Taviby HooverChaptersTaviThere For YouSweetapple Desires (Prequel)PonyvilleScootalooThe WarTaviTavi -Hoover "Hey Chance." "Yeah?" "You see that mare over there?" "Umm... Yeah." "Who is she?" I was looking at a mare about our age walking across the street. She had long, smooth black hair, and a soft grey body. Her cutie mark was a pink treble clef. "Why do you think I know?" my friend asked me. "Well, just to be on the safe side." I replied, watching the mare walk down the street. "Wait, are you...? Oh my god, Hoover, not this again. The last time you did this, you dropped out of college, ditched your roommate, and moved across Equestria." I used to live in Ponyville. I had an intense crush on a mare named Applejack while I was there. I was in college, and one night, while looking out the window, saw an advertisement for the Ponyville Lottery. I had won, and was so happy, I decided to go ask her, but instead, saw her kissing on a park bench. I overreacted and moved away the next morning. Now I live in Canterlot, basically living off of the lottery winnings, using one million primarily, and investing some of the rest. Chance is one of my best friends... Actually, he IS my best friend. He knows everything about me. "That was different. I never really ever talked to her. This time, I'll be better at it. And I won't... You know..." Last time I had talked to a pony I liked, I threw up for half an hour out of nervousness. Everytime I got close to AJ, I started to shake severely. "Hoover, let this one go." "You always say that." "Okay, when was the last time I said that? When?" "Remember that really hot dentist?" "...Oh. But the point is, I don't want you to get depressed again. You're a really boring person when you're depressed." "But she's wearing a bow tie! Come ON, man, I love bow ties!" "Oh, sure. Since when?" "...two minutes ago. But COME ON!!!" "No." "...You're a bitch sometimes, you know that? A real bitch..." I crossed my arms, disappointed. He sighed deeply. "...You really like this one?" "You don't even know, man." He sighed again. "Go for it." I smiled and got up from the table outside the café we always hang around. Hopping over the fence, I sprinted after her. Once she was within eyesight, I stopped running and tried to catch my breath. As soon as I was ready, I went for it. But when I got closer, I started shaking. Nervous thoughts running through my head, I stopped. What if she's already taken? Or what if she's not interested? What if she thinks I'm stalking her? Mind racing, knees trembling, and head aching, I sat down against a building, holding my head against my hooves. I did it again. I chickened out AGAIN. And now, I get to spend another day alone. I'd probably never see her again, and she must be long gone by now. All these thoughts rocketing through my head, I sat there and basked in my own depression, tears running down my face. I was just overreacting, like I did with Applejack. But this felt different. It didn't feel quite... The same. With AJ and that one hot dentist, all I wanted was their looks. But something about this new mare was different. Her atmosphere was...soothing. Just the way she walked and held her head in a low fashion made me feel calm and happy around her. All this from seeing a mare across the street for five minutes. Wow. She's the one, for sure. Definitely. And if not, then there is nopony out there for me. "So? How was the date?" Chance greeted me as I walked into his apartment a few hours later. "I did it again. I fucked it up again, man." "... Oh my GOD, MAN!!!... You gotta be shittin' me. Again? You need to get control of your emotions." "But I'm not gonna give up on this one. There was something different. Something... Something special about her." "I don't wanna hear it, bro. I'll take your word for it." I decided to go home an hour later, making sure I wasn't too drunk. Besides, tomorrow's my big day. The day I get over this damn nerve problem. I woke up earlier than usual to go camp out by the café again. Hopefully she would take the same path to wherever she was going. At about 9, I saw her. Casually getting up, I started to follow her from a good block-distance. She seemed to swerve with ease through the morning traffic of ponies in the street. Eventually, I gave up and just walked along the buildings. After a good ten minute walk through Canterlot, I arrived at a large building. Following her inside, I kept my distance. She disappeared once I made it through the door of the building. I didn't know where to go, so I wandered through the near-empty hallways. This seemed to be some kind of school for music. The insignia on the back wall of the main room had the letters CSU on them. Canterlot State University. While wandering, I heard a low strings instrument start to play. I traced the source back to an important looking door. Quietly opening it, I found myself in medium sized auditorium, with cushioned leather seats and a mahogany-wood stage, lit with dimmed lights. There she was. The pony. Playing a cello with her back turned to the rest of the room. It was a sad melody, and she seemed to be improvising, rather than reading it. Her body swayed with the tempo. She hadn't noticed me, so I sat down in the back row. She played so beautifully. Almost as if she were feeling my thoughts and translating them into music. She was beautiful. With her long, black, smooth mane, and her light purple bow tie. Or was it a pink... Arguably a VERY light maroon... Either way, I loved it. After she was done playing, she walked behind stage and pulled out her cello case. Packing up her things, she looked up to check the time and saw me, sitting in the back row. She immediately stopped, and then started up again, this time double speed, and rushed to the only door in the auditorium, right beside me. I could have sworn I saw a slight blush. "Hey." Chance greeted as I walked in. "Oh my God, bro. I love her." "Here we go..." "She plays the cello, has freakin' awesome hair, pretty eyes, and she's shy." "What?" "I'm pretty sure she's shy... She didn't say a word to me." "Wait, where did you meet her?" "I was listening to her playing cello in the auditorium." "Who else was there?" "...no one." He sat down on his sofa and held his head in his hooves. "...Smooth, man. Real fuckin' smooth..." "What?" "You pulled a creeper move. Alone in an auditorium with another mare, and you're just watching her? That's a creeper move." "Fuck you, then. I'll ask her out this time." "When is 'this time'?" "Tomorrow." Today was the day. The day I finally get over this nervous problem. I was at the café again, with lines ready to say in my head. I saw her walking down the street again, and this time, I casually stood up and walked toward her. This time, I would get to her before she got to the building. "...I, uh... I saw you playing yesterday. I'm Hoover, by the way." I had caught up to her. My body started to slightly shake, but I pushed it down as best as I could. "You play beautifully." I said after an awkward silence. She seemed to be looking anywhere but my direction. "So... I was wondering if you might want to, uh... Go out for dinner some time..." She stopped walking, and looked at me. But after a few seconds, she started walking again. "...She could've just said no." I said to myself after she had left. At 6 o'clock that night, I heard my doorbell ring. It was the mail guy. I opened the door and called him over. "This late? Really?" "It was a letter from somepony." "Alright... Just slip it under the door next time, okay?" "Sure." "See ya, Phil." I picked up the letter and walked inside with it. Opening it with a pencil, I pulled out the contents. Inside was a card that had been folded down halfway. I opened it and was greeted with a neatly written letter. I began to read... Dear Mr. Hoover, We have recently learned that you fancy our daughter, and would like to have a word with you... The letter went on about directions and the address. I was going to their house at 8 o'clock. My heart started thumping. This would change everything. I needed to make a good image for her parents. But... Does she live with her parents still? She seems a bit old to still live with them... Like, 4 years too old... Either way, it didn't matter. I had to make a good impression. At fifteen 'till eight, I went out the door of my apartment and ran into Chance. "Oh, hey man." I said casually, trying to get past him. He stopped me. "...Whatcha dressed fancy for?" He asked, frowning at my tie and combed-down hair. "I'm meeting that one mare's parents." "Holy sh- You're meeting her parents?!" "...Yeah. Why?" "This is great! You've never gotten this far!" "Well..." "Well what?" "I'm not sure what they're going to tell me. They didn't specify in the letter." "Oh... When?" "Eight." "Shit, man. What are you standing here for, go!" He shoved me down the hallway. I parked by the side of the road and got out. Before walking up there, I sighed and took a moment to think. What am I doing? I'm walking into a house and talking to people I don't even know. What if they disapprove of me? What if this screws it up for me?... I'm overdressed, probably. I took off the tie and tossed it in the back seat... Now I'm underdressed. I sighed and put the tie back on. Let's do this. I walked up to the front door, took a deep breath, and knocked. A moment later, an older stallion with black hair and a similar grey body answered. "Can I help you?" He asked, in a slight British accent. "I'm Hoover. You told me to come at eight?" "Oh! Yes, I'm terribly sorry, umm, come in, come in." Their house was nice, well furnished, clean, and the silverware. They had great silverware. Amazing silverware. Unbelievable. "My name is Treble, Treble Clef. Octavia is my daughter. My wife isn't here right now, she's giving piano lessons at the moment. Come on in, sit." We sat down in their living room, on opposite sides of the coffee table. "Octavia isn't here either, she's practicing for a concert she has coming up. So you fancy her?" "...Yes..." "Excellent! I'm sorry if she didn't talk to you much. She's the shyest filly I've ever seen... Huh. I call her a filly, but she's all grown up, now..." His eyes were focused on a small vase with a rose in it. "So... Is Octavia, available, so to speak?" He snapped back to reality. "Oh, oh, um, yes. She is VERY much available." "So... May I date her?" I asked awkwardly. "Oh, by all means, please! You'll be the first..." "...I'll be the first?" "Octavia's never had a boyfriend." "What?" "In all her twenty-four years of life, not ONE stallion has fancied her." I sat back, eyes wide in disbelief. "She was bullied all the time in school... Her first job was at a café down near the edge of town. But my wife and I knew she didn't want to do that all her life. So when she was out of college, I introduced her to the cello. She loved it. One day, while practicing, a purple treble clef appeared on her flank." "After college? She didn't get her cutie mark until after college?" "Not until one year after college. That's one of the reasons she was bullied. The main reason, actually." "...So does Octavia... You know... Like me?" "Oh, she loves you. She normally doesn't visit us, but she came today rambling on about you." That solved the question of her living with her parents. "She spent about twenty minutes talking about you. She doesn't know you're here right now, so don't tell her. But anyway, she really loves you. You just need to get to know her. After a while, she'll open up to you, don't worry." "So when may I start... You know, going out with her?" "Hmm... Are you free tomorrow?" "Yes! Of course! I'm always free!" "Well, that's great! Smashing news! Tomorrow at 6." The rest of the conversation was just him getting to know me. I started to leave at around 9:30. "Mr. Clef?" "Yes?" "You said you teach cello." "Yes." "Would you mind teaching me, if you have time?" "Why, of course! I'd love to!" "Thank you." With that, I left. At 5:45, the next day, I headed out the door. Today is going to change my life. Whether it be for better, or for worse. Either way, it gives me a break from sitting in my apartment making music on my laptop all day. The ride to Octavia's house was quiet, until Chance called me. "Hey bro." I said, answering the call. "You headed over there?" "Yeah." "And you remember what I told you yesterday?" "Yeah." "Alright... Well, good luck." "Thanks." He hung up. As I was approaching the address her father gave me, I checked my self. Deodorant, teeth brushed, showered recently, hooves washed, hair combed, and a slight scent of cologne. Not too strong, not too weak. I got out and walked up to her door. She lived at the end of a short road, in a nice house. Probably custom-made. I knocked on the door. After a few seconds, she answered. "Good evening..." she said, awkwardly looking down. She had a slight British accent, just like her father. "Good evening. I'm Hoover... May I come in?" I was starting to shake slightly. She nodded, and stepped back to let me in. "Did your father tell you I was coming?" I asked, not knowing for sure. "Yes..." We walked into her living room, and she gestured for me to sit down. A few minutes went by, with some scattered awkward conversation. "So... Do you like me?" I waited for a reply, but she just looked down, slightly blushing, and shifting in her seat next to me. "...Okay... Well... How long have you been playing cell-" She cut me off halfway with a hug. The best hug I had ever felt. Her arms were clasped tightly around me, and her head was snugged under my chin, against my chest. After a short moment of shock, I placed my arms around her as well. The hug lasted for a long time, or so it seemed. In my mind, I was shouting with joy. My eyes were beginning to tear, and my throat was choking up as well. After a while, I could feel her tears through my shirt. I woke up on Octavia's couch, with her cuddling against me. She had fallen asleep and looked on the verge of waking. I noticed something strange, though. A dampness on my shirt. Looking down to see what it was, I saw that Octavia had drooled excessively on me. She began to stir. "...Oh, hey." I said, trying to act casual, but failing miserably. She rubbed her eyes and stretched her hind legs, letting out a satisfied moan. Until she realized where she was. "...Oh... Oh my, I'm so sorry!" She said, noticing the massive drool spot on my shirt. "Nah, don't be... I'll just, you know... Wash it..." Things were getting awkward, so I rushed to save it. "So, you never answered my question. Do you like me?" She sat up, trying to flatten her mane with her hooves. I sat up, too. She blushed at the question, but with no smile. I waited... Still no reply. I knew how she felt... She could really use a hug right now. I leaned over again and took her into a side-hug. "...Yes. A lot, actually. More than I care to admit..." Looks like it worked. Comforting her lessened the awkwardness somehow, letting her feelings out easier. I squeezed slightly, stroking her hair with my embracing hoof. She was blushing a lot. "So, does this mean...?" I asked her. "...I think it does." I scooted closer to her, closing the gap. She rested her head on my shoulder, and I rested my head on hers. The dampness on my shirt was beginning to dry. The heat radiating from her body warmed me better than any blanket or sheet ever could, or would. My love was growing stronger by the second. "...Do you mind if I turn on the tv?" she asked, shifting to get more comfortable. "Not at all." She hugged me tighter, then leaned forward for the remote. I took her back into my embrace, and let her get comfortable. Before I knew it, my eyes were shut and a slight smile came across my face. The sound of the tv was fading, and soon, I couldn't hear it. I was lost in thought and happiness. I was never washing this shirt. It was going on my mantlepiece... Well, not literally, but you get the point. The bright side is, she likes me, I love her, and she's opening up to me. Last night was just the start. I got a call from Octavia at around 9:30 the next morning. She was starting to talk more. "...So do you want to come over today, or do you think we're going too fast to start off with?" She asked through the phone static. "I'd love to come over! When are you free? I mean, if you want to, then yeah, sure. I'm always willing." "Umm, sure!... How about eleven?" "Eleven it is." "Goodbye." "Bye..." I hung up. In two days, I got a girlfriend. I feel like I should get a medal. On top of that, she's beautiful as can be, actually wants to be with me, and smells like those apple-cinnamon candles you get at Bath & Body Works. I opened the curtains to be cheerfully greeted by the sunny morning-view of the Canterlot skyline... Well, not really skyline, considering I'm on the outer rim of Canterlot, so I can still see the rooftops of a few buildings. So, theoretically, it still IS a skyline, just not as magnificent as a Manehattan or Fillydelphia skyline. I could just barely see Ponyville from here, but it was impossible to make out any buildings. There was a thick whisp of clouds and some jet-streams. It was a beautiful day. Walking out of my room to get breakfast, I ran into Chance again. "Oka- Why are you always in the middle of the hallway when I walk out the door? Your room is like, what? Two floors above me?" He shrugged, and we continued downstairs. After breakfast, I decided to go ahead to Octavia's. I checked myself. Showered, teeth brushed, deodorant, clean clothes, washed hooves, flossed, and an ever so slight scent of cologne. When I got to her house, I checked the clock. 11:00 am. Huh, perfect timing. I walked up to the door, more confident this time, and knocked. The door opened almost right as I knocked, and I was greeted by the same apple-cinnamon scented mare, this time with a warm hug. She let go, and looked at me, smiling with those beautiful violet eyes. Quickly, I checked what was different about her. Makeup, hair, clothes, attitude, anything? Hmm... She did seem awfully happy to see me, she had the hottest eyelashes I had ever seen, but she had that on yesterday. She's not wearing any makeup. Good. I hate it when mares cake on all their lipstick and blush... It looks fake. She did, however do some things to fix up the house. At least, what was left TO fix up. It was very neat last night. I also noticed some candles burning. "You seem very different. A lot less awkward than yesterday. And I like the candles. They add a nice... Atmosphere." She turned around and looked at me. She looked confused. "What I meant was, ahh... I screwed it up already..." She giggled and led me out onto her porch. On her porch were two armchairs, sitting directly side by side, and a view over all of Canterlot. "It's beautiful" I said, not sure if I meant the view or her. She motioned me over to the chairs. We sat down, and I noticed the small trays with tea she prepared on them. A few minutes went by, both of us slowly sipping our tea, but I noticed she kept glancing down at the armrests... Wait, not the rests, the arms... My arm... I slid my hoof next to hers, and she slid hers to mine. Now we were holding hooves. I was squealing like a filly inside. I would have only dreamed of this moment a few days ago. Sure, it's next to nothing compared to an hour-long hug and snuggling, but, hey. It's all good. The minutes went by silently, and I couldn't detect any hints from her to start a conversation, so I let it be so. After a while, she looked over at me. I looked at her. I stared longingly into her dark-purple eyes, smiling. She stared back, smiling her gorgeous smile. I loved everything about her. Her amazingly smooth black mane, her soft grey skin, awesome bow tie, which she wasn't wearing now, and her beautiful white smile. We sat there for what seemed like hours, staring at the scenery. Suddenly, though, she got up, and walked to her iHome to put on some music. I looked at the clock. 11:17 am. I sighed. Fifteen minutes felt more like fifteen hours. She put on an album from the Beatles. One of my favorite bands. She sat back down. "...I love this song..." I said, closing my eyes and absorbing the sounds. She held my hoof again. Not too far into the album, a song came up. My favorite song. Also hers. We looked over at each other again. Nopony else was around. We both loved each other. Potentially romantic music in the background. A perfect setup. She started to move closer to me. I leaned further in to her. Her eyes were closed, and her head slightly tilted. I tilted mine the other way and closed my eyes as well. We kept moving closer. The wait was near-unbearable. Our lips made glorious contact, and we pressed together. My other hoof reached up to her face and gently stroked her cheek, moving on to her hair. Then she sank back down to her seat, and I to mine. I. Felt. Amazing. My first kiss. Was with Octavia. I couldn't help but smile. We sat there a long time and waited for her playlist to finish. At around 4, we went inside and talked in her living room. Telling stories, discussing things, general talking. This continued for longer than either of us expected. Soon it was near 8 o' clock. "...I should probably get going... 'Cause it's getting pretty late." "Nooooo, don't leave..." I stood up and started walking to the door, when I heard a disappointed sigh from her. I stopped. "You know what, who says I have to leave yet?" The smile on her face was priceless. I joined back with her in the living room. She was wrapped up in a blanket on the sofa, and gestured me over to her. I half-lay down, leaning against the armrest. She scooted over to me and wrapped us both in the blanket. She turned on the Tv. Wow. Here I was, once again cuddling with Octavia. This time wrapped in a blanket. I was happy, she was happy, and we had our first kiss today... On the second date... Maybe we're going too fast? Either way, I don't care. I love her, and she loves me, and that's all that matters right now. I was woken by Octavia. I had fallen asleep again. I gotta stop doing that. The thing is, it was the morning. And it looks like she had fallen asleep, too. She started rubbing her eyes, then realizing what was happening. "...Did we just...?" "I think we did... Dang." She got up and flattened her hair down. "I'm gonna take a shower." she said, walking to her room. I heard the water turn on. All I had to do was wait... Huh... Her whole house smells like apple-cinnamon... I picked up a magazine, only then realizing it was a mare's health magazine. I sighed and tossed it back on the table. There isn't much to do but wait... Then I began to wonder. Are we going too fast? I mean, I just slept with her. On the second date. I mean, it wasn't THAT kind of sleeping with her, but still. Maybe we should take a few day's break... Unless she really wants to be with me a lot... In which case, sure. But still... Before I knew it, the water turned off. A minute later, she came out, fresh and clean. And beautiful. What did I expect? "So... Do you think we're going too fast?" I asked her, wondering if she was thinking the same thing. "I don't know... If you think we need a break, then I guess..." she had a disappointed tone in her voice. "I mean, I'm always happy to be with you, but I had a feeling you were getting... You know." "What? Why would you think that? I don't do anything all day, I'd love to have you over as often as you're willing." "...I'm always willing." "Then that's great." she sat down next to me, and rested her head on my shoulder. She removed it after a short moment. "You need a shower." "Yeah... I'll drop by my apartment, take a shower, get things checked on, and I'll be back within the hour." She leaned forward and hugged me, then we both got up. I headed out the door, and she walked into the kitchen. After I had gotten a shower, I came back to her house. I opened the door and smelled, once again, apple-cinnamon. Shocker. Octavia had made breakfast, and it looked amazing. After breakfast, we ventured back to the living room. That seemed to be our go-to place. She smiled at me, and I back at her. Before I knew what was happening, we were kissing again. Not rough enough to be a make-out session, but still, somewhere around that area. 6 months and 47 dates later, we were sitting on a park bench. Her father had been teaching me the cello for as long as I had been dating her. I was getting pretty good, but still needed practice on a few pieces. It was winter, and it had just started to snow down on us. It was nearly sunset, and we were at the edge-park of Canterlot, so the orange rays of the sun were streaming in on us and reflecting off the icy paths. She was wearing her black winter coat and a maroon scarf. I was wearing, yes, a black winter coat, but had a red plaid scarf. Our scarves were amazing. They were so soft, and insulated very well. Not to mention the designs. Mine had a very interesting looking plaid, and hers had perfectly aligned stripes. They were cheap, too! Very high quality, and unbelievably comfortable. My arm was laying across her shoulders. My iPod lay between us on the bench, and we both had an earphone in. With the Beatles playing again, our song came up again. I laughed slightly, remembering how I felt that day. She rested her head on my shoulder and smiled. I closed my eyes and did the same. "...I love you..." I said for the hundredth time. "I love you too" she said, shifting to get in a better position. With the beautiful sunset beaming down on us, the snowflakes resting atop our shoulders, and our really cool scarves, I knew everything was well. There For You Inspired by this song ^^^ There For You -Hoover I was walking with Tavi from the hospital. Nothing would be the same. My love would still remain, but life in itself would change for both of us. Three days ago, we got in a car wreck. I was okay, and the ponies in the other car were only slightly injured. But... Octavia... My Tavi... Was paralyzed. Only her two hind legs were damaged, she had to travel by wheelchair. I can't stand looking at her like this. She's been depressed for a long time. I love her, so, so, so much... It's impossible to know all that could change. Chance came over today. He brought flowers, poor guy, he didn't know Octavia had allergies. He picked them from the park. All the same, Tavi smiled at him, and kept them. We had dinner, and I had the best time I've had in weeks. Tavi's seeming to get back to her normal self, thank Celestia. But she'll wake up early and go on the porch. I see her sitting there, in her wheelchair, watching the sun rise. Twice I've stood up, and almost went to her side, but it seems she keeps secluding herself from me, so I left her alone. I invited Chance over again, this time for a game of cards and a beer. He loves beer, he couldn't say no. He got here at around 9:45. "Hey, man. You're late." I said, giving him a bro-hug. "You said late night, I'd say I'm early." he said, walking in and looking around. "Where's Octavia?" I answered this by knocking on our bedroom door. She wheeled herself out, and smiled at Chance. "Hey, Octavia, how ya been?" Chance said, with his happy-go-lucky attitude. We sat down at our table, and I started shuffling the cards. About an hour later, during our second game, Octavia said she'd turn in for the night. I kissed her on the cheek and rolled her into our room to help her get into bed. When I came out, I closed the door. Chance started up the conversation again, changing the subject. "So you said Octavia's been pulling away lately?" He started. "Yeah, I mean, every morning she goes onto the porch, and I see her just looking out at the hills, and, I mean, normally she'd wake me up and we'd both go out there together, but she just seems to be secluding herself more since he accident." "Get your shit together and talk to her about it." "W-...What?" I said, confused. "Cut the shit, bro, if I let you handle this by yourself, in three days you'd be on the streets cryin' your eyes out. Talk to her. Get it over with." "I will, jeez. And quiet down, you're gonna wake Tavi." "I hope I do, then we can get this over with." "Are you fucking kidding me!?" I shout-whispered at him. "She's going through a lot. She practically doesn't have legs anymore. I'm trying my best to make life as easy for her as possible. I don't fully close the doors anymore, so she can just roll into them and they open. And you know I'm OCD. I even restocked all the soap in the house." "You did not." He replied jokingly. "Go check." I ordered. He got up, pushed his chair back in, and walked to the bathroom. He opened the cabinet under the sink, closed it almost immediately, and came back. "You bought four bottles of refill soap? FOUR FUCKIN' BIG-ASS BOTTLES?!?!" "YES! For each bathroom! And I'm not gonna let a fucking thing inconvenience her, so you just sit there and be quiet!" We calmed down, sighed a few times, and changed the subject. "...You still doin' cello?" "No, gave that up a while back. Just drums now." "Snare, bells, or...?" "Trap set." "Hm... Anyway, not much point in me being here anymore, so, guess I'll see you later." "Alright... Hey, and Chance." I caught him before he closed the door. "I'll try and talk to her." He closed the door, and was off. I sat there, wondering what I should say, and when. Maybe it's just a phase. Maybe it's not. I stood up, and turned off the lamp. While waiting for my eyes to adjust, I noticed the moon. Once they adjusted, I walked out onto the landing "This is a beautiful night, Luna..." I said to myself. I saw something move in the sky, and the Princess herself glided down, radiating purple and blue. I bowed almost immediately. She landed on the porch, and looked down at me curiously. "You are looking worried." She said, thankfully talking quietly. "Rise." I stood and looked at her. She was less intimidating up close. "My wife and I were in a crash a few days ago, your Majesty. She was paralyzed in her hind legs, and I've been having trouble with her." "Hath thou not spoken with this wife of yours?" "I was about to, but I'm not quite sure." Silence followed. Princess Luna was looking out over the horizon, all well-light by the glowing moon. After a few minutes, she looked back at me. "Speak with your loved-one, for you shall resolve this problem. I wish you luck, dear villager." With that, she took off, and one of her wings brushed my blue mane, and the spot glowed for a few seconds after. I felt a sudden confidence. I stepped back inside, removing myself from the view over Equestria. When I walked into the room, I heard the sheets rustle, followed by a sniff, and a stifled cry. The sound broke my heart, and my throat choked up. I lay on the bed, and put my arm around my Tavi. My lovely, wonderful Octavia. She stopped trying to hide her tears, and was soon sobbing in my arms. I waited for her to calm down, holding back tears from the sound of Octavia's sorrow. When I heard her breathing steadily, I looked down. "Hey, what's going on?" I asked in the sweetest, most gentle tone I knew. "It's... Ever since the wreck, I've felt so helpless. I feel so..." "What?" I asked. "After my legs got messed up... I thought..." "...You thought what?" She remained silent. "Tavi, you've got to tell me what's going on." "I thought you wouldn't... love me anymore..." "What? What would make you think that, I've always loved you!" "But when my legs were paralyzed... I thought..." She kept crying. It was time. "Tavi, remember that day on the street, where I asked you to dinner?" She nodded. "I haven't stopped loving you since. That day you fell asleep and left a huge drool spot on my shirt, that day, I felt like you were the one. But I didn't want to tell you. I've never been good at talking much. I've always loved you, since the minute I saw your beautiful face, your amazing mane, your awesome bow tie, and your eyes. God, those eyes. Those lovely purple eyes. I'll always be there for you, no matter what happens. Just because your legs were paralyzed doesn't change anything between us. I love you. And don't you ever think anything else." She rubbed her eyes with her hoof, and looked up at me. Her beautiful gaze, overflowing with love, her hair dipping into her face. Tear-lines down her grey cheeks. I smiled, and kissed her. We sat for a long time, for a short time kissing, and the rest, just lying there, until we both drifted to sleep in each-others arms. It was morning now, and light flooded the room, making the white sheets glow. Octavia was sound asleep, and beautiful as ever. Sure, her mane was a bit tangled, but who cares. I smiled at the sight of her so peaceful. She stirred. "...Hey..." She said to me, after turning her head to look around. Her voice was a bit hoarse, and the softest it had been in days. I reached my hoof to stroke her hair, and she moved over to me. "...What you said last night... You meant it?" she asked. "Every word." I replied. "...I'm gonna take a bath." she said, mumbling. She got out, and wheeled herself to the bathroom. I got up, brushed my teeth, and headed for the kitchen. "Hoover!" Tavi called. "Yes?" I called back. "Are you in the kitchen?" "...Yes..." "Don't cook anything!" "Why?" "You're horrible at it." That hit the feels. Like, critical hit. I had always thought I was pretty good at cooking. Tavi always said that. I guess after last night, she opened up a little bit more. After her bath, she wheeled over to me. Her hair was smoother than I had ever seen. I gave it a sniff. It smelled like apple-cinnamon. Like it always does. Like the entire house always does. "So... I suck at cooking?" I said, once we were in the car. "Well... Yes." "Wait, you mean like, 'needs work', or 'tastes like ass?' 'Cause there's a big difference." "Somewhere in between." "Man, you could have told me sooner. Now I feel bad, 'cause you had to suffer through that shepherd's pie last Tuesday." The rest of the car ride was mostly quiet, besides us debating where to go to breakfast. We were mostly quiet at breakfast, up until this point. Tavi didn't seem to be hungry, neither did I. "So... How ya feeling?" I asked, trying to start up conversation. "I'm feeling well..." she said, looking down, seemingly at her lap, but she could have been staring at the floor. I sighed. What was going on? We just got married two weeks ago, and she was so happy at the wedding! And the honeymoon, she couldn't stop smiling. I was tearing through my head to try and find out just what the hell was going on. I felt like I was back at square one. No, before square one. Before I even saw her on the street. It wasn't but an hour ago that we were talking about the talk we had last night. She seemed normal then, but she quickly faded back to this mare blocked-off from society. ...Then I realized. What if this was beyond what I knew? What if it's not that she doesn't feel loved, it's that she feels TOO loved. As in, can't decide between the two of us. Us being me, and the other guy. "What's going on?" I asked, more imperatively this time. She looked up, and had a redness in her eyes. She looked like she was trying to soften me up. I blew right through it. "..." she looked at the ground. "Look at me." I said. She looked, and I repeated. "What. Is going. On?" "W-what do you mean?" she replied, with fake innocence. I bit my lip, and looked at the clock. I couldn't believe this. After all we've been through, why would she do this to me, to herself? She pretty much confirmed that she was cheating when she stuttered the 'W'. "Stop making excuses. What's going on?" "I've been... I... I'm so sorry..." "After everything we've been through?" I had another revelation. "...How long?" "...Three months..." I stood up, and started walking, but Octavia said something. "It's not what it seems." I stopped. "You and another guy doing it behind my back. It's exactly how it seems." "It's... Let's go. We'll talk it over in the car." "What the hell? What the fucking hell is this?!" We were stopped in an empty lot. It looked like it hadn't been cared for in years, so I knew nopony was around. "Why would you do this to me?" I asked. "After everything I've done for you. I had a talk with your father the day before our first date. He said you loved me. Looks like he must have lied, 'cause I ain't feelin' the love." "It was a long time ago! I was in college, and a talked back to one of the stallions harassing me. They teamed up on me... and..." "They fucked you. There's no better way to say it." "And they kept on. Every week. Until eventually, I moved away. I ran into one at a restaurant, and he pulled me into the restroom. He wouldn't stop... He asked where I lived, and if I didn't answer, he said he'd cut me." She showed me her arm. There were multiple faint scars running down it. "And every week since, he's made me go to that same bar. And If not..." "He'd go after me." "I didn't let him, I swear, I- I struggled, but he was too strong. I'm ashamed I waited this long to tell you... I thought I could-" "Well that's how affairs work. You think you can get away with it, then shit happens and all of a sudden, uh-oh. You got caught. Only this isn't an affair. This is rape. And this son of a bitch is gonna get what's coming for him. Where's he from?" "He tried to start a conversation at the bar, he said he was from Ponyville." I was no longer angry at Octavia. It was clear now. Clear why she was depressed. She was so worn out from the weekly visits to that goddamn bar, she had no energy left. Well, since a few days ago, she could no longer go to the bar alone, which meant... "I'm taking you home." I was on the road to the bar. Tavi told me which one. There were roads on the mountainside leading out from Canterlot. Off to the side was a well-running bar. She was to meet him every Tuesday at 8PM. I got out, and headed in. The bathrooms were exterior, like at a gas station. I knocked on the stallion's room. "I ain't done." "This the guy I was supposed to meet?" "...Whudduya mean?" "I was told to meet a guy here. You him?" The door opened. "Boy, I'm s'pposed to meet a girl here. Every Tuesday. Now you's is blockin' the way, so please, fuck off before somethin' happens that you'll regret." "Black hair, grey body?" "Yeah, so what?" "Purple eyes? British accent?" "Yeah. What, you wanna join me? Oh, I see, you gotta fetish for Brits, too, eh?" He said, laughing slightly with that last sentence. "Yeah..." I faked a laugh. "The thing is, that same mare was involved in a car accident a few days ago. Paralyzed her legs. So she sent me, instead. You see, She's got a husband. And he's just found out about you and her. He ain't too happy about it, either." "And how the fuck do you know?" "He's me. And I'm here to fuck shit up. Welcome to Canterlot, faggot." Two hours. For two hours, I beat that sick fuck 'till shit came out his mouth. The bathroom stalls were splattered with his blood. He fought like a filly. He was still alive, he'd make it through the night. But that ass-hole better have learned not to fuck with me. I sat down in my car, and started back towards Canterlot. I glanced at my phone. '47 Missed Calls' I laughed slightly. That's my Tavi. When I got home, I opened the door quietly. Tavi was on the sofa, wrapped in her blanket, sleeping. The TV was still on. I washed the blood off my hooves, and walked over to her. I sat down, and got another blanket from behind the coach. I cuddled her from behind, which woke her. "Did you...?" "Hells yeah." She smiled, and I kissed her. The rest of the night was silent. I smelled her hair, it smelled wonderful. Like apple-cinnamon (wow), but still had the smell of real hair in it. Before long, my eyes were closed, and so were hers. Everything was sorted out. Now I could sleep better, knowing that I had just taken care of our relationship's potentially biggest problem. And had fun, too. Tavi was back to herself. The moment I woke up, she gave me like, a three-minute kiss. She no longer segregated herself from me. She was around me a lot. Actually, it got kind of annoying sometimes. But she's not being abused anymore. Chance came over a week in a row for a card game and a beer each night. Chance was moving to Ponyville again. He said he was looking for a 'soulmate' as he called it. Apparently, Canterlot mares are too snobby for his taste. With Tavi's and my job stabilizing on a pretty high pay, we may just get enough money and move there with him. OH DANG. I haven't told you my job. I'm a software engineer. It helps knowing a lot about computers. Tavi, as you know, plays cello. Everything's good in life. Tavi still has trouble getting around in her wheelchair. But I mostly roll her along with me. We were on the train to Ponyville. Four months. Four months is all it took for Tavi and I to get enough money (combined with the lottery remains) to move back and still keep a stable balance. Tavi and I were in the compartment alone, until another couple came along. I was busy with our suitcases, while Tavi talked with them. Their voices sounded so familiar... I sat down, and, well, pretty much just shit bricks. "Oh shit." "Oh shit... Hoover." I looked at the other mare. "Oh. Shit. On a stick." It was Applejack. And my old roommate. Cedric. Oh. Fucking. SHIT. Sweetapple Desires (Prequel)Sweetapple Desires -Hoover Just in case someone can't understand, PREQUEL means BEFORE THE REST OF THE STORY. Now that we're clear, here we go- "Hey bro?" "Yeah?" "It's four." "Shit!" I scrambled out of my computer chair and slammed my laptop closed, shoving it into a bag. Rushing to get my jacket on, I ran down the hallway. Three flights of stairs and a sprint down the street later, I was at the Ponyville marketplace. I jogged over to my regular position, pulling my hood up, pulling out my laptop, and putting on my headphones. I could see her from here every Tuesday and Thursday. My roommate called me a stalker, but I just come here to look at her from a distance, not follow her. So, technically, I'm not "stalking" her. I'm just admiring her from a distance. With her younger sister helping her sort the bits and produce, she would sit at her stand and sell apples all day. But the only time I could spare was four PM until whenever she decided to close down her shop. I'm in college, you see. I make music to make money for college. My parents kicked me out after tenth grade, disappointed at my love for techno and dubstep. Also disappointed by my poor grades. I've never had a girlfriend before, and never thought I'd want one. Until I saw her. Applejack. Selling apples all day. I'd only ever gotten enough nerve to actually go and buy some apples twice. And right after I bought them, I had almost collapsed from my knees shaking so much. Back at my room, my roommate, Cedric, was asleep. I sat down at the small, cheap desk we shared, and opened up my laptop. Opening up my music program again, something outside caught my eye. A large neon sign had just been turned on, its orange and yellow lights adding on to all the other lights' glare off the icy street. It simply said 'lottery'. I thought about it, until I eventually stood up and walked down to the street. The next day, I woke up extra early to go see when the Apple Family opened their stand. When I got to my bench, nopony was in their spot. I waited for about an hour, until realizing I was about to be late for one of my classes. At 4 PM that afternoon, since I had nothing planned, I decided to go to my position again. There she was. Selling apples. I sighed deeply, and began to wonder how much longer this would go on for me. If I sat here, day after day, not doing anything, how would we ever be together? That is, if we WOULD ever get together... That was another problem. How am I going to ask her? What if she doesn't feel the same way? Or what she's a lesbian? 'NO!!', I thought-shouted to myself. 'I won't think that way.' But either way, Now isn't the time. Or the place. Maybe I could ask her when they're packing up... No, not today... Or tomorrow... Or any day after that... I'll never get enough nerve to ask her... After packin' up our stand, we headed back to the farm. "Hey sis." Applebloom got my attention. "Yeah?" I replied, adjusting my hat. "What's fer dinner again? Ah forgot." "Again? I told you not ten minutes ago!" I sighed. "Chicken 'n dumplin's and cornbread, and some apple pie for dessert. And if you ask again, I swear, I'm takin' you to the hospital. Yer memory's been real bad lately." The rest of the walk home was quiet, except for a few chunks of snow fallin' off the tree branches. When we got inside, Applebloom and I shook off the snow on our backs and hung our jackets up on the coat-hangers. Granny Smith and Big Mac were in the kitchen. Granny was teachin' Big Mac how to cook. In case she were to kick the bucket a bit too early, we would have somepony to take better care of us. We sat down to eat, Applebloom beating everypony else there. After everypony sat down, we said the blessing and started. Applebloom grabbed the silverware and started to hack at the chicken. I caught her before she got a piece to her mouth. "Woah, there, partner. Not so fast." She sighed in annoyance, and put down her silverware. Taking her napkin from her lap, she tucked a corner in the collar of the sweater she had on. "NOW can I eat?" "Now you can." Good thing I caught her, too. That little filly is the messiest eater in Equestria. After we were all done with pie, Applebloom hopped down from her chair and started walking to the kitchen. "Hold up, Applebloom. No seconds tonight." I told her. "What? Why not?" she replied, clearly disappointed. "Apple sales ain't doin' too well this year. We're gonna have to cut back a little." "Cut back? We never had to cut back before! Why ain't the sales doin' good?" I sighed. "Well, I guess this batch of cider wasn't as good as the rest." This was a lie, though. Everypony loved the cider. I didn't know a single mare or stallion that didn't buy a mug everyday. But there was a hole in the shed, givin' those wild animals a way to all our apples. And a week ago, the roof had collapsed, ruining an entire bin of apples. And Big Mac and my room are infested with termites. There was a bear using the back barn door as a scratchin' post, and half the cows were sick. The chicken coop was rotting, or at least its roof was, from the moisture of the snow. In short, we needed money. Lots. We all said good night, and went to our rooms. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't help but worry about all our problems, or how we would fix it. I barely got an hours sleep that night. I woke up next Sunday morning, still half asleep. Cedric was staring straight at me. "Hoover?" He asked. "Yeah?" "We need to talk." "So, tell me, when do you plan on actually 'asking' Applejack out?" he asked after breakfast at Pony Joe's. We were in the library. "What? Oh, not this again. I'll do it later." I said, reaching for my laptop bag. He stopped me. "No. There is no 'later'. There is now. And only now." I sighed. "Fine, let's get this over with." "What do you like about her?" "Look, I already told y-" "I don't care." "...Her mane, eyes, her hat, voice, how she talks to people... Everything." "Good. 'Cause you're going to need to. Because I invited her over here today." "What!?! Are you-" I stopped myself from shouting. "Are you fucking crazy!?" "No, I'm not. You are. If you don't get to know her, you're NEVER going to get her to go out with you. So, you're gonna get to know her. Every Sunday at eleven. At this exact spot. Okay?" "Umm... Uh... Oh geez... Uhh... Where are you going to be?" I asked, nervously panting. "For the first few times, I'll be sitting over there." He said, pointing to a desk across the room, partially concealed by a bookshelf. "Now, the scenario is, she's supposed to meet me to talk about getting Applebloom into a good school after she graduates. And I'll be running a bit 'late'. So you keep her occupied, ask some questions, get to know her, and in a few minutes, I'll come in and you'll be free to go." "So I just-" "Oh, here she comes" he said, pointing out the window. He ran around back to his desk. She walked in, and, as I expected, started toward my direction. "Hey, uh, have you seen a pony in a sports jacket around here? Name's Cedric?" I shuttered inside. If I screwed this up, it would all be over. "Yeah, he's, uh. A good f-friend of mine. H-he's my r-rommate." "Are you alright? Cause yer shivering right now." Oh shit. I was doing it again. Like I did at the stand. Shaking when I get too close to her. She sat down, and I started to shake less. "Yeah, I'm fine." I said, nervously laughing. "So, uh, do ya know where he is?" she asked. "He said he'd be here in a bit." my shaking was calming down. "Alright..." she took off her hat and smoothed down her hair. Oh god. I love it when she does that. And then the shakes started up again. I squeezed the handle of my laptop case to try and calm myself. But it didn't help much. "So where ya from?" she asked, sitting back. "Ponyville." my voice was calming down. "Well, me too! Well, I mean that's kinda... Kinda obvious... Since, you know, Sweetapple Acres, and whatnot..." she was starting to look down. This conversation was dying. I rushed to save it. "So how's the family?" What the FU-?!?! What was that???? 'How's the family?' What kind of question was that!?! I was screaming at myself in my head, and bit my lip in realty, all the while squeezing harder on my handle. "Well that's mighty thoughtful of you!" 'Oh, thank God.' my hand stopped squeezing. "Um, actually, not so good right now. With it bein' Winter and all, the snow's finally begun to wear down on the farm. So, as you can imagine, we'd need money to repair the damages, but the roof has collapsed on some of our stored produce, so we don't have much else to sell. But there's nothin' can be done 'bout it now. Now how about you? How's yer life goin'?" "Well, uh... Being in college is kinda... kinda rough, so my grades aren't doing too well... And, uh, I work on music on my laptop, and uh, that's... Pretty much... It..." It was coming. That sick feeling I had whenever I got this nervous. And I had only gotten this nervous once before. That was when I bought some apples that one day. And that day, I had thrown up... Which meant... "Would you excuse me for a seco-" I could feel it coming. I got up and ran for the door. I didn't care where I did it. As long as I did it away from her. Sprinting past other students and tripping over their saddlepacks, I ran out the doorway and down the hall. Luckily, there was a bathroom to the left. It was locked. And things weren't getting better for me. Already I had a half-mouthful of vomit ready to come out. Was I THAT desperate? The next surge of stomach acids said I was. I charged into the mares' restroom. Thank Luna there was nopony in there, because once I was in, my stomach unleashed its hot fury. Yellow-ish orange chunks flew across the air and splattered off the floor and my hoodie. I crashed down on my knees at the foot of one of the toilets, head hanging low. A half-hour later, after my nerves had settled and my vomiting stopped, I got up to go to the sink. But when I turned around, Cedric was there. "...the door was loc-" "I know. What the HELL WAS THAT!?! I give you two some TIME ALONE, AND YOU FUCKING BLEW IT!??!" "It's not my fault!" I pleaded. "Then who's fault is it!?" he was breathing heavily, and was clearly pissed off. "...I'm sorry abo-" "I DON'T GIVE A SHIT IF YOU'RE SORRY!!! I gave you a chance, and you fucked it up! That's as simple as it gets!... I mean, like, how many signs do you need?" "Just... Why are you trying so hard? For me? Why can't you just, LET me take care of this?" "Because if I 'let' you take care of it, you're just gonna sit at home and DO NOTHING!!! YOU'LL JUST MOPE AROUND ALL DAY!!! Because you're too much of a chickenshit to ask her out!" "I get nervous. I shake. And I vomit when I get too close to her! I would LOVE to ask her out. But my body won't FUCKING LET ME!" Our argument had attracted the unwanted attention of some nearby mares. Two guys in a mares' restroom shouting at each other. One covered in vomit, the other in a letter-jacket. Cedric stormed out, muttering curses, while all the other mares stared at me. "...The door was locked." I said gesturing to the stallions' restroom. They stared blankly as I walked out of the bathroom and down the hall. "Again? Why aren't the sales good this year?!" Applebloom was real upset about not gettin' her second helpin' again. "I know you're a growin' filly and need yer vitamins, but we just cayn't afford it." "But why not? We NEVER had money problems before. Never!" "Listen, sugarcube. I didn't want to have to tell you this, but..." I looked over to Big Mac. He nodded. "The barn's fallin' apart." I started. "Termites, raccoons, bears, everything. And all this snow's gettin' mildew on the wood, which makes it weak. So we lost a good deal of our produce last week." "Well, can't ya fix it?" "Fixin' it takes money, and that's somethin' we don't have much of right now." "...well what CAN we do about it?" I sighed. "Just hope we get through." That night, I was woken by a smoky smell. 'Fire!' was my immediate thought. But that seemed ridiculous, what with the record-breaking coldness this Winter. But I couldn't be too safe, could I? Once I looked outside my window, fire met my eyes. My heart started beatin'. "BIG MACINTOSH! APPLEBLOOM! GRANNY SMITH! FIRE!" I heard them get up quickly through the walls. I walked into the hallway, and saw Big Mac on my right, and Applebloom on my left, pulling off her bonnet. Once we were outside, we all ran and grabbed a bucket. The barn was almost completely burned down by now, but we had to put in out fully, so as to prevent it from spreading. Sprinting to the barn, we dipped the rim of our buckets to the ground, gathering snow. Big Mac had the largest, and tossed it onto the barn roof, smothering a small spot of burning wood. After we had gotten the fire all out, we all sat in the snow. Except Big Mac. "What do you think caused it?" I asked. The following sound of a dragon roar answered my question. Nothing remained but the right-back wall and a small portion of the roof. But everything was black. Even the snow around it. It had started snowing, but we couldn't pick out a snowflake from a piece of ash. I heard a bing from my laptop. I didn't feel like getting out of bed, so I pulled my laptop from the desk. I had gotten an email. I started reading. -Dear Mr. Hoover... After reading through it once, I read it again, analyzing each word to make sure I was getting it right. ...we are pleased to inform you that you have won this months Ponyville lottery... And will receive in your bank account a sum of 4,000,000 bits... I couldn't believe it! FOUR MILLION BITS!?!?!... But what will I do with all that? I could buy a house, invest some, anything! I'd never been happier... Well, except once. When I first saw Applejack. No matter what I did, my mind always drifted toward her. Then I got an idea. The best idea I've ever had. An idea that'll change everything. I would give some of it to the Apple Family. I decided the time was right. It was about eight o' clock when I got my hoodie on and headed out. I had a letter ready, figuring that it would be better to just leave it written down rather than actually tell her. But I had an empty stomach just in case. Inside the letter was a small note written in my best handwriting, and a check containing some money. When I got outside, I was met by the crisp night air. The entire street was lit up with neon lights and the lanterns hanging outside some store windows. The letter was in my pocket, quickly accessible. I would go to Sweetapple Acres, drop off the letter, knock on the door, and sprint down the road back home. Quick and easy. When I was in the forest, I noticed something strange. An abnormal amount of lights were lit. And some candles at one tree. I was still hidden by the shadow, and brought my hood up. I stuck my head around a tree and looked to see what it was. It was Applejack sitting on a bench. With another pony. And candles. 'Maybe they're just... Well... Maybe it's...' This didn't look good. AJ took off her hat and started slowly towards the other one. The stallion leaned quickly towards Applejack and took her face in his hooves. I started shaking. He kissed her, and her, him. My stomach churned. I shuffled back to town, trying to handle what I saw. That WAS Applejack, and they WERE kissing... But...... That... Was going... To be me... ME and Applejack. I would give her the money and she'd be with ME. Not any other stallion. ME. I started breathing heavily, until I was panting. Standing in the marketplace, with nopony else outside. Sweat streamed down my face, despite the freezing temperatures. I had fantasized this for years. Ever since I saw her. And there had never been a problem, until the day that I finally get brave enough to ask her. Why did have to be me? Why did I have to have the worst mare-problems out of everypony I know!? Why me!?! Why Why WHY WHY WHY!?!?!?!?! "FUUUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed, standing in the center of the street. I grabbed the letter from my pocket, crumbled it up, tore it in half, and threw it on the ground. The next day, I packed my things, all of them, wrote a letter to Cedric, and left to the train station. I didn't ever want to see Applejack's face again. Or ever hear her name. I hated her now. I would take a train to anywhere. I didn't care, I just wanted to start again somewhere new. Whether it be Fillydelphia, Manehattan, Trottingham, Canterlot, Baltimare, I don't care. Just get me away from here. As I was walking down the isle of the train, I saw a nearly empty compartment. I looked down the rest of the train, and saw a thick crowd. I sighed deeply, and got it. After I had gotten settled, I sat down opposite form the other stallion, by the window. "...Hey, I'm Chance." he said, breaking the short silence. "Hoover" I replied. The rest of the ride, we talked, got to know each other, told our stories of why we were here, and, became friends. Best friends, that is. I told him everything. Every thought. And he did the same. Now I live in Canterlot, in the same apartment building as Chance. Every morning I go to the Bakery down the street. It has an amazing view. The orange clouds and the soft pink rays of the sun calm my mind. Life is good. Now. PonyvillePonyville -Hoover I was in the bathroom of the train, too busy shitting bricks to think. It was CEDRIC. AND APPLEJACK. Jesus. Motherfucking. Christ. I need to get out of this bathroom. I stepped into the compartment again, and sat down. "So Hoover... How's life?" he asked, awkwardly. "Doin' good. Married, now." I put my arm around Tavi's shoulder. "...this the guy that had the crush on me...?" Applejack asked under her breath to Cedric. He slowly nodded. The ride was filled with an awful silence. Eventually, Tavi and AJ started a conversation. Cedric joined in, and Tavi made me. She intentionally got major details of certain stories she was telling wrong, just to get me to talk. She knew I was OCD. By the time the train ride was over, Cedric and I made up for past mistakes. We went our separate ways, and Tavi and I made our way to our new house. Two stories, but the second story was more of a platform. There was an incline off to the side for Tavi. The outside looked very German, and the inside as well. She loved it here, and that made me happy. The next day the moving truck came. It was small, because we didn't have much. Thankfully, the house came with a nearly full set of furniture. Two months later, we were long since settled in, and knew the ponies around town. Berry Punch owned a stall across the street, Rose was selling flowers next door, Carrot-Top was in the central market (which was about three blocks down from our house), and Pinkie Pie worked Sugarcube Corner, which was outstanding at making cherry pie. Applejack had shown us around to her friends. So far, I knew Twilight, Rainbow Dash, R...Rority, was it? Fluttercry, or something, and of course, Pinkie, the mare at the bakery. Ponyville is very old-fashioned. I like it. There are almost no computers, vehicles are scarce, if not non-existent, and the town has this thing for clocks. I don't know why, but everypony has, like, fourteen clocks In their house. There's an old carpenter down the street, he supposedly makes the clocks. But he's the only one. Tavi's been talking about having a kid... I'm not too sure about it, but she's wanting to adopt. I'm good with that, because we could potentially skip the whole process the foal takes to get used to the world. You know what I mean, the spitting up, diapers, breastfeeding, all that stuff. Thankfully, there's an orphanage here. We've been a few times, and a certain filly has caught our eye... Two weeks later, we signed up for adoption. sometimes it takes months to get chosen to adopt. We're prepared to wait. In the meantime, Octavia is playing her cello like a boss. I've given her cello a name, but she's yet to accept it. Its name is Ezekiel. Chance came over two days later, and he brought us... A clock. Apparently, the clock thing grew on him, too. We set it on the mantlepiece, sat down in the living room, and talked for a good two hours. A letter came about a month later, letting us know we were next on the list to adopt. We were to pick the filly up at 4 o'clock that afternoon. We had a spare room, unintentionally, but this was the only house that was small enough for two. But it could comfortably fit three. On the walk there, Tavi looked uneasy. I put my arm around her shoulder to comfort her. "Maybe this was a bad idea..." she said to herself. "It'll be fine." I said, secretly nervous as well. We turned the corner, and saw the orphanage. Tavi seemed to be relaxing a bit, which made me relax, too. We opened the doors, and walked in to pick up our new kid. The walk home was fun, in a slightly exhausting way. This filly seemed full of a calm, ordered energy. It's... Hard to describe. But she's pretty awesome, so far. "So what'd you say your name was again?" I asked, knowing the answer, but asking for the sake of keeping the conversation going. "Scootaloo." She said in her tomboyish voice. "Scootaloo. That's fun to say... Tavi, you haven't said a word, and we just got a kid." "There's not much to say, all your conversations have been about is completely out of my interest." "Well, what would you like to discuss, Miss Octavia?" I asked, in a ridiculously clear voice for me. "..." "You gotta have something to say, I mean, you can't just think about NOTHING... What about music?" I asked Scootaloo. "You do anything with instruments?" "Umm... Not really..." "So what do you do with your time?" I asked. "Normally, I'll just hang out with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. But other than that, not much. I draw a little bit, but not a lot." Tavi stayed quiet. Until we got to the house. I showed Scoots to her room, and she was awed at the size of it. She set her backpack down, and followed me through the house. The kitchen, dining room, and master bedroom went by quickly, but when we got to the living room, oh man. You gotta hear this. She had seen my Ponyfield 3 case on top of other games I had by my seldom-used Xbox 360. She gasped, "You have Ponyfield 3!?! I love that game!!!" "Oh my God, no way!" I said in bewilderment. I saw Tavi shake her head and turn back to her music notes. "You've played that before?" I asked. "Hay yes, I have! Oh man... Wow." she stared at the case. "We had one of these at the orphanage. Only the older ponies were allowed on it, but I snuck on at night. And Modern Warfare 3!?!?!" Even though the games were rated M, I said I'd let her play them. All except Mafia II, which is one of the only ones she didn't notice. I slipped it under the sofa, where I would take it back to our bedroom later. When dinner was ready, we all gathered around the round table, and Tavi served the soup. Potato. Freaking. Soup. My favorite dinner. Plus, it being winter doesn't hurt. It was strange having three at the table. A good kind of strange. Tavi and Scootaloo started talking more. Each suggested a conversational topic, but seeing as they were opposite in nearly every way, not much was said. But at least they tried. It was early December. It seems strange, I haven't had an actual Christmas in years. Now we have Scootaloo, and it'll be nice to take a holiday. Tavi and I were talking that night. Scoots was so exited to have a room of her own, and was eager to settle in. "So how do you like Scootaloo so far?" I asked. "She's... It'll take some getting used to." she smiled. "...Is it hurting again?" I asked, concerned about her paralysis. "It's moving up my back..." There was nothing to say. We could only hope for a miracle now. The next day, while Scootaloo was at school, Tavi and I went for a walk. I rolled her around town, and we checked out the market. I saw Applejack at her stand, and across the courtyard, I could see the spot I sat at two years ago. I rolled Tavi over to AJ. "Hey, AJ!" I called. "Howdy! Can I help y'all?" "I was wondering if you could let us know where Fluttershy might be this time of day." "Sure! Um... She's almost always at her cottage, and if not there, maybe around town." She gave us directions to Fluttershy's cottage, and I rolled Octavia there. I knocked on the door, and it slowly opened. A cream-colored mare with long pink hair showed her face in the 1-foot opening of the doorway. "Um... Yes, can I help you?" "Fluttershy?" she nodded. "Applejack told us about you. We were wondering if you might have time to talk, maybe get to know each other." "Oh, um... If you know Applejack, then okay." She opened the door to let us in. "If I may ask, what happened?" Fluttershy asked after a half hour's conversation. "We were in a car wreck, and her legs were paralyzed." "Oh my, that's terrible!" "Yes... But it's started to spread up my back." Tavi said. "You should really see Princess Celestia about this." "I'm sure it's not that serious-" Tavi started. "Oh, but you must! Nopony in Ponyville has a disability such as yours." "Isn't there a mental institution just on the other side of town? Why hasn't the Princess helped them?" "Oh, that's a bit different. She can't simply cure something having to do with mental health. But she has been known to help cure diseases while she visits. Right now, you're the only pony I know with a physical disability. I insist." We thanked her, and left to pick up Scootaloo from school. When we got there, class had been dismissed for about ten minutes. "Oh, oh, mom, dad! Could I go hang out with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle for a while?" she asked, radiating energy. Tavi looked up at me, smiled, and nodded. "Yes, but be home by 6." Annnnd... Off they went. Like monkeys from a box. Tavi and I went to see Twilight about the Princess. "...Never been called dad before." "Hello! May I help you?" she asked at the doorway. "Yes, Fluttershy said you could help us with something." Tavi said. "Oh, of course! Come in!" "So we heard you Princess Celestia's student?" I asked. "Personal student." "Fluttershy said the Princess might heal ponies of sickness on her visits. Tavi, well..." "I have paralysis. It seems to be spreading, and rapidly." "Oh! The Princess has told me about her previous healings. Of course! I'll try and get her to make a visit soon." After a few minutes, Twilight got back to us. "Oh... It seems the soonest she can make a visit to Ponyville is next month." "That's alright," Tavi smiled. "Thank you." That night, I went to pick up Scootaloo. When I came back, Tavi was sitting in the kitchen, with a worried look on her face. "It keeps spreading. I think it's affecting my front hooves now." We needed Celestia. Now. Unfortunately, since she IS the Princess of all Equestria, she must have a busy schedule, so when she said she'd come down, she would. Also, there must be bigger problems than a spreading paralysis. But it would be nice if she could drop by soon. Like, right now. I took Scootaloo to her room, and came back to talk to Octavia. "It's spreading?" "Yes, quickly." "How long do you think it'll take before it spreads to your whole body?" "I don't know, a few weeks, maybe." "...Well let's try not to talk about in front of Scoots, okay?" She nodded. It was Saturday morning, a week after that conversation took place. Scootaloo and I were on the xbox, which was now more frequently used, now that we had a reason. Tavi was unable to move her left hoof, and remained on the sofa, watching us. She was wrapped up in an old quilt her mother had given us. It was a dark, rainy day. The constant sound of the water hammering down on the roof was soothing. I love the rain. Canterlot doesn't get much, mostly because it's above the clouds. Eventually, I offered Tavi my computer. She eagerly accepted the offer. I went and got it, and brought it back to her. Later on in the day, I could see snow start to drift down outside. It wouldn't stick until tomorrow, if it fell that long. But the sight was comforting. I was in the kitchen, attempting to make dinner. Tavi was constantly making sure I had the measurements correct, and whatnot. When dinner was ready, I called Scootaloo over, and went to get Tavi's wheelchair. Once at the table, we said the blessing an ate. "...Anypony care to comment?" I asked. "It tastes like fish." Scootaloo said. "What does?" "Everything." I sighed. Maybe cooking just isn't my thing. After dinner, I took Octavia back to her sofa, and dismissed Scootaloo, while I stayed back to clean up. In a week and a half, the Princess would arrive. Precisely on Christmas Day. How convenient. Cheesy, but convenient. That night, in bed, I was thinking, as I always do. Tavi was asleep, and I was gently stroking her mane. If her paralysis keeps spreading, will it affect her mental health? How fast will it spread? Can we afford to wait another week? Only time can tell. It was Christmas Eve, 8 o' clock at night, and Tavi wasn't doing too well. She could no longer move any of her legs, and was having trouble with her neck. Scoots was getting ready for bed, and we decided to, also. Waiting seemed unbearable. The Princess would come tomorrow, and hopefully then, she could- Somepony knocked on the door. "Yes?" I answered, once at the door. It was Twilight. "How is she?" "She's not good. Her body is completely paralyzed, and she's having trouble with her neck." "I've written to the Princess, and she said she's willing to heal her." "If she could get here soon, I'd be grateful." "Well, the thing is..." "...What?" "I thought I'd drop by early." Another voice spoke. When I saw who it was, I immediately bowed. She motioned me to stand, and to get Octavia. When I came back, the Princess's horn was glowing. Scootaloo had come downstairs, too, and was standing beside me. Princess Celestia touched her horn down on Tavi's head, and their bodies radiated a light purple aura. "Stand." The Princess said, stepping back. I could see the nervousness in Octavia's eyes as she slowly leaned forward. My heart thumped furiously, vibrating my whole body with each beat. Tavi's hoof brushed the top of a snow drift, and hovered over it for a while. She squeezed her eyes shut, and slammed her hooves on the ground. She immediately tried to stand up, and collapsed. The Princess caught her, and I rushed to her side. "Walking will take some getting used to, but you CAN walk now." Tavi's eyes were getting redder, and I could just barely see tears forming. I thanked the Princess, and so did Octavia, rather excessively. Eventually, she bade us farewell, and left with Twilight to go around town. That was so freakin' cheesy. But in a good way. I guess it's just my opinion. It was Christmas Day, and Scootaloo was sitting on the sofa, with a small heap of wrapped presents sitting in her lap. That face... It's indescribable. She mercilessly ripped through the cheap wrapping paper, marveling at each surprise after another. After she was finished unwrapping, she jumped over to us, giving us a five minute hug. At one point, it seemed like she had fallen asleep. But then she sprang back up. I couldn't help but smile at her infinite energy. Tavi was practicing maintaining her balance, as she stumbled across the living room carpet. In an hour, she was walking again. She no-longer needed the wheelchair, could now see the upstairs more often, and it wasn't a pain in the ass when we came across three stairs in the middle of the sidewalk outside. Scootaloo gravitated towards us no matter where we went, thanking us individually multiple times. Eventually, she caught on that it was getting old, and stopped. That night, we feasted. Yes, feast is the perfect word for it, as the portions were intimidatingly plentiful. We watched a movie and a half, half is when Scoots and Tavi were both asleep. I gently picked the orange filly up on my back, and walked her to her room. Her slow, calm breathing soothed me. When I laid her down on her bed, I looked around. She had a poster of Rainbow Dash, whom she idolized. I looked on her shelves, and saw a small collection of drawings, messily stacked, all of a Pegasus in mid-flight. I stroked her hair absent-mindedly, and realized how soft it was. It was then that I realized that this energetic young filly was my daughter, and I had to raise her right. So far, I guess I was doing alright, but I could do more. But now, I smiled down at her, watching her small body expand with each breath. I tucked her into her bed, kissed her on the forehead, and headed downstairs. Before the door closed, I heard her stir. "I love you, dad." "...I love you, too." Damn it feels good to be a dad. Ponyville has treated us well, given us a daughter, given Octavia the ability to walk again, and has given us lots of clocks. Life here is a lot cheaper than in Canterlot, and a helluva lot more colorful and artistic. Scootaloo has grown on us, and is doing very well right now. I'm thinking about teaching her how to fly sometime soon. I've gotten to know the ponies of this town better, and Tavi has, too. Ponyville's a great place to be. ScootalooIn 1492, Scootaloo sailed the ocean blue. ^^^ Just popped in my head, thought I'd share. Made me laugh. Eh :/ Scootaloo -Hoover "Left, go left!" "Wha-Oka- Oh crap!" "It's alright, 's alright. Okay, um... Go right. THERE! Behind that crate! Come on, go Go GO! YES! High five!" Scootaloo was on the xbox she'd gotten on Christmas, playing the new Haylo. Tavi was in our room, on her cello. She had put blankets over the doorway, as our constant communication distracted her. Scoots had asked me to help guide her for a few matches online. I looked at one of the five clocks in the living room. Huh, 46 minutes had passed since we started. "Crap! Okay, gotta go, Scoots. Love you." "Love you too, dad." she gave a quick but and continued on with the game, leaning forward on the sofa in front of our tv. "Hoover!" "Chance, hey! This is Cedric, my old roommate." they shook hooves. We sat down at Sugarcube Corner and got a cup of coffee. We talked for an hour or so, mostly just telling stories, until the conversation shifted. "So you got a kid now, right?" Chance asked, leaning back in his seat. "Do tell." Cedric said, leaning on the table slightly. "Yeah... Scootaloo, that's her name. God I love that kid. She's awesome. I don't know how, but she has this constant source of energy flowing. I mean, like you wouldn't believe it. But yeah, I love that kid." I said, smiling at the memory of her hug from Christmas. "Of all the people, who would've thought you'd be happy to have a daughter." Chance laughed in his seat. The rest of the conversation was completely unrelated to Scootaloo, and therefor shall not be written in this chapter, as it's name is, in fact, titled 'Scootaloo' "Dad!" Scootaloo rushed to greet me as I entered. Her and Tavi were watching something on TV. I joined on the couch, and they resumed. But it wasn't long before it was late and Scoots had fallen asleep yet again under my arm. Tavi took a moment and rested her head on my shoulder. "We were talking today. About cello. She didn't get a word I said." "I can see why." "I think she's more attached to you than me." Tavi said, smiling. After all, she was the one who wanted a foal in the first place. I looked down at Scootaloo, and smiled. "Maybe you should tuck her in this time." I said to Octavia. She agreed, and took Scootaloo in her arms to her room. When she came back to her room, I could see a smile growing on her face. "Feels good, doesn't it?" I said after we were in bed. "Hm? Oh, yes, I suppose." "Hearing her voice say it. Knowing she means it. And saying it back." "Yes..." "There's nothing better..." I turned off the lamp, and Tavi and I drifted off to sleep, the sound of absolutely nothing polluting the air. I woke up to a brisk Friday morning, mostly by Octavia bringing in some coffee. She was in her bathrobe, and leaned her head on me, occasionally sipping her drink. Strange. I'd almost forgotten how much I love her. I saw the clock, and realized Scootaloo should have been up by now. When I went to wake her up, not a single hint of stirring came from her room. I entered the familiar blue-painted room, whose color was unrecognizable in the early morning. I saw her body move, and walked over to her. I lay down by her side, and gave her a hug. "Hey dad" she said, mumbling. "I don't feel too good..." "How so?" "Throat hurts, headache..." I felt her forehead. "Dang, Scoots. You're burning up." I gave her a kiss, and went to get Tavi. "I think Scootaloo might have a fever" She came with me to her room, and we both sat on the bed and talked with the orange filly. "Let's get you into some fresher air." Tavi said, getting Scootaloo up. The filly shuffled behind Octavia, tripping on her own hoof twice, and yawning excessively. Tavi got her some medicine, water, and a blanket, and took her to the couch. "You go on ahead, I'll look after her." I said to Octavia, when it was time for her to go to work. "Are you sure?" "Yeah, it'll be no problem." And it wasn't. Scootaloo and I talked for hours, had laughs, finished the interrupted Lord of the Rings trilogy from Christmas, and had a great time. Until Scootaloo threw up. At around midday, she had suddenly woken up and rushed to the bathroom after a moments hesitation. All I could do was put a hoof on her back and wait for it to end. After it did end, I put a trash-can next to her spot on the sofa and tried to keep her awake. She vomited two more times, slightly splattering the carpet on her way to the small waste container. I got her some water, ginger-ale, and a packet of saltine crackers, and told her to eat them slowly. For the water and ginger-ale, I wasn't sure which would be better for her, but in most of my memories, my mom gave me ginger-ale, so I told Scootaloo the same. When Tavi got home, she saw the trash-can, and gagged, covering her mouth with her hoof and closing her eyes, looking away. I moved the can into the kitchen, and when I came back, Tavi was asking Scoots a bunch of questions regarding her health. That night, when Scoots was feeling better, we did nothing but sit by our fireplace. Scootaloo wasn't in much of a mood for anything, Tavi had no work to do, and I... Well, I don't do much. We watched as the gas-propelled flames licked the false-wood, burning nothing whatsoever. I sat with Tavi and Scoots, all three of us wrapped in a series of blankets, warming ourselves from the cold January air. Without noticing, all three of us fell asleep. Right there, with the ones we loved most, all helping keep each other warm. Saturday was a whole lot better than Friday. Now that there was snow on the ground, Scoots didn't have school, and wasn't AS sick as yesterday, Tavi and I agreed to let her out. I couldn't resist following. Scootaloo started building a fort, reinforcing the low-built walls with sticks and twigs that she had pulled from trees and off the ground. Meanwhile, I started making a fort myself. We gathered plenty of snow for ammunition, and thus, the Great Snowball War had begun. I lay low, peeking my head out every once in a while to see what was happening. Scootaloo was doing the same. Once I had a sufficient amount of snowballs for throwing, I poked my head above the wall. Immediately, Scootaloo started chucking the balls of snow at me and my base, crippling my defensive barriers, crumbling my main walls, destroying my confidence. This kid had some kinda good aim. I whipped around, and picking up snowballs with each hoof, hurtled them at her base. Her reinforced walls were too strong for my weak throw, and mocked me with their standing. I reached down again, but no ammunition received my out-lying hoof. I cursed under my breath, and realized something. I was completely fucked. I watched with a wet face and eyes wide open, trying to catch my breath, as the horrific sight of Scootaloo with 50+ snowballs came up from cover, and she immediately started throwing. My mind sped up, and I vaulted over my wall, stumbling when it crumbled so easily under my weight. I got up, and was hit in the leg. For the sake of the game, I let that leg hang limp, and limped on. Snowballs whizzed past me, and my mind sped up even more. Each encounter becoming closer and closer, until another hit my leg. Now crawling with my front two hooves in a final-stand fashion, I could hear Scootaloo come behind me. I kept crawling, trying to get to... Well, away from the enemy. But it was useless. Scootaloo muttered something in a foreign language, which amazed me that she knew, and put a snowball in the back of my head. I lay limp for several minutes, as Scootaloo went to get Octavia and show her her triumph. Tavi laughed when she saw the outcome, and how poorly built my base was compared to Scootaloo's. I got up, we laughed and discussed our war-time tales, and thus, the day out in the snow ended. 11:09 pm, Tavi was in the bathroom, and I was already in bed, attempting to read. She came in, and when I looked up, I had a surge of heat overtake me. She had dropped her hair down below her eyes, whereas she normally kept it neat around her face. But she looked so damn sexy. Like... Wow. And god, those eyes. She got in bed and lay extra-close, spooning me. She looked back at me, and I could tell by her face. There's gonna be some bumpin' an' grindin' tonight. The R. Kelly song jumped into my head, and I got my sexy on. We kissed, tongue and all, and I slid my hoof down her side to you-know-where. Eventually, we were all-out just doing it. I won't go into detail, but in the end, we both fell asleep needing the rest. At nearly two in the morning, Scootaloo ran into our room. "Scoots? Hey whu's wrong...?" I said, mumbling. She was slightly trembling, sweating a little bit, and on the verge of tears. I immediately took her in my arms, comforting her. She must have had some hell of a nightmare to do this to her. Tavi was woken by this, and when she saw, she tried to comfort her as well. The filly lay between us, calming down and falling back asleep, in the arms of Tavi and I. On Sunday, for the sake of boredom, we went into town. Mostly to catch up with some people and to get some hot chocolate at Sugarcube Corner. On the way there, we had to pass by a dance club, and, well... "...Yeah, man. That was fuckin' awesome. I mean the way your cock slides, god that feels so fuckin' good, I mean, like..." I was looking at a white mare with light blue hair with darker blue highlights. "I'll be back in a second..." I told Tavi, going over to the mare. "Hey, what's your name?" "Who the fuck are you?" "I asked you a question, please answer." "Fuck off, man." I sighed. "You see that mare and filly over there?" "...Yeah. So what?" "That's my wife and kid, and right now you're setting one hell of an example for my daughter." "So what? It's none of your business what I say or don't say." "Look at yourself. You're drunk, high, and you just got laid five minutes ago. You want a filly in fourth grade to see that? Imagine goin' to school with that image in your head." "You better fuck off now, man. I ain't in such a good mood." "There's a joint in your pocket, I can see it. Hangin' out for the world to see. So shut your mouth or I'll find a cop." And that just about shut her up. She tried to come back with something, but had a sudden lack of words and couldn't. She gave up and walked inside, muttering under her breath. "Okay, let's go." Sugarcube Corner got snowed in by a sudden blizzard, and we were stuck inside. Thankfully, Pinkie Pie and Mr. & Mrs. Cake had a stock of blankets and plenty of tea and hot chocolate to warm us up. "Hey dad?" "Yeah?" "When are we gonna get home?" "I dunno, Scoots." About an hour into the blizzard, I started noticing a number of ponies going to buy drinks. "You guys want something?" I asked. "I'll have a gingerbread hot chocolate." Tavi said. "Same." said Scootaloo. "Looks like that's three." I walked into the line, and waited as the other 14 stallions and mares ahead of me ordered. When I got to the register, the cheerful pink mare greeted me. "Hi there! What would you like?" "3 gingerbread hot chocolates." "Oooh, good choice. It'll be right up!" A few minutes later, they called me back up. I paid, took the drinks, and headed back to the table. We were stuck there all day, and almost had to spend the night there. Luckily, a group of ponies came along and cleared the snow away. Scootaloo went off to bed, and Tavi and I did the same. Although we did get snowed in, it made a pretty good memory, and it taught me how much I depended on Tavi and Scootaloo. That night, I slept easily, knowing I had a wife and daughter to wake up to. The WarIn October of the year following the blizzard, the Zebras declared war on Equestria. Thousands were enlisted through newspaper, growing eventually to millions. On the fifth week of enlisting, my name came up. Along with Chance's. We were being shipped off to Trottingham for Basic Training tomorrow. Tavi was in tears, and Scootaloo was nearly crying also. But she's a tough little filly, and somehow held it in, but just barely. I didn't want to leave, but at the same time couldn't wait to go. I was torn between the two, and Tavi knew. She hated me for wanting to go, and didn't want me to leave. At 7 am the next day, I was woken by Octavia sobbing on my shoulder. A few minutes later, after I was ready to go, Tavi and Scootaloo came out with me. We walked to the stop where the truck would pick us up. We waited, and more enlisted joined us with members of their family. No one talked, and tears of mothers, wives, and children filled the air. The truck came, and we could hear it before we saw it. Knowing I wouldn't see my family for so long... That's what kills me. As the truck neared, its brakes screeched, and the smell of gasoline grew stronger. Other stallions got on, saying their goodbyes to their families. As the line shortened, my time came. Chance boarded, nopony to say goodbye to, and I followed, waving to Tavi and Scootaloo. Once I was sat down, the truck started rolling down the road, away from our loved ones. "That's messed up." Chance said to me around ten minutes down the road. "Hm? Yeah..." "I could understand taking me, but knowing you and Octavia, and hell, even Scootaloo, I mean you guys are so perfect for each other." "Someone's gotta go. Might as well be us." "But what if you die? Odds are we might not even make it back." I hadn't thought of that. At first, I was only slightly disturbed at the looks of it. But I started thinking about Tavi and Scoots, how much they mean to me, and how much they love me. I can't do this... "No... but, it was..." I could barely fit a word in as my voice faded into crying. "It was gonna be... It was........ It was our fuckin' anniversary this Saturday... Oh fuck, and Scoot's birthday after that! C'mon!..." I held my head in my hooves, and Chance put an arm on my back, along with the stallion next to me. Tears clouded my vision, and a few leaked out, dripping to the mud-covered floor panels. I sat back upright, wiping my face with my sleeve, gathering myself. I sniffed, and thought of other things. I thought of that day with the blizzard, that warmth. My mind calmed down, and I stopped crying. "Hey, It's okay." the stallion next to me said, putting a hoof on my shoulder. "Thanks... What's your name?" "Hopkins. Steve Hopkins." "Hoover," I shook his hoof. "Thanks, man... I knew a guy named Steve, once..." We got off at a camp in Trottingham, and unloaded our things. "We're goin' into hell, boys." I heard someone from the group say. 2 months later--- "Hey guys, we got three enemy mo' fo's to our right, keep an eye on 'em, they see us, we're all fucked" Behrens said over the radio. "Got it. Mo' fo's watched." I said. "W...what's a 'Mo' fo'?" My spotter asked. "You been here this long and STILL don't know what a mofo is?" "Never thought to ask." "It means motherfucker. Remember that, it'll be real handy in tight situations with little time. Quick to say." My spotter- Michael Connor. Like, 20 years old, or something. He's my spotter, cause he's a good sniper, just don't know how to pull the trigger. Can't take the burden of takin' a life. So, he's my eyes and ears. Well, just eyes, actually. We were on a patrol about three clicks off the western outskirts of nothing. Absolutely. Fucking. Nothing. "Annnnnnd... Smoke 'em." I took the shot on one zebra, and the round pierced through his head, hitting his friend in the leg. I pulled the bolt, and scoped back in. The other two were dead on the ground, bullet-holes on their jackets, blood-soaked, of course. That was my first kill in weeks. Normally, nopony comes around. That phrase, 'shit happens', doesn't apply here. "Hey guys, mail." Steve said through the tent's doorway. "Fucking finally." Connor said, rushing to beat the rest to the stack he left. "Jesus, man. It ain't goin' anywhere." Chance said, stepping back from my spotter as he barged through the group. I stood up and walked to the mail pile, waiting for the crowd to clear. I picked up Tavi's unmistakeable grey envelope, slightly stained from what looked like coffee. I opened the seal, and read it. Hoover, Things keep changing. Scootaloo is getting restless. We miss you, and I need you back home. Please write back as soon as you can, I couldn't live if you died. I'm not sure if our daughter could, either. You mean so much to her. Mum and dad came over yesterday, they brought something for you once you get back. Which I hope will be soon. I sent some pictures in this, I hope you get them. Be safe over there, and I love you! -Tavi I read it over and over again, smiling at her ever-so-neat hoofwriting. I found the pictures she sent in the envelope, and gazed at them for what felt like days. Tavi in her winter coat and scarf, back just before we were married. I remembered that day in the park. The next was of me and Scootaloo outside in the snow. I stared at that one, absorbing the sight of that happy filly's face flinching at my throw. I had never looked at myself much. It was interesting. I don't really remember ever staring into a mirror. I had a beard, not too long, and not just a scruff, either. A little in between. I had a long-ish navy blue mane, and average cream-colored skin. I couldn't see my cutie mark, and didn't really want to. I was laughing in this image, throwing a snowball, and missing, hitting a tree. The next of last Christmas, Tavi standing in front of a fire, smiling ever so gently, slightly blushing. Another of Scootaloo shredding apart the wrapping of her xbox. Other family pictures went by, until I came across one that really got to me. It was Scootaloo, cheering and laughing so hard. She was floating mid-air, and her wings were spread out, and I noticed they were about a foot longer than they normally were. I missed her first flight... That's a big thing for pegasi. The first flight is the most remembered one. And I wasn't there for it. I set it down in my bed, and lay down. Fuck my life. Fuck Equestria. Fuck Celestia for establishing that goddamn enlistment system. I just missed my daughter's first flight. I sat there, and tears clouded my vision. But I didn't let anyone see any tears. Chance had been assigned a mission. He couldn't talk about it, but he wished he could. Mission after mission, he came back later and later. One day, he didn't come back. But his squad did. With his body. "I'm so sorry, man." Steve said. My throat choked up, and I sat down. I stared at his face, so calm in his death. He was my best friend. But he died doing what he loved. Hoover, Please write back, I need to know you're alive! Scootaloo can't take much more of this. Please, send a letter back. Mum and dad keep saying you could be dead, and they hate to think of it as much as I do. I've sent more pictures. Say hi to Chance for me, I know he has nopony to come back to. With love, Tavi The letter lay at the foot of my bed, as I lay down. I had read it, and seen the pictures. Tavi and Scootaloo were at the Canterlot Gardens, and Scootaloo had the happiest look on her face. She was flying again. I saw pictures of last Nightmare Night, and Scootaloo was in a picture with the Princess of the Night herself. I sat up, took my pistol in my hoof, and turned the safety off. I picked up a full mag, slid it in, and loaded a bullet in the chamber. Without thinking, I raised the gun to my head, the barrel touching my temple. I was completely ready to pull the trigger. Just ten more seconds... Okay ten more... Maybe fifteen more seconds... I dropped the gun and sighed. Before long, I picked it back up, and placed it on the underside of my chin. Nopony was around to see this. I could pull the trigger any time I wanted. Just need to pull it... "Hoover." I lowered the gun and looked at the person calling my name. "Mail's here." Steve said, slightly concerned. "You okay?" I sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine." Dear Tavi, I'm so sorry I couldn't write back sooner. I'm so happy for Scootaloo. I just wish I could've been there for her first flight. Thank you so much for the pictures. Chance... Chance died a week ago. The funeral's in 5 days, they're shipping me back home for a few days for it. I'll be back then, and I promise I'll spend as much time with you guys as possible. Please don't give up on me. I know how things work in the army. Some guys I know lost girlfriends and wives to other stallions, and I couldn't live with myself if I let that happen. I love you. -Hoover 5 days later, they put me on a plane back to Ponyville. I couldn't wait to see Tavi and Scootaloo. My heart raced as we unboarded. I couldn't wait to feel Tavi's long, soft mane, or hear Scootaloo's voice again. The plane door opened, and every pony in ACUs stepped off onto the plane-bridge... Thingy... Whatever it's called. I could hear families cheer as their loved ones embraced them. Steve nudged me with his elbow. "You excited?" "Hell yeah, man. And... Could you not mention that thing in the camp? You know..." "Don't worry about it." I could see Connor behind me. His face was priceless. Steve's was, too. And Celestia knows I was. The line thinned out, and soon enough, our time came. Behrens ran out to greet his mother and sisters, and got a bear-hug from his dad. Somehow Steve got ahead of me, and I saw him run to his wife and parents. I smiled, and remembered I'd be experiencing the same in about 30 seconds. Make that 3 seconds. Scootaloo flew right into me in the form of some sort of hug, nearly knocking the air out of me. I stumbled to the side into the crowd, and found myself right next to Octavia. I saw into her eyes, and a second later, embraced her. "I missed you so much" I breathed into Tavi's shoulder. Tears started forming, and meandered down my skin. Scootaloo was still embracing me, no hint of letting go. "We should get something to drink." Tavi suggested. Scootaloo was already in bed, after being determined to stay up all night. Dinner must have made her so sleepy. "Okay. What do you want? Ginger ale? That's pretty much all we have." "No, I meant like, go out. To a bar." She said. I stared blank eyed. "A bar? You of all people..." "Well, we don't have to." "Nono- it's fine! It's great. I was just pointing out that you don't really drink much." And so we went to a bar. Tavi and I were in the far back corner of the building, secluded from the rest. We were on a bet, who could stand the most. A few shots in, we were both still going strong. Even further, fine. Even further... Not too shabby. Even further... Oh boy. Here we go. Tavi almost fell asleep mid-shot, and I was just about to throw up. She moved over to my side, and leaned her head on my shoulder. An hour later, after casually sipping on a few beers, Tavi looked up at me and smiled. This reminded me so much of the dates we had. I miss those times. I love Scootaloo, and I love living with Tavi. But I miss those days when I would wake up and couldn't wait to see her. I miss those starry nights on Tavi's patio, looking at the moon and all Equestria light by it. I miss Chance. I miss the games we'd play online on the xbox. I miss his random visits, sometimes right when Octavia and I were just starting to kiss, and how I'd rush to get him out, yelling at him on the way out. I miss her blushing, shy self. I miss needing her dad's permission to do anything. I miss her house, and how sick I got of that apple-cinnamon smell. And goddamn it, I miss being nervous. Sometimes, I wish I lived back in those times. When we were younger. Tavi asked what was wrong when she saw a tear. I told her what I was thinking. Before long she started to cry, too. She remembered what I was talking about. She felt the same. We sat, swaying with the music. Most of all, I miss this. Normal life. I hate this damned war. I hate being away from my family. I love this so much. At Chance's funeral, when it was my turn to speak, I stepped up to the podium, in full uniform. "Chance... Was one of my best friends. He will always be remembered as a good soldier, and an even better friend. Not only did he save my life, he made it a whole lot better. He was a good man. And he will be missed." I stayed after as long as I could. Tavi came to my side, and Scootaloo, too. I could tell Scoots was restless. "You know, I bet Chance is floating around somewhere as some kinda ghost before goin' up to heaven. And Chance, if you can hear me, pay attention to these next few words." I cleared my throat. "You're a dick. For leaving me alone. JUST to let you know... Okay, we can go..." I said to Tavi, turning around. Home we went, and Tavi and I spent hours outside that night. Just looking at each other. I fully regained appreciation for her eyes, her hair, reflecting the moonlight in it. And... Just her face in general. And, yeah. That's pretty much it. We kissed that night, for hours. Outside, under the moon, remembering the old days. 6 months later, the war came to an end. The zebras gave up. I would get to be with my family for the rest of my fucking life. Finally. Although Chance was no longer with us, I now had other friends. Connor, who didn't have many friends in the first place, Hopkins, Behrens, hell, even Foley. Each of us had contact with each other. We agreed upon a 'reunion' date. The day the war ended. October 3rd. There's new life to live, like virgin snow in the early morning. Never been touched. You might slip and fall, you might not. The only way to find out is to go out and see. I think it's about time we used that lottery money. I've been talking about teaching Scootaloo how to ski, and hell, why not start now? I want to sincerely thank those who read this story as a whole, it means a lot to me. Also to the ones who watched, liked, and favorited. I cannot thank you enough. -Hoover
TaviTavi -Hoover "Hey Chance." "Yeah?" "You see that mare over there?" "Umm... Yeah." "Who is she?" I was looking at a mare about our age walking across the street. She had long, smooth black hair, and a soft grey body. Her cutie mark was a pink treble clef. "Why do you think I know?" my friend asked me. "Well, just to be on the safe side." I replied, watching the mare walk down the street. "Wait, are you...? Oh my god, Hoover, not this again. The last time you did this, you dropped out of college, ditched your roommate, and moved across Equestria." I used to live in Ponyville. I had an intense crush on a mare named Applejack while I was there. I was in college, and one night, while looking out the window, saw an advertisement for the Ponyville Lottery. I had won, and was so happy, I decided to go ask her, but instead, saw her kissing on a park bench. I overreacted and moved away the next morning. Now I live in Canterlot, basically living off of the lottery winnings, using one million primarily, and investing some of the rest. Chance is one of my best friends... Actually, he IS my best friend. He knows everything about me. "That was different. I never really ever talked to her. This time, I'll be better at it. And I won't... You know..." Last time I had talked to a pony I liked, I threw up for half an hour out of nervousness. Everytime I got close to AJ, I started to shake severely. "Hoover, let this one go." "You always say that." "Okay, when was the last time I said that? When?" "Remember that really hot dentist?" "...Oh. But the point is, I don't want you to get depressed again. You're a really boring person when you're depressed." "But she's wearing a bow tie! Come ON, man, I love bow ties!" "Oh, sure. Since when?" "...two minutes ago. But COME ON!!!" "No." "...You're a bitch sometimes, you know that? A real bitch..." I crossed my arms, disappointed. He sighed deeply. "...You really like this one?" "You don't even know, man." He sighed again. "Go for it." I smiled and got up from the table outside the café we always hang around. Hopping over the fence, I sprinted after her. Once she was within eyesight, I stopped running and tried to catch my breath. As soon as I was ready, I went for it. But when I got closer, I started shaking. Nervous thoughts running through my head, I stopped. What if she's already taken? Or what if she's not interested? What if she thinks I'm stalking her? Mind racing, knees trembling, and head aching, I sat down against a building, holding my head against my hooves. I did it again. I chickened out AGAIN. And now, I get to spend another day alone. I'd probably never see her again, and she must be long gone by now. All these thoughts rocketing through my head, I sat there and basked in my own depression, tears running down my face. I was just overreacting, like I did with Applejack. But this felt different. It didn't feel quite... The same. With AJ and that one hot dentist, all I wanted was their looks. But something about this new mare was different. Her atmosphere was...soothing. Just the way she walked and held her head in a low fashion made me feel calm and happy around her. All this from seeing a mare across the street for five minutes. Wow. She's the one, for sure. Definitely. And if not, then there is nopony out there for me. "So? How was the date?" Chance greeted me as I walked into his apartment a few hours later. "I did it again. I fucked it up again, man." "... Oh my GOD, MAN!!!... You gotta be shittin' me. Again? You need to get control of your emotions." "But I'm not gonna give up on this one. There was something different. Something... Something special about her." "I don't wanna hear it, bro. I'll take your word for it." I decided to go home an hour later, making sure I wasn't too drunk. Besides, tomorrow's my big day. The day I get over this damn nerve problem. I woke up earlier than usual to go camp out by the café again. Hopefully she would take the same path to wherever she was going. At about 9, I saw her. Casually getting up, I started to follow her from a good block-distance. She seemed to swerve with ease through the morning traffic of ponies in the street. Eventually, I gave up and just walked along the buildings. After a good ten minute walk through Canterlot, I arrived at a large building. Following her inside, I kept my distance. She disappeared once I made it through the door of the building. I didn't know where to go, so I wandered through the near-empty hallways. This seemed to be some kind of school for music. The insignia on the back wall of the main room had the letters CSU on them. Canterlot State University. While wandering, I heard a low strings instrument start to play. I traced the source back to an important looking door. Quietly opening it, I found myself in medium sized auditorium, with cushioned leather seats and a mahogany-wood stage, lit with dimmed lights. There she was. The pony. Playing a cello with her back turned to the rest of the room. It was a sad melody, and she seemed to be improvising, rather than reading it. Her body swayed with the tempo. She hadn't noticed me, so I sat down in the back row. She played so beautifully. Almost as if she were feeling my thoughts and translating them into music. She was beautiful. With her long, black, smooth mane, and her light purple bow tie. Or was it a pink... Arguably a VERY light maroon... Either way, I loved it. After she was done playing, she walked behind stage and pulled out her cello case. Packing up her things, she looked up to check the time and saw me, sitting in the back row. She immediately stopped, and then started up again, this time double speed, and rushed to the only door in the auditorium, right beside me. I could have sworn I saw a slight blush. "Hey." Chance greeted as I walked in. "Oh my God, bro. I love her." "Here we go..." "She plays the cello, has freakin' awesome hair, pretty eyes, and she's shy." "What?" "I'm pretty sure she's shy... She didn't say a word to me." "Wait, where did you meet her?" "I was listening to her playing cello in the auditorium." "Who else was there?" "...no one." He sat down on his sofa and held his head in his hooves. "...Smooth, man. Real fuckin' smooth..." "What?" "You pulled a creeper move. Alone in an auditorium with another mare, and you're just watching her? That's a creeper move." "Fuck you, then. I'll ask her out this time." "When is 'this time'?" "Tomorrow." Today was the day. The day I finally get over this nervous problem. I was at the café again, with lines ready to say in my head. I saw her walking down the street again, and this time, I casually stood up and walked toward her. This time, I would get to her before she got to the building. "...I, uh... I saw you playing yesterday. I'm Hoover, by the way." I had caught up to her. My body started to slightly shake, but I pushed it down as best as I could. "You play beautifully." I said after an awkward silence. She seemed to be looking anywhere but my direction. "So... I was wondering if you might want to, uh... Go out for dinner some time..." She stopped walking, and looked at me. But after a few seconds, she started walking again. "...She could've just said no." I said to myself after she had left. At 6 o'clock that night, I heard my doorbell ring. It was the mail guy. I opened the door and called him over. "This late? Really?" "It was a letter from somepony." "Alright... Just slip it under the door next time, okay?" "Sure." "See ya, Phil." I picked up the letter and walked inside with it. Opening it with a pencil, I pulled out the contents. Inside was a card that had been folded down halfway. I opened it and was greeted with a neatly written letter. I began to read... Dear Mr. Hoover, We have recently learned that you fancy our daughter, and would like to have a word with you... The letter went on about directions and the address. I was going to their house at 8 o'clock. My heart started thumping. This would change everything. I needed to make a good image for her parents. But... Does she live with her parents still? She seems a bit old to still live with them... Like, 4 years too old... Either way, it didn't matter. I had to make a good impression. At fifteen 'till eight, I went out the door of my apartment and ran into Chance. "Oh, hey man." I said casually, trying to get past him. He stopped me. "...Whatcha dressed fancy for?" He asked, frowning at my tie and combed-down hair. "I'm meeting that one mare's parents." "Holy sh- You're meeting her parents?!" "...Yeah. Why?" "This is great! You've never gotten this far!" "Well..." "Well what?" "I'm not sure what they're going to tell me. They didn't specify in the letter." "Oh... When?" "Eight." "Shit, man. What are you standing here for, go!" He shoved me down the hallway. I parked by the side of the road and got out. Before walking up there, I sighed and took a moment to think. What am I doing? I'm walking into a house and talking to people I don't even know. What if they disapprove of me? What if this screws it up for me?... I'm overdressed, probably. I took off the tie and tossed it in the back seat... Now I'm underdressed. I sighed and put the tie back on. Let's do this. I walked up to the front door, took a deep breath, and knocked. A moment later, an older stallion with black hair and a similar grey body answered. "Can I help you?" He asked, in a slight British accent. "I'm Hoover. You told me to come at eight?" "Oh! Yes, I'm terribly sorry, umm, come in, come in." Their house was nice, well furnished, clean, and the silverware. They had great silverware. Amazing silverware. Unbelievable. "My name is Treble, Treble Clef. Octavia is my daughter. My wife isn't here right now, she's giving piano lessons at the moment. Come on in, sit." We sat down in their living room, on opposite sides of the coffee table. "Octavia isn't here either, she's practicing for a concert she has coming up. So you fancy her?" "...Yes..." "Excellent! I'm sorry if she didn't talk to you much. She's the shyest filly I've ever seen... Huh. I call her a filly, but she's all grown up, now..." His eyes were focused on a small vase with a rose in it. "So... Is Octavia, available, so to speak?" He snapped back to reality. "Oh, oh, um, yes. She is VERY much available." "So... May I date her?" I asked awkwardly. "Oh, by all means, please! You'll be the first..." "...I'll be the first?" "Octavia's never had a boyfriend." "What?" "In all her twenty-four years of life, not ONE stallion has fancied her." I sat back, eyes wide in disbelief. "She was bullied all the time in school... Her first job was at a café down near the edge of town. But my wife and I knew she didn't want to do that all her life. So when she was out of college, I introduced her to the cello. She loved it. One day, while practicing, a purple treble clef appeared on her flank." "After college? She didn't get her cutie mark until after college?" "Not until one year after college. That's one of the reasons she was bullied. The main reason, actually." "...So does Octavia... You know... Like me?" "Oh, she loves you. She normally doesn't visit us, but she came today rambling on about you." That solved the question of her living with her parents. "She spent about twenty minutes talking about you. She doesn't know you're here right now, so don't tell her. But anyway, she really loves you. You just need to get to know her. After a while, she'll open up to you, don't worry." "So when may I start... You know, going out with her?" "Hmm... Are you free tomorrow?" "Yes! Of course! I'm always free!" "Well, that's great! Smashing news! Tomorrow at 6." The rest of the conversation was just him getting to know me. I started to leave at around 9:30. "Mr. Clef?" "Yes?" "You said you teach cello." "Yes." "Would you mind teaching me, if you have time?" "Why, of course! I'd love to!" "Thank you." With that, I left. At 5:45, the next day, I headed out the door. Today is going to change my life. Whether it be for better, or for worse. Either way, it gives me a break from sitting in my apartment making music on my laptop all day. The ride to Octavia's house was quiet, until Chance called me. "Hey bro." I said, answering the call. "You headed over there?" "Yeah." "And you remember what I told you yesterday?" "Yeah." "Alright... Well, good luck." "Thanks." He hung up. As I was approaching the address her father gave me, I checked my self. Deodorant, teeth brushed, showered recently, hooves washed, hair combed, and a slight scent of cologne. Not too strong, not too weak. I got out and walked up to her door. She lived at the end of a short road, in a nice house. Probably custom-made. I knocked on the door. After a few seconds, she answered. "Good evening..." she said, awkwardly looking down. She had a slight British accent, just like her father. "Good evening. I'm Hoover... May I come in?" I was starting to shake slightly. She nodded, and stepped back to let me in. "Did your father tell you I was coming?" I asked, not knowing for sure. "Yes..." We walked into her living room, and she gestured for me to sit down. A few minutes went by, with some scattered awkward conversation. "So... Do you like me?" I waited for a reply, but she just looked down, slightly blushing, and shifting in her seat next to me. "...Okay... Well... How long have you been playing cell-" She cut me off halfway with a hug. The best hug I had ever felt. Her arms were clasped tightly around me, and her head was snugged under my chin, against my chest. After a short moment of shock, I placed my arms around her as well. The hug lasted for a long time, or so it seemed. In my mind, I was shouting with joy. My eyes were beginning to tear, and my throat was choking up as well. After a while, I could feel her tears through my shirt. I woke up on Octavia's couch, with her cuddling against me. She had fallen asleep and looked on the verge of waking. I noticed something strange, though. A dampness on my shirt. Looking down to see what it was, I saw that Octavia had drooled excessively on me. She began to stir. "...Oh, hey." I said, trying to act casual, but failing miserably. She rubbed her eyes and stretched her hind legs, letting out a satisfied moan. Until she realized where she was. "...Oh... Oh my, I'm so sorry!" She said, noticing the massive drool spot on my shirt. "Nah, don't be... I'll just, you know... Wash it..." Things were getting awkward, so I rushed to save it. "So, you never answered my question. Do you like me?" She sat up, trying to flatten her mane with her hooves. I sat up, too. She blushed at the question, but with no smile. I waited... Still no reply. I knew how she felt... She could really use a hug right now. I leaned over again and took her into a side-hug. "...Yes. A lot, actually. More than I care to admit..." Looks like it worked. Comforting her lessened the awkwardness somehow, letting her feelings out easier. I squeezed slightly, stroking her hair with my embracing hoof. She was blushing a lot. "So, does this mean...?" I asked her. "...I think it does." I scooted closer to her, closing the gap. She rested her head on my shoulder, and I rested my head on hers. The dampness on my shirt was beginning to dry. The heat radiating from her body warmed me better than any blanket or sheet ever could, or would. My love was growing stronger by the second. "...Do you mind if I turn on the tv?" she asked, shifting to get more comfortable. "Not at all." She hugged me tighter, then leaned forward for the remote. I took her back into my embrace, and let her get comfortable. Before I knew it, my eyes were shut and a slight smile came across my face. The sound of the tv was fading, and soon, I couldn't hear it. I was lost in thought and happiness. I was never washing this shirt. It was going on my mantlepiece... Well, not literally, but you get the point. The bright side is, she likes me, I love her, and she's opening up to me. Last night was just the start. I got a call from Octavia at around 9:30 the next morning. She was starting to talk more. "...So do you want to come over today, or do you think we're going too fast to start off with?" She asked through the phone static. "I'd love to come over! When are you free? I mean, if you want to, then yeah, sure. I'm always willing." "Umm, sure!... How about eleven?" "Eleven it is." "Goodbye." "Bye..." I hung up. In two days, I got a girlfriend. I feel like I should get a medal. On top of that, she's beautiful as can be, actually wants to be with me, and smells like those apple-cinnamon candles you get at Bath & Body Works. I opened the curtains to be cheerfully greeted by the sunny morning-view of the Canterlot skyline... Well, not really skyline, considering I'm on the outer rim of Canterlot, so I can still see the rooftops of a few buildings. So, theoretically, it still IS a skyline, just not as magnificent as a Manehattan or Fillydelphia skyline. I could just barely see Ponyville from here, but it was impossible to make out any buildings. There was a thick whisp of clouds and some jet-streams. It was a beautiful day. Walking out of my room to get breakfast, I ran into Chance again. "Oka- Why are you always in the middle of the hallway when I walk out the door? Your room is like, what? Two floors above me?" He shrugged, and we continued downstairs. After breakfast, I decided to go ahead to Octavia's. I checked myself. Showered, teeth brushed, deodorant, clean clothes, washed hooves, flossed, and an ever so slight scent of cologne. When I got to her house, I checked the clock. 11:00 am. Huh, perfect timing. I walked up to the door, more confident this time, and knocked. The door opened almost right as I knocked, and I was greeted by the same apple-cinnamon scented mare, this time with a warm hug. She let go, and looked at me, smiling with those beautiful violet eyes. Quickly, I checked what was different about her. Makeup, hair, clothes, attitude, anything? Hmm... She did seem awfully happy to see me, she had the hottest eyelashes I had ever seen, but she had that on yesterday. She's not wearing any makeup. Good. I hate it when mares cake on all their lipstick and blush... It looks fake. She did, however do some things to fix up the house. At least, what was left TO fix up. It was very neat last night. I also noticed some candles burning. "You seem very different. A lot less awkward than yesterday. And I like the candles. They add a nice... Atmosphere." She turned around and looked at me. She looked confused. "What I meant was, ahh... I screwed it up already..." She giggled and led me out onto her porch. On her porch were two armchairs, sitting directly side by side, and a view over all of Canterlot. "It's beautiful" I said, not sure if I meant the view or her. She motioned me over to the chairs. We sat down, and I noticed the small trays with tea she prepared on them. A few minutes went by, both of us slowly sipping our tea, but I noticed she kept glancing down at the armrests... Wait, not the rests, the arms... My arm... I slid my hoof next to hers, and she slid hers to mine. Now we were holding hooves. I was squealing like a filly inside. I would have only dreamed of this moment a few days ago. Sure, it's next to nothing compared to an hour-long hug and snuggling, but, hey. It's all good. The minutes went by silently, and I couldn't detect any hints from her to start a conversation, so I let it be so. After a while, she looked over at me. I looked at her. I stared longingly into her dark-purple eyes, smiling. She stared back, smiling her gorgeous smile. I loved everything about her. Her amazingly smooth black mane, her soft grey skin, awesome bow tie, which she wasn't wearing now, and her beautiful white smile. We sat there for what seemed like hours, staring at the scenery. Suddenly, though, she got up, and walked to her iHome to put on some music. I looked at the clock. 11:17 am. I sighed. Fifteen minutes felt more like fifteen hours. She put on an album from the Beatles. One of my favorite bands. She sat back down. "...I love this song..." I said, closing my eyes and absorbing the sounds. She held my hoof again. Not too far into the album, a song came up. My favorite song. Also hers. We looked over at each other again. Nopony else was around. We both loved each other. Potentially romantic music in the background. A perfect setup. She started to move closer to me. I leaned further in to her. Her eyes were closed, and her head slightly tilted. I tilted mine the other way and closed my eyes as well. We kept moving closer. The wait was near-unbearable. Our lips made glorious contact, and we pressed together. My other hoof reached up to her face and gently stroked her cheek, moving on to her hair. Then she sank back down to her seat, and I to mine. I. Felt. Amazing. My first kiss. Was with Octavia. I couldn't help but smile. We sat there a long time and waited for her playlist to finish. At around 4, we went inside and talked in her living room. Telling stories, discussing things, general talking. This continued for longer than either of us expected. Soon it was near 8 o' clock. "...I should probably get going... 'Cause it's getting pretty late." "Nooooo, don't leave..." I stood up and started walking to the door, when I heard a disappointed sigh from her. I stopped. "You know what, who says I have to leave yet?" The smile on her face was priceless. I joined back with her in the living room. She was wrapped up in a blanket on the sofa, and gestured me over to her. I half-lay down, leaning against the armrest. She scooted over to me and wrapped us both in the blanket. She turned on the Tv. Wow. Here I was, once again cuddling with Octavia. This time wrapped in a blanket. I was happy, she was happy, and we had our first kiss today... On the second date... Maybe we're going too fast? Either way, I don't care. I love her, and she loves me, and that's all that matters right now. I was woken by Octavia. I had fallen asleep again. I gotta stop doing that. The thing is, it was the morning. And it looks like she had fallen asleep, too. She started rubbing her eyes, then realizing what was happening. "...Did we just...?" "I think we did... Dang." She got up and flattened her hair down. "I'm gonna take a shower." she said, walking to her room. I heard the water turn on. All I had to do was wait... Huh... Her whole house smells like apple-cinnamon... I picked up a magazine, only then realizing it was a mare's health magazine. I sighed and tossed it back on the table. There isn't much to do but wait... Then I began to wonder. Are we going too fast? I mean, I just slept with her. On the second date. I mean, it wasn't THAT kind of sleeping with her, but still. Maybe we should take a few day's break... Unless she really wants to be with me a lot... In which case, sure. But still... Before I knew it, the water turned off. A minute later, she came out, fresh and clean. And beautiful. What did I expect? "So... Do you think we're going too fast?" I asked her, wondering if she was thinking the same thing. "I don't know... If you think we need a break, then I guess..." she had a disappointed tone in her voice. "I mean, I'm always happy to be with you, but I had a feeling you were getting... You know." "What? Why would you think that? I don't do anything all day, I'd love to have you over as often as you're willing." "...I'm always willing." "Then that's great." she sat down next to me, and rested her head on my shoulder. She removed it after a short moment. "You need a shower." "Yeah... I'll drop by my apartment, take a shower, get things checked on, and I'll be back within the hour." She leaned forward and hugged me, then we both got up. I headed out the door, and she walked into the kitchen. After I had gotten a shower, I came back to her house. I opened the door and smelled, once again, apple-cinnamon. Shocker. Octavia had made breakfast, and it looked amazing. After breakfast, we ventured back to the living room. That seemed to be our go-to place. She smiled at me, and I back at her. Before I knew what was happening, we were kissing again. Not rough enough to be a make-out session, but still, somewhere around that area. 6 months and 47 dates later, we were sitting on a park bench. Her father had been teaching me the cello for as long as I had been dating her. I was getting pretty good, but still needed practice on a few pieces. It was winter, and it had just started to snow down on us. It was nearly sunset, and we were at the edge-park of Canterlot, so the orange rays of the sun were streaming in on us and reflecting off the icy paths. She was wearing her black winter coat and a maroon scarf. I was wearing, yes, a black winter coat, but had a red plaid scarf. Our scarves were amazing. They were so soft, and insulated very well. Not to mention the designs. Mine had a very interesting looking plaid, and hers had perfectly aligned stripes. They were cheap, too! Very high quality, and unbelievably comfortable. My arm was laying across her shoulders. My iPod lay between us on the bench, and we both had an earphone in. With the Beatles playing again, our song came up again. I laughed slightly, remembering how I felt that day. She rested her head on my shoulder and smiled. I closed my eyes and did the same. "...I love you..." I said for the hundredth time. "I love you too" she said, shifting to get in a better position. With the beautiful sunset beaming down on us, the snowflakes resting atop our shoulders, and our really cool scarves, I knew everything was well.
There For You Inspired by this song ^^^ There For You -Hoover I was walking with Tavi from the hospital. Nothing would be the same. My love would still remain, but life in itself would change for both of us. Three days ago, we got in a car wreck. I was okay, and the ponies in the other car were only slightly injured. But... Octavia... My Tavi... Was paralyzed. Only her two hind legs were damaged, she had to travel by wheelchair. I can't stand looking at her like this. She's been depressed for a long time. I love her, so, so, so much... It's impossible to know all that could change. Chance came over today. He brought flowers, poor guy, he didn't know Octavia had allergies. He picked them from the park. All the same, Tavi smiled at him, and kept them. We had dinner, and I had the best time I've had in weeks. Tavi's seeming to get back to her normal self, thank Celestia. But she'll wake up early and go on the porch. I see her sitting there, in her wheelchair, watching the sun rise. Twice I've stood up, and almost went to her side, but it seems she keeps secluding herself from me, so I left her alone. I invited Chance over again, this time for a game of cards and a beer. He loves beer, he couldn't say no. He got here at around 9:45. "Hey, man. You're late." I said, giving him a bro-hug. "You said late night, I'd say I'm early." he said, walking in and looking around. "Where's Octavia?" I answered this by knocking on our bedroom door. She wheeled herself out, and smiled at Chance. "Hey, Octavia, how ya been?" Chance said, with his happy-go-lucky attitude. We sat down at our table, and I started shuffling the cards. About an hour later, during our second game, Octavia said she'd turn in for the night. I kissed her on the cheek and rolled her into our room to help her get into bed. When I came out, I closed the door. Chance started up the conversation again, changing the subject. "So you said Octavia's been pulling away lately?" He started. "Yeah, I mean, every morning she goes onto the porch, and I see her just looking out at the hills, and, I mean, normally she'd wake me up and we'd both go out there together, but she just seems to be secluding herself more since he accident." "Get your shit together and talk to her about it." "W-...What?" I said, confused. "Cut the shit, bro, if I let you handle this by yourself, in three days you'd be on the streets cryin' your eyes out. Talk to her. Get it over with." "I will, jeez. And quiet down, you're gonna wake Tavi." "I hope I do, then we can get this over with." "Are you fucking kidding me!?" I shout-whispered at him. "She's going through a lot. She practically doesn't have legs anymore. I'm trying my best to make life as easy for her as possible. I don't fully close the doors anymore, so she can just roll into them and they open. And you know I'm OCD. I even restocked all the soap in the house." "You did not." He replied jokingly. "Go check." I ordered. He got up, pushed his chair back in, and walked to the bathroom. He opened the cabinet under the sink, closed it almost immediately, and came back. "You bought four bottles of refill soap? FOUR FUCKIN' BIG-ASS BOTTLES?!?!" "YES! For each bathroom! And I'm not gonna let a fucking thing inconvenience her, so you just sit there and be quiet!" We calmed down, sighed a few times, and changed the subject. "...You still doin' cello?" "No, gave that up a while back. Just drums now." "Snare, bells, or...?" "Trap set." "Hm... Anyway, not much point in me being here anymore, so, guess I'll see you later." "Alright... Hey, and Chance." I caught him before he closed the door. "I'll try and talk to her." He closed the door, and was off. I sat there, wondering what I should say, and when. Maybe it's just a phase. Maybe it's not. I stood up, and turned off the lamp. While waiting for my eyes to adjust, I noticed the moon. Once they adjusted, I walked out onto the landing "This is a beautiful night, Luna..." I said to myself. I saw something move in the sky, and the Princess herself glided down, radiating purple and blue. I bowed almost immediately. She landed on the porch, and looked down at me curiously. "You are looking worried." She said, thankfully talking quietly. "Rise." I stood and looked at her. She was less intimidating up close. "My wife and I were in a crash a few days ago, your Majesty. She was paralyzed in her hind legs, and I've been having trouble with her." "Hath thou not spoken with this wife of yours?" "I was about to, but I'm not quite sure." Silence followed. Princess Luna was looking out over the horizon, all well-light by the glowing moon. After a few minutes, she looked back at me. "Speak with your loved-one, for you shall resolve this problem. I wish you luck, dear villager." With that, she took off, and one of her wings brushed my blue mane, and the spot glowed for a few seconds after. I felt a sudden confidence. I stepped back inside, removing myself from the view over Equestria. When I walked into the room, I heard the sheets rustle, followed by a sniff, and a stifled cry. The sound broke my heart, and my throat choked up. I lay on the bed, and put my arm around my Tavi. My lovely, wonderful Octavia. She stopped trying to hide her tears, and was soon sobbing in my arms. I waited for her to calm down, holding back tears from the sound of Octavia's sorrow. When I heard her breathing steadily, I looked down. "Hey, what's going on?" I asked in the sweetest, most gentle tone I knew. "It's... Ever since the wreck, I've felt so helpless. I feel so..." "What?" I asked. "After my legs got messed up... I thought..." "...You thought what?" She remained silent. "Tavi, you've got to tell me what's going on." "I thought you wouldn't... love me anymore..." "What? What would make you think that, I've always loved you!" "But when my legs were paralyzed... I thought..." She kept crying. It was time. "Tavi, remember that day on the street, where I asked you to dinner?" She nodded. "I haven't stopped loving you since. That day you fell asleep and left a huge drool spot on my shirt, that day, I felt like you were the one. But I didn't want to tell you. I've never been good at talking much. I've always loved you, since the minute I saw your beautiful face, your amazing mane, your awesome bow tie, and your eyes. God, those eyes. Those lovely purple eyes. I'll always be there for you, no matter what happens. Just because your legs were paralyzed doesn't change anything between us. I love you. And don't you ever think anything else." She rubbed her eyes with her hoof, and looked up at me. Her beautiful gaze, overflowing with love, her hair dipping into her face. Tear-lines down her grey cheeks. I smiled, and kissed her. We sat for a long time, for a short time kissing, and the rest, just lying there, until we both drifted to sleep in each-others arms. It was morning now, and light flooded the room, making the white sheets glow. Octavia was sound asleep, and beautiful as ever. Sure, her mane was a bit tangled, but who cares. I smiled at the sight of her so peaceful. She stirred. "...Hey..." She said to me, after turning her head to look around. Her voice was a bit hoarse, and the softest it had been in days. I reached my hoof to stroke her hair, and she moved over to me. "...What you said last night... You meant it?" she asked. "Every word." I replied. "...I'm gonna take a bath." she said, mumbling. She got out, and wheeled herself to the bathroom. I got up, brushed my teeth, and headed for the kitchen. "Hoover!" Tavi called. "Yes?" I called back. "Are you in the kitchen?" "...Yes..." "Don't cook anything!" "Why?" "You're horrible at it." That hit the feels. Like, critical hit. I had always thought I was pretty good at cooking. Tavi always said that. I guess after last night, she opened up a little bit more. After her bath, she wheeled over to me. Her hair was smoother than I had ever seen. I gave it a sniff. It smelled like apple-cinnamon. Like it always does. Like the entire house always does. "So... I suck at cooking?" I said, once we were in the car. "Well... Yes." "Wait, you mean like, 'needs work', or 'tastes like ass?' 'Cause there's a big difference." "Somewhere in between." "Man, you could have told me sooner. Now I feel bad, 'cause you had to suffer through that shepherd's pie last Tuesday." The rest of the car ride was mostly quiet, besides us debating where to go to breakfast. We were mostly quiet at breakfast, up until this point. Tavi didn't seem to be hungry, neither did I. "So... How ya feeling?" I asked, trying to start up conversation. "I'm feeling well..." she said, looking down, seemingly at her lap, but she could have been staring at the floor. I sighed. What was going on? We just got married two weeks ago, and she was so happy at the wedding! And the honeymoon, she couldn't stop smiling. I was tearing through my head to try and find out just what the hell was going on. I felt like I was back at square one. No, before square one. Before I even saw her on the street. It wasn't but an hour ago that we were talking about the talk we had last night. She seemed normal then, but she quickly faded back to this mare blocked-off from society. ...Then I realized. What if this was beyond what I knew? What if it's not that she doesn't feel loved, it's that she feels TOO loved. As in, can't decide between the two of us. Us being me, and the other guy. "What's going on?" I asked, more imperatively this time. She looked up, and had a redness in her eyes. She looked like she was trying to soften me up. I blew right through it. "..." she looked at the ground. "Look at me." I said. She looked, and I repeated. "What. Is going. On?" "W-what do you mean?" she replied, with fake innocence. I bit my lip, and looked at the clock. I couldn't believe this. After all we've been through, why would she do this to me, to herself? She pretty much confirmed that she was cheating when she stuttered the 'W'. "Stop making excuses. What's going on?" "I've been... I... I'm so sorry..." "After everything we've been through?" I had another revelation. "...How long?" "...Three months..." I stood up, and started walking, but Octavia said something. "It's not what it seems." I stopped. "You and another guy doing it behind my back. It's exactly how it seems." "It's... Let's go. We'll talk it over in the car." "What the hell? What the fucking hell is this?!" We were stopped in an empty lot. It looked like it hadn't been cared for in years, so I knew nopony was around. "Why would you do this to me?" I asked. "After everything I've done for you. I had a talk with your father the day before our first date. He said you loved me. Looks like he must have lied, 'cause I ain't feelin' the love." "It was a long time ago! I was in college, and a talked back to one of the stallions harassing me. They teamed up on me... and..." "They fucked you. There's no better way to say it." "And they kept on. Every week. Until eventually, I moved away. I ran into one at a restaurant, and he pulled me into the restroom. He wouldn't stop... He asked where I lived, and if I didn't answer, he said he'd cut me." She showed me her arm. There were multiple faint scars running down it. "And every week since, he's made me go to that same bar. And If not..." "He'd go after me." "I didn't let him, I swear, I- I struggled, but he was too strong. I'm ashamed I waited this long to tell you... I thought I could-" "Well that's how affairs work. You think you can get away with it, then shit happens and all of a sudden, uh-oh. You got caught. Only this isn't an affair. This is rape. And this son of a bitch is gonna get what's coming for him. Where's he from?" "He tried to start a conversation at the bar, he said he was from Ponyville." I was no longer angry at Octavia. It was clear now. Clear why she was depressed. She was so worn out from the weekly visits to that goddamn bar, she had no energy left. Well, since a few days ago, she could no longer go to the bar alone, which meant... "I'm taking you home." I was on the road to the bar. Tavi told me which one. There were roads on the mountainside leading out from Canterlot. Off to the side was a well-running bar. She was to meet him every Tuesday at 8PM. I got out, and headed in. The bathrooms were exterior, like at a gas station. I knocked on the stallion's room. "I ain't done." "This the guy I was supposed to meet?" "...Whudduya mean?" "I was told to meet a guy here. You him?" The door opened. "Boy, I'm s'pposed to meet a girl here. Every Tuesday. Now you's is blockin' the way, so please, fuck off before somethin' happens that you'll regret." "Black hair, grey body?" "Yeah, so what?" "Purple eyes? British accent?" "Yeah. What, you wanna join me? Oh, I see, you gotta fetish for Brits, too, eh?" He said, laughing slightly with that last sentence. "Yeah..." I faked a laugh. "The thing is, that same mare was involved in a car accident a few days ago. Paralyzed her legs. So she sent me, instead. You see, She's got a husband. And he's just found out about you and her. He ain't too happy about it, either." "And how the fuck do you know?" "He's me. And I'm here to fuck shit up. Welcome to Canterlot, faggot." Two hours. For two hours, I beat that sick fuck 'till shit came out his mouth. The bathroom stalls were splattered with his blood. He fought like a filly. He was still alive, he'd make it through the night. But that ass-hole better have learned not to fuck with me. I sat down in my car, and started back towards Canterlot. I glanced at my phone. '47 Missed Calls' I laughed slightly. That's my Tavi. When I got home, I opened the door quietly. Tavi was on the sofa, wrapped in her blanket, sleeping. The TV was still on. I washed the blood off my hooves, and walked over to her. I sat down, and got another blanket from behind the coach. I cuddled her from behind, which woke her. "Did you...?" "Hells yeah." She smiled, and I kissed her. The rest of the night was silent. I smelled her hair, it smelled wonderful. Like apple-cinnamon (wow), but still had the smell of real hair in it. Before long, my eyes were closed, and so were hers. Everything was sorted out. Now I could sleep better, knowing that I had just taken care of our relationship's potentially biggest problem. And had fun, too. Tavi was back to herself. The moment I woke up, she gave me like, a three-minute kiss. She no longer segregated herself from me. She was around me a lot. Actually, it got kind of annoying sometimes. But she's not being abused anymore. Chance came over a week in a row for a card game and a beer each night. Chance was moving to Ponyville again. He said he was looking for a 'soulmate' as he called it. Apparently, Canterlot mares are too snobby for his taste. With Tavi's and my job stabilizing on a pretty high pay, we may just get enough money and move there with him. OH DANG. I haven't told you my job. I'm a software engineer. It helps knowing a lot about computers. Tavi, as you know, plays cello. Everything's good in life. Tavi still has trouble getting around in her wheelchair. But I mostly roll her along with me. We were on the train to Ponyville. Four months. Four months is all it took for Tavi and I to get enough money (combined with the lottery remains) to move back and still keep a stable balance. Tavi and I were in the compartment alone, until another couple came along. I was busy with our suitcases, while Tavi talked with them. Their voices sounded so familiar... I sat down, and, well, pretty much just shit bricks. "Oh shit." "Oh shit... Hoover." I looked at the other mare. "Oh. Shit. On a stick." It was Applejack. And my old roommate. Cedric. Oh. Fucking. SHIT.
Sweetapple Desires (Prequel)Sweetapple Desires -Hoover Just in case someone can't understand, PREQUEL means BEFORE THE REST OF THE STORY. Now that we're clear, here we go- "Hey bro?" "Yeah?" "It's four." "Shit!" I scrambled out of my computer chair and slammed my laptop closed, shoving it into a bag. Rushing to get my jacket on, I ran down the hallway. Three flights of stairs and a sprint down the street later, I was at the Ponyville marketplace. I jogged over to my regular position, pulling my hood up, pulling out my laptop, and putting on my headphones. I could see her from here every Tuesday and Thursday. My roommate called me a stalker, but I just come here to look at her from a distance, not follow her. So, technically, I'm not "stalking" her. I'm just admiring her from a distance. With her younger sister helping her sort the bits and produce, she would sit at her stand and sell apples all day. But the only time I could spare was four PM until whenever she decided to close down her shop. I'm in college, you see. I make music to make money for college. My parents kicked me out after tenth grade, disappointed at my love for techno and dubstep. Also disappointed by my poor grades. I've never had a girlfriend before, and never thought I'd want one. Until I saw her. Applejack. Selling apples all day. I'd only ever gotten enough nerve to actually go and buy some apples twice. And right after I bought them, I had almost collapsed from my knees shaking so much. Back at my room, my roommate, Cedric, was asleep. I sat down at the small, cheap desk we shared, and opened up my laptop. Opening up my music program again, something outside caught my eye. A large neon sign had just been turned on, its orange and yellow lights adding on to all the other lights' glare off the icy street. It simply said 'lottery'. I thought about it, until I eventually stood up and walked down to the street. The next day, I woke up extra early to go see when the Apple Family opened their stand. When I got to my bench, nopony was in their spot. I waited for about an hour, until realizing I was about to be late for one of my classes. At 4 PM that afternoon, since I had nothing planned, I decided to go to my position again. There she was. Selling apples. I sighed deeply, and began to wonder how much longer this would go on for me. If I sat here, day after day, not doing anything, how would we ever be together? That is, if we WOULD ever get together... That was another problem. How am I going to ask her? What if she doesn't feel the same way? Or what she's a lesbian? 'NO!!', I thought-shouted to myself. 'I won't think that way.' But either way, Now isn't the time. Or the place. Maybe I could ask her when they're packing up... No, not today... Or tomorrow... Or any day after that... I'll never get enough nerve to ask her... After packin' up our stand, we headed back to the farm. "Hey sis." Applebloom got my attention. "Yeah?" I replied, adjusting my hat. "What's fer dinner again? Ah forgot." "Again? I told you not ten minutes ago!" I sighed. "Chicken 'n dumplin's and cornbread, and some apple pie for dessert. And if you ask again, I swear, I'm takin' you to the hospital. Yer memory's been real bad lately." The rest of the walk home was quiet, except for a few chunks of snow fallin' off the tree branches. When we got inside, Applebloom and I shook off the snow on our backs and hung our jackets up on the coat-hangers. Granny Smith and Big Mac were in the kitchen. Granny was teachin' Big Mac how to cook. In case she were to kick the bucket a bit too early, we would have somepony to take better care of us. We sat down to eat, Applebloom beating everypony else there. After everypony sat down, we said the blessing and started. Applebloom grabbed the silverware and started to hack at the chicken. I caught her before she got a piece to her mouth. "Woah, there, partner. Not so fast." She sighed in annoyance, and put down her silverware. Taking her napkin from her lap, she tucked a corner in the collar of the sweater she had on. "NOW can I eat?" "Now you can." Good thing I caught her, too. That little filly is the messiest eater in Equestria. After we were all done with pie, Applebloom hopped down from her chair and started walking to the kitchen. "Hold up, Applebloom. No seconds tonight." I told her. "What? Why not?" she replied, clearly disappointed. "Apple sales ain't doin' too well this year. We're gonna have to cut back a little." "Cut back? We never had to cut back before! Why ain't the sales doin' good?" I sighed. "Well, I guess this batch of cider wasn't as good as the rest." This was a lie, though. Everypony loved the cider. I didn't know a single mare or stallion that didn't buy a mug everyday. But there was a hole in the shed, givin' those wild animals a way to all our apples. And a week ago, the roof had collapsed, ruining an entire bin of apples. And Big Mac and my room are infested with termites. There was a bear using the back barn door as a scratchin' post, and half the cows were sick. The chicken coop was rotting, or at least its roof was, from the moisture of the snow. In short, we needed money. Lots. We all said good night, and went to our rooms. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't help but worry about all our problems, or how we would fix it. I barely got an hours sleep that night. I woke up next Sunday morning, still half asleep. Cedric was staring straight at me. "Hoover?" He asked. "Yeah?" "We need to talk." "So, tell me, when do you plan on actually 'asking' Applejack out?" he asked after breakfast at Pony Joe's. We were in the library. "What? Oh, not this again. I'll do it later." I said, reaching for my laptop bag. He stopped me. "No. There is no 'later'. There is now. And only now." I sighed. "Fine, let's get this over with." "What do you like about her?" "Look, I already told y-" "I don't care." "...Her mane, eyes, her hat, voice, how she talks to people... Everything." "Good. 'Cause you're going to need to. Because I invited her over here today." "What!?! Are you-" I stopped myself from shouting. "Are you fucking crazy!?" "No, I'm not. You are. If you don't get to know her, you're NEVER going to get her to go out with you. So, you're gonna get to know her. Every Sunday at eleven. At this exact spot. Okay?" "Umm... Uh... Oh geez... Uhh... Where are you going to be?" I asked, nervously panting. "For the first few times, I'll be sitting over there." He said, pointing to a desk across the room, partially concealed by a bookshelf. "Now, the scenario is, she's supposed to meet me to talk about getting Applebloom into a good school after she graduates. And I'll be running a bit 'late'. So you keep her occupied, ask some questions, get to know her, and in a few minutes, I'll come in and you'll be free to go." "So I just-" "Oh, here she comes" he said, pointing out the window. He ran around back to his desk. She walked in, and, as I expected, started toward my direction. "Hey, uh, have you seen a pony in a sports jacket around here? Name's Cedric?" I shuttered inside. If I screwed this up, it would all be over. "Yeah, he's, uh. A good f-friend of mine. H-he's my r-rommate." "Are you alright? Cause yer shivering right now." Oh shit. I was doing it again. Like I did at the stand. Shaking when I get too close to her. She sat down, and I started to shake less. "Yeah, I'm fine." I said, nervously laughing. "So, uh, do ya know where he is?" she asked. "He said he'd be here in a bit." my shaking was calming down. "Alright..." she took off her hat and smoothed down her hair. Oh god. I love it when she does that. And then the shakes started up again. I squeezed the handle of my laptop case to try and calm myself. But it didn't help much. "So where ya from?" she asked, sitting back. "Ponyville." my voice was calming down. "Well, me too! Well, I mean that's kinda... Kinda obvious... Since, you know, Sweetapple Acres, and whatnot..." she was starting to look down. This conversation was dying. I rushed to save it. "So how's the family?" What the FU-?!?! What was that???? 'How's the family?' What kind of question was that!?! I was screaming at myself in my head, and bit my lip in realty, all the while squeezing harder on my handle. "Well that's mighty thoughtful of you!" 'Oh, thank God.' my hand stopped squeezing. "Um, actually, not so good right now. With it bein' Winter and all, the snow's finally begun to wear down on the farm. So, as you can imagine, we'd need money to repair the damages, but the roof has collapsed on some of our stored produce, so we don't have much else to sell. But there's nothin' can be done 'bout it now. Now how about you? How's yer life goin'?" "Well, uh... Being in college is kinda... kinda rough, so my grades aren't doing too well... And, uh, I work on music on my laptop, and uh, that's... Pretty much... It..." It was coming. That sick feeling I had whenever I got this nervous. And I had only gotten this nervous once before. That was when I bought some apples that one day. And that day, I had thrown up... Which meant... "Would you excuse me for a seco-" I could feel it coming. I got up and ran for the door. I didn't care where I did it. As long as I did it away from her. Sprinting past other students and tripping over their saddlepacks, I ran out the doorway and down the hall. Luckily, there was a bathroom to the left. It was locked. And things weren't getting better for me. Already I had a half-mouthful of vomit ready to come out. Was I THAT desperate? The next surge of stomach acids said I was. I charged into the mares' restroom. Thank Luna there was nopony in there, because once I was in, my stomach unleashed its hot fury. Yellow-ish orange chunks flew across the air and splattered off the floor and my hoodie. I crashed down on my knees at the foot of one of the toilets, head hanging low. A half-hour later, after my nerves had settled and my vomiting stopped, I got up to go to the sink. But when I turned around, Cedric was there. "...the door was loc-" "I know. What the HELL WAS THAT!?! I give you two some TIME ALONE, AND YOU FUCKING BLEW IT!??!" "It's not my fault!" I pleaded. "Then who's fault is it!?" he was breathing heavily, and was clearly pissed off. "...I'm sorry abo-" "I DON'T GIVE A SHIT IF YOU'RE SORRY!!! I gave you a chance, and you fucked it up! That's as simple as it gets!... I mean, like, how many signs do you need?" "Just... Why are you trying so hard? For me? Why can't you just, LET me take care of this?" "Because if I 'let' you take care of it, you're just gonna sit at home and DO NOTHING!!! YOU'LL JUST MOPE AROUND ALL DAY!!! Because you're too much of a chickenshit to ask her out!" "I get nervous. I shake. And I vomit when I get too close to her! I would LOVE to ask her out. But my body won't FUCKING LET ME!" Our argument had attracted the unwanted attention of some nearby mares. Two guys in a mares' restroom shouting at each other. One covered in vomit, the other in a letter-jacket. Cedric stormed out, muttering curses, while all the other mares stared at me. "...The door was locked." I said gesturing to the stallions' restroom. They stared blankly as I walked out of the bathroom and down the hall. "Again? Why aren't the sales good this year?!" Applebloom was real upset about not gettin' her second helpin' again. "I know you're a growin' filly and need yer vitamins, but we just cayn't afford it." "But why not? We NEVER had money problems before. Never!" "Listen, sugarcube. I didn't want to have to tell you this, but..." I looked over to Big Mac. He nodded. "The barn's fallin' apart." I started. "Termites, raccoons, bears, everything. And all this snow's gettin' mildew on the wood, which makes it weak. So we lost a good deal of our produce last week." "Well, can't ya fix it?" "Fixin' it takes money, and that's somethin' we don't have much of right now." "...well what CAN we do about it?" I sighed. "Just hope we get through." That night, I was woken by a smoky smell. 'Fire!' was my immediate thought. But that seemed ridiculous, what with the record-breaking coldness this Winter. But I couldn't be too safe, could I? Once I looked outside my window, fire met my eyes. My heart started beatin'. "BIG MACINTOSH! APPLEBLOOM! GRANNY SMITH! FIRE!" I heard them get up quickly through the walls. I walked into the hallway, and saw Big Mac on my right, and Applebloom on my left, pulling off her bonnet. Once we were outside, we all ran and grabbed a bucket. The barn was almost completely burned down by now, but we had to put in out fully, so as to prevent it from spreading. Sprinting to the barn, we dipped the rim of our buckets to the ground, gathering snow. Big Mac had the largest, and tossed it onto the barn roof, smothering a small spot of burning wood. After we had gotten the fire all out, we all sat in the snow. Except Big Mac. "What do you think caused it?" I asked. The following sound of a dragon roar answered my question. Nothing remained but the right-back wall and a small portion of the roof. But everything was black. Even the snow around it. It had started snowing, but we couldn't pick out a snowflake from a piece of ash. I heard a bing from my laptop. I didn't feel like getting out of bed, so I pulled my laptop from the desk. I had gotten an email. I started reading. -Dear Mr. Hoover... After reading through it once, I read it again, analyzing each word to make sure I was getting it right. ...we are pleased to inform you that you have won this months Ponyville lottery... And will receive in your bank account a sum of 4,000,000 bits... I couldn't believe it! FOUR MILLION BITS!?!?!... But what will I do with all that? I could buy a house, invest some, anything! I'd never been happier... Well, except once. When I first saw Applejack. No matter what I did, my mind always drifted toward her. Then I got an idea. The best idea I've ever had. An idea that'll change everything. I would give some of it to the Apple Family. I decided the time was right. It was about eight o' clock when I got my hoodie on and headed out. I had a letter ready, figuring that it would be better to just leave it written down rather than actually tell her. But I had an empty stomach just in case. Inside the letter was a small note written in my best handwriting, and a check containing some money. When I got outside, I was met by the crisp night air. The entire street was lit up with neon lights and the lanterns hanging outside some store windows. The letter was in my pocket, quickly accessible. I would go to Sweetapple Acres, drop off the letter, knock on the door, and sprint down the road back home. Quick and easy. When I was in the forest, I noticed something strange. An abnormal amount of lights were lit. And some candles at one tree. I was still hidden by the shadow, and brought my hood up. I stuck my head around a tree and looked to see what it was. It was Applejack sitting on a bench. With another pony. And candles. 'Maybe they're just... Well... Maybe it's...' This didn't look good. AJ took off her hat and started slowly towards the other one. The stallion leaned quickly towards Applejack and took her face in his hooves. I started shaking. He kissed her, and her, him. My stomach churned. I shuffled back to town, trying to handle what I saw. That WAS Applejack, and they WERE kissing... But...... That... Was going... To be me... ME and Applejack. I would give her the money and she'd be with ME. Not any other stallion. ME. I started breathing heavily, until I was panting. Standing in the marketplace, with nopony else outside. Sweat streamed down my face, despite the freezing temperatures. I had fantasized this for years. Ever since I saw her. And there had never been a problem, until the day that I finally get brave enough to ask her. Why did have to be me? Why did I have to have the worst mare-problems out of everypony I know!? Why me!?! Why Why WHY WHY WHY!?!?!?!?! "FUUUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed, standing in the center of the street. I grabbed the letter from my pocket, crumbled it up, tore it in half, and threw it on the ground. The next day, I packed my things, all of them, wrote a letter to Cedric, and left to the train station. I didn't ever want to see Applejack's face again. Or ever hear her name. I hated her now. I would take a train to anywhere. I didn't care, I just wanted to start again somewhere new. Whether it be Fillydelphia, Manehattan, Trottingham, Canterlot, Baltimare, I don't care. Just get me away from here. As I was walking down the isle of the train, I saw a nearly empty compartment. I looked down the rest of the train, and saw a thick crowd. I sighed deeply, and got it. After I had gotten settled, I sat down opposite form the other stallion, by the window. "...Hey, I'm Chance." he said, breaking the short silence. "Hoover" I replied. The rest of the ride, we talked, got to know each other, told our stories of why we were here, and, became friends. Best friends, that is. I told him everything. Every thought. And he did the same. Now I live in Canterlot, in the same apartment building as Chance. Every morning I go to the Bakery down the street. It has an amazing view. The orange clouds and the soft pink rays of the sun calm my mind. Life is good. Now.
PonyvillePonyville -Hoover I was in the bathroom of the train, too busy shitting bricks to think. It was CEDRIC. AND APPLEJACK. Jesus. Motherfucking. Christ. I need to get out of this bathroom. I stepped into the compartment again, and sat down. "So Hoover... How's life?" he asked, awkwardly. "Doin' good. Married, now." I put my arm around Tavi's shoulder. "...this the guy that had the crush on me...?" Applejack asked under her breath to Cedric. He slowly nodded. The ride was filled with an awful silence. Eventually, Tavi and AJ started a conversation. Cedric joined in, and Tavi made me. She intentionally got major details of certain stories she was telling wrong, just to get me to talk. She knew I was OCD. By the time the train ride was over, Cedric and I made up for past mistakes. We went our separate ways, and Tavi and I made our way to our new house. Two stories, but the second story was more of a platform. There was an incline off to the side for Tavi. The outside looked very German, and the inside as well. She loved it here, and that made me happy. The next day the moving truck came. It was small, because we didn't have much. Thankfully, the house came with a nearly full set of furniture. Two months later, we were long since settled in, and knew the ponies around town. Berry Punch owned a stall across the street, Rose was selling flowers next door, Carrot-Top was in the central market (which was about three blocks down from our house), and Pinkie Pie worked Sugarcube Corner, which was outstanding at making cherry pie. Applejack had shown us around to her friends. So far, I knew Twilight, Rainbow Dash, R...Rority, was it? Fluttercry, or something, and of course, Pinkie, the mare at the bakery. Ponyville is very old-fashioned. I like it. There are almost no computers, vehicles are scarce, if not non-existent, and the town has this thing for clocks. I don't know why, but everypony has, like, fourteen clocks In their house. There's an old carpenter down the street, he supposedly makes the clocks. But he's the only one. Tavi's been talking about having a kid... I'm not too sure about it, but she's wanting to adopt. I'm good with that, because we could potentially skip the whole process the foal takes to get used to the world. You know what I mean, the spitting up, diapers, breastfeeding, all that stuff. Thankfully, there's an orphanage here. We've been a few times, and a certain filly has caught our eye... Two weeks later, we signed up for adoption. sometimes it takes months to get chosen to adopt. We're prepared to wait. In the meantime, Octavia is playing her cello like a boss. I've given her cello a name, but she's yet to accept it. Its name is Ezekiel. Chance came over two days later, and he brought us... A clock. Apparently, the clock thing grew on him, too. We set it on the mantlepiece, sat down in the living room, and talked for a good two hours. A letter came about a month later, letting us know we were next on the list to adopt. We were to pick the filly up at 4 o'clock that afternoon. We had a spare room, unintentionally, but this was the only house that was small enough for two. But it could comfortably fit three. On the walk there, Tavi looked uneasy. I put my arm around her shoulder to comfort her. "Maybe this was a bad idea..." she said to herself. "It'll be fine." I said, secretly nervous as well. We turned the corner, and saw the orphanage. Tavi seemed to be relaxing a bit, which made me relax, too. We opened the doors, and walked in to pick up our new kid. The walk home was fun, in a slightly exhausting way. This filly seemed full of a calm, ordered energy. It's... Hard to describe. But she's pretty awesome, so far. "So what'd you say your name was again?" I asked, knowing the answer, but asking for the sake of keeping the conversation going. "Scootaloo." She said in her tomboyish voice. "Scootaloo. That's fun to say... Tavi, you haven't said a word, and we just got a kid." "There's not much to say, all your conversations have been about is completely out of my interest." "Well, what would you like to discuss, Miss Octavia?" I asked, in a ridiculously clear voice for me. "..." "You gotta have something to say, I mean, you can't just think about NOTHING... What about music?" I asked Scootaloo. "You do anything with instruments?" "Umm... Not really..." "So what do you do with your time?" I asked. "Normally, I'll just hang out with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. But other than that, not much. I draw a little bit, but not a lot." Tavi stayed quiet. Until we got to the house. I showed Scoots to her room, and she was awed at the size of it. She set her backpack down, and followed me through the house. The kitchen, dining room, and master bedroom went by quickly, but when we got to the living room, oh man. You gotta hear this. She had seen my Ponyfield 3 case on top of other games I had by my seldom-used Xbox 360. She gasped, "You have Ponyfield 3!?! I love that game!!!" "Oh my God, no way!" I said in bewilderment. I saw Tavi shake her head and turn back to her music notes. "You've played that before?" I asked. "Hay yes, I have! Oh man... Wow." she stared at the case. "We had one of these at the orphanage. Only the older ponies were allowed on it, but I snuck on at night. And Modern Warfare 3!?!?!" Even though the games were rated M, I said I'd let her play them. All except Mafia II, which is one of the only ones she didn't notice. I slipped it under the sofa, where I would take it back to our bedroom later. When dinner was ready, we all gathered around the round table, and Tavi served the soup. Potato. Freaking. Soup. My favorite dinner. Plus, it being winter doesn't hurt. It was strange having three at the table. A good kind of strange. Tavi and Scootaloo started talking more. Each suggested a conversational topic, but seeing as they were opposite in nearly every way, not much was said. But at least they tried. It was early December. It seems strange, I haven't had an actual Christmas in years. Now we have Scootaloo, and it'll be nice to take a holiday. Tavi and I were talking that night. Scoots was so exited to have a room of her own, and was eager to settle in. "So how do you like Scootaloo so far?" I asked. "She's... It'll take some getting used to." she smiled. "...Is it hurting again?" I asked, concerned about her paralysis. "It's moving up my back..." There was nothing to say. We could only hope for a miracle now. The next day, while Scootaloo was at school, Tavi and I went for a walk. I rolled her around town, and we checked out the market. I saw Applejack at her stand, and across the courtyard, I could see the spot I sat at two years ago. I rolled Tavi over to AJ. "Hey, AJ!" I called. "Howdy! Can I help y'all?" "I was wondering if you could let us know where Fluttershy might be this time of day." "Sure! Um... She's almost always at her cottage, and if not there, maybe around town." She gave us directions to Fluttershy's cottage, and I rolled Octavia there. I knocked on the door, and it slowly opened. A cream-colored mare with long pink hair showed her face in the 1-foot opening of the doorway. "Um... Yes, can I help you?" "Fluttershy?" she nodded. "Applejack told us about you. We were wondering if you might have time to talk, maybe get to know each other." "Oh, um... If you know Applejack, then okay." She opened the door to let us in. "If I may ask, what happened?" Fluttershy asked after a half hour's conversation. "We were in a car wreck, and her legs were paralyzed." "Oh my, that's terrible!" "Yes... But it's started to spread up my back." Tavi said. "You should really see Princess Celestia about this." "I'm sure it's not that serious-" Tavi started. "Oh, but you must! Nopony in Ponyville has a disability such as yours." "Isn't there a mental institution just on the other side of town? Why hasn't the Princess helped them?" "Oh, that's a bit different. She can't simply cure something having to do with mental health. But she has been known to help cure diseases while she visits. Right now, you're the only pony I know with a physical disability. I insist." We thanked her, and left to pick up Scootaloo from school. When we got there, class had been dismissed for about ten minutes. "Oh, oh, mom, dad! Could I go hang out with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle for a while?" she asked, radiating energy. Tavi looked up at me, smiled, and nodded. "Yes, but be home by 6." Annnnd... Off they went. Like monkeys from a box. Tavi and I went to see Twilight about the Princess. "...Never been called dad before." "Hello! May I help you?" she asked at the doorway. "Yes, Fluttershy said you could help us with something." Tavi said. "Oh, of course! Come in!" "So we heard you Princess Celestia's student?" I asked. "Personal student." "Fluttershy said the Princess might heal ponies of sickness on her visits. Tavi, well..." "I have paralysis. It seems to be spreading, and rapidly." "Oh! The Princess has told me about her previous healings. Of course! I'll try and get her to make a visit soon." After a few minutes, Twilight got back to us. "Oh... It seems the soonest she can make a visit to Ponyville is next month." "That's alright," Tavi smiled. "Thank you." That night, I went to pick up Scootaloo. When I came back, Tavi was sitting in the kitchen, with a worried look on her face. "It keeps spreading. I think it's affecting my front hooves now." We needed Celestia. Now. Unfortunately, since she IS the Princess of all Equestria, she must have a busy schedule, so when she said she'd come down, she would. Also, there must be bigger problems than a spreading paralysis. But it would be nice if she could drop by soon. Like, right now. I took Scootaloo to her room, and came back to talk to Octavia. "It's spreading?" "Yes, quickly." "How long do you think it'll take before it spreads to your whole body?" "I don't know, a few weeks, maybe." "...Well let's try not to talk about in front of Scoots, okay?" She nodded. It was Saturday morning, a week after that conversation took place. Scootaloo and I were on the xbox, which was now more frequently used, now that we had a reason. Tavi was unable to move her left hoof, and remained on the sofa, watching us. She was wrapped up in an old quilt her mother had given us. It was a dark, rainy day. The constant sound of the water hammering down on the roof was soothing. I love the rain. Canterlot doesn't get much, mostly because it's above the clouds. Eventually, I offered Tavi my computer. She eagerly accepted the offer. I went and got it, and brought it back to her. Later on in the day, I could see snow start to drift down outside. It wouldn't stick until tomorrow, if it fell that long. But the sight was comforting. I was in the kitchen, attempting to make dinner. Tavi was constantly making sure I had the measurements correct, and whatnot. When dinner was ready, I called Scootaloo over, and went to get Tavi's wheelchair. Once at the table, we said the blessing an ate. "...Anypony care to comment?" I asked. "It tastes like fish." Scootaloo said. "What does?" "Everything." I sighed. Maybe cooking just isn't my thing. After dinner, I took Octavia back to her sofa, and dismissed Scootaloo, while I stayed back to clean up. In a week and a half, the Princess would arrive. Precisely on Christmas Day. How convenient. Cheesy, but convenient. That night, in bed, I was thinking, as I always do. Tavi was asleep, and I was gently stroking her mane. If her paralysis keeps spreading, will it affect her mental health? How fast will it spread? Can we afford to wait another week? Only time can tell. It was Christmas Eve, 8 o' clock at night, and Tavi wasn't doing too well. She could no longer move any of her legs, and was having trouble with her neck. Scoots was getting ready for bed, and we decided to, also. Waiting seemed unbearable. The Princess would come tomorrow, and hopefully then, she could- Somepony knocked on the door. "Yes?" I answered, once at the door. It was Twilight. "How is she?" "She's not good. Her body is completely paralyzed, and she's having trouble with her neck." "I've written to the Princess, and she said she's willing to heal her." "If she could get here soon, I'd be grateful." "Well, the thing is..." "...What?" "I thought I'd drop by early." Another voice spoke. When I saw who it was, I immediately bowed. She motioned me to stand, and to get Octavia. When I came back, the Princess's horn was glowing. Scootaloo had come downstairs, too, and was standing beside me. Princess Celestia touched her horn down on Tavi's head, and their bodies radiated a light purple aura. "Stand." The Princess said, stepping back. I could see the nervousness in Octavia's eyes as she slowly leaned forward. My heart thumped furiously, vibrating my whole body with each beat. Tavi's hoof brushed the top of a snow drift, and hovered over it for a while. She squeezed her eyes shut, and slammed her hooves on the ground. She immediately tried to stand up, and collapsed. The Princess caught her, and I rushed to her side. "Walking will take some getting used to, but you CAN walk now." Tavi's eyes were getting redder, and I could just barely see tears forming. I thanked the Princess, and so did Octavia, rather excessively. Eventually, she bade us farewell, and left with Twilight to go around town. That was so freakin' cheesy. But in a good way. I guess it's just my opinion. It was Christmas Day, and Scootaloo was sitting on the sofa, with a small heap of wrapped presents sitting in her lap. That face... It's indescribable. She mercilessly ripped through the cheap wrapping paper, marveling at each surprise after another. After she was finished unwrapping, she jumped over to us, giving us a five minute hug. At one point, it seemed like she had fallen asleep. But then she sprang back up. I couldn't help but smile at her infinite energy. Tavi was practicing maintaining her balance, as she stumbled across the living room carpet. In an hour, she was walking again. She no-longer needed the wheelchair, could now see the upstairs more often, and it wasn't a pain in the ass when we came across three stairs in the middle of the sidewalk outside. Scootaloo gravitated towards us no matter where we went, thanking us individually multiple times. Eventually, she caught on that it was getting old, and stopped. That night, we feasted. Yes, feast is the perfect word for it, as the portions were intimidatingly plentiful. We watched a movie and a half, half is when Scoots and Tavi were both asleep. I gently picked the orange filly up on my back, and walked her to her room. Her slow, calm breathing soothed me. When I laid her down on her bed, I looked around. She had a poster of Rainbow Dash, whom she idolized. I looked on her shelves, and saw a small collection of drawings, messily stacked, all of a Pegasus in mid-flight. I stroked her hair absent-mindedly, and realized how soft it was. It was then that I realized that this energetic young filly was my daughter, and I had to raise her right. So far, I guess I was doing alright, but I could do more. But now, I smiled down at her, watching her small body expand with each breath. I tucked her into her bed, kissed her on the forehead, and headed downstairs. Before the door closed, I heard her stir. "I love you, dad." "...I love you, too." Damn it feels good to be a dad. Ponyville has treated us well, given us a daughter, given Octavia the ability to walk again, and has given us lots of clocks. Life here is a lot cheaper than in Canterlot, and a helluva lot more colorful and artistic. Scootaloo has grown on us, and is doing very well right now. I'm thinking about teaching her how to fly sometime soon. I've gotten to know the ponies of this town better, and Tavi has, too. Ponyville's a great place to be.
ScootalooIn 1492, Scootaloo sailed the ocean blue. ^^^ Just popped in my head, thought I'd share. Made me laugh. Eh :/ Scootaloo -Hoover "Left, go left!" "Wha-Oka- Oh crap!" "It's alright, 's alright. Okay, um... Go right. THERE! Behind that crate! Come on, go Go GO! YES! High five!" Scootaloo was on the xbox she'd gotten on Christmas, playing the new Haylo. Tavi was in our room, on her cello. She had put blankets over the doorway, as our constant communication distracted her. Scoots had asked me to help guide her for a few matches online. I looked at one of the five clocks in the living room. Huh, 46 minutes had passed since we started. "Crap! Okay, gotta go, Scoots. Love you." "Love you too, dad." she gave a quick but and continued on with the game, leaning forward on the sofa in front of our tv. "Hoover!" "Chance, hey! This is Cedric, my old roommate." they shook hooves. We sat down at Sugarcube Corner and got a cup of coffee. We talked for an hour or so, mostly just telling stories, until the conversation shifted. "So you got a kid now, right?" Chance asked, leaning back in his seat. "Do tell." Cedric said, leaning on the table slightly. "Yeah... Scootaloo, that's her name. God I love that kid. She's awesome. I don't know how, but she has this constant source of energy flowing. I mean, like you wouldn't believe it. But yeah, I love that kid." I said, smiling at the memory of her hug from Christmas. "Of all the people, who would've thought you'd be happy to have a daughter." Chance laughed in his seat. The rest of the conversation was completely unrelated to Scootaloo, and therefor shall not be written in this chapter, as it's name is, in fact, titled 'Scootaloo' "Dad!" Scootaloo rushed to greet me as I entered. Her and Tavi were watching something on TV. I joined on the couch, and they resumed. But it wasn't long before it was late and Scoots had fallen asleep yet again under my arm. Tavi took a moment and rested her head on my shoulder. "We were talking today. About cello. She didn't get a word I said." "I can see why." "I think she's more attached to you than me." Tavi said, smiling. After all, she was the one who wanted a foal in the first place. I looked down at Scootaloo, and smiled. "Maybe you should tuck her in this time." I said to Octavia. She agreed, and took Scootaloo in her arms to her room. When she came back to her room, I could see a smile growing on her face. "Feels good, doesn't it?" I said after we were in bed. "Hm? Oh, yes, I suppose." "Hearing her voice say it. Knowing she means it. And saying it back." "Yes..." "There's nothing better..." I turned off the lamp, and Tavi and I drifted off to sleep, the sound of absolutely nothing polluting the air. I woke up to a brisk Friday morning, mostly by Octavia bringing in some coffee. She was in her bathrobe, and leaned her head on me, occasionally sipping her drink. Strange. I'd almost forgotten how much I love her. I saw the clock, and realized Scootaloo should have been up by now. When I went to wake her up, not a single hint of stirring came from her room. I entered the familiar blue-painted room, whose color was unrecognizable in the early morning. I saw her body move, and walked over to her. I lay down by her side, and gave her a hug. "Hey dad" she said, mumbling. "I don't feel too good..." "How so?" "Throat hurts, headache..." I felt her forehead. "Dang, Scoots. You're burning up." I gave her a kiss, and went to get Tavi. "I think Scootaloo might have a fever" She came with me to her room, and we both sat on the bed and talked with the orange filly. "Let's get you into some fresher air." Tavi said, getting Scootaloo up. The filly shuffled behind Octavia, tripping on her own hoof twice, and yawning excessively. Tavi got her some medicine, water, and a blanket, and took her to the couch. "You go on ahead, I'll look after her." I said to Octavia, when it was time for her to go to work. "Are you sure?" "Yeah, it'll be no problem." And it wasn't. Scootaloo and I talked for hours, had laughs, finished the interrupted Lord of the Rings trilogy from Christmas, and had a great time. Until Scootaloo threw up. At around midday, she had suddenly woken up and rushed to the bathroom after a moments hesitation. All I could do was put a hoof on her back and wait for it to end. After it did end, I put a trash-can next to her spot on the sofa and tried to keep her awake. She vomited two more times, slightly splattering the carpet on her way to the small waste container. I got her some water, ginger-ale, and a packet of saltine crackers, and told her to eat them slowly. For the water and ginger-ale, I wasn't sure which would be better for her, but in most of my memories, my mom gave me ginger-ale, so I told Scootaloo the same. When Tavi got home, she saw the trash-can, and gagged, covering her mouth with her hoof and closing her eyes, looking away. I moved the can into the kitchen, and when I came back, Tavi was asking Scoots a bunch of questions regarding her health. That night, when Scoots was feeling better, we did nothing but sit by our fireplace. Scootaloo wasn't in much of a mood for anything, Tavi had no work to do, and I... Well, I don't do much. We watched as the gas-propelled flames licked the false-wood, burning nothing whatsoever. I sat with Tavi and Scoots, all three of us wrapped in a series of blankets, warming ourselves from the cold January air. Without noticing, all three of us fell asleep. Right there, with the ones we loved most, all helping keep each other warm. Saturday was a whole lot better than Friday. Now that there was snow on the ground, Scoots didn't have school, and wasn't AS sick as yesterday, Tavi and I agreed to let her out. I couldn't resist following. Scootaloo started building a fort, reinforcing the low-built walls with sticks and twigs that she had pulled from trees and off the ground. Meanwhile, I started making a fort myself. We gathered plenty of snow for ammunition, and thus, the Great Snowball War had begun. I lay low, peeking my head out every once in a while to see what was happening. Scootaloo was doing the same. Once I had a sufficient amount of snowballs for throwing, I poked my head above the wall. Immediately, Scootaloo started chucking the balls of snow at me and my base, crippling my defensive barriers, crumbling my main walls, destroying my confidence. This kid had some kinda good aim. I whipped around, and picking up snowballs with each hoof, hurtled them at her base. Her reinforced walls were too strong for my weak throw, and mocked me with their standing. I reached down again, but no ammunition received my out-lying hoof. I cursed under my breath, and realized something. I was completely fucked. I watched with a wet face and eyes wide open, trying to catch my breath, as the horrific sight of Scootaloo with 50+ snowballs came up from cover, and she immediately started throwing. My mind sped up, and I vaulted over my wall, stumbling when it crumbled so easily under my weight. I got up, and was hit in the leg. For the sake of the game, I let that leg hang limp, and limped on. Snowballs whizzed past me, and my mind sped up even more. Each encounter becoming closer and closer, until another hit my leg. Now crawling with my front two hooves in a final-stand fashion, I could hear Scootaloo come behind me. I kept crawling, trying to get to... Well, away from the enemy. But it was useless. Scootaloo muttered something in a foreign language, which amazed me that she knew, and put a snowball in the back of my head. I lay limp for several minutes, as Scootaloo went to get Octavia and show her her triumph. Tavi laughed when she saw the outcome, and how poorly built my base was compared to Scootaloo's. I got up, we laughed and discussed our war-time tales, and thus, the day out in the snow ended. 11:09 pm, Tavi was in the bathroom, and I was already in bed, attempting to read. She came in, and when I looked up, I had a surge of heat overtake me. She had dropped her hair down below her eyes, whereas she normally kept it neat around her face. But she looked so damn sexy. Like... Wow. And god, those eyes. She got in bed and lay extra-close, spooning me. She looked back at me, and I could tell by her face. There's gonna be some bumpin' an' grindin' tonight. The R. Kelly song jumped into my head, and I got my sexy on. We kissed, tongue and all, and I slid my hoof down her side to you-know-where. Eventually, we were all-out just doing it. I won't go into detail, but in the end, we both fell asleep needing the rest. At nearly two in the morning, Scootaloo ran into our room. "Scoots? Hey whu's wrong...?" I said, mumbling. She was slightly trembling, sweating a little bit, and on the verge of tears. I immediately took her in my arms, comforting her. She must have had some hell of a nightmare to do this to her. Tavi was woken by this, and when she saw, she tried to comfort her as well. The filly lay between us, calming down and falling back asleep, in the arms of Tavi and I. On Sunday, for the sake of boredom, we went into town. Mostly to catch up with some people and to get some hot chocolate at Sugarcube Corner. On the way there, we had to pass by a dance club, and, well... "...Yeah, man. That was fuckin' awesome. I mean the way your cock slides, god that feels so fuckin' good, I mean, like..." I was looking at a white mare with light blue hair with darker blue highlights. "I'll be back in a second..." I told Tavi, going over to the mare. "Hey, what's your name?" "Who the fuck are you?" "I asked you a question, please answer." "Fuck off, man." I sighed. "You see that mare and filly over there?" "...Yeah. So what?" "That's my wife and kid, and right now you're setting one hell of an example for my daughter." "So what? It's none of your business what I say or don't say." "Look at yourself. You're drunk, high, and you just got laid five minutes ago. You want a filly in fourth grade to see that? Imagine goin' to school with that image in your head." "You better fuck off now, man. I ain't in such a good mood." "There's a joint in your pocket, I can see it. Hangin' out for the world to see. So shut your mouth or I'll find a cop." And that just about shut her up. She tried to come back with something, but had a sudden lack of words and couldn't. She gave up and walked inside, muttering under her breath. "Okay, let's go." Sugarcube Corner got snowed in by a sudden blizzard, and we were stuck inside. Thankfully, Pinkie Pie and Mr. & Mrs. Cake had a stock of blankets and plenty of tea and hot chocolate to warm us up. "Hey dad?" "Yeah?" "When are we gonna get home?" "I dunno, Scoots." About an hour into the blizzard, I started noticing a number of ponies going to buy drinks. "You guys want something?" I asked. "I'll have a gingerbread hot chocolate." Tavi said. "Same." said Scootaloo. "Looks like that's three." I walked into the line, and waited as the other 14 stallions and mares ahead of me ordered. When I got to the register, the cheerful pink mare greeted me. "Hi there! What would you like?" "3 gingerbread hot chocolates." "Oooh, good choice. It'll be right up!" A few minutes later, they called me back up. I paid, took the drinks, and headed back to the table. We were stuck there all day, and almost had to spend the night there. Luckily, a group of ponies came along and cleared the snow away. Scootaloo went off to bed, and Tavi and I did the same. Although we did get snowed in, it made a pretty good memory, and it taught me how much I depended on Tavi and Scootaloo. That night, I slept easily, knowing I had a wife and daughter to wake up to.
The WarIn October of the year following the blizzard, the Zebras declared war on Equestria. Thousands were enlisted through newspaper, growing eventually to millions. On the fifth week of enlisting, my name came up. Along with Chance's. We were being shipped off to Trottingham for Basic Training tomorrow. Tavi was in tears, and Scootaloo was nearly crying also. But she's a tough little filly, and somehow held it in, but just barely. I didn't want to leave, but at the same time couldn't wait to go. I was torn between the two, and Tavi knew. She hated me for wanting to go, and didn't want me to leave. At 7 am the next day, I was woken by Octavia sobbing on my shoulder. A few minutes later, after I was ready to go, Tavi and Scootaloo came out with me. We walked to the stop where the truck would pick us up. We waited, and more enlisted joined us with members of their family. No one talked, and tears of mothers, wives, and children filled the air. The truck came, and we could hear it before we saw it. Knowing I wouldn't see my family for so long... That's what kills me. As the truck neared, its brakes screeched, and the smell of gasoline grew stronger. Other stallions got on, saying their goodbyes to their families. As the line shortened, my time came. Chance boarded, nopony to say goodbye to, and I followed, waving to Tavi and Scootaloo. Once I was sat down, the truck started rolling down the road, away from our loved ones. "That's messed up." Chance said to me around ten minutes down the road. "Hm? Yeah..." "I could understand taking me, but knowing you and Octavia, and hell, even Scootaloo, I mean you guys are so perfect for each other." "Someone's gotta go. Might as well be us." "But what if you die? Odds are we might not even make it back." I hadn't thought of that. At first, I was only slightly disturbed at the looks of it. But I started thinking about Tavi and Scoots, how much they mean to me, and how much they love me. I can't do this... "No... but, it was..." I could barely fit a word in as my voice faded into crying. "It was gonna be... It was........ It was our fuckin' anniversary this Saturday... Oh fuck, and Scoot's birthday after that! C'mon!..." I held my head in my hooves, and Chance put an arm on my back, along with the stallion next to me. Tears clouded my vision, and a few leaked out, dripping to the mud-covered floor panels. I sat back upright, wiping my face with my sleeve, gathering myself. I sniffed, and thought of other things. I thought of that day with the blizzard, that warmth. My mind calmed down, and I stopped crying. "Hey, It's okay." the stallion next to me said, putting a hoof on my shoulder. "Thanks... What's your name?" "Hopkins. Steve Hopkins." "Hoover," I shook his hoof. "Thanks, man... I knew a guy named Steve, once..." We got off at a camp in Trottingham, and unloaded our things. "We're goin' into hell, boys." I heard someone from the group say. 2 months later--- "Hey guys, we got three enemy mo' fo's to our right, keep an eye on 'em, they see us, we're all fucked" Behrens said over the radio. "Got it. Mo' fo's watched." I said. "W...what's a 'Mo' fo'?" My spotter asked. "You been here this long and STILL don't know what a mofo is?" "Never thought to ask." "It means motherfucker. Remember that, it'll be real handy in tight situations with little time. Quick to say." My spotter- Michael Connor. Like, 20 years old, or something. He's my spotter, cause he's a good sniper, just don't know how to pull the trigger. Can't take the burden of takin' a life. So, he's my eyes and ears. Well, just eyes, actually. We were on a patrol about three clicks off the western outskirts of nothing. Absolutely. Fucking. Nothing. "Annnnnnd... Smoke 'em." I took the shot on one zebra, and the round pierced through his head, hitting his friend in the leg. I pulled the bolt, and scoped back in. The other two were dead on the ground, bullet-holes on their jackets, blood-soaked, of course. That was my first kill in weeks. Normally, nopony comes around. That phrase, 'shit happens', doesn't apply here. "Hey guys, mail." Steve said through the tent's doorway. "Fucking finally." Connor said, rushing to beat the rest to the stack he left. "Jesus, man. It ain't goin' anywhere." Chance said, stepping back from my spotter as he barged through the group. I stood up and walked to the mail pile, waiting for the crowd to clear. I picked up Tavi's unmistakeable grey envelope, slightly stained from what looked like coffee. I opened the seal, and read it. Hoover, Things keep changing. Scootaloo is getting restless. We miss you, and I need you back home. Please write back as soon as you can, I couldn't live if you died. I'm not sure if our daughter could, either. You mean so much to her. Mum and dad came over yesterday, they brought something for you once you get back. Which I hope will be soon. I sent some pictures in this, I hope you get them. Be safe over there, and I love you! -Tavi I read it over and over again, smiling at her ever-so-neat hoofwriting. I found the pictures she sent in the envelope, and gazed at them for what felt like days. Tavi in her winter coat and scarf, back just before we were married. I remembered that day in the park. The next was of me and Scootaloo outside in the snow. I stared at that one, absorbing the sight of that happy filly's face flinching at my throw. I had never looked at myself much. It was interesting. I don't really remember ever staring into a mirror. I had a beard, not too long, and not just a scruff, either. A little in between. I had a long-ish navy blue mane, and average cream-colored skin. I couldn't see my cutie mark, and didn't really want to. I was laughing in this image, throwing a snowball, and missing, hitting a tree. The next of last Christmas, Tavi standing in front of a fire, smiling ever so gently, slightly blushing. Another of Scootaloo shredding apart the wrapping of her xbox. Other family pictures went by, until I came across one that really got to me. It was Scootaloo, cheering and laughing so hard. She was floating mid-air, and her wings were spread out, and I noticed they were about a foot longer than they normally were. I missed her first flight... That's a big thing for pegasi. The first flight is the most remembered one. And I wasn't there for it. I set it down in my bed, and lay down. Fuck my life. Fuck Equestria. Fuck Celestia for establishing that goddamn enlistment system. I just missed my daughter's first flight. I sat there, and tears clouded my vision. But I didn't let anyone see any tears. Chance had been assigned a mission. He couldn't talk about it, but he wished he could. Mission after mission, he came back later and later. One day, he didn't come back. But his squad did. With his body. "I'm so sorry, man." Steve said. My throat choked up, and I sat down. I stared at his face, so calm in his death. He was my best friend. But he died doing what he loved. Hoover, Please write back, I need to know you're alive! Scootaloo can't take much more of this. Please, send a letter back. Mum and dad keep saying you could be dead, and they hate to think of it as much as I do. I've sent more pictures. Say hi to Chance for me, I know he has nopony to come back to. With love, Tavi The letter lay at the foot of my bed, as I lay down. I had read it, and seen the pictures. Tavi and Scootaloo were at the Canterlot Gardens, and Scootaloo had the happiest look on her face. She was flying again. I saw pictures of last Nightmare Night, and Scootaloo was in a picture with the Princess of the Night herself. I sat up, took my pistol in my hoof, and turned the safety off. I picked up a full mag, slid it in, and loaded a bullet in the chamber. Without thinking, I raised the gun to my head, the barrel touching my temple. I was completely ready to pull the trigger. Just ten more seconds... Okay ten more... Maybe fifteen more seconds... I dropped the gun and sighed. Before long, I picked it back up, and placed it on the underside of my chin. Nopony was around to see this. I could pull the trigger any time I wanted. Just need to pull it... "Hoover." I lowered the gun and looked at the person calling my name. "Mail's here." Steve said, slightly concerned. "You okay?" I sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine." Dear Tavi, I'm so sorry I couldn't write back sooner. I'm so happy for Scootaloo. I just wish I could've been there for her first flight. Thank you so much for the pictures. Chance... Chance died a week ago. The funeral's in 5 days, they're shipping me back home for a few days for it. I'll be back then, and I promise I'll spend as much time with you guys as possible. Please don't give up on me. I know how things work in the army. Some guys I know lost girlfriends and wives to other stallions, and I couldn't live with myself if I let that happen. I love you. -Hoover 5 days later, they put me on a plane back to Ponyville. I couldn't wait to see Tavi and Scootaloo. My heart raced as we unboarded. I couldn't wait to feel Tavi's long, soft mane, or hear Scootaloo's voice again. The plane door opened, and every pony in ACUs stepped off onto the plane-bridge... Thingy... Whatever it's called. I could hear families cheer as their loved ones embraced them. Steve nudged me with his elbow. "You excited?" "Hell yeah, man. And... Could you not mention that thing in the camp? You know..." "Don't worry about it." I could see Connor behind me. His face was priceless. Steve's was, too. And Celestia knows I was. The line thinned out, and soon enough, our time came. Behrens ran out to greet his mother and sisters, and got a bear-hug from his dad. Somehow Steve got ahead of me, and I saw him run to his wife and parents. I smiled, and remembered I'd be experiencing the same in about 30 seconds. Make that 3 seconds. Scootaloo flew right into me in the form of some sort of hug, nearly knocking the air out of me. I stumbled to the side into the crowd, and found myself right next to Octavia. I saw into her eyes, and a second later, embraced her. "I missed you so much" I breathed into Tavi's shoulder. Tears started forming, and meandered down my skin. Scootaloo was still embracing me, no hint of letting go. "We should get something to drink." Tavi suggested. Scootaloo was already in bed, after being determined to stay up all night. Dinner must have made her so sleepy. "Okay. What do you want? Ginger ale? That's pretty much all we have." "No, I meant like, go out. To a bar." She said. I stared blank eyed. "A bar? You of all people..." "Well, we don't have to." "Nono- it's fine! It's great. I was just pointing out that you don't really drink much." And so we went to a bar. Tavi and I were in the far back corner of the building, secluded from the rest. We were on a bet, who could stand the most. A few shots in, we were both still going strong. Even further, fine. Even further... Not too shabby. Even further... Oh boy. Here we go. Tavi almost fell asleep mid-shot, and I was just about to throw up. She moved over to my side, and leaned her head on my shoulder. An hour later, after casually sipping on a few beers, Tavi looked up at me and smiled. This reminded me so much of the dates we had. I miss those times. I love Scootaloo, and I love living with Tavi. But I miss those days when I would wake up and couldn't wait to see her. I miss those starry nights on Tavi's patio, looking at the moon and all Equestria light by it. I miss Chance. I miss the games we'd play online on the xbox. I miss his random visits, sometimes right when Octavia and I were just starting to kiss, and how I'd rush to get him out, yelling at him on the way out. I miss her blushing, shy self. I miss needing her dad's permission to do anything. I miss her house, and how sick I got of that apple-cinnamon smell. And goddamn it, I miss being nervous. Sometimes, I wish I lived back in those times. When we were younger. Tavi asked what was wrong when she saw a tear. I told her what I was thinking. Before long she started to cry, too. She remembered what I was talking about. She felt the same. We sat, swaying with the music. Most of all, I miss this. Normal life. I hate this damned war. I hate being away from my family. I love this so much. At Chance's funeral, when it was my turn to speak, I stepped up to the podium, in full uniform. "Chance... Was one of my best friends. He will always be remembered as a good soldier, and an even better friend. Not only did he save my life, he made it a whole lot better. He was a good man. And he will be missed." I stayed after as long as I could. Tavi came to my side, and Scootaloo, too. I could tell Scoots was restless. "You know, I bet Chance is floating around somewhere as some kinda ghost before goin' up to heaven. And Chance, if you can hear me, pay attention to these next few words." I cleared my throat. "You're a dick. For leaving me alone. JUST to let you know... Okay, we can go..." I said to Tavi, turning around. Home we went, and Tavi and I spent hours outside that night. Just looking at each other. I fully regained appreciation for her eyes, her hair, reflecting the moonlight in it. And... Just her face in general. And, yeah. That's pretty much it. We kissed that night, for hours. Outside, under the moon, remembering the old days. 6 months later, the war came to an end. The zebras gave up. I would get to be with my family for the rest of my fucking life. Finally. Although Chance was no longer with us, I now had other friends. Connor, who didn't have many friends in the first place, Hopkins, Behrens, hell, even Foley. Each of us had contact with each other. We agreed upon a 'reunion' date. The day the war ended. October 3rd. There's new life to live, like virgin snow in the early morning. Never been touched. You might slip and fall, you might not. The only way to find out is to go out and see. I think it's about time we used that lottery money. I've been talking about teaching Scootaloo how to ski, and hell, why not start now? I want to sincerely thank those who read this story as a whole, it means a lot to me. Also to the ones who watched, liked, and favorited. I cannot thank you enough. -Hoover
