//------------------------------// // Coming Home // Story: A Cure for Writers Block // by The Drifting Bard //------------------------------// "Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in." ~Robert Frost~ Home, a place I've stayed away from for too long. It seemed as though the more i stayed away , the more i wanted to go back. Back to the way things were before. Sure, this little quaint town had some familiar faces, and more familiar voices. But it felt as though since my departure i had faded into the background.. More importantly into the background noise. It had been five years since I left to seek out who I was supposed to be. But in doing so, I left behind who I am. As I walked through the town square, wearing my usual disguise, a simple cutie mark and mane change spell as well as some funky shades, and i was off to re-discover Ponyville. The old bar was still there, although now a shell of its former self. The old buildings look the same, but feel different. "Oh hey," I heard a voice "you new in town?" I turned to look at the owner of the voice as she landed behind me. I didn't really say anything. "You could say that" I spoke without thinking. The mare trotted up slowly to me, as if to inspect my face. "So? Whatcha doin?" she inquired, as if trying to figure out a mystery of life. I simply shrugged, it was either Lie or tell a half truth, "I'm just exploring, seeing whats changed" The mare shook her hair for a moment. Raised her goggles from her cerise eyes and simply blinked at me. "Wait...don't I know you?" Its hard to react to a loaded question like that. There were three options 1) shout "holy shit its nightmare moon!" and run 2) look very afraid, flatten ears back and have a panic attack 3) say "yes i'm the masked vigilante Amazon you've rumbled me" Somehow, i bypassed all three choices and simply pussed out like a bitch had an anxiety attack. "Whoah, just follow my breathing, in for three, hold for three, out for three" She placed a hoof on my back, and somehow managed to calm me down as I followed her. Still slightly shaken up, I looked at her for a moment. "You good?" she asked, I could only nod in reply. "Sheesh you almost remind me of Fluttershy and that other guy..what was his name? Wandering something?" Finally finding my words, I replied. "Quill, and thanks for the help" Truthfully, I had been gone for far too long. My little brother has practically grown up without me. However, It was good to know he had someone important in his life. I knew I had a lot to answer for, but that could wait. After a round of questions, I had learned three things. Rainbow Dash was the fastest flyer in Equestria, a Wonderbolt and of course... A bit annoying. As we ambled towards the door of the old bar, I subconsciously took a deep breath. I knew i had to explain myself to Quill but was unsure of how to exactly do it. In the end, i had no time to plan nor prepare. "well, look what the proverbial cat dragged in" "Quill," I was about to continue before it happened. "You've got some nerve coming back here" It was her, the one that drove me away in the first place. She looked the same as she ever did. "listen, After what happened I-" "No, no more bullshit reasons, Driver, I want the truth" she was glaring at me, as if to burn holes in my skull. "you want the truth? of why i left?" I asked, getting a little more stressed. "I left 5 years ago because of so many reasons, some were better than others," she was about to interrupt. "but to round it up, in a nutshell... You, Carrot top" "what do you mean, me?" she came closer. we all make changes and mistakes when it comes to any aspect of life. "I loved you, but instead of going about it like others would and brush it off, you tried to spread a rumor that could have destroyed my life, so I realized my mistake and left, even carved out name for myself on the entertainment circuit" her jaw dropped slightly. Quill finally ran across, and without realizing it was soon jumping onto me for a hug. "I just came back to see family, so if you want to start something else, could it wait for a few days?" I growled at her. "Quill, lil bro... Ive missed alot havent I?" "whatcha mean?" "i've been virtually off the proverbial Grid for the past 5 years, so i need you to fill me in on whats happened" "It'll take a while" he replied not expecting my response. "I've got all year..."