Table Top Opens Up

Why do you feed that horrid addiction? Why do you act so antisocial?

Why are you so *bitter*?

I’m tired of all the ponies constantly asking me these questions. I’m not antisocial, thank you very much. I have a group of friends and we get together every weekend to play games. I just don’t get along very well with others, since so many judge everypony…

And it’s not an addiction, I smoke an herb that helps me maintain my calm, and if you would stop and actually smell the smoke, it’s nothing like that horrendous tobacco. Plus, when I perform my illusions, it’s always best to have a medium to convey it through, and this so happens to perform adequately enough.

As for being bitter… Well, that’d take some explanation.

My name is Table Top, I’m a unicorn with a white coat and a black mane, though the tips of my mane change color depending on what element I use at the time, and I’ve been in love since that wonderful mare and I were in grade school, before I could perform much magic, and before she could fly.

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Three colts formed a triangle around the little pegasus filly, each one throwing insults at her, kicking at her. I wish I had spotted it earlier. Recess was always the worst time during school for her. I ran in before the next one could kick out, standing before her with my horn sparking dangerously.

“Leave her alone, NOW!” I shouted out, lowering my head.

“Oh yeah? What’ll you do about it?” the lead colt snickered, kicking out at me this time. He was an earth pony, with a brown and white coat and blonde mane, and his kick almost landed at my eye.

“Yeah, why do you defend that retard?” the next one in line, an orange earth pony with a white mane, took his shot, which connected with my side, winding me for a second.

“She doesn’t deserve any mercy, even if it’s from a geek like you,” the third in line, a red pegasus with light red mane only making the situation worse.

I got up, the spark from my horn intensifying, and the tips of my hair turned red. Suddenly, three small fires erupted at the ground in front of the three bullies, making them rear back in surprise. “First of all, I am not a geek, I am a NERD, get it correct.” The fires gained in size a little. “Second, you three don’t deserve any kind of mercy for being mean to someone who didn’t do anything to you AT ALL.” The fires doubled in size at this point. “And LASTLY,” the fires combined in a circle around us “she is not a RETARD!” Three whiplashes of fire cracked at their hooves, causing them to run away.

I suddenly felt really exhausted. The fire died instantly, with barely a burnt blade of grass, and I collapsed. I turned to face the mare, and she had wonder in her eyes. Those beautiful, golden eyes. “Are you alright, Ditzy?”

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I lit up my cig, inhaling the sweet tasting smoke deeply, and continued my trek to the local radio station. It was a Tuesday, so I had my show to do. 8 hours on the radio, answering mail, receiving mail, and playing music. My segment was liked so much, that there were barely any ads, except when I needed a break. Taking one last drag, I put out the cig and placed the remaining part behind my ear. I’d be able to finish it in my booth. I had a special guest this evening as well, a particularly well known DJ.

I looked up, watching the pegasi place rain clouds strategically for the light drizzle scheduled for after the market day was over, and there she was, coming toward the station. Her gray coat and blonde mane dropped every now and then. She never was very elegant when flying, but she was always adorable. She landed a few hooves away and walked up, going through her bag of mail and getting out a sizable stack. She was paying more attention to the mail and didn’t see me until she looked up. She gasped in recognition, her eyes going wild a moment.

“Table Top! It’s been forever!” She threw her forehooves around my neck in a tight hug and I giggled, smiling gently. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been doing rather fine, Ditzy. Do you tune into my show?”

“Yeah! I love that everypony has gotten more accepting of that nerd thing you do!” She grinned that huge, goofy grin that always made my heart skip a beat…

“It is, but it is sad to say there are still ponies out there that aren’t… fully accepting of everypony.” I patted her on the head gently, regretting my next words. “Unfortunately, I have to cut this reunion short, I have a show coming on air in a few and I need to prep my station.”

“Oh, okay! Well, here’s the station’s mail!” she handed me the stack, which I took into my magic aura. “Do well on your show! I’ll be listening once I get home.” She smiled and turned around, getting prepared to take flight.

“Want to meet up later?” I suddenly blurted out, then looked away, feeling my cheeks burn.

She turned back around and grinned again. “Sure, I’d love to! Friday alright with you?”

I nodded. “It’d be late though, since I have my show and all…”

“That’s alright, I don’t have any deliveries on Saturday!” She came up and hugged me then nuzzled me gently then took off, leaving me standing in front of the doors, grinning like a foal.

“Bye Ditzy” I called after her, then headed in. I handed the mail to the receptionist and made my way back to my booth, getting in and getting my music all together and in order, putting records in small stacks. I grabbed my headset and tossed it up, putting them on while I put my cig back in, and with a flicker of magic, lit it taking a deep drag as the last second of the previous host came up.

“And now, for all you nerds and followers of the epic, here’s your next host, a unicorn able to bring stories to life, the number one listened to broadcaster in this part of Equestria. Heeeeeere’s Table Top!”

With that, I exhaled the sweet smoke out, flipped the switch to my mic, and with a quick breath let out my catch phrase: “HELLO CHIIIILDREN! This is Table Top, Nerd Extraordinaire, and bringing you tunes to satisfy the older and newer generations! I have a particular guest tonight, a DJ unlike most, showing up in increasingly more clubs throughout Equestria, but more on that later. For now, I bring you our first song, dedicated to an old friend of mine. But this is a special song, and there will be no background music. Instead, I’ll grace your ears with a rarely heard sound: My own singing! For some of you faithful listeners out there, you know that in the few years I’ve been here, I occasionally give this gift when something nice happens in my life. Today just so happens to be one of those days, and I’m in a giving mood. So, children, without more delay, we start tonight’s journey! If you know this older song, feel free to sing along!

I cleared my throat, put out my cig, and took a small swig of water, preparing for just a few seconds. I didn’t want to leave my audience hanging for too long. Especially for this song, the one that I would sing with her at night, looking up at the moon and stars, imagining the worlds out there. I took a breath and started…

Fly me to the moon, and let me play among the stars…