One Way or The Other

Chapter 2: An Apple a Day…

(Three days later)

  “Okay, mister,” Nurse Redheart said and smiled. “You’re good to go. It was not as bad as we feared, just a bump in your head, and a few bruises. But they’re almost fully healed. How do you feel?”

  Wired Fix was still taking a nap, it was about the only thing he did during his stay. Wake up, eat and fall back asleep. He opened his eyes slowly, looking at Nurse Redheart.

  “Oh, sorry. Did I wake you up? I can come back later if you want to.”

  “No, it’s alright,” he replied. “I’m fine, just a great headache. I know this is a stupid question, but…Do you have any…stored cider?”

  Nurse Redheart laughed really loudly, her tears were running. She kept like that for a few seconds, before she wiped her face and cleared her throat.

  “Of course we have cider,” she replied. “All our patients are served cider every Sunday.”

  “I don’t mean regular cider,” Wired Fix said and scowled at her. “I emphasized stored. You know what I mean.” He breathed heavily, and put his hoof to his head.

  Nurse Redheart looked at him, and felt a little bad for him. She knew what he had gone through at the competition, and agreed he deserved it.

  “Ok,” she replied and put a hoof on his shoulder. “I will get you a bottle. But only one.”

  He looked up at her, looked into her eyes and smiled faintly.

  “Thank you.”

  Nurse Redheart came back from the cellar a few minutes later with a small bottle of cider. Not the regular kind everypony drinks the day it’s made. Stored cider, which has had time to develop a small amount of alcohol. This is usually only given to ponies with a tough past, guests at great royal arrangements or patients with social problems. But this was a special case of empathy. Strong empathy.

  “Here’s your bottle, mister,” she said and gave him the bottle from her sack. “It’s five years old, I hope you like it.” She smiled, and was about to turn and leave, when Wired Fix pulled a chair with his spell.

  “Please, sit by my side,” he said and smiled again. This time a little bigger. “I don’t really have anypony to talk with. Might as well get to know you better. Hope you’re not too busy.”

  Nurse Redheart looked at him, then towards the chair, before returning to looking at him. She smiled and sat down on the chair.

  “Well, what would you like to talk about?” she asked.

  He didn’t respond immediately. He opened the bottle, and poured a small amount into a glass. The five years old cider was a warm, rich colour, giving it the look of amber. He took a sip of the liquid before putting the bottle and the glass on his table.

  “About me,” he finally answered and looked into Nurse Redheart’s eyes. They were sparkly, like the reflection of the sun on the sea.

  “I want to talk about myself. Sorry, don’t mean it as hubris or self-centering. I just want you to know how I feel these days. Well, besides being here for three days I mean. I’ve…had these feelings lately. Strange feelings, they are.”

  “What kind of feelings?” Nurse Redheart asked.

  “I don’t know,” Wired Fix replied before taking another sip of the cider. “Some kind of…attraction, I guess. Like I feel really good every time a certain pony is close by.”

  Nurse Redheart chuckled.

  “You’re in love, my dear. But tell me…” She looked around before leaning in close to Wired Fix’s face. “Who is making you feel good, just by being close by?”

  Wired Fix turned his head and closed his eyes, letting out a sigh. He took yet another gulp of the glass before he turned his head back towards Nurse Redheart’s.

  “It’s you,” he said and placed his hoof on her cheek. “I am fond of you, Nurse Redheart.”

  He gave her a kiss on the other cheek.

  The weather was nice outside. The sun was shining, the sky was clear. For once, that lazy pony Rainbow Dash had done a good job. Wired Fix spotted Fluttershy carrying a bunch of baby bunnies on her way to the school. It was petting week there, so she had volunteered to deliver cute, cuddly animals every day.

  “Hey, Fluttershy!” Wired Fix called after her. “Want any help?”

  Fluttershy turned around, and smiled when she saw him.

  “Oh, hello,” she replied with a blush. “Well, thanks for the offer. Here, take as many as you want. They’re really nice, they don’t make a fuss.”

  She leaned in towards him so three bunnies could jump onto Wired Fix’s back. Their noses tickled so much, he almost fell to the ground.

  “Oh, my!” she gasped. “Um, are you okay? Was it too many?”

  “No, no, I’m fine,” he replied and gave the bunnies a little shake to calm them down. “I’m just not used to have anything else on my back than a coat.”

  “Well, as long as you’re okay,” Fluttershy replied and smiled again.

  They arrived at the school five minutes later. Wired Fix crouched down, letting the bunnies jump down without the risk of them getting hurt. The young fillies came running out through the doors before Miss Cheerilee got a chance to stop them. They all flocked up around the group of ten cuddly baby bunnies, who looked curiously back at them.

  “They’re so cute!” Applebloom said.

  “They’re so fluffy!” Scootaloo said.

  “I really like their fur!” Sweetie Belle continued.

  All of the fillies kept cuddling and baby-talking to the bunnies, while Wired Fix and Fluttershy stood and smiled, knowing they had brought a great source of happiness. Fluttershy turned her head towards Wired Fix’s and looked into his eyes. And she kept it that way. Like she couldn’t take her eyes away. Wired Fix turned towards Fluttershy, which made here look away and blush a little.

  “Eh…Are you alright, Fluttershy?” he asked and lifted an eyebrow. “You look like something just scared you.”

  Fluttershy looked back at him.

  “Um…” she replied. “No, nothing is wrong. I just…um…yeah.”

  Wired Fix didn’t know what to say to that. He just chuckled and headed for the Town Square. All the happy faces cheered him up enough for a cupcake at Sugarcube Corner.

  Sugarcube Corner was really crowded. It was almost like everypony in all of Ponyville had settled down in the small café. Wired Fix walked past several tables before he reached the counter.

  “Welcome to Sugarcube Corner,” Mrs Cake greeted. “How may I help you, sir?”

  “Hello,” Wired Fix replied and smiled. “I would like a strawberry cupcake with lemon cream icing. And I would also like a cup of cocoa.”

  Mrs Cake looked at Wired Fix curiously. There was a hint of insecurity in her eyes.

  “Cocoa?” she asked. “You always decline, although very politely, our offers of cocoa, and now you order it? There’s nothing wrong, I assure you!” She laughed. “It’s just a little strange.”

  “I’ve never been in the correct mood for cocoa,” Wired Fix replied. “I order what matches my mood, and today, I feel warm and fresh, just like cocoa and lemon.”

  Mrs Cake couldn’t do anything but chuckle at that silly statement. She nodded and told him she’d take care of his order.

  Wired Fix sat down at a table, right next to Bon Bon and Lyra…making out. He turned his head away. There’s nothing wrong with it, he just doesn’t want to get accused of “spying” on them. At another table, he could see Spitfire and Soarin’ sharing a milkshake.

It seems everypony are starting to find their special somepony these days. he thought to himself. I’ve got no interest in such thing…yet.

  “Here you go, mr. Wi-Fi!” Mrs Cake sang when she arrived at Wired Fix’s table. “One strawberry cupcake with lemon cream icing, and one steaming hot cup of fresh cocoa!”

  “Mmm, smells nice,” he replied. “I’m looking forward to eating it.”

  He picked up a fork and began eating the cupcake. The whole meal was finished within minutes, which he really enjoyed. He carried the plate and cup to the counter, put a few bits there, and left with a good feeling.

  “Hmm, I wonder how Rarity’s boutique is going. I’ve got nothing to do, might as well pop in for a visit.”

  The air was really chilly, he couldn’t remember the winter coming this early before. The trees were bending quite heavily in the wind. Wired Fix decided to trot to Rarity’s boutique to keep the warmth. As he trotted away, Big McIntosh came walking beside him.

  “Good afternoon, Big Mac.” Wired Fix said and smiled. “Out for a stroll?”

  “Nope,” Big McIntosh replied and shook his head.

  “Ok,” Wired Fix replied. “Are you going somewhere? Let me guess. Rarity’s boutique?”

  “Yup,” Big Mac replied and nodded. “We need some new curtains for th’ house, ya see. Poor Granny Smith managed to drop ‘em into th’ pot o’ applesauce she was cookin’.”

  “Oh dear,” Wired Fix said and chuckled. “Well, look at it in a more positive way. At least there’s more fiber now.”

  They both broke out into laughter. They laughed so hard, they had to stop to catch their breath.

  “Oh dear,” Big Mac said and took a deep breath. “If ya said that to Granny Smith, ah am pretty sure she’d whack the breath out of ya.”

  Wired Fix thought about it, trying to visualize it. He chuckled by the thought.

  “Yeah, you’re probably right. Better not, then.”

  They finally arrived at Rarity’s boutique, when Opalescence came running out the window.

  “Opal, come back!” Rarity shouted and looked out the window. “Mommy’s sorry, I didn’t mean to stitch your bow on the dress! Please, Opal!”

  Opal didn’t stop at all, she just jumped up into a tree and started licking herself. Wired Fix got a confused look on his face and looked at Big Mac, who just shrugged.

  “Oh, hello!” Rarity called and smiled. “I’m sorry, just let me change, and I’ll be with you in a minute!”

  She ran back in. Big Mac opened the door, and the two colts walked in.

  “Rarity, have you got any problems with Opal?” Wired Fix called up the stairs. “She seemed to be in a fuss.”

  Rarity came out of her room and down the stairs.

  “Oh, nothing to be worried about,” she replied and smiled. “I was just a little unlucky and stitched poor Opal’s bow onto the new dress I’m making for Princess Luna.”

  Wired Fix and Big Mac smiled and nodded as a sign of understanding.

  “So, how may I help you, my friends?”

  “I just came in to see how you’re doing,” Wired Fix replied. “But Big McIntosh has got a request.” He nodded towards Big Mac.

  “Yup,” he said. “Granny Smith managed to throw th’ curtains into th’ pot o’ applesauce, and now they’re ruined. So ah came to buy some new ones.”

  “Hmm,” Rarity said and smiled. “I’m pretty sure we could find something to replace them. Do you need any specific colours or patterns?”

  Big Mac shook his head, and pointed at a curtain stand with single-coloured linen curtains. Rarity went over there and lifted up some light brownish-yellow curtains.

  “Do these satisfy?” she smiled.

  “Yup,” Big Mac replied and showed her the sack on his back, which he opened. “Just put ‘em in there. Ah got th’ bits in th’ other pocket.”

  Big Mac left the shop with a smile, and trotted back to Sweet Apple Acres. After putting the bits in the money box, Rarity turned around, smiling at Wired Fix.

  “So,” she said. “You wanted to pop in for a visit, checking on me?”

  Wired Fix smiled and nodded. Rarity smiled cutely.

  “That’s sweet of you. Would you like some tea?”

  “Yes, thanks for the offer,” he replied. “What kinds do you have?”

  “Come with me, and we can find it out in the kitchen, you and I,” she replied and walked towards the kitchen.

  The kitchen was really bright; the walls were white, the floor tiles were about the same colour as the curtains Rarity sold to Big McIntosh. And to top it off, she had really large windows.

  Rarity opened a cabinet and lifted out three jars.

  “I got green, white and black tea,” she said and put the jars on the counter. “Also, I got some fruit trees in the garden, if you want fresh fruit tea. Lemons, blackcurrants, apples. Your choice!”

  Wired Fix thought through it, before coming to a conclusion.

  “I’ll take black tea with apple.”