The sun rose slowly over the early morning sky, a rooster’s crow could be heard, disturbing a pale brown earth pony’s pleasant sleep. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he thought about the dream he was having, about leaving his family and his home. Deep down he knew it would never happen, as he was very non confrontational, and his father, who was infamous for being harsh on him, would never let him go. Also, who would look after his little brother Servo? He was the only source of joy he had in this small town, and he was certain that if he left, his father would take it out on him. His train of thought was derailed when he heard his father shout from downstairs.
“Sketchadus Raphael Paddius! Get down here; we have a whole orchard to harvest before winter!”
“Great.” Thought Sketch allowed “more pear picking. And I don’t even like pears!” he trudged down the steps, where he saw Servo at the kitchen table, tinkering with one of his inventions, horn glowing furiously.
Servo, a grey unicorn with a golden-blond mane, was a very creative pony with a knack for anything mechanical, and a vast intellect. He was also the only pony in their small town that truly got Sketch. For some reason, the citizens looked down on any kind of difference from the norm, something he was certainly not. His father was a pear picker, and he was to be a pear picker, but when he discovered his special talent was drawing, everypony began to look at him like a failure; especially his father. Servo was a substantially less disappointment, as he was always seen as creative, and his inventions did wonders for the community. Something Sketch’s art did not.
“Hey, Sketchy!” Servo shouted as he saw his big brother coming down the stairs. “check it out! I made an apparatus that grips the pencil so you can draw even better! I call it the H.A.N.D.!”
“That’s great, kid, but I prefer feeling the pencil stalk in my mouth, that way I can be sure what I’m doing. But I’m sure other ponies would go crazy for a device like that!” he gave his brother a half hearted smile; “anyway, I have to go out to the fields to help dad pick before the first frost.”
“I wish dad didn’t treat you like he does,” Servo suddenly had turned from his usual happy and upbeat mood into a sad and dejected one, “it’s not fair! It’s not your fault your good at drawing!” Sketch slowly trotted over to his brother
“I know it seems unfair, heck, even I think it’s unfair! But you just have to accept the fact that out here, if it doesn’t help with survival, it’s completely useless. Anyway, I REALLY have to go. Dad would kill me if I slacked off one more time.”
After a long, hard day at work, Sketches father finally let him off from work saying that “he didn’t want to be stuck cleaning up the messes he made when he was too tired and exhausted.”
He couldn’t help feeling a bit insulted by that last remark; sure, he was notorious for being a bit clumsy, but never to the point of hurting anypony or anything. Either way he was exhausted, and couldn’t wait to lay down with a cool glass of grape juice and a crisp apple. His father no doubt, would have several mugs of hard cider and then pass out, leaving Sketch and Servo to drag him to bed. It was with this daily routine that Sketch realized he was in an endless rut and the ongoing torment he got from townsponies, calling him a worthless flank or a good for nothing, only helped him realize it more. He had to leave. But again a question came to mind: “what about Servo? He’d never forgive me if I snuck off, and if I left in broad daylight, dad would never let me out of his sight!” he decided to talk it over with his brother while his father was in an apple induced coma.
“Servo?” Sketch said gingerly as he creaked open the door to his brothers room/workshop. “I need to talk to you.”
“Sure thing, bro!” he replied, running down to him. “Whaddaya need? Spring? Bolts? Maybe even a H.A.N.D.?”
Oh, Celestia. He thought, this was going to be harder than he thought.
“Servo, I’m afraid this is a little more serious. I think I’m going to have to leave you.”
The look on Servos face was confused. “Leave? Leave where? Down the street?”
oh, his poor naive heart, he thought
. “No, servo, I mean far away. Somewhere like Fillydelphia or Manehatten. Somewhere I can get a real job with my talents and not be judged for it.”
Servos face want from confused to shocked. “L-l-leave? Like, forever?”
"Oh, those eyes," Servo was thinking," I just can’t do this, but I have too".
“’fraid so little guy. Look, this is just as hard for me as it is for you, maybe even harder, but I just can’t stay here any longer. I’ve already got a train ticket to the nearest town, Ponyville, and I leave at three in the morning. I just wanted you to know, and to say goodbye. And if dad tries to take it out on you, tell him it was my decision, but don’t let him know you knew. I’ll write to you when I get where I’m going.”
Servo looked as though he was about to burst into tears. “O-okay. I expected this to happen sooner or later, I even made you something in case it was soon which, I guess it is.” He lifted up an object from under a cloth on his workbench. “It’s not as good as anything you did, but I just want you to have it to remember me by.”
Sketch picked it up and sees that it’s a drawing of two ponies, one larger earth pony, and a smaller unicorn standing side by side. Sketch also had tears in his eyes as he puts it in his saddlebag. “Servo, don’t let anyone tell you you’re useless, because the only ponies opinion that really matters, is yours. Goodbye. I’ll write as soon as I find a place to stay.”
He gives his little brother one last hug, leaves a note for his father at the top of the stairs which he hopes will say more, and then quietly trots down, he goes down to the kitchen holding a handkerchief, quietly unlocks the backdoor, and steps out into the world where he is finally free to be who he is.
"well, I finally did it." Sketch thought to himself as he boarded the Friendship Express to Ponyville. "I finally escaped my old life. Time to move on and start anew."
The ride to Ponyville was generally uneventful, exept for a minor malfunction with the snack trolly, causing Sketch to be covered with assorted nuts and candies. Heartfelt apologies were made, but Sketch didn't care, he was one of those types who were quick with a joke and slow to anger. The only thing he thought was, "Well this is a GREAT way to start out my journey to acceptance." Other than that, you can say it went quite smoothly.
When Sketch got off the train, he was taken aback at how welcoming the town felt. Almost everyone he passed gave him a smile or a nod, something nopony gave him back in his old town. He was just passing a large building desighned to look like someone piled a ton of cakes on each other called "sugercube corner" when all of a sudden;
"ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" he heard "Are you new here? I've never seen you in Ponyville so you must be new!" An energetic pink pony burst almost out of nowhere stopping directly in front of Sketch.
"Umm, yes. I am new here. I was just passing through town and was wondering-." he paused." Wait, how did you know I was new?"
"Because I know everypony in Ponyville, and since I've never seen you before, I knew you were new!" She explained. "I'm Pinkie Pie, and I just know we're gonna be great friends! Whats you're name?"
"Uh, Sketch. Pad. Sketch Pad, and did you say friends?"
"well DUH! don't you have any friends?" She inquiered
"Hmm. well, not counting my brother, no."
"GASP! NO FRIENDS?!?" She said with a horrified expression, "well we need to change that RIGHT NOW! I'm throwing an emergency party for you, Sketchy!"
Sketch was surprized at this. "a-a party? When?"
"Right now, silly! I'm going to go send out invitations, you go Sugercube corner, and hurry! You don't want to be late for your own party!"
Needless to say, almost all of the guests had arrived as soon as possible. There was no way anypony would miss out on a Pinkie party.
"So you're the new guy in town." a Golden-brown stallion said as he walked up to Sketch. "Name's Caramel. I'm a member of the proud Apple family."
"Nice to meet you Caramel. I'm Sketch, and I probably wont be staying long. I'm just passing through trying to find a job."
"well thats a shame," he looked genuinelly disapointed. "So a job, eh? well what is it you do?" He asked politely.
"I do just as the name implies. I'm a sketch artist."
"You're an artist?" a third pony broke into the conversation.
"Uh, yeah!" Sketch replied with confidence "I'm sorry, who are you again?"
"Sorry, names Noteworthy." He apologized, "Anyway, the reason I interrupted is because I heard Pastel, our resident artist here, was looking for a partner to collaberate with!"
"Well that sounds like something to check out! Thanks Blues!" Caramel exclaimed exitedly.
"No problemo, you two. Anyway, I should be getting home now. I've got a preformance in the morning and I'm gonna need my sleep."
"'Kay, see ya!" Caramel called out, just loud enough to be heard over a commotion involving a certain purple mare about how she'd had too many drinks.
"so, Pastel," Sketch asked. "Whats she like?"
"Oh, she's a great mare," Caramel began. "Heck! Even I'd be after her if I weren't already in a perfect relationship!"
"Oh yeah, with who?" Sketch asked.
"Twilight Sparkle. Smartest mare you've ever seen. Also, the Element of Magic! Talk about awesome!"
"Well good for you. Can you tell me where Pastel lives?"
"In one of the two apartments above her studio. I'm sure she would let you stay in the other if you got the job!" He replied cheerfully. "Anyway, if you're gonna stay here, we'll have to hang out! I still haven't introduced you to the Doctor or Thunderlane!"
"Well thanks for all the help, Caramel, and I would love to spend some more time with you and your friends." Sketch told him as he turned to walk out the door.
Finding the studio was not hard at all. It was a large, warehouse shaped building neat the west side of town, With a large mural painted on the wall of Celestia surrounded by adoring subjects.
"Um, Hello?" he called upon entering. "Is this the Ponyville studio? I heard there was a job opening here."
"Yes, hello, just a moment!" A voice called down from the stairs leading up to the apartments. "I'm so sorry, if I had known somepony would show up today, I would have organized more- WOAH!"
A light orange earth pony with a light brown mane suddenly began tubling down the stairway.
"Well," She said while getting up, "THAT was embarrasing!"
Sketch was stunned. Standing in front of him was the most beautiful mare he had ever seen, and she was actually acknowleging him!
"N-n-no, don't worry about it! Frankly, I do something just as clumsy almost everyday!"
"Heh, so, you're here for the job? Whats your name? Specialty?" She asked
"Sketch Pad. And I do just as the name implies."
"Okay, so you're a sketch artist, Thats great! I'm a painter, but my skill with a pencil is uh, below professional."
"No problem. I broght some of my work to showcase, if that makes any difference."
Sketch hands Pastel a worn book, filled with the drawings he's done over the years.
"Uh-huh, uh-huh. I think you will be a welcome addition to this studio. If you want it, there's an empty apartment next door to mine."
"Perfect!" Sketch replied instantly, "Because apperantly, I just moved here!"
"Great!" Pastel replied with equal enthusiasm, "When can you start?"
"Tommorow, as soon as I unpack. And Pastel, I have a feeling this is the start of a beautiful partnership."
