Adventures Are No Fun.

Canterlot:

Carver trudged down the long empty Canterlot streets. Heat waves rose off the concrete ground. The bright blue mare beside her went on and on about the play she was producing.

"Hey pretty little thing," yelled Newsy.

Showy Product smiled, waved, blew kisses and yelled, "Hi there Handsome." She rolled her eyes when Newsy was out of view. "What a bother. You don't want to be as famous as I am."

Carver nodded politely.

Showy continued bragging about herself and shouting to ponies only half of which noticed her first. "Are you listening?"

'Sadly I am' thought Carver. "Yes," she replied with a forced smile. "I am learning a lot too."

"Good. You are going to love this. I decided you are going to make another piece for my show. It will be statue of me half the size of the merpony statue."

"How long are you going to delay the show?"

Showy forced a smile. She looked like she was about to sneeze. "I am not going to. I was thinking you could delay your trip until after the show."

'I am leaving tomorrow!' thought Carver. "I am sorry but I can't delay my trip. I wish I could help. I am sure you will think of something."

Showy groaned. "Yeah. I will think of something."

Cloudsdale:

Screech sat at the kitchen table. She stared at the winged ants on her breakfast. Her lips pressed together tightly.

Glitter sat on a pile of pillows in front of the refrigerator. She ate chocolate pudding with her hoof.

Success sat across from Screech. He begged for details of the fight against the judge.

Melodie's eyes glowed green. "Be quiet." She looked to Screech. "Are you okay?"

Screech took a deep breath. "I feel..."

Melodie hugged Screech. Tears ran down the back of her neck.

Canterlot:

The set of Showy's play was calm and quiet. Everypony finished their jobs days ago. Aside from a few small tasks Showy had managed to find most ponies had nothing to do.

Carver sat in the audience seating. She tied her white mane in gold and blue ribbons. She needed the colors for her visit to Cloudsdale.

A blond colt with a light brown mane sat beside Carver. Candle smiled with a slight blush on his cheeks.

Carver blushed and smiled. "Hey."

"Hi."

Carver noticed Candle's breath smelled like mint and chocolate. "You smell nice." Her stomach flipped. Her entire body burned. She wished there was a way to go back in time and smack herself.

Candle smiled ear to ear. "Thanks." He sat a little taller. "I heard you are leaving the production today. That is a shame. I... want to spend more time with you."

Carver had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming. "I want to spend more time with you too." She was glad her second conversation with her crush was going better than their first.

"Want to get milkshakes tomorrow?"

"I can't. I am going to be out of town for a few days. I will be back in a week."

"Oh." Candle looked at the floor. "So in a week then?"

"Yes!" yelled carver. "I hope your timing isn't always this bad."

"Actually. The last time I asked a girl out was the day she started dating somepony else."

Carver chuckled. "Thank Luna I am not dating. I would not want to miss this chance."

Candle stared at Carver. His gaze intense. "Thank Luna? I didn't realize you were one of those ponies." He hopped off his chair and trotted away.

Carver pressed her teeth together. On one hoof she was glad she didn't go out with a Celestia worshiper. On the other hoof she missed Screech.

Ponyville:

Rove, the lynx, rolled around on her back swatting at the air like a kitten. Her large claws sliced through the felt mouse on a nylon string.

Hazard smiled at her cute little kitty.

Blue Ink stared at Rove with wide unblinking eyes. "You want to enter that monster into a cat show?"

Hazard nodded. "Yes. She is very dangerous so we will need to put safety precautions into place." She rubbed her kitten's warm fluffy tummy. "You are a menace to society," she cooed playfully.

"That thing-"

"Her name is Rove and she is a lynx."

"Rove is not going to win any prizes. It- she does not fit any of the standard."

Hazard nodded. "I know. It is a cat show. I want to show off my cat. I want everypony to see how cute and playful she is. Maybe the ponies who wanted to eat her will think twice next time if they see her as a the cute little kitten she is."

"What?"

"You don't think she is cute?"

"Aaaahh. Yeaahh she is cute. Who wanted to eat her?"

Hazard shrugged. "I don't know. Where do I sign?"

Blue Ink hesitated before passing a form to Hazard.

Ponyville:

Scoops walked down the rowdy halls of Luna's bad wing. She opened the door to Ham's room.

Ham Bone and Wild Hearts disco danced in the the middle of the room.

Scoops smiled. "Why are you so adverse to being cool?"

Cloudsdale:

Screech sat on the table in the dining hall. Melodie held her hoof. She felt cold. "Do you know what is most frustrating about all of this? I don't know what I did wrong."

Melodie held Screech a little tighter. "We can talk about that later. Right now I just want to hold you and forget any of that happened."

Screech nodded. She took a deep breath and let her body relax.

Ponyville:

Carver stepped off The Friendship Express. She had a little brown suitcase on her back containing warm clothe for Cloudsdale and a flag reading "Go Screech!" in bright pink letters and a grey duffel bag around her neck.

Bobo smiled brightly showing the sharp contrast between his new teeth and his old teeth. He hopped a little when he saw his little green unicorn friend. "Carver! Carver! Over here! Carver!"

Carver nodded and waved. She made her wat through the crowd of ponies getting off the train and waiting to greet those getting off.

Bobo scooped Carver into a big tight hug. "It is great to finally meet you."

"You must be Ham," joked Carver. "I was expecting you to be taller."

Bobo laughed loudly. Every pony stared and whispered.

Carver felt her face heating up. "Why don't we get out of the way. You can show my Luna's or Platinum Park."

Bobo placed Carver back on the ground. "Lets go!" He took off running. After charging a few dozen ponies he stopped, turned around and ran back toward Carver. "How was the train?"

"Fine. It is only a one hour ride from Canterlot."

Bobo looked up at the sky. "Is it that close? It looks far away." His back was to Canterlot.

"The train is fast," said Carver.

"How far away is Canterlot?"

'How am I supposed to know?' thought Carver. "I am not sure."

Bobo nodded. "It looks far."

Carver sighed. "So, where are the others?"

"They are at Luna's. Melodie is in Cloudsdale."

The pair marched on. "Do you play any instruments?" asked Carver.

"I never had the chance to learn. I have never even held one in my paws." Bobo looked at his paws.

"Screech taught me to play acoustic guitar."

Bobo cocked his head. "Screech can play guitar?"

Carver laughed. "Are you kidding? She grew up in an instrument shop. She can play anything but the yovidaphone." She stopped abruptly. "She does not play anymore?"

"She does not own an instrument as far as I know."

"Maybe I can bring one to her. Do you want to go shopping with me?"

Bobo nodded. "of course."

Carver walked through the narrow empty halls of Luna's bad wing. She admired the crayon drawings and hoof paintings decorating the smooth dirty walls. The halls were fairly quiet. She did hear the occasional quiet laugh.

"I was expecting this place to be different," said Carver. "Every pony described it as being horrible."

"Well..." Bobo scratched his chin. "It has not been as bad recently. Now that we have the garden ponies spend less time here. Everypony has been nicer and happier since we fixed the walls and floors. Luna's is not all bad."

Bobo opened the door to Ham's room. Wild, Ham and Scoops were disco dancing.

Carver smiled ear to ear. She busted out her best moves.

"You are pretty good short-stuff," said Wild.

"You are just so cute I could eat you up," complimented Scoops. She winked.

Carver blushed at the attention. "Thanks. My parents have- had a lot of disco records. We used to dance to them all the time. Well about once a month."

Bobo and Ham did the worm.

Cloudsdale:

Screech sat across from Melodie at the kitchen table. She poked her hay with a fork. "I am a horrible mare-friend."

"What?" yelled Melodie. "That is not true."

"I have done nothing but make you miserable since you came to Cloudsdale." Screech looked at the ants on pillows on the floor.

Melodie didn't respond. She gave careful thought as to what she should say.

Screech shrank into her chair. Her head was barely over the top of the table.

"You will make it up to me," assured Melodie.

Screech rose a little. "I can take you to a concert. I am sure there is one around."

Melodie smiled. "You can braid my mane. I want to look nice when we go out."

Ponyville:

Carver looked around the spacious well lit instrument shop. She scrunched up her nose. Dozens of ponies stood around strumming guitars and banging on drums.

"This place is great!" exclaimed Ham. He walked along a wall of guitars.

"Look at all of these guitars," said Wild. He walked along a different wall of guitars.

Bobo walked around a dozen drum sets that came in a rainbow of colors. The sets ranged from six pieces to eight pieces.

Scoops looked around from the entrance. "I assume all of the harmonicas are made of gold."

"What should we get Screech?" asked Bobo.

Carver looked at one of the walls of guitars. "Horns hurt her ears."

"I don't see any horns," said Scoops.

"They don't sell horns here," offered a random pony no pony was talking to. "They only sell real instruments."

'Mind your own business' thought Carver. "Thanks. We noticed." She offered a smile.

Wild took a black guitar off the wall. Ham took a blue guitar. Scoops picked a pink guitar. Bobo picked a light wood grain guitar. They all looked to Carver.

Carver smiled. Her legs shook. She went from smiling to feeling like vomiting in three seconds. "Those are all nice guitars. I have to pee." She trotted toward the fillies' room.

"Do you think we put Carver on the spot?" asked Ham.

Scoops laughed. "We did."

"Quarter note!" exclaimed Wild. "That can be her nickname. You know because she is short."

"She is the same height as me," scolded Ham.

Everypony smiled.

Ham sighed. "Which guitar are we getting Screech?"

"She told me she liked pink when we dated," said Scoops. "Melodie has a pink mane. That is why she left me for her."

For three minutes Ham and Wild listed off reasons no pony would want to date Scoops.

Cloudsdale:

Three dozen ponies crammed into a little café. The smell of hot coffee and green tea filled the building. A wooden stage filled a third of the space. Ten tables sat crammed together. Big silver pendant lights hung from exposed beams. Two stallions sat on stage playing flutes.

Screech wore a blue jacket that covered her wings with a blue and gold sports jacket. She covered her ears with a black hat. She didn't look like a bat pony from a distance. She sat at the back of the café.

Melodie admired her braided mane in a hoof mirror. "My hair looks great. Thanks."

"Your mane always looks great," complimented Screech.

Melodie blushed. She sipped her hot coco. A little whisp of whipped cream sat on her nose. "I know you are going through a lot. I am grateful you are making the time to take out."

Screech shook her head. "I am grateful for you. I would be in the house struggling if you didn't come here." Tears filled her eyes. She took a deep breath and wiped away the tears. "Sorry."

Melodie put her foreleg around Screech. "You should not be sorry."

Screech leaned into Melodie's embrace. "You are wonderful." Her heart raced. "Are you enjoying the music?"

Melodie smiled. "I am having a great time."

Screech smiled at her mare-friend. She leaned close and softly kissed her.

Ponyville:

Hazard carried Rove on her back. Her big cat lied streatched out and stared up at the sky. Hazard heard singing and guitar music as she entered Platinum Park.

Ham, Wild, Bobo and Scoops all disco danced to Carver playing The Piggy Dance on a pink guitar.

Hazard placed Rove on the ground and did the Nyan Nyan dance.

After a while every pony gathered on the hopscotch court.

"That is a nice guitar," said Hazard.

"I stole it," bragged Wild.

"I was going to pay for it," assured Carver. "If had enough money. They took my to the most expansive shop in town."

"We just walked out the door with it," said Scoops. "No pony even tried to stop us."

Hazard looked at her friends. "I would not try to stop you either. You look like thugs."

Ham flexed. "We do look tough."

Wild high hoofed Ham. "Yeah we do!" They both high hoofed Bobo.

"It is a gift for Screech," explained Carver. "I think we should all sign it for her."

"That is a wonderful idea," said Scoops. She put her fore leg around Carver. "You are so smart and kind."

Carver pulled away from Scoops. "My barn door does not swing that way."

Scoops laughed and put her leg around Carver again. "I don't mind."

"I do mind." Carver wrapped Scoops in a magic aura and pushed her to the other side of the cave.

Scoops laughed, "You are no fun."

"She is a lot of fun," said Wild.

Scoops shrugged.

"I know where we can get paint," said Wild. "There is a hardware store with no security a few minutes from here."

"I don't think we should steal paint," said Carver.

"I want to sigh in yellow," said Hazard. "Rove will do hers in white."

"I want to sign in blue," said Bobo. "It is a color I can see properly."

Carver watched her friends walk away. After they were out of sight she ran after them. "Wait for me," she called out.

Ponyville:

Wild's wings were so caked in paint he could not fly. Every pony was covered in gallons of paint.

Carver put a leg around Scoops. "You were amazing!" she yelled. Her ears were still ringing. "I understand why Screech loves hanging out with all of you."

Scoops carried the guitar triumphantly. The guitar had five hoof prints and two paw prints painted on.

Rove sat on Bobo's head trying to lick the paint off her fur and failing do to the cone Hazard put on her.

"That got out of hoof quickly," laughed Wild.

Carver saw a stallion walk out of Sugarcube Corner and throw half a cupcake into a trash can. She marched up to the can and pulled the half eaten confection out of the trash.

"Do not eat that!" yelled Hazard. "It is covered in germs. You don't know who that pony was. Eating that could make you sick or even kill you.

Carver rolled her eyes. "I am not going to let it go to waste." She opened her duffel bag. The other ponies noticed she was carrying around a broken mug, dead flowers, used plastic forks, a toy cart with one wheel, a broken padlock, a dirty hat and a broken high heel shoe. She tossed the cupcake and several other confections form the trash into her bag.

Hazard bit her tongue. Wild kept his mouth shut.

"Do a lot of ponies in Canterlot eat out of the trash?" asked Scoops.

Carver shrugged. "Not really. Most ponies can't afford to throw away food. Everything there cost a fortune. If more ponies threw away food then more ponies would eat out of the trash."

"I hate eating out of the trash," admitted Bobo. "Most ponies throw away food after it had gone bad. I would rather steal a bottle from a foal than eat another rotten egg."

"I once made a six egg omelet because the eggs had gone bad and I didn't want them getting worse," said Scoops. "My mom had a lot of rules about food. I like to think she was not making me sick on purpose." She put out her paint covered hoof. "I will take one of those donuts."

Wild sighed. "I will take that half an apple fritter."

"I could eat what is left of the swiss roll," said Ham.

Bobo shook his head. "I can't. Never again."

Carver handed out desserts and every pony continued laughing and joking back to Platinum park.

Cloudsdale:

Screech sat at the table in the dining hall. She watched Success color with crayons and encouraged him. She could hear Glitter talking to Gold through the wall.

"I am a failure as a mother," sobbed Glitter. "Dual would know what to do. He always knew how to protect us."

Screech winced. She never though she was failing her papa. She failed her entire family by being born too late. She was failing her family again.

"What is wrong?" asked Success.

Screech hugged her little brother. She took a deep breath. "I am scared. What if I can't keep you safe? What if I hurt you? What if I can't change?" Tears built up in her eyes. "I don't want to be a monster."

"Monsters are cool," assured Success. "I want to be cool like you."

Screech felt her stomach squeeze into a tiny ball. "I understand why you want to be like me. Like Papa. I feel horrible all the time. I have done things I can never forgive myself for. I want you to be like Melodie. Like Glitter."

"I have a comic book about monsters who eat ponies," said Success. "It is awesome. I will go get it." He flew away.

Screech took a deep breath then a second and a third.

Cloudsdale:

Melodie floated around the kitchen in Glitter's house. She swatted away a few ants as she made salads.

Razzle sat at the kitchen table. She smiled and tapped her hooved on the plywood. "What do you want to talk about? Do you want me to teach you how to dance? You can't join the cheer team. You don't live here."

Melodie sliced half way through a carrot with a small dull knife. "That muffin you gave me. What was in it?"

Razzle shrugged. "Muffin stuff. Flour I think."

"I thought there was grass in it?"

"Yeah. Rosy pony. I can get you more."

"Is rosey pony supposed to make me high?"

"Yeah. My mom is the same way when she eats it."

Melodie shot a harsh glare. "You didn't tell me that before you fed it to me!"

Razzle shrank. "Are you mad?"

Melodie's knife sliced the carrot and scratched the cutting board. "You drugged me! I never would have eaten that muffin if I knew what was in it!"

"Oh. It does sound bad when you say it like that."

"It would sound bad no matter how I said it!"
Razzle nodded. "Yeah. Sorry. I was trying to help you feel better. I knew you were sad because of the break up."

Melodie pressed her lips together. "We didn't break up. That was just a lovers quarrel." She took a deep breath. "I didn't know what to say and I let things out of hoof."

"I can buy you a necklace. Do you like necklaces?"

"What? Do you know why I am mad at you?"

Razzle thought for a moment. "I think so."

"When Screech was going through a tough time you took away my ability to think clearly. If she needed me I would not have been able to help her."

"I did know why you were mad at me," lied Razzle.

"Why am I mad?" asked Melodie.

Razzle thought hard. She rubber her chin with her hoof. "I was inconsiderate?"

Melodie smiled a big proud smile. "Yes. Want to help me cut lettuce?"

Razzle waved her hoof. "I will buy every pony salads. I know a place not far from here."

"Razzle, do want to help cut lettuce?"

Razzle nodded. "I would love to."