The Pippy Paddle

At that exact moment, as Diamond lay alone, starting another usual day, another face was starting his first day at the pool.

Wow, wot a place for a swim! was Pipsqueak's first thought as he entered the Ponyville Pool building. He stood at the entrance, hit by the smell of chlorine and water in the air, smelling it as if it were fresh-baked biscuits like his mum made back at his old home. He gazed at the nice retro blue striped carpet that was placed over the floor and under his shoes, and the nice light-blue walls that contrasted his bright red sweater. His eyes wandered to the nice glass waiting tables and chairs near the cashier, who was having quite the trouble getting the cash register open for a customer. Pip thought she looked nice, her purple hair frazzled from stress. Though perhaps she needs some jolly good help.

Pip walked over to where the purple-skinned cashier struggled with the register. In front of her, a customer stood, sort of impatiently.

Pip could the girl grumble. "Nnnnnngh can solve complex math equations in two uuuggh seconds, yet gaaaah can't open a stinkin' cash register!!" The girl sounded like she had been at it for quite a while.

"Um, excuse me, madam?" Pip waved his hand to get her attention. "Do you need some assistance?"

The cashier looked up at him. Her face was almost sweating from struggle.

"Um," Pip spurted out, "C-can I, um, help you, good missus?"

The cashier only panted in response for a moment, then said, "Yes, pant pant please." She stopped pulling on the register. "Usually, pant someone else does the cashiering, pant while I count it afterwards. But he's pant busy in the back. pant With what, pant I don't know. pant"

Pip went behind the counter and looked at the register. On the front was a large lock, used to keep burglars out. Pip immediately knew what to do.

He took out his wallet from his khaki pants, and poked inside. Then, he pulled out a small silver key. Then, to the cashier's gaping surprise, Pip popped the key in the lock, opening the register instantly.

"What?!" The cashier stared at the register, then at Pip, who smiled back. "How..how did you do that? How do you have a key like that?"

"Oh, um, me dad owns a costume store back in Europe." Pip popped the key back into his pocket. "Wasn't good wit' money. So me mum usually had me handle the register."

"Oh...ok," the cashier said, "Thanks."

"You're quite welcome, um," Pip squinted at her nametag, "Miss Twilight."

Then, with that, Twilight the cashier helped the waiting customer and Pip, giving him a free season pass for the help, and Pip, a big smile on his face, walked to the men's dressing room. First time at the Ponyville Pool. How exciting.

Pipsqueak stepped out of the men's changing room, now wearing black swimshorts and brown swim goggles on his head. Smiling in anticipation, Pip stepped out into the main area, looking over all the pool. Such a breathtaking view! Like looking over the ocean on a clear day in Great Trotain! Pip once again breathed in the nice chemical smell of the pool, jittering in excitement at the thought of making a splash.

But what Pip didn't notice were the several people occupying the pool. This sudden observation kind of made Pip stop shaking with excitement, and more in discomfort.

He walked past a girl wearing clothes over her swimsuit, cuddling a wet muffin in the water.

"Uh, you not goin' to eat that?" Pip said.

The girl responded by cuddling her muffin tighter and hissing at him. Pip only backed away slowly.

He walked further and found three girls sitting together. One purple-haired white-skinned one was trying to dry off several swimming supplies. Another, a red-haired girl in orange, looked like she was trying to comfort another. This last one, a dark-orange girl, was cuddled in a ball in a chair, looking rather sad.

Pip wanted to say something as he walked by. The moment they set eyes on him, though, seeing anger and depression, especially in the orange one's, he immediately silenced himself and walked away.

Pip wandered to an empty table, wishing he could help. It seemed, though, that wouldn't be possible today. He was still pretty new to this place, not to mention this country, and Pip still felt awkward trying to talk to anyone.

So Pip sat there, only staring at the trio, helplessly watching the orange-clothed girl manage to cheer the saddest one up, as evidenced by her small smile. Pip saw as the orange girl sat herself back up, wiping her eyes of tears, then after a moment, covered her eyes with sunglasses and faced towards the window, resting her arms behind her head.

Pip sighed. At least they cheered up without me. I guess it doesn't really matter if I did try to talk to them.

Maybe now i'll just rest and enjoy this-

That was all Pip could think to himself, before his thoughts were interrupted by a laugh.

Pip looked around for the source of the laugh. His eyes soon found their target.

This girl, who apparently found something about Pip very humorous, was laying at a table about 10 or 15 feet away, her light pink-skinned arms holding her sides in amusement. Her white-striped purple hair bounced a bit, held in a ponytail by a silver crown hairpin, bounced a little as she chuckled.

Pip raised an eyebrow. "Um, excuse me, miss, but wot's so funny?"

The girl sat up, adjusting the strap on her purple polka dot bikini top as she rose. "Oh, nothing." She sneered at him, somehow giving his back chills all over. "I just find your pathetic girl-watching just humorous, that's all.'

"..Pathetic?!"

"Uh-duh," the girl continued, "how you're just sitting there, staring, knowing that you'll never be good enough for any girl." She chuckled a little bit more. "Like, how is it not pathetic?"

Pip's frown came into form, along with his scrunching eyebrows. However, he responded friendly, "Well, wot, Miss, uh...whoever you are, you've never done that with guys you wanted to talk to?"

"Of course not." Diamond struck a pose. "I'm too popular. They stare at me."

Pip rolled his eyes. "Well, even so, that's not what I was doing. It's just, I saw them, and they looked kinda in a muddle, so I, well..." Pip twiddled his thumbs in somewhat embarrassment, "...wanted to help, but....couldn't." Pip then stopped for a moment, and then whipped back into the conversation. "But I saw it got fixed, so, uh, yeah, I just, uh...watched their happiness."

The girl stared, her face as if she just met a serial killer. "Wow. Not only are you a loser and a weirdo, but, like, you're also a creep, too!"

The girl then guffawed more, her evil laugh raising Pip's angry-meter a couple notches more, his focus on keeping a straight face weakening.

"Well, then, it's, like, no wonder you couldn't talk to them: cause you know they would never talk to a loser creep like you, Creeper." The girl sneered and chuckled even more. Pip then felt his eyes tear up.

"For your information, miss," Pip said in a gruffer tone, "the name is Pipsqueak. I would appreciate it if you called me by that, please."

The pink-skinned girl looked back, frowning, then uttered a sigh. "Sure thing,-" Her sneer then returned. "-Creepsqueak!"

Pip then gasped, then his face scrunched up. He quickly looked away, for one to try and keep his barely-kept happy composure, and for two, to hide the sudden tears starting to race down his face.

The girl then got up, still chuckled her evil chuckle. "Oh," she turned back to Pip, who turned back as well, his face red, "It's Diamond Tiara." Her smile grew. "Welcome to Ponyville, you European loser"

Then, without another thought, she walked away, leaving Pip alone with his inner struggle .

Pip stared into the pool water, his tears dropping into it, muddling his reflection. If only she wasn't right. He dropped his head into his lap. If only I had a friend here.

Unfortunately, they re' thousands of miles away, along with all the bullies I thought I left behind.

Sigh. Some day this turned out to be so far.