For the first part of the day, Aversion tended to his garden. He poured river water from a bucket into his watering can, and used it to irrigate the small, potted plants he had. With the larger plants that were actually grounded, he simply poured directly from the buckets into the ground.

Little was Aversion aware... Luna was perceiving him with her special crystal sphere, which allowed her to throw her gaze to any point in Equestria. She was skipping out on her Dream Reports... but its nothing that Celestia would notice. She never looks through the archives herself, and neither did Luna for that matter.

"So... he's a young-adult stallion? Huh... must've been something to do with his dream that caused him to become a colt during it." Luna said while watching. "And he's got his own little garden. How nice! He at least knows how to care for living things, so I know he's got a good heart in him."

After caring for his plants, Aversion went back inside to get a small something to eat for brunch.

"Wonder what I should do today...?" he asked himself. "...Ah, I'll just go for a walk to see if there's anything interesting. I'll follow up on your advice, Scolus."

With that, the earth pony went on his way, leaving his small house, and making his way into Ponyville. He had effectively put off what happened to him the day before, having slept and gotten a decent recovery, as well as having a nightmare turn into a good dream. However, this recovery would become null with the situation that would arise...

Star Buck happened to approach him, whilst she was on her way to work, stopping right in front of her employee with a firm glare.

"Mr. Aversion!" She said. "You've got something you're gonna have to explain!"

On the spot from Star Buck's sudden appearance, Aversion went rigid.

"Uh... wh-what do you mean?" He asked.

"I was informed by Dark Roast, after your shift yesterday, that you ended up calling in sick last Saturday!" Star Buck angrily said. "You realized that it was the day when we would get the rush due to the special discount on the snickerdoodle caramel blend! We were shorthanded that day because of you! Why was this?"

"W-well..." Aversion began. "...it was due t-to... ineluctable circumstances..."

Star Buck narrowed her eyes. "What kind of 'ineluctable circumstances'?"

Aversion was struggling to think up something that sounded convincing. He just said the first thing that popped into his mind.

"See... i-it was that I... had become very sick." Aversion said. "I was... vomiting. Constantly. And it was accompanied by... severe bowel problems..."

In reality, Aversion was upset after having seen so many happy couples at the shop on the previous day. His anger and jealousy were getting to him after seeing that so many ponies had the happiness that he had desired ever since he entered his teen years. It went without saying... but he had, for a majority of his life, been a very lovesick stallion. He would never tell anypony this, though, because he did not want them to think that he was weak.

Regardless, Star Buck did not look pleased.

"Just because you upchuck and shit a bit, you think you're entitled to skip out on work?" she asked.

"...Would you rather I throw up in everyone's coffee, or all over the shop?" Aversion responded.

Star Buck pursed her lips. "Don't get smart with me! But... in that case... I suppose it was... a lesser of two evils to let you stay home... but you'd better not make a habit of this!"

"I-I won't...!" Aversion said. "...I promise that I do take my position seriously!"

"Well... you'd better start showing it a little better! You'd better act like you're happy to work there, which you should be!"

Luna was extremely taken back by this interaction.

"...What kind of boss treats their workers like this?" she asked herself. "No employee would be motivated if this is what they face on the regular..."

Regardless, she continued to watch Aversion's day unfold.

Suddenly upset by the unexpected confrontation, Aversion was fighting back to avoid tears as he hastily walked back in the direction he came from to retreat to his house... possibly for the day. However, he happened to catch sight of something that would help to perk him back up...

As he was walking, Aversion caught sight of a particular mare. She was an earth pony with a cyan hide, a cream-yellow mane and tail, a medallion with a sun symbol on it for her cutie mark, and brilliant golden eyes. Her name was Suncrest... and she had been Aversion's most recent crush. She was one of his co-workers at the Ponyville cafe for a brief time before she eventually moved onto a new job, but the lunch conversations and general walks to and from the cafe with each other still made the stallion become quite smitten with her.

Suncrest was strolling with two other mares, one a unicorn and the other a pegasus, all three of them conversing and occasionally laughing. Aversion ducked behind a nearby bush as they approached, none of them having caught sight of him. Peeking his head over the shrubbery, the young stallion sighed longingly as he stared at the mare of his dreams.

"Oh, Suncrest... sweet, lovely Suncrest..." he said, dreamily. "...how I wish I had the courage to approach you, and profess my feelings. Your kindness... your concern for me... all of it just turns me to mush when I so much as think about you."

The three mares continued to walk their way toward the spot where Aversion was hiding. Once they passed, he was able to hear what it was they were saying, following yet another spell of laughter.

"Hahaha! Yeah, that's great!" Suncrest said. "If she's gettin' herself all hung up on every stallion she lays her eyes on, it's her fault the affair made her look like a jackass!"

"Yeah, totally!" One of her friends responded.

"Anyway, we're gonna head back to our flat for a breather. Catch ya later, Sunny!" The other one said.

"Yep! See ya, Cloudstream! See ya, Cherry Blitz!" Suncrest said.

With that, her two friends went on their way, leaving her to continue her walk alone. Now that she was alone, Aversion saw this as a great opportunity... he just felt he had to do it...

"Hey, Suncrest!" Aversion called out after emerging from behind the bush.

Suncrest looked back, her confused expression quickly replaced by a smile at the sight of a former coworker.

"Oh, hey Aversion!" The mare said, waving. "How you been?"

"I've been... alright." Aversion lied. "How about you?"

"Same." Suncrest responded.

"So... anyway..." Aversion began. "...there's... uh... something that I've wanted to ask you..."

Suncrest tilted her head. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

Aversion's pulse was really kicking in. He was never able to hold his nerves down for very long in her presence... especially with what was going to happen next...

This is it... Aversion thought anxiously. ...this is what I've been waiting for! She's the one... I just know it! I FEEL it! She's the one who will finally end my long years of misery!

The stallion swallowed, darting his eyes around, causing the mare before him to narrow her eyes at him in confusion.

"Aversion? Are you okay?" Suncrest asked.

Finally, Aversion spoke: "...Well... I was wondering... w-would you... like to maybe... go w-with me... for some l-l-lunch... or a movie... or j-just a walk... in the park... o-or something...?"

Instead of looking excited... Suncrest simply looked... confused.

"Uh... what now?" She asked.

"...Well, I-I mean, you obviously don't have to, but..." Aversion stopped and took a deep breath to stabilize himself. "...whaddya say?"

Suncrest sighed. "Listen, Aversion... y'know, I really... don't know if... I can give you what you want..."

It was in this moment when Aversion felt his heart (or what was left of it) shatter into a superfine powder. The courage he built up to ask her... the hope he had that her friendliness was a sign of acceptance... the happiness of fantasies he had of her... all of it, gone. Just like that.

"Please, don't take this the wrong way..." Suncrest said. "...I think you're a great pony! And a lot of mares would be happy to have someone like you in their life... but, I really don't know if I could be one of them..."

"...B-but..." Aversion stammered in shock. "...but why?"

"...No offense, but... you've just seemed so..." Suncrest briefly trailed off. "...needy."

Aversion's eyes went wide as the last word she said resonated within his head at a deafening volume.

...Needy... needy... needy... needy... needy... needy...

"...I see." Aversion said, a stoic expression masking the emotions from his (re-)shattered heart. "I understand..."

"Aversion... please don't do that." Suncrest said.

Aversion, however, turned to face away from her.

"...Just forget I asked." He said. "I won't waste even a millisecond more of your life... because your time is clearly very important to you... and I am apparently just not worth it."

Suncrest sat where she was, overcome with immobilizing shock at what Aversion was saying to her.

"Aversion, wait!" she called, extending out her hoof in his direction. "Come back! Can't we just... talk about this...?"

Aversion paid no attention and simply sped up his walk. He was no longer on speaking terms with the mare he had, mere seconds ago, had a crush on. He simply wanted to do everything he could to cut her out of his life, and stay the hell away from her.

He retreated back to his house, where he collapsed onto his bed and fully began to cry into his pillow, struggling to hold it back as he was making his way back. The young stallion cried for a long time. He did not know how long; it could've been fifteen minutes, or an hour. But it was a long time indeed. He continued to do so until he eventually exhausted himself and he soon fell asleep.

Luna was absolutely appalled by the interaction between Aversion and Suncrest.

"What kind of heartless mare would turn down such a kind stallion like him!?" she asked out loud.

Had she not known Aversion's past, like most other ponies, she would've called Aversion the heartless one. However, after reading deep into his heart and memories... she realized that he was hurt. Like, really hurt. This was not the first time this has happened to him. Plus, it was not the only pain he had been subjected to throughout his life...

The Princess was infuriated that ponies still had the nerve to put someone down without knowing about a battle they could be fighting internally.

Aversion awoke hours later to find that the sun had already set, and it was nighttime. He had effectively wasted a little over half of one of his days off. After what had happened earlier that same day, though, he did not care. His long nap did not help him to feel any better. The loneliness of awakening in the dark, in a small house on the edge of town... all of it just added to his melancholy.

Straining himself to stand from his tear-soaked bedsheets, Aversion trudged out of his room into the near-empty living room/foyer, where he lit the oil lamp hanging on the ceiling, and from there... he sat his plot down in the middle of the floor, tears starting to flow once more. He did not know what to do with himself.

He was hungry, but had no desire to eat...

He was restless, but had no desire to be active...

Right now... he just wanted to not exist.

"I just wanna know... why?" Aversion asked. "Why, why, why? Why does this always happen to me, at this late age in my youth? Why all this heartache?"

The earth pony stallion sniffled as he wiped tear streams off his face, and buried his face into his legs as he folded them Indian-style. It was not just the fact that he was rejected that made him face chronic depression. There was also the matter of being bullied and mistreated by his boss and coworkers, he was struggling with his financial situation, he's being forced to sacrifice some necessities just to get some enjoyment that doesn't last long, honestly, it could go on and on...

"I'm sick of being treated like I don't matter... I'm sick of wasting away in this old, busted-ass house that I can't afford to have fixed... and... I'm SICK of being unloved! Why has the universe forsaken me from having a caring partner...?" Aversion said.

He struggled to stand, as his negative emotions made him weak and wobbly. He made his way over to the window, looking out at the starry night sky. A sigh escaped from his maw.

"...I-I wish... you were still here for me... M-Mom..." Aversion said to the sky.

In times like these, Aversion needed someone to be there for him. The problem was, there was never anypony who would do so. He had been bullied and ridiculed nearly his entire life, and his few friends had left, never for him to hear from them again. Hell, they were all probably married and living happy lives, he assumed.

Aversion was not just depressed anymore... after what happened today, he was borderline suicidal...

This led to him taking a walk through the town, now that everypony was asleep by now. He was going to be heading out to the edge of the community, near the woods, possibly to Everfree Forest, and see what would be a suitable location for a plan that he would carry out if push came to shove... a plan he would be likely to carry out in a short time. He was going to find a suitable place where he could end his own life, without anyone discovering his corpse. It would not make a difference, he assumed, since nopony would likely even care that he would be missing.

Aversion let out a shuddering sigh.

Why not just end it all now? He thought. It would be better than suffering through all this shit for the rest of my life! What good is life if all it entails is suffering? Besides, if I can't get a marefriend in this life, then perhaps there is a very special mare... my first love... waiting for me in the afterlife...

Luna, overwhelmed with horror at the stallion's self-destructive thoughts, could not restrain herself any longer.

"No more shall you suffer, Aversion..." Luna said. "...for I shall intervene, rid you of the pain your soul bears, and give you the will to live! I shall become your friend, and help you realize how valuable your life is!"

Immediately, she sat cross-legged, and with a bit of focus, entered a deep, meditative state... one that would allow her to project her magic to far-off locations, rather than just her astral perception alone...

The walk was definitely not helping Aversion. The only thing that could help him right now would be somepony who cares about him, who could console him. Or, even better, a sweet, loving young mare who would never let him go, no matter what.

Please, Celestia... hear my prayers... Aversion thought, tears streaming down his face. ...please... release me from my sorrow... give me a sweet, caring mare who I can love... and hold... and kiss... I would love her more than anypony else ever could...

As he continued to walk... Aversion began to feel a strange tingling sensation in his throat. It did not hurt, but still caused the stallion to stop and rub the front of his neck in confusion. It was not like anything he ever felt before. However, he dismissed it and just kept walking, his eyes closed and his head hung low. As he was walking, however, he happened to feel something very offsetting.

Aversion felt his hooves leave the ground... like, literally lifting off the ground. He opened his eyes to see that this is exactly what happened! He was levitating into the air! His mane and tail were rippling in the air, as if it were a fluid. It was as if gravity had suddenly stopped affecting him.

Aversion, frightened at this situation, tried to call out to somepony for help... but found that his voice was not working. No matter how hard he tried, he could not produce anything other than a whisper.

Suddenly, after floating directly upward until he was slightly above the Ponyville rooftops, he was being pulled North, over the buildings, and eventually... outside of the small town. There was not a pony who spotted him being levitated away from his home against his will... and he did not know how to make it stop.

The same question repeated a million times a minute in Aversion's head as this was going on: What's going to happen to me?

Author's Note

Credit for house background goes to "BitterPlagueRat."
Credit for nighttimes Ponyville background goes to "Foxy-Noxy."