//------------------------------// // 8. Houses and Paintings // Story: Home of the Ponies and Awesome Bronies // by Lady Spider //------------------------------// ***Short chapter I know. It's worth it though. Surprise next chapter. I promise y'all will love it! ... if anypony's still reading this...*** The next morning was a whirlwind. We were up, had eaten, and arrived at Rarity’s before my eyes had even fully opened. The white unicorn opened the door. “Why, good morning darlings!” The words echoed through my empty head, going in one ear and out the other. I felt my ears fold back against my head. “Too early...” Rarity looked at me strangely. “Was it something I said?” Ryan shook his head. “Nah. She’s just.... tired. We have some questions for you.” Three hours later, we left with the information for a small house that was for sale at a good price and advice on how to start an art business. “My...brain...hurts.” I whined as we headed toward the FOR SALE house on the other side of Ponyville. Ryan rolled his eyes. “So does mine. Just pull up your frilly stockings, tighten your thong, and stop being such a god-damn pansy!” I stopped. “Wait...WHAT!” I giggled all the way to the house. By the time we got there, I couldn’t breathe. “It wasn’t even that funny!” Ryan was protesting. I went to answer when my eyes caught on the house. It was beautiful. The outside was pale blue and adorned with dark green ivy and bright red flowers. “I.... wow. How much did she say they were asking for this?” “Like, 520 bits.” My face fell. If I bought the house now, I would only have 40 bits left. I think Ryan noticed my look. “You know, AJ has been paying me... I have almost a thousand bits saved.” I looked up at him. “I could get it... you still need a place though. You get it. I’ll find an apartment. I’m not the house type anyway.” I forced a smile on my face hoping it didn’t look forced. The look he returned me was.... unlike any one I had ever seen before. It was a mix between in love, irritated, forceful, and stubborn. “What if I bought it and we both lived in it? She said it had two bedrooms.” I stared at him. Did he really just suggest that? SQUEEEE!! Inside, my emotions were jumping and my heart was screaming. Outside, I simple nodded. “Well, I’ll feel bad about it but...” I was cut off as he kissed me lightly. I slapped him on the back of the head with a hoof. “Save it.” Ugh. He’s laughing... ************************** I stood in front of the blank canvas and sighed. Ryan had disappeared soon after we took a tour of the house so I went to Fluttershy’s. After a quick stop at the only art shop in all of Ponyville. Fluttershy agreed to let me set up a small temporary art area in her yard, away from her animals of course. I sighed again and the pale yellow pegasus poked her head out her window. “Um... are...are you okay?” I turned and smiled at her. “Yep. Just... thinking.” “Oh... o..okay.” I faced the canvas again. It was propped against a tree and was larger than me. Slightly frustrated from the lack of artistic stimuli I lay down on the grass and let my mind wander. Many images flew through my mind... my cat, my friends, my family, my house... I opened my eyes not remembering when I closed them. The paintbrush levitated over to the paint bucket. The white paint had been the cheapest at 5 bits so I decided to change the paint color by magic. Beige paint formed in the bucket and I began painting. My grandmother’s living room, I could see it perfectly. The beige walls, the hardwood flooring, dark red area rugs, dark red couch, dark wood furniture... I painted away until the afternoon sun began to sink in the sky. When I finally stepped back from the canvas, a realistic painting of my grandmother’s living room stood in front of me, down to the very last detail. “Very nice.” I jumped at the unexpected voice behind me and turned. Sitting quietly behind me were Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Twilight. “Um. How long have you guys been sitting there?” “About when you got to the wooden coffee table.” Answered Twilight. “Fluttershy was watching you and thought we might like to watch.” Fluttershy blushed and hid behind her mane. “Darling! It’s simply divine!” raved Rarity. “Ah’m impressed Sugarcube!” added the orange country pony. I blushed slightly. Suddenly a rainbow streak came tearing through nearly knocking the canvas over. I leaped toward it protectively. “Rainbow Dash!” I scolded. Nopony else would have been able to create a blurry rainbow entrance like that. The cyan pegasus crash landed and I noticed Ryan on her back. “Ow. Next time I drive.” Ryan groaned. “Grow some wings and I’ll believe you.” Dash snapped. I snickered. “We’re just missing Pinkie.” As soon as I said, that I realized how bad of an idea that probably was. A pink head poked out of Fluttershy’s hen house. “I heard PINKIE PIE!!” We gaped at the pink pony. Her head ducked back into the hen house. “Did I miss out on a party?!” Pinkie shouted from behind Twilight. “What? Where... how... ugh.” Dash facehoofed. Applejack fell to the ground laughing which started an entirely hilarious argument between the two ponies. With the ponies occupied, Ryan came over to me. “She’s a horrible navigator.” He complained. I snickered and stepped away from the painting. “It’s beautiful.” I blushed lightly as he admired the canvas. Suddenly he turned and hugged me. “Huh?” It caught me by surprise and I nearly forgot to hug back. “I got it.” He whispered into my ear. My mind was still buzzing from painting. It took me a moment. “What?” He leaned back and grinned widely at me. “The house.” It clicked, but it didn’t fully register. For a moment. “You...you got it!” I hugged him. “..and you need to be about 20 percent cooler!” Dash was yelling at Applejack. We giggled and Ryan turned back to the canvas. “So. It’s Mimi’s living room huh?” He asked, using the name I always called my grandmother. I nodded. “I remember that couch.” Ryan reached out to the painting. His fingertips came close to the still damp paint. Light blue sparks jumped between the paint and his fingers. “Huh?” His finger touched the paint and Ryan became engulfed in pale blue light. “Ryan?!” I cried. The light faded and Ryan was gone. I ran forward and inspected the entire canvas frantically. “Ryan?! RYAN!?” I collapsed in front of the canvas and cried. I felt a light tapping on my back. I turned to gaze at a blurry Applejack through wet eyes. “Ah’m sorry.” I nodded my head to her in acknowledgement that I heard her as my flanks began to tingle like crazy. I squirmed a little before hearing Pinkie gasp. “Cutie mark alert!” I couldn’t have cared less. I didn’t want a cutie mark. I wanted Ryan.