Friendship is Failure #15: Love and Disparage

Chapters

Intro: Hearts & Hooves Stranger
Act 1: Letters from You?
Act 2: Roses are Red... with anger
Act 3: Unlovely Confessions
Act 4: Choices
Closing Act: A Dying Promise

Intro: Hearts & Hooves Stranger

INTRO

It was getting close to Hearts and Hooves Day, and Twilight was wasting no efforts to decorate her castle with colourful decorations-- mostly red and pink heart shaped balloons, and white streamers in the middle.

She was planning a small dinner party for her relatives who were going to be visiting from the Crystal Empire that day, especially considering Princess Cadance has a special job to perform.

Twilight explained to Spike “Every Hearts and Hooves Day, Cadance flies around every country in Equestria to spread her own love and joy to every pony anywhere.”

Spike blinked in confusion, “What for?”

Twilight felt a bit awkward, “I guess it’s just something playful she likes to do. You know, to help spread the joy of love and romance.”

Spike still thought it silly. He just like many knew love wasn’t something that could magically happen. He especially knew this because he was trying to make Hearts and Hooves cards for all his friends.

Each one was a heart-shaped card, each one the same color as the coat of the pony he was given it too. Within each card he wrote a little love poem.

He already gave Twilight hers…

“Twilight Sparkle, on this day

There are many things I want to say

You give me love and care so true,

And you know what else… I love you too.”

“Aw… Spike…” Twilight cooed, and she hugged him warmly.

There was, however, one extra special card not like the others. It was a very light hinted grey card with purple jewels lining the edged. Obviously, it was for Rarity. It was no secret, Spike wanted to give his crush something extra special, but there was no poem written in it.

“I have no idea what to say to her. Everything I come up with seems too plain, to simple. Rarity means more to me than that.”

Twilight was about to give him some advice, when there was a knock at the castle doors. Twilight had to answer it. “Hey, wait up!” called Spike.

No sooner had he left, did Spike’s card for Rarity magically lift up and float by the window where a mysterious stranger stood.

It was defiantly a unicorn pony, but he was wearing a full black body suit, with a red cape, and a black fedora on his head, with a white feather on one side of the hat and a red rose with thorns on the other side. He almost looked like a male version of Mare Do Well.

He grabbed the card, and took the feather from his hat, which was actually a quill, which he magically enchanted to write without actually dipping it into ink, and he began to write in the card-- writing words in a most elegantly done text.

Suddenly, the doors opened, and the stranger winced softly.

Starlight Glimmer came into the room, and glimpsed up at window believing she saw some-pony standing there, but there was nobody there at all. She didn’t even notice Spike’s card was missing.

Starlight just shrugged it off and continued her work.

Twilight answered the door, and it was her relatives, Shining Armor, Princess Cadance and little baby Flurry Heart.

“Twily…!”

“Bro…!”

They hugged warmly, and Shining Armor gave her a playful noogie. Then Twilight proceeded to hug Cadance, and then she playfully cooed with the baby, “Hey little, Flurry. How are you?”

As usual, her brother put on a cute voice pretending to speak for Flurry, “I just wanted to spend Hearts and Hooves day with my favourite auntie.”

The ladies giggled, and Flurry Heart just shook her rattle, but suddenly, both Cadance and Shining’s cutiemarks began to resonate. “What’s happening?” asked Cadance.

Twilight and Spike gawked in near disbelief, and suddenly, Starlight burst into the room, “Twilight! Twilight…!” she cried, and she was in such a panic she didn’t say hello to the Crystal Family “The Friendship Map is glowing.”

There was no doubt about it; Twilight’s relatives were being called by the map, much to their astonishment.

Act 1: Letters from You?

ACT ONE

The map was indeed showing Cadance and Shining’s cutiemarks, hovering over Ponyville.

“I can’t believe we’ve actually been called to solve a friendship problem.” said Shining.

“Neither can I.” added Twilight.

“What kind of mission is it?” asked Cadance.

“We don’t know.” said Starlight “The map only tells us there’s a problem, where it is and who should tackle it, but who it is, why it is… that’s something you have to find.”

The couple was still rather excited about going on a friendship mission, “But we can’t go on a mission now.” said Cadance “I still have to do my annual fly about.”

Twilight suggested she go on her fly about anyway, while Shining Armor searched the town for their mission, “That way, you’ll both have a better chance of finding who needs help, and Cadance can do her fly-about as well.”

“You always were the brains of the family.” teased her brother.

Since there was no big ceremony involved, Cadance decided to go our right away, and her husband followed her leaving Twilight to foal-sit Flurry.

Spike decided to get back to work on his card for Rarity, only to find, “…Where is it?” He looked all over amongst his many other cards and art supplies, but he couldn’t find his special card for Rarity. “I put it right here, I know I did.”

“I’m sure it’s around, Spike.” said Twilight “It’s not like anyone would just steal it.”

…If they only knew!

Cadance made her fly around Ponyville, and lots of ponies looked up and saw her-- waving and calling to her, and she waved and called down to them “Happy Hearts and Hooves Day!” and as she fluttered about, she began to drop little bits of magical sparkles everywhere, which pleased the crowds.

Everywhere Cadance looked pleased her-- Stallions bringing flowers and candies to their sweethearts. Other couples were sharing milkshakes at cafes.

A few stallions were even serenading their sweethearts out their windows, and the mares were flattered.

Of course, there were a few ponies couples that seemed to be a little shy and awkward at each other-- too afraid or too embarrassed to even look at one another, and just kept turning away.

So, Cadance decided to share a little of her magic with them. Using her specialty, she cast some light on the ponies, magically making them recognize their love for one another, and the couples were instantly gazing at one another, walking side-by-side, and no longer afraid.

However, she also couldn’t help but notice; some ponies were wearing large hates, and not out of desire. Some were even wearing bonnets, or tuques on a warm day. A couple of ponies were holding newspapers or umbrellas over their heads when it wasn’t even raining.

“Strange…” she thought, but she had no idea why.

Cadance then noticed there was a lone mare sitting all by herself under a tree. She was an indigo Earth Pony with a long navy blue mane, with a few streaks of purple. Her cutiemark was a flower in a pot, hinting she was a gardener.

She looked pretty sad as she just sat under that tree, which Cadance could only sense as heartbreak-- something she especially didn’t like.

Shining Armor, who had been following his wife around town, saw the same pony under the tree, and he didn’t like heartbreak any more than Cadance did.

Cadance then dropped down next to her husband, and the two didn’t even have to say a thing to each other to know they both happened on the same idea and the approached the pony.

“Excuse us…” said Shining Armor.

The mare looked up, “Princess Cadance? Shining Armor?”

“That’s us.” said Cadance.

The mare felt extremely honoured, and bowed to them both. “You don’t have to do that.” said Shining Armor.

“My name’s Violet.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Cadance “But… sorry to pry, we couldn’t help noticing-- why are you so sad?”

Violet almost looked ready to cry, “…Because, my heart’s been broken.”

Those awful words struck the couple really hard. They really wondered if this was the pony they had to help, but their cutiemarks did not resonate meaning the opposite.

Still, despite their mission, they were not ones to leave a pony sad and alone.

“Tell us what bothers you.” said Cadance “I know it may seem hard and said, but it can help clear the air, and it’ll make it easier for us to help you.”

Violet told her story…

She was indeed a gardener and owned a greenhouse, just a few blocks away, and she was madly in love with a mail carrier.

Suddenly, she looked up, “There he is!”

The couple saw him. He was a yellow unicorn pony with a brown mane, and his cutiemark was that of a mailbag. Then again, he was the mail pony as was identified by his uniform and the sack of mail he had.

“Courier…” said Violet “I’ve been in love with him ever since I first moved to Ponyville.”

She recalled the day, she had just settled into her new home, having moved from Canterlot, and she went grocery shopping, but a heavy rain began to fall, the kind that soaked you to the bone, and she was on the final stretch to her house, when suddenly she turned a corner and bumped into some-pony.

Her groceries went all over the place.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” she growled.

“Sorry about that.” said the other pony, but then he took one look at her and gasped, more in fright, as if he recognized her from somewhere, and she gazed deeply at him and how handsome he looked, even though he was soaking from the rain.

He used his telekinesis to gather up all her groceries and then let her have his umbrella, “I’m already wet from my mail route.”

That’s when the crush hit Violet.

Courier began to run away, and she snapped out of her trance. “Hey, wait…!” she called.

“It’s nothing!” he called to her as he disappeared into the storm, but Violet kept her eyes on him until he was well out of sight.

Back in the present, “I never forgot that.” said Violet “I’ve tried to talk to him and tell him how I feel, but he just keeps avoiding me.”

Tears were starting to fall from her eyes, “And now, he even took out a restraining order on me. So I can’t come within fifty feet of him.”

The couple thought that just cruel and horrid, even though it did seem she was stalking him. “He wouldn’t even talk to you?” asked Shining Armor “That’s pretty harsh.”

Cadance agreed, and saw Courier walking way up ahead. “Wait a minute…” she said as she saw another mare walking up to him.

She seemed to be a simple light green mare, with a faded green mane. She seemed to be handing him a rose.

“Courier, will you please be my special some-pony today?” she asked “I’ve liked you for a long time, and I’d really like to try.”

Courier quickly, but calmly shook his head, “No thanks.”

The poor mare looked crushed, but then Courier handed her a letter from his bag, “But this is for you, from him…” and he pointed way over at a nerdy red pony, which wore thick glasses and had buckteeth. He wasn’t that very attractive, not to mention he had been admiring the mare for a long time, and she had been rejecting him.

The mare read his letter, and she was stunned! The words were so beautiful, almost lyrical, she felt like she was going to melt, and she dashed right over to the nerd and handed him the rose instead, “Be my special some-pony?”

The nerd was confused “Um… sure.” he said, and it looked as if the two were going to go really steady…

…But Cadance kept her eyes on Courier, and couldn’t believe how he just rejected that pony like that. He didn’t even thank her for the offer and just coldly shot her down.

“Excuse me a minute.” Cadance said leaving her husband with Violet, and she went to peruse the mail pony.

Courier then reached Carousel Boutique, and slipped a card through the slot in Rarity’s front-door-- the very card that Spike was making for her.

As he went along his way,

“Excuse me, Courier?” Cadance said.

He turned round and was shocked to see her, “P… Pri… Princess Cadance?!” he cried under his breath.

She slowly began to approach him, and her cutiemark began to resonate. He was definitely the one the friendship map had called about, but exactly why was still a mystery.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to you.”

“No,” he snapped as he backed away from her, “Stay away from me!” He acted as though he was confronting with a monster, and he dashed off up the street.

“Wait!” shouted Cadance, and she began to fly after him as it was faster than walking.

Courier disappeared around a corner, and when Cadance got round the bend, she couldn’t see him anywhere. “Where did he go?” she wondered. She didn’t think he could have possibly have made it up the street that fast, which suggested he was possibly hiding somewhere nearby, but rather than rummage through things like a common spy, Cadance decided to head back to Shining Armor.

“…Then he just took off.” she had finished explaining.

Shining Armor thought that weird, “It’s not like you were going to hurt him or anything.”

Violet sighed, “Word around Ponyville is that Courier doesn’t like to hang around other mares, even those that seem to like him. He just brushes them off like pests.”

Shining Armor was starting to feel they had come across a real jerk of a pony, which only doubly confirmed, he had a problem.

“What should we do?” asked Shining Armor.

“I think we need to talk to Twilight.” suggested Cadance.

Meanwhile, in another part of town…

A lone stallion walked along with his head slouched forth as he kicked a small stone.

Then a couple passed by and saw him, and instantly began to tease him. “Look, poor baby’s got no special some-pony.” said the male, and his mare-friend laughed “As if any-pony would be dumb enough to be his special some-pony!”

They laughed, and laughed, and the lonely pony felt like crying, but suddenly, a lovely mare approached him, one whom he had a crush on for a long time. She was blushing and holding a letter, “Thank you so much.” she said, and she read the letter she had…

“What is love? Why is there?

And why does it suddenly strike from somewhere,

Like a lightning bolt that doth fall from the sky,

In the flash there I see you beside that which is I

‘Tis naught of looks, or of charm, it is all by chance,

that I can wish and dream of a great romance.

Long hath my admiration be focussed to thee

I know naught of what you might see in me.

A flower as you deserves nectar so sweet,

Perhaps I am that whom you should meet

Looks are only as far and so wide,

But much love can be found inside.”

Such powerful words, the three ponies were shocked, especially the lone stallion, but the mare was blushing. “That’s so sweet.” she said “I never knew you felt this way.”

The stallion blushed and giggled nervously, and then his crush asked to get a milkshake with him as her treat, and the couple walked off together, leaving the horrid couple in shock and beyond words.

Suddenly, WHAPP!! From out of nowhere, they were each struck hard by something thrown at them-- a single red rose, which had parted their manes right down the middle, much to the mare’s horror as she was sensitive about looks!

Attached to the rose was a small note, which the stallion read:

“…Serves you right for being so rude!”

The two looked up and saw no one around, but they did hear ponies laughing at them for their now really bad hairdos, and the couple went off feeling very embarrassed.

Up on a rooftop, that stranger in the black outfit crept along the roof tops where no one could see him, and casually dropped letters and cards into the houses he passed.

One mare had just opened her window to water her plants in a window-box, when a love letter fell right before her. She looked up to see who dropped it, but found no one was there.

She read the letter, which was just as beautiful and as romantic as the one that read aloud, and since the letter was signed, she knew who to look for to thank.

As for that stranger, he just continued to slink about town keeping well out of sight, and even if any pony spotted him for a split second, he was gone in a flash.

Act 2: Roses are Red... with anger

ACT TWO

Cadance and Shining Armor brought Violet back to the Castle of Friendship. Violet was very honoured to be there, and Cadance told Twilight everything about Courier.

“Sounds like some-pony has serious issues.” said Spike “Why would he reject all those mares going after him?”

“Well, obviously he has no interest in them.” said Twilight “But that’s no excuse to be such a grump about it.”

Violet looked really sad, “I just want to know what he has against me. Am I that terrible?”

None of the others said anything on that remark, not wanting to make the situation worse, but Twilight suggested “We need to talk with him again, all of us.”

Then she remembered Flurry Heart, and how someone should stay behind to look after her. Starlight volunteered. “You sure this is a good idea?” she asked “Cadance and Shining Armor were the ones sent to help.”

“Hey, we could use a little help sometimes,” said Shining Armor “Make a family outing?”

The ladies giggled, and they agreed to set off.

“Mind if I tag along?” asked Spike and he held up a small bag containing his cards that he finished, including a new one for Rarity, “I’d like to drop these all off.”

“Sure, Spike.” said Twilight.

Soon, the group headed off and Violet went with them.

No sooner had they left did Starlight smell an awful scent… coming from Flurry Heart, “Eww…!” she groaned, while the baby let out a tiny but very wet fart into her diaper, “…Ahhh!” she sighed.

The first thing done was Twilight stopped at the post officer to ask of Courier’s routes from his boss. “Please it’s very important. We’re on a friendship mission.”

With that kind of noble cause, the post-master was obliged to give the princess of friendship Courier’s schedule, and even his address. “He’s a good worker,” said the post master “But he sure acts strange-- doesn’t like to make friends, rejects all mares like their some kind of evil.”

Twilight found that very weird indeed.

Still, she and her gang went on their way to track Courier down, and while they did, Spike went to all the other ponies’ homes and dropped off his cards for them, and his friendly poems.

They were all very simple, such as…

“To Applejack, I give my heart,

Especially when she makes apple tarts”

Applejack found that funny, but thoughtful, and she pecked him on his head.

“To Fluttershy, so fare and true,

You’re a kind friend, and I love you.”

“Aw, Spike, that’s so sweet.” Fluttershy cooed, and pecked him back.

“To Pinkie Pie, happy and joy,

When I’m with you, I’m one happy boy.”

Pinkie held Spike close in a tight hug, smothering him, “Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” she kept going as she tightened her grip, making Spike gasp for air.

Spike kept going along, until finally he made it to Carousel Boutique. He could hear Rarity humming and singing up in her sewing room. She sounded very happy, and Spike almost fell into a loving daze when he heard the sound of her voice.

It also made him feel rather nervous about giving her the card he had made. It looked exactly like the one he thought he had lost, and with a simple poem he finally was able to make.

“Roses are red,

A heart is too

Rarity, you know how I feel about you.”

“Ohh…!” he groaned “This can’t be a great poem. Maybe I should redo it?’

“Spike…?” Rarity called from above. She saw him when she poked her head out the window for a breath of fresh air.

Spike looked up at her and waved his fingers nervously while blushing.

“Oh, Spike!” Rarity sighed “Thank you ever so much for the lovely poem.”

“Huh?” said Spike, and before he could question, Rarity held up a card, the exact one he thought he had lost, and she read it out loud.

“In life there many things that we must fight for,

But my feelings run deep and I can fight them no more.

I seek many words and find nearly none,

It is hard to describe you… my only one.

I may seem small, and different to you,

But the love that I hold is large and true.

I know naught how you hold me in your thought

But see you in ways that I ought…

Without you, I am single thing,

A winter that will never see spring,

You are my light, my only sunshine

You bring forth a feeling that is very divine.

Give a chance; take a leap-- a leap of the heart,

to a love that can never end from where it did start.”

Spike was most confused. Though that poem sounded incredibly romantic and loving, and it was on his card, he knew for a fact that he did not write that nor did he even send the card.

In his pondering, Rarity came downstairs and opened the door to him, and gave him a huge peck on the cheek, which made him stiffen and faint in a shower of hearts.

“Oh, Spike… this is the most romantic thing you have ever given me, or anyone for that.”

Spike sighed happily, and barely managed to find his strength to get up. “Um… I was wondering… if, maybe… just for today, you could--”

“Be your very special some-pony?” Rarity filled in “How could I say no after this lovely gesture.”

Spike felt like he was glowing, and asked her out for lunch offering to pay for it with his own allowance, to which Rarity agreed, and off they went.

Suddenly, just as they left Rarity’s property, they happened to see some stranger slinking atop a roof on a neighbouring cottage.

“Who’s that?” asked Spike.

Rarity didn’t know, but thought he had an odd taste for fashion for what he was wearing.

They watched as he seemed to be writing a letter using the quill from his hat, and spike caught a glimpse of the red rose on the other side of his hat.

Then the two saw him slip the letter through an open window.

“Hey, you…!” Spike called up.

The stranger looked and saw them, and he quickly ran and leapt out of sight.

Suddenly, they could hear the sound of a mare squealing from inside the house. It was a joyful squeal, and just as a lone stallion came by. That’s when the mare came rushing out of her house, and tackled the stallion to the ground in a loving embrace, “Thank you!” she cried “I will gladly be yours.”

The stallion didn’t seem to understand, but he embraced her back enjoying what he could take.

“I think we should find Twilight.” said Rarity.

Spike agreed.

Meanwhile, Twilight and her gang had looked all over the given routes by the post-master, but there was no sign of Courier anywhere.

“Maybe he gave us the wrong route?” asked Shining Armor.

It was possible, but it still confused everyone. “If Courier is such a good worker, why would he not be en-route delivering the mail?” wondered Twilight.

“Maybe we should try his house?” suggested Cadance.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of ladies screaming up ahead.

They dashed forth, and saw three teenaged mares, one with red hair, one with blonde hair, and one with black hair, yet all three of their manes had been badly parted down the middle-- deliberately by someone!

Some ponies laughed at the girls, while others were scared and horrified, especially one green teenaged colt.

Shining Armor couldn’t help but question him, “What happened here?”

The colt explained, “The blonde pony, I remember her. We used to date, and then she moved away, and I saw her again and tried to talk to her but she said she didn’t remember me, and her friends shoved me down telling me to get lost and calling me a brat.”

The others felt horrified, “But what happened to their manes?” asked Cadance.

The colt held up a red rose, “This just came flying in out of nowhere and parted their manes down the middle. It had this note attached to it.”

Twilight looked at the note, and it read:

“I know the truth, and so do you! Next time I shall not be as merciful!

You have been warned!”

Violet then looked at the rose closely, “I’ve seen this before.” and she explained how many ponies lately have had their mane parted down the middle so they look weird and ugly in public, and it always happened with the appearance of a rose identical to the one she held, and with an angry threat.

The gang felt uneasy, and Cadance realized the connection between all the ponies covering their heads. “Who would do such a thing?” she wondered.

“Twilight…!” Spike called as he and Rarity dashed up to the gang, “You’re not going to believe what we just saw.”

Before he could explain,

“HEY!! GET BACK HERE!!” shouted a familiar voice.

It was Rainbow Dash, and she was chasing after some stranger dressed in an odd outfit who was running and leaping along the rooftops.

“That’s the stranger we saw!” cried Rarity.

Rainbow ganged up on the stranger, ready to tackle him, but the stranger quickly grabbed the rose from his hat-- another rose then magically appeared where the first rose was-- and he pitched it right at her, smashing it head first in her face, blinding her with the petals.

Rainbow brushed the petals from her face, but the stranger had already fled before anyone else could try to chase him or catch him.

Rainbow angrily pounded the roof.

“Rainbow…!” Twilight called as she and Cadance flew up to her.

“You’re too late, he’s gone.” grumbled Rainbow.

“Who was that?” asked Cadance.

“I don’t know.” replied Rainbow “I flying overhead, and then I saw him dropping a letter into some-pony’s house. I thought he was a prowler, so I chased him.” She then growled and smashed her hooves together, “When I get my hooves on him, I’ll-- URGH!!”

Twilight then noticed the remains of the rose that hit Rainbow’s face. There was no questioning it; it was identical to the rose Violet was holding-- the one that pierced the school girls’ manes.

Twilight felt this was an even greater problem to address than the friendship mission.

Suddenly, “Courier…!” Violet suddenly cried.

The mail pony had come from around the corner, and he took one look at the group, especially at Violet. He scoffed and turned away, and disappeared inside a house which was his own.

Twilight told the others to go on ahead and try to talk to him, while she alerted the guards of the prowler, and then she flew off.

With that settled, all the others regrouped, and walked up to Courier’s house. Cadance knocked at the door, but no one answered it.

“Courier…?” Cadance called “This is Princess Cadance we’d all like to have a word with you.”

Courier refused to open the door, as was his right as a citizen. He did however slip a not out from under the door. The note was written in a very poor looking text.

“pLeAsE Go AwAy! I dO nOt WaNt To TaLk To AnYoNe, EsPeCaIlY tHe PrInCeSs Or ThAt NaStY, vIoLeT!”

Violet, was quivering as tears formed in her eyes, and she just ran off. “Violet!” cried Shining Armor, but she had already gone.

Cadance felt ready to kick herself for having read all that out loud.

“What a jerk.” grumbled Rainbow “What’s his problem anyway?”

“That’s what we’ve trying to find out.” said Shining Armor, and he explained about the Friendship Mission. “How can we help him if he won’t let us help him?”

Spike pondered, “Maybe… he doesn’t want to be helped.”

“Spike, how can you say such a thing like that?!” Rarity scolded, but even she herself began to feel maybe it was true, “But why in the world would some-pony with a friendship problem not want any help?”

Act 3: Unlovely Confessions

ACT THREE

Twilight had gone to the police and reported what she saw, and much to her surprise, the police had been on this case for a while now. There was even a wanted posted, with a picture of the prowler-- not a very good one as it was badly blurred, and only a shot of him in the distance.

The captain explained, “We’d had been receiving numerous reports of sightings of this hooligan, but he’s very sly and elusive. His suit magically resistant, we can’t even try to contain him in a force-field.

No one knows who he is or where he comes from, and more importantly why he does this.”

Twilight decided to get in on this herself, and though she had already been informed that magic wouldn’t work directly, she already had an idea of how to catch this prowler.

Meanwhile, the gang regrouped at the castle, and Starlight looked a little frazzled from trying to work and keep up with watching Flurry Heart. “How do you do it?” she asked the parents.

Cadance and Shining Armor couldn’t really answer. There were more important things to discuss anyway.

“I cannot believe that!” Twilight said “I refuse to believe that Courier doesn’t want any help.”

She had been told the story, she had seen the note, and she felt upset and livid at Courier’s behaviour and making Violet upset.

“I say we let him go.” sneered Rainbow “A jerk like him doesn’t deserve any help.”

The others disagreed with her. “Rainbow, we should at least find out why he’s being so mean.” said Shining Armor.

Cadance agreed. She wasn’t willing to give up her very first friendship mission so easily. “Besides, I also want to know what his problem is with me as well.”

Twilight had her own plans to deal with to catch the prowler, and she enlisted Rarity and Spike to help her.

“You want us to what?!” snapped Spike.

“I want you two to have a fight, or make it look like Rarity dumped you, Spike. It’ll lure him out into the open, and once I see him, Rainbow and I can follow him.”

Rarity chuckled nervously, “Darling, if I do that, there is the chance that happened to those other ponies may happen to me. I really do not want my beautiful mane to be harmed.”

“That goes double for me.” said Spike. He wasn’t trying to suck up; he really didn’t want Rarity to get hurt.

“You won’t have to,” said Starlight “Watch this,” and she cast a small spell on Rarity’s mane, turning it from soft and wavy to solid and stiff, like metal, so it couldn’t be harmed… though, it was a little heavy and awkward. Rarity had a bit of trouble keeping her head balanced.

“This feels… rather strange.” she complained.

Rainbow held in a chuckle.

“Come on, we’ve all got jobs to do.” said Twilight.

The gangs agreed and went off, once again leaving Flurry in Starlight’s care. “I don’t think I’m cut out for this.” she sighed.

It was getting close to sundown, and Violet had spent a while under her favorite tree contemplating and bewailing her rejection, still clutching the prowler’s rose.

“Why, courier?” she said to herself “Why can’t you give me a chance? We could have something special.”

She was snapped out of her trance when she heard the sounds of yelling in the streets. She looked up and saw Rarity scolding Spike.

“I said “No!”

“But why?” whined Spike “Why can’t you go steady with me, Rarity? You’re my special some-pony.”

Rarity scoffed “Because, you are a dragon, and I am a pony. Like day and night; we are simply too different. Besides, you’re too short for my liking anyway.”

Spike actually had tears in his eyes, despite this all being an act, it almost felt real to him.

Rainbow and Twilight were hiding nearby, behind a large shrub. “See anything?” Twilight asked.

“Not yet,” answered Rainbow. Then suddenly, “Wait! There he is!”

The setting sun made it hard to see, but she was certain she could see the prowler slinking about on a rooftop. He was writing a letter with his magic quill, and took the rose from his hat-- another one appeared magically.

He attached the note to the rose and was about to throw it at Rarity.

“Now!” snapped Twilight, and she and Rainbow soared out from the shrub and up to the roof.

The prowler saw them, and ducked out of the way.

Rarity and Spike looked up at the roof. “There he is!” snapped Spike.

“After him!” shouted Rarity. Spike mounted her, and she galloped off after her friends, though she moved a little slow because of her solid hair.

Violet saw the commotion and chased after the gang.

The chase was on, and the prowler leapt along the rooftops with Twilight and Rainbow closing in. He grabbed a rose ready to toss…!

“Not this time!” sneered Rainbow.

Twilight nodded, and cast soft light barriers across them, so the roses the prowler tossed just ricocheted right off them.

The prowler growled softly, but kept on running and leaping along the roof.

“I got him!” Rainbow hollered, and she charged ahead after him, but as she got closer, the prowler used his own magic to levitate her and toss her hard up into the sky.

“Rainbow!” cried Twilight.

Then she and the prowler glared at one another, and the prowler grabbed another rose, but rather than pitching it at Twilight, he pitched it at the ground, and it exploded as a dirt-bomb. Smoke flew everywhere, and while the smoke didn’t last long, Twilight had lost sight of the prowler, but she wasn’t deterred and flew up higher with Rainbow to look all around.

“Did you see which way he went?” Twilight asked.

“No. He could be in hiding.” said Rainbow.

Luckily for them, Spike and Rarity had spotted everything. “Twilight…!” Spike shouted way up, “…Follow us!”

Rarity continued to gallop along, “There he goes!”

The prowler was seen hoping along the roofs. Suddenly, he came to a huge gap, with the next rooftop far away, but he just gave a great big leapt and actually cleared the gap effortlessly.

“Whoa!” cried Spike “How’d he do that?!”

“Astonishing!” exclaimed Rarity. She almost lost track of herself and continued to follow him.

Twilight and Rainbow spotted him, and flew down closer. Twilight tried to aim her magic at him, but just as the police warned her, the prowler’s suit was anti-magical-- her powers couldn’t do a thing to him, at least not that way.

“What do we do now?” asked Rainbow.

“Oh, I’ve got an idea.” said Twilight, and she flew up ahead.

Meanwhile, Cadance and Shining Armor had gone to Courier’s home, and knocked at his door, but there was no answer.

“This can’t be right.” said Shining Armor “He can’t still be out on his mail route.”

“Maybe he just stepped out?” suggested Cadance “We better just wait for him.”

“Hey!” Spike called to the couple as he and Rarity came along.

“What are you guys doing here?” asked Shining.

“The prowler, he’s coming this way!” cried Rarity.

The prowler suddenly landed near Courier’s house, and he was shocked to see the gang, preferably Cadance standing there, which really infuriated him, but before he could try to escape again, the ground magically crumpled beneath his feet, and he fell into a small crater hitting his head on the side, and he was out cold!

Twilight then appeared in a puff of smoke, “Got him!”

She was the one who shot a spell at the ground beneath the prowler’s feet, hoping he’d fall unconscious.

Rainbow caught up to them, and Violet was catching up to the group, but kept out of sight, hiding amongst a couple of garbage cans. “They caught him!” she said to herself.

Twilight then got down into the hole to pick him up by herself. “I need help.” she called up to her brother “We can’t levitate him out because of his suit.”

Her brother agreed, and then got down to help her. They pulled the unconscious pony up to the surface, and Twilight cast her magic to reseal the pit.

Cadance moved in close to take off the prowler’s face-cover, “Let’s see who you really are.” But the second she laid her hoof on him, a bright force of magic shocked her painfully and she backed away.

“Cadance!!” cried Shining Armor, and he dashed over to his wife, “Are you alright?”

Cadance blew onto her burning hoof, “What was that?!”

The prowler then came to his senses, having been shocked by the magic as well “…It is the curse that I have.”

The entire gang looked at him, but Twilight then reached to take off his cover. She surprisingly didn’t get shocked, and removed the cover to reveal, “…Courier!”

Violet was shocked, “Courier…?”

Courier angrily demanded Twilight let go of him, “You’ve discovered who I am? Are you happy now?!”

Rainbow didn’t like his tone, “Hey, watch the tone pal!”

“I’m not your pal! I’m not anyone’s pal… I can’t be.” He paused, and everyone was confused by what he meant, until he eyes over at the royal couple, “…And it’s all because of YOU, Princess Cadance!”

“What… Me?” asked Cadance.

“What did she ever do to you?” asked Shining Armor.

Much as Courier didn’t want to explain, he felt he had no choice…

“I once lived in the Canterlot. I was a miserable pony, desperate to find love and romance.

Then shortly before the Royal Canterlot Wedding, you approached me, Princess. You could sense that I was down on my love life, and you told me that you could help me.

So you gave me this enchanted rose, and told me it could enhance me with great power, and it did. I was gifted with this magical suit, a quill that can write anytime, enhanced reflexes, strong magic, but most of all… I was enchanted with an incredible gift of passion and sensitivity which I could to write the most beautiful poetry any-pony ever dreamed.

I was so amazed that I even charmed myself, but unfortunately this power came with a nasty side effect-- I can only use it to help other couples. So I became this prowler, using my talents to help couples down on their luck by writing those letters and helping to improve their relationships.”

This made Spike and Rarity realize, “So you sent Rarity that love poem.” said Spike.

“Yes,” said Courier “I was delivering the morning mail when I couldn’t help but overhear you complaining about your lack of words to use. So I took your card and gave it to Rarity myself, and it worked, did it not?”

While Rarity agreed it did work, she really wasn’t one to condone snooping, but also she looked down at Spike, “You knew you didn’t send me that poem?”

Spike sadly nodded, “I didn’t know how you got it at first… really I didn’t. I was having trouble figuring out what to say to you, since… well… you know.” He blushed hard and turned away. “I wanted to tell you the truth, but you were so happy… and I was so happy when you said you’d be my special some-pony…”

Rarity only smiled lovingly at him and patted him for his honesty.

“Ahem!” snapped Courier “As I said, I help those who are down on their love lives, while at the same time punishing those who were nasty and cold-hearted by publicly humiliating them.

I am forbidden from having a romance myself, or coming into contact with any-pony that may harbor romantic feelings for me.

If I myself touch any creature of great love, or harbors romantic feelings for me, the powers will harm me and that individual. It drains our energies to the point of death!”

Everyone gasped in such horror, even Violet did. “You mean you have to live a life without love, or you die?” asked Rarity.

“Yes!” thundered Courier, and then he glared at Cadance again, “…I warned you to stay away, knowing if you came too close to me you’d get hurt, then again it would serve you right anyway for cursing me like this!

I was forced to leave Canterlot, and come here to Ponyville where no one would know me, and I could fresh start. Big mistake-- my handsome new looks made me a walking mare magnet, attracting lovesick ladies everywhere, and I couldn’t return their feelings for fear of putting them in danger.”

Violet heard this, and wondered if that was why he had avoided her and restrained against her.

“The point is,” courier growled at Cadance. “Now I can never find true love, never find a soul mate, and it’s all because of you!

…YOU RUINED MY LIFE!!”

Cadance was ever so horrified!

Act 4: Choices

ACT FOUR

Cadance was most confused, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never gave you such powers. I never even saw you in my life.”

Now Courier was confused, “What are you talking about? It was you, it couldn’t be anyone else.”

Then suddenly in dawned on Cadance, “…Chrysalis!”

All the others gasped and realized it had to be her!

She was disguised as Cadance during the time to try and get into Canterlot so she and her Changelings could absorb all the love and the energy to increase their powers and takeover Equestria.

“Chrysalis must’ve used you, knowing that the love energy from your skills and talents would increase her own power. That’s why she cursed you, you were the perfect target.”

“What?” cried Courier; He was obviously not aware of the Changeling invasion. Most likely he had fled form Canterlot before the wedding took place as well as the battle.

Twilight then realized Courier’s suit, the magic quill and the enchanted rose, “They have to be Changeling magic. That’s why you were cursed.”

Courier wanted to disbelieve, but he found it becoming hard to do so. Now he was feeling ashamed and foolish, but he still stood firmly, “I couldn’t let you come near me, Princess.” He said to Cadance “As you have seen, if you come too close to me you will endanger us both.”

Cadance believed him. Her hoof still burned a little from the shock.

“Well, isn’t there any way to get the curse off you?” asked Spike.

“We can’t.” replied Courier.

“Not in my vocabulary we can’t.” insisted Twilight.

“Then you may want to get a word-to-date thesaurus, Princess, because it’s impossible.” said Courier “Believe me, I’ve already tried to get rid of this curse myself. I’ve spoken with experts in magic, medicine and potions masters.

This curse is bonded with my very soul. Even if by some miracle you remove this curse, it will instantly kill me!”

Everyone gasped, and Rarity felt faint. “You poor dear!” she said “This is an absolute disaster!”

Still could not believe all this, “Even still,” she said “This doesn’t excuse your behaviour.”

“She’s right.” agreed Shining Armor “Not only have you been butting into other ponies lives, but you’ve been harassing others-- the way you just butt into their lives, and attack them in public.”

Courier admitted it, “It’s always been a burning passion of mine.”

His life flashed back…

“I was a very nerdy pony. This was the main reason I was usually down on my luck with getting a girl. I wore glasses, had braces, and was a little chunky.

Every Hearts and Hooves day I would hand out these cute little cards to my classmates, but I never got any in return, and why…?”

“…Because you’re a geek.”

“You look weird”

“Any-pony who would give you a card would have to be stupid.”

That hurt, a lot. They hated the way I looked so they thought I was undeserving. No matter how nice I tried to act, it was always the same story.

Then even in high school, I was still a little nerdy, and yet I was teased worse than ever. Girls still thought I was ugly and wouldn’t’ give me a chance, and lots of boys would tease my like typical bullies.

Then there was Violet!”

Violet gasped, and remembered something as well.

Courier went on saying, “She teased me the worst of all. She was the high-school queen bee--always picking on students she didn’t like for the way they looked. I was her favorite target.

She would put water in my desk…

She’d put rocks and worms in my lunch!

She’d even put pictures of me all over the school hall with slogans like “King of the geeks” or “Lord of the Losers” which made more ponies laugh at me, and further crushing my spirit.

I finally couldn’t take it anymore, but luckily I had graduated by then, and I began to change my appearance. I had contact lenses, liposuction, and my teeth were straighter long ago so I no longer had braces.

Still, I was enraged, lost, had no confidence, and worse than that… everywhere I went I saw other ponies like me being rejected, abused, and turned down. Even those who weren’t like me who were obviously very sweet, were not given a chance by their crushes.

That’s when I felt I wanted more than just to help others, but I wanted revenge against those who wronged me and rejected others.

…Not that any of that matters now anyway.”

He had nothing more to say, the rest was pretty much given, and you can bet the friends were shocked out of their minds.

Violet accidently knocked a garbage can lid off, and the crash alerted every one of her presences.

“Violet!” said Twilight.

Courier glared at her, and so did some of the others.

“You did all that to him in school?!” asked Shining Armor.

Violet nodded regretfully, “It’s true, and I regret it all.”

She explained that after graduation, because of her bad reputation, she herself had serious love problems. Guys recognized her as a bad girl from school, and wanted nothing to do with her.

Even though she herself wanted to try and put it all behind her, and make a new start, she was never given the chance, just like all those she hurt or rejected.

She moved away from Canterlot and came to Ponyville where no one knew her, and she managed to get a job as a gardener, and she began to put her old life behind her, and even forget things.

Then she met up with Courier, and now she understood why he had been avoiding her and got a restraining order on her.

“That’s right,” sneered Courier “I was that kid you bullied in school! I never forgot! It doesn’t matter to me how much you claim you’ve changed, or put it behind you…

You think you can just scar some-pony, torment his youth, and expect you can ever make up for it?!

…I wouldn’t have dated you even if I wasn’t cursed, Violet!”

“Ah…!!” Violet felt way crushed! She just stood there, almost as if her nerves had been shot and wouldn’t work anymore.

The others felt that Courier was really going too far with all this rage, but now they understood him much better. Still, it didn’t excuse him for his crimes, and his snooping.

“I’m sorry, Courier,” said Twilight “We have to turn you in.”

Courier knew he was finished, without his uniform fully on; there was no way he stood a chance against Twilight and all the others.

“We’ll do all we can to help you.” Cadance promised.

“I told you that you cannot help me.” sneered Courier “You cannot break the curse, or it’ll kill me! That’s all there is to it!”

“Well, I don’t give up so easy!” said Twilight.

“Trust me-- this is one thing you should.”

Nevertheless, he was turned over to the police and the stripped him of his weapons and clipped his horn with an anti-magic manacle so he couldn’t use his own magic anymore. Then they tossed him into a jail cell.

“What’s going to happen to him?” asked Spike.

“It’s hard to say,” answered the captain. “We now know each and every pony he’s either helped, or hurt.” He referred to the couples that received love letters, or all the ponies whose manes were snipped by him. “There are many ponies out there waiting to get their hooves on him, but most likely he’s going to be tried, found guilty, and then sent to prison for a long time.”

The gang really didn’t like the sound of it, feeling sympathy for the poor guy despite some of his crimes. Cadance approached the cell bars, “At least you now know it wasn’t me who did this to you. I never cursed.”

Courier didn’t even look at her, and spoke in a low tone, “But thanks to you and your friends, I’m doomed, be it I stay here or not.”

He lay down on the bench with his back completely turned to her. Cadance felt most upset. He was right in many ways.

“Come on,” said Shining Armor “We may as well go back to the castle.”

Cadance agreed, and she and the entire gang left the police station. As for Violet, she had gone home. She had much thinking to do, and to revaluate her decisions of what to do now.

Closing Act: A Dying Promise

CLOSING ACT

Twilight pulled a mega all-nighter in her royal library. She combed through every book she had looking up the curse Chrysalis had cast on Courier, and much to her disappointment, it really did look hopeless. “I don’t believe this!” she cried as she peered through the last pages.

“What’s wrong?” asked Starlight.

“There really is no known cure for this curse.” answered Twilight “Courier was right-- if we try to break the curse on him, he really will die.”

Starlight’s blood ran cold.

Spike was outside the doors to the library, “Man! That’s just rotten. It means he really will never be able to feel romance.”

The ladies felt extremely upset for Courier.

“Is he still in jail?” asked Spike.

Twilight nodded, “But my brother and Cadance and are actually trying to work on a pardon for him. They’re trying to convince many ponies not to press charges against him, but I doubt it’ll work.”

Cadance and Shining Armor were gathering signatures in a petition to help Courier. They got loads of signatures from all the couples that Courier helped, and there were lots of couples.

More than half of Ponyville was in love thanks to him, and even though the crushes now realized who really wrote those letters, they didn’t care, really! Courier helped them open their eyes and give their dates and crushes a try which helped them become closer than ever.

Then again, there were also the ponies that were still outraged at Courier for parting their manes and publicly humiliating them.

“I say burn him at the stake!”

“Hang him by his neck!”

“Throw him in a pit of hungry dragons!”

Cadance and Shining Armor were infuriated, and though they understood the ponies had every right to be angry, “You brought this on yourselves!” Shining scolded them.

Cadance agreed, “Look at yourselves! You coldly rejected dates who liked you without even giving them a legitimate chance, and you laughed at and teased those who had no dates!

While I cannot approve of Courier’s actions, I think you all ought to be ashamed of yourselves!”

Some of the ponies did feel ashamed, but the rest were unmoved, and in the end, they still would not sign the petition.

“Never mind them,” said Shining Armor “Maybe we have enough as it is.”

Unfortunately, all their efforts were in vain. The police just couldn’t let Courier out, no matter how many ponies petitioned. “We cannot let emotional understandings affect our legal duties.” said the captain “The law is the law. I’m sorry, but that’s that. Even you have no authority in this, Princess.”

The couple felt upset, and Courier called to them from his jail cell, “I told you not to bother!” he scolded “And even if you got me out of here, it won’t be any better because of the curse, and even more so, everyone knows who I am. Many of them wish to hunt me down and cut me into pieces, the same way I did to their manes!

I have nothing to gain either way!”

“No!” Cadance said approaching the cell.

“Cadance!” cried Shining Armor.

Cadance looked right into the cell at the miserable pony, “I told you, we’re not going to give up on you! We want to help!”

Finally, Courier lost his patience, and he stood up and slowly began to approach her, “There is one thing you can do for me.”

“What’s that?”

Then, quick as a wink, Courier leapt over, reaching through the bars, and grabbed her by the neck and held her against the bars tightly. All at once, the curse began to shock them both horribly, and they both screamed and yelled in pain!

“CADANCE!!” cried Shining Armor.

“STOP THIS!!” shouted the Captain, and fired a magic blast from his horn, blasting Courier back into his cell.

Cadance fell to the ground feeling weak and tired. Her alicorn strength and magic kept her strong.

Her husband caught her as she fell, but Courier was still being shocked by the power from touching Cadance for so long, and he wasn’t as strong as Cadance was!

“COURIER…!!” Cadance cried, but it was already too late. The shocking had blasted him so hard, and he was vaporized into a pile of dust on the floor of the cell.

“Sweet Celestia!” murmured the captain. He and the couple were devastated by what just happened, but regardless… Courier was gone.

“I can’t believe he did that.” said Shining Armor.

Tears fell down Cadance’s face.

The couple saw no choice by to return to Twilight’s Castle, and you can bet, everyone was devastated to hear of what happened.

“He just up and killed himself?!” cried Rarity “How could he do such a thing?”

Shining Armor sighed “I guess he was just too upset and too miserable to carry on-- living all that time and not being able to love anyone. I don’t think I could live with myself either.”

Twilight felt very upset. “He wouldn’t even let us try to help him.”

“Poor guy.” said Starlight.

Cadance felt the most upset, feeling it was her fault. In some ways it ways, “I should never have gotten near him. I should’ve remembered he’d get hurt.”

“It’s not your fault.” said Rainbow “He was the one who grabbed you. You didn’t make him do it.”

Knowing this did not make Cadance feel any better. “That’s only part of it.” she said “The friendship mission… it’s failed.”

Her husband suddenly remembered, “That’s right, we did blow it.”

No one could say anything to argue with that.

“You tried your best.” said Twilight.

Cadance’s features hardened, but not in anger, but in determination. “I’m going to continue Courier’s work.”

“What?” Spike said. The others all felt the same as they gawked at her.

“Not like that,” replied Cadance “I’m not going to put on a costume and prowl, but Courier inspired me. As the element of Love and Joy, I should help other ponies with their love problems. I can help them to realize and give many a chance, and if others are going through a rough time I can console them, and question those who are wronging them without punishment.”

Everyone seemed to like the idea, and Shining Armor agreed to help her every step of the way.

A few weeks later, long after the royal family returned to the, Crystal Empire, Cadance well carried out her promise. In addition to her royal duties, she counseled couples or potential couples and tried to work out their problems, and even asked those to write her letters, almost like how Princess Celestia used to ask for Friendship Reports.

The mail piled up like crazy, and yet she spent endless hours going through them, while at the same time doing her other work and taking care of her baby too.

“Maybe you should take a break.” Shining Armor suggested.

“I can’t,” said Cadance “I promised I’d help these ponies, and I meant it. I owe it that much… to Courier.”

Her husband understood, and admired her devotion, “Just the same… you should rest.” And he covered her with a blanket, and watched as she fell asleep at her desk. He pecked her warmly on her head, and then went off with Flurry to let Cadance sleep.

Still, even Shining himself couldn’t stop thinking of Courier. “I guess that’s just sometimes how it ends.”