door. I had no idea where it ended. After twenty minutes of questions I took a large note pad, and made a Q&A sheet that I wrote the questions and answers on. After several hours everyone that had only come to ask me something was gone. Several meant that most of the day was done, and I had only taken one break for lunch. It was almost dinner time, but there were a few that stayed around to find out about the shoppe.

"Can I paint stuff here?" One filly asked.

I smiled at the first question in a long time that wasn't about me being me. "Yes, there's a paint room with water colors, acrylics, oil paints, paints made for hoof painting, and ink and pens for calligraphy."

She looked to her mom. "They have everything."

I laughed. "Not everything, but a lot. From watch making to cake baking, everything that I've ever learned how to do."

"Could you make custom watches?" Her mother asked likely with a gift idea in mind.

"Well yes," I cautioned, "But it would be cheaper, and more meaningful to make it yourself. It would only take a day to learn the basics, then a few times practicing."

"I don't know..."

I shrugged. "If all you want custom is the shell you can just make that, and I can do the insides and the clock face."

She seemed to like that idea, and made her way to the door telling her daughter that it was dinner time, and they would come back at the real opening.

A colt asked about making stuff out of metal. "Statues and stuff." specifically.

"Well you're too young for a welding torch, or soldering, but we could do wire frame statues, and when you're a little older if your parents give permission we could move on to the bigger things."

His mother had the real questions. "How much would that cost?"

I smiled. "One bit an hour, and the cost of supplies, so for wire work it would probably be two hours and the price of the wire... around four bits per visit."

She was pleasantly surprised. "Why so cheap?"

I laughed. "Don't you remember that I used to be famous? If I wanted money I could open this place in Manehattan or Canterlot. This place is just to help ponies learn."

"Why didn't you open it in a big city?"
I flipped the note pad to the third page, and pointed to the fourth line. It read 'This is the kindest place I've ever lived.'

She and her son then also left for dinner, leaving the place with only six ponies remaining including myself. The cutie mark crusaders were still there, looking at all of the different things, two teenagers that looked interested in the four computers that were all next to each other. "Hey, Sal guy. What're these computers for? They don't have internet, or any games on 'em."

I rolled my eyes and walked over. "Well, although I can only do pretty basic work I do have the software on them to make animations and games. I have the Adobe Bolt design software, and the Surreal Engine. If you're willing to learn from a book you can make whatever games you want to, or just make cool designs. I can teach you to make animations in Bolt, but Surreal is way cooler."

At that point it was likely decided between them that that is what they would be doing here whenever they came. "Didn't they use Surreal to make the Deathscape games?" They were talking more to each other than to me.

"Yeah, and Surreal Tournament."

Video games were awesome, so I had to chime in "Don't forget the whole Summer Isles series. Winter Isles is starting soon too."

The one on the right responded, "Did Dusken use it?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, they tried to make their own platform, which is why it was so buggy. Dawnbreaker used it, and the sequel to Dusken, Dusk Hammer did as well."

For the next twenty minutes we talked all about video games. I actually didn't know much about any game that was newer than six years old, but I did read about them from time to time. When they left it was just me and the CMC.

Scootaloo was looking at a cabinet that was half finished watches, and half watch parts. "Cutie Mark Crusaders: watch makers?"

Apple Bloom had found the paint room. "Cutie Mark Crusaders: calligraphy experts!"

Sweetie belle had found the kitchen. "No, Cutie Mark Crusaders: culinary masters."

I just smiled. "Well, I can help a little with that last one right now. I need to make dinner for myself."

They agreed that that was the plan, and we all went to the kitchen. I got the materials, and with their help made some long flat pasta, an Alfredo sauce, and some garlic bread. There were relatively few mishaps because I handled every part that used fire, or heat of any kind, but it did get quite a bit messier than if I had done it alone. We made more than enough for myself, but they didn't have any because they all had dinner waiting for them back home. I walked them to the door, and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom walked out, but Sweetie Belle stayed back to ask me something.

"Um." She thought for a moment on how to ask. "Can you show me how to do that thing where you make a cutie mark?"

My horn glowed, and I made the violin with three bows appear. "You mean this?" I circled my hoof over the area changing it to a different mark with each pass. "I could, but I don't think you'll want me to unless you want to be in your twenties without a cutie mark."

She laughed awkwardly. "Yeah, I guess not. Bye Mr. Starr."

It felt weird hearing that, but I guess I was an adult now. I said goodbye to the three, and ate my dinner. Soon after I was done there was a soft knock at my door. I walked over to find Fluttershy standing there.

"Oh, hello Shy. I didn't expect to see you today. Come on in." I was actually really glad to see her.

"Hello, Salieri." She made her way inside, and we made our way to the table in the kitchen. "Would you like anything to eat? Dinner's still warm."

"No thank you. Thank you for the offer, though." She looked like she wanted to ask something, but didn't know how to ask it.

I tried to relax her with a smile, and leaning on the table a bit from my chair. "Is there something you wanted to talk about, or was I just too pretty to stay away?"

Normally that would have gotten a laugh, but instead she blushed bright pink, and hid a little bit behind her mane. She said something that I couldn't quite make out.

I leaned closer. "What was that?"

She then quickly pulled me into an awkward over the table hug, and whispered in my ear. "Tuesday was too long to wait."

I smiled as I returned the hug, then kissed her on the cheek. Her face turned red anew, and I laughed heartily. "Yeah? Well I'm glad you came. It's really fun to make you blush." Saying that didn't make her face any less red. "You don't know how cute you really are, do you?" I was on a roll, and her face looked the same as Pinkie's mane at the moment. I used my magic to blink us upstairs to my couch. It was more comfortable than hugging over a table.

I nuzzled her neck, and we leaned back against the couch. "I'm done for now." She smiled, and nuzzled into my neck as well. For a while we just sat there, holding each other. It was nice. I didn't need to say anything else, and she didn't want to say anything. I almost fell asleep right there with her lying against me. I turn on the projector and a movie came on. I didn't remember which one I had put in, but it was an off comedy of some kind. Neither of us were really paying attention to it. It just made good background noise so we could stay there for a while. Before it was much past half way into the movie Fluttershy looked at the time, and stood up. I turned the projector off.

She looked at me, and hid behind her mane a little bit more than usual. "Sorry, but I've got to go home now. Angel will be worried sick if I get home after dark."

I gave her a hug to say goodbye. "Don't be sorry. You have a lot of responsibilities, and I don't want any of the animals you take care of to go hungry on my account. Can I at least walk you home?"

She smiled, and nodded.

She lived on the far edge of town, but Ponyville was small enough that it still only took twenty minutes to get there. She mentioned that tomorrow night was girls night, and we were busy on Monday, but Tuesday was still going to be fun. We changed it to more than just feeding the animals, though.

I smiled the entire walk back home, and walked right inside without even thinking to check the mail. I showered, brushed my teeth, and went to bed easily, and with sweet dreams.

<B> As Darkness Approaches

It was dark, so very dark, and so I was cautious. I moved slowly, but the voices didn't stop calling out. I started moving faster toward them

I woke up early, and got ready for what would be a long day. I showered at a medium pace, ate a quick breakfast, and got dressed in that order. I put on a grey work shirt as was the uniform of the business. Smiling I walked over to the door, and opened it, then the smile turned to a look of shock. The line was huge. "Um... The Workshop is open." As I backed away from the door the building quickly filled, and I was nearly backed into a corner with a never ending flood of questions. I answered ones that I could hear as fast as I could for a good ten minutes before I became fed up, and had to do something.

Using my magic I amplified my voice a bit, and let out a shout. "FORM A QUEUE AND SETTLE DOWN." I then brought a box of markers, and a large pad over to write down whatever I was asked. I am a rather fast writer. For any repeat questions I just flipped back to the page they were on. I went on listening, writing, and answering for a few hours until I made my way to the kitchen for lunch. Some common questions were things like "Where is your cutie mark" the answer of course gone, and it was fake to begin with. At least ten times I was asked "Are you dating anypony?" though I wrote anyone instead. The answer "No, but probably not for long. ;)" I had to write the wink. Four times I was asked "Why did you write anyone?" Answer? I've dated non-ponies before. Gryphon girls are pretty... Anyway, lunch was a quick sandwich, and some kiwi juice.

When I was finished and returned through the mass of ponies, two gryphons, a dragon, and a few donkeys, the flood of questions began anew and in full force. By six the tide had thinned to almost none left. I answered their questions more personally because I was tired of writing, and because there were only seven left. First a very happy foal who was looking around at everything starry eyed spoke to her mom.

"Wow, mommy. They have everything. I could paint a whole murole with this."

I chuckled before responding. "Not everything, but I do have a lot of paint supplies. Ask your mom, and you can come back and paint as much as you want for two bits an hour, plus the cost of the canvases you use."

Her mom raised an eyebrow at that. "How much are the canvases, then?"

I thought for a moment. "Well, the really good ones are fifteen bits a piece, but they would be much more if you bought them yourself. I know the pony that owns the company that makes them. You would probably be more interested in the ones designed for non-oil based paints, which are three bits a piece."

"Really?" She seemed pleasantly surprised. "Why so cheap?"

"Well, because I don't really NEED more money. I only plan on making enough to keep The Workshop running."

She smiled to her daughter. "We have to go home for supper, but I'll bring you here next weekend, okay? You can paint for as long as you want. Only five frames though."

Being a foal that was of course impossible to accept. "Aw! Can't I have at least seven? I bed Daisy's mom let's her use ten!"

I laughed as they left to go home, and I overheard two colts that were inspecting the computers that I had along one wall.

"Bro, I've checked every setting on here, and I don't think these things even have wireless cards in them. Why would we come here for these?"

I moved the mouse to open a program off of the desktop. "Mostly because of this. I have game making and video editing software for anything from two D simple games to three D multi-player games, and animations to feature films. No internet, though. I got the computers made without cards. Left room for a better cooling system."

The one that I didn't startle by taking his mouse out from under him responded. "Why wouldn't you want internet on them?"

"Because," I deadpanned. "I know what folks like to do on the internet... not to mention viruses, and the like. Harder to get them when you would have to code them from scratch ON these computers to get them on these computers. I don't really know how to use the Surreal engine, but I have some manuals and 'how to's downloaded to the computer. If you're willing to learn that way you guys could come here for about three bits an hour and make whatever you want."

They looked at each other and responded at the same time. "Cool." I had a feeling that I would see them again, and after a bit they left.

The three remaining were the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Since most of the things were still in locked cabinets and the like they hadn't gotten into much, but were debating on what they would come by to do. Eventually they settled on "Everything until we get our cutie marks." I thought that that was a good option. They were about to leave because it was dinner time when Sweetie Belle walked up to me.

"Um, Mr. Salieri? Can you teach me how to do that thing with the fake cutie mark?"

I passed my hoof over my flank and a record appeared, then it changed to a flamingo, a purple ball, and back to normal. "Sure, if you want to be in your late twenties and still have no real cutie mark."

Her expression said it before her words. "Um... nevermind."

The three went on their merry way and I went to the kitchen to make something. Dinner was pasta with a white sauce, a small salad with a home made apricot vinaigrette, ice water, and some white chocolate fudge for dessert. I finished quickly as I always did when I ate alone.

It was about seven thirty when I heard a knock at the door, and opened it to see Spike, Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Applejack.

I gestured for them to enter. "Hey, come on in. Want anything? Pasta? Wine? A tour?"

"Ooh! Ooh! The third one! Tour!" Pinkie erupted. "Show us all the secrets of your lair."

"That sounds great, actually." Added Twilight.

Spike pointed to my mailbox. "You got a letter."

"Ah, so I do." I opened the box, and put the letter in my shirt pocket with my magic without looking at it. "Tour then?"

"Thank ya', sugarcube." Aj said as she walked in. "Sorry that Rarity and Rainbow couldn't be here. Rarity is busy today with some crazy job, and RD is... well ah don't rightly know where she is, but we couldn't find her."

I shrugged. "Probably busy."

Fluttershy didn't really say anything, but she seemed happy to be there.

I led them from the front room to the kitchen first. "First stop, kitchen. Three ovens with a total of fifteen stove top burners, three sinks, wrap around counter on three sides of the room, an island in the middle, all with metal cutting surface tops, and a great big refrigerator for all of the food that would go bad in the cabinets."

Pinkie was staring at the ovens with her face only a few inches from the middle one. "I could make three cakes at once here, and still have burners to make caramel on." She seemed rather happy, but we had to keep going.

Next stop was the paint room. "Paints, canvases, inks, and pretty much everything needed for any kind of painting, or calligraphy." It didn't really interest anypony all that much.

I kept on at my slow but steady pace toward the main workshop. "This is my favorite room, where I have most of the tools. A lathe, two computers which are probably going to be moved soon, some statue making supplies," I paused for breath, "some hammers, nails, everything needed to make fifty pocket watches, and fifty regular watches, drills, screw drivers, screws, saws, other carpentry things, some things to make simple robots, and some extension chords."

Spike immediately took a few steps toward the computers. "Oh, have you read any of the Batmare web series? It's getting really interesting."

"Can't on those computers." I shook my head. "No internet allowed on the work computers."

He stopped in his tracks. "I guess that makes sense."

Aj chimed in next. "That's right smart of ya'." She looked around the room a bit. "I reckon you could spend days in here, and still never make the same thing twice."

Twilight responded before I could. "Technically you could go on forever without making the same thing twice with any amount of supplies. You could spend all of your time on one thing, or do different things with each item, or since it's impossible for any two things to be exactly the same-"

Spike interrupted her. "Twilight. You're doing it again."

She blushed. "Oh, right. Made my point, don't need to keep making it."

I chortled at that. "It's fine. I liked hearing about the endless ways that you could make endless amounts of things. Science can be fun, but what's more fun is upstairs." I began leading them toward my living quarters. The top of the stairs opened up to my main living area with a table and chairs to one side, and the entertainment area opposite that. A coffee table in the front, and a projector hooked up behind and above the large couch which was flanked by two big comfy chairs. "Down the hall on the right is the bathroom, on the left is my bedroom, and straight forward is a closet." I took the letter out of my pocket placing it on the coffee table, and put my work shirt on the back of one of the table chairs, and sat on the couch.

Fluttershy was looking at the letter wide eyed, and said something that I couldn't quite hear.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I held a hoof up to my ear to help me pick up the sound.

She repeated herself a bit louder. "I, uh... think you should open it. It's from a doctor, and says urgent."

Since I hadn't payed attention to it I hadn't noticed the big red letters that read 'URGENT!' or that it was from my family doctor. I opened it, looked at it, and then everything is sort of a blur, because next thing that I remembered we were all on the couch, and I was sobbing into Twilight's shoulder while Fluttershy and Applejack were hugging me from behind, Pinkie was gently brushing my mane, and Spike was resting a claw on my knee.

"I..." I managed between sobs after I calmed down. "I think I just need to be alone for a bit to sort out my thoughts, okay?"

Twilight gave a sad smile and a nod, and they all let go slowly. After seeing them out the door I made my way back upstairs in a bit of a haze, and I began to write. I always write when I can't think of what else to do, and I need to find the right among all the wrong. Whenever I need to find out if it's all worth it. I am very glad that Ponyville brought me so much good before all of the bad. It's almost sunrise, so I'll stop writing for now.

Dear Journal... I don't know what I'll do if my parents die from this. I... I just don't know.

Author's Note

Yes, I know that mural is misspelled, children say words wrong and it's cute. This arc will be a long one if I write out everything, so I think I'm going to skip a bit of what I had thought up and stick to important things to keep each arc the same chapter length. Not cutting out anything super important, only things like showing how he becomes closer to all of the Mane Six as friends, and things leading up to being asked to come with them on a diplomatic mission.
This is by far the darkest arc, but I really love the ending. It is very to the point. ;)

Delirium

*note this is a short chapter, and I will not edit or revise it at all unless needed. I wrote it between 1:30 and 2 am, so I have no idea how good it is.

I stumbled through the door of the boutique. I was glad that no one recognized me when I wasn’t in disguise. Did that make how I regularly looked a disguise? I guess the fake needle and thread cutie mark was kind of a disguise. Whatever. I had a mission. I was greeted almost immediately by a white unicorn with a purple mane.

“Welcome to the Carousel Boutique, where everything is sheek, unique, and magnifuque! How may I help you?” She smiled as she said it.

She was as pretty as I was told, but hopefully some of the other things I had been told were just rumors. “Hello. Are you Rarity? The element of generosity?”

“Yes I am. What can I help you with?” Her smile stayed as she said it.

“I’m Salieri Star, and I was wondering...”This was the part that was going to be hard... “Well um...” I scratched the back of my head. “Seeing as you are the element of generosity I thought you’d be the pony to ask first.” Come on. Just ask. It’s not that big a deal. “I mean... I would help you in any way I can if you say yes but...” Out with it man! “I have no place to stay in town for the night. Could I stay here? I am good at using my magic for intricate things, and I would help you in any way that I can to pay for letting me stay, because, well, I have money, but not much, and if you want I could pay for the room, and I’m talking too much and should let you answer now shouldn’t I?” Smooth... real smooth.

She was slightly stunned. I don’t know if it was by the question or by the long sentence that followed it. “I... I don’t know what to say.” Her smile dropped, but only to a neutral expression. “It would be one thing if you were a mare, and another if I knew you a bit better.” She paused for a moment. “Wait... I’ve heard that name somewhere before.”

I sighed. “Was it when you were a filly?”

She gasped. “I didn’t know you when I was little did I?”

I smiled at that. “No. We’re about the same age though, and people first started hearing that name when I was still little.”

She thought for a moment and her eyes lit up. “You’re not... Are you? You are! But...” she looked at my cutie mark. “That’s impossible. His cutie mark was a violin with four bows. Yours is a sewing needle.”

My smile turned into a cocky smirk. “No it’s not.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Then what am I looking at?”

My horn glowed and the mark turned into a violin with four bows. “A fake.” My horn glowed again, and the mark was simply gone.

She gasped. “What?!?”

Time for damage control. “I’ve never had a real cutie mark. When I was little and I found out that I was good with music people were proud of me... there was only one type of spell that I was really good at other than my telepathy. I was really good at illusions.” I sighed. “They were all just so proud, and I was the last one in my class without a cutie mark, so... I faked it.”

Her smile returned. “So the coolest musician from when I was a filly didn’t even have music as a special talent? What is your talent then?”

I pointed at my hip where there was no longer a mark. “This is what it looks like when I don’t have any illusion set up.” I looked out the window at the setting sun. “I’m sorry to rush you, but I need to know if I can stay. If not I have to go quickly to ask the element of kindness”

“Well... normally I wouldn’t, but it is getting late, and the guest room is set up. So sure. You can stay one night. Besides.” Her smile turned into the same smirk I had before. “I want to know more about you, and... I want proof.” She hurried off to another room.

I followed quickly after her and stopped in the doorway. “Proof of what?”

She was levitating three violins out of a cabinet. “What else? Proof that you are who you say you are. You were the only colt who could play the impossible quartet.”

I was a bit surprised, but there was one issue. “We need a cello for that. I also need something to help me tune the strings, and a standard set of tuning forks won’t do.”

“Well if you’re willing to spread your secret to just one more mare I can get the cello easily, but why won’t a standard set work?”

I half smiled as I thought back to my intelligent little trick. “Ponies always wanted to copy me, and I didn’t want anypony to be able to copy this song, so I tuned all the strings differently. Even the unicorns that watched really closely only saw where the bar was and what string I was playing. The unicorns that listened really closely heard every single note, but the notes didn’t make sense. You couldn’t play those notes together like that on so few instruments using those standard bars.” My smile grew a bit sheepish. “It was actually the only song that I liked playing.”

“Do you normally tell all your secrets to a mare when you first meet her?”

Had I really been doing that? I needed sleep. REALLY badly. “I don’t think so. I’m usually really good at keeping all my secrets. but I’ve also never been awake for this long in my life.” I looked at the clock “What day is it?”

“It’s the twenty third. How long have you been awake if It has you this far out of it?”

I smiled a big delirious smile. “I’ll tell you after I play the song. Get the cello, and I’ll tune the violins. I can try to do it by ear, but if you can get a full set of tuning forks it might be a bit better.”

She looked a bit worried, but she went on her way. I tuned the first violin rather easily. I was always good at that one, but the other two were harder. The first violin took somewhere between 2 and 15 minutes to tune. When you haven’t slept in a while you start losing your sense of time. I worked on the second one, but I only got done tuning one string when Rarity walked back into the room with a light blue pony, a small wooden box, and a cello in tow.

Rarity looked to her friend. “Well Lyra, here he is, now hand them over so we can both have proof.”

Lyra did what she was told, and after a little bit longer and only seeing Lyra cringe a few times as I got the instruments set up with non-standard tuning I was ready.

“Time for the show, ladies.” I propped each instrument up as needed. My horn glowed and the same glow surrounded the bows, and the bars. The melody began on only one violin, then a different violin responded much higher. The first violin repeated itself with the cello accenting it with its deeper tones. Soon all three violins were playing, and so was the cello. There were always two notes being played at a time on each instrument, and each conveyed a deep emotion. The first violin was sad, the second was happy and quick, but the third was slow and longing, while the cello jumped between the three emotions. The song conveyed confusion more than anything else, and right then it came to the climax. After producing one rich, thick, harmonious sound all of the instruments went silent other than the third violin. It played ten more seconds of slow sad longing music, then grew silent. I quickly tuned all of the instruments back to normal with my magic and bowed.

I stood and stated “Three days and sixteen hours.” then passed out on the floor.

The Longest Day Part 1

*This and the next two were originally one chapter, but the size of the chapter was rather daunting. On suggestion of another I decided to split it into three.

Apparently the small concert was proof enough, because I woke up in the guest bed. Either that or Rarity is too generous to throw a colt who has passed out from sleep deprivation out on the street. No matter. I was happy with the result. I looked out the window. It was still dark. Was it still dark or dark again? The clock read 11 so either I had only slept a few hours, or I had slept a day and two hours.

I stood up. I felt well rested. So that meant I had probably slept for over 24 hours... Which also meant that Rarity wouldn’t be up for a while. So I was alone in the house of somepony that I had only truly met the previous day. We both knew each other from news stories, but that didn’t really count. I had to reset his brain to get into a regular sleep pattern anyway, so staying up all night wasn’t such a bad idea. I wrote a quick note to rarity telling her that I would be a blue coated white maned unicorn named Dolce N. Gabana when she next saw me, and cast the simple spell to change my appearance. I decided to bring back the thread and needle cutie mark. I wanted to help Rarity while I was here anyways, so a fashion cutie mark would work.

I left to find some food. I didn’t think anyone would be open, but one could always be hopeful. One shop still had lights on so I went there. It was called Sugar Cube Corner. I didn’t see anyone behind the counter, but somepony was sitting at the table with their back to me. I opened the door slowly.

“Hello? Are you open?” I asked the pink mass of curly hair sitting at the table. What happened next was one of the most surprising things that had happened in my life...

It turned out to be a mare. A mare that could somehow hover without wings. At first she simply turned around, but before speaking she leapt into the air and gasped. “Hi I’m Pinkie Pie, are you new in town? You must be because I know every every everypony in ponyville, and I don’t know you at all! Should I throw you a party? Wait... it’s too late for a party, but tomorrow!” She said this all in one breath and probably would have kept going, but she found a hoof in her mouth stopping her. I needed food, and couldn’t wait any longer.

“Yes I am new in town, but I don’t really want a big party yet. All I want right now is some food. This was the only place that looked open.” I removed my hoof from her mouth. I was glad that I had thought up a good name for a colt of fashion. “I’m Dolce, who are you?”

Her smile was so large that it was almost frightening. “I’m Pinkie Pie, Ponyville’s premiere party pony, and a purveyor of pastries, pies, and pranks. What can I get you this fine evening?” She let out a cute giggle.

I laughed. “Well that was quite the alliteration.” I checked my saddle bag. and took out 20 bits. “I need something filling that is low in sugar, something that contains blackberries, and as many different kinds of cupcakes as I can get with the leftover money.” With that I set the 20 bits on the counter and watched as Pinkie zipped away and then rose up on the other side of the counter.

“That’s gonna be a lot of cupcakes.” She was wearing a baker’s hat and an apron. “I sense some foreshadowing in your food choices. Will a blackberry tart, a 2 lb bagel, and 10 kinds of cupcakes do? I’ll throw in some cream cheese and zap apple jam to put on the bagel.” She was talking really fast again.

“How about making that 8 ¼ of a pound bagels instead. I don’t think I’ll want to eat a bagel that big all at once. Wait. Foreshadowing? Nevermind.” I smiled. “Though I will probably eat it all before tomorrow night. Are you normally open this late?”

“No...” She looked left and right. “I was working on something and forgot to lock up. Wanna see?”
I nodded.

She was back at the table faster than I could blink, and had unfurled some blueprints. “I’m making an upgraded version of my party cannon so that it can launch tables too! That way I can launch a fully decorated party into an area that didn’t even have tables! It will be the ultimate tool for surprise parties!” Her expression grew serious. “ULTIMATE. INSTANT. SURPRISE. PARTIES.” She giggled and her smile returned. “I should get to bed though. Goodnight sweetie.”

“Wait... what?” I had no idea if she was hitting on me, or just being kind, or what.

“You said your name was Dolce. Dolce means sweet, or kind, or candy!”

“Oh. Yeah. I’m Dolce N. Gabana. Most people don’t use the Italian on me. About the party you wanted to throw for me...” I looked at the calendar on the wall. “I don’t really have a place of my own, but if you tell me a place we can have it on Friday. I should have everything set up by then.”

She handed me my box of food and walked with me toward the door. “Okey dokey lokie! See you then, or maybe before then, I hope I see you before then!”

“See you then, or before then then Pinkie.” I said while walking out the door. I walked away down the street while she locked up and got ready for bed.

I trotted to the fountain in the center of town. The benches would make for a good place to sit, and the soft trickle would make for some good background noise while eating. I wondered a few things. For one what a zap apple was. The jam looked interesting at least. Second I wondered why Pinkie wanted to throw a party for a complete stranger. She did call herself the city’s premier party pony, whatever that meant. What would I do for money? I couldn’t ask Rarity to pay me. The work I was going to be doing for her was in return for letting me stay, if she let me stay longer, and for the night that she already let me stay if she did ask me to find a new place. I was glad that I had only been asleep for just over 24 hours. Any longer would have been seemed too imposing, and I would feel much worse about it.

I spread cream cheese onto the first bagel and ate it while looking at the moon. I began to sing my favorite drinking song. “♪Once again Luna, just you and I. Sharing this night and all the stars in the sky. I’d share it all with you, but you’re so far away! I cry when I leave you for the light of day.♫” I always found it funny that I didn’t like drinking, but I loved drinking songs. “♪Drink to the moon! Drink to the stars! Drink to the patrons up late at the bars! Drink to fair Luna, the mare of the night. She guides us all home with the perfect moon light.♫”

Another voice joined me as I sang. “♪Sing to fair Luna. Sing to her night! She made to guide us all home with her light.♫” I turned to the mare who had joined me. It was lyra again. She didn’t seem to recognize me in this disguise. “♪When her light fades away, and her sister sun rises, other ponies rise up for the day. I smile and I yawn as I sleep through the dawn, waiting for Luna’s night so I say... The night might not last forever, but faithful to Luna I stay.♫” I turned to her, and decided to have some fun. She already knew that I was in town, so I’ll tell her about my disguise.

“I didn’t expect to see anyone else up this late.” I smiled. “Especially not you Lyra.”

She looked at me oddly. “Do I know you?”

I feigned shock. “Why Lyra! How do you not recognize me?” I held one hoof above my face and moved it slowly down. As it passed my face I returned the fur on my face to its normal color. I then moved my hand back up, and returned my disguise to its full beauty. “How about now?” My favorite smirk had returned to my face.

Her look changed to surprise, then she laughed. “You really don’t want anypony else to know that you’re in town do you?”

“Not yet at least.” I remembered my original plan. “In all honesty I was only planning to reveal it to Rarity as a last resort, but delirium makes you forget plans and do crazy things.” I thought about something for a moment. “How was the song that I played the other evening by the way? I couldn’t really tell in the state that I was in.”

“Honestly...” She smiled. “It might just be because I’ve only heard the record version of it before, but that was the best I’ve ever heard it.” She looked at my cutie mark. “What made you give it up?”

I thought for a moment. “If you already know this much I can reveal that little truth I guess.” I sighed. “I was good at it, but I was never really happy. I only kept at it for so long because everypony was proud of me, but it never felt right. I saw other ponies who had real music cutie marks that were ignored just because I was around, and it made me feel sick. I had a fake cutie mark, and I was taking fame away from ponies who deserved it more than I did.” A single tear trickled down my cheek. “In the end I helped a few of them, but so many others passed by ignored, and forgotten.” Then I laughed. “And if you don’t believe that then I also don’t like being famous. Too many eyes watching you, and the paparazzi are way too annoying.”

Her face was sympathetic right up until I let out the laugh. At that point she went back to being confused. “So... You didn’t want to be famous?”

“Not for something that wasn’t my real talent. What if you were famous for baking pies, but you still had that mark. You wanted to play the Lyre, but no one cared about that. All they cared about was the pies you made?” I looked her straight in the eyes. “It gets tiresome after a while. I still don’t know what my true purpose is, and I’m already an adult.” At this point I noticed that she was still standing. I scootched to one side of the bench. “Would you like to sit?”

At this point she seemed to remember what she had been doing before she stopped to chat with me. She had the slightest hint of panic in her voice. “Oh no. I was on my way home! Bon Bon is going to be so mad that I’m this late!” She began to trot off. “See you around.”

“See ya! When you see me like this, call me Dolce!” I finished off the bagel and spread some zap apple jam on a second one. I took a bite. I couldn’t describe it.

“This. Is the best thing. The best thing ever in all of existence. The king of all jams... and it was free.” I praised the poofy pink party pony from whom I had procured this perfection.

At this point I was glad that my volume had never exceeded that of the fountain, and that nobody seemed to live near enough to the fountain to have been awoken. I finished off that bagel, spread cream cheese and jam on another and ate it. I looked at the clock tower and it was almost midnight. I decided that wandering aimlessly would be a good way to pass the time.

I passed a rather large tree that had been converted into a house. There was an owl who was sitting in one of the branches. I looked at it, and the owl swooped down and landed on the windowsill next to me. “Who?” It said.

I for one knew that it wasn’t actually asking me anything, but I humored the joke. “Dolce N. Gabana at your service.” I bowed, but when I raised my head I said, “But you didn’t ask that. Did you? I would be able to tell if I had ever figured out how Fauna had done her talking to animals spell...” I shrugged. “Goodbye my avian acquaintance of the night.” I trotted off leaving the owl by his tree. I think it was a he.

Where to next? It was nearing 12:30 or so, and I assumed no one would be awake. This was a rather small town after all. In any big city I might feel that I was in danger being alone out at night like this, but here I felt safe. I liked small towns. Well... I guess it wasn’t literally a small town. It was actually rather large, but it wasn’t like a big city in the slightest. A light was on in an upstairs room here or there, but the streets were utterly empty. It was peaceful walking about with only the moon and the wind as company. I hummed the same song that I had sung by the fountain as I walked. It would probably be stuck in my head for an hour or two, but that didn’t matter. I was at the edge of the Everfree forest at this point. There was a cute tree that had been converted into a cottage, but that wasn’t what interested me. I wanted to walk straight into the forest. There was a simple path, and a light on in the distance. It flickered, so it was probably a fire of some kind. He ate another cream cheese and zap apple jam bagel and walked down the path.

There was a few types of glowing fungi growing along the path as I walked. I probably would have stumbled off of the path any number of times if not for the dim light they gave off. I couldn’t even see out of the dense woods from where I was. It was a bit spookier here than it was in town. I took out my ultimate weapon against fear. The best comfort food ever. Anything containing blackberries. I took a bite and forgot all my fears. The taste brought me back to memories of visiting my grandparents’ house and eating the fresh berries. I trotted on down the path toward the pretty flickering light. I soon arrived in a slight clearing with a cooking fire in front of it. A pot was boiling above it, and it seemed a zebra was stirring the pot.
Even though she was facing away the zebra had noticed me. “You must be brave to be out at this hour, and to venture steadfast when others would cower.”

I liked speaking poetically, but I didn’t like rhyming. “No one else was up. I would be lonely in town. Your fire lured me.”

She smiled. “Most imitators simply rhyme. I’m glad you chose haiku this time. Why are you up at this hour, I ask? I assume it is not to aid in my task.”

“What task might it be? I will help you willingly. Not much else to do.”

“This tincture must be made at night, for it is ruined by sunlight. That’s what makes this potion rare. Just simply stir the pot with care. I’ll get and add the herbs I need. I’ll thank you for your friendly deed.” She handed the wooden stirring rod to me, and went into her nearby hut.

I stirred the pot for the few seconds until she returned. Whatever it was it smelled amazing. “What is in this pot? It smells of sweetness and love. I’ve smelled it before.”

Adding the ingredients she had just gathered to the pot she replied, “It is a potion, each part must be pure. It’s smell is sweet, and it’s function allure.”

She was a bit too cryptic. “My question still stands. Tell me please, I want to know! What is this potion?”

She smiled. “It’s almost done, then you will see. Sit and try a glass with me.”

That still told me nothing. “But can I drink it? Should I blindly trust this brew? We are but strangers.”

I could have sworn I saw her blush, but I couldn’t be sure. “We’ve been talking so long, it seems such a shame, that I don’t even know such a gentleman’s name. I am Zecora of the Everfree. Now my companion what might your name be?”

“Strangers no longer. I’m Dolce N. Gabana. Can I stop stirring?” My hooves were getting tired from keeping the liquid in motion. It was thicker than it looked.

Zecora scooped some of the liquid into a cup and took a sip. “It seems quite ready, won’t you try a cup? We can talk and drink until the sun is up.”

Well... if she drank it herself it probably wasn’t poison, so I consented. “The smell is so sweet.” I accepted the mug that she handed me, “I smell fruit and something else.” I took a sip. “Is that alcohol?”

It was. It was still only about quarter to 2. I was feeling fine. When the sun came up I’d miss my friend moonshine. I shared the cupcakes I’d gotten from Pinkie and we shared them while we drank. Zecora and I spent the night talking. She hadn’t met another pony who enjoyed liquor in quite a while, and I’d never met a zebra. I restrained myself from drinking too much. It was about 20 proof, so I drank three mugs of it. I knew my limit pretty well. Apparently this is the first time that she’d had it in a while, because she didn’t seem to remember her limit. It was a rather fun night in the end. I learned a lot about the forest from her, and we exchanged a few jokes. Around 5 the fire was burning low, and Zecora said she was going to bed. I believe her exact words were “Dawn is near and the fire is dead. This zebra must go to bed.” We said our goodbyes and I started making my way out of the forest.

It was hard taking the path without any light, so it was very slow going. It took nearly a half an hour before I was fully out of the forest. I apparently had taken a different path in than I had taken to get out, because I was nowhere near the tree that had been turned into a house. I could already see the false sunrise on the horizon. The higher clouds reflecting the light that wouldn’t rise for another ten minutes or so. I looked for the small cottage as I walked.

By the time I reached the cottage Celestia’s disc was just rising above the horizon. It was almost 5:50. Fluttershy was already up and tending to the last of the nocturnal animals before they went to bed. She was very dedicated to her animals it seemed.

“Hello” I called out.

My smile faded. I almost immediately realized that I shouldn’t have called out to her. I didn’t like scaring anypony. She moved very very quickly. If the bush she was in wasn’t shaking I wouldn’t have been able to find her. It seemed she was a bit more timid than I had been lead to believe. The story I had heard was that she single hoofedly talked down a dragon, and took part in the defeat of Nightmare Moon and Discord. This was not the pegasus that the stories told me about. Oh well. Tabloid journalism isn’t always very accurate.

I slowly walked up next to her. “Sorry. Did I scare you?”

She stopped shaking as much and removed her hooves from her eyes. Once it was clear that I meant her no harm she responded quietly. “A little, but I’m the one who should be sorry. I just didn’t think anypony else would be up this early.” She was back on four hooves by the time she had finished speaking.

“Normally I wouldn’t, but today is the exception. I’m Dolce N. Gabana, and from the looks of it are you Fluttershy, the element of kindness?”

She blushed a little bit. “Um... yes I am. But... um... how did you know what I look like, if you don’t mind my asking.”

My smile returned. “You’re famous, didn’t you know? You from the short lived modeling career, and all six of you from saving Equestria more than once.” I was fanboying a little bit, but I half laughed at my next statement. “Though I suppose you don’t quite seem like ‘Fluttershy the brave who could stare down a dragon.’ You seem more like ‘Fluttershy the element of kindness who is kind to all creatures.’” My smile grew warm again at the end.

She was mostly avoiding eye contact and hiding behind her mane. “Well. Um. I only had the courage to stare down a dragon when he threatened my friends... but I do love animals.”

“I’d like to learn a bit more about animals if you’re willing to teach me.” If I hadn’t done well in my meeting with Rarity I would
have come here with an animal caretaker’s cutie mark instead. It was something else that I wanted to learn more about, but I’d never had the time.

This surprised her a little. She seemed excited. “Really? You want to learn about animals? Oh,” She caught herself and calmed down a bit getting shy again. “I’ve never had somepony to teach before.”

“Well you have somepony this morning.” I looked at her with my soft smile. “I’ll be in town for at least a few days, and if it isn’t any trouble I’d like to learn as much as I can.”

She spoke softly and clearly. It was a voice learned from years among timid creatures. “It is so good to find another animal lover,” She noticed my cutie mark. “But what do animals have to do with sewing at all?”

I should have thought of that and changed my mark. Why didn’t I? I was usually so much more careful! “They don’t. I’ve found that most animals don’t like wearing clothes, but I don’t have any sewing to do for a few hours, and animals have always been a bit of a hobby.” I thought back and chuckled. “Though in the city I could really only learn about cats and dogs. We didn’t have many birds, or squirrels, or bunnies, or butterflies, no snails, skunks, snakes, opossums, bats, bees, or any of the other cute creatures you have here.” I was truly fascinated by them.

She giggled a little. “I think you and I are the only ones that find skunks and snakes cute around here. I’m almost done with the early morning feeding, but you can help me finish if you’d like.” She led me to a storage area where she kept the bird food. She had a checklist of all the animals that she needed to feed at the time. More than half were checked off. There were a lot of different kinds of bird food. Almost all of the animals that required fresh produce had been fed, and only the pickiest and most timid ones still needed feeding. Fluttershy said she’d do that. She left the bird feeding to me.

All the bird food was clearly labeled with a picture of the bird on the container of food. She even had a map of where they’d probably be. I learned pretty quickly that it is easy to feed woodpeckers, because they will eat right out of your hoof, but their beaks also really hurt... Most of the song birds would eat when offered the different kinds of fruits and seeds, so they were no trouble at all. The last birds I had to feed were falcons. I then learned that FALCONS ARE SCARY. They aren’t mean, but they are very very scary. How scary? So scary that I fell into the stream and lost control of my illusion spell without noticing it. I wouldn’t have noticed at all if Fluttershy hadn’t been staring at me oddly. I looked down at my reflection and saw that my spell had faltered.

I blushed slightly. “So I guess you found out...” Her reaction after that was even stranger, especially for Fluttershy.

I was quickly moved into her house and next to a chest. I was propped against a wall while the yellow filly reached into the chest and retrieved two records, and a poster. She looked at each one, and then at me then she smiled, then she looked at the poster, then at the spot where my cutie mark should be, then she was confused, then she looked at both albums, then she smiled even larger.

“I knew it!” She exclaimed. Loud for her, but not much louder than the average pony’s speaking voice. “I knew the mark had to be fake! No pony believed me, but now I know I was right! This is perfect, PERFECT!”

“Woah.” I softly placed my hoof over her mouth. “Slow down cutie.” She was cute, but that was beside the point. “I take it you figured out who I am. Salieri Star at your service, but how did you know that the mark was a fake?”

She calmed down a bit, and started talking at a more normal rate. “I always thought it was fake because of this.” She pointed to my flank on both of the album covers. “The rest of your coat is the same color, but your cutie mark changed. The wood part is redder in that one.” She pointed to the one on the left. “And the bow strings are yellower in that one.” She pointed to the album on the right.

“I even changed the angle of the bows for a photoshoot once.” I sighed and laughed. “I thought it was funny that no one caught on back then, but I guess one little filly did.” I smiled more with my eyes than with my mouth and looked into her eyes. “Thank you. Thank you for showing me your animals, and thank you for one more big thing.” My expression grew a bit more desperate. “Thank you for not telling anyone about me. So far only you, Rarity, and Lyra know.

I was half begging. “Please help me keep it that way.

Okay... I was fully begging. “I am just in town to learn. If I get my real cutie mark I might even settle down, but if I don’t I have plans to go to several more towns, and I can’t get found out. Please. PLEASE don’t tell anyone.” I put my illusion spell back on. “Just pretend I’m Dolce N. Gabana. Aspiring fashion designer wanting to learn from Rarity the famed fashionista, and visitor to Ponyville.”

“Well... um. I’m not great at keeping things from other ponies. I can’t lie to anypony or anything.”

I thought about this for a moment. “How about this then.” I looked through my saddle bags and quickly found a pen. I was amazed that they had hardly gotten wet at all from my fall into the stream. I signed both albums and the poster by hoof. The same signature that had been ingrained into my hoofs through thousands of repetitions. Salieri Star, to my filly fan Fluttershy. “You can tell ponies that you saw me if you have to, but I’m going to walk off on a path through the Everfree Forest. Just tell anypony that asks that I went into the forest, okay? It won’t be a lie.” I thought about it. “If it’s okay with you I’d like to stop by tomorrow morning around the same time. I’ll leave the same way each day so that it still won’t be a lie.”

She thought for a moment. “I guess that’s okay. At least it won’t be a lie. Besides...” She blushed a little. She was adorable. “It might be fun having a secret friend.”

I didn’t quite know what she meant by that, but I had to get going. “Thank you so much Fluttershy. I have to get back to Rarity’s boutique now, but I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Earlier if you stop by the boutique. Goodbye.” I walked out the door smiling. True to my word I walked down the path into the forest.

I found the fork in the path that had confused me on my way out in the dark, and walked back out into Ponyville. I was near a large apple orchard. The sign above the entrance read “Sweet Apple Acres.” It was almost eight though, so I decided to learn about the place later. I walked straight back to the boutique.

<Y>Choosing Not to Hide

I followed my ears down the fourth path.

I woke early that morning. Far earlier than most ponies would, but I needed to. I wanted to follow through on my plans. I got ready quickly, but very quietly, and made my way out the door to Fluttershy's cottage. The sun hadn't risen yet, but if I'd come any later I would miss out on helping with half of the animals like last time. When I arrived she was just starting walking outside to feed the night animals.

"Morning Fluttershy." I called out from not too far away, so as not to be too loud, and not too close, so as not to startle her.

She turned to see me. "Oh, hi Sal- I mean, Dolce. I didn't expect to see you today until the party."

I smiled a friendly smile. "I wanted to help with the animals from the start today. Maybe you should handle the birds."

We both shared a little laugh at that. We started with the raccoons, and the bats, and other night animals, slowly moving over to the early risers like the bunnies, and the ground birds. We finished off with me going inside to make some tea, while Fluttershy fed the birds, including the hawks. Hawks are scary!

Together it only took about two hours, and it was still before half of Ponyville was awake. We sat on her front porch to drink our tea.

"How do you get up that early every morning?"

She tilted her head downward and smiled, hiding half of her face behind her mane. "W-well, when you really care for something it makes it easy to do it."

I liked that. "Well, I can't come every day, but I like going to sleep early on Mondays, so I could come by on Tuesday mornings to help if you like."

She seemed excited, but I could still only see half her face, so I couldn't quite tell. "That would be... nice."

The plan was set. "I do like animals, even if some of them are scary. So I will see you at the party tonight for sure?"

"Oh, yes. I'd never miss one of Pinkie Pie's welcome parties." She said in her calm quiet way.

I stood up and set my cup down on the tray. "Thank you for letting me stop by, and I hope you enjoy the party. See you then!"

"Bye." She set her cup down and carried the tray inside as I made my way back into town.

Everything was looking fine, but I still had a few things to get done. Nothing all that important, but still something that I needed to do. I had to write my cousin a letter. A letter in our special strange code of using musical notes to tell each other something. To most it would look like a strange song that you couldn't really listen to, but to us it was always meaningful. She'd want to hear about the decisions I'd made, and not just the one about the party. I went back to my temporary residence at Rarity's, and got to writing. It didn't take long.

I still had a long while before the party, and had little idea what to do with my time. I decided to gather some materials for a spell. Some leaves, sticks, string, and paper. I then lay them out on the bed on either side of myself. The spell was a rather complex alteration of materials, and I had learned it a long time ago from a great teacher, and a crumbling scroll. The scroll was too damaged to recover the whole spell, and now I was the only pony that knew it, but I wasn't sure I was powerful enough to do it alone. I started casting it, and the materials aligned. The sticks forming the frame, the string connecting them to each other and the leaves, the leaves forming the feathered texture as well as the pseudo muscle, and the paper forming the pseudo skin. The sticks aligned properly, and the string began to hold them in place. The leaves began knitting into muscle as the outer layer easily formed the feathers. The feathers were the easiest part of the spell. The paper began to turn into skin wrapping everything up nicely. The paper was halfway done, the leaves were three quarters, and the sticks were hardening to be more like bone, but I was at my limit. Exhausted I broke the spell, and the materials returned to normal. I would be without magic for a few minutes at least from that. It was just too much to do on my own. I lay there making sure not to fall asleep until I felt good enough to walk again. I carried the sticks and leaves back outside, and put the paper away where it should be.

With nothing else to do for the next few hours I decided to help set up at the party. I grabbed my pristinely finished suit, and made my way to Sweet Apple Acres to help. I was greeted at the gate by an enthusiastic little filly who asked a lot of questions very quickly. I answered as best as I could. "It's pronounced dole-chey, but spelled D O L C E." "It means sweet." "I'm rather good with sewing machines." "No." "I don't know my dress size." "I can't tell your dress size by looking." She asked as many as she could between the gate and the door of the barn. We were still about twenty yards away when she asked the big one.

"How did you get your cutie mark?"

Since I was going to tell everypony at the party later I decided to have some fun. I made sure no one was in earshot, then leaned close to whisper. "It's fake." I stepped back, and moved my hoof past the area while my horn glowed, making it disappear, then reappear with a second passing.

She stood there slack-jawed, and I made my way inside.

"Want any help setting up?" I called out to the several ponies moving around inside of the barn including Pinkie, a white pegasus that looked a lot like Pinkie, the AJ and her big brother Mac, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash who was resting in the rafters until it was time to hang banners and streamers.

AJ spoke up first. "Ah reckon we could use a little help setting up the stage."

Pinkie jumped in second. "You're not supposed to help set up your own welcome party! Where's the fun in that?"

I just smiled. "It's always fun setting up something that will be fun for somepony else."

She thought for a moment. "True, true, I guess I can let it slide, but for your next welcome party you don't get to set up."

"Deal." I made my way to the stage wondering if I would have another welcome party or if this would be my last one. I could have welcome parties for things other than moving somewhere I guess. The stage was in multiple pieces and needed to be lifted, hammered together, and otherwise attached to the other parts of the stage so that it could support itself, a band, instruments, and an acrobatics team at the same time. At least that's what Pinkie Pie said. I didn't think there would be an acrobatics team. Set up of everything took almost the rest of the time until the party. At several points the pegasus that I had since learned was named Surprise had lived up to her name and jumped out of things several times near myself and the others, but I held my composure enough to keep my illusion from failing. Toward the end Pinkie Pie, she, and I were talking about the party. "Toward the end I have a little speech I'd like to give with a few surprises in it."

They responded at the exact same time. "Ooh! Ooh! What's the surprise? Tell me. Tell me, TELL ME!" Then the looked at each other, and giggled. "Jinx." They then both sealed their mouths.

"Pinkie Pie, Surprise, come on. You know the rule. If I tell you it's not a surprise. Though three ponies that I think will be at the party already know about it." For about a half an hour I had to keep not answering any of their questions about what it was, then it was time to set up the food tables.

With everything in place I changed into my suit, and started greeting the early arrivals. Three little fillies were spying from behind a corner, but walked up when the stream of ponies showing up died down for a bit. They stood in front of me and gestured for me to bend down to have a more private conversation. I did as I was bade.

Apple Bloom spoke first, making sure to whisper. "Show them what you showed me earlier, because Scoots doesn't believe me, and Sweetie Belle wants to know how to do it."

Scootaloo responded. "Faking a cutie mark? That doesn't make any sense."

I just smirked playfully. "I can't really do that right now because it would ruin the surprise for later but..." My horn glowed and my eye color changed a few times before returning to the color for my disguise. "I've always been good at illusions."

The fillies began whispering on top of each other, Apple Bloom, then Sweetie Belle, then Scootaloo, then too much of a muddled mess for me to tell who was talking.

"See, I told ya he could do it."

"Show me how. That was so cool, and I would totally show Diamond Tiar-"

Scootaloo cut her off. "Whoa, how did you do that that was so cool!" She was almost not whispering.

I laughed, and walked inside to enjoy the party.

The decorations were very colorful, including welcome banners, and bright table cloths, and the food provided mostly by the Apple Family but also by Sugar Cube Corner and a few smaller local places was very pleasant. There was a DJ, but a few ponies that wanted to play did, and even a few amateur bands. They weren't... awful, but this could easily have been their first gig. I found Fluttershy in a corner. She had been talking with few of the others that had helped save Equestria, but Twilight had gone off talking to someone else, Pinkie was getting some food and then having fun on the dance floor, Dash was showing off, AJ was making sure that nothing got broken in her barn, and Rarity was showing off her dress to a few colts, and a baby dragon. "Are you enjoying yourself."

She smiled, but hid behind her mane. "It's... nice."

"Nice? I guess it is. Quite lively." It wasn't hard to tell that she wasn't the biggest party pony. "Should I tell them all the surprise early on, or wait until the party is almost over so that I don't ruin the mood."

She looked slightly shocked, but it was probably her stage fright imagining what it would be like if she was doing something like that. "I... I'd wait until the party was almost over. The crowd might be smaller by then."

"Well that's the issue. I want to tell everypony at once, but I want to keep the party fun. It can't wait TOO long, or I'll only be telling a hoofful of ponies, instead of the whole town. It'll ruin the grand opening."

She raised the eyebrow that I couldn't see, but I could tell by how the rest of her face moved what she had done. "Grand opening?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. Since I'm moving to town I'll be opening a workshop. Basically for nothing but the cost of supplies anyone that wants to can come in and make whatever they know how to make, or whatever they want to try. Painting, watchmaking, sewing, you name it. Everything I've ever learned how to do."

She giggled a little. "You were a watch maker?"

"Yeah." I smiled. "I was pretty good at it too. It can be a pretty good way to clear your head, but it just wasn't my thing."

We kept on talking on simple topics for a while, interrupted by other ponies saying hello to her, and welcoming me to town. I also caught Surprise trying to listen in a few times to find out what my surprise was going to be, but she never heard anything. The fifth time I caught her I did have to ask her something, though.

My magic pulled her out from under a nearby table by her tail that had been sticking out, though I made sure it wouldn't hurt her. "It was going to just be an announcement, but how flashy should I make it?"

Her eyes lit up, and her smile was huge. "From one to ten?" I nodded. "Fireworks and a guitar solo."

It might not have been on a scale from one to ten, but I think I got what she meant. "I don't play guitar, but I think I have something in mind."

I let her go and she left after asking five more times what the secret was, and me not telling her each time. She saw something that looked fun gasped, and flew off toward it disappearing into the crowd. Neither of us had had food since the party started, so I got some snacks, drinks, and some real food for the two of us, and brought it back to our corner. We ate, and talked for a while longer. Admittedly I did most of the talking, and she did most of the blushing, hiding behind her mane, and making cute squeaky noises, but it was still a nice conversation.

I spotted the perfect time for my announcement. "Surprise time. This should be fun. Meet you right here afterward?"

"That would be wonderful." She said it in her small voice that I could barely hear over the rest of the party, but it was more forward than she usually was, and I liked it.

I smiled. "I'll come right back." No one had really left yet, but the party was definitely past the peak and about to wind down to where they would start leaving, so I took the stage. The DJ was just finishing a song, so I tapped her shoulder, and asked for the stage. She nodded, and stepped aside.

After a few moments of looking on stage I found what I was looking for, two violins. I asked her to play a simple track that I had heard earlier that worked with my plans. It had a long build up, so I used that part for talking.

"Attention, everypony. I have two announcements. One is that tomorrow will be the sneak peak opening of my new workshop in town, and two... is this." As the music picked up I began playing one violin by hoof. I started simple, then after about twelve seconds I took it and the other violin with my magic, and kept both going. I had only played violin with techno a few times, but I did it well enough. I got a few cheers from the crowd. As the song progressed I stood on my hind legs, threw my head back, and held my forelegs to the sky as slowly my mane and coat changed back to their normal color. Cheers turned to muttering, and by the time I'd finished changing back to Salieri Starr they had turned back to cheers amongst confusion. I only saw one pony faint. I dropped back to all fours to finish my solo before speaking again, but keeping the violins going. "Please save your questions for tomorrow, and enjoy the rest of the party." The song finished soon after, and with that I blinked back to the corner.

Fluttershy was giggling when I appeared next to her, then was startled a bit.

Surprising her was fun. I had a big snarky smile as I spoke. "I take it you liked it."

She calmed down a bit before responding. "Yes." She giggled again. "They didn't expect it at all."

"Thank you, thank you." My smile softened. "I'm probably going to be surrounded for the rest of the party, once the others notice that I'm back here now. I can't wake up that early every day, but how about I help you with your animals every Tuesday?"

Her eyes lit up just a little bit. "That would be wonderful."

"It's a date." I meant it just as the expression, but I did see her blush before my head was turned toward Pinkie Pie and a pretty much perfect image of her as a pegasus.

This time they alternated words instead of talking in unison, but said the last word at the same time. Starting with Pinkie.

"That,"

"Was,"

"Totally,"

"Completely,

"Super,"

"Mega-triple,"

"Awesome!"

They were silly.

"Well thank you. It's been years since I've really been the real me. It'll be good to not have to keep up a facade, even if I won't get to relax for a while."

Pinkie could hardly hold herself in long enough for me to finish talking. "So you're really him? I mean you're really you? I mean... You're Salieri Starr the guy who played four string instruments at once and got to play at a bunch of super awesome super fancy parties when you were just a kid?!?"

I shrugged. "Surprise."

She chimed in. "Yes?"

We all giggled before they asked more questions and all but dragged me from my seat. I steered the conversation more toward jokes and other things while the party continued on. I did not get more than a few minutes at a time without questions, but I kept telling everyone that tomorrow at the store was when the Q&A would be. It was well past dark when the party ended, but still only around ten. As the focus of the party I was one of the last to walk out the door. I thanked Pinkie and her peculiarly similar pegasus pal for throwing the party. Then asked the question that I had to ask. "Are you two related? Other than colors and wings you're practically identical."

The looked at each other, shrugged, and giggled in unison.

I thanked the Apples for letting us use the barn, and said my last goodbyes, then went to my new permanent residence for my first night asleep there. After a shower I slept soundly.