Poisonous

by WendytheCreeper

Rating: everyone
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Adventure
Length: 5403

Ashley Dusk and friends' move to Ponyville push them into unexpected events...

When Ashley Dusk hears that her friend Colorful Sound is the opening act of the Ponyville Music Festival, she and her friends decide to go there to celebrate! However, unexpected events keep life from going as planned, and Ashley and her friends are placed in the way of danger! How will our mares survive here?

Published 2012-08-24 21:54:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-09-16 03:20:20 UTC

Chapter 1

A/N: I feel the need to put an author's note here about the origins of this fanfic. The story I'm writing here was originally written(in comic format) by my friend Ashley, but she didn't feel like continuing it. She didn't get very far in the story, and she didn't even introduce the enemy yet(which I'm changing because it seemed too much like a ripoff). Anyway, she let me continue the story(I have permission from her). Also, I'm not indenting because it looks weird like that. Please Enjoy!

It was an average day in Canterlot. Ashley Dusk, a white colored unicorn whose talent was in drawing, didn't have much luck in art sales that day since she only sold 2 out of her 10 drawings. As the sun started to set, she closed up shop and made her way to the pet hospital where her pegasus friend Fawnette worked. Fawnette was working late that evening, so Ashley decided to keep her company throughout the late hours.

The unicorn had just barely left her shop when she was assimilated by a cream colored pegasus with a white and green colored mane.

"Hi Ashley! Are you going to visit Fawnette?"

Ashley Dusk jumped back in fear, but recovered shortly after realizing that it was just her other pegasus friend, Windi.

"Windi! Oh my Celestia, don't do that!" the unicorn said. "Sorry about that. You scared me!"

Windi's ears drooped. "I'm sorry about that...I didn't mean to..."

"Hey there now," started Ashley Dusk, "It's okay. If you want to, you can come with me and see Fawnette."

With that said, Windi landed next to her friend and said, "Okay. We shall go, though I'm not too fond of hospitals."

The two ponies were silently walking towards the hospital, passing trees, houses, and the like, when the unicorn asked,"Wait, how'd you know that I was going to see Fawnette?"

"Since Fawnette is working late tonight, it is only logical that her friends would come and keep her company and such. That is, unless if she is performing an operation such as neutering. In that case, she would need full focus, and we can't distract her," replied Windi. She was doing hoof gestures throughout her speech.

Ashley looked at her reluctantly and said, "Err...yeah."

For the rest of the walk, they chattered about meaningless things such as how their day went and what they think Celestia eats for lunch. Various scenery passed them, and the sun was getting lower and lower in the sky. As it got darker, the street lamps flickered on to light the way. In a matter of minutes, they reached the pet hospital and entered the big doors in front. In the main office there were several chairs and a reception desk. The pony at the reception desk called out to Ashley Dusk and Windi.

"Hello Miss Ashley Dusk and Miss Windi! How may I help you today?"

"Hi Flora. We'd like to know if we could see Dr. Fawnette," said Ashley Dusk.

"Oh yes, she is in examination room 13A," replied Flora.

"Thankies," said Windi.

Ashley Dusk and Windi made their way to room 13A uneventfully, and then they knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

They went into the room and saw Fawnette holding down a pure white colored bunny while a nurse was giving it a vaccination. Windi's wings became stiff as she cringed at the sight in front of her, while Ashley saw nothing wrong.

"There you go, Fluffy," Fawnette said to the bunny. "Now all of your vaccinations are up to date!"

The green colored earth pony that was waiting paitently in the corner walked up to her pet bunny and said,"Oh thank you! Now that I've taken care of her checkup, I can go to Ponyville for the upcoming music festival! I hear it's opening act is going to be performed by Colorful Sound!"

Ashley Dusk's ears perked up at that name, and then she said, "Colorful Sound? I know her!"

"Wow, really?" asked Fawnette. "That's pretty cool!"

The green pony jealously said, "Awww...you're so lucky to have a personal relation with her!"

"Haha...I've known her for a while now," Ashley said with a nervous laugh. "I remember when she was just starting out...Struggling to get known by the higher ups, endless conversations on the phone by record labels that won't pick her up..."

In the midst of Ashley Dusk's story about Colorful Sound's career, Windi asked, "I have never heard about Colorful Sound before. Care to enlighten me?"

The whole room gasped at that comment, and the green pony looked at Windi with surprise.

"You don't know Colorful Sound!?" exclaimed the green pony. "She's a superstar! 10 hit singles on the top 5 and counting! What do you live under, a rock?"

"I guess I do live under a rock," remarked Windi. "Well, it's nice to hear that you have a superstar as a friend."

"Yeah, sweet right?" replied Ashley Dusk. "Maybe I should contact her about it once I get back home."

As if Celestia wanted the ponies to go home, the clock struck 9, signaling the end of the work day.

"Looks like it's time to hit the hay, huh?" remarked Fawnette. She hung up the doctor's coat she was wearing on the coat rack, exposing the rest of her pink coat and her cutie mark that resembled a stethescope. "Shall we go?"

Windi yawned loudly. "Yeah. I am feeling tired and I want to go to bed."

The four ponies left the examination room and passed the reception counter. Fawnette stayed to punch out, and then joined the group. Since Flora was a roomate of Fawnette("A tenant of Fawnette", as she likes to call it, but they share the rent of their apartment), she joined the group as well. They traveled down some 2 miles of road before they reached a crossroads.

"Okay, I have to go my way now since my house is just down this road," Windi said. The ponies said their good-nights, and then Windi flew away.

"Hmph. Calling her residence a house is an understatement," Ashley Dusk remarked.

Fawnette noticed the shift in tone of her voice and then asked, "So I'm assuming that buisness was slow today?"

Ashley sighed and said, "Only 2 of my drawings got sold today, and I'm running short on surplus money to pay for more supplies."

"Why don't you advertise more?" asked Flora.

Ashley Dusk asked, "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You know, get your name out there! You'll never get any buisness when nobody knows you exsist! Think about it: if you do a largley seen piece, then everybody well know who you are, thus generating more buisness!"

With Flora's comment in mind, the artist unicorn hatched an idea that she would execute once she got home.

"Thanks for the tip, Flora," Ashley said. "I'll keep it in mind."

The trio reached the unicorn's house and shop, and then they all said goodbye to each other. Ashley Dusk walked into her house to execute her plan.

When Ashley was in her humble abode, messy with trash and papers, she sat at her desk and started to write, "Dear Colorful Sound, I'd like to visit you soon at the music festival, and make some promotional art..."

Chapter 2

"Ugghhh...what's poking at my head?"

Ashley Dusk turned her head to look at her carrier pigeon poking her head. In the pigeon's mouth was a piece of fancy embroidered paper with writing on it. She took the paper from the pigeon with her telekinetic magic and picked her head up.

As she lifted her head up, Ashley was instantly blinded by the sun's light spilling through the window next to her desk. Blinking her eyes, she made out the image of her small flower garden that she tended to with love and care. Today it was in full bloom, with many red tulips planted in neat rows. She smiled at her garden work and then got up out of her chair.

The unicorn decided to seat herself at her dining table, and then lazily made herself a bowl of hay cereal. As she eat her breakfast, she read the letter that she received.

Dear Ashley Dusk,

Thanks for sending me a letter! I've considered your request to come to Ponyville as a VIP guest for the Ponyville Music Festival, and, after speaking with my agent, I've arranged for you a place to stay for 2 weeks(the festival lasts one week, but I want to give you a week to settle in). Of course, you must honor your request to make promotional art, but I don't think you'll have a problem with that. I can't wait to see you there!

-Colorful Sound

P.S. You may also bring guests. I've enclosed the 5 VIP passes in here, but your friends are responsible for their own housing.

Ashley put the letter in a safe place and then went downstairs. She figured that she would visit Windi and see if she could have Fawnette over to discuss moving to Ponyville, since it was Windi's turn to house a meeting between them.

Looking at the huge gate that stood before her, Ashley Dusk picked up her hoof and pressed the doorbell. In a few seconds, the words "come in" were boomed at her through the PA system, and the gate opened up. The white unicorn walked along the stone path that led to the front door, passing various shrubbery and gardens. At the front door, a maid pony greeted her.

"Good Morning Mistress Ashley Dusk. Thou wishes to see Mistress Windi?"

Ashley replied, "Yes, I do. Could you take me to her?"

"Certainly," said the maid. "Please follow me. Mistress Windi is in the parlor."

"Thank you," said Ashley. She followed the maid pony throughout the large mansion until they reached the parlor.

"Mistress Windi, Mistress Ashley Dusk is here to see you."

In the parlor was not only Windi, but also Fawnette and her roomate, Flora.

"Wow Windi!" exclaimed Flora, who was studying every inch of the room. There was a lit fireplace, which added a cozy air to the normally chilly-feeling room, and an onamental rug made the room all the more regal. "How did you afford this huge mansion?"

"Please don't shill me too much, it's kinda rude," replied Windi. "But anyway, I come from a high-class family, and I get good buisness."

With Fawnette here already, Ashley realized that she could just start talking about the move to Ponyville.

"So Ashley," started Fawnette, "What's up?"

Ashley Dusk smiled and said,"Well, I have some good news!"

Windi jumped up out of her seat and exclaimed, "I like good news! Tell me! Tell me now!"

"Umm..." started Ashley, "Well, I contacted my friend Colorful, and now I get to be a promotional artist and a VIP!"

"So you're going to Ponyville then?" asked Fawnette. "Can we come too?"

"Yeah, but I can't help you with housing," said Ashley.

"Eh, we'll find apartments or something," Fawnette said.

"Wait! Fawnette!" complained Flora. "What will I do while you're gone? Will I have to pay the full rent on the house while you're gone?"

Fawnette looked at her and replied, "I bet you can come if you want, so you don't have to worry about the rent."

"But what if the landlord gives our house to someone else while we're gone? Or what if we can't find anywhere to live later? What about an attack by Nightma—"

"Flora, don't worry," interrupted Fawnette. "We'll be fine. Once we return home everything will be fine."

"O-ok..." said Flora.

Once Flora was done worrying about everything, Ashley said, "Anyway, I can give you all VIP passes once we're in Ponyville, ok?"

"Yay!" exclaimed Windi. She was floating in the air out of excitement, when she was usually much calmer. "So when are we going?"

"Umm...how about we take the 10 o'clock morning train tomorrow. Is that okay with you guys?"

"It's okay with me," Windi replied to Ashley. Windi settled onto the fancy rug.

"Us too!" Fawnette and Flora said in unison.

"Ok, so it's settled," said Ashley. "10 in the morning tomorrow! That means I should get back home to pack my bags."

"Yeah, me too," Fawnette agreed. "I guess we'll leave you to your packing, Windi."

"Yeah," said Windi. "I hope you guys enjoyed your stay here. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Ok, bye!"

After Windi's visitors left, she went to the entrance hall of her mansion and flew up to a balcony that led to the master bedroom. The bedroom appeared to have been just cleaned by one of her maids, as the carpet smelled fresher than it did earlier, and there were fresh sheets on her large bed. She went to her bed and removed several suitcases and bags from underneath it, and then started packing various objects, including a 10 foot tall lamp that folds up for easy storage.

Meanwhile at Fawnette and Flora's house, the two mares were packing their own things. Their house was of a modest size, and could house two equines without the invasion of privacy. However, despite the spacious house, things often got mixed up between the two mares.

Flora, who was studying two toothbrushes, asked, "Um, did you own the pink one, or the purple one?"

"Err... I think it was the purple toothbrush? Wait, no, didn't I have a blue one?" replied Fawnette, who was sorting her various medicines and syringes.

"A blue one? I don't remember you owning a blue one! By the way, I'm pretty sure this pink gown is my gown."

"Your gown?" Fawnette questioned. "I think not!"

"Oh really? 'Cause it looks better on me than you~"

"Don't tease me! Or I will...I'll...uh..."

Fawnette picked up one of her syringes and pointed it at Flora.

"Or I'll prick you!"

"Nooooo! Don't hurt me!" exclaimed Flora. She shrank back in fear of the syringe.

Fawnette felt a wave of guilt flow over her, and then she put down the syringe. "I'm sorry...I really shouldn't have threatened you like that."

Fawnette stared at the other corner of the room in guilt, when she heard her friend say, "I'm sorry too."

"Huh?"

"I shouldn't have been such a jerk to you. Why don't we both agree that fighting over this gown was stupid of us."

"I guess so...so we're still friends?"

"Sure...if you want to."

"Okay..."

Even though the two mares gave each other an apologetic hug, one could not help to feel the tension between them.

Ashley sighed as she stared at her mess of a house. Fallen papers were scattered everywhere on the floor. Her desk was covered with odd foreign objects that should be placed somewhere else. McDuff, her pet bird, somehow got out of its cage.

With a look of determination, the white colored unicorn started cleaning up her house.
She placed books back on her bookshelf, and threw out stray papers on the ground. Old markers were thrown out in favor of newer ones. A mop was taken out to clean up her hard, wood floor. The dishes were quickly washed, and she wiped up the counters in her kitchen. Finally, she cleaned up McDuff's cage and placed him back inside. In a few hours, her once messy house was sparkling clean.

Opening up a suitcase, she procceded to pack away her things for the move to Ponyville. After packing up her stuff, she passed out in her bed for the night.

A/N: I think I went a little overboard with Windi's house(Victorian speaking maids?). Oh well.

Chapter 3

As dawn cracked in Equestria, sunlight lit up the scenery outside. Mountains lined the sky, and some of the really large ones had snow on top. Also, animals were starting to wake up as the birds started to tweet their morning wake up song. The flora of the forests and fields also came into view as the sun came up, showing the world their leaves and blossoms. It was truly a sight to behold.

Sadly, Ashley Dusk had no time this morning to behold such a sight since she was busy getting herself ready for the trip to Ponyville that would start soon because she had overslept. She was brushing her brown mane so she could look presentable. Her mane was pushed to cover her right eye, and she added a green bow to it to complete the look. Satisfied, Ashley went to check her luggage to make sure she had everything.

"Oops! Almost forgot!"

The unicorn went to her pet McDuff's cage and opened it up. When the bird jumped out, it landed on her head, but she used her telekinesis magic to place him inside his kennel for the trip. McDuff started to chirp loudly when he realized that he was caged again.

"It's okay," Ashley cooed to the little round bird, "It'll only be for the ride."

Despite her efforts of calming down her pet, McDuff continued to chirp loudly, and Ashley Dusk decided to give up.

Noticing the time, Ashley Dusk rushed down the stairs and out the door with her luggage and kennel so she could get to the train station in time.

"There you are Ashley! What took you so long?"

Fawnette was looking at Ashley Dusk expectantly after inquiring about her abscence. The latter's formerly neat mane had been messed up in the rush to the station, and she was panting really hard too.

"Wow," started Flora, "Look at that mane. Here, let me fix it for you!"

The earth pony soon had a brush in her mouth, and she procceded to style Ashley Dusk's mane. When she finished, the result was a tall, ridiculous looking mohawk.

"Uhh..."

Ashley was bewildered at the oddity that her mane had become, but Fawnette soon restyled her hair back to normal.

"Flora! Don't do that!" exclaimed Fawnette after she had finished fixing the unicorn's mane.

"Hmph," retorted Flora. "I saw no problem with an edgier look."

"Yeah, but you could've asked her first!" replied Fawnette.

"So what? She needed it!"

"Needed? Who asked you for fashion advice?!"

"Since when was this fashion? 'Cause I can bet that I could be more fashionable than you!"

"Oh yeah? Well let me tell you! I've been queen of the Pony Prom before! Beat that!"

"Well, I've been queen—"

"The train! It's here!"

For that whole time, Windi was silent until the train had arrived.

"Come now!" Windi said. "Stop your bickering and board the train!"

"Who said we were bickering?" asked Flora, with a hint of a sneer in her tone.

"C'mon guys," said Ashley Dusk. "We'll be late if we don't get on. Besides, Windi got us the first class car."

"Fine," replied Fawnette. "But let's just hope that somepony doesn't decide to screw things up again." The pegasus's eyes shifted to Flora.

"What do you mean, 'screw up'?" retorted Flora.

Ashley and Windi rolled their eyes at them and boarded the train, with Fawnette and Flora following close behind.

When the mares got seated on the train to Ponyville, their ride started to move forward, and the scenery started to pass by them. Green trees on the side of the tracks were accompanied by shrubs and flowers, giving the landscape a fresh, natural feel. Ashley was napping on the train while Windi was silently staring out the window, for she prefered a quiet train ride to capture the scenery. With no one paying much attention, Fawnette and Flora started to chatter among themselves.

"So Flora," started Fawnette, "Do you think that Colorful Sound will be...you know, a snob?"

Flora looked at Fawnette with confusion and asked, "What? A snob? Ha! I doubt that, 'cause she's friends with a normal pony like Ashley!"

"I know, but she's known Ashley Dusk since she was a nopony. What if she's changed since she's gotten famous, and doesn't actually care about the normals?" said Fawnette.

"Well," Flora said, "If this is normals we're talking about, then I guess that Windi won't count here! She's loaded, and so is Colorful Sound! They'll be top celebs!"

"I regret to tell you, Flora, that I'm not famous."

Flora turned to Windi, who had suddenly broke her seemingly interminal silence.

"Huh? How could you not be famous?" asked Flora.

Windi replied, "Money does not always equal fame. The family I come from, while well known among the elite, is fairly obscure compared to the likes of Filthy Rich. If I were famous, then everypony would be talking about me and such."

"Haha, I still think you and Colorful Sound will get along, since you're so rich!" said Flora.

"Flora, do you really think that Colorful Sound is so superficial that she would only like Windi for her money?" asked Fawnette.

"Whatever, money is money," Flora said while yawning. She closed her eyes and started to nap.

The train was slowly winding down the tracks, taking its grand old time getting to Ponyville. With Flora asleep now and Windi being the only mare awake on the train, Fawntte decided to attempt to talk to her.

"Umm...hey Windi?" asked Fawnette.

Windi turned to Fawnette and said, "Yes?"

"Uh..."

It was generally hard to start a conversation with Windi without it being awkward at first.

"How's the scenery out there?" asked Fawnette, trying desparately to find a subject she would be interested in.

"Fine."

Fawnette sighed and decided that it would be useless to talk to her. Following the actions of Ashley Dusk and Flora, Fawnette fell asleep on the train.

"Thank you for riding the Neighway Express. We have now arrived at Ponyville."

Ashley Dusk and her friends woke up as they heard those words spoken by the conductor.

"Ahhh..." yawned Ashley, "I had the craziest dream...a blonde-maned mailmare took over Equestria and turned it into a muffin factory..."

"That's weird," said Windi, who was awake for the whole ride. "Why don't we get off the train? My legs have fallen asleep."

The four mares nodded in agreement, and got off of the train. A stallion took their luggage off the train as well.

"Here you go ladies," said the luggage stallion.

"Thanks," said Ashley Dusk. "Come girls! We need to go find Colorful!"

"Already a step ahead of you, Ash."

The mares turned around to see a pegasus with a peach-colored coat and a red mane. Her cutie mark resembled an odd mashup of a double eigth note and a rainbow. Surrounding her were a couple of stallions, presumably her bodyguards.

Ashley Dusk gasped and exclaimed, "Colorful! You're here!"

Chapter 4

Colorful Sound, after recieving Ashley Dusk's surprised reaction regarding her early arrival at the train station, said, "Yup. It's nice to see you again!"

Ashley Dusk and Colorful Sound gave each other a warm hug, and when Ashley pulled away, she gestured toward her friends with her horn and said, "These are my friends, Fawnette, Windi, and Flora."

"I see..."

Colorful studied the three mares in front of her. The first one, Fawnette, had a pink coat and a blonde mane with some red streaks here and there. Her soft blue eyes and warm smile made her seem like a motherly figure, so assumed Colorful. Judging from her cutie mark, she assumed that Fawnette was skilled in medicine and other medical affairs.

The one in the middle, Flora, was light green in color, had a straight-cut black mane, and possesed gold eyes. Also, she seemed to be a little taller than the other two mares. Perhaps she is of the sporty type, thought Colorful. Overall, she had an edgy appearance and seemed to be of the feisty type like the well-known Rainbow Dash.

Windi, the last mare, was a little smaller than the rest of them, and seemed a little childish at first glance. Her coat was cream in color, and her mane was mostly white with a random green streak in it. However, what completely contrasted the childish image she had was her eyes. They were blue like Fawnette's, only icier in color and more...open. It's as if she were staring right into her soul.

"Well it's nice to meet you three!" said Colorful. "I hope I get to know you guys well!"

"Nice to meet you, Colorful Sound," Fawnette said. "I'm Fawnette, and I work as a vet in Canterlot, though before I studied medicine I lived in Cloudsdale."

Flora walked up to Colorful Sound and started to introduce herself.

"Hi, I'm Flora. I also work at Fawnette's hospital as a receptionist, and as a filly I was a farmgirl, so I know a lot about plants and...um, what do you call it again, Windi?"

Windi answered, "Bontany."

"Yeah, what she said. So let's be super great friends!"

"Okay, Fawnette and Flora, thanks for introducing yourselves!" said Colorful.

Soon, Windi walked up to Colorful and held out her hoof.

"Hello, I am Windi. I hail from Canterlot, and I give flight instruction for those pegasi who have trouble with flight in general. I take my job very seriously. Now, let's shake our hooves," she said in a cold monotone.

Colorful looked at her hoof for a second and then shook hooves with Windi.

"Uhh...okay Windi," Colorful said, with a hint of reluctance in her tone.

"Thankies," said Windi.

"Uhh...yeah. So anyway, I need to show Ashley here to her temporary residence. I'm pretty sure the apartment buildings are on the west side of Ponyville, but watch out for the gang there. They call themselves the Jets," said Colorful.

"Okay..." said Fawnette, who was being skeptical about the idea of gangsters in Ponyville. "C'mon, Flora and Windi. We need to find a place to stay."

Fawnette, Flora, and Windi took their leave, and they left Ashley and Colorful at the train station.

"Shall we?" asked Colorful, pointing towards the station's exit.

Ashley Dusk replied, "Yes, we shall."

The two mares walked out of the crowded station and walked down a dirt road that led to the center of town. It was very busy that afternoon, with much construction going on. Several stallions were setting up the performance stage for the Ponyville Music Festival, and several more ponies were hanging up ribbons, balloons, and the like. Some ponies were on break, recieving apples from an orange earth pony with a blonde mane.

"Watch out!"

Ashley shifted to the side as a large hailstone as big as a small house fell from the sky, which almost crushed her.

"Uhh...sorry miss," said a grey colored pegasus, who was swaying in midair.

"Uggh," complained a blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane. "Derpy! You have to be more careful! Don't you see that you almost killed that unicorn?!"

"Uh-huh. I'm sorry. It won't happen again...I think..."

"Whatever, just watch it, Derpy, and don't screw things up again!"

After watching the two pegasi talk for a while, Ashley and Colorful continued towards their destination, a house that was owned by Colorful's agency.

"So Ash...how have been things going for you in Canterlot?" asked Colorful, who had started flying because she didn't feel like walking anymore.

Ashley Dusk sighed. "Buisness has been really slow...I thought that if I moved to Canterlot, then I would meet so many rich art collectors and museum owners that I would make easy buisness. However, it's been three years since I've been there, and so far nobody has taken much notice of me!"

"Well, it's not easy to get noticed among the public, especially if you come from very humble roots," started Colorful Sound, "and can't get support from even your parents. "

"Your parents? Why?"

Colorful Sound cleared her throat and said, "Well, when I was just a young filly in Cloudsdale, I was trained really hard in the art of making rainbows. In fact, my teachers said I was one of their best students in class."

"However, my dear Ashley, I found the life of creating rainbows dull and boring. You are always stuck with making the same seven colors in the same seven color order on all seven days of the week. There was no creativity or fun in it. It was just the same thing, over and over again. What I wanted was a new life: something fun, creative, and appealing to the senses. As I am a very avid music listener and enthusiast, I knew I wanted to join the ranks of well-known musicians such as Octavia and Vinyl Scratch."

"Sadly, I had what was probably the biggest obstacle for me: my parents. They always wanted me to pursue the art of making rainbows, since I was so good at it at the time. Every time I tried to make music, my parents would tell me 'no', and that I should 'be like your classmates and make rainbows'. Finally, I got fed up with the constant put-downs and left my home, and headed to Canterlot temporarily, which is where I found and befriended you."

"Oh..." remarked Ashley Dusk, realizing now that Colorful could've been stuck making rainbows for all of her life, instead of being a popular musician like she is now. "I see...my parents support me, but not financially."

The two mares stopped at a small, pink-colored house with small, foggy, and blue tinted windows. Old flower gardens were on display in front, with a cement birdbath next to the porch. It had a cramped feel about it, and the gardens were overgrown with weeds. Overall, the house was dilapidated and uncomfortable looking.

Ashley frowned and asked, "Uh...wouldn't your agency own better houses than this?"

Shaking her head, Colorful Sound said, "They do...but even though you're my friend, they put you on low priority. My manager told me that performers and famous ponies are of the highest priority...it's why I could only get housing arrangements for you and not for your friends."

A sigh came from Ashley Dusk's mouth. "Hnnn...I guess I could deal with this for now..."

"Don't worry, Ash," reassured Colorful. "This isn't the worst arrangement—just be glad you have indoor plumbing and heating!"

The pegasus looked at her watch and said, "Well, Ash, I must go, since I'm really busy this week. Just give me a call if you need anything!"

With that final statement, Colorful Sound spread her wings and flew off to the center of Ponyville, leaving behind her unicorn friend. As Ashley watched her friend fly off, she thought about her current situation in life. She was a poor, working class artist with no fame to her name, and her family wasn't very siginificant either. While she didn't come from poor roots, her parents were still humble, so she couldn't just recieve large sums of cash from them so easily.

Ashley Dusk turned around to enter the old house, and walked inside, carrying her luggage with her. It was actually quite cozy in there, despite being a little cramped. The room consisted of a couch, tv, and a work desk. A pathway led to a room that she assumed was the washroom, and a set of stairs were in the corner.

Opening her luggage bags, Ashley started to put away her things. Objects that she thought that she would need were unceremoniously shoved into drawers for later, including her VIP tickets. Suddenly, she started to hear chirping from McDuff's kennel.

"Sorry McDuff, almost forgot about you."

The unicorn opened up her pet bird's kennel and let McDuff free to roam the house. While he was exploring the alien surroundings, Ashley started to absent-mindedly talk to him.

"McDuff, do you think I'm naïve?"

McDuff ignored her and sniffed the brown couch.

"You know...lately I've been jumping into things, using false assumptions, thinking that if I do action X, I'll get Y?"

Ashley's pet chirped loudly, but then settled down into the couch's quilt to sleep.

"Because it's been like that for a while. I think, 'go to Canterlot, and get rich', but I'm still poor. And now I'm stuck in a musty old house!"

Ashley Dusk sighed and laid down on the couch. "Maybe I'm just tired from the trip...maybe if I take a nap, things will look shiny and new again."

She shifted around on the couch so she could hug McDuff. Using her telekinesis, Ashley picked up the quilt and put it over her body.

"Yeah...I just need a nap..."