//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: To make a long story short. // Story: Inner workings - Galsthan's stories // by HyperRandomness //------------------------------// Quick Fix hurried to rearra- Hey, don’t you usually include the timestamp here? I’ve been really busy, alright? I’ve been having to write this in little paragraphs during my spare time! I hardly have time to write it at all! You should still include the timestamp. Ugh. Thursday, April 16th 2012. 5:33 P.M. Out and about in Ponyville That’s better. Okay, time to get back to writing. Not yet. You need to explain why you haven’t uploaded a chapter for twelve days. IT’S BEEN TWELVE DAYS?! Yes. Now come out of your cave and tell everyone. Fine… Anyhow, everypony, I’ve been really busy with school. I think it’s awesome that you all keep reading my story, and I have it planned all the way out to the twentieth chapter and beyond, and even have a sequel or two in mind and being planned out, but I’ve had so much life stuff going on like school, birthdays, events, friends and travel going on that I haven’t had time to write. I hope you’ll just keep waiting for the next chapter anyhow. That’s a LOT better. Now get out there and write a great chapter! Yeah! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quick Fix hurried to rearrange everything she’d already planned out. She had to go back to Sweet Apple Acres and tell the Apples that they would be moving it to Canterlot, then she had to tell the Cakes, then she had to tell the music arrangements, and then tell the dressers, and then “UGH!” she roared in frustration as she quickened her pace, already becoming worried over being able to arrange them in time for her to leave. To think that, after she had gone around and made so many plans already, Galthan had the gall to go and tell her she had to re-plan everything! She sighed in annoyance as she ran back to Sugar Cube Corner, albeit reluctantly. She really didn’t need more ear damage, but she also very-much-so needed to reschedule everything she’d already planned out. She wondered briefly how much time they had before Galsthan had to leave, but she pushed it out of her mind so she would be less panicked. It didn’t really help anyhow. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Galsthan was having even less of a fun time. Most of the places he had visited were scattered all throughout Ponyville, with some even across the town from each other. That wasn’t the worst part of it, though. Considering he was so late and probably had a huge list of royal duties to accomplish, he was now basically being hunted down by Princess Celestia and her Guards in order to take him back to Canterlot. He knew this from an instance that happened just after he left to rearrange everything. Momentarily after departing, a couple of angry-looking Guards had run up to him, practically demanding that they escort him to a carriage waiting for him. He refused, of course, saying he had important business to take care of before departing. They insisted, so Galsthan ran. He tried to scramble around and get everything rearranged, since he had no idea whether or not he would even be able to come back to Ponyville. For all he knew, he might end up stuck at Canterlot for the rest of his life. That’s why this was so important to him. Briefly thereafter, the Princess herself stopped him in his tracks and tried to get him to comply. Upon denying, Galsthan turned and fled again, but only just got away. He tried to use an invisibility spell to further his distance between a forceful trip to Canterlot and himself, but only succeeded in attracting attention when a mild magical detonation occurred instead. He scorched a good portion of his head, neck, body, and a piece of the ground he was standing on, but nobody got hurt, and the distraction caused by it was enough for him to get away anyhow. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quick Fix had just managed to rearrange with the Cakes at Sugar Cube Corner when she heard what sounded like some sort of explosion. It only diverted her attention for a second, though, because she was still in a hurry. She did slow her pace for a moment, however, to think, I wonder, though, why can’t Galsthan just have everything rescheduled later..? she pondered this, before coming up with an answer that seemed to logically fit. He must not think he’s going to be able to come back to Ponyville. I’d bet THAT’S why he’s in such a hurry! Quick Fix nodded in what seemed to be accomplishment, but quickened her walking speed once more so she could finish her tasks for the day and finally get some good rest. Looking up to find she had arrived at Sugar Cube Corner, she entered hastily and located the Cakes, whom she told that they needed to re-plan to have the desserts brought to Canterlot instead, to which news Mr. Cake promptly fainted. After briefly discussing the details of when and where with Mrs. Cake, Quick Fix left once more, thankful that she didn’t run into that pink nuisance. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, April 16th 2012. 6:26 P.M. Various places in Ponyville. During the time that had passed, Galsthan had gotten a lot accomplished and was feeling quite good about himself, until another unfortunate happenstance occurred. Before I can tell you that story, however, I must tell you this one first. First off, he stopped off at a nearby restaurant for a small salad and grass sandwich, so he was satisfied as far as nourishment went. Even though he had made a stop for dinner, he had already managed to avoid the Princess’ guards another couple of times, and even got two more things rescheduled. Also, even through all of that in such a short time, he even found time to take a short break in the park… where some random pony ran away from him, shouting something about a monster or a changeling or something else. Galsthan sighed. It had been a very long time since anyone had run in terror from him. He was sure he had made friends with most ponies in town, so he wasn’t sure why anyone would still be afraid of him. Sure, he might not have gotten out too much due to his shop and work, and sure, he might not have been the friendliest of ponies to most at first, but he wasn’t a bad pony. Nobody had to run horrified of him. This hit too close to home for him and, combined with the stress of the last few days, put him into an immediate state of depression. He took a seat on a park bench and looked down at the ground, sadness portrayed across his entire body, with a frown on his face and slouched shoulders. Hoofsteps bound into his ears a moment later, but he did not look up. The hoofsteps ended at the bench, which squeaked slightly as another body sat on it next to Galsthan. A hoof draped around his shoulder and Galsthan, in his depressed state, returned the side-hug to whomever was sitting next to him. After just a short moment, he found himself smiling warmly. Galsthan and the unidentified stranger sat for several minutes, simply sharing a moment of silence. After some time, Galsthan looked over to the pony that was comforting him, but his eyes did not meet the same. Instead, he was greeted by a white Mare wearing a pair of shades. “Hey.” she said, her jagged blue mane jumping slightly. “Hey.” Galsthan responded, taking his hoof off the Mare’s shoulder, albeit awkwardly. He stared forward for a bit, before saying, “Thanks.” “Yep.” was her response. She slowly shuffled her hoof off of his shoulder, but then she leaned against him slightly. “It’s been awhile since I’ve gotten a hug like that.” She then stared straight forward, almost seeming to look right off into nowhere, and sighed in gratification. Galsthan simply sat there and let her, joining her in unfixed ogling. Something in the back of his mind kept going off, telling him it was weird or wrong, but he ignored it for the time being. He was comforted, comfortable, had company, and couldn’t care less about his troubles right now. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quick Fix was exhausted. Between having to rearrange with the Cakes, the Apples, a few other ponies, stopping for lunch, getting tripped up by a stranger, accidentally dropping all her bits, nearly getting caught in a bar fight, and having to get down from a tree, Quick Fix could safely say she wasn’t having a great day. You’re all probably confused by now, so to make a long story short... First off, Quick Fix obviously went and rearranged the plans she had already set, which frustrated her. When Quick Fix gets frustrated, her hair becomes frazzled. When her hair becomes frazzled, she realizes what time it really is and how much time she’s been spending on the frustrating subject or occupation. At this point, she realized it was past her usual dinner time, so she went to get some food. After she got some food, she went back to resume what she was doing, but a Royal Guard suddenly came up to her and started questioning her about Galsthan’s location. She said she didn’t know, so the Guard moved on in a hurry, accidentally bumping into Quick Fix as he departed, who then dropped her sack of bits. It took her ten minutes to find and pick up all the bits she had left over, and she still felt like she missed some. After she picked up all her bits, somepony saw how stressed she was and offered her a drink, to which she swiftly said yes. Her and this kind stranger moseyed on over to a bar, where the kind stallion bought her a drink. Quick Fix became intoxicated in no time and started to spout insults at several of the occupants of the bar, which sparked a fight that she only just barely got out of unscratched. After that, she was even more stressed out, so she headed down to the local library to get something relaxing to read. Upon approaching the library, the door exploded, sending her flying and she landed in a tree. She had a hard time getting out of the tree, but now she was back on the ground, covered in scrapes, bruises, leaves and an overall look of dissatisfaction. I’m sure there are longer ways to explain that which could take up the next two or three paragraphs, but this was the simplest way to explain the chain of events. Also, the day wasn’t over just yet. She had just a few errands left to run and only two reschedules to make, so she put new motives into her step and got on her way.